The Word of Princess Antares
Well, there we all were together again, the seven of us who started it all. Twilight and the Elements, I considered copyrighting the band name just so they couldn't have it, are standing right in front of me a mere day after I told Rainbow Dash that they're all prophets in my religion.
Their reactions were... mixed, to say the least.
I could sense a general air of confusion around them, letting me know that Celestia thought it best that they shouldn't be told that they were prophets in some of her religions. I decided to let that secret stay with her too. They were surprised enough as it was.
"So... lemmie get this straight, TD..." I turned my head to Applejack who had her hat off and was holding it to her chest. She was staring nervously at the floor. "Y'all have a religion devoted to ya, and we're prophets in yer religion?"
I nodded and levitated the Liber Sanctus over to me. "Yep. That about sums it up, I guess. Since the Elements caused me to ascend, and you wield the Elements, the Antarians see you as prophets." I opened up the Liber Sanctus to a random page in the Book of the Element of Magic which turned out to be Twilight's first friendship letter. "All seven of us have sections in my holy book devoted to us and our teachings; so for example, the Book of the Element of Magic is made up mostly of your friendship letters, Twilight."
"I see..." Twilight blinked once and stared at the book in my magical aura. I levitated it over to her and she took it into her own aura and began flipping through the pages. Her friends crowded around her to do their best to read over her shoulders.
"The... Book of the Element of Generosity," Rarity whispered breathlessly. "Oh my."
"Yeah, they read an excerpt from the Book of the Element of Kindness last time I was there," I said. Fluttershy squeaked and flattened her ears, her cheeks turning red. "I mean look, from what I've read so far it's fine, but I'm calling in the high priest next Friday at two 'o clock to discuss the doctrine if you'd like to join, seeing as how you're all, you know, deeply tied into my religion."
"Yeah..." Twilight blinked once and nodded. "Yeah, I think that I would like to be involved in that, TD. I mean, if it's mostly my friendship letters then I suppose that what he's teaching can't be too bad, but I guess I'd like to know the context of what he's using my letters in."
"Fair enough." I nodded. "So should I expect the rest of you too next Friday?"
The rest of the Elements nodded and I inclined my head to one of my servants who made a note of it. "Good. So, in the meantime, do you need to go or would you like to read the Liber Sanctus together to get a good idea of what it says? If you need to go I can have copies obtained for you if that's what you need."
"I think I'd like to read it and discuss it with you if you find that acceptable, TD," Rarity said. "It is your religion, after all, and I took the day off to come here and discuss... being a prophet."
"Very well." I snapped the book shut and beckoned them towards the library section of my palace where they all followed me in total silence. Yes, this was new to me too, so I could completely sympathize with how they were feeling. Though, and this might be a little narcissistic of me, I think I had a touch more pressure on me as the deity being worshiped. Still, they were getting offers to officiate weddings, so we'd definitely have to discuss that.
The next six hours were spent reading over every detail of the Liber Sanctus to see what the deal was with it. Twilight took fervent notes, of course, though there were enough of them to make up a second Liber Sanctus, and we discussed what the deal was. What we thought about it all. None of them really knew what to make of it. Even Pinkie Pie was uncharacteristically quiet as we read through it, though I knew enough about her to see the cogs working in her mind. She had some pretty interesting things to say about the Book of the Element of Laughter.
Overall, I think that the Liber Sanctus would need a second print, something that I was, admittedly, not looking forward to discussing with the Antarian officials who were doubtlessly coming to the meeting next Friday. I'll be darned if Snap Feather told the officials that he was meeting with me to discuss the Liber Sanctus and the church doctrine as a whole and they didn't demand to come. Well, they totally could. I welcomed it. I wanted to meet the... ah... well, maybe "puppet masters" wasn't quite the right word for it, but the people in charge. I don't know, I couldn't help but feel that my authority was circumvented a little bit because, you know, I had no knowledge of this church worshiping me.
Well, whatever the case, that would all change very soon. We'd see what changes my church would undergo in a short amount of time.
* * * *
The meeting day came, and that saw me with Pinkie Pie and Co. in my meeting room, each with copies of the Liber Sanctus. I could see a copious amount of sticky notes jutting from Twilight's copy. I'd bet that she had re-read it multiple times over the past week and a half.
The room was fairly silent as we all re-read passages of the book of particular interest to us, waiting for our guests to arrive. Given that it was a quarter to two, we still had some time. It was Rarity who looked up from her book and broke the silence.
"So, we're going to be discussing church doctrine with these mares and gentlecolts, correct? We want to make sure they're saying everything right in our name."
I nodded and shut my own book. "Yep. That's the idea."
Rarity nodded in return. "I see. And..." She hesitated for a moment. "What if we don't like the idea of being prophets in your religion? What if we'd rather opt out of that particular, er, honor?"
I shrugged. "I think you'd have to ask them, but really, I think at this point we'd have to dissolve the whole religion for that to happen, and..." I sighed and rubbed one of my temples. "I'm not doing that. You, and in all honesty me, being uncomfortable is worth them being happy like they are, as long as they don't take it too far, which is exactly what the purpose of this meeting is. We're going to make sure that if we have to be deities and prophets, we're going to have them preach doctrines that we support."
