The Morning After Twilight's Attempted Assassination, Hours after Chrysalis confronted Celestia
The blinding sun cast its rays across Canterlot, its long lines spreading out all of the days wondrous light. The idyllic image it created through the balcony doors of Celestia’s personal chambers was one of the princess’s favourite parts of the day. But today it held a double edged sword to her mind.
Just looking upon it, she could not help but recall the name for this time of day; twilight. Just thinking it brought pain to her heart, her mind quickly dancing to the mare currently residing in a hospital bed. She wished to be there herself, but took solace in the fact Chrysalis was with her.
Princess Celestia sighed loudly, and let the magic drop from her quill. If that wasn’t enough on her mind, then the task she had just finished would haunt her for years. Today marked the first day in over a decade that the Royal Guard had suffered a casualty, let alone eight. What made it even worse was that they had all been, with the exception of two, traitors.
Her anger flared, before her face caught sight of the papers on her desk; eight letters addressed to the families of the fallen, with details for the funerals attached. Her mind was at war within. She was fighting between grief for the fallen, a feeling of failure for Twilight, and anger for those who had committed this atrocity.
“I know I should feel more sorrow for those guards, but I just can’t. My focus is mainly on Twilight. That doesn’t make me a bad pony, does it?”
As always, Philomena sat silently on her perch, but she cocked her head to the side.
“It’s just that she is almost the daughter I never had. I’ve grown so fond of her, and so close that I just can’t stand the thought of losing her. And then I remember it. Like I am still there; I’m turning around at Longshot’s shout, and I have to watch the colour drain from her eyes while I hold onto her.”
Celestia stood from her desk, and began pacing about the room.
“And each time I relive it, the anger at those guards grows a little more. Each time it makes it harder to remember them for who they were. Each time I demonise them more. I fear that if I dwell too much on this, I might reach a point where I do something I regret. I fear that I will want to. After Chrysalis calmed down, I realised what I said to her – I said I was willing to kill somepony. Right know, I don’t know where I stand.”
Celestia sighed. “It’s happening again. You weren’t there, a thousand years ago. The night I lost Lulu was one of the worst of my life, and I was in a dark place after. The only thing that kept me from taking a similar path to my sister was the determination to make things right, to craft an Equestria that would accept her upon her return from the moon. But with Twilight…”
Philomena flew across the room, and settled on the frame of the largest painting in the room. It was of Luna, not long after her return from the nightmare.
Celestia smiled at her beloved pet phoenix, “You’re right, as you so often are, Mena. Who better to ask about inner demons than my own sister?”
Philomena ‘cawed’ her approval, before she flew down, landing on Celestia’s back. Celestia turned her head and nuzzled her, wearing her first smile of the day. “Thank you, Mena. It is soon time to lower the sun and make way for Luna’s moon, so I shall ask her after the task is complete.”
Philomena ‘cawed’ again, before taking flight, leaving through the open balcony doors. Celestia headed out of her chambers, intent of having a light snack before she lowered the sun. But she never made it far before a voice called out for her;
“Aunty!” She turned around to greet Cadance, but was blindsided by a hug; one she returned with gusto.
“I need to borrow you, there is something you need to see.” Before Celestia could question it, Cadance had taken her wing in hers and was dragging her down the corridor. It was going to be a long day.
Canterlot Castle Interrogation Room Two, The Next Morning
‘Cadance found one.'
'She found one of the traitors.'
'He is right here, in front of me.'
'One of the ones who tried to kill my Twilight is right in front of me.'
'I could just reach out with my magic; his neck would be like a twig beneath a hoof.’
Luna continued to conduct the interrogation. She was either oblivious to Celestia’s inner turmoil, or she chose to ignore it. In truth, Celestia was barely listening, at least until she heard the word ‘Everfree’.
“The Everfree Forest, a place barely anypony goes. No wonder the Commander chose to make a base there, but at least we now know where he is.”
Her sister went back to her questions, but all she could focus on was running through her mental map of the Everfree, and all of the places she knew a group could hide. She ruminated on this until she heard Luna begin to wrap up.
“Well in any case you have been most helpful Harvest Leaf, but there is one last thing I want to know,” Luna leaned forwards. “You have told us how you came to be here, but you haven’t told us why. Why have you abandoned your fellow conspirators and sold them out? What changed your mind?”
