Redemption.

by Lord Vinder

And then how shall I act?

The day had been equal to that of any other to the ruler of Equestria, Princess Celestia, in the sense that paper work filled her desk and ponies asked her questions aplenty; her opinion on one thing, policy of another, and others trying to book a meeting.

From her office window she could see Twilight Sparkle sitting under a tree and reading a book with much fervence. She watched her use magic to flip the pages with speed as she scanned for something. What exactly she was reading could be was not known to the Princess, but it did cause her to smile at her young student. Such a passion for learning. She had her failings--like everypony she wasn’t perfect-- but she was a good filly to the Princess.

Three ponies approached her student; Twinkleshine, Minuet, and Lemon Hearts--all three unicorns-- and well meaning students at the university. Celestia was aware that those filly’s were the closest that Twilight had to friends; even if they never hung out at all. She interacted with them for a few moments before running off, leaving the filly’s somewhere between annoyed and disappointed.

A sigh left Celestias lips. No matter how hard she tried, nothing she did could convince Twilight to make friends or be social. That mare was as stubborn as she was powerful and strong willed.

“A problem, your highness,” the voice of a stallion asked. She turned and glanced at the voice, which came from behind a stack of paper. She smiled and giggle cutely at the papers.

“Your highness?” the stallion asked again, this time making his presence known. He revealed himself to be a light brown unicorn with a blonde mane and blue eyes. Perched on his snout was a pair of glasses--that seemed to be moments away from falling off.

“No, no. Nothing is wrong, Dr. Quill,” Celestia said with a weary smile.

Quill just nodded. “Tea, perhaps then, to celebrate nothing being wrong?” he offered.

“That would be lovely. Ea-” she began with.

“Earl Grey, with three sugars, and one quarter lemon cut into three equal pieces in the white cup with the red marker so you can draw smiley faces on it,” Quill finished for her, his lips perfectly straight.

“That was only one time,” she said, playing with her hooves and looking down.

“And every time since, provided it has only been us in this room,” Quill added, setting two coasters down on the empty desk near a painting. “I shall return shortly.”

Celestia watched her advisor leave. He was only 28, but he was arguably the best she had in centuries. He connected well, kept her on task, and was both organized and a skilled negotiator when it came to dealing with the court.

“He could do my job,” Celestia noted as she watched the door.

A glow, followed by a flash and suddenly a letter floated in mid air, just in front of her face. Someone had been busy it seemed. A quick glance at the floating parchment before it fell to the floor told her all she needed to know. It was from Twilight.

Opening and reading it with a speed that few could match--honed by over one thousand years of reading forms and documents. The letter fell to her desk as she read the last word, and fell onto the floor. A gasp left her lips, and her eyes stared right ahead.

Writing quickly, she returned a letter to her student--letting her know there was nothing to worry about and letting her know that she, Twilight, would be sent to Ponyville to oversee the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration. Effective immediately. All while she herself worried. In moments, the letter was sent off, hoping it would buy the Princess time.

She moved over to the table, and sat on one of the chairs near the painting. She glanced out a window, not far from the table.

“Has that time really come,” Celestia asked no one but the empty room and the glass of the window. “One thousand years, it’s such a long time. But it really isn’t.”
The alicorn turned to the painting near her. She now stood in front of the painting, of her and Luna. She was playing the piano, and Luna was right behind her. It was a nice memory of their time in the old castle before her sister left.
The door opened, but Celestia didn’t even register or acknowledge it. Her eyes glued to a pony that no one, but her, knew existed. She badly wanted to raise a hoof, to touch Luna, but she held back--if only just.

“Steuben, your highness?” Quill asked, standing with tea for her, in his hoof.

“Kuhfeld, Stueban came later,” Celestia noted quietly. “Thank you.”
A simple nod left the stallion. “I see. Your sister looks well in that painting, doesn’t she?” Quill asked, sipping his tea. “Ah! This beverage I was about to enjoy is rather hot.” His tongue was out of his mouth, a bit of pink now visible behind his brown coat.

