The two found themselves floating above Canterlot Castle. "Looks like this is where he's holed up," Loki commented. "Wow, Canterlot Castle, this sure brings back memories," "Yeah, I'm sure. Wanna see if we can find this Displaced?" Loki asked.
The two of them hid in the shadows as they sneaked through the castle. "Ok lets see, can you tell when we are relative to time?" Loki whispered.
Sunset looked around. "Not really." Loki paused.
"Ok Discord, Evilight go and scout out for us." The two Astral Projects appeared.
"Very well mon capitan." Discord said as both him and Evilight moved out. The two were waiting for Discord and Evilight to come back when they heard a sound in the distance. They turned to the disturbance and saw the young man from the picture whistling happily while strolling down the halls.
"Looks like we found him," Loki whispered. Vash stopped his whistling and turned directly towards them.
"Who's there? Sunset, Twilight, are you two trying to play a prank on me?" Vash asked with a grin.
"Sunset?" Sunset asked, her eyes widening at the mention of that name.
"Seems like your counterpart is still around while Twilight is Celestia's apprentice." Loki said as he floated out of the shadows.
"Why hello there," Loki said with a wave. Vash's eyes widened at that and pulled out his gun in a flash of movement.
"Discord?! What the hell are you doing here?!"
"Whoa settle down tex." Loki said with his hands out. "Ok yes I know I look like Discord... It's kinda who I went as." Loki teleported behind him. "Oh right, Hi I'm Loki, former displaced, currently a Multiversal traveling god of balance." Loki then pulled out Sunset who was a bit surprised for a moment. "Oh and this is my traveling partner and assistant Sunset Shimmer." Sunset gave wave. "Well actually my universes Sunset, I don't have to explain do I?" Loki asked. Appearing soon afterwards was Discord and Evilight.
"We can't find him anywhere." Discord said. Loki grabbed the Astral projection's head and turned it to Vash. “Oh you already found him."
"Uhhh," Vash droned, not sure what to make of the scene in front of him. "Loki, you can materialize things like Discord can, right?"
"Sure can," Loki replied with a nod.
"Can you do me a favor and give me a drink?" Loki snapped his talons and a drink appeared in Vash's hand.
"Thank you," Vash said as he took a long sip. And then started to do a large spit-take. "Sunset, what the hell are you doing with wings!?" Vash cried as he stared in disbelief at the mare in front of him.
"Umm, it's kind of a long story," Sunset replied with a weak chuckle.
"Alright, I won't pry if you don't want to tell me anything," Vash replied with a shrug. He then turned to Loki with a quirked brow. "You said you were a Displaced at some point, how the hell did you become a god?"
"Well short version, I became that powerful, long version? Well first I absorbed my Discord," Loki pointed to to Astral Discord who waved. "That was against my will, then I absorbed a entity of anti magic, and every version of myself... here where hundred of thousands of them, finally I accidentally absorbed her." He said pointing to Evilight. "She herself had absorbed dozens of elements to be my equal and well... I entered the void." Loki finished.
"It's also the fact you're elements amplified your power in your rebirth." Evilight commented.
"Oh yeah I died before I became a god."
Vash took his hands and started to rub his temples. "Oh man, being a Displaced is just 31 different flavors of confusing," he groaned. "So, what brings all of you to my happy little universe?"
"Oh, well we're just hopping around from place to place and your face happened to pop up."
"Alright, well, I was just looking for Sunset and Twilight. Their lessons with Celestia should be over fairly soon. Wanna tag along and see what all of us can get into?" Vash asked with a chuckle.
"Ok sure why not." Loki said with a shrug. As they walked Loki decided to break the ice. "So I'm guessing you been here awhile? What to swap stories?" Loki asked. The Astral projects returned to him. "First I'm guessing you were not turned to stone? My Trigun is rusty but I think you could live really long right?" Loki started trying to strike conversation. Sunset herself was a bit gitty at meeting herself in this dimension. It was one thing to meet Celestia in another realities. To meet herself was a different story.
