Chapter Seven: The Stars We Are
“Aunt Luna? Is something wrong?” Minty asked as she looked at the sad face of the night princess. At the moment, the moon alicorn was seated on the balcony of Rarity’s home in Canterlot, foalsitting her niece and nephew; two-month-old Elusive was currently asleep in his bassinet at the princess’ side. Both Rarity and Silversteel were at the Royal Infirmary for Rainbow’s delivery, as were the others; seeing that it was time for the night court, Luna cancelled the evening’s proceedings and offered to care for the foals.
“No, not at all, Minty. I was just thinking about your sister,” Luna said, gazing at the stars in the sky. It had been just a week ago that Pinkie had returned from a fruitless search of the latest reality to be breached; nopony knew how many others there were out there and how many they’d have to search before they found Sandalwood – if she was even in one of them or, for that matter, still alive.
Turning to see the confusion on the filly’s face, Luna reached over and picked her up, kissing her gently on the forehead. “She deserves to be here with her family. We all miss her very much and I think if you’d had a chance to meet her, you’d love her just as much as the rest of us do.”
“Will she ever come back?” Minty asked, a weighty question for a seven-year-old filly.
“I hope so,” Luna answered. “Your aunts Twilight and Pinkie are working as hard as they can to find her, and I have every hope that they shall.” Because it was too complex, Luna neglected to mention that she had done extensive searches in the Dreamlands for Sandalwood; now that she was about nine and should have formed her identity as a pony it would be foal’s play to find the young filly and from there work out her physical location. But to date, no such luck had occurred.
“Will she like me?”
Luna hugged the smaller pony closer to her, eliciting a giggle from the younger one. “Of course she will – you two are sisters and like your Aunt Celestia and I, sisters always get along in the end. Sure, it won’t always be easy, but as long as you love each other, sisters always help one another. And besides, both of you need to be big sisters to Elusive. He’s young and going to need someone to look out for him.”
There was a golden flash of light, which turned into a scroll. Luna caught it in her magic and unfurled. “Well, looks like your Aunt Rainbow and Uncle Soarin’ had a colt. They’re naming him Rainbow Blitz.” Luna gave the mint-hued filly a smile. “So until your sister returns, you’re going to have to be like a big sister to Blitz as well, okay?”
“Uh-huh!” Minty promised and was rewarded by a nuzzle from the night princess.
Luna opened her eyes, stretching in the bed. It’s rare when I dream, she mused; as the alicorn that watched over everypony else’s dreams, she rarely had time for her own. I wonder what brought that one o—
Her mind paused as she noted the writing on the wall, a smeared mess of chocolate crème, bubblegum and fingerpaints, all spelling out, YOU ARE HEREBY REQUESTED TO SOUJOURN TO MY DEMESNES. After a few seconds, the whole thing turned into firecrackers and popped, leaving the scent of sweet vanilla and limburger cheese in the air.
A pair of cyan eyes narrowed in anger. “Discord….” Luna seethed.
Cadance stood at the podium, her face looking frazzled and as though it was going to fracture. The press conference was to explain her decision to order Situation Firestarter. While she wasn’t expecting it to be easy, she was at least expecting the press corps to let her get a word in edgewise.
More the fool I, she thought as the jackals continued to savage her.
“Princess, is it true that you ordered the assault in revenge for your husband’s death?”
“Did her majesty authorize this attack, your highness, or did you take it upon yourself to act independently as regent?”
“Your highness, what of the rumors that four of the six Bearers have fallen to the changeling attack? In fact, Knight Commander and Archmagus Twilight Sparkle has not been seen in her office in weeks, nor have the other Knights. Would you care to comment on that?”
Over and over it felt like Cadance was saying the same thing: “No comment.” “I cannot comment on that at this time.” “Those are merely rumors and have no basis in reality.” When it came to the comments about Twilight, however, Cadance’s anger flickered for a second – just long enough to be caught on camera, a further embarrassment for her. This was turning bad, and no doubt she was going to need rescuing soon.
From nowhere, Champagne Dreams stepped in, whispering in Cadance’s ear, “I’ll take it from here.” To the press, she said, “Her highness must now attend day court, and so I’ll take any further questions from this point.”
Cadance whispered a “thanks, Champagne – you’re a lifesaver”, and beat a quick departure. Had Cadance not been in such a hurry, she would have wondered why the princess usually uninterested in governmental affairs was present to assist in such a matter.
“All in a day’s work,” Champagne responded back before turning to continue to the conference. While the look on her face was stately, the smug smile inside was a mile wide. Cadance, you stupid foal. If only you knew….
“I can sense it,” Celestia said, her horn glowing, her body enveloped in a stasis field. She was in her true form at the moment, now comfortable enough to revert to her native form as Singapore began standing down from its emergency status. “Changeling magic was involved, I think.”
“You think?” Rodenkov asked, finding the comment odd.
“This…it’s unusual,” she explained. “Each being has a particular type of magical signature, similar to its DNA. But…I’ve never seen anything like this. It looks like changeling magic, but there’s something else, as if….” She paused, not saying it aloud. This looks like a fusion of changeling and pony magic. Could Chrysalis…?
“Celestia?” Mike asked, turning back to her. As the moment, he was bent down over one corner of the room, latex gloves on his hands looking over anything that the forensics teams might have missed.
“No, it’s nothing,” she replied. If the stories about Chrysalis transforming ponies into changelings are true, I’ll have to get a better answer from Imago. She might not know, but she should have enough genetic memory to explain if it’s feasible.
The group was in the Changi prison complex’s high-security area, where Rickard, DeVille and the changelings had disappeared. But it wasn’t just them: the fifteen SPF Gurkhas and soldiers from the Singapore Army guarding them were now all gone as well. There had been no trace of forced entry or departure, and no one in the less-secure portions of the facility had seen or heard anything. The only sign that anything had occurred was a single fingerprint that they were running through INTERPOL and a wing scale from one of the changelings; Celestia agreed to provide information she had a second scan run on the wing scale by one of her mages.
“Think it could have been an inside job?” Sung asked as both Admiral Singh and Superintendent Lenard arrived on location.
“Preposterous – the SPF is the finest agency in the world! My men are above reproach.”
“Don’t be so daft,” Singh told him. “One of the captured men was a former American SEAL – and I hardly think that the American Navy would consider their people ‘above reproach,’ Superintendent. You’re a police officer – no one is above reproach.” He turned to Celestia, adding, “Am I correct, your majesty?”
Celestia nodded sadly, remembering Luna’s turn as Nightmare Moon’s host and the thousand years of anguish that followed. “Not a single soul, Admiral,” she said softly.
Gespenstflügel fluttered his wings, a sign of irritation. “So the trail goes cold and they get away scot-free, is that it?”
Rodenkov shook his head. “No, no they do not, my friend. We will catch them and we will bring them to justice.” He turned to Mike. “You have my word on that, Commander.”
Mike nodded. “My thanks, Colonel.”
Rodenkov turned to Mitchell. “Talk to the SPF and get all their case files, so we can start a more detailed analysis back in the office. But for now,” he said, taking one last cursory look at the room, “we wait for their next move.” The members of the 15 Office all said their goodbyes to those remaining and then they departed back to prepare for last minute duties before returning back to their home base. Admiral Singh had a meeting to attend and excused himself shortly thereafter, and finally Superintendent Lenard had to return to Central to attend to other duties.
Mike stood in the empty cell with Celestia for what seemed like forever. Finally, she said, “Mike…it won’t end this way. I’ll protect DJ. When she checks out tomorrow, we’ll leave for Equestria soonest.”
The Sailor stood there for the longest time, looking tense and angry. At last, he asked, “You up for lunch? I know this great little Arabic place, found it the last time my ship was passing through here.”
She smiled, glad to see that he was feeling better. “That sounds wonderful,” she replied as the pair walked out of the cell.
The helicopter landed directly on the palace helipad. Once the northern gardens, the whole area had been retooled to accommodate the modern transport systems. Evergreen conifers and bluegrass replaced the seemingly endless rows of various flowers to prevent engine damage from “FOD hazards”, whatever that meant. The gazebo overlooking everything was now supplanted by a gray square of concrete, regularly cleaned and tended to for the princesses’ travel needs. The “Royal Chariot”, an AS365 Dauphin, sat in a nearby hangar, being maintained by a squad of REAF mechanics. ERG guards, both in the ceremonial barding of the Palace Guard division and regular guards in police fatigues and body armor, patrolled the grounds, but easily gave way to the military helicopter coming in.
As guards went up to find out who made an unauthorized landing at this late hour, Pinkie leapt out of the helo, waving to both of them. “Sorry, we would’ve called ahead and let you know we were coming, but we weren’t sure what kind of pizza to bring. Speaking of which, let the chef on duty know we’ll need some dinner – I haven’t had anything to eat but MREs and I’ve got a very intense need for a burrito. Or maybe fudge. Or granol—wait, nopony eats granola; nevermind that. On second thought, just have somepony run down to Pony Joe’s and get us two dozen of his best, stat!”
The guards, now convinced it was Pinkie, backed off immediately, while someone went to fetch the donuts. Fluttershy hopped off the helo, and as Pip handed her the foal, she said, “Remember what I said, Pip. Only you can make that choice.”
“Thanks, Fluttershy,” he said. “I promise that whatever the choice is, I’ll have thought about it extensively.” Fluttershy and Pinkie then moved clear of the helo and as soon as they put several dozen feet worth of space between them and it, the helicopter roared into the skies, headed off into the night sky, bound towards its destination, the REAF base built into the mountainside just south of Canterlot City.
Both Bearers made it no farther than entering the palace proper before Fluttershy was nearly tackled by Cinnamon and Macintosh. Both glomped their loved one and only a flicker of motion by Pinkie saved the quiet foal from being crushed by hugs.
