Chapter One Hundred Twenty Six
Chapter One Hundred Twenty Six
The noise currently forcing its way past Tempest's parted lips was one of sheer, utter contentment. One that hadn't been heard from her in a very, very long time, to the point even she couldn't really remember the last time she'd made it, consciously or otherwise.
She vigorously shook her entire body like a dog, flinging water droplets in every which direction inside the shower's tiled walls without a hint of care, before quickly thrusting her head and neck back underneath the stream, letting it beat down on her in a way that few could ever truly hope to appreciate.
Hot water, as hot as she could physically stand it, filling the entire room with a pleasant steam. Hot, soft water, an outright luxury to be had, soaking right through her fur as it caressed tired, aching muscles, beating away at grunge at the roots of her mane even she wasn't aware of. And all complemented by some of the finest soaps and shampoos she'd ever been privy to, far in excess of anything she'd had access to in the past, even with her position in the Storm King's army.
Come to think of it, she doubted even he had such fine toiletries at his disposal. Honestly, she doubted he even knew about such niceties, or would even be able to care about such luxuries.
Oh well, that was his loss! Right now he and his incompetence didn't matter. All that really mattered was the shower she was getting, and she was going to enjoy it for all that it was worth. Which, at the moment, was more than all the gold in Abyssinia to her.
Screw that arrogant monkey with his delusions of grandeur. Who needed him and his treacherous backstabbing ways anyway?
She flung her head back, sending water flying from her mane as she thrust her face directly into the spray of the shower, her eyes clenched shut as she simply enjoyed the simple bliss of it all.
"So this is where I find you."
Said simple bliss suddenly halted at the sound of the voice, bringing Tempest's attention back to her surroundings. Immediately she pulled her head out from under the water and shook as much water off her face as she could in order to open her eyes and look around.
The dark blue alicorn currently leaning casually against the door frame was definitely not what or who she'd been expecting.
"Princess... Luna, right?" she asked as she better turned to face her.
"Correct," Luna replied as she pushed herself away from the door frame and approached. "I must say, it it refreshing to meet a subject that is not immediately bowing in my presence. Although I suppose you are not technically one of my subjects since you left Equestria before I returned. But that is a matter of fine hair-splitting and is neither here nor there at the moment."
Tempest had no immediate response to offer up, instead just opting to remain in place, waiting to see what developed first.
"At the moment I am simply here to welcome you to Equestria. As well as state that I am quite happy you accepted our offer," Luna continued. "I must also apologize. Usually I do not intervene with peaceful dreams. But this was the only way for me to actually meet with you at the moment."
That statement served to actually break Tempest's silence.
"I'm dreaming right now?"
Luna nodded. "Sedated and resting in the palace infirmary, although I do not know the full details. I was admittedly a bit... impatient... when I heard you were here. I could not bring myself to wait for you to awaken on your own so I simply popped in here."
"Oh," was all Tempest could think to respond with at the moment.
"If you do not mind my saying, this is quite a dream to encounter. Rarely do I meet ponies who take such satisfaction in exercising basic hygiene practices," Luna commented.
"Well, when you have to put up with years worth of lukewarm hard water, cheap soap bought in bulk, and bathing in the presence of others, you really learn to appreciate the simple pleasures in life," Tempest mumbled. "The ponies here have been nothing but kind since I got here, even though they had no reason to be. There was more than enough shampoo, nopony tried to rush me in getting washed up, I could just... take it slow and relax. I've never felt so clean before in my life."
Luna couldn't help but nod in agreement. "Yes. It is the small, simple things to be found in life, that can often missed the most. In my own case it was the smell of freshly baked bread. The first time I smelt it after my return, I was reduced to tears over just how much I missed it during my banishment. A thousand years spent isolated on the moon, a prisoner in my own mind, trapped in a dream-like state I could not awaken from, and I was bawling like a newborn foal at the scent of freshly buttered dinner rolls my first night back."
The conversation had suddenly gone in a very weird direction that Tempest hadn't expected it to go. Now she found herself awkwardly uncertain of what to say, with only the sound of the running water to fill the silence.
"But that is enough small talk about me for right now. I am here for your benefit, not mine," Luna said as she once again spoke. "Is there anything I can do to help you while I am here?"
"Not unless you can tell me which prison I'm going to be sent to, so I'll know what to expect," Tempest muttered.
Luna's brow furrowed in annoyance at hearing this. "Sister has not yet said one way or another. But at the moment I do not actually believe incarceration is in your future. You may have a past marked by questionable and regrettable decisions, but so do a great many others. Your crimes cannot compare to my past misdeeds and what was attempted. And while he has gone on to become one of our greatest allies -as well as a friend- you cannot even begin to hold a candle to the past of Ulquiorra Cifer. The number of deaths he is responsible for is truly incalculable. If he can be forgiven his past atrocities, we would be hard pressed to not extend you the same courtesy for actions and decisions born of desperation."
Tempest couldn't deny that the words were somewhat comforting, although she still had trouble accepting them.
But at the second she at least had something else to focus on to serve as a distraction.
"Yeah, about him. What exactly is the story with him anyway? I've been to a lot of places in this world, I've seen a lot of weird things I can't explain, and I've never encountered anything like him before."
