Friendship: The Gathering

by CrossMalaki

The Meeting

Twilight spent the better part of the night tossing and turning, anticipation rushing through her mind as she waited for dawn. With a powerful mage on the loose and the possibility of golem attack looming, she felt she had good reason to be worried. Eventually she gave up on sleeping and just watched for the sunrise, preparing herself for what Cross might have to say. It was likely something dangerous was on the way, like an invasion from another world, or another Planeswalker was coming, or even worse, both.
“Come on Twilight, stop focusing on the negative.” Shaking her head as she whispered, Twilight took another look out the window. The first rays of dawn were appearing in the sky, and she needed to gather her friends together by that afternoon to meet Cross.
“I’d better make sure everything is taken care of here.” Twilight set herself to work cleaning the library. The few books that were left lying around were quickly stacked with just a few simple spells, and she started cleaning up the parchment and quills she kept leaving out when she was up late at night. With a light glow of purple the papers stacked themselves in a neat pile a top her desk, then the quills lined up in a neat row.
With her desk cleared, she set to work sorting the books, reading each title and then sending it sliding effortlessly into its place. Normally she left this to Spike, but she needed to have it done before she had to leave, and she owed him the day off after the last few weeks.
“All right, that should be the last one… I’ll get Pinkie Pie and Rarity on my way to Sweet Apple Acres, and then I’ll see if Fluttershy can…” Her pondering was interrupted by a quiet knock at the door. Twilight quickly checked that everything was ready, and then opened the door.
“Are you ready?” Pinkie Pie’s cheerful face filled Twilight’s vision momentarily, and the purple unicorn swore the pink earth pony had nearly butted heads with her by accident. Twilight looked to see Rarity and Fluttershy standing behind Pinkie to one side.
“I just finished cleaning, and I’m giving Spike the day off, so I suppose I’m as ready as I can be.” Twilight responded, “Has anyone talked to Rainbow Dash yet?” She looked to Fluttershy, certain her pegasus friend had contacted Rarity and Pinkie for her, and the two exchanged a brief nod.
“I went to see if she was up, but she was still sleeping. I thought I’d let her rest a little longer.” Fluttershy’s voice was soft, a clear sign she was sorry. Rarity shook her head and looked to the timid pegasus, smiling.
“It’s a very generous thing for you to let her sleep. I’m sure we can all agree Rainbow Dash is much more preferable when she’s had her rest.” The others nodded in agreement, smiling to themselves. Fluttershy left quickly to get Rainbow Dash while the others turned towards Sweet Apple Acres. Applejack was probably already up and working right now.

Cross sat completely still at the spot he’d met Twilight and Spike, his eyes glazed by distant thoughts. Princess Celestia stood beside him, keeping quiet. She could tell when someone’s mind was working, having spent so much time training Twilight Sparkle. There were many things similar between the two, at least from what she had seen. He was dedicated, skilled at magic, and very concerned about any possible threat. If she hadn’t known better, she would have sworn Cross and Twilight were siblings.
“When exactly is the next full moon?” Cross’s sudden question brought Celestia out of her reverie, and she looked to the steadily disappearing moon. She smiled to herself, thinking again of Twilight. They were so very similar.
“It’s waning right now, so not for another month or so.” She answered his question after moment’s hesitation, a moment he used to close his eyes.
“Then I might not have a lot of time to see the nexus. I suppose it will have to wait for later then.” Cross stood slowly, stretching his stiffened muscles and shaking himself. The night hadn’t been very cold, but Celestia assumed he felt the same chill she did at seeing those golems. Something was very wrong about them, something dark and ominous. She didn’t understand what about them so disturbed her, but whatever it was, if Cross was also aware of it, then he feared it as well.

