//------------------------------//
// Aversive Stimulus 
// Story: Synthesis of the Atheist 
// by BlackRoseRaven 
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Chapter Thirty Four: Aversive Stimulus
~BlackRoseRaven

A short time after Princess Celestia set the sun, Luna Brynhild and Scrivener Blooms were joined by Twilight Sparkle and Celestia Freya on one of the large balconies that overlooked the Crystal Kingdom below. It was really like one enormous city more than a true kingdom, but all the same, Luna wasn't about to knock it: it was pretty, beautifully maintained, and well-protected from most forms of evil and incursion. The problem, of course, was that they weren't dealing with the standard form of monster from the darkness here.
The two ponies looked up with smiles: Celestia was still wearing her armor, but Twilight had changed into a turtleneck sweater, and looked a little more comfortable with things. She smiled over at them as Celestia looked up at the sky, then said softly: “Princess Celestia offered to let me set the sun, or raise the moon... I declined, for now. It feels so strange to be back in a world where that isn't regulated by others... or perhaps just... some wild form of nature we don't understand.”
“Oh shush, that is impossible. There is no universe in which the sun and moon can move by themselves, without the assistance of us or the Strange Ones' marvelous machinery.” Luna scoffed, and when Celestia gave her an amused look, the sapphire mare added flatly: “Well, clearly I mean within these ninety nine worlds, Celestia! Asgard and whatever other worlds are out there do not count. Aye, let them have their madness of a world where the sun and moon move on their own accord... let them be sorry when one day the sun decides to have a temper tantrum and blows itself up, just as I am sure thou shall thyself one day, Celestia.”
“Assuming, of course, the moon doesn't grow too lazy to rise each morning first, you mean.” Celestia replied with a slight smile, and Luna huffed but grinned slightly all the same as Twilight chuckled and Scrivener looked up from where he was leaning over the rails with amusement, before all three ponies cocked their heads with interest as Celestia added softly: “And I think there are more than ninety-nine other versions of Midgard.”
Luna looked curious, turning around as Celestia gazed up into the sky, saying softly: “It's not that I'm second-guessing Odin's strength, meaning to underestimate his control or overestimate his powers... it's that all he aimed to do was create a vast array of worlds like a maze, that would form countless layers and reflections that Valthrudnir would have to wade through and analyze, as the core world can only be reached from a world on the innermost layer, and to even understand your position in the worlds.. you have to look at all their similarities, what you've experienced so far, how many events line up with those in other worlds. Centuries of data...
“That, of course, is why Valthrudnir was simply purging every world he found. He took the simple path: if he couldn't figure out what world was what, he'd just destroy them all until he eventually found his way into the core world and destroyed that, too.” Celestia continued, then she smiled slightly. “How many worlds do you think he must have destroyed, over how many years, even with all the time he clearly took to torture us here and there, to... build his own machinations, or simply indulge his need for attention and superiority?”
Valthrudnir was grumbling moodily away now in Scrivener's mind, but the charcoal stallion could sense the Jötnar was listening all the same with a strange intentness: on the one hoof, it made the stallion want to tell Celestia to stop, but on the other, he was taking great enjoyment from the frustrations of the Jötnar, who was stuck in his head anyway. “There's also the time period question... each layer we've visited seems to be set around the same sequence of events, while it seems that the layers Valthrudnir visited are often set in the same timeframe as well. After Twilight Sparkle left for Ponyville.”
The ivory winged unicorn looked softly over at the violet mare, who blushed a little, before Luna asked curiously: “Well, what does this have to do with anything?”
“We know Odin was successful in starting a chain reaction that replicated the layers... but I don't think that chain reaction has ever stopped. I think more layers are being created for one reason or another, springing into existence at some... set time in history, and then developing outwards from there.” Celestia replied with a slight smile. “Or maybe there was a failsafe, and even layers that are destroyed will... restart, or regenerate over time, I don't know. But what I'm saying is that there may be infinite worlds out there, waiting to be explored, and that from the very beginning... Valthrudnir's plan to destroy all of reality was an impossible one.”
Valthrudnir snarled in Scrivener's mind, and the stallion said wryly: “Wow. He really, really does not like you saying that, Celestia.”
Luna Brynhild grinned widely at this, and Twilight Sparkle smiled despite herself, before Celestia shrugged calmly and replied softly: “I suppose that's because if it was all nonsense, Valthrudnir  would simply be able to shrug it off. But he must have realized at some point he wasn't getting anywhere, in spite of... I'm guessing at least a thousand years of work, maybe longer.”
Scrivener felt a bolt of pain go through his mind, but then Valthrudnir's presence was gone, and the stallion smiled even as he rubbed slowly at his head. Celestia gazed at him softly, before she said quietly: “But it's both good news and bad news, if it's true. It's good, because it means that... even if something were to happen to us, and Kvasir and Valhalla... the core world would still be safe. It would be almost completely unbreachable, especially protected as it is by the nine anchors. But it's bad news because Thesis' true base of operations could be anywhere, and he could have other facilities across any number of worlds.”
There was silence for a moment at this, and then Luna Brynhild sighed quietly as she looked up into the starry night sky, murmuring: “I see, Celestia. So thou believes what I have come to fear... that aye, Kismet was sent out from this world, but it is most definitely not the root of Thesis' tree of evil. But that trace of corruption...”
She stopped, then glanced curiously over her shoulder at Twilight, and the Lich smiled a little as she let their eyes meet, opening her mind and sharing thoughts, images, and recent memories of the conversation she and Celestia had just excused themselves from with the two. And after a moment, Luna nodded with a grunt, smiling slightly as Scrivener closed his eyes and felt enough of the memories drift from Luna and Twilight's mind into his own that he had a rough idea of what was going on as well.
