I had to have replayed the recorded events at least thirty times, trying to comprehend exactly what had happened the day before. Tapping a metallic claw on my throne, whatever sanity I had left felt defeated and demoralized as I watched the sheer cluster of random and near impossible occurrences that had taken place on what should have been a simple day for a simple wedding. In all honesty, such chaotic events should no longer affect the populace at this point. If I walked in there right now...well I would probably get some looks and then be on my way.
Maybe part of this was my fault, as the Bug Bear being released was my doing. Waving my hand, I watched intently as the six colorful mares who posed the greatest threat to me wrestled with the odd creature. My intentions had been to simple observe their tactics and fighting styles as they fought a threat that didn’t require the power of harmony to accomplish. And yet my attention was wrenched from them as I saw the pure mayhem that had erupted in the towns people's’ lives as the six defacto leaders were too busy to aid them.
It was more than just an unorganized mess, it was an affront to all laws of this universe and the normality that these ponies were suppose to follow. It’s like a higher power had come along and thought along the lines, ‘Hey, let’s see if we inject everyone with enough LSD that they start riding Bass Canon karts!’.
“I swear, this world and its inhabitants get stranger every month,” I sighed, getting up from my throne and walking over to the table, resting both my hands on the edges of the crystal furniture. “Although I do respect their seemingly impossible acts. And yet they are like sheep; once you take away the shepherd, they’ll get eaten by the wolves.”
“And yet this is our greatest advantage over them, is it not?” a feminine voice responded, taking delight in the wacky events that had taken place.
“Yes, but it also makes it more difficult to get them to perform the simplest of tasks without any frustration,” I groaned, my cold mask getting closer to the projection as I watched the interactions of the townsfolk. “At least their docile personalities aren’t as excruciatingly annoying as the greed those griffons seem to possess.”
“It makes one wonder exactly how every other villain hasn’t managed to outplay them with their own clear weaknesses is beyond me. You just sick one nation on the other and everything else comes tumbling down!” the Kanohi Kraahkan added in, pondering to itself on the exact reasons that so many others had fallen to such easily manipulative creatures.
“Because they all seek to start their little conquest in Equestria,” I responded with interest, realizing the true folly of my peers and why I had been so successful. “Some say go straight for the throat. I, on the other, say get your revolver first.”
“So that’s what all of this has been?” the other voiced commented. “You’re building yourself one of these ‘revolvers’ first, then your going for the kill.”
“I’m happy I decided to choose you to help further our victory.” I said cooly, happy to see that she was starting to catch on. While I was unsure of her exact usefulness when it came to planning, since she was but a fragment of the Lunar Alicorn’s personality, she had soon proven to be far more than just an idea.
“You are correct with your analogy.” I gave a nod as I began to play with my latest sword, looking at the weapon’s sheer sharpness as I dragged an metallic finger across the blade. “Yes, I have been slowly gathering resources and moving pieces in play before I make any serious moves. Forming a draconic fighting force, building the Rahkshi, making contact with other Displaced and getting my hands on their resources, all of this has been planned and accounted for. Even bringing about your own merge with me was according to one of my many plans.”
I let the table turn into a gameboard of sorts, crystallized figurines popping onto the table with an vast and expansive world that took the place of the usual Equus map. The map was littered with a large variety of...interesting characters. All of them were on two sides, plotting. playing, and sometimes fighting.
But mainly goofing off.
“Now this isn’t something I’ve seen,” Nightmare mused, looking through my eyes as she examined the map and the glowing figures on it. “What exactly is this?”
“Due to your power to interact and map solar systems, galaxies, and even universes, we have been able to find the exact location of ‘The War of Shadows’,” my mask bragged, clearly prideful of my achievement. The mask itself did deserve some of the credit, though; it was the reason I had become so proficient in the workings of the void and the multiverse itself.
“A wasteful endeavor if you ask me,” I said coldly, a shadow causing the board to flicker as it enlarged two specific Displaced who were leading the war. “Darth Folteren, sith master and figurehead of the Empire, one of the factions fighting in this war.”
