Their Names Across The Multiverse

"How have you been holding up, honey?" asked Twilight Velvet, hugging Twilight while her husband joined in the hug.

Twilight held her tighter, barely holding back her tears. "...not well, mom and dad. Not well." She let them go, smiling. "But I have to stay strong, for Braver. She wouldn't want me to be sad."

"Twily..." Whispered her brother, hugging her with Cadenace, and Flurry Heart joined in.

As Twilight was with her family, Dash landed in front of her parents. Before she could say anything, they pulled her into a family hug, and they started crying. Without saying a word, Dash started to cry and hugged them back.

After the sweet hugs, Twilight led everyone behind the library and explained what was happening and why she had called for them. After a very long talk, Twilight and Dash's families were caught up.

"...so, this Spark. She's Braver's other sister?" questioned Night Light, ensuring he was correct.

"That's right, Dad," stated Twilight.

Bow Hothoof smiled as he pulled Dash into a shoulder hug. "That's my girl! I'm having another granddaughter!" He turned to his wife, who looked happy and proud. "Did you hear that, dear?" Twilight and Dash could see how Bow tried to be cheerful, even though they could tell he was still missing Braver after hearing the news.

Dash sighed as she had been over this with her father and mother. "Dad, I didn't have them. Another version of me from another universe had them! I just adopted them. So no, they aren't mine, but I do-."

"That's right, Mr. Hothoof. Those children are not your grandchildren," said Night Light, correcting him. "Those kids belong to the Dash of a different universe." Twilight flinched when she heard that and slowly looked at him. Dash felt upset...

"Oh..." Bow lowered his head.

Dash's mother, Windy Whistles, put her hoof on his shoulder, comforting him. "Now, now, dear. This doesn't mean our Dash doesn't have kids."

"Yeah, Dad, it doesn't. They might not be my real kids, but they carry my blood in them, which makes them my kids." Dash smiled, making him smile again.

"Thanks, Dash." He rubbed her head.

"So, where is she, Twi?" questioned Shining.

As Twilight told her brother and the others where Spark was, Flurry Heart acted weird as she stayed far away from the group. Cadance took notice and joined her daughter.

"Is everything alright, sweetie? You look a little...nervous?"

Flurry Heart looked at her mother, seeing her concerned face, but she just shook her head and looked at the ground.

"It's just...I'm nervous about meeting my other cousin. And..."

"And?" asked Cadance.

"I'm worried I might say the wrong thing and hurt her...like what I did with Braver." she looked away from her mother in shame, causing Cadence to place her wing over her.

"You shouldn't be worried about that, honey. Braver still loved you, and I'm sure Spark will, too. Just say what's in your heart."

Flurry Heart didn't respond, but she nodded and looked at the ground, a bit less nervous.

Back with Spark, she just yawned and rose from the table. She was alone, as Luster had to do community service and meet up with Lucy and her friends. She walked to the central area of the library and stood there. She remembered the night before after she stopped her story and looked at Terra and her daughter.

"You got my wife and daughter involved!?"

"I'm sorry, Terra, but I need—" Spark couldn't finish as Terra crossed her arms and smiled at her, confusing Spark. She wasn't expecting that kind of reaction.

"Good!" proudly said Terra.

"Good!?" shouted Spark, looking even more confused.

"Yes, good." Terra unfolded her arms and walked over to Spark. "Brigitte hated seeing good lives wasted during the war in my universe." She now stood face to face with Spark. "She always tried to save everyone, making sure no one would lose their life or die." She smiled. "And she's the right woman for the job! She would no doubt help those kids with their problems." Her expression became a sad one. "...I think you know why."

Spark returned that sad expression and just nodded at her.

Spark just stood there, not sure what to do. She eyed the stairs leading up to where Twilah and Dashie were, but a big part of her didn't want to see them. She looked at the door and wanted to go somewhere, anywhere but here. She hurried to the door and opened it.

"HEY CHAMP!" shouted Bow, holding a banner with Spark's face.

Soon, Windy joined her husband, wearing a Spark theme t-shirt and blowing a horn.

"WELCOME HOME!"

Spark stood there, looking dumbfounded. The only thing she could think of was, "What the fuck?"

She backed away, but Dash quickly entered the library and shoved her parents back outside, all upset.

"MOM! DAD! What the hay are you doing?"

"I thought we could make Spark feel welcomed, Dashie," said her dad, making her sigh.

"Yeah, welcome her!" Windy escaped Dash's shove and quickly trotted over to Spark.

"Mom!" shouted Dash, but her father also escaped and joined his wife's side, causing Dash to sigh even more.

Spark was still speechless.
"Uhhh, who are you?"

Windy laughed.

"Why, silly! We're your grandparents! Right, Bow?"

"Sure are, sweetheart!"

"Wha?" was the only thing Spark could say.

"Now, I know this must be hard to take in," Windy said in a soothing tone. "But we are your family. And we're so proud of you, Spark. All that helping others around different worlds. It's amazing; you must have so many stories."

