-TERRARIA, CAMELOT: CASTLE-

The early morning sun rises on the horizon as its gentle kiss blankets the capital in a golden-white coloration. Various structures glistened in the morning rays as the water flowing from fountains showed off their crystalline beauty. Seagulls could be heard down by the docks, and the first few merchants of Camelot’s marketplace were setting up for today’s business.

All the while, guards of both genders began their daily routines as they surveyed Camelot’s streets, stood at their stations, and even acted as escorts for various individuals.

Incidentally, and behind the Order of The Guide, a barrier was erected over the Hellevator that was used by Zalgo, the former prisoners of The Underworld, and The Mech.

……….

Twilight was beckoned awake as the sun graced her face via a window positioned near her bed. Her current chambers, much like those of her friends, were a gift granted to them by Queen Amore herself.

The lavender mare ‘yawns’ as she turns her gaze towards a small clock that sat on the nightstand that was positioned next to her. It was currently:

[ 7:43 am ]

“Excellent. My calculations were correct, and I’ll be able to make it to breakfast in time,” Twilight says as she gently pulls off her red blanket, and hops onto the gray-marbled floors. She then looks towards a nearby table with an assortment of papers, accompanied by a quill.

“Oh! I need to send my letters to Celestia back to Home Town,” She says, trotting over to the table. The lavender mare fires up her horn as purple energy surrounds not only her appendage but the papers before her, as each sheet of white and their companioned quill are sent away.

“There we go. Now then, I sho-”

[KNOCK] [KNOCK] [KNOCK]

A trio of knocks bangs on her door in a casual fashion, followed by the words:

“Twilight? Are you up yet?”

Twilight’s ears perk up, “I am! Come on in, Linn.”

The oakwood door opens as the pink-haired terrarian peeks into the room, but not entering it entirely, as Linn says:

“Good timing. Breakfast is just about to be ready,” She then steps aside, “Want to walk together?”

“Sure!” The lavender mare exclaims gleefully as she trots out of the room, causing Linn to chuckle before the pink-haired terrarian shuts the door after them.

……….

As they traversed through the hallways and passed by various guards stationed on either side, an oakwood door opened up as both Starlight and Shadow Thunder began to walk out together; rubbing against one another as their tails intertwined.

“I had a very good time, last night~” Starlight comments as she nuzzles the neck portion of the dark stallion.

“As did I, beautiful~” He responds, rubbing the lower portion of his muzzle against her head. Just before her horn.

“Good morning, Starlight, Shadow Thunder,” Twilight calls out.

The two ponies turn towards her as Starlight responds:

“Good morning, Twilight!” She then runs up to the alicorn and rears up to bring Twilight into a hug via her forehooves.

“Woho, Starlight,” Twilight says after a small chuckle; patting the unicorn on her back, “You’re in a good mood today.”

Starlight gently breaks away, and lowers herself, “What can I say?” She glances back to Shadow Thunder with a half-lidded eye; over her right shoulder, “Our date went very well.”

As this goes on, Linn smirks with a hand to her chin as she says internally:

-Shadow Thunder, you sly pony. I can still feel your love energy leaking off of each other-

Twilight blinks twice, “Wait, why were you two leaving that room together?”

Starlight giggles with a forehoof covering her muzzle, “Come now, Twilight. Now’s not the time for questions. We need to reach the dining hall before eight o’clock,” The unicorn turns around and walks back to the dark pegasus, who waits for her.

Starlight rubs and nuzzles herself against him, “Let’s get going.”

Shadow Thunder chuckles, “Mares first, Starlight.” He winks.

As the duo turns away together, Twilight looked on from behind as she turns to Linn and says:

“Are those two, seemingly, very happy together this morning?”

Linn sighs, and facepalms with a small laugh, “Oh Twilight, you sweet summer pony…”

“What? Am I missing something?” The lavender pony asks.

Linn waited for the pairing before them to walk a further distance away, and leans down to whisper into Twilight’s right ear:

“I’ll give it to you bluntly: They had sex.”

