//------------------------------// // Chapter One Hundred Nineteen // Story: HiE - A Hollow in Equestria // by Charlie_K //------------------------------// Chapter One Hundred Nineteen Dear Princess Celestia, I apologize for the late hour of this letter. I know this is hardly the ideal time to be receiving this. But given the subject matter, I feel it may be best to get this out of the way now, rather than in the morning. I received word from Ulquiorra about a certain visitor here in Equestria. Another Twilight Sparkle. Specifically an alicorn Twilight Sparkle. A Princess Twilight Sparkle if you will. I'm certain you had good reason for not informing me about this development transpiring when it did. I can only imagine what sort of pressing matters you had to tend to in light of being informed about all of this. I mean, it's not everyday you receive a visitor from an alternate reality. However, I would appreciate to know what this development may mean for me. More specifically what it might mean for my future. Am I destined to become a princess in this world as well, Celestia? Just like Cadance? Am I destined to become a ruler, and have the well-being of so many others placed under my watch? I admit, the thought of that much responsibility scares me, even after everything we've been through so far. What scares me more is the possibility that, while she might've been up to the task herself, the same might not be true in the case of myself. I don't want to just summarily reject the possibility if it is in the works. I'd just like to have some idea of what I might one day be facing, so that I might know how to be conducting myself while I still have the opportunity to learn and prepare myself accordingly; both so that I don't disappoint you, and so that I don't screw things up by being ill-prepared for a responsibility I wouldn't have even dared to imagine. Celestia hadn't even finished reading all the way through the letter yet, before finding it necessary to set it down at her desk and look up with a sigh. She definitely hadn't needed this headache on top of everything else she was dealing with right now. But honestly it was her own fault for not asking Ulquiorra to keep this information quiet for at least today. That said, words were going to be had in the near-future. But first, she needed to figure out just what to say to Twilight in the time being. Even if it was just informing her that she could tell her everything, but only after she had the time to compose and organize her thoughts for jotting them down for writing them out. Considering what she'd learned about her counterpart and how she conducted herself, Twilight at least deserved that much. "So help me, Ulquiorra," she sighed again as she turned back to the letter to read it further, while wishing she'd been faster and turning in. "When this crisis is over, and we can all catch our breath, I'm going to burn your scrawny ass." Exactly how long Princess Twilight had been unconscious had been anypony's guess. She really hadn't been paying attention herself at the time when she'd laid down, but she was certain she'd needed it, what with how refreshed she currently felt. The shower beforehoof, with some borrowed shampoo from Luna's stock, hadn't hurt matters either. The bed in Luna's chambers had been exquisitely comfortable to lay on, and she'd found herself falling asleep far faster than she would've thought possible. She hadn't even realized she'd been asleep until she woke up again, and found herself still stretched out on top of the cozy bedding just like when she'd first laid down to test it out. "Well... at least Princess Luna won't need to change the bedding..." She'd been reluctant to even get up and leave the comfort the bed promised her, especially when she saw what time of night it currently was. But as awake and refreshed as she felt, trying to go back to bed would probably be futile. So instead she got up, stretching out not unlike a cat until there was a satisfying pop felt in her back, and after a moment to gather her thoughts concluded the library would probably be the best destination for her at the moment. Even if it meant being around... him. But it would be a small price to pay, to see just how different the palace library here was from the one back in her own reality. Not just how different, but also how similar. This was going to be so much fun! One hop, skip, and burst of teleportation-related magic later, and she was in the palace library, ready to peruse the assembled knowledge. But not quite ready for just how... different... the library actually looked compared to what she'd been expecting. Whereas so many other things she'd encountered in this world were identical to her own, the library most certainly wasn't one of them. This... this looked like it had far more in common with the library at Canterlot High than it did the palace library back at home. The stone walls were painted in warm earth tones from what she could see. The shelves that surrounded her current position were filled with hardback books rather than rolled up scrolls. And in what she was certain was the center of the unrestricted section, where there had once been simple tables and benches now held what was more accurately described as a lounge. She had to blink and do a double take at that last point. In addition to the standard furniture, there was a sofa, coffee table, what looked like a couple of recliner chairs, bean bag chairs, and even a section of plush carpeting for all the new furniture to rest on. "Alright then," she