//------------------------------// // Chapter 27: Radioactive // Story: Alpha and Omega // by Revel Montaro //------------------------------// It was strange for Sunset Shimmer. Put simply. She had been born a pony and lived as such up until she was a late teenager. In that time, Sunset had only worn clothes when it was absolutely necessary or if it had gotten cold enough to require an additional layer over her soft, goldenrod fur. That went for many in Equestria and not just ponies. It was honestly considered odd to wear clothes all the time other than a favorite accessory. A tie, a necklace or choker, something in your hair that eventually became your signature style. Sunset would have worn a jacket all the time if she had not sprouted wings making it near impossible to tailor such to her new physiology. Then, Sunset found herself in another world. Another dimension. To her shock, as a young, foolish unicorn barely able to be called a mare, she landed in a world dominated by bipedal creatures that, while similar to those she knew, were also completely different. One of the biggest, most obvious differences was the lack of fur. Humans had hair, primarily on their heads and thick patches around their genitals, but mostly, only a light coat that did nothing against the cold. So, naturally they wore clothes to stay warm. Then, over centuries, it became part of their society and some became religiously obsessive about it. Making sure not an inch of skin was showing. Regardless of reason, Sunset had to adapt to fit in and that meant getting over the stigma around clothing. At least in public. Over time, she eventually came to appreciate the artistic and expressive nature of clothing and enjoyed deciding what she would wear each day. After a century of keeping that need in mind Sunset sometimes felt ‘naked’ to go around outside the castle without her armor or at least a cloak on. She knew she would readjust eventually. However, Sunset's brain was in conflict as she looked upon what appeared to be two ponies that had human proportions and aspects. They stood tall on their hindlegs. Both were as tall as the average minotaur or medium sized dragon, like Spike. Their hindlegs bent backwards like a pony and ended in hooves, but the proportions were... wrong, yet still, shockingly, in balance. They had long, slender bodies and arms not forelegs. They had hands! More so than that, Sunset could not keep from staring at the other parts that were out in the open. The female anthro pony had breasts instead of teats. They were high on her chest and, at a guess, about a B cup and covered in fine, light grey fur like the rest of her. The male had a pony shaped penis with a sheath, but his proportion was that to his upright body making him, in truth, quite well endowed. Sunset blushed when she realized she was staring a bit too long at the hanging appendage. “I’m… I’m sorry Aunt Luna, but could you repeat that? I was distracted.” Luna rolled her eyes but smirked. She saw completely through Sunset’s statement. With a flick of her horn, two of the set of drapes were removed from the walls and quickly refashioned into togas for the other two alicorns. Belldandy simply shrugged. She could feel the fabric being wrapped around her, over one shoulder and down just past her knees. Her curiosity was piqued but ultimately it did not matter. “I suppose we were a little underdressed for a formal occasion.” “I don’t like clothes,” Chaz protested. “They itch.” “Do you wish to change shape and walk around on four hooves as the rest of us so as to maintain a level of dignity and decorum?” “Well, no. I’ve gotten used to hands.” “Then use your hands to deal with the itch. Your stallionhood was distracting my niece and she cannot afford to be distracted at this moment.” Twilight and Tempest turned to Sunset who blushed harder under their disapproving glares. The purple princess rolled her own eyes. “Seriously, Sunset?” said Tempest. “It’s not like you haven’t seen or touched them before.” “What? It was a good size!” “Thank you!” said Chaz with a chipper grin. “I think we are getting off track here,” said Twilight, bringing the conversation back around. “You said you had news for us. Is it about Void?” Luna nodded. “Some of it. I’m afraid the situation has only grown worse since we concluded our fight with The Red Clover. I sought out Void to confront him directly. My intention was to warn him not to take steps against you or our world again. I wanted this sick game of theirs concluded. However, I was too late.” “Discord said he became distracted and fled.” Luna nodded to Twilight. “He took great offence to my stabbing of Samael. He thinks I killed him and that such an action was an act of war upon all the alicorn gods.” “Um,” Sunset scratched at the side of her head, “are you saying that Samael