Temporal

by FaleYur

(Act I) Chapter 5: The Puppeteer

Velvet ducked another blow, growling in frustration as her opponent knocked away her counter with a twist of her magic. She leaped backwards into the wall of the kitchen as Lady Lulamoon swung downwards in a vicious arc, missing her by centimeters.

She held her sword up in the ready position again, breathing hard and watching the scarlet unicorn retreat a couple paces at the tip of her glowing violet blade. Velvet locked eyes with Lulamoon, each doing their best to glare the other to death then and there. A few strands of her mane drifted down in front of her, severed by her close call just seconds earlier.

Lady Lulamoon sniffed in derision as they circled each other warily. “Getting grey hairs there dear?” she almost laughed before Velvet’s sword whistled through the air, causing her to side-step and deflect the slash.

The grey mare chuckled darkly. “I’d ask you the same, but I wouldn’t be able to tell through all of that mane-dye.”

This time, it was Velvet who was forced onto the defensive, as a flurry of blows rained down on her from the furious unicorn. One of the attacks slipped through, and she hissed in pain as the sword slit a small gash in her shoulder.

Velvet was getting worried now. The last time they had seen each other, Lady Lulamoon was just a pompous brat, whining about the misfortunes that had befallen her on her own behest. She was most certainly not the aggressive, violent, and admittedly skilled unicorn that she was dueling with now. Back then, Lulamoon would be hard pressed to join physically in any contest, let alone one that could get her seriously hurt. In fact, all those years ago, Velvet was sure that she could take the crimson unicorn in any test of magic she was given. And now here she was, examining a cut on her shoulder from that very same mare.

But, she reminded herself, I don’t even have to win. All I have to do is hold her off until Night can get Twily out of-

She was cut off from her thoughts by a sharp jab flying her way. She twisted around it, feeling the blade skim her back and graze some of her fur off. Using her momentum, she twisted onto two hooves and swung her sword in a backhanded strike that aimed for her enemy’s vulnerable foreleg. To her shock, another sword appeared out of nowhere, stopping her own blade and pushing her back, throwing her off balance and stumbling back.

Velvet caught herself before she could fall to the ground, and skipped away frantically from the two flying swords that took turns in trying to cleave her in half. She erected a barrier just in time to stop symmetrical slashes from connecting, and threw the shield forwards into Lady Lulamoon. The translucent wall slammed into the unsuspecting unicorn, pushing her through the hole in the wall left by Nightlight and into the hallway.

Lady Lulamoon tumbled onto her back, coughing and winded. Velvet capitalized on her distraction, jumping through the hole and stabbing down at her foe’s head.

Time seemed to slow down as the blade descended on Lulamoon. Velvet could see every small cut that she had made on her body, every bit of dirt and debris that clung to her coat from their tumbles. She saw the struggling rise and fall of her chest as Lulamoon desperately tried to regain her ability to breathe after her launch through the wall by the shield. She saw the misty wetness of her eyes as she brought the sword closer and closer, Velvet’s own fury-filled expression mirrored in those blue orbs, the point of the blade growing larger and larger in the reflection.

Shunk.

And she couldn’t do it. The tip of the sword buried itself into the carpet beside Lady Lulamoon’s head, quivering slightly in place and sinking deeper and deeper into the floor. Velvet realized her teeth were clenched, and hot tears were escaping her eyes as she looked over her downed, grinning opponent.

Wait, grinning?

Velvet realized her mistake too late. She felt her hooves leave the floor before she felt the crushing weight of Lady Lulamoon’s spell ramming into her, sending her into the ceiling. As she fell back to the ground, she heard a frightened cry from upstairs, inside Twilight’s room.

She lay on the ground, her daughter’s yell from upstairs ringing in her ears. Velvet managed to get herself up onto one knee, looking up at Lady Lulamoon in rage. Her sword ripped itself out of the carpet and swung hard at Lady Lulamoon. In seconds, the two unicorns were back to brawling outright, using swords, magic and their own hooves to inflict damage onto the other.

Slowly, they moved down the hallway, clashing blades and ripping wallpaper into shreds as they went. The door was blown off its hinges completely as Lady Lulamoon dodged a blast of magic, and she quickly stepped out of it into the dusk-lit Canterlot.

