“Why?!” Princess Twilight Sparkle, the sole ruler of Equestria, stomps a hoof onto the marble floor of the Canterlot Castle throne room in frustration. “Why is nopony listening to us?!”
“It seems like anger is more contagious than friendship,” Applejack mumbles, her eyes glued to the floor. “Even after everythin’ we’ve done.”
“Seriously? All it took were a few lies and a couple convenient spells for this ‘Opaline’ lady to start stealing magic?” Rainbow Dash hovers a few feet off of the ground, her arms crossed and her expression livid. “We’ve been through this song and dance before! Why is it working this time?!”
“If this were a story, people would think it’s a bit unbelievable,” Fluttershy whispers.
“Well, unbelievable or not, it’s happening. Heck, it’s already happened. Spike just gave me the report…” Twilight takes a deep breath. “She’s on her way here as we speak.”
“So, what’s the plan?” Rainbow Dash pumps her forehooves together. “Fight back? Use those… Unity Crystal things you were talking about?”
“No, Rainbow!” Twilight rubs her temple in an attempt to fend off her growing migraine. “For the last time, the Unity Crystals are a last resort! There’s no telling what the consequences of putting all of Equestria’s magic into three little stones would be!”
“Then why make it a plan at all?”
“Because if the magic is stored in crystals that only work if everypony is getting along, Opaline loses by default. It also conveniently staves off the windigos, but that’s a whole other discussion.”
“Then what is our plan?” Rarity tilts her head, her concern growing ever greater. “You said yourself that she’s capable of overpowering us in her current state. And with poor Pinkie wounded, we can’t exactly use the Elements of Harmony.”
“...” Twilight’s eyes almost seem to glaze over for a moment before she blinks, clearing them back up again. She focuses on nothing in particular as she thinks to herself. After a moment, she looks up at her friends with a fierce, determined expression. “Give the evacuation order. Help get everypony as far away from here as possible. If I know Opaline, her goal is to end her assault by sitting on this throne. If she thinks we ran, she’ll get cocky.”
“So we’re going to ambush her?”
“Not quite.” Twilight looks towards one of the many stained-glass windows in the room. It depicts a bipedal creature being locked away by a young-looking Celestia and Luna. “I’ve got one more idea. One awful, terrible idea.”
“And what’s that, Twi?”
“...I’m heading to Tartarus. With any luck, I’ll come back with a friend.” She turns towards her friends once more before giving them a nod. “Stay safe. I’ll contact you once this is all over one way or another.”
“B-but Twilight, who are you–?”
Rarity’s words are cut short as a bright white flash emanates from Twilight’s horn. A moment later, she has disappeared, leaving the throne completely empty.
“D-did she say Tartarus?”
“Well, no time for debatin’ it. Come on, let’s get everypony outta here.”
After a moment’s hesitation, the four mares nod to each other and head out of the throne room, their quiet anxiety for the coming hours slowly growing.
It’s been many moons since Twilight has visited Tartarus. For better or for worse, it’s exactly as she remembers it.
“Here you go, Cerberus.”
Using her powerful magic, Twilight levitates three massive bones that she had prepared in a secret cave not far from the entrance to the ancient prison. Cerberus, the three-headed guard dog of the wretched hive of scum and villainy, happily accepts her offer before stepping out of her way. Using a spell she developed herself, she opens the massive, heavy doors before stepping inside.
As expected, it’s extremely dark. Cages line the walls of the cave-like prison, many of which are filled with beasts and monsters of all shapes and sizes. Tartarus is how Equestria contains the worst of the worst. The prison’s strange effects ensure that no creature within ever goes hungry, though it brings with it the curse of immortality. Those within these walls will not age while trapped inside, forcing their punishment to be eternal. It’s a bit harsh in Twilight’s opinion, but sometimes, it’s a necessary evil.
Her hoofsteps echo throughout the quiet cave. Countless eyes of unnamed monstrosities watch her every move, but with her goal clear in her mind, she remains steadfast on her journey through the prison. Winding halls and narrow pathways lead her deeper into the earth, over infinite chasms, and under miles upon miles of rock.
