//------------------------------// // Chapter 13 // Story: Opening Celestia's Heart // by Knight of Cerebus //------------------------------// "You too, sister?" Luna pursed her lips. "What do you have to say to us?" Celestia paused, one foreleg lifting in hesitation. She looked over at Missie, and the two of them shared a smile. Before she could find a way to explain herself, however, the pair were interrupted by the sound of an explosion. The roof of Canterlot palace was blasted away by a battle between mages, with Starlight tackling Twilight up into the sky. Twilight teleported out of Starlight's grapple and into the open air, giving Celestia a quick view of her. She suffered scratches and cuts across her barrel, there were burn marks across her coat in places and one cheek was already swelling. Celestia drew in a shallow breath, her wings clenching against her side. Twilight grabbed Starlight by the tail with her magic and flicked her back down with as much force as she could muster, but Starlight's false wings braced her, and a bolt of lightning went flying just past Twilight's back legs. Twilight dove back into the palace and out of sight, hauling Starlight with her. With great effort, Celestia turned herself back to her sister. Her entire figure clenched. "We have much to talk about. And I promise you it shall be spoken. All of it." Luna opened her mouth to speak, but Celestia continued. "Luna, I swear I will address it. But first, I must gather the last of the Element Bearers and save Twilight. Keep the ponies here safe and sound. I will rejoin you shortly." Luna made to ask how she was to protect ponies without magic, pegasus agility or earth pony strength, but Celestia turned tail to gallop without another word. When she was about a block away, she teleported. Luna groaned. "Yes, sister. We see and obey." She rolled her eyes and ushered the others among Celestia's subjects inside. ／人◕ ‿‿ ◕人＼ Celestia's wings vaulted her across the sky, beating against the open air like it was a wall between her and Twilight. Her eyes scoured Ponyville for the familiar pointed top of the Carousel Boutique, her eyes wide and her flight erratic. It was at that moment she noticed she was not alone. "Something the matter, friend?" Discord jogged through the air next to her, dressed in workout clothing and sweating profusely. "Discord!" Celestia did not even turn to glance at him. "I need you to teleport to Canterlot immediately and attempt to face off against Starlight Glimmer. I can join you there shortly with reinforcements." At this Discord pulled out a large volleyball net ahead of Celestia, causing her to crash into the netting and entangle herself. "Discord?! What is the meaning of--" "Slow down, friend. There is time enough to chat, I think. I'm sure I can help with whatever fresh madness Canterlot finds itself in." He gave a genuine smile, snapping his claw and dissipating the net. "But first I needed to catch your ear for a moment." He handed the appendage in question back to Celestia. She would have questioned when he had plucked it from the side of her head, but she was in no mood for games. "Discord," she began, diplomatically, "Twilight is in danger. The situation is dire, as I believe you should know if Luna's testimony is true. I need you to travel to Canterlot to help protect Twilight." "There are a few reasons I can't do that." Discord held up three of his claws. "The first is that that would be ending a conflict, and as a chaos spirit I am physically incapable of doing so...at least directly." He lowered one of his claws, using his paw to pull Scorpan's medallion out from behind a wing for emphasis. "I can certainly join in on the havok being wrought in such a way as to distract our wannabe alicorn, but I have two conditions." He waved the two remaining claws for emphasis. Celestia gave a sigh. "And those are?" "I firstly have a question regarding what I presume is the plan, and I feel I deserve an answer." "Every moment we spend talking is another blow against Twilight." Celestia sighed. "Forgive me if I am brief." "Of course. My second condition ties to the first, and both tied into the fact that you now have those." Discord jabbed a claw at the gems on Celestia's peytral. "I'm not stupid enough to miss what happening's here. I know exactly what they are and how they formed, and I knew the moment one formed in front of me that you would come calling for me to use it with you some day. But you know as well as I do that the bonds between Element Bearers can be strained, and even broken." "Do you feel that is the case right now?" Celestia pursed her lips, her wings clenching to her sides. "That," Discord emphasized his next phrase with a detective outfit and magnifying glass, "is what I am trying to find out. So I to you I must ask, in the hopes the honesty in your words is as true as the honesty around your neck: Is any of this real?" Celestia frowned. "I'm afraid I don't follow." She tilted her head. At this he spun a marionette duplicate of himself into existence, golden chains connecting from its arms to Celestia's hooves. "Every step forward that I take seems to fall more in line with your plans. I find myself free, but only by ceasing to threaten you. Friends with another pony, who keeps me on a leash for you. Friends with your star pupil, but now to never be trusted with a mission from the crown again. Friends with you yourself, and better off for it, but now a piece of a weapon you wield against your enemies." "Do you believe I simply used you?" Celestia's brows turned upward, her frown growing. "I don't know what to think, Celestia." Discord shrugged, his mismatched eyes lost in thought for the briefest of moments. "I have been user and used in many a 'friendship'," at this air quotes appeared on either side of Celestia. "Truth be told, it leaves a draconequus rather disillusioned with the whole affair. I thought Tirek was my friend, and we both know how that sordid business turned out. He promised me pranks and whimsy, too, you know. To say nothing of my own betrayals and how easy they were to arrange. Now you arrive all delegations and bluster, ordering me around like I'm one of your little guard ponies," Celestia looked away at this, "and I can't help but wonder what all you really think of me, and of the friendship you claim to hold for me." Celestia looked back up at the last few words, smiling softly. "It's more than a claim, Discord. To form nothing more than a tool for my power is against the nature of the Elements. In the same way that you cannot solve a conflict, an Element cannot form from a false friendship. If the friendship I extended to you was nothing more than a ploy, the Element of Laughter would