Shattered Skies

by Arctikfox

Chapter 33 -Mirrored Boundaries-

-Mirrored Boundaries-

"My Lord." Wind Rider huffed as he lifted himself from atop the writhing corpse. "I'm glad you came when you did, this one has been getting increasingly annoying."

The corpse grumbled, and was promptly kicked by Rider.

Skies stood and looked over the mare. Her tight, olive bodysuit, and armor plating did nothing to hide her light purple coat and yellow mane. He was confident Rider couldn't sense it, but the magic animating her body repulsed Skies, and made his skin crawl. Skies paced around the undead pony, who gave him a conflicted look of fear and anger. He tied her to the ground with roots, and grabbed Rider to speak with him out of hearing distance from their detainee.

"How much has she heard since being captured?"

"Not much, my Lord. I have treated her as an enemy, and have kept everypony around on a strict discipline until you arrived." Rider looked over to the mare who fought futilely against her restraints.

"Excellent, Wind Rider." Skies said.

"Thank you, my Lord." Rider bowed. "But can you tell me what's going on? I know we have undead ponies, but this is too extreme. That is a former Wonderbolt admiral, how is she here?"

"It is a matter we will discuss later." Skies said darkly. "What were the circumstances of her capture?"

Rider pointed to an area above the Everfree, near where the undead ponies' lived. "I was taking a morning fly over the city, like I do every morning. I checked in with the Diamond Dogs, and then flew up above the clouds. When I was gliding down, I saw a mare hugged to the side of a large tree. I hung around, and saw that she was taking notes, so I swooped in. She saw me, and tried to fly away, but we collided then crashed into a house frame. One of Lady Sif's wolves grabbed her, and we tied her up.

"What'd the notes say?"

"It was in an old Wonderbolt's cipher, but it's basically a verbal explanation of the city's layout, and what I guess to be unit strength." Rider reasoned as he produced the note from his jacket.

Skies reviewed the page. As his eyes finished skimming over the document, he groaned.

"What is it, my Lord?"

"Nothing, just that one of our enemies is moving faster than I anticipated." Skies rolled up the note and tucked it under his wing. He sighed and noticed Rider biting his lip. "Is there a problem, Wind Rider?"

"Permission to speak freely?"

"Granted with restriction." Skies raised an eyebrow.

Rider nodded and gestured to the former Wonderbolt. "That mare is an Equestrian treasure. Fairy Flight was one of the key members of the Wonderbolts, and died in one of the biggest conflicts Equestria has ever experienced. She was buried at the National Equestrian Cemetery, and now she’s over there, moving and speaking. How?"

With a long, labored sigh, Skies looked Wind Rider in the eye. "I can't answer that. All I know is that one of our enemies is tampering with the dead. Your actions have gained us an invaluable piece of evidence, and what I suspect to be our first prisoner."

There was a rapid patter of pawsteps from behind as Quiet approached Skies. When Skies turned his head to the wolf, he bowed. "Dunwall has been informed."

"Excellent." Skies nodded and made his way over to Fairy Flight. "You, intruder. What is your name?"

Fairy Flight's body seemingly fought against her will. As she tried to speak, a glowing rune in her mouth looked to be painfully shocking her whenever she tried to speak.

"Silence." Skies cooed, and lowered himself. "We will do this in blinks, one long blink for yes, two rapid blinks for no, and three for unknown. Do you understand?"

Fairy Flight held her eyes shut briefly, and Skies smirked.

"Is your name, or have you ever been known as, Fairy Flight?" Skies asked.

The mare blinked once.

"Were you sent here with peaceful intentions?"

Two rapid blinks.

"Do you wish to return to your master?"

Tears slowly escaped the mare’s eyes as she quickly blinked twice.

Skies bit his lip and growled. He inhaled deeply, looked up toward the council room, and let his voice reverberate deeply through the surrounding forest. "Sif!"

Roots squeezed Fairy's limbs close to her body, and lifted her upright. Skies sat before her, and sank his hoof into the fresh soil that fell from the branches restraining her.

"Can you open your mouth?" Skies sat patiently and saw two blinks. "This is going to hurt, a lot. I need you to be brave, okay?"

Fairy Flight blinked once, and then closed her eyes as a root dug in between her lips, and dislocated her jaw.

"What are you doing?" Rider shouted, and leaped back in shock.

Skies glanced over to see Rider sweating, worried he aligned himself with a fanatical villain. Sif soon ran into view with a determined look set on her face. Skies rose his hoof and gestured to the writhing mare.

"What is this?" Sif asked.

"Lonely Grave has made his next move." Skies said.

"And why are you wrenching her jaw open?" Sif cringed at the wet crack of a joint being pulled out of place.

"To reveal this: The mark of Echo." Skies proclaimed as Fairy’s tongue and jaw hung limply from her tear-soaked face. Upon her tongue blazed a mark, a red, three-lined rune that kept her from speaking properly.

Sif lowered her gaze and glanced at Quiet. "Go and summon our kin, this needs to be addressed. Tell them to wait for me by the lake."

