The Bill-inning

by EmperorDalek

Chapter 47

The End

---

Nothing

That was all Velvet saw, until the white color flashed in her eyes.

Jump-starting her conciousness, before then flashing in on itself.

Her eyes shooting wide-open and loudly gasping.

Heavilly panting as she sat up-right on the ground.

Her head snapping in various directions as she examined her surroundings.

Her brows jumping as she noticed that she was back in the Everfree Castle!

"What the-?" Velvet asked confused.

Furrowing her brows as she slowly looked around the room.

"W-what just happened!?" she asked befuddled. "Where is everyone!? What happened to the castle!? What happened to...everything!?" she asked.

Her eyes immediatly widened, and she quickly stood back up on her hooves as she heard movement beside her.

Velvet's horn glowed with a powerful blast, intended to destroy who or whatever she'd heard...but as she saw the familiar figures sleeping on the floor, her eyes widened and she gasped.

Disabling the spell, and stumbling back away from the six colts and five fillies laying unconcious on the floor.

"No! I-it cannot be-!" she said, her voice breaking as she struggled with acknowledgeing that anything she was seeing was real.

"Night Light? Cookie Crumbles? Pear Butter?" she asked the sleeping ponies.

"I-is this real!?" Velvet asked herself.

"A-are you real!?" she asked, stuttering as she looked down towards Night Light.

Velvet, then, gasped eratically as she watched not only Night Light, but Cookie, Pear, and everyone else begin shifting in place.

Smacking their lips and opening their eyes as they awoke.

Velvet's jaw hanging slack, and her eyes bulged wide enough that they threatened to pop out of her sockets.

Slowly turning her head back and forth as she looked at all her friends.

Once dead, but now alive!

Night rubbed the back of his neck and yawned, as if he'd just awoken from a long sleep.

Smacking his lips, he turned towards Velvet and smiled.

"Hey, Velvet...what's going on?" Night asked, looking around the room.

Turning his head, and looking behind him towards the rest of their friends.

"Why were we all lying down on the floor?" he asked, before turning back to face Velvet.

Looking into her eyes for the first time in...hours.

Unable to look away, Velvet stared intently into his.

She soon smiled overjoyed, and ran up towards him. Embracing him in a tight hug.

Night was taken aback at the hug.

Not that he minded the hug. It was just a little surprising to go from being concious to suddenly lying down on the floor, and Velvet hugging him.

It felt as if some things were missing.

"Um, Velvet, are you okay?" he asked.

Velvet's eyes shoot open, and she pulled away from him.

Shooting him a stern glance, which more or less made made his brows jump.

"What?" he asked confused, and a little scared.

Then, she abruptly hugged him again. Even tighter than the first time.

Clenching her eyes shut.

"Don't you ever scare me like that again!" she sobbed.

Night just blinked in response.

"Um, okay, Velvet?" he replied confused.

"If I ever do what I did wrong, i'll try to not do it again," Night said.

Velvet's eye shot open, and she furrowed her brows confused.

Gently pulling back away Night, and shooting him a confused stare.

"W-what do you mean ''if I ever do''?" Velvet asked, "Don't you remember what happened back in Bill's castle?"

Night's eyes widened, but still he continued giving her the same dumbfounded stare.

"Whose Bill?" he asked.

Velvet released her grip on Night, and slowly backed away from him.

"No! No...!"

She shook her head in denial.

"You've forgotten...everything!" Velvet said.

Her voice breaking as she backed away from Night Light.

Her eyes wide as a lone tear ran down along her cheek...

Behind Velvet, though, a triangular silhouette appeared behind her.

Night and the rest of their friends gasped as they noticed the dark figure behind Velvet.

Sniffling, Velvet furrowed her brows confused as she noticed Night and the rest of their friends backing away from her.

All of them looking towards something behind her.

Turning around, Velvet gasped as she froze in her tracks.

Her eyes widening as she looked up towards...

"Bill Cipher!?" Velvet exclaimed in a horrified tone.

Watching in stunned awe as Bill hovered in front of her.

Her brow furrowed.

Scowling down at her, before he softly chuckled.

"Your friend Discord may have killed me, thus allowing you to destroy the projector...but in destroying the projector, you may have undone all the hard work I put into that alternate timeline, at the cost of bringing me back!" Bill explained.

His eye flaring outwards at the end.

Grinning, Bill looked behind Velvet towards her friends.

Taking a particular notice to Night.

"Although, it appears that not everyone was brought back," he said in a softly mocking tone.

Velvet's head snapped back towards Night.

Briefly staring at his frightened face, before looking back up towards Bill.

"N-no!" Velvet protested. "We stopped you!"

Bill just scoffed at her.

Softly chuckling back.

"Foolish child, you didn't defeat me!" he said, "At best, you caused a great set-back, but not neither you or Discord had the power to slay me forever!"

Bill said, holding his hands behind his back as he smirked back at her.

Gritting her teeth, Velvet glared furiously at the dream demon...

"Maybe not...but I do!" a voice echoed around the room.

Velvet, Night and everyone looked behind them.

All of them startled by the voice, aside from Bill who just looked up.

"Hm?" he reacted...

*KA-Chunk!*

However, everyone from Velvet's friends and Night to Velvet, herself, flinched as the tip of a sword suddenly pierced Bill's body.

