Celestia had watched as Crusader was brought out of the mine shaft. He had been badly beaten, the Unicorn medics had arrived in time to start casting spells on him, preserving what was left of his life. They had told her the prognosis did not look good.
The diplomats had been hauled away, the Earth ponies had arrived and taken them in wagons, protesting. She did not care, this was far worse than an injured pony, or a foalnapping, the bigger picture spoke to her and told her dire things in the future. She had to stop this.
Cadence had arrived in Ponyville as they had been moving out, she waited for their return, seeing Crusader into the hospital and comfortable. Her magics soothed, and calmed. The side of his head had been smashed, the one eye swollen shut. The medics and doctors worked feverishly to do what they could.
Cadence watched as Applejack had not left his side at the bed, sitting and keeping one hoof on his shoulder. He rested comfortably now, but for how long?
The Sun Princess was livid, she had not felt anger like this in centuries and it was over something so petty.
-------------
“Money, that’s all it was to you was money?” The alabaster royal stared hard at Faceted Jewel, the Earth mare responsible. They had commandeered a large building in Ponyville to hold court immediately, and here before her was the architect of this disaster.
“So what? Not like he was a real pony anyways! I figured since they seemed to want to know about him, why not?”
“So you foalnapped him to sell to the highest bidder?”
“Well, no, but it got rolling when others found out, so it just happened.” The mare was so blase’ about this, so uncaring.
Magic crackled around Celestia’s horn, her eyes glowing like the sun, “He WAS a real pony you idiot! Discord turned him into one!”
Jewel looked nervous now, the smooth calm was gone, “Wh..what?”
She stepped from her seat, pushing her way between guards and confronted the mare with a venomous glare, “He was real! A REAL pony, and your idiot friends hit him so hard he may not recover! You are stupid, vain and petty and I want no more of you.” She turned to her guards, “Take her away, she shall not see the light again, it is our decree.”
Faceted Jewel was stunned at the swift justice, not even able to get a word out in her defense.
The guards did not hesitate, hustling her out the back and into a wagon for transport to Canterlot, her cries for mercy fell on deaf ears all around. Crowds of ponies watched as she was taken away, murmuring that truly justice was swift in Equestria.
Celestia stepped back to her seat once more, Luna beside her, both wearing regal faces, but underneath the turmoil roiled and raged.
Three Unicorns were brought in, spell-locked and chained to prevent any problems, they bowed low before the sisters.
“Stand.” Luna started off, “We would have no respect from those who would murder using the forbidden magics.”
The three looked at each other, “But..we.. He was alive!”
Luna touched her sister, silently telling her she would handle this.
Stepping down on the floor she faced the three miscreants, looking them each in the eye. “How did you get the knowledge?”
A blue Unicorn stared back defiantly, the other two nervous and shaking, one spoke up, the green one. “We..we bribed a librarian to let us in the Forbidden Section.”
The Blue one hissed, “Shut up you fool!”
“She said we murdered with magic! Don’t you understand? Nothing we can do is going to get us out of this!” The green Unicorn practically yelled back at the defiant one, knowing his fate was sealed.
Luna lifted her head a bit haughtily, “You are correct, you will be Spell-Chained for your natural lives. You will not see the sun again. Even though we do not murder, or kill in Equestria, we can still punish.”
A darker blue Unicorn spoke up, quiet until now.
“How can you accuse us? We’ve heard of Crusader, they say he killed thousands of things out of the Everfree! How come that isn’t..” He was stopped by Luna’s eyes, staring at him closely.
“He did what he did in defense of Ponyville and all of Equestria, including YOU! He has become a friend to many, fighting where we could not, and we have come to love him as our own. He is a citizen of Equestria and he trusted us to take care of him as he has done of US! But it seems that trust was misplaced in some.” She once again stared into three sets of eyes, her rage palpable in the closed room.
