Note: Okay, I myself will admit that I rushed this chapter. Sorry! I have had a lot of things to do, so I felt more interested in advancing the story as opposed to dwelling on specific events. When this week ends, I will be able to possibly write more, so I do not believe I will have similar issues any time soon. Anyway... Enjoy!

Dimension: My Little Pony

Planet: Equestria Earth

Specific Location: Fluttershy and Sunset's House

Time: Two weeks after the Paradox took over Equestria

Desmond's eyes snapped open. Breathing heavily, he glanced around. He was in a tidy room. The floor was mahogany, with the smooth streaks of stained wood swept clean. The room the walls were whitewashed and various wooden pieces of furniture lined the walls: a couple of chairs, a writing desk, and a dresser.

Desmond bit his bottom lip as he slowly eased himself out of bed. If he could escape the house silently, then there would be no one to stop him as he exacted his revenge on Pictor. Slowly he placed his hooves on the ground with the slightest noise. Shuffling forward, doing his best to avoid creaking floorboards, Desmond moved to the door. She nosed it open, and then slowly shuffled past the door. Just as he began to climb down the stairs, a voice sounded off behind him: "Where do you think you're going?"

Desmond whirled to face the voice, but slipped. He skidded down the stairs on his behind and came to a painful stop at the bottom.

Now rubbing his rump ruefully, Desmond glanced up to see who had spoken. It was Sunset Shadow.

"Well, that looked painful," commented Sunset dryly as he trotted downstairs himself.

Now seeing who it was, Desmond averted his eyes resentfully. However, this did not put Sunset off. Instead, he trotted straight up to him and sat down.

"So," Sunset continued, "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine," muttered Desmond, "I would be better if you let me get out there and finish my mission."

"What is your mission now?" asked Sunset quietly, "To deliver this?"

Sunset held up the small glass container that held the Imagination Source. Desmond's mouth dropped open.

"How did you find that?" insisted Desmond, "I thought it would have been lost during my transformation!"

"It did fall into a bushel of flowers in the Everfree forest," said Sunset, "But Flaming Star found it and delivered it to me. What is it?"

"It is none of your business," muttered Desmond.

"You are my ward now, Desmond, so this is my business," replied Sunset.

Desmond looked up in surprise. Sunset had claimed that much ownership over him? Usually, Desmond would have been disgusted. He was a loner. All he needed was Emilee, himself, and the road. But with Emilee gone, he felt very vulnerable and unstable, so Sunset showing that level of care touched him. Desmond opened his mouth to say something, and then closed it. Finally, he stuttered, "I… I… I need to make Pictor pay. I need him to pay for what he did to Emilee."

"I know what happened," murmured Sunset, "But you need to let it go. The hate will fester within you and turn sour. When it does, you will become a corrupted monster like Pictor. You cannot let that happen."

"If I need to become Pictor to kill Pictor, then I will do it," snarled Desmond, getting over his initial shock.

"If you become Pictor to kill Pictor, then Pictor will never be dead," said Sunset calmly, "He will continue to live on and laugh at your troubles as he resides within you."

"How do you know that?" hissed Desmond, "You've never had the troubles that I have had!"

Sunset cocked his head to one side. "You know I was called the 'Madman of the Multiverse' at one time, correct?"

Desmond nodded his head.

Sunset sighed. "Yes. Everyone knows. However, at the apex of my madness, I killed my girlfriends, fairly much in the same way Pictor killed Emilee. It might have been worse, in fact, for Pictor killed her immediately, my actions slowly squeezed the life out of Melissa."

Desmond's face paled. "So the one you wanted revenge against for killing your best friend… was yourself?"

Sunset nodded. "I wanted to kill myself. I wanted to do it so bad. However, I was stopped."

Desmond blinked. "Really? By whom?"

Sunset smiled. "Fluttershy."

At this moment, Fluttershy trotted in the door. She was carrying a bag of groceries in her mouth, and Starlight Amber was trotting beside her. At the site of Desmond, Starlight's eyes light up. She cantered to his side and stared up into his face with wondering eyes. Desmond shifted away uncomfortable and mumbled something unintelligible.

Fluttershy smiled brightly and put down the bag of groceries. She then also trotted up to Desmond.

"How is my little patient doing?" she asked sweetly as she kissed him on the forehead.

Desmond's face turned bright red, and his head nearly spontaneously combusted. Sunset grinned.

"I-I-I-I'm f-fine," stuttered Desmond.

"Oh my, you're stuttering, do you have a cold?"

"N-no… I-I'm fine…"

"You must have a cold! Poor thing. I will be right back."

