Destroy yourself or... Destroy YourSelf

____________________

Name: Fluttershy.

Title: Cutest Pony in Equus, Animal Caretaker, Little Flame.

Age: 16.

Location: Equus, Equestria, Ponyville.

Date: Ponysesho-day - 9th - Hayprance.

Time: 13:26

Breathing calmly Fluttershy walked onto the Hospital, the building stood in the center of the village, more specifically on the town square.

The place is open, with no roads or buildings to block the view, even here she can perfectly see many things, the church of Faust, town hall, town administration, and even Sugarcube Corner.

Speaking of which…

“He, haha, hahaha, wait up you silly foals, no running in front of me!”

Pinkie pie, she… doesn't really do well with the filly, they arrived about the same time in Ponyville, and then the pink menace decided to throw her a party, somehow managing to fit 100 ponies inside her cottage.

She cried… a bunch, and then locked herself in her room, she never saw the pink mare again after that.

“LAST TO REACH THE PLAYGROUND IS GUMMY’S DAM!”

Screaming at the top of her lungs the pink earth pony shot out toward the school’s playground, leaving a suspiciously Pinkie Pie shaped cloud of dust behind.

Not a second later she watched as the rest of the foals followed suit.

She smiled at the scene, school time is from 10 to 15, the foals should be having their recess now, starting at 13 and going until 14.

It's not that she dislikes the mare, just… their energies are completely different.

They just don't really click together.

A morbid thought suddenly entered her head as she remembered Cat’s words.

If every old pony died from that monster’s attack, why didn't the foals do so too?

She blinked and then looked at her right.

“Church of Faust…”

Hmnn

“Maybe you really did do something.”

Shaking her head she continued walking towards the hospital.

Ding*

Looking up she saw a small golden bell hanging from the ceiling.

Hmph

Ignoring it she walked to the reception, where a pink-furred mare stood with her eyes glued on a computer.

“Uhmn, excuse me?”

The mare’s head snapped toward her.

“Yes Miss Fluttershy, is there a problem?”

“Unfortunately, yes, my friend, he… well, you know who he is, Dean Tyronus Starfield, that thing inside him, its actin-”

“Wow, you are even meeker up close.”

“?”

Turning around towards the voice fluttershy looked down at a curled-up mane.

Only to see a dark pink filly with swirling purple eyes and a propeller hat looking at her, a small smile plastered on her muzzle as she did so.

“Well, Bluestar did say you have the heart of a lion.”

Fluttershy blinked.

And then blinked again

“Are… you fine?”

The filly’s smile widened.

“he…hahehe, yes, yes! I am more than fine! You know…”

“eep!”

The filly suddenly appeared behind Fluttershy, poking her cutie mark.

Somehow the little pony managed to hold her in place.

“After you all get this it's normally too late, even that shadowy colt couldn't escape it you know? Although…He didn't even have a cutie mark in the first place.”

Confusion, that is the only thing she feelt.

She knows some creatures are born… different, but she had never personally met one.

Not that she has anything against them! Her best -and only- friend is weird too!

“But that's the thing hmn? She isn't the only one to use strings.”

“oah!”

The filly suddenly appeared in front of her face, sending her tripping back to the ground.

“But you are the first one to toggle them a little bit.”

Thump!

Her fur stood on edge.

Filly or not those eyes are kinda… freaky… and worrying.

… and now she’s feeling bad for thinking that.

She’s better than those 3, or at least she should.

“Made to suffer, as a creature pretending to be sapient, surrendering to his nature as soon as he discovered it.”

The filly threw her hooves up in exasperation.

“In the end… he didn't need a brand on his plot, he was chained since ‘birth’ after all, not that I blame him, contrary to a certain someone we don't have cheats to circumvent our essences you know?”

Sigh*

She… didn't understand much of what the filly was speaking but… she understood enough, enough to know the foal knows things she shouldn't.

“You all do love thinking you have a choice, and still you keep speaking of destiny, you are more confusing than me!”

The filly giggled.

The pegasus stood quiet, she… isn't quite sure the pony in front of her is a pony.

Her floating form contributed to that conclusion… somewhat.

That and the fact she couldn't quite hear the clock’s ticking anymore.

Suddenly, the giggling stopped.

From one moment to the other the foal’s tone turned serious.

“You can't really change you know? Just enter another river and let the two of them fight to drag you, you only have a little wiggle room because of that…”

The filly slacked her body, falling with her back on the ground, and then… went quiet.

Fluttershy… did so too, she had nothing to say, just remember.

“It's not her fault you know, made an oopsie when she started creating everything, and all.”

She shot up, sitting on the ground while looking directly at her.

Moving her hind legs, she did the same.

“Couldn’t really fix it without breaking some eggs unfortunately, let me tell you something, that thing doesn't want a drop of responsibility, she’s just so… indecisive!”

Rolling her eyes she twirled her hoof.

“It's the nature of things, the universe as a whole, creatures are complex, it's a curse and a blessing Not. To. Be. Pure! They have many feelings clinging to them, but they aren't the… generators of it, not completely, conceptual buck and all.”

Absently, she nodded.

“You get pulled, you get stretched and then you aren't you, but you are! A little bit.”

The filly wobbled her head from side to side.

Fluttershy opened her mouth, only for something to slam it shut.

“You aren't screwed up like me! Like everycreature!”

A frown formed on the yellow Pegasus’ face.

“And I love it!”

Screwball’s eyes suddenly sharpened, in a second she stared at Fluttershy with a serious expression.

“And how did that happen? Of course you met that thing, and you changed.”

The filly’s swirling eyes sped up.

“No, no, you didn't change, you just… put a hoof out of the river, and now everything’s losing their shit-”

She frowned harder.

“Over it again! Heha hahaha krrr*”

Laughing maniacally the filly snorted… or maybe it was the flying pig on the ceiling?

He was laughing too.

That on Insanity is contagious.

“But I get it, I get it, you just talk with so many puppets that you forget you’re not supposed to be one, and then, something, without a hand and strings comes over.”

Her swirling eyes narrowed.

“And you suddenly realize that… there’s more in you than them.”

The filly’s body rose… and fell.

Boooong.

Just to rise once again, if she had to compare it to something it would be much like a kicking ball.

“They don't have to exist, we don't need them, that should have, we should have, but that thing just doesn't care! And it made you not care too!”

The pink menace jumped high up in the air with her arms spread wide open… she didn't come down.

Fluttershy blinked… again.

The filly is weird, and she likes to say some nonsensical things at least she hopes they are, she’s not that much of an airhead but… she only felt worried.

Fluttershy felt it, the force holding her muzzle shut suddenly disappeared.

She wasn't angry.

“Uhmnn…”

Concern briefly overpowered confusion as Fluttershy extended her arm to touch the floating filly.

“Are you o-”

“hahAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!”

Only for her to start laughing maniacally.

“OoooOOoOooOo!”

The ground suddenly shook, in less than a second she fell

“ᵢᴴᵢ ₕᴵₕᴵₕᴵ ᴴₐᴴₐᴴₐᴬₕᴬₕᴬₕᴬₕᴬ!”

Her ears pinned to her skull at the sound of the filly’s screams.

Her head hurt.

“Haha HAHAHA, THAT’S WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THOSE OUT OF CONTEXT THINGS!”

Her ears hurt.

“THEY CAN’T STOP THEM! Can't you see it?! They prove something is possible, you can have them and bE YoU WItHOuT bEINg TheM ToO!”

Her bones hurt.

“I CAN BE M-”

“SCREWBALL WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING MISSY?!”

Everything stopped.

She tried to look forward.

She couldn't.

Everything swirled and blurred, and… focused?

‘Wait is that an atom?’

“But daaaaame, she changed!”

The pink mare stomped on the ground, shaking her desk and everything on it slightly.

With a deep frown and a fake angry expression she raised her tone with her daughter.

“I don't care what she did or didn't do missy, you didn't have an outburst like this for years! Now say sorry to her, we will be having words after this.”

Thud*

Something fell.

She couldn't quite see what it was.

Suddenly, something touched her cheeks.

“I’m sorry Miss Fluttershy, I won't do it again.”

Her vision cleared, blinking a dozen times she felt tears fall down her face.

Looking down she saw the small pink filly looking at her with a sorry expression.

“Well… please don't do that again ok little Ball”

Krr*

The filly snorted.

“He~ only dam calls me Little ball, but it's fine, I like ya.”

The filly suddenly closed her eyes and warped her forelimbs on her neck, hugging her.

A smile formed on the yellow pegasus’ lips as she did so.

“M’ sorry miss Fluttershy, won't happen again, promise! It's just… you are the second one I found that's a little outside the river you know.”

“uhmmm…”

“Oooh maybe you can even make another one with your tears.”

Fluttershy forced a neutral expression on her face.

These little thoughts no matter how accurate are not welcome.

The filly’s eyes softened.

“It's ok if you don't understand, you will, I could tell you and All Mighty everything but… the road of a bazillion cupcakes starts with one bite you know, if I teleported to the end you won't gain any fat!”

Clop!*

A sudden light.

POP!

Fluttershy blinked, lights appeared, and disappeared from her vision as she did so.

By the time her eyes refocused the filly was gone.

Turning her body she looked at Nurse Sweetheart.

“She’s… really good with crystals?”

The pink mare smiled forcibly.

“A… haha, yes… crystals, anyway! What is the reason for your visit today miss fluttershy?”

“Ah, yes! Dean, the human that came with me, he needs help, it's urgent.”

The nurse sucked at her lips.

“So… it's an urgency, not an emergency, that is to say… he isn't in immediate risk but rapid action is suggested?”

Fluttershy nodded.

“When the princess arrived that day, something weird happened, a wound suddenly appeared on his chest and for some reason his body slammed itself down, taking the bed together with him right?”

The yellow pegasus spoke, her voice neutral all the while.

“Hmnn, yes, I do remember that, happened because his soul synchronized with his body a little too much and that monster inside him punched the buck out of him in there.”

“... Yes? Anyway, that thing, the demon? His name is Yuujirou Hanma, Star talked to him h-”

Sweetheart suddenly lifted her hoof.

The pegasus clamped her mouth.

“That… shouldn't be possible, the princess cast a spell to make him sleep without any dreams even after his coma.”

“Ah… about that.”

The nurse looked at her curiously.

“So… it's like this, uhmmm, do you know what mind over matter is?”

Sweetheart blinked… and then nodded.

“His synchronization process right? His soul coming closer to his body in the material plane.”

Her tone seemed more questionable than explicative.

“... Not quite? No, wait, it is like that, somewhat, look only an extremely special human can obtain it, as far as I know to do it they have to-”

“Surpass the threshold of emotion of the brain, I know.”

“Oh… good, anyway, then you should also know that after achieving it any damage to the soul will reflect on the body.”

The pink nurse nodded.

“Good, now, his soul is driven completely by the concept of Will, meaning that if a mental attack reaches his soul and forces him to stop feeling anything, he will die, but not physically.”

The nurse’s eyebrow rose.

“Star’s soul has… facets, little plain fields that if seen from afar can be confused by a perfect sphere, those facets… are past lives.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, now, I don't think the Princess wanted to do this, I think, it was an accident, but… when she used that spell to force Star to sleep without any dreams it… killed him.”

Fluttershy clopped her hooves and pointed to the nurse as she stood only on her hind legs.

The older mare simply stood quiet, her expression unchanging as she stared at her.

.

.

.

.

.

The mare’s posture suddenly shifted.

“... … … what?”

Together with her tone.

Fluttershy ignored the goosebumps.

“It's… you see, Star’s situation is different, his body-soul connection is, as far as I know, much stronger than what even the princess thought, her spell it… was probably cast with the intention of letting him sleep without dreaming right? To stop that monster from reaching him while he rested, right?”

The nurse nodded.

“But… spells work with intent, some going as far as only needing simple thoughts to activate, the thing is, spells just follow that wish, if there aren't any specified exceptions or variables they will ignore it.”

“Star told me of a technique he was training, it's somewhat similar to what that demon used to attack Ponyville, but!”

Seeing the nurse’s narrowing eyes she quickly added.

“It allows him to send thoughts outside of his brain, that monster used it to send a wave of malice together with what he wanted to do to anycreature that he caught, that signal tricked their brains into believing the pain of those attacks were real.”

A look of realization formed on the nurse’s face.

“Like schizophrenia?”

Fluttershy nodded.

“Yes, that's why some died, they couldn't handle it, but, the thing is, Star said he can use this technique by controlling his soul and sending orders to his body without using his brain.”

Sweetheart’s eyes opened wide.

“I think that the Princesses spell discovered that and instead of shutting his brain down, it reached his soul and… turned everything blank.”

Sweetheart’s head tilted.

“Look, Star is not his soul, no, Dean Tyronus Starfield is part of that soul he is the current… leader, the thinking part of it, the brain so to speak, the other facets are sapient but they don't have much will.”

“The spell hit that facet, the hub facet… and wiped everything out, she killed every memory that made up Star.”

Sweetheart shook her head, a deep frown embedded her face as she did so.

“No, no, no , no, no, no, the princesses spell was only aimed at the current time where he would be sleeping, he has memories! The spell stopped him from having dreams, dreams that the demon could use to invade his mind.”

“But he could very well remember parts of his life, re-live them, yes, he wouldn't think about anything or feel anything but his soul wouldn't think he stopped feeling everything and then kill itself!”

THUD!

The mare slammed her hooves on her desk.

Fluttershy did not flinch.

“A facet is everything Sweetheart, past and present, it doesn't differentiate, everything is Dean Tyronus Starfield, the Princess’ spell didn't differentiate time because that concept doesn't exist on that facet.”

“It erased everything, his memories, yes, he had them, but the spell erased any feelings, any emotion related to them, now that alone wouldn't kill him, only make him maybe apathetic to everything.”

“But that is not how mind over matter works, no, If the mind trumps over matter then the death of it means the erasure of everything that his Self is, his soul, even if tricked believed that he had nothing left.”

“If he didn't have mind over matter it wouldn't matter as much, but he did, and so… his soul erased everything else, but somehow, someway, his body acted like an anchor and impeded his soul from leaving.”

She shrugged.

“He died, at least, the person named Dean Tyronus Starfield did.”

Clop*

Putting her hooves on the ground again she waited for the nurse to respond.

.

.

.

Seconds passed when finally, Nurse Sweetheart sighed and then puffed.

“But… if he died, why did he wake up?”

The older mare asked with a curious tone in her voice, she didn't quite disbelieve what the yellow pegasus had said, she knows very well who she is, read it extensively even.

