Onward
Upheaval: Reckoning
Chapter 61: Onward
“Hero of the Battle of Sky Mirror Lake,” they called him. “Up there with Apple Slice, Ash Frost, and Moonrage,” they said.
Vanguard Clash didn’t feel too much like a hero. A day had passed since the events of Sky Mirror Lake. While most of the Legion forces in the Heartland were still cleaning up, he and a select few had been allowed to take the Night Skimmer back to Canterlot along with the royalty and the bearers of the Elements of Harmony.
Despite the best medical care, including healing spells cast by Princess Luna herself, Vanguard still felt as if his bones were made of splinters bound together with string. Walking hurt his legs, breathing hurt his ribs, even a mere turn of his neck hurt.
Now in Canterlot, with a room in the Royal Palace just for him, all the talk of “hero” soured in Vanguard’s mouth. He didn’t like this room. The mattress was warm and soft, the sheets fresh and fragrant. He had fresh fruit slices on a silver platter nearby and pressed clothes, fit for any court attendee ready for him. A guest of Equestria would consider himself pampered at this.
Except he wasn't a guest of Equestria. He was a legionnaire at its service. Despite the pain, he was going to walk out of this place, find Scarlet so he could get his armor back, then report for duty.
The clothes remained folded by his bedside, which was properly made long before the palace staff could get to his room. The silver platter was empty, more because he didn’t want to waste fresh fruit than out of hunger. Upon opening the door, however, Vanguard instinctively took a step back.
A blond, orange-coated mare, one of the true heroes of Sky Mirror Lake, was standing outside Vanguard’s room. Applejack’s jaw dropped when the door opened while her front hoof was halfway towards knocking.
“V-Vanguard!” Applejack said. “What are you doing up? The princess said you should be resting for a few more days!”
Vanguard sized Applejack up, his eyes lingering on her own bandages. “I’d say the same for you,” he said. He looked around. “No guards to keep an eye on the injured Element of Honesty. Security’s getting lax.”
“It ain’t so bad for me,” Applejack said. “I got off the lightest out everypony who went down the abyss.” She stretched out her foreleg and grinned. “See? Almost as good as new!”
“Got off the lightest or recovered the fastest?” Vanguard asked. He tried to walk past her, but she pressed a hoof against his shoulder to keep him in place.
“Hold on there, partner,” Applejack said. “I heard all about your insane heroics against the Coldsteel Construct. There’s no way you’re fit enough to get back to work!”
“Why don’t you walk with me then, Applejack?” Vanguard asked. “If I keel over, you can haul me back to bed and lecture me. I won’t move an inch without your permission after that.”
Applejack paused for a second and eyed him closely. “You really mean that?” she asked. “You’ll do as I say?”
“Of course,” Vanguard said. “You know that I mean what I say.”
Applejack grinned and trotted right next to Vanguard. “Yeah, you do. So where are you going?”
“Scarlet has my gear,” Vanguard replied. He was already making his way for the Royal Palace’s main doors. It was unlikely that Scarlet would have been allowed to loiter around this place. The local drinking holes would be his first targets.
Outside, the wintry clouds had relented for this day, allowing the morning rays to warm the chilly city air. The streets were even busier now. Supplies and personnel were constantly on the move, tending to the still returning forces from Sky Mirror Lake. The influx of changeling refugees had also given the city an air of tension. The changelings and their queen were given a small portion of the city to stay in until they could make the proper move back to their old territory. The Royal Guard had been tasked in making sure that they were kept both safe and accounted for.
Despite the grimmer atmosphere that Canterlot had taken, Applejack’s grin widened as she stretched her back. “Land’s sakes!” she said. “Back in the farm, I didn’t think it was possible to miss the sun so badly! Not even during the winter!”
“The Old Kingdom was that bad, huh?” Vanguard said.
The grin lessened. “Terrible,” Applejack said softly. “The abyss was even worse.”
They moved away from the busier streets, keeping to the narrow alleyways that were unfit for wagons. Here, with fewer ponies about, Applejack’s mood seemed to grow even more somber. Vanguard paused and stared at her. “Something you need to say?” he asked. “You came to my room after all.”
“Actually, I…” Applejack stopped and pawed the ground. “I wanted to tell you something.”
