//------------------------------// // Chapter 43: An End, Once and For All // Story: Alpha and Omega // by Revel Montaro //------------------------------// Sunset finished laughing and decided it was a good time to check in on her captain again and what progress had been made clearing the city. She began to dial the code for Gauge’s SunLight crystal when she felt a harsh tug that felt like something had yanked on her horn harshly for a moment. Sunset cried out as her crystal fell out of her telekinesis field onto the grass and slush. Teal eyes scanned the sky and then some, but still could not see it a target. Twilight jumped back to her hooves and also scanned the sky. “We need to begin.” Clover held up his foreleg scanner, extending its signal to maximum range. Without a satellite network or relay the range was painfully still limited. “Are you certain? If we begin too soon…” “I’m telling you it’s there!” Twilight nodded, placing a hoof on Sunset's shoulder to help calm her. “I feel it too.” “I concur,” said Raven. “There is a looming feeling above us. Hollow darkness deeper and darker than the pits of Hell itself. It feels like a dread that breaths down my neck and rattles my very core. I can feel Harmony’s unease.” “Raven, send the signal to the central hub crystal. Play the recorded message.” While Sunset was closer to Canterlot, Raven’s harmonic connection to all magical crystals meant that she could network to them anywhere in the world. With a thought and applied magic, the large central hub crystal inside the castle activated the emergency channel not just across all SunLight crystals, but all magical stones across the entire world. It was a short message, but to the point. Every creature activated their stones to hear one short message from Twilight Sparkle. “It has begun.” Clover the Clever took one last deep breath and moved to the generator. He pushed a few buttons, listened for the ominous hum, and then slowly began to work the central lever from STANDBY to ON. The lights came on and the surrounding environment felt saturated with power. “Since there is no time left I feel I must say, it has been an honor serving the princess of Equestria once more. Thank you for giving me this chance.” Sunset glanced at the machine and suddenly wondered how much radiation that thing was pumping out. Considering she had already altered one landscape and the wildlife she wondered if her reputation would be more infamous than famous years from now. Sunset shook her head and looked at Clover again seeing the unmistakable finality in his eyes. Her attention returned to the machine. She did not have to touch him to read his thoughts. He had no intention of surviving this event. “Don’t die before this is over.” He bowed. “The same goes for you, princess.” “Sunny… I’m, I'm sorry.” Sunset shook her head, placing a hoof over her wife's muzzle. She snuck in one more kiss and whispered, “I’ll see you on the other side.” A tear rolled down Twilight Sparkle’s cheek. “Sunset.” The goldenrod alicorn did not wait. If she did not turn away right then it would only be harder to say goodbye. Sunset Shimmer extended her wings and took off like a rocket into the sky and did not look back. The creatures of Ponyville and the refugees of Canterlot turned to see the fiery missile rise into the heavens above. From below, Tempest Fury held her foals close. Giving each of them small kisses on the tops of her head. Her son, Saber Knightly felt wetness touch his mane and down the side of his head. “Mama?” Tempest glanced down at Saber. “You’re crying.” “Just worried for my friends.” “Where's Daddy?” Tempest glanced up to Canterlot and frowned. “Daddy will be here soon.” Sunset was high. At least twice as high as Cloudsdale. She hoped they had been swift in their evacuation. It was predicted that though the cloud city would be safe from earthquakes it was possible that magical disruptions may cause the densely packed cloud banks to break apart and for material items to begin raining down from above. As a precaution, the city was moved to a remote area out west, far enough from any homes or towns. Sunset snorted for a moment as a random thought crossed her mind. I’m really high. Not that kind of high. I only got that kind of high once, at college. Felt sick for days afterwards. Though it is kinda funny. I think. Is the thin atmosphere getting to me already? “Is everypony in position?” asked Clover. “Ready.” “Yes, I’m here.” “Ready.” “Roger, roger, Clover dodger.” “In position.” Twilight reached a point half way between Clover and Sunset and moved the three crystals into position. Once the crystals came together their internal light intensified like a great beacon and the joined stones began to spin. Twilight could feel it drawing in the ambient power all around her. She had shielded herself from it and had enough of a mana well that it should not drain her by proximity for some time while other sources were more readily and voluntarily available. Twilight glanced up at Sunset who, even from a distance she could see was looking down at her, but features were obscured and unreadable. “Ready.” Sunset took several meditative breaths to calm her racing heart. They had theorized that channeling so much raw power would kill a normal pony in seconds. But Sunset was not normal. However, that did not mean she was invulnerable. Even with personal shields in place this was likely to hurt... a lot. Sunset's mind, in its typical means of betrayal, offered up memories of her past injuries and then, as an extra twisting of the knife, she remembered Sable's blood curtling scream as Luna ripped her life force from her young body to save Sunset's life. She had to focus, had to be the Atlas to hold the world upon her shoulders. “Ready as I’ll ever be.” Clover moved the lever further and carefully monitored the critical power gauge. They had theorized how much power would be required for the jump in thaums as well as voltage and concluded that if they waited to release all that power at once from the ground it would likely vaporize half a continent as well as be near impossible for the alicorns to control. So once the meter hit the first stage, Clover began funneling the power up to Sunset, who would be responsible for spreading it out and over the world to the other alicorns while Twilight monitored and regulated the power and simultaneously gathering more to send back down to the generator. It would be difficult, but Twilight assured them she was capable of multitasking. The obvious weak point was Sunset herself. Flurry Heart had sensibly asked why the alicorns had been needed to be part of the machine to begin with. A question Twilight had asked as well while trying to find any other way to remove her wife from the equation. Ultimately, Clover agreed it would have been better to build a planet sized space bridge gate, but it was not possible with the materials available or the time allotted. Sunset simply had to endure a greater and greater amount of magical power pumped through her entire body for as long as she was capable