never have formed between us. Take that as proof, if you need it. Every word was genuine. Every laugh we shared real. And, once this is all over," at this she turned her head away again, but still held Discord's gaze. "I hope we might share many more." Discord shared the quiet smile with her, closing his eyes and nodding. "That would be condition one, then." Discord dissipated the claw in question. "But if all this is true, I have to ask: Why did you come in here barking orders? Did you just expect me to say no? I didn't say no to catching Tirek for you, did I"?" Discord broke into a small frown, his paw scratching his chin. "I had hoped my last explanation would suffice." Celestia's brow furrowed, her smile fading. "Twilight suffers every moment we stay further." "And the longer we stay, the greater the odds of helping her. Riddle me this, Princess. Would a friend--a true friend, per your magic sparkle stones--hold you here without a good reason? Where's the trust, Princess?" He raised an eyebrow at this, peering at her. Celestia shook her head and sighed. "And logically I know that, yes. A genuine friend--which our shared Element of Laughter should tell me would include you--would help me knowing my closest loved one is currently fighting a battle which may lead to her imprisonment." Celestia's throat caught in her chest. "Or even...Even her..." She shook her head. "It is not that I do not trust you, Discord. It is--I lose sight of such things when my loved ones are in danger." She whispered her next words, looking away. "I have lost them before." Discord tilted his head, mismatched eyes softening at Celestia's own pause. Celestia looked back up again. "It is the way of the world itself I do not trust in these instances. I do not trust things to work out for the better. I do not trust my loved ones to be safe. And it seems, in doing so, I have lost sight of the way to save them." She sighed. "It seems--to me, at least--we are playing a game of musical chairs, between us." Discord sat them both in singing furniture with a snap of his paw. "After all, when we met I was in your shoes, yes?" "You mean in regards to Fluttershy's friend at the Gala?" Celestia did her best to shrug off the new tangent. "Bingo!" Discord waved a bright green flag, now wearing a table jockey's attire. "For me it was jealousy, for you, a pessimism you really should be talking about with somepony--" "--That somepony being Twilight--" Celestia interjected. "--Right." Discord waved a claw, "which gives this all some very appreciated context. But the problem still remains." "And it likely will continue to." Celestia sighed. "As I am sure your jealousy still sometimes manifests also." Discord dissipated his outfit and the chairs, replacing them with a rock that he scuffed with a cloven hoof and a blush. "Wellll, yes, it is true I am not exactly a saint--" "--Nor am I." Celestia concluded for him. "Despite what you may have been told otherwise." Celestia winked. Discord gave a sigh and a shake of his head, rolling his eyes. "Discord, Discord, Discord. Here I go lecturing about trust, and--well, you know. Just like all your little subjects, I seem to have been expecting this master empress of friendship, playing a flawless chess game in which we all are but the tiniest of cogs. By now I should know better than to assume that of you." A pause hung between them, Celestia's smile neutral and inscrutable. Discord's smile, however, said everything well before he said it. "What lies beneath that is so much more." At this, Celestia's smile turned genuine, and wobbly. Her eyes were wide and shimmering. After a moment, she coughed and composed herself. "For my part, I will try to curb the flaw as it comes. But know that it may happen again in the future, working to correct it though I may be. I'm afraid, if we are to truly be friends, I must ask you to forgive that. At least until the day comes that I can truly tame it." "One more thing we have in common, then." Discord waved a claw. Then his eyes went wide again, a smile forming. "Oooooh! We could take our respective favourite little ponies out together some time! I've always wanted to take the little bookworm to the chaos realm." "Perhaps. Or perhaps we might stay for tea--I'm told you've grown a fondness for it, and we might yet convince Twilight to abandon her heathen coffee ways." Discord snickered at this. "I'd like that." Celestia placed a hoof on Discord. "Now I must ask for your help in defending my friends from a tyrant who wishes to take that freedom away from them...in the hopes that some day they might be your friends, too." "That was condition two, then." Discord dissipated his entire claw, smirking. Celestia blinked. "It was?" "You ordered me as a subject--which I'm not, for the record. I was waiting for you to ask me as a friend." "Even as Twilight suffered?" Celestia leveled a look of disappointment at him. Discord shook his head. "If I had doubts in our friendship, the Elements wouldn't have worked, remember?" Celestia's disappointment melted away at that. She pursed her lips, looking away. He slithered back into view, smiling. "But suffice it to say that the answer, now that I have it, melted all of those doubts away." He eroded the marionette and chains at this, replacing it with a flower bracelet shared between the two's wrists. "I'm all yours." Celestia looked back at him with a growing smile. "I am sorry to have doubted you, Discord. And to have given you cause for doubt." Celestia motioned to the Carousel Boutique. "But I need to go now." "And so, I believe, do I." Discord raised his paw for emphasis, readying to snap. "Thank you." Celestia gave a tender smile. "Anything for a friend." Discord replied, snapping his paw. With that, he vanished, and Celestia turned her attention to the last of her friends. ／人◕ ‿‿ ◕人＼ Rarity opened the door to a very un-Celestia-like Celestia. Her brow was furrowed, beads of sweat were against her forehead and her entire body was locked up in an incredible degree of tension. She did not even deign to shoot a look at the alicorn-sized dresses Rarity's work mannequins currently sported. Rarity's brows raised at the sight. "Celestia? Whatever is the matter, dear?" "Twilight is in danger." Celestia said perhaps too quickly. Rarity's eyes immediately shone with understanding. "What do we need to do?" The fashionista instinctively straightened herself up to her full height, her eyes locking with Celestia's. "Arrive in Canterlot." Celestia began. "I have assembled the other Bearers there, and will need you to journey with me in order to activate the Elements. From there we will use them to undo the threat." "The Elements?" Rarity paused. "You mean the Elements of