Chapter 69.
Equinox POV
(In the castle gardens)
I agreed to help Princess Celestia with the Heartless if they showed up, but the supposed threat aside, aren't they drawn to negativity? A wedding is supposed to be a "joyous celebration" or something like that, by that logic alone, Heartless shouldn't be an issue unless the threat is able to turn it all on it's head. Though wouldn't that put the attackers at risk too? I can't imagine anypony following through with this threat to be able to fight a battle against two different enemies.
I wasn't really asked to do anything for the wedding. Spike took it on himself to plan Shining's "bachelor party", whatever that is. Rarity is making the dresses for the bride and her bridesmaids. Applejack is preparing the food and the cake. Pinkie is preparing all the games and decorations. Fluttershy is rehearsing the songs her birds will be singing. Twilight is her brother's "best mare", again, whatever that means. Rainbow? I don't know.
I've been seeing more and more guards acting strangely around me, is it another lingering effect of Cassiel? Are they afraid of me because of him? Questions for later I guess, my only concern is the Heartless, everything else is a secondary objective.
"I didn't expect to find anypony here at this time." I looked away from the small pond to see Princess Cadence behind me.
"Is there something you need, Princess?" I asked her.
"Please, call me Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, and yes." She answered, as if demanding something of me.
"What do you need, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza?"
"I want to know what my aunt wanted to see you for?" I can't tell if that's a request.
"Princess Celestia is your aunt?"
"I'm waiting for an answer." She looked at me impatiently.
"She had a bunch of questions that I didn't really have answers to for the most part. At least, ones she wanted to hear. The only thing she got an actual answer for was when she asked me to deal with the Heartless if they become an issue." She raised her brow.
"That's it?" Does she not believe me?
"Have no reason to lie and no reason to not answer completely."
"There's another reason I came here." She changed the subject. "I have an offer for you."
"An offer?" She has my curiosity.
"Do you ever feel anything?" Isn't she supposed to be trying to make a deal with me?
"I feel the temperature and the other physical senses, what does that have to do with your offer?" I asked her.
"I don't mean the things you can touch, I mean things like joy or-" She tried to clarify.
"Emotions, you mean?"
"Yes, and don't interrupt me again!" She made no attempt to hide her displeasure.
"Do I need them?" I answered her question with one of my own.
"What would life be without them? What would you say if I told you I could give them back to you? You could remember how to love, enjoy yourself, among other things." She offered.
"She can give emotions? I don't understand." I thought to myself.
"You mean I don't have any?" That's news to me.
"I'm the Princess of Love, I can sense these things." She said like she expected me to know.
"Would it be worth the trouble they'll inevitably bring?"
"Of course! I wouldn't be getting married if they weren't! So... Have we reached an agreement?" I thought about it for a while.
"... What is it you need?" I gjess we have.
"Just make sure things go smoothly for me, and I can fix you! Oh, and don't tell anypony about this." She said before turning and leaving.
"That was pretty vague, also, I don't exactly understand how I need to be 'fixed' or why she wants this to stay between us."
"Cadence" POV
I can understand the drone's fears now. That... THING!... It shouldn't be possible! It should be dead for all intents and purposes!
"Calm down, Chrysalis. You won't have to deal with it much longer. Once everything is done, you can put it out of it's misery, if it can actually be called that."
"Careful, the Heartless might decide to turn on you if you let that fear gain more power over you." A voice caught me by surprise. The stallion from before, leaning against a wall as he wore a face of amusement, his eyes closed. I looked around to ensure nopony was around before speaking.
"Why didn't you warn me about that??!!" I demanded an answer. He opened his black and purple eye before looking at me like I was a pest.
"You should remember who you're speaking to, bug!" He threatened me as several dark winged blades stood at the ready to strike. "As for why I didn't warn you about that thing? I already told you what I want, that was just as much for my own entertainment as it was part of what I want." He answered.
"I believe this is something I should've been warned about regardless."
"It's not a threat, and after that deal you made, you could easily tear it's relatively fragile mind apart by summoning Heartless and telling it they're necessary for your 'perfect day', or you could have it side with you." He pointed out before walking through one of his portals.
