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// The Eleventh Reconciliation, Part One 
// Story: The Conversion Bureau: Tortured Soul 
// by The REAL Mister Pkmn 
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Fire and sounds of battle preparations echoed through the wind. It was in the middle of a large castle town, and the two sides were different from before. Standers-by were peering at the imminent battle from their homes, hoping to be safe. Celestia saw at the castle gates that Royuzhan and Luna were standing with their Pony and Human army. On the other, was Dreamlestia and an army of strange, markless ponies. A shiver went through Celeastia’s dream-body as she saw the dark, malevolent look on Dreamlestia’s face. She was clad in ornate gold armor, and she bore a warhammer. Royuzhan glared at her melancholically, and spoke with a hint of disbelief. “ I thought it impossible that you would turn against us, Sunsun. Yet, here we are…” He clenched his fist around the locket that she first saw back when she had first crossed into another world. However, it was lacking the iconic Anti-Celestia brand that she knew it for. She saw him let go of it, and he sighed. “Things weren’t meant to be this way. The future was meant to be brighter than this…”

At that, Dreamlestia scoffed. “Enough, foul chaotic monster! The future is absolute order! Your Celestia is gone, and I have taken her place! Now, lead your people, and ponify all of them for me!” She levitated a vial of purple liquid, the same that she had seen on that trip so long ago…

Anger swelled on Luna’s face, and she barked at her sister. “What is wrong with you!? Peace was finally achieved! Why did you throw it all away?”

A look of uninterest pierced right through her from Dreamlestia. “Ugh. You. I thought that you were already gone here. Meddlesome pest! I never needed you, nor will I ever! Once this war is over, I will rip away your power, and take it for myself!”

Hands trembling, Royuzhan pointed his blade at Dreamlestia. He steeled himself, and his eyes turned cold. “You sicken me. Was our friendship all a ploy to you!? Some sick, twisted fantasy!? And to think that I almost…” He stopped and glared harder at her. “No matter. For this, you will DIE! Prepare yourself, scum! I will free my people from your thrall, and your blood will enrich the land for ten thousand years!”

The battle broke out, and Ponies and Humans clashed with the strange blank-eyed zealots praising Dreamlestia. She was attacking Luna and Royuzhan with her warhammer and magic, a manic look on her face. The ferocity of the scene spiraled as bodies started piling on both sides. The heat of battle was crashing through homes, drawing the innocent into the line of fire, but not much could be done about that. The fighting escalated, and casualties on both sides mounted far beyond what she had seen from the previous fight. Dreamlestia Managed to kill Luna, and her manic attacks met Royuzhan’s exhausted fury.  He was holding on, but not by much.

As the numbers on both sides dwindled lower and lower, Dreamlestia tossed her potion at Royuzhan while he was distracted with the death of the last human under his command. The potion struck him just as he ignited his magic to defend. His magical aura seemed to absorb the blow from the potion, but he still winced in pain. Dreamlestia cackled in confidence as the last of the other combatants fell down, dead. Aside from the two of them, the town was devoid of life. Not that Dreamlestia cared, her goal seemingly manifesting before her. However, the p[otion stopped after Royuzhan’s height grew beyond his late father, and his skin turned into its iconic dichotomic nature. Dreamlestia balked as Royuzhan closed the distance. Anger boiled to the surface, and all of it was directed to Dreamlestia. She tried throwing another potion, but it did nothing. Fear set into her eyes. “How!? You were supposed to become a pony! This is impossible!”

Royuzhan spat in her face, and his blade leveled at her heart. “My will and magic have thwarted your little potion, scum. Now, accept your death with dignity!” Dreamlestia attempted to flee, but her escape was blocked by an invisible magic field. She tried in vain to break it, and shock entered he5r face as she turned to see Recrysintyr pointed closely to her throat. Glaring, Royuzhan asked her one final question. “Any last words, you vile cretin?”

A mischievous look crossed her eyes, surprising Royuzhan. Dreamlestia spoke, taunting him. “Oh, poor little human. I wasn’t lying when I said that I wasn’t your Celestia. I took her place, and she mine. A cosmic swap, if you will. Though, I doubt she remembers you. By now, she likely is on the start of the same path that I took. What will you do, if when you find her, she has become like me?”

Royuzhan shook his head. “What does it matter to you? I’ll cross that bridge when I get there. Now, enough of this! Begone, foul demon!” With one slice, Royuzhan struck down Dreamlestia, and she turned to dust. However, the damage had been done. He looked around, distraught. He had nothing left…

Turning away, Celestia willed herself awake. She had some idea of what would happen next, and she had no wish to see it. However, before she could wake up, she was pulled somewhere else. She was in an elaborate room with diamond flooring. The walls were too bright a white to discern any other features that might distinguish them. In front of her was another Celestia, looking much like the one from her earlier dreams. Unlike the one from earlier, this one had a pure kindness about her. Celestia couldn’t help but ask. “You’re her, aren’t you? His Sunsun. Why are you showing me this?”