"Er... one thing, though..." I glanced up at Twilight who has put down her book and is rubbing the back of her neck. "So, you became an alicorn and have your own religion around you. So if I had ascended instead of you, would I have my own religion too?"
I grimaced at Twilight and said, without hesitation, "yep. Cadance isn't an alpha alicorn, but she has Cadites that worship her."
Gonna be awkward when she dies, but they'll cross that bridge when they come to it I guess. Maybe they'll start worshiping her foals, especially seeing as how Shining Armor is also revered in that particular religion as her husband.
But I digress...
The clock struck two, and at that exact moment the doors opened, and Snap Feather walked in followed by two mares, one light green pegasus and a teal unicorn, all of whom were wearing white robes and the scorpion cutie mark necklaces. Each and every one of them stopped when they saw the seven of us around the table and go pale. I can see why. They just walked in to their goddess and their prophets all in one room. That'd be like walking into a room and seeing Jesus and all twelve of his apostles, all staring at you, only I didn't have a bad Judas.
I... think...
Maybe I should have kept a close eye on Fluttershy.
So yeah, Jesus and the apostles, and you all are going to talk about what's going to make it into the bible.
So yeah, I could see the pressure for sure.
The three ponies all bowed low and began, well, groveling is the only term I really have for it. Their stomachs were to the floor and their forelegs were moving up and down in a bowing motion. I glanced over at the Mane Six, all of whom were blushing and have their ears flat, save for Pinkie Pie who is just looking blankly at them. Yeah, it's time to get going. I cleared my throat and all three of them shot to their hooves.
"Mares and gentlecolt, it's a pleasure to see you this afternoon." I motioned to a group of empty chairs around the table. "Please. Sit."
"Yes, Princess Antares," All three of them said, awe in their voice. I knew that Snap Feather had spoken to me before, so I thought that he'd be a little less... "wow it's her," but I suppose not.
"Now, to business..." I motioned with my hoof and one of my most trusted staff members, a unicorn mare by the name of Tulip, came and sat at the table with enough paper and ink to rival some of Twilight's study sessions. She inclined her head in a bow to me and I returned it before looking back at the church leaders.
"Okay, let's start with some introductions. Snap Feather I already know, but how about you two fine mares?"
The two mares glanced at each other for a moment before the unicorn cleared her throat and looked at me. "I'm Elder June Star, Princess Antares. I'm one of the seven founding members of your church and the head elder."
"Good. Nice to meet you." I turned my head to the pegasus. "And you?"
"My name is Clear Morning," she said in a tiny voice. "I'm the church treasurer, Princess Antares."
"More of us would have made it, but this is the middle of the workday," Snap Feather said. "This is all who could come."
"I see." I shrugged with my wings. "Well, this is fine for now. Should we require more sessions then I'll be sure schedule more."
"Yes, Princess Antares," All three of them said in unison.
I flicked the ear not facing them in annoyance, but otherwise didn't acknowledge their words. "Now, then, we've all read over the Liber Sanctus..." I inclined my head to Twilight, "some of us multiple times, and I personally have to say that most of it's good. I'd say that the vast majority of it is. I just think my biggest issue is..." I grimaced and turned my full attention to the elders. "Why wasn't I told about this? I'd hate to spoil anything for the three of you, but I'm not omniscient. If a church springs up and I'm not told..." I raise an eyebrow and tilt my head. "Why wasn't I told?"
"Er..." Snap Feather exchanged an uneasy glance with the other two elders who looked just as unsure of how to answer that question as him. "Well you see, we thought..." He turned his head to me, but it was bowed, and he didn't meet my eye. "We thought that you... did know."
"Uh... why, exactly?"
"Well because..." Clear Morning flattened her ears. "Well, I mean, you're Princess Antares! You... er... well we did kind of think that there was a bit of omniscience to you."
"Okay, then." I motioned over to the Liber Sanctus. "So why didn't I get to have any say about what went into this book before now?"
The eyes of all three elders widened. "You did, Princess Antares! You really did!" June Star cried. "It is your teachings!"
"So why wasn't I told that a holy book was being written about me?" I shot a glance in the direction of the Elements. "Or them for that matter. Maybe I got a say, but did they? I mean, yeah, I can see why they would be viewed as prophets in all of this, but outside of Twilight's friendship letters, they might not have liked what made it into the Liber Sanctus."
I would have continued but I heard a whimper and turned to see Clear Morning's chin wobble. Drat. Before I could say anything, she flung herself off of her chair and crawled over to mine to begin groveling at my hooves, tears streaking down her face.
"I'm so sorry, o holy Princess Antares! Please forgive me for my transgression! We didn't mean to dishonor you by creating your place of worship and teachings in secret!" She grabbed one of my forelegs in a surprisingly strong grip and kissed my hoof. "Please forgive us!"
I glanced up at Tulip who was staring at Clear Morning with a raised eyebrow. The Elements were shifting awkwardly in their seats, meaning that I was the one who had to calm her down. I gave her my best matronly smile and patted her on the head.
