Queen Novo walked up towards Princess Celestia slowly and gracefully along the wet sand of the beach, followed by the bubbly and excitable princess, Skystar. Leaving trails of prints behind in the sand, Queen Novo and her daughter jumped onto a flat boulder, where the pair of them stood together. Then, moments later, four seapony guards leapt into the air and transformed into hippogriffs, holding sharp spears and pointing them directly at their opponents' chests once they landed on the ground. When Celestia and Novo were eye level, they bowed before each other. Celestia then turned round to see Twilight, Spike, Tempest, Grubber, Capper and Celaeno not bowing, but standing and watching her as if they didn't know what to do.
"Bow!" Celestia whispered sharply.
Twilight quickly bent her front legs and the rest followed suit. The guards behind Queen Novo made a fist shape with their claws and bashed their chest pieces, before coming to ease again. Twilight and the rest of the others didn't get up, even when Celestia and Novo walked up to each other and shook hoof and claw in a friendly and informal way, and started to have their own conversation.
"It's good to see you again, Tia!" Novo whispered, "Especially after all these years!"
"I'm glad as well that we've crossed paths again, Novo," Celestia replied, "and perhaps this would be the first time we've met without any... obstacles in our way for a very long time. I'm honoured to visit Mount Aris again and see it in its former glory!"
After they had finished greeting each other, Celestia and Novo flew over to the grassy embankment, where the others were waiting for them. Novo soon noticed the many creatures that were already on Mount Aris awaiting for their arrival and saw the many tents that were pitched around the mountain, with many creatures inhabiting them.
"I knew that I had allowed for a few creatures to stay here, especially after their help in the Battle for Canterlot," Novo said, "but I didn't expect there to be this many. I thought that they were staying in Equestria now."
"Well, that's what I thought would have happened, Novo," Celestia replied, "but I guess they've kind of decided that this would be their home now. Capper still lives in Kludgetown, even after I welcomed him to live with us in Equestria. I apologise that this still hasn't been fixed yet. We're trying to get to Tempest's birthplace at the moment, though it is taking a rather long time."
Princess Celestia and Queen Novo continued walking around Mount Aris at a steady pace, in which the queen herself gave what seemed like a very shallow tour of her kingdom. Many of the things she mentioned were that she was one of the few hippogriffs to ever be allowed in the Harmonising Heights before they fled to safety underwater. She recalled the music that played there and the day when it fell silent for what felt like would be the last time. That was, really, the only thing that Novo shed a tear too, while other things didn't receive a single reaction.
"The anthropomorphic parrot and her crew," Novo continued, "have been the most helpful to me. They have helped rebuild Mount Aris. I see them as great companions now and honoured servants to my throne. This will especially be important in the future when my daughter, Princess Skystar, takes after me on the day I pass on. She has been much happier now. She misses the ponies whom she helped defeat the Storm King, and... er... your friend, Tempest Shadow. So, you're visiting her birthplace, then?"
"Indeed," Celestia replied, "by request from its current leaders, I'm making my way to visit them on some political matters, shall we say? That is why I have brought along Tempest Shadow, as well as her other friends. We stopped by Kludgetown and met up with Capper, a cat whom I hear 'helped', so to say, Twilight and her friends find your kingdom."
"So Tempest has been pardoned, yes?" Novo asked, curious, "Have you... made amends with her yet?"
Celestia suddenly gulped and felt as if something was trapped in her throat. Clearly, Queen Novo had triggered something in her to make it feel as if she was going to be sick. Celestia always felt such hatred towards criminals in and out of Equestria, and Tempest had indeed broken vast amount of laws back in the days of the Armada. But then Celestia also remembered that Tempest was only a child when the Storm King brought her into his army and only became the mare she was from the Armada itself. Even though the death penalty was now abolished in Equestria, imprisonment was not, and as soon the party ended at Equestria's victory, Tempest was thrown into the dungeon of Canterlot itself and left until Twilight eventually pleaded for her release. It wasn't until two weeks later that Tempest was eventually freed.
"So?"
Celestia suddenly snapped back to the present. She tried to remember the question and hesitated at first. Her mind went blank.
"I, er, yes!" Celestia replied quickly, "She is now free. Twilight has also become great friends with her, making Tempest feel welcome in Canterlot. This has been the first time that we've properly hung out together; like a family field trip, or holiday let's say!"
Novo looked back and saw Twilight and the others still at the edge of the beach, waiting for some kind of command or sign that it was okay leave their spot. Novo chuckled slightly and stopped, with Celestia stopping next to her. Novo then leaned in closer to Celestia's ear and lowered her voice to a whisper.
"Have we finished our little chat together, Celestia?" Novo asked.
