Chapter 11
Edited by distortedtruth92
I kept my head down as we returned to the town. It was still quiet and sleepy, apparently we hadn’t been in the forest as long as I’d thought. Meaning that there were very few ponies up and about, and those that were simply eyed me curiously, none screaming like they had yesterday. As we walked I took a little more time to scan the place. It was a moderately big town as far as things go... about the size of my home town if I my memory hasn’t suffered too greatly over the years.
That thought forced a long, tired sigh from between my lips. So many years of running... of searching... of praying. All I wanted was my absolution so that I could settle down with Belle and raise a family; was that too much to ask of the world? Of course, my anger died away a moment later, it was my actions which had landed me where I was. That was the point of all this wasn’t it? It was my fault... all my fault.
I closed my eyes and stumbled on a stray rock which caused me to rock into Applejack’s side.
“Omph!” She grunted as we both tumbled to the ground with a thud. Her head whisked towards me, a flat, unhappy, look crossing her eyes. “Mind getting off of me?”
“Sorry,” I replied as I nimbly got to my paws. “Just... lost in my memories.”
“Well you think you can do that while we’re not moving?” she asked as she got back onto her hooves.
“Right, sorry,” I repeated, shaking my head. “I’m just... tired I suppose.”
She raised a questioning eyebrow at my statement, but shook her head and made no sort of comment, only turning away and started walking again. I followed along beside her, doing my best to avoid falling into any memories. Thankfully, we reached the library quickly enough, though there was an oddity there as well. Parked outside were two winged ponies wearing what looked to be armor standing in front of an old fashioned carriage made of gold and white wood... strange.
I looked over at Applejack. “Am I under arrest?” I asked with a slightly raised eyebrow.
“I don’t know, up to Princess Celestia to say if you are or not,” she replied with a small shrug.
“Who?” I asked, frowning.
“Princess Celestia, the ruler of Equestria,” the orange pony answered.
“Ah... I take it that Equestria is the region we are in?” I asked, feeling like I’d heard the name before but not having had any background at the time. “And you are still ruled by a monarchy?”
“What’s the matter with that?” Applejack questioned.
“Hmm? Oh nothing at all I suppose,” I answered, shrugging my shoulders slightly as we approached the door. “The humans long since did away with such things and installed the Leagues as the chief governing bodies... though to be truthfully honest I do not understand a great deal of what goes on. You’d have to ask Belle.”
She looked at me with a queer look before shaking her head. “Come on, let’s not keep them waiting.”
I nodded and followed her inside to see Twilight sitting at a table, casually sipping what I assumed was tea, while sitting across from her was... the most graceful being I had ever laid eyes on... not counting Belle of course. She, it was certainly a she, looked much like Twilight... but that wasn’t a fair comparison. It would be like comparing a Skitty to a Pyroar and calling them the same by virtue of being feline.
She was tall and elegant with cream-like white fur. Her mane flowed around her head in a ethereal rainbow of colors and her violet eyes looked at me with a mixture of ancient wisdom and amusement. A pair of wings large enough to make a Pidgeot blush extended from her side and dozens of snow white feathers adorned them. Resting upon her head was a simple crown and below that was massive horn. It was about that time I realized I was staring blankly at her, lost in her glory. I shook my head slightly, and then for some inexplicable reason, felt the need to bow, so I did.
Her soft magenta eyes glanced over me, and a friendly smile formed on her muzzle. “Ah, it seems our guest has arrived,” she said in a welcoming tone.
I raised my eyes back to her level, coming out of my bow and found that I didn’t quite know what to say. The... power she exuded... it felt... so pure. “I... hello...” I said softly.
“Hello there Cres, it’s nice to meet you,” she replied, her kind smile ever present.
“I... thank you,” I replied uncertainly. “Am...I in trouble? I... surely you would not have come here if it were otherwise... why waste your time...”
“No you’re not in trouble, not at all,” she replied with a small shake of her head. “I was just paying a visit for Twilight in response to her letter, and in fact wanted to just talk with you.”
“Talk with me... about what?” I asked while glancing back at the closed door, silently judging whether or not I could escape if this Legendary being decided I wasn’t worth her time.
