//------------------------------// // Everything starts somewhere // Story: Adepta Sororitas: The Tale of Canoness Sunset Shimmer // by ratedoni //------------------------------// To say precisely where he was would be… problematic at best since, technically, it’s not so much a place and time as such, not technically. After all, how do you explain something that is in the middle of everything and also the middle of nowhere at the same time without feeling as if you were being a little convoluted and way too weird? Let’s leave it as an elevator that was connecting doors to a bigger place, also called a mansion. It wasn’t that strange of an elevator really. It didn’t have any sci-fi features like completely clear walls looking into the multicolored and multifaceted place that is the place beyond the multiverse. It was a simple steel rectangle with fluorescent lights on the ceiling and some catchy jazz music coming from somewhere. It was a classic design, and Architect was in no way ashamed of his decision in creating something like this when he made the house of those that were in charge of keeping everything tidy and in place on the multiverse. Not his Magnum Opus, but still, he was very happy with the planning and construction of this place. How long has it been? It felt like centuries since he worked on the details of the place. It was a long time for many, but for creatures… “humans” like them, it was still a pretty chill location to plan and just relax at the end of existence, that is when one isn’t suffering the after effects of such a terrible battle. Several places on his body still felt tender even after healing the most grievous wounds he had received from exploding such a dangerous bomb. Clearly, the crystal bomb was a dangerous artifact that he may have to research deeply into. While not the most dangerous weapon at his disposal, it was still something extremely deadly and it was clear that it could hurt the monsters that had been observed across the multiverse. As the elevator reached its destination, Architect took a deep breath and tried to ignore the slight pain on his muscles as he quickly disembarked, ready to have a talk with the man that currently resided in this miraculous mansion, just for him to be quickly assaulted by a gorgeous woman with a fiery look on her eyes. “Well, look what the wasteland dragged in.” While in general, the slightly tanned woman standing was known for being a complete tomboy and someone that either was obsessed with sports or flying, Rainbow Dash was sometimes a surprise. After all, how many of the alternate universes Rainbow Dash prefered to use designer-made business attire, with short pencil skirts, white button-up shirts and elegant jackets, all in a tasteful light blue color? It was true that many iterations of the same person across the multiverse behaved similarly, but they were never the same person, nor did they have the same tastes and dreams. This woman was proof of that considering how much she looked like a businesswoman instead of someone that wanted to play football for a living. “Pleasure to see you Rainbow,” he slightly winced as even talking made some of his muscles shout in dismay after the shenanigans on the Crystal Kingdom. For her part, Rainbow simply smiled knowing well what the seemingly young man had done. It was incredible that someone that seemed to be so normal could survive things that not even great warriors and chosen ones could, but his looks were also a weapon. After all, if he could look like everyone then it meant that he was able to surprise almost everyone. “At least tell me you got cleaned, because I don’t want you dragging snow, viscera and lord knows what else from the battlefield.” “Well, I wanted to bring one of the chandeliers from the Crystal Empire castle, sadly everything in the place evaporated.” Quick with an answer, Architect simply shook his arm, letting free several specks of ash that had glued to his red jacket. As they were about to continue their banter, a sound interrupted them, with the strange briefcase appearing at his side, already skating around before dashing further into the mansion. “So… new invention?” “Penny is… an old companion, not even sure if I was the one that created her. Is he in? I need to talk with him.” At those words Rainbow simply rolled her eyes. “Of course he is, when is he not here? I swear he only goes out when it’s something of epic proportions, like our anniversary.” Following the sharply dressed woman to a more open area, he had time to really enjoy the place. Even if he had constructed the whole thing, the small details of decoration showed the kind of people that lived in it, and that was something he truly enjoyed about all places he visited across the vast amount of worlds around the multiverse. This room was obviously quite the contrast with most of the floating mansion, with huge windows looking into creation itself, a tall ceiling filled with lights, large fountain made out of reinforced glass and modern tables in a white and black combination making everything seem welcoming, but highly sophisticated, a place where one could lounge and relax, but it had the presence of class and power, the perfect place for people like them considering how involved they were with… well, everything really. It was with these thoughts that Architect finally sat down across