Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Show epi 10 Part 11
"Are you going to continue?" Shining asked the what if machine.
"Events are currently in progress, sync still iffy," the What If Machine stated.
"You're just making stuff up, aren't you?"
"No, consider this the same as commercials. The issue is that this timeline is 'newborn' so to speak, and currently filling in completely and fleshing itself out. Consider it 'lag' due to a long loading time. While waiting for the two timelines to sync up, enjoy this other potential situation. Rating: Adventure, Drama. Rated T. Some objectionable material."
The screen flickered.
Twilight and Shining Armor looked up at the massive leviathan before them. Her head and body resembled an alicorn, complete with wings, but was a deep purplish color with red eyes, her hooves and lower body replaced by numerous tentacles. She was roughly the size of an Ursa Minor.
For some reason two two ponies had younger, foal versions of themselves with them. They were standing atop an alien saucer of some sort. The four ponies were fairly battered and bruised from the fight.
The behemoth roared in fury. "Your pathetic kingdom will lie in ruins before me!" she roared. She then repeated the same, alien word, over and over again. Twilight had overheard it during their fight with the invader's little sister, when it was translated. It meant something that sent chills down her spine: Destroy.
The Elder Princess roared that word again and again as she fired an energy blast from her mouth, blowing several of her own people's flying saucers out of the sky above and crashing down on the two.
The two Shining Armors put up a well timed shield, causing two saucers to explode, while the two Twilights seized another in their telekinesis and redirected it to crash into the titan's head, sending her falling back.
Twilight shuddered at the implications of what just happened. She KNEW that each saucer contained an alien warrior. Who were largely dead the moment the tyrant's blow struct it.
"How can you do that to your own kind?!"
"They're proud to die in my name!" the titan roared, forming a massive energy ball above her head.
"You're a big meanie!" yelled baby Twilight, she, her brother, and their future selves all firing beams up at the sphere, overloading it and setting it off in the Elder Princess' face.
The alien screamed in rage and prepared to try to attack with her tentacles, but a barrage of lightning bolts struck the alien, electrocuting her.
"Sorry we're late!" called Rainbow Dash, flying up alongside her own foal self and the two formed a tornado, taking several of the saucers out of the sky, though notably LESS destructively and fatal than their own boss would. "Had a bunch of aliens to take care of!"
"Man I get awesome in the future!" Foal Rainbow Dash announced in amazement.
The invader screamed, preparing to fire another energy bolt at Rainbow...only to be barraged by several Party Cannons, half of which were tiny and foal sized. This was followed by a barrage of crystal shardes, pinning her tentacles to the ground. As she lunged at the Raritys and Pinkie Pies with an attempt to bite, but twin bucks from a pair of Applejacks (one old and one young) to the jaw, driving her back.
Fluttershy and Foal-Fluttershy patched up Twilight and Shining. "Oh...I can't believe I get to be such a brave pony..." the little Fluttershy muttered.
"We all grew up..." Fluttershy admitted.
"Alright, girls! Formation!"
The 12 ponies activated their Elements (which involved recovering them from another time period with Rota Fortuna's aid (the Alicorn of Fate having to step in when time traveling alien invaders did, thus why they were teaming up with their foal selves).
The Elder Princess roared in fury, forming a gigantic energy ball roughly the size of the battlefield they were standing on. She fired it, the Elements hitting it. Shockwaves rippled out, but gradually, the Alien's attack was overpowered. Shining added a shield sphere to the assault, forcing her assault back further.
"Your Princesses already tried sealing us away! All it will do is delay the inevitable!"
"I don't think so," said Twilight.
"If scattering you across the planet didn't stop you, what about the universe?" Shining asked, giving a smirk.
"You've been a naughty alien! You're going to time out for a long time!" yelled little Fluttershy, her protective side rearing up.
The monster's powers were overwhelmed and Shining's shield spell contained her as the Elements lifted both into the air. "NOOOO! I WILL DESTROY YOU ALL! DESTROYDESTROYDESTROYDESTROY!!!" The Elder Princess roared in rage before she shattered into 12 pieces, each being sent hurdling into the Heavens, 12 stars flickering as a fragment of the vile creature was locked away inside of it, forming a new constellation.
A wave of Harmony rolled over the planet, purging it of the aliens' taint completely, healing those they'd hurt, and restoring harmony in both time periods.
The screen turned off.
"Coffee Swirl does have a point," said Rarity cautiously. "This isn't some entertainment program. We don't actually know if these other versions of ourselves have a happy ending to look forward to."
Shining Armor frowned, but the Machine had already started playing again.
The screen flickered.
"Princess Cadence and Shining Armor," said Princess Celestia proudly. "It is my great pleasure to pronounce you..."
There was a blue flash as something small teleported in near the ceiling, and then a thunderous boom shook the hall. More flashes went off, sending out bursts of fireworks. Confetti and streamers flew everywhere...
"Oooh, shiny!" said Pinkie, standing in the row with the other bridesmaids... Twilight, Rarity, Red Gala, and Flutters.
"This isn't part of the ceremony, is it?" said a panicking Rarity. "Nopony informed me!"
Finally, a huge poof of dense smoke rose in the center of the hall, then blew away to reveal Shining Armor, Big Mac, and Trixie, with Smoke Ring, Stone Wall, and Winghoof surrounding them, weapons and spells ready. "Objection!!" cried Trixie, leveling a hoof at the stage dramatically. "Trixie has always wanted to do that."
"What is the meaning of this?" Princess Celestia moved to confront the intruders, and froze in mid-step. "Shining Armor? But..." She turned quickly, looking at the other Shining Armor beside Cadence, wearing a guard dress uniform.
"T-two of them?" exclaimed Fluttershy.
"That Shining Armor is an imposter!" shouted the real Shining in his ranger cloak. "I've been at my post in the Everfree Forest for months!"
The Shining Armor on the stage laughed darkly. "So you've found us out." Cadence started backing away fearfully, but he paid no attention to her. "I am General Hercules Beetle of the Changeling Swarm." Green fire enveloped him as he spoke, transforming him into a hulking monstrosity... a creature like a giant pony covered in spiky black chitin, with insect wings and a jagged horn. "I've been looking forward to testing you in battle, Shining Armor. A pity it must be such a farce as this. Soldiers, forward!"
The doors to the hall banged open, and a whole squad of royal guards came charging in. Some of them flanked the audience protectively, while others stayed to bar the door again. "Hah!" cried Rarity. "It looks like we're the ones getting reinforcements!" Then the new guards started bursting into green flames too, turning into duplicates of random people in the crowd, other guards, even Twilight and her friends. Everypony in the wedding band dropped their instruments and turned into duplicates of Shining and his party, for good measure. "Or... I could be wrong about that..."
"At least I won't have to eat my hat," grumbled Smoke Ring.
The screen turned off.
"Well, this is certainly different," ventured Fluttershy.
Cadence gave the screen a suspicious glare. "If Chrysalis wasn't the fake Shining, then where is she? Me again? No, they couldn't harvest our love that way..."
Shining hoof-shrugged. "Well, we don't know that she's anywhere... it's possible she isn't involved in this."
"Raise a hoof if you buy that," said Twilight. Nopony did.
-
"I'm tossing in my bits to say she's disguised in the wedding party, probably as one of the random transformations."
Shining Armor glanced at Coffee Swirl. "What makes you say that?"
"It's the perfect cover," the barista responded. "All the attention is on Hercules Beetle pretending to be you, but she'd also be close enough to feed on all the love. Plus, even though she's been technically 'revealed' now as a changeling, she's still going to be considered a minor threat. So, while everypony is busy worrying about him, she can slink away and get a decent counter-strategy set up." Multiple ponies stared at him, causing him to start fidgeting a bit. "What?"
