Chapter Twenty-Four: In Full Glory Reflected, Now Shines in the Stream
“Far away up yonder,
Planets wander,
Through the starry skies
As we gaze and ponder,
They just wander on.”
Essential Mix listened to the old human children’s song and wondered if she should play it. Her station, HFTR, was the first human-owned radio station in Equestria, and she was to be the first host of “Outernational Incident Equestria”, a nationally-broadcast radio show based on the human one that currently played on Saturday evenings. The radio station had licensed the format for their own show, and Essential Mix, a unicorn mare that had spent the last five years working at radio stations in LA, had recently been hired back to be the host of OIE and the station’s radio director; it also helped that she’d worked with Logan Bradford himself and had guested on the show a couple of times when he was on vacation.
She looked out the window at the ruined hospital and the light that seemed to glow around it. There were dozens of troops in the area as well as law enforcement officials, and most of the buildings in the surrounding location had been evacuated; due to its necessity, the radio station was given a waiver so they could continue to perform. But in the meanwhile, the station’s recording booth, with its unique window made of Lexan so that the outside world’s sounds couldn’t affect the radio mix, let her look through and see the destruction caused.
There was a soft knock on the door, and the station’s general manager, a pegasus mare named Signalfeed, poked her head in. “Everything going okay, Mix?”
“Yeah,” Mix said in a soft tone. “Trying to lay out the tracks for tonight’s OIE, but can’t quite get the feel that I wanted. I was going for ‘Happy’, but seeing the hospital out there like that, I can’t help but feel differently.”
“Yeah, I can’t help but agree. Maybe play something else?” Signal suggested. “More elegiac?”
Inspiration hit. “Signal, you’re brilliant!” Mix’s horn lit up and she brought one of her flash drives to bear, sticking it into the USB port on the desktop computer she used to mix the tracks. A second later, a lilting group of singers came on, both haunting, beautiful and hopeful at once.
“‘Massage Situation’, the Stripped Remix,” Mix authoritatively detailed. “Comes from Flying Lotus’ BBC show that he did decades ago there. “I think I can lead this into other songs, a memorial for those who lost their lives at the hospital. What song should I follow up wi— Ah! I got it! The Griffonica String Jam Band’s ‘Iron Companion’. That’s always been a somber enough song, but not so that it depresses ponies.”
Signal nodded. “Sounds like you have things well in hoof, Mix. I’ll let you get back to work.”
“Thanks.” She sighed and brushed a dark gray lock of her mane out of her face. “I just wish…well, I wish this hadn’t happened.”
“You and me both, Mix. You and me and probably everypony out there.”
“Do you think Princess Celestia has a plan to deal with it?”
“I used to,” Signalfeed said as she looked out the window at the ruined hospital, bathed in the light of the afternoon sun. “Now? I don’t actually know.”
Everything within a square mile of the damaged hospital had become a national emergency zone as more ponies were being moved in to secure the area. A block beyond that, most of Canterlot’s sheriff’s department had been deployed to keep the curious and the troublesome out. It had displaced more than a few residents, but given the circumstances, there was little that could be done. Given that within a few minutes Blueblood was going to be given temporary comprehensive authority over the realm as the royal in charge, there were bigger problems to be had in the halls of power.
Lyra knew those problems well: she was dealing with the aftermath of them at the moment. Seated in the office that had been reserved for her during the few times she was in town, she was looking over the paperwork that would give her the commensurate emergency powers to run the government as a counterbalance against someone she didn’t trust and, if the paperwork was right, neither did the princesses. That little fact alone scared her: as a musician, she never thought she’d ever be here, and now as a diplomat, it horrified her to see the amount of power that they were giving her. She’d grown used to human-style democracies and constitutional monarchies, and while she wasn’t going to gainsay the absolute authority wielded by the alicorns, she dreaded seeing that same power in the hooves of someone like Blueblood.
Or me, she mused as she stared at the paper.
“Your grace, won’t you sign?” a voice asked, and Lyra looked at the voice’s speaker: Black Bacon. He had been assigned as her personal assistant for the duration of her stay here. Admittedly, he had a strange name and had mostly been brought aboard because he could cook human food, but he was doing his utmost to assist her when possible. There was, of course, more to it than just that, but that was all that Lyra could think of at the moment.
She looked at him. “I don’t know if I can,” she said softly. “This position the princesses are asking me to fulfill in the event something happens to them…it’s not me. It’s just…I’m not a leader. I’m just a musician who got really lucky in life.”
“But you are a leader, your grace,” the unicorn said to her. “I’ve been following all your exploits throughout the years, and quite frankly, you are an impressive mare, moreso than just about anypony I’ve ever seen. You were the one who compiled years of information about unknown species—”
“Species most ponies thought were fake,” Lyra pointed out. The decades had since blunted any anger and loathing she had from the times where she’d not been believed, but all of that had been buried by the subsequent decades of vindication.
“Yes, but you reached out to them all whenever you could…which I guess, wasn’t much?” Black stated.
Lyra shook her head. “No. We’ve chosen not to tell the humans about the other humanoid species that we discovered during Project SANDALWOOD. Both groups were violent, and in the case of the more advanced one, haughty and specist, but the humans that we know are far more advanced than the prior two groups. A group of well-armed humans could wreak major havoc on those worlds, never mind something along the lines of, say, the Russian military. So, the Crown has opted not to tell them about those worlds. We have to share the gate and portal tech with them, certainly, but it’s going to take a while for them to learn how to replicate the abilities using technology instead of magic. Plus, there’s so much uninhabited land on our world, that I suspect we’ll have human nations pop up here on Alter-Earth first before they start looking elsewhere – they seem to be more interested as a species in searching extraplanetary locations instead of extradimensional.”
“That just proves how impressive you are, your grace. You went from a simple musician to a diplomat and now one of the most politically-powerful ponies. And you have children that will likely have incredible places in either pony or human society. You are going to be the matriarch of a family just as important as the Star Swirls, or the Wisterias, or th—”
Lyra cut him off. “Black, that may all be well and good, but that’s not what I’m looking for. I just want to be a normal mare and mother, not some power-playing bureaucratic leader!”
The door opened and a familiar voice said, “But you are a leader, hon.” Sure enough, Paul walked into the office, giving a brief nod to the other pony before looking back at his wife. “I don’t know anyone more capable of handling what you’re going through – certainly not me.”
“Yeah, says the named partner over at Lincoln, Lincoln & Phillips,” Lyra told him evenly. “Who was the one representing the case to the Supreme Court last year?”
He shrugged. “Well, Mary was going to do it, but she got the flu, and Abe had that guest speaking lecture at Harvard,” Paul replied. “Someone had to step in and many of our junior partners weren’t really ready for that kind of heat yet. But you’re trying to change the point and I’m not going to let you do that.”
“That obvious?”
“Who are you married to?”
Her ears cantilevered in admission. “Point.”
He moved and sat down at a desk in front of the desk. “Lyra, I want you to stop selling yourself short. You’re a wonderful mare, and I know you better than anyone, short of Harper and Bon-Bon.”
“Yes, and yet I let that friendship fail, go by the wayside.” A thought crossed her mind. “I thought that you were going to take the kids home, given the declaration?”
“I think you need us more than you need us to be gone,” he told her. “Besides, no school today, a little late in the afternoon to find a babysitter, my parents are on vacation and you’re trying to change the subject again.”
“I take it you’re really not going to let me do that, are you?” she asked.
“Nope. And before you ask, the kids are playing with DJ’s kids right now. Her brother is looking after them.”
“Sam’s looking after them?” Lyra parroted. “Celestia, I can still remember when he was a kid needing looking after on his own. I am really getting old.”
“Not old, finer – like a wine.”
She flashed him a grin and then said, “I need to finish looking over this paperwork, then decide if I want to sign it or not, then head to the meeting that should be starting in a few minutes. Blueblood and his staff – and the ones that will be serving as mine in the event that the worst happens.”
“Will be serving?” Paul asked. “You’re not familiar with them?”
She shook her head. “No. You know all my staff, because most of them have served with me for years at the Embassy. But these are Ministry staff, and the only one I know with any degree of certainty is Black here, and that’s more due to the fact that he’s the son of one of the Guild researchers more than anything else. I’ll have to vet others to make sure that they’re not in Blueblood’s pocket, or….” She trailed off.
“Or?” Paul asked.