“Then what does it mean, Celestia, if there are mounting disappearances here as there were in Appleloosa?” Luna asked mildly, and then she frowned a little and looked moodily towards the border: a faint glow of energy could be seen where the barrier stood, between verdant and happy little kingdom and cold, icy tundra. “Please do not tell me we will be trekking through the snow and sleet in order to find a facility that might not even exist.”
“We might not have to, Luna.” Celestia replied, and the sapphire mare cocked her head curiously. “We have some idea from what Cadence and Shining Armor told us of when these disappearances occur. Every two to four nights, but never shorter, never longer: it makes me think that wherever the Clockwork Ponies are based out of, it's a long distance away, but Thesis is willing to push his troops as hard as possible in order to retrieve what he likely sees only as 'materials...' although I don't dare guess for what. I do guess, however, that whatever he's using these ponies for... it must be nearly complete.”
Luna and Scrivener traded uneasy looks at this, and without thinking, the stallion absently allowed his right hoof to snap apart, scratching slowly at his scalp with his claw as he asked uneasily: “So we... try to catch them in the act? Last time we tried that, it didn't go too well...”
“Scrivener.” Celestia said gently, and the stallion looked at her, then winced and  quickly drew his claw back from his head, closing it tightly so it locked back into place as a hoof, and the mare smiled faintly. “It's already that natural?”
“I... I guess so.” Scrivener said quietly, looking uneasily at his black, closed hoof, before he shook his head slowly and mumbled: “I feel like Gymbr now. Great.”
“Oh, do not speak such atrocities, Scrivener Blooms, or I swear that I shall pummel thee up and down the streets of this kingdom.” Luna said moodily, and the stallion winced a bit before the sapphire mare sighed tiredly and added dryly: “But mine most stupid but beloved husband is correct. Furthermore, this place is much larger than Appleloosa... even assuming with thy... Celestianess, thou hast figured out from which direction the enemy attacks-”
“East. The kidnapping pattern points to them entering from almost due east.” Celestia replied calmly, and Luna scowled horribly at the ivory mare, who smiled slightly. “And you're forgetting something. We have something at our disposal here that should let us know exactly when our enemies are entering the area.”
Luna tilted he head, and Celestia tapped a hoof once against the floor of the balcony, before the sapphire mare grinned wryly and asked with entertainment: “Big sister, now. Does thou truly think Princess Celestia will allow thee to tamper with the magic of this spire and that of the protective barrier? Cadence I do not worry about. We can easily bully her into listening to us, and Shining Armor we could pummel. But I do not desire to pummel Sour Celestia, as she is also Crippled Celestia. 'Twould be in very bad taste, Freya.”
The golden-armored mare sighed tiredly, but Twilight stepped in tactfully: “I don't think that... Princess Celestia... is as against us as you seem to be convinced she is, Luna. She's just trying to protect her little sister, more than anything else, it looks like... and the Elements of Harmony of this world, too, as she calls them.”
Twilight quieted, and Luna frowned a little, turning around and asking quietly, as she gazed out over the balcony: “So they have not been seen?”
“Not since this afternoon.” Twilight confirmed softly, and then she strode slowly forwards and smiled a little. “I don't think it's anything to be worried about, though... Cadence said something about the Twilight of this world going to the library. Apparently they have an enormous archive full of all kinds of information... she was probably hoping to come across some research on Sombra or something. I think that's who they're all still convinced is behind this...”
“Can you blame us? In fact, I find myself hoping this evil is Sombra's doing, not these... Clockwork Ponies, as you call them.” Princess Celestia's voice said quietly, and the golden-caped mare strode slowly out to join them on the wide balcony, the ponies glancing over at her as she gazed back and forth between them, but gave them a small smile. “But you don't have to worry. Twilight Sparkle and her friends have been located... they're very excited to meet you, as well. Apparently they already met Spike and your Draconequus friend... and Discord. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, but it seems that against my express wishes, he decided to follow us here anyway.”
“That sounds like the Discord we know on our world, too. Or Discombobulation himself.” Freya remarked with a slight smile in return, and then the twinned mares studied each other before the golden-armored winged unicorn stepped backwards and said softly: “Go ahead. He won't bite.”
Princess Celestia didn't try deny this or even hesitate, as she turned towards Scrivener, studying him for a few moments before asking quietly: “How could you take that poison into your body and not be harmed by it? And furthermore... both Twilight Sparkle and Luna Brynhild reacted to it as well. You've mentioned a link between you three, but I thought it was only further attempts to either make me uncomfortable or bait me into an argument. What's going on here?”
Scrivener shifted a little, and then he sighed quietly before looking down at his right hoof. Then he simply smiled faintly before it clicked once, and sprung open into a claw, Princess Celestia stepping backwards in surprise as the stallion flexed this slowly and said simply: “I'm a Clockwork Pony.”
There was silence, and then Luna Brynhild stepped forwards, saying softly: “Scrivener and I serve as Twilight Sparkle's phylactery... she feels what we do. 'Tis possible for us two different physical creatures to serve as one phylactery for a Lich because we are not two, we are one. Scrivener and I are bound at the soul.”
“I think I understand.” Princess Celestia looked down for a moment, taking this in as Luna Brynhild smiled slightly in surprise at how calmly the Princess of the Sun was taking this. That was, until Celestia looked up and asked in a calm, curious voice: “So does that mean you control them, and stop them from harming or attacking others, in spite of their natures?”
