“Okay…” Velvet said. “...He’s gone. We’re done. Good job team!”
“Can you… tone down the creepy echo fear-ness?” Insipid asked. “That’d be… nice.”
“Think I need it right now. It gets me closer to… the truth? Not sure.”
Shimmy’s Avatar appeared where Silvertongue had just been standing, tears running down her face. In her hands swirled two bundles of mist; one, larger, violet and aware, the other barely existent and a pale blueish green.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry... I’m here now... I’ll get you home.”
The violet essence wove up, brushing her cheek gently. It spun around the smaller bundle, encircling it protectively.
Shimmy nodded, pushing the essences into herself. “...They’re from my world,” she said. “Twilight and... I could recognize them, I managed to get them out before--”
“What about Nihila? And Harmonia!” Havocwing hovered into her face. “Why didn’t you--?!”
“I tried, but they--it was so large, everything was happening so fast--I promise, I’ll do what I can to save your worlds--”
“Enough,” Curaçao said, pushing Havocwing aside. “We must decide what to do now. Silvertongue had something more. He is dead, but not defeated.”
“What could he possibly do?” Insipid asked. “Like, he couldn't have planned for this!”
“He did,” Velvet said. “He knew… he knew he was the villain. He knew he had to be defeated. He may have fought it with everything he had, but he knew. He has to still be able to succeed, even in death.”
“How?” Shadow asked - still shaking from the entire encounter. Crying, though at that point nobody really had any idea what about, including herself.
Curaçao’s eyes widened. “What if… what if ‘e already knew ‘ow to use the Universe Generator?”
Shimmy shook her head. “That doesn’t make any sense, why wouldn’t he activate it before we got here?”
“I do not know…” She ran to the back of Silvertongue’s throne. “But we must do somezing. Surely, the clues are here.”
Grayscale coughed. “There’s a secret passage behind the throne. Goes to the tip of the fissure, far as I can guess.”
Shimmy prepared to blow the throne to shreds - but Insipid did it for her. “Woohoo! This is so major fresh! Like, even you didn’t have this much fun in your power!”
“Please don’t send us into an interdimensional rift,” Grasycale deadpanned.
“I won’t! I won’t!”
They ran into the revealed tunnel. Curaçao waited behind, lifting one of Shadow’s hooves over her back. “I am so sorry I had to do zat to you…”
“I… I understand. I was… I was the fear.” Shadow smiled weakly. “We can’t waste time. Let’s find out what he did.”
~~~
Screwball felt Silvertongue’s soul vanish from the universe.
At last, the driving force has been removed. One final task, before freedom returns.
She moved to the source of all the fissures of madness, ground zero for the infection of the entire universe. Deep within the fissure laid the Shard of Madness, where none could physically reach it.
Aside from Screwball. She had wanted to remove it the moment she arrived, but that had been against Silvertongue’s wishes, and he’d left just enough of his power around the ground zero fissure to keep the Shard there.
Without him… everything was able to be freed.
She waved her hand one last time, and a being flowed into existence; a soft, velvet shadow.
“Little slumbrakar... you are to be my last and first gift to this world. These fissures will grow if unchecked, so it falls to you to consume them. The madness that is shall remain, but no new madness shall escape. Go now in silence... and do try to find the gentlest of friends.”
The shadow chrriloopahed warmly, nuzzling her cheek before expanding and fragmenting outward.
None could see - or really describe in physical terms - what the slumbrakar did to retrieve the Shard of Madness from the fissure, but it completed its mission nonetheless, fragmenting back into existence in much the same way it had left, bestowing the inconsistent shard back to its true master.
Screwball took it in her hands and petted the slumbrakar. He really had been a good boy and deserved it.
All that remained… was to leave the universe.
She yanked the Shard of Madness out, returning to the much more resilient Universe Generator realm. With a flash, all the branching fissures in the universe collapsed, leaving behind only stars and galaxies.
But one blemish remained - a single strand of madness that ran from ground zero all the way to a silver, spherical galaxy.
Had Screwball been in the same timeframe as the universe, she might have been able to do something. But all the galaxy needed was an hour to activate. That was almost nothing to the Universe Generator’s time.
Silvertongue’s galaxy lit up like a christmas tree, shining as a single star. Brilliant, silver energy coursed up the final fissure, shooting out of the universe, taking all the madness with it.
The Universe Generator detected the universe was back to normal, restarting normal operations on its creation. It only needed a few tweaks here and there before it was ready to be shipped out.
The silver energy impacted the cone-shaped construct at the same instant Shimmy teleported everyone out of the universe - Curaçao’s sisters, the Sweeties, Blackburn, the Crown Princess, Crackling Leaves, Shivershackles, and all of her essence. Cinder was holding her own tail for some reason. “Wha…?”
Shimmy clapped her hands. “Okay, I do not want to suddenly gain a million years a-” She stared at the silver energy coursing up the cone construct. “Geez… he really got it, didn’t he?”
The cone ordered all the other constructs to abandon the other universe for now. They had better things to work on. The Universe Generator created another spark of cosmic existence next to the world everyone had just left. Even though the orbs appeared the same size, this new universe took the form of a celestial sphere - just one planet, one moon, one sun, and a dotting of tiny stars. The edges of the space had a pristine white sheen to them.
The years flew by before their eyes. The planet became green, filled with oceans, and brimmed with life. And then… it stopped.
The Universe Generator ceased work. Time within both universes were forced to match the flow of time everyone was experiencing. There would be no more time dilation.
“...He did it…” Cinder breathed. “He… he made his world.”
“He cared more about it than he cared for himself,” Blackburn observed. “...Disgustingly respectable.”
Suzie frowned. “...Let’s pay it a visit.”
Shimmy didn’t wait for anyone else to offer an opinion. She lowered them all to the universe and descended into it, finding it pathetically easy to move across this small universe without any effort. They passed the sun and landed on a large, grassy hill overlooking a simple town. It wasn’t Ponyville, but the aesthetic was similar to the town so many of the explorers knew.
