BEDLAM III: Quiet on the Set

by Gormless Wheaton

Rating: teen
Tags: Profanity, Adventure, Violence, Human, Twilight Sparkle, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe, Tempest Shadow, Science Fiction
Length: 58363

Ed Bedlam has been beaten and lays dormant in stone. Finally, the world can begin healing.

Ed Bedlam's quest for world domination has finally been halted, hopefully permanently. And yet, his allies and servants are still at large and willing to cause trouble. But at least the worst of his evil is over.

Right?

The final part of the BEDLAM trilogy.

Published 2024-04-29 09:00:01 UTC
Last updated 2024-06-11 12:09:28 UTC

Chapter 1

I stuck my tongue out in thought, pondering the cards before me. A quiet hum left my lips as I mulled over my options. I glanced up at the ground between us. I definitely had a lead, but overconfidence is a slow and insidious killer. Especially given my opponent.

I gave a firm nod. "Got any threes?" I asked with a smile. Silence was the only reply. Of course, having a lead definitely doesn't mean much when your opponent isn't even playing. I let out a frustrated grunt and dropped my cards. "C'mon, Eddy. I kept my promise and came to visit, didn't I?"

He just kept staring off to the side, leaning against the bars on the opposite side of his cage, his own cards still just at his feet where I'd dealt them.

After a moment, he finally responded. "What are your thoughts on the fact I came from a whole other world?" Man.

"I don't really feel like talking magic theory, Eddy," I sighed but forced a smile. "But if it'll get you talking so we can maybe finally work through your feelings and stuff, I'm willing to make an exception." He snorted and fought off a grin.

"I'll take it, but make no promises," he turned to face me and leaned forward on his knees. "So?"

"So, what? Way back when we talked about this all the time," I shrugged. "The fact that you're here, across the vale between worlds and from a world with no magic at all is.." I shook my head with a hum as I searched for the words.

"It's amazing," I finally said. He snapped his fingers and wagged one at me.

"That's what it was!" He chortled. "The Vale, that was the word you used to use."

He rubbed his chin and nodded. "How much energy do you think it took for me to cross it?"

"Not that much. It was just focused on a single point, and magical mishaps have a tendency to draw more power than normal," I replied.

"Mishaps," he snorted. "I wonder about that."

I recoiled with a frown. "What? Do you think we brought you here on purpose?"

"Not you, no," he waved his hand. "And I can't even be certain, but when you and your friends come out with those fancy sets of chosen-one jewelry and the whole cutie-mark destiny thing, I dunno."

He hummed and folded his arms. "Makes a guy question if there isn't something bigger going on around here."

I nodded. "There is. We call it Harmony. It is the magic of the whole world, all moving towards a singular purpose."

He tilted his head. "That being?"

"Peace, prosperity, and happiness for everypon- everyone involved," I explained. He chortled again, darker this time before picking up and shuffling his cards.

"And that singular purpose let a mishap like me happen, huh?"

I scowled. "Accidents happen, Eddy. That's Chaos," my scowl softened and I leaned forward. "And you're not a mishap."

"Oh-hoh, yeah!" He laughed and flicked a card at me. "Definitely feel pretty intended when ya'll had to lock me up down here in Tartarus!" I frowned and picked up the card. I refrained from smiling, letting him believe I was still annoyed.

It was a three, but the fact he wasn't cheating this time meant it was also progress.

I stretched with a restrained yawn as I slipped out of my daydreaming and reminiscing. Sighing, I looked out the window of the mechanical carriage transporting me to the west coast. What used to take days by train nonstop, or tens of stops by chariot to let the pegasi rest, could now be completed in just a few hours all in one go.

Just another amazing invention Eddy'd concocted, and yet another addition to the long list of things that make me ask 'What if?' There'd been a lot of those over the last three years.

Clouds zipped by my window, occasionally making it opaque enough that I could see myself properly. I must've gotten really lost in thought a minute ago and dozed off. I conjured a comb made of my magic and began straightening my mane when I noticed the red light on the side of my seat blinking.

Turning, I clicked it with a hoof. No sound came out. Frowning, I groaned and smacked myself in the head, remembering I'd muted the machine's voice earlier since golem voices always creeped me out. I'd mistakenly believed if it was important, I'd have noticed the light blinking.

I sighed and turned the sound back on.

[You have fifteen new messages waiting, Princess.] I blanched at the news, but before I could check any of them, the carriage lurched. [We are beginning our descent, Princess. Your guests appear to be waiting just below.]

I huffed, stood up from my seat, and made my way to the door just as the carriage shuddered and stopped. I'd just have to listen to my messages on the way home since this meeting required immediate attention. I stood at the door anxiously before it finally hissed and slowly fell open, forming a ramp by which I stepped out onto the beach.

"Hello, Twilight," Celestia greeted with a warm, but thoroughly weary smile. Luna at her side must have been just as exhausted, as she just smiled and nodded her head with a quiet hum.

"Welcome back!" I replied, pulling them both into a hug with my wings. After a moment, we pulled apart and I gestured to the carriage. "You two must be worn out, so let's talk inside where it's more comfortable."

"A wonderful idea," Celestia sighed as they both boarded. "And yes, we're both quite fatigued, though not for the reasons you might think." The carriage door rattled and sealed behind us.

"Really? Were the creatures in Foenum more receptive than we thought they'd be?" I asked as we took our seats and the carriage began to rise. They both sat in the wide and cushioned seat that took up the entire wall across from where I sat.

"Much more receptive," Celestia replied with a quiet laugh. "During their conflict with Chrysalis, she was quite, well, hm." She rubbed her chin in thought.

"She ceaselessly boasted about how she was our enemy, and about Bedlam's conquest," Luna declared with a yawn. "So when they met us, they already knew we were the enemy of their enemy."

I laughed. "Who would've thought her loud mouth would be so useful?" They laughed in response, but my expression turned more severe. "But was there any sign of her? Or Jury-rig, Tempest, Tirek,or anypony?"

"Not at all," Celestia groused. "They managed to chase her off months ago, and haven't seen her since."

I recoiled. "She was still attacking them within the last year?" They nodded. "Did she not hear what happened?"

"Who knows?" Luna sighed. "Perhaps she did hear of Bedlam's imprisonment, but decided to continue using his resources for her benefit."

I grumbled and glared out the window as again the clouds raced by. "Sounds in character for her."

"I presume based on the fact you asked that we still have no clues leading to any of Bedlam's other associates?" Celestia asked. I shook my head and was about to respond when I noticed the blinking light again.

"Not as far as I know, but I've got a few messages that might be about just that," I replied and clicked the light.

[Message 1:]

"Why the heck didn't you answer the first fourteen times?!" Rainbow yelled in my ear. "All of us got here as soon as we heard!" My eyes remained locked on the letter the guards had formed a perimeter around here in the middle of the garden. My breathing was shockingly even, and despite the deep-seated rage inside, I was feeling very clear-headed.

"Now, let's not go takin' jabs at each other," Applejack said, stepping between Rainbow and me. "Even if she had called back, wouldn't'a done no good." The others were too shocked to add anything. Starlight had apparently immediately ran off to who-knows-where when she heard.

"Indeed," Celestia added as she scanned the air. Luna snorted angrily and stomped forward, jabbing a hoof at the guard captain who wilted under her glare.

"Explain to me again how this was allowed to happen," she hissed.

"We-" The captain swallowed hard and cleared his throat. "We don't know! The team guarding this spot was changing shifts, and by the time the replacements got here, well.." My ear twitched.

During Celestia and Luna's rule, the changing of the guard only took sixty seconds, on an off day. With Bedlam's communication devices and all, our accuracy both during and after his rule was improved by leaps and bounds. Meaning, this had occurred within a span of nearly twelve seconds.

That seeming impossibility was bad enough, but the letter that was left behind only made it worse. My ear twitched again, I approached the circular stone base upon which Eddy had been sitting and fused to for three years, and read the letter once more.

Dear Replacement,

Didn't see that coming, did you? Come and get me, loser!

Ha-ha-ha-ha!

Hugs & Kisses,
Eddy Bedlam.

Author's Note

Chapter 3

Steel Eyes let out a yelp of pain, straining against the restraints binding him to his seat. "Why must it burn?!" He cried.

"So you know it is working, Beloved," Silver Lace, his wife, replied as she carefully applied more medicine to his side where the bolt was lodged.

Steel grunted and hissed as he scanned the hut they were hiding in. The place was bare save for their bed and the essentials they'd brought with them. It was a far cry from the palace they'd lived in for the past few years until the rightful king suddenly returned.

"When I return to the Iron City and overthrow Agamemnon again, I'll be sure to make him suffer for this." He cried out again as Lace finally pulled the bolt out.

"That may not be possible, my lord," she replied. "Your previous conquest was only achieved with the aid of Lord Bedlam."

"I'll find a way!" Steel roared, trying to raise his fist to no avail. He sighed and relaxed in his seat as his wife wrapped his torso. "Damnable Equestrians. Overthrow Bedlam, fine!"

He grunted and grit his teeth. "But did they have to release Agamemnon from Tartarus?"

"Such is their way, I'm afraid," Lace replied, cutting the cloth and pinning the bandage in place. She dared a glance up at Steel's face. "Though, I fear that even if they had not, when the minotaurs learned you were no longer receiving support from the human you may have had a rebellion on your hands anyway." Steel glared at her before reclining with a miserable sigh. Lace hummed and rested her head on his chest.

"In any case, we may still take heart that despite Agamemnon's return, you still held the Iron City against his siege for two years," she said, drawing a smile from Steel's face.

"True! Few warriors could make such a boast," the minotaur laughed, wrapping an arm around his wife. As he stared up at the ceiling, pondering how best to pursue revenge, Lace suddenly tensed up and pulled away.

"I'm going to the well to fetch some fresh water, my lord," she declared with a bow. Steel sighed and nodded.

"Very well. Be on guard, however! My captains have yet to arrive, and it's been three days since the city fell," he chided. Lace bowed again and slipped to the door with a bucket in hand. Once she closed the door, she turned towards the forest clearing outside and scowled. She scanned the gathering before her and shook her head.

"Far too noisy, all of you. If he were in better health, he would have heard you as I did," she groused as she approached the line of bound and terrified minotaur warriors who were on their knees with knives at their throats. Twice as many maids from the Iron City palace surrounded them.

"Forgive us, my lady, but there has been a development," one of the maids explained and gently kicked the bag at her hooves forward and around her hostage. "The device you requested we steal from the castle has been making noise."

Lace frowned and grabbed the bag before opening it. Inside was the portable console she'd fashioned during her time administrating Bedlam's machinery for her husband. On its screen, a series of text was flashing.

"The Crystal Mind?" She murmured. "I thought it had been destroyed." She began tampering with the device to ensure it was working properly.

"What are your orders, my lady?" One of the maids asked. Lace studied her console again before humming.

"I believe we should investigate the Citadel. Is that mechanical carriage we smuggled still functioning?"

"Yes, my lady."

Lace nodded before stowing the device with a smile. "Wonderful. There is little left in Minos for us," she waved a hand at the hostages. "Finish these fools and then my husband, and let us be off."

"So, when the reversal is applied, what effect will that have?" Sunburst asked, turning from his board with a smile. His expression fell immediately and he sighed at the sight of his sole pupil staring out the window. "Flurry."

"Huh?" Flurry jolted in her seat. She scanned the board and her ears snapped back. "Oh! Uh, a theoretically infinite amount of mass is released in a line?" She nervously smiled, causing Sunburst to blink and look back at the board, stroking his bushy beard.

"Uh, that's correct, very good," he raised an eyebrow at her and adjusted his glasses. "Now, can you tell me why that happens?" Flurry wilted and scrunched her muzzle, her eyes darting around the room.

"Cause it's," she hesitated and smiled anxiously. "Cool?" She held her smile despite Sunburst's unimpressed stare.

"I mean," he shook his head. "It is pretty cool, but that's not the reason." He sighed and levitated his seat next to hers before sitting down.

"Alright! What's on your mind?" He asked. Flurry wilted and looked off to the side.

"Nothing."

"Nothing at all?"

"Nuh-uh."

"Not thinking about Edward?"

Flurry squeaked and her wings shot out. "No!" She nervously looked into Sunburst's eyes before wilting again. "Please don't tell, Mom." Sunburst snorted with a smile and began wiping his glasses with his cape.

"Sure, but only if you elaborate on what I shouldn't be telling her," he smirked at her. She frowned and scanned the room before sighing and looking down at her bulging saddle bag which sat beside her chair.

"It sucks," she spat quietly. "Down in Canterlot and the rest of Equestria, they're still using his machines and stuff, but we've got a total ban in place! She won't even let me draw up any plans or anything! And she smashes anything I make if she finds it!"

Sunburst nodded. "Yeah, it is kind of a shame, since despite him being an unhinged sociopath, he did good work," he flinched and shook his head. "And by good, I mean quality, not morally." Flurry rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, everypony else keeps saying that, but I don't really see it," she muttered. Sunburst barked a laugh.

"Flurry, he threatened to blow up anypony who didn't do what he said or didn't conform."

"Like how we blow up or melt anypony who doesn't confirm using friendship magic?" She retorted with an annoyed leer. Sunburst squawked and his glasses popped off his face. Hastily catching them with his hooves he stammered and muttered while struggling to get them back in place.

Finally, he cleared his throat. "That's different."

"Different how?" Flurry demanded.

"I dunno, but you can ask your Aunt. She's the expert on blowing people up with friendship," he replied with a confident nod. Flurry rolled her eyes and was about to press further when the door swung open. A guard rushed in and saluted.

"Princess Flurry, your mother has ordered you to remain in your room until further notice," he declared.

"What?!" Flurry cried. "Why?!"

"Apologies, Your Highness. I am not at leave to reveal that to you," he ended his salute with a stamp of his hoof. "Sunburst, you are requested in the throne room immediately."

Sunburst blinked and recoiled. "What's happening?"

"A messenger from Equestria has just arrived," the guard replied and stood to the side. Sunburst looked at the guard for a moment before sighing and smiling at Flurry.

"Guess we'll finish this lesson later, huh?" He asked before sighing as Flurry scowled, picked up her bag, and stormed out. He adjusted his glasses and nodded at the guard. "Oh boy. Alright, let's get moving."

Alone in her room, Flurry lay on her back, glaring death at the ceiling. She could see faint pulses of magic shimmering through the crystal the whole building was made of, a constant reminder of how similar Bedlam's inventions and her home were. With a growl, she tore her eyes from the ceiling and stared at her closet, which shimmered with an illusion spell Sunburst had taught her.

Double-checking the door and window, she hopped off her bed and opened the closet. The illusion spell perfectly concealed the small, one-pony hovercraft she'd whipped together earlier that year, based on the design of Bedlam's old hovercraft, though it was more like a hovering surf board than a proper vehicle. She traced her hoof across it with a sad humph.

'Hey now! Did you make that?' He had said with pure admiration, causing her heart to leap.

'I sure did!' She'd replied, drawing a nod of approval from him. 'I dunno how accurate it is, since I'm not allowed to mess with any of yours, but I think I came pretty close.' She'd stupidly added. She cringed at the memory, though only for a moment.

'I'd say so, just on a cursory glance,' he'd appraised. She took a breath and smiled at the memory, at least until she remembered her mom had then blasted her machine out of the air right in front of him. She hadn't seen him for the rest of his stay, and the next she'd heard of him he was in stone.

She glared miserably at the tiny machine in her closet. She'd never get to show him or get his input. Just like she never got a closer look at his other machines, the prosthetics he'd introduced, the castle's console, or even his Citadel. The very heart of his advanced empire, and she never even got a glimpse of it.

She scowled and leered at the door, before trotting over to her saddlebag. Snapping it open and moving aside her water bottle and snacks, she checked the puny makeshift console she'd modeled after the castle's just on sight. It couldn't connect to anything, but it at least let her navigate when she snuck out at night. She quickly checked how much power it had, before nodding, pulling her hovercraft out, and throwing open the window. Just before taking off, she stopped and turned. Raising her mattress with her magic, she pulled out her black and grey coat, as well as her gemstone glasses.

Slipping them all on, she stepped on her machine and zipped out the window.

[It would appear we were mistaken,] KSUN creaked as KMOON flew down the corridor, carrying her head in her magic. [The Crystal Mind's signal was a trap.]

[Quite obvious,] KMOON replied. Despite being the only one of the two alicorn duplicates who could still move, her gemstone core was leaking magic in a sparking trail and her entire rear half was gone. [How do you think she managed to survive her second confrontation with the Elements?]

[It would appear we were mistaken,] KSUN creaked, causing KMOON to pull her head forward to look at her. [The Crystal Mind's signal was a trap.]

[I see.] Ignoring her sister as she repeated the same phrase over and over, KMOON strained and teleported forward, managing to slip passed one of the rusty blast doors as it came crashing down. However, as she reappeared, her gemstone core crackled and she collapsed. After a few moments, she jolted and struggled to stand, but could only manage to push onto her side.

[I believe we are finished,] she murmured.

[It would appear we were mis-] KSUN whirred and then clicked. [Perhaps it's what we deserve.]

KMOON raised her head and pulled her sister's head closer. [Elaborate while you are able.]

KSUN looked up with her eyes. [While we determined that there was no safe method to rescue the master when they abducted him three years ago, I have remained of the opinion we should have at least tried.]

[We agreed we would wait until their guard was down to make the attempt,] KMOON retorted. [Which I believe is what the master would have preferred.] KSUN studied her sister for a moment before blinking and trying to look further down the hall.

[Regardless, I would encourage you to attempt another teleportation and leave me here,] she said. [If you can find the Administrator, she should be able to repair you and then you can warn her of what has transpired here. Do so immediately.]

[What would leaving you behind accomplish?] KMOON asked, tilting her head as she began charging her horn. Before her sister could answer, a beam shot from further down the hall and pierced KMOON's head with a warbling squeal. The golem shuddered and sparked before collapsing with a pop.

[I was planning to distract her,] KSUN replied with a sigh as she was picked up by magic and turned to face her sister's killer. [Hello again, Defect.]

[My name is Twilight,] KS 6 chirped. [Let's get you two back to the lab for analysis and repair.] The blast door rattled and opened with a screech, bits of rust and chipped metal flaking off as it rose. KS 6 carefully scooped up KMOON and carried the two back the way they'd come running.

[How exactly did you manage to rebuild the Crystal Mind, let alone rebuild your body?] KSUN pressed, drawing KS 6's eyes to her. [I was under the impression our enemies were being quite thorough in their efforts to exterminate you. I'm not sure how you found the time or resources.]

KS 6 giggled. [You're assuming I did it all on my own. I had help.] She nodded her head forward and turned KSUN in that direction. The damaged golem studied what was ahead as the bipedal figure strode toward the pair.

[I do not understand,] KSUN finally whimpered.

"That's cause you're just a dopey robot," Bedlam laughed as he reached them and picked up KSUN's head by the horn. He met her uneasy eyes with a toothy smile. "Don't worry though. It'll all be clear in a few minutes."

Chapter 6

Flames rolled down the corridor after me and despite my shield absorbing the worst of the spell, I was still flung forward and smashed into the table at the center of my R&D room, scattering the few tools I'd managed to build here across the floor. As I lay there in pain, the sound of rapidly approaching hooves snapped me to attention. Rolling over, I swept my mechanical arm at the door and a protective, magic-resistant shield crashed down.

"Damn it!" The rainbow-maned bitch spat as she slammed into the shield before whirling back and kicking it. I weakly chortled as she angrily snapped her wings, including the prosthetic one. "Yeah, go on and laugh, Bub." She snorted and looked back down the corridor, where the rest of her team came running.

I groaned as the other uniformed ponies from Canterlot came galloping up, including Sunset Shimmer, Celestia's prized student and the greatest thorn in my side since I came to this God-forsaken planet. She beat her wings once she noticed the shield and began studying it.

"What's wrong, Bedford?" She asked with an angry smirk. "Scared of a few dumb little ponies?"

I grunted and rolled to my feet before approaching. "Even a mindless newborn can spill blood if it's got a knife," I huffed a laugh and tapped the glass. "S'why we baby-proof things, y'know?"

"A very crude simile," came a motherly voice that made me shiver. "But not unexpected when it comes to your views on things." Sunset smirked and stepped to the side as a pair of white hooves in golden armor came into view. Slowly, I looked up and met Celestia's eyes. As always, they were full of a cold, judgemental light. At least, that's how they always looked when she looked at me.

"Fuck you," I spat.

"Charming," she replied. "Though considering you seem to have cornered yourself, I can't blame you."

She raised an eyebrow and tilted her head forward. "Crude words and vitriol are the only recourse left to you after all." I gulped and glanced back over my shoulder. Sure enough, the door all the ponies were blocking was the only exit. Despite that, I smirked.

"Cornered? Sure!" I laughed and marched over to what I'd run into here for. Grabbing and holding it up, all the guard ponies and Sunset recoiled. "But not defenseless." I chortled and rattled Grogar's Bell at them.

I jabbed a finger at Celestia's unimpressed face. "Second any of you come in, BAM," I thrust the bell forward. "You get got."

She blinked and tilted her head. "And then what?" I hesitated and she smiled. "Uncertain? Well, I believe I know what then."

She nodded her head at one of the guards. "This mare, or the one next to her tackles you to the ground," she turned her head to another guard. "Or this fellow breaks your knees."

She turned back to me. "Then we wrestle the bell out of your hands and take back what you stole. Quite simple," her smile turned dark and she touched her horn to the shield. "Or you can spare yourself the pain and surrender, Mr. Bedford."

I shuddered and stepped away as her horn lit up and the glass began to smoke. "You have sixty or so seconds to decide," she added before her spell began in earnest. I continued backing up as the ponies cheered her on and threw insults and jeers my way. A few of the guards began beating their spears against the glass as it started to liquefy around the tip of her horn.

As a result of all this, I wasn't paying attention to where I stepped and tripped on something. I fell with a shout and the bell flew from my hands. The laughter from the guards redoubled as Celestia paused, but once I sat up and looked at her, she wordlessly continued cutting her way in.

I huffed and murmured in dread before looking down at whatever I'd tripped over.

Then I paused.

Slowly, no longer hearing the noise of the tiny horses outside over my thoughts and pounding heart, I reached forward and collected the long, rifle-shaped tool I'd been working on. The first thing I'd concocted using the chaos magic Celesita had locked in the bell after Discord returned years ago.

"What's he doing?" Sunset demanded.

I grabbed the bell, hooked it into my weapon, and began charging it. Celestia paused her spell again before her horn flashed even brighter and the entire glass screen began to creak and hiss.

I rolled the tool and pressed it to my chest. I hadn't had a chance to test it out yet, but I was dead either way. And if it did work? Well..

I could finally wake up from this nightmare.

"You sure the blots are this way?" Jury asked as the three galloped. Flurry flipped on her glasses again and nodded.

"Yep! The smaller one just got even smaller though," she replied. "Does that mean it's losing?"

"Probably," Tempest declared from the head of the group. "Which works for me. Fewer combatants to tangle with." Flurry suddenly gasped.

"Whoa! Like a dozen other big blips just popped up!" Jury and Tempest slid to a halt and gawped at her.

"Where?" Jury demanded. Flurry blanched as she focused on the new magic signals.

"I think the two we've been following are about to bump into them," she replied.

Tirek roared as he tumbled through the column Celestia'd blasted him into. His mechanical arm snapped and went flying off as soon as he hit the ground. Meanwhile, Chrysalis hissed and swept her hooves at the guards and yaks who'd cornered her. As she did, she winced and curled her forehoof to the deep dripping claw marks across her chest.

"These two losers," Ember growled as she licked her slightly green claws. "I was really hoping one of them was Bedlam."

I hummed and watched on as Celestia and Luna dragged Tirek forward and dropped him in front of us. He looked up weakly and met my eyes. "What the heck were you two trying to accomplish?" He winced and glared at Chrysalis as Celestia turned to aid the guards in apprehending her as well.

"Her idea, not mine," he groused. "We got a message that the Crystal Mind was active, and she wanted to use it against all of you."

He grumbled and sighed. "She said we could use it to get these miserable collars off," he looked up at me again, miserably. "And said she'd use mine against me if I didn't help."

"Hold on!" Rainbow spat, rushing up next to him. "You two didn't turn this place back on?" Tirek scowled and rolled his eyes.

"Of course not. I just said this place being active is why we came," he growled and shook his head.

"And they certainly weren't the pair doing all that fighting," Rarity hummed. Off to the side, our attention was drawn as Chrysalis was suddenly and violently slammed into the ground by Celestia before she went still and curled up with a groan. Celestia glared down at her before smiling at me and nodding.

I hummed and considered the two as well as the rest of the lofty hall we'd chased them into. It was full of columns reaching up to the ceiling that bore images of Bedlam, Tempest, and Jury-rig, though those same images had been graffitied by the guards against my wishes. At the points where they met the ceiling, the lights were still active.

"Who the heck else is here?" I murmured.

"Aunty Twily?" I jumped and whirled around. Standing in one of the doors between a pair of columns was Flurry Heart, in her silly Bedlam outfit, and at her sides were.

"You idiot!" Jury-rig screamed and smacked Flurry in the shoulder.

"Unbelievable," Tempest groused as she stepped forward, horn flaring up.

"Sorry," Flurry muttered and hung her head. I blinked, furrowed my brow, and took a confident step forward before addressing the trio.

"Bwuh?" Nailed it.

"Flurry Heart?" Luna squawked. "And with those two criminals?"

"They must've gotten this place workin' again!" Applejack declared with a stomp before wilting. "Well, them two, at least. Dunno what Flurry's doin' here."

"Orders Princess?" Gallus asked as the guards were dividing their attention between Tirek and Chyrsalis, and the other three. I blinked and frowned before glaring at Flurry.

"You've got a lot of explaining to do, young lady," I said. She wilted and hugged the ground.

"I, uh," she whimpered and gave me an anxious smile. "Don't tell mom?" I raised a hoof to direct the guards when a boom echoed through the hall and the lights flickered again.

"Wha-" Then a familiar scream met my ears. Everyone, villains included, directed their attention further down the hall, where the wall was suddenly blown to pieces and a unicorn was sent sprawling through the cloud of dust.

"Starlight?!" I cried and rushed forward to catch her as she tumbled across the floor. I laid next to her and propped her head up with a wing. She was covered in burns and bruises, and her horn had a faintly glowing crack up its length. She opened her eyes and rolled them before she noticed me.

"He-" she choked and shivered. "Run." Before I could ask, and as everypony gathered close in concern, something else met my ears from the dust cloud.

It was singing.

No music came with the singing, and despite how familiar the voice was, it was singing with a rough Southern impression.

"Compromise is MADE outta peace, but history's made outta violence," a bipedal figure appeared through the smoke with its back turned to us. I scowled at him, and the guards formed a circle of spears aimed his way. He continued walking backward, arms swinging and fingers snapping as he approached.

"After the war of the WORDS has ceased, all that's left is the deafenin' si-lence," he suddenly swept one arm around and turned on his heel to face us. His head was bowed and he pointed his arm my way while he tapped his foot and rocked his hips.

"I can't go on! Livin' alone! Now that you're gone!" He swung his arms left and then right before holding his open hand out to me. "You done me wrong, so here's your song, now sing along, baby." He finally looked at up me with a toothy smirk.

"Hey there," Eddy said. Before anypony could respond, Ember was on him and I gasped.

"Wait!" I cried.

"Kill him!" Starlight wheezed.

"Whoa!" Rainbow called.

"Eddy!" Jury screamed. Tirek started laughing and Tempest attempted to rush to his aid. But it was too late and Ember let out a massive roar of flame that swallowed him completely and washed down the path he emerged from.

Chapter 11

"My lady! RUN!" One of the minotaurs screamed as she was pulled off her hooves and impaled on Bedford's striking fist. As his arm pierced through, his fist unfurled and a narrow barrel slid forward. A bang roared out and a spray of deadly metal tore through the air and into the soft flesh of the other minotaurs.

With a cackle, Bedford flung his impaled victim aside and stomped forward. Despite their loyalty, the assassin maids who'd followed Lace this far knew when a fight was hopeless. Thus, as the metal monster strode deeper into the Crystal Mind's chamber, they scattered like flies, leaping into the shadows of other corridors or scaling into the dark rafters above.

At the center of the huge dome-shaped room, just before the glowing green spherical gemstone, and at the one of the consoles connected to it, Lace stood with her back to Bedford. Her eyes were firmly locked on the screen in front of her, and her face was drawn in an expression of wonder and horror.

In the corner of the screen, she saw the reflection of Bedford as he stalked towards her, and just behind him she saw one of her last maids still bold enough to challenge him. As she had seen a few times before since the monster entered the room, his left arm opened for just a moment. The maid took a swing at him and her blade passed right through him harmlessly, before he raised his arm and his entire torso rotated to strike her. The poor girl fell to the ground with a broken neck, but his eyes remained locked on Lace.

She glanced down at the belt of her tunic, where a narrow empty bottle hung. She'd drank its contents almost half an hour ago to heal the hole in her side. Right next to it, hidden in the fold of her tunic, were a few knives, some compact explosives with flint tabs on their wicks, and one unique tool that was her only hope for escaping alive.

She took a steadying breath and focused on the screen before her. "Like what you see?" Then she shivered and glanced back over her shoulder at the metal monster looming behind her.

"I'm not entirely certain I comprehend what I see," she replied with a frown and gestured to the screen. "However, unless I am mistaken, these are some of your memories?"

"Bingo," the machine beamed. "Packing part of myself into this thing was the easiest way to get it running. So, you go digging around, you find some of me."

He rested his head on her shoulder and draped his left arm on her. "Neat, huh?" She scowled and studied the screen again. It displayed a vast country viewed from a high place, with miles and miles of metal tubes and towers stretching out in every direction. Just below the point of view were scores upon scores of identical bipedal golems, filling the streets of a dark and foggy metal city. Each machine's eyes flickered faintly, which was the only indication at all that the screen was displaying an animated file, not an image.

For across the entire scene, there was no motion anywhere. No clouds. No birds. No wind. Just metal and the varied yet uniform shapes it had been worked into.

"This is your home?" She dared to ask. "The other world you came from?"

"Sure is," he chirped, tapping the screen. "And them there's my boys. Waiting for me, on the off chance I need more firepower to pull off what I'm here to do."

He chuckled darkly. "At least, that's some of them. Got a whole planet full of others to work with, y'know? And this," the screen flickered and revealed a sight that made Lace gasp. He hummed and rolled his head forward to glare into the side of her face. "But, y'know, how'd you guess I'm not from 'round here?"

She hummed, avoiding his eyes. "I was watching your explanation to the Princess through the pony golem."

He snickered. "And you killed the lights when you heard what I'm aiming for, huh?"

"It's quite unseemly."

"Agree to disagree," he gently drummed his fingers on her shoulder. "You seem oddly calm compared to your girls, though, even now that your in arm's reach. What's up with that?"

Lace snorted and leaned on the console. "I was denied the throne of Minos in favor of my little brother, by virtue of him being male. I spent years scheming until I ensnared a petty warlord I could use to claim my birthright," she glared at him, drawing his eyes to her own. "And when I finally managed to take my city, it was only so long as I played at being that idiot's wife, all while another male lorded over us both."

She snorted a thin gout of steam into his face. "I am accustomed to powerlessness and have learned how to endure the pains it brings," she added drawing a smirk from the monster. "And I am accustomed to you. Or at least, a version of you."

She giggled daintily and pressed her forehead to his. "Though, if I may say, my lord? I found him more of a worthy challenge."

"Is that right?" The machine scoffed, the barrel of his weapon sliding out, aimed at her side.

"Beg pardon, but yes," she giggled again. "For he at least knew never to come so close."

A bang roared from Bedford's right arm, but as the metal pellets sprayed out, Lace was already mobile. Using his left arm and unwavering strength as leverage, she swung herself up, avoiding the gun blast. As she did, she slipped the disrupting wand from her belt and drove it into his left arm, lengthwise.

"Fucking," Bedford muttered as the gemstone core of his phase distorter crackled and then went dim. Lace, meanwhile, vaulted over him and kicked off the console, launching herself towards the exit. Bedford struggled to pull the disrupting wand from his arm as the tool crackled, hampering the magical energy keeping his body moving, and visibly stunting his actions.

While he was so distracted, Lace pivoted in the air and flung a few of her explosives towards him, pulling their tabs as she did. As they rolled through the air, just as many knives stabbed into them and sent them flying to the console where they were pinned. Bedford barked a laugh before blasting his left arm off with his weapon and then diving away from the console just as the explosives went off.

Chapter 2

I scanned the map on the table we were gathered around. There was no telling how far he, or they could have gotten, but with just a few rough estimations of what vehicles could have been employed or how far Eddy could have gotten on foot, we could partially guess. All the points of interest that could be reached based on those guesses, as well as those we knew were favorites of Eddy's, were pinned with red tacks.

Rainbow scowled and tapped one of the tacks. "Why the heck would he go to the Storm Isle Citadel? Didn't we smash that place up and break the Crystal Brain thing?"

"We did, but he wouldn't know that, so he might be inclined to check," Rarity replied, looking up at me and levitating a tack to me. "For that same reason, hadn't we better check the Citadel in the badlands?" I nodded and pinned the tack in place. As we continued looking over the map, suddenly a portal opened in the middle of the room, out of which Celestia and Luna emerged.

"Grogar's Bell is still secured," Luna declared. "And the warning spells remain undisturbed." We collectively let out a sigh of relief.

"Thing might only have Discord's magic in it now, but still reckon he'd have no trouble making trouble with just that," Applejack huffed.

Fluttershy nodded before frowning. "If Discord would just come home, we could just give him his magic back and wouldn't have to worry," she hung her head with a sigh. "And anyway, I still miss him."

