//------------------------------// // CHAPTER NINE: REVELATION // Story: Mind Over Might // by SilentSky //------------------------------// --- The Solar Princess found her student in the midst of the town, talking to a contingent of soldiers and writing things down on a notepad. She landed behind Twilight, so that only the soldiers saw her at first. They briefly looked shocked, and then dropped into a bow. “Huh? What’s going on?” the unicorn asked before turning around. “Greetings Twilight, I see you’re doing what you can to help. Please rise, soldiers.” The soldiers stood to attention as Twilight wheeled around and brightened at the sight of her mentor. “Oh, Princess! Yes, I’ve been taking detailed notes on all of the buildings that were impacted and the extent of the damages. I hope that’s enough.” “Certainly; however, I’d like to speak with you in private. Would you come with me to the library? Soldiers, you may resume your duties.” They saluted, and walked off in different directions. Twilight began following her to the library. When they arrived and shut the door, Twilight asked, “What’s wrong, Princess?” Her previously confident and authoritative expression melted into one of intense relief. “Um...are you alright, Princess?” She sat herself down on a nearby cushion, “In a way, I am...but please, come sit with me.” Twilight walked over and joined Celestia on an adjacent cushion. She gathered her nerve and began. “My sister and I may have acted decisively in stopping this attack, but I can’t tell you how worried I was for your safety.” The alicorn paused before she finished her thought, “I’ve taught you and cared about you for so many years. I’ve watched you grow from an eager foal into a brilliant young mare. I know you have your own loving family, and it may seem selfish of me, but I almost feel like I can consider you my own.” At length, Twilight replied, “I don’t think it’s selfish, Princess.” Celestia sat silently in thought for a moment before continuing. “It’s...fortunate that Knight Sky was able to hold off Chrysalis long enough for me to arrive. Had he fallen in battle before then, it’s likely she would have joined the fight within Ponyville and taken you and your friends hostage. I don’t like to think about what might have happened to you had that come to pass...” Celestia closed her eyes, and a single tear came forth. She felt a hoof on her shoulder, and looked down into Twilight’s sad face. Celestia could hold back no longer, she took her student into a relieved hug. “I’m so glad you’re okay, Twilight,” she said tearfully. After a moment, Celestia collected herself. She released her student and looked kindly at her. “I wouldn’t have let her take me without a fight, Princess,” Twilight began with a smile. “Knight Sky gave us all some excellent advice just before the battle. It’s thanks to him that we didn’t have to fight Chrysalis.” “Yes, yes it is. As such, Luna has just filled me in, and I’m sure you as well know of the battle he has yet to fight within himself. What I’m about to ask you may be difficult to accept, but it is necessary. As indebted as we are to him, my sister and I have agreed to do all in our power to help him. You and the other five Element bearers must be present when the time comes. In the event we are unsuccessful, I’ll need you six ready with the Elements. I have no intention of failing, but it is better to be cautious.” “Princess, please don’t let it come to that,” Twilight began. “He’s only been here for a short time, but he’s a good friend, and I think we’d all be devastated if we lost him, Fluttershy especially.” “Yes, he did tell me that he loves her. We must save him for her, too.” After a brief pause, Twilight asked, “When will it be time?” “Very soon, Twilight. Before the time comes, I will gather the Element Bearers and you will be told what must be done. Until that time, however, Knight Sky must not be made aware of any of this. You may visit him if you wish, but any information on what we plan to do could help the beast to prepare itself.” --- The two Admirals Emrys stood side by side on the bridge of the Deus ex Machina. The word had been sent out to all surviving ships of both the Faction and United Fleet. They were to rendezvous in orbit around the dead Earth, and prepare to depart as one for humanity’s new home. After the Deus ex Machina, the first ship to arrive was, to Richard’s shock, another Dragon-class, but it bore the Faction insignia, and had part of its aft stabilizers ripped off and replaced. “Silas, would you care to explain that?” he asked. “Several weeks ago we captured that one in a skirmish near Proxima Centauri. She was badly damaged, but salvageable, so we repurposed her.” Richard turned to face his younger brother, “What did you do to that ship?” “Most of the weapons were inoperable, but her life support systems were in perfect working order and a ship that size is hard to come by. We disarmed her completely and made up the weight by refitting her with living quarters. She’s a colonization ship now. We even renamed her,” he explained. Shocked that the Faction would refit a Dragon-class warship to be a colonization vessel, a very non-tactical decision given the advanced weaponry typically carried by that class, Richard asked, “What’s her new name?” “We’ve called her the Toothless.” At that, a few other ships flashed into view, followed