"Mom!" shouted Dash again. Seeing her mother forcing Spark to the living room of the library. Bow was not too far behind them.

Twilight poked her head in and saw what had happened. She was going to ask Dash a question, but her father stepped inside, disappointed.

"Mr. Hothoof and Mrs. Whistles, I swear those two are too supportive for their own good," said Night Light, folding the banner up as they left it behind. "Spark isn't our granddaughter. I'm sure you don't want her to be overwhelmed by their energy." he looked at Dash and Twilight, smiling as he handed the banner to Dash while the rest of the family joined inside. He looked at them and clapped his hooves together. "Okay, family! Huddle up: we need to make a plan about how we are going to handle Spark. We can't go overboard."

Twilight blinked as she realized something about her father. She looked at Dash, who was trying to brush off the comment that Night Light said.

"...Dash?"

"Huh? Yeah, Twi?"

"Can I speak with you alone for a moment?"

Dash nodded, and they headed back outside, leaving everyone else. When they were out of earshot, Twilight stopped and looked at Dash, a bit angry. Not at Dash but at herself.

"Please! Please be honest with me about what I will ask you."

Dash looked worried but nodded.

Twilight shut her eyes and hoped she was seeing things. She opened her eyes and asked Dash her question. "Was my father always like this...with Braver? Always reminding everyone that Braver wasn't his granddaughter?" She could see Dash's expression change to a sad one, making Twilight panic. "Always pointing out that Braver wasn't his real granddaughter? I never noticed until today..."

Dash didn't say anything.

"Dash...please."

Dash lowered her head, knowing this was going to hurt. "Yeah, he did."

"B-but..." Twilight remembered how her father was always kind around Braver and was always proud of her, so why would he act like that? "I-I don't understand. My father was always so proud and supportive of her...why?"

Dash could feel Twilight's pain.

"Twi...he was kind and supportive to Braver but not the..." She didn't want to say it, unsure how Twilight would act.

"...the..." whispered Twilight.

"Not the...you know..."

"What?"

Dash sighed. "Not the grandfather kind of way. He saw her as a mare, a good kid, and a family friend. He saw her like someone's kid." She lowered her head, not looking at Twilight. "But not a granddaughter. He was supportive and kind to her. Was always polite and nice to her, but that was all. Never once did he call her his granddaughter, never did he say 'I'm proud of you, my granddaughter.'"

Twilight stood there, trying to process everything.

"...and Braver was okay with this? Being seen as a...normal mare to him and nothing else?"

"Yes," whispered Dash, feeling bad.

Twilight didn't say anything and just looked at the ground, lost. She never thought that her father would be like that. She thought for sure her father wasn't like that. Twilight even saw flashes of Twilah's abusive father and remembered all the evil things he did to Twilah, which made Twilight think that her own father was the same but in a different way.

"Twi...are you okay?"

Twilight snapped out of her thoughts and saw a concerned Dash. Twilight looked at the ground and didn't say anything. She couldn't find her voice, so she just went inside. She could see her father nodding at Cadance's ideas. Twilight couldn't stop thinking about how her father acted toward Braver.

"Why didn't she tell me?" was the first thought that came to mind. She was angry at her father and herself. That's when she shook her head. "No, she must of have...Dash even knew, but yet..." She started hating herself. She should have known this. She should have been able to see her father's true colors. She was a genius; it should have been obvious...but she wasn't. "I didn't see it. Like the sun lotion problem and brushing her off about it or how Braver was bottling up all of her pain..." She hated herself even more as she failed her daughter again, but this time...she couldn't make up with her...

Twilight could see her father, smiling and happy, planning to make Spark feel welcome and loved.
"How dare he!? How could he pretend to love and support her if he doesn't even see her as his granddaughter!? He's just doing this for show! All fake and no sincerity! Braver and Spark deserved so much more!"

She could feel her magic acting up as she was filled with hate and anger. She felt like she was ready to attack her father.

"Honey? Are you okay?" asked Velvet, noticing her daughter was angry and glaring at them.

Everyone looked at her and was shocked. They have never seen Twilight like this before.

"Honey?" questioned Night Light.

Twilight didn't respond. She continued to glare at him, not saying anything.

Night Light got a bit concerned. "Sweetheart, is everything alright?"

Twilight's eyes started to glow, making him gasp and step back.

"Sweetie, calm down. What's wrong?" said Velvet, walking to her daughter's side.

Shining quickly got in front of her, shielding his father from his sister.

"Twilight, please! Calm down!"

Twilight wasn't listening. All she wanted to do was hurt him, hurt him for hurting her daughter.

"Calm down, Twilight!" shouted Cadance, joining Shining side.

Flurry Heart started to freak out, flew above her aunt, and tried to pull Twilight with her magic. "AUNTY!!"

"Honey! What's wrong?!" questioned Velvet, becoming scared now.

Twilight broke free and continued to glare at Night Light.

