Best Laid Plans
“I dunno,” Rainbow Dash said doubtfully. “It’s kind of weird, Twi.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Rarity scolded. “That’s a wonderful look, Twilight. I always thought you’d be able to pull off the whole ‘ethereal mane’ thing,” she said in shameless flattery. “Of course, now you never have to style it. I’m so jealous!”
“So you don’t mind?” Twilight said anxiously. “It’s not...too weird?” She looked at Rainbow Dash.
“Nah,” she said after a moment. “It’s not a big deal.”
“Hah!” Pinkie tittered. “Big deal! Big!”
Applejack snorted. “We stuck with ya so far sugarcube. A few extra inches and fancy mane doesn’t change any of that.”
“Good,” Twilight said, relieved. It wasn’t only their acceptance that was encouraging, it was the fact that she was able to hold that form without sending them into paroxysms of fear. Spike had been remarkably immune to surprise, simply muttering something about more seating space and parking himself in his usual spot on her back. His quill scratched away quietly as he finished the formal papers for her role as Equerry, a blessed bit of normalcy in a life that had become rapidly alien.
Being taller than her big brother was just strange.
She had convinced Shining Armor and Cadence to stay another day or two, at least until the present crisis had died down. They had years more experience ruling together than Twilight and Luna’s own knowledge was outdated, and with Celestia gone they were the closest experts around. Besides, she didn’t get much opportunity to see Shiny or Cadence anymore.
“My mistakes didn’t mess up anything you were doing did it?” It was far more likely that it helped, as it had with Twilight’s confrontation with the nobles. She felt guilty for hoping that it had, for some ponies might not have agreed on their own. But she couldn’t undo those thirty minutes, merely try to be as fair as possible going forward.
“Oh, we barely noticed,” Fluttershy lied. Twilight winced, but the pegasus continued gamely on. “And you fixed it anyway. So, I mean, everything is all right now. Right?”
“Not quite,” Twilight said, giving Fluttershy a grateful smile for her understanding. “I still have to make apologies and explanations to everyone else.”
“And done.” Spike declared with one last flourish of a quill. “All right, Skyshine, all ready!”
The pegasus broke off a nigh-incomprehensible conversation with Cadence over heraldry with a quick bow, trotting over to seize the papers with greedy glee. “Good! That should stop most of Dotty’s grumbling. I hope.” She paused for a moment. “I really hope. Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, do you mind…?”
Cadence waved a friendly hoof. “Go ahead, we can finish later. Shining Armor should be around to contribute anyway.”
“Of course, Princess.” Skyshine bowed again and vanished with a flick of her wings.
Time was slipping past faster than it really should be, to the extent that Twilight was almost tempted to pause Equestria again just to catch her breath. Almost. In fact, the beginning of the evening court was nearly upon them, which was why they were all in the exceedingly fine antechamber rather than somewhere more comfortable while they worked through last minute panic. At least, Twilight felt panicked. Nopony else seemed to be more than harried.
Luna appeared with her guards from the same door Skyshine had left through, settling her wings back against her sides. She favored Twilight with an acquisitive grin before picking her way over, exchanging cheerful greetings on the way. Despite her own nervousness, Twilight was glad to see Luna in better spirits. Reconnecting with her Lunar Guard seemed to have soothed her in a way even Twilight could not.
And that had inspired Twilight to assemble her own Guard - or rather, her friends, upon whom she already relied for so much. She hardly needed, and wouldn’t want, armed and armored defenders, but rather supporters, and Celestia had said that court was what they made of it. So this time the others were joining her out in the audience hall.
“Do you have everything planned for this evening?” Luna asked, a twinkle in her eye. She was taking a certain delight in Twilight finally claiming proper status, even if the first act was an apology.
“I have plans.” Twilight gave Luna a wry smile. “After today I’m not confident to say I have everything planned though.”
“All we can do is the best we can do,” she said, pulling Twilight in for a kiss while Spike hastily abandoned ship. “Are we ready to go?”
