Proving That You Really Mean It
A slender green shape along the southern horizon grew thicker and thicker, accompanied by the gentle roar of persistent thrusters.
“Well, then...” Seclorum stood up in the courtyard before the High Council Building, shading his squinting eyes with a raised forelimb. “Prowse made it. Looks like we're getting a ride back after all.”
“Then I am to guess that the rest of the Noble Jurists are in one piece?” Arcanista said.
“I suppose we're about to find out,” Josho remarked.
“I would most certainly hope so,” replied the Duchess. “Then we can certifiably say that this has been a very good day.”
“I can already say that it has been a glorious day,” remarked Prince Eine. He trotted casually up the steps while all eyes locked on him. “A great evil has been defeated. This kingdom's future has been restored. My life...” He pivoted about, staring up the steps with warm, soft eyes. “...my life has been spared...”
Kera dug the edge of her hoof into her ear, fidgeting. She eventually blinked down the prince's way. “Uhhh... huh?”
“You've restored my family, Kera.”
“Oh. Yeah. Sure, I guess...”
“You... you don't know just how much this means to me,” the fawn said. His amber eyes grew moist as he stood on her step, breathing evenly. “For so many weeks, I spent the nights sobbing in despair, believing that I would never again hear the wise words of my father or nestle myself in the loving limbs of my mother. But you...” He smiled gently, sniffling a bit. “...you believed in more. You believed in me. I owe it all to you, Kera.” He slowly leaned in, lips pursed. “Almost... almost enough to—”
“Geeugh!” Kera shoved his face back, sticking her tongue out. “Go drool on somepony else, ya friggin' pansy!”
The fawn nearly lost his hoofing. Arcanista steadied his gasping figure. A line of reindeer guards down below flinched, including the King and Queen, but Eine swiftly waved them back.
“Yeesh, so what if your Mom and Dad were presumed dead all this time? Grow a spine, will ya?” Kera upturned her nose. “I mean... meh... reuniting with ones' parents ain't nothing to wet the bed over, ya big baby.”
The Tarkington landed in the courtyard. Its doors opened. Bellesmith and Pilate stuck their heads out. “Kera!” Belle shouted.
Kera spun, her green eyes sparkling big and bright as she cooed: “Belle! Pilate!” The little filly pranced gaily down the steps, galloped across the courtyard, and threw herself into the ponies' embrace, nuzzling their chests while her emerald tail flicked. “Squeeeeee!”
Belle and Pilate wrapped their arms around the little pony, holding her tight and covering her with kisses and tears. From afar, Eagle Eye cupped a pair of hooves over his mouth, smiling tearfully. Josho rolled his eyes, nevertheless smirking.
Eine's jaw dropped. He spun with a perplexed face, gesturing at the scene and gawking. Arcanista struggled to keep her smile contained. She simply gave the Prince a delicate pat on the shoulder; nodeer protested.
Belle choked back a sob, nuzzling the filly cheek to cheek. “Oh, bless the Spark! For a moment there, I thought I would never get to see you again!”
“You're such a blessing to us, Kera,” Pilate stammered. “We'll never send you away again!”
“Heeeeeeee...” Kera suddenly blinked at herself. Clearing her throat, she leaned back and stood tall and proud. “I mean... you took care of the goblins down south, right?”
“Well, Roarke intervened at the end, from what we've learned,” Belle said. “And without the Tarkington—”
“But you totally kicked imp butt, right?”
Belle bit her lip. Pilate leaned in, smiling. “We most certainly roasted a great deal of goblin buttockses.”
“Heeeeeee!” Kera cooed, once again leaning forward to nuzzle the pair. “Of course you didddddd!”
Prowse trotted towards the doorframe, leaning on his prosthetic. “Feh. Flood the dayum city with your mush, why don'tcha?” He scanned the horizon until he spotted a red-eyed elk. “Propsicle, lassy.” He gestured at the two passengers. “There be your destiny. Hop to it.”
Sad-faced, Props gulped, then hopped out of the Tarkington. She was accompanied by a strangely somber Zaid. Both ponies trotted their way across the courtyard, through the onlooking crowd.
Midnite Bastion looked over. She tapped Floydien's side. Floydien pivoted about, his red eyes narrowing.