As they moved into the center of the street, Velvet felt her anger rise in her vision, tinting it red. This was her family, her family, and this ghost from her past was threatening to take it away. The thought drove her strikes to come on faster and faster, hardly leaving her opponent any space.

Velvet blocked anther swing, and saw her chance. Channeling energy through her horn and into the cobblestones at Lady Lulamoon’s hooves, she warped the solid stone to cover them, like Lady Lulamoon had stepped ankle deep in fresh cement.

Lady Lulamoon’s eyes darted to her restraints, and that was all it took for Velvet to swing downwards at her occupied opponent.

Again, it seemed like time slowed down, and Velvet was forced to watch as her sword descended on Lulamoon, slicing through individual hairs in her coifed mane. Again, she faltered, twisting her blade at the last second and simply bashing the flat edge of the sword down on her head, instead of cutting her in half.

She watched Lady Lulamoon crumple, released of her stone shackles. Velvet cursed herself for her second lapse in the course of five minutes. She hardened her resolve, and brought the sword into the puddle of semi-liquid cobble, charging a spell even before she jumped out of the immediate radius.

For a second, nothing happened. Then, Velvet released her spell, coursing an inane amount of energy into the ground beneath the sword, using it as something like a lightning rod.

It worked too well. The resulting expulsion of energy was violent, much more so than Velvet had intended. The wave of energy slammed into her knees, crumpling them as she flew backwards, head over hooves into the wall of her house.

Her ears were ringing, and everything looked like one big blurry canvas that some demented artist had thrown paint all over. Smudges and streaks of colour whipped around her vision as she tilted her head this way and that, trying to regain equilibrium.

Velvet rose shakily to her hooves, stumbling away from the building. She heard the tinkling of falling glass that had been shot up into the air, now returning to earth in a symphony of ringing clinks. Then, something behind her snapped loudly.

Velvet turned, just in time to see the top floor of her house begin to tilt forward, crushing the few supports that remained from the blast. She ran, limping slightly away from the collapsing structure as fast as she could. She skidded to a stop at the edge of her crater in the street, looking back as the house finally broke, the second story fragmenting and crashing to a bone-jarring, ground shaking halt.

Her breath caught in her throat as she watched the splintered mass of wood and concrete cease moving, the varying chunks of structure rolling and sliding to a stop in front of her. A thought crossed her mind. A terrifying, heart-wrenching thought, that escalated into a broken yell of anguish as it left the guilt ridden mare.

“TWILY!”

Her eyes flicked frantically over the mass of rubble, searching for something, anything that would mean her daughter had not been caught in the backlash of her momentary fury. Instead, a different shape became clearer as the dust settled, coating the surrounding area with a fine layer of powder and debris. An un-moving, red-stained, powder blue shape.

“N-Ni…” the name caught on her tongue, spreading a rising feeling of panic through her muddled mind. Velvet couldn’t seem to comprehend the sight before her, a sight that she alone was responsible for. As the air became clear, the crumpled, half-crushed form of her husband broke its way through her consciousness, numbing all her other senses. Because of her, Nightlight was…

“No.”

It was not her fault. As much as the cruel voice in the back of her head told her it was, no matter how many tears slid off the end of her chin and splattered onto the grimy cobblestones, there was another who was responsible. Another who was guilty, who had hurt her family.

Her senses came back in a rush, and a low, lilting laugh reached her ears. She turned towards the crater, watching in shocked revulsion as the spotless, perfect form of Lady Lulamoon rose out of the smoking hole, head lowered and laughing evilly.

“Hehehehe…” the rumbling chuckle pounded its way into Velvet’s head, knocking out all coherent thoughts. Standing at the edge of the crater, she had never felt so small, as if her very existence was a detriment to everypony. As if she didn’t matter.

Lady Lulamoon lifted herself up above street height, until she was level with what used to be the upstairs story of Velvet’s house.

Then, she raised her head.

Velvet’s pupils shrank to pinpricks as she gazed into the glowing, un-earthly light of Lady Lulamoon’s eyes. The magical energy in the air was palpable, tangible enough to cut through with a knife. Velvet’s legs shook with the effort of merely standing as her enemy’s mere presence oppressed her body and mind.