"Yeah, after my Angel Arm fired back during the Sombra incident I lost my memory. I spent the last 990 years wandering the world while barely knowing who I was."
"Yeesh, that's rough," Loki said as he patted Vash on the back.
"So umm, what is the other me like?" Sunset asked hopefully.
"Well, she's a lot of different things," Vash said as he scratched his cheek. "She can be a bit moody and distant."
"Oh," Sunset replied.
"But lately, she's been fairly close to Twilight."
"Well that's nice to know, though if I have to guess there is a magic mirror in your world... oh wait spoilers or not." Loki said. "Anyway for me? I ended up in Equestria as jewels became a store owner, brokered a peace, failed to locate the most dangerous being on the planet... by the way if Cerberus isn't at his post, send hunting parties for a centaure, anyway I managed to give Nightmare moon another chance became a father, defeated said criminal and married my Twilight, I'm currently trying to find my way home while helping along the way." Loki said summing up most of everything. "Though Lately that goal being pushed back, I have a new Alt who my equal and opposite, and I'm finding mirror fragments of magical mirror that gives me visions of my future." Loki then paused.
"Loki?" Sunset asked.
"Sorry I was in thought."
Vash blinked at that and tried to process everything that he had just heard. "Wow, I knew things could get crazy for the life of a Displaced, but I think that might take the cake. All I've done was accidentally get another Displaced pregnant, brokered peace between ponies and changelings, and brought some modern comforts to Equestria," he replied with a grin leveled at the god floating next to him.
Loki started to laugh uncontrollably at Vash's story. "You got another Displaced pregnant? Who was it?"
"It was an omnitrix user that's related to your namesake," Vash explained with a nervous chuckle.
"Okay, but what was their name?"
"Uh, Jason Hughes," Vash admitted with another weak chuckle. Vash noted the look of confusion on Loki's face and sighed. "I'd better explain. Jason and I were drinking when he decided to show me his natural shapeshifting ability. He turned into a female version of himself and then we decided to have a drinking contest. We blacked out and the next day, Jason's a mommy."
"Wow, just wow." Loki was awestruck by this. "See Sunset this is why when I shapeshift I stay my gender."
Sunset rolled her eyes. "You haven't honestly changed your gender once?" She asked skeptically.
Loki paused for a moment. "Well one of my old alternative selves was a girl." He then remembered one of his old chance wheels had "Change Genders" on it. "No more on this." he said to Sunset. Just before they came to there destination Loki pulled the hood over his head to cover up his face. He turned to Sunset. "You might want to pull the hood over your face." He commented. Sunset gave a sigh and pulled it up.
"Good idea," Vash said with a nod, "not sure how Sunset would react to an alternate version of herself that's an alicorn."
"Yeah, I get that," Sunset replied with a shake of the head.
Vash nodded and opened the doors to a room. When he did, three figures were revealed. One was an anthro Celestia in front of a blackboard while the other two were younger versions of Sunset and Twilight. This Sunset was the older of the two and was paying attention well enough. Twilight on the other hand seemed to be compulsively taking notes and hanging on every word Celestia said. "Hey Tia, I'm here to take Sunset and Twilight, the lesson's over." Celestia looked over to Vash with a warm smile.
"Oh, it is?" She then looked over to a nearby clock and saw the time. "I suppose you're right. Alright girls, make sure to review your materials." She told the two with a motherly tone. "And Vash, who are our two guests here?"
"Hello, my name's Loki and this is my companion Sunny. I'm a Displaced that saw myself into your universe."
"Well, be sure to make yourselves comfortable while you're here."
"Thank you, we will," Sunset nodded at her.
Filly Twilight perked up the instant she heard the mention of other universes and rushed up to Loki with a twinkle in her eyes. "I could never imagine that there are other Equestrias besides this one! How many have you been to Mr. Loki?!" She asked rushing up to the cloaked Loki with a quill and parchment floating next to her. "What were they like?" She asked, along with several other questions at a breakneck pace.