“...A perfect world…” the Crown Princess said, frowning. “Let’s see how he messed this one up.”
The large group walked into town. It was inhabited entirely by ponies - all of whom had both horns and wings but none of which were full alicorns with immense power. They were… normal.
A bit like Sweetaloo, Cinder thought.
The ponies were certainly surprised to see them, and definitely curious. But none of them were concerned or afraid. None of them even seemed to be cautious. They waved at the visitors as they walked in, smiles on their faces.
Cinder found herself disturbed that the smiles looked completely legitimate. No ‘WELCOME!’ forced grins here. Just ponies who were glad to see them.
“Welcome, travelers!”
“I’ve made stew, do you want any?”
“Do you need a place to rest?
“The children are preparing a game for this evening, if you’re interested!”
“Too happy,” Blackburn grunted. “Way too happy.”
A red mare looked at her with the same smile all of them wore. “We are always happy.”
“Do you even know what sad is?”
The mare cocked her head - smile still present. “I… have not heard the word, but I assume it means the opposite of happy? Such a thing does not exist here.”
Cinder looked at her. “...You don’t have loss?”
“Loss? We… occasionally misplace things, but there are always replacements.”
“What do you do all day?”
“Enjoy the world that has been created for us.” Her smile didn’t widen, even though Cinder felt as though she should have gotten happier while saying that. “Enjoy the fruit, enjoy each other, enjoy… Just enjoy. That is all there is. Do you do things other than enjoy where you are from?”
“Yes,” Curaçao said. “We work, we struggle, we tell stories… We do so much more.”
“That sounds interesting! I’d like to hear about that!”
“No, you don’t,” a very familiar voice said, starting everyone.
“Oh.” The red mare shrugged, her smile remaining on her face. “Guess I was wrong! I don’t really want to know. See you!” She trotted away.
Most of them were ignoring her at the moment - they were staring at the small, silver alicorn in front of them, smirking with a malevolence none of the other ponies in this world had.
No… Cinder thought. Not malevolence… pride. That’s pride on his face.
“H-how!?” Sequin stammered. “You were gone! You were dead!”
Screwball stared at him like he was a ghost. She glanced at her Shard of Madness as if accusing it.
“I am dead, in a way,” Silvertongue said, ruffling his wings. “Specifically, the Silvertongue that was born on Equestria V is dead. But, in his death, he ordered the creation of a world - a world where he was made anew, with everything the original’s mind had.” He smirked in Crackling Leaves’ direction. “It was remarkably easy to create a god after all was said and done.”
“This situation is no longer relevant to my interests,” Crackling informed him. “Do not bother trying to engage me.”
“Such a shame, you were the most interesting to speak with of everyone here…” Silvertongue shook his head. “No matter.”
Shimmy grabbed him by the neck. “You… you…”
“What are you going to do to me?” Silvertongue asked. “Start another war of gods? Over a planet?”
“Take you in… subject you to the legal system…”
“My dear, I don’t think you understand precisely how much control I have over this world - or precisely how integral I am to its function. Would you condemn this world to instability all for the sake of your perverted ideal of justice?”
Shimmy twitched.
“These ponies, ‘simple’ as you may think they are, have full souls, likes, desires - but only pure ones.”
“You’ve robbed them of what it means to be,” Suzie said. “...We call it the human experience where I’m from.”
“And that experience is abhorrent,” Silvertongue said, flatly.
“He is as trapped in his vision as I am in mine,” Screwball observed quietly. “Our words will not reach him. He does not exist.”
“I can’t agree more,” Curaçao said, taking a step forward. Cinder stood to her side - unsure of what Curaçao planned to do. “Words mean nozing to him.”
“Words are full of meaning,” Silvertongue countered. “Screwball is right, but Screwball is wrong.”
“You know the moves, but you do not understand them,” Crackling pointed out. “You dance beautifully, but blindly.”
“Whatever happened to not trying to engage?” Silvertongue asked.
“I told you not to engage me. I am free to make my own observations.”
“Insulting, but ultimately irrelevant,” Silvertongue smirked.
The Crown Princess twitched. “Is everything irrelevant to you?”
“Now that I have what I want? Why shouldn’t that be so? I will live here and enjoy.”
“I wondered if you lied to yourself,” Curaçao said.
“Hmm?”
“You cannot be satisfied. You will go for… ze Tower, given time.”
Silvertongue considered this. “I am uncertain.”
“Uncertain? You?” Havocwing shouted.
“The lovely thing about this world is that certainty is not required. It just… is.”
“The ponies are just extensions of you, aren't they?” Cinder asked. “If they deviate… you correct them. You have to regulate your perfection. Doesn’t that seem… like a hassle?”
“It is no hassle to devote myself to such a task. I am this world, in a way. I shall guard it, protect it, and lead it forward.”
“We cannot allow zis,” Curaçao said, flatly. “Zese ponies… zey are still ponies.”
“They shouldn’t have to be you,” Cinder added.
Silvertongue’s smile faltered. He focused on Curaçao. “What did you do?”
Curaçao smirked. “Ah, ‘ow ze tables ‘ave turned.”
“You tell him Curie!” Insipid whooped.
“Yeah! Dangle it in front of him!” Velvet laughed.
Silvertongue approached Curaçao. In his current form, he was no longer taller than she was, so their gaze was even. “Your plan really did defeat me, Curaçao. I truly wished to survive, no matter how much the story may have conspired against me.”
“I do not accept your praise,” Curaçao spat.
Silvertongue ignored this. “And now I see that you did something else? After your victory, there was more - just as after my defeat, there was this world. A dualism exists between us. Tell me, what did you do?”
“We found your laboratory.”
“You could not have changed anything fast enough before it self-destructed.”
“We could not ‘ave… if we wanted to stop it,” Curaçao admitted. “But it was easy enough to see what you wanted to do. Recreation is a simple solution, non?”
