Chapter 64: A Red Chain Reaction

I got a new assignment. The last one of my “internship,” assuming all goes well.

They want to set up a small outpost in POV-2020. Multiple Overseers have been studying that dimension because there’s something off with it and no one has a straight answer. So, they want to take a closer look because, apparently, they sense a lack of divinity. A void where one or multiple gods should be.

I’ll admit, them describing it like that gave me pause. I’m so far removed from it, but that part of my old life still burns bright in my mind. One of the Diyems said that’s natural, since it was so formative to who I am now.

… I’m sure there’s a smarter way to phrase that.

But then the same Diyem told me the assignment sounds rather fishy. Or maybe it was one of the other ones? Stars, I can’t keep track of them.

Anyway, I asked him what he meant. Moving boxes and doing cosmic construction work sounds fine to me.

He looked me dead in the eye and told me my home was POV-2017. That it should be close to POV-2020, and it’s not. That, even by Ginnungagap standards, POV-2020 moves around enough that it’s hard for the Overworld to track it.

I told him he’s just being his usual negative self. I’ve been doing well. I deserve to reach the next part of my “cosmic community service.”

“… and while no one can say for certain what brought about Prince Shimmer’s surprise makeover, Blitzer, few Venishians are complaining. His Grace handled the supply distribution from the convoy in an efficient, organized manner. A far cry from his outburst during Parliament’s closed session that raised more than a few eyebrows.”

The television feed panned from a suit wearing beartic to the midnight lycanroc sitting opposite him, paws clasped together under his chin.

“Aren’t you the least bit worried about why he looks so different?” Lycanroc asked. “Do you suppose distortion mutated him?”

“I can’t speak for others on the matter, Blitzer,” Beartic said, shaking his head. “What I can tell you is that Venish needs supplies. Parliament is too busy debating how much we actually need due to people fleeing the city.”

“Fleeing the city, or getting pulled into rifts?” Blitzer interjected. “Do I need to pull up some of the footage sent into our studio by viewers?”

“PV off!” Justine called, pacing across velvety carpet and stopping to glance at the screen. It abruptly shut off and a green light on the corner of the machine turned red. The virizion stopped pacing, turning her attention toward a pink dressing screen decorated with lace, violet flowers… and the silhouette behind it.

“Did you hear that drivel?” Justine stomped her forehoof down on the carpet. “Shimmer ‘efficient and organized?’ Is this PNN’s idea of a joke?”

Silence from the dressing screen. “I know you can hear me, Izzy.” Justine puffed her cheeks out. “Did you order supplies for Venish without Parliament’s approval? And entrust the delivery to Shimmer?“

That got a sigh from behind the dresser screen. The silhouette moved to the left side of the screen. Isola poked her head out, horn glowing pink as she ran a pink brush through her pink mane.

“It’s nothing to lose your head over.” Isola chuckled. “I see this as a good thing. You always said I coddled him too much and that he couldn’t do anything for himself. Sounds to me like he’s finally learning to take some initiative.”

It didn’t sit right with the virizion. “But what about the transformation? Doesn’t that concern you?”

“Not really.”

Justine froze, then turned toward Isola. “Did you finally fess up about the eviolitis thing?”

Isola shook her head. “No. But from the sound of things, he ran off into a distortion bubble and popped out looking a little different.” She ducked back behind the dressing screen. “Maybe he did it to try and drum up sympathy after that ghoulish stunt in Parliament. I wouldn’t put it past him.”

Justine eased a bit, acknowledging her wife had a point. If anyone was vain enough to try and win fake sympathy points, it was Shimmer. Perhaps he hadn’t changed that much after all. “Maybe I overreacted.” Her shoulders sagged slightly. “It’s just… with everything going on lately, to have him run away only to show up out of the blue looking and acting like an entirely different person…” Justine’s voice trailed off. “I’m an inquisitor, you can’t expect me not to be suspicious.”

“I totally understand.”

The fairy rapidash finally emerged from behind the dressing sheet, garbed in a thin silk gown that loosely fit her torso. Despite her casual attire, she still wore her armored breastplate. It was smaller than during her public appearances. Justine was used to the sight and knew full well Isola’s magic could change its size. Every time she asked why Isola kept it on all the time, she was met with little giggles or nuzzles in that one spot in the crook of her neck that made the virizion crumple like tissue paper.

