LIII : A Canterlot Confrontation
The Steadfast Sky : A Canterlot Confrontation
The Grey Potter
http://www.fimfiction.net/story/11495/The-Steadfast-Sky
http://cosmicponyfiction.tumblr.com
~Luna~
It gnawed at me, even when I was supposed to be raising the moon. Discord… where could he have gone? Why is he gone? Why now? It had nothing to do with Celestia, that was for sure. Was he just avoiding his duties? Though, of all the things he skipped and skeeved, he didn’t dare miss that one on job. But I cast my voice up the tower, and saw a sort of shadow jump at the sound… It was just one of the younger Illuminators, sent to ring the bell in his stead. So that doesn’t answer anything… Was Discord embarrassed, avoiding our next meeting?
Or… or maybe he was avoiding me….
There were some startled shouts from around me. The Illuminators, horns pulsing and sparking and raising the moon, had begun to skid forward, pulled forward by the weight of the moon. Eep! Whoops! My own horn burned, and I resumed lifting and throwing the thing across the nighttime sky. Yeah… yeah, that um, seems like enough momentum. Uh…
Not the time to think about Discord, Luna! Jeez… I haven’t made a mistake that bad in months! Even the other Illuminators didn’t quite know what to do, the closing song coming in a stumbling start, eyes pointed at the sky as if they expected the moon to fall back down again. But if anything, it was going a tad bit too fast, slow arc almost visible to the naked eye. Well um. I’ll fix any speed errors in the morning. Yes.
I rushed from the ceremony that night, rattling off places I should check for him. His room (empty), The Illuminators (couldn’t say where he was), the um… well, I guess he could be a lot of non-obvious places too. I roved up and down the halls of Canterlot castle, just looking in corners, wondering if Discord would pop from a doorway with a grin and a new spell. I thought, briefly, that I should ask Celestia, or a guard, or something. But of course Celestia had a thing, and wasn’t around. And the guards just followed after me when I asked, not even trying to help look.
Finally, tired and brain-dead, I wandered into my own room for the fifth time that night, and decided to just go to bed. I collapsed on top of the comforter, limply trying to kick off my shoes and wriggle out of my little frock. They’re probably very gross and sweaty, but… clothes. I don’t care about clothes. Who cares about clothes?
Where? Where could he be, where? I’m scared now. I really am. What did he do? Did he get stunned somewhere by an angry Celestia? Did he fly off without me? Did he get caught in an avalanche?! What could have kept him from his tower? If he was hurt or trapped somewhere, couldn’t make it to ring the bell…
I shoot up, finally realizing.
When Discord is gone by accident, the bell doesn’t ring. The Illuminators don’t send someone when they know the bell will ring. But today, there was an Illuminator in the tower… And slowly, staring down at my pillow, I understand.
The Illuminators knew Discord would be gone.
And they LIED to me about it!
It was like a small flame was reignited in my heart. What have I been doing, moping and doping all day?! That was stupid. That didn’t help me find Discord at all! I should go and ask them again, not let them give me no for an answer… But what time is it, midnight? I could ask in the morning…
No! no, no, no! I hop out of bed, find myself stunned to be standing. I don’t care how late it is! And I don’t care that I’m tired from looking! I’m full of energy, positively electric now! I don’t even care if no Illuminators are in the library! I’ll… I’ll sleep there, I will!
I charge for the door, leaving my shoes and dress behind. I burst through two of my guards, leaving them to gallop after my tail.
The streets were brightly moon-lit and quiet, the only sound my hoof beats and the pounding of the befuddled guards behind me. It was actually nice, running, I don’t know when I did that last. Princesses do not run, I think. An early lesson, one I had taken in after so long… I galloped even faster, as if to make up for lost time.
Finally, the ostentatious… dumb library minarets were in my sights. I skidded around that last corner, charged up the marble steps, and I bashed in the doors—!
I slammed into the dark wood and rebounded, spinning down the steps.
Alright. Alright, that hurt quite a bit. Why did I think body slamming the doors was a good idea? Luna, you’re acting sort’ve hotheaded, and that may not be a good thing. You’re dizzy, and you’re tired, and you’re acting irrational…
And yet, I laugh a little. It probably looked a little funny, just slamming into the doors like that. But I guess I should do this like a Princess… Stomping, um, daintily, as I walked, I tromped back up the stairs and bashed it ten times with a hoof.
“Illuminators! Please answer! I’ve got questions for you! Open up! … Please?” I stopped, thinking. Then, I started shouting again, “I know its late, but certainly, there’s got to be somebody here! Well?! Don’t make me break in! Because… because I will! I swear, I’ll do it! So – oh!”
“Princess of Laughter!” With a loud click, one door slung outwards by a hair. A haggard apprentice stuck his head out the crack. “Do you have any idea what hour it is?”
