Divergence

by RQK

12 - Divergence

Principal Celestia sat with her hands folded together on the front steps of Canterlot High School. The morning air felt cool and chilly, but she had other reasons to shiver.

Today was the day. The many hours had dropped down to less than one.

Was it going to succeed? Would there even be a school to come back to?

She shook her head. There isn’t anything that I can do about it now, is there?

Celestia looked across the lawn. The Wondercolt statue stood as proud as ever. And the base had a certain shimmer to it; it was a portal to another world, after all. She could hardly imagine the things going on over there.

She did not want to. But those things were at her front door.

A few students passed by her as they entered the school. A few paused to consider her as they climbed the steps. This was well before any zeroth hour classes.

Celestia saw cold, concerned faces. They had to be just as concerned as she was.

“Nervous?” said a voice.

Celestia looked up. Miss Veena Harshwhinny stood over her with her arms crossed and with a stern frown. Celestia knew better; Miss Harshwhinny had a stern face overall and her current expression, although still hardened, was soft by Harshwhinny standards.

Celestia nodded solemnly. “Yes. I’m nervous.” She paused. “This was the last thing I thought I would ever have to deal with in my life.”

Miss Harshwhinny nodded sagely and shrugged. “Same. But here we are.”

“Yes.”

A moment of silence passed.

“I’m worried about Wallflower Blush,” Miss Harshwhinny said.

Celestia shuddered. “Me too.”

Miss Harshwhinny leaned forward. “She is okay… correct?”

“Yes. As far as I know.” Celestia stopped to cover a yawn, and she wiped some of the constant heaviness out of her eyes. “Luna and I have made sure to keep checking in. They’ve told me she’s safe and that she’ll get out of this safe, but…”

“I know. We can’t help it.” Miss Harshwhinny pursed her lips. “I know she made the choice to go, but… I will say that I’m not sure she should have made that choice, to begin with.”

“No one’s asked where she’s been the past few days, right?” Celestia asked.

Miss Harshwhinny shook her head. “No. She lived alone, and I suppose her social circle was just herself. She’s gone unnoticed.”

After a moment, Celestia chuckled. “I suppose she really was as good at being invisible as she said she was.”

A small grin appeared on Miss Harshwhinny’s face; a huge smile by her standards, Celestia knew. “I suppose so.”

The two fell silent. A few more students passed on their way into the school, with some regarding them silently as they shuffled up the steps.

Miss Harshwhinny crouched so that she was level with Celestia. A thoughtful frown graced her features. She eventually met Celestia’s eyes. “At any rate, I’m ready.”

Celestia let out a breath she didn’t know she had been holding. “Good. I’m glad that makes one of us.”

Miss Harshwhinny snorted. “You’ve been over there. At least you know what to expect.”

Celestia balled her hands into fists. “I know,” she replied, her tone carrying some sharpness. “What I expect scares me beyond straight.”

“Ah, yes, that.” Miss Harshwhinny paused. “I was more thinking about the thought of being in a strange body… a strange land.”

“Oh, that’s right.” Celestia chuckled and shook her head. “Well, I’m glad to hear that you’re confident.”

“We’re all confident,” a new voice said from behind Celestia. The two turned to find Vice Principal Luna hanging in the glass doorway.

Both Celestia and Miss Harshwhinny stood up.

Luna took a few steps out, letting the glass door swing shut behind her. “And there’s one thing that I know: if the Rainbooms can do it, if Wallflower Blush can do it… if Sunset Shimmer can do it,” she said, raising a fist into the air, “then so can we.”

Miss Harshwhinny smirked.

At that, a smile crept onto Celestia’s face, and she hung her hands off her jacket pockets. “Of course. You’re right. I have faith in them, and I have faith in us.”

Luna nodded and then glanced between them. “It’s almost time.”

Miss Harshwhinny started up the steps. She paused at the top as she joined Luna, and she looked over her shoulder. “Coming, Celestia?”

And, standing taller now, Celestia nodded and climbed up as well. “Yes. I’m ready.”

---

Sunset Shimmer’s world dissolved into a myriad of colors and sounds. As her senses came online, she immediately noticed a chill nipping at her coat, and she flinched. Finally, she satisfied a need to rub her eyes and yawn.

The sun hadn’t yet peeked out, but from the way the blue sky faded into a red one as it neared the horizon and how it seemed to grow brighter and brighter with each passing moment, it had to be morning.

Time had grown short.

She looked around. She now stood on the roof of Twilight’s castle. Golden railings lined this otherwise flat and featureless section. Here, Twilight Sparkle, Starlight Glimmer, and Adamantine sat on cushions in a small circle, with an even smaller cushion in the center hosting the crystal ball.

“Hey,” Sunset said.

Twilight stood up. “Good morning!”

“What’s up?”

Starlight flopped her foreleg toward the horizon. “We’re going to watch the sunrise. You know, calm the nerves, and whatever. Wanna sit with us?” she asked, motioning to a vacant cushion.

Sunset smiled. “Sure, that sounds nice.” She trotted over and sat down with a sigh.

“Coffee?” Twilight asked, floating over a sizeable styrofoam cup.

Sunset could practically see the steam coming out of it. It smelled thick and strangely aromatic. She knew the smell. “Sugar Cube Corner?”

“Yeah,” Starlight said, “Mrs. Cake came and delivered some coffee and donuts,” she said before taking a sip from her own cup.

Sunset took the cup from Twilight’s magic and lifted it to her mouth. It tasted just as chocolatey as she knew it would; it had that characteristic kick and bitterness to it, but the cream she could taste within canceled some of that out.

“We’ll all have donuts together once everypony else gets here,” Twilight said before taking a drink of her own.

After giving a contented sigh, she glanced over Twilight and nodded. She then laid eyes on Adamantine and saw the cup of coffee in her magic too. She gasped. “Oh! Adamantine! You’re…”

Adamantine raised an eyebrow. “Hmmm?”

Sunset giggled. “Sorry. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you drink.”

“Well, I figured I should have at least one.” Adamantine chuckled. “I must admit… that I’ve missed the taste.” She took a drink from her cup and emerged with a satisfied sigh.

“Yeah. Kinda seems like yesterday I was watching you down, like… several at once.”

“Ah, yes. I did have quite the addiction,” Adamantine mused.

Within the crystal ball, Grimb’vltr, who lay by its lonesome at the edge of the chamber, lifted its head up. “Hmmm? Addiction?”

Starlight chuckled nervously. “Uh, yeah.” She waved a hoof at Adamantine. “I’m honestly not sure how Adamantine even stayed alive.”

Adamantine blushed and placed her cup down; she even nonchalantly scooted it away from her. “I just wanted to make sure I would stay awake, but… yes, I went overboard.”

Twilight chuckled and let her face fall into her hooves. Starlight merely hid her snicker behind a hoof.

“That sounds very irresponsible of you,” Grimb’vltr said.

Sunset blew a raspberry. “You weren’t there.”

“My creation should carry herself with decorum and exemplify the highest principles.”

Sunset deadpanned. “She does. And you weren’t there.”

“You really weren’t,” Twilight added. “Uh, you were dead by the time this even happened.”

“You weren’t there,” Starlight echoed.

Grimb’vltr snorted but laid its head back down nonetheless.

Sunset relaxed back into her cushion and took another sip of her coffee. She turned her eyes to the horizon but let her ears turn all around. Ponyville lay quiet, aside from some birds chirping some happy tune in the distance.

Some movements in the clouds caught her eyes and she looked up to spot a few pegasi pushing a few more clouds into place, forming a blanket of sorts over the town. She watched a couple of pegasi even stop to talk in front of those clouds, each pointing at various places, likely exchanging orders, before they parted and went about their business again. The clouds appeared thin and white but otherwise had their usual puffy shape.

The schedule for the day didn’t call for rain, at least.

Sunset took another sip of her coffee and sighed.

Ping!

Sunset blinked. The sound had been in her head. She looked over to see Adamantine now looking at her.