“You, you know?” Celestia asked, ignoring the antics of her administrator.

“Mhmm, of course I do.” Quill added. “I’ve told none, of course.”

“Even Twilight knows not, how could you know?”

“What is the likelihood that Ms. Sparkle has read Pre-Rebellion law?” Quill asked simply. “At least my thesis was on it.”

“Yes, I remember that,” Celestia noted. “It was the first time I was asked ‘Your highness, where might I find the legal cases from one thousand years in the past.’”

“I needed the information,” Quill stated simply. “And if anyone was to know, it would be you.

A simple nod left the Princess. Quill was right.

“I. I assume you know what happens now, right?”

“It’s nearly one thousand years since the start,” Quill stated. “And still, you’ve gotten better looking.”

“Flattery will get you no where, Doctor,” Celestia said with tight lips.

“And yet I am now here,” the unicorn said with a smirk, much to the Princess’ annoyance.

“Be serious. We don’t have much time.”

“Ah, the ultimate question: paper work, or the very incarnation of everything the Elements hate,” Quill asked. “Truly, the courts have seen no greater question.”

“Quill, I’m warning you,” Celestia noted, her voice losing any touch of motherly appeal.

“So you have a plan then?” Quill asked. “Excellent.”

“I...don’t. How do I combat someone like her?”

“Well, the prophecy for one,” Quill offered. “It would be convenient if the stars that aid in her escape, were to be little Ms. Sparkle.”

“That’s how prophecy works Doctor, you know that.” Celestia explained, finishing off her tea.

Quill said nothing, and gave no movement. The two ponies sat in a dark silence for a few minutes.

“Harmony,” He said. “The Elements of Harmony.”

“They’re gone--no where to be found.”

“They return as needed,” Quill stated. “We both know that. Magic can be really convenient when it needs to be.”

“So what do you propose?” Celestia asked. “Twilight will be able to, but how much time does she need?”

“More than we have,” Quill established. “Look at the sky, does that look like it’s going to be a downcast of friendship, harmony and cute little bunnies, or of hatred, anger and armies of evil.”

Celestia closed her eyes, and listened to the world around her. Although faint, she could hear the voice of, something. Something distant, something familiar. But something. And it was calling for her. And her alone. Screams? No, to soft. But it was there. And it wanted her.

“I, I feel it,” She said, her voice calm, but her tone betrayed her.

“What do you feel?”

“I. I don’t know. It's, distant. That’s for sure. But it is there. Not physical; the fact you didn’t feel it surprised me. But it’s there,” Celestia explained.

“I can see it.”

“How?”

“I don’t know. But I can see the fear coming.”

“What does it look like.”

“Nothing. It looks like nothing.”

“Colours? Smell? Anything?” Celestia asked, almost begging Quill. “Tell me.”

“What is there to tell? It is nothing,” Quill explained and paused for a few moments. “It is lost.”

“Lost?”

“Yes. Lost.”

“Lost how?”

“Lost like how it doesn’t know where to go,” Quill said, pausing for a few moments. His eyes got lost in the void of the room and he seemed to be not of the world anymore.

“Quill?” No response. Moments turned to minutes and he did not move--not even so much as a twitch.

“Quill?” Celestia asked, her voice stern and stiff.

No reply came from the bespectacled unicorn.

“Quill, what do you see?” Celestia asked.

“I see. Well, I don’t see anything. But it feels, evil? Yes, that would accurate,” Quill offered. “It feels evil.”

“What feels evil?”

“What is coming.”

Celestia paused, unsure if that was a question or a statement. “What is it?”

“Nightmare Moon,” Quill stated. “At least, I assume its her.”

“The time comes, days away at best.”

“The celebration, your Highness,” the unicorn said, elevating his desk top calendar over. “She will return then.”

“How do you know,” Celestia asked.

“The moon is at its greatest strength. If the legends are true, then it is when she will be at her greatest power and would be able to return from the moon, and fight,” Quill explained.

