//------------------------------//
// XVII - Decay 
// Story: Pony Fantasy V: Exodus of the Void 
// by GMBlackjack 
//------------------------------//

The six mares began to panic. “Lyra!” Twilight yelled. “Are you sure you can’t gain control?”

“I’m trying but this stuff is really really really complicated Mom!” She yelled, flicking all the levers and buttons. “The magitech just won’t allign correctly!”

<Perhaps I may be of assistance.>

“Earth Crystal!?! You’re dead!” Lyra pointed out. 

<My body is. I uploaded my consciousness to the mainframe in the last moments of my life. I no longer anchor the earth of this word - but I do have some power over this city now that the Evil is no longer using me. I will attempt to break the firewalls, you must re-route power to the secondary generators. Find a place to land.>

Fluttershy blinked. “Um… why are we trying to save the city? My meteor ship can just get us out of here-“

“There’s an entire nation of crystal ponies above us.” Applejack said. “We can’t just let them die.”

“Not much we can do…” Twilight said. “It’s up to Lyra and the Earth Crystal now…”

Applejack nodded. “Grab Rainbow and Rarity. We have to get going.”

“You sure your ship still has enough power Fluttershy?”

“It was the only one designed to return home.” Fluttershy said meekly, seeming a bit shaken by all the tension in the air. “I… It can easily get us down to the ground and back home.”

“ALL ABOARD!” Applejack yelled. Rainbow Dash snapped out of it, grabbing Luna’s body and dragging it towards the meteor with a newfound determination. Rarity just clung to her mother, her never-ending stream of tears dampening the ground. 

The six mares piled into the meteor, and Pinkie and Fluttershy immediately set to work manipulating the holographic interface. The meteor shot out of the City of Man. 

Meanwhile, in the control room, The Earth Crystal’s intelligence and Lyra were hard at work - they had an ancient falling apart city to land. 

<We need a large crevasse to set down in… A crater, so we don’t upset our structural balance.>

“There’s a giant hole in Uniforge where the Fire Crystal exploded.” Lyra said. “That might work…”

<It does seem like the optimal position.>

“Power has been rerouted!” Lyra whooped. “It’s… Well it’s not even close to enough to get us back in the sky but maybe it’ll slow us down enough for a somewhat smooth landing…”

<This will not be smooth by any measure of the word. Firing all thrusters.>

The City of Man fired all it’s functional engines, powerful streams of blue fighting against the ever-present pull of gravity itself. The plummet of the tremendous city began to slow as it guided itself down towards the Uniforge Crater at a high speed.

The crystal ponies began to scream, the pegasi running away - some taking who they could, others just fleeing with their own bodies. The City of Man fell closer and closer to the ground.

“This is going to hurt…” Lyra said, wincing. Bon Bon hugged her tight as they braced for impact. 

The scorched earth of Uniforge Crater met with the metallic underbelly of the City of Man with a tremendous CRUNCH. Metal creaked and groaned, entire sections of the ancient city flying off. A few buildings toppled, and some crystals cracked…

But when the dust cleared, the City of Man stood, stable. A grand monument where the ruins of Solamane Castle once was. It seemed… beautiful as the crystal-topped structure glinted in the sunlight.

The ponies of Uniforge stared on in awe as a meteor lightly set itself down to the side of the grandiose city that had just fallen from the sky. 

The minister’s jaw dropped. WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED?

The six mares crawled out of the meteor-ship, staring up at the successfully landed city. “They did it.” Twilight said, smiling. “They landed the city!”

Applejack smiled. “They sure did.”

“HOW CAN YOU ALL BE SMILING AT A TIME LIKE THIS?” Rarity yelled. “THE FOUR CRYSTALS ARE GONE! THE WORLD IS DOOMED TO DECAY INTO NOTHING! WE HAVE FAILED! MOTHER IS DEAD!”

Applejack and Twilight backed away sheepishly.

“It’s… worse than that actually…” Pinkie said. “Exdeath has returned to my world. And… If I know him, he’s going to try and destroy it as well…” She sighed, turning to Fluttershy. “We have to go after them.”

Fluttershy nodded. “The ship is ready to launch. We should get back and protect them…” She frowned. “I’m sorry I didn’t come fast enough…”

“It’s okay Fluttershy. You did what you could.” Pinkie turned to her friends. “I’m sorry… I have to go protect my world. It was good while it lasted.”