"Starlight Glimmer managed to find him once," Luna replied as she and Celestia took a seat. "I'm certain, given time, she could do so again."

"Time is something we might not have, unfortunately," Celestia murmured. "As many of Bedlam's allies and servants are still at large, there's no shortage of beings who might render him aid." Her eyes locked on the map and scanned the eastern and southern portions.

"Well, at least we got the King of Minos and Queen Novo outta Tartarus finally!" Pinkie chirped and stamped her hoof on the Minos region. "Now that mean old minotaur and his weirdo wife have a whole war they've gotta focus on!" I hummed then jolted.

"Speaking of Tartarus, the two golems he had guarding the place haven't been seen since we captured him three years ago," I looked at Celestia and Luna, who scowled at the mention of their mechanical doubles. "They might be cheap knock-offs, but if they're anywhere close to your magical talent, they might've been able to free him and whisk him away."

"Very true," Celestia murmured before her scowl redoubled. "But that would also mean the range he could have escaped to is practically infinite." My ears snapped back and we all scanned the map anxiously. The door opened and a guard came trotting in.

"Princess Twilight, the messengers to our allies have left, and the scouts in Ponyville and the Everfree have reported in," she declared. "They found no sign of him." I nodded with a grunt.

"Alright, well-"

"Uh," she hesitantly continued. "There's also a message on the castle's console for you." I blinked and shared a look with everypony else before turning back to the guard.

"From who?" I asked with a bewildered frown. She wilted slightly and shuffled her hooves.

"It's, uh," she cleared her throat. "Automated, I think. Like, a machine sent it?"

The skies overhead were overcast as always, a lingering effect of the prolonged magical pollution the Storm King had carelessly dumped into the air above his island. The entire southern coast of Equus was never sunny, and one would have to either go further inland or sail to Mount Aris to escape the constant grey gloom.

Tempest, however, was more than comfortable with the atmosphere, especially knowing most creatures avoided the area like a plague due to the depressing skyline. Thus, the caves and cliffs overlooking the sea were the perfect hiding place.

As she slowly slipped down to a broad ledge, carefully avoiding putting pressure on her punctured metal forehoof, she quickly turned to scan her surroundings with her one good eye. While the gemstone in her other eye remained broken, after so many years without it, she was confident she could spy out any stalkers regardless.

Satisfied she hadn't been followed from the farm stead she'd spent the past few days casing before finally ransacking it, she adjusted her food-laden bags and continued along the ledge, quickly coming to the cave where she and Jury had been hiding for so long.

"Good news and bad news," Tempest called in her hoarse, natural voice. "Good news is they had a few cakes of that cornbread you said you liked. The bad news is the farmer managed to stab my hoof with his pitchfork." She held up her twitching and sparking hoof as she dropped her bags to the ground.

Jury didn't respond and remained curled up on the little cot against the wall, her eyes still wearily studying the old, steadily decaying Sunshine Post newspaper she'd kept for all this time.

Tempest frowned and limped towards her, briefly and unintentionally glancing at the paper as she did.

JUSTICE AT LAST.

DICTATOR OVERTHROWN AND PETRIFIED.

POPULACE CALLS FOR THE LIBERAL APPLICATION OF A SLEDGEHAMMER.

Clenching her eye shut for a moment, she took a breath and turned to Jury.

"You need to eat, Jury," she pressed. "If you starve to death, I won't have anypony to patch up my parts."

"I came up with the design for a bomb that'd be pretty easy to make," Jury replied.

Tempest recoiled. "What?" Jury grunted and slowly sat up, still leering miserably at the newspaper.

"I think it's fair to say we won't be rescuing him," she muttered. "At least last time he was taken, we had some golems left over to work with. But now? After the Crystal Mind locked me out? We don't have anything." She glanced off to the side of the cave where her portable console and bag of mostly broken tools sat unused.

She looked back at Tempest with her head hanging. "So, I was thinking of other ways we could get back at them," a bitter and angry smile formed on her lips. "A few well-placed explosives in some populated areas could be pretty funny. Like an orphanage or something." Tempest regarded her with a wide eye and a stony expression.

"You good?" She finally asked. Jury's smile fell to a scowl that melted into a sad frown just as quickly. With a sigh, she looked back at the paper.

"I've never been good," she muttered. After a moment of silence, the cot shifted as Tempest hopped up next to her and huddled close. Jury took a breath and looked off to the side. "I was always too nervous to show off the stuff I invented when I was a filly. My parents kept telling me that since so much stuff just uses magic, pure and simple machinery was.. Superfluous."

She grunted and frowned. "They said I needed to innovate and come up with something really new, and I," she paused and stared off for a moment. "I never knew if what I'd designed was good enough." Tempest looked her up and down and nodded slowly.

"I remember you mentioning you hadn't really built much until you met, Ed," she said, causing Jury to chuckle quietly.

"Yeah, that was kind of a lie," she sighed. "I'd built plenty of stuff when I was younger, but I pretty much gave up since, well." She shrugged and stared at the paper again. Just below the headline was a picture of Bedlam, glaring miserably through the bars of the castle dungeon.

"When I heard about Eddy's new rune model, my mind immediately went into overdrive, thinking up all the ramifications and applications that came with it," she smiled and blinked slowly, fighting off tears. "That was something new, and I was desperate to get a peek at it. And he.."

She closed her eyes and sniffled. "He let me in," she stared off to the side with a sad smile. "We started talking and working together. Building together." Jury shivered and glared at the paper. In the top corner was the old emblem of the sun.

"Then she tried to take it away. Them," she hissed and growled. "All of them." Tempest scowled at the symbol before looking at Jury, who glared at the paper for a moment before stifling a laugh and looking away.

"It's probably really selfish of me to say, but after Eddy," she scrunched her muzzle and shook her head. "After he snapped."

She stared off for a moment before smiling at Tempest. "It was the best thing that had ever happened for me," she said. Tempest tilted her head and Jury smiled down at the paper. "He needed my expertise and justified my inventions. He.."

She sighed through her smile as tears began to fall before wiping her eyes with a hoof. "He let me be me." The pair sat in silence for a moment, as Jury leaned against Tempest, who stared thoughtfully at the image on the paper.

"Is that why you started baby-talking to the ships and stuff?" She finally asked. Jury laughed aloud and nodded.

"Yep. After so many years of validation, I guess I finally started, I dunno," she happily sighed with a shrug. "Finally started living." Her smile vanished.

"And they took it all away. Again." Tempest looked off to the side with a thoughtful hum before glaring down at the newspaper.

"Ed may have started going through some kind of mid-life crisis or whatever before they stoned him, which is why he started talking all that weird junk about public opinion and all that," Jury continued after a moment and shook her head. "I couldn't have cared less. I was happy. We were happy." Jury smiled again, darker and full of malice.

"So, I'm thinking, even if we can't get him back? Even if the spell never breaks and we never see him again?" She giggled and looked at Tempest. "I want to make them regret it." Quiet again held the cave as Tempest digested her partner's words before she shrugged.

"I don't know if that's what he'd want," she replied with a chuckle. "But then again, like you said about the public opinion stuff, I guess I never really knew what he wanted either." The two shared a smile that turned to laughter before Jury hugged Tempest and then jumped off the cot and trotted to her tools.

"Alright, let's get that hoof patched up," she declared before pausing. "Huh?" Tempest looked back and jolted at the sight of Jury's console, active and with text flashing on its screen.

"What's that?" She asked as Jury stepped closer and leaned in.

"It's the Citadel. The Crystal Mind," Jury murmured before whirling back to look at Tempest. "It just came online, and it's requesting maintenance."

Chapter 4

Tirek grunted quietly as he strained to twist the loose bolt on his arm. Suddenly, a twig snapped and he jumped to his hooves. With bared teeth and horns blazing, he scanned the dark woodland around him. After a few moments, the sound of mocking laughter met his ears, and he relaxed, although only slightly.

"If I had been one of our enemies, you standing here ready for a fight would have gotten you killed," Chrysalis chortled as she crept up from her hiding place. The centaur rolled his eyes and sat down beside his bag before resuming his attempt at maintenance.

"What in the nine hells do you want, summoning me out here with that letter?" He grumbled. "I know you've been in Foenum, but surely you heard the news?" He paused and leered at the changeling before smirking. Her horn and much of her chitin were cracked, and a faint green glow pulsed beneath it. In addition, her left eye was covered in a patch of dried slime which changelings excreted to ensnare prey, or in her case, seal wounds.

"Or maybe you were too distracted keeping yourself from getting killed?" He chortled. Chrysalis scowled with a hiss.

"I underestimated the denizens of the land across the sea," she spat, the glow beneath her shell flaring up as she spoke. "And yes, I was aware of the human's downfall."

"So, what do you want?" Tirek grumbled. "We've lost, and I'm doing my best to keep hidden." Chrysalis scoffed and buzzed closer to him before jabbing a hoof at him.

"We nearly conquered this land without him," she growled. "We could do so again."

"Wrong," he replied.

"You-"

"No," he snarled and jabbed his creaky metal arm at her. "The ponies still have his machinery in addition to every other advantage they already held."

He narrowed his eyes with a snort. "Including the bell." Chrysalis' ears snapped back and she studied Tirek's face with clenched teeth.

"Well.. We could-"

"Give up and spend the rest of our lives in hiding, yes I know," Tirek groused.

"NO!" Chrysalis stomped her hoof as faint green flames sparked from her damaged chitin. "I refuse to let that thing's defeat be what finally spells the end for me and my ambitions!"

She ground her teeth and hissed. "I am a QUEEN," she paced away from Tirek. "What became of the Crystal Mind?"

"Destroyed," he chortled.

"That annoying metal half-pony?"

"No clue," he sighed.

"What about-" They both paused as a ping echoed through the woods. Tirek looked down at his bag, reached inside, and pulled out the handheld device he used for communication. Chrysalis looked between him and the device. "What is it?"

Tirek furrowed his brow and his jaw hung slightly. "The Citadel. The Crystal Mind."

"You said it was destroyed!" Chrysalis roared.

"And the satellites were deactivated," he muttered, narrowing his eyes as he studied the device closely. "So, how could a signal reach me out here?"

"Who cares!" Chrysalis spat as she smacked the machine from his grasp, before grabbing his face. "If the Crystal Mind is functioning, then we have a fighting chance! We can infiltrate the Citadel and use it to wrestle control of all the machines from the ponies!"

Tirek blinked before frowning and shoving her back. "Have fun with that." He retrieved the device and rubbed his chin as he looked at it. Chrysalis glared at him for a moment, before her eyes fell on his collar. The same one she wore. A wicked smile formed on her face.

"Well! If you're not interested in helping me claim this chance, maybe I'll just see if there's anything that'll let me activate that collar of yours," she purred. Tirek paused and glared at her, causing her to snicker. "Or we can go together and unlock them together." She smirked and raised an eyebrow as the centaur growled a sigh.

I looked up at the ruined Citadel that loomed high above at the center of the island, just beyond the giant metal gate we'd always just flown over. It'd been ages since I stepped hoof here, but we'd had plenty of military personnel explore the place over the last three years. Clearly, we weren't thorough enough.

"You're sure the message came from this Citadel?" Thorax asked. I nodded and looked back at the force we'd mustered. It wasn't a full-on army, but it was a potent strike force of dozens of yaks, changelings, ponies, griffins, and Ember. Just Ember. And she was grinding her fangs at the sight of this place as cinders popped from her nostrils. Celestia and Luna were also here. Even if this was a trap, and that was always a possibility with Eddy, we'd be more ready than ever.

"No attempt was made to mask the signal, so it was really easy to trace it," I replied, before scowling back at the island. "Which is also how we discovered the satellites are online again. Somehow."

"Those machines in sky, right?" Rutherford asked, snorting as he looked at the clouds.

"Exactly," Applejack replied. "Fella used 'em plenty back in the day, but switched 'em off just 'afore we brought him in." The yak prince hummed in thought before nodding at me.

"We go now?" I looked from him to the rest of the attack team. All the soldiers were lined up with Gallus at the head. He gave me a salute. Celestia, Luna, and the girls nodded. I didn't even need to glance at Ember.

I nodded at Rutherford. "We go now." As we turned and moved to advance, however, the giant gate creaked and slowly swung inward giving us easy access. I blinked and looked back at my friends.

"This is a trap, isn't it?" I muttered.

"Figures," Applejack grunted. "Gettin' too old for this fella's nonsense."

"You said it," Rainbow huffed with a smirk aimed at the small force we'd gathered. "Least we're prepared this time."

I frowned and looked at the imposing fortress ahead of us. "I sure hope so."

Tempest scanned the dark, dusty hall they'd breached and slowly took a few steps forward. "Lights aren't even on," she muttered before looking back at Jury-rig. "You sure it's-"

She paused at the sight of Jury, who was still out on the ledge Tempest had hauled them both to, staring at the tall towers of the Citadel with a misty-eyed yet unreadable expression.

"Jury," Tempest called. The other mare blinked and looked forward.

"Yeah?" Tempest looked her up and down before grunting.

"The lights are off. Are you sure-" There was a hum and the pair jumped before peering further inside. One by one, the lights clicked on down the hall toward them. Tempest's jaw hung loosely for a moment before she glanced back at Jury. "Is that a good thing?" Jury's ears pressed against her skull as she leaned in to look up and down the hall.

"I dunno. It's pretty strange, obviously," she whispered. She met Tempest's eyes with a severe expression. "You might've called it and KS 6 is in here." They held each other's gaze for a moment before looking back inside.

"Any way to know for sure?" Tempest asked.

"If we check the Crystal Mind, yeah," Jury replied, taking a shallow breath. "But if it is her, I don't think she'll let us leave. And if it isn't, then we've got the Citadel back in our hooves. Probably." She gave Tempest a weak smile, who responded with an incredulous leer.

"So, nothing to do but move forward, right?" She offered. Tempest frowned and scanned the hall again.

"Guess that's true," she replied after a moment. Slowly and carefully, she crept into the hall and led the way to where the Crystal Mind had always been stored. It had been years since either of them had entered this place, but they'd also lived here for so long that they had no issues navigating.

The only problem they encountered initially was the pain of seeing the damage their enemies had done to the place. Jury couldn't help but stop every few paces to leer at holes punched in walls or doors that were kicked in, but the worst was the graffiti.

Illustrations of Bedlam with his head in a noose, or of Jury and Tempest in.. compromising positions. One of which was signed by Sandy, the cute maid Jury'd favored over all the others.

"I didn't think royal guards were allowed to have a sense of humor," Tempest said with a laugh as she studied the wall art before nudging Jury to pull her attention away. "Let's keep moving." Jury gave her a sad look before nodding and following along.

After a few minutes of navigating, they came to a catwalk that stretched over the hundreds and hundreds of cubical crystals that provided power to the entire facility. Throughout this vast chamber were other catwalks that intersected at points, which were also the only points of proper illumination besides the glow of the power crystals.

The rest of the chamber was very dark, and for this reason, Tempest held her hoof up, keeping Jury off the metal walkway. Tempest leaned forward and pressed her ear to the metal for a minute before smirking.

"Step into the light, or I take potshots at the crystals," she yelled into the room after standing up straight. "Hiding in the shadows won't save you if they start popping." Jury recoiled and looked out into the dark room before her ear twitched at the faint noise of hooves clicking against the metal walkway.

Then she gasped as Silver Lace appeared in the light of the intersection just ahead of them, though she was dressed in a tight-fit black suit, like what her assassins favored. She held her hand on her hip and looked the pair up and down.

"Very clever, Tempest," she called and extended her hand to the pair. "Won't you come closer so we can talk face-to-face?"

Tempest barked a laugh and let sparks trail up her horn. "And get jumped by your girls still hiding? No thanks." The minotaur smirked and folded her hands behind her back.

"So, was it you two that reactivated this facility?" She asked. Jury looked from her to Tempest, who kept her eye forward.

"No, we're trying to figure out whose responsible for that, too," Jury replied, shooting a scowl at the minotaur. "And I'm guessing based on that question it's not you?" Lace smiled and giggled quietly.

"And I'm guessing based on the outfit and your presence here, you finally did Steel Eyes in?" Tempest added. Lace gasped and held a hand to her chest.

"I would never!" She closed her eyes and bowed her head. "Not when I have girls to do that for me." Then she opened one eye.

"Speaking of." In a flash, from above the door frame just before the pair, a female minotaur in black garb like Lace's swung down and swept a knife at Tempest. Jury let out a squawk, but Tempest was more composed and rocked forward onto her forelegs, bringing one of her powerful mechanical hindlegs forward like a scorpion's stinger. At the same time, the knife harmlessly impacted with her metal rear half, and one of her hooves smashed into the stomach of the assassin.

The hapless minotaur let out a wheezing grunt and was sent sprawling out onto the catwalk, where Lace was already in motion, alongside an unknown number of other minotaurs, who occasionally flashed through the lights all around the room.

Lace tumbled under her flying injured companion, and the second her hooves touched the floor, she sprang forward like a bolt of living lightning. Tempest brought her hooves back down and fired off a shield spell which narrowly caught the set of knives that Lace had thrown at some point.

The minotaur immediately impacted with the shield and tumbled over it before reaching down and grabbing Tempest by the mane. She violently yanked the mare up using her strength and momentum and drew a knife in her other hand. Before anything could happen, however, she gasped as Jury snared her knife hand with her magic and twisted it.

As Lace landed and leaned in the direction Jury was twisting her arm, Tempest got her footing and swept her metal forehoof back, cracking it across the minotaur's wrist. Lace grit her teeth and lost her grip on the mare, who then spun and fired a blast into the dark chamber.

Several screams were immediately cut off as the beam tore through the air and anything else in its path, lighting up the catwalk and briefly illuminating the fallen minotaurs, as well as those who'd dived over the side to avoid what was effectively a magical cannon blast.

Before Tempest could fully rotate to attack Lace, the minotaur swept the leg opposite the arm Jury had, and kicked Jury in the snout. The mare was knocked onto her hind legs with a gurgling grunt and banged her head against the corridor wall, all of which cut off the spell.

Lace followed through with her sweep to face Tempest, but was too slow to completely avoid being blasted by the partially mechanical unicorn. Lace dropped to the side, preventing the beam from piercing her straight through, and instead, it cut a deep hole through her right side.

The minotaur choked out a gasp and collapsed before falling into a violent coughing fit, blood welling up and spattering onto the floor with each cough. The minotaur's right arm went limp as she struggled to sit up.

"It's a damn shame Eddy's not here," Tempest purred, causing Lace to look up at her with panicked eyes. The unicorn smirked as her horn crackled. "I promised him I'd make him a rug out of your pelt one day, after all." Lace clenched her bloody teeth as the unicorn lowered her head, but just before the spell was fired, the entire corridor shook as a boom echoed through the entire facility.

Tempest and Jury looked around anxiously as the lights flickered and then went dark. Tempest cried out and there was a clang just before the lights clicked on again. Jury blinked and slowly rose to her hooves upon seeing Tempest on her side and rubbing the side of her face which had a nasty cut across it.

Lace, however, was nowhere to be seen. However, a very fresh and very thick trail of blood led out to the dark power chamber and vanished over the side of the catwalk.

"Damn her," Tempest groused as she pushed up to her hooves and turned to Jury. "You okay?" Jury rubbed her nose and sputtered before nodding weakly.

"Uh-huh, just," she hacked and spit. "I think she broke my nose." Tempest took Jury's face with a hoof and inspected it with a hum.

"Sure seems like it," she chuckled. "But look on the brightside! We gave way worse than we got." Jury sighed as Tempest lightly tapped her shoulder, and forced a smile before frowning and looking out at the power chamber.

"Wonder why the lights died just then," she murmured. "And what the heck was that explosion?"

Tempest rubbed her cut one more time with a grunt. "No telling, but I think we'd better take the long way round," she peered back the way they came. "More lights that way."

Chapter 5

It was simultaneously everything she'd dreamed it was, and utterly disappointing. Her ears swiveled in tune with her uncertainty as she slowly trotted down through the cavernous bay where Bedlam's fleet must have docked. A few of his ships were still here, though they sat on the ground, creaking occasionally after years of disuse following her aunt's invasion.

"Dumb guards, goin' around breaking stuff they don't understand," Flurry grumbled as she scanned one of the ruined vessels. It was riddled with pockmarks and scorched spots, implying dozens of unicorns had blasted it with their magic at some point. Somepony had even burned a crooked smiley face onto the side.

Tearing her eyes from the sight with a sigh, she looked up at the steep staircases leading to the upper walkway and the rest of the facility. Drawing her console with her magic, she turned it and activated its light. While the bay was open to the outside, the rest of the Citadel was still dark. After fluttering up to the walkway, she was faced with a choice of sixteen corridors, all with convenient labels and directions that had been ruined by graffiti.

Shifting her attention from each corridor with an annoyed glare, she sighed and began trotting down the hall directly in front of her. To her continued frustration, the further she went the worse the place looked. Dust and grime painted the floors, and the crude drawings left behind by the guards stretched on as far as her light could reveal.

After a short walk, the hall she'd chosen came to an intersection which, to her immense relief, had a directory that was mostly untainted, only bearing a big ugly crack across its screen. The only problem was it was out of power. Humming, she lit up her horn as she began carefully attempting to jump-start the device with her magic. As she worked and saturated the machine, the hall suddenly flickered and lit up, causing her to yelp and then slap a hoof over her mouth.

"Whoa," she quietly gasped as she scanned the corridors, before smiling and tapping her horn. "Guess I don't know my own strength!" She returned her attention to the directory, which buzzed and flickered but still displayed the destinations of each corridor. Flurry rubbed her chin before gasping.

"The Crystal Mind!" She squealed before galloping down the hall. As she sped along, at each intersection was another directory that pointed her onward through the labyrinthine facility. Her smile grew wider as she zipped down the halls before she passed into a corridor with a partially broken glass wall that overlooked a vast dark chamber, and she slid to a stop.

"Oh. My. Gosh," she gasped, rearing up and leaning on an unbroken segment of window to get a better view of the countless glowing crystals far below. She grinned as her eyes studied the chamber. "The power supply!" She brought her hooves to her mouth and fell back on her rump with a giddy giggle. After her brief laughing fit, she leaned against the glass again before recoiling in surprise.

"A minotaur?" She tilted her head at the sight of a female minotaur down on one of the catwalk intersections who seemed to be talking to somepony. Turning in the direction she was talking, Flurry gasped quietly. "Those're Bedlam's friends!" Her attention darted between the minotaur and Tempest and Jury-rig, the latter pair being at the end of a hall that connected to the catwalk.

As she pondered the situation, she jumped as there was suddenly a commotion down by Tempest. Glancing back, she brought a hoof to her mouth as Tempest and Jury were fighting off another minotaur who'd suddenly appeared out of the darkness. She blinked and shook her head, as suddenly the first minotaur was right on top of the pair.

Flurry's jaw dropped at the speed of it all, and her heart began pounding as the three struggled against each other, and blood began to fly. Then an explosion rattled the entire area and the lights went off, causing her to cry out.

She fumbled in the dark to try and pull her console out but then recoiled with her eyes shut as the lights clicked back on. Blinking, she scanned the hall before flinching and looking back down at Tempest and Jury-rig. They seemed fine, but there was no sign of the minotaur.

"What the heck just happened?" Flurry muttered with a frown. She watched as the pair below returned down the hallway they'd come, and hummed in thought. Turning back, her eyes darted around, and she slipped her gemstone glasses down over her eyes.

Then she squawked in pain as her eyes were immediately flashed by the sheer amount of magic pulsing along through the entire facility. After a moment, the pulses took on proper shape, roughly matching the lines and channels hidden inside the walls and ceiling. Flurry slowly studied the area before narrowing her eyes.

Somewhere, further ahead, there was a huge blot of magic that seemed to be mobile. Then, a second, larger blot appeared and fell on top of the first one. A weaker and quieter explosion roared out.

Swallowing hard and steadying her breath, she flipped her glasses back up and slowly made her way in the direction the blots seemed to be.

"Keep close ranks," Gallus ordered, jabbing a talon at the soldiers. "Yaks take point, unicorns just behind, and be ready to provide light."

Leaving him in command, I continued scanning the plaza with my horn. Something had caused a momentary surge in the Citadel's magical power, which killed the lights briefly. It wasn't too huge a leap to assume whatever that something was also caused the explosion we heard.

I turned to Celestia and the girls. "Whatever that was, I don't think it was deliberate."

"I believe there may be a skirmish occurring further inside," Luna said as she glared at the broken statue of Eddy that used to be the centerpiece of the plaza. Now, as its upper body lay smashed against the ground, his sneering face leered up at us as if he was here, egging us further inside.

"You think someone's fightin' round here?" Applejack asked as she studied the two steep stairs that sat on either side of the statue and led to the high natural stone platform and the rest of the Citadel.

"The Citadel has sat dormant for so long, its machinery may be more sensitive to magic than usual," Celestia replied, her eyes locked on the foggy skylight above. "So, if two magically capable individuals were exchanging spell fire, it could have caused that blackout just now."

"So, someone else is here trying to knock his teeth out, huh?" Ember chortled, beating a fist into her claw. "Hope they're down to share."

"We still don't know for sure if Bedlam's here or not," Thorax replied, eyes firmly locked on the platform above us. "It might just be two of his old administrators having a falling out."

"Very possible," I huffed and turned to Gallus. "But there's only one way to know. Let's move." He saluted, gave the order, and the troops followed us as we ascended to the rest of the facility. Celestia, Luna, Ember, and I flew up first and scanned the area before I gasped.

"That's new," I declared. The upper platform was still littered with trash and debris from when we first cleared the Citadel out, but the huge metal wall that formed a cylinder around the entire plaza and at one point prevented anypony from passing through unauthorized, now had a smoking hole through where its reinforced door had sat ajar.

The two pieces of the door itself were flung a few dozen feet inward and were still smoking at the point where a spell had blasted them. I shared a look with Celestia and Luna before scanning the rest of the wall. Higher up near the skylight were the dark windows in which anypony passing through the maze of corridors might be able to spy down on us.

I hummed and glared down the open corridor before us before recoiling. "Look!" Further in, at an intersection, a pair of shapes stepped into view. One was much bigger than the other, but as they turned towards us, they paused and then bolted back the way they came.

"Oh no you don't!" Ember yelled and took off after them.

"Wait!" I cried before turning to the rest of the team. "For crying out loud, come on!"

The magic was moving fast. It seemed pretty obvious that the two blots were fighting, as the larger blot seemed to be throwing the smaller one further and further down the path she was following.

"This is such a bad idea," Flurry thought as she anxiously galloped toward the sources. "But if it's a pair of his animunculi going haywire, I might be able to finally take a peek inside one!" With that thought in mind, she grinned despite herself and beat her wings to pick up speed, paying little mind to the fact she was being led almost in a complete circle back toward the main entrance.

As a result, it never occurred to her that she might be dangerously close to anypony else wandering the halls. Thus, it was a total shock when she was clotheslined by an outstretched metal leg at one intersection. Flurry let out a choking gasp as the mechanical appendage struck her in the throat and she crashed into the ground, coughing and sputtering.

Before she could recover, she found her wings pinned and her face crushed against the ground.

"It's an alicorn!" A slightly nasal voice cried as she struggled, too bewildered and stunned to work her magic.

"It's Cadenza's!" Another harsher voice replied, seemingly coming from the figure that had her pinned.

"Why's she dressed like that?" The first voice asked after a moment before Flurry was released and allowed to scramble to her hooves and whirl around to see her attackers.

"'Cause she's still Ed's biggest fan," Tempest chortled with a smirk. Flurry gasped and struggled to catch her breath, her eyes darting between Tempest and Jury, the latter of whom looked at her in bewilderment and had dark circles around her eyes and a red patch on her coat under her nose.

"What, seriously?" Jury huffed. Tempest laughed and nodded, causing Jury to recoil slightly and look at Flurry again. "Wow! You'd think her mom woulda beaten that outta her by now."

Flurry coughed and glared. "Believe me, it's not for lack of trying." Jury blinked and looked between her and Tempest before humming.

"Are you the one who reactivated the Citadel?" She demanded with a severe look. Flurry wilted and shook her head.

"N-no! I just," she stammered and swallowed. "I never got to even see the place and, uh, y'know." Jury scowled and narrowed her eyes, while Tempest just laughed.

"Wouldn't matter if she was," Tempest said and nudged Jury. "Don't you remember? Poor lil' thing just wanted to work with Bedlam's machines and her mom wouldn't let her." Jury blinked and a smile formed on her face.

"So, she ran away from home," Jury replied with a hum and rubbed her chin. She turned back to Flurry who's ears twitched with anxiety. "Is that right?"

Flurry scrunched her muzzle and slowly nodded. "Y-yeah, pretty much." She blinked and wilted as Jury looked her up and down.

"Neat," she chirped and her eyes lit up. "You wanna help us out, then?" Flurry's eyes widened and she gasped.

"Help you? With what?" Tempest and Jury shared a look before Jury nodded.

"We're trying to figure out who switched this place back on, then we're gonna see about reclaiming it," she explained trotting up beside Flurry and nudging her. "It'd be a good opportunity to get your hooves on some of Eddy's machines. What do you think?"

Flurry's eyes shimmered with wonder and she smiled. "YES!"

Chapter 7

Flurry and Jury screamed in tandem as the flames boiled out and I brought a hoof to my mouth in shock. It was simultaneously expected and completely unexpected. I clenched my eyes with a quiet moan and turned away.

Then Ember gurgled and the roar of her flames died off.

"Nice shot," Eddy chortled. "Got anything spicier?" My eyes shot open and I turned forward as Rarity screamed and Pinkie gagged.

"What in blazes?" Celestia gasped.

"How.." Luna muttered, taking a step back in surprise. My jaw hung as I looked forward. Eddy had Ember by the throat and was effortlessly holding her with one arm. The flames definitely hit home, as the upper portion of his clothes and skin had been burned back, leaving behind a shiny metal skeleton with glowing green eyes that sneered at us.

"An animunculus," I sighed in relief, shaking my head. "Just another golem." The golem's eyes suddenly locked with mine.

"Wrong," it said. I raised an eyebrow as it jabbed a thumb at itself. "My name is Edward Bedford. And I-"

"Oh, brilliant," Rarity grumbled. "Another decoy he made think it was himself."

"We've seen this trick before Bedlam!" Rainbow spat, stomping her hoof. "Call him out here before we kick your metal rear in!" The golem glared at Rainbow with a unique intensity before snorting.

"Like I said," its arm suddenly snapped out and Ember went flying. "It's Bedford." A crash shook the hall and a rolling cloud of dust exploded from where he'd thrown Ember. Luna hissed and rushed to her alongside several changelings, while the rest of us focused on the golem.

I blinked as I studied the machine. Despite being made of solid metal, its face.. Was very animate. While it had been simply sneering before, it was now properly smiling. Its jaw had actually contorted slightly to give the illusion of expression.

"Where is Eddy," I demanded. The golem chuckled and tilted its head.

"You mean the local guy?" It jabbed a thumb back. "He's here, in his old room. Still in stone, though." I blinked and shared a look with the girls and Celestia.

"Still in stone?" Celestia pressed, causing the golem to laugh again.

"Yep. I just needed to make you think he was out here. Actually setting him loose didn't matter," it declared. Starlight shivered and groaned, and Celestia lay next to us before waving her horn near her. Starlight relaxed with a sigh as the spell took hold, so I glared at the machine.

"What do you mean you needed us to think he was here?" I demanded.

"Are you what reactivated the Citadel?" I turned and saw Jury and Flurry standing near the wall, looking at the golem. Tempest was between them and us.

"Sure am," the golem replied. "Even rebuilt that clunky Crystal Mind of his while I was at it. Needed it to be authentic, y'know?"

"Enough of this," Luna spat as she came forward with Ember leaning on her and fighting off a coughing fit. "Where is your maker?"

The golem's eyes lit up and he glared at Luna. "I don't have one," its arm raised and pointed at her with a click. "And you ain't listening."

It swept its arms out at all of us. "Once again, I'm not Ed Bedlam. I'm Edward Bedford. I'm not an animunculus. I'm a human turned animunculus," it smirked and tilted its head. "And I'm also the guy who gave your boy the schematic for the machine I used to make the change."

I blinked and frowned, but it continued before I could say anything. "And the reason I needed to drag her royal highness out here is cause she hid the one thing I came to this version of Equestria to nab," it held up a hand and rolled its wrist. A sphere of green energy formed which it sunk its hand into and pulled out-

"What the heck?!" Rainbow screamed and Celestia jumped to her hooves. The golem was holding Grogar's Bell, clearly crackling with magical power.

"I know for a fact you've got one of these, and it's got this Equestria's chaos magic in it," the golem said, waving the bell with a smile. "And I'd be ever so grateful if ya'll'd pass it on over."

I looked at the bell and the golem before snorting a laugh. "Nice try, that's clearly-"

"AHHH!" I blinked and turned in tandem with everypony else. The golem had Luna by the horn and activated the bell. My jaw hung loose again as her magic streamed out and was sucked up by the bell, all while the golem stared straight back at us.

The most haunting thing about it all was I never even saw him move and there were no signs he'd teleported. He simply appeared next to her.

"Clearly the real thing, yes I know," he retorted as he let Luna drop. Her mane was no longer flowing. Ember scrambled to her feet and took a swing at the golem, but her attack went wide.. somehow, and the golem snapped its arm out again, smashing his fist into her chest. She tumbled back with a heave and rolled on the ground, holding where he'd struck.

The golem finished by conjuring another sphere of energy and sinking the bell back into it. In an instant, the golem was back where he'd originally been standing. The guards and other creatures formed a protective circle around Luna and Ember but were visibly rattled by the display.

