Alpha and Omega

by Revel Montaro


Chapter 7: Blue on Black

If any pony or creature had asked Fog Gauge a year ago what were the chances that he would be sitting around a dinner table at his mother’s home with his wife, two foals, AND his father… and that everyone was getting along with civility? He would have said nil. Or even optimistically, next to nil.

They had spent one entire day at Crater, but the reality of it all was there wasn't really much to see or do in the town and it was obvious that after the small tour and a decent dinner that if they stayed for too long the young ones would get bored or start to complain and cry and one of the adults would yell, which would cause more crying and further yelling at other said adults. It was bound to happen.

Thankfully, Gauge’s mother Aero Cutright had contacted them and floated the suggestion that they all come back to her place to finish out their vacation and had even invited his father, Charcoal Cutter, to come as well. Much to Gauge’s surprise, Charcoal had smiled and gladly agreed. Tempest was further surprised and appreciative when the elder stallion had insisted that he pull the carriage alongside his son giving her time to relax a bit more and some personal time with her two children. Gauge had spent most of the morning so dumbstruck that he had been unable to comment and simply followed orders or moved through motions of practiced repetition. It was not until they were finally underway back to Vanhoover that it truly occurred to him that he was out front pulling a carriage with his family next to his mostly estranged father, walking by his side.

“Close your mouth, boy. You’ll draw flies like that.”

“Yes, sir.”

Gauge shook his head and kept his eyes straight ahead. The two stallions traveled in silence for another twenty minutes before Charcoal finally sighed and said, “I’m sorry.”

“Do you know what you are sorry for?” Gauge finally said after a few seconds of contemplating how to respond.

“To be honest, many things. I’m sorry for pushing you away. I’m sorry for pushing your mother away. I’m sorry for being such a stubborn old fool even if I felt, at the time, I had my reasons. Ain’t reason enough for what I lost.”

“Do you truly think yourself a fool or are you just saying that to make conversation and because you now have a pegasus granddaughter? From where I stand, YOU may have forgotten some of the things you said to me and what you tried to instill in me before I left, but I have never forgotten your words. ‘Don’t trust an earth pony, all they care about is getting a piece of your land and your money if they can. Don’t trust a unicorn, they’ll warp your mind with magic and they are all a bunch of pansies in a fight.’”

Charcoal grimaced. “Those were my words. Words that had been pounded into me by my father and possible his father before. Never met him. Words that… mean less to an old goat like me who is closer to the end than the beginning.”

Gauge did not want to comment immediately. Choosing instead to just chew on what was said and pull the carriage. Tempest, who had been listening to the conversation by the window, sat up and pulled the curtain aside to look down at the two stallions. She smirked as she greatly admired the view of her husband’s toned, muscular backside.

“I am reminded of a number of things my princess, Sunset Shimmer had said.”

“It’s a bit odd that you call her, ‘my princess’ you know.” Gauge deadpan stared at his father for both his comment and for interrupting. “Sorry, continue.”

“She once said to me, 'The world is not black and white. Like a painting, it is not as interesting if all we use is a single color to paint the canvas of our lives. Different colors make the canvas wonderful. They blend and mix and in the process, you make something new.' Different ponies, different creatures, make our lives more vibrant. We are all different and those differences make us stronger. WE, are stronger together.”

Charcoal nodded, mulling the words. “So, this new princess you serve is… an artist?”

“She’s many things,” commented Tempest, causing the two stallions to turn their heads and look up at her. “Crass, perverse, mouthy, short-tempered, a questionable influence on today's youth, and often a huge pain in my rump. But at the same time she is also, brilliant, multi-talented, a decent fighter, deeply caring for the welfare of others, and the best thing to have happened to Princess Twilight since I came into her service as a guard. You would probably like her.” Gauge flashed Tempest a toothy grin and she smiled and winked back before settling down in the carriage, snuggling up with her foals.

They had arrived in Vanhoover not long after mid-day and met Aero at her home. It was a cozy, peach colored house that was surprisingly spacious, but that may have had more to do with the high ceilings than anything. She claimed that being a pegasus on the ground that if the ceiling was too low it made her feel claustrophobic, a sentiment that Charcoal agreed with. Gauge simply shrugged. It still only had three bedrooms and was sparce on amenities, but it was well loved and therefor it was home.