I picked up the small glowing replica of the sith warlord and examined it thoroughly, dragging a clawed finger over the pristine figurines face. “His obsession with power and little comprehension of what he is exactly walking into will surely be his undoing.”
I almost smirked at my comment, realizing how hypocritical that would have been regarding my own personality before my absorption of Nightmare. It was more than her memory, knowledge, and power that had changed me, but the revelations I had once she had become part of my mind. With her arrival, something within the depths of my screwy mind had clicked, and I immediately recollected locked memories of my brief time traveling in the void as I was sent to Equus and the original Makuta’s more darker machinations regarding his attempt to rule his own universe.
“I do not suspect he will make out well in this war,” I commented, as I set the piece down. “His psychopathic tendencies and unbridled rage will be his downfall; how many lives he takes with him, however, is yet to be decided.”
“A shame, he would have been far more useful had he not dragged so much attention and hate to himself,” the Mask of Shadows mused. Its attitude had changed as well, being more respectful towards me, as it should. Even it had sensed a greater change in my personality, fearing me more than it had originally deemed necessary.
“His war proves useful still,” I said, regarding the nature of the conflict with a calm expression. “Whether he wins or loses, it will provided a good distraction to the goings of my universe as well as allow me to analyze and assess other Displaced. That and his sheer tenacity has lead him to being in control of a vast empire, one that I will exploit should his death come to pass.”
My red eyes scanned over the board and I caught a glimpse of Lee Connor’s piece, I gave the figure a look of disinterest. I had seen too much of his kind already, misunderstood and yet still selflessly heroic until the end. It was no surprise that Folteren despised him; he was either jealous of Lee’s outlook on life or was enraged that someone like him could ever be happy.
And yet I gave the symbiote credit for his bravery. It was admirable to see him stand up to someone like Folteren and even have the charisma to call upon others to aid him in a full scale war. All in all, they were both childish stooges who were risking everything they had achieved thus far to battle each other, and both were obviously being played by a more powerful force, but they had spirit and I respected that.
What I didn’t respect was the Displacer who ran the whole event. I despised everything he stood for. His lack of subtlety, his sporadic personality, even his ascine plots made me cringe with disgust. But the biggest factor was his manipulation of my fellow Displaced; that was something that led me to hate most Displacers and Void Dwellers. I manipulated my peers in order to create a better future for all; Displacers did it to tickle that funny bone that had gone dormant due to them wasting their powers on other trivial things.
They. Were all. Irresponsible. Fools.
Some were alright and actually made use of their powers, but most were unwanted static in the multiverse. When I met or saw a Void Dweller that was reasonable...well then I would immediately have a wonderful chat with them. They would be one worthy of my respect; but Time Spinner would not be that Void Dweller.
The servos and gears in my body whirled as I stalked around the table, waving a large metallic had and changing the image of the map back to Equus. This one was not my own, however, but of my recent guests world. Immediately, I felt the questions that Nighty was just eager to ask burst into my mind, earning a chuckle from me as I finished creating the map.
“Now who lives in this universe?” Moon questioned, excited to be seeing the multiverse unfold to her. Her curiosity wasn’t surprising considering she was first confined to the moon and then to a piece of armor.
“This is Ahriman and his little party’s universe,” I commented, giving the warriors of chaos a look of remorse. His war had not gone as well as he would have hoped, and he had lost his ally, Midnight, in the conflict. Even my own assistance, no matter how much I provided, was not enough to end the feud. “He currently rules over the former kingdom of Equestria. Like Folteren, he has amassed an army on his planet and poses a dangerous military power. Fortunately for us, he is an ally.”
“Of course, we have also found weaknesses in both the ‘Warp’ and his Ninja techniques. Should he prove himself out of control and attempt to betray us...we will have no choice but to neutralize him until he can be reasoned with.”
