Tick tock… Tick tock…

In the inner depths of the peaceful halls of the underwater castle’s chambers, Princess Skystar tossed and turned in her bed, bubbles tickling her cheeks as they floated upwards, her eyelids shut tight, and her muzzle scrunched back.

Tick tock… tick tock…

From the outset, anyone might’ve considered her having one terrible dream. Though one could beg the differ in her psyche. Her dreamscape was a flat land of pure white, with no noise, no transparency, and, most of all, no distractions. Well, except for a lone alicorn standing idly in front of her. She wasn’t anyone Skystar had recognised off the get-go. Not any princesses off the top of her head could she remember having that striking blaze red mane with a straight fringe cut, white fur, and a cutie mark with a quill and ink dip.

Wow, upon closer comparison, she is much larger and more slender than most ponies, including Celestia and… luna. That’s beside the point.

Trotting… or rather, swimming up to her, Skystar tried to look her in the eyes.

“Um… hello?” Skystar asked. “I haven’t seen you before. Who are you?”

The alicorn didn’t return the greeting; instead, it only uttered a simple phrase with a smile. “Reach for it, and take care of him, my child.”

“I’m sorry, miss, but I’m not your daughter!” Skystar quickly tried to explain, noticing that she couldn’t quite match her gaze. Every feature she had up her snout was all foggy, the details fading away. “Queen Novo’s my mom, actually- Woah!” Her magic lifted off Skystar, the alicorn, sending the princes of the seas flying upward into the sky.

“W-wait!” Skystar beckoned, “Your name! What’s your name!?”
The alicorn turned to face the mare fading into the light, the corners of her lips pulling into a soft smile. “It’s Faus-”

“Gahh-!!” Skystar screamed, springing upright on her coral bed, the sweat pooling on her forehead for a moment before diluting into the waters around her.

From what she could tell, it was morning. The soft glow of bioluminescent algae cast an ethereal light within her chamber, illuminating the intricate patterns of her seashell-adorned walls. She sighed, stretching.

Every morning, she rose from her bed, her movements as mechanical as the tides. Each passing day seemingly painted the world ever greyer. She floated off and swam towards her bathroom, cleaning herself off and freshening up.

Heading out the door, she swam past the guards stationed at her chambers. Giving a quick “Good morning.” Before swimming down the halls at a rapid pace.

Strange, as for how dreams usually go, she’d forget any prior ones she had by the time she woke up. Yet, the strange interactions in the dreamlands still stuck around. Whatever it was.

Passing into the dining halls, several pairs of guards stood attention at the entrances connecting the spaces. In the middle, a long dining table with a coral chandelier hung above it.

“I see you’ve certainly slept in later today, Skystar.” Queen Novo commented, munching on kelp with practised elegance.

“Morning, Mom.” Skystar haphazardly greeted with a yawn, grogginess evident in her voice. “Couldn’t get a wink of sleep last night.”

Novo was about to grill Skystar for her less-than-regal conduct, but upon hearing about her daughter's lack of sleep, she was stopped dead in her tracks. She looked down at her plate of kelp, the edges of the vegetation wiggling in the slow but still noticeable current around her.

“…Was it the funeral?” Queen Novo asked.

“…Maybe,” Skystar admitted.

Novo shut her eyes, turning her head away from her daughter.

“I understand,” Novo said. We are all affected by your uncle's passing. It would be best if you rested, Skystar. I’ll handle royal duties today.”

“Mom, you know I can’t do that…” Skystar stared at her mother across the table, her plate of kelp untouched. “Not when everything’s in such disarray… Not when I could help it.”

The slight shift in tone didn’t go unnoticed by the Queen; she put her cutlery down, glaring at her daughter.

“I’ve told him already. We can’t fight them.” Novo explained.

“Uncle Sky Beak wasn’t trying to pick a fight with them! He was trying to secure a safe passage out of the shores!”
Stepping onto the forbidden shores is a declaration of opposition, Princess Skystar. When they sensed our presence up there, they had our heads on spears.”