“Several things,” he responded. “The fear and fury Princess Twilight showed during the attack, the behaviour of some of the other changelings we have hunted…” Harvest’s eye became downcast. “And her…”
“Her?” Luna interrupted.
Bringing his head back up to face Luna, he replied: “You know, the maid that died. Well, the thing is, there are many whispers that the commander was responsible.”
Luna looked him in the eyes. “That maid’s name was Sunny Aura.”…
“…a few of us started to believe he had a hoof in her death. Just before I left I even worked up the courage to ask him and… he was indifferent. He didn’t answer yes or no but…”
Sunny Aura. Celestia, wrapped up in the event of the past forty eight hours, had all but forgotten about her passing. She had been an excellent maid, and a good friend to many, stopping behind after work to chat, sometimes even over a cup of tea. Now it was confirmed, she was murdered.
Broad Sword’s headcount had grown, adding another member of Celestia’s circle of friends, and in her position that list wasn’t always as high as she would like. The internal fire was given more fuel. If one was to look into her eyes right then, you would practically melt.
Before she knew it, it was time to deliver her verdict, and after carefully schooling her expression as well as her voice, she spread her wings as she delivered it, “Private Harvest Leaf of the Equestrian Solar Guard, you shall be imprisoned within the dungeons until your court martial at a later date. We can’t ignore the crimes you have committed against the harmony of Equestria and the surrounding lands, but the assistance you have provided today will also be taken into account when judgement is rendered. Do you have anything else to say in your defence?”
Harvest Leaf hung his head dejectedly as he rose to his hooves. “No, your highness.”
“Very well, take him away.”
Two Solar Guards led Harvest Leaf out of the interrogation room, leaving the two royal sisters alone.
“Sister,” Luna addressed. “What do you intend to do?”
“I will talk with Chrysalis, but this group must be wiped out soon to prevent another catastrophe. I do not intend to let Broad Sword escape, and we must pray that the others surrender to us if they do not wish to share his inevitable fate. I will be there, as I know Chrysalis will almost certainly will. I imagine your captain and Sergeant Longshot will also volunteer readily.”
“Be careful not to let your personal feelings get in the way Tia, they are a very dangerous thing in the middle of battle.”
Celestia gave her little sister a smile. “Do not worry Lulu, I promise I will be fine. The fate of Broad Sword’s co-conspirators is still up to them when the time comes, but Broad Sword’s sentence has been relegated to Queen Chrysalis to decide, considering the circumstances, and we both know what the verdict will be.”
“Funny how that leaves your pristine image intact.”
“Luna?” Surprise and hurt tinged Celestia’s voice.
“You cannot fool me Tia, I know you want him dead just as much as Chrysalis, just… please be careful. Such dark thoughts can lead to much more trouble down the road.”
Celestia lifted one large alabaster wing over Luna. “Then it is a good thing I have my little sister to keep me in check,” she smiled as she gave her sister a little nuzzle.
Luna nuzzled back. “I said it once, and I will say it again. How did you last without me for a thousand years?”
Celestia chuckled. “It is a mystery to us all.”
That was a lie.
It wasn’t a mystery to Celestia.
She had swallowed her rage before with a divine sense of purpose, to make things ready for Luna’s return. But now she had no such purpose, and she needed an outlet. For all the love and adoration she received, despite all those truly believing her to be some kind of goddess, she knew better than anypony that she in truth was just a pony. And just as flawed.
Luna bid her farewell, she had Night Court to attend to after all. However, Celestia stayed in that room for a few more minutes. When she finally left to make preparations, the smell of burnt wood lingered on her coat. Back in the room, where the chair had once stood, was nothing more than a pile of ash.
Everfree Forest, That Night.
Celestia wasn’t sure she liked flying by helicopter, her wings were far gentler, but she couldn’t deny that it left her fresh for the battle ahead. Once the machines reached the drop zone, the passengers disembarked. While Celestia could see in the low light conditions, she lit her horn, illuminating the area around her with pure sunlight.
She had never intended to make it so bright, but right now, her fury was barely held back, and her emotions fuelled her magic. The choppers retreated, heading for Ponyville, and the raiding party headed out.
It wasn’t long before they found their target, a large cave mouth in the side of a small cliff. And the enemy had rolled out the welcome party.
“We have contacts! Princess your orders?”
“Form up behind me, the commander’s fate is sealed but I want to give these ponies a chance.”