“Past midnight, I think.” I glance up at the moon, and certainly it’s past it’s peak. But given that I threw it a little hard… Oh, that doesn’t matter now!
“It most certainly is!” the apprentice huffed, “Now, young Princesses should get some rest! It’s not becoming to stay up at this late hour.”
“Well what are you doing up so late?!” I demanded. “You’re only a little bit older than me!”
He fumbled for a second, huffing and puffing, all flabbergasted. “Well… Well I have important duties… Business, you know…”
“Okay,” I nodded shortly, “So what you’re doing is more important than what a Princess is trying to do?”
“That was not my intention, nor do I intend to, to… to” again, he fumbled with his words, “To exchange riddles! I have very important transcriptions to write!”
I stood smart, tall and proud, trying to look properly intimidating. “Then go and fetch me someone else! Someone who won’t treat their Princess so rudely!”
I thought being reminded of whom he talks to would shake him from his tired rudeness. Even though, I realize guiltily, if anyone is rude here, it’s probably me… No! No, Luna! Don’t let anything stop you! Something fishy is going on, and you have the right to find out what it is!
Well, my rudeness may have stopped me at the gate. The Illuminator’s eyes narrowed. He glanced down at my Element, standing silently. Finally, he slowly said, “Yes. You are our Princess.”
I almost wanted to laugh. “Of course I am! What, are you expecting an imposter?!”
He huffed again, taking his sweet time in responding. Finally, “Do you honestly think it would not be in your best interest to get some sleep?”
“Oh for heaven’s sake!” I cried, “I’m coming in already!”
My horn burned on my forehead, just one, hot flash. I didn’t have that far to go. With a jerk of my head, I dove into the shadows of the door, popping instantly out the other side. The darkness rippled like water, quickly falling back in place.
“What?” He gaped, backing away from me, “When did you learn to do that?”
“What, you think Discord’s the only one practicing magic? Now tell me where he is…” My horn flared again, and shadows boiled giddily around my feet. “Or I’ll throw you in the lake!”
“Princess of Laughter!”
There was a shout from above me, and I spun around. The head Illuminator, Ivory Inkwell, was running across an upper balcony, staring coldly down at us.
“What do you think you’re doing?!” he demanded.
“Looking for Discord,” I explained simply. “And I know that you know where he is!”
The old Illuminator stopped, frozen to the spot. I thought, for a wildly tired second, that I had cornered him! But he didn’t seem to be looking me in the eye, or even avoiding my gaze. No, he was staring at my feet, actually looking pretty terrified at the coiling shadows.
“You will desist casting this moment, Princess! This is a place of peace!”
“Okay!” I let the spell drop. Simply, I said, “So that’s done. Now where’s Discord?”
For a little bit, the old Illuminator just seemed to stare at me as my horn, and strangely overheated body gradually cooled. Why was he stalling? Was he waiting for something? Maybe seeing if I’d cast another spell? I felt like it! Energy filled me like it hadn’t in months and months and months…
Carefully, no longer angry or afraid, the Illuminator asked, “Why do you seek Kindness here?”
“Because it’s weird that he’s not blabbing about magic at me,” I said, “And also, you know that he’s gone!”
“An assumption…”
“No!” I shouted, “When Discord forgets to ring the bell, you always yell at him. Always tell him to warn you, to get somebody else up there! And today, you had somebody up there in the tower. And that means that you were warned about where Discord had gone!”
I stood, triumphant, my accusation hanging in the air like the irrefutable proof that it was. Illuminator Inkwell was pretty level-headed, but I just knew, he was stewing right under his hood.
“When you say it’s strange,” he said slowly, “That he’s not babbling magic…”
“Yeah, he really, really likes to show off his experiments.”
“Do you… enjoy them?”
“Are you avoiding my questions?” I shoot back, “Because this sounds like you’re avoiding my questions. Where’s Discord?”
“I am simply wondering why you seek him.”
“What do you mean why? Why not?”
“So this is something done out of boredom…?”
I boggled at him. “Why do you care?”
“The reason,” he said simply, still so calm and collected. “Is very important.”
“Okay. Why’s the reason important?”
“Depending on how you answer,” he said carefully, “It will determine if I tell you where Discord is or not.”
“Mmmm… Nope!” My happily horn flared, and I dove through the floor, tearing through the sticky shadows to shoot up beside the old Illuminator. He stumbled back, stunned by my sudden appearance. “I’m not playing around with dumb questions, or letting them determine whether or not I see my friend! Why are you asking these dumb quest—”
“Di-disrespect!” he spat loudly. “Know your place!”
“I thought my place was ‘being the Princess,’” I quipped, “Doesn’t that mean you should do everything I say?”