Of course, lower layers had looked up this far. That had to be them just now. And they were about to turn back, go far down, and find their own Grimb’vltr.

Ping!

Sunset and Adamantine shared chuckles.

“It’s beautiful,” Twilight commented out of the blue.

Sunset looked up and followed Twilight’s eyes to the horizon. And she nodded. “Yeah.”

Twilight’s smile faded and she looked at her reflection in her coffee. “I’m… It’s hard to imagine we’re about to pull off… uh, what I could argue is the single largest, most complicated spell in all of history.”

Starlight scratched her head. “Oh… yeah. That. It’s like… how did we get here?”

Twilight giggled. “Yes. Gosh. It… almost seems like yesterday when I first went down to that chamber and encountered all of this.”

Sunset looked up and pointed at Twilight. “Yeah. Same.”

“And much has happened since,” Adamantine said. “You killed your Nameless, we fought… and now we are here, all sharing coffee.”

“Yes… I never expected in a million years that I would actually meet the Nameless,” Twilight said.

“And I was not what you expected, was I?” Grimb’vltr replied.

Twilight scratched her head and sighed. “Admittedly… these last few days. where we’ve actually gotten the chance to… talk to you… they’ve been eye-opening.” She blushed and shamefully rubbed her foreleg. “All this time, I saw you as nothing but a monster. When I was dealing with you myself, and when we were all dealing with things related to you…”

“Yes,” Adamantine agreed. “This has been illuminating. You’re not what I expected either.”

Grimb’vltr’s muzzle twitched. “Perhaps. I think it has been illuminating for us all.”

“You might be right on that,” Sunset mused.

Grimb’vltr folded its legs in and let out what sounded like a nosey sigh. “Listen. I know that I have been very abrasive to all of you. You must understand that it is necessary to bring out the best. And I do not tolerate anything less.”

Sunset narrowed her eyes, and she even opened her mouth to speak, but she paused on seeing Grimb’vltr’s melancholic expression.

“But I know when due must be given. And it is certain that you must be given it. I do not say this lightly…” It looked up. “All of you have truly gone above and beyond expectations. You have presented yourselves as shining examples of what you can accomplish. I’ve been impressed with what little I have seen, from you and everyone else involved, pony or otherwise. But I have been even more so impressed with the things I have only heard about.”

Grimb’vltr lifted its head. “I am quite proud. I cannot imagine better candidates to have finished my work. And I am convinced that your reality will be in very capable hooves in times yet to come.”

Twilight blushed. After a stunned moment, she smiled. “Oh, Grimb’vltr… that actually means quite a lot, especially coming from you.”

Grimb’vltr grunted. “Ah, well, do not expect me to repeat it, however.”

Sunset held up her hooves. “No! Of course not. But still.”

Starlight scratched her head. “You big softie.”

Grimb’vltr narrowed its eyes but said nothing.

“I’m still really glad that you said that, though,” Sunset said. “That makes me feel better about a lot of things. I mean, if you’re feeling confident about all of this, then I am too.”

Twilight hummed in agreement.

As Sunset took another sip of her coffee, she examined each of their faces, noting the contented, calm smiles on each of their faces. And she herself felt like she could simply sit there for a while and all would be well.

“Honestly…” Sunset mused, “now that I’ve gotten to sit down with you, I’m thinking… you know, maybe if we had met under different circumstances, we probably could have been friends.”

“Oh,” Grimb’vltr shook its head, “I doubt that.”

All sets of eyes turned to the ball.

“What do you mean?” Twilight asked.

“I don’t do friends. Especially not now,” Grimb’vltr said with a sigh.

Adamantine raised an eyebrow. “Especially not now? What do you mean—”

Twilight straightened up. “Everypony should do friends.”

“Not me. You would do well not to be my friend,” Grimb’vltr said.

“B-but… but… no! I disagree! Trust me, I’m the Princess of Friendship.” Twilight poked the ball. “And everyone, pony or otherwise, deserves friends in their lives.”

Grimb’vltr’s oozy form rippled for a few moments and it cringed as the perturbations proliferated across its body. Bits of particles streamed off it for a few moments. Genesis trotted over and shot a beam at the red light at the center of Grimb’vltr’s body and held it steady. Shortly after, Grimb’vltr grunted as the ripples subsided and the body quit exuding particles.

Genesis quit his beam and then said a few words in his native language. Grimb’vltr murmured a few words in kind. Genesis then nodded and sat in front of his master.

Grimb’vltr shook its head and looked up again. “Observe. This is what I am. This is me. I have caused all of this and thrown so much strife into your lives. Even now, your world is on the precipice because of my actions. I am a monster.” It laid its head down. “There is no sense in being friends with a monster such as myself.”

Sunset stroked her chin and ran its words through her mind a few times.

She then shook her head. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” she finally said. “I don’t think you’re a monster.”

Adamantine blinked and looked over. Twilight and Starlight followed suit.

“How can you say that?”

She looked up at Twilight. “I’ve been where you are right now. There used to be a time where everyone saw me… not necessarily as a monster, but everyone hated me.” She looked back down into the ball. “But I did what I could to make amends, and I approached every day looking to better myself.

“You made a mistake. And you’ve done literally everything to fix it. You’re still working. You’re still atoning. And that says it all about who you really are.”

As Sunset spoke, Twilight, Starlight, and eventually Adamantine donned smiles.

“You’re not a monster,” Sunset said. “You need to know that.”

Grimb’vltr looked up, their expression a contemplative, sullen frown. Their ever-coalescing ooze seemed to slow to a crawl. “That… is a nice sentiment, but history will not see it that way; your world and most in it already do not see it that way.”

“Well… you never know.” Sunset nodded and smiled. “But… for what it’s worth…

“I forgive you.”

Grimb’vltr froze. The red light in their chest dimmed.

Starlight’s eyes widened for a moment and she looked at Sunset. She then nodded. “Yeah…”

“Yes,” Adamantine agreed.

Twilight sighed through her nose. “It’s strange. We killed each other once. And… yet… I feel the same way. I know you’re going to finish up with us, and… that you’re going to bring them home safe.”

Twilight stood up. “Grim… I forgive you too.”

Genesis cracked a smile and gave Grimb’vltr a sage nod.

Grimb’vltr themself sat there in stunned silence. Their muzzle hung loose and agape. After what had to be a minute, the light within their chest began truly glowing again; neigh, it had a radiance to it previously unseen. Their oozy body slipped into motion again.

Finally, Grimb’vltr’s expression firmed up and they climbed to their hooves. They stood so very tall yet nothing could have made them topple. And they nodded.

“Perhaps… I would do well to remember that always,” Grimb’vltr concluded.

* * *

Twilight stood with her castle at her back, her eyes resting on the Canterlotian mountainside. Somewhere below that mountain was the chamber, after all.

Murmurs and whispers permeated the air. Much of Ponyville had gathered on the green behind her with more streaming in by the moment. Her students from the school stood in their own little corner talking among each other; Twilight could pick out Sandbar, Yona, Gallus, Smoulder, Silverstream, and Ocellus grilling Starlight for information to her right. And she could see Grampa Gruff, Queen Novo, King Thorax, Prince Rutherford, and Dragon Lord Ember grilling Princess Celestia and the Pillars of Equestria to her left.

Most everyone is here… Twilight thought to herself. We’re… ready for this.

Right?

“Twi?” Applejack’s voice said from immediately behind her.

Twilight turned to see her five best friends looking at her; their eyes held expectation but their smiles provided some needed warmth.

“You okay, Twilight?” Rainbow Dash asked.

Twilight nodded. “Yes, I think I am. We’re almost there.”

“Indeed. Quite the development all this has been, from start to finish,” Rarity said as she fanned herself. “I can hardly believe we’re standing here right now.”

“Oh, you said it,” Fluttershy squeaked. “I’m nervous…”

“Nervouscited!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. She paused to lay a hoof on Fluttershy’s withers. “Well, yeah, I’m nervous too.”

