//------------------------------// // Chapter 24: Paradise Falls // Story: Villainous // by CrypticMetaphor //------------------------------// Anger, that’s what was felt from within the walls of Canterlot castle. Jasper blasted many of the stained glass windows and display cases as he trashed the castle. His hair was a mess, his eyes slightly bloodshot and he had bags under his eyes due to him skipping sleep or sleeping less. He glared around and stared at the cowering changeling scout. The scout had not only delivered news that Ignatius and Chrysalis were doing well, but he had also informed the monarch that the rebellion he had been working so hard to eradicate had become organized into an army. Worse yet was that they were matching on his city, HIS KINGDOM. “You’re sure this is correct,” the king didn’t meet the changelings’ eyes, “if you are lying, so help me.” The changeling shook his head, “It’s all true your highness.” Jasper rubbed the bridge of his nose, “I see, alright then. Return to your queen. I have business to attend to.” Jasper walked past the departing changeling and gazed down the stairs to the barracks. He inhaled and walked down the stairs and into the massive room. Most of the furnishings had been removed in favor of a more blank room, lining the floor however was merely a small amount of the total Brazen Ponies force. Jasper cleared his throat as he spread his arms, “MY TROOPS! OUR ENEMIES ARE AMASSING AT OUR GATES AND WISH TO END THE EMPIRE I HAVE BUILT! WE SHALL MEET THEM, BUT YOU SHALL LEAVE NONE ALIVE!” All of the Brazen Ponies clanked straight in unison, to many of the remaining servants, it sounded like a thunder clap of metal. * Near Canterlot’s borders, there was a massive army below. Composing the army were many races that wished for nothing but to see Jasper defeated. They were all outfitted in armor fitting of their standing and race, but they all flew one banner. The banner was now raised as a flag, not the banner that many celebrations in Equestria would see flying proudly, now it was a flag of war. Celestia called for a halt as she saw the sky darken with metal and the ground tremble with the approaching enemy army. Tony widened his eyes at the opposing forces. “Jasper….did this?” Rainbow nodded, “He’s been busy, trust me on that.” Tony’s eyes widened further when he saw someone descending from the castle on a pair of fabric like wings. The shape touched down and Tony couldn’t believe his eyes as his childhood friend stepped forward into the light and angered expression. “You have the gall, to show your faces to me,” he gestured to the army, “After everything I’ve done for you.” Celestia narrowed her eyes and stepped forward only to freeze when Jasper’s sword tip pressed to her throat, “This ends today.” Jasper nodded, “I couldn’t agree more, I’ve kept you all under boot long enough.” Jasper flew to the sky and spread his wings. When he did, a massive series of red holes appeared behind him as blades, from numerous types of blade weapons that were made out of red crystal, emerged. “I saw this on a show I once watched,” his eyes widened with bloodlust, “mongrels!” The minute that was spoken, it began to rain. But water did not fall; it was a rain of weaponry that streaked across the heavens like a lethal tide. Celestia let loose a yell as the army charged against the opposition. The clash of metal on metal rang through the air as the blades continued to rain down, several ponies, minotaurs, and even dragons were impaled or obliterated. Blood tainted the grass and rocks underhoof as the Rebellion pushed. Tony dodged around a few blades as he called Jasper’s name, but to no avail. Tony wrenched a crystal short sword from the ground and slashed half of a Brazen Ponies head off causing it to crumple. Twilight appeared bedside him with the rest of the mane six all clad in golden armor, Sunset’s armor was ebony colored as she blasted down a few Brazen Unicorns. Jasper noticed the battle was gaining some leverage as he flew back toward the castle, specifically the balcony overlooking the battlefield. The seven mares and the human noticed this and sprang into action. Pushing forward with Twilight and Sunset making both a cloaking spell and an impact barrier, they literally bulldozed through the enemy lines in an effort to make it to the castle. Eventually they got just enough breathing room and Twilight teleported the group into the main foyer. Acting quickly they rushed through the halls climbing the stairs and reaching the throne room doors. Twilight steeled herself, “Alright everypony, beyond this door. No