The Steadfast Sky

by Greytercakes

LVII : A Canterlot Departure

The Steadfast Sky : A Canterlot Departure
The Grey Potter
http://www.fimfiction.net/story/11495/The-Steadfast-Sky
http://cosmicponyfiction.tumblr.com

~Discord~

There were two options coming out of Celestia’s not-so-kind disappearance: chase after her, or check on injured Luna. Okay, that’s hardly a choice at all, I didn’t really think about it. I just threw myself off the bed, leaping to my Luna’s side in a heartbeat. She was wobbling to her feet, wincing as her sister shot out the door and vanished.

“Man!” Luna rubbed the side of her head. “Why couldn’t I have bounced off my bag?”

“Are you alright?!” I asked.

She winced again, “Yeah, I guess I’ll be…”

“Then we got to run!”

I grabbed her by the hoof and dove for the door. Celestia wasn’t launching off at top speed, maybe we could catch her before she did something crazy! But almost instantly, Luna dropped her hoof and fell behind. I watched as she stumbled in place, staring at me.

“What, Discord…?”

“Did you see how she was acting?!” I waved violently at the open door. “We’ve got to Harmony Blast her! Before she goes completely crazy and transforms into a Nightmare!”

Luna’s snout creased, “What? That’s what’s going on?”

“Yes! Maybe!?”

I charged out the door, blasting past already confused guards, and bolted down the hall. I was whipping around the first corner before I realized once again that Luna wasn’t behind me. I skidded in place, created a couple nondescript rocks for handholds, launched myself from them, and scrambled back to the first hall. Did she see her sister? Was she going the other way?

No, Luna struggling out the very first door, collecting the upturned contents of the white bag.

“Luna!” I yapped. “Leave it!” Checked for flashes of pink mane, saw none. Losing her! I groaned. Now Luna was holding a piece of jewelry in her aura, just staring at it with a blank look on her face.

“Look,” I quickly said, “I’ll meet you up ahead! We’re losing her!” I heard more than saw her shout back, and didn’t really get the message at that. I just called over my shoulder as I rounded my second corner, “Don’t worry! I’ll mark my path!”

Once again, with feeling, I charged down the hallway. With each fall of my hand I left an orange streak, a chalky trail for Luna to follow. I took corners hard, bag swinging around, slapping into my legs, Element bouncing roughly off my chest. Yet, after a few more corners with no pink, fleeing tail, I started to panic. I didn’t even know where Celestia went for life’s sake! Think, Discord, think! I know you don’t really know Celestia’s habits that well, but was there any place she’d run to when upset? Anywhere besides her room? where do I usually see her? With whom? I frowned.

Well, she’s always hanging around that Apple guy…

So she’s probably running to his place!

I didn’t bother trying to find the front door. Once I got there she would’ve already been down the street and gone forever. No, she can run that way if she wanted, I’ll take a shortcut. And the shortcut is... looking around.... Wherever I say it is.

I scribbled a quick note to Luna on the floor ( whent up ^ ) and got to work. With a click of my claws, stairs bloomed up the sides of the marble columns, and I just as quickly made my way up them, heavy sack slapping into every step.

I ascended to the ceiling, into the world of high windowsills, a world of dust and dead bugs. I fused several sills together with a quick spell, and turned to stare at the plain, embedded glass. These weren’t stained art collections or anything, no, nothing so grand for your run-of-the-mill hallway. They were all just simple glass arches for letting in cheap and free light.

Guess that meant I could “modify” one without guilt.

Focusing, I traced a thumb around the window’s outline, at the black tar holding it in place. Fat bronze hinges formed under my fingers, metal frame wriggling and replacing the black. With a soft thump, I slammed my shoulder into the heavy glass. The window swung open quietly, as if it was always built for the motion.

Satisfied, I charged out and slammed the window shut behind me. Cheap tactics always save so much time! And, with a few more carefully summoned steps, I was charging sideways across the vaulted white roof, ignoring the sun-heated burning in my toes and focusing entirely on reaching my destination.

