Episode 143: (Light World) The Connection (took long enough)
Pony POV Series "Light World" Alicorn Ascension
My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic
Chapter 38
"The Connection"
By Alex Warlorn
Edited by Louis and Kendell2
There was only one thing left to do. Nyrtholotrot is bound by his word not to step beyond his sphere of authority. It had taken me just under an infinity, but there was now just one thing left to do. And it daunted me (a Concept of reality) it scared me, it belittled me, it filled me doubt. I hesitated. This was what parts of me had wanted from the beginning (and what parts of me had fought against). I knew this wasn't the same as Nightmare Eclipse. I knew this was different from what she did. But, "I want to do this...but...I don't know if I should. I'm...I'm scared."
"AND WHY IS THAT, MY DAUGHTER?" A white filly, appearing as a pegasus, fluttered next to me. So many new '1's exist where had been '0's in creation's great equation in the space she flapped her wings. She flapped till she was eye level with me. Blue eyes that showed an infinite sky/ocean/place, I looked at her and was staring down eternity.
"I'm scared I'd be no different than how Nightmare Paradox, how I was, if I do this...I'm afraid this'll be selfish."
"WHY DO YOU WISH TO? WHAT IS YOUR REASON?"
I watched as several lights emerged from her. She nuzzled them with tender care and allowed them to go be conceived, watching them go with a look akin to a mother watching her foal move out of the house.
"Because...Rainbow Dash had a point: there are ponies who never got to live out their lives because of Discord's rule...But I don't want to sacrifice one world for another...I guess I want BOTH worlds to be able to live. So ponies can achieve their happy ending a thousand years early and a thousand years of meaningless suffering had been stopped in its tracks, getting to exist alongside the road where ponies scraped and clawed through those thousand years to have their happily ever after."
"AND WHY DOES THAT SCARE YOU, MY DAUGHTER? YOU HAVE ALREADY OPENED SO MANY PATHS ALREADY."
"I'm scared I'd be no different than how Nightmare Paradox was. Eating my cake and having it too. I'm scared of becoming her all over again. I'm changing my own timeline to create a twin for it!"
"PART OF THE DUTY YOU'VE TAKEN UPON YOURSELF IS TO GUIDE MORTALS ALONG THE PATH THAT IS BEST FOR ALL INVOLVED AS ROTA FORTUNA CAN PROVIDE YOU. BUT NEVER ONCE DID YOU TAKE DIRECT CONTROL OF THEM. NOT JUST BECAUSE YOU KNEW IT WAS AGAINST THE RULES OF THE WORLD, BUT BECAUSE YOU KNEW IT WAS WRONG. IT IS NOT YOUR NATURE. AS A NIGHTMARE YOU DIDN'T CARE WHO WAS HARMED FOR YOUR VISION. BUT NOW YOU WORRY ABOUT OVERSTEPPING YOUR BOUNDS EVEN IF IT IS WHAT YOU DESIRE."
"...Some of the Watchers think I've already overstepped my boundaries..."
"AND SOME BELIEVE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE IS GREAT AND WONDERFUL."
"...But who's right?"
"YOU HAVE DONE MUCH, AMICITIA. WHO IS TO SAY THAT WHAT IS RIGHT IN ONE INSTANCE IS CORRECT IN ALL INSTANCES? OR VICE VERSA? AND WHO IS TO SAY THAT THERE MUST ALWAYS BE A RIGHT AND WRONG IN EVERY DISCUSSION? CANNOT EVIL CONFLICT WITH EVIL AND GOOD CONFLICT WITH GOOD? WHY THEN CANNOT RIGHT CONFLICT WITH RIGHT? IS THE CIVILIAN WHO PRAISES A MASK PONY FOR SAVING THEIR LIFE ANYMORE WRONG THAN A GUARD WHO SAYS THE PONY BROKE THE LAW BY BEING A VIGILANTE? OR ARE BOTH RIGHT TO SEE HER AS THEY DO? WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS TO DO WHAT YOU THINK IS RIGHT."
"...I don't know...no, I know what to do to make the change happen. But not precisely how to do it. I know I won't get a second chance."
"YOU ARE SCARED OF THAT AS WELL."
"Yes I'm scared. If it doesn't work, and if it does work. I don't know if this is a price that can be undone, or if it's right to undo it even if it could be."
"FOREVER IS FOREVER EVEN WHEN DIVIDED. DO NOT BE AFRAID. YOU SHALL NOT BECOME LESS, IF ANYTHING, YOU WILL BECOME MORE.
"DO YOU FEAR FOR THE EFFECT YOUR CHOICE WILL HAVE ON THE MORTAL REALM?"
"...Yes...I do, Mother."
"GOOD. HAVOC WAS CORRECT WHEN HE SAID FEAR IS NOT SIMPLY A MIND DESTROYER. IN THE PROPER AMOUNTS, IN THE PROPER PLACES, IT MAKES US QUESTION OUR ACTIONS AND MAKE SURE WE KNOW WHAT WE ARE DOING IS RIGHT. DO NOT LET THIS FEAR RULE YOU, BUT ALSO DO NOT PRETEND IT HAS NO MEANING. FEAR THE POSSIBILITY YOU COULD BE DOING WRONG, LISTEN TO IT AND USE IT TO ENSURE YOU HAVE SEEN HOW YOUR ACTIONS MIGHT EFFECT OTHERS BEFORE YOU PERFORM THEM. BUT DO NOT LET IT CONSUME YOU COMPLETELY AND BLOCK OUT REASON. FEAR WITHOUT REASON AND REASON WITHOUT FEAR ARE BOTH DANGEROUS THINGS. AND IN WHAT YOU SEEK TO DO, DOING EITHER IS A MISTAKE YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO MAKE WHEN SO MUCH RELIES ON YOU BEING RIGHT."