“It’s a long story, your grace,” Black said to the human. “I believe the Viscountess is referring to the various internal issues the realm has had as of late. Issues with the Purehooves, problems with the changelings, and of course, the whole Nightmare Moon scenario. Needless to say,” the stallion said with a sigh, “to use a human turn of phrase, things aren’t looking good for the home team right now, and we’ve got to do something about it.”
“Sorry, honey, but this is one of those things I can’t tell you,” Lyra answered, an apologetic smile coming onto her muzzle.
“Figured that. Well, no matter what, have more confidence in yourself, okay?” He reached over and took her hooves in his hands. “Other ponies may have seen you as important only now, but you’ve always been important to me.”
She blushed. “What, want a fourth kid?” she laughed. He gave her a whimsical look, and she waved her hooves off.
“Get going, you,” she said with a grin. “I’ve got to finish this, then head to my initial meeting with Blueblood.”
“Anything I should do afterwards?”
“Yes, get the champagne and chocolate ready – I’m going to need it.”
“Hey, sis, you’re pacing a hole in the carpet,” Sam said to DJ as she walked back and forth. At the moment, he was playing with his nephews as well as Lyra’s three children. “Next you’ll probably scare the children.”
DJ shook her head and laughed, plopping down on the couch. “The floor is made for pony hooves; I’m going to have to do a lot more than that to do damage to Twilight’s floors. Hell, I’d have to do a lot more than that just to wear down the ones at the new house we got.”
“Good, then they should be kid proof,” he said idly. “Dad said that you and Mike want to try for a girl?”
She rolled her eyes. “No, rather that was Mom saying that she hopes that Mike and I have a girl next. We’re not even sure we want a third rug runner. And besides, isn’t it your turn to contribute to the family gene pool?” Both being adoptees, it was an old joke between them.
“Well, that depends on whether you want your future sister-in-law walking on four legs or two,” he commented. “Personally, I think my bigger priorities are finding a place to live here and finding a final headquarters for my organization. I still have to head back home to hand in my two weeks and talk to some people I know to see what sort of tips they can give me.”
“Well, you’re welcome to live with us while you find a place,” DJ offered. “I’m sure the kids would love it.”
He shook his head. “Thanks, but no – Celestia already hooked me up with a decent realty group. I’m looking at something in Central, close to the palace complex, you know, in case.”
“What, some cute little earth mare caught your eye?” She thought about it a second. “Well, Luna did tell me that there are some human personnel working at the palace now – did one of them catch your attention?”
Sam walked away from the kids and said, “Well, you know, Rarity has a cute secretary my age, right?”
DJ narrowed her eyes in genuine anger. “You wouldn’t.”
“What makes you think I wouldn’t?” he asked her, a perfect poker face coming over his visage. She stewed in silent annoyance for a second before he finally flashed her a car salesman’s grin and added, “Gotcha.”
“You are soooooo lucky that I’m critically short on siblings, you know that?” To her surprise, Sam merely gave her an even look and said nothing. Somehow she crossed a line that she didn’t know was there. “Sam, did I just say something stupid?” she asked.
“Well, for someone whose….” He looked around at the children around him and said, “Let’s go talk on the balcony, okay?”
“Yeah, sure.” The two adults walked past the kids towards the balcony. DJ saw the look on Sam’s face again and lost a bit of heart; she tended to joke and be brash about a ton of things in life – maybe too many things, Mike would say in a semi-serious tone – but caring about her little brother was one of the things she took seriously. In many ways, they were kindred spirits – both adopted by the same couple, and both likely wouldn’t have stood a chance in a cruel world had that not happened. Therefore, DJ had always made it a personal matter to watch out for her kid brother, even if or when he didn’t need it.
DJ had barely enough time to close the door to the balcony when Sam wheeled on her. “You know, that’s the coldest thing I’ve ever heard coming from you, DJ, and in front of your kids, no less. That’s just fucked up.”
“What are you talkin—”
“Your biological sister is dead. Your younger biological brother – who, last I checked, you considered a sibling now – is hurting like hell from all that’s going on. And meanwhile, you make a crack about being critically short of siblings. Aside from the fact that makes me feel like shit, did you even think about how that looks in front of the boys? Or Lyra’s kids?”
DJ just looked at him as though realization had just come to pay a long-overdue visit. “I just said something stupid again, didn’t I?”
Sam laughed bitterly. “You know, sis, for someone who’s not really human, you tend to embody the best – and worst – of humanity’s assets. Guess which ones you just pulled off a few minutes ago?”
“Look, I didn’t mean it that way, okay? For God’s sake, I was just referencing the fact that Mom and Dad never had that third kid they wanted and now they want one of us – probably me, though you’re still up for debate – to produce a triple.”
“And you didn’t come off like that. Seriously, sis, you don’t think when you talk sometimes. You’re brilliant, intelligent and well-spoken…and somehow you always manage to screw that up. I mean, what if Elusive had heard that instead of me? I can take it as one of your shitty jokes. But he’s put up with a lifetime of hearing about what kind of a cunt that you are, and if he’d heard you make a joke about Minty dying?”
She facepalmed as her tail began to angrily dart like it usually did when she was irritated at something. “You know what? You’re right. I wasn’t thinking. Okay? Yes, I don’t consider her a sister, even if genetically she is one. And I’m really not sure how I feel about her being dead, because I really didn’t know her. But you’re right, it was unconscionable for me to make a crack like that, and I didn’t consider Luse’s feelings. So yes, I fucked up.” She moved over to the bench by the flower wall. “You know me: I have a mouth that wasn’t built with an off-switch.”
“Yes, the least pony of all ponydom,” Sam noted.
“Pony-shaped human,” she countered. “But I’ll try to keep my mouth on a filter. God only knows I’d never hear the end of it from Mike if I didn’t.”
“Yeah.” He was about to say something else when his phone chirped. He fished in his pocket for it and then looked. “Well, that was the realtor. He wants me to come by and sign a statement of intent to purchase the place – apparently that’s how they do things here in Equestria.”
She rolled her eyes. “You mean they don’t just build a house out of candy and let the first person who walks into it keep it?” When Sam gave her a reproachful look, she waved it off and snarked, “That was on purpose.”
“I know. Coming from you, not surprised in the least.” He walked toward the balcony door, he then said, “By the way, are you ready for tonight?”
She shook her head. “You know, I was trying not to think about that,” she said glumly as he left.
“Sing a song of sixpence that goes:
Burn the witch
Burn the witch
We know where you live….”
A soft glow of purple surrounded the selector button of the stereo system within the sitting room. Celestia sighed; ever since Luna first heard Radiohead, she’d become a major fan, and had once even spent the weekend partying with Thom Yorke back in 2037. Of course, her being an immortal alicorn and Yorke at the time being nearly seventy years old, well…it had made for the usual scandals in the papers. At least Luna had taken the time to pay for the hospital bills.
Once she found a suitable folk-rock station and the sound of pegasus singer-songwriter Soft Melody filled the air, the sun alicorn turned back to the person she was speaking to. “There. My apologies; as you can imagine, my sister and I have somewhat of a difference in musical tastes.”
Holding her cup in the air with deep blue magic and trying not to faint from the panic she felt, Sunset Shimmer looked at the princess and squeaked, “I’m fine…I mean, I’m fine, your highness.”
Celestia raised the cup to her lips and took a drink of the tea before continuing. “You know, I was surprised to see you here with Champagne. And I didn’t know you two were old friends.”
“Yes, w-w-well,” Sunset stammered as she set down the cup, “I…after the incident at school, I…I did a lot of things to survive. Things I’m not proud of.” Tears began to well in her cyan eyes. “A lot of illegal things.”
“Illegal?” Celestia said, surprised. That had not been an answer that she’d been expecting.
“Yes – Chammie…that is, Princess Champagne…gave me a royal pardon.” Sunset turned away, tears rolling down her cheeks, her crying soaking her fur. “I did what I had to do to survive. I couldn’t go back to my hometown, and I couldn’t stay here in Canterlot. So I travelled, trying to find a place where I could run away, doing what it took to survive.”
Celestia looked at the younger mare with utter shock. What happened? You were so defiant when you were cast out of the Academy. Where’s that strength you showed? “What did you do?” Celestia asked.
“I….”
The solar alicorn shook her head. “You’ve been pardoned, Sunset, so nothing will happen to you. You have my word.”
The mare briefly nodded and, taking a huge breath, began. “I…I sold myself, Princess. As a mare of the night and for experiments.”
