Onyx and Agate: Epilogue

>A slow clap, dignified and echoing, sounds in the area
>The unexpected sound brings you to full consciousness
>You're in a formless place, white nothingness is all about you
>You turn to the sound of the applause and see the trenchcoated figure that had brought you to Equestria floating
>"Bravo, Anonymous. You put on quite the show."
>You feel your choler rise, but quickly die as you realise why you're here
"Yeah, but the party's over now I guess. So what's this, the afterlife?"
>The demigod chuckle and gestures to a patch of the void that swifly morphs into a technicolour tunnel
>"Not quite yet. Walk with me, would you kindly?"
>You feel almost compelled to do as he asks, maybe it's just the discomfort of being where you are
>You proceed into the tunnel after him, gazing around at the kalaidascope of shifting walls
"What is this place?"
>The being smiles, as though entertained by your unknowing
>"This is time. Past, present, future, everything can be seen here. But just as it is a line, it is a morphous ball as well. Futures shift, pasts change, presents burn. Perhaps this is merely a view of what may be or what might have been. Truly, not even I am entirely aware of what it is."
>Trenchcoat strokes the wall nearest to it, which responds in an almost organic way
>A moving image shimmers into view, of the stage that you had been executed on
>Only something was wrong
>Instead of Celestia standing over your body, it was an alicorn with a mane of hellfire and armour of gold, cackling madly
"What the fuck is that?"
>The being's smile widens and with a gesture the image fades
>"That, my dear Anonymous, is the future you caused. The defiance of her sister and student made all the emotion she had bottled up for years form into the spirit that was Nightmare Moon, as well as your own Lucifer. She became Sol. But do not be worried, she was defeated before too many perished."
>Another gesture and perhaps fifty souls appear on the other side of the wall
>Many are crying, though a few are totally silent, and others still cackle madly
>"The Elements assembled within an hour of her turning, an hour in which the powers of Twilight Sparkle, Princess Luna, and Queen Chrysalis held back the terrifying rage of a mad god. I must say, I'm quite proud of you for the effect you had on the changeling queen, she stopped being selfish when you came into the picture."
>An image of Chrysalis, your lover and queen, wavered into sight
>She's missing much of her mane, and there are scorch marks over much of her exoskeleton, but she carries a beatific smile on her face
>"Chrysalis was offered quarters in the castle, along with all her children. You helped secure that future for her, Anonymous."
>Its words snap you out of your trance and you look at the creature responsible for all this
"So what do I call you?"
>It chuckles before responding
>"I have a great deal of names that I've garnered over the years. They call me Puppeteer, Ventriloquest, Jester, Fool, the Laughing God, the Trickster, Loki, djinn. But most recently, those I affect call me 'OP'."
>So this being was the trickster god for a dozen differenct cultures? Or maybe he inheretted those titles from another
>Whatever the case, he was no mere human
"So why me, OP? Why out of all the people in the world did you choose me?"
>He shrugs before responding
>"I chose people from many walks of life to receive ponies, across all different dimensions. Rich, poor, smart, stupid, upper, middle, lower class. You were just one of a hundred that I have brought a pony to. You are, however, one of a very few number to come to Equestria, and the only one to come across the planes."
>He sighs and removes his ever present fedora, running a hand through thick, greasy hair
>"I suppose I did it for entertainment, but also curiousity. So many on the internet expressed how they would treat their own pony, so I decided to see how much of what they said was true. And it does seem that humans carry with them the capacity for unconditional love for beings that aren't their own species. You are a prime example, dying for one so different than you, refusing to allow them to come to harm with an escape. It's touching really."
>You swallow, was all that stuff just arbitrarily set up by this being...for fun?
"So what now? I'm dead, so do I go back to Earth or something?"
>He replaces his hat and rises quickly
>"No, Anonymous. You've died there as well. I am here to bring you home, a real home. No more tricks, no more interference from me or any other deity in this life or the next. You've earned your rest."
>He points down the tunnel, and a bright light appears at the end of it
>Another grin from the god standing before you
>"Cliche, I know. But go towards the light, Anonymous, peace waits for you there."
>With that, he disappears, leaving you alone in the prismatic tunnel with your thoughts
>You slowly walk towards the light, glancing at the tunnel walls as you pass
>Images swim up from the depths of the spectrum displayed, showing you what happens because of what you had done
>Celestia was cleansed, but forced to resign all her powers, save for the raising of the sun
>She was no longer interested in ruling anyway, prefering to while her days away in her room, studying and meditating on why she had done such a terrible thing
>Luna took over the position as ruler, fulfilling the duties she had once dismissed as boring and frivilous with a determination unseen on the throne before
>The images fades and is replaced by another
>Chrysalis cries in the arms of a mishapen monster, a being composed of different parts from several different animals and the mannerisms of a madman
>The fleeting jealousy you feel towards Discord in the moment is replaced by approval when you appreciate the situation
>Chrysalis could live for a millenium or more, barring anything taking her life
>She'd outlive your children, and their children by centuries
>Luna was busy running a kingdom and Celestia had locked herself away
>Discord was the only immortal around to share that pain, not to mention he had once opposed the ponies as well
>But you saw their relationship progress, somehow
>They remained good friends and nothing more
>Chrysalis, it seemed, was never with another being after you had gone, perhaps a true show of loyalty
>More images float up and you see your children grow older, find lovers, husbands, and wives and have children of their own
>The satyr genetics become recessive as the generations progress and fewer are born each generation, but they still exist
>One little light of your children shines a bit brighter than the others
>Noumena became a highly succesful business woman, establishing trade routes between numerous kingdoms of the land
>She established a monument dedicated to the memory of you and her sister Mistake, as the first victims of Sol
>You were remembered as a martyr and a day was dedicated to you and Mistake, called Simian day
>She also headed a campaign to create a rememberance day for the soldiers and civilians that lost their lives in the Lunar Rebellion
>She had grown up well, and you were proud of her
>You're so close to the light, but one last moving image gives you pause before you step into it
>It's Twilight Sparkle, but far older than when you had left
>She has permanent fixtures to keep her wings from ever spreading, the damage had been that bad
>But she seems content, a mildly wrinkled face smiling without any hint of pain or sorrow at her lost youth
>She's in the old Ponyville library, you realise, and a knock comes at the door
>She opens it with magic, and who should step through but Chrysalis, and a little childling hiding behind her legs
>For the first time, you hear the events that go on, instead of just watching them
>Your wife is the first to speak
>"Twilight! How is old age treating you?"
