Epilogue
“So,” Trixie deadpanned, over a full mug of a hot chocolate. She, Lyra, Bon Bon and the rest of the group of friends who were the element bearers sat in one of the uintatherium cafes that had escaped most of the damage in the chaos of attack. And it was there, that the story of everything that had happened to Lyra and Bon Bon had been told. “There’s a ghostly lizard who’s been watching the world unfold for thousands of years?”
“You’d be correct.” Lyra nodded.
“Yeah, that’s not creepy at all.”
“It’s not like he’s watching us in bed Trixie.” She argued back.
“How do you know that! He could be watching us during our most intimate moments!”
“Trixie.” Raindrops rolled her eyes. “Somehow if he was doing that, I doubt that Luna would have tolerated it.”
“Maybe.” Trixie shrugged, grabbing a biscuit from its plate. “But she’s working with Corona right now.”
“That’s family though.” Bon Bon argued, enjoying a bite of spiced chocolate. Leaning over, she gave Lyra an appreciative nuzzle. “And well...I guess it can be different at times. ...I guess.”
“Where are they anyway?” Ditzy inquired, an unsure frown crossing her muzzle.
“Fixing all the zebra Kerzog petrified.” Lyra supplied. “Might take them a little bit.”
At that moment, a familiar looking zebra- to Lyra and Bon Bon at least- came stumbling into the cafe, still looking a little shell shocked. Asyana blinked as she looked the room, before she came shuffling over to the table, plopping down next to Bon Bon without a word. The earth pony wordlessly slid a mug of juice over to the zebra, who took it in her hooves and gulped it down.
“Or not.” Lyra blinked.
“I recognize that look.” Trixie nodded sagely. “You look like a pony who’s had something important to her shaken up.”
“I trusted him.” She muttered. “This was going to be the discovery of my career. And instead I was used as a pawn in a plan to kill the princess of Equestria. I am such an idiot.”
“Oh, come on.” Lyra waved a dismissive hoof. “Two alicorns and a spirit thing that can see the flow of history didn’t see Ritter’s tricks. Don’t beat yourself up.”
“Yes!” Trixie beamed, slamming a hoof on the table. “I’ve just met you, but let me tell you. Some nobles tried to ruin my long term goals. But my friends and I didn’t just roll over, we fought back! You can’t just lay down!”
“Also...well...not to put too fine a point on it.” Cheerilee added. “You were still involved in discovering an ancient city and a long lost group of creatures. That’s something isn’t it?”
Asyana smiled slightly. “Thanks. I do appreciate that. What happened to Ritter anyway? Everything’s all fuzzy from when I got turned into metal.”
“He ran off during the chaos of the battle.” Lyra frowned. “He’ll probably pop back up sooner or later, I imagine.”
“Well,” Asyana growled, rubbing her forehead. “I’ll do my best to make sure he’s equus non grata in my homeland.”
“And I’m sure that Luna will do the same in Equestria.” Lyra nodded.
“Speaking of which.” Trixie spoke up again. “Where’s Luna now? We should probably be getting back to Ponyville.”
“She flew off with Corona. It seemed like they wanted to have a conversation with each other.”
- - - -
Luna nervously fluttered her wings as she landed, Celestia touching down next to her a moment later. They stood on the ridge that fenced in the valley, which provided a commanding view of the city below. From here, the differences between what she saw now, and what she remembered from their first visit to the city stood out all the clearer.
“Remember how it was back then?” She asked, waving a hoof towards the buildings. “The jungle had the buildings completely choked.”
“Aye.” Celestia nodded as she sat down as well. “We spent time helping the uintatherium clearing the jungle away. It was fine practice for what we would go on to do.”
“So...all those years ago, why did you want to spare The Watcher?”
Celestia frowned. “Because he seemed...so broken.” She shook her head. “Do you remember how we felt, when we were the last of our kind? And how we felt when we first discovered mortal ponies? We had a purpose again. I thought that maybe giving him the same thing would help him find the same.
Luna nodded. “I suppose that it is a good thing we were both here to stop Kerzog. We did fight well together.”
“...We did.” Celestia agreed.
Sensing an opening, Luna pushed her point. “Don’t you see sister? Together we are so much stronger than we are apart. Why not come home with me?” She paused for just a moment, letting the question hover between them before asking again. “Please?”
Celestia didn’t say anything at first, her own wings twitching. “And you would cede to me my rightful title of Queen.”