I threw myself on the last decorative parapet and held myself as high as possible. I was high enough off the ground so that the roads looked more like little color-streaked streams, but I didn’t bother messing with a telescope at a time like this. Those always take forever, and they limit my vision anyway. I’ll would just looked for a little flash of white in the sea of color. The one that was running for the Rich Pony quarter would be Celestia.

Problem I didn’t think about: despite ponies coming in every color of the rainbow, Canterlot had an inordinate amount of white flanks.

Balls.

There was a loud and distant crunch of wood. An outcry, somebody in pain, angry. Somebody swearing and shouting. I couldn’t help myself. I glanced away. Cart crash near the gates. Oranges and rugs rolling everywhere. Okay, that’s done, moving on…

I glanced back. Running away from the wreckage was a little white speck. Unadorned and with bubblegum-pink hair. And that little white body was running right towards the city gates.

“No!” I cried. “Why are you going that way?!”

I took a step, stretched my wings... The bag tugged at my joints, sliding around, pinching in places. I grunted. Pulled off the bag, looked around, then threw it off the edge. It floated and spun like a leaf on a sea of glitter, drifting gently in front of the main door. Drew an orange chalk outline around it just to make sure Luna would see it.

So. Okay.

I scrambled up the parapat, my wings stretching and snapping in midair. I pointed towards the gates, arm tense. I felt the wind ripple past me. Judged the distance, minded the towers that could get in my way. Stared at the gate. I’m not the best flier. But this would be easy. I can do this.

I sprung forward. An updraft caught me instantly, hurling me into the sky. I banked, in control, escaped the draft, dove over the streets. Wind roared in my ears. Colors whizzed and blurred beneath me, growing closer and faster with every second. But in just moments more I sailed past them. I ducked under the gate, soaring over the brown smear of a dirt road. And before me I saw Celestia, galloping in a blobby slow motion.

My eyes were watering from the speed. I didn’t dare create a pair of goggles, for fear of making my visibility worse. I flapped a few times to slow down, and quickly swiped at the speed tears. I wobbled slightly, but stayed aloft.

“Celestia!” I shouted. “Wait up!”

She didn’t hear me, or was ignoring me. She whipped around a cliff, and I dove sharply. A gust picked up one wing more than the other, and I spun in midair. For one terrifying moment, I thought I was going to crash into the side of the mountain. I flapped hard, slowed down, skiffed the rocks, then saw through my watery eyes exactly where Celestia was. I was parallel to the road, a good few meters up and off the edge of the cliff. I dove again, wondering if I should keep flying by her side, or just crash into her…

She vanished. I blinked.

And I slammed into the black cloud layer. Hard.

I became buried in the muggy cotton and froze in place, upside down. Immediately, the stench of sweat and blood made me gag, little puffs on it melting into my spit and jamming up my nose. I snorted and spat at the slurry, screwing my eyes shut and beating at the dark clouds. Didn’t really break up the clouds like I thought it would. It just shoved itself into a different position, a lump held tight by an oily film. But with a kick of my legs, I felt like I was moving… somewhere. Down, hopefully. I mean, it was like I had to tear through a solid, wet blanket. What cloud acts like that? No cloud, that’s what.

Finally, my head dropped out the other side, and I gasped for sweet, beautiful air. My limbs were still tangled in the vapor, I hung upside-down and, well, stared, a little. Blinked, let my eyes adjust.

Was it always so dark down here? I remember being near blinded when I first arrived in Canterlot, took weeks for me to get used to the sun, and all the marble and alabaster reflecting that light. Going back down wasn’t quite as bad, but… Really. Was it always this dark?

Surprise or no, I shook myself from the dilemma. I’ve got more important things to worry about right now! I spat out the last of the cloudy film, took a deep breath, and shouted as loud as I possibly could.

“CELESTIAAAAaaaa, oh geez.”

I stopped. My voice was almost was offensive. The wind carried my words away, and left the whole world ringing afterwards. There wasn’t a single other sound around me, no birds, no voices, no carts rattling up the mountain road, and certainly none of the traffic from Canterlot. Even the wind sounded hollow and distant. Was everything always so muted and quiet down here too? Or was it just my position near the cloud layer?