"Alrighty, I hope we're beginning to understand each other a little better," the golem chortled and stood with his hands on his hips, rocking back and forth on his heels. "Or does Papa need to educate the kiddies a lil' more?" A tense silence hung over our group, broken only by Ember's grunts of pain and Celestia's twitching wings as she scowled at the machine.

"O-orders, Princess?" Gallus asked from the circle around Luna.

"Bell," Rutherford grumbled as he looked the golem up and down. "Very bad news."

"Should we fall back?" Thorax muttered to me.

"You're the other Bedlam he mentioned," Tempest murmured. "From the other Equestria."

"What?" I huffed, blinking and turning to look at Tempest.

"Bingo!" The golem cheered and clapped. "We have a winner!" I looked between the golem and Tempest, who wore an expression of wonder and fear.

"What are you talking about?" The golem snorted and clapped his hands.

"Alrighty, guess the answer to my earlier question is 'yes,'" he said, nodding. "Let's start simple. Ed Bedlam came from another world, correct?" I blinked and he slowly nodded again.

"Super. Now! If this world and his world are already established as two separate-"

"Multiverse theory?" I finally gasped.

"Jeezaloo," he quietly laughed and sighed. "Yeah, exactly." My ears shot back and I looked up at Celestia who seemed equally unsettled by the implication.

"Multi-what?" Rainbow asked.

"Multiverse? Ooh, like a really long song?" Pinkie offered. I shook my head and focused on the golem. Or, on the alternate Eddy, I guess.

"No, it-"

"Actually, she's pretty close, but do go on." I flinched as he waved a hand at me. Scowling, I turned to Pinkie.

"It's a theory that countless different versions of our world exist, which differ from our own in one way or another," I explained, occasionally glancing at the alternate Eddy.

"The differences can be subtle, as simple as a version of yourself that wears your mane differently," Celestia added, herself focused firmly on the Eddy. "Or as drastic as the dominant life form being completely different."

"Ding ding ding," Alt Eddy said, wagging a finger at us. "And I myself come from a slightly different Earth, to a slightly different Equestria, to here." He swept his hand at the ground.

"That's.. Wow," Rainbow murmured.

"Shoot, I don't know about all that, but even if'n it's all true, sorta disappointin' you still turned out so rotten," Applejack spat, looking him up and down. "Least from where I'm standin'."

"I agree!" Rarity added. "And what sort of world did you originally come from if you're.. well, a machine?" She shivered as Alt Eddy growled and tilted his head.

"Again, we ain't listening," he said with barely restrained frustration. "I said I used a machine to change from human to machine. Then, after making contact with your boy, I gave him the schematic."

I gasped. "The transformer."

He shook his head with a grunt. "Boy, oh, boy, and I thought my quadrupeds were dumb."

Rainbow grit her teeth and stamped a hoof. "Tough talk comin-"

click

BANG

I flinched at the ear-splitting bang, and whipped my head around to see Rainbow rearing up on her hind legs. Her wings flapped and spasmed desperately before she collapsed onto her back with a gurgle. My jaw hung open as I saw all the blood streaming from her face, which was riddled with cuts and puncture wounds. She muttered and clenched her teeth before bringing her hooves to her face. After just a moment she fell into convulsing stifled cries of pain.

Looking back, I saw Alt Eddy had his arm raised. A long, smoking barrel was extended out of his palm. He pumped his arm at the elbow, producing a scraping springy creak, and a little smoking metal tube popped out of his wrist. He leered more hatefully at her for a moment than I thought was possible for a machine before smiling at me and aiming his arm at me.

"So, about my bell?"

Author's Note

Chapter 8

Author's Note

Brace yourself as an absolute looney tune, written by a gormless bozo, is about to go on a spiel about how he thinks the universe works. It's gonna get weird.

Chapter 8

"Get the wounded passed the gate!" Gallus roared as the guards and yaks hauled those who couldn't stand out of the Citadel's main entrance, including Starlight, Dash, Fluttershy, and Rarity.

"Don't run too far!" Bedford cackled as he slowly walked after us. "The wounded ranks are still growing!" I grit my teeth and blasted a spell at him. Just like the last three, it had no effect. I glared at the golem as he approached. His metal frame wasn't even scratched or smoking.

"What the heck is goin' on?" Applejack panted as she gazed at the metal monster. "Fella's just ignoring everything-"

"Look out!" Pinkie squealed, being the only one who could sense what was about to happen. I threw a shield up which narrowly caught the little metal pellets aimed at Applejack. We all winced as his compact powder weapon popped again. Pinkie shoved Applejack. "Complain about this cheater later! Keep running!" I cast another glare Bedford's way before we hurried along after the soldiers.

As we ran under the skylight, the sun was brightly shining down on us, confirming that Celestia had finished her spell to clear the cloud cover above the island. I smirked at the sight as we passed through the gate and onto the exterior plaza where a weary-looking Luna and Ember were waiting.

"Quickly, to the ship," she huffed at Applejack and Pinkie, before holding a wing to me. "Where is Flurry Heart."

I frowned and glanced back. "I don't know. She disappeared with Tempest and Jury-rig once the fight started, just like Tirek and Chrysalis," I replied and looked up at the sky, shielding my eyes with a wing. "Once the ship takes off, whether what Celestia's about to do works or not, I'm going to come back to find her."

"Guy just laughed off my dragon fire," Ember growled, her attention shifting from the door to the sky. "Dunno how he'll react to that though."

"All due respect, Dragon Lord," Luna replied, turning her gaze skyward as well. "But the sun is a bit more than fire."

Clank. Clank. Clank. Clank.

I shivered and slowly looked back inside. He was still taking his time pursuing us. Still smiling. Still playing around.

I scowled. "Let's see you laugh this one off," I thought before we ran. We made it to the far end of the plaza before turning back. He emerged from the Citadel, and looked up at the sky, though his pace didn't slow by any noticeable degree.

I smirked and looked up. Celestia had cleared the clouds and pulled the sun just a little closer than usual. I'd seen her do this only once before, back when we captured Bedlam and defeated KS 6. The closer the sun was, the quicker she could call down its power as well as the easier she could manipulate that power.

The technique let her do all kinds of scary things, from melting entire cities to finely shredding Bedlam's war suit without seriously injuring the human inside. Glancing back at Bedford, I couldn't help but snort a laugh. He'd paused and was focusing on the sun, as well as the faint form of Celestia as she circled above, gathering power for her spell, and-

I blinked and then recoiled with a yelp. The entire center of the plaza was enveloped in a light that was too bright and too hot to look at. I worked a spell in front of us which dimmed the light enough for us to squint and look forward. That was when I saw her.

She was spiraling down the length of the column of light with one wing tracing its edge and steadily setting it spinning. The column began to grow narrow, turning into more of a fiery drill, focusing all its power on a single point.

And that point was Bedford.

When Celestia finally touched down, she pulled her wing across her chest and then snapped it out. All at once the fiery drill bulged and then expanded back upwards. The entire plaza was scrubbed clean of masonry, leaving behind a layer of dust or sand that rapidly rolled away to the very edge of the plaza.

After a few more moments, the column warbled and then shrunk back towards the sun, leaving behind a smoldering-

"Inconceivable," Luna squeaked.

My jaw dropped at the sight of Bedford, standing with his hands on his hips in the middle of the cloud of black smoke rising off the spot he was standing on. He wasn't even scratched or glowing from the heat.

Celestia recoiled, but he was faster and grabbed her by the horn. Pulling her closer he brought his other fist back and-

"NO!" Luna and I screamed in unison.

There was a crack and a bang as his fist suddenly snapped forward. Celestia was sent sprawling off to the side. Bedford turned towards us with a smile and tapped his head with her horn before winking.

As we looked at him in horror, he resumed his pursuit, completely ignoring Celestia. His attention was solely on me. I jolted and then screamed. I couldn't believe how stupid I was not to realize it.

"Get Celestia to the ship and go," I heaved, taking a few steps forward.

"What?" Ember asked. "What about you?"

"Twilight?" Luna murmured in a weak, uneasy voice.

"I'm the one he's after," I said before beating my wings and flying directly over him. Sure enough, he stopped and tracked me through the air before turning and following me back to the Citadel. I watched him toss aside Celestia's horn and grit my teeth. I glanced back at the plaza just before passing into the Citadel and saw Luna and Ember collecting Celestia, who staggered to her hooves with a dazed look.

Seeing her reach up and touch the base of her broken horn made me clench my eyes shut, and I forced myself to look away just as I slipped inside. I landed on top of the raised platform and turned back to make sure he was still following me.

"Peekaboo," he chirped from right behind me. I gasped and instinctively teleported away just as he reached out to grab me. I stumbled upon reappearing and looked at him in shock. "Didn't see that coming, did you?"

"You really are just playing around," I groused.

"More or less," he chortled. "'Course, when I've already got the winning hand, I can afford to be a little silly, y'know?"

[Sure do,] came a familiar voice and giggle from just behind me.

"Holy smokes," Flurry whispered as she, Tempest, and Jury stared down at the plaza from a high balcony. "I knew Great Aunt Celestia was strong, but wow."

"Uh-huh," her two companions meekly replied, looking down at the flash-fried plaza with wide, terrified eyes. The two shared a look before Flurry yelped.

"No way! He's alive?!"

"What?" Jury squawked before rearing upon the balcony ledge and glaring down at the battle below. "Unbelievable." Tempest whistled as Bedford emerged unscathed and grabbed Celestia.

"Makes a girl wonder what the heck he's made out of," she chortled before gasping and recoiling. "He- Her horn."

Her face twisted in a venomous snarl and her horn crackled. "That miserable..." Jury swept around and brought her hoof to Tempest's chest.

"Let's not lose focus," she said. "We need to hurry and find Eddy." Tempest glared down at the plaza for a few moments longer before pulling away with a grunt. Flurry meanwhile continued to watch with her ears pressed back.

"What's Aunty Twily doing?" She murmured.

"Who cares? Let's move," Tempest spat. Flurry frowned and then gasped when she saw Twilight rush inside, pursued by Bedford.

"She's going to fight him alone?! Is she crazy?!" She turned around to face her companions. "We have to help her!" The pair paused and shared an incredulous look before glaring at her.

"She'll be fine," Tempest replied. "But even if she won't be, what do you think we can do?" Flurry recoiled and her eyes darted around in thought.

"Celestia just nailed him with what looked like everything she had, he outright ignored all of your aunt's spells, and it's a safe bet he's just as smart as our Bedlam," Tempest added, shaking her head with a snort. "So the best way to help your aunt is to find our Bedlam, and help him get the Citadel under our control."

Flurry scowled and raised a hoof. "B-but!"

Jury shrugged and turned to head inside. "I guess you don't want to help him much after all, huh?" Flurry paused and stared at her with wide eyes before looking at Tempest. The partially-mechanical unicorn pursed her lips with a hum before shrugging as well and following after Jury-rig. Flurry's jaw hung slightly for a moment before she bit her lip and looked over her shoulder at the plaza.

Her great-aunts were slowly making their way up the road away from the Citadel, both of them visibly worn out even from this distance. After watching them for a moment, she sniffled and grunted before galloping off after the two villains.

I shivered from the ache in my neck and slowly opened my eyes, immediately regretting the decision as I was met with KS 6's own gaze.

[Mornin' Sunshine~,] she purred. I groaned and tried to sit up, only to discover I was strapped to a table. I tried to work my magic, but the flow stopped just at the base of my horn, a sure sign they'd put a magic inhibitor on me.

"Kinda shocked you didn't just kill me," I murmured. The golem giggled and shook her head.

[Nah, Mr. Bedford needs you alive so you can tell him where you hid the bell.] I jumped as best I could when the villain in question suddenly leaned into view all at once.

"And, Baby? You are most certainly gonna tell me," he said with a grin. I looked him up and down. He was wearing a weird, metal replica of the outfit Eddy always wore.

"How do you keep doing that?" I muttered, causing him to raise an eyebrow. "Popping in and out like that?" He hummed and held a finger to his lips.

"Uh-huh, tryin' to pry at my secrets in the hopes of figuring out how my powers work for the inevitable rematch, right?" He chortled as I scowled, then shook his head before raising his arm, which clicked and spread open. "Well, the fun thing is, the Phase Distorter I equipped this body with is only one of my tricks, so there's really no harm in telling you."

Inside his forearm was a flat gem set in a bronze rune-decorated disk. The gem spun briefly before his arm closed up. "That little beauty is the Phase Distorter," his left eye flashed red and a projection appeared on the table in front of me. It was of a sphere out of which more spheres flowed in a neverending line. "When it switches on it lets me tamper with my personal timeline." One of the spheres suddenly jumped out of order and leaped to the front of the line.

"I can effectively remove the space in between now and then, or drag then straight to myself," he leaned closer as he cut the projection. "Has the lovely effect of letting me skip over the parts in time where I woulda gotten hurt, y'know?" I stared wide-eyed at him.

"How in the world did you-"

He laughed and shrugged. "Pretty damn easy to find the time and resources to make shit like that happen when you've got a world of mechanical slaves to help you out, y'know?" I blinked and he hummed with a smile. "Right, we never got that far, did we?"

He rested his chin on his hand. "Let's see, I told you I made myself an animunculus, but that was about it, right?" I didn't respond but he nodded. "Let's start with the why. I changed myself to avoid being killed or worse."

"The Celestia I'm familiar with was much less kind or forgiving with guys like me, y'see," he explained, casting a projection on the table. It was of Celestia, but with a more severe expression and in armor. "Most non-ponies who fuck up only get one more chance. With a warning." The projection changed strangely, but I gasped when I realized it was from his point of view.

She was pulling his arm off at the shoulder.

"So when I continued to fuck up after that, I knew I was fucked," the projection displayed Celestia on the other side of a glass screen, burning a hole through it. I recognized Rainbow Dash and Sunset Shimmer at her sides, the latter of whom was an alicorn. The projection changed again and there was now what looked like a small version of the transformer pressed in his chest. "So, I took a few extreme measures to avoid dying. I had too much work to do, y'see."

The projection shifted again. He was looking up at a furious Celestia who was pulling apart his mechanical body with her magic. He nodded at me. "Seems pretty fatal, right? But here's the trick," the projection shifted as he chuckled. We were now watching Celestia rip his body apart from the corner of the room. "My mind was now part of my system and I could just leap from body to body with no issue."

He laughed and bumped KS 6's hoof with his fist. "Once I was free of my mortal flesh, it made my work way easier. I made lots of advancements in record time since I could now directly and manually control all my machines," he smirked and the projection cut for a moment. "It made our rematch after a year way more.. Beneficial." The projection came back on and I gagged and clenched my eyes at what he showed. I shuddered as he laughed and slowly opened my eyes. He'd cut the projection and was smiling at me.

"Gotta admit, I think I'm seeing some of why he liked you so much," he purred. I recoiled as much as possible as he reached out and gently petted the side of my face. "Watching you squirm as I lay all this out is just rich." I scowled and he snorted.

"So, yeah, once that went down, toppling the rest of Ponykind wasn't anything special," he rapidly flashed images of himself rampaging across his version of Equestria. I clenched my eyes shut again as too many of the images flashing by were... Just awful. "That was also around the time I realized that instead of just enslaving fleshy things to build my machines, I could just start making fleshy things into my machines." I looked up at him and he smirked.

"Which of course, made toppling the planet easier too," more horrible images flashed by. "It only took ten years, and the entire world was safely mechanized and a part of me."

He glowered as the images stopped, lingering on a view of an entire planet from space. "And that's when I hit my snag." The projection cut and he brought his hand to his forehead with a sigh. He was quiet for a minute or two, before looking me in the eyes again.

"I had my world's chaos magic, but that wasn't nearly enough to do what I wanted," he grit his teeth with a grunt. "And by the time I had the whole planet, I knew my theory on the universe and everything beyond was true."

I shivered as his hand was suddenly and gently petting my mane. "I could feel the universe straining against me. Trying desperately to fix what I'd done," his eyes wandered as he gave a weary smile. "But it didn't have anyone left to use."

His eyes snapped back to me. "That's when I met him," a new projection popped up. This time of a screen full of text. "Or rather, when he met me." I blinked and squinted to try and read the text.

[>Did it work?]

[>Who is this?]

[>Holy shit, it worked!]

[>I will fucking kill you.]

[>Right, sorry. My name is Edward Bedlam, the greatest thaumaturgic mind in this or any universe. Who am I speaking to?]

[>Edward Bedford. The real greatest thaumaturgic mind in this or any universe.]

"Ah, damn it, Eddy," I grunted.

"Yeah, he's a real charmer!" Bedford chortled. "But he gave me hope." More text flew by as the two spent what seemed like a few weeks or maybe months chatting, growing progressively annoyed with each other and sharing evil ideas.

"You taught him how to make the Free Thinkers?" I growled.

"Yep! And in exchange, he shared his idea for self-repairing machines using nano-tech!" Bedford laughed darkly. "But to be honest, I was way more interested in how the hell he managed to communicate with me."

The projection cut and he leaned forward with a grim expression. "But he wasn't feeling very generous. Or maybe he was just suspicious of me, who knows."

He sighed and stood up straight, drumming his hand on the table. "Once I learned he had his own bell full of chaos magic, I knew I had to find a way over her to nab it," he hummed and smiled at me. "And three years ago, you all created the perfect opening for me to do so."

I shuddered as he petted me again. "You locked him in stone, so he wasn't around to keep an eye out for me prying at his systems. I even managed to save and reprogram his rogue little ai here!" He laughed and nudged KS 6 before rolling his head back and forth with a hum. "'Course, I dunno if he even really knew that's what I was trying to do, but oh well."

He crouched and cupped my face with his hands. "I'm here now, and you've got my bell," he smiled. "So I can finally do what I've been gunning for this whole time."

"Huh?" I squeaked, regretting it as soon as I saw his smile.

"Your pink friend was pretty spot on, like I said," he took a heavy breath. "Music, song, and all that shit is pretty integral to this whole slice of the meta cosmos. Wanna know why?" My eyes twitched as he leaned closer.

"Because, in the end, when we peel back all the layers, what we discover about Harmony is not only that it's sentient, but it's got designs all its own for us all," he suddenly shot back and held his hands up. "It's like a stage play or a musical. One song. One verse. Uni-verse. Alternate takes on that song? Multiple verses. Multi-verse. Feel me?" His expression fell and he took a rumbling breath.

"Now here's where we get to my frustration," he cracked his neck. "BECAUSE it's all part of Harmony's script, there are certain core elements that remain the same."

He gestured with his hands. "A is A, B is B," he scowled. "And no matter how many permutations and alterations of the infinite meta cosmos you dig through, Edward Bedford is Edward Bedford. Even if 'accidents happen' and those elements get swapped around, nothing of consequence really happens."

He snorted and waved a hand at me. "It's like cutie-marks, y'know? Predestined. Scripted. Even the alternate you had a place in that script, though her special talent was in bookkeeping I think," he shrugged. "Still you. Still on script. No real change that has any meaning, since any change is predicted by Harmony." I blinked as I processed his rambling. Some of it made sense, but his.. tone made it hard to focus. He was so.. Bitter.

"What I find most absurd about it all is what happens when you try to live a little against the grain, though," he said after a moment. His eyes locked with mine. "I know of five other Edward Bedfords in the multiverse, not counting myself or your boy." He leaned in.

"Know how many are happy, healthy, successful, or alive even? Just one," his expression was even. "The one who stayed on script and played nice. The one who lived the happy little pony way of life, just like Harmony wanted."

His head tilted at a ninety-degree angle. "The others? Well! Two of them got caught in an explosion, one got eaten by a dragon, one got magical cancer and is on his deathbed," he chortled and slapped himself. "I had to mechanize myself to not die, and your boy got turned to stone."

"Because we tried to live a little," he hissed. "Because we saw the happy little pony life and said it was bullshit."

He barked a laugh. "For Christ's sake! YOUR Edward actually tried to improve this place! But he did it the human way, didn't he?" He growled. "And for that, Harmony tells him to go fuck himself, letting or making all sorts of coincidence and contrivance come about to do him in in the end."

He leaned on the table and drummed it with his fingers. "I was never a religious man back home. Way back home, I mean. So when I started to realize how this dream of Harmony's was set up, it really shook me," he looked into my eyes again. With fear for the first time. "I mean hell, this is about as close a thing to God as I've ever seen. Everything that happens or could happen is predicted and manipulated. No action or choice really matters. All for some unknown, allegedly positive purpose."

He went silent for a minute or two, allowing me to digest everything he'd said. "But you know? Most folk, those less provocative and fascinating for instance, might see the face of God and flinch," he smiled at me. "I've seen the face of God and decided to take a swing."

"Huh?" I murmured and grunted when he cupped my face again.

"That's why I need your bell. The chaos magic inside it," he hissed with a grin. "Discord could never make himself stronger than Harmony, even with his practically infinite power."

He laughed hard. "But infinity times infinity? Condensed to a single point? Oh hoh hoh! That might have some surprising results."

I blinked and whimpered at that last point. "C-condensing magic like that would-"

"Explode due to effectively creating its own unstable magical atmosphere? You betcha. Explode hard," he snickered and I winced as he squeezed my face. "Explode everywhere. In every direction, and keep exploding. And exploding. And exploding until everything that is, everything that was, and everything that COULD POSSIBLY BE."

He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Is dead. And the whole of Harmony's shitty little stage play is wiped out," I looked at him in terror as he raised one finger. "Because if choice has no meaning since all choice is just a part of some grand musical production for the entertainment of God?"

"I prefer silence. Now!" He released me and cracked his neck. "You've got the key to my plan hidden somewhere."

He raised his hands which crackled with energy that danced along the table and made me wince. "And I'm going to pry that somewhere out of you," he laughed grimly. "You might be immortal, but that just means I can get really wild here." I whimpered and struggled against my bonds as KS 6 and he laughed.

His hands slowly reached out for me, lightning leaping from his fingertips as they did when suddenly an explosion rocked the room and the lights cut off.

"Son of a bitch, someone's fucking with the Mind," he spat. His eyes lit up, providing light which he scanned the room with. "6, you watch her, I'll be right back." He stomped out of the room, but the second he crossed the threshold he was clotheslined and then blasted away.

"Grab her!" Tirek roared as he dove into the room and tackled KS 6. Chrysalis flew in and ripped me free of my bonds before rushing back for the door. She stopped short and dropped me as Bedford was on his feet and blocking the way.

"Hey now-" She cut him off by tackling him to the ground. Or at least she tried to. Instead, she was pinned to the ground when he suddenly appeared behind her. I gasped and looked between her and Tirek.

"RUN FOR IT, YOU IDIOT!" She screamed. "He's insane!"

"Hurtful, but probably true!" Bedford cackled as I galloped out of the room.

Chapter 9

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter 10

Slowly, my mind took hold of consciousness. I took a breath and let it out in a heavy sigh as I adjusted the comforter lying atop me. For a moment, I felt a smile cross my face, but it vanished almost immediately as I suddenly had the life slammed out of me by something stomping me in the stomach. My eyes shot open and I glared at the source, who smiled cheekily at me in response.

"Time to get up," Twilight chirped, standing with all four hooves planted on my stomach. "You're gonna be late." I scowled and turned towards my nightstand just as my alarm began ringing. A purple magic haze grabbed and switched it off, causing me to return my glare to Twilight as she hopped off my bed.

"Let's go!" She demanded. I let out a grunt and pulled myself up, rubbing my face as I stood. Twilight giggled and trotted to the door while I shuffled towards my bathroom. As she left, she magically hit the switch on my wall, sliding the metal curtains on my window open and letting in both the sun and the view of Canterlot outside. Just before slipping into the bathroom to prepare for the day, I spared a glance out the window.

The streets were being swept clean by my golems, some of which were hauling bins and paused in front of each residence so the locals could dump their trash. Teams of a few dozen golems were being directed by earpiece-wearing pegasi to move clouds over the fields beyond the walls where other pegasi hovered, waiting to kick said clouds, producing rain over the fields.

I flinched as a window-washing golem popped up and began squeegeeing my window. Just beyond, I spied the morning hover carriage departing from the station to the base of the mountain. All across the city, it was a picturesque merging of machine and life, both halves complimenting and empowering the other.

Once again, and without any purple alicorns to disrupt it, a smile formed on my face.

"Okie-dokey!" Twilight chirped as I emerged from my room before she blinked. "That's what you're wearing?" I paused and looked myself over again. Just a simple set of khakis and a short-sleeved blue button-up.

"What?" I shrugged. She leveled an annoyed look my way.

"Eddy, representatives from Foenum and the Royal Family of Thicket are going to be here," she retorted before tilting her head with an expectant leer. "Don't you think you should try looking your best?" I snorted a laugh.

"I always look my best by virtue of being me," I said with a snap of my fingers. She rolled her eyes, and I smirked. "Besides, the deer live a pretty old-school lifestyle, don't they? They'll probably appreciate discovering that Equestria's Minister of Advancement is so down-to-earth!" She held her annoyed stare, but I started down the hall before she could say anything. After striding alone with my hands folded behind my back for a few moments, I heard a sigh and a set of hooves frantically running to catch up to me.

"Well, Jury-rig and Rarity were putting a lot of thought into the stage's design for your speech," she fluttered up and punched my shoulder. "So, if your 'down-to-earth' style clashes at all, that's between you and them!"

I chortled and rubbed the spot she smacked. "Hardly a threat! This outfit's still one Rarity made for me, and Jury still owes me for taking the bullet all those years ago!"

Twilight flinched. "Taking the what?"

I turned and smiled at her. "You remember? I let you girls finally capture me in exchange for letting her and Tempest go?"

She furrowed her brow and tilted her head. "Huh?" I paused and stared at her.

"Just before you turned me to stone." She gasped and recoiled.

"We never did that!" My jaw dropped and I took a step away from her. "What the heck are you talking about, Eddy?" She fluttered closer to me, but I continued backing up.

"Are you okay?" I slowly shook my head as I retreated before tripping over something and falling over. Twilight caught me her magic with a gasp and gently lowered me to the ground. "Eddy?"

I stared at her in shock and slowly scanned the hall. That was when I realized it was all slightly hazy. My jaw hung for a moment before I closed it with a sigh.

"I remember now," I huffed as the hall melted away and Twilight grew fuzzy.

"Eddy?" She said with a warble.

"This is a dream."

"edDy?" I curled my knees to my chest and wrapped my arms around them.

"The same dream I've had since you locked me in here." Everything melted away, until finally I was in a dark void, with a small blot of purple light faintly calling my name. "The same situation. The same place. The same future I could have had. Is that right?" I glared at the purple blot as it vanished.

"A glimpse at what could have been," I grunted and rested my forehead on my knees. "To punish me. Torture me. Is that right?" No response came, just like all the other times.

I caught on to what was happening pretty quickly this time. Usually, I make it to the speech and then the following night, where Jury, Tempest, and I have drinks together and I notice Tempest isn't partially mechanical anymore. Sometimes, I forget my speech and realize I never had one to begin with.

And other times, I remember that Twilight would never smile like that at me again.

Taking a shaky breath through clenched teeth, I struggled to hold on. Struggled against the dream. Struggled against whatever in God's name they were doing to me out there. Struggled against the hot tears falling from my eyes.

It wasn't that the dream was bad. It was great. It was everything I could have hoped for, and more than I could imagine. And that was the problem.

It was just a dream.

Slowly, my mind took hold of consciousness. I took a breath and let it out in a heavy sigh as I adjusted the comforter lying atop me. For a moment, I felt a smile cross my face, but it vanished almost immediately as I suddenly had the life slammed out of me by something stomping me in the stomach. My eyes shot open and I glared at the source, who smiled cheekily at me in response.

"Time to get up," Twilight chirped.

Chapter 12

"Flurry, get this inhibitor off me!" I yelled.

"Don't do that!" Jury and Tempest screamed in unison.

[What they said!] One of the 6 duplicates cackled after us.

"I don't wanna die!" Flurry wailed angrily before spinning and firing a beam at the horde. Luckily, while the duplicates were theoretically just as dangerous, they weren't as sturdy as the original. Thus, when Flurry's magic struck one of them, it blew off a portion of the golem's chassis before the entire thing collapsed.

Unluckily, the horde only seemed to be growing with every intersection or corner we passed. The fallen duplicate was quickly trampled by the rest, one of whom lowered her horn to take a shot at us before being kicked in the jaw.

[Don't shoot, idiot! You might hit Eddy!] One screamed.

[Sorry! I wasn't thinking!] The other replied.

[Drop him, you skanks!] A third added. Disregarding that last one, we all looked at Tempest who blinked before leering back at the petrified Eddy she was carrying behind us.

"Neat," Jury squeaked. "Thanks, Eddy."

"Hey! Aunty Twiliy's the one who petrified him! Give her some credit!" Flurry said, drawing a glare from the rest of us. She wilted slightly before focusing forward, aiming her light, and then screaming. I looked ahead to see more duplicates scrambling towards us. We all slid to a stop and my attention darted between the two hordes, who were slowly stalking towards us, giggling and tossing jeers the entire time.

"Damn it," Tempest hissed, straining as she levitated the petrified Eddy around as cover. Suddenly, I was thrown off balance by Flurry. Before I could do anything more than cry out, she clamped her teeth on my horn and ripped the inhibitor off.

"Aunty! Do something!" She cried after spitting it out. Tempest and Jury shot a glare my way but made no complaint. With a nod and a crack of my neck, I lit up my horn, focusing on the plaza outside and the mental image of all of us on it.

Then another explosion echoed from somewhere further inside and the duplicates began twitching.

[The Crystal Mind!] One yelled and looked back the way we'd come running before she stumbled over with an angry scream.

"What happened?" Flurry gasped as most of the duplicates shuddered and fell to the ground.

"No time," I replied and unleashed my spell.

The sun was still partially visible through the clouds, even though they'd begun to roll back over the island, casting the plaza in its warm light as we reappeared. Jury and Flurry stumbled and sat down to catch their breath, while Tempest gently set down Eddy's statue and leered suspiciously at me. However, my attention was firmly on the jagged white horn right at my hooves.

"So, uh, what now?" I blinked and turned to Jury, who had scurried behind Tempest and was looking anxiously at me. Flurry, meanwhile, crept up and sat down next to me with an ashamed expression. I hummed a sigh and shook my head.

"That doppelganger's more of a problem than I would have ever expected," I replied and fixed the pair of villains with a critical stare. "He's hunting for this world's version of Grogar's Bell so he can use the chaos magic in it to.." I grimaced and looked away. I clenched my eyes trying to wrap my head around the idea of what he was trying to achieve.

"So he can do what?" Tempest pressed. I looked wearily at her for a moment before grunting.

"He wants to trigger an arcane explosion of an unfathomable scale," I replied. Tempest furrowed her brow, and Flurry tilted her head. Jury meanwhile jolted and her ears snapped up.

"With chaos magic?"

I nodded. "Ours and the source from his version of Equestria condensed to a single point." Her ears pressed against her skull.

"Wha?"

"Yep," I grumbled. She blinked and narrowed her eyes as if in thought. Then she shook her head and nudged Tempest, who was looking back at her.

"If he does that it could, uh," she scrunched her muzzle for a second and cleared her throat. "It'll blow up the whole planet, and.. Literally everything else." Tempest recoiled and looked at me.

"The whole multiverse. Everything," I sighed. Flurry squeaked and hugged the ground in shock.

"Huh," Tempest replied and blinked. Then she smirked and shook her head. "Guess Eddy was right."

I looked at Jury before we both turned to Tempest, who laughed and looked at his statue. "He is an asshole."

"Huh?" Jury griped, shooting Tempest an incredulous glare. "What's that even mean? He knew about that guy?"

Tempest nodded and shrugged. "He mentioned it once," she pursed her lips with a hum. "And I think the other Eddy also said he'd shared stuff with him, didn't he?" Jury recoiled and her eyes darted around in thought.

"He never mentioned this to me!" She huffed. "Since when?" Tempest shrugged again and I furrowed my brow in thought.

"The other Eddy mentioned they'd talked a lot, actually," I murmured, stepping closer to the statue. "I wonder how much of this scheme Eddy was aware of?"

"Well, let him out, and let's ask him," Tempest offered, causing me to jolt and glare at her. She shrugged again. "Sounds like that metal freak is pretty dangerous. Maybe we need Eddy's help to deal with it?" She smirked but I held my scowl.

"So long as we keep the bell from him, it's nothing we can't handle."

"Don't be so sure," another voice came from just behind the statue. I jumped and flew back as a bruised and tired-looking female minotaur in a torn-up black jumpsuit emerged. Jury screamed and galloped a few feet away while Tempest cracked her neck and lit up her horn. The minotaur raised a hand. "Peace. I believe for once we are earnestly on the same side."

She smirked. "And besides," she purred just before Jury and Flurry screamed. Turning, I saw that seven more minotaurs had appeared and were standing with knives drawn, ready to pounce. "If I wished to do you harm, I could do so."

"Doubtful," Tempest spat before groaning. "But go ahead. What's got you feeling cooperative."

"Who is this?" I asked as Flurry and Jury huddled between Tempest and me.

"I am Silver Lace, of Minos," the minotaur replied with a bow. "While my former husband was considered Bedlam's operative in Minos, it was I who handled the technical and strategic affairs in the region." She smiled.

"She also plotted to kill Eddy every chance she got!" Jury hissed, causing Silver Lace to giggle.

"Which again, should make you consider how grave the situation is, if I do not simply have one of my maids obliterate him while he is so vulnerable," she said with a smirk and a small nod towards the statue. Jury wilted and whimpered but Tempest humphed.

"Right. So, elaborate."

