Dimension: My Little Pony

Planet: Equestria Earth

Specific Location: Canterlot Castle

Time: Five days after the arrival of Flaming Star

Regal Crescent opened his eyes and sat up. He rubbed his eyes groggily and groaned. What had just happened? Then he remembered. Snarling, he got up and tried to move forward. He was locked in place by chains. At first he laughed. Chains? No one could bind him. He surged forward with enough force to capsize a beached aircraft carrier… nothing happened. Then Regal Crescent noticed something unique about the chains: they were glowing. He was trapped in the grip of the chains of truth. They were absolute; there was nothing he could do to break them. Slowly, he sat down. Suddenly, he became aware of a presence watching, and he glared up through the bars of his jail… it was Princess Luna. His eyes grew wide when he saw her tear-streaked eyes. He quickly got up and stumbled backwards, trying to put as much distance as possible between her and himself.

"L-Luna?" he gasped. "How is this possible?"

A tear rolled down Luna's face. "Why? Why have you done these things?"

Regal Crescent felt a lump in his throat. After a pause, he sighed. "I lost my way. I wanted to kill James so bad that… that I disregarded all else. Did… did I kill anypony?"

Luna shook her head. "Thankfully not," she replied, "there was damage, but no death."

Regal Crescent sighed again, but more out of relief than out of terror this time. "That is good."

There was a long pause. Finally, Regal Crescent spoke. "Luna," he said, "I have spent eons thinking of you…"

Luna interrupted. "Eons? Where were you then? Do you not think I waited eons for you as well? Where were you?"

Regal Crescent bowed his head. "I couldn't. I was no longer a traveler, I was a mercenary. A lowly criminal, willing to slit the throat of any comrade for power and fame… I think this is not the pony you had been waiting for."

Luna sat down and faced Regal Crescent. After another moment of silence, she said, "It was not. But how could I know? You left, and you never let me know of your whereabouts. You broke my heart."

Regal Crescent continued to look at the ground. "I'm sorry."

Luna got up and pointedly turned around. "You didn't seem to be sorry as you tried to kill Flaming Star and Twilight," she said as she walked away.

Regal Crescent watched as she walked away. As the door closed, his head drooped low to the ground. She was right. He had shown no remorse as he tried to kill Flaming Star, no control as he battled it out with his sworn enemy. Sworn enemy? How did it come to be like that?

Regal Crescent looked up as the door to the prison swung open again. This time, Flaming Star walked in. Regal Crescent felt a wave of multiple emotions wash over him. Hate, fear, remorse, and confusion. Flaming Star stood over Regal Crescent for a moment, looking down upon the feared mercenary, and then sat down quietly facing him.

"Hey," he said, "How are you doing Dathan?"

Regal Crescent averted his gaze.

Flaming Star persisted. "Dathan… Regal Crescent, why are you doing this to yourself? How did it get to be like this? I never harmed you; I never mocked your father. I gave you no reason for you to hate me. Why?"

Regal Crescent then spoke, slowly. "You know why?" he said, "Despite your best intentions, there was always something that gave me a reason to hate you: you. Your very existence irked me. I never wanted to be second; I wanted to be first, or, at least, my father to be first. I wanted Enos and his sons to have power, not you. I wanted power, but I was never fully given it. It was like being led to water, but not being allowed to drink. It was agonizing. I wanted to have it all."

Flaming Star narrowed his eyes and said, "And did you get it? No. I gave you nothing but acceptance, and you threw it back in my face. For six thousand years I tolerated you, and you did nothing for me but go rogue. So tell me right now, did your hate and envy win you anything?"

Regal Crescent shook as he suppressed his grief and his rage. Slowly, he said, "NO. It did not."

Flaming Star nodded, his face still a frown. "Yes, it didn't. You were at the top, but look at you now: groveling in the dust, nothing but a hated mercenary. And now that you have accepted a job from Legion, you will now never be even accepted back into the filthy taverns and the dilapidated strongholds of the traveler traitors. You have nothing."

A pause… "I know, Flaming Star."

Flaming Star leaned in close to the bars, his face now kind. "Then come back, nephew, come back to the light. Sunset has done far worse than you, but he came back. What say you?"

There was an agonizingly long pause… then, "I am sorry, Flaming Star. I am sorry."

Flaming Star smiled. He got up and said, "Then you have won yourself a friend. Goodbye nephew, I will come by to see you again."

As he walked away, Regal Crescent called out, "How long will I be kept here, uncle?"

Flaming Star paused, turned around and said, "I do not know. That is for princess Celestia and princess Luna to decide. You trashed their castle, and gave at least two hundred guards terrible headaches. I will see what I can do though… nephew."

