Chapter Seventeen- Two Timelines

It took a bit of trek through the forest, but Marcus & Faerie were getting closer to Fluttershy's cottage after their intensive fight with Shadow Whistler. Even though the two of them were in possession of both the Space & Time Stones, they still failed to capture him. Even though they had managed to trap him in a spacetime prison they had made together, he still managed to escape in the end, but they can at least say that they had managed to get some information from him.

“Kaisen… I think that’s the name I heard from that masked guy. Does that name mean anything to you?” Marcus asked, looking up at the mare of time that rested on his back as they continued down the road towards Fluttershy’s place. He honestly didn’t think she’d agree to him giving her a piggyback ride, but surprisingly, she seemed more friendly towards him… in an angry sorta way.

“I’m unfamiliar with that name… but those creatures made of tar and those tendrils that came out of Shadow Whistler, they reminded me of somepony, but… they should be dead. I saw to it myself,” Faerie answered, her eyes narrowing at the mere thought of whoever it was that she thought of. Marcus didn’t know and a part of him didn’t want to find out.

With a deep sigh, Marcus decided not to press the matter further, after all, he still needed to take her to see her son.

Once they made it out to the clearing, they saw Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy & Twinken sitting on the back porch, both Pinkie and Twinken getting bandages applied to them.

“MOM!!” Twinken jumped off the porch, not caring about the bandages, and hurried to embrace his mother, Faerie Tail sliding off Marcus’s back and meeting her son halfway, mother and son hugging with such tender relief, as Twinken began to tear up and say, “I- I’m sorry…! I didn’t mean to…”

“No, no, baby… I’m sorry,” Faerie Tail replied before gently pushing Twinken back so they could look into each other’s eyes. For a moment, there was nothing said, but as the mare and colt looked each other in the eye, Twinken saw guilt in his mother’s eyes like he’d never seen before.

Sure, he’d seen her look and sound guilty, but it was always drowned out by her insistence that she was right, that she had to do whatever she must to protect him. Now? There was none of that.

Faerie Tail teared up as well, “All I ever wanted was to keep you safe, Twinken… to keep you alive. But what’s the point of being alive if you’re not happy…? I’m so sorry, Twinken…”

“Mom, I…” Twinken steeled himself and gently said, “I can’t live like we have anymore. I know that there’s a buncha dangers out there, like that monster… and I kinda get why you’ve done what you did, to keep me safe. But yeah!

“Living without being happy isn’t living, it’s just existing. I want to go out and see new things, meet new ponies, make friends! How is that wrong?”

Faerie Tail felt her heart hurt, hearing her colt speak from his own, and she took a deep breath, before giving him a smile and ruffling his mane, “It’s not. I was wrong, Twinken… I should never have let my fear overcome my better judgment. I can’t stop you from living your life, nor should I ever have tried to keep you from the world. You need to see it for yourself! How else will you become the pony you are meant to be without experience to give you understanding…?”

“Oh, Mom!” Twinken hugged his mom again ,and Faerie Tail held her boy like she’d never let go.

“Looks like that wraps up this family matter,” Marcus said to himself, about to go walk up to both Pinkie & Fluttershy before he was suddenly tackled by a blur of pink and yellow as he fell to the ground. Looking up, he saw tears streaming down both Pinkie’s and Fluttershy’s faces as they gripped him tightly on his torso.

“COALY!/COAL!” Both mares shouted.

“I’m-I’m fine, girls… c-can you please get off me for a second… you’re crushing my ribs!” Marcus strained as he felt his face begin to turn bright red, but he wasn’t sure if it was from embarrassment or the pain of having his bones crushed under his two best friends.

“W-Why’d you do that!? You aren’t supposed to put yourself in danger! You promised me you wouldn’t get hurt! And I-I…” Pinkie sobbed, burying her face into his chest as she held on tighter.

“Y-You should have said something to me before Coal, I-I was so worried when Pinkie and the little colt came and told me about that- I just didn’t expect you to risk your life like that,” Fluttershy added, looking up at him as her eyes narrowed as tears kept forming in her eyes.

“I-I’m sorry… but I’m fine… just a few scrapes is all,” Marcus replied, wrapping his hooves around them as he slowly stroked both of their manes as he looked away from them, trying to get his blushing face under control.

“Not to ruin your romantic moment, but is it okay if I have a word with Coal Obsidian? I believe I promised him a conversation for finding my son,” Faerie asked, reminding Marcus of the significance of this information.

Both of the mares laying on top of the stallion immediately climbed off of him, their faces beet red as they wiped away the last of their tears. Getting to his hooves, Marcus dusted himself off while managing to get his embarrassment under control. It was still all new to him and despite living in this world for two months now, his walls were slowly crumbling down as he started seeing that his friends were looking more and more attractive each day.

He wasn’t sure how much longer he’d last, but regardless he followed Faerie’s lead. “I-I shouldn’t be long… Keep this little punk out of trouble for me though, I really don’t feel like going back into the Everfree.

“Hey!” Twinken complained, folding his hooves as he pouted.

“Don’t worry, we’ll keep an eye on him,” Fluttershy replied, smiling as she ushered Twinken back to her cottage as Pinkie started hopping.

“Okie-Dokie-Lokie!” Pinkie saluted, before leaning in close and whispered into the alicorn’s ear. “Be sure to fill me in when your done,”

Pinkie then hopped along towards the cottage while he followed the unicorn.

After leading Marcus out to the edge of Fluttershy’s yard, Faerie Tail took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts, as she turned to face Marcus, seeing the expectant look on his face. Sighing, she said aloud, “Where to begin… when there’s so much to cover?”

“I suppose the beginning is always best,” quipped Marcus, and he was glad to see the stab at a little corny humor helped ease the tension Faerie Tail was clearly feeling.

“Yes, the beginning…” the mare agreed with a heavy look, “I suppose it begins with how I came to possess the Time Stone. I wasn’t always the keeper of the Time Stone. For that duty fell upon my uncle, who was known as the Sorcerer Supreme, his name was Sol Caster. When my parents died, he took me in, raised me to be the mare I am today.

“He was considered to be the most powerful Sorcerer Supreme of our time, and he trained me and my friends to become his apprentices. We were not only training to one day be chosen to take his place, but to also learn more about the Time Stone.” Faerie paused for a moment, looking up at the alicorn, expecting him to bombard her with questions, but he didn’t say anything and gestured with his hoof for her to continue.