Slicing his bowtie down the center.

Bill's eye shot wide-open, and he grunted as he looked down at the blade.

However, in looking down towards the tip, the blade was only pushed deeper into his body.

Blood had already begun running from his wound, and dripping onto the floor.

The figure behind him frowned at the blood dripping onto the floor...and with swiftly slashed the sword upwards. Carving him into two halves, whose halves peeled out to the side.

Bill's motionless body down and slammed into the floor.

Velvet and the rest of the fillies yelping as Bill hit the floor...but their jaws aburptly hung slack as they saw Celestia standing behind him.

"Princess Celestia!" Velvet squeeled in both relief and happiness.

Holding the sword behind her back, Celestia smiled as she looked up towards Velvet and the rest of her friends.

"Velvet, so good to see you!" Celestia said in that warm, motherly voice of hers.

Velvet just nodded back.

Her mouth opening, yet she struggled for a couple moments to find the right words.

"I just...didn't know where you'd ended up after time re-set itself," Velvet said.

Celestia gently nodded back.

"I had a hunch that was what had happened after I awoke in the Badlands, when I first confronted Aku," she replied.

Velvet's eyes widened as she nervously stared at the princess.

As if reading her mind, Celestia just softly chuckled and said, "Don't worry. I didn't confront him this time."

Calming Velvet, who exhaled relieved.

Celestia's smile gently contorted into a soft frown.

"However, when I realized what had happened I hurried back here. Retrieving the Blade of Harmony," she said, smiling as she raised the sword into the air.

Drawing Velvet and everyone's attention...

***

Meanwhile, in a far-away cave, Luna's eye shot open.

Loudly screaming as she jumped up to her hooves.

Firing magical blasts around her as she didn't know where she was...but soon stopped when she realized where she was;

It was the cave that she'd sought shelter in after her battle with Celestia.

"Wh-wha-?" Luna asked confused.

Turning her head and looking back out the cave, she furrowed her brows as she trotted outside.

Stopping just outside the entrance, where she looked around her surroundings.

Befuddled by how she'd gone from arriving a that strange castle to returning to the cave she'd sought shelter in.

"Have I...travelled back in time? Is that even possible?" she thought aloud.

"I best return to the castle so I can contact Bill and ask him about what's happened in my absence," Luna said to herself.

Unfurling and beating her wings, Luna flew up into the air.

Making a U-turn as she flew back towards the Castle of the Two Sisters.

If she could just get ahold of the book Bill had given her, and Celestia had taken, she might be able to contact him.

It was worth a shot, right?

***

Back in the Castle of the Two Sisters, a dark silhouette observed Celestia's interaction with Velvet and the others fillies and colts.

Smirking as it craned its head upwards, and extended its hand out in front of it.

Holding its hand out towards the battle...

*A second later*

Back inside the castle, the wall behind Celestia suddenly exploded.

Sending a shockwave that knocked her, Velvet, Night and the others off their hooves on the ground.

Knocking the Blade of Harmony from Celestia's grasp onto the floor.

Recovering faster than the fillies and colts, Celestia immediatly looked up towards the cracked wall.

Seeing only a hole where the wall used to be, and a dark silhouette with horns and two smaller horns, curved shoulders, and a robe-like body.

She furrowed her brows as a familiar droning sound filled the room.

Velvet, Night and the others groaned as they sat up.

Rubbing their aching heads with their hooves.

Standing back up on their hooves, Night's eyes widened as he noticed the darkly silhouetted figure out of the corner of his eye.

Gasping, before he backed away towards Celestia.

Cookie and the rest of their friends did the same as they soon recovered from the explosion. Velvet included.

All of them back up towards Celestia for protection, save for Velvet.

Velvet gasped and flinched as she saw the dark figure, but unlke the rest she didn't move an inch from her spot.

Instead, she stared the dark figure down. Much to the dark figure's enjoyment.

Smirking as it watched her defiance.

"Velvet, get back now!" Celestia called out to her.

Floating inside the ruined wall, the dark figure smirked as it landed in front of Velvet.

Velvet, though, gasped as she saw the figure's face much clearer.

Seeing a red beard, fangs that curved outwards...and a green hat, bowtie, and a single eye with a flaming brow!

It also dawned on her that the figure's head was triangle-shaped!

"No!" Velvet said softly, slowly backing away from the fiend. "B-but Celestia just destroyed you!"

"Hello to you too Velvet," Bill said, furrowing his brows as his smirk intensified.

Missing what he said, Velvet just stared at him in shocked awe.

"B-b-b-but Celestia just-"

"Cut me in half?" Bill swiftly interrupted her.

"Yes, well, that was all a part of the plan," he said, extending a clawed hand towards the Blade of Harmony.

Calling it to him, which he gripped tightly.

"I couldn't attack her while she possessed this old thing," he said, shifting his attention from Velvet towards the blade.

"This...very old thing," he said, sounding almost emotional for a moment as he turned and walked away from Velvet.

Holding one behind his back as he examined the blade.

Celestia, Velvet, Night and the rest of the fillies and colts following him with their eyes.

Bill then stopped in his tracks.

Furrowing his brows as he stared intent at the blade.