of. It fell to Twilight to keep her wife steady and focused or else the containment shield would begin to destabilize and run the risk of tearing the world apart. “Here we go. Once we begin the beast will likely accelerate towards us. Maybe we will get lucky and it will go after the sun first.” “Just push the damn button.” Clover sighed and did as he was told. A beam of white light energy speckled with a rainbow of colors released from the top dish, fired past Twilight and slammed into a waiting Sunset Shimmer, her sword, Godslayer, out and waiting to help her hold and direct the power. It stung, but not terribly. Like having ten thousand tiny gnomes surrounding her each armed with dulled thumb tacks and stabbing repeatedly over and over again. And not just along her skin and fur, the discomfort shot to every nerve ending in her body. Well, this sucks hairy yak balls. Then, after a few minutes, Clover increased the power to the next interval. The change was exponential. The only way Sunset could think to describe it was like holding your limbs too close to a flame or under water that was gradually beginning to boil. Your body was trying to tell you to move, to get to safety, but all you could do was shake and endure it. Sunset clenched her teeth and forced herself to stay focused. She held her sword high, the blade glowing brightly with golden light as energy flowed through her and out the top of the soul blade to the four waiting relays. She knew where the relays were in her mind, but the power also seemed to be attracted to the other devices, drawn to the quintessence core drivers pumping the power to and through. Energy continued to flow out the top dish arrays and slowly the sky began to glow and sparkle like a light upon a diamond as a bubble formed over the entire world in preparation for the jump. “Keep it up, we are at twenty-two percent already!” “Sunny, how are you holding up?” Twilight could not see her wife’s face, only the raw energy colliding with her that she was steadily distributing. There were slight waivers, but nothing Twilight could not handle. The delay in response was worrisome however. “I’m… grrrrrrRRRRAAAARH! FUCK! THIS HURTS!” “We must abort!” they all heard Luna shout. “I cannot listen to her suffering! There, there must be another way!” “We cannot stop,” Clover replied. “The feedback from the sudden stop would likely fry the systems and there would not be enough pure quintessence left to restart the chain reaction.” “If she’s hurting this bad already how is she supposed to hold it together at one hundred percent?” said Flurry Heart. No one immediately answered. “We have to stop!” shouted Cadence. “We’re killing her!” “ALL OF YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP!” The side conversations all ceased at once as they listened to Sunset Shimmer huff and growl. Fighting to control her breathing. “This… This is my burden, my fate, my choice. Just keep it together, all of you, so I can keep it together. It doesn’t matter what happens to me so long as you-grrrrrraaAAAHHHHH!!!” “SUNNY!” “S-SO LONG AS YOU S-SURVIVE!” Sunset Shimmer screamed again. Twilight felt her resolve waiver as her emotions tore at her. She could feel Aine trying to wrestle things under control in her mind, but Twilight wrestled back. A bolt of stray energy shot away from the spinning crystals and struck the side of the mountain, blowing a large chunk away and leaving the bare rock smoking. FOCUS, TWILIGHT! If you will not let me take over you must focus! Twilight shook her head. It was not her voice or mind that had said that. Aine was no long lying dormant and it sent waves of anger and panic through her core. It’s here. Look up. “We have to pick up the pace. We are at forty percent, but…” Twilight heard the pause. They all did. “What?!” Clover looked up and there was a dark blot in the sky no larger than a pea by his perspective, but that he could see it during the day, through the bubble, and so far away meant what they had all feared. That the creature was enormous. And was close enough to interfere with the magical flow. Sunset Shimmer screamed and Twilight turned her eyes back to her wife. “It is close enough to begin siphoning power!” shouted Clover. He threw caution to the wind and moved the lever three more notches. Twilight felt the crystal glow hot as power was intensely drawn from them. The pull was strong enough that she barely had to hold them in place anymore, creating their own pocket of stabilizing gravity and the usually translucent mana flows began to glow brightly as they were drawn from all corners of the globe. “SUNSET!” “AAAAAAAAAAAAGRRRRRRRGAHHHHH!!!!” “CLOVER!” Sunset could feel her grip loosening. Her physical grip and her grip on consciousness. Each pulse of energy was like getting hit by a bolt of lightning and then backed over by a Mack truck. And they were hitting her every few seconds again and again. Bolts of stray energy were blasting free from Sunset at an increased rate as a result. The first few bolts had blown divots in the ground. The next set had split granite and turned trees to cinders. The new, more intense blasts of multicolored energy were now ripping holes in space/time itself as they crossed the fifty percent power range and space/time reality destabilized. Twilight looked down and a glowing hole appeared to show buildings and a street of some other place. She could not spare her attention long enough to tell if it was somewhere else on their world or another dimension altogether. She had to hope a random bystander would not accidentally walk through it. What Twilight did know was that more and more bolts were escaping and she was having a harder and harder time controlling it all. Sunset was wavering making her job increasingly difficult. “I have to move. I have to talk to her!” “These locations were chosen specifically! You move it will upset the balance!” Clover replied. Twilight slowly moved back. She had the crystals pinned to their location with her telekinesis, not that they needed much help anymore. The pull from the device was equalized by the pull of the crystals on the rest of the world creating a stable electro magi-magnetic field. The power continued to flow down into the gate device without her direction. Perhaps it was science or perhaps it was Raven and Harmony trying to help keep things together so Twilight could go help Sunset. Either way, the reaction was stable. Twilight glanced down to Clover then up into the sky where the dot had become larger. She could not make out any details but it was closing rapidly. With her decision made, Twilight flapped her wings and followed the beam of energy up to where Sunset Shimmer was suffering. This is a mistake! If you are not going to offer anything positive to the situation then do me a favor and shut the fuck up! “Twilight!” “I’ve got this! I can do more than one thing at a time! Just keep the power flowing!” Twilight did not hear a response if there was one. The winds were beginning to whip about violently the closer she came to where Sunset was hovering. How she