Oh, Great Spinner!” Chrysalis called out when she saw Twilight enter the prison chamber. Though she was locked behind strange rock-like bars, she appeared anything but a prisoner. The cell was decorated with all manner of comfortable looking cushions and sheets. A low table provided an even surface for a tea set and a large plate of delectable desserts. The changeling had obviously been tearing into the food as a means of comfort. Crumbs and half-eaten baked good were mostly what was left.
Ka’Ran had climbed the ceiling – relative to Twilight’s walking surface – and interacted with some strange glowing crystal. The glow soon stopped and the pony queen immediately felt a pop in her head. The hivemind connection with Chrysalis came back in a rush. She had to stop walking for a moment before she got to the cell bars.
“Good to see you’re alright, Chrysy,” Twilight sighed as she grasped Chrysalis’ hoof through the bars. “Looks like they’ve been very kind to you.”
Chrysalis pouted anyways. “They ran out of the kiwi slushies after I had only three.”
Twilight facehoofed.
“Hey, Ranny,” Pinkie spoke to the arachne as she too climbed the ceiling using suction cups she had gotten from nowhere. “Where do you grow all the ingredients that aren’t mushrooms?”
“We have growth chambers on the surface that are open to the sky,” Ka’Ran answered simply while observing the upside-down mare with interest.
Twilight took the indicative look from Chrysalis to search another cell further down the room. Though Twilight had used a gravity spell on Pinkie and herself earlier, the cells were positioned with proper gravity in mind. So they were all upright as normal, including the individual within this cell. He hardly even looked alive. There was food and water near him, but he didn’t touch it.
“Sombra,” Twilight spoke clearly into the cell.
No response.
She could see him breathing and got the feeling he was conscious even though he was laying in the opposite direction from the front of the cell. So the pony queen looked to the arachne with Pinkie. “Can you take him with us to the Vine?”
“Of course,” Ka’Ran chittered.
“Why did you develop targeted hivemind dampeners?” Twilight asked curiously as they traversed the tunnels to the center of the Temple of the Vine. Honestly, the passages looked no different to her than the ones prior. Rocky and sparsely lit.
“I did not,” Ka’Ran explained. “Our queen ordered it and our engineers did so. Long ago, we had some trouble with changelings. It was many centuries ago. The crystals we developed do not spoil.”
“Heh,” Twilight voiced in amusement. “I suppose they wouldn’t.”
“So then, you must tell me.”
“Must tell what?” Chrysalis interrupted with a frown. She was following just behind Twilight and ahead of Pinkie, who was talking to the arachne behind her.
“Was it fate alone that brought you here or was there another reason? Chance perhaps?” Ka’Ran ventured.
Still not used to the massive spider form walking on so many legs ahead of her, Twilight hesitated a second before replying. “Both, I guess. I intended to come here to talk to the Vine about something, but I had a lot of trouble with that stallion,” she nodded back to the male pony being carried at the back of their group by an arachne. “He also planned to see the Vine for related purposes but separate reasons.”
“Immortality,” Ka’Ran remarked. “It is the only thing any creature ever seeks from the Vine. We protect it, but do not have contempt for those that wish to see it. I will warn you, though. Do not underestimate the power of the Vine or its advice.”
“I don’t intend to,” Twilight defended. She expected it to be old enough to know a few things about the universe.
The tunnel eventually opened up to a bright megachamber. There didn’t appear to be an obvious opening to the surface even though the ceiling was quite high. Twilight saw it after they descended a series of steps to the chamber floor, though. There was a large crack along the center of the roof that allowed dim surface light in. It wasn’t much, though, and was mostly overpowered by the bounty of glowing crystals and gem torches that filled the chamber walls and lined the path leading to the center. Another schism was there in the floor, filled only with darkness.
They walked the path lined with statues of all manner of creatures, some arachne and most not. There were even two alicorns statues that looked suspiciously like Celestia and Luna. Another looked like Cadance and the gem torch shining upon her form was pink in hue. Their group of three ponies, one changeling, and three arachne came to a stop on a massive platform raised before the cracks above and below. Four arachne guards were posted there: two on each side.
A rumbling shook the stone floor as the last arachne of their group laid the passive stallion on the ground near Twilight. At last, Sombra bothered to move. His eyes looked as lifeless as the rest of him, but he lifted his head to see first Twilight and then the Vine itself as it shot up in front of them from the abyss below. His mouth hung open in awe even as his intellect reminded him that all of his bargaining leverage had been lost and his body broken.
Twilight’s brows raised with the Vine. She had seen the size of the Tree of Harmony but each tendril of the Vine was far longer than the Tree was tall. At the thickest parts, they were almost as big around as the trunk as well. Six tendrils draped across the chamber while two others shot up through the crack in the ceiling and hung there.
At last we meet!
Twilight recognized the voice of the Vine from long ago when they had interacted with the Tree. The Vine had cut off communication when they attempted to converse. It was a deep and creepy voice that sounded as if it might not be as terrible as it made itself sound.
“Actually, we sort of met bef-”
Destiny has brought you to me! the Vine hurried to interrupt Twilight.