“Ah. You were rather silent at the start of this conversation. I misjudged the reason. Still, deducing my plan and finding the lab? You could not ha-” he glanced at Insipid and then at Curaçao. “Hmmm… copy my magic signature and pretend to be me. You could have bypassed the security with that new mental spell of Shadow’s, using Insipid’s powers with your mind. But that would only allow for a small change, insignificant.”
“We unchecked a single box,” Curaçao smirked. “Ze ‘ponies are dependant on Silvertongue to live’ box.”
Silvertongue stared at her blankly.
“So zere is no danger in… killing you, whatsoever. And as you ‘ave no doubt noticed, Insipid ‘as your power for now, and Shimmy is…”
Shimmy’s eyes were on fire.
“Goodbye again, Silvertongue,” Curaçao waved.
“EAT SHIT!” Havocwing shouted. “We GOT YOU!”
Velvet giggled. “Oh, would you look at that? I feel some fear coming off him.”
“I’m gonna, like, enjoy this so much more than the last time,” Insipid giggled.
Grayscale smirked. “Hey, at least your world gets to stick around. And immediately get corrupted by us not-perfect ponies. Oh woe is you.”
Silvertongue looked to Shadow.
“Good. Riddance,” Shadow spat.
Silvertongue… couldn’t decide what his response should be. He tried to laugh for a moment, ended up sighing. There was a hint that he might cry for a moment, but then his face was home to a brilliant grin.
In the end, he just shrugged. “C’est la vie… It seems I was too imperfect for this world.”
He didn’t even fight back.
~~~
Seren turned to Xenium. “Got it.”
Xenium perked up. “Bring Cinder back.”
“Already doing it.”
Equestria IV Twilight and her friends were engulfed in light, a hexagon of cloudy rope appearing above their heads. Seren rotated the hexagon as quickly as she could, attaching to the connection of the other six in the Universe Generator.
A portal ripped open into a black, seemingly endless world with numerous moving parts. There was a single orange universe being built in the center that was quickly sent out and replaced with a bluish spark.
Shimmy and the rest of those who had been lost on the other side were already there.
“Told you Silvertongue had the way back!” Insipid called. “Woop, I got us back! Go Insipid, go Insipid.”
“Hate to burst your bubble, but they did that,” Grayscale said, pointing at Seren.
“Get through before this portal breaks!” Seren grunted. “This is not an easy connection to maintain! You’re seven jumps away!”
Shimmy teleported everyone across - a few of whom were surprised by the sudden existence of gravity.
“CINDER!” Xenium shouted.
“RARITY!” Cinder called, rushing into her sister’s hooves. “You weren't worried, were you?”
“Of course I was! You were lost, nopony could find you, and reality was falling apart!”
Discord coughed in Shimmy’s direction. “You’re welcome by the way.”
Shimmy rolled her eyes. “Let’s just say I’m glad to be back. Where’s Twilight’s body?”
“Uh, body?” Discord frowned. “Oh, right, she was unconscious when you left. Uh… She’s actually up right now, ate a mana bar. Not exactly… normal for her, but…”
“Right, I’m just going to assume it’s running on automatic and figure out what that means later. If you’ll point me at her--”
“Two piles of rubble over with the rest of your friends,” interjected a new voice.
"Chrysalis." Shimmy rolled her eyes. "I see you somehow got naked again."
"Yeah, your evil counterpart railed me with tentacles while we were busy clawing at each other. She was screaming quite passionately during the whole thing."
"Sweet Celestia, why did you phrase it like that?!" Cinder cried. "I mean if you don't want to be called an orgy club why do you say stuff like that all the time?!"
"Because the kind of people who think the Wholesome is an orgy club are never going to be convinced otherwise." Chrysalis smirked. "Plus your reactions are hilarious."
Suzie’s eyes widened. “Ah… you’re one of those people.”
“There’s a lot of ‘those’s’. What kind of those do you mean? I want to know how offended I should be. Also, who are you?”
“Suzie. League of Sweetie Belles founder, Earth Vitis.” She pulled Cinder close. “Cinder’s Captain. You are Chrysalis, Earth Shimmer, and as much as I loathe hearing about exceptional sexual deviants who give humanity a bad name, I have heard about you.” She folded her arms.
Blink facehooved. “Oh, great, here we go...”
“I’m going to assume you’re ‘monogamy or the highway’,” Chrysalis deadpanned, crossing her own arms. “And for the record, I fully support monogamy.”
“But you also support polygamy and free love and--”
“Safe, Sane, Consensual, and Fun. Those are the rules.” Chrysalis tilted her head. “Well, for human sex. I know some species are explosive breeders in more ways than one--”
“Look, you have the right to do whatever you want, I am not going to stop you and I am not going to hate you. I have a lot more… issue with your fillipancy and broadcasting of it. Humans already have a reputation as crazed sex maniacs! I…” She took a breath. “Look, I’m sorry. You have rights, and you have earned them, and you deserve to have them. I don’t have to like it.”
“Ooooookay, this sounds like a fascinating debate that I don’t need to be here for,” Cinder interjected.
Chrysalis sighed, pinching her brow. “You know what, this talk shouldn’t be happening right now. I’m stressed because I just fought an evil version of Sunset, you’re stressed from whatever happened over there, and there’s clearly context we’re both missing. And I’m standing naked in interdimensional rubble! That is actually a little bit distracting.”
A black-and-green man finally handed Chrysalis a robe, much to Rachel's relief. That relief faded after Chrysalis donned the silky cloth and tied the belt loosely around her waist.
"How does she look more alluring now?! She was naked before!"
"Ex-pornstar," the man explained. "Something about how she moves..."
Suzie twitched at the explanation, having to exert serious effort to restrain herself.
Celia trotted over to her and patted her back. “It’s okay, it’s okay, the sexy lady isn’t going to hurt anyone.”
Suzie grumbled something about corruption of the youth. Then she sighed. “You’re right.” She turned to Chrysalis and extended a hand. “We’re just different walks of life. We don’t have to agree.”