"Do not worry, child. I'm not angry with you." I inwardly flinched at that for so many reasons. One, it's corny. Two, I just called her "child" when I'm hardly out of my teen years and she's probably in her forties. But figured that I might as well play up the matronly goddess bit a little. I tilted her head up, wiped her tears away with my hoof, and gently lifted her up off of the floor. She returned my smile with a watery one of her own and I led her back to her seat. She bowed low to me again and I returned it with a tilt of my head.
"Well," I said as I returned to my own seat, "as I said: I'm not angry with all of you. I'm just disappointed, I suppose you could say. I don't feel that the best way to honor me is to start a religion based around me and then not tell me what is being taught." I motioned to the Elements. "Nor do I feel that it honors them."
"Yes, Princess Antares," Snap Feather muttered, "of course, Princess Antares. We did not wish to disrespect you." Snap Feather, for the first time in a while, raised his head and managed to look at me. "If it pleases you: once we're done here and your doctrine is set in a way that pleases the seven of you, I do not think it oversteps my bounds to invite you to give sermons of your own whenever you like. That goes for all of you."
I glanced over at Fluttershy who has slid so far down in her chair that I can only see the crown of her head poking up over the top of the table. Yes, I didn't think that she'd quite enjoy the prospect of getting up in front of a bunch of ponies who revered her as a prophetess to give a half hour long sermon on kindness. She'd have trouble with that if they were Ponyvillians, but total strangers? Yeah, no on that one.
"So let me get this straight..." I glanced over at Rarity who was looking at Snap Feather with a look that was a mix of unease and incredulity. "You are extending an invitation to me and my friends to come to Baltimare whenever we desire to give sermons at your place of worship on our respective Elements?"
"Er..." Snap Feather paused for a moment. "Yes?"
"I see. Hmm..." Rarity blinked once and picked up her Liber Sanctus. "Well, then, I suppose I'd really better approve of what is in this book, then. I'm not saying that I will, but in the event that I do, I would like it to not conflict with what is presented here."
"And that's actually a nice segue into the whole purpose of the meeting." I illuminated my horn and flipped open my book to the ninetieth page. "Discussing what doctrine will and will not make it into the worship of..." I faltered for the briefest of moments. "Me."
"Yes, of course." Snap Feather cleared his throat and nodded to his fellows. "Yes, let us get to that."
"Good." I nodded at Tulip who raised her quill. "Now, chapter four in the Book of the Element of Honesty..."
* * * *
Well, I had always figured that starting up a religion was time consuming, but I never had a hand, or a hoof, for that matter, in the process until now. Five hours later, the eleven of us decided to call it quits for the day, even though we were only halfway through the book. Still, I think that Applejack and Rarity were pleased that we got through their sections, and they liked the doctrines that we set for them. That also meant that the next time that we had a meeting they didn't have to come if they didn't want to, something that meant that they wouldn't have to move their already busy schedules around.
I closed my Liber Sanctus and stood up, causing the three elders to shoot to their hooves like soldiers standing at attention. I decided to ignore it, as I knew that I would need to get used to it and I couldn't make a big deal out of everything like that.
"Well, ladies and gentlecolt, I think we've made a lot of progress. I think that it would be a good idea to continue this next week if at all possible." I stretched my wings and cracked my neck as the elders bowed low to me. "Alright, I'll see you three later."
"Yes, Princess Antares," Snap Feather said. "And as I stated before: you are more than welcome to come to church to do a sermon."
"I just may."
Completely forgetting how he took that, I extended my hoof to Snap Feather who took it in his own, but kissed it instead of shaking it. Right. I had forgotten that he had seen it that way. I made sure to not repeat that same mistake with the other elders, instead choosing to put my hoof on their shoulders and bid them goodbye.
Once they were gone it was just Tulip getting her notes together and the Elements. I took a deep breath and turned to them. "So, what do you think about all of this?"
"Er, well..." Twilight scratched one of her forelegs. "It's kinda weird, obviously. The way that they kept looking at me like I was some kind of mythical creature was unsettling. It's almost like they didn't believe I was really there."
"Yes, they've kind of put the seven of us on a pedestal, that's for sure," I said with a nod. "But what about the idea of being prophets to them? I mean, you all found out because Rainbow Dash was asked if she would officiate a wedding between two Antarians. What do you guys think about something like that? I mean, if you want I can give you the power to marry ponies."
"Ooh..." Rarity's eyes narrowed, and one ear twitched. "Having the power to marry couples as a prophetess in a religion. That's... hmm." Rarity frowned and looked down at the floor. "That is quite an honor, I must admit. I'm tempted by the idea, but at the same time I feel that it might be overwhelming."
"Not all of you have to do it, of course. There are no set duties for any one of you just because these ponies see you as prophets." I shrugged. "Honestly, nothing has to change if you don't want it to."
"I... I think I'd like that, then," Fluttershy said to my lack of surprise. "I'm honored, I guess, but I think that this is all a bit much for me. I'm perfectly fine in Ponyville with my animals."
"That's perfectly okay." I surveyed the rest of them. "And what do you all think?"
