Chapter 1: Probe
The moon rose over Equestria. Its barren surface was littered with rocks. It was a dull grey, marred with craters. In the vacuum, there was silence. Nothing stirred on its lifeless surface. Nothing, until four figures looked up to watch as the Equestrian continent came into view on the Earth above them while they waited in the safety of a crater’s shadow.
An emaciated unicorn stallion in blue robes which had dulled with age lay on the ground. Some stars were still visible on his outfit, though they were worn. A pointy hat lay on the ground next to him. His horn glowed with a pink aura which also surrounded the heads of his companions.
A set of barding floated in the vacuum, the translucent image of a white, earth pony mare barely visible between the plates.
They did not need air to breathe, but they did need it to speak. Fortunately, the unicorn’s spell prevented that from being a problem.
“Night falleth yonder, upon Equestria, once more!” declared the earth mare, knowing that her comrades would hear her thoughts. “Surely this is the night whereupon Luna shall free us and we shall reign alongside her as her greatest and most devoted subjects!”
A pegasus mare wrapped in loose bandages which trailed along the moon rocks as she walked up to her said, “Thou hast proclaimed this every night. It hath not been correct, despite thy name, no matter how many times thou didst spake it ere now. It is time that we accept that things hath not proceded well.”
The floating barding spun towards the pegasus. “Hast thou so little faith in our princess, our faithful princess, Solemn?” she growled.
“If all is well, why doth the Sun rise every morning, Right?” asked Solemn as she blinked her grey eyes slowly. “Thou knowest I speak the truth.”
“Please! Suffer not argument to arise among us!” cried a male crystal skeleton wearing a tattered lab coat with a red cross. “You argue o’er this near upon every night! We defeated Discord! And yet you act as though we are still under his spell! How would he laugh to see us now!? Are we not friends? Let us not fight, but care for one another in this trying time!”
The two mares lowered their heads.
“We are sorry, First,” said Right lifting her blue eyes. “It was wrong of us not to think o’er how this affected you and Star. How is he?”
The skeleton looked back down at the emaciated unicorn.
“He is weak, is he not?” asked Solemn as she walked forward, dragging her bandages. “Tell us! We need to know!”
“Yes. He’s weak. It’s amazing that he hath for this long coped whilst supporting us. Unlike us, his kind needs sustenance. I know not how long his magic will last. He needeth to feed! We need to do something! He is suffering!”
“Of course!” said Right, her barding glinting as she rushed to his side. “Anything! What need I to do?”
First shook his skeletal head. “He cannot feed off thee. Thou hast naught on which to feed.”
The unicorn groaned and shook his pink mane out of his face. “Cease thinking of me as though I am not present! As if a member of the Swirl-line couldst possibly run out of magic! Let alone the Bearer of Magic! I am the Grand High Court Archmage of Equestria! I will give as much magic as my friends need!”
“Even thou hast limits, Star,” said Solemn, shifting her wings. “We need a way to help you. Tarrying for Luna obviously takest too long.”
“What suggesteth thou?” asked Right, turning her helmet.
“What if we tarried not for Luna?” asked Solemn, lifting her wings in a shrug. “Star, can thou bring us to Equestria? Once there, we can feed thou.”
“Of course I can!” said Grand High Archmage Star Swirl, his purple eyes narrowing into a scowl.
Solemn rustled her wings and turned towards First who stood with his tattered coat covering his lavender bones.
“I wilt not watch mine friend starve. Do it!” said First, stomping a skeletal hoof.
Solemn turned her bandaged head to face Right’s translucent visage.
“I like not leaving our post against Luna’s orders, yet I wilt not abandon him when he is in need,” said Right, shaking her helmet. “To Equestria, we go! We can aid our princess in conquering it back afterwards!”
There was a flash of light and they were gone.
(/)
Several months earlier, in the palace throne room, Cadance frowned. She had been certain that her aunt would be happy for her when she had approached the throne with her new fiancé. Yet an alicorn as in tune with emotion as she was could not miss the fact that Celestia seemed melancholic, despite that smile of hers.
“Well,” Celestia said. “That is good news. An engagement is something to be celebrated. But before we do so, I’d like to speak to the two of you.”
Cadance gave a worried glance at her new fiancé. Celestia seemed so unlike her usual jovial self.
Shining was at attention before his employer, but his sweat suggested a similar thought process.
“Separately,” continued Celestia. “Right now. I’ll start with you, Cadance.”
There was a flash of light and they disappeared from the throne room.
Cadance and Celestia appeared in Celestia’s bedroom. “I am sorry that I put off this discussion, Cadance,” said Celestia. “It is an unpleasant one and I was hoping that you would be older before we needed to have it. But I should have realised that it was time. I still dread the day that I will have to have it with Luna.”
