//------------------------------// // Epilogue // Story: Equestria Noir Case 16 "Among Alicorns" // by Jacoboby1 //------------------------------// Case 16 Epilogue Perspective: Private I looked on as the Vulkyria, now free from Onyx’s control, carried away the cage containing the Alicorn’s soul fire. He wasn’t going anywhere; he would face judgment in his former kingdom. Oberon and Titania had left about an hour ago after the fighting died down. Prince Ember walked forward to where Celestia and Voidera stood, he bowed his head low and said, “Forgive my actions in this plan, I had no idea of Onyx's true intentions.” Celestia smiled and shook her head. Her violet eyes gazing at the young prince, she replied, “You were an unwilling victim in his plans, Ember. Yet in the end, you were willing to stand up to his evil and help save Equestria. Had you not come forward, Onyx would’ve had my kingdom in his hooves.” “You flatter me, Your Highness,” Ember said somberly. “Still I will always carry the guilt of what happened in my heart” “Humility will help you in your rule,” Voidera said reassuringly. “Do not forget what happened this day; remember that a king is a servant to his people. You’ll do fine after that.” “Thank you,” Ember said with a smile, and then he turned to see Luna walking up to him. He blushed furiously and looked over at me. I gave him an encouraging smile. Taking a deep breath he bowed his head at Luna and said, “Forgive me Luna-“ Luna raised a hoof to silence him. “I am well aware of your part in the plan,” Luna said, then she smiled, “but that doesn’t change the fact you helped save my Lunar Stallions in the end.” Ember’s face turned even redder at the praise. I looked over at Twilight who was standing beside me and whispered, “Looks like the soldier of love has done it again.” Luna smiled wider and said happily, “I’m so lucky to have such wonderful friends.” “Friends?” Ember repeated. “Yes,” Luna replied. “It was certainly gallant that you fought alongside me. I’m fortunate to have met you; I hope we can remain good friends from here on.” “Friends?” Ember repeated again, his jaw dropping as the shock took hold “Why yes, are you feeling well Ember?” Luna asked with concern. “Did Ember just-“I said, trying to comprehend what happened. “Get friend zoned like you wouldn’t believe?” Twilight said smugly. “Yes, looks like the soldier of love can’t bring everypony together.” I crossed my forelegs in a pout, well they say love is war and Ember just won this battle. She’ll come around eventually. I looked up and saw Thor and his pegasi leaving the castle. They'd been nice enough to help repair some of the damages. Luckily, the castle was easy to fix with their help, along with Voidera and Celestia’s magic. The Castle was restored in a matter of minutes. Voidera and Celestia walked to us, Twilight and I bowed our heads in respect. Celestia spoke to us in a gentle tone, “I thank you both for your parts in stopping this conspiracy. I got to see first hoof the abilities you two have developed in your time together. I can say I’m proud of both of you.” Twilight lifted her eyes to gaze at Voidera and said, “Voidera, I’m sorry about yelling at you before. You didn’t deserve it.” Voidera shook his dark head, “I’m used to it, you need not apologize for what happened. We were all deceived by Onyx today.” He lowered his head so his red eyes met Twilight’s. “Let’s start over, shall we?” he said, holding out his hoof. “I am Voidera.” Twilight smiled and shook his hoof. “I’m Twilight Sparkle, welcome to Canterlot.” “That’s better,” Voidera said with a smile, then I heard his stomach growl “All that fighting has made me hungry, please excuse me,” he said, starting to walk away. “Should we get the chefs to make anything, Princess?” Twilight asked. “Oh no” Celestia replied, with a wave of her hoof. “Voidera doesn’t eat normal food like a pony; at least it’s not his favorite diet.” “What does he eat?” I asked, but then I remembered. “He actually eats gems?” “Yes, he-“She turned her head and found Voidera gnawing at the birdbath again “Honestly, Voidera?” she asked. "Then you wonder why ponies think you an animal!” “I'm starving,” Voidera said defensively, his voice muffled in his attempts to bite into the sapphires adorning the birdbath. Celestia sighed and turned to both of us. “Will you excuse us for a minute?” We left the couple and made our way down the hall. As soon as we were alone in the hallway, Twilight pulled me aside and pressed me against the wall. Her lips attacked mine, tears falling down her cheeks. “I almost lost you again! Oh Private,” she sobbed, wrapping her forelegs around me tightly. I gently held her in my own forelegs and nuzzled her, letting my muzzle catch her tears. “Twilight, its okay, we made it out. Onyx is gone, and everything will be alright.” “Every time,” she cried, hitting my chest with her hoof. “Everywhere we go, I’m always in danger of losing you! I should’ve gone with you to that cavern! I should’ve done something to stop Onyx! I should-“She just pressed her head to my chest, letting her tears soak my coat. I whispered soothingly into her ear, “Twi, it’s alright, don’t cry please. I hate seeing you cry like this.” “I know,” she