Loki gave a chuckle at her. "Slow down one question at a time." He bended down deciding to give her what she wanted. "I have been to only a few hundred worlds but let me tell you the differences between them can be so great as whole countries never having existed, to be so similar the only difference is that one atom has one extra electron." Loki started to drip sand out as it started to form in front of her. "Image yourself standing on four legs? A lot of worlds are like that, and many of them are tied to a world over a mirror a natural wormhole do a universe where magic doesn't exist and everyone is like Vash in appearance." The sand formed into Swi-Twi. "I could tell you, but I find it better if you read it yourself." Loki closed his hands on the sand and when he opened it "A traveler's guide to the Multiverse, Consider it a gift."
Filly Twilight's face lit up and she grabbed the book with her magic. "Thank you Mr. Loki!" Twilight cheered as she hugged Loki around one of his cloak covered legs.
"Don't mention it, I happen to enjoy spreading knowledge around."
Vash chuckled at the display and shook his head. "Twilight, make sure you share that with Sunset, okay?" Vash told her as he tousled her mane.
"Okay!" Twilight replied as she cracked open the book and started reading it.
"Hey, how come you never told us that you've met with people from other universes?" Sunset asked with arms crossed over her chest.
"Would you have believed me if I had?" Vash asked with a chuckle. "I figured that it'd be easier to explain during something like this," he shrugged.
"So, have the two of you met other versions of us?" Sunset asked the two Displaced. "What are we like?"
"Well I have mostly meet version of Twilight, one of them was born an Alicorn, and many of them have become an Alicorn... Oh sorry possible spoilers." Loki said, with a awkward laugh. "Anyway, there are versions of you both I know have become either the greatest of heroes, or evil conquers or even fallen heroes who sees everything as suffering." Loki waited as Evilight said with a sigh,
"That last part was me wasn't it."
'Oh yes it was.' Loki commented. The idea of some of them being evil didn't sit well with the two. "Hey listen just becomes there are versions of you that are evil doesn't mean you will be evil, the multiverse is build on possibility." Loki showed two versions of Celestia, one was the regal the other was a conquer. "There are some worlds where everyone is the opposite of who they really are, but other then being mirror versions of themselves, they are so different they are basically a different person." Loki stated. He formed a card shading him in his full cloak and another in her full cloak. "Even I have alternative versions of myself, every displaced does."
"Wait a second, I have alternate versions of myself in Equestria?" Vash asked.
"Yup, and you'd be surprised by the kinds of things that can happen there."
"Are you kidding?" Vash asked with a chuckle. "After the things I've seen it's kind of hard to surprise me. Though I'm sure something will pull it off eventually."
"You're right," Loki replied, shaking his head. "Even I still find some things that surprise me every now and then." Loki then paused and tapped his chin in thought. "Hey I just had an idea, can I see your gun and one of your bullets for a second?"
Vash pulled out the requested items and handed them to Loki. "Sure, what do you want with them." Loki looked the items over and turned back to Vash with a grin. "You'll see in a second."
Loki closed his eyes to examine them with his magic, once it was done Loki opened his eyes. Before everyone the gun and bullets were then covered in a magical ball of energy. When it was done Loki placed the bullet it and decided to give a test shot. A ball of chaos magic was formed and tossed up. Loki gave a shot from the gun as a mini rainbow blast hit the ball and the two channels each other out. Loki flipped the gun holding it by the barl handing it back. "There I give you a gift of your own, Harmony shots able to negate minor chaos and dark magic that you normally couldn't." Loki stated.
Vash grinned at that and gingerly took the gun back, performing a little flourish as he reholstered it. "Oh, that's gonna come in handy if things get crazy... when they get crazy," Vash corrected.
"Heh, you've got that right. Though, I probably didn't have to tell you that," Loki replied, patting Vash on the back. "Alright, though I've got to start watching Sunset and Twilight, do you wanna come along Loki?"
"Sure," Loki answered with a shrug. "Sunny and I can afford to stick around for a bit longer."