Harmony? Did we not seal them within the Tree of Harmony not two moons back?" Celestia pursed her lips. "I will explain when we get there." "Err--right. When we get there." Rarity nodded. "Let us begin, then." With a flash of light, the two of them returned to Fleur's estate, bringing together the last of the Element Bearers. The last of the Element Bearers, that was, save one. ／人◕ ‿‿ ◕人＼ The collection of ponies facing Rarity was most certainly not the group that she had expected when Celestia had arrived informing of her of a gathering of the Elements. Fleur De Lis, Luna and Granny Smith stared at her, but Celestia only smiled in turn. "There." Celestia said, looking to the assembled ponies. "That is four of the five needed party assembled, and then...Loyalty." Celestia sighed. "We do not have time for this." "Your Majesty...?" Rarity began. Celestia barely glanced backwards. "One momen--" She paused, thinking of Discord's warning. "No, I promised you I would explain." With some effort, Celestia tore herself away from her thoughts and back to her assembled friends. "I know you have not known me very long, and I know that you do not all know each other perfectly either, and I especially am aware that this is all very abrupt for each and every one of us." Contingencies and fallbacks began to form in her head, but she brushed them aside in favour of the current plan. She did not like it. The Elements were scattered, their bonds half-formed. Twilight was in danger. Her Twilight was in danger and here she was wishing on a set of gems to solve all of her problems and--the only thing that kept her from scrapping the plan then and there was the knowledge that it had worked so many times before. Luna. Discord. Tirek. She had to trust it would work again. Celestia shook her head, making sure to look directly at Rarity, and to speak slowly and gently. "Rarity, since the time we last met I have been extending friendships to a variety of other ponies, all of them ponies you know in some capacity. Fleur De Lys and Missie Smith have helped rekindle my connection to my Kindness and Honesty, respectively. Discord, who is not present, helped me recall my experience with Laughter. For you it was Generosity." While Celestia continued, Luna gave a small frown. Celestia's words seemed not to fit some information Luna had come across earlier. Something Twilight had said... "Together, the four of you form a circle of friends who have come to show me wisdom and compassion that I greatly respect. Each of these gems on my neck is itself a fledgling Element, a symbol of our bond together and a conduit that channels the power of our harmony when together." "But I don't understand. What about the Elements held by my friends in Ponyville?" Rarity pursed her lips. eyes scanning Celestia's necklace. "Still resting in the Tree of Harmony, where I hope we may some day be able to use them again." Celestia looked down at the stones upon her peytral. "These are new and untested, grown through my bond with the previous Elements of Harmony and my connection to each of you." "So you mean to tell me I hold Generosity for two separate circles of the Elements?" Rarity paused, blushing. "That seems a bit of pressure, don't you think?" Luna's brow furrowed even more at this. What had it been that Twilight had said... "I understand your concern, Rarity. But I assure you the bond is genuine." Rarity waved a hoof. "Oh, of course, dear. I never doubted that much. Though, while I do find your work and your aesthetic quite charming, Fleur," She gave a nod to the other pony, who chimed in with a 'thank you, Rarity' in response, "I must confess I hardly know you, Granny. To say nothing of my ability to work alongside Discord..." "In fairness, the same could be said of your relations to Applejack and Pinkie Pie prior to your adventure against Nightmare Moon." Celestia replied. "And you suspect a similar occurrence here?" Rarity tilted her head. "I choose to believe that we can all be friends, yes." Celestia said with a note of triumph. "And that, when we do, the last Element will be revealed--" "Magic, yes. I recall that much." Rarity concluded. "Provided we can find an Element of Loyalty--I recognized from your role call that we are missing one. Have you any candidates?" Loyalty. Luna's eyes widened. She narrowed her gaze further to count the number of gems upon Celestia's neck. "Actually," Celestia sighed. "That was the part I was hoping to resolve now. We must find a pony to call Loyalty, and quickly." The group looked at her with skepticism. Fleur scrunched up her muzzle, Rarity gave a flat look, Luna tilted her head and pursed her lips as if to speak and Missie outright rolled her eyes. "Easier said than done." Rarity retorted. "I sincerely doubt some pony none of us know would qualify." "I do not suppose any of you might know a potential candidate?" While Missie prepared to launch into a rebuttal of Celestia's attempt at a plan, Luna pushed through the assembled ponies to speak up. "Sister?" She spread her wings, earning Celestia's attention. "You say you are missing Loyalty, yes?" Rarity followed Luna's gaze, one eyebrow raising. The others soon did the same, each one wrestling with their own sense of confusion. "That is correct..." Celestia began slowly. "How many stones are there in this set of Elements, again?" Fleur added, looking at Rarity's expression with concern. "Six, as in any set of Elements." Celestia looked between them in confusion. "Has something I said led you to believe otherwise?" "There are six gems on your peytral." Rarity said in a quick, flat tone. "There are?" Celestia looked down. She searched, eyes only now falling on the tiny pinprick of red that was nestled on the side of her neckwear. "When could that have..." "The asymmetry has been bothering me for some time now, but I did not put my hoof on why until Luna spoke up..." Rarity confessed, forcing Celestia back to the present. "Who did I meet recently to even provoke such a--" She gasped. "Luna!" Her head shot up, turning to the alicorn in question. Luna's eyes widened at the insinuation. The other assembled ponies followed Celestia's gaze, varying degrees of uncertainty written across their muzzles. "It must be your return to my side." Missie raised one eyebrow and narrowed her remaining eye. "Beggin' yer pardon, Majesty, but if'n that were the case wouldn't ya'll have managed that when last the same consarn thing happened at the end of that Nightmare Moon business?" Celestia pursed her lips at this. "Ya didn't then, an' I don' see much o' what you did now to show y'all have more Loyalty now than ya did then! 