Fluttershy smiled.

“His facets silly, you see, normally they don't do anything, but the princess’ spell broke that little wall between his main facet and the rest, in other words, they can communicate now.”

Mnnn*

“And they realized something was wrong, I don't know how many there are, not even Star does, but I think they gained the ability to slightly absorb some memories after the walls broke, duplicating them.”

“Now, one wouldn't ever be able to remember much, but thousands? Tens of thousands? Hundreds? They can.”

“They might not have much of a will by themselves, but together? Together they had something, an ability, so ridiculously common one wouldn't even think of it as useful beyond the obvious, they could remember.”

A skeptical expression suddenly appeared on the pink Mare’s face.

“Ridiculous right? No, not at all, you see, Star just forgot who he was, and those facets? With their fancy memories and all? They could remember him of that.”

“And so… they did and In mere days Star remembered that, although… I think he actually went through his entire life during the days he was in a coma.”

Clop*

“And that's the history of how Star managed to come back after his personality death”

Sweetheart blinked.
.

.

.

And then blinked again.

Hmn*

Fluttershy stood quiet, waiting for the mare to speak.

It was rather awkward, and not solely because of the wait.

She knows Star doesn't like to lie but… it feels wrong to say something so… personal about him without him next to her.

“I see, we… will have to speak of this later but, for now, the most important things first, how did that demon manage to speak to him again?”

“Well, I don't really know, but if I had to guess? Star expunged the Princess's magic from his body.”

“?”

Holding back a giggle from the mare’s confused expression Fluttershy continued.

“Look, it’s going to take too long to explain everything, hours even, and I don't have time for this, Star doesn't have time for this, the thing is, he doesn't want magic inside of him to form pathways.”

“And with good reason, proven reason as a matter of fact, put it simply, that monster can now enter his dreams, and it said it would kill him the next time.”

“Star can't win, he will lose, he will die, but he doesn't want to exorcize the demon from him, and for him, there is a good reason for that, a stupid reason, but a good one.”

“I don't think anycreature can take that thing out of him without him letting it so… tonight, Star will sleep, and when he does, he will meet with that thing again, and when he does, it is going to kill him, meaning his wounds will reflect on his body, meaning he will die.”

“Meaning I need something for him to use to heal himself! He can't go without sleeping, and I know healing spells are not simple things to cast, much less maintain, so! I need some… artifact, enchantment, or talisman thing for him to use so he doesn't die tonight?”

THUD!

HUMPH!

The yellow pegasus stomped on the ground while huffing in annoyance.

Friend or not Star infuriates her.

Smirking, the nurse pushed at her lips.

Fluttershg thought she would need some time to process everything, but no, the mare simply spoke, normally, the next second.

“Well… we don't really have something like that with us.”

Fluttershy’s shoulders fell together with her ears.

“But…”

Only for them to shoot up again a second later.

“It’s not a secret, well, it shouldn't be one for you considering that you live with the human, the Princess assigned a pony from the Order of Marcus to stay near Dean Tyronus Starfield at all times.”

”At all times?”

The mare nodded.

Fluttershy blinked.

“Wait, wait, wait!.”

THUD!

She slammed her hoof on the receptionist’s desk.

“Are you telling me a pony followed Star to my house and stood watching us?!”

Thump! Thump! THUMP!

Sweetheart lifted her hooves, gently picking up Fluttershy’s own, she pushed it out of the desk.

“I… am sorry about this, but you have to understand, a demon is not something to be taken lightly, pony kin- no, Equus as a whole almost ended because of one.”

“We know that, as young ponies, learning in school we were all told the same tale of what happened to Princess Luna, and what Princess Celestia had to do to her because of something beyond her control.”

“Princess Celestia gained patience and tolerance beyond what is capable of normal ponies because of her one thousand years of life, and that, I believe, is one of the very important reasons as to why she did not kill the human… intentionally.”

THUMP!

“That would be cruel beyond words, acceptable, secure, maybe even kind, and expected, but it would be cruel to end somecreature because of something they can't control.”

“Independently of its strength the demon needs to be observed 47 ponies were dead in less than 10 seconds Fluttershy, the O.O.M discovered that that thing wasn't even using everything it had, even more, it had no magic.”

“That human is acting as a prison to that thing, impeding it from getting any magic or anything else, if it could be killed without affecting your friend the Princess would have done it.”

“Do you understand? We need somepony to watch it, it might be rude but your needs don't surpass those of Equestria as a whole.”

Sigh*

Her frown hardened.

“I understand.”

Sweetheart smiled.

“But that doesn't mean you have to like it right?”

Fluttershy stopped for a moment and then nodded.

“As far as I know 8 hours of sleep with constant magical healing and inflicted wounds, especially if they will be as grave as I think they will, will kill your friend purely out of magical poisoning.”

Fluttershy’s ears flopped.

“If not that shock, if not even that, lack of mass.”

“...What?”

Sigh*

“What you are asking of me is something that needs to be kept going for 8 hours, be incredibly efficient with magical usage, transmute magic to compatible mass, and work in a way that even the attacks of a dedicated demonic creature capable of instantly killing your friend won't do so due to the velocity.”

“Oh, it also needs to somehow not push the magic it uses toward the demonic entity inside your friend, even more you are asking for something with a magic crystal so complex and rare to be able to be programmed, in less than 8 hours to account for all those variables.”

Thump!

A blush appeared on the pegasus’ face, still, her expression kept serious.

“I know… that I am asking for something unreasonable, but, even if I need to give you everything I have for that, I will.”

Pff~

The nurse comically scoffed, she felt more amusement than anything really.

“You have nothing filly, neither your cottage nor your bits are going to buy you something as complex as this, maybe if your family helped you but… the expertise needed for any single creature to create a spell, much less an object with those attributes takes decades, with an S.”

She shook her head

“Don’t speak and bet things you don't have, believe me, you’ll lose much more than what you ever could imagine.”

.

.

.

.

.

“... I do.”

“Huh?”

“I have something valuable enough.”

An eyebrow rose on the nurse’s face.

“And what would that be?”

Fluttershy inhaled.

“fffff”

And exhaled.

Lifting herself she moved her hoof and pointed to her cutie mark.

“This.”

The nurse blinked.

She didn't move… or say anything, she just… stared at the 3 butterflies on the pegasus’ tight.

“u-uh?”

Fluttershy moved her hoof away and then opened her mouth.

“If you believe for a second that the ability to speak to my critters is in any way more valuable than the life of a friend… then you are delusional.”

Finally, the pink nurse looked at her eyes again.

An incredulous expression stood on her face as she did so.

Seconds passed when finally, she spoke.

“...Cannibalizing a cutie mark with a sacrificial ritual to create a complex rune program that would otherwise take decades to make was done before.”

Fluttershy’s ears shot up, together with her lips.

“By a necromantic that almost caused the death of the entirety of Equus, you know… the same one that killed Marcus?”

Her ears stood high.

As did her smile.

Hmph!

The nurse huffed.

“ARE YOU INSANE FILLY?! Have you any idea what will happen to you if you lose your cutie mark?! YOUR ENTIRE MAGIC PATHWAY SYSTEM WILL BE DESTROYED, YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO DO SO MUCH AS FLY ANYMORE!”

CRACK!

The pink mare slammed her hooves on her desk, cracking the wood and making everything on it jump.

“The magical shock alone can damage your brain and your nerves, you will be lucky to walk again after that, and let's not speak about the social problems either.”

“No decent creature would ever accept doing this, much less think about it, there’s not even a law for that! In the history of this planet, there’s never been a single pony who willingly wanted to have their cutie mark removed and did it!”

Fluttershy stood quiet.

“You will end your life if you do this you fool! A destiny-less pony is as good as dead! YOU’D THROW AWAY YOUR REASON FOR EXISTING FOR SOMECREATURE YOU ONLY MET A DAY AGO?! THERE ARE LIMITS FOR EMPATHY!”

THUD!

CRACK!

A deep crack formed on the wooden desk as the mare slammed her hoof on it.

Huff

huff

huff

huff

And then… silence.

Fluttershy did not marvel at the display of strength, she simply stood still, quietly looking at the painting Nurse.

With a calm tone, she spoke.

“My cutie mark… gave me many things, and I am thankful, really, I am, for everything it did.”

She exhaled, she was… no, she felt… sad, somewhat, sad and designated.

Still… she continued.

“I know I won't be able to speak with my critters, I know they won't be able to understand me too, I know… that I won't be able to help them like I do now, I know everything, but that doesn't mean I can't be their friend anymore.”

Her lips moved up.

“I know I won't have any way to gain bits after this, I don't know how to do it, a decade of isolation would do that to anypony.”

hmph

She snorted.

“I know other ponies won't seek me out to take care of their critters, even if I had years to learn how to do it, even if I had years of wonderful memories of understanding them, nopony will care, another pony with a cutie mark related to it should be much better than me, right?”

She shrugged.

“I know… there are dangers to the process, I know, I know. And. I. Know and I care, and I value what I have, do not even for one moment think that I don't… but that's the thing.”

She smiled.

“A friend taught me that… happiness is not something that's given, you have to take it, you have to grasp it with every little drop of your strength and fight everything else off just to keep it.”

Turning her body sideways she pointed at her cutie mark, instantly the nurse’s eyes followed it.

“I can take that happiness without this, I can stay with that happiness without magic, I can even find another way to gain bits, I have a family, they can help me for a while.”

Her smile fell just as her lips formed a straight line.

“I can find a way.”

“But I don't think I can do that without one less friend with me…”

BA-THUMP*

Sweetheart’s breath hitched as something hit her.

She knows the Pegasus’ ability is to understand and be understood by other creatures.

She just didn't expect it to work out like this.

Fluttershy breathed in… and out.

“I know I’m not good, in the head I mean, I realized that today, multiple times even, but I… don't think I will have anything to wake up to tomorrow if he dies you know.”

“I can get better, with or without this mark, I’ll keep moving forward, always, but… for now… I need somehuman to hold my hoof for a little bit.”

Her shoulders fell.

“I… ha~ I know it's ridiculous, and it's fine, Fluttershy is a ridiculous mare you know, just… I can't quite live for myself just yet, maybe one d-, no.”

Her expression suddenly hardened.

“It will be so one day, but hey, you don't reach your goals on day one am I right?”

She chuckled at the nurse’s expression.

Star was right, ponies do make funny faces.

“... You know, that human has a way with words, he’s blunt and very… rude, but he can talk you in like a golden-tongued alicorn, he taught me that… if you don't risk anything, you risk everything.”

The pink mare’s ears briefly shook.

“And… this isn't life, what I did, for so long was survive, I love my critters and they helped me more than I can ever repay, but there's a difference between them and a creature like a pony.”

“Living so afraid to even speak in a hearable tone, trembling every time another pony gets close, agonizing over doing something but making excuses just not to, that's not life, I haven't lived for over a decade Miss Sweetheart.”

Her eyes stood downcast, as a small, miserable smile formed on her face.

She’s tired.

Been for a long time.

If the older mare’s expression is anything to go by, she knows it too.

“I want to live now, he made me want to live, yesterday I wouldn't be able to stand here and talk to you with anything more than a whisper, my body wouldn't stop shaking, I’d probably run crying to my house too.”

Hmfh

“He was like me, and… despite being, rude, blunt, and a little violent with everything inanimate Star talked to me, screamed at me, cornered me to the point where I couldn't make up anything, he forced me to see me, and I’m better because of it.”

“Nurse Sweetheart, tell me something… the sire of your daughter, do you love him?”

The mare stood quiet.

She inhaled five seconds later she let it out.

“I did filly, I did love him.”

Her tone was… empty.

Despite it, a small smile appeared on the pegasus’ face, it wasn't one out of happiness.

“I don't love Star like a special somepony, no, he is more important than that for me, I have no intention, wish, or will to die, I want to live, because I have something to live for now.”

Leaning in, she got closer to the nurse’s face.

“And for that, I will ask you, if you had a choice, to take a risk, to your life, to the way you live, If you had the option to give that thing on your thigh in exchange for getting him back, considering everything you told me, would you do it?”

“... You are an evil mare Fluttershy, using compassion of all things as a weapon.”

The nurse held back her tears.

The pegasus smile stood.

The nurse didn't need to say anything.

She doesn't want to lie to anycreature anymore after all.

“There are things more important than one's life, each with their own I suppose, I don't know what that man told you to change you so much, but at least it’s clear to me he’s important to you.”

Sigh*

“Hammerstrike was the pony chosen to watch over him, if there’s anycreature that knows anything about any enchanted object it’s him, we won't take your cutie mark, by Faust only the Princess should know how something like this could be done without killing you.”

Fluttershy’s smile widened.

The nurse rolled her eyes.

“Hammerstrike is part of the Order of Marcus, those creatures have all sorts of artifacts, make them too, but first, we have to speak with Nurse Neightingale, she’s the only pony here who knows how to contact him, come on.”

The pink mare walked out of her reception and trotted to the hospital’s right wing.

Fluttershy followed her silently.

.

.

.

.

.

Knock* knock* knock

“Nurse Neightingale? We need to talk to you, it's urgent.”

No answer.

Sweetheart frowned and then looked back at fluttershy.

“Mnnn* normally she is available at this hour, but… since the day the Princess came to Ponyville she has been talking to her at irregular times, normally this only takes about two hours b-”

Fluttershy walked forward, touching the door’s handle she pushed it down and pressed the door.

Click*

To no avail.

She frowned.

Sweetheart smiled.

“If you don't want to wait all you have to do is bring your friend over here, Hammerstrike will follow you know?”

Fluttershy turned to look at the mare, her expression stood neutral as she did so, no sound escaped her mouth as turned around and-.

CRACK!

“-tion is stabl-”

Sweetheart blinked.

And then blinked again, did…

‘Did she just buck the door?’

She did nothing as the yellow pegasus trotted inside the head nurse’s room as if she had not broken through the door.

Nurse Neightingale did the same.

Everypony stood quiet as the yellow pegasus looked at the room

“I… am sorry about this miss Neightingale.”

Slowly walking inside the head nurse’s room Fluttershy hopped onto a chais and sat in front of the head nurse’s desk.

“But I need to speak with you.”

The nurse frowned.

One did not need to be observant to see that the mare was angry.

“Who do you think you are filly?”

thump

Her expression didn't change, from a serious one, it stood that way.

The words of the mare, for more angry that they were, for more irritated that they were, didn't truly matter.