said to herself slowly as she looked around. "Not exactly what I was expecting, but... that doesn't necessarily mean it's a bad thing. Just different, like everything else in this world." Then again, it being different from what she'd expected might wind up being a good thing. If she ended up getting lost in her reading, the fact it would be in a book rather than a scroll might serve as a subtle reminder of where she currently was. And the library back in her dimension definitely didn't have beanbag chairs for reclining in. But before she could actually get cracking on her reading, she paused as she became aware of the feeling of something in the room not being right. Something that was downright uncomfortable, and making the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. "Ulquiorra?" she called out hesitantly, her voice shaky as she spoke. "What is it?" The sound of the semi-familiar voice helped soothe her nerves somewhat. However the positioning of the voice was a bit unsettling in itself. It didn't sound like he was behind her, or to the sides, and she could tell he definitely wasn't in front of her. Could it be he was... Glancing upward, she had her answer. "I didn't know you could perform magic." "In truth I can't," Ulquiorra replied, his focus presently on what looked like a notebook from the current position. The statement made Twilight blink and do a double take, trying to rationalize what he'd said with what she was presently seeing. "But you're currently floating in midair with no visible mechanical system to support your position. That's self-levitation, just like what Starlight does," she protested. "Who?" "Oh, ah, somepony back in my reality. Friend, former pupil, reformed villain who once held egomaniacal plans of world domination," Twilight clarified. "But this isn't about her. If you can't do magic, then how're you floating off the ground like that?" "I could explain the mechanics behind the technique to you. But undertaking such a course of action would most likely lead to even more questions being raised as a result. The entire night would easily be consumed by the information that would need to be shared," Ulquiorra pointed out. "Your counterpart already has countless notes and observations pertaining to Hollow physiology. She would likely be quite willing to provide you with a copy of her findings at the inevitable meeting should you ask." "Oh. That makes a lot of sense," Twilight noted. "It's such an odd concept to even think about though; having to actually catch up with myself." "She will likely experience the same feeling when you two meet, and can freely exchange whatever information between one another," Ulquiorra stated, before slowly descending and touching down on the library floor with a book in tow. "If there are no other matters to presently discuss, I've completed the list of books that will have no relevance to the subject of how to go about returning to your own reality." Before Twilight even had time to express how she appreciated the work he was doing to assist her, she was already being presented with another curiosity of this world. As best she could tell, it looked like a standard spiral-back notebook, just like what she'd seen on the other side of the mirror. Wire-wrapped binding, thin cardboard front and back covers, thirty three blue lines per page, and filled with some of the neatest penmanship she'd ever seen, as she held the book in her magic to read it over. To say Ulquiorra had been thorough in his organization of the assembled information would be an understatement. Not only were the entries numbered and entries spaced with a line break between them, but they also included the author's name, the edition and year of publication when applicable, whether the entry was found in the restricted or unrestricted section, and even the number of pages! Even his pages were numbered in the top right-hoof corner! The only fault she could really find with it all was the fact it wasn't actually alphabetized. But that was a minor gripe on her part. She had seen worse, and had done more with less. Her resolve on the matter faltered as she began flipping through the pages, and saw the vast quantity of information he'd actually compiled for her. With each new page flip, she felt her eyes slowly growing wider in disbelief. By the time she'd reached the final page of notes she was looking back and him, and back at the book. "You wrote out all of this, in the few hours we've been at the palace?" "Correct," Ulquiorra confirmed. "Taking into account the potential differences that might be experienced between the two realities. If it is on the list, it won't be of any help in returning home, even if a similar entry in your realm would have different information." "... I honestly hadn't thought about that being a possibility," Twilight admitted, feeling a bit embarrassed by that. But she wouldn't let her own embarrassment get her down, as it was all a part of learning. "So what index did you reference when constructing this list?" "No index was used, I've simply read all of them since I arrived in Equestria," he clarified. "You have?" Twilight asked, before looking back over the list again. "That's quite the reading list. How many years have you been here?" "Ninety three days." "Ninety three d-" Twilight squawked in response as she looked back at him in disbelief. "But there are over... that would mean you... rates like these aren't even physically possible! Even I can't read this many books in that short amount of time! How did you manage