//------------------------------// // Part 1 - Chapter 24: Awe of She // Story: Pony May Cry: Brotherhood is Magic // by Joey JoJo //------------------------------// The Royal Canterlot Throne Room. A massive hall whose walls lay beautifully decorated with numerous intricately crafted stained glass windows; each one depicting a colorful, fantastical tale and scenery within their images. In between the glassy murals stand elegant and finely chiseled pillars that uphold the architecture while pristine, mirror shined, marble floors laid its foundation. At the back of the room sat a magnificent golden throne outfitted with soft and smooth velvet pillows atop its seat and alongside it. Just below the seats of the throne lay pools of pure, crystal clear water pouring over through the fountains on its sides. Pots of lush, violet flowers sit at both sides of the base of the throne, no doubt filled with nothing less than the richest soil in Canterlot; allowing for only the most optimal blooming periods. Dangling above the throne were some of the finest silk tapestries woven with the utmost caring hooves. Looming overhead the center seat of the throne and between the tapestries, stands an arch finely detailed with images of the sun, moon, and stars painted in harmonious conjunction with one another. At the center of the ceiling hung a gold and white crystal chandelier and lastly: unfurling from the center of the throne, out past the hall doors, lay a lush, maroon, velvet carpet, decorating the floor with a welcoming ambiance. Standing at attention on either side of the door within the throne room were two of Celestia’s royal guards. They were a pair of large unicorn stallions; both toting a spear in one hoof while keeping an ever vigilant look plastered across their faces as they stood in silence. However, their unwavering stance quickly faltered as an intense white light immediately began to flood in at the center of the room, causing the two stallions to turn their heads away as they shielded their eyes from the blinding flash. The next moment, just as the light suddenly faded, Celestia, Luna, Spike and the Elements of Harmony, along with the two demon ponies, appeared within the center of the throne room; Vergil still held captive by Twilight’s magic. The two guards hurriedly repositioned themselves as they saluted the princesses upon their return. “Your highnesses!” they shouted in unison, standing firm and upright. Celestia merely looked to the two guards and with a tender voice; she dismissed them from their stations. “Thank you very much for watching the throne, but I believe this matter will require a bit of privacy.” she stated, passing a harsh glance at the incapacitated Vergil. “You two are relieved from your duties for the rest of the night.” she orderd as she opened the doors behind them with the golden aura of her magic. “Yes ma’am!” the two guards saluted in unison before trotting out of the throne room, making their way across the vacant hallway. Upon their departure, Celestia then slammed the double doors to the throne room shut and turned back towards her student, Twilight Sparkle, as she and her friends uneasily faced the sun goddess. “Now then,” she started as she positioned herself directly in front of the girls. “With that out of the way, I simply wish to ask you all a question: Would you kindly explain to Luna and I what exactly happened back at the Gates of Tartarus and why were you all there in the first place?” “I can explain that,” Twilight answered somberly, looking down at the floor beneath her before staring up at the princess of the sun. The look of her majestic white coat and continuously flowing mane accompanied by her soft, pale, magenta eyes emitted an authoritative but comforting air that brought an ease to Twilight’s previously overwrought and tense state of mind, allowing her to fully concentrate on holding Vergil within her aura while she began her explanation to the princesses. “Well, it started with Vergil having done a considerable amount of research over Tartarus,” Twilight started. “But while I mistakenly passed it off as nothing more than him showing genuine interest in Equestria’s history, Dante had convinced me otherwise that his brother’s research was less about mere curiosity and revolved around something far more sinister.” Vergil simply said nothing as he silently watched Twilight recall the events that led to them following his trail. “That’s when the girls and I, along with Dante, intercepted Vergil in front of the Gates of Tartarus.” The lavender mare continued. “Unfortunately the magical barrier that sealed it off had already been cut away by the time we all arrived.” “I see.” Celestia replied, discretely eyeing the blade of Yamato still gripped within Vergil’s hoof. “And what of Dante?” she then asked before curiously looking towards the small yellow stallion. “What exactly was his stake in all of this?” Before Twilight could reply, Rainbow Dash spoke over the unicorn. “What was his stake!? He’s our friend! He was trying to help us stop Vergil from opening the Gates.” “Not to mention he darn near got himself killed for our sake!” AppleJack joined in. “If it weren’t for Dante, we wouldn’t have even made it past the Everfree Forest in time.” “However,” Twilight interrupted, having regained control over the conversation. “While we planned on aiding Dante to put a stop to Vergil’s scheme, what we didn’t plan on was both of them turning out to be demons; half-demon’s to be exact.” Celestia merely raised her brow at the explanation, both confused and intrigued by her student’s words. “You see, both Dante and Vergil are half-demons: twin sons born from a demon father and mortal mother. The two have been locked in an endless conflict over their father’s power long before they even arrived here in Equestria.” Twilight then looked back to Dante. “At least that’s what the legend states, right?” “Eh, sounds about right.” the demon hunter nodded, reaffirming Vergil’s retelling of Sparda’s legend. Twilight then went on to explain the chaotic events that transpired as best as she could: retelling how Vergil had wedged the gates open, Dante transforming into a mad devil that attacked anyone and everything he saw, how she and the rest of the group tried to prevent the demons from pouring out into Equestria before the doors finally gave way, and Vergil’s sudden rescue attempt that allowed them to escape from the demon infested canyon. “That’s when