>The crippled alicorn chuckles lightly, clearly this was a normal thing for her
>"Oh you know, Chrysalis. The joints ache and every day I just forget more and more. Who are you again?"
>The two share a warm laugh, and the young satyr perks up at the positive feeling in the air
>"Twilight, this is Virhe. She's the first child I've borne in a century."
>This piques Twilight's interest and she closes the book she's reading and walks over slowly
>"How is that possible, Anonymous died...."
>Chrysalis, to her credit, doesn't show her sorrow at the memory
>"A hundred years ago, on Virhe's birthday, I know. I had a bit of his genetic material still stored, in case I ever became fertile again. And well...here she is."
>Twilight crouches down to the little ones level and gives a smile only grandparents can
>"Hello there, Virhe. My name's Twilight Sparkle, I've known your mother for a very long time."
>The former princess looks up at Chrysalis
>"Why'd you bring her here? I haven't taught anypon-- anyone in decades."
>Chrysalis nods at her statement
>"While that may be, you the only one who was there that day that's still around to ask. I don't want her to only know how I saw it, I want her to know what others thought as well."
>Twilight gestures for them to enter and trots into the kitchen, with a spryness that belies her age
>"Go ahead and make yourselves comfortable, I'll make some tea!"
>Your queen and long lost child curl up on the rug, the young satyr nuzzling at her mothers neck
>Twilight comes back with a steaming pot and three clay mugs
>She sets them down in front of Chrysalis and Vihre, taking her place across from them and pouring out the tea
>"Well, it was over a hundred years ago..."
>The image fades, and the white light obscures much of the tunnel you travelled down
>Well, it's now or never, you suppose
>With that, you step through the portal and into whatever destiny had made for you
>Warm sunlight carresses your face, a slight breeze rustles the leaves above your head, and the grass tickles the soles of your bare feet
>Six colourful blurs come into focus as your eyes adjust to the glaring sun, two pegasi, two earth ponies, a unicorn, and an alicorn
>It clicks in seconds who they are, but they react before you can
>Twilight steps forward with a friendly smile on her face
>"Welcome to Equestria, traveller. We've been waiting for you."
>You scratch the stubble on your head
"Waiting for me, what do you mean? How did you know I was coming?"
>Her smile only grows as she explains
>"This portal appeared three days ago, and Celestia, that is Princess Celestia who rules Equestria, sent us, the bearers of the Elements of Harmony, to ensure that it didn't harm anyone. When we got here though..."
>She trails off and looks down
>A new, but oh so familiar voice speaks up with an air of wonderment about it
>"I was already here."
>You turn and see Chrysalis staring at you, mouth agape and eyes shining with attraction
>"When this portal appeared, I felt a drawing towards it, though I knew not what it was at the time. I travelled with all haste and made it here before the ponies, and began waiting. When these six showed up, I could not bring myself to attack them, not around the portal, so I merely stayed quiet and waited. And now that you're here..."
>She takes a deep breath before continuing
>"It's clear that you were the source of the attraction. I can feel...such a deep love in you, far more powerful than any pony I have ever fed. You could sustain my entire hive for your lifetime. Please, creature, my children are starving, I beg of you to come back with me and--"
>You place a hand on her muzzle and smile, to which she blushes profusely at but doesn't retaliate
"There's no need to beg, my queen. I will gladly come with you to help your brood."
>You turn back to the ponies, whose jaws are on the floor with shock
>You know that a quick explaination is required
"Twilight Sparkle, I beg you to not begin any actions against the changeling remnant. So long as I feed them, they will be no threat to Canterlot or indeed Equestria. Pass such word along to Celestia. Be aware, this is of my own free will that I go, and I will not allow you to stop me. Peace on you, Twilight Sparkle. Peace on you all, Elements."
>With that, you turn back to Chrysalis and place a hand on her withers
"Shall we go, my queen? I'm sure we have much ground to cover."
>She nods dumbly and you follow her into the Everfree
>Before you go, you hear Twilight speak in a soft voice behind you
>"Thank you, anonymous being."
>And so you leave to live in this next world that you had so desired in life, with the being you had desired to be with for years, in peace for so long as you existed

END