is not dead?” “He is no more dead than I am. We are simply one being now. While I appear to be the primary personality in charge of our existence, we are both here. Honestly, I think he feels this is like the equivalent of a vacation for him. He does not have to do anything but offer advice. Regardless, Void acted again. He unleashed an omega beast into our reality.” “I don’t know what that is, but it just sounds bad by the name alone.” Luna grimaced. “You would be absolutely correct, commander.” “Okay, that, that sounds bad and all. But we have quite a number of our own problems we are dealing with right now. I mean, you see where we are. I know you can see or sense all the other creatures and nations here. We are about to enter negotiations to try and stave off what could quite literally descend into our first world war. So, is it possible for, you know, you guys to deal with the cosmic alicorn god problem and for us to deal with this problem?” “She needs to see the tapestry.” Sunset turned her attention back to the alicorns standing upright like humans. “I’m sorry, we should have started with introductions. I’m Princess Sunset Shimmer, this is my wife, Princess Twilight Sparkle. Who the hell are you?” “Sunny! Manners!” “Annnnd you were doing so well for like four seconds there,” grumbled Tempest. The female anthro pony smiled though. It was then that Sunset realized that she never looked directly at any of them. Her eyes were cloudy… and familiar. “Wait. I’ve seen you before. I thought you were a hallucination from overstressing my magic.” “And though I have never seen you, Sunset Shimmer, I would know you by sheer presence you bring to a room. I am Destiny and I am quite real. I pull the threads that… well, I did pull the threads. You may call me by my chosen name, Belldandy. This is my brother, Fate. He weaved the tapestry of our universe. He likes to be called Chaz.” “Chaz?” “Yes?” Sunset arched an eyebrow. “Seriously?” “What?” “It’s just, most of the alicorns we have met have big, fantastic names or sound historically accurate. Chaz sounds like something I would name a motorcycle.” Chaz crossed his arms and smirked. “I could just call you Ignis Ferrum Incarnate all the time if you prefer formality.” “Ugh. Chaz it is.” “If the formalities are concluded,” said Luna, “then I agree, time is a valuable luxury and there is much you must be made aware of. Belldandy, please take Sunset’s hoof and guide her back to the temple.” “Uh, Aunt Luna, as much as I enjoy spending time with you we really do have a crisis right here we are already dealing with.” “At risk of sounding like my mother,” Luna stuck out her tongue and pretended to gag, “we do not have the time to deal with such petty concerns. This is a matter of life and death for ALL creatures. You must fully grasp the implications and the consequences or else we are all doomed.” “Wait!” Twilight interjected. “Sunset is not going anywhere without me. We are the diarchs. We are a team. If you are taking her somewhere you need to take me as well.” “Twilight!” Tempest hissed. “What are you doing?! The opening statements are scheduled to begin before sunset. That’s like two hours from now.” We won’t be gone long. Tell Cadence we had to take care of an errand and to just distract the others if we are not back in time. Have Spike tell them the story about the time he was Dragon Lord for like two minutes. It's a good story.” Tempest grumbled and sparks shot from her broken horn. “I’m not even a politician and I can already see how bad of an idea this is. Isabella is going to shit a brick, I swear it.” Luna flipped her hood back over her head. “With haste then.” Belldandy and Chaz stepped up to Sunset and Twilight, each touching their horns to the other two alicorns and in one large flash they were all gone leaving Tempest Fury alone. Claws and hooves could be heard echoing on the floor and through the corridors. Tempest turned and found Flurry Heart and Isabella looking around, no doubt wondering where the princesses had gone off to. Tempest groaned and facehoofed. “Ponyfeathers.” ---------- Sunset blinked a few times to adjust her eyes to the darker environment. They were in the center of a round room, except that it in fact had no walls at all. The floor was mostly black, but seemed to pulse with different internal colors, pinks, blues, and greens. The colonnade that made up the perimeter were made of some sort of stone that hummed with an ambient magenta. Beyond said columns were stars. More stars than Sunset had ever seen and she had been to a space station before. Which was most likely why Twilight was left gasping, jaw hanging open. “That…. That’s the constellation Gillerford! And that, over there is the Ursa Lord Brutus! I’ve never seen them so clearly before! Is that nebulous gas?! I think that’s real nebulous gas! The kind stars are born from! Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh!!! Sunset?! Are you seeing this?!” “Remember to breathe, Twily… You know, if there actually is air here. Where ever here is.” “There is. No air means no sound. Makes it harder to communicate. We were reminded of that little fact not too long ago actually.” Belldandy nodded at Chaz’s statement. “Especially when one of us is blind. Welcome, princesses, to our home. I would offer you hospitality, but we rarely, almost never, have guests.” “If I can be blunt,” Sunset began, “why are you blind? I once saw Aine heal a friend of ours back to full health after he was burned to a crisp and probably seconds from death. You would think fixing some eyes would be foal’s play for her.” Belldandy shrugged. “I was born blind to what is before me. I think more accurately it is to say I do not see the world around me as you do. The call of the threads and all the possibilities were all I really could see or cared about for a long time. I never even thought to ask if it could be cured.” “It just seems strange to me.” “When the threads moved, I could see them in a way I can scarcely describe. I could see all the potential and potential outcomes a new life had before them. Though the new life is bound to the tapestry the path is not a straight one. Destiny is the potential that lies before all creatures. Your life, your choices, create the roadmap to the final destination. The future is not set in stone.” Belldandy and Chaz walked towards a piece of equipment that was not far from the center of the room. Twilight and Sunset followed the two anthro ponies while Luna trailed behind, her cloak hood still obscuring her face. Sunset could see that the machine was old, mostly made of wood with parts that appeared to be metal or polished crystal. There were spools of thread along a rack. Hundreds of them. All the threads led to the machine, but none of the assembly was currently moving. “The future," Belldandy continued, "is more like… molten rock, if I had to try and describe it. Shifting, changing, morphing on the most basic and fundamental levels. All the potential paths that lead towards one’s fate. That is what I see with my blind eyes. Possibilities. Different dimensions like a kaleidoscope or fractured glass.” “Somewhere out there we like to think there are more of us also put to task. That every path is realized in some form or another. Good or bad,” said Chaz with a smirk Sunset would have called mischievous. “That’s why it’s called a multi-verse. Helllooo.” “This is all extremely fascinating.” “It really is!” Twilight interrupted. Earning a sheepish grin and playful eye roll from Sunset. “Sorry.” “But what does this all have to do with me and the doom and gloom of the world?” “You are wasting time,” said Luna, her echoing voice caused both Sunset and Twilight to jump. “Show her the mark and explain it to her what it means.” Chaz gestured Sunset and Twilight closer to the fabric hanging out the back of the loom. “This, is the Tapestry of the Universe. Our universe at least. As you both know well, there are others parallel to this one, multiverse, like I just said. They are expanding spheres that grow right alongside us. We know they are there. You have even seen some of them, but my sister and I cannot leave this plane of existence. No god can... that we know of. We can get close, places between places, but never completely leave our home.” “The In Between,” Sunset said with a growl under her breath. “I hate that place.” “It is as infinite as one can fathom and connects to everywhere else all at once. Even the nothing outside.” “That doesn’t make sense,” said Twilight. “How can something connect to everything else and also to the nothing outside of everything else?” “Chaos does what chaos wants. You must understand what is before you before we move on to the real problem,” said Belldandy with a stark frown. Chaz held up the tapestry still hanging from the loom. “This is the comprehensive chronicle of our time and all who have lived. It’s coded, in shorthand, if you will. I have learned how to interpret it and add my own notes to make sense of it. However, I don’t think I need to translate the last item to come through the stitching.” As the alicorn of fate held up the tapestry Sunset and Twilight could clearly see Sunset’s cutie mark just as it appeared on her flank. The couple exchanged confused glances. “I don’t understand. What does my mark have to do with this?” Chaz sighed, glanced to Luna, but the death goddess just stared, her eyes slightly glowing from the darkness of her hood. “This was the last thing to come out of the loom before it stopped. The size of the image indicates the scope in which it affects. You have shown up in the story of life several times, but only as