Canterlot was built on the slopes of a mountain. It was a fact that had a lot of hidden baggage tied up into it. One of the biggest being that the city’s cemeteries couldn’t always be burried into the earth.
The solution to that problem had mostly been above ground mausoleums, decorated to blend in with the architecture of the city. And one of those mausoleums was exactly where Princess Celestia was going today.
Photos, trinkets and candles were sat before many of the stone chambers. Little shrines of memories, combined with offerings to ponies long and recently dead. An attempt to help guide the spirits of the dead to the Elysian Fields.
The sound of soft weeping ahead made her slow as she walked around the corner into the row she had been looking for. After some digging, she had been able to determine where Skitch-Sketch had initially been entombed and she recognized the two ponies standing in front of her grave.
Apple Polish, with her straight brown mane and cream colored coat, was one of the teachers at her own School for Gifted Unicorns. Her head was bowed, her body shaking as she sobbed, her horn glowing as she rested a photo against the vault.
Standing at her side, with a foreleg draped across her back, was her husband, Black Marble. His wavy mane matched his name, while his coat was a pristine white. While he wasn’t sobbing, he looked no less devastated, his head hanging as well.
Apple Polish plucked a piece of paper covered with writing from a nearby saddlebag, resting it next to the photo. “A-and may the Elysian Advocate argue with vigor,” She then pulled a small iron bar from the pack, resting it against the photo and the document, “May Thanatos show mercy in his judgement,” Finally, she placed a golden coin atop the iron, “And may the grasp of Tartarus pass over my little girl.”
“It is rare.” Celestia spoke up, as she approached, “To see the old prayers spoke.”
“Celestia.” Apple Polish gasped, almost tripping into a bow, “I…”
“You don’t have to explain yourself to me.”
“Since she just…” Black Marble sighed, “She didn’t make it to the Fields before….”
“I know. But I am quite sure she has this time. According to Twilight Sparkle, she left this world on much happier terms than before.”
With a pair of sad smiles, the parents bowed their heads to Celestia.
“Thank you for your kind words Princess.” Apple Polish said. “But I think that we’re going to take our leave. Grieve in private.”
“Of course.”
Princess Celestia watched the couple go, before placing the tip of her horn on the vault door, and tracing a simple sun sigil upon its surface. She stared at it for a moment before frowning and shaking her head.
It didn’t feel like it was enough.
Trotting back out of the crypt, she took wing and flew back to her bedroom in the castle. Landing neatly on the balcony, she trotted back inside and over to a mirror.
Ornately constructed with a golden frame, most ponies assumed that it was just another part of the princesses bedroom decor. In reality, however, it was a bit more special than that. Horn glowing, Celestia stepped forward, pushing through the glass.
The warmth of her bedroom fell away, the coldness of polished marble springing up in place. Emerging from the mirror, she stepped into a large oval shaped chamber that was very similar to a legislative chamber in the waking world. Three rings of seats set before dark marble desktops, each one marked with a golden nameplate.
Not pausing, she trotted across the marble floor, the clip-clop of her hooves echoing in the empty chamber. The room was only ever full in very specific circumstances and this was not one of them. Heading to the second level, she picked one of the seats and forced her way through the wall behind.
The scene suddenly changed again, the marble of the senate hall replaced with the dark and polished wood of an elegant looking courtroom. Two low tables sat before the raised box where a judge would sit.
A figure sat at each table, both of them familiar to her.
The first was a young pegasus mare, with a light brown coat and neatly trimmed blonde mane and tail, a hoof pointing with authority marking her flanks. At the sight of Princess Celestia, a wide grin cracked her muzzle and she dipped into a bow.
“It’s good to see you again, Celestia.”
“And you as well Stare Decisis. It has been a long time.”
“A very long time.”
“And yet, you’re still here, arguing the laws of the dead.”
Stare grinned all the wider. “Death itself couldn’t drag me away from the law.”
“Bah! Sentimental drivel.”