While the Princess and Cross were waiting, Twilight and the others reached Sweet Apple Acres, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy joining them en route. Twilight and Fluttershy used the trip as a chance to elaborate on what they knew of Cross, as well as the story of his rescue of Fluttershy.
“My, he certainly sounds like quite the hero. Dashing in at the last minute, a cool threat tossed at the villain, fighting off a monster for our dear Fluttershy. It must have been stunning to see.” Rarity had been lost in the poetry of the story, and Rainbow Dash was quick to snap her out of it.
“Newsflash Rarity, he’s a wolf, not a unicorn.” The sky blue Pegasus didn’t like the dreamy expression on her friend’s face, especially for someone she hadn’t even met yet. Rarity glared at Rainbow Dash before turning up her nose.
“Come on you two, keep it under control. Arguing isn’t going to get us anywhere.” Twilight looked back at the two over her shoulder, then turned to look at the path ahead. As they neared the barn, they spotted Applejack just putting away a bucket.
“Well, you’re all a bit early, but I’ve got most of the work done. I’m sure Big Macintosh and Apple Bloom can handle the rest.” Applejack, tossed the bucket into the barn, hurrying over to the group. Twilight noted how tired her friend’s body appeared, but the look in Applejack’s eyes was full of energy and drive. Twilight assumed that work on the farm had been done at twice the normal pace in order to make up for how long she would be gone.
“Well, if we’re all here, we better get going.” Twilight turned to lead the way with Fluttershy, while the others fell in behind them, each pony giving Applejack their account of the explanation Twilight had given them on the way to the farm. Twilight didn’t bother trying to correct any of the errors in their tales, and Fluttershy was too polite to point them out.
“I wish they could just tell a story without trying to make it their own idea of interesting.” Twilight sighed, hearing Rainbow Dash give a detailed explanation of Cross’s battle with the golems, adding in a bit where Cross bit the golem’s leg.
“They’ll all know the whole story when they see him.” Fluttershy’s hopeful tone was reassuring, but a dark feeling in the back of Twilight’s mind remained, solidly entrenched like a stone. If a Planeswalker was suddenly here in Equestria, and monsters made of stone and steel were attacking, then something was happening that was far beyond anything they’d seen before.

Cross and Celestia had become engaged in a small game of chess, each moving their pieces by using telekinetic spells, when Cross stopped in mid move.
“They’re on their way.” He set the piece back in its original place and looked down the path, his eyes lit from within by a vibrant blue light. Celestia smiled and sent the game away.
“You just wanted an excuse to stop me from winning.” She teased, and Cross scowled. She was winning, and he didn’t like it, but that was beside the point. The others arriving meant it was finally time for him to sort out exactly what information it was vital they know, and what he should keep to himself. At the most he would tell them who and what he was, and his mission was to stop an extra planar threat. Anything beyond that was on a need to know basis as far as he was concerned. And the only people he believed really needed to know were Jace and himself.
Cross watched the other’s arrival carefully, watching as they bowed in reverence to Princess Celestia, and heard her explanation of why she was there. His mind was too occupied to distinguish the exact words, and he simply waited for the princess to turn to him. When she did so, he gave a short nod and looked to the group.
“If you’ll follow me for a bit, we’ll be able to talk without fear of eavesdroppers.” With a quick and precise movement, Cross leaped into the brush, leaving a trail of white light behind him. The others would easily be able to follow it, and he set off at a brisk jog, turning his head now and then to scent that they were still following.
“That will give them time to catch up on anything they need to, and it should give me some time to think this through more thoroughly.” Mumbling quietly to himself wasn’t something Cross did often, but he’d picked up one of Jace’s bad habits of thinking aloud from time to time. He mentally chastised himself for speaking his thoughts again before reaching the clearing at last.