a component, never the final seal. The loom came to an unexpected halt after rendering this. With those facts in mind, the size, the scope, the seizing it can only mean that our lives, the lives of every creature in the world below us are now tied to YOUR fate.” Sunset hesitated. Her heart was racing and her skin crawled under her fur. There was a noticeable buzzing in Sunset’s ears as she fought to control her rising anxiety. Though her mouth had dried completely and it felt as if her tongue my glue itself to the roof of her mouth the most important question had to be asked. “And what exactly is MY fate?” Belldandy looked to Chaz who looked to Luna. The male alicorn finally sighed. He was Fate. It was his job to say it. “It is your fate to either save the world or to destroy it. The choice is yours.” Twilight gasped. Luna scowled, her hood obscuring the tears that stung her eyes. Sunset just stood like a statue, barely breathing. Seconds ticked by before she finally was able to shout, “…. HOW IS THAT EVEN A FUCKING CHOICE?!” “Even if you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.” Sunset turned her harshly glowing teal eyes on Belldandy. The dark haired alicorn did not flinch, even as Sunset's wings unfurled in a fiery display. “You are really going to stand there and quote Rush at me?!” “I don’t know what that is. I just know the words to be true.” Belldandy lifted a slender arm and pointed towards the stars above. “Right now, there is a creature from beyond our reality, a creature from the Outside, searching for us all. It is following the flow of magic like a predator swimming upstream, consuming everything along the way and growing larger and stronger as it does. It will find its way here eventually and it will consume the world and all living things upon it. Any hope we old alicorns had of stopping it was foiled because it was our foolish brother, Void, who set it upon us and fled like a coward. You and every creature must work together to find a way to stop it. As the Incarnate, you are the guardian sword and shielding protector. That is your destiny. Whatever plan you can come up with it will involve you facing this monster head on. That is what is written into the tapestry. The outcome is a mystery beyond if you fail, we all die. That is the Fate that awaits us.” “No… I… no, no. Not this… I… I can’t… I…” “Sunny? Hey, it’s okay. Focus on me and my voice, I’m right here.” Twilight glared at Fate and Destiny. They at least had the decency to be abashed for what they were saying. “You are gods! How can you ask this of her?!” “You misunderstand, Twilight Sparkle,” Belldandy said with head still bowed. “We are not asking. These are the facts. You have been given more warning than any other creature in existence of what is coming. Only she can make the loom move again. Otherwise, it is all over and everything we know, every creature will be gone.” They can't be serious... They want me to save the entire world against some horrible creature from beyond the outside of reality? ME?! This... this is some sort of bad fucking joke, right? I am such a screw up and have lost as many times as I've won. There's no way... no... fucking... way... “I can’t breathe… I’m… I’m gonna to throw up.” Twilight pulled a shivering, wide eyed Sunset Shimmer flush next to her and draped her wing over her withers. “Send us home.” “Twilight?” “Send us home right now!” Twilight shouted at Luna. “We have a large gathering of world leaders already before us. We will need to tell them what is happening and you two are coming with us to help explain this, this mess!” Chaz shrugged. “Sure. Better than standing here with nothing to do… Can we take the drapes off now?” Twilight growled and her horn began to glow, angrily. “Fiiiiine.” Belldandy and Chaz once again wrapped their arms and wings around Sunset and Twilight and touched their horns together. Luna stayed at the temple a moment longer, continuing to stare at the cutie mark emblazed upon the fabric. Lost in her own thoughts. The universe truly was a cold, cruel place. “I’m sorry, beloved niece. Oh, dear sister, I am sorry for all of this.” ---------- Cadence had taken the time to have her mane pinned up, simply but tastefully before meeting the other dignitaries. Her daughter, Flurry Heart, had helped brush her mother's tail out, polished her regalia before seeing to her own, and wrapped herself in a light white, translucent shawl that went around her neck and over her wings and withers. Servants could have handled such a menial task, but it gave her an excuse to do busy work while chatting with her daughter. Something they had been doing more and more of. Lastly, Cadence placed her small crown upon her head before turning to the mirror and nodding her approval. She had a larger one back home for imperial duties, but