"Ascension": The Monster Below Sequel That Never Was

When I finished the third Monster Below story, 'Sunfall' two years ago, I thought I was done. The story I had wanted to tell was finished, the main characters had died and gone to Heaven, and there was nowhere left to go. I was satisfied to take what I had learned, say goodbye to my creations, and walk away.

But as many an author can attest, sometimes finished projects can sing a siren song to lure you back.

Last year, I got a sudden flash of inspiration for a new Monster Below story, one that wasn't a prequel or a midquel, but an actual, honest-to-Faust sequel that took place after the end of 'Sunfall.' I thought it was crazy at first, but the more I thought about it, the more interested I became, as it presented an opportunity to not only do a soft reboot/sequel (one that ignored books two and three, but didn't outright say they never happened), but also to practice doing a story that took place after the ending of a franchise, despite me saying in my author's notes that I had learned the importance of ending a story/saga after the main conflict has been resolved.

For a few months I brainstormed and worked on what this new story would be. After several drafts, I finally came up with a lengthy outline to guide my progress when writing. But just to be on the safe side, I decided to put the outline aside and come back to it a few months later to see if it still excited me.

Turns out, it didn't.

After reviewing the outline again, I decided that this story just wasn't worth pursuing in light of other projects I have in the works. But rather than let it fade into the ether with no one else ever learning about it, I thought it would be worth posting the outline for those who would be curious as to how a fourth entry in the series could have gone. Therefore, without further ado, here is that outline.

Please be aware that, like the previous three outlines I posted, the finished story would have no doubt changed and evolved in many places, some minor, and some major. This outline also has continuity errors and unfinished ideas that I was going to revise and flesh out had I chosen to continue.

***

The Monster Below: Ascension

Darkness.

Silverspeak becomes aware of something. Voices. Light. But he doesn’t know what’s going on.

What’s happening?

He wakes up to find himself in a bed in a plain white room. He looks around, confused. How did he get here? He looks himself over and is surprised to see that he doesn’t have a horn or wings. Furthermore, he’s not old anymore. He’s young again! But what’s going on?

He looks over and sees Beakbreaker beside him. To his surprise, she’s young again, too. He wakes her up. The two try to figure out what’s going on. They remember being together, and being in Canterlot’s gardens with Celestia and Luna… and that’s the last thing they remember.

Did they die? Is this Heaven? Beakbreaker notes that it can’t be: they both have hearts, bodies, and hurt when pinched. Perhaps they died and were reborn or reincarnated. But why? And more importantly, where are they?

The two search the house and head outside to find themselves in a pleasant little village. To their surprise, they see other famous ponies and beings from throughout Equestria’s history, including Twilight Sparkle and the Mane Six, Thorax, Chrysalis, the Pillars, and the like.

Everyone meets in the town square, trying to figure out what’s going on. They all compare what they remember last and realize that everyone remembers the last day of their life, but nothing beyond that. Twilight, the acting leader of the group, theorizes that something has brought them back to life in younger bodies, but to what end? And for that matter, why can’t anyone’s magic abilities work?

They head out to explore their environment, with Silverspeak, Beakbreaker, Thorax, and Chrysalis teaming up. But it’s discovered that a barrier is keeping them from leaving the community. It’s a strong forcefield; not quite magic, but still potent. Nobody can figure out what it is, or how to get through or disable it. Attempts to dig down reveal impenetrable metal and more forcefields.

It seems they’ve all been put in some kind of giant dome for some reason. But why? Is this purgatory?

Suddenly, the barrier is attacked, bombarded by some sort of energy blast. It shatters, and the group realizes that the tranquil land beyond their village was an illusion: What’s really out there is a wasteland, including Ponyville and Canterlot. But they’re not what the group remembers: the ruins and buildings are more high tech and fantastical, more advanced than anything any of them saw in their lifetimes.

The group is attacked by some flying war machines. Those with magic try to fight back, but their spells are weak and almost useless, forcing them to run. Then a tiny drone comes by and indicates for the group to follow it. They do, and reach a shuttle of some kind. They get in and blast off into outer space. As they do, they look back and see that the entire planet is now a ruined wasteland with no greenery to be seen. It was like back when Mangus launched his last campaign against everyone in Eqqus.