Luna resisted the urge to shout in exasperation. “You know I can’t do that Celestia.”
Celestia looked at her, her eyes narrowing in anger. “Why is it that even when you address me by my proper name, it still stings no less like of a knife! Tell me sister, how do you think I view the gulf that exists between us?”
“You are so angry! How can I tell? I have felt your hate and anger every morning for a thousand years!”
Celestia stomped a hoof, but the strike seemed to lack the power and anger it usually contained. “No, Luna. It pains me as well. I would wish for you to be by my side again, but I must be in control.” She shook her head, a slight and ethereal smirk crossing her muzzle. “It is...funny in a way. Much as your betrayal still pains me, dear sister, it makes me no less proud to see what a strong mare you’ve become in my absence.”
“I wish I could take comfort in that Celestia. I really wish I could.”
“You shall, in time.” Celestia said, standing up and then taking wing. “You will see. I will come to Canterlot, and everything shall be as it should.”
Without another word, she flew off, rapidly disappearing over the horizon. Luna watched her go, blinking back the tears that were already flowing. She threw herself from the cliff, to go collect Lyra and the others. She would need to be back in Canterlot, quickly, after all.
- - - -
The Watcher cast his mind’s gaze out over the valley again, watching his charges go about their lives. Luna and Celestia had left a day ago, their fates once again in their own hooves, as it should be. But, there was a sense of unease as he looked about, a growing pit of anxiety in his non-existent stomach. He just couldn’t shake this feeling of unease, like something equally important and horrific was about to unfold.
“So, is this what you do with all your time?”
And then there was the jerk he was watching now.
“Yes, Kerzog.” He frowned, keeping his eyes closed. “I am called The Watcher for a reason.”
“Right.” The former lord of transmutation spat back. ”This was supposed to be torture for you by the way.”
“If life gives you lemons.”
“Oh yes.” Kerzog rolled his eyes. “Lovely attitude.”
“It is a better attitude than trying to recreate a kingdom that can not exist again.”
“Ha!” Kerzog barked. “Please. I am not a fool. Even if I had somehow won here, what would it have accomplished? All of our kind are dead. Would I have ruled from Canterlot with an army of golems like some kind of cargo cult king?” He shook his head. “No. I just wished to do as much damage as I could before some creature got lucky.”
“You waited a long time for that.” The Watcher blinked, tilting his head.
Kerzog was quiet for a moment, before shrugging. “I didn’t preserve only myself in this fashion. Alas though, as I’ve failed to find any sign of the other lords, it would seem my shell was the only one to endure the countless millennia.”
“Mmm. So, Kerzog, there is one more question I have to ask you. How did you blind yourself to my sight?”
Kerzog smiled, sitting a little taller as he elaborated. “You exist in the greatest mind trap created, one that all of we surviving lords worked on. And, as such, we made you blind to a certain variety of green marble that exists under this city. We used them to make the other mind trap orbs.”
The Watcher nodded. That was one question answered, at any rate. He moved his gaze beyond the valley, beyond the continent that hid it and to Equestria. The feeling of unease grew, the closer to Canterlot his mind’s eye wandered. His vision was becoming...clouded...his ability to see everything lessened.
He frowned, looking at Kerzog again. “And this blocking of my vision now?”
“Don’t look at me.” Kerzog blinked. “When would I have had the time to do anything else?”
Frowning, The Watcher pushed his vision fully into the city. From his point of view, he was in the middle of Canterlot, ponies walking past and straight through him, like he wasn’t even there. Which he wasn’t, technically. But something horrific was in the air, a vice like grip settling around his equally non-existent heart. The buildings all around him were twisted, coiled, and in some places impossible to see even though logically they would be there.
“What?” He muttered, turning in place to examine everything around him. Something bad was going to happen in Canterlot, that much was obvious. He had felt this coiling, twisting feeling of dread before a hundred other horrible events in history. But the jumble of images...that he had only ever felt once before.
Mocking laughter almost danced down his spine, The Watcher slowly turning to face its source. A billowing dark cloud coiled above the spires of Canterlot, a pair of crazed eyes swirling in their depths.
Ah, ah ah! No peeking from the peanut gallery!
A burning lance tore across his eyes, inflicting a pain upon him that he had not experienced since his days as a living being. Blackness engulfed him. He could hear Kerzog shouting in shock next to him as he thrashed about, Greyback calling for him in a panic, but he couldn’t even see the room he was in anymore. And as the mocking laughter continued to echo in his mind, he realized just what had happened.
