//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: Ink // by kudzuhaiku //------------------------------// Beyond the door was sky, and Twilight Sparkle snatched Sumac out of the air before he could start to fall. She flipped him around, having done this many times, and plopped him on her back, right in the spot where Spike usually sat. One day, Spike would be too big, there would be a reversal of roles, and she would ride on Spike’s back. One day, if she was patient, she would be able to make an epic entrance as a princess, even if she was an old mare at that point. Far, far below them was a spread of endless blue that Twilight first mistook for the ocean, but upon closer inspection she realised it was poison joke. Off on the horizon, to her right, she saw darkness, a vast swirling swarming storm, and lightning crackled. To her left, she saw light, she saw a flickering, dying sun, providing only a little wan illumination. For reasons she could not explain, terror gripped her. In the darkness, a face formed in the clouds, a face of incomprehensible size whose features were made of darkness, clouds, and thunder. It was goat-like, horrifying, and moving right at her with terrific speed. She knew who it was, she knew him all too well, and her blood went cold with recognition. “Grogar!” Sumac hollered while his horn began to charge up. Sensing the colt’s magic, Twilight set Sumac straight. “He isn’t real, Sumac. Nothing we do will affect him. You’re very brave, but fighting him isn’t the answer. Let us head towards the light. The poison joke will keep him away.” Banking, Twilight headed for her left, and when she leveled out, she noticed a castle in the distance, a small, crumbling mess of a castle. She flapped her wings, gaining some speed, and she noticed the magic in the aether passing through her feathers. The magic here felt wrong, off somehow. It was unpleasant getting traction in the aether with her primaries, and her wings began to feel… greasy… somehow. It was a vile sensation that she held an intense dislike for. “The magic here has gone bad!” Sumac shouted over the wind. “It would be even worse without the poison joke!” Twilight replied. Staring ahead, Twilight tried to assess things with her senses. The sun was locked in place, frozen over the castle, and she knew that it did not move. If it did, if it moved out of the field of poison joke, it would be gone forever. Nothing about this felt right and Twilight wondered what the circumstances were that brought this about. “What happened here?” She asked, turning her thoughts into words. She did not expect an answer. Yᴏᴜ ʙᴇᴀʀ ᴡɪᴛɴᴇss ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴅ. The voice coming out of Sumac’s mouth was terrifying, and the magic he radiated was even more so. Twilight now flew in an unnatural position, with her head facing backwards, trying to see Sumac. The colt was hot against her spine, and the greasy feeling in her wings subsided. Sumac’s eyes were glowing black, and ink dribbled down in the form of tears from the corners. Tʜɪs ɪs ᴀ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ Rᴏʏᴀʟ Pᴏɴʏ Sɪsᴛᴇʀs. Tʜᴇʏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʟᴇғᴛ, ᴛʜᴇʏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀʙᴀɴᴅᴏɴᴇᴅ ᴛʜɪs ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ, ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ɢᴏɴᴇ ʙᴇʏᴏɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴀʀs ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ᴛʀᴜsᴛᴇᴅ ғᴇᴡ ᴛᴏ sᴛᴀʀᴛ ᴏᴠᴇʀ. Lɪғᴇ ʙᴇɢɪɴs ᴀɴᴇᴡ ᴇʟsᴇᴡʜᴇʀᴇ. “What caused this to happen?” The cold tingles in her dock were almost crippling as Twilight turned her head back around so she could see where she was going. Aʟʟ ᴏғ ᴛʜɪs ᴡᴀs ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴅᴏɪɴɢ. “What?” Twilight shook her head hard enough that she wobbled in flight. “No! How is this my doing? How is this my fault? Yᴏᴜ ғᴀɪʟᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀs ᴛʜᴇ Pʀɪɴᴄᴇss ᴏғ Fʀɪᴇɴᴅsʜɪᴘ. Yᴏᴜ ʙᴇᴛʀᴀʏᴇᴅ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴏᴡɴ ᴠᴀʟᴜᴇs ᴀɴᴅ ᴀᴄᴛᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴀ ᴍᴀɴɴᴇʀ ᴜɴʙᴇᴄᴏᴍɪɴɢ ᴏғ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ʀᴇᴘʀᴇsᴇɴᴛ. Knowing this wasn’t real, Twilight chose not to respond, and after a few moments, she felt the magic retreating from Sumac. In her mouth, there was a painful electrical current as her teeth ground together and she tasted thunder on her tongue. This was like one of Luna’s dreams, but worse, somehow much worse, and she hated it. A long time ago, she had chided Tarnished Teapot for taking responsibility for his own actions, managing and owning up to his talent. Yet, she was a hypocrite, and she knew it. She had made a decision while under the influence of said magic, a terrible, life changing decision, a bad decision, and being under the influence of strange magic was no excuse. She had failed to take responsibility for her own actions, and she had not checked to see if she might be under undue influence. It had been a powerful lesson as a princess. Drawing nearer to the light, she saw that she recognised the castle; it was the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters. It was