"I understand...Mother, what must I do?"
"YOU'VE BEEN A GUIDE AND A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS. NOW, YOU MUST BE A SURGEON. AND LIKE A SURGEON, CHOOSE WELL WHERE YOU MAKE YOUR CUTS. YOU ARE NOT A RESEARHCER PERFORMING AN EXPERIMENT, YOU ARE A DOCTOR TRYING HER BEST TO LET LIFE THRIVE."
"I think I know what to do... Thank you mom."
I left her and travel up and down my branch, my own river of fate.
There is one truth Ah'll accept. The truth hurts. The truth is cruel. And Ah won't be part of somethin' dat awful again! Sweet little lies are so much kinder.
Equestia is gonna shatter into a million pieces! Just you DARE try and say there's anything funny about that!
Be generous to yourself, care for yourself, love yourself, because you're the one that deserves it the most.
To embody kindness is to be a stepping stone, to embody cruelty, is to be the stepper. I've been kind for far too long, it's time to be cruel.
Before I made a choice between you guys and Gilda, and now I've made a choice between Cloudsdale and you. Guys, for what it's worth, I'm sorry.
The Average and Invisible Trixie. I'm not anything special, I'm not anything. I'm nothing. Who cares for a unicorn that's the same as any other?
I've always thought I knew so much, but I see I've understood so little. I'm so confused. But maybe the confusion is better if understanding is so horrid? Everything is darker now. I feel cold but I'm not afraid. Why is my coat turning gray?
I looked closely, at every possible place in the timeline at every possible event, looking for the best way to do this.
I tried to nudge things, knowing the violent reprisal brute forcing things would bring. I may be a Concept, but I don't have a 'do anything I like' license. As much as I CAN change...the moment I try to change something the rules say cannot be changed, the universe itself will enforce them. Concepts have rules for a reason, and they're not always self enforced. With beings like Morning Star and D___t being capable of existing there had to be a law keeper. And if I step over the line, it will wake up.
There is no one event to change, but there is one pony to change. Myself. Discord destroyed me by turning my friends into horrid strangers. Spike couldn't save me, not when he was faced with Discord, poor little dragon, I'm sorry Spike. I...I finally UNDERSTAND Spike. I understand why protecting Rarity, protecting me, and being able to, meant so much to you as we fought against Discord, the Valeyard, Rancor, Cruelty, and Eclipse. You were trying to be better than how you were before too.
This would be different from all the 'resets' I did as Nightmare Paradox. This would be creating, not unmaking. This wasn't tearing down Libra's art gallery, it was adding a new wing. Perhaps this what the Those-Who-Decide wanted all along.
This left the last resort, no, this was the only resort right from the start. This won't take a simple ripple like the one Rancor created. This'll need a complete and total shockwave. I was always a stubborn little unicorn. Magic is scared, but I can't ask this of anypony else. All that I was, all I am, and all that I shall become.
Time travel itself is completely different from reality revision. In reality revision, you aren't changing the past, you're changing everything, what you erase becomes 'never was' and what you create 'always was.' Rather like the birth and death of Concepts really.
It's also different from my guidance to give ponies a dose of compassion and sanity. There I was just giving gently nudges; reaching my own hooves into things, had a habit of creating unforeseen consequences. This might as well, the ponies of this reality I'd create, everything that would become of them lay on my shoulders.
But when it comes to this, gently nudges are not enough. Even stopping the Crusaders' fight in front of Discord's statue would do nothing but delay his awakening, if their fight awakened him in the first place rather than being caused by it or even merely sped it up.
And there were many factors involved, such as Discord's brute force brainwashing. Even if I did succeed in helping my friends beat his games, then there might end up being five daughters of Discord like Fluttercruel, and potentially an irrational and angry Discord. As it was, his silver tongue was as dangerous a weapon as his magic, his words rooted their way into my friends' minds deeply.
Reminding Celestia to check on Discord's imprisonment wouldn't work because they'd lost track of his statue and I had no way to prove the one in the courtyard was him through the means I had without crossing the line.
And since I was Twilight Sparkle, altering my own past is something that I couldn't do directly if it hadn't already happened. Concepts are immune to paradoxes, the mortal pony I started out as opposed the other major arcana isn't. Particularly when I was creating a new timeline where it was entirely possible she wasn't going to become me PERIOD.
The only way to change the timeline is to introduce something new, a new light, into fate (like Rancor and Dark World) whose existence will ripple through it. The problem is the moment they do change fate they gain their own fate they can not cheat because they are now involved in events.
Only those who existed OUTSIDE of a timeline can introduce new elements. Otherwise all you get is a causality loop. And even then fate will eventually violently reject any attempts to change things you make unless those elements are assimilated by the timeline and accepted as part of itself rather than a foreign element.
Think of it like a drawing. Once it's drawn, the only ways to add something to it are to either erase what has already been drawn or to draw it again with the new aspect added.
I had asked Eremo to run the infinite calculations needed. He also helped me hammer out the details of what I intended to do. I'd had a good idea of it, but having a second opinion was always welcome.
