Part 30
Part 30
Memories of the Past
It took several moments for Fluttershy and Ego to clean off enough of the Oshboggan’s stomach juices to where their friends could finally shake off the effects of their induced traumas. After much mutual reassurances however, they had gotten back to the old selves for the most part, and had all headed deeper into Discord’s mind. It wasn’t long before the riotous landscape around them narrowed into a long corridor, lined with doors on either side. Upon each door was either a name, or a symbol.
“Are these your memories?” Twilight asked Ego, glancing at various doors.
“Yes Twilight. For every major event in my life there is a special room that houses it’s memories. Birthdays, sunsets, ponies, occasions. There is a door for everything.”
“So why are we here?” Twilight asks, “do you think Sorcery hid your super-ego in with one of your old memories?”
“Yeah, it seems like the best place. There are millions of memories. The trick will be to figure out which will be the most likely ones to check. I don’t know how much time we have since we are essentially moving at the speed of thought in here. However it does seem like there should be more guards than just that one, to deal with.” Ego pauses for a moment in thought. “Whatever you must be doing to me out there seems very effective. You aren’t doing anything that will give me brain damage are you?” Ego asks Twilight, with scrutiny.
“What? No! No way... well probably not... I mean no LASTING damage... I think...”
“Twilight!” all her friends shout.
“Hey, it was for the sake of all Equestria! And besides, I’m like 90% sure that he will be completely fine.”
Meanwhile, back in the garden.
“Uncle Discord isn’t looking so good.” Luna says to Celestia with concern.
Celestia looks down at her uncle, who’s eyes are rolled back in his head, and drool is dribbling down his chin. Occasionally a faint “Homina homina homina,” can be heard.
“Cheshire, what you are doing to my uncle... there won’t be any lasting damage will there?” She asks.
“Predicted results inconclusive.” The mechanical feline responds. “However, field tests against similar bio type designation- Zargonian Montrasaur, yielded a 68% total recovery rate.”
“Sixty-eight percent?!?” Luna and Celestia say simultaneously, in shock.
Cadence trots up beside them. “Well, sixty-eight percent isn’t SO bad,” she says trying to cheer them up.
“Well, I suppose, I- wait, are you eating breakfast?” Celestia asks her cousin.
Cadence looks guilty, but only for a moment. “Well, the rest of us aren’t really doing anything. And it’d be a shame to waste all this food.” She says around a forkful of flapjack.
“By the Gods, the fate of the world is at stake, and you are having a nosh! Luna can you belie- you too?!?”
“What?” Luna says. “I’m building up my strength. We may need it.” She says defensively. “Besides,”she adds slyly, “I’m pretty sure I saw a tray of cupcakes down toward the end.”
“My own sister. What kind of example are you setting by- Wait, did you say cupcakes?” And with that Celestia is off. Within twenty minutes nearly every pony has a plate of food, and have all pulled up chairs before the dome erected by Harmony.
Harmony stands with her head bowed, concentration defining her features. She glances over at her daughters.
“I... can’t... believe... you are... sitting there... eating... and just watching me... do this...” She says, in an exerted tone. “And didn’t... even... bring me a...” It was then that Luna brings a small tray containing blueberry muffins, and a mug of cider from behind her back. “And... that’s why... you are... my favorite!” Harmony says, causing Luna to beam at her sister, who merely responds by sticking her royal tongue out at her.
Back inside the mind of Discord, the six friends plus Ego have begun checking various memory doors.
“Oh my gosh! I had no idea! Deep down you are hilarious!” Pinkie says, exiting from a door marked with a large smile upon it. “Your sense of humor is awesome uncle Discord.” She says in awe.
“Well I always THOUGHT so, but some ponies just don’t seem to get it,” Ego says casually looking toward the doors the others had ventured into.
Fluttershy emerges from a door marked with a large sinfully red heart upon it, her face as red as the symbol on the door. She walks up to Ego on unsteady legs and whispers in his ear. “When this is all over, you and I need to have a very, very, looooong talk.” She says, flicking her tongue in his ear.