"Hmm. Unfortunatly, it seems that someone's been tampering with the blade in my absence," he grumbled, looking back over his shoulder towards Celestia.

He furrowed his brows as he glared at her.

"Was it you?! Did you change these?!" he sternly asked, holding the sword out and pointing his finger at the seven gems in the hilt.

Furrowing her own brows, Celestia just glared back at him.

Refusing to answer him.

Intensifying his glare at her refusal to answer him, Bill stood back up.

His glare rapidly shifting into a smirk.

"It doesn't matter. Your reign is over before it even begins, princess," Bill said.

Celestia just scoffed back at him.

"Aren't we forgetting something, Cipher? Everything you did has been undone, and Equestria has been restored!" Celestia said, smirking confidently.

"True, but you forget that I wield the sword!" he shouted, thrusting his arm out in front of him.

Pointing it towards the ceiling, just as a clap of thunder was heard outside.

Dark clouds appeared above the castle, and a single thunderbolt shot down!

The ceiling exploded as the thunderbolt shot directly into the Blade of Harmony!

Electrifying the blade, while the brunt of the lightningbolt continued moving down through the blade towards hilt.

Electrifying the multi-colored gem in the hilt, until the glass cover cracked.

Smirking, he gripped the blade tighter.

Closing his eye as shadows moved out of his fingers into the gem.

Deluding all of the colors until the gem was transparent, devoid of any color.

Instead, the gem filled with a swirling black mass.

As the electric energy went into the blade, Bill gasped and his eye widened.

Breathing shaken, Bill panted as he held out the sword in front of him.

Smirking as he saw the gem in the hilt.

Gently breathing like normal as he looked back towards Celestia.

"Behold, O' Princess of Equestria, for I am Baku!" Baku shouted as he held his arms out beside him.

Celestia, the fillies' and colts' eyes widened as looks of pure terror settled on their faces.

All of them staring blankly at the humanoid.

"Once lost, now returned!" he shouted, thrusting his arm out and pointing the sword's tip towards Celestia.

Quickly reeling himself back, before he lunged right towards Celestia.

Rapidly transforming into an amorphous mass of shadows that shot straight towards her.

Celestia's brows jumped, but thinking fast she did the only thing she could; charge her horn.

She fired a magical blast at Baku, but merely upon impact with the shadows. Hardly damaging it!

Gasping, Celestia quickly lowered herself towards the floor, before kicking-off and leaping towards the ceiling.

Crashing through the ceiling as she flew up, higher and higher away from the castle.

Sharply, the shadow flew straight up.

Crashing through the ceiling, the shadows pursued after Celestia into the sky.

Running out onto the balcony, Velvet, Night, and the others looked up into the sky.

While they struggle at first, they soon spot Celestia far-away in the sky.

After that, they easily spot Baku as he flies after her.

Up in the sky, Celestia looked behind her and saw Baku's amorphous shadow.

Sharp tendrills whipped behind him as he flew after her.

Furrowing her brows, Celestia glared back down at him.

Watching an eye appear along the shadow's front.

Furrowing its brow, the eye glowed brighter. Charging a beam it fired up towards Celestia.

Celestia's brow jumped at the sudden attack, but she quickly spun around. Making a U-turn in mid-air as she flew back down towards Baku.

Taken aback by her sudden turn, Baku's brow jumped.

Reacting too slow as Celestia speeds past him back towards the castle.

Rapidly thrusting its tendrils out to the side, Baku unfurls organic flaps that slowed his pace.

Stopping in mid-air, the flaps quickly fold back into his amorphous mass as he flew down after Celestia.

Picking up the pace again as he flew after her.

Despite speeding back down towards the castle, Celestia turned her head and looked back up behind her.

Seeing the shadow speed towards her.

Its lone eye staring directly at her.

Frowning annoyed, she grunted as she swiftly re-oriented herself in mid-air.

Flying on her back, so her horn was pointed up.

Her horn soon glowed as she charged up a magical blast.

Not even hesitating before she rapidly fired multiple blasts up at the shadow.

The eye vanished back into the mass, but the shadow took the blasts head-on.

Unharmed by the attack.

The eye shortly returned.

Looking straight ahead towards its target.

Re-orientering herself so she flew straight, Celestia made a sharp 90' degree turn.

Both Celestia and Baku flew away from the castle out towards the Everfree Forest.

Above the Everfree Forest, Baku furrowed his brow and resumed firing the eye-beams after her.

However, she just shifted position so that she was above the beam.

Flying eratically in order to evade him.

Giving him very little to estimate her next move.

Angrilly furrowing his brow, Baku continues firiing the eye-beams but increases his pace.

Flying straight towards her, whilst allowing her to think she's merely evading his attacks.

However, due to her eratic flying, he has to fly eratically as well which threw off his arm.

Due to all the constant misses, that frankly don't even look like they're trying, lead Celestia to look behind her.

Though, seeing Baku made her gasp and her brows jump!

Baku's eye silently blinked as he caught up to the white alicorn.

As time slowed, Celestia watched as Baku extended his tendrils out towards her.

Unfurling the flaps around her as the tendrils reached out around her!

Celestia's eyes widened as the flaps closed in around her, but looking out infront of her she watched the tendrils as they closed in around her!

Furrowing her brows as she charged magic into her horn...and teleported outside.