“My uncle, he was always there for me, to help me, guide me to be the best I could possibly be. It’s because of him that I was able to meet my husband… before he was was taken from me,”

“Who was he?” Marcus uttered, not meaning to say that outloud.

“Ignitus Enflame… He was… Well he was like you in a sense… a complete blockhead,” Faerie Tail chuckled as Marcus rolled his eyes at that comment. “Actually… nah, you’re a bigger blockhead than he ever was…”

“Please continue,” he said, annoyed as he crossed his forelegs.

“Ignitus… out of all of us, was the closest to surpassing my uncle and he would have become the next Sorcerer Supreme…. But… one day, we were attacked. Those monsters that you saw when we ran into Shadow Whistler, they were simply called Wendigos, monsters made from the bones of the lost deer clans of old, mutated by this black substance that was… evil.”

“They overwhelmed us and before we knew it… All of Equestria was at war, trying to suppress this evil, but… one by one, leaders fell at their paws… and they were all lead by the vilest, cruelest, and most evil bastard the world had ever seen,” Faerie spat, her horn sparking in anger as she recalled the past. “He called himself, Lord Ashen, the ruler of Life & Death,”

“He was from the nation of Abyssinia, the land where the cats rule and beside him were several followers that helped him conquer Equestria… I don’t remember all of their names, but I remember one… Lukewarm… A begin made of tar and flesh… He was the one I killed when he took my husband from me,” Faerie choked when she brought up her husband. “I-I couldn’t… I couldn’t do anything to help him… And I was just so angry… I just burnt that monster to ashes,”

Marcus couldn’t help but feel sorry for the mare as he scooted closer to her and began to pat her gently on her back. A gasp could be heard from her as she suddenly looked up towards him, tears dripping down her cheeks.

“Take your time… please, you don’t need to force yourself,” Marcus assured.

“Sniff… Okay… I’m okay… Things… just kept getting worse and worse by the day and before we knew it, Princess Celestia was killed by Ashen… and when she fell, we were the only ones who stood between him, and world domination,”

“But wait… what about the other Infinity Stones? What does this guy have to do with anything?” Marcus asked.

“Coal… Ashen was in possession of the Soul Stone… And he used it to steal the souls of millions… including my uncle,” Faerie answered with a heavy heart. “My uncle was the reason why Ashen started the war… Before I was born, he had imprisoned him, but over time, he broke free and went after the other stones, invading other nations in search of them. He almost succeeded… but not before my uncle gave me the Time Stone.”

“I used it to take the other stones… all but one… and that’s when I created the split in time… I knew that, he couldn’t follow me through without the help of the other Infinity stones, so when I stole them, I scattered them through time as I created this new timeline… One where everypony was still alive… but I couldn’t make it exactly as it was originally… There are differences here that I was unable to fix,” Faerie explained.

“Like what?”

“Well for one, you are here… There was never a black alicorn in my timeline, and yet here you are… Discord, the Spirit of Chaos never broke free and is apparently stashed away in an underground vault under Canterlot… My husband… in this timeline he’s married to somepony else and has three fillies… And… because I’m here, there’s apparently no other me, or any of my family… Maybe it’s because of my failure or because I’ve used the Time Stone incorrectly… But I erased my bloodline… meaning I’m the last Sorcerer Supreme. All I have left… is Twinken… It’s why I’ve been doing everything I can to get the other stones to make sure that Ashen doesn’t get through and remerges our timelines,”

“Because if he does… he’ll pick up where he left off and do the same thing here,” Marcus added.

“Yes… but there’s more to it than that,” Faerie Tail said hesitantly. She closed her eyes, trying to find the right words… until finally, she said, “What will happen when one timeline clashes with another? Will they merge? Will they conflict? Will Ignitus’s daughters fade from existence? Will Twinken get his father back? Will another me come into existence? I just don’t know, Coal! I don’t know and it terrifies me!”

“I can see why you’re so worried about the timelines merging together,” Marcus sighed, as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. “We’ve got our work cut out for us, huh?”

“Oh Coal… I did what I did out of desperation, I don’t even truly know what I did. The Time Stone is capable of things I’ve never imagined, and somehow it reacted to my feelings, creating the split in the timeline, which I wasn’t even trying to do,” Faerie Tail’s eyes flowed with tears, “but in the moment, all I could think about was protecting all I held dear from a monster… What if I only prolonged the inevitable? What if my actions will ultimately make things worse?”

“Faerie, if you ask me, I think you did the best you could do… If I was in your sh-hooves… I wouldn’t know what to do, and you aren’t alone in this… I can’t exactly say why I’m searching for the stones… but I can promise you that I’m only trying to help, and if getting them is what keeps those freaks from bringing that Ashen guy here, than I’ll be happy to help,” Marcus smiled, bumping his hoof to his chest.

Faerie Tail regarded the alicorn with fear and doubt in her eyes. But no longer was that fear and doubt about him, but it had always been about herself. Her desperate need for control, her overwhelming desire to protect her son, her all-consuming fear of facing the evil that nearly destroyed everything and everyone she knew and loved. It was… drifting away. All because of this stubborn, annoying, kind, wise, and surprisingly amazing (and attractive) alicorn stallion who had seemingly dropped out of nowhere and brought with him something Faerie Tail had been missing for a very long time.

Hope.

“Well, I don’t know about you, but I think we should probably head inside now, I’m sure Twinken is getting antsy by now, right?” Marcus asked.

Snapping out of her dawning daze, Faerie Tail chuckled softly, and responded, “You truly are a piece of work, Coal Obsidian.”

“Maybe, but not like you are any better, Miss Overprotective Mom,~” Marcus teased, sticking his tongue out at the mare of time.

“Well, you just wait for when you have foals of your own, mister mane,” Faerie Tail retorted with a playful harrumph.

“Someday… Someday, for sure,” Marcus muttered under his breath as he rubbed the back of his head, as he thought, And they’ll be kids, not foals, if I have anything to say about it…

“Still I have to say… you don’t exactly look like you’d be a mom, you know?” Marcus confessed, as Faerie’s head whipped towards him suddenly with a piercing glare.

“And what’s that supposed to mean, mister!”

“N-Nothing! I’m just saying, you look so young, like you’d be fresh out of university or something!” He panicked.