"Darling, please! What's wrong?! Why are you angry?!"

That was it. Twilight had heard enough. She glared even harder, and her magic formed in her horn.

"GET THE FUCK OUT!" she shouted, not caring that she was swearing.

Everyone gasped.

"T-Twilight, what-" but Night Light couldn't finish as Twilight teleported him outside and slammed the doors closed. She locked it with her magic and put up a force field, locking him out.

Before this happened, Spark didn't know what to do as Dash's parents made her sit on the couch between them. They asked her a ton of questions, which she never had a chance to answer as the two kept talking and asking new questions.

Bow had an idea. "Oh! Oh! Honey, you got to show her Dash's baby book! Remember when she was a filly and-"

Windy opened the book and pointed to the photos. "OH YEAH! Remember that time when she was a toddler, and we were taking pictures in the backyard and-"

"And remember when she kept trying to pull her tail when she slept?"

"OH, THAT WAS A GOOD ONE!" giggled Windy, remembering that cute memory.

"Hey, Champ!" smiled Bow, looking at Spark, who was looking inside the baby book that Windy had taken out. "I hear you can fight!" he got off the couch, got on his hind legs, and punched the air. "Come on! Let's wrestle! Show me what you got!" His back cracked loudly, making him bend forward in pain. "...ignored that!" he chucked.

"Oh, no, no, no! No wrestling, darling! Let's play a game, shall we?" Windy was about to grab the board games from under the coffee table, but Spark shut the baby book loudly.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what, honey?" asked Bow.

"This!" She got off the couch. "You two are acting like my grandparents!" she couldn't face them. "I'm not! I'm just a stranger and can't stay here because I have nothing to give back and-" she felt a pair of hooves gently wrap around her and a wing over her.

"Oh, sweetheart. You don't need to give anything back," said Windy, hovering over Spark's shoulder.

"Yeah, you're part of our family, no matter what!" said Bow, patting her other shoulder.

"What are you talking about?" she asked, looking at the both of them. "You didn't even know I existed! I'm not-"

"Braver?" said the two in unison, making Spark freeze.

"We knew her very well," smiled Windy.

"Yeah, we knew she had a sister out there," continued Bow. "And we also knew that her parents died protecting her. Loving her, wanting her to have a wonderful life, and knowing our little Braver is like her parents." He made Spark sit back down in the middle of them and put an arm around her. "Not just like her birth parents but also like our daughter and Twilight." He gave her a sad smile.

Windy took out another book, which was the family album. In it, she showed Spark photos of Braver and them. Enjoying picnics, having parties, playing games, and many other things. Spark didn't say anything and was lost.

"She may not have been our granddaughter by blood, but she was always a part of our family," smiled Windy, flipping a page and looking at Spark. "Blood isn't the only thing that matters, you know."

"Yeah," added Bow, nodding. "What's important is the bond that you share."

"And that made Braver our granddaughter! No matter what!" said Windy, taking out a photo and handing it to Spark.

Spark held the photo tight as she started to smile hard. It was Braver wearing a cute Gala dress, a mix of Twilight's and Dash's Gala dresses.

"OH MY GOD! SHE'S SO CUTE! HOW I MISS THIS!?" shouted Spark, hugging the picture close.

Spark looked down at the book and saw more cute photos of Braver, which upset her. She wasn't always looking through her sister's eyes twenty-four-seven, but now she wished she had. But she snapped out of her thoughts when she felt Windy and Bow's hooves on her knees.

"Sweetheart, you have a place here and a home! And if you want, you can join our family too!"

Spark didn't know what to say.

"You don't have to if you don't want, kiddo," smiled Bow. "But even then, we will be here for ya! No matter what."

"Yeah, no matter what happens, you'll always be welcome here, dear," smiled Windy.

Spark didn't say anything. Her body was shaking as tears started to fall. She remembered what she told her nightmare self about her sisters and how no matter what they were or where they came from, they were her family, and that's all that mattered.

"Thank you..." she smiled, wiping her tears away. She blushed as she held the photo tighter, unsure if she deserved to call them her grandparents. "Can I ask you something? It's silly but..."

"Of course, hun! Anything!"

"What is it, Champ?"

"C-can I call you grandma and grandpa? Only if you don't mind. If it's too weird, then-"

Bow and Windy wrapped their arms around her, laughing and hugging her.

"Honey! You don't have to ask that! Of course you can!" smiled Windy.

"Yeah! We'd love that, Champ!" chuckled Bow, rubbing her head.

Spark was lost for words, but her smile told them she was happy and accepted.

"Trying to take my place?"

Spark froze as her eyes widened with fear. She knew that voice—the same voice she knew too well. Spark could see her as clearly as day, standing right in front of her.

"...Braver...?" whispered Spark, seeing Braver just standing there, looking at her with such hatred.

"You're trying to replace me, huh?"

