Chapter 25
Endings and Beginnings
“But, you just said you would marry it?” The purple unicorn sounded confused and a murmur followed.
“I have no problem with that, but I don't want to remember this moment looking like this,” Springdew/Glitterlamp smiled ominously. Without warning a green fire consumed Glitterlamp like a cocoon of fire. The fire stopped almost as quickly as it started with Glitterlamp standing proudly smiling, mischief glowing through her green eyes like lanterns. A gasp rippled from the crowd and the purple unicorn took a step back looking shocked but gears were already spinning in her head. “My name is Glitterlamp and I want to marry him.” Then she looked me dead in the eye and tilted her head adorably saying. “Surprise!” I could've died right then and there of shock.
But I was going to die of suffocation instead. The deathly silent halls boomed and shook like thunder with the force of my laughter, the birds took to the air escaping from the sudden noise.
“Well!” I said when the initial shock wore off of me and my laughter subsided. “This IS bold!” I said approvingly. “What a surprise!” My tendril wings wiggled ecstatically as I tried to control another burst of laughter. “Do you still object?” I asked still with a wide smile of my face. I had wondered how we would manage the whole double life thing, but I was going to take that as it comes.
“No,” her eerie voice sounded like music to my ears. “I have no more objections. Unless you do.”
“Now we got to move through the motions quickly now! Before they can react!” I thought to Glitterlamp and she nodded. Laughter echoed within me as the inner trio still laughing over the her little trick.
“Nope, no objections here.” I said happily grinning like a maniac. I looked to the royal sisters both with wide eyes and mouths. “I think this is the part where we receive our rings. Correct?” Sweetie Belle had been stunned staring up at Glitterlamp with surprise drawn all over her face. “C`mon, just like we practice.” I encouraged smiling disarmingly.
“O-ok,” Sweetie whispered finding her hooves again approached with the ring and bracer. I guess the bad news from Canterlot never was fully delivered to the younger kids. Glitterlamp floated the jewelry out and slipped my bracer on my left wrist half covering my bite scars as I slipped the ring over her curved horn. My heart was fluttering in my chest and I couldn't tell if it was from the love overdosing my systems or combat tension from the presence of likely enemies; Twilight and Celestia.
“If there are no more objections!” I announced to the crowd, the sun was halted from rising slowly as I spied a ray of light rising over the horizon hold it's position.
“Holy crap! She CAN move the sun!” I thought as I tried to steady myself. “She'll have to raise the sun sooner or later! She wouldn't drench her world in darkness just to spite me!”
“I think this is the part where we kiss!” Glitterlamp jumped into the air and landed into my out stretched arms.
When we kissed it felt like Glitterlamp's mind exploded!
“We are one.” Glitterlamp's voice sighed within my head with such adoration that I forgot that Celestia was standing not mere ten feet away.
“Yes,” I answered back though loving the way her voice poured through my head even though both our lips were being used for the kiss. “We are one.” I confirmed with calm cheer.
“Hold it!” A stallion unicorn cried out rushing to the front. “I am Warm Glow, Seeker of Celestia! I demand you come quietly, Changeling!” He said as if the word was foul. “Your parade of lies ends here and now!” He then blasted me in the face with a bolt of golden magic but it felt like a puff of air that also touched my mind.
“But the only lie I told was who I am.” Glitterlamp confessed still resting in my arms.
“That spell destroyed what ever charm you held over him! He is yours no more!” He declared and I felt anger rising within me.
“What charm?” Glitterlamp asked and I felt the golden power pour from my eyes as anger rose in me.
“And who the Hell are you to say our union is broken!” I spoke quietly but dangerously.
“Changelings can't love, they steal love!” The purple princess informed me from behind. “They tried to steal the Throne and my brother!”
“Lilly, Cactai, Braeburn.” I spoke to the room ignoring the confused stallion, the tension was building. This situation is decaying if this Warm Glow is going to fight me for her I will have more than one opponent. “I always knew Glitterlamp was a Changeling. Sorry I tricked you into thinking other wise, I was going to tell you soon, honest.” I apologized. “But if you are my friends that I know you to be, try to accept this oddity. I never meant any harm to happen.” Then I turned to Celestia. “Ever since I heard of you looking for me, I was real scared.” I admitted shrugging. “But I got over it, I have a new goal now. I want to destroy this hostility between Changelings and your kind along with any grievances between us.”
“You are a stranger to this world, human.” Celestia said calmly looking stern but her eyes spoke of worry. “I commend you for your noble ambition. But the scars left by the recent attack cannot be so easily erased.” Then she stamped her hoof down. “Our world is in a delicate balance as it is. Events are unfolding and I fear you may break that balance. I ask you to hand over the Changeling, as she is part of this world's balance, and yourself to come quietly.”
“What a horrible thing of you to demand.” Glitterlamp demanded sharply. “This! On our special day!” My features twisted into a snarl then chuckle coldly.
“Insignificant,” I dismissed Celestia with a gesture watching the sun fully rise from the horizon.
“I want the scars to heal.” Glitterlamp said fiercely. “I don't want to hide anymore, I don't want to lie anymore, I don't want to have my heart hurt again! If you want to let the scars heal, let us be!” Glitterlamp protested showing off her fangs with each word. “Let us be the first to heal these wounds! Not all changelings are monsters, can't we be the first steps to peace amongst our kinds?”
“It would be a long road but I think it can work.” I added seriously relaxing since Celestia was listening to us, or at least considering.
“Sister,” Luna said softly.
“You lied to me Luna. We'll talk later about trust and honesty.” Celestia cut her off. “Human, I am sorry that it has to be this way. Dreamers threatened the very fabric of this world with their power, we are still feeling the echos from Discord.”
“Wait!” The purple unicorn cried out suddenly. “What do you mean last time? I've been in their world, they have no magic. None of them had magic. Only the Element of Magic could offer that! He must have some amulet to allow him to have those wings, even Trixie could pull that look off.”
“Who are you?” I asked rudely. “I know we must have met before because your face is familiar but who are you.” The purple unicorn looked surprised and hurt.
“I'm Twilight Sparkle, I visited you when you were hurt. Remember the party? The one we wanted to throw you, a to get well? Then you got scared?” Twilight offered trying to jog my memory.
“Vaguely, I don't remember unimportant people very well.” I said offhandedly then jumped a little bit as two bits of information clicked together. “No wait, I have heard that name. You are more dangerous to me than Celestia. Perhaps you are in more control than her.” Her friends were saying something but I couldn't hear them, something about Glitterlamp. “Will you destroy our harmony? Will you destroy a wedding just like Chrysalis almost destroyed your brother's?” The question stopped her dead in her tracks.
“It's not the same.” Celestia said calmly. “Your kind have been banished for very good reasons. Chrysalis has made a mistake, nothing more. Even this will heal in time.”
“Out living your enemies isn't fixing the problem!” I snapped rudely. “But very well, it doesn't matter that much to me. You won't do much anyhow. Banishment is your best weapon, so hit us with your best shot.” I don't know why I'm getting angry at all of this! Twilight may be stronger but she doesn't hold the final decision! Wait I do know why I'm getting angry: IT'S UNFAIR!
“That may be so.” Celestia agreed. “There is no reason for any of this. I don't want to do this but my duty to my little ponies come before my own feelings.”
“Sister,” Luna started again with more urgency.
“Silence Luna! As the Eldest it is my duty to deal with this!” Celestia didn't shout but the force of her tone spoke of anger, betrayal, hurt, and sadness. “And as Ruler of Equestria I demand that we board the next train to the Crystal kingdom!” Celestia snapped at me her horn glowing with daylight irritating my eyes. “I have lost my whole family to your kind! This is the least you can do.”
“M-michael?” Glitterlamp asked me as I glared angrily back at Celestia. “Michael! No! Don't do it!”
“What more do you want? I've already agreed to banishment. Let us pack our things. I understand,” I said quietly then suddenly cracking my neck like gunshots in the still air. “That balance is important to you, more than life. Just allow us to pack a few things.” My voice was cold and struggling to hold myself together. The Inner Council was in a rage and I could barely hear anything anymore, the Inner Council sounded like little whispers, actually this is the quietest they have ever been.
“Sister!” Luna stood next to Celestia and almost shouted.
“Sile-” Celestia started to shout but looked into Luna's eyes. “I just don't want to lose you again.”
“Then don't provoke him! Even Discord himself would flee from him!” Luna begged glancing at me with worry. They broke into hushed whispers that I couldn't make out. I looked at the crowd and only half the hall had been full. Braeburn looked at me with sad eyes, Cactai was in shock, Lilly in tears and the kids not understanding what was going on. A flash of light and my nightmare of my own family crying looked just like them.
“If your intending to take me away, explain it to them. Look them in the eye and tell them why you're stealing their friend.” I said darkly hoping that I would hit a soft spot.
“Come Glitter, if we can back them into a corner and use their own values of harmony against them, we may still be able to stay. But if not, being banished together is not as bad as it sounds.” I thought to Glitterlamp but she kept the eye contact to Celestia. But even as thought the words sounded lame, like listening to an idiot explain a stupidly bad plan.