from the man in charge of the huge complex, a man he had known for quite a while and though not the closest allies, there was still loyalty present. There’s a certain camaraderie that develops when two people cooperate for a long time, even if it never evolves into true friendship. Readjusting the glass, the man only known as The Observer signalled for another cup to the pink haired girl that attended the highly glamorous bar at the other side of the room. Architect never really understood what was the point of the bar at the beginning, but considering the amount of visitors that the place received some times, well, it was nice to have some part that did at least look normal to most people across the multiverse. What kind of visitors? Well, warriors, gods, demons and more sometimes got lost across the multiverse and time, so sometimes they reunited here, at the center of it all, and with such a gentlemanly host, who wouldn’t find great pleasure in this gorgeous place? “I assume you have questions about what just happened?” The calm and collected voice of the elegant man always intrigued Architect. It was quite the opposite to the more rambunctious attitude that the builder/warrior had, which was obvious considering how much time each spend on ‘the field’, with most of Observer’s job focused on the set of ‘doors’ that had been created to keep an eye on most situations, while Architect was as much a researcher as he was an adventurer, ready to jump into those same situations with the intention to offer his services as a creator, with useful items and artifacts to those that were trying to become legends on their worlds. “Well, considering that I was just involved in a war between Sunset Shimmer from 40K and Rogue from the X-Men with very demonic powers, yes, I think I will like an explanation! Thank you Pinkie.” In a way, it was hilarious how easy he could switch between sounding completely pissed off and then be as sweet and polite in just one sentence, but let’s be honest, it was also hilarious. “No problem, here’s your cappuccino. I’ll be preparing lunch if you want to stay.” The pink haired girl will always be a weird sight to behold, her calm and collected nature contrasting heavily to the vast majority of Pinkies in the multiverse. “I don’t know. I still have to check if I don’t have any orders left… but considering how hungry I became after having to survive an explosion that destroyed a city, maybe I will stay.” “Passive aggressiveness is unbecoming of you, and I am sorry that you had to go through all of that. Thank you Pinkie.” While the man with the guns prefered his coffee, tea was more of Observer’s taste, having a cup refilled by the woman in charge of the kitchen. “But it was of great importance to defeat what Rogue had become, not that it seems to have stopped her.” “No, but at least she seemed to have regained her sanity a bit. Still, it’s so weird to see creatures capable of surviving an explosion that big, or fight with a Queen head on. I thought those women were supposed to be some of the strongest creatures in the multiverse.” He may not be as close to the group known as Queens, but even he had seen the powers they commanded, with Bayonetta, now known as Madeleine, retaining most of her powers from before her change, but also gaining many abilities after her bizarre resurrection.  Not even he knew how they were able to ‘come back’ in that way, but at least he was grateful that they were not trying to create more chaos. Goodness knows that they had enough of that already with all the crazies around that wanted power or just plain chaos. Sure, it helped that he was one of the people that had the resources to help when it was needed, especially when ‘heroes’ were about to fall, or that he used to hunt creatures too dangerous that could be problematic to others in their home universes. Still, to have a powerful backup like the Queens was not a bad idea, even less so when creatures that survived some of his most powerful weapons were around. “It is a shame that you couldn’t contain her, but we are all grateful that she was taken out of commision, if only momentarily. Still, the planet was saved, alongside Sunset Shimmer and her troops.” “Why is it that the crazy redhead is always in the middle of everything?” “That is a mystery that we haven’t been able to crack, but I do have a hypothesis. I believe that Sunset is, without even realizing it, somewhat of an antidote to whatever is going on around the universes.” “You mean the crazy dark energy going around? Is that why you made me help the Sunset at the Gungeon? What is she going to do? Besides saving her friends of course.” “If everything goes well, all of them will be the key to finding an answer against the invasion.” “Yay, more mysterious nonanswers, just what I love. So are you going to tell me who exactly I’m fighting against now?” It was a heavy topic since he had been almost killed by monsters this time, almost that is, like every single time. “We know his name, Noche.” “An Umbrum? “THE Umbrum, the original one that came from the old lands.” “But there are no umbrums in any dimension, the only one that still exists in that state is Sombra and he gets his flanks kicked every time. I know, this time I helped.” “Indeed, but this one did not arrive from any of the classified worlds… he came from outside.” “Ah… is that even