you and Luna showed up.” the unicorn mare finally mentioned before looking down at the floor dishearteningly. “I’m sorry, princess, but we couldn’t keep the demons from escaping.” The rest of the group’s actions could only mirror Twilight’s sullen words. Some of the girls turned away from the princesses while others looked down in shame as the realization of hundreds of demons running loose throughout Equestria proved all too demoralizing a blow to their efforts. “We failed.” Twilight admitted weakly. Celestia quietly approached her student before placing her hoof underneath Twilight’s chin and gently lifted her head to meet her gaze. “Do not despair, my faithful student.” she said with a sweet and comforting smile. “What matters most to me is that you and your friends are all ok. I cannot express how proud Luna and I are of you all as elements of harmony. To so willingly risk your lives for the sake of of Equestria, especially in the midsts of such chaos, is by far one the most commendable acts of courage I have ever heard of.” She then turned her attention to Dante. “And you, Dante. I cannot thank you enough for risking life and limb by accompanying the girls on their perilous journey.” “You have earned our utmost gratitude, Dante. Thank you.” Luna announced, taking to her sister’s side. The devil hunter simply acknowledged the princess of the night’s praises with nothing more than a silent and dutiful nod. “Now concerning the demons,” Celestia began as she addressed the girls. “I ask that you all not trouble yourselves too much over this incident. While these creatures do pose a significant threat to the welfare of everypony in Equestria, I will see to it that both the Royal and Night Guards aide you whenever and wherever they can in hunting down the demons.” Right as Twilight went to thank Celestia, Dante immediately cut her off. “Hold It!” Everyone in the room suddenly turned to the devil pony, who was now standing up on both his hind legs and pointing a single outstretched foreleg directly at Celestia. “While I’m sure the girls would be more than thankful for your assistance, I can’t help but feel that you’d just wind up wasting your time with this whole military approach.” “Is that so?” Celestia queried, raising her brow. “Indeed it is.” Dante answered. “No offense to you of course, but honestly: rallying the troops like its World War III will just make one big mess and needlessly complicate things. Instead, I suggest leaving the demon hunting to the expert here.” he boldly announced, lightly pounding his chest with his forehoof. Both Luna and Celestia exchanged puzzled looks with one another before turning their attention back to the half-demon. Celestia then spoke. “Are you claiming that in addition to being a demon, you also hunt them as well?” “Pretty much.” he shrugged. “Odd profession, I know, but it pays the bills and always keeps things interesting.” Dante then gestured to the group behind him. “Just ask them. I'm sure they have a few choice words to say about my on-the-job performance.” “Ya mean like reckless?” AppleJack spoke up. “Atrocious” Rarity chimed. “Goofy!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, leaping into the air. “Freaky?” Spike suggested. “More like awesome!” Rainbow Dash objected. “Excessively violent.” Fluttershy softly mumbled just within earshot of everypony. “But effective.” Twilight proclaimed on behalf of the group as she stepped past Dante and confronted Celestia. “You see, princess. While it’s true that Dante’s methods might be considered unorthodox if not extremely rambunctious, from what the girls and I have seen, he’s shown on more than one occasion that he’s certainly suited to handle these sorts of situations. Even when severely outnumbered, he still managed to slay every single demon that got in his way.” Stunned by Dante’s outright willingness to take up such an ordeal, which was backed by Twilight’s support no less, Celestia reconstituted herself briefly before speaking. “And you’re absolutely sure you wish to go through with this, Dante? I should warn you that what’s to be expected of you should you accept this task is no laughing matter. Lives will be at stake and you will responsible for ensuring their safety, not to mention having to hunt down the hundreds of demons now roaming across Equestria.” Dante merely chuckled at the severity of Celestia’s words before speaking. “No worries. I’ve got this. After all, this is no different from the hell I’ve gotta deal with back home.” Celestia blinked a few times, not sure on whether Dante’s eccentrically nonchalant attitude towards such a crisis was a good or bad thing. “Besides, I’ve been aching to cut loose ever since I’ve got here!” he exclaimed as he started rolling his shoulders. “And thanks to my brother’s little ’project’, I won’t have to worry about getting bored any time soon.” Twilight smiled nervously up at the sun goddess. “But I assure you, princess, the girls and I will be accompanying Dante on these demons hunts as well.” “Ya know, to make sure the dork doesn’t go completely overboard and what-not.” AppleJack added. “Not to mention assist in detaining those gruesome creatures.” Rarity joined in. “So just leave it to us, princess.” Rainbow Dash cheerfully said as she, Spike, and the rest of the girls gathered around Dante. “With all of us working together, there’s no demon alive that can stop us.” Hearing those words come from their very own subjects, Celestia and Luna couldn’t help but look to the group with a genuinely warm smile and hearts filled with pride. “Well I can certainly see there’s no talking you all down from this.” Celestia spoke. “In that case, it seems we won’t need to mobilize the Royal Guard on all fronts after all. However, my sister and I will keep watch over any and all demon activity and report directly to you, Twilight, should anything arise.” Luna then stepped forward, turning her attention to Dante. “From this point onward, you and the elements of harmony will be responsible for hunting down the escaped demons. Whether you choose to slay or detain them will rest solely on yours and the girls’ judgement. Is that clear?” “Yes, princess.” Spike and the girls collectively answered as they bowed before Celestia and Luna. Recognizing the group’s gesture at the last second, Dante proceeded to hastily mimic their posture both comically and respectfully. His motions elicited a series of soft giggles from the rulers of Equestria. Celestia then looked to Twilight before shifting her gaze up at Vergil; still entrapped within the lavender mare’s aura. “Twilight,” she began. “Yes, princess?” her student answered. “Would you kindly release Vergil? I wish to have a word with him.” she requested ever so calmly. So much so, that the princess’ placated tone over such a matter brought a shudder to the unicorn mare before she could appropriately respond. “Y-yes ma’am.” Twilight finally answered, somewhat off-put by the thought of letting the half-demon loose within the throne room. Concentrating her magic, she then slowly lowered Vergil onto the the red velvet carpet before finally dispelling the aura encasing his body. As his hooves finally made contact with the floor, Vergil proceeded to return the blade of Yamato back into its sheath. The half-demon’s piercing gaze did not once break away from Celestia’s own as the hilt of his sword met the sheath with an audible click. “Luna,” Celestia spoke. “Would you please pull everypony else aside?” she gestured to her sister, motioning with her neck to the adjacent wall of the throne room. “Yes, sister.” Luna acknowledged as she silently escorted the girls, the small dragon and finally, the devil hunter, off to the side and in front of the nearest wall. The way everything was positioned was almost as if the group was watching both Vergil and Celestia from the sidelines of a sporting event. “Now then, Vergil,” Celestia began as she started pacing back and forth in front of the battle-worn stallion, her golden horse shoes softly clacking against the marble floor. “Exactly what was it you were hoping to accomplish by opening those gates?” With their eyes still locked on one another, Vergil then stood up on his hindlegs. “I was simply looking for a means to return to my own world.” He answered flatly. “I see… and it did not once occur to you that what you were seeking might in fact not exist outside of both mine and my sister’s magical expertise?” A condescending tone then crept its way into her voice. “Or did you simply come to some paranoid conclusion that we were lying to you and that there may be in fact some other way for you to leave? Is that it!?” “Considering such methods have never been implemented by either you or your subjects, I took it upon myself to find my own way out of this accursed plane of existence!” Vergil snapped. The princess sighed. “I do not understand you. Even after Luna and I gave you a vow as rulers of Equestria – our word no less, you still chose not to trust us and instead wrought havoc upon not just our kingdom, but the entire world.” “Forgive me if I’m not willing to fully entrust my faith and well-being to those incapable of acting timely and efficiently.” Vergil snidely retorted. “But I have plans that just cannot wait five whole months.” “So instead, you chose to act out in spite and in your pursuit of that which cannot be obtained, you released hundreds of violent, blood-thirsty demons into Equestria and endangered not just my subjects and student, but countless of other innocent lives across this land all for the sake for your own selfish desires!” “As if you have any room to criticize, princess.” Luna’s eyes shot wide at the gall of Vergil’s statement towards her sister while a few of the girls could only gasp in disbelief. Celestia, however, said nothing as she silently allowed Vergil to continue. “I’ve read up on your so called methods, and needless to say, compared to you, I've endangered far less innocents with this one act than you have while trying to protect your people from these ‘historical disasters’.” Celestia’s brow furrowed as she glared down at the light grey pony. “Such as?” “You imprisoned a god of chaos in stone, only to leave him out on display in your luxurious garden for all of your subjects to gawk at like some grotesque attraction. The same god, mind you, who had thrown your entire world into a distorted amalgamation of nonsense and discord.” “Yes. And that spell lasted for more than a thousand years.” Celestia commented. “I assumed the magic from the elements of harmony would have made it permanent, considering how long the effects lasted.” “And yet somehow, he managed to escape. Under your watchful eye no less. I guess there were some things you hadn’t accounted for?” “Obviously there weren’t,” Celestia defended. “But, thanks to the bearers of the elements, Discord was sealed away once more.” “So you dumped your responsibility as ruler and protector onto your subjects out of your own incompetence; entrusting pawns to accomplish the tasks of a king. Rather than take matters into your own hands, you conducted this farce of a royal decree.” “Your point being?” “My point is, rather than vanquish the god who had plunged this world chaos once before, all you did was lock him away a second time. For all you know that beast is probably plotting to enact his vengeance the first chance he gets, especially with the knowledge that your little imprisonment is far from permanent.” “I made the only decision that was just.” Celestia stated. “I could never force my subjects to take the life of another. Even despicable creatures such as Discord deserve mercy.” “Mercy,” Vergil scoffed. “And what of your sister?” The room suddenly fell silent, the air grew cold, and the tension swelled. Luna dared not say a word as she woefully hung her head while her sister turned away from Vergil. “Would you honestly consider the actions you took against her merciful?” The half-demon questioned. Celestia said nothing. Instead, the alicorn slowly walked up towards the throne before positioning herself not upon it, but directly at the base. She closed her eyes momentarily before reconstituting herself and faced Vergil once more. “I did what I felt was right.” she replied solemnly. “By imprisoning your own sister in the moon for a thousand years?” Vergil sneered. “Rather than acting accordingly and vanquishing her, you instead locked her away like you did with Discord. And exactly what all did that accomplish?” he pressed further. “If I recall, did she not return as Nightmare Moon and attempt to plunge the world into eternal night because of a grudge formed by your act of ‘mercy’? Which raises another question: Where were you when Nightmare Moon returned? From all that your student told me, you were nowhere to be found. Quite the cowardly act for one so powerful, wouldn’t you agree?” Celestia gritted her teeth at the devil pony’s constant criticism. “What