“But you,” Here she pointed a shod hoof at the green Unicorn, “You murdered with the dark magics, knowing it was forbidden and unlawful.”
“Who? Who did I murder?”
Luna stopped pacing, standing in front of the dais where her sister sat unmoving. “A little bird, who came to give word of where you had kept Crusader captive.” She shot out a hoof, pointing at them as they opened their mouths to protest, “Do not even say it, we reverence all life here in Equestria! Big or small it makes no difference, but it is not just that you killed, nature is red in tooth and claw, that is known. It is how you killed as well, dark magics turned to that purpose lead to one place.”
She slowed her breathing, taking her place on the dais once more, “But there is somepony else who wanted a word.”
A guard led in an old pony, his cane tapping slowly as he approached the three Unicorns, straightening his glasses, he looked at each of them.
The blue Unicorn coughed, “Sir it’s..”
A hoof was held up, “Don’t speak to me, I don’t want to hear your voices. I just came to see if it was true.” Faded Scroll peered into their eyes, his own brown ones a bit sad, “I could not believe it, I thought it couldn’t be true, Canterlot’s own. But it is, and how sad. Of all things money and power, two of the pettiest things to crave. I disown you three, nevermore shall your names be mentioned. Go to your fates alone!”
The elderly pony turned to the Princesses, his face torn with emotion, “I am so very sorry your Highnesses. Canterlot College will strike their names from the rolls forevermore, their families will be told.”
“It is not your fault Faded Scroll, please do not think so.”
“Yes Your Highness.” The cane tapped once again as he was helped out of the room by a guard.
“Spell-Chain them and take them away.”
The guards nodded once more, taking the three silent Unicorns to their fate without a word.
Celestia heaved a sigh, “Now comes the worst part my sister.”
Luna waited, her head high, “Be strong ‘Tia.”
The diplomats were led in, the clanking of shackles loud in the enclosed space. The sisters waited until they were all in front of the dais where they could speak to the group.
Celestia cleared her throat delicately as she turned her head to face the diplomats.
“You are all idiots. To a being, idiots. You have absolutely no idea what you have done.”
Voices started to be raised in protest, they were shouted down by Luna who told them to shut up or be gagged.
Celestia rose from her seat once again, pacing the room, “You could not leave being happy that nopony was getting any share of what Crusader had; no, you could not be content with that. You had to attempt to buy that pony, to have him sold to you in slavery and chains to wring knowledge from him. KNOWLEDGE HE DID NOT HAVE!”
Shocked faces stared at her in disbelief.
“Did Faceted Jewel happen to mention the little fact that Discord used his powers to change him into a real pony? He had lost all his knowledge of technology, we were working to get that back as we needed him!”
The faces were silent, but she could read the anger and surprise.
“No? I thought not.”
She paced slowly in front of the group, not meeting their eyes as she talked, quietly, and low. “So you participated in this farce, this travesty of everything we have worked for over the centuries; peace and harmony. Just so you could get a hold of whatever you thought Crusader knew.”
She pointed a golden hoof to the door, the waiting crowds of ponies outside. “Are you beginning to understand what you’ve done?” She shook her head to herself, “Of course not, you’re idiots.”
“By attempting to actually buy a pony, you have set off a storm of anger I have rarely seen. All the years of diplomacy, or working towards a common goal might well be dust. It doesn’t matter who it was, you were going to buy a pony and put him to work unwillingly for you.”
She spun around, her eyes crackling with power, “To top it all off, that pony was beaten half to death and he was seen! The word has spread, there is nothing we can do to stop it from getting around. Those ponies patiently waiting out there for word of Crusader, or what is happening in here, they are a ready made army. If anything touches off their anger, their need for what they perceive as revenge, they will march.”
She pointed in the direction of the hospital, “If that pony dies, Equestria goes to war, do you understand that? My sister and I will be able to do NOTHING to stop it!”
Celestia looked at the beings in disgust, motioning to the guards, “Take them away, throw them in the dungeons and notify their respective governments, we will see what they say.”