??? POV
(Realm of Darkness)
The shores are perhaps the most beautiful sight this world has to offer, the sound of the waters crashing lightly against the arches as one gazes at the light in the distance.
"I'm sure she would've liked a view such as this." I thought out loud.
"Thinking of your girlfriend again?" I turned to the direction of the voice, the only diety I like already sitting down on the sand.
"I didn't hear you coming." I commented on her approach.
"I control everything here, have you forgotten who I am?" She smiled.
"Not me anyway, Raven." I answered.
"You still haven't answered my other question."
"*sigh*... You mean Cassiel's? Yes, I was thinking of Blake."
"You're literally the same person, just more honest in a sense. Why do you insist on not using your real name?"
"Reasons." I answered vaguely. "Have I told you about why I have this eye?" I asked as I pointed to what I'm assuming is a corrupted silver eye of sorts.
"If you're about to ask if I can bring back Summer Rose, not right now."
"Why's that?"
"Well for starters, the current states of you and 'Equinox'. Her heart fragmented after you met her because of your teammate. Now add in the fact you, with a piece of Summer still in you, somehow found yourself in possession of a cheap copy of the first keyblade and fragmented yourself as a result. You want to keep your promise-"
"I need to start by putting myself back together."
"Exactly, so why haven't you?"
"..."
"... Well?"
"Will we gain the other's memories if we rejoined as Cassiel?"
"Maybe not all at once, but yes." She answered.
"Then part of the answer is curiosity."
"And the other part?"
"I want more reasons to embrace the light, Equinox is a perfect opportunity for that when we rejoin."
"How disappointing, but no matter. Either you'll still become the King of Darkness, or you'll live your own life. I would prefer the former, but I'm not a fan of forcing things on ponies." She walked behind me and wrapped her arms and wings around me. "I would very much like the former." She whispered in my ear before kissing my cheek.
"You seem to be taking that better than one would think, considering the implications." I commented.
"I know you intend for Her to get involved, and that sickens me, never doubt that! However, Her negligence aside, She would certainly be the best for that, so long as She doesn't just let other other incidents like with the Umbrum, Thestrals, or the Shadow Pony repeat themselves!"
"Well, She was rejected by me once already even though She at least claimed She could give back everything that was taken from me. Whether She was honest or not, unless She wants me to truly become the monster they'll all know me as, it would be in Her best interest not to abuse this opportunity."
"She would likely stop you if you did."
"She would be too focused on saving all the lives and lights the fight would endanger. It's time I take my leave, things are about to get interesting I'm sure." I opened a portal back to the castle.
"Don't have too much fun! Oh, one thing before you go!" She stopped me.
"What is it?"
"I doubt you know exactly how to use that corrupted version of your borrowed eye, but I would recommend not using it. I would expect risks for Summer otherwise." She warned.
"Fair enough." And with that, I took my leave and left a little note for Equinox before watching from the SR.
Equinox POV
The next day, saw a note on the nightstand after waking up.
Do not trust the Fake.
A strange thing to warn somepony about, wouldn't it make more sense to tell them what the "Fake" is before warning them? Questions for later I suppose. On my way back to the gardens, a guard told me that Princess Celestia requested he bring me to where the ceremony will be. Upon my arrival, she instructed me to stand by Spike before we began the wedding rehearsal. I found out then that the bridesmaids were replaced by Twilight's friends as they walked along the red carpet.
"Perfect, girls! No need to rush!" Princess Celestia praised them as they approached. "Then of course, Cadence will enter,-" The bride approached and stood opposite of Shining after the doors opened. "-then I'll say a few words, and then we'll begin with the vows. Shining Armor, you'll get the ring from your best mare." She continued. Everypony is just now noticing Twilight isn't here.
"Hey, has anypony seen Twilight?" Shining asked seconds before the doors opened again to reveal a noticeably angry Twilight.
"I'm here, and I'm not standing next to her! And neither should you!" I have no idea what her problem is, but I'm surprised it's not with me.
"I'm sorry! I have no idea why she's acting like this!" Shining apologized to Cadence.
"Maybe we should just ignore her." She suggested.
"I've tried, it doesn't work." I commented.
"You have to listen to me!" Twilight shouted.