a scumbag!” Rainbow Dash blurted out, only to be silenced by AppleJack quickly placing her hoof over her mouth. “And of course,” Vergil pressed on. “You so haphazardly endangered the lives of your subjects by blindly entrusting your faith to those girls!” he pointed his hoof towards the group standing behind Luna. “What would have happened had they not succeeded?! How much blood would have been spilt because of your own weakness? You claim to protect those you rule, but no, you do no such thing. Instead, you hide behind the guise of a benevolent leader who can do no wrong, showing mercy to your most cruel and foul enemies because you are unable to do what is needed; not just for yourself, but for those whom you wish to protect! You claim yourself merciful, yet you were so quick to seal your own sister away, forcing her to suffer a thousand years of torturous isolation.” The intensity of his glare rose as he looked the princess in the eye before uttering one last sentence. “I would have sooner ended my own brother’s life than subject him to such a fate.” “Nice to know he cares.” Dante quietly scoffed from behind the group as he leaned against one of the pillars decorating the room. “That is enough out of you!” Celestia bellowed as she stomped a single hoof upon the marble floor. The collision echoed like thunder within the chamber, instantly silencing Vergil. "You would rather slay your own kin than find a cure!? You would abandon everything you hold dear for a quick fix? Damn you, devil!” she cursed, causing the onlooking group to collectively flinch at her harsh words. “I’ve lived with my choice for centuries, knowing one day my sister would return, enduring the hardships and struggles of this kingdom without her by my side. Despite what you may think of my actions, my burdens have delivered my sister back to me, and it was Twilight, my student no less, the one I trusted beyond all else, that granted me this blessing." Tears began to well up in Luna’s eyes as she bit her lower lip. No doubt the guilt of her past transgressions against both her kingdom and her only sister still plagued her mind with both regret and remorse. What hurt most was that Celestia, her beloved sister, despite all that she had put her through, was still willing to stick by her side and take the blame upon herself as if she had done no wrong. “Don’t you dare speak to me about hardships!” Vergil barked. “How could you, one born to power, so detached from reality, possibly know what it truly means to struggle, to endure, and claw your way through Hell – just to survive?” Dante, upon hearing those words, simply looked away with a wince; the memory of his brother plummeting into the pits of Hell suddenly resurfacing within his mind as though it were a recurring nightmare. “You’re nothing more than a naïve fool, so ignorantly invested in your sickening sense of altruism – a mindset you’ve ingrained within your student no less,” Vergil’s eyes wandered over to Twilight. “A student who’s shown on more than one occasion the futility of her incompetent mentor’s teachings.” The devil pony turned back to Celestia. “But enough talk,” he then gripped the hilt of Yamato with his hoof. “Perhaps I should show you and your subjects just how useless those ideals you desperately cling to are.” Celestia let out an exasperated sigh. “I know far more than one as feeble minded as you can possibly imagine,” she said as the fury grew in her stare. “However, you are more than welcome to try and prove otherwise.” Vergil quickly crouched onto his hindlegs. “Then hang your head before my might!” he declared before suddenly dashing straight for the princess at breakneck speeds. “Lest I hang it for you!” Upon finishing those words, Vergil was already within striking distance of Celestia as he swiftly drew his sword, swiping Yamato across the princess’ throat in one fluid motion. Just then, the blade had suddenly ceased mid-swing, coming to an abrupt halt just inches away from Celestia’s neck. It was then that Vergil realized what had happened. Surrounding his entire body was a golden aura that was radiating directly from Celestia’s horn. The princess’ magical hold on him proved far stronger than Twilight’s magic as he could feel its crushing grip squeezing him ever so tightly, leaving him completely immobilized and frozen in place. “Princess!” Twilight yelled as she rushed forward, only to be stopped by one of Princess Luna’s unfurled wings blocking her path. Turning her head to face Twilight, Luna’s still teary yet stern cyan eyes locked with with the unicorn’s own before ushering her back. “Fear not, Twilight Sparkle.” Luna urged the lavender mare. “My sister knows exactly what she’s doing. I don’t believe I should have to remind you that Celestia is more than capable of handling this fight herself.” Twilight dared not protest any further as Luna’s sincere and reassuring gaze pierced her own. “Interesting,” Celestia spoke, observing the blade of Yamato in Vergil’s outstretched hoof. “I take it this was the instrument used to cut away the seal Luna and I cast over the gates?” Vergil said nothing, but merely grimaced; his face muscles proving to be one of few things he still had control of contained within the princess’ aura. “Quite a sharp blade,” Celestia commented further as she levitated Vergil into the air at eye level. “Had I tried to block it with magic, you might have actually cut me. Still, dangerous as it may be, it’ll do you no good if you can’t even so much as move.” The next instant, Celestia focused the entirety of her aura into a powerful throw as she launched Vergil across the throne room, smashing him into one of the pillars adjacent to the entryway. The sudden impact left the half-demon wide eyed and breathless as he crashed into the stone pillar, the sheer force from his body cracking its elegant structure. As he slid to the ground, Vergil hastily caught himself before kneeling at the base of the pillar, panting heavily in an attempt to catch his second wind. “Stand down!” Celestia ordered from across the room. “You are out of your league, devil!” Heedless to the princess’ words, Vergil returned Yamato to its sheath before summoning forth his Beowulf gauntlets. The devil wasted no time as he sprinted towards the sun goddess once more. Celestia then readied her magic, anticipating Vergil’s next move. After covering half of the length of the throne room, Vergil suddenly vanished from sight in a blue blur, only to