A life is at stake, maybe even a soul.

Nothing impedes that monster from keeping killing her Star after the body fails.

Leaving her friend to that doom is no different than throwing him into the deepest parts of Tartarus.

Besides… she is a medic at the end of the day, one who took a vow to take care of and preserve life with a hoof over her heart and eyes

“A friend, a very worried friend.”

The nurse’s eyes twitched, gritting her teeth she sp-

“Well, that is a surprise my little pony.”

A gentle voice sounded from her right, quite honestly, it reminds her of her grandsire.

“?”

Looking to her side sh-

THUMP!

Her body froze.

“P-p-p-.”

The diarch of Equestria smirked at her.

THACK!

Shooting out of the chair she almost slammed her head into the ground as she bowed to her ruler.

Leaning in the alicorn smirked

“Oh, I’m not really here my little pony, I am at Canterlot, this.”

She waved to herself.

“Is just a projection.”

Lifting her head Fluttershy looked at the smiling alicorn.

Thump! Thump!thump!thump!

She dreamed of it before, meeting the Princess, making friends with her, being allowed to walk through the castle’s gardens, sleeping under her wing.

Talking with her and having her fix all her problems in a day with her princessy powers.

Really it was the second most unrealistic dream she ever had, the first being making friends with other ponies and partying with them by dancing on the rave and then meeting a cute stallion to marry and give herself to.

But that might actually happen!

The first dream, that is, where she fixes all her problems! Well, not all her problems that's something she has to do but her STAR problems.

While she thought about everything her mouth stood wide open, much like her shining eyes.

She… had not seen the Princess, no, she is sure she wasn't in the room at all.

Her mind wandered and wondered, magic is a simple answer, one she’d have accepted in the past, ignorance, however, is not something she wants to keep cultivating anymore.

“H-how?”

The alicorn’s smile stood.

“Now, now, we were speaking about important things my little pony, and despite the protections against outside forces and spying no defense is perfect.”

“You couldn't hear or see me unless I allowed it.”

She blinked with one eye but then tapped her chin with a hoof.

“Although… this past week's incidents are truly showing me how lax I have been with security, protections or not the inside of this hospital should be protected too, at least enough so that a civilian of all things can't simply barge in.”

She flinched.

Together with Neightingale.

“Now my little pony, if I am not mistaken you are the one chosen to take care of the human correct?”

Not waiting for the pegasus’ answer the diarch continued.

“I personally went through the possible hosts you know? Water flower, Pinkie Pie, Shoeshine, Pearl Butter, Doctor Fauna, there were many hosts you know?”

She smirked a little more.

“But you were special.”

Thump*

The alicorn nodded at the pegasus’ face.

“You are very kind, although… not quite perfect I believed your experience with non-equines would allow you to accept his differences more readily, without speaking about language, I must admit, I had no idea whether or not your talent would allow you both to speak, but judging by what you did…”

“I’d say I hit right in the haystack.”

“Hehe~”

Slamming her hooves on her mouth Fluttershy looked at the alicorn in concern… nothing.

The mare simply stood there, relaxed, looking calmly at her, without a hint of impatience, or want to return to her meeting with the head nurse.

She didn't relax regardless.

sigh*

“It’s good, to see the roots of friendship growing so fast even within such a short amount of time, his introduction to our country might have been…”

“A disaster?”

Neightingale cut in with a snort.

Briefly, the diarch looked at the nurse, who promptly closed her mouth, looking back at the yellow pegasus the alicorn kept her soft smile.

“Yes… having one of my own subjects attack another creature out of fear is… embarrassing, and would have been deeply concerning had it not been due to the machinations of a malevolent entity, but, this is no time for gloom.”

The alicorn sat on her legs, reflexively, all present did too.

“Now, as far as I know Miss Shy.”

‘THE PRINCESS KNOWS MY FAMILY!?’

“You are a very shy pony, and there is no problem with that, everypony is their own creature after all, but…”

Her eyes flickered to the broken door.

“To break into a room like this is something quite alarming… and unusual.”

Extending a wing to the frozen pegasus she touched her cheek.

Curiously, she could feel the alicorn’s feathers touching her.

“Would you like to speak with me about it?”

THUMP!

Her body shook, she felt… exalted? Happy? Excited? Afraid? Everything!?

She doesn't know, all she does know is that her friend’s life depends completely on her words.

She… knows what is to love someone, that is why she knows that the connection between two siblings who lived for 700 years together is much, much greater than hers.

The hate of losing it because if something too is much greater, the laws regarding any kind of chimera or demonic creature are proof enough of it.

They are reasonable laws, made to deal with monsters and abominations, yes, the problem is… STAR IS TANGLED IN THOSE SAME LAWS!

And she doesn't know nearly enough about them all to say with certainty that

Yes, the princess let Star go, let him rest, but… what if she didn't?

She doesn't believe it but, what if that sleep spell… wasn't an accident?

She doesn't think the sweet mare in front of her could have done something so… ruthless

But… that's the thing right?

‘What I believe doesn't matter.’

It never did.

She made sure of it.

If the princess truly wanted to kill Star, and did so with her spell, seeing not having any visible effect would in turn puzzle her, making her try to understand why it failed.

And what she needs to do for it not to the next time.

Meaning, that even if fully justified and working for the betterment of all of Equus she would have to convince her, to stop trying to kill a threat to the entirety of the continent.

On a hope.

She, a… shut-in nopony pegasus, who couldn't speak with anypony without trembling or lowering her voice to the point of incoherence… now has to convince the leader of her country to help a creature serving as the vessel for a monster that killed more than 40 ponies without trying.

Even worse, that monster is of the same type as the one of 300 years ago, the one who forced her to fight her own sister and do Faust knows what to her at the end.

Until there she could argue! That Starfield is an innocent Stallion/Man who doesn't deserve death! And that other ways shouldn't be discarded in favor of executing him before they could all be tested, but IT IS HARD TO DO THAT WHEN THAT SAME IDIOT REFUSES TO HAVE THAT MONSTER REMOVED!

‘Why Star… why do you have to make this so complicated!? Defending a demon independently of context is a capital offense you idiot, now both of us can die from this!’

thump

Thump

Thump

THUMP!

Her chest rose and fell as she breathed heavily.

Seconds passed.

Finally… she spoke.

“I-

“Fluttershy?”

THUD!

The pegasus snapped her body back with such force her flank hit the chair on her side sending it tumbling through the air before hitting the bookcase on the side of the room and falling without so much as moving a single book out of place.

There, a step outside of the room stood her human, his lips rising only a millimeter as he looked at her.

She smiled too, only for her fur to stand on edge as she finally remembered who was behind her.

Her eyes flickered to the seated princess, only to move back to her friend not even a second later.

THUMP!

Hmn?

Dean’s face briefly turned

THUMP!

Her heartbeat increased.

‘It's ok, he can't see he-’

Suddenly, everything stopped.

Including her breath

Her ears twitched

His smile, as small as it was fully disappeared as he looked at the transparent form of the Princess, who in turn looked at him with a small smile.

One only returned with a glare.

Maybe one better reserved for one who killed his family.

“Starfield.”

Flying behind the human Rainbow Dash gripped his shoulder and spoke with a deep tone.

“Don’t.”

Slowly he turned his head and looked back at the blue pegasus.

[size=7emem]

『!』

『!』

『!』

『!』

『!?』

Only for her to flinch away.

Only for them all to flinch away.

“Star?”

Ignoring the pegasus Dean looked at the alicorn once again.

Contrary to before she wore no smile, or even a hint of amusement.

The diarch of Equestria simply looked at the human with a serious expression, her purple eyes glowing with magic as she did so.

And then… They chuckled.

"̸I̶'̷v̵e̴ ̴b̶e̶e̸n̸ ̸w̸a̷n̵t̸i̵n̸g̶ ̷t̵o̸ ̶t̸a̵l̸k̴ ̷t̴o̸ ̵y̵o̶u̸ Ć̡̹͑͘e̻̘͔̔l̻̎͛͝ẻ̢̙ṣ̮͂͘t̨̹̳͐i͚͔̒̔͠ä̳̗̥́l̨̹͆͝"̸

CRACK!

“Oah!”

“Hey”

“What the buck!?”

The alicorn suddenly stood up stomping the ground with enough force to shake the entirety of the hospital.

“Think deeply upon what thou wilt say, creature.”

!?

His bones rattled and shook, it reminded him of the times planes would pass closely to him, when their sound would shake his insides.

Curiously…

The celestial wasn't screaming.

“He… hehe~”

They couldn't help it, they chuckled.

His hair grew

“Tell me, what is your name?”

“Celestia.”

He shook his head.

“No, no, no, your entire name, the one your parents gave to you, I am Dean Tyronus Starfield, born as Alehandro da Silva, now… could you give me your name Celestial?”

Hmnn*

The alicorn hummed, still… her expression remained unchanged.

“I shall tell you my name, not give it human, I am… Princess Celestia, born Celestial Everglow.”

His eyes shone.

Tyronus nodded and then continued.

“Then Celestial Everglow, In my world, we have a saying, one considered universal, and I must say, Friedrich was right, you are the living proof of it after all.”

Her eyes narrowed.

“The strong do as they please, the weak suffer as they must.”

He chuckled.

The alicorn did not.

Tok*

He took a step.

!˳༄꠶

Thud! Thud! thack! thud!

The alicorn snapped her wings open, under a second air exploded from her form, sending dozens of books flying away together with anything not nailed down.

“Eep!”

He felt it, something hitting him, not the wind but… something else, something that couldn't quite stop him.

Not as he is now.

Red strings sprouted

He took another step.

She frowned harder, slowly, her muscles tensed.

“You killed me with that spell of yours after all, didn't you?”

.

.

.

”STAAAAAAAR!”

Everything stopped.

From the rolling chairs to the ponies, everything stood quiet… until it didn't.

“What?”

Stopping in front of the alicorn the human looked up at her with a smile, that wasn’t quite a smile.

“You sound offended, or… you just want to sound offended, he~ it makes sense, it makes sense! Disgraces lie as they breathe, and you? With more than 2.671 years of life…”

thump

He hears a heart beating.

It isn't his.

“All standing strong above that throne of yours, as a queen of a magical Queendom, one would be more than certain that in this time you fought to keep yourself there.”

Absently the human started to pace back and forth, not quite moving away or closer from the Celestial.

“That you did everything in your power to stay in there, and to protect your lessers right?”

She frowned harder.

“Tell me Celestial, what type of creature would ever trust anything that leaves the mouth of a ruler that sat upon a throne for 2 thousand consecutive years?”

The alicorn shook her feathers.

The human stared intensely, not saying a word.

She… already knows what is about to happen, honestly, she can say for certain the next minutes will be… complicated.

It's not the first, and it will not be the last time somecreature has preconceptions of her after all.

‘Well, all do.’

The problem, as always, are the extremists, of either side.

She could ignore him, snap the connection, and continue her day as a calm and composed mare.

But then again, the last time she let everything be, bad things happened.

Straightening her back she puffed her chest and spoke.

“I do not know what you are implying human, I have taken care of this principality for longer than your family’s history has been written, and I can tell you with absolute certainty that at nay pointeth in mine own ruleth has't I ev'r been the first to instigate violence.”

Her voice took a deeper tone as she stared intensely at the human’s eyes, honestly was key in all aspects of life.

How much of it however is a constant question.

She is not so foolish as to hide her emotions from one who doubts her character, at least not one planning to kill her and conquer her principality.

An eyebrow rose in curiosity on the human’s part.

The alicorn’s words became almost incoherent for his ears at the end as her tone began to rise even more.

He has no doubt, her type is hard to read, even harder to trust, a benevolent ruler could never stay atop a throne for that long without doing unkind things.

Living beings, able to speak or not, lie as they breathe, it is a natural state for them, even more so for one that has power.

2.600 years of practice is not by any means insignificant, dedication is all the alicorn would need to become the world’s biggest actor.

Perhaps not even that.

Nothing a creature like her says or does can ever be trusted, her very perspective, high, rich, reliable, and enlightening as it is, is far too alien to any mortal exactly because of this.

She is too high up to bother considering or understanding those down below.

Consciously or not.

But… if a near-emotionless pig can get angry with invested words, so can a Celestial feel anger at the challenge of her experience by the words of a perceived insistent, ignorant child.

Rulers like her have a weakness like any other creature, be it to protect her lands, people, herself, sadism, domination, or simple boredom.

A completely selfish creature would, as paradoxically as it sounds, never take a seat upon a throne.

At least… not one capable of reaching or being at the height of power necessary to defeat an entire country or planet.

There is a reason why Yuujirou Hanma did not conquer the entirety of the planet after all.

No, a completely selfish creature only cares about themselves in the sense that the outside world is truly and utterly inconsequential, only useful for entertainment and nothing else.

To rule one has to have some wish, to dominate, to change, to pleasure oneself with something the duty offers, be it duty itself, sadism, or simple amusement.

The fact is, to sit on a throne for that long, she has to want something from others or do something for others.

Something truly selfish creatures do not.

It isn't the wish for domination, of having control of others, it is the wish for freedom, of doing absolutely anything they want.

A truly strong, selfish man would not sit on a throne purely out of pride, they don't need to do so to decide anything, they don't need the acknowledgment of inconsequential beings to validate their power over everything below them.

They truly and utterly, Do. Not. Care.

A selfish man can wish for things, yes, but at no point does he think he needs others to get them.

A simple example is Yuujirou Hanma, the man who sees every other living creature as a woman and makes them one.

Because their acknowledgment is not necessary for anything.

He doesn't need to do that, that, that or be this, this, and that to do that or gain that, he just does it and takes it.

The world creaks and bends for him.

Not the other way around.

A selfish man is an unfeeling tyrant, with a crown that only needs to exist in their own vision.

If they are weak they’d be delusional.

If they are strong, stronger than anything else then they are tyrants, bending the world to fit their own views.

That is why, seconds after meeting the alicorn he can be sure of a single thing, she feels.

Exactly because she refused his view of having killed him.

That alone tells him much.

There is a reason for her to be on that throne for that long.

An emotional one.

One he can take advantage of.

All those who feel, have a weakness, connections, passions, Hate, anger, ambition, fear, and most importantly of all, agendas, any of them could be the reason why he died.

But why? If she is so strong, why kill him discreetly? Why do it in a deniable way?

‘Why? Why? Why?’

He doesn't know.

But he can.

Lies or truths, no matter what leaves that Celestial’s mouth, he can take it all and maybe… piece it together to understand who she is.