Props bit her lip, scuffling to a stop. “Uhm... Handsome? It's so nice to see ya... though it would have been nicer to see ya in the pilot's seat again.”
Floydien tilted his head to the side. “What does the blonde boomer mean?”
“Well... erm...” Props fidgeted, then slapped Zaid's flank with a swish of her tail.
“Ahem.” Zaid cleared his throat and took a step ahead. “She put up a darn good fight, Floydien. Hell, she'd probably would have put up an even better fight if she was under your reins, but we all did the best we could. We're alive now thanks to Cap'n Belle's quick thinking, Rainbow Dash's sexy flying skills...”
Props glanced aside at him.
Zaid produced a brief smirk. “Okay... and maybe I had something to do with the 'staying alive' part too. But... in the end... well...”
He held out a pair of broken controls in his hooves.
“...she gave her all, but she is no more. The Noble Jury is gone, Floydien. I'm sorry.”
“We're sorry, handsome,” Props said with a sad pout. “Only this and a few slivers of skystone are all that remain. Uncky Prowsy has got the red bits stowed away in the Tarkington, but... the cockpit's gone. The womb's gone. The hangar bay, the observation room, the entire gondola...” She sniffled, brushing back her blonde bangs. “...Everypony's alive, but we still lost someone special to all of us.”
“But she was even more special to you,” Zaid said. “Please forgive us. We tried our best.”
Floydien stretched a hoof out. Zaid gave him the controls. The elk raised them in his grip, staring calmly, deadpan.
Midnite Bastion bit her lip.
“Handsome...?” Props trembled. “What... what are you thinking right now?”
Floydien's nostrils flared. He looked at the flight controls, then up at Props and Zaid. His gaze wandered beyond them, ultimately spotting where Belle, Pilate, and Kera huddled together in a dear hug.
“Floydien's lost Nancy Jane before,” the elk muttered. “Whether it was from shimmer glimmer or stabby stabs, it doesn't matter.” His gaze softened. “Her womb may be gone, but she's already given birth-birth.” He held the controls back out to Zaid. “Nancy Jane boomers live on. Floydien thinks that is enough, yes yes yes?”
Zaid took the controls back. He smirked. “Ehh...” He tossed the item blindly over his head. Jet flinched while Mamunia awkwardly caught the thing like a bouquet. “...if you're getting sappy, then I just about give up, elkster.”
“Not sap,” Floydien murmured. “Something else. Nancy never leaked it. But boomers do. Floydien glad that they are still in one piece piece, as he should be.” He glance aside at Midnite with the barest hint of a smirk. “As he is.”
Midnite bore a bittersweet smile.
Across the way, Booster Spice peered his head out the side of the Tarkington. He spotted a group of figures trotting their way from the northeast, and he immediately winced. “Wuh oh...” He backed up behind Zetta and Basso. “...I think things are about to get really sticky...”
Curious, most of the ponies and deer gathered turned to look. Several citizens gasped and backed up while guards tightened their stances. Tweak cocked his weapon while Arcshod and his fellow warriors formed a thick line.
“No... no no!” Ebon Mane trotted briskly forward from the slowly moving group, waving his forelimbs. “It's alright! She's weak, now. She... she c-couldn't hurt anyone even if she still wanted to.” He bore a smile. “And she doesn't...”
“Ebon...” Eagle Eye dropped his sword and shield. He trotted, pranced, then galloped towards the other stallion.
Ebon turned towards him. He barely had time to smile before Ebon scooped him up into a spinning hug. Both stallions nuzzled each other, then kissed passionately. At last, Eagle leaned his forehead against Ebon's skull, careful not to stab him with his horn.
“I felt... I was afraid I'd never see you again,” he said, his voice wavering.
“Shhh... don't be scared.” Ebon nuzzled him close, then smiled warmly. “Everything is okay now.”
“But... but—”
“I don't blame you for not trusting her, but mother's changed. Or at least, she's starting to. It's over, EE,” Ebon softly said. “The chaos ended in Ledomare and Xona... now it's ending here.” He turned to gesture. “Look...”
Nervously, Eagle Eye turned to look.
Josho squinted his eyes while Crimson and Phoenix stood at the ready, leaning on their weapons.
King Lunarius turned to look. Azira and Eine stood by his side while a thick line of reindeer guards formed a cautious circle around them.