She pointed one last time to the group, “Know this, you will pay for your crimes. We do not kill in Equestria except in self-defense, but there are places where you can be put that would be just as bad.”
“Take them.”
The two watched as they were led out, quiet and subdued.
Luna looked at her sister, laying a hoof on her shoulder, “Come, we must go to the hospital and find out how he fares.”
The two left quickly, heading to the building wherein the fate of a nation might lay.
--------------
Applejack sat by the side of the bed, leaning her head on Crusaders shoulder. She’d met them when the Pegasi had brought in the litter, her heart almost breaking when she saw what had been done to him.
He had opened the one good eye and smiled a bit, she could still hear him, “Hello my Applejack.”
She smiled back down at him, following into the hospital as the doctors went to work, magic was being used at such a rate you could feel the power in the air. He had been returned to the bed where she sat now, the doctors wanting to wait a bit more until operating again. By the looks and glances, she knew it was bad, but didn’t know how bad.
A clambering behind her made her turn around, Princess Cadence was back with something to drink for both of them. She hadn’t left his side either, using magic to soothe and calm his body, which was fighting infection and fever as well as damage. The mine wasn’t exactly the most sanitary place, and the foalnappers had done nothing for his hurts.
“How is he Applejack?”
“He still ain’t moved your Highness.”
A slender hoof tapped Applejack’s shoulder, “Call me Cadence, I think we can dispense with the formalities right now.”
“Sure Prin..Cadence.” Applejack finished her drink, her hoof caressing the torn face. She tried hard not to tear up but couldn’t help it.
The Earth pony leaned down to talk softly to the silent form, “You promised ya wouldn’t leave me, I’m holding you to that now.” Her lips kissed his brow as she excused herself from the room.
Cadence watched her leave, seeing the hunched shoulders. Princess of Love or no, anypony could tell she cared greatly for Crusader. But she was strong, more than most, and hopeful. Sometimes that made all the difference.
--------------
Faded Scroll was walking the hallway, his Council members were racking their brains to figure out anything that could accelerate the healing process and coming up with nothing. The greatest pony minds and nothing, it was to laugh.
His cane tapped down the tiled floor as he took his time, he was elderly but his mind was like a whip, thinking about the twisting combinations of magic and putting them together like a puzzle to find new ways.
One ear perked as he heard a sound coming from a room near him. He leaned into the door, peering around it to see the back of an orange mare sitting on a bed, her hat lay beside her as she quietly sobbed to herself.
Well this would not do! He hobbled inside, gently touching a shoulder as the head whipped around.
Applejack saw the elderly pony and quickly wiped her eyes, “Oh, sorry I didnt’ know anypony was here, I’ll just..”
She was stopped by a look that every parent uses, the ‘please don’t lie to me’ one that gets every filly and colt. “My dear, sit back down, don’t you dare leave.”
The pretty mare planted herself on the bed again, her hat in hoof as she looked down at the floor, one teardrop hitting with a silent splash.
Faded Scroll put himself in a low chair, leaning on his cane, “Now why don’t you talk to me eh? I may be old, but I listen really well.” He pushed out with his cane, hitting the door lock, making sure they stayed alone.
“Oh, honestly it’s nothing, just feelin’ sorry for mahself is all.”
“I said I’m old, not stupid young mare. You’re that young stallion’s special pony aren’t you?”
The blonde maned head nodded, laying the hat back down as a fetlock wiped some more tears. “I am, my name's Applejack.” She held out a hoof, which got bumped in return.
“I am Faded Scroll, old pony and busybody with the Canterlot College. Pleasure to meet you.” He struck a majestic pose.
That got a smile in return, he smiled back, the wrinkles around his eyes making them light up, “There now, maybe a bit better. Why are you crying? There are wonderful doctors here, they’re doing everything they can.”