by several more. Within minutes, hundreds of ships orbited the burned world. Most of them were Faction vessels, though there were a few United Fleet ships, most of those were heavily damaged. It made Richard uneasy to see so many of what he very recently considered enemy ships. That did not escape his brother’s notice. “You still don’t trust me, Richard.” “You’ll have to forgive my mistrust, Silas. We’ve been at each other’s throats since we were young men. When you get this old, it’s hard to change your opinions of someone, especially if you’ve spent your entire adult life fighting them. The past is a very persistent thing.” Their conversation was interrupted by the com officer, “Pardon me, Admirals, but I’ve received the ready signal from the fleet. Every ship is ready to depart on your command.” They looked to the massive fleet assembled, the multitude of humans ready to start again, eager to begin anew, and then looked to one another. Silas spoke first, “To the future then?” he smiled and offered a hand. Richard looked back to his brother. There was no deceit in those eyes, only sincerity. He smiled, and grasped Silas’ hand. “To the future.” “Would you care to do the honors, Richard?” The old Admiral nodded, and looked to the com officer, who opened a fleet-wide channel, and gave him a thumbs up to indicate that his very next words would be heard by every single ship. In a clear voice, he declared, “All vessels, this is Admiral Richard Emrys. Let’s go home.” --- “You have friends now.” The voice came to him from the darkest recesses of his mind. He responded to it, Yes, I do. “They cannot save you.” He felt the hint of anger. They will not have to. I will not let you win. Out of the depths, he felt what almost seemed like condescension, “You are a fool. I have already won.” --- Knight Sky awoke to find that though his dream felt like mere minutes, he’d slept the entire night through. However, he couldn’t shake the haunting feeling that there was something more to his dreams than one might think. Every time he awoke, he felt as though he’d just come from a dangerous place. It was as though he’d been speaking with something...or someone. Someone who was very dangerous. A knock on the door brought him out of his musings, and in walked Twilight Sparkle and Applejack. Neither of them were injured, but both looked rather fatigued. Nevertheless, he was happy to see them, and felt a weak, but wide grin spread across his features. My friends are here. They care about me... he thought to himself, and to whatever else could listen. Twilight chuckled, “You look awfully glad to see us. Has Fluttershy been that bad company?” “I guess I’m just happy to finally have friends,” he explained, eliciting sincere smiles from the tired mares. “How has the town’s recovery been progressing?” “Long hours, hard work. Nothin’ I ain’t used to, but there’s a lot left ta do ‘round town. All them dead changelin’s gotta be buried, buildin’s gotta be fixed up, and ta make it worse, we keep findin’ ponies hidin’ their injuries. They overwork themselves and have ta be carried back ta the medics. Not ta mention, that there barricade ya’ll had us put up fer the fight’s been a pain in the flank ta get rid of.” Applejack explained. “Well, that was the idea. It stopped a lot of changelings, didn’t it?” he asked. “Didn’t mean it like that, sugarcube,” she answered with a kind smile. “And how about your recovery? How are you feeling, Knight Sky?” Twilight inquired. He sighed in response, “I still need help keeping warm, but it’s not as bad as it was. I feel really weak, and my foreleg took a beating. I don’t think I’ll be able to walk for a while. Fluttershy has been a great help, though.” He gestured to the still dozing mare, whose wing remained spread over his body. “She’s helping me stay warm, keeping me calm, and hasn’t left my side since they brought me here. I don’t think I’d be able to do this without her.” He looked over to her as best he could in his weakened state. Apparently, something in his expression spoke volumes, and his two visitors chuckled lightly. “What is it?” he asked. Twilight replied, “Oh nothing, just the way you looked at her...” She grinned, “I’m really glad you two found each other. I just never would’ve expected our gentle Fluttershy to end up with a battle-hardened soldier.” “Her gentle nature...I think it’s exactly what I need to really heal, but she’s stronger than she seems. She stood up to Chrysalis before I did. She just didn’t get hurt because I shoved her out of the way and challenged the queen myself. I wasn’t originally sure about it, I thought it could possibly buy us some time for the reinforcements to arrive, but...I was afraid. Then, when I saw Fluttershy holding Chrysalis in the Stare, it wasn’t just fear of her getting hurt that made me do it. I found the courage I needed when I looked to Fluttershy and saw someone who would do anything to protect her friends,” he explained. Applejack looked amused, “She ever tell ya ‘bout the time she hollered a full-grown dragon into submission? That mare may be a mite shy ‘round other ponies, but she’s got fire in her. If’n ya’ll ever wake that fire ya best just start runnin’.” A brief silence followed before Knight Sky remembered his dream. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to keep you here, but there’s something I need to talk about, and who better to ask than those who care about me?” “Don’t worry about keeping us, Knight Sky. You’re our friend, and we want to make sure you’re okay just as much as we want to help restore the town. Now, what’s bothering you?” Twilight said, as she and Applejack took a seat beside the bed. He sighed heavily, and began, “I’ve been having these...dreams. In them, there’s usually nothing to see, but I feel like I’m talking to something in them. And it answers me. I have full conversations with it, and every time it seems more sure of itself, more certain that before it, I am powerless. It’s definitely malevolent, and I think it’s the rewrite program...the beast, that’s hiding in my mind. I think it somehow evolved. Maybe it was the amnesia, maybe it was me changing species, I don’t know...but something happened to it, and I’m having a hard time remembering certain things now. Rather, I’m having a hard time remembering certain things in a certain way.” Twilight curiously cocked her head, though her worry was evident, “What kind of things?” He gazed at Twilight with a pained look in his eye, “Adra...I really have to dig now to find a good memory of her, and it hurts. It hurts that I’m losing my hold on the one bright spot I had in my life before coming here.” “Maybe y’all oughta talk ta Princess Luna ‘bout this. I’d love ta help, but I reckon this is a mite far from anythin’ I can do.” “Luna already watches over me every night. She’s been monitoring my dreams every time I sleep. She knows everything that’s going on, and I think there are things that I’m not being told,” he answered with just a hint of frustration. Twilight was conflicted. She couldn’t tell him anything, Celestia had warned her that anything he knows, the beast knows, but she couldn’t just leave him feeling like this. She silently contemplated, He already knows something’s up, which means that the beast knows too. I guess it can’t hurt to confirm that... “Knight Sky,” she began gently, “yes. It’s true, you’re not being told everything. But please, just trust me on this, there’s a very good reason for it.” The hurt in his eyes was still evident, so she continued, “I’m your friend, and I’m going to do everything I can to make sure you get out of this okay. Everypony is cheering you on: the entire town, the Army, the Princesses, all of your friends. We’re not going to let you get taken away from us, and we’re not going to let you get hurt again. We care about you, and we all feel like we owe you our lives for how you helped protect us. So please, don’t be afraid. Trust us to save you.” Through her entire brief speech, Knight Sky was holding back tears, but as she finished, he could hold back no longer. Everything that had happened, his entire life up to that point; all the horror, the heartbreak, the fear; everything came back in a rush of bad memories. The path ahead was forked; in one direction lay his end, and immeasurable pain for all those who had come to care about him. In the other direction lay a new beginning, and perhaps even happiness. Before such a massive crossroads, one at which he wasn’t sure he had the power of choice, he broke down completely. Seeing the friend they’d come to know and love so upset, it was all the two mares could do to hold their own tears and be strong for him, at least until the sound of his pained tears awoke the yellow pegasus beside him. There was nothing she could say, so she simply grasped his uninjured hoof with her own to let him know she was there. Through his tears, he finally managed, “You’re all such amazing friends. All of you, every pony that I’ve met here. I would never, ever want to hurt any of you. I’ve risked my life once to protect you, and I’m willing to do it again.” “Whaddya mean by that, sugarcube?” Applejack asked. “I mean,” he cleared his throat and steadied himself. When he opened his eyes again, they were full of resolve, “I want you to promise me something.” “Go ahead, what is it?” Fluttershy said. “No matter what happens, don’t blame yourselves for the outcome,” he started. “Knight Sky, what are you saying...?” Twilight said hesitantly. “I know you’re going to do all you can, you’re going to do your best to save me, and I have faith that you’re going to try your hardest. But if your best isn’t good enough, if this thing takes my mind, I want you to promise me that you’ll-” “We’re not going to kill you, Knight Sky!” Fluttershy yelled. “I’ll already be dead!” he growled, as angry tears came back. “Promise me that if you can’t save me, you won’t let me hurt a single one of you! If I die, I want to know that I didn’t leave that kind of legacy.” His voice quieted down, and he spoke shakily, “My life is already on the line here...don’t let me risk any of yours.” “But...” Twilight wanted to object, but she couldn’t find the words. “Promise me,” he repeated. The three mares looked to one another as if looking for an answer, until Fluttershy set the example. “...I promise.” Twilight and Applejack looked to her, and she gave them a nod. They realized just how rare it was for Fluttershy to take charge of anything, so there was no other choice. “I promise, Knight Sky.” Twilight added. Applejack finished, “An’ I promise too.” After a brief pause, he closed his eyes in relief, “Thank you, my friends.” “Would you like us to talk about this with Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Pinkie? You’re