• Published 26th May 2018
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Infinity Era - JDPrime22



Avengers: Infinity War / Avengers: Endgame crossover. The culmination has arrived. The Mad Titan has waited so long for this moment. Long live the Infinity Era.

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Chapter 67 – Visions

67

Equus

Ponyville, Equestria

Home of Princess Twilight Sparkle

6:39 p.m.

Twilight let Spike stay.

After finally returning to their home planet, finally traveling throughout the swirling colors and near-infinite dimensions within the portal, the coordinates allowed them to return safely to Twilight’s library, the sun still barely in the sky, unlike Earth. Obvious time differences Twilight would have to formulate later. At the moment, they had a visitor with them, an Avenger who was not back on Equus for pleasure or leisure. Quite the opposite in both regards.

Wanda Maximoff was greeted to the friendly face of the AI Friday, the Iron Man armor glad to see Wanda safe and sound after practically three years of her absence on Equus. Wanda felt the same, not so surprised to see not much had actually changed since she was in Twilight’s castle. Reminiscing, of course, like many things, could wait.

Everypony took a moment reconstruct themselves for what little time they were given before they would inevitably be needed to travel. Once again to Canterlot to ready themselves for the end of the world. However, Spike was the only one to actually object, telling Twilight and everypony else that he would rather stay at the castle with Friday. He was sick of constantly traveling. He just wanted to sit back, relax, and maybe enjoy a comic book or two. Twilight highly doubted that, considering Spike could barely keep his eyes open. She let him stay regardless, already feeling the weariness of their adventures starting to creep up on her as well.

She tucked that weariness away, somewhere it couldn’t emerge. She needed to. A bright blue portal was birthed out of the void and entered the face of reality itself within her library.

Everypony present turned accordingly, rising out of their chairs and sofas to approach the portal cautiously, the outer rims of it radiating a blue fire. Wanda held out her hand in front of Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity, standing in front of the five mares as a means of protection. Others like Starlight, Sunset, and Twilight seemed to somewhat recognize the magical portal that had emerged in the castle’s library. It looked eerily reminiscent of the portal belonging to the magic of Chancellor Neighsay’s artifact. However, much more grateful company stepped forth from it.

Star Swirl the Bearded and the Pillars of Old Equestria entered into Twilight’s library, Star Swirl taking in a breath of air and opening his eyes. Twilight smiled. “Star Swirl!” she exclaimed, trotting forth and wrapping a foreleg around the elder pony’s neck. The two exchanged a quick hug, Wanda dropping her guard only momentarily. Now knowing his name to be Star Swirl, Wanda’s eyes trailed across the six others that followed closely behind the pony with the wizard hat and beard. All while Twilight and Star Swirl conversed with one another.

“I see you’ve learned the more… advanced teleportation spell,” Twilight noted, quickly shaking her head and offering an awkward grin and chuckle. “As expected.”

Star Swirl smirked, nodding once to her before turning his head back to gaze into the bright blue portal still active. “A much more efficient way of transportation rather than blind teleportation.”

“I thought only Neighsay could make that type of teleportation spell?” Twilight wondered aloud.

“With his magical artifact, yes,” Star Swirl replied, turning back to face the Alicorn. “But performing the spell of the same type of magic is also possible, just quite… difficult… and timely. I’ll teach you on another day, but for now…”

He stepped forward, past Twilight and approached the young Avenger, eyes gazing up to her. Wanda rebuilt that defensive wall within her, still uncertain of the unicorn, still waiting for what he might try and do. Instead, he offered her his hoof, as well as when he said, “We thought it would be in our best interests to introduce ourselves to our soon-to-be guest.”

And just like that, her defenses were gone once again. She really needed to work on that. She gently took the pony’s hoof into her hand, gripping it lightly and saying, “Wanda.”

“Star Swirl. It’s a pleasure,” he greeted with a smile, already sensing the great power that resided in the Avenger just by her touch. So much of it, so much that could even rival his own. So much that remained untapped. Twilight and her friends had chosen a fine defender for the job. “Rather than taking that dreadful machine you call a train up to Canterlot, we can just travel by portal, if you wish.”

Star Swirl broke away from Wanda when he said that, turning to Princess Twilight and her friends for a response. Twilight exhaled, grinning softly with half-lidded and tired eyes. “That would be fantastic. Thank you.”

As Wanda proceeded to meet the remaining members of the Pillars—including Rockhoof, Flash Magnus, Meadowbrook, Somnambula, Mistmane, and Stygian—Star Swirl turned to the rest of Twilight’s own friends. They all yawned in consideration of Twilight’s previous yawn, some of them barely standing on their own.

