“Gallus wake up!” Whatever pleasant dream the griffon was having was rudely interrupted by Sandbar. “Dude, get up!”
Gallus groaned. “What time is it?”
“Early, but seriously, get up right now!”
The warm covers of the bed were pulled off, leaving Gallus to wince at the sudden chill. “Can it wait?” he grumbled.
“No, it can’t!” Sandbar’s voice sounded more excited than panicky. Almost like a foal on Hearth’s Warming mor… oh yeah.
Slumping up, Gallus rubbed his eyes. “This better be important,” he mumbled under his breath.
“Of course it’s important! You’re not gonna believe it, but I think there is a Saddle Clause!”
Gallus blinked. “You do realize what just came out of your-”
“C’mon!” Sandbar grabbed his hand, practically dragging him out of bed and into the living room. “See! I told you he came!”
It took the griffon about a minute or two to process what he was seeing. Around the room, from under the tree to the stockings that hung from the Hearth, were presents in every shape, size, and color imaginable. Some in shiny wrapping paper of silver and gold, others tied up in bows with great care. There were candies and sweets that were added to the tree. And on a small table were two silvery domes with their names engraved on them. Gallus went over to his and uncovered it. Whoever it was that set all of this up, they’d also included breakfast: cinnamon rolls that perfumed the air in cinnamon, clove, and cardamom. Even if it was the hotel staff that had done all this, even he had to admit that it was a nice gesture.
Meanwhile, Sandbar went over to the tree and pulled out a few of the presents. “Hey, these have our names on them.” He handed Gallus a silver-wrapped box.
Taking hold of the gift, Gallus flipped it at every angle, finding nothing else but his name. He wasn’t sure where Sandbar came to the conclusion that this was a gift from Saddle Clause himself, but hey, he had gifts now. He wasn’t one to turn it down if it was free.
So the two unwrapped their presents. Underneath the shiny paper was a thick book. Made of black leather, the cover had, in gilded letterings, the year they died.
“Is this a photo album?” Gallus questioned. “Why would someone give us these?”
Sandbar opened it up, and his eyes went wide. “What the…? When was this taken?”
“Huh?”
“Open your book.”
Curious, Gallus did. At first glance, there were a few photos with a short inscription underneath them. Hoofwritten in black ink. It was laid out like how a grandparent would with their photos that tried to preserve their cherished memories. Yet, the first few photos he saw were of events neither of them remembered. But at a closer look, they saw why.
Wherever these photos came from, they were taken after they died.
In one photo, it showed the girls - Smolder, Ocellus, Yona, and Silverstream - out in the student’s lounge being swamped with other students bringing pots of soup, trays of biscuits, cookies, and other comfort foods. Underneath it was inscribed: Academe students came to show support after their loss. August 20th, 1016.
Another photo showed Silverstream and Yona. Behind them was a fox with several tails, crouching by a wall, apparently hurt. And before the girls who stood valiant before a group of other students. Underneath it was written: Today Yona and Silverstream stood up to bullies for the new kid from Kyubiokitusne. After this, the Kitsune became a friend. His name is Inari. September 29th, 1016.
“Hey, look at this one!” Sandbar said, showing Gallus a picture of Smolder holding claws with a blushing Spike. Behind them in a bush were several eyes peering out. Smolder finally asked Spike out on a date today. And of course, we had to follow them around to see how it went. October 4, 1016. “It’s about time Smolder started going out with someone.”
Gallus flipped through his book and stopped when one picture caught his eye. “She’s not the only one.” He pointed to a picture of Inari, looking at the floor and blushing out of embarrassment with Silverstream, wide-eyed and a claw over her mouth. Inari fesses up and tells Silverstream that he’s developed a crush on her after she saved him from his bullies. Silverstream is flattered but doesn’t feel the same way - saying that she still needs time. October 13, 1016.
Gallus then turned the page and saw, to his surprise, Inari and Ocellus kissing under a mistletoe just outside the academy. Inari is surprised to learn Ocellus has a crush on him. Inari and Ocellus have their first kiss under the mistletoe. Ocellus also doesn’t need to eat for three days. December 12, 1016
“At least she found someone,” Sandbar said as he scooted over and smiled upon seeing the next picture. “Guess we aren’t the only ones missing each other on Hearth's Warming Eve.” He showed a photo of his and Gallus’ graves with a big Hearth's Warming Eve tree behind the graves and protecting them. It was decorated and had flowers around their tombstones with their friends, family, and others all singing carols together. Some with tears in their eyes. Spike organizes a Hearth's Warming Carol concert in memory of their lost friends Gallus and Sandbar. December 23, 1016.
Gallus flipped over to the last photo. “Hey, dude look at this,” he pointed to a picture that was starting to develop. “I think this one is being taken right now.”
“Really? Let me see.” Side by side, they watched the black photo slowly being created with lines and colors becoming clearer. At first, they couldn’t make out what they were looking at. However, it soon showed the student’s lounge with its yearly Hearth’s Warming tree. At the foot of it were their friends and many other students opening presents. Gallus and Sandbar spotted Smolder, who had just opened up a box that had a large ruby (undoubtedly from Spike, who was next to her, relieved that it was being received well). They spotted Yona handing a crudely wrapped gift to Ocellus and Inari, who both smiled back at her. Silverstream wiped a tear from her eye because she unwrapped her gift that had Yona’s name on it - it was a wool knit blanket that had Gallus and Sandbar on it. Nearby, Starlight was handing freshly baked gingerbread cookies out to the other students. A record number of students volunteered to stay for Hearth’s Warming this year for Smolder, Yona, Silverstream, and Ocellus. Just so they wouldn’t be alone for this year. December 25, 1016.
Gallus and Sandbar smiled. Even though they were gone, at least they knew that those they cared for were still being taken care of. There wasn't a gloom like from their funerals, but smiles from their friends. From these pictures, it showed that their friends still remembered them, but had taken the steps to move on.
“You know,” Gallus wiped a tear from his eye, “I’m glad they’re doing okay over there.”
“Yeah. And they’ve made a new friend too,” Sandbar agreed. “Hopefully things will get better for them from here.”
“Something tells me we don’t have to worry about that.” Gallus closed his photo album. “If this is just the first thing we’ve opened, I wanna see what other stuff we got.” He eyed one of the cinnamon rolls and picked one of them up. “That is… after breakfast first.”
After about an hour of unwrapping presents and piling up a mound of wrapping paper, Gallus and Sandbar moved their gifts inside their home, going back and forth most of the morning to load up what they gained. While they were doing so, a thought came to Sandbar’s mind. “Hey Gallus, I just realized something.”
“Yeah?” His friend walked out back into the living room to grab another armful of his stuff. “What’s that?”
“What do you think we should do for New Year’s? I mean, sure, it’s still about a week away, but where do you think we should go?”
Gallus shrugged. “I don’t know. We could probably go back to Equestria for the fireworks. But outside of that… I’ve no idea. I mean, we don’t have anything planned for it, do we?”
“No, but I just think we should do something.”
“Yeah?” Gallus raised an eyebrow. “Like what?”
Sandbar was about to answer when a knock on the door alerted them that they had company. Since he was the nearest to the door, Sandbar walked over and opened it revealing a dragon dressed in a royal blue silk trench coat with a fancy white dress-shirt and frill. He was wearing a pair of glasses and stood proud with his back straight and still. “Mr. Oceanvale and Mr. Skyflight?”
“Yes?” Sandbar asked, raising an eyebrow. “Can we help you?”
“My name is Azuma. I am here to present to you these invitations on behalf of The Creator,” he said as he revealed two black-and-purple-leathered envelopes with dark pink wrapping bows.
Curious, Sandbar took them and handed the one with Gallus’ name on it to his friend. “What do you mean by ‘The Creator?’”
“The Creator. As in Creator of All,” Azuma answered, which made both teens nearly turn white as they stared at the smirking dragon. “Also known as God, Supreme Heavenly One, Big G Boy, Master of Life, The First Angel, The Prime Good, and a bunch of other titles he’s been called over the ages, including The Boss.”