Flaming Star then turned around and exited the jail; leaving Regal Crescent with nothing but the chains of truth, and his thoughts of ruin and self-hate. Everything Flaming Star had said was true. He was lower than nothing. He had spent every moment, every resource, on his hunt for revenge, and now all he found was emptiness. Was this the satisfaction that awaited him? Flaming Star was nothing that he had convinced himself to believe; Flaming Star wasn't cruel or evil, he was just a being looking for meaning in the endless strife of existence. Regal Crescent cursed himself for a fool: he had let it all pass on by; he had let his life slip away for a prize that turned out to be as empty as a black hole. All his life he had spent hating Flaming Star, and now he found out… it had all been a lie.

Dimension: The Inferno

Planet: The Inferno

Specific Location: The Inferno

Time: Eternity

Legion opened his eyes. He looked around as his senses returned; he had been unconscious as a vision had permeated his mind. The vision had commanded him to perform a very unique part of a grand plan that even Legion had not dreamed of preforming. But could he be a part of something so vile? Even as a demon, the despicableness of the creature that had presented the scheme gave him pause. Shaking his head, Legion returned to breathing in the winds of time and space, immediately becoming aware of the happenings of the multiverse. Legion blinked, Dathan Enosson had failed. He had not been expecting that, but, perhaps, it was not completely unexpected.

"Hate and revenge can be a powerful motivator," Legion muttered, "but sometimes even it cannot overcome pure skill, or the power of love."

There was a pause as Legion considered the plan once again… and decided to play his part.

"I suppose, the My Little Pony universe has gone a little too long without a visit from a demon," said Legion. "Abbadon was a fool, perhaps I can dislodge the travelers from their little stronghold. If not… well… it does not even matter."

With that, Legion shot upwards with such power that the whole circle shook with violent tremors. As he shot through the air, Legion chuckled. "I am the many, the multitude, the army. I am everywhere, and I am nowhere. I am the reaper, the reapers… I am nothing, I am everything, and I am death."

Dimension: My Little Pony

Planet: Equestria Earth

Specific Location: Canterlot Gardens

Time: Six days after the arrival of Flaming Star

Sunset and Fluttershy sat in the Canterlot gardens, overlooking a beautiful sunrise.

"Don't you wish these moments lasted forever?" sighed Fluttershy dreamily as she pressed her cheek against Sunset's.

Sunset sighed. "I sure do. These are moments are precious. We must savor each one."

Fluttershy lay down on her back and began to look at the red-streaked clouds. Quickly Sunset joined her.

With that, Sunset reached over and patted Fluttershy's stomach. "How's the baby doing?" he said.

Fluttershy smiled. "She's fine. I am just so excited!"

Sunset nodded. "So am I."

The two were suddenly joined by Flaming Star and Twilight. Sunset looked up and closed his eyes. "Oh no," he said out loud, "I hope you haven't come here to crash our wonderful peace and quiet, firstborn."

Flaming Star plopped himself down next to Sunset, and was joined by Twilight.

"Nope," he said, "nothing of the sort. We're here to join you."

Sunset snorted. "You? Look at clouds? Since when did Abimael 'James' Sethson, the firstborn take time to look at clouds? Did Regal Crescent knock you on the head sometime during the battle?"

Twilight answered, "No, he's fine. I just suggested that he spend more time watching the world around him, make each moment linger a little longer."

Flaming Star nodded, "Yep. So that's what we're going to do."

Sunset gave Flaming Star a side-long glance. "What are we going to do about Regal Crescent?" he said.

Flaming Star continued looking up at the sky as he replied, "We are going to let him go. That poor pony has literally nothing left. From what I can tell, Luna has turned her back on him. If that is the case then Regal Crescent is all alone. He is a traitor to his cause, he took a job from a demon so he will not be accepted back into the mercenary cartel, and he's feared here. Sooooo… I think he could use a little good luck… and some friends."

"But Flaming Star," interjected Twilight, "he tried to kill you… and me!"

Flaming Star lightly bumped her shoulder as he replied, "Of course he did! But that doesn't mean we shouldn't try to be friends with him… right?"

Twilight gave him a huge smile. "The magic of friendship," she agreed.

Abruptly, they were joined by Discord.

"Oooh, what do we have here? Four ponies enjoying a romantic sunrise with their… er, best friends?"

Sunset waved his hoof in the air. "Yeah, yeah, whatever," he said, "If you think teasing me will work, forget it. I'm married, so get over it. It doesn't work that way anymore."

Discord rolled his eyes as he levitated over them. "But of course. Right now my target is that handsome golden stallion with that gorgeous purple mare. What a pair! I actually feel a song coming on!"

Twilight rolled her eyes and said, "Do whatever you want, Discord. I am perfectly happy right here."

Discord grinned. "All the more reason for me to start a song."

"That's enough, Discord," said Celestia as she entered the garden. Flaming Star rolled over and got up.

