3. - Envoy
“Do you really think I’m ready for this?”
Celestia smiled and reached out with her wing to pull her Bean into a comforting squeeze. “You are, my love. The diplomatic ties between Equestria and Saddle Arabia are strong, and the delegation is eager to meet you. There are no trade treaties to negotiate, no crisis to avert. The only difference between this and any other diplomatic meeting you’ve been to is the fact that it is in another country. Just relax and be yourself, and you’ll do fine.”
Bean tore his gaze away from the scenery whizzing by the train car’s window, and he leaned into his wife’s comforting embrace. “Thanks. At the least, I’m sure you’ll stop me before I do anything too stupid.”
“Don’t be so sure. I may beat you to the punch. Pregnancy hormones can mess with your equilibrium, I’ve heard.”
“That happened once,” Luna said through a yawn from the rear of the car. “How was I to know that my Twilight would decide to pinch off that nerve right as I was entering the great hall?”
“Excuse me, Your Highnesses,” Trixie’s voice came as she entered the car with a large domed tray and a stack of papers on a cart. “Trixie has your breakfast, and the documents you requested.”
Celestia’s stomach offered a deep rumble of anticipation to this news, and Bean gave it a gentle poke before sharing a laugh with his wife. As they moved to sit around the low table that had been provided, though, Bean noticed that Trixie was sniffing at the tray with a forlorn look of despair.
“Trixie, would you care to join us?” He pulled the dome from the tray, and automatically, Trixie licked her lips.
Her eyes then went wide, and she began to backpedal towards the door as Luna snagged a muffin in her magic. “Oh, no. I appreciate the offer, but Trixie has papers to shuffle and pencils to push. I really should be going.”
“All of that can wait.” Celestia eagerly popped a strawberry into her mouth, and she motioned for the assistant secretary to come sit next to her. “Please, we would love to have your company, especially since Luna has gone to sleep.”
Bean snickered, and Trixie tried very hard not to as their attention moved to the younger princess. She had dropped nose-first into what remained of her morning muffin snack, and was somehow snoring through the crumbs.
Trixie’s eyes then went to the untouched food in front of Bean and Celestia, and the corners of her mouth twitched up. “Well, if you insist.”
The royal couple chuckled together while Trixie plopped down on the cushions and promptly loaded her plate as high as she could. Bean began to create an artistic arrangement with the fruits that had been provided, and Celestia contented herself with preparing the tea.
“If I may offer an observation, Miss Lulamoon. You are one of the hungriest ponies I have ever met. I certainly hope you are getting enough to eat on a daily basis.”
“Miss Inkwell makes sure that I do,” Trixie replied with a mouth full of food. “But Trixie always eats like this. As a travelling showpony, I never know when I’ll get my next meal, so I learned that it’s best to pack in as much as I can whenever possible.”
“You were looking pretty thin back at Neighagra Falls,” Bean mused.
“Trixie’s funds dried up after the Alicorn Amulet incident. No matter where I went, ponies had already heard about my short and almost inconsequential takeover of Ponyville, and most places ran me off in fear.” Trixie’s eyes went to the floor, and she shrugged. “But Trixie supposes that is the price to pay for arrogance. Still, it would be nice if Trixie could be remembered for being great and powerful, not destructive and petty.”
“I think things will be better for you once you head out again,” Bean offered. “You did a really good job at Mung and Chowder’s wedding. I had several parents tell me you put on an amazing show for their kids, and my aunt Adzuki asked how you did that coin trick. I bet if you did a series of shows in Salt Lick to start out, you could get some positive press going.”
“I believe being the assistant secretary to Princess Celestia will help your reputation as well,” Celestia added while floating a teacup over to Trixie. “And the story of how you became the Element of Pride and valiantly fought against the dreaded Tirek will be most compelling.”
“And you won’t even have to embellish it!” Bean pointed out with a smirk.
Trixie rubbed her chin, and a slightly wicked smile slowly spread. “You do have a good point. An ursa major is nothing compared to a magic stealing centaur.”
“And even if your new show fails to bring in the crowds, you are always welcome to come back here,” Celestia said.
“Really? You would hire Trixie again?” Trixie asked, and Celestia nodded.
“Yes. Wysteria has told me that she appreciates the additional help, and you have proven able to adapt to the most curious circumstances with no notice, a talent which serves you well in this position. You will always be welcome at the Palace.”
