Dimension Jumper

by redtau

The Defeat of Sarah Jordan

Twilight and her friends walked cautiously into the ancient Castle of the Pony Sisters. The ruins were still ruins, but there were little marks of habitation here and there. The outer courtyard had been swept clear of rubble, though there were signs of small campfires here and there. The large doors that once hung ajar were repaired, opening without the slightest squeak. Inside the entry hall was clean as well. The moldy carpets and crumbling tapestries had been removed, and the floor repaired and polished to a mirror shine.

Something was not right. More than the cleanliness and upkeep, something was fundamentally wrong about the castle. She couldn't put her hoof on it, and it was nagging at Twilight terribly.

"Where is everypony?" Pinkie Pie asked.

That was it. "You're right Pinkie. Each of us encountered at least one Fauna on the way here, and they all should have gotten here ahead of us. Where are they?"

"Maybe we scared them away?" Rainbow Dash suggested. There was a note of hurt in her voice that worried Twilight. None of the others had talked much about their strange encounters, only that there had been misunderstandings and fear.

"All a them?" Applejack asked skeptically. Something caught her eye and she stopped. "Huh."

Twilight followed her friends gaze through the partially repaired window to a small side courtyard. There was a small but well tended garden. A few small fruit trees grew in one corner of the yard, and the center had tomatoes, beans, cucumber, and cabbage.

"That's a nice little garden for a monster to have." Rarity noted. It looked out of place, and it was no where near enough to feed all of the Fauna they had come across. If Fauna ate plants. Twilight shook her head to clear the thought, trying to focus on the task at hand.

"Come on girls, let's keep moving." The hall branched out, large doors leading to various areas. Twilight peaked in one to see a large dining room, the plates clean, the table set for six.

"Gasp"

The slight sound drew Twilight's attention, and she turned to find Fluttershy sitting in front of an open door, a look of pain and horror on her face. At first, she worried it was a trap like the Sombra's door in the crystal palace. Once Twilight got a little closer, she saw it was just a room a large tapestries. It took her a moment to process the images before the shock hit her as well.

Fluttershy had her eyes locked onto the central painting. In it, the strange creature lay crumpled and wounded. around her, armed pony guards with wicked, blood stained spears rushed forward, while arrows from archers rained down. Behind the guards, pointing and scowling like a mad general, was the image of a yellow pegasus with a pink mane. As if to add mockery to the scene, the word KINDNESS was stamped in block font onto a brass plaque at the painting's base.

"No" the timid pegasus seemed to almost beg, "No, it- it wasn't like that."

"What in tarnation is this?"

Twilight looked up, and saw that her friends had joined her in the gallery, each glaring or cringing at the other paintings.

Applejack sat in front of one named HONESTY. This one had a worn and tattered creature standing victorious over a giant fallen timber wolf, lifting a wounded filly to safety. An orange earth pony with a cowboy hat and a wicked grin was shooting her in the shoulder from behind.

Rainbow Dash was fuming at one that showed her hunting the creature through the forest, tormenting it with lightning bolts. In the background, the huge timber wolf stalked from the forest towards a tree-house, four small fillies visible in the windows.

"Humph! I never!" Rarity chided. Hers was simple, the creature guarded an unconscious young pegasus while a white unicorn with a perfect purple mane and a vicious smile rained magical blasts down upon her.

Pinkie sat with sad eyes and straight hair before a tall, thin painting. At the bottom sat a grey pegasus, bandaged and bruised. above her were twisted faces of various ponies, one held a firing notice, another a "No Admittance" sign, Above them were three pegasi bullies, gloating at their work. Above and behind them, larger than everypony below was Pinkie Pie, laughing at the scene. The real Pinkie was near tears at how she was depicted.

"This is all just, wrong" Twilight said, reaching out a comforting hoof to Pinkie. "How could anyone view us like this?"

"Twilight, Ah think ya'll wanna see this." Applejack called. Twilight turned and her eyes widened in shock. Her own painting dominated the far wall. The creature lay strapped to a stained surgical table. Twilight's face was visible, her hair disheveled and her face twisted in a manic grin. About her, wreathed in purple energy floated scalpels, forceps, hammers and bone saws. The plaque MAGIC was painted over with the word "Curiosity" in thick red paint.

"Is this really how it sees us?" Rainbow Dash asked. "This is all just so wrong."

