Where in Equestria are we?

by Blackdrag-rose

VIII: Vinyl's Truth

The Leviathan settled on the ground in what appeared to be a port of some kind, which easily held the airship while the soldiers marched to and from the ship. Shining Armor made sure that their ammunition was restored and prepared in case they needed to take the airship into another world. Vinyl smiled and led her companions, plus those that Trixie had saved, off the ship, trotting until they came to the same area where the Gatekeeper was waiting for them.

"So you have returned," the Gatekeeper said, lifting an eyebrow when he noticed that they had even saved some ponies, "and it seems that you managed to rescue several ponies from the grim fate of being turned into Hatecakes. Allow me to introduce myself; I am the Gatekeeper, Master of the Terminal, the world that you are currently standing in."

"Cheerliee, a school teacher from Ponyville," the mare said, though she was honestly scared out of her mind, "My fellow ex-captives are three members of the Apple Family; Big Macintosh, Apple Bloom, and Applejack."

"Five of you escaped the dreaded Cupcake Factory," the Gatekeeper commented, "yet you only mentioned four of you. Who is this fifth pony that was saved?"

The pony in question had a light grey coat with a dark grey mane and tail. Her eyes, though they resembled Rarity's in shape, were light purple colored. Her cutie mark was a purple treble clef, but when Vinyl looked back at her she realized exactly who she was staring at.

"Tavi?" Vinyl asked softly, using her pet name for the mare she was a roommate with, "Is that really you?"

"How many times have I asked you to call me Octavia?" the mare replied, hanging her head low, "But I am glad to see you again...You are real aren't you?"

"Course I'm real Tavi," Vinyl answered, somewhat confused by the question, "Why wouldn't I be real?"

"Because they chained you up next to me and gutted you like a fish," Octavia cried, tears running down her face as she hugged Vinyl, "I thought you were dead, but then you arrived dressed like the grim reaper. You were wearing a robe as black as night and carried a scythe that gleamed as if some sort of light was bouncing off of it. And your eyes, they glowed with this terrible deep red color that's haunted my nightmares ever since I saw them.

I was scared Vinyl. Every time somepony I knew died you appeared like the reaper, just standing there and watching me as if I was going to do something I would later regret. I've seen ponies whose eyes have changed from their natural colors to the same sickly deep red color as those who worked the factory. Those ponies gave into the darkness I was told and they were released because they forsake harmony and took up the banner of Hatred instead.

They tried for days to turn me Vinyl, feeding me lies of how you abandoned me to my fate and would never come to my rescue. They had that bloody key with them, the one that had been hidden until they had arrived and threw up the factory. They even used that to try and awaken the violence in me so they could turn me into a monster, but despite their persistence they failed."

"Shhh," Vinyl said, her glasses falling to the floor as she comforted her friend, "Its okay Tavi, your safe now. The Terminal is the safest place for anypony to be."

"What haven't you told us about this Death Scratch?" Trixie asked, pounding her hoof on the ground to get Vinyl's attention, "This is the second time we have heard of her presence in the worlds where the keys are located, yet you haven't shared how she came to be. You might as well tell us your dirty little secret Vinyl."

"I can't just tell you about her," Vinyl shouted, a look of shame in her eyes, "it would mean acknowledging the mistakes I made when I first began my search for the Seven Keys over a thousand years ago."

"Right now you have three of the seven," Trixie said, pointing a hoof at the key around her neck, "Now tell us what the buck happened and maybe we can fix this mess."

"You don't understand," Vinyl said, "When I first came out of the Terminal and stepped out into a new world I came right to the World of Hate, Oblivion's base of operations. I met him face to face and if I had known at the time he was the one threatening the harmony of the universe I would have stuck my blade through his heart. Trust me on this, if somepony meets Oblivion they can immediately feel the hate beginning to fill their heart.

It was worse for me since Oblivion tunneled my growing hate into that world's version of me, the innocent DJ becoming a monster of Death. My hateful side is the Horseman of Death, one of the four destined to erase harmony from the universe. I have tried to destroy Death Scratch, but she always evades me. Trust me, if you ever see Death Scratch run in the opposite direction and hope she doesn't capture you. Now, if you'll excuse me I have to make sure Tavi is okay and make sure none of this scars her for life."

Trixie growled and walked away, leaving the two mares alone as Vinyl calmed her friend down. Lyra and Derpy stayed behind, unsure if they should follow the angry mare or stay and help the Commander with Octavia. Eventually Trixie vanished into the distance, which was fine since she barely cared to talk to the rest of them.

"I will allow her early access to the next world," the Gatekeeper said, receiving an angry look from Vinyl, "Rest easy Vinyl, it will be the world of greed where Hateful Rarity rules."

"Great," Vinyl said, "As long as Trixie doesn't...lose...the key...HOLY FAUST SHE'S GOT THE KEY OF VIOLENCE STILL."

Trixie noticed the gateway and stepped on through it, finding herself in another world again. This time she looked like a robed humanoid figure, but this time she was a cross between a humanoid and a horse. She honestly wondered where she ended up this time, but with everything thing that's happened she was beginning not to care anymore. Unbeknownst to Trixie her eyes flashed a deep red for a couple of seconds before reverting to their original color. She stepped forwards and began to trek through the forest on the outskirts of a huge palace.

Comments

[Bass Concerto]

Holy Faust! You just made my day!

[Blackdrag-rose]

2571764
Thanks dude. Wait...which part were you referring to?

[Bass Concerto]

2571954 The part where Vynal said "Holy Faust" in the newest chapter.

[Blackdrag-rose]

2573083
Hehehe.
I've been doing that a lot. Glad you liked it.