At the end/in the Beginning
Dying hadn’t been on my list of plans for the day, but there wasn’t a lot I could do about it.
I’ve always had a wary relationship with cars. We couldn’t afford the ungodly insurance to teach me to drive when I was a teenager and found out that we still couldn’t when I was a young adult. My issue was mostly with other people who drove as if they owned the road. Because I didn’t drive, I walked to most places, and I could swear on the Bible that I was invisible about half the time I walked. One third of the times I crossed the street, I had to leap back onto the sidewalk as someone decided that their turn was more important than the pedestrian who had the right of way, and who wouldn’t make as much of a dent in the car as the car would in him. Sorry, pet peeves. It’s been long enough you’d think I could let it go …
Anyway, I’m sure that you can see where this is going. I’d been on a walk to the chain store which shall remain nameless for copyright reasons around the corner from my house. It was about 9:30 P.M., but I’d done this hundreds of times before. As I waited to cross the only street required to get there, I was surprised by the lack of traffic. As soon as I hit the crosswalk button, my light turned green, and the “Walk” sign came on. I was halfway through the street when I heard an engine roaring, coming straight for me, running a red light. I turned and saw what looked like a monster truck headed right for me. I tried to leap out of the way, but wound up tripping over thin air (yes, I’m a klutz) and fell flat on my face, my glasses cracking on the street. I heard the horn blaring. I didn’t feel anything, which was a blessing, but I heard a nasty crunch, like someone had stepped on a giant cockroach.
I was floating in a blackened void. I should have been terrified, but I felt completely at peace. I felt like I’d come home, almost, all of my cares and worries were another lifetime away. The monsters couldn’t get me here.
After what seemed like ten minutes, a voice whispered, What will you build? I couldn’t tell if the voice was inside my head or out of it.
“What?”
The voice came again. What will you build? This is yours. Your gift. Make it what you will.
“I don’t understand!”
Joyful laughter came. You get to build a universe of your very own, to play in and grow, forever. You can make galaxies and worlds, suns and shoes and ships and sealing wax, and cabbages and kings! Anything you dream of will come into being. What will you build?
I thought about it. My mind raced with fantastic ideas. Visions of starships filled my mind, along with a plethora of alien races. In my best impression of Star Lord, I said, “I’m gonna make some weird shit!” The voice, if it existed, laughed again.
Specifically? It asked in a teasing tone.
I thought more. “A world where magic and monsters exist. Where anything is possible! Where life throws challenges at you, but the Power of Love, and friendship reign supreme. Preferably a world without cars, I don’t want to die again. Or internet trolls. I’m honestly not quite sure.”
The voice quietly hummed. My Little Pony, My Little Pony, ah-ah-ah-ah!
“I can do that?” I asked in shock.
“Anything,” remember? Yes, you can build your very own Equus. That might be fun. Let’s do it then.
“‘Let’s?’”
You know who I am, you’ve always known. I’ll be there with you, but you won’t know it. I’m always here if you need me. Are you ready to begin? You’ll need to change, and change can be painful. It’s for the best.
I nodded. “I guess so… all right. I guess I’m ready. Hope I don’t develop a god complex!”
I screamed as my soul split apart and my consciousness expanded. When it was done, I knew that I could do anything, and would know how to do it as needed. My memory had become infinite, I would remember everything I witnessed in perfect clarity, forever. Which would be a curse as well as a blessing. I was also much, much smarter than the average bear, and I could process huge quantities of information at incredible speeds. I wasn’t a God, but I was a passable Demiurge. I didn’t have a physical form anymore, but I could if I so desired. I glanced down at myself, I was picturing my old form. I still looked the same … with two differences. The tumor in my left hand and the scar it had left was completely healed … and my right hand was cherry red, turning back to normal color a little above my wrist. In every form I took, my right hand, or equivalent appendage would be that same color, and there was nothing I could do about it. I sighed wearily, the breeze stirring the voidstuff around me. Well, he got one last joke in I said with another sigh. The voice had been … part of me, I was pretty sure.
I glanced around at my new universe, waiting to come into existence. Right. Before I do anything, I’ll need some rules.
I: No interfering in free will for any reason.
II: No pulling a Thanos and destroying everything just because I’m in a bad mood or feeling misanthropic.
III: My creations are people not playthings. No torturing them because I’m bored.
IV: Other rules may be added as becomes relevant.
I pushed my spectral glasses up my non-existent nose. I was keeping them out of habit, for that moment at least. Right. Guess I’ll get started. I snickered. This makes me the ultimate Marty Stu in a human-in-Equestria fic. I thought some more.
Rule V: No fixing everycreature’s problems with a snap of my fingers. Let mortals solve their own problems, unless dire circumstances require “divine” intervention.
Rule VI: Allow there to be conflict and hardship. It’s required for individuals to grow. Allow there to be evil, so that good might be balanced and progress. However, don’t stir up trouble, “just for kicks.”
Right. I think that covers some of the basics to start with.
Hmm… I’m going to need some mood music.
A memory surfaced. Perfect!
