Soren The Alicorn Part 4: The Rift

by KingNyroc15

Bird Brawl

Author's Note:

Song Used:
"When I'm Gone" copyrighted by Eminem

Uncle?

Ruby!

I just wanted to give you something.

What is it?

...

Is that all?

I hope you like it...

Ruby, wait!

...

"Ruby!" Soren exclaimed as he sat up in his bed. He began panting heavily. A knocking at the door was soon heard. "Come in, Robin."

"I heard you yell Ruby's name. Was it a bad dream?"

"Yeah. She was giving me something." Soren's breathing slowed to normal.

"What was it?"

"Inspiration." Robin gave a confused look. "This may seem like a random question but do you know if Rusty's is still receiving customers?"

"Can we discuss this over breakfast?" Soren nodded. Robin walked out of the room and Soren followed. After breakfast was made, the two sat at the table and continued the conversation.

"It's hard to say if that bar still receives customers. All I heard was that Nightingale was taking it over for some reason. Nopony really said if ponies would stop going there. It can be either possibility honestly."

"We need to figure it out. I need ponies to be there."

"Why? Did you plan to sing for them before helping Ruby? Haha." Robin's laughter slowly died down as she continued to look at Soren's even expression. "You're joking..."

"After last night, you should know how powerful my singing can be."

"Soren, you can't honestly expect singing to help Ruby and stop my sister!"

"We just need to figure out if ponies are still going there regularly."

"I guess we should ask around town. Soren...are you positive what you're going to do will work? I doubt we will get another chance."

"I'm never sure about anything. You can't create a perfect plan."

"What about your plan against that mare, Nightmare Moon?"

"That wasn't perfect; I just made it work. I didn't expect Nyra to be there. As a result, I assumed, only assumed, that Rainbow had followed her."

"Alright. You know I trust you."

"Let's get to work after we finish eating. I'm already creating the plan in my mind as we speak."

After they finished their breakfast, Soren and Robin used the next two hours to ask as many ponies as possible if Rusty's is still in business. Most said yes, the rest said no. Soren was beginning to feel a lot more confident in his plan, but he still sensed the possibility of failure, or even an interruption, during his plan. As they walked back to her house, Robin confronted Soren about this once again.

"Are you positive–?"

"Yes."

"But what if–?"

"I'm confident."

"Nightingale will surely–"

"I'll be fine."

"I won't let you get yourself killed!" Robin stepped in front of Soren, causing him to stop walking. "You...You almost died last time, at least I thought you did until you woke up. I'm sure my sister threatened to do something worse next time. I don't want you to die, Soren."

He sighed. "Robin...I know you don't want to see anyone get hurt..."

"Of course!"

"It hurts, doesn't it? Seeing others get hurt to end conflict. This is why I don't like being me. Ponies around me get hurt; physically, mentally, or both. This time...I'll be the one getting hurt."

"Soren..."

"Let's just get to your house so we can relax til later today." Soren walked around Robin and continued towards her house. She looked at her injured friend and hung her head, knowing she couldn't change his mind.

-----------------
Hours Later
-----------------

During the night, The Rusty Nail was a lively and loud place, and the new 'manager' didn't seem change that at all. Two ponies stopped a few yards from the entrance to listen to the music and loud voices inside. The white stallion looked at the grey mare next to him. Creating eye contact with each other, the two nodded before stepping inside. With cloaks covering them, the two ponies didn't draw attention to themselves. Rusty's was notorious for housing shady ponies and the like.

The two cloaked ponies made their way towards the big, center table in the watering hole. As they approached the table, they noticed that almost every pony sitting there was drunk. The five drunks and two sober (or barely tipsy) ponies noticed the new arrivals.

"Wanta join in r club?" asked one drunk.

"Don't listen ta him," said one of the sober stallions. "Drunk bastard can't tell his flank from a bottle o' hard cider. Tha both of ya new in town?"

"You can say that," Soren replied.

"Seen any good stuff out there? I heard there's a crazy killa out there. Not a single pony has escaped. Only bodies were found. Sum say it be a damned crystal pony out there." Robin took slight offense to that due to Ruby being a crystal filly.

"I've seen a few things that have messed me up."