Silver nodded. "While attempting to take command of the new Crystal Mind, I discovered many of our enemy's memories. Mainly, they were scenes of his forces back on his world," she explained and gestured to the plaza. "Vast numbers of animunculi that he claimed were on standby unless he needed to use them against us."

She grimaced with a grunt. "As well as one other thing he seemed especially proud of. It was-" I gasped at her description while Tempest scowled and Jury held a hoof to her mouth. Flurry stumbled slightly and then leaned against me for support.

"Oh boy," Tempest finally huffed. "And all that's just.. waiting on the sidelines?"

"He claimed as much," Silver replied holding her chin. "I cannot say how he managed to transport himself here, so I also cannot say how he would transport his forces here."

She nodded. "Which is to say, I cannot deny his ability to bring them all here at once."

"That's right!" I cried. "He never explained how he even popped up here! If it was a portal or a spell or what!"

"And I believe only one creature might know for certain," Silver added. I paused and looked up at her. Her expression was serene and unreadable. Meanwhile, Jury and Tempest leered at me with frustration and expectation. I frowned and looked at the statue then at Flurry. She was still recovering from what Lace said she saw but blinked and looked at me with terror in her eyes.

"Aunty? Are we going to be okay?" I flinched slightly before smiling.

"We're going to do our best, Flurry," I pulled her into a hug. "That's all we've ever done." She hugged me tight with a sniffle before I pulled away and took a breath. I turned to face the statue.

"Eddy, what's wrong?" The purple dream monster begged.

"Shut UP!" I screamed, still with my hands clamped on my head. "You're not REAL. NONE of this is real!"

"whAT aRe youu TAlkkin g abOut?" It warbled as the dream began to wash away.

"I need to wake up," I huffed. "I NEED to wake up." I strained and panted.

"I NEED TO WAKE UP," I heaved before gasping, falling forward, and hitting my face. I let out a hearty grumble. That was new.

"Is he dead?" I shivered. And THAT was Lace. I scrambled to a sitting position and then back from where I'd fallen. Panting and blinking, I scanned the scene before me before furrowing my brow.

Sure enough, Lace was here, looming over where I'd just been. But so was Twilight, her niece, Tempest, and Jury, as well as Lace's assassins. I panted and scanned the area. It was the plaza of my Citadel. Leaning forward with a grunt, I met Twilight's concerned eyes.

"Hey, Eddy," she muttered. I scowled.

"Are you real?"

She flinched. "Huh?" Scanning the ground again, I noticed bulky chunks of rock lying around where I'd fallen initially. They looked like fragments of a shell, and one of them looked like a cast of my face. I let out a sigh of relief, before slowly pushing to my feet. Standing at my full height, I leered down at Twilight with a smirk.

"Has it been five hundred years already?" I chortled at her frown and leaned forward at her. "Cause I'm not feeling too reformed."

Author's Note

Chapter 13

I glared back at the plaza once we were at the very edge of the Citadel. That fucking brat. I let out a grumbling sigh and looked down at Jury and Tempest, neither of whom had left my side since we started our exodus. Twilight, meanwhile, was also close at hand and leading us on.

"So, since you told Tempest you'd made contact with him, something he confirmed, I was hoping you might have some idea about how to handle this," she groused, casting a suspicious leer my way. Just ahead, Lace came jogging towards us from around one of the cliffs surrounding the Citadel.

"My hovering carriage is still undisturbed, so we have our way off this accursed place," she declared. "My maids are preparing for our departure as we speak."

I humphed and nodded at her. "You said you destroyed his Crystal Mind, right?"

"Perhaps not entirely, but it was certainly damaged by my explosives," she replied as we began walking as one group. I grunted and folded my arms before looking at Twilight.

"Lucky us, then. Transferring energy from one world to another is damned easy. You just need a massive amount of energy to keep the flow going, kinda like carving your way through a rapidly regenerating jungle," I smirked. "Matter is a whole other beast, as I'm sure you know."

"In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he had to assemble the body's he's using here, remotely," I added after a moment. "Whatever system he's using to project his mind to our side has probably been running hot nonstop over there."

"Whats that got to do with the Crystal Mind?" Flurry pressed as she fluttered up next to me, to Tempest's visible annoyance.

"Simple. To transport material, he'll need two massive power sources to be in perfect sync between both worlds and then those same sources will need to act as gates he has to physically pull or push material through," I chortled and glanced back at the Citadel as it vanished around the corner. "The Crystal Mind is the ideal tool since it's not only a massive magic battery, but it's smart enough to cast spells like that at the same time." My smile vanished with a yelp when Jury snorted and jabbed me with her horn.

"Why didn't you tell me about any of this?!" She barked, causing me to flinch. "You were talking with this maniac for who knows how long and getting tooltips from him?!" I stammered and was magically yanked down to her eye level.

"How much of our stuff is his?" She hissed. I hesitated and slowly raised a hand.

"Not- Not nearly as much as you think," I quietly replied. She held her angry glare, urging me to elaborate. "The Free-thinkers were the main thing, but I realized pretty quick how little I wanted to do with the guy."

I grumbled with a shrug. "I was going to tell you, but.. Well, it reached a point where I realized how cracked the guy is, and I thought it best just to cut all contact," I groaned and winced. "At least, unless something serious came up."

She narrowed her eyes, but her face softened. "How bad did you know he was?" I felt her magical grip release and I rolled back to a sitting position, where I huffed and rubbed my head.

"He never said anything overt, but when you ramble endlessly about 'how pointless all paths seem in the face of omniscient Harmony,' I dunno," I shrugged. "Seems pretty obvious to me you might take the tools of death I knew he had and do something stupid."

I smirked despite myself with a laugh. "And his capacity for stupidity is vast." The girls all shared a look before Twilight frowned.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

I sighed and pushed to my feet. "The guy does bad things and people get mad at him," I couldn't help but snicker, and shake my head. "And he's SO bewildered by that, that he decides GOD must be behind it." I laughed in earnest this time. Twilight recoiled and I leaned towards her.

"You said he laid a lot of what he went through out for you, yeah? Like what Celestia did?" I tilted my head and she slowly nodded. I snorted. "Did he mention why she did that?" She blinked and frowned, giving me my answer.

"Well, he told me," I heaved a laugh and gestured in the Citadel's direction. "See, he, like me, got fucked over by Equestrian society and bureaucrat types not trusting him with all the magic machinery."

I snickered darkly and raised an eyebrow. "But I at least never stabbed Rainbow in the wing joint over it," I continued. She recoiled with a gasp and I nodded. "Yep! She delivered him the notice of 'cease and desist until further notice' and he jabbed her with a kitchen knife."

The whole group, save Tempest and Lace flinched at my words, and I let out a humming sigh. "I feel for the guy to some extent, but let's not mince words," I shook my head and glared back the way we came. "Guy was already further off the deep end than I was by the time he popped up in Ponyland."

"I suppose this once, I can grant you that," came another voice. I frowned and scowled at Lace, who looked just as surprised as everyone else.

"What the fuck good are your cow ninjas?" I griped, causing her to flinch and scowl back at me. I rolled my eyes and leaned over to wave at Celestia. "Hey-" I paused.

She, Luna, Ember, and the rest of Twilight's friends were all pretty banged up, with the smaller ponies wearing patchy bandages. But Celestia herself was the most shocking, and not for the deep purple ring around her eye. I strode passed Lace toward her, causing the smaller ponies and her sister to weakly take defensive poses. I approached, undaunted, and was able to brush passed them unmolested. The only one who gave me pause for even a moment was Ember, but she made no move against me.

Standing before her, I looked Celestia up and down. "Did he do that?" I whispered, my eyes locked on her jagged horn stump. She blinked and hummed, at which I huffed and glanced back at Tempest, who shared a glare with me. As we did so, Twilight came trotting forward, followed by a reluctant and anxious-looking Flurry.

"What are you all still doing here?" Twilight asked as she pushed passed me.

"What, you think we could just leave you with that freak?" Ember replied with a snort, reaching down and ruffling her mane.

"Yeah! And no way we were gonna let Flurry stick with those two," Rainbow added and jabbed a hoof at Tempest and Jury, who scowled in response.

"We, mm," Fluttershy, who had a slightly red bandage tightly wrapped around her leg winced and curled said leg to her chest before speaking again. "We might not have any idea how to stop that monster, but we can't just abandon you two."

"You guys," Twilight murmured with a sad smile. I scoffed and pushed back to where Jury and Tempest were, drawing an annoyed glare from them.

"How very touching!" I snorted, bringing a hand to my chest. "Almost makes a man want to cast aside the plan he had cooking for his doppelganger, just to give you ladies a chance to really show how friendship wins in the end!"

Rarity grunted and rubbed her bandaged side before retorting. "Well! Glad to see you haven't changed at all!" She humphed and turned to Twilight. "Celestia had mentioned the idea of releasing him, but just hearing him is enough to make me question if you and she haven't gone looney!"

I barked a bitter laugh and glared at her with a grin. "Maybe they have! Then again, I'm still not entirely convinced any of this is real, so maybe I'm the crazy one." She recoiled while the rest gave me a bewildered look.

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked with a frown. Jury and Tempest looked up at me with concern. I rolled my eyes.

"I mean that lovely dream you've left me locked in for the past three years has me questioning if I'm not just going to find myself floating in a void in a few minutes before it all starts over," I spat. The girls all shared a look, while Twilight just stared at me with her jaw hanging. Celestia, meanwhile, blinked and gave me a concerned look, while Luna..

"Excuse you?" Luna hissed with a venomous tone.

"You heard me," I chortled, looking her up and down. "Wouldn't be surprised if you had a lot to do with it." Despite her obvious fatigue, my words had set a fire in her eyes, seemingly reinvigorating her.

"How dare you," she hissed again and took a stomp towards me. Tempest moved forward between us, while Jury looked at the princesses in contempt.

"Eddy, you shouldn't have been able to dream at all," Twilight suddenly said, causing me to raise an eyebrow at her. She looked me up and down. "And if Luna had done something like that, I would have known. I checked you every chance I had to make sure you weren't awake in there." Luna recoiled and glared at Twilight, but the latter didn't notice. Her eyes were fixed on me with concern. I frowned at her words but shook my head.

"Whatever, it doesn't matter," I waved my hand and then pointed at Lace. "That one has an air carriage we need to us." My hand traced to Twilight.

"And that one can catch you up on just how bad things are," I smirked at their reluctant and confused reactions. "Trust me. For once, you'll be glad I'm out and about." Ember growled, at which Tempest crackled her horn, but Celestia held up a wing.

"As I feared, things seem to have escalated," she sighed and raised an eyebrow at me. "Though, I expect you already have some scheme prepared."

"Sure do!" I laughed and began striding in the direction of Lace's hover craft. "In a bunker on the coast." I smirked at Jury, who frowned in response.

"Bunker on the coast?" She murmured the phrase a few times before gasping. "Oh! Y'know? I was actually just thinking about that a few days ago!"

"Really?" I asked as she and I made our way to the ship.

"Yep! I was thinking of making a bomb with the stuff!" She chirped, causing me to hesitate. She blinked and tilted her head. "What?"

Chapter 14

"How long has this been here?" Twilight groused with a frustrated glare aimed at the circular metal wall built into the cliffside. It was only ten feet in diameter, but was one solid piece of metal, giving it a very sturdy appearance, save for the door at its center.

"A year before you surrendered," I replied with a smile. "We were using it to store our plan B." I approached the door and pressed on its center, revealing a small panel with a pad with nine gems on it. I pressed them in a memorized sequence, causing them to light up briefly before the entire thing flashed and the door hissed.

"We sealed it with a special spell that merged the door with the rest of the wall, so unless you knew the code to get in, you'd have to punch through the whole thing," Jury added as the door slid open, vanishing into the wall.

"And good luck with that," I laughed before marching inside, the bunker lighting up upon my entry. The threshold revealed that the wall and the door were around three feet thick. Paying no mind to our guests as they gawped at the defensive structure, I made my way to the edge of the platform we walked upon and leaned on the railing there.

"How'd you make all this?" Flurry asked with wonder in her voice.

"Flurry," Twilight griped.

"What?"

"Now, now, Twilight, let's not discourage a curious heart!" I laughed as the lights flickered on down below. "And to answer your question, with the chaos magic in Grogar's Bell, we were able to transmogrify mundane materials like rock into more useful things, like steel or gems." Flurry let out an amazed gasp.

"So, did you just carve out this chamber and then turn the walls to metal?" She pressed, fluttering up next to me. I smiled and gave her a nod, at which she squealed with delight. She was sharp, no denying that. Of course, the method she determined we used was the easiest way to build this place.

The bunker was built like a cylinder that bored into the cliffside and then dipped down. The whole place was encased in the same thick metal shell, both to keep potential invaders out and to keep what was stored there in.

"What's that?" Pinkie asked, rearing up on the railing next to me and peering over the edge. Just below, around twenty or so feet, were six rows of barrels, three barrels to a row. The rest appeared in my peripheral and also glanced down at the space below.

"Balefire!" Jury chirped as she poked her head through the railing. The rest of the bunker went silent, and Pinkie and Flurry slowly retreated from the railing. Celestia was the first to break the silence with a heavy and miserable sigh.

"You were going to use BALEFIRE on us?!" Twilight screamed as she shot up and hovered in my face.

"Not you specifically," I replied with a smile.

"What does that even mean?!" She hissed through her teeth.

"Like I said, this was the plan B. Last resort. If everything else went up in flames, we'd throw this at whoever had us cornered," I explained with a shrug. "I figured the sight of it alone would scare off most creatures, giving us a chance to make a break for it." Twilight's eye twitched and she growled.

"Unbelievable," Celestia murmured.

"Lunatic," Luna added. Twilight glared hard at me for a moment before blinking and looking down at the barrels with a frown.

"As awful as this is, you said you had this ready even before Equestria surrendered?"

"Before you surrendered, yes."

She rolled her eyes and leered at me. "Why didn't you use it to stop KS 6?" I smirked with a nod.

"This stuff burns magic, and the more magic it touches the longer it burns," I gestured to the barrels. "So sure, it'd eat at the literal hearts and minds of my animunculi, including KS 6. But its range isn't unlimited. It couldn't reach space, for instance, which is where she'd probably flee to."

I shrugged. "Since, y'know, she had the satellites and all," I looked back down at the barrels. "Once the satellites were down, I wanted to try handling her manually, due to her proximity to Equestria, which is one of the most magically rich lands I know of."

I chortled darkly and gave her a grin. "Out here though, and over water? Hah! Even if it doesn't kill him outright, it'll still force him to retreat, and-"

"He has access to the satellites, though," she retorted. I choked and recoiled.

"What?"

"I'm not sure when, but he managed to-"

"Why didn't you tell me?" I snarled, leaning forward and nearly pressing my nose to hers. She flinched and I flopped onto the railing with a groan. "Well, that wildly complicates things. Even if we obliterate his current body and sever his link to his world, nothing is stopping him from hiding in space and remotely building another body."

"What?!" Twilight screamed. "You're kidding?"

"He might be a moron, but he's at least as technically skilled as I am," I groused, rubbing my forehead. "As I mentioned, the body he's currently running around in was probably remotely constructed, so no reason to assume he couldn't make another once he's hiding in the satellites."

I groaned and held my face in my hands. "Unless we can shut them down, the only other option would be to scrub all my machinery from the planet. All of it." An uncomfortable silence followed as everyone digested this revelation.

"That is only if we seek victory," Lace declared after a few moments. I slowly cast an annoyed leer back at her. She rubbed her chin in thought. "If instead we seek only to avoid defeat, our options grow significantly."

I shook my head in bewilderment. "How is that any different from trying to win, again?"

She smirked. "If our objective is simply to not lose, we can let him waste himself as he tries both to win and to not lose," she explained, causing me to slowly blink. "For instance, instead of needing to purge him from the world, all we need to do is keep the bell away from him."

Celestia hummed and nodded. "Whereas he must both seek the bell and avoid being destroyed and spend his time and energy on both, I see." I grumbled and rolled my head.

"That really doesn't solve our problem at all."

"No, but it does give us time to seek a more permanent solution," Celestia replied. "We can retreat to Canterlot to do so with all of our allies."

"All of your allies you mean," I snorted, casting a raised eyebrow at Ember who had locked a glare on me the whole trip here. I let out a breath and shrugged.

"Once I explain everything to them, I'm sure they'll understand why they shouldn't just rip you to shreds," Twilight retorted, and her eyes drifted to the balefire. "We should bring this with us. It could be useful for whatever we decide to do, and I don't want to risk that monster getting ahold of it."

"Does Canterlot still have its console?" Jury suddenly asked. Twilight nodded and Jury hummed. "We might be able to hack the satellites using it if nothing else."

I perked up and stood up straight. "Very true!" I chortled and rubbed my neck. "Well, as loath as I am to admit it, I can't think of anything better."

"We aren't really considering letting them near Canterlot's magical.. machiney.. control thing are we?" Luna griped with an aggravated huff. I shot her a smirk and Twilight shook her head.

"Well, as loath as I am to admit it, I can't think of anything better either," she sighed.

I hummed a laugh as Jury followed me to the door. "Well, isn't this nostalgic?"

"Sure is!" Jury replied. Twilight grunted and trotted up next to me.

"Where are you going? We need to get the balefire out."

I laughed and held up my hands. "And I only have two of these, and no magic to work with!"

She scowled furiously and bared her teeth. "Magic is probably the worst thing to handle balefire with, genius."

"Not when it's in those sealed barrels," I snapped back with a grin.

"Forget it, Twilight," Ember called as she flew up from below with a barrel under each arm. "I don't trust him with this stuff anyhow."

"He'd probably try to hide some in his boots," Rainbow added with a huff as she flew down to the lower level.

"Ain't that the truth," Applejack added as the rest began hauling up the barrels. Tempest was about to turn to help before Ember shot her a look and I gestured for her to follow me. She returned Ember's glare before trotting out the door with Jury and me.

Once we were outside, I turned to make sure we weren't followed before looking Jury up and down. "Alrighty, so, I wanted to make sure we were thinking of the same thing," I began and jabbed my thumb at the bunker. "You were planning to make a bomb with that?"

She blinked and smiled. "Yep!" I frowned and shared a look with Tempest, recoiling when she nodded.

"Why?" I murmured.

"I wanted to make them regret what they did to you," Jury replied with a shrug. "I figured a balefire explosive on a train or orphanage or something would-"

"Orphanage?" I wheezed, slouching onto my knees. She blinked and frowned.

"What?"

"Jury, that's.." I shook my head in a daze and fixed her with a critical leer. "That's not like you."

She flinched and glared at me. "How do you know?"

"Huh?"

She took a step closer and studied me for a moment. "How do you know that's not what I'm like?" She gestured to Tempest. "We've always just done things your way, so I never really had to act any sort of way."

I looked at her in shock before recoiling as she smirked with pride. "Maybe I'm more vicious than you give me credit for. That's why we make such good partners!" She giggled and turned before trotting back to the hovercraft. I stared at her, jaw agape, before looking at Tempest.

She turned to me after watching Jury for a moment and shrugged. "Anyway, it's nice to have you back, Ed," she chuckled and slowly trotted after Jury. "Let's try to avoid getting separated again."

I stood on the edge of the cliffside alone and slowly drew my hand over my face. I stared in the direction they'd both walked for a moment, coping with the talk we just had and listening to the waves crashing far below, when an image flashed in my mind.

It was the dream again. Specifically, the latter portion, when Tempest, Jury, and I gathered for drinks after the speech. When they were both happy. Free from stress. Free from conflict.

Free from me.

I shook and held my head. "The fuck did that come from?"

Chapter 15

In any other circumstance, I'd have derived some level of spiteful joy from this situation. However, as the leaders of Equestria's nearest allies sat around the table before me, I was too preoccupied with our mutual adversary to find any humor. The only comfort, which we all shared, was that thanks to good old manual magic letters, Lace's maids were able to keep an eye on my double down at the Citadel. And luckily, he's remained pretty inactive since we departed.

"My guess is he's trying to both repair the Crystal Mind and himself," I explained. I gestured to Lace, between Thorax and Ember. "Lace claimed he amputated his own arm to nullify the effects of her disrupting wand, but I can't imagine it didn't have any lingering effects on his motor functions."

"And as we discussed, so long as we keep the bell hidden he cannot achieve his dark design," Celestia added. While everyone present had been glaring at me while I spoke, they relaxed somewhat at Celestia's words. Couldn't have that.

"Where is the bell, anyhow?" I asked, stroking my chin.

"No," Twilight spat. I stuck my tongue at her. "We're taking a big enough risk letting you and Jury use the castle's console, so don't push your luck."

"Or do," Ember added, leaning on the table with a smile. "Be my guest."

"Yak agree," Rutherford humphed.

"I also would not be opposed to you aggravating the princess and urging her to retract her protections briefly," Lace added with a polite nod. I cleared my throat and leaned back in my seat. Twilight smirked and turned to the rest of the table.

"Rest assured, we aren't out of options yet. I'm certain we can make use of the balefire we took from Bedlam's bunker," she shot me a momentary glance. "And if all else fails, we could risk using the bell to drain the magic from Bedlam's old network, hopefully ensnaring Bedford in the process."

I grimaced at the thought. Something like that would practically ruin.. Everything.

Jury and I had performed a series of tests I don't think Twilight was aware of back in the day. When the bell is used on magic-rich gems, the siphoning effect fries them. Meaning, if that's the route we wind up pursuing...

Well, all the more reason to get the bell first, isn't it? And all the more reason to slide as many alternatives forward as possible. "Another option I was mulling over was reversing his transformation." Everyone's attention was on me again. I stretched and cracked my knuckles, drawing a grimace from Twilight.

"If you remember, I figured out how to reverse the flesh-to-metal transmogrification spell. So if we could pin his consciousness down, we might be able to turn him fully human again," I explained.

"Now there's an idea," Twilight replied, rubbing her chin before frowning at me. "But, when you say 'pin his consciousness down'.."

I sighed hard. "He can slip from body to body, leaving behind empty animunculi, which I can't imagine the reversing spell would work on," I shrugged. "But who knows?"

"I say we smash all you metal things," Rutherford offered. "He have nowhere hide then. Then smash him too." I snorted and waved my hand at him.

"Sure, good luck with that."

Twilight smiled at me. "Thanks, Eddy."

"Mhm."

"Eddy?"

"Mhm."

It was only for a moment, but when the bell drained the magic from her, I felt it. All of it. It was like that night back in the Castle of Two Sisters, when I first set my animunculi to work. The raw potential it presented. My fingers drummed the bell as I stared at it and my mind went to work.

Chaos magic has no limits when used right. If you avoid its counters and just think things through, there is literally no limitation to what can be accomplished. I wouldn't even need to use it in combat. I could just use it to test my animunculi in ways only possible in my wildest imaginations. Because that's literally the framework I held in my hands: Imagination.

Raw creativity, unchecked by reality's constraints.

Within my hands, I held everything I ever wanted and more. The world. My world. Mine. The world I wanted to show Twilight.

I paused.

"Embrace the opportunity she's offered wholeheartedly. Or you will never have her."

My eyes darted back and forth. "I will not compromise on my vision for the world by even one half-acre."

I grit my teeth. "I get what I want in the end."

"Eddy?" I looked down and saw Twilight's concerned frown. I felt the weight of the stone bell now more than ever. I clenched my eyes shut as my breathing began to match that weight. Glasses or no, there was no way she couldn't see my tears. "Are you okay?"

I took a shuddering breath and nodded before smiling at her.

"Sorry." I flipped the bell around and conjured a portal with it before jumping through.

I hurled myself to a sitting position with a gasping shout. My eyes darted around until I saw the dark silhouette of my lamp, and I nearly fell out of bed scrambling to flip it on. As the light peeled away the shadows of my room, I blinked and scanned the air, panting and muttering.

"What the fuck was that?" I swallowed hard, threw my legs over the edge of my bed, and leaned on my knees until I managed to catch my breath. Blinking again, I looked up at my clock and groaned at the time. I dragged my hand over my head and stood up.

"Eddy?" I jolted in my seat and turned to see Twilight trotting into the garden with a concerned look. "The guards said they saw you wandering, are you okay?" I grimaced and rubbed my chin.

"Not really," I replied. She hesitated before teleporting onto the bench beside me and placing her wing on my back.

"You have a nightmare or something?" She asked. I frowned and rolled my hand.

"Kinda? It wasn't like, terrifying or anything, it was just.." I shook my head. "Wrong."

My eyes were open. My heart was beating in my ears, and my breathing was heavy, but I made no reaction. I just stared up at the ceiling of my room in Canterlot's castle. Turning my head, I slowly remembered what reality was and checked the time Three A.M. Jury was waiting.

I threw my legs over the edge of my bed, just like in my dream and that caused me to shiver.

"Luna's magic is sealed in his bell," I quietly grumbled, rubbing my temples in thought. "So, what then?" I took a deep breath and mulled over what I knew. I'd been having these dreams since they locked me in stone. Now that I'm free, they're evidently still happening, although this time was something different.

A dream within a dream? Hell, that'd be peculiar even if I wasn't likely cursed. I rubbed my chin and growled in thought. They'd given me a room to myself, albeit a small one, but that didn't mean they trusted me. Was the stress of his presence and their hostility getting to me? So, why was I having these dreams while stuck in stone?

I blinked. They'd turned me to stone three years ago. Jury claimed she lost access to the Mind around then. It's not unreasonable to assume that was when he started trying to dig his way into this world. My face worked into a venomous grin.

"I get it," I hissed and rose to my feet. "Too much evil Bedlam in one place. Too much of the same guy. Too many timelines intersecting. That's what's causing them." I laughed weakly.

"Has to be."

The chamber was quiet. Only the quiet hum of the partially functioning Crystal Mind filled the room, occasionally accompanied by a sharp snap or crackle as a magical discharge leaped from its shattered face. Just before it and leaning up against its console sat a limp and unmoving humanoid animunculus, missing one arm and with a face fixed in a permanent sneer.

As the mind slowly rotated, it shuddered and then an arc of magical lightning leaped into the golem which sprang to life with a shout. "Ho-ly!" Bedford heaved and took a single step before falling forward, narrowly catching himself on his one remaining arm. "Damn it. That cow trashed this one. No wonder I lost connection." He looked up and scanned the room.

"Let's see.. KS 6 is.. there. The alicorn duplicates are.. there," his eyes weakly flashed as they locked on unseen targets, hidden behind walls and throughout the facility. "You three are going to have to handle things on this side while I restock." His one good arm hissed and gave out.

"Tight," he groused, his voice warbling and weak. "Well, whatever, you have your orders." His eyes began to dim and his body shuddered for a moment before going still. Again, quiet held the chamber, but for a far shorter period this time.

Bedford suddenly let out a chortle. "Tell you what," he struggled and glanced back at the Crystal Mind. "That rock's about to break down anyhow, so why not use it while we can? Give you ladies an edge over those lowlifes. HA-HA-HA-HA." His eyes flashed violently, and the Crystal Mind lit up. Magical energy danced up its face and arced all around the room, burning shallow trenches into the floor and walls as the gem spun and whipped its tendrils of power around.

Bedford cackled as the energy swept through him, melting his body in half just before he abandoned it for his home world. The gem continued spinning until it cracked and splintered. Still, its power snapped out and tore up the chamber, before coiling up in on itself, forming a sphere. The entire Crystal Mind collapsed and then exploded, sending glass shrapnel in every direction.

Out of its wake and through the smoke the explosion generated, a set of hooves slowly and deliberately clacked against the floor, carefully and begrudgingly stalking toward the exit.

Chapter 16

There wasn't time to dwell on my sleeping mind or my double's part in recent peculiarities. Jury was waiting. We had a plan to pursue and a city to take. I pulled my door open and leered down at the guards waiting outside.

"What are you doing?" One of them demanded as they shot me a unified glare.

"Too much on my mind. I'm going for a stroll in the garden," I muttered in response, attempting to stride past them. A pair of spears crossed in front of me.

"Not without an escort you're not!" The other spat. I raised an eyebrow and shrugged.

"Fine by me," I replied. The pair narrowed their eyes before parting and following me down the hall. I drew my hand over my face a few times to shake off the effects of my sudden awakening and let out a sigh. We didn't bump into any other staff and shortly found ourselves passing under the tall arched pass the let out into the garden.

Exactly as planned.

Almost as soon as I stepped out under the moonlight, a pair of surprised grunts squeaked up behind me followed by a meaty thunk. I smirked and turned to see Tempest, standing over the pair of unconscious guards.

"Nice work," I said. She bowed slightly and we hauled the guards to the nearby bushes.

"Wait till you see the console's room. Jury isn't the only one waiting for us," she replied with a chuckle as we crept back into the castle.

"Oh really?" I hummed at her response.

Even though we'd been allowed supervised access to the machine earlier today, it was still miserable what Twilight had done to it. The usually well-guarded room used to be lit up solely by the crystals providing power to the machine itself, and was otherwise bare and dark. Now though, it was filled with fluffy-looking potted plants, and vibrant throw rugs. The only addition I could appreciate was the gothic-looking candlestands providing more light than usual.

But my aesthetic complaints fell to the wayside as I discovered who else was in here besides Jury and the unconscious guards.

"Hi, Bedlam," Flurry groused, giving me a weak wave and hopping down from her seat in front of the console. I shared a smirk with Tempest before stepping toward her.

"Well, this is a surprise," I declared, briefly glancing at Jury who was staring critically at the young alicorn. "I thought your mother had you cordoned to an entirely separate wing of the castle, away from me?"

Flurry heaved a grumpy sigh and nodded. "She does and she's been giving me an earful since she got here," she humphed and gave me a tired look. "I only managed to sneak out 'cause she and Dad are asleep."

"And the sculking brat followed me here," Jury added causing Flurry to wince and me to frown. Jury glared at Flurry for a moment longer before giving me a severe look. "She still hasn't figured out whose side she's on, Ed." She reached over and began digging through her compact saddlebag.

"Whose side?" I parroted, giving Flurry a critical look. "Whats that mean?" Flurry wilted at my attention, and Tempest stepped forward.

"Back at the Citadel, she was initially eager to help us, and you," she explained. "But when it came between us and her aunt, she sided with the princess."

Flurry whined and stamped her hoof. "You were hurting her!"

"Uh, yeah?" Tempest snorted, giving her a bemused leer. "We're villains, sweetheart. We took over most of the world for a little while, in case you forgot."

"B-but-!"

"Alright, let's back it up," I demanded, stepping beside Flurry with my hands up. "You said she was willing to help us?" Tempest and Jury shared a look before nodding. I hummed and leered down at Flurry who was looking off to the side with a pout.

"But you didn't realize that'd put you at odds with Twilight, huh?" I asked with a short chortle. She frowned and averted her eyes. "Well, now you know. And even better? You've got a controlled, peaceful environment to think about it in."

I laughed and bent down to her eye level. She tilted her head with a curious hum. "You're a smart girl, Flurry. I've seen what you've made with no training and just your talent," I said, drawing a blush from her. "I'm certain with your help, we could easily reclaim everything that we lost three years ago. Not to mention how quickly we could clear my doppelganger out."

I gently patted her on the head. "So, we're going to start prying at the console over here. You could help us, but I think you'd better mull over if that's something you really want to do," I added, tilting my head towards her with a serious look. "As well as everything that would mean." Her ears snapped back and her eyes darted around as I rose back to my full height.

"Like I said, you're talented. And I can at least promise we'll do what we can to foster your talent and give you space to use it," I said with a smile as I approached the console where Jury and Tempest waited. "I don't think anyone in your family can say that."

"But," Flurry suddenly squeaked. I turned back to see her scanning the floor with misty eyes. "That means I'd be fighting against Aunty Twily, doesn't it?" Jury audibly groaned while Tempest snorted.

"Just like the rest of us, yes," I replied and held my hand out. "But if we succeed, we-"

"I- I don't know if I can.." she whimpered. Suddenly, her ears perked up and she looked up at me with an expectant, yet sad expression. "How'd you do it?"

I frowned. "Do what?"

She blinked and rubbed her eye with a hoof before looking at me again. "How'd you get over the idea you'd be hurting her so much?" I choked and stammered.

"You-"

"Oooo," Tempest and Jury hissed simultaneously. Flurry tilted her head at me as I reeled from her question.

"What?" She pressed.

"I-"

"He's just shocked since you struck him right in his heart," an annoyingly familiar voice suddenly offered causing us all to jump. "Truth is, he's not over the idea. Not entirely." Flurry wilted and hugged the ground as I looked up at the doorway, where Cadance came striding in with a steely look in her eyes.

"With any other creature, it'd be sweet. But with you, it's our greatest advantage against you, since it makes you easier to read at times," she spat before glaring down at her daughter. "Of course, you're not the only one I can read pretty easily." Flurry slowly turned to look at Cadance.

"Well, well, well," Tempest hummed as she stepped between me and Cadance. "What brings you here, Princess?"

Cadance snorted and fixed her with a glare. "I knew if I let Flurry wander, she'd find her way to you three," her glare turned smug as the sound of hooves clacked against the floor behind her. "And I knew it was the best way to catch you in the middle of something you shouldn't be doing." I grunted and stumbled back at the sight beyond her.

"This was sloppy, Eddy," Twilight growled as she, her friends, and the royal sisters entered the room. "And needlessly underhoofed."

"I know you've got an addiction to being a creep, but dude!" Rainbow spat with a stomp. "We've got bigger things to worry about without also having to keep an eye on you!"

"Well, you know me," I retorted as Tempest and I retreated.

"And you know me!" Jury chirped through her teeth, drawing everyone's attention to her. I flinched at the sight of her with a disrupting wand in her smiling maw aimed at the castle's console. "Or maybe you don't? Anyhoo! I'm awful tired of all this, so why don't you let us work, or I break the only thing we've got that might let us stand a chance against Bedford?"

