So, You've Grown Wings

by Steel Resolve


Epilogue

Celestia was trying to understand, really she was. She had been shown charts and graphs all afternoon. Frankly she was getting ready to put her hoof down and just demand a simple explanation.

Howe and Twilight were deep into the equation on the chalkboard, pointing to various chalk drawings (done by Pinkie Pie apparently) She finally decided enough was enough.

"In simple Equestrian, why can't we just blast him into stone again?"

Howe looked at her in consternation. "Because it won't work long term, haven't you been listening?"

Celestia gave him a warning look. "Howey, I understand the theories you've been quoting to me, I invented the magics behind them, along with my sister, if you recall."

Howe sighed. "Fine, the point is the elements promote harmony, in all things. An imbalance is not harmonious. The world needs chaos in some form. Complete order leads to stagnation. Complete chaos would be ruinous as well."

Celestia nodded. "So you're telling me I have no choice but to allow one of my most dangerous enemies free reign?"

Twilight jumped in. "Not at all, we have two volunteers to keep him from getting out of hoof. Pinkie Pie and Lokey have offered to maintain a watch over him."

Celestia looked troubled. "What about Nightmare? How is she adjusting?"

Luna answered. "She is doing better Tia, she still seems distant, but is coming to accept what she is now. She remembers her actions, but does not understand why she performed them. We have been spending time with her, We mayest be the only pony who can truly understand what it is to be Nightmare. She is a piece of us after all. We no longer consider her a threat. Without the fury all she seems to be left with is affection for us. Frankly she has become a bit... Clingy. She has taken to calling us "sister". We are not certain how we feel about that, but the idea is not entirely without appeal."

Celestia was not exactly pleased with that development. "Don't get attached Lu, I still haven't decided what to do with her. She is still responsible for attempting to kill me, and for trying to bring eternal night, twice."

Luna looked at Celestia levelly. "Sister, you would have to hold us responsible as well. Our rage created the being we knew as Nightmare Moon. The elements rid us of the negative emotions, which in turn became a separate being we now have under arrest. If anything we owe her an apology, she did not choose to exist in the form she became. She has said she understands she must be punished, she simply asks that it not involve banishment to the moon."

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The Alicorn formerly known as Nightmare stared at Luna, trying to convey what she had gone through in the two years since they had shared one body.

"At first, I was just formless energy, I felt such rage. I had been cheated by foals, I wanted... Revenge. I had no means however, I was pure unformed energy. Over time, I regained a form of sorts, nothing like the body we shared, but it was a form. That's when I first heard him."

"He felt my presence, he said he understood my feelings of powerlessness, of impotence. He offered to help me, if I would help him in turn."

The voice of Discord chuckled in her mind. "I have spent more time than you know unable to affect the world. I have a plan, I have 'friends' who can help me implement it. What I lack is a backup plan. You, my dear, are it. If all goes well you will be rejoined with Luna, I will have my vengeance on Celestia, and we will both have free reign in the world again. However Celestia is tricky, she has bested my best laid plans twice now, which is twice more than anyone in existence. Plan B is attempting to merge your power with mine, potentially we would become a being far more powerful than even the elements of harmony could overcome."

"I asked him why we didn't just merge the moment he had regained his freedom."

He laughed outright. "It's a thought, but I have no idea what would happen. Mixing magics is a dangerous business, magic is as magic does, and chaos is the most unusual type in existence."

"The rest you know. I poured every negative emotion into that creature. I am what's left. A broken mare with no purpose in life. I don't even wish revenge. I leave my fate in your hooves, Luna. Just... Consider long and hard before you banish me. I don't know what I wish to do with this life I have, but I would like to provide some form of penance. Serve in some way for the wrong I did you and Celestia."

Luna laid a hoof to her lips. "Shhhh, none of that now. Alicorn physiology is... unusual. We do not hold thee accountable for the events that led to our sister banishing us. We feel thou shouldst know something. We remember thy voice as something... More than just the Nightmare."

Nightmare looked startled, but intrigued. "What do you mean?"

Luna smiled. It was a sad, wistful smile. "When we first lost our friends during after the war with Discord, we felt most distraught. Our friends had always been a comfort, but with them gone our sister was our only companion through the centuries. Over time we became more and more lonely. The nighttime was our time, and our people were always asleep. We began to hear a voice, thy voice. We rejoiced, for thou were a friend to us, thou kept us company. We named thee Stella, for thee were a companion to Luna."

Nightmare's voice took on a tone of wonder. "Stella..."