Shining gaped at the pegasus. "...did you just think that up now?"
Swirl looked away. "I... write a lot of crappy fanfics, okay? Just seemed like a move one of my villains would make."
Cadence said, "Granted. But Chrysalis loved her theatrics. It's odd she chose to give somepony else center stage. I wonder what her real game is."
-
"I am afraid I must interrupt on that note," said the What If Machine. "But I have ran through Miss Fluttershy's instructions, and came to a conclusion."
It turned to Maud Pie. "...Pinkie Pie intended for this show to be in your honor, but I have hijacked it. Fluttershy says harming others directly or indirectly is mean. By definition, that action was mean to your sister and yourself, I apologize."
Maud seemed stunned for a moment. "Uh...it's fine...I guess..."
"Be that as it may, I believe reconciliation is the proper course of action. My sensors suggest the following video will be considered what ponies call 'a gift'."
It's screen activated.
Maud Pie sat at the party Pinkie Pie had thrown the day of she got her Cutie Mark, looking down sadly.
"What's wrong, Maud?" asked Pinkie Pie, hopping over to her.
"Pinkie...this party is great and all...but...I..." the older filly said, not showing any visible emotion, but Pinkie frowned. "I didn't smile when everypony else did...I'm happy, but...I didn't smile...is...is something wrong with me?"
Pinkie instantly hugged her sister. "No!"
"Really?"
"Yeah! You looked happier than I've ever seen you!"
"But, I didn't smile..."
"You smiled on the INSIDE Maud!" Pinkie replied. "I can tell! And that's all that matters!"
"T-Thank you, Pinkie Pie..." Maud returned her sister's hug.
"You're welcome! Now come on!"
The screen flickered off.
Maud didn't show any outright emotion, but anyone who could read her would know she was shocked.
"But...I thought you were a What If Machine?"
"Your existence is in flux. I have detected this particular situation falls into the realm of 'What If' until it is accepted by you and approved. Do you approve?"
"I...I do...thank you..." said Maud.
"...And I also am aware of how it feels for ponies to think you don't feel."
-
"I kind of feel bad now," mused Twilight. "We haven't been paying much attention to Maud, because... well, she doesn't draw much attention to herself. Pinkies, how fast can you whip up a welcome party?"
The What-If Machine started playing again...
=*=
The wedding was quickly turning into a mad free-for-all.
Faced with no less than three duplicates of himself, Shining Armor tossed his cloak aside, leaving just the leather armor he wore beneath it. "Attack the ones with cloaks!"
"Heh, good idea!" said one of the fakes. Green fire flickered over them, changing their clothes to match his.
"Oh, come on! Whoa..." The fakes tried to dogpile him, only to land on a shield bubble, which he then blew up suddenly, throwing them in all directions.
"Everypony!" called out Smoke Ring, magically amplifying his voice. "Attack your own doubles!"
Princess Celestia frowned sharply, then lit her horn, focusing. "In the harsh light of day, secrets be revealed..."
"Princess, watch out!" cried Twilight
Celestia looked up and gasped, her spell interrupted, just in time to see a charging Hercules alter his course and butt Twilight across the room instead of her. "You will regret that!" she snapped, turning sweltering flames on the changeling general... but the flames just rolled off his carapace, and she couldn't risk using more power indoors.
"Empty threats, Princess?"
"Hardly..." She reared up and bucked Hercules with such force that he flew into a wall, cracking the stones, and then she went charging after him.
Rarity levitated three spools of thread (for fashion emergencies) and made them zip around like angry bees, tying her double in knots. Fluttershy made one changeling after another revert to normal and fall to the floor, begging forgiveness, and the ones that averted their eyes got Fluttercruel instead. Cherry Blossom scuffed her hoof and snorted, ready to buck her own duplicate or anycreature else who came at Scootaloo and her friends.
Winghoof flapped through the limited space beneath the ceiling, dodging fireballs and projectiles while popping off sleeping darts with his mouth-crossbow. The pegasus blinked. "Their magic... why didn't I see it before? Everypony, all of the invaders have green-colored magic!"
Twilight's parents lit their horns, then grinned and moved side by side, fighting back with confidence.
"Thought you could fool me, huh?" roared Stone Wall, charging at a Smoke Ring... who teleported out of the way.
"Stone Wall, you ninny! My magic has always been green!"
Big Mac bucked another disguised changeling... between his strength and being a Bearer of Honesty, he'd knocked out an impressive number of them. Working his way through the crowd, he found himself near Red Gala, who was wearing a jewel-bedecked dress and sun shades. "Miss Belle! Always a pleasure!"
Rarity's older sister smiled. "Always a gentlecolt. Where's Cheerilee?"
"Not here, thank goodness. She's at home, expectin' our first." His chest swelled with pride.
Something shook the doors to the hall, then blew them right off their hinges. Princess Luna strode in, furious and levitating a half dozen changelings frozen in blocks of solid ice behind her. "This is my mercy," she declared, using the Royal Canterlot Voice to its fullest. She leveled her horn at Goliath and started freezing him too, faster than he could thrash to break the ice. "Surrender, or know my wrath!"
"The Princesses are too strong!" said Goliath Beetle, teeth chattering. "Stand down! Everyling, stand down!"
The changelings all started dropping their disguises. More real guards followed Luna into the hall, looking shocked by the aftermath of the battle. Some rushed to start securing prisoners, some to help the injured (even the changelings) or free wedding guests from changeling slime.
"Thank goodness Sweetie Belle's okay," said a panting Rarity. "I'm glad that's over."
"It's not over," said Shiny. He blinked. "Cadence... Where did she go? Where is she?!"
"Shining?" There she was, shaking as she made her way to him! "Is it you? Really you?"
Shining Armor's heart leapt, seeing her again after so long. "Cadence!" He rushed towards her, but stopped short. "I missed you so much! I... I thought you'd forgotten what we promised each other."
Cadence smiled, nuzzling him. "Of course I didn't. I'm never letting you out of my sight again."
Shining almost wept for joy, looking deep into her eyes... her bright, beautiful... green eyes. His own eyes slowly turned green, and a blissful smile spread over his face. Everything was going to be alright now.
=*=
"How many skill points did that witch put into Treachery? AGH! Am I destine to be brainwashed by that sicko in every universe?" Shining Armor exclaimed.
Twilight and Cadence also felt disgust at seeing Shining Armor turned into Chrysalis' brainwashed minion, this time they saw it happen.
"Not all of them. In some Cadence is brainwashed instead, and you were trapped in the mines, and have to race with your sister to save her instead." The what-if machine explained.
"Ugh." Shining Armor sighed.
"Forgive me for prodding, but how did Cheerilee manage to be already pregnant with Big Mac's child?" She was glad the stallion, nor any of his suitors or family was here to see that. "How would Gilda and Rainbow Dash's fate affect that?"
"Good question." Twilight said. "Let's just hope Chrysalis didn't think to brainwash as many ponies in this reality, for their sake."
Rarity shuddered. Wondering if Sweetie Belle was again Chrysalis' little brainwashed minion in that world. Hopefully not since she didn't attack her friends. But with Chrysalis, nothing was certain.
"Too bad that couldn't be the end of it. That sick nag always had to drag things out." Shining Armor said.
"Aren't you insulting your foster child?" Rarity asked.
"NO! Chrysalis no longer exists, AT ALL, Kifuko is NOT Chrysalis in the LEAST."
-
Elesewhere in the studio, Gothamena (from Laughterjack's world) and Ghosty Pie (from the former Dark World) were talking as they set up for Maud's 'Welcome to Ponyville' party. Nearby the 'main' Pinkie slept peacefully, snoring little whinnies.
