//------------------------------// // Chapter 11 // Story: Secrets and Lies (phase two) // by keithsterling //------------------------------// January 15, 2026, few moments after the broadcast from Princess Twilight Sparkle, main broadcast central, Eternal Palace, Principality of Dream Valley, Independently owned land within the Solar Empire territory. Every pony gathered in the main broadcast center in the Eternal Palace watches the live feed from the Crystal Empire and Crystal City. A moment later a shell impact on block 15 destroying the block knocking out the live feed. Quickly a Comm Tech reestablished the live feed from a different camera as a second shell impact knocking out the live feed once again. All ponies recoil in horror as news feeds from E-n-n report the total leveling of block 15 in the Crystal City and partial destruction of block 14. "Blueberry! What did Harmonia mean dealing a crippling blow to a terrorist group?" Justice inquiry as Blueberry was still in shock. "The Shadow of King Sombra terrorist group!" Blueberry exclaims as the blood drains from Celestia's face upon hearing the name. "NO!" Celestia's voice shrills with horror as she started to tremble uncontrollably, before collapsing to the ground and rolled up into a ball. Quickly Justice ran over to his stricken wife and held his shaking wife in his arms. "What happened to your mother? Someone tell me what happen to Celestia? Why is she like this?" Justice inquiry his heart pumps spontaneously in his chest as he holds his trembling wife as Aurora steps forward. "About three years ago the Impervious Legion the name the Shadow of King Sombra terrorist group called themselves. Tried unsuccessfully to overthrows Empress Celestia Silverlight and Solar Empire. But that was not their plan. During a battle, a small platoon associated with Impervious Legion separated mother's troops from the main Solar Empire troops. They capture mother and held her for several months during that time they tried to break her strong will and force her to relinquish the rule of Solar Empire to Captain Nigel Obscura their crazed leader." Aurora said to struggle to control quavering in her voice as Celestia begins to weep. "If our foals didn't rescue me went they did, I would have certainly have been broken and the Celestia you fell in love with would be gone. I would have been the only shell of my original self, my beloved." Celestia said to dissolve into tears as Justice had a deepening hue of shame for what his wife went through with that group. "Huh?" Celestia exclaims as she feels tears running down her snout that is not her own and she wipes them with her hand. Slowly Celestia lifts her head up the tears were coming from her husband. Without a word to Celestia Justice flew up the elevator shaft and back up to the main floor of the Eternal Palace. "Celestia, Go to your beloved. Before its too late." Shimmer said anxiously as Celestia saw the fear in Justice's mother's face. She quickly gets to her feet and flew up the elevator shaft, back to the main floor of the Eternal Palace. On the main floor of Eternal Palace Celestia flew through the magnificent arched hallways of Eternal Palace desperately searching for her husband not knowing for sure why Shimmer told her before it too late. As she flew past an open into the palace garden kneeling on the rug with a small knife in his hand pointed toward himself was Justice. Knowing she wouldn't make it in time Celestia rips the gold heeled sandal off her foot. In act to prevent a needless death Celestia worked up momentum by quickly twisting her body in midair, at the right moment she sending her shoe screaming toward the knife in Justice's hand. Justice recoiled in pain as the shoe impact squarely on his hand sending the knife flipping harmlessly into a nearby pond. "Justice! What hay are you doing? Did you once again intend to leave me? After reuniting with me after your death and recover your lost memories." Celestia said in a huff as she landed and kneel in front of him. Soon tears start to run down Celestia snout as she slaps away her husband's hand from wiping away the tears from her snout. "That night in our bedchamber you told me it was my face that kept you from giving up on recovering your memories. The same could be said about me through the pain, I held on to your face as the only relief I had for those months in captivity. The impervious Legion troops didn't care if I was a mother or mare. Their twisted ideals dictated break me, in other words. We need each other and you killing yourself would be meaningless." Celestia comments as Justice reaches up and placed his hand on the back of Celestia's neck. He pulls her closer and hugs her, before whispering something into her ear and causing a shocked looked on her face. "Are you serious, Justice? How do we explain what happened to you? I mean you die as a unicorn. Now you're an Alicorn." Celestia said a bit puzzled as they both sit down on the ground in front of each other. "Do you not have the power to transform a unicorn into an Alicorn, Celestia?" Justice comment gently brings his wife's shoeless foot out so he could tease it with his finger. "I do, But for me to justify transforming you into an Alicorn you must do something great for Equestria. It's one of the requirements for being transformed." Celestia explains as she uses all her will power to block out tickling