“Experiments?”
Sunset nodded. “For a number of years I’d served as the, ahem, ‘research assistant’ to Senior Mage Nightshadow.” Sunset fell silent on that, and Celestia fought to keep back her own surprise. Nightshadow had been arrested twelve years prior for experimentation. Dozens of ponies, gryphons and other species had been discovered at his home, several of them dead – including, horrifically, one human woman. When he was arrested, he’d admitted to testing on the concepts of both eternal youth and homeoformic elasticity. He was now sitting in the deepest part of their dungeons with no chance of ever being let out again.
“What happened?”
“I….” She turned away again. “He used me as part of his rejuvenation spells. The doctors said he wiped away both twenty years of my life, as well as my magic.”
“He aged you twenty years? You don’t look it….”
“No, he didn’t age me twenty years – he removed them. Physically, I’m back in my thirties.”
Celestia, finding the whole thing odd, immediately lit her horn for a magical scan. Sunset immediately flinched in fear, and the princess immediately stopped.
“I’m…sorry, Princess. I know you don’t mean to harm me, but…I get nervous about being probed with magic. It took a long time and a lot of patience for me to trust anyone and even still, it took years for intensive thaumic therapy for me to get my magic back.”
“Your magic did seem off,” the princess admitted. “I have one last question, if you don’t mind.”
“I’ll answer it as best as I can, Princess.”
Celestia took another sip of tea, then sighed. This wasn’t going to be an easy answer. “How did you come into Champagne’s employ? She’s never mentioned you and until recently, I hadn’t seen you around the palace.”
“Chammie knew about my past here and wanted to protect me in case you were still angry at me. As for how we met…I was setting a business arrangement with her guards.” The tears started to fall again. “She happened to see me and…and I felt so ashamed of myself, of how far I’d fallen. And yet she forgave me for everything. She knew that I’d been disowned, and then I told her everything. In return, she offered me a job – a real job, one I didn’t have to lift my tail for – and I’ve spent the last year working out of their palace, doing critical paperwork for Chammie and Prince Blueblood until she thought it was time for me to make my appearance back at the castle.” She seemed to wilt as she admitted, “It hasn’t been easy.”
“Sunset, I—”
“Please, Princess – punish me! Don’t blame Chammie for what I did, please! She’s practically the only family I have left, and I’d do anything for her! Just please don’t blame her!” What little composure the orange unicorn had left melted away in a broken mess of fur and heartwrenching tears.
Celestia let the younger mare cry her eyes out while she figured what to say. This was a delicate situation, to say the least, and she was at a loss of what to say. It would be so much easier if it were a member of my own family, the alicorn thought to herself, but she has a family of her own. One that tossed her aside when she made a horrible mistake. And it was a mistake, even if she meant goodwill by it.
Celestia got up from her seat and walked over to where Sunset had collapsed in a teary, near-fetal ball. Walking over to the distraught pony, she placed a gentle wing around her, enveloping her in an embrace. “Sunset, everything’s going to be alright,” Celestia promised. “What’s in the past is in the past.”
Cyan, desperately searching for a line of redemption, looked into lilac. “Do you mean that?”
Celestia gave the mare a smile. “Sunset, what you did was wrong – I understand why you did it, and I commend you for trying to save your father, but you made a horrible mistake. But so did I.” Hearing the gasp from the unicorn, Celestia continued. “If I had been more diligent in my students’ affairs, you wouldn’t have had to make the mistake you did. And you’ve clearly had a hard time since; you’ve been punished more than enough. So please, take heart: your suffering is over.”
“You mean that?”
“You are the secretary and apparently best friend of my nephew’s wife and one of the realm’s princesses. You’ve earned the accolades you’ve built for yourself since. You should be proud of yourself.”
The mare wiped her eyes. “Thank you, Princess. It means the world to me to hear you say that.”
“Thank you, Princess. It means the world to me to hear you say that.”
Seated in a private alcove of the palace, Champagne listened to the conversation the doppelganger was having with Celestia. And as she did, she felt both jealousy and pleasure. Pleasure that she’d noted indecision and hesitancy on the part of the alicorn, and that was an advantage that could be exploited. But she also felt jealousy because it was the doll that was getting the comfort, not her.
It was my father that was injured, you stupid bitch, she silently seethed at the Celestia comforting the toy. And you’re talking to a fucking puppet, you idiot! That should be me you’re telling this to! Not the fucking fake!
Furthermore, listening to the conversation…was the doppelganger going off-script? While the clone had been programmed with a number of actions in the event of needing to act…well, like a real pony, there was something about the look in the clone’s eyes that said that she believed everything that she had been told that had happened to her.
That she wasn’t a clone.
That she was the real Sunset Shimmer.
Champagne seethed with anger. She’d have to destroy the simulacrum when she had the chance – it would take a while, as she had to build a new one from scratch, and so that meant that she’d have to keep this one around for a little while longer. Well, it wouldn’t be the first time I’ve disposed of a clone, and it probably won’t be the last.
Calling up a teleport spell, Champagne went off to her home, and the hidden workshop beneath the basement. She would have to start the reagents today if she would have a new copy ready in a few months, and time was of the essence.
Looking at the shaft of light that had somehow managed to make its way down to the bowels of the shattered hospital, Twilight Sparkle contemplated what was to come next. In a few hours, it would be, as it always seemed to be, a do or die attempt to counteract the curse that had befallen them. And it would either lead with them making it out of this pit alive – or Equestria entering a dark new future without any of its most vaunted heroes and leaders.
“I wish there was an easier way to do this,” the lavender unicorn said to no one in particular. Right now she wanted to be alone with her thoughts, if only because it would be the last possible moment that she would have peace of mind.
“Mom?” A voice rang out behind her, and Twilight couldn’t help but smile. Her daughter, Shining Dawn, sat there, looking at her with a gaze that was somewhere between pure love and hero worship. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah.” She gave Dawn a smile, then looked back at the shaft of light. “I was just thinking about when I was younger, when I first moved to Ponyville. I was young and silly and didn’t think about anything but studying and Celestia’s mission. If it wasn’t for your uncle, I probably wouldn’t have eaten that day,” she said with a chuckle. “But then over the course of a day, I met the most amazing ponies ever – ponies that took me out of my comfort zone and showed me what friendship and love could be. And since that day, through thick and thin, through the best of times and the worst of times, we’ve always been together. And I don’t want it to end. They’re my family – I love them.
“But now we’re facing something that could end us all, Dawn. I mean, sure, we’re the Knights – we’ve faced just about any and everything that could ever be thrown at us before and were able to walk away. But then, we were united. And I’m afraid we won’t be united this time. Something’s happened between us all, and even though I believe in those I love…I have to wonder if they feel the same about me. Rarity, in particular…she’s been scarred by everything that’s happened with DJ. And I’m afraid it’s about to get much, much worse for her.”
“Then y’ need t’ believe, Twi,” a new voice said. Twilight and Dawn turned to see Applejack, struggling slightly but otherwise standing there, her eyes filled with both determination and love. “Because Ah b’lieve in you, Ah surely do. We all do.”
“But why?” Twilight asked. “I failed you as a leader – I failed us all. I should have found a way to keep us all on the same page, and now, I want to find a way to spare both Rarity and Rainbow any pain that might come from this. I know it’ll work, I do…but at the same time, I don’t know what the costs will be.”
“Y’ been thinking about it too much, Twi,” Applejack said, patting her sister royal on the wither. “Ah just know Ah need t’ believe. Because if’n it were the other way around, y’d believe in me.”
Dawn took the idea and ran with it. “She’s right, Mom! You’re Twilight Sparkle – The Knight Commander of Magic, Duchess Shetland and the most powerful magic user out there, hooves down! Plus, you’re my mom! If there’s anypony who can pull this off, it’s you!”
Applejack looked at the half-pony half-changeling hybrid and saw unconditional love in her eyes. And Twilight was returning it. Twi, you’ll make this work, Applejack said silently, a soft smile coming to her face.
Twilight put a foreleg around her daughter and smiled. “Thanks, girls.” She then looked for one last time at the fading sunlight and thought, Don’t go anywhere – I’ll be back out there soon enough.
Attired in dress uniforms, Soarin’ and Silversteel arrived at the point where they would escort the princesses into the belly of the beast. The sitting room was devoid of any other souls, with nothing in it save for the furniture, the bookcases, and the ancient barding on the ponnequin in the glass case. The room exuded an ancient, sober mood on its own, and somehow it was a perfect meeting location for those who were about to face the test of their lives.
