Chapter 08: Changes
Not My Destiny
by Smayds
Chapter 8 - Changes
Another scroll appeared in a silent pop of light, falling slowly onto the sizable pile to her left. She ignored it. They were getting more insistent, arriving several times an hour now. She wondered if she could cast some spell to stop them getting here at all.
She sighed, frozen tears cascading down her cheeks.
Sighing is so damned unsatisfying with no air. Nothing to blow out through your nostrils.
She went back to gazing sadly up at the world, wondering how long she could stay here before giving in. She'd lasted two weeks. She didn't think she could stay another second.
They've got to die. All five of them. It's too risky. They stopped me once, they can stop me again.
She agreed with herself.
And then I can kill everything else. But them first. Too much of a risk to start, if they're alive.
She couldn't even remember why she was crying about Fluttershy.
"Why don't ya' just go an' GET HER?" Applejack asked, exasperated. Then, she remembered who she was talking to. "Uh, sorry, Princess. Ah just miss ma friend, is all."
"I miss her too, Applejack. But I can't go and get her. I can't go to the moon." Celestia shook her head sadly.
The meeting was taking place in the Ponyville library, as per Celestia's suggestion. It was far more convenient for the two alicorns to travel to the village than it was for the five mortal ponies, and one relatively-mortal dragon, to travel to Canterlot.
"Buh-but you sent Princess Luna there!" Rarity objected, with a nervous glance at the younger alicorn, who was busying herself with pacing around and looking annoyed. "A thousand years ago! And you can raise the sun! And Princess Luna can move the moon and stars! That's more magic than you could possibly need to just go and get her!"
"I used the Elements of Harmony to imprison my sister within the moon." Celestia bowed her head slightly. "And my sister had vast, unimaginable powers available to her when the prison broke, so coming back from the moon was trivial. But remember the special circumstances surrounding each of these events. Twilight Sparkle has powers that dwarf our own, even combined. She has simply taken herself out of our direct reach. Neither Luna nor myself can teleport to the moon. It's too far. We would die in the attempt."
These words were like thunder in the ears of the five ponies and one dragon. The Princesses could do anything, couldn't they?
Apparently not.
"We can send scrolls. We are constantly sending her scrolls. But we cannot go ourselves. Such a thing is beyond us!" Luna stopped her pacing and glared. She looked angry. "Nor can we send a messenger. You are all too large, even the dragon, and even if we could send you, you would perish almost immediately! Twilight Sparkle can survive such a place," Luna snorted, "and so could I. But no mortal creature can."
"Well," Fluttershy put in, "you could always ask me how to get her back."
Two earth ponies, one pegasus pony, one unicorn pony, two immortal alicorns, and one baby dragon looked at the shyest pony any of them had ever met. The determination on the yellow pegasus's face was incredible.
"Do you want her back? Because I want her back."
Celestia bowed her head. "What do you suggest?"
"Princess Luna? I have a question. It's about bringing the night," Fluttershy asked. Luna cocked her head. "What else can you do with the night sky?"
The sun had set. The night had risen. They were ready to try.
"Please remember, my little ponies, that she may not come back, even after this," Celestia said.
Fluttershy simply looked determined. "We have to try. What are we if we don't try to get our friend back?"
Celestia looked at Luna. The younger alicorn nodded back slowly. A hundred members of the Royal Guard were in Ponyville, just in case. They were door-knocking right now, just in case. They had orders that Celestia had never imagined she would have to issue. Just in case.
"Little Sister, if you would please do the honours?"
Luna trotted up the short staircase to the library's large picture-window. The glass panels glowed pale blue, opened, swung outwards. She had a fine view of her magnificent night sky. The other ponies gathered around as she raised her head, closed her eyes, and sent the magic of the night out to all of the infinite heavens.
They looked at the dark silhouette on the face of the gibbous moon.
They waited.
They hoped.
The stars...
Twilight blinked. The stars. The stars were moving.
The constellations swirled and changed, individual points of light and great clusters, all moving, slowly, steadily.
They were bunching together, forming lines, curves, twists... words. They were forming words.
Twilight looked on, stunned, as the entire universe rearranged itself, just for her. They were sending her a message. She wouldn't read the scrolls, so they were moving the very heavens themselves to give her a message.