“Almost,” Twilight said, a bit breathlessly. She wasn’t quite used to Luna’s enthusiastic affections, and probably never would be. But that was fine with her. “Just waiting for Skyshine to come back. She wanted to get in the paperwork before we started.”
“Bureaucracy,” Luna said, with decidedly mixed emotions. “I supposed it can’t be helped, but Tia was always more comfortable with it.”
“All you need is someone who knows how the system works,” Spike put in. “Like me!”
“Well I’m glad I have you then, Spike.” Twilight smiled fondly at him. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“Not much!” He grinned back.
Twilight rolled her eyes and Skyshine flitted back into the room. She made a beeline for Twilight, setting down and holding out an ancient gold chain with an intricate seal. “Equerry’s seal of office. Be careful, this one’s from the museum.”
“I’ll take good care of it,” she promised, settling the aged chains about her neck. “It’s not like I’m going anywhere tonight.”
Skyshine glanced worriedly at the clock. “Are we all ready? Good. At your command, Princess Luna.”
“By all means, let us not delay,” Luna replied, summoning her guards to her side with a gesture. Twilight looked to her own friends, and was pleased to find them more or less assembled behind her. She exchanged semi-nervous smiles with them as the fanfare started, then turned to follow Luna into the throne room.
This time it was packed full, thanks to the efforts of Twilight’s friends. It wasn’t simply nobles on the polished marble, but workers, artists, guards, shopkeeps, and even a visiting dignitary or two. It wasn’t that they had been excluded from Celestia’s court, it was that it simply wasn’t relevant for them. Luna intended to make it so. The fact that it gave Twilight the broadest possible audience for her explanation was merely a fortunate side effect. Or an unfortunate one; she hadn’t decided yet.
There was a decided reaction as Twilight appeared in her proper aspect, murmurs and gasps, a few shouts of astonishment or alarm, and somewhere in the crowd a pony laughed hysterically. Spike strode out in front of the throne as they all took their places; Luna’s guards on her side of the throne, standing at attention, while on Twilight’s side cushions had been provided for her friends. The overall effect was one of severe dichotomy, the ruler contrasted with the friends. Shining Armor and Cadence had their own box off to one side; available but not of the process.
Once the fanfare was over, Luna nodded to Spike and he stepped forward to address the waiting crowd. “Before Royal Court begins,” he boomed in a fair imitation of the Royal Canterlot Voice, “Equerry Twilight Sparkle will address you.”
There was another murmur. Luna’s expression stayed neutral, though Twilight could feel the smile hidden behind it. Twilight was a bit less amused at their confusion, but she had to admit properly disseminating news of her rank, especially when they didn’t know what it meant yet, would have been nigh impossible.
She stepped forward from the throne onto the middle of the dais, looking out at the hundreds - or maybe thousands - of eyes locked on her. “Hello,” she said. “Some of you may have noticed something odd happen earlier today. I don’t know what it would have been like for you, but perhaps twenty minutes or so when things were not quite right.”
Nods and murmurs of assent spread through the crowd, even the non-ponies. Twilight had no idea what it had been like for any of the visitors, whether they’d been caught by the magic or excluded because they weren’t Equestrians. It was a good thing it hadn’t lasted long. “That was my fault,” she told them.
“When I came before you a few days ago and said I had become a god, it was strictly true, but I was not worthy of the term. I thought of it as being no more than a powerful unicorn, and I was wrong.” She looked over her audience, which had gone still and silent. “Because I didn’t take it seriously I very nearly hurt a lot of ponies. The fact that I corrected my mistake doesn’t excuse making it. So, I must apologize. I am sorry.”
“I know now that I must truly embrace who and what I am. I am not a god of the heavens, like Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. What brought me here was my friends.” She gestured behind her at the others. “And loved ones.” She looked over to Luna with a smile. “I started as an ordinary pony, and that is where my roots are. In fact, I still am an ordinary pony! You can be many things at once, so I am both a pony that enjoys hanging out with my friends, and a god to serve, guide, and guard Equestria.”