Trixie glanced over to Bean, whose smile reeked of “I told you so.” She then shook her head in amusement and snickered slightly.
“Thank you, Your Highness. Trixie does have to admit that she likes having a stable source of bits. Maybe I’ll stay here, and start up a night show in Canterlot. From what Trixie has seen, the upper crust is in dire need of some entertainment.”
“I would love to say that you are wrong, but—”
Celestia’s sentence was interrupted by Trixie’s muzzle contorting in a way that should not be possible, a gagging wheeze, and then a grandiose belch that rattled the walls of the car and jolted Luna awake with a spray of muffin crumbs and a shout of “do your worst, you foul fiends!” A puff of sparkling smoke snaked out of Trixie’s mouth and into the air, which then congealed into a scroll that Celestia snagged and opened in a flash.
“I didn’t know you knew how to utilize dragonfire mail,” Bean said with a chortle while Trixie groaned, sputtered, and rubbed her stomach with a hoof.
“Trixie can only receive messages. Miss Inkwell says I don’t have enough magic to send them. Trixie is also not convinced that this is the only way to receive them, despite what Wysteria says.”
“Bean?” Celestia’s voice dripped with worry, and her magic passed the scroll to him. “This message is for you.”
Baked Bean would have made a joke about finally being the recipient of a scroll, but his wife’s deep frown and splayed ears was a sign that even he couldn’t miss and the words died in his throat. Slowly, he reached out and took the message, and he began to read.
Prince Bean,
Your grandmother Pole has experienced a major medical episode and is now hospitalized in Las Pegasus. Doctors do not expect her to survive.
ERP is now active. Captain Spitfire and Cadet Rainbow Dash will intercept your train for immediate return to Las Pegasus. More information will be provided by the Captain en route.
-Lieutenant Spear Point
Acting Commander, Royal Guard
Bean flipped the scroll over, then glanced to his wife. “Something happened to Grandma Pole.”
“I will come with you,” Celestia said while Bean read the message again. “The delegation will understand, and we will reschedule.”
“If I may, I would like to accompany you,” Luna chimed in. “I am an honorary Bean, after all.”
Bean nodded, and Celestia turned to Trixie. “Sergeants Leaf and Pokey will remain with you, and assist with rescheduling our meeting with the delegates. Once that is completed, you will return to Canterlot and wait for further instructions. I am placing a great deal of trust in you with this task, Miss Lulamoon. Please do not disappoint me.”
Trixie nodded resolutely. “Trixie will take care of everything.”
* * ✹ * *
“Bean Buddy, Celestia.” Garbanzo quickly removed his flat cap, gave his son a quick hug, and gestured to the waiting elevator. “I’m glad you made it. I was worried you wouldn’t get here in time. Luna, hello! Sorry. I didn’t mean to ignore you.”
“We have better things to worry about at the moment. Do not concern yourself with me,” Luna replied.
“So, when did this happen?” Bean asked as the doors shut and the elevator began to ascend.
“Oh, when did it…” Garbanzo scratched his head and grunted. “It’s all just one big mush in my head right now. I think we got the news from your Grandpa Soy around eight or so. Once we told that guard you gave us what had happened, he initiated some sort of protocol to get all the Beans here as quickly as possible.”
“Emergency recovery protocol,” Celestia said with a frown. “I won’t get into the details, but the name describes the general function, and it appears to have worked exactly as intended. I had hoped that it would never be needed.”
“Anyway, your Mom, Grandpa and Aunt See haven’t left your Grandma’s side since we got here. The others are in the waiting room, just…” Garbanzo swallowed hard, “just waiting for the end.”
Bean nodded solemnly as the doors dinged open, and Garbanzo quickly led them down the hallway, past the grim-faced nurses, and to a hospital door flanked by a pair of unicorn guards. With a nod, one pushed the door open, and Bean rushed into the room.
“Mom, hey.” Bean greeted her with a quick hug before turning to his aunt Sieva and Grandpa Soy. “We got here as fast as we could. How is Grandma doing?”
Celestia’s heart tore clean in half while she took in the scene, and for several long moments, she could not bring herself to believe the truth that was before her. Everything about this was too artificial, too mechanical, and far too sanitary to be real. The pony that resided in the hospital bed was only a shell, a husk of the once vibrant mare that had been Grandma Pole. Several wires snaked from pads on her chest to the various monitors, and a large patch of hair had been shaved from the right side of her neck to allow for an intravenous tap. A ventilator mask completed the horrific atmosphere, and as Pole’s chest jerked up and down, it was clear that her breathing was no longer her own.