He was blind.
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There's only one entity that could discuss plans of conquest as if he's warning a child not to look in Daddy's closet for his Christmas present. Said entity is going to treat everyone to a tall chocolate milk of glass soon.
That being said, Corona makes for a better ally than Celestia....if you catch my drift.
4924616
Just so long as she doesn't become as afraid of her own power as the Twelfth Doctor is.
Awww it's nice to see Celestia/Corona approves of Luna in some way, even if it's the totally douchey way a drunken step father would applaud you for having the balls to punch him in retaliation.
4924649
She is, slowly but surely, getting better.
Discord! Stop being all nonlinear n' such!
And of course now we reach the other reason why I usually stay out of the writer's workshop. You've written such a great story and deserve to be praised for it, but I've already provided every positive comment I could think to make, nor is there really any point in further harping on any linger critique I might still have.
So I guess I'll just congratulate you on a job well done and express my eagerness to see what kind of story you will write next.
4924649
Well, a douchey drunken dad that in anyway loves his child is at least better than nothing I suppose.
4924502
4924616
*runs off cackling*
4924565
4924649
Yup. You're right on on the soul jar thing. Since there's no real way to see or come back from across the veil of death in the Lunaverse, the only solution for them was not to cross over in the first place.
Celestia/Corona does still love Luna, in her warped manner.
4924977
4925029
Portability was defiantly not on Kerzog's mind when he decided to lay down the magical law.
Though I suppose he could animate them and Ritter could walk them outta there.
4925041
4925062
I have indeed read some Atomic Robo! Having my villain compared to Doctor Dinosaur is one of the more awesome things that's happened to me, I will admit.
And Discord rejects your concept of narrative flow!
4925183
Thank you Emeral! You and RDD had a lot to do with helping this one turn out the way it did. Your guys feedback really helped me avoid big mistakes and work this towards what it is now.
As far as what's coming next? Well, aside from my own universe where I got an idea riffing on The Producers called "Springtime for Sombra", I got a couple of fics planned for the Lunaverse.
I'm gonna do one for the World Tour arc where the L!Six head down to Naqha to deal with an ifrit, and a crossover with my own universe. ...Which doesn't even count all of the other ideas kicking around in my head that don't fit into either universe.
....Really, I need a TARDIS to do all the writing I want.
4925403
Don't we all...
Anyway, I'll obviously be interested to see that L6 visit Naqha thing (even if it weren't my "job" to read it). Also, The Producers is a personal favorite, so giving Sombra the spring time treatment sounds hilarious. All the more reason for me to start thinking about reading the rest of your work... and all the more reason for me to want that TARDIS.
4925447
Ahh, cool! No pressure though. I know that the fact that my other stuff does use some of the HiE tropes and concepts that have been done to death does kind of tar it with a certain brush right out of the gate. *shrugs* Ah well. It is what it is.
Really, though, the Springtime for Sombra came to me when I found that the lyrics to the Springtime for Hitler song just fit.
Springtime for Sombra, and the Empire!
Winter for Coltland and Prance!
Though I'd really like to re-watch the original version of the movie before I get deep into writing it, but the only version I can rent on-line is the musical version from 2005.
Screw Matthew Broderick, I want Gene Wilder!
4925534
HiE holds no stigma for me, so that's a non-issue. Topes are never innately good or bad, it all a matter of how effectively an author uses them.
Discord is here. Oh boy, does anyone have a little glass of water to appease him?
That was a GREAT story! Well done! That ending was a nice bit of foreshadowing, really liking it.
I bet the blindness goes away the moment Discord is freed, just so The Watcher can witness his madness!
4941792
Thanks Fizzy!
I suppose, in theory, he might. All depends on how much Discord wants to twist the knife.
I really enjoyed reading this story, especially the scenes involving Luna-Celestia interactions and the world-building in and around Zhalast-Zin. Also, I hope we will see more of the Watcher.
Well done and keep it up!
4958432
Thanks LaVallet! Glad that you liked it. Writing the city was quite fun in general, so I am glad that they've gone over well with the Lunaverse readers.
4980041
Well, they do know each other!
They hang out together at the "Vaguely all Seeing Fictional Character Conference."
4980127
Cause she asked for a book?
Bon Bon did say that they were okay and that Luna was there with them. The situation at that time was more annoying than critical, really. She did help with the research all through the night.