Soarin’ looked at his old friend. “Don’t be so damn maudlin, Silver,” he grunted as he sat down on one of the sofas and reached over for the drink decanter, quickly pouring a tumbler filled with amber-hued apple brandy. “We’ve been through worse; we’ll survive this, too.”
“Yeah, whatever.” Silver pulled the glass out of the pegasus’ hoof and downed it in one gulp. He then poured another one for himself and one for Soarin’. “I’m actually thinking beyond that, as in what happens after we beat this? Obviously we need to go after Nightmare Moon and whatever shit she’s got behind her, but I’m more concerned about the homefront. Like what’s going to happen to my wife? And yours? Not to mention the various other family members.”
“Yeah, they hit us hard, no doubt about that. But look on the bright side, Silver: your daughter’s back—”
“And I lost one in the process, as well as her husband and child,” the earth stallion said in an empty voice. “And despite what Sandalw…DJ says, I’m not entirely sure she’s willing to go through with what she said. She is, after all, mostly human. And right now, I really don’t know what to feel or trust.”
Soarin’ downed his, then gave his friend a smile. “Trust in family, Silver. No matter what, we’re always going to be there for you, thick or thin. We’ll get through this. Just baby steps, okay?”
Silversteel shook his head in wonder. “How can you manage to be such a positive pony right now?”
The grin grew wider. “Because if the situation was reversed? Rainbow would be there for me.”
“And that’s the way it should be,” Cadance said as she entered the room. She looked tired but wary, as if her mind was already prepared for the trials ahead even if her body was not. The alicorn walked over to the drinks and availed herself of the rest of the bottle. “I know this is a little late in admitting it, but being a single mom sucks haybales.”
“Tired?” Soarin’ asked with a hint of a smile on his face.
“I feel like I could sleep a whole week and it wouldn’t be enough,” the alicorn grunted. “Still, Dusk is the best thing that’s happened to me in a long, long time. I’d be lost without my son.”
“That’s the blessing of children, Cadance,” Silver said with a smile. “Even when you’re at your most worn out, you find that they’re absolutely worth it. Besides, you didn’t have to do the really hard part, and you got a wonderful colt out of the deal.”
“Ain’t that the truth!” The three turned around to see Pinkie waving at them from the doorway. Behind her was Fluttershy, Big Mac and Thunderlane.
“Thought Ah’d come t’ back up th’ home team,” Big Mac told them.
“Yeah, big guy’s right. We’re a family – we do this together,” Thunderlane replied. “Besides, I don’t think my wife would let me live it down if I didn’t.”
Pinkie kissed him on the cheek. “Isn’t he wonderful?”
Star Swirl was anxious, to say the least. “She hasn’t gotten back in touch with me today,” the mare muttered. “She promised me!” she groaned, reading a book as she made tea for the both of them. The book was an unpublished treatise on magic that Sweetie had been working on and off for the past few years and she was now to the point that she planned to publish it; Star had felt honored, as she had been asked to read it before the older unicorn was to send it off for a lengthier peer review.
But even as her eyes scanned the pages, her own mind was an unyielding stew of emotions. She was head over heels in love with Sweetie, right? None of her previous relationships – especially the ones that leaned towards male – ever really seemed to work out. And yet here was this guy, this stallion that was an old friend of Sweetie’s, that she hadn’t intended anything to happen with…and yet it did.
So what did that say about her and her own loyalty towards the one that had been so instrumental to her life? And what did that say about her friendship with Pip, given that he and Sweetie were engaged? Should she fight for what she wanted, against a friend and risking losing Sweetie forever, or should she “settle” for the stallion that clearly wanted her attention – and from the looks of things, she wanted to, to some degree as well.
I feel like I’m going round and round on this, she rued. Like time stopped for a year and suddenly hustled to get back up to speed.
As the kettle sang its magical tune of readiness, Star called out, “Rumble, do you want any sugar or honey with your tea?”
“Both, thanks,” he called back from his seat on the sofa. At the moment he was reading a book: The Principles of Aerial Warfare, by Bannerfall. She’d read the book a few times herself; he’d been a commander during the last days of the Era of the Warring Tribes and had dutifully served Celestia and Luna as one of the first commanders of the original REG. From a standpoint of modern war, it was an outdated work, but nowadays it served the same thing as so many early human military leadership books did nowadays – they served more as modern business guides to the enterprising businessperson than anything else.
Even still, he looked incredibly sexy just sitting there and rea—wait, did I just think that?
The back door to the domicile opened and Spines came in. “Heya, Star, how goes the date?”
Star was taken aback by that. “Uh, Spines, what do y—”
“Awww, c’mon, Star, I’m not blind – you did raise me, sis,” the draconess said with a wry grin. “If you like the stallion, you should just be honest with him. Aren’t you the one who’s always telling me to be honest with myself? And believe me, I love me some Spike dragon. You keep telling me I’m too young to think about getting married yet, but you’re not.”
“Way to remember that talk we had about etiquette a few weeks back,” the mare grumbled.
“Sorry,” the draconess murmured. “But we’re family, Star – if you’re not going to listen to me when I’m telling you to be honest with your heart, then who are you going to listen to?” Spines reached over and hugged her sister’s hindleg. “Please, Star. For your own sake – be happy. I hate to see you so sad, and I want you to be happy.”
Star reached down and hugged back. “Love you too, Spines.” She closed her eyes as she embraced her charge, feeling the fuzziness of her fur—
Fur?
A split-second later, she opened her eyes with a start. The late afternoon light streamed into the room from the closed blinds. And next to her, she could hear a stallion, dozing away gently. She didn’t need to know why; the answer was as blatantly obvious as the dream she’d just had, and its message.
It’s time to put away the last vestiges of childhood, Star thought as she looked at Rumble. I can either keep trying for a love I can never have, or I can have the one that’s right near me. But I don’t love him, and he probably doesn’t love me. But maybe if this is more than a simple fling, we can love each other.
Feeling a warbling in her heart, she leaned forward and kissed him. She then felt the kiss being returned, as his eyes opened briefly. “Hi,” she finally said.
“Hello yourself,” he replied, a soft smile on his face.
“So what now?” she asked, casting her lot into the void and hoping for a final solution to it all.
Lying next to her, Rumble was just as emotionally conflicted. He’d been spending a lot of time – far more than he probably should have – with Sweetie’s former apprentice, and the results of that had been entirely unexpected, and certainly not what he’d wanted at first. Truthfully, why should he? Sleeping with Star had not been on his mind at all, and here he was, it having happened. But that being said, he couldn’t find a complaint with the situation, and if she had, it wouldn’t have happened at all.
So here he was, with a mare at least a decade or two younger than him, and in bed post-coitus – and not the first time this had happened, either. They led both very different lives: she was a senior-ranking Guild mage, and he lived in San Diego, with his unit being assigned to work with the American Navy’s special forces. Their lives were entirely too different from what they likely expected from one another, and besides, he still had feelings for Sweetie, and Star likely had a special somepony of her own.
And yet we’re both here, he thought. And neither of us would have done this if there wasn’t some attraction. Was that the issue? Did two lonely hearts call out to each other with a need so powerful that not even Princess Cadance could have stopped it – not that she was the kind of mare that would stop true love to begin with, but….
He felt her kiss him. And despite the dozens of reasons in his mind saying why he it wasn’t a good idea to go through with it, despite himself he felt his body lean in and return the kiss.
Lives can be changed, he thought to himself. And new realities written. Maybe it was time to think about changing his own.
“So what now?” he heard her ask.
“We’ll figure it out,” he told her with a tender smile.
“So, are you going?” DJ looked up at the speaker, and she knew who it was.
“I thought you guys were going back,” she said with an uneasy voice.
“We did,” Anna told her daughter. “But Sam said that there might be some children in need of babysitting since you and Mike were going to be busy taking care of something important. Unfortunately, your father couldn’t make it, so we agreed that I’d make the trip alone.” Anna went over and hugged her daughter. “But you were saying about doing something important?”
“I was just about to….” DJ trailed off, then shook her head. “No. No, I told Sam and Mike that I was going to go, but the truth is, I’m conflicted. On one hand, I want to be there for Twilight and the others. They’re my family, and I can’t just leave them in the lurch. But on the other hand, I can’t quite get over the fact that the bitch will be free if this succeeds. And if it doesn’t, well…I’ll be short a whole lot of relatives.”