reappear not even a second later directly above Celestia as he descended into his starfall dive kick. The princess however, was quick to act and just before Vergil’s back leg could make contact, she simply took a step to the left, bypassing the audacious attack. As soon as Vergil landed next to Celestia, missing her entirely, he immediately shifted his weight as he spun to his right as he reached for Yamato, attempting to make a rapid close ranged strike. Just before he could draw the blade from its scabbard, Celestia swiftly unfurled her white titanesque wings. The massive feathery appendages quickly shoved the half-demon back, instantly knocking him off balance. As he stumbled back, Celestia’s took the opportunity to snatch Vergil up once more with her magic. With her horn illuminated by a golden glow, she lifted the trapped demon up off the ground before speaking. “On our way to the Gates of Tartarus, Twilight filled me in on what you and Dante were capable of.” she said, levitating the light grey pony closer to her, so much so that they were practically face to face. “Upon suffering severe trauma, your body is able to rapidly heal and repair most of your wounds; even recover from the verge death. At least that’s what she told me.” She then narrowed her glowering gaze at the half-demon. “Shall we validate her hypothesis?” Before he could even utter a single word in response, Vergil was flung up into the ceiling with incredible force by nothing more than a tilt of Celestia’s head. Even after his body collided with the ceiling, he could still feel the crushing force of Celestia’s magic continually driving him upward. Needless to say, it felt as though he was being firmly pressed between an unseen force and the sturdy stone architecture of the throne room as a weak and agonizing groan escaped his throat. Seconds passed before the patch of ceiling started to fracture, slowly cracking from the pressure of both Celestia’s magic and Vergil’s crushed body. Suddenly, the princess jerked her head downward, forcefully yanking the demon into the pristine marble floor with a resounding crunch. The girls cringed upon witnessing his battered figure smash into the marble as the sound of his breaking bones could be heard loud and clear at even their distance. Standing behind Rarity, Spike quickly averted his gaze before covering his eyes with his claws entirely. Even Luna’s composure faltered momentarily as she winced at the ferocity of Celestia’s attack. “I’ve never seen the princess so riled up like this.” Twilight muttered amongst her friends. “Ah didn’t even know she could get this angry,” said AppleJack. “She’s tossin’ that sorry devil around like a bale o’ hay.” “It’s actually kinda scary.” Pinkie Pie mumbled to Rainbow Dash in a frightened manner. “Yeah,” the cyan-blue pegasus agreed. “I know Vergil’s not exactly innocent, but holy crud. Celestia’s not holding back any punches.” All the while, Dante continued to silently watch his brother stubbornly press onwards, weakly pushing himself off of the ground, clenching his teeth in agony as his disheveled mane draped over burning blue eyes. It was truly a pathetic sight to behold for the devil hunter. His eyes then suddenly shifted off to the side upon hearing a faint gasp. It was Fluttershy, who had been watching Vergil in horrified silence as she covered her mouth with a single hoof. From the way Dante saw things, it was pretty obvious the misty eyed pegasus was overly distraught at the sight of his brother’s suffering. “It seems you’re even more durable than Twilight claimed.” Celestia commented as Vergil finally lifted himself up onto his hind legs, his gauntlets now dissipating from his hooves in a faint burst of light. “Unfortunately for you,” she continued “I’ve dealt with demons far more powerful and vastly more resilient than the likes of you in my time.” “Better back down while you still can, Vergil,” Dante announced from across the way, catching the attention of everyone in the room. “Keep this up and we’re gonna need a mop to clean up what’s left of you.” “Though crude as his words may be, I’d advise you to listen to your brother.” Celestia said as she locked eyes with Vergil. “It’d be the only sensible decision to make at this point.” “As if I’d listen to the words of a fool!” Vergil snapped before grabbing Yamato by the hilt. He then rapidly drew the blade from its sheath with slightly faltering speed, unleashing a devastating shockwave that threatened to cut the princess in two from across the room. However, while Vergil’s swordsmanship was indeed fast, Celestia’s agility proved to be much faster. The princess easily evaded the attack as she ducked out of the way, narrowly dodging the slice by mere inches. Behind Celestia, one of the fountains that decorated the side of her throne suddenly split in two as the evaded cut from Yamato passed right through it, spilling water out onto the polished marble floor. The onlooking group gasped aloud, shocked by both Vergil’s violent response and Celestia’s evasive maneuverability. “You just don’t learn, do you?” Celestia darkly muttered as she lifted herself back up. The princess was swift to act as she ensared Vergil within her magical aura once again, not willing to risk the devil making another move. She then raised the half-demon into the air as her golden aura around Vergil began to constrict his body tighter than ever before. He couldn’t even so much as gasp for breath as the princess proceeded to mercilessly squeeze the demon; a menacing sneer overcoming her once calm and collected expression. Just when he felt the magic’s grip was about to crush his body entirely, Celestia suddenly released her hold on him, allowing Vergil to fall back to the ground. At least that was the impression he had at first. Instead, right as Vergil began his descent, the princess’ horn suddenly ignited with a magnificently bright golden glow; a glow that illuminated the room like the golden rays of the morning sun. Before Vergil’s barely conscious body could fall even a few feet, Celestia fired off the abundant concentration of magic in a burst of blinding brilliance, blasting the half-demon into the wall above throne room doors. The princess’ magical attack proved too much for Vergil as the searing heat engulfed his entire body, threatening to burn away any trace of him as the pain grew more and more. The blast continued to drive him further into the wall, forcing the devil to cry out in a maddening