pony makes a move, we allow Tony a chance to talk. If worse goes to worse,” Twilight inhaled to steady herself, “we…attack to kill.” Tony narrowed his eyes as he opened the door to the throne room. Upon entering they noticed Jasper still staring down at the battlefield, aside from the clang of metal and occasional scream, the room was silent. Jasper’s look was distant and he slowly turned and regarded the group but when his eyes fell on Tony, a small glimmer appeared, but it was faint. He turned to gaze back at the battlefield, but then he spoke slow and with…sorrow? “A long time ago, there was a child from a nice family. A loving mother and father who worked their hardest to provide for the family, the child’s smiling face was their reward every day. The child loved his mother and father dearly, but, it was not to last,” Jasper blinked as his gaze darkened, “one day his father died from an aneurism while at work. The boy though sad, endured and moved on but kept his father’s memory alive in his heart. But the boy had the help of the friends he had made and the love of his kind mother.” Rarity raised an eyebrow in confusion, “What is he talking about?” Jasper continued as his face hardened, “But one day, when the boy was to become a man on the eve of his birthday. There was a car accident, his mother and the other driver the victims. His mother survived, but at a terrible cost. The trauma she sustained caused her mind to falter; she lost memory of herself and her family. The boy was shattered,” Jasper clutched the rail, “the doctors said if the boy who was now a man did his best, she would remember. But as the months passed, the man turned twenty from two years of trying, but the mother wouldn’t remember. She forever saw the man as the nice person who helped her along in life. From that day on, the man always saw life as a sick joke, he never found happiness in it again.” Tony blinked in realization, “Dude….I never knew.” Jasper cleared the room in a blur, “You never asked.” He turned on his heel and walked away from them. Tony looked down, but pursued him, “JASPER STOP!” Jasper froze and turned, “What?” Tony walked forward, “All this time….all this time we thought you were dead. The twins, I was devastated. I thought you had committed suicide, it tore me apart.” “Was Sid choked up?” Jasper smugly stated, “or did he shrug it off like you all did to me.” Tony stepped forward, “Dude it was never like that! We told you, it was because you were acting like an asshole. But I see now there was a reason for it all, but you endured it all by yourself. I’m sorry,” he placed a hand on Jasper’s shoulder plate. Jasper smacked it away turning to him and pointing at him in anger, “I don’t need your fucking pity!” Tony was losing his patience, “What is wrong with you! I’m trying to help you,” he stepped forward once more only for Jasper to turn away, “Dude just let me in.” Jasper growled threateningly, “It’s none of your business, leave it be.” “NO!” Tony stood firm, “You’re like a brother to me dude, and brother don’t give up on each other.” Jasper glared at him, “Then maybe you should have been there for me, like a brother should have.” Tony shook his head, “Do not pin this on me. This isn’t the Jasper I knew, you’re just a dark, twisted perversion of what he was. Look around you! Is this what the real Jasper would do?” Jasper grit his teeth visibly getting angered by Tony’s comments, “You would do wise to hold your tongue.” Tony shook his head, “Why? Do I upset you? Is it because I’m right? Or is it that you’re just too ashamed to accept the truth.” Jasper reeled on him and yelled, “I AM KING!” Tony yelled back with equal volume, “NO! NOT HERE!” Tony became visibly distressed and clutched Jaspers shoulders as the seven mares gazed at the scene, “You give this up,” he gestured to the room, “Give all of this up. Give the princesses back their titles, drop this charade and you come home.” Jasper shook his head and turned away once more, “I’m not hearing this.” Tony became both saddened and angered, “Jasper look at you! This being king is destroying you! Just listen to me for once,” tears were in his eyes, “I don’t want to lose my best friend to a hunk of metal and a gem stone.” Jasper reeled around and struck out with his hand at Tony, “SHUT UP!!!!!” Everyone froze at the sound of flesh tearing. Tony gasped for breath as he glanced down; blood stained the entire stomach area of his clothes. Jasper noticed the hand he had struck with was his left hand. He pulled back and stood frozen as Tony clutched his gushing wound, Tony stared with confusion