A Raven’s Greatest Flight

by Chemtest

Dreams End

As soon as I utter the words, the veritable blizzard around us stopped. I don’t stop my embrace, but I do look up to see what happened.

All of the snow in the area all gathers into one area, and starts to spin around very, very fast. The snow slowly starts to colorize and form together. Standing in the middle after it done is a man.

A man wearing a suit of multiple types, white hair, and a mad smile, “Well, Raven, good job! You pass!”

I look right at him, “This was the challenge, to see if I could forgive?”

He nods, “Yep, spot on! Although you did take quite the detour with all this peace talking. Not like those talks will matter, anyway! Let’s claim your prize!”

He’s about to clap his hands together, but I teleport in front of him, and lock my scythe in between his hands, “Not quite yet, Sheo.”

He looks at the scythe between his hands, and drops them, “What’s left, you get your prize!?”

I look him right in his eyes, “You will not allow these people to never exist. Bring these kingdoms into reality, bring these people to life.”

He laughs, “Sorry, Raven, but I’m afraid that wasn’t part of the deal!”

I walk right up to him, meeting him eye to eye, “I’m afraid I wasn’t asking if it was in the deal. These are people, each unique and with history. You will make them real.”

He looks me right back, “You can’t command me.”

I hold him up by his neck, “Oh, I’m not commanding you. I’m giving two options. Make these people in reality, the entire kingdoms, or learn what happens if you die before Grey March. Besides, more people means more madness.”

He reaches up to my hand, “Fine, I can’t dissagre with that logic. Now let me down, I don’t like being manhandled!”

I let him down, and he claps, turning our current position into a black void as everything moves to reality. I help him up off the ground, “Thank you, Sheo. Sorry about threatening you, but I wasn’t about to allow my friends to be basically murdered.”

Sheogorath rubs a bruise out of his neck, “Yeah, yeah, let’s just get to the fun part. I’m sure you’ve been looking forward to this a long time.”

I crack my neck, “Oh, definitely.”

He smiles, “Then off we go!” And, claps his hands.

———

I land on the deck of my ship. People, ponies, and other some such surround me. Well, Sheo actually made them real. Of course, there is the fact that all of the Jacks are threatening everyone, shouting questions on how they got on the ship. The air is so tense that even the North Korean DMZ pales in comparison.

Then, they look back and see me there. I look at all of them, “At ease, sailors. They’re friends.”

Captain Sparrow looks back at me, and nods. He puts away his sword, and the others follow along. The Captain swaggers over to me, “Raven, any explanation on why there is a pony on board that looks like Sun-Bitch?”

I look over at Celestia, “Well, Captain Jack, that’s because she is. Don’t worry about her, I got it.”

He raises a hoof to say something, before putting it down, “I imagine there’s story behind that. I can wait to ask later.”

I nod at him, and trot over to Celestia as she looks down at the Wasteland. I put a hoof on her shoulder, “Do you see what happened? Our civilizations, gone. The sky blocked, the earth grey, ponies killing, raping, and eating others, and not always in that order.”

She looks over, tears running down her face, “I caused all of this? All because I was blind to the truth?!”

I shake my head, “Celestia, don’t blame yourself for this. You didn’t destroy the world! Yes, your actions led up to it, but you couldn’t hav guessed Blueblood would have done this!”

She looks over at me, “Blueblood, my nephew? He caused all of this?”

I nod, “He was the one leading the opposition that eventually launched the first nuclear megaspells. All of that just so he could claim he is a king in the Wasteland, only allowing those who follow him to survive.”

Her eyes burn with a fire of rage so hot the tears on her face evaporate, “Where is he?”

I her in the eye, calming her down, “He will be punished, Celestia, you will do nothing. It’s my punishment to give, not yours.”

She calms down, “I understand. What will you do to explain to your friends?”

I think, “Well, I’ll tell them the story, convince them to forgive you. That’s the most I can do.”

She looks back out over the Wasteland, “Thank you, Raven. If I were in your position, I don’t think I would’ve spared myself. Death, seen as uncaring in all mythology, just a specter in the background. But, you disprove all of those myths, being the most caring pony I think I’ve met in my long lifetime.”

I pat her on the shoulder, “I’m glad your on my side. Someone as powerful as you was at waste fighting the wrong fight. Now, we have a world to clean up.”

I turn around, and see Sheo standing there, “Presenting, Blueblood!”

With a clap of his hands, Blueblood appears in the middle of the deck, “Ah, I assume Raven lost?”

