//------------------------------// // Chapter 21 // Story: Tall Tale of Sweet Sauce // by Starscribe //------------------------------// Sweet Sauce listened quietly from the side-corridor, remaining as still as he could.  His elder sister was no bat pony, with hearing that could pierce walls and stone alike. But she was still an Alicorn, one who had survived countless assassination attempts, fought in ages long passed, and had a body coursing with incredible amounts of magic. If she discovered him lurking here before the time was right, she could treat him like an assassin. If that happened, his adoptive parents might be implicated in the scheme. He was willing to risk his own future, no matter how dire his eventual fate. But inflict that pain on somepony else? Never. When they started eating, he dared to whisper to Vinyl and Octavia. "Stay in here when I come out," he said, mouthing each word so quietly it was barely audible over his own breathing. He tensed, fearing an argument—but none came. Octavia just mouthed the word "when?" He scratched his chin, thoughtful. "I dunno. I'll... probably ask for witnesses at some point there. My sister doesn't really trust anything unless multiple ponies are involved. Luna will help, but more voices is good. You'll see." He could hear only parts of the meal. None of it was particularly interesting, since those rules were the entire reason this conversation was happening in the first place. It was a time for the royal sisters to spend together without worrying about Equestria's future, if only for a few minutes. Then they got to the dessert, and his heart began to beat rapidly in his chest, loud enough that he thought it might give him away with its aggressive pounding alone. "This is some of the most excellent Genoise I've had in months," Celestia proclaimed, a few minutes later. Of course she hadn't paced herself with the desert. Princess Celestia never did. "I'm struggling to remember anything with this precise mixture of moisture and complex secondary flavors. It's... right out of history." "You could say so, older sister," Luna said. "You could say this Genoise is an extract of history, along with its creator." Silverware clattered to the table on the other side of the room. Sweet stood up by the door, but didn't move quite yet. Once this started, he was stepping into a future that might be far worse than hiding. But it was much too late to change anything now. "What do you mean, Luna?" Celestia asked. Her tone was almost the same as before—but Sweet could detect the subtle difference. That edge was hardened to knife-steel. "The one who created this recipe is gone forever, as he should be. He took the recipe with him to his deserved grave." He could barely hear through the door—Luna was not speaking so loudly anymore. But with his ear pressed up against the wood, he could make it out.  "It would be simpler if that were the case," she said. "I know how much you wish to forget the painful details of our past. But I must insist for your sake, mine, and all Equestria. The simpler lie does no greater kindness than the truth." A chair squeaked on wood. "Don't do this," Celestia whispered. "What you're doing here is a favor to nopony. Sometimes the past should remain buried. This is the best future some ponies can hope for—and the best they deserve." At least she isn't trying to hide it, Sweet thought. If that was her way of acting like she didn't know who he was, it was even less effective than what she had used in front of her royal guests.  But there was nopony to impress tonight—this was a family affair. "Many would have said the same about me," Luna countered. "I suspect a far larger group, in their day. I managed to unravel a nation, to provoke lasting animosity at an entire tribe of ponies. Tellus never did anything nearly as damaging." "Worse," Celestia muttered. "So much worse. Imagine what our noble parents could've made of Equestria, with more time. Imagine the devastation wrought by threats like Discord—Cosmos could have stopped him in his tracks. We would never have needed the Elements of Harmony. Lives lost would be spared." "Threats like Nightmare Moon, whose armies rampaged across Equestria? I'm sorry, sister. I know you do not want this to be true—but it is. "Our younger brother has returned from his banishment. After many years in that nearly magicless wasteland, he gathered just enough power to bridge his way across." "No!" Something shattered in the other room, splattering wetly to the ground. Sweet winced as he heard it—so much for getting a slice of Genoise. "Nothing comes back! That's why we banished magical threats to that universe. There's no power, no way to come back. He lived out his life long ago, then died naturally when his years were up. It's the kindest fate I could give him." "Not quite zero magic." He stepped through the door, emerging into the little dining hall. He found it much as he expected—Luna at her seat, Celestia standing over it, horrified. His cake on the floor in a ruined pile. His old self probably would've lectured about the hours that went into crafting something so perfect without unicorn magic to manage multiple tools at once. Did she want to try scalding milk by turning all the dials with her mouth? "There's no natural sources of magic on the planet opposite Equus. But there's still background radiation—and there's blood. I only used my own, if you're wondering. No massacres, just patience." Celestia glared down at him. "This... colt? This is the one you bring? This child is so determined to make himself a nuisance. Why would you take his side? How did he manipulate you?" "Please." Luna rolled her eyes. "Sister, I understand the act for our subjects. Admitting any other Alicorns would add significant complexity to the lie you've constructed of Equestria’s history. But there's nobody here to hear it." He advanced on the table, dodging the fallen cake. Even his earth pony body could sense her incredible magical might. In their last conflict, it was only the two of them working together that had