Skystar caught up, slamming the table. “This is exactly how it was with the Storm King!”

“You can’t compare the Storm King to them.” Novo tried to reason.
“I can’t?” Skystar scoffed, “Both times, they stole our homes and forced us underwater. Sounds pretty comparable to me!”

“Your uncle had asked for supporting resources and military backup to help him survey the above world. How was I supposed to provide either when our supplies are as scarce as they are and our infantry is at an all-time low? Especially with the recent earthquakes and changing tides, Seaquestria is as vulnerable as ever.” Novo folded her fins, “I had hoped my denying his request would push him back from further pursuing to visit the lands above. No, it drove him stronger than ever.”

Novo clenches her jaw, placing a fin on her forehead. “Now not only had I lost my brother-in-law, but my sister also lost her husband… And it's all my fault.”

The tension was palpable; the guards shifted uncomfortably in their stations, an imaginary steam rising from the cracks of their armour as they exchanged quick glances at one another. Skystar sucked her lips in; she hadn’t meant to push her mother this far. “Mom… I didn’t mean that.”

“No… I’m sure you don’t.” Novo got up from her seat, swimming to the giant doors at the end of the room. “Rest today, Skystar. I’m sure you’ll need it.” That was all she said before exiting the dining hall and leaving Skystar alone with her thoughts.

Skystar looked down at the plate before her, the edge of the pristine white dish reflecting the image of her tired face with baggy eyes. She scowled. Was she ever this helpless?

Skystar sat in the royal gardens, eyes scanning the vibrant mixture of life beneath the waves. The mass amounts of beautiful corals, their hues ranging from the palest pink to the deepest purple, swayed gently under the pillars of light piercing through the ocean tops. Cascading down into a gentle glow that bathed the entire underwater garden in a beautiful light, the beams illuminated the intricate patterns of the coral formations and the shimmering scales of the fish that darted between them.

Despite the breathtaking beauty of her surroundings, Skystar felt a sense of melancholy. The once-vibrant gardens reflected the diminished vitality of Seaquestria itself, the corals seeming to lose their colours over the passing months. The repetitive nature of her duties had dulled her senses, making her feel disconnected from the world around her. Adding on to the… event that happened several days prior. Yeah, it all almost came crumbling down on her. And she messed up big time.

Skystar let herself sink between the ribbons of the aquatic leaves, the green appendages wrapping her in a false embrace as she closed her eyes. Right as she was about to drift off to sleep, however, a familiar voice snapped her out of her daze.

“Skystar?”
Skystar cracked her eyes open, not bothered with getting up. It was rather dim, though enough light pierced the ocean to filter a golden glow around the figure. Silverstream peered down at Skystar from above, tilting her head curiously.

“Silverstream!” Skystar jolts. Getting up to greet her cousin with a quick exchange of hugs, she broke it off with a worried look. “W-what brings you here? I thought you wouldn’t want to see me again after…”

Silverstream grabbed Skystar’s shoulders, her grip reassuring. “My dad was a… passionate hippogriff. He passed doing what he thought was right. Even so, I couldn’t possibly hate you for it, Skystar.”

Though difficult, Skystar met Silverstream’s gaze. Her eyes were red, and there were bags under them. The princess’s breath hitched; it seemed she wasn’t the only one who hadn’t gotten enough sleep.

“But I didn’t come to talk about that…” Silverstream said, reaching behind her and pulling out a grey cube with slits on each of its surfaces, each of a differing number. “I found this off the seabed on the edge of our borders. I think it got swept there by the rushing currents from the earthquakes.”

Skystar’s eyes widen. “Could this be the relic you were talking about?”
Silverstream nodded steadily, “I-I think so…”

Skystar shifted her head to get a better look at the relic from various angles, and a strange feeling was leaking out the slits on each surface. “Didn’t the scripture mention this thing having eyes?”