Instead of going out for lunch Aero had gone to the market that morning and selected fresh fruits and vegetables to make enough food for everyone. Tempest had offered to help toss the salads, but Aero had shooed her out of the kitchen to go relax next to her husband. It however did not escape the notice of the two captains as the snuggled up next to one another that when Charcoal made a similar offer several minutes later she did not say no. Tempest made a gesture with her eyes to indicated for her husband to take notice. He nodded, smiled warmly, and draped his leathery wing over the unicorn and pulled her closer. Tempest happily snuggled into his side.

"So, this is what family is supposed to be like," Gauge whispered into Tempest's ear taking the opportunity to breath in her scent and nuzzle her ear while they sat on the couch watching the foals play in the middle of the floor with some of their toys. Saber was trying to explain to his sister that his stuffed seapony doll had swam all the way from Seaquestria to help defend the land, but all Dusk wanted to do was chew on her plush doll that was a unicorn guard in armor.

“She’s a little young to play Defender of the Realm, sweetie.” Saber sighed and pouted a bit at his mom’s comment.

“How about you, Tempest?” asked Aero as she set out the salad course. “Did you want to be a knight or guard when you were younger? My Fog kept bouncing between being a soldier and navigator on a sailing ship.”

“Navigator, huh? You never told me that.” Gauge simply shrugged as he often did to avoid speaking more on a subject. “As a matter of fact, yes. I wanted to be a guard since I was a little older than Saber. I even had my own training and obstacle course in my yard growing up that my parents made for me. I come from a long line of soldiers. Some with… mixed reputations.”

“Ohhh, now that sounds like an interesting story,” commented Aero with a smile.

“I would be happy to tell you both. I’m not afraid or ashamed of my lineage or my own past. Let me start by asking if you had ever heard of the Storm Ki-” Tempest glanced down at her saddle bag that had been set down near the diaper bag next to the couch. Gauge sat up and opened the flap, retrieving the SunLight crystal that was glowing and vibrating with an enchanted twinkle tune.

Gauge answered the call and greeted the caller. His expression darkened immediately and his posture became stiff, wings snapping to his sides. Tempest’s face fell and hardened as well. “When?”

“Fog?”

“A train would take more than a day may…. I understand. We’re on our way.” Gauge deactivated the crystal and took a deep breath, closing his eyes.

“Daddy?”

Fog looked down at his son and smiled. He beckoned him to come close and wrapped his son in a foreleg and winged embrace. After he let go he stood to his full height. “Mother, father… I apologize, but I have a tremendous favor to ask of you both.”

Aero glanced to Charcoal who in turn nodded. “Go on, boy.”

“Tempest and I need to return to Canterlot immediately. Will you please watch after the children?”

“Without hesitation, son.”

“Fog, talk to me.”

Gauge glanced to Tempest and grimaced, hard. “There has been an incident. A creature attacked a group of guards and dignitaries that Ambassador Spike was seeing after. A number were killed, including solar and lunar guards. Spike was… severely injured. His prognosis is uncertain. Now a Saddle Arabian prince is missing and all guards on leave are to be recalled. We are to return with the most swift of haste, by any means necessary.”

Tempest growled and fought down her urge to kick the coffee table over, but did not want to scare her foals any worse than they were already picking up on. She kneeled down and swept both children into a warm, loving embrace. She then quietly whispered, ‘I love you so much’ to both of them before wiping a tear and staring like a stone statue at her in-laws.

“We packed a few extra days of supplies for the foals, and there are extra bottles of preserved milk in stasis in the cooler for Dusk. You may need to get some supplementary supply if this takes longer than a few days to resolve. I promise we will pay you back for anything you have to buy.” Tempest reached into her bag again and retrieved a small sack of bits. Aero and Charcoal both waved her off.

“You hold on to that, dear, you may need it on the way. We’ll make sure nothing happens to these two.”

Charcoal nodded. “I promise, I will stay here as well and help care for them. Both of them. For as long as it takes. I… I don’t want to make the same mistake twice.”

Gauge pulled both his parents into warm hugs before grabbing his and Tempest’s personal items and threw them over his back, strapping the bags down. “Thank you, both of you.”

“We appreciate your help and understanding.” With one last kiss to the tops of the heads of their children and whispers of ‘I love you,’ Tempest led her husband out of the cozy home and the couple ran for the airship yard, not daring to look back.