Finally, she reaches an unassuming iron door. Its hinges have rusted, but a solid tug with her alicorn magic is enough to open it with an audible “SLAM” that echoes throughout Tartarus. One thing is certain: This door has been kept shut tight for a long, long time.
Twilight takes a deep breath as she steps into the room. The pathway before her is narrow and leads into the center of a massive, circular chamber. On either side of the path, a cliff going straight down into pitch-black darkness reaches to the walls of the chamber.
And there, at the end of the pathway in the center of the room, is a single cage made of enchanted iron.
Twilight slowly walks down the pathway, doing her best to keep her growing anxiety in check. The room is lit by enchanted torches on the walls, but said walls are so far from the cage that its inhabitant is shrouded in shadow. After almost a full minute of slow, methodical walking, she comes to a stop just outside the cage’s bars.
“Anonymous?” The name she speaks hasn’t been heard in centuries. It carries a strange sort of weight that makes an unavoidable feeling of dread settle in the pit of her stomach. After receiving no response from the dark cage, she speaks up again. “I know you’re in there. My name is Twilight Sparkle, and I am the current ruler of Equestria.”
“I know who you are.” A voice speaks up from the darkness, though she cannot identify its source. The voice is low, deep, and somewhat gravelly. However, it carries a strange sort of smoothness in its inflection that makes the hairs on her body stand on end. Regardless of the words spoken, the voice alone is enough to tell her that this creature is dangerous. “I know who you all are.”
“That’s impossible,” Twilight retorts as she does her best to make her voice not seem as shaky as it is. “No news from the outside world reaches Tartarus. I made sure of that myself.”
“Ah, but I knew you before I was locked away. Hmhmhm.”
He lets out a laugh that is, objectively, quiet and gentle. However, the nature of his voice and the tension in the air make it feel much more like a cackle to Twilight.
“That’s impossible. You’ve been in here for hundreds of years. I haven’t even been alive that long.”
“Yes, yes. Unfortunate, that. I arrived much sooner in the timeline than I had anticipated. Perhaps if I had ended up when I wanted, all of this could have been avoided.”
“What are you talking about?” Twilight narrows her eyes as she feels her frustration grow. “Princess Celestia and Princess Luna locked you in here for attempting to overthrow them!”
“I assure you, that was a misunderstanding.” A sigh comes from the dark cage, causing Twilight to furrow her brow. “I was only attempting to… well. I suppose it doesn’t matter anymore. More importantly, why are you here, Twilight Sparkle?”
“...” Twilight takes a deep breath. “Loathe though I am to admit it, I think Equestria needs your help.”
“Oh? Do tell.”
“There’s an evil alicorn that’s been rising to power. Her name is Opaline Arcana, and she–”
Twilight jumps back as two hands suddenly emerge from the darkness and grab onto a couple of the bars separating her from the prisoner.
“She’s here already?!”
“She… what?”
“Purple alicorn? White mane? Fire magic? Beautiful eyes?”
“I… I’m not sure about that last part, but yes.”
“...I see.” The voice clears his throat. For the first time, Twilight gets a glimpse at the man shrouded in darkness. He leans forward just enough for the light outside of the cage to illuminate the lower half of his face, giving her ample opportunity to watch his mouth twist into a wicked grin. “Interesting. Go on.”
“Well, she’s done a number on Equestria’s harmony, and if things continue as they are, we’re not going to last much longer.”
“Trust me, you have no idea. And yet, you came to me? Why?”
“Celestia and Luna knew how dangerous you are. They said you have a… ahem. ‘Alicorn fascination.’”
“Hmhmhmhm.” Once again, that ominous laugh makes a chill run down Twilight’s spine. “Sure, let’s go with that. And let me guess.” He loosens his grip on the bars, but his grin doesn’t fade. “You want me to deal with Opaline for you.”
