Chapter 21
The aftermath
With a final swoosh, the wind calmed down, revealing what was left of Celestia’s and Luna’s throne room.
Celestia looked out. “I’ll be back” she said. “I just need to do my job real quick, are you coming Luna?”
Luna nodded and rushed to her sister’s side, the two rushing out on the balcony. Luna looked at Celestia. “Are you ok?”
“No” Celestia said. “I can’t believe… I can’t believe I gone for no more than three weeks. The cold was unbearable, and the darkness suffocating… how do you not hate me… how do you not despise me after leaving you there for a thousand years?”
“I deserved it” Luna said. “I hurt so many… I was such a foal.”
“Nopony deserved that… nopony and especially not you.”
“Are you sure? Are you sure that after all I did… that I didn’t deserve to stay in that cold?”
“Yes…” Celestia looked at Luna, realizing that she was wearing the familiar night armor. “I thought you left that back in the Everfree Castle?”
“I went and got it back… now come, we have a lot to do.” Celestia nodded. And as the sun rose high in the sky, the others inside saw the light falling on the unconscious figure of Starvoid the cold. She lay shivering on the ground, looking like she had walked in the Frozen North alone without shelter for at least a week.
Looking down at her Rainbow Dash was the first who spoke. “Can somepony light a fire?”
Gilda looked surprised at her. “What, you want to help her?”
“Gilda don’t take this the wrong way but unless you have spent three weeks trapped in the coldness of space you do not get a say. Now somepony light a fire… and give her a blanket or something.”
Applejack and Pinkie Pie had already run to drag some of the thick curtains that had fallen from their hangers back to lie over the unconscious Starvoid, while Twilight and Rarity lit a fire in the fireplace. At the sounds of Celestia and Luna’s hooves, the group turned, bowing in respect.
“No need for that” Celestia said, sitting down next to the fire, simply enjoying the warmth. “Now then… I do believe we have a lot to talk about.”
Luna nodded and was about to start talking as a groan made everypony turned. Starvoid sat up groggily, groaning and clutching her horn. Then, as if remembering what had happened her eyes went wide. Looking up she saw everypony looking at her. Standing up she started to backpedal.
“No… I won’t go through this again… I am not going back to that cold hell, you can’t make me.”
“I never said I was” Celestia said. “Now come… sit by the fire, you look cold.”
“I’ve always felt cold” Starvoid said, not daring to move an inch from where she stood.
“I can imagine… probably the part of you that was a windigo.”
Starvoid flinched. “It came out huh… man that thing brings me nothing but so… wait what do you mean the part that ‘was’ a windigo.”
Celestia smiled friendly. “The elements of harmony… windigos feed of hate, and the elements of harmony banish hate. You are now a simple normal unicorn.”
Starvoid blinked, falling down to her haunches in shock. “I… I’m normal?”
“Yes… but we still have some things to talk about… it wasn’t the windigo that killed and hurt my subjects… that was you. And you also attacked my sister and I, as well as the bearers of the elements… you need to pay for your crimes.”
Starvoid looked at the floor, expecting the words death or exile to come next.
“Therefore I shall strip you of your powers. Beyond levitating and other basics you will no longer be able to use any kind of magic. Then, you are sentenced to house arrest within this castle for the next ten years.”
Everypony looked at Celestia, who looked at Starvoid sadly.
“You have lived a hard and cruel life, with next to no pony trying to befriend you… I remember all the reports back from when you first roamed our country and wondered how a pony could be so taken in by hatred.”
Celestia turned to look at Luna, who realized where this was going and went over to nuzzle her sister’s neck.
Celestia sniffed. “After you were banished I thought I’d never have to deal with another pony that felt rejected and misunderstood from the rest of the world… then my sister fell to the same darkness… I will not punish another pony for feeling sad and alone… but you need help and guidance Starvoid… and I am going to give it to you whether you want me to or not.”
Celestia blinked. “Besides, you need to work hard if you ever hope to repay the damage you have done to my castle.”
Celestia rose, walking over to Starvoid, who did not move. Laying her horn over Starvoids own, Celestia poured her magic in, and dragged magic out, until she was sure Starvoids powers had become limited for good.
“Spitfire, Soarin, take miss Starvoid to a cell until I know where else to place her… make sure it’s a warm cell.”
Soarin and Spitfire gave a small salute and landed on each side of the unicorn, who rose to her feet, her ears flat on her head as she walked with the two pegasi guards out of the room.
“Now then where was I… Oh yes, we have a lot to talk about.”
Vinyl was looking at the door. “Are you sure this is ok?”
Celestia smiled and winked. “I am the princess of the sun, and have lived longer than any of you and will live even longer after you are all gone… I know what I am doing.”
Vinyl nodded, turning around to the rest of the group.
“Well then” Celestia said smiling. “First things first, in all the commotion I’m afraid I still don’t know your names.”
Vinyl smiled. “I’m Vinyl Scratch, you probably don’t remember me but I was hired as the DJ for the royal wedding.”
Vinyl turned to Pinkie. “Thanks for fixing that by the way.”
Pinkie smiled. “Oh don’t be silly, a party without you as the DJ would not be an awesometacular party.”
Vinyl smiled. “I am also the substitute for the current holder of the element of laughter, having earned the pan flutes of laughter from Happy Jack the diamond dog in the Frozen North.”
