"What?"

Upon passing through the door into the third layer of Pan's defenses, Luna found herself immediately confronted by... another door. It was painted black, a gold star decoration upon it. Written in yellow ink was 'Pandinus Imperator', just beneath the star. Strange...

Looking to her left and right, she noticed that she stood now in a hallway. Similar doors lined the way to the left and right, but none of them looked anywhere near as important as this one. However, she couldn't help but wonder at the strangeness of all of this: She arrived at the third level, and was instantly at the place Pan was most likely to be found? Why would that be? It was almost as if...

Wait.

The usher she had flagged down on the second level had stated that the 'proprietor' had been expecting her. She had assumed that the one the usher was referring to was Tragedy, but what if it wasn't? Maybe, just maybe, it was established as fact in Pan's mind that Luna was coming... and that she was welcome here. If that was the case, then the changeling wouldn't be throwing any barriers in her path. Instead, he would be going out of his way to make her feel welcome.

Whether it was due to the love poison's influence, or something else entirely, Luna felt herself blushing at the thought that she was being invited here: Her inherent nature, and her position in Equestria, had often led to her feeling unwelcome just about anywhere, unless her sister came with her (The term killjoy had not yet been invented, nor had buzzkill, but if they had, the terms might have been whispered behind her back). The fact that someone, anyone, looked forward to her arrival, regardless of the reason, was new, but also quite pleasant... especially here, in Pan's 'Happy Place', as Morning Glory had called it, somewhere that the princess was certain that the changeling would normally never allow anyone to enter.

Raising a hoof, she knocked on the door, then asked, "Are you there, Pan?"

There was a moment of silence, followed by, "I'm here. Come inside, the door is unlocked."
------------------------

Luna looked around in awe: She'd understood, on an intellectual level, that Pan was from the future, but until now, she had not realized just how much could change in one thousand years...

There were little items spread everywhere, many of them whose function she could not imagine. The few things that were at work, and whose function she could understand, should have been magical, but possessed no tell-tale flicker of the arcane. There was a mirror, lined with little glass spheres that contained a light that didn't flicker even slightly. But what, asides from a flame, magic, or the sun could radiate light like that? There was a small wooden box, upon which a black disc spun, while a needle ran across its surface. From a cone attached to the strange object, music could be heard. Such remarkable wonders were sitting here, as if they were nothing...

And most surprising of all was Pan himself.

Comedy had commented on how there was nothing wrong with being a child at heart. Obviously, Pan was of the same opinion. Since entering the dreamscape, Luna had been stuck as a filly. Pan looked to be around the same age as Luna's current state, or perhaps even slightly younger. It was difficult to say for certain: His race might have a different growth rate than a pony would.

But more surprising was the fact that he was no longer glowing. Instead, his carapace was a dark gray, bordering on black, and glossy, almost as though it had been recently polished. Kokkuri had stated that changelings were considered frightening by other races, and until now, she'd not seen it. Now that she had seen him in his default state, without the gentle blue glow that he had always radiated, she supposed that, to some, he certainly would be intimidating... but Luna thought that there was a certain charm to his unconventional appearance...

"So," Pan said, his expression business-like, "you're here to break me out of my stupor?"

Nodding, Luna said, "Yes. There's a lot going on right now, and your kingdom needs you. With Pen Stroke injured, if you remain in this state, there's nopony except me and my sister to keep things under control right now. If you don't wake up before dawn, we might have nobles trying to ensure you never wake up. And there are other reasons why I..." Suddenly blushing furiously, she corrected herself, "I mean, why we need you back in the waking world, beyond simple politics."

A sad smile upon his face, the changeling said, "I... I'm not quite ready yet."

Yet? Did that mean he was able to break out of this stupor at any time? "Why aren't you?"

His expression distant, Pan asked, "I assume that you spoke with Comedy and Tragedy?" Was he changing the subject, or was it somehow related? After she nodded, he continued, "Then you know what I have waiting for me."

Chuckling, Luna admitted, "Had Celestia and I not detected Winter's curse upon you when we were examining your body earlier, it would have been a terrible shock. Still, it was nice of them to confirm it for me."

Pan, shocked, asked, "And you're not...?"

"Worried? Angry? Afraid?" Rolling her eyes, Luna said, "Not as much as you might think. As terrible as Winter is, he knows better than to try and take my sister and I head on. When the time comes that you must confront him, you'll have both me and her in your corner. We'll get him to back down, and get him to remove his mark from you."

Snarling in anger, Pan said, "No. I don't want to make him back down. I want to kill him."