at his friend. Everything then moved in slow motion as Tony dropped to the ground…unmoving. Jasper still stared in shock as Twilight ran over to check Tony; tears began to fall from her eyes. “He’s dead.” Tony’s blood pooled around him in a puddle as Jasper stared in disbelief at the scene before him. Tony’s lifeless body and he standing there, alive and breathing. The sound of Brazen Ponies entering barely registered with the human king. Sunset Shimmer then yelled, “ARE YOU HAPPY NOW!? HE WAS ONE OF THE ONLY BEINGS IN THE UNIVERSE WHO CALLED YOU FRIEND AND YOU MURDERED HIM IN COLD BLOOD!!!!!!!!” Jasper glanced at his hands and then turned his head to glance at his reflection in a Brazen Pony. What he saw made his blood run cold, sunken and sleep deprived eyes, bloodied hands and gleaming armor. Truly what he saw was a demon from hell, some form of gruesome gargoyle that had once been human. Something inside his mind finally crashed, the shattering pained him to the point of his breath leaving him for a moment. He dropped to his knees and reached up slowly to his shoulders, his movements slow and robotic as the ponies watched with pregnant a pause. A series of clicks were heard and soon the entire suit fell apart at the upper torso. He ripped his left gauntlet off and then his hand lingered on his right arm. “Game over,” his muttering was calm and decisive as he pulled the gauntlet from his right arm. The mares glanced around as the Brazen Ponies deactivated. Twilight looked at Jasper as the old guards and the princesses entered. Luna noticed Jasper’s eyes travel to the blades from his left gauntlet. Jasper grabbed them and raised them above his head and everypony stepped forward knowing full well what he was about to do. “STOP!” Celestia magically blasted the human to the ground as he was soon seized. The solar princess contemplated hard that day on the infamous human’s fate. To this day, nopony knows why, but Celestia sighed. “Jasper Montgomery though your crimes against my little ponies are immense in number and absolutely atrocious I am willing to show mercy,” she looked at the silent human who had gone limp, “Your sentence is life imprisonment in the Canterlot dungeon in a high security cell. Have you any rebuttal?” Jasper remained silent. Celestia nodded somberly, “Take him away.” Jasper was dragged from the room as Sunset approached her, “Princess, why didn’t you send him back to his world?” “Because, that would be a fate worse than the one I have given him.” Twilight nodded in understanding and looked with sorrow after the human who met her gaze for a brief instant, Jasper was there. But just from looking in his eyes, nopony was home. * Jasper sat in the place he had been placed and stared blankly at the wall. His body and soul were in that cell but the rest of him was not. * Jasper slowly walked through the mall and gazed up at the upper levels as all the ponies he had terrorized watched him. He came to the food court where Tony and the gang were happily chatting away. When he approached, Sid gestured causing Tony to turn around. Upon noticing Jasper he smiled and stood up, he approached him and hugged the human. Jasper returned it as Tony stood in front of him. Jasper spoke with hurt evident in his voice, “I’m so sorry. Please…forgive me.” Tony smiled as tears welled in his eyes, “It’s alright man. It wasn’t your fault.” * Jasper’s then looked to the heavens and screamed in anguish. His screams echoed through the halls as he thrashed and punched the floor and walls, blood dripping from his knuckles when he had finished. He then fell on the ground exhausted and curled into a ball, in the dark…..alone. * And so Equestria recovered as it always did after a disaster. But due to the gravity of it, the very reign of King Jasper was then recorded in the history books as one of the greatest tragedies’ to pony kind. The entry was simply titled, “The Reign of The Gold King.” The gauntlet was sealed away and the gem was used to free Discord, abet with much difficulty. The element of magic was repaired and given back to its proper wielder. The Brazen Ponies were melted down and the metals were used for repairs. Eventually Equestria returned to its former glory and the ponies frolicked. But one pony would always look back and linger. Twilight would on occasion visit Jasper at his cell, but he rarely or never spoke to her or anypony. But some guards tell her they hear him mumbling or whispering in the night. Only she felt pity for the loathsome creature that was once Equestria’s greatest enemy, and another’s true friend. The End…..For Now.