//------------------------------// // Chapter 35 // Story: The Bill-inning // by EmperorDalek //------------------------------// Meeting with The Daishinkan *Bzzt* Re-appearing from his Instantaneous Movement to the edge of the Everfree Forest, Kami lowers the fingers from his forehead. His arm hanging beside his body as he steps forward. Gently walking along the edge of the forest until reaching a passage. Then turning right and following it into the forest. Many red eyes watching him from amidst the trees. Glowing brightly in the forest’s darkness. Though, even the wildest beast dares not to attack Kami. Feeling something…off, about him. Thus, merely observing the humanoid. The eyes following him as he passes by tree after tree. However, despite many only watching him, a pair of bloodshot eyes watches him intently. Silently following him as he continues putting as much distance between himself and the equines as possible. Snarling and growling as it trails after him. ***** After walking through the forest for a while, he soon comes upon a cave entrance leading into the earth. Approaching the entrance, he shows hesitation about entering it. His pursuers stopping at the trees. Merely watching him from the trees as the darkness envelops him. Stepping out from the trees, one of the carnivorous creatures tries to enter the cave. However, upon getting within three steps of the cave a symbol above the cave entrance begins emitting a fiery glow. A triangle with a circle and line inside it appears! The carnivorous creature staring at the symbol in terror. Whimpering as it turns and runs back towards the forest. Leaping back into the trees where it, much like the other carnivores, watch the symbol die down. Becoming just an indent above the cave entrance. Within the cave, Kami silently follows a dark and long-since forgotten corridor. The corridor leading into a vast, dark chamber where only a single walkway extends out into the darkness. Without hesitating, he walks out onto the walkway. Following it as it stretches onwards. Eventually walking past several large stained windows. Windows depicting various points in history. Some, more important than others. One such window depicting three figures outstretching their hands with several symbols suspended above one them. Two figures (left and center) being male, but the remaining being a female. Together, they’re using each of their symbols to banish a dark figure. The dark figure cracking into thousands of pieces at their power. At continuing onwards, the window is once again enveloped by the all-encompassing void around him. Suddenly stopping in place at sensing something. Gently lowering his head, he looks down inside the void. Staring into the void, only for a pair of glowing eyes to open. A frown on his face at staring down into the red eyes. Staring sternly back at the glowing eyes, he extends his arm out. “Sleep! Hear my command!” he calls out to the unseen creature. Snarling at him, the unseen creature closes its eyes. Silence soon overtaking the void. Staring back into the void for a few seconds, before continuing along the walkway. Crossing the walkway for what feels like an infinity, he eventually reaches the other side. Stepping off the walkway, and entering another corridor. Following the corridor until finally glimpsing a light at the other end. Gently raising his head and looking up as the light envelops him. A sudden flash of light happening in front of him. A smile spreading across his face at the figure greeting him in the room. Bowing respectfully before the hooded figure. “Hello, Kami.” The figure greets in a warm, friendly tone. “I can see you’ve not changed in the slightest,” the figure giggles. “We all change, mam, but not in the ways one would expect.” “Rise, Mr. Poet.” Waving her hand with a humored tone, Kami stands back up again. “It has been a while since your last visit, hasn’t it?” “Yes, well, a certain – ahem – distraction kept me from seeing you sooner.” He says, hanging his head. Her raising a confused brow at him hanging his head. “Oh?” “Yes…for you see, -“ he nervously stutters. “I e-encountered Frost again!” Her brows jumping surprised. “Oh dear,” she softly utters. Gently holding a hand to her mouth. A silence falling on the room. “W-well?!” she nervously inquires. “W-was it rough?!” Saying nothing, he lowers his head. “Oh dear.” Her expression changing into a frown. “Judging by your silence, it’s safe to say that your encounter wasn’t pleasant.” Closing his eyes, his hangs his even further. “I…” he momentarily hesitates,” I threw him into a sun.” Her brows jumping at this surprising news. A shocked look on her face at hearing this from him of all beings. Exhaling a heavy sigh, she closes her eyes. Shortly opening it, and looking across the room towards him. “So, all this time has been for not?” His head shooting up and eyes widening. Turning her head left, she closes her eyes. Averting eye-contact. “N-no, you misunderstand!” He exclaims at quickly turning back towards her. Extending his arm towards her as she sighs heavily. “And here I was thinking that your visit was a reflection of my instructions having paid off...obviously not!” “N-no, you don’t understand!” He exclaims, stretching out his arm towards her. “It was the Cybermares!” Shocked, her eyes shoot open. Her head snapping back towards him with a nervous expression. “They upgraded him before I could save him...forcing me to destroy him before he could be activated.” Her look of shock getting worse. Slowly averting her gaze as beads of