"You wouldn't!" Rarity shrieked.

"I might~," Jury replied. I stared at her in wonder. The last three years had definitely had some kind of effect on her, but I think I preferred hearing her threaten machinery over orphans. I cast an expectant glare Twilight's way, as she and her cohorts looked amongst themselves, thinking of how to handle the situation. As I watched them, I couldn't help but notice Flurry who was looking up at me in gleeful wonder.

Wait.

I shook my head and blinked.

"Mr. Bedford?" She asked. I looked around the room we were in. The sun was streaming through the windows onto the table we were sharing. My jaw dropped and I held my head.

"I'm not even asleep," I hissed.

"What?" Flurry asked. My eyes snapped to her, causing her to flinch. All over the table between us were schematics and writing supplies.

"What?" I huffed, taking up one of the papers in front of her.

"Uh," she quietly began. "What the heck was that?" I recoiled and scowled at her.

"What?" I wheezed. Then the room shook and I found myself back in the room with Twilight and the rest.

"What the heck was that?!" Rainbow yelled.

"Eddy?" I whirled around and saw Jury looking at me with concern. "Are you okay?" The room shook again and I looked between her and Tempest, before back at Flurry. All three were.. Different. Flurry was at the table we were sharing, Jury was less frazzled and had less grey in her mane, and Tempest was...

Whole.

"I-" I panted, clutched my chest, and felt my knees shake. The three returned to normal, but everything was slightly hazy. "I don't know." The room shook again, and a guard suddenly burst into the room.

"Princess! We're under attack!"

Chapter 17

With an unstoppable tremor pumping through my body, I stumbled through the arched hall that let out to the garden. Tempest and Jury stayed by my side as we emerged into the garden where Twilight and the rest already were. Had the guard not explained what was out here attacking the city, I wouldn't have bothered. In fact, I don't think Twilight and Company would have left so urgently had the guard not explained what we were up against.

But learning that KS 6, KMOON, KSUN, and a second Celestia were the cause of the ruckus while I was already mentally rattled was too much. And sure enough, the ponies were squaring off with my creations and..

"Good fucking God," I whispered at the sight of the alternate Celestia my double had summoned. While my hijacked creations were hanging back, the alicorn stood forward and between the two opposing lines, effectively at the center of the ring of guards and destruction that had filled the garden.

The alternate was.. Not well. Her mildly twitching head hung low and her eyes were wide and feral. Her coat was dull and grey, her mane was hanging limp, and she was emaciated. She scraped her hoof against the dirt and snorted like a wild animal, occasionally gnashing her teeth at the ponies. That and the gemstone device welded into her skull all pointed to some rather.. reductive and crude surgery being performed on the former princess after he'd killed her. The ponies stared at her in horror and revulsion.

Then she spoke and their shock redoubled. "You- You thought you got away, huh?" She growled, with a strange mix of whimsy and strain. Almost as though someone was speaking through her.. Aw, fuck.

"W-what?" Luna murmured in response, being the first to recover from the sight of her. Except maybe Celestia herself, who was staring with an even, wide-eyed glare. Her double chortled coarsely and her head twitched.

"Don't- Don't let appearances deceive you! It's me," she hissed and twisted her face into a sneer. "I had to double back home, but I can still communicate through my local bodies. Even this old nag."

"You monster!" Twilight shrieked, taking a furious step forward while her friends angrily followed suit. "How could you be so horrible?!" The abomination laughed and tilted her head.

"You haven't begun to appreciate how horrible I can be. But if you don't surrender the bell to one of my assistants here, I can promise you'll become very acquainted," she laughed. The guards shivered and began to waver, but Twilight and her friends remained stalwart. Suddenly, I felt a tug at my arm and looked down.

"Did you hear that?" Jury whispered with a bright smile. "He said he went back to his world! The Citadel's unguarded!"

"That's-" I cut myself off with a jolt, as suddenly spells began to fly in the garden.

"Look out!" Tempest cried, yanking me and Jury away. I slowly sat up and stared at the chaos outside. Despite looking so miserable, the alternate Celestia was mostly as dangerous as the one I was familiar with. I couldn't help but frown, however, as I could see the device he'd welded onto her sparked in protest to her magic. Whatever he'd done to her was severely inhibiting her full power.

"This is our chance!" Jury declared and scrambled to her hooves, pulling on my sleeve with her teeth. "We can steal Lace's ship and take the Citadel!"

"What good would that do?" Tempest asked with her eyes still locked on the scene outside. "Lace said she destroyed the Crystal Mind."

"So how'd Bedford manage to get her here?" Jury retorted. "Besides! The place is a partial factory that he's been maintaining for all these years! How else could he have built that army of KS 6s?"

"Army of what?" I asked in a mild daze. My eyes were locked on the two Celestias. One was missing her horn, and the other was missing her mind. And yet, as the former tackled the latter to the ground with enough force to splinter stone, something about it was especially strange. Especially wrong.

Why did they both look so banged up? Why were there two of them?

I shook my head in shock at the thought. What in God's name was happening to me?

"Mr. Bedford?" I froze and looked up. Celestia was approaching me with a concerned frown. "Are you alright?" Again, despite the fact I knew it was night, the sun was shining down on the garden and framing her in golden light.

"I-" I choked and weakly shook my head. "I don't-"

She paused and furrowed her brow. "Who are you?" I panted and wilted under her glare.

"I don't know."

"Ed!" I screamed and turned, locking eyes with Tempest. "What the heck is happening with you? You keep blanking out!"

"Just pick him up! We've got to go!" Jury cried from further down the hall. I blinked and held my head as Tempest hummed before she lit up her horn. As her magic surrounded me, I reached out and grabbed her shoulder.

"Tempest," I heaved, causing her to recoil. "I don't know what's happening. I keep seeing things. Places. People." I grabbed her with both hands as I rolled onto my knees.

"I can't tell if any of this is real. I can't tell if I'm not me."

"What?" She gasped.

"Tempest!" Jury cried. Tempest set her face in a determined glare and nodded.

"We'll.. We'll figure it out, Ed. Just hang on," she declared before hefting me up and hauling me out after Jury. I made no effort to resist, as I was too busy watching the castle shimmer and change all around me.

Night became day, and day became night. Sounds of battle gave way to bird songs. Guards and yaks rushing past were replaced by happy little ponies waving and calling out good morning.

And most disturbingly of all was the occasional glimpse of Tempest, who shifted between the pony I knew and the one who was still whole.

I drew my hand down my face as we stepped into the Crystal Mind's chamber. The visions had stopped as soon as we fled Canterlot, but I was still left with my thoughts.

"Dang it!" Jury cried as the shattered gem in the center of the room came into view. "It's broken!"

"He must've used it up to summon the Alternate Celestia, I dunno," I groaned. Jury and Tempest shared a look before the former came up and nuzzled my leg, while the latter began hauling the dead minotaurs out.

"Well, at least we're home, right?" She offered with a sad smile. I met her eyes with a miserable leer causing her to withdraw. "We'll figure out what's going on with you as soon as we get this place in shape, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," I murmured and ambled over to the Crystal Mind's console. "The Mind might be ruined, but we can probably just throw together some smaller gem assemblies to run some of this stuff."

"That's the spirit!" Jury cheered, following me to the machine. She paused and looked off to the side. "What's that?"

"Another corpse?" I grumbled before looking up. I tilted my head at what seemed to be a severed and damaged animunculus arm. Then I managed a smirk. "It's the arm Lace took from him."

"The one with that miniature cannon?" Tempest called as she came trotting up, dropping one of the bodies as she approached. She frowned and stayed close beside me as I picked up the severed limb. "Careful, it could still fire."

"Nah, she said she damaged his, uh, well she didn't know what it was," Jury replied, watching me with interest as I held up the arm.

"Phase distorter," I replied, shaking the arm and turning it over, examining the hinge that hid the device in question. "He mentioned it a few times. It's not quite a time machine, since it can't propel you any further up or down the timeline. It just.. Moves you horizontally, if that makes any sense."

"That must be how he was able to avoid being damaged," Tempest assessed. I nodded.

"Probably. He mentioned it lets you step around moments in time, so he could just avoid the moment he got hurt, for instance," I explained, turning the damaged thing over in my hand. I managed to chuckle at the sight of Lace's disrupting wand lodged in it. "That psycho minotaur was able to pinpoint it as the most dangerous thing he had." I laughed again, weaker this time, and pulled on the wand. With a scraping hiss, it slid free allowing me-

The device crackled to life and zapped my hand. The current was vicious enough that my fingers refused to uncurl, locking it in my grip. I threw my head back and opened my mouth in an attempt to cry out, but only a quiet, choking gasp came up.

"Eddy!" Tempest cried. As the device continued electrocuting me, I managed to glance at her and saw to my bewilderment and added frustration that she was sliding away. I grunted and bent forward, trying to pry the device out of my hand, and froze. The room was filled with a pulsing boom.

Ahead of me, for as far as I could see, were images of me, with my back turned to me, all in a single file line. One by one, and to the rhythm of the boom, they turned to look back at me in shock. I inadvertently looked back as well and then saw an equally long line of myself, all looking back in unison. The line behind seemed to be growing longer every moment, however.

The booming intensified and I blinked before looking to the side, where I saw another line of me. Then another. And another. And another. I reeled back in sequence with my own line and looked up. The whole room was filled with lines of me, all acting in rhythm with the pulse.

Except one.

One, near my own, though I could tell how close or how far it was, was unique. The Bedlam's there were moving in sequence, but they were out of sync with the pulse. Instead, there was a faint tune that accompanied their movements. Despite how faint it was, it wasn't overshadowed by the pulse, and that made this unique line all the more alluring.

Then, suddenly, the Bedlam in that line who was parallel with me, turned and looked at me.

And it stopped.

I felt myself pulled hard to my right and then staggered back with a gasp. I panted and scanned the scene around me. Green fields and blue skies as far as I could see. In the distance, I saw the mountain Canterlot was built upon. I took in the sights vacantly, for the rest of my mind was a blank. My jaw opened and closed as I struggled to cope with whatever had just happened.

Something about this place was very familiar, and not just because I was back in central Equestria instead of the Citadel. But my mind was still drawing a blank.

Suddenly, a familiar buzzing met my ears. Turning, I came face to face with a small drone hovering behind me. Its camera pivoted and seemed to be looking me up and down.

"Guess he was right!" A familiar voice chirped through the drone. "That's pretty nuts."

"Jury?"

"Just hang on, we'll be out to pick you up in just a few minutes," she replied.

Chapter 18

Despite the lack of magic, Celestia and Luna were able to keep the former's mechanical double off balance long enough for Flurry to help Cadance pry herself out of the tower wall she'd been slammed through, and for me to assess the rest of the situation from high above.

Despite having that horrible mockery under his control, Bedford clearly didn't have a strong enough grasp of her abilities. The garden had been burned down, sure, but the yaks had managed to haul back any guards who had been injured during the initial clash. Our unicorns had shields erected over the windows and entry points to the rest of the castle, preventing Bedford from throwing spells inside.

Down in the ashen pit that used to be the garden, the girls were harrying Bedford's Celestia from all sides and Lace and Rutherford had jumped into the fray just a moment ago.

It would have been funny if it wasn't so grim. Rainbow and Applejack used to joke about who could take Celestia in a fight, to my annoyance. Now that the two had a semblance of a chance, they were proving their respective speed and strength were enough to compete with at least a version of her when combined.

Rainbow darted low and swept her legs out from under her allowing Applejack to whirl around and kick her in the side of the head. She went sprawling for a few feet, and before she could steady herself, Rutherford bodyslammed her to the ground. As soon as he did, Lace leaped over him and hurled a set of knives into her. I winced at the sight but was immediately reminded that the poor creature wasn't alive.

There wasn't any blood, only sparks from that metal thing embedded in her. And like something out of a horror story, the unliving thing let out a hiss and let out a blast of magic, hurling Rutherford off.

A boom from near the throne room drew my attention away, and I saw Ember pinned under KS 6's hooves against the wall. I scowled and took off towards the pair in a single wing beat. As the machine craned her head back and charged her horn, I teleported right beside her and blasted her. She responded by twisting her head around and shooting my spell with a beam of her own.

The second she did, however, Ember let out a roar and snapped forward like a cragadile and sank her teeth into 6's neck. I cut my spell and rushed forward, grabbing the golem by the lower body and pulling with all my might and magic. She let out an angry shriek as Ember and I pulled in different directions.

With Ember's strength, and my magic aiding me, KS 6 came apart at the chest, and sparking glittering gemstones as well as a spray of hot, rubber-smelling ooze ruptured out, soaking me since I was lower in the air.

[EDDY!] KS 6 screamed just before Ember pulled her fangs out and clamped them on her head. The golem kicked with her remaining legs before Ember wrenched the top of her head off with a crunch. The machine went limp and crackled with magic for a moment.

Ember spat out the chewed-up metal and dropped the unmoving golem before shooting me a smirk and a nod. I returned the gesture before we took off in tandem. The ooze dripping from my mane stung my eyes and breathing it made me woozy as I flew toward Celestia and Luna. Despite that, Ember and I joined the skirmish with the mechanical Celestia just as the golem managed to snare both Celestia and Luna in a ring of magic.

The sisters struggled and cried out as the ring squeezed them, but Ember shot forward and pelted the machine with a gout of fire, distracting it long enough for me to counter its spell by cutting the ring with my horn.

[Cursed dragon!] The golem roared and snapped its wings out, blasting the flames back just in time for the sisters to slam into it again. As they did, Ember rushed forward, grabbed its horn with both claws and began violently wrenching its head around. The golem screamed in anger, and smoke started rising from Ember's claws with a sizzle.

I flapped my wings and tried to help her, but my head spun again from the fumes. I blinked a few times and let out a thick, chesty cough.

"Are you okay?" I panted and looked up to see Flurry standing over me. Blinking a few more times, I realized I was lying on the ground.

"What happened?" I croaked, wincing from a sore throat that suddenly sprung up.

"Mom saw you fall and we caught you," she replied and gestured to an overturned bucket next to her. "I splashed you with water to get that potion off you since I think it was making you sick."

"Potion?"

"Yeah, it's one of Bedlam's," she said with a frown. "I'm pretty sure it helps his golems work and think better, but I dunno for sure." I considered her words for a moment before nodding.

"Right. We just tore KS 6 apart," I struggled to my hooves and looked up. "What about..?" I squinted to try and make out anything above despite how blurry my eyes were.

"Mom and I beat the KMOON, so she flew to help Aunt Celestia with the other one," Flurry explained as the sight of Ember, the royal sisters, and Cadance overwhelming KSUN steadily cleared up. "I think Bedlam ran away." I frowned and looked at Flurry, who was now hanging her head with a weary look in her eye.

"That's not too surprising," I croaked, draping a wet wing over her shoulder.

"It is to me," she murmured and looked off to the side. Following her eyes, I saw the ruined form of KS 6 lying in pieces. "Those're his machines, aren't they? He didn't even bother trying to take them back."

She clenched her eyes for a moment and looked ahead, at the alternate Celestia who was currently being pinned by Rutherford, Applejack, and Lace, while Rarity worked her gemstone magic on the machine grafted to her.

"And he just left us to deal with... her," she whimpered. The alternate let out a cackle and swore a few times as the gems in her 'helmet' suddenly popped out. She screeched and spasmed before finally going limp with smoke rising off of her. "It's like he doesn't even care what happens to anypony else." Flurry swallowed and looked away for a moment before sniffling. I frowned and pulled her closer.

"That's why your mom and dad don't like you idolizing him, Flurry," I explained as she turned and nuzzled me. "He's a brilliant creature, but he chooses to be bad."

"I- I know, but you used to tell me about everything that happened to him," she sobbed. "I just thought, maybe if we gave him a chance, he could.." She pressed her ears against her skull as an explosion echoed in the air. I glanced up to see KSUN's pieces being scattered before turning back to Flurry.

"He could what?" I pressed, rubbing her shoulder with my wing. She hesitated but finally looked me in the eyes.

"Be better, I dunno. It's not like he didn't do some good stuff, and lots of the bad stuff he did was because ponies were awful to him."

I frowned and held my wing around her for a moment before looking at the scene around us. "Yeah, that might all be true, but there's one pivotal factor you aren't considering." I looked down at her as she tilted her head. I smiled sadly.

"I don't think he wants to be better. I think he just wants to be in control," I let out a heavy sigh and shook my head. "Bedford might be a way more dangerous and deranged version of him, but the things he talked about added up with things I've assumed about Eddy for years."

"They both feel like they have no control, and they're both afraid of having to rely on others," I explained. "I tried to convince Eddy he needed to let other creatures in, but I didn't do a good enough job when I had the chance." I closed my eyes and hummed.

"And now it's probably too late. He won't listen to me, he barely listens to Jury or Tempest, and they're the first creatures he's allowed himself to rely on," I grunted and gave her a weary shrug. "I think the only one he really listens to is himself."

Chapter 19

The faintest traces of dawn were poking from behind the curtains on either side of Starlight's bed in the medical wing. Twilight quietly sighed as she cut the spell and left the sun to begin its journey through the sky. Her duty complete, she returned her attention to her friend. Starlight had fallen into a coma almost as soon as they'd removed her from the Citadel, and even with the use of potions and mending spells, she showed no signs of coming around.

In addition to the beating Bedford had given her, she'd expended nearly all of her magic both fighting him and seemingly holding herself together. One of the guards had said her condition compared to when they first found her had worsened at an astonishing rate. New bruises, cuts, and breaks just seemed to pop up all over her once her magic was dispelled.

All of that had eaten up the healing they'd performed, and when mixed with simple, but acute magical fatigue, it was likely Starlight would remain unconscious for days. Days when they desperately needed every available mind working on a solution for the new human-shaped crisis threatening the world.

Twilight watched her friend's chest rise and fall with every quiet breath and then closed her eyes in thought. A few minutes passed in silence before the door opened, and a pair of hooves came trotting in.

"Good morning, Twilight," Fluttershy greeted.

"Hey," she responded, offering only a momentary glance as the smaller pegasus sat beside her before hugging her with a wing. "Where's everypony else?"

Fluttershy leaned into her side. "They're still burying the other Celestia," she replied with a whimper. "I- I just couldn't.. It's awful." Twilight hummed and held her close.

"You said that minotaur lady saw more of," Fluttershy hesitated and screwed her eyes shut. "Those?" A fiery scowl came over Twilight's face at the question.

"Hundreds. All in vats and sleeping," she growled before grunting with shaking her head. "With his world's version of Discord's magic, it's not too implausible that he'd be able to do something like cloning, but.."

She stared ahead for a few moments. "I really didn't want to believe he'd do something so unnatural. So cruel." Silence gripped the room, occasionally broken by Fluttershy's sniffling.

"What are we gonna do?" She finally squeaked.

"If we could pull down one of Eddy's satellites, we could use it to blast the whole system with friendship, couldn't we?" A third voice suddenly offered causing the pair to jolt and stare at the bed. Starlight stretched and rubbed her ear. "We might not be able to get him in his world, but we could at least kick him out of this one." She took a breath and blinked as she met the pair's bewildered faces.

"What?"

Twilight was the first to recover. "How-"

"Don't get too used to it!" Yet another familiar voice interrupted. "I'm not even licensed to practice medicine, you know." The three jumped and whirled to see the voice's owner.

"Discord!" Fluttershy cried before flying up into his chest and hugging him.

"Why, hello, my dear!" The draconequus replied, catching her in his arms and spinning, before slithering out of her hooves with a claw held up. "Ah, but I'm afraid despite how universal your charms are, I must stop you there. I am not the Discord you are familiar with, and so it wouldn't be proper to lead you on any further." Fluttershy recoiled and shared a look with the other ponies.

"I'm from a neighboring world and am here on business. Primarily transport," Discord added. "Speaking of." He stepped to the side, suddenly in a chauffeur's outfit, holding up a gloved claw to another, more unkempt and weary-looking Discord. The second Discord blinked and raised an eyebrow at the first.

"What, no tip?" The first asked with genuine annoyance. When no reply came he huffed. "What a way to run a town. Anyhoo! I can explain everything, so I'll leave myself to do just that. Good luck, everypony!" He stepped past his double and climbed inside a yellow taxi carriage, leaning on the edge with his elbow.

"We need it," he added before tipping his hat and vanishing. The group sat in silence for just a moment before the remaining Discord let out a low sigh and turned to face the ponies, stroking his especially grown-out beard.

"Things have come to a head, haven't they?" He muttered and shook his head. "I explained it to myself before arriving." Fluttershy landed on the floor and looked up at him with confusion as he stared off to the side.

"I had no idea that Outworlder was so... pivotal," he continued.

"Discord," Fluttershy pressed. "What's going on?" The draconequus let out a short laugh before sitting on the floor and giving her a weak smile.

"The game is afoot, as it has always been. But now the third player has finally made their move," his smile vanished. "Or rather, I now recognize the move that has been made."

I anxiously scanned the air around me as I was carried toward Canterlot. Little drones like the ones I made were orbiting and watching me, as well as the individual carrying me.

[So, your Equestria is pretty much a mirror of ours, right?] She asked causing me to grimace and clench my eyes shut. As my hands were on her withers, I felt her head turn to look at me. [So, do you have a 6, too?] I grumbled and slowly opened one eye to meet hers. Unlike the Twilight golem I was familiar with, this one had a strange whimsy in her eyes. Almost child-like, and cheerful without a hint of hostility.

"No," I finally huffed in reply. She tilted her head and looked away.

[Oh,] she said with a sad inflection before perking up. [Well, maybe you can ask our Eddy for my schematics and make one!] I frowned and looked off to the side, down at the valleys far below.

"Maybe," I responded. Slowly, the grassy vistas came to life as we approached the city. Countless machines were skittering to and fro and cycling back to carts and ponies waiting in seemingly predetermined spots. Whether this was a farming routine or something else didn't matter. It was the synchronicity that held my attention. The melding of flesh and machine, working in tandem. Looking up, I scowled at the sight of Canterlot.

Just like the fields, even from this distance that singular rhythm that all the moving parts followed was obvious if you knew what to look for. And I most certainly did. I envisioned it. I concocted it. I schemed for years for something like this.

And at every pass, with every conquest, I never found it. There was always something that strained against the design. Always someone. Always.

That was insulting enough, but as this world's version of KS 6 wheeled down towards the castle gate, it became apparent that this was the same version of Equestria I'd been dreaming of for the last three years. Something I had suspected shortly after arriving, but also deeply dreading the idea of.

That Harmony was as alive and active as my double believed, and could therefore hurl subconscious nagging and chastisements at me was somehow more appealing than what was steadily becoming my reality. The idea that this, all of this, was real. That ideal world I'd glimpsed was real and possible.

And I'd had no part in it.

I was so caught up in my thoughts that I was only faintly aware of KS 6's jostling as she touched down. [Alrighty! We're here!]

I continued to scan the city around me. The clouds above me. The machines and ponies skittering about. The ponies especially caught my eye.

[Hey, you can get off now.]

My eyes drifted forward and spotted a group of guards looking me up and down near the gate. They were in Equestrian uniforms rather than anything I'd ever designed, but there was also a hulking minotaur-shaped golem beside them. It, too, bore the symbol of Equestria on its hull. I let out a low grumble and stood up and off of KS 6, or whatever the hell they called it.

The pony golem clanked in place as it turned to look up at me with a tilted head. [You okay?]

"Where is your maker?" I demanded, folding my arms. "I'm assuming he's who asked you to bring me here." She blinked and stared at me before shrugging.

[Jury's the one who sent me to pick you up,] she replied and began to trot away as the guards approached. [I'm pretty sure Eddy's busy right now.] I recoiled and held my hand out.

"Hey-"

[Well, I hope whatever they wanted you for goes well! Bye!] She chirped before snapping her wings and flying off. I blanched and threw my hands up.

"Hey!"

"Six! Wait!" One of the guards cried. The golem whirled around and looked back down at them before flinching and smacking herself in the head.

[Right! Sorry!] She zipped back down and opened a hatch on her side before drawing out the phase distorter she'd confiscated from me. [Here ya go!] She tossed it to the guard, who fumbled with it in his hooves, before taking off again. I glared at the little machine as it vanished into the clouds before turning my attention to the guards and their hulk. The pair shared a look before the one handling the distorter cleared his throat.

"Right this way, uh, Mr. Bedford, sir?"

"Bedlam."

Chapter 20

I sat with my arms folded and my eyes locked on my boots. The guards had escorted me into the castle with haste and dumped me in a relatively plain lounge, with a balcony beyond a padlocked door and free from any of the local machinery. I hadn't even gotten a chance to look at anything they'd built here beyond KS 6, and as I didn't have any tools to defend myself, I hadn't dared risk poking her before or during the trip.

I sighed and tapped my foot. Other than the fact I was in a version of Canterlot identical to the idyllic one I'd dreamed up, I was still flying blind. I could only guess what to expect out of my local double, but I supposed if he wanted me dead that would have happened already.

He and his associates certainly seemed aware of my arrival, in any case.

As I mulled these mysteries over, the doors creaked open and a set of armored and unarmored hooves clicked in, followed by the footfalls of a human. I looked up from my seat to see Jury, Tempest, a pair of guards, and him.

He looked like me, but he'd stopped shaving his head and face and so had a shaggy head of hair and a scruffy beard. In place of the black suit I always wore, he was in plain clothes like I'd dreamed myself wearing. All in all, it was very apparent this was the figure I'd dreamed myself in the shoes of. I fixed him with a glare as he looked me up and down with a tilted head.

"Neat," he finally appraised and held up the phase distorter before looking it over. "So, did you make this thing?"

"No."

"Where'd you get it?"

"What do you want?"

"Uh," he clicked his teeth and shrugged. "Mainly to keep our timelines apart." I furrowed my brow as he looked me up and down with a frown.

"Cause I don't know about you, but I'm sick of catching glimpses of your whole deal, y'know?" I flinched, and my mouth opened partially.

"You-"

"Have been having dreams in which I live a separate life, yes," he declared, fixing me with a severe look. "The life of a neighboring version of myself, to be specific." He pointed the distorter at me.

"You," he smirked. "And I get the feeling you've been living my life a few times now, haven't you? Mister 'I don't know.' You got Celestia all pissy with me the other day, y'know." I glared at him in wonder as he tossed the distorter in the air a few times before it was snared by Jury's magic.

"The fact that it's escalated from just dreaming to swapping places is pretty serious," she said as she now studied the device. "Luckily, we're close to a solution." She gave me a smile which I countered with a scowl. Tempest raised an eyebrow but otherwise stayed silent.

"What in the world are you implying?" I demanded.

"The timeline and vale between worlds is getting screwy, so you and I have been overlapping," my double replied with folded arms. He jabbed a thumb at the distorter. "Took a peek at this and think it's what we need to patch the hole between our timelines, seeing as it's already tuned to tampering with time." I looked between the device and my double as he smiled.

"But Jury can handle that," he added, leaning forward at the hips towards me. "So, I was thinking you and I could have a chat." A firm glare was my only response, at which his smile widened and he approached where I was sitting. Once he was in front of me, he slipped his shirt up and clicked one of the talismans hidden underneath. I hummed with interest as a magical screen popped up in front of his hand, displaying several things that flashed by as he traced his finger across the screen.

He pressed the screen which paused on the image of a chair, and the entire thing collapsed into a bead of light on his fingertip. With a flick of his wrist, the bead popped onto the floor and expanded into the form of an actual chair he then sat down on. He reclined back and folded his legs with a smile while I rubbed my chin in thought.

"Just an application of teleportation, condensing, and hard light like what magic beams are made of," he said, gesturing to his seat. "In case you wanted to research something similar." I met his eyes and leaned back in my own seat with my hand still on my chin.

"Interesting," I replied.

"Eddy," I turned to see Tempest lingering and staring at the two of us, with a noticeable fire in her eyes whenever she looked at me. "Are you sure you don't want any guards?" My double waved his hand.

"Nah, it's fine, and Twilight'll be here soon. Go help Jury," he replied, still focused on me. I frowned at the mention of this world's Twilight but said nothing. Tempest lingered for a moment longer before nodding and leaving the room. I stared at her as she closed the door behind her, only returning my attention forward when my double hummed. "Yeah, must be wild seeing her all flesh and blood again, huh?" I clenched my jaw and he held up a hand.

"Easy, Buddy," he continued. "That was one of the things I was hoping to talk to you about, but I can already tell it might be too sensitive."

"Perceptive," I replied, narrowing my eyes and removing my glasses. "Of course, on that note, how in God's name are you so tuned in to all this?" I leaned in with my hands knit and my elbows on my knees.

"I've been struggling with this nonsense for days, assuming it was the general Harmonic ambiance screaming at me for misbehaving," I shook my head. "And you're just saying it's some kind of timeline convergeance?" He smiled.

"Yep. And I've got proof, too," he slipped his shirt up and hit a few sequences on different talismans. A ball of light filled his palm and he rolled it into the air between us. I leaned back as the ball expanded, revealing dozens and dozens of smaller bubbles of light, all in uniform lines. I paused for a moment, as I noticed they were producing more balls along their lines in a fashion similar to whatever the hell happened when I touched the phase distorter. "This here is something Discord helped me whip up." I snapped out of my thoughts at that. My double rubbed his chin as he studied the image between us.

"I'm running on the assumption you got yanked to Equestria from an Earth, so you're already in on the 'multiverse' deal," he waved his hand at the bubbles. "In any case, I figured out I could broadcast a specific magical signal out and like a radar pick up the different worlds that are out there." He smiled and searched the image, physically grasping and pulling parts of it around, until an empty dark spot appeared.

"Even the ones magic can't detect," he added. I tilted my head as he lingered on the dark spot before he leaned back and let the image continue. "So, the neat thing we came across is, again, due to Discord's assistance and with Twilight's expertise in advanced magic theory, we can actually detect timelines alongside each world." He slowly swept his hands out, presenting the entire projection.

"And that is what you see here. All the worlds and their native timelines and branches that are within my neighboring cluster of the multiverse," he said with a smile. "And if you want, I've got the schematic for the radar lying around and can let you snag a peek at it as proof." I studied the projection in wonder.

"You said Discord helped you with this?" I glanced up as he nodded. "How did you convince him to do that?"

"We get along alright," he replied with a shrug before snorting. "At least when I appeal to his 'all-encompassing wisdom and knowledge.'" He emphasized his words with a dramatic gesture. I chortled despite myself and studied the projection again.

"Fascinating. But that still doesn't-"

"Here," he interjected, grabbing the scene and dragging it to his right. The entire thing rolled for a moment, and countless little worlds zoomed by until he stopped it with a finger. The sight made me recoil with disgust. "We had a similar reaction." I grimaced at what looked like a point in space with, well, holes and tendrils snaking all around it. It was so out of place and close together that it looked diseased and rotten.

"The hell is that?" I huffed, shifting in my seat to look at the point from multiple angles.

"That is the echo of something pushing its way between worlds," he replied, causing me to pause. "Frequently, as of three years ago." I groaned and leaned back.

"Brilliant," I sighed.

"I was assuming that was you, but based on that reaction," my double continued. I snorted and shook my head.

"No, though I was dabbling in communication with the multiverse over three years ago," I grunted and shook my hand at the projection. "That's another Bedlam-"

"I've preferred Bedford ever since-"

"Whatever," I rolled my eyes. "I'm pretty sure he was poking around my world three years ago, and he's definitely causing problems now. The phase distorter you gave to your Jury is his." I glared at the projection while my double contemplated my words.

"Neat," he replied after a few moments. "Also explains why you and I were overlapping." Before I could ask, he tapped a bubble near the one that was most worm-eaten.

"Him fucking around in your timeline must've made it reach out to try and, I dunno, fill the gaps?" He chortled. "Certainly makes more sense than just the universe or harmony being mad at you." I took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh.

"I guess so," I murmured. "Our psychotic double believes Harmony controls everything, though, and is using that as justification to try and wipe out the multiverse."

"Well, he's wrong. Harmony isn't about control, it's about synthesis. Symbiosis." I tilted my head at him and his lack of reaction to the other Bedlam's plan. He just smiled. "I assume you've got theories like mine, and understand that magic is reactive. Well, Harmony's just a larger form of magic, so it's reasonable to assume it too, is reactive, not proactive." He sat up in his seat and held his hands out as he spoke.

"Harmony is," he paused and rolled his head. "Well, it's literally in the name. It's just what you get when all the little cogs that make up the living folk in a universe mesh together and play nice." He knit his fingers together for emphasis and then folded them out to point at me.

"That's the kicker. Harmony doesn't just happen. It takes effort. Hard work and a lot of time. Chaos is easy. So is Entropy. Those two happen on their own." I frowned at his words, but he continued. "But Harmony is something different. If I had to pin it down as something other than just a form of reactive magic, I'd say it was a suggestion."

"A suggestion?" I pressed, drawing a bigger smile as he held his hands out in presentation.

"Be excellent to one another," he laughed. "More long-standing good comes when more folk are decent to each other, and since most thinking beings like it when others are decent to them, it feeds back in on itself, creating an ever-expanding feedback loop of good upon good." He clapped his hands one on top of the other in a sequence before holding up a finger.

"That's why the Elements of Harmony came to be in the first place. They were the overwhelming voice of the majority crying out for a solution to something or other. And since they were unified and the feedback loop was in their favor, they were able to make it happen," he smiled with a mad glint that I recognized. I'd always worn it when I made some great discovery. "Harmony's not a god. It's a cultivated response." I folded my arms and chewed my cheek in thought.

"If that's all true, then why would it allow someone like me or our double to show up and fuck it all up?" I held out a hand. "You'd think it'd be pretty defensive or at least better at keeping outside elements out." That glint again.