possible?” His confusion was understandable. Not even they knew what was beyond the sea of worlds outside, nor they knew the amount of variations and creations that made the endless universes floating like bubbles. After all, it was supposed to be ‘endless’. “Who knows? Though none of us do for certain, the ones that know the truth about the multiverse have thought possible that something beyond the infinity could cross over. We always theorized that there were other instances of what happens in this multiverse, that maybe there is something bigger than this.” “And another and another, an infinite expanse going for all eternity. I got the theory, but if you’re telling me that something arrived from beyond, then why is it here? Just to create chaos? We already have more than enough considering the things that happen around the place on any given day!” “We still don’t know, but we have a theory that he is looking for something, either a person, or an item that travelled with him. We noticed that there were energy signatures travelling across the sea of the multiverse, but the readings were too fragmented. Whatever sent him over seems to have also affected this energy because we cannot find it, just scant traces.” “So what? You want me to invent something to help you with it?” “No need. Featherine is already looking after it, not to mention she is anxious for another tea party.” “What? Wait… Featherine… that crazy chick from Higurashi? Isn’t she still trying to find a way to kill me permanently?” To say that the ‘crazy chick’ was anyone normal would be a complete lie. After all, how many people had complete control over a story like the Creator Witch. “You have to admit, her being incapable of changing your story or anything that you are involved with really made her curious… I’m not sure if that is a bad or a good thing. Still, she is a valuable ally and when she is curious she tends to work extra fast.” It was clear that the elegant man was about to say more, but they all felt something, a sensation akin to an insect crawling across their back and arm, a sensation of dread. Something beyond their space dimmed and was reborn, as if an eye had blinked and had been lost, like a soul and power that could only be found by those that were lost and had been found. “Well… that wasn’t normal.” It was obvious that he had only said that to lighten the mood, not that it helped them or changed the dire situation. “Indeed, this is everything besides normal. Whatever that was, I’m sure we will find the cause very soon.” And as they were trying to make sense of the situation, they both received grave news. It started with a message, as both men looked at the device on the Architect’s hands that had received it. “That’s weird… I don’t recognize this signal… come to this world, I will need your help… Well, that isn’t ominous.” But as he finished reading, someone else had an urgent mission. “Observer, we have a situation,” the elegant Rainbow Dash said with a seriousness that for many who weren’t used to this version of the rainbow haired woman will be shocked. “And that one is?” “A Sunset Shimmer has retained her memories after her world was reset.” It would have been comical to see the two grown men stay petrified at those strange words, but these two men were not normal, nor the situation they were in. “Okay… uh, correct me if I’m wrong,” began the younger looking of the two. The man with a thousand and one weapons was flabbergasted, but he carried on with his usual humour, “I was under the impression that after a reset, nobody in that dimension could remember anything of what had happened. That’s why it’s called a reset!” “it is as you said… so something like this happening… Well, it is a first. Guess we both have something to do about this, right?” And as Observer said those words, Architect, the man with the long jacket nodded before disappearing with the use of his bottle, following the coordinates on his message, right into a dark forest. into the entrance of a world that would change the destiny of many and will bring light to those without hope. You may know this place. Perhaps you've seen the place, maybe in a dream. A murky, forgotten land. A place where souls may mend their ailing mind. They will lose everything… over… and over… and over… again ... once Branded. The symbol of the curse. The symbol of humanity An augur of darkness, an augur of constant despair. The past. The present. The future. The very light that shines upon all. None will have meaning, and nobody will even care. By then, he'll be something other than human. But then… he has always been something different. An existence… that goes beyond… gods and demons. A thing that feeds on souls. On dreams. On monsters They may be Hollow. But him… he is more… The one who builds is more. And she… she is more… the redheaded woman is more.  Long ago, in a walled off land, far to the north, a great king built a great kingdom. I believe they called it Drangleic. Perhaps you're familiar. No, how could you be. You are just human… trapped beyond your screen.  Not knowing what it means to be cursed. But one day, you will stand before its decrepit gate. Without really knowing why… Like a moth drawn to a flame. Your wings will burn in anguish. Time after time. For that is your fate. The fate of the cursed. And this. This is their beginning. Their end.