//------------------------------// // Ch. 32 - Resignation // Story: The Monster in the Twilight // by Georg //------------------------------// The Monster in the Twilight Resignation “Flower, is that you? Do my eyes see what is true?” Zecora stumbled forward, falling to her knees in front of the dark alicorn laying on the floor. A single tear hesitated at her eye, finally falling to the dusty floor of the ancient throne room with an almost audible splash. The alicorn raised her protective wing slightly from over the small body, and a sudden gasp swept through the room. “She’s gorgeous!” “Look at her wings!” “She has all of our colors.” “Why, she’s an alicorn!” “Rarity! She looks just like that time we did your laundry!” A second, much smaller alicorn filly was sprawled motionless on the cold stone floor, her mane and coat a streaked explosion of colors that streamed from her nose all the way to her tail as if all the sun-drenched clouds of a vibrant sunset had been condensed together and formed into a tiny little pony. Bits of her mane glittered in the radiant sunbeam slanting down through the window, making a slow chromatic flow down her neck that shimmered and glowed even while the little filly raised one violet wing to shade her face and muttered, “Turn’t down, Mom?” “Monster!” Five little ponies flung themselves across the floor, piling onto their friend in a joyous ball of happiness that drowned out all coherent speech in the room. Even Princess Celestia appearing in a ball of light inside the throne room window a few moments later seemed anticlimactic. Rather than interrupt the ecstatic reunion, if possible, the adult ponies all quietly tip-hooved to the other side of the room where they would be able to hear each other. Celestia and Luna leaned against each other with fierce intensity, avoiding the same pony-pile that had overtaken Twilight Sparkle and her friends only by the discipline of their advanced ages, although it had been a close judgement call. “Sister,” said Celestia, her eyes still closed while she returned to the hug she was sharing with Luna. “Can you ever forgive me?” “No, big sister.” Luna clutched Celestia even tighter, with long-delayed tears finally beginning to pour down her cheeks. “The blame is entirely mine own. We shall not forgive you, for there is nothing to forgive. You did what had to be done to save our ponies from what I had become. I knew in my heart that you would find a way to save me from my folly, and reunite us the way were were supposed to be. Together.” “It is my fault, little sister. I should have seen the pain you were in. I should have done something. I drove you away! It was my actions that made you into that… thing!” “No, Celly. No. I can forgive you a thousand times over before I can forgive myself. I struck you! I tried to kill you!” They continued their tear-soaked embrace while the adult ponies stood sniffling to one side. Finally Luna managed to choke out an anguished wail, “I’m so sorry!” The babbling of high-pitched voices to one side abruptly cut off, and a stampede of tiny hooves cascaded up to the two princesses as the young ponies dashed over to provide comfort. It was not as effective as they had hope, but instead seemed to have a negative impact as the dark alicorn only cried harder in their innocent presence. Her tears washed down the front of her chest, drenching the little ponies when they clustered near and even dampening the coats of the adults who could not help but attempt to add their consolation to the distraught new princess. A thousand years of cold reserve broke in both of the old alicorns as their tears unlocked deep emotions which had not been diminished by the passage of time. Almost incoherent, Luna sobbed, “What if I am weak again, sister? I can no longer be trusted by your side!” “Never, little sister.” Celestia leaned over Luna, her tears flowing down the pastel mane which nearly engulfed the smaller alicorn. “I have not fought so hard, risked so much to lose you again. I shall always be there for you.” “You were there when I became the Nightmare, and it did not help,” sobbed Luna, her emotions at the ragged edge of control. “I was so afraid, of you, of my ponies, of being forgotten and alone. The darkness will always be there for me. Waiting.” Neither alicorn sister noticed the sharp gasp from around their knees, and the clatter of little awkward hooves as Twilight Sparkle scurried outside, returning a few minutes later with something clutched between her teeth. “Princess? Princess Luna?” Twilight’s