Episode 5: Oblivion and Beyond

Tell Princess Celestia no…

God is in his heaven. All is right with the world.

Or so mortals “wish” to believe. While Twilight Sparkle was finally facing her struggles head-on in the realm of darkness, the gods up in the realm of light were having issues of their own…

It was in a place that resembled Cloudsdale. A place that, like Cloudsdale, was abundant with white, fluffy clouds hovering the fresh, blue sky. In this place, however, instead of the Weather Factory, there stood a mansion of colossal stature. And that mansion stood in front of a colossal pillar that stretched so high up that the top of it could not be seen. The highest part that was visible was surrounded by a swirling vortex of darkness and light…

On the inside of the mansion, beyond two gold-colored iron gates decorated with the insignia of Fluttershy with the wings of a phoenix praying, was where Princess Luna was trying to reach a compromise with one of the gods she was subservient to...

“Tell her that it wasn’t her fault that I ended up this way…” Princess Luna told someone. “Please, let her know that I did this to myself, that in my haste, I-”

“So you want me to tell her what she already knows…” replied a familiar voice. “...is that what you’re asking of me?”

“Please,” pleaded Luna, “I only wish to relieve some of the pain…”

“But you know as well as I do that without pain, we can not grow stronger.” the god replied. “And do you think I have not seen the ineffectiveness of what you have tried to do for Twilight?”

“I know I can not save Twilight from her ultimate destiny…” Luna acknowledged. “But the things I told her...I’m sure they’ll mean something to her one day…”

“I do not doubt that.” the god responded. “But I do find it interesting how the apparent “traitor” within our midst not only didn’t stop you from telling Twilight anything, but also got you to tell her a secret you never intended to spill…”

“Even though I don’t have a better explanation myself…” Luna said with a sigh. “I just can’t bring myself to believe that one of us is a double agent.”

“I wouldn’t be able to believe it myself...if I hadn’t seen for myself that it’s true.” the god replied.

Luna’s jaw fell slack.

“You jest…” she said in shock.

“It’s not just me who knows either.” the god continued. “They know as well.”

“Rarity and Discord too?!” Luna exclaimed. “But how? And if you’ve known all this time, why have you not done anything about it?”

“Because we’ve found a way to work with the “traitor”.” the god told her. “Turns out that this “traitor” really hasn’t done much to betray us after all. Amongst all of us, I’m sure the only one who would disagree…”

The god then turned to look behind her, outside the back window of the mansion, which looked very similar to The Risen One’s home…

“...is her.” the god who was revealed to be Fluttershy said as she looked out the window to see the pillar. “My rival, the ruler of the dark…”

Meanwhile, back at Sugarcube Corner...

Maud Pie had returned to meditating. Soon, she began to sense a familiar presence approaching. One that was dark, yet not hostile…

“Yo, Nero.” she greeted the presence.

“Ha, ha, ha.” the presence laughed in response. “No way to sneak up on you, is there, Myra?”

A shadowy figure rose out of Maud’s shadow and presented itself to her.

“Trust me, I am all too familiar with that method of stealth.” Maud, who was actually Myra Michaels, replied. “May I ask why you have returned here?”

“Don’t be so polite.” Nero said. “People least of all expect demonic creatures of hell to feel the urge to always be completely civil.”

“But didn’t you say that that’s exactly what drives you to be as polite as possible?” Myra responded. “To toy with people’s expectations?”

“Yeah, but here, it’s just you and me.” Nero reminded her. “Just two demons hanging out in hell together.”

“I’m only half-demon.” Myra said. “And personally, I am growing a bit bored of hell.”

“Feh.” Nero remarked. “I got used to the torture long ago, and I’m still not bored of hell. Ever since my mind was warped by it, I’ve never been able to escape constantly thinking about new ways to experience excruciating pain. I truly am a full-on masochist now…”

“You poor thing.” Myra said out of sympathy. “I genuinely feel more sorry for you than Twilight even. At least the reason we were created was for a good cause. At least we have friends...”

“What are you talking about?” Nero asked her. “You don’t consider me a true friend?”

“I consider you a true friend,” answered Myra, “the problem is that you don’t.”

“Ha ha ha!” Nero laughed again. “Yeah, you can see right through me, good job. I don’t trust anyone. Not my closest allies, not even myself. I like you, don’t get me wrong. It’s just my nature. After what I’ve been through, no matter how close anyone gets to me, no matter how much I feel that their intentions are pure, I can never shake the feeling of doubt in the back of my mind that one day, they’re going to betray me.”

“Yeah,” replied Myra, “I used to be the exact same way.”

“Before you had a change of heart upon meeting a special friend?” Nero taunted with a smug grin on his face.

