The Monster in the Twilight
Void
The cavalcade of ponies into the ancient throne room divided almost instantly. First and foremost were five adults, who headed directly to five unconscious young ponies, picking them up and holding them in single-minded concern. They were almost unaware of the acrid smoke that wafted throughout the battered room, or the huge softly glowing ball of golden light in the center.
Following them, Trixie walked side-by-side with Zecora in stunned disbelief, approaching the glowing sphere and each gently placing a hoof on it.
“It’s almost cold, like running water,” said Trixie, looking up while running a hoof across the perfect surface reflecting her own face like a funhouse mirror.
“You speak of the tomb of my daughter,” said Zecora with her hoof almost touching Trixie’s. She let out her breath in a long, shuddering gasp before leaning forward with a solid thump, striking her head against the sphere. “A place with no fear, no anger and no hate. So this was the ending of my daughter’s sad fate.”
The faint dripping of tears on the floor were almost lost in the quiet voices of the children waking up behind them, and Trixie moved her hoof to rest on top of the distraught zebra’s with a reassuring pat.
“I’m sorry, but there’s nothing I can do. I’ve seen this dimensional distortion spell before at one of the young spellcaster’s demonstrations they held for applicants into Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. It took seven teachers to set up the spell and Princess Celestia to provide power, but in the end they created a tiny little universe about the size of a bit coin that lasted under a minute. Celestia said that with enough power, we could create an entire world made just the way we wanted.”
“Your Elements have taken both Nightmare and daughter, to a world which has neither wind, earth, or water. An ending of life for powers unspoken. Equestria is saved, but…”
Zecora slumped against the golden sphere, her tears flowing unchecked as Tallgrass moved up behind her and rested a chitinous hoof on her shoulder.
“Your heart is broken,” he completed. Zecora nodded with her tears continuing to flow along the unmarred surface of the shrinking golden sphere.
Trixie tapped the sphere, producing only the small click of a hoof striking an immovable object. “Princess Celestia said her demonstration universe was made out of cake. There was no way to be sure because the portal they were pushing power through was about the size of a pinprick. To make it this large and self-contained, without any portal to the outside world…”
She bent over and picked up the golden tiara cautiously, turning it over in her hooves. “Sparkle must have used the Element of Magic to create it around the both of them so Nightmare Moon could not escape. But how did this get outside? It can’t have just fallen out. The universe inside could be thousands of miles across, and the spell interface is impregnable.”
“I’m not pulling the stunt I did on the door again,” said Tallgrass, holding a hoof to his head. “I think it knocked my horn loose.”
“Be quiet, you silly goose,” hissed Zecora, her tears suddenly gone. The zebra flattened against the golden sphere, brushing her cheek up against it with intense concentration as if she were listening to something inside.
Trixie stared at the zebra in disbelief. “You can not possibly hear anything in there. That’s not a real object, it’s a theoretical interface where the laws of this universe and that universe are separated from each other by a metaphysical boundary layer of disjunct magical waveforms making a standing interference pattern that drains the universe inside of power until the symmetrical magic balance is drained below a certain threshold, and the field collapses. Um. Well, that’s what one of the instructors said. It’s completely impervious to any damage, because to this universe, it really isn’t there.”
Trixie reached out with the Element of Magic and rapped firmly on the glowing sphere. “See, not even—”
- - ✶ - -
Twilight Sparkle floated in the Light.
For once in her life, there was no pain, no fear, no anger. Instead, all around her was the brilliant light of joy, fading out in the distance in all directions. She had no eyes with which to see, but she still saw herself as a cloud of faintly violet particles, a fog of glowing dust, swirling and blowing on invisible currents. The flow of energy around her substituted for breathing, an invigorating touch rippling across her body like a spring breeze.
A soft golden light surrounded her, emanating from a similar fog of yellow particles. Bit by bit, they separated from her own glowing form, coalescing into a small sphere of light that spun around in the air and danced for joy. She could ‘hear’ it sing and giggle as it darted around, expressing its pleasure in a childish song of freedom and flight.
To one side was a larger cloud of darkness, twitching and spasming in the light as dark particles flew away, fading into the distance with a sizzle. Beneath the boiling pile, a slightly lighter color of particle began to take shape. Somewhat similar to her own shape, it simply lay inertly on the ground as if it were dead, even though Twilight could see the low throb of indigo light coursing through its indistinct form. Finally, the last bits of darkness boiled away, vanishing into the Light as if the darkness had never existed, and Twilight drew herself together as the magnitude of her error became apparent.