“I wouldn't provoke him either.” Glitterlamp said firmly. “And I'm not leaving just because some pony says so! Royal or not! I defied Chrysalis! What makes you different? Why are you backing down!?” Glitterlamp barked at me. I stared back at her and shook my head, I had taken a few steps back and lowered my stance.
“I don't know how to convince them for us to stay.” I thought and felt a little muddy having to step aside to another's whim. Isn't it just easier just to go along with Celestia's plan? I don't really belong here anyhow.
“What are you doing?” Glitterlamp snapped at me breaking my train of thought and I found myself slouching and I realized what I was doing. I was about to kneel but my body wouldn't respond! “What was the point of those Lessons then!” She demanded looking scared and confused. “Did you do all of that just to surrender!?” Glitterlamp asked tensely then stared at me in shock. “Michael! I can't hear you!” Then she spun to Warm Glow. “What did you do to him!?”
“He's completely docile now, he won't raise his hoof in your aid now.” Warm Glow announced full of duty. “I am charged to bring Changelings and threats to our kingdom to Celestia and I intend to fulfill my duty to the crown!”
“It is better to submit for the sake of peace.” A strange voice clicked in my head it sounded like me but it didn't come for me. It was so soothing, comforting, understanding but needed me to understand what is was saying as truth.
“Oh no you don't,” Fear chuckled darkly stretching his influence back through the connection. “SUFFER!!” Fear screeched and Warm Glow began to scream while clutching his head as Fear assaulted his mind without mercy. A window pane in my mind shattered violently as Vengeance roared in my head.
“The fool tried to mind control you! It took us a while to find the wretch!” The dry cracking of his voice sounded like a campfire and I glared at Warm Glow as he now lay squirming on the floor trying to get away from an unseen force in terror.
“Celestia help me! Make it stop!” He pleaded as he knocked chairs aside bruising himself in his desperate thrashing. A blast of golden energy hit me in the back sending me flying. Rolling over and over again I tried to put my arms around my head to avoid it getting hit. Sand invaded my eyes and mouth but it was the silence that startled me, that attack made no sound at all! Warm Glow had ceased screaming but now crying openly like a small child.
“What did you do to him?” Twilight asked seriously as I tried to stand up. I looked up and now very aware of the re-established mental connection with Glitterlamp was still there but something like a sliver was disrupting the flow. Courage struggled to pull it out earning another agonizing cry from Warm Glow earning me another shout. “Stop it! Why are you doing this!?”
“Scared,” I whispered uncontrollably feeling my mind peel apart as the voices readied themselves. “Danger, harm, need safe, enemies.” I stood up and shook my head regaining my composure. “You attacked my mind. What do you think happened? Have you any idea what I've done to prepare myself for this encounter!” I shouted darkly. “Why can't we be? Why must I and Glitterlamp go? Answer me, worthless worm!!” I barked feeling the tension ready to snap.
“Our kingdom is scared just like you, please come to Canterlot with me and we can talk this out. We can find a solution, I know we can.” Twilight's calm soothing voice sounded sincere and caring. I blinked a few times tying to discern her motive. “Let's just calm down,”
“Dreamer!” Glitterlamp came galloping out of the Town Hall, everyone parted away from her like they were scared of touching her, but when she passed under the arch; I was seconds too late. A paper slip with something written on it flashed like a ray of sunlight and Glitterlamp crashed to the ground lifeless as her wedding dress was stained with the tan dirt of Appaloosa. Her mind was alive with worry and now starting to really doubt her decision of revealing herself, now something was wrong. A royal guard levitated her body away while Luna was yelling magically amplifying her voice. Glitterlamp's last cry to me stuck into like a long shard of glass running through my body. To make matters even worse it echoed through my head, a desperate plea for help. A darkness not native to my Void welled within me at the very thought of anyone hurting Glitterlamp, now that somebody did I felt dangerous.
“I command all to stop!” And even the air held it's breath for her.
“Luna I cannot abide this creature look what it did to him!” Celestia pointed a hoof at Warm Glow still whimpering, curled into a ball. Even though she was talking to Luna her eyes never left me, scanning, fearful, determined. I sat there only twenty feet away and tried to make contact with Glitterlamp's mind since the obstruction now was gone. I felt the road leading to the caverns of her mind, and it lay hollow.
No thoughts, no emotions, no life, it was just another chamber within my Void. Worse, there is a vacant hole within me, within the Void, within my heart.
“You killed her.” I said spoke almost unbelieving it. The tension in the air was screaming in strain ready to break at the slightest surprise. “This was her day.” A tendril slammed the ground cracking the dry rock. “She finally gathered enough courage to show the world what she was. And what did you do? You ended her life.” Twilight looked startled as black sand covered my body as the armor manifest. Now the hands ended in long knife like claws, the armor had scales like a dragon and the helmet was no longer faceless but held Vengeance's face twisted in primal anger and loss but the shape was still human, except for perhaps, the dragon's tail. A sword more fitting for combat than Fearbane's body could ever hope for grew in my hand, it was a longsword with a wide sword guard. The Gem in my, no, the Void Heart shown brilliantly at the center of my chest draining all color and light from my immediate presence half cloaking me in darkness.
“Celestia! We need to end this now or his cries will be the least of our worries!” Luna begged with her blue eyes getting bigger at me in worry.
“But,” Twilight stammered. “Humans don't have magic!” I turned into a black mist with only my glowing eyes piercing the darkness. The darkness surged by Twilight and reformed my body kneeling next to Glitterlamp.
“She is so beautiful, even in death.” I observed thoughtfully barely hearing the sorrow stricken words of my own voice. Glitterlamp appeared to only sleep, her wedding gown marred with dirt never touched the fact that she was beautiful. Even at this close I could not even feel the slightest motion of a thought. Vengeance howled in rage at the injustice, Fear screeched in loss, and courage stood straighter with murder in his eyes looking at the future.
I used my tendril wings to pick up her body then secure it to my back, like a morbid piggyback ride. The armor morphed itself to hold her and protect her while I moved about. Warm Glow had regained his sense as he was now pounding on my helm with no avail. He was gibbering something but I snapped out and grabbed his back leg then stood up dangling him like a doll.
“I hate you.” A gravely growl escaped the helmet's mouth as if the helm was alive with moving lips and facial features. “Your interference caused this. Now you will get what you wanted, a fight.” My voice kept swapping between my voice and my Inner Council, the effect was amazing. I flipped him into the air and using a tendril to grab him I slammed his back over a fence shattering his back like a hollow twig. It was like I was barely in control of my actions, I actually warred with myself in how I would destroy someone, like watching a movie with me as the star except I didn't call the shots.
Celestia charged up her blast again but I wasn't off guard this time. I raised one hand to Celestia and pointed another to Twilight, the spell was launched at me and I opened two portals to the Void. The spell sailed through one and exited through the other without it ever touching me. Twilight ducked in time to avoid the spell but everyone's eyes were in shock. Ponies were screaming, idiots ran between the cross fire, several called my name but I no longer cared. I'm ending this all now.
“Stop it right now!” A yellow pegasus with butterflies on her ass shouted at me with the most sternest eyes I've seen on a four legged animal. “You've hurt enough! Stop!” The fool was within my reach.
“Out of my way, insect.” I said waving my hand causing a sharp wind gust sending her flying over the town. Thundering hooves made me look to my left as a large buffalo charged me. I walked calmly towards the charge and merely opened two portals again sending him careening into a house. Applejack and Rainbow Hair charged me, Applejack tried to buck in one direction while Rainbow Hair flew in another direction at me. I couldn't dodge both attacks without leaving myself open for even more attacks.
“Jump over the kick and grab the flying one to bring it to the ground.” Vengeance advised with undivided attention. And I did just that. I landed on top Rainbow hair grinding to the ground delivering a sharp kick the the center of it's back launching myself into the air.
“Dreamer! Stop this at once!” Luna commanded loudly like a bombing going off.
“Fear not,” a low hiss escaped my lips when I looked to Luna. “You, the farmers, and the children shall be spared.”
“Then we'll stop you!” Twilight barked grabbing me with levitation and I lashed at her mind causing her to instinctively throw me through the side of my house. The living room was a mess now, but I knew where Glitterlamp had placed the Alicorn Amulet, I remember when it made her magic stronger than what she could handle. The memory only made my anger burn hotter.
“You were my first,” I gasped as I floated to my feet. “True friend here or on Earth, lover, ally, companion.” I rushed through the house going to my room, the enchantment to make the inside bigger was broken with the wall but it didn't matter anymore. Nothing did anymore, once I have my revenge on these fiends I'll try to go to another dimension. Away from all these memories! I'll forget them in time, but I'll remember Glitterlamp. She's the only one here worth remembering! Aside from the nice ponies from the orchard.
