Chapter Thirty One: Dividing To Conquer
~BlackRoseRaven
There were quite a few ponies inside the long, pockmarked testing hall in the lower reaches of Cowlick's facility. Almost too many to be comfortable, standing all along the thirty feet or so of wide concrete hall: the remaining half of the room was made of a spongier material that bore scars, stains, and tears of all shape and size to the very end, where several targets hung from a rail above a set of steel grates.
At the top of the hall, past the congregation of ponies and several crates and shelves, Nibelung laborers and Greece were carefully setting up an octagonal steel ring that was already thrumming faintly with energy, alien runes glowing strangely over its face. Two of the dwarves were ensuring it was locked firmly into a solid base and were rigging additional supports into the lower sides to make sure it wouldn't tip over, while the Architect and another dwarf were fitting cables feeding down from the ceiling over prongs standing out of the framework.
“Are you sure this is a good idea, Kilby Kwolek?” Celestia asked finally, and Cowlick glared over at her from where she was 'overseeing operations' by lurking in front of the rings and yelling at the dwarves every few minutes. “I mean, from what I understand, you're siphoning electricity from this facility itself into the portal ring...”
“Hey, you're the one who keeps telling me that even with a whole bunch of you fancy-ass unicorns, opening a portal is a bitch and a half of work because it sucks up so much energy. Which is why you use portal rings, it can store and provide some of that power and the framework of the portal, right? So I'm just pumping this thing here with as much power as it can handle... hey, idjit, you lean into that ring any more and it'll be your own damn fault when you get turned into fried pork.”
One of the laborers hurriedly straightened, and Cowlick nodded and grunted before muttering: “Stupid idiots. I ain't giving you rubber gloves and insulated suits for my protection. Look, power's power, that's what I always say. Power's power.”
“Tesla and Edison would disagree with you strenuously. Then one would accidentally build a doomsday device and the other would torture some kittens.” Discombobulation remarked mildly, and then he paused and leaned on Celestia absently, the mare only smiling slightly as he poked at one of her pauldrons lightly with a finger. “So why precisely is it that everyone apart from me gets giant weapons and battle armor? I want cool oversized fantasy wear too.”
Cowlick only rolled her eyes at this, then she leaned down,beginning to rustle at her vest before Discombobulation added: “You know, there are over four thousand dangerous chemicals in cigarettes.”
“And there's probably ten thousand in this facility alone that I inhale, snort, or drink on a daily basis, and only half of that I actually mean to.” Cowlick grumbled as she managed to get a cigarette free, then she rolled it between her teeth before grinning widely as Greece stepped back and gave her a thumbs-up. “Okay, we're in business! Juice her up!”
Greece nodded awkwardly, turning and heading towards an open panel in the wall before he flicked several switches... and then winced as the framework of the ring sparked, while the lights along the ceiling all flickered before dimming visibly.
But the ring itself was beginning to glow, the runes over its length becoming brighter as electricity crackled over and throughout the octagonal framework, and the gathered ponies all stared in surprise as Cowlick only laughed and stepped quickly backwards, grinning widely as she called: “Colts and fillies, you might all wanna get organized and start doing your thing now! Don't know how long this is gonna last!”
“Then it's time for us to go. Morning Glory, start the spell, but let Luna, Twilight and myself open the portal.” Celestia said sharply, and the indicated ponies stepped quickly forwards, Morning Glory bowing her head respectfully for a moment. As their horns began to glow, the ivory mare looked over her shoulder and added calmly but quickly: “Remember. We're entrusting you to watch out for your charges... including my brother, Sleipnir.”
“Oh shut up, Celestia.” Sleipnir huffed, but then he smiled as Pinkamena snorted in amusement and grinned wryly over at the enormous earth pony, before he softened and added firmly: “And fear not, my sisters and family! We shall all watch out for one-another, and return whole and strong and triumphant from wherever we may be sent!”
“Remember the signal!” Celestia called over her shoulder, as a roar of electricity filled the air and ponies shifted: some hurried backwards, while Celestia cursed and leaned forwards, gritting her teeth as she felt a burst of recoil strike her, her eyes widening in surprise: it wasn't getting enough power that was the issue with the portal any longer, but instead keeping it under control, as the metal rings groaned and electricity arced violently outwards in all directions, even as a bright light started to fill the middle of the octagonal frame.
She leaned forwards as Twilight winced and tilted her head slightly, and Luna stumbled backwards, letting the glow die out from around her horn as she stopped supplying power completely: but there was more than enough energy now, as Twilight and Celestia concentrated on shaping it, and Scrivener gave Morning Glory a quick smile as he passed. The Destroyer bowed her head politely to him, her own part in the work done as she stepped aside, and the charcoal stallion, Spike, and Discombobulation all strode quickly into place behind the winged unicorns.
Then Twilight and Celestia both snapped their horns forwards at the same time, and there was a single pulse before the light in the portal became a crystalline window into another world, and Celestia shouted: “Go!”
“Take care, all of thee!” Luna called over her shoulder with a grin and a wink, even as she bolted ahead of Celestia and charged straight for the portal, with her big sister following close behind. They both vanished through with barely a ripple of the strange window into another world, following shortly by Twilight, then Scrivener, Bob, and finally Spike.
Surprisingly, the portal maintained its consistency... long enough for Cowlick to suddenly bolt forwards, to the shock of everyone in the room, and pass through herself. There was silence for a few moments... and then the earth pony engineer hurtled back through the portal, crashing down on her face and skidding over the floor with a wince before she ended up sprawled on her back, coughing and wheezing before she spat out a soggy cigarette that she had almost swallowed.
Then the engineer sat up, shaking her head out a little as most of those gathered gaped at her, but Greece only slowly lowered his face into his hands even as the portal frame began to smolder and the energy to grow unstable, the light pulsating in the center of the ring growing brighter and brighter as Cowlick said thoughtfully: “Now that was a hell of a rush. Hey, Greece, shut 'er down, then check her stability! We might actually be able to reuse these things!”