voice was muffled as she nudged the dark alicorn, finally resorting to a sharp poke with her rounded filly horn to get Luna’s attention. “Here.” “What is it, child?” asked Luna, shocked out of her tears momentarily by the tattered scrap of cloth carried by the tiny multicolored alicorn. She held the scrap up to the sunlight that streamed through the window of the ancient throne room and regarded it with bafflement. “Miss Smartypants,” said Twilight Sparkle with a sharp nod of her head, as if her carefully pronounced words explained every question in the universe. “Smartypants?” asked Luna quizzically, blinking away tears to glance at her sister, although her blank look in return did not add any additional information to her puzzlement. “Yes.” Twilight took a deep breath and sounded her words out one at a time. “Or as she is properly called, Miss Smartypants, Ruler of the Back Yard, Guardian of the Night, and Defender of the Bedroom.” Dropping her voice to a loud whisper, she added, “She’s my doll.” “Really. Well.” At a loss for words, Luna turned the scrap of cloth over several times before determining which end was up, giving the tattered scrap of cloth a long look into the two mismatched buttons that were most probably its eyes. She paused, holding the doll loosely in her magic field before bringing it in closer and giving it a sniff. The damp, star-strewn mane that cascaded down Luna’s back gave a slight twitch, and ever so slowly began to ripple as if a faint breeze blew through the ancient castle. “Hast thou ever given thy defender to another pony, Twilight Sparkle?” “Once.” Twilight did not turn away, but kept her eyes focused on Luna. “He is a big, strong stallion. Afraid, but Miss Smartypants helped! Go ahead. Hug her.” Even while her emotions continued to churn into a chaotic turmoil in her head, Luna could not look into those trusting purple eyes and deny her request. She brought the dirty scrap of cloth to her chest and gave it a little hug, just once. Only a little one. Very small. And she knew. “Thank you, Twilight Sparkle.” Luna gave the grubby scrap of cloth a second hug while a small smile emerged onto her face like the moon coming out from behind a cloudbank. The little alicorn beamed in return, seemingly reflecting and amplifying the smile until it filled the entire throne room. “You can keep her. Take good care of her. Wash. Patch holes. Mom can patch for you. I keep burning holes when I try.” “I’ll help you with the patches, Luna,” said Celestia, moving up to put one wing over her sister. “Celly!” Luna looked up at her sister and tucked Miss Smartypants under one wing protectively. “You can’t even darn a pair of socks.” “Thank you again, Twilight Sparkle,” said Celestia with a smile, keeping her wing spread over her little sister. “We will be taking you home shortly, so if you and your little friends would like to get some pictures—” “Pictures!” squealed Twilight, bounding off towards the other end of the throne room with the rest of her friends in tow. “I want to sit in the throne!” “No, me! Me!” Chuckling slightly despite herself, Luna leaned against her sister while she watched the little ponies play. “The place of her creation took away all of her pain, but my heart was torn by forces without and within. Save for the fact I would have lost you, my sister, I would that I had been reborn a foal, without the memories of my terrible deeds, or the responsibilities of my position. Thank you, dear sister.” She wiped her face with one hoof, turning to blink at the rest of the adult ponies, who all returned her look with various degrees of concern. With a painful gulp, and an extra squeeze to the doll under her wing, she stiffly nodded her head and addressed them as formally as possible. “We must thank thee also for thy assistance in our release. Thou all…” She trailed off with a sniff, and blinked away yet another tear, unable to speak any more. Stepping forward, Zecora went to one knee and bowed her head. “Oh, Imetabiriwa na Anga of the moon, we are honored to greet you in this room. To accept my daughter’s gift was very right, for in her grip, many nightmares it has put to flight.” After Luna nodded her head to the zebra, Applejack stepped forward, her hat in hoof while she nervously bowed. “Your Highness. Highnesses. We all just wanted to welcome you back to Equestria, an’ you ain’t gotta be so scared of nuttin’ no more. This here’s a lot different place than it were when you… You know.” “Used the Element of Magic to create Nightmare Moon.” Luna’s