Cross walked calmly to the center of the clearing, turning to wait for the ponies and their princess. seating himself and watching their arrival. Pinkie Pie hopped into place next to Fluttershy, who smiled as Applejack sat on her other side. Twilight fell in beside Applejack, eyes not leaving Cross, and Rainbow Dash likewise took a seat on Pinkie Pie’s available side. Rarity voiced a preference to stand, and moved on Twilight’s free side. Celestia stood behind the smaller ponies, nodding for Cross to proceed. He returned the motion, and then closed his eyes.
“The first thing I should probably go over is what I am. I am a Planeswalker, born with a special ‘spark’. No one has figured out exactly what this spark is; only that it is what makes a planeswalker what they are.” As Cross spoke, a small flicker of white mana appeared before him, “This spark is activated during times of incredible stress. Quite often one’s spark ignites when they are on the threshold of death, and often it is too late to save them.” He extinguished the light with a breath, then made a new one of red mana, which flared and twisted itself like a candle flame.
“On the rare occasion that one lives past their ignition, they become a Planeswalker. In old times, a Planeswalker would suddenly find themselves with a limitless amount of mana and magical power, a knowledge beyond anything they ever had before. They would be immortal, the only living thing able to stop them being another Planeswalker. However, somehow, the old breed of Planeswalkers disappeared. Few know what happened, but one thing that is certain is that modern Planeswalkers are much more vulnerable and much less powerful than they once were.” Once again Cross extinguished the mana light before him, looking to the group.
“We Planeswalkers are very few in number now. Of the old Planeswalkers, only one exists to our knowledge. And unfortunately, he is not someone any Planeswalker is fond of meeting.” Letting his explanation sink in, he waited for if the others had any questions before proceeding. Twilight was the first to speak.
“What exactly happens now when someone’s spark ignites?” She asked, looking Cross directly in the eyes.
Cross had to take a moment to think it over, looking to the ground and remembering his own ignition.
“It’s, a bit of a feeling. It starts somewhere in the base of your mind, like some sort of lock has just opened and a whole world you never knew was standing right before you. It’s a bit like waking up in the morning to find out you’re in someone else’s house. At first it’s strange and alien, but you quickly become accustomed to it, if you have the time that is.” He knew his explanation was vague and flimsy at best, but it was all he could come up with from his own, personal experience with an ignition. He looked as Pinkie Pie raised a hoof.
“So is that Cutie Mark on your back the Planeswalker symbol?” The pink pony’s question made little sense to Cross, and he tilted his head slightly. Celestia chuckled.
“A Cutie Mark is a symbol of a pony’s destiny. They receive it when they find the one thing that makes them truly special to the world.” Celestia explained, and Cross nodded slowly, closing his eyes to better catalogue what she’d said to his memory.
“Well, I don’t know anything about a Planeswalker symbol, since every other ‘Walker I’ve met has had their own, unique mark to make on the planes they visit. However, the red fur on my back is not a Cutie Mark. On my home plane, many warriors of a powerful cult would tattoo themselves to prove they could tolerate any pain. Myself and a friend found an old member of the cult, who promised to give us tattoos of our choosing if we found something for him.” Cross’s memories of his home were perfect, down to the most minute details that many would forget easily, “We found it for him, and my friend and I each received tattoos of our chosen lives. He became a member of the cult, but I now wonder how much of the fighting he longed for he now participates in.” Cross lowered his head, flattened his ears back, held his tail close to his side, keeping it perfectly still. A few moments later, he closed his eyes and continued.
“I chose the mark of my father’s guild, warriors of the law and officers of divine judgment and order. I had been with them three years before I became a Planeswalker.” He finished his story, keeping himself still. Pinkie Pie was the first to approach, putting one of her forelegs around his back. Cross nodded simply, looking to her, and then the other ponies.
“I think that’s enough of my history for now. I could go on for a month about myself. I’d much rather hear more about this world, and each of you.” Cross’s voice had found a strong tone, and he himself was surprised at how melancholy he had sounded before that moment. Pinkie Pie took her arm off of him and smiled, and Twilight stepped forward.
“There’s a lot to talk about, and I’m not entirely sure we’ll be able to tell the entire story.” Twilight said, “But we’ll certainly try.” Cross smiled, watching as the others formed a circle, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy sitting on either side of him.