Heads in the Cloud
by Present Perfect
Epilogue: Severed Links
"I'm pleased to see my trust in you was not misplaced, Twilight Sparkle."
Celestia greeted her with a warm smile and tea for two. Twilight, fresh from a happy reunion with her friends, Spike included, was grateful for the opportunity to unwind and relax. Still, as she spoke, her voice was troubled.
"I wouldn't go celebrating yet, Princess. If I'm being honest, despite understanding the gravity of all the secrets I could potentially uncover in the Cloud, the temptation to go back and learn more from Equestria's past is really strong." She gazed down at her tea. "I can't promise I won't use the spell again."
"I understand, Twilight," Celestia said quickly. "Though I still trust you, I can remove the spell from your mind, if it would make you feel better."
Twilight's eyebrows shot up. "What?"
Celestia remained impassive. "I could simply sever the link to the Cloud holding that particular piece of information."
"That's..." Twilight's eyes widened. "That's like what Catrina did to Rainbow Dash!"
"To a lesser extent, yes..." Celestia did not meet Twilight's gaze.
After a moment, Twilight spoke up. "What will happen to her, Princess?"
Celestia set her teacup down, regarding Twilight with the look of one who had wished a delicate subject had been left unbroached.
"I have had Catrina moved to a more secure holding cell, one designed for the sort of criminal Equestria has not seen in centuries." She let out a breath. "As for her mental state, only time will tell. When last I saw her, she was still murmuring gibberish."
Twilight frowned at her tea. "I feel sorry for her, for what happened to her people."
Images of the screaming feline head flashed across her mind. She saw in vivid detail the ichor leaking from the eyes, the nose and mouth. It had been so simple to command those cutie marks to attack; she hadn't even realized she was doing it. Her only concern had been for the information, the secrets. The thought of those hundreds and thousands and millions of secrets coming out into the open terrified her to the core. She had to wonder now just whose secrets she was trying to protect, just what it was she was willing to destroy another living being's mind to hide.
Twilight swallowed.
"I don't like what I did to her."
Celestia nodded. "What happened to her people is a regret I wish most wholeheartedly to rectify. I am saddened that she, who was so motivated to rectify it, will likely not be able to see the fruits of my atonement." Her gaze flicked up toward the ceiling.
"As for what you did, Twilight, I feel, given the circumstances, it was all you could do, for yourself, for your friends, and for Equestria. That you feel regret for it only means you possess the unique capability of caring for everyone, pony or otherwise."
Twilight looked up at her, brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"
Celestia smiled. "Only that you are one of the kindest, most loving ponies I have ever met, Twilight Sparkle. The title of Princess of Friendship suits you so very well. A dear friend once told me a good ruler must fear for her subjects. I've since come to understand that's simply a way of caring for them, and that is what is most important." She sipped at her tea. "You make an excellent Princess, Twilight."
"Thank you, Celestia," Twilight said quietly. The room grew calm, and she drank her tea until it stopped being palatable. She sighed.
"There's one more thing bothering me."
Celestia raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"
"The Cloud itself." Twilight frowned. "I mean... Three instances of a pony losing their connection to it in who knows how many centuries. It can't be a big problem. But it still makes me feel..." She looked up at Celestia, searching her face. "Like all the things I know aren't real. They're all stored up in some metaphysical cloud for whenever I need to remember them, and they aren't really a part of me like I thought they were. I read the book, and I know that's not really how it works, but..." She swallowed. "Was Catrina right about us? About why the Cloud exists?"
Celestia sipped at her tea a long moment before answering. "Think about it this way, Twilight. Before you knew of the Cloud, did your thoughts and memories seem real?"
"Well, yes, I suppose they did."
"Then they are." Celestia smiled. "Just because you know where they go when you aren't using them doesn't mean they have no meaning. Your mind is what placed them in the Cloud, after all. It has always worked as it needed to, and for your own sake, I recommend trusting it to continue doing so."
Twilight drew a hoof down her face, groaning and slumping to one side. "I can see why it made Sky Speaker go crazy."
She was quiet for a long moment before asking, "Princess, have you ever used the link-severing spell before?"
Celestia nodded. "Once, on myself. As I said, I understand all too well the temptations of the Cloud."
"You've never used it on another pony?"
"No, though I have suggested it to a few."
Twilight raised an eyebrow. "And they all refused?"
Celestia nodded. "Nor would I use it on an unwilling subject, regardless of need."
Nodding a few times, Twilight set her cup down and stood. "In that case, I'm willing to trust you to help me trust myself."
"Thank you, Twilight." Celestia smiled, and Twilight relaxed.
On her way from Celestia's quarters, Twilight stopped when she saw a particular mare in Royal Guard armor.
"Lieutenant Sundance! Fancy seeing you here!"
"Your Highness," Sundance said, face drawn.
Twilight rolled her eyes and laughed. "It's like I've picked up a talent for running into Guards all the t--" She cut off when she realized Sundance was glaring at her.
"I don't know how you got into my head," the Lieutenant said through her teeth, "and I don't care if you are a Princess." She stalked forward, backing Twilight into a wall. "If you ever tell anypony what you saw in there, you. Will. Regret it."
The fire in Sundance's eyes, so like her namesake, struck real fear into Twilight's heart. She swallowed, nodding. "You can trust me to keep a secret. I Pinkie Promise."
Sundance backed off as Twilight crossed her heart, fluttered her wings, and jabbed a hoof into her eye with an exclamation of pain.
"Very well, then. Your Highness." Sundance saluted, turned on her heel, and stomped off in the opposite direction. Twilight waited until she was out of sight before letting out the breath she'd been holding.
"I think I'll need Princess Celestia to cast that spell again..."