February 8th, 999
"Ah thought we'd be using the southern field for these tests. Ya know, they're a bit more wide open." Applejack looks at the west orchard, the trees still covered in their blankets of snow, green leaves poking out from underneath. She walks up to each tree in turn, a tiny burst of magic to keep the leaves nice and strong. She is already feeling a little exhausted from imbuing the first ten rows with enough to get the flowers to bloom. Yet, she carries on, another tap of hoof on trunk. This way, they would have some crops to sell on the very first day of spring, and could demand quite the premium for fresh apples. Not the slightly desiccated texture, the freeze-dried taste the preservation units gave most any piece of fruit, but honest-to-Celestia fresh apples on the very first day of spring.
Doug shrugs as he walks alongside Applejack, clad in a light jacket, pants, and boots against the cold snow. At least there aren't many clouds in the sky, the next storm scheduled for three days. "I'm not really sure myself. I suppose we could ask her when we see her." A flash of light, dulled by the morning sun, appears between the trees in front of them. A large white alicorn strides from the center, a pleasant smile as she looks about the orchard. "Well, speak of Nightmare."
Applejack gasps, turning to Doug and gaping, an incredulous expression that he would call the Princess that in her presence. She hurriedly bows low, trying to hide her grimace as Princess Celestia turns towards them. Her mouth whispers near silent prayers for forgiveness, her prostrate form as penitent as possible.
Princess Celestia chuckles, "I have been called many things, my little ponies, but generally it is my political opponents who use that moniker for me." She bows her head just a fraction as Doug inclines his own, a slight eye roll at Applejack. A few seconds pass as she smiles, a pleasant, "Rise, my little pony. It is good to see you again."
Applejack stumbles as she practically leaps to her hooves, "It's, uh, mighty fine to see you too, Princess. Ah take it you've finished your, um, magical spell doohickey?" She forces a smile to her face, nervously pawing the ground as she glances to her stallion. Doug's eyes go a little wide, startling slightly to the side as the alicorn continues walking forward, a nuzzle to his cheek. Even more surprising is when she bends down, nuzzling Applejack as well. The earth pony stands still, her limbs locked during the intimate greeting, a slight gasp at the light kiss to her cheek.
Applejack blankly stares ahead, standing like a statue as Princess Celestia remains still, awaiting the return kiss. The alicorn's muzzle slowly turns to a frown, a slight sigh that startles Applejack out of her stupor. Applejack hurriedly returns the kiss, getting a little more lip than normal, her eyes growing large as she slowly backs up. She stammers, "Ah, Ah'm sorry, Princess, you just, um, surprised me there. Maybe you should, uh, explain what you wanted to do again? Your letter was a mite short on details." Applejack glances to Doug; he is waiting patiently for them to continue walking, their current location still visible from the farmhouse. Her hoof slowly moves to the spot Celestia kissed her, her eyebrows furrowing; there are two reasons to kiss a lead mare like that, and it ain't a Prench greeting this time.
The three lose sight of all of the various Apple barns as they venture further into the overgrown west orchard. Princess Celestia explains, "I suppose I was a bit succinct in my letter, but only because it concerns information I would rather not fall into the wrong hooves." Her horn lights, the air shimmering around them, the nearby sounds of birds muffled and distorted. "It has to do with the spell Sunset Shimmer researched, initially for use on Rainbow."
Doug interrupts, "I hope you don't plan on trying that spell again. I'm not going to speak for everypony, but I'm pretty sure we're happy, and that the fillies are happy with how things are, and we don't want a repeat of that." Applejack nods in agreement, picking up her pace to stay in line with the two.
Princess Celestia smiles, "And neither do I. I haven't continued with any research along those lines, because of the fatal flaw with tearing a hole in one's thaumic field. Instead I duplicated my student's later research, on a variant that of the spell that will completely drain the magic from a living organism. It took a lot of theoretical work, speculating on how to focus the overlapping fields simultaneously. But, I think I have it down to the point where I can focus the spell on a single category of cells! ...I hope."
"You hope?" Applejack sputters, interrupting her looking around the unkempt orchard to stare at the Princess. "Ah hope your... um, hope is pretty darn accurate, then."
Princess Celestia nods, "Indeed, Applejack, which is why I am requesting your assistance as well. Know it is completely voluntary, and I will not hold your decision against you or Doug."
Applejack gulps, looking back towards the farmhouse, no longer visible through the hazy air surrounding them, then back to Doug. His encouraging smile spurs her; she reluctantly nods, "Whatever you need, Princess, Ah volunteer."
