//------------------------------// // Chapter 13 // Story: Ein Sof Zealotry // by ZhaoZoharEX //------------------------------// Original Title: Point of No Return This chapter is part of the older version of "Ein Sof Zealotry" and is to be considered non-canon in lieu of the pending rewrite. This along with the rest of the old story remain for the purpose of comparison. “Good moooorning, is anypony home?”   The exclamation echoed through the clearing for a few moments before dying off without any answer whatsoever. Not a slightest movement betrayed that the place was in fact inhabited, though the log cabin in the middle assured Ditzy that she found the correct address. Of course, she had no way of knowing that the unicorns agreed some time ago that there was no such thing as mornings and anypony arguing otherwise to be a heretic, which they also wrote down in a form of legally binding treaty.   Ditzy didn’t waste her breath on another shout and opted to enter the cabin instead, determined to deliver the letter by any means necessary, even against the will of the addressees. She could make only the rough shapes of the furniture when she entered, the blinds and thick curtains blocking almost all the light. Rhythmic breathing sounded from two different places.   “Typical. Sleeping the day away instead of doing something useful,” she muttered to herself and trotted to one of the windows. “They could also do with some fresh air. Like really bad!” She scrunched her muzzle, pulled the curtains aside and threw the window open as much as it could go.   “Wakey wakey, sleepy heads! The sun has been shining for five hours already!” she hollered, trying to act as cheerfully as possible, mainly to irritate the unicorn duo. It worked.   “That’s because Celestia raises it so damn early. If I were in charge…” Sunset growled, rolling from the bed since there was no way she would fall back asleep with the sun shining directly in her face. She groggily dragged herself to the fireplace and set the prepared logs ablaze, starting the sacred ancient ritual of brewing coffee.   “Exactly. Have you ever heard of the prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment, Ditzy? What are you even punishing us for at this hour? We didn’t have time to cause any mischief yet.” Trixie seconded Sunset’s movements except she ended up by the storage cupboard, preparing breakfast. “Will you join us for something to eat, Ditzy? Or maybe a coffee?”   “A bite of something would be nice, but no coffee please. Last time I drank coffee while delivering mail, I ended up in Trottingham. It wasn’t pleasant, I tell you.”   “Ending up in Trottingham? Tell me about it.” Trixie shuddered and retrieved a bottle of orange juice for Ditzy. “So what brings you here at such terrible hour?”   Ditzy ruffled her feathers in agitation. “Oh come on! It’s ten in the morning. Normal ponies have been working for several hours by now!”   “Objection! If they have, they definitely aren’t normal,” Sunset said and poured Trixie and herself big mugs of coffee. Ditzy couldn’t help but wonder just how strong the beverage was. The smell alone was making her jittery.   “Ponies prefer the sun, you know… Anyway, I have mail for you. It’s from Twilight and if I am to judge from the one she sent to me, it’s important.” She rummaged in her saddlebags for a few seconds and pulled out a neat envelope with Twilight’s clean and practical hoofwriting.   “Sunset and Lulamoon. What part of day do you think we prefer with names like that?” Trixie grinned and reached for the letter with her magic and opened it.   “Read it out loud please,” Sunset said. “It’s too early for my eyes to see words. It could traumatize them for life and they are too beautiful for that.” Ditzy only rolled her eyes at their antics and leaned forward to hear better. Trixie cleared her throat and started reading.   Dear friends.   First of all, I would like to point out how long it took me to come up with salutation that wouldn’t offend either of you. Don’t pretend you wouldn’t be offended, Ditzy told me how you reacted the last time I sent a letter to you. Trixie lifted her eyes to Ditzy and frowned. “Snitch.”   There is something important you have to know and I wish I could tell you in person, but my princess ‘chores’ keep me from doing so. Let me elaborate. I was just getting ready to head to Ponyville when Celestia came in my chamber (without knocking, mind you) and told me that I was to leave for a diplomatic mission. In the Griffon Empire no less. Because I obviously have so much experience with griffons.   I suspect that I was sent here exactly because Celestia has enough experience with griffons. They are insufferable! Yes, I said it, insufferable. If you are reading this, griffon spies, I dare you to bring it up. I will have your fluffy hides for breaching the secrecy of correspondence and diplomatic immunity!”   “Is she losing it?” Sunset interrupted Trixie’s reading with a quizzical look on her face.   “I met griffons before. She isn’t exaggerating. Let me continue. Just where did I stop.. aha, here -and diplomatic immunity!"   