"Cool," Vash said with a smile. "Come along you two, we're going to have guests while we do our thing today. "Whatever," young Sunset replied as she walked out of the room. Filly Twilight just nodded, the gesture mostly being lost with her nose in the book, and followed after Sunset.
"Twilight, get your face out of that book while you're walking!" Vash called out. "You'll walk into something or somepony!"
"Have fun Vash," Celestia said with a warm smile.
"I will, and you try to survive the stupidity of the nobles," Vash returned with a smirk. "Easier said than done," Celestia laughed.
"Okay, Sunny, Loki, let's let Tia here get to her job of running a country and follow those fillies."
As the group wandered outside Loki cloak started to glow a bit. He pulled out the mirror shards realizing why. "Oh my the last piece is in this universe and it's close." Loki placed them back into the cloak. 'Discord, Twilight I need you both to find the mirror fragment for me ok.'
Discord answered for him. "You got it." The two disappeared as small astral balls. "So where are we heading anyway?" Sunny asked. Filly Twilight spoke up. "How about the gardens?"
Loki had to think about that one. He could make a telepathic contact with this dimensions Discord to try to "reform" him. 'Unless of course my very presents sets him free, I am literally giving off magic.'
"It may not be the best idea to release my alternate self at this time," Discord interjected.
"Why not?" Evilight asked.
"It'd be a lot simpler for everypony just to get this over with right now." "Because we'd be releasing an angry spirit of chaos right in front of two fillies," Discord snapped back. "We could traumatize the poor dears. Besides, if one or both of them go on to become wielders of the Elements of Harmony then the proper timeframe of my release can provide an important lesson to them."
'I guess you make a good point there,' Loki thought. 'Eh, guess we can leave your alternate self alone for now. Unless we screw up and let him out somehow.'
Sunset was busy staring at her alternate self. She couldn't help but worry about her alternate self making the same mistakes she had. Loki was able to caught on to this. 'Sunset don't dwell on this.' Loki said within her mind. Sunset turned to Loki. 'Did I just hear his voice in my head?' she asked. 'Yes, yes you did, sorry I forgot to tell you I have telepathy though I never really use it on account I can also read minds with it.' Loki informed Sunset. 'Remember what happened to you doesn't have to happen.' Loki stated as he ended his telepathy conversation. Loki walked up to Vash.
"We got to be careful if we are heading for the garden, despite being in stone Discord is probably conscious and may have telepathy, so not say anything you don't want to around his statue, also you probably can sense it but I give off excess magic I hate to set him free." Loki warned.
"Ooh, he can hear my thoughts?" Vash asked with a devious smirk forming on his face. "That's good, because I've got a lot of things I've wanted to say to him for a while."
Loki just shook his head at that. "I'd recommend you don't do that," Loki replied. "It's best that you think of Discord like your standard internet troll. And you know what they say about trolls."
"Yeah, guess you make a good point," Vash replied with a short nod. "Oh well, nothing would beat telling him off right to his face when he does manage to get free."
"Alright, here we are!" filly Twilight cheered as she threw her hands toward the various flora and fauna.
"Okay you two, you can relax for a bit and enjoy the weather for a while, but then we're going to do some exercises." Vash told the two.
"Alright," the younger Sunset answered as she sat in the shade of a tree.
"Okay," filly Twilight nodded as she sat down next to Sunset and tried to share the book with her.
"Sunset you mind staying and covering for me for a moment? I got a mirror fragment to find." Loki stated as he disappeared in a flash. Loki looked at where the Astral projects said it was. The cave he was in was artificially made. "Something is amiss." Loki swiped his talons on the walls. The energy was familiar to him somehow. He was wide eyed. "This is my magic." Loki saw the mirror fragment and picked it up. The vision flashed before him. He saw the dweller and it took the mirror from him, and then... the vision ended. Loki saw he was in the garden once again. "Tell me I did not just sand here for a hour?"
"Not really," Vash said with a shrug. "So, I'm going to assume you found one of those mirror shards you were talking about."