“Excited?” Applejack asked with a raised eyebrow. “I get nervous, but…”

“Yeah, excited! Because we’re really pushing the envelope with this one,” Pinkie Pie replied. “Tell them, Twilight! They’re going to be writing about this one for ages.”

Twilight giggled. “Well, if we pull this off… yeah. This will be a tremendous accomplishment.”

“Yeah,” Rainbow Dash said flatly, “that’s if we pull it off. And that’s if the Storm King doesn’t somehow manage to one-up us.”

Twilight’s expression darkened. “Yes… But I think we’ll know where we stand on that shortly…”

* * *

Wallflower Blush lay thoughtless inside her circular cage. She stared into space which was an ever-present blackness broken only by a few dots of orange and red flame attached to the walls of the deck. The world outside her cage was dark, and that was fine, as she did not want to see it.

Her head felt heavy and she felt like she could sleep. What time was it? Was it time for bed, or was she simply exhausted?

It had to have been several days now. That had to be it. Wallflower couldn’t tell; the darkness spoke of a nighttime sky that had been there since the moment they had snuck onto the fleet.

She whimpered. Her stomach growled and she eyed the breadcrumbs near the bars of her cage.

Similar cages contained the others. Raven and Stygian had already looked worse for wear, and they lay awake now. Luna, who lay asleep in her cage, now bore several bruises, some not as fresh as the others, and even a couple of cuts. Discord bore similar bruises across his snake-like body and he lay against the bars of his cage, a defeated frown on his face.

She heard a few faint thumps from immediately below her. Underneath the wooden deck was the cargo hold, after all. The throne was still down there. So very close but so very out of reach.

And Tempest was gone.

Wallflower had no strength to shudder anymore. She wondered if she and the others would die here on this ship; she had already wondered that quite a lot.

The wood doors at the end of the deck swung open. Queen Chrysalis and six Storm Kings walked out. Each of them wore malevolent, confident sneers as they spread across the deck, ignoring the cages altogether (easy enough when they were out of the way).

Chrysalis herself, who levitated a stone by her head, sauntered to the bow and stared into the darkness beyond. It wasn’t total by any means; surely a moon shone light from somewhere above, but that only lit the endless dust clouds around them. “Well, we are almost there, aren’t we?”

Storm King N stepped forward. “That we are. We’ll be above old Canterlot soon enough,” he said. He turned to his counterparts and grabbed the air with his fist. “And then… we strike!”

The others laughed. Chrysalis herself chuckled.

“Oh, how rich. We’ve finally come to the endgame. Seven Equestrias down… and now we take the last,” Storm King D said.

“And the greatest,” Storm King I added.

“Ah, but they are so weak and fragmented. They’re probably going at each other’s throats by now!” Storm King D replied.

“Even if they aren’t,” Storm King S said, his smile gone, “I am confident that we have the forces at the ready. Together or separated, they should fold under our combined might.”

“I was going to say,” Storm King C said, stealing a glance at Chrysalis, “this whole working together… it doesn’t sound like a bad idea after all!”

And all seven of them laughed.

A few moments of silence passed as the Storm Kings and Chrysalis contented themselves to observe the rest of the fleet. The silhouettes of several airships revealed themselves within the dusty fog. At least a hundred surrounded this airship, all carrying the menacing and very much able to destroy a city Storm Guard.

Chrysalis looked over her withers and smirked. She then stalked up to Wallflower’s cage, glaring as a vile sneer grew on her muzzle. “How does it feel, knowing you can’t stop any of this?”

Wallflower wilted. Please…

Chrysalis reared and slammed her front hooves on the bars of the cage, towering over Wallflower in the process. Wallflower yelped again as she scooted into the opposite bars.

“Oh, what a miserable foal you were to come here. Now, you’ll get to watch as Equestria burns. And since you were so kind as to deliver this to us…” she said, bringing the Memory Stone up to the cage and shaking it, “we should have no problems taking care of things. I’ll even let you watch the executions.”

Within her cell, Luna perked up, her expression aghast.

“That’s right. And, maybe by that point, you’ll be begging me to end your lives too.” Chrysalis chuckled. “But for you all, and a few others… say, Twilight Sparkle and Starlight Glimmer, I’ve got very special things in mind.”

Wallflower tried to squeeze through the bars to no avail.

Chrysalis nearly pressed her head through the bars. “That’s the fate that awaits you, my dear. I would look forward to it if I were you. I’ve got plans.”

Storm King T cleared his throat. “Right. Yes. About all that. We should start talking about what plans we all have when this is all over. Just so we’re straight.”

No one else but Wallflower could see the twitch in Chrysalis’ sneer. In short order, Chrysalis lifted herself off the cage, donned a straight face, and then turned. “Yes, I suppose we must talk about that. Because… why don't we all just be honest with ourselves… we all plan to backstab each other anyway.”

The other Storm Kings glanced at each other. Their expressions betrayed nervous smiles.

Storm King D laughed from his stomach. “Ha! Imagine that. You’re absolutely right.” He pointed at his counterparts. “And I know I’m right because I am you and if I am having the thought, so are you.”

Storm King I smirked, showing his fang. “Oh ho ho! I guess you got me there! But let’s also be honest with ourselves; we’re equally poised to backstab each other, which guarantees it won’t happen. So why don’t we do this simply then? Each of us gets our own timeline; Queen Chrysalis, you can have this one. And then we each take a slice of the prime.”

Chrysalis straightened up. “I am from the prime. That timeline is mine.”

Storm King S blew a raspberry. “Please. This is a combined effort. This is war. As much as I hate to say it, we’ll just have to share in the spoils, as this will be our victory.”

“I wouldn’t be so certain of that,” came an oozy, infernal voice.

The hairs on Wallflower’s coat stood on end; those in the other cages perked up, and those outside froze. Chrysalis was the first to turn toward the open doorway at the end of the deck and, on seeing what lay there, her eyes widened. Wallflower herself turned and gasped.

The crystal ball sat in the open doorway. And within, Grimb’vltr stood in the center of the chamber, glancing up with a confident smirk.

Chrysalis’ ears folded back and she buzzed her torn, bug-like wings as she stepped back. “G-Grimb’vltr… Impossible…”

“Queen Chrysalis,” Grimb’vltr replied.

Discord rolled over in his cage and grabbed the bars, lifting himself up. He stared, hints of a relieved smile on his face. Luna stood up and beamed. Raven’s jaw dropped to the floor. Stygian stared with wide-eyed shock.

Wallflower let out a breath she didn’t know she had been holding and she shakily climbed to her hooves. “N-no way…” she croaked.

“How is this possible…?” Chrysalis wheezed. “You fell.”

“My crystal ball did. I am, however, fine,” Grimb’vltr replied. A blackish aura appeared out of the ball and propelled it across the deck toward Chrysalis. “A silly little fall of a silly little object cannot harm me; you cannot harm me. Not in any meaningful way, anyhow.”

Chrysalis clenched her teeth. “But you fell! You fell! Days ago!” She pointed a hoof at the ball. “How did you get back here?”

As the crystal ball reached Chrysalis, the aura around it pushed back, bringing it to a stop right in front of her. And then the aura rotated around the entirety, lifting the crystal ball off the ground so that it hovered in front of her. “Well, Chrysalis, you surely remember that I am capable of reaching across time and space to affect things in your reality, just as I am doing now. Observe.”

Wallflower’s jaw dropped.

“No,” Storm King N growled, stepping forward. “How is it that you came from inside our ship!?”

Grimb’vltr chuckled and drew circles in the dirt with their hoof. “Well, Storm King of reality N, I invite you to think up the answer on your own. Think of it as your final exam.” Their smile faded. “In the meantime… Chrysalis, kindly wrap your magic around the ball. Let’s talk…”

Chrysalis shuddered, glanced at the Storm Kings who drew closer to her, trepidation in their step, and then wrapped her green magic around the ball. The black aura around the ball streamed back inside, leaving it bare once more.