'Specially seein' as how ya weaseled outta talkin' to yer sister not half an hour ago again rather'n deal with all yer troubles with 'er! Loyalty? Shucks! I ain't seein' it, from neither of you fillies." Celestia sighed, preparing to launch into an explanation. At this Fleur cut in. "Perhaps you and Luna should have the talk you promised, then. If the Element begins to shrink or grow when the conversation happens, it'll mean the Element is connected to the two of you, and we'll know we have the pony we need. If nothing happens, it means we need to keep searching." "But I--" Celestia sighed. "Very well. If we are in conflict, the Element will not work. Thus we need deal with the consequences now, not later. But we must hurry. We may have to gather Discord and Twilight and run if the battle has taken a turn against them, and I wish to prevent either of them from suffering any further if possible." "Understood." Rarity nodded. "But what shall the rest of us do while you discuss?" "You recall our discussion on networks, yes?" Celestia at last settled back into her smile. "I believe now is the time to begin forming one between us. While Luna and I discuss our disconnect, I must humbly ask the rest of you to attempt to bond with one another. Do you believe you can manage such a thing?" At this Rarity smirked, turning towards the other two ponies with a twinkle in her eye. "If there is anything that I can do for you, Celestia, it is that." "All the best." Celestia smiled back. It was only after Rarity began to trot away that Celestia noticed Luna's shadow against her shoulder and turned to face her, dread rising in her chest once more. ／人◕ ‿‿ ◕人＼ Twilight's spell was eroded away by a tidal wave of dark magic, forcing her to duck under the blast. The tapestry behind her transformed into a chair, the parts of her mane grazed by the spell becoming wooden and rigid as a result of its effects. Twilight transformed her mane into a flowing magical ribbon, reversing the transformation spell in the process. She lassoed Starlight's hoof, causing her to smile in the process. She tugged at the other mare, but in response Starlight simply thrust forward with her false wings, slamming a hoof into Twilight's gut. Twilight's eyes bulged out, the wind knocking out of her chest, and she fell to the ground coughing. A gigantic fly swatter scooped Twilight up, hitting her into a badminton racket and then a gigantic pillow. Winded and dizzied, she was unable to stop magical strings from wrapping themselves around her hooves and horn. A set of gigantic kites lifted Twilight in front of Starlight, and the victorious mare grinned a twisted grin. Starlight drew back, readying a spell to drain Twilight of her magic. It was then that the entire throne room filled with bright pink bubbles, each one bearing a face that winked at her with an exaggerated grin. She groaned, doing her best to wipe them away with her magic. "Ugggh, what now?!" The bubbles surrounding her popped, ensnaring her and Twilight both in a truly unsettling amount of gum. She searched for her new attacker, spotting a tall and mismatched shadow projecting from the entryway. Her eyes flashed with anger, and she rounded on the intruder with a fire spell readied on her horn. She found herself rounding on a hat rack, the mismatched pegs arranged to look like some kind of towering creature with a set of horns. On one of the pegs was a single black top hat. Freeing herself from the gum, she wrapped the hat rack in magic and cast an anti magic shield around herself. "Show yourself!" "Well, since you asked so nicely." The throne itself transformed into a bizarre creature of mismatched proportions, which promptly began inspecting its claws and leaning on one of the back walls. Dim recognition registered in Starlight's mind. "Where have I--You!" She settled on the floor and sent a blast of fire Discord's way. Discord yawned, producing a gigantic frying pan from behind one of his wings and shielding himself from the brunt of the blast. He scooped a pancake from his shield and tossed it into his mouth, blowing a kiss to Starlight after he had finished chewing. "My compliments to the chef." Starlight made to fire off another spell, but before she could the hat rack's black hat tipped towards her. A flood of white rabbits charged into Starlight at alarming speeds, each of the small creatures scrambling over her and away from some sort of nebulous danger at the end of the hat. Starlight batted them away with a wave of her hoof, unable to focus a shot at the wretched being in front of her. "You showed up and ruined everything! You stole my magic and fed it to some kind of horrible monster! Back to finish the job?!" The last of the rabbits scampered past, and she readied her horn again. It was then that the gigantic dove that had been chasing them snatched her up in its talons, and an assortment of scarves and playing cards blasted across the entire room. "Hardly." Discord scoffed. "Tirek--us horrible monsters have names, you know--turned out to be about as valuable and trustworthy an ally as yourself. Fortunately, I got by with a little help from my friends." A set of ice packs bound themselves to Discord, Twilight and Starlight's foreheads, bandages wrapping around each of them in the places they were injured. He looked to Twilight, who blinked at him in bleary confusion. "Now I'm here to return the favour. And, of course, spread chaos! It is in the job description, after all." Starlight snarled. "How could anypony possibly make friends with you after everything you did?!" "I gave them reasons to." Discord smirked. "But you'll find out all about how that works once we're done here. For now, you have a new opponent." He summoned up a fencing outfit, sword pointed directly at Starlight's chest. "En guarde!" ／人◕ ‿‿ ◕人＼ "Well, so. What do you have in common, ladies?" Rarity gave a strained smile, eyes darting between the two. "Peh. Chit-chat." Missie waved a hoof. "Don't see much point in shootin' the breeze while ponies are hurtin'." "I guess that would be a start, then." Fleur nodded. "I don't think now is the time for the patient approach. I don't know how we can help, if the thing we're fighting is tough enough to spook a Princess, but not knowing how to help has never stopped me from trying before." "Atta filly!" Missie poked Fleur in the side with a smirk. "What're we standin' 'round fer when there's work ta be done!" "Well," Rarity began, "the Elements must be gathered in one place in order to be used. We need to sit tight until she finds Loyalty, and from there have a close enough understanding of the Elements in order to wield them. I'm afraid we'll need to wait until we have a complete set, ladies." Missie glanced around with an unimpressed glower, Rarity's smile growing more and more