"I'd like some time to think about it," Twilight said. "I mean, yeah, if they're going to see me as a prophet then maybe I should help them, and if marrying a few ponies every now and again does that and doesn't disrupt too much, then I think I could do that."
"Fine." I turned my head to Pinkie Pie. "What about you? You've been uncharacteristically quiet tonight."
"I guess," Pinkie Pie muttered. "It's just... I dunno. I feel like I should be excited that something that I did made all of these ponies happy, but at the same time it's still a lot of responsibility for me! I know I can be crazy and random a lot of the time, but I don't shirk responsibilities. I guess I still don't know if this is a responsibility or not. If I should make these ponies happy by going along with it, or disappoint them, but keep things safer for me, you know?"
I quietly scoffed. "You have no idea." I shrugged and waved my hoof. "Well, anyways, I don't expect you all to decide how much you want to get involved in this right now. Take some time to think about it. Let me know what you decide, okay?"
The Mane Six all gave nods and mumbles of agreement, and I motioned for a few of my guards to lead them out. I would have escorted them out myself, but I felt that I needed some "me" time. I took a deep breath and turned around to see Tulip stacking the papers she had been writing on. Given that we were writing theology for a religion here, she almost didn't bring enough parchment.
"Did you get everything, you think?" I asked her, my words slurring a little from exhaustion.
Tulip nods and puts her quill on top of the stack. "I think so, Princess. I'll get to work on making copies for everypony right away."
I snorted and waved my hoof. "Oh don't bother with that right now. Those can wait another day. Do them tomorrow and get a few more ponies to help you."
Tulip bowed her head. "Yes, your majesty."
I was about to walk out of the room when a thought struck me. I turned back to Tulip and tilted my head. "Say Tulip: you're somepony that I don't know quite as well who doesn't have as big of a stake in all of this as the rest. So based on all of that: what do you think of all of this?"
Tulip gave me an amused scoff and a wry smile. "Me and my whole family are Antarians, Princess."
Ah.
I nodded my head once and gently cleared my throat. "I see. So I guess you do have a bit of a stake in this, then."
"I guess you could say that." Tulip snorted. "My parents and siblings are going to go nuts when they hear that I'm helping write the final draft of the Liber Sanctus. Every night when I get home, my family sits around the fireplace and my father reads passages to us, usually from the Book of the Scorpion. My ancestors are from more desert regions, so we know about scorpions. It was tied pretty heavily into our culture out there. To have a scorpion princess appear..." Tulip shook her head and put a hoof on the notes. "Well, you can see why we would have joined up pretty quickly. It doesn't hurt that you're pretty good at what you do."
"You think so, huh?"
"No thinking about it, Princess." Tulip shrugged. "You've just gotta look around to see what you've done for Equestria. You may have had this job thrown at your head full speed, but you stepped up to the challenge."
"Well..." I gave my own shrug. "Glad you think so, but I'm going to do some relaxing. My usual spot on the rooftop in case you need to reach me for whatever reason."
Tulip bowed her head and illuminated her horn bathing the notes, quill, and ink in her cyan aura and levitating them. "Of course, Princess. If you want something to eat just let me know."
I waved my hoof. "I'll be fine. Just need some relaxing time, is all."
With that, I trotted towards the nearest window that I could open and flew out of it onto my usual spot on the rooftop of my palace overlooking the city. The night air was cool without being chilly, which, after being stuck in my conference room for five hours, was exactly what I wanted. I might have found it chilly as a human, but I will admit that fur does have its advantages.
I was not there for more than half an hour before I saw a speck of white on the horizon approaching my position. I smirked and sat up for her arrival. She'd do that sometimes: just show up randomly to see how I was doing, even two years later. I guess it was fine because she had Luna to talk to and I have... er... my guards. Not exactly a ponies who could really sympathize with what I was going through. I mean, well, Captain Blaze and Lieutenant Rapids were going to grow old and retire or die someday and I was... not. The only other beings who could relate were Celestia, Luna, and Discord, and the latter was still in stone.
I know it sounds nuts, but I actually did grow to enjoy our little talks. Anything to talk to somebody who can relate to you, you know?
Celestia landed beside me and gave me a brief wing hug. "How are you today, TD?"
"Well enough, I suppose." I scoffed and motioned down to the interior of my palace with my head. "I spent the last five hours going over my church doctrine with the Elements. That was pretty... interesting."
"Ah yes, I remember doing that back when my first church sprung up." Celestia closed her eyes and a small smile appeared on her face. "My, my, that would have been roughly two thousand years ago, wouldn't it?"
"Making the church worshiping you the oldest, correct?"
Celestia nodded. "Yes, though Luna got one less than a decade later." Celestia cracked her eyes open and looked lazily in the direction of Canterlot. "I'm quite pleased with how that started up again less than two years after her return. I think it did her a world of good to be accepted like that again. As a matter of fact, it worked both ways. She put her fall into the church doctrine, showing that even she was not perfect and that it was okay to not be perfect." Celestia shrugged. "Well, she didn't say that it was okay that she fell to The Nightmare, but her point was that jealousy and rage can lead to terrible things, and that even the best of us aren't perfect."