"Are you sure, Applejack? Without even knowing what it might entail?" Princess Celestia looks towards Canterlot, Princess Cadance's room visible from so far away. Maybe she is even watching them, hoping herself that the experiment is successful.
"That's what friends do, right? They, um, help each other. Unconditionally, if'n need be. Plus, Ah figure you'd need somepony to do it, right? So if it's not me, then another pony would be taking my place." Applejack stands up straight, a relaxed smile spreading to her muzzle. "And Ah'm proud to be that pony, to be there for you."
"I am extraordinarily pleased you consider me your friend, Applejack, and not merely your Princess. But I do not want that to influence your next choice, as I know it is one you have struggled with." Princess Celestia lowers her body, her mane ceasing its steady flow. Applejack's breath increases, her heart pounding in her ears as Princess Celestia continues, "The spell completely drains the magic from the target. I will practice casting that spell, starting on Doug by himself. Then, on Doug while you are nearby, to make sure I can control the spell enough so it does not attempt to jump to the nearest source of magic stronger than a tree."
Applejack briefly hesitates before she nods, a slight stammer in her voice, "Ah'm okay with this so far, Princess. A bit confused, but Ah think Ah can follow."
Princess Celestia smiles, a sadness starting to show in her eyes. "I would liken casting the spell to trying to ride a bucking bronco. I believe the spell gains a life of its own, trying to wrench its way to drain the nearest, most potent source of magic that is not the caster. Cadance, unfortunately, does not have the reserves to sustain the spell, not for this purpose. And, because the use of the spell is to be on the stallion's seed, I need to be able to focus enough to target that seed while it is inside a pony's body."
Doug interjects, "Couldn't you, I dunno, withdraw an egg and fertilize it that way, then put it back into Cadance? In vitro?"
Princess Celestia pauses for a moment before slowly shaking her head, "It is a possibility, one that I may pursue if we are unable to continue with this. Ultimately, though, I do not believe so. Not with the magic involved. The embryo cannot survive on its own, not for more than a few seconds, with my-" her voice catches for a brief second, a slight shake of her mane as she continues, "previous attempts at using that technique perishing sooner in the process than the others."
Doug moves forward, embracing Celestia as a few tears roll down her cheek. Her eyes close, wrapping one hoof around the human and holding him close. Applejack moves over as well, nuzzling the alicorn as she says, "We'll make this work, Princess, Ah'm sure."
Princess Celestia sniffs, "Thank you, my little ponies." She slowly stands back up, "Even so, I would still need to focus the spell to drain only the stallion's seed, and not to touch the egg next to it. And, I wish to practice the spell on the seed while it is inside a pony's body."
Applejack's eyes furrow, a glare at her Princess. "You're right, your Highness, Ah don't like that. Not one bit."
Princess Celestia nods, "I can understand your trepidation, Applejack. I feel it is, unfortunately, necessary. To practice piercing through the tissue surrounding the eventual resting place." She stops, shaking her head as her eyes close, a heavy sigh. "I fear repeated casting of the spell, for if I am actually draining the magic, from a pony or otherwise, it could be quite... addictive. I believe the rush from using the spell makes one mad with the lust for power. That is the main reason I wish so many of my attempts to be with Doug, focusing on draining his magic-less seed instead of another pony's."
Applejack slowly nods, glancing at Doug. He gives a nervous smile in return, the mare shaking her head. She barely forces out, "Princess Celestia, Ah hope all this testing brings you the results you and Cadance desire. Ah'm still not happy, but you have my consent. I do have a few conditions that I would like to happen, though."
"I accept them all." Celestia bows down slightly, her eyes now on Applejack's hooves. "Whatever you require."
"Really, Princess? Without even knowing what they are?" Applejack raises one eyebrow, Celestia spotting it out of the corner of her eye.
"You aren't the only pony who would do whatever is needed for a friend, Applejack. And, please, when it is just us, call me Celestia."
Applejack huffs as she grits her teeth, "Well, first, you ain't gonna be bowing to me, it ain't right." Celestia stands, a pleasant smile on her face as Applejack continues, "Let me know when you need me."
Celestia smiles down, embracing the earth pony in a crushing hug, "Thank you for everything, Applejack, it means so much to me and to Cadance."
Applejack forces a smile to her mouth, gasping for breath as Celestia and Doug move a little ways away. Applejack inhales, a long, shaking breath before she moves over to one of the apple trees and lays down in the shade. Her head rests on her hooves, watching the two as they begin.