“It didn’t come down to something as simple as him being worthy of my trust.” Myra replied, having memories of her first time meeting a priest dressed in a white robe that carried a mysterious staff with him. “The demon inside of me knew that there existed people in the world who were trustworthy, but that it mattered not, for even those kinds of people would not accept someone like me. An abominable murderer who had spared none her wrath.”

Nero’s smile started to fade as he heard this.

“As I talked to this friend of mine about what I had done and watched how he responded to what I said is when I started to realize something…” Myra continued. “I wasn’t looking for someone to trust...I was looking for someone to trust me.”

“...Spira.” Nero eventually said.

“Hmm?” Myra went in response.

“I do have someone in my life who’s like that friend of yours.” Nero told her. “Her name is Spira. She’s my sister.”

“Noimman had another child?” Myra asked.

“No,” replied Nero, “I’m Noimman’s son, she’s Fluttershy’s daughter. It’s difficult to explain, but what makes us siblings is that we both share the same earth mother, Terra. The gods who created our souls on the other hand, are different.”

“I see.” Myra said. “So what is Spira like?”

“...She’s like a light.” Nero replied. “A light that I need to have. Whenever I’m with her, I feel like I’m with God...or at least what I hope God is like.”

“That’s a very strong opinion you have of her.” Myra commented. “Why is that you have difficulty trusting others after you’ve been around someone like that?”

In response to that, Nero began crying on impulse.

“My mother told me the story of how Twilight became who she was…” he explained. “...she was betrayed...by the last one she ever suspected would betray her…”

“I’m sorry…” Myra told him out of sympathy. “But the one who betrayed her is not the only one at fault for Twilight being the way she is. The one who is ultimately responsible for Twilight being the way she is is Twilight…”

As Myra said that, Twilight was seen stepping out of a dark portal and setting foot on a cloud.

“Twilight has made a fatal mistake…” Myra continued. “...in trying to change things for the better...without first changing herself for the better…”

It was revealed that Twilight Sparkle had just set foot in Cloudsdale, or at least in the place that appeared to be Cloudsdale. As she looked out over the area, she could see Fluttershy’s mansion and the gargantuan tower that laid ahead of it. Looking upon the tower, her eyes gave that same lavender glow...

Flying closer to the mansion and landing on the clouds before the doors, she could see a gang of familiar faces. Standing outside the mansion were the members of the Dark Sky, Dumb-bell, Hoops, Score, Ghost Rainbow Dash, and Derpy Hooves.

“Well, well, well.” Dumb-bell said with a cocky grin as he and the others saw Twilight.

“It’s our old boss, Boss!” Hoops exclaimed as the gang laughed.

“...Boss?” Twilight replied, giving them a look of confusion.

“...” Score silently explained the experiences Twilight and their gang shared together in the past.

“I’m sorry,” said Twilight, “I don’t speak silent language.”

“Oh, don’t joss with us!” Ghost Rainbow Dash retorted. “You know what happened during the Awakening project! You kept us working nonstop in the machine! You forced us to riff your shitty story!”

“And it wasn’t very fun!” Derpy interjected. “Too much talking and never any naptimes!”

“Um...that was wrong of me, and I’m very sorry.” Twilight decided to apologize, going along with it even though she didn’t understand it, not wanting to argue with insanity anymore.

“Hey, it’s all good, ja?” Dumb-bell replied. “That kind of thing happens all the time in big companies.”

“Yeah,” said Hoops, “if Starcatch was a company, it would’ve been the biggest company the world had ever seen. How would anyone not be able to expect any kind of corruption in a place like that?”

Twilight got the lavender glow in her eyes yet again as she felt a sense of deja vu.

“Wait…” Twilight said in her mind as she looked over at the enormous tower again. “They couldn’t possibly be talking about...holy shit…”

“Glad everyone except Derpy loved it!” she remembered herself saying.

“So that’s it…” she told herself in her thoughts. “I should’ve known…”

“I’m part of that building, aren’t I?” Twilight asked the Dark Sky members as she looked back over at them. “Starcatch is my true form, isn’t it?”

“You were also a guy named Noava who killed Fluttershy or something like that,” replied G.R.D., “but yeah, that’s essentially the gist of it.”