Vanguard didn’t say anything, but he had no intention of moving. In this particular alleyway, there were no ponies around. Perhaps, with some distance from the gravity of the palace and away from the prying eyes of other ponies, Applejack found it easier to speak her mind.
Applejack scratched her head and took of her hat, pressing it against her chest. “When we thought we were stuck in that collapsing abyss, the prince told us to make peace with this world.”
The cheery grin on Applejack’s face had turned into a wan smile. “I…I couldn’t. I had just come back here! I still had a lot to say to my folks back home. And…well…” She glanced at Vanguard and looked away, only to glance back at him from the corner of her eye. “Well, I needed to say something to you.” She laughed nervously. “Funny, huh? That’s twice I almost died now. Makes me think about making sure I say what I have to say.”
“Applejack…” Vanguard hesitated, wondering if anything would be accomplished if he tried to divert the topic, if he even should or why he would want to.
“I love you.”
Though she could barely look at him when she was struggling to say it, once the words were out, Applejack stared at Vanguard intently. It was his turn to be unsure of himself. Who was he and what had he done for these mares to be attracted to him? It wasn’t right, as his instincts continued to remind him grimly. He would only be a liability to the Elements of Harmony, just one more pony to act as a weak point.
He needed time. Time to think things through. Time to…his front legs were moving on their own again. This time, the moon was nowhere in sight. No, this wasn’t about moon rage. It wasn’t about the wolven. He was a stallion and he was staring into the intense green eyes of a very beautiful earth pony mare. Applejack’s breath felt warmth against his face, a soft contrast to the cool, crisp morning air, still carrying the mild aroma of freshly baked apple pie for breakfast. She smelled of fragrant soap, with a slight musky tinge; a clean, honest scent, no sting from perfume that he often encountered among Canterlot’s citizens. ‘Just feelings,’ he reminded himself.
And those feelings were clearly making themselves known despite all of Vanguard’s careful control. Applejack must have noticed. She drew closer hesitantly, her mouth slightly open, seemingly aware that she was having an effect on him. “Applejack,” Vanguard said.
“Huh?” Applejack all but mumbled, her voice low and husky, her eyes half-lidded.
Vanguard put a hoof on her shoulder to both hold her steady and at a distance. “We’ll be parting ways soon,” was what he wanted to say.
It was true. As he lay there, recovering from his injuries and waiting for the royalty and the bearers of the Elements of Harmony to emerge from the Old Kingdom, he contended with a simple, crystal clear fact. The bearers of the Elements of Harmony would always be the bearers of the Elements of Harmony. That was the only group they belonged to, which meant that Applejack and Twilight Sparkle’s stay in Third Squad, short as it may be, was over. His stay with the Elements of Harmony was over. With the threat of Black Rose gone and reunification running smoothly, he expected to be sent back to the north. When he got back there, he would rejoin the ranks of the rest of the Legion. To expect that he would continue to work with the Elements of Harmony was unreasonable and selfish. To complete his mission and ensure the smooth operation of the Elements of Harmony in the long run…that would be for the better.
But that fact was easier to consider and accept when he was alone with his thoughts. His roles were clear and acceptable. Things got murky once feelings got involved.
“Think about your own happiness.”
He didn’t need to see Applejack or Twilight Sparkle or any of the bearers of the Elements of Harmony ever again…but he wanted to. He had asked for time, but it wasn’t time he needed, just this courage to reach out for his own happiness for once. His foreleg softened and Applejack pressed just a bit closer. Her coat was warm against his and the scent of her breath so close started to tickle his nose.
What about Twilight? She had brushed against him, asked him about love, looked at him with that longing that made his heart ache and his legs shaky. Twilight, whom he held dearly and admired greatly. Twilight, who was bound for greatness. He was always worried for his newfound friends; worried about how’d they’d fit into the Legion, worried about where their paths to power would carry them. He worried for Twilight most of all and all those other things he felt for her; admiration and concern alike, overpowered love.
But Applejack…Applejack was a calming, reassuring presence. Applejack, who he worked next to with ease, Applejack, who didn't feel out of place sitting next to him by a campfire, or a bar, or in a fight. She called him partner. She probably used that word for any friend. He wasn't as free with the word. For her though...