I may be an egghead, but a sizable chunk of my ego was shed when I was reborn and I accepted the Alicorn of Knowledge was more intelligent than I was and this was too important for there to be any mistakes. The spell would do exactly what I want it to, but so did the Wish Come True Spell do exactly what it was made to do. Magic can work perfectly as intended and still cause trouble if you don't check the facts thoroughly.
But that was all in my past, long before I came to this moment. It was time to end all this confusion, no more effect then cause, time for the greatest spell I had ever done.
= "Each And All" - [livetune] =
"Amicitia! Twilight!"
I turn my head. "Cadence?"
"I...I wasn't sure I'd be here in time, well, relative time but--, Twilight, I'm SORRY I couldn't tell you what was going to happen! But it needed to happen, for you... and for me. But that doesn't, that doesn't mean, that it was--"
I sighed. "I know big sister. What needs to happened, did happen. That doesn't mean either of us liked it. And you certainly weren't just fighting for yourself. Even at your worst in that fight, you were never once ENJOYING IT! Unlike when I was Nightmare Eclipse. That's the difference. You fought for others, I stopped doing that as Nightmare Eclipse long ago. You were NOT cold blooded and you were NOT a murderer! You were NOT evil! And you were NOT psychotic! You were fighting for those you loved! You had an objective and a purpose and NEVER forgot who and why you were fighting for or against! I can never say that about myself."
"Rota Fortuna's will be done. We can move along them, but we aren't immune to her threads."
"Don't say that about our sister like she's some sort of puppet master. If there's anypony who actually can't escape their fate it's her. It's...it's rather silly when you think about it. It took me living the life of a pegasus who spent years of her life in a mad house for believing in ponies below the clouds, who saw the world DESTROYED by magic (twice in a way) and helping stop those abusing you for their own ends, for me to realize magic wasn't more wicked than good." Cadence made a short laugh. "Come on Twilight, admit it, it is a little funny."
"... Magic, I was just the TOOL Cadence, ponies' own decisions brought Libra, the world, to that fate. And it was the magic of friendship that enabled that world to LIVE through its true darkest hour."
"And it was the magic of friendship, that helped me save Patch when she needed saving the most." She nuzzled me, "Thank you Amicitia."
I nuzzled back. "Welcome Cadenza, Brightglow. I was Clover, and Patch was my friend too don't forget."
"I just wanted to share that with you. For you to know that I do, and will always love you little sister. And I hope you can still love me somehow."
"I'll always love you too big sister! That will never change! No matter what happens!"
"Thank you Twilight Sparkle The Alicorn, Amicitia, The Concept of Magic, my sister. You have my blessing. Do what your heart and mind both say needs to be done." We kissed, touched out horns against each other, feeling each other's concept.
"...One last time?" I asked. "For old times sake?"
She gave a warm. "One last time."
"Sunshine, Sunshine,
Ladybugs awake!
Clap your hooves,
And do a little shake!"
Cadence made sure to be a safe distance from what was about to happen.
I called upon the magic within me, myself within myself, I called all magic in creation, all of myself in creation. I drew myself within myself I pulled myself within myself. I am myself, I am all of myself. I do not rule all magic. I am all magic. I shine brighter than I ever have across the heavens, not visible to mortal senses or the divine within mortal existence for I am still outside of it. All of me.
I spread out my wings and left my horn up high, and strike the most regal, royal, and holiest pose imaginable.
"Dear Princess Celestia, this will be my atonement. Look upon this moment my wonderful teacher. This shall be what lights darkness, a chance for everypony to be happy. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle."
Then I blow myself up. Twice.
+
"Did it work?" A little filly, an adult mare, and an old lady all said at the same time.
The three took a moment to look at each other. It was like looking at a mirror.
"I would say it did," Observed Half-Light Dusk.
"Well this is interesting," Half-Light Noon said looking at her wings and testing them out, feeling as natural as when she fought Ender Dash.
"I see me! I see me! I see me!" Half-Light Dawn giggled as she hopped around the other two like a hyperactive frog, thinking of when she had played with Apple Pie.
"Ditto kiddo," Half-Light Noon said looking at the filly, then at the old mare and bleached, "I didn't realize how I looked with wrinkles."
"And I didn't realize how tactless I can be," Half-Light Dusk said calmly without a hint of spite.
"Just bein' honest."
"Same."
"I can give myself horsey rides! I can take myself to the fair! THIS IS SO COOL!" Dawn shouted happily hopping from the pegasus to the old unicorn.
"Glad you think so," Noon said sounding...
"Regretful?" Dusk asked. "I believe we can feel that again now."
"Don't bet on it," Noon responded.
"Did ya know talking to yourself is a sign of bein' weird?" Dawn asked eagerly and helpfully.
The pegasus sighed, "Oh yeah, this is gonna take a lot of gettin' used to."
"Don't worry, shouldn't be that awful. We've always considered ourselves wonderful company yes?" Dusk, the spirit of happy conclusions, asked.
"I recall everypony found us boring company half the time."
"I'm not boring!" Dawn protested.
"I promise you aren't, kiddo." The Pegasus ruffled the filly's mane lovingly.
"I bet Applebloom and her friends won't think I'm no fun to play with now!" Dawn, the spirit of happy beginnings, cheered.
"Heh. I almost want to see what these wings can do compared to Rainbow Dash," Said the spirit of happy journeys.
The earth pony filly eagerly looked at anything and everything. "Heeeeeey! Loooookie!" She pointed at one 'thing' in particular.
"And there we go," The old unicorn said calmly.
"Heh, yeah, I guess so," Said Noon, sounding warm. She flapped her wings over to where Dawn pointed. Dusk simply teleported.