“Truthfully, I find it a bit surprising,” Isola continued, slowly strutting past Justine while gazing at her reflection in a floor-to-ceiling mirror. “But I’m not going to complain. If he wants to… assert himself and become a thorn in World Ender’s side, then let him. Best case scenario, he proves himself capable of things we didn’t think possible.”

Justine looked down. “And worst case… we lose our only son.”

A little tingle tickled Justine’s nose. ESP tilted her head up so she was looking at Isola. “Worst case… the people rally around the loss and their grieving queen to drive out World Ender’s forces.”

Justine stiffened. That sounded like something she would have said before Shimmer decided to run away. Talk about role reversals. “You’re awfully calm about that possibility.”

“That’s because I consider it an impossibility,” Isola said. She was at Justine’s side now, brushing her flank against the virizion’s.

“What, ahh, do you mean by that?” Justine tried to suppress a shudder. She loved the rapidash’s touch a bit too much.

“It’s a secret,” Isola replied, giggling.

Justine squinted. “A secret you can’t tell your wife?”

A proper laugh this time. Isola pivoted, resting her head on Justine’s back. “Ooh, dear, Madame High Inquisitor, you’ve got me backed in a corner. All right, I’ll confess!” The rapidash lifted her head to show off her breast plate… and the red, eye-like gem in the middle. “My family heirloom, the Radiant Shield? It’s more than just a crest. It has a special bit of power in it.”

Isola touched the gem to Justine’s right thigh. An enthralling tingle made Justine’s fur stand on end. Her holowear gem grew a bit warm against her right foreleg and, after a second, she realized her latex suit and fishnets were torn. The fabrics woven by the holowear’s magic lay in ribbons on the floor.

The virizion’s brows raised. Had the shield… short circuited her holowear?

Without thinking, Justine found herself whispering, “Go on.”

With a smile, Isola’s horn glowed the same color as the Shield. Another shiver ran down Justine’s spine and the rest of her holowear drifted down onto the velvety carpet. Isola stepped beside her. “World Ender’s troops can do whatever they want. As long as I have this power—” She paused, her face hovering centimeters from Justine’s snout. “No, as long as we have this power, they can’t touch us. And the kingdom will stand.”

Justine thought she had a question, but Isola cut it off with a kiss. That same tingle — no, more like an electric shock — ran down to Justine’s tail. Her jaw slackened somewhat and she clumsily stepped back.

“Sounds… good,” she mumbled.

“I’m glad.” Isola strutted past the virizion. “Now, come along.”

Justine slowly blinked. “To where?”

“I feel so filthy after that little chat.” The rapidash was already halfway toward a glass door on the far side of the room. “I’m drawing up a bath. You should join me.”

Justine was walking after Isola before she even finished her last sentence.

Shimmer slowly meandered along the side of the freight train’s caboose, despite burning muscle aches squeezing his legs. His hooves conjured tiny ice blocks to walk on so he didn’t have to sully them in the railyard’s dirt. The dusty air on the ride over had been bad enough, but then the air at Venish’s rail station turned horrendously muggy as people packed inside in droves to get supplies from his convoy.

Although he’d finished distributing the supplies and now awaited Demerzel’s arrival, Shimmer couldn’t stop thinking about the last couple of hours. He destroyed a giant World Ender robot! It was all him! He finally had some real firepower to throw his weight behind. The ponyta didn’t have to fear World Ender’s troops. He could trap them in a snowstorm at the drop of a hat!

… And the actual supply delivery. The supply delivery.

Shimmer had earned praise for most of his life — a lot of it likely unearned, in hindsight — but this was different. The Venishians were genuinely glad to see him. Their gratitude was real. He wasn’t getting talked up because of a photo shoot or something. No, he actually did good by his people. He stepped in when Parliament wouldn’t!

That had to count for something. It had to mean his mothers were wrong. That he could take initiative. That he did deserve the throne.

… It had to mean he could rescue Robin and Xander.

Putting aside the discomfort of dirtying his fur, Shimmer sat down on the dirt behind the caboose’s rear wheel. Groaning, he stretched out his neck, then his forelegs. This was an ache he’d never felt before. Not even after some of his more… vigorous extracurriculars with Xander.

Was this that post-workout high that dopey bewear PE teacher always spoke of back at school when he tried to get Shimmer to do more than a light trot? It wasn’t too bad.

