//------------------------------// // Love and Other Such Things // Story: Split Second: An Eternity Divided // by wille179 //------------------------------// As the facts clicked into place, a serene smile spread across Shining Armor’s face, a smile that nearly made it to his eyes, but didn’t. “Cobalt...” “Yes, Shining?” “May I... talk with you for a minute? Alone?” “Uh, sure.” Cobalt motioned to the side and led the white stallion off to a small grove of trees and shrubs. They were barely out sight when Shining Armor placed his hoof on Cobalt’s shoulder in a friendly gesture. Then, without so much of a twitch of his muscles nor a change of expression, Shining’s aura twisted into a malevolent cloud of fury. Calmly, oh so terribly calmly, he asked, “When exactly were you going to tell me that you were dating my little sister?” On the utter opposite end of the emotional and reaction spectrum, was Cadance. She had just come to the same realization as her husband at nearly the same moment, and she had also correctly guessed that it was what Shining Armor had pulled the poor, doomed soul aside for. “You two are dating?” Cadance asked eagerly. Sparkle shook her head. “No. We aren’t. It was a slip of Cobalt’s tongue.” Cadance’s smile fell. “Oh. Come on, you two would do well with each other. I can tell.” The dark goddess sighed. “Cadance, please... there are circumstances around us that make me feel uncomfortable with anything more than a working relationship with him. He’s my friend, but even that’s pushing it for me.” Cadance put her hoof to her chin thoughtfully. “Have you discussed these circumstances with him? Maybe they’re something that can be worked out together.” Sparkle looked away. “It’s a geas, Cadance, and a bucking strong one, at that. When Cobalt became my student, I placed him under it to protect my secrets and to keep him from betraying me. His loyalty might just be artificial, and even if it is real, it wouldn’t take much for me to break him, to reshape his mind into something he isn’t.” Cadance shuddered visibly and gagged. “Ugh... Sorry, Sparks. You just reminded me of a nightmare I had recently. But... Now that I think about it, I want to tell you about something I did shortly after your ninth birthday, something my nightmare reminded me about. “Sparkle, I had barely had my horn for five years when this happened. You know I grew up with earth ponies, right? Well, I hadn’t grown up with the dogma of magical responsibility drilled into my head. Sure, I was taught as such by Celestia, but there’s a difference between learning from an occasional tutor and growing up hearing it like most unicorn foals do. Anyway, once upon a time, I came upon an arguing couple. Their argument was heated, and I feared it was going too far. However, I could feel a trace of their mutual love, so I gathered my magic and cast a spell to strengthen their romantic feelings for each other. Guess what I did wrong?” Six eyes blinked. “I’m not sure. Did you cast your spell on the wrong ponies or something?” The alicorn of love chuckled morbidly. “I wish. No, I boosted their romantic love. They were siblings. Eleven months later, I was sued on charges of mind manipulation and for foal support. We thankfully settled out of court, and thankfully the press didn’t catch wind of it, but I was mortified of what I had done. Their filly was mercifully healthy, but she and I have never met because they have a restraining order against me. “And don’t think Aunt Celestia and Aunt Luna don’t have stories like that — they have several each. My point is, we alicorns are disastrously strong. It’s like the world is made of cardboard, and we have to be careful or we’ll break things, or worse, people. And for the two of us, it’s not just their bodies that we have to worry about breaking.” Sparkle swallowed as she took that all in. “That’s... I think I understand what you’re trying to say, but...” Cadance shook her head. “From the look in your eyes, I don’t think you quite get it yet, so I’ll spell it out for you. That stallion of yours? He’s aware that you could snap him like a twig, in both body and mind. He introduced himself to you, knowing that you could do that even when you were just a unicorn. He stands next to Thorn without fear, knowing that Thorn, at your command, would tear him to ribbons. That is a stallion who knows he could be broken, but charges forwards anyway; the only reason he hasn’t charged forwards now is that he doesn’t want to break you. What does that tell you about him?” “Damn you, Cadance,” Sparkle replied, though there was mirth in her voice. “This? This is why I love you. I’ve been a fool.” “But you’re my fool.” Sparkle whirled around to see Cobalt walking up to her, a pleased Shining Armor following close behind. “How long were you listening?” Sparkle questioned. “Long enough to know that Princess Cadance was right on the money.” Cobalt stopped right in front of his teacher. “Sparkle,” he asked, “would you be my marefriend?” Sparkle blanched and gulped. “Cobalt, I... I can’t. No. I’m sorry.” She expected him to be sad, or to be dejected. She also expected that if the former didn’t happen, then Cobalt would simply shrug it off. Neither happened. Instead, Cobalt waved his hoof and materialized a scroll. He handed it to her. “Remember this?” By Sparkle's power, the earth pony known as "Cobalt" shall be placed under a rank 10 geas with the following terms and conditions: 1. Cobalt shall study and master all lessons offered by Sparkle to the best of his ability. 