To Infinity

by PaisleyPerson

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

“Don’t try to run, please. There is nowhere to go.” I made sure that the plunderseeds had blockaded all available exits. The only remaining source of light was the dim, eerie red glow the vines produced. Only then did I release Twilight’s friends, the nets and binds alike crumbling into thin air. All six of her friends rushed up to Twilight, joining together in a group hug.

“Is everyone alright?” the teary-eyed alicorn sniffed.

“We’re fine, sugarcube.”

“I got a bad feeling about this place,” Pinkie’s teeth chattered, and her Pinkie Sense was going off like crazy.

“You shouldn’t have agreed to come here,” Fluttershy quivered.

“I couldn’t just leave you,” Twilight argued.

“Enough.”

“You... ARG!” Rainbow made a mad dash for me, but Applejack bit into her tail, anchoring the furious mare to the spot.

“Hold on there, sugarcube. That ain’t gonna get us nowhere.” Buster’s growling emphasized her point.

“Listen to your friend, Rainbow Dash,” I advised.

“What do you plan on doing with us?” Rarity demanded.

“It’s not so much what I plan on doing to you specifically, so much as what I plan to do to the whole world.”

“Wow... usually they’re only after Equestria,” Spike whispered.

“Go big or go home,” Rainbow agreed.

“Ha! Big! That’s funny! Ya know, because she’s actually tiny,” Pinkie chortled. I glared at the energetic pink nuisance, and Twilight hushed her.

“Fine, then. What are you planning to do to the world?”

“I’d sound like a bloodthirsty psychopath if I told you straight up.”

“Oh, we already know you’re a bloodthirsty psychopath. Please, continue.” I frowned, flicked my tail and chose to ignore them.

“Instead, let me give you some background information first.”

“Joy.”

“The deed you found to my house is hundreds of years old, I know. I’m actually older. I didn’t purchase the house until the last of my family had died off.”

“But how is that possible? You look so young!”

“That is where your guess is as good as mine. After my tenth birthday, I simply stopped aging,” I shrugged. “As I said before, my father was an avid collector of magical artifacts. Perhaps it was all the exposure to them that rendered me immortal... in any case, I stopped aging. I never grew old, cursed with this baby face. I was the only one that was affected- my family grew old without me, started families of their own, and moved on with life. When this symbol appeared on my flank one day, I thought that my purpose was to look out for them; to guide future generations through life, and teach them what I had learned.

“So I stuck around, but all it brought me was pain. I watched my kin grow old and die, and was only left with the pain of knowing that soon, I would lose somepony else dear to me. And I wasn’t the only pony who saw this; for hundreds of years, I watched other families pass on, leaving their loved ones to mourn them.

“At last, the only remaining member of my bloodline passed away, and I was left alone. I thought my destiny had been to look out for them, but they were all gone. So what was I to do? Grief almost drove me mad.”

“Almost?”

“But I finally realized, I had been looking at my cutie mark wrong all that time! For centuries, I watched ponies grow old and die. I saw the pain death caused. I wasn’t meant to raise ponies up just so they could experience that kind of suffering for themselves. I was meant to do something about it!”

“Like what?”

“Imagine a world without death. What would that world look like?”

“A world without death means a world without life!” mortified Rarity recoiled from me like a snake.

“Exactly.”

“So yer gonna wipe out life as we know it?” Applejack’s jaw dropped.

“And you’re helping her with this?” Fluttershy scolded Buster. His ears drooped, and he stared at the ground.

“He does what I tell him to. I raised him from a pup. I’m all he knows.”

“Mistress... Mistress knows best,” he agreed, still refusing to look at Fluttershy.

“Your ‘mistress’ is crazy! And psychotic!” Rainbow exclaimed.

“Don’t say that about Mistress!” Hackles raised, Buster crouched on all fours, drool seeping between his teeth as he snarled. One look from Fluttershy shut him up again, and he resigned to sit quietly behind them.