“S-sure.” Ego stammers, his face also turning crimson.
Rarity emerges from a door that had bore her own cutie mark. The sound of her own voice emerges from the door before Rarity can securely close it. The voice had a distinctive whine to it. She composes herself before addressing Ego. “And for the record, I DO NOT sound like that! Nor do I whine.” She says with icy brittleness.
Twilight was the only one of her friends who had not checked a door. “There must be a logical way to figure out which door Sorcery hid Discord’s super-ego.” She muses to herself. “Think Twilight, where would be the LAST place Discord would ever check for... Oh by the Sky Stallion! Of course!” Listen up every pony,” Twilight says, as Applejack and Rainbow Dash come out from their respective doors. “I know where Sorcery hid Discord’s super-ego.”
“Really?” Ego says, brightening up. “That’s great news.”
“Ah...well, not really.” Twilight says, as she walks down the hallway, checking doors. Finally after several minutes she finds the one she was looking for.
“That was fast.”Ego says. “Why did you sound so upset about it?”
“Well, you aren’t going to like this. I mean you REALLY aren’t going to like this.” Twilight says as Ego comes up beside her. She moves out of the way of the symbol on the door, giving Ego an unobstructed view.
“No!” he says, backing away.”By Zacherle no! Not this door. It cannot be behind THIS door!” Ego says recoiling in horror.
“And that’s exactly why I’m sure that it is,” Twilight says calmly. “Because Sorcery knew that this was the one door that you’d never open.”
The other ponies make their way to where Twilight and Ego are standing and face the door. All can clearly make out the trapped image of Summergale, and a young Cordial, about to teleport away.
“Twilight... I-I can’t go in there. Not again...” Ego says, his composure shaken.
“I understand how you must feel,” Twilight says in sympathy, but if your super-ego is inside, you will have to come in with us. Just wait here a moment, and let me have a quick look.” She says as she carefully opens the door, and peers through the crack. “Oh sweet Celestia!” she says, as she carefully closes the door.
“Well, what did you see?” Rainbow asks impatiently. Was it in there or not?”
“Um, okay, I didn’t see it, but I’m pretty sure it’s got to be in there.” Twilight says eyes wide with shock.
“Well dang Twilight,” Applejack says, “If’n ya’ll didn’t see it, what makes you so sure it’s inside?”
“Well it stands to reason, because, well... everything ELSE is in there...”
“Y’all ain’t makin any sense sugar cube,” Applejack says, as she too, quietly opens the door. Then her jaw falls open in shock. The rest of the ponies and Ego move to peer into the now partially open door as well.
“That’s... not good.” Rainbow Dash says, worry creeping into her voice.
“That’s one party I want NO part of,” Pinkie Pie adds.
Fluttershy begins to shake as Rarity leads her away. “There there,” Rarity says, “We’ll figure something out. Right Twilight?” she says, trying to sound confident.
Ego just shakes his head. “Well, I guess that explains why we haven’t seen anymore guards.” He says gesturing weakly at the open door.
“Ego, tell me what I am seeing. Those can’t all be memories from Equestria.” Twilight says, her eyes trying to make sense of what she is seeing.
Beyond the partially open door is the beach at the edge of the island of chaos. But this version is devoid of foliage. Before them is a large stretch of beach that leads to the base of Sorcery’s mountain, atop which, presumably is his cave. Between the mountain peak and the beach that leads to the open door, nearly every square inch of land is currently being occupied by some creature, monster, or humanoid. Despite the unfamiliarity of most of what the ponies are seeing, they all can easily ascertain the one common thread that links all of these various beings together. An air of unrelenting malevolent evil.
“This is... bad.” Ego admits.
“Ego, what ARE all those things. There must be millions of them, and more than half of them make no sense to me.”
“Ah, well, about that...” Ego says, rubbing the back of his head. “Well you know all those hundreds of thousands of years, while me and Harmony were playing cat and mouse... waiting for the right time to strike... Well, when you have to hide yourself away for hundreds of years at a time, you get really... bored.” Ego admits.