"Right away, Mother!"

Rider looked between the two ancients in front of him, and then to the rune. "What is this?"

"It's a curse that prevents someone from communicating. If the victim tries to speak, they’re shocked into silence." Skies muttered. "It's a taxing curse that burdens the caster by forcing them to lose their own tongue."

"That's horrific!" Rider exclaimed.

"Not if you can just get it replaced." Skies lamented for Fairy Flight. He hefted her up onto his back and setting her jaw back into place for it to heal. He craned his neck and looked at her. "I will do my best to help you, if possible."

"What would you like me to do?" Sif asked.

"Have your kin survey the forest. If more are out there like this one, capture them and bring them to the geode cavern the Diamond Dogs found last week." Skies kept looking into Fairy's eyes. "It should be sufficient to keep any detainees there."

"It would be easier to dispose of them, Skies. If they're being controlled, then they're too much of a liability."

"The easier thing to do, yes. The right thing to do, no." Skies felt Sif lift the bound mare from his back. "I agree that it's a dangerous risk, but I would like to help if I can."

Sif nuzzled Skies as she passed him.

Rider shook his head. "Before last month, I thought undead ponies were just a myth."

"Before last year, you thought I was a myth too." Skies said curtly as he started his long walk back to the council room. He heard the sound of flapping, and glanced back to see Daring Do land in the courtyard behind him. "Ah, my favorite archaeologist."

"Hey, you got a minute?"

"For you, I have several." Skies smiled deviously, waving Rider away when he gave Skies and impatient glare.

"I wanted to talk to you about my uncle." Daring said solemnly as she walked toward Skies.

"Did you find him?" Skies asked.

"I didn't, but the royal guard did." Daring cast her eyes downward.

Skies closed his eyes, and draped his wing over Daring Do. "I'm sorry to hear, you have my deepest condolences. If there’s anything I can do to help, name it and it shall be done."

Daring shook her head. "N-No. I just wanted to talk to you, and tell you I've made my decision."

"Decision?"

Daring nodded. "You asked me to consider staying, and to become the curator for your museum, as well as a historian. With my uncle gone, there isn't anything left tying me to Equestria, and you promised me that you wouldn't interfere with me, or my historical records." She gave Skies a weak smile. "I-I really can’t say no to an offer like that."

"Then the position, and the museum are yours." Skies patted Daring on the head.

"This means I can pick your brain about historical events."

"So it does." Skies chirped. "My house around eight?"

Daring let out a light chuckle. "Only if there’s spaghetti and meatballs."

"I'll tell Cadance." Skies waved at Daring as she flew toward her newly-acquired museum.

---

"What about our fresh water?" Cadance asked as her father opened the council room doors with Sif in tow. "Is everything okay, dad?"

"Short answer? No." Skies said, and waved Sif forward. She walked to the shifting table, and laid a bound mare onto it. She initially fought Skies' roots, but in the end, she just went limp and scowled. "We have a visitor."

"I knew you were into bondage, but this is getting to be too crazy." River laughed when Skies shot her a glare.

"Finally, something interesting." Grogar growled out. His bones creaked as he sat up slowly, looking over the mare. "Whoever did this is well-learned in the art of necromancy."

"Necromancy isn't an art, Grogar." Skies' cold voice made his distaste clear. "Hekate, is there anything you can tell me about this?"

Slowly, the ghostly collection of rags reached forward, lifted the mare in an invisible grasp, examining her. Two glowing, white eyes peered out from within, and then looked to Skies. "Recently, the boundaries between life and death have been disturbed. I believed this to be the result of exorcisms, or a mistake on my part, but I never would have imagined this to happen again."

Everyone looked at Grogar with annoyance, he lifted his hooves, and pressed them to the mare’s head. "This wasn't my work. This is far beyond even my ability. Tell me, mare. How old are you?"

The mare stayed silent. Grogar brought his hoof back to strike the mare, but he jolted and roared in pain as he was struck by lightning.

"You will not carry out cruelty in our presence." Skies demanded as he waved Storm down. "This will be the last time I warn you."

Grogar sat back and scowled at anyone who dared meet his gaze.

Skies looked over to Hekate, and gave her a wry smile. "Can you, River, and Grogar study her? We need to learn what we can in case this problem continues to develop."

"It will be done, Lord Skies." Hekate lifted both Grogar and Fairy Flight before floating down through the floor.

"What about the meeting?" Cadance asked. "We still have issues to resolve."

"Issues that can wait for another day." Skies cooed as he walked towards Cadance. "There is something I want to talk to you about. I fear if I don't get this off my chest now, it will only become harder to do so."

"Is this about my mother?" Cadance asked, hope in her chest.

With a soft nod, Skies draped a wing over his daughter. "Yes. You've wanted to know long enough, and I feel it’s finally time to tell you." Cadance looked around the room for a place for them to talk, but Skies rested his head on hers. "Not here. Let's go back home."

Cadance looked up to the solemn Spirit and smiled. "Okay, but I'm making popcorn."