Fluttershy quickly trotted to another room to get the medical supplies. Sunset nearly burst out laughing.

"Is that really what my face looked like when I first met Fluttershy?" mused Sunset to himself as he watched Desmond look around wildly for an avenue of escape.

Fluttershy trotted back and placed a thermometer in Desmond's mouth. After a moment, she pulled it out and inspected it closely.

"Thank goodness, you don't have a cold. However, I need to make sure."

Fluttershy pressed her cheek gently against Desmond's forehead. Desmond's muscles stiffened, and his eyes went wide. Sunset nearly suffocated himself as he strove to stem the tide of giggles. After another pause, Fluttershy stepped back and trotted to stand by Sunset's side.

"He's fine now, poor baby. You might want to have a word with Flaming Star. Hitting this poor pony on the head, the bully," said Fluttershy as she nuzzled Sunset, who had gotten his laughter under control.

Desmond was breathing heavily again as his head swam. No one had showed him love before beside Emilee, so this was completely unnerving. Finally Desmond struggled to all fours and patted Starlight's head with a hoof absently-mindedly. Starlight seized Desmond's hoof and declared, "I like him. Can we keep him?"

Desmond blanched as he said, "Oh… er… no… I really have to be going…"

"I think it is best if you stay here for now," said Sunset warily, "I don't exactly trust you."

"Sunset!" exclaimed Fluttershy.

"No, you are right," sighed Desmond, "I don't really trust myself… You are right. I just want to kill Pictor SO BAD."

"Oh my," murmured Fluttershy, "That sounds scary."

"The feeling itself is scary," mumbled Desmond, "The impulses are terrible. I just cannot stand knowing he is literally in the same town as I am, and yet I cannot do anything."

"He could be in another dimension entirely, and you would still hold the same power over him as you do now: nothing. Pictor is a Dimensional Lord, thus, he cannot be killed by mortals," said Sunset, trying to sound soothing.

"But… but… but I HURT him! I HURT him with my sword!" exclaimed Desmond desperately, still looking for a way to kill his greatest enemy.

"You scratched him. The damage you dealt to Pictor was equivalent to me getting a paper-cut on my leg. Pictor is impossible to kill, but he can most certainly kill you," said Sunset gravely.

Fluttershy then stepped in between Sunset and Desmond and said, "Now, you two, stop that. No more arguing. We are going to sit in the living room and play cards like a loving family."

"Family? No, I really have to get going," burst out Desmond, beginning to scramble backwards.

"Well, you could at least stay the night," said Sunset, almost pleadingly, "I would you like if you managed to not get yourself killed for a single day."

Desmond looked at Fluttershy, and then at Sunset, and then back at Fluttershy. Fluttershy then gave him the "Bambi Eyes," and that sold it for him. Sighing in resignation, Desmond nodded.

"I suppose I could stay for a bit," he muttered. Though he was reluctant, his better judgment told him that this was the best. Being with ponies who loved him unconditionally would help heal the wound that Pictor tore inside him. The more the wound healed the less of a psychopath he became.

At this moment, a knock resounded from the front door.

"And the spell is broken," grumbled Sunset under his breath as he trotted up to the door and opened it. It was Flaming Star and Twilight.

"Hello," said Flaming Star, "I have something important to say."

Sunset looked around, "I believe the cat has the salad…"

"That is what we wanted to talk about," interjected Twilight, "They're gone. The Phasetroopers assigned to you, Night Shade, and Flaming Star are gone; which means they have probably left Caustic Rain alone as well. Night Shade was just over at our house to tell us that."

Sunset's eyes narrowed. "Why would the Paradox order the soldiers to leave us alone?"

"We don't know, but we are going to take advantage of it," said Flaming Star, "Twilight has told me about the status of the plan involving the weapons."

"Oh yeah… How is that going, anyway?" asked Sunset.

"Applejack left a day ago to carry out the rest of the mission in Appleloosa," said Twilight, "That is where Flaming Star and I are going now. Will you come with us?"

Sunset thought about it for a moment. Then he glanced back to Desmond and Fluttershy. Then he said, slowly, "No. I will not leave. I am going to stay here with Desmond and the rest and watch over Ponyville. We will need somepony to ensure the Paradox is not planning something big, because, in all likelyhood, he is."

"Agreed," said Flaming Star, "So we are going to have to act fast. We are leaving with Rainbow Dash in a couple of minutes."

"That reminds me," said Sunset, "How is Pinkie Pie doing? Rainbow Dash told me that she had broken her back leg earlier. Is she okay?"

"She is recovering fine, now," said Twilight, her voice full of relief, "The bear trap that crushed her leg was blunt, so the bone was only fractured. It's mending fine."