Twilight Sparkle's eyes widened, rearing back as she looked both shocked and hurt, and Scrivener flinched back in surprise as Luna Brynhild gaped... then snarled and leapt forwards, smashing a hoof across Princess Celestia's face and knocking her staggering in shock with a cry of pain as the furious sapphire mare snapped: “Thou thinks I keep them as slaves, because they are 'monsters?' Oh foul, wretched carrion-eater! I shall show thee who keeps who from violence!”
Luna tried to lunge forwards again, and Scrivener and Twilight both leapt quickly on top of the sapphire mare with winces, pinning her down and dragging her back as she swung her front hooves wildly at the ivory mare and tried to kick off the ground, snarling in fury and frustration as Princess Celestia staggered further away with wide eyes and a bloody lip. “Enslave them by such means? Because what, they are different, they are not normal ponies, like all demons must be evil and all ponies good? Pah, pathetic harlot, thou spoke so solemnly of Sombra because he put shackles on the mortal body, but what, I would be just and good to put shackles upon the very soul of oh, the fearsome undead beast, and the raging monster of the machine world? Damn thee, come here and let me teach thee that all who think me so vile and so cowardly will be punished for it whether they be princess or queen, whether they be lowliest little imp or fearsome Tyrant Wyrm!”
“I... I didn't mean... I apologize Brynhild, please!” Princess Celestia said hurriedly, even as she continued to backpedal to a safe distance, and then she winced when the sapphire mare attempted to lunge forwards again before the golden-caped Princess of the Sun winced back a bit. “We... we come from different worlds!”
“I love them! Would thou enslave the ones thou loves? Would thou... damn thou!” Luna shouted furiously, but she finally calmed when Scrivener leaned forwards and pinned her down on her stomach by the shoulders, making her wheeze a little as Twilight Sparkle half-clung, half-pushed down against the sapphire mare's lower back.
There were a few moments of silence, as Freya only stood calmly apart, her expression unreadable but the slightest glint of disapproval burning in her eyes... and not directed at Brynhild, but instead towards Princess Celestia, who had been forced almost all the way back to the doors. The Princess of the Sun reached slowly up, touching her lip and then looking down at it almost disbelievingly, and then she smiled faintly at the sight of the blood on her hoof, murmuring: “It... it has been years since I've seen my own blood shed. And many more since... it was done by another. Even when I fought Chrysalis...”
She stopped, then closed her eyes and shook her head slowly before bowing her head forwards, saying quietly: “I didn't mean any disrespect, Brynhild. To you or your... partners, as I've heard you call them. I don't want to judge you, hard... hard as that is for me. Especially with how often you seem to... all but throw yourself at me, and seem eager to make me... make assumptions.”
“Oh, about certain things perhaps... but I think I have been very clear since the start upon my feelings for Twilight Sparkle and Scrivener Blooms.” Luna Brynhild muttered, and then she scowled moodily up at Princess Celestia. “Suggesting that I enslaved them... more, looking so pleased as thou did so, so sickeningly delighted... looking as if we were kindred spirits after all! Well, we are not kin, Sour Celestia. We are not.”
Princess Celestia sighed quietly, lowering her head for a moment before shaking her head once, and saying finally: “I apologize. Again. I truly am sorry that I came across so... well... does it help at all to know that I'm more than willing to trust your word on this subject? Does it mean anything if I tell you that... by your word alone, it's enough for me to trust that... you speak the truth about your husband and your... Twilight Sparkle?”
“Aye, she is my Twilight Sparkle.” Luna muttered, and Twilight sighed but smiled faintly, slipping carefully backwards before she winced a little when Luna suddenly bucked firmly and tossed Scrivener off, sending him sprawling as the sapphire mare stood quickly up and glowered moodily. For a few moments, there was silence, and then Luna narrowed her eyes distrustfully and asked grumpily: “But now thou art not acting at all like any Celestia I have ever known. Why art thou being so... gentle? Turning the other cheek instead of attempting to burn me alive?”
Princess Celestia smiled faintly at this, shifting a little and glancing away before she said in a quiet voice: “Because for the first time since her return from the moon, when I went to check on my baby sister... she was sleeping peacefully, with no nightmares. Because clearly, Brynhild, you've been able to reach out to Luna in a way that I was never able to. And I'm jealous, and envious, and... and desperate for your help.”
She fell silent, and there was quiet for a few long moments before Freya looked slowly up and asked quietly: “And what does soul-binding have to do with that?”
Princess Celestia was silent, and then the mare simply shook her head before simply gesturing over her shoulder and saying abruptly: “We should go and meet the Elements of Harmony. I'm sure by now that they're very anxious to see you, and share whatever they've learned with you.”
Brynhild frowned moodily, but when Freya gave her a pointed look, the starry-maned mare only grunted quietly before shrugging a little. Princess Celestia smiled gratefully as the subject was dropped, turning to lead them onwards as Scrivener climbed to his hooves, and he and Twilight followed after Luna Brynhild as she muttered: “Mark my words. If there is some conspiracy here, I shall smoke it out and stomp it to death as I would stomp a snake.”
“Every time you talk about snakes, I always think back to Jormungand.” Scrivener muttered back, and the starry-mane mare gave a wry smile over her shoulder. “Let's not antagonize any snakes, Luna. Especially not giant world-destroying ones, okay?”
“Very well, very well. Then lead on, Sour Celestia. Let us meet thy vaunted Elements, and see what there is to be seen.” Luna said mildly, and Princess Celestia sighed quietly and lowered her head, looking less-than-pleased but clearly also not knowing quite what else to say as she turned around to lead them onwards. Luna Brynhild followed grumpily, while Twilight and Scrivener were careful to flank her, and Freya brought up the rear... and despite the moody look on the golden armored mare's face, she seemed to be doing her best to repress a smile all the same.