“She’s not going to make it, Baked,” Soy whispered in deep despair. “That machine has been breathing for her since we got here, and it’s the only thing keeping her alive right now. The doctors tell me the stroke destroyed more than half of her brain, and there’s no way to recover from something that massive.”
“So, once you take her off the machines, she’ll…”
Bean couldn’t finish the sentence, but he didn’t need to. All eyes lingered on Pole’s supine form, and for several long moments, there was nothing but sniffles and the horribly repetitive beeping from the monitors.
“When did this happen?” Bean whispered after what felt like hours.
“This morning,” Soy replied, his eyes locked on his wife. “We were getting ready to head out to do some shopping. She went into the kitchen to get a quick drink of water, that’s all. I heard her say she didn’t feel good, and then she—she just collapsed. It all happened so fast.”
Another profound silence followed Soy’s words, and Celestia found herself desperate for some words of comfort to share with the devastated patriarch. It was rare and frustrating for her to be at a loss, but her mind stubbornly refused to produce anything of worth. Everything she could conjure seemed cold, devoid of feeling and far inferior to the task of providing peace to a troubled soul. Celestia’s realm was within the light, and when faced with the darkness of the end, she was helpless against it.
But there was another who understood the dark in a way that nopony else ever could, and as that mare moved to Soy’s side, she began to gather the growing gloom to herself without any apparent effort.
“Let it out, Soy,” Luna whispered. “I am here. You need not travel this road alone. I have passed this way before.”
With a shuddering sob that encapsulated the uttermost depths of sorrow, Soy moved into Luna’s waiting embrace. Tears of sorrow mingled together and fell without mercy, and Luna’s broad, dark wings enveloped, surrounded, and held the grieving elderly stallion tightly within her embrace.
It only took a moment more for Celestia to gather in her husband and her devastated in-laws, and she held them tightly within her own feathered hug. She wanted to cure this ill, to drive away the dark depression that had overtaken the Bean family, but to her great regret, she could do nothing. There was no magic spell, no enchantment that could undo the catastrophic damage that had been wrought. Once again, she found herself watching the end of mortality, and the tears that flowed were all too familiar.
Celestia remained in this tight embrace for what felt like hours, desperate to share her love and what little comfort she could with those whom she held, until Soy and Luna separated and shared a sad smile with each other.
“Lima, Sieva. It’s time to let her go,” Soy said with a halting, trembling voice. “We all know she wouldn’t want to live on like this.”
“Take as long as you need to offer your final farewells,” Luna said. “We will wait outside.”
“Wait,” Sieva quickly said with a glance to her father and her sister. “Lima, once we’re ready, you should invite the rest of the Beans in, if they would like to be here when she goes.”
“Dad, is that okay?” Lima asked.
The response was slow and trembling, yet somehow confident and sure. “Yes, please. The Beans welcomed us as one of their own with pleased smiles and warm hugs as soon as you began to flirt with Garbanzo. They’re our family, and they deserve to be here for the end, if they like.”
* * ✹ * *
“Hey, Bean. You holdin’ up okay?”
Baked Bean drew in a deep breath and offered a sad smile to Rainbow Dash as she sat next to him in the waiting room. “No.” Bean took another breath, leaned up against Rainbow Dash, and just sat there in silence for a while until he added, “Thanks. For being here, and bringing us.”
“No sweat.” Rainbow Dash adjusted her goggles against her forehead once Bean sat back upright again. “I’d do that for any of my friends. Loyalty, remember?”
“Yeah.” A wan smile managed to emerge onto Bean’s tired face and he added, “So, how did that work? Did you get some kind of message in Ponyville or something?”
“Kinda. See, when I became a cadet, Captain Spitfire told me about the emergency recovery thing, and that as the fastest flyer in Equestria, she would need me to assist if it ever got used. I was just getting ready to take my pet tortoise out for his morning flight when she showed up with the chariot, threw a flight suit at me, and gave me exactly thirty seconds to suit up. We took off to pick you up right after that.”
“Huh. Let me see,” Bean tapped his chin. “Grams had her stroke at five minutes to eight. Grandpa sent word to my parents fifteen minutes later, so the guard assigned to my parents would have activated the protocols at eight ten. When did Spitfire get to you?”