A pondering look was on Sunsun’s face for a moment. “I wonder. Should I tell you now, or should I let you piece it together?” A gentle smile lit up her face. “Well, you’ve been patient so far. I think I’ll leave the rest for you to piece together. Now, you best be going. You’ve got quite the day ahead.”

Suddenly, Celestia jolted awake. Now she knew how Twilight felt about constantly being kept in the dark about certain things. She shook that thought away. Now was not the time for that. She wasn’t sure what to do from now on, but she would figure it out somehow. She got ready for the day, and opened the door to the hallway. There stood Royuzhan as she had come to know him, a distant, pained soul. Sure, he had acknowledged that she was different from the others, but he still hadn’t opened up fully.

Still, it was understandable. Knowing how much he’d gone through… Anyone would find it hard to trust others after that. She pushed that aside as she addressed him. “Royuzhan, what are you doing here?”

At first, he seemed mildly stunned. He calmed quickly, though. “Right. Sunsun’s little spell to give you knowledge. I’m not sure how she found you, but somehow she did.” He cleared his throat slightly. “Nevertheless, I’ve come to take you home. There’s really no reason for you to stay.”

As she stared at his offered right hand, she considered something. Even if she had “spoken” to Sunsun herself, Celestia just couldn’t let go of this nagging feeling that the two of them still might be connected deeper than Royuzhan presumed. She had to know. She shook her head. “I’m not so sure. These dreams feel more than implanted memories. Couldn’t I still be-?”

At that, Royuzhan stared her in the eye with an icy glare. “Impossible. Sunsun died long ago. Even if what Prime Xenolestia said was true- it’s likely that I already found her, and killed her. The number of worlds I have been to makes it more likely than not. Why torture myself with the thought that she might still be alive, when it’s easier to believe that she’s long gone? There is no reason to. Sure, it would be nice if I could still end up finding her, but the probability of that is so close to zero that it’s not worth thinking about. So just drop it.”

A sigh escaped Celestia. As much as she wanted to sort this whole thing out, she knew that it was unwise to push Royuzhan any further on this for now. The next best thing she could do was try and bridge the gap between them by befriending him. She grasped his hand with her forehoof. “Alright. I’ll go. But that doesn’t mean that you’ve seen the last of me. I want you to know that I am willing to be patient with you. We can still be friends- no matter how long it takes to get there.”

A bemused look spread across Royuzhan’s face. “Oh? And what if another world needs my help? Will you let me go? After all, there’s nothing really keeping me here.”

As much as she didn’t like it, he had a point. He could easily walk away from this world, like he had done so much before. However, Celestia voiced her one question that was bothering her at this time. “If that’s the case, then why stay? Why not just leave? Is there some reason for that?”

For a moment, Royuzhan pondered her query. It was a good point, but he readied his reply quickly enough. “Listen, Celestia. I have eyes in many universes, constantly surveying the situation. As of now, most are not close to conflict yet. Some have already solved the issue, one way or another. Whether by peace or destruction they have found a way through. As of now, none of them seem to need my help.. Yet. That is why I remain. Not because I don’t wish to leave, but because I have no reason to. Now, I believe you were leaving yourself?”

Seeing that Royuzhan would not divulge further, Celestia let him guide her to the Oval Office one last time. In the room awaiting her was Luna, and the sisters hugged as soon as Celestia came into the room. Celestia stroked her sister’s mane, feeling the tears wet her neck and face. “I missed you too, Lulu. We will never be parted again, I swear.”

Luna pulled away, and looked at Royuzhan with skepticism. “Now, you made a promise, correct? Shouldn’t you get to that?”

Chuckling, he shook his head. “Already done. I’ve let customs know that they can accept passports from Equestria, as well as the other nations. I’ve kept my word.” He brushed himself off. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, there’s something that I should do. I have to make an official statement to the people.”

Before Celestia went with Luna, she asked one last question. “Statement? What is this about, Royuzhan?”

Once more, a chuckle escaped his lips. “Haven’t you been reading anything about our government? It’s an election year. Some might expect me to run  for reelection, but…” He shook his head. “I need to dissuade them of this. I’ve done enough. I led them through the turmoil of this time, and that should be enough. It’s time to let somebody else be in charge.”

Celestia was shocked, and uncertain. She spoke her doubts to him. “Are you sure that this is the right time to do that? What if the other ones running for election would throw away what you’ve done? Shouldn’t you try to halt that possibility?”

For a moment, his eyes sparked with fire, but he soon shook that away. “I suppose it might not hurt to delay the announcement until I know who might take my place…” He sighed. “You saw it, didn't you? The fate of the First World. Playing to my guilt like that…” He shook his head. “I know you mean well. But you should really get going.”

Once more relenting, Celestia entwined her magic with Luna’s and they teleported home.


To Be Continued…