Please come home.
I miss you.
I'm waiting for you in the library.
- Fluttershy
Fluttershy...
Fluttershy misses me...
After I...
She remembered what she'd done. Her eyes snapped wide, shattering the twin trails of ice on her cheeks.
Fluttershy!
The enormous image of a weeping alicorn vanished from the face of the moon.
Her hooves touched the wooden floor of the library's large, welcoming ground floor.
A pink-and-yellow blur slammed into her. A pair of front legs wrapped tightly around her neck. She was being ferociously hugged by a crying pegasus.
"Twilight! Twilight! Oh, thank goodness! I thought you were never coming back! Oh, I've missed you so much! Oh! You're so cold!"
"Fluttershy!" Twilight gasped, hugging back.
I'm so sorry I almost killed you.
I'm so sorry I didn't kill you.
"I'm so sorry I almost killed you! Are you alright? Are you okay? Was anypony else hurt? I'm so sorry! I -"
Soft thumps as all of her other friends joined the hug. Sniffs and sobs. Twilight was crying with sheer joy.
I have you all right here, you can't get away, and now you're all going to die. I'm so happy!
"My friends! My best... My best friends! I... I don't know what I was thinking! You're all here! I'm so happy!"
The hug broke up. Twilight stepped back and looked with trepidation at the beaming pony right in front of her. Fluttershy looked fine. There were a few patches where her coat hadn't quite grown back in. "You're alright! You're okay! I thought you were dead! I... I... I just..."
Fluttershy wiggled her wings, her smile getting wider. The feathers on one were a little fluffier than the other. "I'm just fine! The Princess herself arrived at the spa right after the explosion! There were quite a few burns and a couple of sprains. I was the worst but she regrew my wing just like that! Oh, you were right. I was so hungry! Remember, right after you got your wings?"
Twilight was momentarily distracted by the sight of Luna, standing at the large, round picture window. The midnight-blue Princess stood silently, back to Twilight, eyes closed, horn glowing as she restored the heavens. Below her stood her older sister. She was behind the circle of her chattering friends, smiling down at Twilight. The small alicorn jumped forward and nuzzled her neck. "Celestia! Oh, I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!"
Celestia sat back and looked quizzical. "Why are you sorry, Twilight Sparkle? There was no harm done."
"I'm sorry for running away!" She turned around, to look at all of her best friends. She smiled.
Maybe a fire spell. I could burn them to death.
No, just telekinesis. Easy. Crush them.
No, I don't want to hurt them. They're my friends.
And they can stop me.
I want them to stop me!
No, I don't want them to stop me! I have to kill them!
"Uh, Twi'?" Her farmer friend was looking at her with the deepest concern. "Y'all right there, sugarcube?"
Twilight seized Applejack and hurled her, at an appreciable fraction of the speed of sound, straight at the wall.
WHAT AM I DOING?!
She teleported Applejack right back to where she had been standing. The orange earth pony fell over with a muffled "Ooof!"
The newest alicorn was on the ground as well, hooves over her eyes. "Girls! G-girls! Get away from me!"
There was absolute silence, followed by the sounds of a very dizzy pony being helped to her hooves. Twilight felt a hoof touch her shoulder. Celestia. She could feel the ornamental shoe.
Did I just do that faster than Celestia or Luna could react?
...Excellent.
"Apple- Applejack. A-are you okay, AJ? Did I- did I hurt you?" Twilight's voice was fragile as crystal.
"Ah, uh, woah, my stars. Ah'm okay, Twi'. Dizzier'n a spinnin' top, but Ah'm okay. What jus' happened?"
Twilight ground her hooves into her eyes. She spoke in a rush, as if she was afraid that her voice would fail her.
"I just picked you up and threw you at the wall. Then I realised what I was doing and teleported you back. If I hadn't caught you in time... If you had hit the wall... I... I..." Twilight screwed up her face. "I just tried to kill you, Applejack."
There was complete and total silence. Twilight stood up slowly, eyes closed. She felt Celestia right beside her, warm and reassuring. She took a deep breath.
At least I can sigh properly again.
She sighed.
Twilight opened her eyes and looked at her friends.
They're my friends. I can't hurt them.
I don't have to hurt them, I just have to kill them.