“Thank the stars y’r okay, hun!” Macintosh said, rearing just long enough to hold his wife close. While he wasn’t the emotional type, his eyes seemed a bit misty.
“Mom! You’re okay!” Cinnamon embraced both her parents, tears of relief streaming unabashedly down her face. “I was worried when you didn’t come back after a day!”
“I’m fine,” she promised, kissing her husband and then her daughter in turn. “I’ve got to talk to Cadance. Is she here?”
“Uh, yeah she is, just got savaged by a bunch of reporters, too. She’s in the Throne Room and Elusive’s with her at the moment.”
“Good; I need to talk to him as well. Pinkie, go ahead and see if everyone’s okay then explain what happened; I’ll handle the rest. Mac, go with her – things are about to get even rougher for us now. Cinnamon, come with me.” Fluttershy deftly scooped the foal out of Pinkie’s forelegs.
Pinkie mock-saluted her friend. “You can count on me! C’mon, Mac, I’ll tell you about my big war injury on the way – I got a splinter in my hoof and Fluttershy had to pull it out.” As the pair raced down a different corridor towards the Eastern entrance and the city gate, the two pegasi flew towards the western wing of the castle, where the Throne Room was. Fluttershy took care to fly gently and slowly, and Cinnamon noticed it immediately. Others offered congratulations to Fluttershy on her safe return or said hello, but immediately thought better of it the moment they saw the determined look on her face.
“Uh, Mom? Can I ask what that is? If, um, that’s okay with you,” Cinnamon finally asked, broaching the subject.
Fluttershy had both a slight smile and a sad look on her face as she heard former signature phrase, now uttered from her daughter’s lips on a regular basis. “It’s a foal, sweetie,” she answered.
“You found a survivor?”
“In a manner of speaking, yes.” As they approached, the guards deftly opened the doors. In turn, Fluttershy and Cinnamon alit on the ground; by tradition no one was allowed to fly in the Throne Room and it was something that Celestia insisted on, even with her family members, citing her mother’s edict for decorum in the space.
The pair arrived just to see Princess Gilded Lily and Prince Blueblood arguing with a very exhausted and impatient Cadance. For a rare change, Lily was on the side of the current royal family instead of the previous dynasty.
“Father, Cadance was doing the best she could. You saw that pack of hooligans masquerading as journalists – they had no respect for her whatsoever.”
“That’s immaterial, daughter,” Blueblood commented before he turned to Cadance. “The populace is panicking and there are reports of stampedes breaking out in several cities! Plus, the refugee camp outside the remains of Fillydelphia should have been dispersed by now and the residents sent to new locations. What do you intend to do about this, Cadance?”
Already raw from her savaging at the hands of the press, the Avatar of Love gave her distant cousin a baleful stare. “Blue, let’s be upfront: since when have you cared about the common pony?”
“Both restoring order and ministering to the needs of the refugees will bleed the treasury dry, and as Minister of Finance, I’m—”
“As Minister of Finance, you know the funds are there for the future of Equestria and its subjects, regardless of whether they’re ponies, gryphons, buffalo, humans, or whomever! Furthermore, our budget is running at a surplus and at times like these, we must look out for our fellow beings!”
Blueblood couldn’t think of anything to say, so he instead changed tactics. “And that’s what you should have said at the conference! A leader leads, Cadance – when will you see that?”
“With Celestia and Luna remaining in Singapore due to the emergency right now, I’ve had to come back and run everything and I assure you, I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t have our dear aunts’ thousands of years of experience. Plus, I’m not planning to try to stage a coup the first chance I get into power, unlike you.”
“You dare to accuse me of plotting against her majesty?” the unicorn said in a dangerous tone.
“Blue, I know you are part of the previous dynasty, but you are still family,” Cadance said in measured tones as she descended from the dais, her patience now exhausted. “Our aunt might not say it, but I will: whatever parlor trick you might want to dr—”
Frantic, Lily stepped between them. “Please, Father, Cadance, I think this is gone on quite enough. Arguing like this does not look well for us either as royals or as family.”
“I agree,” Elusive said, now speaking up in defense of his aunt. “Blueblood, Lily, it’s probably best that we end court for the day. Cadance has had a trying time today and I hardly think she needs another round of headaches.”
Blueblood flashed the younger stallion a look of disgust. “Your ad-hoc ‘family’ may let you be overfamiliar with your betters, but as for me, you shall address me as ‘your highness’, whelp. You’ve only the coattails of my deluded aunt’s pity to ride on, while I proudly stand on the shoulders of my forebears, such worthies as Queen Platinum or King Jasper.” Blueblood decided to ruffle the upstart’s feathers a bit. “Did you know that when we first met, your oh-so-sanctified mother lifted her tail for me? We’d just been introduced the moment before and she suddenly started to want to get to know me better in the, how shall we say, more intimate sense. I’ve no doubt your mother is truly Generosity in its avatar, but really, I wonder how generous she is with her marely ch—” The unicorn would have finished his sentence had not a lemon-yellow wing spread out in front of his muzzle, silencing him.
“My apologies, but the foal is sleeping,” Fluttershy said to him, a smile on her tired face. Then turning to her loved ones, she said, “Cadance, Elusive, I understand you’ve both had a bad day, but do you mind if we talk for just a moment?” Fluttershy turned and handed the foal to her daughter. “It’s very important and I thi—”
“HOW DARE YOU! I SHOULD HAVE YOU ARRESTED THIS VERY MOMENT, YOU HARRIDELLE!” Blueblood roared. In turn, the foal awoke and started to cry, its peals nearly as loud as the buffoon of a royal. “Shut that stupid brat u—”
Fluttershy turned and opened her Stare right at the uncouth Prince. Her already-blistering gaze, now supercharged by the extra strength of motherhood, made an already vicious action a hundred times that more potent. Blueblood, unfamiliar with Fluttershy’s special skill, took the full brunt of the glower and did the only sensible thing: he passed out. Her job complete, she turned to Blueblood’s daughter and said, “Lily, would you be so kind as to get some guards to assist your father? I believe he may need it.” She then took the foal back from Cinnamon and patiently waited until guards, reacting to Blueblood’s shouts, saw his prone form, quickly figured out what happened and dragged him out of the room, the unicorn princess following shortly behind, the ghost of a smile almost appearing on her lips as she departed.
Once that was done, Fluttershy spoke in gentle tones to the foal, “There, there – ignore big Mr. Meany Blueblood. You’re with family now, little one. You’ll be safe, I promise.” Instinctively, the foal somehow understood that, and gurgling softly, immediately stopped crying.
“Family?” the three other ponies gasped, not expecting those words.
Elusive, caught off-guard, looked at the small, covered bundle in Fluttershy’s arms. “But that foal’s way too young to be Gumdrop! And where are Minty and Toffee?”
“We didn’t find any of them, Elusive. I’m sorry,” she told her nephew, her tone modulated so the young foal wouldn’t pick up on sad emotions. “The town was in ruins by the time we arrived, and if she’s not amongst the evacuees, then….” The mare trailed off; to voice that her niece and her family were gone would be too much to bear for all present. “But we did find this…newborn, Cadance.”
The moment Fluttershy addressed her, Cadance’s heart seized as clarity sank in like a dragon on black wings. A look of sorrow, shock and horror came over her face as she whispered, “Shiny confessed to me shortly before he died, and said that he knew this was going to happen someday. But he made me promise that should I be in a situation where I could rescue one of…his foals, that it would be not just his, not his and Chrysalis’, but that it would be his and mine.”
Fluttershy nodded, approaching her sister royal with the swaddled foal.
From where she stood, Cinnamon looked at the bundle, remembering her late uncle and his stories about the monstrous changeling queen. He’d…had a child with that? He cheated on his wife? With that monster? The brown pegasus seemed to shrink away from her mother, as if she were carrying an unstable magic explosive.
Elusive looked at the foal in his aunt’s forelegs, then moved to his cousin’s side. “It wasn’t by his doing, Cinnamon,” he whispered to her. “Chrysalis once impersonated as our dear aunt and placed him in thrall. Do you ever think Uncle Shining, as much as he loved Cadance, would ever cheat on her willingly? And even if by some reason he did, you can’t hold that against that poor foal. The only wrongdoer in this instance was Chrysalis.”
She shook her head at the silliness. “You’re right, Elusive. Sorry.”
Fluttershy, overhearing the conversation, was proud of both the younger ponies. Both had proven to be more mature than either of their parents at that age. She then came to a stop in front of the pink alicorn, asking, “Are you ready to be a mother?”
“That foal is the only thing left of the husband I loved so very much.” Despite her exhaustion of the day, she rose to royal dignity and said gently as she descended the dais, “I would see my foal, Fluttershy.”
Fluttershy favored her friend with a gentle smile. “Once you see him, you’ll see he takes after his father’s side of the family.”
“A colt?” Cadance asked, and Fluttershy nodded. “Shiny always wanted a son first,” Cadance murmured, a beatific smile rising to her face. As she reached out, Fluttershy gently unbundled the young foal, so Cadance could see him for herself. The moment she saw the small bundle of joy, any hesitation melted away in the sight of the innocent newborn. Tears coming to her eyes, she says, “You’re right – he looks just like his aunt. Does he have a name?”
Fluttershy’s smile was angelic. “It’s tradition for the mother to name her foal, you know that, silly.”
“You’re right; I’d forgotten that.” She gently nuzzled the newborn and in response, his forelegs stretched out to reach her muzzle. “Your name is Dusk Shine, my son,” she whispered, with a tear of joy running down her cheek, “and I am your mother.” Turn to face her family, Cadance said, “Velvet once told me that had Twilight been born a colt, she would have given this name. Considering the resemblance, I think it’s fair.” Turning to the younger ones, she said, “Would you two like to see your cousin?”
