//------------------------------// // Chapter 8 // Story: For the Mare Who Has Everything // by Justice3442 //------------------------------// For the Mare Who has Everything Chapter 8 >-oooooooo-< Cadance frowned heavily as she watched Luna take a few more steps closer to Celestia, or more specifically, the pony that seemed to be composed of molten rock behind barely cooled stone which was a geyser of flames. “Are you sure this is a good idea?” she asked Luna in a hushed tone. “Yeah,” Twilight agreed. “I mean… I’m still pretty sure I’m under the effects of Heart’s Desire pollen because I keep thinking about how great it’s going to be when this is all over and we can finally celebrate Celestia’s birthday! But then I keep actually looking at Celestia and remembering that she seems to be on fire all the time and is maybe going to kill Chrysalis and then do who knows what!” Luna sighed heavily and turned. “If I’ve gotten this far, that means Celestia is at least willing to talk. That’s certainly more than what could have been said about me when I transformed.” Celestia let out an impatient sigh, a large plume of smoke exiting her mouth on the exhale. “Are you three done? I was under the impression Luna and I would be having a discussion, not that you’d all waste my time while this villain thinks of what she can use to escape that I haven’t broken yet.” Celestia turned and gave Chrysalis a scrutinizing look. “Perhaps I should inflict a few more injuries just to be certain she stays in place.” Chrysalis said nothing, instead opting to remain curled up into the slightly smoldering black ball of sickness and pain she already found herself in. “Cadance and Twilight can watch the prisoner, sister,” Luna said. “There is no need to harm Chrysalis any further at the moment.” Celestia tilted her head slightly as she looked over Chrysalis. “While it is perhaps true I do not need to harm Chrysalis further, I can give a few compelling reasons as to why I should at least singe her fur— “Sister!” Luna again said with some force. “I insist that you leave the prisoner be for now so that we may have a frank discussion.” Celestia looked up and turned to Luna, apparently making it a point to show she was rolling her eyes before trotting towards the lunar princess. “Very well,” Celestia said in a slightly bored tone as she walked towards Luna. Luna turned and nodded towards Twilight and Cadance. The two mares trotted carefully over to Chrysalis while wearily eyeing Celestia, almost as if they were now involved in some sort of ransom exchange and Celestia might change her mind or spring a trap at any moment. Celestia’s eyes burned with a quite literal intensity as she focused her vision on her sister. “We are quite overdue for this talk, wouldn’t you agree?” Luna met Celestia’s gaze and nodded. “Yes, and I am sorry for that. As you can imagine this is… difficult for me to talk about. I regret everything that happened the day I transformed.” Celestia nodded. “You have expressed this and I have forgiven you. Please tell me you’ve interrupted my important work for more than a pointless rehash of an existing conversation.” Luna paused for a moment. “I… I wonder…” Celestia let out another smoke filled sigh as if she was already losing patience with the dialogue. “Wonder what?” she asked in an irritable tone. Luna gave Celestia an almost wistful look. “I wonder… over a thousand years ago… Was my transformation to serve a greater purpose? Could it be that I was meant to have that experience so that I could now help you?” Celestia’s mane briefly exploded in intensity as she smashed a hoof against the ground hard enough to put cracks into the stone floor before the floor itself began to warp from the heat she was emanating. She began to speak in a tone like steam hissing from a pipe that’s built up too much pressure, “If you believe what happened was helpful to me, then you and I have more to talk about than I imagined!” Luna shook her head. “Nay sister. What happened that day was a tragedy. What I did was inexcusable and what I forced you to do was every bit as tragic for me as I am certain it was for you, if not moreso.” Celestia paused. The flames about her seemed to die down slightly into something of a controlled blaze. Luna continued, “I do not know what it was like to have to use the Elements of Harmony on me, but I harbor no illusions that it was an enjoyable experience for you in any shape or form.” Luna forehead tightened. “In fact, I am certain it broke your heart and still does to this day.” Luna expression turned sorrowful. “Because my heart breaks every time I think about it… and I dare say I think about it quite often.” Silence. For a moment the two mares said nothing. Only staring at each other. Luna at Celestia with an apologetic, even repentant look on her face as Celestia continued to gaze back with a fiery intensity. Finally, Celestia spoke. “You were not completely to blame in the events that unfolded… I too, have regrets regarding my actions, or rather inactions that undoubtedly allowed what