"He's a beaut'," Noon commented.
"So what's his name?! What's his name?!" Dawn asked looking at the old unicorn.
"He doesn't have one yet," Noon said.
"...you can name him," said Dusk.
"I-I can?! YES-YES-YES-YES-YES!!! Whoa-kay!"
"Should we be the ones to name'em?"
"We're the only ones who can."
"That so?" Noon gently knocked him on the head a few times to no response.
"Please don't do that," Dusk said. "He'll wake up with a headache."
"Just seeing if he makes a hollow sound like on TV."
"You know better than to trust TV--and now you have her doing it!"
"Swaaweee!" Dawn apologized meekly.
"Stand on one forehoof," Noon said to the stallion. He obeyed without question balancing perfectly.
"Would you stop?" Dusk asked calmly.
"Hey! Big brother! Little sister! Why shouldn't I have a little fun?" Noon defended.
"We're all the same age!" Dusk said. Then saw the stallion now balancing on a ball. "And careful!"
"Now give me a piggyback ride please!" Dawn cheered. The white stallion obediently picked her up and put her on his shoulders and he trotted in a circle.
Dusk breathed in deep. "So have you thought of a name for him?"
"King Sparker?"
"Think harder," the pegasus said flatly.
"Okay." Dawn said not picking anything negative from the words, "Hmmmm...Hey! He's already got his cutie mark!"
"How's THAT work?" Noon exclaimed.
"Simple, the same reason we all do."
"Huh?" Noon looked at her own flank then at the Earth Pony and Unicorn. "Well, whaddya know."
Dusk assumed her lecture pose, "While we all share traits and elements, we each exemplify different ones of those trait. He, exemplifies our desire to protect and keep safe our loved-ones and friends. The part that'll never abandon them, never betray them, will always come through for them, will always look after them."
"What? So that makes us heartless monsters?" Noon raised an eyebrow insulted.
Dawn looked like she was going to cry.
"I said exemplify, not exclusively contain. We four are different from lights born directly from Fauna Luster."
Dawn perked up. "Okay! I got a name! Hey! Your name is Shining Armor!"
"My name is Shining Armor," he repeated.
"Shining Armor Sparkle!" Noon added.
He grimaced, "My name is Shining Armor Sparkle."
"Hey," Dawn said.
"Just being thorough." Noon shrugged, she looked him over again. "Will he remember any of this?"
"No. Because he has never existed before. After he is grafted into the timeline, his existence will take root and spread retroactive through the time stream. Right now he is basically an existence with no context. An archetype. A seed with no soil. Like a character sketch without a story. He has traits but no past or motives yet."
"Then I'll give'em some," Noon said assertively and put a hoof on his, (taller) shoulders.
"Please keep them direct and to the point."
"Keep Twilight Sparkle safe, keep your little sister happy, protect her from the dark monsters under her bed, be there for her even when she thinks she doesn't need anypony, please look after her, don't let her seal herself up completely, and let her see that being with other ponies isn't so bad. And always let her have the slice of-"
"Noon!" Dusk actually seemed angry.
"JUST KIDDING!"
"Keep her safe, keep her happy, protect her from the dark monsters under her bed, be there for her even when she thinks she doesn't need anypony, please look after her, let her see that being with other ponies isn't so bad. And always take the last slice of cake before she does."
"Hey! That's not what you said!" Dawn said.
Noon laughed. "I LIKE this guy!"
"It would seen your incomplete instructions forced him to fill in the blanks. Now please stop fooling around with him."
Noon fluttered her wings a little. "Alright, alright, just having some fun, like family does, it's not like I'd add anything nasty to him."
Dusk smiled and nodded. "I know, I know. It would be illogical for you to, since it would be illogical for me."
Half-Noon wing hugged him. Dawn hugged his legs. Dusk nuzzled him. He was as still as a toy without batteries.
"So...what'll he do?" Dawn asked.
"In a world where Twilight Sparkle was an only child, she succumbed to despair FAST and COMPLETELY on Discord's Day of Chaos. Twilight's bonding with the other Element Bearers represented her FIRST-EVER real experience with friendship."
"HEY! What about Spike!?" Dawn protested.
"Spike was, a special case. The point is that when Discord warped her friends, her heart was crushed UTTERLY, so that not even all her 'letters to Celesta' which Spike belched up could bring her back to her old self. On the other hoof...in a world where Twilight Sparkle has Shining Armor for a brother, she'll have had SOME experience with friendship already, even on a familial level. Thus, the letters will work on her," said the unicorn.
"So...he'll give Twilight the strength to resist Discord for just a little bit longer? For Luna to do her thing?"
"Yes. That is why he exists."
"What does he do after that?" Noon asked, not liking the idea of him being just, dismissed afterward.
"That's his own choice," Dusk said.
"So he'll just appear in everypony's memories?" Dawn asked.
"Not precisely. He will be going forward and backwards in time. As he interacts with others, he will go backwards into their pasts and interact with them there as well."
Noon's wings and ears wilted. "We are so not going to be on speaking terms with Rota Fortuna for a while... Can we trust him to help Twilight?"
"He's the parts of us we can trust the most to."
"Alrighty then." Noon nuzzled him, "Good luck big guy. You've got a big job of ahead of you: convince an anti-social bookworm who sees friendship as the world's biggest waste of time to warm up just a tiny little bit. Can you do it?"
"Mission. Accepted," he replied in a robotic monotone.
Noon pointed at him, "He's not gonna be this way after he gets memories and forms bonds with others and does some growth is he?"
