//------------------------------// // Making Things Right-ish: A Quick Breather // Story: Imbalanced // by Nameless Narrator //------------------------------// The Corrupted Heart cracks but doesn't blow up. I look around quickly to see what's wrong and realize Twilight, while waiting for me to do something, didn't overload the Heart with magic like last time. The hit caused Sombra to drop on the ground and start groaning in pain but we're still here and alive which isn't exactly a good thing. "TRAITOR!" screams Scream and her horn darkens the sky over the city. Well duh. What did she think Element of Betrayal meant? I wasn't able to disperse Luna's magic most of the time and Scream... she's just on a completely different level. Black aura appears around the golden alicorn and the sky above us turns to its normal color. "crack" The sound comes from the damaged Heart and suddenly the shimmering barrier separating both worlds becomes a bit less see-through. Scream disappears, then a spark of golden light is pulled towards Void by tendrils of darkness and she then reappears in front of him. Moments later, said tentacles grab me and pull me back right before the rift between realities fades into nothingness. "CELESTIAAA!" yells Scream and an inferno of golden flames begins speeding towards the solar princess. Without any effect, it is stopped by a blackfire wing of immense size. "Enough," says Void and scowls at the golden alicorn in front of him. Standing tall, golden eyes glowing with inner fire and both wings spread seemingly into infinity, the alicorn of Death measures his marefriend who is looking at him, wide-eyed and small. "But she's the cause of all this!" Scream barks at Void. "Yes. Even the greatest ones can make mistakes." "I got you out of Tartarus!" "Partially, yes." "Then why are you angry at me? She deserves to suffer as much as I did without you! As much as you did down there. FOREVER!" "That is a point of view," says Void and his gaze falling on Celestia makes her shiver slightly. "Then let's break her together, love!" "If you do not stop this madness then we are going to have 'the talk'." Scream freezes immediately and her lip begins trembling. "B-b-b-but I can't live without you. Please don't even joke about that," she giggles nervously. "That was not a joke." Tears are now openly streaming down Scream's cheeks. After seconds that seem to last forever the dead silence is broken when she crumbles on the ground and puts her forelegs over her head. "...dontleavemepleasedontleavemejustdontleavmeheavensthiscantbehappening..." The black-purple wings close around the sobbing golden pile of fur. "I would never do that," smiles Void to himself. "You can't just let her off the hook-" begins princess Celestia but immediately stops when she hears Void's low growl. "Do. Not. Push. Your. Luck. Celestia." Then Void's eyes stop on the only pony who isn't frozen in shock, me. I'm just looking at the spot where Scream is hidden by Void's wings and smiling slightly. When I feel his gaze I wink at him, knowing everything worked out. To my surprise, he scratches his chin and his expression becomes completely unreadable. Then his hind leg kicks Chokey who has been standing next to him the entire time. "Right. Erm, since everything's worked out somehow, what about a reward for the heroes?" asks the batpony and looks at princess Celestia. The solar princess seems shocked by the proposition but recovers quickly. "I suppose you deserve something. All this wouldn't have been possible without Void and you. What can Equestria offer you for your valiant efforts in saving its citizens?" "Anything?" "Just say the word." "Are we talking prisoners of war or just things?" "There are no prisoners, everypony from the other side disappeared when-" Celestia stops and smiles. "Yep, I want that!" Chokey grins and points at me. I tense and stand up. "Wha?" is all I have to say. The Element changes its form from a longsword into a choker with a long chain ending wrapped around Chokey's hoof. "Very funny, Betty," I comment. The choker tightens considerably. "What did you say?" comes from the air. "I'm sorry, oh mighty Element of Betrayal." The snorting from Luna turns into open laughter, infects everypony around and eventually the laughter goes silent as Void disappears in a flash along with his golden cargo. A quick but determined tug on my neck tells me that it's time to follow my new owner. Who am I kidding? My old owner.