“Luna?”
Indigo light surged weakly, and the cloud of glowing dust drew together as if in pain. “We are injured, Twilight Sparkle, but we live. Thank you.”
“I’m sorry,” moaned Twilight, moving closer to the unmoving ball of indigo sparkles while the golden light danced and played above. “I failed.”
The indigo particles stirred, forming a pseudopod that gently brushed the surface of Twilight’s transformed body. “You freed me from my own folly, Twilight Sparkle. Do not despair at our circumstance.”
“Hopeless. We’re trapped.”
“Where there is life, there is always hope, young one.” The dark sparkles rose up, twisting in their flight until they formed into the fuzzy outline of a proud alicorn. “Arise, Twilight Sparkle. Arise and greet thy companion.”
It took several tries for Twilight to gather her body together in the same fashion to form a strangely lumpy unicorn body from the translucent sparkles of light available, but eventually she stood beside the transformed Luna, looking at the golden light dancing above them.
“My sister’s sun is filled with such as those, immature creatures of immense power. Celestia was blinded to its kind, having spent far too much time looking at its brethren to recognize it, but I who lived in the darkness have reflected its kind of brilliance for far too long not to see the child for what he is.”
Luna extended a hazy foreleg, which the ball of light promptly hovered over with what could only be described as a dance of overwhelming joy.
“H-hello, little one.” Twilight tried to extend a leg to touch the creature, only to have her body waver and distort with the effort. “I-I’m sorry for trapping you in here with us.”
Luna looked around the limitless glowing area and the distant patches of expanding darkness with a sense of calm contentment, breaking into a sigh before caressing the ball of golden light. “Child, your skill at your craft is without equal. I see no weakness or flaw in your construction. Still, I thank you for granting me these few minutes of freedom before we pass forever. You did what you needed to do, and there can be no greater praise.”
Twilight gave no indication that she heard. Instead, she curled up into a tight ball of faded purple particles and dampened her glow, leaving Luna to look into the distance and consider the slow vanishing of the horizon. Finally, Luna eased herself down beside the tightly compacted ball of violet particles and extended a ‘wing’ over her. “Twilight Sparkle, if I have only one regret, it is that you are forced to pay for my misdeeds. Please forgive me.”
The ball of violet particles shuddered, and a quiet voice asked, “What about your sister?”
Luna winced as she looked away from Twilight. “What I did to her cannot be forgiven.”
“No.” The ball of violet particles shifted, and the body of a warped and scarred unicorn slowly coalesced out of the fog. “I hurt her too, and tried to kill her ponies. She not only forgave me, but she sent me to save you. If she were here now, what would you say to her?”
“I would say,” said Luna, her body becoming misty and indistinct, “‘I’m sorry, Tia. Goodbye.’”
“Tia!” chimed the floating ball of light, lifting from Luna’s foreleg to zip rapidly around them. “Tia! Tia!” Putting on a burst of speed, the ball of golden light streaked off into the distance, becoming lost to the surrounding light of the pocket universe in moments and leaving Luna and Twilight Sparkle to stare in bewilderment. There was a brilliant flare nearly lost in the surrounding light, and a tiny patch of darkness became visible in the distance, far, far away.
- - ✶ - -
Trixie sprawled flat on the dusty floor of the ancient throne room, looking at the razor-sharp hole in the golden sphere that was pouring out light like a blazing torch. A matching hole had been punched through the eastern wall of the room behind her, still glowing white-hot with the passage of whatever came flashing out of the sphere. With a yelp of agony, she tore the hat off her head, dropping it to the floor and stomping the flames that surrounded a crisp circular hole in the fabric until the fire went out, and she panted in reflexive panic.
Looking up, Trixie saw everypony in the room staring at her, and she scowled in return. “Don’t tell me Sparkle didn’t aim — Ow! Ow! Ow!” She glared at Tallgrass, who quit smacking her over the head and glared back just as hard.
“Next time your mane is on fire, I’m going to let it burn.”
“Oh.” She barely spared a touch of one hoof to her ravaged mane before moving to inspect the rift in the glowing sphere, which had shrunk down to the point she could see over it now. “It’s fading fast now that it has a hole in it.” With a glance at the zebra still holding her face to the side of the sphere, Trixie added, “Do you hear Sparkle in there anywhere?”