I snorted. "Tell that to the Antarians. The reason they didn't tell me they started up my church was because they assumed that I was omniscient and already knew."
Celestia laughed lightly. "No, we most certainly are not that. Still, having them believe that does have its advantages sometimes, particularly in court rulings."
"Yeah, but when religions spring up about you it's annoying." I groaned and rubbed one of my temples. "This is one of those times when I wished that I had a private bar hidden up here. This is an alcohol day."
"Well, I may not be able to bring you a private bar, but I do have something..." I glanced over at Celestia who has lit her horn. After a few seconds, a wine bottle and two glasses pop out of thin air and hung there, causing me to raise an eyebrow. Celestia glanced over at me and smirked. "Some from my private stores. I have 'alcohol days' too, TD. I'd suggest looking for your own stock."
Celestia uncorked the wine bottle and filled up each of the crystal glasses until they were half full before floating one over to me. I accepted it with a word of thanks and took a sip, marveling at how quickly I had come to develop a taste for red wine since my ascension. Celestia took a sip of her own, and I heard a sigh of contentment from her.
"Mmm. Chapon di Trabu Manehattan 138 AD. My personal favorite."
I let my sip of wine sit in my mouth for a little bit before swallowing it and nodding in approval. "It is very good."
"Almost impossible to find, these days. With wine this old you have to find a winery with some unicorns who know some powerful preservation spells that at the same time know how to keep the flavor. That's ignoring the fact that it tends to be six hundred thousand bits a bottle when you can find it. Let's just say that sometimes I feel entitled to a little treat."
And she was right about it being old. The wine was made in 138 AD, er... After Discord. To put that into perspective. I ascended in 2238 AD. I was drinking twenty one hundred year old wine.
She was right, though, it was good. That's magic for you.
And so we sat in relative silence. I say relative because Baltimare is a city, so there's always going to be some noise, but it wasn't distracting. Celestia and I sitting there enjoying each other's company. Isn't that odd?
Huh... you know? I guess it isn't. Not anymore, anyway. I smirked at the notion, something that Celestia didn't miss.
"Something amusing, TD?"
I took another sip of wine before responding. "Nothing too amusing, it's just... well, you know how our relationship began. You tore me from all I knew and loved and I punched you in the face. Yet here I am more than three years later, a goddess princess of ponykind, and we're enjoying a glass of wine and each other's company. I just find that interesting given where we came from."
"Don't think that I haven't had similar thoughts, TD." Celestia took a sip of her wine. "I think it's that we have more to relate to now. We both understand more about each other."
"Well, more I understand more about you, I think." I raised my glass to her with a wry smile. "You haven't exactly gone through what I have, but I've certainly gone through some of the things that you have."
"Some," Celestia agreed with a nod, "though I pray you never endure some of the things that I have witnessed. Given our immortal lifespans, you will see horrors, TD, but you will also see some of the most amazing things that life is capable of." Celestia inclined her head to me. "Hopefully more of the latter."
"Hopefully." I took a deep breath and looked out into the city. "But I know I'm gonna see some of the former too." I grimaced as though I had a foul taste in my mouth. "I already have, come to think of it."
"And that is why we have rooftop talks, TD, so we can unwind after long days of hardship, or even to let each other know that there is somepony out there that understands." Celestia finished her wine and poured herself another quarter glass. "I talk with Luna about this all of the time, of course, but I know that you need this too. You need it as much as I do."
I smiled and tilted my empty wine glass, allowing Celestia to fill it up a quarter ways. "Maybe I should come to Canterlot for one of these things, then. We can drink wine on some Canterlot Castle rooftop."
I didn't need to look to see that Celestia's smile had widened ever so slightly. "Yes, I'd like that, TD, and I know that Luna would as well. She keeps saying that she doesn't see enough of you. We all have to stay connected if we are going to help each other through this."
"I don't doubt that." I took a deep breath and looked out again into the city where the majority of the ponies had gone to bed for the night. I clicked my tongue and ran a hoof through my mane. "Celestia?"
"Hmm?"
"Do they ever... frustrate you? Just the ponies in general, I mean. Do they ever make you feel overwhelmed, like baby chicks constantly screeching with their mouths open, begging their mothers, us in this instance, for worms?"
Celestia chuckled and took a sip. "Like I said, TD, I have alcohol days too. While I care for each and every one of my little ponies dearly, sometimes..." I heard Celestia's wine glass clink when she put it down next to her, and for the first time in a long time I saw a hint of a frown on her face. "Sometimes I just want to lift them up, smack them silly, and say 'for your own good you are going to do exactly what I tell you to do from here on out. You want to be completely safe and happy? Then you'd better keep your ears open for my orders and follow them exactly, because only one of us knows exactly what that entails. You think I'm running a fascist dictatorship? You think I'm a tyrant? Very well, give me a month and I'll show you exactly what a tyrant really is!'"
I gave an amused smirk. Figures that even her frustrated ranting would be rather restrained compared to mine.