whispered back, meeting my eyes with her own. She ran a hoof along my face and spoke softly, “I just can’t stand the thought of losing you. I’ve almost lost you too many times. “ I lifted a hoof, setting it on her lips. I smiled gently at her and replied, “Twi, you know why I have to do this. It’s never going to get any easier. I’m not going to lie or sugarcoat it, but that’s why we have each other. You make me strong, and I keep you sane, without each other we’d just break apart inside.” I pressed my horn to hers. “I love you so much, that’s why I put myself on the line.” “I just wish you didn’t get hurt so much,” Twilight said, her tears slowing a little. “Private,” she continued softly, looking deeply into my eyes, “don’t leave me. I can’t bear the thought…” I just held her right there, held this beautiful mare I’d give anything for. She was the mare I treasured, the one I’d fight for. She was my best friend and my closest confidant. I whispered in her ear, “I love you, and I'm not going anywhere.” I held her even more tighter. “I won’t let you go,” Twilight whispered back in my ear. “I’ll never let you go, Preventus…” _____________________________________________________________ Perspective: Celestia Voidera had gone to teach Luna how to carve like he promised. Luna in all honesty could’ve learned how to in the fifteen hundred years he had been gone. However, she utterly refused to do so unless it was Voidera teaching her. She always did like him, he was the closest thing to a big brother she ever had, or even a father for that matter. My train of thought ended when I heard a knock at my door. Hopefully it wasn’t Thor coming to say somepony swiped his sweet roll or something. I used my magic to open the door and there was Twilight. She smiled up at me and said, “I hope I’m not intruding, Princess.” I shook my head and replied, “Not at all. We haven’t really had a chance to speak since the incident.” I gestured with my wing for her to enter. After I closed the door behind her, I turned to see her head bowed. “Twilight?” “If you’re going to punish me, Princess, go ahead,” Twilight said guiltily. “For what, my faithful student?” I asked, confused. “For not believing you about Voidera,” Twilight answered, with a sigh. “I only fed Voidera’s anger in the whole situation. In a way, I helped Onyx almost succeed, that’s why I expect to be punished.” I gave her a long stare that she was hesitant to meet, and then I spoke firmly, “Perhaps you wish to explain your behavior towards Voidera?” She was about to speak up but I held her gaze and said sternly, “If you’re going to lie to a two thousand year old Alicorn you shouldn’t make it so obvious.” Twilight admitted, “I didn’t like Voidera being with you.” “Why is that?” I asked, raising my eyebrow at this development. “It’s just,” Twilight said, meeting my eyes then looking down to the floor. “At first I thought I knew you pretty well, you and I have been mentor and student for over half my life. You were always the pony I would turn to whenever I didn’t understand something. I felt like you were the only friend, aside from Shining and Cadence, I'd ever needed.” “This pertains to Voidera how?” I asked “When he came along,” Twilight admitted, “you just acted so… normal. You weren’t a goddess, or some all-powerful wise being; you were just a mare, happy to see her special somepony come back. I know it sounds wrong but, I just couldn’t stand the fact that Voidera knew so much about you. It made me realize how little I really know about my teacher. I don’t know how old you are, what your favorite color is, or even that you had a special somepony in the first place.” I lowered my head and lifted her face with my hoof so that our eyes met. I gave her a small smile and said, “I am currently fifteen hundred and twenty-one years old. My birthday was five months ago. My favorite color is the orange light of dawn, and I used to sleep with a stuffed seal, Mcfluffy.” Twilight tried to contain her laughter, “here you said Mrs. Smarty-pants was a crazy name!” “Mcfluffy was a valiant defender of his princess!” I retorted, in mock offense. “Despite his name, he has kept many monsters away at night.” Twilight and I broke into laughter. She looked up at me with a smile on her face and said, “I do feel a little better, Princess; I guess I just worried over nothing.” I shook my head and stood beside my faithful student, draping a wing over her in comfort, “Twilight, mistakes happen at every age, even my own.” I closed my eyes and said, “I made the mistake of not believing you at the wedding.” “Princess-“Twilight tried to speak up, looking up at me. “Twilight,” I said firmly. “I’m teaching you here.” “Sorry, I’ll shut up then,” she said, with a small smile. “Twilight, I am no goddess, nor do I delude myself otherwise,” I admitted. “I just have to put up a front so that my subjects do not lose faith in me. Sometimes that front causes me to make mistakes. I shouldn’t have been so harsh upon you at the wedding. In the end, I could not defend my subjects when they needed me most.” Twilight smiled and said, “Dear Princess Celestia” I kept my gaze forward a smile coming across my face My faithful student went on “I learned today that nopony