"So, if I dare to ask, whatever became of 'your' Maud?" Gothamena asked. Her mane hanging, a pink waterfall covering one eye, she said, "My big sis is studying for her degree in geology, specializing in seismics and vulcanology. When she's not partying, anyway; I guess she got the 'happy-happy-happy' gene in my world." Gothamena chuckled as she spread some icing that looked almost like cement on a marble cake made from real marble. "Said she'll celebrate her doctorate by going to Mount Stromboli and having a party to celebrate as close to the eruption as she can get, just so she can say her graduation party really did 'rock the world'."
"My Maud?" Ghosty Pie hesitated in the middle of cutting some rock-shaped party invites out. She said, "She... Well, she tried to make me come back to myself after I became that sad on the inside really-meany Angry Pie." She shivered. "She even asked Discord to let me go. It didn't work."
###
"Let her go?" Discord looked at the snorting, sweaty, blood-stained Angry Pie and the back at the utterly stoic Maud. He raised one claw as though to blast her, and then with a laugh, "Oh, why not? She served me well enough, and maybe I'll become a nice absolute chaos ruler instead --"
It seemed like something flashed just one pace behind reality, like a light between wallpaper and wall. A pair of dragon-like eyes gleamed and a strangely familiar voice hissed, "Discord, Discord, Discord... When will you accept the role you have to play?"
The light faded and Discord looked on in dismay at a mare-shaped statue of rock candy as Angry Pie stomped it to bits.
###
"Ghosty Pie, I'm so sorry."
"It was okay in the end," Ghosty said to Gothamena. "We met with the rest of the family in Paradise and everything got settled. Mom really paddled my butt for smashing my sister, though." She winced and switched her tail. She finished with the paper invites. Setting bowls of hay fries and a tray apple-cinnamon cupcakes on her back "But that's in the past. Let's make this Maud's party something extra-specially-fun!" She took the invites in her mouth and headed to join the others.
Gothamena nodded and picked up the cake, setting candles in it as they both headed out into the main studio room.
Twilight rubbed her chin and looked to Pinkamena. "Uh, Laughter Applejack's Pinkie Pie?"
"Pinkamena please, Pinkie's one of my personalities."
"Oh...So, is there a Chrysalis in your world."
"Yes and no. Yes, she's there, but no, she's named Dr. Kifuko."
"DOCTOR?"
"She's one of our biology teachers. And she's a Zebra, but she helped me, Trixie, and Trixie's mother reach the Stallions in Black's HQ. Which was surreal, we always thought she was the 'evil teacher who's goal in life is to destroy you teacher' as AJ liked to call her. I'm not sure how she managed that though."
"I can manage to show that timeline if it is desired," said the What If Machine. "But it is Maud Pie's day..."
"Will it make you happy, Pinkamena to see that?" asked Maud.
"...Yeah, I would like to know that...I'm kind of curious..."
"Then show her. If I'm making Pinkie happy, I'm happy. Even if it's a different Pinkie."
"Showing..."
=*=
"Students, I will hold the line, move on there isn't time," said the teacher.
"But-"
"Do not argue with me, my friend, don't worry, it won't be my end."
Reluctantly, the two moved on.
Kifuko watched the direction of the coming hoof steps. She remembered being a young filly in Zebrafrica When without warning her young life was wrecked by the Stallions in Black kidnapping her, saying 'you don't belong there' and leaving her at the door step of some Changelings, the Stallions in Black having an alliance with Queen Cocoon to keep her kind secret, but also bring any wayward Changelings back to her hive.
But the problem with mind magic? There was no such thing as a perfect mind magic. She wasn't sure why, but her brainwashing broke naturally. Like a part of her wouldn't LET her forget. She'd tricked Cocoon into having the Stallions in Black's magic placed on her and had General Hercules 'reprogram' her to be her old good self again. All she'd wanted to do is get back home. To her family and Maua. But that hadn't happened.
"Freeze!" the black suited stallions yelled.
"...You took Maua away from me..." the professor said, snarling to reveal FANGS. "My parents minds wiped they may be. Start a new life is what I did, but you still threatened that bid. My students I admit I care. Hard on them I may be, but I know they care bare. So if you stand in their path, prepare now to face my wrath!"
Kifuko exploded into a pillar of green fire.
"She's a Changeling!"
Green fire warped around her, causing her Zebra form to disperse. The transformation was much more graceful than her Equestrian self.
"Not just any Changeling, you see. A QUEEN is what I be!"
The Stallions trembled as dragonic eyes glared at them with a protective fury. One of them fired their mind wiping spell at her...but her own mind magic deflected like it was nothing.
She stalked at them, magic crackling.
She blew up the ground in front of them with a green magic bolt.
"M-mercy!"
"Now you beg and demand, that on high ground do I stand."
They knew exactly what they were facing from the files on Cocoon. And they didn't have CLOSE to enough to deal with this.
She blasted a tree next to them, sending it falling right behind them. She formed a ring of green fire around them.
"Please! We'll do anything!"
"Anything?"
"Yes!"
In that moment, her eyes glowed and the Stallions fell under her control.
"My command you will now heed, walk that way until your hooves bleed!" she ordered.
Her dolls complied. They would walk until their hooves bled, only then would the spell break. "...My students, I may be harsh that is true, but know this: I believe in you."
=*=
Not long after, Kifuko waited at an airport. And hugged several zebras as soon as they came through, Their memories restored with the Stallion's defeat.
-
"This segment contains villains being sneaky and villainous, which is what villains do," whirred the What-If Machine. "This Machine is glad that it does not have to pay its own electric bill."
=*=
Twilight Sparkle approached, looking concerned but relieved to find Cadence well... but when Cadence finished whispering in Shining's ear, Twilight said, "Are we really going through with this, majesty? The plan is needlessly risky, if you ask me."
"I didn't," said Cadence with a sharp glare. She paused and cast a spell that made the air around them shimmer faintly. "Now, switch with me."
Standing beside them, Shining saw the two mares transform... Cadence became Twilight, and Twilight became Cadence. Nopony else seemed to notice the change or the green flames at all. Shining blinked, but said nothing. Her majesty hadn't invited him to comment.
"Twilight" slumped and trudged towards the Princesses... she'd taken a nasty hit during the battle, after all. "Princess Celestia?"
It was well timed... she'd just finished speaking with one of the Guard commanders. "Yes, Twilight?"
"I'm worried that this may not be over. We defeated these changelings here, but there could still be more of them in disguise." She gave Shining a look.
"She's right," said Shining at once. "When I was scouting before the battle, I sensed hundreds of hidden foes."
Celestia tensed. "Hundreds, you say?!" said Luna. "You are not exaggerating?"
"We need the Elements of Harmony," Twilight continued. "I'm certain that with them, we can cast a spell to reveal every changeling in Canterlot at once."
=*=
In the studio, Shining groaned. "Come on, princess, don't fall for that... She's totally going to fall for it, isn't she?"
=*=
Celestia nodded. "A good plan, my faithful student. I'll be right back." She teleported away.
"I'll escort the Bearers here," said Luna, going to find them herself.
Trixie arrived first. "Did Trixie hear correctly?"
Twilight smiled. "Yes. But my head is pounding... I think I may have cracked my horn when that big changeling bounced me."
Trixie gasped. "Oh no... you mustn't try to cast any spells! But then..."
"That's right. I need you to wear the Element of Magic and cast the true sight ritual. You can do it, can't you?"
"Yes, of course! Trixie can... I, I'm happy to help any way I can!"
As the others gathered, Princess Celestia reappeared with an ornate chest. She unlocked it magically, then set it down and stepped back. Trixie levitated the Elements and started passing them out, but she held the crown before her for a long moment.
