Repost : As I just like the idea of this episode too much to give it up.
Sequel to : "Wondercolts Forever" by "Epsilon-Delta", over on FiM Fiction. ( Based on My Little Pony, "Equestria Girls" franchise. But where Principle Celestia is a fae, trapping people in the bodies of High Schoolers, to feed off their potential. Offering endless happiness, at the cost of eternal Stagnation. )
Episode 2: Wondercolts Forever.
Rose travelled through the tunnel of energy, following it to where she needed to go... following it... to her Doctor.
Something calmly pulled in front of her... something... big... and... alive? it was huge... massive actually. The closer it got, the further away she realized it was. The thing was the size of a large city. With 6 legs, and three chubby sections to it's body... and appeared to be made of clouds.
Rose spent a moment admiring it... until she realized she was headed straight for it. Yet she couldn't stop her preprogrammed course.
Panicking, Rose flailed about with all 4 of her limbs, but couldn't change directions... and whatever the massive creature was, it seemed oblivious to her... too massive to notice the flee hurdling towards her.
Rose prepared herself for impact. Hoping her shield would protect her... but when she finally hit the strange beast... she went through it, as like real clouds.
Then she began to see past the clouds. Suddenly she was falling towards a city, from 10 thousand feet up. She quickly activated her anti-grav belt, one of many trinkets she got from Torchwood, and instantly stopped falling.
She gulped, as she was never this high up before, not without a ship or time machine... still it was an impressive view... this city was gorgeous.
Every biome possible was crammed into this one city! To the north were tundra and snowy mountains. To the east was desert and a canyon. To the south were swamp and jungle. To the west was a beach and ocean.
Then the city had eight different nature reserves, all of a different type, all inside its borders. The city was clearly enormous.
When she was done gawking at it, she realized something else… Every border of this city was surrounded by inhospitable terrain that stretched on for as far as her eyes could see! There were no roads leading out into, let alone through, those wastelands.
If River had to guess, she'd say these environments were artificial. Likely through selective Terraforming.
Rose couldn't help but snicker, loving when she got all Spock. The training Torchwood gave her, plus her adventures with the Doctor, really helped her reach her full potential... even if she'd yet to really do anything with it. She'd been too preoccupied with finding the Doctor.
"Why hello there,"
Rose eeped, and quickly turned around. She was met by a pale woman, just floating behind her. Although Rose wouldn't exactly call her "Human".
She stood a good 2 feet taller then Rose... with skin a literal white, and hair made of flowing energy.
Rose forced a smile, trying to be as nonthreatening as possible. She didn't want to show herself as a threat to the locals.
As she asked, "Sorry for flying over your city. I was..." Rose paused wondering if she should be truthful.
If the natives, of this dimension, could create such a place, they might have some understanding of interdimensional travel... or at least the theories of it. They must be fairly advanced, so they were unlikely to burn her as a witch.
"What do you know about interdimensional travel?" Rose asked.
the taller woman smiled, "I dabble here and there." She teased... but the way she said it, made Rose suspect she was an expert on the topic... and considered Rose's attempts quite cute. Unfortunately, that's the best reaction the 21 year old could hope for.
Being condescended to, by a "More evolved" civilization, meant they would understand what Rose was doing.
"I was just on my way to my home universe, when I accidentally bumped into a giant water bear. I take it that was your universe? Never saw a universe from the outside before."
"I'm really more of a Pocket Dimension," The... apparent conciousness of the universe, smiled pleasantly. She must be like the entity Rose met with the Doctor... maybe all universe's really were alive.
"I am the Fair Lady, but you may call me Celestia." Allowed the entity. "It was me you collided with... was a bit painful, if I'm honest. I'm not used to intruders entering me so forcefully."
Rose flinched. "I'm really sorry, about that. We are still working out the bugs... and I only recently learned dimensions are actually alive... I really didn't mean to hurt you."
"It was more like being jabbed with a hypo spray," Celestia promised. "Just a quick burst of pain, apparent only due to the surprise." She paused, as if waiting for Rose to comment. but Rose really didn't know what to say.
The living dimension, just smiled, not being particularly put out by Rose's lack of answer, and just continued on to the next topic. "So I take it, your civilization is just getting the hang of interdimensional travel. It looks like, the strain of entering my realm, was too much for your own mode of transport."
"Huh?" Rose blinked, before looking down at the Dimension Cannon. The bloody thing looked badly burnt.
"No! No! NO!" River cried, opening up it's circuitry. Only for a puff of smoke to come out.
"I can help you repair it. If you like. But it may take a few months."
Rose groaned, "Thanks." Then remembered her manners. "I'm Rose, Rose Tyler."