“I love you too.”
His face was but a few inches away from hers when he said that. No other words slipped out of either of them before their lips were too busy with other things besides words. Vanguard draped a foreleg around her and pulled her close and tight. For a while, Scarlet and reacquiring the nightsteel fullplate were forgotten.
Only one small thought nagged from the farthest corners of Vanguard’s mind, like a stubborn little itch that would return with a vengeance later. He had to tell Twilight.
When some of the Legion forces sent to Sky Mirror Lake returned to the capital, Canterlot Hospital finally experienced first-hoof the monstrous things that the Legion dealt with. The worst of the injured were flown in on airships. The Legion medics and the Heartland doctors they were working with soon found themselves flooded.
The constructs of the Old Kingdom were not simply designed to kill. They were designed to inspire terror and reverence in both their enemies and allies alike. Their tools were menacing and inflicted gruesome wounds and horrifying deaths. A construct did not just kill, it made examples of. It showed to all what happened to those who denied Oceanus.
To Sablesteel, locked away in her own special hospital room, all of it sounded a lot like the Blades. And, just like the Blades, the constructs would have likely done a lot worse to the Legion if they were streamlined for efficiency. She snorted. Old Kingdom or Blackmoon Blades, fanatics often followed the same roads and they all ended in the same ruin once their cause disappeared.
‘And I’m no different,’ Sablesteel thought. She sat up and glanced at her room for a second before refocusing on her forelegs. They had stripped her of her gear to “treat her wounds”. Of course. The legionnaires that carried them away handled them as if they were live, extremely pissed vipers. They should.
The only door was locked from the outside and the windows were barred. The room itself was bare, save for a small table that held a tray of untouched food and water. This was more dungeon cell than hospital room. That was to be expected to. They didn’t have to. Her blades were broken. The greatest pony in the world was gone.
The other Thorns were likely in rooms similar to this one. Except for Blue Moon, of course. He likely had a cushy office to himself. It wouldn’t be long for the others. Lion was an expert when it came to worming his way to favorable positions. He could talk his way through the suspicion. He hadn’t done anything too terrible, at least none that could be linked to him. He could sell his skills and find new opportunities without trouble. Longstride was a bow with a fleshy, pony-shaped attachment to fire it for the wielder. Putting him to work now would be as easy as a living legionnaire picking up the weapons of a dead legionnaire next to him. As for Octavia…well, Octavia was a heartlander obviously manipulated by Black Rose with unfulfilled promises. Maybe they’ll just send her home. Maybe they’ll put her to work using the same promises Black Rose made.
The Thorns were done. The Legion wouldn’t trust them as a group. They’ll be made into individual agents, or subsumed into other groups. And as for Sablesteel…
“I’m alone again.”
The darkened bareness of this room was the same as the old family storehouse, the same as the tomb she laid her grandfather in, the same as the abyss. This bare room that held nothing and nopony...
“I’m alone again,” Sablesteel whispered. Her shoulders quivered uncontrollably. She failed to stifle a sob. The blanket still covering her hind legs moistened with tears. Once more adrift, once more without a group and a cause she could call her own. She didn't want to face this again. She didn't want to go through that bleak, numb search all over again.
The door creaked. In an instant, Sable had wiped away the tears. If her breath wouldn't steady, she was going to hold it until it did. Her ears perked and her eyes narrowed.
“Hello,” Princess Luna said as she closed the door behind her. The legionnaires outside continued to stare into the room until the door shut on them.
“Moon princess…” Sablesteel hissed. “We’re d--!”
“My name is Luna and, no, we’re not done here.”
Sablesteel snorted. At least some of the despair seeped back into the darker recesses of her mind for now. “So the Legion has decided to torture me after all,” she said. “What do you want from me, Princess Luna?”
Seeing no chair anywhere, Luna took to sitting on the floor. “To the point,” she said. “You are a capable ally, Sablesteel: brave, strong, fast, and dedicated. I would like you to come into my service.”
“Do you need me to spit on you again, Princess Luna?” Sablesteel asked.
“I would much rather you didn't.”