overcome his power. This time, she could squish him like a fly if she wanted. An execution might be exactly how this ended. He could only hope Octavia and Vinyl would stay in that little closet, hiding until her rage subsided. They shouldn't have to see a pony die. "Fine!" Celestia yelled. Really yelled too, not just that angry talking she usually did when ponies made her unhappy. Together, they had finally pinched a nerve. "I looked aside, despite his insistence. It was the greatest mercy I could render. But if you two insist on this, then tell me. What do you want, Tellus? Tell me swiftly, and be done with it. You crossed worlds to be here, it must matter to you." He reached the table. It was higher than most pony furniture, constructed for the two regal Alicorns who used it. It might as well be a fort for the size of his body. He didn't look away from Celestia now. One way or another, his future turned on this moment. "I have returned to Equestria from my banishment," he said. There was a speech in his head, but just like before, he couldn't remember it. Something simple would have to do.  "I want to return home. I don't care if I don't see the castle again, or if nopony in Equestria remembers me. I just want to be allowed to stay. But if not, then I would rather die than go back. I don't want to live in a world without magic. So if I can't stay here, then I can't live anywhere." He trailed off awkwardly, panting from the overwhelming emotions. In his head that had all seemed so much clearer. But when he said it like that, it came out like the ravings of a mad pony. Too late to change it now. Celestia gestured with her horn, and the huge table slid out of the way, pressing itself against the wall. She didn't seem to care that the fine china shattered to the floor, and the ruins of their meal tumbled into an increasingly degenerate mess. "Why?" she demanded, advancing on him. "Why would I allow you to return to Equestria? Do you deny your guilt?" "No," he said flatly. "I am guilty. Cosmos and Gaia are dead because I convinced them to help with my experiment. It's all my fault." "Against all Father's warnings!" Celestia continued. Her voice boomed through the chamber, rattling the paintings on the walls, and the fine chandelier overhead. Sweet could only imagine what the servants must be feeling at that moment. If he were them, he'd be finding somewhere to take cover. The last time they fought, they had nearly brought death to an entire country. "Against my objections! Against all wisdom and common sense! They died because you flew directly into the sun, but didn't have the decency to die with them!" Even expecting this moment, her words cut deep. His eyes welled with tears. He sniffed, fighting back the emotions. He would not let the age imposed by this body dictate his behavior. It was a losing battle—Celestia towered over him, barely inches away. Even looking at her hurt his eyes, impossibly bright. It was hard to believe this was even the same mare. The one who had been so quick to forgive and rehabilitate Luna looked like she might tear him apart physically, if given the chance. "Yes," he said again. "I did. I admit that I was wrong, that their deaths were my fault. I was wrong to blame anypony else, or to resist your sentence the first time." His words stole a little of the wind from her. Celestia glared down at him, as though she'd been expecting an argument. Hungering for it, but he refused to oblige. If he thought otherwise, he would not have returned to the palace. Better to return in secret, and never face her.  "You're a self-absorbed, conceited mule," Celestia finally said. "Your pride always threatened Equestria in ways that we should've seen sooner. Every day you ruled with us was another I spent dreading what disaster you would cause next. Why should I let you stay here? Why shouldn't you be punished?" He didn't get a chance to answer. The side door banged open, and two mares practically tripped over each other in their eagerness to get to him. Few common ponies would have the courage to move in such defiance of Princess Celestia herself. He admired their courage, even if their timing left a lot to be desired. "He's not like that!" Vinyl said. "Err—Princess. Princess Celestia. Please. I don't know what kind of pony you remember, but Sweet Sauce isn't that." "Not in the least," Octavia agreed. They stood over him, facing directly into the sun. "Well, perhaps a tad inconsiderate in his speech. But you should hear all the good he's done at school. Befriended a lonely little unicorn filly, taught her magic. Half the class would probably call him friends. In the months we've known him, this pony has never been a... danger to the ponies around him. If he was like that long ago, then he's left that pony in the past." Celestia stumbled backward from the two mares. Her expression became an unreadable mask as they spoke. "Is that so?" she asked. "What is your connection to him, little ponies? Why has my sister brought you here?" "We adopted him," Vinyl explained. "He didn't manipulate us either. We knew what we were getting into. We're his caretakers now—if anypony can say that he's changed, it's us." Bold claim to make to Celestia, Sweet thought. But it was hard not to admire so much courage. If he had ever doubted the love of these adoptive mothers, he didn't anymore. "I... accept that assessment," Celestia said. "His guardians would be the best suited to render judgment." Her horn flashed, and something appeared in the air before them—a large glass vial, with gold filigree on its neck. Oh buck, Sweet thought. "To judge whether he should be forgiven, you need to see what crime he committed first. I will let you render judgment. After you see what he did, then he can return to live with you, in your household. Either that, or I judge. Do you agree?" He mumbled something, but far too quietly for them to hear.  "Yes," Octavia said. "We agree, Princess." "Sounds entirely fair to me," Luna agreed. "And the best chance you can hope for, younger brother." He had no choice but to accept.