was still maintaining her altitude was a miracle or act of sheer, subconscious will. Once through the gale force turbulence Twilight brought herself to a hover across from Sunset Shimmer. What she saw tore her heart in two. Sunset had numerous lightning burns all over her body, singed down to the skin and red with a little bit of blackening. Some were already bleeding from torn blisters. Her teeth were clenched tight and somehow had not broken. She was bleeding slowly from her nose, which was smeared across her muzzle and down her chin from where she must have occasionally wiped the drip. Sunset’s wings were fluctuating between burning flames and golden feathers and Twilight could see some of the primaries and secondaries were damaged or missing completely. But what truly tore at Twilight was that Sunset Shimmer was crying though her eyes were closed tight. Trying with all her might to bear it all. Another energy pulse struck from below and Sunset screamed. More bolts slipped away, one almost striking Twilight. Through her spell that was regulating the power, Twilight felt the world shake below with tremors. She had to closer her eyes and focus to make the shaking stop. It took longer than expected and Twilight grunted and groaned. “T-T-Twi… light?” The hoarse croaking of her name made Twilight’s eyes fly wide open again. “Oh, Sunny.” Sunset Shimmer huffed as if she had just run a marathon, but forced a smile through her suffering. A true sight for sore eyes greeting her. “It’s good to… see you. Assuming I'm not losing it. It's just… This really hurts. But you should… go back. I don’t want you to get hurt.” Twilight shook her head and reached out a hoof, rubbing the side her wife’s face. “No. We miscalculated. We started too late and the creature is not slowing. It's now taking some of the power away, which is killing you. If we don’t increase the output you will die before we can reach enough coverage to teleport.” “Well… that sucks.” Sunset screamed again as another pulse struck from below. “We are at sixty-one percent, but the rate is slowing!” said Clover. “I have to increase to maximum output. I do not know for how long it will hold out, but it is all I can do!” “Do it,” said Sunset and Twilight together. Sunset blinked her bloodshot and dripping eyes at Twilight. “Twilight, no. If, if you stay here, you’ll die. I can't watch another Twilight die. Don't... Don't make me, please.” Twilight hardened her resolve, the world around her seeming to fade into prereferral while smiling lovingly at the suffering mare before her. “You are so hard headed, you know that?” Sunset cried out again as another, more powerful surge passed through, but then Sunset noticed the pain did not last as long as before and ebbed quickly. She opened her eyes to find Twilight still touching her while shaking off the shockwave. She was huffing from surge, but mostly unaffected. “Babe? Are you-” “It’s us, or nothing. Do you hear me, Sunset Shimmer? Not you or I, but US! It will always be, us.” Sunset’s eyes were wide. It felt like all the ills of the universe were suddenly gone for that one brief moment as she stared into the unquestionably, unbreakable, loving eyes of Twilight Sparkle. That was all Sunset saw in those determined amethyst eyes. No manipulation, no hesitation, just love. “I… wow.” Another, stronger surge passed through them and they both screamed as more bolts escaped and Twilight fought to keep the rest of the universe from tearing its way through and their world from flying apart. Smoke was rising from the fresh burns they had both just suffered. Twilight, you cannot stay this close to the gathering power. We are strong together, but there are limits to what your body can take! You were not meant for this! You know, I find it actually comforting that even as an immortal that I am flawed. If you are so worried about our safety then think of a way to make this go faster or to heal us because I am not leaving her. She needs me. She needs to see she is not alone in this no matter how tough she tries to talk herself up. You are going to get us killed! You are doing this on purpose! What? Are you scared to die? Of course! Only a fool would no- Well, I’m not. I’m scared of lots of things. I'm scared of things with too much cheese! You can see my mind and my memories so you know that’s true. But I’m not scared to die for my friends or the ones I love most. They are my pillars of strength, my adamant resolve. I’ll be damned if I’m going to skim by this in relative safety while my wife destroys herself. So, got anything helpful to add? The recesses of Twilight’s mind fell quiet and she was completely fine with that. Despite the excruciating pain, Twilight smirked and doubled her concentration on keeping everything together. “Bitch.” “Huh? Wha?” Twilight smiled, giving Sunset a small peck on the lips despite the blood. “Aine, she wanted me to leave you.” “And here everypony thought I was the most selfish of the lot,” said Discord over their shared channel. “She really is full of herself. Loved that speech, Twily. You made my heart flutter all the way over here,” said Cadence. “Conceited. That is my word of choice for my mother,” added Luna. “I didn’t really know her on a personal level, but Chaz and I agree she has a big butt. IT'S HUGE!” “I concur with all that which was said,” said Raven. “Twilight, you do what you feel is best. I believe in you. If you can hold the world together AND be there for Sunset then, yes, do it. I beg of you to keep her happy and motivated to keep pushing forward.” “SWEET MERCIFUL HEAVENS!” shouted Clover. “LOOK AT THE SKY!” They all looked up. The entire world looked up. Not every creature could see what was coming. In a way, Clover felt jealous of those beings because he wished he could not see what his eyes were showing him. But the creatures of Equestria could see it. Griffonstone could see it. Saddle Arabia could see it. And many, many more. The omega beast was close enough now that many features were becoming clear. The eyes were red like molten pits, and it had begun to open its massive maw as it committed to an attack run. Teeth… so many teeth. More and more visible as its quad hinged jaw opened wider. “Percentage!” shouted Twilight. “Seventy! It has been as seventy percent for more than a minute! I… I do not think it can go any higher! Not without more power!” “THERE ARE NO MORE SOURCES OF POWER!” shouted Twilight hysterically. “There… no… there has to be something,” mumbled Sunset, her body shaking badly from damage and fatigue. “There has to be… some… thing?” Sunset’s eyes were slightly blurry and her body hurt to move. She was not sure if what she was seeing was real or not. But something was coming at them from below. Several somethings, each glowing bright and different colors. There were flames as well. Beautiful, fiery flames of yellow and orange that were spread wide and seemed to move, unless that was just her eyesight failing her. Did a volcanic geyser open up below? No… wait, are those… wings? ---------- Fog Gauge flew down the side of the mountain