"Ah, he is an entirely different matter. He has his own reserved level of complexity," Luna stated. "His is a story best reserved for when you are more recovered, better rested, and have something hardier in your system than a bowl of gummy bears from the infirmary that you and your fuzzy little companion saw fit to devour."
At this, Tempest was unable to suppress a sheepish, embarrassed grin under Luna's watchful eye; like a mother who knew her foal was guilty of some type of wrongdoing and wanted to see if they'd admit to it.
"In my defense, I simply wanted something to get the medicinal taste of that tongue depressor out of my mouth. I didn't expect a simple candy to be that good. And having not eaten for two days I might've lost my composure," she offered up.
At this Luna's muzzle scrunched up as she thrust her tongue out in absolute disgust. "I have tasted many foul things before in my time, including once biting through the rind of a pineapple because I mistakenly thought it was a new member of the apple family grown in my absence. But that, that is a unique displeasure all its own.
"That said, though, I would still prefer to wait until you are on a more solid footing before bringing you up to speed on everything. The dream realm allows for a great deal of flexibility, but even then there are limits that must be obeyed. And certain things are best resolved in the flesh, rather than in the mind. Celestia will have her own matters to brief you on, and she tends to get cranky when I steal her thunder."
For the second time today, Princess Twilight found herself standing in Celestia's office.
After all of the excitement of the morning and early afternoon, with Ulquiorra bringing Tempest to Canterlot and everything that'd followed, there was something calming about being in a semi-familiar surrounding with a semi-familiar friend, even if it still technically wasn't her own reality. But the similarities that did exist, helped soothe her nerves just enough to make the stress bearable at the moment.
"I want to apologize for my behavior yesterday," she stated, opting to get right to the heart of the matter of why she was here. "I'm really sorry that we didn't keep you informed about what we were planning. And even though Ulquiorra made some good points, points that I can't exactly disagree with, that's still no excuse for how the three of us conducted ourselves. We should've at least had the courtesy to tell you what we were thinking about doing.
"I was... afraid. I don't know specifically what I was afraid of, though, only that I was afraid. There were too many variables for me to focus on at the time; too many things that could've gone wrong. Telling you what we were planning could've caused a riff in your relationship with Princess Luna if you two disagreed on how to proceed, and I'd end up being responsible for that rift, and whatever fallout might occur. Or if not Princess Luna, Ulquiorra could've verbally ripped you apart a second time if you protested what was planned, before proceeding regardless of what you might've said. And I honestly don't think they were going to refrain from going forward, regardless of whether or not we participated in the planning phase. We-"
"Princess Twilight."
Twilight's borderline ramblings of terror were effortlessly cut off as Celestia spoke, immediately bringing her attention to the older unicorn on the other side of the desk, anxiously waiting in silence to hear whatever she had to say.
"I accept your apology. You don't have to go into detail, explaining all the potential fears you've been playing host to about how your decisions could affect others. It's something that I'm all too familiar with myself," Celestia explained as she pushed herself up from her seat and slowly walked around to the front of her desk. "And in all honestly, I was a lot less upset about being left out of the loop after I saw Tempest's condition for myself."
"You are? You were?" Twilight asked.
Celestia nodded. "Despite what some might believe, I'm not perfect in my role as ruler; nopony can ever be that. I'm experienced, but experience and intelligence doesn't keep you from screwing up, it only limits the circumstances in which you'll eventually screw up. And in this case I'm afraid to say my screw up was a multi-faceted one. I didn't even realize the depths of it until I laid eyes on Tempest for myself, and saw just how bad of a condition she was actually in."
Twilight could do little more than nod uneasily. She'd been expecting this Tempest to possess the same sort of energy her counterpart carried when they'd first met, and it'd been shockingly absent. It was almost like dealing with an entirely different pony.
It also made her curious -and a bit frightened- at what other possible differences might be in play in this reality. Just how bad were things if the Storm King's own troops were willing to kill him after learning the truth about his intention to betray Tempest the instant he got what he wanted? It was a question she wasn't sure whether or not she wanted to think about.
"Making it all the worse, it's my own experience that served to contribute to my screwing up so profoundly," Celestia continued and let out a tired huff. "For a thousand years, I was the sole ruler of Equestria, taking on all responsibilities involved with a diarchy forced to become a monarchy. I'm afraid that sort of experience isn't easily shaken off. Even though I know that Luna's back and the burden of leadership isn't solely mine anymore, there are still times I find myself thinking along those old lines, and forgetting there are others who can pick up the slack.
"And as far as Ulquiorra taking me to task like he does? I've come to realize that's simply him doing his job, and doing it well."
"I don't understand," Twilight stated, utterly lost.
"Then I'll explain. When Discord first brought Ulquiorra to our reality, none of us were really certain how to proceed. And what I saw when I probed his mind was very disturbing and unsettling to encounter. But there was no evidence of malice on his part, just a willingness to do as he was instructed by those who he considered his superiors. So I gave him a very specific order to follow; to not attack my subjects, nor do anything to cause them harm, or put them at risk.
"He seemed willing and open to abiding by these terms, which helped reinforce the fact he wasn't needlessly violent or dangerous for the sake of it. But little did I realize at the time that he'd chosen to interpret my instructions in a very specific fashion. One that essentially demanded he get involved in any situation that could potentially lead to somepony being harmed. According to him, just passively standing by and doing absolutely nothing would constitute causing others harm by extension."
