//------------------------------// // Chapter 5--Princess Celestia // Story: What You Don't Know // by Flaming Pulsar //------------------------------// Chapter 5--Princess Celestia The next day, I got a letter from Celestia. I unrolled the scroll and read it. Dear Síor, I have an hour block open in which I may speak with you. I will allow you up to ten minutes to prepare yourself. Send a reply when you are ready. --Princess Celestia. “Hey Spike, could you send a reply? Dear Celestia, Can I bring Qene? Love your favorite human, Síor.” He sent it and I busied myself getting my stuff together. That didn’t take long since I didn’t exactly have anything to my name except the shirt on my back. Actually, I didn’t even have that. Have I mentioned that I absolutely hate sleeping nude? After a few minutes, Celestia sent a reply via Spike. He grabbed it from the air and read it. “Dear Síor, From what I understand, Qene is your manticore. I do not have his teleportation trace yet so in order for him to get here, he would have to come manually. I don’t think the ponies of Canterlot would much like a manticore showing up on a train unattended. Another option would be for you to fly him to Canterlot but you would have to know how to get here. It’s up to you. --Princess Celestia.” “Reply to her, Dear Celestia, I’ll just fly him up. I’m sure Twilight can show me the way. LYFH, Síor.” “Hey Síor, why do you always make me write your letters? You have hands, too,” Spike said. “Yeah, but there’s only one person alive that can read my handwriting without having to strain and that’s me.” “I’m sure it’s not that bad.” “Trust me, it is. It took my own mother a few years to be able to read it and that’s only because she was my english teacher so she had to learn how to read it. Most of my friends could read it too but they had to practice reading it. Besides, they’re all dead now. And possibly in another dimension for all I know.” When I finished my moping, a reply came from Celestia and Spike read it. “Dear Síor, Very well. I will have some guards sent to meet you when you get here and they will take you to my sitting room. I look forward to our talk. --Celestia.” “Heh, she’s already dropping the title for me. Where’s Twilight? I need her to show me how to get to Canterlot.” “I think she’s down in the lab.” “This place has a lab?” “Yeah, it’s in the basement.” “...This place has a basement?” “You don’t explore much, do you?” “I swear I explored every inch of this place and I didn’t see any basement.” “Well, you probably weren’t looking close enough. The basement door is right there.” He pointed to a door by the stairs. “Was that always there?” I asked, walking over to it. “As long as I can remember.” “Huh. Well, I’m gonna go talk to Twilight now. You can go back to doing fuck all.” “Um, what does that mean?” “Just do whatever.” I went down into the basement lab that seemed to have appeared just so Twilight had somewhere to be. “Twilight, you down here?” “Síor, is that you?” I heard her ask. “The same. Why are all the lights turned off?” “Because I’m doing an experiment with an extremely light-sensitive substance.” “Whatever. Can you show me how to fly to Canterlot? I want to bring Qene but Celestia doesn’t have his trace yet.” “You should be able to see the capitol if you’re just standing outside. It’s attached to a cliff on the distant mountains.” “That far, huh? I don’t know if Qene can make that trip.” “Don’t worry, Síor. Manticore wings are the second strongest in the world. Only dragons have stronger wings.” “Huh, ok. I’ll be off then.” “Be respectful around the Princess, Síor. She’s royalty after all.” “Yeah, I’ll think about it.” I left to get Qene. We had to designate an extra room to him with an extra large door leading directly outside because he was so big. Once I got him, we left to Canterlot. The flight took about ten minutes and once we got there I saw a pair of royal-looking guards. They came up to me and one of them said, “The Princess is waiting for you.” I felt like being a smart-ass so I said, “Which one?” The guy looked dumbfounded for a second before saying, “Princess Celestia.” Quieter he said, “Still need to get used to that.” I followed them to what was obviously the castle. They led me to a door and told me to go inside. When I entered, I saw that it was a very simple sitting room. There were a couple chairs, which I had no idea how a pony would even use, and a couch with a white alicorn on it. I sat down in one of the arm chairs and waited for Celestia to start talking. Qene went to a corner to lie down. “Síor, I believe it was,” she said when we were settled. “Yep, that’s me,” I replied. “Tell me, how did you acquire a manticore as a pet?” “Well, we were in the forest and he was blocking our way. I noticed a thorn in his paw and pulled it out. Then he adopted me as his owner.” “I see. Do you know why I called you here today?” “Because you didn’t want to wait until tomorrow when I would have proper clothes on.” She was slightly taken aback by my answer but overcame her shock quickly enough. “No, I called you here to discuss your presence in this world.” “Hey, if I could leave, I would. But as it is, I’m stuck here.” “Actually, I’m glad that you are. Your residence in Ponyville might be enough to break the xenophobia that the ponies have.” “Or it might increase it. Either way, I’m not making any efforts to fit in or get people to like me.” “That is fine, your existence is all that I ask. There is another matter I would like to discuss, though.” “Go for it.” “About 1000 years ago, my sister and I faced a villain known as Discord. Do you know anything of him?” “Well, my first day here I was stuck in a library so I started reading history books so I could get an idea of what this world is all about. I found many history