“Furball, you know that no matter what, we’re always going to be there for you. And you’re an adult. It’s time that you cast aside childish things. Nobody says you have to like Rarity or do nothing more than acknowledge her. But you’ve made great strides in accepting your biological brother, father and aunt into your life, so there’s that. If Rarity doesn’t want you participating in her life, that’s her loss then.
“But that doesn’t mean that you should abandon the rest of your relatives, DJ. We taught you better than that. And if I were younger, I’d go with you – certainly they’re my friends and we should always back those we care about. Besides, you’ve never run.”
“I’m learning how to a lot as of late. It’s not a feeling that I’m really comfortable with.”
Anna gave a smile. “Then don’t. Be the Daisy Jo that we all know and love, not a pale copy. You’re better than that and you know it.”
She nodded. “Right. So, do you mind watching all the children while I get going? I have somewhere to be right now.”
“You go do what you need to do, Furball,” Anna said as she walked towards the kitchen. “Now I’ve got some hungry tykes to feed. You go get a taxi and get to where you gotta go as soon as you can.”
DJ didn’t bother answering. Instead, she rushed out of the house, hellbent on making it before it was too late.
The moment she stepped outside, she wasted no time in signaling for a taxi. To her surprise, however, a pulled chariot sidled up to the curb, and the moment it did the door threw wide open, revealing Elusive. “C’mon,” he told his sister. “We’re running late.”
She blinked in surprise. “Luse?”
He gave her a winning grin. “Thought you could use some company going over there.”
“But how did you know I was going?”
“I didn’t. Frankly, I didn’t expect you to go at all, given both the potential danger and the fact that…well, you and Mother hate each other. But to be honest,” Elusive said in a soft voice as the coach began to move again, “I hadn’t expected to go, either. With Butter still in a delicate state from birth and the fact that I could potentially lose so many of my family to this plan that Aunt Twilight’s not sure is going to work? I’m not brave enough to see that through. I might be my mother’s child, but I don’t think I have the courage of either of our parents, DJ.”
“What do you mean you don’t have the courage? You came here to get me, even if you weren’t sure if I would go. And I suspect that if I’d have said no, you wouldn’t have taken that as a final answer. Look, I don’t know anything about the courage of our family other than what we’ve been told, but coming here…that takes a lot of courage.”
He blushed. “Thanks, sis.”
The two said nothing more as the vehicle continued on towards the palace.
Two had become three had become five, and soon all those who were going to make the effort to enact Twilight’s plan had arrived. Spouses, sisters, royals, nobles, generals – ponies all…with two notable exceptions. Standing there in his work uniform, was Mike, while next to him, dressed in a suit, was Sam. The two humans were here to coordinate defensive strategies.
“Defensive strategies?” Blueblood, an irritated look on his face, asked. “Whatever for do you need de—”
“You can’t possibly ask why we need protection,” Pinkie said in a tone that indicated that for once, she was completely and utterly fed up with the buffoon in front of her. Even still, she chose a relatively nicer attitude to take…for the nonce.
“What Pinkie means,” Mike interjected, “is that given the earlier attack, and the fact that the most important ponies will be present for the situation, it would be vastly unwise for us not to have any sort of security plan in place.” Out of the corner of his eye he noticed the party pony giving him a grateful hint of a smile.
Sam then spoke up. “We’ve already worked it out: REAL agents will cover the outer perimeter, while military personnel will cover the inner. Due to the inner workings of this disease, curse, whatever, human personnel will be the majority of the inner perimeter protection.”
“REAL?” Blueblood and Lyra asked at the same time.
“The new national police organization we developed,” Luna explained. “There wasn’t much time to brief either of you on the situation, save that Guild Investigations will be folded into it and this new group will be open to all Equestriani citizens, not just ponies. Too many have complained that they’re being sidelined or ignored in favor of ponies, so hopefully this will change the balance. But that’s neither here nor there.” She turned to Mike and Sam. “Anyways, please continue, gentlemen.”
“Thanks. As REAL isn’t really fully up to speed yet, they will be using most of the human members of my CSAU contingent,” Mike explained. “In turn, the US Embassy’s Marine division is going to lend me about half their troops; the Canadian and British embassies will be doing so as well. Lyra has already talked to their ambassadors and they are willing to keep what’s going on under wraps until it’s complete.”
“And are you sure they can be trusted?” Blueblood asked. “I don’t like the fact that we’re trusting another species to our nation’s defense!”
“A second ago you were complaining that we have a defense,” Lyra muttered.
“Blue, Equestria is more than just ponies – it’s been more than just ponies for the longest time now. Our governance should reflect the wellbeing of our subjects, not just the ones that we look like,” Celestia gently rebuked.
“Even still, they chose Equestria over living in their native lands, so you can bet that I’m going to back them up any way I can,” Lyra told him. “They are beings that want to be Equestriani – and to me, that’s a sign I owe them that respect.”
“Well said,” Fluttershy said, giving her old friend a smile.
“So are we all set to do this?” Luna asked.
“Sure. I just had my troops set up the closed-circuit cameras a few minutes ago, so that those who won’t be at the site can watch in one of the other conference rooms,” Mike explained. “That would obviously be you, Lyra, and you, your highness.”
“That’s not what I meant, Mike,” Luna said with a soft voice, and everyone in the room fell quiet. All eyes fell on the man in the military outfit, and he shook his head, knowing what the request really meant.
“I don’t know. We talked about it earlier, but as much as I love my wife, I know she’ll say one thing and then do another. And right now, I know she’s very afraid.”
“Afraid? Of what?” Silver asked.
“Probably of Twilight and Sweetie dying. Or maybe of Rarity living.” When he heard Fluttershy gasp, Mike immediately went into damage control mode. “Silver, she’s accepted you and Elusive, because you two have accepted her for who she is. But Rarity won’t, and DJ refuses to change for her.” He then looked at them all and said, “And I think it’s a little unfair of you all to assume that she should. I know it’s a pony trait that friendship is uber alles – ‘friendship is magic’, if I remember the old pony maxim – but I think you all keep forgetting that in the end, she’s essentially human, and she’s going to think like a human and resolve any issues like a human.” He then took a defiant stance and added, “And as her husband, I’m going to back whatever decision she makes completely and totally.”
Sam moved to stand next to him. “Same here. She’s my big sister, and I won’t agree to anything that she’s not willing to do.” He thought he saw a flash of a look of something on Celestia’s face – disappointment? guilt? – but it was gone before it could fully register.
Then, to pretty much no one’s surprise, Lyra joined in. “Look,” she said, waving a hoof, “I don’t think I need to say that I’ve always had an affinity for humans, and now I’ve pretty much gone native.” Gesturing to her clothing, she added, “So if there’s one pony that understands what she’s going through? It’s not me.” She looked at all of them. “No, seriously, not me. I’m as tuned to humans as a pony can possibly be…but I wasn’t raised as one. I’m not DJ or that pegasus that lives in Japan or the unicorn that was just adopted by Liverpudlian parents—”
“Liverpudlian? What a grotesque name for a human settlement,” Blueblood interjected.
Lyra ignored him and continued. “The point being that I’m not ever going to understand humanity quite like DJ or those other humanized ponies will. Ponies like me, or ones that have permanently settled there? We’re never going to completely, 100% understand the human mind. But,” she said, creating a pointed finger with an extensory, “the opposite applies as well. She doesn’t understand what it’s like to be truly pony. And that’s where the problem is.”
“That for years, we expected her to, without so much as giving her the benefit of the doubt?” Soarin’ asked.
“Exactly. She may look like a pony, and genetically is one, but she’s exactly what she’s so often fond of saying: she’s a human, just pony-shaped. And we’re only realizing that now.”
“Listen, I don’t care about any of this,” Blueblood interjected once more. “You can carry on with your minor issues after we take care of what needs to be done, but I hardly think this is the time or place to discuss personal trivialities. Besides, from what I know of this ‘Sandalwood’, or whatever she calls herself, she’s a freak and half that has no business infecting ponykind?”
“Excuse me?” Mike said in a soft voice. Sam said nothing, but those who looked at him saw him suddenly tense up.
“This is a pony matter, human, so this discussion is none of your concern.”
“DJ is my wife,” Mike explained, “so excuse me if I take a bit of umbrage at her being insulted. Or weren’t you bothering to pay attention to what we were just discussing?”