"That's... certainly a creative way of adhering to the rules," Twilight acknowledged. "I'm still not seeing how it's relevant to what you were saying just a minute ago."
"At first I didn't understand it either. It wasn't until the second changeling invasion that I learned Ulquiorra's definition of "harm" wasn't limited exclusively to a physical sense, but was broad enough to encompass the notion of psychological trauma as well," Celestia explained, doing her best to suppress the urge to cringe as she spoke. "He was... quite thorough throughout the incident in explaining why he disagreed with my approach to dealing with them, and the potential consequences that could be had. His words were harsh, bordering on outright cruel, but at the same time he was absolutely right. I tried to keep the bloodshed to an absolute minimum, and as a result a lot of innocent ponies suffered because I didn't stop to consider an alternative to what I thought was a good idea at the time.
"Had I simply stopped to listen to what he had to say, and allowed him to proceed as he saw fit, a great deal of pain and suffering my little ponies had to endure could've potentially been avoided entirely. I was too stubborn to consider that he, a living antithesis to Equestria's teachings might actually be right, and that stubbornness cost us dearly."
"Killing them outright would've been the better option?" Twilight asked.
"Knowing what we know now... yes. It would've been," Celestia confirmed and nodded slowly. "So many of them died regardless, either due to starvation or simply being too weak to withstand the sheer amount of spiritual pressure that Ulquiorra's body puts out. All I really managed to do with my plan was cause them further pain and suffering. I'm not saying that his would've been the preferable option, but in the end it would've arguably been the kinder option for all parties involved, both ponies and changelings. Ever since then, I've been more open to listening to what he might have to say about particular matters, even if we don't always see eye-to-eye on what the best course of action is.
"It's difficult to put into actual words and still come off as coherent. But there's something almost comforting to be had when Ulquiorra brings something to my attention. If he truly embodied the emptiness of death like he claims he does, I honestly don't think he'd ever speak up. The fact he does suggest he honestly cares about everypony's well being, even if he won't admit to it. If the day ever came where he didn't have complaints to raise, it would either mean I've stopped making mistakes, or he simply no longer cares about what might happen to everypony who lives in Equestria, and is content to let simply let the chips fall wherever they may."
The entire explanation had sounded so strange from Twilight's perspective. She was certain the whole discussion had gotten offtrack somewhere along the line, but she wasn't quite sure where. That was going to take time to figure out. Assuming she wanted to invest the time and effort to figure it out in the first place.
The entire assessment, at least to her, had sounded like a cross between the notion of tough love, and assigning pony qualities and aspects to a non-pony entity who didn't possess such traits. It would definitely require further assessment and evaluation to be certain, once she actually felt like undertaking such a task.
"Now then. I could be wrong, but I don't think feeling the need to offer an apology was what brought you to my office around lunchtime," Celestia continued.
It took Twilight longer than she actually cared to admit, to recall what Celestia was talking about, and what had brought her here originally before everything had gone a bit more sideways than usual. With all the excitement of Tempest arriving, and the resulting fallout, she'd actually needed to rack her brain a bit to get back to why she'd even come here originally.
"Right, about that. Before we proceeded with the plan of finding Tempest and bringing her back, Princess Luna and Ulquiorra searched through the attendance records of the School for Gifted Unicorns, just to make sure we weren't setting out on a gigantic waste of time. Needless to say, we weren't. But I didn't think far enough ahead at the time. I got so focused on Tempest, I forgot to give them other relevant names to look through. So I was hoping that you would know them if I asked. Do you remember the names "Sunburst" or "Starlight Glimmer?" Were either of them students at the school?"
"Sunburst, and Starlight Glimmer," Celestia replied in a mumbled tone, her brow lightly furrowing as she glanced towards the ceiling in concentration, along with stroking her chin with one of the primaries on her left wing as it unfurled. "Yes. Yes, I think I do remember those names; Sunburst at the very least. He was admitted about a year after your counterpart was."
"And what about Starlight Glimmer? Was she ever a student?" Twilight asked.
"Not to my knowledge. I know that they were friends prior to his enrollment, but that's about it," Celestia explained. "Are they villains we'll eventually have to deal with, like Tempest?"
"Well, not Sunburst, he's far too nice of a pony to ever go down that road. But Starlight? Oh definitely..." Twilight confirmed, before explaining the matter as she had to Luna the previous night.
Celestia could do little more than shake her head in response as she listened. "That mare needs therapy."
"And a kick in the butt?" Twilight asked, unable to resist the urge to inquire further, after how similar Celestia's response had been to Luna's.
"In her case it certainly couldn't hurt," Celestia replied.
Now it was Twilight's turn to shake her head in response, not really wanting to get into that particular discussion. For now there were more important things to focus on, and change the subject to.
"I know that it's best to nip these sort of problems in the bud before they have the chance to develop into full blown villainy. I know that fact both from my own experiences, and from listening to Ulquiorra talk. But if at all possible, could Starlight's intervention be done without his involvement?" she asked.
The fact Celestia didn't immediately offer up a verbal response wasn't a development she'd expected to be met with. She'd been hoping for a further inquiry, but it was quickly apparent she'd have to proceed on her own, and hope for the best.