I don't want to kill them.
I want to kill them.
"I'm going to kill all of you."
Every single face in the room was beyond shock. Twilight started trembling. She closed her eyes and shuddered for a moment.
The entire library jolted, as if there had been a momentary earthquake. Ponies gasped.
Dust fell from the decoratively-painted ceiling.
The lights dimmed.
Her hooves left the floor as she began to levitate. She opened her eyes again and looked at the five targets before her.
Her eyes were blank, white-hot, blazing with infinite power.
"LUNA!" Celestia screamed.
Luna spun from her position near the elevated window as Celestia crouched, horn ignited, wings spread, between Twilight and her friends. Leaping into the air, she flew through an arc towards the front door, eyes wide in terror as she passed over the floating form of Twilight Sparkle. Five ponies, and a very surprised baby dragon, were wrenched into the air by Luna's magic. Exclaiming in shock and surprise, they were pulled through the room as Luna blasted the front door into splinters and flew through the opening, tucking her wings in tight. The six friends, now all looking terrified except Spike, who was rolling himself into a tight little ball, followed along in her wake.
Luna flew higher and faster, calling back over her shoulder to the terrified Bearers. "We must get you away from her! You are all the hope that we have!" She looked down at the sleepy town below as her trailing entourage shouted questions and made exclamations that she ignored. Soldiers in glinting armour could be seen. They were everywhere. She hoped the Guard had managed to warn every residence in time.
She bellowed one single word in a voice that shook the entire town.
"EVACUATE!"
Celestia approached Twilight Sparkle. She had stopped levitating and fallen to the floor. She lay still, panting shallowly, her eyes closed.
"Twilight? Twilight, listen to me. You can fight this."
"No," Twilight groaned. Her flanks were rippling. Things were flowing beneath her skin like snakes. They showed through with a deep yellow-white glow. "No, I can't. I'll kill them. I have to kill them. They have to die before... Before I... I can't risk the... The Elements... Can't risk... They'll stop me... And I have to... Have to..."
Sounds of many hurried hoofsteps were filtering in from the night outside. The guards were doing their duty. Celestia looked with sorrow at her former student, now a fellow alicorn, and seemingly beyond her help.
"I don't know what will happen, Twilight. I will try to save you. But you must keep trying to save yourself, too. Remember, your will is your own. Your thoughts are not all yours, but what you do with them is." Celestia bowed her head. "And remember, too, that what my mother wrote in the book can be prevented. There are events recorded as inevitable fact that I have averted. The book was written as if no intervention were possible. But we can intervene. We can defeat this!" She placed her hoof on Twilight's shoulder.
Twilight's own hoof slammed on top of hers. She whimpered. She shivered.
For many long minutes, they remained silent, Celestia looking with sadness at Twilight, while the latter twitched and occasionally moaned on the floor. Were the hoofsteps outside getting fainter and further away?
"I... don't..." Twilight whispered.
Celestia bent her young, ancient face close to her former student's. "Twilight?"
"I... don't... want..." Her teeth were grinding with every word.
"What don't you want, my beloved Twilight?" Celestia asked softly.
"I... don't... want... to... do... this... but... I'm... going... to... do... it... anyway..."
Celestia snatched back her hoof.
Twilight stopped panting. Slowly, very slowly, she rose from the floor, three feet, four feet, spinning around gently in the air to face Celestia, who had started backing towards the doorway.
"My will is my own." The voice was not Twilight's. It was almost a snarl. Low. Venomous. Full of danger. "My will is my own."
Her wings were thrown wide. Her eyes flicked open. Two blazing orbs of pure white light bored into Celestia.
Celestia threw a holding spell around Twilight. She felt the immense tug of power as Twilight unconsciously tried to empty her of magic. It would strengthen the spell considerably. Even so, it would only hold for moments, but she had to buy time, and she needed every second. She whirled and bolted through the door, taking to the air immediately. Suddenly, the night sky above her flared, then extinguished into deepest black. She did not pause to wonder why. Hovering high in the air above the library tree, she surveyed the streets of Ponyville. There were still far too many ponies making their way out of the town. Summoning her seldom-used Voice, she filled her lungs. She didn't like using it on her subjects, but right now, she had no choice.