----------

The conference room had grown deathly quiet after Sunset and Luna returned with their “guest.” The doors had been sealed and a double layer of privacy bubbles had been erected over the room. Twilight looked on with barely contained curiosity while Isabella stayed close to her princess's side with a harsh, skeptical look on her beak. The grand vizier was also schooling his emotions and looking on with a neutral expression that nearly rivaled Raven for flat and machine-like. Flurry Heart took position about half way between and just stared daggers much like Sunset was doing. Only Luna had softened her gaze if only a fraction.

Clover bowed to Twilight after introducing himself and then felt a shove from Sunset to step up to the empty spot at the long, rectangular table. He coughed and smoothed his old cloak. “I assume there are many questions. However, may I ask one first? Where is Celestia?”

All eyes turned to Sunset Shimmer.

Sunset took the chair just to the right of Clover, glared, took a deep breath, and finally said, “Dead.”

Clover, lowered his eyes and sighed. “That… perhaps that is why she came back. I can only assume, too much to assume, perhaps she ne-”

Flurry Heart slammed her hoof on the table hard enough to crack it. “Enough rambling! You are starting to sound like Aunt Twilight.”

“Hey!”

“Aunt Twilight?” Clover blinked a few times and really took stock of all those gathered around the table, especially at the number of alicorns. “So much has changed. Has it really been so long?”

“I don't mean to be rude, but having dealt with time displaced heroes before I just have to ask, how… how long has it been for you?” asked Twilight, trying to keep her 'rambling' to a minimum. “Our recorded history shows that you left with a small party of heroes to hunt down an 'evil sorceress'. Sunset and I found an ancient scroll that corroborated that story and even went so far as to show what looked like a magic portal. Now that I recall, it also gave the location for where the Memory Stone was buried, which should have been impossible… unless…”

“You’ve been back here, in our dimension since you first disappeared,” Sunset finished the line of thought. Her snear growing darker again. Twilight nodded and placed a comforting hoof on Sunset's back.

“There is much you must understand even though your haste is understandable. I suppose the fate of the Memory Stone is as good a place as any to start since you seem to be aware of it.”

----------

Location Unknown

Clover had called out, no, screamed his wife’s name and she had not spared him more than a glance and a toothy smile. Did she know where she was going? Did she know a way home? Clover lay on his back looking to the midnight sky above. There were a few stars that could be seen through the break in the canopy. The moon must have been full and bright to allow even the amount of light that was currently peeking through the lush leaves.

After several minutes of waiting, Clover felt calm enough to begin working through the problems one at a time, logically. The good news, he was alive and healthy and given the amount of dense foliage and night time noises there was plenty of life around him. That meant there was water and possible sources of food. Nothing was attacking him and he did not smell blood or other noxious fumes so he was likely not in any immediate danger.

Clover rolled to his side and he felt an object fall from his pouch at his side. The Memory Stone that his wife had crafted to elude him and others for so long. One of her many creations, according to the stack of notes the had found and confiscated from her nightmarish lab. Many such talismans and objects were unaccounted for. Possibly hidden or bartered away for other goods. They did not matter at the moment, but at least he could dispose of this one… or so he thought.

Clover tried snapping the stone, he tried stomping on it, but found his… whatever they were, too soft and wiggly to properly crack the stone and instead sent shooting pain up his leg. Next, Clover tried to smash it on another rock, but that failed as well. Three other rocks crumbled to pebbles without leaving a single mark on the accursed magic stone. Finally, exhausted and frustrated, he tied the parchment to the stone and dug a hole in the soft, loose soil. It was fortunate that the ground was not rock hard considering he was not entirely sure on how these not-hooves worked. Regardless, Clover buried the stone and then set up three more rocks, pointing them skyward as an obscure means of marking where the stone was in case he needed to find it again, or found a better means of destroying it.

With that chore done, Clover turned his eyes to where Datura had run off. Though it was dark, Datura had not been trying to escape with stealth. He found signs of her passage in what looked like a trail. That could be from passing animals or possibly from something… larger and intelligent. Regardless, he sighed and followed the trail.

It had taken Clover nearly three days, with many delays and periods of rest, including figuring out how his new body best performed movement, but he had finally tracked his wife down. What he had not expected was to find her in what appeared to be a type of organized camp. The structures appeared to be made of some kind of animal hide and the natives reminded Clover of old stories of roaming vagabond ponies with striped bodies and tall, wild mane styles. They had spoken in a language he did not understand and two large… stallions? Males? Approached with what were clearly spear type weapons at the ready. Clover did the only thing he could think of. He held up his empty hooves and made no sudden moves. Without magic or even a good plan he was completely at their mercy.