"You've wanted this for a long time, haven't you?" Twilight breathed in Trixie's ear.
"Yes," she answered, eyes wide and sparkling.
"Your name first in the credits. Your time in the spotlight. The chance to prove that you really are my equal."
"Yes, yes yes!"
Twilight's grin sharpened. "They're all yours."
Trixie shivered, her violet eyes turning green. "Formation, girls! Trixie has always wanted to say that."
The Elements began to glow and connect... Trixie with Magic, Rarity with Generosity, Pinkie with Laughter, Shining Armor with Loyalty, Fluttershy with Kindness, and finally Red Gala with Honesty.
But just outside the circle, Big Mac shuddered, as if something was making his skin crawl. "Something ain't right... Miss Belle? Miss Belle, can you hear me? Please, say something!" He jostled her lightly, shaking her shoulder with a hoof, and her shades slipped, revealing green eyes. "No... Princess!" he bellowed, turning everypony's heads. "Something's controlling Miss Belle! She ain't herself! Ya have ta stop them!"
Twilight hissed. "And I was so close to doing the whole thing right under their noses. Shining, Trixie, let none interfere."
Shining Armor surrounded them with his strongest shield dome, though he gritted his teeth and cried out, having to do that and power his Element at the same time. Trixie did something else, and sparks surged through the interconnected Elements.
"What... what are you doing?" exclaimed Rarity. "I can't let go! It's not supposed to work like this!"
Big Mac snorted and grabbed the Element of Honesty in his teeth, trying to pull it away from Red Gala, while she held it with her magic, tugging it back and forth. He took a swing at her... and his hoof stopped inches from her face. "Ah... Ah can't do it..."
Red Gala looked almost regretful when she magically hurled him out of the bubble.
There was a scuffle outside, and the shield admitted General Hercules Beetle, while the guards chasing him were trapped outside.
"So much for stealth," mused Cadence, blazing and transforming into a creepy changeling with some kind of magnifying lens... thing grafted to his head. "It's a bother being out of my lab, but I must admit, this little bit of field work has been invigorating!" Doctor Kabuto pulled a vial from a hidden pouch and smashed it on the floor, filling the shield with a misty green fog that made all the ponies breathing it dazed and glassy-eyed.
Then Twilight grinned darkly and transformed, revealing herself as Queen Chrysalis at last. Outside, the Princesses were looking frantic... but nothing got through the shield, not even the sound of the guards pounding on it. "Now, then," purred Chrysalis. "We can skip all of the running up and down corridors and melee free-for-alls and teary-eyed hugs, and move on to the part where I grind Equestria to dust beneath my hooves."
"You think you can just use our friends against us?" cried Pinkie, struggling through whatever drug Kabuto had used. "Is that supposed to be a joke? Cause I'm not laughing!"
"I won't give you this!" growled Rarity, catching on. "I won't let you hurt MY friends!" The forming rainbow began to waver, the hum of the Elements growing discordant.
A ghostly Fluttercruel appeared beside Fluttershy, wielding her own Element of Kindness. "A true friend knows when it's better to be cruel," they said together.
"Fascinating," said Doctor Kabuto. "They're actually resisting the cattle pacification mist."
Hercules shook his head. "My queen, the spell is failing. We should take what we can and flee."
"No!" shouted Chrysalis. "I've gambled everything on this. Hold it together. I don't care what you have to do!"
Hercules hesitated, then rested a heavy hoof on Shining's back. "As you command, majesty. Let the foes of the swarm break themselves upon me, every last one... I will not be moved. I will not fail you. By my life or death, your will be done!" Incredibly, the Element of Loyalty flared and split in two. The copy fastened itself around the general's neck, and glowing red chains shot in all directions, binding the Bearers together. "You've been worthy foes, but your rebellion ends here."
Shining Armor smiled as his headache eased, pleased by his general's daring and success. Soon, everypony would see that her majesty was truly worthy...
"Shining!" echoed a voice in his head. He blinked, confused. "Shining!"
"Cadence?" Everything seemed to fall away from Shining, and he suddenly found himself together with Cadence on the deck of an airship, looking out at the stars. "I remember this. This was..." He gasped in horror. "What have I done? Oh, Celestia, I betrayed everyone! Betrayed my Element! Cadence, I..."
"Shhh..." Cadence nuzzled close, holding him. Her eyes were violet... he had to check, and then he felt guilty over that too. "Cadence, what happened? Where are you?"
Cadence looked at him sadly. "I'm right here, Shining. Queen Chrysalis pulled my spirit out of my body and swallowed it whole..." She looked away, shaking. "Probably so she could keep feeding on my love while Kabuto did his... tests..."
"I'll get you out," said Shining fiercely. "I'll save you."
"You can't!" said Cadence. "Forgot about me... you have to stop Chrysalis. If she transforms herself with the Elements and usurps my power over Bonds, she can suck the whole world dry."
"No!" Shining insisted. "We made a promise. We'll be together, and I'll never forget you, never!" He kissed her... their horns touched...
In the wedding hall, a wave of love surged from Shining's horn, merging into the rainbow light and making it churn violently. Chrysalis stared in horror. "No. No, that's not fair. I thought of everything! This can't be..." And then the Elements reached full power, and rainbow light blew Hercules' chains and Shining's shield to pieces, flooding the hall and washing over Canterlot.
=*=
"Love conquers all." Shining breathed. A part of him surprised to see that General Hercules was an Element of Loyalty.
"And good triumphs over evil." Fluttershy said with a little more dramatic flourish than you'd expect.
Twilight Sparkle in the studio, was now sitting on the couch next to the peacefully sleeping Pinkie Pie, and was curled in the blanket, shivering.
"I know what it was like, to have Chrysalis inside my mind, to have everything she says be right, to accept every lie she put into your head like it was your own idea. At least it looks like Trixie didn't have to endure that for long."
Shining came over and hugged her gently.
Rarity honestly wondered, while Sweetie Belle certainly needed to be snapped back to reality even after Chrysalis' mind control was gone, she had never suffered any post traumatic stress disorder. If anything, Sweetie Belle was just sad 'Chryssy' refused to be saved at the end. It made Rarity sincerely wonder how much had been Chrysalis' mind control, and how much had been Sweetie Belle being told what she wanted to hear.
Still. "My word . . . that mad scientist changeling . . . " She had never seen him in action during the war in Canterlot and was happy she had never.
"You didn't see the worst of him by a long shot, believe me, I had to precede over his trial." Princess Cadence said, patting Twilight too. It seemed in that world, Chrysalis had decided 'keep my good-half in storage until needed' was too much trouble.
"Forgive me for saying so, but this is getting entertaining!" Coffee Swirl said. "And at least I can take comfort in that besides the random insane gods, my life seems stable and consistent across the multi-verse."
"Like a rock," Maud Pie said.
Shining Armor however also wondered, where was Cadence's body if her soul was inside Chrysalis'? It seemed Cadence's soul hadn't been obliterated, since a part of her was able to awaken the love spell (though he wondered how she was able to contact him). And Shining Armor wondered, what the HECK did the love spell combined with the Elements of Harmony DO? And where was his little sister in that universe if Chrysalis and Kabuto were switching places with her?
At least he had the satisfaction of knowing that evil, evil beotch still got clopped over like she so richly deserved.
-
There was a paradox.
One, while ponies even through the what-if machine couldn't see interaction with the wolf, be it Applejack as the Opaque Wolf or the Blank Wolf, there was absolutely nothing to keep Rarity from seeing her own sister.
And it clicked in Rarity's mind.
"Why . . . why was my sister the Element of Honesty in that world? We saw Applejack helping in that world as Honesty before. Why would Chrysalis . . .. violate her mind like she did poor Applejack? Where WAS Applejack?"