“I want to tell you about something, because this is the only chance you will have to know about it,” Grimb’vltr began. “Before you came here in their company, your memories of a certain thing were erased. That is why you have gotten nothing useful out of any of them, because it was denied.”

Chrysalis bared teeth. “You… you erased our memories…?” she seethed. She stole a glance at the Memory Stone.

“I did not. Wallflower Blush did, at my request.” Grimb’vltr tilted their head. “Would you like to know what it is?”

“Tell me.”

Grimb’vltr smirked. “Listen carefully. There is a project that I and many others, practically all the prime, Equestria and beyond, have been working on. They have really come together to make it happen. We will take all these realities… and combine them into one merged reality, using some weighted averages. At this very moment… the weights have been set so that what results… will most resemble the prime timeline.

“As it stands… you are not part of the prime. So, you won’t be included in the final product.”

Chrysalis blinked. Her eyes darted about the deck, briefly passing over the other Storm Kings and then the prisoners.

“Is that what Consensus is?” Chrysalis asked.

“It is. And I am telling you about it now… well… for no reason other than to rub it in.” Grimb’vltr paused. “I want you to understand how close you came to victory… and understand why your defeat is now inevitable.”

“We aren’t going to lose,” Chrysalis hissed.

“Hmm. If you hadn’t spent so much time priming your soldiers to turn on each other… you could have very well done your invasion much sooner. But you didn’t… and now it is far too late. There is a hole in this story, and you failed to plug it.”

“Hole?” Chrysalis blinked. She beat her wings again. “What hole?”

“Here is your exam. Question one: a few days ago, you cast me from the ship… and then you dropped Tempest from it as well. Well, my crystal ball remained intact from the fall, as I caught it. Perhaps, then…”

Wallflower blinked. Wait! If Grimb’vltr was able to break its fall… then… She then gasped. “Tempest is alive!?” she shrieked.

Some color disappeared from Chrysalis’ face.

Grimb’vltr smiled. Bits of ooze dripped from the top of their muzzle. “That’s correct. Well done, Wallflower Blush. Question two: it must be obvious that I would have to float myself up to this height, at least, to be on the ship. It would be even more expensive to also cross the distance across this land. However, Tempest is alive…”

Discord straightened up. “No… you’re really implying that Lil’ Fizzy helped you get here? You two crossed this entire forsaken wasteland to get here?” he asked with some warmth in his voice.

“For several days and nights. She is a tough and determined mare…” Grimb’vltr thrust a hoof into the air. “Question three: you have not landed on the ground ever since our tussle, so the door containing the landing ramp has been shut the whole time. I could not have gotten into the ship through there.”

Luna blinked. “But… you couldn’t have gotten in through the door here, because we would have otherwise seen you. But between here and the ramp, you couldn’t have gotten onto the ship!”

Grimb’vltr considered it. They then smiled. “Technically correct. And, naturally, I would not want to go in through this way either, as you have posted guards outside the door to the cargo hold.”

“Hah!” Storm King C roared. “Too bad, anyhow. They wouldn’t have possibly let you in.”

“I know. And you are correct. So, I didn’t try to go in that way.”

At that, the Storm Kings shared sneers and snickers.

Chrysalis narrowed her eyes. “And Tempest?”

The whole deck fell silent.

Grimb’vltr laughed and then stared upward with a piercing gaze. “Question four: again, we return to the tussle from several days ago. Chrysalis, you threw Tempest across the room and broke a certain lever that normally kept the cargo bay doors shut. You haven’t been able to close them since then.”

A pregnant silence passed. Slowly but surely, bits of color drained from the Storm King’s faces.

Wallflower gasped. No… way!

Chrysalis swallowed. “Tempest… You and Tempest… You survived the fall, made your way back here… and boarded the ship through the hole in the floor of the cargo bay.” She then gave a shrill scream. “That good for nothing is down there right now destroying my throne right now!”

A voice from the open doorway chuckled. “I was.”

All heads turned to see Tempest Shadow, standing tall in the open doorway. She bore a few scratches and had dirt on various parts of her body but she nonetheless wore a confident smile.

* * *

Only a few more minutes, Sunset thought. And then we can do this and put this to bed once and for all.

She scanned the various bodies gathered about the green. Almost everyone conceivably possible had to be here. At least, everypony in Ponyville, and members of the other nations. She imagined similar gatherings in Canterlot, in Cloudsdale, in the Crystal Empire, and just about every other city and town not just in Equestria, but across the world.

Today was the day. The hour was the hour. And the minute was almost the minute.

“Sunset!” cried a voice from behind her. “Sunset Shimmer!”

Sunset turned. She saw Spike heading toward her from the castle, leading a pack of ponies behind him. She squinted, trying to make them out in the morning light. She readily recognized her friends, the Rainbooms, as well as her Principal and Vice Principal. But more followed. More bodies, more ponies (although some were griffons and diamond dogs) followed. And those ones she didn’t readily recognize stumbled forward, with their walking patterns terribly out of rhythm like they had never gone on all fours before.

Because they hadn’t. Sunset gasped. She similarly stumbled forward.

An orange pegasus with a sleek blue mane and tail pushed through the oncoming crowd. “Sunset!? Is that really you!?” he exclaimed.

“Flash!?” Sunset cried. “Flash Sentry!?”

A few astonished expletives rose out from them all as a few more rushed forward, brushing past the Rainbooms and then Spike as well. All eventually fell flat on their faces, including Flash Sentry right as he reached Sunset.

Sunset giggled. “Woah there, don’t go too fast,” she said as she reached down and helped him back to his hooves.

Flash Sentry wobbled about for a moment and then, once he had sure footing again, he chuckled nervously. And then he smiled again and lunged forward, wrapping his forelegs around her. “Sunset! You’re okay!”

“You’re here!” she exclaimed as she wrapped a foreleg around him in return. She watched as the others ran up; she discerned Trixie Lulamoon and Microchips along with Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle. She spotted several others from the school, student and teacher alike. And they all gathered around her.

Sunset laughed, fighting back some tears. “You’re all here!” She let go of Flash as she tried to face them all at once.

And they bombarded her with questions. “Are you okay?”, “Are you hurt?”, “Are you coming back?”, “Is everything ready?”, and “How are you feeling?”, among others.

A drop of sweat formed on her brow and she held up a hoof. “Wait a second! Slow down! Gosh, it’s good to see you all, really, but one at a time! Geez. What are you all doing here?”

The other Twilight reached her. “We came to help out! And to see you.”

Sunset blinked. “A-ah, sure! But… help out?”

The other Pinkie Pie jumped over the crowd. “Yes indeedy! You need magic to do the thing, right? Well, we were thinking, and we got lots of magic that we can lend! So we came over!”

“Yeah!” the other Rainbow Dash exclaimed as she also pushed through. “Besides! We’re with you, all the way!”

Everyone else around her hummed affirmatively.

Now a few tears won the battle and slid down her face. Sunset couldn’t help but laugh again as she wiped them away. They all had her back, and knowing that put her at ease. They were here. They were here for her. And that was what mattered.

Trixie leaned forward. “Sunset Shimmer. Are you sure this is going to work?”

Sunset looked over and nodded. “Uh, yeah. Pretty sure.”

“And do we get you back after this?” Microchips asked.

Sunset sucked in a breath. “Well, we’re going to see. It’s possible.”

The other Twilight furrowed her brow. “No. We will. We absolutely will,” she asserted.

Flash Sentry nodded. “Yeah. I think so too. You’re going to be okay, Sunset.”

Sunset pursed her lips but said nothing. She simply smiled.

* * *

The air around Tempest whistled as she fell through the dust. Finally, however, she spotted the cold, solid ground rapidly approaching her—she even saw a little point of light from something the size of her head not far from where she was about to land.

Here she was, at the end of her fall and at the end of all things. Tempest closed her eyes.

She felt a magic aura wrap around her and slow her to a halt. Only when she was sure she hadn’t actually impacted did she open her eyes and uncurl herself. She blinked and looked around.

“I have you, Tempest,” said a voice.