“.... The Creator...” Gallus whispered. “As in… the guy who created the Heavens, Hells, worlds, space and time, all of reality, and us included?”
“Pretty much for a short list,” Azura said with a shrug. This was too much for Gallus and he fainted on the floor, his rear legs twitching in the air. “That always happens to first comers.”
“Why would God want to invite us?!” Sandbar asked in disbelief. “I mean, I know this is Heaven and you get pretty much treated like a prince all the time, but seriously, this can’t be normal!”
“It’s not,” Azura said as he smirked. “Only a select hundred or so are allowed to attend God’s annual New Year’s Eve Party. It’s a big event and one of the most sought after here in Paradise. He only chooses those he wants, and it seems he wants you.”
He then pointed to the invitation in Sandbar’s hooves. Quickly, he ripped open one of them and read:
Dear Sandbar Oceanvale,
You have been invited to the annual God’s New Year’s Eve Party. This is an event where I, your Almighty and Awesome Creator, invite specific creatures to a special night of games, food, and merriment.
You are perhaps wondering why you and your friend Gallus have been chosen to attend. Especially since this is your first year being dead and all. Well, the truth is, we owe you and your friends a lot for saving the world more than once. Pretty much like Twilight’s group, but not as big or epic. Still, without you stopping certain events and villains, I’m afraid Heaven and Hell would be having a bigger count than usual. And before you ask, no, I didn’t plan you two dying back there in the caves, but your choices sadly led you to an early grave. My deepest apologies, but there was nothing I could do, since I made a choice long ago to let free will dictate the lives of mortal beings. I may have set everything up, but I have no control over whatever comes after. Still, think of this not only as a reward for all your good deeds when you were alive, but also as an apology for your lives ending as they did.
Don’t worry about figuring out what to wear or anything like that. I’ve already sent you some costumes. These include masks that will hide your identity for the Masquerade, as part of the celebration that will be this year’s special event. I hope you enjoy it, as well as Gallus when he wakes up from fainting. (I know what you’re thinking: “How does he know that?” Duh, I’m God!)
- Sincerely, Big G
P.S. I love that timeline where you are superheroes too! Season 3 is my favorite!
“.... Is it me, or does he seem a bit…?” Sandbar tried to find the right word.
“Normal?” Azuma asked, which got a nod. “Yeah, they always expect either a fire-and-brimstone kind of guy or some wise old being with a fatherly voice from His Holiness. He can be those things depending on his mood, but most of the time he’s just… an average Joe.”
“What did he mean by outfits?” Sandbar asked, and was soon answered by two boxes that were handed over to him.
“The invites are the key to getting into the Keter Palace. Just say the name and you’ll be there. Please arrive around 4 PM on December 31st. Thank you,” Azuma said as bowed before walking away.
Sandbar slowly shut the door as Gallus slowly got up, moaning as he held his head. “What happened? I had a weird dream where some guy said that the Creator God invited us to a party.”
“Well, it wasn’t a dream. Also, guess who also likes cheesy superhero worlds?”
Gallus’s eyes narrowed at the map in frustration. Over the past week, no matter how many times he’d tried, the map had refused to give the exact location of the home of the creator. Every time he tried, all he would get was “This Address Not Known”.
“How are we supposed to get to that New Year’s Party if we have no idea where it is?!” Gallus threw the pamphlet on the sandy ground. By this point, he and Sandbar had finally left Monte Catlo in the desert. With the new year just hours away and both of them dressed in their given costumes, neither had any idea what to do. Gallus sat on his haunches on top of a sand dune. “Kinda defeats the purpose of going anywhere at this point.”
Sandbar took off his tricorn hat at the invitations. He took extra care to sit down next to his friend given the delicate costume. He had a red overcoat that, to him, looked like it belonged to a ringmaster of a circus, or perhaps an old uniform for a general, given the gold buttons and loops that hang from his shoulders. He set his mask down in the sand - like Gallus’, it was made out of white porcelain, yet had painted features, like eyebrows that moved with the face.
As for Gallus, he was dressed in black and white, almost resembling a harlequin in many ways, from the flurry cuffs at the end of his sleeves to the thick starch collar around his neck. Over his face was a mask that fit him well with a long curved beak - Sandbar had joked that the mask made him look like a plague doctor, but the clown outfit just made him look ridiculous.
“You know, I’ve read this so many times,” Sandbar said, scratching his head. “All it says is to say the name of the place and we should be there. But I don’t understand why you can’t just go there.”
“Maybe we’ve been pranked.”
Humming, Sandbar looked up to the stars, “Or maybe… Nah, forget it.”
“What?”
“Well… It’s just a crazy idea but… what if this place where The Creator lives isn’t in Heaven itself?”
Gallus’s mask showed a raised eyebrow. “How does that make sense?”
“I mean, what if the guy lives in a different dimension from here? Like, above Heaven or something?”
Rolling his eyes, Gallus stood up. “Well, I think that looking for a place called Keter is a waste of time,” he said, beginning to walk away. “I think it makes more sense to go back to the casin- OW!” Gallus was cut off as he ran face-first into something solid, nearly making him fall and roll off the sand dune. “What the...?” Rubbing his beak, he looked at what he ran into.
Clearly, neither of them remembered a gilded elevator being there before. They didn’t hear it fall from the sky, nor were they even aware of its existence until Gallus ran into it. Regardless, it was startling to find an old-fashioned elevator to come out of nowhere. The sliding doors folded open to show a deer in a blue silk bellhop uniform. He tipped his small hat to them.
“Going up?” He asked.
“How…?” Sandbar looked around, “Where did you-”
“You two are here for the masquerade? For the New Year’s Eve Party that His Holiness is throwing?”
“How did you know that?” Gallus asked, still rubbing his face while he got back up.
“You called. Here I am.” The deer gestured a cloven hoof inside. “Shall we go?”
As strange as it was, the two climbed aboard the gilded elevator. They watched the deer turn a switch, upon which the doors folded shut and they began to fly upwards to the stars. For a while, the three of them didn’t say anything.
Sandbar coughed into his hoof. “So…” he asked, getting the deer’s attention, “do you uh… have a name?”
“Call me Michael,” he said.
“Cool. So, uh… Michael, where are we going?”
The bellhop chuckled. “To the top floor, of course. That’s where the party is.”
“Right…” Gallus tilted his head. “But where we’re going, is it still in Heaven or…?”
“My, what easy riddles you two ask,” Michael replied. “Not exactly. The home of His Holiness is above all creation, just above Paradise.”
“So that’s why we couldn’t find it!” Gallus slapped the floor. “I thought we were pranked.”
“You know, you’re the fifth person to have mentioned that.”
“Yeah?” Sandbar tilted his head.
“I’m aware that the instructions to get to Keter are… somewhat confusing. Not many know that getting there requires a password.”
“What password?” both Sandbar and Gallus asked.
“Keter.”
Gallus frowned. “That’s a lame password.”
“Hey, I don’t make the rules, I just follow along and work the elevator.” There was the sound of a bell above them, a noticeable ding that made the elevator stop. “Here we are,” Michael said, pulling a switch to open the doors. “Welcome to Keter Palace.”
The two masked friends stepped out of the elevator and onto a stone bridge. What was in front of them was like stepping into an illustration of a fantasy epic. Before them, underneath a rainbow of fireworks, was a structure that was part city, and part temple. They saw towers, domes, arches, and columns, all standing proudly. It was made of white marble, opal roofs, and moving stained glass windows. In a way, it was like a collage of all the best architecture of all the great marvels of the world - and yet, not at the same time. All around it were forests, mountains, seas, and gardens full of spring flowers, autumn trees, snow-covered pines, and summer fruits.
One thing that really stood out, however, was the giant platinum dragon that was almost as big as the entire building that was flying above the sky. Gallus and Sandbar had seen many dragons ever since they’d befriended Smolder, including the previous Dragon Lord Scorch, the biggest dragon in the world. This guy, however, made him look like a newborn kitten.