"You think that you could do better? Well then come on up and try it for two days. Try dealing with cutthroat nobility who are also in many cases ungrateful in every way imaginable, while trying to keep twenty million ponies happy, housed, fed, safe, and warm, while also dealing with morons like Aepent who can't even keep his problems on his side of the rotten border!" Celestia groaned and, to my surprise, took a swig of wine directly from the bottle. Not a small one either. When she was done, she let out a deep breath and wiped her mouth with her foreleg. "And then to top it all off I have to constantly present myself as a perpetually kind and benevolent ruler. Some days I just have to fake it." Her gaze flickered up to me, and her smile returned, albeit smaller than before. "Do not mistake me as false, TD. It is as I said: I love my little ponies. I am no more faking my happiness at being around them than you are faking yours when a foal comes to your court asking for a few bits for a school play..." Her smile flickered. "Ninety nine percent of the time."
I raised an eyebrow and put my glass down. "Ninety nine, huh?"
Celestia scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Very well. Ninety seven." She waved a hoof at me. "Suffice to say, there are days when I envy you those moments with the foals. I still get them from time to time, but you are most certainly the princess of foals, TD."
"Hmm..." A hint of a smirk crossed my face. "Never thought you would envy me anything."
"I've always envied you something, TD." Celestia grimaced. "Not you specifically, but I do have a slight envy for those with simpler, quieter lives. I would hear tales from Twilight about how you would be peacefully fishing by the lake, or playing tag with the foals, and I would close my eyes and imagine what that would be like. For a moment... I would envy you. I would envy you and I would sometimes covet those peaceful times you got to have whenever you desired." She copied my smirk. "Envy may be my most shameful of flaws, though certainly not my only one. It may not have manifested itself in quite as extreme a way as Luna, but I do not delude myself for a moment by not thinking it is there."
"It's hard to think of you as having flaws." I motioned down to the city below. "At least, from their perspective. They see all of us, except Luna, I guess, as perfect." I quietly scoffed and drained my glass. "In the religion I practiced before coming here, there were seven deadly sins." I tapped my lower jaw thoughtfully. "Let me see now. There was gluttony, lust, sloth, covetousness, pride..." I smirked and pointed to myself. "Wrath." I tilted my head to Celestia. "And envy."
"Ooh, gluttony. That's another one that I struggled with in the days of yore." Celestia chuckled and shook her head. "You think my cake addiction is bad now?"
"Sloth for me." I put my wine glass down in front of me next to Celestia's. "Anything I wanted to do I could, but I never really wanted to. And now I'm a goddess princess." I snorted again. "Funny how life works out."
Celestia pushed the bottle of wine towards me, but I shook my head and waved it away. She nodded in return, and, with a flash of her horn, it and the glasses were gone.
"So, anything else you'd like to talk about, TD? Any other frustrations or amusing anecdotes that have arisen since last we spoke?"
I sighed as I tried to think of something, but couldn't. My new religion was taking up most of my thought process these days, and life had been going fairly smoothly. I shrugged and shook my head. "Life is just kind of going. After two years I think I'm starting to get the hang of things."
"TD, you don't get the hang of things after two years. I've been ruling for thousands, and hopefully I'll be ruling for tens of thousands more, and I still wonder whether or not I completely understand the job."
"It's more than just raising and lowering the sun." I looked out at the sun, staring at it on the horizon. Being an alicorn, I could stare straight at it and not be damaged. "Though I still don't know if I could do that."
"Well, you don't know until you try it."
I raised an eyebrow and glanced over at her. "Huh?"
Celestia pointed at the sun. "It will be time to lower it in about ten minutes. Why don't you try it for tonight? If you don't get it then I'll take over, of course."
I flattened my ears and looked down at the ground. "Uh... I don't know about that. I mean, the sun is kinda your deal, isn't it?"
"Yes, well, the moon was 'kind of Luna's deal,' but the time arose when I had to take control of it for a time." Celestia gave me that maternal smile of hers and put her wing on my back. "Come now, TD. It's not that difficult for an alpha alicorn. After two years of this you're more than strong enough, I assure you. There's no harm in at least attempting. It will not explode if somepony else tries to lower it."
"Er..." I glanced back up at the sun and began silently ruing that it didn't set of its own accord. I mean, just earlier today I was discussing my own religion, and now I'm lowering the sun. No pressure on me. Still, I gathered that she wasn't going to take no for an answer. I sighed and nodded. "Fine. I'll try."
"Excellent!" Celestia folded her wing back at her side and nudged me to my hooves. "Now, then, what you have to do first off is relax. You will not lower the sun wound up like a foal's toy."
Despite myself I let out a single laugh at that, which did help. I relieved some of the tension in my chest.
"Now, then, just close your eyes and feel, TD. Feel the world around you. As an alpha alicorn, you have an innate connection to everything, even if you are unaware of it. Once you can feel everything, I think that you will be able to find the sun."
"Okay."
I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths. I began tuning out the city noise until it faded away completely, and all I heard was the sound of silence. Slowly my body began to feel like it was floating in a swimming pool, but without the water. There was a certain density to the atmosphere. I reached out with my mind a little more, and I felt it.
Well... more I felt... everything.