Faerie Tail’s look softened only slightly, before she raised a brow and responded, “Huh. You flatterer, you.”

“Well, you look good…”

Then, without thinking, without letting even another thought distract her or hold her back, Faerie Tail did something so unexpected Marcus would never have seen it coming.

Apparently, neither had two other ponies, who’d just come out to invite Marcus and Faerie Tail to join them for tea and cookies… only for their eyes to pop as they saw what they saw.

But nopony’s eyes were so big and wide as Marcus’s as he felt Faerie Tail’s lips pressed against his own. His face lit up, his body seized, his breath stopped, and his heart skipped a beat.

The kiss was gentle yet tender, and though it dragged on for a moment or two, Marcus couldn’t help but utter a whimper when it ended. Faerie Tail smiled at the big oaf’s speechless stupidity before gently patting his cheek and saying, “You’re cute when you’re like this.

“I’ll be in touch, Coal. But for now, I just want to take my son home and have a long nap…”

As Faerie Tail left the stunned stallion to collect her colt, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy stood there, stunned in their own way, but they found their voices a lot quicker than Marcus did.

“HEY! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE!? KISSING MY COALY!!!” Pinkie shouted, her eyes burning with anger as she glared at the smirking mare, who paid them no mind as she led her confused boy out the door.

“Oh…my…” Fluttershy uttered as she wasn’t quite sure what to feel in that moment, but she didn’t feel anything negative surprisingly.

“Uhbuh…I-I-I huh?!” Was all Marcus could babble out as his face went completely supernova as his pupils dilated, expanding and contracting within his eyeballs as they bulged, and steam was starting to leak out of his ears, and his horn glimmered like a neon sign.

Why can’t I talk normally!? Why can’t I stop babbling like an idiot!? Why did her lips feel soooo good!?!? Did she take my intelligence away!? Why does my body feel so hot?! As all these thoughts raced through the alicorn’s mind, he suddenly felt somepony grab his hoof.

“See you around~” Faerie said slyly.

Seeing the flabbergasted stallion and the weird way his mom was acting, the gears grinded just a little in the colt’s head, before a lightbulb of realization lit up as he thought:

Mister Obsidian + Mom = …a new dad!

Lighting up with the biggest smile, Twinken looked back to Marcus and waved, “Bye, Mister Obsidian! Come visit Mom and I soon, okay?”

The two then teleported away, leaving the trio alone out in the middle of Fluttershy’s backyard.

“What just happened?” Marcus asked, only for him to get a slap to the face by Pinkie as she stomped off fuming as her face turned a bright red. “W-What did I do?”

Fluttershy only looked at him with a disappointed sigh, shaking her head as she trotted past him.

“I-I’m serious though! I completely shut down right there!? Can someone please answer me!?”

Laying down in a pile of pillows, Sombra stared out the window of Carousel Boutique as he waited for the seamstress, Rarity, to finish toiling away at a new line of dresses she had been hired to make for a client. In his long reign as the King of the Crystal Empire, Sombra never had to wait this long on any pony, or anyone really.

What is taking that seamstress so long?! Sombra thought with an impatient snarl.

Only the feeling of his cape over his withers eased his anxiety. It’d taken some… wheedling, but he’d managed to “convince” the purple princess to give him his cape back. Unfortunately, she’d drawn the line at his crown and armor.

“Are you still wearing that thing?” Sombra opened his eyes and saw Rarity coming in, levitating a box that no doubt contained her latest creation. “You know, it wouldn’t hurt for you to update your wardrobe. Does it not get boring wearing the same thing all the time?”

“Boring?! I am a king!” Sombra stood up and struck a regal pose, “As such, I must display my status with the appropriate attire.”

“Well, even monarchs wear different garments and still manage to keep up their royal appearances,” Rarity retorted, before adding, “Not to mention, they smell better for it.”

Sombra snarled at her, but Rarity ignored him as she carried on to prepare to deliver her customer’s order… and missed Sombra take a reluctant whiff of his armpit, and say ‘Eech…’ before muttering to himself, “I suppose she’s not exactly… wrong.”

Thinking about it further, Sombra realized he'd been possessive of his cape in a manner akin to a foal hugging their security blanket. He should be above such petulant insecurity!

“Sombra!~” came the irritating voice of his latest keeper as Rarity returned, makeup telekinetically touching her up with a refresher of beauty. “Why don’t I have your cape washed and provide you with an alternative once you freshen up? Afterwards, we’ll go out and enjoy a nice walk on such a fine day.”

“And why would I step out to mingle with commoners?” harrumphed the dark unicorn with a snooty tone.

“Well, if you’re not up for it, I suppose we could… enjoy a nice meal,” Rarity supposed, Sombra’s tension easing… until Rarity added, “My dear sister, Sweetie Belle, has been dying for another chance to cook for us.”

Sombra’s eyes widened in alarm as he recalled the tiny filly’s putrid concoctions she’d offered him, and then bore the most heartbreaking gaze when he’d tried to refuse. His poor sphincter hadn’t been the same ever since.

Before Rarity could say another word, her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a shower running, and then she heard Sombra shout, “Prepare my attire! I shan’t be long!”

The fashionista smirked triumphantly as she began to brainstorm something so regally stylish her charge would have no choice but to complement it.

Despite Sombra’s words, he spent nearly an hour showering, washing his mane, getting every nook and cranny, and then afterwards drying off, brushing his mane and coat… and feeling surprisingly refreshed when he was done. Gazing upon his reflection, Sombra hmm’d at his appearance, and acknowledging, Perhaps I’ve let my judgment lapse in maintaining my… hygiene.

It was actually embarrassing, and even shameful. Sombra was a king, and should always look his best. But then he remembered, I was a king…

Could he really continue to say that after all that had happened? Where was he now? Who he was living with, and who truly had all the power. It stuck in his craw, and yet something else weighed upon Sombra’s spirit. But what was it…?

“Oh, Sombra…~! I’m waiting!” called that annoying seamstress yet again.

Growling with a sigh, Sombra vacated the bathroom and returned to the main room of the boutique, where Rarity awaited him, wearing a sunhat… and levitating a box tied with a simple ribbon.

Eyeing it, Sombra guessed, “I suppose that is meant for me?”

“From me, to you,” Rarity nodded as she held the gift out to him.

