Chapter 15: Tricks and Truths
Trixie landed with with a silent "Oof," as she felt pain briefly shoot up her body from the landing. As she got to her hooves, she could hear Rarity panicking, "What? Where are we? What is going on?!"
Trixie froze as she looked at their surroundings. It was an endless world made up of what looked liked stars and galaxies.
Trixie then heard the changeling speak in a familiar voice, "Don't worry, Rarity. This is just the Worldscape, a kind of hub if the Multiverse, from what I can understand it."
Before Trixie can even question this, a different voice spoke, this time coming from the stallion. "We have a stowaway," he said in an icy tone.
Suddenly he turned around to face Trixie directly, and Trixie couldn't stop herself from whimpering. The aura of wrath and power emitting from this pony was far greater than any other she had ever seen. And his eyes...they weren't normal. A starry night's sky greeted her where each if his eyes should have been. She could also tell that this was no changeling. Not even a changeling could exude this much power.
"Grave mistake following us. Thankfully, this is easily corrected. I am going to erase you now," he spoke. Her legs trembled at his speech. Erase her? What did he mean by that.
Despite all the fear in her body, Trixie managed to blurt out, "L-Leave Rarity alone, you changeling monsters!"
"Trixie?" Rarity asked in a panicked and concerned voice.
The stallion scoffed at her. "Changeling? I am no changeling. But that matters not. Begone." His voice was icy yet emotionless. She watched helplessly as the stallion raised his hoof to strike her, when suddenly she heard a familiar voice call out.
"Verse, wait!!"
The stallion paused and turned to look at the one who spoke. Trixie watched as the changeling approached. Trixie's eyes widened as she realized why the voice was so familiar. It was Twilight, but as a changeling. A queen, if she had to guess, she was not quite as tall as Chrysalis, but she was definitely taller than your average changeling.
This changeling Twilight continued to speak, "You can't erase her!"
The stallion she called 'Verse' gave her a cold stare. His voice lost it's iciness when he spoke to her, but it still remained emotionless. "And why not? This version of Trixie has no meaning to you or to our goal."
Trixie felt like somehow the stallion had insulted her, but she remained silent.
The changeling Twilight then spoke, "She may not have any importance on my behalf, but I'm not the only Key you have anymore. I am sure Rarity wouldn't be happy if you erased one of her friends. She might even refused to cooperate.
Verse grunted in disdain, taking a look towards Rarity. Trixie took this moment to rush over to Rarity, shoving away the pretender Rainbow Dash, and did her best to help stabilize her, putting her hoof around her, and allowing her to leab on her.
"Hey! What's the big deal?!" cried the wingless Rainbow Dash, "I was only trying to help!"
Trixie stared at the others. If she had any charge left for a teleport spell, perhaps she could get her and Rarity away. But, even if she did, where would they go? Something told her that they were not in their own world anymore.
Verse gazed at the two of them, focusing more on Rarity than her. Rarity gave him a terrified expression.
To Trixie's surprise, a sigh escaped the stallion's lips. "Fine. This version of Trixie can stay. If only for the compliance of a possible key candidate."
Trixie wasn't sure what this "key" business was about, and neither did Rarity, but Trixie could feel Rarity relax, if only a small bit, in her arms.
"Follow me" spoke the stallion before turning once more and walking away. Without seeing much of a choice, Trixie begrudgingly followed, supporting Rarity as they walked.
---
Twilight frowned as she glance back at Trixie and Rarity, checking if they were still following. They were.
Twilight was silently relieved that she was able save Trixie from Verse's wrath. She found that while she couldn't compete with Verse on the physical or even magical level, there was a way to get a leg up on him in a political sense. He seemed to put great value in these Keys and their compliance. As long as she could keep using that to her advantage, she was not completely powerless here.
A queen's work is never finished no matter where she goes, it seems. Or when... Twilight thought to herself.
Twilight was pulled from her thoughts when Verse suddenly spoke. "Twilight. When we get back, I want you to come to my Study. There are a few things we must talk about."
Twilight tried to gleam if she was in trouble or not, but the spirit's face and tone were unreadable.
With another jarring pop, the group returned to Nowhere. Rarity and Trixie both gasped at the sight of the place.
"Oh, How garishly bland," commented Rarity. "Too bright," replied Trixie.
They were in for another surprise when the mansion began to form around them. "W-What is going on?" cried Trixie.
"Pretty cool, right?" replied Rainbow Dash. "Here, let me take you to our room."
Verse began walking towards what could only be assumed as the direction of his Study. He beckoned for Twilight to follow, and she did.
---
Rainbow Dash led the way, but as they passes through the Mainhall, Rainbow Dash paused. "This is where we normally eat. You can eat as much as you like here, the food never runs out or goes bad."
However a glance at the two told her they were more tired than hungry. She then continued leading them to the room in which Twilight and her stayed. To her surprise, an extra queen-sized bed had appeared, along with more room to accommodate it.
Rainbow Dash offered a helping hoof to Rarity, but Trixie knocked her hoof away. "She doesn't need your help, changeling!" Trixie retorted.
Rainbow Dash frowned. "I am not a changeling. I'm Rainbow Dash, but from another world," she explained.
Rarity's eyes widened, "Another world? Whatever do you mean?"
"Trixie does not understand," Trixie confirmed.
Rainbow Dash sighed, "Well, apparently, there are like a million different alternate worlds out there, and each world there is a different version of each of us. I am from a different world than yours. And Twilight is from an even different world!"
Rainbow Dash could see Rarity visibly flinch at the mention of Twilight's name.
"What of this Verse character, is he from a different works too?" asked Trixie.
Rainbow Dash shrugged and frowned, "I don't know. I think he's something...different."
She expected more questioning, but both Trixie and Rarity were silent. Rainbow Dash sighed, "Twilight is not going to be happy with me..."
Rainbow Dash began to undo her bandages, slowly revealing the wounds from the torture Pinkie m Pie had done to her.
She heard both Rarity and Trixie gasp in horror. She turned to face them. "I know what you have been through. It's been...hard on me too."
To her surprise, Trixie fell to her knees and began to cry. Rarity was fairing better, but only by a sliver.
"W-Who did this to you, was it Sombra or--" asked Rarity.
"It...was my world's Pinkie Pie.." she said solemnly.
"Your wings..." Rarity choked in tears, "Y-Your cutie marks!" Rainbow Dash gave her a hug. "I-It's bad, but not as bad as it could have been. Pinkie Pie was trying to turn me into a cupcake....She is dead now."
Each of them cried and did their best to comfort each other. Occasionally, they would ask each other questions. Some were answered, some were met with only tears.
---
Twilight entered the Study with a small pop. Verse was already waiting for her inside. He took a step forward and leaned in close. "What did you do?" he asked coldly.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"What did you do to Rainbow Dash?" he asked. She gave him a confused look, "What do you mean? I didn't do anything to her."
Verse scoffed, "I find that hard to believe. You must have done something. You changed her. That version of Rainbow Dash did not show any of the necessary qualities or traits in her world. But now, after spending time with you, somehow she's become a prime candidate. These things don't just happen."
Twilight's eyes widened, "Wait, you don't mean--"
"Yes Twilight, somehow, someway, the Rainbow Dash you saved has become a Key Candidate."