Vexes of the Multiverse

by Crowborn

Chapter 2: Beyond Forever

Chapter 2: Beyond Forever

Twilight stared at the earth pony in front of her as they walked, unsure of where they were going or how the young stallion even knew where he was going in this blank canvas of a world. The other problem with this place is that she couldn't tell how much time had passed since they started walking. Had it been seconds, days, years, or a month? She honestly couldn't tell, which just made her more anxious.

Suddenly, it felt like a bubble popped around them, and suddenly there was a sea of stars around them, with many worlds and galaxies shifting slowly in the distance. She half expected Verse to begin talking, but when he offered no explanation, or words at all for that matter, she went ahead and asked, "W-What is this place?"

It was a long moment before the dark grey stallion with a crimson mane gave a reply. "I call it the 'Worldscape'. It is here that I---We, can traverse the many worlds, universes, and timescapes that the Multiverse has to offer. The place of your test is a bit farther this way." He spoke again in that serious and almost emotionless tone.

Twilight sighed. she had many more questions to ask him, but for some reason she couldn't bring herself to ask Verse anything else. The questions would be on the tip of her tongue and then they would slip away again, making her forget what she was going to ask. So instead, she decided to focus and concentrate on Verse. She had a sneaking suspicion that he was using some sort of magic to prevent her from pestering him with the millions of questions she still had for him.

Though irritated that she couldn't continue her questioning, she decided to put that to the side now, and instead see what she could gleam from the stallion in front of her. Verse was tall for an earth pony, almost as tall as Luna, but not quite. His cutie mark that of a Galaxy that spun slowly round and round in place. She had no idea how his moved like that. Sadly, she might never know.

Verse had no visible scars or battle wounds that she could identify, and though he seemed to be just about her age, there was an ancient aura about him. He walked as if he had been doing it thousands of times, which he probably has. He seemed to know exactly where he was going, while Twilight couldn't make heads or tails of the place. She stayed close, not wanting to get lost in here, something told her that would be a very bad thing indeed.

Suddenly Verse stopped, and Twilight nearly bumped into him, but managed to catch herself just in time. Before them laid a river of stars that flowed almost like water. "We are here," he said, pointing at the star river below. He then offered her his hoof, and after a moment's hesitation, she took it. Verse then touched a single star in the river, and with another pop, they were again somewhere else...

The sun shined high above them as she recognized this place, "This is Canterlot!" She exclaimed, suddenly excited to be somewhere familiar for once. Except....

Twilight stopped jumping about. The castle, it was off. It looked... different. It was still a beautiful sight to behold, but was clear some rennovations were made. She approached a guard, "Excuse, can you tell me what happened to the castle? It looks completely different than I remember it." The guard gave no reply. "Um, Hello, I asked you a question." She said, waving her hoof in front of him.

"He can't hear you," said Verse, walking slowly towards her, "Nobody here can." She looked at him in confusion, when suddenly a young foal ran right between her legs. Before she could say anything, what could only be assumed to be the mother came chasing after him, both smiling with laughter.

" Wait!!" Twilight called, as it seemed the mother was about to ram right into her. As she braced for impact, Twilight opened her eyes wide and shivered as the mother went straight through her, as if she wasn't even there.

"W-What?" She asked again in confusion. Verse quickly answered. "We are current outside of the timeline. They cannot see, nor hear, nor..." He pointed at the mother who was now rounding the corner after her child, "...touch or feel us. To them, we are not here."

Twilight gave another confused look, "Where are we, why does the castle look so different?" she asked. Verse smirked, "Isn't it obvious? We are in another universe, far different from your own." Twilight's eyes widened as she realized the situation. "Oh...." She said as it she let it all soaked in, and suddenly she felt that little scholar in her take over as her excitement got the betterment of her. "Oh, do you know what this means? My theory on multiple universes is right! I have so many questions! Is there another Ponyville in this world? Another Luna? Another Celestia? Another ME?!" She asked bursting with excitement.

Verse put a hoof on the changeling queen's shoulder, calming her down. "Yes. No. No. And Yes." He answered matter of factly.

She then gave him a confused look, "Are you saying Celestia and Luna don't exist here?"
Verse frowned, "No, they did exist here, however they passed on several centuries ago, leaving you as the sole princess of Equestria." She frowned at that as more questions came to mind.

Princess.....not Queen.... she thought. "What of my mother?" She asked.

Verse shrugged, "Twilight Velvet died of old age long before you found the secret to immortality, i'm afraid." She stared at him. "Oh, you mean Chrysalis...She isn't your mother here. The you that was born here was not born a changeling. She was born a pony. In fact, she is an alicorn now."

Twilight frowned, she didn't like the thought of a world without Chrysalis as her mother, but she should have expected it, this was the multiverse after all. However another thing caught her attention, "Wait, this world's version of me discovered the secret to Immortality?!"

Verse nodded, "Indeed, everyone on this planet is now immortal." Twilight's eyes lit up, "That. Is. Amazing!! Just think of all--"

Verse once again put a hoof upon the young changeling queen's lips, silencing her.

His voice was quite grim as he spoke. "While this world could be counted as a utopian paradise, all is not as it seems."

Twilight remained silent, Verse now having her utmost attention. He then continued on, "Unfortunately, this world's version of you only found the spell after your friends had died of old age. Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Apple Jack, Rarity and Fluttershy....All passed on just days before you found the secret. Heavy with grief from their lost, this world's Twilight Sparkle went mad, and banished death from all of Equestria by forcing all of it's inhabitants to become immortal."

Twighlight frowned, " That doesn't sound--" Verse cut her off once again.
"Oh really? Imagine a world where you just kept going...even when you wanted to to end, you couldn't because the Princess of Friendship won't let you. Think not only if Longshot, Chrysallis or the rest of your hive were immortal, but also if Serpens, Sombra, and Crudelis were also immortal. They're evil would know no bounds, even if they could not die, how many would suffer? And then, even if there was no evil in the land, what happens when you have lived that long and fulfilling life, and are ready to move on, but you can't, and instead are forced to continue on? Can that truly be called life?"

Twilight's heart sank as she realized the truth of it. Immortality was not the boon it pretended to be. A life without death is no life at all.

She looked down, and then back up at Verse, "You said there was a test, why did you bring me here?" She asked. Verse tilted his head slightly. "I need you to confront the other you, and convince her to release these ponies that she holds prisoner with Immortality. She refuses to let anybody die here. Worse still, with the help of Discord, she reincarnates any dissenters, wiping their memories and making them start their lives all over again, but never, ever dying."

Twilight shuddered at the thought. While part of her did indeed wish she could live with her friends and family forever, she could not imagine doing something so horrible to everypony. Prisoners in their own bodies...trapped beyond forever....

Twilight turned to Verse, her expression cold and serious, her eyes the same as that day that she killed Crudelis. "I'll do it."

Author's Note:

The world presented is based on the world shown in Chinchillax's fanfic, Everypony Lives. It is best to read that story so that you can get a better idea of what the world is like.