Sablesteel flung the blanket away. “Why would I stoop to working for you?” she asked. “I have served the greatest pony in Equestria. A mare who had the nation’s interest from beginning to end.” She snorted again. “You tried to kill my ancestors because they didn't pat your back hard enough.”
“Black Rose is dead,” Luna said, her voice steely. “We must rescue her soul, but she is gone from this world. Nightmare Moon is also gone. So are the Starlight Sentinels, the Blackmoon Blades and a great many others.” Her tone softened as Sablesteel’s jaw clenched. “I am not the greatest pony in Equestria. You are not what I envisioned what the Starlight Sentinels would be…but you and I, we’re still here.”
Luna let out a sigh and glanced away briefly. Sablesteel relaxed a bit and sat back. Her heart was still pounding from the sudden rage and constant tension, but she was more curious now than sad or angry. She breathed in slowly and closed her eyes in an effort to get the puffiness down. She had sacrificed enough dignity to the moon princess as it is.
“Neither of us is what we had hoped we would have, but we are the present and we have only onward to move," Luna went on. “We can never get back what we have lost in this world, but we can gain other things. Through you, I shall accomplish what I failed with in the Starlight Sentinels. Through me, you shall take that next step that your grandfather and Black Rose had meant for you to. Will you join my service?”
It took a long moment of silence, but a single eye, as blue as a clear summer sky, looked at the princess.
It was late afternoon by the time Twilight Sparkle felt strong enough to get up and walk around the palace. The others were still resting. Most of them anyway.
Applejack was not in her room. The nearby guards said she had walked out of there in the morning and hadn't come back. Rainbow Dash had apparently tried to follow suit after Applejack left. When the guards found her nearly collapsed in one hallway, they put her back in her room with threats of tying her to the bed and locking her there. Fluttershy’s room was the busiest, with several doctors and unicorn magi, including Blue Moon, taking a better look at her ruined eye. She didn't seem to mind. That dark presence about her during their stay in the abyss seemed to have either retreated or was content to stay silent. Rarity was enjoying the pampering from the palace staff. Delicacies were delivered to her room along with a masseuse, fresh flowers, and various beverages. As for Pinkie Pie, she dozed through the day, her snores audible behind the closed doors of her room. A pony calling himself Copper Mane had arrived earlier, but left when he saw how exhausted Pinkie was.
Twilight made her way towards the audience hall. She had tried to rest up some more, knowing that she needed all her strength soon enough, but the need to know what was going to happen next only left her tossing and turning.
The audience hall was surprisingly empty. Twilight had expected a long line of nobles still presenting their complaints to the princess. Perhaps the sight of the injured making their way to Canterlot had pulled the city together into a united effort. Major issues had been settled earlier in the day and the minor ones were set aside. Perhaps nopony dared to ask for an audience when they saw the heavily wounded Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.
If there were no audiences, Twilight had a good idea of where the princess might spend the rest of the day. She made her way towards Princess Celestia’s favorite balcony. On the tallest tower of the Royal Palace, facing the east, Celestia could spend hours just looking at the horizon. There were guards stationed along the way. Anypony else would have been turned away sternly if they came through the halls and the long stairway. The guards simply gave Twilight a quick glance before letting her through.
And Twilight was right, Princess Celestia sat by that balcony, her wings stretched to take in some of the late afternoon sun. She had no armor on anymore, not even her usual jewelry. That radiant spear that saved them all at the last second was nowhere in sight. As soon as Twilight stepped into the balcony, Celestia turned towards her and smiled. “Feeling better?” she asked.
“Yes,” Twilight replied. She looked over the bandages around Celestia. “What about you?”
Celestia’s tone saddened. “These wounds are nothing. Small cuts for one privileged enough to sit by sidelines while others dove into the abyss. I haven’t thanked and congratulated you yet, Twilight. Thank you for saving my brother, and stopping the threat of both the Old Kingdom and the firstborn’s throne. You have come so far in such a short time.”
“I wasn't alone,” Twilight said with a shake of her head. “It took everypony’s power to save Equestria! We wouldn't have made it out if it wasn't for you!”
“Not me,” Celestia said. She stared off at a distance. “It was my father’s will that pulled you from the collapsing abyss." She glanced at her chest, at the spot where she had been stabbed by a void knife. " And there were other sacrifices too."