Shining Armor startled. That WAS a paradox. Just because ponies in THAT world weren't noticing Applejack's absence with her conscripted to be the new Wolf of that world, didn't mean the ponies of THIS WORLD weren't going to notice when looking from an outside observation! Or maybe . . .not so much a paradox as a LOOPHOLE. They still saw just a blank screen during all of that version of him's interaction with the wolf, but they were STILL going to noticing that world's Applejack's absence! And wonder why Red Gala had picked up the mantle instead. Just because Rarity now remembered Red Gala having been her sister all her life (which was technically true since Red Gala had assimilated into the timeline now), didn't mean she wasn't going to question Red Gala wearing the Element of Honesty in Applejack's place. And question of course why Cheerilee was apparently VERY far along in a relationship with Big Mac.
Then Twilight asked. "Spike! He wasn't there. You don't supposed he got erased from that world's time space continuum do you?"
Shining Armor felt a headache that had nothing to do with past lives.
-
"I apologize for the repeated delays, syncing issues are difficult when it's a neighboring universe born from actions in this universe," explained the What If Machine. "Is there any potential situation that you desire to witness in the meantime?"
"It's Maud's day, do you...have any?"
Maud was pouring crackers on a rock. "Sorry, Boulder was hungry."
"Boulder?"
"My pet," she said, holding up the rock.
Twilight noticed the crackers disappeared somehow. 'She's Pinkie's sister, don't question it.'
"He's...cute..."
"Yes..." Maud said, then looked to the What If Machine. "...I've got one, but I want to ask it when my sister is awake. So just surprise me."
"Okay...the following situation contains superheroics and is termed 'good natured satire'."
=*=
The Pony Rangers, now wearing costumes with various magic themes and differing colors (and capes), challenged a gigantic bird-like monster composed of a starscape. the sixth ranger was now a Gold Ranger and Celestia and Luna stood by their sides as a White Ranger and a Crimson colored, knight-like ranger. all of Ponyville stood behind them.
"I do not know where you got more magic, but I will just take it as well."
"You've got it!" they all yelled, sending a huge surge of rainbow colored magic straight down his throat. He started swallowing it without problem...but it just kept coming and coming and coming and coming. His flesh started to BUBBLE.
"What?! Where did you get all this magic?!" the bird asked in disbelief. "I keep eating it but it keeps coming!"
"This is the magic of friendship between us and ALL of our friends!" the Red Ranger announced in southern accented voice. She was also an Earth Pony rather than a Unicorn. In fact, four members of the team were Earth Ponies, one was a unicorn, and one was a pegasus. "There ain't an end tah THIS magic!"
The bird began to SWELL and the rainbow began bursting out of his body. "Stop!" he yelled. "I can't take anymore! I've devoured all I can!"
"Ya wanted all da magic in da universe, but ya can't handle da magic between friends? Too bad fer you!" the Green Ranger stated in a Manehatten accent as the group leapt into the air and continued force feeding the monster.
He gave a roar of agony and finally exploded, magic sailing off to return where it came from.
=*=
"I don't remember ever fighting that guy before..." said Twilight, raising an eyebrow.
"I believe my sister said Chrysalis ate something like him in our universe," Rarity replied. "That's all I know...and those capes were FABULOUS!"
Ghost Pinkie shrugged. "Probably just a bad guy the Shadow wanted to poke fun at. And Tirek was defeated by Pony Rangers Lightspeed Rescue, so they needed another magic stealing bad guy for Mystic Force."
"That said, those weren't alternate versions of us, so who were they?" Rarity asked.
"Demonstrating..."
=*=
The Pony Rangers descended, unmorphing to reveal teenaged versions of Applebloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, Silver Spoon, and a brown Earth Pony with a red mane that hung over one eye and green eyes. The REAL shocker came when the Gold Ranger was revealed as Diamond Tiara of all ponies.
=*=
Shining Armor tilted his head. "I don't recognize some of those fillies, but it's nice to see Spike's friends as heroes." Nothing really shocked Shining Armor anymore after being told 'you were not supposed to exist'. "I wonder how come Spike wasn't part of the team."
"Maybe he as the comical little guy who spouted one liners at headquarters?" Cadence asked. She really didn't care much for these Neighponese super hero shows, but she had been forced to learn about them from a dear friend, (Lemony Gems or Lemon Gems) who wouldn't stop gushing about them because of all the stallions in tights. Never. Stop. Gushing! Cadence had had Nightmares of being chased by giant combining robot and motor cycle riding bug ponies. At least her husband, Buck Withers, loved to hear Lemony Gems gush about all the manly ponies and their giant robots beating up monsters.
Coffee Swirl said. "I should be surprised. But I'm not. I guess the brat got a taste of the real world."
Maud Pie said, "So, that was the little white filly who was here before, your sister I believe? Sweetie Belle?" 'One who fought and blew a hole in that canon sue.'
Rarity mutely nodded. 'It's . . . it's good to see it's possible for you to be a hero Diamond.' That another of the heroes was her baby sister was was almost quaint by comparison. She hoped her little sister never fought those monsters all by herself.
"Oh . . . oh my." Fluttershy said. "I hope their parents all know where they are when they're saving the world."
"Discord's niece!?" Coffee Swirl and Maud Pie instantly shut up Ghost Pie (just don't ask how).
"What?" Everypony turned towards her.
"I said Discord's fleece! You pick up a lot of weird exclaims in my world!"
"Oh." That was politely accepted as what she said.
"That pink and silver one? On my world she's just some faceless spoiled brat who we all laugh at every time her schemes backfire in some over the top manner." Goth Pinkie Pie said. "And geeze, can't say I saw that coming . . . Sweetie and Scoots though were happy they could show what they really were to Applebloom after the stallions in black were kaput."
Twilight Sparkle meanwhile, just stood there, her jaw completely open and eyes tiny pin pricks. On the bright side, it had taken her mind off of what she had seen Chrysalis do to Trixie.
-
Shining Armor sighed. He knew perfectly well why Applejack had been absent from the wedding scenes, but his friends wouldn't understand about the Wolf. Most of them would forget even if he did tell them, and Twilight might ask questions he didn't want to answer.
The Machine whirred. "Remaining data acquired. Stand by."
=*=
Shining Armor jerked, gasping as he woke. "What... where?" He found himself floating over a gray, lifeless landscape. Below, a vast black whirlpool churned, bits of this world constantly crumbling and falling in, and high above, rainbow clouds covered the sky, as if a foal had spilled watercolors all over a grim, serious painting. "I've seen this before, too," he breathed. "When the Wolf took me, and I was fading away..."
"Well, I hope you're satisfied," said a scornful voice.
Shining twisted around and saw Queen Chrysalis, sinking towards the whirlpool. "You!"
"I finally outwitted Fate! You were off in your little forest having your little adventures, not suspecting a thing," sneered the changeling queen. "And what happens? Fate cheats to put you back in the game! Couldn't even play by her own rules, not when there was a chance I might win! So enjoy your 'hard-earned' victory, ranger... but you'll be doing it without your girlfriend. If I'm going to Tartarus, then I'm taking her with me!"
Something struggled, reaching out of Chrysalis' body... a ghostly image of Cadence, tangled with her, unable to get free. "Why are you doing this? This won't help you now..."
"For spite, dear. Spite and oblivion are all that are left to me. Thank you SO very much."
A heavy weight drew Shining's attention to the Element of Loyalty around his neck, still with him somehow, even in this place. "I won't let her have you, Cadence. We made a promise that we would be together!" He gave a ragged shout, and a familiar red chain looped around Cadence's spirit. He wrapped his end of the chain around his hooves and pulled hard, but it was only dragging him down with her.