Sombra rolled his eyes, but accepted it into his own telekinetic aura, mistakenly mixing his with Rarity’s. There was an odd sensation, something akin to static or a vibration, when the two unicorns’ magic mixed, but they immediately parted, and looked upon each other with confusion. Clearing his throat, Sombra acted like it didn’t happen… and undid the ribbon to raise the lid of the box.

Folded with a mare’s touch, it was a scarf of the most beautiful shade of red, the edges dyed with a gleaming gold, and it even had Sombra’s name on it.

The dark unicorn found it oddly appealing to him. Setting the box down, he levitated the scarf, extending it to the full of its length, unable to hide his approval, much to Rarity’s satisfaction.

“May I?” Rarity offered her hoof, to Sombra’s confusion, but he allowed her to take the scarf, and then expertly secure it around his neck, tying it to where it was nice and snug, comfortable yet would not easily come loose. “There, you look regal already! And you didn’t even need that cape for it.”

“Um…” Sombra was baffled. No, dumbstruck. He didn’t know what to think or do or say.

“I believe the response you’re looking for is… ‘thank you’,” Rarity commented smugly.

“THANK YOU?!” Sombra reacted indignantly.

“You’re welcome!” Rarity replied with such a sunshiny expression that Sombra slumped, realizing he’d walked right into that one. “Tally-ho, darling! The day awaits.”

Sombra grumbled under his breath as he followed in reluctant tow.

He couldn’t believe that he was being dragged around like some kind of errand colt by this insistent seamstress of all ponies. True, Pinkie may have been annoying to the point of giving him a headache, but at the very least she treated him like he should have been when they went out on walks. A king, but now… here he was, walking with this mare who orders him around like a commoner. It was an outrage.

As the two walked the streets of Ponyville, Sombra noticed the strange looks they were getting from the town folks. Before he didn’t really care, because he believed that it was due to fear of him being in their presence, but this time it was different. Like he was being judged.

“So, Sombra, I don’t mean to pry, but are you alright? You look a little bit nervous,” Rarity spoke, looking at the dark unicorn with concern.

“Hmph, nervous? What could I possibly have to be nervous about?” Sombra scoffed as Rarity walked with him at his side.

She’d also considered holding his foreleg, in the way a mare would with a stallion, but that was most likely too soon and too intimate.

“Well… while you seem somewhat more relaxed, I can’t help but feel that something is bothering you,” Rarity noted.

Sombra narrowed his eyes, but said nothing.

“The silent treatment? Honestly, I understand why you are upset with me being put in charge of reforming you, but you have only yourself to blame for your current situation. Were I you, I’d make the most of it,” Rarity commented, her own eyes narrowing, but that was the moment the dam finally broke.

“The only one to blame for my predicament is that blasted alicorn, Coal Obsidian! Everything was fine before, until he showed up and ruined everything!” Sombra spat, baring his teeth at the unicorn. “He’s the one who attacked me and yet, I got stuck with you of all ponies.”

“Don’t try that with me, Sombra,” Rarity answered back, her tone patient yet edged, “You instigated the whole debacle. On. My. Birthday! If anypony reserves the right to be upset, it is me… You arrived, drunk, and made a fool out of yourself out of petty jealousy!”

Sombra tempered his rage, but could not stop himself from snarling like a beast in Rarity’s face. To his (secret) surprise, she didn’t flinch or even draw back from his display of ferocity.

“Pinkie Pie was devastated that she could not reach you…” Rarity held her ground, displaying the steel of her spirit, “but where she failed, I will succeed. Princess Celestia thought Laughter would turn your heart, but clearly, you need to learn the virtues of Generosity.”

“Generosity… Laughter you say… Do you honestly believe I care about any of that ridiculous prattle? I used to be a king! Feared by all, who ruled with an ironhoof! If I had my powers, I wouldn’t be dealing with any of you annoying, pathetic, weak sentimental fools!” Sombra reminded her, his red eyes staring down the white unicorn.

“And look where you are now,” Rarity retorted, making Sombra grimace but continue to growl. “All your power, all your slaves, all of it didn’t make a difference when the Sisters defeated you, nor when you returned the first time and Princess Cadance foiled you with the Crystal Heart.

“You’ve been given a second chance, Sombra. Not all are so lucky,” Rarity walked past him, making Sombra tremble with angst… and yet he could not help but wonder on the mare’s words.

“Tch… I’ve had enough for one day… Take me back to the castle, I’d rather deal with that accursed princess’s nagging instead of hearing this prattle go on for a second longer,” Sombra scoffed in annoyance as he looked away from the mare, no longer wanting to stay outside for another second.

Pausing, Rarity looked back at Sombra, seeing the way he looked away from her, the look on his face bitter… the look of a stallion who was looking back, unable to let go of what once was. Perhaps afraid of what could yet be if he relinquished those regrets anchoring him, preventing him from following the current.

Sighing, Rarity said with a voice subtly morose, “As you wish.”

She took the path that would lead them back to the castle, and Sombra followed, keeping at least two pony lengths of distance between them. He glared into the back of the mare’s head, gritting his teeth, How dare she?

How dare she lecture him? A posh accent and air of sophistication could never disguise the truth that she was nothing more than a simple seamstress, born to a one-horse town, not a drop of nobility flowing in her veins. Oh, how he’d had to hear her go on and on about high society, the class, the elegance, as though talking about it with anyone who heard her, whether they listened or not, fed her insipid delusion that she could be anything more than her background of low-birth.

Although, he didn’t have to dwell on those thoughts for very long as they soon found themselves standing outside of Twilight’s castle. With a quick knock, Rarity and Sombra waited patiently for the door to open and when it finally did, they were greeted by none other than Spike.

“Hey Rarity! Did you need something?” Spike asked, excitedly.

“Oh, hello Spike, is Twilight around? I’m just here to drop off Sombra and be on my way, I still have a few orders I need to finish,” Rarity explained as the baby dragon’s excited expression suddenly soured at the sight of the dark unicorn.

“Ohhh… Right, I forgot you were in charge of reforming him now,” Spike said bitterly as he locked eyes with Sombra.

“As usual you still don’t know your place, little drake,” Sombra retorted bluntly as he rolled his eyes at the baby dragon’s obvious crush on the seamstress.

“I still don’t think Rarity should have to waste her time trying to reform you, you jerk!” Spike spat back.