“Why should I? She’s clearly some sort of infection on my species, so I don’t pay attention to that. Do you have concern for every virus that comes your w—” That was all he said before the human crossed the room in a short span of strides and picked the pony up by the scruff of his neck.
“Would you care to revise your statement?” Mike seethed.
“Unhoof me at once, you imbecile!” Blueblood ordered, feebly trying to push himself out of the human’s grasp. “Guards! Arrest this cretin for stallionhandling me! Aunties, banish this fool immediately!”
“Actually,” Sam said in an even voice, “you provoked him, your highness, and just caused an international incident in front of everyone, including the rulers of the land. So yes, while Cmdr. Hengst probably shouldn’t have lost his cool like that, you started the whole thing. And as the person who would be potentially arresting him, I’m personally willing to let the whole thing slide, if Princess Luna would be willing to.”
Luna looked at her nephew with disappointment, then a reproachful look at Mike, who took that as a cue to let Blueblood go. “That would be sufficient, Director Martinez,” she told him with a nod. “You may rescind any arrest authority for the Commander or Prince Blueblood. But if it happens again…then do what you need to do. I suspect, however, that the Americans won’t take arresting Cmdr. Hengst very well. But we’ll manage it somehow if Blueblood needs to sit in the pokey for a night.”
He nodded. “Understood, your highness.”
Blueblood’s eyes opened when he heard that. “Wait – you gave a human the authority to arrest me?” he wailed.
“Blueblood, you provoked a foreign dignitary. Even at my worst, I haven’t managed to pull that one off,” Lyra explained. “And here I thought that you somehow managed to grow up over the years.”
Lyra would have continued, had it not been for a knock at the door and a sentry entered shortly thereafter. “My lords and ladies, I have Count Lusitano and Countess Faroe here to see you.” That got a bunch of attention. That shock was added to a few seconds later as Elusive and DJ walked through the door.
“Hon, I wasn’t expecting you to show up for this,” Mike said, likely voicing the agreement of everyone present.
Her smile grew wide as she couldn’t help but be herself in front of her husband. “What, and you doubt the power of this fully-armed and operational insult-station? I think you underestimate your chances.”
Pinkie looked at her. “I don’t think the line from Star Wars goes quite that way, DJ,” she said with a soft smile.
“Eh, so I improved. Go fig,” the humanized pony replied with a shrug. “Can’t get it right all the time, not with the need to be a smartass.” She still noticed that everyone present was still staring at her. “Okay, what?”
“DJ,” Celestia began, “it’s been brought to our attention that we’ve done you a great wrong. That we really haven’t been treating you like the sort of individual that you are, and that we should have. And on behalf of everyone, even if they don’t realize it…I apologize. You’re not a pony. You didn’t grow up as one, and we’ve been foisting all this on you. I’m sorry.”
DJ stood there for a second, jaw hung in shock, eyes wide in surprise and ears seemingly alert as if instinct had her looking out for predators as her horse ancestors had once done. But after a second, she managed to compose herself and added, “What brought this on?”
Mike blushed slightly. “I finally told them how you felt.”
“WHAT?”
As an aside, Blueblood muttered to himself, “Why are they fawning over some strange pony like her? She’s no better than Heartstrings.”
“Blueblood, shut the hell up now or I will permanently shut you up.” The unicorn looked up in shock at that sound and found Fluttershy glaring at him, who quickly turned the baleful stare to a smarmy grin before turning her attention away from the sniveling pony.
“Look, Dee, we know this isn’t easy for you,” Sam added, “but this is a cross-cultural situation here. They expected you to be one way, while you’ve always been another. I think they’re trying to meet you halfway.”
“Sam, if I may?” Fluttershy stated. “DJ…I know this is old news, but your loss hurt us hard. And for the longest time, we hoped that Sandalwood would come back to us, but she never did. And you came instead. And while so many of us said that we would accept you for who you are, I don’t think that in our hearts, we really realized that. We thought we’d put up with your quirks…but they’re not quirks. They’re just the nature of a human being. And it’s something that we have to adjust to, not you.”
Silver walked up to her and Elusive. “You two are my only children left. That hurts me more than everything. Your older sisters and Minty are all gone. For a father, that’s nothing that anypony should live through. And now my wife, the love of my life, might die today if Twilight’s plan doesn’t work. So all I have left is you. Elusive, I haven’t been completely the father to you that I should have.”
“You were, Father,” Elusive told him with a smile. “I couldn’t have asked for a better father.”
“Yes, you could have. I spent so much time grieving over Dinky and Sparkler’s deaths, and in a haunted search for Sandalwood, that I neglected you and Minty. Hell, I’ve heard the rumors that your mother and I had you two just to assuage the deaths of your oldest sisters,” he said in a sad voice. “None of that is obviously true. But the truth is that I wasn’t there when I should have been. And your mother tried to do the best that she could, but she essentially acted as a single parent when she shouldn’t have. And for that, I’m sorry, son.” Tears welled in his eyes as he embraced his only colt. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay, Father,” Elusive said, embracing him in turn and feeling the emotions overcome him. “You did the best you could, given the trying circumstances.” The two let each other go after a few minutes and Silver turned to his wayward daughter.
“DJ…I don’t know what to say that hasn’t already been said. But I’m your father, just as much as the man who raised you.” He paused for a second. “No, that’s not quite right. He’s done more for you, given the circumstances. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t want in your life. I meant everything I’ve said until now and I don’t mean to change that. I want my daughter in my life, even if she’s not quite the daughter that left me. After all, there’s no guarantee that you would have been the person you are even if you never left Equestria.”
“He’s got a point,” Lyra said with a soft smile, walking over to the pony that was sort of a kindred soul to her. “I never turned out quite the way my parents wanted me to, and I’ve lived most of my life in Equestria. I honestly wonder how much more different I would have been if I had been in your situation.”
“But I want you in my life, DJ,” Silver continued. “Even if my wife won’t accept you, I do. I must. Because I can’t take another day of this uneasy détente we have.”
“I already said my answer,” DJ replied with a soft voice, as she hesitantly went over to hug her sire. “And I meant every word I said. I’m willing to give it a chance. With you, with Elusive and his family. But not with Rarity if she can’t accept me.”
He sighed sadly as he held her tight. “I wish you two would make up, but you’re not completely a pony – and I’m realizing now that’s not an insult – and she needs to understand that as well.”
“That’s all I’ve ever asked for,” DJ said, trying hard not to cry.
At this time, a second sentry, joined by a human dressed in USMC attire, popped his head in and said, “My lords and ladies, it is time. Those who will be staying here to watch everything remote, please follow me to the new Emergency Command Center. Those who will be headed to the site, please follow Gunnery Sergeant Ribbentrop.”
Mike returned the gunnery sergeant’s salute. “So, Gunny, what have we got?”
“Sir, just about everyone who isn’t on watch volunteered for this. Both Ambassador Williams and General Bryson think this should be interesting for international agreements with Equestria, but to be honest…sir, with the number of men dating or married to ponies, I think we’d have had a hard time getting them to ignore the situation,” Ribbentrop said with a chuckle.
“Oh?”
“Yeah. Besides, my wife Chiffon Swirl wouldn’t have let me hear the end of it if I hadn’t volunteered myself,” he admitted.
“I hear that, Gunny,” Mike replied, “though obviously your wife’s a little more pony than mine.”
“Commander, my wife would like to meet yours someday. I’m not sure you quite get how much she’s regarded out there, and not because she’s an author. Arrow would probably tell you that your wife is an interesting pony, because of the life she’s lived and how unpony it is.”
“Well, thank you for the kind words,” DJ said as she approached, having overheard him. “Perhaps when all this is over, I might be able to meet your lovely wife, sir?”
The sergeant laughed and nodded. “She’d like that. She’s a huge fan of your works and the fact that you’re a pony writing in human-style genre makes it even more interesting. Human authors tend to be a guilty pleasure for her.”
DJ smiled. “Yeah, I’ll definitely make plans to meet your wife, then – but don’t tell her: we’ll make it a surprise.” The smile then fell from her face as she looked at her husband. “Are you sure you have to do this?”
“Duty, hon. Besides, this is family that I’ll be looking out for.”
“I know,” she said in a soft voice. “It’s just that if there’s that much security going on….”