“If it’s possible, yes. But you are NOT permitted to kill her.”
“Don’t worry.” Somehow, his smile widens even more. “I wouldn’t harm a hair on her head.”
“...Very well.”
Twilight hesitates for a moment, prompting “Anonymous” to chuckle yet again.
“You sound hesitant, Princess.”
“I-I just wasn’t expecting you to agree so easily.”
“Ah, right. I suppose I should state my terms.”
“Excuse me?” Twilight glares at where she approximates his eyes to be. “You’re not in a position to be making any sort of ‘terms.’”
“I beg to differ, Twilight. You’re the desperate one here.”
Twilight clicks her tongue as she finally looks away from the cage. Whatever it is that this monster wants, there can be little doubt that it spells trouble.
“...Fine.” With a resolute sigh, she looks back into the dark cage. “What do you want?”
The doors to the Canterlot Castle throne room fly open with enough force to echo throughout the expansive space. On the far side of the room, Opaline Arcana lounges on Equestria’s throne, a cocky smile on her face as she watches Twilight Sparkle stride towards her.
“Twilight Sparkle! How lovely it is to see you like this! Have you come to greet me on my coronation day? Oh, how sweet of you!”
“Opaline, as the Princess of Friendship, I am going to give you one final chance. If you turn back now, I’m willing to put all of this behind us. You can walk free, and Equestria can go back to normal.”
“Oh, I can ‘walk free,’ can I? How generous of you.” Opaline rolls her eyes, the cocky smile never leaving her face. “Unfortunately, I’m going to have to decline that offer.” She rises from the throne, using its elevated position to look down at Twilight and make herself look more intimidating. “After all… I’ve already won.”
“Not yet.”
Twilight makes a quick whistle noise. Opaline raises an eyebrow as she watches another figure enter the doorway before stepping into the throne room.
Anonymous stands tall, easily having a full head or two even on the giant of a pony known as Princess Twilight. He wears a perfectly tailored suit, and although his well-groomed face doesn’t look too old, his eyes imply a level of experience and knowledge that makes Opaline uneasy.
“Ugh! What is that monstrosity?”
“This, Opaline, is Anon. He’s my… er…” She casts an anxious glance at the human that now stands at her side. “Newest friend.”
“Ugh, you and your ‘friendships.’ Well, no matter.” Opaline tilts her head upwards while sporting her Signature Look of Superiority™. “Bring all the friends you’d like! It won’t be enough.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Opaline. Together, Anon and I–”
“No, Twilight.” Anon speaks up for the first time since arriving, and Twilight looks at him just in time to see the wicked smile returning to his face. “Let me solo her.”
“E-excuse me?!”
“Trust me, if what happened with Celestia and Luna is anything to go by, you’re gonna want to step back.”
“A-are you sure? You have no idea what she’s–”
“I’ve got this.” He turns to look back at Twilight. She gets an unexpected feeling of sincerity from him as his wicked grin slowly morphs into a genuine smile. “But seriously, you’ll want to stand back.”
Anon rolls his neck and cracks his knuckles, relishing the feeling of his joints popping as his cocky demeanor returns. Slowly, but with a level of confidence Opaline wasn’t prepared for, he begins leisurely walking towards the villainess.
“Hah! It’s cute that you think you can do anything to me. Really, it is. If you weren’t so foolish, I’d almost find you endearing.” Her goading does nothing, and Anon continues to wordlessly walk through the long, marble room. “Tsk. Whatever. Your fun ends now. Goodbye, ape.”
Opaline’s horn begins to glow with magic. Unlike most unicorns, her magic isn’t just a solid color. Instead, it’s a beautiful mixture of blue and purple, each swirling together with a texture not unlike fire. With a flick of her head, a massive fireball launches towards Anon at breakneck speeds.
…Only to dissipate upon making contact with him.
“Wh-what?!”
“Magic immunity,” he chuckles.