I felt each and every individual pony, every tree, pebble, brick, bird, pet dog, squirrel, I felt it all. But the greatest shock came when I reached out even more and felt... well, she was right when she said that I would be able to find the sun. I could sense the size of everything that I felt, and the sun was the most massive thing around. It was larger than anything by a measure that I can't even begin to describe. And then a single thought entered my mind.
Lower.
I ignited my horn and felt my aura wrap around the massive sun, willing it to push down to make way for the moon. Inch by inch the giant crawled lower in the sky, and I felt my spirit soar as I realized what I was doing.
However, as I continued lowering, I realized that it was slowing down. I frowned and poured more energy into it, but that only made it come to a complete stop. I began to panic. My mind raced as it went through the possibilities of me having permanently stuck the sun in the sky. I panicked so much that my horn went out and my eyes snapped open, revealing that I was still on the rooftop of my palace in Baltimare. Celestia still had that maternal smile on her face.
"For a first effort that was not bad at all."
I looked out to the sun and saw that it was halfway down the horizon. Yeah, I guess it wasn't too bad for a first try moving a freaking star. I turned my attention back to Celestia who had her eyes closed and her horn alight. The sky grew steadily darker by the second until all the land was covered in the blanket of night. It was not more than a few moments before the moon raised in the sun's place.
"I suppose it realized that you weren't me." Celestia clicked her tongue and shook her head. "No matter. We have time, I think."
"Yeah..." I frowned and tilted my head as a thought struck me. "So... where does it go? I've never gotten a straight answer on where the sun and moon go when you two move them. To the other side of the planet? I mean, it doesn't seem like that. You're lowering them."
"TD..." Celestia chuckled and put a hoof on my shoulder. "I may be the sun princess, but that is the one thing about my charge that I do not know. You ask me anything else about it and I can tell you, down to how hot the center is, but I do not know what happens to it when I lower it."
"Interesting." I shrugged. "One of the mysteries of life I guess."
"Indeed it is." Celestia took a deep breath and stretched out her neck. "Well, TD, this has been fun, and we should do it again, but I must return to Canterlot." She smiled at me and put her wing over my shoulders. "I had a wonderful time, TD."
"Yeah, I did too, actually." I put my foreleg over her back. "It's nice to have somepony to talk to who gets it, you know?"
"More than you understand, TD. At least for right now."
With that, Celestia leaned in and nuzzled me right on the cheek, something that was surprising but... not unpleasant, I guess. I mean, it's a common friendly gesture, and, odd as it was, Celestia was my best friend right now.
"Well, I must be off." Celestia folded her wing and straightened up. "You take care, TD. Don't hesitate to call me for anything you might need."
I gave her a small salute. "Same to you, I guess."
Celestia nodded, spread her wings, and took off back to Canterlot, leaving me to fly back to my room, reflecting that, all things considered, I had a really weird life. Not bad weird, but definitely weird.
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TD's gender issue still bugs me. Is he fine with being female now, or will he attempt to become male again?
Celestia's making her move I see
Honestly, as much as i love April fool's jokes and as funny as that would of been, I'm glad this one did not get one. The last 4 stories ive read for updates have all been April fools. It gets old preeeetty quick.
and now I must think about The Last Samurai and draw the comparisons. Both TD and Algren are total Jackasses sent to a whole new world where they stole the life of someone else
Celestia= Katsumoto Twilight= guy who got killed in the beginning Algren= TD Luna = that British guy?
if you haven't watched the movie than this is just a strange rant and you've been wasting your life.
So is their world not a planet? How can Celestia not know what happens to it when she lowers it? Is she subjecting some poor civilization to extreme heat or something without knowing it?
Darnit
I thought discord was out in an earlier chapter. What did he do to get stoned?
Well, at least Jesus wouldn't secretly be wishing you weren't worshiping him at all.
4172465
TD: "Celestia, I find your lack of scientifical curiosity... disturbing"
To think humans, since the moments they first achieved the upright position, and took a look at the stars, have been struggling to understand the mechanic of celestial bodies until they finally managed to get the answers, and yet the Sun Princess doesn´t have any curiosity in solving one of the biggest misteries of her work.
4172436 yes I concur
4172465 what if their world is flat?
ok this has happend for the past like 5 chapters of this fic. before bed i read a fic then i think hey wonder where TD the alicorn princess is hope it updates soon wake up look and BAM chapter.......... GET OUT OF MY BRAIN!
*pats the bow of the G.S. CelesTDa*
"Soon..."
4172539
It's my Headcanon that it is, & the Sun & the Moon simply wait underneath the disc, swapping places when summoned.
Celestia does seem to have swept the whole getting-TD-back-to normal-or-at-least-his-own-gender issue aside now though hasn't she? Her focus appears to be molding him into a Princess & TD's going along with it. I can understand why, he has responsibilities now, but it does make me think he's given up on whole idea of changing himself & is just going to accept this as his life now.
4172477 I think your mistaking TD the alicorn princess with The life of a non-brony.
OH MY GAWD. TD now he's someone I haven't seen in about a year XD! Thank you fimfoction gods! And brony writer
You still totally should have done that, just for kicks.