happened to transpire.” Luna’s expression seemed to lift, if slightly. “Oh Celestia, you could not have stopped what happened that day.” Celestia shook her head. “On the contrary. I’m quite certain I could have if I were more resolute… bolder…” Celestia let out a sad sigh. “Less cowardly…” Cadance’s eyes opened wide. “I think… I think Luna is actually getting through to her!” “That’s awesome!” Twilight said cheerfully as she looked over Chrysalis. “Hey, you wouldn’t happen to have like… an entire book on changeling anatomy would you? I’m not certain, but Chrysalis might be oozing to death.” Chrysalis let out a hacking cough as she laid a small pool of her own thick dark green ‘blood’. “Your concern is heart-melting in the worst possible way.” Cadance looked up towards Celestia. “Oh, I doubt that.” Chrysalis’s lips pulled back into a heavy frown. “Point taken… What I was getting at is that you two should focus a bit more on your dear sun princess.” Twilight looked at Celestia. “Well, that does seem to be the biggest problem on hoof at the moment.” Cadance leaned down closer to Chrysalis and gave the Changeling queen a smile devoid of amusement. “True, but it also sounds like a way to get our attention away from someone who just tried to take over all of Equestria and is probably thinking of how she can escape.” “Hey, yeah!” Twilight cried indignantly as she turned to glare at Chrysalis. Still frowning, Chrysalis broke eye contact with Twilight and Cadance and looked down at the floor. “Perhaps… but attempting to escape does not seem like a great solution at the moment.” Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Oh? What makes you say that?” Chrysalis sighed. “Because even if I was able to get out of Celestia’s field of vision before she reduced me to ashes, there’s a fair chance she’s currently willing to immolate the entire castle if she thought I’d die in the ensuing fire.” Cadance and Twilight’s eyes widened as they turned to stare at each other in concern. “Celestia wouldn’t do that!” Twilight insisted. She slowly turned her head to gaze upon the creature of burning fire that stood in the middle of the room. “Would she?” Cadance shook her head. “I really don’t know what she’s capable of at the moment…” Chrysalis sighed. “Princess Luna probably wouldn’t be capable of deciding Equestria should be shrowded in eternal night or attempting to kill her sister, but well… We all know how that went.” Twilight grimaced. Cadance gave Chrysalis a scrutinizing look. “How exactly do you know that?” Chrysalis rolled her eyes. “Please, my race and I have been trying to feed off you ponies for over a millennia. I know things that would make most ponies disgustingly bright hair stand straight on end.” She continued, “I do not know how much of Princess Celestia is in that fiery manifestation.” Chrysalis looked down at her broken limbs. “But I daresay she’s currently lacking in ‘mercy’ and ‘compassion’ at the moment.” “Maybe we can change her back!” Twilight exclaimed excitedly. “I mean… the elements are gone, but there’s always rainbow power!” Cadance tilted her head and her lips pulled upwards ever so slightly. “Do you think that’ll work?” Twilight nodded. “Yes! I mean… We’ve only used it once against Tirek and I’m not entirely sure how to call upon the power when needed, but I’m sure my friends and I will work it out!” The left side of Cadance’s lips pulled up into an unsure, sideways grin. “I take it you’re still feeling pretty good right now, Twilight?” “Of course!” Twilight replied. “Why wouldn’t I be?” Chrysalis shook her head. “We’re all going to die here.” Twilight narrowed her eyes and stared at Chrysalis. “Well that’s not thinking very positive!” Chrysalis pursed her mouth for a second. “I’m positive we’re all going to die here.” In the middle of the magic and fire-blasted room, Luna and Celestia continued their strangely civil and rather unheated conversation. “Celestia,” Luna said, “My transformation was more than physical. I felt… powerful... boundlessly so… Almost as if limitations of strength and even behavior didn’t exist anymore. I felt I could have everything I ever wanted. What is more, I felt this change was for the better. That my change simply reflected my new strength and freedom… As if I had become something… more.” “You were mistaken,” Celestia said bluntly. She shook her head. “All you became was a mad tyrant who selfishly and openly coveted the throne.” Luna nodded. “Yes, that is true. What I felt at the time was just a lie… But I could not see that… Could not even consider the idea that anything was so wrong… You see… At the time it all just felt so… so right.” Luna hung her head. “That is why I was beyond your reason… beyond your pleas for me to stop...” Luna’s eyes became slightly glassy. “In my mind, my body… almost in my very soul… What I was doing… Simply taking what I wanted even if it meant inflicting violence or death. It never occurred to me anything I was doing was immoral or wrong in any sense.” Luna blinked her eyes as moisture built up at the