Doug watches Applejack as Celestia's horn slowly powers, asking, "Are all these steps necessary?" He motions towards Applejack, the mare winking at him from under her hat. A sickly gray and black aura forms around Celestia's horn, Doug glancing fearfully at the sight. He takes long, heavy breaths, trying to calm himself down as Celestia lunges forward with her horn.
A wave of dark colored magic slides over Doug, held in place around his body as he glances around. Celestia's breath grows rough, forcing herself to continue breathing as her muzzle hardens, a sharp exhale as the magic dissipates. Her mane loses its color, her eyes taking on a dull gray shade, the alicorn slumping to her hooves. "The spell... the spell does not like being denied its purpose," she moans, Doug moving over to comfort her. She lays her head into his lap, the soft fabric of his light jacket against her. "I fear the spell will get no easier to cast, but I need the practice. Every step may not be absolutely necessary, but I fear a breach from biting off more than I can chew."
Doug nods as they lay there, his hand pulling through the unresponsive mane, a few long seconds before he says, "How long until you recover?"
"Minutes. Likely, between every attempted cast. Did you feel anything?" Doug shakes his head, Celestia continuing, "Good. Very good. Is there any more you wish to ask?" Princess Celestia nickers towards the earth pony, Applejack getting up and walking over.
"About this? No, not really." Doug smiles as Applejack lays next to the exhausted alicorn, Doug rubbing her mane as well. Applejack glances up, her eyes gazing up at him. He smiles, pulling her neck until she reaches up, exchanging a kiss. Doug breaks away, glancing at the alicorn still in his lap, "I suppose I can distract you by talking about the games we were playing."
"Atlas of Allies? I must confess, it is the first time I have seen a Nightmare player win a game outright in a long time. In every other game their goal is only to play for a draw. The creators of the game were, perchance, afraid of my wrath should they make a game where I am regularly beaten."
Doug chuckles, "Yeah, I noticed that, how easily Celestia can push for a win while Nightmare can barely hold on for a draw. We ended up, what, I won three of ten? Lost two, drew the other five?"
Celestia nods, "A good ten weeks of gaming, I must say." She stands, her mane billowing out again, color returning to her eyes. "Applejack, please try to stay still, and immediately let me know if you feel anything at all."
"Very well, Celestia. Ah can do that."
Celestia's horn powers again, the same gray and black field of magic flowing out of her horn and covering Doug. Tendrils try to escape, drawing towards Applejack but are immediately pulled back and contained. Applejack warily watches the growing pulses of magic, a hoof jerking away as a few get close. The spell continues, Celestia's mane again losing its color, the time between the tendrils pulling away from Doug and being yanked back getting longer and longer. Finally the spell ends, Applejack looking around with relief and flexing her hooves as Celestia falls, her head barely caught by Doug before he lays her in his lap again.
"Thank you, my little pony," she barely ekes out, a haggard breath that barely quenches her aching lungs.
Doug nods, a few seconds before he says, "So, those thousand years ago, when you fought Nightmare Moon. Was it really like the game we played? Or would it have been, should the Elements have failed to work?"
Celestia grunts, rolling to look up at Doug and Applejack. She props her head up on his chest; her long horn rests along his shoulder as she looks out over the orchard, "The storybooks depict a short battle, a mere clash between myself and Nightmare Moon. This is an intentional obfuscation of what happened, for Princess Luna's descent to Nightmare Moon was not something that was accomplished overnight."
Celestia smiles as Doug's hand starts on her chin, moving down the front of her neck before wrapping around to her mane, working his way back up as the mane's motion slowly restores. "Nightmare Moon had plenty of time to gather loyal followers, to prepare for the coming war. Ponies who knew what it would be like if she won." The alicorn sighs heavily, "Many of her followers only hoped to keep their families safe. Cowardly, yes, but rare is the pony who can withstand the potential loss of their loved ones. And these ponies, when Nightmare Moon was defeated by the Elements-" Celestia stops herself, shaking her head against Doug's chest, "No, not defeated. Delayed. These ponies came to me, told me of the horrors that Nightmare put them through. The potential extent of their devotion to her. And I forgave them for their love, misplaced might their trust have been in their attempts to protect it."
Doug stares at Celestia before uttering, "You could forgive that kind of betrayal?"
Celestia solemnly nods, starting to get to her hooves again. "And as part of that forgiveness, I wiped the slate clean. Nopony would know of their betrayal. There would be no misguided devotees of mine who sought to avenge the deaths of their families by going after anypony who might have been working for Nightmare Moon. Complete forgiveness."
"So, what happened with the Elements, then? They weren't part of the battle? Or your initial battle plan?"