Okay, no more yelling. I wriggled my arms out of the gray vapor. Swung my body around and hung from the layer by my claws, wings open wide for the drop. Took a breath. Hacked up another puff of gray. Stared at the empty mountain path, and let myself drop. The skin of my wings pinched, catching the dead air and dragging my body upwards. I wriggled into position, righted my orientation, stared up at the mountain, and carefully banked towards it.

Strangely, for being on the side of the mountain, there was very little wind. Canterlot, you’re always fighting or utilizing powerful updrafts. Down here… it was like everything else, I suppose. Muted. Lots of dead air. More time I have to spend flapping away and making my shoulders hurt. More time where I’m just a little bit more distracted from my search. More time to think about how uneasy I felt in this place...

Where was she? How far could she have run by now? Was she hiding? Was she already past the second switchback? I flipped around, panted for breath, and begun to glide down the slope again, eyes locked on the road.

There!

She was further down the road than I expected, almost halfway down the mountain by now. She was no longer running in a blind panic, that’s good. Wasn’t even walking. She was standing still, and staring off the edge of the cliff.

One of her hooves hovered over the edge…

“Celestia, don’t do it!”

She squealed as I dove overhead. To be fair, I squealed too. Too close, too sharp an angle! I was about to crash! I snapped my legs close. Shot right over her head, felt her mane smack at my knees. I spun and flailed, trying to turn, spinning off the cliff, finally flapping to a very awkward stop…

Turning, I saw Celestia. Horn alight, and flailing in midair.

“No!”

I dove again, sailed right for her, arms outstretched. She saw me coming a long way off. I heard her squeal. And a second later, a blast of light hit me in the face.

I flipped head over heels. Rubbed at my eyes, crying out and somehow still remaining airborne.

I shouted, “I’m trying to save you dammit!”

And, from weirdly, miraculously close and calm, she shouted back.

“Oh, so that’s what you’re doing?” Celestia shouted. “I thought you were trying to throw me off a cliff! Glad that’s cleared up!”

I evened out. Hovered in place for a bit. Blinked the sun from my eyes, staring under me. She wasn’t there. I looked up. She was, well, not falling at all. She was hovering in the air above me, walking as if on a very unstable tightrope.

Confused, still blinking past offensively large and muddy blurs, I flew up to her. Glided so close I was making her hair drift sideways with each beat of my wings. Yet, she ignored me. Her horn was still flaring yellow, and her eyes locked on her feet.

“Is…” I frowned. “Is that a spell?”

“Yes,” she snapped, “I’m walking on the light.”

“When’d you learn that? Actually. Nevermind.” Dumb question, really. How much have I learned in the span of a year? How much has Luna? Of course Celestia would have picked up a few more tricks. But on the other hand. I stared at the clouds overhead, flapping wings occasionally obscuring my vision.

I said, “Doesn’t seem to be much light down here.”

“Yes, that’s why I’m trying to concentrate,” she snapped, still refusing to look at me. “Wouldn’t have to do this if you didn’t throw me off!”

“I didn’t throw you off!”

She groaned aloud, lazily drifting about a foot lower. Watching her, I got the strongest impression of a falling leaf. She said,
“Okay, so you weren’t trying. I believe the effect was pretty much the same!”

I nervously spun after her, illusions zipping between my fingers. If her spell failed and I needed to catch her quickly…

Wait, that’s stupid.

“Celestia,” I said firmly. She still refused to look up. “You may sometimes be a stick-in-the-mud and a jerk, but you’re my friend and I care about you.”

I slapped my arms around her and pulled her into the friendliest midair hug I could possibly manage. My Element began to glow, because friendship, and she was shouting because more friendship. I expected a return hug to come pretty quickly.

It didn’t.

Instead, she was suddenly way too heavy in my arms. She slipped down, a bit too abruptly. I tried to keep hold, but she fell from my arms. Her horn was snuffed. Really falling. I shot out a hand to catch her. The only thing I was quick enough to grab was her braid.

Oh, did she scream at me.