The first thing I started with were nebulae, so that stars could be born. I then realized that I’d forgotten something vitally important. I had enough space to fit about 20 galaxies, but I’d forgotten time. I quickly started time ticking, and the dust and matter I’d created began to slowly flow and coalesce.
OK. Demiurge, not God. I’m not perfect, I’m not omnipotent, and I’m not omniscient. I can’t be everywhere at once either. I … need help. Big time. Who could watch an entire universe? I don’t want a Q Continuum running around wreaking havoc … The Watchers aren’t all that useful either… I mean, if you want a guardian race of all of space and time, there’s always … I grinned. That’ll work. Please, please don’t make me regret this, I’m going to work hard on this universe, and I don’t want it blown up!
I found a nebula and arranged a sequence of stars in them that looked like the constellation of an hourglass. I then thought of something and cackled. I took the concept of wordplay, and from it I formed a physical element, Punpunium. I scattered the new element around the universe liberally. If I get to make a universe, it is definitely going to be partly made of puns! Anyway, in canon, Equus is already a World of Pun, so might as well enjoy it.
I also created Magic, and I wove it carefully throughout the universe as a fundamental force. Magic in this universe was essentially a programing language, in theory if not in practice. It wasn’t inaccessible to average creatures for daily tasks like flight, but if you wanted to be a powerful mage you’d need to learn how it worked. I turned back to the task at hand. I formed a rocky planet that circled the star in the constellation that was in the pinch of the hourglass.
Time to get to work! I thought with a grin. I’d only formed the base idea of a planet, it was like having a ball of clay with no details, or a painting that only had the basecoat on. I was the sort of person who could spend a week straightening out the pixels of a picture I’d made so that none were out of place, so fine details weren’t my problem, the Big Picture (so to speak) was. I formed an atmosphere that was breathable, that turned the sky on this new planet a burnt orange. The next thing were mountain ranges miles high, covered in bitter snow. On the central continent I formed the two largest mountains, with a wide valley between them. I formed water, and let it rain down on the fresh soil. Blood red grass sprang up, covering the hills and swaying in the breeze. Trees with brilliant silver leaves like mirrors grew, forming forests, and silver petaled flowers covered the hills. Just for fun I added daisies and sunflowers that glowed golden in the blazing light. The entire planet was mostly desert, with patches where life could flourish in abundance. I created plants that bore strange looking fruits, as well as grains that could be domesticated.
The flora finished, I moved onto the fauna. I … may have been drunk with the power of creation. OK, I was absolutely drunk with the power of creation! I could make ANYTHING!!! Swarms of insects fluttered across the land, each more brilliantly colored than the last. Whales the size of New Jersey floated in the few oceans that surrounded the harsh landscapes. Dogs with six limbs ran throughout the forests, hunting what looked like green kangaroos. What might have been birds of paradise claimed the skies, each out calling its siblings.
I was honestly surprised, I’d spent years building this ecosystem, tuning and retuning land, sea, sky, and all the life in it. I’d barely noticed the time passing, I was so caught up in the thrill of designing a planet, and I wanted it to happen at a fairly normal pace instead of all at once. It didn’t take millions of years for life on this new planet to develop, but I’d lost a few thousand of my life. It was worth it, just to scream “I made this!” at the heavens. I could have done it in a week, but I was still human enough that I needed to design things slowly.
Once I was absolutely certain that this new ecosystem could sustain itself and function without my constant guidance, I set about making a dominate species.
I knew when I had first begun that I wanted to make a pony-like species, with a few key differences. I wasn’t sure how pony-like to make them. How realistic, I mean. I didn’t want jellybeans with legs and a head the size of their body, that would just be impractical. The laws of physics here were essentially the Cartoon Laws of Physics, but even so, it wasn’t the most efficient design, outside of a T.V, screen. On the other hand, I didn’t want just plain talking horses either. This was going to be a universe based on My Little Pony, and it needed to reflect that.
I finally decided on a design that had more equine features than the show but was still recognizably Pony. They were between 3 and 4 feet tall and had more equine heads than circles with short muzzles, but they were still very expressive. Their eyes were slightly larger than normal horse eyes but didn’t take up 2/3 of their face. Their hooves were also clearly visible, although they were very different in some regards. The back hooves were standard horse hooves, scaled to more MLP proportions, but the front hooves were fingered. They were more like paws than hooves, they split into flexible digits, each tipped with a small hoof. The 3 “fingers” were very short, but they’d allow for tool use better than just plain hooves. There was even a “dewclaw” of sorts that functioned as an opposable thumb. Even with my enhanced intelligence, fingers still made better sense than handwaving ponies being able to pick things up as “because magic” or “suction field.” Admittedly, I was being humanly prejudiced, I didn’t want to have to give up my fingers, and fingers just made more sense to my mind.
Their forelimbs were as flexible as human arms, with a ball and socket joint at the shoulder, and an elbow joint. They were also omnivorous, because bacon. Admittedly, there weren’t pigs on this planet, but it was a matter of principle. There were Skalthrogs, which tasted just like pork, so maybe there would be bacon. My creation’s diets were still about 80% herbivorous, but they did require small amounts of meat to survive.