"Within eight hours of meeting him, Ulquiorra tore through every mental defense I had with the barest of effort like they were absolutely nothing, and left me believing that it was in everypony's best interest if I help this world by telling you everything I could about possible developments that might arise, so you had at least some idea of what might be coming your way. And the worst part of it all? He made sense while doing it. Perfect, rational, frightening sense. He even cited friendship teachings from my counterpart while making his points. He all but beat me over the head with my own words. How do you argue against somepony that's basically citing you to make their point?
"I know that he's focused on keeping Equestria safe... but Starlight isn't exactly a pony who's well known for her robust mental fortitude. And I say that as somepony who loves her as much as I do any of my friends. If he goes to confront her, I'm honestly worried that he could snap her mind like a twig in less than five minutes without even trying."
"I can't say something like that isn't a possibility that could develop," Celestia admitted while wearing an expression that Twilight honestly couldn't recall seeing before. "But unless Starlight is secluded away in some remote location where she can't otherwise be found through normal measures, or poses a unique and immediate threat to Equestria as a villain, I don't believe we'll need Ulquiorra's unique skill set in dealing with her. Your counterpart and her friends are still just as vital to Equestria's safety as they've ever been, and I'm hard-pressed to think that one unicorn would be too much for them to deal with."
Twilight had to all but physically bite back her response to this evaluation. If Princess Celestia knew what she knew, she doubted such an assessment would be made so dismissively.
She also had to remind herself that, if some sort of time travel really had been involved with her winding up in this particular reality, then that potentially meant this Starlight hadn't yet had the necessary time to become the threat that her Starlight had been when they'd first encountered her. If she didn't currently have Starswirl's time travel spell then that cut down on the threat she could present. And since this world would be benefiting from the intelligence that she could provide, they would have the benefit of surprise on their side.
Was it underhoofed? Potentially. Was it heavy on supposition? Absolutely. But at the same time it was the only thing she could think of that might work and keep Ulquiorra from getting immediately involved, and potentially using more force to resolve the situation than was truly required. What was that one saying, an ounce of prevention for a pound of cure?
And really, she didn't have any actual proof that this reality's Starlight was as far gone as hers was. If she proceeded as if there was a one-to-one ratio between the two realities, wasn't she just assuming guilt without any evidence? What kind of Princess of Friendship would she be if she did that?
"A cautious one..."
"Now. Do you have any information about Starlight that would suggests she poses a unique and immediate threat to Equestria's safety, or its citizens?"
Possibly one of the biggest questions Twilight had been hoping wouldn't be asked of her. Hearing it made her want to wince in response, and she wasn't sure she'd been able to resist the urge to do just that.
"... Not at present time. No..."
It wasn't technically the truth. Just as it wasn't technically a lie either. Since she only knew about her Starlight, there was no way she could say for certain what type of threat her counterpart posed at this time, assuming there was any at all.
She was certain the critical eye Celestia was giving her was going to break her. But Celestia simply nodded.
"Then that's good enough for me. If at all possible I'd prefer if we resolved the situation with Tempest first, before we attempt to take on any other additional responsibilities. I'd rather avoid the palace playing host to a villain's convention. The guards have enough problems as it is already."
That was a point Twilight couldn't really dispute. But at the same time it brought something else to the forefront of her mind that was at least somewhat related.
"While on that subject, you might want to see about returning the Elements of Harmony to the Tree where they belong. Its magic has been weakening over the past thousands years ever since they were first removed. And sooner or later it's going to weaken to the point it won't be able to suppress the plunder vines any longer. Those are what grew out of the plunder seeds Discord was eating when he was first running amok, by the way. Anyway the Tree needs the Elements in order to be revitalized, otherwise things are going to get... bad..."
"You don't say," Celestia mumbled as she raised her left hoof to stroke at her chin in thought. "I don't really recall Discord eating anything when we confronted him all those centuries ago. But that was a very long time ago and we had much bigger matters to tend to than his dietary indiscretions.
"No matter. I'll discuss the matter with the others, and inform them about what the situation is, before we proceed one way or another. The Tree of Harmony is certainly vital to Equestria's well being, but at the same time we might find ourselves in a situation where your counterpart and her friends need immediate access to the Elements of Harmony; time that they might not have in order to retrieve them. Trying to tend to one crisis preemptively could potentially make us more vulnerable to another crisis as a result."
"Then why did you originally keep them locked away in Canterlot's vault where they wouldn't be able to access them?" Twilight asked in utter confusion. "Err, that is assuming you did what your counterpart in my reality did, in the interim between Nightmare Moon's defeat, and Discord's reformation," she offered up sheepishly.
"That... is a very fair question," Celestia admitted. "I can't speak for the other Me in your reality, but in my case it just seemed to make sense at the time to keep them secured. Up until Discord's release and Chrysalis' appearance, there were no threats that really needed to be addressed. We more or less just allowed ourselves to be lulled into a false sense of security. And in our case it really wasn't possible to return the Elements to the Tree, even if we'd wanted to. After I was forced to use them against Luna my connection to them was severed, and they turned into useless stone spheres, rendering them useless to everypony. Especially since only five of them were in physical existence."
Twilight nodded, noting how the explanation more or less lined up with her own experiences back in her own reality. At least that bit of history remained unaltered by whatever "shifting" had occurred in this particular reality's timeline.