I wrenched open the drawer and found the Alicorn Amulet resting upon a small silk pillow. She would've grown so much stronger under my care, my love alone had made her life complete. Now she's dead, my worst fears made manifest but not by my own hand. The darkness of the Void reached out from the Void heart and took the necklace into itself, much like an inventory in video games. But now there are no save files, no check points, no certainty, but what I had was magic and my own deranged imagination now. With these simple tools I can give them a fight they'll never forget. Never.
Glitterlamp feared Celestia, but she feared Twilight even more. Twilight shall be the first, Celestia will be second. I grabbed my journal and anything that would help me in my travels. I could hear them moving around outside but I couldn't tell if they were bold enough to enter this house yet. I looked at the sun filled window with curiosity then a thought struck me.
“If Celestia is the queen of the sun then doesn't she draw power from it? What if I blotted the sky?” Vengeance was considering the notion while Fear encouraged me to do it.
“Without the sun you take away their sight.”
“Without their night, their dreams will twist into nightmares!”
“I, we, lost so much in such a small amount of time, time to teach them to despair.”
No options left, no back doors, no way out, and most of all nothing left to lose. Time to attack, to make bleed, to end lives. I looked up to the roof and raised a single clawed hand and the void crashed into the ceiling blowing it off like a lid under pressure. The storm over the orchard stretched at my command but it no longer thundered. Inky darkness began to blot the sky, dimming the world until the only light was the magic glowing from their horns.
I now walked out of my house clutching the sword in my steely grip and now the purple energy poured from my eyes as brilliantly as Celestia's hair. My armor was now black with gold trim while white filigree crawled across the surface of my armor.
Terror was everywhere! I drank in the substance as it only increased my own power. Luna stood with Celestia looking determined at me.
“I will not stand idly by while you terrorize my kingdom, Sombra!” Luna challenged me seemingly getting the hang of the current dialect. “You won't find fear within us by doing a simple trick!” I didn't say anything. I had no words for them. I just wanted my revenge, I want to make them suffer as I now suffer.
“You're first.” I growled pointing a dagger like finger at Twilight and charged at her. The royal guard quickly filled the space between me and her, very well but they did not deserve to die.
I now lost utter control as my focus was being used to make the Void manifest on this plane of existence. Something had taken over now. Pony after pony they came, broken bone and bruised skin walked away; those who could still walk that is.
That's when my vision cut out.
I was kneeling down in the sand as the wind tore at my skin. I was crying loudly and openly like I never had before. My chest was bleeding from the large gaping hole that now took residence. I felt so still, you get so used to the constant throb of the heart that you only notice it when it stops. It hurt so much. I held Glitterlamp's still body close to me and the tears and blood mingled with her hair. Windows floated about me and I watched my body fight the Equestrians. My body didn't want to kill them, just wanted to vent my agony upon them. Dad was right, never fight. I am bigger and stronger than them, it's not fair to them. Celestia, Luna and Twilight charged up some super beam. I heard someone yell.
“Now! Use the the Elements of harmony!”
“No! A dark mare cried, not yet! Sombra is still to entrenched in his body!”
Not sure if it mattered anyway. They don't stand a chance, not with the knowledge of historic war and combative games both fantasy and sci-fi. I haven't even made a gun yet for crying out loud! They fired the super beam and only left my boots smoldering in the sand, by the looks on their faces that wasn't the intent of the beam. Black sand bled from the boots and Luna immediately took the air. She was warning the others that the fight isn't over yet. She was right. I manifested as some sort of stallion with silver armor above Luna in the depth of the Void above her. The stallion had a black mane with a redish curved horn that looked familiar but then it clicked in my head; Sombra! Sombra started to methodically divide up the team. Keeping them separated is the first step at winning any battle. Luna looked up at the screen, sky, whatever, the look on her eyes said it all. No where is safe.
No where is safe.
What would be the point of going to another dimension? Only to find them or similar knocking down my door? I know I don't really stay in one place for more than a year, but could I stand running for my life everyday? Never to see another friendly face? A helpful word? Comfort? Glitterlamp's still warm body only reminded me that I am not as strong as I think I am. I cannot bring back the dead.
Sombra grew to impossible sizes as he slammed his armored head into the arch of the Town hall, stomped on the party that they would've held for us this morning. The happiness and good will, changed into this. I don't know what all the stories about Dreamers are but now I've added my own horrific story that will make any human after me hounded down for my actions. But what about their story? What horrors have these ponies committed that no one knows about.
The Infinity, with endless possibility anything is possible. Fear-Beasts had joined the fray when Rainbow Hair crashed down on Sombra's neck,
“Fear was Sombra this whole time!?” I mentally kicked myself for not seeing it. Sombra began morphing into their worst nightmares possible. Courage and Vengeance leaped from the same wound and begun the second phase of attack, first was to disorganize, second was to conquer. Not much longer now. But there was something wrong, they all looked wrong, corrupted.
But is it all worth it? Blotting the sky? Attacking them, even killing them? What would it accomplish? Could I still stop myself? Maybe. I moved to the window and stepped through. I would've like to say I was successful but a pane of thick glass came between me and the waking world. I put my hand out to touch the window and saw that my arm was barely a shadow. The Inner Council looked solid down there wrecking havoc upon the denizens. I guess I knew what I was doing when I blotted the sky, I was interfering with their elemental magic.
Courage clocked Celestia and grabbed her by her necklace and brought his arm back to take her head. Luna cried out against me but Fear kept her pinned to the ground but not forcing her to watch. Vengeance breathed in gathering black fire in his throat.
I gotta stop this before I really mess things up for future humans!
“Stop! Stop all of this!! I had enough!!” I shouted into the window. I felt a mental gaze fall upon me and the inner council was revealed. They were huge in my mind again towering over me like giants stretched out like leather waiting to dry, rusty chains danced through their flesh sapping their power. These were the real shards of me, they needed my help but they are all out of reach. I saw their eyes vacant and hollow, I myself was barely existing in this realm as it was a force within us but originated from Sombra had caused this corruption and a figure like Fear was nailed like a butterfly to a wall. I was bled dry from the inside out, no actual power left, not anymore. I had given myself up to revenge and now I didn't have to power to stop this. I still wanted my Vengeance, I want them to pay for what they did to me. I didn't really want to stop, not all of me at least. It was like a train wreck, I can't look away.
The hole in my chest gushed even more bleeding my essence into the Void. I fell to my knees and found that I didn't have the strength to get back up. A pressure around my neck and around my stomach and it grew stronger. I accepted my fate, Fear was here to kill me and win this long mental war between me and him. Despite creating Vengeance and boosting Courage's power to deal with him so I could deal with daily problems failed. I lost. I was dying.
“He's shown himself! Now!” A voice cried out and something hit me, hard. A rainbow ripped through the shadowy grip of this dark assailant. Color invaded my Void shattering and dispersing Courage and Vengeance. My body was complete again, I felt whole but still hollow. The creature that looked so very much like Fear was still shackled in place and when I looked at the zombie like reflection of myself I grabbed the sides of the painful prison and looked into his eyes. Gray smoke poured gently out of his eyes, pleading and afraid.
I could kill him here and now. Here, in the rainbow's power I could erase him from my mind. I could be rid of him forever, wipe a stain from my mind. And I knew that Fear knows this too, and the ax hovers above his neck. The sword was in my hand now, tears ran down the monster's face as it had no eyelids to close away from it's end. It had to watch it come, every tantalizing moment. I raised my sword above my head and swung it down hard enough to destroy my target.
The sword sliced through the chains with ease dropping the withered husk to my feet and it stared up at me asking one word.
“Why? Why spare me?” The creature asked me. I tossed my sword away and gently picked the husk up and hugged him.
“Tell me your name, friend.” I said simply hugging the thing form.
“Pain,” it answered simply. “I was born from the sword from Fearbane, the thing you called Fear was really Sombra's fleeting essence leeching from me, please don't kill me.”
“Never,” I said gripping it tighter. “Even if you are Pain I need you to survive, you're all I have left when all is said and done.” A bridge solidified between us giving Pain a surge of power. His frail white body fluxed within my arms filling his thin body out.
“Welcome to the council, Pain.” I said happily then I felt my mind being drawn elsewhere.
I woke up staring up at the inky sky. My body still dazed from the rainbow. Glitterlamp's body lay next to me still limp and empty. I sat on my knees hugging her passionately one last time. I didn't care if they heard me cry now, there's a lot of things I stopped caring about. Like showing them just how weak they are, how strong I am.
“They are the rightful rulers of this planet, who are we to say they are wrong?”
“They have ripped our heart out! We are not okay with this! For a race that wants peace they killed pretty quick!”
“We think that did it. Sombra no longer has a claim to him, he is in harmony again.” Luna announced thankfully.
“If you wanted to win, you shouldn't have done that.” I said darkly tinting my voice machine like still raging with loss. A mass of black sand exploded from my body encasing myself back into my armor and sword in hand. The armor no longer was the twisted amalgamation of all my voices but while my armor did sorta look like Courage's body my armor, except for the faceplate which resembled a black mirror, was flat and smooth once again with the golden energy pouring from where the eyes should be. The shocked faces of everypony disgusted me. “You shall suffer as you made me suffer.”