Quickly looking back down at Baku, before, with a sharp beat of her wings, she flew away.

The tendrils and flaps folded back into place, and Baku's torso emerged at the front.

Turning his head, he furrowed his brow as he watched Celestia fly away from him.

Holding his arms against his body, he flew changed course and flew straight towards the white Alicorn.

Abruptly furrowing her brows in confusion as she heard a crackling noise, Celestia turned her head.

Her brows jumped and eyes widened as she saw Baku come flying straight for her.

Noticing in particular that he'd assumed his humanoid form.

Holding the Blade of Harmony out beside him, ready to strike!

Though, at seeing the blade an idea popped into her head.

An idea, that despite its insanity, could actually work...!

"Whoa!" Celestia exclaimed as Baku slashed the blade down towards her waist...yet missed as she quickly curled herself up into a ball.

Letting the wind pull her back away from him, though, not too much as she quickly unfurled her wings.

Kicking her hind leg out towards his hand, and kicked the blade up into the air!

Celestia's brows widened as she watched the blade fly out of his hand.

Shooting straight up into the air.

Quickly flapping her wings, she flew straight up into the air towards the blade...and grabbed it!

The shadow in the hilt glowing, orange, butter-yellow, white, lavender, pink, cyan, and red!

"Yes!" Celestia exclaimed aloud to herself.

"NO!" she heard Baku exclaim, underneath her.

Looking down, she watched him change course. Flying straight up towards her.

Holding the blade out in front of her face, she smirked as she saw her reflection.

Raising her hooves and holding the sword out above her head, she folded her wings back against her body.

Falling out of the air back down towards the surface.

The wind rushing past her as she looked out in front of her.

Smirking as she saw Baku in front of her, getting closer and closer.

Outstretching his hand as he flew straight towards her.

Mare and demon getting closer and closer as the seconds pass by in the blink of an eye...and then, contact!

A shockwave shot out across the landscape, before several explosions appeared in the sky.

Generating much smaller, but no less powerful shockwaves that shook the ground.

Tremors shook the earth, and cracks and fissures tore open in the surface.

Velvet, Night and the others watched in stunned awe as countless explosions lit up the skies!

Celestia and Baku rapidly appearing and dis-appearing as they punched at each other.

Each of their punches igniting explosions that shook the earth.

Though, neither of them was able to land a significant blow on the other.

Finally shouting towards the other as they lunged at each other.

Delivering a final punch that triggered a blinding explosion of light.

Blinding Velvet, Night and their friends, who only felt the final shockwave that passed over them.

Lowering their hooves, Velvet, Night and the others only watched as a something flew straight through the air towards the castle.

Following it with their eyes as it flew through the air.

Gasping as they realized that it was Celestia.

Neither of them able to do anything before the princess' body slammed into the ground.

The Blade of Harmony nowhere to be seen.

"PRINCESS CELESTIA!" Velvet screamed down towards the area where Celestia's body hit.

Not even noticing the dark silhouette hovering in the air.

Staring back down...with the Blade of Harmony in his grasp.

Meanwhile, a hooded humanoid stood by a cave entrance, and silently stared up towards Baku.

Blankly looking up at the demon as his shadows blew in the wind.

Turning around, she turned and walked back inside her cave...

Back inside the throne room, Velvet, Night and the rest of their friend's attention snapped up into the sky as they heard the clap of thunder!

All of them gasping as they saw Baku grasping the Blade of Harmony in his hand.

Narrowing his eyes, Baku floated down towards Celestia's defeated body.

Landing on the ground while Celestia coughed as she sat up in the hole.

Looking up in front of her at Baku, whom merely smirked back at the equine princess.

Piercing the dirt with the blade, he held his hand out towards her.

Telekinetically lifting her body out of the hole, and suspending her body in front of him.

Opening his hand as he thrust his arm at her, Celestia's body was sent flying backwards.

Painfully slamming her body against a wall, which Baku just intensified his smirk.

Clenching his fist, he let his arm hang down beside his body. Dropping Celestia to the ground, which caused her to utter a painful grunt as her body slammed against the ground.

While standing back up, Baku walked up behind her and grabbed her neck.

Gently lifting her up off the ground, he turned her around to face him.

Celestia's scowl meeting Baku's (scowl) for a brief moment, before he pulled his arm back and threw her through the air.

Again, she roughly slammed against the ground.

"GET UP, PRINCESS!" she heard Velvet call out to her from the balcony.

Celestia tried standing up, but froze as she heard a soft *WHOSH* behind her. Followed by a tall shadow falling over her.

Biting her lip, Celestia tried to run away, but Baku was too quick, and grabbed her neck again.

Once again, throwing her through the air, but thrust his hand upwards.

Causing a rectangular wall (comprised of dirt) to shoot up from the ground. Allowing Celestia's body to slam against it.

Lowering his arm, the wall retracted back into the earth.

Again, Celestia grunted as her body fell down and slammed against ground.

Gently lifting into the air, Baku hovered towards the grounded princess.

intensifying his smirk as he knew that Velvet and her friends watched him.

Watching the blade fly out of the ground into Baku's hand, Velvet finally couldn't sit back anymore.

She immediatly turned around and looked back at her friends.

"We've got to do something! We cannot let him kill the princess!" Velvet shouted at her friends.