Spark could tell that Windy and Bow weren't seeing this. "What are you-"

"Shut up, clone! Shut up!" screamed Braver, grabbing her shoulders and looked at her in the eyes. "Don't you dare think about replacing me! You have no right to be with them! You have no right to live this life, to be a part of my family! You're not even my real sister!"

Spark blinked and saw that Braver was gone.

"Champ, you okay?" asked Bow, seeing she was crying.

Spark nodded and hugged the both of them, holding the photo. "I miss her..."

She didn't want to them, but she could feel the pain growing as her tears started to fall.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." she kept repeating those words.

Bow and Windy didn't say anything; they just held her close. They hugged her until Windy spoke up to her.

"Twilight told us, Spark. It's okay. We know you are hurting but don't have to hurt alone."

"Yeah, we'll be there for you, no matter what. Sorry if we sound like a broken record, but we want to make you see we do care about you," smiled Bow.

Spark didn't say anything, so she hugged the two and let her tears out.

"It's okay, hun, let it out, let it out," said Windy, rubbing Spark's back.

Bow lowered Spark's head onto his forehead, crying, too. "Stop holding it in. You are with family now. Let us join in your pain and sadness. Don't hold back."

Soon, Spark started to sob and finally let her pain out. Telling them everything while they just held her, joining in her sadness.

The three continued to cry and hug each other for a long time...until they all heard Twilight yelling, and soon, Spark stood up, feeling the sizeable magical output.

"Mo—" Spark stopped herself as she wanted to correct herself, but she felt two warm hooves on her back. This made her look back and see her grandparents smiling at her. This made Spark smile as well, and they looked back at the doorway that led to the library lobby. "Mom!"

Spark and her new grandparents hurried into the lobby, seeing everyone worried while they stood around Twilight, who was breathing heavily, glaring at the door.

"Mom, are you alright?"

Twilight snapped out of her rage, her ears twitching when she heard Spark say that. She quickly faced her, asking her what she just said.

"What did you just call me?"

Spark blushed as she suddenly felt very shy and nervous. She could feel the stares from everyone, and the silence made her even more uncomfortable. "I-I called you mom..."

Twilight's eyes widened as she covered her mouth. Her tears were forming, and she couldn't hold it anymore. Twilight quickly teleported and appeared before her daughter, hugging her tightly and crying.

Spark became more embarrassed as Twilight kept crying and saying how happy she was and that she was glad that she could finally be a mother to her.

"Okay, Mom! Okay, okay! Just stop crying, please, you're embarrassing me!" Spark was red and was trying to push Twilight off her, but the mare was like a koala bear.

"Never, sweetheart! I'm never letting you go or letting someone hurt you! Like what happened to Braver," cried Twilight, nuzzling her new child.

"Hurt?" asked Spark, making Twilight froze. Feeling Spark's magical energy increasing. "WHO HURT BRAVER!? WHO HURT MY CUTE SISTER!"

The mood suddenly turned dark as Spark slowly eyed Twilight's family in the room, who all slowly backed away from her as she was making a cold stare at them...Flurry Heart started to sweat heavily...

"Who was the one that hurt Braver?" asked Spark again, her magic starting to leak even more. Twilight and Dash tried to calm her down, but then...

"YEAH! WHO HURT LITTLE BRAVER!" shouted Bow, making Spark snap out of rage and surprised to see her new grandparents joining her in her anger. Dash felt secondhand embarrassment seeing this.

"HOW DARE THEY HURT BRAVER! WHERE IS THAT PERSON!?" yelled Windy, floating above her husband and waving a broom at no one. "YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF!" She pounded the broom in her hoof but smiled. "If they are here, but I doubt it!"

"Huh?" said Spark, seeing Windy landing and sweeping the floor. "What do you mean!? Someone here did hurt Braver! Mom said-" she suddenly felt Bow patting her hard on the back.

"Nonsense, champ! Everypony here loved Braver! Right, everypony?"

Everyone nodded and agreed with him.

"See, who would want to hurt Braver, Champ!?" laughed Bow, nudging her side. "She's part of the family; families always stick together and protect each other. Just like us, Champ! We protect each other, right?"

Twilight slowly became filled with regret and shame.

"Yeah, we are a family, and families stick together no matter what," repeated Windy, smiling, sweeping the floor and stopping in front of Twilight and Spark. "You want us to be your family, then you need to believe in that, honey."

Spark smiled and nodded, understanding that she was with family.

"Good! Now, why don't we continue looking through the baby book!" suggested Windy, holding out said book, which caused a blue blur to zip by and grab it.

"MOM!" shouted Dash, blushing like a red tomato and hiding it behind her back.

Twilight let Spark go and watched as everyone gathered around her daughter. She was happy to see Spark was finally starting to open up and not closing herself off to them or the others. But Twilight could hear a glass-tapping noise, making her slowly turn to the window and see her father waving with a sad smile as he leaned on the force field that Twilight had created. Twilight angrily glared at him and shut the shades with her magic.

"I'm not going to repeat my mistakes, not with Spark. You're not getting your claws on her."