2. Cobalt shall adhere to the schedule set forth by Sparkle to the best of his ability. 3. Cobalt shall pay Sparkle the agreed upon rate, to be determined at a later time. This rate is always re-negotiable. 4. Cobalt shall always obey any and every command Sparkle gives him, immediately and without question, so long as they are prefaced by the phrase: "Cobalt, would you kindly..." 5. Any commands given with the phrasing stated in item four (4) are to override any conflicting orders given prior to that time. 6. The above conditions are only valid so long as Sparkle considers Cobalt her student, or Cobalt considers her to presently be his teacher. 7. Cobalt shall not be allowed to quit from Sparkle's tutelage unless there is no other option. 8. Any knowledge deemed "secret" by Sparkle is to be kept secret for all time, regardless of current status of Sparkle or Cobalt, unless given explicit permission by Sparkle to reveal the information to a designated individual. 9. Cobalt will not allow himself to be put under the influence of any other geas by any entity that is not Sparkle for as long as he is alive. 10. Attempting to willingly violate these conditions will be punished with pain until the attempt stops. Successfully willingly violating these terms will be punished by instant death and the forfeit of Cobalt's soul to Sparkle. Accidental violations will be excused provided an attempt is made by Cobalt to explain the situation to Sparkle. “Wait, these are the conditions to your geas,” Sparkle remarked. “Exactly. Now, I’ve been studying your notes in my spare time, so I’m reasonably certain that you implemented the geas fairly literally. That makes things easy. Let’s start with clause two; if you set forth no new schedule, nor make one on the fly, then you are not teaching me. Then, through clause four, you can order me to quit being your student. That satisfies clause seven, the no quitting clause. That in turn satisfies clause six...” “Breaking the control aspect of the geas!” Sparkle exclaimed. Cobalt nodded. “Meanwhile, clauses eight, nine, and ten are still active. Not only are those not restrictive, but they make me into the ultimate secret keeper. Better yet, since you are death, if I’m ever trapped somewhere, all I have to do is try to tell a secret of yours and the geas will yank my soul straight to you!” Sparkle grabbed the smaller stallion in a four-limbed hug. “Cobalt, you clever pony! This is perfect!” “Is it clever enough to score a date with the smartest goddess?” His eyes darted over to the pink alicorn. “No offense, princess.” Cadance waved her hoof dismissively. “Yes, Cobalt, yes it is. But first things first. Cobalt, all your lessons are canceled. And Cobalt, would you kindly quit being my student?” For the last time, Cobalt found his body uncontrollably puppeted by the geas. “Ms. Sparkle, I quit. I am no longer your student.” The moment the magic’s control waned, Cobalt added, “Now, I’m your coltfriend.” “Is it really gone?” Cobalt nodded. “Good. I can live with that.” Then, Sparkle leaned down and kissed the stallion. The world around them faded to nothing, literally. The dreamlike nature of the afterlife filled the air between them and the others with a thick, supernaturally warm fog. Sparkle and Cobalt paid it no mind as they let their passionate kiss consume them. Too enamoured by their dancing tongues, they barely noticed the garden grass beneath their hooves shift into the soft mattress of Sparkle’s room. Immortal as they were, they pushed on with their kiss beyond their need to breathe. With the connection to Sparkle’s soul, Cobalt found he needed no words. Everything he wanted, she knew, and everything she wanted, he knew in return. They had no need, nor desire, to stop. So they kissed. Back out in the gardens, the fog had cleared, revealing the empty spot where the goddess and demigod had once been. The two mares squealed with happiness at the idea that their daughter/sister-in-law had finally found love, while the two stallions exchanged conspiratorial, overly-protective father/brother looks. Of course, neither of those things lasted long as Shining Armor was soon swept up in the embrace of his late parents. After all, he had twelve years of catching up to do. The embarrassed new couple reunited with Shining Armor, Cadance, and Sparkle’s parents around a half-hour later, when they finally pried themselves apart long enough to realize that they had just abandoned the group. While they had been gone, Thorn had joined the others. Now, the group was collectively getting caught up in each other’s lives, finding out what they had missed. The storytelling ended up going on for hours, long enough that Sparkle ordered them food. And of all her staff that could have answered, it was the ex-king, Sombra. The ex-black mage nearly dropped the tray when he saw Cadance. “Princess Amore?” Cadance blinked. “Err, no. I am Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, Cadance for short. Princess Amore was somepony else entirely,” she replied. At her side, her wings fluttered. “Oh...” Sombra sighed, and then shook his head and