//------------------------------//
// Quiet Interlude 
// Story: Light 'em Up 
// by Ssendam the Masked 
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I looked at the small filly in front of me. The small filly stared back at me. We had been at this for a while. I had been walking to the nearest village, still smarting slightly over being told to, essentially, "go and talk to people who are going to age, wither and die in only a handful of years," when I had been confronted by this tiny filly. 

An Earth pony with a dull blue coat and corn yellow mane, she stared at me with the curious gravity that only small children and statues are ever able to master. I have to admit, it really had thrown me off my game. Considering that I was a ten-foot tall metallic giant, I had expected her to run in fear, or scream. Not stare at me with such a calm attitude. 

Finally, I broke the silence. "Hello, little one."

She kept staring at me. I was determined to get an answer out of this small child. "Are you lost? What are you doing out here?"

There was an awkward shuffling of hooves. She didn't really look at me. Something was mumbled out that may have been an answer, but I couldn't really tell. Whatever she was doing here, in probably the most dangerous part of the planet except for the area where there were literally dragons, I was not going to leave a child there. I gently extended a hand out. "Come here, little one. There's a town far up the road that I can take you to. You can go home with me as your guide."

"Dun have a home," the foal finally muttered, her first audible words since I'd spotted her. 

I paused. "Well then, little one, come with me." Gently, I crouched down and offered my hand. "My name is Teridax, little one. What's your name?"

She looked down at the ground and mumbled something. I tilted my head. "What was that? I couldn't hear you."

"...Foxglove." 

I gestured forwards, walking slowly so that she could follow. "Foxglove. Good name. Good plant. Of course, you may not have discovered why it is good yet. Do you know why it is good?"

She looked at me as we walked, head tilted to the left. "Isn't foxglove poisonous?" 

I nodded. "It is. Foxglove is quite poisonous, but it is the poison that makes it so good."

"How's that?" 

I could tell her the exact name of the chemical, digitalis. I could tell her the exact chemical composition, mention in passing that in some universes foxgloves were sentient, in others they were just poisonous with no medical use whatsoever, and even that its exact medical usage was variable as all things. Instead, I chose to go with, "Well, the poison in foxglove, when properly diluted, is good for the heart." I looked at her directly. "You're very brave you know, to be talking to something you don't know anything about."

She smiled at that. "You don't look all that scary. You're all white and gold. Those aren't scary colours." 

I chuckled. "I suppose they aren't. But I'm a lot bigger than you are. I could just gobble you up."

"No you couldn't. Adults are bigger than me and they don't gobble me up. The princesses are bigger than me and other ponies and they don't go around gobbling ponies." 

Thanks to me, one of them would likely never gain that reputation. It gave me a warm sensation in my heart. I nodded, going along with the little foal. "Well, I suppose I can't argue with that. You got me there." Briefly, I wondered why I was doing this, but then I forgot about that when I saw her smile. 

"Why are you here and not in a village?"

She stopped. I could feel that this was dangerous ground to probe on. "Dun have a home." 

For a moment, I was lost. Then, a decision was made.

"Would you like one?"





After ten years of living in Teridax's house, Foxglove could say with utter confidence that she knew the giant's habits and mind better than anybody else. And what he was right now was bored. 

When she'd first moved in with him, she'd helped other ponies relate to the massive creature of metal. There was something just curiously relaxing about a tiny filly sitting on the shoulder of a ten foot tall colossus that just unnerved ponies enough to relax around him. It seemed strange, but Teridax had talked to her about the inherent absurdity of the situation. It beggared belief, he said, that something so small could live with something so large. Of course, it always seemed so simple when he explained it. 

Teridax was smart. Over her short life she'd met nobles, mayors, intellectuals of all kinds, and none compared to Teridax. It was like comparing a candle to the sun, or a glass of water to the ocean. From Teridax's mutterings, she could tell that he was meant for bigger and better things than staying here. And yet he stayed because he liked it. That was what made her enjoy his company. 

She smiled, and when the explosion rang out she frowned again. Quickly, with the speed developed over a lifetime of such incidents, she grabbed a bucket of water in her mouth and then ran into the laboratory. 

Inside, it was a mess. Parchment was covering the floors, sot-blackened and charred by the force of the last. Glassware was shattered, noxious fluids bubbling along the stone floor and in the middle of it all, Teridax stood, glaring at something on the floor. Foxglove looked around, and then put the bucket on the ground. She looked at him, cautiously. 

Foxglove knew that Teridax was mercurial and unreadable to the average pony. But there were traits about him, tics, that she could read and made his mood apparent. When he was happy, his eyes glowed an incredibly bright blue, like the sky on a summer's day, and he would stride with incredible energy, every movement purposeful. When he was distracted, corn yellow, and his movements were slow and erratic. Now, with his eyes glowing dark red, and his movements slow and deliberate, she knew that Teridadx was angry. Furious, even. 