After a few hours, Twilight and Dash's family were in the living room, still talking to Spark, while Twilight's side of the family still worried about Twilight and Night Light. Flurry Heart was sitting far away from them, still shy and scared around her. Velvet tried to ask Twilight why she became mad at her father for no reason and kicked him out, as she never explained why. But Twilight dodged the question.

"Spark! Why don't you continue your story about how to help those kids with the people you gathered? You never finished it," asked Twilight, making her mom upset.

"Kids?" said Shining, putting his tea down. "I remember Twily saying something about that."

"Well, we have the time. Let's listen to our granddaughter, shall we, everypony?" added Windy, nodding to the others, making Spark a bit nervous.

"Well, alright," said Spark, getting her thoughts together and continuing.

Brigitte finally exited the tunnel and found themselves inside a vast tree. A spiral tower led to the very top in the middle of the hollow tree.

"Artemis, sweetheart!" said Brigitte, putting her fingers on her temple. "Are you picking up any strange readings?"

Artemis's voice could be heard as a hologram visor appeared over Brigitte's eyes.

"Other than inside of a large hallowed-out tree?" joked Artemis, looking around and seeing the tree's interior. "Wow, this place is very old and huge."

Brigitte rolled her eyes and pressed a button on the wheelchair, making it move forward.

"Come on, sweetheart. Stop joking around and check the scanners," said Brigitte.

"Yes, ma'am!"

Artemis started to run and check the readings, finding nothing unusual, only to find the same thing.

"No anomalies detected. But I have noticed that this tree is quite strange. I think it is because of the lack of wildlife around us." Brigitte soon saw the life signs and was picking up nothing.

Brigitte placed her hand under her chin, thinking about something.

"I wonder if this has anything to do with Terra and those other versions of myself and her. They were journeying to gather others to stop that Rainbow Sun Dawn girl."

Artemis appeared on her mother's lap.

"Maybe? But did they ever mention anything about a tree? I don't recall that part of the story," said Artemis, scratching her chin like her mom.

Brigitte sighed. "That is a good point. Maybe we can ask Terra and the others if we find them here..." She stopped on a wood bridge and could see everything, as it was in a more open area. They could genuinely see how vast this place was. "IF we find them..."

"I'm sure we can find them in no time, Mother!" Artemis gave her thumbs-up, smiling.

Brigitte smiled and patted her daughter's head.

"I'm sure we will, sweetie."

As they started to cross the bridge, Brigitte suddenly had a headache and leaned forward, holding her head in great pain.

"What the hell!?" she groaned, holding her head. Artemis could see her mother was in pain. "A-Artemis..."

"MOTHER! Are you okay!? What is happening!"

Brigitte shut her eyes and could hear a young female talking to her. The girl sounded quite sad.

"Brigitte, I read about your life, and I know you'll be the perfect person to help these kids. They feel like they've lost what made them who they were, and I hope you can help them."

Brigitte shook her head and opened her eyes, her headache still worsening. She started to hear her own voice.

"Understood. It doesn't matter where or who, I'll help! I'll never let good lives be wasted; if they are hurt, I'll save them. I promise you, I will never allow another innocent soul to fall or fade away."

Brigitte's eyes snapped open.

"Mom!" cried Artemis, looking at her. Seeing her heart rating is super high.

Brigitte smiled and held her daughter. "I'm okay, Artemis. But we'll have to forget looking for Mom and her friends."

"Dad!" she corrected her mother. "And why? And what happened to you just now?"

Brigitte laughed when she heard her daughter calling Terra 'dad.' Terra hated that, but Artemis saw Terra as the man of the house.

"Don't tell Mo-" she could see Artemis glaring at her, so Brigitte corrected herself. "...Dad. But it seems our real goal is to help some kids. Someone came to me, asking for help. So putting off looking for dad has to be less important right now."'

"Kids? Help?" questioned Artemis.

Artemis could see her mother looking up, so she joined her. They could see the very top of the spiral tower.

"I have a feeling that those kids are up there. It's a feeling, but I know it's the truth."

Artemis could tell that her mother was severe and could tell that she wasn't kidding.

"Okay, Mom. If you say that we should help these kids, then I trust you." with that said, Artemis disappeared.

Brigitte pressed a button and moved her wheelchair again. Finally, she crossed the bridge but stopped. In front of her was a large wooden door blocking her way to the spiral wooden tower. She saw odd wooden cravens and what looked like a golden unicorn. There was no way to open it as she saw no doorknob or pushing it.

"Well, that's one fancy door, I do admit. But it's blocking my path, and I need to get through, so I'm sorry to whoever designed this door, but I'll have to open this with force."

Brigitte moved her fingers on the controls, but nothing was happening.

"Huh?"

She pressed the same buttons, but nothing happened.

"...Artemis?"

Her AI daughter returned and tipped her head to the side.

"What's wrong, Mom?"

Brigitte tried the controls again, but once again, nothing worked. "Is something wrong with the wheelchair?" she mutters, hitting the buttons.