only allowed so many visitors at once, so they were going to come a bit later.” Twilight offered. “Please, please do, if you don’t mind.” --- “He wants us to do what?!” Rainbow Dash shouted, The five of them had gathered in the main lobby of Twilight’s library. Fluttershy remained in Knight Sky’s hospital room. “Please don’t make me say it a second time, Rainbow...even thinking about something like that hurts.” Twilight answered. Applejack added, “I know this ain’t a pleasant thing ta talk about, but we all gotta agree on this before we do anything.” “Have you spoken to Her Majesty about this?” Rarity inquired. “Not yet, I want us all to be unanimous one way or another first. Knight Sky made us promise that we’d do it, and as much as I disagree with it, as much as I hate the thought of taking a life, it was his personal request, and I think we owe it to him to let him be sure that he won’t hurt anypony, no matter the outcome.” Twilight explained, not just to Rarity, but to the rest of them as well. None of them replied, so she continued, “I think the reason he’s asking us to do it specifically is because we’re his friends and I don’t think he trusts anypony else to carry out this request, and I don’t think he wants it to be done by anypony else.” She paused for a moment as a thought occurred, “But keep in mind, there’s a fair chance we won’t even have to do it. We just have to make sure that we don’t let him lose, and we won’t have to do anything of the sort. Applejack, Fluttershy, and I are already agreed. Rarity, Pinkie, Rainbow, do you agree...agree to do whatever it takes to make sure we don’t have to carry out his final request?” Applejack looked shocked, but realized what her friend was saying, and nodded to the three mares who’d yet to agree. “I would do anything for a friend, you can count me in, Twilight.” Rarity offered, stepping forward. Pinkie Pie stepped forward next, “And me too!” They all looked to the blue pegasus, whose anguish was plain. Rainbow Dash’s inner conflict was strong. She was the Element of Loyalty, and killing a friend is the last thing she’d ever consider doing. She’d sooner have her wings clipped and go flightless for life. Then again, what if losing the battle would mean unending torture for Knight Sky? Is it better to simply end that kind of suffering? She went back and forth in her head until she reached the only natural conclusion for an individual such as her. “I won’t agree to this, because we’re not gonna have to do it. I don’t care what anypony says, I’m not letting a friend die. Knight Sky’s gonna win this. He’s gonna win it because I’m gonna fight beside him, and I never lose.” Rainbow Dash stepped forward. They all knew her well enough to know that she’d agreed in her own way, a way that even the Element of Loyalty could accept. --- Celestia walked through the streets of Ponyville, observing the town awaken around her. It was just stirring for the day, as she had very recently finished raising the Sun. In the dim light of early dawn, she could see that most of the damage to buildings had been repaired, and nearly all of the changeling corpses had been found and disposed of. There was still work to be done, but a special request had been made to the weather team, and very little would be attempted over the next two days. The clouds were already being collected, and the sky was rapidly becoming overcast. Despite it being off-schedule for such an event, it was determined that a heavy thunderstorm would be needed to wash away the excess dust, debris, and entrails from the battle. The storm was not scheduled to commence until shortly before midnight; however, once it began it was intended to last at least a full twenty-four hours. That left some time for the Equestrian Army engineering specialists to get a good look around and truly assess the remaining extent of the damage. The Solar Princess would not be joining them, though. She had planned a meeting between herself, her sister, and Captain Shining Armor to discuss the fate of a certain dark grey pegasus. When all were gathered in the local Royal Guard office, Shining Armor shut the door behind them. Luna was the first to speak, “I still find it unbelievable that this is even a discussion.” “Unbelievable or not, Your Majesty, Knight Sky could represent a significant threat, should this be unsuccessful. We have to consider that this may be an unwinnable battle,” Shining Armor replied. “What would you have me do, Captain? End his life now and call it a mercy? Have the Element Bearers encase him in stone? I am certain they would approve of such a decision,” Luna replied in an acidic tone. It was rare for her to truly lose her temper, but the idea put forth was just enough to push her past the limits of her patience. “Sister, be still,” Celestia quieted her with a stern tone. “I do not relish this line of thought either, but the facts remain. As Shining Armor pointed out to me yesterday, though Knight Sky in his right mind is a brilliant and trustworthy individual with much to offer and a proven character, the possibility still exists that all that could be lost. As unpleasant as it is to consider, he is in the end second to our subjects.” Luna stomped a hoof, “And why should he not be considered one of them?!” Her outburst shocked them, but grabbed their attention. She did not give them a chance to reply, though, and