over the fleeing masses, shouting at them to stay in line and not to trample others in a blind panic. His guards had swept the city over and over again for any stragglers or holdouts, but once the beam shot into the sky he knew it was time to retreat. His sharp eyes turned skyward and though his princess was little more than a dot he winced when he saw the power collide with her. “Hold on, my princess. I believe in you. I know you can do this.” “Captain?” Gauge shook his head. “Continue to retreat down the mountain. Find your family, but remember you are still a royal guard. If you see a need, do your duty to protect the citizens, understood?” The thestrals all saluted and Gauge quickly returned to his position escorting the masses. He knew that Tempest would be near the valley floor by now and that she and Isabella would likely be seen as the go-to leadership stand-ins. That would make them easier to find in such a mess. But find them he would. He just had to keep the herds of others moving. As Gauge suspected. He found Tempest on top of a wagon trying to direct crowd control to spread out in a calm and orderly fashion, which was no small task. She was, however, easy to hear even with thousands of other voices all talking over one another. The bat pony landed next to his wife and threw protocol completely out the window by tapping on her shoulder and kissing her the moment she turned. The vermilion unicorn melted into the embrace, ignoring the observing comments and cat call whistles. They found one another. The rest could wait for a few fleeting seconds. “I was worried about you. I’m... I'm sorry about earlier,” Tempest whispered knowing that his hearing was sensitive enough to pick it up even amongst all the chatter. “As am I. But I am here. Tell me what you need and I will see that it is done.” “We just need to keep everypony calm and focusing their thoughts and efforts on the sky above. They need to be willing their internal magic to the princesses just like they were asked. There is no telling what is going to happen next.” Bolts of multicolored lightning shot from the column of energy striking the surrounding area. Some cried out in panic. Gauge nodded and stood proudly next to his wife, wrapping his foreleg around hers. He glanced down at his son who was just below and standing close to Isabella, a feathery wing wrapped around him. Gauge glanced next to his daughter in the harness his wife was wearing and up to gaze lovingly into jade eyes made of steel. They were all the motivation he needed to see it through. “Every creature!" shouted Fog Gauge. "I implore you! Turn your eyes to the sky and see! See how your princesses struggle for you! See how they are giving everything they have to save you, save us! Focus your power! Think of what drives you, think of your friends, your family! Hold those thoughts tight and let the magic flow through you to them! We are all called upon in this hour or need.” Mana flowed from every creature. The power glowing like a gaseous cloud drawn up into the sky to where the crystals were floating under the control of Princess Twilight and spinning like a top. There were more mana flows lighting the daylight up like an aurora all traveling to the singular point of collection. Gauge silently prayed it would be enough and soon so that his princess would not have to bear such tremendous power for long. He could only imagine what it was doing to her, pushing down the worst thoughts in favor of good memories and feelings of love and friendship. Another massive pulse shot to the sky and more bolts of lightning escaped, fracturing the air with purple and blue lightning. The zigzagging bolts lingered in the air far longer than they should have like ethereal cracks that continued to spread. Other bolts struck the ground and trees, lighting some of the patches on fire. Panicked gasps went through the crowd while some moved in to put out the fires before they could spread. "LOOK!" “The sky is tearing open!” “The ground as well! There’s a glowing hole in the ground over here!” “Stay away from the glowing holes!” shouted Tempest. “For the love of… I should not have to tell you this! Back away!” “I think I see something,” a pony shouted. “I’m gonna poke it with a stick.” Gauge flattened his ears and glanced to his wife, slack jawed. He then shouted, “What? No!” “HEY! MANURE FOR BRAINS! Why would you do that?!” added Tempest in disbelief. The pine green colt picked up a stick and looked over the edge of the hole. The edge of the magical hole had a bright magenta and purple glow to it, but felt stable even with a few pokes of the stick. He then risked a peek and looked down. It was like gazing down on a strange city from high above yet he could see cavern walls and rock pillars as well. He could make out individual buildings, but none he recognized. Was there an underground city below the mountain he had not been aware of? If so, it was deep and the city quite large at a guess. Perhaps it was a gateway to another world. Magic was weird, after all. The colt poked at the hole itself and much to his disappointment, nothing happened. So, he shrugged and just threw the stick in. “Pfft. Lame.” ---------- The stick fell. It crashed down onto a chess table scattering many of the pieces. One of the ponies sitting at the table jumped back in surprise, nearly tripping over his own seat. The other simply blinked her eyes, taking note of the fact that her king piece was now lying on its side. That made her arch a brow. Slowly, she looked up. “Well, that was certainly unexpected.” The tall pony stood and stretched her limbs and wings, stepping away from the scattered chess board. She examined this new hole in the ceiling that was not a physical breach but a magical portal. She could see Canterlot in the distance up on the mountain and some activity going on not far from there. Her magical senses were flooded with both familiar and unfamiliar sensations. She could feel fear, hope, love, despair and more. It was raw, unfiltered. Briefly, her fuchsia colored eyes flashed fiery orange, but she focused and blocked out all the swirling turmoil. For a moment, her pink mane began to billow before falling still again. “What is it?” Celestia turned to her lover briefly before returning her gaze to magical breach above. “An opportunity.” More ponies began to gather around the park wondering what was going on, curious about the unexpected gateway. Celestia ignored all of them and focused. Her horn lit and a magically constructed telescope of light materialized for her to use. After a few small adjustments she could see the ponies on the mountain plateau more clearly. One she would have bet good coin looked like Clover the Clever. Celestia followed the energy beam upward and spotted Twilight leaving her position to fly higher. Celestia had to add extra lenses and make further adjustments, but she was able to focus and see what she had both hoped for and feared would be at the heart of the magical gale in the darkening sky. “Oh, goddess. Little sun,” she said breathlessly. Celestia stretched her power to focus more and flashed her teeth at the sight of Sunset Shimmer being ravaged by magical currents trying to hold everything together. “HEY!” a familiar raspy voice shouted. “What’s going on?!” Celestia released her power and the telescope disappeared. She glanced to her left and found the spunky sky blue pegasus with polychromatic mane and tail glancing back and forth rapidly between her and the breach. Celestia knew what she wanted to happen next and there was no time to second guess her commitment to it. It would likely alert Luna or her reapers, but they would not stop her. Nothing would stop her from saving her daughter. “Rainbow Dash, would you be so kind as to find the rest of the elements.” “Pfft. Like I have to. They are probably already here or on their way.” “I’m HERE!” Rainbow Dash screamed and jumped back. “Did I make roll call? Are we planning something big?! WILL IT INVOLVE REAL CAKE?!” “Yes, Yes, and maybe?” Pinkie Pie grinned ear to ear. The pink pony disappeared as if she had teleported and was back a moment later with Applejack, Rarity, and Fluttershy. They were all stunned silly with their eyes rolling about from the sudden, swift movement. “All best friends present and accounted for, ma’am! Now… WHERE’S THE CAKE?!” “I am afraid the cake will have to wait, Pinkie Pie,” said Celestia gesturing to the breach that was beginning to fluctuate, growing smaller then larger again. Voices could be heard from the other side as more lightning shot through the sky and the ground rumbled as the winds blew viciously about. “I must ask something of you, all of you, and I want you to consider carefully but understand that time is short. Our friends, Twilight, Luna, and all of Equestria are faced with the possibility of total annihilation.” “Well, it’s nice to hear some things never change, I guess,” commented Applejack. “What can we do?” “Indeed. If Twilight and others are in danger then there is nothing to consider,” said Rarity with a confident nod. “Just tell us what to do and we are there!” Celestia nodded in return. She paused when she felt a foreleg wrap around hers to find Sombra standing proudly, staring into her eyes calmly. “I assume you have a plan?” “I am afraid I have been kept out of the loop on what exactly is going on, but I can make healthy assumptions at this point. So, there is no good plan, just a final act of being ‘bull headed’ as my sister called it and charging forth blindly. Our daughter is in trouble and is likely dying. I need no other reason to do something.” “Oh dear, I see what’s about to happen,” said Fluttershy, settling in. “Here it comes,” mumbled Applejack as Pinkie took an unbelievably deep breath. “Twilight and all the other alicorns needed to gather the magic from all across the world in order to run away from a massive, other dimensional space monster that looks like some nightmarish worm with lots and lots of teeth that is now big enough to eat the entire world faster than I can eat a three tier cake but in order to do so all the alicorns other that Sunset Shimmer, who is Twilight’s wife, who is Celestia’s daughter, who we saw one time when they came down to Elysium a few years ago, had to merge themselves with other alicorns that were actually gods who have been around for a really, really, reeeeeeeaaally long time because it was the only way to consolidate power to try and hold the world together while magic flows into the three beautiful crystals that are gathering and releasing said power into a machine that also came from another dimension or at least the design of it did that Clover the Clever, yes, that Clover the Clever, put together and is linked to other smaller machines that are making a super big awesome bubble around the world so that it can safely travel space because without it every creature is dead because in space no pony can hear you screeeeeam, but it looks like they don’t have enough power, which is super bad, but that’s okay we have our own power and Celestia is going to ask us to fly up there and give ourselves to the crystals in order to push them over the top power-wise and make the jump to light speed but there is a chance that we will never be able to exit the crystals again and thus be denied paradise or broken down to magical dust or pink goo sometimes called quintessence but she can’t or won’t make us do it but if we don’t they die, the world dies, the entire multiverse dies and there will be no MORE CAKE FOR ANYONE, ANYWHERE AND THAT IS THE SADDEST TRAGEDY IN THE HISTORY OF EVER SO WHY ARE WE STILL TALKING ABOUT THIS LET’S GO ALREADY!” Celestia coughed politely into her free hoof. “What she said.” The breach began to waiver, growing smaller again. “I didn’t need the rundown, Twilight needs us. That’s all I needed to hear!" Rainbow Dash flapped and flew up a little bit before glancing back at the others. “C’mon! We gotta do something!” “Of course we gotta do somethin’, but how? Not all of us can fly, RD!” Applejack’s staring contest with Rainbow Dash was interrupted by an infectious giggle. Her eyes grew wide and jaw hung open as Pinkie Pie floated around her then moved up next to Rainbow. “Silly AJ. Your body is not your body! You’re dead! Didn’t you ever wonder how I kept sneaking across the river to give grumpy old Death warm hugs? We’re souls! Ghosts! OoooOOO! OOOoooo! Brains! Braaaaaains!” “Zombies eat brains, Pinkie. Ghosts eat… I don’t rightly know what ghost eat. Ghost food, I reckon?” “I think you’re all getting off topic here.” All the eyes gathered turned to the white stallion with the two tone blue mane and piercing blue eyes. “If we’re doing this then let’s do this. That’s my family up there. If I have to sacrifice the last of what I am to save them then I will. The only thing that was left for me here was a dip in the well.” Celestia spread her wings and left the ground. “Say your goodbyes if you can, then make your way into the crystals to power them. And thank you for this.” “What are you gonna do?” asked Rainbow, not at all afraid to ask the question. “I am going to go punch a space worm in the face.” “WE are going to go punch a space worm in the face and save our daughter,” Sombra corrected, floating up next to his love. Celestia smiled brightly. “AND WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU ARE GOING?” The breach above was suddenly blocked by several formless, floating shadows undulating about with angry glowing silver eyes. “IT IS FORBIDDEN!” Celestia sneered darkly, horn taking on a golden, fiery glow. Luna’s minions were only trying to do their job, but they would not stop her. Perhaps they had never dealt with an alicorn other than their master before or simply thought that she was just another soul to corral and stand watch over. She was anything but just one of the cattle. She was Celestia, Princess of the Sun and daughter to Mother Creation. If they thought her weak or powerless they were about to find out how wrong they were. Before Celestia could issue her final warning, another shadowy figure slammed into the group, knocking all of them