//------------------------------// // Chapter 5: Revelations // Story: Equestrian Revelations // by DuskApproaches //------------------------------// It has been a year now and my life in Ponyville is quite normal. I have become something I never imagined I would become - an everyday citizen. Every day, I would get up and go to work only to come back home and pass the time in my friends’ company. I thought that this was all there is; all there was to life for me. Never have I been so wrong. I sat on the roof of my cottage letting what was left of the day pass away. I had built one quite close to Fluttershy’s. The calm, peaceful, and serene atmosphere is very much enjoyable. I closed my eyes and listened to the elegant song of nearby birds. Only to be interrupted by a Pegasus smashing into me. “I’m sorry. I just don’t know what went wrong,” said the Pegasus in a familiar voice. “Hi, Derpy. When did you become a mailmare?” I asked regaining my senses. “When I got fired from the weather team,” she said glumly. I guess we all knew that that was going to happen some time. “I have a letter for you!” Derpy exclaimed happily while handing me a letter. It was a strange letter. It was a navy blue envelop with no writing on it. After examining it, I noticed that it was magically sealed and that I was the only one who could open it. This was enough proof that it was important. “Thanks Derpy,” I said putting a muffin on her nose. I have a pouch of emergency muffins now as Derpy encounters happened too often. Derpy focused both eyes onto the muffin and flew off into the Everfree Forest. I’m pretty sure that wasn’t her destination, but she was too distracted to care. After she left my view, I opened the envelop. It simply said, “meet me at the eastern porch of the canterlot palace at midnight.” It didn’t say who it was but I think I had an idea. I spread my electric wings and started slowly making my way to the palace. It was quite early but the city was especially beautiful at this time of the day. [/hr] I landed on the porch as instructed and leaned against the wall. Having an appointment at midnight didn’t bother me that much. I was pretty much nocturnal anyways. After a few minutes Luna emerged from inside. So Luna sent me the letter? My instincts were correct. Luna looked at me with stern eyes much like one of regal birth. “Thanks for coming on such short notice. Please come in.” Naturally, I did as she said. The inside of the porch was her bedroom. It was not decorated too much. Just a simple bed, a closet, and some paintings on the walls. Her room was quite empty aside from the aforementioned items. “You are probably wondering why I asked you to come,” Luna spoke with her chin raised. I didn’t need to reply as she knew the answer. “First, there is a secret I have not told you yet. You did not come here by accident. I brought you here. I have been watching you ever since you were promoted in the army.” Well, I didn’t expect that. She continued. “I had a problem I needed help with and ponies were not going to be any help whatsoever. Why have I chosen your kind, then? Why have I chosen to bring a human? Your kind has something that mine lacks. Your kind has a natural curiosity and reflex to question the world and what they’re told. A pony would hear the general opinion and quickly accept it as the truth. However, a human would think and question. This is how your kind has managed to develop this far in terms of technology and science. Your curiosity and ambitions are your kind’s greatest power but it is also your greatest flaw. Ambitions and greed fogs a human’s judgement. You are different. You are an inquirer and yet you are also balanced. Your curiosity and ambitions do not cross paths with your selflessness and care for others.“ “Thanks, I guess,” I replied. “But I still do not understand why you need me.” “But of course. Although you adapted to Equestria, there are some things that you still do not believe, correct?” “Yes.” “What would some of these things be?” “Firstly, I have never believed that you and Celestia controlled the movement of the sun and the moon. Even after your realistic demonstrations, I was not convinced. Secondly, I always thought there was something unnatural about the cutie marks. I don’t think that any creature would have their destinies sealed from birth. That would mean that they would spend a small portion of their life finding their destiny. Then what? What they do for the rest of their life is pretty much decided.” “This is exactly why I chose you. You didn’t believe in the rising of the sun and moon because of your kind’s natural curiosity of life leads to scientific theories to prove that our ability in moving the sun and moon is possible. You have such strong beliefs that you would not accept the positive gain of cutie marks. You do not accept this though all those around you have one and accept it gladly. Also, your persistent intuitions and doubt have made you continue to question its very concept. But your self-control has caused your questions to never be asked.” Luna is a genius. She must have planned all of this years before. It is simply incredible that she is able to see things so critically. “Well,” she continued. “The other reason is that you are brave and stand up for your beliefs and are strong enough to do so. You have proven yourself to be exactly what I needed in your first year of stay here which is why today I will tell you that both of your doubts are correct.” Wait, what? “I and Celestia have never controlled the sun and moon. Celestia made that up to stay in power and so that our subjects would obey us. The cutie marks are actually a magical seal that Celestia has created. It is a seal of destiny. The seal automatically sets one’s destiny at birth and becomes visible only when one realises. Usually, when a person, such as yourself, notices the seal they would recognise it as such - a seal. But it is so common that ponies just simply accept it.” “You sound like you are against this,” I said. “But yet you allowed this to continue. Why?” “Because I have tried to convince Celestia…” Luna said this turning away. “...that is how I got a sentence of one thousand years on the moon. But now, I have found someone who can accomplish something I couldn’t. My people are living in so much pain that they do not mind anymore. I need your help.” I looked