“And this I pledge to do. And that I will no longer take it for granted, because I have to recognize both halves of myself. I can no longer think of myself as simply a unicorn,” she said, tasting the truth of her words as she spoke them. “For I must be a god for all ponies and to all ponies. In order to do right by all of you, I vow to embrace everything.”
They were not just words. It was an oath with the full intent of a god behind it, and it resonated, through her and through the ties that bound her into Equestria.
And Equestria responded.
It shuddered and shifted, and with the sensation of many small things slotting into place, or of ideas finally understood, Equestria rose up about her. It surrounded her, embraced her, and in that moment she saw that all she had experienced of it before was superficial, a thin veneer over vast and ancient depths. It was alive, aware, and focused on her.
There was nothing that could be called conversation. It was not like a pony or even a god, but there was an exchange nonetheless. She understood she needed to serve all kinds of ponies; all kinds of ponies would she need to be to understand them. At the intersection between her soul and Equestria’s, something changed.
It began deep down, in the heart of the world where she’d walked with Luna, died, and lived. It rose through the layers of existence, at the same time small and immensely profound, replacing with three where there was once one. It did not so much alter her self as expand it, another profound shift in perception. Breadth to match the depth she’d already found.
She was peripherally aware of shouts of startlement and alarm, and a bright light surrounding her, but it was nothing compared to the transcendental metamorphosis within her.
***
Of all the possibilities, Luna hadn’t considered this one. She knew that she, herself, wasn’t the best model for godhood but she had done her utmost to share what she knew with Twilight. And Twilight had learned better than she could have imagined.
As Equestria rose up to exalt Twilight, she knew exactly what was happening. She and Celestia had started out as alicorns, and Cadence had ascended during the interregnum, so she had never observed or experienced the process before, but there was no mistaking that trinity of elements.
Her last words had just started to fade when it began, a glow coming from deep within Twilight’s body. Deeper than most could imagine. Her horn didn’t light, for it wasn’t really magic. It was something more primal. The first rank of ponies stepped back instinctively, crowding those behind them, as Twilight’s hooves left the floor, ascending effortlessly, her expression stuck somewhere between surprise and awe.
Her friends started toward her, and Luna stepped between them, holding out her hoof. “Just watch.” They all gave her doubtful looks, especially Fluttershy, and she gave them a smile in return. “This was meant to be,” she said, turning to take her own advice. From the corner of her eye she saw Cadence holding back Shining Armor in a similar manner, her smile knowing and her eyes worried.
Threads of power wrapped around Twilight, the bright glow within her swelling and blazing into coruscating brilliance. For a single moment it seemed as if she had been torn asunder, then she burst forth into an even brighter glory, saturating the entire audience hall and indeed all of Canterlot in a magical radiance.
It thundered noiselessly through them, replacing breath and sight and thought with a crystallized moment of awe as Twilight’s incarnate form slammed back into reality. Euphoric light clung to her, outlining horn, fur...and feather.
“Behold,” Luna said. “A new Equestria dawns. Behold.”
Twilight lifted her head.
“She is become harmony triumphant.”
Twilight opened her eyes.
“Three tribes in one.”
Twilight spread her wings.
“The alicorn.”
And Twilight blinked, turning her head to look at her feathers with a kind of dreamy puzzlement. “Huh.”
Then there was noise. Uproar and bedlam spread through the audience as Luna stepped over to Twilight, her friends crowding around. “Are you all right?” She asked, her voice quiet despite the fact that even a shout would go unheard.
“Yeah, I’m...I’m fine.” She shook her head dazedly. “I, um. Wow.”
“That was amazing!” Fluttershy put in, barely above a whisper. “I didn’t know anypony could do that.”
“You are so changey. That’s three times so far!” Pinkie added.
“Does it count if one of those times was only for a day?” Rarity asked.
“Twilight,” Luna interrupted them. “How do you feel? Do you want to continue court, or should we withdraw for now?”