The group emerged from the dense tree’s lining the edge of the forest and quickly formed up on the cave. At the head of the enemy group a single pony stepped forwards, his armor signifying him as a lieutenant of the Solar Guard. Being face to face with the traitors, wearing her own colour armor no less, did nothing good for Celestia’s mood.
‘No, I can’t be too hasty. They have been duped. It doesn’t absolve them of their crimes, but I have to give them a chance.’
“Hold there parasites! You will go no further!”
‘Or not. It’s like he wants to die.’
Celestia stepped forwards from the group and addressed the misguided ponies. “Hear me ponies of the Solar Guard, for I am your princess, and I command you to stop this madness! If you surrender yourselves now you shall be treated mercifully, but should you continue down this path of disharmony you shall face the full wrath of the sun!”
“Quiet you parasite!” the Lieutenant shouted. “You can’t fool us! The Princess would never attack her own ponies, nor would she ever taint herself with battle.”
Celestia sucked in a heated breath; who was this pony to question her? “You know very little, Lieutenant. I have faced conflict you can only see in your deepest nightmares! I have faced Discord, the Tyrant King, and my own sister. I am Princess Celestia, and even though you outnumber us you cannot hope to defeat us. I am asking again, stand down now. This is your last chance!”
“Lies and manipulation!” the Lieutenant shouted, and Celestia sighed as she knew what was about to happen. “True protectors of Equestria, kill the-“
The red mist descended. She had promised Broad Sword to Chrysalis, but right now, any one of the traitors would do. She channeled all of her anger into her horn, and unleashed a beam of pure burning sun.
The Lieutenant never finished his sentence. The beam hit him clean in the throat; his neck ceased to be, and his head sailed through the air, landing down in front of a golem.
Celestia had prided herself on the lack of violence Equestria had witnessed over the past years, over the fact that she hadn’t had to kill anypony since the early days.
But now all hell had broken loose.
Throughout the fight Celestia forced herself to channel her energy into protecting her ponies, to preserve their lives as the traitors fell.
But, at her hoof, some traitors still shared the Lieutenant’s fate.
And when all was said and done, she couldn’t help but fell a little hollow on the inside. The ride back to Canterlot giving her ample time to think things over.
The traitors were dead, but now the rage had subsided, she couldn’t stop herself from mourning their loss. She quickly remembered why she garnered a distaste for such affairs, and for conflict in general.
Perhaps the death of yet another friend, Longshot, was a wake up call.
Celestia would move beyond this, it would have taken some time, but she would heal and find acceptance for what she had done.
But right then and there, Twilight Sparkle was safe, and that was all that truly mattered.
Not bad, next is the start of arc 2 right?
Congrats on getting the feature box again
Oh Celestia.. As distateful as it may be, the way of life itself is conflict and change. It may be a nasty business at times, but sadly someone has to do it so others don't.
I don't fault celstia's rage, nor her actions. Open war however seems to be coming closer the more we move toward dealing with Crudelis, or at the very least a number of short and bloody skirmishes on a larger scale than what has transpired in so far.
I rather enjoyed this interlude, I look forward to further expansion of the story.
7091457
Once a story gets in the box the first time, it will return automatically every time the story updates.
It's nice that you address the issue of Celestia acting so OOC with massacring her own ponies. I still think she should be wise enough not enter a negotiation with so much emotional baggage, seeing as the traitors could be more innocent then they seemed and would surrender without a fight if she just proved who she was. They were aware of changelings with mind control magic after all. There is still a disconnect with the start of the story where the entire changeling invasion left nobody hurt, then everyone is suddenly in "take no prisoners" mode. The fight still felt very forced, but this at least makes the whole thing more plausible. Good work.
I have to admit I had to, well read rather fast and skip only a little part of it.
I'm not that good with reading a certain chapter twice, I mean yes this was out of the eyes from Celestia, but I really wasn't in the mood for that today.
Dang.... Now we know what was going through her mind...
7091581 Well don't worry, this was only an interlude after all. We're moving onto Act 2 next, completely new territory!
It's a sad fact, but sometimes, some ponies just need Solar Lasering.
I read this right after watching Full Metal Jacket. Good job on the combat, especially the mindsets and motivation!
(But it should be "we have contact" instead of "we have contacts.")