To be perfectly honest, these weren’t technically ponies, but the base template was the same. With some important differences. This species had two hearts. Instead of lungs, they had a series of pulmonary tubes which ran throughout their entire bodies. They had an additional brain hemisphere that would allow for higher parallel processing, as well as highly enhanced senses. They were able to withstand great extremes in temperature, which was necessary for surviving on their home world. They also had a form of touch telepathy, allowing information to be exchanged quickly between individuals. They could even survive in the vacuum of space! Not for very long, only about ten minutes. You can do a lot in ten minutes though. Like invent a new species of fish. In a way, I’d almost designed a perfect predator, one with herd mentality and off the charts intelligence. I prayed (not to myself!) that that wouldn’t come back to bite me.
I’d kept the astonishing variety of fur colors, and mane colors and styles that showed up in the MLP universe, because they were so cool. This species would also gain Cutie Marks upon the discovery of their special talent in life. I created about 20 different examples of this species, mares and stallions. I wasn’t intending them to be very large in number, they didn’t have to be. I set them in the hills and valleys, where they took shelter from the elements, and civilization could form.
I found a quiet spot out of the way where nopony went and poked a very small hole in the fabric of spacetime, allowing temporal energy to slowly pour out onto the planet, like harmless radiation. It was only the size of an atom, and while it wouldn’t harm my creations in the slightest, it would speed up their development, and grant them additional abilities.
When felt I was finally finished with this planet, I stepped back, and examined my thousands of years of work. I was very proud. I was left with a beautiful alien planet with alien pony-shaped creatures who were gently being shaped by time energy into something greater. In time, they would be one of the most advanced races in my universe, but at the moment, they were at a caveman level of civilization. I knew I didn’t need to hold their hooves and guide them into what they could be, it would happen naturally, and at a faster pace than normal, only a few thousand years.
ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED:
YOU HAVE CREATED TIME LORDS
I was hoping that these Time Lords wouldn’t be exactly like the Time Lords in Doctor Who, I didn’t need a Last Great Time War on my hands. I’d seen a meme once that prolonged exposure to the Vortex induced temporary feelings of euphoria, and an irreversible god complex. I was hoping that wasn’t true, but I would have to wait and see.
I glanced at my first world and the greatest thing I’d created so far in my life. Right. I cleared my throat. I knew they couldn’t see or hear me. I didn’t want to suddenly manifest in a beam of light in the center of what would be a stone-age village, that would cause far too many problems. Just because they couldn’t hear it didn’t mean I didn’t want to reassure them. I’ll check on you all in a thousand years. I’ve got to create places for you to go out and explore! …
… I’m not comfortable being prayed to, but if I can, and if I hear you, I’ll help. I chuckled. Try not to kill each-other while I’m gone kids. You’re going to do great things. I can feel it in my … well, I don’t have bones at the moment, but still. Good luck!
….
I had no idea if the Gallopfreyans would survive that first year. I hadn’t revealed myself to them in any way, I’d just created a planet and them, and given them the potential to be fantastic. I was a nervous wreck leaving them. What if an asteroid hit the planet that first night? At the same time, I knew it was for the best if I let them develop naturally. I steeled my nerve and headed out into the universe. I set a mental alarm to go off in a thousand years, I knew I’d lose track of time, and I’d promised I’d look in on them. They were my first experiment, and I wanted to see how it worked out.
In the meantime, I went about creating the rest of the universe for my children to explore. The universe I grew up in was supposedly infinite, according to human measurements at least, I had no idea how Gods measured such things. My universe was not infinite. If I felt far enough, there was a barrier of sorts, one even I couldn’t cross. The universe would expand in time, but it would always be a smaller universe. I knew it would be big enough for me, although whether tis town iz big enough fer tha both o’ us would be another matter.
Now that I had gotten a feel for it, the process of creation came easier. I knew there was room for about 20 galaxies, so I created 16 to start with. I wanted there to be breathing room between them. I also wasn’t too sure how much I wanted my children to meet each other. That could lead to serious complications.
Rather than personally shape every aspect of life on the vast collection of worlds I made, I simply created the necessary conditions, and seeded them with the potential for life to happen naturally. The chief reasons for this were simple: a) I’m lazy by inclination, b) I wanted to be surprised by what life could design on its own, and c) I knew that I couldn’t single-handedly manage every single planet I created. I was neither omniscient nor omnipotent, and I certainly wasn’t omnipresent. My original reason for creating Gallopfrey was so that the Time Lords could keep a watchful eye on creation for me. Also, I’m a huge Doctor Who fan, and the idea of there potentially being a Doctor Whooves in my universe was too good a possibility to pass up. Besides, he’s a fan favorite!
Not every world was seeded with the possibility of life, and not every world that had been would actually develop life. The life that did develop probably wouldn’t be all that advanced either. I firmly believed in evolution, but as a tool of intelligent design, and not some cosmic accident.
Even with all of my newfound power, I still didn’t quite see myself as a God, big G. I made many sacrilegious jokes to myself, but I didn’t actually mean them. I was just a human who through some unforeseen, unbelievably improbable event had been gifted with the ability to dream a private universe into being. I had no idea how or why this had happened, and if there was an answer, I didn’t hear it.