The shuttle rockets to a nearby space station and lands. Silverspeak and the others disembark and meet up with a unicorn who wears a head-to-hoof bodysuit and speaks with a synthetic voice. He calls himself ‘Proto,’ and explains what’s going on: About a decade ago, Equestria was bombarded by a series of planet-killer meteors that rendered the planet uninhabitable. Desperate to save her little ponies, Celestia and Luna came up with a plan to save them: create a new world using the most advanced technology and AI available, and while it was being constructed, resurrect Equestria’s most famous heroes to help guide and lead ponykind when the new world was completed. In other words, Twilight Sparkle, her friends, the Pillars of Equestria, Throax, and so many others who proved themselves to be great leaders and examples of what ponykind can achieve.

But why us? Silverspeak asks about him and Beakbreaker. They didn’t do much.

Because Beakbreaker’s advances in prosthetics and artificial limbs eventually led to the technology you see before you. And you, Silverspeak, had a gift for using your will to help persuade so many, a talent that is immensely useful.

Twilight and the others point out that their magic and talents don’t seem to be working properly.

An unfortunate side effect of the spell used to bring you back, Proto explains. But now things are even more dire: the AI that was being used to help create this new world has rebelled against ponykind and is now seeking to kill everyone. But there is a way to stop them: find a clock that allows the user to go back in time, and they’ll be able to stop the AI before it can rise up.

The others agree to the plan. But Silverspeak eyes Proto: something about him feels familiar, and it unnerves him.

As the station heads off towards the clock’s last known position, Silverspeak and Beakbreaker talk in their room, sharing their thoughts and feelings about all this. It’s annoying to think that they had been called back from death to try and save Equestria again. But then again, isn’t being alive better than being dead? And what on earth can they do? The technology they’re dealing with is hundreds of years more advanced than their own time; they can’t even begin to make sense of it all, much less use it. Still, they have to try.

Yet, something puzzles Silverspeak: somehow, this feels wrong. He can’t put his hoof on it, but something just doesn’t seem right.

When the ship drops out of hyperspace, it sneaks up to a large craft floating in an asteroid belt. Proto brings them in, and then, having dressed in spacesuits, they jump onto the other ship and sneak inside. Proto takes up position in the control room and works to try and weaken the ship’s defenses. The others will have to go in and get the device. Silverspeak doesn’t like this, but they all set off anyway. As they keep heading deeper into the station, he asks the others if they’re getting the same sensation. Chrysalis is suspicious, but, being an accomplished liar, she senses that Proto isn’t lying. The others realize that something’s wrong, too, but they figure that while they can get the clock, they don’t have to hand it over just yet.

The ship’s defenses kick in, but the group manages to get the clock and escape with Proto, who’s overjoyed. Back onboard their ship, he asks for the clock, but Twilight points out that this device is incredibly dangerous; any misuse of it can change history for the worst, like erasing everyone from ever existing. Proto acknowledges the risk, but says that only he knows where to go in order to stop the AI.

Suddenly, that AI attacks the ship. Even more robots and drones break inside and start going after the group, their energy and plasma blasts nearly killing them. Proto says they have to use it now! If they all die here, then all hope for Ponykind is lost!

Reluctantly, Silverspeak and the others agree, and give him the device. Proto activates it, and everyone’s enveloped in a blast of light.

The light fades, and everyone finds themselves on a beach. This is where the AI starts? Silverspeak asks.

No, Proto replies. We’re five thousand years in the future, on a remote planet several million light years away from our system. I just wanted to leave you here.

Then, without another word, Proto leaves, stranding the group.

Horrified, the group tries to figure out what to do. Silverspeak tries to use his silver tongue to calm them all, but it doesn’t work, which horrifies him. It should have been easy; why isn’t it working?

Then two ponies come over. It’s Celestia and Luna.

Explanation time: Celestia says that Proto told them most of the truth: a meteor shower did damage Eqqus beyond repair, and they used AI to create drones that could build a new Eqqus near the old one. But Proto, who was one of Celestia’s military commanders, rebelled and took control of the AI, and reprogrammed them into machines of war. He fought against Celestia and Luna, and all of Equestria, and eventually won. He used the time travel spell to force Celestia and Luna into the future and so far away that there is absolutely nothing they can do to come back and stop him. It would have been easier to kill them, but Proto is a sociopath and delights in tormenting his enemies: What better way to torment them then to defeat them, send them somewhere far away, and force them to live the rest of their lives alone and with no way to come back and stop them, doomed to die of old age, helpless and alone?