Lady Lulamoon grinned, spreading her forelegs out to the side in open challenge. Her scarlet fur crackled with energy, overflowing and sending bolts of energy into the cobblestones around the scene. Complete silence took over, encompassing the boulevard and being broken by the distant cries and screams that had resumed at some point in the fight. They created a chilling atmosphere, permeated by snaps and pops as Lady Lulamoon’s lightning contacted the ground, leaving lines of blackened scorch marks that dug trenches in the stone.

Velvet panicked internally, running through possible escape scenarios, none of which bore fruit. Her thoughts turned to Nightlight, crushed under the house that she had collapsed. She thought of Twilight, either caught in the rubble or dead, bleeding and hurt in the wreckage.

She forced herself back to escape plans, but the mental picture of her little filly, deformed and broken on the floor of her room kept lurching her back into despair. She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t do it. She cou-

Beep.

The shrill alert brought Velvet out of her mental breakdown. Fortunately, it also took Lady Lulamoon’s attention off of her, and onto the unlucky earth pony standing on the corner of the boulevard.

The green pony’s stance faltered when she saw Lulamoon’s eyes, and her gaze shifted to the large, shiny watch on her raised hoof.

Even from where she was standing, Velvet could see the exaggerated eye roll, and the expression of exasperated disbelief that crossed her features.

The magical charge in air intensified, warning Velvet of what was about to happen. A half-formed warning stuck on her lips as she watched a stream of red light streak towards the earth pony, crossing most of the distance in the blink of an eye.

The mare moved impossibly fast. In the remaining time it took for the blast of magic to reach her, she was already bolting for shelter, leaving the blast of energy to fly harmlessly past her and impact into the line of houses across the way, detonating in a crackling ball of stone and timber.

Lady Lulamoon grunted in frustration, casting more spells at the fleeing pony, all of them missing, sometimes by tiny margins. By the time it took for the mare to get out of sight behind a house, the surrounding street had been ripped to pieces, and the house all had collateral damage.

Velvet’s jaw hung open. She had never seen something living move that fast, and it was an incredible sight to say the least. A sniffling cry came from behind her, interrupting her admiration. She whipped around, and saw something that both lifted her spirits and broke them at the same time.

Twilight was lying next to her father’s broken form, tears cutting through the layer of dust and blood that coated her features. The little filly sobbed uncontrollably into Nightlight’s side, shaking his inert body and moving her mouth in silent pleas of life. Her flyer from before lay forgotten in the dust beside her.

Velvet cast a quick glance over her shoulder at Lady Lulamoon, relieved to see the unicorn still tearing houses apart in furious search of her agile quarry, and paying her no attention. Without any further delay, she ran to her family, sadness settling deep into her soul.

***

Stargazer’s face was lit with a vindictive grin as he sauntered into his luxurious room in the castle. Celestia really had gone all out in providing him with comforts to enjoy during his lengthy stays in Canterlot.

Closing and latching the door quietly, he took a quick look around the room, noting that everything was as undisturbed as it had been when he had left. Everything, he noted, except for the open cider bottle on the coffee table, and half-full cup that accompanied it.

Cautiously, he trotted over to the large, spotless windows, and looked with pride out onto the glamorous city beneath him. It seemed almost a shame when his magic drew the curtains sharply shut against the cityscape, bathing the room in shadow.

“What news from our mistress?” he asked quietly into the darkened room.

For a second, nopony answered. Then, a cold, analytical voice spoke from the door he had just entered through.

“She is your mistress Stargazer, not mine. You would do well to remember that.” It spoke condescendingly.

“Ah, but of course,” acknowledged Stargazer amiably. “I know just how hard it is to gain your full loyalty, Riftbringer.” He spoke the honorary title mockingly, expecting the following growl of irritation that came from the pony at the door. “Or do you not go by that title after you abandoned your previous allies?”

“I did not abandon them,” the mare retorted, moving slowly around the room to stand at the window beside Stargazer’s, staying out of the light rays falling between the curtains. “They should have known not to trifle with matters beyond their control.”

Stargazer smirked, allowing his gaze to flit for a moment to his compatriot. “And you consider yourself under that category? Something they couldn’t control?”