“What’s the matter, Auntie Celestia?” asked Cadance, the pitch of her voice rising with concern.
Celestia closed her eyes and then opened them again.
“Traditionally, marriage between an alicorn and an ordinary pony was, while not forbidden, at least discouraged. An attitude I understand.”
Cadance scowled. How dare she!? “So you don’t approve because he isn’t an alicorn?! I don’t care! I love him!”
“I know that you love him. It is your nature to love. And it is why you are going to experience a pain that I wish I could protect you from. A pain that I am trying to reduce.”
Cadance’s anger was replaced with puzzlement and she tilted her head. “What do you mean?”
Celestia turned to Cadance. “How old are you, Cadance?”
Cadance frowned. “Okay. I may be young for an alicorn, but I know that I’m an adult! I am old enough to make this decision!”
“While you are getting close to the point, Cadance, you are still missing it. Answer the question.”
Cadance touched her chin with her hoof. Why was Celestia bringing this up? “We’re not sure. We usually treat the day we met as my ninth birthday. That was almost a hundred and seventy years ago.”
“And yet you have barely reached adulthood.” Celestia nodded. “Shining is almost ten times younger than you.”
Cadance frowned. Where was Celestia going with this? “I know that I’m older than him. I’m an alicorn. Of course I age slower. Does it really matter? I love him. And I’ll keep on loving him even as he grows old.”
“I know, but baring tragedy, Cadance, you may live to be over a thousand years old. How long do you think Shining’s life will be, assuming it isn’t tragically cut short in the line of his sometimes dangerous duty?”
Cadance’s eyes widened and she stepped back. “Are you saying...?”
“Many mares have to experience the pain of widowhood,” said Celestia. “You will have it happen to you while you are still young and unprepared. It is something that unfortunately happens, but in our case, it is practically a guarantee. Watching a loved one grow old and die before your eyes is hard enough when they are a friend. It is harder still for a lover.”
“Have ... you ever experienced that pain?” asked Cadance. “Is it really better to give it up before starting? What do you do?”
“I avoid it,” replied Celestia as she lowered her head. “Perhaps there will come a time when I decide that a pony is worth that pain. I need to know if you are ready to decide that Shining is worth it.”
Cadance closed her eyes and then opened them again. “I love him. I can’t pretend that I don’t. I can’t deny what’s in my heart.”
“I understand. You are the alicorn of Venus. To deny your love would defy who you are. Though I also need you to think of possible foals. They might inherit your nature, one day having to face the very burdens you do now, and they might not, forcing you to watch them grow old and die as well. It’s a little easier for a demi-alicorn like yourself, but not by much.”
Cadance bit her lip and then asked, “How did previous alicorns of Venus decide?”
Celestia looked at her niece quizzically. “Has Eros never discussed any of this with you?”
Cadance blushed. “Uncle Eros mostly just gives me flirting tips.”
Celestia rolled her eyes. “Trust my cousin to use his duty and power to guide the next holder of his seat from beyond the grave so irresponsibly. Well, each alicorn is different. Even if they hold the same seat. But I think that you will go for the most common route of devoting yourself to one pony at a time. It’s a hard path but it has been travelled before. Most alicorns of Venus do feel the need to have someone to love.”
Cadance tilted her head. Most? “There were exceptions?”
Celestia scowled. “There was one who loved only himself. And stole the love of others. But we should not talk about him. Especially on such a happy occasion.” She sshuddered. “The important thing is deciding how you want to manage that part of your life, bearing in mind what it will do to you in the long run and making your decision responsibly, even if that decision is simply to wait. Is that what you would rather do?”
Cadance lowered her head and closed her eyes. When she opened them, they glistened. “I’ve been waiting for this for so long already. I’ve already had to watch everypony around me grow up and get married while I had to stay young. Then I met Shining when I was finally old enough to see him as someone I could be with like I’d always wanted. And it was perfect. We finally have a chance to make that dream come true. If Shining is going to be with me for such a short part of my life, I want to use as much of it as possible. I want him to be my husband as soon as possible.”
Celestia nodded. “I might be able to arrange that. But first, I need to talk to your fiancé.” They returned to the throne room in a flash of light and with another, Celestia was gone again. This time with Shining.
At the top of one of Canterlot’s towers, Shining Armor appeared with Celestia.
“Captain Shining Armor Sparkle,” said Celestia. “At ease.”
Shining shifted his posture, spreading his legs into a more relaxed position, yet his muscles remained tense. Why was Princess Celestia acting this way?
“Shining, I want you to listen to everything that I have to say, but also to speak freely. I am not speaking to you as your Princess or your employer, but as the guardian of your fiancé.”
“That might be more intimidating,” replied Shining.