Applejack stamped. “We should come with you.”

Pinkie shook her head. “This world is in need of heroes more than ever. With this city and the Earth Crystal on your side, you might be able to salvage something… You might be able to survive in an element less world. But they will need leadership. They will need guidance. And you are exactly the kind of ponies to lead this world into a new era.” She smiled. “You will save this world when all think it is doomed.”

Applejack took a step back. “I…”

“No buts. We have to go now. Be the heroes this world needs.” Pinkie smiled, giving applejack a balloon. “Perhaps once we defeat Exdeath, I shall return here. See how you guys are doing. Help this world that I destroyed.”

“You didn’t do anything-“ 

“I sealed Exdeath here.” Pinkie’s cheerful demeanor faltered. “I brought this down on everyone. Me and my original team…” A tear dropped down her cheek. “Just… be good to this world, okay?”

Applejack sighed. “Okay.”

“Good. Rainbow Dash? I hope to see you again one day, so we can sail the high sees.”

“You bet it… Captain.” Rainbow Dash said, smiling through her tears. 

“Rarity, I offer you my condolences. This.. was never supposed to happen.”

“I… I know Pinkie.” Rarity sniffed. “It… Isn’t really your fault…”

“Twilight, keep inventing things. You may save the world with your ingenuity.”

Twilight bowed. “I will try.”

Pinkie waved. “Bye!” The pink mare and her yellow daughter crawled into the meteor, which lazily floated back up into the air before catapulting into the sky and unleashing a sonic boom.

They were gone.

Lyra and Bon Bon walked up. “So… Went back to their world then?” Lyra asked.

“Yeah…” Twilight said, frowning. “I… I can’t help but feel we should have gone with them…”

Lyra put a hoof on her mother’s shoulder. “They’ll be fine. We have our own problems to worry about.”

—

Rainbow Dash and Rarity were sitting on a balcony, thinking about those lost. 

Rairty spoke first. “I… I don’t know what to think anymore. We failed.”

“Yep.” Rainbow Dash said, staring off into the distance. 

“The crystals are gone… she’s dead… Pinkie’s gone… all I have… is…” She turned to Rainbow Dash, the hints of a smile on her face. “You, my sister.”

“No.”

“What?” 

“I said no.” Rainbow Dash nipped. “I’m not your sister.”

“But…”

“That means nothing. Blood relations mean nothing. Death means nothing. You aren’t my sister.”

Rarity began to tear up again. “But Rainbow I-“

Rainbow Dash snapped. “YOU DON’T GET TO REPLACE SPIKE DO YOU UNDERSTAND? DO YOU? NOBODY DOES! NOT MOTHER! NOT YOU! NOBODY!”

Rarity took several steps back. “I… I wasn’t trying to.”

Rainbow Dash’s face contorted into one of regret and sorrow. She shook it away, steeling her face into an angry expression. “Well, you were doing a pretty good job of pushing it. This means nothing. We aren’t even heroes anymore. We’re just failures.” She took off into the sky, not looking back.

—

Applejack stared at the entrance to the desert of Shifting Sands.

The Sands weren’t moving. It was just a normal desert now. She could walk to the pyramid if she wanted. 

She felt it - when the Earth Crystal shattered, she felt her connection to the ground severed. She had been a farmer in her early life, and… Well… She had felt a kinship with the earth itself since she was a filly.

And now that was gone. Dead. The world meant nothing. 

She planted her rump into the ground and she stared into the sky.

She felt like she had to do something…

But she didn’t know what…

—

The Minister and Flash Sentry were arguing left and right about how the two nations were going to interact. Twilight groaned. “CAN’T YOU TWO JUST GET ALONG?” 

The Minister and Flash Sentry blinked. “Uh…”

“THE WORLD IS DYING AND YOU TWO JUST CAN’T STOP ARGUING!” Twilight groaned. “Just… Just try to live would you?”

The two stallions looked to the ground, a little ashamed. “I’m sorry Twilight…” The Minister said. “It’s just… this has been a trying time for all of us.”

“I know…” She said. “I know…”

—

Lyra and Bon Bon stood in the control center of the City of Man. They had been there for several hours, just talking to each other about everything. They had just spent a long time in meetings over the past few days, and the two of them had just found their niche in the world. They seemed to fit perfectly as mediators between the Crystal Ponies and the ponies of Uniforge.