"That matter aside, returning the Elements to their original resting place didn't exactly leave us defenseless. Once we did and the plunder vines were subdued, the Tree presented us with a mystery hexagonal box that required six keys to open. Six keys that turned out to be mementos from lessons we learned that reaffirmed our connection with our individuals Elements. Once we opened the box we were essentially imbued with Harmony directly," she explained. "Whether or not the same would apply in this world, I don't really know. I do know that we were able to retrieve the Elements from the Tree when we needed them, but it was important to return them once we were done."
Before the explanation could delve further into the conflict with Tirek, and potentially hypothesizing whether or not Ulquiorra would actually be able to find him with his unique abilities, they were interrupted as the door to Celestia's office was opened as Princess Luna entered the room.
"Our guest is currently resting comfortably," she stated in straight to the point fashion as she approached their current position. "But I fear she is in need of far more care, both mental and physical, than I am able to offer or provide. This pony is not the same Tempest Shadow I was led to believe we might be receiving if our invitation was accepted. I was anticipating a stern, strong-willed, no-nonsense mare that not even Ulquiorra Cifer could intimidate. What we have received is more like a broken, empty shell of a pony in comparison to what I have heard regarding her counterpart. I am honestly left to wonder if our message served to break her, or if she was already in such a poor condition."
Twilight looked at Luna in response, before looking back to Celestia, and then looking off in a direction that wasn't facing either of them. This wasn't news she'd been prepared to receive.
She'd known full well that her actions could potentially have unintended consequences, and that was one reason she'd been so reluctant to offer up what knowledge she possessed to this reality. But she hadn't expected this. She hadn't signed up for actually hurting others.
"I... I have to go," she stated quickly as she made her way out of the room.
Leaving the two sisters confused as to what just happened.
"Is she alright?" Luna asked, hoping that Celestia might be able to fill her in on something that'd been missed.
"To be honest I don't know. She seemed alright just a moment ago," Celestia replied. "Maybe she decided to check on Tempest herself."
"Perhaps," Luna acknowledged and shrugged. "It is just as well. I am free to speak much more candidly without her being present to hear what I have to say."
Celestia suddenly found herself snout-to-snout with Luna, as her sister teleported over to her to glare at her, radiating an energy that made he want to back away very slowly and carefully for her own safety.
"Know this, dear sister. If you awaken me by dumping a bucket of ice water upon my head a third time, I swear that I will lay a reckoning upon your buffalo ass. And not even Ulquiorra Cifer will be able to save you from what fate will await you. Is that clear?"
How? How did Luna manage to be so intimidating despite her smaller stature? Celestia honestly didn't know the answer to that question, even after all this time.
"That," Celestia all but squeaked out as she took a cautious step backwards, "is your own fault. You didn't get up when I told you it was urgent."
"You awakened me at three in the bloody afternoon! How did you really expect me to react at such an abysmal hour?" Luna protested. "You did not even inform me about Tempest Shadow until after you tried to drown me in my bed!"
"I... may have made a mistake," Celestia replied slowly.
One quick teleportation spell and Twilight found herself situated in the library, much as she had been the first night of her arrival in this strange reality. She was even back in the same spot she'd first arrived in without even deliberately aiming for it.
But that was fine. Here was where she currently needed to be, so it all worked out. Or at least it would all work out, once she accomplished what she'd come here to do.
"Alright," she said to herself, "this is where you were for a good part of yesterday morning. And the entirety of the night before last. This is where everything happened. So this is where to start looking."
She wasn't proud to admit it, but she'd ended up losing track of her notes shortly after she, Ulquiorra, and Luna had started plotting and planning how to deal with the threat posed by the Storm King. She'd gotten so wound up in everything, she hadn't even given their existence any thought, and had just assumed they'd been left laying where they'd been last seen.
But they weren't just laying around where they'd last been seen. Not her notes, or the torn out revisions she'd discarded. The place looked practically spotless, as if the cleaning staff had only recently come through here. Which potentially was the case. And if that was the case, there was no telling where anything was now.
"Where are they?" she asked herself as she looked around, the question being mumbled in a repetitive loop as she scanned the area, hoping for some clue as to where she needed to be looking.
"Are you looking for something specific?"
She had felt Ulquiorra's presence when she'd arrived in the library, so she'd known that he was there. But finding him to be within earshot of her location had been a surprise to her.
"I thought you'd be elsewhere right now," she stated as she turned around to better face him, observing as he was presently reading some book she couldn't identify.
"At present there are no outstanding matters that require my skills, my services, or my attention. Tempest Shadow has been found and secured, the yetis have no desire to fight us, a plan of action has been determined and finalized regarding the Storm King and the threat he poses, and the airship is currently being serviced by the palace's technicians," Ulquiorra explained. "Until such time that I'm needed, my time can be better spent elsewhere; such as further research into this world, and updating the notes about which texts won't provide you with any answers on how to return home to your own reality."
Twilight couldn't really dispute the logic in the points raised. Honestly she really couldn't think of anything that Ulquiorra could be doing under the present circumstances, that wasn't already being tended to. If he did try, he'd likely just be standing around to feign interest in something while serving no real purpose with his presence.
Plus she appreciated the thought he'd given her, and was trying to help her with her own endeavors.
She was also thankful he'd mentioned notes, as that made it much easier for her.