"No. He's already beginning to develop his own persona. But right now he has nothing to animate his freedom of will yet. He's had no experiences to shape a personality beyond what Amicitia gave him unlike us who have her memories."
"Good. I remember...being a soulless robot is not good at all." She nuzzled him again, "Shining Armor, I wish you well. I hope things work out for you. Protect her, give her heart the little coaxing and kick in the flanks it needs. I know you can do it."
"Thank you."
"Let's have you take a nap now." Dusk touched her horn with his. He closed his eyes and slumped over like a sack of potatoes.
"Ick! Heavy ain't he?" Noon said pushing him up.
"Aren't we so lucky to have a big strong big brother to look after us?" Dawn said.
"Yeah heh, I guess we do. Okay Shining Armor, let's send ya home."
Shining Armor twitched in his sleep as they began to carry him into mortal existence.
"Is big brother okay?" Dawn asked as she helped carry him.
"He's dreaming," Dusk said. "After we introduce him to this timeline, he'll cascade, the same as any existence. Right now, between existence and outside existence, he's seeing various versions of himself that are out there, as other versions of us do the same as we're doing. Inserting him into the universe, it'll spread all the way straight back to the heart world."
"That'll royally tick off some continuity concerned Shadows-Who-Watch something fierce when he pops out of nowhere," Noon said. "Seriously, they'll hate the lack of foreshadowing."
"A price we'll have to pay," Dusk said. "Besides, the Shadows-Who-Make must approve for him to exist in the Heart World, which he does."
"Or he existed there first and this is how our big brother in our little branch multiverse came to be," Noon remarked.
"...I'm beginning to remember why the multiverse falls under 'things ponies were not meant to comprehend...'"
"Wait!" Dawn said. "If either of those are the case, then couldn't he have existed but been erased and that's why Discord won?"
Dusk sighed. "No, that is an impossibility. Eremo double and triple checked and neither in our timeline nor any of its branches has a Shining Armor existed before this moment. If Shining were erased, even by Entropy, then Shining Armor would exist in at least ONE of our branches because only our version would cease. Nightmare Eclipse was a unique case in that she bonded every version of herself to her, meaning she robbed herself of any other fates but the one she experienced. For everycreature else, each version on a different branch will meet with a different Fate that is the sum of all their choices."
"Oh...Hey look! A timeline where he helps Cadence and Anasi defeat Discord!"
Dusk sighed while Noon just chuckled.
+
"So of all the points in time and space, why are we inserting him HERE?" Noon whispered. Dawn was wearing a cliche burglar costume. Noon was dressed like a kabuki theater ninja.
Dusk spoke, "One; this is right before Nightmare Moon is freed from her prison sentence, so Celestia's senses, Discord's, and others of their power level are all focused elsewhere. So this makes it easier for us to get him in undetected. Two, due to his presence being inserted at this time, it'll create a strong wave, this should effect Twilight's mind set just before she leaves if things go as they should. Three, this room's close enough to Twilight so time will adjust so they've been able to interact and will be able to interact."
"Should have put him in Ponyville then."
"Twilight will CLING to him if he's in Ponyville with her, she needs to make FRIENDS, and having Shining Armor with them on their quest-"
"...Will weaken the flames that their fire-forged friendship was born from. Got it. So, Ursa Minor in the living room, why not insert him at birth?"
"One, he's already a stallion, we can't change how he's born as, no more than we can change our ages. Second it would be rather illogical for him to have the traits he was given by Amicitia at birth, and some might be buried in his lifetime.
And third, because if we did that, we couldn't ensure he'd live until Twilight is born, let alone that they'd have time to form a bond." Dusk seemed clearly disturbed by that thought, as were the others.
"Ok, so why HERE?"
Dawn spoke up sounding proud of herself, "MY IDEA! He's a knight in shining armor! So he's gotta be a royal guard! And protect princesses like Nanny Caddey! Good thing they had this barren empty room, well, not so barren for much longer after time and space do their thing!"
"Please tell me we never called Cadence that."
"We didn't. We seem to be developing different personas as well."
"Thank goodness."
"But she's right, having him be here, reality will do the rest, in this moment of time, he is defined as 'royal guard, this is his bedroom, he is Twilight Sparkle's elder brother.' Everything after will grow from that. And considering his spirit came from the instinct to protect others, he'll hopefully be happy as a guard." Dusk gave a warm smile back to Shining.
"There ya go," Noon whispered, "Tucked in bed, nice and tight. Goodnight, big brother." Noon kissed him on the forehead. "Happy birthday."
Dawn kissed on the cheek, "Night night!"
Dusk kissed him on the other one. "See you around, we hope. Do your best."
They left.
+
The existence graft took hold. Spreading and growing, becoming one with the timeline and integrated as a part of it. And--
+
And finally Rainbow Dash...she wouldn't leave us...but she did. It doesn't make sense! Nothing makes sense! Confusion tears through my, my mind like a, like a maelstrom! This has to be a dream, an illusion, an alternate reality or something!
I was crying in my bed room, not long after I'd earned my Cutie Mark. What had I done? Mom, dad, what had I done?!
I heard the door open. "Twiley, what's wrong?"
I look up to see Shiny looking down at me worriedly. "Some...some of the grownups said...they said I'm a monster. They said somepony should lock me up so I can't hurt anypony...I-I turned mommy and daddy into plants and made that cute little baby dragon into a monster...maybe they're right..." I couldn't stop crying...was I really a monster like they said?
