Disclaimer: I don't own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. I do however own all of the OC's in the story unless stated otherwise. I also don't own Rubik's cubes. Or Xbox.
AN: Hey reader peoples! I know it has been a while since I uploaded. I can't use enough words to express how sorry I am. I am now back for good, as long as nothing happens to me. I will try to go back to my old update schedule, but for now, I'm going to stick with once a week at the very least. If I can upload more than that, then I will. If you are still with the story after this incredibly and stupidly long hiatus, I thank your dedication and I'm glad you still want to read my crappy writing. Anyways, enough about me and my crap. I hope you enjoy chapter 9! R&R!
Chapter 9: The Beginning of the End
-Equestria, Princess Celestia POV-
I was trying to dodge his attacks, but he is so powerful... I couldn't do anything to stop him.
"Now Princess, why would you want to stop me? I'm trying to help you."
"How is murdering innocent ponies helping anything! They are innocent! You can't do what you please just because you are stronger than they are!"
"You are probably right..."
"What?"
"But it does not matter. I am a god, and you can not go against a god."
"Screw you!" I would have covered my mouth with my hands, if I had hands. I have never spoken that way to anypony before.
"My my princess, that's quite a rude thing to say to someone. Especially me."
"I don't know what you are talking about. leave now before Lord Zachim arrives."
"Oh, I'm not worried about him. He can't hurt me. Once I've reached my full power, I will be able to take back what is mine. I will rule in the Eternal Palace!"
"You can't! Only an Eternal who has been elected to the seat of King can rule! Killing innocent ponies will only serve to ruin your reputation and not get you the throne. All ruling beings in the universe know this. Why can you not understand!?"
"Dear Celestia, it is you who does not understand. If I am the only Eternal, then I must be the ruler.
I was quiet for a moment, realizing what he just said. "The others... are dead?"
Silence let's out a mighty laugh, chilling myself to the core. "Now you see it! I killed them all! Even your parents were no match for me! The only one left is that overgrown brat, Zachim. I must thank you for sending for him, I couldn't have found him otherwise."
What have I done? If Lord Zachim fights Silence and loses, then the universe will crumble into ash. It will be as desolate as it was the day it was made. "You can't do this!"
"Oh? And why, pray tell, can I not?"
"There must be balance in the universe for it to exist! If you take the throne and continue this senseless bloodshed, the universe will fall into darkness. None could survive. Not even the Eternals."
"That is the point."
"What!? Why would you kill off you own kin, rise to Lord of the Eternals, and then throw it all away!?"
"My kin, as you call them, are nothing more than twisted, sick, conceded rulers, playing puppeteer to the beings in the universe. They think that because they have power, they can do as they please. Ruling and manipulating are two very different things Celestia, you should know this. If the Eternals were all like you, none of this would have happened. They care not for the matters of the people, ponies, or what have you, but only for their own selfish lives. They grew bored of immortality and decided to play a game in which beings like yourself were the pieces. A sick, twisted game, one that ends when the universe runs out of pieces to supply."
"I ask you now Celestia, not as a rival, not as a superior, not even as your uncle, but as a denizen of the worlds. Is it right to play with others lives? Is it right to make others do what you will just because you are stronger than they are? If you join me, I promise that I won't touch this world again. You may continue your existence here as of nothing had happened. Tia... what do you choose?"
I knew what had to be done. I knew what the right choice was. I had prided myself on making the right choices my whole life, no matter how hard they were. Whether it be a treaty with another nation, or a dispute among ponies, I made the right decision. I know that what Silence is doing is wrong. I know I am supposed to side with Lord Zachim and Isaac, but... what if they lose? What if Silence does win? What will happen to my little ponies? I couldn't forgive myself if he hurt anypony else... I know what I have to do.
"Uncle."
"Yes Tia?"
"You are right... what the Eternals did was wrong, and they should be punished for it."
"I knew you would choose the rig-"
"But what you are doing is worse! You are playing with the lives of everypony! You are playing puppeteer! You are becoming the thing that you hated in the Eternals! I... I must do the right thing. I choose the side of good. I will stand against you uncle... even if it kills me."
"I'm sorry to hear that Tia. Now, as you you so precisely put it, it will kill you." Silence jumped forward at me. I prepared myself for the worst, but a bright flash of light intercepted him, throwing him against the far wall of the hallway.
I turned to see Lord Zachim with a slight smile playing on his face.
"You called Princess?"
-Earth, Hannah POV-
"Okay, so the forms are all filed out and you gave us a picture of him as well. We will do our best to find him, but I can't make you any promises."
"Please! You have to help him! He could be in terrible danger right now! Or dead!"
The officer sighed and leaned back in his seat. I didn't mean to sound rude if I did, but Issac is our friend! He has to be found.