"Ah, speaking of that, have you seen my notes? I remember leaving them here when we were discussing what to do about Tempest, but I lost track of them after that."
"Presently secured inside my satchel," he stated. "Do you wish to update them with new information?"
"I'm afraid it's quite the opposite. I want to destroy them," she clarified. "Princess Luna is worried our getting in contact with Tempest might've done more harm than good. And if that's the case then I can't, in good conscience, let what I know be used to potentially hurt others. I signed up to help, not harm. But if harm is an unintended side effect of meddling in this reality, then I'm going to have to withdraw my assistance."
Ulquiorra's response was... honestly it was disturbing just how unreadable and statuesque he could be. He just stood there as if he hadn't even heard a single word she'd just said.
And then without so much as even a funny look, he reached into the open top of his satchel with his right hand, and pulled out a sizable stack of papers to offer up to her. One quick flexing of her magic to pluck them from his grasp, and she quickly scanned over them. Much to her relief everything was present, including her numerous revisions and discarded rejects. That made things easier for her.
But as she readied the spell that would reduce the pages to nothing but cinders, she stopped. She looked at them, and then back at him in utter bewilderment.
"This was too easy," she stated as her attention turned away from the notes in her grasp, and more to him. "Princess Celestia and Luna have talked about how dedicated you are to keeping Equestria safe from harm. And these notes represent information about potential threats that might materialize one day. You wouldn't have just given them back to me for destruction unless... unless you'd already had the chance to memorize them..." she said as the realization slowly dawned on her.
"Correct," Ulquiorra confirmed.
Twilight slowly turned away from him and looked back down at the pile of notes still held in her magic. Her plan on how to move forward from here was useless now.
"When I was convinced into helping this reality by providing them with whatever information I could, I honestly thought that I'd be doing some good; providing information about possible threats that'd need to be dealt with before they could get out of hoof, you know?" she asked, not really looking at him as she spoke, more keeping her focus on the library floor. "But after seeing Tempest's state for myself, and hearing Princess Luna's evaluation? I don't just know anymore if that's actually possible. I signed on to help ponies, not hurt them. And if my intervention, my meddling in affairs that aren't my own, is going to end up causing pain and suffering through developments I didn't foresee then I-"
She hadn't known precisely where this conversation was going to lead, or where it was going to end. But she knew she'd needed to say her piece. Provided she could actually get her piece out.
She didn't know what sort of reaction she was expecting from Ulquiorra in light of her getting cold hooves. But him seemingly walking past her and sitting down on the left side of one of the benches behind her really wasn't something she'd anticipated as being one of them.
It was... it was odd to see him sitting rather than just standing. And sitting in what she could only describe as a relaxed posture, with his forearms resting on top of his thighs, and positioned in a way that he didn't have to readjust his sword to account for its presence.
"Twilight Sparkle, please sit down."
Nope. That definitely wasn't what she'd expected from him. It was so out of left field that she felt practically compelled to comply out of surprise. Without a peep she walked over and climbed up onto the right side of the bench and sat down, looking at him curiously.
"If you don't wish to help us, that is entirely your call to make, and you won't be forced to do otherwise. Not by myself, and not by the diarchy. You're free to continue searching for a way to return home if that's what you want to do. We'll continue doing what we have up until this point -dealing with threats as they arise- to the best of our abilities."
For a brief instant, Twilight wondered if this was really Ulquiorra and not some unreformed changeling in disguise. That brief statement hadn't sounded anything like what she'd expected of him. She could do little more than stare at him in disbelief as her mind tried to make sense of this sudden shift in demeanor.
"But it's still being asked if you'll consider helping us, so that we can in turn better help others that may be in need," he continued, all the while never looking directly at her throughout his speaking.
"... It's not that I don't want to help everypony with their problems," she eventually managed to say. "Being the Princess of Friendship, I'd be remiss in my duties if I just stood by and watched others struggling with something I could help them with.
"But after Princess Luna's assessment, I just don't know if it's that simple anymore? What if we really did manage to cause Tempest severe psychological trauma by sending her that message? What if I give you information about what should be a trivial problem, but the intervention results in it being blown entirely out of proportion? What if the yetis mutinying against the Storm King causes their kingdom to experience a social upheaval they aren't prepared for that plunges them into a civil war? I don't know if I could live with myself if something like that happened! I don't like hurting others!"
"... I don't care for causing harm to others either."
The coming anxiety attack had practically run face first into a brick wall at hearing Ulquiorra's statement. Panic had plummeted and been all but beaten over the head by utter confusion. All she could do as her brain tried to reboot was stare at him in disbelief with wide eyes as she tried to make sense of what he'd just said.
"I don't deny that I'm the most skilled in this reality when it comes to causing harm to others; a side effect that comes from spending centuries in the realm of Hueco Mundo where it was kill or be killed, devour or be devoured. One tends to develop a certain degree of skill and proficiency when preserving their own existence is on the line. But being skilled in something that's a necessity isn't an indicator of possessing a sense of passion or even a desire to engage in such necessities."
Twilight continued staring at Ulquiorra, uncertain if he was speaking to her, or speaking at her.
"The ponies of this world simply don't possess the degree of mental fortitude necessary to do what is needed of me. They aren't detached enough to look another sapient entity in the eyes and end their existence because of the threat that they pose. Nor would it even be appropriate to expect them to change their nature to such a drastic degree. So I do what they cannot, because they'll die if I don't. I walk what many would consider the dark path of evil by myself, because that is what's needed of me to fulfill my duties to this world.
