It was the night after Lone and Shadow had removed the cutie marks from the others, and the personality changes were already visible. Fluttershy had actually become braver, evidenced by the fact she spoke down to Zaeed, and didn't once stutter. Applejack had kept her personality for the most part, only she no longer did, as she put it, 'contryisims,' anymore, as well as the drawl, though the accent was still there. Pinkie, unsurprisingly, was much the same, but now, it seemed like she was always talking with someone the others couldn't see, but they did hear her say the name-
"No, author, that would be spoiling."
Pinkie, who's story is this?
"Maybe, but the readers will know the name, and then it would lose it's 'oomph' factor."
The name, or the rest of it? Given the fact it's you, I'm certain one would guess it.
"Yeah, good point. You're good then."
Right. As I was saying, it seemed like she was always talking with someone the others couldn't see, but they did hear her say the name Light Giver, though no one knew the name, so they just assumed it was Pinkie being Pinkie. Celestia had appeared to act more like Twilight, or, rather, Metamorpha, in the fact that A: her eating habits were similar to said changeling's now; B: she now cussed like a regular pony. At first, this part shocked the other ponies, but they had gotten use to it quickly. Luna was more or less the same as her sister was now, the main exception was that she was currently having a small party with Pinkie, Rainbow, Kasumi, Lily, Liara, and, amazingly, Thel. In contrast, Celestia wasn't the most sociable or party pony. Lone was there at the party too, but only because Luna was there, as he was never much of a party pony himself. Same with Celestia and Shadow.
"You know," Lone said, "I don't know why, but I'm already regretting removing Luna's cutie mark. Not much of a change, and I'm sure I could come up with a few spells to prevent the mind control."
"Yeah, I think I preferred her when she wasn't a party animal," Shadow said.
"And why's that, Shadow," Celestia said. "I would have thought you liked somepony who partied hard." She said this last part with a smile, which Shadow noticed.
With a raised eyebrow, he said, "Is that an invitation?"
Walking forward and looking Shadow in the eyes with a mischievous grin on her face, the solar alicorn said, "Buck yes it is," before dragging Shadow to the dance floor.
Lone simply chuckled at the sight, but stayed on the sidelines. He was alone like this for about ten minutes before he heard heavy footsteps and buzzing behind him. He turned back and saw Metamorpha and John coming up from behind him. "Good to see you two," Lone said as they walked up next to him.
"You too, Lone," John said.
"So, what brings the two of you here?"
"Metamorpha wanted to see what was going on, and insisted I come with her," John said.
"Well, I figured you might like some down time," Metamorpha said. "Is that wrong?"
"No," John said, though it was obvious he didn't want to be here.
"John, lighten up," Lone said. "You're going to be with us for a while, so you might as well show a little humanity. Well, more then now, anyway."
This comment had the desired result, which was to make John flinch. Lone didn't know why comments about his humanity caused this, but he could guess that it had to do with someone from his past. True, he did show humanity on occasion, but, otherwise, he was like a robot. Lone was intelligent enough to know that Metamorpha wanted to have a relationship, but that John's current personality, or lack of one, as the case may be, prevented it, but that begged they question: Why was he pretending to be in a relation ship. To spare her feelings? That might be it, but it showed that he cared about her feelings, and was simply telling himself he wasn't interested. Lone was trying to make him realize that either he tell the truth, that he didn't love Metamorpha, or make him show emotion. Personally, Lone was hoping for the latter.
"Why don't you two go dance for a while?" Lone said. "We all know we have few chances for downtime, and this might be the best, given our circumstances."
Metamorpha seemed to shrink a little here. "I'm not a very good dancer," she said.
Lone simply raised an eyebrow and pointed to the others. Metamorpha turned, and her jaw dropped at Celestia flailing around, trying to dance. "I think you're good," he said in a casual tone.
After a few seconds of silence, Metamorpha collected her jaw and said, "Right. Well, let's go, John." Reluctantly, John followed her to where the others were. As they walked over, Radiant, Opal, as well as and Rainbow came over by Lone as well.
"So, why are you guys here?" Lone asked. The three crystal ponies had changed very little with the removal of their cutie marks, though a noticeable difference was that they seemed to shine brighter.
"Just came here to socialize," Radiant said. "Though the two love birds here didn't want to come."
"Can you blame us?" Rainbow asked. "We did just start dating, after all."
"Well, to be fair," Lone said, "there is a dance going on, and you could always talk there."
"And you aren't doing that with Luna why?"
"Because," Luna said, walking away from the dance, "we agreed earlier that we would do something together after I danced."
Lone walked up to Luna and gave her a loving hug, saying, "Hey, Lulu. Did you like the dance?"
Reciprocating the hug, Luna said, "Yes, but I would have liked it better if you had been by my side."
"Luna, we both know I don't like to dance. That's more you'r forte than mine."
"That's because I have more experience with it."
"You simply prove my point, sweet moon."
"Could you two get a room," Rainbow said in a slightly deadpan tone.
"Please, Rainbow," Luna said, rolling her eyes, "do you really think we'd do it with others present?"
"Yeah," Lone added, "I mean, I can see you and Saber doing that, but not Luna and I."
In the background, they heard Metamorpha say, "Finally. Somepony who uses correct grammar!"
"Only Twi would get that worked up about grammar," Rainbow said.
"Aren't you part egghead too, Rainbow," Radiant said with a smile.
"Ha ha ha ha, buck you too." This got laughs from the others that heard it.
"Come on, Dash," Saber said, heading to the dance floor. "Leave them be."
Just as the two of them began making their way to the dance floor, an odd feeling came over Lone. Luna, I think we need to head back to the room," he said, getting a head ache as he said.
