Displaced: Crossing Roads

by Slendy

Chapter 18: Nail In The Coffin

"I rather trust and regret, than to not trust and regret." ~Kirito

"I'm glad I met you."

"Me too, my Good Luck Charm."

Once again, I was forced to cry out at the embarrassing memory of yesterday, the mere thoughts were making my face burn hotly. I then grabbed my pillow, covering my face as I lightly punched it.

"Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid!" I repeated, hoping each strike would somehow rinse the image from my head, sadly, it did nothing at all, expect make me lightheaded, so I threw the pillow aside, staring up at the ceiling of the living-room. He was so kind, he really meant it....but..... "Does he even like me in that way?"

Lumos was hard to read, much of it because he spends most of his time as 'Nox', so his expressions are limited to his eyes or movements, but he was modest, funny, even kind, despite his manic state of mind. But, even if he did, rushing things never did anything right, it was like her enchanting, if you rush, the whole enchantment falls apart. So, if I wait.....maybe.

"GAH, why am I thinking like this~!?" I cried again, burying my face in my hooves, feeling my face burn once more, even my wings weren't helping in acting as fans. "I need help....."

"With which part, because a mid-life crisis is something I want to avoid to the best of my ability?" At the voice, my ears perked, as I turned my golden gaze to look at Gel, her blue eyes a neutral state. "....well, what's....wrong?"

"Don't strain yourself there." I thought, before I pushed myself up to face her. "Just....having a mental breakdown."

"Oh, so the usual, nevermind then." Gel quickly replied, moving towards the basement with a bag on her back. "I may be a changeling, doesn't mean i'm a psychiatrist."

"Wait." I blurted out, causing Gel to stop, but she continued to face the basement door with a neutral stare. "How do you feel about all of this....please?"

Gel sighed, but continued to stare at the door.

"I don't like the idea that all of this came from 'their' world, nor do I care if others blame them for all of this bad luck, to me, we're all to blame, no pony or human is perfect, we have flaws, Changelings are like that too, we're treated like scum, but we try to do better, well, I do anyways." Gel explained, before she ran a hoof through her membrane-like-mane

"I know you don't want them to go, I can still sense emotions, so I know how you feel, but refusing to let them chose their path won't work, it'll only drive them away....all I can is...." Gel's head turned to me, a small smile gracing her face for once. "Be true to yourself."

"Just....be true to myself?" I threw the words around in my head, finding the right way to interpret it, but by the time I looked back, Gel had closed the door to the basement behind her, leaving me to ponder on the meaning more. "I guess....I'll do my best, like I promised."

"Atleast you have that much figured out." I nearly jumped out my skin that time, as my body now flew in the air in fear, before I blinked upside-down at the steel mask. Before a hand scratched the back of his neck. "Its not difficult to be better than me, just being smart is enough to beat me at most things."

"Lumos?" I questioned, before I noticed the extra amount of bandages tied around his arm. "Are you ok, you really shouldn't be walking around after only one day of recovery?"

"I feel fine, mom." He taunted, before he walked slowly for the door. "I'm just going to go clear my head, haven't done so in a while....bye now."

"Bye." I was very confused, he sounded so distant, like his mind was somewhere else entirely, he didn't even try to rant. But right now I had more important things to worry about, as my gaze fell to the note that was sitting on the table below me. "I should probably get moving, I know Twilight hates people being late."

How would I describe the events that I was currently apart of? Well....I think the word Erebus would use is, bullshit. I have been sitting among Twilight's friends, alongside Princess Celestia herself, all discussing Lumos, or 'Nox' in this case, his power, what danger he possesses, all things that would be bias if I were to give my side, so I just sat in the room in utter silence. Heck, Vinyl and Lyra were here too, since they were the most common two ponies to talk to Lumos.

"-I hate to say it, but Erebus might not actually be the biggest threat out of the two of them." At Twilight's suggestion of worry, my ear twitched, as everyone hushed their comments about the two. "You see, Erebus hasn't done 'anything', he just vanishes one day, appears the next, and then just sits by himself or with Nox, there's no doubt in my mind he would intentionally hurt anypony, only if they agitate him, which, seeing is attitude, is near impossible to do."

"And what of Nox, or Lumos as he goes by truly? How is he a bigger threat?" Celestia asked her student, with Dash instantly perking up

"That jerk only cares about himself! Princess Luna was even threatened by him, and Erebus only backed the guy up, I'd rather trust a changeling than him any day!" Careful what you wish for, Dash. I sighed, shaking my head at her blunt displeasure over Lumos, but given what he said a month ago, that doesn't surprise me. "Then there's 'you'."