“Eight fifteen, roughly.”
“Well, I think Shining Armor and his subordinates are going to be pleased with the overall time. That was incredibly fast.”
“Thanks,” Rainbow preened for a moment, but then shrunk back. “Um, I’m sorry that it had to be for something like this, though.”
“It’s okay. It’s probably for the best that it was tested here and now, instead of for something really bad.”
“I think this counts as ‘really bad,’” Rainbow said. “Just in a different way.”
“Probably. So, when can you go home?”
“Spitfire told me to stay and help you and the Princess until your regular guards get here. Besides, I know Twilight is going to want me to tell her what happened, since we had a weather control lesson set up for today.”
“Do we need to let her know why you’re not there?”
“I have already sent a brief message to her,” Celestia said from behind them, and she shared a quick nuzzle with her husband. “However, you will need to fill her in on the details when you return home, Rainbow Dash.”
“Can do. What can I help with now?”
“For the moment, not much,” Celestia replied. “Bean, your parents, Flageolet, and your grandfather are meeting with a funeral director right now, but they have asked that we stay, to which I agreed. I know you would not want to leave them until you are sure they have everything taken care of anyway.”
“Thanks,” Bean said with a small kiss for her.
“Luna is returning to Canterlot with Captain Spitfire, and a carriage will be sent here as soon as Miss Lulamoon returns from Saddle Arabia. I have sent a request for an update, but I have not yet received a reply.”
“Hopefully Trixie didn’t accidentally swallow it,” Bean said with a cold laugh.
“Serve her right if she did,” Rainbow muttered with a snort.
“I’m sure she will reply when she has a moment to do so,” Celestia said as she pulled Bean into her embrace and wrapped her wings around him. “Sergeants Pokey and Clover Leaf will return with the carriage and resume their guard duties, and from there, we will offer whatever assistance we can to Soy at this difficult time.”
“What about the rest of your family?” Rainbow asked Bean. “Do they need any help?”
“I’ll ask, but I think they’re doing as well as can be expected. I think most of them are on their way back to Salt Lick now.”
“Really? So soon?”
“There’s not much else they can do,” Bean said with a long sigh as Celestia hugged him just a bit tighter. “My parents and aunt See will make sure Grandpa is taken care of, and they’ve already offered their condolences. You can only say ‘I’m sorry for your loss’ so many times.”
“One of the great injustices of death is that life goes on, irrespective of the crushing blow that has just taken place,” Celestia added, and a tear slid down her cheek and plopped on Bean’s mane. “When I thought I had lost Bean, I did not know how to continue living without him, and I have only had his love for a fraction of the time that Soy and Pole have cherished together. I hate to compare my experience to his, but if it is anything like what I felt, then Soy is far stronger than I am.
“Thankfully, the Bean family is a tight-knit group, in my limited experience,” she continued with a soft smile. “And if I were to hazard a guess, I would say that Soy will not be left alone during this difficult time.”
“Not in a million years,” Bean added. “Grandma Flageolet said she was going to get a hotel room here and stay to help, since she’s gone through this, too.”
“That’s right, you’ve already lost your paternal grandfather,” Celestia said as she released him. “I have not heard much about him.”
“That’s because he died when my dad was just a little colt,” Bean said with a thoughtful gaze. “I only know about Tepary Bean through stories and anecdotes.”
“May I ask how he died?”
“Robbery gone bad, from what I remember. He tried to fight back but was stabbed in the chest during the scuffle. They never did find the culprit.”
“Huh. I didn’t think stuff like that happened anymore,” Rainbow said.
“It doesn’t,” Bean replied. “This was thirty-odd years ago, and back then, Salt Lick’s crime rate was pretty bad. His murder spurred a lot of reforms, so now things are a lot better.”
“Baked, dear?” Lima’s voice cut into the conversation, and Bean gave her a quick hug. “How are you holding up?”
“I’m about as good as you are. I don’t think the full weight of what happened has really set in yet.”
Lima nodded. “It all just feels like some sort of waking nightmare, doesn’t it? I can hardly believe it myself.”
“What can we do for you?” Celestia asked, the concern heavy in her words.
“I’m not sure. Right now, we’re trying to figure out which cemetery in Salt Lick would be best. Dad wants to have Mom nearby, so the whole family can come and visit whenever they’d like.”
“I think the Spurwood Memorial Gardens might be best, then,” Bean offered. “Or maybe the city cemetery. That would be a bit pricey, though.”
