When Worlds Collide

by Lon35hadow

Discovery

"What's the Gravemind doing here, Lone?" John asked, pointing his rifle at Lone, with Thel doing the same with his sword.

"If by here, as in our current location," Lone said calmly despite the weapons being pointed at him, "the members of lone team who built this place, and this was ten thousand years ago, found him here, and offered him to be the keeper of the knowledge here, a librarian of sorts. If you mean this universe, well, it might be best if you asked him yourself."

In the deep voice that John and Thel had associated with the flood leader, Hermit said, "He is correct, warriors. I was discovered here ten thousand years ago by a group of lone team, and they offered me the position I have. As for the universe, all I can say is that Plasma himself created me during his first reign, as a keeper of knowledge, though he imprisoned me here in the north, so only he could reach me. I may remind you of an old enemy, but I am not him." There was a pause before he said, "and yet, I sense his presence on all of you in some way, though I can not say how. It is especially strong with those you cal Ken, Lily, and Maruco. It is a strength that comes from facing the ancient king himself, and yet, they are here, and sane as well, while the others among you have gone against him indirectly, with the added exception of Lone, which has to do with the energy around him that indicates Fear was let loose, and the ones you call John and Thel."

"Fuck me," Ken said under his breath. "She was right."

"Now," Lone said as John and Thel lowered their weapons, "can we get inside before we try to kill one another over stuff we have no control over?"

"Sure," John said, keeping his weapon lowered, "but I'm keeping my eyes open."

"Me as well," Thel said.

"Then let's go," Lone said as he turned towards the door and walked inside. As he walked in, the others though they saw the shimmering form of Fear beside him. Luna was the next, and a faint shimmer in the vague shape of Nightmare Moon appeared before it disappeared, unlike Fear, who's image stayed. Chitinia and Metamorpha was next. With Chitinia, the same as Luna happedned with her Nightmare form, while Metamorpha's was a little more defined, looking like a darker version of Twilight with a crown of dark steel and a dark, royal like cloak with the hood down and a sinister smile on her face. Celestia was next, and an image of an orange mare of her size with a mane and tail entirely on fire, with rust colored Regalia, and yellowish, draconic eyes, but otherwise looked exactly like Celestia. Thel was next, and the shimmering form looked almost the same, except for the fact that, on the actual Thel, on the left side of his torso on the elite equivalent of pectorals, there was now a glowing mark that every elite from his universe knew. The mark of shame. John was next, and his shimmering form was just about the same, except for the fact the shimmering form had what was unmistakably dried blood all over it. The others passed through, with their always being some shimmering version of themselves that most likely represented their demons.

As the last of them stepped through, the door closed with a loud thud, and the shimmering forms disappeared. They stood in a long hallway. Torches on the sides lit up, revealing the keeper of the location. The Gravemind, or Hermit, as lone team called him. Unlike how John and Thel had seen the Gravemind on Delta Halo, this one didn't have a decaying appearance. Instead, it had a flesh like color to it, and even an actual mouth. It didn't have eyes, but they did see what looked like some kind of antennae on it's head. They weren't large, but were somewhat noticeable, and came out of the back of the head.

"Wow," Garrus said. "That's ugly."

"Definitely," Metamorpha said.

"Good to see you again, Hermit," Lone said as he and the three crystal ponies nodded their heads in greeting.

"And it's good to see the four of you again," Hermit replied, "though I wish it was under better circumstances."

"Us too, Hermit," Radiant replied.

"Regardless, you all are welcome to the library I guard," Hermit said. "Anything you find, i simply ask that you take great care, as many of these works are hundreds of years old, and many of those are ready to crumble to dust with enough pressure."

"Of course, ancient one," Celestia said, bowing her head in respect.

"Thank you, Sun Riser," Hermit said. "You may proceed and stay for as long as you wish."

With that, the group walked down the hallway for what felt like hours, but what was really just half an hour , until they saw a bright light from the end. As they walked through what was the exit to the hall, all but the Spartans had to squint their eyes due to the sudden influx of light. When they could see again, Metamorpha went into an jumping spree brought on by what she saw.

"So many books," she kept repeating in a gleeful tone. There were bookshelves that were as tall as the height of the ceiling for the Canterlot palace.

"How are there so many," Kasumi said in awe of the amount, but not at the levels of Metamorpha was at.

"Because we've acquired copies of every literary work ever written," Chrysalis said. "Even copies of the journal of Star Swirl, a member of the team himself."

"Really?" Metamorpha asked her mother, her eyes gleaming with a thirst for knowledge.

"Yes, Metamorpha. Most of the spells he made were modified spells from those he created for the team, actually. I think Saphira knew him personally, now that I think of it."