Twilight froze in place as her mouth instantly dropped in response. Her eyes began to twitch before she shouts:

“They rutted?!”

-TERRARIA, ANUBIS’S PYRAMID-

Anubis was currently standing before all of the trainees as Echo Silhouette, Athena, and Bulk Djinn stood beside him. Celebes and Silence were noticeably missing, to which Pinkie Pie questions, while also carrying the small figure of Shroom on her back:

“Where’s Celly and Silly-Glitchy?”

Rainbow Dash stifles a laugh, “Silly-Glitchy? Really Pinkie...” The pegasus said.

Applejack chuckles, “Isn’t Celly what Princess Luna used to call Celestia?” She questions.

“Don’t hate the name, play the game!” The party pony exclaims after raising her forehoof.

“Celebes and Silence are currently setting things up in Home Town. They will meet up with you at Camelot,” Athena responds after she chuckles at the pink pony’s antics.

Anubis winces, and rubs the back of his neck, “I am never taking another story from that guy.”

“In Silence’s defense, you’d have done the same if he stole a soul from you. Or your job,” Echo responds with shrugged shoulders.

“I can’t tell you how happy I was when Cleopatra’s ‘time’ ran out,” Anubis said. “Her seraph form faded away, and her soul went back to the afterlife. Thank Terra.”

As this goes on, Rarity seemed to notice something as she says:

“Wait, where is everyone else, darlings?”

As it turned out, the ponies of Equus were the only trainees present, along with Shroom, as the others were missing.

“Everyone else went back to Home Town via The Wizard’s teleportation spell, earlier this morning. It’s one of the reasons why Silence and Celebes went back there. To prepare them,” Athena comments.

“I believe Celestia and Sai Sahan are headed to Camelot,” Desert Djinn said.

“Garsh, are y’all sayin’ what ah’ think yer’ say’n?” Applejack questions as Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Young-Shroom look on in confusion.

“The invasion from The Underworld will take place in just two more days,” Anubis responds. “We gave Home Town some time to prepare its defenses. Athena also gave them some materials to upgrade those stone walls of theirs.”

“Gold bricks are what seraphs use for their houses on Sky Islands,” Athena comments. “It’s incredibly durable, and will make a fine improvement to your town’s walls.”

“What about us, darling? Are we going to Camelot?” Rarity questions.

Anubis, Athena, Echo Silhouette, and Bulk Djinn all look at each other. The humanoid changeling steps forth and says:

“Both myself and Lady Athena are going to be your final obstacles for your training.”

Rainbow Dash’s ears perk up, “Only you guys?” She then points a forehoof towards Anubis, “What about Anubis?”

“Echo is my final training regime for you, pups,” Anubis answers with crossed arms, “He’ll represent me while Athena does what she had in mind.”

“Ooh, what are we doing today?” Pinkie questions with excitement.

Desert Djinn chuckles, “Don’t get too excited, Pinkie Pie.”

Athena spreads her wings, “I shall be training you within my domain,” She gestures towards Echo, “He will be aiding me for something special I have in mind,” The Queen of The Seraphs looks back to the ponies, “In other words, you’re all going to Space.”

A moment of silence overtakes the ponies as they blink twice in response. Their eyes widen, although Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie, in particular, was grinning, as Applejack and Rarity shout in unison:

“Space?!”

“Awesome! Space, here we come!” Rainbow shouts with a forehoof held high.

“This is going to be superly-duperly-riffic!” Pinkie Pie exclaims as a series of confetti shoots out of her mane.

“All we need is for Fluttershy to show up, and you’ll all be on your way,” Anubis said.

On cue, a beam of light manifests itself as a large dome-shaped entity with a silver crown and angelic wings appears soon after. On the being’s upper body, or its head, was the smiling form of Fluttershy who says:

“Thank you so much for bringing me here, Queen Pinkie,” The yellow pegasus then turns towards her friends, “Sorry I’m late, everyone.”