bottom of them and she sniffed heavily. “I was willing to do anything to achieve my desires. Even if that meant killing the mare I cared most about… still care about more than myself…” Luna looked up with a pleading look this time. “Celestia, I was blinded by my envy to the point where I had forgotten just how much your love means to me… I was blinded so much I forgot my own love.” Celestia stood silently for a moment, a contemplative look on her face. It was as if she was considering Luna’s words, or rather what the appropriate response would be in this situation. Finally, she once again looked up at Luna and spoke, “Thank you, Luna. I am glad we had this talk.” The other mares held their breaths once again. All eyes locked on Celestia as everyone else wondered what came next. They didn’t have to wait long. Celestia turned towards Chrysalis, her anger and glare returning in an instant. “Now if you’ll excuse me, there’s an enemy of Equestria that’s been given all too long a reprieve.” Fear gripped Chrysalis’s features once more as Twilight and Cadance swallowed and looked at each other, both their expressions practically screaming ‘What do we do?!’ “Sister, wait!” Luna called out. Celestia stopped and looked over her shoulder to shoot Luna another impatient look. “I did not simply tell you all that to clear the air between us…” “Oh? Then what were you hoping for?” Celestia narrowed her eyes slightly. “If it’s an outpouring of feelings from me, I’m afraid I’ve rather hit my limit on that for a while.” Luna shook her head. “That was not my intention. I rather hope you would think about what I said and then consider your recent transformation.” Celestia paused momentarily and put on a thoughtful expression. Suddenly, she turned her head and whipped her fiery mane about before turning herself to face Luna once more. “No…” she said intensely, though not in the tone of one denying a request but of one meeting a wordless accusation with a response. “Sister, I implore you!” Luna said. “Search your feelings! Deep down you must know you are not in your right state.” Even more fire than before began to pour forth from Celestia’s mane and tail as she glared at Luna with blazing intensity. “Do NOT compare your horrible transformation to what has happened to me! Luna… I’ve felt trapped for so long! Now I am free of my burdens and what’s more I am more glorious and beautiful than ev—” Celestia stopped speaking abruptly and clenched down on her teeth and tremor of realization seemingly making its way past the smoke and fire and into her core. The other mares gazed at Celestia hopefully.   Celestia clenched her eyes shut hard then opened them again. “I see now why you picked now to discuss this with me.” Luna breathed a sigh of relief. “Perhaps you will be able to listen to reason where I could not.” Celestia nodded. “Perhaps…” Celestia turned to face Chrysalis, her eyes blazing with rage. “But before we talk further, I simply cannot allow the Changeling Queen to live.” Twilight and Cadance froze in place with slightly panic-stricken looks about them. Chrysalis began to look at the other mares in the room with an imploring look, as if begging to be saved. “STOP!” Luna yelled out. “Celestia, I won’t allow this.” Celestia immediately turned around, focusing her rage-filled gaze at Luna. “You won’t ‘allow’ it?! YOU WON’T ALLOW IT?!” Celestia roared. “LUNA, DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT SHE’S DONE TO ME?!” Luna took a few resolute steps forward. “No sister... I would not even presume I fully understand it.” Luna looked over Celestia sadly. “But I’m sure whatever it was hurt you greatly.” Celestia sneered, “Well, if you understand that, then you should know it would be wise to stay out of my way!” Luna nodded. “It would be wise, but I’m afraid I must still stop you, even if I must do so by force.” “Why?!” Celestia said as flames licked out from her clenched teeth. Luna gave Celestia a solemn look. “Because you’re going to have to live with your choice every day from now until your life is at an end, and I know that burden.” Luna closed her eyes shut tightly then opened them again. “There is not an entity I know of living or dead I would wish this burden on.” “Forgive me sister, but this is lunacy!” Luna gave Celestia the slightest of smiles before the gravity of the situation once again weighed her expression down into a deep, concerned frown. Celestia continued, motioning to Chrysalis who all but cowered behind Cadance and Twilight, “That thing was going to cocoon every pony in Equestria and have her ilk feed off us until we were no more. Please do not tell me you think she is deserving of life!” “What I think she deserves is currently irrelevant,” Luna said. “Under different circumstances perhaps we could discuss appropriate punishment for Queen Chrysalis’s crime, but you are not in your right mind, sister.” Luna closed her eyes and shook her head. “I will not stand idly by and allow you to pass murderous judgement while you are like this.” She once again laid resolute