“You still haven’t explained how you intend to accomplish any of this,” Twilight reminded. “Where did you get the plunderseeds, and the amulet? Where do they come in?”

“I’m just getting to that. Discord’s plunderseeds were actually what gave me my inspiration. Though they failed under his coaching, I saw their potential. Amongst other things, I studied botany, and learned how to recreate my own strand of plunderseeds. I thought I had perfected them just a couple of years ago, when Tirek was loose on Equestria. The conditions were perfect: Tirek had stolen the alicorn magic, the one thing that could oppose me. I planted the seeds... and then you girls unlocked the full power of the Tree, wiping them out on the spot!”

“Hear that, girls? We defeat the bad guys without even realizing it!” Pinkie and Rainbow high-hoofed. I glowered.

“I suppose I should thank you. That incident made me realize that I needed to rethink my plan. I couldn’t rely on the plunderseeds alone- they were too easily defeated. Instead, I could use them as a distraction while I targeted something bigger: the Tree of Harmony.”

“Was the tatzlwurm another one of your ‘distractions?’” Twilight gritted her teeth.

“He was indeed. I had plenty more lined up as well, just in case things started going south. I used Buster and his exceptional digging skills to ‘borrow’ a couple items for that purpose, including the Alicorn Amulet. The amulet, too, was originally intended to be just another ‘distraction’ before I realized I could use it to harness the plunderseeds. After I got that sorted out, everything else just seemed to fall into place. It’s almost a shame I didn’t get to try out any of the others.”

“So you’re the so-called ‘Tunneling Thief,’” Twilight glanced up at the diamond dog. “I read about you in the newspapers. You were giving the authorities quite a hard time.”

“He might be the muscle, but I’m the real mastermind,” I interrupted. Something about Buster receiving the credit for my plan truly irked me. I shouldn’t have let it show; Pinkie caught on, and milked it for all that it was worth.

“But Buster was the one that actually went and got ‘em. I bet you were too scared to do it yourself.”

“Oh, yes. Buster was a big brave boy to sneak in and get those dangerous artifacts for you. Isn’t that right, Buster?” Rarity joined in, tickling his chin and trying to ignore the vile drool trickling down.

“Who’s a good boy? Yes, you are!” Fluttershy scratched his back.

“Hmm...” he sighed with pleasure, one of his back legs beginning to kick with delight to the point where he actually toppled over. Then, Fluttershy switched to rubbing his belly.

“Yeah! Good thieving doggy!” Rainbow cheered.

“He looks happier n’ a pig in a mudbank,” Applejack agreed.

“Are you guys... encouraging this?” Twilight’s jaw hung ajar. I was just as flabbergasted. Fluttershy shot Twilight a look, and somehow, that translated to Twilight realizing what they were up to.

“Oh, uh... g-good boy, Buster,” she nervously chuckled.

“Good dog!” Spike followed her lead.

Now, my jaw dropped. What the hay were they doing?! “Stop! Stop it this instant!” No one was listening to me. Buster continued to roll around like a childish pup, allowing these girls to dote on him. “I SAID STOP!” The amulet caused a massive explosion to emanate right in the middle of them, effectively splitting the group apart. Most of them just skidded through the dirt, but Buster hit the wall of thorns hard, and Fluttershy was still flying his way. Even with the life being drained out of him, he still found the strength to catch her before she met the same fate.

“Buster!” She tried to pull him free from the brambles, and surprisingly, succeeded. He wound up face-first on the ground, panting and clinging to whatever life he had left. “Y-You saved me. Thank you.”

“Me?” He disbelievingly gaze up at her. “No one’s told me that before.”

“ENOUGH! BUSTER! GET OVER HERE!” He tried to slink forward, but Fluttershy caught his paw.

“You don’t have to do this,” she pleaded. “You have a choice.”

“Buster! Do I mean so little to you that you would betray me now? After everything I’ve done for you?”