Elusive grinned. “Looks like you and I will be sharing parenting notes,” he commented as he approached the new mother and foal.
Fluttershy looked to her daughter. “Still nervous about Dusk, Cinnamon?”
“He’s part changeling – aren’t you?”
The pegasus’ mind suddenly went to a very different changeling and her similar chimera daughter. “No, not when there’s love and harmony,” she told her daughter softly. The three adults then gathered around Cadance and her new son, just as Pinkie marched in with the rest of the family, several guards following behind with trays of donuts and milk for everypony – and bottles of formula for Equestria’s newest prince.
Closing her eyes, Luna entered the Dreamlands.
The first thing she noticed was that a familiar presence had been here as of recent. She wasn’t sure who, but somehow it seemed both familiar and comforting. Perhaps it had been Celestia; though it was not something she did commonly, the day princess was hardly barred from this extranormal realm. The second thing she noticed is that it was day here in the Dreamlands, something that she hadn’t seen often, but then again, she wasn’t used to operating during the day hours.
With purpose, Luna strode on, wishing any pony she came across a peaceful sleep and a restful wake. There were others here as well, those ponies whose imaginations and flights of fancy carried them here, even if only temporarily. They were not hers to tend to, and she wasn’t sure whose dominion it was to do so. Perhaps Celestia’s? That would explain the familiar presence, if so. In any case, there was nothing she could do for them and moved on.
It was times like this, lost in the Dreamlands, that she felt free of her burdens and cares. She wished she could find the pathways to the human portions of the realm, if only to gaze into Robin’s dreams, or to finally see if DJ’s mind sat amongst the other humans within the slumberlands. It was in these moments where she acted with one of the most important of her duties that she paradoxically felt the most free here. It had been from the first moment she’d approached Scootaloo regarding nightmares that Luna realized it: in the dream realms, they came to Luna as Luna, not as their princess, goddess, Avatar, whatever. She was just another soul to reach out to and discuss their dreams with, just another pony. She liked that; it made her far more approachable than ponies treated her in real life, even the same ones who willingly reached out to her in their dreams.
Eventually, she reached Discord’s spot in the centermost part of the Dreamlands, the space reserved for those whose bodies were comatose or frozen, yet still alive. At the moment, he was holding a hot dog, drawing on his bonds with it. The results of his “penmanship”, strange-looking butterflies, flew off the chains for a short bit before popping with a flatulent sound. He looked like he’d given up attempting to break through the shackles and was merely waiting through the irritating time until these chains would weaken and break and allow him to be free once more, though he knew not when. To Luna, however, he seemed a sorry, pitiable wretch who could never be forgiven his crimes, even if he could be excused from them. Such was the pathetic state of Discord, Avatar of Chaos.
“My, I seem to have a visitor,” the draconequus said, trying to find a comfortable position in his bindings. “Ah, dear Luna: such a pleasant surprise to see you here, visiting poor little me.”
“You called me here,” she said archly.
“Indeed, indeed I did, but yet you came and you are here. Please understand that I am poor in fellow travelers on the road of immortality, so to see one of my favorites here pleases me.”
“Favorites?”
“Of course,” he said, templing his forepaw and talon together. “Celestia, despite her well-known mischievous streak, is too prim and proper to be a true friend. You, however, are not afraid to let down your mane when it counts.”
“I wasn’t quite myself then,” Luna replied, bristling at the backhooved compliment. “I was a spoiled foal that acted out against my sister and I paid for it, quite dearly, and it wasn’t until a thousand years later that six brave mares stood up to save me from the evil that had possessed me,” she answered, her tone firm.
“Such a shame: I’d-a thunk Celestia’s dourness is starting to rub off on you, but-a now-a I-a sure,” he said, flipping through two pointless accents during the course of his words, even as he produced an eraser, erasing his left arm until it completely vanished. He then tapped his left horn and a brown ink poured from it until it solidified in a puddle in the air, recreating his arm. “Or rub off on me; it’s all the same, really. Be that as it may, it is still good to see a fellow immortal. I even forgive you for imprisoning me, as I suspect that was more Celestia’s call than yours.”
Luna sat down before him, rolling her eyes. This was clearly going to be a long, long, long talk. Willing a cup of coffee into existence, she took a sip. “Care for one? I’m not as much of a tea drinker as my sister is.”
“Straight black, if you please,” Discord said, and a second later, a cup of java appeared before him. He drank the cup and let the liquid remain, leaving it floating in the space before him in case he required a “refill”. Looking at the night princess with large eyes, he furrowed his bushy eyebrows as he said, “I have some news for you, Luna. I have watched the world spin and time run and the celestial poles dance…or is that Celestia pole dancing?” he said, putting a paw out and lifting a digit. The digit changed to a pole and a human danced sultrily on it; Luna recognized it as one of the human forms her sister used when in disguise on human-Earth.
“Get to your point – I’m no mood for games,” the mistress of the moon answered.
“You must work on that sense of humor of yours, Luna.” In near-synchronicity, the mini-human Celestia stuck her tongue at Luna before vanishing and the pole returning to the natural form of Discord’s claw as he tapped the coffee to summon another cup. “In any case, I still have some attachment to the real world, you realize; you cannot remove chaos from the world, not completely. And I assure you I will be of more use to you and your sister than I was, say, the last time we three were together.”
“I doubt it.”
He laughed, a cacophony of sounds that were reminiscent of mirth in several languages and species. “I’ve been watching everything, you know. Seeing your old friend Nightmare Moon and her new bestest buddy Chrysalis cause all sorts of problems around Equestria. I thought it was rather cute in its own way, but….” He shrugged softly and she suddenly realized something was amiss.
No jibe to tie that into some nonsense phrase? It’s almost as if he deplored the loss of life there, she mused. But that didn’t make sense; plenty of ponies had lost their lives during his monstrous reign before she and Celestia ended that terror. No, this is Discord. Sooner or later he’ll come around to that and tie it into his grand scale of turmoil – it’s just his way.
Meanwhile, the Avatar of Chaos continued with his words. “And this new realm you’ve tied yourselves to, the humans?” The smile on his face was wide as he crowed, “They are living, breathing anarchy in a way even I cannot begin to comprehend. Saints and sinners, angels and demons, all wrapped up in a single soul, and there are quite literally billions of them out there. They kill their own kind and save complete strangers; they destroy their own world in the name of saving it and then strive to heal it at the cost of the bedlam they caused in the first place.” He sighed dramatically, theatrically swooning as he pronounced, “I am watching artists at work, true prodigies and savants. I must admit, I almost feel obsolete.”
Luna became livid; this was a waste of her time. “You summoned me in order to tell me that?” She rose to her hooves, snarling, “If all you plan to do is state the obvious, then I am leaving. I have more important things to do than to sit here and listen to what passes for your sense of merriment.”
As she turned to leave, he asked, “Do you remember your mother?”
Luna turned back, her horn blazing like a star as she seethed, “Don’t you dare say one word about my mother, you beast!” Of all the buttons of Luna’s that could be pressed, that was one of the most severe ones. She’d never known her mother, had no memory of the gentle creature that had given her life. In fact, for the first century of her life she grew up thinking that Celestia had been her mother and it had only been after Luna asked that Celestia had explained about Faust’s existence and sudden disappearance.
“I remember your mother.” The look in his eyes was sad. “She was a friend of mine. I care not if you believe me, but it is true all the same, she was a dear, dear friend.”
“Was?” Luna’s heart stopped.
“I cannot tell you more – nor, from what I can see, have you any interest to listen to what I have to say about Faust. Truthfully, I feel she would be disturbed to know that her daughter has grown up to become a mare of boorish demeanor.”
Humbled, Luna turned away in shame for a moment before replying with, “Then…I apologize for my outburst.”
Discord nodded. “It is because of that friendship that I cherished that I tell you this, again, whether you believe it or no: as to your tormentor and her ally? I have no truck with them. I had the opportunity not so long ago to invest myself back in the world, but I chose not to, I truly did. And do you know why? It was the sheer pleasure of watching the very ponies Celestia used to imprison me bring Equestria to its knees in pure, unbridled chaos by fighting against each other – do you comprehend how much joy and revelry that brought me?” He grinned and bowed as much as he could while in his bonds. “For that little ‘War of the Elements’ you have all earned my respect and I am taking a well-deserved break from my duties.” He stretched and the dream chains clinked in harmony like an ersatz xylophone.
She nickered in frustration. “I don’t have time for this, Discord.”
He waggled a talon in negation. “You must, because even though I am chaos, I am not evil, and you know that – even Celestia, though she’d be hard pressed to admit it. But both the changeling queen and the Nightmare are playing with fire in a way neither of them comprehend and it could be disastrous for everything in creation. The times are changing and the Rules are in play once more.”
“The Rules?”
“Don’t bother to ask me to clarify; even after all this time I have yet to discern what they really are. But I know what they do, and one of those things they do is this time to remove me from the great game that is about to commence. And all I may do is stand here on the sidelines, watching as the chess pieces commence their war. And you, Princess Luna, are one of those meant to pick up your standard and make your entry in the next cycle.”
“The next cycle?” Luna asked, somewhat caught off-guard by his words; they sounded genuine, not faked. Discord is being sincere? Something has changed, and if it is enough to make him stern and serious, then perhaps he is telling the truth.
“Indeed, yes, though in this cycle I am merely but a messenger, tasked to leave the words to someone…or somepony, in your case. These are three ancient riddles passed unto me, three enigmas at the heart of a great conflict that was before my time and may end in yours.”
“End in mine?”
“I am not sure. That is now your fate to decipher. These are ciphers you must solve, lest their peril doom everything that has ever been and ever will be.”
“No riddles, Discord!” Luna leapt to her feet. “I am in no mood for games.”