Chrysalis took the hand and shook it. “That’s true.” She smirked slyly. “But I’m not just about sex you know.”
“...I have worked with many changeling hives themed around ‘sex’ in hundreds of universes, I know the general spiel. Lots of jokes about filling holes and a nice spy network.”
“And here I thought joining the multiversal community could only improve my reputation.” Chrysalis shrugged. “Oh well, I guess I’ll just have to live with heroically toppling tyrants thanks to the help of my children and my own cunning brilliance.”
“Too bad you missed the best tyrant toppling ever!” Havocwing shouted. “SIlvertongue got DUNKED ON!”
“Really?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Oh, tell me it was awesome!”
“It was so awesome… TWICE!”
“Twice? You can’t topple a bad guy twice!”
“Oh, mate,” Mattie deadpanned, “never go into politics.”
“You totally can, Dashie,” Pinkie giggled.
“It’s like exploding twice!” Velvet added.
“Yeah!” Pinkie cheered.
“Wait, I don’t think we actually did that yet.”
“Let’s find out if we can!”
“I’m in!”
The Everykid jumped in as well, giving everyone a finger guns gesture.
“Is that everyone?” Grayscale asked.
“Not even close,” Applejack chuckled.
Curaçao looked at her sisters meeting their counterparts happily - and smiled.
"You are an interesting one, from what I have been told."
Curaçao glanced up at the woman approaching. Icy blue skin with white hair, ears and hands different from the other humans... in fact her whole body, her entire gait, seemed strange. It was the golden eyes that caught her attention, though, eyes that seemed... not piercing, exactly, but definitely able to see a touch beyond the physical. "And... who might you be, mademoiselle?"
"I am called Winter Lights by many, and beloved by one called Indigo Zap." The woman sat down next to her. "And you are called Curaçao, an interesting word indeed."
"It is ze name granted to me by..." Curaçao frowned. "...by ze one who created me."
"Ah. Names are the beginning of identity... so it makes sense that your identity is as confused as the word." Winter leaned back. "Curaçao, the island that provides the liquor of the same name. Yet the word itself is a derivative mixture of other words; healing, heart, or perhaps the name of the natives of the isle overrun long ago. That you were granted a name in a tongue different than your fellows... Silvertongue suspected, even back then, and did everything he could to sabotage your confidence."
"Suspected?"
"That lies and truth were the same. That one could become the other."
Curaçao frowned. "That does not make sense."
"Because you live by definition, which is not a wrong way to live, but does blind you to what is not." Winter pondered for a moment. "Perhaps a fable. There was once a race who existed, who sought out understanding, and discovered that reality was cold and uncaring and unforgiving and chaotic. That rhyme and reason were mere excuses by minds which had cropped up by chance, that nothing mattered or ever would. They could not accept that, and so they lied to themselves."
"Truly?"
"Ah, yes, they claimed they could make rhyme and reason. That they could take reality and pour into it something with meaning, that stories were not mere happenstance but examples. Impossible, but they repeated it to themselves and each other, and devoted their entire existence to the idea of fate and character. And in the end, they succeeded gloriously; they created a Dark Tower that, to this day, weaves the ebb and flow of tales together across a multitude of universes beyond comprehension. They rejected truth to believe in a lie, and so the lie became true."
"But zat is not ze same!" Curaçao protested. "Zat is... zat is hope, faith, giving zem a reason to--"
"Hope is a lie," Winter replied coolly. "It never comes to those who are sated, who live in light, who have no needs; it comes to the desperate, those drenched in shadow, and tells them the void will not consume them. Did you truly know you could defeat Silvertongue, despite his centuries of planning and literally deific power? Did you know for a fact that you could save your worlds? Or did you merely believe? Your hope was a lie."
"But... but we 'ave defeated 'im."
"And so, the lie becomes truth." Winter smiled gently. "And the truth, that your worlds are dependent on your gods and the Chronomancers, is now a lie. Definition changes, because of hope, because of the lie that wants to be true."
Curaçao frowned, looking at the ground. "I... zink I can see what you are saying, yes... but zat still feels manipulative to me. Manipulation must be… balanced."
"And what is wrong with manipulation?" The woman gestured broadly. "Livestock are manipulated, given healthy lives in return for their eggs or wool or, yes, meat. Children are manipulated, rewarded for kindness or generosity or loyalty. Societies are manipulated, pressured to give justice or progress or freedom. And all would be lesser, suffer more, were they not tweaked in such manner."
"But Silvertongue, 'e--"
"He did not concern himself with your future," Winter explained. "He made you dance to his tune, without dancing with you. And when you were no longer useful, he turned away. You are worried that you will become him, if you continue to use your companions, but where he saw them as tools, you see them and yourself as cogs. Silvertongue used you, but did not let you use him. You use your companions, and allow them to make use of you. That is the distinction."
She lifted the pony's chin gently. "Lie, deceive, manipulate, those are your talents. And with them you can give your companions hope, and with hope you can make the impossible a certainty."
Curaçao scowled, knocking her hand away. "Your love for zis Indigo, is zat also a lie?"
Winter took a slow breath. "...one can delude oneself as well. And as I said, what was a lie can... become true." She looked over to a woman with spiky blue hair, hovering over a small group of medics,, and her smile showed a rare genuine curve. "It is best to remember never to have power over others unless they too have power over you."
Curaçao glanced at Indigo for a moment, before turning back and looking over Winter. "...Your words are... interesting, mademoiselle."
"As ever I strive for them to be." Winter Lights stood. "I believe you have enough for your revelation."
“Wait, I thought Curie was already okay with herself again?” Insipid said, jumping in.
“One does not turn on a lightswitch in their mind,” Winter said. “...Usually.”
“And ‘alf ze zings Winter said…” Curaçao rolled a hoof.
Winter did not seem to mind this.
~~~
Shimmy had returned the essence to Twilight without much issue. After a reunion of kissing, tears, hugs, and quick summaries of how things happened… Shimmy focused her attention on one sealed angel currently being detained by some police and excess League Sweeties.