this!?" "Being dead has its advantages." It took Twilight more time than she comfortably wanted to admit to, to remember and recall the fact she was technically having a conversation with a ghost. One extremely, physically solid ghost, but still a ghost nonetheless. "That still just raises so many questions," she noting as she opted for a change of subject, and carefully set the book down on one of the familiar tables so she didn't wind up dropping it. "I mean, you're technically a ghost, but you were sitting down to dinner with Applejack's family. And eating your fair share of the food just like the rest of us. If you're a ghost then how-" "Hollow physiology isn't the sort of discussion you'll want to be involved in," Ulquiorra replied before she could even finish asking her question. "Discovering just how badly I violate the laws of physics of this dimension was not something the other Twilight Sparkle was prepared to experience. In truth it may have actually contributed to the psychological trauma she experienced during the return of Nightmare Moon." "... That just raises even more questions than answers," Twilight admitted softly. "And I already had so many questions to begin with. There's just so much about here that I want to know while I'm here. There's so much potentially undiscovered information, that could even help us back home if we simply knew about it." "And yet you see fit to deny us the same opportunity to learn and benefit from what knowledge you could share," Ulquiorra quipped. "That's-" Twilight replied defensively, but stopped before ever finishing her intended rebuttal. Even she knew he had her with that one. "That's a very fair criticism. I guess I deserved that one," she admitted. The fact he wasn't metaphorically on top of her in her moment of weakness, further unbalancing her mentally, was something she was thankful for. The brief respite was what she needed to try and focus her thoughts. "It's just... when Applejack mentioned the other me in this world was still a unicorn, I guess it planted a kernel of doubt and uncertainty in my mind. What if the other me is destined to become a princess and take up rule just like I did, and my meddling changes that course of events? Or worse, what if she's not destined for being a ruler, and I wind up doing something that sets her down a course that was never intended for her? My meddling here could have potentially wide-reaching consequences for this entire world. What about future allies that my world has already made, that could be made here? What if I wind up making things worse just before finding my way back home, and wind up leaving all of you here to fix my mistakes?" "If Discord's explanation is to be believed, this alternate reality has already been knocked off of its intended course, leaving us all in uncharted territory. According to him, the situation at hand has so much potential for catastrophe, that bringing a deceased villain into the equation could only serve to improve the situation. How much worse could you possibly make the situation, even if you tried?" Ulquiorra asked. "... I'm honestly afraid to even try and answer that question," Twilight admitted. Just the idea of what he was asking was... Pinkie would probably call it mind-meltingly horrible. Or something like that. Even just thinking about it left her feeling the need to take a seat and sit down on the bench nearest her position. "The way you think kind of scares me at times. It's the type of thinking that usually leads to one going really deep into the realm of philosophical existentialism, and questioning the very nature of reality itself." There was no immediate response on Ulquiorra's part. But from his posture and the way he was standing, it looked like he was at least listening to what she had to say. Almost like he was waiting to see where she went from here. And if his notes were anything to go by, he could easily out-wait her without even trying. A battle of attrition wasn't going to be hers to win in this case. "I've been down that path before. And I don't like the sort of questions that come up with it; like the nature of the universe. Take the human solar system for example. It has eight planets, but only one of them has the conditions required to support life. So what purpose to the other seven planets even serve in existing? Why is life as we know it isolated to only a single planet?" "Nine." "Excuse me?" "There are nine planets in the solar system. Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto," Ulquiorra clarified. "Oh. Ah... not really. At least not in the human world I've been to. Pluto used to be classified as a planet, but it was downgraded to a dwarf planet. It doesn't count anymore," Twilight replied. The way Ulquiorra turned to more directly face her, and the look he currently wore, suggested she had his full attention now. "Since when?" "Ah... two thousand six AD, I think? Honestly, I wasn't paying that much attention to the topic at the time; I was still learning how to even use a computer, and there was a lot to learn about. As in terabytes of information, if those terms make any sense." Ulquiorra's only response was a simple, nonspecific grunt, before returning his attention to whatever had held it originally. Which was fine with her, as it gave her the opportunity to familiarize herself with the list he'd made, so she would know what books to avoid in her quest to return home. It would be just plain rude to let all of his hard work and effort go to waste. "If those from the seemingly infinite