“Ah got the feeling they aren’t telling me everything, all I get is nods or glances. Nopony seems to want to say anything, like he’s dying and no pony will tell me.”
Faded Scroll had been one to hear the conversations, he was included due to the council using everything they had to help the doctors. He knew the young stallion was dying, they just did not know enough about the brain to do more than they had.
“He’s very important to you I take it?”
“More than I thought, I figured to just take mah time, get to know him. But he kept on, and sure enough wasn’t long before I fell for him. He makes me feel special and loved and cared for. He promised he’d never leave me, and I believe him, always. But ah think this time, he can’t keep that promise.”
The bright green eyes filled with tears again, it hurt the elderly pony’s heart to see it. “I think my dear, you may find there’s always good somewhere. Trust an old pony, wait and see.” He moved to the door after giving her a hug, “Stay here, take some time, you’ll see it’ll be fine. I promise.”
“Thanks Faded Scroll, for...for talking to me..”
“You are most welcome, he is certainly a lucky stallion you know.” He gave her a wink and left, closing the door behind him. Inhaling deeply he started down the hallway, determination along with every tap of his cane.
------------
Cadence had met the two sisters in the hallway, telling them of the wait between surgeries, and how it wasn’t going as well as everypony thought. Magicians were scouring books and tomes for any healing spells they knew, but it wasn’t enough to know the spell, you had to know the body, to repair it and heal it. There just wasn’t enough information.
They had posted a guard, setting off for a meal as well as to talk to the doctors, to see if maybe the four Alicorns couldn’t combine their magics for helping. It was a quandary.
------------
Faded Scroll walked into the hallway, seeing the Princesses making their way out the other end. He tapped his way up to the guard, letting them know he was going inside to check the patient. He also asked he not be disturbed for a while, it was important for the diagnostic spell.
The guards of course agreed, he was well known, very much liked in Canterlot.
Closing the door behind him, he locked it, setting both forehooves on his cane as he peered through his glasses at the light umber stallion laying on the bed. Settling down on a cushion, he leaned a bit closer to the unmoving figure.
“You know, I met my wife Copper Ink...oh let’s see... sixty years ago. She’s passed now, but we had a wonderful time together. She was a beauty, and I met her when I saw her in a park one day, crying because some coltfriend had just left her. Well.. being the impetuous young Unicorn I was, I brought her flowers, and continued to do so. I guess she just got tired of me showing up and decided to keep me.” He chuckled to himself.
“We have three wonderful daughters you know, two are Pegasus who absolutely love to fly every day. They’ve grown strong and tall. The other is a Unicorn as well, teaching now at the college, her students love her. I’ve got grandfoals, and great grandfoals now, I’ve seen them all. Bounced them on my old knees, played with them until their parents said no more. It’s been wonderful, and wondrous all these years.”
“But there are rumors of war young stallion. Yes.. My daughters and their young ones would be caught up in something I thought was long past. I don’t want that, I truly don’t. I think you’d agree it would be terrible.”
“But do you know what the worst thing is?” He leaned closer, talking even more quietly, “There’s a pretty mare crying in another room for you. I don’t believe pretty mares should cry at all. It doesn’t do in such a peaceful place as Equestria young stallion. Anypony worth their sugar would see she loves you fiercely, it warms the heart of an old pony like me. Yes I talked to her, she’s strong, and I wouldn’t want to see anypony get in her way. She also told me you made her a promise.” He shook a hoof at the silent figure, as if disciplining a rowdy student, “Breaking that promise will not do, not at all.”
“I think Copper Ink has waited long enough for me young pony. She’s been patient all these years I’m sure, and I don’t think I’ll keep her any longer. It’s hard getting up some mornings, so I think it’s time for me to rest. But before I go, this old unicorn has one last spell in him.” As he said this, he leaned over to place a sealed scroll on the nearby table.
The spell he began to cast had a long and tumultuous history. Healing spells were very common, but you had to know what to heal, and how. Bones and muscles and so forth were well known, easy to do. But the brain was intricate, and very subtle, not much study had been done as injuries were either rare or fatal.