---

Skyfall laid by a small fire with his front hooves crossed. He looked over the cover of an old photo album set next to him. The lock was fastened tightly, and enchanted to only open with his touch. The smell of popcorn filled the air, and Skyfall closed his eyes. He knew Cadance didn't want popcorn, but rather it served as a distraction to direct her mind away from the nervousness of hearing details about her other parent.

"I have the cloudcorn!" Cadance bounced into the room happily, and landed harshly next to Skyfall, rocking him to the side. "Whoops, sorry."

"It's okay." Skyfall cooed and draped a wing over Cadance, who responded by bringing her hooves closer to her body, snuggling for warmth under the blanket that was her father's wing. Skyfall sighed, and pawed the album into sight. "Where to begin..?"

Cadance nuzzled her father's chin. "Start with how you met."

Skyfall chuckled. "It isn't the most glamorous event."

"What do you mean?"

"You mother used to hate me." Skyfall laughed and undid the latch on the photo album. "I had been cultivating bees to release them into the world, so they could join the rest of the animal kingdom. A prankster named Bones thought it would be funny to release them into Crystal's domain. That resulted in her storming into my forest and demanding my head, before catapulting rock candy into my castle to infest it with ants."

Cadance's eyes went wide at this unexpected news.

"She came on strong like a burning flame for the first few years. She pestered me, and picked on me relentlessly." Skyfall chuckled, and gave Cadance a knowing look.

"She had a crush on you?"

"And I, her." Skyfall smiled. "But we never acted on it.”

"Aww was my daddy a big nervous ball of fluff around mommy?" Cadance said in a baby voice, earning herself a nose covered in saliva. "Ugh, hey!"

Skyfall chuckled. "Yeah, your mother was something else."

"Was she the first mare you ever dated?"

Skyfall shook his head. "No, we both saw others before we finally got together. She dated more than I did, but that's because it wasn’t very easy to reach my estate."

"Antisocial?"

"Oh, no." Skyfall defended, and opened the album. "I just liked my privacy. I'm recreationally lazy."

"What did she look like?" Cadance asked quietly.

"Like this." Skyfall pulled a portrait from the album, containing a picture of him and Honey Bee. Her pristine white coat and golden locks were groomed perfectly, which starkly contrasted Sky's gruff and unkempt appearance. Honey Bee’s green eyes scowled up at Skyfall, while he smiled down at her. She looked like she was scolding him, and Skyfall was trying to calm her.

"She’s very pretty." Cadance said quietly.

"She was beautiful." Skyfall replied. "It's obvious which parent you get your looks from."

Cadance giggled, and leaned closer to her father.

Skyfall brought out another portrait of a Spirit in a lush garden. Her white coat and blue mane stood out against prismatic flowers surrounding her, while she stared into the pond with the same emerald eyes. Her delicate, translucent wings hovered just above her back, while her curved horn wore a silver ring with blue gem. "This is a week after I asked Crystal to be my wife. It took me years to gather the courage to ask her that.."

"You were afraid?"

"Terrified." Skyfall smiled.

Cadance grabbed the album, and looked through the various paintings and photos. She flipped the pages, and smiled at all the happiness she saw between her parents.

"I'm sorry, Anara." Skyfall said. "I meant to talk to you about her sooner."

"It's okay." Cadance kissed her father's cheek. "If I lost Shining Armor, I would be just as reluctant to speak about it. I knew, given time, you would tell me about her. I just wish she was here, is all."

"Your mother loved you." Skyfall said quietly as he grabbed one of the last pages. There was a bookmark, and he opened it up to a photo of Skyfall, and a very worn out Crystal holding a small, pink foal.

"Is that?"

"Yes, that's you after you were born." Skyfall chuckled. "You were a little overweight, but still beautiful."

"I was overweight?" Cadance asked in surprise.

"Yes. When your mother was pregnant, she had the most vicious cravings for lamb, and easy made noodles. That was usually after eating a jar of sweet pickles." Skyfall deadpanned. "She would wake me up demanding that I go into the village to get the local food store owners to make her whatever she was craving. Luckily, they always understood, and just laughed it off."

Cadance smiled. "You still love her, don't you?"

"Of course." Skyfall kissed Cadance's head. "She gave me you."

Cadance grabbed a photo of Honey Bee dancing at the Spirit festival. "Can I have this one?"

"Absolutely." Skyfall cooed, and reached into a back pocket of the album. He rustled around, and pulled out a small silver ring with a blue gem. "This is your mother's wedding ring. I think you should have it."

"You r-really want me to have it?" Cadance's voice shook.

"Yes. Your mother always talked about the day you would grow up, and how she would pass it on to you." Skyfall rested the ring in her shaky grip.

Cadance laid her head down on her father's hooves, and closed her eyes. He smiled, and did the same.

"When you were born, she was happy to find that you had taken more after me than her." Skies said. He paused as his daughter looked at him, clearly confused. "Spirit-form wise."

"Spirit-form wise?"