Lima nodded. “I suggested Spurwood, too. Your Grandpa is thinking about it, but we agreed that we needed to take a break first. I came out to see if you wanted to come and get a bite to eat in the cafeteria with us.”
“That would be delightful,” Celestia said. “I have often said that weighty decisions are best made on a full stomach. Rainbow Dash, Bean and I would be honored to pay for your meal as a small thank you for the service you have rendered today.”
“I am feeling pretty hungry,” Rainbow replied. “You guys aren’t going to take over the kitchen and start cooking everything yourselves, are you?”
Lima shook her head. “No, we won’t. I don’t think anypony really feels like cooking at the moment.”
* * ✹ * *
“Celly? Are you okay? You’ve been unusually quiet all day.”
“Hm? Oh, yes. I’m well enough, I suppose,” Celestia replied with a small yawn as their train creaked and groaned on the journey back to Canterlot.
“Kiss for your thoughts?” he offered, and she took him up on it with a smile.
“For starters, it was a beautiful funeral. I especially liked the eulogy you presented. Your Grandmother lived a remarkable life.”
“Thanks,” Bean said with a small blush.
“The potluck dinner afterwards was quite nice as well, and I am glad that your family enjoyed the cheesy hash browns that Luna and I provided.”
“Did you actually help with those, Luna?” Bean asked, and his sister-in-law smiled sheepishly as she glanced up from her book.
“I did, but I must admit that my assistance was limited to providing the grated cheese. The dish would have been inedible had I tried to prepare it by myself.”
“I really need to give you more cooking lessons,” he muttered with a grin before turning his full attention to his wife. “But I get the feeling you’re not mulling over what happened at the funeral, my love. You seem to be engaged with deeper thoughts.”
“You are getting better at reading me,” Celestia noted with a grin, and she dropped down next to him with a small groan. She took a moment to get comfortable on the cushions, and with a sigh, she wrapped one wing over him, pulled him into a soft snuggle, and then continued. “I really am fine, my love. I just… it is difficult to articulate what I am thinking at the moment.”
“Just spit it out,” Bean offered. “That usually works pretty well for me.”
Celestia gave an amused snort, but she also nodded. “I suppose you are right. Bean, during my life I have attended an innumerable amount of funerals of all types and varieties. I have offered my gratitude to the heroic soldiers who gave their lives to preserve Equestria and her ideals, and I have spoken at length about the grand accomplishments of the scientist and the artist before their peers. I have wept alongside the families of poor ponies as they struggled and came to terms with the untimely death of a child, and I have witnessed the highest degrees of excess when the rich departed this mortal realm. From top to bottom, I have seen death, faced it, and dealt with its aftermath.
“But as we travel home now, I find that your Grandmother’s death has touched a part of my soul that has not stirred in a millennium. Apart from your own ‘death,’ I have not felt this much sorrow at the passing of a pony since the times of Twilight Starbright’s family. Losing Luna to the nightmare was a horrific blow, and the pain came back fourfold as I was forced to watch Twilight, and her children, and her grandchildren all pass before me like dust upon the wind. How I ached as they left me, and how I wished I could have my sister beside me! I had none for company, and as time went on, I regret to say that I was forced to seal my heart off from them. Imagine, for a moment, if you were to take the pain that your grandfather feels right now, multiply that by the dozens of ponies who I could call family, and then multiply that by the never-ending cascade of years I was called to tarry through. It was too much, and though I hated that I had to, I knew I could not continue if I maintained the deep attachments to the ponies in my life like I had before.
“I am worried that, in so doing, I have severed all emotional connection I had with my little ponies. What if I do not care for them like I should? Why have I not been troubled by the death that I have seen until now? How many ponies have suffered in some way because of my apathy?”
“I don’t think you’ve been apathetic,” Bean said slowly as he thought. “I mean, everypony experiences that to some degree. I remember one time, when one of the guys on the track team came in and told us he had to miss one of the meets due to his uncle passing away. I told him how sorry I was, but I didn’t really feel bad about what had happened. I didn’t know his uncle, so I had no emotional response to the event. It was just another pony who had passed, nothing more. I don’t think you’re any different from anypony else, really. You knew Grams, so her death touched you more.”