“I, we,” he sputtered. His eyes were wide, looked like they were about to pop from his head. He stammered for a moment more, backing quickly away from me.
Finally, with a crack in his voice, he cried, “We already have served one tyrant! We will not suffer another! Guards! Guards!”
The two guards who had run through the streets after me shoved their way through the open door, knocking aside the open-mouthed apprentice. I watched them, far below, as they charged around, heads whipping back and forth, looking for the stairs up.
“What? Why? Why are you calling the guards? Hey! YOU TWO!” My voice boomed without me knowing it. The two guards froze stiff. “Will you relax a moment?! I’m not doing anything wrong!”
“Brash! Irresponsible! Aimless renegade!” The Head Illuminator sputtered, “You as well! All of you, already corrupting! All of you just a few quick steps away from the darkness! I will not have it! We will not serve more NIGHTMARES!”
“I’m not a tyrant!” I laughed, despite myself, “I just want to know what Discord is!”
“Obsessive behavior!” he spat, “Random spurts of magic… I ask you simple questions, and you refuse to answer!”
“You know I could say the same of you!” I shot back, “Withholding information about Discord from me…!”
“Your ‘friend’ is hopefully not beyond our help!” he shouted, “And I dearly dream the same holds for you!”
With that, his horn flared, and I just barely ducked into the shadows. I had seen my sister prepare a flash spell plenty of times to know when to duck away!
But no flash came. Instead, a set of lights swirled around the corner. They bloomed, formed a pale pattern, like the design on a stained glass window. Swiftly, they shot and circled behind my head, creating an illusion almost three feet wide…
I turned to try and get a better look, and the picture dragged in the air. It snagged on a bookshelf, passing through them like it was caught in mud.
Okay, not an illusion? What the heck was this?
“The stairs are here! Quickly! … What do you mean, neither of you has a lasso?!”
I think that was my cue to escape. With a small difficulty, I dug another well of shadows under my feet, connecting it to the first place I could think of, the gardens…
But the shadows under me weren’t growing deep enough. Of course! The light was shoving shadows away! I yanked at shadows further away, pushing them under my feet, sinking painfully slow under the floor…
And then the little illusion halo snagged right before my head sunk beneath the floor.
“C’mon!” I shouted. My horn burned in my skull as a guard stumbled around the corner, just in time to watch me vanish…
…And in a sickeningly long drop, I fell heavily onto the floor below, right at the feet of the other guard.
“Please come quietly, Princess!” he cried.
“What?! NO!” I shouted back, “I asked some questions, that’s all! What is wrong with you guys?!”
I tried to shove up to my feet, but my knees wobbled. The guard drew closer, waving his spear weakly.
With a snort, I slapped shadows over his eyes, and opened a well under his hooves. He shouted, tugging at his feet, as if they were sticking in mud. I charged passed, head pulled back as the halo sunk through the shelves, through the pony’s body… How far could this weird binding spell go, removed from its master? If I could just get out the door…!
I ran for it, finally free of the bookshelves, in the open cathedral-like hall of the entrance. Illuminator desks whizzed by me, the only resistance being wind. And the little assistant, just a bit older than me, yet so much more frail.
“I’m warning you!” he shouted, horn flaring. I didn’t bother to answer, just charged forward, horn and Element flaring.
There was a blast of light, and liquid splattered in front of me. Not just on my eyes or body, but all across the marble, bright blue and green. Thick, sticky, and slippery, stinking of oil…
I snorted, paint jammed up my nose, leaking into my eyes. I shook my head, and the weight of the halo threw me off balance. I couldn’t see, eyes shut against the stinging. My aching foot crumpled. My shoulder slammed into the floor. My back bounced off the door, the giant things shivering and shaking on its hinges.
“Very good, Color Palette! Yes! Here! Over here!”
I winced as I stood, but I wouldn’t let that stop me! The door had swung open from my body slam, thick and heavy as it was. I shoved and wriggled my way through that opening, side scraping on the wood, halo slowing me more than anything else.
But through I went! I took one stumbling moment to swipe the paint from my eyes, a second moment more to pick a direction, and just one second more to build up speed, charge off into the moonlit streets of Canterlot.
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UPPPPPDAAAAAAAAAAAAAATE
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Hm, I would say the Illumniators have valid concerns but very likely terrible methods that will cost them in the long run here.
2231627 or they just wish to get them out of there, and aren't afraid to play the (lesser) villain to do so; allowing the three to claim the other 3 elements
2231698
It is a possibility but I personally do not see that angle threw what the story has shown so far and it would need more exposition for that I think, or more precisly a chapter that is centered on the Illuminators which in turn would break with the current set of storytelling (I think).