“Princess…” Twilight hesitated. Should she insist that Celestia had also done her part? Or would that be too patronizing? Besides, she was here for something else besides deciding where the credit for saving Equestria went. “Princess, where do we go from here?” she asked. “What do we do now?”
Celestia’s look hardened. “Our path is clear,” she said. “The eighth rebellion has come to pass. The firstborn stirs in the depths, and my father emerges from the Silver Sanctum. The two thrones will eventually clash, and I will do everything in my power to save Equestria.”
“Protect Equestria.”
Twilight nodded. That was a stupid question now that she looked back to it. “But what will be our next move?” she asked.
The hard look softened, and Celestia’s smile was back. “Fortunately, that part has been provided. The King has summoned me and my siblings. Once we make the proper preparations, we shall depart for the Eternal Herd for a short while." Celestia looked briefly above her, straight into the sky. "He summoned us a long time ago, and I disobeyed. Yet, when I asked for his aid, he gave it. I would never be able to bear the shame if I refused this summons now."
Twilight’s eyes widened. “Y-you’re leaving?” she asked. “But what if something happens here that needs your attention? What about Wolvengard, Ursinium, and Ophidus? What about the reunification?”
“Wolvengard is in no position to suddenly attack us,” Celestia said as she looked back to Twilight. “The Herd has also already entered talks with their heavenly realms. We will not leave this world until we are assured that we can return with Equestria still intact.” She surveyed the city below. “I have a great deal of confidence, much more than what I had in the past thanks to what you have shown me. I know Equestria will stand strong while we’re away.”
Twilight smiled back. It was an odd feeling, like being tickled from the inside. She had never thought that she could ever teach her teacher anything.
Celestia’s smile widened. “But my siblings and I aren't the only ones going. The King has also requested for your presence, Twilight Sparkle. You shall make the trip with us.”
The pleasantly odd feeling fell along with Twilight’s jaw. “Wait…what?” She stared at Celestia incredulously. “I’m going to meet the King? As in the King of the Eternal Herd?”
“His name is Sanctus Dominus, by the way,” Celestia said. “I’ll have to find time to instruct you with the proper greetings. He won’t mind a mild breach of conduct, but the court will certainly be scandalized.”
“B-but--! What will say to him? Do I have to wear something? Am I supposed to do something for him?” Twilight’s breathing quickened. “What if--! What if I end up convincing him to blow up Equestria anyway?”
“Twilight.” Celestia draped a wing over Twilight and held her close. “You will do just fine,” she said softly. “You have always done just fine.”
“Why am I the only one being summoned?” Twilight asked. “What about the rest of the bearers of the Elements of Harmony? Won’t he want to meet them to?”
Celestia put a hoof to her chin. “He asked for the Element of Magic specifically. I would still bring the others otherwise, but the wording has been specific. Only the Element of Magic. It only grows odder that Regia Carnifex is not even mentioned.” She frowned briefly. “I am sensing my mother’s hoof in this.”
“Is that bad?”
“Truly, I do not know.” Celestia's frown disappeared. “But I’m not too worried. We will see this through.”
Twilight exhaled, finding comfort under her mentor’s wings. She paused for a moment and looked up at the princess again. “What about the others? What will they do while we’re off to the Eternal Herd?”
“You can tell, can’t you?” Celestia said. “The Element of Magic lies at the center of the formation. You may not see specifics, but I think you already know that something is happening. I can sense it too. Each of them has an individual fate tugging at them. With the most present crises settled, and the most dangerous threat still at the horizon, now will be the time to see to them.”
“So we’ll be parting ways…” Twilight looked to the floor. “Just when I thought we could have a breather and be together for a while.”
“I’m sorry,” Celestia said. “The days have been strange lately. They will only grow stranger from here on end.”
Twilight shook her head. “No, I understand,” she said. “Fighting the Six Companions taught me that more than ever. I believe in each of my friends. When I return, I know they will be there, stronger than ever.”
Both teacher and student stared out at the horizon as Celestia willed the sun to set behind them. It was only beginning to get dark, but, on this spot, they already anticipated the new day.
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Maybe when Twilight heads up she won't have her head blown up because she's a mortal.
