Every being in the room stared at the energy being that sat upon Tirek's throne with a different expression on their face. Celestia looked at him with anger at this being who dared sit on her throne. Luna smirked, figuring that this being was soon to be dead. Cadence wasn't sure what was going on anymore. Discord wouldn't take his eyes off of Nabu. Tirek gazed upon the being with defeat written clearly on his face. And Twilight was watching Tirek, her heart going could as she realized that Tirek had been telling the truth.
Only one being dared to speak.
"Finally you bother to reveal yourself," Nabu scoffed. "I've been waiting for your arrival for eons, and yet you did not show. I was beginning to think that you had sensed me and ran off to the farthest reality in hopes that you would never confront me."
"Dr. Fate...or is it just Nabu? It is so hard to tell with you," the being replied. "Though I am touched that you would wait so long to see me. It is nice to have someone care."
"Dr. Fate will be just fine. But you have me at a disadvantage..."
"Maestro. I have taken to being called the Maestro. It fits my motive," Maestro replied.
"Very well, Maestro. Now tell me," Fate began as magic coursed through Pinkie's body. "Do you have any last words before I undo all you have done?"
"All he's done?" Celestia asked. She narrowed her eyes at Pinkie before turning to look at Tirek, noting the look on his face. Then she turned back to Maestro. "It was you. You are the one who messed with reality. Created this world where Tirek took over."
"It was not my original intention. But I was bored and thought it would be amusing to see him dance," Maestro shrugged. "And what a dance. I should put Tirek in positions of power more often. It is clear he is terrible at it."
Pinkie cast a glance over at Tirek to see how he would respond, but Tirek barely moved in response. The look of defeat was still on his face. That didn't bode well. Celestia stepped forward, her horn aglow. "Well then, now that I know who is responsible for all of this, I can take the first steps to-"
Light flashed from the Maestro's body and Celestia was reduced to nothing a moment later. All eyes went wide in the room as the ponies stared at the spot where Celestia had been. Luna spun towards Maestro, a cry of fury barely escaping her lips before she joined her sister. Cadence let out a shriek before she too was gone. Discord clapped his hands together and unleashed a spiral of chaos into Maestro, but to his horror the Maestro's body seemed to absorb his power. Then he too was gone.
Pinkie and Twilight both watched with horror.
"Boring. Absolutely boring," Maestro sighed. "Another reality, another promise by Celestia and her family that she will defeat me. Feh, I've seen it all. Tirek, I thought you said that this world would be entertaining?"
"I...I tried...I brought back ancient monsters, created my own henchmen that-"
"There is no try. There is only do and do not. And you did not create an interesting world," Maestro said. He then turned his head towards Tirek. "And I do not take being bored well. Guess it's time to finally be done with this place."
The symbol of an Ank appeared before Tirek and power shattered the reality around Tirek. The centaur blinked and realized that Dr. Fate was standing before him, the pony having conjured a shield around him. He realized that the only reason he was still there was because the pony had chosen to save him.
"And back to you. Why save him, Nabu? He is evil. He is the reason the world is so out of whack. Honestly, it doesn't seem like something you would do."
"Maybe that is because Nabu is not at the reigns. I am!" Dr. Fate roared in a voice that was both female and divine. She threw her hooves to the side, building up magical power before crashing her hooves together to bring all of that power down on the Maestro. The Maestro was blasted from his throne and sent skidding back across the room. He stood up and brushed his hand against his shoulder. "And I will not let you kill another!"
"Hmm, well isn't that interesting. Your choice of host is...Pinkie? Oh that is good," Maestro chuckled. Pinkie created numerous anks made of magic and sent them hurtling towards the Maestro. Yet to her horror, the Maestro held out his hands and took the attacks effortlessly. "A being of order choosing a being of chaos to wield his power. Oh Nabu, how desperate were you to stop me?"
"Atk tor de RA!" Pinkie roared. Hundreds of bird heads with a halo around them surrounded the Maestro, firing beams of sunlight into him. He snapped his fingers and created a shattered magic barrier that reflected the attacks to every corner of the room. "W-what's going on? My magic can't scratch him."
'Not with the amount you are willing to use. This being is...is far beyond what I was expecting! You will have to use everything to defeat him, Pinkie!' Nabu roared in her mind.
"I...I don't know if I can," Pinkie replied. "If I use that much power...then I put everypony at risk. I put all of reality at risk...and I risk killing him."
"I see. Allow me to make it easier for you," Maestro said. He then snapped his fingers at Twilight and a moment later the unicorn crumbled into dust, fading away completely. "There. I've killed a pony who I'm fairly certain you cared about. Now come at me with all you-"
A giant, right hook slammed into the side of the Maestro's metal head, ripping him from his feet and hurling him towards the wall. Pinkie created a portal at where he was going to land and sent the Maestro through it. She created another portal right above her, conjuring a magic boulder that she drove into the side of the Maestro as he came falling through. He was rocketed away from her, but was brought back a moment later through another portal. Nabu put a spell in her mind and she screamed it out.