eyes on her sister. “I also fear that if you start with Chrysalis you will not stop.” Celestia flashed a dark smirk. “I have been considering wiping out the Queen's entire accursed race.” Luna lowered her head and pointed her horn squarely at Celestia. “And that is why I will do whatever is necessary to stop you.” Celestia narrowed her eyelids until her pitch black iris surrounded by the glowing orange ember of her eyes could barely be seen. She turned to look at Cadance and Twilight. “And do you two share my sister’s viewpoint?” Twilight nodded her head up and down rapidly and without hesitation. Cadance nodded slower, but still in agreement with the other two princesses. Chrysalis look of fear remained as her eyes continued to dart over all the ponies in the room. Celestia let out a long exasperated sigh and then turned to look at Luna again with slightly tired expression. “You’d really stop me by force if necessary to keep me from executing this enemy of Equestria?” Luna nodded. Celestia returned the nod. “I believe you.” With that, Celestia let fly a flaming ball of energy from her horn. Luna’s eyes went wide as she quickly put up a barrier of shimmering stars that blocked the blast. Hundreds of tiny shimmering stars flew out in all directions as the flames likewise exploded on impact with the magical shield.  No sooner had Luna blocked the fireball than Celestia was almost upon her, charging forward with her head down and glowing red horn leveled directly at the lunar princess. Luna braced herself and maneuvered her own horn to redirect the point of Celestia’s away from her face or body. Although the move spared Luna from being speared, Celestia still smashed her own forehead against Luna's with the force of an angry storm and the sound of a thunderous ‘CRACK!’ Luna grunted and winced at the sudden pain in her head and the aches of the rest of her body as she did her best to remain upright and match her sister’s brute strength. All the while, the heat around her had become almost intolerable. Despite all this, Luna heard a hissing dark chuckle from Celestia, a sound much like steam escaping from a pressure valve. “Luna, stop this now and I may overlook this foolish behavior. You’re in no condition to throw down with me at the moment.” “I will not yield!” Luna cried as her horn glowed with a deep midnight blue and pushed with all her might against Celestia. “I can’t let you do this! I won’t let you do this!” Celestia’s horn began to glow brighter before the air around it began to spark and ignite. “You’re at your limit, my dear sister. You must have fought hard and bravely against Chrysalis if you are in this state.” Celestia pushed her molten hooves against the ground hard as the energy from her horn flared up until flames shot up to lap at the air above it. “You should be commended, but you cannot possibly stop me now.” Luna let out a strained moan as her back knees began to wobble and point outwards. A heavy sweat appeared on her brow as she clamped down on her teeth and did her best to match her sister’s strength and energy. Celestia continued in an oddly casual tone, “Cadance lacks the pure magical strength to stop me. In fact that only pony here that could possibly even harm me is—” A purple bolt of energy sailed through the air and crashed right into Celestia’s side. The fiery black alicorn was sent sailing across the room and into a stone wall with a heavy ‘THUD!’ “Twilight Sparkle!” Luna cried out in concern as she exhaustedly fell to the floor and looked towards the source of the bolt. Twilight was by Luna’s side immediately. She lowered her head as her horn glowed a brilliant purple. A similarly colored aura wrapped around one of Luna’s forelegs and Twilight lifted it up and over her neck. “Don’t worry!” Twilight said. “Cadance and I have a plan! All we need to do is—” “TWILIGHT!” Cadance cried. “ABOVE YOU!” Twilight instinctively put up a spherical shimmering barrier of purple energy around herself and Luna as she looked up. Not a moment later, Celestia’s lava-like hooves smashed into the barrier much like four blazing hot meteorites. Twilight and Luna’s eyes shot open as the barrier cracked then shattered, and Celestia’s burning hot hooves fell towards them. With a few swift hits from her forehooves, Celestia knocked Luna back to the ground. As Twilight’s horn began to glow once more with magical energy, Celestia placed her forelegs on the floor then reared her hind legs back before kicking Twilight with enough force to send the princess shooting through the air. A split second before Twilight would hit a stone wall of the room their was a brief glow of her horn and a ‘pommf’. Celestia grit her ashen, stone-like teeth and perked up her ears. ‘Pommf.’ Behind! Celestia did a quick 180 just as a purple ray of magical energy was fired at her. With fiery glow of her horn she met the blast with a blazing outpouring of her own. The two blasts raged against each other like two massive waterfalls of pure destruction as the already stifling hot room became a rose to a near-unbearable swelter. With some degree of surprise, Celestia watched as Twilight flew onwards, her horn practically screaming in a high-pitched wail as she continued to blast with all her might. Twilight banked to her left as she headed in for a landing next to Celestia, her blast suddenly changing to an orb of protective energy that began to wane immediately as the flames of Celestia’s own magic burned it away. Still, it was enough time for Twilight to hit the ground, lean her weight back , the propel herself forward with all her strength into Celestia’s side. With Twilight’s nubby horn thrusted into Celestia’s side, Twilight beat her wings hard adding as much momentum as she could and momentarily knocked Celestia off her hooves before bringing the fiery princess down onto her side. “Snap out of it!” Twilight cried at the fallen alicorn in front of her. “Celestia, this isn’t you! I don’t want to fight you! I don’t want to hurt you!” With eyes filled with fire and rage, Celestia flicked her large, flamethrower-like mane in Twilight’s direction. Twilight’s eyes widened and she clamped down on her teeth as she put up another barrier. As soon as the shimmering energy barrier was in place, Celestia’s molten rock-like forehooves crashed down upon it, putting spider web like cracks into it as the pointed black tip of Celestia’s horn was thrust directly between Twilight’s eyes. Twilight ducked as her shield shattered and fell down in pieces into nothing. With an aggravated yell, Celestia simply nodded her head quickly, her glowing red horn thwacking against the top of Twilight’s head. Twilight’s vision blurred from the rough strike if just momentarily, but before she could pour enough magic energy into her horn to fight back, teleport, or anything, Celestia struck under Twilight’s jaw with the right knee on her foreleg with a hard ‘crack!’ “You won’t hurt me!” Celestia cried. As she raised her foreleg above Twilight and struck Twilight’s horn, jerking her head away to the left as her entire body twisted to follow the blow. “You can’t hurt me!” she added. As Twilight hit the ground, Celestia reared onto her back legs and raised booth forehooves directly above the fallen alicorn’s head. “YOU’RE GOING TO KILL HER, AUNTIE!” Cadance screamed. Celestia’s eyes shot open wide as her hooves came down, each one hitting directly to the side of Twilight’s face and smashing through the heavy stone floor. Cadance screamed again, as loud as her, usually gentle voice would allow. “You’re going to destroy your family AGAIN!” Celestia clamped her eyes shut as a pained look came across her face. She opened them again and looked down at the smaller alicorn between her feet. Her faithful student. Almost… Almost like a daughter to her. Twilight Sparkle who she… who she lov— With a frustrated scream and a yellow glow of her horn, Celestia floated Twilight into the air and threw her like a rag doll across the room. Twilight smacked hard into a stone wall, bounced off of it, and fell to the ground. “Twilight!” Cadance cried as she rushed over in a panic, her eyes going over Twilight’s injuries including the two black patches of fur where Celestia’s back kick had connected. Twilight woozily got back on her hooves and shook her head doing her best to look at Cadance despite the fact that Twilight’s head refused to stay in place and her legs were barely cooperating in keeping her upright. “Okay, plan ‘B’!” Twilight said doggedly. “Do we have one?” Cadance turned to fearfully gaze at Celestia, who looked to be a towering inferno of volcanic rage. Cadance felt her heart catch in her chest. Celestia had certainly spared Twilight a moment ago, but would that continue? And even if Celestia couldn’t bring herself to kill anypony in the room, how far was she still willing to go? At the very least she seemed more than willing to harm the ponies here and probably wouldn’t stop with her cavalcade of violence until nopony was physically able to oppose her will.  Celestia practically smashed her hooves against the floor as she marched over. The march was cut quite short as a small blast of midnight blue energy which caught Celestia in the side of her face. Little more than dazed, Celestia turned towards Luna and fired a look that almost seemed like it could melt ponies from a glance. There was little doubt in the minds of the room’s occupants that that possibility wasn’t far off. Cadance quickly closed her eyes as she directed her attention at Celestia. Her horn glowed light blue momentarily before the corners of her mouth lifted ever so slightly. She opened her eyes and looked at Twilight. “I have an idea, but I need you to trust me.” Twilight looked at Cadance in confusion. “Of course! Why wouldn’t I?” Cadance looked at where Chrysalis still laid and then back at Twilight. “Because I doubt you’re going to like it…” Cadance began trotting back to Chrysalis and motioned for Twilight to follow. “Please…” Luna uttered as Celestia slowly marched towards her. “Stop this!” The strength in Luna’s voice was gone. Where’s before she