He tries to move but finds himself paralyzed. Sheo shakes his head, “Nope, your punishment is to be chosen by Raven. Take it away!”

I step forward, enjoying the look on Bluebloods face, “That name always intrigued me. Blueblood, made me wonder if it actually was. But, I don’t plan on testing that.”

He looks at me in indignation, “Go ahead and kill me! My army will come soon and annihilate all of you! Officer Loo and the army will wipe you off the map!”

I look up at said army. Around fifty power armor wearing Enclave soldiers with a familiar officer leading them. I can hear shouts from here, “Sir Loo, they have the King! Orders?”

Deceivers come down from above them, showing that the soldiers are surrounded from all sides. I can see Officer Loo meet my eyes, ”Stand down soldiers, holster weapons and fly down to join them.”

The soldiers all surrender, and fly down to join us. I look at Loo as he flies down, “Good choice.”

Blueblood looks around frantically, “No! No, that can’t happen!” He looks down at the ground to avoid my eyes, “Please, forgive me! Don’t kill me!”

I tilt his head up with my scythe, looking into his eyes, “I would never kill you. Death is too good for you.” I lean in closer, “No, you’re a vain person, someone who relies on others to compliment him to feel accomplished. I have the perfect punishment for you.”

Sheo speaks up from behind, “What would that be?”

I look back at him, “Open a gate to the Void between universes.”

He does so, and Blueblood stares into his fate, “No! No, kill me instead!”

I turn the fire on for my scythe, and press the blade against his forehead. The mark of a scythe now permanently branded on him, “This is the Mark of Death. You cannot sleep, you don’t need to eat, you don’t need to drink, you will not die unless it is intentional. Your eyes shall remain ever open as you float for endless years.”

He strains to try and move, “No, please, no! You can’t do that!”

I reach down, and pick him up by the neck. I turn toward the void, and stare him in the eyes, “Blueblood, you have been found guilty of destroying the world. Take this breath, savor it, it’s the last you’ll ever have. Blink now, it’s the last chance you will have. Look now, listen now, smell now, this is the last thing that will grace your senses in the rest of eternity.”

He looks around frantically, “Help, somepony help!”

I smile humorously, “I’d say goodbye, but that would imply there’s something about you that’s good. Bye, Blueblood, enjoy your new immortal existence.”

I toss him screaming into the portal, and watch him float into the Void. Then, the portal closes after him, never to be seen again.

I look around me, seeing all my friends from both worlds, “Well, I have some explanations to give, don’t I?”

They all rush at me with questions.

Help me.

—(1 second universal time, fifty years void time. Blueblood)—

45-46-47-48-49-50

51-52-53-54-55-56-57-58-59-60

Sixty. The minute passes. This marks the fifty year anniversary of me being out here.

I can’t breathe, I can’t blink, I can’t sleep, I can do anything but float and count the time. There’s nothing to see but the pure lack of color. No noise, nopony to compliment my beautiful smile.

3-4-5-6-7

What has my existence come to? I swear, when I get back, I will kill Raven myself.

16-17-18-19-20-21

”S̯̟u̡̬͉̟̣̤͎͎c͕̱͉̖̺h̵̙ ̧͖̻͙̘a̴̟͈̲̙ ̠̫̝̬͞l̟ò͙̼̰̞ṉe͈̼̮̦͜l̜̲y̤͠ ͈̦͡e̫̫̞̰͇̗̟x͠i̯̗s̗̜͈͞t͍̞̳̳̗͠ẹ̫̬̝͓n̞̮̞̺̙̫c̢͇̰̯͕͉è̦͉ ̯o̶͖͈̮̪̦u͘ṯ̟ ̵̦̫̭̩͕͉h͓̩̬̭͓̼̲e͏̲̟͇r̢̠̠e̻̮ ͚͝iǹ͍ ͉̝͍͚̥̘̞́ţ͓͕͉h҉̺e͖̼̙̠̮͔̰ ̛̞V̻̦͇͠o̝̙͙̲͉̤͞i̵͙̩̺͉̩̺͈ḑ.͙͈ ̗̻͔̤͖̖̕I͕͜s͙̺̞n̲̟̱̖̹̦ͅ’͚͉̣̗͝t̡̝͈͙͖̼̯͎ i͔̟͖̰̪͓͓t̰͙͎͔͙ͅ,̛̪͍̲ ͖͍̗͜B͕̙͚̮̜̠́ͅl̫͔̯͖͜ų͙̲̬e̝̝͓͈͜ḅ̼̟̯̰̗̪l̬͚͟o͖͞o̦̼d͜?͕͙͇͍ͅ ̫Es̶̥̥̬̬̘̭͇p̢͙̲e̶̤̳͔͇̪ͅc҉͈͖ị̢͙̦̖͚̰̭á͚̘̩̘̪l̷̟͕̯̳l̵͕̯̠̯ỵ͓ ̭̦͎͍̻w͏̥̬̲i̢͖̬̱̱̪͕t̫̫̼͔̥̰̰h̴͙̱͙͍̗̲͚ ̵̱͖̩̜͈͉b̟͈̱͍e̬͕̺͡ͅt̟̹r̵̮̱͚a̙͇͓̙y̡̦̮̥̗̰̪̖a̶̦̪̖̳͇͕ͅl̗͖͍͔ l͉͉̥̬͝i̝̣̱ke̷̳̥̙ͅ ̡K̰̦͈̦̺̖͍h͚̬̬͓̫̦ͅǫ̠r̯͓̼̰͉n̦̹̞̲̭̝͚ ̧͇̝̝͎d̲̗̟i̢͕̺̖̩d̻̘̜̖ͅ.͓̦̟̹̳”