Yet, not all was lost. Before they were teleported through time, Celestia and Luna used their magic to force the clock into hiding after it was used, ensuring that Proto couldn’t find it, and that there was hope of one day coming back and stopping them. But now he has succeeded: he got the heroes of Equestria, manipulated them to get the clock, and then sent them through time here to suffer and die alone with Celestia and Luna. And now there’s no way back; being so far away from their sun and moon, Celestia and Luna’s magic has faded to almost nothing, making it impossible to cast any spells.

But what about the clock? Silverspeak asks. Now that Proto has it, what’s to stop him from using it to go back in time and erase all of them from existence? He won’t, Celestia assures him. Proto is a sociopath, but he won’t risk erasing himself from history, and his own existence is very precarious: a single alteration to any of their lives, and he, too, will cease to exist. Baffled, Silverspeak asks how that can even work, but Celestia says she’ll tell them in a few days after the shock has worn off.

Dejected the group tries to settle into their new home, but it’s hard. Silverspek and Beakbreaker feel useless, but decide that no matter what happens, they’ll face it to together.

Then a breakthrough: Twilight remembers a spell she learned once that involved tim etravel, and realizes that there is a way to to back and stop Proto: an ancient and dark spell that requires taking the life energy of living beings to allow a one-way trip through time. Everyone realizes that, with Proto poised to take over the new Eqqus and use his machines to force everyone to live a life of suffering, slavery, and oppression, that it’s worth the risk. They all decide to give it a try, but to be fair and impartial, everyone involved draws straws to see who will be sacrificed. In the end, Celestia, Luna, Silverspeak, Beakbreaker, Thorax, and Fluttershy are spared, but everyone else has to sacrifice their lives.

With great regret, but knowing that it’s for a higher cause, Twilight casts the spell, and her life and the lives of the others are ended. But it creates the portal, and Silverspeak and the others rocket back through time to Proto’s time and land on his ship. They fight through to Proto, who is horrified and shocked at seeig them all. A great fight ensues, but he gets into a suit of advanced battle armor and fights them off, and then damages the ship itself just to spite them all before diving into its deepest depths.

Silverspeak dives after Proto and tries to use his silver tongue to force him to stand down, but it doesn’t work. Proto is amused and asks him why that is. Points out how he and everyone else has been useless. Asks if Celestia told them why.

Proto goes to a great gate and opens it, revealing a chamber full of artificial wombs, thousands of them. He walks Silverspeak through them, who is horrified to see dozens of Twilights, Starswirls, and so many other champions of Equestria.

And then Silverspeak sees a dozen of him.

He’s not the real Silverspeak... he’s a clone of the original Silverspeak, just like Beakbreaker and all the others are clones of their respective individuals. And then Proto takes off his helmet and reveals that he, too, is a Silverspeak clone, but one was imperfect, having only half a horn, stubs where wings would be, and various deformities and unnatural birthmarks.

We are all Celestia’s playthings... but I won’t accept that.

Proto begins the ship’s self-destruct sequence and flees, but not before shooting Silverspeak, badly wounding him. He’s left among the ruins of the now-dead clones and left to bleed out.

And then Silverspeak isn’t on the ship anymore. He’s in a beautiful penthouse inside a beautiful city. He doesn’t know what’s going on, and then Beakbreaker appears, welcomig him. But how did she get here? What’s going on? And then Silverspeak realizes that this isn’t Beakbreaker... or, at least, the one he knows. This is the original Beakbreaker. And then she leads him into another room, and there, sitting on a couch, is a familiar form.

It’s the real Silverspeak.

Stunned, Clone Silverspeak sits down with his template, and the three talk. Clone Silverspeak is on the verge of dying, but can choose if he wants to go back or not. But why should he? After all, he doesn’t have any charm or talents. He’s just an earth pony with nothing to offer. The real Silverspeak says that’s not true: everyone has a gift, and as he learned, when you use your gift to help others, you not only make life better for others, but for yourself as well. Clone Silverspeak has to find his gift.

Clone Silverspeak decides to go back. And as he does, the real Silverspeak wishes him well... and to aim for the red tube.