sheepish with each passing moment. Missie at last rolled her eyes when her gaze turned back to Rarity. "Is not bein' able ta count a unicorn thing or somethin'?!" Missie looked over at Fleur. "...No offense meant." "Some taken." She shot back, smirking. "We need six o' them Elements in order ta git the job done, right? I'm countin' five ponies here. Where all is the sixth?" "Didn't Celestia mention the last was off facing the enemy?" Fleur offered. "I hope you're not suggesting a rescue mission..." Rarity began. "No, of course not." Fleur said. Rarity sighed in relief. "More like a relief effort!" "Now we're talkin'!" Missie nodded to her. "Haul that last critter back to us and git us all ready together." "This is assuming Luna actually is Loyalty." Fleur stressed. "You thinkin' that's a load o' ponyfeathers, too?" Missie smirked. "I spoke with Princess Luna before. Right now it doesn't seem like she knows what she wants. It's hard to dedicate yourself to anything when you're trying to figure out what you want to dedicate yourself to." Fleur turned to look at the skies above Canterlot Castle, where Discord was defending himself from blades of crimson magic with a shield shaped like a period and a spear shaped like an exclamation mark. "I don't suppose you have any suggestions, then?" Rarity sighed. "Don't know many ponies what can call Celestia a close friend ta begin with." Missie admitted. "It didn't seem like she really knew anypony from the nobility, either." Fleur added. Rarity put a hoof to her chin. "How all did you meet Celestia, anyway? Was there somepony with her at the time? Somepony who frequently works with her?" A column of salmon coloured-magic knocked Starlight out of the sky while they talked, leaving Discord holding a claw to his chin in concern. "Just her marefriend." Missie shrugged. "Her mare...Twilight?" Rarity's brow furrowed. Rising before Discord was a bruised and bloodied Twilight Sparkle, who flapped up to his side on failing wings. "Now that you mention it, a date with Twilight and her was how we got to talking." "She was alone when I met her, but she mentioned something about Twilight needing her help. Needing her " The three of them exchanged glances. "But ain't that against the rules or somethin'? Girl's her marefriend, an' she already has her own set, too. Seems like cheatin' ta me." Missie put forward. "Perhaps..." Rarity looked to where Celestia and Luna were talking. "But Celestia previously held Magic and Generosity, and wielded them with her sister. It might be possible. She didn't seem to notice attaining Loyalty, did she?" "No..." Fleur followed Rarity's stare. "Almost as if it happened so naturally she thought little of it. If her relationship with Luna is as strained as what you both have mentioned--" "It is," Misse and Fleur said in unison. "--Then Twilight would likely be the only pony I know of that she would speak to so casually as to not notice a bond like that growing between them." Rarity nodded over to Twilight, who was holding a magical mirror in her telekinesis. She reflected another one of Starlight's magic blasts with it, causing Starlight to leap out and away from the detonation and into a cat's cradle summoned by Discord. Smoke rose from the hole in the castle roof, Twilight panting with exertion. "An' where is Twilght now? Same place as our Element o' Laughter!" Missie poked a hoof toward where she was beginning to lose altitude, Discord grabbing her by the tail to keep her from falling. Rarity looked towards the duel. "Very well, ladies. I'm convinced. What are we all standing around here for?! Allons-y, everypony!" Rarity reared up and cycled her forehooves in the air. "Beggin' yer pardon, misses, but I can't exactly run on account o' this consarned bum leg o' mine." Granny glared at her hip with a large amount of venom. "Fortunately, I think Celestia should be able to take us there." Rarity nodded over to where Celestia and Luna were discussing, noting that the talk was beginning to wind down. "Hmph. Don't see her chippin' in on any schemes what ain't approved by the royal seal." Missie rolled her eyes. "She's worried for Twilight." Fleur countered. "And that can make her grow distant, or try to control anything that might hurt her. I saw it before. But she doesn't let it shut her down enough to stop her from doing the right thing. That I also saw. The Celestia I know will come around." She made to trot towards Celestia, beckoning for her friends to follow. "She just needs somepony to remind her." ／人◕ ‿‿ ◕人＼ Luna and Celestia stood facing each other, each of them utterly silent. Neither one could manage to look the other in the eye. The awkwardness was interrupted only by stammering attempts to speak over one another. "I'm--" "I cann--" Another pause. "Fleur and--" "I was just--" "You go first." Celestia smiled. "That," Luna said, "is what she and I have been discussing. I cannot be delegated into good cheer. Sister, I--" Luna looked down and sighed. "I cannot be ordered into recovery, nor forced into the role you seek for me. I must find such things for myself." Celestia frowned at this, but, against all her better instincts, allowed Luna room to continue. "I am not happy where I am now. I am sorry, but it is true. I feel like your shadow, always trailing behind you, always forced to mirror your movements. Rarely acknowledged and oft trod upon." Luna's wings tensed, her entire body twitching. "But..." Celestia led on. Luna looked at her, then swallowed and gave a grim nod. "But...we have talked out your reasons for this treatment. We...understand. I understand. Sister, did you truly think that we would stop--" Luna swallowed again, her eyes beginning to water. "Did you truly believe I would not love you unless I was always by your side?" The Princess of the Sun froze. In another lifetime, and another world, she would have begun to redirect the flow of the conversation. She would have brought up necessity, duty and the details Luna had failed to consider. She would have brought home the ways in which they both could improve and strive forward, handily burying the issue in the process. But the last three months had not been for nothing. Instead, Celestia lowered herself, biting her lip and allowing her face to fall at the accusation. Princess, the sweet-toothed prankster with a love of gardening and history novels, whispered, "It was not that. I could not rule alone. It was all so much, and so suddenly. One minute we were fighting monsters in the Everfree, the next Starswirl was telling me everything Equestria needed in order to run. But...it was too much all at once for me. The laws, the delegates, the constant watch of subjects that we--that I had never asked for. I-I