Alternative Ending 2: Redemption
Celestia and Eve both looked at Icarus with anxious eyes. Their reliance on his choice would be the deciding factor on which of them would prevail. Icarus turned to Celestia.
"I told myself I would stop at nothing to destroy you, but here I am at the crossroad between good and evil. I know that helping Eve destroy you would be gratifying at the moment, but shortly after I would continue to search for such satisfaction where none exists. My conscience would never be clear again if I killed the Equestrian's beloved princess. No, instead I want to repay this land for all the hardship I caused."
Icarus then addressed Eve. "I'm sorry Eve, but I can't go back to who I was. I have changed. Your old partner doesn't exist anymore."
Eve gasped. "You can stop joking now! This isn't funny!" she exclaimed as her voice rose.
Icarus sighed. "Celestia, what do we do with her?"
"She's too powerful to be imprisoned. She could just break out again."
"You can't just kill me!" she cried. "That's not like you, Celestia... Right? Right?" Eve's voice was becoming meek.
"What if we put her in a cell coated with the anti-magic substance?" proposed Icarus.
Celestia smiled. "That sounds like a fine idea. You're already being helpful Icarus. Keep it up and at this rate you could even hold a high status under me eventually."
Icarus suppressed a blush. "Thank you."
Eve rolled her eyes.
"I'll have Zecora brew up another concoction immediately." declared Celestia. "In the meantime, keep an eye on Eve to make sure she is secure."
Icarus nodded and let out a grunt, then sat down next to the impaired Eve as Celestia left the room.
"Icarus," whispered Eve. "You need to let me out. You're obviously not in your right mind to side with your enemy rather than your ally in a situation like this. Trust me. Would I lie to you?"
Icarus sighed. "I honestly don't know. I don't remember the depth of our relationship, so we could have not got along well and I would have no idea. I'm siding with Celestia because not only do I have the chance for redemption, but I shudder at the thought of how I would feel if we seized power. Everypony would live in fear of us. They would see us as evil tyrants, and that isn't too far off. I could never forgive myself if others were subject to pain because of me. I have changed."
"You only feel that way because of how you were treated in Eden! The doctors, no Celestia is the reason you have those feelings!"
"Even so, I will follow my desires for a more peaceful life. It is a much more appealing alternative to what would happen than if I freed you."
Eve's skin began to shift peculiarly. Its midnight black color began to appear as a deep green in the filtered light that filled the room. Her sudden appearance change made Icarus back a couple steps away from her.
"What the...?"
The magic-suppressing slime had begun to alter Eve's appearance. Icarus wasn't sure why it was happening, but it made him curious.
"I guess the game's over..." admitted Eve.
A pair of insect wings emerged from her back and got caught in the slime surrounding them. Icarus' jaw dropped. It was the Changling Queen Amber.
"I guess it was only a matter of time until this sludge sapped the magic I was using to look like Eve. Surprise..." she said unenthusiastically.
"But... If you're Amber, then where is Eve?" he questioned.
"Beats me, she could be dead for all I know."
"Hmph," grunted Icarus. "So why? Why masquerade as Eve to help me take down Celestia?"
"I think I've already humored you enough with this little charade to keep answering your questions. This isn't an interrogation."
"I can make it one," threatened Icarus.
"I suppose so, but didn't you just tell me that you had changed, that you didn't want to hurt others anymore?" recounted Amber.
Icarus narrowed his eyes. "Whatever. At least you can rot in the dungeons here at Canterlot."
"I won't be there too long. My subjects will come for me shortly and I'll be back home after some negotiations," chuckled Amber.
Celestia reentered the room, then looked at Amber with confusion.
"Where is Eve?"
"It turns out she was actually Amber, the Changling Queen," responded Icarus.
"Interesting..." Celestia trailed off. "Anyways, Icarus, could you repair the damage you've done to the city? After that I would like you to fix the castle. This is only the beginning of what I have in store for you."
Icarus nodded. "As you wish." He left the throne room and entered the entrance hall with all the sentries he had avoided. They had all been knocked out by Amber, but none were wounded.
He took a moment to remove the spears and ballista bolts from the wall he had conjured, then lowered the wall back into the floor, good as new.
The drawbridge still had a gaping hole near the bottom, so Icarus repaired it with ease. He then looked at the room once more. He struggled to retain a laugh at the sight of the Equestrian Guard that lay unconscious on the floor. For some reason he couldn't explain why he found it funny, but it was the first time he had laughed in quite a while.
Oh, right, the town still needed to be fixed. Icarus turned his attention to the lever that activated the drawbridge, then pulled it. As the bridge lowered, sunlight shone into the entrance of Canterlot Castle. It beamed into Icarus' face, making him squint.
The town was soon revealed behind the lowering bridge. It didn't seem too bad. While one building had been destroyed and others nearby were charred from the fire, it seemed like there wasn't anything else that needed repair.
As Icarus made his way across the bridge, he looked at his reflection in the water. It had been awhile since he had seen himself. His mane had been ruffled up; his body was filthy.
"I can't go out like this," thought Icarus. He made quick glances around him to make sure nopony would see him as he cleaned himself in the water. When he was satisfied with himself, he began to step out of the moat.
As his first leg left the water, Icarus was caught off guard at the sight. His leg was now a mellow-green color! He scurried onto the ground and reexamined himself in the reflective water.
Icarus' leg wasn't the only thing that was green; His entire body had undergone the same color change as well. It was as if by washing in the water not only was he cleansing his body of filth, but he was removing the darkness that plagued his heart, revealing the renewal in his life. This revival had been critical enough to alter his appearance.
"Hmph, I guess there still is some mystery to magic that I will never understand..." thought Icarus.
Not displeased with his new look, Icarus headed towards the town to help. It struck him that the citizens here wouldn't recognized him now because of his physical change. That would help.
Icarus took a breath of the fresh air that surrounded him. Relief filled him with the realization that he was free, free from pursuit or past pain. He could finally live in peace. A brief smile grazed his lips as he began a new journey to right his wrongs.
~The End~
Outro Song: These Streets- Bastille
A/N: Once again, this is not the true ending to the story. It is simply the alternative to the previous ending. I was hoping to make this one a bit more serene than the last, being quite morbid... Anyways, don't miss out on the final chapter and real ending to the story! ~ Kalameet