But first, she needs to speak, truly speak.

It is something quite simple really.

He needs not utter a single lie, just sound confrontational while speaking.

Something he is.

Still… nothing is perfect, a plan it may be, but one fully dependent on the deduction that the Celestial in front of him feels as much as mortals do.

Right he may be for his own planet and species, but this is Equus, at this point, and forever in the future, certainty will never truly exist.

Who knows, maybe his death was truly an accident.

Clop clop clip*

The alicorn tapped her hoof on the wooden ground as she looked at the human’s silent form.

Still watching her, still ignoring her.

She is not particularly… stiff according to tradition or regularization, if one of her ponies didn't bow or call her ‘Your Majesty’ she won't truly care.

But respect, if nothing else is something she demands, from others and from herself, respect and consideration for another.

And she has the iking feeling the human in front of her isn't quite a considerate creature.

HMPH!

“I hath lived during times of war in mine own foalhood, I has't nay wisheth to propagate coequal a droppeth of what hath happened during yond timeth, neith'r the violence, death, 'r apathy”

Her hoof cut the air as she snapped her foreleg sideways, her tone increasing even as her voice did not.

“Thou knowest naught of what thou speak fool, so keep thy mouth shut!"

She snapped her chin up and looked down at the smaller creature.

“Dean Tyronus Starfield, I do not know what brought these malefic thoughts but I am a servant of the principles of friendship and harmony, I strive to be kind.”

His eyes flickered.

Just as his hairs stood.

Her tone softened.

“And I can guarantee you that despite my personal feelings or experiences I would never end a life so cautiously, besides… you are here, there is not a world where one would be able to revive you had I killed you.”

Dean stood quiet, looking at the Celestial’s face silently.

And then…

“He… haha… haHAHAHAHA!”

He laughed.

Whatever the Celestial expected, this wasn't it.

Spreading his arms he smiled widely showing all of his teeth.

[spoiler=1]

“What a condescending tone my Celestial! So sure of yourself, so sure of your words, so sure of your right!”

Her eyes widened at the sudden tone of the human’s voice.

His hair flowed, rejecting the very idea of gravity

“It is a good plan I must admit, even if by a miracle I survived that spell would send a very strong message.”

He pointed at the Celestial’s face.

“I can end the deepest part of you, no matter who you are or how you reached this point, I can unmake it.”

He isn't angry or even irritated Tyronus just… felt excited.

The alicorn did not.

“A sleep spell! One to make one rest without dreams, the perfect disguise, truly, you are a genius, a retarded one no doubt, for unless the very mind behind your magic wanted me dead you would not be able to misspell your magic to such an atrocious degree.”

Slowly, her expression shifted to normal.

“A sleep spell with an insignificant little tweak, one made to stop any and all dreams, it is a good disguise I must say.”

He swatted the air with his palm.

The alicorn’s expression remained neutral.

“I cannot be sure you know of anything, but that blue pegasus knew of mind over matter, of soul synchronization, perhaps not much but she did, and you want me to believe you don't?”

Hmfh!

“No, no, no, no, no your Queendom knows the soul, research it even, your magic proved to be able to reach it Celestial! One does not touch another’s soul by accident!”

His muscles tightened

“Starting with the second one obtains mind over matter, the soul becomes dependent on the mind, for finally, one can influence the other, my soul is alien to your type as far as I am aware.”

“But for a creature that stood on a throne for more than 2.000 years!? No, you can not possibly be this reckless.”

Behind him the yellow pegasus took a step forward,

“!”

Only to suddenly freeze as something pressed down on her.

’S-star!’

Fff~ hahahahaHaHAHa!

Her breath stuck in her throat as she held back her words, yes… she learned much in her life, she learned when to hear and when to talk, misunderstandings are born from failures at communication or pre-concepts.

Understanding somepony is the first step to proper communication.

The Patience necessary to do so being the most important part of it.

A lesson she realizes she doesn't quite seem to grasp even now.

Calmly, she continued hearing the human.

Right or wrong, many times perspective is all that matters.

“An alien body you would say, an alien soul you would claim, how could you possibly know the workings of something so different?”

The irony was palpable.

“An unfortunate accident, that is all, if I came back you’d be able to deny everything, you’d have a perfect cover right!?”

Veins popped up on his body.

“No, it may have been a good veil to use against your citizens, but not me, maybe… you felt that your power would intimidate me? That it would make me stay silent and tremble at your hooves!?”

She opened her mouth.

“Well, it did! I was afraid! Terrified! I STILL AM AS A MATTER OF FACT!”

And clamped it shut a moment later.

“You managed to out the fear of God inside me, congratulations Celestial! A pity you did so right when I would stop giving a damn!

He laughed more, his tone deepening every second.

“You knew exactly what you were doing, you entered my spiritual plane, you stepped inside my soul, and you felt the fist of the deepest part of what is I hit you, AND YOU MOST CERTAINLY SAW THE HEAT THAT MADE UP YOUR SOUL BURNING ME TOO!”

Her feathers ruffled.

That… wasn't completely senseless.

Her actions could be seen from that angle.

For one that does not know her of course.

But then again… how many creatures even do now? One?

“Enough knowledge and mastery to enter a soul via magic but not enough to not kill my personality with one??? DON’T JOKE AROUND YOU FUCKER IF DISPLAYS OF POWER COWERED ME I’D BE DEAD LONG AGO!”

Red wisps began to leave his body.

CRACK!

The windows exploded outward into a hundred pieces as the demon’s aura exploded.

For but a second

“Even if it was, by some miracle, an accident, even then! You claimed it yourself, you are a servant of harmony.”

She lifted an eyebrow, she could… somewhat understand the human’s previous points; they were understandable, incorrect, but understandable.

But now? Now he is starting to get senseless.

“...and?”

She saw many creatures smile in her life, the act itself was proof of their nature, animals ‘smile’ to show their teeth, to say ‘back off’ a threat, a promise.

To better creatures, the ones that left their instincts behind, smiling is a friendly gesture, something quite incredible in her opinion.

Creatures rejecting the inherent motive behind the creation of something meant to hurt and kill, to chew and break, and turning it into something as wonderful as a symbol of happiness.

After 1.000 years one learns to see beauty even in the smallest things.

Just as their brains to see things the eyes can't.

A ‘barrel feeling’ better than most and honed for millennia.

So it says something about this human’s aura.

When his smile alone unsettles her.

Had she now known about the Ogre inside his soul, she would have been more worried.

“You are the servant of a concept, a creature beyond morality, you know damn well what you are serving, and that alone tells much about you.”

Suddenly the tension in her body disappeared.

Lightly, she started to shake.

“He… hehehe~”

Everglow laughed lightly, with a tone some might call angelic.

Tyronus preferred dismissive.

The alicorn shook her head.

“Your ignorance shows human.”

The mare spoke in a teacherly tone.

“Spirits are not the concepts themselves Dean Tyronus Starfield, let us make a comparison, when one signs a contract, for example, there is the factual side and the spirit of it.”

The human’s attention focused even more on her

She smiled.

‘A curious soul then.’

“The spirit of a contract is the underlying intentions, purposes, and principles that all involved aim to achieve through the agreement, It encompasses the broader goals, expectations, and ethical considerations surrounding it, guiding its interpretation and implementation.”

The mare tried to speak in the most matter-of-fact tone she could.

Somewhat like the ones her little ‘nobles’ use.

Just without the flowery language.

“On the other hoof, the factual side of a contract, the purity of it pertains to the concrete terms, conditions, obligations, and rights explicitly stated within the written document. It forms the basis for legal enforcement and resolution of disputes, so.”

Clop!*

Her smile widened as she clopped her hooves.

“I serve the spirit of Harmony, and I follow the principles of it, Honesty being one of them young human.”

She looked at him, her eyes happy and satisfied.

He stared back neutrally.

Hmnnn*

He… is really loving this.

The celestial is the best teacher he could possibly ask for, as far as he is aware she is the oldest sapient living creature on Equus.

A treasure he absolutely wants to explore.

But that's the thing, not everything inside that chest is necessarily good.

He has no way of knowing if she is being honest or even right.

Not that it is a problem, not with him being able to test everything at a later date, in the long run, it truly doesn't matter.

The problem starts when he isn't sure of what killed him that day.

Surviving Yuujirou tonight will be pointless if the Celestial truly wants him dead.

All he has are assumptions, guesses, deductive reasoning, and factual observations that can have been misunderstood.

The Celestial has knowledge, years of experience, and memories of creatures undoubtedly similar to him.

A tough battle to win.

But not an impossible one.

Either way, he gains something.

He is proven wrong, and he learns.

He is proven right, and he confirms the Celestial's enmity.

Really, if he survives, how many decades will it take to reach her?

“You… are a master at this Celestial, you have my congratulations.”

She blinked confusedly… the human didn't seem to be talking about her explanation.

“It is expected, I suppose, for one such as you to have mastered your reactions so perfectly.”

”...what?’

“Having talked with so many creatures, not only due to your life but your position too, 2.600 years of practice are no joke~ truly, you are undoubtedly the best actor in all of Equus.”

He grinned.

She did not.

“Still…”

He tapped his foot.

Looking at him one would be hard-pressed to notice any anger.

But then again,

It isn't completely his.

“Your logic fails you celestial, even if that were the case a spirit would have enough of its master inside of it for its liberty to be questionable at best.”

“Many like to romanticize the idea of Concepts having personalities, but really?”

He lifted his shoulders while smiling.

“The very notion is ridiculous, and I think you know it too, with that spirit and factual explanation of yours and all, but… perhaps you meant tainted and pure instead of spirit and factual.”

Tyronus exhaled as he looked at the Celestial’s focused eyes.

He is… surprised.

He didn't expect to speak with her like this,

Not that he’s complaining.

Independently of what they speak… he will still do it.

“Death for example, it would only be death, it wouldn't want death, to do that it would have to have the concept of desire inside itself.”

“But if it did that it wouldn't really be death now, would it? No… it would be death and desire, two different concepts, only put together by mortal minds.”

“Minds that can’t quite seem to understand that there's a not-so-small chance… of those things having existed before they needed to.”

It is a pessimistic thought, to have something be in everything related to it, allowing it to exist, influencing it every moment.

This universe could be much the same as 40k, but worse.

Not in the sense of life, death, and suffering but… existentialism.

How deliciously ironic.

Being impure and tainted… is the only thing allowing these creatures to have something resembling an Ego.

Well, if he is right that is.

“Even more, a concept can't want anything, they don't even have the concept of desire within them! As I said before, they are pure, so unless something puts them together, let's say… a God, they won't do so by themselves.”

He lifted his finger.

“But, but, but, but! Mortals are impure, hybrids tainted by so many concepts, so many colors that not a single one makes even 50% of their existence, like rate we all live in the cracks am I right?”

THUMP!

A heartbeat.

Not his.

“My logic may be wrong, being originated from another universe and all, but I truly believe that concepts are pure, but… even if deductive reasoning states so one can never be sure.”

“I mean, some histories tell different tales, am I right? Making something only one thing doesn't leave room for a history to be told right? How can an impure creature even write about something so uniform!?”

He shook his head as he laughed.

The alicorn stood quiet.

“No, they give those concepts little personalities, and like to pretend that they’d be even remotely mortal.”

He chuckled.

“But I don't, I don't like to pretend, I don't like to lie, I don't like to commit 100% to assumptions, so let's go from what I have.”

He snapped his fingers.

“First, your magic proved able to affect the deepest part of who I am, it proved to be able to alter the mind, manipulating, rewriting, and erasing it in its entirety is not outside of its capabilities, and for a being above morals controlling its lessers is nothing short of expected.”

“My facets are conceptual in nature, irreversible meaning that nothing short of conceptual powers are able to reach them.”

His tone deepened.

“Something you did, or perhaps… your magic did.”

He hadn't truly thought about everything related to the celestial, or even connected all of the things he observed.

He is not that insightful.

Just paranoid.

He does not have a perfect memory, neither does he wish to, it's a curse, one he will not subject himself to, no, what he did was ask.

Ask his facets for his memories.

For everything that was said and observed, confirmed and studied in the small hours he has been on this planet awake.

“Your powers prove my vision by themselves, you commune with them, you allow them to fester your body, your magic pathways, the lines, the system of which magic flows throughout your body and infects even your soul.”

‘One I cannot see.’

“Harmony is in everything that is harmonic.”

He lifted his arm and pointed to the Celestial’s head.

The same of which remained quiet.

“Including you.”

Her eyes hardened.

He did not understand why.

He did not understand many things.

It's fine, it was never a problem, not as long as it didn't stay that way.

“Hence, you work for a concept, even if through its agents, beings like those cannot escape their nature Celestial, harmony is harmony in all of its forms, soft and hard, concepts are only themselves, they aren't good or evil, they are pure, and I will repeat that as many times as I need.”

He didn't prove anything, test, or even see with his eyes, no, he just thought logically.

Good is good.

Bad is bad.

Black-and-white, deductive reasoning would decide that concepts are nothing besides themselves.

Unless the so-called creator of this universe altered its own creations rules this is the most likely truth.

Not one with 100% certainty, but the one he most believes in.

Time will tell if it is a mistake to do so or not.

“You serve something beyond morality, something that has already proven to be capable of influencing minds and determining destinies, you too are an agent of harmony, which side of it doesn't matter.”

He leaned in.

She didn't move.

Seeing the human stay on his tip toes would’ve been cute in any other situation.

Not this one.

“If they want something to happen, it will, after all, they are the source of your magic, your brand.”

Her ears twitched as the human’s hand came close to touching her.

Had it been Luna he’d have already lost it.

“Your future, I head it, this cutie mark of yours.”

He pointed with his thumb toward the four ponies standing outside the room, all with their muscles tensed and bodies frozen.

“You speak of destiny, romanticize it even buuuut… if I am not mistaken the definition of it is something like… Destiny is the concept that events in a person's life are predetermined by a supernatural power or force, or by fate. It's the idea that certain outcomes or circumstances are inevitable and beyond mortal control, often implying a preordained path or purpose for an individual or group.”

He said as if repeating a textbook.

“Right?”

The mocking tone was evident.

“Oh how amazing, my future, taken from me, turning any and all my thoughts, feelings and actions utterly inconsequential in the face of a stationary universe that will play its piece with or without my consent.”

The irony in his voice was all but palatable.

He didn't understand why, why any being would be eager to have a destiny.

Do these fools not realize the terror it is? To do everything you can to do something so, so important to you but be denied and impeded from doing so, simply because something up above didn't put it in its plans for you?