“I fear she is lost and wanders in vain. When the hole closes, there she will remain.”
“Come on, Sparkle,” muttered Trixie, turning the golden tiara around in her hooves nervously while watching the sphere shrink. “You punched a hole, now get out of there.” She moved closer to Zecora as the golden sphere continued to shrink, blinking away a few tears of her own while they stood and waited.
Time passed with agonizing slowness until Zecora spoke abruptly with a puzzled tone. “Now I can feel her approaching, for I am her mother. She walks not alone, she is helped by… another?”
“Nightmare Moon?”
“No, I do not think so. But their pace is too slow, I fear for their fate. By the time they arrive, it will be far too late.”
“Like Tartarus it will,” growled Trixie. “Your daughter made this thing.” She jammed the tiara on her head in front of her horn and glared at the shrinking golden sphere. “Anything she can do, I can do better. Stand back.”
There was a shuffling of hooves in the room as the adult and young ponies backed up to the other side of the room. Zecora stood up next to Trixie, and after a moment of indecision, Tallgrass stepped up to her other side.
Trixie licked her lips and straightened the Element of Magic while regarding the shrinking sphere, now barely tall enough to reach her chest.
“Showtime.”
And Trixie steps up to the plate, woohoo!
Also, that little fire sprite is so cute! Get ready to be a mother Celestia.
The first thing that came to mind.
Go on, Trixie! Time to be awesome again!
... I wonder if this is where Trixie earns the element of Magic for herself...?
Hmm.
Well, regardless, this was yet another amazing chapter. Let's see how things go, huh?
UPDATE
Never underestimate the power of pride and magic applied!
2872507 LoL
Kill Trixie with the element of magic!
While saving Twilight of course .
2872532
Wait....didn't Celestia go to the sun? Which we now know is full of those things.....hehehehehehehehe
Sprites: Mommy!fc02.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2012/189/c/d/surprise_princess_celestia_by_ultimateultimate-d51p8w6.png
2872547
No, that would be too convenient. Besides, while she only had a small part to play in the show, she still has enough importance to warrant her staying alive. I mean, even in this story, she changes her ways enough to deserve a pat on the back..... with a really long pole and foam finger...
2872611 alright don't kill her break her horn though. Something big, cause She definitely doesn't even have half of the magical power and prowess that Twilight wields. also The element of magic is very vindictive to its users.
Fantastic Love the magi-babble.
Never poke things if you aren't prepared for them to poke back, Trixie.
Farewell Nightmare, I am fairly certain that nobody is going to miss you.
I find this goes really well with the whole Twilight/Luna scene.
2872671 Trixies gonna make it worse. This is another fact of novels, the one who is the main good guy/girl rival of the main protagonist is never as powerful as him/her.
Well if it's up to Trixe they're doomed.
2872839
I see we have neighsayer in the audience!
You dare doubt Trixie!?
2872999 Yea Trixie is a terrible wizard.
2872653 how about she activates the other element? duh
2873267 hmm... she would sacrifice children to prove she is more powerful.
2873280 the canon bearers, Zecora and Tallgrass you idiot
2873308 yes but are they connected yet truly connected or are they just acquaintances?
also do you think Trixie would get off her pedistle of power and let others work the spell with her not even proving her worth as a mage?
2873326 she's about as connected as Twi was at that time (true her attitude is a bit lacking) but I think she would accept help (reluctantly perhaps)
Besides, she doesn't have to match what Monster did, she just has to buy her time
2873366ok but at the very least they better all to a one pass out with massive concussions coming to them when they wake up.
Truly excellent. I don't feel that much needs to be said aside from this. I'm getting a 2001 vibe from this chapter. Twi's not gonna become a star child is she?
2873366
And, well, Sunset Shimmer, who also learned from Celestia, was able to draw power from the Element of Magic (Sombra-esque evil power, admittedly, but Trixie isn't trying to use it for evil), at least until said magic touched the true bearer.
sharkrobot.com/images/medium/shirt_vgc_heylisten_MED.jpg
I thought about putting some youtube video that had this repeat for 10 hours, but that is far too much torture.
I think you accidentally a word.
Trixie, that ego may kill you one day.
Shouldn't that be 'let' not 'leave'?
Trixie, you are a fool. Most likely ending I can see here, short of failure, is probably Trixie succeeding and then being obliterated for her efforts. I mean, she probably can't do it alone and even if she could I'm guessing it would burn her up (consuming all possible energy in the absence of a link to the bearers or other willing ponies). Also, cross universe portals? Do Luna and Twilight Sparkle even have bodies to worry about anymore?