"Wha?" I blinked, seeing all eyes now on me, making me a little nervous under their stares. Then I calmly spoke up. "I may be friends with Lumos, but that doesn't mean I like the idea of him hurting people."

"I hate to agree with Dashie on this, but wha' makes you cert'n he won't hurt ya'?" Applejack asked, I could even hear the concern in her voice, I mean, I like it, but I'm not some kid who needs to be babysat! Even Pinkie appeared beside me, hugging my head tightly

"Lulu would 'NEVER' hurt, Selene, she's too cute!" That made me giggle sheepishly, before I felt my lungs tighten

"Pinkie, can't....breathe...." Sensing my discomfort, I was freed, allowing myself to inhale heavily, before breathing through my nose again. "Like Pinkie said, Lumos has saved me, 'AND' all of you more than once now, sure, he's slightly temperamental, but....you don't get him....I don't anyone can."

"What he thinks isn't the problem, what matters is if he might be a danger like Discord was, or even Sombra! What then? How do we know we could trust someone from another world?" Twilight pressed urgently, making something in my head snap slightly. "I won't say I don't appreciate his help, but I can't just ignore the fact he might be evil."

Evil....Lumos....?

"Back where me and Erebus came from, it was just us, and someone else we knew online who stayed friends, true friends, everyone else went their separate ways or weren't my friends at all."

"It felt like I was always pressured to do better to keep up with everyone, always striving to do something to impress them back, maybe even gain acceptance too."

Something in me was boiling, I guess it was since I started this meeting with them all, ponies I thought were my friends, but....I couldn't just sit and listen to them plan to hurt Lumos, or even turn him to stone for his attitude, they didn't know him, because he never really trusted them enough to care about how much he was hurt, mentally that is. I finally shut them all up, slamming my hoof on the table, as I ground my teeth together in anger.

"What do you know about 'Evil'!?" I snapped back, glaring back at Twilight with malice, ignoring the pain in my hoof from punching solid crystal. "You don't know Lumos, none of you even tried besides Pinkie to try and help him! All of you couldn't ever begin to understand the pain I saw when he woke up, it wasn't much, but that small window into his soul, I could see it, all the pain, torment, fear, broken promises and trust over years, I....I never thought someone could be so broken inside."

"So, you'd lock up any pony who was angry just because you don't see them for who they are!? What kind-of 'Princess of Friendship' are you then!?" I barked, feeling like steam rushed out my ears in rage, seeing Twilight's mixture of shock, fear, and a small slither of anger, but I didn't care, I wasn't going to listen to ponies I thought were friends, as they planned to hurt Lumos for something he couldn't help. "If you felt like the world hated you constantly, and that you were all alone, what do you think you would do if you had the power to change fate?"

"Selene darling, wait-"

"No! I'm going, if any of you even care about Lumos to try and see him the way me and Erebus do, then you can follow me." Then I turned, tears stinging my eyes as I glared at both Twilight and Princess Celestia, the latter not saying a word. "If you dare to hurt him, I'll make sure Alicorns become a distant myth again....so go ahead, flip that coin."

Upon my warning, I felt my jelly-like legs push the doors open, as my heart continued to race with untold adrenaline, as I made my way toward the exit of the Castle, determined to find Lumos and prove them wrong, even if just a bit. Heh, I have to admit, snapping like that felt great, a bit OOC for me, but hey, no one's perfect.....o-oh Luna, I'm talking to myself like Lumos!

[Minutes Later.....]

"So tell me, why are we stalking him?" Dash spoke up, only to have Applejack throw a hoof over her mouth. The group of them wanting to follow me, much to my surprise that they did. "Mmh!"

"I want to show you something, maybe....maybe this will help us understand him a little better." I spoke calmly, whist some gave me skeptical looks, even Twilight, but I was trying my best to keep my anger from boiling again at the thoughts from before

"I know he's your friend, Selene, really, I can understand that, but we can't-"

"SUP!" Everyone was silenced at the appearance of Erebus, his body floating now beside Lumos, his gaze over the horizon of Ponyville, not a word spoken as Erebus landed, in that same form he called 'Cayde-6'. "Well, you're depressing, can I join?"

"Be my guest." He motioned to a rock nearby, so he sat down, staring off into space. "How'd the search go?"