“Oh. Oh!” Twilight looked out at the chaotic crowd. “No! I feel great! No need to stop.”
“Good.” Luna gave her a smile and a quick kiss before turning to face the audience hall.
“Ladies and gentlecolts!” She boomed, the force of her voice silencing the clamor instantly. “Is this seemly?”
The rebuke settled them, most of them finding their places again with the discreet assistance of the guards scattered throughout. A few slipped out entirely; overwhelmed, frightened, or simply wanting to spread the news. Luna waited until they were settled to address them, in a far less overwhelming tone. “I understand that what you have seen here was dramatic, and there are many things about it that will need to be addressed. But there is also a court to conduct, and we shall do just that.”
She retook her seat on the throne, joined a moment later by a still giddy Twilight, and nodded at Spike. “Begin.”
“Hear ye, hear ye!” His bellow wasn’t quite up to the same standards as Luna’s, but it was good enough to echo from the far doors. “The Court is now in session! The first petitioners may approach the throne.” He glanced at the rolled scroll for reference. “The Throne recognizes...uh…” Spike faltered as a unicorn mare pushed ahead of the others, planting herself defiantly in front of the two alicorns.
“Me.”
Spike blinked and looked at his scroll again. “Er, who are you?”
Her muzzle twisted into an unpleasant smile. “I’m glad you asked.”
Lurid green light surrounded her, her fur and cutie mark evaporating away to reveal smooth, sleek chitin, her horn twisting into a black spike, and her eyes turning an angry jade. “I am Chrysalis, the Changeling Queen.” The smile grew bitter and self-mocking as ponies surged away from her in a frozen wave of shock, the light in her eyes dimming. “And I am here to surrender.”
This time the outcry came from those on the dais, loud protestations coming from Twilight’s friends. Rainbow Dash, already a-wing, soared even higher, instinctively seeking high ground.
“What?” Twilight demanded, her voice sharp and angry. “Why? Why is she here? How is she here? Why did she come back? She -” Her mouth worked soundlessly, inarticulate with rage.
But it was Shining Armor whose voice rose the loudest. “Guards! Restrain her!” His voice was the stentorian bellow of a Captain of the Guard and, being used to taking orders from him, the guards leapt to obey. He didn’t wait for them, though, his horn flaring and an indigo bubble winking into existence around Chrysalis. He might have gone further, or perhaps Twilight would have, and Luna knew they would regret if they did, no matter that Chrysalis was an avowed enemy.
“Stop.” Her voice cut through the noise, shredding all the other sounds and neatly bisecting Shining Armor’s shield while the guards hovered uncertainly, caught between commands. The same word also pinned Chrysalis in place, and her eyes flashed. But she didn’t resist, and Luna regarded her speculatively.
She’d missed the failed coup attempt thanks to Celestia, but she’d heard enough about it since. Even gorged on the power of Shining’s love, she’d only revealed her hoof when forced. Her plan hadn’t been particularly solid but it had relied on her native changeling abilities. What Chrysalis was doing here made no sense at all when compared to that.
“Will you tell me why you’re here?” She asked Chrysalis.
“I just told you,” she spat. “To surrender. So declare victory. Start the parade. Bring out the chains. You win.”
“If you really mean that,” Luna said coldly. “You will answer what you know I’m asking. What do you want?”
The sneer fell away, leaving only naked desperation. “I want you to save my children.”
That rocked Luna back, even more of a shock than Twilight’s transformation had been. That had seemed right and proper, but this bore more than a hint of madness. She trusted neither Chrysalis nor her words and under other circumstances she would far rather have left it to Celestia. But Celestia wasn’t here, and she had made a commitment to rule, and rule properly.
“The Court will take a recess,” she said. “We will resume in one hour.”
She opened her mouth to instruct the guards, but thought better of it. “Twilight,” she said instead. “Could you bring her to the Star Chamber?”
“But Luna!” Twilight protested. “That’s Chrysalis. She -”
“I know,” Luna interrupted. “Which is why you’re the only one I trust can keep her under control. Please.”
