Do Not Go Gentle

by ShinigamiDad

Interlude

Luna’s eyes slowly opened, taking in the sight of an endless, dimly-lit, empty gray plain. She blinked slowly, ran a hoof down her muzzle, and sat up. She saw Twilight sprawled out a few feet away, eyelids fluttering.

Twilight squeezed her eyes shut tightly, and shuddered: “I really never wanted to be here again!”

Luna nodded: “I, too, am not fond of this place. And I wonder why we are here at all.”

Twilight rolled to her side and propped her head up on her hoof: “Well, I assume, because we’re dead!”

Luna smiled: “Cleary. What I meant was, why are we still here? Reaper should have been here by now to escort us on beyond the bounds of this world.”

“Maybe he was destroyed, too,” Twilight remarked, closing her eyes, again, and laying her head back on the floor.

“A most disturbing thought,” Luna replied. “If that is true, then you and I will be stuck in this place for a very long time! And having been in exile before, I am in no hurry to experience its dismal charms again!”

Twilight rolled onto her back, wings outspread: “Yeah, I can understand that. I was just getting used to the idea of living for a really long time. I’d rather not have to get used to being dead for a really long time, now!”

Luna furrowed her brow: “Do you refer to the dream in which I found you prior to Grey Thorn’s arrival?”

Twilight folded her forelegs behind her head and stared up at the endless expanse above her: “That’s the one--the dream where I was in the graveyard looking at all my friends and their descendants’ headstones.”

Luna nodded: “It is a hard thing to see all whom you love wither away. Eventually you do begin to forget their faces. It is a bittersweet relief.”

Suddenly the space was filled with a flash of gold and crimson light, and a low, rumbling hum.

Twilight sat up: “What was that?”

Luna shrugged: “I have no idea. I have only been here briefly a few times, and I have no sense of how it operates. It reminds me in some ways of the dreamscape.”

“Sure--if the dreamscape were totally empty!” Twilight replied.

Luna nodded: “Precisely. I wonder if this “waiting room” somehow intersects with the dreamscape?”

Twilight sighed and lay back down: “That would be nice. Maybe we could figure out how to get out of here and live on through ponies’ dreams.”

Luna raised an eyebrow: “Like Moondancer’s?”

Twilight blushed: “No! Well, OK, her’s too, I guess…”

She sat up: “Hey--I didn’t make that dream! Grey Thorn put me in it as a trap!”

Luna smiled indulgently: “I know how dreams are constructed, Twilight. The most compelling and immersive are drawn, for good or ill, from the dreamer’s deepest fears and desires--both, in your case.”

“Both?”

Luna nodded: “Yes. You clearly desire the companionship and comfort Moondancer might bring, and you fear the responsibilities piled on you over these last two years. Those two streams make for a very, shall we say, robust dream!”

Twilight blushed again: “I guess 'robust' is a pretty good word for it.”

She rolled back onto her side, facing Luna, and sighed: “But it doesn’t really matter much now, I suppose...”

“Well, I’ll let you and Luna hash out the intricacies of immortality among mortals on your own time. We have business to attend to,” Reaper said, appearing suddenly between the two alicorns.

Twilight startled and scrambled backwards: “I really wish you would stop just appearing like that!”

Luna turned to Reaper: “Clearly you were not destroyed. I am relieved to see that.”

Reaper nodded: “Not for lack of trying! Between Grey Thorn, his Void, and your sister, it’s a miracle I’m here at all!”

Twilight sat up: “So what did happen? Did Grey Thorn escape? Did Celestia break through to fight him?”

“No, and damn-near,” Reaper began. “Right as you two died I was able to trigger my time suppression field.”

He turned to Luna: “You saw it used briefly when I showed you the vision of Cloud Deck’s reaping.”

She nodded: “I recall.”

“At the moment of a pony’s death, I am given all authority over that instant in time and space,” Reaper continued. “I can freeze it, allowing myself total freedom of action for a few seconds.”

He sat down next to Twilight: “And in that few seconds, I safely removed your spirits, and reaped Grey Thorn.”

Luna’s eyebrows jumped: “You reaped him within the suspended time? What then became of the now-uncontrolled Void?”

Reaper shook his head: “Not quite. I saw that Grey Thorn was a moment away from being pulled into the Void, and realized an opportunity existed to kill two birds with one stone, as it were.”

“That’s Fluttershy’s least favorite expression!” Twilight interjected, dreamily.

Reaper chuckled: “OK, not really germane here, but thanks! Anyway, I released the suppression field, and jumped into the Void with Grey Thorn, reaping him at the same time.”

Luna raised an eyebrow: “You slew him from within the Void? I thought that thing was impenetrable--like the Pit of Tartarus!”