As Skystar continued to examine the relic, she felt a strange sensation. The energy emanating from the cube seemed to be intensifying, and the slits on its surface were beginning to glow. A faint hum filled the air, a low, rhythmic vibration that resonated with her heartbeat.

“I’m not sure how we should go about this,” Skystar added.

“I’ve already notified Ocellus about the relic. We plan to meet closer to the surface, nearer to the shores.”
“The shores!? While they’re still around!? Are you crazy!?” Skystar jumped, pushing herself closer to Silverstream. “Why can’t Ocellus come down to us?”

“There isn’t much aquatic life that could both freely use magic and breathe underwater. It’s best if we met on land.” Silverstream remarked.

“T-that’s suicide!” Skystar stated, “There has to be another way. Maybe our necklaces?”

“The magic from the necklace isn’t enough.” Silverstream puffs, “Unless Auntie Novo wishes to use The Pearl.”

“…There’s no way mom’s gonna let us borrow The Pearl’s magic like that.”
“Yeah, thought so.” Silverstream held back a sigh, turning to face the distance. “Ocellus will arrive by sunset tomorrow. I will leave then.”

“Wait,” Skystar interjects, “Why can’t Ocellus just swim down here and let Mom use The Pearl to transform her underwater? Then she could use her magic here in a safe environment.”

“Did you forget? They’ve already finished a spell that transforms their troops into sea ponies. We would be leading them straight to our homes if we did that… That’s how Dad died; that’s why he was forced to break off from the rest.” Silverstream swam backwards, turning to leave, but stopped to turn her head slightly so her gaze could find Skystar. “I came to tell you this in case I fail. I will toss the relic back into the sea so you guys can find it… see ya, Skystar…”

Skystar tried to reach out to Silverstream, but her guilty conscience prevented her from moving an inch, letting the seapony swim off unrestricted back into the direction she supposedly came from.

The princess’s mouth creased into a frown, her brows furrowing as she palmed her forehead, jiggling her lighted lure. This is bad. She’s speaking just like mom.

The next day – midday

Everything went as it did yesterday. Skystar got up earlier this time, freshened up, greeted the guards, and headed to the dining hall. She opened the doors as usual, and Novo sat opposite the long table as usual. However, she hasn’t already started eating yet as compared to yesterday. Skystar greeted her as usual, sat down as usual, and ordered as usual.

“So… Mom.” Skystar began,
“What is it, Princess Skystar?” Novo replied plainly.

“If I told you Silverstream has this ancient relic from the past that could solve all our problems, but it needs The Pearl to supercharge it, would you let me?” Now, that was unusual.

Novo gave a quick “Huh,” as if to say that’s not something you hear every day. “Interesting.”
“So…?” Skystar pushed.

“No.”
“Oh, c’mon!”

“You have to know how ridiculous this sounds,” Novo said, leaning onto her fin.

“Yeah, but-”
“You have to think not only from your position but from mine, as well as the wellbeing of all the seaponies living in Seaquestria. Have you thought what would happen if this fails? How much magic it would take? How vulnerable would it leave us?”

“We can compromise-”

“No, I will not compromise the safety of our citizens for something you’re not entirely sure about.”

“We can’t sit idle and twiddle our fins!” Skystar tried to argue.

“Nor can we take the risk.” Novo inserted.

“Enough,” Novo cuts, “I’m not about to have this dispute with you. This talk is over.”

Skystar got off from leaning on the table, drifting back into her seat with a huff and grumbling with crossed arms. She wallowed in silence as their ordered meals arrived on the long dining table. The guards did their best not to fidget, while the server did their best not to make eye contact. It was a very quiet breakfast, to say the least.

Later that evening, on the outskirts of the Seaquestria kingdom, Silverstream swam up closer to the surface by her lonesome, a sling bag around her person. Several slivers of moonlight dancing atop the sea’s surface intensified by the passing minute as the moon rose. How long had it been since she saw the moon rise? She pondered, not realising Skystar was waiting for her behind a large boulder near the deep slop of terrain.