fit of anguish. “AAAAAAAAAAAGH!” “Vergil, No!” Fluttershy screamed as she rushed forward, only to be held back by the rest of the girls as they tried to calm the flailing pegasus, urging her not to get involved. Finally, the magic faded. A large, cracked and smouldering crater now lay above the doorwary with Vergil’s motionless body pressed into the middle. A few seconds of silence passed before the devil limply fell forward onto the floor. As his body hit the ground, so too did his sword, Yamato that had fallen out of his hoof and onto the marble with a metallic clatter; its scabbard following suit as Vergil’s other hoof relinquished it on impact with the floor. In a burst of white light, Celestia instantly teleported in front of the beaten down pony; smoke still rising from his remarkably unsinged grey pelt. She then noticed Vergil slowly reaching out for Yamato that had landed a few feet away from his trembling, outstretched hoof. With a firm stomp, she quickly stepped on the flat of the blade, keeping it away from Vergil’s grasp. “Even now in such a pitiful state, you still wish to fight,” she began. “Are you really that hell-bent on slaying me?” Vergil said nothing and continued to feebly crawl forward, desperate to reclaim his blade. The princess slid the sword closer to herself with her forehoof before speaking. “It seems as though you leave me no choice. Witnessing your malicious nature in full force, I can’t bear to imagine what sort of destruction would have befallen your world if I were to send you back. Instead, I am willing to take full responsibility over this matter.” The princess’ eyes gleamed down at the ragged pony. “Not only have you ruined any and all chances of returning to your world, but now you have put us both in a position for which the only outcome is your indefinite incarceration.” “Then do it,” the devil pony coughed as he shakingly raised himself up onto all fours, his legs trembling beneath his weight. “Show your subjects the true extent of your ‘mercy’. Lock me away just like the rest of your ‘problems’. Who’s to say I won’t return? You’ve already proven that you lack the capacity to strike me down.” “Then so be it.” Celestia solemnly stated. Her horn then began to glow as she readied a spell. “Vergil,” she began. “For your crimes against both Equestria and its inhabitants, your weapon will be confiscated and you shall be sealed away into the depths of Tartarus, where you will remain indefinitely.” The princess then lowered her brightly glowing horn, aiming it down at the light grey pony, preparing to enact her punishment. “Looks like you’ll be getting just what you wanted after all.” “NO!” Fluttershy shouted as she slipped past both her friends and Princess Luna before sprinting towards Vergil. “Don’t do it!” Celestia momentarily averted her attention from the half-demon just in time to see Fluttershy come to a screeching halt as she slid between her and Vergil. “Fluttershy!” Celestia cried out in shock. “What is the meaning of this?” “Please, Princess. Don’t banish him!” Fluttershy desperately pleaded. “It’s my fault this happened! I should have stopped him from going to the gates in the first place.” The Sun Goddess quizzically raised her brow. “Fluttershy, what are you doing?” Vergil rasped as he limped up to the pegasus mare. “This has nothing to do with you, so don’t interfe-” Before Vergil could even finish his sentence, Fluttershy snapped around, raised a single forehoof, and slapped the half-demon across the face with a resounding smack. The room fell silent in an instant as everybody watching stood slack-jawed, completely flabbergasted by what they had just witnessed. Even Princess Celestia’s eyes went wide as she was taken aback by the audacity of Fluttershy’s brazen actions. Vergil could only stare back at the soft-spoken mare in an awestruck stupor as he raised a hoof to his face, gently holding it over the cheek where Fluttershy had struck him. “No more.” Fluttershy begged as she tenderly placed her hoof over Vergil’s own, cupping his cheek. She then reached for his scabbard laying next to him, picked it up and turned back to Celestia. Quietly, she walked over to where the princess’ hoof was holding down the blade of Yamato and looked up at the Sun Goddess. “If I may, please?” she asked, pointing her hoof down at the sword. The Princess’ gaze bounced back between Fluttershy and the deadly weapon she had confiscated from Vergil. “I hope you know what you are doing.” she said before reluctantly sliding the blade over to the pegasus. “Thank you.” Fluttershy nodded before carefully picking up the sword and slowly sheathing it back into its scabbard. The pegasus then turned around to the still silent half-demon and calmly handed the weapon over to him. As he took Yamato back from her, Vergil met Fluttershy’s gaze with a look of bewilderment. “Why?” he asked in a hushed voice. “Because I can’t stand seeing you do this to yourself.” she answered with a weak smile, tenderly brushing the hanging locks of Vergil’s mane from in front of his eyes. Fluttershy then wrapped her front hooves around Vergil’s upraised hoof; the same hoof that was gripping Yamato. “Just please… no more fighting.” Looking down, Vergil said nothing. Fluttershy then turned back towards the sun goddess. “Princess Celestia, please forgive me for intruding on such an important matter, but with all due respect, I don’t think Vergil fully deserves to be banished.” “So you wish to defend this demon?” Celestia quizzically responded. “Yes, I understand he’s a demon and all, but he’s by no means a monster. Especially not after everything he’s done to help me and my friends.” “Oh?” “Back at the Gates of Tartarus, after Dante went crazy, Vergil did all he could to keep him from attacking Twilight and AppleJack.” Fluttershy explained. “Not exactly my best moment.” Dante muttered sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. “And after the gates opened up and all of those horrible demons escaped…Vergil still came back for us.” Fluttershy said in a hopeful voice. “He risked his life to protect everyone from those monsters. If it weren’t for him, none of us would have even made it out of that canyon.” As she listened to Fluttershy’s pleas, Celestia couldn’t help but notice just how unyielding the pegasus was in her defense of Vergil. At a glance, one could interpret Fluttershy’s actions as nothing more than simply standing up for a friend, but looking past that, Celestia