Fears of Bygone Eras

by Lusaminia


Chapter 13

“Okay Luminous, one more story. You want one that you haven’t heard before? I know you like the story of the princess, but it’s important to hear new ones every once in a while. Let me think… ah, how about a story from my tribe? I haven’t shared too many of them, though that is half due to our pack having no written language, but I think I know this one will enough to tell it in words. Sounds good? Alright, this is the creation of the Wisewolves. My kind, my people.”

“Ahem!”

“Once upon the darkness, the first born slogged. His heart heavy, mind filled with uncertainty to see who he was. They, born in a land of prey, were a smart predator, and one who thought outside of the noses lure. He walked for a meaning, for with knowledge of himself he was more than the bear, and had more purpose than an animal. Yet, he was alone in the world, the one and only, such why he is the first born. He was to be the first and only, but two thought him to be greater.”

“These two are the Huntal, the prey that showed us how to hunt. They taught the first born of those who would harm the land he walked, and how to fend for himself. Though they found he had no one to fend for, but himself, and were saddened. So they, with their power, granted him a second to fight for, and the capability to love. The Huntal left them, the first born teaching the new Wisewolf, the second born, what he was taught. In time, they would give birth to those like us, or I in this case, the Wisewolves that would carry their lessons, and the Huntal’s teachings.”

“That is our cause for hunting, for killing, and for protecting. The Huntal made us a people, and what they made for is we pass on. Even you, Luminous, my daughter, might one day wish to hunt like I, to protect those you love. The first born slogged through darkness to do as such, and thus it is only in kind that we must follow his teachings. So live for the first born, and those you cherise, and all will be taught.”

“That is our will, that is our way.”

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Four days had passed, and news had finally made its way throughout the rest of Equestria. Ponyville was the first to learn of the news, and it soon made its way to Cloudsdale, from which word only spread faster and faster. In only two days, half of Equestria had heard the news, all shocked at the idea that Twilight Sparkle, former element of magic and queen of Equestria, had lost. Yet, they hadn’t lost hope, knowing that this isn’t the first time that it looked like everything was lost. Equestria still believed that Twilight would win back the throne, and that this Aurora, whoever they were, would fall like all the others.

The news had reached Silver Shoals three days later, though life continued on like normal in the resort town. On the fourth day, as the sun rose, a small breakfast place by the water’s edge sat ready to open. This was Up at Sunrise, the establishment that Sunnyside and her sister had owned and worked for the past twenty years. It wasn’t the busiest place in the town, but it had more than enough business to be considered well known. Anyone who had visited it would mention the food, service, and experience, but being in a rather wealthy town made it feel slightly outcasted by some of the larger restaurants around.

Sunny and Brew had set up for the day rather early, both being unable to get any real sleep after hearing the news. Sunny specifically found her thoughts wandering to Twilight, her brain entering a state of panic that she had not had in years. It took all her will to focus on what was more important, that being the fact she would open in an hour. Tables were washed and set, menus ready, Brew had her daily coffee before heading into the kitchen, and all they had to do was wait. This meant that, despite her wish to focus on her work, she had plenty of time to drift into worry and fear.

“Come on, everything will be okay,” Sunny told herself. “Twilight is a strong mare, and she’ll win in the end. She did all those years ago, she can do it now.”

Those words did little to ease her heart. In fact, it only made her worry more, a question she never wanted to think coming to her head. Would this be when Queen Twilight truly lost? It was something that she felt was impossible, but Sunny felt something about this new villain was different. She shook her head for what had to be the tenth time in the past half an hour in an attempt to get those thoughts out of her head. Her sister seemed so calm about it all, why was she so afraid of that fact?

A caw came from outside the window, and Sunny looked outside to find something that finally soothed her heart. Philomena, a strange phoenix with green flames instead of the red and orange that she was familiar with. She walked outside, holding a hoof out for Philomena to land on and rest her wings. It warmed her heart to see the phoenix again, having seen it leave for weeks only to come back at the most unexpected moment. It made her smile, and she knew it would make someone else smile as well.