"That's good," sighed Sunset, "I was worried about her."

"We should be going now," said Flaming Star, "The train will be leaving soon."

Sunset smiled and winked. "You two have fun now."

Flaming Star winked back. "I am sure we will."

Sunset closed the door and sighed. He loved his friends, but he was disturbed that they were so avid on getting those weapons. Granted, he himself could not think of a way of showing the Paradox the light, but there HAD to be another way…

"Did I just hear something about weapons?" asked Desmond, his eyes were alight with the fire of vengeance again.

"Maybe," said Sunset carefully, not wanting to lie but not wanting to excite Desmond who was obviously still a little unstable, "It is not important now. Just try to think about something else."

Fluttershy put a hoof around Desmond's shoulders. "Just take a deep breath, and enjoy the sunlight," she said soothingly.

Desmond bit the bottom of his lip and then nodded. His eyes cleared again. Sunset smiled. Desmond was responding well to their kindness… Hopefully…

Dimension: My Little Pony

Planet: Equestria Earth

Specific Location: Just south of the Ghastly Gorge

Time: Two weeks after the Paradox took over Equestria, a couple of hours later

"This… is boring," sighed Rainbow Dash as she flopped over her train seat for the tenth time.

"This wasn't meant to be exciting in the first place," replied Flaming Star dryly. Twilight was asleep, and he had spread a wing over her back.

"This is also kind of awkward," said Rainbow Dash, "I mean, I kinda feel like a third wheel here."

Flaming Star smiled as he listened to Twilight's contented breathing. "Oh, you're just fine," he said, "I don't think any of us mind. I mean, we've been engaged for forever now, so it is no secret."

"That's another thing!" exclaimed Rainbow Dash, switching the subject, "Why the hay haven't you asked her to marry you yet? You have cold hooves?"

"No," snorted Flaming Star, "I don't have cold hooves. I'm just… um… er… waiting for the right moment…"

"Yeaaahhhhh… rrrriigghhhttt," said Rainbow Dash with a significant wink, "We girls can tell if you are scared of us, by the way."

"What? No! I, um, so... why are you bored?" stuttered Flaming Star, trying to switch the subject again.

Rainbow Dash grinned, but she decided to let him go this one time. "Oh, I'm just still buzzing with the near-death experiences that have been happening in quick succession. I guess my brain is just trying to get used to the lull in the action."

"Ah, I've had that before," chuckled Flaming Star, "I once had a five-hundred-year lull in war. It was probably the worst and most boring time of my whole existence. Funnily enough, now that I look at it from the present… it wasn't so bad. I bet you that this peaceful, quiet train ride will make you think the same eventually."

"Don't count on it," snorted Rainbow Dash, "But I guess things are quiet right now, I might as well go ahead and take a nap. Twilight seems into the lull already."

"That's right," agreed Flaming Star, "You should take a nap as well. Just let the quiet lull you to…"

Then the locomotive exploded. In literally a second, the scene went from peaceful and quiet, to disastrous as the engine of the train burst into flames and derailed. The train began to writhe like a dying snake as it skidded across the dead flatlands of the south, kicking up huge plumes of dust and smoke. The flaming chain of carriages smashed through groves of cacti, sending up spirals of spars and burning vegetation as momentum carried the ruined locomotive forward. Finally the wreck came to a painful stop, with long scorch marks streaking the crater of desolation in its wake.

Inside the carriage was a scene of chaos as well.

"Flaming Star!" cried Twilight through the smoke and dust, "I'm trapped under the wreckage!"

Flaming Star was dragging himself up as he heard her cry of distress. "Keep talking!" he shouted, "I cannot see you, but I can still here you!"

"I'm here! I'm here! Please Flaming Star! Don't leave me!" sobbed Twilight, absolutely terrified.

Cursing under his breath, Flaming Star slammed a hoof on the ground of the upturned train. A massive blast of pure power emanated from him. She shockwave rippled through the air, pushing back the flames, smoke, and dust. In a second Flaming Star could see the whole carriage. Rainbow Dash was rubbing her head, absolutely dazed, and Twilight was lying under what had been the front half of the lavatory.

"I think I twisted a hoof!" cried Twilight.

Flaming Star galloped up to her and decimated the wreckage burying her with a single blow. He pulled her up and inspected her closely.

"You've badly hurt both your back right leg and your right wing," he sighed, "No more trotting for you today."

"What?" exclaimed Rainbow Dash, "How the hay are we supposed to get out of here?"

