Chapter 44
I found myself standing in the large room again, the Watcher’s head laying motionless in the middle of the room. His eyes were looking at us, blinking ever so often.
So he IS still alive.
Someone hugged me from behind, wrapping their arms around me and squeezed tightly. I placed my hoof on their arms and leaned back into them, letting out a relieved sigh.
“We did it,” I said softly, exhaustion clear in my voice.
“It’s finally over,” Mallogory said from next to my ear as she held me tightly.
I looked over to see Lance and his family all embracing, the kids and Twilight crying into him as he held them as close as he could get them.
Tears rolled down my face at the sight. Glancing down to my body, seeing my two missing legs and the burns up my side, a smile graced my face as I closed my good eye. “Worth it.”
“Greg! You big idiot!” Pinkie Pie yelled from behind us, causing me and Mallogory to look towards them.
Pinkie Pie was holding her infant son while her daughter sat by Greg’s side, holding his hoof. Greg looked bad, very weak.
“I couldn’t let ya get hurt, babe,” he rasped out, stroking her cheek. “I did what had to be done.”
“You’ve hurt yourself horrible for me! I’d never want that!” She yelled, then buried her face in his neck, sobbing as he patted her back.
Reaching up, I touched my chest, feeling like something was missing. My eyes went wide as I realized I no longer could see Ayla. Trying to use my Ego returned nothing as well.
“I… can’t use my Ego,” I mumbled as I tried to extend my Ego blades, but they too were gone. “And… my Ego weapon is gone…”
Mallogory held her hand out in front of us, still holding onto me, and tried to summon her weapon. But nothing happened. “It’s… all gone.”
“A heavy price to pay,” Castor said from above us, solemn as he stared at the Watcher’s head. “When he broke our souls, he nearly killed us. If it hadn't been for all of your Ego’s and weapons, you’d have perished.”
Mallogory stood up and tried to use her thorn, but she flickered weakly. Appearing to still have access to it, but it was damaged now. Her shoulders slumped as she just stood there, looking forlorn.
I flew up to her, hugging her as I tried to comfort her.
All around us, the couples were reuniting, crying as they came together. Then I saw a young filly walking around, looking lost.
Jero looked over, a pained look flashed across his face as he handed his two infants to Fluttershy and sprinted to the young filly as she walked towards Mallogory and me.
“Uh, have you two seen my moms?” she asked, making our eyes go wide.
“Hey, Mango Loco!” Jero said, sliding up beside her and putting his hands on her shoulders. “Why don’t we walk over her for a moment, okay?”
The young filly, who couldn’t be more than three, frowned but nodded as she allowed herself to be led to the outside of the group.
I watched with a breaking heart as he told her about her parents.
“That’s Grace’s and Octavia’s kid,” Lance said as he and his family walked over to us.
The little filly began to scream and wail as Jero held her close. She cursed more than I thought young filly like that could, but it was still breaking my heart to see.
“Twilight, kids, this is Scamp. She’s the mare who rescued me and made all this possible,” he said, looking both sad and proud at once, eyes trying to not look over to the crying filly and Jero.
“Scamp, thank you so much for bringing Lance back to us,” Twilight said as she walked over and pulled me into a tight hug. I stood there awkward as I half hugged her back.
“Oh, it really wasn’t a big deal,” I said, feeling very nervous and weird.
Twilight leaned back, smiling sweetly at me, then noticed my sheepishness. “Are you alright?”
I blinked at her, letting out an awkward laugh, “Yeah, I’m good… I just, ya know, ate your throat in my timeline.”
She stared wide eyed at me, mouth a gap.
“Uh… to be fair, you were a tyrannical psycho bitch, so it was ya know, warranted?” I looked at Lance as he was facehoofing.
Mallogory was snickering behind me, clearly enjoying the interaction.
“You ate my moms throat in your timeline?” Spark asked, looking at Lance as he facehoofed over and over again.
“It’s a LONG story, Twi,” Lance said from behind her. “She’s being awkward and weird right now, but she means well.”
I force a smile as Twilight raises an eyebrow at me. Then to my relief she laughs and pulls me in for another hug, “You need to work on that, Scamp.”
“Yeah,” I said as I patted her back.
“Dear, I don’t see Peter,” Rarity said as she and a small colt walked up to us.
“Yeah, where’s my dad?!” the colt asked, looking fierce as he looked at each of us.
“Rarity,” Lance began, looking around. He glanced to his kids and began to walk away, “Follow me, you two.”
As he led them away, Twilight gave me another squeeze then took her kids back to some of her friends.
“This whole thing is weird for me,” I admitted, turning to Mallogory. “I know all of them and their stories, but they don't know me.”
“Yeah, stalkers feel like that all the time,” she teased, slugging my arm.
I rolled my eyes as I saw Bronwyn walking away from the group, holding her dull sword as it seemed to be crumbling in her hands.
Lance had gathered up a few others, namely Celestia and Luna, and led them with Rarity far from the group. The kids followed behind.
I definitely do not envy him right now…
Jero was walking back to the group carrying a still crying Mango Loco. He pulled out a key of some kind and opened two portals. He leaned into each, seeming to yell into them. As he stepped away, I saw the others start to pour out. The ones we’d saved, and the ones we’d left behind in the training dimension.
They all quickly rejoined their families, causing another reunion.
“What’s next?” Mallogory asked, placing a hand on my shoulder.
I looked at everyone, a sense of peace falling over me.
“Whatever we want,” I replied, laying my head on her hand.
ooo000<^>000ooo
As he stepped away from his screaming and crying friends, having just told them the fates of their family members, he walked straight for the Watcher.
The moment he was close enough, the Watcher’s eye flicked to him.
“You must be overjoyed with this outcome,” the Watcher asked in a glitchy voice.