"Oh, brilliantly, turns out I can take us to any world we see fit, where'd you like to go first? I'll let you have dibs." Erebus happily stated, much to the sinking feeling in my gut, was he...really leaving? "There's Fairy Tail, SAO, RWBY, Borderlands, Fallout, Destiny, you name it, I've only see a handful."

"So, they are deciding to leave this world behind?" Princess Celestia's words hurt, but I guess it was obvious, I mean, our world can't really compare to what they've seen, what I've heard them talk about everyday. Worlds of power, magic, worlds under siege by darkness, with light as the guiding hand, it was an endless oasis, not like Equestria

"I've....been thinking." At this, Erebus didn't retort, deciding to sit back for a moment. "Of all the things we did, what can you say changed our world, turned an insignificant portion into something better?"

"Nothing. Nope. Not a single speck of worth, your point?" Erebus bluntly added, as I stared at Lumos, his gaze drifting to his metal hand, as if he was searching

"Being here, with these powers, all we've done is cause more harm than good, don't get me wrong, I'm having fun pissing on everything Celestia has 'built', her empty title, how equines adore her like she's some great prodigy, its pathetic." Lumos slandered with a chuckle, making some of the others growl with anger. "But I never meant to hurt anyone, not like this."

"You know, whatever you chose, its not like we can't come back and forth, if you like it here, be my guest, I ain't bailing, its your move, I'm just here to kill, maim, and fucking rule, I don't give a shit." Erebus answered evenly, before pointing at Lumos. "Question is, how are 'you' going to play?"

For once, I simply stared in awe, it was strange, these two were a constant influx of bad luck, both butt heads more times than friends should, yet this deeper understanding of each other came from that, this chaos they bring, it always ends with something good, a worth that I don't think any one of us could understand. Even I can't describe it.

"Well, what's the fun in having power, and not having a bit of fun?" Lumos chuckled, before he lifted something at his neck, it was shiny, but I soon saw what it was. The necklace I stuck in his pocket, he kept it. "Lets find us another piece of the game, after-all, its our move."

"Think she's watching us?" Erebus asked, looking up, pointing a black, and white item at the clouds

"Yep, that anti-spiral can do anything, so if she is, let her, it won't matter." Lumos then closed his fist around the amulet in his hand, the same from the Cipher, its form humming with a blue heart beat. "Because I'll fucking kill for this."

"Can I get her powers?"

"You can't, you're Pennywise, he can't 'take' powers from people."

"I could just....well, shoot her, she may have power, but it still a human body."

"Where's the fun in that?"

"Where' the fun in gathering these relics?"

"Because the story demands it!"

"What 'story'? Just because you want to play hero, I just want to kill things!"

"Well we can't do that without a fucking ring leader to get them!"

"Fuck you!"

"Fuck You!"

As the two continued their rant, I turned to see everyone either smiling, sighing, or shaking their heads at the argument at hand. Meanwhile, I felt happy, I wanted to help them, to the best of my ability, if two people with nothing could become this strong, than why not me? I have my enchantments, Gel's runes, all I need it some time, and alot of coffee.

"Hey." At the nudge on my wing, I turned my head to see Twilight, looking shameful. "I'm sorry for doubting you, I guess, I shouldn't judge a book by its cover, right?"

"Its fine, Twilight, you only wanted to keep everyone safe, so do I, just, that also includes 'my' friends too." I then twitched my ear in Erebus, and Lumos' direction, the two now pointing weaponry at each others' heads, this made me face-hoof. "Idiots...."

"That much is clear." Twilight agreed with a smile, before a strange 'bang' rang out, as the rock we sat behind hissed with smoke, before Lumos yelled

"Are you trying to kill me!? I can't slow time!" Lumos yelped again, as Erebus continued to fire pellets from the object in his hand, shattering trees in an instant. "Take a joke, you fucking sociopath!"

"Go fuck a horse, short-stack!"

"Apathetic Loner!"

"Skeleton!"

"Ha, that's actually a compliment, means I ain't a fat-OH SHIT!" Lumos ducked again, anther shot flying over his head, meanwhile, I turned to see Dash whispering to Pinkie

"Ten bits says Erebus hits Lumos." Dash dared, placing a bag between them both, whist Pinkie shoved her head into Dash's

"You're on."

"Magic is friendship, yay." I smiled with a roll of my eyes

To Be Continued....

Selene: Hey, Twilight, do you know where the next relic is?

Twilight: No, all records regarding these relics are non-existent

Gel: Not quite

Twilight: What is it?

Selene: Oh yeah, the map me, and Lumos got over a month ago, it might have the location of where one may be!

Gel: Your welcome