"The Elements were a last resort at best, since half of them were attuned to Princess Luna." Celestia stands, her mane slowly blowing in an unfelt wind again, "She lost that attunement when she became Nightmare Moon, but I was not fully aware of that until the last moment. The battle between myself and Nightmare was fierce. Thankfully, neither one of us was aiming to kill at the start. Towards the end? She very well might have. She was no longer holding back in her efforts, but fortunately for Equestria she was still focused upon only myself. Should she return? I fear that she will be under no such illusion. That by defeating me the entirety of Equestrian society will surrender, much like the games we played. Or a Daring Do escapade, where the entire temple collapses as soon as the artifact is removed."
Celestia nuzzles Applejack before she casts her spell, again aimed at Doug. The tendrils stay contained this time, only a solitary try at the end that is quickly restrained. Celestia smiles as she collapses to her hooves, a brief, "Well, the individual targeting works," as she slumps into his lap.
Doug asks, "You think she would go after everypony?"
Celestia nods, her heavy breath starting to tease Doug. "She certainly would threaten to. She has the power of dreams. And that, obviously, entails knowing a pony's dreams. But, along with knowing their deep desires she knows their lesser wants, their fears, their loves. She is a master of illusions. More than that, she is a master of deception." She shakes her head, slowly recovering, "Atlas of Allies is approximately correct in how powerful both sides were, at the start of a game, and I believe it to be a faithful recreation, as best a simplified board game can be. However, it omits one key fact. A fact I am sure you, Doug, of all ponies would know how to put into use best, and it is one that completely shifts the balance of power. You know how important accurate intelligence is. Knowing what your opponent is planning and able to do. But her most powerful ability, the one I never hinted at existing, is the fact that all the pieces on the board would start as white."
Doug raises an eyebrow, "All the pieces on the Celestial side? Or just, her pieces are hidden?"
Celestia's muzzle curls to a smile, "The latter. If they had not come to me, a few key ponies that she converted to her side? I might have never known which pieces were ultimately working for her, waiting for the perfect time to betray their former comrades. I believe I found them all, if after the fact. For she knew which ponies her plan would work on, using her ability to see dreams and read ponies. She also knew that their numbers, of just those completely loyal, would never be enough. Thus forcing her to branch to those who would be willing to sell out their side a second time." Celestia sighs heavily, starting to push up to her hooves again. She turns, looking Doug directly in the eyes. "Do you know who her most loyal followers were?"
A hand goes to Doug's chin as he ponders for a few seconds, timidly putting forth, "The ones looking out for their families? The ones trying to stay safe, even if it meant betraying others?"
Applejack shakes her head, "Those who wanted power for themselves." She nears spits as she says, "That saw a shortcut, a deceitful way to get to rule."
Celestia shakes her head, a feat for how exhausted she appears. Her voice takes a hard edge, "Close. But no. It was those who had witnessed her power first-hoof. Those to whom she demonstrated that she knew. Not their deepest secrets, for that is too cliched and easily defused by understanding and acceptance. But, instead, that she knew their deepest love. Her most loyal were those whom she forced to live through losing that love."
Celestia struggles to her hooves, staring down at the earth, directly at where the moon lay. She could feel her waiting on the other side, waiting for the night that she could return. Doug wraps his arm around Applejack, a tight squeeze for one he considered among his deepest loves.
Celestia continues, her voice flat as she recounts the tales told to her, "And then, when they realized what they had lost, fully engulfed in their despair or their rage at losing it? That is when she gave them a flicker of hope, the barest hint of a chance, that they might be able to get back that which they loved. They would promise her a lifetime of faithful servitude for the merest possibility. And Nightmare Moon would comply, she would return those they thought were lost."
Celestia's eyes go to the heavens, thinking through her annual winter light show, an homage to all the ponies that had fought and paid the ultimate price. Those on both sides of the war. How many of them had been given that opportunity, and taken it, and yet were still included in her tribute. "And those ponies knew, deep down, that if they ever disobeyed, if they ever failed her? That they would lose that which they loved, and this time there would be no return, no second chance."
Celestia grimaces as her gaze turns to Doug and Applejack, "She would not kill the ones who failed her. No, that would be too easy, and not disheartening enough of an example for everypony else. Instead? She would need no magic to lock them away in a prison of their mind, forced to live with the understanding that they were responsible, that their failure was the reason their deepest love was gone. And, when they finally broke and decided to rise against the Nightmare, she would kill them. Or, more likely, use their death to torture another pony into serving her."
Doug and Applejack stare at Celestia, a look of horror as they get ready for the next phase.