//------------------------------// // Interlude: Aftermath // Story: Fists of Fury or Something // by Shocks //------------------------------// "Princess Celestia, please reconsider your stance! We can't let the creature get away! He assaulted both you and Princess Luna! Not to mention put a hoof-full of guards in the infirmary!" The monarch of the sun sat upon her throne with the same motherly expression she had perfected over the years. Around her, various guards were standing about, nearly double the amount normally present, thanks to the battle only an hour before. Celestia inwardly sighed, thanking herself that she had the foresight to cancel the day court upon feeling Discord's presence. The last thing she needed right now would be nobles screaming their heads off. Before her, was her captain of the guard, a bright white stallion by the name of Shining Armor, brother to her faithful student Twilight Sparkle. The captain had been pushing for her to let the guard act and capture Gaunts, but she knew this was a disastrous idea. "Captain. I am well aware of your concerns, however I have known Gaunts for-" "Gaunts?" Shining interrupted, confused. "The creature. His name is Gaunts" , she smiled fondly," Short for gauntlets, I know. Not very original, but it was the best he could come up with". She remembered his exact words. Her smile faded slightly at how things changed so much. "Right. Gaunts. Princess, if I may say so, you seem to know about the cre-Gaunts more then anypony. Could you clarify why we shouldn't throw him in the dungeons or at the very least arrest it?" Celestia sighed inwardly once more, she never thought she would have this conversation again. "Captain, the most simply reason I can give is that you can't. Gaunts is not someone who is easily defeated. If you were to actually engage him in combat, he would, for a better term, 'wipe the floor with you'. He only attacks those who attack him first" She quickly raised a hoof when she saw Shining was about to speak. "And before you ask, yes, we did attack him first. He was retaliating in defense". Shining's jaw nearly dropped along with all the other guards in the room. To think that their princess, the kind and just Princess Celestia had outright attacked something was simply an idea many couldn't believe. However, Shining Armor had a different take on the statement. "So he is a even a greater threat than we thought!" Already he was motioning to a few guards. Tailing the creature was no longer an option. They had to capture it. Now. Celestia was quick to stop her captain. She knew exactly who he was a threat to. "Shining Armor. He is only a threat if you attack him. Unless he is physically about to harm somepony are your troops to attack. He is not to be approached unless otherwise state-" "Sister!" The princess truly resisted the urge to facehoof. First Discord, then Gaunts, Shining Armor, and now her beloved sister. This day truly could not get any worse. A glance out the window revealed how wrong she was, as massive storm clouds were blanketed across the sky. She was going to need cake after this. Lots of cake. Barely returning her attention to Captain Armor did the massive doors of her throne room slam open, the Lunar princess storming in, flanked by two thestral guards. Clutched to her head via magic was a large icepack, she was most likely still dealing with Gaunts' attack . "Celestia! Our guard hath informed us that we art not to engage the fiend Gauntlets?! Hath thou sustained a head injury while we were comatose??" Celestia for her part appeared to not be fazed by her sister's accusation. Sitting a little straighter in her throne, she cleared her throat. "All guards. Please leave me and my sister for a moment. I shall call you back in a moment" She said, authority added to her voice. Captain Armor looked to protest, but a stern glance ended any further thoughts. Bowing, he exited along with the rest of the Solar guard, the thestrals the last to exit, the well oiled doors sliding closed with a resounding thud. Silence rained across the room as the two alicorns stared at each other from across the room. Luna clearly displayed her emotions, anger and surprise evident. Celestia for her part dawned a neautral expression, her smile gone. This moment didn't last however, as the Lunar princess teleported across the room to stand at the foot of her sister's throne. "Tia. What art thou thinking?! To leave him to roam free?! Think of our little ponies!" Luna called out, advancing a step toward her sister. "I am thinking of our ponies Luna. You know what he will try to do if we send troops after him" She replied calmly. "All the more reason to capture him! He is a threat to our ponies!" Celestia could not take it anymore. The days events had begun to chip away at her normally calm demeanor and she had reached her breaking point. She could act no longer. "He is a threat to us Luna!" She yelled, rising from her seat in anger. "And rightfully so! After what we did to him! After what I did to him!" The solar alicorn glared down at her younger sister who had recoiled slightly. Luna was caught off guard at the sudden outburst, her ears splaying back in shock. Celestia on her part had her normally calm flowing mane begun to wave more erratically as she eyed her sister with a steel gaze. However the hurt expression on her sister's face caused her anger to melt away, allowing the sadness of the situation to pour over her. She all but slumped back into her throne, her head lowered in defeat. "I'm so ashamed" She whispered. Ruling was never an easy job, especially with how long she ruled alone. She had made many mistakes, some minor, and some in this case, terrible. She still hadn't forgiven herself for banishing her dear sister to the moon for a thousand years, and now with Gaunts' return, the old wounds had begun to reopen. Suddenly, she felt a comforting wing wrap around her and looked up to see her sister looking at her with a concerned expression. She couldn't meet her sisters gaze, but wrapped her own wing around her, pulling the dark alicorn closer. "We were wrong about him Luna. I was wrong. In the end, he had the best interest of Equestria in mind. Of that, I'm sure. But we imprisoned him because we were angry, because I was angry. He didn't deserve the fate he was given, if anything, we should be the ones in stone" "Tia" Celestia ignored her sister, she needed to get this out. "Equestria owes much to him. We owe much to him. He should be remembered as a hero. Instead, he was erased from our history, forgotten to all but us. Imprisoned in stone, a fate we gave Discord. Discord, Luna. He made one mistake.One mistake. And we crucified him for it. Now, he is free, and I want him to remain that way" Luna was truly saddened at the hurt expression on Celestia's face. Where was this all coming from? Had her sister really believed all that she said? Her cofusion did catch the eye of her sister, who raised her head slightly, wiping her misty eyes with a foreleg. "Of course" she spoke with much more conviction, "If he makes any attempts to hurt our ponies, we will deal with him. But for now, let him go. We owe him at least that Luna" Celestia spoke, glancing out the windows of the thrown room once again. Luna followed her sisters gaze, spotting the continually growing storm clouds. Discord was no doubt spreading his chaos. But what of the one known as Gaunts? Luna sighed deeply, releasing a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "Very well Sister. Very well"