down hard enough they crashed through buildings and across the field. One even landed in the river. The shadow threw her hood back and Sable Nimbus saluted to the former princess, flashing her bat pony fangs. “Go, Your Highness! I’ve got you covered!” “Thank you, once again, for your service, Sable.” “Luna’s going to be mad at me, but I know that big, blue cuddlebug. She would never forgive herself if something happened to Sunset when there was even a small chance you could do something about it.” Celestia nodded and took flight, her spectral body glowing brightly as flames trailed her. Several ponies had now gathered around the hole and were talking back and forth. One even dared his friend to stick his hoof in. Tempest had jumped down from the wagon full of supplies and marched up to the gawking onlookers. “Do you not have basic survival instincts? You have no idea what is down there! What if lava started pouring out of that, huh?! Anything could come flying out and eat your face o-” Several beams of colorful light shot forth as fast as cannon shots. All those closest to the hole fell back and ducked for cover. Tempest could have sworn she heard the beams of light speak and one even sounded like it was giggling. But those thought became irrelevant after what she saw next. A familiar pony flapped her wings, emerging from the breach slowly, methodically. She looked a bit different than the last time Tempest had seen her… at the pony’s funeral. Her mane was now all pink and billowed about angrily, not unlike Sunset's when she is powered up. Celestia was surrounded by flames that shed like water from her fur and wings with each slow, methodical flap. Celestia glanced down at all the creatures gathered. Many dropped to their knees while others were too stunned to do anything by stare. She spared a moment to smile at them before taking off into the sky, soon followed by another streak of light, dark umber with flecks of yellow and green. Tempest said nothing. She just turned around and walked back to her family. When she reached Gauge she wrapped herself around him tightly and held him and her two foals close. When Gauge tried to ask about what happened she just shook her head and shushed him, never loosening her grip. It was something they could talk about later… assuming they had a later. How does one not feel as if the end is near when the dead rise from the ground shrouded in fiery glory? “Sunny?” Twilight’s voice made Sunset shake her head and blink her eyes. It had to of been her addled and abused mine. Could magical lightning cause brain damage? Probably. “I… I thought I saw…” A blue streak shot past them both, swirled around the opposite direction of the spinning gale that surrounded them as if not affected by it at all. The ball of light was so fast and sounded as if it was whooping and cheering. Twilight blinked. Had she seen a rainbow contrail? Then another light began to spin around, slower, stable, orange in color. This was followed by a yellow light, then a deep royal indigo light, and finally a pink light that bounced about erratically. The light coalesced and finally shifted to resemble a pony who smiled with glee and screamed, “SURPRIIIIIISE!” Sunset and Twilight both gasped and screamed, “PINKIE PIE?!” Another power surge passed through the two of them and they both cringed and writhed while the power tore through their ravaged bodies. Twilight’s eyes burned bight white while she channeled the power around the world. It was getting harder and harder to concentrate and she could FEEL the omega beast breathing down on them like a predator’s hot breath. The other rainbow colors morphed into five familiar faces, all smiling brightly at her. They appeared just as she always remembered them, young and in their primes. Twilight reached out with tears streaking her fur. “Rainbow Dash! Applejack! Rarity! Fluttershy! WHY?! HOW?!” Twilight thought she was going insane or seeing things, but nothing could have prepared her for when the next figure flew up behind all the others, surrounded by flame and smiling lovingly at both her and Sunset Shimmer. Twilight gasped, unable to speak for a few seconds. She looked back to Sunset who was about to pass out, her head down and eyes barely open. “Sunset, SUNSET! LOOK UP! Please! You have to look up, sweetie!” “I… too tired… Need to sleep... it off.” “Oh, my little sun.” Sunset’s eyes flew open. She blinked several times, seeing ghosts. Literally. “Oh, shit. I’m already dead.” Rainbow Dash snorted and laughed. “Not yet, hot head. And with our help we are going to keep it that way.” Sunset looked at each of the familiar pony faces and then up to meet Celestia’s heavenly, serene smile. “Mom?” “My beautiful, wonderful, Sunset Shimmer. The light of my heart, my greatest creation. You are everything I ever wanted you to be.” Celestia glanced over her shoulder and another figure materialized next to her. “We both wanted you to be.” Sunset blinked again. She had to be seeing things or was in fact, dead as dead can be. She had lost her memory of the stallion before her, but had seen him in Twilight's memories from a distance from the shores of the Golden City. “D-Dad?!” Sombra smiled, his soft green eyes filled with incalculable pride. “Hello, Sunset Shimmer. It seems we keep meeting under the most dire of situations. Makes it difficult to have a nice talk and there was so much I wanted to talk to you about. I guess life is just not fair sometimes.” Sunset snorted a laugh. It hurt like hell and burned all the way down to her hooves, but at the same time felt so good. She smiled and said, “It’s really not, is it?” Sombra smiled. “It’s okay. Or rather, it will be okay. At least I get to see you one more time and tell you how proud I am of you. That I always wanted a daughter and you are everything I would have wanted and more and that I love you. Always.” Sunset’s eyes shifted between her mother and father, her expression falling. “Wha… what are you… Celestia?” Sunset felt the slider necklace slip free and float over to Celestia where the device came to rest around her neck. “Mom? Dad? No… you can’t!” “We can and we will. It is a parent's job to always be there for their children, no matter how old they get.” Celestia turned her eyes to Twilight. “Take care of one another. That, is my final decree. I love all of you.” “CELESTIA!” “MOM!” Celestia glanced to each of the elements and nodded, then turned her eyes to the sky. “Goodbye, my little ponies. We will buy you as much time as we can.” “Sun_et? Twilight? Do I h_ar my s__ter’s _oice?! __at _s hap__ni_g?!” Luna tried to shout over the static. Sombra held out his hoof. “Shall we dance, my love?” Celestia took the hoof and her flames grew brighter, engulfing them both in burning wings and phoenix fire, two yellow eyes glanced down from above as the fire took on a life of its own. Sunset could have sworn she heard the familiar cry of Philomena over the whipping winds. Their lips met for a quick kiss. “We shall.” Celestia and Sombra spread their massive wings and took off into space. “Celestia… Mom