Skies nodded. "Much like in nature, the offspring take after each of the parents, and take the more dominant traits. You were born with many of my Spirit traits. When your body starts to revert, you will feel incredible increases in your power, and I will be here to help you through that."

"Will it be painful?"

"Growth often is painful, but honestly, I feel you will have some trouble getting used to how you look as a Spirit." Skies flipped the album until he found one of Cadance playing with a house cat. "This picture shows you when your antlers started to part your mane, much in the way they are now."

"What do you think I'll look like when it’s over?" Cadance asked quietly.

"I imagine your antlers will be more feminine than mine, and more swept back." Skies reasoned. "I know your wings are like your mothers; four beautiful, translucent wings."

Skies tapped his chin in thought. "Your fur was a brownish pink, your tail was a bit longer than mine, and your hooves were similar to mine, except smaller. You also had a small patch of white on your chest, right here."

Cadance giggled mid-yawn as her father poked her chest.

"Maybe that's enough for now." Skyfall whispered.

"Dad, can you tell me about some of the adventures you and mom used to have?"

Skyfall hummed. "What would you like to hear?"

Cadance took a deep breath, and relaxed fully. "Something happy. Was she a good cook?"

Skyfall laughed softly. "No, but that brings to mind some stories of her trying."

Cadance hissed as a sharp pain emanated from her scalp, causing her father to look her over.

"If you keep growing at this rate, you'll likely be transformed by the end of next week."

Cadance warily rubbed her head, not sure how to take the news.

With his daughter's silence, Skyfall hugged Cadance closer to his side, and started his tale of Crystal’s awesome attempt at making meatloaf, and the subsequent disaster following.

---

Twilight's Castle

---

Celestia huffed quietly as she stirred honey into her tea.

"Um, Princess?" Twilight called.

Celestia blinked her eyes and rubbed her head. "Sorry, Twilight. I'm just not getting much sleep." Celestia sipped her tea, and looked at the ponies gathered around Twilight's crystal table. "I summoned you all here at the behest of my sister."

Sunset looked at her friends, and nodded. "Is it something bad?"

"I'm afraid so." Celestia's horn glowed, and light golden lines of magic started to form on the walls and windows throughout the room. "What I share with the seven of you must be kept a secret, even from your closest friends and family, under threat of imprisonment."

The mares before Celestia gazed at her with terrified expressions that cut her heart more than any words possibly could. "I'm sorry, but the implications and gravity of what I am about to share with you could compromise everything that has taken over one thousand years to accomplish."

Twilight took a deep breath, and hesitantly looked at everyone gathered around the table. "We understand, Princess, we won't repeat this to anypony."

"Thank you." Celestia said weakly.

With another glow of her horn, the Crystal Mirror floated into the room, and was set in the corner. "I take it you all are familiar with the concept of interdimensional mirrors."

Twilight, Rainbow, and Sunset nodded, but the others gave a short shake of their heads. Celestia summoned a floating image of Equus, and looked up slowly so the others would follow her gaze.

"As I'm sure you all know, this is the realm we reside in." Celestia highlighted sections of the image, and a more detailed close-up appeared on the table, below the enormous green orb. "Our world is large and lush. Civilizations thrive across, above, and below it's surface."

Twilight looked at the mirror. "And the mirror connects Equus to the realm Sunset lived in?"

"Yes." Celestia's horn grew brighter, and the image shifted dramatically into Sunset’s realm. Tall skyscrapers and foreign machinery dotted its surface. Each pony ooh'd and aah'd at each image that appeared, noticing that they were similar to locations in their world, but was dramatically different at the same time. "Much like how this realm differs from ours, each Spirit hails from another, different realm."

Rarity guffawed. "Spirits came from other realms?"

"Not that I know about." Celestia said. "But they each can exit Equus and reside in their own realm, albeit smaller than one as large as ours. The realm that a Spirit resides in takes after their power and personality. For example, the Spirit known as Sakurajima would be a landscape of volcanoes, lava pools, and hot, beaches covered in black sand. A Spirit like Storm Front resides on a barren storm-stricken cliff surrounded by crashing waves, tornadoes, and other forms of extreme weather. I know this, because I've visited many of them in my travels."

"What does Shattered Skies realm look like?" Rainbow Dash asked, beating her friends to the question.

Celestia sighed with a small smile, and summoned images of Skies' realm. "It's a forest. A large, sprawling forest, with trees larger, and far more ancient than the ones surrounding my old castle. In the center is a lake with shimmering water, and a small fertile island where he used to sit, listening to the world. When I traveled there with my sister, we met all sorts of creatures that we have yet to see on Equus, and at one point stumbled on a small village of beings from all over Equus that are devoted followers who aided him in caring for the animals and plants of his realm. But the most noticeable trait of his realm was silence. There were the natural sounds of animals, and the occasional storm, but overall, the air was clear."

Rarity cocked her head at the conflicting images she held of Shattered Skies. "But isn’t he supposed to be evil?"

"Even Spirits can change." Celestia whisked away the image, and brought back the previous image of Equus, suspended in the air. Her face and tone grew more serious as the light in the room faded to better illuminate the image. "Now for the more dire news."