“Please, I am looking for my wife. She may have come here!” he shouted while falling to his knees and holding his arms up high. “Her name is Datura. She is a skilled mage and clever and beautiful and, well, quite dangerous too… You have no idea what I am saying, do you?”

“They know more than you might think, Honey Bee.”

Clover looked up to find a creature similar in shape to what he and those before him were, but was also… different. Her furless skin tone and mane tied in numerous beaded rows were too similar to not be a coincidence. “D-Datura?”

“I was wondering when you were going to show up. Longbow over there said you were more likely to get eaten by a bear. I should have wagered something. Pity.” The woman laughed which made the males relax and chuckle themselves.

“Wha… No. How… Do you understand all of this? What has happened to us?”

“We are in another world, dearest. A world so similar and yet so different than ours. The information I gathered and traded for from Samael was completely correct. Equestria, our world, our universe, was but one of many. So, so many. And they are all right there for the exploring. All it takes is the knowhow, power, and willingness to push through the barriers that separate them.”

“I don’t understand. Why would you do this?”

Datura glided her hands down the near naked sides of the two warriors and pushed them aside so that she could kneel down just above Clover. He knew that sparkle in her eye, that lust for knowledge, for understanding. It was obsession and it drove her like nothing else could. She had literally torn a hole in existence just to learn more. Datura finally smiled after a minute of silence watching him observe her face closely. “You see? You do understand. You just had to catch up. Always a few steps behind, but still so clever.

“I tried to tell old beardo that I was the better candidate for top apprentice, numerous times. Certainly, you are smart and clever and yes, even quite handsome with a well mannered way that makes stallions accept you and mares desire you. But you have always lacked the drive to surpass our old master. And worse yet, you are content with that! Such unwillingness to push ahead and beyond. You let that old fool use you, control you, dictate all discussions and arguments. I have been at the mercy of stallions like him since I was a filly. Stallions of power, be it magical or political, take what they wish and leave the rest to fend for themselves. Never again, not for him and not for you. You either learn to keep up or I will leave you behind, husband. And where I am planning to go, being left behind could be quite… permanent for you.”

Clover took a deep breath and finally nodded. “Explain what is needed next and I will help. I must know everything if that is what it takes to survive.”

“That’s a good colt.”

---------

“Bullshit.” All eyes turned to Sunset Shimmer who had crossed her forelegs and stared daggers at Clover. “The world where you hid the Memory Stone had almost no ambient magic and more to the fact, without a horn or artifact conduit, you had no way to harness it. I know, I was there, and I tried. Repeatedly.”

Clover bowed his eyes. “Two things you must understand about all of this, princess. First, there are more layers to the multiverse than you can possibly imagine. More than any of us could imagine. Each accessible only through the right unique dimensional resonance and application of power. The two work in conjunction like a complex, cosmic magical locking mechanism. Layers upon layers upon layers. Some so similar to this world, others so vastly different as sentient creatures and technological level.” Clover held up his forelegs for all to see, then, likely by magical or wetware mental command, the end of the hoof split open and five articulating fingers extended, flexed, and then retracted back into a hoof. Raven arched a brow and looked down at her own hoof before returning her attention to the meeting. She made a note to ask Sunset about possibly upgrading her foreleg hooves.

Next, he held up a pendant that looked like a glowing marble surrounded by two opposing, crossing rings. It reminded Sunset of a close up model of an atom. “Secondly, magic is everywhere. It is the live blood of not just this universe, but all. The ley lines and mana wells are one of the key components to cross between layers like a large vascular system. While it is true that some worlds have easier access to said power, the power is always there. As you said, it is just a matter of finding the means of accessing it… and how far one is willing to go to achieve that.”

“And how far did Datura go?”

Clover turned to the cream colored pony that was standing not far from him, he recognized the voice as the one who had been talking through the castle halls earlier. His expression fell and became melancholic. “She has no limits, no moral lines. Nothing, no pony stops her from exploring or experimenting, from pushing forward. I tried. Many times. But the more she learns the more she wants to learn. She is instable.”

“And you just tagged along like a neutered and collard diamond dog,” growled Luna in disgust. “The council of old was right about you. You are her willing accomplice in all things even if you did not believe it.”