It was just a second more before I could wrap and illusion around her and pull up. And only a second more before we roughly landed on a scrubby hill and hit a wheel-rutted road. And it was less than thirty seconds more until Celestia was screaming at me again.

“I told you I was trying to focus, what the hell did you think you were doing!?” she screamed, face all pink and puffy, “A hug? In midair?! Are you out of your mind? What was that supposed to accomplish?!”

I sniffed dramatically, “Well excuse me for catching you.”

“You always screw everything up! EVERYTHING!” She stomped so hard, I swear, it felt like she was going to crack the road open. “I said I didn’t want to be your friend and I, I, I mean it!” And then, of all things, she starts tearing up and blubbering. “Go and be an Element with my sister! Save the country! Do whatever! I don’t belong with you two anymore!”

Me and Luna? Life, is that what this is about? For a single panicking second, all I could think was how the hell she found out about my crush. Oh god, what if she thinks it’s more than a crush? Does Celestia think we’re a mating pair? Is Celestia overprotective of her sister? Wait, dumb question, of course she’s overprotective!

“What are you talking abouuuut?” I said, “I mean, you still have Loyalty. Or… you did. Looks like you left it behind.”

“No I’m not! I’m not Loyalty anymore!” she blubbered, “The Element w-won’t stay on… and, and even if it did…”

“Well let me just hug it out, darnit!” I flung open my arms. “C’mon! A hug will make you feel better!”

I had hoped that she would have run sobbing into my arms. Or at least complain a little bit more before I hugged her. But no. Her eyes narrowed. Her lips curled, and teeth bared. She wasn’t just disbelieving me. She was downright livid.

“A hug? A hug?!” she screeched. “Disgusting! Insulting! To think a hug could fix everything I’ve been through!”

“I dunno,” I huffed, “You’re going all nightmare-y, aren’t you? It’s making you have doubts, fears, all that stuff. I’ll explain it later.” I stepped a little closer, arms still open wide. “And the only way to cure a case of the nightmares is with a friendship hug. Or a Harmony Blast, I guess, but…”

“Yes! Clearly!” she sobbed. “Oh Celestia, you’re just being irrational because you’ve got a little bad magic mixed in you! Your feelings aren’t real! Let me just wave a magic wand and make them go away!”

I frowned. “Okay then, thanks for missing the point. Now stop acting like a baby and talk to me.”

She ignored me almost completely. “Now hop skip away, Celestia! It was just bad magic that made you panic with Blueblood! Silly willy, go right back to him and make out. Everything will be better now that you’ve got all those doubt scraped from your head!”

I stared at her. “Blueblood? What happened with Blueblood?”

“Oh, it’s nothing that can’t be fixed with a hug.”

I grabbed her shoulders. Made her look right at me. Made her see how serious I was.

“What happened. With Blueblood?”

She stared back at me, finally quiet and still with her face a burning, hot pink.

And then her eyes began to water.

“I dun wanna be a Princess n’more.”

“Did Blueblood say something to you?”

“Did more’n talk, that guy…”

I sighed, maybe too forcefully. Felt my Element glow brightly, and I automatically squeezed Celestia to me, as hard as I could. She was bony, didn’t move, and was quieter than she’d been all day. It was like hugging a chair. It felt wrong, but it just meant I held her tighter, eyes screwed shut and praying that this worked.

Finally, I pulled away. Celestia squinted back at me, eyes still rimmed with red and still so full of tears.

“Can I go now?” she mumbled, “You and Luna, you’ll be good for the country, I think. You’ll be pretty good without me always nagging at you...”

“C’mon, Celestia, that’s crazy talk.”

She said, “When have I ever been a help.”

“You uh,” I fumbled, “You led us back to Canterbury.”

“Pointless trip,” she said. “Nearly got us killed.”

“No, it wasn’t pointless! Not at all…” But it was, wasn’t it? I mean, she thought Ruin was still freeing ponies, but I knew better. We really didn’t accomplish a thing there. “Also, you… man, how many times have we fled from guards now? Your sunburst. That was the first step out of your house. When we escaped the first time.”