I think not! Did I by chance I developed a sixth sense? I mean, since I was young I had the ability to think in the movie that will spend the next day on TV, but here I was, thinking of nothing I would have a new chapter yours today and prezto!
This came! Too bad it's so short.
Upheaval has always been a instant read when it is updated for me because it is a great world that is flushed out so damn well so when I say I can't wait for the next story I truely mean it
oh and thank you for all the time you have spent writing this grand adventure
this is what i felt like when vanguard said i love you to applejack and not twilight
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I can't possibly give you more thumbs than I currently have, so instead I have to thank you for writing this wonderful story for us. It has been a absolute pleasure reading through this series and I can only wonder where it will go from here.
while a part of me is iffy about the details of the last rebellion a bit, I do like where things are going now. though I wonder why the god of your pony universe would only want to see one part of the elements. the magic may be in the center but it is all the rest that give it power. curiuos to see what becomes of the thorns now that they have been shed from the rose as well.
seems that the elements are taking separate paths at the moment, hopefully to grow stronger.
T
oh its complete? interesting.........
actually now that I think about it, how ARE the thorns alive? the pony that revived them is dead........ how does necromancy work in your story exactly?
Meh, I always hate love triangle...But, nice chapter...
Oh, yes. Finally, after two years, this tale comes to a close. I have enjoyed every step of the way since picking it up in Feb 2013.
Onward, indeed. Upheaval: ? coming up NEXT!
Heheh, this makes me giddy.
4930065
I felt the same... But thinking about the story as a whole, it had to be done. With the Mane 6 seperating, Twilight couldn't still be a major plotpoint with a lover involved (Having Twilight met the King would probably be harder).
On a side note... Who calls that Twilight is going to cause or be a cause of the last rebellion. Having Twilight meet the king kinda hints (or is a red herring) that Twilight is the epicenter.
4930359 I know
but I always felt like he met twilight first, he would say that he loves her :/
About 100 chapters read for vanguard to fall in love with the wrong person
Hmm, I have to admit I skipped a bit here and there. What the hey happened with Spike? Did I miss something??
Well, Vanguard confessed to AJ, hope he gets to talk things out with Twilight before she leaves.
So, Luna's trying to reform the Starlight Sentinels, that should be interesting.
Having all three Alicorns go back to the Eternal Herd at once, I see no way that could go badly...
And Twilight was specifically summoned? Hmm, my plotline senses are tingling and they're telling me this is about 50/50 good or bad. Again, Divina Gratia is mentioned having a role in the decision.
4930164 Judging by the fact that they're not dead I'm assuming it was some kind of 'lump sum' resurrection spell rather than a 'channeled' spell. IIRC, their spirits were stopped from crossing over to the Herd, so all Black Rose had to do was reanimate/recreate their bodies.
4930359 Considering the parts for the Ninth Rebellion are moving on their own now, I doubt Twilight will have that large of a role to play herself. What I'm worried about is the Element of Magic leaving the mortal world...
4930376 Nope, there hasn't been a Spike chapter since 50, high chance of one being one of the first chapters in the next story though.
10/10. I was wondering how you would progress VC/AJ/TC after things were so inconclusive before. Somehow, you managed to make the progression natural. AJ realized what was important and VC was just emotionally exhausted. He kind of realized things were out of control and embraced it. Plus the nagging helped.
Hoo boy, that was quite the ride!
This was a fantastic way to end the story, and aside from the usual assortment of minor spelling & grammar errors this was a great chapter in its own right. I eagerly await the next story and Twilight's journey to the Eternal Herd, which will no doubt be quite a story in and of itself.
Keep up the awesome work, man!
I can't wait for the sequel.
I expect an awesome Spike, an Alicorn!Twilight and maybe Twilight blowing up a mountain when Vanguard told her about his choice.
Was a long and amazing ride. I'm not good with words but I can safely say, you are one of the best, Visiden.
Hmm maybe now we can see Pinkie gain more of her new found skills.
4930376 Still off learning how to be the Dragonking with that half-dragon, I imagine.
So, time for Twi-Twi to earn her wings, so to speak?
4930373 I'm still holding out hope for herd time, but considering Twilight might not find out about it until she's back from the eternal Herd lands, she might not take being kept in the dark so well. AJ's gotta be honest, but not getting torched by agro newly Alicornificated Twi might require some tact...
