Chapter 53: In the End (Last Edited 7/27/2022)
November 5, 2021
Jack’s Mind
Jack sat, drowning in a sea of betrayal, regret, and self-loathing. He was vaguely aware of Jade Jack manipulating his outside body, but he’d lost the will to care. Emerald Jack on the other hand was harder to ignore.
“So that’s it, huh?” Emerald Jack asked. “You’re just going to give up and let him destroy everything?”
“They lied to me,” Jack said blankly. “Celestia said she could get me home to my friends and family. Sakura said she was my friend. She just wanted to use me for Blutknochen’s plans. I don’t even think Sakura Blossom is her real name. All those things she told me about her past were… she was using me.”
“HE’S GOING TO KILL THE PEOPLE YOU CARE ABOUT!” Emerald Jack screamed.
“The people I care about are already dead,” Jack responded. “They died and I never got to tell them I was sorry. Just like Chase. Just like Longbow. They all had to die while I got to live.”
“Don’t….”
“Give it a rest!” Jade Jack sneered. “I won, you lost! Get over it!”
Canterlot Castle: South Tower Ruins
As the Mane Six rushed into battle Celestia let loose a volley of magic which shred most of the flytraps in their path.
“Thanks, Princess!” Twilight called back to her.
“Don’t thank her yet!” Applejack cried. “We got stragglers!”
A 20-foot-tall beast of a fly trap reared up and lunged at them. Just as it was opening its mouth to snap them up it inhaled a volley of confetti. Straightening up it wretched and gagged trying to dislodge the foreign objects from its throat.
“I’ll take care of this one, girls!” Pinkie cried, bravely brandishing one of her party cannons.
Nopony knew where the cannon came from, but even Twilight knew there were more important things to worry about and they pushed through.
“There are more ahead!” Rainbow Dash reported.
Indeed, one of the flytraps was already bearing down on them. However, when it tried to open its mouth, it found it had been sewn shut.
“I’ll handle this one!” Rarity declared.
The others rushed forward about 15 meters before another flytrap snapped at them. It would have taken off Twilight’s head had Applejack not caught it with her lasso.
“Ya’ll go on ahead!” Applejack hollered.
They were approaching the trunk when three flytraps came at them from all sides. They clamped onto the shield Twilight put up, leaving trails of green drool dripping down the sides. With a burst of magic, they were knocked back.
“Go!” Twilight shouted at Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy.
As Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were only yards from their goal a final flytrap lunged from above them.
“Keep going!” Rainbow Dash shouted as she buzzed the flytrap.
Distracted by Rainbow Dash the flytrap didn’t even notice Fluttershy slip past. With no obstacles in her way, she was able to land unmolested next to Jack. Staring deep into his glowing Jade eyes Fluttershy could feel the power emanating from her element. As the other bearers fought, they could feel their own elements resonating with Fluttershy’s.
Jack’s Mind
Fluttershy’s heart pounded at the scene before her. It appeared she was in a small human settlement or rather a compact version of a medium one. There was a hospital, a school, a church, and a few houses, everything tinted in a Jade hue.
“So, you think you can take him back from me?” Jade Jack’s voice echoed. “He’s trapped in a prison of his own mind, you know. A prison you are free to share.”
“I-I’m not scared of you,” Fluttershy said.
“I doubt that,” Jade Jack chuckled, “but I’m not really the one you should be afraid of.”
“Who are you?”
Fluttershy turned to see seven figures behind her, five humans, and two ponies. The first was a brown-haired human male with glasses. The second was a bulky freckled human male with no hair to speak of. Next to him was a lanky blond human male with two devices around his ears. He was next to a muscular dirty blond-haired man. Next to him, Fluttershy assumed was a human female. She was short, slender, and had a slightly darker skin tone, and black hair. Next to her were two ponies Fluttershy recognized. Lieutenant Longbow was now famous for having given his life to save San Franciscolt, though Fluttershy knew he’d fought alongside Jack, and Sakura Blossom was one of Jack’s close friends.
“I’m Fluttershy,” the timid mare squeaked.
“What was that?” asked the human female.
“I’m Fl-Fluttershy,” she stuttered louder. “And y-you are?”
“Yuri Kagura Fujioka,” the girl answered. “March 5, 1998-June 2, 2020. Age at death 22.”
“Bryce Gunther Durkheim,” said the brown-haired man. “November 26, 1998-June 2, 2020. Age at death 21.”
“Chauncey Phelen Carney,” said the bald man. “May 11, 2000-September 21, 2019. Age at death 19.”