"Oh goodness, are you okay?" Fluttershy asked her.
"I'm fine!" She responded.
"You sure about that?" Applejack asked, only to have Twilight push her hat down her face with magic.
"I've got something to say, she's evil!" Twilight accused Cadence, causing everypony to whisper among themselves. "She's been horrible to my friends, she's obviously done something to her bridesmaids, and if that wasn't enough, she casted a spell on my brother that made his eyes go all-" Apparently she's part chameleon, I have no idea how she did that with her eyes. These accusations caused Cadence to cry and storm out. It was now that Shining decided to defend Cadence and explain how and why she has been so 'evil'. Ending with telling her she isn't his best mare anymore and to not show up at the wedding before going to Cadence.
"C'mon y'all, let's go check on the Princess." Applejack said before everypony sgarted walking past her.
"What about you, Equinox, do you believe me?" Everypony stopped as she asked me that.
"Twilight, I honestly don't care." She looked distraught to hear that. "It's his choice as well as hers. I'm only here because Princess Celestia asked for me, and besides, you've been as some of the townsfolks would say, a bitch to me since day one just because of Cassiel, who still nopony has told me about. I don't necessarily care about that though, besides, if the Princess who just ran off really can sense emotions, then I have none according to her, you're asking for help, for validation from the wrong pony." I walked past her towards the kitchens, I'm hungry.
(wedding day)
They've drawn quite a crowd. Twilight isn't here, as expected. Shining doesn't look right, but that's not my business, especially if he'll get better after the wedding.
"Princess Cadence and Shining Armor, it is my great pleasure to pronounce you-" Princess Celestia was about to finish with the ceremony before we all heard somepony shouting from outside the room.
"STOP!" Twilight burst through the doors.
"UGH! Why does she have to be so possessive of her brother??!!" Cadence asked in frustration. Also, why isn't Shining reacting to this? "Why does she have to ruin my special day?" Is she actually crying this time? No matter, I summoned the black weapon-
"Thorn."
"Who said that?" I thought before aiming it at her.
"Should I?" I asked Cadence, but Rainbow, Rarity, and Spike lowered my weapon.
"No need for that!"
"No!"
"Not now!" The three yelled respectively.
"It's not your special day, it's mine!" Another Cadence made herself known.
'Don't trust the fake.' So that's what the note meant. I aimed Thorn at that one.
"Should I shoot that one?"
"Yes!" The Cadence near me shouted, but Twilight got in front of the other one, so I didn't.
"You don't understand! She's a Changeling!" Twilight claimed while pointing at the one near me.
"She takes the form of somepony you love and gains power from feeding off your love for them!" The other Cadence clarified.
"Okay, since I have no idea who's telling the truth, I have a way of finding out." I summoned the white-
"Lumina."
"Twilight, I'm going to shoot them both. Would you kindly move?" I aimed Lumina at that one and Thorn at the one near me. One of the guards tackled me before he and the Cadence near me transformed, their bodies turned black, they gained insect wings, holes in their legs, and the fake's eyes turned green with slit pupils.
"Sorry, dear, but that simply won't do." The fake said as several of the other guards changed. "Equestria has more love than any place I've ever encountered, and I'm not losing this opportunity for us to acquire more power than we've ever dreamed of!" I looked at the changeling pinning me down before my hand felt cold and he just froze immediately. I threw him off and stood back up with a scythe in the other hand as I aimed Thorn at him.
"-never let you!" Cadence said to the Changeling Queen.
"I doubt that. Isn't that ri- what did you do??!!" She turned around to see me ready to shoot, but I lowered Thorn.
"I froze him, he'll be back up shortly, but I have no interest in that." I answered before walking towards the door.
"I'm afraid I can't let you leave." Her changelings surrounded me and I threw the scythe-
"Silence." Seriously, where are those voices coming from? Not important, I threw Silence on the ground and instantly froze the changelings near me before trying to leave again.
"I will not be ignored!" She shouted before several Heartless appeared, causing everypony to panic.
"10 Shadows.