As he picked up parchment that had fallen around him, slamming the sheaves together with more force than necessary, she heard him muttering to himself. "Damn and blast this infernal ring. Where in existence did you forge it, you bastard? Where?" Then, without looking, he muttered, "Oh, hello Foxglove. I was testing a theory here and it... got a little out of hoof."

Foxglove smirked. "Right. A little out of hoof. What were you trying to do in here, cave in the roof?" 

Teridax turned, and his eyes were slowly settling into a dull orange colour, and his armour shone a little brighter. "If you must know, I was trying to concentrate alchemist's fire in an attempt to make it more stable. This obviously failed."

Foxglove waved it off and went to help. As she was doing so, her eye caught the tiny thing in the middle of the blast mark. It looked shiny and metallic. "What 's that on the blast mark?" She went to touch it, but Teridax, quick as the eye could see, darted over and grabbed it. 

"Don't touch it. It's dangerous. I'm trying to destroy it." His eyes were red briefly, and then they turned to their normal blue colour. "Sorry. You didn't deserve that. Let me tell you what this is."

Gently, delicately, he pulled the object apart. Foxglove looked at it, and saw how intricate the rings were, how delicately interlaced they were. The craftsponyship was incredibly fine, even for something of that size. "It's beautiful." 

Teridax nodded. "It is beautiful. And very, very dangerous." The tiny pinprick of pure white light in the centre of his eye briefly looked away, and he shifted. Finally, he looked back. "This ring is... cursed would be the best word for what it does, but it's not really appropriate. This ring gives those who put it on Understanding."

Foxglove shivered involuntarily. Even as an Earth pony, she knew from Teridax talking to her about it and from her own experience that power like this was to be respected. From just the word, she knew that it wasn't good. 

Teridax continued, playing with the ring. "I've told you that the universe is infinite, no? And you also know that I come from another world. These are true. What if I told you that there are infinite versions of this universe?"

Foxglove tilted her head. "Infinite means infinite. Nothing beyond infinite, that's what you told me." But even as she said this, she remembered something else. "But you also said that infinite could mean infinitely big and infinitely small. So which is this universe? And what about  your universe?" 

Teridax's eyes went a brighter blue as she said this. "Actually, both answers are true and not true. It's complicated, but here are the basics: outside this universe is an infinite multiverse. Inside this multiverse there are infinite universes of infinite size. To picture this, imagine a pack of cards. Each card is a universe. Normally, universes can't interact with one another, but if you put a dot on one of the cards, you can interact. Does that make sense?" 

Foxglove was about to say yes, but the brightness of his eyes and her knowledge of his contrarianism made her pause. She narrowed her eyes at him. "You're going to say that metaphor is completely wrong and completely true at the same time, so no, it doesn't make sense."

Teridax clapped his hands and nodded. "Exactly! Since the multiverse is infinite, any way of viewing it is entirely your own interpretation. But I left out the other thing: the Void. Hazard a guess as to what the Void is."

Foxglove thought for a moment, then had her answer. "Everything that is not a universe, from the sounds of it. But if universes contain everything, then this Void would have to be everything that isn't? Am I right?"

Teridax nodded. "Well done. I've taught you well, and you've received these ideas well. yes, the Void is everything that doesn't exist. Dreams exist, hope exists, love exists, but we dont concern ourselves with those things in the Void. There is no up, down, left, right, light, dark, mass, gravity, or even time in the Void. It is simply nothing. What you see there is what your mind puts there."

Foxglove paused for a moment, filing the information away, then went back to the topic on hand. "But you haven't told me what this... Understanding actually is." 

Teridax nodded. "That's true, I haven't. Alright, here is the ultimate nugget. Understanding is knowledge of everything in existence. Knowledge of how everything works, knowledge of where everything is. Someone with Understanding has great power, because they know how to use and exploit this knowledge. Knowledge, after all..."

"...Is power," Foxglove finished, the old statement one of the first things Teridax had taught her. As she thought about the implications, she hit a snag. "Hang on. There's no way any mind could hold all of that information. It'd just... leak out."

Teridax shook his head this time. "Understanding is special. It's almost magical, it's almost scientific, but you can't forget about it. It sits in the mind like a toad in a stone."

Foxglove paused. Her mind went into overdrive, suddenly piecing together the little clues and hints that Teridax had strewn through his little speech. "Are you saying-"

Teridax waved his hand. "It doesn't matter. I have told you why this ring is dangerous. It will drive you mad if you touch it. If you touch it, you'll never be the same, Foxglove." He gently put a hand on her back and crouched down. "This ring is not malicious, it just wants to inflict this knowledge on people. And that, is a more destructive thing than the most malicious monster. Remember, the road to Tartarus is paved with good intentions."

Foxglove nodded. She was actually curious about this ring now, but Teridax took one look at her and shook his head. "No. Until I know exactly how to destroy it..." he moved over to a large steel box and opened it with his finger, dropping the ring in and then locking it, "this stays right here. It's too dangerous for you. It will ruin your life."