Celestia cocked her head to one side and looked back. She noticed the small group of creatures standing not too far away from the sea, waiting for her to say something or give a sign that she was fine to have them snooping around and listening to their conversation.
"I think so," Celestia replied, "why don't we hang around with the others for a while? Now would be a good time to catch up with what I've missed."
Novo didn't respond and continued walking towards Capper and Celaeno's crew, while Celestia stopped in her tracks. Twilight, Tempest, Spike and Grubber caught up with Celestia. As they had heard the conversation between Celestia and Novo, there was no need to speak up. Turning her head around, Twilight saw Skystar slowly walked up behind her and smiled, about to probably say something instead.
"So, Twilight, how's Pinkie been?!" Skystar asked.
Twilight immediately lit up at the sound of the conversation switching to something a little less formal and not being related to her incident with Novo months previously. Twilight and Spike stopped following Celestia and Novo, and hung around Skystar, while Tempest and Grubber continued walking on. "She's fine, thank you for asking. Still working in Ponyville at Suger Cube Corner. Nothing exciting has happened in a while, though."
Skystar nodded. "I see, that's good. Sorry if my mum's being a little insecure at the moment. She's still a little unimpressed at... er... well..."
"Me?" Twilight finished. She frowned. "I'm so sorry. I... I seriously messed up. Your mum is right about something; I am a thief."
Twilight lowered her head in guilt and looked down at the rock that she was standing on. She stroked its smooth surface with her hoof like a soft furry animal, feeling the cold water that had washed over the rock like a blanket covering over an object.
"Twilight was only doing what she thought was right," Spike added, placing a claw on her shoulder, "even though, afterwards, she understood her mistakes. Twilight wouldn't have meant to hurt any creature's feelings. you believe us, right?"
Skystar scoffed. "Well, duh! Of course, I believe you guys! I wouldn't be your friend if I didn't. I know that my mum can be like this sometimes, but she really is thankful for you saving our home from the Storm King, even if she doesn't show it."
Twilight smiled. She leaned into Skystar, who brought her into a hug. Spike, who was in between the two of them, squeezed into their embrace and experienced the favour. After a while, they separated from each other and chuckled happily.
"Thanks for being there for us, Skystar," Twilight said, "I don't know what we've would have done without you at the battle of Canterlot. Or Celano. Or even Capper. It's been too long since we last saw you."
Jumping onto a taller boulder, Skystar giggled, snorting while she did so, and pulled out her "pet" shell, Shelly, from her pocket and presented her to Twilight and Spike.
"Don't worry, you two!" Skystar replied, cheerfully, "Shelly's been keeping me company, as well as Sheldon. He gets jealous, though, sometimes, as I spend more time with Shelly. Even though mum allows me to spend more time with the other seaponies and hippogriffs, I still miss all of you guys. I really would like to go back to Equestria someday and see all of you guys again."
"Well, I'm sure that I can organise a time when you can come along. There's always something to do in Canterlot! Oh, and come to Ponyville when you have the chance! Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Rarity would love to see you again, Skystar!"
Skystar sighed happily and placed her fins together in a praying position and looked up to the sky. "Oh, I just wish that mother would allow me to go and explore the world with you, Twilight! Though she probably won't, knowing her. She still struggles to let me go and explore anywhere that isn't part of Seaquestria or Mount Aris. The furthest that I've gotten is Kludgetown and then after a few hours or so, her guards take me home. Mum only cares about the throne and me being its next leader and nothing else. Ever since dad died... I've been the thing that she protects the most, besides that stupid pearl that she used to transform us into seaponies. You're so lucky to live in a world where you don't have to fear about being discovered, Twilight. That's why I always wanted to leave and go my own way to see the world... and Equestria."
Twilight hung a hoof around Skystar's neck, forcing her head towards her. "You know, Skystar, you're still young and curious about the world around you. I can understand how you're feeling; I was excited about going to magic school with Princess Celestia herself! It wasn't until after I graduated that I realised I didn't know what I was going to do next. If I didn't wait for time to pass and go to Ponyville at the right time in my life, then I wouldn't have truly discovered who I really am. Perhaps it will be the same for you, in some case."
Skystar thought for a moment but then shook her head. "But I want to explore now! It's not fair! I'm so curious about everything that you guys are doing. I wish..." She paused. "I wish that I could come with you guys."
Spike shrugged. "Really, you can't ask your mum, because she'll just say no?"
Skystar nodded. "Exactly! I don't see why I can't go my own way; the Storm King's defeated, Mount Aris is ours again and we're at peace. I still don't understand why I can go with my friends to different places and spend time there, like..."
"A holiday?" Twilight finished.
"Yeah! I think that would be the perfect thing for mum and I. We would have a chance to actually spend time together, instead of just sitting around underwater, doing nothing. It's so boring!"