is above making mistakes. I learned that we are all flawed. We tend to see our mistakes and think we can never recover from them. While we can’t always recover on our own,” she said, pressing her head into my shoulder, “we have our friends and family to help us through.” She smiled at me and kept her head pressed against me, “Your faithful student, Twilight.” As Twilight rested against me I kept my wing covered over her. Alicorns normally try not to get too attached to their subjects because of our immortal nature. Right now, however, I just was glad to have Twilight here. She was my most faithful student, practically a daughter to me in many ways. I felt like we’d gotten even closer. If only I was this close to all of my students in the past, Prometheus may not have turned out the way he did… ___________________________________________________________ Perspective: Voidera Tia and I walked through the caverns below the castle. I looked over at her and asked, “They went home?” “It’s been a long couple of days,” she explained. “Both of them deserve a rest.” I nodded, “So, it's around here?” “From the way Private described it,” Tia’s answered, her eyes scanning the caverns until she found our target. “Here it is.” We came upon the black crystal jutting it’s way out of the earth. A green aura was covering it; I looked over at Tia and ordered, “Stand back.” She stepped a few feet away as my horn glowed blood red. I fired a blast of magical energy at the crystal, shattering it to pieces. The shards fell harmlessly to the floor, I looked over at Tia, concern on my face, “You know what this means Tia?” “He’s getting stronger,” Tia said slowly. “I feared the spell would not last long. Sombra will return and he will come for the Crystal Empire.” “You know when he comes he’ll come looking for Private,” I said slowly, and then I saw her expression. “Tia, Prometheus falling was not your fault.” “Then who’s was it?” Tia said, her violet eyes looking at me in frustration. “You weren’t here, Voidera! You were locked up Faust knows where, away from all of this! I had to contend with the fact that my first student became a tyrant, and now his son will come back to claim the empire!” “Tia,” I said firmly, “You can’t let this get personal.” She sighed, sitting on her romp on the cavern floor, and said, “Forgive me, Voidera, it’s been a long day. It’s just that ever since I saw Tenacity around Private’s neck I…” She bowed her head, not wanting to finish the sentence. “His ancestors made the choice,” I spoke firmly. “I saw it when you shared your memory with me. They chose to take on the burden and nopony asked them too. If they had they not, Sombra would not have been defeated in the first place.” “Why must Private suffer as well?” Tia asked, her voice riddled with guilt. “He never asked to share this burden.” “I never asked to be born a Dracorn,” I pointed out. “Don’t make this personal Voidera,” Tia tried to retort. “You already have,” I said, walking to her and putting a hoof on her shoulder. “Tia, you remember what you said to Adamus after I brought you to him?” Tia closed her eyes and spoke in the old tongue, “Si natus non definitur, sed quid faciendum.” “You are not defined by your birth, only what you do next,” I said firmly. “I know it pains you to put your subjects in danger like this, but we’ll get through this, together.” Tia then rested her horn against mine, and I gazed into her beautiful eyes “Like before?” she asked. “Yes,” I said closing my eyes, and nuzzled the love of my immortal life gently, “Like before…” “Voidera,” Tia said softly. “Yes, Tia?” I asked. “I never told you this because of all that’s happened,” she said, reaching up and wrapping her forelegs around my neck, "but I’m glad you’re back.” “I missed you so much, my love,” I said, returning her embrace. “I have something to say…” “What’s that?” she said as I suddenly broke from her embrace, I raised my hoof and looked at her, and I spoke in the old tongue, "Tu suscipe me amicum et socium omnibus diebus vitae amorem?"* Tia smiled, met her hoof with mine, and replied in the old tongue as well, " Ego suscipiam vos Voidera meus, quasi consorte, et amici mei dilectione mea sicut et nos ambulare in aeternitate simul” ** Whenever an Alicorn says a vow in the old tongue, it shall remain true forever… Our vow was spoken, we kissed slowly sealing it. For the first time in a long time, I got to hold the mare I loved. I haven’t seen her in so long; I clung to her as our lips met. Gazing into her beautiful eyes, I spoke softly, “Tia, don’t let me go again…” She pressed her head into my chest, wrapping her beautiful wings around me in a warm embrace “I will never let you leave me again; I need somepony to eat all those gems the nobles keep giving me to earn my favor.” “At least I’m good for something around here,” I joked, as my leather wings wrapped around Tia. “I love you, Tia.” “I love you too, Voidera” she said, while keeping her head pressed to me. “Never forget that.” I never have… _______________________________________________________ * Will you accept me, as your friend, love and partner all the days of our lives? ** I accept you Voidera, as my mate, my friend and my love as we walk in eternity together