It was … worrisome how easily I lost myself in the act of creating. I lost all sense of time, and even a bit of my sense of self. I realized that it was in some ways the ultimate drug. While I was “working” none of my cares, doubts, or mental troubles came to bother me. I was free in my mind and got to experience the closet thing I ever had to sheer joy. I could simply lose myself in nature, knowing that I had made it.
I’d been sitting on a cliff overlooking a purple sea when it happened for the first time. I’d been musing on the fact that I put so much of myself into my creations, I was losing my sense of self. I was fading away. With a small poof, a being popped into existence on my right shoulder. It was a 3-inch-tall anthropomorphic wolf, with white fur, blue eyes, white wings, and an aura around his head that looked like a halo. Outwardly, he was genderless, if you went by any obvious tells, but I knew on sight he was a he.
You have GOT to be kidding me!
The wolf shrugged, a sheepish look on his face. “Sorry, I didn’t pick the way I manifested.”
Neither did I, I pointed out.
He shrugged again. He stuck out a paw. “I’m Alexis,” he said with a wide smile.
Greek. “Helper,” or “Defender.” I suppose that’s a fitting name for a conscience. I didn’t think I had one of you lot. Not in an “Angel on my shoulder” way. I pressed the tip of my finger against his paw, he gripped it with his fingers and firmly shook. What exactly have I done to deserve your showing up?
Alexis grinned. “Well, back when you were alive you talked to yourself constantly. Maybe I’m just the next level. I think you’re lonely, if I’m going to be honest. Anyway, speaking in an official capacity, I think you should take it easy on the losing yourself in your work. Pretty soon you might not even have a mind, you’d just be a fundamental force.”
A burst of flame on my left shoulder, and a quick shock of heat. “Yeah, ‘me time’ is a pretty good idea,” a voice said, and I could picture the smug grin. I turned and looked.
Could I get any more cliché? I groaned. This wolf had black fur with red eyes and markings, bat wings, and small horns. He was also anatomically correct, but slightly exaggerated. What’s your name, Asmodeus?!
“Apep,” he said, looking hurt.
I rolled my eyes. The literal embodiment of chaos. Forgive me, I should have expected such. At least you’re both alliterative. What’s your suggestion?
Apep pulled out a scroll and a pair of rectangular reading glasses. “Well, since you brought it up, destruction might be fun. It’s a necessary force in the universe, even if you don’t like it. You could always create a paradox to stir things up. Add a little chaos to your universe. Tinkerbell over here’s right, you are lonely. You could always create some ‘companionship,’ if you know what I mean,” he said, pointing at his crotch with a shit-eating grin.
DROP. DEAD.
“Ouch. No need to get so touchy boss.”
“‘Tinkerbell?!’” Alexis said in outrage.
Apep chuckled. “Oh, come on. You’ve got the whole ‘Sweetness and Sunshine’ act down perfectly.”
“So I take pride in my appearance! What’s wrong with that?”
Apep folded his arms and grinned smugly. “Let me guess … you play the harp choirboy?”
“Piano actually, and what does that have to do with-”
“See? You might as well walk around singing hymns.”
“Listen, I have a job to do, and I’m going to do it! Just because you think everything’s fun and games-”
“Stick in the mud!”
“Lunatic!”
“You!”
“You infinity,” Alexis growled, baring his teeth, his hackles raised.
I facepalmed. Oh, my God, just stop! I’ll take your advice! Just go away, or however I get rid of you two!
Apep shrugged. “That’ll work.” They both disappeared.
I sighed. Welp. I’ve obviously gone insane. And watched The Emperors’ New Groove one too many times. I sat and watched the stars drift by, each a possibility. I sighed again. I am NOT lonely! The only response was silence.
A thousand years had passed by quickly. It was time to make good on my promise, if there was anyone there to see it. Gallopfrey wasn’t exactly where I’d left it, but bodies in space move, even if it is slowly by human standards. It took me another ten minutes to find the right star system.
I looked down on my work, and I was slightly stunned. The last time I’d seen the Gallopfreyans, they’d barely invented fire. Now, in between the mountains of Solace and Solitude, on the continent of Wild Endeavor, stood the Citadel of the Time Lords. It would have made a pretty snow globe; an idea I was still sad the BBC had never capitalized on.
I was in shock. The Gallopfreyans should not have become Time Lords that quickly! It had taken the Gallifreyans millions of years! I then remembered that I’d done something that was both lazy, and bone-headed stupid. I’d exposed the Gallopfreyans to tiny amounts of the Time Vortex constantly for a thousand years, in order to help them develop as a people. In layman’s terms, I’d left the oven on for a millennium, and my recipe was done. The fact that I’d made them phenomenally smart even as “caveponies”, and able to literally exchange ideas probably helped their development as well.
I wanted to see more. I formed myself a Gallopfreyan body, one that wouldn’t stick out too much. I glanced at my right forehoof and gave an annoyed snort that sounded a lot like a horse. It was still cherry red, turning to the dark grey the rest of my coat was at the fetlock, which was essentially the wrist of these ponies. I hated the fact that I had a “tell” to my identity.