Most of the ponies were still only staring with disbelief at Cowlick, but she shook herself out, then climbed to her hooves and looked back and forth as if nothing was wrong as Greece walked over to the panel on the wall and hit several switches. And after a moment, the glow around the portal ring rapidly died out, leaving only the strange runes pulsing with light as the engineer grinned widely. “Yeah, magic my ass. I got science!”
“Technically it's applied thaumaturgy, which is still magic...” Greece began awkwardly, and when Cowlick gave him a foul look, the dwarf cleared his throat and slowly turned away, mumbling: “Oh, you know, I can just be quiet and we can pretend the machines did all the work, as usual.”
“Bet your ass they did.” Cowlick grunted, and then she glanced curiously towards the crowd of ponies that remained, most of whom were still staring with disbelief at the earth pony engineer. “What the hell are you all looking at? Don't you morons have to go open the Bifrost now with Mr. God there?”
“They're just fascinated by the fact that you were stupid enough to risk getting disassociated or worse by taking a little walk through the portal.” Kvasir remarked moodily, as he mimicked walking with two fingers along the back of one lineless land. “I, however, fail to find myself surprised. In fact, I'm rarely surprised by anything you ponies do anymore, but especially by you, Kilby Kwolek.”
“Oh, eat me. You're like every other upper-management reject I've ever met.” Cowlick said flatly, glaring over at Kvasir. “Constantly whining about all your work, trying to schedule every little goddamn thing, then wondering why the hell you don't have a job anymore when you manage to delegate your duties right into making yourself completely obsolete. I got a word I wanna call you but there's a four year old filly in the room.”
“Three years, nine months.” Tender Trust said politely, and then she smiled kindly and added: “But I'm an adult by Phooka standards, and am very familiar with many exclamations of anger from the pony language, but do not use any myself.”
“Did my precious Spikey-wikey make it okay?” Rarity asked in the silence that followed, and Cowlick coughed loudly several times before the ivory unicorn blushed a little, calmly brushing at herself and saying awkwardly: “Well, he hates it when I call him that but I suppose some habits die hard. They are all okay, yes, the portal worked properly?”
“Well I ain't inside out, even if I swallowed my cigarette. Oh, no, wait, here it is.” Cowlick reached down and picked the soggy white cylinder off the ground, brightening as she put this back in her mouth, and Rarity and several other ponies looked at her with horror before Kvasir sighed tiredly and turned around, throwing his upper limbs out in disbelief.
“Let's go, ponies. I'm on a schedule, and desire to send you across the Bifrost as soon as possible so I can be out of this accursed, awful little den of inequity.” Kvasir said moodily over his shoulder, and Morning Glory grunted moodily in agreement and turned to follow, as Antares hurriedly shook himself out and ran after her with his friends.
Sleipnir and Pinkamena both traded shrugs with Cowlick, and the engineer rose a hoof to them, calling loudly as the demon and the enormous stallion left: “Hey, have fun, kids! Enjoy the rush, and bring me back a goddamn souvenir!”
Antares sighed tiredly as he heard the engineer's voice echoing after them, hurrying down the hall to fall in step at Kvasir's side, and he smiled awkwardly up at the homunculus god as he said finally: “I... I really appreciate you doing this for us...”
“No, I'm not doing it for you, Antares. This is in Valhalla's interests too... and... this is a personal vendetta for me.” Kvasir said quietly after a moment, lacing his hands behind his back as they strode along, and then the strange god looked thoughtfully down at Antares before he gave a slight smile, eyes flicking back up with a faintly-entertained expression. “You're difficult to lie to, but easy to be honest with, Antares Mīrus. I don't know whether that's good or bad.”
The glossy-black unicorn only laughed quietly, shaking his head slowly before he said awkwardly: “I just... try and remember that everyone's... people.”
“Everyone is people. I see you've learned very well from Brynhild and her butler.” Kvasir replied mildly, looking up, and when Antares awkwardly cleared his throat, the god rolled his eyes and sighed as he turned and headed up a flight of stairs. “Very well, your father. Happy?”
Antares smiled lamely, nodding a little, and the group fell silent as they made their way out of the facility. The young stallion was surprised: he only had to correct Kvasir's directions once, and he didn't think the god had even been in this facility more than once or twice. But he also knew that in spite of the hard time his parents and a lot of others gave him, Kvasir was administrator of Valhalla for more reasons than just because the blood of both Aesir and Vanir ran through his veins.
The god led them calmly onwards towards the main square, his hands behind his back, looking moodily back and forth at the ponies standing here in there in the late evening street. Some waved, and some cheered them on, and some simply watched, but as always their support touched Antares. It was no secret what they were doing, after all: heading to another layer of reality to track down... something.
For once, Antares wasn't upset that they had an escort who would likely do the brunt of the work: Morning Glory, Sleipnir and Pinkamena were all heavy-hitters, after all, and to be honest, Antares was a little surprised Celestia was sending all three with him. Usually she insisted that at least one of their strongest warriors stayed back in Ponyville, to help protect the village just in case of some emergency or attack... but this time...
Antares shifted a little, trying not to think too much about this: picking apart Celestia's strategies never turned out well in his mind, he always got paranoid or started worrying about 'what ifs' that no one could really do anything about, let alone predict. He had learned there was a reason that his Aunt Tia always kept herself so quiet and calm when it came to strategy... chances were, your plan would take you up to meeting with the enemy, and then everything would go wrong.
But overpreparing wasn't like Celestia, either... and he knew that just the thought of leaving Ponyville unprotected would turn his aunt's stomach. So that meant...
He didn't have time to finish that thought as they reached the square in front of the library, Kvasir looking moodily over his shoulder as he asked: “Destroyer, can you apply your magic to amplify mine, or am I going to have to do all the work here?”
“I can help!” Antares interjected lamely, and when Kvasir looked down at him mildly, the young stallion shifted awkwardly before dropping his head and mumbling: “I'll just. Stay quiet.”
Kvasir studied the young stallion moodily for a few moments, before Morning Glory said in a dry voice: “Don't worry, divine lawyer. I can do the brunt of the work, if opening the Bifrost is easier than opening a portal.”