It flew lower and rested on one of the mountains nearby, letting out a roar while scratching its neck. Because of its size, it was big enough to be seen in detail. It was as shiny as a star made out of crystal, glimmering in the dusk as light reflected off of its scales into a rainbow. Its wings were pure platinum as well, but had angelic feathers that were silvery-white. Its tail was huge, with large sharp spikes that could cut through the very mountain it was resting on, and its glowing silver eyes were like two moons side by side.
“That’s… a big… dragon...” Gallus muttered with a gulp. “Is… Is that God?”
“You wish!” Michael snorted. “That’s Bahumat.”
“Wait, THE Bahumat?! As in the God-King of All Dragon Kind?!” Sandbar shouted in surprise. “The Platinum Dragon of Justice?! The Lord of The North Wing?! Paladin of the Shining Light of Mercuria?!”
“And biggest lover of oatmeal cookies. Seriously, he eats those like mice to cheese,” Michael said with a smile. “He’s not a god. Well, kinda... In some other worlds, he is, but in others, he’s not. It’s complex to explain. But in your world, he is the father of dragons, due to God taking some of his scales and using them to create dragonkind. So I guess it's no surprise that they worship him as their God-King. However, in reality, he’s God’s pet.”
“.... As in a dog?” Gallus asked in utter disbelief.
“Yup! He does the cutest tricks too! Like beg, fetch, play dead, and flip,” Michael said with a snicker.
“Well, I think I’ve lost all sense of disbelief in my life,” Gallus said with a heavy sigh. “Anything else from here is going to be all dull.”
“Wait, so if Bahumat is real, what about his sister? Tiamat?” Sandbar asked, remembering Smolder’s essay on the Dragon Pantheon in school.
“Oh, she does exist alright, but she’s not Bahumat’s sister. That’s a mistranslation,” Michael said while waving a hoof. “She’s actually his cousin twice removed. And she’s not really evil. She’s… How do I put this elegantly…? Continuously on her period. That’s why she’s such a bitch all the time. Literally and figuratively.”
“.... She nearly destroyed the world three times in the last four thousand years,” Sandbar pointed out.
“Can you blame her? She’s got five heads. One session of PMS for each one. You’d be pretty much a goddess of destruction if you had to deal with that. There’s a reason why His Holiness has to give each of them a candy bar and tell each head that they’re very pretty now and then.”
“.... Let’s head inside before we lose more of our sanity,” Gallus said, to which Sandbar nodded as Michael waved goodbye before shutting the elevator.
As they approached the massive doors, Gallus and Sandbar now took notice of the other guests that were on the bridge with them. They too were wearing masks like theirs, in a range of costumes that one would see from a Venetian carnival. There were elaborate ones that were made up of lights or snow. Others paraded as characters like a jester, a king, a samurai, a million-armed Manedian god, and so on. Both strange and fantastical that they wondered if the Creator God too had given each one of them their costumes.
Then they entered through the double doors towards the kaleidoscope of light and the sounds of lively chatter, laughter, and music that was a mashup of baroque violin with jazz rhythms remixed with modern dubstep. When they went inside the palace, it was like stepping inside another universe entirely.
Not that there weren’t things they expected, like doors, walls, and ceilings - there were, but at the same time… there weren’t. It was almost too surreal to describe the inside of The Creator’s home. It was like walking through a galaxy of stars. Everything inside seemed titanically huge, from the rollercoaster that twisted around and through the walls to the Jupiter-size disco ball that lit up the vaulted ceiling. It felt more like stepping inside the foalhood home of Discord than that of the God of Creation.
Yet, somehow in this space, it wasn’t by any means empty. As they walked in, gawking at the surreal splendor of the space; there were other guests in nearly every direction laughing, dancing, talking, and playing games from the enormous board game of chess that was so big that they used plants as pieces, to the mountains of horderves, forests of desserts, and rivers of every drink imaginable running through. But even still, as far as they could see, this was only a small portion of the party that was further inside.
“Now this is a house,” Gallus gawked.
“Tell me about it.” Sandbar nodded dumbly, “Maybe the Creator God is a more interesting guy than I thought.”
“Yeah…” Gallus looked around for a moment. “So… now what?”
“Well I don’t know about you-” Sandbar pointed over to the food land nearby- “but I wanna get a taste of that chocolate geyser over there.” However, before he could move, he felt a hoof on his shoulder.
He turned to see a unicorn there. “Wait,” the unicorn said. They noticed that this one was in a uniform, silver in color, and held himself of high importance. “Stay here for a moment.”
“Why?” Gallus asked. “Who are you?”
“Herald for His Holiness,” he said, taking a few steps in front of them, “Before either of you go off, He wishes to talk to you.”
Underneath their masks, Gallus and Sandbar turned white. “W-Wait, what?” Gallus stuttered, “You mean that God wants to…”
The Herald nodded and turned to the rest of the party. He stomped on the floor three times, letting out a thunderous bang each time. For a moment, the halls of creation went silent. “Hear ye! Hear ye! Hear ye! Presenting the Great I Am, the Alpha and the Omega, Lord of Creation, the First Angel, All Praise the One, the End and the Beginning, here he is, His Holiness - God!”
He then pointed to the ceiling, where everyone looked up and saw that a section of it was slowly opening up like a garage door. Slowly, descending down, was a golden hot air balloon that was being guided by half a dozen angel wings on the balloon itself. Loud trumpeting music began to play as a chorus of angels echoed across the room and even throughout the Heavens themselves. Nearly everyone felt such powerful compassion and love that some were moved to tears while everyone else slowly bowed. Gallus and Sandbar as well felt an everlasting light burning inside their souls. The sorrows, regrets, guilts, fears, and anger that still lingered inside them from the tears - from seeing their friends mourn for them to Gallus learning of his parents’ true actions - they seemed to burn away from the deepest parts of their hearts. It was such an experience that made them fall to their knees.
The hot air balloon continued to slowly descend until it was in the middle of the room, just a few feet away from where Gallus and Sandbar were kneeling. The opening to the basket of the hot air balloon slowly parted as smoke came out of it, while a figure slowly emerged… or rather hopped gracefully.
“What up bitches! Big G back in the crib y’all!” A tiny white rabbit, dressed in a yellow basketball jersey with the numbers “777” on his front and back and the words “G.O.D” on the top back. He had blue sweats on and a pair of shades resting on his long ears as he hopped around as others got up and began applauding, save for a confused Gallus and Sandbar.
“Wait… where’s God?” Sandbar asked.
“He is right there,” The Herald proclaimed.
“What?” Gallus asked, craning his neck over. “Behind the rabbit?”
“It is the rabbit,” The Herald answered.
“.... WHAT THE ACTUAL GODDAMN FUCK?!” Sandbar and Gallus shouted.
“I heard that!”
“Lifestyles of the Rich and Holy”
“Hello and welcome back to Lifestyles of the Rich and Holy!” a blue pony with a fancy red suit and black mullet spoke into his microphone, talking towards a ram angel who was holding a TV camera. “Hi, I’m Dick Flankus speaking to you all live from the Keter Palace, where the big man himself, God Almighty, has arrived in style! The angels are singing it up tonight and we got guests from every sphere of the Heavens coming in to celebrate the New Year. Including celebrities long dead and buried!”
Dick Flankus turned his head and pointed to the entrance, where walking on the red carpet were a series of griffins and pegasi soldiers in formation, their shields out and spears ready. “Oh, look like the Praetorian Guard have arrived, and you know what that means, folks!”
Entering behind the guard, waving their paws to the cheering crowd, were two figures smiling side by side. One was a white and light brown griffin in a fancy toga with a purple cape wrapped around his neck and a golden wreath for a crown. On the cape was a golden eagle spread out holding a scroll with two thunderbolts on it while another wreath was surrounding it. The one beside him was an Abyssinian Cat dressed in golden regal and silk dress along with a fancy crown on her head with golden beads going down her long black mane. Males and even a few females were all whistling at one of the most gorgeous creatures to have ever walked the mortal realms.
“Yup, it’s Julius Kaiser and his lovely date Catapatra. Once again, the lovely Queen of the Nyah River has every guy acting like they got struck by cupid!” Dick Flankus then gasped as more Praetorian Guards arrived with them carrying a big salad bowl and one of them holding a big pepper shaker. “Oh, and they brought us a salad for the party. How wonderful is that?”