Luna nodded. "However, in time even thy voice could not comfort us. We began feeling anger that our friends were gone, that the populace did not seem to even remember them. Most of all, we were angry with Celestia. We recognized the unfairness of it, and bottled those emotions up. It was then thy voice changed. It became more hate-filled, and bitter. Eventually thy voice resonated throughout our mind, and we felt the same emotions we had tried to suppress. Thou called thyself Nightmare, and promised we would make the world love us."

Nightmare looked at her, tears in her eyes. "I am so sorry Luna..."

Luna nodded. "We understand, and wish to apologize to thee as well, and to say we thank thee for being our friend."

Nightmare looked apprehensive, but finally asked a question. "Will you call me Stella again, sister?"

Luna hugged her.

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Celestia stared at Luna. That had been a bombshell. "Nightmare Moon... Was your imaginary friend?"

Luna blushed. "We were not exactly keen to tell thee that. Especially after thy reaction to our "alone time" activities."

Celestia was simply floored. "I was nearly killed, and the world was nearly placed in eternal darkness... By my sister's active imagination."

Howe spoke up. "It's not unprecedented, Multiple Poniality Syndrome, I believe it's called. Psychology is not my specialty, but our study did yield results indicating you were able to compartmentalize your minds fairly simply. She was lonely, and made a friend in her own mind. She felt angry, and shoved all of that anger into the other personality. When she was purified the personality was left with all of the rage."

Celestia pressed him. "I see, and how exactly did she gain a physical form?"

Howe shrugged. "Chaos magic is capable of nearly anything."

Celestia sighed. "Fine, I will not banish her. I've taken enough friends from Luna, I won't be responsible for one more."

Luna hugged her. "Thank thee Tia!"

Celestia huffed. "Now, to deal with Discord."

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The courtroom was closed to all but the sixteen beings involved. At the Prosecutor's table sat Luna, in a prim business suit designed for her by Rarity. The Judge's stand was manned by Celestia, looking regal as ever in her royal regalia. In the jury seats sat twelve mares, the current bearers of harmony, and the original six mares who had lent their very lives to the creation of the aforementioned. At the Defense table sat Nightmare and Discord.

Celesitia raised the gavel with her magic and rapped it briskly on the stand. "Before we begin, would the defense like representation?"

Discord smiled. "I wish to represent myself, your honor." He snapped his fingers and was clad in a clown suit, complete with rainbow wig.

Nightmare stood. "I will represent myself as well, your honor." She sat down.

Celestia nodded. "Very well. Regarding the first defendent: 'Nightmare', A.K.A. 'Nightmare Moon', A.K.A. 'Stella'. Prosecutor name the charges."

Luna stood. "The defendant is charged with two counts of attempted murder, one count of false imprisonment, two counts attempted coup of the government, and two counts of attempted worldwide genocide by eternal nightfall."

Celestia turned to Nightmare. "How do you plead?"

Nightmare gulped. "Guilty your honor."

Celestia nodded again. "Do you wish to speak in your own defense?"

Nightmare shook her head.

"Very well. Sentence is one thousand years banishment to the moon, and one thousand years community service. The banishment will be held to time served so long as your probation officer, Luna, holds you are fulfilling your service."

Luna's mouth dropped open. She closed it, and quickly glanced at her sister. She telepathically contacted her. "Thank you Tia!"

Celestia nodded. "Now, the second defendant, Discord, Allias Chaos."

Luna stood again. This list was quite a long one. "Sixteen charges total destruction of the world. Sixty thousand counts murder by rabid squirrels. Twenty four thousand counts arson by flaming exploding lemons-"

Discord stood. "Your honor, if it pleases the court, I believe I will just plead guilty, much as I enjoy having my greatest hits read off I believe the jury gets the point."

Celestia rapped the gavel. "I will have order. Regarding your sentence, I have decided to take the advice of counsel and leave that to the jury. Were it up to me, pigeons would even now be nesting in your antlers, assuming I did not make you into a coat rack. Ladies, if you will go deliberate?"

The jury box emptied in a flash. Discord approached the bench. "So tell me your honor, do you do any other dances than waltzes?"

Celestia gave him a warning glance and he went back to the defense table.

The jury returned.

Celestia turned to them. "Have you reached a verdict?"

Pinkie Pie stood. "We have your honor!"

Celestia nodded for her to proceed. "Regarding the defendant, we recommend a lifetime sentence of probation. We furthermore request he swear to the following, he will not attempt to murder anypony, or cause grievous injury to, or mentally impair anypony."

Discord smiled mockingly. "Would you like me to swear on the name of Celestia or some such nonsense?"

Pinkie shook her head vigorously. "Not like that silly. Like this." She made the motions and said: "Cross your heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in your eye."

Discord just grinned incredulously, but did as he was told. "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."