She stared at me.

I continued anyway, “And when I fell out of that tree, when I was, you know… kind’ve starving to death? You carried me to a healer.”

She still stared at me. Just stared and stared like she didn’t believe a word I was saying.

“And, and well,” I huffed, grasping at straws, “you’re always trying Celestia.”

Finally. She opened her mouth. She said:

“Well I give up.”

“Please don’t?” I glanced up the mountain. “At least hear your sister out. She’s so happy to be leaving the city. She’s got us all packed and prepared.”

Celestia’s face folded a little. “I have even less courage about facing my sister. She’s the Princess this country needs. More than me.”

I huffed, made a grab for her shoulders again. “If it’s tearing you up so bad, forget the stupid country, alright? We need you!”

She sniffed. Not sad. Offended. “Forget the country? After everything horrible that’s happened to it, you want to risk subjecting it to more misery and pain?”

“Man, Celestia, that’s something you’re supposed to be saying about me!” I laughed, since it was supposed to be a joke. She didn’t really laugh along. I moved past it. “Like I said, we have a cure for the nightmares now! Or at least something to help stop the transformation.”

I frowned at her, my own words ringing untrue to me. Because those ‘magic words’ didn’t work. The ‘cure’ didn’t work. She’s calmer now, sure, but not from my actions. And now she just seems… broken. She was still so full of doubts, so thoroughly done with us, so unlike herself. And no matter what I did or said, it felt like nothing was going to get through that. Nothing at all.

I said, slowly, forcefully. “Let me help you, Celestia!”

“You know, it’s been really nice,” she said, “To hear my name spoken aloud again.”

“Okay, that’s a start!”

“Discord,” she said softly. “Thanks for your concern. But, I think I just want to be alone for a little while.”

“How long’s a while?”

She slid out from my grip. Took a step backwards, staring at her feet.

Firmly, she said, “Long as it takes.”

I asked, “You’re not even going to wait for Luna?”

“Tell her that I’m so, so proud of her.”

“She has supplies, you know,” I begged, “She’s prepared a lot for you. It’ll make your trip easier.”

“Tell her thank you,” Celestia replied, “But I can’t take them with.”

I think that was the moment Celestia decided she had said enough. She turned away from me, stepped again towards the hilly slope. Scrubby hills rose behind her, vanishing into the thick forests we once traveled through, together, so, so very long ago.

Firmly, I said, “We’ll keep a beacon out for you.”

“That’ll just attract griffins,” she said.

“We’ll still keep it out.”

I thought, maybe that would make her smile. Maybe make her thank me, maybe make the ‘magic words’ work, and fix everything. But it didn’t. She didn’t even thank me. She just eased magic into her horn, stepped off the road, and floated down out of sight.

I waited, watching the site she vanished from. Why didn’t it work? Why wasn’t I able to help her? Were my words not true enough to help? Did it clean her petrichor, but leave her doubts intact? Were we just not far enough along to go nightmare, nor far enough along to be healed by the Elements?

I stared, waiting for so long.

Then looked up, and with a little pulse of magic, shot a silvery white beacon into the sky.

~æ~

“You just let her go?”

I shrugged as I tightened the straps of my bag. Guess I’ll have to get used to the awkward thing.

“I thought you said she was going nightmare.”

“Well I hugged her all I could, and nothing happened.”

Luna frowned down the slope, chewing her lip and making a face very near to pouting. She dropped Celestia’s bag and begun magically picking through it.

She said, “I’ll have to consolidate her things…” I watched as she tucked a brush into her bag, laid out two fat bundles of carrots, and continued shuffling through.

“Well you seem to have taken this in stride,” I said plainly, “Do you know things about Celestia that I don’t?”

“No. I’m frustrated, I think. And please, it’s not at you.” Luna gave the bag a violent shake, staring into it. “This was supposed to be our happy departure. The Elements, finally reunited, charging off with hope and energy, off to save the world together.” She sighed, and buckled up Celestia’s bag. “Guess I was hoping for too much. We really have grown so far apart.”