“Just a precaution, sis,” Sam said, giving her a look. “Probably won’t be needing this much personnel or hardware, but given that we’re guarding the princesses, and that the ERG would have a collective aneurysm if we didn’t….” He shrugged. “You know how it is.”
From behind them, Celestia called out, “Director Martinez, when you have a moment, I would like a word with you, in private.”
“Hrm, wonder what that’s about,” Sam said in a tone that indicated he knew exactly what it was about. “Look, sis, you’re staying with Lyra and Blueblood in the command center, right?”
“Yes.” Her tone showed that she didn’t want to be there, but that there was little choice.
“Good. Take care of her, will you, Luse?”
“Like my life depended on it, gentlemen,” Elusive said to both Sam and Mike.
As the room began to filter in the directions that those concerned would be going, Luna paused for a second to talk to DJ. “You know, I don’t think that in a million years that I’d have ever expected this situation.”
“What, having to cure everypony of an evil curse by all joining together in one of Twilight’s crazy schemes that even by her standards – and that’s her own words from the last time I talked to her, not a judgement call – may or may not work.”
“No – that you were willing to back your pony family when it counted most,” Luna said in a not unkind voice. “You’ve grown since we first encountered each other back in Tokyo, DJ, and I want you to know that.” Luna reached over with her wings, embracing the pony; DJ in turned hugged her aunt’s neck. “I’m proud of you, DJ. You really came through when the time came, and that makes you a special person, pony or not.”
Pinkie and Fluttershy said nothing, save to hug DJ before departing. Finally, all had departed save for DJ and Lyra. “Come on, DJ. We gotta get going,” the older mare said. There was no response, and Lyra asked again, “Dee?”
DJ just stood there, emotionless, silent. Finally, she said in a sad voice, “I should be used to this. I mean, I’m a Navy wife, and Mike deploys all the time. I should be used to this. But right now…it’s like I’ve got a hole in my heart and it’s not going to go away.”
“You’re worried about the others, aren’t you? I mean, not just your brother, but Celestia, Luna and the rest. And those who are already there and suffering, right?” Lyra asked, and DJ nodded sadly. Lyra hugged her and said, “Looks like you know more about what it’s like to be pony than you let on, kiddo.”
DJ pulled away and there were tears forming in her eyes. “What, it’s not okay to love those you care about? It’s a very human trait.”
“Yes, and it’s a pony trait, too. And after all, friendship is magic.” The unicorn patted the younger mare on the back and said, “Baby steps, DJ, baby steps. Soon we’ll have you on a vegetarian diet and walking around naked on all fours in no time flat.”
“Get bent, Lyra,” DJ said with a loving smile on her face.
Lyra laughed at that.
Celestia and Sam quickly teleported to her office and so sooner than she did she transformed and began kissing him.
“This is a little awkward right now, Cel,” he told her. “Not that I wouldn’t want to kiss you, but given the situation….”
“I know,” she said, burying her face in his chest. “I feel like everything’s slipping away from my grasp. I wanted to protect Twilight and the others, and I couldn’t. I wanted to reunite DJ and Rarity, and I can’t. And I certainly never intended to fall for you,” she said. “I don’t feel like I’m in control anymore, and when I’m not in control, the world goes all to smash and that’s dangerous for everypony. It makes me feel…well, mortal.”
He laughed at that. “Um…I’m mortal. What’s wrong with that?”
“It reminds me that life is finite, and that I’ve only got a finite span of years. That I might watch you grow old and infirm and pass away, leaving me behind, and that even I can’t stop death – I don’t have that kind of power, and I’m not sure that even my mother does.” She sighed. “It would have been nice to talk to her before she departed, but she did without warning and I’m not completely sure she’s even alive.” Celestia paused and stated, “We got a note from one of Lyra’s friends a few years back, but we haven’t been able to confirm it, and Lyra unfortunately explained that Bon-Bon was hospitalized a few years back for mental illness. So there’s no way to know for sure, but….”
“But?”
“About us. About me. About everything and anything and all that the average pony knows and doesn’t know.” She groaned. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be putting all this on your shoulders.”
“Yes, you should. Because that’s why I’m here. Because otherwise you’ll let it stew inside, and that’s not healthy for anyone, Cel. I know you haven’t been used to having someone in your life for a long, long while, but guess what? I’m here for the long haul, as long as you need or want me. That’s what being in a relationship is, after all.”
Her cheeks flushed with crimson, nearly as powerful as the glow from her pastel hair. “And are you sure you’re going to want me and all that comes with me? Didn’t Shakespeare once say ‘heavy lies the crown’?”
“Actually, he said,” as Sam assumed a theatrical voice, “‘Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.’ That’s from Henry IV, Part II – I had to help in a high school production of it way back when. I wasn’t an actor, but I had to help them with learning the lines. Ended up dating the girl who played Nell Quickly, but that’s neither here nor there.”
“No, it is,” she told him. “I want to know all about you, just as you want to know all about me. And tomorrow, I promise we’re going to start.” She then said glumly, “if there’s going to be a tomorrow.”
He then pulled her so that they faced each other, eye to eye. “There will be a tomorrow. Because you’re not going to give up – and if you think you are, think of me and how I feel for you, Cel. I want you back tomorrow so that we can have that tomorrow and the one after that, and the one after that, ad infinitium, got me?”
Her response was to kiss him, lovingly and passionately, so much so that neither heard the door open.
Cadance stood there, a look somewhere between surprised, angry and resigned. “You know, there was no way in Tartarus that I knew this was coming. Guess I still have a lot to learn about being the Alicorn of Love.”
Celestia reacted. “I…uh….”
“I came here to see what was taking you so long. Tonsil hockey was not on the list of things I’d considered.”
“Look, Cadance—”
The romance alicorn raised her hoof. “No. Don’t say a word, Auntie.” Celestia knew she was in trouble whenever Cadance used that appellation. “You’re entitled to find love again and clearly you have, so I should be happy for you. But this is going to be—”
“Awkward?” Sam offered, feeling very much like a schoolboy at the moment.
“Yes. But don’t worry, I’m not going to tell Luna or DJ, mainly because I’m not sure that we have time to and frankly I don’t know what I would say anyway. But I get the feeling that this is – no, I know this is happening on the illicit side, because I think somepony would have said something by now. So if you truly care about each other and this isn’t just a fling – and the feeling I’m getting from the both of you is that this clearly isn’t – you owe it to come clean. Because as the Alicorn of Love, I don’t like deceit in love, since it only comes back to bite those who do it in the plot when they least expect it.” Nothing more to say, she left the room.
“Sometimes I think I raised her too well.” Celestia sighed and changed back to her normal form. “Well, let’s get this over and done with. I want to help you move into your new home…because you’ll have a guest over quite often.”
“Looking forward to that,” he said, as he opened the door for her.
“Guys,” Twilight said, cueing the spell to wake them all up, “It’s time.”
Rarity looked haggard. “Are you so sure this is going to work?”
“Worked for me, didn’t it?” the lavender unicorn said with a wink. “I’m only here because I promised that we’d all walk out of this together, and to do that, we need to all be together for this spell to work. All of us. If one component is missing, it won’t.”
“Well,” Rainbow groaned, feeling as though she’d flown a million miles, “I’m all for it. I want to save my foal, and I need all of you to do that. Besides, we’ve all gone so long together – I don’t want this to be the end.”
“Ah, some sob-hearted pony you turned out t’ be, Rainbow,” Applejack said with a laugh.
Sweetie, helped by Dawn, joined them. “The last set of runes are set, Twi,” she practically coughed out. “When do we do this?”
“When the others show,” Twilight announced. “And that’s when magic happens.”
The Nightmare looked at the setting sun. “This is the last sun that shall ever fall on Equestria,” she said with a soft, contented sigh. “By this time tomorrow, the sun and moon will be dead and my reign will begin.”
A changeling, dressed in armor, approached her. “Our intelligence assets have reported that they are on the move now to the hospital.”
“Hospital, ha!” Chrysalis announced. “That isn’t a hospital, not anymore – it’s an abattoir. Are our troops in position?”
“Yes, your highness,” the changeling announced. “Prince Armor states that he has over 2500 of our best changelings in position, with no orders other than to kill any and every last living thing on the hospital grounds – that nothing is to survive, neither us nor them.”
“Good,” Chrysalis stated.
“This plan had better work,” Nightmare warned her.
“Or else?”
