Note: I will have to admit that the "Past Days" chapters contained a mixture of foreshadowing elements coupled with some loose-end fixing. Some of it was directly relevant, and some of it was not. To those who wanted me to proceed with the story without the "Past Days" chapters, I do appreciate your patience. We are moving on now!

Dimension: My Little Pony

Planet: Equestria Earth

Specific Location: Canterlot Castle

Time: Two days after the arrival of Doxia

"…And this is the hall of thrones," said Luna as she led Caustic Rain into the throne room of the Sun and Moon sisters.

Caustic Rain cast a genuinely interested eye over the beautiful stained glass windows that lined the hall of thrones and the hallways leading up to the hall. They were massive, colorful, and elaborate. Each window told the story of a very special event. From where he was standing, Caustic Rain saw the nearest windows picture things from the sisters defeating Discord for the first time (though Caustic Rain noticed that both sisters had grown beards and mustaches in the picture, no doubt thanks to a little prank by the former god of chaos), all the way to the release of Luna from Nightmare Moon by the Mane 6. Caustic Rain then noticed at the very end of the hall, there were several more glass windows lining the walls. These depicted Sunset Shadow casting down Abbadon, Flaming Star defending Canterlot from the demon attack, Regal Crescent slaying Legion, and all the famous ponies of the Modern era facing off the Paradox as he stood moments away from activating the weapon of mass destruction that is the Tree of Harmony. As his eyes scoured the last one, he gave a little gasp of wonderment: had he really missed this much? Was it even true? Did any living traveler even care enough to sacrifice their life to fight the most powerful being ever created simply to protect a single, lonely, dimension? It seemed like the answer was actually yes.

Luna looked at Caustic Rain and said, "Do you… do you like it?"

Caustic Rain glanced at Luna, still feeling very nervous around the regal mare. "Um… yes, I do. The beauty of this hall is breath-taking, almost to the point where it is not even proverbial. It's astonishing."

Luna actually nuzzled his cheek as she said, "I am so glad."

Caustic Rain gasped at their skin made contact, and he fell straight over. Scrambling up and blushing vehemently, Caustic Rain looked at Luna with shock. Luna gazed at him in a mixture of embarrassment, confusion, and surprise. "I am truly sorry, I overstepped my bounds. Are you well?"

Caustic Rain could not help but inadvertently brush his cheek as if he was trying to brush off a particle of dust as he said, "No, no… It's fine… It's all wonderful in fact. I've just… As it seems… Well… I've never had someone ever do that before… EVER."

Luna, who was still blushing, sat down next to him and said, "There is a first time for everything, Caustic Rain."

Suddenly a voice like a choir of trumpets blasted out from every corner of the room. "Indeed there is, Princess Luna of Canterlot of the My Little Pony dimension."

A portal bloomed forth and opened as a majestic being stepped out: Archangel Michael. Directly... behind him was Archangel Hadar. Hadar, like Michael, was dressed in full body armor. His armor was a mixture of silver and blue. His belt of truth streamed with an eerie blue light, he wore a breastplate set with obsidian stones, his helmet was large with immaculate engravings of sweeping wings on its side, and a his sliver gauntlets shone like they emitted their own white light. His face, like all angels, was hidden in the shadows cast by the helmet that he wore.

Luna gave a little gasp of terror, as the appearance of angels always struck mortal terror into the hearts of mortals and demons. Caustic Rain couldn't stop himself, and he reached forward with a front hoof and wrapped it around Luna's shoulder. Luna didn't acknowledge the gesture, but she seemed a little less terrified.

"Samuel, there have been some grave developments in the courts of the Celestial Heaven," said Michael. He motioned for Hadar to step forward.

The angel did so, and then said, in a voice like thunder, "The Grand Devil has asked permission of Heaven to declare war on the Paradox. He has been given leave to do so, but Heaven forbade us angels to do anything to aid or slow this new conflict. However, Archangel Michael has been given permission to assist his mortal allies to ensure their safety. I will now leave with a word of warning: be careful mortals, the portal ways and empty dimensions of the Earth Multiverse's outer rings are no longer safe. War is here, and it will rise… it most certainly will rise."

With that, Hadar disappeared, leaving Michael alone with Luna and Caustic Rain.

Caustic Rain shook his head slowly as he said, "Wait… let me get this straight… There is a WAR going on now between the Paradox and Hell?"

Michael nodded. "It has begun. Even as we speak, Dimensional Lord Pictor and several other Dimensional Lords are being ambushed by a host of Arch-demons."

Luna blinked as she processed this information. Then she said, "Do we know what the outcome of this one fight will be?"

Michael nodded. "Demons are powerful, but even they are no match for the might of the Dimensional Lords. The Arch-demons will be slain, at no cost to those who have been ambushed. In fact, this very ambush worries the hosts of heaven. The Grand Devil is no fool, he is cunning, intelligent, and twice the age of the Paradox… Something more is going on here and we have yet to see what it is."