"If you want to be together with her in Tartarus..." Chrysalis smiled cruelly. "That's fine with me too. What's it going to be?"
Just when Shining began to lose hope, two shadows streaked upwards from gray landscape, crisscrossing as they raced upwards. They arced through the lifeless air and came to rest hovering before him.
"Hey, check out Shining," said the pegasus. "Pretty cool, huh? Well, not as cool as me."
"Let me guess, you're about twenty percent cooler?" snarked the griffon.
Shining Armor blinked. "Should I... know you two?"
The pegasus held out a faded gray hoof. "Name's -Rainbow Dash-, fastest flier in Equestria! Or... I would have been, if some other me wasn't giving the best hooficures in Ponyville." The shadow shuddered. "Yeah, if I was around, I'd be Loyalty."
"-Gilda-," said the griffon. "Sometimes I'm Loyalty when she's not there." She spread her talons, shrugging. "That... kinda didn't work out either."
"Think we should help him?" said the pegasus.
"Eh, not like I've got anything better to do," said the griffon. "You do want help, right?"
"Yes!" cried Shining, thoroughly confused, but not about to look any gift ponies or griffons in the mouth. He almost changed his mind when the two shadows plunged *into* him. Phantom talons surrounded his hooves, and ghostly wings burst from his back, letting him grip the chain of loyalty tight and fly upwards, pulling harder.
But even then he still couldn't pull Cadence free. "Shiny... you can't," she said, sounding dazed and tired. "I know you're trying your hardest, but you just can't. Leave me, save yourself..." A vast, dark shape was rising from the black whirlpool... no, three shapes. The three heads of Cerberus snarled, baying at Chrysalis.
"No, you have to fight her!" shouted Shining. "Stay with me, Cadence! I swear by all the alicorns there are to swear by, I am not leaving without you!"
A change came over Cadence. As if his faith had revived her, Cadence looked her captor in the eye, then bucked her with dizzying force. "Let go of me.... Let go!" She bucked her a second time, and then a third... Shining gave one more mighty heave on the chain, and Cadence came free, sailing towards him. "Shining!"
Cerberus' middle head snapped its jaws closed around the changeling queen, and then the beast plunged back into the whirlpool and was gone. Shining Armor and Cadence soared together, rising higher and higher into rainbow clouds...
---
Shining Armor jerked, gasping as he woke on the palace floor. "What... where?"
All over the hall, ponies were stirring, dazed, and all over Canterlot, changelings lay where they'd fallen in their true forms, like ponies stuffed from a huge Hearth's Warming Day dinner.
"What the hay was that?" said Stone Wall, stretching sore limbs. "Feels like I was in an exploding cotton candy factory." He licked his chops. "Tastes like it too."
"We had an adventure!" said Winghoof, grinning. "What? We have those all the time."
"Usually not with the whole court of Canterlot watching," grumbled Smoke Ring. "Or with such shiny rainbow nonsense. Blasted Elements..."
The crown clattered to the floor beside Trixie. She bit her lip and couldn't quite meet the others' eyes.
Red Gala pulled her Element off and shook, bursting into tears. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry!"
Big Mac nosed her, and Rarity put her hooves around her big sister and held her tight. "That evil queen mocked teary-eyed hugs, but I suspect we're going to be needing a lot of them."
Then Chrysalis stirred. A dozen unicorns and two alicons immediately lit their horns, ready to blast her down, but the changeling queen looked herself over, seeming amazed. "I guess I'm the only one in here." *Blue* flames engulfed her, turning her into the likeness of Cadence... almost. She had a jewel-like horn now, and iridescent wings.
Celestia sat down heavily. "What..."
"Aunt Celestia, it's me!" pleaded Cadence, suddenly aware of all the firepower aimed at her. "It's okay! I know where my real body is... I can get it back... probably. We might have a little trouble with my new subjects, though."
Celestia blinked again. "*Your* new subjects?"
Hercules Beetle was staring at Cadence, poleaxed. Not only did he still have his copy of the Element of Loyalty, but this... He lit his horn and got a blue glow matching Cadence's fire. "The queen... is dead. Long live the queen." He bowed low, scraping the floor. "Long live the queen," echoed from every changeling still in the hall.
Right about then, Shining Armor decided that he didn't care anymore what Cadence was exactly or what she looked like, and just hugged her. "Violet eyes," he said, grinning goofily. "Wait... where's that other guy?"
--
Doctor Kabuto stared at a featureless, dusty plain on the moon, already bored. "Well, this was unexpected."
--
Luna titled her head. "Do not be concerned. Kabuto is contained."
Cadence breathed a sigh of relief, hugging Shining back. "My body is in his lab, in Ponyville." She gasped softly. "Oh no... Twilight!"
Shining immediately felt like a heel for forgetting all about his sister. "Twilight? Where is she?! What did they do with her?"
"She's there too," said Cadence. "But Shining... Kabuto replaced her weeks ago. Please, please be understanding when you see her again. She's going to need you."
Shining turned to the Princesses. "I need to find her. Please, teleport me there, get me a fast chariot, anything."
"I will search for this lab with you," said Princess Luna. "Stand close, my little pony."
"And we have a great many things to talk about," said a very serious Princess Celestia to Cadence.
--
They found the lab underneath Twilight's library, along with Spike, who was mortified at having been used to dragon-mail changeling intelligence all this time. In a cavern filled with row upon row of changeling cocoons, Shining found Cadence's body first. "Is she..."
Luna closed her eyes, casting a spell. "Her body is alive and whole, though her spirit is not here."
"Yeah," said Spike. "I saw what her majesty... I mean, what Chrysalis did."
"Later," said Shining. "Where's Twilight? Where's the dungeon, or whatever?"
The little dragon's face fell again. "There isn't a dungeon. She's in there." He pointed to another of the cocoons.
"What?! We have to save her! Get her out, quick!"
"Shining!" The unicorn didn't listen to him at first. "Shining!" bellowed Spike. "It's... it's way too late for that. She's ready to hatch."
"Hatch?" cried Shining, with growing horror.
The cocoon shook, and two changeling hooves pushed through the dried slime, followed by a head, gasping for air and shivering.
Shining Armor felt a strange calm come over him. "They feed on love, right?"
Spike wrung his claws and nodded once.
Shining Armor used his magic to carefully lift her out of the cocoon and wipe some of the changeling goop off. In his memory, Shiny the colt watched his new baby sister stirring awake beside their mother, reaching out with tiny hooves. "Good morning, little sis..."
Shining Armor smiled, hugging the purple-tinted changeling with Twilight's eyes. "Good morning, little sis. I love you."
Twilight smiled back, snuggling into his warmth. "Love you too... Shiny..." For now, that was enough.
-
-
"Warning, the following contains images eternal suffering and graphic images, and is advised to not be shared with Sweetie Belle," the What If Machine warned. "However, it is part of the universe requested."
Rarity gulped. "I shall keep that in mind..."
=*=
"This almost makes Tartarus worth it!" yelled Chrysalis, snapping a sword held in Queen Cocoon's telekinesis, throwing her archenemy to the ground. She held her sword to Cocoon's throat.
Havoc, sitting in a box seat like a Roaman Emperor, gave a thumbs down.
Chrysalis sliced Cocoon's head off in one quick swing.
They were in an exact replica of the Circus Maximus, images of every 'Deviant' that Cocoon had ever oppressed in her entire life watching them. They were all fake except for the ones currently in Hell as well, the rest were happily in Heaven. What mattered was that Cocoon could tell exactly what they were. Chrysalis held up Cocoon's severed head and they all cheered...before she threw the head to a ground and Cocoon's body had to find it blindly.