Cookie huffed, trying to find the right words to say.

Hanging her jaw slack as she turned her head and looked towards Night and the rest of their friends.

"What do you expect us to do?" Cookie asked.

"If the princess couldn't even defeat him, how are we supposed to do anything! We're children!" she shouted back at Velvet.

Extending and pointing her hoof out towards Celestia.

Velvet looked back out.

Staring at Baku as he hovers closer and closer towards Celestia.

Struggling to find the words to assure her friends that this is a battle they can win, when the oppisite is true.

Cookie is right.

They're just children going up against a literal demon.

How are they supposed to fight that, much less win?

"I-I-!" Velvet stuttered, when she heard another voice speak to her.

"Was what Baku said true?" Night asked.

Turning her head, Velvet looked towards him.

"What?"

"What Baku said about you stopping him?" Night asked, raising a brow at her.

"Well, I-" Velvet stuttered as Cookie and the rest of their friends attention fell on her.

"No, I didn't specifically defeat him, but-" she said, before stopping mid-sentence as a revelation dawned on her.

First, she furrowed her brows confused, before unfurrowing them. Widening her eyes as she looked back up towards Night, Cookie and the others.

"That's it!" Velvet exclaimed.

"What? Do you remember how you defeated Baku?" Cookie asked as a breeze blew over them.

Velvet's eyes widening further as she realized what had to be done to save not only the princess but also Equestria!

"No, because I didn't defeat Baku!" Velvet replied in a soft yet excited tone.

Earning her many a confused looks from Cookie, Night and the others.

"But then, how did you defeat-?" Cookie asked, before Velvet interrupted her.

"Because I didn't, ponies did!" she said.

"Equestrians as a whole managed to defeat Baku...despite all his powers!" Velvet said, "Equestrians resisted his evil. Equestrians raised the army and gathered the allies from all over Equestria. And it was an Equestrian who destroyed the projector and returned everything to the way its supposed to be! Don't you see?!" she asked.

"Baku doesn't just fear the princess...but every Equestrian, for he knows that just one, if not a few of us, are enough to undo everything he's done!" she continued.

Cookie turned back towards the other fillies and colts, while Night stared at Velvet in stunned awe.

Having never heard such optimism, other than...Princess Celestia, herself!

Velvet turned her head towards him and smiled. Night smiled back.

Back outside the castle, Baku stopped in front of Celestia's weak body.

Smiling down at her while she glared up at him.

Lights started behind Baku, and three ghostly humanoids appeared.

Watching from a distance, several figures watched.

One such figure had spiky hair, green skin, and wore red and black robes.

Another was a much taller humanoid female clad in crimson armor, and wearing a crown with three faintly translucent gems inside it.

And another was a masked humanoid wearing green robes, a golden chestplate and a large helmet that covered the wearer's face. The helmet's face resembling an angry shouting face.

However, the three figures were surprised when they were joined by a fourth figure.

The newcomer wore dark robes, and sprouted a long beard from an almost skeletal face. Wearing a crimson crown atop his head, and wielding a staff with his right hand, and a glowing, crackling sphere in his left hand.

The other ghosts looked at each other confused. Shocked by this particular's presence.

After exchanging confused looks with each other, they shrugged their shoulders and shifted their attention back towards Baku.

"This is the end of the line for you, princess," Baku said, "I would salute you as a worthy adversary and all that, but the truth is you were only an obstacle for me to overcome so I could secure the keys to the kingdom..."

Looking back over his shoulder, he smiled as he saw the mountain that would've one day supported an entire city along its mountainside.

"However, all unfortunate things must eventually come to an end," Baku finished.

"T-there will always be someone to stand against you, B-baku!" Celestia spat, coughing.

"Then i'll just have to destroy you all...!" Baku shouted, swiftly raising the blade up above his bed.

The blade gleaming in what little sunlight was still visible.

Meanwhile, back inside the castle, Cookie turned back towards Velvet.

A determined look on her face as she nodded her head.

"Okay, Velvet, we're with you," Cookie said.

Velvet smiled overjoyed.

"Great! Then, quickly, we need to hold hooves!" Velvet said, holding out her hooves towards Cookie and Night.

They looked at each other, uncertain at first, but then furrowed their brows. Getting a determined look on their face as they nodded at each other.

Velvet took Night's hoof. Pear Butter took Bright Mac's hoof. Igneous Rock and Cloudy Quartz. Cookie Crumbles took Hondo Flanks' hoof. Windy Whistles took Bow Hothoof's hoof. And the two other Pegasus filly and colt took each other's hooves. Forming a circle with the others.

A lone spark then shoots through each of the fillies and colts as they grab each other's hooves.

A blue aura appeared around Velvet, Night, and everyone of their friends.

The floor glowed as blue symbols appeared. Forming a wheel with six boxes inside it, and a Bill Cipher symbol at the center.

Each pair of fillies and colts stood inside their own box, which had a specific symbol inside it;

For Night and Velvet it was a large star with many smaller stars around it.

Pear and Bright it was three apples.

Windy and Bow it was a cloud with a thunderbolt.

Igneous and Cloudy it was three ballons.

Cookie and Hondo it was three diamonds.

And the two Pegasi it was three butterflies.