“Welcome home Philomena,” Sunny said, a smile on her face and a heart filled with warmth. “Had a fun adventure?” The phoenix nodded, before turning behind her to the distance. “Hm? What is it?”

Sunny followed Philomena’s gaze down the shoreline, noticing two figures running towards her. The first was a griffon, one she recognized from papers as none other as Emperor Gabriel, but the second she was unfamiliar with. A pegasus with a coat as black as night and mane and tail as yellow as the sun, doing all she could to keep pace with the griffon next to her. It didn’t take long for said pegasus to collapse from exhaustion, Gabriel turning around as he heard the collapse.

“Oh no,” Sunny muttered, turning to the phoenix. “You grab Brew, I’ll help his highness.”

The phoenix didn’t nod, but Sunny knew she would follow the command. Opening the door to let Philomena in, the phoenix took off in search of the unicorn. Knowing she could trust the phoenix to find Brew, Sunny let go of the door and rushed to Gabriel’s side. Said griffon was surprised when he saw the pegasus running to him, not recognizing her, but didn’t let that distract him from what was happening in front of him. Taking Luminous’ hoof, he slung the pegasus onto his back, keeping quiet about how heavy she was in case she was conscious.

“Your highness, is everything all right?” Sunny said as he reach the griffon. He opened his mouth to speak, but took another moment to reconsider the words he would use.

“Mostly,” He answered. His gaze shifted back and forth between Sunny and the exhausted Luminous on his back. “The mare took off after your phoenix four days ago for no reason. Honestly, I figured she would give up after losing sight, but that phoenix seemed to actually want us to chase her.”

“That’s Philomena for you. She surprises me to this day, and is much smarter than I give her credit for,” Sunny said with a chuckle. It took her a minute to realize she had not introduced herself. “Oh, um, forgive me for not introducing myself your highness. The name is Sunnyside, co-owner of Up at Sunrise.”

“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” Gabriel replied. He couldn’t help but find the mare adorable. “You wouldn’t happen to be located nearby, would you? I think a certain somepony needs a break.”

“Ah, of course,” Sunny replied. “Technically we aren’t open yet but-”

“Sunny, how many times have I told you,”  All attention shifted to Brew, who looked like she was about to explode from sheer anxiety. Philomena was asleep in her mane, something that Gabriel had to keep himself from laughing at. “Remember what nearly happened that last time we let Philomena near gas? If you have something to tell me please just tell me your-” Brew’s eyes finally caught the griffon emperor and unconscious mare on his back, eyes going wide at the realization of what was going on. “O-oh!”

“Your highness, this is my sister Morning Brew. Morning Brew, this is Emperor Gabriel… correct?” Sunny asked, Gabriel nodding in reassurance. “Come with us. We have an hour before opening, so she can rest in one of the booths.”

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Sometime later, Luminous was sleeping comfortably in a booth on the far side of the restaurant. Her once troubled expression lessening as she rested, in time turning into a small smile. Gabriel was nearly as tired as the pegasus next to him, though the stress and anxiety of his early years as emperor he made him far more use to sleepless days. Morning Brew had gotten the emperor a cup of coffee, having noticed the bags which had formed from keeping up with Luminous. Sunny, meanwhile, kept an eye on Luminous, a sense of familiarity entering her mind.

“A friend of yours?” Sunny asked as refilled Gabriel’s cup.

“The daughter of a friend,” Gabriel replied, mouthing a silent “thank you” as Sunny finished refilling it. He immediately lifted it to his beak, take a small sip before setting it back down. “I’m sure the news has gotten out about what happened in Canterlot.”

“Yes, it’s horrible what happened, and on the Festival of the Two Sisters no less,” Sunny said. “Your majesty, is the queen… she’s still alive so.”

Gabriel’s eyes turned to the bag at his side, sighing. “I hope so, considering everything we’ve gone through to get here,” He took another sip. “To think that phoenix would lead us all the way to Silver Shoals,” His gaze turned to Philomena, who was sleeping on the top of a cabinet. “Is she a rare breed? I’ve never seen a phoenix with green fire before.”