“Bored?!?!” Twilight says incredulous. “And THAT is what you do when you’re bored? Make up weird monsters?’
“What? No!” Ego says defensively. “I didn’t make those up... well not most of them...” he admits. “No, when I got bored, I started fiddling with my viewing orb. I found out that if I add a bit of extra chaos, and just let it go, that it will just start randomly displaying different places. And not only from Equestria, but from other worlds, and other planes of reality. There is a whole multiverse out there. Literally ANYTHING you can imagine exists out there somewhere.”
“You mean there is a planet with chocolate milk rivers, cotton candy clouds, and all the colts look like Mustang Bieber?” Pinkie Pie asks excitedly.
“Universe 3614.” Ego says deadpan. “And before you ask,” he says holding up a hoof, “No, you can’t go there. The color pink is punishable by death.”
“I got a can of paint RIIIIGHT here.” Pinkie responds pulling a can of blue paint from behind her back.
“Where did you...” Twilight begins, “never mind. So what you’re telling me is, that all the evil memories of thousands of years of channel surfing, are all on the other side of this door, standing between us, and where we are hoping your super-ego is?” she asks.
“Looks like.” Ego says. “It looks like Sorcery had me outclassed from the start. Even if I was ever brave enough to open this door, there’s no way any pony could ever survive long enough to even reach the base of his mountain. It- it’s over.” he says in defeat, as he slowly closes the door.
Applejack, Rainbow Dash and the others hang there heads. The same thought runs through all of their minds. ‘What are we going to do now?’
“No, it’s not over just yet.” Twilight says resolutely.
“What do you mean. Ya’ll got a plan?? Applejack asks hopefully.
“Maybe I do.” Twilight says, looking over at Ego. “Ego, you said you were viewing other worlds and dimensions for thousands of years. Were you specifically LOOKING for monsters?” she asks.
“No, of course not!” Ego says defensively. “The one’s I kept watching were the ones were there were mighty battles of good verses evil. All those monsters in there were the villains that the hero’s used to fight. Now I admit I did tend to focus on some of the more fanciful worlds. And then when I discovered something called ‘Television’ in universe 315, and ‘cable’, (which was very difficult to run cross dimensionally, by the way), I did tend to focus more on this wonderful thing called ‘anime’, and then there were the ‘video games’, and-.” Ego says warming to the subject.
“My point is,” Twilight says interrupting, “is that you SHOULD have just as many memories of hero’s as you do villains. Where are they?”
“Oh, well they’re right over...” Ego says trailing off. “Right over...” he stops and scratches his head. “You know, now that you mention it, I can’t seem to recall. My mind is drawing a blank as to where they are.”
“It figures it couldn’t be that easy,” Twilight says. “Sorcery must’ve done something to make you forget where your GOOD memories are. Now we need to figure out HOW to figure out where they are.” she says, thinking hard.
“Oh that’s easy Twilight,” Pinkie Pie says. “Ego just told us how to find them.”
“Say what now?” Ego says, looking at the pink party pony in confusion.
“Yeah, you lost me there too Pinkie,” Twilight says.
“It’s easy. I’ll show you.” And with that Pinkie reaches into her mane, and pulls out a box of crayons.
“Where do you keep pulling those things from?” Twilight asks.
“Um knum,” Pinkie says with a shrug, as she pulls a white crayon from the box. She walks over to a blank space that is between two sets of doors, and begins to draw. “See Twilight, you asked Ego ‘where all the hero’s memories are’,” she says as she draws the outline of a large rectangle on the wall. “And Ego said ‘My mind is drawing a blank as to where they are’. So there it is.” She says proudly pointing to what she drew on the wall.
“There what is?” Twilight asks, completely lost.
Pinkie draws a swirly squiggle at the approximate location of where a doorknob would be, reaches forward, grasps it, and opens the space inside her outline, as she says, “silly, I drew the blank to where he said they were located.”
“You drew the blank...” Twilight begins, then stops and shakes her head. “I think I may need to sit down for a second.