“No! I…” Clover took a calming breath. “I tried to curb her or when necessary, stop her. Many times. You, little moon, would not be alive today if I was her accomplice, as you say. You know this to be true. However... you are not wholly wrong. I failed many times as well. I even gave up the chase to bring her to justice for a time. I returned here, to E Prime. That is what we called this dimension. I found my mentor, Star Swirl, gone, there was great animosity between you and your sister, Celestia. My little sun had grown so much and ruled with splendor yet had seemed to of forgotten those that helped raised her up to goddess status.”

Sunset visibly bristled at the use of her mother’s loving nickname for her. Was that where she got it from? What was her past relationship with Clover to have held onto such a term for so long only to use it on her own daughter?

Twilight Sparkle, easily the highest ranking individual in the room if not the world, raised her hoof to the air waving it back and forth like a school filly. Sunset, despite the tension and situation, could not suppress her snort and smirk. That big purple nerd just had that kind of effect on her. “I have a question, well, several in fact, including asking for you to autograph a few books or documents or at least authenticate their content. But those can come later.

"Anyhow, yes, I have two highly pertinent questions that I need to have answered right now. First, if you managed to find a way to return to Equestria, why did you never tell anypony? And of course, the question I should have asked first, how in the wide, wide wackadoodle of a not so theoretical multiverse are you still alive?! You are not an alicorn! You were a young adult stallion during the first Hearth’s Warming and that was over two thousand years ago!”

“Two thousand five-hundred and sixty-two years ago, if anyone is interested in the exact date,” said Luna without a hint of amusement. She rose from her chair and sniffed the air then her eyes began to glow white briefly as her horn lit up. A scan spell passed over Clover and he flinched slightly. The digital screen on his right foreleg beeped and informed him that a deep scan spell had been performed on him. “You are not undead or currently siphoning life force, but I did detect a hint of darker magic about you, even if only slightly.”

Clover sighed and lowered his eyes. “I... know a spell. It allows me to take small nibbles of life energy from those around me and essentially turn back the clock on my life. As you might already have guessed, Datura created it and yes, it falls unquestionably in the school of dark magic necromancy. If used improperly it can drain life from a being entirely.” The grand vizier pushed away from the table and muttered under his breath in his native language. Whatever was said was not kind, Sunset concluded. “I am not currently using it. I do not need to since, as you can see, I am in my prime and fully powered by the mana of Equuis alone.

“As to your other question of why I returned and did not say anything? As you can imagine, I was curious what history said became of myself and Datura. When I quietly searched the archives there was nothing beyond my ‘seven trials.’ So, I quietly added a scroll that detailed our final encounter including information on the Memory Stone. Not that I ever expected anypony to ever find their way to that particular dimension. I tried to paint us in a… better light while not interfering with the way the world had changed.”

“Lie,” commented Sunset Shimmer without pause. “You tried to lie and obscure the fact that your wife was a sociopathic mass murderer who created some of the most horrific magical spells and artifacts our world still to this day has to deal with. Word it whatever way you like that lets you sleep at night, but I have personally seen the results of her creations. More than once.”

“This has all be terribly fascin… you know what, I’m not going to lie to be nice,” said Flurry Heart. “I have just spent the last half hour completely glazed over, sliently trying to hold it all in, but nope, done with that. I know I’m supposed to be the ‘Princess of Friendship’ with my cute little crown and my crystal castle over there, but I reeeeally want to cut through to the heart of the matter. Why is she here in our dimension? Why did she come back now? And, more importantly, how do I stomp her into a puddle so she does not kill again?”

Clover bowed his head. “I do not know. In all these years never has she returned here even with this world having the highest concentration of raw magic of anywhere in all our journeys. I, on more than one occasion, before she left me behind again, asked 'why not go home?' The closest I ever received to an answer was, ‘because it would go badly for me.’ I have no idea what she meant. She never elaborated. Perhaps she worried what Celestia and Luna would do to her.”

“Considering how easily she mind controlled an entire market place I find it hard to believe she was afraid of a couple of princesses,” said Sunset, but then she tapped her chin, remembering what she had seen in the guardsmare’s mind. “However, come to think of it. The two lunar guards, Willow and Hatch, were able to resist the mind control longer for some reason. Was it the ritual… no. Datura took the helmet to examine it.”

“All lunar guard helmets incorporate ferronite plates in their construction,” said Luna. “I made it a requirement decades ago when it became apparent that my children were the primary choice for hunting down apostate witches and warlocks who, unsurprisingly, preferred to be most active at night. They needed the extra protection from mind domination magic.”