chuckled. “You look so much like her, you know, especially in your eyes. I thought I finally had a chance to apologize, to make peace with her. Foolish, I know.” “I know of Princess Amore, though,” Cadance said. “She left journals that I found after King Sombra was defeated. I’m amazed that he didn’t have them destroyed.” “Princess Amore is the only pony I regret killing; I couldn’t just destroy her journals as well, especially not with how useful I found them during my reign.” Cadance took half a moment to process that. “King Sombra?!” “The very same, though I am a king no more,” the stallion replied. “I assume you are the heir to my throne? Very well. I could hardly have chosen a better heir than one of the goddesses, even if you have yet to fully ascend.” Shining Armor, who had positioned himself between Cadance and Sombra, growled, “My wife hardly needs your blessing, Sombra.” “And yet I give it anyway,” Sombra replied. “A tyrant I might have been, but the Crystal Empire was my home. Is it wrong that I offer my support to the one who has taken my place?” “And what makes you think we need it?” “I don’t, but I’m giving it anyway.” Sparkle cleared her throat. “Shining, please stop antagonizing my butler. Sombra, my brother is tired of you; I suggest you serve us our meals and leave.” At the word brother, Sombra’s jaw dropped and his eyes went wide. It dawned on the ex-king just how powerful the unicorn stallion across from him must be as the brother of one goddess and the lover of another. Shining Armor was no doubt magically powerful, Sombra realized, and had the might of two divine beings behind him. “My apologies, my Lady,” he muttered as he began unloading the tray of food. The moment that was done, he scurried away. As he slipped out of the room, Shining Armor turned to his sister. “So, Sombra is your butler?” “And tutor, guinea pig, and personal punching bag.” She shrugged, waving a hoof about in the air as she did so. “Really, when you think about it, it’s a much better deal than what he’d get being in the pits. And if he keeps his good behavior up, I might even give him his magic back.” “I see,” Shining Armor replied. “Well, if you think you can keep him under control...” “Don’t worry; I can.” “Hey, Sparkle,” Cadance began, “If you’re... this, then what was that wraith we saw?” “Ah...” She paused very briefly, thinking. “That was a specter, nothing more. I created it as a puppet to live as me while I was getting used to my new body. When we met that once, I was just a filly hiding in the bushes, watching from a distance. I actually didn’t want anypony to know that I had been reborn. And by the way, can I ask you two to not say who I am? To the rest of the world, I’m Obsidian Knife, a crystal pony that had been born before the Empire was banished. I’d like to keep it that way.” Cadance readily agreed. Her brother did as well, but gave her a concerned look. “Do you mind me asking why you want to hide who you are? I’ll keep your secret, but I’d like to know why.” Sparkle swallowed. “I... Shiny, Cadance, if I tell you, I’m trusting you with something big. I hope you know what you’re getting into.” The husband and wife pair looked at each other. Without a word, their eyes carried their entire conversation. Nodding they both turned back to Sparkle. “Yes, we’ll keep your trust,” Cadance said. “From least to greatest importance, there are three reasons. First, the crystal heart is supposed to be an object of love and purity. When I was shattered by it, ponies began assuming that I had been secretly or not-so-secretly evil this whole time. The reputation of ‘Sparkle’ is lower than ever. Second, Celestia and Luna already dislike me for things I have yet to do in the past. Time travel, you know. But I can work with whatever assumptions they have now, and I don’t want to complicate things. And third... “This completely overshadows the other two things. When I was reborn, I didn’t create this body from scratch. I used the reincarnation spell. I used it, and seized an embryo from the womb of an unsuspecting crystal pony mare who was leaving the Empire. It killed her unborn child and eventually destroyed her as well. Thorn, being as protective of me as he was, foalnapped the mare and held her in this pocket universe until I was born.” Cadance gasped and Shining scowled. The former exclaimed, “That’s horrible!” “It’s bad enough to be sent to Tartarus, according to Celestia herself,” the death goddess shamefully replied, hanging her head and avoiding eye contact. “What I did was inexcusable, especially since I knew there was another way and I could have done it. I could have actually become a wraith, I could have merged with Thorn, or, as most ponies would have prefered, I could have just died.” She looked back up. “But I did the wrong thing.” “You regret it.” It was not a question, but an observation by her brother. He marched up to her and embraced her, though he had to stand on his hind legs to get his forelegs around her neck. “Sparks, as long as you can feel regret, there is nothing you can do that I won’t reply with this: I forgive you.” Sparkle’s breath hitched. “You needed to hear that, didn’t you? I forgive you. I am your brother, and Cadance is your sister. We’ll forgive you and love you forever. What you did was horrible, but what was more horrible