"This singular orb represents Equus." Celestia's magic moved through the air, and formed small, malformed lights that hovered above its surface. "Each light is the entrance to a Spirit realm. I've found that their realms vary in size and intensity, but are never as large as Equus. So, I am lead to believe that they exist outside the veil of our realm, but are still connected."

Twilight used her magic to record everything that was being said in a notebook in her saddlebag on the floor. "The Spirits never shared how their realms worked?"

"Sadly, no." Celestia said. "I believe most of them didn't even know, and the ones that did kept it to themselves, in the event a mortal-versus-immortal war became necessary."

"War?" Rarity choked.

"Yes. Spirits, unlike most mortal races on Equus, were more prone to infighting and war, which I believe is why Equus has such a hectic past." Celestia said with obvious uncertainty, before continuing. "That is why Starswirl the Bearded, and myself, worked towards making a prison where no Spirit could escape."

"The realm I live in is that prison, isn't it?" Sunset asked, silencing the room instantly. She knew the answer to the question, but she needed to hear her former mentor say it.

"Yes."

Slowly, another planet appeared next to the one representing Equus, the realm showed images of bipedal beings walking to and fro, before zooming in on Canterlot High, and the rest of Sunset's friends.

"It's a prison?" Sunset asked, exasperated.

"No." Celestia cooed. "Starswirl found a way to open up portals, and experimented with it until he stumbled upon a realm without any magic, and it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. There, Spirits could live in peace. They’d be away from us, unable to harm anypony, and without any magic, they could not return."

"Unless they were able to take it from us." Sunset said and glanced over to Twilight.

"Princess." Twilight called, recognizing Sunset's look. "Do you remember the three Sirens we fought against a few years ago? They were trying to get back to Equestria, and they knew all about the mirror. Were they Spirits?"

Celestia nodded slowly. "Yes, the three sirens you met were indeed Spirits. At one time they were well known, and even came to the grand ceremony after Discord's defeat."

"It's a good thing ya stopped them." Applejack said.

"Yes, I must agree." Rarity seconded.

"They were three difficult Spirits to seal, but far from being the most dangerous." Celestia said. "I was concerned with your recent report of your counterpart being able to open gates without an enchanted mirror, but you said it was destroyed after the battle, which put my worries to rest." Celestia's magic started to spread across the second image, highlighting areas of Spirit activity, but in her concentration, she missed the worried look that Twilight gave Sunset.

Sunset nodded, knowing that she and Twilight had dire topics to discuss later. "Princess, why is the area by Canterlot High so bright?"

"Many of the trapped Spirits still reside in the city surrounding the mirror. I can only guess they’re waiting for an opening to return here." Celestia said. "This is a land we can not let Shattered Skies get to."

Rainbow turned her head. "Why? Isn’t that exactly what we want?"

"For many other Spirits, yes. For a Spirit as cunning as him, not in the least." Celestia brought light back into the room, and transformed the image into a giant bear with tribal markings over her fur.

"Who is that?" Fluttershy asked.

"That is the Earth Elemental." Celestia said. "She saw that I was able to lock many of the Spirits away, and chose to go watch over them, instead of engaging in what would have been a devastating battle with me."

"I'm sure you would have smeared the floor with her." Applejack gave a playful jab in the air, ruffling her white shirt.

Celestia giggled. "I thank you for the compliment, Applejack, but Elementals are powerful, and a pair of them can fight on par with Discord. In short, they are not a matter to be taken lightly. Any being that can sink a city with a flex of their power is too dangerous to assume victory over. Luckily for all parties, however, Earth was the more reasonable of the four."

"And she lives in that realm?" Twilight asked.

"Yes, which is why I have gathered you all here." Celestia said. "It has become clear after the Gala that we are grossly unprepared to challenge Shattered Skies. He appeared right before me twice, and I was powerless to stop him both times. If he wanted me dead, then I fear I would be so."

"Princess?" Twilight called. "I think we should try and speak with him. He said as much during the Gala, I think if we hear him out, he may prove to be different than what the history books make him out to be."

Celestia looked at Twilight, her face was twisted between uncertainty, and understanding. Her mind raced back and forth between accepting and rejecting the idea.

"I... am not opposed to an option of peace." Celestia's tone was cold. "But we need to make a contingency plan in case that fails us."

"What's a contingency plan?" Applejack asked.

"Back up plan." Rainbow said curtly before speaking up. "So what? We go to Sunset's realm, and look for somepony that sympathizes with us?"

Celestia nodded. "Only four of you may go. Any more than that, and attention will be drawn to you." Celestia shined lights around the city surrounding the mirror. "Earth has stayed near the mirror for much of the time she has resided in that realm. She and Shattered Skies worked very closely with one another, so if there is a being that can talk him out of what he is doing, it would be her."

Sunset nodded and leaned back. "So Twilight and I are going, since we know the area best. That leaves two spots."

"One." Celestia said. "I will send a guard with you, it may be a shaky start given how they must learn to walk on two legs, but I feel that they will recognize potential threats well before anything bad could happen."