-TERRARIA, THE DUNGEON: DEPTHS-

Both Greed and Polterghast were traversing down in The Dungeon depths, currently side by side, as the Ancient was currently donned in his terrarian form. Greed was walking with his hands behind his back, as he says:

“My Sweetie Belle Glutonia has returned to Yharim’s domain. As I promised, she’s keeping tabs on his whereabouts so that you may have your revenge, Polterghast. In addition to her original objective, of course.”

The entity’s mandibles click together, “Yharim will face our vengeance. We demand it, and our hatred can only be quenched in his blood.” Polterghast said, its many voices as present as ever.

Greed nods, “Whatever floats your boat,” He says with a momentary shrug, “Although, I do wish you’d take my advice and hone yourself before confronting the Jungle Tyrant.”

“Our might is legion, we will tear him apart!” The entity roars out.

“Don’t get me wrong, you’re an incredibly strong entity,” Greed responds, then places a hand to his chin in thought, “But it’s your makeup that can ultimately be your demise.”

They continue to trek down a large hallway before turning a corner. All the while, Polterghast’s light blue form with its blackened chitin alighted the dark corridors of the depths.

“What are you insinuating, Ancient?” The ghostly being questions.

“Let me paint you a scenario,” Greed says as he holds out both of his hands and forms a rectangle, “Let’s say that you were to face Anubis, and let’s also pretend that he wasn’t an Ancient,” He lowers his arms, “What is the first problem you see, my friend?”

The collection of souls clicks its mandibles in multiple successions, “We see no problem. In fact, the loss of being an Ancient only benefits us.”

Greed clicks his tongue three times, a raised finger emphasizing each click, “Anubis, even in such a form, has the biggest trump card to an entity like you: Soul manipulation.”

Mandibles click in response. Greed continues:

“You’re a being made up entirely of over a thousand souls. Anubis would have a field day with you, as would even your average practitioner of such magics. Necromancers especially.”

Polterghast stops instantly in place, as does Greed, as the ghostly entity’s legions of voices seemed to conversate amongst themselves.

“You’re saying that Yharim possesses such magic?” Polterghast questions.

“Disregarding what my Belle told me, It only makes sense,” Greed responds with a shrug, then turns to his companion, “After all, he is the one who trapped you all down here in the first place, and that’s not even mentioning the fact that he does indeed use brimstone magic.”

The two remain in their current spot as a series of colliding mandibles echoes outward. Then, Polterghast breaks the momentary silence and says:

“We have come to an agreement: We must formulate a way to resist such prowess.”

Greed chuckles, “I actually know a guy who could help you with that, once we leave this place.”

“Who?” The culmination of souls asks.

“My eldest daughter’s late squeeze, and father to my grandson: Lucifer Pit Lord,” Greed sighs, “You know, it broke my heart when Steven rejected me. I still love the kid though. It was when he and those ponies came here not too long ago.”

FLASHBACK: (Reference - Book 1: Chapter 102)

… “Polterghast… an unstoppable force of countless spirits. Tempest’s mind was the strongest of us all so it makes sense for them to remove her from the equation. They want to possess a host in order to allow them to escape from this place.”

“How do you know all of this?” Starlight questions.

“My friend, Deerg, he is a great scholar and has countless records within his study. He came to this place in order to explore the legend of Polterghast, as much as I tried to dissuade him.”

“Um, if they want to possess us and Tempest’s mind was the strongest, what about us? Aren’t we in danger of being, well, possessed?” Fluttershy inquires in a cautious tone.

“No need to worry,” Loganic replies as the terrarian conjures forth multiple headbands for everyone present, aside from The Bandit who still laid unconscious. “Deerg created these to shield anyone from the effects of the supernatural. Please, take one and pass it around.”

Heeding his request, everyone starts to take a headband and wears them…

Steven placed the headband onto his temple and, In that very second, and what felt like those seconds were stretched, his eyes widened as he gazed upon the serpentine form of Greed. The world around them bends and molds into a cavernous background. Incidentally, this was an imitation of Greed’s very own domain.

“Hello, my grandson.” The Ancient greets.

Steven’s eyes shoot wide open, “Wh-what’s going on here? And who, or what, are you?”