books. They all said that Discord was a creature of immense power that ruled Equestria in an eternal state of chaos until you and Luna stood up to him and used the Stones of Power, or Elements of Harmony as they are now known, to turn him to stone. All but one of them said that. The other one mentioned something about a deal made between you and him and how he tore apart your family.” “It is the one that is different that is most important for it is the only one that is true. 1000 years ago, Discord visited me after imprisoning my cousin, Starswirl the Bearded, for meddling in Discord’s business. He made a deal with me. He explained that after living for billions of years he wanted to die but he couldn’t. He said that he came into being with the humans, the first sentient race, and has lived ever since. He continued saying that he had a master plan for his own death. This plan involved tearing my family apart to leave only me. He also said that I was a major part of his plan. He mentioned a human as well. A single human that he kept from extinction. I have reason to believe that human is you. He told me that he would break free from his stone prison one year after I was reunited with Luna. In this time, I want you to learn as much as you can about him.” “You said he couldn’t die. Why is that?” “Immortality is granted for many reasons. Discord exists because chaos exists. Until there is no longer chaos in the world, or even the universe, Discord will live. This is my theory at least. He did not tell me specifically why he couldn’t die.” “Why did you cover up the deal?” “That was done on Discord’s command. He wanted himself portrayed as the most evil villain ever. He explained that it was part of his plan. I left one history book untouched in the Canterlot library in hopes the Twilight Sparkle would one day find it.” “Why Twilight? What’s so important about her?” “Well, for one, she represents the Element of Magic.” “And if the history book that’s different is correct, that’s a lie.” “You catch on quickly. The Elements of Harmony, or Stones of Power, were created by Discord to be used against Discord himself. The ‘spirits’ of the Elements are nonexistent. Anypony can wield them. The tricky part is that nopony knows how the Element of Magic is obtained. When I got it, Discord gave it to me and I suspect his handiwork in its appearance in the ruins.” “Why do you think he did it? And how could he have done it, isn’t he trapped in stone?” “Yes, but I have reason to believe that he still has some influence while in his stone prison. Certain goings-on recently have not made much sense and his 1000-year prophecy came true to the day. Surely, that must be his doing.” “My name’s not Shirley. But you make a good point. So, what’s my role in all this?” “Well, first you must know that I was not missing when Night Mare Moon appeared. I was in hiding because I needed to make sure events happened as they needed to. I was watching you and the Ponyville mares when you went into the forest. Twilight was right in saying that you represented each of the Elements. And I theorize that, due to your existence being the work of Discord, you could summon the Element of Magic at will if you so desired. I suspect that your continued existence is so that Discord can have you represent each of the Elements and have their powers transfer to you.” “An interesting theory but where’s your proof, how do you know it’s not just some crazy coincident?” “I don’t know, I have no proof. Ever since that day 1000 years ago, I have been trying to piece together Discord’s plan but I can never make any definite conclusions because there is never any proof. Day in and day out I theorize different possibilities but the truth is I simply don’t know.” “Well, I will help you in theorizing but as you said, there is no definitive proof. I will do as you ask and learn about Discord as much as possible but I can’t promise any result. Is there anything else you needed?” “There was one more thing. Every spring, the delegates from the different nations meet for a grand party in a pre-selected major city. My ponies are known for being intolerant to other species so I was wondering if you could come with me this time.” “Perhaps. It’s not for many months, though. A lot can happen in that time. Where’s it supposed to be?” “Mareidian.” “Using my internal translator of these fucktarded pony puns, I’m going to assume that’s Meridian. If so, which one, I remember there being a lot of Meridian’s in my time, if this is in fact the same world.” “Mareidian, Idahoof. It’s Equestria’s main potato export.” “Huh, even after billions of years, Idaho is still only known for potatoes. Oh well, it’ll be nice to return to my home town. I haven’t been home for eight years, plus a few billion I guess.” “You’re from Idahoof?” “It was known as Idaho in my time, but yeah. If I’m not doing anything else in nine months, I’ll come with you.” Heh, nine months. I could knock a girl up and start a family in that time. If all the girls weren’t fucking ponies, that is. “Splendid. That is all I needed from you. You may leave whenever.” “Can I talk to Luna?” “She’s sleeping now, if you wish to speak with her, you will have to wait until she wakes up tonight.” “Right, princess of the night, forgot about that.” “And in any matter, she is not accepting guests yet, I would like to properly situate her into modern society before I allow her to see the citizens.” “How long will that take?” “Hopefully no more than a few months but it’s hard to say. She’s been gone for 1000 years, everything is different for her.” “I suppose that’s true. Well, until we meet again.” “Until then, Síor.” We left and returned to Ponyville that evening, just in time to stay up for six more hours and go to sleep at 2 am. Fucking insomnia.