"But you guys are freaking angels!" burst out Caustic Rain, "You guys are supposed to, like, know everything!"

Michael shook his head. "We do not know everything. Only a choice few of us in heaven know the absolute truth of the future, but they cannot divulge the information. It is not what they have chosen."

Caustic Rain shook his head in frustration. He did not understand how any of that even worked. After a pause, he sighed and said, "Are my friends and I in trouble?"

Michael looked at Caustic Rain directly, but did not, at first, answer the question. "Friends? Tell me, Samuel, were you not explaining to me earlier how you were alone, and how due to your introverted nature you were unlikely to ever have friends? What has happened?"

Caustic Rain looked down at his hoofs. Michael had not spoken with any form of discernable emotion, but he felt the sting of the reproach nonetheless. "I guess… I guess I met Luna."

Michael nodded. "She is a special mare, willing to protect you. That is good. Now relay this information to Celestia, and I will do the same to Joseph Torrus and Abimael 'James' Sethson. They must be warned that due to the significance of this dimension, a battle or hostile encounter might occur here."

With that, Michael shimmered and disappeared, undoubtedly having teleported to someplace else. Caustic Rain turned to Luna, who was still staring, a little shocked, at the place where the Archangel had stood moments ago.

"Let's go," murmured Caustic Rain, "We need to do as he says."

Luna nodded wordlessly and got up.

"We have to hurry," explained Caustic Rain as he trotted out of the hall, "If there is a war, I can only assume that the Earth Multiverse will be paying the full price for it."

Dimension: My Little Pony

Planet: Equestria Earth

Specific Location: The Crystal Empire

Time: Two days after the arrival of Doxia

Pinkie sighed and gazed down at her hoofs as she just sat next to the distraught Sapphire Anemone. Neither of them said anything as they contemplated their own sorrows, new and old. Suddenly, a knock came at the door. Pinkie's eyes brightened a little, and she went to the door and opened it. It was Doxia and Franklin.

Pinkie gave them a sad smile. "Hi. Where's Rarity? I sent for her… Is she here?"

Rarity and Ruby Blossom poked their heads from around Doxia. Rarity said, "Oh, we're here, Pinkie Pie."

Pinkie blinked in bemusement. "What's going on?"

Doxia ushered her out of the house as he said, "Oh, you're going to take a break. We can have ice cream together again. Rarity, could you go find Discord for us? I believe he is somewhere near the Crystal Empire Train Station, pretending to be a bench. Franklin, you know what to do."

Pinkie Pie's hair inflated again at the sound of "ice cream."

"Oh boy! I LOVE ice cream! Bye Sapphire Anemone! Bye everypony!" she exclaimed as she waved a hoof enthusiastically.

Franklin turned to look the house up and down as he said to Doxia, "I won't be a while."

Doxia nodded and turned around with Pinkie Pie in tow. Franklin took a deep breath and stepped into the building. Sapphire Anemone looked up and saw Franklin, but despite his strange appearance, she did nothing.

Franklin went over and sat down next to her. "Do you know what I am?"

Sapphire Anemone shook her head.

"I am a human. I am sure you don't see many humans around here, do you?"

Once again Sapphire Anemone just shook her head. Franklin chuckled. "Yes, well, my name is Franklin. And you are?"

There was a pause, then… "My name is Sapphire Anemone. Why are you here? Is this some sort of trick to cheer me up?"

Franklin patted her on the back lightly. "You are right and you are wrong. This is not a trick, but this is an attempt to cheer you up."

"Why do you all want to cheer me up?"

"Because we need the location of something. However, from what I recall Princess Cadence telling me about the curse of Sombra, you cannot remember past his dark rule. The location we need is before then, but you will not remember it until you have regained your crystal luster once more."

Sapphire Anemone covered her face with her hooves as she said, "I don't want to cheer up. I don't want to remember anything. I lost my brother. He became… he became that monster. And then he died. However, I don't except you to know anything about something like that. Everypony else seems to always be blessed with a perfect life."

Franklin sighed as his forced smile dissolved into nothing. "Actually, Sapphire Anemone, to tell you the truth… I've suffered in the same way you are right now."

Sapphire Anemone removed a hoof from one of her eyes as she gazed up at him. "What do you mean?"

"I lost a sister. She was murdered brutally by someone I once trusted more than anyone."

Sapphire Anemone sat up and, for the first time in forever, looked at Franklin with empathy. "That sounds terrible!"

Franklin nodded his head. "It was terrible. But I came to terms with it thanks to the help of my friends."

Sapphire Anemone looked mournful once more as she said, "I wish I had friends who would help me like that. However, all I have is Ruby Blossom, and she rarely spends time with me anymore."

Franklin smiled a genuine smile this time as he said, "Well. You have another friend now. Let me help you."