The large entity curls itself around The Clothier as Steven takes on a defensive stance. Now wrapped around Steven and creating a ring, Greed comments:

“I could never actually harm you, Steven. Despite being the Ancient of Greed, I’m quite the family ‘person’.”

Steven stares on in awe and fear, but a realization dawns on him as he responds:

“Wait, what do you mean ‘my grandson?’”

Greed chuckles, “It’s exactly as it sounds. Your mother is my daughter, the eldest of two, in fact. So yes, you also have an aunt.”

Seemingly snapping out of his stupor, Steven exclaims in fury:

“What in the name of Terra are you going on about?! We are not related! We are NOT family!”

“That wounds me, Steven. It truly does,” Greed responds, but seemingly notices something as he looks upward, “We’re running out of time. It seems Oblivion’s offspring and his agent are catching onto this ruse.”

As was mentioned, and in the “real world”, both Candy the Party Girl and Pinkie Pie felt something very strange. When it came to Pinkie Pie, and little did she know at the time, this was something that every Ancient and Demi-Ancient could sense when in close proximity to another.

“Hey, um, Candy?” Pinkie Pie questions in a hushed tone. “I don’t like this. My mane is twitching and my body is shaking from holding this headband.”

“I feel it too, Pinkie Pie. Something’s not right here.”

Within the molded realm outside of reality, Greed looked back down at Steven and lets loose a saddened sigh, “It seems I won’t have time to explain this, Steven. And those headbands will soon expire. When that happens, your memories of this conversation will cease to be.”

Steven raises a hand in protest, “Wait! What’s going on here?!”

“I’ll have to act ignorant of our relationship when we return, but I’ll let you keep this one piece of me,” Greed taps the headband that was placed on Steven’s head, “There. When your life is threatened, and death is certain, that band will take your place. It can also save someone else if you will it.”

Greed unfurls himself as the ring around Steven, formed from Greed’s body, disappears.

The Clothier was simply too stunned to say anything more as the Ancient before him says one final thing before ending this illusion:

“That headband also left a simple suggestion in your mind, one that you will seek out, or enact, in time: ‘What is the origin of The Clothier station.’”

-END FLASHBACK-

-TERRARIA, HOME TOWN: CANDY CANE CORNER-

Candy the Party Girl was currently handling the establishment; in Pinkie Pie’s absence. The town’s various denizens were enjoying their meals as Steven The Clothier was currently sitting alone; looking out a window.

“There’s been a thought that’s always haunted my mind, but I often shrugged it off,” Steven says before looking down to his breakfast and taking a satisfying bite out of it. It was a simple but filling meal that consisted of two sunny-side-up eggs, a trio of bacon, and a single scoop of rice.

He greedily devours his meal entirely and sets down his fork onto the now empty glass platter, “Where did my station come from? I mean, I took on that name, The Clothier, simply because I was a famous fashionista... Didn’t I?”

Incidentally, a certain headband was laying next to him.

..........

-POV-

I’m currently hiding just outside of this town’s golden walls, although they still need to replace some stone here and there. I... I can see him through the window... My nephew. He’s grown old, but he did design his own style of immortality. Incidentally, it’s very similar to how those pillar people work. He dies, he comes back young, and ages like any mortal before the process repeats itself.

Sadly... He loses his memories of us... Of me.

I despise my mother. That wretched fiend, Cosmos. Especially when I heard of what she did to Crystal Moonbeam! My half-sister!

Uh oh, need to hide...

Phew... My shouting almost exposed me. That Arms Dealer dude almost spotted me.

Anyway, my baby sis tells me that someone she calls ‘MeMe’ saved her from that monster, and they’re a pony. I want to repay this pony in person.

I have to leave for Yharim’s Kingdom in a bit, but I want you to know, Steven... Your aunty Sweetie Belle Glutonia loves you. I’ve been shielding you from big sis’s sights with my powers.

I know you think that you were all alone when you bravely sealed Skeletron within you, but I was with you the entire time. I just couldn’t screw up or else big sister Rarity would find you again. This might sound harsh, but her finding you is even worst than having Grogar’s remains sealed within you. Trust me on that. It’s better that I didn’t intervene with your curse.