Dick Flankus then turned his head and gasped upon pointing over to what appeared to be a tall eight-headed snake that was wearing bow ties and a different colored hat for each serpent head. “Oh, there’s Orochi! Oh, Orochi?! Can we get a few words for the audience?!”
One of the heads leaned down and grinned. “Sure, I’d be happy to-”
“Hey, he was talking about me, jerk!” another head shouted.
“No, he was talking about me!” a third said.
The eight heads soon started arguing with each other as Dick Flankus looked at the camera, shrugged, and soon saw a lot of creatures in the crowd making way for someone coming through. Dick Flankus put his hoof over his head. “Oh, wow! I don’t believe it! This is a treat! Parting the crowd, making his return from the last party four hundred years ago, the pony who's been God’s BFF since the whole Mountain and Commandments thing...” An elderly-looking earth pony in a bright red and white robe and sporting the longest of white beard parted the crowd with his staff as he poised for the camera. “It’s Moses!”
A lot of people started clapping and welcoming him back as he bowed over and over again. Dick Flankus was one of them until he saw a big dragon fellow in a Viking outfit, red beard, and holding a hammer on his shoulder that was shooting out lightning. “What do you have to say about such a grand return, Thor Drakenson?!”
“I have to pee. Where are the bathrooms?”
“What a show it’s been, people!” Dick Flankus said, talking back to the camera. “Once again, we’d like to remind our viewers in Heaven that this show is brought to you by...
“CLOUDS!”
“They’re everywhere!”
(Get used to it)
God was a rabbit.
The Creator of All Creation. The Father of Life. The Supreme Being of the Universe… was a rabbit. And Sandbar and Gallus were walking behind him as he hopped around, smoking a cigar while accepting a martini glass. The rabbit had requested them to follow him to one of the many bars in his house before they took a seat at a mini-bar stand table. Sipping his martini, God let out a relieved sigh and turned to the silently stunned Gallus and Sandbar. “So, let me guess? Didn’t expect me to look like this?”
“Among other things, but yes,” Gallus nodded. “But… why a rabbit?”
“Because I thought it would be funny. Technically, I can take any form I want, and I often switch it depending on what universe I’m hanging out in, but for this one, I take a rabbit ‘cause the idea of a supreme being having unlimited power in the body of a fluffy cute bunny is hilarious.”
“I guess God does have a sense of humor,” Sandbar pointed out with a shrug.
“Of course I do. Why do you think I gave creatures the ability to fart awkwardly in public?” God said before tossing his glass away, having it shatter and form into a flutter of butterflies.
“I’m still in a bit of disbelief here,” Gallus said before God rolled his eyes.
Suddenly, there was a voice in Gallus’ head. ‘You want me to be blunt? Alrighty, you asked for it! You’ve masturbated to Sandbar’s butt over the course of forty-six times while here in Heaven and two-hundred-and-eighty-two times when you were alive - at minimum. Your personal sex dream is to have Silverstream be Sleeping Beauty and you’re the brave knight who can only wake up the princess by having sex with her. Also, you like to shove Diamond Dog shaped dildos into your asshole, among your favorite collection; which is in your desk, third drawer on the right, sitting under a false bottom that’s currently in your dorm room. And yes, Smolder does eventually find those and will use them for her own needs later on.’
“.... Never mind, I’m convinced.”
“So, I guess you’re wondering why I invented you guys to my little shindig?” God asked, leaning back on his chair.
“I was kinda wondering that,” Sandbar said. “I mean, I get that you’re thankful that we saved the world so many times, but I’m sure a lot of creatures in Heaven have done that. Hay, Princess Twilight and her friends I’m guessing are gonna be saints when they end up here.”
“Well, it’s partly that, but it’s also that I feel bad you guys drew the short stick for dying so young; so to speak,” God said with a shrug. “I actually kinda like you guys in this world. I mean, I like you guys in other worlds too. Well, except in that one where you guys joined the Storm King and sold out Silverstream. Seriously, you guys in that world are so going to Hell when you get your asses kicked by the New Elements.”
“Joined the Storm King? Worlds?” Sandbar asked, confused.
“Like fuck we’d ever sell out Silverstream!” Gallus growled as God held up his paws.
“Easy, I wasn’t talking about you. I said other yous,” God answered. “Like I said in those invites. There are near-infinite versions of you in different timelines and universes.”
“Wait, if that’s so, shouldn’t you be checking on them?” Sandbar asked.
“I am,” God answered.
“But… you’re here.”
“Yeah, and I’m also, at this very moment, in all the other worlds and timelines as well, doing my duties as the Creator. Don’t think about it too much; trust me, your heads will explode trying to figure it out. Just accept that I’m everywhere and leave it at that.”
Sandbar and Gallus looked at each other before shrugging. “Alright,” Gallus said before narrowing his eyes. “There is something I gotta ask. Why did you-”
“Let you two die?” God asked, interrupting Gallus as he rolled his eyes. “I get asked that question all the time. Seriously, if I had a nickel-”
“Just answer it!” Gallus demanded.
Narrowing his eyes, God took his cigar and put it on an ashtray before looking at both of them square in the eye. “Alright, let's get this question out of the way. And for sake of convenience, I’m gonna give you two the oversimplified explanation. First off, free will does exist (at least in this universe). If I didn't give you mortals the ability to do that, you'd be nothing more than slaves that obey my every will, and I don't want that for my creations. Seeing you explore and choose your own fates - save for moments that I do need to interfere for the sake of the cosmos - is the reason you've been able to advance yourselves from brainless animals to what you are now. Your choices lead you to ending up dead, and I can't play favorites when it comes to things like that, otherwise, it'll be unfair to everyone.”
He took a moment to puff on his cigar before continuing. “Yes, everyone has a destined time to die, but not all destinies are fulfilled. Did you know that in this universe, if I solely controlled everything, this world would have been completely different? My original plan didn’t include stuff like the Renaissance, the light bulb, or The Beatles. Hell, originally, you two were meant to be the bad guys. Yet, I decided to set the game up and leave you all be.”
“Wait, how were we meant to be the bad guys?” Sandbar and Gallus asked in confusion.
“Well, let’s say that originally, in the distant past, a different Alicorn was going to find the Elements of Harmony, defeat Discord, get worshiped as a living god, take over the world, and turn it into a military theocracy dictatorship. And guess who was her cruel, sadistic generals? Eventually, after finding the means to travel in space, and start a galactic conquest until The Doctor of your universe stopped you all. However-” he took another puff of his cigar- “that so-called Alicorn decided it would be a smart idea to try climbing a tree when she was a little filly and broke their neck when she fell. Boom! Dead. So that kick-started a brand new timeline and Princess Celestia and Luna got the Elements instead.”
“So because one creature died before they could step into power, our world had become what it is?” Sandbar asked in awe.
“Among a trillion other things, yes,” God answered after another puff. “The choices you and countless others have made with the circumstances you were given decided what fates are played out in the end. Secondly, you are dead in this timeline, but there are other timelines, dimensions, worlds, and so on where you are alive. Remember those What If books you guys got from the library in Griffonstone; and when they start, almost no two stories are alike?” They nodded and he puffed another lungful of smoke. “They show you all the endless realities that could have happened to you based on your choices and the choices of those before you. There are timelines where you lived happily ever after and ones where you died horribly. You're not the first Gallus and Sandbar to end up dead before old age, nor are you going to be the last. And third, just because you died, it doesn't mean they didn't have any meaning. The legacy you leave behind is going to inspire countless others in the future to rise up and become heroes that will save the world.”
He turned to Sandbar, after breathing into his cigar. “Sandbar, your sister is going to become one of the greatest adventurers on earth and save the world at least once if she plays her cards right.” Then he turned to Gallus. “Gallus, you inspired a younger generation of griffins to slowly make some necessary changes to their society. So, in about a hundred and fifty years, your nation will once again be whole and complete. You might have died young, and I am genuinely sorry about that, but you've done so much good in your lives that it will be remembered for ages to come."