and Dad. Somehow, they left Elysium and… they…” The words died in Sunset’s throat. Though she could not see her Aunt Luna, Sunset could imagine her face of complete disbelief. Even death could not keep Celestia from joining the fray. A few seconds passed in silence with no reply. Sunset tapped at her SunLight crystal but even the static was gone. She was not sure if her message made it through. Before Sunset could comment again another blue light flew up and materialized into another pony. “Sorry I’m late. Was saying goodbye to my wife and daughter.” “SHINING ARMOR?!” shouted Twilight, purple eyes wide, tears streaking her face. “Hey, Twily. It’s good to see you again. You… wow, they said you were as big as Celestia now, but I figured it was just the hayburgers. You look good!" "I've missed you so much!" Shining Armor smiled. "Missed you too and I would love to say more, but you are all running out of time. Flurry Heart and Cadence’s crystals have already blown out. So, it’s time we end this and get you out of here.” “Well, we better not waste this chance then,” said Applejack. “Wait… no. Don’t go, Shiny.” Twilight wept. “It’s okay. I got to see all of you again. I get to be a big damn hero one more time. I am okay with this and I’ll be here, in your heart.” Shining Armor slipped away, glanced up and scowled at the monster in the sky and dove back down. His form slipped away as he thinned out to a blue and white streak of light and dove straight into the unicorn crystal in the top center. “As he was saying, darling. We will always be with you. We love you, Twilight.” Rarity dove as well and the unicorn crystal grew even brighter. “You were always there for us Twilight,” said Fluttershy. “Now we get to be here for you. And please, look after Discord. Don’t let him get depressed.” “Heh, big damn heroes. Wish I had thought of that.” Rainbow winked at them. “Yo, Shimmer. Take care of this one, she’s the best of us.” “Now don’t you go cryin’ for us again, ya hear? We knew what the stakes were and we all said yes. We’d do anything for ya, Twilight, because you’re our friend and gosh darnit, we love you. Do right by each other and all the rest will come naturally.” Pinkie flew up and around and eventually gave both princesses quick hugs before spinning about. “My life began with rocks it is only fitting that my soul becomes part of one. Ma, Pa, and Maude would be so proud!” Pinkie smiled one last time and dove down with the others. The crystals grew intensely bright. From above, Twilight thought they may shatter. Instead, a massive rainbow of light erupted from the three crystals and overcharged the generator in seconds. Clover the Clever had no idea what was going on above him. Their slimmed down SunLight Crystals had all failed under the intense magical feedback, which they knew had been a possibility but was still frustrating. Lights from the valley had shot past him and followed the beam upward. Soon after, a massive phoenix with what looked like a burning pony inside flew over and hovered for a minute before rocketing up and beyond his sight. For some reason, he thought of Celestia and that thought brought comfort to his heart. The next thing he knew the crystals were all becoming super energized and a magical beam of light that fractured into a rainbow struck the generator and pushed it to one hundred percent in less than two seconds. With no more time to spare he lifted the safety glass on the console and pressed the fire button to release the remaining power and could only pray that Twilight under Aine’s guidance would be able to guide them the rest of the way. Clover sighed, his job finally over. “Finally, the sweet promise of release.” The rainbow energy shot forth destroying the generator and vaporizing Clover. He never felt a thing. Celestia could feel the monster’s hunger. She had been told by Luna in great detail what had happened to the Athanatoi when it had attacked another world. Though she did not feel pity for them it was still no way for a being to die in the belly of some worm being drained utterly until your bones liquified and your soul was consumed to nothingness. She had no intention of going out like that, but she did have to slow it down to protect the world and those she loved. “I know that look,” said Sombra. “That is the face of a mare who will move mountains to protect those she cares for. It is beautiful, striking, and just a little bit frightening.” Celestia flashed her lover a grin. “For my daughter, for my daughter-in-law, for all those I love and care for. This universe will know there is no fury greater than an alicorn goddess who has control over the sun itself.” Celestia’s mane erupted into flame and her horn burned with pure golden sunlight. She raised both her forelegs and gestured. The omega beast turned just in time to be struck in the side of the head with a flaming ball of hot gas and concentrated magical plasma. The sun shattered into globules and burned all along the side of the creature. It cried out as it thrashed from the burns. Its forward movement halted as she continued to press the remains into eyes and any other weak point. Celestia’s burning orange eyes looked down to the world below. “Go, go now!” Sombra flew into her waiting forelegs and held up the slider, waiting for the world to escape. They were gone. Sunset Shimmer blinked. She could not believe she had any more tears to shed, but she did. Her mother and father had escaped Elysium to save them and now they were gone forever. Even the small consolation pleasure of spending time with them in Heaven was taken from her as she teetered on death’s doorstep. What other possible cruelty could the universe bestow upon… Sunset blinked. Then, she blinked again. “Sunny?” Twilight turned and a small distance away a magical rift had opened in the sky. At first it just looked like more sky, with clouds framed by golden afternoon light. Easier to see since Celestia had done something with the sun and their world had become shrouded in darkness. However, as she followed Sunset’s gaze she too could see what appeared to be movement in the clouds. Pegasus from another dimension? Twilight blinked when she realized that the creatures looking up at them from the clouds were not ponies, though they did have wings… and one of them bore a striking resemblance to… “It… can’t... be.” Sunset felt her heart explode in her chest. She was not sure if it was still beating or was beating so fast that it was just one rapid fire pump on overdrive. What she had to assume at this point was that her brain was thoroughly damaged and her mind was gone. It was the only possible explanation for what she was seeing. It was just not possible and yet, there, in the distance sitting on a puffy white cloud was Twilight Sparkle. She was leaning back with a book in hand, glasses slipping down her nose as they often did. Just as shocking were the two beings next to her on the cloud. Aurora Shimmer and Sunna Sparkle, both appearing as they had in their mid twenties, both also relaxed. Sunna was the first to notice the