“Very nice to meet you Vinyl Scratch” Celestia said smiling, turning to the next unknown face in the group.
“My name is Zecora your majesty, living a life in the forest of Everfree. A substitute for Fluttershy I am honored to be, a kinder pony I never did see. The bracelet of kindness was won in the Zebrica lands, the Griffin Gabriella guarding it away from the burning sands.”
“I’m Gilda of the griffin Kingdom, looking after Dash’s piece of the element of harmony, loyalty. I got the helmet of loyalty in the Griffin Mountains, guarded by the still living dragon Tanith.”
“I’m Derpy Hooves, Rarity chose me to take her place while she was… well indisposed. I got this fancy cloak of generosity in Staliongrad, guarded by Xolani, the nice Zebra that used to be the original holder of the element of generosity.”
“Big Macintosh is my name your majesty, but everypony call’s me big Mac. I am Applejack’s brother, and also her chosen substitute for the element of honesty. I got this sword from Tough Love up in the Dragon Mountains.”
Celestia smiled and turned to Trixie, the last one in the group.
“I am Trixie Lulamoon your majesty, chosen by Twilight Sparkle as her substitute for the element of magic. I got the amulet of magic from a cave in the Everfree forest… guarded by my long gone ancestor.”
Celestia blinked. “You are Starlight’s descendant?”
“That is what I believe… he said I had the Lulamoon eyes.”
Celestia looked at Trixie. “So you do… now then my little ponies, I want to know everything… as do I think your friends do.”
Luna smiled. “Very well sister, but you might want to get comfortable.”
Luna started talking about her own journey, starting with a strange feeling at the Dragon Kingdom, followed by the visions. The others told their stories, about their own experiences with the visions, and their brief feeling of freezing in despair.
They talked about the meeting at Pony Joe’s, and how some butted heads against each other from the start. Luna told of her trip to ponyville to get the elements and of how she had asked Spike for help if he thought they needed anything. They talked of their agreements to go on the quest, and of the strange feeling of having to use their powers.
They talked about their trip to Everfree, Vinyl laughing at the memory of Big Mac and Zecora who clearly preferred staying on the ground. They talked about the vast array of poison joke and their detour through manticore territory, Zecora nodding her agreement to talk about her fiancée who had died so long ago.
Trixie told of her meeting with Starlight and her test, making sure everypony knew that she now had proof she fought and won over an Ursa Minor. The group continued to talk about their journey, the ponies they met and the experiences they got, and of the enemies they saw.
Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Rarity shared a small smile at the mention of the kindness the three fillies Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Applebloom had shown them, Luna promising that they would pay back every bit and more when they got the chance.
There was some shocked looks to be seen everywhere, including in Celestia’s face when they got to the part where Chrysalis decided to come in and help, Luna making sure that she passed on the message that the changeling queen would like a personal thank you from Celestia at a later date.
The group quieted down and let Luna continue to talk as she told of the battle with Nightmare Moon, and the statue that now stood waiting in the Everfree castle that was the end result, Celestia making a mental note to go and fetch the statue herself when everything was ready.
Everypony smiled as the tale came to an end, with Trixie rubbing it in Twilight’s face that she had seen the original Starswirl the bearded’s robe in the Everfree armory.
Luna also pointed out to Rarity that both Fancy Pants, Hoity Toity and Photo Finnish had seen the group walk up to the castle, and asked her to get ready for a new fashion trend.
Celestia sighed, rising from where she had been sitting listening in. “All right… I think we are all at the same page in the story by now.”
Pinkie’s left hoof twitched, but she ignored it.
“For now there are a few things we need to figure out… I originally invited Twilight Sparkle and her friends to tell them about Starshine and the others so that they could go and fetch the artifacts and get the extra power to the elements… however as we all know something came in the way for that. So now I need the holders of the element to decide what to do, just as the original holders did 2 millennia ago when they gave half their powers to Luna and me.”
Twilight looked at her friends, who all smiled. “I think we all agree Princess”, Twilight said with a smile, turning to the substitutes. “As you said, they were the ones who earned the artifacts… it’s already theirs.”
Vinyl jumped in the air. “Sweet, I get to keep my flute.”
Luna looked at her. “Once again, the artifact of laughter is not a toy to be used for getting out of paying bills.”
“Spoilsport” Vinyl pouted.
“All right, now that that’s settled” Celestia said walking up to the door. “We have a lot of things to do.”
Opening the door she smiled as she saw all the Canterlot Knights. It was clear that they had all been standing in the same spot waiting for permission to come inside.
“Ah captain White Knight, it is so good to see you.”
The stallion, who up until then had been looking professional as any true military trained pony should be, burst into tears as he saluted.
“P-p-p… ‘sniff’ Princess Celestia, thank Faust herself you are ok.”
“I am captain… thank you for looking after my castle in my absence… now I need you to send out a message to all of Equestria… the true rulers of Equestria are back at the throne. And after you have done that send a notice to all the staff members who escaped the castle that they can come back tomorrow. I also need some help restoring the throne room.”
“Yes ma’am, at once ma’am, anything else ma’am?”
“Tell our smith I need a word… and after that you are dismissed for the rest of the day, that’s an order.”
White knight sniffed a few more times before he turned.
“You heard the Princess; spread the word, Equestria is safe again.”