it was too heavy and frankly gaudy to parade about more than once a year. Tempest had relayed the story of how two ‘alicorn gods’ had taken Sunset and Twilight somewhere. Where was not specifically stated. She had bene assured they would be back soon, but the sun was to set in a matter of minutes and everyone was getting anxious. Especially Isabella. The griffon fought to keep her plumage from puffing out and molting as she paced back and forth. “Twilight said they would be back,” said Tempest. “And I’m sure they will be. Soon.” “Soon is not good enough!” hissed Isabella. “The sun needs to be set, the moon needs to come out, and the opening greetings and mingle are scheduled then after. The Saddle Arabians are here! We need to present a strong, unified front before the other nations or else this entire gambit will crumble into a complete disaster!” “Your heart rate is exceeding the recommended statistical norms I have read for a griffon of your age. You should meditate or try breathing exercises before you suffer from cardiac failure,” stated Raven casually. “Look, Tempest said we may need to stall for some time,” said Spike. “I’ve got plenty of good stories laced with large, flattering words I can use to buy time. Half of being a diplomat is all about the pandering. Let me g-” Spike was cut off when a bright flash of teleportation magic interrupted him. Twilight looked back and forth quickly and sighed in relief when she saw her friends and recognized the room as the Equestrian common lounge. Her attention was immediately returned to Sunset Shimmer. Her wife was starting to go pale. “Sunny. Sunny, look at me.” Sunset Shimmer glanced about, but her vision was going blurry and her ears made out words but they all sounded as if they were a hundred miles away. She knew she was spiraling out of control into a full panic attack and needed to get out of the room and temple before she exploded violently. She needed to get away... “Oh, thank the holy ancestors!” shouted Isabella. “Quickly! Both of you take care of the royal duties and get out to the central atrium so we can greet the Saddle Arabians and others before they think we are… why are there two strange ponies standing on their hind legs?!” “Alicorn gods,” said Tempest tiredly. “I told you it was not just nerves.” “Huh,” said Spike. “Oh, wow,” said Cadence. “Greeeeat,” grumbled Flurry Heart with a snort, “more alicorns.” Raven said nothing, her eyes locked on Sunset Shimmer. Though her MAUs instruments were not as sensitive as her PAAL unit when attached to the back of a hand, the advanced optics the body had at its disposal could detect many different kinds of light spectrums. Including thermal infrared. Raven could see Sunset’s body temperature spiking rapidly alongside her heartrate. Even the gems on her armor were beginning to glow from absorbing the excess bleed off energy. Raven knew what was about to happen next. “Sunset…” “Sunny!” “Is she okay?” “Sunset, hey, speak to us.” “Ohhhhh shiiiiit… I think she gonna blow.” Sunset, wide, panicked eyes, scanned about for the exit through her tunnel vision. Her breathing was rapid and erratic and her teeth ground together loud enough to be heard. Finally, Sunset screamed, unfurling her wings, which burst into flames hot enough to send everyone who was nearby sprawling to the floor. The heat was force upwards by the shield Twilight had quickly thrown up around her wife. Sunset squeezed her eyes shut and teleported away, leaving scorch marks on the floor and ceiling. The room grew quiet. The gathered Equestrians recovered and glanced about at one another. Their eyes eventually all fell upon the two anthro alicorns who had simply stood and observed the entire outburst. Neither had seemed bothered by the outcome or the magical fire. “Uhhh, what just happened?” asked Spike. The heat may not have hurt him but the overpressure from the magical outburst had caused his ears to pop before Twilight had sealed the energy in her shield. “Analysis later,” said Isabella dusting herself off. “Twilight, the sun.” The purple alicorn continued to stare at the blackened mark on the floor shaped like and explosive starburst. “Princess!” “Huh? Oh-h, um, right.” Twilight lit her horn and lowered the sun. She waited for Sunset to raise the moon… and waited… and waited. Through the window to the east, the moon had yet to appear. “That’s not a good sign,” murmured Flurry Heart. With a resigned sigh, Twilight reached out and grabbed the moon in her power and pulled it above the horizon. She grunted and squeezed her eyes tightly shut from how much it fought her. It had not fought her grasp so hard since the first few times she tried to lift it on her own without the celestial dial. Her heart ached and she did not bother to hide the tears that fell from her eyes as a result. “Oh, Sunny.”