A displeased look crossed the draconequus’ face. “My station is done now. I was once Chaos; now I am merely Discord. And for my friendship with your mother, I will be the paper on which the news was delivered by some other being to pass to you. Even I have superiors that I must answer to, in the end,” he replied. “The riddles are these. Maestro, please!” A lute suddenly appeared in the air before him and strummed itself as he canted:
“These riddles are older than time itself,
In some place they sat upon a shelf –
Perhaps in a vault guarded by an elf.”
“That’s the riddle?” Luna asked. “That makes no sense!”
“No, that’s not a riddle, that’s me warming up to the performance,” Discord said, placing a gentle paw on his chest. “And if that riddle perplexes you, then perhaps these other ones will completely stump you – and I hope for the worlds’ sakes, they do not.” The lute began to play once more and he continued:
“Two out of three, contest near goal
Advantage to design and sol
And now the third she wants unwhole
The choice for her’s to end the game
Or else fortunes will end the same.
“The first game started by hubris humbled
The results caused a realm that stumbled
All sides lost, bright vic’try crumbled
That game is done, the next set come
Entropy wants this last undone
“This was ordained ere ‘fore your birth
Two tulpars have proven their worth
Anarchy’s key is of the earth
And if it lets success be sworn
Reason shall have a wing and horn.”
“What does any of that mean?”
The draconequus looked as if straining to come up with some discombobulated answer, but instead shook his head and replied with, “I don’t know. If I had the answer, I would serve a different place in this game. But The Rules made me what I was, what I am and what I will be.”
“And that is?”
“Discord. Yesterday, the Avatar of Chaos; today, a prisoner in body and a soothsayer in mind; tomorrow, who knows?”
When Discord finished his statement, Luna took it as true. He had no reason to lie; if anything, it seemed as if he was going against his very nature to be open and forthright with her. However, there was something else Luna could see, something he didn’t and would never admit, but she saw it regardless. “I see. Thank you, Discord. I appreciate the honesty. In any case, I must be going now.”
“Luna, I do have a request, if you please.” To her surprise, the request was not to be released, likely because he knew Celestia would never allow it. “The birds that come by the garden…they’ve been quite messy, thinking me to be nothing more than a statue. As much as I value the…randomness of it all, it is still insulting to be used as a bidet. Would you move me? Somewhere preferably where birds aren’t as likely to be a problem.”
“I’ll ensure it and have your form cleaned as well,” she replied, genuinely appreciative of all he’d told her. “I shall be back.”
“I know you will, Nightbringer. I know you will.”
When Star Swirl woke up, she was left with a note from Sweetie Belle:
Star,
Sorry about last night. I wasn’t thinking clearly and…you were right. I should have stuck to my responsibilities and I didn’t. Consider me chastened and lucky that I have a friend like you.
No, I don’t want to go into details about what happened with me and Pip. Maybe I’ll tell you later; I still have to deal with it myself. But it doesn’t change how I feel about him. That’s a part of me that will never change. Maybe it should, but that’s just not me, sorry.
I saw Spines’ note on the table so let her know I’ll make sure Spike gets it. Probably won’t change his mind, but he does appreciate them.
Your friend,
- Sweetie
We’re like two birds of a feather, aren’t we? Star mused sadly, looking at the baby dragon still asleep in her bed. Neither of us will ever get the one we love, though at least you’ve got a better shot. I can’t do that until Pip is out of the way.
A few minutes later, Spines woke up to the scent of pancakes cooking. Peering over the edge of the overhang, she saw Star hovering over the stove, cooking. “Morning, Spines!” the unicorn said without looking up. “C’mon down. Making you some sapphire pancakes and me some chocolate ones.”
Spines suddenly perked up. “You’re making breakfast for me?”
Star nodded. “Sometimes I get to do nice things for my little sister, don’t I?”
Spines, however, was wiser than her years. “So, Sweetie Belle wouldn’t say what was wrong, did she?”
Star looked at the baby dragon. “You are entirely too perceptive for your own good, you know that?”
“Look who’s raising me – I don’t have a choice,” the younger female replied.
Star chuckled and said, “I’ll deal with it in my own time…and I will deal with it. In the meanwhile, what’s on the agenda?”
“Well,” Spines said, “You’ve got a 10 o’clock with Mayor Wind Whistler, followed by a noon with Sheriff Caramel.”
“Yay, wife and husband both want something from the Guild. I can see this is going to be a great day,” Star drolled. “What else?” she asked, as both sisters sat down to eat breakfast and chat before she sent Spines off to school.
Life buzzed in a way it had never been expected to in Dream Valley. Once known as Ghastly Gorge, the place had become a barren hole after the quarry eels had moved on to different hunting grounds, likely never to return. Instead, once Imago had her first brood, she moved down into the valley to claim it for her swarm. That had been five years ago, and things were changed much for the better.
At the moment, flutters filled the sky, their terracotta-hued bodies flying to and fro imparting life into the gorge, which they’d since named Dream Valley. They requested an official name change from the Equestriani government and hopefully it would soon be forthcoming. Soon the flutters would be able to join pony society, to put forth the better hoof that changelings could be.
In the center of it all, Imago walked through the town, a wide smile on her face. Beside her strode a pegasus mare and a unicorn stallion, both in middle-age. The mare, Willow, spoke. “Now, honey, I want you to be careful. Pip is much older than you and he might have very different opinions about marriage.”
“But Mom,” Imago gushed, “Pip loves me! He chose me and our family!” The flutterqueen seemed to pirouette in her steps, turning to finally face her parents. “I’m hoping for a big wedding as soon as we have a chance. A royal wedding – won’t it be grand?”
Gladstone nodded but added, “Remember that you’re a queen in name only, sweetie. It won’t be a royal wedding unless Princess Celestia agrees to it.” When Imago suddenly looked downcast, her father said, “But you’ll always be my little princess, Maggie.”
She instantly perked up. “Thanks, Dad,” she gushed. “I just want to make him happy.”
Despite the size difference, Willow reached up and hugged her daughter. “As long as you’re happy, Maggie, then we’re happy. That’s all we’ve ever wanted for you. Of course, more grandfoals would probably help.”
A lidded look crossed Maggie’s face. “Mom, you have 151 grandfoals.”
The smile on Willow’s face was wide. “A mare can dream, can’t she?”
The letter appeared suddenly in the air with a burst of magic. Patrons of the Café La Caire, just a few blocks away from the hospital, already skittish from the attack and the subsequent lockdown of the country and further spooked by the arrival of two heavily-armed foreigners in military fatigues, dived under the table at this latest shock to their collective psyches. At no point did anyone attempt to run, lest something worse and weirder happen within the next five minutes.
Celestia winced; she could practically feel the panic and paranoia of the room. Initially, she thought that it would be better to be inconspicuous if she was in her human form but now that she was just another person in the mess, she wasn’t so sure. “Sorry!” she called out. “It’s just a letter to me. Perfectly safe, nothing wrong.” Turning back to Mike, she asked, “I wonder if I should revert to my true form.”
Mike shook his head. “Because after seeing that the last thing they need is having the ruler of another nation – who, if I recall, some ponies consider a goddess – arrive in the midst of them. It’d probably be easier just to show up as a skeleton in a black robe,” he drolled.
“I’m sorry, I don’t get that reference.”
“The Grim Reaper – it’s a personification for death.” He took a bite of his gyro; he’d been here the last time he was in Singapore and loved the place though they’d changed the menu a bit since then. Unfortunately, it wasn’t going to be as easygoing as the last time; he certainly wasn’t armed nor did he have a very unique (or equine) dining partner that time. “Sorry,” he said a second later. “Going all gallows humor on you and you probably don’t need that right now.”
“I’ve dealt with much worse over the years, I can assure you,” she said, taking a bite of a vegetarian muttabal dish the waiter had recommended. “Still thinking about DJ’s situation?”
He nodded. “I can’t state enough about how much I love her. She has ever been and only will be the only woman in my life and it’s never meant a single thing to me that she’s not human. But this self-loathing that she refuses to admit…it’s eating her alive. Maybe Matt and Anna should’ve gotten her some help for that, or maybe I should have. But at the same time, I don’t think any of you are helping either.”
“How so?”
“You want DJ and Rarity to make up. Did it ever occur to any of you that might not be the best thing? Granted, I do agree that she should, if only because our children deserve to know they have a non-human heritage that extends beyond their mother. But not every human would agree that reuniting them is the best thing. Sometimes just letting them go their own ways is the best solution.”
“I can’t agree with that,” Celestia said. “Rarity…it destroyed her losing DJ for so long and then to see her, Minty and DJ fight? That hurt the rest of us. Friendship and love are very important things in pony culture, possibly more than they are in human culture, as far as I can tell. Perhaps it is a cultural blindspot for us, but DJ is a member of our family and I couldn’t face my family, much less my subjects, without knowing that I did everything as a princess – and an aunt – to restore harmony within my own household.”
“I understand. But at the same time, I hope you see my point: at the end of the day, I just want DJ to be whole again. I want to see the girl with the easy-going attitude and not the one with a cynical streak that could make her MCPON just on that qualification. I want her to be at peace, even if it means she embraces her pony side, goes back to being Sandalwood and rejects her humanity. If she’s happy, then I could live with that.”
“You sincerely could? Even if it meant potentially losing your wife?”
Mike was sincere as he said, “Because I’m her husband, yes. Because I’m the father of her children and the only man she’s ever loved, yes. And because I can’t be happy, deep down in my heart, unless I know for a fact that she is.”
Celestia sat there for a few minutes, watching the human eat. She’d heard those words before, but it had been ages since anyone had ever said them so sincerely: Argent Lance, the only stallion that had ever found a place in her heart. She even remembered the day he’d said that, the day he’d proposed to her and she’d said yes. Those words, spoken three hundred years in the past, echoed in her mind even now: “Celestia, I know I’m just a mortal guard, and I know I don’t deserve the love you’ve given me. But your happiness, to see you smile: that’s ever been the only thing I live for now. Because I cannot be happy, deep down in my heart, unless I know for a fact that you are.”