Twilight and Spike looked at each other, as if guilty for what Skystar had gone through.
"I hear that you guys are going to Tempest's birthplace..." Skystar continued.
Twilight shrugged. "You could come along as well if you wanted. I mean, I don't know if your mum will allow it, though. But it would mean everything if we had another friend to come along."
Skystar suddenly lit up and squealed excitedly like a youngster at a sweet shop. She jumped forwards and gave Twilight and Spike a tight hug, squeezing them with delight, like they were two soft toys that she got for Hearth's Warming.
"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you, both, so much!" Skystar cried. "I... love you two so much."
Twilight and Spike laughed and wrapped themselves around Skystar to return the favour of the hug. Never, did the two of them, expected Skystar to treat them like a second family and to even say the words 'I love you'. After experiencing their long hug, Twilight and Spike broke away from Skystar. They were about to turn around and try to persuade Novo to allow Skystar to join them, but Twilight and Spike noticed that Celestia and Novo had trotted off somewhere.
"Tell me what's wrong."
Celestia and Novo had, by this point, stopped to rest along with Capper, Celaeno and her crew. They were now inside a medium-sized marquee tent that had been propped up near Capper and Celaeno's skiffs. It wasn't properly fixed to the ground, nor was constructed correctly, causing the marquee to lean to one side. Celestia kept her cloak on, with her hood rested on the back half of her head, while Novo wrapped herself in a white silk cloak, that hung from her arms. While the two rulers sat opposite each other, the other creatures sat on the other sides of the table listening to their rather serious conversation.
"You mean you don't know?" Novo replied angrily, her expression near to a scowl.
Celestia leaned back in her chair, taken by shock at her friend's outburst. "No, I don't. What ever's the matter, Novo? You now live in peace, we are able to meet again; there isn't anything wrong... is there?"
Novo grumbled, looking away from Celestia and down towards the sand. "Your former student... Princess Twilight Sparkle... is not who she seems."
By this point, Celestia had the sudden urge to get up and leave without a word, feeling irked with what she believed to be untrue and mere rumours.
"I don't understand," Celestia replied, "what's wrong with Twilight? She saved you from the Storm King, along with her other friends. Why would you be angry with her?"
Novo then reached down and pulled out a small pouch that she, somehow, had been carrying without Celestia realising what it was. There, Novo reached into the pouch and pulled out the pearl. Celestia's jaw opened like a trap door at this sudden discovery.
"Is that...?" she began but froze.
Novo nodded. "This is the pearl, Celestia. Twilight stole this from behind my back, or at least attempted to steal it. I thought that she and her friends had come for help. After I explained that I couldn't do anything-"
"Could you, though?" Celestia interrupted.
Novo froze, with a guilty expression. "Well... perhaps, I could have. I was... scared, Celestia... and perhaps greedy. But, after I said that anyway, Twilight and her friends then went to hang out with my daughter, Skystar. Behind our backs, Twilight tried to take the pearl."
Celestia had become gobsmacked and struggled to believe the truth. At first, she thought that Novo was falsifying this drama, but by the look in her eyes, Celestia began to realise that she was telling the truth. "Twilight stole the pearl from you?!"
Novo nodded. "A traitor to our kind and a thief at heart."
Celestia, at first, tried to refuse to believe Novo's story. She felt that something wasn't right, something was lost between the story and what she believed to be a reality. Sure, Twilight wasn't the perfect pony; nopony was. But to hear those words, was, haunting.
'Traitor'. 'Thief'.
Sure, Celestia knew Novo to be grumpy sometimes, especially when they were younger and hung out together, but to call one of her other friends those horrible names was... distasteful.
"No, I wouldn't say that, Novo," Celestia said, trying to change the queen's opinion, "sure, twilight can be full of herself sometimes, but she isn't a criminal. Not at heart anyway."
Novo groaned and rubbed her eyes with her claws. "Look, I may have been despicable and full of myself, but wouldn't you feel the same thing if some creature took something that means everything to you? The pearl kept our home safe, it provided protection, warmth and love. And for a pony like Twilight to come and take it is the worst possible thing to happen to me. That pearl is everything."
Whilst listening, Celestia raised an eyebrow and leaned forwards. "That pearl, you say, is everything to you?" They remained silent for a moment, holding their tongues back like they were going to pounce like snakes and attack one another as if they were worthless prey. Before Novo had a chance to reply, Celestia added; "Then is it more important than your own daughter?"
"No, no, no, I didn't say that!" Novo argued, waving her arms in front of Celestia. "Of course Skystar is important to me. She means everything. But the pearl is also what holds the kingdom together. Even now after the defeat of the Armada, a form of threat could be around the corner, waiting to strike. The pearl is still as important as... as my family."