But the body knows, it has the blueprints waiting to be used.
The spell took the life from one, and gave it to another, energizing the body’s mechanisms and giving it the power to heal what was wrong. Working along the paths and ways inside a pony, correcting and reaching those places that weren’t well understood.
It was forbidden, for to do so was to condemn to death another pony, and that was not allowed. You had to give a life to save a life, there must be balance.
But Faded Scroll knew it, and well. He’d mulled it over the past hours and decided it was time. To stave off war, or destruction, the elderly pony would do anything for the land he loved. As well as to help a young stallion keep his promise would be a good thing too.
His horn lit up with the power, the spell’s runes flashing through his mind. He touched the immobile body, directing the energy, telling it where to go, powering the healing inside Crusader.
-------------
Celestia’s head snapped upward, feeling the magic as she got to her hooves and raced out the door, “NO! NO!”
Luna tore out of her seat, tipping the table at which they sat for a meal, dumping it’s contents as she followed her sister; feeling the magic from the spell being cast above them. Cadence followed with a puzzled look, galloping for all she was worth to keep up.
The ponies at the door were dumbfounded seeing Princess Celestia loping towards them, yelling, “Open the door!”
The guards turned to obey, but it was locked. They rammed their shoulders into it, breaking the bolt as it flung open, Luna and Celestia shouldering their way inside the room.
Cadence caught up a moment later, seeing Princess Celestia sitting on the floor cradling the head of an elderly pony, tears splashing his coat as she caressed his cheek, “You knew better, you knew..”
--------------
Applejack peered out of the room, hearing a tumult in the hallway. She saw the Princesses standing as a body was being carried out gently with great reverence. Her heart almost stopped as she ran up to Cadence.
“It’s not, please don’t tell..”
The slender Alicorn turned and smiled a bit sadly it seemed, “No, no Applejack it is not Crusader. It is Faded Scroll the Council member.”
“What? But I just talked to him, he..I just saw him! What happened?”
Princess Celestia led the orange Earth pony away from the crowd, standing in the hallway and talking low, “He used a spell we had forbidden. It was not the dark magics, no worries. But it used the caster's life to give healing to another Applejack.” She placed a regal hoof on Applejack’s shoulder.
“We did not ask him to do this, he did it on his own, we were not aware he was doing so until it was too late.”
“But..but why? He didn’t even know Crusader!” Her face held confusion, unable to think of why anypony would do such a thing.
“I think this might answer that Applejack.”
She levitated the scroll found on the table near Crusader’s bed, unrolling it for Applejack to read.
Princess Celestia,
I have served you and the College for many years,
and remained true to your teachings and many other things.
This land I so love is moving to war, we cannot let this happen.As you have always said, “What happens to one, happens to all.”
I take this to heart now, so please, let me try and heal a nation by healing one pony.
Do not grieve, for I think Copper Ink has waited long enough,
I am sure she will admonish me for being so late.Please tell Miss Applejack, it was truly a pleasure to make her
acquaintance, if for so short a time.Yours in service,
Faded Scroll
Celestia actually chuckled, “He was so old fashioned. Always waving his cane around at ponies and saying ‘It does not do!’ or ‘This will not do Young Celestia!’.”
Applejack looked up in surprise.
Celestia nodded, “Oh yes, nopony was beneath his notice, even myself. He would come to the throne room in such a huff, waving his cane around,” Here she imitated him almost perfectly, “This will not do Young Celestia! I shall not have you interfering in my teaching!”
“Young Celestia, oh my.” She looked sadly at the scroll, “ He met his wife when she was crying over a broken relationship, I guess it stuck with him, he had such a big heart.”
“I just talked to him, he was just a kindly old pony.” Applejack looked as if she would break into tears again.
Celestia leaned down, nuzzling her warmly, “No, no more tears, it will not do!”
