Believe in the Heart of the Moon

by HeartlessSpartan

Honesty

Honesty

Applejack, Terra, and the mysterious stallion appeared in the center of a market square, within the trade district of Canterlot. With the sound of a cloak being pulled away, the darkness vanished like a mist; frightening the high class ponies and tourists of Canterlot. The stallion was relatively calm in what would look to most as sheer chaos. He brought them out of the darkness, they had apparently been within it for some time; it was late afternoon. There was no telling exactly how long that short conversation actually took.

“Well now Terra, I brought us home. Tell Miss Applejack the truth if you want an answer from me,” the stallion said, keeping to his word for now.

“The least you can do is tell us yer name,” Applejack said.

“You’ll learn my name as long as Terra can remember his past,” the stallion said, refusing to release information about his self.

“What are you hiding?” Terra asked with a growing temper.

“For once in your miserable and self-afflicted life, have some honor Terra. You lost to Discord, hindered and beaten you lost your love, then you hid from the world like a coward because of your own failure,” the stallion said smartly.

“Don’t make me do something we’ll both regret!” Terra threatened as he positioned himself for a fight.

“Regret indeed, you don’t want to hurt someone you love again would you?” the stallion deviously inquired.

Terra released his fighting stance; it would be pointless to end here in vain. He would have to play this stallion’s game if he wanted to continue. What worries him most is once again what this stallion knows of his past. It is now clear that he is possibly just as ancient as Terra is but he is not the same pony. It was too long ago for Terra to even remember everypony that lived in the old kingdom. Besides, if he wanted Applejack’s honesty, he should tell her the truth himself. The worst is that Terra can tell by looking into her eyes, that she can see that the truth hurts him by looking back into his eyes.

“It’s not as though you’ve lied to me, it’s alright to tell me,” Applejack said as honestly as she was destined to be; a trait upheld with all of the elements.

“Applejack, my name is Terra. I am the alicorn of harmony; it is my sole purpose to uphold its balance in Equestria. I have returned after a thousand years of hiding to save Luna from being overtaken by Nightmare Moon, and there is something more. There is something dangerous that may be out to hurt you and your friends,” Terra said calmly.

“My friends are in danger, and Nightmare Moon is returning? I thought that we saved Princess Luna,” Applejack said worriedly.

“Nightmare Moon can only be quelled by Luna herself because Nightmare Moon is part of her, not the Elements of Harmony,” Terra said.

“Then why did Princess Celestia have us use them?” Applejack asked sadly.

Terra looked into Applejack’s eyes once more. She was becoming distraught with the fact that her and her friends didn’t truly overcome and accomplish their very first task that united them in the beginning. The fact that it failed, that Luna still fights with the nightmare, that their lives are not threatened by lunacy, chaos, or simple darkness, but rather absolute danger; it makes all of this more difficult to bear.

“Princess Celestia relied on the Elements of Harmony for centuries after she was left to rule the kingdom alone. I worked closely with Starswirl the Bearded to enchant them in order to defeat Discord the first time, not to be a permanent solution to every evil that crawls out from the Everfree Forest,” Terra explained.

“So my friends and I, weren’t destined for any of this?” Applejack asked with tears coming to her eyes.

“I do not write your destiny, that is your own path as well as your friends’. I have never seen the elements so powerful, no longer as enchanted jewelry but rather truthfully bound to you and your friends. There could be no stronger bond than the friendship you share with your friends to possess this power," Terra said with pride.

The stallion stood by in silence, watching, perhaps waiting for something. It seemed as if his stare was his own form of surprise, that the distress of this young girl might actually have an effect on him. It can’t be possible though, whoever he is or was is now too corrupted to care; or at least most would think. His very existence reeked of evil, but there is something more that is actually felt, a weakness, and that weakness is sadness.

“My friends are in danger now because of the Elements of Harmony,” Applejack cried, tears built within her eyes.

“You have a strong heart Applejack, and you always place others before yourself. You are very much like your mother was,” Terra said softly.

“You didn’t know my mother!” Applejack cried out, the tears now streaming down her cheeks.

The mere mentioning of Applejacks mother struck too hard in her heart. She broke into tears, afraid for her friends and upset by her memories. Applejack took a few steps back; she couldn’t look at Terra. Hiding her face she turned and ran away, running to get back to her friends and her family. Terra watched as she disappeared out of the marketplace; he failed what he intended, to gain her help and her trust.

“I’m surprised you don’t remember Tullius; I spread lies for your court as the kingdom fell into ruin. I intend to make history repeat itself Terra, and this is just the beginning,” Tullius, the mystery stallion said.