I hadn’t had physical form in a long, long time. The feeling of the breeze on my coat, the scent of grass in my nostrils, the feeling of the ground and grass beneath my hooves, and the buzz of insects that made my ears turn to follow the sound was an alien experience, one I hadn’t had in lifetimes. I was in sensory overload, but I’d learned to deal with that as a human, and I was able to better deal with it now. I took several deep breaths, missing the feeling of my lungs expanding. After a few minutes, my heartrates slowed, and I was able to focus on the task at hoof. Speaking of, I held up my “red right hand” and wiggled the digits. It did function as a hand, for which I was grateful.
Most of my mind was inside my new body, but a fragment was keeping an eye on other things, just in case. I could see myself from outside my head, which was an unusual sensation. I was a large grey unicorn stallion, with red spiky hair, blue eyes, and a swirl of stars and planets for a Cutie Mark. I fashioned a brown cloak that I draped over myself, and I headed into the city.
I’d seen brief clips of the Citadel in Doctor Who, but this was a marvel. Towering spires connected by fragile, floating walkways sprouted from the ground. I looked up and saw flying carpets, which made my jaw drop. That … didn’t make sense. I then remembered that magic was a key part of this universe, and the Time Lords were one of the most advanced species in creation. Logically, they would also have been mighty mages, as well as great scientists. That could be fun.
I was so awed by what I saw, that I crashed into two different Time Lords. They muttered in Gallopfreyan. “Sorry!” I called. Having a mortal voice again was strange, and I coughed violently as my voice cracked, before a huge sneeze welled up and broke out. I started laughing like a maniac. “I haven’t sneezed in six thousand years. Who’s happy to sneeze? I- AH-CHOO! Urrgh.” I summoned a handkerchief and blew my nose. “OK, I haven’t actually missed allergies.” I glanced around at the grass swaying outside the city before a chuckle welled up. “Oh, good grief, I gave myself a body with hay fever.” I snickered.
I wasn’t sure where to go, or what there was to see, or if I’d be arrested for not keeping off the grass. I headed down a side street, and the scent of incense hit my nose, followed by the sound of bells softly chiming in the wind. It was a very nice smell; I’d liked incense when I was alive. I followed my nose and my ears and came across what looked like a temple. Huh. I didn’t think Gallifreyans were religious, I always thought they worshiped time, or themselves. Of course, this isn’t Gallifrey. My ears drooped when I saw the banner hanging over the door. On a black background with intricate gold edging was a red right forehoof print. There were almost no beings in the universe who could be considered gods, and only one of them had a red right hoof. Hoooh boy… Feeling nervous and pulling my cloak further over me, I headed in.
It was a very nice temple, it was slightly dark inside, but there were candles and torches that provided enough light to see by. The walls had intricate carvings on them, I concentrated for a minute so that I could read them. “Thanks be unto the Architect for our bountiful world. May his guiding hoof always show mercy unto us…” I couldn’t make out the rest, circular Gallopfreyan hurt to read. I’d need a couple of months of study to fully master it. The incense was very nice, I wasn’t sure what plant it was from, but it had a smell almost like caramel to it.
I headed into the center room and saw a circular table in the center heaped with offerings. Candles lined the curved walls of the rooms. I glanced at the mosaics and my eyes widened. There was a stylized picture of an alicorn stallion with a red right forehoof that turned back to the normal color a little above the fetlock … wearing my glasses. Oh crap.
“Many moments to thee, traveler,” came a soft voice from behind me.
I turned and saw a cream-colored Pegasus mare with a curly yellow mane and green eyes, dressed in red robes with the traditional Time Lord large collar. Her right forehoof had been carefully painted red.
I inclined my head respectfully. “Many moments to thee as well, Sister…?”
She smiled. “My birth name is Aleyebraxus, but my title is The Oracle. What brings you here today?”
“Curiosity. Who … who’s temple is this?”
Her eyes widened. “You do not know of the Architect?!”
“I come from the Drylands,” I said, “I’m sort of a hermit, I’ve rarely met another creature, and my parents did not teach me much before they died.”
The Oracle looked at me skeptically but decided to humor me. “The Architect is the being who designed and created the universe, and who built the very ground we stand on now. All things that are are as he wished them to be. We are his first children, but there will be others, in time. We have seen many times, and many timelines.”
“Hmm. Thank you, that seems-”
Her eyes widened. “Let me see your hoof!”
I held it up.
“Your other hoof,” she said in a warning tone.
I closed my eyes and held it out. I felt her turn it over a few times, tracing it with her fingers.
“The Architect does not always have a physical form, but when he does, he can look like anything, from a speck of quantum foam to a star blazing in the sky. … However, when he appears as a mortal, his right forelimb is always a vibrant red.” I opened my eyes to see her smirking at me. “You never answer prayers,” she said in a teasing tone.
“I genuinely had no idea I was being prayed to. I’m not a god, and I’m not comfortable being treated like one.”
“But you created the universe, didn’t you?”
