//------------------------------// // Chapter 9 - Coming Clean // Story: The Equestrian Odyssey - A Tale of Two Worlds // by Kamahido //------------------------------// As the sun begins to set in the sky, Arc leads Celestia and Twilight through the city along with the king and queen. Felix and Fiona turn to Celestia. “We hope you enjoyed yourselves today, princesses.” “And approved of our accommodations.” Celestia nods. “Yes, I was very impressed.” Twilight smiles. “As was I.” “We will continue to house your citizens until their town is rebuilt.” Celestia bows slightly as they walk. “Thank you for your hospitality. We’ll see about getting buildings up as soon as possible.” Twilight chimes in. “And remitting payment for your services.” “That will not be necessary.” “Agreed. It was our honor to house and care for your citizens in their hour of need.” Celestia appears surprised. “But you did so at great personal cost. Equestria would like to make that right.” “We see it more as a chance to repay the goodwill sent to us from your nation, your highness.” “Please use the funds to help those displaced from their homes.” “Very well. Thank you.” They come to the city gates. Stopping, Arc turns back to the monarchs. “Thank you again for your hospitality.” “Equestrians will always be welcome here in Abyssinia.” “Hopefully we might travel to your land soon in order to follow in our neighbors footsteps.” Twilight smiles warmly. “Yes, I did enjoy the majority of the peace summit some time ago.” Felix smiles at her. “As did we. However, what my wife means is that we’re interested in negotiating a treaty with Equestria.” Celestia appears surprised. “What kind of treaty?” Fiona motions to the market around them. “An economic one, your highness. Trade agreements would certainly benefit both of our nations, would they not?” Arc nods. “That they would.” Celestia smiles weakly. “Agreed. Equestria will host you when the time is right.” Felix chuckles. “We look forward to it.” Nodding, Arc steps over to Celestia and Twilight. “In any case, we should let Princess Celestia rest now.” Twilight sighs. “Yes. It’s been a long day.” Fiona waves a paw. “Have a nice return trip.” Felix nods happily. “We won’t keep you any longer. Extending their paws, they each shake the princesses’ hooves before turning to Arc and doing the same. Parting ways, they return to the city as Arc leads the princesses into The Equinox. Twilight turns to Celestia. “That was a very nice visit.” “Yes, it was.” Arc raises an eyebrow. “You’re surprised by that?” “Very.” Twilight turns to her friend. “Might I ask why, Princess Celestia?” “The Abyssinians have been a constant thorn in Equestria’s side for generations. It’s not uncommon for them to strike from the shadows, take what they want, and retreat without a trace.” Arc frowns. “They’ve always been fair in their dealings with me.” Celestia rolls her eyes. “Because you do not understand our land’s history I will pardon your ignorance, human.” Twilight sighs. “Princess Celestia?” “I have seen much treachery from their land and rulers in the past.” Arc furrows his brow. “That may be. But we should give them a chance.” Celestia glares at him. “You forget your place, Hero of Light! It is the PRINCESSES whom rule the land and decide foreign policy! Not you!” “Arc was only making a suggestion, Princess Celestia.” “And not a very good one!” Arc shrugs. “I’m just speaking from my own experiences.” Celestia huffily retorts. “As am I!” Entering the Bridge, the crew stands and bows before Celestia and Twilight. Soarin approaches the elder princess nervously “Good evening, your highness.” “Likewise, captain. Tell me, is Hard Hat aboard?” “Yes, your highness. He’s down in Engineering looking over the engines at the moment. Shall I call for him?” Celestia nods. “Please do.” Soarin nods to Lemon Hearts whom pages the stallion. A short time later he rushes onto the Bridge. “You needed me, Princess Celestia?” “I do. We’ve received word that a base camp has been established in Ponyville along with supplies to get the job started.” Twilight nods. “The Hero of Light has volunteered his base to serve as housing for the workers and shelter from the elements.” Hard Hat nods to Arc. “Thank you, sir. We’ll need plenty of space for such a large number of workers.” “Think nothing of it. I’ll do whatever it takes to get the citizens of Ponyville back into their homes.” Twilight smiles. “If you’re ready, Arc can open a portal to Ponyville now.” “Let’s get this show on the road!” Arc calls forth his gauntlet and powers up his crystals. Hard Hat steps through the portal as it opens and vanishes as Twilight turns to Arc. “We should return to the capital now as well.” Celestia frowns. “That we should. However I think aboard ship would be best.” “I could portal us back safely.” Twilight nods. “Yes. Remember, he’s already sent the others back and has hundreds of portals under his belt. “That may be. However I’m sure