"Do tell, do tell." Soren jumped onto the table, two of the drunks falling over in surprise. His horn lit up as the ponies at the surrounding tables looked at him.

"I've seen enough to make your skin crawl, to make your eyes cry, and to make your minds snap," Soren explained in his magnified voice. The rest of the bar became silent and glanced over, irritated.

Yeah...
It's my life...
In my own words I guess...

Have you ever loved someone so much, you'd give a wing for?
Not the expression, no, literally give a wing for?
When they know they're your heart
And you know you were their armor
And you will destroy anyone who would try to harm her
But what happens when karma, turns right around and bites you?
And everything you stand for, turns on you to spite you?
What happens when you become the main source of her pain?
"Uncle look what I made", I gotta go catch a train
"Uncle, where's Mommy? I can't find Mommy where is she?"
I don't know go play Ruby, baby, your Uncle's busy
Uncle's making this song, this song ain't gonna write itself
I'll give you one underdog then you gotta soar by yourself
Then turn right around in that song and show her you love her
And put hooves on her mother, who's the spitting image of her
That's The Doctor, yeah baby,
The Doctor's crazy
Doctor made me, but tonight Doctor's rocka-by-baby...

And when I'm gone, just carry on, don't mourn
Rejoice every time you hear the sound of my voice
Just know that I'm looking down on you smiling
And I didn't feel a thing, So baby don't feel no pain
Just smile back

And when I'm gone, just carry on, don't mourn
Rejoice every time you hear the sound of my voice
Just know that I'm looking down on you smiling
And I didn't feel a thing, So baby don't feel no pain
Just smile back...

I keep having this dream, I'm pushing' Ruby on the swing
She keeps screaming, she don't want me to sing
"You're making Mommy cry, why? Why is Mommy crying?"
Baby, Uncle ain't leaving no more, "Soren you're lying
You always say that, you always say this is the last time
But you ain't leaving no more, Uncle you're mine"
She's piling boxes in front of the door trying to block it
"Uncle please, Uncle don't leave, Soren - no stop it!"
Goes in her pouch, pulls out a tiny necklace locket
It's got a picture, "this'll keep you safe Uncle, take it withcha'"
I look up, it's just me standing in the mirror
These buckin' walls must be talking, cuz damn I can hear 'em
They're saying "You've got one more chance to do right - and it's tonight
Now go out there and show 'em that you love her before it's too late"
And just as I go to walk out of my bedroom door
It turns to a stage, they're gone, and this spotlight is on
And I'm singing...

And when I'm gone, just carry on, don't mourn
Rejoice every time you hear the sound of my voice
Just know that I'm looking down on you smiling
And I didn't feel a thing, So baby don't feel no pain
Just smile back

And when I'm gone, just carry on, don't mourn
Rejoice every time you hear the sound of my voice
Just know that I'm looking down on you smiling
And I didn't feel a thing, So baby don't feel no pain
Just smile back...

Sixty thousand ponies, all jumping out their seat
The curtain closes, they're throwing roses at my hooves
I take a bow and thank you all for coming out
They're screaming so loud, I take one last look at the crowd
I glance down, I don't believe what I'm seeing
"Uncle it's me, help Mommy, her legs are bleeding,"
But Ruby we're in Rusty's, how did you get to Rusty's?
"I followed you, Uncle, you told me that you weren't leavin'
"You lied to me, cad, and now you made Mommy sad
And I bought you this coin, it says 'Number One Colt'
That's all I wanted, I just want to give you this coin
I get the point - fine, me and Mommy are going"
"But Ruby wait,"
"It's too late Uncle, you made the choice
Now go out there and show 'em that you love 'em more than us
That's what they want, they want you Soren, they keep screamin' your name
It's no wonder you can't go to sleep, just use another spell
Yeah, I bet you will. You sing about it, yeah, word, k-keep it real"
I hear applause, all this time I couldn't see
How could it be, that the curtain is closing on me
I turn around, remember a spell that I know, set it
Put it to my head and scream "die Doctor" and cast it
The sky darkens, my life flashes, the train that I was supposed to be on crashes and burns to ashes
That's when I wake up, alarm clock's ringin', there's birds singin'
It's spring and Ruby's outside swinging, I walk right up to her and kiss her
Tell her I miss her, Ruby just smiles and winks at her Momma's sister
Almost as if to say..