All your life, at the mercy of another.

No… of course they don't.

Happiness, they are fed it, in exchange for freedom, in exchange for their futures, their choice.

They are afraid to suffer.

And that alone enrages him beyond anything.

Sapients can give out any excuse they want but at the end of the day, they are oh-so similar to animals.

In the sense they only do what they evolved to.

To obtain happiness and fulfillment, no matter the cost.

Something he too does, the only difference being… he does it.

Regardless, he kept speaking.

“Oh, oh, oh, but don't worry, I’m sure creatures can make their own destinies! I will just act as if that single line if thought doesn't contradict itself and continue on with my life! Ah, how good it is to be a slave! Everypony else should be one with me too, let me just give a cool name to that brand in my ass that will decide my future for as long as I breathe, ah! I know, how about cutie Mark?”

His eyes sharpened.

As did hers.

His expression fell, replaced by an indifferent thin line.

“You fools can't handle it”

As did hers.

“You don't matter, you never mattered, you don't seem to understand it, you are less than a microbe in this universe, you were born without reason or motive, but something decided to give one to you.”

He looked at her cutie mark.

“You have no motive, reason, or purpose to be alive, your destiny was simply to die one day, nothing more, because again, you don't matter.”

Hmfh!

“And what about you human? Do you matter?”

Pfth!

He spat

“I don't, but contrary to you I don't give my soul in a ridiculous hope of doing so.”

The temperature in the room increased.

“That little dopamine shot, that's all you fools are after, damn your decency, soul, and freedom, as long as you can be happy you’ll do anything.”

The expression on his face was anything but welcoming.

The same could be said about Celestial’s grinding teeth.

‘Sharp.’

“But that is the difference between us, I will make myself important, while you? You are going to let something else do it for you.”

He laughed.

The alicorn stood silent, he has to admit, he doesn't know why.

Does she have nothing to say? Can't she say it? Does she not have a retort? Is she even taking this seriously?

He doesn't know.

Not that it matters.

He’ll continue talking, for himself if nothing else.

Having a celestial growling like a damn dog won't change that.

As if the fear of being bitter will stop him from speaking.

“That's why you bend the knee every time you see your better, divine, spiritual, or physical. All of you are pathetic little animals so eager to gain meaning, to give the little consequence you have toward the universe away in a small hope of mattering.”

Pff~

His eyes shone.

A despondent smile formed on his face, just as his expression changed to a disgusted one.

“All of you are just fancy slaves with brands on your asses and borrowed power, on what planet can a two-thousand-year-old creature like you not realize that?... None, so there are very few options as to who you are Celestial.”

“A slave, too mind fucked to even cogitate going against her masters, A traitor, who gave her entire species away in exchange for power, Or maybe just a fool trying to play the bad hand already given to her.”

His smile turned mocking as he saw the alicorn’s tense body.

Whether in preparation to attack or just nervousness he doesn't know.

Maybe, just maybe, he is getting to her.

“After all, you are cursed are you not? All of you, I saw it in her soul.”

He pointed back, right towards the yellow pegasus.

“I saw it in all of your souls, Magic infests your very self, that little flame didn't exist before I talked with her, snuffed by the desires of fate, regained only when it is convenient to do so, he hahaha~”

His face almost split open.

“CAN YOU IMAGINE IT CELESTIAL!? A PUPPET THAT DOESN'T KNOW IT'S DEAD! RESURRECTED BY THE WORDS OF A PIG OF ALL THINGS!”

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“What the buck!?”

“eeep”

“?”

“...”

The alicorn adjusted her hooves.

The human continued.

“I admit, that little flame and all the others I saw might be an exception, but for one’s own nascent ego to be so violently contained by the magic surrounding their soul? There's something there.”

The alicorn exhaled.

The human spoke coherently, but some questions… she simply couldn't answer.

“You for example, I can't see your soul, do you even have one?”

A vein almost popped out of her head.

Exhaling slowly she kept her tone low.

“Of course I hast, what kind of question is that human? Besides, Thee speaketh too much f'r someone yond hast been awaketh f'r less than a day Thee presumes far too much.”

Succeeding somewhat.

His smile didn't waver, independently of the high possibility of the Celestial controlling her reactions and words to all the perfection her 2600 years of life allowed her.

She didn't negate anything he said.

Not a particularly useful or telling action, but another piece of a living 2600 years olf puzzle to add.

Oh, what would he give for being able to see emotions.

Still…

He will not underestimate her mind, not as he did Yuujirou’s.

“Yes, I know nothing, or close to nothing, but then again, deductive reasoning exists, you know I’ve been confused about something…”

Her ears twitched.

He pointed to her face, an intrigued expression on his face all the while.

“You did not gain that power by yourself, did you? Fluttershy spoke about it.”

The yellow pegasus' ears shot up.

“Ascension, you became what you are today did you not? You were not born this way, you were made so, in a universe of magic and concepts something strong enough to move a star can not possibly exist without the pureview of an entity.”

His head tilted as his mocking smile grew.

“Which one was it? Harmony? Stars? Light? Life? No, It was probably harmony, right?”

Her ears twitched again.

“What did happen? To make it necessary for one to manually move a star? Your planet couldn't have been created with that gigantic error, the evolution of your race’s relationship with magic proves it so.”

Hmfh!

“Yes, human, years before the birth of our Principality we suffered under the machinations of Discord, the Spirit of chaos, one more aligned with his concept than most.”

“Oh?”

“He aimed to cause discord and chaos between all living creatures, he started by stopping the movement of the celestial bodies and ‘deactivating’ gravity, both of which we had to quickly fix.”

“Unfortunately our quick response took its attention, had it not been for Grogar’s arrival and the War of Beginning against all monsters and chimeras it would have acted sooner.”

Her voice turned hoarse.

“During the war, many unicorns lost their magic due to irreparable damage to their magic pathways, even while using rituals and reducing the necessary cost significantly many ponies died.”

“And then… we arrived, me and my sister, we… wanted to help, and… like the foals we were, we did the only thing we thought and used a simple levitation spell on them in the middle of the ritual, I pointed to the sun to make it go away, and Luna at the moon.”

“A connection was made, and so… we ascended that very day, with the given duty to raise both the sun and the moon, many things happened, horrible and wonderful ones, but to answer your question we need to go beyond the war of Beginning.”

Hmnn*

The human hummed while the alicorn spoke, his feet tapped the ground lightly as he listened carefully.

More and more information to revise.

If the Celestial didn't simply kill him now.

Not something he thinks she will do.

He miscalculated.

The Celestial is strong, yes, but not invincible, not even on her own planet.

That… was already obvious, yes, with spirits and concepts existing but she may not be all-powerful even while in the limits of her queendom.

Fear, how did he forget this? He’s not the only being to feel it, on a planet like this, or any planet as a matter of fact, outside of mental manipulation it is impossible for not even a single creature to not fear the celestial’s power over the sun.

The creature in front of him holds a world hostage, knowingly or not, it doesn't matter, other mortals would not accept that.

Plans, magics, Artifacts, would undoubtedly be made to counter the celestial.

Of course a magical world would have artifacts, maybe even ones capable of fully stopping a murderous Celestial in its tracks.

He will have to research that.

So… a reason as to why she could be lying is… caution.

The fear of repercussions.

Meaning if that is truly her intention and she truly did attempt to kill him discreetly something or someone can use magic to observe her past actions.

And the present ones.

But… what or who in the worlds above could be observing her to the point of forcing something as powerful as her into being cautious?

“It ended with the death of the king of chimeras, The father of monsters, and…”

His attention returned to the alicorn as She spoke.

“My father…”

For a moment she stopped.

Briefly Tyronus did too.

It was frustrating, being caught in a web, not knowing anything, and needing to tread carefully

Lest something far worse than death befalls him.

Still…

That… did not feel like a lie.

“After years of… gathering armies, helping creatures, hunting monsters he finally faced Grogar, hehe~ that idiot had an army of ponies and griffons on his back but decided to go alone.”

She shook her head.

“He killed him, Grogar I mean, the goat had his bell, capable of absorbing any and all magic to be used by him at a later date, maybe that's why he didn't want anycreature to follow him but, I don't think so, that old man was selfish.”

She lightly tapped her hooves on the ground as her mane stopped flowing for a moment.

“Despite everything he did, even to his death, he was selfish, he wanted to fight the goat, he wanted to fight somecreature strong, but… I think, no, I know he wanted to protect everycreature, just… the ones he respected I mean.”

Sigh*

“Foster the strong… and weed out the weak, that was his mindset you know? And not one I agreed with, he was my father, and I loved him for the little time that we had together, but he was not a reasonable man, well…”

She scratched her head.

She didn't own Tyronus anything, answers the least of all, but she's not unreasonable, or an overly demanding mare.

If she doesn't solve this now this misunderstanding will only get worse.

And she’d prefer not to lose a possible friend over something so silly.

Friendship is magic, and she’s the most magical pony of all.

And so… honesty.

The first principle, to pave a way to trust.

“He… wasn't the man he was when he arrived, not completely, but he was still… him, and at the end of the day, Dad wasn't good, he did good, but he wasn't, luckily, he wasn't evil either.”

Tyronus stood quiet.

He trusted not in his intuition, not against a creature like the Alicorn, but… it is something he asked himself many times in the past minutes.

‘How can anyone be so visible?’

Seeing the entirety of a creature is… something he experienced only with one person before.

The ogre.

“He killed the goat, he won, and then… well, he didn't go to us, he turned around, and walked away, to the mountains, northeast, right where the chimera’s colonies were.”

She exhaled.

‘1.000 years, and you still cry silly filly.’

Tyronus stood quiet.

He knows of people who can force tears.

None of them were this convincing though.

“And so… he faced the king of the chimeras, it's interesting, before arriving in Equus both of them had a history.”

“Dad said the ant died after he used his rose, I remember calling him a zombie and then running away, he was 44 at the time.”

Her chest rose

Sigh*

And fell.

“If I knew he’d die 5 years later I’d hug him instead.”

Her hooves tapped the wooden ground as her eyes lost focus.

Shaking her head she lifted her face and looked at the human again.

“But anyways, I never understood what he meant by that, not before he died anyway.”

.

.

.

Tyronus blinked, just as his mouth started to fall.

.

.

.

“…what?”

A smidge of giddiness enveloped the alicorn’s barrel as she saw the human’s expression.

Finally.

She is getting through to him.

“I suppose nothing changed then… because both of them died in a ball of fire strong enough to be felt from the other side of the planet, but… that was long, long ago, when I was a filly.”

Sigh*

Blinking and rapidly Tyronus closed his mouth and returned with a neutral expression.

“After that, Equestria was founded, years passed, me and my sister became mares, and then… he attacked, it was sudden, without warning, one moment we were in our castle, the other gravity didn't exist.”

She exhaled.

“Words can't describe what happened there, this is no exaggeration human, words cannot explain what that thing did.”

Her eyes locked into his with an intensity no lower than the first time they did so today.

“Minds were broken, as were bodies, none died, unfortunately, none died, we couldn't escape, believe me, we tried.”

Turning around the Alicorn walked toward the window and looked up at her sun.

“Even with the power of stars and moons both of us couldn't do anything, and so… we suffered, at the claws and paws of an immoral, uncaring, and sadistic being.”

An eyebrow rose as she looked down at the human.

The man simply stared back.

‘I passed through something you can only speak of hmn?’

He blinked.

‘Message received Celestial, a pity it comes from you.’

Slowly she turned to her sun again, the warmth of its rays settling on her white fur.

“Decades passed for us, maybe a month for the world, we were broken, we were beaten, we were hopeless.”

A memory strifed in her mind, of ruins, of misery, of lies.

And a shard of hope.

Memories she wanted forgotten, something as impossible as bringing one’s heart back.

“But… we weren't alone, we thought we were, but luckily…”

Her body relaxed, slowly, she sat and smiled lightly at the human.

“We were not.”

Clop*

“And so, we escaped, and found what we needed to stop the insanity partaking in our principality, but we were powerless, our ponies suffered, and even as powerful as we were, we could do nothing no creature could.”

She lifted a hoof.

“But perhaps, a being could, all we needed to do, was trust in destiny, it helped the world to recuperate from discord’s machinations, it gave us a parent, the power to nurture our kind, and even the guidance to escape a paradox.”

He held back a growl.

She continued.

“We only needed to trust in it again, and so, we walked, walked and walked, for days, until… we found something, the very principles of chaos’s anathema, harmony.”

“6 chrystals, 6 principles, all to form the principles of harmony, kindness, honesty, generosity, loyalty, happiness, or laughter for most, and finally, magic.”

Mnn*

“I possessed kindness, magic, and generosity while my sister had honesty, laughter, and loyalty, with the crystal’s power we could finally end everything.”

‘Oh?’

The world slowed down.

A critical piece landed on his mind.

‘Harmony and friendship… these are different concepts, all of which harmony alone does not need in order to exist, spirits… maybe they are the ones to worry about here, I doubt my presence is under any way incremental to theirs.’

He smiled

Of course, of course, an out-of-context problem would need to be solved immediately.

If he had a vision for the future and something completely alien appeared, something capable of breaking years of plans if left alone he would do his best to eliminate it.

Or bring it to heel.

Fluttershy is proof enough, her newborn ego would not exist without him disrupting whatever plan those… things had for her.

Killing him was to be expected.

Now only if he could discover with certainty whether this Celestial did it on purpose or not.

“And so, with a rainbow, conjured by the crystals and the strongest magic ever cast on Equus even to this day, we defeated Discord.”

“A rainboom traveled the planet, unmaking all of Discord’s insanity but… it did not reach either the sun or the moon, something understandable, both are hundreds of millions of kilometers away after all.”

An eyebrow rose.

Another difference.

“We did not have the spell necessary to return the celestial bodies to their previous state, neither did we wish to, for more that it irks me to admit mine and my sister’s power over the. stopped many would-be conquerors.”

‘Of course.’

“Even more, between meteors and solar flares leaving the fate of Equus on luck alone was unacceptable, and so, that contributed with our decision to not return the Celestial bodies to their original states.”

Clop*

She clopped her hooves.

“And so, here we are, almost 1000 years later, despite everything that happened Equestria is at peace, the sun and the moon move, not for my will, but for the sake of all creatures, ponies or not, young or old.”

“Harmony was not responsible for this my little human, neither was fate, just… life, the spirit that saved millions would never execute any creature like this, I swear upon my name, Neither I or Harmony did this to you.”