7092088 I've seen it referred to "We have contacts" before, usually when running into a group of enemies.
7092098 Fair enough.
7092098
7092113
It's military lingo.
each individual target is a "contact" on the radar or sonar of whatever detection system being used, so they say "contacts"
And as for Celly... well, can anyone be blamed for righteous wrath? Granted the sins you commit in it's name don't become noble just because of that, but sometimes there really is no option but making a few carcasses. It is not right, it is not pleasant... but it is necessary.
This ethical dilemna is the heart of all organized militaries I think, and it's part of the reason soldiers deserve such respect. It's not easy to bear the weight of lives you paid to protect others... and honestly? I don't think it ever should be.
Nice chapter, good work.
7092147 In radar, yes. When commanding boots on the ground, "contact" most often refers to actual combat or confrontation between opposing groups of combatants, as used in the phrase "hard contact" (at least whenever I've heard it used.) It may be used in that way in some military branches or some nations' military, I don't know.
7091580
Well, it's already been said before, but.... Good people, are the SCARIEST people when they get mad. It may be unusual for her to start,
but it is still in character; because as you can see in this chapter, in shows there is one thing you almost never see of a person. Their mind. While in stories you can. So her getting VERY mad at those who caused the attack? I buy it.
Also, there isn't really much you can do in negotiations, emotional baggage or no, when you're speaking to someone who won't listen/has already made up their mind.
The take no prisoners thing? Well yes that is their approach and it's just awful. There is a reason. Risk your own men to save traitors, or ensure your men will survive by not taking any chances with prisoners? I would see Celestia going with the latter.
7092829 There is nothing more terrifying than justice in wrath.
I guess you could say the traitors finally
(Wait for it)
... saw the light.
I dont get it
Them feels. Can't really blame Sunbutt, she's like Twilight's third mother.
7088443 sorry that it's taking a bit long but i can't always be on and i hate trying to type on my phone....
*radio chatter*
Uh, the situation is in control.... though i might need a shower... *god gamn thats nasty! 'retching noises in the background'* it seems that the damn B***h had some huge changelings here on my end and one of them ate me..... don't ask..... just saying that you should be careful since i can say this... when you cut your way out of one, you start to stink worse than if you mix deathclaws dung, mirelurks acidic vomit and the insides of a bloatfly together.... and i should know since i use that stuff as a pest repellent... one the worst smells one can imagine and even that smell like roses compared to getting eaten and cutting your way out of those behemoth changelings.....
good grief it's in my everything.....
please, request for evac? i think i'm going to pass out..... uuuhgghhh... *thump*
*kssshhhh*
*more chatter*
.........help me.....
*looks around* solar flares gonna come out isn't she... *looks at ash of chair* Eeyup...
Quite intriguing.
7097597 Yes... yes it was.
Anger is a black pool of viscous sludge that is hard to swim through, and at the same time drags you down.
Wow. If Act 1 were a movie, it would honestly be in my top 5 movies. Now I don't watch very many movies, but that doesn't stop this fic from being one of my top favorites. Well done.
Umm I think this needs fixing
7110829 Fixed
Traitors are NOT 'her ponies', they are enemies. Those who would do you harm are not your friends, they are enemies.
I feel like this chapter was made to make Celestia not seem OOC. When anyone with a modicum of rational thought and understanding would not believe her to be OOC at all.
This story spent a long time painting Celestia as one of Twilight's mothers. ANY mother who sees her precious child go through this is going in for blood, and lots of it. Not to mention Celestia has been on the front lines before, she is no stranger to killing enemies.
The only way to believe she was OOC is if the reader thought Celestia never does anything but handle paperwork, eat cake, sit on a throne, and talk about how you should never do bad things no matter what. ... Which is stupid to think.
no she won't
Edit: now that i think about it, she has had to deal with these things for her entire lifetime
No Tiaaaa
The way Tia is thinking of Twi, it appears as if Sunset Shimmer does not exist in this universe. Is it true? Does best pony not exist in this universe?
However, despite the lack of best pony, this still is a great fic!
9008814
She exists, living through the mirror portal. Though EQG still hasn't happened as of this point, since Act 1 takes place right after season 2 but before season 3.
Have it a shot, but I don't think I can continue this story. The development of conflict is stunted. The rising action is very abrupt and quickly resolved. Makes it hard to keep interest when there is so little suspense. We didn't even get much background on Longshot, so his fate really didn't mean much to me.
I'm sure others won't have this issue, but I personally can't enjoy it. Not bad but not great either (no vote up or down).
were.
For that matter, it might be better to set that portion of the sentence off with -- and not with commas.