They made their way back to the throne room they had already seen once before: it was more of an audience hall than anything else, flanked by tall pillars on either side and with a wide, spacious floor and a beautiful channeling crystal mounted above the rectangular, simple stone throne. The throne itself was unoccupied, however: Cadence was seated happily on the floor with Shining Armor on one side and Twilight Sparkle the other, apparently in the middle of a conversation that was cut off the moment Princess Celestia entered the room.
The three looked up, as did her five friends, two Draconequus, and the dragon from another layer... and all of them bowed their heads politely to Princess Celestia as the group approached, although Discord and Discombobulation both were clearly pushing one another's head down, like they were forcing each other to be respectful. Princess Celestia smiled a little, and then stepped aside and introduced calmly: “These are the ponies I told you about in my letter. Luna Brynhild, Scrivener Blooms... Twilight Sparkle... and Freya.”
“Wow.” the Twilight of this world breathed, and then she blushed and hurried up to her hooves as the four formed a line, gazing back and forth with as much amazement as her friends. And while Luna Brynhild smiled in return, she couldn't help but notice something that was just a little bit unexpected, and a little bit different from what they had seen in other worlds.
The Elements of Harmony... not the six ponies themselves, but the actual artifacts, adorned each of these ponies. Five of them wore peytrals inset with a gemstone in the shape of their cutie mark, each a different color, and the Twilight Sparkle of this world wore a beautiful diadem, with an ornate, star-shaped gemstone on it. It made Luna Brynhild shift uneasily, and Freya study them silently, even as Twilight rambled: “It's amazing to see you, I've heard... I've heard so much about you already, and how you were getting along so well with Princess Luna, too, and... well, how you're here to help! And we could really use the help, right girls?”
Rainbow Dash, unsurprisingly, mumbled and crossed her forelegs as she hovered in the air, and Applejack shifted uncomfortably before sighing and nodding, saying finally: “I reckon you're right, Twilight. I guess... it's just strange to need someone from a whole 'nother world help us with problems in our own, that's all.”
“Yes, but sometimes we have to accept help from outside sources... this is serious, after all, especially if Sombra's found a way past the barrier. We can't let any more ponies get hurt.” Twilight said firmly, and even Rainbow Dash nodded... and the Lich Twilight couldn't help but smile faintly, silently rubbing at her own features before the Twilight Sparkle of this layer looked across at her.
For the first time, she really seemed to see her, and the Lich looked back as her wings flapped uneasily once before furling against the sides of her sweater. It was strange, though: on the one hoof, Twilight Sparkle didn't seem to even be surprised, to gaze upon this undead version of herself. But on the other, she seemed... awed.
Cadence finally reached up and touched Twilight's shoulder, and the mare blushed before saying hurriedly: “I... I'm sorry, I should... well, I guess I'd feel pretty silly introducing my friends, unless... on your world, do you have the Elements of Harmony, do you have friends like... well, that's Pinkie Pie, everypony knows Pinkie Pie, and that's Applejack, and Rainbow Dash and Rarity and Fluttershy, I mean... but you might already know that, but I don't know if you know that or not because Shining Armor said-”
“Shining Armor says you need to chill out, Twili.” the white unicorn stallion said in an entertained voice, and Twilight blushed and glared at him, but then nodded awkwardly and sat back before Shining looked forwards and asked quietly: “What can we do to help? What do you need from us? Ask anything, and we'll do our very best to provide it... whatever's going on in the Crystal Kingdom, whether it's Sombra or these... Clockwork Ponies, we're ready and willing to do what it takes to stop it.”
“Ready and willing, aye... but perhaps not able.” Luna murmured, and when several of the ponies frowned at her, she shook her head slowly before asking quietly: “The Elements of Harmony. Thou art willing to use them against the monster?”
“You bet! And Twilight said with all the positive energy in the atmosphere, it might even help make them supercharged or something.” Rainbow Dash said firmly, nodding several times, and Luna gave a quiet laugh, earning a frown from the Pegasus. “What? What?”
Luna only shook her head slowly, and then she said softly: “Even assuming the Elements would work against what we are faced against, they require a long time to charge up, do they not? Thou must all act in unison, and thou will be locked in placed, gathering that energy, linking thyselves together to give a single focused blast, is this not correct? Aye, I remember well...”
Luna Brynhild looked down, remembering blurred, not-quite-her-own memories of being stunned, of thinking she'd won only to have the world torn out under her hooves, of... light and sound, but most of all, panic. Panic, stealing what should have been an easy escape from her. Or maybe it had been Destiny, or some subconscious urge lunging up inside of herself, making her freeze up, making Nightmare Moon halt so the poisons of the demon could be blasted out of her. After all, in the end... the Elements had only helped make Nightmare Moon stronger, hadn't they?
She cleared her throat after a moment, then looked up and said quietly: “Thou can all be of help. Of great, invaluable help. But I will not work with thee while all of thee are adorned with that ugly glass. Please remove those artifacts.”
Princess Celestia looked surprised, as did Cadence, and Twilight Sparkle gave an uneasy smile even as her five friends looked from one to the other, saying slowly: “No, they've... they've done good in the past. Right, Discord? And Princess Luna, they saved Princess Luna, and... they've been the source of our most powerful defense...”
“A weapon is not a defense. A good offense is not the strongest defense, it is simply a good offense. Aye, thou may not be hurt in the process of attacking, but thou shall hurt others, and that is not what shield and armor and fence are made for.” Luna replied calmly but firmly, standing tall as her starry locks twisted backwards. “Remove the Elements of Harmony and place them aside, and we shall work together.”