Sombra gave Spike a fierce snarl, making the little dragon cower behind the doorway, as Sombra growled, “I would kill you now, if it didn’t mean I’d ever hear the end of it from-”

“Sombra,” Rarity interjected, a look on her face that, for reasons that completely baffled him, made Sombra shut his mouth.

“Tch! I’m going to bed,” Sombra said bluntly, shoving his way past the little dragon as he made his way towards his room, leaving the baby dragon and unicorn alone.

“Ugh! He’s such a jerk! Rarity, you shouldn’t have to be dealing with this guy! Celestia asked Pinkie Pie to try and reform him, and look what happened. I think you should talk to her, make him someone else’s problem,” Spike suggested, almost pleadingly as he looked at her with concern.

“Spike, I know you are worried about me, darling, but you needn’t fret,” Rarity reassured. “I can’t exactly put my hoof on it, but I can tell that he’s been making a lot of progress and he’s being a bit more honest with me now. That fight he had with Coal on my birthday definitely changed something in him.”

“Well, I’d feel a lot better if someone else was doing this,” Spike mumbled under his breath as he crossed his arms, glaring in the direction the former tyrant was headed, all the while, Rarity giggled silently.

“Ahem… Well for what it’s worth, I am happy that I was given this opportunity to not only serve the princess, but to also make a new friend,” Rarity said proudly, unaware of the little drake fuming with jealousy. “Speaking of friends, where’s Twilight? I wanted to speak to her about Sombra’s progress.”

“I don’t know actually… she was supposed to go to Fluttershy’s today to help with Coal’s training, but I could have sworn she said it was canceled today…” Spike answered, placing his claw to his chin as he wondered where Twilight was as well.

Twilight was in horror, unable to look away. The mouth of Midnight’s cave was ablaze, looking like a hellish maw of an infernal monster. What was going on? How could this be?

Looking at the letter she’d received, Twilight looked over it one more time:

Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle,

I find myself in a troubling situation, but it is nothing I cannot handle. Rest assured, I shan’t be away for very long, just enough to settle the issue. I look forward to continuing our conversations together, and wish you well.

Your faithful servant,
Midnight Blaze

Even when she’d read it the first time, something about the letter had left Twilight in disquiet. It was too formal, too distant. Although she hadn’t known him for very long, Twilight was certain Midnight would convey himself in a much friendlier manner, one of open caring and respect. Beneath the letter itself had been a simple yet accurate map, with a dotted line leading directly to the cave where Midnight lived.

This letter feels like it came from some stuffy noble or something, and why add a map to his home? Twilight had wondered, and while it might seem too soon to worry, something inside Twilight, instinct perhaps, had spurred her to look into it.

Which had led her here, to Midnight’s proverbial doorstep. And it was on fire.

Mustering her power, Twilight cast the strongest Extinguishing Spell she knew, and in a matter of seconds, the lames were choked and snuffed out as easily as candlelight. Lighting her horn, Twilight took a cautious step forward, the smell of burnt wood, stone, dirt, and other things pervading her nose, and a quick Dowsing Spell left her dismayed. The whole of Midnight’s cave scorched out.

His possessions, his bed, even his books and food stores, burnt to a crisp.

Though it was not her home, Twilight couldn’t help but feel a stab of loss. This was a violation, the destruction of someone’s home. She was now well and truly worried, Midnight… where did you go?

When Sombra had entered his room, he leaned his back against the door and slid down as he let out an exasperated sigh of annoyance. Surprisingly there was no Princess Twilight to nag at him about his day or ask more questions about his time as ruler of the Crystal Empire a thousand years ago for her ridiculous research purposes.

“Sounds like you’ve had an exhausting day, your majesty,” Sombra’s head jerked up suddenly to find a figure standing in the darkness of his room.

Letting out a growl, Sombra stood up immediately as he flipped the lights on in his room, revealing a dark blue unicorn. He had a long black mane with a red streak through it, tied into a ponytail. He also noticed the stranger had several scars across his face, but strangely he was wearing attire that he wasn’t familiar with at all. He was wearing gray robes that had the sleeves embroidered with gold and a red sash wrapped around his waist and he had gray horse shoes with gold on them.

“Who are you? How did you get in my chambers?” Sombra demanded, letting out a snarl.

“Oh, you could say I just let myself in, but that doesn’t really matter does it? What truly matters is why?” The stranger replied, smirking as he trotted slowly to the former ruler. “I have to be honest, when I heard the Tyrannical King Sombra was in Ponyville, I was expecting someone more… intimidating,”

“Watch your tongue! You don’t know what I’m truly capable of, you fool!”

“I know you’ve lost most of your magic… to the point that it’s practically non-existent, but where are my manners? I’ve gone by many names, but you may refer to me as…Kaisen, and I’ve come to see you specifically, King Sombra,” He introduced himself, bowing to Sombra though the manner was more theatrical than respectful.

“And what do you want?” Sombra narrowed his eyes with distrust and contempt.

“I’ve come to offer you freedom from this prison you call a town,” He answered, his smile never fading as his horn flickered to life with a gray hue and a small black hole opened next to him. Slowly he reached out with his hoof into the black hole and pulled out a purple gem, glowing brightly as he extended it out towards him. “I offer you the opportunity to not only gain power far greater than you can possibly imagine, but to also reduce this hick town to rubble and even take back the Crystal Empire as it is your birthright,”

“All I ask in return is that you help me with reclaiming what has been stolen from me and my master,” Kaisen explained, his horn creating a sphere of energy that revealed images of a unicorn with an icy blue coat in possession of a green gem and images of Coal Obsidian!?

That blue gem, I knew it! It was faint due to my lack of magic, but I knew that I felt the gem had contained incredible magic!

“You help me retrieve what was stolen, and in return you can not only have your magic back, but everything you’ve always wanted and more,” Kaisen explained. “What I hold in my hoof is one of six stones of infinite power! Creatively enough, the Power Stone, as its name implies, will grant you power that will be unmatched by anypony. All you have to do… is take it.”