the ship can get us back to Canterlot by dawn.” Soarin salutes. “Yes we could, your highness.” Arc folds his arms over his chest. “I stationed The Equinox here to be a source of security for the residents of Ponyville. A bit of home if you will. Celestia waves a hoof dismissively. “Mayhap. Need I remind you that this ship is the property of Equestria, not you personally… human.” “And need I remind YOU that since I relieved you of duty YOU don’t actually have any real authority at the moment, princess.” Twilight appears somewhat nervous as she positions herself between the pair. “Please reconsider, Princess Celestia! Think of the citizens!” Celestia sighs. “Very well, Twilight. We will take a portal as you suggested.” Arc powers up his crystals and opens a portal. Twilight leads Celestia through as Arc looks to Soarin. “Carry on, captain.” “We will, sir.” Reappearing in Arc’s room in Canterlot Castle, he finds Ember and Sereb waiting for them. “Welcome back.” “I trust things went well after we departed?” Arc shrugs. “Pretty well, yes.” Twilight grins. “The Abyssinians expressed a desire to form a treaty with Equestria!” Celestia sighs. “Indeed. However that will take some time.” Arc nods. “It’s still worth looking into.” “And we will. Come along, Twilight.” “Princess Celestia?” “I’d like to have a talk with you.” “Very well.” She turns to the others. “See you at breakfast?” Arc nods. “Sure. Just don’t stay up too late.” Twilight giggles. “I won’t.” She turns and leaves the room with Celestia. Arc looks to Ember. “That went well.” “Well?! Celestia’s still looking down her nose at you!” Arc shrugs. “Nothing I can do about that.” Sereb grins toothily. “One might also look at it this way. There is nothing she can do to stop Arc from doing what he deems necessary.” Ember clenches a fist. “I bet she’d think of something.” Arc chuckles. “Maybe. But something’s holding her back.” “What?” Sereb looks to the now closed door. “Princess Twilight.” Arc nods. “Right. She knows that if something happens to me Twilight will… um…” He thinks for a moment before continuing. “You know what, I don’t really know what Twilight would do.” Ember appears hopeful. “Go nuts?” Sereb grins. “Probably.” Arc sighs. “I’m hoping it doesn’t come to that.” Meanwhile, Twilight and Celestia walk down a corridor together. She motions for the guards to leave them before turning to Twilight. “You handled yourself well back there.” “Did I?” “Yes, indeed. I’m proud to say that you carried yourself with the pride and dignity of a princess.” “Well, I did have a pretty good teacher.” The pair laugh together easily as they continue on their way. Coming to Celestia’s room, she motions for Twilight to follow her. As they enter the room Celestia walks over to the patio door and opens it. A cool breeze flows through the doorway as they walk out onto the balcony. Sighing happily, the pair look up at the rising moon together. Eventually Twilight speaks. “I’ve missed this time.” “Oh?” “Just spending quiet evenings with you.” Celestia smiles. “So have I.” “I have so many questions though.” “Yes, I’m sure you do. Please feel free to ask them.” “Are you sure you’re up to it, princess? If you’d like to get some rest I completely understand.” Celestia shakes her head. “No, Twilight. I’d like to spend some time with you too. Speak your mind.” “Well… it’s about when Arc found you.” Celestia bristles at the name. “What about it?” “Ember told me how you said only one word.” Celestia bows her head. “Twilight.” “Yes?” “No, no. That was the word.” “Oh… yes, of course.” “What about it?” “Why my name?” Celestia sighs. “You have to understand that it was a very… frightening time for me.” Twilight shudders. “I can’t even begin to imagine what you went through.” “Please don’t try to. Hopefully you’ll never have to endure such a thing.” Celestia grits her teeth and turns her back to Twilight. “And you won’t.” “Princess?” “You won’t EVER be taken like I was, Twilight! That I promise you!” There is a tense silence as Celestia closes her eyes and stands there silently. Eventually she speaks again. “Things… unimaginable things were done to me back then. Until I felt myself being freed from my chains, I… I even lost the cognitive ability to speak. When I was at last able to utter something to my rescuers… only your name came forth.” “But why?” Celestia turns and looks over her shoulder. She stands there for a few moments before turning her body to face Twilight. Looking her former student in the eye, Celestia smiles and puts a hoof under the smaller mare’s chin. “Because it was you.” “Me?” “Yes, Twilight. My memories of you… they were all that kept me from completely losing touch with reality. With… my sanity.” “But why me? What about Luna? Or Cadance?” “Because I care for you very deeply, Twilight. While Luna is my sister, and Cadance my niece, you… you’re so much more to me.” “I… I am?” Celestia nods. “Yes. To me… to me you’re like a daughter, Twilight.” “That’s