2872653
But you have to take into account the fact that Trixie is the one who studied under Celestia for the past twelve years, not Twilight. Sure, Twilight has a lot of raw power at her disposal, but Trixie has the refined skill of the taught, of the learned.
Okay, I'm just taking a blind guess, but was the little blob of golden light inspired by the Felix the Cat movie from 1991? I watched that movie several times as a little kid and loved it, and there's something about that scene that reminded me of it. Perhaps I'm just imagining it.
2873586Don't you remember how she Thought of her lectures, or the fact that she had to recite the answer from memory as if the event was an annoying waist of time? I bet she slept through half of the classes she could get away with it and faked through the rest. Also she was more social that twilight and had more world exploring done, I bet she remembers more about prench than she does spell theory. not to mention just because you learn underneath somepony doesn't mean you'll learn it, take a Diamond Dog (clever ignorance) population as opposed to the regular Canid(smart upstanding, little ignorance) population. the Diamond Dogs are stupid, not because they aren't being taught, but because they refuse to learn. it's probably the same with Trixie in most complex forms of magic.
2873709
Yeah, you have a point. Still, though, you have to admit that she does have a certain amount of power to her that can rival that of Twilight herself on a normal day (normal being when she isn't A) Pissed off, or B) Empowered by the Elements of Harmony).
Ok, now that I think about it, maybe "rivaled" isn't the best word to use. "Comes close... enough..." would probably fit better.
2873721 how about noticed(holds a candle to), since we both know that twi is the typical unicorn mary sue. I mean I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if the author decided to let Twilight die and have Luna live. I would be a fitting end to a hero. but then Celestia and a select few others would be pissed, for obvious reasons considering that Nightmare Moon could have been Defeated earlier had Trixie gotten her marbles together sooner and actually helped.
2873749
Ha... marbles...
Also, yeah, you make more good points. Good points to be had all 'round... eeyup...
I'm just kidding.
Yeah, ponies would be pretty... miffed... about the loss of Twilight, but then again, what multitude of doors would be opened upon the closing of one?
So much theorizing, so much debate... I'm getting a headache just thinking about it.
2873830yea sorry about that, I'm only getting warmed up.
2873845
Please, are you kidding me?
All I need is a packet of Sour Punch Straws and I'll be right as rain. That or a box of Warheads. I can theorize with the best of them, provided I have something to work with in the first place. But I'll get to that later... for now, I'm beat, and I need to sleep. I shall be on again in the A.M. Until then, I'll probably read some more then crash like the fucking Hindenburg.
2873857Sprigin Ze Doichu? ayway I'll be crashing for the nacht as well.
cheers
2873866
Guten Nacht, Herr Xaldon.
Cooome ooon, happy ending happy ending!
This is going to be good.
2867838
Who implodes? Besides, I'm interested how 2840571 will solve the magic cocon of DOOM AND DESTRUCTION that appeared in the last (or second to last) chapter.
2874812
yeah, I'm quoting myself. As for how the cone problem was 'solved'...was it solved at all? As far as the author stated, it's still a different universe and Twilight has problems keeping herself together. Literally. Also, I think that Trixie is at least strong enough to keep a hole open...until Celestia arrives. And with one immortal alicorn on one side and another one on the other...there might just be a chance to save the two ponies.
data.whicdn.com/images/35882634/MrIncredible_large.jpg
SHOWTIME!
Ok seriously, if Trixie could end the chapter with a cooler one-liner, I dare somepony to produce it!
I didn't like the chapter too much, it was quit short, and it never really had new content until the last paragraph or so.
2872653
I'd say the Element of Magic is vindictive to those who try to misuse it. And for all her bravado Trixie's actually being (mostly) selfless here.
Wait, Equestrian photons are sentient beings of infinite joy? Headcanon accepted.
In any case, I'm not sure I see the issue. As long as Twilight and Luna are oriented in the right direction, even if they can't leave the collapsing universe, wouldn't the contracting spacetime eventually bring the opening to them?
Oh, who cares? Trixie's about to be awesome!
2876475 Trixie is trying to prove something I don't really think that sounds very vilifiable, definately selfish even if it would be comming out with a positive outcome, still a selfish reason behind it..
uimaker.com/uploads/allimg/120411/1_120411085206_1.png