"Nu ver de SETH!"
Tendrils of dark magic erupted from her forehooves, piercing the Maestro's body and ripping through his limbs. The Maestro writhed as he was dangled in the air, the magic Pinkie was using ripping through his body. Then a laugh escaped from the Maestro and, with another flash of light, he blasted apart the tendrils and sent the mare skidding back.
"That's it Pinkie! Kill me! Wish for me to be dead! Attack me with all your might!" Maestro laughed. For a moment, Pinkie seemed to do just that. She channeled all of the magic Nabu allowed her to have into her hooves and aimed it at Maestro. But after a moment, she lowered them, unable to pull the trigger.
"Sigh...of course. I was a fool for thinking you would do something different. For a moment, I thought you would prove to be worth keeping around. But sadly, it is not enough. Not even with that supposed god on your side, you can't do it. This reality has truly been nothing more than a boring disappointment. Guess the only thing left to do is...start over."
Maestro held up a hand as his said this, channeling his power into it. The world began to fall apart around Pinkie. The world lost it's color, objects and beings started to look like they were sketches and even sound itself started to fail.
'Pinkie! Give me full control!' Nabu roared.
"But-"
'NOW!'
Golden light erupted from Fate's eyes as he took full control of his host. He bellowed as he thrust his forehooves out to the side, ceasing the erasure that the Maestro was trying to cause. Color slowly started to return, structures received their outlines and the sound of everything coming undo reached his ears once more. Nabu then clasped his hooves together and the Maestro was blasted back, ceasing his spell.
"Well now that is more like it. It has been a while since I've fought a foe who can match me in multiversal power. I am glad I brought out my best suit for you," Maestro laughed. Then his formed glowed black and his metal face some seemed to smile. "But I am not here to waste time fighting you, Nabu. I have plenty of other places I would rather be. So if you do not mind...I will end this."
Nabu had just began to reply only for a kick to the helm to silence him. His head snapped back, but a spell erupted from his hoof and struck Maestro square in the chest. Maestro was rocketed into space, blazing out of the galaxy and crashing into an asteroid belt. Yet he returned in a blink a moment later, none the worse for wear. He extended both hands and unleashed his shattered magic into Nabu, who thrust out his hooves and countered with magic that demanded order.
"Oh, you are a powerful one. And yet you are losing. Do you want to know why, god?" Maestro asked Nabu, who was starting to be pushed back by the Maestro's power. "Because your host is weak. Because her body cannot draw out the full power that you wield. Not that your full power could best me, but it would at least entertain. But as it is now...this is over."
Maestro then put everything into his magic, blasting through Nabu's spells and rending the god from reality. Nabu roared as he was sent crashing backwards, the helm falling from Pinkie's head and skidding across the ground. Pinkie crashed into the ground without a sound, while the helmet rolled to a stop in the middle of the throne room. Maestro walked over to it and picked it up with a single hand. For a moment, the helm glowed at Maestro, telling him that it would not give in.
And then Maestro squeezed is hand and crushed the helm.
"And with that, we are done," Maestro laughed. He tossed the now crushed helm next to Pinkie, who still had yet to move. Star-Swirl raced over to Pinkie, kneeling down next to her and shaking the mare, trying to get her to wake up. "Ah, Star-Swirl. I see you too survived the destruction of your original reality. You continue to impress. I almost feel bad about having to erase you. But sadly, this reality has failed me. Time to start over."
Star-Swirl turned to face the Maestro and aimed his horn at him, but a backhand from the Maestro put the wizard through the wall. Maestro then channeled his power once more and aimed it at Pinkie and Nabu. "Farewell-"
A blast of magic caught Maestro in the back, ripping him from his feet and slamming him into the wall. The Maestro, unharmed, rose back up and stretched his neck, before he looked over his shoulder to see what had happened. There, kneeling over the pony and the helm, was Tirek. A look on his face that Maestro didn't know he was capable of making.
"Tirek. You dare to defy me?" Maestro asked. For a long moment, Tirek stared at Maestro with a battle between fear and courage waging in his eyes. And then courage won out.
"For the first time in my life...yes," Tirek spat. Then his horns glowed and the three were gone, leaving the Maestro alone in the throne room. Maestro stared at the spot where they had vanished before he chuckled slightly to himself.
"I believe that is the first time that Tirek has ever defied me after seeing my true power. To think that he actually had some courage within him...interesting," Maestro said. He walked over to the throne and sat down in it, interlacing his fingers and resting his chin on his hands. "Perhaps I shall keep this reality around a little longer. Maybe it has some surprises left in it."