"We don't," replied Flaming Star, "Or, at least, Twilight and I don't. You are fast enough. Go get help. I will make sure Twilight is safe and then I will begin to look for survivors. Well? What are you waiting for? Get the hell out of here!"

Rainbow blanched a bit as Flaming Star shouted at her, but then she nodded quickly. She then spread her wings and blasted out a shattered window. She turned in a huge loop in the air before she blasted off at high speed towards Appleloosa.

Raising a hoof, Flaming Star hurled a massive blast of Dark Matter at the debris before him. The attack sizzled straight through any obstacles blocking him and Twilight from exiting the train. Flaming Star then shouldered Twilight and began to plod outside. Twilight gave a little gasp of pain every time he leapt over something, or had to jerk aside to avoid the small fires starting all over the disaster area.

Finally, though, Flaming Star made it outside with Twilight on her back. He lay her down gently a safe distance from the burning locomotive, and was about to gallop back into the inferno to see if he could save anypony else when Twilight whimpered, "Flaming Star?"

Flaming Star turned back to look at her with concern in his eyes, "Yes, Twilight?"

Then Flaming Star noticed what she was looking at. At least twelve Phasetroopers were stationed less than a dozen meters away. They were all pointing weapons at them. At the head of the group was none other than Ravencroft Solace. His face was drawn in pain as he stared with horror at them.

Flaming Star immediately threw up an energy shield around himself and Twilight, but was too late. A Phasetrooper fired an energy beam at him. It struck him in the leg, and immediately he began to feel his powers weakening. The Phasetrooper had hit him with some sort of drugging device, lessening his ability to control his powers. Gasping for breath as he struggled to keep his waning powers in check, Flaming Star threw up the energy shield once more. He then continued to look on; Ravencroft put a finger to his right temple and spoke through a telepathic link to Pictor.

"We have Twilight and Flaming Star," he said quietly.

"What do you mean, 'We have Twilight and Flaming Star'?" snapped Pictor, "You are supposed to be giving me the status report AFTER they are dead!"

"I just thought you might want to know, since you will be the one convincing all their friends that the Great Plan is almost near completion," replied Ravencroft evenly.

"Whatever. I will make sure Sunset and Desmond know the gravity of their little situation. They are idiots, they will fall into the plan easily, now finish your goddamn job!" snarled Pictor.

Ravencroft faltered. He looked at Flaming Star and Twilight's faces with pure sorrow.

"Please," whispered Flaming Star, knowing there was no way to escape what was coming, "Please don't do this…"

Ravencroft closed his eyes and shook his head. A single tear rolled down his face. Then he nodded he said, "Phasetroopers, open fire."

The whole group opened up with their energy weapons. The energy shield surrounding Flaming Star immediately began to buckle as the waves of lasers struck the bubble of power.

As the shield began to distort as it got ready to pop, Twilight whispered, "Flaming Star? What is going to happen to us?"

His face distraught, Flaming Star shook his head as his mind raced. "It's going to be okay. It's going to be okay. It's going to be okay…"

Ravencroft's face was still distraught. He looked at Twilight's terrified face, and then he looked at the Phasetroopers. Then he covered his ears with his hands and slowly fell to his knees. He just was kneeling there, his eyes shut tightly, and his hands clamped firmly over his ears. Then, just as the shield bubble popped, Ravencroft held up a hand.

"Please, stop... I-I need to say something first," her murmured.

The Phasetroopers stopped shooting and looked at Ravencroft.

"Look... I am so sorry. I AM SO SORRY," Ravencroft sobbed to Twilight and Flaming Star.

"If you are sorry, you will let us live," said Flaming Star. He slurred out the words, the device that had drained his powers had also drugged his brain.

"I can't... I need to be with my family," said Ravencroft, "I cannot be with them until I do what the Paradox wants..."

"Fluttershy told me," murmured Twilight, "But... if you want to be with them, you have to die. Don't you realize that the Paradox is doing nothing but taking advantage of your state?"

"No, he promised me," whispered Ravencroft, tears running down his face, "He... He... I'm so sorry..."

"Commander Ravencroft, we are running out of time," snapped the Elite Phasetrooper beside him, "We need to begin."

"Please, wait a moment," said Ravencroft, "I need to make them understand..."

"No. YOU need to understand, Commander. We are out of time," snarled the Elite Phasetrooper, "Soldiers! Take aim! Fire!"

However, just before the Phasetroopers could do anything...