Silverspeak wakes up in the medical bay of the ship, where he’s being attended to by Celestia, who managed to stop the self-destruct. She wasn’t sure if Silverspeak was going to make it, but he’s pulled through. Silverspeak confronts her, and Celestia confesses that he and the others were clones. She’s old now, and realized that her time on New Eqqus would be short, as well as Luna’s. Not wanting her subjects to be left without capable leaders, she wanted to bring back the most influential, and the ones who learned the most. To make them think they were the real thing, she used the clock to travel back in time to the day each of them died, then used magic to make herself invisible and copy their memories, which were then transplanted into the brains of the clones.

Proto, she reveals, was her first attempt to clone Silverspeak. But he came out with brain damage, causing him to be a sociopath who doesn’t care about others in any way, being incapable of feeling regret, sorrow, and the like. He only cares about himself, but Celestia didn’t realize it at the time, and, being ashamed at what she had done, took Proto in out of pity, unaware that he was already planning her downfall.

Once all the clones were alive, Celestia reveals that she had planned to connect all of them to the AI core of New Eqqus, effecitvely making them part of a wetware CPU that would use all their collective experience and knowledge to guide others. But now she sees how terrible that plan was, and that she had no right to bring back those who are long-dead for her own selfish reasons, much less subject them to such a life. Now she finally has a chance to make things right, and she hopes she can pull it off, and she apologizes to Silverspeak for what he’s gone through.

Silverspeak doesn’t know what to say.

Now healed, Silverspeak goes to Beakbreaker, who’s been told by Celestia, along with everyone else, the truth about what’s happened. Both are aware that they’re not really in love with each other; that’s just the memories they have. But they decide to stay together and help each other.

The station falls out of hyperspace and reaches New Eqqus, which is almost complete: it still doesn’t have a surface, but its enormous, mechanical interior is exposed and open to space. Celestia reveals to everyone that Proto is likely headed to the planet’s core: Those who are connected to the core work with the AI to create the perfect environment for life, with no earthquakes, volcanoes, or other natural disasters. But if Proto merges with the core, he’ll be able to cause all these things at will, as well as suck out air from any location on the planet. He’ll be all but invincible, and must be stopped before that happens, even if it means killing him. If he’s connected, they’ll have just ten minutes to stop him before the process is irreversible.

Suddenly, the station is attacked by Protus’ army of mechanical drones, which swarms the station. The group manages to get through the attack, but the station is too damaged to land, as are the escape pods. Thus, everyone gets into some combat mech suits and drops down to the planet’s surface, dodging more attacks on the way. Landing hard, they find Proto rushing to an elevator that leads to the core. Being the closest, Silverspeak and Beakbreaker give chase, reaching Proto just as the elevator starts down. While the others fight to hold back Proto’s army, Beakbreaker, Silverspeak, and Proto fight, two clones giving everything they’ve got as the elevator rushes down through the planet’s mechanical guts.

Finally reaching the core, Proto gets the upper hand and disables Silverspeak and Beakbreaker’s mechs, forcing them to try and furious repair them And in that delay, Proto manages to connect himself to the planet’s core, effectively becoming New Eqqus itself. He gets a massive cyborg body fashioned out of nanomachines and launches an attack to kill his fellow clones.

Suddenly, Celestia appears and blocks the attack. She fights Proto, but he’s too much for her as well and destroys her mech. But even without it, she still fights. She is past her physical prime, old, and not as strong as she once was, but Celestia still puts up one hell of a fight. She gives Proto one last chance to give up this crusade.

In response, Proto shoots her through the chest.

Horrified, Silverspeak finally manages to get his mech up and running and assaults Proto with everything he has left, but it’s not enough. He just can’t damage Proto enough to kill him, now that he’s more machine than organic.

But then Silverspeak spots something near Proto: A red tube.

Targeting it, Silverspeak destroys the tube, and it causes a massive jolt of power that temporarily overrides Proto, weakening him and his defenses. Enraged at being so close to total victory, Proto lashes out at Silverspeak, screaming that he’s nothing: he’s a pony with no talents, no skills, and no future in this world. He is nothing!

Wrong, Silverspeak says. He just wants to help.

Firing his last shell, Silverspeak fatally wounds Proto. Consumed with hatred, Proto tries to leap down to Silverspeak to stab him in a final act of hate, but he’s too weak and instead falls into the reactors below, where he’s incinerated.

With Proto taken care of, Silverspeak runs to Celestia, where Beakbreaker is furiously working to save her life. They come dangerously close to losing her, but she manages to stabilize Celestia.