"Look, kids, I'm going to be straight with you. You don't seem the types who want me to beat around the bushes. Every month, we get about five missing persons reports. Out of those five, I'd say about four show up a few days later after being hooked on some crazy drug or forgetting to call their parents. One out of those five we find in the woods or some abandoned building. Every once in a while though... well, we do the best we can. I'm not going to lie to you and say everything will be alright. I'm not going to say that you'll see him tomorrow. I will say, though, that we will do everything we can to find your friend, but that is no guarantee. Now, it's getting late and I'm sure your parents are going to start to worry. Head on home before they show up here to fill out more missing persons reports."
I sighed and nodded. I guess that's the best we can do for now. Josh seems okay with letting the police handle this, but Sarah was giving the officer a weird look, like she didn't trust him.
"Come on girls, let's go." Josh threw his arm around Sarah and I followed them towards the exit. Once we were outside, I noticed that it really had become late, the sun barely visible over the horizon.
"I didn't realize that it was getting this late."
"It's all my fault!" Josh and myself states at Sarah's sudden outburst. "I could have prevented this! It's all my fault!" Tears were visibly rolling down her face at this point. Josh pulled her closer, softly rubbing her back.
"It's not your fault. No one knew that this would happen."
"Yeah Sarah, Josh is right. We couldn't have known that Issac was going to disappear."
"But I did! I knew and I didn't do anything!"
I understand that it might be hard to deal with Issac being gone, but it wasn't her fault. If what that note said was true, then Issac is helping people that need it right now.
"Do you guys remember visiting Isaac's dad in the hospital?"
"Of course I do. I saw Issac cry for the first and last time that day." I remember it clearly, like it was yesterday. "Why do you ask?"
"After everyone left, I stayed behind with Issac. His dad wanted to talk to me privately..."
-Flashback, Earth, Sarah POV-
Issac was sitting next to the bed where his dad was lying. He looks so sad... I wish I could help him...
"Issac..." His dad called out to him. "Could you... send for a nurse... to get me... a glass of water?" Issac wordlessly got up and shuffled out of the room. His dad turned to me.
"Sarah... come here please..." I slowly walked up to the cot. "You are too young... to understand now... but one day... Issac will need your help... He will leave this place... and travel far away... take this..."
I held out my hands and he placed a pendant in them.
"It is a good... luck charm... you will know when to... use it... just remember... everything returns to... the earth eventually..."
I looked at the pendant in both awe and confusion. I don't really understand what he meant by helping Issac, but it looked amazing. It was wooden, almost black in color. It had a weird symbol carved on one side and a shiny purple gem on the other.
"Do not let Issac... see it... and don't tell... him about it... Ah Issac... did you bring me... my water?"
Issac silently handed his father the glass and returned to his sitting position. I stood there, confused. Why am I supposed to save Issac?"
-Present, Earth, Hannah POV-
"I've had this charm the whole time and I never told Issac or anyone else about it. I thought that maybe his dad was just crazy, but now... now I know the truth. I could have stopped him from leaving, but I didn't."Sarah, that was nearly 13 years ago. No one can blame you for that."
"Yeah." Josh spoke up. "What happened to Issac wasn't your fault.
Sarah just kept on shaking her head and sobbing. Josh got her to start walking and we headed towards home.
I don't blame her, and I know Josh doesn't blame her, but she blames herself. If there is a way to show her that she doesn't deserve the blame, I don't know what it is.
"You kids seem lost? Looking for something?" I spin quickly and see a man standing right inside of an alley, hidden almost completely by the darkness.
"We aren't kids. We can take care of ourselves."
"I'll say. You guys have grown up so much since I last saw you."
"Huh?"
"Don't tell me you don't remember..." The man stepped out of the shadows. His long black hair blew in the breeze. His eyes... those piercing eyes... I haven't seem them since... "The father of your best friend?"
-The Lake of Valor, Issac POV-
The glow subsided and I could finally see my surroundings again. My insides felt all tingly, like I just teleported. I did a quick check of my surrounds to make sure I was in the right spot. Endless grassy hills. Check. Random trees everywhere. Check. Gold lake. Che- wait what!? I look at the lake again. The water was definitely gold. Does that mean... I have powers now?
There really was only one way to find out, but I have no idea how I'm supposed to use these powers, or even what powers I have. I need to find dad. He can help me.
My only problem now is that I have no idea where he is. Or where I am. Or how to get out of this place. Dammit! I should have asked dad about that.
Maybe my powers can get me out of this place. If they were really as strong as everyone claimed they were, I should have no problem with teleporting or something like that.
Okay, now I need to concentrate. Sitting down, I close my eyes and cross my legs to focus on that sensation I just found in myself. My magic. I need to go help the others. I repeat this sentiment over and over again.
Finally, after what feels like an eternity, I feel that feeling bubble up inside of myself. It grows until I feel it force itself outside of my being. I open my eyes and see white. Literally.
The space around me had be some occupied by a glowing mass of... white. I took a few deep breaths and concentrated harder. Slowly I felt myself slipping away. The white consumed me and I fell into darkness.