voice was steady, but the stars in her mane slowed in their waving to a mere crawl, and the wing with Miss Smartypants tucked underneath was held quite tightly against her side. “Yeah, that’s it. I don’t think ya gotta reckon that’s gonna happen again, since Trixie there has that magic gizmo now, and I don’t think she could magic her way out of a wet paper bag.” Applejack waved at the unicorn in question, who still looked almost exactly as frazzled as she did when the portal was being closed. The rest of the ponies had emerged from the event refreshed, even Rarity’s short tail being restored to its glorious curly state, but Trixie was unchanged, from her singed hide to her nearly burnt away mane. Trixie gave no indication of hearing her name, but remained staring vacantly at the cluster of small ponies playing around the stone chairs at the other end of the room. “Plus I don’t think that there gadget really likes her all that much anyways.” “I… see.” Luna looked over the small group of adult ponies, then turned to give the little ponies at the far end of the room a second look. “You do not fear us?” she asked with a sniff, turning back to Applejack who was holding her hat uncomfortably in front of her chest. “No, Ma’am. Trixie done explained how you’re Princess Celestia’s sister and all. I reckon since she’s kinfolk, she oughta know you better than any of us. If she trusts you, we should trust you too.” “They have faith in you, sister,” added Celestia, nodding her head at the group and in particular, one pony who stood out more than the rest. “You underestimate the love they have for us. Is that not correct, changeling?” “Tallgrass, Ma’am,” said the changeling with a nervous nod. “And yes, Ma’am. If there was any more love here, I’m afraid I would burst. They’re a very forgiving kind, your ponies. When my hive blew up, they came to help regardless of our previous deception. Their love for each other and for strangers is beyond my kind’s conception.” Suppressing a distracted grimace, Tallgrass nodded at Trixie and added, “I think their compassion is contagious, because I’m even willing to forgive her behaviour most outra—” Clamping a hoof over his face, the changeling gave a short bow to Princess Luna before backing away, although Zecora continued to watch him with unnatural curiosity. “Well,” said Celestia, looking over at her student who still seemed engrossed in the playing of the six little ponies at the other end of the room. “My student, it seems I owe you an apology. Trixie?” Celestia cocked her head to one side. “Trixie? Wake up?” “I’ve got this one,” said Pinkie Pie with a happy bounce, sliding up beside Trixie with a quill and a sheet of paper. “Can I get an autograph, oh Great and Powerful Trixie?” “Wings…” Trixie blinked into wakefulness, and pointed at Twilight Sparkle, who was balanced on top of four other little ponies on one of the thrones, waving cheerfully at the camera being carried by her friend. “She’s got wings.” “She has wings, darling,” corrected Rarity. “It’s perfectly normal for an alicorn. You should have told us. And she has such a beautiful color scheme, too! I’m so looking forward to making her a play dress. “And throwing her a party!” added Pinkie Pie. “Teaching her how to fly,” said Rainbow Dash. “Introducing her to all of my animals,” said Fluttershy. “And having her little friends out to the farm to play,” said Applejack, although she did hesitate once the words were out of her mouth. “There is much that I can teach her, now that I can finally reach her,” added Zecora. “Um,” started Tallgrass, only to recoil when Trixie jabbed a hoof in the direction of the playing children and hissed at Celestia. “She has wings. Wings!” “Undoubtedly the Element of Magic—” began Celestia before Trixie cut her off with a rude gesture, jamming the golden tiara on her own head and glaring at her teacher and the Princess of Equestria with an intense glower. “Where’s mine?” The faint tickle of feathers across her flank made Trixie freeze. She lowered both of her front hooves to the ground for stability before ever so slowly turning her head. First to swim into her vision was a single light-blue feather, then a wide blue wing, fanning up and down across her flanks… Then Rainbow Dash’s smirking face as she fanned her wings over Trixie, being suspended over the student’s back by Pinkie Pie’s strong earth pony hooves. “Rainbow Dash!” cried out Trixie, her face reddening with anger while she drew in a deep breath to begin shouting. For the longest time in the ancient