Not too bad at all. Shimmer flipped his icy mane over his shoulder, sighing. He could get used to this. Being a ‘mon of action and reaping the praises for hard work, instead of doing the bare minimum and expecting to get something out of it because it was his right as Crown Prince.

The ponyta tensed a bit. Maybe Vegna was right to belittle him. Maybe if Shimmer had actually pressed the matter with the dusknoir instead of crying foul to his mothers, he wouldn’t have embarrassed himself in the Crowne Court and Parliament. And maybe his friends and future husband would still be here.

Shimmer huffed out frost. Introspection time had gone on long enough. Where the hell was Demerzel? The overgrown vegetable was late. Shimmer needed a shower. And some decent food.

He has crazy strong telepathy, right? The pontya tried to concentrate, which meant envisioning the bulbous-headed mutant.

“Hey! Where are you? I can’t stay in the railyard forever!”

Several seconds of silence passed. Shimmer stomped his forehoof down, huffing in annoyance. He was pretty sure he did the telepathy thing right. Why wasn’t Demerzel answering?

Before Shimmer could try again, though, his tails crinkled. He sensed something. A presence— no, two presences. Not too far, but somewhat… blunted?

The ponyta never was good at describing auras. But whatever they were, they came from the front of the train. Shimmer got up and crept forward. He tried to concentrate, raising his ears and holding his breath. He focused on his psychic powers again, knowing full well that if whoever was on the other side had decent enough ESP of their own, they’d sense him in a heartbeat.

“… gambler needs to know when the time has come to cash in.”

The voice was a bit muffled, but Shimmer thought it familiar. Yet the ponyta couldn’t quite put his hoof on who it was.

“And, in His Excellency’s opinion, you’ve worn out your welcome at the table. Played a few too many hands.”

Shimmer kept pressing forward, his footsteps slow and methodical. He couldn’t afford to make noise. This voice was familiar, but not one he’d heard recently. It sounded too old and deep to be a classmate. An academy teacher, maybe?

“You’re pushing your luck and you are one small step away from losing the rest of your pot.”

… No. The voice had too much of a sense of authority to it. And it definitely wasn’t Vortex. Could it have been someone in the government, then? Maybe an MP or an administrator?

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. I think I liked you better when you were spewing unfunny, recycled stand up material instead of speaking in card game metaphors.”

Shimmer froze mid-step. He certainly recognized Demerzel’s voice. But that second sentence…

Minister Charles?

The Mr. Rime had gone missing weeks ago, leaving the Radiant Guard completely stumped. Yet it sounded like Demerzel was talking with him right now!

The ponyta decided he’d walked far enough. He pressed himself up against the side of the train, flinching from all the dust and gravel that stuck to his pelt.

“I made it clear last time, didn’t I?” Charles scoffed. “Thanks to your unwillingness to help us, your beloved Glastrier now belongs to the Grim Reaper.”

Shimmer’s brow furrowed. The Reaper? As in Vegna?

Wait. The dusknoir had fought an armored knight riding an icy steed back in Venish. And when it was over, the steed was gone. Did Vegna kill them? And were they someone close to Demerzel?

What the hell was going on?!

“And I made it clear last time that I am helping,” Demerzel hissed. Shimmer thought he sensed a spike in psychic energy from the front of the train, but remained rooted to the spot. “This isn’t something I can brute force. This is a fight won by the long knife that twists slowly. I’ve endeared myself to Radiance’s royals. I’m giving you disgusting oafs the time you need to break the seals.”

“You call destroying His Excellency’s troops helping?” Charles’ voice brimmed with amusement. “Quite the side pot you’re offering up there.”

“It helps keep everyone’s attention focused within Radiance,” Demerzel countered. “Otherwise, they might decide to try and find a way inside your precious empire. And then you’d really have a problem, wouldn’t you?”

Shimmer exercised every bit of willpower he had not to lash out, but it was grueling. The way Demerzel spoke… made it sound like all the help he was giving Shimmer was nothing but some sort of elaborate ruse! Was his growing strength part of that ploy? Had he let himself get duped into thinking he was finally making a difference, only to be made a fool of behind his back again?

He couldn’t stand for that. He wouldn’t stand for that!

… But the ponyta refused to expose himself. He’d stay quiet. Get whatever extra leverage he could.

Keep talking, you cads.