Rainbow Dash gritted her teeth, then suddenly shot forwards and halted in front of the mare, asking sharply: “You know what, you and your 'friends' here look more than a little suspicious. How do we know that what you're really after isn't getting us to put these down so you can attack us?”
“Rainbow Dash, please! They are guests!” Rarity pleaded from across the room, as Applejack groaned but looked with the same unease at the ponies all the same. And Rainbow only continued to glare challengingly down at Luna, who smiled kindly even as she felt a twitch go through her mind, and Scrivener winced and covered his face with one hoof as the Lich gaped in preemptive horror at the starry-maned mare's thoughts.
Luna Brynhild's hoof swung out and struck Rainbow Dash with enough force to send her flying across the room, the Pegasus slamming into a pillar and bouncing off with a cry of pain before the sapphire mare simply snapped her horn upwards as it gave a sharp flash, and enormous spikes of ice erupted around the area, sending the mares screaming as Shining Armor staggered to his hooves, then jumped and covered Cadence with his body and a wince as Luna Brynhild snapped her horn fiercely downwards, and lighting shot from the ceiling, ricocheting back and forth between the spikes of ice as ponies panicked.
They were left shivering on the floor, staring around in disbelief as Rainbow clutched at her chest and coughed a few times weakly from where she was crumpled at the base of the pillar, and Luna Brynhild slowly looked up as her mane sparked, her expression icy. “I am done with holding hooves, and I fear that thy Princess of the Sun has already put me in a bad mood. May this make it clear. If I wanted to harm thee, none of thee could stop me. If I wanted to kill thee, the most any of thee could do is bite off thy own tongue or snap thy own neck, and hope to rob me of the pleasure.”
And then Luna Brynhild's voice dropped, becoming softer, almost a plea: “And my strength, be it so great and terrible, is nothing... nothing... compared to the power of the foes that may at this moment be here, in this beautiful world, seeking to harm thee. This show of force and power would be as meaningless to these Clockwork Ponies as thine own attempts to threaten or coerce me would be, and I must... I must make thee understand the depth of danger thou art all walking into. I must make thee understand that the Elements of Harmony... they will not save thee. Not from this evil.”
She fell silent, then shook her head slowly before Princess Celestia sighed quietly, then flicked her horn firmly, and Luna Brynhild smiled wryly as the spikes of ice glowed gold before disintegrating before her eyes. So this world's Celestia was adept with some magic, at least... “I think they understand, Brynhild. But please don't take your mood out on my subjects.”
Brynhild only shrugged moodily, as the Twilight Sparkle of this layer swallowed thickly and trembled. Her friends' eyes turned to her, and then her brother and Cadence gazed to her as well, and she looked down silently before slowly reaching up and pulling off her tiara, as she whispered: “What... what can we do, then? We can't fight... like that...”
“Thou does not need to.” Luna Brynhild said softly, and she gave a small smile. “Apart, thou would lose. Even we may lose. But standing together, we can take on enemies many times our own strength. If thou will stand with me, we will capture or destroy the invader. And I guarantee to thee, it is not this Sombra I have been hearing about.”
The ponies traded uneasy looks... then they all finally nodded slowly to one another, and Luna Brynhild nodded firmly before Rainbow Dash picked herself slowly up from the ground and muttered: “I haven't been hit that hard since the last time I got caught in an avalanche. God, what the hell do they feed you ponies?”
“Meat.” Brynhild grinned widely, baring her sharp fangs, and the ponies of this layer stared before Luna glanced up and asked mildly: “Can we count upon thy help as well?”
“Hey, as long as you don't throw any more temper tantrums, puppy and I are in.” Discord said mildly, from where he was calmly sitting on the ceiling now next to Discombobulation, while Spike was clinging to an ornate arch with a wince to avoid falling. “Your friend here is a little magic-resistant, though. Either that or gravity has a crush on him. Get it?”
“Congratulations, Discord. You suck.” Discombobulation remarked, and Discord gave him a sour look before snapping his fingers, and Discombobulation fell from the ceiling with an exaggerated yell, flailing his limbs in all directions before he halted in mid-fall only inches away from the ground, then slowly spun rightside-up and daintily touched down on hoof and paw.
Then, without looking up, he simply held out his arms, and a moment later Spike slipped off the arch and plummeted right into them with a grunt, blinking stupidly before staring lamely up as the metal-armed Draconequus remarked: “We really have to stop meeting like this, you and I. Otherwise people are going to think you're falling for me, and we're probably the only two truly heterosexual characters in this entire play. I could segue into a joke about drama from here or do a Bugs Bunny impression, or...”
Discombobulation looked calmly up, then simply dropped the dragon before turning and strolling off, and Discord huffed as he scrambled to his feet and ran along the ceiling after his fellow Draconequus, complaining: “Don't leave me here with them, puppy! Get back here, I haven't even started making life miserable for you yet!”
Luna Brynhild sighed tiredly, but she felt a little relieved all the same as Spike awkwardly sat up, rubbing slowly at his armor and muttering: “I'm really starting to forget what I came along on this mission. But what do you want me to do?”
“Is there a forge nearby? Or an armory that has its own smithy?” asked Luna, and Shining Armor and Cadence traded a look before nodding awkwardly, and the sapphire mare smiled slightly. “Then Shining Armor, I entrust thou shall be kind enough to lead Spike there, so he may get to work.”
Spike looked up curiously, before Freya volunteered quietly: “I'll go too, I have a design in mind. When was the last disappearance?”
“Y-Yesterday...” Cadence answered uneasily, shifting nervously. “Which means that tonight should be safe... but after that...”