And when I'm gone, just carry on, don't mourn
Rejoice every time you hear the sound of my voice
Just know that I'm looking down on you smiling
And I didn't feel a thing, So baby don't feel no pain
Just smile back

And when I'm gone, just carry on, don't mourn
Rejoice every time you hear the sound of my voice
Just know that I'm looking down on you smiling
And I didn't feel a thing, So baby don't feel no pain
Just smile back...

Soren hung his head since the song made him sad even though he was the one singing it. The entire bar was silent, except for a few sniffles that were heard.

"U-Uncle?" Soren's head shot up as he looked around the table he was on. Sure enough, Ruby was standing next to the cloaked Robin, who must have wanted to remain disguised. "You-You care that much about me?"

"Me AND Auntie do. Where's your mother?"

"Right. Here." Soren turned around to look towards the wall with the bar. There was a door near it, which Soren assumed led to the manager's office or something. "Ruby...get over here," Nightingale ordered.

"No!" Soren interjected. "She's staying with the ponies that love her the most."

"More than a mother who hasn't seen her in three years?"

"We care for her more than you do. Your curse caused you to be blind as well as insane."

"Insolent little colt! Time to follow through with my promise!"

Nightingale, horn lit, lunged at Soren with otherworldly speed. Soren illuminated his horn as well so he could retaliate. Just before either unicorns could cast a spell, Nightingale was forcibly stopped in midair via telekinesis. Both Soren and Nightingale were shocked; they turned towards Ruby. She was purposefully using her magic!

"Ruby? You can control your magic?" Soren asked.

"I can? I just...didn't want you to get hurt again," Ruby replied.

"Again? You mean you—?"

"Uh huh. I saw what Mommy did to you. It wasn't very nice, but I couldn't do anything."

"It's alright—" poof "Hold that thought."

Soren saw that Nightingale had teleported away. He, along with a few other ponies, looked everywhere around the building, but there was no sign of her. He was surprised that the ponies surrounding him, Robin, and Ruby were so quiet. Half were probably drunk; the other half were probably enjoying the show they were getting.

"Soren!" Robin called with worry. Soren snapped his head in the direction of the manager's room and saw Nightingale throw Robin into the room and close the door.

"...they always have to cross the line..." Soren muttered before sprinting at the crazy mother. Nightingale turned around, horn still lit, then casted a spell to freeze Soren with telekinesis. She lifted him up like before, and Ruby gasped with fright.

"No, Momma! Not again!"

"It won't be like last time, darling," the mother assured evilly. "This time he won't survive."

"Are...you sure?" Soren struggled to say as he fought the aura holding him.

"Hmm?" Nightingale's eyes soon widened when she saw Soren's head being tilted down by Ruby's red aura.

When his horn was aligned with Nightingale, Soren fired a combustive beam of magic at her. She couldn't react fast enough since she was focused on holding Soren. The explosion sent her flying through the closed door, which shattered, and crashing into the room. A scream from Robin was heard throughout Rusty's. Soren felt his heart drop. 'Did I just...?'

"Ruby, stay here!" Soren ordered. "NONE OF YOU BETTER TOUCH HER EITHER!" Soren ran into the manager's office.

The room was in shambles, the desk to the left was broken (probably from Robin being thrown at it), and there was a pony-sized dent in the opposing wall from the door. Soren saw Robin crying against the left wall, yet he couldn't see Nightingale.

"Where's...?" Soren began but couldn't finish. Robin was already pointing to the floor under the dent in the wall. He walked over to the space and gasped. "Wha...How? HOW?!" Soren felt like he was going to be sick as he looked at what remained of Nightingale. Nothing but bones left...

"I couldn't have done this..." Soren tried to assure himself, now panicking. "There's no way..." Robin calmed down slightly and walked over to him.

"You didn't. I saw her body fly into the wall. Once she was lying there, purple fire enveloped her. It was horrific. It was—"

"Necromancy..." Soren interrupted with sudden realization. "She was never alive."

-----------------
The Next Day
-----------------

The town was in shock about the news that had spread around. Since the story changes with each additional pony that explains it, a few different things supposedly happened. The Elemental Guardian chased the crazy mare away, the Guardian burnt the mare to a crisp, or the mare was a zombie. The last one is the most accurate. Soren and two unicorns who were knowledgable in magic determined that it was indeed necromancy that "held Nightingale together." The unicorns claimed that someone pony must have revived her and reformed her. The only thing that was undetermined, even by Robin, was when Nightingale initially died.

