Sun and Snow

by LucidTech

Redemption & Revenge

Celestia found herself staring at the ceiling, only mere moments before a shaking crash echoed throughout the building, kicking her fully out of her peaceful sleep with abrupt force. She forced herself from her bed, body aching, and managed to get herself on her hooves, despite her bones screaming for rest. She glanced to her side and saw Daring Do, eyes wide awake, staring at the ceiling in absolute fear.

“Daring. Are you okay?” The alicorn stepped closer so that she would be in eyesight of her downed friend, to let her know she was there.

“Celestia?” She blinked and her pupils turned to look closer at the blur of white against the dark background. “Oh thank goodness you’re here Celestia. We have to get out of here.” Her words seemed manic and feverish. “The biped, he’s evil, we have to get back to Canterlot. Can’t stay. Can’t stay.” She tried to lift herself out of the bed, but stumbled back in as a sudden sharp noise pierced through the walls from outside and cut through the air.

Daring Do fell back into the bed and looked into the air, her eyes all but pinpoints against a white background. She didn’t say anything else, and after a moment her eyes closed and she fell into a worrisome sleep once more.

As Celestia’s eyes grew more accustomed to the darkness of this attic at night she noticed an object that hadn’t been there before. On closer inspection, she realized it was a bucket of ice water with a washcloth drowning inside of it. Taking the tools that had been left, and having a fair knowledge of who most likely left them there, Celestia took the washcloth and wiped the feverish sweats from Daring’s forehead with a practiced hoof.

After she had done so twice she looked outside once again, still curious as to what the sound was that had awoken her and Daring. Glancing at her patient she saw that she was indeed doing better, a light smile had formed on her lips and she was snuggling into the blankets like she had met an old friend.

Careful not to cause any undue noise, Celestia made her way downstairs and outside of the small building. As she passed the threshold she noticed a path of frost that had formed some time before, but seemed to persist in spite of the temperate weather. Heart sinking, Celestia followed the trail, already knowing to whom it would lead.

The trail weaved in between trees, and occasionally against one, where it would leave a five fingered impression against the tree bark. Still she followed, now growing slightly worried about finding her way back should the path disappear. Eventually she came to a small clearing and she saw something that chilled her blood.

A large ice spike shot out of the ground, soaring higher than any of the nearby trees. And nearby were other smaller spikes that seemed to corral towards the larger one. And there, in front of all the frozen chaos, was the biped, arms folded in front of himself, but shivers not to be seen.

Celestia took a step closer, but her hoof caused a small crack on the frost that, she now saw, had covered every inch of grass in the area. James turned to face her, and Celestia found herself far more surprised than she’d been in a long time. His eyes were giving off a chilling stream of magic to either side of his face, purple and green, and bags had formed under his eyes, as if from lack of sleep.

“I’m sorry Celestia. I… I can’t… I thought I could keep the magic to myself, but I can’t. I can’t do it anymore. It’s all gonna end in a tragedy, just like before, just like before. I’m sorry.” He looked at her to make sure she understood his words, than continued. “I need to die, I need you to kill me, I can’t do this again, not again. I don’t want to do it again.”

Suddenly he collapsed to his knees and placed his hands over his ears, as if to block out some sound, though all Celestia heard was crickets in the distance. She knew what was happening inside his head, both because of Twilight’s notes on the matter as well as having experienced it for herself, all that time ago.

What she didn’t know, however, was what was causing it. As dramatic as it would be for Sombra to return a third time, Celestia knew he was long dead. And even if he somehow had survived, somehow had avoided death once more, he wouldn’t be showing his presence again so soon after his defeat. Especially not like this.

“James, did you pick up anything strange? Something green, purple, and wispy?”

“I’m not an idiot Celestia, I know it’s causing this, but what I don’t know is if you can handle it without falling into the same trap I did. Can you assure me I won’t simply be spreading a plague when I hand it to you?”

She couldn’t. With her solar magic she would’ve been fine, but without she didn’t know what the end result might be. She remained silent and James wrapped his hands tightly around his body, still no shivers.

She looked at the spike of ice that shot into the air. Even with the malevolent nature of the towering thing it still had a certain kind of awe to it, reflecting the moon off it’s pristine surface. Celestia hadn’t noticed when she first saw it, but the entire thing was translucent. An amazing feat even for an ice mage. Even one flaw in the ice would ruin it’s appearance, but this was absolutely pristine.

Except for… Celestia blinked and looked closer at the anomaly. It was higher up, about halfway between top and bottom, and it appeared to be a dark blue. She flapped her wings and took herself into the air until she was level with the strange thing. She backed away suddenly as she realized what it was.