I look around the darkness, trying to find the near defining voice, “Who are you, where are you?”

I hear a booming laugh, ”S̸̪̣͚͇͍o̯͕m̟̹͈̟̰̖͜e̛͖͖͖̬̖t̻̮h̴͉̲̠ḭ̖̦͙͓n̺̺̪̹̻̬̯͞g̹͚̬͖͟ͅ ̵t҉͔h̶̫͇͍͇a͎͍̗̱t̡̩̲̮͔̩̮͈ ̝͞n̻ee͉̭͍̝̥̞̣d̠̪̯͕͕̤͟s̯ ̀s͖o̵m̯e̜̞̜͎͔̠ ͔͡he̱͚̟̳̪͡l͔̺p̨̲̮̟̳̜͕̙ ̠̙̯͖̩̮͖f̻̰͖̹͜r͏̬̱̺o̡̟̜̼m̴͇̦̦ͅ ̫̜͕͚̺͕s͚̭om̺̲͚̲͕̙e͕̥̝̝̘͞o̬͍̘ͅn̸̺̖e̟̘̩͘ ̭̝̼t͉̘̥̟̕h̺̞a͈̦̤͔͕͈̻̕t̳̩̤’̷s̩̩̥̤̀ ̸̥͇s̳̖̣̝̩̩t̷r̹̪̘̀o̬̖̗̯̭n̠͙͔͖̥͚g̠͜.̠ ͠I̻ n̩̭͔̫̱̪eḛ̭̮d̵̥͉̖̪ ̨̩̪y̷͉̖o͖̲̱̟ư̝̺̼̜͈̙ͅr͈̠͇̲̰̘̯ ̴͉͍͈ḫ̮͚̼̜̺͕e̘̙̲̭͚͙͎l͢p͓̟,̵ ̗͓̥͙̝̳͇́a͙̣̱̝n͍̠͈̥̜d̝̼̰ ̪͖͔̗̞͕́I ̶͕̜̖̙̹c̘̪͢ͅa̵̝̘̥̞̘n̥̟̮͙͎͘ ̞̺̠̳̞̟͝h͉̜̗̫̟e̩̜̤ͅl̩̤̣͘ͅp̤͜ͅ ̻̩̼͟y̯͔̱͈̹o̮̘̩̜̜̣̖u̢̯͖̰̦̯̬̫,̸̘”

I listen to the words entirely, “What can you do to help me?”