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Twilight said grudgingly, and both she and Chrysalis vanished in a flash of purple.
Luna hoped so too. This was a different flavor entirely than dealing with her own ponies and she very badly needed help from the others. If she could convince them in the first place.
She turned to Spike and Twilight’s friends. “Will you girls stay here and keep order while we’re busy? You went to so much trouble to organize this and I’m deeply grateful, but events seem to be interfering. I don’t want all that work to be wasted. Spike and Skyshine will assist you, since between them they do most of the work anyway.”
Finally she looked to Shining Armor and Cadence. Shining was boiling with anger while Cadence was merely wan and worried, and Luna hoped that despite their reactions they’d be able, and willing, to help. “Shining Armor, Princess Cadence, could you please come with me?” She beckoned to them, heading for the door.
As soon as they passed into the hallway, Shining exploded. “You’re not going to listen to her are you? She’s a monster! She -”
“Shiny!” Cadence cut him off and his glare, turned on her, softened.
“You don’t think I’m wrong, do you?”
“I just don’t want you to be the monster, Shiny. We’re better than that. We owe it to ourselves to treat her with dignity.”
Shining Armor took a long breath and let it out. “You’re right. But still - how did she get in here? The entrance spells should have stripped off her disguise the moment she set foot in Canterlot!”
“You could ask her,” Luna suggested, relieved that Shining’s outrage had been defused. “But I want you two to advise me. You know her better than I do.”
“Not much better,” Cadence said. “I was imprisoned, Shiny was mind-controlled…”
“Don’t remind me,” Shining Armor muttered.
“Even so. I’d rather have you there.” Luna’s guards took up station around the trio as she led the short way to the Star Chamber, which was of course part of her tower. It was as close to a secure room as she had, so it would have to do for the interrogation.
When they arrived Twilight had already hobbled Chrysalis with chains of purple magic, and the two were glaring at each other from across the room. “Any trouble?” Luna asked quietly as they entered.
“No…” Twilight frowned, stepping away to join them on one of the seats that ringed the room. Combined with the sunken floor, it gave the accurate impression of lords sitting in judgement over the accused. “She hasn’t moved or even said anything. I don’t get it.”
Luna nodded and regarded Chrysalis, who lifted her head and returned the gaze. “When you were last here, you attacked us, entranced Shining Armor, and imprisoned Princess Cadenza. You have amply declared yourself our enemy, and I believe we are even technically at war. So why would you come to us, of all races, for help?”
“Because I had no choice,” she hissed. “Do you know how many changelings there are? You could fit all of us in a room half the size of your audience chamber. And there weren’t many more before I attacked Canterlot,” she said darkly. “And now your accursed spells disperse our magic before we can even enter a pony town. We are a hairsbreadth from extinction. The gryphons would ignore us. The dragons would laugh. The buffalo would just as soon stamp us out, and the less said about the diamond dogs, the better. Who else would we go to?”
“Wait,” Shining Armor put in. “You just said our spells got rid of your disguises. How did you get past that?”
“Because even diminished as I am, I am the queen of deception,” she said haughtily.
“But you’re asking us to believe you’re telling the truth,” Twilight said.
“I am aware,” Chrysalis growled. “Of the irony.”
“I’m not sure what I want to know first, why you think we would help you or how you think we could help you,” Luna murmured. “In fact this does not seem to be much your own idea. Did my sister peddle you this scheme?”
Chrysalis blanched, her ears flattening. “She visited,” she admitted after a moment. “We talked. But she didn’t suggest this.”
“She wouldn’t have.” Luna sighed. Even when she was gone, Celestia couldn’t resist meddling. She was tempted to reject - and eject - Chrysalis out of hoof, and from the set of Twilight’s jaw she agreed. But it wouldn’t have been fair either to Chrysalis or to herself to be so petty, and Twilight needed a better model for rulership than arbitrary emotional outbursts.
“Well, then. I am not saying I believe you, that I accept anything you’ve said. But tell me your offer.”