rift and tapped her mother's knee. As all three turned, their wings unfurled briefly before settling. Aurora grinned and flicked her wavy hair back before she shot Sunset the finger guns as she had often done with her older daughter. Sunna smiled brightly and waved energetically. Twi just stared, seeming as awestruck and confused as Sunset felt. She wiped away a stray tear as her lips finally curled into a sweet, serene smile and she kissed her fingers, gesturing as if she had thrown a kiss and then pulled her hand back to over her heart. “Sunny… is that?” Sunset screwed her eyes shut and screamed unable to take the sight of those she had loved most sitting before pearly gates in the sky somewhere. Had it been real? A premonition? Another parallel dimension? It did not matter. Fuck. Fuck. FUCK! NO ONE ELSE IS DYING ON ME! Sunset Shimmer's eyes flew open glowing bright teal as she brought all her remaining focus back to the forefront. Through burns and fatigue and deadly exhaustion. Twilight watched as all the surrounding rifts closed up and the world below lit up in an explosion of pure white light that was coming straight for them. ---------- Then… Twilight felt herself falling inside her own head. The world disappeared, and Twilight found herself standing in a field of grass surrounded by trees so thick that they were impossible to see through. She had seen this place one other time before. After Celestia had died. A pocket dimension and personal sanctum for the Goddess of Creation. “Wha? What’s going on?!” “I apologize Twilight, but I needed a moment of your time.” Twilight snarled and lit her horn. “The entire world is about to end and now you want to play control games and talk things out?! You tried to make me flee! I have nothing else to say to you!” “While I have allowed you to maintain control of our body, I was elsewhere in the recesses of your mind trying to find a way to save you and separate us.” “And Sunset?” Aine smiled. It was not snide or hostile. It, in fact, looked exactly like Celestia’s warm, serene smile. “Yes. It will be dangerous, it may not work, but it gives the two of you a chance to survive. And, as you said, there is no more time for anything else.” “As long as it gets you out from under me, you mean.” “Is that not what you wished for? Is that not what all this was for, why you agreed to this joint venture to begin with? I have the coordinates of where we need to move the world, you have the power now to sufficiently do so and time and space are folding in on itself as the device was designed to do. While time does move slower in this mind space it is not infinite. I need an answer now so that I can show you what needs to be done.” “And what happens to Cadence and Flurry Heart? They will want to be separated as well.” Aine sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Assuming this works and I am free to get away, I will find them and see if it is possible to separate them as well. You have my oath on that.” “You make it sound like I will not be able to do that myself.” Aine narrowed her eyes and they smoldered with blackness. “You are not the Incarnate. Sunset Shimmer could perhaps separate them, but your soul is not that which cleaves. Besides, without my help we will all simply die here and now. Is that what you wish? Or do you want to save Sunset Shimmer?” Twilight stepped back and made a small circle as she debated back and forth with herself. After what felt like several minutes Twilight marched back up to Aine and pressed her nose into the white alicorn’s “Tell me what I have to do.” “Understand that the price will be high.” “How high?” “I need your alicorn ascension. Both yours and Sunset’s. Can you speak for her consent? Is she willing to give up that part of herself?” ---------- “Sunset!” Twilight eyes refocused and she pressed herself into Sunset Shimmer, but Sunset used her free hoof that was not holding her soul blade up above her head and pushed Twilight back. The light explosion was closing fast. “Sunny, please!” “Thank you for being here with me, Twily, but I don't want you to die! You need to stay alive and lead the future!” Twilight formed her own soul blade and raised it, pressing the two holy instruments together. “I can save you! I know how!” “There’s no time to alter the plan now!” “Sunset Shimmer!” Sunset opened her cloudy eyes. She could barely see but there was no mistaking the beautiful, purple goddess before her with pleading, begging amethyst eyes. “Please, trust me!” Sunset Shimmer glanced down. Then up. And finally, she nodded. I have nothing left to lose. Fate has taken everything from me... everything except her. Goddess, what did I do to make you love me, Twilight? I guess I'll never know, but in this moment, my final moment with my body burning up and love in my arms I will not falter, I will not flinch, I will not run away. With only two seconds left, Twilight pressed her lips to her wife’s and then pressed their horns together. The world went white and the explosion of magical power overtook them. The energy expanded to cover the entire world and threw Raven, Discord, Flurry Heart, and Cadence back as their power regulators exploded. Equuis was condensed to a massive beam of light and then, it disappeared across the cosmos. The moment the world vanished Celestia sighed. She had no way of knowing if her loved ones were safe, but somehow, in her heart and soul she knew. The creature began to recover, turning back to where a world once sat and now only had the souls of an alicorn princess, a unicorn king, and the last loving remnant of a phoenix companion. They were powerful, but miniscule pickings to what it had hungered for before. Still, a meal was a meal. Celestia focused all her remaining power on the device her love was holding and they pressed their hooves together, crushing the slider. Their lips met and they had no intention of separating as the blackness of space turned bright white. The power released catastrophically before inverting and drawing in on itself. The implosion greatly amplified by the extra concentrated power that had been applied to it before its failure. Space ripped open and everything was drawn in and downward. The hole expanded, growing more and more voracious as it did. Gas, dust, rock, sources of energy that could not be seen with the naked eye were all drawn in. The omega beast tried to turn away, but had committed to eating the tiny morsels that were now gone. It landed face first into the hole that kept growing. It tried to pull away but could not. It had grown fat on all sources of energy and an entire planet. It had mass. Lots and LOTS of mass and the singularity pulled that mass for all it was worth. It could feel itself being pulled in, crushed, stretched, disintegrated and spat out the other side as particles, where ever that may be. It wept. It hurt. It never had a chance to scream as it was destroyed bit by bit and no one was coming to save it. No friends, no loved one, no one. All there was, was darkness. It was completely quiet. Alone. At the center of the universe.