A brief flare of envy burned in Celestia’s heart, but she tamped it down; certainly DJ was a lucky mare for having a husband such as he. Instead, she chose to focus on the scroll, unfurling it and beginning to read.
“So what’s with the scroll?” he asked her.
She gave him a weak smile. “I’ve been trying to get my staff away from sending magic documentation in favor of modern communications. Unfortunately, they can be somewhat hidebound at times.”
“I know the feeling,” Mike commented. “NCTAMS PAC has been trying to get ships onto the new military tweeting protocol for faster message transmission, but the Captain prefers the old fashioned way, by radio and keeping the ITs busy. I know it’s been driving Jennifer – that’s Lt. Nguyen, our COMMS officer – right up the wall, but the Old Man does things her way, I guess.”
Celestia gave her order and then turned back to her dinner partner. “Old Man? Her way? Isn’t your ship’s captain a woman?” Celestia asked as she magically unfurled the scroll.
“Yeah. ‘The Old Man’ is a term for the captain regardless of gender; it comes from a book titled The Old Man and the Sea, if I recall correctly. Besides, Captain Alberghetti gets a kick out of it. Well, that and her penchant for playing that damn song for reveille – I swear, if I hear ‘Wild Fire’ by…I don’t remember, some country singer from the 70’s – again I’ll…. But anyways, after all this time, I’m sick as hell of that song.” He took another bite of food, then asked, “What’s the message say?”
She unfurled it further, briefly looking at the top of the message before a sad expression etched itself on her face. “We’ll have to leave for Equestria as soon as possible. Things have proceeded from bad to worse.”
“How bad?”
She read on, then stopped, completely aghast as she blurted, “Cadance activated Situation Firestarter.” Her mind numbed at the thought of the destruction of one of her greatest cities; her ponies needed her and she was so far away she never could have helped. “There’s no chance anyone could have survived that….” The ancient alicorn’s mind reeled from the blow, especially remembering one particular pony and the last time she’d seen that smiling face. Minty…. She started to shudder, wrapping her arms around herself in chills.
Mike had seen shock before. Flagging down the waitress and paying the bill, he said, “Let’s get you out of here.” Dully, she complied as she allowed herself to be led by the hand out of the café; Mike was glad she wasn’t in her normal form, as the situation was surreal enough – trying to look like some sort of modern knight leading a fantasy steed out by the halter would be one step too weird for his tastes. Once outside, he said, “Talk to me: you okay?”
“No, no I’m not,” she shook her head. “I feel like I’ve taken as many bucks to my psyche as possible in just a few short days and now this….” She leaned into him, tears falling. In response, he embraced her, letting her cry for the pain and guilt she felt from failing her subjects, ponies that looked up to her. The pair made a scene in an already weird week for Singapore, but Mike was well beyond the point of caring. He started the week off with his ship being shot at, then a few days later being shot at directly, then nearly losing DJ and was now trying to prevent the ruler of a foreign nation – one who was his wife’s aunt – from completely melting down…after he’d saved her life just a few days before. They didn’t prep officers for stuff like this at the Academy but he remembered his drill instructors telling his group of midshipmen, “You want to lead blueshirts and leathernecks? Then you’d damn well better expect the Goddamn unexpected!” Mike wished he could thank both of them; he certainly was taking that advice to heart.
Meanwhile, she kept crying on his shoulder, feeling like an utter failure. “So many of them look up to me as a goddess, but when they need divine protection, all I can do is fail them!” she said, looking up at him with blue eyes stained with tears.
“DJ never looked at you as a goddess. Sure, you’re powerful – Luna just proved that – but trust me, you’re just a more accomplished magic user than my wife is.”
“Well of course I am – she’s just an earth pony.”
“No,” he said, a fond smile breaking on his face, “she’s the love of my life. And for me, that’s magic enough.”
“To me you are my truest love, and for me, that is magic enough.” Those words – she hadn’t heard them in so long. It was something that Argent had always told her after a particularly vexing day and with no one to turn to; she’d loved him for that and now hearing them all over again, even if it wasn’t addressed to her, well…her heart skipped a beat. Two.
He noticed a strange look in her eyes. “Celestia, you okay?”
“Not really, no,” she told him, “I don’t think I can be after this. But thank you for caring.”
“You’re welcome. After all, how’d you put it? ‘We are all family – and that includes you too. You’re not left out just because you’re a different species.’”
She laughed, suddenly feeling better. “You’re the best, you know that?” She looked into his eyes and there was care and concern, but not pity. That was what she’d loved Argent for most. Too many of the subjects in her inner circle had looked on Celestia with pity when they knew the full measure of her life, but he never did, and it wasn’t for hundreds of years until a particular unicorn filly was born that she could ever really trust anyone that deeply ever again.
Why are you so much like him? she wondered, and before she could control herself, instinct, desire and loneliness took control of the Princess of Equestria’s actions.
“Hey, that’s what I—mmph!” His words were suddenly cut off as the transformed alicorn suddenly kissed him. He immediately broke off, shouting, “Celestia? What the fuck?”
She looked just as shocked as he did. “I…Oh, Mike, I’m sorry! I…I just….”
He sighed. Yup, Master Chief Fett’s advice was coming well in hand. “I forgive you. Just…don’t do that again. Honestly, I’m just gonna chalk that one up to emotional overload; Lord knows I’ve seen enough of that shit as of late. Just…don’t, okay?”
She looked down. “It was an accident. I…I guess you already know about how the human emotional range is more intense than that of ponies?” she explained, trying to find a reason for her scandalous action.
“Not until you just told me.” Great, now I’m arguing with an alicorn. I’m really betting this was not what Dad had in mind for me when he told me not to date DJ way back when. “You’re going to have a weird life dating that alien!” Dad, you have no idea. “Whatever. Well, I don’t know about you, but we walked out after only two bites of lunch and I’m still hungry, so…there’s a McDonald’s down the street. Better than nothing.” He started walking, an apologetic Celestia following close behind, headed for the red livery on the building two blocks away.
“I’m hesitant to approve this leave, Colonel,” Goldengrape told Pip. “We’ve all but declared war against the changelings and I need my best mares and stallions at their positions – especially my special operators.”
“General, I have to check on Project Brightwing. Prince Shining Armor entrusted me with that and—”
“Yes, I know. I have a small security base at the edge of the Ghastly Gorge to keep track of the quarry eels in case they start migrating into inhabited nearby areas. But I’ve received no reports of that, so I’m hesitant to continue funding the base. What I do receive instead is the occasional bizarre statement from the major currently in command of that facility demanding I blow it to smithereens. Care to explain that?”
“Princess Celes—”
“Yes, I’m quite aware of your relationship to the princess via your fillyfriend, you don’t have to wave it in front of my face.” He shook his head. “Pip, Shining Armor was a friend of mine – a good friend of mine – and he never told me or Silversteel or Emerald Ray what is going on down there. Yet he entrusted you and probably did so in a royal edict so I can’t countermand it. But is it really that important down there?”
Pip nodded. “Yes, sir. That’s why I’m asking for this, so it remains off the books. If Project Brightwing succeeds, Equestria will have something on its side for the future.” Something bright and shining already, he thought to himself, thinking of the fluttermare that called him husband.
“Common sense would tell me I’m mad to do this, but…” He reached into his desk, pulled out a pen and took it in his hoof – all Army personnel were required to learn hoofwriting and dexterity – signed the papers. “You’re on leave for thirty days, Colonel. See you back then, and if you can find an unofficial way of explaining to me what’s down there, I’d genuinely like to know. You’re not the only one who cares about Equestria’s security. Dismissed.”
“So, Evan says the doctors are fine with me leaving first thing in the morning; he’ll be here a couple more days to wind up paperwork and then it’s back to Yokota for him.” DJ smiled happily; Evan had done as promised and the remains of a bacon double cheeseburger and fries sat on the table, right next to a large empty glass that started off earlier as a full chocolate shake.
“That’s great, love.” Mike leaned forward and kissed her, while Celestia sat in the chair, still in human form and not saying a thing.
“I’ve missed you,” she said, embracing her husband. “Hopefully you haven’t been getting kisses from anyone else while I’ve been here, have you?” Her giggle was one of happiness, but it didn’t last long as she saw the strange looks on both Mike’s and Celestia’s faces. The sun princess quickly turned to avoid embarrassment as a bright red flush came to her cheeks, but fortunately Mike had picked that exact moment to shift and so neither DJ nor Mike saw the princess’ blush.
“Well…I must confess….” Mike began, delicately. DJ looked at him funny and the sun alicorn’s heart suddenly stopped. “I’ve been practicing on pillows in my sleep, apparently. I think I soaked one with drool.”
DJ laughed, even as a maudlin look crossed her face. “And to think, I was stupid enough that I let my anger almost cost me hearing you say that. No, wait, let me finish, Mike. I had a lot to think about while you were gone, and…maybe you’re right. Maybe I do need to work things out between me and Rarity and Silversteel, maybe let go of a lot of things I’ve been holding inside. I owe it to the kids and to you.”
Celestia smiled. “I’m very proud of you, DJ,” she said with sincerity.
DJ turned and looked at her aunt. “And I owe you an apology, too. I acted like a child and it endangered both me and you. I hope you can forgive me for that.”
“Already forgiven and forgotten,” Celestia insisted. “The fact that you’re safe now well outweighs any displeasure I had from your outburst.”
“Wow, acting sensibly. I knew there was a reason I married you,” he said, kissing DJ again.
The nurse poked her head in. “Visiting hours are up in five minutes. Have a pleasant evening.”