sensation her husband is doing to her shoeless foot. As he yet to hit the most sensitive parts of her foot the deep set arch, the puffy balls and under her shapely toes. "What is greater then marrying Princess Celestia, I mean she is high maintenance, if you think about it. It takes a great stallion to marry her." Justice said teasing as he trying to make Celestia lose focus, so he could hit Celestia's arch with his fingers. "What? If that was the case I would have transformed you into Alicorn after our honeymoon, d-d-dear." Celestia explains as she broke into burst of unrestrained laughter as her husband's fingers shot right into her deep set arch went she lost focus. "J-j-j-justice Pleeeheeaseee you win, I'll do it. Bwahahahahanonhooo!!" Celestia laughing as Justice withdraws his fingers from Celestia's ticklish arch. As he let his wife recover he finds her sandal and slips it back on her foot, before buckled it for her. He slowly brings his wife to her feet. A calm Celestia wraps her arms and wings around Justice not mad that he basically tickled her into agreeing with his plan. Besides that, she no longer had to pretend that he is dead to keep his secret that he was back alive. Later that same day back in the Capital city of Canterlot from the Grand Royal Palace Empress Celestia Silverlight called a press conference to announce something to the world with her foals dressed in their finest royal clothing and Imperial Regalia. The news core at the palace speculation that the reason for the press conference was to announce that the Solar Empire would enter the war between the Friendship Kingdom and the Crystal Empire on the side of the Friendship Kingdom. But the News core gape in stunned silence as Emperor Justice Silverlight walked out onto the stage and took the seat beside his wife. The two Alicorns explain in order to create a male Alicorn it took Celestia much longer to perform the ritual, much longer then transform a mare into an Alicorn does. So to give his wife the time she needed to perform the ritual he faked his death and to ensure no one would stop it. January 15, 2026, few hours after the Empress and Emperor press conference, Private family living area, living room, Old Grand Royal Palace, Capital City of Canterlot, Solar Empire. Unsurprisingly the two mares wearing the below knee length dresses walk about the living room in their bare feet, they couldn't wait to get their high heel pumps off their sore feet. Standing by a window wearing the navy blue dress uniform of the Solar Empire military was Solar Prince Somnus Silverlight. He was getting constant updates from the Palace broadcast central over his MCV. Sitting on the sofa wearing the navy blue dress uniform of the Solar Empire military with the addition of short cape was Emperor Justice Silverlight. Sitting next to him on the sofa was Empress Celestia Silverlight like her daughters she was barefooted. Not since she marries Justice has rulership of the Solar Empire has been so lightened. "Father, mother!" Somnus said excitedly as he walked over in front of his parents sitting on the sofa. "Yes, Somnus, what is up?" Justice inquiry as Celestia looks toward her son. "That press conference you and mother gave had some benefits," Somnus commented as his two sisters sit on the armrests of the sofa their parents were sitting on. "Like what Somnus?" Aurora inquiry as she rests her hand on her knee. "Several of those new splinter groups that formed last year have disbanded and the leaders of those groups have turned themselves in to the proper authority. It seems the return of mother's best Royal Investigator our father has scared them plenty. The number of splinter groups is now backing to manageable levels which free-up a lot of military resources to protect the Solar Empire and NLR." Somnus explains as Celestia shot a look toward her foals. "Don't think me rude my beloved foals. But your mother would like to spend some time alone with your father. Before he's officially standing by my side as co-ruler of Solar Empire." Celestia said politely as her three foals’ chuckle into the back of their hands. Slowly the three foals line up in front of their parents as dictated by Royal protocol in order to get their royal commands. "You're Imperial Majesties what are your orders?" the royal foals said in unison. "Emperor Silverlight. Would you like to issue our foals with their royal commands? Don't forget Justice we still have the official re-crowning of the Emperor of the Solar Empire tomorrow. That requires the presence of our foals at the ceremony." Celestia explains reminding as Justice shook his head. "Solar Prince Somnus Silverlight I feel your Aunt Luna would like to know about disbanded and the voluntary surrendering of those groups leadership to the proper authority. So she can move around her resources. Additionally ask her if she coming to the re-crowning ceremony (mischievous smile form on his snout). Oh yes son, tell her I have not forgotten our first meeting in the NLR." Justice explains as Somnus snicker under his breath as the rest of the family looks at each other a bit lost. "Yes, your imperial Majesty. Your imperial Majesty I believe I'll wait till she arrives here at the palace to give her the rest of your message, you don't want her to change her mind about coming do you, father." Somnus reply as the rest of the family is now totally lost with