This time it was the mare’s turn to find amusement, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly at the remark. “Obviously. Otherwise we wouldn’t be having this pointless conversation, now would we?” Before Stargazer could reply in turn, the pony cut him off with a low warning. “And your mistress should remember that fact if she ever thinks that she can follow in their hoofsteps.”

The smile fell off of the advisor’s face as he took in her words. If it were any other pony, he would have scoffed and disregarded her threats. But in this case, Stargazer knew that she was willing and able to follow up on those promises.

He cleared his throat in an effort to hide his fear, a fact not missed in the slightest by the pony beside him.

“At any rate,” he continued, “I believe you still have not told me the news. And I know just how much you hate to waste time, Prævaricator.” he cast another glance at the pony, who again stiffened at the name. “Not that it matters to you, does it?”

“You use these titles, though I left them behind long ago.” She said darkly, causing Stargazer to flinch slightly. “I would watch my tongue, if I were you, advisor, lest you find it removed from behind your lips.”

Stargazer glared at the mare, before turning around haughtily and sitting down at the coffee table, reaching his magic for the bottle of cider. “And who is watching yours?” he murmured softly, the verbal jab lost to the mare at the window because of the quiet lapping of cider falling into the cup. The golden liquid flowed into the glass, filling it back up completely and dancing flickeringly in the thin beam of sunlight.

The pony stayed at the curtained window, twisting her head slightly to keep her eyes on Stargazer. “The witch has reached her destination, Stargazer. Fifteen years ago, she is tracking her target through the streets of Canterlot. What has happened is happening, and it is perversely altering our reality.”

Stargazer smiled at this through his glass of cider, though he didn’t quite grasp the concept of time travel. “And has she caught the usurper?”

The mare was quiet again as she listened to the soft splashing of the cider hitting the bottom of the cup again. “If she had carried out her plans accordingly, do you think we would still be in each other’s presence? Or would this conversation never have happened?”

The advisor thought about that for a second, the drink half-way to his lips. If Lulamoon had succeeded in her efforts, wouldn’t this whole operation be moot? Or would things still travel in the same pattern, only altered by different events and happenings spread few and far in between? Of course, it was possible that Lulamoon had utterly failed in her endeavours, though it was unlikely. More likely, she had deviated from the plans somehow, in order to make sure that her messing about in the past was not noticed by some of the more… undesirable characters in the universe. Time travel was a fickle thing, he thought musingly.

“I will be in contact,” said the mare, ripping Stargazer away from his thoughts. “When I receive more information, I will come to you.”

Stargazer nodded, draining the glass for the second time. A comforting buzz fell over him, opting him to stand back up and approach the mare at the window, who currently was appraising something on her hoof.

“Send her my regards, will you?” he asked sardonically, causing the mare to pause in her twiddling of the watch strapped to her forehoof.

She flicked a knob on the side, and a soft ticking sound filled the air. The mare took a step away from him, readying herself for the jump. In doing so, she passed under a sunbeam making its way through the curtains, briefly showing a rough-looking, but impeccably clean jacket adorning her slim form.

Intelligent golden eyes peered out of the gloom at Stargazer, looking old and haunted, but clear in their purpose. “I will.” He turned to leave, when she called back to him once more. “Oh, and Stargazer? I think I tasted something foul in the cider. You should have it checked.”

And then she was gone.

Stargazer appraised the spot she had occupied warily. What had she meant, he should have it checked? Something foul?

With an annoyed flick of his magic, he drew the curtains back to their original positions, letting sunlight stream back into the room, lighting up every corner. He couldn’t be too careful with ponies like her. Even when she was gone, it felt like he was being constantly surveyed.

He capped the cider, but left both it, and the cup, sitting on the table; it was going to be a long rest of the day, and he was going to need it tonight.

Author's Note:

Ok, I lied. We hear of Shining next chapter. Calm your mammaries. CALM THEM!

Ex-Girlfriends always mean trouble. Always. Also, any guesses as to the pony talking to Stargazer? Well, if you have a guess, KEEP IT THE HELL AWAY FROM THE COMMENTS! Seriously, just let the idea simmer in your beautiful little minds for now. Yes... simmer away fools...

I'm losing track of my references in these things, so if you find one here, you get a virtual pat on the back for your efforts.