Nightmare Moon was silent at the mask’s words while I simply gave a small nod. What my displaced object had brought up was probably a slim possibility, but one that Ahriman would understand me preparing for should it ever happen. “Ahriman not only controls a plethora of powers and items, but he is a cunning sociopath who is a dangerous military leader and tactician. He truly is one of a kind, and I commend him for feats he has been able to accomplish.”
The map once again broke down its current projection and reconstructed itself as it projected a clip of a dragon-like turtle along with a smaller turtle in robes on a broom with Discord himself talking. The large fire-breathing turtle stomped his foot in frustration as the draconequus explained to him just how much had changed while he was gone. Just when the creature had looked like he was about to calm down, he turned away from his friends and let out a torrent of flames, displaying both his temper and power.
I froze the clip and enlarged it so that I could get a good look at the angry and confused Displaced. I ran my metal fingers across his shell, wondering exactly how durable the seemingly impenetrable fortress that one would think it would be. Rewinding the clip, I watched his battle with his universe’s Tirek unfold as the supersized Koopa worked with the Elements of Harmony to defeat the greedy centaur.
“That’s pretty cool,” Nightmare mumbled, eating from a bag of popcorn she constructed in my mind. “It’s like those old movies that old steely in here showed me, the ones with the big lizard smashing stuff!”
“The reptile’s got spunk, and he seems like the kind of person you would get along with,” the usually sinister voice chuckled and earned a giggle with Nightmare Moon. “He could improve your dark and scheming mood, give you a friend who would have a good influence over you!”
I simply groaned at its choice of wording, making me seem like some sort of child who needs a friend. Even worse was that his attitude where he found innocent ways of mocking me had become a way to entertain Nightmare, whom he had grown fond of apparently.
“That ‘reptile’ is Prince Bowser of Equestria,” I deadpanned at the antics of my fellow mind roommates before going on to inform them of this Displaced. “Unlike most Displaced, this Koopa came as a mere egg and was raised by Princess Celestia herself.”
I shrunk down the image of Bowser and his witch, Kammy, and cupped the figures in my hand. “Unfortunately for the young and somewhat brash Koopa,” I said, tossing the two replicas of the Koopas above the map as the landscape and kingdoms that existed on it rapidly changed at an alarming rate, “Bowser performed a time spell that sent them centuries into the future!” The figurines landed back on the table as I finished my words, the map now in the current time for his Equus.
The Koopa Prince had potential and a promising future if he could keep his head on his shoulders and stick to his instincts while also listening to the wisdom of Celestia. He was also the perfect candidate to become my apprentice, as his ferocity and intuitive behavior to dangerous situations were perfect for one such as himself. He reminded me of Ember Root in many ways, as my draconic pupil was both eager and rash when it came to learning. Bowser would prove to be an interesting ally once we make acquaintances.
“He is one filled with untapped potential, and that is something I will rectify once I make contact with him!” I decided confidently, for with my knowledge and intellect I could bring out the best in the Koopa Prince.
The board disassembled itself as it moved onto the next Displaced that I needed to go over with myself and my mental companions. While I was unsure of why I was talking aloud, as I could easily convey such messages through my mind, it was probably due to my desire to converse with myself. Ember Root had been busy these past few days as the dragon village was hosting a grand festival for the founding of their home.
My train of thought was interrupted when the sound of the table finally creating the next set for me to see. I watched as a cat-like creature with white fur came to life as it waddled around aimlessly, wreaking havoc on its own story. I felt the minds of the Kraahkan and Nightmare Moon shudder and cower in fear at the pure madness that had overtaken the map, the soulless eyes of the demonic cat could tear reality itself to smithereens. I could feel my own mind twitch, despite the physical impossibility of it.
“For the love of me!” I cried in both frustration at the sheer insanity that was this creature's actions and the mishap the map had when I asked it to take us to the next Displaced. “Stop the recording, stop it now!” I demanded. For a moment, the entire lair shook as the uncontrolled energy of this creature seemed to leak into my universe.