"And you can read it, you know," Lone said. "Just need to be careful."

"I will be. Where is it?"

Lone looked up to the ceiling and said, "Hermit, you mind showing her where it is?"

"Of course, Lone," he said, though no one knew how he would help her until they saw a small, yellow orb float in front of the changeling, and, in Hermit's voice, said, "Follow me, young changeling," before going off in to the library, Metamorpha in pursuit.

"What the fuckin' hell was that?" Zaeed said.

"Back in our dimension," Lily said, "that would be an infection spore for the flood, a parasitic organism that feeds on organic beings with a certain biomass, and uses said biomass to produce even more flood. Though, of what we've seen so far, it doesn't look that way here."

"Agreed," Ken said.

"Hey, John, why don't you go after her. She may need your help with the books we all know she's going to want to read," Maruco said.

"Shut up, Maruco," John said as the others got a small chuckle, even as he went to go after Metamorpha.

"Well, if you all will excuse me," Lone said, "I need to check on something that I've been suspecting since the Empire." With that, he gave Luna a kiss, and he went in the same direction John and Metamorpha went. Once he was gone, Rainbow said to Crystal Saber and said, "So, uh, Saber, think you can help me with my training?"

"I don't see why not," he said, shrugging. "Come on." He and Rainbow then went to the right of the main group, to what constituted the training room in the library.

The other separated as well, most going to a history section so they could learn about the history of the planet, as well as what other events lone team had been involved in without the princesses knowing. The most interesting was that lone team had helped establish the changeling democracy, and, with Luna in the science section, learned that, though he was doing it with Celestia as well, Star Swirl had created multiple mirror portals that went to alternate Equis' to help them out with their problems, though the only two that worked were the one Metamorpha had gone through with Spike, as well as the one that led to the universe of the evil Celestia and Luna.

Through out all of this, Lone was in a vault of the library that only the leader of the team and those that he allowed were able to get into, as held the most sensitive or important documents, including the journal of the original Lone Shadow, which is what Lone was reading.

"What is it you're looking for, Lone," Hermit asked as a spore came up.

"Something that relates to cutie marks in here that Lone wrote down. I know I've seen it, but can't remember what it was about."

"And you think this has to do with the Empire?"

"Yep." There was a pause of a few seconds before Lone said, "Found it!"

"What does it say?"

"Let's see. It says, 'I have noticed something strange among my comrades. Many of them have become less proficient in combat skills that they excelled at. I haven't had the opportunity to see why or how, as I just got back from meeting with Star Light, and the information she gave me says that Plasma is creating an illness of some kind that will make those of us in the rebellion much easier targets. According to the intelligence she gave me, Plasma calls it 'The Cutie Pox'. Holy shit. This changes history a little, doesn't it?"

"Indeed it does Lone," Hermit said. "I remember him saying he was working on something one time when he came to me, but I never knew what it was."

"There's more. Think I should read it."

"The only one who can answer that is you, Lone."

After ten seconds of silence,in which he was thinking, Lone said, "To Tartarus with it, I'm reading it." He brought the journal, a thick book of cast leather as the covers, and continued reading. "It's been a few days since my last entry, and I have made a discovery of this disease. Two, actually. The first is that some ponies are immune to this disease, my self included. There is no indication as to how ponies are immune to it, so I assume it's a gene that has not been discovered, which means it's well hidden, as, even though I'm the only one who studies genes, or believes in them, I've studied and mapped every gene type out there. Twenty-one different genes, and each has combinations. Of the genes of the immune ponies I've studied, none have a common factor, which means there is a twenty-second gene that is well hidden. The second is that there is an advanced form of this disease. Those affected by this have no hope in helping us against Plasma. Regarding my first discovery, though, I have noticed children or grandchildren of those affected don't have this disease, and are, for some reason, ridiculed because of it. Not every child is immune, but those that are immune are ridiculed without exception. Adults that are immune, though, aren't. I hope the next time I write, I will have more information. That's interesting. Why are ponies with single cutie marks being ridiculed for not having multiple cutie marks?"

"Perhaps it is answered later on, maybe the next entry."

"Agreed." Lone began to read again. "I have made a discovery. As it turns out, Plasma engineered this disease to where it effects children's minds that obtaining these 'cutie marks' is important, and those with out them are ridiculed for being, as the meaner kids say, a 'blank flank', though those that are immune don't seen to either want a mark, or cause chaos trying to get it, which simply leads to more ridicule. The worst part? Those affected by the standard have no cure, while the extreme, which leads to multiple cutie marks, do have hope. Another part of interest is that civilians that once helped us by acquiring weapons and armor, if they are affected by these marks, are now loyal to Plasma, and their marks glow with out exception. As for how he made this disease, it turns out that it's nano machines, or that's what the scientist we captured a few weeks ago calls them. They're in the air, and latch on to a ponies body, causing the marks to appear by changing their color into a recognizable pattern, and starting with a small flash of light, making it appear as if it's magic. Pretty smart, if you ask me. Should any future leaders of my rebellion, regardless of it's role or name in your time, read this, I have, at the time of this writing, already begun work on a spell that will deactivate the machines, getting rid of the cutie marks.

"Whoa," Lone said. "Hermit, bring Metamorpha here. Before you say anything about clearence, I'm allowing her to read this. I'm going to need her help to find the spell."

"I figured you'd call for her, and she is already on her way here, as well as John. Might as well have as much help as possible with this issue."

Nodding, Lone said, "Thanks, Hermit."

"No problem, Lone," Hermit said as Metamorpha and John came into view.

"Hey, Lone," Metamorpha said. "Hermit said you needed our help?"

"Yeah. Before you ask, read the entries of this journal I've marked," he said, handing them the journal.

Metamorpha gingerly took the book in her magic, and read it, as well as John. Though it was impossible to gauge Johns reaction due to his helmet, Metamorpha's eyes widened as she read it. "This changes everything," she said in a almost reverent tone as she finished. "How is it we never discovered this? Ponies, I mean."

"Because Plasma is a master of deception, deceit, and manipulation," Hermit said. "He would have planned for ponies eventually learning how to use technology, and would have made it look like magic, just like what Lone Shadow said in his journal."

"This is is journal?" John asked.

"Yeah. Oldest thing here, probably in the world in terms of literature."

"So this means that Cadence and Shining were being controlled."

"Yes. And no. You see, Green Mist was telling the truth about her father. I knew him personally. His name was Wasp. Guy had his own code honor, took shit from nopony or body, and fell in love with Cadence's mother, who knew he was a changeling when they met, as Gleaming Heart and Wasp were both members of the team when they met, but left when they got married and Gleaming got pregnant, and didn't want to endanger her daughter. As for how she got pregnant, Wasp said that changelings could have off spring when they're disguised as their partners race. Celestia did have an order out related to changelings, but it was to find them to offer them full citizenship with out having to disguise themselves, and it was Brotherhood forces in royal guard armor that killed the two, and it was me and Saphira who moved her to the village she lived in. It was most likely Plasma using their cutie marks to make them see what Green Mist said as the truth, which, for the most part, it was."

"And why do you need our help," John asked, to which Metamorpha answered.

"He wants us to help him find the spell that \'ll get rid of cutie marks, but won't that make ponies weaker?"

"No. It's designed to remove the power from the nano-machines, if I'm right. Where Tirek took all energy from a pony but what's needed to survive, he took the energy from the nano-machines as well. This will do the same, but only to the nano-machines," Lone said.

"Are you certain about that?" John asked.

"As certain as I can be," Lone said.

"Then lets get to work," the Spartan said.

. . .

Brotherhood HQ

Shadow was waiting outside the room where the Conclave meets with their Zealots.

How much you wanna bet Green Mist is going to get chewed out, Shadow's dark side, Chaos Riser, said.

Please, we'd need to be the luckiest ponies alive for that, Shadow replied as the door opened and Green Mist walked out, a smug expression on his face.

"The Conclave will see you now, Shadow Specter," he said before walking away.

Great, Shadow and Chaos aid at the same time before walking in.

They had just passed the threshold of the door when they heard Midnight say over the telepathic link they established before Shadow went to the Empire. Guys, I found something major, as in, world changing major!

What? they both asked, Shadow still walking to the center of the room.

The name of your father.

Why's that important?

Because, it's the same name as Lone Shadow's father. Darkness Strider. The descriptions match perfectly as well.

How'd you find that?!

By sneaking into the genealogy room, more accurately the section that holds family history, and of that, the area where only the Conclave has authority to enter.

Shadow's eye twitched at that. YOU WHAT!? he mentally yelled as he reached the center of the room.

That's not the crazy part. Your mother? She gave birth to two children, the name of the second being erased, but then I got an idea, and sneaked into the legal section that has birth certificates, found yours, and it said that you had a sibling. I then looked to try to find Lone Shadow's, and guess whose name was their under the mother.

Are you saying, Shadow said as the first Conclave member began to speak.

"Shadow Specter, due to your dedication to our cause in ensuring Plasma did not fall in the Empire, and by saving our two newest members, a well as the body sacrifices, this Conclave has decided to give you a special mission."

Yeah. The name under 'Mother' on your birth certificate and Lone's are the same. Joy. Lone Shadow's your brother.

Comments

[LostFaith]

So many plot twists...

[Thesandman888]

6305967 ........ agreed