-Equestria, Issac POV-
To say I woke up wouldn't be right as I never fell asleep. However, in the short time it took for me to complete my journey, I was in total darkness, so I might as well have been sleeping.
When I arrived at my destination, I was unceremoniously dropped onto the floor with a loud plop. I looked around and saw that I was in the throne room, but that no one was present. I started to wonder where they could have gone when, suddenly, I heard a large boom come from further in the castle.
"I guess there is as great a place to start as any." I headed in the direction of the boom and prepared for the worst.
After making a few twists and turns, I found myself at the origin of the noise. Luckily I made it there without too much trouble. However, seeing what and who was there, I kind of wished that I had gotten lost.
Princess Celestia was lying on the ground, covered in cuts and burns. Her breathing was labored and ragged. Luna was with my dad, fighting... Silence? It was hard to tell because of the change in his appearance.
The pony of darkness was now a humanoid creature. Multiple spikes came out of his body at random points, each one jagged and covered in some gooey black substance. His face was distorted into a crazy grin and he had fangs that reached his chin protruding from his mouth. His skin was by far the most disturbing. It was a sickly green and had patches that were burnt. Some places were tore open and oozing the same black substance that came from the spikes. There was even a spot on his left arm where there was nothing but bone showing.
I wanted to vomit, and judging from a stain on the floor, someone else had the same idea. I wanted to help my dad and Luna, but Princess Celestia looked really bad, so I went to her first.
I knelt down next to her and felt for her pulse. It was faint, but still there.
"Princess, can you hear me?" I sat and awaited a response. I received none. "Princess?" Still nothing. I started to panic.
Then it hit me. I have magic at my disposal now. I should be able to heal her.
Ignoring the cries of anger and pain coming from the other three fighting, I tried to call my magic out from inside myself. I willed it to heal the Princess.
Slowly, the same white cloud seeped out of my being and surrounded the Princess.
"Heal." The cloud glowed faintly. "Heal." I spoke louder. The cloud glowed once more and stopped. "FUCKING HEAL THE PRINCESS NOW DAMMIT!" I roared, my vision clouding over. My voice was amplified and echoed throughout the room. Even the fighting desisted. The white cloud glowed so brightly that even looking at it hurt my eyes.
After a few moments, the light died down. I turned to face Princess Celestia. What I saw was nothing short of amazing. There stood the Princess with no burns. No cuts. Even her mane wasn't disheveled anymore
"Issac..." Her voice was stern and regal, just how a princess' should be. Then it changed. "... I thank you from the bottom of my heart. If it were not for your healing, I would surely have died within the day. Let us kill this cretin now." Her voice turn motherly and affectionate, that is, until she spoke of the 'cretin'.
"I agree." I turn to face the stunned Silence and smiling Luna and dad. "Let's put him down now."
The fight was unlike anything I have ever experienced before. Sure I'd been in a few scuffles here and there. At school, at home, wherever. But this... this was a battle of the gods. Literally. All the beings in the hallway, myself excluded, were immortal and all powerful. I felt tiny and insignificant next to them.
"Issac! Duck!" I turned and noticed a large, green colored projectile flying at me. I fell flat against the floor and it zoomed by, colliding with the wall behind me. A giant, smoking crater was left in it's wake.
"Silence! End this senseless violence! It will accomplish nothing!" My dad yelled at Silence while he wasn't shooting spells at us. "You will only bring forth more unwarranted destruction."
"Unwarranted!? You think that this is unwarranted!? You must be even stupider than I thought. Simply because you didn't side with me warrants this. If you are not an ally, then you are an enemy. If you are an enemy, then you are with the rest of the Eternals. Death is the only thing for you."
"What do you think she would say if she saw you now? What would Lanluta say?"
"Don't say her name! Don't say it!" Silence's grin broke into a face of fear and regret.
"She would be disappointed in you. She would condemn you. She would disown you."
"NO! SHE WOULD NOT! SHE STILL LOVES ME! SHE DOES!" His sudden outburst scared me. Who was this Lanluta? Does that mean that dad and Silence are related?
Silence let out a long scream and disappeared into a shadowy veil.
"So is it over?" I asked, knowing what the answer would be, but hoping that he might have disappeared for good.
"Not by a long shot. This is just the beginning." Princess Celestia lowered her head and sighed. "I suppose that you have questions."
"Yeah, a couple. First, who is Lanluta? Second, are Silence and Dad related? Lastly, If even Lord Kelux doesn't scare Silence, who is Lanluta to be able to scare him like that?
Princess Celestia heaved a great sigh. "Let us go to the throne room. This will take some time, and you should be sitting before learning the truth."
As the Princesses and Dad walked away I couldn't help but wonder. I was in a world where magical and technicolor ponies lived. Magic was a normal part of society and the sun and moon were raised by the ruling princesses. If I needed to sit for this new information, how bad could it be?