The two deceased heroes had their jaws dropped before looking at each other. A sense of uneasiness that had been on their backs seemed to have been lifted. “Wow, all of that happens?” Sandbar asked.
“More or less if things stay as they are, but like I said,” God pointed out, “a single choice can change anything.” He took a moment to take a deep breath with the cigar, breathing in the smoke before letting it out. “Ya know, as much as my angels keep telling me this… I still feel responsible for you two.”
“What are ya talking about?” Gallus tilted his head.
“Well, when you set up everything, and when a bunch of stuff goes wrong like wars, or massacres, corruptions, or the harm of the innocent - I know that at the end of the day, I’m responsible because I was the first cause that did it. And yeah, I have plenty of angels telling me every day that it wasn’t my fault, but… it still doesn’t excuse that. The thing is Gallus, you have every right to hold me accountable for what happened to you both. So…” After another puff, he reached into his ear and pulled out two files that had their names on them. “I looked through these and I noticed something.”
“About what?” Sandbar asked.
God let go of the folders, and instead of dropping them, they levitated in the air, opening up to him. “Both of these say that when you two got here, you were asked the question regarding reincarnation. And it says that both of you were uncertain about it.” Closing them up, he lay the files on the bar. “So look, I don’t expect either of you to accept this, but I just want you two to know that if you really want, I can send you back to the mortal world in a different body.”
Sandbar blinked, “You could do that?”
“Hang on there,” God pointed at him, “unlike my mongoose opposite, at least let me give you all the details about this before you say yes to anything. Okay? Good.” After tapping the ash from his cigar off and giving another lungful of smoke, he explained: “Because here’s the deal, if you want, I can have you guys reincarnated into lives that are better than the ones you had. Perhaps I could have you be royalty, or live a life as someone who’ll become a legend one day... Or something like that. I mean, given what both of you went through, even I think you two deserve better.
“However,” he added after a puff of his cigar, “if you do say yes, then you’ll go back to the mortal realm, having your minds wiped completely clean. That would mean you’ll have no memory of what happened before. You’ll forget the friends and family you’ve made - you’ll even forget that you two are friends. What’s more, being given a second chance at life would be quite the gamble, as there won’t be any guarantee that you’ll come back here.”
“Woah…” Gallus heaved a weary sigh. “That sounds like a huge risk.”
God nodded. “There are those that do take it and they end up back here. Sure, I could help make it so that you’ll have a pretty good setup. But after that, it’s out of my paws - so to speak. As much as I want to help here, I just think that you two should know about what you might be getting into before either of you agree to this.” He said, finishing out his cigar and summoning another one. He snapped his fuzzy fingers to light it.
Sandbar took off his hat, running a hoof through his mane, “That’s… a whole lot to think about.”
“Hey, you don’t have to decide tonight. Understand? Hell, you don’t even have to agree to this at all. I get it, but I just felt that I should do something here.”
“Sure…” Sandbar nodded. Getting up and putting his hat back on, he said to Gallus, “Hey I’m gonna go get a snack over there. I’ll see ya around.”
“Later dude,” he waved, watching Sandbar walk away.
“Ya know,” God said, letting the smoke leave his lungs, “if I remember right… Tonight's the night, isn’t it?”
Gallus tensed up. “W-What?”
“If I’m right,” he said after taking a puff, “this is the night that you tell ‘em the truth. The whole truth. And nothing except the truth.”
“You don’t mean…” God nodded. “I just… I don’t plan to-”
“You don’t?” God raised an eyebrow. Then taking out a thick script from behind, with a cover that read Love After Life, he flipped through until he stopped at a certain point. “That’s funny, because it says right here that you tell him everything at the party.”
Gallus narrowed his eyes on the front page. “Who are CrackedInkWell and Rated Ponystar?”
“One is a gay guy that writes fluffy surreal fanfics, and the other is someone who's way too obsessed with funerals for his own good. A weird combination if you ask me, but hey, if it works, it works.”
“Waitwaitwait, hold on!” Gallus objected, waving his arms. “You mean that I’m gonna…” God nodded. “But… I-I can’t!”
“No? Why not?” he asked, puffing on his cigar.
“I just… I can’t just… he won’t…”
It took God a moment, but his eyes widened and snapped his fuzzy fingers. “Oooh, I get it! You’re afraid of telling him because you think he’ll do more than just reject you. Okay, this I can handle.”
This response put Gallus on edge. “What are you talking about?”
God had a wicked grin on his face. “Gallus, I’d like to play a game.” He raised his small arm in the air and snapped. At first, Gallus didn’t notice anything, but he felt something powerful being echoed throughout the enormous palace.
“Wait, what did you just do?”
“Look down.”
He did. Gallus was startled that he was wearing a different costume. Gone was the jester outfit, and it was instead replaced by a samurai suit of armor. He felt around his face and found there was a different mask there. “What did you-” he covered his mouth. “My voice!” He exclaimed in a deeper tone. “What did you do?”
“Ah-ah, not just you,” he chuckled, pointed out to the other partiers. “It’s everyone.”
Gallus looked and saw that there was a moment of confusion among the guests that they had changed costumes.
“Every half hour or so,” God explained after another puff, “you and everyone at this party will change outfits. Plus, to make things more interesting, you and Sandbar will have disguised voices; so that way, you two won’t recognize each other. That is, of course, until the unmasking tonight.”
“So…” Gallus looked around the party, “how would I know which is Sandbar?”
“You don’t. This is a game of trust. If I were you, I might go see some advice from someone about your… predicament. I find that confining your issues to a complete stranger is… curiously reassuring.”
“How is this supposed to help?!”
God smiled warmly, “Just trust me on this. And believe me when I say that after tonight, everything is going to get better.”
Gallus wasn’t sure how wise it was for God to do this to them, but it certainly left him in a near paranoid state. Being set free to roam around this universe of a party, he maneuvered around crowds of masks and costumes with the thought that any one of them could be Sandbar. Even with what God said that this would be the night that he tells him everything. Only he couldn’t for the life of him figure out how that would be possible. He didn’t feel ready to let him know about it, and even if he did, he had no idea how he would bring it up without having it be blown up in his face.
He walked past the kingdom of snacks, around the ocean of dancers that moved to the psychedelic beats of Vinyl Scratch, aka DJ Pon-3. It only took a minute for Gallus to remember the famous DJ had tragically died young breaking her neck down a staircase last year. He headed towards the outskirts of another bar. Perhaps what he needed was something to calm him down a little. So he walked up to a bar that resembled the Milky Way and asked the bartender for something strong but palatable. Something that wouldn’t get him tipsy right away, but with just enough to let go of his stresses for a bit.
While he wanted for the bartender to mix up his drink, Gallus was joined by a stranger in an odd costume. It looked like something for a foal’s birthday party that had gone wrong. He was in a furry suit with flippers at the end of his tail and had on a mask of a walrus. The bartender asked the stranger what it would be.
“Give me a sec,” a voice answered, trying to pry the mask off, “I can barely hear in here. Let me get this thing off…” Finally, the heavy thing was pulled off, and Gallas saw underneath an oddly familiar face that he couldn’t put a talon on. He didn’t know why, but there was something about this stranger that reminded him of something. The stallion next to him was an earth pony, green as grass, and had a long chocolate brown mane and mustache. “Now I can hear,” he said in a Trotingham accent. “So would you mind gettin’ me a scotch? Just a shot will do.”
The bartender said he’d have it up in a minute.
While he waited, the stranger noticed Gallus was staring. “Can I help you?”
“No, just…” Gallus tilted his head, “I don’t think we’ve met, but your face and voice sound so familiar, but I can’t figure out why.”
“Hang on,” he said, reaching into his suit, “let me pull out me glasses.” After unzipping a little and pulling out a pair of round, granny-like glasses, Gallus shook his head in disbelief. He didn’t realize it until the pony put on the old glasses but with them, he recognized the face.
The stranger offered a hoof out to him. “Name’s Dawn. Dawn Lemon.”
Gallus, despite his jaw-dropping to the floor, dumbfoundedly reached out to shake it. “As in… The Beatles Dawn Lemon!?”