"Who is the guard?" Twilight asked.

"We gathered dossiers, and were able to narrow it down to three candidates; Strong Back, Dark Night, and Flash Sentry."

"Ew, no, and absolutely not." Sunset said, much to a certain Princess' ire. "Rainbow is a Wonderbolt, she could fill the guard slot, no?"

"A wonderbolt, yes, but not a tested warrior." Celestia corrected. "I believe she would do well to accompany you, but a guard must still go with you."

"What do you all think?" Sunset asked the group.

"How about Skyfall?" Rarity said. “It makes the most sense. He seems to know Spirits more than any of us do and he is technically a guard.”

Celestia nodded. “He does know them suspiciously well. Had I not done such a thorough background check on him, I would be more worried.”

Applejack groaned as she gave Pinkie five bits. Pinkie giggled. "Told you he was in on everything."

Celestia raised an eyebrow. "In on everything?"

"Yeppie, if there is trouble or something important going on, he's either in the middle of it, or involved somehow." Pinkie chirped. "I made a bet with Applejack that his name would come up at least once in this surprise meeting."

"I blame that jinxin’ cutie mark of his." Applejack groaned. "I think that shattered glass means his luck involves him in everything."

"Perhaps." Celestia shrugged off the topic, and tried thinking reasonably. "There is a slight problem in sending him with you."

"And what would that be?" Twilight asked.

"He is training the Ponyville guard unit, and I sent word for him to train more guards. Captain Fury reported on his training method, and says that the guards under the tutelage of he and his brother fight harder, and more fiercely than the average guard. That is partially why I am here. Captain Fury is going to give them a surprise combat test to check their combat readiness."

"When will that happen?"

"Later today." Celestia smiled, and checked the time. "If all goes well, then he will have more guards added to his command."

"Surely he can accompany us to the other realm. I don't imagine it would take too long." Twilight smiled at her mentor’s cheery mood. "It would be funny to see him falling over on two legs."

Sunset giggled alongside many of the mares at the mental image. "And we can get a picture of it too!"

Celestia thought for a long moment, then nodded. "It is decided, then. During the next full moon, Twilight Sparkle, Sunset Shimmer, Rainbow Dash, and Skyfall will search for the Earth Elemental." Celestia said.

"What about the peace talks?" Twilight asked. "Since the Gala, I have wanted to speak with Shattered Skies. If we can convince him to be our ally, we can accomplish so much more together."

"I take it you do not believe what the history books say about him?" Celestia accused.

"No." Twilight said firmly, as she looked deep into her mentor's eyes. "Or I should say, I have my doubts, which is why I must speak with him. I'm tired of finding one answer, then having three questions take its place."

Celestia nodded. "If that is your decision, I can not stop you. Just promise me to be careful around him."

Twilight saw sadness in Celestia's eyes. "I will, Princess."

Celestia stood and turned towards the door. "The guard's test will begin in two hours. If you wish to watch, you may join me at the Ponyville parade grounds, thirty minutes before five. Farewell."

With a quiet pomf, Celestia disappeared from the room, leaving baffled mares in her wake.

"So, crazy bit of news, huh?" Applejack asked.

"Yeah. I had no idea Starswirl was responsible for creating mirrored realms." Sunset said. "I wish I knew how he did it."

Twilight nodded. "I'm more concerned with how we are going to find an Earth Elemental in a city filled with strangers. We went all out with magic there on three separate occasions, but the Spirits remain uninvolved with the exception of the three sirens."

"We can talk to Earth about that once we find her." Sunset said, trying to quell Twilight's frustration.

Fluttershy stood and sauntered toward the door with an annoyed look upon her face.

Rainbow saw her friend’s irritation, and slipped out with her. "Hey, Shy, wait up."

"Do you mind if we fly? I'm late to start my dinner prep." Fluttershy didn't wait for an answer before flying up and away.

"Hey, are you okay? You seem upset."

Fluttershy sighed. "I am upset, but complaining won't help anything."

Rainbow nodded, and looked over to her friend. She had been upset with Fluttershy when she got closer to Skyfall, but in the end they were still close friends. "You know you can talk to me."

Fluttershy slowed her flight. "I know, I'm just upset with the Princess."

"Why is that?"

"During the meeting, she alluded to what Shattered Skies was trying to do as a bad thing, and I'm not so sure it is." Fluttershy said before correcting herself. "No, if what she says he’s doing is true, then he isn’t evil at all!"

Rainbow cringed. "I think we should take that one step at a time, Shy. I'm all for taking a firm stance on an issue, but remember, he is used to scare foals for a reason."

Fluttershy scowled at Rainbow's sympathetic look. "Is it so wrong to seek shelter from being ridiculed?"

"No, and that's not what I'm saying." Rainbow grabbed Fluttershy's shoulder, and they both landed on the road leading to Fluttershy's cabin. "All I'm saying is that you're my oldest friend, and I don't want to see you get hurt, okay?"

Fluttershy nodded slowly. "I-I'm sorry, I just have a lot on my mind."