Foxglove looked away for a bit, before she shook her head. "Why would I want to be like you, you huge galumph?" 

"I am not a huge galumph. I'm an average galumph, at worst."

Foxglove chuckled and tapped him lightly on the side. "Whatever, galumph."





Teridax glared at the stallion who was with Foxglove. "What, pray tell, are you doing here with my adopted daughter?" The stress on pray took on sinister overtones as his hand clenched slightly tighter. 

The stallion gulped audibly, and was about to back off when Foxglove sighed. She was a fully grown mare of twenty, and she stood tall and proud, and even though she stood shorter than Teridax, she carried an air of pride and confidence that seemed to make her his equal. "Look, Teridax, it really doesn't matter what you think."

"Actually, mr Teridax, I say it does." the stallion interjected. He was pale green, with a dull brown mane and brown eyes, and right now he wanted nothing more than to be gone. 

"Be quiet, Feldspar." She turned to Teridax again. "We're getting married, with or without your permission. All we ask is your blessing, Father." 

Teridax looked at the rather nervous stallion and Foxglove, and seemed to be thinking. His eyes went through a kaleidoscope of changes - red to green to purple to orange to blue and back to red. Yellow flashes as he ruminated on it. Finally, he sighed, eyes blue again. "Alright. You have my blessing, AND my permission." 

Foxglove rushed up and got him in a hug. He returned it, gently, while looking at Feldspar intently. There was a message in his eyes: do anything to hurt her and they will never find the body. Feldspar trembled like a leaf under the power of his gaze, and shakily nodded. Then, he released the hug. "Now then, Foxglove, let's to the village. There should be a church or similar item there, I should know. I walk past it every day it seems."





I looked at his adopted daughter, now ninety years old and bed-ridden, and sighed. Feldspar looked at me, leaning on the doorframe. What made me more ashamed of myself than anything else was the little feeling in my gut, the knowledge that that should be you in that bed, you bastard, anypony but her. 

"It was in the garden. She just... fell over. I was just across from her, and I got to her as soon as I could." 

As soon as I'd heard, I'd probed his mind furiously, trying to see if he;d done it or if there'd been an assailant. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. It happened as he'd said it happened. Even without reading his mind I could look at him and know he was telling the truth.

I looked at my adopted daughter and wished I could smile. She gently reached forwards and touched my hand. 

"How've you been, you galumph?" 

"Ive been... fine. I'm still working on a project of mine. The desalination work."

She smiled at that. "It's been twenty years, and you still haven't figured it out?" 

"Not really, I need better assistants. The research assistants I have now are terrible."

Foxglove laughed, which quickly went into a dry cough that racked her body. I went up, and was about to heal her when she looked me in the eye. "I know you want to but... that wold be cheating." She chuckled. "Besides, I don't have much longer to live." 

"Nonsense. The average life expectancy of an earth pony is-"

"Ninety-six years old, I know. Long life is one of our great advantages." 

It wasn't long enough for me. I wanted to make her immortal. I wanted her to live with me in her prime, forever. I wanted...

Foxglove looked at me. "Remember, all those years ago, when you said you wanted to make me immortal? Do you remember what I said when I refused?" 

I nodded. I remembered all too well. "You said that if I did that, I would have a doll, not a daughter." It had been a point of great contention. One of our largest arguments. It had been one that I'd known I had to lose. 

My daughter has always been taught that freedom is great. If I'd kept her by my side for eternity, I would have been violating that. She knew this, and we had parted civilly for the most part. She pushed herself up a bit, wincing in pain. "Teridax, I think you should continue being a good person. I know it's corny, but will you do that?"

I looked her in the eyes, and gently placed my hand on her chest. "I will."





The funeral had been quiet. I couldn't bring myself to go. It had hurt too much with all of those grandchildren there who looked so much like her. Besides, a monster like me was entirely inappropriate to be there. 

I'd changed the colour of my armour to sombre black. As I approached, I noticed that it was raining now, a light drizzle. There was still a shovelful of earth still there. 

"Foxglove... I know I wasn't there with the rest of them. I know you're probably really disappointed in me for not being there. It was just... inappropriate."

I looked at the tiny stone and kept talking. "I just... it's hard to say this, but... I wish it was somebody else in there. I wish anybody else had died, and you were still alive. I wish for a lot of things, and they would all make you so disappointed in me, my wise, beautiful daughter."

For a while, I just sat there, looking at the gravestone. "I thought that Feldspar gave a good speech. He was good for you. He helped you grow and you helped him become a real stallion. He looked as broken as I was when he left. It won't be long before he joins you."

I stood up. "I am not a good person, at least I don't think so. For that to happen, I need to go on a little sabatical. I need to grow as a person. It's time to leave this home."

As I spoke, a portal opened behind me, waiting to carry me across to a random universe. "Goodbye for now, Foxglove. I'll remember you as you were."