“None of you appear able anyways,” Star Swirl observed, stroking his beard. With the eyes of the mares now on him, he continued. “Twilight, I think you and your friends should take the appropriate measures in ensuring you acquire enough rest and recollection of yourselves when we return to Canterlot. Maybe your wounds would have healed further by tomorrow morning, at least to acceptable levels.”

“Can’t argue with that,” Rainbow Dash said with a shrug, yawning carnivorously shortly after.

“Then it’s settled,” Star Swirl declared, spinning around to face the Avenger just as she finished shaking Stygian’s hoof. “Wanda, my dear, if you would be so kind as to follow my friends and I.”

After breaking away from Stygian, Wanda rose to full height, watching as Star Swirl proceeded past her and approached the portal. “Is Vision safe?” she asked at long last. He stopped. They all did. Twisting his neck back, Star Swirl’s eye met Wanda’s own pair.

Star Swirl nodded. “See for yourself.”

They entered the portal, one pony at a time. Trailing close behind the Pillars were the eight mares, Starlight and Pinkie assuring Wanda of its safety and following close behind. Wanda, although a tad uncertain of the magic before her, finally took the next brave step forward, pressed her palm into the bright blue flame, and entered into it.

The next thing she knew she was in the halls of Canterlot Castle itself. Just like that. A seamless journey. And standing there, tall above the others, leaning against the wall, was him.

“Vision!”

A collective share of flinches and gasps filled the hallway as the ponies made way for the Scarlet Witch. The Vision raised his head, stepping forth to meet her halfway. “Wanda!” Vision said, expelling a helping of painful air as he nearly collapsed into her arms. “You’re safe.”

Despite his hardened shell of an exterior, Vision felt so soft in her arms. So weak. Even his voice failed to deliver that strength he used to offer. She pelted his face with kisses all the same, several hard, a few soft, finally meeting his lips. Pinkie Pie practically melted right then and there, a soft, drawn out, loving sigh escaping her at the mere sight of the two. When she broke away, she was practically breathless, gazing into his eyes. “Of course I am. Of course.”

Vision nodded appreciatively to that, then proceeded to hunch over, clutching his abdomen.

Wanda caught him before he could fall, lowering Vision to rest on one knee. “His wounds…” Flash Magnus spoke, Wanda barely even tuning to the Pegasus in shining armor. “Not even Canterlot’s doctors could help him.”

“They never could,” Wanda muttered. She proceeded to mend his injuries, her fingers dancing and inflicting a red haze within his blast wounds. The Pillars were instantly captivated by her abilities, Twilight and the others having grown accustomed to them. Sunset, despite not having met Wanda previously, still saw the psionic energy as something of a familiarity. Twilight really was great at telling stories.

“Incredible magic,” Mage Meadowbrook commented, Wanda not even looking at her, her full focus on Vision. “You certainly are skilled with that there, Miss.”

“It won’t be enough,” Wanda hated to admit, cutting off the energy and sealing the wound to the best of her abilities. Whatever type of blast Vision had taken was far beyond that of her magic, far beyond that of the Stone she had gotten her powers from. Finally turning back to the ponies, Wanda nodded to them. “I’ll stay with him, do all I can.”

“We’d hoped you would,” Star Swirl said, smiling softly to see a plan come together. Part of a plan. Part of their plan. Just that thought killed Star Swirl’s smile, the ancient unicorn turning his gaze over to Twilight and the rest of the girls. Barely managing to stand, each of the eight mares practically teetered amongst one another, eyelids drooping, heads falling, Pinkie snoring.

Star Swirl sighed to see Twilight share the same fate. Then again, after all they’ve been through, he couldn’t really blame any of them. “With that settled, I’d say it’s time to turn in early for tonight. Celestia knows you girls need it,” he told them.

Twilight wanted to object, but her own yawns cut her off. Instead, she turned back to the rest of her friends, either seeing them all barely awake or nearly fading. Nothing else other than that. Nothing but shared looks of understanding and agreement, all of them wanting the same thing. Needless to say, but Twilight wanted it too. Smiling to Star Swirl, then to Wanda, Twilight bowed her head to each. “Good night… and good luck you two.”

Wanda finally looked away. Finally looked to the Alicorn. “Thank you, Twilight.”

Vision barely looked up, still gripping his abdomen. “Thank you,” he said, nodding once to her.

With what little was settled—much more left to hope on—the mares and the Pillars proceeded to disperse. Twilight, being more familiar with her surroundings, led her friends to the guest wing of the castle, Star Swirl and the remaining Pillars trailing behind her to find their own rooms. Ponies split up as the hallways broke apart, leaving just the two Avengers left alone, in the big, dark castle.