had sounded like she was calmly reasoning or even coldly making promises she felt she could deliver, she now sounded like she was pleading, begging even. “I know you… I grew up with you. You are not the cold monster of fire of death I see before me. You could never bring yourself to kill Twilight and Cadance. You… you… Care for all ponies, almost all things with an almost unassailable love.” Celestia glowered down at her sister. “Yes. It is an outlook that I personally sacrificed a great deal for over these long centuries. Today, I was shown just exactly what I had given up.” Celestia shook her head. “I am no longer certain that this sacrifice was worth it.” Celestia’s mane and tail blazed dangerously behind her once more. “I am sorry, Luna… But perhaps the pony you knew truly is gone.” “NO!” Luna shouted. “I know you can change! Please! You don’t have to do this!” Tears began to stream from Luna’s eyes. “Stop this! Stop now before it’s too late. If you don’t stop now, who knows what havoc you will reap on your own ponies!” “I’ve spent too long concerning myself with such trivial matters, Luna,” Celestia answered coldly. “I won’t be burdened by such things any longer.” Luna grit her teeth as tears continued to flow down her cheeks. “Do not… Do not speak that way. You are my sister, and you care for your subjects as if they were your own children!” Celestia flinched and for a brief moment, Luna had thought she had gotten through to her sister. Celestia’s expressionless eyes turned to hate and her black horn began to glow a fiery orange.  “What do you know about the love for one’s children?!” Tears began to stream from Luna’s eyes. “Please sister… do not make the same mistake I did…” Celestia loomed over like a fiery executioner ready to strike. Despite the anger written across her face and blazing across her body she turned away slightly, and gazed off into the room. “I will not kill you, dear sister.” Twilight let out a sigh of relief. “Oh, thank—” She frowned “—Celestia, I guess…” Celestia turned towards Luna and gave her a contemptible look. “However, you are in dire need of perspective.” Before anypony could react, Celestia floated over the yellow orb containing the pouch of Heart’s Desire pollen and englobed her sister’s head in it. Luna let out a startled gasp as pouch strings reached out to wrap themselves around her neck. Before the princess could react to this change in situation her eyes rolled back into her head and her eyelids shut as she went limp. “NOW TWILIGHT!” Cadance cried as she put up a thick wall of shimmering blue energy in front of her. Twilight gulped as her horn glowed purple as she placed a forehoof on Chrysalis. “What?!” Celestia exclaimed as she turned towards Cadance and Twilight. “NO!” Celestia let loose a titanic plasmatic blast from her horn that slammed into Cadance’s shield and began to destroy floors, furniture, and walls alike. A moment later, Twilight teleported away with Chrysalis just as the spot both had occupied became a liquid mass of melted stone. Celestia ceased firing. The last sliver of Cadance’s shield burned away. Cadance’s eyes were wide and filled with self-concern as the tips of her mane and tail smoldered lightly, but she was still alive and standing on a small outcropping of floor where behind her was now open air leading down into an open drop to the caves below and out into the beautiful sky above Canterlot. A sky that was soon filled multicolored pegasus guards in golden armor. “Celestia? What… What happened?!” An orange guard with a blue plume at the front of the group of flying ponies exclaimed as respectfully as he could. “I know you gave all your guards explicit instructions not to investigate no matter what we heard from your quarters but—” Cadance stared at the lead pegasus guard with a panicked look on her face. “Flash! Get out of here!” “Do as she says, guards!” Celestia said. “Leave US! I will discuss this treasonous act with my niece personally.” Flash Sentry pointed at the pony made of stone and fire. “Princess Cadance… What… What is that… thing?!” Celestia turned to glare at the pegasus guard with fiery eyes that suggested he might soon meet a rather hot and unpleasant end. Cadance cringed and stared at the guard. “Princess Celestia has given you an order, Flash!” Cadance cried hastily as she pointed towards Celesta. “I highly suggest you follow it.” Flash already frazzled expression was almost completely swallowed by terror as he looked at Celestia. He swallowed. “Yes… yes ma’am,” he said. He turned to the other pegasi guards. “You heard the, erm, princesses! Let’s move out!”  