4980399
Ritter is very much a self absorbed ass who's convinced he's the smartest pony in the room at all times. Ego trip personified!
4980143 4983853 She knows they're in unfamiliar territory with Celestia, who could snap at any moment. They have themselves and Luna in a situation where they have little to no information about where they are beyond what is provided for them and she should know they're in at least a precarious situation. And 'getting her a book' should be dead-last for their priorities.
Yes, she helped with the research. That still doesn't mean it's good or right for her to ask Bonbon to get her a book while off Lune-knows-where.
4983902
Wait...Twilight has no clue they're with Celestia. Bon Bon and Lyra vanished. Bon Bon calls back the next morning, and in that conversation with Trixie all she says is that "Luna is here with us." and that "Luna has business here."
She doesn't mention Celestia at all. At least not to them. And considering that she said that she was okay, and was more concerned about her candy shop than her own health, I fail to see how Twilight is being massively rude or inconsiderate here.
4983929 *Rereads* You're right. I'm sorry. An overreaction by me. But the situation is still pretty precarious and they don't really have time to get books for her, nor should they have to think about that.
4983837
In some ways, The Watcher is the old Jewish grandpa to Luna and Celestia. Watching them fight was a rather heartbreaking experience for the old man.
4987570
The value of the saurians in the world is a somewhat relative value judgement, admittedly. Though The Watcher himself obviously seems to think that his people had their chance and completely blew it.
I suppose that'll happen when you accidentally cause the local equivalent of the chicxulub impact.
4987893
Yeah. Kerzog is a real son of a bitch.
Though, ironically enough, he wasn't the worst of the lords under The Watcher. That particular medal went to Zartha, Lord of Necromancy.
Okay, finished. Good story. Ah, that bastard Discord. As much as I don't like Corona, I completely LOATHE that immoral bastard Discord like you wouldn't believe. No joke, no kidding. HE can truly burn in hell.
Anyway... Corona/Celestia/insert-name-here is still someone I think needs punching. Then again I'm not too fond of what she did in season three, to be honest. And I'm not going into it, for the sake of sanity all around. I dunno at this point, to be honest. *Shrugs* I guess that's enough incoherent rambling from me. I hope the Watcher gets his sight back. Hell, I'll write that if I have to. Great story and you've earned a thumbs-up.
4988219
Well, I am glad you did enjoy it, despite the fact it involved Celestia/Corona.
I'm still looking forward to seeing Celestia's final redemption though. I remain of fan of Luna and Celestia and their sisterly relationship, so I am looking forward to seeing that happen again in the Lunaverse.
4989162
I'm kind of neutral on the Bon Bon/Celestia thing. Bon Bon does have a right to be afraid/upset over what happened to her. But on the other hand, Celestia getting back to normal is also pretty important/good.
4989162 No... Bonbon has every right to be afraid/angry at Celestia and is not wrong in her feelings at all. What happened to her was evil and wrong and, if it was me, I'd never forgive Celestia.
4990944
I don't believe that I missed that in my own work. I'll have to go back and fix that.
Asyana, yay!
Now that just sounds like accidental prophecy.
Oh hell yeah, that ending teaser. The end of the season cannot come soon enough.
Great story!
4994271
Glad you liked it dj! Especially the action bits. I was pretty worried about how they were turning out at first. A little bit of self doubt there, I suppose.
Ah, at long last I've managed to catch up and finish reading this one! The highlight of this story for me was definitely the world-building and history of the Saurian's. It's already sparked an idea or two for me that I can use in my own stories, so thanks for that. The next highlight is just the interactions between Lyra and Bon Bon, and then Celestia and Luna. Helps cement their characters more, though I kind of feel bad that in Contest I'm kind of treading the same ground with Celestia and Luna. Oh well.
The Watcher was an interesting fellow and a good counterpoint to the alicorn sisters, being that they're the ones who consistently participate and interact with the mortal races and he's the one who'd stuck purely in an observer position. I got the impression he very much had now only grown used to be the observer rather than a directly meddler that perhaps he'd concluded it was perhaps the better thing for the more powerful and ancient races to do; just... watch.
Pretty much the opposite of Celestia's entirely hooves on approach.
Not much else for me to say. I enjoyed the story, had decent pacing and action. Bon Bon coming to terms with Lyra's position as both an Element bearer and Knight was good, and I liked watching Luna and Celestia trying so hard to come to terms with each other as well while still ultimately not being able to resolve the conflict we all know is coming in the season finale.