Each symbol floated up from the floor, and appeared behind each pair.

The auras around each pair changed into different colors;

Orange!

Cyan!

Pink!

Purple!

Butter Yellow!

And Lavender!

Velvet, Night and the others clenching their eyes shut, before suddenly shooting them wide-open.

Now, brightly glowing from the energy flowing through them!

A beam shoots out from each pair towards the center, where the various spun around. Forming a rainbow-colored streak, before shooting up into the sky.

The rainbow beam crashed through the ceiling and shot up into the sky, before it arched down towards Baku and Celestia.

Hitting both.

Freezing both Baku and Celestia in place as the Blade of harmony' gem glowed orange, cyan, pink, purple, butter yellow and lavender.

Brightly glowing, even as the rainbow beam vanished and time resumed as normal.

Back inside the castle, Velvet, Night, Cookie and the others collapsed onto the floor.

The lights and symbols vanished.

With an evil grin, Baku thrust the sword down towards Celestia's chest...only for the blade to bounce off her chest!

"WHAT!?" the three ghostly figures exclaimed, with the fourth ghosts' brows jumping in reaction to the scene before them.

Baku's irises shrunk, and his flaming brows put themselves out.

Celestia's brows gently widened.

Silently looking down at her unharmed chest.

A wind blew across the landscape as Baku stared down at Celestia's chest, before he tried stabbing her again...and again...and again.

Stabbing her a couple more times before his mouth hung slack.

"AHHH!" Baku soon exclaimed as the blade burned his hand.

Causing him to drop the blade, which Celestia caught in mid-air.

Reinvigorating her strength upon contact with the blades' hilt.

Giving her the strength to stand back up on her hooves.

Celestia's mane and tail blew in the wind as she scowled up at Baku, who gently backed away from the alicorn.

"HOW!? HOW!?" Baku shouted as his eyebrow returned.

The ghosts watched as a hooded figure walked up behind Celestia and put its on the mare's forehead. Celestia's eyes glowed white as a result.

"Even you have forgotten that the sword was forged in purity and strength," Celestia said in a deeper monotone as a voice spreaks through her.

Baku furrowed his brows, before his attention gravitated down towards the blade's hilt. His eyes widening as he saw the gem.

"No!" he said softly, slowly backing away from Celestia.

"...It can only be used for good. In the hands of evil it can never harm an innocent, and so Baku, it no longer serves you...but it will harm YOU!"

Baku's eyes widened shocked but before he could open his mouth to speak the hooded figure removed her hand from Celestia's forehead. Changing the mare's eyes back to normal...and she didn't hesitate before lunging towards the demon!

Landing in front of the demon as he quickly backed away from her, and started slashing the blade his lower body!

Unlike before, the blade cut through his dark skin. Leaving smoldering wounds that burned away his skin.

Extending his arms out beside him, he shot several tendrills at her...but the furious mare slashed the tendrils with the blade.

Cutting them to pieces before they even got close!

"NNOOOOO...!" Baku screamed as she ran the blade through the tendrils like a knife through butter.

She leapt at him and cut his lower half, causing him to fall down on his back against the ground.

"ARGH!" Baku exclaimed as Celestia jumped onto his chest and impaled the sword in his chest and ran up along his body.

Creating a wide-open, smoldering gash throughout the center of his body.

"AAAAAAAARRRGH!" he screamed as Celestia sliced along the center of his body...

However, before she's able to cut his entire body, Baku slashed his right arm out towards her.

Noticing his attack, she jumped up into the air...only for him to punc her with his left hand.

Sending her flying back through the air away from him. Spinning, before she lands on her hooves.

Sword in hoof, her head shot back up towards Baku. Watching as he gets back up, holding his burning chest tight with one hand.

Demon and Equestrian met the other's gaze as they both scowled at each other.

Baku panted, while groaning from the injuries burning away at his body.

Celestia just furrowed her brows and briefly smirked, before she swiftly pulled herself back and then, suddenly, lunged herself into the air.

"NYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA...!"

Celestia screamed aloud as she raised the blade back over her head...before thrusting downwards and impaling it into Baku's head!

Baku's eye widened, his iris shrunk, and his flaming eyebrow was put out for a final time.

Grunting aloud, Celestia slashed the blade down through the center of Baku's face.

Slicing his face in half, which folds outwards.

Freezing Baku's face in a silent screaming expression.

His body creaked as it froze in place. Petrified.

Celestia, though, soon heard a faint but rapidly growing high-pitched sound. Drawing her attention down towards Baku's head, where she'd impaled him, and her eyes widened as she saw a faint golden light.

The light grew brighter, until it suddenly erupted out from the two halves of Baku's head!

The force of the beam was so strong it knocked Celestia back away. Causing her to lose her grip on the blade, and slam against a stone wall.

Falling to the ground, before she quickly looked back up towards Baku.

Watching as the golden energy spiraled outwards as it climbed into the sky. Eventually stopping at a certain altitude, where it began spiraling in towards the center space directly above Baku's body.

Amidst the golden light, she watched blue lights fly out of his head as well. Moving through the golden current towards the center.

Though, she only saw a few blue lights before she saw no more.

The wind swirled around Baku's motionless body as the golden energy left his body. Getting faster and faster, before soon slowing its pace. Dissipating completly.