“'Tis fine. We know our timeframe and we are used to working with the hours short and against us.” Luna replied calmly, and then she gestured to Shining Armor. “Let us not be slow, though! Trust in us, we are here to aid thee, have we not shown that?”
“Not really.” Shining Armor muttered, but he sighed and climbed to his hooves all the same, kissing Cadence's cheek quickly and giving his still-stunned-looking little sister a faint smile before striding quickly forwards. Spike stood quickly up to follow the white stallion as Freya nodded politely to him, and gave one last, thoughtful look out over the group before turning to stride in tow.
Twilight Sparkle was still holding her Element in her hooves and studying it silently: some of the others, like Pinkie Pie, had taken their plates off, while Rarity was still wearing hers and so was Rainbow Dash. Luna Brynhild surveyed them silently for a few moments, then she sighed quietly before asking quietly: “Princess Cadence, Princess Celestia... we would like to use the immense magical power of this spire to our advantage. Let us use our own magic to temporarily modify the shield that protects the Crystal Kingdom, to alert us of when and where the enemy enters.”
“Wait, what? I... I don't know about that...” Cadence began uneasily, tossing a look at Princess Celestia... but the ivory mare only had her head lowered, frowning in thought before the pink winged unicorn shifted a little, asking worriedly: “Princess Celestia? I... you can't really... I mean...”
“I can. I can and I do. As much as I don't like to, we... have to step aside and let them handle this.” the golden-caped mare replied after a moment, sighing softly. She closed her eyes, hesitating for a few moments before turning her eyes slowly to Luna Brynhild, adding quietly: “But I want you to be aware of something. I'm not going to simply sit back and let you do whatever you please. I want to be involved in every step of this process... even if I recognize that the best way right now to protect the Crystal Kingdom and the ponies here, is to rely on you.”
“I don't know about this...” Twilight Sparkle said uneasily, the violet mare looking worriedly back and forth. “Tampering with ancient magical artifacts... it... it could cause a tremendous backlash, couldn't it? I mean, one of the things we were taught never to do in the Academy was never to try and modify someone else's magic to better suit our own ends...”
“Believe me. I've had to forget a lot of what I was taught over the years.” the other Twilight replied softly, and the Lich gave a faint smile as she reached up and touched the clasp of her collar, looking over at Scrivener and Luna as they both gazed tenderly at her in return. “Some rules are made to be broken. It was the hardest lesson I ever had to learn, Twilight... but if I never had, than I never would have ended up where I am today.”
“And we would be so much the less without thee.” Luna Brynhild murmured softly, shaking her head with a quiet laugh, before the sapphire mare sighed tiredly and looked up towards the ceiling silently, thinking for a few moments before she asked finally: “Celestia, Cadence, Twilight... do all of thee know how to amplify another's magic, or add power to a spell in progress?”
Celestia and Cadence both nodded, but Twilight Sparkle looked mystified, and Luna Brynhild grimaced before grumbling moodily: “For Mimir's sake, precisely what hast thou learned on this world or from the damnable magic academy?”
“Hey, you leave Twilight alone, she's the most talented pony in Ponyville!” Applejack argued, and there were nods of agreement as Twilight blushed and shifted awkwardly... both did, as a matter of fact, as the Lich Twilight thought fondly for a moment of her old friends, and the life she had once lived, when everything had been so... simple. “Now listen, we all wanna help, but I get the feeling more and more that you wanna just run this rodeo yourself.”
Luna only shrugged a little in response, and then Cadence volunteered: “I could teach Twilight if you want me to... it would be a very quick lesson, I'm sure. She's a very fast learner.”
“Aye, very well. Then all of thee can assist us in enhancing the shield to its fullest extent.” the sapphire mare said thoughtfully, nodding to herself after a moment before she and Scrivener traded a look. “The rest of thee may as well go to rest. Tomorrow, I will have thee running the whole day to spread word of our plans throughout the Crystal Kingdom, among many other tasks.”
The four ponies looked nervously at each other, and then Rainbow Dash grumbled moodily as she flitted back and forth indecisively through the air. “That sounds a lot like you're just telling us to go away. You know, we might not be as scary as you are, but we can still take care of ourselves...”
“Aye, I do not doubt this, and I guarantee thee that by tomorrow thou shalt understand and hate me for overvaluing thee, if anything.” Luna grumbled, gesturing at the ponies. “I suppose thou shall want to speak to us though, Princess Celestia, and we shall share our plans with thee, so we all have our fair share of work to be done, do we not? Fear not. Our plans are in motion. Just remember, tomorrow, do not show up with thy pieces of glass around thy neck.”
The ponies were quiet and awkward as they finally shuffled off, Luna getting more than one distrustful look and Scrivener simply sitting back, content to be ignored by everypony until the sapphire mare finally nudged him firmly, and they turned towards Princess Celestia. They were both surprised when Twilight Sparkle didn't follow, but after a moment of seeing her lingering gaze towards where Cadence was already quietly going over the basics of the new spell with the Twilight of this layer, both ponies simply smiled a little and turned to follow the Princess of the Sun silently away.
The Lich didn't even realize everyone else was gone until Princess Cadence looked up, then smiled awkwardly at her and asked finally: “Would you... like to help?”
“Oh, I... oh, yes, of course. I'd be happy to.” The Lich nodded hurriedly a few times, blushing quietly as she strode quickly across the audience chamber, careful to avoid the cracked portions of tile here and there that had been shattered by Luna's forceful magic. She smiled as she approached and sat down, and then quickly averted her eyes when Cadence frowned at her curiously, as the Twilight of this layer looked quietly up at her. “So what schools of magic have you studied? I... when I left the Academy, I had done a little bit of everything, I think. Or at least, everything the Academy has to teach... there were realms of magic I'd never heard of that Luna introduced me to steadily over the years I spent with her, after she was... well... after something happened and she couldn't stay at Canterlot anymore.”