“If it is a fight you want it's a fight you'll get, but know this,” Twilight said her eyes white with power. “You are alone with no friends to catch you when you fall.”
“No matter.” I spat and dashed forward swinging my sword high making her duck then delivering a kick to her head dislodging her crown off of her head.
“Get that crown!” Vengeance cried almost frantically. Seemed really silly to break away from combat like this just for a trinket but fine. I ripped my form apart into sand and when the pink monster bit into one side of the crown I held the other side.
“I remember you. And that is bad, if you want to know.” I sneered forcing her mouth open by pinching her lower jaw with thumb and forefinger.
“Ow ow ow ow!” The pink mass of curls let go trying to get away. I let go feeling someone gallop towards me from behind. I lifted myself into the air and observed the battle field. Sombra did a pretty good job, broken fences, a cart is on fire, ponies cowering from Fear-Beasts, it looked pretty silly still seeing vibrant colors shivering. Somewhere I could hear my name being called demanding my attention with the near panicked tone of voice.
I landed impaling a Fear-beast through the heart then swords rained down from the sky finding a new home within a Fear-beast's vital areas. The dying screeches filled the air and I only yanked my sword out and pointed it at Celestia which stood only twenty paces away from me.
“You've met a terrible fate, haven't you?” I spoke softly but her ears twitched as if it was right behind her.
“She is the right ruler.” Vengeance tried to reason with me and he was right, I don't belong here. But my heart demanded justice! I charged covering the distance passing through any that stood in my way like a ghost. My fist connected with her chest in an uppercut then a tendril slammed her stomach sending her crashing into fences and ponies alike.
“Don't kill her lest Luna deems your death necessary.” Courage warned me.
“I don't care!” I roared through my tears forcing the sword to shape itself into a single barreled cannon capable of a semi-automatic fire. I stared Celestia down the barrel and a mad grin grew across my face. “Humans mastered the art of war after all.”
“Stop,” something whispered that latched onto my back through my armor.
A single voice rang like a bell shaking the very Void like an earthquake. A pressure squeezed my neck and stomach gently but to me the mere touch sent me shaking. The Void faltered letting the sun break through and the only presence of my power was around me
“Wake up, you can do this.” Glitterlamp's voice spoke next to my ear. The pressure was from her hugging my real body. I looked down at myself which now had glowing green daggers sticking through my body restricting my movement. None of them were truly hurt but it sure looked like it hurt. I found myself dropping the crown and gun to touch Glitterlamp's body as if testing for a pulse. There was no dagger wounds in my body but it was the voice and her mental shove which snapped me out of my sorrow crazed frenzy. The Void crashed back into my body the Inner Council spoke all at once trying to understand this change of events. I dropped to my knees and felt Glitterlamp breathing against my back. Glitterlamp's mind was awake and startled but so very much alive!
“Don't do it.” Glitterlamp commanded me softly like just rolling out of bed. “Don't be like me.” I felt so many emotions from her it was hard to tell what was more dominant. “We don't belong here,” the words almost sounded like a judgment sentence. “But maybe we belong somewhere else, somewhere where we are welcomed.” It must have seemed bizarre, I had the advantage but I stopped suddenly only to turn my head to listen to something. The sun beat down upon me while the wind blew gently on my skin through my armor. I took several steps away from Celestia and still felt the pressure from the hug from Glitterlamp grow.
“That charm over the arch!” I demanded, Celestia looked up at me like I was deranged. “What does it do!?” Celestia coughed and looked at me.
“Your eyes changed,” she barely spoke above a whisper. “The charm renders changelings unconscious to a point they can't focus on their disguise.” Only knocked out? I attacked and almost killed because I didn't think for checking for a pulse!? But, even asleep she had activity in her mind. But they simulated mental death for a little while, not true death.
“What have I done.” I said looking around at the wreckage of the town. The armor went down but Glitterlamp was still fighting sleep, I just heard her voice in my head and hadn't realized it. Having her mental embrace was enough to stop me. My energy wings still held her firmly to my back.
“Lil Dune! Sadie! Get back here!” A mare called out and soon two little bodies tackled the back of my knees easily bringing me down. They were crying and hugging me and I don't know why.
“It's alright! It's alright! Stop crying please!” Sadie comforted me while Lil Dune was giving me a crushing hug for a kid his size. I blinked rapidly stunned by this new turn of events. I rolled onto my back placing Glitterlamp within arm's reach of me. I touched my face to find that it was wet and tears still rolled down my face. I was trying to stifle my cries but only made them feel worse. My mind was stun locked and I couldn't even notice details like this or the fact I felt like pounded dog meat. I probably couldn't fight now if I wanted to. Lil Dune broke away and stood against his elders.
“Leave my friend alone!” His voice cracked sharply but in years to come it would become deep. “I don't know why y`all fought but stop now! Act like adults!” Then he turned to me. “You stop fightin` too! Ya hear? Ya scarin` everypony!” Event though he was just a child he meant every word of it, and he was deadly serious.
Black tendrils pushed my body to my feet, my suit had been ripped to shreds barely hanging on to my frame. New scars decorated my body like tattoos from burns to scars running from my ankles to my neck, the only reason I still lived and had blood pouring in my veins was being so tightly wrapped within my own power to heal myself. The Black sand formed clothes upon me that kept shifting in color. Glitterlamp finally opened her eyes and spoke weakly like waking up for the first time.
“It's okay Dreamer, I'm fine, just sleepy.” Glitterlamp spoke clearly.
“Since she is not dead.” I said and turned to where Warm Glow still lay at a distance gasping in agony like a fish on land having his back snapped like a twig. I waved my hand over him and his back twitched and popped but I mended the damage I caused. The damage to his mind may not fully heal but he'll live.
The town was a mess but only the wedding preparations had been truly destroyed and my house. Glitterlamp buzzed her wings and returned to the ground on wobbly hooves.
“We surrender.” Glitterlamp announced then yawned. “I don't want ponies getting hurt from your stubbornness.” She added looking right at Celestia. Royal guard that could still stand surrounded us but they didn't have the courage to touch us.
“I have to go now,” I knelt down to address the little ponies. “Dune, Sadie. I don't know if I'll be back. I'm sorry that I'm leaving so soon.”
“But where will you go? Will anypony know you?” Sadie asked. I shook my head, gave them one last hug and stood up. I already have the things I wanted to take with me.
“Is there anything from the house you wanted before we leave, Glitter?” I asked still angry at Celestia and myself.
“No, I have what I want.” She said standing so that I stood between her and Twilight. I plucked both Sadie and Lil Dune with my wings then placing them next to Braeburn. The cloud over the Orchard returned to normal, still lightly rumbling, sprinkling on the trees down below.
“Good luck to you Braeburn, not everyone tries to grow something in a dessert. Lilly, may you find love, you deserve it. Cactai, I thought you were pretty cool, stay loyal.” I turned to Celestia with anger filled eyes. “Ready.”
“Good luck, friend.” Braeburn said sadly to me tipping his hat. Lilly bowed her head wiping a tear away and Cactai tipped her hat in a silent farewell.
We were escorted to the train. The short cramped, overly decorative train bursting with color seemed dreary and hostile now as I climbed aboard. Glitterlamp and I sat down in a compartment that the royal guards evicted for our use. This train was more elaborate than the one we rode in on. It was bigger, had seats and tables, higher head room with moons and suns as a repeating style. Canterlot Rails, that was what said on a little sign hung over each door in scroll like text.
I smiled at myself for getting quicker at reading Equestrian text even though it will be worthless soon. Glitterlamp sat next to me in the booth while the two guards charged with keeping an eye on us went about the train car informing the passengers the change of plans.
“We are on a very tight schedule! If we go back to Canterlot now we won't be able to get to our vacation on time!” A mare said loudly very upset.
“Sorry mam, the creature in custody needs to be dealt with first.” The guard responded flatly. I turned to Glitterlamp and began pushing her mane out of my way trying to see if she hit her head when she the charm took effect.
“I'm fine, I'm not hurt anywhere.” Glitterlamp said flinching away when I tried to check the crown of her head. “Ow! Okay, maybe a bruise or two.”
“Doesn't look bad, no blood at least.” I mentally thought to her. Relaxing in the soft but cramped chair. “Only thing to do now is wait. Unless I come up with a daring escape plan.”
“No, no escapes. They would only follow us.” She whispered to me trying to keep our conversation private. “Have you even seen yourself? You're covered in scars. Look.” She said pushing some of the black sand away from me. I was covered in white scars across my skin, they swirled and curled amongst themselves but never overlapping. They looked like tattoos in design expanding from the Void Heart lodged in my chest. I had no idea what it meant, probably my own magic lashing back at me for not acknowledging my limits. When she placed a hoof to feel it it felt like ice and fire scorching my skin. I hissed sharply and Glitterlamp pulled back and the sand covered my chest again sensing my pain. “Looks like it hurts.” I shook my head and shrugged.