“Offer?” Chrysalis snorted, tossing her head. “I don’t have anything to bargain with, else I wouldn’t have started with surrender. Or had you forgotten? All I have is a plea.”
“And if we reject that, what will you do?”
“We will die,” Chrysalis said flatly, then her voice gentled as she looked down at her hooves. “My children will go to their rest peacefully, without fear or anger or despair.” Her head snapped up to glare at them again. “And I will go hoping that I have cost you at least one night’s sleep. That would be more than anything else I’ve accomplished.”
The sheer depths of bitter despair in that voice took Luna’s breath away. If Chrysalis was acting, it was the best performance Luna had had witnessed in thousands of years. She exchanged an uncertain look with Twilight, but it was Cadence who spoke.
“I believe her.”
“What?” Shining Armor stared. “Are you all right, Cadence? Did she get to you? I swear - “
“I’m fine, Shiny.” Cadence smiled at him and put a hoof on his shoulder. “Look at her. She’s a few choice words away from breaking down entirely. I’m not saying I like her! I just don’t think she’s our enemy anymore.”
Shining Armor turned to examine Chrysalis again, and she met his stare squarely. But there was a fragility in that gaze, and it was only the changeling’s stubborn pride that kept her from looking away from Shining’s hard blue eyes.
Twilight saw it too. She rubbed her face with a hoof and sighed. “All right, say she’s telling the truth. Now what?”
“Now we decide,” Luna said quietly. “Regardless of our personal feelings. As rulers, it is our duty to do the right and necessary thing, no matter how much we might wish we didn’t have to.”
“We decide?” Cadence was surprised. “This is your kingdom, Luna.”
“It is my responsibility,” Luna allowed. “But you’re my advisors here. And you will have to live with the consequences as much as I.”
Twilight’s mouth worked as she struggled through a thought. “We can’t,” she said finally.
Chrysalis’ entire body sagged.
“We can’t just sit here and do nothing. Even Discord got a second chance. Why shouldn’t she? And it’s not just for her, either. There’s the rest of the changelings, too.”
“I agree,” Cadence said. “If not for her sake, then for theirs.”
“I don’t want to help her,” Shining grumbled. “But I can’t condemn an entire species. Count me neutral.”
“Very well. You realize, Chrysalis, that if we help you it will come with strings attached.”
“I am no position to object,” she growled. “But I would polish your hooves and bring your meals for the next thousand years if you can save my children.”
“That won’t be necessary.” Luna shook her head at Chrysalis. “But you will have to give up your title of queen. You will be one of Our subjects, and swear fealty to Us. It is the only way we can begin to trust you.”
“Done.” Chrysalis said instantly. “I, Chrysalis Soulthief, do hereby pledge my body, soul, and immortal life to the aid and service of Princess Selene Dreamwalker, Princess Celeste Dawnbringer, Princess Twilight, and the Equestrian Throne.” She tilted her head back and looked at them challengingly. “Now let me out of these chains.”
“I’m not a princess!” Twilight protested.
Chrysalis bared her fangs in a humorless smile. “You will be.”
It was true enough. Alicorns, by definition, were most suited to rule and, also by definition, the ones ponies looked up to the most. There was an inevitability just short of law, but at the moment it was buried under other concerns. “Twilight,” she said quietly. “Let her go.”
The chains vanished, and Chrysalis drew herself up, looking at them expectantly. “Well?”
“Well.” Luna looked over at Twilight. “Twilight, you’re the smartest pony I know. I have no idea how to even start saving a species, but I know you will. Go with Chrysalis, get the rest of the changelings, and bring them back here. Check with Skyshine on where we should put them, and then...well, it’s in your hooves. Saving a species is a good first project for an alicorn, don’t you think?”
“I suppose so!” Twilight smiled at her, but the smile faded as she turned to look at Chrysalis, her brow furrowed in thought.
