//------------------------------// // Chapter 5 We Still Need You // Story: Memories Lost After Daybreaker // by SamSwordsman123 //------------------------------// Celestia sent her note to Twilight. She then began writing a royal proclamation. Her last royal proclamation. As her quill ran its ink over the parchment paper, she felt her eyes tear up. She was going to leave everything behind. But she felt it was the best thing to do. What she had done seemed to show that she was no longer a worthy princess capable of ruling. She sighed as she wrote the last line than began the walk to the foot of her castle. Trumpets sounded, Celestia’s way of calling her citizens out in front of the palace for an important sudden announcement. She walked to the balcony overlooking Canterlot and gazed down on her subjects. This was the last time she would be gazing down at them like this, from a high up balcony as a mighty Princess. She waited for a time, watching Canterlot gather in front of her castle until what seemed like a good enough mass appeared. She took a deep breath than opened the scroll she had written her last proclamation on. “I, Princess Celestia of Equestria, due to the recent destruction I have caused to my city as well as risk I have placed my citizens and the ponies I love in, resign as ruler of Equestria. My student Twilight Sparkle saw a threat that I did not. She knew there was something wrong with Princess Mi Amore Cadenza at the Wedding Rehearsal and tried to warn us. I though she was simply a jealous little sister, but she was right. She had seen through Queen Chrysalis’s disguise, fought with her and nearly lost her life. I became so enraged seeing her life put on the line and transformed into that dark alicorn Daybreaker, burning half of Canterlot to the ground. And just last night I turned into Daybreaker again, this time stealing my faithful student from her parents and trying to make her my own daughter. I feel as though my time to be a ruler good for Equestria has come to an end. I leave behind my crown and proclaim my younger sister, Princess Luna, to be sole ruler.” There were gasps of shock as Celestia read this proclamation outloud. Celestia than turned back into the Castle, returned to her room and packed her things. Where she would go she did not know. A life in exile within the Everfree forest, battling monsters there and keeping them from threatening ponykind. She put on her saddlebags than removed her crown, leaving it on the bedside table. Celestia than walked to her door and opened it to find she had visitors. Twilight, her family and friends were all there. “Princess Celestia, you can’t just quit like this!” Twilight said. Celestia looked at her former student sadly. “What choice do I have?” Celestia shouted. “I burned half of this city to the ground fighting Queen Chrysalis!" Twilight Velvet stood by her daughter. “Celestia! You can’t just abandon everypony like this!” Celestia gazed down at the mother who had slapped her this morning. She sighed. “Velvet, how can you possibly forgive me? I tried to steal your daughter from you.” Velvet sighed, than shouted up at her. “I haven’t completely forgiven you! I might not ever! But Twilight forgave her friends and has forgiven you! I know that you have always loved my daughter, and I know that she loves you too! She is a grown mare now, I accept that. She still wants to be your student, and I have no say in it!” Celestia looked from her to Twilight. “You really… still want to be my student? Even after I abducted you and wiped your memory? It might never come back.” “It wasn’t a lot of memory Princess, maybe it will come back. But I know what happened even if it doesn’t. You and all my friends left me at the rehearsal when I accused Queen Chrysalis while she was disguised as Cadence. I also know that I forgave you for that already. Queen Chrysalis was the one to blame for all of this. Of courses I still want to be your student! I love you! You’re like a second mother to me!” Twilight said. Celestia smiled. “I’ve always considered you to be like a daughter Twilight! But even so… I think it would be best if I relinquish my crown.” “You can’t do that! Equestria needs you as well as Luna!” Twilight said. “Equestria did just fine when I was on the throne alone. Why shouldn’t she be capable of doing the same?” Twilight hesitated, unsure of how to answer that. Velvet was the one who stepped forward. “You’re leaving your little sister to rule alone? How did it feel for you when you did that?” Velvet asked. Celestia thought back and one word exited her mouth. “Hard.” “And you want Luna to go through that now?” Velvet asked. “You control the day, she controls the night. The important things go on in the day, that needs you to supervise! Luna has to take care of ponies in their dreams! You can’t expect her to do both on her own. I know that everything was fine while she was on the moon, but times have changed now.” Celestia sighed. “You’re right. Ever since Nightmare Moon was defeated there has been a massive increase in the need for a night guardian, as though by defeating the Nightmare in my sister we unleashed it to torment every pony in Equestria. I can’t leave her to rule alone and bear this burden when it is even more important for her!” She levitated her proclamation up to her and ripped in half with her magic, than looked at Velvet. “Thank you.” Velvet nodded, “I’m glad that my daughter holds you in such high regard. But know this… if you ever try to steal her from me again, I will not stand for it!” Celestia shivered nervously. “I will try not to.” “Good,” Velvet replied. “Now… I believe we have a wedding that should be going on soon.” * The day for the wedding of Princess Cadence and Shining Armor came once the repairs to Canterlot were finished. Twilight’s friends completed their community service of rebuilding the damage done during the battle between Daybreaker and Chrysalis. The homes were now rebuilt, but not all wounds had healed yet. There were still ponies that had lost loved ones during the battle, and grief gripped those in Canterlot who wore dark mourning garments. Foals who lost their parents had been sent to an orphanage. Princess Celestia had sent a good amount of money there to provide for the foals, and she couldn’t help but feel responsible. The foals would miss their parents, but she would do her best to find them new families someday. Then there was Twilight’s friends. Their friend had forgotten what they had done, but they never would. Still, they were relieved to know that she had forgiven them. Her memory might never return, but that didn’t matter. Because even when she had remembered it, she had still forgiven them, because they were all true friends. No matter what mistakes they might have made or will make over the years, true friends would work their problems out and be there for each other through thick and thin.