For a few moments, Kvasir simply looked at her... and then he reached up and flicked his wrist, and Morning Glory winced and looked down in surprise as there was a sparkling around her neck that Antares recognized as an enchantment being dispelled: in this case, an invisibility enchantment, as he blinked in surprise at the sight of the necklace Morning Glory was wearing. The Destroyer flushed as she reached up to touch this, snarling angrily at Kvasir, but the god only said calmly: “The Bifrost negates all enchantments and magical effects, your badly-kept secret would have been revealed anyway. It is cute though, a Destroyer wearing jewelry.”
“Would you like me to cut your tongue out now or later?” Morning Glory asked distastefully, as she reached up and self-consciously touched the silver, apple-shaped plate hanging from the front of the colorful gemstone necklace, but Kvasir only gave her a wry smile before he turned away, and the demon glared at Antares when he began to open his mouth. “Don't speak.”
Antares nodded lamely as his friends approached, and then Kvasir rose a hand, beginning to concentrate as he said distastefully over his shoulder: “You have roughly half a minute to get yourselves in order before I begin to open the portal.”
The young stallion nodded awkwardly, but then shook himself briskly out before saying calmly over his shoulder: “Okay everyone, you know what that means, get into position like we went over!”
“'Tis nice to never have to be a leader.” Sleipnir remarked cheerfully, as he and Pinkamena strode up to fall in on either side of Antares, while Avalon grinned and buzzed forwards to land on the stallion's back and drop herself to a ready position. “Nay, do not look at me so, my nephew, honestly 'tis! And I trust in thee, Antares Mīrus, for thou hast been taught by my sisters in the art of command and combat, and thou art growing well into thy abilities, and the role of leader.”
“You're just lazy.” Pinkamena said mildly, and Sleipnir nodded agreeably after a moment before the demonic mare gave Antares a moody look, rolling her shoulders slowly against the banded black armor she was wearing, making her enormous, crescent-bladed war axe shift slightly on her back. “You better not forget about us to go off on some stupid adventure, kid. Besides, me and Princess Sunshine on that layer, we really hit it off swell. Think you're gonna love it.”
Antares smiled awkwardly at this, then he glanced over his shoulder: Meadowlark gave him a supportive smile of her own in return from just behind him, flanked on either side by Tender Trust and Aphrodisia. The former looked a little nervous, but the latter was bouncing excitedly on her hooves, exclaiming the moment she caught Antares' eye: “I'm so super really looking forwards to this! Getting to go to a whole new world with Mommy and Daddy and put my powers to use and oh, oh, oh it's gonna be so fun-fun-fun!”
“Calm down, kid, you haven't even seen the place yet. Wait until we get there at least.” Pinkamena remarked, and Aphrodisia nodded a few times with a blush before stilling. Pinkamena smiled a little at this, then turned her eyes back ahead, shouting at Kvasir: “Let's get a move on, asshole!”
“Shut up, demon.” Kvasir muttered, standing with one hand extended and his eyes closed, and he took a slow breath before dropping his head forwards and ordering in a clearer voice: “Boost the spell, do it now!”
“As obnoxious as I expected.” Morning Glory muttered, but her horn began to glow as her eyes narrowed, concentrating and pouring her strength forwards, a bit of dust kicking up from the ground near the center of the square as a thrumming noise filled the air. The sound built higher and higher as rumbles spilled through the sky, and Antares leaned forwards, adding his own energies to the spell as he clearly felt the magic in the air growing around him.
Kvasir's features showed only the faintest amount of strain, his eyes narrowing slightly, his features tensing faintly even as the air around him vibrated, before a loud whooshing filled their ears. And he was the only one to not flinch as a tornado of golden flames exploded from the earth in front of him, twisting back and forth like a savage, living snake before it arched forwards and slammed into thin air, shattering reality like glass as it burned a hole through one reality and into another.
The tornado of golden flame swirled, then twisted in on itself, becoming an arching, gorgeous rainbow of light that burned with radiant white fire. And Kvasir quickly stepped to the side, still holding one hand up even as the ponies could only stare with awe for a few moments, before the god snapped: “Now go!”
Morning Glory charged forwards, grinning widely already even as liquid metal bled out of her skin and solidified quickly into her fierce facemask, and Antares stumbled into a run, the other ponies quick to follow him as he let the Destroyer take point. Even with her behemoth body, the moment her hooves touched the Bifrost, energy sparked around them and she ran up the steep arch with ease, and for the other ponies it was the same: it was like just touching the Bifrost brought you out of this reality and into the space between worlds, even before entering into the gaping maw of the tunnel through space and time above.
They ran upwards, and Antares couldn't help but laugh as Avalon clung to his back but flapped her wings hard, adding momentum and grinning just as widely. Even Meadowlark looked exhilarated by the experience, as the group charged onwards with Morning Glory roaring her pride far ahead of them, the first to rip out the other side of the tunnel after moments that felt both too short and too long.
She charged down the other end of the Bifrost and leapt off the rainbow ramp to land on a dusty path, skidding forwards and surveying her surroundings with surprise: a bright, happy day, and she was on the path to a pleasant-looking little village in the distance that didn't even have the protection of walls, like they were unafraid of monsters or raiders or anything else. Then her attention was drawn over her shoulder as the other seven ponies tore through the portal, running down the ramp and Meadowlark, last in line, just safely making it to the ground before the rainbow bridge trembled, then shattered into pieces, becoming embers of light that glimmered quickly out of existence.
Pinkamena grunted as she looked back and forth thoughtfully, and Sleipnir shoved his front hooves into the ground before he took a long inhale, closing his eyes and throwing his head back as his mane of vines writhed slowly. Then he suddenly laughed brightly and stomped one hoof firmly, saying in a delighted voice: “She recognizes me! Sweet Midgard, Mother Nature, the soul of our noble earth, oh, she sings to me like a maiden asking for my blessing!”
“Don't start humping the ground, Sleipnir.” Pinkamena said mildly, and Sleipnir huffed and touched the silver breastplate armoring his body, looking offended. “Anyway, last time we were here, Nightmare Moon and Scrivener laid a pretty good smackdown on Ponyville and the Princesses. Then some Clockwork freaks showed up and we had to save their precious little flanks. So they should probably...”