"EVERYPONY! THIS IS YOUR PRINCESS! RUN! RUN! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! FLEE! GET AWAY FROM PONYVILLE, NOW! RUN! RUN! DO NOT LOOK BACK! DO NOT LOOK BACK! RUN! RUN! RUN NOW! AS FAST AS -"
The Ponyville Public Library exploded into a gigantic, roiling, violent fireball. Celestia was knocked, tumbling, upwards and slightly to the side. She caught herself and dived for the ground.
Vast chunks of flaming tree were falling around her. The nearby shops and houses had been blasted flat. Some of them, too, were starting to burn.
As the enormous fireball began to cool and darken high above, she beat her wings and cautiously approached the fiercely-burning pit where the magnificent old tree had once stood.
Something was rising from the blazing inferno.
Something hotter and brighter than the fire itself.
Its coat was sun-white, its eyes blood-red, its mane and tail were roaring sheets of yellow-orange flame. Two great wings spread wide from its shoulders. The horn on its forehead was very long, and very sharp. It looked at Celestia with death in its eyes as it rose slowly into the air.
The Thing opened its jaws. Rows and rows of jagged, uneven teeth. A gaping maw of horror. It was smiling at Celestia. A terrible, world-ending smile.
The Thing moved. Faster than lightning, those hundreds of teeth had closed around Celestia's neck.
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WOOOOO! We're getting close!
Next chapter: Exposition, poor polilogue (thanks, anon!) and THREE-WAY ALICORN CURBSTOMPINGS
OH. MY. CELESTIA.
Oh no!!! Princess Celestia!!! Oh god. Please please let Twilight be saved…
Holy...
I'm absolutely speechless.
My favourite pony, BECOMING THE HARBRINGER OF APOCALYPSE.
The suspension of the next chapter not here is already killing me.
You sure have done a great story.
What was that about Grimdark again?
Anyway great story!
Epic. Pure and simple.
awww twilight didnt even kill applejack
Totally shoulda had her making some sort of distorted song-like sounds there at the end. "I will open one of my seven mouths and sing the song that ends the world..." :V Get elder evil on that flank.
0_0 intresting
Holy clopping shit! GET LINK! NOW!!! And while your at it, get sonic as well. Someone needs to get samus! CLOP THIS! GET EVERYONE FROM THE SUPER SMASH BROS BRAWL ROSTER AND GET THE VILLAINS TO JOIN THE FRAY AS WELL!!! NOW!!!!!
I now promote myself to general fearanger. LETS HOLD OUR GROUND AND DEFEND EQUESTRIA! WE MUST STOP HELIOS AND SAVE TWILIGHT!!!
Oh my Twilight....O.O
The Suspense is killing me
90681 One two many mouths for the reference you were making
90692 Helios is a male Sun god. You'd want to call twilight the name of a female Fire(volcano?) Deity
yay, I was mentioned by author! Now, to the chapter. In words of Spike, 'dude, that's creepy'. And Twi, attacking Celestia, the only person she valued more than her friends... Your story is so great, I dont believe you when you say it will be alright. Twi... I have never felt so sorry for a fictional character.
And I like the way you write, the story flows easily. But call me a pessimist, am I smelling some Mary-Sue coming to save the day? I dont wait for actual new episode of mlp as much as this story resolution.
I think we've crossed the threshold into Grimdark.
Why si everyone crying about grimdark ?
There is no unnecessary gore or death in this chapter, just the right amout of dread.
It's dark yes, and it's glorious !
Celestia should have gotten smart. Discord is not mentioned in the book. This means, by theory, he can change everything in it. He is more powerful than Celestia and Luna together. Is crazy. And totally unpredictable. Why hasn't he been called to fight Twilight yet?! Discords likes Chaos and fun, but there is none if everything dies!
Well, it has good ambitions to get a slaughterhouse.
Well, it has good ambitions to get a slaughterhouse.
This is glorious. Ashes will rain as flame razes the earth.
90726Hardly crying. Just a statement
Oh I do love it so when Twilight gets all murder-y
90736 ... One of the deleted scenes I'll write up at the end. I had to take him out, it was just too predictable.