"But if we had greater intel, greater information about what might happen, then our ability to react preemptively would allow for a far greater degree of response, both with a corresponding decrease in the amount of force that would have to be used, and a decrease in the amount of resources that would need to be allocated to help victims in the aftermath. If our interventions are timely enough the number of enemies I would be forced to kill could be reduced even further... possibly even to the point of being nonexistent."
Twilight wasn't one hundred percent certain she understood just what Ulquiorra was saying. But to her, it honestly sounded like he'd gone the long way around of asking her to help him put an end to the amount of killing he'd otherwise have to do if this reality was left to its own devices.
And if that really was what he was asking of her, then things obviously went far deeper than she'd initially believed.
Silently, she reached over with her left hoof and rested it atop his right hand.
"I think I can help with that," she replied. "I just really hope that the likes of Murphy and the law of unintended consequences aren't at play here. I'd hate to think trying to save lives could somehow make things worse down the line for everypony involved..."
"The fact Discord had to bring me into the equation to make things better, would suggest that particular threshold has already been crossed," Ulquiorra pointed out, unresponsive to her touch.
"... No matter how many times I'm reminded of just how powerful you really are, of just what you are and why you're here, I keep forgetting those facts when we get to talking. You just... don't convey the sense that some sort of ultimate weapon would. You carry and conduct yourself so much like a pony would. I don't know if that forgetfulness on my part is a good thing or a bad thing," Twilight admitted.
"Consider it a psychological defense mechanism. There are certain existential horrors that the mortal mind isn't meant to consciously comprehend in an extended and in-depth manner. There are times when ignorance truly is bliss," Ulquiorra replied, before slowly standing back up again and tucking his hands into his pockets. "Even I have encountered things I would rather not actively think about."
That last sentence sent a shiver of absolute terror down Twilight's back as her brain tried to make sense of the fact Ulquiorra was basically admitting to there being horrors even he was uncomfortable with. She would much rather not think about exactly what that meant!
"As to whether your assistance in this reality will do more to harm than to help, it may be best to speak with your friend in the infirmary, and see what she has to say on the matter. See for yourself if Princess Luna's assessment of the matter is accurate or not," Ulquiorra continued, seemingly oblivious of her current state.
"That's not a bad idea," Twilight eventually agreed. "Right. I'm not going to be able to find the answers I need by asking myself over and over; it's too much of a closed circle. I need an outside perspective for clarity. And who better to provide that perspective than Tempest, since she was made aware of what could've potentially awaited her?"
"Fizzlepop Berrytwist, the mare behind the Tempest Shadow persona," Ulquiorra answered in response. "If Princess Luna's assessment is indeed accurate and the Tempest Shadow we have received was broken upon first contact, then speak to the pony that is behind the mask and not to the mask itself. She was forced by her circumstances to become who and what she was. Perhaps who and what she could've been is still a possibility for her to achieve."
Twilight could do little more than stare at Ulquiorra in bewilderment as she tried to wrap her head around what he'd just said.
"I never even gave that any thought," she admitted reluctantly and slowly turned her attention back to the floor, as well as the notes still held in her magic grasp. "I've only ever known her as Tempest Shadow for so long, I didn't even think she could be anypony else but Tempest Shadow. I didn't even stop to think what sort of complications her getting her horn back might result in. I didn't... give it any thought at all. I obviously have a lot left to learn."
The fact Ulquiorra didn't have any sort of retort immediately ready left her even more uncertain now. Was that his way of driving home that she was hopelessly deficient in her knowledge and thought process? Or did he simply have nothing to add to the conversation at this point?
Whatever it was, she really didn't like it.
"I think I'm going to take your advice now rather than later," she eventually stated as she climbed up from her seat on the bench. "If you need me I'll be in the infirmary, waiting for Tem... waiting for Fizzlepop to wake up so I can speak with her. While I'm at it, maybe I should speak with Grubber as well. I don't really want to make him feel like he's being ignored in all of this. And his input on this matter could be just as vital as hers. He's known her for far longer than I have, even back in my own reality."
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Nice work man. It is also odd to imagine ulquiorra in a relaxed sitting position
I just love what you've done with this story.
You went from raking in dozens of reviews per chapter to getting just about none whatsoever.
Either the bots have been purged from the site database, or the readers have finally wised up to the fact you produce utter crap.
Whatever the reason is I'm loving it! You dared to write for Ulquiorra-sama and even he can't save you. You deserve what you're getting.
11360515
Yeah, no need for harshness
Charlie_K, ignore this garbage known as Ponytoga_H. You're doing great man. The viewers probably haven't yet figured out you updated yet
Nice to see you updated, keep it up.
Starlight better pray that she doesn't have to face Ulquiorra. I doubt the Staff of Sameness would protect her from Murciélago.
11360930
He probably wouldn't need his zanpaktou, tbh
From his perspective - or any perspective, really - the berserk Vasto Lorde Hollow that is/was Kurosaki Ichigo during their fight above Las Noches would certainly have that last sentence be applicable.
11360950
I'd more imagine he was referring to the "if he goes all out, he might be erased
11360515
It's always amusing when people use alt accounts to "attack" their own content for attention.