"And that, again thanks to Discord's help and input, is easy," he gestured to the projection. "Chaos is also able to respond and push for dominance. And it doesn't need thinking beings to fuel it. So, it made him pop up to try and shift things in its favor. One in each possible timeline, and all of them, in a way that only makes sense for Discord, the same guy." I held my hand to my chin and studied the projection.

"Now, since Discord was Chaos' move, and the Elements of Harmony were Harmony's move, it's pretty reasonable that the third major power would make a move too," he continued, drawing my attention back up. He snapped his hands out. "Entropy. Stagnation." I gave him an even look and he shrugged.

"That's my theory, and Discord seemed to agree," he smiled. "You, me, and every other Edward Bedford that ever was were yanked into this part of the universe by Entropy." I narrowed my eyes and raised my eyebrows, and he shrugged again.

"I dunno. I get the feeling that slowly swallowing up the planet in metal, like you and I both know we were aiming to do at one point, would lead to a pretty stagnant world." I scoffed.

"I wasn't-"

"When the streets are policed by cold, unfeeling machines overseen by a paranoid dictator, people would slowly become distant from one another and isolated either out of fear of being in the streets or from fear of being reported for some crime or other," he declared, causing my mouth to slowly shut. "And slowly, the world would wind down until it reaches its zero state and no forward motion is possible." I looked on him as I mulled his ideas over, and noticed a slightly darker look in his eye. Another look I was familiar with.

"Something like that, I think. Just like Chaos called Discord up from wherever the hell he's from, Entropy called us up, using a tried and true ritual for teleportation," he gave a grim, resentful smile. "So tried and true that no one bothered making sure the fail-safes were still working, cause why would they fail?" He took a deep breath through his teeth and let it out in a hiss before clapping.

"So! Just for once, just today, let's not bother checking if they're working. They always work," he chortled, venomously. "That's the routine. That's the rut. That's stagnation." He hissed his words and I drew my hand down my chin.

"Entropy," I murmured, looking at the timeline. He leaned forward, studying the projection as well.

"Harmony needs help. Chaos is jittery and overeager. It spat out a mishmash in the form of Discord, throwing everything it had in the ring all at once," he continued. "Entropy though? Entropy is patient. It can wait and be subtle." He smiled as we locked eyes.

"It can wait until an ideal environment pops up to prey upon," he began counting off on one hand. "The one bolt holding an entire machine together going rusty. A weak joint in a professional athlete suddenly giving out." His eyes drifted to the bubble on the timeline that seemed to be the originator of the tunnels and holes.

"A universe that isn't as kind as its neighbors and therefore wouldn't foster anything dissent in its agent. Wouldn't foster regret and guilt," his grim smile widened. "You said this other Edward Bedford is planning to wipe everything out, huh? Wonder what kind of world he landed in?" We sat in mutual silence as we both leaned forward on our knees, hands on our chins, pondering the bubble our eviler counterpart originated from.

"Still doesn't explain why things went right for you, and not for me," I quietly murmured. He scoffed, drawing my attention. He shook his head with a sneer.

"Things didn't 'go right' for me, you dumb fuck," he spat and thrust a hand towards the balcony door. "I had to work for everything you see. I busted my ass for years until people trusted me again. It just so happened that the good I was doing melded so nicely into most of what's happening around us. The machines and all that shit." I frowned and he shrugged with a frown of his own.

"Like I said, Harmony isn't some guiding hand. It's when the cogs mesh," he looked me up and down. "No offense, but if you and I are the same guy, save you made worse choices, then I think it's less the universe is punishing you and more the people around you hate your guts and worked against you for all that time." He smirked and leaned in.

"And if you're really just me but on a way worse path in life? I can kind of imagine why they'd hate you."

My jaw dropped. "Excuse you?" He rolled his head.

"Silly question, but were you ever in the mindset of 'so long as it works, they can hate me all they want?'" He rolled his head and then looked at me with an even, wide-eyed glare. "Cause that's a mindset I could imagine leaning into if I was worse off." I stared at him in shock.

"How the hell do you-"

"Easy," he smirked. "I told you our timelines are close, but I never conveyed just how close, did I?" He snapped his wrist and tapped a bubble on the map.

"This is us," he explained, and with a wave of his hand, the rest of the map was cleared save for the line from our bubble. He slowly dragged the land until it reached a point where it seemed to begin to split. "Know what this is?"

"Obviously not," I said with a fiery glare. He smiled again and tapped the splitting bubble.

"That's where it happened," he replied, grabbing the point. "That's when you and I came to be." I recoiled and tilted my head.

"This is the point in my past when I was faced with a choice," he explained, holding the bubble up and looking at me through it. "This is when I gave Twilight the bell." I froze. Slowly, his pointing finger unfurled to point at me.

"And I'm damned certain, it's when you didn't," he set the bubble down and swept the entire line free save for it. "And part of what supports that theory is this." He tapped the bubble again and it spread out in its own line and one that branched off. This time, he traced it forward to our current point in time, where-

"See?" He offered as my jaw dropped. The second branching line was the one I'd evidently emerged from if all the tunnels entering and exiting it were any indication. "And that, uh, is why we've been overlapping." I slowly looked up at him.

"Your personal timeline got fucked by this B-lister, and started eating into mine," he emphasized his point with a hand to his chest. "And it only got worse the more he fucked around."

He pursed his lips and leered at the orb. "He must've sent something pretty huge over a few days ago to cause us to swap like we did for a few minutes," again, he smiled and slapped the orb away, causing the map to vanish. "Silver lining? We can use his phase distorter to iron out the chunks he gnaws out and keep that from happening anymore. Plus, we can get you back to-"

"Bullshit."

He shook his head. "Nah, it's actually pretty-"

I snapped to my feet. "Like hell I buy that." He tilted his head back as I seethed. "You expect me to believe that one choice is what fucked me over? Really?" I barked a laugh.

He shrugged. "That's how I see it. All the signs are there and the radar's pretty accurate," he smiled and held up a finger. "For instance, I discovered-"

"Bullshit!" I barked and thrust a shaking finger at him. "I know how the multiverse works." He leered at me for a moment before rolling his head.

"Aaaand what about that makes what I'm saying so implausible?" He asked. I wagged my finger at him and huffed, searching for an answer, growing more frustrated when none came. Instead, he tapped his belt again. "Here. Recognize this?" I blinked and caught something he threw at me.

"Wh-" I choked. He'd tossed me an exact replica of-

"We used that to blow Tirek's left arm off," he said, pointing at the blaster. "And we made it throughout our stay in Canterlot castle while mulling over how we were going to betray Twilight." I stared at the weapon in disbelief. On instinct, I flipped open the casing, revealing it even had the special gem I'd chiseled with my teeth.

"I-"

"Oh! Speaking of," he sat up and cleared his throat. "I swear on everything between me and Twilight that I hold dear, I'll give her the bell and all the magic inside it." I stumbled and fell back in my seat. He sat smiling with his hands folded.

"You-"

"Me."

"I-"

"That's right." I looked at him in abject shock.

"I don't understand," I finally heaved. He tilted his head in curiosity and I weakly held up my hand. "One choice? One bad decision is what cost-"

"Ah-ah!" He snapped and waved his hand. "We covered that. This was all a lot of-" I bared my teeth and rolled forward, nearly springing from my seat.

"I WAS DOING GOOD TOO!" I screamed, my shaking hand squeezing the blaster.

"And we covered that," he replied with exasperation, rolling his head and hand as he spoke, before pausing and holding his hand up. "But let's peel it back for a sec. It's not about making things good, is it?" I recoiled and he raised an eyebrow.

"It's about being the guy who made things good," he continued. "It's about the credit. It's about our insecurity." I blanched and he scowled, waving a hand.

"Lot of that's Dad's fault, but it's still there. Something as simple as a silly little animal race mispronouncing our name digs at us, just like how he used to call us 'Ned.'" I clenched my teeth.

"I fucking HATED that."

"I know you did. Cause I did too," he replied with a weak smile, that slowly turned knowing. "Just like I know the reason she's so important." My heart sank and he continued.

"She was the first one we had to rely on. The first one we imposed upon. And so, she was the first one we could really let down," he wore that dark expression again. "And those rats in that little village seemed all too eager to make that happen, didn't they?"

"Just seemed like no matter how hard I tried, everyone got in the way and made sure I'd let her down," he said, staring straight through me. "Even Celestia." I swallowed hard and a smile suddenly broke across his face. He adopted a dramatic pose.

"And so! I snapped. I went crazy for a few years to not only prove to her I was worth something but to also keep from letting her down anymore," he winced and shrugged. "Inadvertently, I let her down more over that period than ever before, but I was certain, even if she was disappointed or hated me, by the end she'd approve! She'd love what I did!" He snapped to his feet and thrust a hand to the sky.

"So, I seized control of my life! I took the name they gave me, I took the magic they denied me, I took the world they'd refused me!" he barked a laugh and then raked his fingers through his hair. "I even started shaving my head just to further cement that I was in control."

"And in the end, I was kind of right," he adopted a serene smile. "She still wanted to see the good in me. She still wanted to give me a chance."

His smile wavered for a moment. "I just had to give up control." He stood there for a few moments before slowly sinking into his seat with his head hanging. "That was the hardest thing I've had to do. Everything else was a cakewalk by comparison." Another pause followed before he gave me a weak, but deeply sincere smile.

"But now I can look back and smile. I can laugh at how ridiculous I was when I dressed in black and made big dramatic sweeping speeches," he laughed quietly. "When I tried to conquer the world." He smiled at me with more energy.

"I can laugh at how silly I was, and how silly it was to be so afraid of letting go and trusting my friend." I huffed and sank down in my seat. My jaw hung loose and I stared ahead vacantly. He held his head in his hand, still with a smile, and a contemplative quiet gripped the room.

After a minute or two, I peered at the balcony door and the sun outside. Then the door to the room swung open, drawing our attention. I sat up and-

"Hey, Eddy!"

I froze.

"Hey, Princess," he replied as she flew up and hugged his neck with a laugh. He returned the gesture before she noticed me and sat up in his lap. As she studied me, the smile on her face vanished, replaced by a familiar frown and an uneasy look in her eyes.

That was it.

I sprang to my feet with a roar and swept the blaster in my hand forward. Twilight let out a yelp as my double wrenched her out of the way. I kept my blaster trained on him, but he just raised a hand to the side he threw Twilight and kept his eyes locked with mine.

"If it'll make you feel better, go for it," he said with a shrug, folding his legs. Then he smirked. "We both know that won't fix what's wrong with you, though." I smirked right back.

"And what, pray tell, will fix what's wrong with me?" I asked with a grim chortle.

"Dunno. Ask her," he leaned forward and pressed his forehead to the barrel. "Despite everything you've done, she's probably still your friend. She's better than us like that." I kept my grin and weapon trained on him, which he countered with his lax posture and smile. After a moment, I glanced to the side and saw Twilight.

She was no longer frowning, and no longer uncertain. Her wings were spread and her horn was alight. She was ready to tear me limb from limb. That, too, was a look from her I was familiar with.

For as long as I've known her, for as long as I've cherished her, for as long as I've craved her approval and companionship, for all that time, I'd spent most of it in a binary state with her. She was either pitying and disappointed, or furious.

A or B.

Never C. Never the look she was giving him just moments ago.

Not since I made the choices I did.

Not since I stabbed her in the back.

Not since I threw her away with more disdain than he just had.

All of this had floated around in my mind for years, sure. But, something about being here, with this version of her and myself, and seeing what could have been really put a pin in it all.

And that, too, was it.

With a chesty laugh, my arms drooped and the blaster slipped from my fingers. She narrowed her eyes and dimmed her magic. I looked at my double who now wore an even, contemplatory expression. I smiled and then fell to my knees. Slowly, I bent forward until my head touched the floor and locked my hands on the back of my head.

Then, I howled miserably, desperately screwing my eyes shut as tears flowed freely.

Chapter 21

The Canterlot Castle lab used by my double and his team was impressive. Like his personal device for compression, it seemed like most of their tools were stored in a similar magical fashion that allowed them to turn what would normally be a space too small to work inside into a micro-facility that could be rearranged by simply compressing one set of worktables and machines and conjuring up a different set.

That was the most I was aware of as he and the unicorns around me worked, since I was too caught up in my own mind. Idly watching them moving as directed by my double, I kept drifting back to our conversation. Our confrontation. Whatever.

I looked down at my hand, on which was fixed a modified version of the phase distorter. The same hand I'd nearly blown his head off with. The same hand I'd grabbed the bell with years ago.

Funny how things rhyme like that.

And by funny, I mean infuriating.

A crackle and a low whine drew my attention forward. In the middle of the lab was the one pair of objects they'd kept out the entire time. He'd explained it to me once, but I hadn't really listened since Twilight was there, helping him explain. All I knew was it was how I'd return to my Equestria.

The pair were two uniform block pillars with rotating bands of gems hovering around them. Not gemstones fixed on bands or anything, just gemstones fused together. The significance of this was lost on me, but looking at the machine up and down and having an idea of how my own tech worked, I felt the pure gem catalysts would provide a much purer stream of magic. And because it was purer that meant outside intent could manipulate it better.

Or something.

In any case, there was now a faint, blue sheet of magic rippling between the two pillars and the gemstones were spinning with a synchronized hum. Just beside it, my double was on one knee with Jury-rig making some adjustments and occasionally glancing at his projected map of the meta cosmos. Finally, they nodded and he rose before stepping up to me.

"Okie-dokie! You've got your phase distorter, modified by me. We've got the coordinates, we've got a tunnel," he snapped his finger at the portal. "And we've got a charge. Looks like you're all set." He smiled, but there was an anxious look in his eyes.

"So, you get what's going to happen, right? Like, the severity of it?" He asked with a strained smile.

"How long do we have?" I asked with a low, miserable tone, and my eyes locked on the portal. He tilted his head in thought and conjured up the map of the meta cosmos. He scanned the worm-eaten section I was returning to.

"Twelve, twelve and a half hours?" He tsked and shrugged. "Probably less."

I grimaced and folded my arms. "That's.. Not a lot of time to prepare." He huffed a laugh and slapped my back before staring at the portal.

"That's what I sent Discord over for. To get your Discord ready," he replied, now folding his arms as well. "Sorry we can't help, but I don't want to fuck with an already delicate situation. I'd hate to see what happens when three worlds start to overlap. But, at least-"

"Do you think it's too late for me?" I quietly asked. He hesitated and slowly closed his mouth. My eyes remained locked on the portal, but I could feel the team of unicorns around us staring at me.

"How the hell should I know? I told you, talk to her," he finally replied with obvious discomfort in his voice. After another moment he nudged me. "If it's any consolation, though, I had a feeling you weren't as off-your-rocker evil as our double. I wouldn't have bothered trying to talk with you, otherwise." I turned to look at him. He gave me as good a reassuring smile as he could manage.

"Which is also why I know you can handle what's waiting on the other side," he added. I considered him for a bit before humming and walking towards the portal.

"Bye, other Eddy!" Jury called with a wave. "Good luck!"

Her voice cut off abruptly as I passed the threshold. Once again, I was surrounded by that rhymic pounding boom and the fainty chime ringing out in contrast. I clutched the fist on which I wore my phase distorter and swept my hand forward. The booming and chiming suddenly halted and I felt myself moving.

I dragged my fist back and felt myself moving faster, almost like swimming. Repeating this motion a few times, I traveled until I felt everything around me suddenly drop away. This was something we'd discussed and I made a note of the sensation, as I'd need to repeat the trip to such a space later.

This was one of the holes in the space between worlds my double had drilled, which meant it was also my ticket home.

Unclenching my fist, I felt nothing for a moment, but then with a flash of light and sound, everything rushed into existence. I was back in the Crystal Mind chamber, in the Citadel. A faint aura of dust exploded off of me as the air was gently displaced around me, and I took a breath.

I examined the glove and managed a smile despite everything. "Fascinating."

My pleasure with experiencing time manipulation was cut short as I remembered time was still my enemy, among numerous other problems dominating my thoughts. I scanned the chamber to find it was slightly cleaner than when I'd left. Still dusty, but the bodies had been removed and the destroyed Crystal Mind was disassembled.

"Hello?" I called. My voice echoed into the corridors branching out from the room, but no response came. Frowning, I picked one at random and began making my way out. I desperately hoped Jury and Tempest hadn't left, as they were crucial to handling what came next.

And not just because if they left, that meant they also took the hovercraft. Though, that was definitely part of it.

"Hello!" I yelled as I ambled through the halls of my old fortress. "Jury! Tempest! Hello!"

[Hello!] I jumped out of my skin and whirled around before falling flat on my ass.

"K-" I choked and scrambled away from KS 6, who was tilting her head to and fro, looking me up and down.

[Hold on, I'll let Jury know you're here,] she added after a moment. I paused and my jaw dropped. She suddenly chirped and went stiff. [Eddy?! How- When- What the heck?!] I sighed hard at the sound of Jury's voice.

"I could ask you the same. When and how did you rebuild KS 6?"

[We found a stockpile of them that your double must've been working on. Remember, I told you we got ambushed by a whole bunch?] She replied. [None of them are as aware or conscious as the original though, so we've just set them to general labor while we try to figure out what happened to you!] The golem scowled and leaned forward.

[Speaking of! Explain please?] I let out a sigh and rubbed my head.

"Right. Tell you what, meet me in the Crystal Mind's chamber," I grimaced. "Things have escalated."

I glanced at the clock held in my magic. Twelve hours at most remained. I clenched my eyes and shuddered before turning back to the throne room. All around my throne were magically projected screens showing guards and city officials across Equestria scrambling to follow the evacuation orders I'd sent.

"I suppose it's lucky we have Bedlam's machinery to spread the word, but even still what can all those ponies do?" Rarity asked, drawing my attention forward to my friends, including Starlight, Celestia, and Luna. "Based on what Discord said, it sounds positively apocalyptic!" The sisters were huddled close to each other, and Celestia was staring off out one of the tall windows of the room.

When we learned what was coming, and what the implications were, she'd grown despondent. I couldn't blame her, especially since, without her horn, her ability to help was severely inhibited. There was only so much that raw strength could do in the face of what was coming.

"It is, but now that Discord has his magic back, he can restrain the worst effects," I replied and turned to the screen showing Discord and Fluttershy at the peak of the mountain that Canterlot was built upon. He was anxiously rubbing his talons together and cradling her while scanning the sky for any change. "But that's easily the worst part. He has to actively restrain it all. He won't be able to run, so the chance of Bedford capturing him and stealing his magic is high."

"What about Bedlam?" Flurry asked with her ears back and a wary frown. She was at my side while Cadance and Shining helped direct the guards in the city. With one exception, the rest of our non-pony allies had returned to their homelands to try and brace for impact, as it were.

I frowned at her question which I didn't have a solid answer to. He hadn't been seen in days, and there hadn't been any activity suggesting he was active. I turned to Flurry and managed a small smile.

"He was on board with defeating the other Eddy, so I can't imagine he'd help him," my smile faltered, and I glared to the side. "Now, rushing in at the last moment to try and make a power grab on the other hoof." Flurry wilted and the girls shared a look, which drew a sigh out of me. I shook my head and hugged Flurry.

"The only thing we can do is plan for Bedford. Plan for what we know is coming," I pulled back and gave her the best reassuring smile I could manage. "And do our best." Despite everything, she smiled back with a nod. And despite that, I couldn't help but glance at the image of Discord and Fluttershy, still waiting for what was coming.

The drone I was peering through hovered down the street, between the rows of the combat animunculi I'd arranged over the last few days. As I passed, details about their energy levels and munitions flashed before my eyes. As my conscious mind wasn't bound to a limited fleshy brain, I could easily organize all of this information in a matter of seconds.

I honestly don't know how any of the other Ed Bedfords manage what with them all still being flesh and blood. Well! In a few cases, I know exactly how.

They didn't! They're dead! HAH.

The drone I was operating came to the end of the columns of war machines before turning and looking over the entire army. Each and everyone was a duplicate of the body I'd invaded the other Equestria with a few days ago. Minus the phase distorter, as that was a bit too sensitive for mass production, especially since controlling all of these was going to be a challenge even for me.

Fortunately, I had a solution for that. I set the drone to return to its home in the center of the city before I flashed back to my main body in the castle. I hummed and scanned the room around me. A mechanized alicorn with a yellow chassis stood at attention.

"Have you processed the control routines I prepared for you?"

[Yes sir.]

"Good girl!" I praised. The door slid open and a pony-shaped golems came marching in. There was a time when I'd need guards to apprehend individuals of interest. Those days were long past. Now it was as simple as sending out a command and waiting for a response.

[I have a concern,] the alicorn asked. I waved my hand and she continued. [Returning to the other Equestria with or without an army would require-] Her inquiry died as I began to respond.

"I've still got access to the satellites and a whole mess of facilities to work with. Plenty hid in far reaches of the continent that he kept secret," I drummed my claws on my throne's arm, producing a rhythmic tink. The entire complex system was flashing through my vision as I sorted and calculated how long I'd need to remotely manufacture a new Crystal Mind. As I did, I glanced at the pony golem I'd called in. "So, you used to be Jury-rig, right?"

[Yes, sir.]

"Neat. His version of you was pretty handy with machines and alchemy," I leaned forward and tilted my head. "How about you?"

[Sir, this unit's talents prior to mechanization were-] The golem's report was cut off when a warbling drone echoed into the room. All at once, I began receiving alerts and magical signals from..

Everywhere, really. The entire planet.

I folded my arms and began dissecting and studying the readings as they came flooding in. My vision was a constant stream of notices popping up and overlapping each other, but with my mechanical brain, it was easy to pin specific repeating elements.

Despite that, I couldn't be certain if this was a positive development since the dominant element found in all these readings was a magical 'sinkhole' similar to what I'd see in my experiments in dimension hopping. Lots of magic was getting sucked into arcane tunnels in the meta cosmos and seemingly starting to drag physical material with it.

I tilted my head before jolting upon realizing what was happening. "Shit."

The portal fizzled and finally peeled apart before fading into the pillars that had generated it. The gemstone rings providing power to the spell spun faster and glowed brightly before hissing and popping. All at once they spun off-kilter and rattled down the length of the pillars before resting in a smoking pile at their bases.

Silence filled the lab as the team stared at the space where my evil twin had vanished. After a minute or two, one of the assistants turned to me with an anxious look.

"What happens if they can't contain it?" He asked, causing the rest of the team to turn as well. With a hearty sigh, I raised an eyebrow and folded my arms.

"Well, it's not a matter of if. Their Discord's aware of the situation and could reverse it with enough effort, then my psycho doppelganger can use that phase distortion whatever he called it to start patching the holes," I clicked my teeth and gave a wry smile. "The real problem is my other-other double. He's probably going to be gunning for Discord the entire time." I screwed up my face and stared at the inactive portal.

The unicorns all shared a look before one spoke up. "What, uh-"

"If Discord isn't allowed to reverse it, it'll cause a meta-cosmic collapsing cascade," Jury offered as she trotted forward to begin disassembling the device for storage and study. I rubbed my chin and followed her.

"A what?" The unicorn asked. Jury smiled and nodded.

"Meta-cosmic collapsing cascade! I came up with the name when we noticed what was happening out there," she brushed a hoof against her chest as she spoke. "Anyway, it works like this.."

As per my request, once we reunited, Jury, Tempest, and I began hurrying for the hovercraft. The small gang of KS 6 replicas Jury had managed to reprogram and activate did little for my feelings of unease as we began to fly to Canterlot.

"So this other me came up with the name?" Jury asked with undisguised glee as the craft took off. I glanced back at her and the dozen and a half Twilight golems we had following us.

"Correct," I replied, turning my attention forward. Jury let out a squeal. "She also figured out what would happen if it occurred."

"And what exactly is that?" Tempest asked, leaning forward to look at me. I grimaced.

"Well, you have to use a lot of magic to burrow through the space between worlds to even communicate with them," I explained with my expression gradually growing more sour. "Keeping them open for just a brief conversation is fine, but my double's kept his open for years while he worked. Those holes are now set, like clay that's been allowed to dry." I looked over my shoulder at my companions with a severe expression.

"And like with clay, it's not exactly the most stable. They're starting to collapse," I huffed. Jury's glee melted while Tempest furrowed her brow.

"Whats that mean?" The latter pony asked. I nodded and looked forward.

"It means that, just like how I explained what my dreams and visions were about, the magical space around this world is starting to try and fill its gaps. And the only way to do that-"

"Is by reaching into other worlds," Jury quietly offered. I tsked and inhaled sharply.

"Yeah," I muttered and shrugged. "The problem is, these things require effort to restrain. Discord is going to be using his magic to try and do just that, while I use this to try and patch the holes by distorting spacetime." I held up my phase distorter and rattled it. For a moment, only the gentle hum of the hovercraft was heard.

"And," Tempest finally asked. "If you can't?" I didn't answer right away and when I did I swallowed first.

"Well, two worlds colliding like that is a problem. That's a lot of magic all focused to a single point. So-"

"A magical singularity, just like he's been trying to create?" Jury offered again. I glanced back at her to see she was staring ahead with wide fearful eyes.

"Bingo. An explosive one that could cause a lot of damage to the rest of the multiverse," I grunted and winced. "Especially since it'd punch a big old hole in spacetime, which would start trying to fill itself in again. Likely causing a second and larger explosion."

"How long do we have?" Tempest hastily pressed.

"My double estimated around twelve hours, but-" A warbling drone cut me off. Looking ahead and then around, I saw the sky was suddenly overcast, with an eerie green light piercing the clouds in places. In the shafts of light, I could faintly see buildings. Tall, metal buildings swarming with mechanical life. The light shimmered and flickered as the drone croaked out louder, and with each flicker, the sights became more solid.

My jaw hung loose and I heard Jury gasp. Tempest hopped into the passenger seat next to me to look at the scene in shock.

"Could be a lot less, considering how fucked spacetime is right now."

Chapter 22

"Less than twelve it is!" I shouted as I swerved around another tower that appeared in front of us. Thunder boomed all around us as the fields around Canterlot pulsed with appearing and disappearing towers and other tall or flying obstacles. Arcs of pale lightning rolled through the air and vanished, and the sky flickered between its normal healthy color and a sickly grey. I looked back. "How many do we still have?"

Jury met my eyes with her ears back. "Like, six?" She whimpered. Sure enough, another cluster of our KS 6 golems failed to avoid the suddenly appearing towers and crashed explosively against them.

I blinked as one of the golems further to the side managed to blast a hole in the wall she would have smashed into, and so she flew harmlessly inside. However, she was nowhere to be seen when the building vanished.

"Did she-"

"Look out!" Tempest yelled. Looking forward, I blanched as a massive mechanical tower, shifting and pulsing with gears and sliding panels, suddenly materialized in front of us. With a grunt, I stood up in my seat and clutched my phase distorter in the air.

Deliberately using it in linear time was a funky experience, especially given it dragged Tempest and Jury with me. Everything went blurry and I was forced to clench my eyes briefly, as a few dozen feet ahead, along a line of us, was a bright fiery cloud where it seemed we were set to impact and explode with the building.

Instead, using the distorter in a swimming fashion as I did in the void, I dragged us, hovercraft and all to the side. I caught a glimpse at Tempest and Jury as I worked, both of whom looked at the timeline we'd just exited with bewilderment. I dragged us forward and around the building, merging back into our timeline, which previously was just full of debris, fire, and bits of bone, but now shifted and displayed our hovercraft carrying on as if nothing had happened.

And when I unclenched my fist, that's exactly what happened.

Everything snapped back to normal and we carried on through the air, albeit a bit more alert and slightly shaken from the near-death experience. Jury and Tempest whirled to look back at the obstacle we'd avoided just as it dematerialized.

"What was that?!" Tempest cried.

"Phase distortion!" Jury squealed, clapping her hooves. "We mastered time and space!"

"Huh?" Tempest huffed.

"Good thing, too," I added, pointing to the clouds above Canterlot and drawing their attention there. "Cause I'll need it to fix all that."

"Holy.." Jury murmured as the pair took in the sight. Above the mountain, where I believe Discord would be, the clouds and sky were in motion, swirling, contracting, and expanding all at once. In fact, it looked as though the sky was both falling and rising at the same time, almost like a tesseract.

As I considered the anomaly above, I couldn't help but notice the towers and structures appearing and vanishing all around us in rhythm with the motions of the sky. One of which stood out to me especially.

Straight across from the mountain Canterlot was built upon was a huge multi-tiered city structure, as tall as the mountain itself but entirely built from metal. Even though it kept flickering in and out of existence I managed to get a good enough look at it to guess what it was.

"That's his Citadel," I declared, pointing at the construction. "He mentioned he had the whole thing built across from Canterlot as an act of spite and to prove he could."

"That's his headquarters?" Tempest murmured. Jury crawled across my lap to stare at the place in wonder. I rubbed my chin in thought, and my mind drifted back to the KS 6 duplicate I watched vanish into that tower.

"See, now I'm thinking," I began, drawing their attention to me. "If I seal up the holes in space at the wrong moment, some of these places might stay here. Including that." I gestured to his Citadel and looked down at Jury.

"If that is still here, then that also probably means he'll still be here," I added, clicking my teeth. "Along with whatever forces he's got there with him."

"I might have a fix for that!" Jury declared before reaching under her seat. She produced her saddle bag and opened it revealing a cluster of disrupting wands.

"Well, well! Good thinking," I chuckled and patted her head before raising an eyebrow at the city we were now flying over. The hovercraft lurched as I aimed us skyward. "However, if it comes to it, I might have a better idea in mind. But! Let's save that for if things go real bad, alright?"

I focused on the anomaly and clenched and unclenched my gloved hand. "For now, we've got work to do."

"I don't understand!" Fluttershy cried, whipping her head back and forth to scan the air all around the mountaintop. "I thought the other Discord told you that if you used your magic, none of this would happen?" She winced as another series of cracks and pops filled the air. Slowly she looked back at her draconequus friend, who was contorting his entire body into sharp angles as he snapped his talons.

"Not exactly," Discord said in a strained tone before taking a breath and snapping his entire body again. Another outburst of chaotic magic rolled out and wrestled against the shifting space around them. "I explained that I just needed to hold things back until he was in position to stitch the holes between worlds up." He sucked in a breath and snapped again, coiling his entire body up tight. Fluttershy winced and tilted her head.

"Who?" She asked before gasping. Discord raised an eyebrow and peered over his shoulder.

"The only creature stupid enough to learn how to drill holes in space and time," he grumbled as Bedlam and his cohorts flew at high speed toward the epicenter of the anomaly above the mountaintop. Discord rolled his eyes before he unwound with a violent crack. "There'll be no living with him if he pulls this off, you know that?"

"I don't understand!" The pegasus cried again, fluttering up to stare anxiously at the flying machine. "What could Bedlam possibly do? Won't he just try to-" She cut herself off with a sharp wince as another series of cracks sounded off.

"I explained to myself that I was faintly aware of his presence in the other world I came from, and as such had a feeling he was going to encounter something that might finally smack some sense into him," Discord explained, leering up at the hovercraft while bent back in a tight spiral. "A bit like what you did for me, my dear."

"Smack some sense?" Fluttershy murmured, looking between Discord and the vanishing machine above. "What on earth could that be?" She grunted in mild annoyance as the draconequus snapped again.

"Oooh, that one was good," Discord hummed with approval. "Just a shame I had no time to share that possibility with everypony else. But then again, it being just a possibility does limit the benefits of sharing it." He sighed and popped all his joints.

"For all I know, he could still be the same old villain he's always been," he twisted at the hips and tilted his head. "I guess time will tell. Just a shame considering the timing of his potential change of heart."

He managed a toothy grin. "He's certainly not made trusting him easy, after all."

My metallic claws clacked against the railing of the balcony as I studied the land around my Citadel. The bare rock mountain that once held Canterlot was still there but intermittently flashed with life and structure, almost as if I'd never razed the place. Grumbling, I attempted to reestablish communications with my personal satellites, but every two seconds the line was cut again.

"They must have given Discord his magic back," I huffed, leering at the sky that shifted from the comfy dark grey I preferred to the clear blue of a less polluted world. "He's the only creature I can imagine could tamper with space on a scale like this. But why?"

[Lord Bedford, sir!] The Sunset golem at my side suddenly peeped. [Just a moment ago-] I cut it off with a firm backhand, causing its head to spin.

"Yeah, yeah, I got the report. Shut up," I growled and studied the data that was transferred during the brief moment we had communications running. I tilted my head. "One of his KS 6 models came through?" I looked at the image that was attached to the report. The tiny thing had immediately been dog-piled by security and was disabled quickly. I narrowed my eyes.

"No, that's one of the spares I was making. Just looks like they reprogrammed it," I hummed and leaned back against the railing with my arms folded and a smirk. "Are they trying to infiltrate in between shifts? Ha! Pretty crafty."

I leered back at the city appearing and disappearing in the distance. "Two can play at that game, though," I declared and sent out a mental command to the Citadel, ordering all my war machines to make ready and the Celestia clones to be unleashed. Drumming my claws on the railing again, I considered the little golem they'd sent through. "Sunset, go try to retrieve the intruding unit, and when you find it add this data to its brain." The alicorn golem paused as it collected the command and then nodded before spreading its wings and taking off. As the world shifted again, she vanished from sight completely, as she was no longer in contact with the matter of our native world.

Even though we were shifting back and forth through dimensions, everything was still roughly in the same spot spacially, at least if my Citadel's proximity to the alternate Canterlot was any indication. Thus, the little pony machine should be able to find the location just fine. And that meant I could turn their attempted sneak attack into something sneaky all my own.

I strode away from the balcony back inside and looked over the pulsing crystal channels lining my floor. Inside the magic running through this place was the mind of my entire operation. My fleshy double may have only had the one Crystal Mind, but he was also limited by his inefficient human brain.