“Um, Pinkie,” Ego begins carefully, as he looks into the opening Pinkie Pie just opened up into his own mind. “Even if what you THINK you just explained to us made sense... and the jury is still out on that... then how could YOU draw the blank that I was thinking of?”
“Well it just stands to reason.” Pinkie says, as if explaining something simple to a young colt. Are there any other blanks drawn around here?” She asks.
“Um, no?” Ego says, more like a question than a statement. “But I may be working on one shortly...”
“Well then, this has to be the right one.” Pinkie says confidently, as she steps into the opening.
“I’m really having trouble with this one.” Twilight says sitting on her haunches and rubbing her head.
“Aww Twi,” Rainbow says patting her on the shoulder, “it’s Pinkie Pie we’re talking about. Let’s face it, if ANY pony could navigate Discord’s mind, it would be her.” She says, as she begins trotting up to the opening.
“I reckon she’s right about that.” Applejack says, following Rainbow.
“That makes sense to me,” Fluttershy says following her friends.
“Look darling, you won’t get anywhere trying to get Discord’s, or Pinkie’s, minds to make SENSE,” Rarity says, as she makes her way to the opening as well.
Ego looks down at Twilight and offers her a hoof up. She looks a question at him. An unspoken plaintive entreaty for sanity or sense. Ego just shrugs his shoulders. “I got nothing.” he says. “I’m starting to think letting Pinkie run loose in my head might be more dangerous to me than Sorcery is.”
“You might be right about that.” Twilight responds. “Well regardless, we better see where the others are going. Letting Pinkie Pie lead us around might not be the safest thing we can do right now.” She says as they both follow the others through the newly made door into Discord’s mind.
As Twilight and Ego emerge on the other side of the doorway they come up short due to their friends standing frozen in front of them.
“Well, what is it?” Twilight says as she makes her way in between Rarity and Applejack.
“I reckon ya’ll better see for yourselves.”Applejack replies.
Twilight comes up between them and also comes to a halt. Before them is a vast cavern that seems to be carved out of bare rock. Row upon row of cell doors stretch away into the distance as far as the eye can see, all along the outer walls of the cavern. In the center is what at first appears to be a huge pile of junk. However as Twilight steps closer she can make out by the light of the torches lining the walls, that the pile is made up entirely of weapons of every shape, size, and description. The seven approach a random cell door and peer inside. In this cell are two figures. The first is a short, red-maned colt with a cheerfully ugly face. But it is the second which lies upon the nearby cot, being tended to by the red maned colt, that draws the attention of the ponies as iron to a magnet.
His flesh is the color of a bleached skull, and the long mane which flows below his shoulders is milk-white. From the tapering, beautiful head stare two slanting eyes, crimson and moody, and from the loose sleeves of his yellow gown emerge two slender hooves, also the color of bone. The red haired colt, sensing that others gaze upon them turns toward the cell door.
“Visitors? Is this possible?” The figure asks, rising to his hooves and approaching the door. “Are you emissaries of the dragon come to taunt us? No... no, I don’t sense any cruelty in your presence. Is it possible then that you are here to free us?” The pony asks hopefully.
“Mayyybe.” Twilight says drawing out the word, as she examines the somewhat cruel looking features of his companion. “But first tell us, who exactly are you?”
“Oh a thousand pardons good lady! The red haired pony says executing a full, deep, bow. Thousands of years of captivity have left my manners quite out of use. Permit me to begin again. I am Moongloom of Elsewhere, and my companion is-”
“Maverick of Mareniboné!” Ego nearly shouts, interrupting Moongloom’s introduction.
“So you know this being?” Twilight asks Ego.
“Know him?” Ego says excitedly. He’s Maverick, Emperor of Mareniboné. Possessor of the ring of rulers, wielder of the cursed rune blade Tempestbringer. Aspect of the Forever Champion! He’s one of the greatest hero’s in the multiverse! Twilight, this MUST be where Sorcery has imprisoned all of my other memories! IF we can free them, we might have a fighting chance!”