Pinkamena frowned and looked slowly up at a rooster tail of dust in the distance, and a moment later a pink blur skidded to a halt in front of them, and Antares and his friends couldn't help but stare in shock: the earth pony looked precisely like Pinkie Pie... and even clearly acted like her, as she bounced gleefully on the spot and leaned excitedly forwards as Pinkamena only stared in disbelief. “You're here, you're here, you're here! Oh wow, my Pinkie Sense was going crazy and I knew something was happening and then we all saw that sparkly light in the sky and I knew, I knew, I knew it had to be you! It's been years, oh, I'm so really super happy to see you!”
Pinkamena only mouthed wordlessly for a few moments, and then the Pinkie Pie of this layer giggled brightly before spinning around and calling over her shoulder as she charged back towards Ponyville: “I'm gonna throw you all a super welcome back party, just you wait and see! Everypony's going to be super-duper excited!”
The dull-pink demon could only stare wordlessly, and then the behemoth, metallic Destroyer remarked moodily: “Truly helpful. The young one didn't even notice me. I'm not used to that lack of reaction, even from something like... that.”
“Let's just get to Ponyville and see what the hell is going on.” Pinkamena said moodily, rolling her eyes slowly and grumbling: “It has to be more than twenty years since I was here last... why does it look like nothing's changed?”
“Perhaps nothing simply has.” Sleipnir said kindly, and when Pinkamena gave him a moody look before starting to walk, the enormous stallion chuckled and followed quickly: Morning Glory strode with them, and Antares decided to simply go with the flow, leading his friends forwards as Avalon buzzed excitedly off his back and looked back and forth with awe, while Aphrodisia was almost bursting with energy and excitement and Tender Trust and Meadowlark stared raptly around. “Oh come now, phoenix! Does thou so proclaim to understand the workings of the mysterious universe as they are? Or does thou not simply want to enjoy this wonder, and leave working out the physics of the majestic tapestry of our intertwined worlds to great minds like Celestia and Kvasir?”
Pinkamena grumbled moodily, and Sleipnir winked at her as he added kindly: “Besides, dear and darling phoenix, thou art sharp as a dragon's fang as it is. Given the pieces of any puzzle, I know thou shall always complete it with ease and great speed. But sometimes 'tis all well and fine to simply enjoy mystery as well, is it not?”
Pinkamena only muttered to herself, and then Antares asked awkwardly: “So uh... wait. What if they've... I mean, twenty years is a long time...”
“Apparently not here. Ponyville looks the goddamn same. Pinkie Two looked the goddamn same” Pinkamena muttered, and then she shook her head and sighed, saying dryly: “Well, whatever, it'll save time if...”
She broke off with a frown, then slowly looked off into the distance, narrowing her eyes as the faint sound of music pricked at their ears as they continued to approach, the mare muttering: “No. No, that can't be possible.”
But as it turned out, it was indeed possible: by the time they reached Ponyville, the streets were filled with curious ponies, and Pinkie Two was happily swaying from side-to-side as she played a whole multitude of instruments strapped over her body at once. And Antares stared around in awe with his friends as Sleipnir grinned brightly, stomping a hoof before shouting cheerfully: “Oh most glorious of sights! Ponyville, thy warmest of welcomes shan't never be forgotten!”
“Yeah, great.” Pinkamena muttered, then she grunted and glanced over her shoulder at Antares, saying mildly: “Hey kid. Look ahead.”
Antares blinked, drawing his eyes away from the ponies he had been staring at to look down the road... and he gaped in shock at the sight of Twilight Sparkle hurrying towards them, smiling brightly. Except it wasn't the Twilight Sparkle that was his mother: she was alive, and younger-looking and... no wings? She's a unicorn, just like in that other layer.
But even more amazing, Antares realized he could see Fluttershy, and Applejack, and Rarity and... Rainbow Dash. Except this Dash was sleeker and lighter and clearly a mare, and Avalon gave a strangled yell and flopped out of the air to land with a thud on her head as Meadowlark winced and automatically shrank back.
But Antares didn't have time to check on his friends, as Twilight Sparkle skidded to a halt and bowed head several times, saying warmly: “Wow, you're... Pinkamena, you're back! And... these aren't the same ponies you were with before, are Brynhild and Scrivener... I... I've been doing all kinds of research into interdimensional travel theory these last seventeen years, and...”
“Seventeen years? It's been at least twenty three for us.” Pinkamena said moodily, jerking her head towards Antares, who was still only staring blankly before the dull-gray mare leaned forwards and scowled moodily. “You sure it's been seventeen years? Everything looks the same.”
“Everything is and... isn't, all at once.” Twilight smiled faintly, bowing her head forwards as a young purple dragon nervously leaned out from behind her: he was smaller than the Spike back home, clearly just starting on his teen years before Twilight gazed up warmly. “Maybe that's another difference we can talk about if... if you're up to it but... I... oh, let's all go to the library, I... no, wait, I know, first I should introduce you to my friends or... I mean, are all of you, are you familiar with Ponyville? I mean-”
“Shut up, Sparkles. Roll-call!” Pinkamena shouted over her shoulder, and then she began to point out ponies one-by-one, as Twilight and the ponies of this layer stared with awe, amazement, respect... and perhaps the slightest bit of concern. “Morning Glory's the giant metal demon. This is my husband, Sleipnir. Avalon's the midget, the Phooka thing is Tender Trust, Meadowlark's back there somewhere, that's my daughter Aphrodisia, and this is Luna and Scrivener's kid. And kind of the Twilight in our layer's too, I dunno, make him explain it.”
Pinkamena reached back and seized Antares by the back of his armor, forcefully dragging him forwards and tossing him in front of Twilight, and he barely managed to keep to his hooves before smiling lamely and looking awkwardly down at her. She gazed back up with amazement, blushing slightly as she looked up at the young stallion, and he flapped his wings once before furling them, bowing his head politely. “I uh... I'm Antares Mīrus. It's nice to meet you all, and... we're here to help.”