8 Soldiers.
4 Red Nocturne.
4 Yellow Opera.
4 Green Requiem."
Everypony started panicking. I immediately took aim with Thorn and Lumina to take out the flyers, but every time I lined up a shot, they changed their movements. Four of the Soldiers ran towards me and tried to swipe me, but a single shot from my weapons ended them. The Nocturnes were about to shoot me with fire, but I switched Thorn out for the shur-
"Withering Blade."
I threw it at them and three of them disappeared, but the fourth one shot and barely missed. I threw another Withering Blade at that one and two of the Operas disappeared with it. I looked for the Shadows, but a blast of wind from the Requiems knocked me to the side and I was scratched by the Shadows. Ignoring the pain in my arm and back, I struck one with a scythe-
"Squall."
I struck it with Squall and a blizzard took care of the other three near me. I threw something frozen at the Requiems and they along with a Soldier and the other two Operas were pulled in, turning to ice seconds before the blizzard took care of them. I shot the remaining three Soldiers with Thorn and Lumina before throwing an icewall at my feet to launch myself into the air, shooting the remaining six before landing and turning my attention to the Queen, aiming Thorn at her.
"I was asked specifically to help deal with the Heartless, but I think you count since you're the one who summoned them." She quickly put Shining between the two of us.
"You won't make much progress, I can tell you're struggling to hold that weapon of yours after receiving those wounds. Not only that, but with all the love I've drained from Shining Armor, he and his spell have weakened significantly, and my changelings have been chipping away his shield as well."
"So I need to shoot you before they do, then we win? Easy enough." Just as I was about to shoot through Shining to shoot her, two of her changelings charged at me while another kept shooting me with magic. I placed an icewall between me and the one shooting me before trying to shoot the other two. I missed the first shots on both, but I disarmed them on the second, my third shot with Lumina hit that one in the head and killed him instantly. My third shot with Thorn barely hit the other one's arm, but he fell to the ground, screaming as his arm looked like it was decaying at an impossibly fast pace up until it was a few inches short of his shoulder. As I was about to go around the wall and shoot the other changelings, I fell to my side.
"That doesn't look like a healthy amount of blood to lose." I thought to myself as... When did Nurse Redheart get here? She's doing what she can to stop the bleeding.
"You... You still feel nothing??!! You murdered my children, and you can't even think of what that means..." Tears looked to be ready to pour out, but she quickly stopped that. "We harvest love, we don't kill our victims unless it's necessary!! Your death will not be painless!!! Do you hear me??!!" She shouted in rage.
"No." Princess Celestia stepped forward after incapacitating the other changelings. "You have made it impossible for Captain Armor to perform his duty, your army may be just outside the barrier, but you haven't won this, and Equinox has proven your Heartless to be ineffective. My sister, our guards, and myself have faced significantly more dangerous and in larger numbers at that. Now that you have both revealed yourself and that you're helping to pollute our world with Darkness, it is my duty to stop you!" She said before she flew up and they both began channeling beams of magic at the other. The Queen was struggling at first, but was slowly making progress against Celestia as what looked like Darkness began to flow out of her and I aimed Lumina at her.
"Don't move around too much!" Redheart tried to stop me.
"She'll lose if I don't." The Darkness around the Queen became more visible and I took the shot, hitting her right where one of her wings connects to her back. She fell over, crying out in pain as Celestia hit her with that magic beam and the Darkness immediately dissipated.
"It's over! Call off your invasion and you may find me rather lenient." Celestia said as she approached the Queen, who scowled in response.
"Not while my army is this close to victory!" She hissed before a dark portal of sorts appeared between them.
"You've done enough, Chrysalis." A new voice said from out of the portal before a pony-no. He looks similar to me, he looks human. His skin is darker, he has a scar on his face exactly like mine, a black and purple eye, grey-ish silver hair reaching his shoulders, what looks like tattered robes that almost look fleshy, armor resembling bones and wings over that, and a Heartless emblem over that.
"You..." Chrysalis said just loud enough to be heard.
"You've done your part, now allow me to do mine." The stallion raised his hand upward towards all the changelings.
"Who are you??!!" Celestia demanded, but he just smiled at her.