"Is something wrong, Lone?" Luna asked with concern. One thing neither of them noticed, though, was Shadow, Lily, and John experiencing something similar.
"I honestly have no idea," the unicorn said before his eyes rolled into his skull, and he fainted, as well as Shadow, John, and Lily in the room, and Maruco and Ken elsewhere.
"LONE!" Luna yelled, rushing to her lovers side. She could feel a heart beat, but not a mind, conscious or not, as if his mind was elsewhere.
"We need to get him to the infirmary. The others too," Rainbow said.
"Hermit!" Radiant yelled.
Multiple spore clouds appeared, and each went under one of the unconscious individuals, and lifted them up, heading to the infirmary.
. . .
Lone couldn't see anything. It wasn't that his eyes were closed. They were open. He really couldn't see anything. His wierd headache was still there, just not as bad as before. "Ugh, where am I?" he said.
"I can tell you that we aren't in your mind, Lone," Fear said to Lone's left. He turned, and could actually see him. "Yeah, I'm just as surprised as you that we can see one another."
"How can you tell this isn't our mind?"
"Because ours looks more like a very large mansion with a lot of doors, and I have seen a lot of day dreams lately about you and Luna."
"And this isn't your mind, either," Lone said. "That always has piles of bodies, and you and Nightmare Moon butchering ponies. So, any idea where we are?"
"Unfortunately, no. This is as new to me as it is to you."
"Yeah, same here," the two heard behind them. They turned and saw Shadow and Chaos, basically Fear with Shadows color scheme and no flames.
"So, you guys are here too? That rules out any of our minds," Fear said.
"So, that's what you look like," Chaos said to Fear.
"Can you two stop talking so we can find a way out of here," the four of them heard John say from their right. When they turend, they saw him in his armor, with a gash in the armors chest on the right.
"We don't even know where we are, John. How do you propose we get out of here?" Shadow said.
You don't just find a way out," the five of them heard Ken say from behind. They turned and saw Ken and the other Spartans.
"You're let out," Maruco said.
"How do you know that," Fear said.
"Because we've been here before," Lily said in an all serious tone.
"What," Chaos said. "How? Why?"
It was then a voice that the four Spartans instantly recognized spoke up. "Because I called for them to come here." A bright light suffused the area once the last syllable was uttered, and those present, even the Spartans, had to close their eyes and block the light with their hands. When the light faded, the eight of them now stood on a silver platform that was hovering in the clouds, blue sky all around. A small humming could be heard, and they all turned to see a woman in a flowing, almost silk like dress coming towards them. She had no nose, and even at this distance, the ponies could tell she was nearly as tall as John. She wore a head dress with strange symbols on it.
"The Librarian," John whispered in surprise.
"Librarian," Ken asked, his arms crossed, "how are you here? We're in another dimension. You're stuck back in our home universe."
"That shall be explained in due time, Ken," Librarian said. "In the meantime, I am here to explain to you all the stakes of your fight."
"Why," Lone said a little impatiently. "We know what we're fighting for."
"No, you only know a portion of what you fight for," The Librarian said. "The entity you know as Plasma is a grave threat, yes, but more so than you realize. He's able to move between dimensions at will, but it is only in the universe you are in that he is in his true form. In our universe, Ken," a pause, "he is known by many names. The Child, The Captive, The Beast, The Primordial, but two are the ones he used the most: The last Precursor, and The Gravemind.
"He's a being capable of creating life, sentient life, from nothing. In the most generic use of the term, he is a god. Ken and his allies are the ones I have chosen to find and stop any of his plans. In fact, your friend, Nightengale, is one such ally."
"What do you mean," Shadow said.
"Many years ago, when he still resided in my universe, a human soldier had, somehow, followed Plasma through one of the portals, and ended up meeting me. I asked him if he wished to help stop Plasma, and he said yes, and he followed Plasma to the universe you are currently in. As for how I am speaking to you four," she said in reference to the Spartans, "When I first met you, I put a geas in you that allows me to contact you when it's needed. As for your companions, I can only say their exposure to Plasma has allowed it to happen."
"Then why aren't the others here?" Fear asked, baring his teeth.
"I do not know," The Librarian said. Lone noticed here a slight, very slight, hesitation and faintly increased breathing, but both were small and would have missed them had he not been paying attention.
She's lying about something. Question is, though, 'what?"
"Okay, hold on," Shadow said. "If Plasma is already alive, then why does he need a ritual to come back to life?"
"The ritual is meant to give him power. If it had succeeded, then none of you would be here right now. Maruco can attest to that personally, as he was part of the original version of his universe's lone team, and is it's only survivor."
"Unfortunately, she's right," Maruco said. "I barely survived that fight with Plasma, and that was a few years before the end of the human covenant war, just a year after mt girlfriend died, even though I had already met Ken and Lily, who actually got me inducted into the team."
"Yes, and I'm afraid that if Plasma wins in your universe, then he will make his way to mine, and nothing will be able to stop him. For the sake of you world, and many others, you must defeat him before it's too late."
"You can count on us, Librarian," Ken said.
"Me too," John said.
"And me and Chaos as well," Shadow said.
After a barely noticeable hesitation, Lone said, "And I, as well. Fear too. I imagine the others will be too."
"I am sorry, Lone Shadow, but you can not say anything about me to the others. Plasma is able to shift through other's memories. I take a large risk with all of you, and I can not risk the others."
"I understand," Lone said, glaring at the forerunner, who didn't seem to notice.
"In that case," The Librarian said, "you all may return." All present were then blinded. The last feeling they had was one of something being imprinted on them. They then blacked out.