"Yeah, and it showed something stealing the mirror from me."
"Hmm, that sounds rough," Vash replied, noticing the hooded Sunset still staring at the younger version of herself. "Kind of surreal to see another you, isn't it?" Vash whispered to her, his back turned to the two fillies.
"A little, though a part of me is jealous that she hasn't made the same mistake that I did. Guess that makes me terrible, huh?"
"Nah, that's perfectly normal. Still, I wouldn't feel too jealous. She's had it pretty rough herself."
"What do you mean?"
"She's an orphan, she was on her own up until Celestia took her in."
"Guess that explains the attitude," Sunset said with a sigh.
"Yeah, she can be a little rough around the edges, but Tia and I aren't worried about her."
"Why's that?" Sunset asked, confused.
"Because we have faith in her. She's grown a lot lately, though she'd never let it show," Vash stated with a chuckle.
Loki gave a look at a watch he somehow had on his wrist. "Sorry Sunny and me will have to go." He said with a sad tone to everyone here. Sunset raised a eyebrow at this.
"Why is that?" She asked
Loki shrugged at this. "I don't know something is telling me to move this along." Loki said in a casual tone.
"That's not a solid reason." Sunset said face palming.
"Yeah well just trust me on this ok."
"Fine, goodbye everyone," the cloaked Sunset said with a wave.
"Goodbye Mr. Loki, Miss Sunny," Twilight said without looking up from the book Loki gave her.
"Yeah, see ya," the younger Sunset said, at least looking up to the two visitors.
"Here's hoping you two find everything you need," Vash told them with a grin.
"Oh, and Sunny," he started, leaning in towards her. "Don't you worry about your counterpart, I won't let anything happen to her." Sunset smiled a bit at that and chuckled.
"I'll hold you to that." "Alright," Vash said, standing to his full height.
"Loki, here's my token if you want a quick way to talk to me," he finished, tossing a bullet to the god.
"Thanks, I'll try to keep in touch. See ya later," Loki said as he snapped his talons, causing him and Sunset to disappear in a flash of light. When the two of them were back in the Void Loki floated over to Sunset with a grin. "So, what did you think of your first meeting with an alternate version of yourself?"
"It was... different, and Vash seemed really nice."
Loki gave a smile at that. Loki pulled out the mirror fragments and looked at them. With his magic he brought them together with some wielding the mirror was repaired. "There we go now lets see here." However something hit Loki from behind tossing him through the void. "Loki!" Sunset screamed only to see the mirror being grabbed by a long clawed fingernails. The hand and arm retreated back into a maw of a floating head. Soon a long serpent body formed as it flew off heading for a random universe. Loki floated up to Sunset.
"Sunset... that's him." He said as he looked at the dweller he remembered the visions from the mirror.
"Wait you mean the dweller that... removed your elements?" Sunset asked.
"Yes, the very same."
"What do you think he's going to do with that mirror?" Sunset asked. "I'm going to guess nothing good."
"I figured that much out already," she huffed.
"Shouldn't we hurry up before we lose track of him?"
"We won't have to worry about losing him," Loki clarified. "As long as he has that mirror, I'll be able to track him down. Now, let's get going."
"You got it," Sunset nodded as she flew in the direction that the dweller went in.
"Are you ready to see two dwellers of the Void clash?" he asked her.
"As I'll ever be."
"By the way, I may or may not ask you to become a weapon to help me in the fight," Loki told Sunset with a nervous chuckle.
"What? Why would you want me to turn into a weapon? Can't you just make one appear with your magic?" Sunset asked, baffled.
"You'd be surprised how effective a weapon with an actual soul is," he told her with a sagely tone.
"Whatever, if you want me to turn into a weapon I will," Sunset relented. "Cool, so would you prefer to be a melee weapon or ranged?"
"I cannot believe I'm having this conversation," Sunset muttered under her breath. "I guess ranged."
"Alright, I'll take that into consideration," Loki replied, jotting the information down on a notepad. "Now, get ready, we're about to go to the universe the rogue dweller is in."