down and thought of all of the information I had just received. I believed Luna. I wanted to help her people. I wanted to stop Celestia. But how? How am I to accomplish this? “Alright, Luna,” I began. “I wish to take up your cause.” “Thank you. You don’t know how long I have prayed for your answer to be that.” “Okay so, wait. Who do you pray to? Aren’t you basically like a god or something?” “Shut up! You know not of what you speak!” Luna yelled turning to face me once again. “I’m sorry… Anyways, we need to gain recognition. The only way such a big change could occur is with others involved. This change would only be able to take place if the ponies of Equestria heed the cause, agree, and support it.” I turned around to think but instead locked eyes with Celestia. “Huh...I didn’t really mean this kind of recognition.” Celestia gave off small short-lived laughter. “So, Luna, did you not learn your lesson from last time. Do you think that this man will change anything?” Celestia said with due confidence. I saw fear in Luna’s eyes as she backed up behind me. This was a side of Luna I have never seen. She always seemed so fearless and so sure. “Well, since you are not going to learn I will send you to a place of permanent banishment the living only know at their life’s end.” I saw Celestia’s horn start to glow. Was Celestia about to kill her own sister? Surely, she would not do that. Celestia wouldn’t do that, right? Unfortunately, I think she is going to go through it. I can’t sit here and do nothing. Luna is counting on me, after all. This is no time to have doubts hold me back. What is happening is happening and I am going to stop it. I put my left hand on Luna’s head. I pushed my right hand in front of me giving off a heavy amount of my magika. The electric magic in my right hand created a small circular barrier which imploded quickly resulting in Luna and I to dematerialise into electricity and be transferred to the closest cloud missing a blast from Celestia’s horn. This was one of the first powers I’ve learnt. It allows me to take the form of lightning and materialise after touching the ground from a cloud in the form of a lightning bolt. I called it ‘Lightning’s Path’ since that is what occurs when I activate the power.   I looked down onto Ponyville from my cloud. I set my destination to right outside Twilight’s library. Within a second, both Luna and I were there. Luna had passed out. I quickly grabbed Luna hoisting her onto my shoulders and went inside the library before the ponies inside could come to their senses after the shock. “Hello Twilight,” I said. “You are probably wondering why I’m carrying Luna on my shoulders. I will explain everything once you and Luna gather the other elements.” “Are you sure you’ll be alright?” Twilight asked eyeing my chest. “Why wouldn’t I be?” “There is a giant cut across your chest.” I looked down and realised that she was right. “I’ll be fine, just hurry,” I said calmly. AHHH, FUCK, AHH, I’M DYING, AHHH. I’m sure I wouldn’t even feel it if Twilight didn’t tell me. AHHH. THE PAIN. So, basically I didn’t manage to dodge Celestia’s attack completely, well, at least she missed my nipples. I should really get my body up to the same speed as my brain. I painfully lowered a waking Luna from my shoulders. A few moments passed in pure agony. “Thank you all for coming,” I said still calm despite the searing pain in my chest. “Of course, darling!” Rarity said. “And since you brought Luna it must be important.” “Thank you again. This is quite a long story and Luna knows it better. So it is better that she explain to you why we are here,” I said still in much pain but calm as a gentle breeze. A few minutes passed. “I understand what you are saying. But there is absolutely no way I would ever believe you. Even if I did, I will not betray Celestia no matter her choices,” Twilight said. Twilight’s response was solid. It was what I expected of her. She was Celestia’s protégé and worshipped the sun princess. Rainbow Dash had different thoughts on the matter. “I don’t like this. I don’t like this at all. It is unfair that ponies can’t choose their purpose in life. It is unfair that Celestia has deceived us all this time. I will join Luna and fight for her cause, ” Rainbow Dash proudly stated. Rainbow Dash was more open minded than Twilight. Despite the fact that her range of knowledge was still smaller, she was better at reasoning and thinking logically. Applejack put in her two cents. “Ay don’t care what Celestia did. Equestria is happy under her rule so ay ain’t gonna do anything that might change that.” Applejack was never one for change. She thought that if something was good there was no reason to risk making it worse by trying to make it better. Better safe than sorry is what she always said. Surprisingly, Fluttershy spoke up next. “I cannot believe that Celestia would do this to us. I will join Luna and her cause. I refuse to have Celestia as my leader.” I could hardly believe it when I heard this come out of Fluttershy’s mouth. She was always so timid and afraid. I always knew she had courage inside of her. I never expected this though. “Gee, I dunno. Everything seems alright. I’m going to stick with Celestia,” Pinke said unsure about the whole thing. Pinkie is Pinkie. Pinkie will always be Pinkie. Pinkie will always be the simple-minded Pinkie who is happy about everything. “I will join Luna. Celestia is blocking out the adventure that life has to offer,” Rarity said elegantly. Rarity was always the philosopher. She saw beauty in everything and can’t stand it when it is not being shown. She has a sister, though. What will she do about her? “If you are not with us you are against us,” Twilight stated coldly. “We are friends but we cannot remain so if you threaten Celestia’s ways.” “I’m sorry, Twilight,” Rainbow Dash said. “But I have made up my mind and so has the rest of us.” We five walked out of the library and away from the town. I got everyone to place their hand on me and I prepared to perform Lightning’s Path again to remove us from Equestria. “This is the last chance for you three to turn back.” “I will not turn back though I’ll miss my animal friends,” Fluttershy said. I like this determined side of Fluttershy. It shows her true potential. “Very well,” I said as I created a barrier of electricity suddenly realising I still had pain in my chest.