Nightmare pointed to the glowing cave, where changelings were currently mining for uranium and plutonium. “Or else we’ll have to go with Di Tacco’s plan – and frankly, I hate to rule over an irradiated wasteland, wouldn’t you?”
Chrysalis laughed mercilessly. “Won’t happen.” She turned to her general. “Tell them that the moment that Celestia and her fools are at their most vulnerable, to attack without mercy.”
“It shall be done, my queen.”
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It's amazing the Blueblood is supposed to be part of some secret society when he can't even be smart enough to not be a putz for five minutes. Guess Sunset is definitely doing all the heavy lifting on that front.
Great chapter! The buildup was great, and it makes the effin' cliffhanger all the worse.
I DON'T WANNA WAIT! I WANNA READ MORE NOW!
Also, I wanna see Chrysalis and Nightmare burn in hell, Tartarus and any other similar places.
Can I upvote this more than once?
Can't wait for the next part!
7364299
Or it's all just an act and he does that to hide what he's really thinking.
Hey, it's possible....
Fitting day to update considering the story title. I can see DJ sending off a lot of fireworks at her new place and her neighbors wondering what the hell she's doing. :)
Hopefully, we won't have to wait as long for the next update as we did for this one. I haven't checked for a number but it felt like forever... and when it takes forever I always forget exactly where the story was. Fortunately this chapter had enough context to it that that wasn't a big problem.
This chapter shouldn't require too much editing I'd think, I only noticed one missing word (unfortunately I wasn't taking notes so I don't remember exactly where it was... something DJ says outside of the hospital).
This is usually the part where as an editor I make some cryptic comment about what's to come, but with this story I genuinely don't know what's going to happen. Shin keeps the details of AAG close to his chest, and truth be told I kinda like it that way. Makes it more exciting!
Wow keeping secret all those other realities is not a good option there Equestria. I get why but still bone headed. I hope not only the changeling plan fails but the nuclear option does as well. I am wondering though just how Rarity and DJ will have any reconciliation at this point, because she is still in denial about her eldest daughter. Eagerly awaiting the next chapter!
Woohoo, we finally got an update! There's obviously a heckuva lot happening, but I'm interested to see what will happen with this doppelganger believing that she really IS Sunset Shimmer. It reminds me of that episode with the Eleventh Doctor where the clones believe they're the real deal because they have the original person's memories and emotions.
Dawwwww' it's cute how Shining Dawn worships her mom
I had to get dinner and a comfortable chair to take some time and enjoy this properly.
FINALLY someone lays it out about DJ, and everyone GETS IT. Thank you so much, LYRA.
How hard is it to explain nature versus nurture!
7364299
Why do you think she married him? Fools are easier to control, anda "Chammy" is too paranoid and distrustful to keep the smart ones close to her.
Speaking of which, do you think Champagne will realize Sunset is not a mere malfunctioning clone, but everything she discarded from her own soul? The situation reminds me to the fic Cleave
7364409
So, the Nighmare doesn 't want to rule a nuclear wasteland... but is ok with eliminating the Sun and the Moon? I would say the first option at least offers some chances of keeping a surviving population.
7365539
Science vs magic. She comprehends the latter and thinks she can deal with it, but she probably doesn't quite get the results of the former.
Man, I had thought this would be the final chapter of AAG Book I. Well, guess not
Glad to see AAG back. Can't wait to see 7dSJ
Sorry for the late reply, but apparently "sort by update" doesn't like dealing with two updates in the same day. Now for the only bit of armchair editing I will ever do:
Closing a dialog sentence at the end of a paragraph like this, when the next paragraph starts with more talking, implies a change of speakers. I know that your editors will fix it when they finally get around to it, but I just spent five minutes trying to figure out who was speaking in the new paragraph.
*goes back to reading the chapter*
Err... didn't her family tell her not to go last chapter?
Wow, Blueblood, you actually managed to piss off Fluttershy. Congratulations on your complete and total lack of self preservation.
Not that I approve of human-pony romance (or what goes with romance
), but its been a long time since this updated. Here's hoping the good guys win... and that nukes don't obliterate Equestria.
The closing quip is marred by a mistake. Characters can misspeak, of course, but it just sucked so much of the oomph out when I noticed it that I don't think you did it intentionally.
I'd hate/wouldn't you
or
I hate/don't you
The way it is now, the grammar is in disagreement.
Finally! Ponies that actually try and meet DJ halfway instead of demanding that she adapt! Praise the sun!
Also, really happy to see this update again.
Blueblood tries a little too hard.
Sorry for taking two weeks to review, but I definitely needed to fact check, and generally to see whether I was crazy, or this scene was bullshit:
So, I had to reread the entire effing book to be certain that I wasn't crazy.
(1) For the entire fic, DJ has always been extremely vociferous about her humanity, with her getting at least one scene per chapter about her having to get defensive and having to defend her humanity. Her opinion is probably the worst kept secret in two planets, and I doubt that anybody there but Soarin and Blueblood hadn't repeatedly heard it already.
(2) DJ is snarky as all the heck.
(3) Mike knows she has been saying it forever.
So, rather than be anywhere near surprised, she should have replied with something like:
Furthermore:
So, the known aspects here are that the defenders will be lucky to number a couple hundred, and have to defend a halfway demolished building in the middle of the city, at night. Meanwhile, Blood Armour commands at least ten times the number of troops, and these troops are black, fly, have been known in the past to launch themselves down like meteors, and have kamikaze orders. And we then have the unknown factor given to us by Champagne Dreams having top-level clearance and certainly being the one who has been passing information and has been signing weird orders, and may have a gazillion sleeping agents in the castle itself.
Are you painting yourself into a corner, or do you just want to kill most of your cast and toss the remainder into the dungeons?
And so we rush toward the climax. I for one, can't wait to see it.
Its pretty obvious that not everyone will make it out of book one/the next chapter alive. At least one of the main cast is probably going to die/get killed soon, multiple characters being killed off simultaneously is even more likely. A bloodbath at the hospital is inevitable.
Shin , don't deny that at least some part of you must enjoy torturing the people reading this story by screwing with their expectations, surely you must have thought about this at least once or twice
You can pretend all you want that you wont go down the worst outcome path, but you aren't fooling me.
By the way, great work with the story so far, keep up the good work!
7412000 I just hope Shining Dawn is not one of them
7372025 Yeah, that's one of the reasons she's one of my fav OCs. I relate with her in many ways
7365571 Sooooooooo, a case of muggles do it better trope?
Guess who's getting a Build-a-Bear plush
2.bp.blogspot.com/-O5m2yCWWE_E/V_p8L1cIHwI/AAAAAAACraU/L5yGuUPyMGctjtuIM_aOIvvQmATnRFdiQCLcB/s640/unnamed.jpg
7630684
Dammit why doesn't DJ get one?
7630728 It's still pretty curious why a toy-line exclusive pony will be getting her own plush from Build-a-Bear though. As far as I know, not many toyline exclusive ponies are even noticed by third party manufacturers
. Is this a sign that Minty will appear in the show? I hope so. Due to this saga, Minty is my favorite toyline exclusive pony.
Oh, BTW, G3 Pinkie Pie's voice is apparently recording lines for something G4 pony-related, and Minty being toyline exclusive is no impediment for her to appear in the show (just ask Blossomfort and Moon Dancer)
7640929
Sentient is not a typo. It was intentional. Personally, it's a pet peeve of mine when people use sentient for sapient, so i get where you're coming from.
7662987
Yes, but back in the day, it didn't mean the girl or the guy was sleeping around, it was just making sure that the others were their true love. DJ can be modest at times.
At times.
A better quality Build-a-Bear Minty
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Girl, stop hating humanity, they are making cute plushies of you
still waiting
the Cubs won that should be a sign to update.
7692064
"A single word is etched onto the inside of the weapon's casing: 'Soon.'"
7694564 target is at 10,000 yards and opening ....... sir
7707043
She dun goofed.
Love this story!
you know, DJ shouldn't fear her possible cutie mark. Even if she has that on her flank, she doesn't have to do what it says instead of what she really likes. Cadance herself said so in her chapterbook..... [whisper]it's canoooooooooooooooooooon [/whisper]
7764178
Except Cutie Mark Failure Insanity Syndrome.
7876407
Other way around.
Hey, it is okay if I make Shining Dawn my waifu
?
now which will be first the pony movie or the update
Always a great read, granted I took almost a year to read it lol
8269468
Well, there's more coming soon!