Tempest looked toward the source to find the crystal ball nearby, projecting the black aura that held her. She gasped. “Grimb’vltr! You… you saved me!”

Inside the crystal ball, Grimb’vltr chuckled. “Of course.”

Tempest laughed nervously in return.

Before her, Chrysalis took a shaky couple of steps forward. “T-Tempest Shadow… You’re here.”

Tempest held her head high, looking at Chrysalis down her nose. “Yes. I am. You thought you killed me. Which, given what happened, wasn’t unreasonable to think.”

“Certainly, the Nameless broke your fall! It saved you!” Chrysalis pointed her hoof. “But you should have still died out there! How did you not die of thirst? Or hunger!?”

Tempest furrowed her brow. “I have them to thank for that too.”

Tempest held up her foreleg as an especially strong gust of wind buffeted her with dust. Before her lay an endless darkness full of dust, nothingness, and an ever-present howl that punctuated the emptiness and loneliness she felt.

It was just her out here. Any calls would yield no answer.

Everything had dried up and rotted already. The few carcasses she had come across had withered to their bones already. Her throat felt dry, her stomach grumbled, and she felt woozy just walking.

“I won’t make it at this rate,” she announced.

The crystal ball clung to her back with a black aura of magic. Within, Grimb’vltr shook its head. “Worry not. There are things that I can do. I have my own methods of magic. But to do this… will not be without strain on my part.”

Tempest frowned. “What are you going to do?”

“I can siphon some energy from the seal and feed that directly into you. That should keep you nourished, at any rate, enough to keep going.”

Tempest’s eyes widened and she looked at the ball on her back. “Really? Are you sure?”

Grimb’vltr smirked. “I am. Besides, I cannot hope to manipulate this crystal ball there in a reasonable time without you.”

After a moment, Tempest laughed, shook her head, and turned her gaze forward. “I guess we need each other, huh?”

“I suppose we do. We cannot stop their invasion if the both of us do not make it.”

Tempest kept walking but ran its words through her head a bit more. She then nodded. “We can’t save our friends if the both of us don’t make it.”

Grimb’vltr pursed its lips and nodded solemnly.

And Tempest smiled. “But we will do it. We’ll make it together.”

“We worked together,” Tempest said. “They kept me alive, and I brought them all this way. We had each other’s backs, fully and completely, and that’s why I can stand here right now. I trust Grimb’vltr completely. But more importantly, I won’t abandon my friends and companions. We will stop you, here and now.”

Tempest looked into the same dark dust that she had seen in the last few days. “Are you sure they’re right above us?”

“Yes. Are you ready?”

Tempest swallowed and nodded. “I am ready. You can do this.”

“Good. Grab on, and hold on tight,” Grimb’vltr instructed.

Tempest placed herself over the ball and then gripped it with all four legs. The red light inside Grimb’vltr’s body flashed once, and an aura of black wrapped itself around the crystal ball and lifted it upward, lifting Tempest with it.

And so Tempest and the crystal ball floated into the dust, surely toward a fleet of ships. And Tempest craned her neck upward, imagining the ship and friends on it. “Don’t worry,” she said aloud. “We are coming.”

The Storm Kings shared glances and then shuffled toward Tempest, glaring at her as they approached.

Chrysalis ground her teeth together and then lit her horn. She squared herself, lowering her head as if taking aim. “No. You have come all this way for nothing. I’ll put everything you’ve done to waste, Tempest Shadow! I’ll personally see to it that you die!” she roared as she stamped her hooves and, finally, fired a sickly green blast at Tempest.

Tempest smirked. She reared up as energy, appearing as blue, arching sparks, sizzled from her horn. And then she shot it forth; a bolt of lightning arched out, clashing with Chrysalis’ beam. In fact, the lightning bolt burrowed down the length of Chrysalis’ attack, dissipating it completely, prompting Chrysalis to cry out in shock right before the last fleeting strands darted into her face. Chrysalis screamed as she stumbled backward and eventually tumbled to the deck, the report of her hit a loud thunk. Both the crystal ball and Memory Stone fell from her magical grasp.

“In your dreams,” Tempest countered.

The Storm Kings collectively gave horrified gasps. The ponies and draconequus in the cages collectively gave awestruck gasps.

“How did you…?” Storm King I croaked.

With a smirk, Tempest reached behind her and grabbed what looked like a sickly green rock from off her back. She tossed it in her hoof once and then lobbed it forward. The fragment skittered past the Storm Kings and past the cages and came to a stop not far from where Chrysalis stood dumbstruck.

Chrysalis eyed the piece of debris, the piece of her throne. And then she let out a gasp so sharp it could have been a scream, looking up to see more sparks arc off Tempest’s horn.

Grimb’vltr swiped their hoof through the air. A spectral hoof emerged from the ball and batted the Memory Stone toward Wallflower Blush’s cage. Wallflower gasped and reached through the bars right as it reached her and she yanked the Memory Stone into the cage.

The Storm Kings let out battle cries as they rushed Tempest down. Tempest dodged out of the way of one, sidestepped another, and outright leaped over a third, springboarding off him into a spinning kick that landed in a fourth’s face. Tempest practically danced around them as they clambered over each other trying to swipe at her with their claws or grab her to try and hold her down.

Discord gave an ecstatic cry before he snapped his paw fingers. In a flash, he and everypony else reappeared outside the cages. At once, Raven and Wallflower stood up and glanced around themselves, giving elated cries as well. Luna and Stygian did much of the same before they narrowed their eyes and turned on Chrysalis.

Chrysalis, for her part, channeled some energy into her horn, and unfurled her wings. She backpedaled now, staring at them with a ghastly expression as if they were specters.

Luna and Stygian both shot beams at Chrysalis. And Chrysalis opened a portal right in front of her face; the other side of the aperture showed clear-if-somewhat-cloudy morning skies on the other side. The shots zipped through the near portal face. From beyond it, Chrysalis then hopped through the rear portal face. In another flash, the portal shrunk down to a point and disappeared.

Luna stood up straight, exchanged glances with Stygian, and then turned her attention to Raven and Wallflower while keeping an eye on Tempest and the Storm Kings. Stygian followed suit, lobbing a helpful blast at the foes in the process.

“Now, Wallflower! Wipe their memories!” Grimb’vltr exclaimed.

Wallflower shrieked and then nodded. She held the Memory Stone up, donning a tranquil expression as she focused. Bits of green light appeared within the leylines wrapping around the ovular object.

Tempest parried a blow from another Storm King—she couldn’t bother herself to differentiate them now. They all fought the same; she knew their every move. Claw swipe after claw swipe, grab attempt after grab attempt, but some errant swings dug into the other Storm Kings instead.

She pounced on one, delivered a sharp kick to another. After a couple lost their footing, Tempest saw a couple of them dive for her. She jumped, flipped over, and kicked hard, effectively propelling herself off their faces to somersault away. There, she met one more Storm King who kicked the bottom of her jaw, causing Tempest to flip backward.

Luna and Stygian volleyed more shots into the remaining Storm Kings, and although most bounced off their armor, a few well-placed ones caused them to scream in agony.

Discord laughed and snapped both his claw and paw. However, when nothing happened, he shot a brief glance at the remnant of Chrysalis’ throne still on the deck and frowned. Instead, he snapped his paw again, teleporting the crystal ball into his magical grasp.

The Memory Stone turned fully green and a wave of green energy emanated from it. Wallflower opened her eyes and now held the Memory Stone in front of her. A beam of energy shot out of it which detonated on top of the Storm Kings. They each screamed as green sparks arced across their bodies. Shortly, those sparks disappeared inside them before black and blue ribbons of energy flowed out of their foreheads, swam through the air, and disappeared into Wallflower’s Memory Stone.

Tempest stood up and navigated around the pile, noting how they groaned and squirmed, before she finally rejoined her companions at the front of the deck. She turned to face the Storm Kings at the rear. The electrical sparks arcing off her horn grew in brightness and intensity, their cackle now an even-present sizzle.

