Big Trip With Some Big News (Mistah J)

Prima Bella had spent a large majority of the train ride in the bathroom, her stomach far more delicate to motion sickness and the various smells from the passengers and the food the train served. There was an elderly mare that had decided to pour what smelled like an entire bottle of perfume on her before getting off on her stop somewhere along the Unicorn Range. She took a deep breath and momentarily glared at her stomach before walking back to her seat where Just Heart was waiting.

"Hey, are there anymore crackers in the bag?" She asked, climbing into her seat and trying to relax. She hadn't told him yet, wanting to wait until they were at their destination and because she was a little scared to do so since he'd told her he was dying.

He smiled at her as she sat down, and gently nuzzled her neck. "Of course Darling. I've been too busy thinking to eat..." He frowned as he stared out the window, he had several theory's on how to save himself, but none of them held any real weight. He needed to figure something out soon, because his time was short. He hadn't told Bella, but being around the Crystal Heart would do quite a number on him. He estimated about three or four days would be all he had left once they arrived at the empire.

Bella took the crackers and began nibbling on them, taking the occasional sip of water. She looked up to her fiance as he stared out the window, leaning slightly against him. Guess she wasn't the only one with things on her mind.

"Penny for your thoughts?" She asked.

"How about a kiss instead?" He said, looking back and lightly kissing her. As he pulled back, he sighed "I...I'm sorry, I should have told you but you seemed so excited. Once we arrive at the empire...I'll have four days left at most. The Crystal Heart will cause me to fade faster..." He looked away in shame. He had wanted to make her happy, but he had only hurt her more.

Bella returned the kiss and smiled, fading quickly into a frown as he spoke. Oh sweet Celestia, she was going to throw up again, she could just feel it.

"I'm pregnant!" She blurted out then gulped.

Just Heart blinked once, twice, thrice before he realized what she had said "I-I...wh-what?" he could feel the tears forming in his eyes. He felt a sinking feeling, like he was being pulled into the depths of tartarus. In the back of his mind, Just felt a familiar pull. He knew salvation was right there...all he needed to do was take hold of it...

"I-I'm sorry Just... I wanted to wait until we were there," Bella said, starting to tear up. Things simply weren't going well for this couple right now and all Bella wanted was for things to go back to when they first met, not this torrent of feelings... dammit now she wanted pickles and peanut butter!

He slammed his eyes shut, trying not to give in. As he struggled, smoky grey vapor began to flow from the corners of his eyes. It was all just too much, he wasn't ready to go and there was only one thing he knew to do. With a furious roar of rage and agony, Just Heart exploded in a super nova of dark magic. His coat faded to midnight black, and his eyes burned with dark magic, even his horn curved back once more adopting it's red colouring and sinister curve. The explosion derailed the train, injuring or killing everypony on board. Only two(Or three, ya know) were left untouched. A protective field of dark magic had formed around Bella, and Just had been at the epicenter of the magical nova. AS the smoke cleared from the wreckage, Just Heart was wearing an all-too-familiar suit of black platemail with wicked horns and barbs, and had the Black Blade strapped to his side once more. He took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled "I'm not dying today." And with that, the last fragments of Just Heart's conscious mind faded away.

Bella watched him with wide, concerned eyes, what was happening now? She reached a hoof up and wiped the tears from her eyes. "J-Just?" She asked softly right before he exploded, yelping and curling up into a tight ball to protect herself, not knowing what was going on. After a few moments, she lifted her head and looked around, her entire body shaking in fear and looking up at Just Heart as he spoke, seeing Revenant in his place. Oh no... She slowly looked around, seeing the wreckage of bodies and the glass and metal of the train, feeling sick. "Oh sweet Celestia..." She whispered in horror.

As she spoke he looked down at her and smiled wickedly, his razor sharp fangs showing. He slowly walked over and extended a hoof to her "Come now my love, we have a long journey ahead of us." He knew the old crystal keep in the norther wastes was abandoned, and it would make for a good staging ground.

"Revenant... What have you done?" She asked softly, looking at the offered hoof but not reaching for it, still not quite processing just what was happening around her.

"I survived. There was nothing else I could do...I will not leave you alone in this world, my Darling." He stepped closer, gently brushing a few locks of her mane behind her ear.

"But all of these ponies... the train... It's destroyed," She said, looking into his now red eyes.

"Do not worry about that Bella. Our foal is safe now, that is all that matters. Now come, we must hurry love." His eyes held a wicked gleam, and seeming joy at the pain of those around him. But there was something else, deep inside there was love and concern for Bella and their infant foal.

"O-Okay," She said, shakily standing and looking around for her bags. She found it nearby, using her magic to grab it since it was laying among shards of glass. "Where are we going?"

"To a fortress carved from a mountain. So old and deep are this castle's roots, that not even Celestia could destroy them. It was my father's keep, and now it stands abandoned. It will be the perfect place for us." He looked at the mountains that loomed in the distance, it'd be a huge risk to teleport, but he wasn't sure Bella would make the journey.

"That's a long way to walk," She said, looking at the mountains. Bella's hooves shifted nervously, wishing her brother was here, Sprint would definitely know what to do. "M-Maybe we should try walking to the Crystal Empire and get help, we have to be close."

As a foal he had memorized the layout of the fortress, and it seemed that the knowledge would finally prove useful. He just hoped nothing had changed while he was gone. "Brace yourself Darling, this will not be pleasant." As he spoke his dark magic enveloped them both, and there was a bright flash of purple light. Seconds later the appeared in the courtyard of a massive castle built into the side of a mountain. Revenant stepped forward, breathing deeply "It is good to finally be home." The courtyard was filled with skeletons of dead ponies clad in armour, that had seemingly died in some great battle.

Bella gulped and yelped as they teleported to the castle, her stomach lurching as the bile threatened to come up her throat. The feeling growing even worse as she saw the skeletons. "I-I don't think I like it here," She said, taking a few steps back.

"Come now Darling, I promise our chambers will not be as corpse filled." He took her hoof and lead her through the castle, the inside was littered with bodies as well, but these weren't decayed and seemed frozen. Expressions of terror and agony were literally frozen on many of their faces. After a long walk, they came into a large and lavishly decorated bedroom. It seemed mostly untouched, if a bit cold. Revenant trotted over to the fire place, and lit a roaring flame that was oviously fueled by dark magic, as it was purple. As the cold air was quickly banished, Revenant smiled to himself.

She followed along, keeping her eyes on the ground so she wouldn't have to see anymore dead ponies. When they reached the chamber, Bella shivered as the chill of the castle started to get to her. Her eyes flicked over to the purple flames then averted to look around the room. Now what was she going to do? All she wanted was to go back home to Ponyville but that didn't seem like it would happen anytime soon now. "What happens now?" Bella asked.

He hummed in thought "I shall open a portal to Ponyville so you may gather anything you need to bring it here, and while you're gone I'll clean the castle up." He thought for a moment more "I trust you to do whatever you feel is necessary Bella."

Even if it meant not coming back? Bella thought. "What about Sprint and Quick? Revenant, I can't just stay here, I have students back home too," She said softly, looking at the ground.

"When ever you need to go, I can open a portal for you." He wasn't foolish enough to think that he could keep her prisoner here, as much as he might want to. He stepped over, and gently nuzzled her neck.

Bella hung her head as she thought. "Maybe in a little while then... Do you have to wear the armor? I want to cuddle," She said softly.