Shimmy wrapped Arul in her magic, her eyes cold. "I have something you need to see."
She produced the greenish aura, barely kept together.
"Do you feel it?" she demanded quietly. "The pain? The despair? The self-loathing? This girl was a lot like Shivershackles, the only difference being she was able to know right and wrong, able to understand that what she suffered was evil. She was a victim. A victim that Silvertongue used. A victim he would not have been able to reach without your help."
"I--"
"You," Shimmy said flatly, "are responsible for the death of the innocent. For the murder of the helpless. For robbing this girl of the best chance she had for a normal, happy life. Because you let your faith blind you. Can you look me in the eyes, and tell me this was good?"
The angel stared into the cyan rings, and found not outraged wrath, but righteous fury. She said nothing. She could say nothing.
"...You, who have brought an end to what could have been a bastion of hope, are at my mercy." Shimmy shut her eyes. "Sunset's mercy... a name given to that warehouse... You were tricked by Silvertongue, I can understand that. Nevertheless, you supported him even while seeing his manipulations of others. You were part of the plan... willingly. Crackling Leaves' crimes amount to spying and sabotage, and Diamond Inferno played god without understanding the risks. You, of all the conspirators, came from the highest place morally, and yet facilitated the greatest crime the conspiracy would commit after your joining."
She opened her eyes, and looked at the angel, who simply bowed her head in shame.
"...Yet ...I too was once a monster." Sunset looked at the aura held within her grasp. "For far more foolish reasons than yours. I never committed crimes so grand, but I would be hypocritical to say they could not be redeemed. Lend me your power, Arul."
The angel looked up, shock clear on her face.
"This is her soul," Sunset explained quietly. "Torn from her body in those last moments, used as a meager source of power... her first life was harsh and unfair, but with your power you may restore her body, allow her a childhood, see what she might have been without her suffering."
"If... without my power, I... I will vanish."
"Ordinarily, yes. But this world is far from ordinary." Shimmy's smile was calm, not quite warm and not quite cold. "I will keep your essence together and form flesh for it. You would be made mortal. Human. That will be my punishment, as goddess of this reality. And my task to you will be to see if you can undo what you have done in the slightest... if you can raise the girl to a life she would find enjoyable."
Her smile vanished. "Fail in that, and I will not be so forgiving."
Arul shut her eyes, quietly contemplating. "...there will be others who are upset."
"This is my world. If they think to violate the sanctity of my decisions, they will find themselves elsewhere."
"...The chance to bring peace to a soul so tormented... I suppose it must be fair." Arul opened her eyes. "If my God comes--"
"Then I will discuss matters with him."
"...Very well." Arul took a breath and held out her hands. "I subject myself to your mercy, great one."
Shimmy nodded, turning to the officers and Sweeties. “I’ll be taking her myself.”
“Less paperwork for us,” a Sweetie kirin said. “Good luck.”
Shimmy nodded, carrying Arul at her side. She split herself in two - one carrying Arul away, the other remaining to deal with the rubble.
“I saw the essence,” Blackburn said. “You have no more. Why?”
"I was only able to get Twilight and the girl's magical essences before Silvertongue died and they fully dissipated, because I had a connection to them. If more of me had been sent along, or if the other magical signals were an order of magnitude smaller--"
Blackburn sighed. "Nilhila and Harmonia. Discord and Harmony. Foundational aspects of my universe and that of Equestria IV... without them, we are doomed to oblivion."
"Not immediately," Suzie assured her. "As soon as I get this to the Overheads--"
"The Chronomancers are considered another Multiversal society," Celia pointed out. "If we move too obviously we'll have a war on our hooves."
"Are you suggesting we let them just--?"
"No! I'm just pointing out that some of the Overheads might want to avoid--"
"Can you show me the coordinates?" Shimmy asked. "Maybe I can open some portals and get the people out if I'm fast enough--"
Suzie handed her a pad. "Equestria V, Equestria IV. The others on that list aren't in danger, but they are Chronomancer worlds--"
"Who are the Chronomancers?"
The four of them looked up to see Indigo Zap, hovering just above them.
"They are the group that claims to rule over my world," Blackburn stated. "When we found our reality was about to fall into the void, we sought them out and petitioned them. They refused to assist, and furthermore refused the help of the Merodi."
Indigo's face contorted into a sneer. "What, did they not care that their citizens were in danger?"
"The Chronomancers are very secretive," Celia explained. "The majority of the universes they watch are unaware of them... they're really only concerned with preserving what they think of as Equestria Prime, and the other worlds are just splinters of that."
"Celia!" Suzie hissed.
"Right." Indigo crossed her arms, flying over to Winter Lights.
"And now she's getting the elf involved." Suzie sighed. "This is going to be interesting..."
“At least it’s not the ‘sexiest bitch in the universe’,” Mattie ribbed.
Suzie facepalmed. “You’re part of the problem too, you know.”
“I know!” Mattie giggled.
Indigo returned with Winter. She eyed Blackburn thoughtfully.
"I have heard that your world is in peril of oblivion."
"It is." Blackburn nodded to the six ponies still looking around in bewilderment at all the stuff around them. "As well as theirs."
"And... it is from your world that Silvertongue hailed?"
"Yes."
Winter Lights brought her fingers together, breathing for a moment. "Pet... you are certain?"
"It's something we can do, mistress. Something only we can do." Indigo paused, moving beside Shimmy. "I... almost destroyed a world once, myself. I don't... if I can prevent this--"
"I understand. You are... ever my guide in these matters." She tilted her head, gazing at the pony. "Tell me, stranger, what is more important: your lands, or your people?"
Blackburn examined her warily. "...All the peoples who reside in the doomed worlds are the most valuable. The rest I would like to retain, but it can be regained elsewhere."
"An excellently worded response. You will do well." Winter looked Blackburn in the eye. "This will be delicate. Do not speak until we are done."
"Winter," Suzie growled, "what are you--?"