number of alternate realities weren't intended to interact with one another, why is whatever physical mechanism serving to separate them from one another so easily traversed; to the point it is apparently possible to do so entirely by accident?" Now it was Twilight's turn to look at Ulquiorra, just as he'd looked at her a moment ago. "For that matter, what is the reason for alternate realities to even exist in the first place? What purpose does their existence serve? Do they merely exist, simply for the sake of existing, while serving no other purpose? Or is their purpose for existing beyond the scope of our ability to comprehend?" The more Ulquiorra talked, the more Twilight sincerely wished that he really wouldn't. She was seriously regretting this entire discussion even being started. She never thought she'd actually think it, but right now she was regretting even coming to the library. "You're not going to stop bringing up these sort of questions until I tell you everything I know, are you?" she finally asked. "Would you if the situations were reversed?" he asked right back. "...No I suppose that I wouldn't," she replied and sighed as she hung her head and shut her eyes, before finally looking back up at him. "The fact that you actually killed Nightmare Moon has me worried, though. What assurance do I have that, if I did tell you what I know, you wouldn't use this information to carry out preemptive killings on those who might not even have gone down the path of villainy yet?" "None whatsoever." The admission on Ulquiorra's part had been so blunt, so straight to the point, Twilight physically recoiled. He hadn't even made an effort to dance around the issue, or try to deny her fears were a possibility. He hadn't even had the decency to turn and face her as he said it. Instead he'd all but confirmed it as being a definite possibility, if not an outright certainty, with all the casualty of a passing comment. Just the idea of it made her feel ill. "Then I'm afraid I can't help you," she stated as firmly as she could muster, all the while trying not to slouch in her seat. "I can't be complicit in what might transpire; especially not after Applejack's evaluation of you and your skills." "Even if it had the potential to save lives?" he asked. She tried not to flinch at that one. She failed. She failed miserably. "Saving lives by ending lives? What right do we have to be deciding who lives and who dies? Who're we to be making decisions like that?" she asked pointedly. "The innocents who have done nothing to deserve what may happen to them, but who will still be harmed regardless," Ulquiorra replied just as pointedly, as he finally turned to face her directly. "Who're these threats to determine their interests are of greater importance than those who will be harmed by their endeavors? Why should their decisions be respected and allowed to come to fruition, when they won't extend the same courtesy to their victims? If they can be stopped, then they should be stopped." "That doesn't make it right!" Twilight suddenly shouted back and slammed her forehooves down on the table as she stood up on the bench. "What you're talking about goes against the very teachings Equestria was founded upon. If we go down that path then there'll be no coming back for anycreature! Not for you, or me, or anyone here! If you just go around killing others on the basis of "what if" then it makes Equestria no better than the villains we'll have to face! We'll lose the moral high ground and become villains ourselves, lashing out in a terrified manner at the outside world and reacting with force when it's not necessary! It'll be the death of everything that makes us who we are!" She was angry right now. So, so very angry. Angry on a level she couldn't consciously remember experiencing before. And it was all directed at him, and just how utterly infuriating he was in how he conducted himself. Not only was he talking about preemptive murders like they were a good thing, but he actually had the audacity to try and guilt trip her into assisting him with his endeavors! But the worst part of it all, the absolute worst part, was the look he wore on his face as she screamed at him. It wasn't one of anger, or shock, or even disdain for her position, but one of utter dullness. He looked at her with a listless, -downright bored- expression, almost as if he'd actually predicted the conversation would turn out this way. He looked at her in the same disinterested manner she would look at the second hand ticking away on its journey around a clock face while waiting for the cutie map to deem her necessary for the successful completion of a friendship mission. That was perhaps the most infuriating aspect of it all. All throughout her tirade he never spoke up, never even so much as blinked. It was only when she was seething through her grit teeth as she fought to catch her breath, did he show any signs of life and consciousness. "Perhaps a third option, a compromise of sorts, is in order." The way he spoke so calmly, while she felt like her blood was boiling in her veins, just irritated her all the worse, and left her eyeing him incredulously. "What sort of compromise?" she asked suspiciously. "You provide us with any information you can about events that have happened in the Equestria of your reality. Developments, discoveries, threats, anything that could benefit this reality by allowing for said threats to be avoided. We use this information preemptively to convince those that would threaten Equestria, that it's in their