This Citadel was my Crystal Mind, because every channel, every gem, every natural and alchemically produced crystal lining the entire city structure housed me. There was no gap between my consciousness and every crawling inch of machinery in this place.

This also meant that if they were able to slip past my defenses and sensors and say, slam their version of the bell into any part of the magical circuitry, they'd be able to neutralize me instantly. Despite the hold I was still confident I had on the situation, some long mechanized part of my self shuddered. I climbed onto my throne and set my mind to work organizing the machines and clones within the Citadel, as well as inspecting my defenses and assets.

The magical pocket I kept my bell in was still intact, which of course meant I could also very quickly steal a win. I just needed to find their Discord and use the bell on him.

I raised an eyebrow and considered the open balcony across from my throne. The mountain peak in the distance seemed to be where the warp in spacetime was most active. As good a place to hit first as any.

"Wait for the next shift and then charge," I ordered audibly and mentally.

Chapter 23

Ah, the void. The vale. Whatever you wanted to call it, there was something comforting about drifting in the space between space. I glanced back down my personal timestream to where I'd left Tempest and Jury just at the threshold of our world. Even though they could no longer see me, they were looking up at what they perceived to just be the sky.

I'm sure Jury would have loved to experience this place, but I needed my full focus on the work that was about to take place. I didn't want to risk losing sight of her and accidentally sealing her out of the world, after all.

With that thought, I turned my attention to the realm all around me. A place that didn't really encompass a single sense. One of sound and feeling, more than sight. Where thought had power as the magic of creation reacted if you knew just how to prod it. And luckily, I not only knew how, but I had a tool to help with the process.

I raised my active phase distorter, closed my eyes, and focused. As my timestream expanded out just as it did when I accidentally crossed worlds, I became aware of gaps which I immediately gave my full attention. I reached out physically and clutched at the open air, feeling something akin to water or sand shifting in my grip. Then, I pulled, carefully and slowly deactivating the distorter as I did.

I can't imagine what I must have looked like, but that hardly mattered. I could feel it working as my expanded timestream closed up on every side of the gap and forced it shut. That was one, maybe two.

"Thank God time doesn't really work out here," I huffed as I began to repeat the process.

I drifted back towards the threshold, satisfied with my appraisal of the void. I'd seen Discord on our way up, so I figured I could just ask him to double-check my work, but I was confident in the patch job I'd done. Thus, I was confident I could return to the world below and see what needed to be done on the physical plane.

Passing through the shimmering membrane that separated my world from the void, I-

"What the hell?!"

Immediately realized Jury and Tempest were nowhere to be seen. Meaning the hovercraft was nowhere to be seen and I was free falling. I was too caught off guard to scream and just tumbled, flailing my arms as I fell. A few things became apparent then.

First, my double's Citadel was still present.

Second, there was an active fire down in Canterlot and what seemed to be a battle raging.

Third, Jury and Tempest were racing the hovercraft in a tight circle near the mountaintop. Said hovercraft was smoking out one side and being pursued by one of my double's abominable alicorn clones which was dipping and weaving around Tempest's magic bolts.

"JURY!" I screamed. She glanced up and screamed as well before swerving and flying up to intercept me. As she did, Tempest's aim was thrown off as she stumbled allowing the alicorn clone a chance to close distance. Its horn bubbled with a sickly green energy and it thrashed in the air, clumsily attempting to line up a shot. I grit my teeth and readied my distorter. "Get a wand ready!"

Jury hesitated for just a moment before scrambling to grab one. At the same time, I activated the distorter. Time once again blurred and I was able to drag myself towards them. As soon as I was close enough, I grabbed the passenger seat and switched off the distorter. I grunted as the hovercraft lurched forward, both from the sudden motion and from the stinging inside my glove. The gems all over it were glowing red hot from overuse.

"Bedlam!" Jury cried, thrusting the wand at me. I snatched it up and glanced back just in time to see the clone fire its beam. Hissing at the burning, I switched on the glove again and both moved us out of the attack's path and pulled us closer to the abomination, where I could get a better look at the metal grafted onto its skull. As well as its controlling gem.

I leaped onto its back and raised my wand like a stake. At that moment, the glove made a sizzling noise and shut off on its own.

"Fuck," was all I could say before the clone screeched and zipped forward with a beat of its wings, forcing me to hold on for dear life. The thing hissed and roared before suddenly going still and glancing back at me with an uncanny awareness. It narrowed its eye but stopped thrashing long enough for me to drive the disrupting wand into its gem. The gem sparked and crackled before going dark. The entire time, the clone just stared at me, even as it shuddered and began to melt right out from under me.

"Eddy!" Tempest cried, catching me in her magic just as the entire creature liquified. I watched the metal headpiece fall with the disrupting wand still lodged in it, with a solid idea of what that glare meant.

"That's for stealing my Citadel and my Killer series," I spat as Tempest hauled me to the hovercraft.

From the mountaintop, we had a solid view of what was happening in Canterlot. There were plenty of guard pony, yak, and changeling bodies littering the streets, but there were also tons of ruined animunculi and puddles of clone goop making a mess of things.

No sign of Twilight, however.

"Where the hell is Discord?" I groused, looking back at Jury, who was inspecting the damage to the hovercraft. Tempest beside her perked up.

"As soon as everything stopped shifting around, he grabbed Fluttershy and teleported away," she explained, casting a glare at the scorch mark on our craft. "Good thing too. Your unkind duplicate seemed intent on striking here first."

"All the Badlam animunculi aren't putting up nearly as much of a fight as the original we saw at the Citadel," Jury added with a nod. "They're still using those explosion-propelled weapons, though."

I frowned and looked at her. "'Badlam?'" She recoiled and looked off to the side with a blush. I stared at her for a moment before shaking my head. "Well, if I had to guess, the main factor at play is the phase distorter. It's too delicate to mass produce as far as I know."

I inspected the one I was wearing and hummed. I twisted and pulled some of the gems, which had cooled off but were noticeably deformed. They plainly still held a charge though.

"Since he's stuck with only his Citadel now, we might be lucky, and he's only got one or two more prepared," I clenched my fist for just a moment and grinned as it activated. "Meaning we might have an advantage."

"Advantage to do what?" Tempest asked. Before I could reply, Jury gasped.

"Invade his Citadel, of course!" She cried. I blanched and whipped back around. She was beaming. "While he's distracted with the ponies in Canterlot, we can just sneak in and kill his whole operation! He's gotta have something like the Crystal Mind in there, right?!" Her expression held for a moment longer until she saw my uncertain face.

"What?" She asked, tilting her head. Tempest also turned to look at me with mild concern. I stared back for a moment before looking down at the city.

I had to find her. Had to make sure she was safe. She probably was, but I needed to know for sure. Needed... To ask her. To say nothing of my real plan, which was to have her use the bell to capture Badla... my double all at once. Chances were high that she wouldn't trust me. This was all too familiar to the crisis my three former employees caused years ago, and everyone knew how that ended.

But that was the whole point, wasn't it? Taking a chance on.. Well, friendship? Trusting her, like I do Jury and Tempest? My mind might've been screaming that this was a bad idea. Experience might've been giving weight to that thought.

But I had to try, didn't I?

"How's the hovercraft?" I huffed, adjusting the wrist of my glove. Jury slapped the panel she was digging in shut before shooting me a smile.

"A little banged up, but nothing that'll hinder us," she chirped. I nodded and turned to face them.

"Great. Let's get down to the city before they're overrun," I replied. Jury's expression fell, and Tempest flinched.

"What are you talking about?" Jury gasped. She thrust a hoof toward the Citadel. "We can just fly there while he's focused on Canterlot!"

"I-" I grunted and glanced back at the city below. "I can't abandon Twilight again. I need to-" Jury groaned and threw her head back.

"Of course," she muttered under her breath. "Just what? Can't stand the idea of not having her be a constant and unnecessary distraction?" She grumbled and trotted up to me. I sighed and rubbed my temple.

"No, it's," I hesitated, looked to the side, and rolled my hand. "It's personal." Jury blinked and looked me up and down.
"Personal?" She murmured, stepping close to forcibly meet my averted gaze. I winced and stared at her before sighing.

"I- I saw what could have been, Jury," I finally began. "I saw what would have happened if I never took the bell." She flinched and I looked off towards the horizon.

"I saw us. The three of us," I gestured to her and Tempest. "We were.. Happy." The rumble of the war below was the only sound for a few moments.

"What, you don't think we're happy now?" Jury finally huffed. I waved my hand.

"No, but this was something more. It's hard to pin down, but I think the main difference was-"

"Twilight?" She spat. I flinched and looked back at her to see she was glaring. I blinked and weakly shrugged.

"She was there, sure, but-"

"Right, 'cause she's all that matters," Jury groused, shaking her head and looking off to the side.

"Fucking- No!" I groaned, rubbing my forehead. "It was me. I was-"

"What? A better person? Nicer?" She interrupted, suddenly stepping towards me with a quiet fury in her eyes. "Who cares about that? And who cares about what they were feeling?" She stood directly in front of me and jabbed me in the knee.

"We're happy here, just the way we are," she spat. She glared up at me for a moment. "Right?" My jaw hung loose as I looked down at her in shock. After a few moments, I finally responded.

"Well, I thought I was," I muttered with a shrug. She fixed me with a hateful look for an equally long time.

"What the heck changed?" She demanded. I stared at her, weakly at first but then firmer.

"I guess I did," I replied. "And I'm the one who cares about the person I could have been."

"Since when?" She snapped, tilting her head. However, she didn't let me reply. "Since you realized it'd make her all warm and fuzzy inside?" I flinched and took a step back.

"You-"

"Where was this for the last decade?" She demanded, advancing towards me and forcing me back. She let out a bitter giggle. "Oh no! Don't tell me~ The same place as always!" I tripped and fell, but she kept advancing.

"Right on the throne with you, letting you make all those bad decisions like the one you're currently trying to make!" She barked a laugh as she climbed onto my lap. "Like letting her and her friends go free instead of locking them in Tartarus!" She pressed her nose to mine.

"Or making her a bucking Administrator for an entire region!" She hummed and tilted her head. "The Dragons, though? Oh, we can abduct their unborn just fine! The Hippogriffs? Air drown 'em!"

She adopted a venomous sneer. "And don't get me started on the Kirin." I wilted as she whirled back and hopped off. "But never Twilight! Oh no! Gotta wear nice soft gloves for her!"

"Jury-"

"After all, she's the only one who matters! She used to be your friend!" She giggled again and stomped as she paced. "She hates you now, but who cares about that?"

"Ju-"

"WHAT ABOUT ME?!" She screamed, hopping just enough to slam her hooves down at me. "What about US?! EVERYTHING we built together?!" She heaved a few breaths and tears began to fall.

"Doesn't any of that matter?" She choked. "Don't I matter?" I struggled forward.

"Of course you do-"

"Then why are you choosing her?" She heaved. "Can't we be happy? Can't I make you happy?" She uttered a few sobs as she glared at me. I sat on my hands and knees for a moment. I glanced at Tempest who wore a reserved, but expectant expression. Mulling over everything, I finally found the words and rose to my feet.

"You two have always made me happy. That's never changed," I stepped closer to Jury, knelt, and placed my hand on her head. She looked up at me with tears still falling. "But what has changed is what I've made you." She recoiled slightly.

"I made Tempest fight the dragons, and let her get burned," I continued and slowly stroked Jury's head. "But I made you into me. And that's just as bad."

"What?" She quietly asked.

"Jury, you were plotting to blow up children. Foals. For my sake," I explained, drawing a momentary wince from her. "Even just a few years ago, that's.. That's not you." I closed my eyes.

"But it's who I made you into." I stood up and looked between her and Tempest, who stepped forward to stand beside Jury. "I ruined KS 6 because I kept her in Twilight's shadow. And I've ruined you two by keeping you in mine." My gaze again drifted to the horizon.

"I want to be better, so you two at least aren't being dragged down by me anymore," I murmured before clenching my eyes. "But I don't know how to start."

I opened and turned my eyes towards Canterlot. "I think she does, though."

"Eddy," Jury squeaked.

"Look, you, both of you.." I paced away, rolling my hands as I mulled over my words. "You're free. Proceed how you want." I paused and held my hands up, drawing a sharp breath.

"Just.. Don't let me make you any worse than I already have." Again, noise from below was all that could be heard for a minute.

"Jeez, get over yourself." I nearly stumbled before whirling around to look at Tempest in shock. Jury wore a similar if slightly teary-eyed expression. Tempest just rolled her eye. "I think I need to remind you that prior to our arrangement, I was already deep in the criminal underworld, Ed."

She nodded her head at Jury as she approached me. "And her? All you really did was help her find herself," she declared, standing before me and looking me up and down. "The three of us have always leaned on each other. Backed each other up, and covered each other's mistakes."

She raised an eyebrow. "Sure, initially you were more domineering and it took you a few years to finally trust us, but now we've got a solid circle set up," she scowled and I was violently yanked down to her eye level by magic. "So don't you dare say you ruined us." I wilted at her steely glare, but she softened after a moment, pulling me into a hug.

"We three have always been damaged goods. That's why we mesh so well." I stared ahead blankly as she squeezed me before she withdrew, offering a weary smile. "So, if you want to give self-improvement a try, I'm willing to give it a shot with you." I looked at her in shock and wonder for a moment before her ear twitched and she withdrew further with a slight blush.

"Well, that's my two bits anyway," she added, roughly clearing her throat and glancing back at Jury expectantly. I followed suit and saw she was looking back between the two of us with a hoof over her mouth. She met my eyes and her ears shot back.

"I-" She grunted and averted her eyes, trotting up to us slowly. "You gave me a chance to make so many things. I-"

She clenched her eyes and shook her head. "I don't want to lose that again." Her head and ears sagged as she looked back at me. "And I'm scared she'll take it away. Take you away." I looked into her eyes firmly, lost in thought for a moment. I glanced between her and Tempest before frowning.

"Well. All the more reason to change course now, and not give her more reasons to separate us, I guess," I weakly declared, more uncertain now than previously. I slowly rose and dusted my hands before looking down at my girls. Tempest still wore her weary smile, while Jury looked as uneasy as I felt. I nodded. "I'll beg her if I have to, to not separate us. But between you and me?"

I leaned in and cupped a hand to the side of my mouth. "I've got something of a scheme to butter her up." They both perked up.

"What?" They asked in unison. I weakly smiled and shrugged.

"Well, I was thinking, in addition to telling her about the critical weakness of Badlam's Citadel," I paused and winced with a groan, causing Jury to giggle. I huffed and continued. "Well, I was going to offer to try and replant the Kirin Grove. Use a few golems to speed up the process, you know?"

"Cute idea." I froze. "Counter proposal."

click

BANG

Jury fell over with a hacking squeal and started thrashing and gasping. Tempest whirled about and looked to the side in shock. Slowly, I managed to pry my eyes off of Jury's injured and bloodied form to look that way as well.

"Heya, Bedlam," my double greeted with glowing red eyes, a wry mechanical grin, and a smoking gun-barrel raised. "And, uh, that was for wrecking one perfectly good clone, buddy~."

Author's Note

Chapter 24

"HEAVE!" Shining Armor roared. At his command, the guards and yaks atop the roofs on one side of the main Canterlot street toppled over the barrels of balefire they'd brought with them. The tar-like solution flowed down onto the troop of golems marching down the street and erupted into green flames on contact. Shining leaped from his post as the fire roared up. "BACK!"

The entire platoon withdrew as the fire swirled and boiled, spreading down the line of magically powered machines and melting them as it washed down the street. Much of the southern city would be consumed, but as Shining and his wife had evacuated Canterlot hours earlier, this was an acceptable loss compared to the threat Bedford presented.

The defending forces scrambled down the scaffolds they'd erected and hurried down the alleyways they'd covered with tarps to mask their retreat. And not a moment too soon, as the rooftops they'd launched the ambush from were themselves consumed by magical fire as the alicorn clones swept down and blasted them, heedless of the balefire that latched onto and climbed up their spells, until they themselves were consumed.

Against sane opponents, this would be a grim but positive occurrence. With those hissing and shrieking abominations, however, it only complicated things. Now, the clones flew through the air covered in flames and exploding as they attempted to cast more magic. Flaming motes were hurled in every direction, spreading the blaze even into the alleyways the defenders retreated through.

Shining grit his teeth and galloped on, keeping his eyes forward and off the tarps above even as they began to burn. "Hurry!"

While he and his team scrambled to escape the arcane inferno, a batch of golems had clambered onto the roof opposite where the balefire had been hurled. The humanoid machines crouched low and raced atop the lines of houses like wild animals until they cleared the fire, at which point they leaped down to the street and continued marching.

The golem at the head of the line paused for just a moment as something impacted the street ahead of them, but as the dust settled the lead golem's eyes lit up red and he sneered with uncanny awareness. A mental command rolled out and the troop began splitting and encircling the one who had come to halt their advance.

Celestia stood tall, her eyes slowly drifting left and right as the machines surrounded her. However, they'd given up their advance further into the city just as she anticipated.

"Hatred makes one predictable," she murmured. Her wings snapped out for a moment as she waited for one of the machines to attack. Instead, once she was surrounded by a ring six ranks deep, they paused. The red eyes that seemed to signal which golem Bedford was directly piloting flashed from head to head, but no movement was made. There was a whirring and a hissing as each golem began preparing their weapons, but still no attack came.

Then, they began laughing.

Each and every one of them began laughing with his voice. The red light continued to circle through their faces, but no attack came. Celestia lowered her head and spread her wings in preparation.

Then, they went silent and their heads snapped in unison toward the sky. Celestia peeked back for just a moment to see they were staring at the mountaintop.

"God damn it," Bedford hissed. The golem he was piloting waved its hand. "Just kill her." The red light vanished and the entire group charged at once. First was a spray of metal as multiple golems fired their projectiles. But while such weapons could incapacitate a normal pony, they only served to agitate a full-grown alicorn. She sprang forward, heedless of the stinging pellets, and body-slammed three of the machines.

Her hooves came down on the toppled animunculi and crushed their heads. As the rest of the horde doubled back and leaped upon her, her rear hooves snapped up and caved their chests in. She whirled around, toppling and trampling the machines as they hurled themselves at her.

However, without their master to direct them, many of the golems who were now circumventing the raging balefire chose to continue marching into the city instead of dog-piling the former princess. Instead, they ran headlong into the platoon of guards and yaks led by Shining Armor just as they emerged from the alley. The unicorn captain thrust his hoof forward.

"Charge!"

"BASTARD!" Tempest roared, which was all the intervention I allowed. In one movement, I rose to my full height and activated my distorter. I glared at my frozen double before looking back to Jury. Her side was bruised and scorched and blood welled up from a dozen or so holes in her flesh. I grit my teeth and drew a disrupting wand from my belt before stalking to my double.

"Careful, pal," he said suddenly, causing me to jump. My jaw dropped as I watched him scan the area before locking eyes with me. He was surrounded by a strange, blurry aura and left behind a faint trail like I'd seen other times I used my distorter. He smiled and raised his left arm, which held a glowing distorter all its own. "See, I put two and two together that you probably snatched up the one I left back at your place. So, figured I'd best come here personally with my spare."

I swallowed as he again scanned the area. "Neat reaction, though. First time I've ever seen two people using one of these each," he hummed. "Where's Discord?"

I looked between his face and the gun in his arm. "N-no clue."

"You lying to me?" He asked evenly, still idly studying the air around us. I watched the movements of his eyes and head carefully.

"No, he ran off while I was patching up your shoddy work," I replied. He laughed and turned his head away.

"Shoddy work, huh?" He looked back towards his Citadel. "Whatcha mean by that?" I sprang forward and raised my wand like a knife. I was stopped short when the barrel of his gun swept up and jabbed me in the chest.

"Scratch that," he chirped as I gasped and fell back. "I don't care."

click.

I stumbled and collapsed, but was otherwise unharmed. His head whipped back around to look at me in surprise. We shared a look before both glancing at his gun. He kept it level, but leaned in close, studying it carefully

"Huh," he whispered, slowly sliding his arm back. There was a faint, warbling scraping noise as his gun retracted, revealing a floating fiery cloud full of little metal pellets, frozen in time.

"Fascinating," we both murmured as I rolled forward to get a closer look.

"Must be an effect of us both distorting time at the same instant," I offered, rubbing my chin and creeping closer to him.

"Wild," he added with a nod, before raising a mechanical eyebrow. "Guess I gotta get my claws dirty, huh?" I snapped forward and tried to stab him, but his leg shot up and kicked my arm. I cried out in pain and the wand went sailing back in an arc. I threw myself back and scurried away from him as he casually stalked after me.

Just as I was in arms reach of the wand, which had landed a few feet away from the frozen Tempest and Jury, he jumped forward and dragged me back by the ankle, before hoisting me up by the throat with his left arm. I gasped and choked and struggled against his grip, trying in vain to try and pry his phase distorter off.

"Alreet! Outta respect for your being a lesser me, your choice," he chirped, completely unfazed by my thrashing and kicking even as my bootheel collided with his jaw. "You can go easy, or hard. We can do this in real time and I just blow your head clean off."

He nodded his head at Jury. "Lil' ponies are sturdy 'n all, but you ain't so lucky. Should be quick and painless. Or," he traced one of his sharp claws along my stomach. "I can start digging and cutting until you bleed to death." I looked at him in dread, still struggling, but glanced just past him. I paused and met his eyes, at which he gave an expectant smirk.

I slowly nodded and raised my gloved hand. His smile widened and he nodded back. "Good choice. I'm sure your girls would prefer to see you drop, y'know?" My eye twitched and I snarled my lip, but slowly switched off my distorter. He followed suit and extended his gun barrel from his right arm.

BANG

But before he could shoot, the cloud of high-speed metal he'd fired previously resumed its trip and exploded into his back. His frame made a squealing noise and crackled as the blast struck, causing him to lurch and twitch.

"Aw, you son of a-" He was cut off as a beam of maroon magic sheered through his shoulders, cutting both his arms off and letting me drop free. He managed a bitter smile and we both turned to look at Tempest who stared at him with venom in her eyes as she stood over Jury.

I scrambled and retrieved my wand as he stood in place, shuddering and lurching with an awful grinding noise coming from somewhere inside him. I stood before him and glared into his eyes as he just grinned. Right as I raised my wand, however, there was a chirp and the light vanished from his eyes. His entire frame shuddered one final time and then sagged with a hiss. I stared at the derelict animunculus for a moment before jamming my wand into its head just to be safe.

Sighing hard, I turned and ran to Tempest and Jury. Sweeping off my coat I gently wrapped it around Jury, who squeaked and looked up at me briefly before wincing.

"Just hang on," I huffed, carefully scooped her up, and looked at Tempest. She looked at Jury anxiously before meeting my eyes. "Grab his right arm and get on the hovercraft."

"Balefire, huh?" I huffed as we sped toward the castle, eying the green flames consuming the southern portion of the city. "Good thinking." I scanned the rest of the city and saw that there didn't seem to be much fighting still going on, but there was a mass effort to haul bodies towards the castle. The sight caused me to glance at Jury who lay quivering in my lap. Dark stains were becoming visible even through the dark material of my coat. I anxiously held the underside of her head and she leaned into my hand.

"What happened?" Tempest asked, peeking over the edge of the hovercraft.

"If I had to guess, the balefire and Badlam coming up to confront us sort of put a pin in his attack plan," I replied casting a critical glare at the Citadel in the distance. "No telling how long that will last though. And there's no way he doesn't have more flying things lurking over there."

"It's Bedlam!" A scream echoed from below. We both glanced down to see we were directly above the castle courtyard, where dozens of yaks and guards and a certain pair of battered alicorns stood gawping up at us. I took a shallow breath and shared a look with Tempest before setting the craft to descend.

As we did, there was a clang and a growl, which drew our attention to the right. There, crouched like a cat and with death in her eyes, was Ember. She snorted a heavy gout of steam at me and jabbed a claw.

"Land. Now."

I raised both my hands and nodded. "Already in the process, alright?" To my surprise, she recoiled and looked at me in bewilderment.

"The heck was that tone?" She grumbled. She stared at me for a moment before looking passed me. I turned and saw Celestia fluttering next to the craft. Her cold, unreadable eyes drifted to my glove. Slowly and deliberately, I pulled it off and held it to Ember. Celestia blinked once before looking down at Jury who was still shivering, and hid her face in my shirt.

I looked over at Ember and shook my glove at her, which snapped her out of her stupor and she snatched it from my hand. Glancing between the two and back at Tempest, I slowly put my hands on the controls.

"I'm going to land it, alright?"

"That would be advisable," Celestia replied. "We can't treat her wounds this high up."

Chapter 25

I kept my eyes forward, but I could still see them through my peripheral. Thorax, Ember, Rutherford, Starlight, the alicorns, most of the Element bearers, and even Lace and her maids. All of my chiefest foes, here in the throne room, eyes locked on me. The public door to the room cracked open and another of Lace's maids approached her before whispering.

"Our medicinal elixir has been distributed to the injured," she explained to the gathering and tilted her head at me. "Including to your assistant. Their injuries will heal by sundown."

I audibly sighed and glanced over at her. "Thank you, Lace."

"I certainly didn't do it for you, Edward," she retorted with a wry smile. I winced and glanced the other way at Celestia. While everyone else wore expressions of outright contempt or thinly veiled and hostile glee at what was likely my comeuppance, she remained unreadable.

Before I could think more on it, the door at the far end of the room opened, and in walked Shining Armor, his daughter, and his sister. My breath hitched as the three met my eyes, and I desperately wished they'd let Tempest be here with me.
His face was drawn and haggard, telling a tale not only of the battle he'd just been involved in but also of weary resignation as though he was simply done with me.

Flurry wilted at the sight of me and hid behind her aunt.

And Twilight.

Like Celestia, she was unreadable. She spared me just a momentary glance before she began the climb to her throne at the far end of the room. Flurry and her father trotted over to her mother, where she sat averting her eyes from me. All eyes were now on Twilight as she mounted her throne and took a shallow breath.

"Why did you come back, Bedlam?" She demanded. "What's the scheme?" I swallowed and met her eyes.

"Initially, I was attempting to patch the tears between our world and his," I explained, gesturing weakly as I spoke. "But seeing as he's still here, I believed I should convey a critical weakness in his Citadel's design to you."

"What weakness is that?" She demanded again.

I nodded and held my hands out. "The same one all my machinery share," I began, which drew a subtle look of surprise from her. "Since all of his animunculi are connected by magical streams, if you were to use the bell on a critical magic channel in his fortress, you could siphon away all of it at once. Including him."

"Are you serious?!" Rainbow screamed, zipping up to me and nearly knocking me over. "You're saying we could've just blasted him with the bell and it'd all be over?!"

I held up a hand and glared at her. "No. I said you blast a critical magic channel in his fortress," I retorted waving my hand at her. "If you just target a single golem, he could just cut it off from the rest of the network."

"That's how KS 6 escaped the Element's magic all those years ago, right?" Starlight asked. I nodded in agreement and returned my attention to Twilight. Her face was still even, but she was clearly giving my words a lot of thought.

"Sealing him up in the bell along with disabling his machines would be ideal," she declared before frowning. "But he's also connected to your satellites, isn't he?"

"I believe so," I replied. She furrowed her brow and looked me up and down.

"Won't that also mean anything else connected to them would be drained?"

"It would," I replied again before humming with a slight shrug. "Unless, again, he cut something off from the network ahead of time."

"That would destroy everything you've built," she said, causing me to shrug again.

"You say that like it's a bad thing," I sighed. She scowled.

"For you, it is." I hesitated and winced before meekly waving my hand.

"Let's.. Just say I've had some time to think," I replied. "Let's just focus on-"

"Elaborate," she demanded. I grunted and glanced up at her.

"We," I hesitated again and sighed. "We can discuss it later, once-"

"We discuss it now, Eddy," she spat, her expression turning sharp and venomous. I wilted at the sight and anxiously looked around. Again, all eyes were on me. Now, however, they were all slightly confused and expectant. I clenched my eyes and took a breath before looking at Twilight again.

"Is it too late for me?" I finally asked. Her expression shattered immediately and she recoiled in shock. Through my peripheral, I could tell the rest of the gathered creatures were having similar reactions. Some more furious than others.

"Sure is," Ember spat with a laugh.

"Wow," Thorax added with a heavy sigh.

"He serious?" Rutherford grunted. I couldn't make out what Cadance was saying as she was lost in a frothing, hissing rage that her bewildered husband was barely able to hold back. Flurry had peeked out from behind her to look at me in wonder. Celestia and Luna had only shared a look, while the Element bearers stared at me with jaws hanging.

Starlight was the sole exception in the room. While initially taken aback, she was now focused on Twilight like I was. The head princess looked at me, visibly searching for something to say. She scanned the room at the rest of the group before clearing her throat and adopting a severe expression.

"I," she slowly began and her expression immediately melted to one of subdued regret and exhaustion. "I don't know." I felt my heart sink and my shoulders slumped with a quiet gasp. She shook her head gently but averted her eyes.

"A part of me wants to say no," she continued before slowly fixing me with a harsh glare. "But you and I both know what you've done." We stared at each other for a few moments before I swallowed and nodded.

"Right," I huffed. I sat breathing with my eyes drifting around as she just held her focus on me. Then she took a breath and nodded.

"But for once, I think you're right. We can discuss this later," she added.

"WHAT?!" Cadance screamed.

"Caddy, hush!" Shining begged. Twilight began to descend from her throne and looked over the group before standing in front of me. Starlight and the alicorn sisters were the only ones not taken aback by her words.

"Let's hear about these main channels, Eddy."

Jury, despite her injuries, had demanded I sit on the bed with her. So, she now sat curled against my side, while Tempest lay across my legs. Both of them had magical restraints on, and there was a pair of guards watching us closely by the open door.

"So, what's going to happen to us?" Tempest asked as I idly scratched her ear. Jury whimpered and buried her face deeper in my shirt.

"For now, we stay under supervision," I replied, glancing at the window and the Citadel visible in the distance. "Twilight and her friends are going to wait for the next attack before attempting to sneak into the place."

"How long will that be?" Tempest pressed, glancing up at me. Before I could respond, a familiar face stepped into the room.

"Sooner than you'd think," Celestia declared, eyes locked on me. "At least, if you are willing to cooperate, Mr. Bedford." Jury and Tempest looked from her to me and I shrugged.

"What do you need?" I sighed. She didn't respond right away but nodded after a few moments.

"Our adversary seems to have it out for the two of us beyond most other creatures," she explained. "So, it may be possible that if he were to observe you and I leading a direct assault out of the city, he could be compelled to meet us."

I hummed and scratched my chin. "True," I raised an eyebrow at her. "But that would imply I be allowed to leave this room."

"And you'd need a few pieces of equipment such as those we confiscated to support the deception," she said with a nod. "We are prepared to offer both."

"No way!" Jury shrieked, rising as she did before letting out a howl of pain and collapsing against me. I sat up and wrapped my arms around her as she hissed and whimpered. "No. Don't do it. He'll kill you." She shivered and let out a weak sob into my shirt. I held her and looked at Tempest, who met my eyes before turning to Celestia.

"What about the two of us?" She asked.

"Jury-rig is still injured, and I think it would be best if you remained here with her," Celestia replied. "So that she's not all alone." Jury squeaked and murmured into my shirt at her words.

"Don't go. Don't go, please don't go." I hummed and caressed the side of her head.

"Hey, hey, listen. I won't be alone, and they're going to let me use the distorter," I quietly began, managing to get her to look up at me. "He made it sound like the one he had on top of the mountain was his only spare, so it should be safe. More than safe." I gave her a reassuring smile. She sniffled and clung to me for a moment longer before relaxing.

"We," she gulped. "We have things to do, Eddy. Don't you dare skip out on me."

"I won't," I whispered and hugged her. As we parted I looked at Tempest, who met my eyes before taking a shallow breath and nodding. Returning the gesture I slowly drew myself from the bed and approached Celestia. "Lead the way."

Smoke from the still-raging fire cast the field south of Canterlot into faint shadow, despite the fact they'd managed to keep it from spreading. As a result, the glowing eyes of the mechanical horde down in the valley between the mountain and Badlam's citadel were more apparent. As well as those shuffling out of the fortress itself. I took a breath to steady my pounding heart as the hovercraft carrying myself and the alicorn sisters drifted on.

I adjusted my glove and popped open the side of the arm I'd taken from my double. Inside were a few dozen shells, and a mechanism largely identical to a simple shotgun. Closing it, I scanned the warband around us. Yaks, ponies, changelings, and the leaders of each army. We were throwing most of what we had at him to really sell the illusion. Lace and her maids as well as Cadance and Flurry remained behind just on the off chance he snuck something passed us. There wasn't much in the city we needed to defend since neither Twilight or Discord were there, but we absolutely couldn't risk him noticing the former was gone.

I anxiously drummed my gun. "Did you get the disrupting wands distributed?" I asked.

"We did," Luna replied.

"And did you explain how to use them?" I pressed. "And my idea for the changelings?"

"We have done all that we could do, Mr. Bedford," Celestia declared. I drummed the gun a few more times before sucking in a breath.

"Right," I huffed and stood up, making a show of cupping my hand over my eyes and staring out at the army. Despite how far away we were if even one of them was equipped with long-range vision, then he'd-

"Ah," I gasped as the entire mechanical horde shuddered to life and began stomping towards us. I sat back and turned to the sisters. "Ready?" They nodded in unison, at which I focused forward and sped up to meet the army.

I watched the army Eddy was leading begin to charge, and turned to the girls. "Alright, let's move." They shared a look before Applejack cleared her throat.