“Shining, I know you’re not Captain of the Guard anymore, but I’d appreciate it if you’d talk to them. They’re going to have an awful lot of prisoners and now Twilight is in their chain of command, and this is going to be delicate enough as it is.”
“Can do. It’ll be good to catch up with the guys.”
“You’ve been ‘catching up’ all week, dear,” Cadence murmured, amused. “And what do you have for me, Luna?”
“Come back to court with me?” Luna smiled at her. “Even with all this I can’t neglect that, and Twilight is going to be busy tonight.”
“Of course.” Cadence nodded. “Besides, it’s better than listening to Shiny swap those old creaky academy stories with the other guards.” She grinned and elbowed him in the ribs.
“Creaky?” He laughed. “Not as creaky as your story about the one time you were foalsitting Twi and -”
“Hush.” Cadence said primly, then leaned over and kissed him. “I’ll see you later, dear. Go make sure nopony does anything rash.”
“Will you be all right, Twilight?”
“I’ll manage,” she said with a determined expression. “But I’ll need Spike back.”
“Of course.”
“Stay here,” she told Chrysalis and vanished in a flash of light.
The changeling looked dourly at the spot where she had been and then at Luna. “And if she works a miracle and finds some way to save us, what then?”
“Then...it is my turn. If it is Celestia’s duty to keep us all from falling apart, and Twilight’s to do the impossible, then surely it is mine to dream the dreams of our futures.”
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Is it also Twilight's job to see the invisible, touch the untouchable, and break the unbreakable? </inevitable>
More seriously, this chapter made me kind of sad. Twilicorn was probably inevitable, but I really liked the uniqueness of unicorn goddess Twilight.
Here, Skyshine refers to Cadance thusly: “Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, do you mind…?” But earlier, she's called “Princess Cadenza Mi Amore”. Just a regional variation? Or an actual typo?
Y'know, becoming an alicorn when you're already a goddess is kind'a... redundant? Underwhelming? Pointless? I think I'm gonna' go with 'vaguely saddening'. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of Twilicorn — as fanfic writers tend to portray it, at least; I haven't seen enough of canon Twilicorn to say whether or not I'm a big fan — but your fiction was unique in my mind for having Twilight ascend to a deific status and yet remain a unicorn. It wasn't her form that mattered, but her accomplishments and adventures, the experiences that led to the deification. Also... did this event make her a 'bound' goddess?
But now it's okay, because I just got to the part with Chrysalis, and eeeeee chrysalis
3404976
I'll have to disagree. She didn't become a god because of her accomplishments, she became one because Luna and Celestia wanted/needed it that way. She had the power, but not the attitude, so she was kinda incomplete.
Now she isn't anymore.
There's no way all of this can be wrapped up by the end of the next chapter. Looks like the Saga will continue!
3400661
You're not the only one. I'm not opposed to her becoming an Alicorn, but I would have preferred "Unicorn Goddess"
3407473
And I'll have to disagree with you, in turn.
Twilight didn't become a goddess because Celestia & Luna wanted/needed her to, she became one because she chose to.
If I remember correctly, the scene in which she is revived in Apotheosis, she saw a light when she was in an expanse of pure blackness. She turned to it and embraced it, and became a god as a result.
She became a goddess because she chose to, but the choice was given to her through Celestia's scheming and Luna's desperate action to save Twilight.
Shesh, Twilight, can't you go a single day without overturning the whole of Equestrian society?
Can't say that I expected the sudden Alicornization, but if she is going to be a goddess for the whole of Equestria then it makes sense for Twilight to grow a pair (of wings!) and, er, become more earthy?
Ooooo, and Chrysalis. I was wondering if that was going to be a dangling plot thread or not.
3464837
I seem to recall she saw a light in the darkness and a thorny path with Luna on it. The light was the afterlife, the thorny path life (with Luna).
I liked the last line here.
When the story is over, I'm going to be sad that there's no more to read. But what are we supposed to do—not read it?
Pics or it didn't happen.
. . . By which I mean a description of her ethereal mane is basically required now, and fanart would be appreciated.
