//------------------------------// // Of Lies and Liberty // Story: Lines and Webs // by Airstream //------------------------------// Celestia stood in the tower overlooking Canterlot, and wondered where it had all gone wrong. Luna's betrayal had been perfection in its execution, and if Celestia could not salvage the situation, that betrayal would be her damnation. Everything she had worked so hard for had been put in jeopardy, and the only way she could save her ponies from themselves was if she acted boldly. The speech she was about to make could very well change the path of Equestria forever. A sea of ponies stretched below, the gates of the castle having been thrown wide in order to accommodate as many common ponies as possible. A gesture of goodwill that hopefully went some small way to repairing the damage caused by Twilight Sparkle's revelation. Cadance stood by her side, the right side of her face bandaged, she having been treated for burns two days ago, after Celestia and the Guards had located her and managed to get her off of the wall. The Princess of Love had been considered beautiful once, and indeed there were many among the populace who followed her every move closely. Twilight's words had been proved true, and every attempt to heal the wound had resulted in searing agony for the young Alicorn. Celestia knew that so long as Twilight lived, she would bear that mark for the world to see. She looked at Celestia fearfully, as the crowd below roared in anger. Celestia smiled. "Don't worry, Cadance. Just do as I say, and we shall all be fine." Cadance nodded, and focused her magic, sending out feelings of trust and malleability to the gathered populace. Her face screwed up in pain as she broadcast for not just Canterlot but for Manehatten and Detrot and Cloudsdale and every city in Equestria. She nodded tersely. It was time. Celestia walked to the double doors separating herself from the balcony, and then did something Cadance had never seen the monarch do. Celestia gently removed her crown, her horseshoes, and her girdle. Completely unclothed, she stepped out onto the balcony. The crowd below stood in shocked silence as Princess Celestia, the ruler of Equestria, stood before them as a common pony. When she spoke, her voice did not ring with its characteristic command, it did not inspire awe or fear. What it was, in both tone and function, was relatable on some level, the voice of a mare who had done wrong and wanted to acknowledge it. Several microphones rose from the podium, their signal being transmitted across Equestria, using the relatively new technology of radio. Celestia's speech would go down as one of the most memorable of Equestria's public addresses. ________________________________________ "Citizens of Equestria, I come before you today, not as a ruler, not as a goddess, but as one of you. A pony. I come before you today as one whose right to rule had been questioned, and rightfully so. By now, Twilight Sparkle's accusations against me have undoubtedly spread, from Fillydelphia in the north to Los Pegasus in the south to Manehatten and everywhere in between. The accusations she has leveled are as follows. That I, Celestia Aetheria ex Equestria, Dio Solaris, have used my power to manipulate the lives of my subjects. That I, knowingly and willingly, have woven powerful bloodlines with the goal of creating new Alicorns in order to solidify my rule on Equestria. That these bloodlines, after producing the Alicorn heir I desired, would go extinct, killing the mare who bore her. There are others, but those are Twilight Sparkle's primary grievances against me. Her claim is that she is the one destined to bear the last Alicorn, and so lose her life in the process. She accuses me of being no less than a tyrant, one who cares for nothing other than her own goals. Regretfully, I must inform you all that all but that last accusation are true." There was a murderous rumble from the crowd, which soon quieted as Celestia spoke once more. "For eight hundred years, since mighty Canterlot herself rose to her mountain heights, I have labored in secret to ensure the stability and growth of Equestria, at the cost of all else. Many of the great thinkers, artists, and scientists produced since I ascended to the Solar Throne are the result of successful pairings between ponies of desirable qualities. I do not pretend omnipotence, for the most part my only role has been that of a gentle nudge in the right direction. Things like strength or intelligence have a part in my decisions, yes. But I have also placed the happiness of my subjects above all else. Never has a relationship I have taken a direct hoof in ended poorly, in the hundreds of years I have perfected my work. Families, strong and loving families, have ranged across Equestria far and wide, their newfound strength and skill ensuring that they not only survive, but thrive. Because of my actions, ponies live long, happy lives, largely free from adversity. My path is one of safety and happiness, regardless of what others may say. It is true that I sought to create a fourth Alicorn, one to rule opposite to the Princess Mi Amore di Cadenza Allegretta, the Dawn Alicorn. It is true that this Alicorn would take up the mantle of Dusk, as well as ruling over Inspiration. It is also true that Twilight Sparkle, my faithful student, was the one born to bear her. And as much as it hurts to admit it, the foal would have claimed my student's life. Much as I wish it could be otherwise, there is nothing I could do to prevent it." The Alicorn was silent for