a ruin, but still better than nothing. There were ponies around it, a vast throng of them, and Twilight dove down to get a better look. It seemed as though there was something going on, something big, something important. Folding her wings just a few feet in the air, Twilight landed with a solid plop on the ground. Sumac let out a grunt and the colt did not leave her back, even though he was kind of big and this was rather awkward. Being an aunt meant bearing much awkwardness, Twilight had learned that. What she saw made her flesh contract and contort. In the middle of the massive mob there was a pony, a tall, gangly pony that she knew all too well. Tarnished Teapot had seen better days. He was covered in scars, missing an eye, and his face held none of its usual warmth. Two other familiar ponies remained close to his sides, Limestone and Marble Pie. The two mares looked ferocious and dangerous. Not far from Tarnish was a beaten-looking Flam Apple, bound and surrounded on both sides by Maud and Pinkie Pie. Twilight did not like how Pinkie looked, her mane and tail had no curl whatsoever, and her eyes had a manic gleam that was most unsettling. Overhead, the sun flickered and crackled, coming closer to death with each passing minute. “Flam Apple, you have sold out all of ponykind,” Tarnish said, his voice strange and unnerving. “You came crawling to me seeking mercy, a refuge, but I tell you, there is none to be had here. All of this misery is your doing.” When Tarnish spoke, Flam Apple began blubbering, and Pinkie Pie punched him in the ribs for doing so, causing him to bleat in pain. It was almost more than Twilight could bear to witness, and from behind her, Sumac’s breathing sounded troubled. Ears perking, Twilight noticed Tarnish inhaling, no doubt to say more. “You sold your son out to HER! The damned cutie mark thief, and she gave him to Grogar to gain his favour! You gave him to HER! Her of all ponies! The destiny thief! The thief of purpose! She stole our future, she stole our marks, and she paved the way for his coming! Every pony that might have been a threat to Grogar, she undid them, stealing their mark and any chance we might have had at beating him!” Twilight knew who Tarnish was speaking of and hearing these words made her soul shrivel while she thought of Starlight Glimmer. Even she had not forseen this, or thought of this as an outcome. Sumac’s forelegs tightened around her neck, and she could feel him breathing against the back of her head, his barrel hitching and heaving as he was no doubt holding back his sobs. “You have condemned all of us to die, so you, Flam Apple, must die. You will find no sanctuary here.” “I didn’t have a choice!” Flam shrieked. “We all have choices,” Tarnish replied. “You made a poor one. Coming here has been your undoing. Now, kneel, and I might grant you the mercy of a swift death.” “No…” Flam let out a gibber of fear and his eyes began darting around, looking for some sympathetic individual that might save him. “Now, Flam… my wives, they’re cranky and unpredictable. You’ve already upset them. Just seeing you made Marble a bit weepy, and that put her in a bad mood. And when Marble is in a bad mood, they’re all in a bad mood, because she’s the sweet one.” A cruel smile graced Tarnish’s lips, and his remaining eye glittered with playful malice. “Tarnished Teapot is the Last Light, and you will do as he says!” Limestone commanded. Perhaps triggered by Limestone’s words, the vast crowd began to chant, “Last Light!” “I am the Last Light,” Tarnish said, raising his voice. “I keep all of you alive. I keep the darkness away. I alone hold back Grogar and I am a kind, gracious sort to share my little patch of civilisation and light with all of you. I provide for your needs! Your food grows in the soil that I purge of poisons.” Tarnish’s grin became unbearable to witness, and he continued, “Today, I am feeling generous. What would all of you like to see happen to Flam, the pony that sold us all out?” One pony shouted in return, “Quartering!” “Quartering!” Tarnish gasped in mock-surprise, sounding like a showpony. “QUARTERING!” the crowd roared as one. No! Twilight shook her head, not wanting to believe that her precious, beloved little ponies could fall to such a level of barbarity. It was terrifying how much the crowd adored Tarnish, and how they seemed to worship him. It was even more terrifying how much power he had, she could feel it radiating from him, and he was indeed, holding the darkness back. Tarnish had become the Last Light. In a world with no princesses, he was somehow holding the darkness and the corruption back. “QUARTERING! QUARTERING! QUARTERING!” “Hey, you lovely ladies of mine, you wanna help me quarter a pony?” Tarnish asked. “I’d love to,” Maud deadpanned. “That sounds like a party!” When Pinkie spoke, a little curl appeared in her mane. Limestone rubbed up against Tarnish with her lip curled back in a snarl and a look of intense lust could be seen in her eyes. Even more disturbing was Marble, who looked up at Tarnish with a look of worshipful, somewhat shy adoration upon her face. For the first time, Twilight noticed the swell in Marble’s belly, the graceful curve that extended beyond her