“More like this one,” Chrysalis waved a holey hoof at Sombra, still laying on the floor. He had kept his head up to watch the Vine, however.
Not for yourself or even for this changeling you hold so dear, the Vine continued to ignore their words.
“Chrysalis? What do you mean? I thought that-” Twilight was again cut off.
For many ages have I waited for-
“What do you know about changelings? And Sombra for that matter?” Twilight was the one to do the interrupting this time.
Oh, for Seed’s sake, let me finish, the Vine grumbled. I rehearsed and everything.
Twilight gave a deep sigh and waved her hoof to let it go on.
For many ages have I waited for the One. Chosen from amongst the stars to deliver the turning of ages and a close to the barbarism of the ancients. This divine being would be granted immortality to ensure no devolution to times past might occur. The turning tide would be a sweet lullaby to the suffering of the millennia. Life had become only a curse to some. Those whose lives extended beyond the mere tedium of a single tick of the cosmic clock. Then a light. A pinpoint of hope that our small part of the universe might reach beyond itself-
“Do you have a shorter version?” Chrysalis deadpanned.
It’s not as if you can get any older, the Vine countered smartly.
“Hey!” Chrysalis shook her hoof at it. “What’re you saying?!”
“Vine of Life!” Twilight broke in. “Please! I’d like some answers. And I’d also like to know how and why you grant immortality. Is that something you still do?”
Ugh, the now bored voice of the Vine groaned. Yes. Fine. I do. Happy?
Twilight’s brows flatlined.
You were already made immortal, Queen Twilight Sparkle. The changeling and dragon of yours are immortal as well. There’s nothing I need give them.
“Beg your pardon but-”
Chrysalis interrupted her queen to directly address the Vine. “I’m not immortal, you stupid plant. I just happen to not care as much about it.”
Oh but you are immortal, the Vine argued back. Any changeling sufficiently transformed through true love will never die. At least not of natural causes. Your race has never realized this because it can only come about if the target of the love is immortal themselves.
“Wait,” Twilight’s mind reeled. “You mean that changelings who love other changelings remain mortal because changelings are mortal, but a non-changeling who is immortal can provide immortality to a changeling if they are truly loved by them?”
You are very good at logical conclusions, The Vine remarked more coolly.
Chrysalis frowned at first but then lightened up. She could feel her queen’s emotions over the hivemind. It was a pleasant feeling to know she might forever be able to enjoy Twilight’s love and provide some in return. Moments such as the most recent danger with Sombra were potentially fatal episodes, but they had endured all so far. So she worried little.
“Oh oh oh!” Pinkie bounced over Twilight and hopped rapidly in front of the Vine. “Make me immortal! Make me immortal!”
A low thrum and rumble filled the room along with an explosion of pink light. It sprayed outwards and crackled like a firework exploding at point blank. The center being Pinkie herself. When the blinding light cleared and the group could see again, the terrifying announcement came.
There, the Vine said flippantly. Now don’t go running with scissors.
Twilight and Chrysalis stared in mixed shock and terror at the quick and random act of timeless ascension.
“Woohoo! I’m forever!” Pinkie bounced around like a ping pong ball, leaving rainbow streaks in her wake. “It’s Party for Eternity Time! Infinite birthdays! Yes yes yes yes yes!”
Twilight’s ears folded down in terror as Pinkie jumped and bounced and somersaulted around as if she were about to go nuclear. In fact, the hivemind warned her that the pony was about to go Critical Pink. Twilight whirled towards the Vine. “What have you done?!”
I don’t get to have fun often, it replied with a snort of its own laughter. To say the least, it was strange to hear such an emotion from an oversized plant via a magical voice.
Pinkie was suddenly in front of Twilight’s face, gripping it with her forehooves. “You realize I get to be your designated birthday and holiday planner for ever and ever and ever and ever! That’s four evers!! Forever!!!”
Twilight gulped.
“Cake and balloons and pinatas forever!”
Twilight sweated.
“Just imagine blowing out all one hundred thousand candles on your one hundred thousandth birthday cake made by yours truly!”
Twilight shivered as Pinkie pressed her face into hers.
“Spike can light them for you. After all, he’s going to be there too!”
“Oh dear,” Twilight simply responded in fear.
A voice then croaked out. A voice none expected. It was Sombra, who had never moved from his spot.
“Why did the prophecy never come true?”
The Vine shifted about, as if finally acknowledging his presence.
“I was to rule forever with the princess of the horizon…”
Some sort of rumbling sound came from the Vine, as if it were deciding whether or not it should say anything. Eventually, it did. After all, it figured, there was nothing for it to lose at this point. Sombra had finally been disabled as a threat.
The prophecy was about a princess of great power, a marriage to her, and the ruling of an empire of immeasurable prosperity. It was never explicitly about you. In your mind, it was made to be about you by your own ego. I was the one that leaked the prophecy to you in the hopes you might find her and bring about her ascension. In a twisted way, you did play a part in that. The prophecy was fulfilled, though not for you.