sweat begin trailing down along her temple. Her eyes twitching fearfully at raising a hand to her chin. “This is bad! Really, really, really bad!” This time it was his turn to give a fearful look. “I-if someone as powerful as Frost could fall to mere Cybermares-“ “They were also lead by a new Cyber Controller…with a humanoid form!” Freezing in place, her head slowly rotates back towards him. Her face finally visible from the displayed fear on her face! “A C-cyber C-controller…i-in humanoid form?!” “Indeed!” he nods. “I have no idea where he came from, or even how the Cybermares were able to obtain such a powerful leader, but I’ve disposed of him. Reducing him to ashes!” “Even so, that is hardly enough to put my worries to ease!” “Huh? What do you mean? I’ve already destroyed him.” “Even so, just imagine what alterations to the Cybermares’ species that’s been caused under his leadership!” “They could even possibly be moving to destroy Equestria as it’s now proven itself unconquerable!” Kami’s eyes widening with a shocked expression on his face. “We cannot assume that these new Cybermares are as overconfident as their predecessors! They will most likely gather with other forces and begin preparing for Equestria’s destruction!” “B-but then I’ve got to do something!” Turning around, she stares sternly at him. “Yes, you do!” Extending her hand, she points her index finger directly at him. “Hunt down and eliminate the Controller’s remaining forces! We must extinguish the Cybermare threat before the entire universe is enflamed by the Cybermares’ return!” “Y-yes, mam!” Raising his arm to his chest, he bows before her. “Do not return until every single Cybermare is destroyed! Am I clear!?” “Y-yes, mam!” His body shivering at the thought of the Cybermares returning and another Cyber-war breaking out. “We’ll see!” Putting her arms behind her back, she begins hovering into the air. “Remember, Kami: to close the triangle the pieces must come together!” “Hm?” Before he can ask her what she meant by that, a multi-colored portal opens behind her. As her body vanishes within the, the vortex disappears shortly as well. The light in the chamber dying down a bit. “I swear I won’t fail this time!” Balling his fists at staring the figure left behind in the room. Quickly turning around and running down the corridor…leaving the Tree of Harmony to itself once more! Without stopping, he ran all the way back through the corridor, across the walkway and past the stained-glass window of the trio combating the dark force, and through the corridor. Running out of the corridor so fast that the creature hiding in trees were knocked off their feet! Blood-shot eyes widening surprised at his speed! A shockwave shooting through the nearby trees. Nearly blowing them away at him speed-running as fast as he can to an open field. “Huh? What’s that?” Celestia asks at hearing and seeing an explosion in the distance. A trail of smoke stretching throughout the Everfree Forest. “Hmm... I wonder if that’s where he went off too.” Igniting her flaming aura, she begins flying after the trail of destroyed trees. Finally stopping in a field where a cloud of dust is blown up at him stopping. Quickly raising two fingers to his forehead to Instant Transmission away from Equestria before Celestia can find him. Hoping to sneak away before she tries to convince him to stay. Having no enjoyment for goodbyes like that. Raising his head and looking to the heavens, he focuses on returning to his planet. Not noticing a silhouette appearing through the settling dust. Slowly approaching him as it extends its arm towards him. “There!” He exclaims, only to feel something on his shoulder. Turning around, only for his eyes to widen at seeing the figure. “No!” he softly utters. His concerned eyes staring into the figure’s confident ones! *Bzzt* Before there’s a chance of stopping the instant transmission, both figures vanish. Leaving the dust behind to settle. Revealing both to have vanished! A short while later, another figure arrives at the field. Silently, the form of Celestia hovers in the air above the field. Looking down upon it to find obvious traces that something’s happened. However, her inquiry about Kami’s whereabouts are immediately interrupted when her head immediately back. Looking into the distance at sensing something. Brows narrowing as an approaching shadow falls upon her. Distorted black and blue lightning shoot back and forth across the sky. Even her flying is affected as the ground begins shaking violently. Loose objects and creatures float off the ground into the air. Far away, the pyramid’s pieces are coming undone. Falling out of place and violently slamming into the ground. Despite its otherworldly construction, the pyramid cannot handle the powers clashing within! The balance that is achieved through their chaos is destabilizing the pyramid. A brightly glowing light shoots up into the sky from the pyramid’s tip. A purple explosion erupting in the skies above the shaking pyramid. A shockwave of intense and destructive energy shooting outwards across the world like a destructive tidal wave! Destroying everything it comes into contact with. Nothing but scorched earth and dust remaining after the shockwave passes. “Whoa! What was that?!” Celestia exclaims at sensing an explosion of energy to the South. However, at looking to the South her eyes widen at spotting a rapidly approaching wave composed of destructive energy. “Oh…no!” She softly utters terrified as the wave draws closer and closer. Growing bigger…and bigger!