Ravencroft leapt up and seized the Elite Phasetrooper by the throat. The Elite Phasetrooper immediately crumbled to dust as Ravencroft's necromancy powers drained it of its life-force. The Phasetroopers reacted immediately and turned their weapons on him; however, it was too late. Ravencroft slammed a fist to the ground, sending out a seismic blast. The Phasetroopers fell backwards as the shockwave knocked them into the air. Ravencroft then conjured up two long flaming whips of plasma. He lashed out with them, slicing through the Phasetroopers as the scrambled to their feet.

Two Phasetroopers were now left. The flipped over and seized their weapons, firing rapidly. Ravencroft threw up a massive wall of pure energy (blocking the attacks) and hurled it at one. The wall blasted on of the remaining Phasetroopers high in the air. The other Phasetrooper hurled a singularity grenade. Just as it flew towards Ravencroft, he opened up a portal. The grenade slipped through an appeared a kilometer in the air above them. It imploded harmlessly. The Phasetrooper, seeing that its grenade did not work, whipped out a handgun and began to fire it. Ravencroft dashed towards the enemy at superspeed and rammed into it. Wrapping his hands around the last Phasetrooper's throat, he drained the enemy of all of its lifeforce before either of them hit the ground. Ravencroft then stood up slowly, breathing heavily.

There was a long pause. "Why... why did you do this?" asked Flaming Star, breaking the silence.

"You two love each other. This multiverse needs love," was all Ravencroft said. It was obvious that that was not exactly what he had meant to say, and that he had much more to say, but both Twilight and Flaming Star took the response at face value.

"We need to move," said Flaming Star, "At least one of the Phasetroopers will have sent out a distress signal."

"No," replied Ravencroft, "I jammed the signals. As of yet, we are in the clear. Pictor thinks you both dead, and he trusts my loyalty now. This will give us an advantage."

"What do we do now?" asked Twilight.

"We need to get to Appleloosa," said Ravencroft briskly," I heard the Paradox talking about taking control of a interdimensional ship that crash landed near there. Follow me."

Dimension: My Little Pony

Planet: Equestria Earth

Specific Location: Just south of the Ghastly Gorge

Time: Two weeks after the Paradox took over Equestria, a couple of hours later

Pictor grinned as he cut off communications from Ravencroft. He then turned to the Paradox.

"Well?" said the Paradox quietly, "What is happening?"

"Ravencroft is about to finish off Twilight and Flaming Star," said Pictor gleefully, "All is well."

"Very well," sighed the Paradox, feeling something akin to remorse. He had personally liked Flaming Star. After all, he had been his first Dimensional Traveler. Unfortunately, for a Dimensional Lord of a trillion lifetimes, death was nothing to him, so he was not distressed.

"Now," continued the Paradox, "We need to ensure that the whole of Equestria knows, especially this little Resistance group. They need to know that we are closing down operations, and beginning to eliminate those who oppose us. They will realize that, since we have no more use for them, we must be close to our objective. After they realize that, they will turn to Desmond and Sunset Shadow, who have the Imagination Energy source in their possession. Pictor, ensure that Applejack alerts them that she has control of an Interdimensionall travelling ship. Desmond has been in contact with Doxia, so he knows how this will work. They will take it and fly it to find the Doxia with the news that the Great Plan has supposedly almost come to a close."

"I still think this is a really bad idea," said Pictor, "Doxia is too smart. He will see straight through this deception. And what of Kytax?"

"You are overestimating Doxia... and do not speak of Kytax," replied the Paradox curtly, "I have thought out every possible outcome; all of which we rise victorious."

"Well... Have you calculated those strange vials Doxia stole back from the vaults of Amethyst? Do you even remember them?" insisted Pictor.

"They are of no consequence. There is only one interdimensional ship in existence now that is not under our control, and that is the very ship in Appleloosa. We just need to ensure that we have convinced the beings soon to command it that the priority is to destroy the Crystal of Harmony," snapped the Paradox.

"I still don't know why you want the Crystal of Harmony to be destroyed so bad. I mean, you went through all of the trouble to retool the Kappa Space Bridge so that you could hide that very artifact on the farthest universe possible, and now here you are, wanting it to be destroyed," snorted Pictor.

"You do not need to understand, you just need to obey," replied the Paradox.

"You know what? I am getting very tired of your attitude," hissed Pictor, "I think we should settle this."

"No," snapped the Paradox, "Not here, not now. All you need to know is that when the Crystal of Harmony is destroyed, all of our problems will be eliminated. Trust me."

Pictor glared at the Paradox. However, after a moment of struggling with his thoughts, Pictor came to a sickening realization: he DID trust the Paradox, and that terrified him completely.

Note: Okay, let us switch this up a bit. Who wants Morgul Blade? No? How about a Covenant Carbine? Maybe? Anyway, give me reviews! Thank you! I will see you all next week!