only wanted us to share the burden we'd been thrown so suddenly, and to be better sisters for it." Luna gave a sad little shake of her head at this, her mouth set in a wobbly smile. "But we never were to share the realm of dreams? To share my duties, and my domain?" "I..." Celestia shook her head. "I am willing to learn now. Show me, and we can shoulder that burden together, too." Celestia's gaze shot everywhere but Luna's own eyes. "But I cannot rule alone." "Nor should you, sister. More time is spent awake than asleep, more is to be done in this world than mine. But thou art not alone, art thou?" Luna gave a sigh. "You have replaced me with one who is far better suited to an eternity at your side, delegated to her duties I refused to shoulder. Duties that crushed me into something we have both loathed. Duties she was happy to take, simper--no. Duties she was happy to take, glad to be by your side as she was. T'was never meant for me. I cannot be your shadow anymore, and I will not." Celestia sucked in air through her teeth at this, her wings tight against her sides and her body clenching. Luna held up a hoof. "I believe it is killing me to try, and has been since the start. There is another who thrives in my place, and we both know this." Luna looked at the gem set against Celestia's neck. Despite the admissions from both, it did not glow, change size or alter its shape. It did not produce even so much as a twinkle. "Which is why I am not the Element of Loyalty, Sister. For my place has never been to rule as your second half in the waking world, tried though we have to make that arrangement work. Never have I come to your aid when you deserved it least. Never have I placed you before myself when my own heart ached. Never have I chosen you and your dreams above any of mine. I would make a poor Loyalty, as I have been a poor co-ruler." Luna scuffed a hoof, looking away. But if Celestia held her in contempt, she didn't show it. Her gaze was elsewhere. Celestia's eyes widened, her gaze turning to Canterlot Castle. "But there is a pony who has..." Luna turned to follow Celestia's gaze. There she saw the battleground that currently housed her rival, the one who had started her on this path of mad jealousy once again. She fought the rising anger, the sense of loss of being Celestia's second favourite pony. But then, had she ever been Celestia's to begin with? Was being cut loose from her grip not what she had wanted most? Celestia interrupted Luna's thoughts. "Do you believe it will work? She already holds Magic." "Her inadequacy speaking. Another attempt at self-abasement before you." Luna tried to prevent the venom from entering her voice. She tore her gaze away from the castle, looking to Celestia and catching sight of the hurt in her expression. The look of betrayal purged what anger remained. She shook her head clear of the lingering dark thoughts, changing her tone. "I apologize. That was...immature, for one who wishes to show she has the maturity to lead her own life. Cruel, for one who wishes to show she can lead a life of her own without causing pain in yours. What I mean is, Rarity's holding two Elements suggests it is more possible than she believed." Celestia nodded, still not meeting her gaze. Luna turned to her in full. "You said it best: these are your Elements, not hers. It is your choice who those closest to you are. Not mine, not the Elements of Harmony...not her. You are free, sister. These friendships are yours to make. No creature's ministrations can deny you that right...least of all mine." Luna stepped back and away from Celestia. Celestia, for her part, shook her head and gave a small chuckle. "Luna...it is my choice who is in my life, then I choose you to be in it also. Love Twilight though I do, it has never stopped me from loving you." Luna's eyes widened at that. Celestia gave a quiet smile. "I have many loved ones, Luna. Twilight, yes, but also Cadance, Spike, Shining Armor and my newfound friends. "Whatever you may wish to do going forward, know that it will not stop me from caring for you. And know that if I have ever wronged you, it has never been from anything other than a desire to care for you, and be cared for in turn." Luna gave a sad smile at this. "But in loving you, I constricted you. And I must face the consequences of that. I realize things will be strained between us for a while yet, and I realize it will be difficult to appreciate my care until I am better at showing it. But know that, whatever your choice, my love for you will always be there, as it always has been." Luna said nothing, instead biting her lower lip and giving a few nods. "My own way forward..." Luna put a hoof to her chin. "Yes, Luna. Your own pathway, for all that that will entail. For in making these choices you, too, will need face your action's consequences. Consequences I cannot protect you from. Do you understand?" Luna again nodded, this time more hesitantly. "Your reaction to my constraints hurt more than just myself. Your actions have done more than simply slight me, and if you wish to be truly free of my ministrations, you must accept responsibility for acts I have shielded you from until this stage. I will be asking my subjects what these responsibilities will be. You will need accept their verdict. Whatever it may be." Luna paused. "I...if it must be. For the good of Equestria." "And it will not end there." Celestia gave a sympathetic grin. "Each action you undertake outside my shadow will be scrutinized, and criticized. Much of it may be positive. But much of it may not be." Celestia paused. "You might try talking to Fleur if that burden weighs on you. My talk with her on the same subject was very uplifting." "And other necessities of life I must take in if I am to take on all this?" Luna pursed her lips. The thought of uplifting brought the taste of newfound freedom to the forefront. "That will depend on what it is you wish to do, whatever that may be." Luna looked to the sky, her brows knitting together. "I wish to expand my time in my domain. To refine it, explore it, and better connect it to Equestria. Enrich it to be what it should always have been. I wish to further leave my position as your compliment in the waking world." She gave a knowing smile at this. "I believe we both know who that position is better suited to." Celestia nodded, but waited for Luna to continue. Luna obliged. "I will develop the realm of dreams that it might best serve Equestria, and I will do it in ways that work best for our citizens, whatever that must be. I will do it alone, free from your influence. And that means I will need to learn what I must do." Celestia gave a small nod. "You will need draft laws for your domain of