the exchange between Somnus and Justice. "Good thinking, Somnus. That mare of the night is tricky, dismissed." Justice said as Somnus bowed and leave the room. "Imperial Solar Princess Aurora Silverlight you will continue with your routine duties for the Solar Empire. But I have an additional duty for you. Hold right there, daughter." Justice said as Aurora shook her head. "Solar Princess Blueberry Swirl Silverlight. It’s far too dangerous to send you back to the Crystal Empire for the seeable future until further notice you will be confined to Canterlot, but not as a prisoner of war. You will be giving your full birthrights as a Solar Princess of the Solar Empire with a catch. Your Guardian will be Imperial Solar Princess Aurora Silverlight, your older sister." Justice explains as Blueberry shook her head, soon tears begin to stream down her snout as she can't return to the land she called home. "You understand Imperial Solar Princess Aurora Silverlight about your new duty. Their some ponies that will blam anyone from the Crystal Empire for trouble and lashes out at them. Blueberry being a high profile persona would be a tantalizing target for those zealots. As she can take care of herself. It doesn't hurt to have an extra set of eyes on her especially if those eyes belong to a mare that cracks shot with her custom pulse pistol." Justice said as Aurora walked over to her little sister. "Understood Your Imperial Majesty, Excuse me why I take my charge to her room. We have much to talk about." Aurora explains as she bows and takes her little sister out of the room. With that, the two Alicorns holding hands get to their feet and walk towards the double glass doors leading into the Palace garden from the living room. Celestia doesn't even bother to put her shoes back on. In the palace garden, the soft green grass felt wonderful upon her pristine large and plushy white feet as she treaded lightly across the lawn, gently pressing down each blade of grass, with the white puffy balls of her bare feet. It had been a way to long since a tranquil Celestia has allowed herself to forget about her worries of ruling the Solar Empire. But with her beloved husband at her side once again, that tranquility has returned. As the royal couple passes by a small marble fountain next to the path they have walked a mischievous smile form on Celestia's snout, using her magic she creates a small bubble with water in it. She suddenly stops turn her husband toward her as if she was going to kiss him. But instead, she ducks her head as the water balloon splash across Justice's face. She quickly spread her wings and dives behind a low wall. As Justice cleans the water off his face from the initial water balloon, his eyes widen in alarm as he surrounded by them. Justice can hear playful laughter coming from behind a low wall in the garden and loud snap of the fingers. This cause all the water balloons to pelt him all at once, quickly Justice dives behind a second low wall. 'So a water fight you want, my beloved.' Justice thought as he closed his eyes and used the forever sight ability of the Imperator Alicorn. The Forever Sight ability is shared by all light affinity Imperator Alicorn; by concentrating on one aspect of their target the Imperator creates an image of that target in their mind and lock in on them. In this case, Justice concentrates on his wife's Goddess level of magic she commands, soon the image of Celestia's form in his mind. "EEK!" Celestia exclaims as she pelted by the same number of water balloons she used on her husband. A drenched and annoyed Celestia rises slowly to her feet from behind her hiding place. Celestia gives a start of surprise as waiting for her to stand up was her husband; he quickly plants a kiss on her lips. "Checkmate, my beloved," Justice said playfully as Celestia shook her head in agreement. Before the royal couple continued on their stroll through the palace garden, Celestia affectionately returns her husband's kiss from earlier. Along the plain concrete path, they were walking the perfectly shaped wet footprint of his living goddess decorated the stark light gray color of the path. As the royal couple near the end of the palace garden path's at which time they would turn around and head back. Their eyes widen with alarm as four pegasi Special Forces mercenaries wearing the combat body armor of the Crystal Empire appear from behind a high hedge at the end of the garden. Three of the soldiers are armed with a custom pulse assault rifles and the final one most likely the squad leader was armed with an odd-looking pulse rifle. It had a small dial on one side of the rifle that could adjust the power level up or down, for what reason Justice had no idea. "CELESTIA! Run they are probably after you, you are the monarch of the Solar Empire. This probably away to get the Solar Empire involved in the war. If the Solar Empress is attacked by the Crystal Empire it will set off your army commanders!" Justice yells as Celestia gawk in disbelief before taking flight toward the palace. "Damn you Alicorn! This was supposed to be a quick assassination!" The Squad leader said maliciously leveling the rifle at Justice and pulls the trigger. Justice didn't even feel the shot hit him before just dropping to the ground. The last thing he heard before blacking out was a terrifying scream from his fleeing wife followed by distant sobbing.