The Tomb
Applejack sat flabbergasted at the table. She had never heard a more ridiculous story. Reincarnations, demigods, gods, soulmates; it was all crazy! But Fluttershy wouldn’t lie, would she?
“I don’t believe you.” Pinkie stated around the food she was eating. Grease dripped down her chin as chomped into fried potatoes that Fluttershy made. Along side Along side potatoes, Fluttershy made zucchini spaghetti and mango cider, but Applejack wasn’t paying attention to any of food. No, she was still trying to wrap her head around what she heard.
“Why don’t you believe me, Pinkie?” Fluttershy whispered. “Is so hard to believe after all we went through?”
“I saw everything that we went through, Fluttershy,” Pinkie tapped the table, “I was there, but I wasn’t there for any of what you said. If I don’t see then I don’t believe it. There are no gods. Reincarnation is not real. And Sombra is the enemy. He was and still is an evil unicorn that has and will try to take over the Crystal Empire. So all of what he’s trying to sell you is bullshit. Just saying.”
“Pinkie!” Applejack was shocked at the pessimistic outlook that the pink pony was giving.
“What?!” Pinkie asked, “I’m right, ain’t I?”
“That was rude, sugar-cube,” Applejack said, shaking her head, “ya don’t just immediately start dog-shittin’ on somepony’s story over dinner. Wait until after diner to criticize it.”
“You don’t believe me?” Fluttershy asked. She started to pull into herself. Applejack placed her hoof on Fluttershy’s leg as the mug in her hooves started to shake. “Why don’t you believe me?”
“Oh, sugar-cube, I don’t believe that yer lyin’, but it’s kinda hard to believe something so fantastic. Reincarnations? Really, Fluttershy? It’s kinda the stretch of the ‘magination.”
“See! I’m not the only one!” Pinkie squealed. She excitedly thumped her hooves on the table.
“Then explain how Rainbow Dash knew everything that happened! Stories that Discord never knew!” Fluttershy countered her once soft voice rose with anger. Applejack saw that her quiet friend was getting really upset.
“Fluttershy…”
“Don’t Fluttershy me, Applejack!” Fluttershy screeched, “I have seen the room where the pony look like Twilight where in cased in crystals. There where five other ponies in there but the one in white stood out. If you don’t believe me then follow me. I will show you!” Fluttershy’s bench scrapped across the floor as she angrily pushed it back. She then stomped towards the door. She stopped dead in her tracks when she realized that her friends weren’t following. She turned around and asked, “Are you coming?”
“Yes! Just let me finish up my food!” Pinkie piped in. She shoveled food into her mouth with lightning fast accuracy. Applejack and Fluttershy stood dumbfounded at the display. “All done! Let’s go.”
“Right.” Applejack blinked, “Fluttershy, lead the way.” Fluttershy nodded and turned around. Applejack and Pinkie caught up with her. Pinkie turned around and, with a resounding boom, closed the doors. She then bounded off towards the others.
Ω
“Are these real?!” Pinkie gasped as she touched the closest crystal, “If so, I want one I want one! Hell, I’ll make a cake inspired by it! I love how they’ll look like they’re sleeping and at any moment they will wake up! Oooh! I like the golden one! Hey! Can you read this? Fluttershy! Fluttershy! Fluttershy! Can ya? Can ya?! Can ya?!”
“Pinkie, get out of my face!” Fluttershy whimpered as she pushed the pink pony away. Pinkie smiled, then shot like rocket to her next destination. She was going to take all the pictures! She just gotta! She just gotta! She just gotta!
It’s for the cakes! Oh, the cakes, the beautiful, beautiful cakes only thing that was constantly right in the world! It was the only thing Pinkie could control. Cakes could be tall! Cakes could be short! Cakes could be anything she wanted it to be! She could control how the cakes looked! And now she is inspired by the dead- sleeping ponies in crystals! The best part! The best part! THE BEST PART! Pinkie could see on some of the ponies the mortal wounds! On the golden pony, Pinkie’s favorite, there where her heart would be was an X. A big X! And around the X was blue and black lightning lines. The lightning lines marred the golden metallic sheen of this pony’s coat.
Her coat would have made a beautiful cloak. All shining and beautiful. Pinkie wonder what her screams would have sounded like. Would this pony—
“What are you doing?” A deep melodic voice interrupted her thoughts. Good she couldn’t let those bad, bad thoughts get in her way of cakes. Who interrupted Pinkie? She needs to thank them! Thank them for stopping the bad, bad thoughts! Cakes and laughter are all that matters! Nothing else. Nothing else. Nothing… nothing… nothing else.
“Hi, Im Pinkie Pie! Your new funnerific friend!” Pinkie cried out with joy! She was always ready to make new friends! Friends were the best thing ever!
“Pinkie Pie?” The melodious deep voice asked, “Well that certainly is a strange name, but it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. But what are you doing?”
