Ashleys POV

Upon opening my eyes I found I was in my bed in the cabin, feeling refreshed after forming Volcanic with Symbol. It was a...very empowering experience I'll tell you that. That power...was that what Symbol felt like all the time? That power was overwhelming but...it also felt cold, unnatural and just plain wrong. I don't know what is going in in the boy's body, but I can tell you it is a hell of a lot worse than puberty.

My mind began to wonder a bit as I lay there, thinking back to the cave and how Symbol had responded to my question. What was his answer? I did kinda put him on the spot like that and he probably hasn't ever been asked something like that before. His reaction though interested me, it didn't look like he was trying to say no, it more looked like he was trying to find a way to say yes without coming across as a creep tart only liked me for my looks.

Getting out of my bed and tossing the clothes I had on onto the floor before stepping into the shower, I heard the sound of two people talking but couldn't make it out due to the running water making more sound than it should. I recognised Symbols voice but there was one I didn't recognise, it wasn't Abi's and it wasn't Symph's. Shrugging I just focused on cleaning my body.

Symbols POV

I sat in the kitchen of the cabin, Roden sitting opposite me. I knew immediately when he showed up that anything I wanted to do today would have to wait since when this guy came to visit he either had some new training exercise for me to complete or something had gone wrong...very wrong. From what he was telling me, it seemed to be neither of those things, all he was doing was delivering a message to me, a warning. "Wait, so what you're saying is that someone is messing around with the timelines?"

My teacher nodded and spoke through his scarf. "Yes, this has also attracted the attention of Nightmare and Xram, and they have recruited a third member into their ranks, but you need not worry about him as one of your fathers displaced will be taking care of him in the future."

"Well what do you know about this Reality Bender? They have to be powerful to be able to alter the path of different timelines." I knew there was beings capable of doing such things in the main Multiverese, but in this area? So far out in the weaker Equestrias? It didn't make sense. Why would someone like that do those things around these almost harmless worlds.

"I'm afraid the only things that I know of this new enemy is that they take the appearance of a young girl and are extremely powerful. Even I know very little, and we both know that is not a good sign." He replied in a serious tone. He was right, Roden was one of the smartest and well informed beings of the Multiverese, if he didn't know something it was either kept hidden extremely well or it was a sign that something bad was going to happen.

"Do we at least have a name?" I asked.

Roden paused and closed his eyes, focusing on try to find the name of our new enemy. "Celia...her name appears to be Celia."

I just raised a brow. "Doesn't ring a bell. But at least I know what to look out for. What has happened recently?"

"It seems that she is targeting three worlds right now, your fathers Metal Sonic displaced, my Galactic Ranger displaced and...a world that doesn't involve displaced at all...it even has an alternative version of me but...as a teenager?" Roden looked confused as he explained. "That is just weird on so many levels, but not surprising. There could be countless versions of us out there in the Multiverese or different timelines."

I just nodded. "So, what do you need me to do?"

Roden shook his head and glared at me. "Before you can do anything...you need to get a better grip on whatever is left of your sanity." I frowned and looked away slightly. "You're slipping, and you know it. When you were given this new body your mental barriers were nonexistent, all of those memories and things you blocked out came rushing back. Including your failure to completely rescue your sister, Abigail."

I said nothing and closed my eyes.

"Have you forgotten your reason for staying away from your friends and family for so long? The more you see of them the more your sanity starts to slip away, because whenever you loo at them more and more memories of before start to gather, and that darkness inside your very soul starts to grow. You feel guilty for what you've done to your friends and family, you regret not being able to go back and tell them you were ok. You feel you have no right to their friendship because of what you did on your version of earth, of what you did in Equestria and how you selfishly tried to avoid your destined path."

There was nothing I could say at that moment, what he had said was true, but there was more to my reasons for staying away from them all, something I had to do to make sure they were all safe for as long as possible.

I did feel guilty, I had failed my friends and more importantly I failed my sister. When Epidemic and I had faced down DEATH himself to retrieve her soul I thought I had finally rescued her...but of course fate had other plans. Her soul was suffering, her entire life was a hell hole, I needed to make it up to her. I wanted to give her a second chance at life, but she would never remember me if I restarted her life in a peaceful world.

But even then, it wasn't that simple. When I, Epidemic and Marx had given Abigail new life her sould split in two, one half forming Abi, the other half just a fragment of a soul which was used to create Gail in my old Equestria where my daughter was being raised. She didn't remember, Abi was not Abigail, merely half of the real thing. If Abi and Gail met and fused together...there was a chance they'd never separate, Abi and Gaik would just stop existing all together just to bring back Abigail. I didn't want to rob a family of their foal just to get my sister back...I don't want to be a monster anymore...I don't want to be a demon anymore!

But the fact remains clear as day...I am a demon...I always have been...I always will be.

Author's Notes:

Some insight on why Symbol doesn't go back, hope you enjoyed the chapter.