Vision grunted as he tried to rise to his feet, Scarlet Witch returning to reality and helping him back up. With her palm pressed over his chest—where she had hoped his heart to be—Wanda waited and listened to his breathing, the sound of air entering his very being, whether or not it kept him alive, and gently left him. He met her eyes, slowly shook his head.

And said, “Wanda, there’s little more you can do to stop the inevitable.”

“What?” Wanda questioned. She gazed further into his robotic lenses, seeing the man beneath the machine. The human. What part of him was just that. Her own eyes widened. “No, Vision—”

“He wants the Stone, Wanda,” he interrupted, pressing his own free palm onto her own. “Thanos is stronger than the Avengers, stronger than anything we’ve ever faced. Even together we’re not strong enough to stop him from attaining the Mind Stone.”

His words meant little to her, no matter how far he pushed or how real he sounded. She would not give in, accept the fate that would befall him. Continued to deny destiny. “I will not let him get to you,” she continued to say, continued to fight, deny, and hope.

Vision breathed. Lived. Stared into her. “He’ll kill you, Wanda.”

“No, he won’t,” Wanda argued. Continued to. “I swear I’ll protect you and the Stone.”

Vision looked away, stared at the marble floor for what felt like an eternity. The sun had just disappeared behind the mountain of which Canterlot rested, the rays vanishing and the darkness of the night settling in upon the castle grounds. Lanterns and candles dotted the gardens outside, stars beginning to blink to life, the lights from planet Earth shimmering against the planet’s surface. The beauty of life, of reality meant nothing to them. To him. When faced with such dreaded circumstances, especially his current thought process, one could not admire the beauty of the worlds. One could only face that dread…

“No… we have to destroy it.”

And accept it.

Wanda was not one of those people. Her expressions suddenly deflated, a whiteness even paler than her natural skin color filling her veins and making her shiver. Shiver because there was no hint of deceit in Vision’s tone. Because he was being real with her. He tapped at the Stone, muttering, “I’ve been giving this… quite a lot of thought as of recent. If it was exposed to a power source either equal or greater to it… perhaps a power source birthed from the Stone itself, passed down, and only enhanced… by its user… then perhaps—”

“No, Vision,” Wanda sniffled, pressing further onto him. “It won’t ever come to that. You can’t expect me to—”

Vision shook his head. “I know it’s not fair. It shouldn’t be you but it is. Wanda…”

He held her face in his palms, looked nowhere else but the beauty in her eyes. The tragedy, the twisted nature of her life brought forth by loss, warfare, demons, and heartbreak. Those swirls of chaos had birthed an angel, and that’s all the Vision saw. He saw her. Saw her mixed in the chaos.

“If all else fails… you have to destroy the Stone. For the good of the universe.”

Wanda stared into his eyes.

Her hand rose up and graced his own. Vision took that as her answer, just as horrifying a revelation as when he first proposed it to her.


Next Morning

Canterlot, Equestria

Canterlot Castle, Hallways

7:00 a.m.

Just outside the guest rooms, Star Swirl and the Pillars of Equestria waited and watched as Twilight Sparkle and her seven closest friends exited out of their respective rooms. Some ponies appeared to be early birds on a regular basis, but even those ponies had trouble waking up on the time they agreed. Applejack especially, the mare having trouble sleeping without having to tossed and turn on her injured hind leg. As for Rainbow Dash… well, she just hated waking up early altogether. She and Sunset.

Other than that, they were awake and ready for the day. Whatever it may bring. Mostly. Star Swirl took whatever he could get from them, nodding their way. “Well, you all seem to be doing fairly well,” Star Swirl noted, the rest of the Pillars observing and smiling to the mares, who smiled back, whether they be forced or not. “Your wounds have healed… remarkably fast.”

Minus Starlight’s bandaged horn, everypony else appeared to be in similar boats. The advanced magical healing spells from Canterlot’s finest doctors had done wonders for the ponies, Rainbow and Fluttershy stretching out their wings fully, Applejack and Pinkie Pie stretching their legs, and the unicorns cracking their necks satisfyingly.

Twilight sighed as her neck popped, a dream-like smile and sigh leaving her. “There have been advancements in medical spells since your day, Star Swirl,” Twilight replied with a smile. A winded one, but a smile nonetheless.

“So it seems,” Flash Magnus acknowledged with a firm nod. He cleared his throat, holding out a wing that led to the exit. “Well then, shall we get—?”

Twilight raised her hoof. “Just… a moment.”