“Marcus Fitzgerald Jager,” said the man with devices around his ears. “January 23, 2001-June 2, 2001. Age at death 19”
“Shawn Gordon Habbers,” the muscular man answered. “April 5, 2000-June 2, 2020. Age at death 20.”
“Lieutenant Longbow,” Longbow answered. “Unknown-September 7, 2020. Age at death unknown.”
“Name unknown,” Sakura Blossom said. “Unknown-present. Age at death not applicable.”
Fluttershy was confused at all these answers, especially Sakura’s. She understood these were people from Jack’s life and it seemed odd most of them died on June the 2nd, the day he arrived in Equestria, but he should know Sakura’s age and certainly her name given how much time they spent together. “And w-what do you want?” she asked.
“Crimes of Jackson Delano Jager Jr.,” Yuri said. “Murdering my dog, thinking he had a chance with me, and outliving me.”
“Crimes of Jackson Delano Jager Jr.,” said Bryce. “Destroying my family and outliving me.”
“Crimes of Jackson Delano Jager Jr.,” said Chase “Abandoning me while I suffered with brain cancer and outliving me.”
“Crimes of Jackson Delano Jager Jr.,” said Mark. “Being a poor excuse for an older brother and outliving me.”
“Crimes of Jackson Delano Jager Jr.,” said Shawn. “Being a horrible person and outliving me.”
“Crimes of Jackson Delano Jager Jr.,” said Longbow. “Putting Equestria in the crosshairs of the Elements of Chaos and failing to save me.”
“Crimes of Jackson Delano Jager Jr.,” said Sakura. “Being a gullible simp who actually thought I might care about him.”
“GUILTY! GUILTY! GUILTY ON ALL CHARGES!” they chanted.
“Stop!” Fluttershy shouted. “You’re wrong about Jack! He’s kind, caring, smart, and would never harm a hair on anypony’s head if he could avoid it!”
“He’s guilty!” Bryce shouted.
“Guilty! Guilty!” the others chanted as they closed in on Fluttershy.
“S-stay back,” Fluttershy stammered backing into a corner.
“Guilty!” they groaned.
“I said STAY BACK!” Fluttershy said with a piercing glare. One by one the figures disintegrated. “I-I need to find him.”
“He’s over here!” said a voice in her head. One of the houses was illuminated in an emerald glow. “Hurry! There isn’t much time!”
There was something trustworthy about the voice. Fluttershy didn’t know what, but she could tell that much. She arrived at the house without any resistance, but when she reached for the doorknob….
“I won’t let you go in there.”
Turning over her shoulders she could see Jade Jack staring at her.
“And I won’t let you stop her!” the voice bellowed as a plum of emerald shot from the house knocking Jade Jack back. “Inside now!” it called to Fluttershy.
Gritting her teeth, Fluttershy burst inside. There in the center of the room, Jack stood gazing blankly at a wall.
“I’ve set up a barrier outside the house!” the voice called. “It won’t hold for long though. You’ll need to act fast!”
Fluttershy nodded. “Jack?” she asked.
No response.
“It’s time to go home now,” Fluttershy said soothingly. “If you just look me in the eyes we can leave.”
“I have no home,” Jack muttered.
“What do you mean?” Fluttershy asked. “You have my cottage, and when you get back to your world, you’ll have all your old friends and family waiting. You just need to give Celestia a bit more time.”
“Celestia, huh?” Jack asked. “You think she knew? I mean she had to know, right?”
“Know what?” Fluttershy asked.
“That when the Lowcountry was brought here everyone but me was left behind,” Jack answered. “The ground ripped from beneath their feet. I can’t believe it took Sakura explaining it to me for me to realize, they’re dead.”
“Sakura?” Fluttershy asked. “How…?”
“She’s with them,” Jack said. “The entire time she was one of the Elements of Chaos.”
Fluttershy’s eyes were as wide as saucers. “That can’t be right. She’s just a filly!”
“She does look it, doesn’t she,” Jack sighed. “I think she’s probably older than I am, how much I can’t say, but I assume demon ponies are long-lived.”
“If that’s true and she’s with them then maybe she was lying to you!” Fluttershy offered. “Messing with your head to get you in this state.”
“Oh, she was messing with my head alright,” Jack agreed. “But her logic was sound, there’s no way anyone could have survived such a thing. I guess this is my lot in life,” he sobbed. “All I’ve ever done is mess up the lives of everyone around me. For a while I thought coming here was a second chance. That maybe God wanted to give me an opportunity to be a better person in this world. To help you ponies out before I went home and apologized to those I’d wronged.”
A sound like that of cracking glass echoed throughout the house.