"Nice to meet you Rose Tyler." Celestia smiled. "Would you mind terribly much, if I asked you some questions?"
Rose shrugged, "Fire away."
"What brings you to my domain?" Celestia asked.
"I was actually on my way, somewhere else," Rose sighed. "My transport just goes on a pre-determined route, and we were unlucky enough to cross that leyline intersection, at the same time... I couldn't stop."
Celestia nodded her head, before going silent again. Waiting for Rose to say more, before confirming, "Many intruders to my realm come here by accident. Other wish early access to my realm. While a small few actually come here to cause trouble."
"Tell me Rose, What do you know, about the Fae?"
Rose followed Celestia down to the ground, listening to her explain what she was.
The tall woman described herself as a "Fairy Princess", whom needed to feed off a Cosmic law mortals produced. She was a cosmic parasite, herself, latching onto other dimensions, and taking it's Sapient lifeforms.
In Celestia's case, she fed off potential. Those that had talent or education. Celestia... fed on this, their skills didn't degrade, but they never progressed either.
"Sooooooooo your some kind of Cosmic horror straight out of lovecraft?"
"Not in the least. I'm more an eldritch abomination, then Cosmic horror." Celestia joked. Which did put Rose at some ease. "I let all my potential students have a choice.
"The nature of my abilities prevents me from acting without consent. my powers might be immense, but they are fickle. Mortals have to ask me to take them... and normally can only come to my realm by invitation.
"Occasionally i get a mortal that finds their way in here. Becoming trapped due to the nature of my realm. So i must help them escape, or convince them to become mine. Your device, although painful to me, is a simpler way to exist my reality. I would like to study it... maybe... improve it. Which should only take about 5 months. Then you can go on your way, and I'll have an easier way to deal with uninvited guests.
"So your not interested in MY potential."
Celestia chuckled, "You've already reached your potential. I can feel it on you. You might be capable of doing great things, in the future, but all pale to what you once were... i can feel it. You touched godhood itself, actually reached it, and gave it up... nothing you do will ever be as significant as that."
Rose scowled at the phrasing.
"I may introduce you to my sister though. You're a great Warrior. Capable of amazing feats of destruction and creativity in battle. Yes, My sister would love you. For you, are a champion of the cosmos itself."
Rose gulped. Not liking the idea of being on any fairies radar. "If I let you study the Dimension Cannon. Will you allow me safe passage out of your realm?"
Celestia stopped floating towards the city, and eyed the girl a moment.
"If I don't help you, you'll be stuck here, all I ask is you meet with my sister. You won't have to join her army. Not if you don't want to. although she may make several attempts to tempt you, she will not force you. As I said. We only hold power over those that give themselves willingly to us. You need not fear for your freedom here... and you may come to believe in the good my sister would want you to do. Millions of champions before you have."
"A... school?" Rose blinked.
"Teenagers are at the perfect age for my needs," Celestia explained, as they walked the halls of the campus. "They are growing their potential, and exploring their independence, but still not completely ready to lose the safety net. Their overactive hormones make them a pot of extreme emotions. All this makes them perfect for my needs."
"You're telling me you abduct children," Rose glared at the god, while toying the gun at her hip. Made by Torchwood, her little pistol was strong enough to atomize a Dalek's casing... if need be, she could kill a god... but how to get the kids out of here.
Celestia stopped, studying the woman. Knowing it was best not to mix words. While the mortals she fed on, tended to be the abused and victimized, the mortals that interested her sister were actively dangerous... even to Fae.
Although this girl probably didn't have the means to truly kill her, given Celestia was the realm and not merely the physical humanoid body she manifested. Rose's weapons were clearly good enough to injure the god's Avatar. A superficial wound, but it would still hurt, none the less. Plus it just complicate things, if Rose tried to "Save" Celestia's students.
"As I explained," Celestia catered to the moral code many of Luna's champions shared. "My powers are fickle. I need informed consent to feed on someone, and only fully developed Sapient brains can give that.
"So you can put your mind at ease. Everyone here was an adult when they entered my realm. I merely changed them into teenagers, to better fit my needs."
Rose's eyes widened at the implications. Looking down at herself, though she couldn't tell if her body had been regressed.
Celestia sighed, understanding the human woman's concerns. "As I told you, your entry was more forceful then most. Fear not, you still have your adult body. Though you may find that makes it hard for you to fit in.
"Most adults, here, are my fae antibodies. They were born with me, and help me shepard my mortals, but their major purpose is to keep me healthy. They are part of me, though separate. Much like your own conscious is separate to your cells and bacteria, but they still actively try to help you keep living. What makes up my body is just more vocal."
Rose hesitantly nodded, though was still trying to formulate a plan to get the kids out, if what Celestia said proved to be a lie.