Chrysalis had lost count of how many times she'd 'killed' Cocoon. They'd start again as soon as Cocoon found her head and put it back on her body, then spent a few weeks in a cell being abused by 'guards' and generally subjected to the same exact threatment she'd put Deviants and her other subjects through during her life.
Chrysalis blinked and found herself sitting on Celestia's throne. In her castle. In Canterlot. In Equestria.
"Your Majesty, an Orphanage is asking for extra funds, what should I tell them?" a Guard asked.
'Tell them to go to Hell!' Chrysalis yelled in her mind.
"Tell them they shall have it," was what her mouth said.
Twilight Sparkle sent her friendship letters. She had to respond like a good ruler.
She had to sign laws like a good ruler. No, not just a good ruler. The best.
She had to pardon those who deserved it and condemn those who didn't. She had to hear every single complaint.
And she had to answer them perfectly.
"Queen Chrysalis is the best queen ever!" a noble announced. "All Hail Queen Chrysalis!"
Of course she was the best queen. She had to be the best queen. She couldn't be anything but. The moment she tried, the words or actions just STOPPED. And were replaced with those that fit.
Sometimes she was allowed to go on a rampage...but the moment it was over it was FORGOTTEN. No one remembered a thing. It was as if the very choice to do evil had been taken from her. In fact, for awhile Cadence was blamed for any evil she did until she began to enjoy that.
She had no choice but to be the best queen physically possible. And yes, she did feel fatigue. She felt exhaustion. She felt hunger. She felt it all.
She had no freedom. She was the very definition of a slave. And she had to continue being such with a smile on her face.
Her eyes fell on a door nearby. Easily accessible...and transparent. On the otherside? Maua and her parents. Waiting for her with open hooves. But the door would never open.
Havoc had said that the key was somewhere in her kingdom. But she had searched it up and down and never found it. She was free to search for it.
Some days she tried blowing that door down, but it never happened.
So until then, she had to be the best queen ever for a kingdom of needy, pathetic little cattle who she'd rather devour in heartbeat than give the time of day. With the one thing her heart truly yerned for always kept out of her reach by a thin wall she could never seem to break.
~~~
"Dad, I thought there were no kingdoms in Hell," Pandora asked Her Father.
"For Most? There Aren't. But For Those Who Would Throw Away the World For A Kingdom? I Can Make Room."
"...Is there really a key?"
"The Key, My Dear, Is For Her To Say The Words 'I Was Wrong' And Accept That A Kingdom Was Never Worth What She Was Willing To Throw Away For It. And Most Importantly, That She'd Rather Have the Ponies She Loved. Until She Can Admit That, The Door Will Never Open. But if she does, she will be free."
-
The ponies stared at the screen, stunned.
"Okay," Twilight said. "So in that world I became a Changeling? I guess there are worse things that can happen to somepony."
"Dear," Rarity said to her. "It could have been SO much worse! But think of the advantages. Whenever the season's look changes, you can match it in a heartbeat with your magic. Modeling clothes for customers of the other two tribes would be so easy," Rarity's eyes began to gleam as she ran through the possibilities, "And if you could feel their emotions and tell if they really liked what you were offering, well!"
Rarity stopped herself and quickly looked around to make sure Sweetie Belle hadn't heard any of that. Her little sister might have still been sore Rarity hadn't let her stay a mutated Flutterpony. After Sweetie Belle had listed off pretty much those same advantages.
"My Changelings would probably be happy to oblige you if you liked, Rarity," Cadence said with a smile. "Judging by how it affected other ponies who were changed, I'd have to ask for specifics, but maybe since you'd be willing, maybe it'd only take a day of you soaking your entire body in a green-goop filled cocoon."
The look of delight on the unicorn's face changed to one of horror. "A whole... day?" Her eyes narrowed even further as her voice became weak. "Soaking my beautiful mane in -- green goop?" She sank down on her belly, shuddering.
The assembled ponies shook their heads in dismay.
"So," Coffee said, "While Miss Marshmallow recovers, anyone else get creeped out by what we saw of Queen Cheeselegs' ultimate fate? I mean, everything I've ever heard or seen about her makes her sound like a total monster. But trapped as the 'best queen Equestria ever had'?" He shook himself. "The universe is even more bucked up than I thought if that's what eternity is like for some ponies. Oblivion would be kinder."
"Not really," Maud said in her toneless voice. Nopony paid attention. She just sighed. She was used to it by now.
"Remember," Cadence said warningly, raising one hoof for emphasis. "She can leave that whenever she wants. All she has to do is to admit her own error and she's free." Coffee Swirl looked unconvinced, but he let it go.
"Um, not to derail the conversation or anything," Fluttershy said, "But what about that world's Rainbow Dash and Gilda? Are they gone forever?"
"Probably," Gothamena said sourly. "Eternity isn't any more fair there than in my world." She was about to say more when Ghosty Pie interrupted.
"Uh, actually?" She said. "We saw them become part of Twily's big brother, remember? So they're going to live on with him, for however long he lives. Distinct, but a part of him." When Gothamena and Coffee aimed skeptical looks at her, she snorted. "Hey, who's the pony that IS dead? I'm talking out of personal experience here, you know!"
"Anyway!" Shiny said. "So there I have a pegasus mare and a she-griffin as part of me? And my wife is technically a Changeling?" He shook himself. "What, will our foals be dragons or something? I'll, he'll, love them in any event, but still..." He stopped as Cadence nuzzled him.
"Dear," she said. "Let those ponies settle their own love lives. They seem to be doing as well as us in their own way." She frowned and rubbed her chin with one hoof. "Speaking of ponies and their love lives, Rarity, do you have any idea what's happening with Big Mac and Cheerilee and your sister, Red Gala? He's going to have to choose one of them eventually unless he expects to marry them both."
Behind the ponies, all unnoticed, the What-If Machine's screen began to work again as Cadence added, "It's not like polygamy is legal in Equestria, after all."
It cleared to show Applejack speaking to Big Mac in the farmhouse. She looked well. He brother looked to be on the edge of utter exhaustion.
"Now, ya sure 'bout this, Big Mac?" She picked a paper list up from the breakfast table and read off of it. "Since ya married all five o' ma friends, bein' th' town's alpha stallion, Twi worked out this list for how ya'll spend your days from now on. Eight ta ten ya work buckin' apples on th' farm, ten ta twelve ya spend helpin' Shy with her critter friends -- oh, today's the snakes, so watch for th' poison..."
Big Mac shivered like he had a fever.
Applejack blithely continued. "Twelve ta two ya help Pinkie Pie work th' lunch shift at Sugarcube Corner, two ta four ya gotta take some o' Rarity's fancy-schmancy new saddles ta the train station and model her new line for stallions, four ta six ya'll he helping Twi ta close the library." She set it down.
"No Rainbow Dash?" Big Mac said hopefully. His sister's next words stole the smile from his lips.
"Naw, Dash said she can drop in on ya whenever she wants 'for some smooching'." Applejack stuck out her tongue and made a disgusted sound as she put the paper away. "Urrgh, never thought she'd be the randy one... Still, five new little Apples ain't nothin' ta sneeze at..."
"Wait," Big Mac's eyes went wide. "FIVE foals?"
The next moment he left a stallion-shaped hole in the wall behind him as he raced for the Everfree. The only thought on his mind was that he'd seen a cockatrice out there, and if he was lucky this time he'd actually become stone and get away from his five herd-wives.
Instead as fate would have it, he ran straight into Shining Armor. For whom to the fellow stallion he expressed his desperate desire for escape.
"Oh will you stallion up!" Shining Armor said, "You have it easy! Five? FIVE?! FIVE?"
"Daddy!" A swarm of changelings sang behind him, blotting out the sky.