Artemis's eyes glowed blue, and she started to scan her mother's wheelchair.

"Mother, I can confirm that the wheelchair is working perfectly."

Brigitte smacked her fist into the controls, now pissed.

"Then why is the wheelchair not doing what I'm telling it to do!?"

"Calm down, Mother. Let me look for the problem," said Artemis.

Artemis left her mother's lap and began to scan the wheelchair BIOS until she found it. "Oh." was all she said.

"Oh? Oh, what?" asked Brigitte, still trying the controls.

Artemis looked back at her mother.

"It seems we have a problem, Mom. The wheelchair is updating the software and can't do anything right now. The update will take around a few hours."

Brigitte blinked and slammed her fist into the controls again. "What!? HOW!? THERE'S NO WIFI HERE I BET...right?"

"Sorry, Mother. No, no wifi. And even if there was, the wheelchair doesn't use that method. The only way the wheelchair could update the software is through an update patch already downloaded."

Brigitte could not believe it and stared at the door, wondering how to get in without using her primary weapon.

"This is great. So not only will we have to wait a few hours for this update, but now we're stuck out here," grumbled Brigitte, placing her face in her hands. "I wish there was a way we could speed up this update."

Artemis flew above her mother and patted her head.

"Don't worry mom! When I scanned the wheelchair, I found you can still use this!" She flew down to the controls and typed a code. Soon, Brigitte could hear a noise coming from behind her and saw the handle of a gun being raised. She turned her head to the side, seeing it was her old gun.

"My old gun! I can use that!"

Brigitte was about to grab it, but Artemis flew before her and waved her arms.

"Mom, that old thing won't be able to punch its way through the door." she turned to the doorway. "My scanner readings tell me that wood isn't just wood but made up of hard minerals and unknown metals."

Brigitte looked at it and saw that the wood was slightly different. "Yeah, you're right. I can't shoot the door open. It's just not strong enough to break through, especially one like this." She lowered her hand and sighed.

Brigitte could feel Artemis hugging her cheek.

"Don't worry, Mom! I can keep you company while we wait!"

Brigitte laughed and held her daughter, rubbing her back. But she stopped when she noticed something on the wall.
"...wait, huh?"

Artemis joined her mother in looking to the side and was surprised to see another tunnel. Her scanners didn't pick this up, but here it was.

"Mom...I'm not liking this!"

Brigitte nodded and took her gun.

"We should be on our guard. I have a feeling that things are about to get weird."

Artemis joined her mother.

"Let's go!"

The wheelchairs started moving, disappearing into the tunnel's darkness. Soon, a glowing purple and blue light could be seen where Brigitte once stood.

Inside the new tunnel, the two never noticed the glowing purple carvings of a unicorn as they went deeper.
The wheelchair traveled down the tunnel; Artemis's real body was projecting her hologram was the only thing illuminating the darkness.

"Mother, my sensors are showing nothing is around us. Just darkness," reported Artemis.

"I see. Well, that's good to know,...I think?" answered Brigitte.

The wheelchair continued to move down the tunnel until she heard something. She stopped and checked her handgun to see if it was loaded. Soon, Artemis's scanners caught what her mother heard.

"Someone is here."

Brigitte's eyes narrowed.

"Is it the kids? Terra?"

"Unknown."

"Keep an eye on our surroundings, and let me know if you spot anyone from behind," whispered Brigitte, still looking ahead.
Artemis understood and curled up in her mother's lap, getting scared.

"Unknown is approaching us. 2 meters and closing."

"Got it."

Brigitte got her hand ready and aimed the gun ahead, waiting for something to happen.

"One meter!"

"Show yourself!"

"It's here!"

"I KNOW YOU ARE THERE! SHOW YOURSELF, OR I'LL BLAST YOUR HEAD OFF! DON'T THINK I'LL MISS!" shouted Brigitte.
Soon, something can be seen in the darkness. They could tell it was a female human figure, but the horn caught them off guard.

"A Ghost?" thought Brigitte, as unicorns in her universe were known as ghosts, psychically gifted individuals who always had horns on their foreheads. "Can't be...unless..." The figure got closer, and Brigitte smiled as she knew that human figure.

"Terra?"

"Dad!?" happily shouted Artemis, flying towards her father. But the figure's body was lit up thanks to Artemis's light source.

Brigitte's happiness quickly turned to dread as she saw who it was and screamed for her daughter to return.

"ARTEMIS!"

Before Artemis could react, a damaged arm shot out of the darkness and grabbed her, the hand squeezing Artemis's floating orb. The damaged hand started to crush the device, causing the Artemis hologram to flicker.

"LET HER GO!" screamed Brigitte, firing off her gun. The figure blocked the bullet with her white katana sword and started to walk closer to her.

Brigitte was shocked and terrified by this. The person looked like Terra but was an android. However, Brigitte could see that this android had seen better days, as the signs of missing skin on the exposed robotic joints and damaged limbs were proof of that.

