//------------------------------// // Au Revoir // Story: Sol Point // by CoffeeBean //------------------------------// The hushed scratching of quill on paper barely made it past the dull rumble of fire, the flames dancing in the fireplace at the far end of the study occasionally punctuating the silence with a pop. In such wondrous silence, Celestia had a hard time remembering she wasn’t alone; in an armchair of his own design, Discord lounged while reading a book that, curiously, was upside down, and Raven lay on her back, legs dangling freely in the air, on a cushioned bench below a window just beside the fireplace, a book held in proper orientation with her magic floating above her face. Taking a moment to look from her work, Celestia peered out of the window Raven sat below to watch her sun departing below the horizon, her horn glowing a little brighter for a moment to give it that final little nudge. She always thought it was comical how, in the past, she would nearly pass out every time the sun needed commanding. Nowadays, it took less energy to stand up. In the dim, evening glow, flashed a green hue, bringing her gaze to Discord, who now had a scroll perched atop his head. In silence, both she and Raven watched as he looked up through his brow before plucking it from betwixt his horns and unrolling it, his eyes scanning for just a moment as he read. “Ah! Spike and Shining Armor want me for game night! It’s been a fair while since I’ve seen either of them,” he explained, rolling the parchment back up. Celestia cocked a brow. “Game night?” “Indeed! We order up some pizza, break out the board, and get to conquering!” Raven giggled. “Nerd.” “Says the pony reading…” Discord snapped his fingers, stealing her book from her magic and delivering it to his hand, “Daring Do and the Rogue Clockmaker.” She scowled, ripping her book from his hand with a spell, “Daring Do isn’t a nerdy book!” “Right, and I’m a neurologist.” Raven blinked a few times, “What’s that even supposed to mean?” “Well, you told a lie, so I figured I would too.” She groaned, rolling her eyes and resuming her reading. Grinning, Discord brought his gaze to Celestia, “So, can I go?” “You’re asking me for permission?” “No, I’m asking your pen.” She whistled. “Snappy one tonight, aren’t you?” “Aren’t I always?” “I suppose you are, and yes, you can go with your friends. You’re an adult, you don’t need to ask me if you want to do things.” “Wonderful!” Excitedly springing from his chair, Discord snapped his fingers to remove said chair from existence and simultaneously grant himself a bowler hat and suitcase, “Au revoir, mon cheri!” And, with that, he disappeared. Raven looked away from her book, meeting Celestia's gaze, "Does this mean I get my Alicorn back?" Celestia laughed, "Yes, this means you can have me back! I do apologize for, more or less, being non-existent for the last while. I've spent so much time with Discord that I've barely seen you or the rest of the family." Raven glared through her brow. "Don't tell me you feel guilty about spending so much time with him..." "I-I... it's been in the back of my mind." "Celestia, you really gotta stop doing that." Celestia tilted her head down, hiding behind her colorful, waving mane, "I know, but... I can't help the thought from creeping in every once and a while." "We're not going to be mad that you've made a new friend, in fact, quite the opposite. When we all first got here, I thought I would never see you happier, then Discord showed up, and you've been like a beam of sun ever since. You've known the family and me for years now. You've known Discord for two weeks. You should be spending your time with him, because you need to get to know him, and because he makes you happy, and when you're happy, we're happy." Peeking from behind her mane, Celestia gave a weak smile, "Really?" "Really. I'm glad you've made another friend. How long as it been since you've had somepony you can go out and do things with?" Taking a breath, Celestia held her silence as she thought, "I don't think I ever have." "Then don't let your own, unfounded apprehensions stop you from enjoying his company." Celestia smiled, nodding, "I won't, and thus far, I haven't" Chuckling to herself, Raven looked back to her novel, "I think it's funny I have to keep telling you to not feel guilty about things." "You've always been a voice of reason for me, Raven. Assuredness in one's actions doesn't come with age, even after two thousand years of it." "You'd think it would." "Funnily enough, I think I'm more apprehensive about things now-a-days than I was in my earlier years. I think that might be because I've made several split second decisions that have shaped a thousand years of history... and ruined a thousand years of life." Raven drew in a sharp breath, "That's heavy." Celestia huffed a stifled laugh, drooping her head for a moment, "I know, I'm sorry." "You can't help it, I know. The silence and solitude of being up here always makes you emotional." Looking to where Discord once sat, Celestia nodded, "Yes, and especially without Discord here." Raven too looked to the void space, "Yeah, it's already quieter without him." "He really has become part of our family here." Raven peered up to her, "You think so?" She nodded, "He weaseled his way in, but he did a great job of doing it." Chuckling to herself, Raven leaned back into her bench and resumed reading, "Now, he's just gotta finish weaseling his way into your heart." "Oh, you be quiet." Rolling her head back, Raven laughed heartily, Celestia joining in with a jovial