“And that’s our cue to leave,” Mike said. “I’ve got to go to security, recover my guns, then head to the Changi West to return the carbine. Mind giving me a lift there?” he asked the alicorn.
“Sure.” She transformed back into her natural state and as both of them waved to DJ, they departed the room. Heading down the hall, the sun alicorn then said, “Thanks for covering for me, Mike. I made a mistake and I don’t want her to suffer for it.”
He shook his head. “Seriously, I don’t blame you. It’s an overemotional reaction, just something human. Sometimes people just reach their snapping points and do something stupid. On my first ship, the USS Sarajevo, we were doing INSURV, which can best be described as ‘put the people onboard through hell times twelve in the name of making sure the ship’s ready to fight.’ I was just the First Lieutenant on the ship, a JG. Well, we were just off the coast of Catalina Island, when there’s this guy who just freaks the hell out and jumps off the ship, swimming towards the island. We send out the whale boat to go get him; turns out it was our CHENG – Chief Engineer. He snapped after five days straight of no sleep – of which he later admitted he imposed on himself – and finally lost it. Well, just because of that alone, we failed INSURV and the rest of my time on the ‘Sarah J.’ we spent trying to ready the ship to pass INSURV. Needless to say, the rest of my hitch on the ship wasn’t exactly fun. But my point is, people do things they wouldn’t do normally when they’re under stress. So, don’t sweat it.”
She smiled inwardly. So much like Argent, she thought as she said, “You’re a good man, Mike.”
“Um…let’s not go there. You remember what happened last time,” he teased.
“Yeah…right. Sorry.”
There was a knock at the door. Sarah MacChraig called out, “Mom, someone’s at the door!”
Up in the attic, Faust put away an ancient set of armor – barding from her days as the warrior queen of Equus. It had never lost its luster or shine over the millennia, still gear fit for a queen; one time, she’d even shown it off to Greg, parading around in it as a sort of lingerie – and nine months later, Sarah had been born as a result of that misbehavior. But Faust knew that when the children got older, they’d likely start spelunking in the attic. Maybe Greg’s right and it’s time to make an anonymous loan to a museum or something – I wonder if I can pass this off as the barding of an English king’s prize steed. Or maybe I can get Bon-Bon to donate it to the Royal Museum of Canterlot in her name…no, too many questions there.
In any case, she closed the steamer trunk, adding the magical lock, and teleported to a spot just outside of her daughter’s vision. “Yes?”
“Wow, that was fast, Mom. Thought you were in the attic.”
“I was. Maybe I just teleported down here?”
Sarah rolled her eyes. “Yeah, right. Anyway, someone’s at the door. I could have answered it, you know.”
“I want you and Jon to focus on your homework, sweetie; there’s no reason why that doesn’t come first.” In truth, however, after Greg had been attacked in their private getaway, he’d insisted that once they had children that either he or Faust answer the door in case of potential problems. She’d not only agreed to that, but also started to train him in human magic. Emmé, needless to say, was pissed, but she was willing to help if it meant the kids would be safe, especially with the devastating news that had come – there had been a freak explosion in Tokyo from bombs left over from World War II. Faust, however, felt the magic blast all the way over here as well as the death of one of her closest friends. It had taken nearly all her willpower not to grieve in front of the children; only when they had gone to school, Greg to work and Emmé arrived did the two women grieve together for their lost friend. Someday, Faust knew she’d have to tell her family about what happened to Kuzu; she was close to the kids, after all.
I wonder if this is what the Rules are supposed to do to me? Strip me bare and leave me be until I have nothing left, not even my pride? she wondered as she reached for the door.
She found standing there two women. The first one could be charitably called a purple-and-white-haired punk rock reject who got lost on her way back to the 1980s, while the other, an older, gray-haired woman, was reminiscent of Angela Lansbury, a picture of motherly instinct…if the mother in question was that of Norman Bates. Both of them stood there (though lurking was probably the more accurate term) and gave her wide, friendly, completely insane smiles.
She gave them a soft smile. Well, he did say he was sending me some help, she mused. Faust looked them both and was about to ask who they were, when the younger girl yawned. A word balloon floated out of her mouth that said, HI MY NAME IS SCREWBALL AND THAT’S SCREW LOOSE. The word balloon floated in the air for a second before turning into a neon-colored sparrow and flying off into the distance.
“Andyoumustbefaustitsverynicetomeetyou,” the one named Screw Loose said. “O u r m a s t e r s a i d w e a r e a t y o u r c o m m a n d.”
“That’s…nice,” Faust said. “Could you hold for just a second?” She waved her hand and her phone suddenly popped in. Dialing in a quick number, she asked, “Emmé, can you babysit for a couple until Greg gets home?”
“Uh, I’m in Nepal looking for the yeti. Some hunters got a bug up their ass and want to hunt the poor thing down, so I have to rescue it,” the answer came.
“I need someone to watch Sarah and Jon. Greg’s going to be working late tonight and…I just got some wings and horn business coming up.”
“Figures, horseface,” the voice said on the other side, teasing. “Sure, I can be there in five minutes. Just tell Sarah that I’ll be there soon.”
“Thanks, Emmé,” Faust replied.
“Faust…be careful,” her fellow ancient said. “After Kuzu…I don’t…please, be careful. There’s too few of us and I don’t want to attend another funeral.”
“Will do. See ya.” She looked at both newcomers. “I have to let my kids know I’m going. You two wait here, okay?” Both ladies nodded and in a second a palm tree and a large plastic day-glo blue dinosaur statue were in their place.
Yup, definitely his hired help. If nothing else, this was going to be one for the ages, she decided as she went back in the house to tell the kids that there was a change in plans.
“And you’re sure that our families will be well compensated?” the man asked as he sat at the table in a café in downtown Tehran. A hot wind blew down the street, blowing more detritus into what had been the United States embassy seventy years ago and since had become the Museum of the Islamic Revolution. Behind the counter, the barista making the thick black Turkish-style coffee the two were drinking seemed to lazily look up from his reading material, but otherwise went back to what he was doing without a care in the world.
“Yes. A million in British pounds for each pilot who agrees to this, plus an additional million for your ‘finder’s fee’,” a second man said. Seated next to him, a quiet and moderately dressed woman sat, respectfully looking down and not saying a word as her partner spoke. “Upon successful mission completion, a million in euros and a million in Draconian lanxes, and the same amount to the families of any pilot lost during the operation, should there be any.”
“So, quite literally millions to betray our country,” the first man said, lighting a cigar. “Seems fair enough. However enticing the offer will be, there is the simple fact that without an air crew, we cannot operate outside of our standard parameters. Unless you can—”
“ALLAHU AKBAR! Die, traitor!” The barista shouted as he produced a gun, a PC-9 ZOAF, and fired. At the same time, a couple of guards burst through the door, both hefting KH-2002s. All three fired, all with deadly accuracy at their targets…
…only to have the bullets stop mere inches from their targets, the bullets still softly sizzling as they burned a path through the air. Suddenly they were enveloped in a puce-hued aura and crushed into tiny balls before falling to the ground, scorching it as they spent their remaining energy. The woman lowered her glowing hand, then waved it softly.
To their horror, the heads of the three shooters were suddenly wrapped in bubbles of the same energy, and they had just enough time to scream silently, their eyes going wide as they realized they were about to die at the hands of a monster.
But Ghino looked at her and shook his head. She lowered her hand, letting them fall to the ground, the trio gasping for breath. That was just enough time for him to reach into his coat, pull out a pistol with a silencer. With a lazy ease he pulled the trigger and the crack of a tin can resounded as .45 slugs embedded themselves in the heads of the now-dead group of Iranian agents.
“I don’t trust you to do your job correctly,” he told her harshly. Turning back to the man, he said, “As you can see, I have certain resources at my disposal.”
“What is she?” he asked, more out of curiosity than fear.
“More trouble than she’s worth,” Ghino assured the first man. “So do we have a deal, Colonel?”
Colonel Ibrahim Khalid, IRIAF smiled. “My squadron will be at your service, Mr. Di Tacco.”
Ghino grinned. “Excellent! I will have an associate meet with you tomorrow morning. Until then.” With that, both Ghino and his partner rose from their chairs.
“What about…?” Khalid asked.
“Oh, that.” Turning to face the woman, he said, “Do something useful for a change.” She did, placing her hand out, palm up. Three balls of energy appeared, and the three shot to their locations. In a second, the three bodies burned until there was nothing left but ashes. Ghino turned back to Khalid and said, “There. No evidence.” Ghino waved his hand and departed, his female counterpart following a respectful three steps behind him.
Inside, Twilight wanted to scream. Those three were the last of the changelings she’d tended to, and now…now she’d been the one who had to kill them. She was a princess, she was supposed to protect them! And yet…. There was nothing right about this, at all. When they arrived yesterday to set this up, he’d assured that none of the drones would be harmed. And since they were near death, starving for any kind of attention at all, she agreed – they’d seemed so happy to be of use. And now? Gone.
Now, more than ever she wished for someone from her family to come save her. This man, who she’d been promised to, wanted nothing to do with her now other than to be his weapon. She now slept alone in a solitary room, instead of at his side. And she still didn’t understand what was going on. Was she doing the right thing? Had she angered or failed him somehow? Why hadn’t her family come to save her yet? Maybe Blood Armor or one of the others would come to save her from this. Maybe even the queen herself. They would take her home, tend to her fears and make everything better, wouldn’t they?
She had no answers for that. And as Twilight Sunburn had no solutions to that quandary, the fear in her heart began to climb: that maybe she was abandoned and this was her fate – to be nothing more than a killer of the very drones she was meant to save.
It’s been an exhausting day, Cadance mused, but it was worth it. She looked at the tiny life asleep in his cradle. Dusk Shine was peaceful and quiet, reminiscent of the many times Twilight had fallen asleep at Cadance’s side. You’d be so proud, Shiny, she thought to herself, thinking of her beloved husband. He’s going to grow up to be as great as you. I know it.
Gently scooping him up in her TK, she placed him in a pram, ready to go to the Infirmary. She’d set a number of appointments for him, and aside from that, the doctor who’d studied Rosedust would be interested to know that there was a male of her kind now, a flutter/pony hybrid – what would we call them? “Flutterpony” somehow doesn’t seem to fit and “Changelingpony” is too much of a stigma. Well, it would be something that she would worry about later; there was plenty of time for her son to discover his place in life. Besides, while the doctors did a physical on the young prince, Cadance could pass word to Twilight about Duskie’s existence. No doubt she’d have plenty of interest in that, both for scientific and personal reasons.
Either way, our family’s getting bigger. And as the saying goes, the bigger the better, the romance alicorn mused as she bent down to give her son a kiss before covering him with a blanket and heading out the door.
“So, ready to go?”
“I’m kinda nervous about this. It’s…well, I haven’t done this in a while.”
“Don’t worry about it. You’re in good hooves, I promise.”
There was a flash and dizziness, and as soon as it stopped, DJ opened her eyes. She found herself in a lush garden. Small lights illuminated a variety of flowers and plants, all around a meticulously-tended lawn. A cobblestone pathway wound its way through, both directions leading towards lights some ways away. A slight walk from where she stood was a bench, and just beyond that, a telescope pointing its way towards the heavens. And in the sky, a deep blue carpet of velvet and diamonds glittered, the equatorial canopy filled with stars.
“This is beautiful,” the humanized pony said. “Where are we?”
At her side, a dusky blue alicorn smiled. “Imbiah Lookout on Sentosa Island. I asked around; it’s supposedly the best spot in Singapore for sightseeing and from what I can tell, they weren’t wrong.”
“I guess not,” DJ said as both walked towards Luna’s setup. “Kinda weird that there’s no one out here at this time of night.”
Luna sat down on the bench, waving a wing for DJ to join her. “Being a princess has some advantages. The lookout was actually closed this week for repairs, but after some discreet inquiries, they allowed me to use it. We should have all the time in the world to stargaze.”
“I haven’t done this since I was a kid,” DJ responded as she began to look through the telescope. “When I was younger, Mom and Dad used to drive us to this one place down by Lebanon, this observatory that a farmer had built in the middle of his apple orchard. This was back before anyone knew what I was, so whenever I’d look into the sky, I’d always wonder which star was the planet I came from, kinda like Superman or ET. Obviously I know now, but I think that was part of what pushed me into a career as an author, always searching for where I came from even as I knew that I belonged with my family.”
“And how do you feel now?”
“I’ve always had a big family,” DJ said as she leaned against the alicorn in a sign of affection. “It just got a little bigger when I got here.” Though the humanized pony wasn’t aware of it, the night princess’ heart skipped a beat of joy at that moment.
Meanwhile, Luna conjured up a second telescope, then peered through it into the canopy above. “It looks very different from our night sky. I might have to take some cues from here and apply them to ours.”
DJ’s eyes went wide in surprise. “You make stars?”
Luna laughed. “Hardly; the stars, like the ones here, are far too far away, and if you wish to know the truth, neither Celestia or I know how or why we control the sun and moon; we just do. For all we know, there may be billions upon billions of alicorns in our reality for the other stars, but there’s no way to really know and to date, aside from my sister, I only know of two other alicorns, three if you count….” She trailed off, but then quickly added, “But no, I have nothing to do with the stars save for pointing out the constellations of old, something that pony astronomers conferred upon me as creator of stars merely because I saw the quote unquote, ‘lines’ between them.”
“So then, what did you mean?”
“What I meant was I might have to create some new constellations based on the ones I see here – the ones here are so different the astronomers of my Earth might just enjoy the novelty.”
“I see.” DJ was quiet for a long time, occasionally looking through the telescope and admiring various things, from the original International Space Station and FutureStar – the new station put in space by private companies – to satellites, the moon, and of course, the stars.
Both ponies were silent for a few more minutes until Luna spoke a soft “DJ? Thank you.”
“For what?”
Luna spoke without hesitation. “Letting me keep my promise to you. I swore I’d show you the stars someday, and while these weren’t the ones I had in mind, it still means a lot to me. Even when I was my angriest at you, I still wanted to keep that promise I made to my favorite niece.”
“Really?” DJ laughed. “I’d think by now, I’d have been supplanted as the favorite, Luna. Heck, Cinnamon’s more personable than I am and there’s one of the twins, right? Probably less of a drag than me.”
“Cinnamon’s a sweetheart, and Surprise? Well, she’s just like her mother, take that as you will. But both of them are special to me, but in different ways, and so are the rest of your cousins – I love you all. But…you were the first. That’s always something special.”
“I see.” DJ fell into a silence once more, taking a drink from a bottle of Coke, sourced via the bunch of snacks that Luna brought with them. She noticed that Luna had judiciously left out both her siblings, and she wondered if that was by coincidence or design.
From a gazebo not too far away, another pair watched them, an alicorn and a human. “I wonder what they’re thinking about,” Celestia spoke.
Mike laughed softly, taking a sip from his beer. “Knowing DJ, she’s reminiscing about when her parents took her stargazing at that observatory just outside of Strausburg. She apparently went there a lot when she was younger, and when we were first dating we went occasionally as well. She stopped shortly after First Encounter – by that point she knew where she was from and she didn’t have to look at the stars for ‘home’ any longer, though I’m guessing she would have preferred that – because then she’d be extraterrestrial instead of just extradimensional. Because then she wouldn’t have as painful a past to look at.” He took another swig from the beer, then looked at DJ’s aunt. “Celestia, promise me that she’ll be okay.”
“Of course,” the sun alicorn replied, drinking from a pineapple cider that Mike had recommended. “As princess, I—”
The human shook his head and arms, cutting her off. “I want your promise, not the Crown’s. Not as a princess, but as her aunt. You have to understand: Equestria was a very negative experience for her, and knowing her like I do, she’s on the verge of terrified. To you and just about everyone that lives there, it’s a paradise, a bright, magical, and sunny world. But to her, it may as well be that prison we saw. She’s never really recovered from the whole incident.”
“None of us did,” Celestia said, sadly. “Rarity lost her daughter. DJ lost her innocence. A part of my family was shattered that day, and for all my power, there was nothing I could have done to stop it. But to answer what you’re saying, I would. Even if I completely powerless I would protect her from everything. I’ve always wanted the best for her – it’s why I returned her to her human parents, even though I had my reservations.”
“I’m glad you did,” he said. “I don’t think I’d ever want to know what my life would have been like without her.” And in unspoken agreement, the two fell silent, watching the other two.
Both DJ and Luna sat there for several more minutes, enjoying the silence before the latter broached the question the former knew was coming. The night princess merely peered through her telescope as she casually inquired, “So, are you ready to return to Equestria tomorrow?”
“No.” The word was firm, but there was no malice behind it. “No, actually I’m afraid as hell.”
“I’d never let anything happen to you, DJ. None of us would ever let it happen,” Luna vowed.
“It’s not that,” DJ began. “It’s….” She laughed. “I’m sure you got some sort of princess refinement training for awkward social situations, I gather? Well, I know nothing about ponies. I’m human – I was raised as one, and that’s all I know. I don’t know the first thing about pony etiquette or social manners, and frankly I don’t care to know. But I don’t want to be seen as some kind of freak.”
A smile came to midnight-blue lips. “Did you know I was once so shy and socially awkward that I turned to Twilight and Fluttershy for assistance?” DJ looked at her as though she’d gone mad and Luna knew she’d hit her mark. “Truthfully. It was my first time back in Equestria after…some difficulties I’d had…and I’d felt that I’d been supplanted in everypony’s hearts by Cadance and, to a lesser degree, Twilight. I approached Twilight since Cadance was in Saddle Arabia visiting her parents. It turned out to be a blessing, since I eventually made friends with all of my future sisters royal that night. But what I remember most is the same thing I’m going to tell you know: be yourself.”
“People don’t want me to be myself, Luna. They want me to be Sandalwood.”
“I never have. Nor has Celestia, or Cadance or any of the others. And you know that.” She paused to let that sink in before saying, “May I offer a suggestion?”
“I’m all ears.”
“Meet with Elusive first. He’s a very shrewd stallion and he’ll be able to guide you through everything. He tries to stay out of politics, but he’s better at it than he’ll ever admit – he should have had a political cutie mark, if you ask me.”
“I wouldn’t know how to approach him,” DJ replied.
“He’s your younger brother and he’s always wanted to meet you, so approach him as yourself, not as you think he’d expect you to be. I promise you he won’t judge. If you’d like, I can arrange for you and Mike to have dinner with him and his wife Butter.”
“I’d appreciate it.”
“You’ll do fine, DJ, I promise.” Luna nuzzled her niece.
DJ, however, was having none of it. “Uh…could you not do that? I know you mean well, but…it’s kinda creepy.”
“Oh. Sorry. Would a hug be okay, then?”
DJ pondered in thought, then looked at Luna with a smile. “I think I can live with that.”
The two ponies embraced, reunited finally after years of separation and loss. Above them, the night played its own opera of lights and bedazzlement, gifting illumination and merriment to the pair below, as if congratulating them for overcoming an obstacle.
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Mike is the man. He's practically a pillar of strength for his family, like he should be. Celestia kissing him was a little...surprising. Do human males have a special attraction or was that really just the heat of the moment?
Humans have the seal of approval from Discord, how quaint.
I'm looking forward to seeing the kids. They've been alluded to this whole time with out any screen time.
