//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: Abby // by KingNyroc15 //------------------------------// The train arrived in Canterlot's Train Station. There were more ponies waiting for the train than there were on it. The few ponies on the train stepped onto the platform and went about their day. Obsidia didn't even wait for Nexus when she made her way to the Canterlot Library. After Nexus caught up, the two arrived at the library within ten minutes. The interior was circular with most of the walls being lined with bookshelves. There were about eight bookshelves position symmetrically, all pointing to the center which had seats and tables for reading. The center also housed the librarian and her desk, but the pair wasn't interested in her. Abby walked straight towards the door hiding in the back reading 'Canterlot Archives.' Under that was a makeshift sign reading 'Closed until further notice.' "There was a strange attack on the Archives hundreds of years ago. Some crazy stallion convinced Princess Celestia to close the Archives to everypony but the librarian, her, and Luna." "I know, but the thing I need is in there." "Is it now?" a calm feminine voice said. Obsidia and Nexus turned around. They came face to face with Princess Celestia. She matched Obsidia's typical expression while Nexus became very nervous. "What are you two doing back here?" "May I ask you the same?" Obsidia retorted. "I am making sure no pony gets hurt by entering a dangerous room. The librarian signaled me that two ponies were investigating the back." "It's only assumed to be dangerous. I doubt whatever is in there, if there even is something inside, can hurt me. May we go in?" Abby's stare became a little more intense. Princess Celestia glanced at Nexus as she responded. "I'm afraid I cannot take that chance. Yes, it has been centuries since that day, but a trustworthy pony has begged me to keep it closed from the public. If you two are not going to check out books, I will have to ask you to leave." Nexus remained nervous (and slightly shaky) while Abby scoffed and began exiting the library. After they left and were out of sight, Nexus stopped Abby, who seemed a tad irritated. "I know how badly you wanted to get in there," he started, "but there's no point taking on the princess." "We're getting in there. I only seem annoyed because I could not force her to let us through. She must have been maintaining eye contact with you. I cannot alter someone's mind unless they focus on me. We will try later. If she is still there..." "Things will get ugly?" Obsidia didn't say another word and continued down the road. Nexus caught up with her. "Where to now?" "We find a hotel room." "Oh my, that's rather forward." "Nexus, I barely feel any emotions. Of those, lust is not one of them." "Apparently, fun isn't one either," he muttered. He then spoke aloud once again. "Oh well, I was just joking. I still like being with you though." "I appreciate that. I must advise you to not form too strong of a bond since my due date is nearly here." "Hey." He stopped her by putting a hoof on her chest. They looked into each other's eyes; Nexus looked serious, while Obsidia returned to neutral. "I'll save you, ok? If I can't do that, I won't let you die alone." "Now you're choosing to die with me? What for?" "I...I don't know. I have nothing to really live for. I abandoned the Guard, have no home, no family, no friends. I'm just a lonesome drifter looking for entertainment. That's you; you're the entertainment that is the center of my life right now." "Touching, at least I'm sure it would be if I could feel. Do not feel sad about my comment. It's not like I choose to feel barely anything." "I know." Nexus hugged her; she didn't flinch. "I'm here for you...till the very end." "Thank you, but you really shouldn't kill yourself just to be entertained by me." "There's more than one way to entertain me." He winked an eye at her. "I suppose there is, but with me, all there is to do is follow. We may have to deal with a few guards, but I can easily dispose of them without causing harm." Nexus' smile faded and he sighed. What's the point of even flirting with this girl? For a mare who's extremely smart, that stuff just goes right over her head. ------------ Shouldn't you be dead? Soon. I don't want you to die. I don't either. You don't want to die, or you don't want me to die? ... Nexus opened his eyes. The hotel room he was in reminded him of the Ponyville Inn, except this one was nicer as to be expected. He looked up and saw Abby, still asleep on the bed. Even though she barely felt anything, she was still adorable in Nexus' eyes. He thought back to the strange dream he had. What would he feel if Obsidia died? He definitely felt an attraction to her. If she gets through this, would she feel the same about him? And why was he so attached to this mare? It has only been about two days. "Good morning," Abby greeted as she rubbed her eyes. Nexus snapped away from his thoughts. "Good morning. How do you feel?" "Like I am ready to end this." Nexus moved the blinds away from the nearby window. Nighttime. They were really going to do this. Abby told him that she was going to break into the Archives when the library was closed. He knew it wasn't going to be that easy. Celestia knew their plan; she was going to take precautions. "Are you ready, Nexus?" "I guess so." He looked into her eyes. Warn her, warn her. Why can't I freakin' warn her?! Abby walked out of the hotel room; Nexus followed right behind her. It took them only a few minutes to reach Canterlot Library again. Walking up to the front door, Abby put her hoof on it and quickly unlocked it. Nexus was surprised but knew better than to ask how. Stepping inside, Abby made her way towards the back while Nexus scanned everywhere. Wait...if Abby is extremely smart and has amazing abilities, she should be able to detect any other ponies, even if they were camouflaged. "Do you think there's anyone in here?" Nexus whispered. "I cannot hear anything. There's the door." She trotted to it and repeated the process of unlocking it. They found a staircase that spiraled down and around the main room. At the bottom was another door that led to a circular room underneath the library. The Archives. It had two floors and was the same size as upstairs, except the shelves were arranged different. The walls were still lined with them, but two rows of shelves curved with the room as they circled the center. At the center were railings and a makeshift wooden flooring. Nexus approached it. "So down there is where something attacked the Archives? And they housed in inside instead of removing it?!" "That happened centuries ago. We have to go down there anyway." "I'm not going down there unless