2231721 I am thinking they see Celestia (and the others) growing farther and farther apart, and so have decided to change tactics before it gets worse
RUN, LUNA! RUN!!
someone needs to put the illuminators in their place, they complain about them not being friends, etc but i feel its actually their fault for all of this, they were more or less fine until the illuminators started telling them how they need to act
2231769
I fully agree on that, but I think they arn´t actually thinking that what they are doing is evil in any way shape or form and more something of neccessity (I´m sure I typed that word wrongly :P). After all they are perfectly happy about locking them up and taking the chance of them dying and, in Discords case, making sure that they can´t do anything that the Illumniators don´t want them to do.
So I see them more as controll freaks instead of ponys that are capable of sheming some kind of plot where they hope that our three protagonists make a heroic dash for it.
dammit know i want to go and slap the shit out of all the Illumniators and celestia
bichs be wack yo
Luna is such a badass and you write her so well. Everything I said in my last comment I feel is justified here! The Illuminators.....I understand they're fears, but in their effort to stop what they fear they are helping cause it! I feel bas for Luna and hope she'll find Discord....Celestia...*sighs* I have a hard time feeling sorry for her because she is becoming corrupted, focusing on what does not matter and being stuck up. But in the end, I can see how her mistakes here lead to her become the great ruler she is in the show, so wonderful job on that aspect.
I can't believe I already read these two chapters, I loved them greatly and eagerly await what is ahead.
Celestia is just one big screw up.
2232984
Eh, Celestia and Discord are in puberty by the looks of it. So their mind is kind of on other things. Not to mention that it makes sense from my view that they actually are behaving like this. For Celestia it is a dream come true because she is basically getting all what she thought she deserved considering her upbringing and hardships. (Also, there are very few people who do not want to have power and be recognised ;) )
2232875
They actually couldn't take classes together. They were all at crazy disparate levels of education when they arrived in Canterlot. Celestia was more or less finished with basic education, and was ready to learn more advanced subjects. Luna was somewhat learned, but her education was cut a little short and needed to be refilled. Discord had widely scattered knowledge, but didn't know how to read or write at all, and needed to be taught from scratch. Even if they were all taught in the same room, they would all have to be tutored individually anyway. And that would make that single room noisy and distracting for everyone involved...
But you're right in saying they're a bit misguided. How misguided, you ask? Tune in next time...!
No, seriously, next chapter is like, almost done. Should be out before next friday.
I hate Celestia right now. But it's a good hate. The hate you give to a character that's acting jerkish, but acting jerkish for a reason and that reason is pretty good. Oh, and I can only assume Blueblood is a family name. Otherwise, I can't imagine Celestia liking present-day Blueblood.
I really love what you're doing with their friendship, here. I love it when stories have a group of three, where a couple of them hate each other, but are dear friends with the third, so they stick together. That's always fun to read about.
You're doing awesome, but so far present day Luna's Old English doesn't make sense with how you're making her out to be in this story. I hope you have something planned that results in Luna speaking in Old English while Discord still ends up with his present day speech patterns by the time he's defeated and turned to stone.
Can't wait for next chapter! Oh, one more thing. Run, Luna, RUN!
2234617
For the language thing: I pretty much assume there's been a massive language shift since they were children. Technically, in this story, they're speaking something closer to Old English. But its easier to write "modern," and just assume they're using equivalents in their own dialect.
It's funny that the Illuminators are fearful of serving a leader who has fallen to their fears and doubts when they have already been fully corrupted by their own fears. Their actions only serve cause harm.
2243109
I'm running out of content, dangit!
I look forward to this video, whatever it may be!
Dude, you just read my story for like, twelve hours straight.
Thanks for all the wonderful comments. It's always fun to hear running commentaries on first readthroughs!
2244489
Just wait a few chapters...
2244489 2244607
My thoughts exactly, vonzshik
By the way, i reread your story 5 times i think...maybe 6, it's just too great
Need more chapters!
Man....Finally after hours of reading this fic, I'm finally at the last posted chapter...
Damn it....Now I have to wait like the others.
Yes! Luna is being Luna-ish again!
[Engage skyward yell mode]
LUNNNNAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!
[Disengage skyward yell mode]
2245417
Welcome to my life.
This is Australia...
2260881
Perfectly executed in chapter three of fifty three? of word 6,000 out of 200,000?
I guess I should still be glad the opening holds up so strong. Things have changed so much since their little playdates...
Luna's a smart cookie, using deductive reasoning like that.
Why is everyone off the wall these days!? She just wants to see her friend! Is that too much to ask?
2264741
But, in this story, even if Celestia was male, he'd still probably overthink the hell out of his situation. That's just part of who Celestia is 
Notice, Luna's not making those complicated circles... No more than Discord, anyway.
Gender politics is a social can of worms, man