best interest to either leave us alone entirely, or become willing allies who have something to bring to the table to prove they're actually worth having as allies." "And how exactly would you propose going about doing that without killing any of them?" "Any final details would ultimately have to be determined by the diarchy, as I don't possess that authority. But for the sake of hypothetical discussion, let us say a demonstration of the insurmountable force they would face if they were to take hostile action against Equestria. If necessary start with the closer of obliterating an uninhabited area the size of Canterlot, leaving nothing behind but a smoking crater." Twilight tried not to shudder as a phantom chill ran up her spine. The amount of destruction he was so casually suggesting, all to simply serve as a warning to others, easily eclipsed that caused by Tirek back home, and he'd been the strongest solo enemy they'd ever faced due to how much magic he held. But to raze something the size of Canterlot? Could that even be done? "It's... not the worst idea I've ever heard, as far as deterring violence goes," she eventually admitted, "especially not if it's an uninhabited area devoid of innocents. But where would we even find a force on this planet able to destroy a target the size of the palace?" "Not the palace," Ulquiorra stated. "Not the pal-" Twilight's consuming thoughts immediately stopped, bringing her attention back to him again. "Did you mean Canterlot as in the city?" "Canterlot as in the mountain atop which the city actually sits," Ulquiorra corrected. Twilight's eyes went wide. She wasn't certain, but it felt like they went far wider than was physically possible at what she was hearing. "Let me see if I'm correctly understanding you," she began, her voice quiet and soft as she spoke. "You want to BLOW UP A FREAKING MOUNTAIN just to send a warning to others!?" "It would be the most logical course of action to take in light of everything," Ulquiorra replied, unfazed by her sudden outburst. "The diarchy of Equestria are the only ones known to possess the sole authority and ability to raise and lower the sun and moon. This puts them in the unique position of being able to end all life on this planet as we know it, simply by doing nothing whatsoever. If they should fail to do their duties, or simply refuse to, one side of the planet would eventually be baked under the scorching heat of an unrelenting sun, while the other side would be reduced to a frozen wasteland, with neither hemisphere capable of supporting life. "They wouldn't even have to be killed for the planet to die; simply be put in a bad enough emotional state for them to no longer care about anything at all. Yet there are apparently numerous outside forces in the world who believe Equestria is weak, and thus theirs to conquer and pilfer as they please. If they are truly this stupid, to believe they could ever truly persevere in the end, such a demonstration of force may be necessary to get the message across." As he spoke, Twilight listened, thankful that he went into an explanation on why he believed what he was proposing was logical. If he hadn't, she wouldn't have been able to follow along with what he was thinking otherwise. "I never really thought about that before," she admitted as she rested her chin on her left fetlock. "You would think, with the facts being what they are, nocreature would even want to attack us for fear of that outcome being a possibility. The situation you just described, that'd be like... what's that human saying? Cutting off your nose to spite your face? I mean, granted, there was an alternate timeline where Nightmare Moon beat Princess Celestia and implemented eternal night as she ruled the kingdom, but the vegetation was still as lush as ever, even years into her rule. I guess it's theoretically possible that life could continue if they were to fall, if enough powerful unicorns were working together to move the sun and moon like they used to. But other creatures wouldn't necessarily know that. It would be downright foolish to try and invade and occupy a foreign country, where you simultaneously need the help and cooperation of the populace just to avoid dying." In the end, all Twilight could ultimately do was groan in frustration and hang her head. "This Princess Luna was right. My world really is that stupid..." All throughout, Ulquiorra never said a word. As nothing on his part truly needed to be said. "Alright," she sighed again as she looked back up. "Let's say I'm on board with your idea of... pacification through overwhelming intimidation, and all of the minute details needed for its execution are a piece of cake to set up. That still doesn't address the original question. To accomplish what you're proposing, we'd need a destructive force capable of generating the necessary tonnage of energy to literally destroy the entire mountain. To be perfectly frank, I don't know of a force on the entire planet that's actually capable of doing that. Even when I was at my strongest, I still couldn't do something like that. Where would we even begin looking for something of that magnitude? And even if we could find and possess such a force, wouldn't that just be inviting new problems? If these outside parties wouldn't think twice about attacking the seat of power that's basically keeping them alive, what would deter them from trying even harder to take this force for themselves?" "The Equestria of this reality already possesses such a force. And it is quite secure from procurement