“Wait what? What about the solar guards?” asked Twilight with her jaw hanging open.

Luna grimaced slightly. “Only the senior officers have such protections to my understanding… for cost reasons. Ferronite or cold iron as some like to call it, is quite expensive and must be imported so most of the stock is used for mage hunter weapons such as blades and arrowheads.”

Twilight sighed and groaned. “Obviously, we are going to have to revisit this budget discussion at a later date, but for now we need to make sure all the lunar guards are taking point on this. I really wish Tempest and Gauge were here. They would have a better idea on who to deploy where.”

“They have been contacted and are returning as quickly as they can, Your Highness,” said Isabella with a nod of her head. She agreed completely that this was right up the solar captain’s alley of expertise.

Raven suddenly turned her eyes to the door, which caught Sunset and subsequently Twilight's attention. “Lower the shield, a number of guards are approaching the door. They appear… frazzled.”

All eyes turned to the conference room door, which a moment later had a hoof pounding on it. Twilight lit her horn and the door open with the help of her magenta aura. Four solar guards stumbled back with spears pointing out towards the hallway. Further inspection revealed a line of guards also in the hall, armed and poised to attack. Sunset sensed their anxiety and fear and called forth her sword to her side.

Twilight was about to speak when she saw Clover gasp and scramble around to hide under the table. The almost foal like behavior caused her jaw to drop as words failed her. Are you kidding me?! And I used to idolize this stallion? I played him in the Hearth's warming play for crying out loud!

“What is the meaning of this cowardly display?!” Luna shouted. Twilight thought she had meant Clover’s reaction, but her eyes were clearly on the guards in the hall. “Thou art all sworn defenders of the realm and Her Majesty, Twilight Sparkle! Thou will stand fast and hold thy ground or so help thee will put thy fear of the night in thus by said own horn and blade!”

“Ohhhh!” The voice that echoed through the door from down the hall sounded… wrong, Sunset decided, and felt a disgusted chill run down her spine all the way to her hooves. “Now that sounds absolutely kinky in all the best possible ways.”

Luna growled and narrowed her eyes. Slowly, hoof steps approached. They were lumbering, uneven, with a dragging gait that dug into the red carpet runners in the center of the hall. Sunset, swallowed her anxiety and took up position on Luna’s left and Flurry Heart on her right, horn burning with golden magical power.

Twilight remained at the head of the table, but felt Isabella inch ever closer to her, claws under her wings where Twilight knew she kept hidden daggers. Sable had moved to stand near the grand vizier, just ahead of his own personal guards. The decision was strategic so she could keep an eye on the entire room and more importantly, Sunset Shimmer and Luna’s backs. Raven had remained still, eyes unblinking.

The last four guards at the door moved back, but kept their spears trained as an unarmed pony in solar guard armor entered. There was without question something wrong with him. Nothing about his movements could be defined as natural or fluid. Sunset had seen enough horror movies in her time to recognize the exaggerated lurching movements of an undead body moving like a marionette meat puppet.

The guard’s eyes moved about, but there was no life to them as they scanned the room independently of one another. His head turned, but again, it was unnatural, grotesque and did so with a sickening, bone grinding and muscle squelching sound. It was closer in comparison to that of a posable doll being turned by an unseen hand. It was then that Sunset smelled the blood and noticed that the guard was bleeding from stab wounds, most likely inflicted by the other guards’ polearms to halt his advance. The red carpet had just hidden the stains well. Sunset understood why the guards had appeared so frightened. Most had never encountered a walking corpse before. Now that she thought about it, neither had she. Outside of fiction that was.

“Thou art as grotesquely PROFANE as we remember, fiend!”

The dead pony smiled too wide, manically so. His teeth were red and gums secreting blood and fluid. The room felt all the colder for it. “Hello, Luna. Nice to see you too. So sorry to hear about your sister. What a pity I missed the funeral. Bet I could have livened it up a little.”

Luna growled, flashing her clenched teeth. Before the corpse with the disembodied voice of a mare could continue, a black blade with a burning red flame to it was pressed to the former pony's throat, singeing the once pristine neck fur.

“Don’t talk about my mother. Don’t. You. Fucking. Dare.”

The head turned to the right and the corpse smiled again, dead eyes glowing a sickly green. “Ah. You must be Sunset Shimmer.”