wonderful to hear. After all, I think very highly of you too.” “I know you do. And that’s how I was able to hold on. Deep down I wanted nothing else but to see you again.” “And I wanted you back too.” Celestia motions to a stone bench nearby. “There’s… something else I need to tell you, Twilight. But we need to sit down first.” “Are you tired?” “A bit, yes.” “Then might you lie down?” “I’m not quite so…” “Please…?” Twilight looks to Celestia pleadingly. The alicorn nods and smiles. “Alright, Twilight. If it will make you feel better.” Following the younger princess inside, Celestia walks over to her bed. Carefully stepping up onto the mattress she lies down as Twilight hops up to join her. She lays down across from Celestia to face her. “That’s better. Are you comfortable?” Celestia nods. “Very much so. And I do think you had a good idea.” “Oh?” “What I have to say… isn’t easy.” “Is something wrong?” Celestia looks away nervously. “…kinda.” “How about you start at the beginning then.” “Yes, I think that’s best.” She takes a deep breath before looking Twilight in the eye and speaking. “Several years before you and I met, I was informed of some rather… disturbing news from some scouts I sent out. They claimed to have found a massive door in a cave inside Mount Everhoof.” “An actual door?! Not just something that could be naturally occurring?!” “Correct. Fearing trouble, I traveled there personally to see it for myself. After examining the door for a time along with the surrounding area, I decided to venture inside. I had expected to find gold, jewels, or some other such treasure. However what I found took my breath away.” “What was it?” “A massive dragon. Dead, or so I thought.” “Was it?” “While I never received confirmation, it has not moved from that spot. However the dragon itself was not the true cause for concern.” Twilight looks away nervously. “What else could have been so dangerous?” “An egg nestled in the cruck of its tail.” “An… egg?” “Yes. I took it back to Canterlot and…” “…hatched it.” “Why… yes. Yes I did. But how did you guess that, Twilight?” “I… already heard this story.” “From whom?” “Luna.” Celestia gasps. “She told you? But… but why?” “Because of a certain… incident regarding a very foolish mistake I made some time ago.” “What happened?!” “I… um… accidently violated Dragon Law.” “Which one?” “Possessing and cultivating Dragon Fruit. In my basement library, that is.” Celestia’s eyes grow wide. “WHAT?! Twilight, how did you even acquire such a thing?!” Twilight groans. “It’s a long story. But that’s probably for another day. What’s more important is your own tale of how you hatched Ember.” Celestia sighs. “That I did.” “Was she as cute as Spike when she hatched?” Celestia giggles. “Even cuter.” “That’s hard to imagine. But there was one part of the story that Luna didn’t really have an answer for.” “What was that?” “She said you shut yourself in your room for quite some time. When I asked what you did in there during that time, she only said that the sounds of crying could be heard at night.” “Yes. I was… very sad at that time.” “You wanted to raise Ember yourself.” “I did.” “But Luna convinced you not to.” “I knew it wasn’t right for me to take a newborn whelpling anywhere but to their home. At the time I even considered trying to keep her secret from everypony.” “But that wouldn’t have lasted forever.” “That’s what Luna said at the time, yes. So I flew her and the Bloodstone Crystal to the Dragon Lands.” “I understand why you brought Ember back. But why that crystal?” “To strike a deal.” “What kind of…?” Celestia interrupts. “The kind that kept Equestria safe from invasion.” “A treaty?” “An informal one, yes. I agreed to return Ember to Dragon Lord Torch, of course. But as penance for me removing the egg I offered up the gem in exchange for his forgiveness.” “Was he hard to convince?” “Not really, no. He was mad, of course. But as soon as he looked into Ember’s eyes…” Celestia smiles as if reliving the moment. She is silent for a time before continuing. “I returned to Canterlot and shut myself in. Great was my sorrow for that which I had lost.” “Lost?” “At the time it felt as if I had lost my own daughter. As if I… as if I had failed to protect her.” “But you didn’t. You brought her home where she belonged.” “I understand that, Twilight. However, you have to think about this from my point of view. It was as if I had given up my one and only chance at being a mother.” “But couldn’t you theoretically meet a stallion and have a foal with them?” Celestia shakes her head. “No, Twilight.” Twilight frowns. “There’s no reason you couldn’t. Luna told me that you insisted that princesses not form romantic attachments. However, I see it as you robbing yourselves of the opportunity to…” Celestia cuts Twilight off. “That isn’t the issue.” “Then what…?” “Twilight. I’m sterile.” There is a long pause as Twilight’s mouth hangs open. Eventually Celestia puts a