“Yes, but…” I blew air out my nostrils and sighed. “When you read, you picture the world the story or the event takes place in, yes?” She nodded. “My … picture, my inner world is just outside my head, I don’t know why. I created it, but that doesn’t mean I deserve to be treated as something holy or divine. I’m as flawed as the next creature. A god is a perfect being, I’m just … well, I’ve always liked the term ‘demiurge.’ A creator, but not a god.”
She looked at me with a worried expression. “Are we nothing but a dream of yours then?”
I chuckled and took her hoof in mine. “No. Aleyebraxus, you are an individual. You have your own story, and your own life to live. You have hopes, dreams, goals, fears, worries, and a destiny all your own. Only you can live it, you are unique in the universe. I may have laid a foundation that lead to you being here, but believe me, you are just as real as I am. All my children are to me.”
She slowly relaxed. “That’s … good. You don’t wish to be worshiped.” It wasn’t a question. I shook my head. She sighed. “Well, that puts me out of a job.” She looked at me with interest. “I suppose I can understand that, but … the thought of your existence and guidance gives hope to nearly all of us. It helps to get us through the day. Perhaps I could rework your religion into something you would approve of?”
“You can do that?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
“Well … if I don’t approve, I will raze Gallopfrey with heavenly fire.” I said with a grin.
The Oracle grinned back. “Bold words for one who so insists he’s not a god.”
We both chuckled. I pointed at the murals surrounding us. “How did you know so much about me?”
She grinned smugly. “I’m a Time Lord, and the High Priestess of your faith in the Citadel. I looked you up. Your lesser aspects are … interesting…”
“Lesser aspects?” I asked in a puzzled tone. She pointed to a smaller mural. There were Alexis and Apep, duking it out cartoon style, in the art style of a Roman mosaic. “Oh dear. Guess that means those two are sticking around, huh?” I chuckled and turned back to her. “I agree to your proposition, with my blessing, if you agree to stop spying on me!”
She smiled. “A deal.” We shook hooves on it. “I’m sure you have more universe to create?” she said slyly.
I nodded. “There’s one thing left to make, my magnum opus. No offence,” I added quickly.
“None taken. I’m proud we were here first.”
I sighed. “But, to be honest … I could use a couple of year break. I … sort of lost track of what was real, if that makes any sense.”
“Hmm. You know yourself best. If you don’t mind me asking, what’s your name?”
I sighed. “I don’t think I can use the name I was given, I died, and my world is likely dust by now.” I looked at her. “What do your people call me?”
“Well, your title is ‘Architect,’ but the name we gave you is Weyan’a. It means ‘he who fashioned starlight.’”
“I like that. Thank you. I am sure you will do well.”
She nodded. “Of course I will. Blessings go with you.”
“And with you, Lady Oracle of Gallopfrey.”
I headed out, walking to the edge of the Citadel. I was hoping to head out and finish my work once I was out of sight, but my ear turned as I heard a sound I hadn’t known I’d missed.
I followed the notes up to an apartment in a spire of the Citadel. I was busy blocking out everything but the music, letting it transport me. God, I forgot how much I’d loved piano, and the Doctor Who soundtrack. It was slightly ironic that a Time Lord was playing a song from the show, or maybe it was just a bit of heavy leaning on the fourth wall.
I came up the stairs and saw that the door was open. As the song finished the pianist turned out to be a cobalt blue stallion with a wavy black mane and tail, and a musical staff for a cutie mark.
His eyes were closed, but he asked me, “What did you think?”
“Beautiful,” I replied. “Would … would you teach me?”
He chuckled and turned around. “Would you pay?” I nodded. “It takes years to learn.”
“I have time,” I said quickly. “Though I’m not the best student. I get frustrated easily.”
His eyes narrowed. “Would you try to damage my piano?”
“Yes,” I said almost instantly, “if I got angry enough at myself.”
He snickered. “At least you’re an honest stallion. Hmm… I’ll teach you, but you will pay for any damages you incur, and I will adjust my rates if I think you are taking advantage of me.”
“Deal,” I said, sticking my hoof out.
As we shook, his eyes noticed my hoof. “Ah, you’re an acolyte!”
“Hmm?”
“An acolyte, you work at the temple of the Architect.”
I knew to play along. “Yes, I just joined the order. I’m The Wanderer.” It was a fitting name.
“I am The Virtuoso, believe it or not. I’m one of the few Time Lords who didn’t choose my own title. Very well,” he scooted to the end of the bench and motioned for me to sit down. With a smirk he said, “Show me where middle C is, if you’re so keen…”
I looked at the keyboard in panic. Oh, boy…
The Virtuoso chuckled. “Just testing your knowledge. That will be our first lesson. Do you know how to read music?”
“Not well, but enough to sing by,” I said.
“Hmm. Not good, but a passable place to start. Now then, pay attention, and play what I play after me…”
As I took my first piano lesson, part of my mind was planning busily so that I could continue this. I could always ask The Oracle if I could become an acolyte at my own temple, I had a feeling she’d find the thought hysterical.