“Yeah, so don't attack us this time, or at least make it more of a challenge.” Pinkamena said moodily, and when Antares looked flatly over his shoulder at her, she grunted and shrugged. “Screw you, kid. You weren't here last time. Luna and Scrivener got all the fun, even if I got to beat up their whole army afterwards with a hoof tied behind my back.”
Antares shook his head slowly, and then he turned a lame smile back to Twilight, who stared over him with awe before she smiled warmly and suggested: “Come on, let's head back to the library. This... this is really wonderful, the Princesses are going to be so excited. Especially Princess Luna... come on, everypony! This is wonderful!”
“This is great!” Pinkie agreed brightly around her harmonica, bouncing happily before beginning to march at the rear of the group, half-ushering them forwards as Twilight led them proudly onwards with Spike as her other friends fell in around them.
Avalon was flying again, staring at Rainbow Dash, and Dash stared back for a few moments before the blue mare suddenly grinned, leaning in and beginning: “Hey, you look like you could-”
“I could beat you any day of the week!” Avalon snapped immediately, zipping upwards and glaring challengingly, and Dash stared in dumb surprise before shaking her head quickly and glaring back, shooting up towards the tiny Pegasus, who pointed at her and snapped: “So could my Dad! My Dad is the best flier in all of Equestria, he ain't scared of nothing and he sure as hell ain't you!”
“I... what?” Now Dash simply looked nonplussed, blinking slowly before Avalon huffed and shot down, landing on Antares' back as the stallion groaned and dropped his head forwards, before Dash slowly let herself float down beside Applejack to whisper awkwardly: “Little touchy, huh?”
Thankfully, there weren't any further outbursts on the way to the library, where the two groups all crowded inside: fourteen ponies and one dragon, who hurriedly ran to the kitchen to start preparing tea and possible snacks as Twilight hurriedly set out cushions for everyone. And in those few short minutes while everyone settled in, the entire library was decorated by Pinkie Pie with balloons, streamers, and long paper chains of ponies that looked suspiciously like the eight visitors from another layer.
Twilight gazed across at them with wonderment, her six friends all seated and facing towards them with excitement and warmth, while Antares found himself awkwardly prompted by Pinkamena's glare and Sleipnir's benevolent nod into breaking the ice. He looked lamely back and forth, then cleared his throat before saying finally: “It's... amazing to be here. I've... I've been to other layers before, but... still, seeing you all like this, it's... wow. It's amazing. And it's nice that I can see you're all so... well... happy to see us. I mean, I didn't expect that.”
He laughed awkwardly, and Twilight smiled warmly and shook her head, saying quietly in return: “It's amazing for me, too... it... I'm sorry, I have to ask. Are you really... Luna and Scrivener's son? They did mention you, but said you were a baby, and... you must be older than seventeen...”
“I'm almost twenty-four. Like Pinkamena said, my parents were placing anchors... more than two decades ago, that's when they were going from layer-to-layer.” Antares replied with a small smile, shaking his head slowly as he gazed across at Twilight. “I guess... there's a bit of a time discrepancy or something.”
“Maybe that's it. And it sounds like things must move a lot faster on your layer...” Twilight bit her lip, looking over the group slowly before she said thoughtfully: “Maybe time here moves just a little slower, or there was a flux... but oh, we probably know so much less than you do! I've never... no offense, but I've never seen... anything like some of you...”
Her eyes roved from Morning Glory to Sleipnir to Tender Trust, and the metal behemoth shook her head slowly before the metal plates over her features gave a short series of clicks, then retracted quickly and melded into her armored body, unveiling the Destroyer's calm features as she asked dryly: “Is this better, little girl?”
Twilight blushed but smiled as the others stared in amazement, like Morning Glory had just performed an incredible feat of magic instead of what for her was a simple flex of her powers, and Antares gave the demon a pointed look before he turned his eyes back towards Twilight, asking hesitantly: “How old are you?”
“Oh, only forty. I'm pretty young still.” Twilight admitted with a blush, and Antares stared before the mare rubbed a hoof against the ground, saying embarrassedly: “I like to think that... the experiences I've had, with both my friends and with when your parents visited us... they really helped me grow up faster.”
“Huh. That's creepy.” Pinkamena remarked as she sniffed the air slowly. “You smell a lot younger to me. Yeah, now I get it... you must live longer and age slower than we do. I wonder what that says about the core world, if they're all immortal. That'd be hell.”
There was an awkward silence for a moment, even as Twilight's eyes lit up at this revelation, waiting only a moment before she was unable to resist scurrying hurriedly across the room towards a desk and an open notebook, and Pinkamena rolled her eyes before Pinkie Pie asked in a wondering voice: “So... so is that really your hubby, and that's your daughter?”
Pinkamena grunted as Sleipnir smiled benevolently, bowing his head and saying warmly: “And I am honored to be so, and 'tis truly such a delight and breath of familiarity to see thee, Pinkie Pie... thou looks and sounds just as thou does back home! It truly warms my heart so to see!”
“You talk all funny. Hey, didn't Brynhild or whatever her name was talk all funny too?” asked Rainbow Dash curiously, and then she frowned a little when Avalon scowled at her. “Seriously, kid, what is your problem?”
“Oh, it's cause in our world, you're her Daddy!” Aphrodisia proclaimed as she happily hopped onto Sleipnir's shoulders, and the earth pony smiled warmly up at his daughter as the ponies stared in shock up at the mare as she giggled and nodded rapidly, and Avalon glared at her furiously as she shot up into the air. “Well, it's true! And Applejack is her Mommy!”
Applejack and Rainbow Dash stared at each other, and then both hurriedly looked away before the Pegasus mare touched her own chest, spluttering: “I... I thought when they told me that they... they were joking! No way, I mean, that's crazy, that's-”
In a flash, Avalon was across the room, her face almost mashed into Rainbow Dash's as she glared into her eyes. “Hey, my Dad is the best Dad ever, so shut up. 'Cause you seriously are not.”