hoof on Twilight’s chin and closes it as she continues. “Both Luna and I are unable to produce foals.” “You… you are?” Celestia nods and sighs. “The doctors whom diagnosed Luna and I agreed that it was most likely a side effect of the process Star-Swirl the Bearded used to turn us into alicorns. However we didn’t allow more tests to be run in the past.” Twilight puts a hoof on her own belly. “Does… does that mean that I…?” Celestia looks away. “It’s possible, yes.” “But… why didn’t you say anything before I was… you know…?!” “I’m very sorry, Twilight. My actions during that time were… forced.” “You… didn’t want me to became a princess?” Celestia looks Twilight in the eye and smiles. “That isn’t true, Twilight. In fact, it was the only logical step when you were ready.” “I don’t understand. You were planning to do this to me all along?” “After many years of study, training, and after explaining to you the risks, yes.” “But that wasn’t the only reason though. After all, you’ve had many student’s over the years.” Celestia nods. “Students, yes. Friends, sometimes. But I wasn’t looking for either.” “Then what were you looking for?” “An equal.” “Equal?! But I’m nowhere near…!” “Not yet, no. However one day perhaps you will be able to ascend beyond that which you know.” “I don’t understand.” “Someday hopefully you will. But there is more for me to tell you. It’s about the School for Gifted Unicorns.” “What about it?” “I founded it many years ago to train Unicorns in the art of magic. To help them become all they could be.” “Like me?” Celestia shakes her head. “No, Twilight. At least not at first.” “Oh?” “It was created to help me find a very special student. One that could… help me with my problem.” “Problem?” “Ever since I hatched Ember… when I tasted motherhood, I… I wanted to have it back. So I began my search for a proper candidate.” Twilight gasps. “You… wanted me to be your… daughter?” “Yes, Twilight. Very much so in fact. I wanted to have a foal all to myself to raise, nurture, love, and guide as they grew and matured.” “But you never said a word about any of this before.” “How could I have? Every night I lay in this very bed thinking of the answer to that very question. Even so, nothing ever came to me. It took being captured, experimented on, tortured, and imprisoned for me to finally have the opportunity to have this conversation, Twilight.” Celestia takes a deep breath before looking evenly at Twilight and speaking again. “Now then… after all I’ve told you, I assume you must be a bit… upset with me. Feel free to say whatever is on your mind, Twilight.” Twilight looks away sadly. “I… don’t really know how I should feel. Part of me feels kinda used right now.” Celestia bows her head. “While I apologize for my actions, I don’t really have any defense for such an accusation.” “Another part of me is upset that I was made an alicorn without having the risks explained.” “Valid complaints, yes.” “While still a third part…” Twilight looks up into Celestia’s eyes before continuing. “…a third part still loves and cares for my oldest friend.” Celestia appears surprised. “You… still think of me as a friend?” Twilight nods. “Of course. I understand what you did and why you did it.” “But how can you just… forgive me like this?” Twilight groans. “Believe me, I’ve made my fair share of mistakes in the past year or so.” “Oh? Like what?” “For one, I became a mother.” Celestia gasps. “TWILIGHT?!” Twilight smiles nervously. “Not biologically.” “Oh.” “I… built somepony.” “A robot?” “An android technically. But I believe her to be so much more.” “As realistic as it may be, she is still cogs and springs.” “Structurally, yes. However I came to realize that she is indeed alive.” Celestia frowns. “Explain.” “She’s… self-aware.” “Are you certain of this?” “Very.” “I would like to meet her then.” “Of course. After all, you shared your mistakes with me. It’s only fitting that I do the same with my own.” Celestia raises an eyebrow. “You see her as a mistake?” “At the time of her creation, yes. However now I can’t imagine my life without her.” “But you never said a word about this since my return.” “Truthfully I was afraid of what you’d say.” Celestia smiles. “It appears we both have a lot to tell one another.” “More than you know. I have but one request of you, Princess Celestia.” “What is it?” “That you listen to what I have to tell you tomorrow. But with an open mind and heart.” Celestia sighs. “Is this in regards to the human?” Twilight nods soberly. “It is.” Celestia bristles at this. “You know my position on them, Twilight.” “I do, yes. However I’d like to explain to you MY position along with Luna and Cadance.” “Very well, Twilight. While I make no promises in regards to the outcome, I will do my best to listen to what you and the others have to say.” Twilight puts a hoof on Celestia’s fetlock. “Thank you. It’s a long story, of course. But I believe that you need to know the truth in its entirety.”