by any enemy force, internal or external," Ulquiorra stated. "I am that force. And my allegiance is not something that can be swayed." "... On the one hoof, I'm happy to hear that. But on the other I'm horribly confused. You," she paused to gesture at Ulquiorra with her right hoof, "have the strength to destroy a mountain? I'm sorry but I'm just not seeing how that's possible. I know ponies of gargantuan magical strength, and even they couldn't do something on that scale. And you? I know Applejack said you're strong, but that strong? I'm sorry, but I'm just a bit skeptical of that claim." She'd been expecting a rebuttal, prepared for an in-depth explanation relating to various mechanics that backed up the claim. But she hadn't been prepared for watching as he went about plucking his own eye out of its socket! Before she could even scream at the gruesome spectacle, he'd already crushed the organ like it was cheap glass, and filled the immediate area with a dense layer of some mist-like substance she was afraid to breathe in. "What was that!?" The question went unanswered, at least by him, as something came across the mist's surface. Something like... watching home movies on an old projection screen. Movies of a barren, desolate wasteland of a desert, practically choked by an inky black night sky, barely illuminated by a crescent moon that hung in an almost ominous, oppression fashion. Color. A flash of color, somewhere between teal and emerald, suddenly flashed across the sky, practically cutting through the suffocating monochromatic setting as it sailed off into the distant horizon, until it disappeared entirely from view. She couldn't be certain as it had happened far too fast, but had that streak of green actually had a shape? Had it been a... javelin that she'd just seen? To call what happened next an explosion would be a gross understatement of what was actually witnessed. It was more along the lines of a world-shattering kaboom! The boom was almost deafeningly loud even through the video feed, causing her to jump back as a massive skyscraper of teal green flames erupted towards the heavens to pierce the darkness, extending outward to an incalculable width of absolute destruction. And then the resulting shock wave that traveled outward from the point of detonation, shaking everything in its path as even the video feed wasn't left unaffected. And just like that it was over, both the video and the mist, disintegrating like it was nothing, leaving her in stunned silence as her jaw hung limp on her face. "Mother of..." she eventually whispered, not having sufficient air in her lungs to do much else. Slowly, she turned to face Ulquiorra, in terror of what she'd just seen, and what she currently saw as his eye regenerated in its socket. "What was that?" "The closer, Lanza Del Relampago. An attack of such destructive potential, even just summoning it while in the palace would be enough to bring it crashing down around us," Ulquiorra explained. Twilight could honestly feel her level of terror growing by the moment, if not by the word. "And... does Princess Celestia know that you can do this? That you could... nuke Canterlot from orbit?" she asked, suddenly flashing back to an old piece of cinema she'd been privy to in the human world. All she knew for certain was the term was synonymous with maximum destruction. "She does. As does Discord. They're both fully aware of not only what I am, but also what I'm capable of," he confirmed. "As was said previously, the situation in this reality is apparently so bad, that even when being aware of my true nature, they still concluded that my presence could only improve the matter for everyone involved." "That," Twilight gulped uneasily, "that is, quite possibly, the most terrifying thing I've ever heard in my entire life. How did this world get to be in such a bad state of things, that somecreature like yourself had to be brought in to make things better? I mean, no offense to you, but I just don't understand it. You're so... counterintuitive to this world, almost like the physical manifestation of the antithesis to the teachings that've guided us for for a thousand years. How does something like that even happen?" "You may not like the answer to that question," Ulquiorra warned. "I know. But having answers that I don't like, is still better than not having answers that I do like," Twilight replied. "Just so long as you're certain." And so, for the next hour, Twilight sat and listened -and occasionally questioned- as Ulquiorra went about explaining the situation to her, as Discord had explained it to them. The amount of detail he had gone into had been excruciating to experience for herself. He'd gone into depths of explanation and clarification that she hadn't anticipated, and wasn't entirely sure she wanted to be subject to. It was only by telling herself -repeatedly- that the details were relevant, that she'd been able to get through it. He honestly didn't strike her as the type who would be talking for the sake of talking, unless what he had to say was actually important. So she focused, much as she would when back in school, paying close attention to the lessons and lectures laid out by her various teachers. There was a great deal of cynicism in his tale; far more than she would've expected, or otherwise been prepared for. He hadn't been the least bit shy about sharing his own negative viewpoints and opinions regarding their world, their species, their teachings, or any number of other details related to them. But at the same he hadn't