Eclipse of an Eternity

by The Producer

Prologue

LAST TIME ON DRAGONBALL Z! Wait... Wrong story. Anyway, it seems that you guys haven't figured the little riddle out. Readers, I am disappoint. Anyway, I'll just let the princesses try and figure it out for you. I wrote the dang thing and I don't know if they are right or wrong... Take it away, girls!

===============================================================================

Luna barged into Celestia's room, rousing her from her sleep. Celestia groggily wiped at her eyes, saying,

"Lu-Lu? What's wrong?"

Luna stood there, with a face full of confusion and concern. Her voice quavered a bit as she said,

"Celly, I found something on Reaper's grave. It was a message, from something, or someone."

She teleported a scroll from a nearby desk, etching in the riddle with a quill that she levitated with her magic. It read,

The villain lies slain, the family saved, the friends safe, but the one with two and four inside is lost.

Of the 13 of blood from his coming, and the longest of birth, the grass takes it's domain in the water above the billowing verdant sea.

The creature of four does not remember the two, but yet it will find itself drug back to you.

When night intersects the longest day, the lost will find its way, and in the coming of power, and in the chime of the hour, the two within the four will once again feel the bright of day.

The two will become four, and the four become six, but the two will leave and forever walk away.

Celestia looked at the riddle, seated on her flank next to her sister, pondering at what it meant. Suddenly, Celestia reached for a quill with her own magic. She scribbled under the first line, saying,

"We know that we, the six, and Nightmare were all killed, and Reaper died because of it. It would make sense to say that it was referencing that for the first line, making the one with two and four inside Reaper. This actually makes sense, Reaper is actually a pony, making him a bipedal that is actually a quadruped."

Luna said, with a bit of uncertainty,

"But there is always a margin of error, we cannot resolutely say that this is referring to Reaper."

Celestia responded with a calm tone,

"But, if we sit around and ponder the different aspects and possibilities, then we would accomplish nothing. For now, we base it off of Reaper."

Luna nodded, and began to tap on the second line. She said,

"And if this riddle is referring to Reaper, then the phrases 'of blood' and 'of birth' would be talking about us, you being the mother, giving birth to him, and I being his aunt, related by blood."

Celestia tilted her head, and said, with a hint of apprehension,

"If we are the subject to that line, then could it also be talking about the moon and the sun? If so, then would it be talking about the Summer Sun Celebration and the thirteenth full moon?"

Luna looked at her sister, tapping the quill to her teeth as she thought.

"You could be right. If I am not mistaken, I believe that the full moon is appearing the night before."

Celestia scribbled over the first half of the second line explaining what it meant. She looked at the other half with a dumbfounded expression. She said,

"The grass takes it's domain in the water over the billowing verdant sea? It seems to be a bit of a redundant sentence."

Luna looked at the line, and said in a agreeable tone,

"I agree with you, sister. Perhaps one of the monks will know, the blind always have a different way of perceiving things. For now, let's skip it for now. It says that the creature of the four will not remember the two. What would that mean?"

Celestia began to tear up, and said,

"Perhaps it is telling us that if we eventually found a way to revert Reaper back to his old self, he would totally forget what he did in his human form. But, would we even find a way to revert him? I had layered the enchantments on so thick and plentiful, it actually changed his cell and gene composure. That wouldn't be able to be reversed."

Luna rubbed Celestia's back. Once Celestia got her composure back, she turned their attention back onto the riddle with a clearing of her throat.

"It says that the lost, presumably Reaper will get back when the night intersects the longest day... So that means..."

Celestia's voice was lost in thought as she automatically filled in for her sister.

"An eclipse..."

Luna stared at the scroll covered in markings and scribblings, guessing at the magnitude of what is going to happen. The sun and the moon all affected magic in different ways, the sun charging magical spells that took on the dangerous and powerful energies, while the moon affected calmer aspects of magic that dealt with matters of the mind. To have them both at the height of their power and in the sky at the same time would give a boost of power to everything in the wide world of Equestria. Hopefully, it wouldn't cause anything to explode. Much. Celestia said,

"So this means that he will hopefully appear somehow in the eclipse, hopefully signaled by some kind of... green. I still don't get that verse. The rest of the line says that when he comes into his power he will turn back into a human, seeing that it said the two within the four."

Luna pointed at the last line, stating with a bit of confusion,

"But this says that the two inside of the four will go away forever after he turns to six."