you tell me what we're looking for." "Three orbs were created as an experiment to house anypony's magic as long as they could project it into said orb. One was already sent away; one might be at the castle, or both are down below. It took two princesses to create them, so it wouldn't be impossible for me to inject one with all of my powers. It will most likely kill me in the process." "Then I'm not letting you do it." "You don't have a say in the matter." Abby broke the wood flooring, levitated the pieces to the ceiling, and glued them there. She then jumped down into the dank, dim floor. Nexus looked at her from the top floor. She looked around the darkness for the orbs but didn't seem to find anything. Suddenly, a bright ball of light spawned at the top of the Archives, blinding Nexus and causing Abby to hide. "Halt! By order of the Royal Guard!" Nexus cursed to himself and laid on the ground. The ball of light dimmed and revealed four guards and Princess Celestia. She looked mildly disappointed. It was hard for Nexus to tell; the princess always had a poker face. "Where is she?" the alicorn asked. Nexus refused to answer. The princess looked towards the bottom floor. "Two of you investigate downstairs. We will stay here." Two guards nodded and jumped down there. Not a minute went by before an explosion shook the Archives. The four ponies on the upper floor ran to the railing and looked down. There was something glowing downstairs. Celestia teleported all four of them down one floor to investigate the light. They saw Obsidia sitting against the wall, holding a light blue orb as she stared at it with wide eyes. An open black box sat next to the mare. The orb pulsated with blue light as it absorbed Obsidia's powers. Princess Celestia took a step towards the mare. "Please give me the orb. I know what will happen to you if you use it completely." "In either scenario," Obsidia started with slightly more panic in her voice, "I will die. Either I store my powers in this orb for the worthy to collect then I die, or I choose to not store it and still die." "Obsidia," Nexus said. "There has to be something we can do to help you." "If she wants to use it, let her," a new voice said. Only Nexus turned to see that it was Twilight Sparkle. "Miss Sparkle, Celestia's Favored Foal," he recited formally. "I hate it when ponies say that. Anyway, I'm afraid that there isn't any other way. From what Princess Celestia says, and from what we heard from you two, she is doomed to die. It hurts to admit it but—" "NO!" Nexus shouted. "I won't let her die!" "Nexus..." Obsidia said softly. He turned towards her, who was now in front of him. "It's ok." Those two words broke his heart. He felt tears wanting to form. "I cannot be saved. Do not perish for me. You need to live." "So do you. You were dealt a bad hoof of cards; you shouldn't die because of that." She put a hoof on his cheek. "You should go. These ponies will make sure everything happens according to plan." "I will never leave you." "And I cannot tell you how much I appreciate that, but there is nothing anypony can do for me." He saw her eye twitch. "I'm staying...and I'm perishing with you." "You can't!" Twilight exclaimed. "Her death is unavoidable! You shouldn't kill yourself to be with her! I already know a pony that wishes he could have died in place of a mare." Another eye twitch from Abby. "I'm sorry, Miss Sparkle, but I need to do this...for her. I have nothing else left. Obsidia, I..." He trailed off when he looked back at her. She was clutching her head with panicking eyes yet with a smile. Obsidia snapped her head up at Nexus as tears formed in her eyes. The guards, Celestia, and Twilight looked at Obsidia in shock and interest as she began to speak rapidly to Nexus. "I can see everything, Nexus! More than what I was able to see previously. I see time itself. The past...the present...the future. Goddesses, the future. Decades from now... green fire, massive spells, political war, famine, a wasteland waiting to capture everypony. No one will see it coming. Even if they do, they won't be able to stop it." "Abby, get a hold of yourself!" Nexus held her hooves, which still clutched at the orb, as they sat down; he was beginning to worry. Tears began forming in his own eyes. This was it. "The past had the same problem but with different armies. The sun and the moon...locked in eternal combat. The Elements saved us, the Elements will save you all again. The future, Nexus, the future." "I'll be with you in the future. You're going to be ok. We're here to help." Obsidia's mind and body began to freak out, and she sparked with unknown energy. Nexus held her face, looked into her eyes, and smiled. He felt his body absorbing some of the energy. "I told you. You're not alone. I will always be here for you." Feeling something, Obsidia put one hoof on his cheek and, while crying, smiled back. Emotions... They're back. "Nexus...I...I lo—" The energy created a massive explosion of magic, causing everyone to shield their eyes. When the blue mist from the explosion cleared, they saw that the two ponies were gone. Twilight seemed the most shocked by this. Was it really over just like that? she thought. Twilight felt her body give up as she sat on the ground. They just vanished; gone forever. Celestia walked up to and sat beside her student. She draped a wing over Twilight's shoulder. "There was nothing we could have done for either of them." "I know, but the stallion... Nexus, was it?" Celestia nodded. "Royal Nexus. A guard who was stationed in Manehattan before quitting." She looked at Twilight's saddened expression. "Twilight, I'm afraid I must ask you to tell no one what you have witnessed here. That goes for everypony." She looked at the guards then back to Twilight. "I won't say anything." "I know you planned on leaving for Ponyville soon. If you do not wish to return immediately, you may stay at the castle as long as you want. Luna and I will be here if you need to speak with us." "Thank you." Celestia stood up and ushered everypony to leave. Twilight remained in the Archives alone, looking at the soot that was left behind by the two ponies. "I hope they at least celebrated Hearth's Warming..." --------------- Ugghhh... Where...am I? Head hurts... What happened? There was an explosion. What caused it? Black... Black? Black armor in front of me. Vision clearing. What the hell are these things? Ponies in armor. Vicious... How do I know that? Technology everywhere. There's a screen behind them. Aether... Space Pony Base Gamma? Space... Space...... Moon inside the room? No...not the moon... Picture of the moon...on a flank? Luna... Luna hiding... Away from these ponies? They're not friendly. Where the buck am I?! Why is she here?! (End)