chuckle. "You're awfully quiet this morning, Celestia." Celestia's gaze was drawn up from her plate to the semi-worried expression of Pan Sear, who sat in between her chef comrades on the right side of the table. She offered a disingenuous smile, "Not much to talk about." "Every other morning you've been talkative," followed up Flip, "I haven't heard a word since you came down." Momentarily diverting her gaze from the chefs to the rest of the family at the table, Celestia began to feel terribly tiny in her seat, "I-I, well, I just haven't found anything to talk about." "Or anyone to talk to." Raven, sitting closest to Celestia on the left side of the table, commented, leaning in closer as she grinned. Now, Celestia's eyes landed on the empty place at the far end of the table, both a magically created chair and a Draconequus missing from that spot. She let out a short sigh, her head drooping a tiny bit. "That, too." There was a little break of silence as all eyes remained on the down-trodden Alicorn, Raven's once cheeky expression quickly flipping to a concerned frown. "You miss him this much?" Tremor inquired, eliciting nods from Clean Sweep, who sat beside him, and Vesper and Mint, who too were sitting together on that same side of the table. "Yeah, he's only been gone for like... 12 hours," Added Mint. Celestia shared a few quick glances with the two couples. "I do miss him, yes. I... I don't know, I got quite used to coming down right at dawn and having some time with him before everypony woke up. Not having that this morning... made me a little sad." From the whole family came a long round of 'awww~'s, causing Celestia's posture to sink down further. Reaching over, Raven placed a comforting hoof on Celestia's shoulder, "come on, he's not gone forever!" "I know, but that doesn't change the fact..." "Well, at least you've still got us." Vesper returned with a sweet smile, the rest of the family sharing that sentiment. Taking a look around, the bright smiles of her friends brought Celestia from her stupor, her posture straightening a bit as she returned their joyous grins. "I'll always have you. I... do wish to extend the same apology I gave to Raven last night to all of you; sorry I haven't been around as much as of late." Chef Tea blew a raspberry, waving her hoof in dismissal, "Really, you're apologizing for having fun?" Raven leaned back, crossing her forelegs, "I told you everypony else felt the same way." "Yeah, of course we do!" Reassured Clean Sweep with a genial tone, Tremor nodding along, "If we didn't, we'd be terrible friends." Collectively, the group nodded or mumbled in agreement. "Thank you... thank you all," Celestia chuckled at herself, shaking her head, "I worry myself over stupid things sometimes..." "Wasn't that your job for two thousand years?" Tea asked. Laughing, she nodded, "Basically! Always so much bickering and yelling about things that, a month down the line, didn't matter. I'm sure Luna's enjoying herself." As if on queue, magic fizzled from Celestia's horn, moments later a stack of papers with the ever-so-customary personal scroll from Luna appeared in the air before her. "That timing couldn't have been better..." Raven commented. Setting the stack onto the floor beside herself, Celestia nodded, "It truly couldn't have been." "How's Luna been holding up?" Asked Vesper as she finished a bite of her waffles. "Good, I assume. She hasn't written about anything bad, only good. She says the entire nation got a kick out of the photos I took." There was a pause of silence, all eyes going to her. "You gave all our pictures to the papers?" Raven inquired with a raised brow. "Luna did. I... should have asked for all of your permissions, in hindsight." "Wait..." began Flip, "so all of Equestria saw us?" Silently, Celestia nodded. "Cool! We're famous!" "None of you are upset that photos of you were released without your consent... are you?" Celestia inquired, her voice holding that saddened tone once more. "When you said you were taking pictures, I assumed it was for the papers... so..." Vesper explained, getting a nod of agreeance from her stallion-friend Mint and the other members of staff. Huffing a little breath of relief, the concerned expression Celestia held faded as she looked to her meal, "Wonderful. I'm glad to hear I haven't upset anypony." Raven scoffed. "You let us live in a huge house, feed us good food, and pay us a lot. You're gonna have to try real hard to make anypony mad." Celestia chuckled along with her and the family, "Quite right, you are, Raven." Yellow magic surrounded a perfectly ripened strawberry that hung happily from its stem, a gentle tug freeing the fruit and levitating it upwards to an inspecting, scrutinizing pink eye. Giving a little nod, Celestia dropped the berry in a little wicker basket containing its friends, the gathering of little red fruits destined to become toppings for pancakes or filling in a pie. Again, another berry of similar hue and plumpness was picked and held up for inspection, however; this time, a discrepancy was discovered. Cruising along the red, almost cratered surface of the berry was a single aphid, an aphid that after a quick spell, ceased to exist. “No place for you here, friend.” Thus, the now intruder-less berry joined its comrades in the basket. “We should plant more trees in here,” came the comment from Vesper, who’s curly black mane bobbed along a few rows down. “Oh? And why is that?” “More shade. By noon it gets hot in here.” Celestia hummed, squinting and peering up at her sun perched high in the cloudless