Her eyes softened as she lowered her body to stay level with the human.

Who in turn said nothing.

“Something happened to you, of that I am certain but.”

She smile-

Clap!

Only for the human to clap.

clap*

Mockingly.

clap*

“Oh… Chaos? Chaos did it… is that right? Did you just say that to me?”

She blinked.

His shoulders shook.

‘wha-’

“hehe hahaHAHAAA!”

He laughed.

Empathy, a powerful tool, especially for one like the celestial.

He has no doubt she knows how to manipulate creatures through it, as old as she is, with more experience than 30 lifetimes combined wanting or not the Celestial would learn how to manipulate all like a master, no…

Even more.

Beyond a master.

He doesn't know how much knowledge she has, her personality or even intelligence.

He knows -for a lack of better term ‘jack shit’ about the creature.

A number of imbeciles might have done it differently from him, easily manipulated ones that is.

Had it been Fluttershy, or even Rainbow Dash speaking he’d believe it more easily but…

The celestial can't be trusted, independently of the situation the honesty of her words and actions are doubtful at best.

Both her age and her… assassination attempt impede him from going any forward.

As it would for anyone with more than half of a brain cell.

Being cute, beautiful, charismatic, and relatable means nothing if he can't be sure she doesn't want to murder him.

His life comes first.

Blind belief and faith are not things to be leaned on, not here, not ever

Oh, she can very well be telling the truth he won't claim otherwise.

It's just… ridiculously unlikely.

Names, for example, a covenant upon a name is not something small, the blue pegasus explained it to him enough of it.

Her promise to not let him die, magic enforced her words, perhaps by way of honesty, not in the sense that she is forced to keep him alive but in the one where if he dies, so will she.

The Celestial apparently did just that, swearing by herself and harmony that she had done nothing to him.

Undoubtedly this would have been a way to ease his doubt, something she perhaps had thought about too, but there is only one problem.

One minuscule detail.

He doesn't know how it is made.

And neither do his facets, they did not send any images to him after all.

Either meaning they cannot see anything, or that they cannot communicate with him…

❏!

No, they can.

‘The first thought seems to hold true.’

And so… the Celestial’s words could be just that, empty air, solely because he doesn't know, he doesn't have a way to know.

As he never did during the entirety of this conversation.

Even if he did it would be pointless, the Celestial promising something by her name via magic is the same as the police investigating themselves.

With the suspect participating in the investigation.

Ridiculous.

The Celestial spoke with pride of her allegiance to harmony.

And now she does the equivalent of ‘Just trust me bro’ to him.

Utterly, ridiculous.

He could be wrong of course.

But how to confirm it?

.

.

.

…He doesn't know.

Why?

Simple, his sole source of information is a blue pegasus who dropped out of school.

He is not a fool, or at least now one fully confident in the scraps of information he managed to gather.

So he does the only thing he can.

He keeps gathering more.

“OF COURSE CHAOS DID, OF COURSE! The unpredictable solar flares, gravity attraction of stellar objects, and the insane dance all planets make part of at the behest of the very curvature of space!”

“OF COURSE, CHAOS WOULD WANT TO STOP A STAR FROM MOVING, DISABLE GRAVITY, AND KILL EVERYTHING ON THIS PLANET RIGHT? BECAUSE DEATH IS SOOO CHAOTIC, I bet you think a marble statue is chaotic too don't you?”

His body trembled.

A part of this anger wasn't his.

“It's so still, right? So much chaos?”

Sigh*

He glazed his hair and looked at the Celestial with narrowed eyes.

“Do you take me for a fool?”

Her eye twitched.

Did… did this fool not hear a single word she said?

Are they speaking different languages?

She is honest, with a complete stranger for the sake of trust and transparency, but this fool doesn't seem to understand it!?

She spoke her heart.

She poured her soul into those words.

1000 years of experience, talking with so many new creatures, drawn upon with the sole objective of putting life and emotion into her words.

And this idiot can't feel a gram of honesty while being hit in the face with it!?

The human opened his mouth.

Whatever he was about to say… she didn't care.

With a small breath of air, she exhaled… and then screamed at the limit of her voice.

“You und'rstand nothing of our suff'ring blinking idiot! death wast as rev'rsible as turning a valve f'r yond abomination! thee doth not knoweth how many minds we hath lost during yond thing’s 'ra and how much w'rk t tooketh f'r us to not loseth m're!”

Her voice echoed through the building, she is sure the entirety of the village would have heard her royal voice had the hospital’s defenses not been there.

“Harmony did save us from yond! and I shall not accepteth thee tattling absurdities with thy that from which we speak about h'r, our patron is valorous and m'rciful, and t matt'rs dram if 't be true the reasoneth f'r mine own existence is to maketh mine own raceth safe i accepteth t with pride!”

CRACK!

“DO YOU CELESTIAL!? DO YOU TRULY ACCEPT IT!?”

She opened her mouth, her mane taking an orange tone as she did so.

Even as sweat began to drip from his face, he cared little.

“OR WERE YOU MADE TO CARE FOOL!?”

Light surged.

Her eyes widened.

280 kilometers away she sat on her throne, knowing the human couldn't touch her, reach her.

It didn't matter, be it by Surprise, Reflex, Or fear.

She lifted a wing

₳₦₲ɆⱤ

₵ɄⱤłØ₴ł₮Ɏ

Ɽ₳₲Ɇ

ⱧØ₦Ɇ₴₮Ɏ

₣Ɇ₳Ɽ ₣Ɇ₳Ɽ ₣Ɇ₳Ɽ₣Ɇ₳Ɽ₣Ɇ₳Ɽ₣Ɇ₳Ɽ₣Ɇ₳-₳-₳-₳-₳-₳-Ɽ

.

.

.

.

.

.

.-

Her vision went dark.

No… white?

No, she… she… blocked?

Blocked what?

Her wings lowered.

She sa-

THUMP!

Everything was still.

The human, the air, the light.

Nothing moved

For a moment she was confused, only for realization to fall upon her a second later.

No, everything wasn't still.

She was just thinking too fast.

Still…

THUMP!

She didn't know the human could do this.

She should, the shy little pony named Fluttershy did say he was training to do it.

She looked at the human.

Eyes unblinking as his mocking expression stared at her.

He… is very convincing, very, very convincing.

‘A trait shared amongst demons.’

Not that he is one.

Still…

Hmfh!

“For somehuman who didn't read a single book, you certainly can give somepony an existential crisis.”

She stared at the human for some seconds more before breathing deeply.

No… it doesn't matter, harmony stood with her for 1000 years.

She can trust her.

She will trust her.

There is no reason not to.

With a flick of her mind, everything went back to normal.

“Your cutie marks are able to do so many wonderful things, it's truly surprising, what is also surprising is your names.”

He tapped his temple, his voice calm compared to a moment ago.

“Fluttershy, a brand with 3 butterflies, and a surprisingly shy personality, Rainbow Dash, with the brand of a cloud and rainbow lightning, a pegasus who loves speed and would you guess that? She created a sonic rainboom at what? 6, 7 years of age?”

She held back a sigh.

‘You forget to mention how she obtained it after doing the rainboom, how convenient.’

“Rarity, a fashionista with the ability to find crystals and make wonderful clothes, the last I admit has a more obscure interpretation of her name, but…”

Slowly, his finger pointed toward the celestial.

“Celestial Everglow, well who’d have guessed that little filly would control celestial objects, especially one that shines brightly for billions of years, well, at least in my universe, who knows how long it is in yours, I doubt magic didn't change anything.”

Sigh*

“What is your point?”

“If you have more than one brain cell you already know my point Celestial, I sincerely doubt parents can see the future.”

Looking at the alicorn he waited.

A second later she nodded.

“And naming their children according to it, once or twice is a coincidence, but the majority of the time? No… unless you are being mentally manipulated I cannot see how you do not connect the dots.”

Hmfh*

“It is a simple feeling human, a moment where a parent knows the best possible name they can give to their foal, the name they will most love and cherish fo-”

“Really? Then I bet Doctor Horse didn't actually want to change his name and just lied to Rainbow’s face when we arrived here.”

The alicorn blinked.

And then clopped the base of her horn.

“No, no, no, no, you know this to be at the very least suspicious, but I think we both have an… inking about what is really happening.”

“Did you know that for creatures who did not obtain Mind over Matter not following the structure of their brains and the chemical reactions within them is all but impossible?”

“Yes, a slave to yourself, how dull, curiously enough if something managed to alter the brain of a creature its actions would diverge significantly, now, if that same thing were to have mastery over be biology and the ability to alter it.”

She sighed, already knowing where the human was going.

“Your healing spell… it managed to remake my bones, my veins, my muscles, my flesh, I am not a cripple because of you even.”

She forced a smile.

“You are welcome.”

“I was not thanking you.”

The answer came instantly.

Ignoring the woman’s irritated face he continued staring at her.

Seconds later she shagged and then spoke.

“An analysis crystal, it serves to scan an object, living or not, and then deliver a precise report, healing spells have built-in scans on them to prevent casters from committing mistakes, well, the sanctioned ones do.”

Hmnn~

He nodded.

“And how precise would you say that is?”

Sigh*

“... Very precise, it was what allowed the medical staff to save your life and me to heal your wounds after all.”

He nodded again.

“Complete knowledge of a biological creature in seconds and the ability to manipulate said biology with enough mastery to heal incredibly complex body parts in seconds, how… convenient, I am sure a being of harmony would never abuse of this for its own objectives.”

She could cut through the human’s sarcasm considering how thick it is.

“And from what I know, magic is inside everything, including a pregnant mare, and the fetus inside her of course~”

He smiled -as always- mockingly.

“Let's see… perfect biological scan, the ability to alter and manipulate flesh, a tingling sensation when naming your child, destiny in the form of a brand on your ass, spirits committed to multiple masters to be able to do so much as exist.”

Mnnnnnnnnnnnn!*

He opened his arms.

“Am I forgetting something?”

He did not laugh

“Apparently not.”

The alicorn’s scown became worse.

“So tell me Celestial Everglow, do you really accept the ‘reason for your existence’ with pride… or were you made to?”

Tyronus tapped his cheek, on the corner of his vision small red lights flickered.

This always happens, in his conversations that is.

They start some way, turn into something else, and then go back to the start.

He started accusing her of killing him.

Now he is arguing about free will, the nature of concepts -something the celestial mildly confirmed- spirits, and whether or not Celestial Everglow even had a chance to exist.

He’s loving it.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Seconds passed as the Alicorn stood silent, then, finally, she spoke.

“Yes, many things in fact, I know where you are trying to reach Dean Tyronus Starfield, and all I can say is that we live in an imperfect world, but we live despite it, doing the best we can.”

Sigh*

“Because our best is the only thing we can do.”

Air stilled

Her mane glowed.

And her aurora expanded.

“... I… well, now that you have spoken I can say that I do not know if this wish to do good was something inherited since my birth or a choice, and maybe I will never know, but…”

Her nebula pulsed.

“I see nothing wrong with being made an instrument of good.”

A smile wormed its want into her mouth.

“Being born to spread love and empathy to all creatures on Equus, maybe… even beyond, is not such a bad life.”

The room was bathed in crimson light.

Her smile slowly faded as she looked at the human with a downed expression.

Her breath was starting to still.

Or maybe the air was simply dying.

“I… do not know why my magic has failed human, but rest assured I had no ulterior motive to my spell, my intentions were pure, if you so wish I will contact the best of Equestria’s mages and investigate this matter.”

Appease.

Some would claim she is the one with power in this conversation.

They’d be right.

They’d also be right to say… that a creature reveals who they truly are at the end of their lives.

Just as they do at the height of their power.

Power over others that is.

She is not a tyrant.

She is not arrogant.

She is not selfish.

And most of all, she is not evil.

Power over somecreature or not, she is Celestia, born Celestial Everglow, and she hopes she will never be somepony else.

She… understands it better now, the human, he… simply has a different view on life.

A different perspective, with different thoughts, born of a different existence.

Being contrary to her does not mean being evil, or wrong, or right, or good.

It doesn't mean much truly.

Just that he is contrary.

And that alone does not make him deserve to be silenced.

He is right in his anger, he died.

And she had a hoof in it.

Knowingly or not.

She has to make up for it.

“If any wrongdoing on my part is found, let it be said by my name, by Celestial Everglow I will willingly walk to Tartarus.”

“!”

“!”

“!”

“!?”

She ignored the gasps.

“Because my principality deserves better than somepony who kills on a whim.”

She stared at the human with a smile.

He is somewhat right, harmony is harmony, even if the concept does not have morality, she will be it.

Through its agents it speaks with her.

Through her, she does all that is right.

All that is acceptable under the gaze of mortals.

Uncaring or not, it doesn't matter, she cares, and that's all Equestria needs.

Yes… she can take the ‘Eginemare’s seat’ of her life.

Her expression suddenly changed to one of worry as the human started to shake.

“Uhmn…”

She extended her hoof.

“Are you o- !”

“He haha hahaha hahAHAAAAHAAAAHAHAHA!”

She flinched away as Tyronus kept laughing hysterically.

“THIS IS PATHETIC!, YOU ARE LIKE A SELF-AWARE DRUG ADDICT WHO KNOWS EVERYTHING THAT'S WRONG WITH YOUR LIFE AND JUST STOPPED GIVING A SHIT!”

Crimson light exuded his form.

“No, you lost yourself creature, the mare that was Celestial Everglow lost the chance to live.”

He pointed towards her.

“Just so you could be here.”

It expanded.

Expanded.

And expanded.

Her eyes widened as she took a step back, almost hitting the bookshelf.

For a moment she understood.

“A proud slave you are, ruling above many others like you, and for what?! To do what you were born to!?”

His eyes shone

“My parents birthed me just to give them happiness woman, BUT I ONLY BROUGHT THEM DISGRACE, but then again, they both wanted me to be a punching bag too so I suppose everyone was disappointed.”

Why so many of her little ponies had died because of this thing.

”SO TELL ME CELESTIAL What is the difference between them and your master?”

She opened her mouth.

He ignored it

”STRENGTH! That's all, strength is the difference between them and your master, oh, you were going to speak about morality weren't you? Admiration and sanctity perhaps.”

Hmfh!

”HARMONY is pure exactly because it is a concept, it can't be anything besides harmony Celestial, and you know this, not a second of this conversation have you denied it.”

Her wing ruffled, she opened her mouth again.

He did not let her.