Sorry about that, girls. This place is just getting on my nerves horribly. They meticulously hold every formal rule they managed to create in last thousand or so years of their recorded history and if you slip on just one word of some formulation, they are ready to cancel the negotiation. They wouldn’t dare really, they need this trade treaty as desperately as Equestria, but they make my life here a living hell.   Not just that. They tried to force me to eat meat! They said it was an insult to refuse offered food. So I told them I would eat it if they managed to teleport it to my room and that it is considered an insult to send servants with food to the room instead of teleporting it. That closed their beaks.   It feels to invigorating to be able to speak without watching every word. This is a place for a trained diplomat, not me. I’m a scholar, sworn to the truth, not this madness of pretense. They could also show some respect. I’m still a princess and they have no right to treat me like some second rate schoolfilly. I guess I will just word a diplomatic complaint, although turning them into oranges for a day would be much more satisfying. That goes for Celestia too. Thankfully I won’t have to take this for too much longer.   That’s actually what I am writing to you about in the first place. I need you to be ready to leave at moment’s notice. Thanks to our dear Canvas, we will have a great way of travelling very soon and I suspect we will be gone for quite some time. It’s not like you two have to put too many matters in order, but if you want to take something specific with you, you should obtain it as soon as possible. I sent a letter to Zecora asking her to assist you in that. Don’t risk getting caught now!   I don’t dare to say more in the letter, there are many eyes around. If you want further details, please wait for my return (it shouldn’t take long now, they are realizing that they have to pretty much accept our terms) or ask Ditzy to talk with Canvas in person. LD could do that too, but I guess you have no real way of contacting her.   Once I return, my first steps will lead to you. I miss you here with so many hostile faces around. I hope you are safe and comfortable over there.   Yours sincerely Twilight Sparkle   “I guess we are, aren’t we, Trixie? That scolopendra’s chitin is making for perfect blinds.” Sunset and Trixie shared a laugh while Ditzy scratched her chin in contemplation. “Poor girl. I guess she’s not used to workings of a royal court yet. Those griffons must be giving her a hard time.”   “Definitely. It is basically the same thing she sent to me, but she was much more agitated while writing this one,” Ditzy said. “So do you want me to go to Canvas? It’s not much of a problem, I plan to go to Canterlot this weekend anyway. We got another tickets to the opera!” She practically beamed at the last statement, imagining how happy her fillies would be.   “Well if you wouldn’t mind, I'd like to know the details. Especially how can Canvas get us transportation,” Sunset said. “Not that I doubt her or anything, she was very nice during that dream meeting we had, but this looks costly and she is just a student.”   “Will do, Sunset. I have to go though, it’s a long journey back to Ponyville and I still have to deliver many letters. Thanks for the brunch!” With that she flew out of the door.   “Breakfast, not brunch!” Trixie shouted after the retreating pegasus. “It’s a normal breakfast!”   All the noise in the throne room was making Twilight’s head hurt terribly once again. The longer she held her title, the more duties she had to perform, more and more frequent court sessions among them. They were just as she remembered them from her time as Celestia’s student. Back then, she watched in wonder all the nobles and other ponies presenting their problems to Celestia, who ruled over every case with benevolent smile, though Twilight could sense her frustration. Back then, she didn’t understand why Celestia felt that way. Now she did.   Undisciplined, talkative, bickering foals! That’s what these are. Not even half of these cases should be presented to the crown. Why are they even allowed to present them? An appeal to crown is reserved for severe breaches of rights, not this!   As of late she wasn’t feeling well. Returning from Griffon Empire didn’t bring the desired change of pace and her exhaustion grew by day. The paperwork never ends, the castle staff permanently messes up and were there always that many pesky ambassadors, or did they come only to spite me?   Just the day before, she attended a seven hours long session of Legislative Committee. After prolonged debate on finer points of school regulation, she was leaving the room completely numb. Just why was the court hearing scheduled to the day right after that? At least this case is easy enough and there aren’t that many left.   “Thank you, I think I have enough information to deliver a decision. Based on the evidence provided by the sides I rule that Mr. Dew Drop is obliged to allow passage of Mr. Honey Crop’s cart through his field as there is no direct way for Mr. Honey Crop to reach the public route. Mr. Honey Crop is obliged to use his right of way with utmost consideration and disturb Mr. Dew Drop’s property right as little as possible. Case closed.”   