noticed there was an unrivaled tenacity in her eyes. It was clear as day that she and Vergil shared a bond that went beyond the boundaries of a simple friendship, and because of that fact, Celestia grew more concerned that perhaps Fluttershy’s judgement might have been somewhat impaired. “Fluttershy,” Celestia sighed. “While I haven’t the slightest doubt you mean well, I can’t help but feel that you’re letting your emotions drive your judgement a little too far.” “But you can’t ignore the fact that Vergil saved our lives,” Fluttershy persisted. “On more than one occasion for that matter. Just ask Twilight. Didn’t she already explain how Vergil got us out of there? She’ll tell you.” Celestia’s glance shifted between Fluttershy and Vergil before the familiar and reassuring voice of her student approaching from behind. “It’s true, Princess.” Twilight admitted as she and the rest of the elements, joined by Luna, Spike and Dante, made their way across the throne room. “Vergil put his life on the line to help us escape, even going so far as to slay numerous demons that, if not destroyed, would have made short work of the girls and I.” “She ain’t lyin’,” AppleJack agreed as she and the girls gathered alongside Fluttershy. “We were all at the end of our ropes by the time he swooped in.” Spike and the girls silently nodded their heads, the terror of having to face down countless demons still fresh in each and every one of their minds. With all that was being presented before her, Celestia most certainly couldn’t argue that there was more to the demon known as Vergil than she had previously assumed. Any fiend such as him would have simply left the girls for dead and departed into Tartarus, she thought. Yet he didn’t. Whether it was to keep a clean conscience or out of the kindness of his heart, Fluttershy was right. She couldn’t write off Vergil’s actions entirely. “Please, princess,” Fluttershy spoke up, interrupting Celestia’s train of thought. “There must be another way, something else Vergil could do to make up for this mistake.” She then looked back to the half-demon with his eyes locked to the floor in shame. “If you must punish someone, then it should be me. It’s my fault after all.” she somberly spoke. Everyone’s eyes went wide upon hearing Fluttershy’s statement. Even Vergil lifted his head in response, unable to believe what she had just proposed. “I should have talked Vergil out of going into the Everfree. If only I could’ve convinced him to stay, then he wouldn’t have left for the gates and the demons would never have gotten out.” Vergil’s jaw hung open in genuine shock. This mare: whose trust he had betrayed, whose friends he had endangered, and whose affection for him he had taken for granted, was standing adamantly against one of the most powerful rulers in this world and risking both her well-being and very life for his sake, and his sake alone. For one of the rare moments in his miserable existence, he could feel something that could only be described as guilt churning deep within the pit of his stomach. “Fluttershy, darling!” Rarity blurted out. “Listen to what you are saying. Surely you can’t mean that, dearie.” “Yeah,” Spike joined in as he waddled up to the pegasus. “Getting yourself locked away won’t do anypony any good.” “But it’s true!” Fluttershy said defensively. “That’s quite enough, Fluttershy.” Celestia spoke as she interrupted the group’s discussion. “No one is being locked away.” she said, quickly dismissing everone’s concerns. Celestia then cleared her throat before addressing both the elements and the devil brothers. “In light of the testimonies presented by Fluttershy and Twilight, not to mention all of your corroboration, it has come to my attention that while Vergil may be guilty of disrupting the harmony of Equestria and releasing demons upon our land, his punishment should be not one of condemnation, but rather one of redemption.” Fluttershy’s face lit up. “So does that mean..." “Yes, Fluttershy,” Celestia answered with a smile. “Vergil will not be banished.” The kindhearted pegasus then gleefully whipped around and threw her forelegs around Vergil’s neck, hugging him close. The devil’s eyes went wide once more as he found himself completely at a loss for words. Though that didn’t necessarily prevent him from expressing his gratitude towards Fluttershy, as he pulled her closer to him before wrapping a single foreleg around her, having finally given in to the pegasus’ comforting embrace. Watching on, Dante shook his head, letting out a lighthearted chuckle. Guess there’s hope for you yet, Vergil. “Instead,” Celestia resumed, regaining everyone’s attention. “Since it was Vergil’s actions that freed the inhabitants of Tartarus, he too will be tasked in aiding you all with hunting and recapturing the demons. It is only fair that he takes responsibility for this disaster.” As much as Vergil would have liked to speak out against the princess’ remark, he chose to hold his tongue after looking back at Fluttershy, whose eyes were obviously pleading that he simply remain silent. Celestia then approached the demon with a relaxed yet slightly cautious air. “Vergil, from here on out, you shall be placed under Twilight’s supervision while remaining in Fluttershy’s care. That way, should you happen overstep your boundaries, Luna and I will be the first to hear of it. Do I make myself clear?” Vergil looked towards the ground, avoiding any and all eye contact with the princess. “Crystal.” he answered with a touch of venom lacing his voice. The princess then lowered herself, moving in closer to the half-demon and addressed him in a stern but hushed tone. “Do not make me regret this.” Those chilling words resonated in Vergil’s mind as he forced a glare at the leering Sun Goddess. Lifting herself back up, Celestia then shifted her attention to Twilight. “I hope this change of plans will not pose an inconvenience to you, my student.” Twilight dismissively waved her hoof in a respectful fashion. “None at all, Princess. In fact, this will present even more opportunities for me to research up on Dante’s and Vergil’s world,” The unicorn smiled up at her mentor. “Which reminds me; I just so happen to have chronicled a particular legend pertaining to the brothers, thanks to Vergil’s recollection of said story. If you want, I could send it to you as soon as we get back.” “I would like that very much.” Celestia then made her way over to Dante, who had been hanging around at the back of the group as usual. “Well, Dante, I hope you and your brother will be able to put your differences aside for the time being, at least until this whole mess has been sorted out.” “No promises,” the devil hunter yawned before AppleJack swiftly smacked him upside the head. “Gah!” “What he means is, ‘yes, your highness.’