“His Excellency doesn’t see it that way.” Cassius was still amused. “I’m simply here to tell you that your stunt earlier today cost your remaining spouse her rations for the foreseeable future.”

Shimmer tensed to avoid gasping and giving himself away. There it was. The piece tying things together. Charles — now under World Ender’s employ, from the sound of it — was blackmailing Demerzel.

They had his wife. Just like they had Shimmer’s future husband.

“Geryon!” Demerzel audibly strained. “You’re starving her? Do you brutes have no morals?!”

“If you start cooperating, we will happily give her the food and water she so desperately needs,” Charles said.

A heaviness gripped Shimmer’s gut. What if he rushed to judgment? What if Demerzel wasn’t using him… but helping him because of their shared circumstances?

“… what do you expect me to do?” Demerzel’s voice cracked.

“His Excellency intends to deploy a new weapon to Tulpise to help build up the ranks of his Eternatus Troopers,” Charles said. “You will advise the queen to deploy her army, but you will leave those plagiarized bugs behind so our Iron Moths can capture Radiance’s soldiers to serve the empire.”

“And if I’m successful… you will stop starving Geryon?”

“Feed her and heal the wounds that have persisted through her malnourishment,” Charles replied. “I wouldn’t take too long thinking about it, either. Last I checked, some of them looked infected. Who knows what could be eating away at her bloodstream?”

Silence followed. Shimmer again held his breath. Given the shift in Demerzel’s tone, the ponyta expected him to acquiesce.

“… fine.”

“We have a deal, then?”

“Yes.”

“Shall we shake on it like genteels?”

“Keep your filthy hands to yourself.”

Charles chuckled. “Very well, then. I hope you truly choose to walk away and take your winnings… before there’s nothing left for you to claim.”

A pulse of psychic energy followed. Shimmer pressed himself even tighter against the train, ready to spring into action if need be.

Instead, Demerzel sighed.

“You can stop hiding, Your Grace. He’s gone now.”

Shimmer winced. So, Demerzel knew the whole time. Did that mean Minister Charles did, too?

Demerzel appeared beside him in a blip of pink light. Shimmer hopped back with a startled whiney, his tails reflexively puffing out.

“I did my best to try and mask your aura,” Demerzel said, folding his hands behind his back. “Hopefully it was enough to keep that clod from realizing you were eavesdropping.” He paused to glance at Shimmer. “You did eavesdrop, right?”

The ponyta nodded slowly.

“How much did you hear?”

“I, uh, think I came in at the part where Charles was telling you it was time to cash in?”

“You didn’t miss too much, then.” Demerzel’s expression sayed unreadable, but he sounded… pleased?

“Wait.” Shimmer stepped toward his mutant advisor. “You wanted me to eavesdrop?”

“Why else would I stay here after the ex-minister accosted me?” Demerzel countered, chuckling and shaking his head. “I knew you were here, after all. If this was a conversation I wanted to remain private, I would’ve insisted we go somewhere else.”

It sure sounded reasonable, yet Shimmer couldn’t forget what he’d heard before. He looked down at the dirt. “This sounds like another trick,” he muttered. “And I’m… not some tool for you to use!”

“Of course you aren’t. But I needed that Eterna stooge to hear what he wanted to hear,” Demerzel said, turning away from Shimmer. He floated up to the train, looking at a metal ladder that went up to the roof of the car. “Surely you’ve seen one of your mothers try something similar when dealing with Parliament, no?”

Shimmer bit his lip. Demerzel was right, but how could the ponyta be sure the reverse wasn’t also true? What if Demerzel was lying to him, too?

He had to make his stand here. Figuratively.

“What are you hiding?” Shimmer squared up his stance. “If this partnership is going to work, it’s high time you explained yourself.” He took a deep breath. “What are your ties to World Ender? Is it blackmail… or something more?”

Demerzel remained silent and unmoving… save for a pained grimace that wove its way across his face.

“Do you consider yourself more of a visual learner, Shimmer?”

Shimmer fanned his tails out. “Don’t deflect.”

“Yes or no.”

“… tch.” Mist swirled around Shimmer’s hooves. “Visuals are… helpful. Why does it matter?”

“Because I think, in this case, it would be easier to show than tell.”