He really didn't know? Well, it really wasn't that surprising: It's not the sort of thing that Winter would advertise, and Comedy and Tragedy are so far out on the periphery of things that they'd not have heard. In truth, there were maybe only five or six immortals out there, outside of the Father Of All Windigoes, who would know what happened if Winter was killed. With a weary sigh, Luna said, "That is the one thing that you absolutely must not do."
---------------------------

Different spheres of power, like the Sun, the Moon, Love, Strength, Theatre, and all the rest, each one has different rules regarding what manner of powers their bearer will have, and how those powers are gained... and transferred. There are, however, three general methods by which one can gain the power of an immortal.

The first is Worthiness: Not all spheres have a bearer, and are ever waiting for the one who might be worthy of holding their power. Comedy and Tragedy had originally gained the right to the sphere of Theatre by being the best actors in the world in ancient times. Others, like the Sun and Moon, required more complex achievements. Regardless, any individual of great ability can become an immortal, under the right circumstances.

The second is Transference: Either the immortal who possesses that power willingly transfers their power to an heir, or the immortal becomes unworthy and the power abandons the bearer for a new host. For nearly all spheres of power, this is the only way for their power to change hooves, once it has found a bearer. However, for a few, there is a third...

That third method is Dominance: The immortal who bears the power is slain by a mortal. Normally, the murder of an immortal will cause the power to be transferred to a worthy mortal, not the killer. However, while rare, a few spheres of power require that the recipient of that power kill the one who previous bore it. Spheres like War, Destruction, and a few others... including Hatred.
------------------------------

"So you're telling me," Pan began, his expression one of disbelief, "that if I kill Winter, I'll gain his power, and his position?"

Shaking her head, Luna said, "Not quite: Winter's power is one of the few to hold a consciousness of its own, separate from that of the bearer... and when his power is passed on, the bearer's own mind is destroyed, replaced by the will of the sphere of Hatred. If you succeed in killing Winter's host, you will die... and Winter will live on."

After a moment's thought, Pan asked, "Then why can't you or Celestia kill him? I mean, if a mortal would end up inheriting his power, then an immortal..."

"No," Luna said, shaking her head again, "it cannot be done. There are certain rules that must be obeyed, even by ones such as my sister and I. One immortal must never kill another. If such an event were to occur, then the slayer's life would be forfeit as well." Her expression turning sly, she added, "However, just because we cannot kill Winter, does not mean that we cannot make his life incredibly unpleasant: My sister and I could seal him away, or place a curse upon him severely limiting his powers. However, I would prefer to save such an act for a last resort: Even one as terrible as Winter has a role to play in preserving harmony in this world."

Pan's expression of incredulous disbelief nearly made Luna giggle, but she restrained herself, and said, "Think on it: If the threat of windigoes was not a constant, how long would it be before war broke out? The unification of the three kingdoms of ponykind is still somewhat fresh, and some still bear the grudges of their ancestors. If the threat of imminent destruction suddenly were removed, there would be riots, blood feuds, and worse. The greater danger is that there are some rulers who, if the threat of icy annihilation were not a certainty, would lead their subjects in wars of violent conquest. As terrible as he is, even a monster like Winter is a necessity at times." After a moment, an impish grin crossed her features, and she said, "But if he ever became unnecessary, I assure you, I'd not hesitate to seal him away for all eternity, nor would a considerable number of other immortals I could name."

Sighing, Pan said, "I... suppose that there might be a point. But... why didn't Tragedy or Comedy tell me? For that matter, why didn't the Starsmith tell me when he..."

An eyebrow raised, Luna asked, "When he did what?"

"I may have... asked him to build a device that would allow me to defeat Winter," Pan admitted, sheepishly.

"How?"
---------------------------------

"That's... surprisingly generous," Gold Coin admitted, after hearing Dream Charmer's price. "All you want is to meet the emperor? Nothing else?"

Smiling, the mare said, "Yes, that's all. Since my being disowned, I have spent the last several years working to enrich the lives of the ponies who, like me, have suffered due to the cruelties of random chance. Those whose only crime was being born to the wrong parents, to poor parents, or who had no parents at all." With a meaningful glance at Shimmering Radiance, she added, "Although,I am ashamed to admit, my resources are stretched too thin to reach everypony in the city. If the emperor is genuine in his intentions, I see no reason why he and I should work at cross purposes."

Gold Coin beckoned Shimmering Radiance close, and the two of them spoke in hushed tones. "It's a good deal," Gold Coin admitted, "but I can't make a guarantee that the emperor will agree to it."

'Urchin' said, "Well, all we really need to do is tell her we'll do our best to arrange it. If the emperor refuses, we really can't do anything... but let's be honest, do you think he'd say no?"