He hugged me. "Twiley, you're not a monster, Princess Celestia wouldn't have accepted you as her student if she thought you were, she'll make sure everything will be okay...and so will I."
I look up to him with tears still in my eyes. "R-really? You promise, BBBFF?"
He gives me a smile. "Yeah, promise. Don't worry about a thing, Twiley, I've got yer back. I've always been there for you and I'm always going to be."
I looked up at him. He wasn't afraid of me... "...O-okay...Thank you, BBBFF...And I'll have yours if you need it too, okay?"
"Okay. Happy to know I can count on you too Twiley."
NO! This is real! It's crazy as heck but it's real! There are still ponies counting on me! On us! My parents, my brother, my friends, they all NEED ME! I can't let them down! Come on girls! Snap out of it! AJ startles at my reaction and goes over to Rarity's 'diamond' instead of me. What was she about to say?
"Girls, why are you all acting like this?" I asked my friends who ignored me like I wasn't there. Pinkie Pie continued to blow up at Fluttershy who just meaninglessly teased her. AJ and Rarity were now in a brawl.
"We need to stick together," I, the sane unicorn pleaded.
Discord laughed at my friends at each other's throats, "It's just too entertaining."
I couldn't take it. He said this was a game right? Aren't games supposed to have rules?! "Stop it, Discord. You're not playing fair."
----
Spike lay pathetically on the floor, looking to be in outright agony.
"Can't...move. The princess...has been sending these...since I came back upstairs." He involuntary breathed green flames, spawning a scroll. "Make it stop!" He begged.
I curiously looked at the mess of papers and unfurled some, wait a minute. "These are all the letters I've written to the princess since I've lived in Ponyville. But why would she send them back?"
+
"What's this?" I heard Discord say as he finally noticed the spell reaching completion, too late for him to stop it or escape. "No..."
I opened my now glowing eyes to see the dumbstruck Draconequus frozen in shock on his throne as the rainbow was let loose. It's over, the nightmare is over...everypony, mom, dad, Spike, BBBFF, we did it!
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
+
= Puella Magi Madoka Magica "Colorful" =
"ANNNNND KAAAAAAA-SPLIT!!!!!" Half-Noon Noon laughed, danced, and flew as the Elements of Harmony in the center of Ponyville turned Discord back into the statue existence he had endured for a couple thousand years, and looked to be seeing to endure it for a few thousand years more.
"THEY DID IT! THEY DID IT!" Dawn danced as well. The three standing on a convenient hill overlooking Ponyville.
Half-Light Dusk said slowly breathing out in relief, "Yes...they did..." Dusk did a quick check to make sure. "And our original timeline is still in place. The split was a success... thank Mother and Father...and Shining Armor."
"Captain Shining Armor, actually," said Noon.
Dusk blinked. "Captain?"
She nodded. "He was promoted the day Nightmare Moon escaped from what I found out, seems quite happy too. Oh!" Noon stopped and produced and small crayon drawing, "And I also found this, I think it's rather telling of how our brother's past has been shaping out."
Half-Light Dusk looked, and if she wasn't immortal, might have had a heart attack, "He's got a crush on Cadence?!"
"Why would he crush her?!" Dawn asked confused.
"She means he likes her," Noon said.
"Oh! I like her too! So I have a crush on her too!"
"Erm, not quite the same, I'll explain it to ya later. So Dusk, didn't see that one coming did ya?"
"No I did not. Life is defined by both choices and surprises."
Noon smirked, "Welcome to the wonderful world of contradictions. And hey, maybe this Twilight will get Cadance as a sister too."
"I got to play with Celly while she was a filly in the castle, did either of you?" Dawn asked randomly.
"No I did not and neither did she," Dusk said, "Now let's get started. We have a lot of work ahead of us."
"WORK?!" The two younger ponies said.
"Our job here is far from done. We have several ponies now suffering from the mental and emotional damage Discord did to them, not the least of which includes Celestia herself, psychologists whose JOB it is to help ponies with invisible scars, Twilight and her friends. We traveled along so many branches, across and up and down, are we simply going to stop here?"
"No way," Noon said simply.
"Nope," Dusk shook her head.
"Good, then as I said, let's get started, we have some very traumatized psychologists who need our help first, but right after, we have somepony else we need to speak to."
----
"So we're not glued at the hip or anything are we? Not being able to exist away from each other for a certain length of time or distance or anything like that?"
"I do not think so. We are free to act and think and feel independently after all. Even if we by virtue, came from the same soul as Shining. It's just the lion's share of the blast was devoted to creating him, while we were somewhat...secondary products. We are in totally unknown territory. There possibly wasn't enough left after creating him to make each of us like him."
"You sure about that? I don't feel like a split personality."
"We're not. Nor are we simply aspects or avatars. We are a unique phenomena."
"Phantomina? We're ghosts?" Dawn asked suddenly being scared.
"No. We're something special," Noon translated.
"Oh! Okay! Being special is great!"
"Also," Dusk said, "We still have our ability to see through, and travel up and down the time stream, within reason given we are currently IN IT instead of outside of it. And we can manifest mentally or physically, depending on which circumstance will better serve."
"I know that part already," Noon said.
"Me too!" Dawn nodded.
"Well, now that we've helped Princess Celestia, Doctor Freudian Excuse, Dr. Head Scratcher, poor Doctor Hoof Wave, and the hospital staff. We have somepony else who I think has much to speak about."
"But you said our cover story as interviewers was not to be allowed in until a few weeks later," Noon said.