Kinda sad, too.
11361171
Wat
11361198
It doesn't look like a legitimate account. It's an alt. And people making alts to attack their own stories for attention is, sadly, not remotely unprecedented.
11361208
Okay?
11361171
Nice to see you too boss.
11361198
Sad to say but he's partially right.
I've been experiencing a lot of doubts about the story for a while now. Doubts regarding the quality of my own writing, the level of detail I put into illustrating a scene, whether this story would've gained any traction if it involved any characters other than Ulquiorra, if him being his badass self was the only redeeming aspect of the entire story, and if I could ever make up for the darkness induced apathy that was generated by the long-assed Nightmare Moon arc that stretched on for far longer than it should because I was moving too slow in laying the groundwork for future chapters.
This was never about getting attention or sympathy. I simply needed a way to vent some bubbling self-hatred these doubts have brought up. I didn't want to do a blog entry covering what I've been experiencing because I was worried about going way too dark like other content creators have done, and I wasn't at a point in the story where I could call myself out like I have in the past. So chewing my own ass out in the comments section seemed like a reasonable idea at the time. Short, precise, straight to the point, and aimed solely at myself and my own deficiencies in writing. Unlike certain content creators I'll happily berate myself all day long if I think it'll lead to a better end product.
Sadly it wasn't a reasonable idea. Just like 50 chapters of stagnation and darkness weren't a reasonable idea either.
All I can really say is that I'm sorry to everyone who was affected by my bad ideas. And that I need to quit screwing around and get back to writing the next chapter.
Firstly, ignore the person who seems to just be trying to cause trouble. I'd advise everyone else to do the same, best to not feed someone's obvious attempt to get attention.
NOW onto what actually matters, the chapter was a nice little bit to enjoy. Seeing how Ulqui is able to help Princess Twilight come to grips that sure her actions might seem like it doing a bit of harm, what with how this Tempest is a lot less...cool and collected than hers. But that in the end she is helping by giving the group heads up to deal with issues in more round about ways, after all it really hard to take the soft approach when a villain is in the middle of you know...destroying everything via screwing around with time itself. But if you can get them before they get to that point, well you got more wiggle room to be sure.
11361233
Sorry if I interfered with your self-help method, but people were reporting the alt for personal attacks. Usually this is a play to get people to white-knight to the author's defense and make him feel good about it / pay more positive attention to the story, which is a moderately emotionally manipulative thing to do. I'm especially sensitive to it after a year or so back, when someone made a couple alts and started riling people up to yell at each other. It was a whole stupid dumpster fire that was solely one person's idea of a troll.
I hope you find the motivation you need, and I wish you luck with the story.
11361233
See, the thing I thought that the profile was just some J.A, and was going through to report for harassing you
11361303
Yeah, that. Save for the fact I tried genuinely to show care, although you might be right about the white knight bit
11361233
And onto the doubts of quality, don't worry. While I do understand, self-deprecation or venting like that can't be healthy. Yes I will admit there were some weak spots in some chapters, but you genuinely make a great story. I'd understand if you wrote a chapter without Cipher being in it, save for in passing mention, as while he is a great character, he doesn't necessarily make the story good by himself. You do, you make it great and he just happens to sometimes being a unique form of comedic relief and being relatable sometimes, but you shouldn't feel the need to constantly include him
P.s: If you need to take a break, just say so
11361442
11361440
I appreciate that. I'm just sorry you had to get dragged into my own internal crisis and how I attempted to resolve it and clear out the cobwebs getting in the way of my writing.
Like I said, at the time I thought a short simple "You suck!" approach would be a better option than a blog entry where I'd have room to really get going and risk venturing into the darker territories. I've seen too many others go that route and it got to be very ugly.
I tend to read the comments after I finish the chapter and I see you have been whipping yourself over your perceived shortcoming. Well at least the mod's unintentional meddling seems to have help you a bit.
And if this can help you further up your mood, I have to say I am really appreciating this arc. Lots of people sure love Ulquiorra for his badassness in combat, but here now, you are bringing another of his strong trait and that is his psychological capacities.
I find this chapter interesting and also funny because Ulquiorra has taken the role of a psychologist, something normally done by someone with a lot of empathy, and he has none. But it end up working because of his total detachment and analytical mind that help Twilight out of her darkness by giving her the jolt she needed.
So sincerely, continue on this path, you are doing good. Just forget about the Nightmare Night arc.
11361657
No problems man. Like I said, if you need a break or something then you shouldn't feel guilty over it, nor should you beat yourself up
And after much annoyance, I've finally figured out how to post a comment.
Charlie_K, I want you to hear some fantastic news. While I am not anyone famous or noteworthy, I would like to ask if you were OK with something.
I want to make an "audiobook" out of your story, and post it to YouTube.
If you're not OK with it, that's fine. It just occurred to me that I should ask instead of just doing it.
Even if you say no, just feel happy that YOU are the reason that someone ,who would otherwise have nothing to with FIMFiction, created a FIMFiction account.
11362518
An audiobook? Of this story?
I've wanted to do something like that for a long time now, but I've never had the means to do it. I'd honestly like to see how this turns out.
11362658
*is excited*
😉
11362658
Sheesh, making an audiobook is hard. I've never done it before, so expect some amateurish performance, but I'm giving it my all.