The End of Time

by Leondude

Chapter 22 - One Reformed, One Not

Starlight stared in horror at what Kronos had shown her. There were rows of unconscious ponies lying on their fronts on bloodied operating tables be delicately cut open from the back by machines from above. Then the machine lowered its claws onto their exposed brains and spinal cords and slowly removed them before moving them towards empty shells that resembled ponies. The shells were blank white in colour, with black joints and a few lines that indicated there were parts that could be opened. The "faces" of the shells resembled the helmets that were worn by King Sombra's forces. There was an open panel going from the back of the empty shell to the back of its "head". The machines then inserted the brains and spinal cords into these shells using the open panels before closing them. And then a pair of tubes were inserted through the "eyes" of the shells and filled the shells with a grey liquid.

"Perhaps I should tell you why Whooves and I stopped being friends," Kronos said in a tone that sounded friendly but felt there was something missing. "Once upon a time, I started a war with the Realm Ravagers in order to gain the favour of the Seal of War and the Seal of Business. I told Whooves about it but rather than be supportive of my ambitions, he called me a monster and ran. Maybe it's because I accidentally sent him to the time of this war when we were foals. And then he told Princess Twilight about my plan and had me exiled. But I was not alone. I had a few followers that were willing to join me in exile and so we went off around the cosmos to look for the rest of the Seals. But since that good help is hard to find, yet easily killed, me and my forces travelled around time and space and made some new friends along the way, whether they wanted to be friends or not. Mostly not."

"You're sick!" Starlight shouted out in a mix of disgust and fear. "How could you do that to these innocent ponies?!"

"How could I not? Besides, I don't know what you're getting so upset about. Isn't this what you wanted? The only way to be equal is if we all had the same mind and body."

"No! I'm nothing like you!"

"Really?" Kronos tilted his head. "Last time I checked, you were a cult leader with an affinity for brainwashing. How is that different from me converting these ponies to a higher form?"

"Go to Tartarus! Don't you dare compare me to you! I was trying to make everyone equal until those meddling ponies showed up! What you're doing is murder!"

"Well that was uncalled for," Kronos said.

"Uncalled for?! You admitted to starting a war! No wonder your friend abandoned you! You're a monst-"

Before Starlight could finish her sentence, she felt a tight grip around her neck. She could then see that Kronos' horn was glowing a sickly yellow that matched his eyes.

"Want to know something funny? You still think you're the good guy in all of this. You, ...a mentally unstable mare, wanting revenge on cutie marks for petty reasons. You're nothing." Kronos forcefully pulled the terrified Starlight towards him. "Here's a little secret, Starlight. Your plan to break up Twilight and her friends? It's going to help me in the long run. Care to see the results?"

Kronos charged up his horn and enveloped Starlight in a white magical sphere that grew bigger and bigger. And then the magic dissipated, with Kronos and Starlight no longer being on board the Entropy, but instead in a barren wasteland. The sky was a dark beige and the only things left were mounds and dried up tree branches.

"Where are we?!" Starlight demanded.

"The future!" Kronos said, never losing that courteous tone in his voice "Or rather, the present."

"But there's nothing here!"

"I know. I had all sorts of nefarious evil-doers wreak havoc across the land. I provoked the Realm Ravagers, and in turn, they unleashed all sorts of destructive horrors onto it. The resulting bloodshed was enough to empower me to the highest level a unicorn could get to."

"I don't believe you!" Starlight shouted.

"Well, you better believe it. You may dread it, run from it even, but destiny arrives all the same." Kronos then leaned in closer towards Starlight. "Or should I say I arrive all the same?"

Kronos' eyes flashed for a brief moment, with Starlight's eyes flashing the same yellow at the exact same time before she fell unconscious. Kronos then lowered his head and stared at the unconscious Starlight. Kronos started humming, then singing a little tune.

Sleep little Starlight, rest your pretty head,
For when you wake from your rest, everypony will be dead

Kronos teleported him and Starlight into Twilight's Castle of Friendship.

They exiled me, like a reject
Left me with little defense
When I ponder on the subject
I feel a little tense
But I think of something lovely
To feel less dejected
Because it soothes my inner foal-y
And that's something I have not objected

Kronos lit up his horn to implant thoughts into Starlight's mind, including a time-travel scroll made by Star-Swirl the Bearded.

The sound of Twilight's dying breath
Her friends screaming at her death
Her subject's mournful cries
What lovely lullabies

He then erased Starlight's memories of encountering him.

Now I tried letting it pass
And I thought I could move on
But I have my own plans
So now it's bucking on

He teleported to his ship, with the room he teleported in being occupied by sectoids.

So I found myself some allies
Who will make everypony pee
For they are so scary
And yet they serve me

Kronos lit up his horn once more to cast terrifying illusions for theatrical purposes.

A song of angry growls and howls
As we move on with our prowls
Then there will be so much carnage, oh my
What lovely lullabies

He then moved towards the Bewitching Bell, which was placed in a plastic case.

Most bad guys are gone, yet I'm still around
To tear everypony limb from limb
And when I am done with doing that
The sight will be grim

He then moved towards the Seal of War and the Seal of Business, who were sleeping quite well.

Rest, my precious seals
Think what tomorrow will bring
For once we have captured your brethren
I will live like a king

The sacrifices for the Seal of War
The incredible amount of gore
And as for Business profiteering
The cheers I am hearing
‘Kronos, what a guy’
My vengeance is nearing
And then my flag will fly
As all my enemies die
What lovely lullabies

Author's Note:

Like to see Starlight get tortured some more? Stick around for the incoming chapters.

Honestly, I'm surprised I didn't write a scene of Kronos taking a crap on Starlight's head like a Scottish hero would do to a Welsh twat (that's a reference to the BBC show Staged BTW).

Which is ironic considering I myself fit the description of "Welsh twat."

Speaking of references, guess what song Kronos' villain song was based on: