Oh Celestia, I'm so nervous! Is Mother going to kick me out when I get there? I hope not... I'm sure Solus would want me to get along with my family, especially my sister. He looked so excited when I told him...
Unless...
He knew that Cadance could become an alicorn, what if-
No! He isn't like that! He helped me, comforted me, lo-
He's here for me, not for her.
"Shining?"
Uh? Oh! He was talking!
"S-sorry, I was just thinking about...stuff", I answer lamely.
He smiles. Order, his smile is so warm and bright...
"It's fine", he says with a wave of his hoof. "I was just asking if you felt alright?"
"If I...? Yes, yes I am!", I reply hastily.
He lifts an eyebrow, just slightly.
"Oookay, if you say so. But Shiny, just one thing: you don't need to hide things from me, okay?"
I nod weakly.
"Okay."
We fall silent. Not an awkward silence, more like, what was it again? Oh, "companionable silence"! That's it! I don't really like my lessons with Lady Verse, but I want to be as, uh, as eloquent as Solus! If I'm not, he'll think I'm stupid!
A few minutes later, the carriage stop, and the door is opened by a pegasus guard.
"We are here, Sire", he says, bowing his head.
The guard then deploy the steps and Solus and I get off. Solus turn to me and smiles reassuringly.
"It's going to be fine, Shining."
I smile back, weakly. I really hope he's right. We walk to the entrance, where the guard knock on the door. A moment later, a frantic servant open the door.
"What is it? We are not receiving visitors!", he says angrily.
"Hold your tongue, you're in the presence of the Prince!", the guard snaps back.
The servant looks down and sees us, which make his eyes widen up even more than they were. He bows, but only slightly.
"I'm dreadfully sorry, Prince, but we really don't have the time to entertain...Lord Armour?", he asks.
"Y-yes! What's going on?"
I'm getting real worried. I've never seen the servants so... frightened?
"You don't know?", he asks incredulously.
"We know that Lady Velvet is giving birth", Solus intervene, "is there anything else to know?"
The servant bites his lip, clearly unwilling to answer. He looks at me, his eyes full of sadness.
"I'm sorry, my lord, the delivery... the physicians had to resort to a caesarean section..."
A what?
"Bring us to her, now!", Solus commands.
"Of course, Your Highness!"
"Solus? What's going on?", I ask while we run toward my mother's bedchamber.
He looks at me quizzically, until a look of comprehension enters his eyes.
"Shiny, a caesarean... it's a last resort, if they had to..."
No.
"I'm so sorry. I hope I'm wrong..."
No...
"We're here, Your Highness!"
Nononnono...
"Shiny...?"
Mother?
I go to her side, where a few unicorns are bickering about what to do. About what, I don't know, but I don't care. She looks awful, sweaty and pale, her coat lacking its usual lustre and her mane is a mess of tangles.
"Mom?", I ask in a strangled whisper.
She smiles weakly, her eyes, tired and glazed over, full of love.
"I...am so...sorry...I should not...have asked...so...much. I just...wanted...you to be...great...", she says in a raspy voice.
"M...mom?", I choke out, fighting back my tears.
Suddenly, a foal's cries ring out, a sharp contrast to the silent room.
"Ah! I did it! She breathes!", one of the bickering unicorn crows.
"Let...let me...hold her...", Mom says in a whisper.
"Oh, uh, of course!", he says, using his magic to give her the foal.
"Shiny?", Mom chokes out. "Meet your...sister...Twilight...Sparkle..."
"Hel-sniff-he...Hi...", I say, choking on nothing.
I won't cry, I can't cry...
"Please...help her...Shiny...?"
"I will! I swear I will! I'm so sorry for-"
"It's...okay..."
Suddenly, I grow aware that Solus is bickering with the physicians, and not that quietly, either.
"Just do it, dammit!", Solus grounds out, clearly exasperated.
"But Your Highness, this procedure is highly dangerous-"
"I. Don't. CARE! I order you to do it! NOW!", he shouts, stomping his hoof strongly enough that I feel the vibration.
"V-very well, my Prince."
He goes to the other side of the bed and lean towards Mom.
"Lady Velvet, the Prince intends to enact a procedure which-"
"I'll give him my power so he can heal you", Solus interrupts.
What? Why would he...?
"Your...Highness...why...?", Mom asks.
"Why not? How could I live with myself if I didn't try to help when I could?"
Mom doesn't seem to understand, but smile nonetheless. She nods slightly. One of the physician takes the foal -Sparkle- away while the one who was by Mom's bedside lights up his horn. Solus does the same, though his is much brighter, enough so that I have to shield my eyes.
Then the light form a stream, starting from Solus' horn, going through the physician's before splitting up in several strands that wraps around and seep into Mom's body.
Is he really going to save her? Can he?
This goes on for what seems an eternity before the physician speaks up.
"Prince, we can't...continue...", he grunts, his eyes screwed shut with effort, his whole body shaking and drenched in sweat.
"Shut. Up", Solus replies, not looking any better.
"But-"
"Shut-arrgh!"
The stream flickers.
"If we continue, she'll drag us down with her!"
"No! Shut up! I won't-", he stops, choking, tears running down his cheeks. "I won't let them down again!"
The stream suddenly vanishes.
"NO!", Solus shouts at a deafening volume.
I look down to Mom.
"Mom?"
I poke her foreleg, but she doesn't respond.
"Mom?!"
I climb on the bed and push on her shoulder, trying to wake her up.
"Mom! Please, wake up!"
I feel a hoof on my wither.
"Shiny, stop..."
I ignore it, continuing to try and wake her up.
"Mom, wake up! MOM!"
Somepony hugs me, pinning my forelegs to my barrel.
"Stop, Shiny, it's too late. I'm sorry."
"No...she can't...can't..."
I try to fight back the tears, but before long I'm sobbing uncontrollably.
"I'm so sorry, Shining."
I hope Shiny doesn't blame Twilight for killing his mom.
8403101
It's probably inevitable though...
8403101
I hope not.
Hm... The name of this chapter also means a pause halfway through a sentence. I wonder if that has any significance.
8403101
so true so true
8403120
The word Caesura is related to Caedo, which is also the root for Caesarean. But a Césure can also mean a division between two parts, like two parts of one's life, for example.
Huh.... Gotta admit, I wasn't expecting that. I'm guessing this happened because under Corona, medical tech hasn't advanced as much as it has in the canon storyline, thus they were unable to save Twilight Velvet during Twilight Sparkle's birth.
I wonder how this is going to affect Shining Armor. Velvet did apologize at the end, for what that's worth.
8403101
That is unfortunately a very real possibility, especially for such a young individual.
*Warning: spoilers in comments!*
Holy s***. that happened. Well, that will hopefully result in interesting character development.
Interesting turn of evens, this would certainly shocking change of even for both Shining and Solus. I wonder what will happen to Twilight, will she be left to be razed by their father Nightlight or other member of the family or could Celestia take charge of her education and raze her as her own, like Solus which mean being razed by tutors mostly.
The desperation of Shining to please Solus is unhealthy and will eventually explode at some point. Either by never living up to the imaginary expectation he has created of Solus or that that Solus might do or say something casual hat he will take completely the wrong way. I wonder if he will grow jealous or hate of Twilight over time and blame her for his mother death like Ceirsy did for Terian for the death of their mother in FoT.
This whole chapter strikes me as a bit... misaimed, in that what we're supposed to see in it just isn't quite the one thing I'm able to see happening in it. What we're supposed to see is a tragic situation where Shining Armour loses his mother. What I'm actually seeing is a chapter where Shiny gains a sister and is freed of the one person he hates the most and who never did anything but hurt him. There's nothing sad about this in any real way, so the intent of the chapter is kind of lost and it really never goes anywhere.
talking about taking the road down hill in topp speed great chapter and keep it upp
Hmm, well, House Sparkle has no choice BUT to be subordinate to Solus now. With the death of their matriarch, the only other elder is the father, though considering the exposition Night gave to Shining many chapters back, his mere existence had damaged House Sparkle's public and political standing. With him at the helm at this point, would do nothing but bring more damage.
The dangers of nobles and other great families tearing the House apart of its holdings through aggressive business or bring up "legitimate" proof that they're the closest relatives to take the children in, to eventually claim their birthright through some hair brained scheme. Their only hope is to be taken in under the protective umbrella of the Crown, so as to have proper watch and management of their holdings till Shining is ready to claim it.
Oh no...
8403227
It's trying to employ Death Equals Redemption in that Velvet, knowing she's dieing suddenly has the perspective to realize what she's done or what she's been like... and what she should have been. If she had survived, Shining would have ended up with a loving mother after this point, or one that tried to be, even if she wasn't really sure how. That is why it's sad. He got exactly what he always wanted for a few brief moments before losing it again.
8403248
Which is why it completely misses the point for me. People do not change based on sudden, incisive life experiences. If she hadn't died here, she wouldn't have changed at all. The only reason she acted like she had changed was because she thought she was dying - which she was - and decided to say things she otherwise never believed enough for them to actually influence her behaviour.
If not for that? What he would've gotten instead would have been a new sibling and a mother as hateful and abusive as ever, because that's who she really was.
I think now where Velvet passed away, and Solus tried everything he could in his young age to save her, Shining will devote himself even more to him. Or that he gets a burst of character development from the loss and is now more like the protective "canon Shining Armor".
I hope he won't blame his sister for what happened, neither their father. It's not Twilight's fault. But I DO wonder though what becomes of the Sparkles now without Velvet. Night Light can't lead the family because of his connection to the night.
Interesting. Very interesting.
Well, I suppose we don't have to fear a Duchess Sparkle, or something like that. Like what some others have said, their only real move left is to go to the crown, or more likely Solus. However, this would be a big thing, and would almost certainly get Celestia's attention. Something tells me she isn't the type to go around taking in entire noble families in as wards. Solus could probably play it off as "making connections," or something of that sort, but it would still get her attention.
Now, where this goes depends entirely on who gets "custody," as it were, over Twilight. If it's Solus' camp, you can bet your ass he'll try to make her... closer to canon, for better or worse, though hopefully without the devotion to Celestia. Perhaps she'll end up devoted to him, instead. However, if it's Celestia's camp, I am pretty sure she'll be on the road to being a "proper" noble, though not without interference from Solus.
Then of course there's secret door number three that opens with the keys of purple, unstable, and powerful to an all expense paid trip straight to hell via public execution or an accident. Probably the latter. Celestia may be mad, but I doubt she's really stupid enough to execute someone that would be under the public protection of the crown. Then again, she is mad.
Hmm, can't say I'm that sad about her death. I should be, but I'm not.
8403527
Same, nothing in the tank of feels.
8403527
8403556
Anything for shiny though?
8403573
It's better this way for him. He'll live.
Well...
Shits fucked.
8403573
8403556
8403527
Exactly! When I read this point with her I was like: "Well, that just happened." That normally doesn't happen to me that I shrug off a chracter death completely, but in this case? Velvet never gained any sympathy points to begin with. The chance of me dancing the "The witch is dead!" dance was honestly higher than lamenting the fact that she died.
Only, if at all, that Shining and Twilight lost their mother, because it hits especially Shining himself.
Well... fuck
8403131
Put a flat spare door key in your wallet. Wallet always stays in your pocket. Most of the electronic keys now have a spare door key within them in case the battery dies.
8403179
I certainly hope that's not what will happen to Twilight.
And this veers off even further from the original story. Very nice development.
Night Light should get Fleur Dis Lee as his next wife. Every stallion needs a trophy.
Running away now!
8403592
huh you read this story too
8403785
Nah, probably going to be promised to to solus when she comes of age.
8403527
Yeah got nothing
Well, that's one obstacle that won't interfere with Twilight becoming the element of magic, I guess. Not that this fic is necessarily following the canon list for the elements.
8403696
Confusing comment of the day award to you.
They weren't even talking about locks and keys... ...or wallets...
Unless you are referencing the doors between two parts of a life?
8404311
Reference to getting car keys locked in car in the author note at end of chapter.
8404314
Ah yes.
I jumped back to the story view page rather than the chapter view page when writing that comment. Alrighty.
Oh yeah, one thing that bothered me yesterday but that I forgot to mention the first time around: caesarean section is not always some kind of sign that the worst has happened or only employed when it does. It can also be used simply when it looks like a birth will be unusually difficult or the mother doesn't want to go through the whole process. For a while during the... 19th century or so, caesarian section was actually a fashion of sorts in the high society of the time, no relation to any medical requirements.
and my feels are back
Damn,
A dose of feels and cliffhanger.
This needs another chapter stat!
8404381
In the 19th century, perhaps, but certainly not before. With the usage of magic, no one bothered to really learn about how the body works, and thus, the technique that made c-section a viable medical technique were not discovered.
8404756
Caesarean section is so old, people mistakenly thought it was how Julius Caesar had gotten his family name even back in his own time - and that was at a time when people still thought the brain only existed to cool down the blood as it circulated.
Anyway, it was just a nitpick. I guess it's moot if you're setting Equestrian technology too far before that, because it certainly wasn't widely used before the Victorian era. That just roughly what pony tech always struck me as being, what with trains, telegraphs, top hats and all that. I guess you can see where I'd take that impression from. I figured not having Solus instantly jump to that conclusion might have made more sense, especially from the perspective of someone used to our own medical capabilities and judging the severity of a medical procedure based on that, but it's no big deal.
8404763
I know, I'm not angry or anything, though I will point out in that in the Roman Empire the c-section was considered to guarantee the death of the mother, so...yeah. Plus, if their technology is that backward, who knows what else could have killed Velvet?
8404781
Point, it just seemed strangely anachronistic, given who it came from. After all, considering all the other things he has been shown to be ignorant about, why would he be that aware of the state of pony medical tech in specific?
[e] excuse the double-post, I have connection issues.
8404790
Well, I'm a bit of an history nerd, and so is Solus. He simply assumed the c-section was deadly due to how backward this Equestria seems to be. It's not first time he does so, and it won't be the last...
8404813
Fair enough, I suppose. Purely as story-writing advice, though, it might be helpful to establish that kind of thing beforehand in the future. Everything you don't say is a trait the character doesn't have. One of the problems with writing self-inserts that a lot of idiosyncratic skills (which you and many other people may actually possess in real life) sound like you're pulling them out of your ass when the character exhibits them without ever notifying anyone about them first. A side-effect of trying to condense 20 years of personal experience into less than 10,000 pages.
One of the major points that surprisingly nobody is talking about is the fact that this is another slap in the face to Solus and his attempt at making "Canon Equestria" with the death of Twilight and Shining Armor's mother.
8404833
The way you worded that, it made me think that Twilight had died too and I misread the chapters some how...
8404019
Oh snap, you called it.
Oh.
So he's going to hate Twi, who will become Solas's ward/apprentice, because not using that little ball of magical death is stupid.
Ahh fuck. So sorry shining armor.
9383961
Same