“Hey, I would be an awesome dad! If... I was a dad.” Rainbow Dash defended lamely, and then she huffed and leapt into the air as well, the two Pegasi glaring at each other as they hovered at eye-level with each other. “You better watch yourself, squirt, 'cause I'm the best flier around these parts!”
“Not anymore.” Avalon huffed, and the two glowered at each other for a few moments again before the tiny mare grumbled and finally withdrew as Antares cleared his throat loudly, returning to hover above her pillow with a scowl.
The stallion sighed tiredly, wishing that Avalon would find some way to deal with her issues apart from simply attacking anything that didn't meet her sometimes-narrow view of how the world worked, before Twilight hurried back to the circle and smiled as Spike entered the room with a tray of teacups, the dragon saying awkwardly: “Uh... Twi, here, for you guys first and uh... I put on coffee and I got more tea coming if anyone else wants tea...”
“Yes, please, tea for myself and Tender Trust.” Meadowlark held up a hoof with a smile, and Antares hesitantly nodded after a moment as well, the dragon smiling lamely over at them as he finished passing the cups out. Then he turned and hurried away, as Avalon only looked moody and Aphrodisia continued to giggle happily, clinging to her father like a foal as he only smiled benevolently and held her gladly aloft on his shoulders.
“Can I ask... what you are, Tender Trust? Thanks to my research, I've learned to recognize demons, but... even though you look like a Nightmare, you feel... it's really hard to put into words. You feel almost like a pony, but...” Twilight shifted, and Tender Trust nodded politely.
“My okâwîmâw is a pony, a Pegasus, in fact...” Tender Trust's eyes slowly roved to Fluttershy, studying her silently, and the yellow mare's eyes widened slightly. Pinkie Pie was the next to catch on, brightening immensely as Twilight and Rarity blinked, then looked stunned, before Tender Trust continued softly: “But my ohtâwîmâw is a Phooka, those who roam as one with nature.”
There was silence for a moment, and then Fluttershy blushed before she asked in a shy voice: “Am... I a... good mother?”
Applejack and Rainbow Dash both looked surprised, staring over at her as things seemed to click for them a little late... not that either could be wholly blamed, with their focus still on Avalon. Tender Trust didn't seem to mind the gazes of the other ponies, however, bowing her head politely as her green eyes glowed quietly: “The very best. Would you like to see? I am not strong enough to hypnotize, but... I can show you images, if you look at me directly.”
Fluttershy blushed, shifting awkwardly back and forth for a few moments before she nervously nodded, looking uneasily out from behind her curtain of mane, and Tender Trust's eyes glowed bright emerald as they met the mare's. For a few moments there was silence... and then Fluttershy twitched before dropping her head and blushing, hiding back behind her mane as she whispered: “Oh... I... I didn't even realize...”
Dash tilted her head worriedly, but then Fluttershy looked up with a faint, trembling smile, nodding a few times to Tender Trust, who gazed affectionately across at the mare before she said quietly: “I hope we may spend some time together. I feel... we could learn from each other.”
“Hey, I can do that too!” Aphrodisia said brightly, and then she looked at Rainbow Dash as the sky-blue mare looked up dumbly before the demon's eyes flashed brightly, and the Pegasus twitched once before flopping over on her back, staring sightlessly and beginning to drool a little as one of her hindlegs kicked slowly at the air, giving a lethargic, slow giggle.
“Daughter dearest, now look what thou hast done!” Sleipnir scolded gently, and Apps blushed as she clung to his shoulders and half-hid behind him like a shy filly, before the stallion smiled kindly across at the five staring mares of this layer. “Fear not, she is unharmed. I expect my daughter, having her father's need to show off, gave thy friend a few too many delightful visions for her mind to endure. She will be fine in a few moment's time.”
“We uh... we should probably try and get things a little more organized now, anyway.” Twilight said after a moment, clearing her throat awkwardly before looking over at Antares and asking curiously: “Would you mind at all if I sent a letter to Princess Celestia announcing your arrival?”
“She's a princess here too, huh...” Antares hesitated, and then he looked up and smiled a little, nodding after a moment. “By all means. And please let her know that... we do have business in your layer. We found a disturbance...”
“Clockwork World?” asked Twilight hesitantly, and when Antares frowned and tilted his head, studying her, she blushed a bit and shifted uneasily. “It's... not really my place to say...”
“You saw... something. You're not just grateful because you feel... guilty about what happened when my parents were first here... you're happy because you were scared of what was going on.” Antares said slowly, focusing in on Twilight, and the violet unicorn's eyes widened as she mouthed wordlessly, staring at him with disbelief before the stallion smiled awkwardly as he realized he might have let himself get a little carried away. “Sorry uh... it's... it's kind of my thing.”
Twilight simply nodded lamely after a moment, blushing deeply, and then she finally said awkwardly: “I... I'm going to write that letter to Princess Celestia, then. And... let her know that you're here to help and... I... I think she and Princess Luna will be very happy that you're here.”
Antares only smiled lamely, but thankfully he was saved from having to work too hard to make small talk by Sleipnir and Aphrodisia, who both happily rambled away to the ponies and kept their fascination and their interest. Meadowlark listened intently as Avalon simply hovered moodily and studied the version of her parents that lived in this layer, and Morning Glory sat back and looked ominous until she was surprised by Rarity carefully remarking: “That's... that's a very beautiful necklace you're wearing, dear. It must be very old.”
“Yes.” Morning Glory said simply, and when she realized the ponies were all looking at her, the Destroyer gave a tired sigh before adding almost grudgingly: “It was a gift to me, a thousand years ago, from... someone I... didn't... mind.”
Rarity smiled, nodding encouragingly as she looked excited – and perhaps also simply happy the giant metal demon didn't squish her for talking to her – and asked bravely: “But the crest is... older, isn't it? You attached it?”
“Yes. It's a family crest. My grandfather was a powerful demon lord.” Morning Glory said moodily, but there was a hint of pride in her voice now too, and she shifted perhaps the tiniest bit to show off the necklace a little more, making Antares smile slightly. “His teachings helped me retain my mind, even though I am a Destroyer.”