Applejack wiped her eyes, chuckling at the ragged voice imitated by the Princess, blinking for a moment, “Yes Princess.”
“Good, now let us go see what can be done with this gift.”
They both turned, following the doctors who were now taking Crusader out of the room. The doctors had been told by Princess Luna they needed to go now to surgery, do what they must.
--------------
The doctors and council members surrounded the table, diagnostic spells told them the bleeding had stopped, the hemorrhaging was being cleaned by the body. They were astounded, but warned by the council to not ask. True to their nature, the doctors moved quickly, removing splinters and rebuilding bit by bit, returning the skull to some semblance of the way it was. It would take time to heal, as all things. But now they were confident he would live.
The fever and infection were easily treated now they did not have to worry about major things. His eye, while swollen shut, was still in good condition and would be repaired as well. All in all, a miraculous day.
The operating team was all smiles as they met the Princesses in the hallway, advising them that the stallion would live, though there might be a few scars. Easily taken care of later they told her.
Applejack and her friends took a room off to the side after the announcement, hugging each other and sharing in the joy, their friend would live.
-------------
The word went out across the town, ponies gathered in front of the hospital to hear the Princesses speak. Not a space was left as they crowded the area near the building, eyes looked from everywhere as work stopped dead. The anger and upset had been noticeable, smiths were talking about the old patterns for war, Pegasi War Darts, flying armor, Earth pony plate. It was all being bantered about as the bitterness spread like wildfire at a pony being bought and sold.
Many had either heard of Crusader, or knew him personally. Of course Rarity telling the story of a ‘lost love’ hadn’t helped matters. Ponies of all things, loved a good story, and this one caught their attention. So they waited patiently for the Princesses to appear.
---------------
Cadence looked out the window as Luna and Celestia prepared themselves for a little speech, “Uhm, Auntie, did you think a lot of ponies would show for the speech?”
Celestia nodded, preening a wing, “Of course, a few yes.”
“I think everypony in town is out there Auntie.”
Luna joined Cadence at the window, looking a bit surprised, “Well, yes it seems there are quite a few.” A few was a bit of an understatement as you couldn’t see a blade of grass or a rooftop that wasn’t covered in a riot of colors and wings.
Luna had dealt with large crowds, this wasn’t a problem, what was unnerving was the silence. Nopony spoke, there were no nudges or laughter, they were waiting. Their eyes unwavering from the front of the hospital as all looked for word from their rulers. A word that would send them cheering, or marching. Luna hoped it would be the former.
Fillies and colts were shushed by elders as the Princesses walked out, all four, wearing formal regalia to let their subjects know this was not taken lightly.
Their horns lit, enhancing Celestia’s voice to reach the farthest parts of the crowd.
“Thank you all for everything you have done to find our lost pony. No matter who it is, I know you would have done the same for anyone.”
She paused for just a moment.
“The doctors tell me that he will live...” She was interrupted by a roar that shook the building, ponies throwing their hooves in the air and cheering. Celestia waited for the commotion to die down, she was made to wait for a few minutes.
As the silence settled once more, she cleared her throat and spoke again, “As I was saying, he will live, thanks to you all. I would ask one thing; please, do not let anger hold sway over such a wondrous day today. I know it has been hard, I know that the rumors have spread. But I would ask again, no, I beg of you, do not let that indignation rule your hearts. Please.”
Silence once again settled over the throng, ponies looking at each other, the murmuring of voices reaching their ears.
A voice rang out over the crowd, Celestia remembered it from the older Earth pony farmer, “We’re with you Princess!”
It began slowly, but it spread, it caught, the anger was removed and replaced, cheers rang out once again as Celestia looked to her fellow rulers, a conspicuous sigh coming from her lips as a crisis had been averted.
The cheers were shattered though, by the ripping thunder of guns from Crusader’s hill, opening up on the forest. Reminding them that there was still one more problem.