4172539
Actually, it can still be a planet. The sun is moving on its own during the day - Celestia is only seen moving it during sunrise and sunset, so it's probably just a planet with a really rusty axis, that needs a nudge each 12 hours to keep rotating.
4172658
I think, it's more to do with this.
4172539 What if it resides on top of four elephants, which in turn are standing on a turtle?
static.tumblr.com/85162f4de9b1f1e4e4422a476a6601ba/rzr0htk/rqHmjz6fg/tumblr_static_url.jpg
I still think that some TDlestia shipping is needed. While it does t have to be anything massive, more like a light side thing that happens every once in a while.
Ehh. Good chapter though.
4172503
Actually, he would.
Jesus wanted to abolish religions of the time, saying that they were corrupting people, and misinterpreting holy doctrines.
Funny, that.
Edit: What if, after Celestia lowers the sun, the sun realizes Celestia isn't in sight anymore, and lets gravity do the work?
I could see that be a story, 'Chasing after that setting sun'. But my best guess is that on the other side there is some form of super power that moves the sun.
4172513 meh it's been two years he probably doesn't even think about it at this point he's just going to go with the flow.
4172678
you're close. it's turtles all the way down!
And TD would be the dominant one.
4173041
You know, it wouldn't be too far off there...
They could always blame the wine.
of all of.TDs adventures this is my favorite
4172658 no he was in an earlier chapter with the vines and the tree of harmony
And the end section of this chapter, one thought entered my mind. Number 1 is going to be the true one, isn't it? ...Did you do this deliberately BronyWriter? Are you trying to get us to guess which one is true? Are you!?
Anyway, great chapter, looking forward to more.
Don't need the quotation marks after says.
Might be a run on sentence. Could use a comma or a period.
Not sure if yep should be capitalized or not.
Shining Armor has a husband? And he's a mare?I knew it!Edit: ok that makes sense now
Not sure IF is supposed to be like that for added emphasis or it's a typo. Feel free to ignore.
event
Seems awkward to me. My personal favorite or My favorite kind seems better, but that's just me.
Drop the I
TD and Celestia becoming friends. Still odd to think about, even if we did see it in Life of a Non-Brony.
great chapter:
An excellent chapter as always, you really have a knack for literature!
4173376 As her husband meaning as Cadance's husband.
This chapter was really nice, and I enjoyed it very much so.
Really awesome chapter. It's too bad about the April Fools bit, because that would have been the most awesome thing I saw done in celebration.
Anyways, I love the friendship starting in among the other alicorns.
That like, bond between characters isn't an approach I've seen often; the barrier of them being princesses/rulers/old-as-heck tends to be a little too strong.
In all honesty... I think it's becoming one of my favorite aspects of this story.
4173104
Yeah, really. I could totally see Twilight yelling at both Celestia and TD about it. I wonder how their respective churches would take it?
And its stoping you to do that anyway?
Also, I'm confused you say 'when Cadence die' but later own you say that TD would not die, or age. I though only Celestia and Luna can't die because they are deities while the alicorn blessing only make…well a pony or human into an alicorn (female for some reason) the same way the blessing made Cadence what she is now, so…wouldn't Cadence also not die, since she and TD become alicorns by the same thing?
4172436 He said one or two chapters ago that he's still working on it, but hasn't found a permanent solution yet.
4173722 TD became an Alpha Alicorn while Cadance is a Beta Alicorn. The canon show itself has alpha and beta alicorns, as the show creators confirmed that Twilight isn't immortal, though Celestia and Luna clearly are. Cadance, while I think she will live a lot longer than the average pony, will eventually grow old and die.
4172464 I've seen it once or twice and I... didn't care for it that much. It's not an awful movie, per se, but... it's just Tom Cruise Presents Dances with Wolves in Japan. It's almost the exact same story.
4173737
I see, yeah that makes sense
4173177 I'm slowly starting to agree with that myself. Not that I don't really like Life, but in an odd way, from a character standpoint, this might be his best.
4173286 A non-canon chapter...
Oh, dammit.
4172678
img.4plebs.org/boards/tg/image/1373/28/1373284818428.jpg
4172539
then they are riding on the back of a great space-turtle.
25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m490bucc8P1r2taqzo1_1280.jpg
4172678
darnit you beat me to it!
4173685
It'd turn into a Norse-Mythology family.
It'd be Horse Mythology...
4173724 im surprised you haven't made a chapter about TD going through heat
4173835 ah ok
the world could be an Alderson-disk- or Niven-ring-like structure.
Actually, from a less subjective viewpoint, the planet could still be a spheroid if the "raising/lowering the sun/moon" spell is seen as using/creating a reaction force to spin the planet to give it enough angular momentum to get from sunrise to sunset and then back again. The spell just needs refreshing periodically. Having the lunar and solar spells operate on different amounts and directions of force allows for the occasional eclipse, lunar phases, and some seasonal change independent of ponies' work. The natural forces of the seasons merely manifest themselves as "wild magic" or a magical being/species (like the Windigo.)
...And I just applied science and reason to an alternate universe story on the internet for a fan fiction on the internet of a children's show about magical, colorful ponies.