90707 Hey hey, Awesome Anon! Mary-Sue? Really? Not to give too much away, but, like, seriously, how do they solve all their problems? You KNOW it's gonna be the power of friendship, dude! And maybe Pinkie Pie's Party Cannon loaded with a Tactical Confetti Nuke...
Although now I'm thinking about rewriting the resolution to go like "Suddenly, Lieutenant Captain General Smayds McSexyPony with the awesome hairdo flew past in his F-35 fighter jet and clapped his magical hooves together twice. And everything was back to normal. And then they all f*cked."
Oh God, it's so late, and I've had far too much Christmas Cheer (i.e. JD's). Back tomorrow with chapter 9...
Shit, that just got real.
Okay okay okay just one more...
90670
and
90715
Celestia and Luna are indestructible, and Ponyville gets destroyed every other episode, so, not *quite* grimdark just yet. Maybe.
Good points though. This IS way, WAY, WAAAAAY darker than I'd intended it to be. Happy thoughts happy thoughts happy thoughts Pinkie please put down that bonesaw
90758
Fair enough.
The Bonesaw isn't any of your concern. The CHAINSAW is what you should be worried about.
Personally, I enjoy the Grim/Dark ((as in, all of the dark spectrum)) spectrum when it's not done gratutiously, and so I hope you don't tone it down, I'm loving it as-is.
Incidentally, one of the things I love about Grim/Dark is its unpredictability. Even if the results are a given, the tone can vary wildly ((everything's fine, bittersweet, etc.))
Shit is getting tense. Must… finish… story!
90767
thanks for extinguishing my worries and sorry for over-reacting. I dont usually 'dive' into a fanfic this much, but when I do, I get too excited. Though there is another problem now. Tommorow is too far away and my fantasy just runs riot. TIME, MAKE IT FAST!
HOLY CRAP THIS IS INTENSE.
also, excellent story.
Heh. I never thought I'd be able to actually use that:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRqVaewSRrE&feature=player_detailpage#t=70s
Deathwing saw that coming.
It's like (DBZ×BLEACH^((Naruto ln Mazinger Z)^3)) ponified.
90692 Hell, let's add Master Chief, Every single character from Final Fantasy, Throw in some legendary Pokemon, some of those Digiman thingymabobbers, and anyone else we can think of. That might add a good second or two to the fight. Maybe more if Twilight's got horrible aim...
~ Moonstone, Minstrel of Equestria
90692 Or, you could just call Chuck Norris.
Sorry, had to go there at least once. lol
i just realized this doesn't have a romance tag... how did i start reading this?
Nope totally not grimdark
Oh for--
You said you wouldn't do grimdark. You said the story was about Twilight doing everything possible to avoid this happening.
She basically stood around for five chapters twiddling her nonexistent thumbs and now she's gone completely grimdark.
Screw this story.
I LOVE THE GRIMDARK. more grim dark plz, don't tone it down.
Can't wait til the next chapter. Can you estimate how long until you finish Chapter 9?
Twilight is the Alpha and the Omega the beginning and the end
Welp, that was fast.
In agreeance with 91040, this did go fast. I felt the pacing was a little off for this chapter. Perhaps moving the reunion to a separate chapter than the 'ape-shit crazy Twilight' part?
Not too many errors, and none that I saved, but my sonic fine-tooth comb was slightly buzzing the entire chapter. I know you update every other day, but perhaps a pre-reader would be in order?
Still, looking forward to the end.
-The Librarian
images.icanhascheezburger.com/completestore/2008/12/10/128734135715506210.jpg
90692 i will summon the Rider
2.bp.blogspot.com/-mU_heMdnaw8/Tupo0fRYi0I/AAAAAAAAADc/6ke8fPkAMeg/s400/Ghost%2BRider%2B2%2BFilm.jpg
90692 can we get Loid too?
his Ideelz will surely save Equestria!
Erm
I'd complain about the grimdark-ness...
But I understand that you have enough people saying this was grimdark, so I'ma just leave this small reminder of a comment here...
This is definitely grimdark
90958
If Twilight is a god now we could just get Kratos, he's pretty good at killing those.
BUCKING HELL THIS IS INTENSE
I hope she kills all her friends too
91234 ... Who the heck is Loid? Ideelz? I can only guess that you're trying to say Lloyd Irving and his ideals, but if so, you REALLY butchered that attempt at communication.