After the investigation of the body was over, the sun was rising, so Soren, Ruby, and Robin went back home to get some rest. Once all three took their naps, they had lunch together as if nothing happened, but many things happened last night, both good and bad. The worst: Nightingale was being controlled by necromancy; the best: Ruby was back to normal and learned that she can control her magic. The little filly projected this excitement all throughout lunch as she couldn't stop smiling.

"Uncle, do you think I can be as good as you at magic?" Ruby asked the alicorn.

"Heh, hopefully no offensive spells will be present as you learn."

"What spells will be where?" she asked tilted her head. The motion made Soren smile and chuckle.

"Hopefully no bad spells will be there."

"Ooooh! Auntie, can Uncle stay here forever?" Robin rolled her eyes with a smile.

"I don't know about forever, but..." the grey mare looked at Soren and saw him hanging his head, which caused her to pause.

"Hey, Uncle, what's wrong? Turn that frown upside-down! ...Uncle, you ok?" Ruby stood next to him and shook him leg. Soren wiped his face and breathed through his nose strongly as he looked back up to prevent himself from seeming so sad.

"I'm fine...I'm fine," he said softly.

"Whatever it is, Soren, you can tell me and Ruby."

"I...I...I can't stay. Not even for another night."

"Why, Uncle?! We want you to stay!"

"Is there any reason why, Soren?"

"Of course," he replied. "Although I loved spending time with the both of you, I have to leave. It may sound like I don't care about you two, but...I stayed because I had a job to do. I made two great friends in the process, but I still need to leave. I have other business to take care of."

"No!" Ruby shouted while stomping the ground with her little hoof. "I don't want you to go!"

"Ruby..."

"Please stay!"

"I'll see you again someday, little Ruby. When I'm gone, you need to promise me something."

"Why should I?" she pouted.

"Cuz Auntie already did." Ruby looked at Robin, who nodded in confirmation while starting to tear up. "I want you to practice your magic so you can be big and strong like your Uncle, and kind and smart like your Auntie and Momma. Can you do that for me?" Ruby continued to pout, but she quickly gave up and nodded.

"I'll try."

"I know you can do it." He walked over to Robin. Before Soren could say anything, Robin gave him a strong hug.

"I can never thank you enough," Robin whispered.

"I don't need praising. A happy-ever-after is good enough for me, even if it may not happen to me."

"Don't say that. What about Rainbow Dash?"

"...I need to go. Take good care of Ruby. You're all that she has now." Soren broke the hug and grabbed his cloak. Opening the door, he stopped in the frame to wave to Robin and Ruby, who waved back. After Soren closed the front door, Robin hung her head to cry; she was sad but also happy.

------------

CREEAAK!

"Sorry it took me so long to get back, but I'm sure you can wait longer than I can live. I'm also sorry to bother you about this as soon as I got back, but can you make another guitar for me? I misplaced my other one due to some circumstances that will take some time to explain."

Item, "guitar," is being processed.

Soren loved that the TARDIS chose some form of communication to talk to him with. The calm, feminine voice made things a lot easier.

"Thank you. Now down to very important business. We need to investigate this rift that brought us here. Things definitely run differently here. Have you discovered anything?"

Please choose a topic of research.

"It'll probably be easier to ask questions instead. Search for Canterlot."

...

Nonexistent.

Soren began to worry.

"How about Princesses Celestia, Luna, and Cadence?"

Unknown.

"How many alicorns are in this country?"

...

3

"So that means two of them have to be somewhere, right? Where is the nearest fluctuation of magic?"

...

Cannot scan for...'magic.'

Please input sample.

Soren rolled his eyes and put his horn right in front of a sample slot that opened. He then sent nebulous aura out of his horn into the slot.

Scanning...

Scanning...

Analysis complete.

Substance: Alicorn 'magic'

Elemental Properties: unknown

Viscosity: Nebulous

Scanning nearby areas for...'magic'

The TARDIS kickstarted to begin traveling. Soren smiled. 'Gotta love her.'