“Psst-!” Skystar called out. “Silverstream!”

“Skystar?” Silverstream questioned, “I’m guessing you told Auntie Novo about my plan?”
Skystar raised a brow. “How’d you know?”

“More guards are stationed near my home than usual,” she answered. “I’m guessing the same could be said for you.”
“Yeah…” The princess admitted. “How’d you managed to get out?”

“No one knows the layout of my home better than me,” Silverstream proudly boasted, “…So, here to say good luck? Maybe a goodbye?”

“You know I’m not the one for goodbyes.”

“Then what are you here for?”

“I’m coming with.”

“What.”
“You heard me,” Skystar repeated.

“There’s no way I’m bringing you with me! It’s too dangerous!” Silverstrea’s eyes widen in alarm.
“The same could be said for you.” Skystar countered. “Two sets of fins are better than one, so I’m coming with. Unless you wanna turn tail and head back to Seaquestria, we’re both going.”
Silverstream sighed, “Fine, but we have to do this quietly, okay? Did you bring your necklace with you?”

“Sure did.” Skystar pulled out the necklace from her back, showing it as evidence.

“Alright, let’s go.”
Just as they were about to take off, a deafening screech could be heard behind them, sending shivers down their spines. Turning around, several deformed crabs, fish, and insectoid beings oozing with malevolent energy inched forward, eyes trained on Silverstream.

“Um, Silverstream.” Skystar began, “They don’t look friendly.”

“Run!!” Silverstream yelled, booking it. Skystar following close behind.

“What are those things!?” Skystar asked, paddling her tail to keep herself close to her cousin. She could feel how close the monsters were to them, their every movement sending waves and ripples that the ends of her fins could feel.

“No idea!” Silverstream replied. “And I don’t wanna stay to find out!”

Ocellus lay in the low tides of the gushing shores under the rising moon, her body, shape, size, and touch all resembling the form of a rather large rock formation. It was her disguise, crude as it may be; it helped her blend in with the natural surroundings. The waves from the sea rushed to her, seafoam splashing all over her rocky disguise as the tides rested for a moment before receeding back into the vast ocean from afar.

Just a few more minutes of this and Silverstream would meet her here, or rather, lower into the sea. Ocellus was being as vigilant as possible, trying to see if any head was poking through the ocean’s surface or if an aquatic plant was shaking in some sort of code trying to get her attention. She couldn’t be too sure, after all.

Her worries of missing a signal would never come to pass as Silverstream and Skystar erupt from the sea waves in a bright light of transformation into their hippogriff forms. They landed on the shores, panting and huffing, sweat pooling on their faces while glancing behind them, checking if they managed to lose the monsters.

“Ocellus!” Silverstream called out, rushing over to her.

The changeling quickly turned back into her original form, her face going into a full-blown panic. “What happened to being discreet!? And why’s your cousin here!?”
“Long story, no time,” Silverstream said, pulling the cube out of her bag. “Sorry for rushing you like this, but monsters are chasing us. We tried to lose them, but it was no use. We have to do it here.”

“Are you serious!?” Ocellus exclaimed, grabbing the cube.
“Halt.” Came a voice from deeper inland. The trio turned to the voice, fear creeping into their features. Several ponies, clad in black armour, laced with spikes along their shoulders and back. Their faces were entirely covered in the same material, eyes glowing bright green in a horizontal slit with black manes atop their helmets. “In the name of his majesty, surrender now.”
Ocellus stepped back, turning to face the sea, only for a torrent of monsters to spring out of the waves. The crab monster lunged forward; claws opened large and aiming for Ocellus. Skystar quickly intercepted its path, allowing the crab to clench down and squeeze her arm in a deathly grip.

“Arghh-!” Skystar screamed, barely holding herself together.