More of the same black and blue ribbons swam onto the ship from all directions and disappeared into Wallflower’s Memory Stone. Wallflower herself watched it intently, chancing more of a smile with each memory she received. Finally, a few moments later, the last came in. And Wallflower looked up.

Tempest smirked back at her and turned her attention back to the Storm Kings who were now recovering. She watched as they popped up their heads and looked around. One of them even turned and saw Tempest and her companions standing there and staring them down.

And Tempest etched his horrified, devoid-of-life expression into her mind, content to savor it later, right before she released her shot. The bolt zipped right into the center of them.

Boom!

An explosion of electrical energy detonated within the Storm Kings. The deck itself heaved and rocked as wood snapped and jettisoned debris from the ship. A large hole appeared in the deck’s ceiling, prompting air to rush out. And then the ship itself just about dropped from beneath them.

But Tempest found herself on the inside of a magical bubble, clear but with a moderately azure tint. She looked around to see her companions also inside. But it was Stygian, his horn bathed in a magical aura in the same moderate azure color, who wore a confident smile on his face.

Discord laughed and then snapped his claw. Tempest’s world shrunk down to a single point. When it expanded out again, Tempest felt her hooves land on something hard, and she became aware of a stream of dust buffeting the edge of Stygian’s bubble. She looked down; she stood on a crystalline table not unlike the Cutie Map in Twilight’s castle.

Luna lit her horn. The darkness around them lit up and the blacks turned to browns. Filtered light lit the dust grains that permeated the forever, followed by practically everything else.

Tempest’s breath left her.

The main ship now nosedived out of the sky. The canopy flapped violently as the metal hull dragged it downward. Pieces of smoke and debris trailed off it, and a low rumble accompanied its fall. The remains of the ship accelerated toward the ground, whining on its way down. The large banner carrying the Storm King’s face on it clung to the remains of the canopy for dear life before it finally snapped off and fluttered in the breeze. The rest of the ship finally hurtled into the earth a few moments later at a distance away from the group. An ear-splitting brrrrrrrrmmmm punctuated the impact as it shook the entire land, throwing up a large cloud of dust that reached at least a hundred meters into the air.

Tempest observed the wreckage with wide eyes as the bedlam paused for a moment. The others did the same, sharing the stunned silence.

Another boom from above caught their attention as they saw another explosion rock another ship in the sky. They followed a trail of smoke from the impact point to an adjacent ship, just in time for that second ship to fire another missile at the first. The missile exploded like a firework—neigh, it was a firework, against the hull. The explosion tore a hole in that ship’s canopy and it too shortly fell out of the sky.

Soon another ship fired a firework at one of the others. And then a different ship fired at another ship. Ship fired on ship, trading blows the whole fleet over. The sky lit up from the explosions, and a rapid volley of booms punctuated the multicolored display. Soon enough, more and more of the fleet fell. The blows showered the wasteland with metal, cloth, wood, and a few things in between, some of them organic.

Tempest couldn’t help but take a few steps forward, nearly right into the edge of the bubble as she watched. Each of the Storm Kings had probably put plans in place to backstab the other armies. And now, with nothing else to remember but the plans for betrayal, and having likely seen a ship going down and assuming some betrayal, their forces were following through.

An amused chuckle escaped her lips. How… fitting…

She stood tall, with her friends, and watched as the enemy tore itself apart.

* * *

“Yes!” Twilight screamed. She paced in place as she processed what she had just heard. “Yes! Yeeeees!”

Princess Celestia gave an elated cry.

“Let’s go!” Sunset exclaimed, punching the air.

Nearby, many of the others—the folks from Canterlot High, the Pillars of Equestria, the Elements, the leaders from the other nations—gave their own jubilated shouts and jumped for joy and even hugged each other.

Within the crystal ball, Genesis chuckled. “Just as planned,” he said.

“Now now, Queen Chrysalis was able to escape,” Grimb’vltr interjected. “I would imagine she may come back to fight another day. But, through and through, victory is ours today.”

Twilight’s smile faded some but didn’t completely disappear. “Ah, I see. Still!”

Grimb’vltr tilted their head. “Ah, here they come now.”

A few moments later, amidst a flash of light and an airy pop, six figures appeared on the green. They glanced around, all but one looking dazed.

But Discord, who floated above them, immediately turned, grinned from ear to ear, and threw his arms into the air. “Hello, hello! We have returned!”

And many turned to face them and gave more ecstatic shouts and cries.

Princess Luna saw Princess Celestia and stumbled forward. “S… Sister!”

Princess Celestia gasped. And then she bolted forward. “Luna!” she cried as she practically galloped head-long into Princess Luna’s waiting embrace.

The Pillars surged forward and practically swallowed Stygian. Stygian laughing as they greeted him.

“Oh, Stygian!” Starswirl the Bearded exclaimed. “Well done!”

“You made it back! Oh, we’re so glad you’re safe!” Mage Meadowbrook seconded.

Rockhoof gave Stygian a congratulatory slap on the back, causing Stygian to buckle and then rub the offended area. Flash Magnus laughed at the display. Somnambula and Mistmane meanwhile simply stood by, offering warm and inviting smiles.

Wallflower let out an exhausted sigh and let herself fall into the grass, releasing her tight grip on the Memory Stone in the process.

Principal Celestia, Vice Principal Luna, and a few of the Canterlot High crowd trotted over and stood over her.

“Wallflower Blush!” Principal Celestia exclaimed. “You’re alright!”

Wallflower opened her eyes and looked up at them. She glanced across their faces, registering their astonished smiles. She blushed and chuckled nervously. “Uh… y-yeah…”

“You did it,” Flash Sentry said. “You actually did it.”

“Wow,” Trixie added. “Trixie is impressed!”

“We’re glad to see that you made it out okay. We were so very worried about you,” Vice Principal Luna said.

Wallflower swallowed and even shrank a little. “Yeah… I-I was worried about me too… But we did it,” she wheezed.

The other Twilight chuckled. “Yes, you did. You’re incredible, Wallflower.”

“You’ve gotta tell us all about it when we go home,” Flash Sentry said.

Several of the other students gave their affirmatives.

At that, Wallflower frowned. “Oh… oh, uh… sure?”

Twilight, meanwhile, watched these meetings and then turned as Tempest approached with a weary Raven in tow. Discord floated above them, holding his head high with pride.

But Discord looked down, spotted Fluttershy, gasped, and then darted right at her. He picked her right off the ground before she even knew what was happening and wrapped her into a great big hug. “Oh! Fluttershy! I missed you so so so so much! You won’t believe what I’ve been through.”

Fluttershy giggled and hugged him back. “Discord! You’re okay! I’m so…” She sniffled. “I’m so happy you’re okay!”

“You did it! Tempest!” Twilight said, beaming.

Tempest smirked. “Well, it got a little bumpy there for a while. But yeah…”

Twilight looked over. “And you brought a friend!”

Raven let out a breath and bowed. “Princess Twilight. It’s good to see you again.”

“You must be Raven,” Twilight replied. “You’re from Equestria N, aren’t you?”

Raven adjusted her glasses. “Yes, Your Highness. I am. I’ve… been gone for quite some time.”

Twilight giggled and lit her horn. “We know. We’re glad to see you’re safe. We should probably get you back home,” she said. A portal appeared right in front of her, showing cloudy skies on the other side.

Raven glanced through the aperture, took a step toward it, and then paused. She ran her eyes over the gathered crowds and then turned to Twilight. “Uh, is there something happening?”

“Yes. We’re about to combine realities here. But, uh… don’t worry about it. Everything’s going to be fine.”

Raven smiled. “I see. I’ve gathered some of that. Maybe we could talk about it later?”

“Sure, I can debrief you if you don’t remember afterward.”

Raven nodded and stepped through the portal. A few moments later, Twilight quit her spell, and the portal shut tight.

Twilight then turned to Tempest. “So, how was it? You beat them.”