As always, looking forward to more awesome radicalness. Author, Author!
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Nooooooo!!!!! Twilight! Vanguard! Whyyyyy??!!
An awesome conclusion to a great story though I was personally pulling for Twi-Vanguard I'll be patient and give AJ-Vanguard a chance.
Loving the idea of the Thorns helping out now (especially since they were kind of already doing that anyway by the end) and the conversation with Luna and Sablesteel was great. Twilight summoned to the Eternal Herd? 
This ought to be good. So is there a timeline for book 3? Like do you have it already started and working on it or are you planning to take some time off and let the creative juices recharge? Regardless of what you plan to do I can't wait to see what happens next. Keep up the great work man
Uh oh, I wonder how Twilight is going to react to the whole VG/AJ thing. I was leaning more toward a VG/TS, oh well! :)
I can't believe it's finally complete! Can't wait till they go to the Eternal Herd! Looking forward to the next one! :D
APPLECLASH FOR THE WIN BABY!!!!! Okay now that I got that put of the way... I am glad you went with AppleClash. TwiClash would have felt like he was just using her to replace Pyre. These last two books are among the best writen fac fictions I have read across all of my fandoms and I eagerly await book 3. I need to find a way to put them into paperback. Praise the sun(butt)!!! \ [T] /
Thank you so much for such a great story.
funny thing..i enjoy applejack much more than twilight. but for this story i just have to say..fuck you applejack, Twiguard is best pairing
4930595
I'm sure Twilight will get over it or just create more problems with that solution. AJ and Twi did talk about it civilly when they were on the rescue for Rainbow Dash.
With the Alicorns and Twi gone, I believe the other Bearers may be put into figurehead positions of power to avoid the vacuum rush. With Applejack being the most level-headed of the bunch and Vanguard by her side...Or would that just be too awkward? I can't really think of many they can trust to be in charge while there are still enemies at the gates and they took a massive wound dealing with internal issues. Though, the Bearers would still need to have a hands-on approach for them to be relevant to the sequel.
Also, Celestia's trip may take an undisclosed amount of time in the mortal realm because Eternals view time differently.
4930359 Heh, well I can't remember too well but isn't Twilight still a unicorn in this story? If this story tries to follow the real show kinda, and have Twilight become an Alicorn... aka a god and part of the Eternal Herd... THAT would cause a whole lot of trouble. A mortal, and not just any mortal but a spawn of the first born!, accending into godhood and being part of the Eteral Herd? That would be very enraging to a lot of the Eternal Herd I bet.
OMG! The Vanguard and Applejack scene! *dies*
4930093 hey you can always give more thumbs the only question though is are the Donner's willing or is it going to be a challenge
4931202 well i can think of a few who can be trusted to be leaders cadence for one and there's old dreadstep to keep the legion in line heck maybe the prince has rubbed off on him and blue blood will prove himself a prince in more than just name
Humm guess the obvious question that comes to my mind, as in cannon will Twilight undergo alicornification? If so will it be at the hooves of the King? or is she already starting down that path and his Majesty wants to see for himself the first "real" Alicorn ascendant?
Welp, there we go. Vanguard was bound to fall for one or the other, and frankly speaking Twilight has another path to walk, quite literally an out-of-this-world path. I wonder if she'll even be a mortal unicorn anymore by the time she gets back from the Eternal Herd. I also have to wonder who else Twilight might meet up there, we've had several named characters die after all and everything we've been told about mortal pony death seems to imply that, outside of dying within Oceanus' influence, all dead ponies go to the Herd.
I really hope we finally learn more about the other heavenly realms.
Good plan regarding Luna and at least Sablesteel. The Thorns are too powerful of a force to not be carefully managed now that Black Rose is off the table.
Can't wait for the next story, either side or mainline.
I wanna see Twi get to the level of beast mode similar to Artorias and Sir Alonne, Both Knights of which I respect beyond any other I've seen save Ornstein who is an awesome ally.
Also Auto buff sword upon running your opponent through with it and being able to self energize to super damage and speed. Imagine if Dark souls actually put both of them in the same boss room against the players.
also I think Twi can do way better than a halfling, maybe she can rape a full blooded wolven into submission, maybe even King Fenrir.