“Skystar!” Silverstream yelled, running over, only for a school of monstrous fish to bash into Silverstream, knocking her down and shoving her back. Taking a dagger from inside her sling bag, Silverstream sliced at one of the fish before her while flinging the weapon at Ocellus’s back, knocking back a quickly approaching guard. “Ocellus, do it now!”
Seeing no other way out of this and having very little left to lose, Ocellus pulled out a book from behind her and recited the incantations for a spell to operate the relic. The noises of rushing waters were drowned out by the clattering of metal from the running guards and grotesque yells of the monsters, but Ocellus managed to pull herself together enough to see it through. Magic swelled and swirled around the base of her horn, twirling around the shaft and up to the tip before it focused and concentrated onto one singular point.

In an instant, a blinding white light flashed the entire scene, flushing out any fighting and conflict in the coastal area.

Tick tock… tick tock…

Gojo sighed, leaning back into the skeletons reaching out for him. He was bored out of his mind. How many months had it been? His students should be freeing him by now, he thought. That said, he couldn’t really blame them for the lack of notification.

“Well, it isn’t like Megumi can drop me a text telling me when they’d free me,” Gojo said to no one in particular. Okay, maybe one of the skeletons he named for fun. His name is Mochi. “Amirite, Mochi?”

Mochi didn’t reply, sadly.

Gojo gave a more profound sigh, wondering how long he would be stuck in limbo like this. Well, maybe his students already fought Sukuna and somehow did it all without his help. Wow, that’d have to be some recognition for an honour award for literally being the best teacher out there, right?

“Heh, nah. The higher-ups will be on their asses.” Gojo spoke again… to no one in particular.

This was actually a first for Gojo, having so much time to… think, ponder even. Things that he couldn’t find the time to process or layout properly. Getting enough sleep was one thing. Now, he was borderline thinking he had the rest of eternity to set out his messed up head straight and narrow. Steadying out his wishes, regrets. One thing was clear, however: whoever was inhabiting Geto would die the moment he was free. That’s a promise, not only to himself but to his best friend. That’s the least he could do before his goodwill crumbles away.

“Was this how it felt like, huh, Suguru?” Gojo asked rhetorically, nodding downward into space. “Slowly losing your mind, thinking the world is fading all around you?” He chuckled, “I think I finally get what you felt all those years ago.”

Right as Gojo was about to doze off again, the world around him rumbled. He jumped up in surprise. This was the first real sensation of movement he felt in months. Looking around, he could see the barriers and space around him… weakening!
Gojo couldn’t help but crack a smile, seeing the top of the vast black space shattered, allowing moonlight to seep in and bathing him in light.

Back in reality, the blinding white light began to fade, and the earth stopped shaking. Ocellus stopped shielding her eyes with her arm and looked at the relic. Its eyes were wide open, looking past Ocellus and into the sky.

“It didn’t do anything!” Ocellus said, looking at Silverstream.

However, Silverstream didn’t pay her any mind. Instead, she seemed to be fixated on whatever the relic was also staring at. Looking around, the monsters, the soldiers, and even Skystar shared the same sentiment, frozen entirely in their tracks. Curiosity finally got the better of her as she turned to face the sky, wondering what all the fuss was about.

A towering figure, elongated and ethereal, floated effortlessly in the air without the use of wings. Its slender body, draped in flowing black robes, seemed to defy the laws of gravity. A cascade of white hair framed his face, every strand illuminated by the moonlight.

The figure's presence was both intimidating and mesmerizing, a strange blend of power and menace. It exuded an energy that was unlike anything Skystar, Ocellus or Silverstream had ever encountered, a force that seemed to ripple through the seaside. The creature's power was similar to that of the princesses, but it was... to put it plainly, stronger.

As if sensing her gaze, the creature turned its head and pulled its blindfold down, revealing a pair of piercing blue eyes that seemed to bore into her soul.

The strongest is free.

Author's Note

There should be a JJK group frfr, also, thank you for reading