The serving pony trotted forwards, a platter balanced expertly on his back against the tiny motion of the ship beneath his hooves. As he advanced, trotting at a steady pace, he lowered his head to a low bow, seemingly uncaring eyes facing the ground as he stopped beside the only table in the great atrium, the liquid in the teapot on his back swirling gently.
The stallion placed the platter on the table’s surface, its edges lightly scraping it and filling the massive room with sound. He bowed to those sitting there, turned, and headed out of the room with an even gait, his hooffalls echoing around the chambers, muffling the other sounds.
“The tea hasn’t changed at all, has it?” one of the table’s two occupants said, reaching out with a white hoof to grab the teapot. She poured herself a cup full, then moved on to the next, never spilling so much as a drop.
“Indeed, We always favoured the older brewing methods,” the other occupant said. She grabbed one of the cups and, in perfect synch, they both sipped at their tea. “What will you do now, Our dear sister?”
Celestia brought the cup down and turned to stare out of the massive windows stretching from ceiling to floor. The sun, her sun, was full in the cloudless sky above. “I have the impression that I should say recuperate. But I have never felt better than this. Not for a long, long time, it seems.”
“We understand,” Luna said.
“I’ve read the reports, and the one you penned for me,” Celestia said as she unfurled her wings, allowing them to bask in the warm light.
Luna nodded. “Do you have any queries?”
The other princess shook her head. “It resolved many questions. Only the future bears any questions worth asking now.”
“Many things will happen. We hope it will be for the best,” Luna said, taking another sip. “We have longed for this moment.”
“As have I, as have I.... Do you know what happened to... them?”
The dark princess nodded solemnly and, with a tiny conjuration of her magic, she forced a black, leatherbound book into existence. Its worn covers slapped together as it landed on the table by Celestia’s tea.
“Is that his logbook?”
Luna nodded.
“I see.” Celestia pushed it aside, her hoof touching it carefully as if the bound book were fragile. “There was one more thing that the report failed to delve into, sister.”
“Ask.”
She took a sip, savouring the warm tea. “What do ponies think of me? My return, and what happened during my absence?”
Luna sighed. “Many thought of you as dead, sister. Others, Us included, knew such to be impossible. Your arrival is a great shock, and surely it will rally many to our cause. We have pondered over many long nights as to whether or not this warfare is for the betterment of Equestria or not, but We decided that the absolute freedom of our ponies was of the utmost importance. We hope that you share our views, sister.”
Celestia pushed herself up and away from the table, taking long, graceful strides towards the window to stare at the sky beyond. The sun, still young and fresh, played with her mane and tail, adorning her in ephemeral jewels of light. “I do. Blueblood showed me a side of being a pony that I would have rather lived without knowing of, and I discovered it before that incident. I think we need to change some things, but I wish to do so with little loss on either side.”
“We agree,” Luna said. “Are you once more capable of using the full extent of your power? Or do you wish for more time to recuperate?”
“When I was in that chamber I was forced to use our inherent power, my magical ability to its fullest extent. At first I was crippled, unable to do anything but exert myself and give my all. Then, as I grew stronger, it was only but a chore to pass the time. In the end the strain it put on me was nothing. Sister, I have never felt as powerful as I feel now.”
Celestia looked out of the windowed panes and at the forested lands below. All across the trees and fields stretched a shadow, like a hand with a thousand claws sliding forwards and to the west. It was cast by ships. Hundreds of them moved at a snail’s pace across the sky with more joining every minute. There were ten times what had been at the last battle, both rebel and Imperial as more and more joined the cause.
Over the horizon, New Appleloosa waited.
I am so excited to see what happens. Someone is going to get their flanked kicked to the sun!
The only thing i dont like is the cover image shows rainbow dash... why is she not a main character?
I sense Armageddon approaching.
uh, so the Sol Factory Pretty much had the Same Effects as a DBZ Gravity Room!? I believe Bender has my Reaction for what is going to happen to Bunnyhelm and the Empire:
3488940
Plans were changed, stuff happened, and I never found another cool image for the cover art to replace that one.
That moment, when you realize, all hey is about to break loose, and you just know that it's going to be awesome.
Hehe, sorry bout the fangasm but there is too much awesome stuff that I have read on the internet in the past few hours. Even a chapter as small as this is enough to make me fangasm again.
(For those of you interested, these earlier stimuli are the new Dr Who minisode with Paul McGann; and the possibility for Fallout 4 announcements on the 11th of December)
I KNOW there's an actual game like this! Just with humans.
This truly makes me wonder though, if Celestia has grown more powerful as she said then would she also help in the forthcoming battle? Would she, the pony who was imprisoned all this while, away from all the death and destruction manage to hold together? I know she is their monarch, over a thousand years old and has seen ponies die but the question is; has she seen such death and destruction on a massive scale?
Curious thing to note though, does Bunnyhelm know about Celestia? I don't think he does if I can recall correctly, he's mainly just playing the political sides of things and planning the pincer attack on Canterlot once his forces are marshaled. Though does he know of the attack coming on New Appleoosa? He knows the rebels would gather and he expects them to heal the populace of their 'rebel acquired illness'.
I just truly wonder how long can the puppet master control their puppets? We shall see...
But fallout 4's trailer is coming out on the 11th! Don't make me choose!
3489554
Nah. He worked in the Sol factory for a bit, but never knew how the machine worked. It's a secret that Blueblood brough to the grave with him.
What's a steam gear?
3490553
I'm a little confused on how Luna knew about this factory/control of the sun thing. Also, the time frame.
If she can manage it, Celestia should relocate/destroy the Sol factory and reshape some mountains.
3488765 But are there Bananas on the sun?
3494414
Burning point of a banana:
Approximately 233 degrees Celsius.
Tempurature of the sun:
(at its lowerest on the upper levels of the crust. 4,320 degrees Celsius.
4320
Versus
233
No, there are no bananas on the sun.
3494593 But sense Celestia controls the sun, and seeing as she apparantly has the ability to send other alicorns into space, I don't think it's too far fetched for her to magically alter a banana so it doesn't melt.
3494966
Can't argue that logic.
I see some fixes were made but you never replied to me :(
3495537
Aye! I'm sorry mate!
And thank very much for the tips! I didn't follow all of them, since some touched on plot points that I'd planned for future chapters, but they were certainly all good!
3495552
"Caw" I say to you good sir.
3500962
One of the stories I am currently writing is a prequel to this story, it's also an homage to Joss Whendon's firefly. (though not a direct crossover).
3513955
You're right. A year ago, when I was writing this, grammar wasn't my forte.
3495029 You kinda can, though. Celestia didn't have the power to send others into space, the Elements did.
3515555
Eh, the prequel (coming on the 11th of December) has Celestia as one of the main characters. You'll see the SGW-canon of her powers there.
3516508 Aye, perhaps. What I'm saying, however should have had an "at the time" heading. Celestia, at the time, needed the Elements to banish her sister. Now, it could definitely be possible, especially if her magic is acting something like fission in the 'verse, where replication just propagates it/makes it stronger.
Fantart, only the most delicious of fanatical desserts.