"Try 173 newly hatched changelings on for size!"
"And I'm just saying it's lovely this time of year." Chrysalis said, trotting side by side with Cadence behind Shining Armor.
"And I'm NOT spending my anniversary with Shining Armor in Los Pegasus'!"
"It's my anniversary too." Chrysalis said in indignantly. "Do you want him to take us to that Oubliettes and Ogres Convention again?"
"You're the one who refused to go to the hoofball game!"
-
"I'm glad that Red Gala didn't have to see that," mused Rarity. "She's shy about using her Element as it is."
Shining Armor had gotten a thoughtful look. "Do you suppose those rangers are really out there somewhere? Real ponies that I just never met in this world?"
Twilight gave him a strange look. "Well, of course they are. What, did you think they just magically came into existence for your benefit?"
Shining flinched. "What? No, of course not! That would be completely ridiculous! Hahaha!" He trailed off when the mares started giving him funny looks.
"Wait," said Cadence. "So, Equestria *does* have Everfree Rangers? I wasn't sure if that was a real military unit, or just a story."
Shining shrugged. "Living in Canterlot, I'm not surprised... Those hydras and timber wolves and pony-eating plants don't keep themselves in check, though."
Twilight beamed. "Besides that, I know Smoke Ring."
Shining Armor did a mild double-take. "You do?"
"Yep! He comes by to consult the library's magic texts sometimes, or just to talk shop. He ribs me about copying his spells, but it's great talking with him. He's been doing magic longer than I've been alive, and he really knows a lot!"
Rarity coughed. "I see Winghoof at the spa sometimes. He... goes there to get his mane done. And one time Stone Wall asked about getting some armor repaired. Honestly, do I look like I do that sort of work?"
Fluttershy raised a hoof. "Stone Wall likes to wrestle bears. But I always ask them if it's okay first!"
"Huh." Shining Armor thought that over. "I guess it's good to hear that they're doing okay without me."
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Possibly.
I see. Wait, objectionable?
That is huge.
For some reason THE two ponies, wait, is this going where I think it is?
It is!
Nice timing.
StrucK, not scruct. And yikes.
Yep.
Nice work!
You have no idea.
No surprise there.
Heh.
Seems legit, and one space between Fortuna's and aid.
Awesome!
So awesome!
True.
It isn't.
Well, in one AU, you get to be a
Yep.
This should be good.
Pity.
That'd be bad.
No kidding
True.
No surprise there.
That's, actually really clever.
That's actually pretty brilliant a move if you do it well.
True.
The machine makes a good point. Good to know it can apologize.
Takes a lot to phase Maud, so good job, WIM.
Do go on.
This is really heartwarming, I love this, I really do. It's moments like this that really give me the warm and fuzzies.
Impressive.
This. This right here. It's, really nice.
Poor WIM. I think Imma name him, Imma call him Watt.
Speedyquick.
Smart.
Crap.
Nice work.
Smart.
Easy to forget Celestia, like all alicorns, has the strength of an earth pony.
Cool!
Smart move.
Nice!
Drat.
Nice work Mac!
Yikes, easy to forget that just because Celestia is merciful, does not mean Luna is too, well, she is, just a lto less than her sister.
Good move.
Nice!
Me too.
FRIGGIN CHRYSALIS!
DestineD. And she probably put most of her skill points into Treachery.
Not much better.
Good question indeed. And I hope so too.
Yep.
Agreed.
Cute.
Oh goddammit Nappa.
I was afraid of that.
You have no idea how much this makes me hate Eclipse.
Poor Pinkie...
Come again?
Er...
You really are a nice pony Maud.
I love moments like this.
Oh dear...
Nice work.
OK, being a big villain fan, and a fan of awesomeness, that was awesome!
We need more of this AU.
Never saying you'll do anything, it never ends well for you.
Drat.
Smart.
I like how sneaky this Chrysalis is.
You're not going to fall for that are you?
DAMMIT!
Pity this is a trap.
Oh no, this won't end well.
Nice work Big Mac.
I have to admire how sneaky this Chrysalis is, so close to winning, and twice too. Xanatos Speed Chess at it's best.
Oh crap. I like how even here, Big mac refuses to hit a lady.
Oh screw you Kabuto!
Yeah no.
I have to agree with Pinkie, things don't work that way.
She's right.
That's what friends are for.
Good idea.
Your funeral.
Fun thing about this is, it WORKS, being good is not a requirement for wielding an EOH, the Nightmare Six are a prime example.
Calm down. you were brainwashed, you didn't see it coming. It's not youre fault. And betrayed everyPONY.
Yeesh, Dark. I forget sometimes that Cadence and Chrysalis used to be one.
Your Loyalty is admirable.
Love Conquers All, With Violet Light!
Yep.
Yeah, not a pretty picture, is it?
Probably equal parts of both.
Poor Cadence.
Yep.
That, is a good question.
No kidding.
Very good questions.
I'm not sure if that was a pun, or a spelling mistake.
You, all my yes.
Not sure if that's a reference to Joshscorcher or not.
Should be fun.
Ah right, that guy from that one comic. Reminds me of Tirek in a sense both magic eaters.
You never did.
They were, weren't they?
I KNEW it was Mystic Force, what with Udona/Celestia having similar roles and being white, Luna being evil and becoming good again, like that wolf knight guy, what's his name.
Babs Seed eh? I can buy that, wait DIAMOND TIARA?! But, I, eh, but she, how, how?!
I dunno.
Maybe.
Guess so.
Correct.
The irony here.
Maybe.
Simple. Magic!
Weird exclaMATIONS.
I see.
You OK'
Saved by the bell Shining.
Her.
Spiteful bitch.
If it means they're together...
Yep.
I, see.
Duh.
No, he made a promise and he's gonna keep it.
Yes!
Awesome!
No comment.
Come on, it was awesome!
It's OK.
Yep.
Awesome!
Long live the Queen.
Mooned.
(Gonna have to continue this in another comment.)
That's not good.
Wait, what do you mean by that?
Oh yeah.
What do you mean?
Oh, oh no...
*smiles*
Oh boy...
Yikes... And Treatment, not threatment.
Reminds me of what Nightmare Eclipse did to Discord, except since this is Tartarus/Pony Hell, she deserves it.
Yikes...
Considering what I think the key is, I doubt she'll find it any time soon.
YeArned.
Knew it. Also, you have to capitalize every first letter Havoc says.
Indeed.
Heh. Plus, in combat, sharp weapons are more or less useless.
*sigh*
Considering Maud, or rather Entropy IS Oblivion, she'd know.
Good luck with that.
She, has a point.
You've overthinking. And it's THAT Shining, not you.
It's not?
Poor Big Mac.
Er...
Um...
*blinks* No comment.
Silly pony.
She does?
I know.
There, there.
(Boy this took a while, mainly because I was doing other stuff. Guess I better get ready for the NEXT play by play, in the meantime, this is ShadowLDrago, signing off.)
5631983
I never got that scene either. It was a pony parody of Matrix Reloaded, but most of it went over my head.
5631983
Poor Big Mac, and since Muffin Button.
I don't get the joke.
5631983
She has a point. I'm not against her getting a coltfriend, but this mare could scare away Winningverse Cloud Kicker if she were a stallion.
That so?
Pony POV Cloudkicker, "WHY DOES EVERYPONY THINK I'M A SLUT?!"
5632215
The alien and the battle is a parody of Super Mario Brothers Partners in Time.
5633250
Knew it. Also, would LaughterJack be a silly pony?
5632311
A goof up I just realized. Chrysalis never introduced herself in that verse. 0-0 Oops.
5633370
Laughterjack's song:
5632311
Thanks for all this.
5633260
Yes.