"I know, and I'm probably to blame for some of it." Rainbow gave her friend a suppressed chuckle.

Fluttershy nodded and fell into silence.

"Listen, I know you like Skyfall-"

"How?" Fluttershy asked.

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Everypony knows."

"Oh."

Rainbow smiled. "It's not a bad thing. Everypony is happy to see you take an interest in a pony instead of the other way around, but I'm sure you know I like him too."

"I know." Fluttershy nodded. "He is a popular stallion."

"He certainly is, but please don't let other ponies’ interests stop you from trying to win him over, okay?" Rainbow smiled, and saw Spitfire rocket by overhead. "Spitfire? Um, Fluttershy, I gotta go!"

With a loud crack, and the appearance of a thick, rainbow trail, Dash rocketed away after the Wonderbolt, leaving Fluttershy to stand there waving.

"I won't stop trying."

---

"Crystal, I think this is a horrible idea." Psalm said from the treeline of Ponyville, as she looked down at the parade grounds.

"I must agree, this could end very poorly." Discord reasoned as he stood deeper in the shadows, being careful not to let any light shine onto him, so he would stay hidden. "What if your secret comes out before you can explain anything?"

"Duly noted, both of you." Honey Bee said as she stood, looking at the ponies that passed the gate and filed into the base. "But I have stood by for far too long."

"How are you going to appear?" Psalm asked.

"I’m going to walk up to him and say hi." Bee chuckled.

"What about when you explain to him that you aren’t dead and that you’ve been around, but-" Discord coughed when Psalm threw dirt in his face. "Hey, I was being nice! It's a valid concern."

Bee laughed nervously and played with the ends of her mane. "I'm going to tell him the truth, and hope everything works out in the end."

Author's Note:

Maaaaaan, this holiday season is getting crazy. People crashing into trees, No Man's Sky and Fallout 4 got updates, and we're trying (And crashing) to get a YouTube up and running.

And finals week for alot of you guys. That I do not miss, all them tests of terror.

---

Wish you all a great season. We love ya

Comments

[Mira Starlight]

Sweet Cadenza I'm in update heaven.

Getting Skyfall to look for the Earth Elemental, huh? Oh, the irony here is rich.

[Witchery]

Jesus christ, there is some crazy shit on the horizon.

[Royal Blaze]

Dammit the cliffhanger is so real

[VampireVinyl]

*Counting the timer for when shit goes AWAL* ....Not.....a very big number. We're doomed.

[Mr Dorito]

I love how they always intentionally help Shattered Skies.

[TipTopEquestrians]

Some crazy shit is going to happen

[Liquid_Pride]

Oh god I marathoned this story only for this last minute update to leave me so close to a cliff-hanger it ought to be considered torture!

[Galaxy of Equestria]

can't wait see more sprits!

[Blade Dancer]

Now the wait begins again...

[card176]

These cliffhangers will be the end of me, eventually

[lonelywhitefox]

7813110 The cliffhangers are the most powerful weapon at all writers at hand, the only thing we have is to hope that no one steps on our fingers or that there is something soft to land on. But for all honesty it will most likely be another cliffhanger waiting for us.

[Lady Lightning Strike]

"I’m going to walk up to him and say hi." Bee chuckled.

I don't know if he's gonna faint, or have a heart attack......and faint.

[Heidao]

The actors are in place, begin awkward love square pentagon hexagon

[Star ShaDe]

Cliff hanger here and cliff hanger in the next chapter... man, I'm thrilled and excited for whats coming next though! Especially if what was alluded to is about to happen.

[Velixare]

Quick question for you Arctikfox. What is with your obsession with ending on such cliffhanger style endings? every chapter ends with me having 4 or more questions about what will happen. Then again that might just be me, eh either way good chapter.

[grammar404]

Upcoming chapters are interesting... mind if I draw one of these foreshadowed scenes here? I am not that good but Mail me if you do.

[cosmic flash]

All I can see now is romantic tragedy for either, Crystal, Skies, or Fluttershy or more than one of these.

[candyman20XX]

That guard inspection should be most entertaining. Especially since Crystal seems to plan to crash it.

[Sigma957]

I'm dying to know what game discord is up to, there's two main sides in this fight and he's apparently commanding a third faction that could screw everything up, one way or another :p. Which is very accurate for discord in my opinion.

[DivinePanzer]

7813633 And Cadance.

[Golanth]

7813751
Discord is team bad-guy, or at least he was until he was imprisoned. It seems like he is being at least partially controlled by those who rose to power in his absence and now he's trying to get out from under them. Team 3 = Discord Liberation Front.

[Mortefleur]

I stand by my previous statement that Discord is slamming Skies's wife

[Kusa]

I was pretty confident that Crystal is Chrysalis but now after this chapter I'm even more sure. The potential drama there is off the charts, especially when she gets the chance to reunite with her daughter.

[cosmic flash]

7813758 well maybe, but I don't think she is in a romantic triangle with her father. I certainly hope not.