Celestia's eyes raked over the second-to-last line, and stated with a bit of triumph,

"It also says that Reaper will come into power. I would think that it would effect the four becoming the six. Perhaps he will appear without wings or horn?"

Luna said, with a sense of finality,

"Then he will turn into a human for a time when he gets his powers back, then turn into a pony again."

Celestia hugged Luna, a smile plastered on her face, a real one, not those little things she had been forcing on her features in the royal court.

"Do you know what this means Lu-Lu? This means we have a chance of getting him back."

Luna and Celestia went to bed shortly thereafter, the excitement of being able to see Reaper alive again and the mental strain of perfectly timing the eclipse so that it wouldn't cause too much damage to things. When they woke up, Celestia called a close to the royal business for the day, stating it to be a crisis in the royal family. Nice little loophole when it did actually relate to that. The Royal Sisters bustled into the innermost rooms inside of the castle, going through the labyrinth that lead to the Temple of the Chronos. They were going to see the reader of the scroll. A quiet hallway lead to a large central chamber, filled with aging ponies bustling around and maintaining the statues, cleaning, or similar duties. One of them noticed the two princesses, bowed, and scuttled off deeper into the temple. Luna said,

"So is Simon the Herbalist still alive?"

Celestia nodded, and said,

"He is. I don't know how much longer, though, I can feel that he is going to go soon."

Luna had a little smile grace her features.

"Good, I always liked him, he always spoke to me as an equal. I liked to be able to open up to him and get a straight answer."

There was a slight lull in their conversation as they saw the same old stallion returning with an even older-looking earth pony stallion with milky-white globes for eyes. Celestia immediately recognized him, stepping forward to help close the gap. She called out to him,

"Hello, Simon! How have you been lately?"

The old pony shook his head with a little chuckle.

"How have I been lately? I'ts been five years and she greets me like that?"

Celestia stopped in front of Simon, a guilty frown on her muzzle. As Luna stepped forward, Simon's ear flicked in her direction.

"Is that... Luna? Are you finally back from the moon?"

Luna had a warm smile, he remembered who she was, not to fade in the memory of an immensely old stallion. She said,

"I thought you said you couldn't know everything about an Alicorn, Simon."

Simon let out a short laugh, and said,

"But I have known you for a very long time, Luna. I know how you walk, and how you sound when you take a step. When one sense goes, the rest get much sharper, even if I am old."

Simon nodded at the stallion who was accompanying him as he said,

"Now, if you would be so kind as to join me with a bit of morning tea, and we can talk about whatever you've come here for over it."

Simon changed directions and headed farther into the sparse temple's depths, the Alicorn sisters trailing close behind. In the innermost chamber, there was a large banquet hall, Simon nestling himself on the largest seat at the head. A steaming cup of tea was brought, one for each of them currently sitting at the table. Simon groped for the cup, and his hooves picked it up with practiced skill once he found where it was. Taking a sip and placing the cup down, he said,

"Now, what do I have the pleasure of meeting with you again?"

Luna pulled out the riddle, and read it to him, beginning with the actual words, and ending with what they have figured out so far. A look of concentration crossed the stallion's wizened features. He said,

"I see. The verse that talks about the grass over the verdant sea? It's easy to figure out if you're blind. A verdant sky would be a forest canopy, and the sea of blue would be the sky. As for the grass taking the domain in the sky, I guess that a color, or a sign in the shade of green would take place."

Simon paused to take another sip from the tea he had, cleared his throat, and continued,

"And I would guess this would be your son the entire thing is talking about? Why else would you be fretting over the four becoming six?"

Celestia shook her head with a smile, and said,

"I wouldn't put it past you to figure out who it was about. Your perception is astounding, you even predicted when I was carrying him."

Simon nodded, and said,

"Could you tell me why he is dead?"

Celestia explained what had happened over the past few months, including what she had surmised from talking to the six when she was teleported to the sun. At the end of the story, Simon held his hooves under his chin, lids closed over sightless, cloudy eyes. He finally spoke up after he spent a good amount of time immobile. His voice was a bit more grave than per usual to his normally jaunty tone.

"Send him to me when he finds himself in crisis. I can set hims straight again."

Celestia knew that when he had a tone like that, he was completely sure of whatever he was talking about. The scroll of chronos not only blinded the reader, and gave them an immensely long life, but the ability to peer into the future at completely random times.

