Equestrian Ending

by StapleCactus

Freedom

Well, that was reckless of me. ‘Hey, how about I kill Discord and use his power to revive my best friend?’ Seriously. Dumb move. I should have known what would happen. I should have thought things through better than I did, but here I am, stuck as a statue.

I guess it isn’t all bad. At least they managed to stop me in time. I honestly don’t know what I was thinking, using Chaos to break a fundamental rule of reality. So here I am, replacing Discord as a lawn ornament for the royal gardens.

Then again, if I’m thinking this through now, I shouldn’t be here much longer. My power must have stabilized. So, who am I? Hmm... Dex. Yes, that’s what I’ve had everyone call me since I’ve entered Equestria. My mind isn’t split between the two powers any more, so I am a shield. Dex the Shield. Yes... but something’s missing.

I came to Equestria with no clues and ended up being the prisoner at the castle. Then, I released Discord because of my presence alone and he sent me away as backup. He failed and I began to hear things... like the voices of my family. The forest, the hospital, the failed spell, and the oath... I’m Celestia’s knight. Knight of the Solar Guard. I am:

Sir Dex the Shield, Knight of the Solar Guard.

*Crack* *Crack* *Chk-kish!*

“Wooaaahh~!”

My body suddenly had weight to it, causing me to stumble and fall off the pedestal I had stood upon for years. I felt grass and dirt and pain, but mostly pain, as I landed face first. Groaning, I righted myself and pulled myself onto the pedestal to sit. As I did so, I took a few moments to look around.

The sun was high in the cloudless sky, with moderate temperatures that I guessed would be around autumn’s norm. Multicolored leaves confirmed my suspicions as I felt the wind blow by. Birds and insects made their songs and the smell of exhaust fumes filled the air. Wait, exhaust fumes?

I hopped off my stool and started to make my way through the hedges and pathways of the garden. As I pondered over the new scents for Equestria, I came across new growths, never quite finding my way out of the changed maze. What am I doing? Just warp to the throne room! With a quick snap of my fingers, I winked out of existence, only to reappear in front of the throne room doors. Two stallions jumped at attention immediately.

“It’s the thing from the gardens! Sound the alarm!” the one on the left said as his partner parted the doors and gave a muffled cry of emergency.

“Stand down men. I’m not who I was when I was captured,” I said calmly, expecting my authority to matter. Neither stallion said a word as they aimed their spears at me. It wasn’t until a few moments later that I realized they weren’t spears, but rifles with bayonets attached! Where did they get guns?! Acting quickly, I channeled my Chaos and reinforced my body against penetration.

I managed to save myself just in time as a bullet slammed into my chest, forcing the air from my lungs and collapse to my knees. As I clutched the impact zone, I boosted my healing factor and looked up to the two, no three ponies now. The newest arrival was, in fact, Luna.

“You have released yourself from your stone prison, just as you said all those years ago. I am surprised that a weapon of your own design could harm you so easily, Sinis,” she said coldly.

The attack had healed enough for me to speak. “I am not Sinis. My power has stabilized.”

“If this is the case, why are you so calm in the face of such change?”

I looked between the guards and the princess, thinking back to the fumes I smelled and the weapons. “The speed you ponies have improved my designs is astonishing, yes, especially in such short amount of time, but remember that they’re things I created.”

Luna’s eyes grew slightly at my statement, but showed no other reaction. “Short amount of time? Dex, if that is you, there’s a lot you have to catch up on.”

She sounds like Celestia. Can she have changed that much as well? “It is true, Luna. I am Dex.” I stood up as the healing process finished mending my surely broken ribs and looked to her with determination. “I am Sir Dex the Shield, Knight of the Solar Guard.”

“Now there’s a name I haven’t heard in some time,” a voice said as the two large doors began to open in a pearlescent aura. The two guards stepped aside as Luna looked behind her. As the doors completed their movement, Celestia stood before me, the same as ever with her wings spread and a tense stance. “Dex, are you truly back to normal?”

“Yes, Celestia, I’m back. I’m sorry for what happened; I just couldn’t bea-”

“It is alright, Dex. I know.” She smiled gently before turning away from me and looked into the chamber beyond. “Court has been cancelled this afternoon for important matters regarding the state. Please return tomorrow if your business has not been dealt with.”

Ponies began streaming out of the room, none of which I recognized, and passed us by hurriedly. Some glanced towards me, while others muttered their discontent to themselves, but all of them had cleared out in less than a minute. With the large throne room now empty, the princesses, guards, and I entered.

Celestia and Luna stepped towards their thrones as the guards stood to either side of me, rifles at the ready. I noted that the general theme of the room had changed into a more harmonic blend between night and day while I was stone. The princesses turned to me when there was a few feet of distance between us and they looked at each other. I watched as the two sisters communicated, either with their minds or just their faces, until they turned back to me.

“Dex, how long do you think you were trapped in stone?” Celestia said.