“Well… we can still travel together. Just us.” I had to restrain myself, the thought of just being alone, together with Luna. Not a single thing to get in our way… gah! Stop it brain! Now is not the time.

“Dammit! No, no, Discord, still not mad at you!” She snapped open a map. “I just had a thought. We could’ve told her where one of the Elements was, and we could’ve agreed to meet up at Magic. Y’know. Given her a structure to spend her time alone, and come back if she’s willing.”

I struggled out of my daydreams, shrugging a bit too forcefully. “I’m sorry I didn’t delay her more?”

Luna huffed again. She tossed me the two bundles of carrots, pulled out a piece of jewelry, and in enveloping vortex of shadows, Celestia’s bag vanished.

Luna grumbled, “Hope the servants leave all of our stuff where it is.”

I stared at her, carrots limply held in the crook of my arm. “Do you need a hug?”

“No! Maybe.” She stared down the hills again, accusing them of wrongdoing with her eyes. “That’s just, it’s my sister, you know? This is something so completely unlike her. She’s…” Her accusing eyes snapped to mine. “She’s not the kind of pony who’d run away from anything.”

“Well maybe,” I shifted uncomfortably, “She’s running towards a solution.”

“I hope so.” With a deep breath, Luna began stumbling down the steep road. Walking deeper into the darkness under the clouds. It almost seemed like night was upon us, but that couldn’t be right. I watched as Luna’s horn lit up, and in front of her hovered Celestia’s uh…

I did a double take. That was her Element? It… looked different. Not different in the gone-nightmare way either, that was described as turning to stone. This just looked like… Well, my first impression was that it was rotting. The orange gem, once cut like a bright, sunny eye, was slowly losing its shape and color. The curling metal band looked like it was fusing together, becoming hard and unbendable. Some of the gold was warping around the setting, creating uneven holes and pockets that the gem was slowly leaking around.

Luna stared into the Element, and quietly said, “I really, really hope she’s alright.”

Comments

[captainlink]

And so the plot thickens. Another brilliant chapter, Grey!

[Mr Mad]

So here I am, looking at a potentially great read. I'm opening it up
and all of a sudden WHAM! A gazillion chapters just sitting there... waiting for me.

I just hope you're happy. I had to take sleep off the schedule for this.

[Thegodhand]

If it weren't for knowing otherwise I would think Celestia is beyond hope at this point. I wonder how you plan on turning things around? I shall wait with bated breath!

[Kim Kimera Kimes]

awesome chapter. Unfortunately not the big reunion we all hoped for, but then again, this is good storytelling as well.

[Heart of Blades]

And Discord really tired to help! I'm proud of Luna, she took all this better than I thought but...stupid Celestia! Well, they're all out of Canterlot now, that's what matters. The journey for the rest of the elements begins! Great chapter and looking forward to more

[queza]

Well the last few chapters since your decision to cut in the story have been absolutely stellar. Seems doing that really helped you because the story is realy picking up pace. I love what your doing with celestia, she was so due to more character development and now she has become my favortite character in this fic by far and that is saying something because Luna is my best pony :P.
About Luna I think she became a bit to mature in one year, after all she was presented as a child not as almost a teen and she now clearly is in her teens (at least that is my impression of how you wrote her and discord). Also I am very newsy how she develops in the not so social pony from the show because she is without a doubt the applejack of your mane characters in that she has her shit toghether the most :P.
And speaking of the show, since your "fuck shit up" blog after the discord episode I was wondering if you still imagine your story as being in the cannon of the show or completely on its own? Because most of what has recently been revealed strokes quite well with your theory's about alicorns I read in the story up until now however your luna/dicsord seems very out of show hints. Although I am sure you could make that work I am intrested to know if you even still want that?
All in all the story does keep getting better and I can't wait for them to find more elements :). This story is shaping up to be as epic as one of mystics work (just alot longer), keep it up.

[Sixpack]

2373132

And this is one of the parts that make this story so interesting. We actually know the end but the journy has been extremely well done so far and is keeping us on our toes waiting for more.
Most of the time if I already know how it´s going to go the journey towards it seems like an extremely boring ordeal. For example I realy can´t get myself to watch Doctor Who because I just feel it to be SO boring.