The Pillars froze, all of them already turned and prepared to make the short journey to the train station. They paused, heads shifting back and gazing towards the Alicorn. Twilight met the rest of her friends, all of their eyes gazing into one another, heads nodding in unison. Twilight faced back to the Pillars, wings fluffing, nervously. “We’ve been talking, my friends and I, and… we would like to discuss something with Celestia before we leave. Something important.”

Her eyes grew cold, then melting into Star Swirl’s. “Something you told us about.”

That coolness, like a frozen fire, finally impacted Star Swirl where he felt it, deep down in his heart. The pang of realization rushed into him like a breath of air, like a breath of reborn life. He slowly nodded, already understanding without even needing a word more from her. “Very well.”

It was all he could say, all he could do other than follow Twilight and the girls towards the throne room. When they entered, when the morning sunlight was as bright as the marble floor and the pillars that lined the glory of Celestia and Luna’s expanse of power was shown, the only ponies they saw were the Royal Sisters. The guards at the bottom of their thrones meant little to nothing to them, only seeing Celestia, only seeing Luna meant something grander, something important.

The same could be said for the sisters. “Twilight, girls!” Celestia exclaimed, the weariness from her face almost completely vanishing, happy to see her old student and her friends already on the clear path to recovery. Her smile… slowly fell… when her eyes turned… “… Star Swirl. Is everything all right?”

Seeing the dead expression on his face, the look of dread riddled in his stare, Celestia had reason to find worry when not only he, but all other members of the Pillars entered into their throne room. Even Luna raised her weary head, frowning to see that look in Star Swirl’s eyes. “Momentarily,” he commented, hoof turning over to the princess on his right. “But Twilight and her friends would wish to speak with you on rather important matters.”

Celestia straightened herself, Luna still slouched and appearing absolutely dead, both mentally, physically, and magically. “Yes, what is it, Twilight?” the Princess of the Sun asked.

“What do you know about Typhon?”

Luna’s eyes snapped open. She shot up like an alert canine. Even Celestia lost her breath at just the utterance of that name, that name she and her sister knew all too well. There was no hesitation. The lack of pause in Twilight’s tone of voice was clearly evident, as was the stone-cold seriousness burning in her violet irises. Not only her, but the rest of her friends. The rest of the Pillars. Even Star Swirl the Bearded.

Everypony holding that same look Celestia and Luna wished nopony else could have held other than them.

Gulping silently, Celestia asked, “Whatever would make you—?”

“The volcano, the serpents, everything in the Badlands,” Twilight interrupted, refusing to remain quiet any longer, refusing to pause, refusing to hold back those burning questions melting her very insides with a painful firestorm that just couldn’t end. “There was more to it. Much more to it. Much more thanks to what Star Swirl told us.”

She pressed forward, stamped her hoof into the marble only once. It was loud enough—the room was quiet enough—to echo across the walls, finally reaching the princesses and taking their breath away. “So tell me… tell us… everything you know,” Twilight shakily declared.

What could she tell her? Everything Celestia knew of that dreaded name and the monster behind it was surely something Star Swirl had already informed to Twilight and the girls. She didn’t have to say anything. History had already been told, already been written. That of course wasn’t true. Recent history, so recent that Celestia’s still had vivid nightmares—visions—of what was to come almost every single night. She didn’t sleep much, still managing to hold the protective dome over Canterlot alongside her sister. What few hours of rest she was actually given… all she could see were those seven heads.

Those same seven serpents.

Heard those same seven screams.

Every single time. And that was real. Luna saw it all too, Celestia turning to her and seeing the complete loss of life in her gaze, her mane hardly moving, hardly alive. Princess Celestia sighed through her nostrils, her head slowly, painfully, facing forward once again. Her muzzle faced the marble floor, her golden-covered hooves, and she sighed.

She wanted to cry, but only managed to whisper, “What I dreaded has come to pass. Or… will.”

Not a word in return.

“No matter how much I denied it, tried to push it down, try to block out as much out as I could… there was no hiding from the visions. Not dreams. Not nightmares. Visions. In these visions, I’ve seen our very world reborn into fire and storm, reborn by the very beast who swore vengeance so long ago. The beast who tried to take Equus once before, who is ready… to take it once again.”

“Typhon,” Luna spat, her snout wrinkling into several layers of hatred and disgust.

There it was. It was real. The last Celestia had a vision, Tirek returned from Tartarus. That much was so real that it struck Twilight and her closest friends where it hurt. Somewhere they had personal experience in knowing and believing. They stood there and shut their mouths, letting the darkness of the situation finally fill them up and wound them even further than their injuries ever could.

“We have been studying the Badlands as of recent,” Mistmane said, continuing from where the silence had dipped off into oblivion. Twilight and the girls turned her way, the other Pillars doing the same for their fellow ally. “As well as what remains of Mount Tartarus.”