“Bean speaks the truth, Sister,” Luna added. “Emotional connections take time and effort, and it is simply impossible for anypony to connect to every single pony that ever will be. I know I felt the same way when we would speak of the casualty counts during the wars. I knew the numbers represented real ponies, but they still remained nothing more than numbers. We would have lost many battles if we had thought of them in individual terms, with individual families and individual dreams. It may sound horrible and ugly, but it is the truth. From what I can see, you yet cherish life and value its immeasurable worth. If you did not, Equestria would be very different than it is today.”
Celestia smiled a bit with these words of comfort, and she playfully booped her husband. “I blame you, personally. When we left the funeral, I realized that without you in my life, I would have remained aloof and unaware. If you and Luna believe that I yet retain some feeling and compassion for those whom I lead, then thank Harmony I am not too far gone, and thank Harmony you have brought me back from wherever I was.”
“I don’t think you had to come back at all,” he replied. “You just needed to know that you were here all along.”
“Thank you, dear Bean,” she said with a kiss for him.
* * ✹ * *
“It is a good thing that it was you who married Bean, and not I,” Luna said with a grin as she studied the sleeping prince. “He would never be able to stay awake with me. I swear he checks out as soon as you set the sun.”
“He’s not quite that bad, but you’re not too far off,” Celestia replied, and her wing pulled him in a little closer. “After what he has gone through, he deserves some rest. Are his dreams troubled?”
Luna closed her eyes, and for a brief moment, her horn lit. “No. He is dreaming of your second wedding at the moment. I will keep an eye on him, but I believe his dreams will not be tainted tonight.”
“Good. Hopefully I will be able to join him.”
“I can help with that,” Luna said with a critical glance. “But you are finding slumber to be elusive tonight, are you not?”
“I am.”
“And this because you did not share everything that troubles you with Bean, yes?”
“Bean has learned many of my little nuances, but I can still hide away from him if I try,” Celestia said with a nod and a long exhale. “He will learn them in time, but for now, you remain as the only one who can read me like an open book, with large print and illustrations.”
“Perhaps, but even I have my limits. What ails you, Sister?”
Celestia’s gaze dropped to her beloved, and a frown pulled her entire demeanor down with its arrival. “Lu, how do you do it? How do you go on without Star, day after day, and not be overwhelmed with the grief that you must endure? Every time my mind is allowed a moment of idleness, I find myself dreading the time when my dear Bean will be forced to depart from me. It may be decades away, but still his end must come, be it from natural causes or by some other nefarious means. I don’t think I can go on without him, Sister, and I… well, I’m scared. I am scared of what my life will be without him, and I am scared of losing everything he has brought to me. I don’t want to be without his touch, his kiss, or his perfect serenity. What am I to do when he is taken from me?”
Luna nodded in understanding, and her eyes moved to the slumbering form of Baked Bean. “It will be a most severe challenge when the time comes, Sister, I will not lie. I confess, there are times when I wonder how I manage to go on without my beloved Star, especially after what happened in the human world.
“The trick, I think, is for you to cherish the time that you do have with him, and to let the future tend to itself. You are like a master chess player—you know all of the moves that your opponent will make from beginning to end, and you have a solution to every possible outcome. This ability has served us well, Sister, as it has allowed you to establish the Equestria that we now enjoy back before I was banished, and your foresight will continue to lead us to heights that are now unimaginable.
“The problem is that you are doing that with Bean’s life, and you cannot change an undesirable outcome. You have said yourself that your life has been one of control, and you have almost always been able to manipulate the ends to meet your needs. Yet, when presented with this unique condition known as love, you cannot do what you have always done.
“Celly, let go of that. Cherish the moments you have with him now, savor them like you would an exquisite ten course meal with a rich plum pudding for dessert. It will be difficult, but if you focus on the here and now, you will find you fears suppressed and restrained by the joie de vivre that Bean naturally exudes. Then, when the inevitable comes, you can hold his memory within your heart, and you will never be truly separated from him.”
Celestia pondered Luna’s words for several long and silent moments. Slowly, a smile tugged at her lips, and with a few tears, her wing began to trace small, tender lines across her husband’s back.
“You are right, Sister. I also suppose that I am not alone in my feelings. I am sure my dear Bean would tell me that he does not relish the time when he is forced to leave, if I were to ask him. But I have him, and he has me. For now, that is enough.”
“I would also offer that you will have one thing which I was so foolish as to throw away. Each of you will live on in your children, and your grandchildren, and for every generation that will follow. I doubt that you will tread the path of treachery that I did, so you will be able to retain those relationships and to keep him alive in their hearts as well.”