"A pod?" whispered the android, looking at Artemis. She then looked at Brigitte and became confused. "9R? Why are you-"

"MOMMY!" cried Artemis, trying to escape the android's grip.

"Mommy!?" questioned the Android, now more confused than before.

Brigitte was shaking from the fear, but she could tell the android wasn't hostile.

"Please! That is my daughter! Please let her go!"

The android could see the tears and terror in Brigitte's eyes. Fear for the pod's safety.

"You aren't 9R...then who the fuck are you?" the Android asked, putting the sword away but not letting the pod go just yet.

"I am Brigitte, and that is my daughter, Artemis!"

The android stared at Artemis.

"A pod can't be someone's daughter."

"Pod," thought Brigitte, wondering if that meant for AI. "It can in this case!" she replied, still worried for her daughter's safety.

"No, they can't!" the android fired back, holding Artemis's device close. "UNLESS IT'S A DAMN MACHINE!" she squeezed harder, causing more damage to Artemis's natural body.

"MAMA!" cried Artemis, now in pain.

The android's eyes widened as she heard the word 'mama.'

"Mama!?"

Static

Static

"Mama!" cried a robotic, emotionless child voice. "Mama! Mama! Mama!"

Soon, the android appeared and stood before the small black block of mass that was a child's voice. She raised her pure white blocky sword and struck it down with one hit. Killing it as it turns white and bursts into nothingness. She dropped to her knees and lost strength. As she caught her breath, another android, which oddly looked like her, as a hologram appeared behind her.

"You and I...are the same." The tired android stopped breathing as she heard her voice. "We have no one to help us. We can only cry and scream-"

"I SAID SHUT UP!" screamed the android, tossing her sword at the hologram and making it disappear.

static

Static

"SHUT UP!" she screamed as vision returned to the tunnel. "Huh?" she could see the pod-like device in the 9R lookalike arms and crying. She must have tossed the pod when she tossed the sword in her flashback.

"It's okay, sweetie. Mommy got ya."

"Mama, it hurts! Make the pain go away!" cried the Artemis.

The android could tell the pod was in real pain.

"Can't be. The machine can't really be alive."

Brigitte held her daughter closer, her eyes filled with anger when she heard that.

"SHE'S ALIVE DAMN IT! SHE HAS FEELINGS! SHE CAN DREAM! AND SHE CAN LOVE!"

The android couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"A pod or machine can't feel, let alone dream. A pod is only designed to help us and serve us." She could tell that she made the other 9R android model more upset. "Whatever. I don't have time for this."

She hurried past them and down the tunnel where they came from but stopped as Brigitte shouted if there was an exit from which she had come from herself.

"No. I only came online a few minutes ago, and there was only a dead end." She turned to them. "Why?"

"Fuck off!" shouted the android as she landed backward and out of breath.

Brigitte and Artemis sighed; they hoped this battle android could cut her way through the door, but sadly, she couldn't.
"You can sto-"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP! I'LL BE DONE WHEN I SAY I'M DONE!"

Brigitte frowned, now pissed. She hated how this android was treating her.

"Hey! That's no way to treat people! You know, I could help you!"

"I don't need your damn help! Besides, what can a 9R hacker model like you fucking do? Hack a fucking a wooden door? Ha!"

Brigitte had no idea what this crazy android was talking about. "9R model? Huh? I'm a human!"

The android scoffed and laughed.

"Ha, funny. But there are no more humans." she put her sword away.

Brigitte and Artemis were confused by this information. The android could see their odd expressions.

"Hey, look, Ms...uh...what was your name again?" asked Brigitte.

"Name is T2. What's your name?"

"Brigitte, this is my daughter, Artemis," answered Brigitte, while her daughter dug deeper into her chest, still scared of T2.

"I see," said T2.

T2 sat down and just shut her eyes. Not doing anything at all. Brigitte wondered if she went into a power-saving mode like the androids in her universe...speaking of.

"Damn it, I couldn't explain to her that she...well, we aren't in our own universes right now. She might not believe us or understand."

Artemis looked at her mother and then T2.

"Mom, why is she here? How can we trust her? And...why did she try to kill me?"

"Sweetie, I have no idea. She's from a different universe." Brigitte looked at T2, who still had her eyes closed. "The way she's come off tells me that robots in her universes might not be the kindest." Brigitte sighed loudly, not happy she might have to team up with this android. "To be fair, she's not kind too...more like a..." She covered Artemis's ears. "A Cunt."

"I heard that," mumbled T2, opening her eyes.

Brigitte and Artemis gasped.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to," apologized Brigitte.

"You did."

Brigitte smirked at her. "Got me there!"

T2 grunted at her but became calm. "I heard everything. From another universe...then are you truly a human?" T2 looked at her, but then her eyes went directly to Artemis, who was shaking in her mother's chest. "You're not a machine then...or a fucking pod. What exactly are you?"