Terra turned to face Tullius, but he was gone, vanished. There was only the swarm of guards that entered the marketplace and surrounded him. They bared their halberds towards Terra, and blocked his escape; even pegasi flew above him holding back spears. They were very cautious of an unknown alicorn. A unicorn captain stepped out from the swarm of guards; he didn’t wear a helmet like the others, which showed off his blue eyes and mane, and there was something familiar about his cutie mark as well.

“I am the Captain of the Royal Guard, why do you cause disruption with dark magic within Canterlot?” The Captain demanded to know.

“I was brought here against my will, and the evil you seek has fled,” Terra replied, he still remembers how to respond to these enforcement types.

“Stand down Captain,” the familiar voice of Princess Celestia commanded.

The guards rested their weapons and stood at attention, and the pegasi flew away. Part of the barricade stepped aside to allow Princess Celestia to walk through. She is much older than the last time Terra had ever seen her. Her mane was now energetic and mystical, and reminded him of sherbet ice cream. She was still young then, and her mane was a solid pink color, but she is still as radiant as ever she was in the past. However she now seems stoic in her approach, a trait learned from a millennium of ruling alone.

“Please pardon Shining Armor, it has been many years since the kingdom has known of you Terra,” Celestia said in her relatively calm tone.

“Centuries Celestia, it has been centuries,” Terra replied, catching a glare from most of the guard, they always expect the title before the name of their ruler.

“If I may ask Princess, do you need assistance?” Shining Armor asked.

“It is well and taken care of Captain, you may resume your shopping,” Celestia said with a smile.

“Thank you Princess, it is rather important to me. I will dismiss the barricade but I will leave an escort for you,” Shining Armor said with a minor blush.

“As always Shining Armor, you place the safety of the kingdom first in your thoughts,” Celestia said.

“That can be debated,” Shining Armor honestly joked.

“The ring would be important indeed Captain, love is quite powerful,” Celestia replied.

“I won’t let it impede my duties,” Shining Armor said just before leaving.

Celestia noticed that Terra was paying very close attention to the Captain. He must have found those words incredibly familiar, and perhaps even dangerous. To Terra it was more than just absolute coincidence that history would continue to repeat itself, and make the same mistakes that were made in the past. It is only that this time, he’s watching it happen as though there wasn’t a single action he could take against it. Time has taken its toll on all of them, and the past has recently begun to unbury itself from the bonds of time and forgotten history. Whatever Terra returned for cannot mean the safety of all, but it would be better to help him to do it than face whatever evil he seeks to eliminate alone.

“Walk with me Terra, while we talk. I believe you have not seen much of the new city,” Celestia said as she began to walk with Terra; accompanied by the escort of guards.

“I’ve viewed it from afar, I hadn’t had a reason to enter it,” Terra said as he admired the inner architecture of the city.

“Fear of being caught or seen, after residing in the shadows of my kingdom for so long?” Celestia inquired, hoping that it wasn’t her presence that kept him at bay.

“No, fear of being followed, fear of leading danger into a place of peace,” Terra said regretfully.

“A place of peace; I am glad that I have managed to rebuild to that stature. I only miss the company of my sister and the original court,” Celestia said, still in her calm, stoic tone.

“I’m sorry that I left, I was ashamed; and I left you on your own when you needed someone there to help you,” Terra apologized.

“Starswirl aided me for a time from his tower in the new castle, but he vanished from the world some time ago; much like you did. However my sister informed me that you were there for her, even when her nightmare overtook her, and I thank you for that,” Celestia calmly and carefully spoke.

Terra thought back, not long ago, before Nightmare Moon escaped. Once a year, when the ponies would celebrate their holiday of Hearths-warming Eve, when harmony was the primary theme and at its greatest balance on its own; Terra could leave, and communicate with Luna while she was imprisoned. He hadn’t the power to release her, but he could at least be there for her, and he would stay for as long as his power allowed him; even when Nightmare Moon would lash out at him in anger. Although sometimes, even Nightmare Moon would realize that he was the only hope she had.

“She speaks to you about her seclusion?” Terra asked.

“Luna is still my younger sister, and I love her just as much now as I did then Terra,” Celestia said honestly.

“It seems as though she is unsure whether to accept me or not,” Terra said sadly.

“The return has been very difficult for her; even now some citizens continue to resent her, thinking that she will turn
against the kingdom once again. However, what I am wondering now Terra, is what truly compelled you to take the risk of being seen again?” Celestia asked, leading Terra into another truth.

“There may be a great danger that threatens…” Terra was saying before Celestia cut him off.

“No Terra, why did you return after my sister?” Celestia asked, not expecting an answering, but rather expecting the thought.

Once again Celestia was right; she had that ability to reveal to you the truth that you hide from yourself. Terra returned mainly for Luna’s safety, and whether or not he stays or leaves once again depends on her forgiveness for what he had done. Terra sought much forgiveness, and he knows that there are literally very few that he could ever receive it from. It made him think over again, what does he truly want?