Tempest nodded sagely. “Yes… I did. Truth be told… it felt good to beat them down. Really good.” She prodded the ground as she thought. “I feel like I’ve redeemed myself with this. It’s great.”

Starlight trotted forward, levitating the crystal ball. “I’ll bet. Taking care of your old boss like that… even if they weren’t really your old bosses.”

“Yes.” Tempest chuckled. “But right now, I’m just glad to be back. And, truth be told… the thing I really want right now is a hayburger.”

Sunset raised an eyebrow. “A… hayburger?”

Tempest chuckled and rubbed the back of her head. “I kinda haven’t had anything to eat in a while.”

Starlight giggled. “Oh, we know. Grimb’vltr kept us posted. You crossing the entire wasteland like you did is some epic journey stuff. Like, legendary.”

Now Tempest laughed. “Well, it wasn’t that much. Boring journey anyway. But sure.”

Twilight blinked. “Say, where is the crystal ball that you had with you?” she said, looking around for it.

“I’ve instructed them to leave it in the wasteland where it belongs,” Grimb’vltr said. “That is where that crystal ball originated from, after all.”

“Oh, yeah, that makes sense,” Sunset said.

“Best to keep things in their places,” Adamantine said as she approached. “And just as well, your timing is impeccable, Tempest Shadow. We are just about to start.”

“Yes,” Grimb’vltr concurred. “And, now that the threat to Consensus is defeated… I believe that is the end of the things that I can do for you. It is time for me to let you go.”

Sunset’s eyes widened and she looked into the crystal ball. “What? Let us go?”

“Yes.”

Genesis also looked up.

Starlight frowned. “Well, wait a second! You’re not going anywhere. You can stay with us until we get through this.” She glanced around. “Right?”

Grimb’vltr shook their head. “I am afraid not. You must remember that the layers below you are running faster. We have only been able to converse because I normalized time passage between your layer and mine. Our layers cannot be current with each other if I do not drop this time normalization.” They chuckled. “Besides… shortly… the layer above me will be exactly nine days apart from mine.”

Sunset met Twilight’s gaze and nodded solemnly. “Yeah, I guess that’s a good point.”

“Yes… we have to preserve the behavior…” Twilight mumbled. She straightened up. “Oh, but I’m not sure I was ready to see you go!”

“Ah, but it must be so. But know that the little time we have interacted was of great importance. I shall think of it while I prepare everything else; the stones, the seals, the unponies.” Grimb’vltr paused. “I shall think of you until this condition fully kills my mind.”

Twilight blushed as she gasped.

“Oh, Grimb’vltr…” Sunset groaned.

“You would do well to remember what my fate is. But… you’ve given me something to take with me.”

Sunset wiped her face. “Yeah… I guess we have.”

“Do not worry,” Genesis said. “I will take whatever strides I must to ensure as smooth a transition as possible. I will take care of my master until the end.”

Adamantine ruffled her wings. “Genesis…”

Genesis tilted his head. “Queen Adamantine.”

Adamantine sucked in a breath and looked up. She peered across Twilight’s and Sunset’s and Starlight’s faces. “You have a long road ahead of you still, it seems like. And I know…”

“I am aware. Once we are done setting things up, my ongoing directive will become the fostering and caretaking of the unponies.”

“Yes… You will be their first king.”

“That I will.” Genesis lowered his head. He even shuddered. “I am… unsure.”

“Genesis?” Grimb’vltr tried.

“I have always followed, never led. This is a new prospect. I will, of course, attack this concept as best as I can manage, as has been dictated. And yet…”

Adamantine nodded. “Listen carefully. So long as you love them, cherish them, work with them, play with them… and protect them if need be, everything else will come to you. Take it from me.” She grinned. “You were a great king. You will be a great king.”

Genesis stared into nothingness for a moment as if processing those words. He stole a glance at Grimb’vltr who nodded affirmatively.

Finally, Genesis nodded. “Acknowledged.”

Grimb’vltr looked. “We must let you go. Twilight Sparkle, Starlight Glimmer, Tempest Shadow… Queen Adamantine… Sunset Shimmer… Good luck with everything that is to come.”

Twilight took one last look at the entities inside the ball. She burned the image into her mind. She stored them within her mind. Grimb’vltr and Genesis looked up now, seemingly staring back at her.

Finally, Sunset waved. “Thanks, Grimb’vltr. Thanks, Genesis. Good luck on your end, too.”

“Good luck!” Twilight added.

Genesis lit his horn. Red energy swam about it. And then, a moment later, Genesis and Grimb’vltr (and, it seemed, everything else around them) began moving about such quick rates that they looked like blurs, only truly visible when they stopped for short periods of time.

The five watched them work with somber frowns.

Finally, Starlight looked up at Sunset. “You should probably get going.”

Adamantine looked up and nodded solemnly. “Yes. Perhaps that would be best.”

Tempest narrowed her eyes. “Is everything ready?”

Sunset nodded. “Yeah. Let’s do this.”

Clearing her throat, Sunset turned to face the many milling about the green outside Ponyville. She ran her eyes over her friends from Canterlot High, her friends from here, her former mentor and the nation’s leaders, the Pillars of Equestria, the students from the nearby School of Friendship, and all the other residents of Ponyville.

“Okay!” she bellowed. “If I can get your attention for a sec!”

At once, all eyes turned to her and all conversation ceased. Everyone now faced her, waiting to see what she had to say.

Sunset shuddered—likely buckling under the attention. “We’re going to get started shortly, here in about a couple minutes. I don’t have much time, but I wanted to say something before this went down.”

She scanned their faces, gauging their reactions. “I wanted… I wanted to say thank you all for coming out today, and preparing yourselves for what we’re about to do. You’re probably aware of what we’re trying to accomplish here. And I want you all to know that everything is going to be okay. I am confident that, once this is all said and done, you’ll all be able to go about your mornings and do everything you normally do. This won’t take long anyway.”

“For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Sunset Shimmer. By all rights… I shouldn’t be standing here right now.”

Within the crystal ball, the blurs sped up.

“But, because of those who believed in the value of friendship and all the things we could accomplish by working together, instead of letting those things that divide us have their way, I’m here now. I was able to solve Consensus and bring it to what it is now thanks to all of you. We all came together to make this happen, and maybe take care of some problems along the way.

“I want you all to know that this is as much your thing as it is mine.”

Twilight could see the grins and smirks on their faces. They were on Sunset’s side.

She looks like a real princess right now, Twilight thought.

“So here we are,” Sunset said with a full voice. “And… with any luck… I will see you all on the other side.”

Pinkie Pie popped up, punching the air. “Go get em’ Sunset!”

“Hear hear!” the other Rarity cried.

Many gave affirmations as well.

Puffing her chest out, Sunset turned to Adamantine. “Okay. Let’s do this.”

And, right before Twilight’s eyes, Sunset disappeared.

So Twilight turned her attention toward the Canterlotian mountainside. Hundreds of eyes followed her lead.

A voice, Sunset’s voice, came out of the crystal ball. “Can everyone hear me?”

Adamantine nodded. “Yes, Sunset, we hear you just fine.”

Twilight knew better; Adamantine wasn’t touching the ball, but nonetheless could relay her words to Sunset just fine.

“Okay! Good. Thirty seconds to Consensus,” Sunset’s voice said. “Initialization is done. Systems are go.”

Inside the crystal ball, the blurs sped up further still, rapidly digging out a cavity in the floor that expanded wall to wall. The blurs then constructed stone rings within the cavity, filling it bit by bit.

Twilight watched out of the corner of her eye. It had to be a few hours for every second now, and it was about to be impossibly faster.

“Ten seconds until total alignment of layers,” Sunset’s voice announced.

The blurs sped up even further. The rings rapidly filled the floor now. The stone walls then formed from the ground up, enclosing the room within a hemisphere. And then, right after the top formed, the white lights within the walls turned a hellish red color. And then all (seemingly) fell still.

The green remained totally silent and still now. No one dared make a sound.