continued. “Have you two forgotten that this stallion, this newcomer to our society, fought and nearly died for us?! Sister, I am ashamed of you. He directly saved your life, nearly sacrificing himself in the process. At least attempt to see this from his point of view. He found himself in a strange place with no memories and no friends, and until everypony saw him confront Chrysalis directly, nearly half of this town distrusted him completely and yet he still risked life and limb to protect them!” Shining Armor replied hesitantly, “With all due respect, Your Majesty, I-” “You what, Captain?! What is it that you’d like to say? You yourself awarded him the Medal of Sun and Moon. Do you remember what you said as he lay bleeding, before a blood donor had been found? When all of the doctors and medics believed he was about to die, do you remember what you said of him?” Luna shot back. “I...I don’t believe I do, Your Majesty.” he answered nervously. Luna glared venomously at him and reiterated, “As you pinned that medal to his bloodied and tattered uniform, as his breathing grew ever fainter, you looked at him and you said, ‘Would that I could be so brave as you, soldier.’ And now, you bring forth the idea to simply end his life because there is a chance he may lose his battle and put the safety of others at risk?! You were right, Captain. You are not as brave as him, not nearly.” Celestia stopped her, “Luna!” She waited a moment before continuing, “I admire your passion, but we must think of the safety of all our subjects here, not just the newest one, however valiant he may be.” Luna would have none of it. “My dear sister, I have been cut off from society for a millenium. Before I was consumed by something almost exactly like what Knight Sky faces now, before I became Nightmare Moon, I would never consider it, not in ten thousand years. I would never consider killing an innocent just to avoid a bit of risk, not when there is a chance to save that life. If this is what our society has come to after a thousand years, if we can now so easily execute one of our own who has proven himself beyond measure rather than stop at nothing to help him, then consider this my farewell. I want no part in a society such as that. I was given a second chance. He deserves one as well.” Celestia was shocked. She looked into her sister’s eyes, which were firm, unyielding, and desperate. That was when the Solar Princess read deeper into her sister’s expression and realized what she truly meant. “Luna...why didn’t you tell me?” she asked, as she felt tears welling up. The midnight blue alicorn softened her glare, “I...I was afraid of what might happen.” Shining Armor looked between the two with confusion and waited for them to continue. “So all this time, you knew. How? How did this happen? Please explain it to me, sister, I want to understand.” Luna heaved a sigh, and her wings twitched nervously. “Ever since I was cleansed of Nightmare Moon, she’s remained as a malevolent echo in my mind. I could hear her from time to time, urging me to do...evil things. It was only when I went to learn of Knight Sky for myself that something changed. After I first looked into his mind, I noticed that her voice was gone. I could not find her if I searched for her. It wasn’t long before I realized what had happened. She’d used that opportunity to escape my mind because she knew she couldn’t conquer me a second time. She found the beast that already existed in Knight Sky’s mind and latched onto it. She consumed it and used it to grow strong again.” “But you’ve been keeping watch on his dreams every night. Wouldn’t she use that as a chance to get back into your mind and take control again?” Shining Armor inquired. Luna shook her head, her starry mane rippling as she did so. “No, I have been using a strict one-way connection to his mind ever since. It severely limits the extent to which I can interact with his dreams, but I can still watch safely.” Celestia then asked finally, “So the entity threatening to take Knight Sky’s mind is...” “...Nightmare Moon reborn,” Luna finished for her. “It’s settled then. Shining Armor, I appreciate your concern for the nation as a whole, and I admire your vigilance; however, I believe my sister is correct. Knight Sky deserves a fair chance, no matter the risk.” Celestia declared. “I understand, Your Majesty. As a matter of fact, I believe I’ve had a change of heart. Princess Luna,” he looked over to the Lunar Princess. “I’d like to apologize for my suggestion. I was not fully aware of the condition of Knight Sky’s mind, and it was my understanding he may have been manipulated somehow by the changeling queen while her captive and was already a lost cause. I thought it was only a matter of time. Had I known the true nature of the situation, I would not have suggested what I did.” Celestia added, “And in that case, I’d like to apologize as well, for I shared Captain Shining Armor’s belief. I wish you’d been more forthcoming, sister. You should never feel afraid to say anything to me.” It looked as though the weight of the world had been lifted from Luna’s shoulders. She sighed again and said, “I accept your apologies. Now, shall we discuss how we’re going to save our friend?” Celestia answered, “I will speak with Twilight Sparkle today. I want to be sure all of the Elements are prepared to assist us in this.” ---