Ashley's POV

I sat in Sugarcube Corner, poking my slice of cake with my fork while leaning my head on my arm. Abi sat opposite me happily nibbling away at her slice. I was busy thinking about Forge and what he said.

'Is it true? Am I really just a part of Symbols training?'

"Who told you that?" I looked to Abi who was looking at my with a stern glare.

"Wait you can read my mind?" She nodded.

"I can read the minds of those I have fused with, apart from Symbol... I'd rather not delve into the abyss that is his subconscious." Abi shivered slightly and looked back to me. "Now tell me, who told you those things?"

I blinked in shock. "Wait if you can read minds does that mean that-"

"I know of your crush on my brother?" She asked with a raised brow and a sly grin. I blushed furiously and struggled to form words. "Relax I'm not going to tell him anything, you can trust me." I gave a sigh of relief. Abi stopped smiling and put a hoof to my face so I would look at her. "Now, who told you those things about Symbol?"

"One of Symbols brothers." Abi's expression went from stern to worried.

"Which one?" She asked in panic.

"He said his name was Forge or something." A look of horror made itself known on Abi' face.

"Ashley, you can not trust anything that comes out of that monster's mouth, understand?" I slowly nodded and she released a breath she was holding. "Good, did he do anything else?"

I rubbed my arm nervously, trying not to think about the things I saw in Symbols memories.

A look of horror bought a new home on the mare's face. "No... Nononononono. Ashley, understand he had no choice when it came to those things, he isn't like that anymore." I knew deep down that was true, but I couldn't get over what I saw.

"So much destruction... And that monster he turned into..." Abi sat down beside me and gently rubbed my back.

"I know, I know, you'll forget about it soon. I'll make sure of it." She was about to merge with me when I stopped her.

"No, I want to remember this." She looked at me surprised. "If I'm going to trust Symbol, I need to know who he is." She smiled softly and nodded.

"That's a better way to think about it. Hey, if it wasn't for all those events he wouldn't be the badass we know today." I giggled slightly and scratched her behind the ear.

"So, where do you think he went to?" Abi put a hoof to her muzzle in thought.

"Well, he wouldn't be taken to his universe, only somewhere close like Bill's universe or Gale's."

I looked at her in confusion. "Who're Bill and Gale?"

She looked up at me with a smile. "Bill is the first displaced Symbol ever met, he was a Bill Cipher. Gale is a displaced Mecha Sonic, he met Gale before the Xram incident." I nodded in understanding.

“So, which do you think it is?”

“Considering what happened with Gale and Lisa, and since Bill would probably be able to tell that it was Symbol if he was sent there, probably Gale’s.”

“Really?”

“Yep.”

“What was the, Xram incident anyways. I’ve never really been given any details on it.”

“Oh boy. Get comfy, this is gonna take a while.” I adjusted in my seat before nodding, giving her the go ahead. “Alright, so it all began like this…”

One day, Symbol had to go to the universe of someone named Lisa with Gale, whom he had met before. Anyways, they were summoned there to kill a particularly powerful Nightmare. When they arrived, they worked together with Lisa to track down the Nightmare. When they did, they found Forge instead. Symbol went to look for these things called reality stars to see if they could help him defeat Forge for good, while Lisa went after a Nightmare that was with Forge, and Gale went for Forge himself.

The battle didn’t last too long, and ended abruptly when Forge attacked Lisa. Gale dove in front of the blast and got badly hurt. Forge tried attacking Lisa again, but that brought out Gale’s dark form, which stalled Forge a little longer. However, he too, was defeated. Forge was about to kill Lisa and Gale, then Symbol showed up. He fought forge for a little while before Forge turned the tables and started beating Symbol down. That’s when… it happened.

When Gale saw Symbol getting beat on, he used his beast form as a last result to save him. However, something went wrong, and Gale got possessed by Xram. I don’t know too much about Xram. What I do know is that he wants to destroy the entire multiverse and remake it in his own image. Anyways, once Xram came in, it was all over. He knocked Forge unconscious, and Symbol had to send Lisa to his own universe before… before Xram killed him.

I couldn’t believe what I just heard. Xram killed Symbol?

“Wait what? But that’s impossible, Symbol is alive right now!”

“He was brought back later using the reality stars. Anyways, after that Xram threw Lisa’s universe into a rip in time and space, then went to Symbol’s universe where he caused mass destruction and chaos. He fought and won against Marx and Author, and battled a fusion of Epidemic and their father known as Apocalypse. Apocalypse almost won, but Xram used a sneak attack to get the upper hand.”

“How did they beat him?”