Celestia smiled. “I made you the Captain of the Royal Guard. I would not have done so if I did not approve of you. You are a fine young stallion and I’m sure that you can make Cadance very happy. But it would be negligent and cruel of me to let this proceed without warning the two of you about what you are getting into. I care about your well-being too much. So, I need you to be completely honest with me.”
Shining nodded.
“Do you love Mi Amore Cadenza?”
“Of course,” replied Shining.
“Do you believe that she loves you?”
“Yes.”
“Do you believe that she will always love only you in that way?”
Shining frowned. “What do you mean?”
Celestia stepped towards Shining. “Cadance is the type of pony who will love you with all her heart. But do you really expect that there will be none after you? You will be her first husband, Shining. Not her only. You may not even be her favourite. It isn’t like her to play favourites like that. You will die while Cadance is still young. And afterwards, she will seek a new spouse. It is her nature. I need to know if this is something that you are ready to accept. Are you willing to go into this marriage knowing that you will grow old, frail and die while she barely changes at all? And that she will have many more spouses after you, all of which she will love as much as she loved you?”
“If Cadance was an ordinary pony, like myself,” began Shining, “and I died in the line of duty while she was still young and she found another pony who could make her happy, I would want her to use that opportunity to be happy. Is that really so different?”
Celestia smiled. “You are a good stallion, Shining. A fine example of your family, which is itself a glimmering jewel among the nobility. I would be honoured to have you as a nephew-in-law and to join your family to mine. Assuming that you both decide that this is what you want.”
“I’ve already decided,” said Shining.
Celestia raised an eyebrow. “Already? Good news for the bride then?”
Shining smiled sheepishly. “I hope so.”
“Let’s confirm it then.” Celestia teleported them back to the throne room.
“So,” asked Celestia. “Do you want to go through with this?”
“I do,” answered both halves of the young couple.
“All right. I hope that you’ll let me inform Twilight. She should be done watching the dragon migration by now.”
(/)
The flash of light faded and Grand High Archmage Star Swirl collapsed on the ground, his spells ending.
His companions looked around at the trees. They were thick and tangle with bushes scattered haphazardly around. The trunks were twisted and gnarled and blocked most of the sky. The parts that were visible showed clouds moving without the aid of any pegasus.
“Where hast thou brought us, Star?” asked First.
“It appeareth to be the Everfree!” cried Solemn.
“What manner of insanity is this!?” squealed First.
“Ha!” said Right. “What containeth the Everfree that shouldst frighten the wielders of Harmony and vanquishers of Discord!?”
“It shouldst be Canterlot,” groaned Star Swirl.
Right turned towards him. “No! Surely Celestia is not so far gone that she wouldst abandon Canterlot to the Everfree!? It may have been located on the plains near the Everfree’s border, but surely she shouldst have known to fight off the forest’s encroachment!?”
“All those ponies,” whispered First, “homeless. We need to stop her afore her tyranny reacheth that of Discord!”
“If it hath not already,” said Right darkly. “She hath stolen the Elements from us. When I see that pegasus, I’m going to smash her! How can one be loyal, yet turn against Princess Luna?”
Solemn rolled her eyes. “It hast been o’er a thousand years. Pyra is dead. As are all of them, save one. It is her that we need to punish.”
“Of course,” sighed Right with a nod.
“Star’s health cometh first,” insisted First with a stomp of his hoof.
“Of course!” Right nodded.
“We need a living pony for him to feed on,” said Solemn.
“I shalt carry him to the nearest settlement,” offered Right.
“It shan’t be good to jostle him in his weakened state,” said First. “Suffer me to try mine powers granted by Luna.”
Right nodded. “Yes. Star shouldst be helped as much as possible.
First raised a hoof. He then chanted, “Oh Luna, Princess of the night, granteth me your dark power with which to sustain thy servant!”
An inky, swirling mass of magic formed around the hoof and he touched Star Swirl.
The unicorn sighed contentedly as his body absorbed the magic. “Thou should not do that too much,” he said. “We may need it more later. We knoweth not what troubles we may face.”
“Thou needeth us now,” replied Right. “We shalt worry o’er that later.”
“And as thy doctor, I shalt not leave thee without aid,” added First.
Right hoisted Star Swirl onto her back. “We shalt return soon,” she promised before galloping off at high speed.
Because she no longer got tired, she quickly reached the edge of the forest. “There appearest to be farmland yonder.” She swept a horseshoe across to indicate that they were between a field and an orchard. A red barn was on their left and a small farmhouse topped with a carrot sculpture was on their right. “Feeleth thee like carrots or apples?” she giggled.
“I canst not enter a stable, Right,” said Star as he slumped still more on her back.
“Suffer me to take care of that,” replied Right with a smirk as she lifted her head high. She galloped up to a house with a giant carrot on the roof. She then placed Star Swirl gently on the ground and rapped her hoof on the door.