"We won't forget, Simon."

The wizened old pony shook his head lightly to ward off the sluggishness that came after scrying into the future, and said,

"Now, don't let me keep you down here, Princesses. I am sure that you have quite a bit of planning to do, concerning that eclipse. Go! I have said my piece and helped you."

Celestia and Luna got up after saying to their farewells to the old stallion, and went up to the private balcony behind the throne room to press out the creases in their plan of action.

--- --- ---

He was standing on the precipice of sea, the tides hungrily trying to lap his feet up with the eddying tides. Reaper looked around, and saw a barren landscape greet his eyes, he was alone. Sighing, Reaper gazed into the dark, frothing waters before him and pondered what to do. The sea crashed, never stopping with it's repetitive cadence. A breeze blew reaper's hair around as he stood there, not knowing what to do.

So he stood there,

And stood there...

Staring at the sea.

Reaper's ear twitched as he sensed that someone was there in this barren landscape with him, and his hands tightened into tight balls in instinct. He jumped backwards and at an angle of 180 degrees to get into a battle-ready stance. To his surprise, Reaper found himself staring at War and an unfamiliar figure. It had only purple pants, a cowl, boots, and gauntlets on his body. his head was actually a skull, eyes hidden under it's sockets. Reaper's stance slackened.

"War? Why are you here? I'm dead."

The one beside war spoke up with a dry voice that sounded like tombstones grinding together.

"I know you are dead, that's why I am here."

Reaper looked at the figure, and said,

"Then if you're death, then why are you here? I thought you already collected my soul."

War spoke up this time, his voice remaining the same as it always had,

"And that is why we are here, Reaper. We're here to see you through where you have found yourself. The brink of the abyss."

Comments

[derpy von muffins]

BIOSHOCK MUSIC FTW

[Treat Tyrant]

aaaaaaaaaaaaaand that is why i don't sleep anymore
plus PONIES

[Nightmare]

Yes ... sequels are the best...

[MC BR0N3]

The most badass prologue in history
Congrats.

[Khorne]

Ponies and sleep don't fit.

[The Producer]

262182

Ponies: The cause of my insomnia... And bioshock. Bioshock is nice.

[Khorne]

262198
Pony deprivation is worse than sleep deprivation

[The Producer]

Holy shit, front page! Thanks, guys!

[Primordial Deomontus]

262223 IKR

[Tech_Priest]

LAST TIME ON DRAGONBALL Z!
That line was all it took for me to see this is going to be good.
Tracking.

[Khorne]

The question lot sof us are wondering: How long will it take for the next update?

[The Producer]

262402

...

well...

I'm getting bioshock for the PS3...

And probably going to play that like a madman. I also have a drained mind.

[Khorne]

262407
k

[DJ Cobalt]

dude thank you for the sequel :

[Khorne]

You should make him meet blueblood

[St.Patrick]

Sequels to badass stories FTW.

[datdamnface]

Mr. Producer, would you kindly add another chapter?

(P.S: You'll get the reference when you play. that is if people haven't spoiled it already)

Oh and your face is gonna be all liek:

[Ex-Nihilos]

Would you kindly...

[The Producer]

265063

Nihilos, would you kindly get a crowbar or something?

-later-

Would you kindly get stepped on by a Big Daddy?

The real mind-blowing factor is that one of my friends has a voice JUST LIKE THAT. He also uses 'would you kindly?' a lot. I am really scared as to what is going to happen.

[Captain Grim]

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!!!!

I accidently hit the dislike button. FUCKING IPHONE AND YOUR TINY FUCKING SCREEN!

[The Producer]

267094

THEN QUICKLY HIT THE THUMBS UP BUTTON!

[Khorne]

267191

holla holla get dolla

[YOitzGEEZUS]

cf.sketchfu.com/i/4637103.png thats what i was thinking

[Khorne]

273352
I don't get tired by staying up easily.

[Khorne]

When's the next updaaaaate

[Azzazel]

He was there from the beginning.
A power that exists at the end of all things.
He walked without Gods and shaped our deepest beliefs.
An executioner at the gallows, a lone hunter on a pale horse.
A soldier on the battlefield, a criminal in the shadows.
Fields became burial grounds in his wake.
Every great atrocity, every feeble passing, he stands witness.
In our strifes, in our revolutions and in our wars, He has left his mark.
And in the end He is the last face you'll see.