“Do you speak truly?” Moongloom asks. “Do you intend to fight the dragon known as Sorcery? If so, then by all means set us free. All of us here bear an everlasting grudge against that foul beast. But find us some means of escape, and we shall all gladly join you in your quest.”
“Of course brave Moongloom, we shall do everything we can to set you free.” Ego promises.
As they walk back toward the center of the cavern Twilight asks, “His friend looked very sick and pale, what is wrong with him?”
“Maverick is an albino, and has been sickly from birth. He takes special herbs to keep up his strength. But in battle his is virtually unstoppable,” Ego says looking through the huge pile of weapons before them. “There,” he says pointed to a jet black sword covered in runes. “Whatever you do, none of you touch that sword. It is the cursed rune blade Tempestbringer. A living weapon that drinks the souls of its victims, and transfers their power to it’s one true master, Maverick.”
The ponies eye the rune blade warily.
“And THIS being is your idea of a hero?” Rainbow Dash asks.
“Well, Maverick is more of an anti-hero” Ego admits. “But he generally fights for justice, and he is as powerful, as he is unrelenting.”
“Twilight, are you sure this here plan of yours will work?” Applejack asks. “I mean, it all sounds loco to me. Using memories of heroes to fight memories of villains, to scale some mountain in the hopes of freein up part of Discord’s mind. Ya gotta admit, this is weird even for us.” She says shaking her head.
“I know Applejack.” Twilight says in a consoling tone. “And I know it’s hard to imagine, but this actually is NOT the strangest thing I’ve seen in the last few years. Once I actually visited a planet where the ponies had no noses.”
“No noses?” Rarity says, taken aback. “Why, however did they smell?”
“TERRIBLE.” The other six say in unison, grinning at each other.
“Saw that one coming eh?” Twilight asks.
“Twilight,” Ego says grinning, “that one is older than I am.”
“Well pardon ME for not being familiar with ancient Equestrian puns,” Rarity says with a shudder as she walks up to the door of another random cell. She casually peers inside, and then stops moving. With her back to the others, her friends had no way of seeing the deep blush that has begun to make it’s way across her face, and down her neck.
“Oh... oh my!” she says involuntarily.
The figure inside, which had been lying on his cot, turns toward the door as he hears Rarity’s exclamation. His eyes widen as he takes in her appearance thru the cell bars. He quickly rises to his rear hooves in one fluid motion. Although the figure is more pony-like than human, he has no trouble standing on his rear hooves. He is tall, well muscled, and broad shouldered. His equine face is somewhat longer than Equestrian ponies, but his blue eyes are bright and knowing. He shakes his mane involuntarily, and Rarity lets out a gasp ash his long blonde mane catches the torchlight.
“Dost I slumber still?” The incredibly handsome stallion says in a rich deep baritone voice. “Surely I must. How else would such a vision of loveliness be standing before me? Pray tell beauteous creature, dost thou have a name by which I might address thee?” the stallion says, falling to one knee before her.
“R-Rarity...” she stammers in return, her blush deepening. “And... and whom is it I have the pleasure of addressing in return?” She asks, her breath nearly rasping as her eyes drink in every well defined muscle on the being before her.
“Rarity. Truly no other name would suit thee. For thou are indeed the rarest of maidens. Truly not e’en the Valkyries themselves could rival thy beauty!” He says, taking her hoof in his though the bars, and brushing it lightly with his lips.
Rarity begins to fan her face frantically with her other hoof. “Oh my!” she says, beginning to titter.
He begins to rise as he speaks once more. “Know ye, oh fairest of creatures, that I am Thor-roughbred, Horse God of Thunder! Prince of Haysgard, and defender of the realm of Ponygard. And, as of this moment, thy humble servant,” he says, bowing before her.
Rarity stumbles back several paces from the bars. Her head is spinning, her heart is pounding. She whirls to face Twilight who has been walking toward her ever since she had approached the cell door.
“Are you oka-”Twilight begins.