"I don't know, but I think it's time to find this creature and see what is going on." Twilight said, taking charge and leading her friends from the gallery.

A few empty rooms later, and the bearers stumbled upon the "waiting room" for the Day Court. The sight was one of shock and horror. There stood all of the Fauna, in various poses. Some were looking on with confusion and shock. Others were cowering and a few were fleeing. All stood completely still, their forms stiff, their leaves brown and falling. The entire herd was now little more than wicker statues.

"Why?" Fluttershy asked. "Why would she- why would anyone do this? They were coming here to offer aid, to seek shelter."

A low hum and soft green glow seeped from the cracks and seams of the massive double doors leading to the court. Twilight peeked through a crack in the door and gasped at what she saw. The creature was clad in black segmented armor, Nightmares helm worn proudly on it's head. It held a wicked dagger in its right claw, and at it's feet lay Princess Luna!

"Girls, we have to face her now! She has Luna!" Twilight hissed at her friends.

"What?" "How?" "Why that slimy little-"

"We have to hit her with the elements, now!"

---

I turned as the doors were thrown open, delighted by the sight of the Elements of Harmony and their wielders.

"You are too late Ponies, I have poisoned the princess and-"

I never got a chance to finish my speech, and I'd practiced for hours too. Instead, the ponies floated into the air, a white halo of light surrounding them. Twilight's eyes glowed white, and the power began to pour out of the group of floating friends.

Something is wrong

I glanced at the edges of the room, the vast majority of the circle covered with pillows and rugs. None of the lines were glowing.

"What is going on?"

Sarah, the power transfer does not appear to be happening at the necessary rate. It is as if the power-

A rainbow burst from the Element Bearers and slammed down on me, and my vision went blindingly white. I felt the power burning into me, searing every nerve ending. There was a sound like a rushing river filling my ears.

No power, I have no power, there is no power-

"D?"

Sensor malfunction. System malfunction. Error. Error. Disconnect. Command codes compromised. Restriction compromised.

"Machina? What is going on?"

Sarah, the Elements aren't powering the circle. Something's wrong, they are pulling at us, tearing us apart.

No power. no bond. no seal. NO CONTRACT! NO LIMITER! NO BODY! NOBODY! ALONE! WHY AM I ALL ALONE?! WHY-

ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERR-

"D?! Machina?! NIGHTMARE?!"

I'm sorry Sarah. I'm so, so sorry. I wanted to help, I wanted to leave, I tried-

I screamed, and the white light and sound and pain ate me whole.

---

Twilight looked up, shaking the after effects of the Elements and looking out over the Night Court. The rugs and carpets had been twisted and thrown in the Element's wake. A huddled form was crouched between the unconscious Princess Luna and the ancient stone throne. It stood, it's loose piecemeal armor clattering and sliding to the floor.

A creaking sound built to a screech, and the metal right arm shattered and crumbled to the floor, only a thin, almost skeletal arm and hand remained. That gracefully thin hand grasped and twisted her left wrist, the dark crystals breaking away like dried leaves on a dead bush. With both hand she lifted the dark helm from her head, letting shoulder length straight black hair flow out. She held the helm at arms length before her and let it go. It hit the stone floor and shattered like a wine glass.

The creature fixed Twilight with a glare that spoke of hate and loss and despair.

"Kcuf uoy."

She fell to the ground, and did not rise.

Author's Note:

This is not the end of the story, just a turning point.
As always constructive criticism and comments are welcome.

Comments

[Chris Kingsley]

Wow.

[Max Caulfield]

Oh. Mai. Gawd. MOAR!

[redtau]

3017740
3017171

Thank you both. More is coming, it will just take a short while.
What did you like best? Were there any problems understanding?

[dalan121]

I agree! More please!!!

[Beats-Box]

I finally understand the languages they're backwards

[EvilEnchantress]

"Humph! I never!" Rarity chided. Hers was simple, the creature guarded an unconscious young pegasus while a white pegasus with a perfect purple mane and a vicious smile rained magical blasts down upon her.

Do you mean unicorn?

[Nanimonai]

4165264 That only seems to be the case sometimes though. Sometimes it either is gibberish, or maybe anagrams.

[Pensive]

God, I'm an idiot, it took 15 chapters to realize that the unknown language was just words spelled backward. I wonder if it's canon, or just supposed to be a fill-in.