"Well," he said, "what's the verdict on Regal Crescent?"

Celestia beckoned to Luna, who slowly walked up. "We've decided… we've decided to let Regal Crescent go," Luna said, "he really has nothing left."

Sunset too rolled over and got up. "Really? Are you sure this is wise?"

Flaming Star snorted, "Probably not, but I'll keep an eye on him."

Luna looked down at her hoofs and said, "So will I. I- I want to believe he's going back to his old ways…"

Sunset nodded vigorously, "That is good. We have to show him trust. Right now, he's probably devastated, like I was when I first came here. He needs a little friendship right now."

Celestia nodded. "He most probably does. Sunset, you invoked the chains upon him, can you eliminate them as well?"

Sunset nodded and trotted off to the jail. He was quickly followed by Fluttershy, Flaming Star, Twilight, Celestia, and Luna. Discord just floated there, watching them go. He then pulled a face and flashed out of existence.

Regal Crescent looked up as the door to the jail opened. His head drooped again as Sunset strolled in.

"Well, Joseph, what do you want?"

"I'm here to set you free, Dathan."

Regal Crescent looked up in surprise. "Why? What guarantee do you have that I won't attack you! I'm evil! I know I am!"

Sunset peered close at Regal Crescent as he said, "And that is the first sign of a changing heart. We may not trust you just yet, Regal Crescent, but that doesn't mean we don't care for you."

With that, Sunset raised a hoof and preformed a downward slashing movement, with that, the chains stopped glowing and crumbled to nothing. Regal Crescent shakily stood up, and then sat down.

"I- I don't think I can do it Joseph." He said, "I mean, what if I see James and go all haywire? I've hated him for such a long time now…"

Sunset simply shook his head. "You've seen who he truly is, Dathan," he said, "I think all your years of festering your hate has blown your reasons for revenge out of proportion. I really don't think you want to hurt Flaming Star now."

Regal Crescent began to shake uncontrollably with grief. "I can't do it Joseph," he sobbed, "I can't go out there. Luna's out there. What am I to say? I turned my back on her, took her for granted… and now she has done the same to me."

Sunset opened the door to Regal Crescent's cell and walked in. He then placed a hoof on his shoulder. "Dathan, listen," he said quietly, "I understand that you have been compromised, but you must embrace it! I too felt completely disoriented when I first felt my black heart melt, but you must learn to cope with it. All you need now is a little bit of forgiveness… and some friendship."

Regal Crescent stopped shaking and straightened up. He nodded, "You are right, Joseph. I must get a hold of myself. If I am to put things to right, I must be in control of my faculties."

Sunset nodded as he led him out of the prison. "That you must. But remember, we are watching you."

Regal Crescent nodded, "I expected no less. And I appreciate it; I will undoubtedly need the help."

The courtyard was empty, all the workers were still asleep, the only pony outside was Flaming Star, who stood in the epicenter of the landscape. He quickly trotted up to greet the two.

"The rest have dispersed at my request," explained Flaming Star, "I want to talk to Regal Crescent."

Sunset nodded. "Where's my wife?" he said.

Flaming Star flicked his head to the left. "Over there, in the throne room."

Sunset nodded and quickly cantered off, leaving Flaming Star and Regal Crescent alone.

Flaming Star looked around. "Well," he said, "It's empty, I am off-guard, don't you feel an urge to attack me?"

Regal Crescent swayed in place for a moment. He then shook his head and said, "That purple pony… what is her name?"

Flaming Star raised his eyebrows and replied, "Her name is princess Twilight Sparkle."

Regal Crescent nodded. "She saved your life. Was it love?"

Flaming Star looked Regal Crescent straight in the eyes, and blazed through his soul. However, all he found was fear, and confusion… the black and red pony was terrified.

After a moment, Flaming Star simply asked a different question, "Regal Crescent, what are you going to do?"

Regal Crescent sighed. "I really don't know. I suppose I'll have to stay here, considering the fact that I have no other place to go."

Flaming Star nodded. "I think that would be a good idea. You aren't exactly the most welcomed pony in Equestria right now, but at least you have friends."

"Really? Who?" Regal Crescent asked.

"Me." Said Flaming Star simply. He then turned around and walked away.

Regal Crescent just stood there, staring off into the distance, thinking about what had just happened. It was true that he had nothing, but maybe… maybe he could have friends.

Abruptly a sixth sense alerted him that he was being watched from behind, so Regal Crescent slowly turned around. Princess Luna was standing a little ways off, watching him, with pain in her eyes.

Regal Crescent took a shaking breath, and started to approach her.

Note: Sorry if this one seems a little boring! This one is really just a placeholder, and I made it in a hurry! Remember I am still looking for dimensional traveler suggestions! And don't forget to review! As I always say, I love reviews!