"You may call me Abaddon, and I am here to say one thing:-" Several dozen balls of Darkness appeared above him before becoming narrow and aiming in slightly different directions. "Nothing dies like hope." The Darkness shot upward, destroying the barrier and piercing every changeling except Chrysalis, who began clutching her head, tears pouring out of her eyes as bodies fell down towards us.
"My hive... You... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!" She began screaming.
"Now there's no need for that, one should celebrate the fallen! Were it not for them, I wouldn't have had such a grand opportunity as this!" He said to her.
"Monster..." Redheart whispered to herself. Abaddon turned towards us and took his time approaching.
"Stop where you are!!!" Celestia shouted, Abaddon did so and turned towards her.
"You're mistaken if you think you can order me around, especially after almost losing to the bug, and seeing me erase her entire hive all at once. By the way, you might want to turn your attention towards the Queen who's about to turn into a Heartless herself." He suggested. Chrysalis actually was turning, I aimed Lumina at her head while his back was turned and stopped her. Abaddon turned towards me.
"A good shot, but the wrong target." He quickly closed the distance between us and threw Redheart towards the crowd before dozens of bone spikes lifted me to eye level with him. "A few bottom feeders for Heartless and less than a handful of changelings were all it took to do this to you? I feel insulted for reasons you wouldn't expect." A wing shaped blade appeared by his side. "We will meet again." The blade was thrusted into me and I knew I was losing consciousness.
"Heal your wounds and become strong enough to end me so we may become one again."
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nice work
so your making it so a nobody must kill their heartless to be recompleted? nice
10724463
Not necessary, just what the Heartless wants.
But why?
Cant he just reconnect himself without playing games,stupid charade?
1st thing first good to know you still alive
2nd Dude great work on these two chapters I like what you did there at the end
3rd Does this mean that EQ will get the two becames one key blade?
And keep up the great work can't wait to read more 👍
10724775
He could, but he sees this as a second chance in Equestria. Equinox is like how he once wanted to be, amnesia aside, emotionless. The ponies know nothing about Equinox and despite having no personal reason, he just helped save Equestria simply because Celestia asked. Cassiel was hated for killing a pony in cold blood, Equinox killed a couple enemies of the entire country because he thought they should be counted with the threat he was asked to deal with by Celestia, and now Abaddon just made every other monster by Equestria's standards look like saints.
The life that Equinox will live will be remembered by Cassiel, and Abaddon wants exactly that. Equinox is about as close as he can get to a fresh start besides reincarnation/ rebirth. Whatever Faust has to teach/ help Equinox with, any friends, any emotions when he learns to feel again, he wants Cassiel to remember it all when they rejoin.
Thanks to that authors note I'm wondering why no one has done a story with a Displaced as a Rachni Queen. It would be interesting to have a different form of hive.
10724990
Thank you, and no, he won't get that keyblade.
10725193
But he already has friends from RWBY, and those actually care for who he really is and he doesn't need to change for them.
Brutal end of chapter I did not expect.
10725195
no one would like to be a giant alien insect.
10725441
I agree with that
10725592
I have 4 counterarguments.
A handful of bug pokemon(especially the ultra beasts), Bancho Stingmon, MOTHRA, and the new series "I'm a Spider,So What?"
Those I wouldn't mind being at all.
Mothra at the top of my list...
Also Zerg. They can pretty much adapt into anything given the right conditions. So i could always pull the whole Queen of Blades thing.
i am really looking forward to see the end of this arc and for him to get back to his fanis girl
10725441
He's not changing for anyone, second chance through Equinox aside, this is the only way he would involve himself with Faust as Cassiel and Abaddon would disregard her or threaten her at least. Another reason is this would greatly affect his progress with Path Towards Nightfall and Mark of Ascension. He did say he wants more reasons to embrace the light, and unless he decided to just forget about his Mark of Mastery exam, the best way to do that otherwise would've been by either immediately rejoining with Equinox and returning to Remnant, or just heading there then as Abaddon.
Equinox feels nothing and remembers nothing, you could say he has no light or dark in his heart. Abaddon wants him to fill his heart with more light than darkness, what Cassiel might have been under different circumstances, and by extension, becoming stronger and better after rejoining.
Necessary? Not exactly. Good for everyones character development? I think so.
Yay new shit
I am surprised there's no 69 jokes in the latest chapter