"Hellolowowowo, youyouyouyouyou threeyeyeye," The figure spoke with a very echoey voice, intriguing to Discord, annoying to Sabre and Time Steve, especially Time Steve, who already isn't in a very good mood.
"What is it now, Hypno, huh!?" Sabre questioned the figure.
"Oh... itititwt weren't forwereforewereforwerefor nothinginigninging. I just wanteded to seeyeyeye if I couldiouldiouldiould intercept Discordordordord, that's all," Hypno Steve answered.
"Well, you can, and why does it matter?" Discord asked.
"Destroyinginging Madness Steve won'tntntnt do ANYTHINGINGINGINGNGNG! AH HAWARARAHA HAHAHA HA! The fightight was allalwlwlwlwl for NOTHINGINGNG! Ooooooooh, you all are so full of HOPEOPEOPEWPWPWPWP! All you did was just delayed the end," Hypno Steve began laughing hysterically.
"You Discord, you, you could've stopped all of this earlier, had you of NOTOTOTWTWTWT SCREWEDEDEDEDDD itit UPITUITUITUITUWUWU! You're also partially why I'm like this, you'reyeryer also partially the reasonthereasonthereason... why I'vevewvwv lostost myiyiyiyiyiyi sanitymysanimysanimysani," Hypno Steve shouted at Discord.
"What's his problem?" Discord wondered, shrugging his shoulders.
"He hates us, he hates me, Twilight- And basically everyone we know, apart from M and Professor- Ugh it's complicated man," Sabre briefly explained. Sabre then looks at Hypno Steve
"Hypno, I know you haven't just showed up to laugh. Why? Why have you come here? I know you don't just hate us, you want to help deep down, because deep down, despite what you say, you still care," Sabre questioned, now looking back at Hypno Steve.
"Oh, as much as I despise you, Sabre, your knowledge is... subprime. You figure me out sometimes. My sanity may be gone, but I still have emotion. I feel for everyone, I just don't care what happens moving forward, you know what I mean? Anyway, you'vevevewv defeateded Madnessedmadnedmadnedmadned, rightightightwtwtwt?" Hypno Steve replied.
"There's still someoneoneone out thereerwrwrwr... well... somepony- That should narrow the list down to just one. She, SHE is going to be vital in the future, and the only other one who can even come close to knowing the future as much as me is Discord. He can have a glimpse at the truth, and he also has a similar kind of mind to mine. I hate Discord, but like Discord at the same time. It's a catch twenty two for me. We all have them," Hypno Steve added.
"Right, that explains why he wanted to intercept the teleport. But who do you speak of, Hypno, who? Who is vital for the future?" Sabre asked.
"That, you can figure out on your own, but, all I will say is that fighting Madness was all for nothing. It came at a cost of one of your friends. Yes, Madness may be gone, for now, but he will come back. Meanwhile, what have you achieved out of this? Whatattt haveave you really achievedllyachiellyachiellyachie?" Hypno Steve replied, his voice echoing throughout him saying the the last question.
"But we defeated Madness, and he's gone now! The book, it told us if we done this, we could defeat him and we have, Hypno! But... we wouldn't of defeated him if it weren't for... Elemental," Sabre responded, his voice sounding very low as he brought up Elemental Steve. He had a feeling deep down this was not all for nothing. The book did say this would stop Madness Steve. Madness Steve had to now be gone for good. Sabre is sure that Madness Steve must be gone now. He lost, there couldn't be a way he could come back, Sabre is sure of it
"And who is this pony you're taking about, that you say is vital for the future, huh!?" Sabre exclaimed.
"I will help you when that time comes. But, I won't keep feeding you direct answers. If I did, what would be the point in any of this, if you knew the conclusions of everything? If you knew the conclusions of everything, you would pick the path based on that, and everything would lose any meaning. Imagine it like this, you're reading a story, and someone else has read the entirety of that same story. You then ask that person what happens and the conclusion of it. If he tells you everything, then what would be the point in continuing to read the book if you know what will happen? I have to choose my own path, because while I know the paths of others, I don't know my own, and this is the path I have chosen. You have to choose your own path, Sabre. I can guide you, but I can't tell you which path is which and which path you should take. That, you have to make that choice on your own, Sabre," Hypno Steve replied, his voice somehow not echoing like mad how it would usually echo.
"But, do youyou all wantant totowo hearear the realalwl truth?" Hypno Steve asked both Time Steve and Discord, his voice now echoing again.
"What do you mean by 'the truth'... Hypno Steve was it?" Discord asked.
"Well, it is the truth, and is an answer. While it may be the truth, it won't necessarily be... your answer, if you get what I mean," Hypno Steve replied.
"Just get it over with Hypno! I just want to be left alone for some time," Time Steve snapped back. Hypno Steve nodded.
"Defeat and stop, are differentntnt wordsords, with different meaningsingings. Defeating is losing, and you lost, which can be withith anythingithanythithanything. Butut, you can rise againain. Stopping is you cominging up with a solutionononan that can preventnt something. Again, youyouyou cancananan stop somethinging with anythingingng," Hypno Steve responded. He pauses and sighs, taking a deep breath, before he continued.
