Darkness. Nothing but darkness.
And then... Light.
Mena found herself floating in an endless blank abyss. She didn't know how she got there or why she was there, she just knew she hadn't died.
"Where... Where am I?" She wondered, unable to speak.
Suddenly, she heard a voice, a voice which she recognized as *!¢^!&$+*%%^.
"Mena, are you there?" The voice asked. "Do you wish to speak? To live?"
"Huh? Is that you, *!¢^!&$+*%%^? How... How are you here? I thought I was dead..." Mena replied, quite confused.
"You are. But I am giving you the option to regain life once more," the voice said.
A shimmer appeared in the distance, the outline being that of an alicorn. It approached silently.
"So, I will repeat myself. Do you wish to speak once more? Live once more?" the outline asked.
"But, wait... How am I aware? I need a host for that," she asked, rather startled by this fact.
Suddenly, a black-furred, green-maned Pegasus appeared to the right of the alicorn.
"Hey, Mena. Remember me?" the Pegasus asked, stretching its' wings before folding them against its' sides.
"Huh? Silence? How'd you manage to get here? I don't get it..." Mena said, attempting to move, but failing, capable only of telepathically speaking.
"You don't have to get it, Mena. What matters is that you're here now," Silence said. "Although, it might be wise to answer *!¢^!&$+*%%^'s question."
"Yeah... Yeah, I would like to be with my sis again," she murmured hopefully.
"What are you willing to give for it?" the alicorn asked.
"I... I don't know what you'd want..." She said, a chill going down her neck. She'd seen this sort of thing before... Usually it involved sexual favours.
But it would be worth it to be with her sister again.
"I... If I have to, I'll let you do whatever you want to me," she said nervously.
"Very well, then. You will not be able to manifest again without dying permanently if you choose to return to your sister," the alicorn stated, seating itself and crossing its' forelegs.
At the news, Mena's face lit up with worry.
"Does that include in the world I'm from? And what about the portal? Will I be able to speak to the humans ever again?" She asked.
"No, you will not be able to speak to them. And yes, you will not be able to manifest anywhere without dying," the alicorn replied.
At this, Silence.EXE, who had been listening intently, decided to interject.
"Is there any way you can allow her to exist in the world she was created in? As a result of being from there, I can confirm to you that many stories will collapse due to her disappearance. Not only that, but the world itself could possibly disintegrate," he said, leaning forward.
"It will come at a cost to all of us. I may not be able to speak to either of you, or Pinkie again," *!¢^!&$+*%%^ stated.
"We'll find a way to allow you to contact us. But if she cannot manifest in my world, then I cannot accept this deal. This kind of thing was what originally caused the GrimDark to shift further into darkness," said Silence, tapping his hooves together.
The alicorn appeared to think about the negotiations for a little while before it nodded.
"I can allow it, but that is as far as I will go," it said.
"Then these terms are acceptable. It is now up to Mena to make her decision," he said, turning to the mare.
"I'm gonna miss talking to the humans, but... If it means I can be with my sister again, I'll do it," said Mena.
"Very well, then," stated the alicorn, rising and flaring its' wings.
"IT SHALL BE DONE."