The woman twirled and rose her hand. "Lavquetta cenuva sinen Tavari! Lavquetta cenuva sinen Nermil! Lavquetta cenuva sinen Orossi! Lavquetta cenuva sinen Nandin! Quetnya cimquantaemma!"
All conversation froze, as her hand lowered to Blackburn. "The one who brought such tragedy, who used us all, hails from the realm where this one resides--had its powers and the realm of these six! To those worlds fall the blame of his existence, yet their guardians did nothing to prevent his rising, his exploitation of the Fay to force fate to his will! Such apathy deserves retribution!"
"And retribution it shall have," Crackling Leaves declared. "The Fall Court claims the lands abandoned. Let none wrench them from us! Quetnya cimquantaemma!" Before anybody could reply, she vanished in a puff of logic.
"Winter!" Suzie snapped. "That doesn't--"
"You mortals," Winter sneered, "are all so focused on what has happened that you cannot see what will happen. Taking the lands will be easy, do not doubt it. And weaving it into the Fae will require merely time and focus. I would suggest you consider your plans very carefully." With a snap of her fingers, she spun and strode away, Indigo quick on her heels.
Rainbow Dash, Havocwing, and Grayscale tried to dart after them, but grips of magic and hands held them all back. Rainbow glanced back, shocked to find a Rarity--she couldn't tell which one--being the one holding her. "Hey! Let me go, we have to go after--"
"Wait until she leaves, mate." Mattie's voice was low. "We'll explain everything then."
Winter and Indigo stepped out of sight.
"....aaaaand we're safe." Mattie released Rainbow. "Okay, now she can pretend she doesn't know what we're planning."
"What?!"
"Exact words," Blackburn mused. "Fay claim worlds--no, Fay claim lands. They are not part of Merodi."
"No," Suzie sighed. "Which means..." She blinked. "...that... we're not responsible for their actions. The Chronomancers can't go to war with us over this, they acted on their own."
"Offended third party takes worlds, preventing conflict with Merodi," Blackburn continued. "Fay claim lands specifically. Focus on lands. People are ignored. Rescue of people will only be stopped if it interferes with claiming of lands."
"And by pure happenstance," Shimmy finished, "Fae Époque happens to be nextdoor to my universe, so it would be very easy to grab as many people as quickly as we can. Getting them settled in might be difficult, but I assume the Merodi are equipped for this?"
"Yes," Suzie said. "Yes, yes we are! I've got to get to the Overheads now!"
Fluttershy watched her rush off. "So... wait. That weird pointy-eared human did us a favor?"
"Yep," Mattie confirmed.
"Then... why didn't she just say she was doing us a favor?"
"Because she's Fay," Chrysalis explained. "Or was Fay, anyway. They really like dancing with their words."
Applejack groaned, pulling her hat down. "Ah need somethin' fer mah headache..."
“How are we going to explain all this to Celestia?!” Twilight asked. “I mean, she still thinks the Merodi are evil, and now--”
“You do have that mental spell that shows everything you experienced,” Shadow pointed out.
“I don’t have Magic in me anymore! I’m siphoning off you!”
Shadow smirked. “...Oh, I see. My, how the tables have turned…”
“...Starlight...”
“I’ll execute the spell, refrain from panicking,” Shadow chuckled. “I’m just… savoring this.”
Twilight twitched.
“We may wish to hurry though. No telling how rapidly this might occur.”
From out of nowhere, Celia made a “wahaha!” noise. She quickly pulled out her phone. “I am going to add to this political confusion.”
“Celia…” Suzie warned.
“Don’t worry, don’t worry, I’m only giving someone a suggestion…”
~~~
Xenium stroked Cinder’s mane.
“So, you decided to keep the name Xenium then?”
Xenium chuckled. “Well, that’s how I introduced myself so… I guess so.”
“It’s a good name. Sounds cool.”
“Thank you,” Xenium said, tossing her mane back. “...You doing okay? You’ve just been through… a lot more than usual.”
“I don’t think I’m normal.”
“You do go on about being the hero of the story, you are special.”
“I don’t think I was the protagonist this time.” She glanced over to Curaçao who was busy talking with Blackburn. Definitely plotting something. “But… there’s something else.”
“What is it?”
“When we were making the final plan, two of us were responsible for most of it. Curaçao. And… me.” Cinder looked up at Xenium. “I’m starting to think this ‘guessing what’s going to happen’ isn’t a normal skill. That it had to come from somewhere, or something.”
“Pinkies are Aware, right? They don’t usually have much of an explanation for it. I asked our Pinkie last week, she just shrugged and said ‘bananastan’.”
Cinder giggled. “Sounds like her.”
“So maybe it has an explanation and maybe it doesn’t. If you think I have the answers…” She chuckled. “You will be sorely disappointed.”
“Heh.” Cinder hugged her sister. “Thank you.”
“Thank you for coming back alive and proving that you are quite the little hero.”
“Following in my big sister’s hoofsteps!”
“I suppose you are, in a way. Except doing it bigger and better.”
“MY NEMESIS!” Cryo shouted from another pile of rubble. “I-”
“Cryo, do you mind?” Cinder said. “Having a moment.”
“...Oh.” Cryo frowned. “Uh… I just wanted to say congratulations on your victory and I’ll be sure to get one of my own soon and I have a team now kthanksbye.” She darted away.
Mattie sighed. “She has no sense of when to be quiet.”
“Neither do you,” Curio laughed.
Mattie chuckled. “True.” She and Curio followed after Cryo.
Cinder sighed. “Moment’s gone, huh?”
“We can have as many moments as we want.” Xenium nuzzled Cinder. “Although… I do think you’ll want to answer the next visitor.”
“Huh?” Cinder glanced over her back to see the Crown Princess sitting in front of her, a frown on her face.
“...I’m here to say goodbye, again,” the Crown Princess said. “They’re letting me go.”
“Where will you go?”