Twilight only looked dumbly up at her older self, and Cadence cleared her throat before saying softly: “Well, if you and Twilight have any similarities at all, I'm sure it's in magic potential. She truly is incredible, to say the least. Even when I used to foalsit her, she would sometimes cast spells by accident way above her level... funny, though, she could never seem to do it on purpose, when she tried all she'd ever get was sparks. At least, not until she got older. Twilight really is... I mean, this Twilight here really is fantastic. Although I'm sure you're quite a talented unicorn yourself.”
Twilight Sparkle blushed, and the Lich laughed quietly before she smiled a little and reached up, touching her own chest and saying softly: “Why don't you call me Morgan? It'll save a lot of confusion, I think. But that's good, then, it's very simple. First you have to detect the magic in the air, and then it's just a matter of finding the right wavelength and concentrating your energy into it, to further fuel the spell. No need to get into anything too advanced.”
“Why don't... you cast the spell? I'm sure Twilight knows most of my repertoire, after all, I'm not nearly as powerful as Celestia... maybe not even Luna.” Cadence suggested gently, and Twilight Morgan smiled slightly, even as their eyes met and both understand the words that weren't being said.
Twilight Sparkle only looked up with a blush, and Morgan turned, closing her eyes and paging through the library of spells in her mind before she murmured softly: “I think I know one. It's one of the first spells that Luna taught me. I'm only going to start the magic... Twilight Sparkle, you try to concentrate on my spell and give me a little bit of energy, and we'll see what happens.”
Twilight nodded hurriedly several times, looking as rapt and ready as if she was talking to some important, respectable professor instead of an alter-version of herself and a pony that was clearly her friend first, a princess second. It made the Lich smile despite herself, even as her horn began to glow only faintly, as she said softly: “Okay. This is where you come in now.”
“Wow, just... just like that? Even my simplest spells I need a moment of concentration for...” Twilight looked awed, but the Lich only smiled again and looked at her pointedly, and Twilight blushed before her horn started to glow as she lowered her head, murmuring embarrassedly: “Of course. Sorry, right, I... here I go...”
The violet mare concentrated, and the Lich closed her eyes, feeling how hard Twilight Sparkle was trying, how she was getting just a little anxious and maybe grasping a little too wildly at the air, before Cadence soothed: “Come on, Twilight, it's okay. Just take it slow, neither of us are in a rush.”
Twilight nodded embarrassedly, and now the Lich felt her resonance clearer, felt her moving with more skill, and she was surprised when after only a few moments, Twilight Sparkle managed to lock onto her spell, the Lich opening her mouth to warn her to be careful-
Twilight Sparkle simply pushed as much energy into the spell as she could, and the Lich's eyes bulged before a tremendous blue fireball shot from her horn, rocketing into the ceiling with a massive explosion that sent cracks ripping through the roof and enormous chunks of stone tumbling down. The violet unicorn gaped even as she was thrown onto her back from recoil and the tremor that ran through the air, and Cadence winced, then her eyes widened as several larger, heavier chunks of stone began to tear out of place, and one of the enormous, carved arches and an entire pillar spilled in towards them-
Without hesitation, Morgan stepped forwards, flicking her horn sharply to the side to knock the pillar and archway both back into position with telekinesis, before swinging her horn upwards, and enormous vines ripped out of the stone and around the arch, tearing into the ceiling and holding them in place. The ceiling was still collapsing, but the Lich reared back, her horn releasing a powerful pulse that shattered the boulders of rock falling towards them like brittle glass, before she gritted her teeth and snapped her horn upwards, and thick blue ice rapidly began to grow and spread over the roof, filling up the cracks and gaping holes and freezing loosening stone in place, letting only a few pieces of gravel and streams of dust fall loose.
Then, even as the pillar and arch both began to list despite the netting of vines and ivy, Twilight Morgan flicked her horn quickly to the side again, and the green organic went taut before transforming into emerald stone, firmly locking the damaged supports back in position.
The Lich dropped back to all four hooves, slumping slightly with a wheeze of relief, and Twilight Sparkle gaped at her counterpart's back as Cadence stared with the same disbelieving awe. After a moment, Twilight Morgan blushed and looked over her shoulder, then she cleared her throat and said finally: “Uh... just... be careful about how much energy you add to another pony's spell. Too little is usually better than too much, you can always add more as necessary.”
Slowly, Twilight Sparkle looked back and forth around the throne room as several guards stumbled inside and stared in disbelief at the damage, but Cadence cleared her throat and quickly held up a hoof, calling awkwardly: “It's okay, just... practicing magic. That's all.”
The soldiers stared, and Cadence and Twilight both gave big, lame grins as the Lich shrugged and sat back, feeling Luna's amusement rolling through her as the curious sapphire mare's mind connected to hers for a moment. Then the Lich shook her head as Cadence suggested awkwardly: “Why don't we... go somewhere else? Twilight, you should really head to bed anyway... and... Morgan, could I talk to you about something? Just us.”
The Lich nodded, and the three ponies stood up, and the violet unicorn smiled embarrassedly as she looked back and forth, saying awkwardly: “I... okay. I feel... I should really clean this up, though...”
“Twilight, it was just an accident...” Cadence began, but when Twilight only smiled lamely, the pink winged unicorn nodded and looked down at her softly. “Okay. But promise me you'll get some rest in afterwards, alright? I worry about you.”