Those words belonged to what one could charitably call “opposing counsel”. The bipedal figure was covered in shaggy brown fur, great bat like wings growing from his back. His elongated head was topped with pointed ears, and a crooked fang poked from his lip, while his dark eyes darted to and fro with a nervous energy.
Scorpan. Tartarus’ dagger in the dark.
When he felt like it at least. In all the centuries Celestia had known the beast, she had always known him to take the easy way out. In fact she had a running theory that Scorpan only dickered over the souls of the dead to stay far away from the lord of Tartarus and his anger.
“That,” Celestia frowned, “Is your opinion, Scorpan.”
“Ahh,” A third voice, this one deep and devoid of mith, joined the conversation, “Opinions. Everycreature has them.”
Shadows coiled around the bench, forming and solidifying into a figure. Like Celestia, it was an alicorn, but that was where the similarities ended.
A powerfully built stallion, his coat was black as coal, save for the long, feathered white “socks” around his fetlocks and pasterns. His color and the size, easily a foot taller than Celestia herself, cut an intimidating figure.
His cutie-marks didn’t help with that perception. A pony skull, marked with the outline of a gavel in the dead center of the forehead. His deep red eyes seemed almost devoid of warmth as he stared down at Celestia from the bench. Gray robes were draped across his form, matching the dull gray of his solid iron right hoof.
“But as I wear the robes, mine are the only ones that matter here.”
“Good to see you too, brother.”
“Call me by name in chambers.” He growled.
“Very well, Thanatos.”
Satisfied, the judge of the dead settled back into his seat. “What can I do for the sun today?”
“I wished to speak of some souls that have passed and may have passed through in the last week. The filly Skitch-Sketch,” She thought for a moment, “And the foreign creature known as The Collector.”
Thanatos waved a hoof. “Skitch-Sketch passed through my court and into the Elysian Fields. Easy judgement.”
“The human.” He frowned slightly, “As he passed from Equis, I can not say for sure if he died or not. Though, I would be surprised if he did somehow manage to survive. Rainbow Dash’s strike would have killed him in time anyway.”
“You sound almost relieved.”
“I was not looking forward to judging the soul born outside our universe. It would have been...interesting.”
“Hmm. Very well. Can I speak with Skitch-Sketch then?”
The alicorn of the dead tilted his head slightly, regarding Celestial with a detached sense of disbelief.
“I should refuse you. You tied yourself to the mortal realm. What happens beyond the veil is not your concern anymore.”
Celestia gave a melancholy smile.
“Then throw me out.”
Thanatos sighed heavily. “I would not. We are still family.” A door to the right of his stand creaked open. “Go ahead.”
Bowing her head in a gesture of thanks, Celestia trotted through the door and stepped into a warm and sunny meadow. A single tree stood a few feet ahead of her, a leaf green pony sitting in the shade under its boughs. Smiling, she trotted over to Skitch-Sketch’s side, lowering herself onto her barrel.
Skitch-Sketch looked up from the sketchpad that rested between her forehooves, eyes sparkling with light and energy.
“Princess!” You’re here? Did everything work out? Is Equestria safe?”
“Yes. Yes it is, my little pony. Everyone is okay.”
She sighed in relief, picking up a pencil and returning to her drawing. “Good. Now I can rest easy.”
“Skitch-Sketch...I am sorry that I wasn’t able to protect you.”
“Princess...it’s okay. I’m not angry anymore. And I don’t blame you.” She smiled offering her pencil to Celestia, “But I could use some help with my drawing.”
Taking up the pencil, the princess began to draw.
- - - -
A rich chocolate cake was carefully lowered into the box, which was then sealed up and topped with a big pink bow. Pinkie Pie then carefully slid the completed dessert onto her head and made for the door, shouting back towards the kitchen as she went.
“I’m off to deliver the cake!”
“Okay Pinkie!” Mrs. Cake called back, stepping behind the counter, “Give Ditzy my best wishes.”