“That's... Wrath?” Twilight half-questioned hesitantly, and when Morning Glory looked at her with interest, Twilight blushed and lowered her head embarrassedly. “Princess Celestia gave me access to the restricted archives, and... I was able to research a lot of old legends and stories. Even a demon like a Grudge showing up in Equestria is incredibly rare, though...”
“Used to be in our Equestria, too. Guess I was the first one to meet one in a thousand years or something, right? Or at least one that wasn't summoned up out of Helheim by some idiot trying to take the quick route to happiness.” Pinkamena muttered moodily, and then she licked her teeth slowly, adding wryly: “Like that idiot half-demon back home and his big sissy sax-blower.”
Sleipnir only chuckled at this, however, saying kindly: “Now be nice, my sweet. We cannot all be Devourers like thee, or Destroyers like the gorgeous mare there, or such beautiful Dominia demons like my daughter.” With that, Sleipnir flipped Aphrodisia over his shoulders and caught her in his forelegs as she giggled like a child before hugging him fiercely and clinging to him with a bright smile, as the ponies of this layer simply stared awkwardly while Antares shook his head in amusement and Avalon huffed loudly.
Thankfully, they were spared too much awkward tension as Spike finally came back with another tray, saying lamely: “Sorry I took so long, I left the tea to steep and started making snacks and uh... forgot about the time... here, here we go, coffee and tea and... I'll get the rest of the stuff!”
“Spike, it's okay!” Twilight called awkwardly, but the dragon was already hurrying off, and Twilight smiled a little as she looked back towards the strange eight that had come from another world. “Sorry. He really wants to make a good impression, that's all.”
Antares only nodded, picking up the cup of tea in front of him with a grateful smile... then wincing and almost dropping it as the door was booted loudly in, a sapphire mare stumbling into the room and looking hurriedly back and forth before she brightened. “Pinkamena, I recognize you! But... where... what about the others? I was hoping...”
Antares stared over his shoulder at Princess Luna, as the winged unicorn blushed and then cleared her throat, straightening awkwardly and smiling almost embarrassedly before she cleared her throat and greeted politely: “Excuse my interruption. I am Little Luna, Princess of the Night. Seventeen years ago, I was fortunate enough to enjoy the presence and tutelage of Luna Brynhild and her husband, Scrivener Blooms.”
“Did you really sleep with them? I don't think you really did, and I want my goddamn money from that bet I made. We demons don't forget things like that.” Pinkamena said moodily, looking towards the sapphire mare, who only stared for a moment before blushing slightly and clearing her throat loudly as she drew her gaze over the gathered ponies.
Then her eyes settled on Antares, and the stallion met her irises with his own, the two looking at one-another for a few long moments before the sapphire mare smiled slightly and said quietly: “And you... you must be Antares Mīrus.”
“Yes, I am... Little Luna, I've... Mom's told me stories about you, actually. I think this layer really left an impression on Mom and Dad.” Antares said softly, gazing over at the sapphire mare warmly, and then he stood up and turned around, bowing his head towards her and laughing a little. “And Mom left... that big an impression on you too, huh?”
“She did.” Little Luna smiled warmly, nodding politely back and studying the young stallion with fascination before she blushed a little, leaning forwards as she murmured with something like awe: “It's like... I cannot explain what it is like... it's just incredible to see you. Brynhild's son...”
She laughed after a moment, shaking her head slowly, and Antares blushed a little and bowed his head before Little Luna cleared her throat and glanced up, gazing back and forth before saying politely: “Within the hour, my sister shall arrive, but... I volunteered to hurry ahead and inform you that... we are delighted to see you here, and eagerly look forwards to working beside you. It will be our honor and our pleasure, and we shall hide nothing from you. You will be treated with all the honor and circumstance you deserve.”
“How is one treated with circumstance? I hope most delightfully.” Sleipnir remarked cheerfully, and then he smiled warmly over at Luna as he carefully set his daughter down before turning around, as Little Luna looked up and blushed slightly at the sight of the enormous male, who leaned forwards with a grin. “By Asgard, this is my little sister in this layer? But nay, I have heard stories that I do not exist here... well, all the more delight for me! Look at thee, beauteous creature of the night! Oh, this shall be a marvel indeed!”
“You are... Sleipnir?” Little Luna asked hesitantly, and when Sleipnir looked utterly thrilled and nodded, she smiled wider and blushed, shifting a bit and saying warmly: “With Twilight Sparkle's aid, I have been researching industriously into other layers, and I often reread the chronicling I wrote beside my sister of when Brynhild and Scrivener visited... with you, Pinkamena, and... Scarlet Sage, was that not her name? Oh, it has been so long since we saw them, but now you're all here, and... and it already answers so many questions I've had...”
She laughed and shook her head, and then Morning Glory said distastefully: “And I thought Brynhild was a disappointment. But look at you... even smaller and softer than she is, and the years have left little mark on you, inside or out. You're nothing but a cute little bluebird.”
Little Luna scowled a bit at this, but quickly swallowed her temper as Twilight winced and Applejack and Rainbow Dash both glared at the Destroyer. Surprisingly, it was Pinkamena who said mildly: “Hey, maybe you should wait a little while to start practicing your bitch routine, huh? Sure, maybe these ponies are pretty soft and weak, but they don't have any demons like us around to teach them different, do they? The worst we saw while here was the bug queen.”
“And we have not allowed Chrysalis to threaten us again since!” Little Luna declared proudly, nodding firmly once even as she blushed a little, and then she looked almost challengingly up at Morning Glory as she added: “And... and I am not afraid of even your kind, demon. No matter how large and strong you are.”
Morning Glory slowly turned and leaned moodily down as Antares winced, then the stallion tried to step forwards... and without looking, the enormous metallic mare stepped on the unicorn, making him yelp as he was squished down against the ground before the Destroyer said moodily: “You should be. I don't get the sense you're stupid enough to think that you could win against me, bluebird.”
The Princess of the Night winced, then shifted uneasily before admitting quietly: “Maybe... maybe I am afraid...” She halted, then looked slowly up, and Antares looked at her with surprise from the ground as she said firmly: “But at the same time, I would not hesitate to do what must be done. No matter what... what pain might come. I will not defeat myself.”