“I will, Cadence. I promise. And Twilight... Morgan. Thank you for helping. I really appreciate it.” Twilight Sparkle said quietly, halting with a blush, and the two winged unicorns gazed over their shoulders at her, smiling softly before Cadence turned around and traded a quick hug with the purple unicorn. “Thank you both.”
“No, Twilight. Thank you.” the Lich replied softly, but she only smiled at Twilight's curious look before turning away, striding past the still-staring guards and into the corridor.
Cadence joined her a moment later, and they studied each other for a few moments before they both turned, striding down the hall together. There was no real direction or aim to their walk, but soon enough, they ended up in the square beneath the tower, walking over the Crystal Heart. It glowed like a star that had fallen to earth in the darkness, lighting up the entire square... but the night was so clear, the stars and moon above so bright, that Twilight could gaze around and see the glimmering, crystalline world surrounding them clearly even without the use of her supernatural sight.
For a few more moments, they were silent, and then Cadence smiled a little and looked over at her before saying quietly: “I've never met a Lich before. I never even knew they were anything apart from... fairy tales. I thought they only existed in the old stories Celestia knows...”
Twilight only smiled faintly, looking back towards the Crystal Heart and saying quietly: “Well, if it makes you feel any better, I've never met a winged unicorn like you before, Cadence. You don't exist in our layer... no other winged unicorns do, apart from Luna and Celestia... and well, me, but I wonder sometimes if I really... fit that definition anymore.”
“Alicorn. We call ourselves alicorns.” Cadence said softly, and then she hesitated before studying Twilight, as Twilight looked thoughtfully back at her. “I was told all undead were evil abominations. That they were few and far between... but you're so kind, and gentle. You were so good to Twilight in there, and I think you might have saved our lives, or at least saved us from a very humiliating hospital stay. You also proved that... you're powerful enough to hurt us if you wanted to. Probably easily kill us, and by that I mean all of us, including Celestia.”
Twilight shrugged a little, looking into the Crystal Heart, studying its glow and feeling its positive energy as she murmured: “I might be a monster, Princess Cadence... but I know the difference between right and wrong. And I would never hurt anyone unless I had to.”
“I guess you can't be a monster then, can you? You're a person, a pony.” Cadence said softly, and Twilight smiled and blushed a little at this, looking gratefully over at the winged unicorn before she hesitated and continued quietly: “But that scares me a little, too. Seeing how all the stories you grew up hearing might have been lies... I... I'm sorry, this is a really personal question, but... how...”
“I was killed, by a Clockwork Pony.” Twilight said quietly, looking over at Cadence and not feeling her usual need to hesitate: maybe it was because of the compassion and love that emanated from this winged unicorn, maybe it was because of the Crystal Heart's warmth, giving her courage... maybe it was just because she had been asked so many times now, by so many different ponies, the wound had finally stopped being so sensitive. “Her name was Wisdom, and she was... she was another version of me. She... pierced my heart.”
Twilight reached up and touched her chest silently, bowing her head forwards and closing her eyes. “I was bringing a gift to Luna and Scrivener at the time, we were... in the middle of a war, their son had just been kidnapped, Scrivy was... was very sick. It was a music box... and I kept myself alive long enough to tie myself to that object. Usually I try and... sidestep what happened next, but... Celestia, with the help of an ally we had at that time... she finished the ritual. I became a Lich.”
Cadence nodded slowly, and there was silence for a few moments before the pink mare remarked softly: “I would have expected Luna Brynhild to have done it. You seem to be... tied to her and Scrivener somehow, after all. I thought I felt... well...”
She fumbled a little, and Twilight smiled amusedly over at the winged unicorn. “You can ask me about how I died, but you can't ask me if I love them, or they love me? Because I do, and they do, and we are tied together, yeah. My phylactery was destroyed... now they hold my life essence. I feel the pain they do, but... unlike my music box, they also heal, and they can contain more of... me, I guess is the best way to put it. So I don't... wear out as fast.”
She reached up and touched her chest, then murmured softly: “I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm telling you all this, it's... I guess it's just easy to talk to you.”
Cadence only laughed quietly and gave a smile in return, murmuring: “Don't worry about it. I feel the same way... and I think it's helped me... decide that I'm going to trust you and Luna Brynhild. Even if she did put more of a scare than I think was necessary into everyone.”
“Yeah. Luna does that.” Twilight said with quiet amusement, giving a small smile over to the mare before she shook her head slowly. Fora  moment, the two were silent, and then Twilight asked after a moment: “So, about... this world's Princess Luna...”
Cadence smiled faintly, shaking her head slowly before she closed her eyes. “Poor Celestia. I feel how much she hurts, every time I see her... she feels responsible for what happened, and once she even told me herself that she should have planned further ahead, done something different. I think it's part of why she was so eager to give Discord a second chance, even after they sealed him back away.
“But today I also felt... jealousy, and hope.” Cadence looked over at Twilight thoughtfully, smiling a little as she shook her head slowly. “And it's funny, because... I... I almost never feel actual hope from Celestia. Things either are or they aren't, that's how it is with her, but today, there was hope in her eyes, and no anger even after Brynhild... well... gave her little example of what we were up against. And I think that's another reason why I want to trust you so much, in spite of everything. Because all those emotions were directed towards your Luna Brynhild, and all things considered, I can think of only one reason why they would be.
“If you and your friends can save us, Twilight Sparkle... I'll be thankful. The Crystal Kingdom will owe you thanks. But if Brynhild manages to get through even the smallest amount to Princess Luna... I don't think any words can express what that will mean to me, and to Princess Celestia.”
Twilight Sparkle smiled softly in return, bowing her head quietly and not speaking, but if she felt confident in one thing, it was that they would save these ponies... and that Luna Brynhild would do everything in her power to help the Princess of the Night.