The table did as I instructed and stopped projecting the monster’s universe, leaving two other minds in my head shaking with fear at what they had just witnessed.
“Never in all my years have I met a monster so depraved, so horrid, so…so evil as what I just witnessed!” Nightmare Moon cried...I kid you not, she was actually crying.
Let’s just hope that her tears don’t rust my head.
“Mother of all that is the darkness, what kind of monster was that! The Void itself could be disassembled if you left that malevolent creature in there for a week!” the usually arrogant voice of my mask choked, trying to purge such a beast from its mind.
“That was...Temmie,” I growled. The mere existence of such a being surely spelt doom for us all. “Let us never speak of her again. If we ever meet him, play it cool and hopefully we bribe her not to devour the multiverse.”
I heard a mutter of agreement from my mask and a whimper from Moon, and then waved my hand for the table to set up the next candidate for me the meet. The world itself was somewhat normal, although the badlands had been turned into the equivalent of a party city. Changelings ran about in pure bliss and animatronic beings of certain animals seemed to be having a dandy time. One in particular, however, caught my attention.
I enlarged the picture of him and the map honed in on this special individual. A metal endoskeleton soon assembled from the magical energy of the table, golden fabric crawling over the metal bones and wires along with his black bowtie and top hat. His empty black eyes only contained two white dots to signify any sentience that the being had. His body was an interesting work of art; not as perfect as mine...but it was impressive enough.
I dragged one of my metallic fingers over the golden fabric of the animatronics face, my eyes scanning his body as I marveled over his character. He and I were unique compared to our other metal brothers and sisters, retaining our memories and complete mental states where others had either become lost creatures or forced to follow simple programming. Our bones, or in my case metallic shell, were strong, unbreakable. Powers… he had accumulated large amounts of energy, so much that it could tear him apart, and had become a powerful reality warper, where I had gained both the power to command shadows and warp reality with them as well as use my other Rahi abilities. Even our followers were created by our own power, carrying with them a part of us that others just wouldn’t be able to understand.
“Even in intellect, Calvin Banks, far outmatches those who have become machines,” I hummed, my clawed hand patting him on the head as I praised him. “We were both subject to the idea of being controlled, both by Draconequui no less. No, it is no mere accident that ones such as us exist.”
“What’s up with Teridax?” Nightmare Moon questioned, although her voice was barely a whisper over the sound of the gears in my head whirling as I watched the table play out the events of Calvin’s life.
“I thought you knew...something has been off since he absorbed you. He seems act less like a child and more like...well like a Makuta!” my mask said gleefully, happy at my change in personality. I would need to remind it later that its influence over me was still non-existent.
“My arrival in his mind may have shattered any barriers that may have kept the memories of his ‘change’ and his journey from the void to Equus…” Nightmare said with worry, reviewing the terrifying experiences that I had now full access to.
“And yet I now fully remember what happened to me,” I mused as I ignored the gossiping of my two allies. With a single thought, my form changed to that of my old human body. I had dusty brown hair and black-framed glasses, blue jeans and a black hoodie. “Every. Single. Gear. Becoming part of me. Every. Single. Organ dissipating into mist. Everything!”
My human and flesh body soon replayed the changes in my body, protosteel plates replacing flesh and gears coming to existence throughout my body. I chuckled as I watched my organic material disappear into mist. Maybe my mental state had already been shattered, or maybe I had grown so use to this body that it no longer bothered me.
Probably the latter of the two. In all honesty, I still retained memories of what had made me human. All my previous goals were still the same, and while I didn’t feel many emotions that would hinder my productivity...I still had certain feelings that could never be killed. The mere existence of Calvin, or Golden Freddy as he calls himself, only strengthened my resolve. For I admired him and what he had achieved… happiness.
Ah yes, the lord of shadows wants to be happy. Shocker...well, not really. My intentions all along were not evil, nor were the completely selfish. I believed that I could make a better world with both my intellect and power, and that belief holds true. Calvin and I shared much in common and we were both in somewhat similar circumstances… and he was able to achieve happiness.