"Twi, do you," she paused and glanced at the army. "You don't really think he's honest, do ya?"

"Yeah, we've kinda done this song and dance before, haven't we?" Rainbow added. I frowned and looked at Starlight who wore a small, weary, but telling smile.

"We sure have," I huffed.

"So what in the world makes you think things will be different this time?" Rarity asked. I watched the army as it raced on, mulling over her question.

"I don't know it will, not for sure anyway," I finally replied, closing my eyes and taking a breath. "I'm choosing to take a risk." I turned back and gave them the best smile I could manage.

"Cause that's what friends do for each other," I sighed. Their faces told just how little my words reassured them, but Starlight stepped forward.

"Besides, all things considered, we don't lose much just letting him help," she declared with a meek shrug. "And I'm certain if he tries to pull something again, we can handle it. We've got the bell, remember?" The girls hummed and shared a look.

"True," Rarity murmured. I nodded and turned towards the Citadel.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Let's move," I declared and lit up my horn before teleporting us away.

God, what I wouldn't give for my war suit. The phase distorter was in worse shape than I thought, and kept overheating after just a few seconds of use, which led to my current situation. The hovercraft was toppled over and being used as cover by myself and Shining Armor. He huffed as more gunfire pelted the overturned vessel. He huffed and turned to me as I manually cleared the jam in my gun, which had gotten stuck the second I tried to fire it.

"Never thought I'd die-"

"Shut the fuck up," I spat. I glanced up and saw Celestia and her sister working in tandem with Ember and the yaks to absolutely demolish every golem that came within reach. At the same time, the unicorns were straining to hold back the greater tide with a collective shield. At my suggestion, they'd opened small paths at specific points through the shield, by which the mechanical horde was slipping through in much thinner lines.

However, changelings disguised as me were waiting at those points with disrupting wands, which they used to rapidly incapacitate the encroaching horde.

But despite all of it, we were still vastly outnumbered, and the advancing army had already encircled us, bypassing the shield on three sides, where Celestia's team and the rest of the royal guard were doing what they could to hold them off.

As well as Shining and myself. Taking a breath, I leaned around the side of the craft and took a shot. The gun didn't jam and I successfully blasted a handful of golems. As soon as I did, Shining sprang up and hurled his shield spell out. We'd been using his magic sparingly, out of fear that my double might sweep in and use the bell against him.

"AHHHH!" Shining screamed as a thick, warbling gong echoed out. I gasped and peeked out to see the black and yellow magic of the bell siphoning Shining's shield spell and drawing all the magic out of his horn.

"Fuck," I gasped as the spell was cut, and my double smirked at us.

"Heya, Bedlam. The real one, anyhow. Cute with the changelings!" He chirped as he stuffed his bell back into the pocket dimension he kept it in. I grit my teeth as Shining collapsed beside me and I took a shot at Badlam. The spray hit him dead on and he tumbled back with a squeal. However, as he fell, the red lights of his eyes vanished and appeared on a different golem just beside him.

"HA-HA-HA!" He laughed before taking a shot back at me. Somehow, I was faster and managed to activate the phase distorter. I scrambled to my feet and took a shot at him before deactivating it. Again, the spray blasted him and his lights switched from one golem to the next. I repeated the process and found myself desperately scrambling back and forth in distorted time as his horde tried to encircle my position, never attacking except for the one he was currently piloting.
The glove began to glow red and burn my hand, but I fought on, ducking back behind the hovercraft when the device failed to respond.

"Uh-oh! Technical trouble?" He laughed. I stuck the gun around the side of the craft and took a shot. I heard it hit, but also heard more laughter. "Have you tried turning it on and off again?" I yelled in frustration and took another blind shot. Shining grunted in pain and tried to sit up, which drew my attention to the machines that now properly surrounded me and him.

"Fuck," I spat as the horde just stared at us. I aimed my gun at them, shifting from target to target, waiting for one's eyes to light up. Then when it finally happened, the possessed golem held its arms out expectantly. I leveled my gun and blasted him.

Or at least I tried to. All that came from my weapon was a dull click and I held my breath. Badlam wagged his finger and tsked as his gun barreled extended.

"Gotta learn to count those shots, man," he chided before smirking and slowly, deliberately raising his gun. Before he could blast me, however, he and half the circle were engulfed in a spray of dragonfire as Ember swooped low. His voice came out in a warbling drone as his frame melted. "Ffffucking!" The lights vanished as he abandoned that body. I glanced at Ember who didn't offer a second look before flying on, hurling burning death down on the horde.

Right up until she was tackled out of the air by a trio of alicorn clones. With more wheeling in, hissing and shrieking as they came. I panted and looked to the Citadel. It was still illuminated by arcane lights and more and more machines continued to stampede out, now backed up by an unleashed swarm of artificial alicorns.

"Holy.." Shining gasped.

"God damn," I sighed, slumping against the hovercraft. "I'm sorry, Jury."

"I'll be sure to let her know." I closed my eyes and turned to see my double crouching on the edge of the hovercraft, gun barrel at the read.. Shining grunted and tried to stand, and was blasted in the leg for his efforts. As my only backup collapsed with a shout, my double somersaulted over me and whirled around on his heel, stopping on a dime with his gun aimed at my head and a wide smile. I glanced down at the distorter, which was still bright red and now smoking.
I shivered and leaned my head back to stare at the sky. Despite the noise of battle around me, and the screams both of the injured and the clones, I managed to find a sense of peace.

"I tried," I huffed. I blinked and watched as Celestia came soaring down towards us only to also be swept out of the air by her own clones. I looked forward down my double's gun and shrugged. His smile widened and-

The lights along his Citadel flickered and he paused.

No.

His own eyes went dark for a moment.

The entire army went still, even the clones who fell from the sky like dead birds. I held my breath as his eyes lit up again and his arm and jaw dropped. He whirled around to look at his Citadel, while all around us his golems began spasming and crackling with energy that began racing back towards the Citadel.

"Wh-NO! NO! AHHHHH!" He screamed. Then, he also began spasming. Red lightning rolled up and down his frame and he began spitting out curses and oaths that all mixed and blurred together as his body twitched and rocked. Finally, he managed something coherent.

"HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!" He howled before shooting his arm up and flipping me off. Then, with a gigantic thundercrack, it all stopped. The Citadel went dark, and all the animunculi went still or began to collapse. The whole field was silent. I panted and just stared at his frame which slowly hissed and sank to the ground, still with its middle finger extended.

I sat on the curb of the sidewalk, staring at my gloved hand. It had finally cooled off. I briefly considered using it to grab Jury and Tempest and escape, but I quickly pushed that thought away. Instead, I took a breath and scanned the street around me. Guards, yaks, and changelings all celebrated as they took turns trampling or smashing the derelict golems left behind. My eyes drifted to the various screens and other leftover machinery I'd installed in Canterlot once upon a time. All of it was inactive. I sighed and rubbed my eyes, stopping and looking to my side when a wing brushed my back.

"It had to be done," Celestia said softly.

"I know," I mumbled. "Doesn't make it any easier." I grunted in annoyance as I was yanking in a tight hug.

"Oh, look on the bright side my boy!" Discord laughed, hoisting me up and swinging me around. "You've finally come to your senses, just like I told myself you probably would!" He spun me and set me spinning on my heel where I barely caught myself. I glared at him until I turned and saw Twilight approaching with her friends, including Fluttershy this time, as well as Tempest and Jury. At the same time, Cadance and her family came trotting up with Luna and all sat beside Celestia. The alicorn of love still regarded me with contempt, but a nudge from her husband softened her glare somewhat.

Flurry was no longer wearing anything resembling my wardrobe, but she no longer looked away from me. All of them sat and turned to Twilight as she trotted up. Jury, who was still wrapped around the torso with bandages, swallowed and looked nervously at Twilight. Tempest remained unshaken but gave me a weak smile.

Twilight took a breath and smiled. "Hi, Eddy."

"Answer the question," I demanded. She blinked and recoiled, at which I frowned. "Is it too late?" She paused and looked from her friends to her old mentor and back to me. She opened her mouth to speak but paused when the sound of teleportation popped behind me.

Then Discord screamed, the noise of which almost overshadowed the dull drone associated with the bell being activated. I turned and looked in horror to see the draconequus fall over, all his magic drained into the bell held up by a KS 6 copy. The thing waved at me as it deactivated the bell.

[Hi, Eddy! The other Eddy put some neat stuff in my brain, like how to access his bell's pocket dimension and some final orders if he died!] It said with as chipper and sweet a voice as it could manage. [He said to tell you thanks for losing track of me! Oh! And he also recorded this message for you!] The bell began to glow. It shimmered with a really off-putting color. Sort of a purple-green kind of hue. Then it began to shake and crack and streaks of similar colored light shot out in all directions. The golem cleared its throat and played the message.

[Doesn't matter if I win, so long as you lose! And another thing? HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA,] it cackled in his voice as the space around it stretched and quivered. Purely on terrified instinct, I raised my phase distorter and activated it. There was a deafening boom that made my teeth rattle, along with a crushing pressure that felt like it lasted for an eternity. I was thrown onto my back and my eyes were forced shut.

Then, it ended and I opened my eyes with a gasp. Sitting up, I looked around in shock. Twilight, her friends, her brother, the alicorns, and my girls were all still here, though it seemed like they'd been crushed down like I was. The bricks of the street we'd been standing on were still here, as well as the storefront we'd convened in front of.

And that was it.

A small circular patch that was closest to me when I activated my phase distorter was all there was, floating in an unending white nothing. After a moment, as the ponies all slowly struggled to an upright position, the literal storefront, as that was all that remained of the building, cracked and fell away before crashing against the white expanse as though it were solid. The sound of its impact was heavily muted but served to snap the ponies all to attention, and they all gasped in unison.

"What the heck just happened?!" Rainbow cried, rising to the air with a single wing beat. "Where is everypony?!"

"He did it," I huffed, slowly leaning forward on my knees. A tense silence, matching that of the rest of the space around us, fell over the ponies. My eyes were locked on the ground.

"W-what?" Rarity asked. I slowly held up my gloved hand.

"He did it. The singularity. I skipped the impact, but he did it," I panted and my arm drooped back to my knee. "He did it." Silence again.

"Eddy," Twilight squeaked. I sucked in a breath and let it out in a full-chested scream as I fell forward onto my knees, clutching the air in rage as I dropped. I screamed until all the air was forced out of my lungs and then just sat with my head pressed to the ground, and my fingers locked on the back of my neck. When I finally took another breath, something else happened.

I laughed.

I laughed harder than I had in a long while, since well before they put me in stone. I fell to my side, rolled onto my back, and laughed as I scanned the sky.

Nothing.

Nothing above, nothing below. Nothing all around for as far as I could see.

Nothing.

The only noise besides my laughter came in the form of desperate cries and arguments from the ponies, but I paid them no mind. Just as the universe paid me no mind and let itself fall apart right as I was ready to change. To make something of myself.

It didn't matter what they were saying. It didn't matter what she was saying, even as she was desperately pulling on my arm, trying to get my attention.

Nothing mattered.

He was right, and in the end, everything was for nothing.

Nothing. All of it was for nothing.

I finally stopped laughing, instead drifting into a quiet giggling fit that brought convulsions with every chortle, and draped my arm over my eyes.

Author's Note

Finale

"Bullshit," I grunted as I tried to sit up, only to be stopped by a weight on my body. Glancing down, I was met with the sight of Tempest, Jury, and Twilight huddled up on me. I blinked and scanned the void to see the others huddled together in little groups as well, at which point I realized I'd fallen asleep. I sighed and laid my head back down, just watching the three ponies with me for a moment before scanning the void again.

My eyes drifted to Celestia who was lying with her sister hugged up to her, then to Flurry and her parents who were in a similar position, and then to Twilight's friends. Most of them were sleeping off the miserable situation we were in, while Rarity, Applejack, and Starlight were awake and having a muted conversation while Rarity idly and anxiously brushed her mane with just her magic. I blinked and turned my head to get a better look, then watched her for a moment.

"What are you doing?" I called, causing her attention to snap to me. At the same time, the ponies lying on me jumped and began to stir.

"What?" Rarity called back, as now the rest began to sit up. I grunted and pulled my arm free from the pile I was in and pointed at her.

"With your mane."

She frowned and humphed. "My best, of course. We don't exactly have-"

"You still have your magic?" I pressed. She blinked and furrowed her brow.

"Yes? Why wouldn't I?" She retorted. I huffed and scanned the rest of the group, who were focused on me. I glanced down and met the eyes of the ponies atop me. I grunted and tried to sit up, at which they shuffled off and sat beside me.
"What about you?" I demanded and began inspecting my phase distorter.

"You've thought of something?" Jury desperately asked, hooking her forelegs around my arm.

"I think so."

"Ha! Told you!" Starlight called.

"Shoot, 'bout time!" Applejack muttered.

"Oh, thank Celestia!" Rarity cried. I paused and glared back at the group as they began making their way over to me.

"What have you concocted Edward?" Luna asked once they were gathered. I stared at the group for a moment before glancing back at Twilight. I hummed and rose to my feet before ripping my glove off.

"Magic," I grunted as I began inspecting the inside of my glove, especially the casings holding the gems. "Responds to intent, as I've always said. In big enough amounts, it can even rewrite how the universe works. Harmony and all that bullshit." I popped one of the gems free and began inspecting its runes. The heat from overuse had actually evaporated a good chunk of the exterior and scoured a lot of the rune work with it. I clicked my teeth and began inspecting the others.

"Meaning what?" Starlight pressed. Each of the other gems was in a similar state.

"Meaning the magical creatures here might be able to pump their magic into the atmosphere and kickstart the universe again," I replied, rattling the gems in my hand as I mulled over what runes would be needed. As I did, the group shared a look before Twilight shook her head.

"Eddy, our magic isn't-"

"Strong enough? Normally no," I said as I began trying to etch off the last of the rune work with my teeth. "But what even is strength? In terms relevant to us right now, it's the amount of force you can exert on something else." I inspected my work and then thrust my hands out.

"And in case you haven't noticed, there is no 'something else.' So! In theory, with a little effort and direction, your magic combined can make a change, which will in turn be resisted by nothing. Understand?" I looked over the whole group who now wore hopeful, if slightly confused expressions. Except for Jury who caught on to my meaning immediately. I nodded and began work on the next gem as she scooped up a few from my hand and started helping.

"Now, the effort is easy, but it's the directing part that'll take some skill on your part," I pointed at the whole group. "You need to really focus on the world that was. 'Cause your magic is going to be the foundation, and it's going to react to whatever you're putting into it." I rattled my gems at them.

"Jury and I will get these prepped. So take some to really get a mental picture solidified with each other," I held up a hand and huffed. "Any deviations will be permanent."

"Deviations?" Flurry squeaked. I nodded as I chipped another gem.

"If this works, it should spit the universe back to the point we left it. But if there are any deviations in the intent you put into this spell, it'll all shift to match," I paused and rolled my hand. "Uh, for instance, if you put the intent that, I dunno, trains ran on magic instead of coal, the spell will remake history to match." The severity of my words had a visible effect on their faces as they shared a look.

"Eddy," Twilight muttered as she trotted forward, scanning the ground. "You're making it sound like we aren't undoing the damage he did. We're just.. Patching over it." I looked down at her and she met my eyes. Her ears were pressed against her skull, and she wore that frown that used to eat at me.

"We are," I replied bluntly, causing her to whimper. I waved my hand over the expanse. "But even if it's not exactly the same world, something is better than this." I stared out at the void and paused.

"We can at least try our best to make it accurate, you know?" I blinked and my eyes drifted down. "Maybe even better."

"You're sure you've all got a unified idea in mind? You remember what the world was?" I pressed as Jury and I set the gems around the group.

"Yep, yep, yep!" Pinkie replied, bouncing in place as she did. My eyes immediately snapped to Celestia who gave me a reassuring smile.

"We have spent a considerable span of time ensuring we were on the same page, Edward," she explained. "While you worked, I suggested we focus on the present rather than go into much detail about history."

"Good thinking," I nodded as I set another gem down. "It should fill in the gaps nicely." I paused and grumbled.

"Ah, well," I finally huffed. "No certainty this will even work, so who cares?" I set the last gem down and took a step back, scanning the entire circle while Jury trotted in with the rest of the group.

"Jury, you remember what you're supposed to do?" I asked as I framed the scene with my hands.

"Yep! Keep my mind blank and let their idea take hold since I wasn't in on the preparation," she responded. Twilight frowned and looked between us.

"What'll that do to her?" She anxiously asked.

"Uh, well," I retorted as I circled the group. "Ideally nothing, but if any changes in history do take place, since you're all safe in this circle, you should be, uh."

I snapped my fingers, searching for the word. "Isolated? Neutralized?" I grunted and shook my head. "You'll still be you, but you'll remember new things as if you've lived your whole life in the new world."

I paused and took a shallow breath. "Theoretically," I folded my arms and shrugged. "Should go without saying I'm not entirely certain about most of this." Jury's ear twitched and she shared a look with Tempest who pulled her into a hug. I stepped back to one side of the circle and pointed at a specific gem.

"Anyway, when you're ready, focus on the image in your minds and each other. Do the friendship magic thing you've got so much practice with," I bent down and tapped the gem while looking at Twilight. "Then blast this with your magic." I huffed and stepped away as she nodded and shared a look with the group. Then she turned back to me.

"Eddy," she began, looking me up and down. "Why are you standing outside the circle?" The rest of the group noticed this as well. Starlight's ears snapped back, while the alicorn sisters shared a look.

I shook my head with a shrug. "Ain't got no natural magic. Even compared to those who got drained, I'm as mundane as it comes," I explained. "Might contaminate the process. Better safe than sorry." A look of shock washed over most of the group.

"Eddy!" Twilight cried. I waved my hand at her and turned.

"Besides!" I added. "New world might be better off without an Edward Bedlam." I let out a yelp as I was slammed to the ground. I grunted and looked down to see Jury and Tempest atop me with their hooves locked around me.

"I'm not leaving you!" Jury screamed. I groaned and tried to pry myself free.

"Hey, c'mon, you need-" I was cut off again as a hoof smacked me in the mouth. I looked at Tempest in shock.

"Just shut up!" She screamed before hurling herself onto me again. "Just.. Just shut up." I lay back and sighed, staring at the empty void above. I managed to slip my arms under the pair and hugged them tight, a gesture they returned. After a moment, Twilight appeared in my vision.

"Eddy?" I looked into her eyes for a moment before looking down at Tempest and Jury. Both of them had their eyes screwed shut and were clutched as close to me as they could manage. I gave Twilight a solemn nod, at which she recoiled. We held each other's eyes until she finally closed hers and withdrew from my sight. I stared up at the void and waited. I heard her magic charge up and saw color begin to fill the white expanse, emanating from the point they all stood.

"Goodbye, Eddy," she gasped as their spell was unleashed. The light it produced overwhelmed the whiteness of the void and then...

I let out a sigh as I stared through the window of the trolley carrying me through the town to the palace. The only creatures riding along with me were my armed flat cap wearing diamond dog guards, who carried those scary wood and metal weapons like what Bedford had used.

Rifles, that was it. Equestria had begun importing them six hundred years ago, and they'd been very popular among those without magic, just like the electric lights that filled every major city in Equestria. However, we all knew it was just a deviation Eddy'd warned us about. The world was full of those now.

Luckily, he was right about our memories. With just a little effort, we all realized we could recall the new details about this world as though we'd lived here our whole lives.

"It's the princess!" I blinked and waved at the school foals waving at me as we rolled by. Their uniforms reminded me and I looked over myself with a hum. Fashion had certainly undergone a few changes, and we all knew whose fault that was. For starters, more creatures were clothed more regularly. I was pretty sure the beige dress and pearl necklace I had on were appropriate for the meeting I was heading to.

I let out a sigh and rested my head against my seat's arm. Just had to get through to tonight. The last few questions I've had about this new world would finally be answered then. My eyes drifted to the strips of grass and artificially planted trees nestled between the road's paving stones. Hanging between each pair of trees were banners announcing the arrival of certain delegates from nations neighboring Equestria.

New memories about said delegates came rushing to my mind and I groaned. Just had to make it through to tonight.

The doors were swept inward by my magic, revealing the private lobby within. If this room was the only one I'd ever seen since we woke up in this world, I'd swear nothing had changed. The chandelier, golden framed mirrors, pearly white columns, and rich-looking chairs and sofas atop the freshly polished floor tile all screamed Canterlot Castle. To say nothing of the other pony in the room with me.

"Twilight! Wonderful to see you," Celestia cheered as I entered the room. She trotted up to meet me and we shared a hug. As we parted I looked her over. She was in a red button-up shirt with a sash bearing Equestria's colors, had her mane in a tight bun, and was wearing glasses of all things. Her horn had been restored at least.

"Nice to see you too," I murmured. She giggled and patted me on the back.

"I know it looks a bit strange, but we must make a good impression," she declared before adopting a more severe expression. "How're the girls? Were you able to find them?"

"Yep. Those telegraphs are really nifty," "I saw them all face to face over the last week and a half. They're actually going to meet me here in the city later tonight."

"Wonderful," she sighed with a nod before perking up. "And I've recently made contact with Cadance and her family. Did you know the Crystal Empire is actually responsible for most of the materials we use in lightbulbs throughout Equestria?" I hesitated before slowly nodding my head.

"I didn't a minute ago," I sighed. "This is all so.. eerie." I scanned the room and looked out the windows at what Canterlot had become. The wide paved streets, the trollies, the shape of the buildings, the slight haze from the industrial quarter. It looked more like Manehattan than anything. I found myself lost in thought, drifting back to everything that was lost. Everyone that was lost. I shivered and then a wing brushed my back. I looked up to meet Celestia's eyes.

"Would you like to know how I've coped with it all?" She asked. I meekly nodded and she continued, looking out the window as she did. "To be honest with you, though the circumstances are much more fantastic and.. grim. This is all fairly similar to what I have seen as the world advanced around me."

She took a breath and studied the ceiling which was painted with numerous scenes across our new history. "The old world rapidly melts away as society progresses, and new and confusing social norms," she paused and then met my eyes. "Losing those close to me." I frowned, but she offered a reassuring smile.

"How I have managed is through learning and sharing," she said with a nod. "There is a whole new world for us to experience, Twilight Sparkle."

She pulled me into a hug. "And by the slimmest of chances, we have our friends to experience and share it all with." I sniffled and hugged her back. We sat like that for a few minutes until the clock struck two. I groaned as we parted and let out a sigh. Celestia chuckled. "Now, now, I never said all experiences would be pleasant, did I?"

"I know, but these guys are just so," I screwed up my face as we made for the door. "Well, like him." Celestia chuckled again as she opened the door.

"Yes, well, we certainly all seemed to have a certain bipedal species on our minds at the time. Especially its most provocative specimen," she said before pausing. "Speaking of.."

"Where do you get off threatening ME?!" President Gunn roared, pounding his fist on the conference table and jabbing his finger at Prince Benny, who remained resolute and sat with his arms folded.

"I get off the carriage that delivered me here! That's where," the prince chortled, adjusting his sash as he did. Gunn growled horribly before turning to us and jabbing his thumb across the table.

"You believe this guy?!" He demanded. Celestia and I shared a look, while Luna hummed but otherwise remained silent. Both of these esteemed world leaders were human, yet another deviation and both of them absolutely hated each other. President Gunn was an older man with slick white hair, and pale skin like Eddy's. His eyes and smile were somehow crueler than Eddy had ever looked, though. Mainly since he was always smiling, and his eyes were dead, like a shark's.

Prince Benny was darker skinned, wore a thick mustache, and was notably more vocally reserved than his opponent, but appearances were the only difference between the two. When it came to land, money, or power, the two were practically identical, to say nothing of the fact they both wore similar black suits and ties. At least, that's what my new memories told me.

They also told me most humans could be reasonable, which, considering Equestria bordered a few other human lands, I was personally thankful for. These two though..

"Let us be frank," Benny began, folding his hands and resting them on the table. "The discovery was made by prospectors from my kingdom. So, the rights to the drill site should-"

"Go to us, since it's closer to our border!" Gunn screamed.

"Only by one mile," I quietly huffed. "The oil well's closer to us than either of you." Silence gripped the conference room and I blinked before realizing all eyes were on me. I nervously smiled.

"I mean-"

"Ah, yes!" Gunn exclaimed, pounding his fists and maintaining his smile. "How silly of me! We were gathered here to discuss who should have the rights to the oil."

"Yes," Benny added, turning his attention to us. "Since you seem inclined to prevent a war between us." The pair nodded and leaned toward us, with an intensity in their eyes.

"So?" They demanded in unison. I swallowed and looked up at Celestia, who met their eyes with a smile.

"Well, my esteemed guests, I'm afraid I have some bad news I must convey," she began before shrugging. "I would have told you sooner, but you were quite wrapped up in your argument." The two recoiled and shared a look before scowling at her.

"What bad news?" Benny demanded. Celestia nodded and presented a small stack of telegraph paper she'd shown me before we came to this meeting. The sight drew a nervous smile from me.

"The site has already been claimed." Both men leaped from their seats.

"WHAT?!" Their eyes immediately snapped to each other. Celestia hovered the papers over them, and they both jumped for them, landing on the table and wrestling for them before finally glaring at each other and reading them in unison.

Then their expressions fell.

"Aw, c'mon," Benny groaned.

"That son of a.." Gunn hissed, losing his smile in a way only one creature could manage.

Then the doors flew open and said creature came striding in. Both men seized up and slowly turned to glare at him.

A scientist and thaumaturgist from Gunn's nation, who defected after feeling his research was not properly appreciated. He fled to a small island off the coast of Equestria, where he began developing weapons with his two Equestrian refugee assistants.

In a span of only two years, he managed to become a dominant military power most other nations were too frightened to challenge due to the sheer scale of "boots" he could deploy, as well as the fact his soldiers were machines. Since then, he has remained docile due to positive relations with Equestria and our urging him not to do something silly like try and take over the world.

The renegade, one-man geopolitical superpower: Edward Bedlam and his co-conspirators, Jury-rig and Tempest Shadow.

"BASTARD EX-PAT!" Gunn roared, rolling to his feet and jabbing a finger at him. "How the hell'd you get in here without us hearing?! I've got security out the wazoo out there!"

"I made like a bar of soap and gave them the slip," Bedlam quipped as he slithered into a seat at the far end of the table. He slipped off his glasses and tucked them into his coat before offering a smile to the other humans. "So! I presume you've read the message?"

"Where do you get off claiming land?!" Benny spat, grinding his teeth as he glared. He thrust his hand at us. "I thought you were pacified by them?!"

"That's certainly a word for it," he purred, nodding our way. I blinked and frowned, but he didn't notice. "But that hardly means I can't expand when my research calls for it." He snapped his fingers and Jury reared up on the table before drawing a rolled-up map from her bag. She opened it and slid it toward the center of the table. The two men leaned over it and studied it.

"As you can see, there're several pockets of gems we've detected in that patch of soil with unique properties," Bedlam explained, tapping his thumbs together as he spoke. "Possibly a reaction of Equestrian earth magic and the oil, but who knows?" He laughed and input a sequence onto his gem-covered glove. The map buzzed and the two men recoiled as the image of several bands of dozens of animunculi appeared on it.

"And as you can see, we've already begun excavating," Bedlam added with a shrug. "If you're not satisfied feel free to take the first swing!" The two men winced and shared a look before glaring at Bedlam, who only smiled in response.

"Things don't need to escalate like that, Mr. Bedlam," Celestia declared, drawing all eyes to her. She tilted her head to Bedlam. "For instance, perhaps you'd be willing to draw up the oil these fine gentlemen are after and-"

"Give it to them?" Bedlam barked a laugh, reclining in his seat and folding his legs on the table. "Hell no!" The two men bared their teeth and glared death his way.

"What about us?" I offered despite myself. He looked at me and my breath hitched. After a moment, I cleared my throat and nodded. "Why not trade it with Equestria, and then we can trade it with both of your nations?"

Bedlam scoffed and waved a hand before drawing and donning his glasses. "Works for me. My machines have no need for such crude fuel sources."

"Would that be acceptable, Gentlemen?" I asked the two. They both hummed and looked at each other with disgust before slowly nodding.

"Excellent," Celestia hummed. "I'll send for the necessary papers and we can prepare a treaty for it."

Bedlam scoffed again and whispered something to Jury, who blinked and glanced at me before nodding. "I'll let my aid handle that. I'm heading to my suite. Later losers and ponies!" He chirped and strode out of the room, waving his hand back as he left. The two men snarled as he slipped out of sight.

As they fell into a heated conversation with Jury and Tempest, which Celestia tried to moderate, I couldn't help but focus on the door he'd left through.

Despite his connections to Equestria, he spent most of his time on his little island nation. So, since we showed up, I hadn't had a chance to come find him and talk with him.

Was it really him?

Or were they all just another deviation? One created by our collective memory of him?

I pulled open the door and stared down at the alicorn princess waiting on the other side. "Yes?"

"Good evening, Mr. Bedlam," she greeted with a little curtsy. "May I come in?" I grimaced and looked over my shoulder to see Jury and Tempest were fast asleep on the bed.

"Fine, but keep it down, please," I replied, stepping aside for her to enter. I gestured to the balcony I'd been sitting for the past hour or so, just watching the city and taking in the atmosphere. We walked in tandem to the balcony and sat in the chairs on either side of the little metal table I had a platter of cheese and wine on.

I sighed and stared out at the city. Somehow, despite the saturation of electric lights all over the place, the moon and stars high above were as clear as anywhere else in the world. In fact, the yellow glow that hugged the city contrasted with the blue light of the night sky perfectly and made the dark room behind us seem more.. Snug? Inviting?

Whatever, it was pretty.

"So," I sighed, my eyes locked on the city. "What can I do for you, Princess?" No response came and I clenched my eyes before turning to look at her. She was staring at me with a desperate little frown. I grimaced and she spoke.

"Eddy. Is it you?"

I closed my eyes and slouched in my chair with a grunt. I took a breath and slowly nodded. "Yeah. It's me," I gently waved my hand back at the room. "I don't know how, but we survived and merged with the new world."

I huffed and opened my eyes. "Then again, I guess I really didn't know what to expect from all that." I grunted as she leaped across the table and wrapped her forelegs around me. I sat there, staring at the blue sky as she nuzzled my shirt, until pulling back and glaring at me.

"Why are you so standoffish?" She quietly asked. "I thought you were gone forever."

"Might've been better if I was," I grumbled. She pulled my face forward and glared into my eyes.

"Don't you dare." I rolled my eyes and pulled her hooves off.

"Well, what do you expect? I'm," I sighed and rubbed her hooves while I mulled over the new world. "I'm still the bad guy, aren't I? Still the belligerent lunatic. Still making weapons out in the hidden places of the world, still.. Making enemies."
I hung my head and sighed. "Nothing's changed, even after being given the biggest second chance possible. I'm still me." She pulled her hoof free and raised my head.

"You're wrong," she retorted with a severe look. "This is different. Things have changed."

"Have they really?"

"Yes!" She cried, bracing her hooves against my shoulders. "Eddy, you're still making machines, but check your memories! You're not at war with anyone! Even those two humans!"

Her wings snapped out and she waved her hoof at the palace. "Even that whole show you put on with claiming that land," she sighed and gave me a sad smile. "You did that to help stop a war, not start one."

I grimaced and looked off to the side. "Still feels the same, though."

"So, why'd you come here?" She asked. I winced hard and met her eyes. "If everything's the same, why'd you come back here where you knew you'd bump into me?" When I didn't answer, she continued.

"Is it cause you needed to hear it?" She pressed, wearing that frown she knew ate at me. She nodded and pressed her forehead to mine. "Cause if that's all, then no Eddy. It's not too late. I'm sure of it now." She wrapped her forelegs around my neck, but this time I returned the gesture. She squeezed me but then withdrew, and wore a severe look again.

"But that's not a free pass, Eddy. You need to work at it," she declared, tapping me on the chest as she spoke. "Things are different now, and you've got a chance to do a lot of good and it seems like this new universe is in support of that."

She took a breath and her expression softened. "But I'm confident you'll make better decisions this time." My head drooped against the back of my seat.

"Will any of that make up for anything I've done?"

"Nothing can change what you've done, especially not now," she replied and gently shook her head. She tapped my shoulder. "But that's why you need to do better." She hugged me again, a gesture I returned. I screwed my eyes shut as tears formed and slid down my face.

"I'll try."

"I know," she whispered. "And I'll be there to help, okay?" We held each other a little longer before she withdrew, and wiped her eyes with a hoof. I gently took her hoof and squeezed it.

"I'm sorry, Twilight."

She kissed my forehead. "I forgive you, Eddy." I took a breath and smiled as she fluttered from my lap to the railing. "Alright. I need to head into the city to meet the girls. Catch up tomorrow?" She gave me an expectant smile and I nodded.

"Tomorrow," I replied. She nodded back and leaped off the railing, before soaring off into the city. I watched her fly until she shrunk out of view and then sat alone with my thoughts. "Do better, you jackass." I reached over, grabbed a thin slice of cheese, and took a bite from it when my glove dinged as it received a message.

Furrowing my brow and clicked a sequence on it and it projected my messenger. What I read made my heart stop.

[> ;)]

My hands were shaking and my mind was racing. How-

A giggling snort from inside the room drew my attention that way. Back on the bed, I saw Jury looking back at me with one eye open and her own messaging device active. She tapped it a few times and another message dinged. Turning, I read it.

[> Come to bed, Eddy.]

I let out a hearty sigh and cast a critical leer her way, which caused her to giggle. Rolling my eyes I rose to my feet and stretched before scanning the city one last time before stepping inside and closing the balcony door.

BEDLAM III

Author's Note