“Well, Melodious Voice, I’m simply taking pictures of these lovely crystals for inspiration for my cakes!” Pinkie stated proudly. She should be! Her cakes were the best in all of Equestria!
“Ah, Pinkie?” Applejack asked cautiously, “Who in tarnation are ya speakin’ ta?”
“Mr. Melodious Voice!”
“Who?”
“Mr. Melodious Voice! He asked me what I was doing and I told him that I was taking pictures for my cakes!” Pinkie smiled at her dumbfounded country friend. Mr. Melodious Voice was her friend now and she ain’t sharing.
“Oh by the three gods! Applejack! Pinkie! You’re here!” Pinkie turned towards the that sounded like her speedy friend but she wasn’t so sure. She sounded slightly different. Like her accent was foreign. Where did she go? How did she an accent? Is that really Rainbow Dash?
“Oh! How I missed you both!” The familiar cyan pony came into room flying at top speeds. Pinkie squealed at the sudden weight as her back hit the marble floor. “By the three gods, it’s so good to see your faces!”
“Rainbow Dash?” Applejack asked as she was apparently being smothered. Pinkie knew she was. “Why are ya talkin’ like that? Ya are speakin’ differently, suger-cube! Now quit ya blubberin’ I’m here. There. There.”
“I-it’s r-really you!” Dashie cried as watery falls forming in her eyes, “I-I j-just can’t b-believe it! T-there’s so m-much I h-have t-to tell you both! Sombra—“
“What about me?” Mr. Melodious Voice asked. It’s Pinkie’s new friend!! Hers not any ponyelse’s!
“Sombra! Come meet my friends!” Dashie cried out with joy. Wait a minute! Sombra?
“Well I unable to meet them if you are on top of them!” He laughed. Dashie scrambled off of them. Her smile was brighter than Princess Celestia’s sun. Dashie moved off to the side and behind was…
“A male Alicorn!” Pinkie screeched, pointing her hoof towards the male alicorn. “There’s a male alicorn over there! A male alicorn, Applejack!”
“Indeed there is. Last time I checked I was a male.” Mr. Melodious Voice said, “I do not believe that I can swap genders like my grandparent can. It is not in my capabilities. Though that would be awkward. With Midnight and her reincarnations in all.”
“What? You’re not interested in guys?” Pinkie blurted out.
“No I am not,” Mr. Melodious Voice said in stride, “I prefer my bed partners of the female verity. Thank you very much. Although if Midnight reincarnated as a male I might have reconsidered.”
“Really?!”
“Really.” He winked, “If it is alright with you, may I have the honor of acquiring your name, little one?”
“My name is Pinkie Pie!” She gleefully stated. “You’re new funnerific friend!”
“Oh! You are the one who was touching my mate’s memorial!” Mr. Melodious Voice stated. “You looked like you were about to eat it!”
“I wasn’t going to eat it!” Pinkie bounced. “I was just taking— “
“Pictures for your cakes. I know. Still I wonder why your parents named you Pinkie. Was it because of your coat? Creatures in this universe have weird names! I mean my name is Sombra O Gytgord which means ‘the somber one of Harmony’ and I mean who names a cult somber! It is utterly ridiculous! I think the writers gave a fun time coming up with the most ridiculous names ever. I apologize for the rant.”
“You see the strange bipeds that watch us struggle in our world?” Pinkie asked as she jumped onto the black male alicorn’s face. “Never giving a care about our struggles and strife? Always laughing and giggling as we live our lives and never helping us?”
“Who hurt you?” He narrowed his pretty, pretty red eyes.
“No pony!” She chirp. Then she did a backflip off his face and landed on her back hooves with her front ones in air. Mr. Melodious Voice just blinked.
“And here I thought Dimming Lights was chaotic!”
“Who’s Dimming Lights?”
“Midnight’s second life.”
“Who’s Midnight?”
“My mate.”
“Is that another way to say friend”
“Pinkie!” Applejack yelled before Mr. Melodious Voice could answer. Rude. “Shut up!”
“Why?” She was so confused. Why shouldn’t Pinkie talk to her new friend Mr. Melodious Voice? Though he was talking about second life and stuff, but he was interesting.
“That’s Sombra!” Applejack growled.
“And?”
“And? AND! And he attacked the Crystal Empire! He was a tyrant! He hurt ponies! He kidnapped Twilight!”
“Oh…”
Ω
ΩSombraΩ
I do not want to get up. I am enjoying cuddling Midnight. It is all I could ever want. But…
“He is still asleep?!” The annoying powdery white something underneath my hoof griped. I am so going to ring her -grumble- grumble- grumble. Growl- growl- growl. I am not going there. No. No. No. Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!
“How dare!” Oh I must of said that out loud. “It seems that The First Born is quite lazy!”
“Sister!” Squeaked the tiny alicorn. Oh no, I could distinguish between the sisters’ voices. I have been with them too long.
“What, Luna? It is true! He is just laying there doing nothing! We are burning daylight and he is doing nothing!”