The voice speaks out again, ”I̲̗͚ ̙͙̹̗͢c͈ͅa̶̪̪͕͈̩̯̮n͓̥͇̥͠ h̵̻͍̘e̫͓̬l̼p̶̠͔̹͔̩ ̗̟̭͔͇͓̦f̬͝r̼̱̞͔̩̖͜e̼̱̰͓̯̗̝e̦̳͍͓̟ ͚͎͕̖y͕̜͡o̢̹̩ṳ̷̬̺̪͉,̰̣̖̞̫̥ ͕̫̗͙̦̪ͅa̺n̥̝͙d̯̀ ̨͈͖͖̼̣̰y̞̙͔͚͓o̮̙͓̫͈̙͔u̟͔̗̞͕̣ ̯̠͍̞͞c̬̭̯͖̱̱an̷̼ ̪̘̟͉̤̱̀h͎̼͡e҉̥̭̗̯͉̳l͖͡p ͙̦̥̪̘̕f̨̮͖̲͙̺͕̘r̢͕̝e̜͉͇͚͓ͅḛ͇ ̶̤m̮̪͍͖̻e̬͖͓.̘̜ ̲̠̫̯͎̟̠͡B̴̭̤̘ͅe̟͙̤c̡͎͖̟̻͇͇̤ó̹̰̠̟̺̣̥m̡̪̰̳̠͈̦̝ẹ̤͖̪̹̝ ̭̤̺͈͝o̵͔n̠̻̫̤͖̹e̮̙ ̪̫̦ͅo͚͞f̤̜̝͍̰ ̲̠͖̥͕̖ṃ̧͙̦̤y ̠̦̹͇̙c͔̝h̞̤͓ò̼̣̩s̛̺͙̦̙̬̰e̠͈̗͖̻n͏̝̜̜̝,̧̹̹̬̪͕ ͚̕a̵̘n̴̯̥̖d̻̹̞ ̡̞͓͇̭͉ͅr̝͎̻̻e̛̹c̖̫̺͓͔̰͉ȩį̮̥͓̜͎ͅv͔̤̘̺͝e ̦̻͉̱͕̖͖a̸̼̞l̶͎̗̭̲̳̞͈l̶̦̪͍̳̪̜ t̵͖͈͕h̳͚̭̳ͅę̳̥͍ ͚̫be͉n̙ḛ̵͉̼̪̖ͅf҉̹i̸̻̬̗t̥ś͓̖͎̻͈ͅ ̧͈t̖͓͖͇̻̜h̡a̷̺͉̖̺̺̱ṯ͟ ͎̮̺̣̞̥̣c̲̀o̱̩̣̘̯̻͜m̞͓͠ͅè͎͖̠̹ ̖̼̮͠ͅͅwi̫̗͚͙̙͉t͏̞̹̜̰̲̱͖ḫ̠ ̢͍̲̳͙̹͉͚i͔̺͠t͙̥̱.͔̱”

I smile at the thought of finnaly being free, “Sign me up.”

”T̡͏̩͓̘͕̟̤͎̮̦̠͚̗̤͓͓̻̗͞͞ͅḩ̜̼̬̳͙̩̩̻̩̝͍̲̭͙̀ę͇̱̱̱̺̠̮͍̣͇͙̹̮̗̲̘̱̀ͅn͏̴̠̻̱͖͖͖̼͎ ̵̶̷̡̩̟̱͉͉̗͕͝l̸̷̩̪̳̟̠̮̤̣͝͠ͅe̶̴̖̬̮̣̠͈̙̭̺̳͘ͅt̸̡̨̢̼̹͎̻̫̮̯̤̺̺̖’̀͢҉̴͕̱̫̝̟̞̗͟s͏̧̬͕̘͉̼͓̞͔̙̖̞̜́͢ͅͅͅ ̙̝̦̫̻̫̬͉̩͔̫̞̺̙͇̕g͈͖̰͖̬̩̬͖͈̳͜͝e̵҉̢̞̹̺͚̻͓͖̼̦̥̗̳̖͕̲̘͚̤͢t̸̵̵̛͓̳̼̙͙̘̰ ͡͝͝͏͈̮̩̙͍̞̩͓͘y̨̨͡͏̣̠̱͕̥̖̠̭͔̖̳̪̱̙̙̱ͅó̫̯̭̺̖̙̦̫̖̹̩̣̬͙͓̳̺̞̳́̀͞͝u̷͙͕̺͙̥̱̠̩̪̘̘̖̲̖̗͕͔̤͜͜͡ ̶̸̢̢̰̦̺̰t̙̝͉̠̥̮̥̮̣͞͞ơ̷̤͓̥̟̗̖͕̕͘͜ ̴̷̢̧̮̠͔͚̩͕̺̱̮̱̣͉̤̟̼͡w̷̡̤̝̪͎̯o̢̯̼̟̙͔͉̯͕̼͍̘̲͖͉͜r̛̼͉̮͖͔͜k̵͇̝̱̤̘̬̝͉̳̥͓̦̥̺̭̞͠.̵͉̟̯̻͔͖͈̪̖̕͢ͅ”

Author's Note:

And, that’s the end. Bit short, I know, but most of it is a buildup for next time.

Comments

[Zapper Frost]

So is raven gonna get married yet or is he going to get interrupted again?
Also the rake has found a new recruit... I wonder how that's going to go down