"That is how Mayor Mare perceives us. And what Celestia's official word will say."
"So who?"
"Fluttershy."
Dawn asked the common sense question, "Wouldn't we just scare her really bad if we showed up in the middle of the night to talk to her or began speaking in her head?"
"Don't worry, this one, we'll be experiencing WITH her."
"And it was done. Fluttershy's horrible nightmare was over, as was the nightmare of every pony that lived in Ponyville. Most only confided in their loved ones what they had done after Discord had turned them stark raving mad. With the status quo fully restored and repaired, not a single pony wanted to so much as dwell on that horrific day (technically several). Big Macintosh for example wouldn't say what happened, but he seemed very uncomfortable around the Apple family's pet dog.
"There was however one purple pony with a screwball cutie mark who was dragged away in a straightjacket mumbling how "The world finally made sense, it's not fair."
"The erratic behaviour of the sun and moon had led some to think that even the Princesses themselves had been driven insane by Discord like the ponies in Ponyville and Canterlot. Though Twilight insisted this was impossible due to Celestia being the one to awaken Twilight from her own darkness, others were not so sure.
"Fluttershy didn't care. She and her friends were themselves again, the land was healed, the ponies were healed, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna and harmony itself were now the law in Equestria again, and Discord was sealed away again, hopefully this time kept in a better holding place.
After attending what had to be one of the biggest parties Pinkie Pie had ever thrown in her life, and leaving so late it was almost early, Fluttershy walked half asleep to her cottage near the edge of Everfree Forest. Most ponies found it a contradiction such a timid (others said cowardly) pony could endure being right next to the most deadly place in Equestia. For Fluttershy it was simple logic, in that it was where the most life that needed her help lived."
Facing the fractured mirror.
"Do you remember how pearls are formed? They start out as a tiny bit of sand inside the oyster. It's not pleasant for the oyster, but eventually that tiny bit of sand becomes a beautiful pearl. You just had a bad parent. But I promise to help you."
"I don't need your help Flutterface!"
"It's funny how the fillies who need the most help are the ones who say they don't...but it's late, dear, and we should both be off to bed...
"Hush now, quiet now
It's time to lay your sleepy head"
"No. No you can't just sing me to..."
Fluttershy yawned.
"Hush now, quiet now
It's time to go to bed"
Fluttershy walked away from the mirror, and began to walk up the stairs to bed, feeling drowsy.
"Drifting off to sleep
The exciting day behind you"
She lazily pushed the door to her bedroom open as she practically fell onto the bed, barely avoiding sleeping on her wings.
"Drifting off to sleep
Let the joy of dream land find you"
She turned her head towards a little mirror by her bed. "I won't, I'm stronger than..." she yawned, "You, you can't do..."
"Hush now, Quiet now
Lay your, sleepy head
Hush now, Quiet now
It's time to go to bed."
Fluttershy's eyes fluttered closed.
"You're right, you are going to be with me from now on. So I'm going to have to make sure you don't get yourself into any trouble young lady...Don't worry, I'll be there for you."
And she slept, and dreamed.
***
(Interviewer's Notes Half-Light Dawn: Whao, did she really just put Fluttercruel to sleep? Cool.)
(Interviewer's Notes Half-Light Noon: I always knew she was made of sterner stuff than she let herself be.)
(Interviewer's Notes Half-Light Dusk: I do believe there is great hope for all the souls of this world.)
Pony POV Series "Light World" Junction Point
My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic
Chapter 38
True Title:
Reharmonized Ponies Prologue
Return To The World Of Light
Don't forget.
Always, somewhere,
somepony is fighting for you.
As long as you remember them,
you're not alone.
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It's been building up to this point for a LONG time, and it was worth it. Hurray for the Pony POV series!
And one of the reasons I read this is to see you deconstruct MLP:FiM, and then set it back together again as good if not better than ever.
The bit about Shining Armor's part surprised me a little, but the rest (including the rest of what the chapter had to say about Shining) was about what I expected.
3886298
Sorry to keep ya waiting. Hope ya enjoyed it!
3886138
Thanks.
3886208
So what surprised you was how he was truly born, or did you see hat coming?
Good Lord, that's the most complex causality chain I've ever encountered in science fiction. Well done! Hope you don't mind if nobody notices this in my PonyPOVerse inspired stories, as I doubt I could ever do it justice!
3886372
I didn't anticipate Shining being an aspect of Amacitia, but I did figure out a while ago that he was the creation of an alicorn. The primary candidates were Twilight, Cadance (as an accident), Celestia and Fortuna.
Twilight was tricky because she didn't want to cross her own mortal fate, but you explained that away with a timeline/universe split. I had expected a very slightly more mundane creation method than self explosion.
Cadance was actually my leading theory, because the wolf doesn't like messing with things created by one of the concepts, but Cadance doesn't realise she's a concept and so may be excused from this reasoning.
Celestia was ruled out by the recent conversation she had with Shining, but my consideration of her was similar to the reasoning you gave for Twilight being the creator, but as a creation to protect Cadance instead of saving discorded Twilight.
Fortuna was a bit of a paradoxical choice on my part. While she was the most likely choice for a pony to be able to move the threads of fate, she was also the most likely creator of the wolf and therefore would never have chosen to create Shining.
Libra was also technically an option, but I doubt she would have done something so large to step on the jurisdiction of a major arcana, and she lacked a motive (the world is the world regardless of it being discorded) and would see that it would step on her own creation like it did for Twilight.
3886416
I understand. Your praise is enough. Thank you.