With that, Flash flew away from the exposed room of the castle, the other pegasus guards following him in tight formation despite the looks of panic they flashed at the scene in front of them. Celestia turned to shot yet another deadly glower in Cadance’s direction. “That stunt you and Twilight pulled was a mistake. I don’t know why you two have chosen to follow in my sister’s madness, but I will have my revenge against Chrysalis. Do not think you have the power to stop me.” Cadance trotted up to Celestia. “I don’t. I won’t fight you auntie.” Celestia’s enraged expression made some room for perplexity to join it. “Then what was your aim? Do you think I would spare you if you refused to engage me in combat?” “I don’t know…” Cadance said. “But… I still sense love in you… Just a tiny bit, but it’s there. It was risky but... But I did not think you would kill Luna. I’m really hoping you won’t kill me either.” Celestia narrowed her eyes again. “Even if both of you are family, the thought had occurred to me.” Cadance gave Celestia a pensive look. “You… You really have it in you to destroy your family twice in one day?” Celestia’s horn suddenly flared with blazing energy again, and for a moment Cadance feared that the answer to her question was ‘yes’ and Celestia would simply demonstrate that in lieu of an answer. Suddenly, the fiery of Celetia’s horn stopped as she clenched her eyes shut. Something… There was something inside her that wouldn’t let her simply burn away this burden in front of her… Something preventing her from quickly and effortlessly ending a pony which was just an obstacle to the revenge Celestia knew she so rightly deserved. Her family is gone, but she did still have one here. There was no doubt in her mind that she’d lose that too if she continued on this fiery path she had set herself on. Celestia opened her eyes. “I suppose I don’t quite have that resolve, but this changes nothing of my feelings on Chrysalis or others who would impede my quest for justice. If you don’t intend to fight me to prevent that, then what was your plan?” Cadance smiled slightly and lowered her head next to Luna and closed her eyes. “It is this.” Celestia sighed and shook her head. “That again… Denying Luna her heart’s desire and having her talk to me again will not stop me, child. Nothing can stop my revenge on the one who has wronged me and at this point I don’t think you, Twilight, or even my sister will be spared all consequences for meddling.” Luna’s eyes suddenly flew open and she coughed and sputtered as a blue orb of energy englobed itself around the pouch before it was once again forcibly removed from its wearer. “Sis-Sister?!” Luna cried as her eyes flew open. “Shhhhh…” Cadance hushed softly. “Rest now, everything is fine. It’s going to be okay.” Luna’s weary eyelids drifted downward and her chest began to gently rise and fall as if slept peacefully. Celestia gave her adopted niece a quizzical look. “Don’t tell me you want the visions for yourself.” Cadance smiled and shook her head. “No auntie, I already have everything my heart desires. A loving husband, a wonderful family, ponies to take care of.” Cadance’s smile grew wider. “I could not ask for anything else.” Celestia’s eyes narrowed. “Oh, so sure are you?” With a fiery glow of her horn the orb around the pouch turned a sunstone orange as it was forcibly thrust at Cadance. “Perhaps we should find out.” Cadance let out a startled gasp as the pouch found a new target to wrap its strings around. Her eyes went wide as she stared at Celestia. Celestia stared back expectantly. The yellow particles of pollen drifted in and out of Cadance’s nose as she breathed gently and after a few seconds, she let out a sigh of relief. Celestia’s eyes flew open in disbelief. “I… I thought you were bluffing!” Cadance grinned. “So was I…” With a light-blue glow of her horn, she shielded the pouch and removed it from her neck. As if in protest, the draw strings reached out for her, but grew limp as Cadance floated the pouch further away. She looked at Celestia. “Do you want to go back?” she asked, nodding to the pouch. If Celestia looked surprised before, she was certainly shocked now. “Go… go back?” Cadance nodded. “Yes. You’ll have to leave Chrysalis’s treatment to the three of us, but…” Cadance smirked. “You won’t really care or remember.” Cadance gave Celestia a serious look. “I think you’ll have to change back or at least find a form with a bit less… fire for the pollen to work without being destroyed but…” Cadance glanced up at the orb holding the pouch. “That life is there if you want it.” Celestia frowned heavily. “But… But it’d be a lie…” “Well, if that matters to you…” Cadance said, trailing off. “But you’re the only pony who gets a say in this. If anypony has earned a reward for what you’ve done for ponykind, it’s you. I won’t stand in your way if this is what you really want. I’m sure Luna and Twilight will understand.” Celestia went quiet as she silently mulled over this proposition. “The sun… My duties…” Celestia inhaled and then exhaled, the act creating far less smoke than it had just a bit prior. “My… my subjects... I’d be abandoning all of them.” Cadence smiled lovingly at Celestia. That same, heartwarming smile that somehow always made Celestia feel as if everything was going to be fine. “I’m sure between three princesses we can work the sun, and I’m positive we can take care of Equestria while you rest.” Celestia thought about this further. “I… I can give you my