“Well, after Apocalypse was struck down Lisa appeared in front of him and called out to Gale. Apocalypse defused back into Alduin, Gale’s brother, and his son Epidemic and they did the same. Then Metal, a Metal Sonic displaced came in and did the same. Gale heard them and his control over his body back and forced Xram out. Everyone was happy, then Xram came back in his true form but Symbol sacrificed his soul to beat him once and for all.”

“Oh…” I was shocked. Symbol risked his life to save everyone.

“Yeah… Anyways, no one but Roden, and now Epidemic knows that he’s alive and Symbol wanted to keep it that way for some reason.” I just looked at her in shock.

"Could... Could I see what happened when Symbol beat Xram?" Abi went into deep thought.

"Alright, but not here." After teleporting us back to the cabin Abi fused with me. My vision started to go black. When it returned I was standing in a field of grass. The sky was blood red and the clouds were black. Large amounts of smoke rose into the air as towns and cities burned. Looking over I saw a black skeleton with a white cloak floating in the air, laughing evilly as he stared down at a group of beings, including a few humans, ponies and displaced. What shocked me was a Symbol look alike was holding a dead Symbol in his arms. Symbol was much shorter, his hair was brown and short. He also wore some kind of necklace with the medallion being a symbol of the sun. The look alike also wore a necklace with a star on it.

"Who is he?" I asked.

'One of Symbols brothers, Zero.' I watched as the skeleton rose it's hands into the air and a huge ball of energy formed. As a huge beam fired down on the ground a large pillar of purple fire rose from the ground and shielded everyone. A figure made entirely out of the fire with glowing yellow eyes stepped out and summoned a huge ball of energy. After giving one last warning to Xram and being denied, the figure launched the huge energy sphere at him, destroying him. The ball then turned into a bubble and spread all across Equestria, returning everything to normal. The figure then started to fade away, a look of satisfaction on its face as it faded out of existence, the sun shining down on the spot it had arose from.

"That was Symbol?" I asked in complete shock.

'Yes, that was his soul. He used his very life force to create a greater attack to kill Xram and save his loved ones. We would all be dead if it weren't for him. Now, watch the sky closely after the group goes away.' As the group headed for Canterlot and took Symbols lifeless body away, a few tiny tongues of purple fire appeared in the sky. Multiple portals showed up and they all shot into one. Except for the largest one. Roden walked out of a portal and grabbed it, taking it to revive Symbol.

"Where did those flames go?"

'They went to each one of his friends universes so he could keep an eye on them. When they got back to their homes a small candle with a purple flame appeared.' Explained the symbiote. 'And hey, it's not like him dying was a bad thing. It brought two displaced into a loving relationship, brought some old friends together and to top it off, everyone is safe.' This got me to smile.

"Hey Abi, how old was Symbol then?" I asked in curiosity, he looked really young here.

'Oh, he was fourteen.' That young? He saved the multiverse at just fourteen?

"How long has he been away from this world?"

'Just over eleven months.' I suddenly felt sick. 'What's wrong?'

"I have a crush on someone nearly three years younger than me."

'Relax, his aging process was sped up, he's basically twenty now. Besides, it's not like he has the mind of a teenager, he never has. There's no problem whatsoever.' I gave a sigh of relief. 'You really like him don't you?'

"I don't know."

'Well I'll tell you one thing you know.' I raised a brow. 'You can trust him to take care of you.' This filled me with a sense of security. 'He'll protect you any way he can, because he's the one that brought you to Equestria, he holds that responsibility to himself to take care of you. He will never just leave you behind Ashley, he never leaves anyone behind, even his enemies.'

The dream faded and I woke up in my bed. I looked to my dresser and saw a small candle with a purple flame.

'See? He cares about you, he'll never let you go.'

I smiled and sat up. "God damnit Abi you're making me love him."

'It's kinda my job to, sisters are usually the ones that help get the ball rolling in these situations.' I shook my head and she defused with me. "You should probably go get a shower or something, all that sweating has made you stink, it's like the air is filled with ashes." Abi covered her snout adorably.

"Well, my name is Ashley." She looked at me with a death glare.

"Bad joke, feel bad." With that she walked out of the room.

"I wonder what Symbol is doing right now." I said to myself, taking off my clothes and heading for the bathroom.

Meanwhile

In a large cave there was a huge chamber with a giant cross statue. On that statue Symbol was hanging from chains, blood running down his arms and face.

"Let it out Symbol, show me your power or die!" Symbol raised his head and smirked at the black skeleton before him.

"I died once, it was an amazing experience, I'd love to go through it again." The piece of Xram growled and punched him in the stomach. "Come on, you can do way fucking better!"

Xram looked to the grinning demon before him. "Your sanity is slipping."

"Really? I would have never fucking guessed, give the walking dog treat a prize." With that Symbol fell unconscious. 'Need... To get... Out of here.'

Author's Notes:

Well...shit got real then