dreams. You will need meet with myself and our bureaucracy to establish the mechanics of this new system of government. We can do this in and out of the waking world, but it must be you who makes this change happen if it is to have any legitimacy. I will not move to block you, but neither can I make it happen for you. Not if you wish to be more than my figurehead. The pressures of true rulership are many. You will need come to terms with them." Celestia gave a quiet smile. "But you need not do it alone." She placed a hoof on Luna's shoulders. "I will be there for you, every step of the way. Not in order to meddle, and not as a monarch. As a sister...and a friend." Luna smiled a fragile smile, a lump forming in her throat."I will not be part of your domain anymore. But we are more than our domains. As you are able to love more than Twilight, so too am I able to love more than a farflung dream of freedoms. It is true that I will never again be your co-ruler." Luna, despite herself, gave a bittersweet grin and placed a hoof around Celestia's neck, turning the gentle hoof pressed against Luna's shoulder into a firm embrace between the two. "But there is one thing I will always be, and that is your sister." The two of them held their hug, letting go only when the approach of three other ponies brought them back to the world around them. "Celestia," Rarity said. "We've resolved that we are coming with you in the rescue attempt." Celestia paused at this. Thoughts again raced through her mind. Starswirl, lost to the ages. Sunset, to another world. Luna to her banishment. Battles lost, friendships lost, bonds broken. But seeing the ponies she did evoked different feelings in her. "Should we fail, this enemy will remove your cutie marks and imprison you, denying you every basic right you deserve as an equine. She may try to banish you, entrap you...perhaps even fell you in battle. She will not hesitate in her cruelty, for she does not control her actions now. The amulet seeks only to expand its power and influence. It will not show you mercy. Do you understand? All of you?" She scanned the ponies around her, resolution set within each of them. Missie, who reminded her that no loss was insurmountable. Missie gave a roll of her eyes. "Still don't get why we're flappin' gums. Knew this was gonna be dangerous afore I left th' farm! Let's git to the savin' ponies already!" Celestia cast her eyes over the group. Fleur, who reminded her the value and necessity of courage. Rarity, who reminded her of the power of community. She nodded to each of them, at last looking over at Luna. "So long as you know the risks involved, I will make every effort to help you. Let us begin, then." Fleur made to turn at once. Celestia touched her shoulder with magic, shaking her head gently. "A plan first. One I want each of you to help with." Fleur bit her lip, but turned to Celestia nonetheless. "We're listening." Rarity nodded. Celestia motioned for them to draw in close, her horn already preparing the teleportation spell. "I will begin with what we know about our enemy. You see, Starlight tends to ignore things she feels are beneath her notice..." ／人◕ ‿‿ ◕人＼ Starlight rose to her hooves, gritting her teeth. The misshapen creature produced a trumpet from behind his ear, readying to blow it. Starlight fired out a blast of anti-magic as a parry...only to watch the blast remove the trumped and Discord's head both. Her eyes widened in a mix of horror and confusion. "What..." To her relief, the draconequus' head reformed almost instantly, but his expression matched hers. "Give up!" She shouted. Discord rolled his eyes, so she fired another blast, this one at his hand. Then another at the other paw. "That wasn't a request! I'm in charge now, and you're not stopping me! Give! Up!" "Oh, hardly." Discord regrew his fingers and made to snap them, but at this a bubble formed around him. He sighed, finishing his snap, and summoned a ram. He made to use the startled sheep to batter away at the sides, but the moment the appropriated livestock made contact with the bubble, it vanished back to wherever he had summoned it from. "Checkmate." Starlight sneered. She flapped over to him. "But I really don't get it. You had your own plans for Equestria, your own dream of how it should be. After everything, why give up half way?" Discord simply shook his head and snickered. "It's not something I'd expect you to understand. Let me put it in terms that might reach your iron-clad cranium." He gestured to his body, turning it first polka dotted, then neon, and then into a starry background with a set of planets. "I've come much further in spreading my love of chaos to my friends than I ever did forcing it on my enemies." "So you actually believe their lies?" Starlight gave a bitter chuckle. "Pretending like they care to keep you boxed away?" "Oh, I don't know. She seems to." Discord shrugged, smirking. "What do you--" At this a tired Twilight smacked into Starlight, vainly placing a hoof to her horn. With the last of her strength, she fired a blast of magic at Discord, freeing him from Starlight's prison. In reply, Starlight aimed a beam of magic at the exhausted Twilight. Twilight willed her wings to push her out of the way, but her current pain and exhaustion slowed her and held her down, and the spell hit her in the small of her back. She felt a familiar sense of energy draining out of her. "No...no..." She murmured, her wings failing her. Her eyes shut, and she found herself plummeting to the ground. Discord made to grab her, but found himself again contained within Starlight's magic prison, and Twilight rushed towards the stony floor below. It was only then that a familiar golden light gathered around her, catching her and setting her down next to a pair of new arrivals. Celestia and Luna trotted forward side by side, gently levitating Twilight to the floor. "Well, isn't that sweet?" A cruel and twisted voice cut in from on high. "You've finally resolved to fall together. Well, it's no matter. Two down," At this Starlight rose to her full height, the glow of her magic illuminating Twilight's battered and beaten body, "two to go." Celestia's love was a mess of injuries, her face puffy and bruised and her body covered in cuts and scratches. Her faded coat and distant eyes looked at Celestia in a mix of hope and regret. Celestia gasped at the sight, a hoof flying to her mouth and her eyes swimming with tears. "S-sorry, Princess. I did my--I did--" Twilight reached out for her with a shaking hoof, as if merely knowing the Celestia she was seeing now was real would revitalize her all at once. "You did wonderfully, Twilight." Celestia responded, a lump in her throat. "Never doubt that." She