Sapphire Anemone sniffed, but managed to smile a little as Franklin gently brushed a tear from her right eye. Then she nodded.

Franklin nodded back. "Think hard and reach back into your mind… What was the very last thing your brother Sombra said before the darkness consumed him and he died to you? What was it?"

Sapphire Anemone closed her eyes and strained her mental muscles, forcing her way past the black magic that shrouded her oldest memories. Despite the extraordinary amount of resistance, she pushed through and recalled it. "He said… he said, 'Sapphire, do not think ill of me. When I am gone… just think of me at my best. I beg of you. It is too late for me to save myself, but you can save the memory of me. Think of me at my best'."

Tears once more began to openly flow down her cheeks as she began to sob. Franklin could not believe what he was about to do, but he did it anyway. He slowly wrapped his arms around the crying mare and squeezed her tight to his chest in a hug as he said, "I understand what you are going though. A sense of betrayal, a sense of loss. I too have suffered such tragedies, but we need to move on. Perhaps all we have of them are memories, and perhaps we cannot let those memories define who we are, but we still can use those memories to honor those who are gone. For you, it would be to honor and mourn for the stallion who spoke to you then, not the stallion that all fear now. Remember him as he once was, your brother, and love him for the qualities that he had. Celebrate the memory of the one who loved you back as a brother. Do as he said: remember him at his best. Honor him at his best."

Sapphire Anemone stopped crying. She was still clutching at Franklin, but her hooves had become less shaky. She looked up at Franklin with a tear-stained face and she smiled. "I understand now. Thank you."

Suddenly the luster returned to her crystalline coat, and she became a true crystal pony once more. Her eyes brightened as she exclaimed, "I remember it all now!"

Franklin grinned as he hugged her again, now out of joy. "That's wonderful!"

Not even thinking about what the mission of cheering up Sapphire Anemone was all about, Franklin got up and prepared to take his leave when she herself said, "Was there something that you wanted located, though?"

Franklin nodded. "Oh yeah… There was supposed to be a set of vials or something, Doxia told me, that Princess Celestia had given them toyour wonderful brother."

Sapphire Anemone gave a little bounce of joy as she said, "Oh yes! I know where those are!"

Franklin patted one of her front hoofs and said, "That's wonderful. However, don't you want to rest first?"

Sapphire Anemone shook her head. "I'm fine. I want to show you and your friends where they are right away!"

With that, Franklin and Sapphire Anemone exited the house. Doxia, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Daniel, Funsch and Discord were awaiting them outside. At the sight of Doxia, Daniel, Funsch, and the other ponies, Sapphire Anemone leapt behind Franklin. She peeked around at them with a slightly scared and worried expression until Franklin got down on one knee and said, "Oh, they're okay. I'm sorry about the big guy, Doxia. I know he's scary, but he's a friendly being."

Doxia got up and bowed elaborately. "Greetings m'lady! It is such a dandy pleasure meeting an illustrious mare as yourself. I do presume you have the location of the vials? They are rather important, you know."

Sapphire Anemone, who had immediately begun to warm up to Doxia, nodded her head vigorously. "I do! Follow me."

Ruby eyed Sapphire worriedly and motioned for Doxia and Daniel to follow her. The two wordlessly followed around the corner of a couple of crystal buildings to a small clearing.

"What is it Ruby?" asked Daniel.

Ruby wrung her mane for a couple of seconds before saying, "I don't know... but I've never seen Sapphire act in such a happy way. Can we... can we trust this Franklin person?"

Daniel gaped, almost unbelievingly, at Ruby. "What?"

Doxia patted Daniel on his scaly shoulders and said to him, "She doesn't know he is a part of your team."

He then turned to Ruby and said, "Yes. You can trust him. On my honor as a totally-wicked-awesome-cool-wizard Dimensional Lord."

Ruby bit her lip for a moment, but then nodded wordlessly. The three then moved back to where Sapphire was. Franklin was grinning happily as he talked to Sapphire.

Sapphire, too, was smiling brightly.

"What's this?" chuckled Doxia as he strolled up, "Two frowny-faces turned upside-down? I thought so! What happened?"

Sapphire gave a little hop of excitement. "I said 'hello' to a pony! I haven't done that in years. They passed on by, gave me a smile, and I then said hello!"

Franklin, feeling her joy as his own, continued to grin, "It was wonderful."

Doxia nodded his head sagely. "Saying hello is absaloutly wonderful. In fact, I remember this one time when I said hello to my Aunt Mildred..."

Wild cleared his throat loudly and said, "I believe it would be best if we get moving. Am I wrong?"

Sapphire giggled a little, but then nodded. "No, you are right. Follow me!"

The group then set off for the Crystal Mountains.

Note: I do not think I will be able to post at all on Friday. Sorry... But I think I can make up for it by posting it on Saturday instead! So, look out for it then! Don't forget to review!