“Hey, in the town hall, I could hear your voice in my head, like how you hear mine. Try to talk like that again.” I whispered aloud holding her in my arms. She trembled in my arms and opened her mind up to me wider than before in effort, fear and regret tore at her for revealing herself to the public appearing like her mother talking down to her but not as forcefully as Fear talked to me Glitterlamp's mother's voice never reached a whisper.
She felt secure here in my arms and glad but also sad that I would go any length to defend her. She didn't like the idea of killing people, she still regretted killing her mother and she didn't want me to suffer the same regret. Glitterlamp loved me deeply and didn't want me to change who I am for anything. Above all she doesn't want to see me hurt like how she's hurting. All of her mental doors swung open with all her memories and feelings pouring into me as she tried to convey the feeling and image into words and coherent messages.
“Did you get it?” Glitterlamp whispered to me.
“I think so, it was a grand attempt but I think you said something like, 'don't suffer like me, I love you, but don't change for anypony', am I close?” I asked hoping I got the whole message.
“Close enough.” Glitterlamp sighed happily and leaned into me. “Now all we can do is wait to see where we get banished too.”
“Funny,” I scoffed. “I thought she would do it with a spell.” Glitterlamp shook her head being careful of my sores.
“Transportation spells are a little harder than that, gotta imagine the place and you being there. Or something like that, I never got how some unicorns do it.” Glitterlamp explained trying to fall back to sleep and I could feel the question, “One last good dream?” But I was too wired awake to even think about sleep. Glitterlamp looked down at her stained wedding down and began to disrobe and cast it aside.
“No. Way.” A teal unicorn gasped at me. “ohmygosh ohmygosh! Bon bon! Bon bon! A human! I found one!” And then rushed into my compartment before the guards could react. The wide smiling unicorn came short of crashing into me when she saw Glitterlamp snapping to attention sitting up and staring at her with surprise.
“Lyra, really you can't just keep accusing ponies of being human,” A voice came from around the corner and this Bon bon stared at me with her jaw hitting the ground. Bon bon's coat looked like cream with candy blue and pink in her mane. Lyra's mane look like mint toothpaste.
“Hi,” I began to say.
“It can talk too!” Lyra bounced up and down in front of me. The guards came in and looked like they were going to force her out but with a wave of my hand they were held to the ceiling with their mouths sealed shut. I wanted to talk to this pony, if anything but for a distraction.
“Come on in Bon bon, I would like to talk with both of you.” I said drearily beckoning her in. “I won't harm you.” I added. They both sat in the seats across from us. Lyra couldn't wipe the ecstatic smile off her face and Bon bon couldn't believe her eyes.
“Lyra, I take back about what I said all those years.” Was the first thing she said to Lyra.
“Can, can I see your hands?” Lyra asked politely, like a fan girl asking her favorite actor to have lunch with her. I unfolded the table from the wall and was painfully aware of Lyra watching every move I made. I set my hand on the table and submitted my arm to being poked and prodded.
“Lyra, didn't you say humans didn't have magic but had technology?” Bon bon whispered to Lyra not very softly eyeing the restrained guards caught in black sand.
“Not from what I knew. Where did you come from?” Lyra asked and I begun my tale of Earth, Glitterlamp woke up enough to listen and watched when I made something like a movie on the table for everyone to see. They were impressed to see Earth no matter how mundane the action was. From getting on the bus to the grocery stores, construction sites, tools meant for hands was Lyra's favorite.
“I got a question!” Lyra asked abruptly during my story telling.
“Yes?” I answered waiting.
“Did King Arthur make it back to Earth?” She asked and it stopped me dead in my tracks. “We can't find any archeology sites or items dating past that.”
“How do you know of that?” I asked still stunned.
“I'm glad you asked!” She smiling then reached for her pack that wasn't there. “Hold on, please?” She said blushing a bit than ran down the hall to get the evidence.
“I see the Royal guards felt you safe enough to leave you alone.” Luna said looking around the room. “I remember hearing my sister that you weren't to have visitors unattended.” I pointed up and she saw the restrained guards. “I see, put them down.” She ordered.
I did as she asked but I put them down outside my little room here, more like a toss. Bon bon didn't have enough room to do a full bow but she tried to anyway. Luna sat next to her and looked at me with intent.
“I wanted to thank you.” She said that surprising me. “Thank you for sticking with your promise of not leaving her side even though we challenged you. I apologize for ruining this day for both of you, I didn't mean to bring Celestia along, or the others.” Luna stretched out a hoof to Glitterlamp and Glitterlamp touched her hoof with tears in her eyes. Then Luna took my hand and placed it to hold Glitterlamp's hoof. “I now seal this union forever.” The words didn't sound significant to me but it meant the world to Glitterlamp.
“Thank you, thank you, so much.” Glitterlamp sobbed holding me even tighter then before. Bon bon just blinked a few times staring at the strange union.
“Okay! Here it is!” Lyra came in with a rectangular bag floating in her magic and looked at everyone and made a hasty bow to Luna. “Good morning Princess Luna.”
“Where did you get this?” I asked with curiosity and started to recognize the bag, it wasn't pony made that was clear.
“Here you go, I got it to work once but now, could you take a look at it?” Lyra asked then smiled sheepishly. “Sorry, it was found in a crumbling fort not of pony design in a dark forest. Out of the whole searching team there was only one that made it back. The rest were missing.”
The object was place in my hands and it was heavier than what it looked like. The fabric was kinda spongy and smelled kinda musty despite the care it had received. There was a zipper on the side that only stuck a few times before unzipping entirely. What fell out made my eyes widen in surprise and a sense of brilliant discovery.
A lap top with a solar panel in pristine condition. The brand symbol was a pineapple with a bite off the top and the lap top itself was chrome with a few scratches. I flicked the power button on the side and saw a red flashing light and frowned.
“No wonder you can't access it, it's out of power.” I said deftly unwinding the wire from the solar panel and plugging it into the appropriate slot. An orange light now came on as it charged.
“How did you know how they work?” Lyra asked but I wasn't sure if it was a rhetorical question or not.
“There's a battery which stores electricity, you used up it's charge. I have one like this at home, a different one but the style doesn't change much. Symbol is new though.” I said trying to explain it in the way I knew it. “Solar panels use the sun to generate power but it's gonna take a few hours.”
“So this IS made by humans.” Lyra said with a huge grin.
“Yep.” I answered and Lyra squirmed with glee trying to keep all her joy inside.
“Then you have time to read this.” Luna said sliding a letter toward me. “Trixie wanted to give this to you.” The letter was neatly folded and had a wand with a crescent moon wax seal.
“This was her Cutie Mark wasn't it?” I thought to myself and Glitterlamp nodded to me. I broke the seal and opened the letter. Trixie's curvy letters looked hasty and hard to read.
“I guess she wrote this while I went berserk.” I thought sadly and flinched at myself. “I guess I did berserk, Dad warned me about that, sorry.” I thought clenching my teeth trying to fight back the tears. Just seeing the sad faces of my family was almost too much now, I don't them seeing what I turned myself into. I'm not sure I could even recognize myself in the mirror if I looked.
Glitterlamp brushed my mind with hers reminding me that she was here. I looked back to the letter half crumbled in my grip.
“Dear Michael, dearest friend,
I know I never told you how much you helped me. How much I admired you for staring nightmares in the face and snarl back. How you never wanted to show off but had so much power within you. You were like the brother I never had, even though we haven't always seen eye to eye or even spent much time with each other.
If you can ever come back to Equestria, because I don't believe banishment can hold you back. You were my best friend and it hurts to see you like this, blotting the sky, turning into monsters, hurting ponies. Please get better and come back, this isn't you.
Your friend,
Trixie.”
Tears poured down my face freely but I willed myself to stay still. I didn't read it aloud since it wasn't for their ears. Glitterlamp read it from my mind as I read it and smiled.
“I didn't know her very long, but she did say that you were her hero.” Glitterlamp said quietly happy. “You're kinda awesome you know.”
“Yeah,” I said quietly and then cleared my throat. “Thank you Luna. I needed this.” In truth it brought only more friends to mind. Icecube still waits for my next visit into Ponyville, Scootaloo still doesn't have her wings she wished for, the changelings are still lurking and dying in the background of the brightly colored world, forests hold dangers and treasures that this culture cannot combat themselves.
“Well, Lyra, I'll be in our compartment if you need me.” Bon bon excused herself from the room and passed the guards.
“Did the letter bring you pain?” Luna asked sincerely.
“Yeah, but the good kind. For a long time I thought myself, that I couldn't have friends, now I've made so many without even noticing it.” I said trying to keep my voice level. “It's a little much to take in, for a creature as isolated as I.” I said looking down to the letter. “Hey can I ask a favor?” I asked suddenly and full of attention.
“Of course,” Luna said trying to keep up with my shifting emotions. “What is it that you desire?”