“Was last time I checked.” He chucked. “I don’t recall bein’ anyone else.”
“Just… holy Hell,” Gallus looked at his talons that shook with the dead musician. “I didn’t expect to meet you of all ponies here.”
“To be fair, I didn’t expect to run into Moztrot either, but here we are. Turns out there was a Heaven despite me putting it in me song.” The bartender laid down his shot of scotch, “Thanks,” then turning back to Gallus he inquired, “And just who might you be?”
“No one you would know. I was born way after you died. But my best friend has heard of you.”
“Yeah?”
“Sandbar, he’s… he’s a huge Beatles fan. Next to Pull, you were his favorite.” Gallus blinked. “Hey, Forge isn’t around, is he?”
“Yeah he’s… somewhere, out there.” Dawn waved a careless hoof out to the crowd. “Honestly, I think he might steal the stage at any moment now. Knowing him, he’d probably play that Here Comes the Sun bit, now that one’s a crowd-pleaser, let me tell you.”
“Uh-huh…”
“Here you go,” the bartender said, placing a cocktail down by Gallus.
The griffon, although he held the drink in his claw, didn’t drink it right away. If anything, he hesitated for a long time, mindlessly looking out to the crowd, almost expecting to see some sign of his friend somewhere.
“You doin’ okay?”
“Huh?” Gallus snapped back to reality.
“Ya drifted off there,” Dawn sipped a little of his shot. “It’s like something’s really bothering ya.”
“Oh no no no I…” Gallus lied but trailed off when he saw Dawn raising a skeptical eyebrow. Then he set his drink aside. “Oh, who am I kidding. No, I’m… not fine.”
“Really now?” Dawn set his shot on the bar. “How come?”
“It’s…” He waved a dismissive claw. “It’s kinda stupid.”
“Must be major enough for ya to come get a drink. Trust me, I’ve seen a thing or two.”
“Don’t you have someplace to be?”
Dawn shrugged, “I’ve been shot years ago, where else do I need ta be?” he joked. “But all kidding aside, I got nothing planned. And you seemed to have quite a bit on your mind. Why don’t ya talk to me about it?”
Gallus looked over his shoulder one last time, to make sure they wouldn’t be listened to. “It’s just… I think I came to realize something… huge.” Dawn nodded. “I think I…” He took a deep breath. “I think I’m in love with my best friend.”
“Okay…” Dawn nodded. “And…?”
“.... That’s it. Well, that really oversimplifies it, but essentially, my problem is that I think I love him but I don’t think it would ever work and-”
“So?”
Gallus blinked. “What?”
“Well, so what? You love your friend. That’s beautiful, mate.”
“Dude, how can you say… oh right,” Gallus facepalmed. “I forgot I’m talking to the guy who co-wrote All you Need is Love.”
“Well not that,” Dawn waved a hoof. “I mean that you finally found someone to love is a beautiful thing.”
“Even when doing so might be difficult?”
“Look, it matters not who you love, where you love, why you love, when you love, or how you love - it matters only that you love. Trust me, I oughta know.”
Gallus rolled his eyes. “What? About the whole thing with… what’s her name, Yoko?”
“Partly that,” he nodded, “but you’re not the only one I know of who was a homosexual when I was alive.”
“Huh? What are you talking about? No one in The Beatles was gay… right?”
“Well, back when the fellas and I got started, we needed a manager. Brain E, was the name. And I found out later on that he was gay. In fact, he only told me about it because he had a crush on me. Now, mind you, we didn’t do anything, but it did give me some insight about how diverse and strange, and yet, how beautiful the nature of love can be. In fact, in one of our albums, I wrote a song as a kind of dedication to him as a form of solidarity to ‘em, You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away. I wrote it specifically for ‘em, knowing all the hardships he was goin’ through. So believe me when I say I know a thing or two.”
“Okay. I never knew that.”
“Neither did the other fellas until much later. So while I don’t think I can fully know what you’re goin’ through completely, at least let me try to help a little.” He downed the rest of his scotch. “Like this best mate of yours, how come you haven’t told ‘em yet? I take it he’s not into other fellas too?”
“Well… not exactly, turns out he does swing that way.”
“But if ya knew, then why all the hush-hush?”
Gallus went quiet for a minute, “I’m just… scared is all.”
“Yeah? Of what?”
He sighed, “Well… suppose that maybe he does accept it, and does like me back. What if… I end up disappointing him.”
“In what way?”
“Well… for a while I wasn’t sure why but, I think it’s because in the past… I never understood or got that unconditional love that everyone else got. Things like loving parents weren’t a thing when I was growing up. I know that sounds unrelated, but I can’t help but think that while it’s possible that I could love someone… I don’t know if I’ll be able to handle being loved back. Hell, I’m so used to chasing after crushes that have been so out of reach that I guess I didn’t think I’ll be able to get it. And if I did… I’m scared I’ll just ruin it somehow. What if I become a huge jerk or avoid him at every turn when he needs me? It’s not that I’m evil, but it’s like…”
“Like a language you don’t fully know how to speak?”
“I…” he nodded. “Yeah.”
“Ya know, in a strange way, I could relate.”
Gallus raised an eyebrow. “How?”
“Well, to tell you the truth, given my past, I’m shocked I ended up here at all.”
“Why’s that?”
Dawn sighed deeply. “I’m not… what I considered… a good pony. If ya asked me first wife and son, they would tell you that I’m awful... and really, I was. I used to hit me wife when I got angry and ignored me son entirely. Back then, I couldn’t express how much I was hurting that I hit. Now, mind you, I have tried to become better, with Yoko and my other son. In a way, that’s why I’m on so much about peace and love, you know? I figure that it’s the most violent ponies that go for stuff like that. It’s the opposite, you see.” He shook his head. “I don’t look back at any of the stuff I did with pride. If anything, I have to be a good deal older to confront the stuff that I did as a young stallion.”
“I mean, that’s really heavy stuff, but what does that have to do with me?”
“The point I want to make here is that I get it. The pain in your past can haunt you in the present. Maybe what you’re afraid of is that you don’t want your friend to suffer as you did. Trust me, I get it. But sometimes, when you’re offered that chance to be loved back - and I mean genuinely be loved back - well…” he chucked, “it’s as the old song says: ‘Love is all you need’.”
“I don’t know…”
“You want to know what I’ve learned about life? It had taken me about forty years of it to figure it out.”
“Sure, what?”
“Ya want a good life? It’s not hard. Tell the friend that you love, that you love ‘em. And always speak the truth.”
Gallus stood up from the bar and started to walk away.
“Oi,” Dawn called out, “are ya gonna finish that drink of yours?”
“No…” He shook his head. “I don’t think I’ll need it… I just need some time alone.”
“You’ll be alright?”
“I will.” He nodded. “Just need some time. And thanks for the advice. I got a lot of stuff to think about.”
“If you say so.” Shrugging, Dawn took hold of the cocktail. “Happy New Year, stranger!”
Sandbar didn’t know what happened. He had gone out for just a few minutes and suddenly he was wearing a strange turtle costume with two katanas on his back and a blue mask with eye holes. He wasn’t the only one who suddenly found themselves looking different, as the entire palace turned into some kind of cosplay event as the music began playing that reminded him of DJ Pon-3. Then again, considering she died last year, it was possible that she was playing here.
Looking around, Sandbar tried to find some hint of where Gallus might be but realized it would be harder than normal since his friend most likely was disguised for the masquerade as well. He was so focused on finding his friend that he ended up bumping into someone’s flank and nearly fell off his hooves. “S-Sorry! Didn’t see where I was… Grogar?!”
“Huh? Where?” a mare’s voice shouted as she looked around, before realizing that Sandbar was talking about her costume. It was like looking at a big mascot suit one would see in a professional sports team or theme park, only this Grogar costume had silly eyes and a tongue sticking out. “Oh, sorry. One sec.” She took off the head, revealing a unicorn who appeared to be just about two or three years older than Sandbar. Her youthful palish-yellow furred expression displayed a hyper sense of joy and nervousness at the same time.