.” Rainbow Dash corrected on his behalf, wrapping her foreleg around Dante’s shoulder. “And that he also wants to make a Pinkie Promise out of it.” Pinkie Pie playfully added as she bounced over to Dante’s side, squeezing the demon between herself and Rainbow Dash. “Glad to hear it.” Celestia laughed as she walked away from the two. “Oh, and Dante.” she said, coming to an abrupt halt before looking back over her shoulder. “Yeah?” “Do try and keep that devil of yours under control next time. I’d prefer it if you’d assist my subjects rather than try and make a meal out of them.” she said jokingly. “Will do. Never did like the idea of horse meat anyway.” Rarity silently reeled back in disgust at the devil hunter’s remark, sending Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash into a fit of giggles. “Gather ‘round, my little ponies.” Celestia then announced upon rejoining Luna’s side. “It is time that you all returned home. It has been a long night and Luna and I still have much work to do.” The group quietly obliged as everyone huddled around the alicorn sisters, ready to depart from the throne room. “For now though, it’d be wise for everypony here to get some rest.” Luna advised. “We will keep watch for the next few days and inform Twilight of any demon activity that might occur.” “How does the Golden Oak Library sound for your returning point?” Celestia asked, looking towards her student. Twilight turned around to consult the rest of the group. Spike and the girls had no objections whatsoever as they silently nodded in approval. Dante simply joined the consensus with nothing more than a smirk while Vergil, indifferent to the the princess’ inquiry, continued to stand beside Fluttershy in stoic silence. “That’ll work just fine, princess.” Twilight answered. “Then I bid you all goodnight.” Celestia proclaimed as a golden aura began to manifest itself around the sun princess’ horn, filling the room with a brilliant white light. “Have a safe trip back.” Luna waved to the group before everyone, save for Celestia and herself completely vanished from the throne room in a blinding flash. As the light from her spell faded, Celestia let out a long and heavy sigh. “Sister,” Luna reluctantly spoke up after an uncomfortably prolonged silence. “I’ve been thinking about what Vergil said earlier… about what had happened between us all those years ago.” “What of it?” Celestia stared intently into her sister’s eyes. “I just want to say that I’m sorry… again. Not just for trying to overthrow you or plunge the world into eternal night, but for all that I forced you to endure. All the sleepless nights you spent awake because I wasn’t there to fufill my duties. All the grief I must have inflicted upon you because of my own selfish desires. All those years I left you alone simply because I could never see myself as your equal.” “Luna…” Celestia muttered in a painstricken tone. “Can you ever truly forgive me for my transgressions?” “I had already forgiven you when Twilight returned you to me,” Celestia declared. “You need not apologize anymore, Luna. If there is anypony here who should be asking for forgiveness, it is I.” she said as she averted her gaze from Luna. “What do you mean?” “Luna, I cannot tell you how sorry I am.” Celestia confessed. “I locked you away for a thousand years on the moon, secluded you from everything and everyone you loved. And even when you returned as Nightmare Moon…” she swallowed -- the weight of her words proving much heavier than she had anticipated. “I couldn’t save you on my own. I was no longer able to use the elements because well… you weren’t with me anymore.” “But because of your efforts and the trust you placed in your student,” Luna rebutted. “Twilight and her friends were able to stop me and bring us together again. On top of that, they became the new bearers of the Elements of Harmony.” “I know,” Celestia smiled half-heartedly towards the princess of the night. “But I just wish that there had been some other way that I could have prevented all of this… from the very start.” It was at that moment that Vergil’s harsh criticisms of her had suddenly resurfaced, bringing with them a disheartening reality. Her own flesh and blood had rebelled against her and instead of resolving their feud, all she could do was seal her away; a punishment the sisters had dealt far too many times than she would have liked. “Celestia,” Luna spoke, snapping the sun princess from her train of thought. “You did all that you could and because of that, I cannot fault you. What matters most is that the two of us are together again, ruling Equestria as equals...” she then stepped forward, pulling Celestia into a loving embrace. “…as sisters.” “Oh, Luna.” Celestia’s voice wavered as she leaned into her sister’s hug. “Besides, Tia,” Luna continued, softly nuzzling the sun princess’ neck. “I’m sure that had there been another way to stop me, I haven’t the slightest doubt you of all ponies would have found it.” Celestia clenched her eyes shut. “One can only hope…” she mumbled uncertainly to herself. After a few more moments of holding one another, the two sisters slowly pulled from their tender embrace, finally ready to return to their duties as rulers. Celestia then began to make her way down the red carpet and towards the throne room doors. Curious as to why her sister was so suddenly taking her leave, Luna called out to the white alicorn, “Tia! Where are you off to?” “Forgive me, Luna, but given all that’s happened tonight, I need to check up on a few things in the garden.” “Those three again?” “Yes. Until we are absolutely certain whether or not HE managed to get out, we can’t afford to risk the chance of him finding out where I have hidden them.” “Do be quick, sister.” Luna urged. “It won’t be long until you have to raise the sun.” “I still have a couple of hours.” Celestia smiled back towards her sister who was now seated upon the throne. “I see. Well then, have a goodnight.” Luna finally said just as Celestia was casually strolling out into the main hall. “You too, Luna!” she answered back before magically shutting the doors to the throne room behind her.