Trotting through the streets of Ponyville, Pinkie kept her usual bounce in her step, humming a happy tune as she went, occasionally pausing only to wave at passing ponies. She had been busy over the last week, cheering ponies up in light of the sudden holes in their memory.
Not that she hadn’t been a little sad herself at times. She hadn’t really walked through the town square over the last week. Nopony really knew what to do with Skitch-Sketch’s Art Emporium, so it remained locked up, and the empty building couldn’t help but make Pinkie frown.
She never had thrown Skitch-Sketch her welcome to Ponyville party.
She pushed those sad thoughts from her mind as she reached Ditzy Doo’s house, and knocked a hoof against the door. The door cracked open, the mailmare peering out at her. Pinkie beamed right back, tilting the box towards her.
“Heya Ditzy! I have the double-delicious chocolate cake you ordered!”
“Thanks Pinkie.” Ditzy grinned wide, carefully balancing the box on one hoof, “Can I still count on you for Dinky’s birthday party next week?”
“Of course! I wouldn’t pass up the chance!”
Nodding, Ditzy ducked back inside the house, and Pinkie began to trek back towards Sugarcube Corner.
That was until a shiver rushed down her spine, her tail rapidly twitching and her ears flip-flopping in a surge of her self titled Pinkie Sense.
“Twitcha-twitch?” She blinked, a wide grin crossing her muzzle. She was off like a bolt, tearing through the streets as fast as her legs could take her. Bouncing over ponies, swerving past carts and boxes, she came sliding into the town square.
She scanned the open space, grinning every wider when a leaf green pony stepped out of town hall, a key clutched in her amber magic aura.
“Skitchyyyy!” Pinkie shouted, charging right at the unicorn, and then throwing herself into a flying hug tackle. Jane looked up, her eyes going wide as the ball of pink and fluff hurtled towards her. The hug slash impact sent the two tumbling end over end, off the porch, and onto a nearby patch of grass.
“I missed you too Pinkie.” Jane smiled, patting Pinkie’s back as she hugged her tight.
“You came back! I thought that you weren’t going come back?”
“Well, as I ran around, returning all of these items The Collector stole, I began to think about the situation and the possibility of exploring something new.” She ruffled Pinkie’s mane, “So, I said ‘What the hell.’ talked to my parents about it, and here I am.”
Pinkie gasped, letting go and hopping into the air with a flourish of movement. “I can throw you your ‘Welcome to Ponyville!’ party!”
She was gone in a flash, leaving Jane chuckling to herself as she pushed herself back to her hooves, and slowly walked to her home away from home.
“I wish I could harness even half of her energy.”
- - - -
It was early evening by the time Pinkie had managed to pull everything together. She had pulled out all the stops, presumably trying as hard as she could to make up for the fact that Skitch-Sketch’s original “Welcome to Ponyville!” party only had existed in a banished memory.
Decorations had been set up all around the Ponyville town square including, most impressively, a series of streamers that ran from the spire of town hall to the roofs of the buildings that bordered the space. Tables both for holding food and drink, and for ponies to eat at, were likewise set up all around the square, that had to be crammed with over a hundred ponies all enjoying one of Pinkie's biggest bashes yet.
Jane sat a little away from where the main crowd was mingling at the moment, a plate of cake and a full flagon of hard cider resting on a small crate before her. While it was her party, she had grabbed some refreshments and then snuck away for some alone time. She watched the assorted ponies, occasionally taking a bite of cake as she took it all in and thought; though she would have to get over there soon, or Pinkie would start looking for her.
“Isn't this party for you? Sitting off on your own doesn't seem all that much fun.”
Jane glanced at the voice. A white furred earth pony with wavy pink mane and tail, yellow eyes and a wide smiling sun cutie-mark was standing next to her; a coy smile was evident as she looked Jane over. She had approached amazingly quietly.
For her part, she smirked right back. “Hello again, Celestia. Cute disguise you have there, though the sun mark gives it away some. Why the incognito approach?”