Nodding, Gold said, "Good point. We'll tell her we'll ask him." Turning towards Dream Chaser, Gold Coin said, "We'll do our best to arrange it, but we can't promise anything yet. What with everything going on, when we take this list to the emperor, he's going to be busy for a while."

With a graceful wave of her hoof, the mare said, "That's quite understandable. In truth, I will be quite busy myself for the next few days. After my business has concluded, and the emperor has settled things regarding the recent assassination attempts, we'll work out when an audience can be scheduled. All I ask is that you try." She spit upon a hoof, then extended it. "Deal?"

Gold Coin and Shimmering Radiance duplicated the act, and each shook their hoof with her. "Deal."
------------------------

Luna was rolling on the floor, laughing aloud, unable to contain her mirth. Pan was having some difficulty in maintaining his composure as well. The plan that he had envisioned for the defeat of Winter was poetic justice embodied. A pity that he couldn't implement it, lest he destroy himself...

Pan had designed, and the Starsmith had built, a device that even a thousand years from now was only theoretically possible. A device that, if used improperly, could potentially destroy the world... but would be perfect for defeating a being like Winter.

An energy converter.

A device that could change any type of magical energy into any other type of energy. It held great destructive potential: If it was set to transfer, say, ambient magical energy into thermal energy, and given a wide enough range, it could turn a continent into a cinder in an instant, if not the entire planet. But Pan had not planned to do that. No, he had decided to go for irony instead.

Winter had made it plain that he planned on devouring Pan. The changeling had decided he would return the favor: The converter would, when utilized, transform hate energy into love. The emperor had planned on calling Winter out in front of the changeling swarm, activating the device, and treating his fellows to an all-you-can-eat buffet. Given that all of Winter's powers required hate energy to work, the father of all Windigoes would have found himself powerless as he was literally eaten alive.

It was a plan almost Discordian in its wicked ingenuity.

Regaining a little bit of her composure, Luna admitted, "It's very clever. Remind me never to get on your bad side, Pan."

With a last chuckle, the changeling said, "I think you'd have to work very, very hard to get on my bad side, Luna." After a moment, Pan said, "Given what you've told me, I'll have to take on Tragedy's and Comedy's role sooner than I planned. I had intended to do so after Winter was dead, but since that won't be possible, I suppose that I should move ahead with that: If I become an immortal, Winter won't be able to follow through on his threat without destroying himself."

Sighing, Luna said, "Hopefully it will be as simple as that: You can't take on the role of the Comedy and Tragedy from your time, who were fully ready to retire. Instead, you'll have to convince their selves from this era that you're worthy of their powers."

Nodding, Pan stated, "I know. The ones I brought with me lost the lion's share of their powers when we popped into the past: It's just as well, or else the magic of the theatre from the timeline I left behind would have been lost forever. I definitely wouldn't want that on my conscience. T and C are talking with their counterparts here, and have been since day one. Thing is, while the ones from this time were already planning retirement at some point in time, they'd not expected the opportunity to do so would appear so suddenly. It could be days, maybe weeks, before the ones from this timeline finish readying themselves for the transfer of power, and their adjustment to mortal life afterwards. In the meantime, I only have their blessing, and what skills I possess, to see me through what's going on right now... and I'm scared that might not be enough..."

Luna could not hold back her expression of disbelief. Up until now, Pan had seemed so confident, so... bold. To hear him admit he was afraid...

His expression sorrowful, he admitted, "That's why I'm hesitating right now. I thought it would be so easy, ruling over the ponies here. I've seen what the future holds, and the ponies of Equestria are... peaceful. Contented. They hold hooves, sing songs, and dance in the streets at the drop of a hat. This is not an exaggeration: I have literally seen it happen. I never considered for a moment that, even with Sombra dead, there were ponies whose hearts might be so wicked. Somepony out there is ready, willing, and able to commit murder to take the crown... and I've surrounded myself with ponies who could be caught in the crossfire." His expression grave, he continued, stating, "What if, instead of Pen Stroke, who might yet survive being wounded, one of those arrows had struck Gold Coin? Or Shimmering Radiance? What will happen when whoever is out there decides that the simplest way to get to me is through somepony I care about? What if they decide, instead of murdering one of them outright, they decide to kidnap somepony I care about, and send them back, a small piece at a time?"

After a moment's pause, he finished, his voice a whisper, "And how far will I have to go, what measures will I have to resort to, before I can stop him? What if, when I finally confront the pony behind all of this, I find that I have sunk to his level... or deeper? What if I become something that would make Sombra look like King Arthur in comparison?"

"Maybe... maybe it would be better if I never woke up..."