Constable Jake descended the stone steps and stood in time to greet the naga and reindeer who were leading a limping, wincing Chyrsalis to the site. “Whew... for once in my life, I've met someone uglier than me!” the moose said. His beady eyes narrowed. “We don't have to beat your skull in anymore, do we?”
“No, mortal,” Queen Chrysalis muttered, her skull and carapace stained in dried green blood. “You most certainly don't.”
“Awwwww...” Jake bore a drooling pout. “I really am missing all the action.” He sensed movement from behind, and he shuffled backwards in time for King Lunarius to step up.
“Is it true?” The monarch narrowed his eyes. “Have you surrendered, vile creature?”
All sense of anger drained from the alicorn's face. The changeling queen bowed her head. “I do, King Lunarius.”
“And... you agree to the terms set before you by the Noble Jurist known as Rainbow Dash?”
Chrysalis took a deep breath. Her voice shook slightly. She tilted her head up until she met Ebon's gaze. At last, she had the strength to respond, “I am at your mercy.” Her legs wobbled as she crouched her body in a humble bow. “My strength... and all of my wisdom shall now serve you, oh King... my King.”
Azira stepped up, resting a hoof on Lunarius' shoulder. That seemed to calm the elk. Nevertheless, he channeled mana into his antlers, allowing the branches to shimmer with authoritative power. “I have bestowed my grace upon you in the spirit of the same Harmonic graces that have spared my kingdom. But it does not change the fact that you have committed unpardonable crimes against this great nation. If you choose to live and serve me, you shall do so under lock and key. Your days as a ruling monarch of metamorphs is over. Do you understand this?”
“All power I had to resist you—I have done away with, sire.” Chrysalis tilted her head up, a strangely easy feat without the weight of her empowering horn. “My cause was hopeless long before I resorted to conspiring against you and your kingdom. It... simply took a sincere message to make me realize this. Otherwise everything—including myself—would be consumed in my desperate madness.”
Ebon bit his lip while Eagle Eye held him closely.
Lunarius trained a weary eye on the mutant alicorn. “And how do I know that this is not some mere trick of deceit?” He shifted where he stood. “How do I know that—even now—you are not planning to betray us at some point in the near or distant future, now that we have granted you our protection?”
Chrysalis took a deep breath. Her eyes wandered across the scene until she spotted Prince Eine. Right then, the words came out: “Form a team of guardians and warriors. Send them northeast, ten miles, to the mountainous fringes bordering the edge of the Choke.”
“To what end?”
“Allow me to finish, sire,” Chrysalis said. She stood up tall while the naga kept their guns trained on her. “Between the clefts of two mountains about ten and a half miles along the range, you will find a cave. It is not a natural cave, but rather a niche burrowed years ago by my broodlings—children who are no longer under my control.”
“And just what will my subjects find in such a place of hiding?”
“Proof, Your Majesty,” Chrysalis said. “Proof of my everlasting fealty for you, your family, and your kingdom.” She exhaled. “Starting on this very day.” She gazed past the King until she spotted Midnite Bastion. Her green eyes went soft. “Have her lead the expedition.”
Midnite blinked, glancing aside at Floydien.
“Once she has reported to you... you will know,” Chrysalis said. “And I will await your mercy...”
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Saikano. That's where she kept the bodies of Saikano, Sharp Quill, and Fishberry.
Things are going too well for this to be an IC story.
I'm sorry, Swanny, it just wasn't meant to be.
Now, IC, about that Diamond Dog colony near Val Roa...
5589268
Au contraire, mon ami.
This is perfectly in line with IC. Lulling us into a false sense of security before going for the gut punch.
...Could it be Saikano? Maybe even all three?
*wince* Ooohhh....I can feel Swan's disappointment from here...
OMG OMG OMG OMG OM—
LOL NOPE! XD
5589268 5589298
Awwww, come on, guys! Clearly IC has turned over a new leaf! It's nothing but smiles and sunshine form here on out!
5589348
I agree completely with you.
The next antagonists will definitely be smiling as they tear apart everything good under the sun.
Aaaand the Noble Jury isn't the only ship crashing and burning eyyyyyyyyyy
...I'll show myself out.
(Again, what the hell is gonna take another fifty chapters?)
alternatively,
5589313
Probably... but I'm thinking that Dash's expedition to the Dark Side may have gotten easier.