“I don’t understand,” Twilight spoke after placing Pinkie Pie to the side of her and ordering her to behave. “If I am the princess then who was to marry me and what about this empire?”
Her hivemind was piecing together potential situations to fit the vision, but the most likely answer only came to her when the Vine was speaking it.
The one to marry Twilight and rule with her over an empire was not you, the Vine clarified to Sombra. It was Chrysalis.
The changeling was wordless for a moment as she both heard it and reached the conclusion herself. Of course! After all, this was quickly becoming true. She had already planned to wed Twilight and with her queen’s growing influence and capacity for foreign relations, the idea of an “empire” real or figurative was easy to imagine.
“Uh,” Twilight halted herself then spoke out slowly. “Well, that’s...not bad. I mean, nothing really big is going to happen if that’s how the prophecy has been fulfilled. Though, if I’m the head of this ‘empire’ then I hope it is only a difference in translation. Imperialism is not something I want to...”
It can be figurative if you want it to be, the Vine explained. The prophecy came true as a matter of coincidence. I made the whole thing up.
“What?” Twilight turned deadpan. Chrysalis also lost her zeal and groaned.
I was desperate! the plant defended itself. I couldn’t stand another hopeless eon with a world of complaining mortals. Besides, it basically came true, right? Who’s to say it wasn’t some divine prophecy I got from some higher deity?
“It’s just,” Twilight facehoofed again. “It kind of loses the mysterious sacredness when you say that.”
Please forget that part, it responded in turn.
“Forget what?” Chrysalis asked.
You know, the part where I said I made it up.
Twilight held one forehoof down with another to keep it from hitting her face a third time.
Sombra meanwhile had lost himself in a mix of shock and disbelief. How could he have been wrong all this time? How could he have done so much for nothing? But, no, the Vine was still before him and could restore his life in a heartbeat. It could grant him immortality like it had so easily done for that pink pony. The problem was not the possibility but rather his ability to force it to happen.
So he did the last thing he could. It was humiliating, but he had nothing left but death after this.
“Vine of Life, will you grant me immortality?”
Twilight stiffened at the sound of his coarse voice and direct request. She did not like seeing any pony in such poor physical shape, but Sombra had caused incredible suffering and even death in Equestria. She did not want to see him immortalized.
No, it declared, much to the relief of the others. I have long been opposed to Death, as you should imagine. I am not unaware of your actions, nor your intentions. But I do not give Death what it wishes on a whim. I will restore a portion of your health, so the spell that has collapsed your inner magic will not kill you. But until I know you are on my side, I will not restore you completely.
“He’s staying here?” Twilight questioned.
Sombra glanced to her but returned his focus to the Vine. “You are going to imprison me in the dark? With these things?”
Does the dark not suit your tastes? I thought that it would. Your lack of strength may hinder your vitriol, but it does not escape me, the Vine scolded. You are not speaking to the Vine of Death, nor The Vine of Self-Defeat. I’ve waited a long time for Twilight Sparkle to come into being. I would be insane to allow you to meddle with my only hope. You will be treated very well here. I’m sure it will be much better than Twilight would like to allow.
The pony queen took a deep breath. If Sombra got even half the attention that Chrysalis did in her cell then the Vine was quite right. The pegasi, and Equestria for that matter, would never stand for such a situation. It would be considered a “got away with it.”
“Perhaps we should consider him dead,” Chrysalis looked into her queen’s eyes while making the suggestion.
Twilight looked to the Vine in turn.
You should do whatever you need to, it spoke. I’m uninterested with the details.
Twilight hummed in thought and nodded back to Chrysalis. “It’s a plan. As of now, Sombra was killed in action as a result of the long-range teleportation trap. The only ones that know otherwise are the arachne and those of us here. Being killed in action would be the most uniformly accepted end for the public anyways.”
Sombra watched the alicorn. He felt contempt for her ability to do as she pleased. He had been in that position and lost it. Perhaps it was simply the last of his hatred taking a useless turn, but he wished for her to lose it as well. Not that it mattered. He had nothing to live for now. Even the faintest hope of immortality in the future was like ash to him if it meant he would have to bend to the wills and needs of others.
“Some of my other friends,” Twilight continued talking to the Vine. “Rarity especially. But also Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack. I wanted to know if they might be made immortal. With how quickly you did it for Pinkie Pie, I don’t imagine it would be too much to ask…?”
I don’t grant immortality flippantly, the Vine replied grimly at first but then immediately lightened up. However, I take a special case here. As you and these friends of yours have embodied the Elements of Harmony, it is within my obvious interest to ensure that does not end. The passing of the torch, as they say, is such a messy thing. I prefer to count on something more predictable. So I grant your request. Not for others, mind you. The ponies you have mentioned only.
“This is wonderful!” Twilight exclaimed, not sure how else to voice such a thing. “Just...incredible! When will it take effect?”
It already did.
“You mean right now?”
Yes. A few seconds ago.
“This happened with the same light show that happened with Pinkie?”
Yes.
With a thought of what her friends might be doing and where at that moment, the alicorn queen gulped. “Oh my.”