a moment, her grief apparently too much for her. The ponies below, faced with this uncharacteristic display of emotion, were spellbound, hanging on every word. She spoke again, her voice low and rough. "It is abhorrent to me, that I must curse one of my own subjects, a unicorn I hold dear not just as a student but very nearly as the daughter I could never have, to bear such a burden, to experience so much pain. From the moment I took this unicorn, the savior of Equestria, on as my student, I realized that what I had planned would cause her more pain and anguish than I had any right to bestow upon her, though I was forced to do so nevertheless. I watched her grow into a fine young mare, devastatingly intelligent, kind to a fault, a pony I was proud to call my student. She, as well as the Elements of Harmony, acted as Equestria's protectors, giving me back my sister and sealing the mad god Discord into stone once more. Truly, I could not have been more proud of her. At last, when it came time for Twilight's true purpose to be served, I found the best match I could. A fine young colt, by the name of Morning Star. The two of them became fast friends, and before long they had blossomed into something more. I took solace in the fact that she would at least be happy. In retrospect, I should have asked my student for her permission or forgiveness, but I could not bring myself to do so. My once-faithful student, naturally curious, found out about her purpose from various sources, not all of them savory. Hurt and betrayed, she opened herself to dark and terrible magic, renouncing me, her Element, her friends, her country, and Harmony itself. The rest you are all aware of." The Alicorn's voice gained in strength, ringing across the crowded courtyard below. "There are those among you who may feel that this is justified, that I deserve whatever fate comes to me. I understand. However, I can tell you this. Twilight Sparkle's child would have brought everlasting peace and Harmony, not just to Equestria, but the world. No more would we worry about disease or starvation or poverty, no more would we fight for land with the Gryphons or buffalo Tribes. Our world would know peace as never before. It is for this reason I sent the Elements to pursue her, to show her that her sacrifice was for the good of all of existence. I thought she had seen. But she had not. Though she had convinced me of her newfound devotion to Harmony, in truth it was deceit and trickery she sought to practice. Stealing the magic of my sister, who even now lies near death, she attacked me and her friends once more, before stealing the Element of Magic and vanishing into regions unknown. Twilight Sparkle refuses to let go of her anger, even at the cost of her fellow Equestrians. I call upon her now, as a pony, to do her duty to her world, and return to Canterlot. My fellow Equestrians, I can offer you a Golden Age without end! Equestria as a paradise, where not a single pony will ever be unhappy. Never have I led you astray, never have I ever had anything but your best interests in mind. I care for you all more than you can imagine, and together we can ensure a new world, a better world, one truly inhabited by Harmony. All I ask in return is your continued Loyalty. Don't let your friends and family stray from our path. I ask for Honesty. If you know of the whereabouts of Twilight Sparkle, let somepony know. Show Kindness by remaining helpful and productive as we work to find her. Show Generosity, give as much as you can spare to help your fellow Equestrians in their search. And don't forget to embody Laughter. Remain cheerful. Don't let this disrupt your daily routine. My fellow Equestrians, the times ahead will be trying for us all, of this there can be no doubt. But I beg of you, show the best side of yourselves. Stand with me as we work together to forge a better world. Thank you." ________________________________________ Celestia stepped back from the podium, and looked at the crowd below. There was only silence, the ponies staring up at her, judging her. Celestia's heart sank. She had failed. A single hoofbeat echoed off of the walls of the castle. Princess Celestia's ears pricked up. There was another. Then another. Then two, then ten, then fifty, and then suddenly the crowd of ponies below were screaming and shouting, cheering their Princess on as she smiled, and bowed to them all before retreating back inside. Her speech was even now being broadcast across Equestria. And while she had no idea if the same reaction was being had in other cities, suddenly her future looked much brighter. Cadance stepped forward. "That was a work of art, Princess. Well done." Celestia smiled. "Thank you, Cadance. I'm glad ponies can still see reason. We may actually have a chance of success. Now, let's change your bandages over, and then we will pay Luna a visit." Cadance grimaced, nodding as she peeled back the bandages. There, prominent on her face for all the world to see, was a perfectly detailed five pointed star, a rose twining through its spokes, wreathed in fire. The burn was still angry and red, though it would fade to white with time. As she worked, she looked through her Elements, each of them in a different city, allowing her to keep an eye on things. Rarity was in Manehatten, and though there were a few boos and jeers during the broadcast of her speech, the applause at the end rivaled that of the still-jubilant crowd below. Rainbow Dash reported the same from Cloudsdale, and Applejack reported that the ponies of Fillydelphia had been supportive