Brigitte was going to explain, but Artemis suddenly stood up and tried to be brave as she described herself.

"I-I'm an engineer AI! T-Tasked to build a hyperdrive engine! My older sister was t-tasked to oversee the creation and be the AI for the ship with said engine on it!"

"AI? That's...impossible. The only AIs on Earth are us androids, and even then..." She got up and marched over to Artemis, who started to shake in fear. As she stood before them, T2 bent down to the scared AI. "We AIs aren't scared shitless little bitches. Like you!" She could see Artemis getting mad.

"THAT'S MEAN! YOU MEANIE!"

"Yeah, and your point is?"

The two started to fight by calling each other names. Brigitte sighed as she slowly rubbed her eyes, knowing this would be a long and annoying road.

"Okay, you two. Cut it out. I'm not dealing with this."

They looked at her.

"What!?" they said in unison.

Brigitte forced her daughter back into her lap while she pointed to T2.

"Don't swear at or around my daughter, got it?"

T2 laughed. "Or what?" she started to make a mocking tone. "Is the cripple going to shoot me with that peashooter? Pfft, like that, could even hurt me!"

Brigitte sighed and then pointed the gun at T2's face.

"How about I test it?"

T2 smiled as she placed her forehead on the barrel of the gun.

"Do it! Let's see what is faster! My reflexes or the bullet."

Brigitte narrowed her eyes at T2, not liking how she was talking.

"Listen, missy. I fought Andorids like you before...just less human-looking but the same. Hell, I fought way more dangerous things than you! So, you can take your attitude and shove it up your butt! Because if you can't play nice, you can forget about being my ally!"

T2's eyes narrowed at Brigitte's statement.

"You and I are enemies."

"Oh, really?"

"Really!"

The two women started to argue with each other. Neither one was gonna budge. It was beginning to annoy Artemis, who was sandwiched between them, who finally had enough and shouted.

"JUST KISS ALREADY!"

They both stopped arguing and looked at her, confused by the outburst.

"Excuse me, sweetie?"

"I said, JUST KISS ALREADY! You are attracted to her! It's like those drama cartoons where the main character meets a cold tsundere personality love interest! They argue with each other and hate the other's guts but are secretly in love and want to bang each other!"

Brigitte pulled Artemis's ear, causing the poor AI to cry in pain.

"I told you, you weren't allowed to watch that trashy stuff!"

"OW! BUT I NEEDED TO KNOW HOW HUMANS GET TOGETHER! SO, I CAN FIND LOVE WHEN I GET OLDER, MOMMY!!"

"That doesn't mean you get to watch those trashy shows!"

T2 tsk loudly, annoyed that the AI called her a tsundere.

"I'm not a tsundere!...idiot."

Brigitte rolled her eyes and did not want to talk about this anymore. She put her gun away and made a T shape with her hands.

"Truce! Let's not fight, please? I'm not sure why you are here, but I'm here to help some kids and-"

"Kids?" asked T2, as snow-static memories filled her mind, and she remembered someone asking for her aid in helping children. This caused her to fall on her knees, holding her head.

"Whoa, are you alright?"

"No. My memory is...damaged? I can't remember anything before or how I got here...but..."

"But what?"

"I remember someone begging me for help...she said I was the only one that could save some-"

"Those kids?" finished Brigitte, making T2 look at and nod. "Then whoever came to us was trying to bring us together. That means we are in the same boat. The faster we help those kids, the faster we can go home."

T2 didn't know what to think, but if Brigitte was right, this wasn't a weird machine trap. Then she would work with her, but just for now.

"Fine. Truce. Let's get out of here."

Brigitte and T2 looked at the door.

"...but first, we need to figure out how to open this damn fucking door!" cursed T2.

Brigitte sighed. "What I just said about cursing in front of my daughter?"

"I didn't fucking agree to that." simply answered T2.

"I hate this already," replied Brigitte, not liking the feeling that something terrible would happen soon...not just T2's awful attitude.

The deepest part of the tunnel system of the tree. There was a crystal clear lake. Within the middle, bubbles were hitting the surface. Soon enough, something shot out of the water and slowly landed on the water's surface. When it landed, the blue hooves had exposed wires, almost like its legs were robotic in nature. Even its wings looked the same.

"I don't want this..." cried the Pegasus as she had her eyes closed. "I'm stronger than...ugh!" Tears filled her closed eyes, and her expression became filled with pain. "This pain! My body..."

The Pegasus fell to her knees, crying even harder as she started to hate the world as two vices joined her own..
"I WANT MY OLD LIFE BACK! I WANT MY LIFE BACK!"

She screamed as loud as she could, causing the whole place to shake.

"I don't care about anything anymore! I hate the world! I hate this life!" she soon started to fight whatever was trying to control her. "N-No...don't say that! You need to be stronger than that! You two need to see. Even without wings, you can still...s-still..." She couldn't finish as she looked up to the sky and could say one thing as her eyes opened....glowing red...

"...FLY..."

End of Chapter 15