4931229 Yep, still just a regular unicorn and Cadence is just a winged unicorn, not a true alicorn
I have just marathoned though this amazing story and the last chapter was posted just as I was reachig Chapter 63. A bit of a coincidence. I am so glad I took the time to read this because it's just been awesome. Every chapter I have thoroughly enjoyed, of this one and the first. Personally I was rooting for Twilight and Vanguard, but I'm not disappointed either way. I eagerly await sequel.
4931311
Dreadstep is a an old, pony soldier. He won't learn anything new. He'd run the country like Fangbreaker Fortress not knowing any better.
Cadence has her own kingdom to run.
Prince Blueblood...isn't enough to fill a power vacuum left by the Alicorn Sisters and Prince Terrato. He's cause more internal problems than would be healthy.
Equestria has been run by highly prolific individuals. Taking that away would shatter morale on a scale that is too hideous to contemplate. It would need faces that have been known in the Heartlands and without. Having the Elements incomplete is terribly inconvenient.
Congratulations on finishing the second story in this amazing series you've created. It's kind of crazy to think that for two years you have been sharing this amazing world with us. So it might not seem like much coming from a random Internet denizen, but I can't commend you enough for what you have done.
Rock on Visidane!
4930563
Nah, all she needs is her Party Cannon and she is set to go. I have no idea why she hasn't used it yet. Maybe she could invent in the Party Rocket Launcher?
I think i love you vis
Thanks for getting these last few chapters so quickly
Hon Hon Hon
I see where This is going
1.Vanguard will tell Twi about AppleClash
2.Twilight goes to the Herd very angry & upset
4.She gives a bad image of mortals to the king & Council
5.?????
6. Ninth rebellion
you herd it here first gentlemen
Once more, I'm amazed at this story. It was wonderful from beginning to end, and it only leaves me wanting more. More! MORE!!!
Can't wait to read the next one!
4931754
Won't dispute the rest of it but I'm pretty sure Cadence is available and the Crystal Empire hasn't resurfaced yet in this continuity, due to the point of divergence being so far back, despite the author handily incorporating some of the ongoing reveals after the fact.
Also... HOLY CARP it's complete! Please don't let the sequel be... tardy.
4933481
I was actually thinking about Cadence a bit more as well. I don't even recall that Cadence was even mentioned to my knowledge(It is incomplete) or she would have more appearances because she is an alicorn. If she isn't a real alicorn, she would have been treated as equally as Black Rose.
That is, to say, Cadence doesn't exist in this universe. Am I wrong?
4933542
No, Cadence is here. She's hoof-waived as a 'naturally occurring alicorn, rare, but they happen' so Prince T won't attack her thinking she's an agent of the Herd. He says something like he's seen one before, 'Had a whole cult of personality worshiping him as a lost prince until I dropped a pillar on him. Heh. Good times.'
Prince T is kind of the equification of the proverb about having a hammer as your only tool...
4933942
Oh yeah. I forgot.
Still, I don't think she could fill the power vacuum.
4932902 While I definitely see an angry Twilight giving a bad impression of mortals to the Herd, the timer until the Ninth Rebellion is already quickly(?) ticking down. So, I doubt Twilight will do much to impact it, except maybe speed it up a little bit or convince the Herd to finally come to a consensus on whether to let the mortals live or to exterminate them.
Personally I'm more worried about the EoH not having all their members on the same plane of existence in case something comes up. Or whether it's a deliberate plot by the herd to remove the EoH's ability to function.
4933481 Last I checked, Upheaval cut off at Season 2 finale, so that meant Shining Armor, Cadence, and the Changelings are in, and all of them have had minor roles in the story. I don't recall Visiden throwing in any references to seasons 3 or 4. So if you do point some out, I'd be surprised.
4934221 Probably gonna be one of the first chapters in Journeys, the sequel.
Is this series a Trilogy? IM still pending starting the entire universe because I was waiting for this fic to finish, but without reading, and looking at some comments, it seems theres intended to be another story?
4934446
unless you want to wait another 2 years, you should start reading
Also the comments are super Spoily, hope you didn't ruin it for yourself that much.