of her since the beginning of her speech. The next two worried her. Los Pegasus was very much evenly divided, Fluttershy said. The speech had pacified some of the population, but there were still a lot of very angry ponies roaming the streets. Pinkie Pie reported that her speech had garnered almost no support in Trottingham. The Regulars had been deployed, and martial law declared. At last, the bandaging and reports came to a close. Cadance looked at her aunt curiously. "How was it received?" Celestia sighed, stepping back into her horseshoes and re-affixing her raiment. "About as well as I had hoped. Manehatten is safe, and Fillydelphia is apparently a paragon of loyalty. Cloudsdale too. But Los Pegasus is teetering on the brink, and Trottingham is rapidly devolving into a warzone. It will be rough around the Everfree, I think. Twilight is in there, somewhere. Probably the castle, my scrying mirror there has been shattered, so that's a very likely indication. What worries me is the fact that I've sent in three patrols to search for her, and all three have vanished completely. I've ordered a halt until we can figure out the source, although I suspect Radiant Zenith is to blame. This will become a problem rapidly." Cadance nodded as they descended the stairs through the secret passage in Celestia's quarters. "There's no way she could possibly win after that speech. Ponies love you anyway. With the possibility of paradise in front of them, not to mention the inexcusable massacre at Fillydelphia, Twilight's ensured herself almost no support. She can't last long." They arrived at their destination, a plain, unmarked door. Pushing it open, the Alicorn looked Cadance, silently warning her to stay outside. The Princess of the Dawn nodded tersely. Celestia stepped inside, shutting the door quietly behind her. The dark Alicorn inside, her hair once more light blue and hanging low, looked up as Celestia stepped inside the room. The Alicorn's horn was sheathed inside what was not so much an inhibitor ring as a cone of metal that locked tightly to her horn, forcing her head to hang low as she dangled from adamantium chains on the wall behind her. No light was provided here, so Celestia produced a small one, a tiny werelight that hung in the air between them. "Hello, Luna! How are you feeling?" The Princess of the Night sobbed quietly. Celestia pretended not to notice. "Well, I've got good news. My speech went very well, and with Cadance's help, I think I shall retain my grip on the populace long enough to bring about my paradise. I can't wait to share it with you, but you seem to have developed the nasty habit of double crossing me, so you will have to remain here until my work is concluded. You'll have plenty of time to think on what you did. Lucky for you, you don't need food or water, so we won't even have to interrupt you with meals. Just you, and me, and maybe Cadance if she likes. But mostly you, down here in the dark and quiet." Luna mumbled something quietly. Celestia leaned in. "What's that, LuLu?" "never...break me..." Celestia laughed, her horn lighting up as she closed the distance between them. "Oh, Luna. You know as well as I do that never is a very, very long time." Cadance listened as the Princess of the Night began to scream in pain, the sound of her agony contained by the unfeeling mountain of Canterlot. She didn't begin to worry, however, until the groans of pain began to mingle with moans of pleasure. And so, Celestia spun her sister through ecstasy and agony, wearing away at the Moon's will. ________________________________________ Twilight Sparkle looked around her table, a round affair covered in maps and charts, all of them force dispositions and supplies and number of noncombatants near the castle. Five ponies stood around her, all of them ready to follow her commands. Her voice was strong with newfound authority. "This Council is called to order. Let the attendees speak their names for the record." A papery mare raised one hoof, her inky black Talent Mark glimmering, a five pointed star wreathed in flame, a rose twining around it. "Golden Radiance, Archmage as appointed by Twilight Sparkle and this Council." A cheerful mare with her greying red hair in a messy bun was next to raise her hoof. "Radiant Zenith. Head Steward of the Everfree and this castle the Regia, as appointed by Twilight Sparkle and this Council." A hulking unicorn, clad in dark armor and missing one eye, raised his hoof in a precise military salute. "Silent Shield, Commander of the Lunar Guard as appointed by Princess Luna, Dio Noctis, under the command of Twilight Sparkle." A Pegasus clad in a tight black jumpsuit raised her hoof. This was the first time Twilight had actually been able to confirm her existence. "Nightshade, Captain of the Shadowbolts, as appointed by Princess Luna, Dio Noctis, under the command of Twilight Sparkle." A massive Earth Pony unslung his shield from his back, leaning it against the table. His voice was surprisingly cultured, an upper class Trottingham accent which belied his brutish exterior. "Iron Oak, Marshal Superior of the Ever Free Fighters, as appointed by Twilight Sparkle and this Council." Twilight looked around the room. This was real, this was happening, and before they were done, Celestia herself would shake in fear. She raised her hoof as well. "Twilight Sparkle, leader of the Ever Free ponies. I hereby call this the first Council to order. All in favor?" As one, the five ponies roared their approval. "Aye!" Twilight grinned. "Well, then. Let's get started." End of Act I.