powers… or give them to Twilight or Luna…” “If that is what you wish,” Cadance said simply. Celestia’s eyes widened and clarity suddenly hit her like sunshine breaking through the clouds. Her ebony-black skin began to turn ashen and the fiery burning light of her mane began to fade slightly. “No, it is not…” Cadence nodded. “Very well, I’m sure the three of us can manage with our own power.” Celestia raised a gray hoof. The fire around it had subsided. “No my niece, that is not what I meant.” Cadence watched as Celestia’s ashen coat turned white and her flaming mane gave way to shimmering colors once more. Celestia continued. “I meant that I feel I should continue to watch over my little ponies…” Celestia smiled weakly. “At least until such time I feel somepony more appropriate should take my place.” Cadance smiled widely as she leaned forward and wrapped her forelegs around Celestia. “Alright auntie, it’s good to have you back.” Celestia let out a sorrowful sigh and then smiled as she returned the hug. “It is for the best, my gentle little song. At least this way Chrysalis won’t have a victory, pyrrhic or otherwise.” Cadance leaned her head back looked up at the orb containing the pouch that still floated about a yard away from the two mares. “Then what of the pollen?” With a final ember glow of Celestia’s horn, the pouch inside the light blue orb suddenly caught flame and was reduced to ashes. “Goodbye…” Celestia whispered. Cadance took a deep breath and then let it out as she broke her embrace with Celestia. She smiled once more and shook her head. “You’re amazing auntie. To think you’d willingly give up your heart’s desire for Equestria.” Cadance beamed. “You really are the right pony watch over us all.” Celestia shook her head. “You, Twilight, and Luna are the amazing ones. You managed to bring me back.” Celestia’s expression turned thoughtful for a second. “Speaking of Twilight, where did she—” ‘Pommf!’ With a purple flash Twilight was once again in the room, or what was left of it. “Cadance! I know the plan was for me to leave with Chrysalis and then find my friends, but the castle exploded and then Flash found me and he said—” Twilight’s lavender eyes went wide as they fell upon Celestia. “Celestia! You’re back!” Celestia smiled wide as she rushed towards Twilight and wrapped her forelegs and wings around her. “Yes, Twilight. I am sorry to have worried you so.” Twilight let out a joyous squeal followed by a squelch of pain. Celestia’s eyes went wide as she gently lowered Twilight to the ground. “Twilight dear, are you alright?” “Fine!” Twilight said with a happy smile and strained tone. “Though I think I broke a few ribs sometime during all the fighting. Also I have a couple burns and I don’t think I should move my neck a whole lot for a little while.” Celestia’s cheeks burned red as she gave Twilight the mother of all apologetic looks. “I’m truly sorry for the harm I have caused you… For what it’s worth I think I’m quite bruised,” she said as she stretched a wing out stiffly. Twilight shook her head slightly, winced, then gave Celestia a sheepish smile. “It’s fine, just so long as you’re back.” Celestia nodded. “So what of Chrysalis?” “Oh!” Twilight said as her ears shot straight up. “Well, you see… Chrysalis looked like she was dying so I quickly brought her to castle’s aid station where I told a nurse pony on staff to take care of her and then I left to find my friends, but then then Flash found me and—” Celestia’s eyes shot open wide. “You left… You left the Changeling Queen attended by a single nurse?!” Twilight nodded. “Right! But she... Er… I mean… Wow do I feel stupid right now!” Cadance tentatively approached Celestia. “It’s not her fault auntie… I didn’t really have time to figure out what to do with Chrysalis while you were changed… I just told Twilight to get her out of here and then get her friends in case I couldn’t get through to you.” Celestia looked at Cadance and then Twilight, the two mares looking back up at her with expressions not unlike two little fillies who had broken something and were now fearful of repercussions. Celestia sighed and shook her head. “Perhaps it’s for the best… Even now, I’m not sure what I would do if I saw Chrysalis again. But she will likely steer clear of ponies for a while. I think I made it quite clear things will turn sour for her if she tries to make a move on us again.” Twilight and Cadance let out sighs of relief. “Okay, so what now?” Cadance asked. Celestia looked back towards her snoozing sister then took a long, hard look at the massive hole where part of her quarters once existed. “I suppose I best address everypony and assure them that everything is alright. No doubt all the guards are on high alert.” Cadance looked at Celestia with a small look of surprise and concern. “So… So soon? Auntie, you just went through a harrowing experience! You’re really going to address everypony?!” Celestia nodded. “Yes, Cadance. I must.” She looked outside with a slightly sad expression. “Even on my birthday, I’m still a princess.”