“Mostly because I wished to speak with you in private. Imagine my surprise when I returned from some business to find a letter from Twilight detailing your return. I thought that your mind was quite made up.”
“Situations change.” Skitch said simply, before taking a long drink of cider.
“I see.” Celestia said as she took a seat next to the unicorn. “And your intentions?”
“I'm just looking for a place to call home again.”
Celestia blinked tilting her head slightly.
“What of your old...”
“Celestia...I appreciate the sentiment, but I'm just not ready to talk about it.”
There was a pause for a moment, before Celestia got to her hooves again and nudged Jane in the side with her head.
“Well then, I suggest that you go and make nice with your new neighbors. No sitting here like some kind of depressed poet. Your new ruler commands it!” She finished with a giggle.
Jane looked at Celestia and shook her head. “Okay, okay, I'm going!”
Celestia watched her disappear into the crowd. Nodding to herself she teleported back to Canterlot...after grabbing the slice of cake that had been left behind, of course.
As Jane walked back into the crowd she was aware of just how many eyes were on her, each pony most likely asking their own internal questions about the unicorn's desires. Applejack glanced at her from where she was helping herself to some cake.
“Ah, there ya went. Don'tcha think you should properly introduce yourself ta the town?”
“Speech from the human!” Came Lyra's half drunk call, as she raised a mug of hard cider.
The crowd agreed, cheering as Skitch hopped up on an empty table.
“Thank you Ponyville! Allow me to introduce myself properly this time, devoid of any spells or outside interference. My name is…” She paused for a barest of moments, “Skitch-Sketch, formerly Jake, formerly of the planet Earth and new arrival to the condition of pony kind.”
She looked out over the crowd taking in each pony as she continued to speak.
“While I did live here for a few weeks before, that is hardly enough time to live among such excellent and admirable ponies.”
A cheer rolled through the party.
“I don't know half of you half as well as I would like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.”
This lead to more of a mummer of confusion.
“I kid, I kid.” Skitch continued as she held up a hoof. “In all seriousness, I hope to come to know you well as both a friend and a neighbor as I settle into life here in Ponyville.”
An appreciative round of stomping applause filled the square as Skitch jumped down from the table.
“Now! This is a Pinkie Pie party is it not? Enough pontification from me. Let's get crazy up in here!”
- - - -
“That party was a blast.” Skitch thought as she sat on the ground, stomach full of delicious vanilla and lemon flavored cake as well as a few mugs of rich and hardy cider.
Everypony had broken away after the festivities had wrapped up, Skitch returning to her own place. She paused outside the door though, turning and watching the rest of the houses as each of the lights snapped off. Only when Ponyville was engulfed in darkness, she walked back inside to where her saddlebags were resting in the corner of the main room.
Grabbing them, she trotted upstairs to her bedroom. She began to pull items out of the bags, which seemed to be much larger on the inside as she yanked out things that wouldn't fit in a normal saddlebag.
The first was a sleek and futuristic media center that was tucked next to her desk. The next item removed resembled a small pistol in size and shape, but not much else. The barrel was a tube of glass, framed with a bronze cage, tipped with a bronze opening; a small knob stood out on the side and a crackling line of electricity danced along the inside of the gun. That was stowed in one of the desk drawers.
She pulled out another firearm next. A large, sleek rifle made of silvery-gray metal that looked like something out of a science fiction movie; a glowing line of green light running down either side of it's barrel. That was tucked away in the closet.
Finally she turned to some personal effects. Starting with a piece of paper plucked from her saddlebags, she looked it over with a slightly sad smile before tucking it between the wall and the edge of her bedpost where the hand drawn picture of her family would watch over her while she slept.
Pleased enough with what she had done right now, she closed the drawer and the closet. Climbing up into bed she looked out over the sleeping town, a determined look on her face.
“No one is going to hurt this town or world again.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“No one.”
And with that, she yanked the covers over her to try and get some sleep.