You know, I'm surprised no-one's pointed out to DJ that if she doesn't let go of her hate she'll end up just like Rarity whether she likes it or not. If that doesn't get her to cool her jets nothing will. Of course, they probably care for her too much to drop that on her all at once. Still, I've said it before, and I'll say it again, even if DJ does forgive Rarity and Silversteel the best their relationship will ever get is Siberian frosty without mind control drugs, though DJ could eventually come to pity them of her own free will.
Still, DJ is growing as a person. If nothing else she's learned to deal with the fact that Luna is a monarchist ass with a taste for foot. I suspect that this is only the tip of the iceberg, and that by the time this story is done many of the problems DJ has will be dealt with.
Also, one of the sidestories should really focus on the media coverage surrounding these events. It'd be really interesting to see a bunch of news casts, internet news postings, and commentary pieces focusing on all the stuff that's been going down.
Yeah, I had a suspicion that last episode's cliffhanger was as permanent a death as a soap opera star's death.
Can't wait for more!
Alright, a chapter that DOESN'T end with something horribly depressing!
I just spent thirty minutes reading this. I have to be up at 5:45. I have an hours worth of homework to do. Worth it!
I love this!!!
Now both Royal Sisters are jealous of DJ in some way.
Luna wishes she could have her human boyfriend as DJ got to.
Celestia may harbor some feelings for Mike, nothing to huge, but an underlying atraction to him since he is a strong man who sticks up for his wife much like she does for her people.
Oddly enough, DJ and Rarity are very much alike even without very much time together at all. Genetics I guess...
Love the story, but Australian SASR would generally be a little harder to break than that, they're a tier 1 special forces unit with some of the harshest training in the world. But maybe I'm just biased because I'm Australian. Keep it up.
she lived yay
Discord feels obsolete... this cant be good
love the story, must have moar!!
730861
Discord is obsolete even in the canon universe. Have you seen the madness in the rest of Season 2? It made Discord's "fun" look like a touch-up cleaning job.
>>Shinzakura
Wow. Now that's an update. I can always count on you to lay on the story aspects so deeply.
After thinking about it, I have a good idea who is NMM's new host. A VERY good idea.
729430
.
Heat of the moment, though 730198's points about Celestia ring true; also bear in mind that Mike saved Celestia's life, and sometimes that can be a huge factor in matters of the
729442
I'm sure after this last incident they're going to be a lot more careful in how they deal with DJ. She's got a lot of growing up to do, but she's getting there - making up with Luna is a huge step.
729524
Chapters 1 and 2 didn't end on negative notes.
730198
Probably genetics.
730245
He says he's SASR. Doesn't mean it's true.
732675
Email me privately and see what you've got.
I was thinking why a mare would be interested in a human male and I might have an idea. Given the posture and build a human has they appear more intimidating and a female looking for a mate that can protect her might subconsciously find that attractive. Just a thought.
Wow, so many shout outs. On A Cross And Arrow (should have noticed when I saw Elusive), Arddun Lleuad and I can't remember the last one. D:
One question, though. Have you read John Birmingham's Axis of Time trilogy? The story has a very strong vibe of it (probably because it's a pseudo military fiction).
It takes me way too long to read these.
733039
There's quite a few, actually. And I've never read the Axis of Time series.
733046
It's why I try to keep them short.
733060 No, I mean that I take much longer to read it because I take large breaks for only a couple paragraphs. Reading in one sitting makes it seem like hardly enough.
732835
Quite possibly, though since Celestia's the size of a full-grown horse, even at hands-measurement (as opposed to full height) she's probably bigger. Then again, he did save her life, so he's proven himself in that regard.
Oh, and the kids had a small part in Chapter 2.
733678
Or maybe Mike is just that manly that he can even attract demigod alicorns. Like a white version of the Old Spice "The tickets are NOW DIAMONDS" guy.
733721
Well, his last name does mean stallion....
I think it's official now: we need fanart of Mike so we know what he looks like.
733750
Yeah, hoping someone will do fanart of both Mike and DJ. Kinda makes the heart go squee.
733678 Being a demi-god makes her a little different. I was talking more about normal ponies. I'm still trying to wrap my head around why they would find humans attractive.
Fan-art would be cool.
734178
Chemistry explains why: essentially far better dating pool numbers and similar biology. That and pony female pheromones work well on male humans, so it makes easier to get a guy.
SHE'S NOT DEAD! You bastard. Don't freak me out like that.
“I’m afraid we can’t, Mike. I drafted a law outlawing all personal use of weapons in Equestria even before we made First Contact. There’s no need for the general populace to have anything like that.
Nobody a thousand years old can possibly be that stupid.
She lives in a world with pony-eating monsters, and she outlawed the right to self-defense?
too many writers operate on autopilot--- going with assumptions and presumptions they have never tested or even thought over.
Such as the notion that "peaceful" means "unarmed."
Ten million anti-points for you, author.
EDIT TO ADD:
While I know Reality Check outside of this site, I didn't know he had commented until after I'd posted this comment.
:DDA OT TIDE
TDNC
Celestia is much too wise to have drafted such a law.
Item: most if not all tools can be used as a makeshift weapon, and many tools are extremely effective weapons in close quarters. It is IMPOSSIBLE to outlaw all weapons
Item: Alter Earth is pretty clearly just as dangerous as Human Earth, if not more so. to deny citizens the right to own weapons is to quite possibly deny them life.
Now, I know Equestria's a peaceful nation and all, but that doesn't necessarily go hand in hand with having a disarmed populace. Take a look at the stats. On earth, the nations with the lowest crime rates tend to also be the ones with lenient rules about weapon ownership
It helps a little that Celestia's extremely powerful, and benevolent to a fault. This mitigates some of the thornier issues (can you say police state?) that tend to result from wholesale bans on weapons ownership in earth nations. It also helps a little that ponies probably would have a little bit more of a herd mentality then humans.
That said, the above still doesn't compute. It doesn't seem to add much to the story, either.
What would make millions of times more sense? if Celestia, instead of simply decreeing that "Nopony shall own or bear weapons, unless doing so is part of their duties to the crown" were to decree "Anypony wishing to own weapons must formally request my permission, in a brief letter explaining their reasons. With a few exceptions for certain weapons, nopony needs to ask twice if they have been approved once"
Since we've got a ruler who is known to be benevolent, this would work great, assuming she doesn't get flooded with letters. (obviously, if the ruler's benevolence is unknown, or fluctuating, as in a system where the ruler is mortal, or perhaps an elected official, such a screening system is impossible to trust, because there exists such a huge potential for abuse.)
I'd be more hesitant to suggest this, by the way, if it seemed that the section I quoted had any real affect on the rest of the story, but it seems so far to only affect a throwaway line a few chapters down.
PS
I really like this story, and eagerly await the next chapter. I'm not good at praising people's work, so I'll not make this longer. Others have surely said it better.
>“Celestia, at the risk of being blunt, the only reason you’re alive is because I had one,” Mike pointed out. “That’s what DJ’s getting at; if the attacks are all coming from this world, getting her to Equestria will keep her safe, but if what you said is true about DJ, then she needs to protect her.”
* “Celestia, at the risk of being blunt, the only reason you’re alive is because I had one,” Mike pointed out. “That’s what DJ’s getting at; if the attacks are all coming from this world, getting her to Equestria will keep her safe, but if what you said is true about DJ, then she needs to protect herself.”
-I think I found a grammar mistake in there which is you forgot to have Mike say "herself" in there, which is just a regular typo.
Anyway I think I just found two more tropes to add to your page here. Beause what Mike said to was definitely a what the "shell" hero moment (I don't swear and I like the turtles' censore better). I'm sorry that Fillydelphia had to be destroyed like that, like they were in just in the zombie apocalypse or something like that. Too bad it's also semi-realistic so no one can just simply find the main queen beat her or convince her to join their side and then peace will happen. Also I'm Twilight is actually holding up this long to be honest, there must be a very good healer for her as well.
HA da pilipino always messig up stup lik dat.
At the restaurant with Celestia and Mike, you sometimes have them eating their food, then ordering it later, then immediately eating again.
What kind of a being is Emme? I know Faust is an alicorn and Kuzunoha was a kitsune, but I'm not sure what Emme was supposed to be? Her name makes me think dragon, but I am not sure.
Celestia and Mike certainly are spending a lot of time together. Luckily I'm not a person that instantly thinks that means they're in love. Nice that Mike gets along so well with the inlaws. Better than his wife it seems. That's weird to think about.
...I say that and then Celestia has to go and kiss him again. Lets get that under control before we have problems.
Luna admitting how little she knows about the night sky. I find this interesting for some reason. And her mention of creating consolations makes me miss my old Animal Crossing game where you could do that.
Random side note: Just realized we never heard from Lightning Dust again after she was swapped in during the Fillydelphia raid. Curious to see if her rash policies on potential war paid off.
The thing that makes me jaded in this story is how the ponies keep pushing DJ(to fix things) I know they mean the best but have they tried to get her mother to go to earth and try and mend things? both side fucked up(but rarity should of taken the high rode as the older)(still want to drop kick minty who did not help at all by being a twit)
Found an error:
"Even if I [were] completely powerless..."
Love the story, currently rereading.
Not to nitpick again, but this shifts between time periods in a rather confusing way. It sounds like "Emmé was pissed" years ago about Faust teaching Greg magic, and then at that time there was also an explosion in Tokyo, except then no, the latter must have been in the present day if it killed Kuzu, whom we've already met. So it seems like it's supposed to jump back to the present in mid-sentence, but it's very vague.
Poor Sunburn...she's been groomed to serve at all cost, not ever having the chance to question what she's doing or why or how it would affect others that she cares for. Her struggle between the duty imposed upon her, and what she knows to be right is aching to behold. Choosing between the values of changelings and ponies...hopefully she will find some measure of steel to be with a family that truly cares for her.