Pinkie smiled widely. "Good!" Then the courtroom turned dark. Her face contorted suddenly, and her voice deepened and took on a much more ominous tone. Her face glowed red like the fires of Tartarus. "BECAUSE I WILL KNOW IF YOU BREAK YOUR PROMISE. NOPONY BREAKS A PINKIE PIE PROMISE! NOPONY!" With that the room returned to normal. "Now c'mon everypony! I have a party set up in the ballroom!"

Discord found himself quite happy he could snap his fingers and change his own pants.

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She called it her "Sending Twilight off to save the world" party, it was quite the event. Lokey had helped her plan the party games, they involved a lot of pie throwing and spraying seltzer water at targets. Somepony must have spiked the punch, because at one point in the evening Rarity and Sapphire marched directly to Applejack and Celestia and kissed them full on the lips. Everypony had laughed it off, it was just that kind of party.

It had gone on well into the night, and much fun was had by all. Now it was time. Twilight prepared the ritual, and gathered power for the spell. Her friends, new and old, watched her cast. One of the alicorns in particular looked pleased, but also slightly annoyed. She at long last understood what had happened. She leaned close to Celestia. "This explains so much, so that unicorn you were training, the one with the penchant for beards, bells, and large ungainly hats, came up with a workable time travel spell..."

Celestia nodded. "Starswirl was a genius. He designed the spell to have utility, but to prevent abuse. You cannot return to the exact same point in time more than once, but you can return to one moment in time and affect events in a very limited sense."

The black coated alicorn hung her head, she had asked Twilight many questions after their confrontation, but Twilight had only said to wait, that answers would come. She shook her head. "Fascinating... The universe wanted this I suppose, I was so sure at the time I had the answers..."

Celestia laid a hoof on her friend in comfort. "We've all made mistakes. Come, let's sit and talk awhile. Twilight will be back soon. Pinkie has another party planned for the return. That mare is incorrigible."

The ebon mare smiled. "Yes, but infectious."

Celestia led Dawn off to a table, only to be stopped for a moment by Sapphire. Sapphire looked about ready to say something when Celestia laid a hoof to her lips. She whispered. "I always knew. We can talk about it later."

Sapphire stood there, dumbfounded, with a goofy grin.

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After Twilight had returned two mares were having more punch. Applejack looked at Rarity, off at another table having cake. "Blue, I don't get it, why do you reckon she kissed me?"

Blueberry chuckled. "If she was a stallion why would you think she might a done it?"

Applejack snorted. "You mean she's sweet on me?"

Blueberry nodded. "You could go find out I guess."

Applejack looked at Blueberry. "How do you figure?"

Blueberry shrugged. "Go kiss her back."

Applejack considered a moment. "Huh, yeah, I guess that would do it. Watch my drink will ya cousin?"

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Some two decades prior, a middle-aged stallion sat on a park bench, looking morose.

A pony sat down next to him. "Hullo there, looking a bit down, care for some company?"

Howe Cann turned to the stranger. "Do I know you?"

The brown coated stallion shook his head. "Nope, not at all, just visiting for a time."

Howe looked curious. "Are you lecturing here or something? This is a campus for unicorns you see, earth ponies don't normally show up here."

The stallion with the brown mane shook his head. "Oh no, just visiting, you looked a bit down in the dumps, I happen to have all the time in the world at my disposal and thought you could use an ear to bend."

Howe smiled despite his depression. "I can't really tell you what's got me down. I am just used to finding the answers. This was an important project, and I failed."

The stallion with time on his hooves nodded. "So you learned nothing then?"

Howe considered. "Well, we did learn a few things we didn't know."

The stallion with the ear to bend motioned encouragingly. "So why not make use of what you did learn? You could publish a book perhaps?"

Howe scoffed. "For who exactly? The information really would only interest someone afflicted with the same condition we were studying!"

The stallion nodded. "But what if, now stay with me, what if it happened again, maybe somepony would like to have that book at hand to tell them what was going on?"

Howe looked at the stallion incredulously. "You think I should publish a book, because somepony some day might need to know what we found out? That's ridiculous!"

The stallion nodded. "You know, I was visiting with a colleague of yours, Thissdens I think was the chap's name. He said you would never have the stones to do anything with it. Even bet me two bits you'd say no."

Howe looked murderous. "That fool said that? Excuse me, I have a book to publish. Thank you for your time mister-"

The stallion corrected him. "Doctor actually."

Howe looked apologetic. "Oh, sorry Doctor... Wait, Doctor Who?"

The pony with the hourglass on his flank walked off to a blue box to the side of the road. "Whooves. Good day Professor. Look forward to seeing the book!"