I mean, Chrysalis needed a way to get there in the first place, yeah? That was the plan, to go aid Tchern?
Arcanista deserves, like, an immense royal thanks, partially to help deal with all the outcast zebras she will be hosting. Like, that must be a huge drain, she'll need dough.
5589356
Midnight's journey to that cave. IC is the master of dragging things out.
If the cave is still populated by drones no longer under Chryssi's control, then Rainbow Dash ought to go there too.
Deese are happy, Does are happy, Eberrybody happy.
The Grand Choke waits. It has all the time in the world.
A bit harsh, don't you think?
5589348
Nothing could ever possibly go wrong now!
>Gets hit by a train.
5589363 Speaking of the Great Zebra Exodus, we haven't followed up on that. Seems like an odd thing to put in the story for no reason...
Conspiracy theorists, hit me!
Time for a mysterious cave expedition! I wonder what this could possibly be? Also I expected nothing less from Kera really.
F U C K Y O U , I M P L O D I N G C O L O N
F U C K Y O U
H O W D A R E Y O U T A K E T H I S
A D O R A B L E S H I P
A N D J U S T C O M P L E T E L Y
R U I N I T
C A N ' T Y O U S E E I T W A S M E A N T T O B E
H O W C O U L D Y O U B E S O
B L I N D
( S E R I O U S L Y N O T E V E N P I L A T E I S T H I S B L I N D )
Y O U L E A V E M E W I T H
N O C H O I C E
I F Y O U ' R E G O N N A B U R N T H I S S H I P
T H E N I W I L L B U R N
Y O U
* U N F O L L O W S F R O M F I M F I C T I O N *
H O W ' S I T F E E L T O B E U N S U N G T O M E , Y O U S O N O F A B I T C H
EDIT: I'M SORRY BABY I DIDN'T MEAN IT I LOVE YOU PLEASE DON'T MAKE ME AN UGLY CHAOS MONSTER
5589355
Where we're going we won't have a sun to watch things get torn apart under. And I'm not talking about this mystery cave that Midnight is about to spelunk.
5589426
That's nice.
well
two ships utterly destroyed
one may yet be salvageable, but i doubt it
5589426 Now you've done it. "Swan Song" is about to become the name of a really evil and ugly chaos monster Rainbow encounters on the dark side of the plane.
So it has to do with Saikano, Sharp Quill and Fishberry...
...
...or, it could be a(n obvious) trap. Chrysalis could still have something up her proverbial sleeve, and could easily be leading the head of Val Roan security directly to her death (Midnite is head of security, isn't she?) or capture.
On top of that, I really don't believe Chryssi is down and out yet. Her taking off her horn could be some OP changeling illusion/metamorphosis thing (we saw crazier stuff with Stratopolis changelings, and with her splitting herself apart), and she could easily overpower several key characters. She is an alicorn, after all, albeit a corrupted one. She does have the potential to be crazy powerful.
5589426 5589454
There's no way Scolon would keep 'ol Swannie out of the story for so long if he didn't have something completely awesome planned for your name on the dark side.
Come on. Swan Song. What that term means will be perfect for a sympathetic necromancer/summoned creature.
5589356
static.fjcdn.com/pictures/Evil_0f5a87_5423670.jpg
Scolon proving that Kera is worst possible waifu, for many, many, many different reasons.
5589426
Clearly he's just leaving room for you to write your sidequel around their long-term budding relationship. Get to it!
5589454
I'd still ship it
...Wait.
Wait a sec.
What if she's...
A TSUNDERE?!
OMG! It makes sense!
YOU GUYS IT MAKES SENSE
THERE IS STILL HOPE FOR THEM
I APPROVE, SCOLON, I REALLY DO
MY FAITH IN YOU WAS NOT MISPLACED
OH MY STARS YOU GUYS I MADE A STAIRCASE
The look on his face. Just, the total absolute degree of "what the actual fuck".
I love this. I love this so much. Kera is momming hardcore over Belle and Pilate.
This is the best trio ever. They are just a big ol' family of ass kickers.
...Stars, I'm gonna miss them.
5589440
Actually, three ships destroyed.
Kera ÷ Eine
Rainbow Dash ÷ Roarke
Floydien ÷ Nancy Jane (literally!)
BUT...?
Floydien × Midnite Bastion?