So. I still had work to do, but … I could take a break, and progress in other ways. Hopefully learn to live again at the same time. Note by clumsy, misplayed note, I began to take my first steps.
OK ... WHAT IN THE HECK IS GOING ON HERE?!!! 
I have never been featured on this site, let alone been featured on the first day, or gotten this many faves. 
This just .... wow. Thank you. I guess this was decent. Just to warn you all, I am a slow updater, and I once took a year hiatus, so I thought you should know. Given the overwhelming response to this, I should write more often for this story.
To answer questions about what the Gallopfreyans look like, and their "hands:"
Credit for both images goes to
Earthsong9405
, with
Wodahseht
coloring the first.
I have a vague idea of where I want this to go, but nothings finalized yet.
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Hmmm. This one has a weird energy to it. A story of its sort coukd come off as cliche'd, but it avoids that quite well.
10120623
but at least it wasn't right out of the starting gate.
Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it so far. I have 2 P.H.D.s in writing cliches, so it will happen eventually
wow. I'm actually really impressed with this story. I cannot wait to read more. I will be adding this to a special list of stories that I consider the best of the best. I do hope you keep writing. I'm truly curious about what you think of next!
A solid first chapter, a very solid one.. I shall track this story with interest.
Interesting Story, Can’t wait for more.
So, basically they're not ponies, but more like fanon hippogriffs or fanon draconies?
Not that I'm against this, anthro fics and humanized fics exist, after all.
keeping an eye on this because I've had about the same idea for a while and really had no idea how to write it. Youre definitely going about it differently than I would have which is keeping me drawn in- keep up the good work.
I already love it! Moar! Iz demand moar!
Alright, consider me interested.
I do wonder where you plan to take this, so I think I'll go ahead and watch.
Looks good
Looks interesting. Let's see where it would go.
Is there a picture of these gallopfrey? What about these front 'hooves' that are like 'paws', what do they look like?
Interesting. Let's see where this goes.
10122104
My best guess is something akin to a hippogryph
Seems like a good basis. the main charector is a well rounded charector and you didn't push into the god complex to much so it's a good starting point to a good fic
10122104
Just added some art that formed the design.
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Just added some art that formed the design
10122362
well. I'll say that isn't what I had in mind when you said they were hoof-like. this is one hundred percent a paw. I gotta say i had the image of an ordinary hoof but the front of it split into 3 separate toes and when they are put together they would look like a normal hoof. very interesting concept though. I am still looking forward to more!
10121937
Considering that for now, the only mlp related things are ponies with paws and the rest fits more Doctor Who fandom, fanfiction, I agree
Also, why make the main that has God-like powers, creating rules for himself that don't really matter and be boring with powers
The chapter started interesting but then became dull when he created rules for himself and the first planet and sentient species
Quite a nice start to this, would like to see more.
Similar to this story,
https://www.fimfiction.net/story/457978/godly-promotion
If anyone could point me in the direction of more of these types of stories, I would be thankful.
You piqued my interest
i.redd.it/vud79ngfasly.jpg
OH OMG YES YES YOU MUSIT KEEP AT IT!
10122362
Oooh wow. That hand design is exotic! Dont think I've ever seen anything like that before. Xd
I like it.
"To become God is the loneliest Achievement of all."
I suppose it fits here. If I had the power he, or you, I suppose, posses, I would certainly not be as kind as you are.
I'll be keeping an eye on this one.
Definitely an good rule. If there is no effort to the goal, What was the point of doing it?
10121937 10122546
Oh hush both of you, just because ye can't get a reference doesn't mean ya can't enjoy this stories uniqueness. And what smart person wouldn't put rules in place to keep their morals inline upon becoming god like? Heretics are what, an so far the character [Weyan'a, the Architect] is doing a fine job at not being an arrogant self absorbed fool.
Which, thinking on it, is what you two were expecting/hoping to read, but instead ye got the good guy who's done a good job and isn't abusing his power like Discord and/or Zeus or number of other retarded almighty beings.
So again ye wee neigh say'ers, hush it.
10123799
It wasn't so much the defense (which I really appreciate!) as much as the fact it was done with an amazing Scottish accent. Thanks so much!
Thank you, that just made my whole week!
10123833
Eh just a bit of me heritage along with an Irish tint coming thru, and yer welcome, keep up the good work laddie.
10123930
So yer saying that taking 6000 years to perfect multiple galaxies plus starting a group of beings to help watch over them is humanly inefficient, when in fact there are people here on our world who spend their whole lives making something perfect; AS is the best things come with TIME.
And then that when they encounter the very force'es they'd put into place "them selves", and have a moment of forgetfulness, that they shouldn't act like they know what's going on at all...
Ah-huuuuuh, riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.
media.discordapp.net/attachments/634448954788151347/686829473890697232/th_421.jpg
p.s. DO you even preview and edit yer own comments or no? Also note if you were to grab a random book off the self at yer local Barnes an Nobel just because it grabbed yer fancy, you to wouldn't have a clue of what was going on till near the end.
I'll be honest, I was interested in this story until the description of what these new ponies would look like came up. The description put me off a little bit but the reference images at the end helped me imagine it a little better so thanks for that!