[DivinePanzer]

7814920 Triangle, no. Tragedy, yes, when she finally goes to show Shining her Spirit form and he blasts her like the changeling bug that once masqueraded as her...

Maybe with Skies going (maybe) to Earthquestria, he'll convince her to talk to Shining, so he isn't completely blindsided...does he even know what happened at the wedding?

[FallenFromGlory]

Another great chapter. I'm curious as to which pattern you plan on weaving these threads. I can see the upcoming conflict going many different ways, and I can't wait to see how it all resolves.

[Arctikfox]

7816044 Most of what you made was redone, including the lists. Also, most of the stuff we talked had to be reworked.

But I too would like to hear people's thoughts on Spirits.

[ErikPhantom]

I just really don't see anyone forgiving Discord for what he's done. The Spirit War and the spirit deaths caused by that, the slaughter of the alicorns, perversion of The Maker's plan, Harmony and the other 5's sacrifice, his rule while they waited for Celestia and Luna to grow up. Blame for all of these things can be laid solely at his feet. Sure he appears to know he fucked up from his conversations with Psalm, but that many crimes of that magnitude? No amount of sorry's and repentance can make up for that.

Crimes: Murder, Fratricide, Sororicide, Blasphemy, Heresy, Genocide, breaking of numerous laws and edicts of the Maker and the Conclave of Spirits, crimes against humanity/equinity/etc, imposition of tyrannical rule upon mortals, treason... these are the things he's done that have been explicitly mentioned by Skies or others about the Spirit War alone, how many depredations did he commit during the war that they didn't mention or occurred during his period of rule. (Hell, I'm half certain that he's the one who brought Skies human family here as Spirits, thus at the very least partial blame for their actions and thus Celestia's actions even during the time he was stone falls upon him, as well as the entirety of the current conflict. Plus, someone or something is killing the Maker and who wants to bet that's Discord's fault somehow as well. Add (attempted or plotting) Matricide and Deicide to the list.)

An eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, and blood for blood.
He must die or pay for his crimes otherwise. And no, one thousand years in stone (in this case) does not mean he's served his sentence, not by a looooong shot.

[ErikPhantom]

7816044
7816857
On how they got here: my current guess is Discord found and brought them to this world sometime around the Spirit War to weaken/oppose/horrify Skies who it has been stated was the main General and strategist of the Harmony-aligned Spirits. Their powers and portfolios even seem to be a twisted imitation of the Maker's work (eg: Necromancy and Rage as opposed to Death and Honor/War/whatever.) Possibly they were made by Discord as a final trump card if he lost, without him around (being the only one who knew of their existence and powers) their mere presence within the Maker's creation would either produce enough Chaos to free him or throw the entirety of creation out of balance, eventually resulting in mutually assured destruction for literally everyone including the Maker. It seems despite him being free they have since got a way to keep him under their thumb regardless so now he just has to hope Skies can stop his runaway creations,

See below comment for a rant on Discord

[Dented Thorn]

7817877 I didn't know that this story had a cult following
Jk

[Arctikfox]

7850423 I have a way of vaguely referencing things. I don't like to over-explain things, that might be what's happening.

What in specific are you talking about? I'm not disillusioned that the story has one or two flaws, it's just that what you're reading might be intentional.

[LovingPonies]

That was quite a read, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Having read more than a healthy amount of
fics at this point, I can say that this lies among the better works that I've encountered.

Pacing is handled well, despite the story's herculean size. Even during periods of exposition
I, as the reader, feel engaged. And though encounters might have seemingly been made
for no apparent reason, they seem to consistently tie into the story later.

That is not to say that I did not have my gripes with some choices. Though I am never averse
to seeing humans appear in a story, I did question their roles here. The protagonist was, after
all, a human who transforms into a chimeric deer, who then transforms into a regular polychromatic
pony. Why then, should he have ever been a human to start with? You dealt with the characters'
backstories well, as you should have in a novel as large as this one. The lore, especially was gripping.
It became readily apparent that you took your time envisioning and formulating the world that you were
creating. Steps were taken, seemingly so that other authors could slip in their own creations.

I would not be surprised to find that some day, this universe might resound with readers with
other tales. The 'chess game of the gods' and the displaced verses immediately spring to mind.

I always hate to say this for fear of sounding selfish, but I do hope you continue this verse.
If not for voracious readers like myself, simply to do its conceptualization justice. Writing is an
arduous task, and nobody slings a better punch than writer's block. But you're creating something
beautiful. Life may weigh you down, it does to all of us, but never give up on that spark that
keeps you going.
Thanks for listening to a fool's ramblings

[Asolem2]

It would be funny to see him falling over on two legs.

Prepare to be horribly disappointed and/or suprised

[ZodiacalComet]

"Duly noted, both of you." Honey Bee said as she stood, looking at the ponies that passed the gate and filed into the base. "But I have stood by for far too long."

There you are!

8086281

[Luna is back]

"Surely he can accompany us to the other realm. I don't imagine it would take too long." Twilight smiled at her mentor’s cheery mood. "It would be funny to see him falling over on two legs."

Heh.