3886498
Cool.
So the way I'm reading this is,Amacita sacrificed herself,her personality splitting into the 3 Half-lights and her body becoming Shiny...
I get the feeling I'm quite wrong though.
3886770
I just didn't want people first looking at this fic to get any of the latest chapter spoiled. The nature of Shining Armour is half the mystery, and nearly every part of my comment was spoiling that.
I could have cut down, but it was easier this way since most lines were probably going to be half spoilered even if I only did it as necessary.
3887755
Mostly right.
Shining Armor is also part of her personality, to be precise, she was born from the part of her that wanted to protect and look after her friends.
3888035
For what it's worth, I didn't mind your comments.
3889313
Yeah, but I'd prefer people to have the choice not to spoil the story for themselves. The comments are there for anyone who has read the chapter.
3889604
I feel no shame in admitting this comment is 100% fact.
And yet no one ever updates the shout out tropes page. Ironic.
I think this was well worth the wait, and I wonder where we're going to go now... probably somewhere great.
3890769
Believe it! And thank you!
Ah, the connection. I was so excited when I saw the chapter title, I caught up on the last 5 or 6 Shining Armor chapters in a day just so I could read this chapter. It was beautiful, didn't disappoint at all. I'd been guessing who or what the Interviewer ponies were... and the closest I got were 'pieces of an alicorn' since they are Unicorn, Pegasus and Earth pony. Not sure how close to consider that guess to reality... However, never once did I have a clue about Shining's origin, twas a beautiful mystery that now makes perfect sense. Since I'm commenting (for the first time on any of the Pony POV stories, I rarely comment anywhere) I absolutely love this series. It's beautiful in it's complexity, and I absolutely love the concepts and the idea of major and minor arcana. When I discovered this series some months ago I read all the seasons one after the other until I caught up to where ever this one was... and I've not been disappointed by it yet. Can't wait to see what happens next.
This was more than neat. I enjoyed this lead up to the chapter quite a bit.
3893859
I'm sorry it took so long to get to this point. The reveal was meant to be a lot earlier and the SA arc a lot shorter, but the parody sue was meant to last for half a chapter, and then things went haywire.
I'm happy the build up WORKED.
3892779
Yeah, I thought A LOT about what chapter title to use. White Knight. My buddy wanted Crossroads (I MEANT A FREAKIN' LOT). But I realized after everything, The Connection was the only title this chapter COULD have.
I'm happy that the time you spent in reading my fic wasn't wasted if the suspense and the reveal paid off. I always thought it was freaky how Shining Armor was dropped into the cartoon without any foreshadowing. But at the same time I admit he's a fun character.
If you've been able to keep things together, then I will too. And I WILL finish this fanfic series!!! Thank you!
So THIS is why the wolf is after Shining Armor and how the Dark/Light World is connected to the Shining Armor world. So the interviewers were Half Light Dawn, Noon and Dusk as the Earth Pony,Pegasus and Unicorn, I see, since SA was born from part of Amiticia, the interviewers were in his head.
You know, the Dark World Arc kinda reminds me of Episode 10 from "Madoka Magica". And I'm not just talking about the Groundhog Day Loop and one Girl/Pony being the reason why it's started/keep going , but also the Fact that both actually take place before the 1. Episode of their Series (Discorded Ponies doesn't Count)
But I'm sure someone already noticed that
...........
...........It is very ironic that the main story line is getting help from the one place where it used to be hell-but-turned-light......so you mean to tell me that these three "interviewers" were Twilight personalities?...........wow..................You never stop surprising me.
This chapter is beautiful, but at one point it says "shineshine" instead of "sunshine".
9552627
Typos happen sadly. *hugs*
Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's dead.
Okay now, let's be reasonable. Like you prefer pony fics to have. There's no should.
I don't think you meant bowel. And watch out for Pony Count Olaf, he can be a real plothole.
Or, you know, you could just not read those stories....like a sensible person. Then again I used to run a blog where Celestia was a crazed cannibal, so I'm not exactly unbiased here myself.
You and me both.
I wonder how he'd react to Haiyore! Nyaruko-san
...mathematically impossible even by magical standards, but go on.
Ultimately that's up to you. We'll have our dissenting opinions one way or the other regardless.
Sooo...who or what enforces the rules for The Elders? I know they're probably 'so perfect they don't need enforcers' but who or what's in place just in case? Literally forever is a long, looooooooooooong time to not slip up.
Someone smarter than Twilight? Blasphemy!
banner2.kisspng.com/20180417/vlw/kisspng-twilight-sparkle-youtube-princess-celestia-pinkie-crazy-5ad63f9c1a1f93.343019661523990428107.jpg
So majestic.
And you have a plan for the wolf...right? You're not just going to throw him in there with an eater of eldritch horrors and mary sues with nary a fare well are you?
Meh, protagonists screwing with predestiny is common as dirt. If she isn't used to it by now then she really needs to work on developing a thicker skin.
Well, I mean sure, I don't see why he couldn't do that.
I'm still not sure why he just didn't exist in the first place. Homeboy's canon.
Oh no, he DEFINITELY wouldn't.
9698005
And you felt the need to share that because?
9698005
There's actually a bit of lore related to that.
9698005
...mathematically impossible even by magical standards, but go on.
https://memegenerator.net/instance/61870487/professor-farnsworth-nothing-is-impossible-if-you-can-imagine-it-thats-what-being-a-scientist-is-all
9698005
Because he didn't exist before until the Canterlot Wedding episode.