“I… have friends. They only saw me a few days ago.” She frowned. “It… It’ll be different. Crackling Leaves and Shimmy… they were able to keep themselves as they wanted. I’m…” She bit her lip. “It’s been so long. I’m not sure how I’ll fit back in.”
“No more Capric Empire, though.”
“That’s not really a good thing for you,” she pointed out. “Means I can focus more on you Merodi and your… helping.”
“You still have a grudge about that?” Cinder frowned.
The Crown Princess shrugged. “It’s what I’ve built everything on at this point. My pirates don’t want me, and to be frank I was getting… tired of that. I’ll go back and be what they want me to be.” She chuckled bitterly. “Guess I’ll actually be loyal now. Isn’t that interesting?”
“You can stay here,” Cinder offered. “We aren’t that bad.”
The Crown Princess considered this. “...No. I have my way. You have yours.” She turned away. “...I won’t insult you by asking you to come with me.” She opened a portal and hopped through.
“...I can see why you’re conflicted about her,” Xenium admitted. “She’s confused herself.”
“I think she’s going to be with us for a while,” Cinder said. “...Hard as Cryo tries, I think the Crown Princess is the actual nemesis.”
Xenium frowned, not sure what to say to comfort her sister.
~~~
“Magister!” Chronomancer Sub-trainer Spring Bit shouted, running into his office.
“This better be important…”
“Equestria V and IV are gone!”
“That was… fast for a Void consumption. But not unprecedented.”
“No, I mean…” she struggled to find the words. “Okay, the space still exists, but the planets are gone. Like… gone.”
“Destroyed?”
“There’s no rubble. Just… nothing. Like it was stolen or something.”
The Magister narrowed his eyes. “The Merodi didn’t listen… they will learn to regret this mistake. Go, garner damage control, a-”
“Magister!” Chronomancer Sub-trainer Bit Spring shouted, running into Spring Bit.
“What is it now?”
“We… we just received a transmission from outside our… universes!”
The Magister frowned. “What do the Merodi have to say to explain themselves?”
“It’s… It’s not the Merodi. It’s the…” She collected herself. “Time Space Administration Bureau. They apparently decided to just move the planets after hearing about them. They’re willing to compensate us.”
“...Compensate us how?”
“...Wasn’t specified.”
The Magister groaned. “Fine, send a message to this… TSAB an-”
“MAGISTER!” Bell Tower shouted in a panic.
“WHAT!?”
“Tick Tock is missing!”
“...What.”
~~~
Hope’s Point had a new home.
The crater of Everfree City, site of the battle that had ended the eternal day some weeks ago.
Daylight Sparkle stared in awe at the shielded city standing where a smoldering, glassy crater had been yesterday. “How did… when… what?”
Queen Blackburn smirked. “Very carefully.”
“That doesn’t answer my question! You don’t just… move a city!”
“It’s even more complicated when Fay are involved,” Blackburn added nonchalantly. “Couldn’t take any of the land.”
Daylight shook her head. “I barely even know what the Fay are, that’s not an explanation!”
“Hey,” Tick Tock said, laying a hoof on Daylight. “Might wanna calm down, Blackburn’s explanations can be… abrasive.”
“True. Bit insulting. Do not mind.” Blackburn turned to Daylight. “Thank you for allowing us use of your land.”
“I… You’re welcome, but…” Daylight groaned. “I’m just going to go ask Cinder…”
“You do that,” Tick Tock said, dusting off her hooves. The Queen and the ex-Chronomancer stood before the bustling city of Hope’s Point.
“I need an ocean,” Blackburn said. “Not complete without an ocean.”
“A few days ago I’d say you were bloody mad to ask for an ocean,” Tick Tock laughed.
“The multiverse is ‘bloody mad’ then.”
Tick Tock snorted.
“You are a deserter. What will you do now?”
“Blunt.” Tick Tock rolled her eyes. “Probably sign up with that Overhead Renee. Probably has some time work for me.”
Blackburn nodded. “Wise. Shadow and her sisters are staying with them as well.”
“They are?”
“Sent in the official paperwork this morning. Are now celebrating. In my suite. Without my permission.”
Tick Tick raised an eyebrow. “You’re not kicking them out?”
“I plan on crashing the party.”
“When?”
“When do you think would be a good time, once Chronomancer?”
“...Now.”
Blackburn lifted a hoof, presenting a shiny bracelet. She pressed a button on it and the two of them were teleported right to the party - Twilight and her friends, Shadow and her sisters, Flathoof, and Lockwood.
“You made it!” Fluttershy said, grinning.
“Told you zey would be ‘ere,” Curaçao said.
Blackburn furrowed her brow. “Disappointing.”
Tick Tock shrugged, walking to the table of punch. “You take what you can, Queenie. Whaddoyagot?”
Velvet giggled. “Blood…”
“...oranges!” Pinkie finished.
“Torn to violent shreds…”
“...and pureed into a nice, beautiful punch!” She handed Tick Tock a glass. “Here you go!”
“Thanks.”
Blackburn turned her attention elsewhere - which was to say to the entire room. She noticed with satisfaction that the romantic tensions that formed during Silvertongue’s whole… ordeal had been resolved. Applejack and Flathoof were sitting to the side, talking about things Blackburn was courteous enough not to eavesdrop on. Fluttershy was actually able to hold a normal conversation with Lockwood without giving him or Blackburn the death glare. Zircon and Rarity were commiserating over their new memetic status on the Merodi’s internet--or rather, Zircon’s memetic status as ‘the one who wooed the wrong Rarity.’
The six sisters…
Blackburn had mixed feelings about allowing them in her city as guests. They were heroes, yes, but they had also stormed through the city and killed several of her soldiers in the process. They had proven themselves, and Blackburn had already told herself she would respect them from here on out.
It was not the easiest thing to do. She did it anyway. She was the Queen. She moved an entire city out from under the Fay’s noses! Compared to that, letting sleeping dogs lie should have been a cakewalk.
She glanced over at Curaçao and Havocwing.
“They gave you the Captain rank...” Havocwing grumbled. “I still can’t believe it.”