”WHAT A EXEMPLAR SLAVE YOU ARE CELESTIAL, INCAPABLE OF HAVING EVEN THE SLIGHTEST REBELLIOUS THOUGHTS ABOUT YOUR OWNER, I WAS WRONG! YOU ARE NOT THE PERSON WHO KILLED ME! YOU ARE THE BULLET.

His body screamed.

₵Ɽ₳₵₭ ₵Ɽ₳₵₭ ₵Ɽ₳₵₭ ₵ⱤɆ-Ɇ-Ɇ-E-₭

Had he not been so focused, so would he.

His skin darkened.

His eyes bathed in crimson light.

His hair like twice before elongated and bled.

His bones cracked and crumbled, forced to grow, ignoring all reason

And so It stood in front of her.

A tall creature, remarkably resembling a human.

It wasn't one.

It wasn't a demon.

It wasn't an ogre.

It was a caricature.

A joke.

Of the strongest creature.

But for her.

For the Alicorn.

For anybeing that didn't know it.

This is Yuujirou Hanma.

She has seen stronger.

Fought stronger.

Won against stronger.

So why…

Why on tartarus is she trembling?

Light surged from her horn.

Only to be snuffed out a second later.

Her eyes widened.

Their smile did too.

Spreading their arms even further the ooze of malice flew from their form in droves.

Intent, uncomparable to that of days ago.

Now backed by hate.

Will.

Reason.

And power.

Contained solely inside this hospital.

Not for even a moment did the thought of the corpses made because of it.

All they did was smile.

His bones hurt.

”A creature such as you cannot be trusted by those below Celestial! You possess far too much power, your ability to alter one’s mind has already been proven!”

Rage infested his veins as he struggled not to attack

The alicorn did not flinch, she did not do more than exhale with slightly more force.

She still has her magic, she can feel it.

Just as she can feel it dissipate the second it leaves her body.

’Not yet.’

”EVEN MORE you are not a fool! Something as old and with such a position couldn't possibly be, you knew everything! You know everything! Of the nature of those spirits, of cutie marks, of destiny.”

The air became heavier.

”And you still chose to kill me, if not that to serve something that would, the moment I claimed you ended me you knew it to be true, yet you denied it, y-”

“I DID NOT KILL YOU ON PURPOSE YOU FOOL!”

CRACK CRACK CRACK

His smile widened even more.

”ALL THIS TALK AND NO WAY TO PROVE IT CELESTIAL! YOU ARE FAR TOO OLD, KNOWLEDGEABLE, AND SKILLED TO MAKE SUCH SMALL MISTAKES!”

The building shook as both screamed with all their might the alicorn’s words echoing with power as she used her royal voice.

“EVEN CREATURES SUCH AS I MAKE MISTAKES YOU IMBECILIC FOOL! I AM NOT PERFECT!”[size]

”WHO SAID ANYTHING ABOUT PERFECTION!? FROM WHAT I SAW YOU WIPED OUT THE ENTIRETY OF A CREATURE’S VERY SELF BECAUSE OF A MISSPELL??? DON’T FUCK AROUND YOU DAMN ANIMAL! WHO WOULD EVER BELIEVE THAT!?”

Her muzzle scrunched as she held herself back from doing something she would regret.

“I… Am getting not restful of thy babbling human! if 't be true thee cannot seeth the honesty of mine own w'rds flowing through thy ears THEN I DOTH NOT KNOWETH WHAT ELSE TO SAYETH TO THEEI AM NOT A MURDERER AND I SHALL NOT ACCEPTETH THEE CLAIMING OTHERWISE HUMAN. ”

Her tone was low, angry, and maybe even… upset.

She was done with this conversation.

The human was not.

He smiled mockingly.

“Oh? I see, so answer me something, why do you know that spell?”

The sudden change of tone was abrupt.

Had it not been for the oozing malice around his form she’d think she was speaking to another being entirely.

Even his voice had completely changed.

Her head moved back as a confused expression formed on her fa-

“You know, the one that killed this pig me?”

Her breath hitched.

He smirked.

“I have discovered something, that magic seems to be derived from concepts, and while I don't know if there's a concept for magic I know that there is one for harmony, and you serve harmony eight? You said so you serve the spirit of harmony.”

.

.

.

She nodded

“Great, now…”

Looking back he pointed to the brown-maned mare.

“You, answer me.”

The mare blinked as her ears twitched.

He smiled.

He recognized understatement, the pony could comprehend his words, he spoke in Japanese after all, still, he smiled, it's just… curious, very Curioushow the Celestial seemed to know English.

The air became thicker.

The mare stood stoic only giving him a half-lidded look.

“You were there, were you not? When the Celestial used her magic on me.”

The earth pony mare looked at her Princess and then back at him.

“Yes, I was there when you shot up like an insane rabid manticore and attacked her, before being put down by Spearhead, and then again by Princess Celestia.”

“Good, tell me, you seem like a strong pony, Rainbow dash has spoken to me that you seemed to have worked with your country's military?”

She breathed in.

And out.

“I have served my duty to my country, yes human, what is your point?”

The mare was short, cur, perhaps even rude.

He cared little.

“My point is, can you feel magic?”

The head nurse blinked and then shook her head.

“No… I never had the talent for such, born an earth Pony that is to be expected, I trained to fight colt, not fart fire or see squiggly magic shit.”

She pointed at Sweetheart.

“But she can.”

The mare froze.

He looked at the pink earth pony.

She seemed… older than every other pony outside the room.

“Then tell me Mare, your ruler.”

He pointed toward the alicorn, who in turn lifted an eyebrow.

“Was she using a harmonic spell while putting me to sleep.”

The mare’s face soured as if she had bitten a lemon.

“Well… yes, but!”

Seeing the human turn to the Princess she quickly lifted a hoof.

Curiously Tyronus turned to her again.

“Harmonic spells that can affect the mind exist solely to heal and fix it.”

An eyebrow rose.

“The brain and the mind are incredibly complex, even knowledge transferring and copying spells have dangers to them, you cannot simply transfer gigantic amounts of information to a brain and expect nothing bad to happen.”

“This thing inside our heads wasn't made to do or handle these types of things, it's somewhat flexible, yes, but when it breaks in one place it tends to drag everything else along with it.”

Clop*

“Sometimes… accidents happen, and instead of complex healing spells or pokes at the brain all we need to make everything work again is harmonic magic, by its nature it brings everything back to what it was supposed to be.”

His eyes narrowed, he had not thought about it before.

‘Stagnation’

Change by its nature should be against harmony.

‘But not totally.’

“There are ponies that need those spells, some are born with disabilities, they can grow to not be able to properly control their body, have more than one mind, or even not have the expected emotional capability of normal ponies.”

Hmmn*

Tyronus heard the mare speak in silence, her words seemed… reasonable.

Something he is sure won't continue.

“The brains of our kind work… differently depending on each tribe, but we have a… standard form, ponies outside of that form, aren't wrong to be so, but they are… crippled.”

She breathed calmly.

“For… ponies that is, not to say that other creatures are wrong for having different brain structures, I am solely speaking about ponies.”

“Even villains, ponies who’d kill for pleasure, ambition, or power are… wrong, I don't know about your race mister Starfield but this is not normal for ponies, Harmonic magic just gives us the opportunity to make the visions of these ponies clearer…”

‘Ah, there it is.’

“Broader, we don't change their personalities or self, we just… broaden their view, of course, we do have reforming spells for the worst of cas-”

CRACK!

The mare flinched as the human suddenly slammed his fist down the table, breaking it in half.

“HAAAHA HAHAHA HAHAHAAAAA!”

They bursted out laughing.

“OF COURSE YOU DO, OF COURSE, if anyone goes against you you only need to re-educate them and show them the right way right!?”

“It makes sense now, you entered my soul, most likely saw my entire life just as Yuujirou did, and then decided to wipe everything out, too bothersome to change, am I right?”

“What would have happened if I hadn't woken up, hmnn? Would you have returned in concern for my health and tried a ‘healing’ spell that would ‘miraculously’ heal me in exchange for implanted thoughts on an empty shell!?”

“ENOUGH!”

CRACK!

She stomped the ground.

With deep breaths she stared at the human’s eyes, her expression both angry and sad.

“I would NEVER do such a thing.”

Something hit him.

He felt it.

Before.

Not so long ago, but it felt like it.

Emotions not his, naked intent, for him to see.

The ability that the ogre used to terrorize an entire village to terrorize him.

Now used to show honesty.

It did anything but.

His fingers curled.

He held back the wish to cut the Mare open.

“THAT’S THE THING! THIS ARROGANCE!”

The human walked forward, nearing dangerously close to the alicorn’s personal space.

The mare’s body tensed… before she remembered she was a simple magic hologram.

“A classic, from every single being that is above others, it is your nature to be arrogant, even more so when it is DESERVED!”

The human lifted his hand.

Briefly, her eyes flickered to it, only to go back to the human.

Only for them to again snap to his hand as she took a double take.

‘Reve-’

『!』

Her head snapped back as she felt something touched her cheek.

thump

thump

thump

Her fur stood on edge.

Her eyes refused to leave the human again.

“Consciously or not you all think it, rightfully so even, I am only alive because you allow it right!? These ponies, this world, you could do it, at any point, at any bad day of your life you could simply end it all, FOR NO OTHER REASON BESIDES THAT YOU FELT LIKE IT!”

Her teeth grinded.

“Enough of this!”

Snapping her face sideways she forced the human to let go of her.

Not waiting for any reaction she summoned her magic.

And exploded in Burning radiance.

“Oho?”

Her horn lit up in ᗹꚶɌᙁĬᙁǤ ԸĬǤዛꞆ blinding all but her, power filled her pathways, extending throughout her veins and muscles, filling her with a familiar warmth she hadn't felt in 200 years.

At least… not at that intensity.

The human didn't move.

His muscles didn't tense.

His expression didn't change.

All he did… was put his hands in his pockets.

And wait.

Afraid Angry as she is the alicorn didn’t want the human to die, the burns in his soul, born out of his senseless attack on her, had already worried her enough.

Harming another creature's soul is not something she ever did want to see herself doing, even if accidentally.

For one that understands so much about them harming it should be the furthest thing from their minds.

That is… if they have a shred of decency.

Her presence in his soul would only invite disaster.

Even interacting with it.

Her spell alone proved it.

But this is enough.

Wounded or not… that demon will leave his body.

She won't make any mistakes this time.

No distractions.

No curiosity.

No happiness.

No sadness.

That demon is all that will burn.

“ዛᕔ!”

Shooting a beam of energy forward, she watched as it slammed into the human’s chest.

THUMP!

Only for her heart to stop at the sight.

Her beam traveled forward, milliseconds passed as the world wạ̛̬͑ͭͮrp̴͎̈́e͛_d̵̴̪̍͂ and t̩͎w̪̐͛̕î͕̭͒̾ͨs̑ͭ̋ͥ͜͞t́e̪̥̔̐͛ͭ͋d͙͙̈ͥͩ around the human, their power distorting all near purely out of rejection for a reality imposed.

☡☡☡☡☡☡☈☈☈☈⏧

With a paradoxical sound her spell hit the monster human head-on.

“UGHK!”

Flesh burned.

Bones melted.

Organs exploded

One attack.

That is all she needed.

All he needed.

He was right.

She wants him dead.

How much time does he have?

Seconds?

Minutes?

“UGHK!”

Yes, seconds.

He recognizes the feeling of his heart exploding.

Still…

They stood.

They smiled.

They made damn sure to look into the eyes of death.

And chuckle.

Andchuckle.

And chuckle.

Even as their souls burned.

Blackened and charred skin.

Red and boiled blood.

Stiff and melted bones

Screaming and screaming souls.

This pain…

“uuuuuu”

“fffffff”

“Is really great.”

Dispersing magic…

The ogre wasn't idle in the past 8 days was he?

No… that man probably knows more about magic than he does.

Without mentioning the time dilation, 23 hours had not passed outside while he was tortured.

‘8 days? No 32, at the bare minimum.’

“He~”

The pain didn't stop.

He laughed regardless.

Who’d ever think the shard of an ogre… and trillions of facets, could ever do it so well?

His chest jumped up and down.

He couldn't stop laughing~

"Hehe... Hehehe... Ha.. HaaaHAAAHAHAHA!"

They laughed.

If their body weren't sludge they would have shot their arms up.

It's funny.

Hilarious.

Ridiculous!

The Celestial has a way to reach the self through her magic OF COURSE THEY WOULD FIND A WAY TO COUNTER IT!

And what better way than to unmake the very foundation of her power!?

Their left eye melted seconds ago, of course, the softest part besides the skin would be the first to go.

The celestial’s attack was powerful, powerful enough to burn their entire body with pure heat.

Thei could see theirs bones.

Theirs muscles.

And what they thought were their veins.

Even then, they smiled.

Admiration and pride.

Worship and exhalation.

Perhaps souls weren't made to be this close.

Not that they care.

The soul is by itself a concept, the concept of self, one theorized, the other proved, and so, why wouldn't a concept be able to grab another?

To hold another?

To tear another?

It's simple... They are.

Their left hand glowed.

“He…hehehe.”

Time reversed.

Their souls still burned.

“He…hehehe.”

No matter.

The melting flesh of his lips entered his mouth.

He tasted like pork.

Seconds are all they need.

The Celestial’s breath hitched at the sight.

A urge to vomit swelled up inside her as the human’s entrails fell.

Her spell ceased.

Her body trembled.

Her light dimmed.

That… wasn't supposed to happen.

She was aiming at the monster’s soul

Not his body.

Not… not this!

WHAT THE BUCK IS HAPPENING!?

Less than a second passed as she forcibly stopped her spell.

Her horn ached.

She cared little.

“He…hehehe.”

She froze.

It was chuckling.

The monster monster chuckled.

She… isn't sure which of the two.

It took a step toward

Stronger.

Faster.

Brighter.

Another beam of light left her horn before she realized what she did.

☡☡☡☡☡☡☈☈☈☈⏧

It hit.

Again.

“He…hahahaHAHAHAHAHAHA!”

It did nothing.

‘WHAT ARE YOU DOING FOOL, STOP!’

Separating and tearing into millions of strings, the monster unmade her magic in front of her eyes.

Uncaring and laughing even as his skin burned from the heat.

The thing ignored it.

He grew.

The hospital began to shake.

“The fact you didn't do it does not prove your character Celestial, it proves your mercy! Because you DECIDED not to kill them, it is a decision not to do so! Not an inability, what can they do against you!? WHAT CAN THEY DO AGAINST THE SUN THAT SITS ATOP ALL!?”