held back on criticism of himself, and the absurdity of how he was apparently the best candidate Discord could find out of thousands, to bring into the equation to protect this world from unforeseen developments. And knowing what she did about him, his criticism of the circumstances he found himself in were quite fair; he certainly wouldn't have been her first pick, but nopony had asked her. It was so very odd how he presented himself, not in a boisterous and self-supporting manner that played up his perceived greatness and qualifications, but more as one who doubted their own qualifications for the job. There was such a thing as being humble, and then there was this. More than once, she found herself nodding in agreement with how absurd he'd made it all out to be. But at the same time it was hard to argue with the results. By the time he'd finally concluded reading her in on the situation that they currently faced, and his own observations relating to them, she wasn't even certain that she even could feel anything. Throughout it all she'd been curious, inquisitive, confused, horrified, repulsed, angry, slightly sick, and now strangely numb; as if she was too scared to even feel anything else. It was as if her brain had reached the critical mass point of information it could absorb and process, but she hadn't yet realized that fact herself. Maybe mentally exhausted was the best description for it all? "... Perhaps I misjudged you too harshly," she eventually admitted, her voice slightly hoarse as she spoke, before clearing her throat. "That's certainly quite the tale. I honestly don't know what to say." The way he'd explained it, how he tried to detail what Discord had shown them, it honestly sounded -to her at least- like reality itself had turned against them and become an enemy in and of itself. Not in the sense of reality in the sense of this alternate reality they were in, but all of reality in the broader sense of the definition. That in itself was downright terrifying to even contemplate. For everycreature's sake, she hoped with all of her might that she'd been very wrong in her interpretation, and the situation wasn't quite that dire. But as scary as the premise itself was, the idea that their own past had actually been changed by whatever malfunction had occurred in the multiverse was somehow far, far scarier to even consider. How had that premise not driven them insane? The idea that they could no longer trust their own memories of what had happened, because something had cosmically retconned events that'd already transpired without their knowledge or ability to intervene... that was on an entirely different level of being utterly terrifying. If the past couldn't be trusted, then what could be trusted and relied on!? "Is that why you want to know about my experiences back in my Equestria? To use my knowledge of my world as a comparison point, to try and set the intended course of this world right again?" she asked uncertainly. "That would ultimately be a fool's errand, and a hopeless endeavor. Even Discord has acknowledge that trying to put this world back on its intended tracks is well beyond his skills. Even if we were to try such, there would be no way of telling how far into the past the shifting of events has reached, and what has been thrown off course as a result. And attempting to use time travel magic to fix these possible issues would result in an even greater mess occurring," Ulquiorra pointed out. At the mention of time travel, Twilight shuddered. Her experienced with Starlight in that area had been more than enough for her to know what he was saying, and she couldn't agree more. Timelines and paradoxes were better left alone. "I had an experience like that once. I wouldn't care to repeat it for anything." "Accounting for the difference between realities would also need to be done. Attempting to use your knowledge as a roadmap would simply result in the course of this world being changed to better resemble that of your own, rather than what it was supposed to be," he continued in explanation. "At this point in time, the best that can be achieved is simply mitigating whatever damage may occur as a result of what's already happened; saving as many lives as possible, and securing the safety of Equestria as best possible. Putting an end to conflicts before they can develop, and avoid innocent bystanders being involved as a result." "I can certainly respect that course of action. But one thing I've learned in my time as a princess, is that sometimes conflicts are a necessary part of life for growth and development to occur, and that avoiding them can actually cause more harm than good," Twilight explained, before finally taking the time to adjust her position on the bench to break the forming stiffness out of her joints. "Time travel... actually puts a lot of things in perspective." "If you were presented with a detailed list of every crisis that would potentially befall and threaten your world in the next decade, would you do nothing and simply allow them to occur? Or would you instead spend your time working backwards to prevent the crises from developing if at all possible?" Twilight physically flinched at the question, having not expected the matter to be turned around and presented in such a manner. "... Even if what came about as a result of the conflict was a good thing?" she asked. "If time travel really is at work in this instance, then you possess knowledge of possible future events. There's no reason the same positive outcomes could not be