As the final blue reached the center of the spiral above Baku, the golden energy trailed out of Baku's head.

The golden beams' tail vanished inch by inch as it moved up towards the spiral. Following it all the way towards the spirals' center, where at reaching the end exploded into a blinding light!

Once the light subsided, Celestia looked back up towards Baku...only to gasp as she watched his skin turn to stone.

Petrifying his body in place as it was when she impaled the sword along his head.

A faint blue light shined out of the point in his sliced head where the Blade of Harmony had impaled him, before the blade fell out.

Clattering against the ground at Celestia's hooves.

A silent wind blew across the landscape as Celestia stood motionless staring up towards the petrified demon.

Smiling overjoyed to herself as Baku was finally defeated!

After Celestia picked up the Blade of Harmony, she turned around and flew back towards the castle.

Failing to notice a hooded figure that watched her from a nearby cave entrance.

The hooded figure watched Celestia fly past the cave, but soon turned her head and looked out towards the Everfree Forest.

Specifically, a blue alicorn that hovered over the trees, before it flew down into the forest...

***

"Its over!" she thought aloud to herself, before an overjoyed smile spread across her face...

Back inside the castle, Velvet stirred as she felt something warm on her face.

Opening her eyes, she sat up-right and gasped as she saw it was the sunlight breaking through the dark clouds.

Watching Night, Cookie and the others stand up, a shadow fell upon Velvet.

She noticed the shadow and turned around. Seeing Celestia standing over her.

"Is it over?" Velvet asked.

Celestia smiled back, and gently nodded her head.

"Its over. Baku is dead," she said.

Velvet gasped, shaken by the news but in a good way. An uplifting way.

Standing up on her hooves, she was about to turn around to face Celestia when she heard a voice behind her.

"Velvet!"

She sharply turned around and smiled happily as she saw Night.

"Night!" Velvet exclaimed, before she ran over towards him.

Running towards Velvet, the two unicorns embraced.

Hugging each other for what felt like an eternity with Celestia smiling at the filly and colt.

Impressed by their determination in these dark days...especially Velvet.

---

And so it was that following that the Defeat of Baku, Celestia and Velvet, Night, Cookie and the rest of their friends returned to Equestria as heroes.

Bringing with them the statue of Baku back as proof of the great battle they'd fought while the world had come close to ending.

While most of the Equine population and the rest of the world celebrated Celestia's final battle with Baku, Celestia and Velvet would be the only individuals to remember the real battle they'd fought in the alternate timeline against Bill Cipher and his minions.

Empress Pollus and her nearby Changeling forces were driven back to their now-destroyed and desolate kingdom.

Without the power of the demon, Baku/Bill Cipher, they dared not to attack the Equestrians for fear of Celestia's wrath!

If she could defeat Baku, himself, then how could they hope to defeat her?

Princess Luna went missing...but her body was never recovered.

Luna had simply...vanished!

***

Fifty years later, the originally small city of Canterlot has become a flourishing gem sitting along the mountainside.

A marble city that has for the last fifty years shined in the sunlight of a free world.

A world that has flourished under Celestia's leadership since she became the sole ruler after Luna vanished.

Earning her great recognition amidst Canterlot's elite, who originally never believed that Celestia's younger sister ever possessed the power needed to lift a celestial body like she did. Always suspecting that Celestia did it to make her sister feel wanted.

At present, a hooded figure is making its way through the busy streets of Equestria's capital city.

Raising its head, the hooded figure looked up towards the massive towers.

The figure's attention, though, abruptly shifted towards another part of the castle where it furrowed its brows as it watched Celestia's silhouette trotting down a hallway. Talking to what appears to be the captain of the royal guard.

Ignoring her, the hooded figure moves on. Continuing towards its destination...

Arriving at its destination, a hooded figure makes its way down through the Canterlot Gardens.

Rounding several corners, it proceeded through the gardens. Occasionally looking around its surroundings towards the various plants and shrubbery that's growing everywhere...

However, after some time, she notices something more than just plants; statues.

Many of them placed here and there throughout the gardens.

One of these statues is the infamous Lord of Chaos, himself; Discord.

Stopping at his statue, the hooded figure looked up towards the petrified Draconequus...

***

"Hey teacher, what is that thing?"

The hooded figure heard a filly's voice behind a hedge.

She rounded the corner, and saw a group of fillies and colts with, what she pressumed, to be their teacher.

The hooded figures' brows jumped as she saw the statue the filly had pointed at. A specific statue by the looks of things.

The teacher trotted up beside the filly, along with the rest of the class, and looked up towards the statue.

"Oh yes, i'd almost forgotten about this one," the teacher said, looking back over her shoulder towards the class.

"Listen up class, this is a very special statue, this one. Can anyone tell me what and/or who its depicting?" the teacher asked.

From amidst the group a hoof shot up almost immediatly.

"Yes, Twilight?" the teacher asked the lavender unicorn.

Everyone in the group, including the hooded figure, and the teacher looked towards Twilight.

"Ahem," Twilight coughed into her hoof, "This statue is Baku, the Dark Lord, or as somepony refeers to him, The Demon," she said. "A demon, that according to legend, send a wave of energy to purge Equestria of all life," Twilight explained.