"Stop is more permanent, because you've stopped whatever it is you wanted to... well, stop. Defeat is more temporary, because they can rise again," Hypno Steve finished on giving his view and definition between defeat and stop. He uses his explanation between these words to guide them to the truth, the truth he sees as the key.
"What is that meant to mean?" Discord responded. Even this is all confusing. Usually, he is the one that's the confusing one.
"I gave you what you wanted to hear. I gave you my answer. But, it is up to you all how far you take my answer," Hypno Steve replied.
"Now, in the mean time until we talk again, this is it. Goodbyeyeyeyeye! Hawa ha ha ha hawaha ha..." Hypno Steve said as he teleports away, lightning summoning on him until he disappeared, his voice and laugh becoming just an echo, but quieter until there was no sound and just silence.
"He is most certainly an interesting one," Discord said in slow motion. Hypno Steve definitely looked intriguing and interesting to Discord, but he couldn't scratch his head on as to why.
"Yeah, now, let's go back," Sabre responded. Discord again snaps his claws and teleports himself, Sabre and Time Steve to where he originally intended to teleport before Hypno Steve intercepted the teleport.
Sabre, Time Steve and Discord are now back to where everyone had been waiting for their safe return, in the Everfree Forest. Time had passed a lot. It is already midday.
"Sabre, you're okay! Wait, where is... Elemental Steve?" A voice came ahead of him.
"Huh, Twilight- Oh um, hi. Yes, Madness is gone, yes. But, at a very horrible cost," Sabre sighed, looking to the floor.
"Elemental.. he um, didn't make it. If it weren't for him, we would've all been destroyed," Sabre said with a low voice. Sabre then looks over to Time Steve.
"Hey Time. If you want to have some space, you can, okay. You did well out there," Sabre said to his longtime friend, the friend who never left his side. Time Steve nodded as he goes to the side.
"After we defeated him, Discord went to take us back here. But then someone intercepted the teleport, Hypno Steve. He told us that destroying Madness achieved nothing. He then went into his view on the difference between defeat and stop, how we should choose our own paths- I don't know, despite what he says, he doesn't just hate us. It sounds like he's trying to warn us, but I don't know what it is though," Sabre explained, boiling down everything that happened into a single descriptive paragraph. Everyone then hears lightning, and someone disappeared.
"Wait, Time! Wait!" Sabre responded loudly to the lightning, rushing to where the lightning was striking, as well as the mane 6, Starlight and Discord. All they found is a note, laying on the grassy ground.
"Did he just leave-"
"Pinkie Pie, Time just needs some space. He did just lose his brother," Sabre interrupted. Sabre then opens the note and starts reading it.
"Sabre, my long time friend," Sabre started off.
"It has been a long time since my creation. You were one of the first faces I ever saw. Oh what adventures we've had. We have fallen lower than bedrock, and higher than the universe," Sabre read out, before flicking to the next page.
"We have defeated the Demons from the depths and have not just went, but beyond the boundaries of our reality. We've met so many friends, and lost so many friends. We discovered many new places, and witnessed the destruction of many places we've long known of. Each chapter has an end, this is not the end, just the time between chapters. I thank you, and the ponies, for the longer chapters we shared together," Sabre read out. He pauses to catch a breath, as well as a tear drop came out of each eye, through the blindfold he is wearing. The mane 6, Starlight else are also getting emotional, even Discord too. Their eyes are also getting watery from listening to Sabre reading this heartwarming, but very deep and sorrowful note. Sabre takes in a deep breath, holds it for a few seconds, and then releases the air out his mouth before flicking to the next page.
"As for now, I cannot be myself. My brother, my poor brother, was crushed by a heavy block in the fight against Madness Steve, and now he is gone. He sacrificed himself, so we could carry on, win the fight, and live to see another day. I'm grateful for you, Twilight, and your friends helping him come to terms with his mistakes, and repairing our brotherhood. The magic of friendship is powerful. It can guide the mislead out of the dark, and towards the light," Sabre finished that paragraph. Everyone got even more emotional, especially the mane 6, Starlight and Discord, and most certainly, Twilight. Sabre did too, but no where near as hit by the note as Twilight and her friends. Sabre flicks to the next page.
"I need a long time to be alone. The Time Dimension will be closed off, not even the waypoint will work. Everything will be separated that not even Discord can access the Time Dimension. To Rarity, sorry I'm going back on the plan to visit your boutique, but for now, I need to be alone. I hope to see you all soon. I will watch over all of you again soon as well from time to time. I thank you all, for everything," Sabre read out, before flicking to the final page.
"Goodbye Sabre, Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, Starlight Glimmer, Discord," Sabre then looks down near to the bottom of the page, which is signed by his close longtime friend.
"- Time Steve."