“His creation is a very good simulacrum of the Pit, to be sure,” Reaper replied, “but, powerful and bizarre though it is, it still exists within the bounds of Equestria. And as a result, when Grey Thorn died at its heart, I had momentary dominion there, too.”

“Why are we still here?” Twilight asked, drowsily. “Don’t you have a job to finish or something? I want to go back to dreaming…”

Luna looked down at Twilight and furrowed her brow disapprovingly.

Reaper grinned: “She’s OK, Luna. This place can be pretty disorienting--it’s kind of by-design, actually.”

He tapped his chin for a moment: “Where was I? Oh, right: reaping Grey Thorn! So as he died, I was able to strip him of his body and native power, and use that (plus a not-insubstantial amount of my own power) to seal off the Void. It’s now an utterly-black sphere somewhat bigger than a bowling ball.”

“I like bowling. I’ve only gone a few times...Rainbow Dash is really good…” Twilight mumbled.

Luna rolled her eyes: “So where is it now? What of Grey Thorn? I assume he is lost.”

“No, Reaper replied, “that was my final gift to him, though I doubt he appreciates it right now. You likely saw a gold-and-red flash a bit ago?”

Luna nodded: “And a sound reminiscent of distant thunder.”

“Right,” Reaper replied, “that was his essence passing through here on its way to Tartarus.”

“Ah. And the Void?”

Reaper chewed his lip for a moment: “I used my last bit of strength to extract myself before the Void was collapsed and sealed. It settled to the floor, then passed right on through the floor as though it wasn’t even there, leaving a perfect hole.”

Luna’s eyes opened wide: “Isn’t that dangerous?”

Reaper shrugged: “Probably, but for the moment, it’s well out-of-reach. That’s a problem for another day.”

He turned toward Twilight and nudged her with his hoof. She blinked wearily a few times and tried to sit up.

“I’m awake! I’m awake!” she protested. “I was just resting my eyes!”

Reaper smiled: “It’s fine, Princess--this place is actually designed to have a kind of narcotic effect; it takes some getting used to. But we have business to attend, and the sooner the better--Celestia’s expecting me back one way or another, very shortly!”

“So what are our fates to be, Harbinger? I am ready to depart this world, having given my full measure to protect it!” Luna said, sitting up straight, raising her chin.

Reaper smiled: “Well, see there’s the problem: I’d really rather not have to remove two beings, whom most realities would recognize as demi-gods, from their native realm.”

“And, not to put too fine a point on it,” he continued, “if I don’t fix this, your sister will line me up against a wall and unleash her full fury. I’d really rather not find out if I’m as indestructible as I think I am!”

Reaper stood and helped Twilight unsteadily to her hooves: “So here’s what’s about to happen: I’m going to return the two of you to your bodies--that’s the easy part!”

He faced Luna as she stood: “Easy for me, anyway. For a brief instant, as you reinhabit your bodies, you will be in terrible distress and pain. It will only last a moment before you black out, but still…”

He turned back to Twilight and furrowed his brow: “Actually, there’s almost nothing left of you to feel anything. You look like somepony dropped a boulder on you, then dragged it and you 200 feet. I guess I’ll reinsert your essence in the biggest piece of your torso.”

He looked back at Luna apologetically: “Your neck got twisted around, severing your spine. A cleaner death than Twilight’s to be sure, but it does mean you’re going to feel your reinsertion for a few moments before you lose consciousness.”

Twilight backed away, a look of panic in her eyes: “This sounds horrible! What will become of us then?!”

“I understand completely, Twilight,” Reaper replied soothingly, “but you won’t stay that way. I’ve served Entropy for millennia, now, and I’m about to cash in some credits. I will do whatever it takes to reverse the damage and restore your bodies, no matter the cost!”

He walked away a few paces and drew his sword: “Now, if this fails, you will simply end up back here, and I will then escort you on to whatever Fate has in store. Then I will return to Equestria and let Celestia do her worst.”

“However, I think this will work,” he continued. “But be aware when it does, you’re likely to feel as though you’ve just died and been born at the same time--it’s going to be very unpleasant!”

Luna looked and Twilight, then nodded solemnly: “We understand, and are prepared for whatever awaits us!”

Reaper smiled, then suddenly stepped forward and kissed each alicorn on the forehead.

He returned back to his previous position, and raised his glowing sword in front of him: “No matter what happens, it’s been an honor working with your Highnesses! Now let’s get out of here!”

The three ponies disappeared silently, and without a trace.

Comments

[Da Fennec]

Dang it another cliff hanger. Though I assume if Death fails and is destroyed by Celestia a new Death will have to be chosen and all of Equestria will hope Celestia doesn't go totally insane with the death of Twilight and Luna.