Really, that's basically all you need out of a change. Are you happy with it, or at least willing to deal with it? Are your friends physically and psychologically capable of adapting to it? Then you're good.
So kind of you to say.
Do the breathing thing!
Well, do the breathing thing harder, then! Eventually it'll either work or you'll faint from hyperventilation. Either way you'll stop panicking.
Hey, Twi, do you know why "panicking" and "panicked" have a 'k' in them? Of course not, you speak Equestrian, not English. Stupid inconspicuous translation.
You'd think he'd have given up on his Rainbow Sparkle dreams earlier, but I guess he's kind of stubborn.
It wasn't easy to make that joke, you know. It was just so bad and it just made me so unenthusiastic. But I stopped and a pictured a red pony with a brown mane encouraging me, and that did it.
Remember that time you would have destroyed Ponyville with a mind-control doll if Spike hadn't stopped you? Good times, good times.
You're doing this for your own peace of mind, remember? You'll not get rid of your guilt if you don't come clean to a significant audience, I presume.
At the rest of the crowd, I hope. Candid reactions are great comedy.
Like when I tell a deliberately terrible joke and everybody stares at me because they don't even get it. That's always good for a laugh.
You forgot "from all ponies." Wasn't that part of what you were saying a moment ago?
Alicorn time!
Ooh. Nice prose. It's not every day I see such an excellent textual treatment of a process I am already visually familiar with.
And the "huh" especially sells it, of course.
Crystal, goddess, alicorn?
Very dramatic entrance, but I don't think it was entirely appropriate to the situation, Chryssy. That's just not how you're supposed to show up to surrender. I can only give you a six out of ten. I'm sorry.
Okay, yes, things were quickly getting out of hoof, but I don't think that bisecting the shield was necessary. It sends the message that Shiny was wrong to put her in it, when in fact it was a perfectly sensible reaction to the situation. When an enemy leader makes a surprise entrance to declare a surrender, it's only reasonable to take some precautions until you sort out what in Discord's mane is going on.
I know it's hard, putting yourself in an enemy's power with a plea for help, but it might really go a long way if you could be a bit more polite.
Thus is the burden of being good. You cannot simply blindly respond in kind; you must seek the right path no matter who you're dealing with. It's not easy being the bigger pony, but somepony has to do it if things are not to spiral ever downwards.
So easy is it, to cast predator as villain when the prey is intelligent. 'Tis a question seldom truly asked what would happen were the prey to fully win. To let them all starve is still genocide, though to feed them is hardly an attractive solution. What are the virtuous to do?
Of course, the manner of predation strongly influences the answer. To sell the bodies of those who are already dead, while instinctively distasteful, is a potential solution for conventional predation. That's not really going to cut it for the changelings, though.
In the end, that's how good must go. All deserve to be saved, and thus all who can be, must be. 'Tis a deceptively simple rule, backed by a horrendously complex judgement of what can be accomplished.
Ominous surname you've got there.
This made me laugh. This is the Twilight Sparkle we all know and love.
Does that extra seat come with a second seatbelt?
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I second the motion.
Okay, Yoda.
Well then. It seems things are going well.
I'm actually surprised that you made Twilight an alicorn in the end. Like some other commenters, I was enjoying the more unique spin you'd put on this tale. If anything, she felt more powerful just as a goddess than a princess, but come what may, I suppose.
~it's me...
First reaction: Eeeeeeeeeeeee Chryssie!
Second reaction :Eeeeeeeeeeeee Cutelings will be saved!
I think I preferred Twilight as a unicorn goddess, but that's of little consequence.
I bet it was trixie
Put my two cents in on the question about predation and predators, the overwhelming tendency to portray predators as villains was one of the things that I didn't care for in the Redwall book series. I don't mind if a villain happens to be a predator, but I DO mind when all predators are always villains, I read about a quarter or so of the series and every single one had a predator as the main big-bad. Equally the mice and other woodland creatures were always good, and IIRC were all practically saints.
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Wait until you get to Cartography :)