“I want to talk to Twilight and her friends, these wielders of harmony. I think I can learn something from them.” I said as earnestly as I could. But I could see suspicion within Luna's eyes.
“What are thou plotting?” Luna said slipping back into her old dialect.
“Nothing dangerous, I vow it.” I said grinning now. Luna seemed to consider it for a moment then nod her head.
“Yes, we think that we will grant this.” Luna smiled and went to the door. “The creature is to accompany me.”
“Yes, M`lady.” The guards said without hesitation but glared at me for gluing them to the ceiling earlier. Luna lead me and Glitterlamp through the train having plenty of head room to walk while I had to slouch to get by.
“We don't think that Twilight will bear you any ill will, she is not one to hold a grudge.” Luna told me when she stopped in front of a door. With a slight glance at the door it swung open on well kept hinges not making a sound announcing our entry. Twilight sat next to Celestia deep in conversation while trying to mend the broken bones I inflicted upon the few guards in the room. A small purple dragon rushed about getting the injured drinks of food and performing small basic comforts. Smiles greeted Luna but any vocal greeting got stuck in their throats when I followed in with Glitterlamp.
“What are you doing here brute! Haven't you caused enough misery?!” A white unicorn spoke sternly at me.
“Do you really want me to answer that?” I said plainly and used my power to turn my body into black sand to reform sitting across from Twilight making her jump only a little. “There is something I need to know from you. Where do you draw your power from? Even in the face of defeat you all carried on with you at the helm. How did you figure that you could've possibly won?” Twilight kept a level gaze at me but her eyes did not contain hate but pity.
“I have met and fought with plenty of creatures who had no friends,” Twilight said calmly. “There is another who is like you but not in Equestria anymore, her name is Sunset Shimmer and she tried to take my Element of Harmony away.” She explained as I listened intently. “She lost because no pony truly stood with her. She had no friends to help her, and like her, you underestimated the power of friendship.”
“I see,” I sat back into the chair musing over this. Glitterlamp made her way next to me and laughed at Twilight.
“The only reason he started getting scary and mean was because he thought I was dead.” A cold baleful chuckle escaped from her. “Do you even realize he wouldn't have stopped? Celestia, how close was he to taking your life? I didn't get a good look. Or has it been too long ago? ” Glitterlamp surprised me with her words and the caustic venom that filled her voice. I felt like this inside so much it burned but I wouldn't have revealed it, then again Glitterlamp is not scared of them anymore. Perhaps this is her venting years of fear, lies, pain and loneliness out on the source of her problems.
“Glitter, please, calm yourself.” I silently tried to appease her anger but got mentally zapped by the purity of the emotion.
“The only way that we are having this conversation at all is because I made him surrender and the only reason you still breathe is because he respect's your authority! He only did the things he did because he believed me dead, since I'm not he stopped. There's nothing more to that story.” Glitterlamp sneered disgustedly. “The only thing I want to know from any of you!” She began to raise her voice. “Is where in Tartarus do you plan on banishing us!” Celestia kept an unreadable face which was stuck between curiosity and disgust.
“Could you keep it down?” The small purple dragon asked us looking angry. “There are some ponies here that have some bad headaches.” I looked at him but he was already in the background serving drinks.
“Wait a minute!” Rainbow Hair exclaimed and got shushed by the dragon. “Hehe, sorry Spike. Are you telling me that you did all of this trying to defend her, even though it was crazy?”
“Yeah, something like that.” I said nodding. Something yellow smothered me in a hug and spoke softly.
“I knew there had to be a reason!” The yellow one said relief peeling off every syllable. Immediately I felt a strong emotion from Glitterlamp that I could easily read 'Is she touching MY things!?' I blinked a few times and tried to figure out how would be the best way to pry the pegasus off. “Even momma bears won't let me get near their babies, not until I can reassure them. He's like a momma bear, all snarls and meanness on the outside but I bet he's got a big heart. Why, even Discord was like that in the beginning.” I managed to slip my hands between us but she already let go and sat next to me giving me an innocent smile, so forgiving, so trustful, it almost hurt to think that I actually hurt somebody.
“Well, big heart or no heart, it's gonna take awhile to make up for this.” Applejack piped in and got shushed by Spike who was growing more frustrated.
“Perhaps,” I said softly eyeing Twilight's friends. The source of her power, the reasons she is who she is, the magic of friendship, strength in numbers. “Perhaps. But Twilight you say you've been to Earth, how did you get there?”
“There is a mirror in the Crystal Kingdom, to which we bear you too, and with luck we can send you back through.” Luna informed me and Glitterlamp felt happy and giddy, like having a secret trap that an enemy is about to trip. I stood up with Glitterlamp at my side.
“Thanks for this information but I am going to retire to my room,” I announced to everyone and left magically forcing the armored guards out of my way to my room again.
“That went better than what I thought.” I said visually deflating.
“Could you pick one way to sound like? It's getting kinda silly hearing your voice change all the time.” Glitterlamp asked although she wasn't irritated. I concentrated and removed any augments to my voice I had added during my fight.
“Better?” I asked testing it out.
“Much.” She affirmed and patted the seat next to her. I sat down eyeing the lap top still charging with nervous anticipation.
“I don't know what to feel anymore, I was sure that I wanted to go back, now I'm not.” I said looking out the window to the rolling landscape.
“I know what you mean, I felt like that the same way when I left the caverns below. Don't worry I already got the answer, you gave it to me, moving isn't so bad when you're together.” I nodded my head and leaned back but my tender skin screamed once it touched the backing.
“Ach! Yeah, you're right. This can't be bad, and you'll be with me back on Earth. It'll be fun.” I said hesitantly touching my back. “Could you check my back? It feels wrong, might have something stuck in it.” I peeled the rags of my shirt off and dismissed the Void made shirt.
“Oh my.” Glitterlamp said excitedly then gently hugged me and kissed my back. “You did it Dreamer, you got your cutie mark.
“What?” I asked humoring her and summoning little black mirrors so I could see my back and my jaw hit the floor. Against a glittery black background covering my entire back rested a sword resting under a shield with a golden eye emblazoned on it. “No way, humans don't have cutie marks.”
“Maybe because you got magic, unlike the others.” Glitterlamp said sadly.
“That's right, you don't have a cutie mark do you?” I said turning around to face her. “do you want one and what do you want it to look like?” Glitterlamp laughed at me and smiled.
“I would like it to look like this.” She drew in the air making a green outline of a theater mask split down the middle with one side happy and the other angry. “But you can't give somepony a cutie mark.
“Challenge accepted.” I said clapping my hands together. I touched Glitterlamp's flanks and concentrated. The Void heart came alive and pulsed down my tattoo scars and through my palms. The sensation was weird kinda like a wind blew through me.
“Ow,” Glitterlamp said suddenly but didn't flinch. “I mean, that feels weird.” The wind stopped and I lifted my hands away to reveal a cutie mark matching her description on her flank. A gasp and soon she was crushing my body in a fierce hug crying tears of joy. Being a changeling she could only mimic cutie marks, now she has one of her very own.
The train had passed through Canterlot without stopping or incident. I being very drowsy and comfortable with the rocking of the train; I only vaguely remember large white spires touching the clouds lined with gold and beauty. Glitterlamp tried her hoof at carving the Void sand as if it were wood but this turned to be easier when I'm half asleep. When I'm awake it would resist or bring me pain, like headaches, this just turned out to be easier on both of us. After she got the shape complete she would have me fully wake up and turn it to marble or some other material.
“I want this one to be, chalk!” Glitterlamp snapped me into the waking world and I snapped a finger and it was so.
“Next make a cat stretching.” Courage suggested welling sand for her in his hand. That was the other thing, when I'm half asleep the Inner Council could manifest in this world. Vengeance was no bigger than a cat resting with one eye open on my chest. Pain sat quietly in the corner smiling his skeletal smile. None of which bothered Glitterlamp in the slightest but gave her opportunity to entertain herself during this train ride, the only down side is that time meant nothing to me. One moment it could be dawn or evening making the distinction between awake and asleep was dwindling. Even since the Inner Council could talk to her meant that I was talking to her.
This whole multi dimensional thinking is killer on the brain. I watched Glitterlamp from my sleeping chest while reviewing my battle with Celestia seeing how I could've improve on it. I suggested new carvings, plague myself over the view, pain myself over the past and remained content with my present. It could have been one day and I would be the last one to know.
“This one can be a cake!” Glitterlamp lured me into the waking world again and I smacked my hand against the wall missing my own high five but it turned into a sugary confection. Out of all of this I could at least say I could awaken and fall asleep with little effort now. I sat up and made little candles on the cake in the shape of a heart.
“Make a wish.” I smiled enjoying the solid order of this world beneath my form. The chaotic realms of my dreams can grind against your soul if you don't have a stable body to have, or mutate and change to fast.
“Alrighty, gimmie a second.” Glitterlamp sat their puzzled for a moment then suddenly blew the candles out.
“What did you wish?” I asked happily forming a knife to cut the cake with little floating plates to put them on. Funny thing about all of this train ride was that I was gaining mastery over my magic.