When Sombra’s eyes saw the Power Stone for the very first time, he couldn’t help but feel like he was enchanted by it. The purple hue radiated with a strength beyond the primal, beyond the magical. It was a force sheer and undeniable! He could feel its endless amount of energy flow from within and without, like a nexus ever in motion, a current pressing against all around it. It was unlike anything he’s ever encountered before in his entire life. And this commoner was just giving it to him, willingly? With this stone, he’d be able to take back the Crystal Empire, enslave the crystal ponies again, reign with an iron hoof and be feared once again. He’d be able to take a queen worthy to stand beside him and-

An image of Pinkie’s & Rarity’s smiling face appeared in the former tyrant’s mind.

“Is something the matter?” Kaisen asked, raising a brow as he looked at Sombra curiously.

“No… Nothing is wrong… Just making up my mind,” Sombra responded.

“Excellent, then-”

THWACK!

Suddenly the Power Stone was knocked out of Kaisen’s hooves, surprising the unicorn as he looked back at the former tyrant with narrowed eyes. Sombra’s eyes ever focused on him as let out a barely-contained snarl. “Get… OUT.”

“Hmm… I thought you were different, that you might actually prove to be useful in the long run, but clearly I’ve been mistaken,” Kaisen ho’hum’d with genuine disappointment.

“You thought wrong, I am not a pawn to be used in whatever scheme you’ve conjured, sorcerer! I became the ruler of the Crystal Empire with my own strength, and not once did I ever need the help of some trinket! If that stone is as powerful as you claim, why don’t you take the others for yourself?!” Sombra demanded, but suddenly he felt something grab hold of his hooves and was immediately pulled back.

Slamming against the wall, Sombra saw the black tendrils made of a strange black substance tighten around his hooves.

“Sigh… You’ve surprised me, Sombra, you really did… I thought the offer I made would have been too enticing for you to resist. You are clearly a lost cause now. A has-been tyrant, tainted by friendship and harmony of all things,” Kaisen spat at Sombra’s hooves before letting out a soft chuckle. “Well, that shouldn’t be too much of a problem, after all… My associates and I went through so much trouble to plan this. One of them even wrote a letter to lure Princess Twilight Sparkle away from the castle. Just so I could have an audience with the vaunted King Sombra.”

“What are you babbling onabout!?” Sombra growled as he struggled in vain to free himself.

“Truth be told, I suspected that your time with these peaceful creatures made you soft, preventing you from seeing the bigger picture as it were. So I took… precautions,” Kaisen grinned mischievously as he levitated the Power Stone over to him. Slowly he approached the former tyrant as he struggled to break free from the tendrils that held him in place.

“Get that wretched thing away from me!” Sombra growled as he tried to rip his hoof free, but the closer Kaisen got to him, the brighter the Power Stone seemed to get. “STAY AWAY!”

“Don’t look so frightened… I am only giving you what you deserve… And bringing back the Ruler of Fear to his former glory,” Kaisen said maliciously as he placed the power stone against Sombra’s chest, watching it burn the fur off his chest as it melded into his flesh.

“NOOOOO!!!!!!” Sombra screamed as he was engulfed in a flood of energy like nothing he’d ever experienced before. The Power Stone poured its might into every vein, every fiber, every cell.

It was agonizing. It was overwhelming! It was… exhilarating!

Ten Minutes Earlier

“Pinkie, can you pleasssse talk to me?!” Marcus begged, his wings clasped together as he tried to get the mare’s attention, but the only response he got was a ‘Hmph!’ from the party pony.

It had been a few hours since they had seen Faerie Tail and it’s been a few hours since she had kissed the alicorn on the lips and it’s been a few hours since Pinkie Pie had slapped him across the face. Marcus didn’t expect Faerie Tail of all ponies to kiss him, but she did and he wouldn’t deny that he enjoyed it.

However, now it felt like he had done something wrong, but he didn’t know what though?

“Fluttershy, can you help me out here… please?” Marcus asked, pleading with the pegasus.

“W-Well… I-I would like to help… but… I don’t want to make Pinkie more mad than she already is…” Fluttershy replied. “But, you honestly don’t know?”

“If I knew, I wouldn’t be asking?!” Marcus flailed.

“Stallions…” Fluttershy said quietly as she let out a sigh.

Letting out a groan, Marcus activated the Space Stone and opened a portal.

“I’m… going to give her some space… Me begging ain’t going to make things better,” Marcus said, feeling a little irritated that he was suddenly getting the cold shoulder for something he didn’t even do. “I’ll be back, `Shy, let me know when Pinkamena wants to talk like adults!”

“PPPPPBBBBBTTTHH!!!”

“Grrrrr…!!!” Marcus considered himself a tolerant person, but among the things he utterly detested was raspberries.

Without another word, he bitterly left, closing the portal behind him, leaving the two mares alone.

“Pinkie, don’t you think you're being a little too hard on him?” Fluttershy asked, trotting up next to the party pony who was shaking suddenly. “Pinkie?”

“I… I know that he wasn’t the one who kissed her… b-but… It hurt just seeing that happen. And that look on his face… I’ve never seen him make that face before! He never made that face when he was with me!” Pinkie cried, tears dripping down her cheeks as the shy pegasus began to gently rub her back as she pulled her in for a hug.

“Pinkie, I- I won’t deny that was… unexpected,” Fluttershy said delicately, “It’s just, sometimes… stallions can be… well, not as sensitive to others’ feelings. I suppose it depends on how they see you and… how you might be around them.”

“Huh?! I-I thought Coaly understood me pretty well though, he’s so nice,” Pinkie explained, letting out a soft chuckle. “W-What am I supposed to do?”

“Well, Pinkie… when you’re with Coal, how are you around him? How is he around you? Sometimes, the ways we act can send signals to each other,” Fluttershy said, giving it a careful thought, “and… sometimes, the signals… either they get them wrong, don’t notice them, or even ignore them, but it can work the other way as well.

“Now, don’t take this the wrong way, Pinkie Pie,” Fluttershy braced herself, hoping she chose her words carefully enough, “but sometimes… you seem more like a kid than an adult, which isn’t a bad thing! It’s just… there are times where you’re just… immature?”

“I… I didn’t… I just… Maybe… I overreacted… but… I never felt like this before. Even when I was spending time with Sombra… It’s just the butterflies I get in my tummy aren’t the same as when I spend time with M-Coaly,” Pinkie caught herself before she accidently said his true name. “I just… I really, really like him,”

When Fluttershy heard that come from one of her best friends, she wasn’t what this new feeling was, but the best she could describe it was bitterness. She didn’t like the fact that Pinkie liked Coal Obsidian, but she also didn’t want her friend being sad anymore. It was a strange conundrum she was dealing with, but Fluttershy knew that she couldn’t be quiet when her friend needed her.