I thought for a minute. “I’m not sure. Time has no meaning in your mind. Ten years? Twenty?” How have Pan and Riches been without me?

A defeated sigh escaped the princesses lips before Luna spoke. “Many years have passed.”

“How long? How are Pan and Riches?”

“Those two had good lives. They grew up, but never forgot you. I know Riches grew to change Slade for the better, but Pan... She spent the rest of her years working the hospital and eventually passed, alone.”

“What? No! How many years?!” I was growing hysterical.

“Dex, please calm down.”

“How many years Celestia?!”

“One thousand,” Luna said.

My mind blanked, stunned as I was from the answer. Slowly, ever so slowly, I fell to the floor. I knew they wouldn’t lie to me about this, but I couldn’t let it be true. “.....no....” I said under my breath, but still staring the two immortals in the face. “...No....” Pan! Riches! “No...”

“Dex,” came Celestia’s warm voice.

“No!”

“Dex.” Luna’s stern voice.

“NO!” My power turned physical, creating a false wind that spun around me and warped my perception. “NO!”

“Dex!”

I barely heard Celestia call for me and and gunshot ring out. The bullet, slowed by my torrent, bounced off my head and landed on the back of my hand. I looked at it, mind lost in the pain of loss, until something clicked. Riches and I created that. Pan and I studied that. They made a difference, but I lost them to time. They wouldn’t want me to go crazy again, would they?

Everything stopped. The wind ceased to exist, dust dropped back to the earth quickly, and I saw the princesses holding the two rifles and glaring at the guards. I pinched the bullet between my thumb and forefinger, lifting it up so I could see it closely, and stared at it.

I rotated the ball of metal in my hand slowly and said, “One thousand years, and not a single improvement to my design? On my planet, we’d have upgraded from musket balls to self-contained bullets within the century. Tell me, what else hasn’t changed?”

“Your engine design has been improved and electricity is widespread, but there was no need to create stronger weapons. We are still in an age of peace,” came Luna’s voice. I looked up to see the two sisters communicating with one another in their strange way once again. Celestia looked irritated at Luna’s words.

“So I completely changed your futures and lost whatever family I had built.” My head fell in sorrow.

“After you defeated Discord and absorbed his power, you essentially became as immortal as us. You would have lost them to time, whether you were there or not.” Luna’s blunt words did nothing to console me.

“Dex, everything may have changed, but you still have us. Please, do not forget that,” Celestia said.

“What other punishment must I endure?” I said quietly.

“What do you mean, Dex? You have lost so much already. Why would you be punished further?”

“Because I killed Discord. Because I broke a rule of Order. Because I failed my oath! Because I did exactly what I shouldn’t have done from the beginning!”

“Dex, wha-”

“I should have never tried to create anything from my world! I should have never let my emotions get the better of me! I should never have attempted to make a FAMILY!”

“DEX!” Celestia jumped in front of me and slammed a hoof down upon the marble floor. The outburst made me raise my head to meet her emblazoned eyes. “Do not EVER say that you should not make friends or family! I will not stand for it!”

As my eyes stared back at hers, I was sure my own were empty, as I blocked all emotion. “I wish to be alone.” With that, I snapped my fingers and warped to what used to be my room.

I appeared in a flash, in the same position as before, on the cold floor of a spartan room. The furniture hadn’t changed and all of my projects had been moved. Trusting in the castle’s servants to do a good job, I stood, only to step over to my bed and collapse onto it. The smell of clean sheets filled my nose and I realized I wasn’t wearing my glasses.

So now I don’t need glasses to see. Great, I lose nearly everyone I care about in a stupid move to save Stone and I get immortality and perfect sight in return. At least it sounded like Riches grew up well, even without me. Pan, though... Why, Panacea? Why did you not move on? We didn’t even decide if we loved each other or not, so why did you wait for me?

What if she didn’t wait? What if she just never found someone to love? What if it’s all my fault? What if I caused more pain that I thought? What if, what if, what if! Damn it all!

Comments

[Mondays Dawn]

a good start

[Malesur Darkhoof]

Oh, what if's.....
I am afraid you will never know Dex, and the only thing you can do is move forward

On another note, awesome start to a great tale!

[dalekbrony]

i would rather you just post it all now

[Curious Thoughts]

A Part 3 YAY!

[ExcitedReader]

The final story and a great start now I can't wait for more

[I Brained My Damage]

Insta-fav.

[RoadRunneR]

Hell yeah! Faved, and all that stuff. Keep going.

[the Joyless1]

another great story Yay

[Zacob96]

Yes! A part three! I really do hate it when a story ends but your doing a great job keeping this one alive and well so keep uo the great work! i mean..if its ok with you...

[RubberBrony]

I just read EVERYTHING.

[Focusphobia]

This is a great story. But now I have to read the other stories so I can understand.

(exasperated sigh)

[starship55]

I dont like these situations, because they are so sad, and painfull.