The teacher smiled as she nodded back at the filly.

"But he didn't succeed did he, Twilight?"

Twilight smiled and shook her head.

"Nope! The Princess stopped him, once with the energy wave, and then again when he tried to take her down. Both of which failed, resulting in him getting turned to stone," Twilight replied.

"Correct," the teacher said, before she looked back up towards the group.

"Now, would anypony like to explain what made Baky a particulary dangerous foe?" she asked.

Again, Twilight raised her hoof.

The teacher chuckled and rolled her eyes.

"Twilight?" she said.

"Baku was dangerous because, even for a demon, he possessed incredible powers that rivaled even Discord, himself," Twilight explained.

Several colts and fillies' brows jumped, and they started murmuring amongst themselves.

A nervous tone in their voices as they talked about Twilight's response.

"He could shapeshift into whatever form he wanted, manipulate reality," Twilight continued, " he could manipulate reality, and my mom said he even had a particulary dangerous device known as ''the projector''." Twilight said, which didn't exactly calm her classmates' nerves.

Knowing that she had to say something to cheer them up, she continued. Saying, "But for all his power, there was one weapon that could harm him; the Blade of Harmony, which is the weapon Celestia used to turn him to stone."

The chatter amongst her classmates ceased and they all sighed in relief, which Twilight smiled at.

"Even Baku, himself is quoted as saying that the Blade of Harmony was, quote "The most dangerous sword i've had in my castle" Implying that he not only held the Blade of Harmony with his own hands at one point, but that he also resided somewhere in Equestria!" Twilight added.

The teacher smiled back at the little filly and pumped her hoof at Twilight.

"Precisely, Twilight!" she said, "The Blade of the Harmony was the only weapon Celestia had that could've even scratched Baku. Anything else would've been a fruitess effort."

The teacher raised a hoof to her chin as she thought something over.

"Hmm! I wonder if I should just put you in charge of classes today," the teacher joked, pointing her hoof at Twilight.

The class chuckled at the joke, though, Twilight just smiled and rolled her eyes.

Shaking her head as she, her classmates and teacher trotted off to see the rest of the garden.

Passing by the bush that she was hiding behind, the hooded figure looked out towards Twilight. Silently watching as she and her class trotted off. Rounding the corner and dissapearing behind a bush.

The hooded figure's smile soon changed into a sad frown as she looked back towards the statue of Baku.

Inhaling and exhaling a deep breath, before she stepped out towards the statue. Stopping in front of it.

Raising her head, she looked up towards Baku's split head.

Intensifying her sad frown as, despite it being years since the last time she saw him, its not gotten any easier seeing what Celestia did to him.

She closed her eyes and hung her head.

"I know what you must think, Bill, but understand that I do not regret my interference," she said.

"You choose to become something so powerful and you corrupted the Blade of Harmony, that you left me with no choice," she said, "It was the only way I could save them...from you."

Despite hearing hoofsteps behind her, she kept her eyes closed for a couple minutes more, until she opened them again. Raising her head as she looked back up towards Bill.

"Forgive me...for the blame of letting things escalate out of control is mine, my son," she said, "I was not there for you when you needed me...and it destroyed you," she said, extending her hand out to touch the black marble base the Equestrians had made to support his statue, "I was not there for you when you needed me...and it cost me you," she softly sobbed to herself.

Looking down beside her, the humanoid looked down towards a mare sitting beside her.

The mare has also extended her hoof out and touched the marble base of Bill's statue.

Retracting her blue hoof, the hooded mare stood back up and turned around as she trotted away from the statue.

"We both did," the humanoid said as she followed the mare with her eyes.

A mare whose hoof is blue, and a longer than average unicorn horn protrudes out the top of her hood.

Furrowing her brows, an angry scowl The mare's eyes soon shoots open, and her brows narrow angrily.

The mare furrowed her brows and scowled angrily as she trotted away.

"...but one deed doesn't justify another," she finished.

Saying aloud to herself, before the mare vanished into a thicket of fog...

"I see, Captain...and what of the...insurgents?"

"Unfortunatly, your Majesty, their attacks are becoming more drastic. We have confirmed sightings in Manehattan, Vanhoover, Baltimare, Las Pegasus and Filly Delphia. The situation is quickly becoming worse than was originally anticipated."

"Hmmm. If things continue to escalate...then we could be faced with civil war!

Author's Note:

And here it is, the finale of Bill-Inning, where Bill and Celestia finally fight each other for the fate of Equestria.

Who will win?

Who will be the last one standing?

And who will not already know this, cause this is at the end of the story

Jokes aside, I hope you've all enjoyed reading this story to the end. Enjoying reading it as much as I enjoyed writting it

Link1 - 08 - Recognizer [2m8 Recognizer Capture - Film Version] - TRON Legacy

Comments

[Vigriff]

Is there going to be a sequel to this?

[EmperorDalek]

9076725 We'll see

Anything is possible

[Vigriff]

[THEDALEKPRINCE]

9076855 good to see another Dalek emperor on earth

[HexoRequiem]

crying at 2:47 am while reading pony fanfiction bc i just want luna and bill to be Happy again. this story was great from start to finish, although it did get a bit confusing at times. thank you for writing this story :)

[Echarif Jacob]

In fact bill was defeated or he let them free ?