“Ugh, you and your overdone plot contrivances.” Opaline rolls her eyes again before the smile returns to her face. “Oh, well. It’s easily circumvented.” Her horn glows again as a nearby stained-glass window, specifically the one depicting Celestia and Luna defeating Anon, shatters into dozens of sharp, dangerous-looking shards. Her horn continues to glow, causing those shards to lift into the air and point towards Anon. “Let’s see how your ‘immunity’ likes this.”
With another tilt of her head, Opaline launches the shards of glass directly at Anon. However, they only move a few feet before his cocky grin widens.
“You’re within my range.”
“H-huh?”
Opaline barely has time to process his words before a gust of wind explodes from Anon. Her eyes widen as she looks around the room, only to find that a massive sphere has formed around them with Anon at its center. The glass shards fall to the ground harmlessly long before reaching him. His walking pace doesn’t slow as he closes what remains of the gap between them.
『Domain Expansion: Human In Equestria』
“What is this?!”
“The very thing that got me locked away in Tartarus.”
Opaline, still standing in front of the Equestrian throne, looks around with confusion and panic. She attempts to cast a spell, but the magical fire is little more than a spark on the tip of her horn before sputtering out completely.
“What are you?!”
“A fan.”
“A… what?”
“And this,” he says with a low voice as he finally reaches the panicked Opaline, “is why I came to Equestria.”
Opaline recoils with a slight shriek, only for that shriek to be cut short as Anon reaches out a hand and boops her snoot with one finger. Eyes wide, Opaline freezes up.
“Hmhm. We’re done here.”
The air in the room suddenly shifts. For a moment, it feels like the very atmosphere is being sucked into Anon. By the time anyone is able to process what just happened, the strange sphere has disappeared. Twilight, who still stands in the doorway, begins to stutter with her mouth agape.
“Wh-wh-what was that?”
“Something I didn’t know I could do when I tried being friends with Celestia and Luna.” Anon starts to laugh before looking back towards the still-frozen Opaline. She’s still responsive with shaky eyes and barely controlled breaths, but whether it’s the sheer shock of what just happened or something else entirely that’s caused her to lock up, not even she knows. With a more genuine smile than he was wearing before, Anon nonchalantly bends down and wraps an arm around Opaline’s torso before throwing her onto his shoulder and walking back towards Twilight. “Anyway, the throne is all yours.”
“I… I…”
“I’m keeping her, by the way. I assume there are no objections?”
Twilight doesn’t respond, apparently just as shocked as Opaline at this turn of events. With a shrug and a smile, Anon casually walks out of the throne room, his footsteps echoing through the quiet, empty castle halls.
“...What the heck just happened?”
About a year later, Twilight Sparkle and her five closest friends quietly arrive at the remote town of Hope Hollow. After greeting their local friends, they nervously depart for the rolling hills nearby.
“So, let me go over this one more time.” Applejack rubs her chin as the group walks through the beautiful, sunlit fields, letting the cool afternoon breeze wash over them. “This ‘Anon’ fella poked her on the nose, threw her over his shoulder, and just… left?”
“Yup.”
“And after hundreds of moons in Tartarus, all he wanted in return was, and I quote, ‘a quaint farmhouse out in the country.’”
“That’s the long and short of it, yes.”
“...Who the hay is this guy?!”
“A creep, that’s who.” Rainbow Dash crosses her arms as she flies above the group. “I bet he’s up to no good. He’s out here plotting something where nopony can see. And who even knows what he did to Opaline?”
“Come on, girls.” Fluttershy’s quiet voice is firm enough to be heard by all. “There’s no need for these harmful assumptions. Regardless of if his methods were… unconventional, he still saved Equestria!”
“Even if it took a few months to get everypony working together again after the fact,” Rarity sighs.
“But at least we’re all okay now!” Pinkie Pie bounces alongside the group with any sign of her previous wounds having faded long ago. “Besides, maybe he’s just an introvert!”