“It's bad luck if you tell.” Glitterlamp smirked and then relented. “I wished that we could be happy together forever.”
“A good wish.” I said smiling biting into the chocolate cake with whip cream topping with cherry slices.
The Void's polite embrace clung to my scars draining away the bruised colors leaving them paler than the snow like tiny diamonds tracing my skin in mesmerizing designs. Night was falling as foreign ribbons of dreams surrounded me with brilliant light making me forget my trouble if even for a little while.
“Hey, is this a good time?” I heard a voice ask and Vengeance took a lazy look at it's owner. It was Lyra from earlier, probably came for the lap-top. Pain stretched like rubber and popped the door open and force asleep upon the two guards she was asking.
“Certainly, come on in, what time is it?” Pain asked in a withered wheezy voice that held strength within.
“Late,” Lyra said eyeing the now sleeping guards. “Is the battery charged?” She asked shaking her head. Courage flipped open the lap top and clicked the power button. Lyra came over to shake my sleeping body but Vengeance stopped her hoof.
“This should be educational to you,” Vengeance didn't lose his rumble or bass tone in his small form. “I, the Dreamer, is every strange creature in this room.” Vengeance explained. The lap top sounded like a chime and went to asking for a password which Lyra provided. Soon the information was laid bare before us as Lyra and Courage shifted through the folders.
Most of the files had been corrupted and inaccessible but the pictures folder was still good. The pictures were of Earth's famous monuments! They were vacation pictures! Mount Rushmore, the pyramids of Giza, the Eiffel Tower, the White House and hundred of other photos of places I didn't know by name but vaguely recognize the shapes.
“These are great iconic places of Earth, where did you say you got this again? Because this would definitely be past King Arthur's time. Hundreds of years past.” Pain spoke for me. I thought King Arthur to be a tall tale but then again this world wasn't supposed to exist either.
“I don't know exactly where the team found it but nopony wanted it either. Just they found it in some strange fort.” Lyra shrugged wanting to provide information but lacked it. Lyra was ogling over the photos of humans and Earth as I retreated into the Void to ponder this.
“This is harder than what it looks.” Glitterlamp said in frustration as she tried to float around the what little room there was in the train's compartment on her magic alone.
“You're doing very well! Not many other ponies can do this I bet.” I said sitting on the ceiling with no effort at all. We had been doing magical tricks like this for hours now since staring out into the snowy tundra was boring. Lately though there has been a tree and spring in the middle of the winter, like a graphic glitch in a game. The train began to rumble less and less as the train lost momentum. “Huh,” I observed. “I guess we're getting close.”
The train stopped faster and smoother than what I thought it could. I looked at Glitterlamp with worry lacing my mind and soul of what today could bring. Glitterlamp touched my shoulder as we returned to the floor.
“It'll be just fine, we already have plans.” Glitterlamp said with confidence and a smile.
“Right,” I said trying to borrow that confidence and put on a show, channeling the inner bad ass I guess. I guess the guards were supposed to escort us out but I had them locked in their own heads while they slept. Celestia herself came to collect us and check on the guards failure to perform their duties.
“We are here.” Celestia informed us tersely. An idea that would probably get me into more trouble but harmless none the less. A prank really, I have been locked in here by my own hands and now I want out. I want to explore this Crystal Kingdom not being shown around like a freak on a leash!
“Yeah. ok.” I said quietly feeling like worms swimming in my guts. We were escorted into the groggy dawn thanks to low hanging clouds making a beautiful sunrise of red and orange. A box formation surrounded me and Glitterlamp making me feel cornered. I rapidly thought of all the ways I could possibly escape but such thoughts were silenced with Glitterlamp's cool demeanor as she held her head high and proud. I kicked a rock in the road free making it skitter before our group.
“So this is King Sombra's realm.” I said through gritted teeth.
“Yeah, not what I thought it would look like.” Glitterlamp agreed with me.
“Geez, if I was the king of fear the first thing I would do is pave my roads with the skulls of my enemies.” I blurted venting out my frustration of this situation. Glitterlamp faked a choke as she was thinking along the same lines but inside she was laughing. The guards stiffened at the remark as did anyone nearby that heard.
“Oh oh!” Glitterlamp exclaimed with over dramatic excitement. “And curse entire sections of the city to be horrid monsters that eat love!” And then added with a little more seriously. “Yeah, even Sombra couldn't scare you. He'd have nightmares about you instead.”
“Probably,” I admitted. “I have seen horrors that you couldn't begin to imagine, nothing here can scare me. Not really at least.” The crowd that guarded us gave us a little more space than before.
“Dreamer, I want to see this city before we go. This is where the first changelings came from after all.” Glitterlamp asked me but Luna answered sadly.
“It is of the utmost importance that we get the Dreamer back to his own world.” A smile spread itself across my face.
“Wanna play a game?” I asked to no one in particular.
“Ooh! I love games! Is it I spy? Can I go first?!” The Pink mass of curls asked.
“Hide and seek!” I shouted almost at random and the Void sand covered me and Glitterlamp as we hurtled through the air above us and hovered above it for a moment before I directed the sand into the local town made of gems and stone.
“Hide and seek?” Glitterlamp asked me as we flew through the air. “By Luna, when you get nervous you get pretty silly.” Glitter laughed at me. “Wasn't the plan to just go to our banishment?”
“Yeah,” I said mentally rubbing my neck. “But I wanted to see this town before I leave, make some memories even if it's one last laugh.” I said defiance still burning within me. “I mean, c`mon! This is the changeling's origin, might find something helpful.” I made decoys to spread throughout the city to buy us some time. I reformed myself and released Glitterlamp from the confines of the Void and looked around to the shocked ponies that sparkled as if their coats were made of gemstones!
“A dreamer!” One cried out and soon I was swarmed with tiny crystal ponies. “Tell us a story! Where did you all go? Come on, do some magic! Will you be staying long?” The questions overwhelmed me and I touched a gem spike jutting up to the heavens turning the blueish gem as black as midnight with my Inner Council looking down at them with confusion. “Wow! How did you do that?”
A full grown mare galloped towards Glitterlamp and crashed into her in a fierce embrace.
“Sparkle Lantern! I'm so glad you're safe!” She cried through her tears. “When Sombra did that horrible thing to you all, I, I,” she broke down dragging Glitterlamp down to her knees. “I'm just so happy you're safe! When the shield went up and I thought I saw you outside I feared the worst! With the humans fighting the dreamers, I didn't know where you were, oh I was so scared for you!” Glitterlamp patted the strange crystal pony's hair and spoke softly.
“Sparkle Lantern was my great great great great grandmother, I'm her daughter. You've been locked away in a bubble for a thousand years.” Glitterlamp tried to be gentle but the devastated look on the mares face too much to bear.
“You can still live with me, I know you need love to live. I know a thousand years is a little bit much but,” she stopped mid sentence and looked at the ring at the base of her horn. “Who?” Was her only question.
“He's right over there.” Glitterlamp pointed to me. I had my hands full entertaining the fillies and colts that clamored around my feet. The crystal that I touched turned out to be like a television for my mind anything I could think of shown like a movie on it's surface. It was a parlor trick now to my images dance across a crystal surface but I still felt the challenge of making real things out of nothing but one of the mare's words troubled me but not surprised me.
“With the humans fighting the dreamers.” This a thousand years ago event is more and more maddening than before.
“I wanna fly! Me too! Me too!” The crowd of children cried. I had Vengeance and Courage manifest to keep an eye on them while I met with the now approaching crystal mare.
“I know you are a dreamer.” She started. “You are the embodiment of loyalty and kindness itself for taking her into your heart knowing what she is. I thank you, but I fear that simple words can't do my gratitude justice. But tell me,” the ruby eyes begged a question of great importance. “Is King Sombra really gone?”
“I haven't seen him yet, but if I do I already know what I'll do.” I answered and she nodded as if sensing my true answer.
“That would be merciful.” She bowed her head. “Everypony here is still grateful for the sacrifice of your grandmothers and fathers. Ask anypony anything and we'll help. Say, let's go to the new Queen Cadence to see if this curse can be broken.” She smiled happily eager to have us follow.
“There they are!” Winged guards with angry eyes surrounded us as crystal pony guards galloped to us with anger then confusion.
“Tis a dreamer!” A crystal guard exclaimed. “All dreamers are welcome in these walls.”
“By the order of Princess Celestia this -dreamer- is too come to the crystal palace!” A winged guard barked.
“He shall be a welcomed guest in the Crystal Halls! Not brought about like a diamond dog!” The crystal guards laughed and one approached. “We haven't seen thine kin for the longest of time! We will celebrate your arrival as a good omen! Come! We shall parade you around town and show you the sights!” And I allowed myself to be escorted in this way and every little thing intrigued me. I let my full power out covering my body in armor and showing off my wings glow in the early morning with Glitterlamp perched up upon my Disc waving to the crowd as everyone, and I mean everyone, was absolutely happy to see us.