Lance looked back at all of his friends and family, a tired sigh escaping his lips. “Was this all worth it?”
The Watcher looked taken aback by the question, a frown appearing on his face, “you’ve beaten me now. But this victory is small compared to what is to come.”
“Uh-huh,” Lance said as he pulled an item out of his pocket dimension. “So no regrets?”
“None whatsoever,” the Watcher replied. “I’ll be back on top as soon as the UAD allows me back in.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Lance said as he tapped the item to the Watcher’s head.
“What are yo-” he started to say, but was pulled into a tiny vial.
Lance sighed as he twisted the top, sealing the Watcher in the vial.
Castor stepped over him, staring at the Watcher in the vial. “Are you sure?”
“I am, just finish the seal please,” he said as he held the vial up.
Castor looked unsure as he waved his hand over the vial, permanently sealing it.
The Watcher within the vial stared out at them, very displeased with this outcome.
“This is a heavy burden, Lance. Binding him to you like this,” Castor warns, watching as Lance put the vial around his neck.
“Yeah, but I got this. He’s not going to be able to go anywhere as long as I’m alive. When the time comes, I’ll deal with him as needed,” Lance said, giving a nod as he walked back to the group, leaving Castor alone.
The entire group gathered up, mourning the ones they’d lost along the way.
Lance frowned as he watched all of his friends cry and hug. They’d won, but at a cost.
Glancing to Bronwyn as she sat on the ground, separated from the group, then looking to Scamp, he realized he’d never be able to pay them all back.
ooo000<^>000ooo
I carefully stepped up to Bronwyn as she sat on the ground, looking defeated.
“Hey, Bronwyn…” I said as I sat down next to her.
“She’s gone, Scamp,” Bronwyn replied, holding pieces of her sword. “I lost my Ego and my companion.”
I just sat there, not sure what to say.
She looked at me and sighed, forcing a smile, “I’m not the only one to lose someone today. Ayla?”
“Gone,” I say, closing my eyes. “We never got to say goodbye to them…”
“It was sudden, but we knew the risk,” she responded, patting my shoulder. She forced herself to stand up and hold her hand out to me. “We need to try and not dwell on it.”
Taking her hand, I let her pull me up. “Just push forward, right?”
“Right,” she replied, still looking to be in pain, but pushed forward.
ooo000<^>000ooo
Jero and Castor stepped forward, combining their powers as they opened a portal before the group.
“I have restored your world,” Castor announced, looking back at all of us. “It will pick up right where it ended. The souls that were left in limbo will not realize anything has changed, only those in this room will know the truth.”
Lance stepped forward, looking ready to return.
“This is my goodbye to you all,” Castor suddenly said, getting looks from everyone. “I have been damaged during the fight with the Watcher, and I must return to the UAD. I have a duty to uphold, and I can not abandon it.”
“Thank you, Castor,” Lance says, giving him a nod. “We couldn’t of done it without you and the Seed.”
“I’m going to miss ya, buddy,” Greg said as Pinkie Pie held him up, as he was too weak to walk on his own.
Castor seemed to stiffen as he kneeled down and touched his finger to Greg’s head. “You gave more than any of us, and I wish I could fix the damage done to you. But I can not.”
“It’s cool,” Greg chuckled. “I don’t need magic or any of that shit to enjoy life. Just my family.”
Pinkie let out a soft sob as she nuzzled his cheek.
“I will miss you, Greg,” Castor said as he stood up, stepping aside.
Lance began to head for the portal without another word, followed by everyone else.
Waiting in the back, I watched as everyone slowly filed into the portal, till it was just me, castor, and Bronwyn.
“Coming?” I asked her, but she just smiled sadly.
“No, I still have a job to do.” At my sad look, she smiles, “we’ll see each other again, one day.”
“It better be soon, I need your help getting Mallogory her Sempiternal Body so she can be immortal like me,” I say, watching for her answer.
She frowns a bit, but then smiles, “that can be arranged. I’ll come to you once it's time, sound like a plan?”
“Yes, thank you, Bronwyn,” I walk over and hug her. “Good luck out there.”
“You need the luck,” she chuckles as we break the hug. “You’re the one about to start a family after all.”
I can’t help but get a little red as I slug her arm, “I wish you’d come with us.”
“I know,” she replied, standing up straight and gesturing to the portal, where Mallogory stood waiting. “I’ll see you later, Scamp.”
“Be seeing you, Bronwyn,” I give her a wave as I turn and head for the portal.
As I neared, Mallogory smiled and stepped up beside me. Together, we walked through the portal.
The moment our bodies left the portal, it closed behind us, leaving us in a technicolored world.
“Oh this place is too colorful,” Mallogory complained as we looked around at all of the buildings around us. It kinda looked like Ponyville, but very different. Which means, this could be New Ponyville in Lance’s dimension.
All around us, ponies stared at us and the group that’d come out before us.
Pinkie Pie quickly hopped in front of us, smiling widely. “I know this may seem sudden for you two, but I’m planning a victory party for all of us! It’ll be tonight!”
“Oh, cool, Pinkie,” I responded, smiling sheepishly. “We’ll be there.”
“I know!” She says loudly as she hopped back to her family and helped Greg stand as she led him and her kids away.
Lance looked my way and tipped his stupid cowboy hat at me, giving me a wink.
This brought a smile to my face as I looked around again. We’d really done it, we’d faced the Watcher and won!
My friends all looked very out of place among the ponies around them and the colorful décor, but they didn’t look unhappy as they interacted with anyone who approached them.
Mallogory began to walk towards them, giving me a wave to follow.
With a wide smile, I trotted after her, seeing my friends turn to me.
Despite everything I’ve been through; I’m really one lucky mare.