was that you felt that you couldn’t trust us to keep your secrets.” He let go, and then playfully whacked her. “Shame on you, Sparks.” Sparkle’s chest heaved once, and then like a tidal wave, tears came flooding out of her eyes. A tension in her heart was suddenly gone, and relief came flooding in. She had her brother back; for the first time in what felt like forever, the Twilight family was whole again. Well, minus Sparkle’s still-living aunt Overcast, but nopony cared about that bitter mare anyway. “Alright, so as I was saying before we got interrupted,” Cadance said, “Shiny and I have been trying for a foal.” “Really?” Sparkle’s eyes went so wide, they seemed to occupy the entirety of her face. “That's great! I’m so jealous.” “Oh? Well, there's nothing to be jealous of yet. We haven't had much luck so far,” Cadance replied. “That said, I didn't know you wanted to be a mother.” Sparkle sighed. “No, I’m jealous that you have the chance. This body of mine was born a colt, and I changed it to a filly. But testicles turned into ovaries lack the egg cells needed to have a foal. I thought that was fine, since I could just jump bodies again, but I never expected to get stuck like this.” Actually, she was wrong, but she didn't know that yet; nopony knew. The mixture of reincarnation, gender swapping, and ascension that she had experienced had never happened before. “You should talk to Twilight, though,” Sparkle added, changing gears. “Oh?” Cadance questioned. “Why’s that?” “Obviously, since that mare is my equal and opposite, she would know a thing or two about life,” Sparkle replied. “Does that mean what I think it means?” Shining Armor didn’t have to hear Sparkle’s answer; her expression was enough. “Dear Celestia, I’m related to almost half the pantheon.” “More than,” Sparkle corrected. “Remind me to tell you about the other two versions of Twilight Sparkle I found on the other side of the mirror portal.” “There’s more of you? Buck, my sister is multiplying like parasprites.” He chuckled and shook his head. “So, Twily is Life, right? And she can help us have a child?” Sparkle nodded. “More than that, she can influence your foal’s appearance, gender, intelligence, strength, personality, tribe... Everything. Within limits, of course. Nothing’s set in stone, and how they develop is still up to you once they’re born.” Cadance almost immediately took on a dreamy expression. “Oh, I’ve always wanted a little pegasus filly.” Shining Armor chuckled. “I agree with you there. Remember the little unicorn filly we cared for? She was such a hoofful, and she grew up to be such a troublemaker. A pegasus sounds so much nicer. No offense, Sparks.” “I’d just like to point out that you are in said troublemaker’s castle — which is bigger than yours — and eating her food?” Sparkle quipped. “But... None taken. Anyway, I’ll get in touch with Twi and arrange a time for her to come over so that she can help you.” As with all good things, Shining and Cadance’s impromptu excursion came to an end. As much fun as they had had in the afterlife, they had to get back to their meeting and their real lives. But, before they could go back, Sparkle decided to have them go over a few things. “Now remember, when you’re in the real world, Sparkle is a wraith and I am Obsidian Knife,” Sparkle reminded them. “We know, Sparks,” her brother replied. “You’ve told us a dozen times already.” “I’m just making sure,” she replied. Unlike normal, Sparkle was currently in her disguised form of a crystal unicorn mare. “Don’t worry. Everything will be fine,” he reassured. Instead of saying anything else, Sparkle opened the portal to blackness. However, that was only because of the time dilation; as the afterlife’s clock slowed to match the real world’s, the colors faded in, starting with dark reds that shifted to blues until everything beyond the portal was the correct color. Cadance and Shining Armor stepped out of the portal. Though they knew that practically no time had passed, the fact that everyone in that original meeting was still in the same spots still managed to surprise them. “Wow,” Cadance remarked. Sparkle stepped out after them. “The wonders of time dilation. It’s been only a few seconds.” The goddess of death glanced at the changeling queen, who hadn’t even had time to get bored without Cadance there at the meeting. “I told you we wouldn’t be long.” Then, addressing her brother and sister-in-law again, she said, “Excuse me. There’s a stallion nearby I need to see.” She trotted over to the door. In the second it took her to cross the room, the meaning of her words registered in Shining’s mind. “Wait, what?!” Sparkle opened the door and stepped onto the wet floor. She looked down. It was blood she was standing in. Her eyes darted to the side and spotted the impaled body of Alarum Bell and his panting, now spearless father, Iron Bell. Death tsked disapprovingly. “You should have waited until you at least were somewhere private, Iron Bell.” She reached down and grabbed the soul from Alarum’s dying body. In her grip, it was visible to all, including the growing crowd behind her. “To the pits, I think I heard you say. I can do that. As for helping you get away with murder in front of all these witnesses?” Sparkle laughed. “Sorry, I can’t help you there.” And with that, she teleported away.