“You have succeeded and won much, Mr. Fazbear,” I hummed, a list other ‘villains’ that were on my earth appeared next to him. “But where you were simply content with being left alone, I have no intention for this world to be run by any other but myself!”
I enlarged a clip of Chrysalis sitting defeated in one of the prisons of the Changeling capital. My body rumbled and creaked as it shrunk and morphed in a more insectoid form. As I took the image of Carapace, father to this imprisoned queen and emperor of the Changeling Empire, I teleported to his chambers. After I had killed off the foolish and docile ruler, I immediately had one of my Rahkshi take his place...after all, no one expects someone to be a disguised as the king of disguisers. Walking out of the room, I made my way to the dungeon... and to Chrysalis’s cell.
My regal body moved down the steps and into the dark prison where the empty cells howled due to the powerful wind outside. I hid a dark smile as my presence was immediately recognized by the daughter of the one I was impersonating. The former queen scrambled up from the ground, her hair more messy than usual and her body lightly matted with dirt.
I frowned somewhat at this, as it was a sign that in my ‘absence’ that one of Carapace’s other daughters had taken the liberty to relocate Chrysalis. I snorted in annoyance, happy that they would soon be dealt with, for their use had diminished significantly.
“Father!” Chrysalis said proudly, her chest puffed out as she kept her face in a queenly expression. “What have I done to earn such a visit?”
“Because, my dear, your time has come…” I simply replied; a brief flash of fear came on her face at my words.
My magic light up and the door was thrown open, but instead of begging or cowering in fear, the Changeling Queen simply kept a brave face and walked out of the cell, ready to meet her end. “I am ready,” she said bravely, keeping a posture of pride on her. “All I ask is that you remember that what I did...was what I thought was best for our people.”
“I know,” I replied simply, giving her a small warm smile. While her foolish and poorly executed plans had enraged me, I was also aware that out of all the ‘villains’ in this world, Chrysalis was by far the least selfish and did what she did for good reason. “And you still have so much to do for them.”
She gave me a look of confusion before my horn lit up and blasted a hole in the side of the dungeon, revealing a large drop with countless trees covering the land of the changelings like an ocean. Chrysalis jumped back in shock as I made such an action before giving me a look of both surprise and sadness. My smile remained kind and I waved my hoof towards the hole in the wall.
“You should go now, my daughter,” I chuckled, turning my back and making my way back out of the prison. “You have a long journey ahead of you!”
“Whe--where!?!” she pleaded, confused by this sudden turn in events. She knew that her father had loved her, even after her reckless invasion of Equestria. But he was bound to his alliance with Celestia to ensure that she would remain imprisoned.
“Head to the outside of the town known as Antville, east from here,” I said, not turning my back as I made my way out of the dark place. “You will find a map and coordinates telling you where you must go. Once you reach the Dark Isle...seek the refuge of the one known as Makuta Teridax. He will aid you in bringing our people from the dark.”
“It will be done, my emperor!” she cried out, joyful that she could still do something for the hive, the kingdom. Her wings buzzed and she took off, leaving me to myself as I recollected my thoughts. I would need Chrysalis for one of my many backup plans, should everything go south.
“Nightmare Moon, Absorbed,” I smirked, as I brought up a mental image of my hitlist. “Queen Chrysalis, now loyal to my goals. Sombra, still with Grogar in the north until I unleash my trap upon both of them. Tirek and Discord, working side by side until I turn them on one another...Eris and Celestia, both at eachother’s throats and me acting as an ‘asset’ of the Solar Monarch.”
Shadows engulfed the room, placing illusions left and right, causing more of the dungeon to be destroyed, a false corpse of Chrysalis being placed to signify her death. I let out a maniacal laugh and dissipated into dark mist, leaving the place where I once stood empty and devoid of any traces of life.