“But he is cuddling with Midnight. That is very important.” I agree with the little blue alicorn. “Admit it, Celestia, you are jealous because he is currently cuddling with Midnight and you are not. I know you! Remember? So do not get all righteous with me!”
“Luna, what has gotten into you?!” Celestia asked aghast. “You would not have said anything if you were not so infatuated with him! Nor if you were not attached to the unicorn!” Excuse me?! Excuuussse meee?! What did she say?! Why I—
“Do not put this on her! This is between you and me!” Luna hissed. “I am sick of you being so controlling over everything! So overbearing! This has nothing to with Midnight needing protection, it is about your damn pride! How dare a lowly unicorn reject your goodwill protection. The rare opportunity! An Harmonian rejecting your offer. Get over yourself, Celestia!”
“Luna!”
“Do not Luna me! You know that I am right! Let them be! They are adorable together!”
“What?! Wait, what?!” Celestia sounded confused. “I thought that you wanted to marry Sombra.” Say what now? Huh? Hold on a minute! No!
“That was before I met Midnight and saw them together!” Luna screeched, her hoof pounded the ground. “He is clearly in love with her! And in my good conscience cannot get between the two of them. So I will live out my first dream. As. His. Apprentice.”
How do I get out of this situation? Help? Uhh…. With all my experience I cannot for the life of me figure out how to get out of here. War was easier to handle. Oh, beloved Harmony, please do not let these bickering alicorns wake Midnight. Oh! I have an idea.
“Luna, you are such an baby. You do not know the way the world works!” She said in condescending tone.
“Pray tell, dear sweet sister, how does the world work?” Luna growled. Oh, boy. I am leaving now. As growls and hisses started to shake the ground, I started to crawl backwards with a sleeping Midnight tucked inside my wing. I heard them start to bicker as I moved further into the bushes. The leaves above me began to rustle. Pierre’s head pop out of the foliage.
I signaled to keep quiet and resumed my journey. In the corner of my eye, I saw Pierre nod once.I felt a thud on top of my head a second later. I rolled my eyes. He was apparently going to stick with me till the end. Ok. I crawled back little further. I twitched my ears up, making sure that the sisters were still arguing. Aannndd we are still in the clear! They have not stopped bickering. Good. With a smile on my face, I lit up my horn and teleported!
“A hundred paces should be about enough.” I declared as I gingerly got up, not wanting to wake my sleeping beauty. “Well, Pierre, it is time to finish the first part of my journey.”
“It is, my Lord?” Pierre asked excitedly. “But what about the alicorn sisters? Are they coming along?”
“No.” I said, shutting down that thought process quickly. I started towards the one cave I have seen for the last fifty years. With its blood soaked floors and crystal lined walls. It was also littered with branches. Bloody branches. Bloody branches that keep piling up. Every. Single. Year. I d-
“Why not, my Lord?” Pierre graciously interrupted my dark thoughts. “I am simply want to understand.”
“I am only allowed two companions. I do not consider them companions. Luna could come back to Harmony with us when I start the second part of my journey. But I have a sinking suspension that Celestia will not have it.”
“Ah, I see.” Pierre said sagely. “Well I respect your wishes, my Lord, I will endeavor not to— Oh, Sweet Harmony, what is that smell!” I forgot about that.
“We are here.” We stood in front of unassuming cave. It was small and dark, nothing out of the ordinary. Many would have passed by without even noticing it except for the smell of rotting flesh attracting the flies and the maggots spilling out the entrance. The rocks near by were permanently stained red by the river of blood flowing between them.
“My Lord, I implore you not to go in there!” Pierre cried out. “There is death that has made it abode in that cave. It is not safe!”
“I must.” I answer his cry as I walked towards the entrance. The smell of death grew stronger and stronger every step that I took. Pierre began to tug on my ears, indicating that he wanted to leave.
“I-if y-you insist on g-going in, my Lord,” Pierre stammered as I duck into the cave. I pulled Midnight closer to my side, “then tell me why we must go inside.” His tiny claws pierced the delicate skin of my ears. I felt the blood trickle down the side of my head. I took a deep breath to answer the urgent question, but choked on the taste of death in the air. That was awful. Silver branches with blood and bone at the ends littered the floor. The once white circle crystal-like leaves were stained scarlet. I hate this place.
“My Lord?”
“My mother is here.”
“The Goddess of Creation?”
“Yes.” I ended the conversation. I do not want to talk anymore. It was just to painful. I walked in silence for a few minutes as death’s perfume sunk into my hide. It squeezed me in its embrace as my eyes began to water. Pierre started to gage a while back and now started to dry heave. At we did not eat anything before coming here. I have made that mistake one too many times.
“I am truly sorry.” I whispered as came closer to my yearly nightmare.
“What *hurck* for *hurk*.” Pierre choked out.
“For what you are about to see.” The pool of clotted blood now was up to my knees. A few branches was floating around, occasionally hitting my legs.
“Oh, by the gods!” Exclaimed Pierre.
“Hello, mother, it is time to go home.”