“That is true, except you are a bit off in your statement. I do believe you have a descendant who would love to hear about her ancient ancestors,” Celestia said with a sly grin, and Luna chuckled.
“Indeed, but I must wait for her to come to me for information. When she found the genealogical connection between us, Twilight Sparkle launched into one of her familiar research sessions, and you know better than anypony else how much she loves her books. Once she has exhausted all of the information they hold regarding the Royal House of Twilight, I will provide her with what I can. That way, she can tell me about the generations that I do not know, and I can tell her of the ones that I do. It is a win-win situation.”
“Have you told Cadence about her descendancy from your Twilight yet?”
“Not yet. Her line is a bit questionable a few hundred years back, and I would like for the connection to be a bit more solid before I inform her. However, I suspect that she suspects, so I doubt it will be much of a surprise.”
“Probably not,” Celestia said with a chuckle.
* * ✹ * *
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Help, I'm too full of All Of The Emotions!
If anyone tries to pull some Thanos meme BS, I swear to God...
9739974
I certainly won't. This is based on a really-happened-to-irrespective moment.
9739981 Unfortunately, all of us will have something like that happen to somebody around us during our lives, if we live long enough. One of my friends from college dropped over from a stroke before he was 30. If you want to hear some wild and crazy stories about my first year in college, just corner me at a con sometime and say, "So, tell me about Alan Goldstein." You'll be good for an hour or two.
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I'm really sorry to hear that. I hope it was quick as it was written.
It's never easy losing family.
Thanks for the lovely update.
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Sorry to hear that, I’ve lost two family members the end and beginning of 2018-19. I do know that I’ll see them again someday
I'm having a hard time feeling anything with this installment, and honestly, with the previous ones as well - the characters' statements about their emotional states usually don't carry real emotional gravitas when they come in multi-paragraph monologues, and everyone's lines have been getting longer and longer.
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Too much, you say? Hmm.
I shall have to work on that.
Really love how far you developed Trixie's character in this point of the series, it really warms my heart.
Also, reading about the death of Bean's maternal grandmother strongly reminded me of how I lost my paternal grandmother in 2005. You see, shortly before her death, she suffered from Alzheimer's and it was very sad to see her drift away us as a result. But God managed to bring her home and end her turmoil in death.
What the princesses don't know is that Baked Bean was awake the whole time, and merely fool Luna with a magic trick courtesy of Trixie.
Also great chapter, bittersweet to say the least, but the emotions were more than powerful.
Unfortunately, this bit doesn’t fit in with Cadance’s official backstory. She was born a Pegasus, found and raised by earth ponies, and ascended when she defeated a witch with love. Unless something changes in the last half of Season 9, Cadance’s origins will forever remain a mystery.
Having said that, you could change things a bit at the end here. Here’s an idea for you to use:
= = =
Celestia looked thoughtful for a moment. “It’s interesting that a descendant of an alicorn was able to become one. Do you think that maybe Cadance could also be one of your descendants?”
Luna shrugged. “It’s possible, I suppose, though we may never know for sure without discovering her origins.”
“I suppose it’s a moot point anyway, seeing as we already treat her like a member of our family,” said Celestia.
“Indeed,” agreed Luna. A wicked grin crossed her muzzle as she added, “Best not to tell her our suspicions, I think, lest poor Shining Armor think that he married his cousin.”
Celestia quickly brought a hoof to her muzzle to stifle a loud snort.
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oh... damn..
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heyo! a constructive comment! have a mustache~
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I do like what you have. I really do. But consider:
- I have said Celestia and Luna are daughters of a viscount (not official)
-Celestia gets 'drunk' when she loses her magic (not official)
-I say that Commander Hurricane is a mare (not official)
-Luna was married (not official) and had a child (not official)
-Celestia has a white coat (not official - very light pink :)
-Salt Lick is a 'city' in Equestria (not official in the show)
And that's just in No Nose alone. Thus, I conclude that I have serious issues with knowing what is official.
Owwie. This brings back some hard memories.
I lost my paternal grandfather when I was 9 to a heart attack. He was just getting ready to drive down from Georgia to visit us. Luckily, there hasn't been a death in the family since that time, and I'm 18 now, but it definitely has made me cognizant of how I should treasure the three grandparents I still have.