“I should’ve known…” Twilight repeated to herself in her mind. “I have done things to deserve this suffering...and I must come back to God to repent of my sins…”

“You have told yourself this before many times…” Twilight’s other persona said to her. “But no matter how often you say it, you never become any more humble…”

“Then I finally shall become more humble as I finally put my words into practice…” Twilight replied to the voice in her mind. “I shall go to God personally and humble myself in his sight as I ask for his forgiveness. I will hear what he commands me to do and act in full accordance, for I have decided that this is the day where I will finally change my life…”
Upon Twilight saying that, everything went black and a bolt of lightning came down…

“It’s time…” Fluttershy said, still inside of her mansion with Luna. “Come with me…”

As the gates to the mansion opened up, Twilight felt a light shining upon her, giving her a feeling of warmth and comfort that she had not felt anywhere else before. Surely, this was the day where everything would…

“Ha ha ha ha ha!” the Dark Sky members laughed.

“What’s so funny?” Twilight asked them angrily.

“Oh, I think you know…” G.R.D. retorted. “...that the “righteous soul being led astray from the path of good only to return to it after having an epiphany that allows them to become strong enough to earn heaven” is a cliche that is only found in power fantasy tales…”

“Rude…” Twilight remarked, shooting her a stern look.

“Sorry,” apologized G.R.D., to Twilight’s surprise, “maybe that was too snide. Though I only mean to be cruel to be kind, I think a song will get the message across better, even if it’s more like a poem…blame Derpy for losing our instruments...”

“I just don’t know where I last put them…” Derpy said sadly.

“Like it matters.” Dumb-bell commented. “The most important instruments of all are the strings of your heart.”

“If you can learn how to tug those, you can play a tune for anyone.” Hoops said.

“...” Score silently interjected.

“And as Score just demonstrated…” G.R.D. said. “Words themselves are an instrument.”

It was then that the song began…

The tower to heaven, From five to seven

Always changes its parts

The one who transcended it, they never ended it

They always give it new starts

A new path they opened, for all of the chosen

Orbs symbolized light and dark

Then with a(nother) murder mystery, the trial was blistering

The story was given many ends

But even with much closure, it will never be over

Even if the killer makes amends

Where we go, it doesn’t matter how far

For everything has already been decided by the star

With that, the poem concluded. The only reaction it got out of Twilight, however, was an unconvinced look followed by an unenthusiastic remark…

“Let me guess...you’re trying to dissuade me from going to meet Fluttershy and apologize to her...because you find it to be meaningless?”

“We wish it was meaningless.” the Dark Sky members replied. “If you go in there right now, you’ll regret it for all eternity.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Twilight said. “Right now, I’m going through a problem that requires urgent attention. And up until now, I only treated it as a backburner concern. After I’ve been shown a golden opportunity to fix the problem, how can I ignore such a chance? Besides, it’s my funeral, not yours.”

“Very wrong,” retorted the Dark Sky members, “as the guy who led you here liked to say. It’s going to be everyone’s funeral.”

“...You know who Spike really is too?” Twilight asked.

“In the context of what you mean, yes.” the Dark Sky members replied. “In all honestly, no one really and truly knows who Spike is. He’s an honest-to-goodness enigma, if that makes any sense. The only surety about him is that’s nothing we know about him is certain.”

“You wouldn’t go so far to say that he’s set me up, would you?” Twilight asked.

“No,” answered the Dark Sky members, “you yourself should know by now who the traitor is…”

“IS THAT A QUESTION FOR ME?” Twilight’s robot persona replied.

“So even we know something you don’t, “Boss”, ha ha…” they teased.

“TELL ME WHO IT IS.” Twilight’s robot persona commanded. “THAT’S AN ORDER.”

“Sorry,” they replied, “but your boss ordered us not to tell you.”

“YOU MEAN FLUTTERSHY?” she asked. “BUT SHOULDN’T THE IDENTITY OF THE TRAITOR BE AN IMMEDIATE CONCERN TO ALL OF US?”

“If you want immediate answers, you should try your best to wring them out of Fluttershy.” they retorted. “But if you want answers that will truly mean something now and forever, you should try your best to wring them out of yourself. The only problem is that in the state you’re in now, all “yourself” is going to tell you is a load of bullshit.”

“YOU REMIND ME OF LUNA.” Twilight’s robot persona told them. “HONESTLY, I DON’T REALLY CARE WHAT ANYONE BESIDES FLUTTERSHY THINKS. THIS CONVERSATION IS OVER. GOODBYE.”

And with that, Twilight walked through the entrance to Fluttershy’s mansion, the gates shutting behind her as the Dark Sky members chuckled to themselves.

“What a fucking liar.” they thought to themselves. “You only care what you think. But whatever, enjoy getting the last word. Then see how much it helps you...in hell.”

Twilight walked through the courtyard of the mansion, coming closer to the house. Though she had expected to see Ninja Time God Rarity and Fantasy God Discord standing outside the house, she instead saw Luna and Fluttershy…

“Yo.” Fluttershy unceremoniously greeted Twilight. “What’s up?”