“Sorry about that,” the unicorn said as she pushed aside her green, red-striped mane. “I wasn’t looking where I was going.”
“No, that was me,” Sandbar said, taking off his mask. “Say, you look familiar...”
“I would hope so. Last time I checked they made books about me,” The mare said with a giggle as she looked at her costume. “Here’s a hint. The costume I’m wearing? I sent him to Hell about a thousand or so years ago.”
“Woah,” Sandbar said in awe. “You’re... Gusty the Great?! The Legendary Hero who banished Grogar? My mom used to read me your story all the time as a little colt!”
“Yeah, trust me,” Gusty said with a heavy sigh, “that’s the friendly version of my trials dealing with that bastard. It was a lot worse, let me tell ya.” She then tilted her head and hummed. “You know, I think I’ve seen your photo too. Yeah, in Afterlife's Heroes and Villains Magazine. You saved the world too, right?”
“Mostly Equestria, but once or twice, yeah,” Sandbar said, blushing as he found himself honored to be noticed by such an esteemed legend back home. “I actually kinda died while doing it...”
“Yeah, me too,” Gusty said with a shrug. “Sucks, huh? You manage to save the world, but instead of living happily ever after, you find yourself going to the great beyond. Funny enough, I was an atheist until I found myself here.”
“You too? That’s kinda funny since my friend Gallus was one as well until we died,” Sandbar pointed out.
“Oh, you died with someone? Wow, lucky you,” Gusty said as she motioned for them to take a seat nearby on some pillows. “Not that you dying so young was lucky. I mean, you got to have a friend with you when you passed on. I was stuck on my own for years until my friends finally started dying of old age and joined me here. Even the stallion I loved took over seventy years for him to croak, but he had gotten married and had kids while I was dead. We never got back together after he arrived with his wife, but I did find someone else eventually while I was here.”
Sandbar bit his lip and sighed. “Do you… regret it?” Gusty tilted her head. “Sacrificing yourself I mean? I tried to save Gallus from dying, and that only ended up getting us both killed. We left behind our friends, and I left behind my family. I just feel… I feel like sometimes I wish...”
“That you got to enjoy life more?” Gusty whispered with a sad smile. “I know how you feel. I never wanted to be a hero to begin with. I was just a normal filly trying to get adopted by someone until Grogar burned everything to the ground. After that, I just found myself always having him in my life to the point where I just wanted him gone so bad that I was willing to do anything to stop him. So when God came to me in a dream, saying it was my destiny to fight him, I agreed.”
“Wait, I thought you were chosen by Harmony itself?” Sandbar asked.
“Harmony, God, it’s basically the same thing,” Gusty said, shrugging. “The guy takes on different forms. I mean, he’s a bunny here in our world, and in others he’s a giant old bearded man, a giant twenty-sided dice, a female chicken with steel wings, and a black guy in a white suit.”
“I... didn’t understand half of that,” Sandbar admitted.
“Look, just accept he can transform himself into anything. Also, when you can, get Interdimensional Cable TV; you’ll educate yourself much faster that way,” Gusty answered. “Anyway, you probably already know about my adventures, the friends I made, the trails I had to go through until I was finally able to banish him... Of course, I died right after from the wounds he gave me, but I was glad that I was able to stop him at last.”
“But were you… unhappy?” Sandbar asked.
“Yeah, kinda,” Gusty sighed as she leaned back. “My parents weren’t good ponies, let’s just leave it at that. And like you, I had friends and loved ones that I left behind when I died. I didn’t have anyone, and despite being in Heaven, I was unable to share any of the happy moments I made here with anyone truly important to me. Meanwhile, my friends were getting married, finding dream jobs, having children, and enjoying the peace I sacrificed my life for. I was glad they were happy, but, well, I couldn’t help but be jealous that they were together and I… wasn’t...”
She then smiled at Sandbar and giggled. “I guess it’s kinda sad of me, huh?”
“N-Not at all! I kinda feel the same way sometimes,” Sandbar answered before sighing. “I just feel guilty more than anything. Especially since I saw my own funeral and… seeing my sister so sad like that… deep down… a part of me wonders if it would have been better to have not saved Gallus...” Sandbar then closed his eyes and pounded his hoof to the floor. “I know that’s selfish of me, but... whenever I do think of something like that, I just want to kick my own butt. I never could live with myself if I didn’t do something… Even if it meant that I was going to die… I’d be so miserable and hateful of myself that life would just be so… unbearable.”
“Hmm, yeah. Sounds familiar alright,” Gusty said as she wrapped her arm around him. “You know, I looked at my What If book to see what would happen if I didn’t go through with that final attack on Grogar. Do you know what would have happened? I would have died, my friends would have died, and it would’ve taken a good three hundred years for a new hero to come around and finish him off. My fate really was sealed on that day. Either I was going to die a hero or die a failure, but at least I was able to do the former before I kicked the bucket.”
“How did you get over it?” Sandbar asked.
“I talked to someone,” Gusty answered with a bright smile. “Someone who knew what I was feeling: Cú Chewainn.”
“Who's that?” Sandbar asked, tilting his head.
“He’s a hero of the Diamond Dogs from Doglin,” Gusty answered. “He told me that heroes like us might have died young, but what we did will never be forgotten. That we died for a greater purpose. Not just for those we loved, but for those who will see us in the future. There is always going to be evil in the world. It’s sadly the fate of life itself, but there will always be heroes who will stand up for what is right because they are inspired by creatures like us. Plus, there are a lot of us heroes who died young and look after one another. Just because we aren’t able to reconnect with those we left behind, it doesn’t mean we should stop making connections. Being dead is no excuse to not have a friend, after all.”
Sandbar felt that was something Twilight would say if she was dead. He thought back to what God said about him and Gallus inspiring others in the future and wondered if this was what Gusty meant.
“Plus, you came here with a friend. You both share a bond, in life and in death,” Gusty pointed out as she smiled at him. “Is he important to you?”
“Gallus? Of course, he is!” Sandbar nearly yelled. “He’s been the best friend I’ve ever had! Half of Heaven wouldn’t be as fun if he wasn’t around. The two of us are all we have, save for my deceased relatives and we know how the other is feeling. I think… I think he really does care a lot about me...” Sandbar whispered with a sigh. “Problem is, I think he’s hiding something from me. Personally, I think he still feels guilty that I died trying to save him, but that’s not true. I’d do it a thousand times for him. Even if I knew that I was going to go to Hell if I died.”
“I think he’s lucky to have a friend like you,” Gusty said with a bright smile. “And I think you both need to show that to each other so you can feel better. But don’t worry, your friends and family will be here someday, and you can share new memories together.”
“Thanks, Gusty. I think I’ll go find him now,” Sandbar said with a smile as he got up. However, he paused and turned around. “Do you know what will happen to Equestria in the future? I mean, things were pretty good when I died, but you said that evil will always exist. How?”
Gusty frowned and shook her head. “It’s not a pretty sight from what I hear. I forget how long from now, but a terrible event is going to happen that will see Equestria lose its current golden age. Fear and hatred will ripple through the world to kickstart a dark age. The three pony races will split apart and the other races will revert back to being isolated again as well.”
“No...” Sandbar replied with horror. “H-How? After everything Princess Twilight did…? After everything we did…?”
“Nothing sadly stays the same forever, and there will always be those who ruin what is good in life,” Gusty said before she stood up and smiled. “However, there is always hope. Four special mares and a stallion are going to fix the future. They will be those who rebuild the bonds between not just ponies but other creatures as well. They will bring back the Equestria we know and love. It will be hard, they will have trials, and there will be those seeking to stop them. But, if there is one thing I have learned from my fellow heroes, and from watching things back on the mortal realm, is that the power of friendship and harmony lives on in the hearts of those then, now, and forever.”
“.... Well, I guess all I can do is wish those future heroes the best,” Sandbar said with a smile. “Thanks, Gusty. See ya around.”
“No problem, Sandbar.” She waved farewell as the earth pony went back into the crowd.