Luna, Thorax, and the others arrive. With Proto defeated, and his AI army down shut down, they try to figure out what to do. The planet still needs someone to guide it and help make it a stable and safe place, but who will take up the job? It’s one that they will do for the rest of their lives, as once they are fully integrated, it cannot be undone, a process that Proto came dangerously close to completing.

Silverspeak thinks it over and volunteers. While he doesn’t have any skills or knowledge like the others, he does have a desire to help and be useful, and making an entire planet safe for all its inhabitants is perhaps the greatest thing he could ever do. Celestia and Luna ask if this is what he truly wants.

He says yes.

Beakbreaker then steps forward and asks if he’s sure. Their feelings towards each other may just be memories of lives they’ve never lived, but she still cares about him, and doesn’t want to lose him. Silverspeak assures her that he’s not going to be inaccessible or be lost forever. Besides, her medical knowledge will be invaluable in this new world.

Thus, with the decision made, Silverspeak allows himself to be connected to the Core. Nanomachines swarm over him and convert his body, plugging him in in both body and brain, turning him into a true cyborg that has reached the singularity. And then the process is complete.

Silverspeak is now one with the core of New Eqqus, and it with him.

Many years later, the planet is in full bloom. Ponies, dragons, kirin, changelings, and all other species live in a utopia of harmony and peace, their every need met, their world a paradise like none other. The surviving clones have decided to fulfill their purpose in helping guide all the world’s residents; Celestia and Luna, now old, have retired from being the rulers of a world, allowing a new generation of leaders to take over, but they still act as advisors to help things run smoothly.

On a vista overlooking a town, Beakbreaker heads up to enjoy watching the sunset with Silverspeak. Though he may be physically at the core of the planet, one of his new abilities is to create an avatar of himself that he can use to interact with beings on the surface. Thus, he visits Beakbreaker daily, and he’s happy that she’s happy, and so are others. He, too, is content and happy with his purpose and the task he has.

As they sit together, Beakbreaker wonders if the real Silverspeak and Beakbreaker would approve of what they’ve done.

Sensing something, Silverspeak looks around, and then stops: Silhouetted against the setting sun is the spiritual forms of the real Silverspeak and Beakbreaker, who smile at him with approval.

Clone Silverspeak tells Beakbreaker he thinks they do.

Together, hoof-in-hoof, they both watch the sunset.

***

Remember how 'Sunfall' went way out there with Mangus animating a dragon's corpse, Silverspeak blasting off into outer space, and an apocalyptic, sci-fi feel? Remember how that didn't really mesh well with the tone of the original? Needless to say, 'Ascension' would have taken the cake in that regard.

I originally thought setting a new story far in the future and going with a heavy science fiction aspect would have made for a more interesting story, as well as exploring the moral and ethical aspects of cloning, and to try and tell a post-trilogy story that didn't rely on undoing everything that came before in order to exist. In the very first version of the outline, there was even a whole time-traveling adventure where Clone Silverspeak would chase Proto through various parts of the original story in an effort to keep him from changing history, ending with the two of them in Saddle Lanka's hospital, in a Mexican standoff with the original Silverspeak as a day-old infant in the center (an equally young Mangus would also have been glimpsed in said hospital). There also would have been a lot more clones that Proto would have created as a means of constantly testing his fighting, organization, leadership, and deception skills against hundreds of Mane sixes, Thoraxes, Chrysalis' and the like.

But in the end, I've realized that it was all too much, and so far away from the tone of the original that it's ridiculous. Still, I do like the idea of a flawed clone battling a complete clone, the idea of a cloned couple's love for each other being just a genetic memory that's not real, and the long-dead Silverspeak encouraging his clone to find his own path, as well as giving him a hint to help him stop Proto for good. But a few good ideas do not make a good story, and thus, 'Ascension' will remain unwritten, a what-if that's non-cannon, and a further reinforcement of the idea that sometimes it's best to just let a completed project stay that way.

No, really, 'Sunfall' was the last we'll see of Silverspeak. This isn't a Marvel movie post-credit scene teasing the next installment. Now, go outside and fly a kite or something.

Comments

[StormDancer]

Still a wonderful story, and not a bad idea in the least. Glad you shared the outline. It's always a treat to come across a semi-dark, somewhat more technical/realistic story, and Monster Below and its kin have certainly held that standard.