“?!” Twilight went, unable to comprehend any reason as to why Fluttershy was being so casual. Luna shared her confusion too, as she looked over at Fluttershy in astonishment just as Twilight did.

“Um...I’m doing fine…” Twilight answered Fluttershy, bowing her head in reverence, deciding not to question what she found weird once again. “I just came here to ask you something…”

“Ask me everything if you want.” Fluttershy replied as she pulled out a book and pen. “After all, didn’t you come here believing that I would give you the answers to all of your problems?”

“No, no, that’s fine…” Twilight politely declined. “I only need a little help from you…”
“Completely wrong.” Fluttershy replied. “You need every bit of help you can get from me. Can you admit that to me?”

“Yes, of course.” Twilight lied. “I’ll tell you all of my problems, I promise.”

As Twilight told Fluttershy everything that she thought was wrong with her, Luna felt weird the entire time.

“I can feel that Twilight has changed in some ways…” Luna thought. “She is self-aware of her problems now, for sure, and I can see that her drive to fix them is true, but...something is still deeply wrong with her soul…”

“Fluttershy…” she kept thinking as she looked over at Fluttershy, filling page after page of the book as she wrote in it with her pen. “What ever are you writing in there?”

Eventually, Twilight was finished sharing all her problems with Fluttershy, and Fluttershy was finished writing.

“And that’s it.” Twilight concluded. “That’s everything. That’s every question I have for you. Now please show me the answers.”

“Certainly.” Fluttershy said sweetly, handing Twilight the book she finished.

“Thank you so much.” Twilight said, feeling honestly grateful. “I’m sorry for everything that I’ve done. Thank you for finding me worthy of your forgiveness…”

Looking at the book, she told herself in her mind…

“Finally. It’s finally come to an end. My long walk of suffering is finally over. Now that God has given me this book, I can turn everything around. In the end, all I had to do was humble myself before God and have him show me the way…this truly is the perfect ending to the story of Twilight Sparkle...”

The End of the Story of Twilight Sparkle.

“Up next is my story,” said Myra Michaels, “which ties in with this one. It may seem somewhat abrupt, but you’ll see how the two come together…

...right now.”

Right now, Twilight Sparkle was staring at the book in horror. She had opened it and started reading it, only to find…

...nothing. All the pages in the book were blank.

Twilight then looked at Fluttershy and asked…

“But...how? I saw you write words in this book…”

“Who said I was writing words in the book?” Fluttershy replied. “All I was writing in there was a magical incantation. Symbols that faded away.”

“You were...casting a spell on it?” Twilight surmised. “But what kind of spell?”

Twilight looked all throughout the book, flipping page after page frantically.

“Come on, this has to be a fucking joke!” she exclaimed in frustration in her mind, pressing her face up against the book in desperation. “There have to be words in here some...where…”

Twilight paused in worry when she realized that she was no longer facing the book...but her own body. Her face was now on a page in the book, staring at her own faceless body…

“EEEEEKKKKK!” she shrieked in terror as her faceless body brought her hooves to where her face used to be. “What...why…”

“Don’t you understand?” Fluttershy said as Twilight’s faceless body tried to pick her face up, but failed, as her face was fused with the book. “There are no words in that book that I have written. You are one of the many who will search and search for them futily, then give up deciding to just make your own interpretation of the book. You attach your face to the book and sacrifice your individuality, thinking that it’s giving the book magic, without ever realizing that I am the only one who can give that book magic. And so, instead of finding me...”

Twilight then tried to teleport her face back onto her body with her magic, only for the spell to backfire. A magic aura appeared around her before she vanished and reappeared as a drawing in the book.

“You find yourself sucked inside your own little story.” Fluttershy jeered.

Watching this, Luna was aghast.

“Fluttershy, what are you doing?!” Luna shouted. “You-you didn’t do this to me as punishment for denying your grace!”

“This is not punishment, Luna.” Fluttershy replied. “This is simply cause and effect. Twilight Sparkle wishes to go to hell, and so, she will go to hell.”

Fluttershy then grabbed the book and shut it before it became surrounded by an ever-consuming fire. Though blocked by the cover, Twilight’s face made a futile attempt at escaping the book, hollering in agony as the book turned to ash. Fluttershy then scooped up the ashes, the story that Twilight had become, and whispered something to her…

“I wish you luck in finding out who the traitor is, Satan…”

And with that, she scattered the ashes as Luna just stood back and watched in disbelief. The only words of comfort she received from Fluttershy that day were these…

“Don’t worry. I’m hoping that she’ll return one day as a phoenix, just like Myra did. Even if she first has to return here as the devil.”

Twilight’s spirit has moved on...