had, while avoiding the hardships and suffering that led to them in the first place," he pointed out. "Any allies that are made, any magical or technological developments that would be discovered, there's no reason they can't be achieved now, and benefit others as a result." Try as she might, Twilight had no rebuttal to offer up. He hadn't even hesitated to take what she'd said, and throw it right back at her. And worst of all, his points were very valid, and very solid. Try as she might, she couldn't figure out a counterargument to present. Where would they be if she'd been able to intervene and prevent Starlight Glimmer from traveling down the path of villainy after her friendship with Sunburst had ended? For a long time, she was silent as she mulled over the points that'd been raised in their back and forth discussion. All of the negatives, and the positives. The matter wasn't helped by the fact that Ulquiorra just silently stood there, looking in her direction but not necessarily at her; more like he was looking past her. It was unsettling with how statuesque he was, as if he was presently lost in his own thoughts and potentially unaware of his own surroundings. Whatever resolve she might've had previously, she could literally feel it crumbling away inside of her, under his oppressive presence. "Not every conflict we had back in my reality could be resolved peacefully, despite our best efforts," she eventually spoke up, doing her best to not make eye contact as she did. If she did, she knew she'd break entirely. "There was one particular incident where a peaceful resolution simply wasn't an option, no matter what we tried. We were facing a tried and true villain, evil for the sake of evil, who had plans of world domination. Who saw his own forces as disposable if they failed him in his goals of conquest; to the point he openly let them know there would be consequences if they failed him. "At the time we were on the verge of being defeated by him and his forces. They had superior forces, and their technology rendered our magic useless. The only reason we won was because he was killed when his second in command betrayed him after he betrayed her. There... there was absolutely no way of reasoning with him, or convincing him to stop. And we didn't have the Elements of Harmony with us at the time. What happened couldn't have been avoided. "He called himself the Storm King, a yeti from the southern region of the planet. A conqueror and pillagers of countries and nations, who secured the assistance of a unicorn named Tempest Shadow by promising to fix her broken horn once he'd accumulated the magic to do it. But he never had any intention of living up to his end of the bargain, if he even could in the first place." She was crying as she spoke, and she knew it. Even if she wasn't overcome by choking sobs that made it impossible to talk, she could still feel the wetness running down her cheeks and staining her fur in trails. She knew there would be consequences for her words here on this night. But she also knew there would be consequences if she didn't speak up and say something now. All she could do was hope for the best, and that she could/would be forgiven for the decisions she was going to make. "The Storm King commands through fear and intimidation, not respect. Nothing... nothing beneficial, whatsoever, can come about from his continued existence, if this reality's version of him is anything like ours. If... he's killed, his empire will crumble apart like a house of cards in a stray breeze. Countless countries won't be pillaged into ruin. The yetis can go back to whatever they were doing before he rose to power. And Tempest won't have an insurmountable amount of guilt to try and atone for..." Even as the words left her mouth, she felt sick. She knew what she was doing, and she knew what her decisions on this night were ultimately going to lead to. She had tried, desperately, to not go down this particular course of action. And yet here she was, doing just that. All of her grand speeches, her moral high ground, had suddenly abandoned her, leaving her to simply comply with what was being asked of her. All she could do was hope that the positives would outweigh the negatives, and that the balance of the outcome would allow her to forgive herself one day. If the Storm King of this world did attack Canterlot, assuming that event hadn't already happened, there would be so many that would get hurt in the process; on both sides of the equation. Knowing what she did about Ulquiorra -even if what she knew was clouded by educated guesses- he would likely respond to a hostile attack against Equestria by simply blowing their airships right out of the sky on sight, which would kill everyone in the process. How many yeti families would be torn apart by that course of action in the process if it were allowed to occur? If she gave them the Storm King before he could breach Equestria's borders, all the lives that would be saved by her actions would make up for the one life that would be taken as a result of her actions... right? It didn't really count as orchestrating an assassination if it was absolutely certain the creature was going to be killed through their own actions, regardless of what action she herself took... did it? Meanwhile, somewhere in Ponyville, a lone pink figure could do little more than sigh sadly, as her tail refused to uncurl from around her left hind leg by itself. "I feel a great disturbance in The Force. And not "great" in the sense of it being a good thing either."