Twilight blinked. Now every layer below was about to catch up to this one, no matter how far away they were. Surely, within that crystal ball, a few thousand years would pass within these last few seconds; it would then be this exact moment, just like the rest of the infinity.

“Killing time dilation in three… two… one… snapshot!”

A sudden white light filled Twilight’s vision, even once she snapped her eyes shut in response. She couldn’t help but wipe her face as her vision came to, but even then, she saw spots. On looking around, she could see practically everyone else in the same daze.

She turned her attention back to Canterlot. A few murmurs reached her ears, but she paid them no mind.

“Readings nominal,” Sunset’s voice reported. “Snapshot is looking good. Starting calculation.”

Twilight looked at the crystal ball again. The sigils with the chamber itself now gave off a lavender light. However, a few sigils flashed white seemingly at random, giving a sparkling effect within the floor and walls. The rings in the floor slowly rotated alternately to each other.

Twilight knew it was another layer from her own, but it was this moment in time; it might as well have been a live feed from the chamber.

She spotted some flickers of light above the plains between her and the mountain. She squinted, trying to catch one as it happened. It looked like a line of reddish energy that faded into and back out of being; she spotted an energy nexus travel across that line from the moment the line itself appeared to when it disappeared. It was like a portion of a circuit.

“Twilight?” Starlight tried, pointing.

Twilight looked over, realized Starlight was pointing at her, and examined herself. Those same lines raced across her body at this moment. Not only that, but she had a soft glow to her. They matched the lines in every direction.

“The weights,” Twilight concluded. “This is my contribution.”

“Calculation is looking good. Here’s to infinite computing power,” Sunset’s voice said.

Twilight couldn’t help but chuckle right before she furrowed her brow. Yes. So that’s going smoothly. But now… she thought.

“Everyone get ready. Absorbing all magic in ten seconds, on my mark,” Sunset’s voice said.

One by one, the various sigils within the chamber began glowing white. Eventually, the white washed out the lavender and the entire chamber shone brightly.

Twilight sucked in a breath. This was where if something actually went wrong, there would be no repairing the damage.

“Three…”

This had to work. There was no alternative.

“Two…”

Twilight steeled herself. There was no turning back.

“One.”

Twilight nodded. Do it, Sunset. You’ve got this! she thought.

“Mark!”

The very foundations of reality seemed to shake and shudder as a pillar of white light erupted from the Canterlotian mountainside, causing Twilight and everyone else to stumble. The same white light shone out of the crystal ball, so bright that Twilight had to avert her eyes. A sharp whine accompanied it; Twilight heard hints of that whine from the mountain far away as well.

A low rumble permeated the landscape as a spherical wave of magical energy erupted from the mountain and rapidly expanded outward, almost instantaneously sweeping over them. The moment it passed by was the moment Twilight felt energy leave her body wholesale; she gasped as she observed a ball of light phase out of her body. The ball of energy tore away from her and shot toward the mountain.

She whirled as several cried out around her. She watched as similar balls of magical energy erupted from everyone, pony or otherwise, and even some bits streamed out of the earth itself. Her heart sank as she watched a few keel over once their magic left them.

“Thirty percent complete!” Sunset’s voice cried.

The land roared from another massive shake. Twilight stumbled about as she tried to keep her balance. Another wave erupted from the mountain, passed over them, and sucked even more magic from their bodies.

Twilight felt so very weak, like a gust of wind could have knocked her over.

The flickers of light from before increased in number. Thousands of them hung in space for as far as the eye could see. More magic streamed toward the mountain, now diving into it all the way from the horizons.

The crystal ball finally fell out of Starlight’s magical grasp as the rest of her magic left her and shot toward the mountain as well.

“Sixty percent!”

A loud crack caught her attention and Twilight centered her gaze on the face of the mountains. She gasped and watched with horror as a large crack spread all over the face of the mountain. She even spotted bits of magical energy seeping through the fissures.

She tried to light her horn and see if anything would come out of it. But she couldn’t find any of the threads that were normally there.

Another wave of energy expanded from the mountain, accompanied by another massive earth shake. She finally lost her footing, falling onto all fours.

“Ninety percent!”

“Everything is looking green!” Adamantine exclaimed.

Twilight, with her eyes as wide as they could go, stared her down. This hardly looks green! This is… insane!

The cracks finally reached Canterlot. Twilight’s breath left her. She thought she saw the city shift by a small amount.

“One hundred percent. Moving and merging in ten seconds!” Sunset’s voice announced.

And, with a loud roar, the city of Canterlot tilted away from the mountain. The castle towers, clearly visible at this distance, fell over. And, a couple of seconds later, the rest of the city gave way, sliding off the mountainside altogether.

Twilight’s heart just about stopped. The most she could get out was a strained “Nooooooooo!”

“Three… two… one… mark!”

Twilight suddenly felt herself being pulled in some uncountable number of directions at once. And, just as suddenly as it started, Canterlot froze. The ghostly images of an upright Canterlot appeared where it just had been.

Twilight looked down at herself and saw the same sorts of ghostly images of herself. They appeared so very briefly and the images themselves varied little from what she actually was. She saw images of herself entirely removed from where she stood but it seemed those were inching closer to her.

She was inching toward some of them as well. This pulling was lifting her to her hooves. And, a few seconds later, she stood once more.

Everyone around her had the same ghostly images of themselves around them, with a few one-offs entirely removed. The ground itself phased between imperceptibly different versions of itself. All of reality has several ghostly images of itself occupying the space.

And then she saw new images. Images of trees occupying Ponyville’s space, images of ruined and destroyed buildings, and images of large buildings with black-stained but idle smokestacks. She saw images of a dusty expanse that spread from horizon to horizon. Those images looked less fleshed out than all the others.

Twilight looked again. Canterlot phased its way back up the mountain. The cracks in the mountainside closed back up as reality moved into its final, correct configuration. The bits of mountain that had eroded reformed, even.

Twilight’s eyes widened. Of course.

“Almost there. Just a little more…” Sunset’s voice said.

And then she felt those different versions being pulled into herself, and she into them. She felt a mingling of herself with, strangely, herself. But it wasn’t quite herself; new sensations came forth and new thoughts, current and old, swam about her. They were her thoughts, but they were not her thoughts.

One last rumble shook the land before reality lit up one final time. Everything slowed down and then stopped entirely. All sight, sound, and sensation melted away for what seemed like forever.

Nothing happened.

Twilight couldn’t help but wipe her face as her vision came to, but even then, she saw spots. She shook herself sober and straightened up.

She felt a lot different than before. There was something new there. Something she couldn’t put her hoof on just yet—although it was rapidly coming to her.

She turned to face everyone. She studied their faces, trying to get a sense of their temperament. She noticed many of them looking around at each other and then at themselves, almost as if taking themselves in. She looked at her friends, she looked at her neighbors, and looked at her visitors. All had the same confused, awestruck daze.

She looked at them, and then she looked at Ponyville, and then at Canterlot, and then the skies above and beyond. Nothing seemed out of place. Everything… seemed normal.

The crystal ball sat on the grass now, showing complete darkness.

Twilight lit her horn. Magic flowed through without the slightest resistance, and she levitated the crystal ball up to her face. She studied it, made sure of it.

Her breath left her again, and she slowly looked back up at Canterlot. All lay quiet now. It was past the appointed time, and if there was anything that had to happen, now was the time for it to happen. But nothing was happening now; in fact, there had been a jump of sorts from what had been a minute ago to what was now. In fact, some vague picture of something seemed to span that gap, something Twilight was sure she had just seen.

That could only mean one thing; what had needed to happen now had already happened.

Twilight sat down and chuckled with disbelief. We did it… she thought simply, we… achieved Consensus.

Comments

[Thought Prism]

Hopefully Sunset and Adamantine are alright. And hopefully Chrysalis didn't move any stones.

[RolkFlameraven]

Now to see what has changed. I've seen to many multiverses murged together to know that everything is just as the "prime" timeline was.

And most importantly, what of Sunset?

[rainsilent]

That was an amazing chapter.