<Your mother and your friends seem to be having difficulty accepting their new role.> The Earth Crystal said. <Yet, you two seem to be doing just fine.>

Lyra looked up, blinking at the disembodied voice. “I guess so… I feel bad for her actually…”

<Perhaps you could lift their burdens. They want to do something more active.>

“How? Pinkie took the meteor-“

<This city is equipped with numerous transdimensional pods. Exdeath took one when he went back to the Otherworld. There are a couple more functional ones. You could give it to them.>

Lyra looked to Bon Bon. “Think we can take care of things for them while they’re gone?”

Bon Bon sighed. “Yeah… Nobody besides Twilight’s been doing anything anyway. I’ll go gather them.”

—

Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack, and Twilight gathered in the City of Man where Bon Bon had told them. Rainbow Dash and Rarity were shooting sad glances at each other form time to time, but refused to speak to each other. Applejack looked depressed. And Twilight was haggard, her hair fraying at the edges. 

Lyra smiled. “I suppose you’re wondering why I called you all here today.”

“The thought had crossed my mind sugarcane.” Applejack said.

“I’m here to give you a chance to do something.” She smiled. “Behind me is a ship constructed by the ancient humans to travel between worlds. We can send you to Pinkie’s world, the Otherworld. The Earth Crystal says it can guide it. You can go help Pinkie.” She smiled. “You don’t have to stay here.”

“But Pinkie told us to stay…” Twilight said.

Lyra smiled. “Me and Bon Bon can take care of things here. You all… You are still the Warriors of Light.”

<You are still Our chosen.> The Earth Crystal’s voice boomed. <Even with us gone, you still carry our power. The Evil Exdeath is your enemy. It cannot be allowed to run free. I know that he has some other plan beyond simple destruction, and I know whatever it is it can’t be good. It must be stopped. I call upon you, Warriors of Light, once again. This world is no longer in need of Warriors - it is in need of stability. But Warriors are what need to stop Exdeath> 

“But… I’m not a Warrior of Light…” Twilight said.

<Your destiny is intertwined. I sense great change in the future for you.> The Earth Crystal said. <Go. You have done what you need. Your daughter can take care of what you leave.>

Twilight nodded, turning to the other three mares. “Well…?”

Rarity and Rainbow Dash glanced at each other sadly, but nodded. “We need to go.” Rarity said. “I have the dreadful feeling Pinkie needs us.”

Rainbow Dash nodded as well. “Yeah… We can’t let Exdeath get away with what he’s done. He needs to suffer personally.” 

Applejack smiled, her depression waning away. “Well, shucks. This sounds like a really bad idea.” She laughed. “But since when has any of this been a good idea?”

Lyra nodded, showing the four mares the door to the pyramid-shaped craft. They crawled in the golden doorway, sitting on the comfy seats that were a bit too tall for them. They buckled their seatbelts and the door closed behind them.

“BYE!” Lyra yelled. “COME BACK SOON!”

“We will!” Twilight waved.

<Launch.>

The ship launched into the sky, blasting away the atmosphere with ease. Stars filled the cockpit window, the four mares’ eyes filling with the light of space. 

<Directing course to sun.>

“WHAT?” Applejack said. “THE SUN?”

Twilight smiled. “A dimensional jump will require a lot of power… The sun will provide. It’s fire is not powered by the Fire Crystal…”

The ship flew into the corona, the fires of the sun licking the outside of the craft heating it to a glowing white temperature. The ships nose began to glow a light blue.

<Initiating jump. I may loose communication with you. The ship should direct towards the planet automatically.>

“Great.” Applejack said, grinning despite herself. “Knew this was a bad idea.”

“Bad ideas are the best.” Rainbow Dash remarked, smirking.

Twilight grinned. “Bring it.”

Rarity sighed. “Oh, well, I guess I better get into this as well. Darlings…” Her face produced a rather evil looking grin. “LET’S CRASH THIS SHIP!”

The ship vanished in a flash of blue, shifting realities instantly. Connection with the Earth Crystal’s intelligence was lost, and the ship spiraled towards the new world…

It was definitely going to crash. 

And the four ponies inside were giggling like madmares.