@GreyPotter
So from now can we expect a bunch of chapters where we will see how the characters cope while being seperated with your usual writing style or will you be concentrating on one "group" and follow them before switching to the other at a later date?

I think I might also hear the whistle of that ship slowly but surely taking to see on a potentially romatic voyage ^.^

[Greytercakes]

2373999
I still think of this story as 'plausible' within the show's canon, but with Twilicorn around, I doubt that plausibility is going to hold forever. There's nothing I can really do to help that. While I will not purposefully defy the show's canon, I also won't break my story to try and fit it all together. I expect there will come a day where I will wistfully declare the story "non-canon," and then obviously lose all my readers forever.

Honestly, i never expected the topic to ever be addressed in the show at all. That's why fanfiction!

As for the lack of Luna/Discord hints... well... most of Steadfast's relationships are based on a lot of assumptions. Lunacord is only jumping to a few more conclusions than Dislestia. Dislestia is based on Celestia talking angrily once about how awful Discord was, and then another time where Celestia thought he could be reformed. Hints at a past, but not really a relationship.

Oh yeah, but don't mistake me, I'm still heading towards the "canon" end. The end that we see in the start of the show. Celestia alone. Luna on the moon. Discord in stone. It's the details about the "First Gods," the nature of the Elements, and the Alicorn/Nightmare dichotomy I expect to be ripped apart.

Speaking of.

2374075
Wait Dr. Who is boring because you know the ending? ... I... can actually see that. Anyway!

The thing is... a story should never be about the ending. in a lot of stories, the ending is always a long way coming. You know the heroes goals from the start. You learn the villain's as you go along. A good author uses the final destination as a guidepost to examine the story, concepts, characters, and world. The ending is when you finally decide all of those things have been explored to thier fullest extent, and you want to have your final, conclusive word on what it all means.

I guess thats a long way to say "the story is the journey" and thank you for your compliment. A story's not worth being told if you can't think of an interesting way to tell it.

And yes, I'll be cutting back and forth between Luna-Discord and Celestia. Still figuring out the form and order of that, but all three of the main cast will be represented.

[Rainpath5466]

Even if you do decide to declare this story non-canon, I'll still read. It's an amazing story and I couldn't bear to leave and never find out what happens. You've got my hooked and I'm sticking with ya to the end.

[Greytercakes]

2385176
Yeah There were several times I was planning on mentioning Flea and showing how she's gotten along, but the opportunity just hasn't come up yet without it seeming forced. I haven't forgotten about her, but who knows whether or not she'll be encountered in the future....

[Greytercakes]

2385176

Oh, but, before I forget, thank you for your kind words, and I'm glad you're enjoying the story. Who knows, perhaps time will answer all questions....

[Riverwing]

I just had an aha moment. The elements change to suit the wearers, don't they? Her element reflected her cutie mark the same as it does Rainbow Dash's.

[Greytercakes]

2392866
Was it just coincidence that Luna's smashed cutie mark reformed into the shape of the moon?

[Mr Mad]

Okay. This took me roughly four days to read through. Just wow. Saying it made my day just doesn't do it justice. You've created something amazing and you're amazing.

I'm just hoping that you enjoy writing it as much as I enjoy reading it.

[vonzshik]

“Luna!” I yapped. “Leave it!” Checked for flashes of pink mane, saw none. Losing her! I groaned. Now Luna was holding a piece of jewelry in her hands, just staring at it with a blank look on her face.

[queza]

2374555 Super thank you for answering my question :D. I still don't really know how to behave in comment sections so I have no idea if my questions are ok :P.
I don't think people will stop reading there a plenty of non cannon story's out there that have massive followings and your story still looks a lot more cannon then eternal now anyway when your talking about twilicorn :P.
However I am glad you are stil heading towards a cannon ending that makes the anticipation factor that much better :3.
I have another question though as a celestia fan how did you react to her song in magical mystery cure? My mind almost exploded when I heard her start singing XD.
Also props on the last chapter it's just getting better and better.