“The barrier is starting to fail!” Emerald Jack reported. “If he doesn’t snap out of it soon his negative energy will make short work of what’s left!”
“But now I see the truth,” Jack said. “If there is a God, he just has a twisted sense of humor. I was brought to this world because Blutknochen needs a human. He killed everyone I know just to bring me here at random. My being in Equestria has only served to bring him and his goons upon you. All the death and destruction they’ve caused was to get to me. It’s my fault.”
The cracking grew steadily louder.
“Hurry!” Emerald Jack called.
“But you’ve done so many wonderful things for us ponies,” Fluttershy said. “I mean you….”
“I’ve heard it before, Flutters,” Jack sighed. “Everything I’ve done for you ponies has either been fixing a problem that wouldn’t exist if I was somewhere else or helping accomplish something that could have been done without me.”
The barrier shattered and the house was bathed in Jade light.
“And what does this accomplish!” Fluttershy screamed with desperate frustration. “You’re a wonderful young man. I know you can’t see it right now, but if you are. We all care for you, and I know you care for us too! If you let Jade Jack take over, you’ll only make things worse for everypony. You know what he’ll do to us, right? If you blame yourself for putting us in the Elements of Chaos’s sights, then isn’t it on you to protect us?!”
“I….” Jack started.
“A valiant effort,” Jade Jack interrupted clapping slowly. “But all for naught. I wasn’t aware the Emerald pest had any fight left in him. If had known, I would have taken care of you sooner.” A scythe of Jade energy materialized in his hand. “I’m afraid this is the end for you.”
“NO!” Jack shouted as Jade Jack raised his weapon for a strike. “I won’t let you!” The scythe was mere inches from Fluttershy’s neck when it bounced harmlessly off an Emerald barrier. “I don’t know if I’ll ever forgive myself for the harm I’ve caused others and I know so long as I can’t you’ll be poised to take over again.”
“Then why fight it?” Jade Jack scowled pressing his scythe into the barrier as hard as he could.
“Because I have friends to fight for,” Jack declared. “I put them in danger by staying with them, but I’d be putting them in even more danger by giving in to you!”
As Jack looked down at Fluttershy his eyes locked with hers and the world faded to black.
Royal Canterlot Hospital
Jack’s eyes fluttered open. He felt as if he’d been covered in a million papercuts. He could tell he was in a hospital, but He’d no idea how long he’d been out. Looking to his side he could see that the Crusaders were curled up next to him fast asleep.
Not wanting to wake them he slipped out of the bed and snuck to the door. No sooner was he outside than he found himself in the tight embrace of a familiar yellow pegasus. “Hey, Flutters,” he greeted, brushing his fingers through her mane.
“I was so worried,” Fluttershy sobbed. “When I came too you were out cold.”
“How long was I out?” Jack asked.
“It’s been weeks, dude!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed from the other side of the room.
“What?!” Jack asked his heart skipping a beat.
“That’s not the least bit funny, Rainbow Dash!” Applejack scolded.
“Agreed,” Rarity huffed. “Now is hardly the time for jokes!”
“You’ve only been out for 12 hours,” Twilight said.
“Lucky you!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed grumpily. “The rest of us didn’t get any. After last night Anypony would be jealous at how much sleep you and the Crusaders got!”
“The girls,” Jack said, “Are they?”
“They’re fine, Jack,” Twilight said. “A mare dropped them off at the hospital 7 hours ago. She told us they’d snuck into the Gala with Sakura. She also told us about what happened between you two.”
“I can’t believe she was lying to us!” Pinkie exclaimed gritting her teeth in frustration. “The Cakes welcomed her into their home, and she was working for the bad guys the whole time! When I find her, I’ll…!”
“Do any of you know where Celestia is?” Jack interrupted.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Fluttershy asked. “I mean you already know….”
“I need to hear it from her,” Jack said with firm resolve.
Canterlot Castle: Throne Room
“Spitfire and Three Arrows are in a stable position,” Shining Armor reported to Celestia.
“I’m grateful to hear it,” Celestia said. “I don’t know what we’d do if you hadn’t shown up when you did.”
“I only wish I’d figured out what was going on sooner,” Shining Armor said. “I should have known Hoity Toity was up to something the moment he requested I take my vacation the week of the Gala.”
“And I should have realized what my nephew was up to,” Celestia said.
Before the conversation could progress, any further there was a knock on the door.
“You may enter!” Celestia called. She wasn’t the least bit surprised to see Jack walk in. “It may be best to continue this conversation another time,” she said to Shining Armor.
“As you wish,” Shining Armor said with a bow before teleporting away.
“How long have you known?” Jack asked Celestia.