“I’m sorry,” he bowed his head. “I have to.”

“Buster!” she pleaded. I scowled down at the yellow mare. After all she’d put me through, I’d make sure she was the first to go.

“Climb the Tree,” I ordered, climbing up his jacket. He looked slightly pale and withered from the thorns, but he still had enough strength left for this one last task.

“Yes, Mistress.” Slowly, he shimmied his way up.

“NO!” Twilight tried to stop us, but now I urged the plunderseeds to hold them all back.

“AAAH!”

“Fluttershy?” Buster glanced back at the sickeningly kind mare, now withering away before his eyes.

“Keep going!” I cuffed him. With a whimper of despair, he obeyed.

“W-W-W-What a-are you...?” Twilight gasped, weakened into submission.

“That’s right. I didn’t get to finish explaining my plan, did I? I’m going to take control of the Tree and all it’s magic.”

“Not... possible...”

“Think, Twilight, think. You’re supposed to be the smart one. Your Element of Magic is what harnesses the Tree’s magic. Now, I’m going to replace it with something that also contains great magic. Care to guess what it is?”

“The... amulet?”

“Bingo. The Tree will try and access that magic to heal itself, but the magic in this amulet will corrupt it instead. The vines will be connected to the Tree, the Tree will be connected to the amulet. It’s a self-sustaining circuit!”

“If ya take that amulet off to put in the Tree, it won’t be connected to ya anymore! You’ll lose control!” Applejack pointed out.

“That is of no consequence. This was always a means to an end, for all of us.”

“Mistress?” Buster whined. I noticed uncertainty in his eyes. Without me, he had no purpose, and it was clear that the thought of death frightened him. “I... I don’t want you to die, Mistress.”

“This was always the plan, fool! You won’t get cold feet now that our time is nigh!” I thundered. Buster had finally reached the middle of the trunk where the old indention of the Element of Magic was located. Perched safely on his broad shoulders, I gently pried the gemstone from the setting around my neck. “Just a little higher, Buster. I can’t reach from here.”

His lanky arm was motivated to uncoil, however slowly. He stopped altogether about halfway up, and glanced back at withering Fluttershy. She met his gaze, no longer with the strength to speak, but those powerful eyes said it all. “Forward, I said!” Buster shut his eyes, fighting an internal war. “You are mine, dog! You’ll do as I say!”

He’d made his choice. Buster’s claws sank into the bark just below the indention, allowing me passage. “At last!” I quivered with excitement. “I’ve waited so long for this moment...” I reached around and searched for the clasp to my necklace. It unbuckled with a soft *click*, and fell into my waiting hooves. No longer in control of the plunderseeds, they began slithering up the trunk towards Buster and I. I paid them no mind, and gave the red jewel a light farewell kiss. “Do me proud.”

The amulet was inches within the Tree. I guided it closer, closer, closer, to the point where it was almost touching. Then, with a sudden lurch, Buster’s arm shot out from below me. “WHAT?!” I’d have thought it an accident if he hadn’t caught the amulet so easily, and stuffed it back into his pocket. He reached for something in his other pocket, but I couldn’t see what it was. “NO! What are you doing?!”

I painfully slammed into the plunderseeds beneath me, their thorns sinking hungrily into my flesh. The pain was excruciating. The plants were feeding on my life force, which I had previously thought to be unlimited. But now I felt it being drawn out of me at an extreme rate. “GET OFF OF ME!” I thought the plants were going to pull me apart by the way I was being stretched. But I realized that the vines weren’t pulling at all- it was my own body that was threatening to tear itself apart. I was... having a growth spurt? For the first time in a millennium, I was aging.

“NO! NO, GET OFF!” I knew the plants would eventually be my demise, but I couldn’t die yet. I hadn’t fulfilled my purpose. Buster... he was the one responsible. The vines were in my way- I couldn’t see. What was he doing up there?