“Even if he were, the fact that we haven’t seen hide nor hair of Opaline since that day concerns me.” Twilight’s voice is quiet, yet resolute. She looks straight in front of her as her eyes train on the distant outline of a humble, well-made farmhouse. She sighs as she tries to relax the tension that has been building in her shoulders. “One way or another, we’re about to get our answers.”
The group settles down as they reach the house. For all intents and purposes, it’s a very unassuming building. The door is a bit taller than is typical for pony architecture, but that part isn’t exactly surprising. A porch wraps around the front half of the house, and everything looks clean and well-maintained.
After sharing a glance with her friends, Twilight gives the door three knocks. There are about two seconds of silence before shuffling can be heard from within. Instinctively, all six mares brace themselves for what they’re about to see. After all, Anon was locked away in Tartarus for a reason.
But when the door opens, they’re met with a tired-looking man wearing a hoodie that’s too big for him, sweatpants that haven’t been washed in a while, mismatched socks, and a face that hasn’t been groomed in days.
“Hello, Twilight.” His voice sounds tired and less intimidating than when she last saw him. He peers past her at the rest of the group before giving them a tiny smile and a little wave. “Hello, everyone.”
“Uhh–”
“Hiya!” While the rest of the group is still processing what they’re looking at, Pinkie greets Anon excitedly. “We’re just here to see what you’ve been up to and to make sure you’re not evil or conspiring to kill everypony with Opaline!”
“Pinkie!” Rainbow protests, but to everyone’s surprise, Anon just gives a quiet, tired-sounding laugh.
“Trust me, you have nothing to worry about. We’ve been too busy–”
“Anoooooon!” Opaline’s voice comes from somewhere inside the house. She sounds just as tired as he does, but there’s a sort of warmth to it that doesn’t really fit her. It’s a tone of voice Twilight never expected to hear from her. “Will you get back in here? She’s crying again and I don’t know why!”
“J-just a minute!”
Before anyone can say anything else, the distinct sound of an infant foal’s crying can be heard echoing through the quiet house. The six mares on Anon’s porch all stand in dumbfounded silence.
“Y-you…”
“Yeah, no one said starting a family would be easy.”
“A family? You? With Opaline?!”
“Hey, didn’t you have a crush on a human boy from another dimension? You have no room to talk, Twilight.”
“...” Twilight’s eyes go wide. “H-how do you know that?”
“Long story.” Anon literally hand waves away Twilight’s question. “Anyway, I’ve finally got myself the alicorn wife I’ve always dreamed of. You don’t need to worry about me - or her - ever again. We’re perfectly happy on our own out here.”
“I-I find it difficult to believe that somepony like Opaline just settled down like that!”
“Ever heard the phrase ‘I can fix her?’”
“No?”
“Well… I did.”
“Does this have something to do with that weird… thing you did back in Canterlot?”
“Nope. Turns out, there was a sweetheart buried under that touch-starved, inferiority-complex-riddled mare. Having someone to listen to your problems and give you cuddles does wonders for the psyche. And that goes for both of us, haha!”
“Anon, please!” Opaline’s voice is practically a beg at this point.
Anon sighs as his warm smile grows.
“Sorry to cut the conversation short, but I’ve got two lovely ladies waiting on me. Good luck running Equestria!”
With a wave, Anon shuts the door in their faces, leaving the group in stunned silence. It takes a full ten seconds for someone to speak up.
“Well,” Fluttershy mumbles, “I was right.”
“Yes, darling, I suppose you were.”
“Hey, Twi? How are you feeling?”
“...” Twilight sighs before closing her eyes and turning around. “Let’s just go home. I think I’ve got a migraine.”
After sharing a few confused glances, the group starts to follow their alicorn friend back towards Hope Hollow. Everything involving both Opaline and Anon has been a confusing whirlwind, and in some regards, they’re still not sure what exactly happened. In the backs of their minds, they quietly wonder what might have happened if Opaline ended up getting her way. Oh, well.
All’s well that ends well, right?
Author's Note
I have never seen a single episode of JJK.
As always, I appreciate any and all feedback!