“Your guess would be as good as mine,” Sunny replied. “You see, my sister used to have a phoenix by the same name, but they disappeared some time ago. Two years after we moved in here...”  Sunny looked to the phoenix, looking like she was on the edge of crying. “I don’t know why, but I just knew it was her. She’s not the same Philomena from before moving, but I just sort of… knew it was her.”

“You aren’t the only pony to recognize the name, though it’s probably more of mystery with her,” Gabriel told the pegasus, his eyes falling onto Luminous’ sleeping form. “She seems like such a clawfull, with all the strange things that happen around her, but considering her mother, that’s to be expected.”

Sunny couldn’t help but laugh, not noticing how Gabriel’s attention had been drawn to the door. “I’m guessing that this mare must be quiet wealthy, considering she knows the emperor of the griffon emperor.”

The door to the restaurant opened, Sunny turning around in surprise to see a timber wolf-like creature with fur and flesh being the one to do so. “Lumy-bean!”

Sunny stumbled back as Silvia, eyes pinned on her daughter, ran to the booth. Using the tables to shorten her route, she pounced on her daughter, wrapping her in a hug. Sunny looked confused fear at the beast in front of her, though upon seeing that it was snuggling Luminous instead of eating her, she figured out it wasn’t evil. It was only then that the nickname the wolf had used clicked in her mind: Lumy-bean. She looked to Gabriel, who was looking back with the smuggest grin she had ever seen in her life.

Uhm,” Luminous groaned as her mother’s hug woke her up, though it took several minutes for her eyes to open, her mother’s fur being the first thing they caught. “Ma… mom?”

“You have no idea how worried I was,” Silvia responded, nearly crying. “Canterlot is taken, I don’t see you for four whole days after, and I had no clue if Gabriel even found you.” 

It was only upon hearing her mother’s voice that Luminous, having somehow remembered what Arcane had told her, started to panic. Flurry, Arcane, and Thunder look in awe at Luminous doing everything she could to escape her mother's grasp. Managing to get her head out of the wolf’s fur, Luminous’ eyes immediately fell on Arcane, who was giving her a grin that was impossibly large for the unicorn. Luminous should have known that he wasn’t messing with her.

“Oh no you don’t,” Silvia said as Luminous nearly wiggled free, ending the hug to allow her daughter to breath before instantly hugging her again. “Your mother is going to hug you and you are going to like it!”

“You… aren’t, mad?” Luminous asked, surprised at the fact her mother wasn’t barking her up a tree. “I… I thought you would be upset because I left home without telling you.”

“Oh sweetie, I’ve been trying to get you to do that for a long time,” Silvia explained, laughing. “Besides, knowing you’re alive is enough for me.”

Sunny’s attention turned from Silvia and Luminous to the entrance, noticing that even more ponies had arrived in the time she had last looked. The first, and second most shocking discovery was that Empress Flurry Heart was there, a permanent look of disinterest etched onto her face. Next to her were two others, one clearly a guard if the other was to say anything, while the other black stallion sent a shiver down her spine. She looked between the two groups, and despite knowing that this was royalty she would be yelling at, it felt necessary.

“Okay, I’m sorry to break up the reunion, because I’m happy to see your okay, but you all realize we aren’t open yet!” She yelled, her voice powerful enough to even spook Flurry a little. Just a little though, and totally not to the point were she nearly squeaked like a filly. “I had only allowed these two in because Luminous was collapsed and Gabriel is royalty, but we aren’t open yet and I therefore must ask you to leave!” She took a deep breath in… and exhaled, glad to have gotten that out. “Though, if you need a place to stay for the night, I can figure something out.”

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After a few minutes involving Silvia, Flurry Heart, and Gabriel arranging an agreement with Sunnyside for their living conditions, the group separated for the day. Gabriel handed the canon to Silvia, convinced that it was far safer in her paws. With the time given, Luminous and Silvia decided to hang out by the water, catching up for the first time in a few months. In those first few minutes, Luminous had felt the happiest and safest she had been since leaving home.

