"Doc says a fractured left orbital, broken jaw, multiple fractures in the wings, and a multitude of scrapes." Strike repeated to Nightshade, who was in absolute disbelief.
Maybe Ace's luck rubbed off on him? Nightshade glanced out of the hospital window, thinking about the strings Strike must have pulled to get Ginger in so quick. He shuddered at the memory of them pulling Ginger out of the wreckage. He was a bloody mess with a wing bent the wrong way, his glasses shattered and a few meters from the front of the restaurant. It was nothing short of a miracle that he was still breathing.
Nightshade shook his head, "Tough little shit, huh. He wasn't too well when you guys arrived. Strike... I think I lost the kid. Ace, he wasn't moving when medical arrived."
Strike shook her head, Nightshade couldn't help but bristle at this. Something was really wrong, the power Ace had channeled into him was like nothing he'd ever seen before. He said his goodbye to Strike, wishing her well, and set his sights on the castle. Celestia wasn't dodging this, not this time. He sparked up a teleportation spell.
Nightshade blinked in surprise, He was right outside the princess's quarters. Probably some residual magic from Ace, my teleports are never this accurate. He sat outside the door checking the inside of his suit jacket, his hoof found a cylindrical object, and he floated it out. With a whir from the object, the lock on the door clicked, and he allowed himself inside. The princess sat on her bed, seemingly unaware of his presence. Nightshade's head of steam fizzled out and he drew a blank. He wondered if she had been expecting him.
"Did I ever tell you where Ace was from?"
"Las Pegasus- "
"That means that I lied to you. It's hard to explain in a way that doesn't seem cruel."
Nightshade was cut off, and she motioned for him to come over and he did so. A strange chuckle came from the princess in response.
"Princess, where is he? I only saw him get carried off by some guards"
Celestia finally looked at him, and he was shocked by her tear-streamed face, "He's dead, Nightshade. How else do you think you nearly leveled downtown? I saw the flash from here... He did what I can only assume was the best course of action in his mind, giving you the power you needed."
Dead? What? Why are the details so fuzzy to me? I was there!
The princess paid no mind to his internal argument.
"Ace was a product of... Nightshade, I'm not going to beat around the subject. He was my biological son. Discord and I, well... Nopony could know about such a thing, you've seen what Discord had done in the past. It would have been a scandal of the ages. Discord and I agreed to never speak of Ace as our own. Discord managed to pull a few things into place and there he was, years later, I can see him, but it hurt every single time."
Nightshade couldn't seem to get any words out, this was too much. Did... Nightshade turned away, No wonder. She pulled out all the stops for him, and he willingly laid down his life for somepony he only just met.
"I'm... I'm sorry."
"Don't be. It wasn't your fault."
Nightshade silently walked out of the princess's quarters, he needed to head home. Something in his heart twinged as he sparked up a teleportation spell, I miss the kid. How am I supposed to tell them that he's dead?
The mansion was silent as he poofed inside, Everyone must be asleep. Good, I can figure out how to break the news. He trudged into his living room, ripping off his tie and tossing it to the floor.
A deep and familiar voice sounded from the darkness, "Nightshade, been a while."
All the lanterns in the room lit up, Discord sat on the couch, but he wore no smile or smirk. It almost made Nightshade's skin crawl, there wasn't even a hint of joy in his voice.
"Discord, my day has been shit enough without you adding to it. I already," Nightshade calmed a bit, "We both lost somepony today."
"It's what I came to talk to you about. I know about your ability to travel time and space, I know you wish certain things in your life didn't happen. I'm offering you a way to go to those realities. In your ship, you should find a new switch. A reset of sorts. Before you utter the words, no, this is not a trick. No games. Not this time. Use it wisely Nightshade, and... Say hello to Ace for me, he'll remember."
Discord vanished faster than Nightshade could register, with no poof of smoke or smug laughter. Nothing. He almost questioned if it had really happened. But he seriously doubted this, Discord never does anything out of the kindness of his heart, he's hellbent on creating chaos. Wait, I thought he was still frozen in stone!
Nightshade crept up the stairs, not wanting to wake his housemates, a weight seemed to slow his pace.
If this is for real, this 'reset' switch... What happens to the world I leave behind? Do they cease to exist? Can I come back? Can I bring Ace here? Will Ace remember-
He nearly flinched as he realized he was already in the attic, Pandora's doors open and awaiting his arrival.
"Here goes."
Computer didn't greet him, and Pandora was eerily silent. The console was partially darkened and a majority of the console room lights were off. They know. He sat down and laid his head on the console not realizing his hoof already flipping the switch.
"I can do better this time."
The world, everything, faded away and Nightshade fell away into the darkness.