"Goodbye Time... goodbye..." Sabre murmured, closing the note and putting it into his inventory, then looking to the floor, and a few more tears came out. Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Rarity right now are thinking how much pain Time Steve must be in. They thought about their siblings. Shining Armour, for Twilight. Apple Bloom, for Applejack. Maud, for Pinkie Pie. Zephyr Breeze, for Fluttershy. Sweetie Belle, for Rarity. As for Rainbow Dash, she thought of Scootaloo. She and Scootaloo are so close they are like siblings. Starlight meanwhile thought about Trixie. Discord meanwhile, of course thought about his favourite, Fluttershy. They all thought what it would be like if they lost one another, how much pain they would be in, and that they'd want to have alone time to recollect themselves to come to terms. This is what Time Steve is currently going through. He lost his brother, Elemental Steve, and now he needs space, away from everyone.
Usually, after a bad guy falls, there is a happy ending. But with the fall of Madness Steve, it is far from that. They defeated him, yes, but they lost so many during the fight, steves and ponies alike. Madness Steve left nothing but a waste of destruction, even after his defeat, his impact lingers ominously. The Steve Village, the Old Yellow Kingdom and messed about with the middleworld too. Equestria wasn't left untouched either. A noticeable chunk of the Everfree Forest was leveled, when Madness Steve and Discord fought. Madness Steve destroyed so many steves, and had also taken Spike, Dinky and Derpy, who's location is still unknown since Assistant Steve teleported her away to protect the Red Kingdom.
They don't even know if Derpy is still alive, somewhere, or if she died when Madness Steve's False From was destroyed by Time Steve. They don't blame Assistant Steve though, he was simply doing what he was programmed to do, protect the Red Kingdom, and Professor Red as well as those that are allies with him. There is still much unknown about Madness Steve that they can't guarantee whether Derpy is dead or alive. But Equestria, especially Ponyville, will be deeply affected without Derpy being around. Everypony in Ponyville knew Derpy, and they loved her. Derpy was like a second Fluttershy. She was always kind, tried her best to help anypony, somepony they could have a conversation with, she always tried to fix something, whether it was or wasn't her fault, and just an all round caring pegasus. Whenever anypony visited Derpy, she also always treated them to very delicious muffins of course. But ponies didn't loved her for her muffins, they loved her for her charming personality. She had a condition in her eyes, but she didn't let that stop her from being an effective mailmare. Even with the mistakes she made in her job or accidentally messed up different mail, she always worked to her hardest to fix them. She was resilient in this regard, which ponies admired and praised. Things will definitely be different around Ponyville without the friendly muffin-loving mailmare. Wherever Derpy is, everyone clung onto the slim chance of her still being alive. Although Discord helped everypony by removing their memories of seeing Ponyville burnt, they still remember that dream a few days ago, when Madness Steve started interacting with their reality. The number of ponies that have interacted or were killed by Madness Steve is still unknown, but those figures are very likely to be very high. Madness Steve left one of the biggest impacts Equestria witnessed, his impact even being comparable to Grogar's. But that's not the worst thing. What that is, is the possibility of him coming back, stated by Madness Steve himself, and just now, also stated by Hypno Steve, who claims that they can see into the future, which makes the fear of Madness Steve's return even worse. If that does happen, that would put Madness Steve above Grogar, because at least Grogar hadn't returned for at least 1,000 or so years. Madness Steve was the true definition and epitome of a monster. For some minutes, Sabre, the mane 6, Starlight and Discord, along with Professor Red and Zecora gathered around. Even Assistant Steve came to gather around. Professor Red told Assistant Steve to set a 5 minute timer. Through those 5 minutes, they held a silence, for the lives taken by Madness Steve, steve or pony.
Twilight's eyes became more watery when she thought back to where Time Steve mentioned the magic of friendship in that very deep note he written. A few drops of watery tears ran out her eyes and onto her cheeks. Of course, everypony got hit by that hard mentally, but it mentally hit Twilight very hard, she was very moved by it. When the magic of friendship is brought up, the atmosphere is usually happy. But when the magic of friendship was brought up in this sorrowful note, the atmosphere was very deep, emotional, and heart damning. It is a good thing that they recognize the power of friendship, but having that in this note made the note that much more emotional. The mention of friendship in this deeply sad note had hit her with the weight of an avalanche. It felt like she was anchored to the seabed, and unable to breath, the pain in her pushing the last bit of air out of her. Hearing the sentences written in that note was very heavy, deep, and sorrowful. Twilight then briefly looks at Sabre. Sabre has been dealing with all sorts of evil, and she remembers the conversation they had in the world beyond, especially when Sabre said this bit...
'...I seen steves rise and I seen steves fall. Some good and some bad. Some close to me and some I was bitter enemies with...'
Twilight thought of the possible things that Sabre may have been through. Sabre is incredibly tough, both mentally and physically if he goes through this kind of stuff on a constant basis. How Sabre has this much willpower, and that he is sometimes on his own, and for him to still emerge victorious over evil? She thought to herself that she may never truly know how Sabre does it. It's like Sabre has all the attributes of the Pillars, merged into one being. Twilight thought of Sabre very highly. She wanted to ask Sabre this, but she felt like that would be a very touchy subject, especially after the death of Elemental Steve, all the deaths of the steves from his village, and that his close friend that had never left his side, Time Steve, who had sealed himself away, to mourn over his brother to himself. This will definitely be a very big chapter in the history books of both realities.