“Not possible,” Celestia noted. “The moons strength would not be powerful enough, until two days after the festival. It still would be too far.”

“But close enough,” Quill corrected her. “While she would be stronger in two days time, she would--in theory--be strong enough on the day of the festival.”
A long sigh left the Princess’ lips. “Then what would you suggest? We are dealing in theories, not facts.”
Quill took to his chair in silence, and stared at his desk, running a hoof over a few papers.

“There is, one suggestion.”

“What’s that?”

“Pacify.”

“Peace will not stop the nearest titan of evil this world has seen in near a millennium,Doctor,” Celestia said, her voice stern and solid.

“Not her, not quite. Pacify the locations.”

“You make no sense.”

“He presence will not come directly from the moon to the festival. She will need time to adjust herself from the moon to Equestria. Not a lot of time, but enough that just showing up in a place filled with ponies will cause her problems,” Quill explained. “If you can figure out where she could arrive in, and get there well before she does, you can pacify the locations and make sure that her evil will not bring back anything.”

“Pacify? Bring back? Explain yourself,” Celestia ordered.

Quill stood and looked at the Princess--his eyes locking on to hers.

“You are not at peace,” he stated firmly. “You relive the memories of that night everyday, and every hour. You have not forgiven yourself, and you have not forgiven Luna. Your highness, you need closure.”

“I. I will have my peace whe-” she tried to say.

“You will have your peace before she returns, or you will not see her return,” Quill noted. “How can you see her return with love, if you do not move past the time? You cannot.”

“Then she and I will heal together!”

“That will bring you failure, and you know that. She will have enough problems, and you looking at her with angry eyes will do no help,” Quill explained.

“Then we. We will. I,” the alicorn said with eyes to the floor, and finally her mouth stilled. “I see your point.”
A hoof touched her chin, and Celestias eyes looked at Quills smile. “You are not alone. You do not do this alone.”

“Quill,” she said, her lips gave no smile, only a slight frown.

“You are strong your highness, of that there is no doubt,” Quill said, a small smile on
his face. “Years alone have forced you to be strong. But you need not be strong alone. I am with you, and I stand with you at your side.”
Celestia blushed, and gave her administrator a smile. “My right hand stallion,” she said.

Quill returned the smile before returning to his desk. “The old rebellion, what of it holds the most power,” Quill asked, pulling out a small map of Equestria.

“A few locations,” Celestia said, looking over his shoulder. “Fort Vanhoover was where is started, and where I saw my sister lead troops in battle against me.”
Quills hoof visibly tightened at the name, but he said nothing. Celestia patted him with her own, but continued on.

“Skater, at the base of Canterlot Mountain. Then there is the Plains of Neighbra, and the old Castle,” Celestia added.

“Perhaps her old room as well?” Quill suggested.

“That might not be a bad idea,” the Princess agreed with, glancing at the painting again. “I shall start there.

“This will not be the easiest thing,” Quill explained. “But I am here should you need me.”

“I thank you Quill,” Celestia said, her face in better cheer then before. “See to it that all things are dealt with in my steed.”

“You have my word,” Quill stated, saluting the Princess with a stoic face. He smiled, after, and gave her a hug. “You also have my support, not just as your advisor, but as your friend.”

She smiled at his action, and returned the hug. “You’ll do me proud.” And with that, Celestia left the office--eyes focused and determined.

Author's Note:

Just things to help explain references.
Kuhfeld; as in Peter Kuhfeld. The painting in question is titled "Sisters." It's very beautiful, so look it up if you get the chance. He's still alive to the best of my knowledge.
Stueban; as in Charles de Stueban (1788-1756). The the painting referenced is entitled "Bataille de Poitiers en octobre 732" or in English as "The Battle of Poitiers of October 732." Another great painting, look it up if you get the chance.

Comments

[Dragon of Shadows]

“They return as needed,” Quill stated. “We both know that. Magic can be really convenient when it needs to be.”

convenient magic is convenient