Commotion rose again in the throne room as the attendants discussed the decision and the sides started making their way to the exit, but all stopped as a regal voice spoke up from above. “That is not a wise decision, Twilight.” Everypony looked up and beheld princess Celestia standing on one of the balconies, spreading her wings. She jumped down and glided gracefully to the floor, landing in front of the throne.   “Good morning, princess. May I ask you why you are disturbing my court?” Twilight asked in an even tone, thorn of distaste barely noticeable in it.   “As I said, Twilight, it is not a wise decision and such thing must be corrected.”   “It’s a correct decision according to the laws. All evidence points to the existence of right of way, therefore I see no reason to change my decision.”   “What you failed to consider, Twilight, is that there is a piece of land belonging to the crown next to Mr. Honey Crop’s land that isn’t being used for anything at the moment. Why couldn’t he use that to get to his property instead?” Celestia smiled at the two stallions in question who were now intently listening to the dispute. “That way nopony gets hurt and all can happily coexist.”   “There is one reason why I didn’t consider it, Celestia. The crown isn’t side of the lawsuit at all! If Mr. Honey Crop chose to pursue this possibility from the start, I would have nothing against it. But the court is not here to offer alternatives or to get rid of the property the crown possesses. Why don’t we offer the rest of the castle to poor families so they have a nice place to live when they aren’t paid their rightful salaries, hm?”   Celestia shook her head and gave Twilight a disappointed look. “I thought you would be more compassionate, Twilight.” She turned to the two stallions and smiled kindly. “Attend my tomorrow’s court. We will work out the details of the solution.” The stallions bowed and hastily retreated to the door.   Twilight jumped up from her throne and down from the dais. “That decision will get vetoed, I assure you of that!” she shouted behind the duo. Then she turned to the rest of the ponies in the throne room. “Court dismissed. Everypony please leave.” Nopony made a move though, enthralled by the heated situation in front of their eyes. “NOW!” Twilight screamed in the royal Canterlot voice. That brought the desired effect, everypony stampeding to the door to get away from the enraged princess as quickly as possible, the only exception being the two royal guards behind the throne, the best of the best who wouldn’t back from a rampaging dragon. Still, an angry alicorn princess could prove more dangerous.   “That was highly unprofessional, Twilight, losing your temper like that,” Celestia reprimanded.   “Interfering with my court and destroying whatever authority I have with overruling my decision in front of my eyes wasn’t?” Twilight shouted. “What is this about, Celestia? Why don’t you leave me alone when you already sort out the cases that are to be brought in front of me?”   That took Celestia by surprise, so much so that she didn’t even try to deny it. “How did you find out about that, Twilight?”   “I simply checked the archive of appeals. Are you holding me for a foal or what? When you want to cheat the system you alone created, you could at least give it some effort.”   “It’s not cheating, Twilight. Some things are simply too complicated and delicate for a young mind with little experience to handle. I’m just trying to protect you from too much workload. I know how stressing the position can get.” She walked to Twilight and tried to wrap a wing around her back, but Twilight stepped back, avoiding the warming gesture.   “Too complicated and delicate? Like a trade negotiations with griffons? Or is that the beginner’s level in your book? Maybe it is. Nothing too important, just a treaty changing lives of thousands of your subjects, right?”   “Twilight, listen. Back then I was just feeling strongly under the weather and there were equally important tasks here. Besides, I believe in your abilities, so it isn’t like I hazarded fate of my little ponies.” Celestia tried to put as much calmness and motherly tone in her voice as she could, sensing a potentially very dangerous situation. Alas, her attempts had the exact opposite effect, Twilight taking the kindness as mockery.   “So an important, but bothersome task is right for me? Ok, I can live with that. I can perform at my best in any situation, if you haven’t noticed yet. Feel free to redirect the tasks that annoy you to me, but when you do, keep your dirty puppeteer hooves out of them, not like today!” Twilight was positively fuming at this point, crouching slightly in an aggressive stance, her wings flared.   “At least keep the insults, Twilight. I may not be perfect, but I’m certainly not a puppe-”   “Yes, you are! Nothing but a dirty puppeteer! You pull the strings so others dance to your will. Or have you forgotten about how you sent me to Ponyville? You didn’t tell me anything about why I had to go there. Then the Gala. You caused me so much trouble just to have some fun at the event you alone hosted! Crystal Empire could have fallen along with whole of Equestria just so you could have your damn little test. And don’t get me started on that spellbook. The town went almost to ruin!”   “It was all for your good, Twilight. All those trials made you stronger and eventually built who you are now. You must see that even in your current blinded state.” Celestia was almost pleading at Twilight now. This was completely new situation for her. Nopony dared to confront her like this since she lost one of her apprentices all those centuries ago. Before that, only Luna dared to act like this.   “I’m not blinded!” Twilight yelled. “On the contrary, now I am opening my eyes! Good for me, you say? What’s good on having no control over my own fate? On having no choice but to comply with your toying? Do you have a deeper plan, or am I here just to entertain you while you wait for something else?”   That was the final straw for Celestia. She could take much, but she always prided herself for being fair to her subjects. The mere thought of others considering her toying with lives scared her and most of all angered her. “So according to you, I only play with you here? Silly self-absorbed youngster, I have better things to do than to play! Besides, would I give that crown to my toy? Wake up, Twilight!”   “I wish I could, Celestia. I wish I could wake up and find that I never became a princess. Or maybe that I never went to Ponyville in the first place! You didn’t give me this crown.” She reached up with her hoof and lifted the Element of Magic of her head. “My friendships did. But you can have it, as it’s just about as worthless and empty as the title you gave me.” She flicked her hoof and the crown landed in front of Celestia’s hooves.   “That’s not something you throw around like a piece of trash, Twilight! And stop twisting my every word! No matter how you earned the band on your head, you did so only thanks to me! If I didn’t take you under my wing, you would end up as-”   “Librarian? Bureaucrat? Something else you made of me anyway?”   “Recluse with no friends and place in world! I could have ten like you any moment, there is nothing so special about you!”   “Then go ahead. I have no illusions about you, Celestia. You sent your own sister to the Moon for a thousand years. You will have no problem getting used to my absence. But it won’t be me who ends like a recluse with no friends.” She turned away from Celestia, no longer able to withstand looking at the face that brought her so much strife. “I used to trust you, admire you. I lost all social contact because I hoped to reach you. But you didn’t give anything in return, rather you just took more and more from me. And when I was at my weakest, you abandoned me. I'm sorry, more than you think actually, but I have to make this clear, princess. I can't work with somepony who orders me to learn, but never learns herself.”   “What are you implying, Twilight? Stop this madness when you still can!”   “I am not implying anything, Celestia. It’s more in your nature to imply things. I openly state that I quit. Just like that. I won’t be princess any longer, not when that title is tainted by you. Goodbye, Princess Celestia, oh great solar monarch, defender of Equestria defeated by a mere parasite." She didn’t bother to look back on Celestia and started walking to the door. Despite what she wished and despite her determination, she could feel the hot tears forming in her eyes.   Celestia stood there dumbfounded, not expecting Twilight to go that far. Her star pupil, the biggest hope in centuries, turned her back on her and was trotting out of the throne room and possibly her life. A white rage filled Celestia’s mind, feeling of betrayal clouding her senses and reason.   “I saw you as my own daughter. Fine! Go away and never return, you adder! I want to never see your face again. I should have stomped you to the ground at that excess during entrance exams, like the law advised me!” she shouted after Twilight and stomped her hooves into the stone ground, creating dents where her hooves landed. Twilight stopped dead in her tracks and glanced over her shoulder, and Celestia could see the tears now freely streaming. “Oh no! No, no, no, no! I didn’t mean that, Twilight! I didn’t…” But the damage was already done. Twilight gave a small whimper and galloped out of the throne room at full speed, slamming the door behind her with her magic. A second later the telltale ‘pop’ of teleportation spell was heard from the corridor.   Celestia sat down heavily on the dais, head hanging low. After few minutes her ears caught a faint sound of shuffling behind one of the pillars. “You can come out, Raven, I know you are there.”   “I’m sorry, princess. I was in the court and didn’t want to leave in case you needed my assistance.” The little white unicorn trotted to Celestia’s side and pressed herself against the mourning princess. “I guess, I was right to do so.”   “What for all good in the world have I just done, Raven?” Celestia said with an exhausted sigh. “What have I done…”   “I am afraid that you told princess Twilight that you wish you killed her when she was a filly.”   “That was a rhetorical question, Raven. But an actual one is what I should do now. I… haven’t been in such situation yet. I have to apologize somehow. I should go after her right now!” She made moves to get up, but a hoof pulled her back down.   “That wouldn’t be wise, princess.” Celestia glanced at her faithful adviser with curiosity. “You need to apologize to her, yes, but not now. Give her time. What you just said is a valid reason for her to hate you forever. Believe me that seeing you is the last thing she wants right now.”   Celestia weakly nodded and slumped down even more. “Just what have I done, Raven…”   Ever since Twilight gained the title of new Equestrian princess, Spike had to take care of their home in Ponyville mostly on his own. She liked to return there at any free moment she managed to salvage, so he did his best to keep the library in pristine condition, preventing Twilight from going on cleaning and reshelving spree when she was supposed to rest.   He gained much skill in managing all the administrative the library required and his social skills improved as well since he had to talk with strange ponies daily. The regular patrons got used to the new management quickly too, so the literary life of Ponyville didn’t suffer any harm with Twilight living in Canterlot.   The day didn’t differ from the rest of the workdays. Spike sat at the table with the registers of borrowed books, marking what the ponies brought back or took away and occasionally providing advice. When a calmer moment presented itself and nopony new seemed to head toward the library, Spike chose to take a break and eat his snack. The gems Twilight brought him from Griffon Empire called to him from the stash in the bedroom and he was all too happy to answer their call.   Making himself comfortable on the bed with the package in his claws, salivating just from the proximity of such a treat, he pulled the paper from it, but a sudden flash and pop surprised him and he dropped the package on the mattress. Where nothing was before, Twilight now stood next to the bed. Instinctively he backed a bit, presuming his messed up somehow, probably by being gluttonous again.   “Twilight? I-I swear I wouldn’t eat them all at once! I just wanted to sample them and keep them for a special occasion. Honest!” he said and hastily rewrapped the package. “There. See? Like new. I will put it back to- Twilight? Is something wrong?”   Taking a better look at the alicorn in front of him he noticed how disheveled she looked. Her mane was plastered to her forehead with sweat, her wings pressed to her sides too tightly and the fur on her face was matted with tears. Not paying him any mind she plopped on the bed where he used to lay and buried her face in the pillow. Her whole body was trembling as she finally allowed herself to cry in earnest.   At first, Spike was at the loss of what to do, but he quickly snapped from the horror and started acting. “I’ll be right here, Twilight. Just a second!” he said and rushed to the ground floor. “Alright, everypony, we are closing early today. This is an emergency, so you will get your books tomorrow. Leave now, please.”   Once the last disgruntled reader left, Spike put the ‘Closed’ sign on the door and locked. From the moment he left Twilight in the bedroom passed only a minute and she was still where he saw her last, probably not even noticing his departure and return. “It’s ok, Twilight. Tell me what happened,” he said and sat down next to her shuddering form on the bed. She didn’t react at all, crying her eyes out into the now fairly damp pillow.   Not seeing any way to get her attention, he decided she didn’t need words at all and so he positioned himself by her side and wrapped his arms around her neck firmly. “Just cry it all out, Twilight. I’m here.”   After a few minutes she reciprocated the embrace, but it took almost an hour before she got any words out. “She said she should have killed me, Spike!” she wailed and descended back to sobbing.   “Who? Tell me and I will show them!” Spike reacted sharply, strengthening his hold.   “Celestia. We had a nasty argument and I told her I quit as a princess. She called me an adder and that she should have executed me at the entrance exam. I… I told her I despise her and that she was toying with me the whole time…” She shuddered more violently and panted for a few seconds. “Why did I do such thing? I don’t hate her, why did I say that!”   “Ponies say ugly things when angry, Twilight. You know you have bad temper and Celestia knows that too. You two will certainly solve this somehow,” he said and then added under his breath, “though Celestia totally went too far with that.”   At that Twilight lifted her head abruptly and gazed at him intensely. “No. We won’t solve anything. No matter how angry I was I still want to quit and I don’t want to be near her after this anymore.” She returned to the comfortable embrace and sighed, last of her tears falling on Spike’s back. “I just wish I wasn’t so mean about it.”