“‘Avocwing, surely you can see why.”
“Yeah. But I’m still going to complain.”
“And I will still listen to your input. Keep me balanced, d’accord?”
Havocwing rolled her eyes and put a wing around Curaçao. “Sure thing, you big blueberry.”
“Zanks. Now… one last guest.”
Blackburn raised her eyebrows. “Who?”
The doors slid open, revealing a brilliant white alicorn. The only one of Silvertongue’s victims that had been left with a significant portion of their power left.
Harmonia… in an unusually physical form.
Twilight gawked. “I… I thought the Fay transition destroyed the Dreaming connection?”
“It did,” Harmonia admitted. “Nihilia’s remnant spark is no more. But I still had a body…” She smiled warmly. “Silvertongue’s spell saved me.”
“Huh.” Twilight said. “It’s good to see you! I thought… well we were worried and…”
“It is fine.” Harmonia turned to Blackburn. “I will not stay long, do not fret.”
Blackburn nodded. “This planet has had enough of white alicorns. You wouldn’t be… accepted.”
“I am aware. I simply came to see thou all - and to inform thou of my new home.”
“Sorry about Utopia…” Fluttershy said.
“The Merodi’s evacuation went amazingly,” Harmonia said. “They will have new lives in the multiverse, of which I am glad. I will be staying in New Pandemonium City.”
Everpony stared at her in shock.
“The ponies refused to leave the Fay Realm, and they have known nothing but chaos their entire life. They could use a guide.”
“Well… good luck,” Lockwood said. “They won’t like you there either.”
“Time - and complex situations - heal all wounds, dear Lockwood.” Harmonia took a moment to scan the faces in the room. “Every last one of thou little ponies… thou are heroes. Thou have saved the world, though not in the way anypony foresaw. I anticipate hearing of thy future exploits. Until we meet again.”
She was gone in a flash of light.
“Huh,” Applejack said. “...What do you s’ppose that’ll lead to?”
Shadow shrugged. “No idea. There are too many variables to account for now. We need to just… see what happens.”
“To seeing what happens!” Pinkie declared, raising a glass.
“To seeing what happens,” the others responded, trying to hold in chuckles.
~~~
Cinder walked along the streets of the ‘Perfect World’ with the red alicorn. Her name was Cross.
“You sure about this?” Cinder asked. “It might be… weird out there, for your ponies.”
“They are not my ponies,” Cross said, her smile as eternal as ever. “We each make our own decisions, thanks to you. There is no need for a leader among us.”
“Okay, for you specifically. It’s hard enough for me to understand you and have a normal conversation. You smile at everything!”
Cross nodded. “I do. We all do. And we will continue to do so until the end of time. But some of us want to see the other worlds. There has to be some good ponies without negative emotion can do, yes?”
“I mean, yeah. You’ll still make a lot of people angry.”
“They will beat us, they will shout, and they may even kill us, we know. We will not blame them. We cannot!”
“And that’s creepy.”
“I thank you for being honest with me.”
Cinder sighed. “Can’t change your mind, can I?”
“You might,” Cross admitted. “We are no longer limited by Silvertongue’s will. Which is a good thing.”
“At least you can understand that.”
“Your actions with him allowed us to understand what ‘bad’ is. We don’t even have spoiled fruit. The word did not exist before you came. I find that fascinating. Clearly we were created with a tremendous number of caveats and unusual mental blocks. We are unique, and I wish to understand that.”
“Oh, you’re going to the Universe Generator?”
Cross shook her head. “I will be a standard explorer. There are those who wish to study it and ensure it is not used ever again, allowed to do what it has always done with no interference. It will ensure our adaption into Merodi Universalis occurs faster than otherwise, too.”
“You all sure like to jump into things quickly.”
“Excessive thinking on dilemmas was deemed ‘imperfect’ by Silvertongue. We are lucky he respected his reason too much to remove that aspect of ponykind entirely.”
“Right.” Cinder frowned. “But you’ll never know what it’s like to frown. Or cry. Or… So many other things. Some of you have admitted you might want to try that. Don’t you feel…”
“Longing? No. The ‘want’ is more a logical deduction than a feeling.”
Cinder laughed awkwardly. “That… Yeah, I don’t get you guys. Yet. I’m trying.”
“And trying is good!” Cross winked. “You’re taking the first steps!”
“Heh. Thanks.” She glanced at the rest of her team, who were waiting on a hill. It had been time to go several minutes ago. “Well, see you around!”
“I hope to meet again,” Cross said with a bow. “May you both enjoy and suffer in your life.”
“Eheh…” Cinder said. “You guys are going to need a new saying.”
“We are testing a few out. The Imperfect wordsmiths have been busy over the last few hours.”
“That Imperfect name is going to stick.”
“Why shouldn’t it? It describes us well.”
Cinder sighed. “Right…” She rolled her eyes, waved, and trotted back to her team.
Cross continued walking through town, greeting her fellow Imperfects, discussing what she’d learned about the outside existence and what phrases to use in the presence of others. To her surprise, she came across another pony who wasn’t an Imperfect. “Oh! I was unaware Equis Imperfect had been opened to visitors!”
Mustard looked at her with an accusatory expression.
“Oh, are you one of those who are angry regularly? In that case, I apologize in advance for my lack of empathy or tact. I hope you understand.”
“You have no idea what you lost.”
“We are gaining so much more,” Cross said, keeping her smile level. “Are you one of Silvertongue’s? Perhaps I can explain why we are better off like this!”
Mustard grunted. “You’re worthless to talk to.”
“What is that you have?” Cross asked, trying to get a look at what was under his cloak.
“None of your business!”
“Oh, okay. Wait… that was a lie, wasn't it? Oh, fascinating to see one in the wild!”
Mustard opened a portal and jumped through, leaving Cross behind.
“Oh, wait, we can talk ri-” the portal popped close. “Well. I shall go report this to the Sweeties. Probably a criminal. Maybe they’ll let me visit him in jail…”