“Ahuizotl…”

“He had your magic, and he channeled it fairly well, but he had nowhere near you skill with it. And the idiot thought he could fight me. I should have killed him when I had the chance. But Daring wouldn’t let me. Preservation of life or some such. I lashed out… I made a mistake… again…”

Celestia remained silent, partially to take in the information and partially in respect for James. The more she learned about him the more she grew worried that he would be able to beat her in a fight. She moved her gaze from the icy prison to James and was about to look back when she saw the reason for his arms being folded. It was in protection for his chest. From the front she hadn’t seen it with his arms in the way but from above she could see the large wound that he had, his clothes burnt away and his chest scarred with burns.

Slowly she looked back at the ice. And slowly a hole appeared, which expanded until it became a cave big enough for her to enter. She glanced at James and saw that he had placed one of his hands on the ice no doubt controlling it despite his wounds, with his magic. She moved into the cave as it formed, getting closer and closer to the villain within. The floor of the cave became flat and she found she could walk on it with no trouble whatsoever, admiring James' sculpting.

Within a minute she was there, and she saw on Ahuizotl’s chest what she had been looking for. A small golden medallion, one that had no doubt been inscribed in the pillar she had been tied to, hung about his neck and glowing faintly with her solar magic. The ice parted fully to the medallion, and Celestia quickly snagged it from his chest. She hung it around her own neck and departed the cave, the ice sealing shut behind her once again.

She glided to the ground with ease and landed behind James, who was still sealing the ice pillar shut once again. She wasn’t going to let Ahuizotl freeze in there for eternity, she was certain there was still a cell open in Tartarus for him, but before she did that she had something more important to attend to.

She took the medallion off and placed it on the ground in front of her and knelt down in front of it. She looked into the swirling pattern of magic that was just barely visible against the golden background. She admired it for a moment, as a critic might admire a piece of art, and then lowered her head until the tip of her horn connected with it.

Immediately the magic surged from the coin and into her horn, seeking the core of magic that had ignited it in the first place. Magic was loyal to it’s owner, and if given the ability would go back to them, so it wasn’t more than a few seconds later that Celestia was able to stand from her position, her magic fully returned to her.

She moved around to look at Ahuizotl, but instead her gaze fell on James, who was still trying to protect the wound on his chest, and to hide the power of nightmares that licked around his eyes, even if he wasn’t showing the pain it caused anymore it was clear it had affected him in his battle, or else he wouldn’t have been hurt at all Celestia knew.

She approached him and when she was close enough to speak to him he flinched away. “Don’t bother. I’m the villain, remember? You shouldn’t be helping me out.” He said, as if instinctively knowing her intentions.

Celestia frowned. “Come here.”

He glanced at her and she looked back with an unreadable face. Slowly, he approached her, until at last he was within arm’s reach, at which point he stopped and looked at the ground. She lowered her horn and pointed it at his face. And for a moment she let it stay there, a threat, and contemplation on Celestia’s part. But she quickly moved on to his chest.

A white glow came from her horn and wrapped him in magic, lifting him slightly into the air. The wound on his chest healed and his clothes were repaired as well. Then, finally the dark magic in his eyes disappeared. At the end of the spell, his body once more in good condition, he landed as the magic faded from him, and looked at Celestia. “That wasn’t wise.”

“It seems you’ve done far more good than evil to me James, why do you think you’re a villain? Simply because you haven’t done all the right things in your life?”

“Celestia, my mind is a confusing fickle place even to me. Every friend and ally I’ve ever had have been betrayed by my actions at least once. I give this advice if you plan to continuing to be near me. Do not trust me.”

She smiled light heartedly. “I’ll keep it in mind James. But if you plan on continuing to be near me, I have one piece of advice for you. Grow into better patterns and thoughts. Can you try that?”

“I suppose,” He reached into his pocket and pulled a small ball of ice from it, showing to Celestia that the inside was full of green and black, Celestia recognized it immediately as one of Sombra’s old scouting spells. “I suppose I can try that.”

Comments

[Luna Secret Stallion]

Good stuff man.

[Shit just Goat serious]

Look forward to more. Didn't spot any mistakes either, so kudos to that.

[Redninjabrony]

Oh god this awesome!

[Skizzer64555]

どのくらいあなたはこの事を更新するまで、

[LucidTech]

5526648

不確かな

[Skizzer64555]

5526910
よくこれはyaはここに来た本当に面白い話がそれを忘れないでください、である

[Tuong Lu Kim]

James, I dub thee, Lames the emo. Captain Nemo is too cool, (Nemo would work as a contraction of not emo, but it's Oromo for "The Man") so it wouldn't be an accurate alias.

Gotta admit though, James is cool. Blech, I can't stand it when emos aren't parodied, or mocked by someone sensible. It's more melodrama than this reader can handle.

If I had excruciatingly painful ice powers, I'd make the best of it. Surf around like that superhero that lots of people speculate is gay; not talking about Frozone though he a similar power(and probably loves his wife) Iceman was his name.
Give my bitches some ice. Bitches love ice.
i.imgur.com/wNk0k.gif Could fix ice theme parks, hotels, and hockey rinks for a living, and give out popsicles...*cough* world domination!