For Sandbar, trying to find where his friend went was like looking for a needle in a haystack, if said haystack suddenly and unexpectedly rearranged itself every so often. As the clock had ticked ever closer to midnight, his costume had changed several times. After the turtle ninja outfit, it turned into a weirdly fitted suit with a long multi-colored scarf, to which guests playfully called him “Doctor.” Then it changed to something that a superhero would wear - all green and black, with a mysterious ring on his hoof that showed a lantern. Then, just about half an hour before midnight, it changed for the last time in a knight in shining armor, complete with a helmet he could barely see through.
But, to add to the confusion, regardless of where he went or the guests he talked with, no one had any idea who Sandbar was talking about. It got to the point that a worrying thought entered Sandbar’s mind: maybe Gallus had slipped away from the party without letting anyone know where he was going. He wandered around the universe that was God’s home, going down the hallways in the hope that maybe he could still find him somewhere.
Of course, there were other masked guests that he passed by, but they were of no help in finding Gallus either. By the time he’d entered an observatory-like room, complete with a telescope and a glass dome overhead, Sandbar was just about ready to give up. However, underneath the firework sky, in those flashes of multi-colors, something that caught his attention. At the other end of the room, someone was pacing back and forth, nervously muttering to himself (at least, Sandbar assumed it was a he, as the nervous individual was dressed in the guise of a king: crowned, red-caped, and jewel masked) all the while. Although the mask had a long beak, the cape covered his body up, so Sandbar couldn’t tell if it was a pegasus or a griffon.
Sandbar’s curiosity compelled him to draw nearer, picking up on what this stranger was saying.
“.... No, that’s stupid… Hey, you wanna know something...? Who starts a conversation like that? So, I thought about it, and I think it’s time that I… No, that’s way too corny. Uh… Has anyone ever told you that you’ve got a sweet ass-” The stranger facepalmed, hard enough for his crown to fall off- “Dammit! This shouldn’t be that hard!”
Sandbar watched the crown roll across the marble floor towards him. He stopped it and picked it up. “Hey, I think you dropped this,” Sandbar said, noticing that his voice had changed along with his costume. It came out as something deeper, almost aristocratic in tone.
“What?” The one in the king outfit looked up, completely off guard and not expecting that anyone would be around. “H-How long have you been standing there?” Sandbar noted that the voice sounded… off. Like an old stallion, perhaps someone’s grandpa but with something about it that wasn’t convincing enough. “What did you hear?” the king demanded.
“Easy, I just got here,” Sandbar said, walking over and offering the fallen crown. After the king took it back and put it on his head, Sandbar inquired, “So… what are you doing up here?”
“Nothing I just…” The king folded his arms. “…. needed some time alone is all.”
“So, like, you needed a breather from the party downstairs?”
“.... Something like that.”
“Okay…” Sandbar rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, I was looking around for someone.”
“Who?”
“I’m looking for a griffon. I’d say he’s about your height and-”
“I haven’t seen anyone,” the king interrupted. “You’re the first creature I’ve seen up here.”
“Oh… Okay…” Sandbar slowly walked backward. “I guess I can just… go…”
However, just as Sandbar started to turn around, he heard a sigh from the king. “Wait… Before you go,” he began to ask, “are you someone I know?”
“I kinda doubt it. I mean, there are thousands here so… probably not? Why?”
“I just…” Another sigh. “I’m stuck with something huge and I don’t know what to do.”
“Yeah?” Sandbar tilted his head. “About what?”
The king paused and looked around the observatory, making sure that they were alone. “Can I trust you with something… personal? You don’t need to do anything, I guess. I… well… need a second opinion on something.”
Sandbar sat down on his hunches. “Okay. What’s up?”
“Well before I get to that, let me ask you a personal question.” The king too sat down, then rubbed the back of his head. “Have you ever fallen in love with someone?”
Sandbar nodded.
“With a friend?”
“Well yeah. I used to have a marefriend when I was alive.” That wasn’t the full extent of it, Sandbar thought to himself, but it would suffice for now.
“Oh, I see…” Rubbing underneath his beak, the king added, “And… have you ever had a crush on someone that, on some level, you know might not work at all?”
“That’s… oddly specific.”
“Okay, uh… Sorry, this is just complicated, even for me.”
“So I’m just gonna take a shot in the dark and say that you like someone, a friend, but you don’t know how to tell ‘em?”
“I… well, yes, that’s part of it.” The king looked down sheepishly, rubbing an arm. “I’ve spent so many months trying to figure this out and… Yes, I think I’m in love with my best friend.”
“Oh?”
The king nodded. “There’s more to it, obviously, but overall… I have so many doubts if I should tell him at all.”
“How come?”
“Well, the main thing is I’m weirdly scared about it. Yeah, I know that sounds weird, but I am. I mean… it’s not that I’m afraid of telling him, but I’m more scared that he says he does love me back.”
Sandbar blinked, “I don’t follow. Why is that a problem?”
“Hey, it’s one thing to tell someone that you love ‘em, but for some reason… the idea that he would say he loves me back is… scary. I know, I know, it sounds completely irrational, but… The thing is, I’m terrified that I might… I don’t know… disappoint him, or maybe I’ll come off as distant, or cold, or cruel, or anything else that could sabotage it when he might genuinely love me back.”
“But why would you do that? I mean, if whoever it is loves you back, then why be afraid of it?”
“Because… you know one of those What if books from the library at Griffonstone?” Sandbar nodded. “I looked into a scenario where my best friend did love me. And you know what I found? When I was offered it, I got scared, and I heard my personal demons tell me that, deep down… I don’t deserve it. I mean, growing up, I didn’t have parents or anyone who cared if I lived or died. But the thing is, I don’t want to come off as weak or pathetic to him. At the same time, since I’m so used to not having that… I don’t know what I’d do if I was given that kind of love back.”
“I mean… Wow, that’s heavy,” Sandbar remarked. “But this friend of yours, do you think he would like you back?”
“.... I don’t know.” The King sighed again, but paused to look up at the exploding fireworks of purple and blue, “I don’t know how he would feel about me. But the last thing I want is to think of me as a coward.”
“But I don’t think you’re a coward.”
The king tilted his head at him, “What makes you say that? You just met me.”
“Yeah, but admitting that stuff... I don’t know if I would be able to do that. It takes a lot of courage to say all that without being hysterical.”
“.... You think so?”
“Hey, there’s nothing wrong with being a little weak now and then. I don’t know about you, but even if your friend doesn’t love you back, I think that sort of stuff is something he should know about. Maybe help you if you let him.”
“And if he says that he does love me back?”
“Well… maybe you two have a great starting point to work from. And who knows, if things do work out, being open about this sort of thing could help prepare you for whatever comes next.”
The king got up. “You know… I think that might be the best advice I’ve heard all night… I just hope I can find him and be brave enough to say something to him.”
“If you want, I could help out a little.”
He shook his head. “No, this is something that I need to do alone.”
Just then, echoing through the halls, they heard crowds counting down. “Fifteen… Fourteen… Thirteen…”
“But you know what?” the king said. “Before I go, I’d like to know who has helped me out tonight.”
Sandbar placed his hooves on his helmet. “At the same time?”
The king nodded as he grabbed the mask covering his own face.
“Five… Four… Three… Two… One…”
At the same time, they pulled off their disguises.
Their eyes widened in recognition.
“Happy New Year!”
As the cascade of colorful fireworks reached their crescendo above them, Sandbar’s jaw dropped... as did Gallus’s.
Both of them realized what just happened.
Gallus had, without knowing, admitted that he loved him.
The shock made the griffon drop his mask. “I… I-I…”
Before Gallus could flee, he was grabbed by Sandbar in a bear hug. While downstairs, they heard the tune of “Auld Lang Syne”, Sandbar softly said, “It’s okay… It’s okay…”
Gallus didn’t know if it was the horror that he just told Sandbar everything, or relief that he wasn’t rejecting him outright, or the million other mixed emotions that pinned him there. Even as he tried to shut his eyes to put on a brave face, it too fell apart when tears started streaming down.
He knew that from now on, things wouldn’t be the same again. For better or for worse, Sandbar knew the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
“Hey dude,” Sandbar said, letting Gallus out of his hug but staying by his side, “let’s go home.”