throne room, there was no noise except for the small ponies at the other end of the room, trying to build a pyramid of their bodies on one of the thrones. And then there was a small snort. And an infectious giggle. Followed by a gale of laughter as Trixie collapsed on the dusty ground, rolling onto her back and kicking her legs in the air. They all laughed, even Luna, although with substantial restraint, and even though the little ponies did look over at what the crazy adults were doing, they decided that getting pictures taken in silly poses was a far more fun-filled activity. “Ooo, I’m going to get you back someday, Rainbow,” chuckled Trixie. “Thanks. I really needed that.” “Hey, don’t mention it. Um. Thanks?” Rainbow Dash flew down to Trixie and put a hoof to her forehead. “Did that weird headband warp your brain or something?” “Your Trixie is indeed acting quite strange, but I do not think she is deranged.” Zecora shrugged. “Any more than she was before.” “The crazy zebra is right for a change.” Trixie rolled to her hooves and lit her horn to pick up the tourmaline-topped tiara, holding it hesitantly in her magical grip while her face grew serious. “Princess Luna, when I first stole that book from your sister’s library… Actually, now that I think of it, that book was awfully easy to steal.” Celestia merely smiled, never stopping her warm embrace of her long-lost sister for even a moment. “Anyway, the minute I figured out what the Elements were, I had it all planned out. I would use the power of the Elements to become an alicorn. Using my new powers, I would defeat the legendary Mare in the Moon and go on to rule all of Equestria at Celestia’s side. All the while we slogged through that stupid forest, I knew what would happen when I picked the Elements up. My destiny would be fulfilled. Wings and a crown.” Trixie turned the golden tiara upside-down, holding it as she would have held a venomous snake. “That all went straight to Tartarus. When this thing touched my head, I saw… Echoes, reflections, whatever you call it, all the way back to when the Titans created the Elements.” Lost in thought at the sights she had seen, Trixie held the tiara loosely, making the smallest movement to put it on her head before she caught herself with a frown. “Princess Luna, I could see every time it had ever been used before, when you and your sister used it, and when Twilight used it, and… I’ve never been so afraid of something in my life. You used it to create a monster, Celestia used it to imprison you in the moon, and Twilight Sparkle used it to create a world. All my life, I’ve wanted power, fame, the love of millions, the knowledge of the universe.” Trixie turned the tiara around in her magic, the sunlight glinting off the ancient relic in little golden and pink glitters that seemed so harmless in the light of day. Finally, she sat it down on the cold stone floor in the sunlight and regarded it with a shake of her head. “Wings. I wanted wings, no matter the price. I saw what your sister could do and I was just eaten up by jealousy, just like you. I wanted to be her, I wanted to have her power, I wanted to be loved like her. I wanted, I thought, I yearned, it was all about me, never anypony else. I was so blinded by what I wanted, that I never thought about what I needed. Friends.” Her voice got very small as she continued. “It almost killed all those little ponies. The Elements don’t have any power on their own; they pull it out of their users. I never would have seen that as a problem before now. If I had used the damned thing on Nightmare Moon, I would have killed five little innocent friends from my arrogance. Even if I had succeeded, how much longer until I would use it like you did, Princess? How long could I last until I brought life to my own Nightmare?” “You used the Elements of Harmony, not for your own greed,” said Zecora, moving up and resting a hoof on her shoulder. “But with your friends to save lives in need. I think as a student, you may actually be capable of learning. Although,” she removed her hoof from the burnt cloak, wiping off some charcoal residue, “you should first try something that involves less burning.” “I intend on doing what I should have done in the first place. I’ve been just horrible to all of you, even the bug — I mean Tallgrass. And you, Zecora. I mean to make it up to all of you, and earn your friendship.” A pink aura surrounded the Element of Magic as Trixie floated it back over to Celestia, placing it down at her hooves with a faint click. “I quit.”