“Known what?” the alicorn inquired.
“HOW LONG HAVE YOU KNOWN THAT EVERYONE I KNEW IS DEAD!!!!?”
The princess gave Jack a sad smile. “I’ve known all along. I know it’s no excuse and I should have told you from the beginning, but I thought if you found out you might lose control or worse join Blutknochen.”
“FUCK YOU!” Jack roared. “YOU HAD NO RIGHT TO KEEP THIS FROM ME!”
As he turned toward the Princess her guards moved to intercept, but Celestia raised a hoof and they backed down.
“I’ll never see them again,” Jack said quietly.
“If you need some time to yourself, I understand,” Celestia said.
“I think that would be for the best,” Jack agreed breathing heavily. “I don’t know that I’ll ever forgive you, but everything I have left in my life is here in Equestria and I’m in no position right now to protect it from Blutknochen or even myself.”
Southern Shore of Lake Canterlot
Oni-Hime had been running for almost half a day. She was starving, out of breath, and most of all dehydrated. The cool waters of the massive lake were like a gift from above and she gleefully dragged herself to the bank and gulped down as much as she could with the tenacity of a wild animal.
“Well, well, well,” she heard a voice from behind her. “I must say it’s been a while since I’ve seen somepony fail so spectacularly! You must agree, Ja?”
Oni-Hime didn’t have the strength to argue with Løgner. For now, all she was interested in was sleep and a meal. She’d worry about the consequences of her failure later.
Canterlot Main Gate
The gates still bore the stains of the previous night’s battle and served as a grim reminder for those who’d gathered there.
As Jack made his way to the balloon Celestia had made ready for him he could see the Crusaders getting a stern talking too from their sisters.
“What were you thinking Sweetie Belle?” Rarity asked. “You could have been seriously hurt!”
“That was right stupid, Apple Bloom,” Applejack scolded.
“Do you have any idea how your aunts would feel if something happened to you, Squirt?” Rainbow Dash asked.
As he reached the balloon, he found Fluttershy and Spike waiting for him.
“Do you really have to go?” Fluttershy asked.
“I do, mother,” Jack said. “It’s too dangerous for me to stay if I don’t have a way to keep Jade Jack at bay.
“I know, but you’ll take care, right?” Fluttershy asked.
“Of course,” Jack nodded.
“Any idea how long you’ll be gone?” Spike asked.
“No clue,” Jack admitted, climbing into the basket. “You gonna miss me?”
“You’re the only guy friend I have,” Spike answered. “Of course, I’m gonna miss you!”
“I’ll be back eventually,” Jack said. “Maybe see if Big Macintosh wants to hang while I’m gone.”
“I guess, but it won’t be the same,” Spike said.
“I guess not,” Jack agreed, getting ready to light the burner.
“WAIT!”
Jack had hoped not to have to say goodbye to the Crusaders, but he wasn’t surprised they’d spotted him.
“You were just going to leave without sayin’ anythin’? Apple Bloom asked.
“I’m not a big fan of goodbyes,” Jack said. “But since you’re here, I do have some things to say to you guys.”
“Like what?” Scootaloo asked.
“Never stop trying to outdo yourself, Scoots,” Jack said. “If you keep doing your best there’s not a thing in this world that will stand in your way.”
“I, uh,” Scootaloo blushed. “Thanks.”
“Never stop using that brain, Sweets,” Jack said. “It seems you were able to pick up on things no one else was even willing to consider. We’d all do well to listen to you from now on.”
“I don’t know what to say,” Sweetie Belle said, attempting to hide her face.
“Bloom,” Jack said. “You were the first pony I ever considered a friend. You’ve always had a sense that everyone deserves to be treated as equals. Never change.”
“Ah won’t!” Apple Bloom gushed.
“If you girls keep looking, I know you’ll find your marks eventually,” Jack said. “Just try not to get into too much trouble while I’m gone.”
The Crusaders nodded as the burner lit and Jack took off.
Until last night Jack had been motivated by his drive to return home. He’d fought tooth and nail for Equestria under the understanding Celestia would get him home, but in the end, none of that mattered. But all was not lost. The pain of knowing he’d never see his friends and family again was a hard burden to bear, but he’d bare it. He had new friends and family now, and he needed to get stronger to protect them.
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Justice for Blueblood will be served.
Interesting ending to this first book. Can’t wait for the sequel.
Well, waiting for the sequel
11320153
Never liked him either.
11328655
There’s no moral justification to be had for forced conscription. At least that’s how I see it. However, in terms of security many otherwise free nations do employ such tactics for fear of invasion.
My Little Reviews & Feedback I did your review.