“Oh Lumy, I thought you had learned your mistakes from last time Arcane messed with you,” Silvia said, giggling as Luminous finished explain the events in the spa. “What did he do again? Oh yeah, fooled you into thinking hot chocolate was made of tar.”

“That happened?” Luminous asked, unable to recall anything like that every happening. Silvia just laughed. “Mom, really. Please tell me I didn’t do that.”

“Nah, that wasn’t the last time he messed with you, but it’s the most memorable,” Silvia replied, ruffling her daughter’s mane. She let out a sigh. Though she was happy, she knew that sooner or later she would have to bring up paradoxes. There didn’t seem to be an appropriate time for everything, so she might as well go for now. “Luminous, I hate to change the mood, but…”

Hearing her mother trail up, Luminous turned around to see that she had stopped walking. “Yeah?”

“Sorry, it’s just not something I was really prepared for trying to explain to you again,” Silvia explained. “You know how you’ve had visions since you were young? About me being from another Equestria?” Luminous nodded. Silvia took another deep breath in, let it out, and continued. “Well, Luminous, there are somethings that I’ve been purposely avoiding to tell you, all in a hope to give you at least some semblance of a normal life.”

“Did something happen to change that?’ Luminous asked, noticing the rather grim expression that was now painted on her mother’s face. “I… I do know there is something you aren’t telling me. Psyche brought up that you had something to tell me,” She bit her lip as she was forced to bring back an awkward memory. “It was… after my first encounter with Queen Twilight.”

“One of you tried to touch each other, didn’t you?” Silvia predicted. Judging by her daughter’s suddenly shocked expression, she was right on the money. “Don’t worry, that’s supposed to happen. You and Twilight, how do I put this, have a connection that… causes you two to be unable to physically interact with each other,” Silvia drew one more deep breath in to prepare herself for what she was about to say. “In a more straightforward manner… you and Twilight are the same pony.”

Luminous raised an eyebrow. “What?”

“Look I know it’s crazy, but if you want to know how I know this, it’s because you aren’t the only pony who is like this,” Silvia explained. “Thunder, Psyche, Arcane, and myself have all had the same thing happen, though with different ponies or… creatures, in my case,” The hard part was over, at least Silvia felt like it was. Now, she just had to say the truth. “Luminous… you are also from my Equestria. In fact, you’re the reason that its broken.”

Luminous wasn’t processing anything her mother was saying, not because it didn’t make sense, but because she didn’t know what to start making sense of. Her mouth opened and closed several times, various sounds that she had tried to form into words coming out. So, with no other words or sentences available to her, she decided to go for the tried and true response to strange situations.

“Again, what?” Luminous asked, her pupils nearly overtaking her irises. “Okay, okay, and how do you think that explains anything?!” Silvia winced at the harsh tone her daughter had taken, her eyes fixed on her daughter but head turned to the side. “Look mom, I trust you. You taught me, you cared for me, I don’t think I couldn’t trust what you’re saying, but you expect me to take that and be like “oh yeah, that makes perfect sense” when it gives me literally nothing?! This is the explanation Psyche was denying me.”

“It’s complicated, Luminous, okay?” Silvia said, taking a few steps back, having to manually calm her breathing in order to keep from panicking. “Alternate realities aren’t something you can explain in a sentence, nor are paradoxes or anomalies or the… everything is complicated!” 

Luminous took a step back this time, seeing how much her mother was struggling to convey what was in her head. In the same way she had struggled to respond to her mother's attempt at explaining everything, Silvia was doing the exact same opening and closing thing with her jaw. The reactions separated when Silvia’s muzzle shaped into a snarl, eyes closed and tears rolling down her face. It was too much for her to handle; every repressed feelings from back than coming back in a flurry of self hate and terror.

Then, it became too much to hold in.

“We’re responsible! We’re the reason everything is happening! Your lack of cutie mark, Psyche’s vision, the invasion a few days ago, we’re the cause of this! You, me, and everypony from your foalhood are from another universe! Another…  another,” She fell to the sand below her, crying into the sand. Silvia could see anymore, the water in her eyes so blurry that she couldn’t even see her daughter walking towards her. “It was unstable… our Equestria was unstable and you tried to fix it. You… you and Psyche killed everypony, even me. My tribe, I killed my own brothers and sisters because… I don’t even know why! I sacrificed myself for… for something that was suppose to get you out of our Equestria… but I failed.”

Silvia couldn’t see her daughter, but she could feel her hooves around her.

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“So, let me get this straight,” Gabriel said, he and Thunder stopping in the middle of the street. “That pegasus that Luminous saw plummeting back in Canterlot, that was her mother?”

“Y… yeah,” Thunder replied, his nod as hesitant as his words. “We don’t know what it was to this day, but something had convinced Princess Coral Oracle, Luminous’ mother, that the only way to stabilize our world was to kill both herself and Luminous,” He closed his eyes. “She didn’t realize what was happening until it was too late to open her wings, so she used her body to shield Luminous. She blamed herself for that for the longest time, and I think that was why she left Canterlot’s walls so many years later.”

“I-” Gabriel’s words were caught in his throat, wanting to give condolences to the mare but not knowing the words to say. Instead, he simply hung his head. “I can’t imagine how that must have affected her.”

“That’s where she gets the story from you know,” Thunder said, turning to face the direction they had come from. “Silvia’s story the imperfect princess is based off of that. It’s how she shoulders her burdens, turning the horrible things in life into tales and stories, most of which she has told Luminous.”

“Then, if Luminous is also from another dimension, just like you and Silvia,” Gabriel swallowed, hesitant to know the truth that had been itching him for so long. “Does that mean, all of you are paradoxes?”

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“A paradox: something that doesn’t belong in a certain place, time, or environment,” Arcane said from the nearby peer, Flurry Heart watching Luminous and Silvia from a distance with a popsicle in her mouth. “It’s the perfect descriptions for ponies like us. Notice Luminous’ lack of a cutie mark? When crossing dimensions, all paradoxes lose something, and that was hers. Silvia lost her sense of smell, and therefore has no sense of taste as well. I… I lost the ability to die, or at least die completely,” Arcane looked at one of his front hooves, Flurry Heart noticing that a large chunk was taken out of it. “Doesn’t sound bad, until I found out I can’t heal back. Dice me up, and would still be alive… or as alive as a pony could be chopped into a thousand tiny bits.”

“You didn’t have that back in the garden,” Flurry Heart remembered. “Your hoof was still full then.”

“Yeah, this is slightly different,” Arcane explained. Much to Flurry’s dismay, he then proceeded to effortlessly rip of another part of his hoof and held it up to her. There was no bleeding where he had ripped it from, an endless void seeming to be under his skin. “For now, let's call these missing parts of our personalities, beings, and so forth… Affects. Uncreative, but it serves its purpose,” He placed the piece of his hoof on the sand, and a pentagram suddenly took shape in the center of it. “However, there is another way we are changed, these much more positive. Strange powers, things we can do that shouldn’t be possible.”

“Anomalies than,” Flurry Heart said, getting a look that said “really?” from the unicorn next to her. “What? Coming up with terms for things are fun.”

“Well, it’s fitting, so we’ll keep it,” Arcane explained, standing back up. “An anomaly, contrary to an affect, does not show up right away. A paradox has to spend a lengthy amount of time in another dimension for it to, but they are all different,” He raised his hoof into the air, and where he had placed the piece of his hoof a dark portal formed. A portal which led right back to the garden’s of Canterlot castle. He allowed Flurry Heart to examine it for a moment before lowering his hoof and closing it. “When I rip a piece of my body off, for instance, I can make a portal. Activating that portal is the only way for those parts of my body to return to me. If another pony tried to do the same thing with me, I would bleed like anyone else.”

Flurry was stunned at what she was hearing. “That’s… interesting,” She shifted her attention back to the wolf and her daughter, who had fallen asleep on each other.

“Trust me, it’s only going to get weirder from here.”