blue sky, “That, it does. If you want shade trees, I’d suggest planting them now. By time they’re big enough, even I might not be around!” The two shared a little laugh, Vesper peeking up over the tomato bushes, “Maybe we could have Discord appear some trees into the garden. He made an entire boat, I’m sure some trees wouldn’t be too much of a task.” Returning Vesper’s smile with a weak smirk, Celestia looked back down to her berries, “When he finally gets back, I’ll have to ask him.” Vesper kept her gaze on the impressively tall Alicorn as she continued on with her helping, “You’re a lot less cheerful today.” Sighing, Celestia stopped her berry inspecting, “Indeed.” Chuckling gently, Vesper nodded in understanding, “Back when we were still in Canterlot there was a day Mint got sick and couldn’t be in the gardens. I felt… empty, like he took a chunk of me with him.” Celestia brought her gaze up to meet Vesper’s, “You perfectly summed up how I feel.” Again, Vesper nodded, “Once you’re in love with somepony, it’s hard to be away from them.” There was a pause, the two maintaining their eye contact, “I assume you’ve implied I’m in love with Discord.” “Wha- implied? I… I thought you were in love with him, vice versa. That’s why you spend so much time with him and go fishing… right?” “I clearly remember saying that I enjoy him being around and love his company, but I’m not in love,” returned a firmly resolute Celestia, her head held a little straighter as she continued plucking and inspecting berries. “You’re not?” Celestia paused, her gaze diverting off into the distance, “I...” she sighed, her head drooping back down, “I have a crush on him, but that’s it.” “You’re lying to yourself more than me.” Her head raised back up, her gaze instantly locking with Vesper’s. “Celestia, I don’t know if you noticed or not, but you’re retired, and falling in love with Discord isn’t going to start a scandal or something.” “I know that, but-“ “But what?” Celestia’s mouth hung open, her mind quickly trying to put her reasoning into words. “I… I’m a difficult pony to love.” “Now that’s a lie.” Vesper returned with a smile. “In terms of companionship. I’ve… had a few partners that have left because of my neglect. I’ve always let governing and leading take a hold of my life, and I’ve never left room for love.” “Kinda hard to do that when you’re retired, isn’t it?” Rubbing her foreleg with a hoof, Celestia nodded, “it is, yes, but I…” she shut her eyes, taking a deep breath, “I always end up hurting those who I let into my heart. I don’t want to do that to him. I don’t want his name to be on the list of lovers who went wrong.” “Celestia, not only are you retired, but you’re immortal, and so is he! You’ve got all the time in the world to spend with him, and you’ve got every day to nurture your bond!” Seeming on the brink of tears, Celestia drew her head back up, “Immortality is the problem! It’s always been the problem! I would go a week without seeing my lover, and to me, it felt like an hour… to him, it felt like a month! I-I didn’t feel that urgency that you or Mint feel; the urgency to spend every waking moment with somepony you love!” Taking a shuddering breath, Celestia shut her eyes, a single tear going down her cheek, “T-That’s how I lost Luna. That’s how I-I let ponies I loved slip through the cracks in my mind. T-Things are different now… I-I have more time, all the time in the world, maybe, b-but I know that the same thing will end up happening! It always does! Over and over, history repeats itself, and I can’t let Discord pull himself in with me and get hurt! I love him too much to let that happen to him!” The once happy, calm noon air became heavier as the gasping, shuddery cries of an Alicorn sang through the garden. Celestia’s body shook, her legs looking like Jello as the tears fell. Quickly, Vesper made her way through the tomato bush and over the strawberry shrubs to Celestia, rearing up and doing her best to get her hooves around Celestia’s neck to hug her. Almost instantly, it seemed to help her tears, her much larger head coming to rest on Vesper’s back, a tiny bit of dampness being felt thanks to the streams leaking down her white cheeks. “Calm down, Celestia. Calm down.” Giving in to the wobble of her legs, Celestia dropped to her haunches, Vesper maintaining her tight embrace and continuing to let the much larger being weep into the violet fur of her back. “You don’t have meetings, or paperwork, or dignitaries, or Parliament, or foreign trips to stop you from loving him anymore, Celestia. All you have is time.” Sniffling, Celestia lifted her chin up, “I-I… I know I have time. Time is what I worry about. It’s all I’ve ever worried about. I have it all… but I still worry.” “Hey, Lunch’s ready!” suddenly chimed the cheerful voice of Flip, causing Vesper to dart her gaze towards the ever-so grand double doors of the estate to see the blue-furred Unicorn in the doorway. “Uh… having a moment?” Flip called, cocking her head. Vesper simply waved her hoof, shaking her head. Clearly confused, Flip stood idly a moment, her mouth ajar and brow raised as she shrugged and turned to return to the estate. “T-Thank you… Vesper.” Sniffled Celestia after a moment. Breaking her embrace and standing back, she nodded, “That’s what friends are for, Celestia.” A smile broke through the clouds that had shrouded Celestia’s sorrows, and without warning, she pulled Vesper into a painfully tight hug, her much smaller figure being no struggle at all to be lifted up and embraced, “And I couldn’t ask for better friends, Vesper.”