Flowers were tossed to us trumpets declared our approach and it wasn't until we were walking up the castle stairs did I see Luna and Celestia again looking disappointed. I smiled and shrugged but all they saw I guess was a near faceless, save for the eyes, helmet kinda bob along with the music. A pink Alicorn rose her hoof for silence which was immediately obeyed.
“You are the creature that Celestia has told me about.” She said simply.
“Yes,” I said raising my voice so everyone could hear me. “I am the one that will be banished for existing in this world with a changeling that has found joy everlasting.” The crowd behind me gasped and whispered amongst themselves and a crystal guard closest to me asked their queen.
“Is this true? A friend to our people being banished?” The sheer confusion and near betrayal that registered on his face was tragic. “Than I have lead you to your doom, I am sorry.” He said sadly his head drooping. Children cried openly with adults as we entered the castle doors.
“You know how to make a public uneasy.” Celestia said disapprovingly.
“You're the one taking a friend away.” I shot back.
“It was necessary and I see no reason to change now.” She snapped back.
“Yes, I know. It is your call after all, just don't cry when everypony doesn't think it's a grand idea.” I added coldly.
We were escorted quickly through the castle as Queen Cadence held a hushed whisper talk with Celestia.
“Dreamer,” Glitterlamp whispered to me. “I think I know where we can take the other changelings.”
“I don't know, Queen Chrysalis is still wanting to be the ruler of any kingdom she invades. She might need to be removed from the picture before peace with them can happen.” I thought to her wanting to keep this conversation private. The crystal floor turned black and glittery with my foot steps as we hurried down the hall.
“Still might be a shot.” Glitterlamp continued to whisper.
“No mumbling.” A guard barked gruffly. Making us both jump since his voice was magnified by the towering ceiling, like he has a mega phone! Soon we were brought to a room with a horse shoe mirror encrusted with gems with a large pearl as the moon hung above the mirror but in the arch. The pearl looked dull and lifeless with only a drop of silver coloring it.
“Luna do as we discussed, I believe it will work.” Celestia commanded and with a nod Luna let a silver ribbon from her horn touch the pearl as it filled with a magic splendor. “Normally we have to wait for the mirror to be charged with the moon, Twilight, but in times of dire need we can charge it with magic to activate it sooner.”
“So I can go back to see my friend on that side?” Twilight asked with hope.
“No, not without disrupting the balance of that world.” Celestia said gravely.
“Wait, so what will happen?” Glitterlamp asked cocking her head to the side.
“You,” Celestia said calmly, “will be banished away from here and start your life else where while he goes back to his own world. Far from us so he can do no harm.”
Panic, sorrow, terror, and death's hungry ax hung above Glitterlamp's head once again.
A plan came to my head suddenly and the Inner council agreed that it was clever. I began to cry. Tears rolled down my cheeks as the armor melted with it. Luna looked sadden and didn't meet my eyes. Glitterlamp was paralyzed with fear.
“Five minutes!” I choked between the wracking sobs that convulsed my body. Everypony looked at me and the mellow yellow was almost to tears herself by this performance. “Five minutes to say my goodbyes! You owe me this much!” I spoke softly barely containing my voice.
“You must also surrender any magical item you found in this world.” Celestia said somberly.
“Celestia, he'll be gone soon. And they just joined their lives as one.” Twilight reasoned wiping a tear away from her eye. “Let them have just a little while.”
“Very well Twilight.” Then she walked to the other side of this large room.
We walked toward the window in the room and looked out the sunrise reflecting throughout the Crystal Kingdom making colors that sunsets could never match.
“It's been really fun.” I said still shaking but Glitterlamp jumped up and cried out.
“Just do it again! Turn us into dust and be somewhere else! If you have an escape plan! Do it now!!” Then she added sobbing. “I don't want to die!”
“Now, chin up.” I spoke sadly but trying to sound happy.
“I do have a plan, but listen carefully.” I mentally spoke putting Glitterlamp and slowly walked to the mirror.
“What?” Glitterlamp asked trying to make sense of what's going on.
“You'll be just fine without me, you're stronger than what you realize.” I encouraged vocally.
“Come to the mirror and hug me. You do want to come with me, right?” I mentally asked, okay it was more closer to pleading.
“Yes, you're right.” Glitterlamp said to me in front of the mirror. “One last hug?” She asked on the verge of breaking down.
“If Celestia allows it.” I said with anger tinting my voice. The room held it's breath for a moment and she nodded. I bent down to hug her with my back towards the portal. Everypony looked sad and maybe a little regretful of the decision that was made. I hugged Glitterlamp passionately like I never wanted to let go. I don't know how long it was but it was Luna who spoke softly.
“Dreamer, it's time.” She informed me with sadness in her blue eyes.
“Yes Dreamer, I will.” Glitterlamp cried into me. I looked right at Celestia and yelled.
“TAKING THE GIRL AND THE LOOT BYE!!”
Then I dove through the portal backwards and the last things I remember seeing was the stunned expressions of everypony in the room.
Epilogue
I opened my eyes to my room, light blue walls bordering gray. The familiar smell of my room flooded my nostrils. My cat purred in the crook of my arm with one leg draped across my chest asleep.
“A dream? Only a dream?” Tears welled down my face for real as I tried to cope with the little fact. “I'd rather wither away in a coma than live through this!”
“DAMMIT!” I cried out hitting my bed making my cat flinch awake looking at me like, why did you do that? I flung my pillow across my room and my arm protested in the sudden action. I gave my cat a kiss on the head.
“Sorry babe.” I whispered. Her name was Ony and she has black fur with white hair covering her scars. Recently got in an accident that made her only a three legged cat and really started to sleep with me. I slept fully clothed so I could just roll out of bed and stumble right out of my door.
“What's wrong?” My mom asked me hearing my outburst.
“I just had a dream that I didn't want to end. I'll get over it.” I said depressed not wanting to look her in the eye.
“I'm just glad you're home again. You've been gone for so long.” My mom said hugging me.
“Why? I went to Jason's Birthday Bash,” then I stopped. I couldn't remember anything about that party.
“He called me wondering where you went, you've been gone for eight months mister!” She said squeezing me tighter. “And next thing I know a girl I don't know drags your body up here and won't say a thing, only said that she was a friend.” She held me out at arms length and was about to say something looked shaken at my wide eyes. “What the Hell happened to your eyes!”
Dad came through the door sleepy eyed but always had a smile about him underneath his snowy white beard. He worked night shift at his current job so he didn't stay up long during the day but longer than what he should. Both my parents were plump, come to think of it I'm the only one with extremely high metabolism. I probably look thinner now than ever before.
“Mike!” Dad said exclaimed, hugging me looking me over for injuries and satisfied that I was alright shouted at me. “Where the Hell have you been!!”
“I'm not sure you'd believe if we told you.” A strange voice chimed in with a certain smugness and I turned to a stunningly gorgeous creature. Her voice sounded like her voice was scattered and ethereal like a Changelings. Her hair was limp but held a metallic green sheen. Her eyes glimmered like emeralds in her head. She wore a tight black leather jacket with a light blue undershirt with loose roughed up blue jeans showing off her generous body which screamed of danger but of safety as well. Her skin shown pale underneath the black leather making her face pop. Her face held a smug grin like she knew something but I started to feel really happy seeing her.
“Who's this?” Dad asked not recognizing her. My brothers and sisters came up and saw this strange mix of punk and rock with a taste of metal with techno hug their brother.
“Where'd you pick her up?” My older sister asked devilishly but meant no harm.
“From the road side,” The strange girl held me close and took a deep breath of me. “I crashed into a forest and he nursed me back to health, isn't that right, Dreamer?” Then it clicked and I wrapped my own arms around her along with my energy wings as I laughed hysterically.
“Yes! Yes we did!” I agreed hugging her tighter. “I see you've got spiders on your hooves too!” I said peeling away to hold her hand up for me to see. I laughed joyfully lifting the both of us off the ground and float weightlessly.
“I lost my horn though! How can you do magic here?” Glitterlamp asked me confused since her feet no longer touched the floor. I sat her down and tore off my shirt to reveal the Void heart still stuck within my chest.
“You have no idea how happy I am to know this isn't a dream! Here!” I declared happily and the Void released the Alicorn Amulet and my Journal recording my time in Equestria. I slipped the necklace around her neck making it flash green for a moment and Glitterlamp clicked something cold around my left arm. The Bracer that signified our union!
“I wasn't sure if you'd remember me or not.” Glitterlamp admitted a little embarrassed.
“Everyone, this is Glitterlamp, my wife!” I announced letting my power flow into the room with Courage giving them a thumbs up, Pain waved his thin hand politely, Vengeance sat on his haunches about the size of a car smiling wickedly to himself albeit kinda cramped in the room. I picked my journal off the floor and handed it to my father. “This will explain where I was.”
The stunned looks of my family eventually melted into grins, we've all wanted and visioned ourselves with magic and now; Dreams can indeed become reality, but even so, I had some promises in Equestria I intend to keep.