gently brought Twilight to her, embracing her. Starlight landed, eyes swimming with black magic and necklace pulsing. "Awww. That's nice." Starlight placed Twilight's cutie mark within the amulet, magic now coursing across and through her entire body. With a flick of her horn, she overpowered Celestia's field. Twilight was ripped out of Celestia's hooves, forced to Starlight's side by the overwhelming display of telekinesis. "Surrender now and I promise you'll get to share a cell together. Otherwise," Starlight opened a portal to Tartarus, her eyes wide with manic glee, "you'll never see her again!" Celestia's eyes never left Twilight. She was battered and beaten, but even in this state there was a silent plea in her eyes. Celestia's teary eyes hardened with resolve. At least she turned to glare at her enemy. "A tempting offer, Starlight Glimmer. But not one I am to take. I love her, yes. But it is because of that love that I must respect her wishes, and those of my citizens. They all of them are telling me that I must never surrender, or else I will have hurt them more than you ever will." As Celestia spoke, the red gemstone upon her neck began growing in size at a rapid pace. "So to you I must say: Equestria does not negotiate with terrorists." All Starlight could do in response was grin wickedly. "I was hoping you would say th--" "We surrender!" Luna threw out a hoof. Starlight paused. "We--I--will help you once again, if you will have us. We, we--we miss our friend." Starlight's eye raised, but she only smirked more deeply. "Luna?" Celestia sucked in air between her teeth, eyes going wide. "Somepony's seeing reason at last? Shouldn't be surprised, Your Majesty. Once a traitor, always a traitor." Starlight giggled. "I tell you what. You can be court jester. But first thing is first. Bow." Luna sighed. "We only wish to see our friend again. But if that is how it must be," she trotted towards Starlight, head held low, "please receive us, Your Majesty." Starlight rolled her eyes and giggled, horn swimming with magic. Luna felt her hooves thrust against her sides, Starlight's eyes flying to them. She was made to bow by the force of Starlight's magic, several body lengths away from any hope of seizing the amulet. The bowing motion repeated, again and again, as if Luna were a seesaw. Starlight cackled all the while, eyes on the hooves locked against Luna's body. "You still haven't learned. I can see your traitor ways coming miles away. Did you think I would fall for such an obvious lie? You must think I'm a lot stupider than I--Oof!" Starlight felt something heavy and uneven connect with the back of her head, her eyes shutting in pain at the latest interruption. She rounded on her new attacker, rubbing the forming bruise. She looked down to see a chunk of stone about the size of a baseball resting to one side. Standing behind her were a pair of white unicorns, one with a long pink mane and one with a purple corkscrew-shaped mane. Upon the purple-maned unicorn's back was an elderly earth pony mare tossing another sizeable mineral in one hoof. "Did you...did you just throw--you threw a rock at me!" Starlight stomped a hoof in anger. "Darn tootin'." The wrinkly mare replied with a proud smile. "An' there's more where that came from, lil' missus!" She tossed the next rock, forcing Starlight to raise up a shield. She made to retort, but a cluster of gem stones rose up from the earth beneath her and caught her straight in the stomach before she could. She grit her teeth in anger, again making ready to gather up a spell, but a scarf wrapped itself around her ankles and forced her to the ground. A series of blankets wrapped around her face and forced her backwards, causing her to splutter and bat her hooves at them. Something pricked at the back of her neck, and she felt something fall away with a 'clink'. "Enough!" She sent out a shield spell in all directions, blasting a fourth mare she hadn't seen sneaking up behind her in the process. She lit her horn, fury in her eyes. "The Princesses can't stop my dreams and neither will--" Something felt off. She blinked, then searched herself for potential injuries. The clinking. What had the clinking been? She looked down at her neck. Her now bare neck. Her hooves flew to where it should have been. The amulet was no longer around her neck. Where was it? Where was it?" She wheeled around in all directions, only to rest upon Luna smiling in triumph, the amulet dangling from her horn. "Huh? How did you--" Starlight made to reach for it, but with a flourish of the Princess' neck, the amulet was no longer on her horn, either. "That doesn't--you have no magic!" Luna pulled the amulet out once more, holding it in her teeth this time, only to vanish it into thin air once again. "Not of the unicorn kind." She smirked. "But--but--but--" A blast of golden sunlight cut Starlight off, knocking her silly and freeing her captives. Luna and Celestia watched Starlight pull herself up, both smiling gently. Discord floated over to their side and snapped a claw, and a set of cuffs appeared on Starlight's hooves and horn. Twilight plummeted from the sky, leaving Celestia to catch her once more. Celestia did so in a heartbeat, levitating her away from Starlight and into her waiting hooves. Twilight gave Celestia a weak smile, trying to put a hoof around her in a slow, methodical movement. "I'm sorry, I couldn't fight her, and I--" She was cut off by Celestia gently hugging her and pulsing healing magic across her body, her hooves cradling her softly. She stared up at Celestia with tender love writ across her face, reaching up against her flagging strength to nuzzle her. "Thanks." "Thank you, dear." Celestia nuzzled her back, the pair letting their touch say more than fickle words ever could. A red glow began to eminate from Celestia's neck, and she felt Rarity's hoof against her side. Then Missie's. Then Discord's claw on her other side, and then at last Fleur. She closed her eyes, a radiant smile across her face. "For more than you know." The six of them embraced, and the gems on Celestia's neck exploded with light. The rainbow of colours radiated outwards, each gem growing to fill up the space of her peytral, and a beam shot forth from Celestia, surrounding and blasting the amulet. The dark magic nexus cracked, bits and pieces falling away from the alicorn-shaped center. Bits and pieces began to fly off and disintegrate, until at last there was only a gem left. This itself then shattered into a powder, and at last the object disintegrated in full, its magic undone and its captive cutie marks freed. The overpowering light faded back to the fine glow that surrounded the six friends, and with it came a quiet peace.