“It still burns,” Rockhoof growled, the butt of his shovel pressed hard into the marble floor, almost making it crack under his increasing pressure. “All of the Badlands still burn.”

“Typhon’s rebirth is close at hoof,” Somnambula spoke, the wisdom in her tone taking everypony’s breath away. “If we do nothing now, the destruction of Canterlot and our very way of life will be assured.”

“But we’ve been doin’ some talkin’…” Meadowbrook trailed off.

“And Twilight and her friends some traveling…” Flash Magnus continued.

“And came to a decision,” Star Swirl said with a firm, final nod.

Then all looked to the meager pony. The gray-colored unicorn. Stygian, the last Pillar of Old Equestria, affirmed his stance among his allies. And he declared, “We have decided that now would be the best time to bring the Elements of Harmony to Canterlot.”

All heads shifted to the thrones.

And watched as Celestia almost instantly nodded, nearly in tears. Her horn was aglow, her face, her mind, her very state of being practically shaking where she sat. “You’re right,” Celestia whispered. She couldn’t hide the pain in her voice, the absolute dread and fatigue still plaguing her body, heart, and soul. Every waking moment was a fear that Canterlot, her home, her little ponies could be attacked, a fear that she and her sister wouldn’t be enough to hold the shield for as long as they had been holding it already. And every moment she closed her eyes—whenever she tried to gain a semblance of rest and recollection—she would only face the fear of imminent and assured destruction and vengeance on a scale unlike anything Equestria had ever felt. There was no rest. There was no peace. There was only fear… and that fleeting light of hope.

That hope standing right in front of her and her little sister.

That hope remaining with Twilight Sparkle and her five closest friends.

“You are all right,” Luna affirmed. Celestia watched as the Princess of the Night took command, finally rose from where she sat and glared upon the face of destiny itself. Straight into the darkness and glared right into it. She nearly jumped off of her throne, declaring loudly, “The time for rest is past. The time for action has begun!”

Celestia rose as well, joining her sister through hell and heaven, through rest and action. Through peace and war. And she shouted, “We have stood in the face of total annihilation once before… and we didn’t back down then! We will not back down now!”

Luna added, “We will be victorious.”

Celestia gazed below, to the hope-filled eyes of Twilight Sparkle and the Elements of Harmony, to the tears boiling in Sunset Shimmer’s gaze, to the smirk burning on Starlight Glimmer’s face. To the Pillars of Old Equestria, her old teacher, and seeing just how proud he was to smile truly at her. “My dear Twilight… my friends… my little ponies…”

She slowly extended her pearl-white wings, appearing otherworldly. Heavenly. Godly. “The fate of Equestria… and our worlds… remain with you.”

And Twilight Sparkle nodded. Her heart raced, her blood pumped, and her soul felt rejuvenated. More so than it had felt in days. Standing with her friends, every Pegasus, Earth pony, and unicorn standing proud and tall, confident grins on their faces, Twilight declared, “Don’t worry, princesses. We won’t let you down.”

They left with the Pillars, the throne room doors shutting loudly behind them. Then all was cool. All was quiet save for the sounds of multiple hooves clopping and proceeding forward down the massive hallways within Canterlot Castle. “Twilight, I must ask you and your friends…”

And just like that, everypony stopped behind her. Behind the Princess of Friendship. Together at last, they all gazed into the eyes of Star Swirl the Bearded, the rest of the Pillars standing right behind him, the seven meeting the other seven, Twilight and Star Swirl leading each pack and staring into each other’s eyes. Star Swirl narrowed his breath, his body tensing further and further as he finally asked the only question worth asking.

“Are you truly ready to wield the Elements once more?”

Not even a hint of hesitation. Just confidence. “We’re still a little scratched up, but unlike yesterday… I think we’re finally ready,” Twilight assured him with a smile and a nod.

They all nodded.

“Star Swirl,” Sunset Shimmer asked, stepping forth alongside her friend Twilight. All eyes on her, but she didn’t really care. She had grown used to it over the years, grown used to living and believing alongside a group of friends she could love with all her life. She was glad to have found another. “From what you and the Pillars have seen in the Badlands, how close are we to Typhon’s second coming?”

Each of the Pillars knew that answer, but only Star Swirl could say it. “Near.”

Twilight turned to her friends, stared mainly at Rainbow. They both slowly grinned to one another, already knowing what was coming. “Let’s go get our Elements back.”

“Just like old times,” Rainbow exhaled, that same, slick grin plastered on her lips, meeting Twilight’s.

All to cover up the lingering shadow of doubt.

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