Morning Glory looked considering at this, and then she finally stepped off Antares and tilted her head with interest, turning her eyes to the ponies behind her. She studied the way Twilight Sparkle drew resolve from Little Luna, and the unicorn mare's friends stood ready to support her, before the Destroyer murmured thoughtfully, with perhaps the smallest bit of approbation: “Well now. Perhaps there are more spines here than I thought at first. Good.”
The Destroyer nodded after a moment, and Pinkamena grunted, shrugging moodily. “Wouldn't go that far, but I don't think they're entirely stupid, anyway. Maybe pretty close, but not all the way there. So are we going to Canterlot or staying here?”
Twilight and Little Luna both looked at each other with surprise across the circle of ponies, and then the Princess of the Night shrugged before saying awkwardly: “Well, I... I very dearly wish to speak to you and your friend, Pinkamena, and I am sure Twilight-”
“I wasn't talking to you or Twilight, I was talking to Mir.” Pinkamena said irritably, and Antares sighed tiredly as Little Luna scowled a bit and Twilight winced and shifted lamely. “So, Mir, what'll it be? Do we hold down the fort here or do we go to Canterlot and set up a base there?”
Antares sighed and shook his head slowly, even if he felt both surprised and a little bit honored that Pinkamena had just deferred to him. But both Sleipnir and Morning Glory seemed to agree, looking at him with interest as the stallion looked down thoughtfully for a moment.
Then he glanced up and asked quietly: “I don't want to impose, but... if you could tell me about the strange disturbances you've been seeing, and where they've been located, I could make the decision a lot more effectively. And hopefully without stepping on any hooves, of course.”
Little Luna smiled after a moment, and Antares saw... not a tensing, but a loosening go through her body that all the same held the faintest hint of not just relaxation, but... was that shame? “So you are indeed here to help us again... to... clean up this problem for us, after we never even thanked you properly for when you first came to this world. I understand it was your battle but... now that we've experienced firsthoof the strength of these creatures...”
Antares frowned at this, but the sensation he got from her was strange, as he murmured: “It's... no, they haven't... caused damage, they've done... something else, something...”
Little Luna turned and calmly gestured to them to follow, and Antares hesitated only a moment before climbing to his hooves and striding out the door after her. His friends all followed the Princess of the Night into the square in front of the library, before Little Luna calmly looked upwards as her horn began to glow, saying quietly: “We keep it hidden, my friends, with the help of an unlikely ally, in order to try and avoid a panic... but I can draw back the curtain, if only for a moment.”
Antares looked slowly up, but as he stared into the sky, he already knew what he was going to see even as Little Luna grimaced and tilted her head slowly to the side... and a moment later, above the horizon and far past Canterlot, there was a glimmering in the air before a glowing, iridescent shape appeared. It floated ominously, and Antares realized after a moment that the bright shimmer it emitted was coming from some kind of forcefield... but a moment later, it vanished from sight as Little Luna winced and twitched to the side, the aura stuttering out from around her horn.
The glossy black stallion shivered a little, thinking of what he had seen, looking slowly towards Little Luna before he asked quietly: “But no one's been hurt? Are you sure?”
“Nothing that has been... confirmed. There have been disappearances, though, and... Celestia and I combined our powers with that of our former enemy, Chrysalis, in order to cloak that awful sight from view.” Luna said quietly, and Antares frowned with surprise, feeling a shiver run through himself at that name... but then again, he was willing to bet this world's Chrysalis was nothing like the Griselda that his world's had become.
“Trusting a bug, Is that really a wise idea? Whether or not you've got what looks like a nightmare on the horizon.” Pinkamena asked moodily, looking off towards the distance, and then she asked abruptly, just before Little Luna could answer: “Where'd it come from?”
“We do not know.” Little Luna paused, and when the other ponies only looked at her – including now the Twilight Sparkle of this layer, with her friends apprehensively crowding the doorway behind her – the Princess of the Night smiled faintly for a moment before continuing: “And Chrysalis is an opportunist. Our emotions are delectable to her, especially love... and she still lingers under the illusion that one day, her Changelings will break her free from imprisonment beneath Canterlot. But feeling above her, a city full of fear... and not fear of her, and fear of being drained or converted, but a fear of death and impending doom and awful things as that... island floating in the distance, unapproachable even by the Wonderbolts... well. It was help us prepare defenses against it, or go insane from that constant hammer in her mind.
“The citizenry know that all we can do is hide it from their eyes and hopefully blind whatever lurks above Canterlot, but... at least this way, we give our people a sense of normalcy. A sense, however false and flimsy, that things are under control... even though we all know very well they... they are not.”
Little Luna fell silent, and then Antares looked quietly over at his friends, smiling faintly before he said softly: “I guess it looks like we're staying in Canterlot, then. And like we already know where to go... but... does that mean you have other defenses, too? Apart from just hiding it from view?”
The sapphire mare looked quietly at Antares, studying him for a moment before her eyes drew slowly through the group of ponies, and then she smiled a little and said softly: “I think perhaps... I had best save that for later discussion. In a quieter place, after we have gotten to know each other better. After I have had time to take in that you are all here, and a moment to speak with my sister, to ensure that... this time, we do everything in our power to help you.”
“And we're going to help too.” Twilight said quietly but firmly, stepping forwards and nodding once, and when Antares glanced over his shoulder in surprise, the violet mare smiled faintly and said softly: “Please. The last time... Luna Brynhild was here with her friends... well, we should have done more. I should have done more. All I feel like I did was cause trouble, and I want to make up for that.”
“I...” Antares looked awkwardly back and forth, but he realized all eyes were on him again, and the stallion couldn't help but wince. The only guidance he got was a pleading look from Sleipnir and a moody shrug from Pinkamena, so finally, the glossy-black stallion sighed quietly and slumped a little before giving a small smile. “The more the merrier, right?”
Little Luna smiled back at this as Twilight Sparkle lit up and her friends all brightened, and as Avalon groaned but the rest of friends gave various degrees of approval, the stallion only hoped his agreement in the present wouldn't be the source of future arguments and regrets.