Demerzel continued to stare at the train. Slowly, he reached up… and pulled his violet robes down ever so slightly, revealing a small brace around his neck. Demerzel touched the back of his neck and the brace came off with a sudden click. It dropped to the ground and Demerzel kicked it toward Shimmer with one of his long legs.

It rolled to a stop by his feet, allowing Shimmer to see a small plastic circle that had opened up to reveal a photo inside. He recognized Demerzel… and the icy steed he saw in Venish. The black and purple equine drew a total blank, however.

“My partners, Glastrier and Spectrier,” Demerzel explained. “Taken from me by Eternatus’ ruler. He has held their fates over my head to get me to aid him in his bid to free Eternatus from its seal within your world. I thought getting close to you and your family was the best way to do that… but the ruler went back on his word.”

“Because of Vegna?” Shimmer looked up at Demerzel.

“He didn’t send Vegna to take Glastrier from me. Rather, he forced Glastrier to come to Venish,” Demerzel said, slowly curling his nubby hands up. “I think, whether Glastrier succeeded in terrorizing the city or somehow met his end… didn’t matter to the emperor.”

“But it certainly matters to you,” Shimmer said. “Did you talk with Vegna about this at all?”

“No.” Demerzel’s expression sharpened. “I’m sure he could… bring Glastrier back. Or attempt to, at least.”

That wasn’t the response Shimmer expected. “Huh?” The ponyta tilted his head.

“Oh, were you not aware? He’s a necromancer.” Demerzel let out a bitter laugh. “He raises the spirits of the dead. It’s the lesser-told part of the whole Grim Reaper schtick. That he kills the people he prosecutes to add to his army of the undead.”

Okay, that sounded a bit familiar. “I just figured the tabloids were sensationalizing to make some fast cash.”

“Even trash reporting can have a ripple of truth about it,” Demerzel said.

Shimmer stepped toward him. “Then isn’t that all the more reason to talk to him? I have plenty of reasons to hate the guy, but if he’s not in league with World Ender, then wouldn’t he be willing to cooperate and give you back your partner?”

“It’s impossible,” Demerzel cut in, expression growing more pained. He braced himself against the side of the train.

“Because…” Shimmer raised a brow. This was not the time for Demerzel to call off his show and tell.

Demerzel said nothing. Instead, he tightly gripped the side of the latter. His body lurched violently. Strange bars of static ran from his giant head to the ends of his long legs. Jagged, staticky spikes and squares jutted out in random directions, as if he’d suddenly turned into a glitching PV screen.

The static jumped from Demerzel to the latter, and then the rest of the train car. An assortment of differently-colored glitching cubes and spikes spread out. Shimmer backpedaled, panic spreading across his face, as the glitchy shapes slowly solidified into black and purple globs of distortion.

“… llar…”

Demerzel had somehow managed to pry himself off the train.

“Th… col… r…”

Shimmer looked down at his feet. Demerzel’s collar was glowing with pink energy. The ponyta levitated it into the air and slung it in Demerzel’s direction. A wad of glitching squares grasped it… and all the static encasing Demerzel abruptly vanished. He dropped to the ground, shakily trying to strap the collar back on his neck.

The train car hadn’t returned to normal, however. It was still an irregular glob of distortion. Except now there were a few words scrawled across it.

The Original One breathed alone before the universe came.

Just as soon as the sentence appeared, it vanished in pink mist. Mist that faded into Demerzel’s collar, now secure on his neck once again. He pulled his robes back up to his it, still breathing heavily.

“What was that?!” Shimmer’s eyes darted between Demerzel and the wad of distortion. It wasn’t growing… but it wasn’t shrinking, either.

“The… proof… you wanted.” Demerzel caught his breath, but didn’t hover back into the air. “Vegna cannot revive Glastrier… because neither of us are meant to be. The same goes for Spectrier.” He put his hand on his small, round body. “I suspect… Eternatus’ ruler used Eterna energy to give them both stability. But Glastrier’s stability is gone now… and this plate can only keep one soul stable.”

Shimmer didn’t know where to even begin with that explanation. “‘Neither of us are meant to be?’ What kind of purple, flowery explanation is that?”

Demerzel slightly turned onto his right side. “I… am not a mutant. I’m a calyrex. A species born to rule. To lead.” He took several heavy breaths. “But I am lost. In time and space. Simply because I wanted to be a good leader… and protect my home from a very real danger.”