Also, let's not forget Mamunia just caught the controls like a bouquet. inb4 she turns to Jet with a suspicious blush on her face...
5589356
Obviously it's gonna be a Meet the Parents-style romcom.
No, but we still have no idea what the Yaerfaerda symbol is. In fact, what if the Yaerfaerda symbol is out exactly where Chrysalis told them to go? I mean, no doubt Saikano's out there, and maybe Sharp Quill and Fishberry, but who else knows what they might find?
5589454
Annnnd the Keraine train has been derailed.
All survivors make your way to the nearest town to receive medical aid.
5589496
"COLON! What is best in life?"
"Crush the ships. See the bronies driven before you. And hear the liberation of the waifus."
"That is good."
It's a trap! Chrissy reincarnated Shell and now he's in the cave!
Well, Floydien took that pretty well, all in all. It's good that he can appreciate the big picture.
Also, looks like Keraine isn't meant to be. That's fine, in itself, but I couldn't help but hear the ghostly sound of Eduard Khil's voice echoing somewhere in the distance as I read it.
Also-also, it's totes the Big Three for Realsies. Because that's what we need: More characters. Tolstoy eat your heart out.
Keraine crashed and burned harder than Hindenburg.
I still don't quite trust Chrysalis...
rs1img.memecdn.com/its-a-trap_o_491986.jpg
5589363
That could also be true. Part of me has been wondering if the remainder of the story will just be Rainbow journeying over to the Dark Side, through the Grand Choke or otherwise, and having the book end on some big event.
There's certainly the chapters left for it.
5589403
I agree. I'd like to hear more about this as well.
5589426
*hands Swan a Snickers*
5589554
5589652
Yeah- all this pessimism about stuff happening on the light side is, I think, misplaced. I think everything's fine and dandy in Val Roa and environs- time to get to the Armory.
Considering how Rainbow's been doing, I'm starting to think that she may start bringing the sun to the Dark Side. I just feel like that's something she'd attempt, if able.
5589454
Evil and incompetent.
5589718 But of course! "Swan Song" shall turn out to be a trivially defeated villain for our harmonic hero, barely lasting even half of a very short chapter.
Plot twist: they're all actually just brains in vats
5589426 Called it.
5589454
Nah, that's gonna be this asshole right here
To be fair yeah, that's what should happen in the whole Kera's personality wise. But i'm still so dissapointed.
5589554
I really hope you're right about the Keraine part...
5589403
Those zebras are secretly Tchern's changeling, who will now raze Bountiful, then move in to wreak havoc in Val Roa. Also, they'll fuse Nevlamas and Shell's corpses to create Zombie Shellamas.
5589355
Yup! Smiling cheerfully with a touch of insanity!
Who knew IC could be so positive?
5589348 Look at all of these dangerous animals! Let's poke them with sticks!
Oh God, it's gonna be Lerris all over again...
They'll find some leftovers at that cave.
Rainbow should go, too. She hasn't been in a cave in the entire story.
Guh. Great, now I can go and scoop up the shards of a hundred shippers' hearts. Again.
I'll just be over here, slobbering all over EE/E.
5589426 You hatin' on ugly chaos monsters here?
5589348 Now ya just gone done and jynxed it.
5589426 reactiongifs.com/r/lkrwtf.gif
This is totally Eine's face and totally mine to you right now.
5589268
I disagree. There's plenty here that's bittersweet and painful. Sure, they won. Sure, everyone got out in one piece this time. But the Jury didn't. Luna's saddlebags are gone. Roarke and Rainbow didn't. . .
It's good enough for the Jury's final battle together. It's a great victory, a decisive one, in which everything they've done up to this point gave them a way to win as harmoniously as they could hope to. Even I didn't see Chrysalis' surrender coming. RD knocked the Paragon option out of the park here.
Yet it still stings. No sir, as much as this victory meant, I have no doubt at all this is an IC story, where being selfless has such a hell of a personal price tag attached.
5590502
Holy Stars, ForestFeather, DID YOU NOT REALIZE YOU JUST 6k GET?
i.imgur.com/a8HSDOf.jpg?1
Also, I had the same reaction as Richard Sherman the moment his team lost the Super Bowl:
i.imgur.com/BkGrToc.gif
5589625 Don't give him ideas!!
5590537 I... never notice those things, I guess? Okay. o_o