ribs. Even now, at the end, life somehow continued, even if it was doomed life. “No!” Twilight commanded as her wings unfurled. “NO! I didn’t allow this to happen! I owned my mistake! I admitted to it! I made amends! I didn’t allow this to happen! I welcomed Tarnish back and I’ve spent almost every day of my life trying to make up for my error! I strove to be a better princess so I would never make the same mistake twice!” While Twilight spoke, shackles and chains were being put on Flam, and body harnesses were being secured to the Pie sisters. She could feel that Sumac had buried his face into her mane. Frustrated, she stomped her hoof into the ground and glared at the ponies that could not see her. The chains were being connected to the Pie sisters now, and Flam made pitiful, pleading whimpers. “NO!” Twilight’s voice was like thunder, and in the distance, the dark face in the clouds answered with his own thunderous sound, laughter. “It was painful and embarrassing, but I owned my mistake! I owned it! I even made a public admission that I had done wrong, and I asked everypony to forgive me for what I had done! It was difficult and painful but I did it! NO!” Words failed Twilight when she heard all-too familiar laughter. She choked, now unable to speak, and she heard the sound she loved most, Pinkie Pie’s precious laughter, only now it was cruel, distorted, and mean. Twilight felt her heart breaking within her barrel and she stared at the mare that she had started to open her heart to. Twilight began to sob, only it was not tears that flowed down her muzzle, but ink. A river of ink poured from her eyes while the four Pie sisters began to pull in four different directions, and soon enough, Flam Apple’s body would give out under such strain. He let out a pitiful screech of pain, and there was nothing Twilight could do. Ink trickled from her eyes, but did not stain her lavender coat. “I took responsibility and I did not allow this to happen,” Twilight said, her voice cracking. All around her, the colour began to bleed away and everything became paper. Twilight watched it as it happened, still spilling out inky tears, and she suspected that Sumac too, was also shedding inky tears. Everything stopped moving, and paper Flam was spared a horrendous death from the paper Pie sisters. The paper ponies in the crowd had gone silent, and no longer chanted out their bloodlust. Everything began to fold, there was much rustling and flapping as the paper folded itself out of existence. One by one, the inhabitants of this reality began to vanish, and Twilight watched them go, mourning them, mourning what they represented. The last to vanish was Tarnish, and his tall paper body was gone in seconds, folding away into nothingness. Twilight now stood in a vast, endless plane of paper that stretched out forever in all directions and the only thing that stood out was a nearby door. No wall, no structure, just a paper door with a paper doorknob that stood out like a monolith amongst the vast emptiness that was the endless plane of paper. While she stood watching, colour appeared on the door, and Twilight saw a cutie mark taking shape that she knew all too well. A wine glass with a swirl representing magic around the stem. She felt Sumac tensing, and then he slid down off of her back to stand upon the endless paper expanse. “No,” Sumac whispered. “Not that.” “It’s the only door out, Sumac.” “I can’t face that.” The colt began to shake his head. “Twilight… I know what lies beyond that door… I can’t let you see what I did… you’ll be disappointed with me.” Twilight steeled her nerves and wiped away her inky tears with her foreleg. “Sumac, what do you think is beyond the door?” “Manehattan,” he breathed. “I was desperate, Twilight… I didn’t mean it… I’m so sorry… Pebble, Moon Rose, and I, we keep it a secret… what I did… what I did… I figure that Luna knows, but she’s good at keeping secrets too.” “Whatever happened,” Twilight began, “I’m sure it was necessary and excusable. We have to face it to move forwards.” “No,” Sumac whined and he shrank back. “I’ll be with you,” Twilight promised. “Every step of the way, I’ll be with you. Sumac, I kind of feel that I failed you that day. I’ve always second guessed myself and wondered if perhaps, I should have kept you with me. If this really is Manehattan, this time, we’ll face it together.” Her eyes lingered on Belladonna’s cutie mark. “This time, you won’t be alone, Sumac.” “But I did wrong!” Sumac cried, his voice cracking and becoming shrill. “Shh,” Twilight shushed while she pulled Sumac closer. “I’ve done wrong too. No matter what happens beyond that door, no matter what I see, I will never stop loving you.” “Promise?” Sumac now clung to Twilight’s leg, acting very much like he was five years old again. “Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye—OW!” While speaking, Twilight performed the motions, and once again, as she had many times in the past, she messed up the last part with too much force. “OW! Why does that always happen?” “It hurts to commit to things,” Sumac said, somehow sounding solemn while his voice cracked. “I suppose I’m ready if you are.” Taking a deep breath, Twilight prepared herself to face the next door…