Shimmer shuffled back slightly. If calyrex was a pokémon, it was one Shimmer never heard of before now. “Trying to protect your home… from what?”

“From the very same creature the Aeons worship! A wicked dragon of light!” Demerzel spat.

The ponyta stiffened. So, that’s why he believes so strongly the Aeons’ god exists?

“He was a danger to my partners. To my friends. To my home. His presence was a beacon for wicked souls!” Demerzel smacked his left hand against the ground. “So, I worked hard to get myself elected leader of my home. And when I won the election… I took the steps I thought necessary to protect the people who were depending on me.

“I called an even higher power than that infernal dragon! I told the group how dangerous he was. How he had already broken my universe once before! And when they actually showed up, I thought it was going to happen! I thought they would take him away and we would finally be safe!”

Demerzel looked at Shimmer and there was a frenzy in his eyes that he’d never seen before. “But you know what happened? Do you. Know. What. Happened?”

He smacked the ground again. “They acquiesced to him! He gave demands and they listened! My pleas fell on deaf ears!”

A half-laugh, half-wheeze escaped Demerzel’s lips. “So you know what I did?”

“Uhh…” Shimmer stepped back again. “You tried to leave?”

“I tried to take away his powers! His light!” Demerzel said. “But things hit a snag. My device triggered on one of his, y’know, great-great-great-great grandkids or some ridiculous drivel! But only because they interfered with it!

“The dragon should’ve just accepted his fate, but no! In a fit of rage, he… he somehow caused a chain reaction with my device that hit me and my partners!”

The calyrex rolled onto his back and stared up in the sky. “Next thing I knew, I woke up all alone in this world. A world where familiar names like Horizon, Aeon, and Radiance were thrown around in all the wrong ways. And I was in such… such excruciating pain.”

He placed his hands on his neck. “But I soon found this plate. I don’t know why it showed up. But it stopped the soul-tearing pain. It gave me… a sense of stability.”

Demerzel slowly hovered back into the air. “It wasn’t long before Eternatus’ forces made contact with me, however. And told me they were holding my partners.” He shook his head. “That cooperation was the only way to see them again. The only way to return home.”

“And you believed them?”

“I wanted to.” Demerzel didn’t sound too proud of himself. “You have to understand… I had no idea where I was. How things worked around here.” He turned away, folding his arms behind his back. “But, even though I tried to do what they asked, it eventually became clear that they did not intend to hold up their end of the deal. Fortunately, the work I had done showed me that there’s… an alternative way forward. A path to get home.”

He looked at Shimmer. “A path to get you the kingdom you rightfully deserve.”

Shimmer tilted his head. He already had a kingdom. Or he would, anyway, once it was his time to take the throne. “What’s wrong with Radiance? It’s my home.”

“That it is.” Demerzel bowed his head down. “But, if things continue as they are, you will never see the day you take the throne.”

“What?” The ponyta squinted. “Because of World Ender?”

“Because of your mother,” Demerzel said.

“Excuse me?” He took a cautious step toward Demerzel. “What, did you hear Justine planning a coup or something?”

“Hardly. If I had to guess, she’ll be on the chopping block soon enough, too.”

Shimmer tensed. “This isn’t funny.” Was this calyrex implying someone or something intended to off him and his family?

“I wouldn’t expect you to realize it.” Demerzel shook his head, then pressed his right hand to his temple. “Perhaps Justine doesn’t, either. But I sense it.”

“Sense what?”

“That Isola and I are the same.” Demerzel moved his right hand down to his torso. “Souls out of time and space.” He paused. “Though I suspect that is deliberate on her part.”

Shimmer swallowed hard. He was finding it difficult to follow Demerzel’s logic. “Can you elaborate?”

“Perhaps you never bothered looking, but Isola used to be a… very different person. Until her time at Horizon Academy ended.”

“And?” Shimmer huffed out frost. “People grow up.” His mothers certainly thought he needed to.

“No. We’re talking sudden, drastic changes,” Demerzel continued. “And it doesn’t stop there.” He shook his head. “There are bits and pieces of similar reports stretching back for generations. All of them hidden. Difficult to find unless you know where to look.”

He turned away from Shimmer. “Besides, don’t you find it strange that, throughout Radiance’s history, there has never been a single king who sat upon the throne?”

Shimmer stared blankly. “What? That… can’t be right.”