Pony description aside the story instantly caught my interest so I'll be reading with rapt attention!
This is too real and I hate this. Favourited already.
10124302
Life is but a game, a game played out thru a narrative story line, one where we each are our own players. Within this surreal reality of it all there are cheat codes, theses codes are mostly noted only by the subconscious; but every now an then some-being becomes conscious of them, and it changes their approach to the game, whether for good or bad, forever.
So the MC left a little access port to said cheat codes open so his guardian race grew up faster, and then he smacked himself for his own under sight for setting the oven at 30 minutes to cook the cookies when they only needed 20. Who are we to judge him for his mistake, when I know and maybe you'v done this to, have left the stove while the food cooked to do other random things, only to go BUCK ME!!! as the smell of smoke wefts into the next room.
So I guess the real question is, why are you judging someone who isn't perfect, for making a mistake that anybody can make? That might I say, he at least caught it before they where inedible, so I'm note complaining.
*Takes another bite out of his brown/almost burnt chocolate chip cookie, giving you another raised eyebrow as he dunks it in milk.*
i have absolutely no idea why you would say anycreature, as body, litteraly implies everyone.
Just one of my pet peeves
I looked at that picture of Derpy and The Doctor in the author's note and suddenly I feel as though I've been enlightened. How did I never consider the idea of pegasi having tail feathers?
This story’s going really fast. Like, the pacing is through the roof. There’s no time to really process anything as a result, and it’s difficult to get a handle on the complete picture of what is happening.
There’s a severe lack of reaction from the characters, they’re all a little one dimensional, or two dimensional in the MC’s case. No existential crises, no overreaction, no panic, no confusion, no questions. It’s all essentially just “Oh. ok. Sure.” The entire story just gets thrown right into the deep end from the start as a result.
We also barely know anything about the character. We know he was a human, he was male, he wore glasses, and was a fan of some shows. We don’t know his name, we don’t know what he looks like, we don’t know how he acts or anything. Yes, it doesn’t really matter because of the circumstances but that’s actually not true. All those little facts about him should be affecting his decisions, but we don’t know anything substantial.
This has just become a chaotic blur of a roller coaster ride. Thrown straight in to confusing loops and mind-bending turns. It was never fully explained what the starting voice was, only assumed it was a part of him. It wasn’t at all explained why he had a “tell”. Why was he given his abilities, why has he created what he has, so on and so forth.
Hell he said he planned to create MLP but he’s yet to even get started on that. Instead he made Doctor Who with pseudo-ponies.
All in all, this first chapter is a confusing mess that I’m not a fan of. Good story idea, yeah, I’ve only seen 1 other story with a similar idea and I like it. But the execution is all wrong, it needs more..l substance. The characters need to actually react to things, to have more emotions, and you definitely need to slow down your pacing.
i hope you upload the next chapter soon. i really wanna read it. i've been coming back every day to see if the next chapter is available. please dont stop writing.
10130079
Well...of course the characters have basically zero development. It's literally been 1 chapter. This chapter is usually reserved for establishing what's going on, otherwise known as world building (quite literally in this case).
Character development comes right after the world building and we've seen some preliminary glimpses:
MC doesn't like being seen as superior or worshiped, which implies humility. Based on the fact that he's a fan of both Dr. Who and MLP, he's also likely younger, maybe in his late 20s/early 30s. There are also hints of a musical background on account of the piano scene.
As opposed to "jumping right in" he's had over 2000 years of practice by the time the Time Lords came into fruition. By all accounts it's obvious where this story is bound to go: viewing and interacting with ponies, not necessarily the adventures in creating them.
In other words, it's for him to grow along with his creations. Not making the creations inherently. I'd recommend sticking around this one for 3 or 4 chapters before passing judgement (assuming it doesn't die).
So this is basically just Godly Promotion(https://www.fimfiction.net/story/457978/godly-promotion)
10141878
10123833
would be godly promotion, if this story wasn't obviously dead.
I hope you upload the next chapter soon, cuz I'm about to stop looking.
10141900
It's not dead, I'm just a slow writer, my chapters usually average 30 pages, and it's only been a few weeks. I get a couple of paragraphs done every day, and I'm about a third of the way through the next chapter, but I'm not an author who posts an update every week. Believe me, I wish I was.
10141900
The next chapter should be up in about 2 weeks, since I decided to split it. Thanks for your patience and sorry for the wait.
10142887
I appreciate you letting me know. I really enjoyed the first chapter and i really don't want to see this story die. IDC what anyone else says, I really enjoyed the premise. I think it would be really cool if at some point, when he creates Equis, that he would again assume pony form. I don't want him to be an alicorn or pegasus or unicorn. I think it would be great if he took the form of an unassuming red earth pony. (red because of his red foreleg) as for when in the timeline, perhaps it could start around the time of the three tribes, show him creating discord and show luna's transformation into nightmare moon. perhaps the main character could even have a hand in causing nightmare moon. and then end in twilight sparkle's era. I dunno. just what I would do. I don't want to see this story die.
i hope a kronk pony turns up at some point, cause to me kronk has got to be my favourite cartoon character