CRACK!

The wooden ground cracked under their pressure, they did not use force, did not flex their muscles, they simply took one step, and like a spider’s web…

The world was simply too weak to handle even that.

Inexistent muscles surged from inexistent mass.

He would be angry, he would be furious, at the very notion of strength underserved, at the notion of borrowed power, unfortunately, he was far too excited at the conversation with the celestial.

These talks, these speeches, these philosophies, these lives, he loved it, all of it!

DYING MEANS LITTLE IF HE CAN LIVE WITH MOMENTS LIKE THESE.

“NOTHING! They can do nothing and you know it! That's why you are their Queen because you are the strongest! Immortal or not, that alone wouldn't be enough to rule! You experienced it right!? Turmoil, Chaos, that you had to put down in favor of a harmonic society.”

“And that would be fine, wonderful even Celestial, had this not been a world where the very magic that surrounds all has a mind of its own, in a world like this, ideals are not just ideals anymore are they?”

“After all, something made you into what you are, right?”

She said nothing.

That… why is she trembling?

“And it doesn't matter how many fancy and kind words you use at the end of the day you have a collar around your neck, you do whatever that thing does too, knowingly or not, it doesn't matter.”

No, truly, why is she trembling?

She faced worst.

Discord.

Nightmares.

Demons.

Her sister.

That thing should not inspire terror within her… yet it does.

Why?

“You hit my soul with it, wiping everything that was Dean Tyronus Starfield out with that filth you call magic.”

Her mane shone brighter.

Her body trembled nonetheless.

“But I understand, The world is will to power, and nothing besides.”

Is she… being mind controlled?

A quick scan.

‘No…’

The world slowed.

Are her pathways tampered?

‘No.’

There is something there yet, a color, blue, faint.

Ahe followed.

And followed.

And followed.

.

.

.

.

.

THUMP!

Her soul?

Round, shining, petals,a flower fully bloomed glowing with the light of a kind star.

Trembling with the fear of an impossibility.

THUMP!

Not a second passed as she returned to the living world.

Not a millisecond passed as her horn glowed and numbers started to appear in her vision.
1,007,625,000,000,000,006,659,000,000,000,000,000.

A quintillion… this…. Thing possessed a quintillion sycons of soul synchronization.

‘H-how?’

This thing, it… it’s wrong.

Either her spell was wrong, or something was holding it back.

Her confusion mattered little.

They kept speaking.

Many would have died in their place.

Those who didn't would run.

Those who didn't would fight.

He chose to speak.

To prove a point.

To make a point.

That no matter how powerful that thing is.

That no matter how scary it is.

It will never end them.

Words.

Actions.

Souls.

Either of the three.

Regardless of the consequences, he will speak his truth.

Act on his creed.

And force his soul forward.

No matter what.

No matter who.

He understands why she thinks her power will allow her much, after all what does one do in front of something so close to God?

They tremble.

He did.

They kneel.

He didn’t.

They fear.

He does.

They do so, so many things.

But then again, so does he.

Standing by itself is…

A promise.

For him.

For her.

For everything that bothered to hear.

If not killed.

If not struck.

If not locked.

He would fester.

He would grow.

“𝙄⃥ 𝙬⃥𝙞⃥𝙡⃥𝙡⃥ 𝙠⃥𝙞⃥𝙡⃥𝙡⃥ 𝙮⃥𝙤⃥𝙪⃥”

🌀

Everything stopped.

The air.

The people.

The monsters.

Zzzzzzzzzzz

All one could hear was the sound of flesh being remade.

His body no longer burned.

The same could not be said about his soul.

It hurt.

In a way he can’t explain.

The miracle alone is his ability to stand up.

Even then, with his Self burning.

“He~”

In 23 years of life.

He has never been this relaxed.

“Independently of everything you have and built, I will kill you.”

She stopped breathing.

Perhaps now, perhaps long ago, he didn't care.

“I will break your army, shatter your chains, destroy your prisons, and rip your magic apart, just so I. Can. Kill. You.”

Slowly.

Painfully.

They lifted their arm.

“Of that I promise you Celestial Everglow, have my soul as guarantee, for not one second on this planet, or another will I ever stop training to give back upon you my humiliation a thousandfold.”

And brought it down.

『 ▄▄▄▆▆▇▇▇▉▒▒▒▒▒▒▒』

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▒▒▒▒▒▒

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▒▒▒▒▒

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▒▒▒

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▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒

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. .. …… ……. ….. . . . ▒

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.

.

!

!!

!!!

!!!!

?

Her vision was fuzzy

She blinked.

Static, she could only see static.

Another second passed, her head hurt.

The world became clear… slightly.

‘Broken.’

Dip*

“Wha-”

She looked down.

Red.

Blood.

Her blood.

Dripping.

She looked around, the world clearing itself more and more.

Broken wood.

Metal.

Crystal.

… Where is her crown?

“Hammerstrike?”

Something landed behind her.

“Princess?”

A stallion, completely black in color with Marcusian armor and a Warhammer bigger than him.

Slowly she lifted herself, her legs trembling as she did so.

Her soul trembled.

She wasn't surprised, Marcus’ order was composed of the most talented children she could find.

“Do you know what I want of you Marcusian?”

“... Make sure, they don't kill him?”

.

.

.

“Are you sure?”

She laughed at the Marcusian as she slowly trotted forward, her little pony followed her as she did so.

Many did.

Not even ten seconds later she stopped and looked down.

On a pile of wood, covered in what she could only assume was the ceiling.

The human’s body.

Fortunately, not his corpse.

The clothes he wore were no more, ripped and blown apart.

Much like his arm.

She looked around, she couldn’t find it.

A moment later, she looked at him again and stood quiet.

Watching as his chest rose and fell.

“Uuuuuuu… fffffff”

thump
thump
thump

Breathing calmly as she did so.

“All of that… for a drop of blood.”

She blinked.

“?”

Did… no, she’s imagining things.

what kind of abomination would be able to smile after this?

“We have… nothing to concern ourselves with.”

“But prin-”

“Have you forgotten the everfree Hammer?”

“...No ma’am”

“... He is right… about one thing at the very least, I am the princess of Equestria, and that means, I work for the betterment of all that are under me.”

Her horn lit, even as she looked up, looking through the broken ceiling, at something that wasn't there.

Fiber by fiber, vein by vein, bone by bone, the human’s mangled arm restored itself in seconds.

“Such has happened 3 times in this life of mine, all of which I regret…”

The soldier stood silent.

Moving her neck she looked at the smaller pony.

“You cannot end a fire by giving it fuel Hammerstrike.”

He looked forward.

“I know ma’am.”

She glanced at her warrior.

‘No, you do not.’

“47 lives cannot compare to the Tartarus that will arrive Hammerhead, without mentioning… how it were almost 51.”

“... I would have managed to get them ma’am they just… disappeared.”

Ignoring the Marcusian she glanced down sideways at the human.

Not dead.

Somehow.

“The… Starfield, despite his threat has not killed a single of my ponies, and although twisted I can understand why somecreature would feel so strongly toward me.”

Sigh*

“He~ it's not the first time either my little pony.”

His eyes widened.

“It has been a long time, but the things I’ve done, even if with the best intentions, were seen with different eyes.”

The marcusian opened his mouth.

She did not let him.

“So is life.”

Sigh*

“My actions can be viewed… in extremes by creatures that do not know me, I should have paid more attention, twice now I have almost killed him with good intent, and this abomination seems to be much more than even I thought, attacking it blindly will not work.”

.

.

.

“I… see, but that demon, is it wise to let it gain more power? Without speaking about this human’s actions your majesty, independently of circumstance such things cannot be ignored.”

She exhaled.

“He was… heated, yes and I understand that this does not make his actions acceptable, even if he is under mental influence, although… I can take a little of the blame out of him because of it.”

"I struck first Hammerhead, he will not go to the dungeons for disagreeing, insulting, and returning an attack."

The Marcusian frowned.

"Still h-

"Still nothing marcusian!"

The stallion's body suddenly went rigid.

Hmfh!

The alicorn snorted.

"Do you believe me to have an ego so fragile I'd throw anycreature that offends me to the dungeons!?"

The Marcusian stood stif-

"ANSWER ME!"

"NO MA'AM!"

"Then this topic is over, two wrongs do not make a right Marcusian, I have already made more mistakes in my life than the days you have been born colt! Do not seek to lecture me on my decisions.”

His body straightened itself further.

Watching him silently… the princess sighed, almost slumping as she did so.

Minutes.

Minutes talking with the human drained her almost entirely.

Her fur stood on edge.

She did not need to think much to know who it was.

“Besides…”

She slowly turned around, the marcusian following her as she did so.

“Higher eyes will always watch when something with possession over Mind over matter arrives, my Principality will not go to war just because of a drop of blood Hammerstrike.”

The stallion did not reply, simply, he kept staring at the pink filly.

Who in turn stared back, her eyes clear of any swirling.

She turned around and began walking.

With trembling legs, the marcusian followed.

“I want a full report on the human, his personality, likes, dislikes, interactions, habits, everything, if he suddenly changes I want to know know why, If he is possessed contact me immediately.”

The marcusian scratched his helmet.

“Ah… about that.”

Sigh*

“What?”

“I couldn't hear anything inside the mare’s house, well, I could just… it was… senseless, muffled, just… some residents did say they could hear shouting but, it's confusing, I would have noticed a sonorous spell but, nothing.”

Hmnnn*

She tapped her chin, her horn lit up.

“Ah.”

Calmly, she turned around.

Only to see the smiling face of the chaotic masquerade pretending to be a foal.

Lifting her hoof the pink filly gave a wave, a mischievous smile plastered on her face all the while.

The celestial’s eyes narrowed, exhaling she turned and kept walking.

“Do not confuse me for the strongest My Little Pony, I am anything but, I have limits, weakness and needs, I am not a God, and I cannot do everything by myself, if there is anything I’ve learned in 1000 years Is that sacrifice comes in every life.”

Hia face scrunched.

“He can't get out scot-free, he threatened to kill yo-”

“He promised to My Little Pony, for his type only bondage or death will be the end of it… maybe not even that.”

The Marcusian froze.

“You mean…”

He looked in the forest’s direction.

“It is lost, for now, even if it wasn't I don't know if I'd be able to use it… he is already a cage for that thing, and a good one, still… others cannot be allowed to see my innaction as weakness.”

The Marcusian smiled.

“Henceforth Dean Tyronus Starfield will not be allowed to go beyond the village of ponyville and its forest or leave Equestria, he is prohibited from obtaining employment or buying anything by himself, from now on only with the approval of his host will he be able to sustain himself.”

The marcusian nodded.

“This is… to leave a pony to decide his character?”

The alicorn nodded.

“Are you sure it is safe to let him with her?”

She shook her head.

“No, but do you truly believe that chaotic facade will let something happen with such a special mare?”

“... Special?”

She chuckled.

“Not many can see souls Hammer, yes, much like that little filly she is special.”

The stallion’s eyes widened.

The celestial continued, the wound on her head long since disappeared.

“What would that count now? 3 of us? He~ dame would be happy, so would dad.”

Her face suddenly hardened.

“Pay attention Hammer, you will keep your eye on him at all times, there is no need for any report. You are not specialized in analytics, simply make sure to keep him from doing something that can harm my little ponies.”

The marcusian nodded.

“More specialized equipment will be given to you, even further so one more agent will be sent here to help you, a demonic specialist to be more precise, they will be responsible for restraining any outburst from the demon.”

Hmn*

“There’s no need for more, the hospital staff is enough as it is, they should have received more protective equipment beforehoof, I trusted far too much on those protections, and underestimated that demon’s power too, something I will correct.”

The stallion’s ears twitched.

“No telepads? Not even a direct line?”

She smiled.

“Oh, my little Marcusian, there is no need, ‘I’ will already be here, agents or not, I prefer to speak with other creatures to truly know them, besides, it's been some time since I spoke with someone so interesting.”

Spreading her wings the alicorn flew rapidly toward the north.

BOOM!

Air parted ways for her as she flew faster than even sound, at this velocity Canterlot was less than 13 minutes away.

Speeding up she made sure to make it in 1.

A smile formed on her face.

Thump

Today was fun and exciting.

But it's time to go back.

Her guards are probably panicking at her sudden disappearance, those overprotective little muffins~.

She loves every single one of them

.

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Name: Dean Tyronus Hanma Starfield.

Title: Pig, Demon’s Vessel.

Age: 23 (HY) 8 (EY)

Plane: Material.

Location: Equus, Equestria, Hospital.

Date: Ponysesho-day - 9th - Hayprance.

Time: 13:58.

State: Elated, Happy, Content, Calm.

Health: Perfect.

He exhaled and then looked at his arm, fully healed, not even a scratch.

He might not have been able to move due to a mangled arm, and agony only comparable to his deaths something he will have to fix but he could hear.

At least a little of everything before they walked away, breaking the speed of sound and delivering an attack with enough force to make a Celestial bleed would inevitably also break eardrums.

How… irritating.

Saved from becoming a cripple, twice by that creature.

But that doesn't matter, no, that punch, that is what matters.

It is something quite weird, after all, had the ogre’s borrowed strength achieved his baseline of 100 teratons he would have died.

Something was either helping him, or that punch wasn't quite a punch.

He refuses to believe a creature powerful enough to move a star would bleed with only that even if the ogre had managed to use all his strength through him he doubts the Celestial would suffer any damage.

That creature can most likely wipe out entire solar systems, Yuujirou Hanma should be nothing to her.

And false masquerade? Considering the pony names he heard, this one is not far-fetched, just…

Above him, the yellow pegasus glared with angry eyes.

Maybe he should first deal with her.

He looked into her eyes.

He looked at his.

He smiled.

She did not.

“He~”

He laughed.

“YOU FAUST DAMN MOTHERF****! AAAAAAAAH!”

BAM!

If the exasperated, rage-filled scream and broken boulder were any indication…

She did not.

Not that it matters… much.

At no point in his life has he ever felt lighter.

Blood began to leak from his nose.

Now if only that fucker hadn't broken his nose… again.

And why is the wind getting stronger anyway?

No matter, he kept laughing.

“STOP LAUGHING YOU BASTARD DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU JUST DID!?”

He forced his head back.

And laughed even more.

Ponies are funny when angry too apparently.

“STOP LAUGHING!”

He did not.

She screamed harder.

!˳༄꠶!

His body flew.

His eyes widened.

‘IS THAT A TYPHOON!?’