“Um… I know Coal can be a bit… thick at times,” Fluttershy said with a delicate tone before it turned fond. “Remember when he first came to Ponyville? I still recall how he struggled to walk on his hooves for the first time. It was weird, like… he never had hooves before.”

Pinkie immediately stiffened when she mentioned that, but kept her mouth shut as she listened.

“But even so, he has turned out to be… one of the kindest, sweetest, most caring ponies I’ve ever met,”

“Y-Yeah… I remember that day… Sniff… We bumped into each other while Sombry and I were out on a walk together,” Pinkie replied. “He even defended me when Sombry was being so mean,”

“That sounds just like him,” Fluttershy commented, her cheeks reddening as a smile formed. “Even if he can be reckless at times… Like when he went into the Everfree Forest when he was still injured,”

“Yyyyyyeah… He can be a bit of a knucklehead, huh?” Pinkie said, wiping away her tears as she started to smile again.

“Yeah, he can be sometimes, but I’ve noticed it’s always for the right reasons though,” Fluttershy sighed, her eyes gleaming with a starry-eyed look that went beyond fondness. “He’s been very helpful here with feeding the animals,”

When Pinkie saw that look in her eyes and how her cheeks blushed when she spoke of the alicorn. She knew right then and there that Fluttershy, whether she realized it or not, was in fact infatuated with Marcus and spending so much time alone with him only made it more difficult as Pinkie had just come to terms with her own feelings about him and wanted to keep him to herself.

But could she really do that though? When Fluttershy was just as important to her as Marcus was to her? She wouldn’t want to make her sad if she had pursued her crush on the alicorn, but she also didn’t want to lose him either.

Pinkie was the Element of Laughter, it was her calling in life to make everyone happy and smile. There had to be a way for everyone to be happy, right?

“Hey, Flutters? I wanted to ask you, do you lik-” Before Pinkie could say anything, she suddenly started shaking all over. “Uh-oh! I just got all twitchy again!”

“Are you okay?” Fluttershy asked, but all of a sudden, everything around them suddenly started to shake and clatter as the ground shook violently.

*CRASH!*

“SCREEEEEEEEEEE!” A strange creature with the skull of a deer, oozing black tar with it’s chest glowing a bright purple, had bashed its head through the nearest window. Its paw stretched outward as it tried to reach for the two mares.

“AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!” Both mares screamed in terror, instantly hugging each other at the sight of this creature and its sudden invasion of Fluttershy’s home.

The wretched creature snarled as it started towards them… when a pillow was thrown into its face. It growled in annoyance and looked to see a certain white rabbit on Fluttershy’s couch, having thrown the pillow. But now the rabbit’s initial bravado quickly evaporated with a terrified shriek as the monster roared at him.

Seeing her Angel afraid spurred Fluttershy out of her own fear, and she grabbed the nearest heavy object (her fireplace poker) and screamed a mixture of defiance and fear as she gave the beast a good whack in the schnozz.

Seeing Fluttershy, of all ponies, doing something so brave in spite of her fear drove Pinkie to do the same. She reached somewhere and pulled out a frying pan and joined her friend in giving the monster a good walloping.

They whacked and walloped and pummeled and beat down until the monster was reduced to a mess of tar and a broken skull, the two mares panting once it was over before sharing a look. An odd medley of emotions rose up in both of them as they both gave a delirious giggle and relieved sob before they took a breather to clear their minds and calm their beating hearts.

“Wha… where did you get… that frying pan, Pinkie Pie?” Fluttershy asked after finding her voice.

“I hid it here in your house!” Pinkie replied without losing a beat. “I hid frying pans all over Ponyville, in case of frying pan-related emergencies.”

That one provoked a real laugh out of Fluttershy, and the two of them enjoyed a good moment of soul-enriching laughter, before they heard more ferocious snarls in the distance. Sharing another look, they both nodded, knowing that the cottage was no longer safe for them, they decided to make a run for it out the door.

Pinkie & Fluttershy knew they needed to get back to Ponyville and warn the other girls that these strange monsters were coming and they’d need to access the powers of harmony again in order to stop this new threat from hurting anyone else.

Still, the two couldn’t help but wonder, why did they attack the cottage? How did they know they were there? Was it a random attack or were they the target? They didn’t know, and they weren’t sure they wanted to know either. The two just kept running as fast as their hooves could carry them until they got closer to the main road to Ponyville.

However, when they got closer to the town… They both gasped in shock by what they were greeted with.

Large purple crystals had surrounded the town, towering over every building, giving off a pulsating glimmer and they found the townsfolk marching towards Twilight’s castle in chains and were being led by more of the same monsters that had attacked Fluttershy’s cottage.

“O-Oh dear… W-What happened here?!” Fluttershy asked.

“W-We gotta find the girls and- No, we should look for Coaly! He has that stone thingy that can open portals! If we find him, he can help us look for our friends safely!” Pinkie suggested. It wasn’t much of a plan really, but right now it was all they had.

“B-But we don’t know where he went though! He could be anywhere at this point!” Fluttershy fretted, unsure of what to do or if there was even anything they could do.

“Let’s get a better look, see what’s going on,” Pinkie suggested and hurried towards a nearby hill that would give them a better vantage point.

“Pinkie, wait!” Fluttershy went after her, and said as they approached the top of the hill, “We have no idea what’s-”

But upon arriving at the top of the hill, a circle of red and purple lit up on the ground directly beneath them… and a vibrant haze of magical aura rose up, looking prismatic and fractal as it engulfed them… before the haze shot inward and solidified into solid crystal.

Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy found themselves completely immobilized, every part of their bodies encased in solid crystal that was purple like quartz yet gleamed red within the facets. Only their heads and faces remained uncovered, allowing them to breathe and speak, as Fluttershy glumly finished, “...out there.”

“Uh… whoops! Heheh!” Pinkie giggled sheepishly before trying to get loose, but it did no good whatsoever. Other than her head and face, Pinkie couldn’t move so much as a single muscle.

Sighing, even Fluttershy could not help snarking, “And trouble-prone Pinkie Pie does it again…”

“Hey!” Pinkie Pie threw Fluttershy a stink eye, “I resemble that remark!”