“Twilight! We... must... free... that... stallion... right... now!” Rarity says, grasping Twilight by the shoulders and shaking her as she speaks.
“Wor... king... on... it...” Twilight says, as best she can.
The others approach as well, drawn by Rarity’s antics.
“Oh boy, I know what THAT look means.” Rainbow Dash says, shaking her head.
“I reckon we all do.” Applejack agrees. “Looks like Rarity has found a new fella.”
They approach the bars to Thor-roughbred’s cell.
“Thor-roughbred, Horse God of Thunder, universe 489. Very, very, powerful.” Ego says. Then he leans in close to Rarity and whispers, “and very, very, single as well.” Rarity’s eyes fly wide open.
“Oh we absolutely MUST set this valiant stallion free. She says breathlessly.
“Ah, t’were it so easily done as spoken.” Thor-roughbred replies. “But all these cells be bound by the mightiest of enchantments. None of us, heroes all, have been able to make our bid for freedom lo these thousands of years.” he says sadly.
“There must be SOME way.” Twilight says resolutely. “We just need to find it.”
“If only I could reach mine hammer,” Thor-roughbred says, pointing to a large battle hammer at the edge of the pile of weapons. One blow from Muleneer, and these bounds would shatter like glass. Alas, the same enchantment that be-spells the bars, also prevents me from summoning it to my hoof.”
“Oh, um, well that’s no problem. I mean, I can just bring it to you then.” Fluttershy says, walking up the hammer and grasping it with her hooves.
“Nay fair lass, ti’s not so easily done. Mine hammer doth bear an enchantment. Only he who is worthy may lift Muleneer. And he that doth, shall be given unto them the power of Thor-roughbred. None but I have eve-” but Thor-roughbred, is cut off mid-sentence, as Fluttershy effortlessly lifts the mighty war hammer aloft.
A massive bolt of lightning strikes the hammer and the room is blinded by the flash, and deafened by the peal of thunder that follows it. When the others recover enough to see again, they all behold in wonder the figure of Fluttershy. Clad in a long flowing red cape, winged helm upon her head, and full bright battle armor, she turns to address her friends.
“SORCERY THINKS HE HAS US BEATEN, HE THINKS WE CANNOT WIN. BUT HEAR ME NOW, THY BRAZEN WORM! I... SAY... THEE... NEIGH!!!” And with those words, Fluttershy hurls Muleneer toward the bars of Thor-roughbred’s cell. The front of the cage shatters as the hammer flies inside, and Thor-roughbred effortlessly catches it in his hoof, in passing.
“Well said fellow warrior!” Thor-roughbred shouts, emerging from the bars, as he beholds the transformed vision of Fluttershy before him. “Ne’er in all the nine realms would I have ever thought another could wield Muleneer! Truly thou must be the greatest of all warriors on thy home world.” he says, clasping her on the shoulder.
With his back turned, he never notices Rarity’s sudden surge of jealousy as Twilight says, “Well, some pony is about to be in for a shock...”
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Please, oh please, let there be a Duke Hoof'em.
For it shall be time to kick plot and chew hay, and they're all out of hay.
It would be funny if Master Chief was trapped in one of those cells.
5316674 Well as to the origin of it, that would be the famous raid from way back in vanilla WoW 2005,
(3 years before my time, I started during BC), where Leeroy comes back from being afk and runs into the room that the rest of the raid was sitting outside, still in the planning stages...
(warning: language content) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkCNJRfSZBU
As with all things good and tasty, it all comes back to WoW.
And of course, there's the remixes...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-N6sqdrJzVo
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0MOVRbmlmE
Please include a Halo character any character would do (though I would like it as if it was Noble Six and he is just as important as the Master Cheif) And I would rage if the Halo character you add is something like a grunt amd dies un-heroic way!
That is a terrible pun. All my yes.
*jaw drops* That was bucking awesome.
Also, please let there be either a Samus poy, or a Goku pony.
Only Fluttershy.
I laughed SO hard at this!
5453047
Eeyup hahahahaha
Easy she is pinkie pie