Despite the blindfold of vines, I was struck by blinding white light. The vines began crumbling around me, and the reality of what had just happened sank in. “No...” After everything I’d worked for... that fool wouldn’t have... he couldn’t have! Yet, when the light finally died down, there it was: the Element of Magic, returned to its original position in the Tree of Harmony. The vines had all disintegrated, and the girls had all been freed. Even the aging had been reversed, and they had all returned to their youthful selves. But not me... I was still trying to burst from my own skin, writhing in pain on the floor.

“Buster!” The diamond dog slid down to ground level, and was greeted by the elated Fluttershy.

“Is everypony okay?” Twilight called.

“Yeah.”

“Yep.”

“Yes.”

“No.” Everyone turned to give the quaking Rainbow Dash their attention. She pointed, hoof trembling, to the corner of the room where a draconequus-shaped skeleton lay peacefully in everlasting slumber.

“Discord?” Fluttershy gasped, pulling away from Buster. “N-No... no!”

“Oh, heavens,” Rarity covered her mouth.

“Fluttershy...?”

“No!” She shoved through her friends, Buster included, to get at the cold corpse. “Oh, Discord,” she pulled the withered husk into her lap, “I wish we had more time, too.”

“Grnn...”

“Infinity,” Twilight coldly turned. The agony of these growth pains had rendered me immobile. I was unable to do anything but defiantly glare back.

“LEMME AT ‘ER!” This time it was Rainbow holding Applejack back.

“Wait... p-please?” Buster hunkered below Twilight. “Can I... talk to her?” Twilight’s piercing gaze never left me.

“Make it quick.” He nodded, and darted back to my side.

“You... ruined my life’s work,” I spat through gritted teeth.

“I’m sorry, Mistress. I just wanted to save Fluttershy... and you.”

“You didn’t save me. You KILLED me, Buster!” He winced like I had physically struck him.

“I... know. I’m sorry, Mistress. Can you... forgive me?”

“Forgive you?” I was about to let him have it, but a tiny sparkle of light caught my eye. It was coming from his pocket.

“Yes...”

“Yes?” His ears perked up, and his tail pummeled the ground.

“Come here, Buster.” I reached out to embrace him. He gleefully jumped into my arms. I sank farther into his oppressive hulk. ‘Just a little more!’ Twilight noticed my straining.

“Hey, what’re you-”

Once again, the amulet was mine! I slammed it into my neck, the clasp locking firmly into place. Buster was just starting to pull away when I fired the shot. A yelp rang sharply through the gorge.

“No! Buster!” Fluttershy moved from one corpse to the next.

“M-Mistress?” he wheezed. I glowered in return.

“Bad dog.”

“INFINITY!” Twilight’s horn was charging. I cast one age spell after the other to try and counteract the aging effects of the plunderseeds. It was enough to get me back on my hooves again, at least. I simultaneously cast the age spells while trying to summon enough energy to provide an offense of my own. The amulet let off a weak charge, while blazing magic surged from Twilight’s horn. It blasted through my shot and hit me squarely in the chest, shattering the Alicorn Amulet. Where I had tried to reverse the effects, the aging now resumed tenfold. I screamed, crumbling back to the floor.

“What’s happenin’ to ‘er?”

“She’s having a growth spurt!” Pinkie chimed.

“You... ruined... everything.”

“No. You did that to yourself.” Twilight stood over me.

“Are you going to kill me?” She shook her head.

“You did that to yourself, too.” She pointed at my withering body. I summoned enough strength to lift my head, and look back. My hooves were already so withered, I wasn’t much more than a skeleton with skin. But then they started crumbling, fading to dust, right before my eyes.

Blasted Princess Sparkle. She was always right.

Comments

[Saint Henry The Pig]

Just as much...Her plan was not enough....Good read

[Scarheart]

...and Beyond!

Sorry...thought I was finishing the title...

[Ink Trail]

Impressive story, having a villain be the main centerfold of the story? I like the idea. You deserve a follow!