“Well, given we’ve tripped a trap and now we can’t get away…” Fluttershy would have gestured to said trap if her hoof was free, but her tone said it all.

“Well, at least it can’t ge-” Pinkie was saying, only to button her lip… as globs of tar bubbled from the edges of the magic circle and rose up, forming into more of those monsters, all glaring at their captives.

“Care to finish that sentence, Pinkamena…?” invited Fluttershy with an unamused rise of her brow.

“No…” Pinkie Pie moped as the monsters ensnared their crystal restraint and began dragging them down to Ponyville. Sighing, Pinkie asked, “Where are they taking us?”

Fluttershy waited for a bit to get an idea of their heading, and soon their answer was made evident, as the tar monsters were dragging them to Twilight’s castle. Only, it no longer looked like it was Twilight’s castle anymore.

Ten Minutes Earlier

When Marcus left Fluttershy’s cottage, he couldn’t help but let out a frustrated groan as he found himself back at the Everfree Forest where he had first arrived in Equestria for the first time. It had a weird, yet safe nostalgic feeling to it that it was probably the only place where he could feel any sorta connection to his old home. Sorta like a bridge of some kind despite it just being a ditch in the ground now.

He wasn’t sure why he needed to come here of all places considering he had a room at Fluttershy’s to go to when he needed to be alone, but something about his fight with Pinkie had made him want to come here. Why? He was not sure, but right now, all he needed was some time alone to reflect on everything that’s happened.

It was all so surreal for the alicorn as he recalled everything that had happened today. Shadow Whistler, he knew about Faerie Tail and the Time Stone and he also knew about him and the Space Stone. He didn’t know who he was or who he was working for, but one thing was for certain, he wasn’t alone and whoever this Kaisen person was really the one pulling the strings, then Marcus doesn’t have any other choice but to stay and stop them.

However, that was the least of his concerns at the moment, he still needed to figure out what exactly he did that was so wrong that Pinkie would not only slap him, but give him the silent treatment. He thought long and hard, trying to rack his brain for some kind of an explanation. He remembered Faerie telling him about the alternate timeline and how he managed to finally make peace with the mare of time and then…

…

…

…

… She kissed him…

… On the lips… and it felt good.

Was Pinks… jealous? Marcus asked himself in dawning horror before he vehemently shoved that notion down. NO! Nononononono! That can’t be it, that would mean she would like me… like… like a crush!? No, that can’t be right! There has to be something else to it?

Marcus thought long and hard about there being any other reason behind her sudden change in behavior, but nothing came to mind.

I can’t have this happening right now… No way! Nu-uh! I can’t have this happening to me right now! I don’t care how she feels, I don’t care how cute she looks when she’s baking… or how she always smiles… or how good her ass looks or… FUCK!

Now all Marcus could think of was that particular jiggle in Pinkie’s rump whenever she made a sharp movement, and he felt his face fluster with heat.

Pull it together, ol’ boy, Marcus thought to himself, trying to clear his mind, You are Marcus? A human! Your mission is to obtain the Six Infinity Stones, restore the balance of life and death, and get your life back. All this…?

The memories all ran through his mind. How he arrived in the Everfree. How Fluttershy helped him. How he came to be in Ponyville. How Pinkie Pie offered him a place to stay, along with a job. All the good times he’d had here, all the things he’d learned. Even the bad experiences had played a part in this journey he was undertaking.

But three faces, not just one, continued to run through his mind.

Pinkie Pie. Fluttershy. Faerie Tail.

Furrowing his brows, choking down his emotions, refusing for the turmoil to seep out into tears…

Marcus gazed downwards at his hooves. Seeing them, he sat on his haunches and gave his hooves another look. Turning them up to look at his frogs, the fleshy parts on his hooves undersides. The edges, the total and complete difference of what he used to have before death had brought him here to this world.

Closing his eyes, Marcus thought, It’s all temporary… It's all a distraction. You don’t belong here… you never did.

But despite his attempts to think, say, or feel otherwise, that thought alone hurt. It hurt in a way he couldn’t explain. It hurt so much that finally, his resolve broke and he couldn’t stop the tears from trailing down his cheeks.

A part of him had come to accept that this world now holds a special place in his heart and the friends he’s made along the way were now an important part of his life. Fluttershy, Pinkie, the other girls, Midnight, Big Mac, Caramel, Twinken & Faerie Tail. Each one of them has come to mean something to him in one form or another.

Wiping away his tears, Marcus knew that when the time came, he’d have to make a choice on whether he’d leave to return to his family back on earth, or he’d stay here in Equestria. However, just because he was going to look for the Infinity Stones, that didn’t mean he couldn’t enjoy his time here, right?

He was a pony right now and he couldn’t exactly change that.

This is going to be so weird… but maybe… Maybe I could ask Pinkie out for ONE date. Marcus thought, feeling his face turn slightly red as he decided to put returning to his old world on the back burner for the time being. He’ll need to find all six of the Infinity Stones before he could even consider the prospect of going home.

*RUMBLE!!!*

“W-What was that?!” Marcus asked out loud, his wings flared out, taking off into the air to see what was going on and when he looked around, he saw the massive purple crystals forming around Ponyville. While he was up in the air, he felt a sudden chill crawl up his spine as a familiar feeling began to resonate with him.

Another Infinity Stone!? Marcus immediately realized it wasn’t the same as when he encountered the Space Stone, but that same feeling when he sensed the Time Stone was coming from those crystals. However, before he thought of heading over to Ponyville, he remembered something and felt dread in that moment.

Pinkie & Fluttershy! I gotta get back! Activating the Space Stone, he immediately flew through a portal back to Fluttershy’s cottage and when he got back, his eyes widened when he saw the place was ransacked. In that very moment, Marcus could only feel one emotion.

Rage…

“ARRRRAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!”

Author's Note

With this... we are now entering the final phase of Arc 1, with the long inevitable clash of both Space and Power.

I've been teasing this fight ever since Marcus and Sombra had met each other and now... I just need to finish chapter eighteen. It'll be the longest chapter in the series so far. It's been a wild ride writing these chapters and I've loved every moment.

I hope this also answers some of the questions everyone has been curious about?
Artwork made by the amazing McShelster

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!

Edit: Featured 12/24/24