A tear poured down Novo's right cheek and dripped into her drink, causing a circle of ripples to form and spread to the edge of the cup, like the effect of a raindrop landing in either a puddle or a lake. Identifying her friend's sadness, Celestia leaned in and squeezed Novo in a tight hug. Suprised by this sign of affection, Novo, at first, refused to throw her arms around Celestia. However, as sudden memories of their younger selves being the best of friends, Novo eventually gave in and wrapped her arms around Celestia. They didn't think of it while they continued to hug, but after a while, Novo thought that she could sense some creature behind her, watching everything that was happening.
Capper and Celaeno looked like statues trapped in a walking position while they watched Celestia and Novo. Noticing the two unexpected guests, Novo broke free of Celestia and stood up, with Celestia later doing the same.
"Sorry if this isn't the right time," Capper said, laughing nervously and scratching the back of his head, "but Celaeno heard about us heading to our desired destination and we wondered if... well, you know..."
Celestia and Novo looked at each other, puzzled, and then back to Capper. Celaeno, disappointed that Capper couldn't spell out what he wanted to say, joined the conversation.
"What Capper is trying to say, is that I was wondering if I could come along as well?" Celaeno asked, "It would be an honour to travel alongside the princess herself on her journey."
At first, neither Celestia or Novo replied. Novo found it rather disrespectful for creatures of a lower status to interrupt a conversation that she was having, especially with another member of royalty. But this then gave Novo an idea.
"Interesting thought, miss. You have been a loyal servant to me, Celaeno. I find you to be one of my most trusted subjects on Mount Aris. I, sadly, can't join Celestia on her journey. I have important things to attend to here, so it looks like you'll need to be the one to go along with her. Is that okay with you, Tia?"
Celestia nodded. "I don't have a problem with that."
Celaeno saluted. "I won't let you down, ma'am."
Before Novo could add anything else, Capper coughed loudly, grabbing every creature's attention.
"If I may suggest something, your highness and majesty, I do know a lot about the type of landscape, the residents and obstacles that you could be facing out there. There are Ursas, giant spider, undead creatures; anything that could easily sabotage our journey. I think I should lead you on this adventure!"
Celaeno scoffed. "Please! Like a cat would be able to lead a strong, powerful group of creatures such as ourselves! I shall lead every creature on this journey, and I will be able to avoid the monsters that lie ahead of us!"
"I have travelled across the whole of the desert near Kludgetown and know it like the back of my paw!"
"Well, I have driven skiffs into the Storm King's palace itself! Beat that!"
Novo shook her head, while Celestia groaned and smacked her hoof into her face.
"Morons."
"So, you're heading home?"
Princess Skystar was still asking her friends about what she had missed while they were still in Equestria. Twilight was lying on her front, her head resting on her front legs whilst listening to the pair of them chatting away, while Spike and Grubber were busy playing noughts and crosses in the sand. Tempest nodded at Skystar and then pointed her hoof off into the distance. Skystar looked in the direction of where Tempest's hoof was pointing to and saw that the land beyond was darker and seemed unhabitable.
"It's somewhere over there," she replied, "over the horizon. Hundreds of miles away. Hidden from all other forms of civilisations. That's my home."
"Celestia has some important business to attend to there," Twilight added, "she asked Tempest to join her on her journey. Spike, Grubber and I have also agreed to come along."
"That's so cool!" Skystar said, "That does sound like a holiday to me. Have you been there recently?"
Tempest shook her head. "No, I haven't. I left my village for the first and last time when I was ten years old. I don't remember much of it. I presume it's been long forgotten to most ponies, but Celestia somehow managed to find it. I bet nopony will remember or recognise me."
"But surely your friends and family will still be there?" Twilight asked, trying to be supportive.
Tempest froze with thought, as many memories were starting to fill her head like a sudden illness striking her hard. She remembered the pain of when the Ursa swiped its claw and sliced her horn from her head. The vision of her magic vanishing from existence for eternity and the pain that had remained with her for the last fourteen years. She remembered, after the bandages coming off her head, that she could only see through one eye and seeing her reflection in the mirror, to find her other eye having a long, deadly scar across it and the colour of her eye pale and lifeless.
The scar she still carried was long, reaching from the tip of her eyebrow down to her lower lip. She looked like some kind of creature from a ghost story or a badly stitched up doll. Her horn was jagged and looked as if it had been snapped off. The stitching covered most of her face and her mane was a mess. It was surprising that her friends didn't scream at the sight of her, especially after her return to normal life.
Fourteen years later, Tempest could still clearly visualise her living nightmare.
"My friends and family?" Tempest repeated, "Yeah, right. What have they done for me?"