Hehe, it’s funny. That pony version of Rarity saved you, and yet here I am trying to keep you unspotted by, well, our Rarity. This is actually a blessing in disguise. You see, I actually cast a spell on the pony Rarity to act as a smoke-screen. So whenever you two are together, she can blind big sis on my behalf.

I’ve gotta go, but it was nice to see you again, nephew.

I love you.

Character inventory/equipment:

Fluttershy: Statigel Armor(pony, equipped), Overloaded Blaster, Eviscerator, Crimslime Staff, Corroslime Staff, Slime Staff, Finch Staff, Snow Flinx Staff, Hornet Staff, Blood Clot Staff, Deathbringer Pickaxe, Blood Lust Cluster Axe, Healing Potion, Honey Comb(equipped), Brain Of Confusion(equipped), Mana Polarizer(equipped), Honeyed Goggles, Slime Mount, Staff Of Necrosteocytes, Purified Jam.

Rainbow Dash: Necro Armor(pony, equipped), Star Cannon, Minishark, Eviscerator, Aquatic Discharge, Bloody Rupture, Deathbringer Pickaxe, Blood Lust Cluster Axe, Healing Potion, Aero Stone(equipped), Brain Of Confusion(equipped), Bone Glove(equipped), Mana Polarizer(equipped), Victory Shard, Slime Mount.

Zecora: Crimson Armor(zebra, equipped), Dune Hopper, Sausage Maker, Beenade, Tooth Ball, Aorta, Deathbringer Pickaxe, Blood Lust Cluster Axe, Various Potions, Rocket Boots(equipped), Honey Comb(equipped), Sand Cloak(equipped), Brain Of Confusion(equipped), Bloodstained Gloves(equipped), Bone Glove(equipped), Mana Polarizer(equipped), Honeyed Goggles, Skeletron Hand.

Starlight Glimmer: Meteor Armor(pony, equipped), Space Gun, Starfury, Vein Burster, Purple Phaseblade, Deathbringer Pickaxe, Blood Lust Cluster Axe, Mana Potion, Healing Potion, Victory Shard, Rocket Boots(equipped), Aero Stone(equipped), Brain Of Confusion(equipped), Mana Polarizer(equipped), Bone Glove(equipped), Slime Mount, Book Of Skulls, Skeletron Hand.

Rarity: Meteor Armor(pony, equipped), Space Gun, Hornet Staff, Snow Flinx Staff, Ice Mirror, Blood Clot Staff, Deathbringer Pickaxe, Blood Lust Cluster Axe, Mana Potion, Rocket Boots(equipped), Brain Of Confusion(equipped), Mana Polarizer(equipped), Slime Mount, Book Of Skulls, Skeletron Hand, Staff Of Necrosteocytes.

Applejack: Crimson Armor(pony, equipped), Vein Burster, Orange Phaseblade, Deathbringer Pickaxe, Blood Lust Cluster Axe, Rope, Metal Detector, Healing Potion, Rocket Boots(equipped), Honey Comb(equipped), Flurry Boots(equipped), Brain Of Confusion(equipped), Mana Polarizer(equipped), Honeyed Goggles, Slime Mount, Bone Glove, Skeletron Hand.

Twilight Sparkle: Meteorite Armor(pony, equipped), Space Gun, Book Of Skulls, Deathbringer Pickaxe, Blood Lust Cluster Axe, Mana Potion, Ichor, Victory Shards, Aero Stone(equipped), Brain Of Confusion(equipped), Mana Polarizer(equipped), Slime Mount.

Pinkie Pie: Crimson Armor(pony, equipped), Vein Burster, Blue Phaseblade, Bloody Rupture x2, Aorta, Deathbringer Pickaxe, Blood Lust Cluster Axe, Metal Detector, Rocket Boots(equipped), Honey Comb(equipped), Flurry Boots(equipped), Brain Of Confusion(equipped), Mana Polarizer(equipped), Bone Glove(equipped), Honeyed Goggles, Slime Mount, The Blood Butcherer, Skeletron Hand.