And I LOVE how you addressed the emotional connections when it comes to death. You pretty much summed it up to a T.
Meanwhile, I love how you continue to develop some subplots so that we're not just following Bean and Celly. Trixie has come a long way since we first saw her, Luna is apparently related to Twilight and possibly Cadence, so that's definitely something worth exploring.
After so many stories, this truly feels like a developed world, and I'm so excited to see it come this far. I can't wait for what lies ahead for everyone. Also, I SAW how you snuck your Pen Name into the chapter.
Let me get this straight. Are you hinting that both Cadence and Twilight are descendents of Princess Luna?
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Nope! I'm flat out confirming that they are!
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About time! You've been teasing about it for a while.
Edit nm
Having lost both of my own grandmothers this hit me hard....but there can be no joy without sorrow no light without shadow to contrast it
I'm so stupid. I forgot to bookmark this book and now i missed 2 chapters ._.
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That happens sometimes, but it's all good!
What a sad but very lovely chapter. You clearly used what you experienced firsthand in losing a loved one and did a fine job conveying those feelings in your writing and as someone whose father passed away several years ago I appreciated the care with which the subject of losing people close to us was handled.
I hope you consider it a compliment how Celestia's fears over the inevitable passing of her mortal husband reminded me of Aragorn's relationship with...
With...
Oh lord I forgot the name of his elf waifu, my mother is going to disown me
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Glad you liked the chapter. I was a bit worried about overdoing the angst, to be honest.
And I believe you are trying to think of Arwen.
Death has always been a constant for me. Being old, I've seen many relatives pass already. And with a brother who'd had cancer as a child, we knew many other children who didn't survive their illnesses. Yet, because of my inborn analytical nature, the sorrows were relatively brief, because I came to understand the limitations of biological life not long after I learned to speak.
It's one of the reasons I suspect those who claim not to desire immortality are simply too afraid to admit their own fear of mortality, so they perform a 'sour grapes' mental flip to convince themselves they'd hate it. And perhaps, in time, they come to believe it. Perpetual self-delusion does work that way.
I, on the other hand, yearn for the limitlessness and virtually incomprehensible freedom breaking the bonds of physiological fragility will bring.
Oof, sudden stroke is definitely one of the worse ways.
I feel like a horrible person a little bit... the bit about “half” not working and saying “I don’t feel good” made me go for a Thanos joke, but death of a family member is never good to joke about, as I know the feeling too well.
That's so true. The sun shines bright in the blue sky despite how it feels like it should be gray and gloomy, happiness feels perverse and mocking.
So if you're implying in this chapter that Cadance is a distant cousin of Twilight, does that mean she is also a rightful ruler of the Crystal Empire?
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Somewhat. I'm more suggesting that any royal line in Equestria can be traced back to Luna and Star Struck. So Twilight could be a rightful ruler, just like Candence could and can be.
Ah, the old "Immortality Blues" dilemma. I had Spike go through this same thought process in one of my stories, and Cadance helped him come to the same conclusion:
Was Twilight being related to Luna revealed in a previous story? I think it was, but I can't remember. Though I am pretty sure I never heard of Cadance being her descendant. Wait, so this means Cadance married into her own family?
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So which Robin is Baked Bean, then.
I always wondered what happened to Luna's line, I always suspected Princess Twilight is related to Twilight(technically she's also a princess since she's Luna's daughter). Anyways, I'm glad that it's not wiped out.
I love the depth overall. Great worldbuilding and emotional rollercoaster ride
Finally, someone gets it.
The family name is Twilight.
I've seen too many stories call them "House Sparkle" or something similar, even though Twilight's mother's name is Twilight Velvet. Not Velvet Sparkle, Twilight.
I know I'm going off on an unrelated rant but it's just a peeve of mine.
Twilight between day and night. Very fitting.
Fuck....... this.... I hate how much this spoke to me. I unfortunately went through a similar situation with my mom beginning of 2022. Covid complications pretty much destroyed her lungs, and by the end she was pretty much braindead from oxygen depravation, even with the machines making her breathe. The lights were on, but she wasn't there. Held her hand the whole time, when they turned the machines off....
And the worst part is that, I still had obligations to fulfill, working, and needing to move houses, life just continued, all the while seeing the world in dismal grey. I felt no emotion but sadness and an agony that wouldn't leave. And yet life still went on..... it's a pain that never truly leaves you. You just get better at dealing with it....