“It’s always been a queen. Married to another woman.” Demerzel lifted both hands up and tapped them together. “They would sire one child. If the child turned out a boy… then he, at some point, would transition. The future king would become a future queen instead.”

The calyrex looked over his shoulder. “Do you feel as though you’re not the right gender?”

“No.” Shimmer flicked his mane over his shoulder. “I’m happy with who I am.” He stepped forward once more. “So, again, where are you going with this?”

“Isola isn’t Isola.” Demerzel folded his arms behind his back again. “I don’t know who she really is, but I know what she is: a body-snatcher. Someone who jumps from Radiant Queen to Radiant Queen. And, as the Crown Prince, you are her next victim.”

Shimmer shook his head. He almost stumbled and fell over in disbelief. “No. No, no, no.” He laughed nervously. “That’s… ridiculous. Something out of some schlocky PV miniseries.”

“It’s the truth.”

“So, what?” Shimmer’s eyes darted around. He kept trying to tear them away from the distortion glob, but couldn’t. “Why tell me any of this? How does this help you with your… whatever?”

“Because I need a new partner. Someone who, like me, has been wronged.” Demerzel blipped over to Shimmer’s side. “The shield your mother always wears?”

“It’s been with the family since the Darkest Day,” Shimmer whispered, thinking about the oversized breast plate and the red gem housed inside.

“That’s what’s giving Isola her power,” Demerzel said, placing a hand on Shimmer’s shoulder. He recoiled at first, but didn’t move away. “I can sense something inside. A power similar to my plate. If we could take it from her…”

“You want to steal my family heirloom?”

“No. I want you to have it,” Demerzel insisted, hovering in front of Shimmer. “… eventually, at least. But if we can take it… then we can combine it with the plate that I have. It can send me home. And then you can use the power to rid Radiance of the body-snatcher and Eternatus in one fell swoop.”

He put his other hand on Shimmer’s other shoulder. “You will be the king that Radiance truly deserves. The king you’ve always thought you could be.”

Shimmer looked into Demerzel’s eyes, trying to tell if he was getting played. Yet it was hard to argue against the things he had just seen. “How would we even combine them?” the ponyta wondered.

“That’s where Dr. Arianna comes in,” Demerzel whispered. “She has all of Tesla’s brains and none of the attitude. And given how she feels your mothers have wronged her and her life’s work, I suspect that swaying her to our side will be the easiest part of this whole endeavor.”

He took his hands off Shimmer’s shoulders and drifted back slightly. “I understand that this is… a lot to take in. But I am committed to this. You deserve a future. You deserve your birthright. Just as I deserve a chance to return home.”

The calyrex extended his right hand. “What do you say, Your Grace? Can I count on your support?”

Shimmer stared at Demerzel’s nubby hand. “These ice powers. What happens if things don’t work out?”

Demerzel didn’t move. “They’ll return to me, but you will be unharmed.”

Silence ensued as Shimmer chewed on everything. And it was a lot. The ponyta was afraid of being tricked again. But the early admiration from the Venishians felt so good. He wanted more of that. And he couldn’t get it if he let things end here. And certainly not if Isola really did end up snatching his body.

Shimmer stuck his forehoof out and pressed it to Demerzel’s hand.

“I hope, for both our sakes, you’re telling the truth.”

Demerzel pulled his hand back and curtsied with his purple robes.

“I won’t let you down, Your Grace.”

High above the unsuspecting duo, a dusknoir sat atop a corviknight, looking at the tiny fissures running up his right arm. Golden vapors faded into the air around it.

Vegna squeezed his right arm with his left hand.

Griffon glanced back at Vegna. “Did you get what you wanted, V?”

“It would appear so.”

“So, why the long face?” Griffon paused. “Or, well, y’know, whatever the equivalent is for dusknoir.” He flicked his right wing dismissively.

Vegna’s eye dimmed.

“Necrozma is inching toward rebirth as a Phantom,” he whispered. The ectoplasm on his right arm bubbled under his hand. “And, all this time, the source of his greatest pain — the one who struck down his family — has sat out in the open. Upon a gilded throne of lies.”

“But you always suspected it, didn’t ya?” Griffon said. “That’s why you got this job in the first place, ain’t it?”

Vegna tightened his grip on his arm. “We have to find him… before it’s too late.”

“Find who?”

“The only one who beat Necrozma when he was still whole: Mewtwo.”