And ancient dinosaur mage-lords rock.
5345785
Glad that you enjoyed it! Honestly, the fact that I've given you a few ideas that you can use for yourself later is what makes me smile the most. That's the bit that makes shared universes so awesome, and after mining other people's plot points, it feels good to seed some into the universe.
You do pretty much have The Watcher pegged though. He was kind of intended to be a cautionary tale for Corona. A warning about what she might become if she kept walking down her current path. He tried to forge the world to his vision and it cost him dearly, so now he sits back and lets the young races have their shot at the world.
Thanks for the comments though! I always like seeing that kind of robust feedback on a story. I really appreciate it.
5449354
if you don't read the Lunaverse, why comment on one of its fics? Moreover, why read through the comments section long enough to respond directly to my post?
Besides, why should Spike's absence be a "problem"? He's not a main character in this setting. That said, he's not been entirely forgotten either, and he's even shown up in some of the side stories and such. It's just that Lyra has only ever really met him once, all the way back in the first episode.
5485693
Yeah, The Watcher is referencing Crisis on Two Equestrias.
That was a rather confusing day for him. One moment they were there, the next they were gone, and he couldn't find any trace of them, no matter how far he pushed his sight across the planet.
....That never happened to him before.
I was initially skeptical of this premise - another immortal (or so it seemed at the time), a hidden city, and a reason to create a Corona/Luna ceasefire and bring along Lyra and Bon Bon. I couldn't figure out why a dormant golem was so important at first, and I thought Ritter was completely ridiculous when he was first introduced. (It was a sigh of relief when it turned out that he was actually posturing and not just comic relief). But as the story went on, you fleshed out the civilization and characters you'd created, did an incredible job with worldbuilding and backstory, and tied everything together. I'd say this story does have a rather weak and scattered beginning, but when it all comes together, it does so brilliantly. Didn't take long for me to get hoped, and I hope we hear more from these characters in the Lunaverse.
And then you had to hit me with that ending. Argh. That had better not be permanent or I will cry. Poor Watcher. Easily my favorite character in this fic - he does serve as both an excellent comparison and foil for Corona.
5553141
Thanks Lal! Glad that you enjoyed it.
I've always liked lost and ancient civilzations and the like, so I had a lot of fun writing this one and it makes me grin that I managed to take something that came across cliche at first, and made it work. Don't worry though, I have a feeling that we'll be seeing The Watcher again. A very big feeling. *looks innocent*
Cap.
of the
__________
needs end " marks.
________________
Cap.
_______________
Cargo Cult ... this bit makes no sense here.
1) He's eons out of date of modern goings ons. Beyond what he could gain from Ritter.
2) Then there's what caused Cargo Cults in the first place. Which Equestria in both universes don't have (airplanes and airstrips). That give rise to the cult practices of mimicking technologically advanced people. Believing that: 2a) the actions of the technologically advanced people are a spiritual ritual to bring about wealth and abundance.
Which with all races being in contact with one another to some degree, and the level of advancement being not entirely disimilar. Would make the term Cargo Cults not being a thing.
and then you have
3) This was a race that forcefully subjugated and enslaved entire races. Or razed them from the planet for not worshiping their 'superiority'. Cargo Cults and airships were the last thing any sapient species that were in contact with them would use.
So that phrase ... just really feels out of place in this universe.
_________________
Please tell me we get another story with the Watcher were we see his sight returned to him? It was kind of a bad move to blind him after just introducing him.
Not in a story telling way mind you (it in a way makes sense). But to just leave him blind. Kind of feels like bad form on an emotional way. Especially if he's not going to show up in other fics. Kind of like going over to Fluttershy's house, and then burning it to the ground to spite a litter of puppies that looked at you funny (that are also still in the house while it was burning. )
7976750
Thanks for the feedback on all of that Eater! I'll start going through the chapters and making the edits as soon as I can.
As far as The Watcher goes, I would like to use him again in the future. But I'm going to wait and see how the last fics of Season 2 play out first, since this fic was kind of setting the stage for them.
7976823
You're welcome, and I am even more eager to see Season 3 now (when it eventually happens). You made some rather interesting characters with this hidden village, the characteres there (and Ayssana the uber adoracute zebra explorer). It'll be good to see them come back somefic ^_^.
This fic is still awesome when re-reading it for the second time. Seriously good work ^_^.