Eventually, a droopy-eyed, yellow mare with an orange mane opened the door. “Hello?” she asked. She then looked up at her visitor. “GHOST!” she cried as she began to rapidly back away.
Right’s visage shimmered and faded, reducing the image of her body to nothingness. Her barding disassembled itself, flying apart until it seemed like an exploded diagram from a blueprint. The pieces flew into the house as the mare backed away screaming and collapsed around her, assembling over her body. They pushed her against the floor, pinning her and dragged her back outside. She lay helpless on the ground.
“Thank you,” whispered Star Swirl. His eyes glowed red and he opened his mouth, revealing his glistening, white fangs.
(/)
Star Swirl licked Carrot Top’s neck, closing the fang marks. He then looked into her eyes, his horn glowing. “Tell me where Celestia is.”
“Canterlot. The palace,” droned Carrot Top, her eyes wide and unfocused as she pointed a hoof.
“Canterlot!? But ...” Right began, before Star raised a silencing hoof. They looked in the direction the she was pointing and saw the city on the mountain. “Oh, so it is fine to abandon a city if thou wilt build a new one, is it? She shalt pay for this,” growled Right.
(/)
Solemn and First waited in the dark of the Everfree for their friends. The wind rustled the leaves and First fidgeted, shifting a pebble from side to side on the ground with his hoof. Solemn inspected her wings, frowning at the layer of moon dust covering the bandages. They were not alone for long. Eyes appeared in the darkness and growling filled the air.
“Timber wolves,” Solemn commented. “We will have to fight them.”
“For Luna’s sake! I am a doctor, not a warrior!” First complained.
“And I am an advisor,” sighed Solemn as she narrowed her eyes, trying to spot were all the wolves were hiding. “It never stopped us ‘ere now. Keepeth thine eyes open. Suffer not one to sneak up behind us.”
First turned around to face the opposite direction and they began to circle, watching as the growling grew louder and the number of eyes increased. “Thinketh thou that they are waiting for an inv—“ First stopped as the timber wolves charged.
Solemn flew into the air and dived, forehooves first, into the nearest timber wolf. The wolf smashed to pieces and the ground shook and cracked under the impact. Solemn’s eyes widened as she landed and she lifted a hoof to her eyes. “It seemeth that there art benefits to being over a thousand years old. We should have known from the alicorns.” She looked up to see that the twigs that made up the wolf were rotting away.
Another wolf lunged for First who kicked out with a forehoof to defend himself. The timber wolf squealed in pain and drew back as ugly growths began to swell all over its bark hide. Another wolf grabbed Solemn’s back leg and pulled, unwrapping her bandages and exposing her desiccated flesh. It let go as its teeth rotted away. She then flicked a bandage and wrapped it around the torso of another wolf which quickly rotted into compost. The remaining wolves ran away, whimpering.
“I feel sorry for them,” sighed First. “They art just animals. I wish that I could help them. A pity that I have not my hospital.”
“Thou needed not your hospital in the wars,” said Solemn. “Thou shalt be fine.”
“I am not as young as I used to be,” sighed First as he wrapped Solemn’s bandages back around her leg.
Right and Grand High Court Archmage Star Swirl ran back into the clearing. “We know where to find our old friend Celestia,” said Star.
“Where?” asked Solemn.
“She hath founded a new Canterlot,” growled Right.
“What!?” asked First. “How know thou this?”
(/)
“Thou art still weak, Star,” said Solemn after hearing Star’s explanation. “Is it wise to use thy powers so much?”
“I can feed as we travel,” replied Star Swirl. “After a thousand years, I can withstand the hunger.”
“Where?” asked Right as she waved at the Everfree foliage around them. “I saw no more settlements ‘ere New Canterlot.”
“I shalt be fine,” said Star. “I shalt not use mine more than necessary ‘ere feeding again.”
“How shalt we travel to New Canterlot?” asked Solemn. “Sunlight must not touch Star. I art much slower than ‘ere I died and whilst Star art much faster, he art still starved.”
“We shalt commandeer a cart for Luna’s service. I shalt pull you. I can gallop at full speed and not tire. I shalt not abandon mine friends. Follow me. I shalt lead you to victory once more!”
(/)
They followed Right through the forest, beating back foliage as they went. They soon arrived back at the farms and looked out at the apple orchard and field of carrots before them. They trotted over to the nearest cart and Solemn lashed Right to it.
“Get in,” said Right.
His companions climbed into the cart and Right tore off towards the mountain. The sound roused a dog which gotup and started barking.
A pony opened her window and leaned out, calling, “What is it, Wynona!?” Then she turned her head towards them. “Somepony’s stealin’ one o’ our carts!”