“Just to talk about why you are here,” she replied simply.
“You know of my quest for absolution?” I asked her quietly, backing up a little. I had never been truly persecuted for my crime... if she knew why I was here then she might want to make me suffer for what I had done.
“Only what Twilight or Fluttershy told me,” she replied. “There’s no need to be afraid, I just want a simple conversation.”
“I... I see...” I replied with a small nod. “Are... shall we go in another room?”
“If you wish,” she told me.
I gave her an unsteady nod, and Celestia rose from her chair, nodding towards another room. I followed her and discovered that we were in a kitchen.
“You... wanted to talk with me,” I said uncertainly.
“That is what I said,” she replied with a single nod. “So, how is Giratina doing?”
My eyes widened in surprise; she knew Giratina?
“You know him?” I asked after a moment.
“In a way...” she informed me. “One of my ponies accidentally discovered his world a long time ago and... well, it was an interesting meeting.”
“I see...” I replied before shaking my head. “He seemed well enough when he granted me passage here I suppose... though I don’t know if I’m the best judge of such things.”
“Well at least it’s better than nothing for the last two hundred years,” she stated with a small shrug. “Thank you for that,” she added with a small bow of her head.
"Umm, you’re welcome,” I replied, not used to having Legendaires bow any part of their body to me. “So... about why you wanted to talk to me... what did you want to talk about?”
“Mostly on what you seek here in my Kingdom, your absolution,” she answered.
I stared at her for a moment, was she the one who offered what I was desperately looking for? My eyes stared hopefully at her, and Celestia slowly nodded her head.
“So... you think you can find it here?” she asked me with a small inquiring look.
"I... do not know. I... hope so... I’ve been looking for so long...” I trailed off and shook my head. “I spent a year praying, crying out for Father Arceus to help me...” without realizing it I was sobbing. “And I left Belle behind... and now here I am again... surrounded by people who dislike me purely because of who I am... and I’m telling this to a being who could obliterate me with just a thought... I... I don’t know... “ I trailed off, my head bowed as tears streaked down my face. “I just... don’t know.”
Sobs began to choke out of my throat as my heart felt heavy as lead. Then, I felt two soft feathery wings warping around me, embracing me into a caring hug. I looked up slightly to see the creamy white breast of Celestia’s chest and a pair of loving magenta eyes staring into mine. She had also made sure to avoid having my blade touch her.
“It’s okay...” Celestia softly said to me.
“I... I just want him back... but he’ll never come back... I just want to make it better... but I can’t... I just wanted guidance... but no one ever gave me it...” I gasped out between sobs. “Everything I do just makes it worse.”
“Then I’ll be happy to help you, in any way I can,” she told me. “You can rest assured that I won’t turn against you nor ignore your call for help.”
I spent the next several minutes trying to collect myself before I finally managed and pulled slightly away from her. “I... I’m sorry... I’m not the most... emotionally sound individual,” I told her lamely.
“It’s okay. Sometimes it’s good to just let it go,” she assured me with a soft smile.
“I... so can you help me? Can you lead me to my absolution so that I can... be whole again?” I asked her, a hint of desperation in my voice.
“Well... I will have to ask you something first,” she told me sincerely. “Who’s forgiveness are you truly seeking?”
“I... I don’t know,” I said quietly. “This entire time... I haven’t known. I... I spent a year begging Arceus to come down from on high and reveal it to me... and many years before that seeking it... but that, like my absolution, has elluded me.”
“There’s one of your problems, you’ve been seeking for something blindly, yet... not ackowgleding what you already know,” she said slowly.
“What?” I asked blankly.
“You already know whose forgiveness you’re looking for, but you seek other ways to achieve it,” she replied. “So your heart is trying to fill a hole with other means... none of which are working, are they?”
“I... no,” I said softly. “Nothing does.”
“Because there’s only one thing that will,” she told me. “And until you accept that... you will never find what you seek.”
“But what is it?!” I shouted. “I’ve been searching for so long without the faintest clue and all the while I’ve been growing more angry and frustrated and pathetic and I-I don’t know how much longer I can make it.”
“You’re seeking the forgiveness from the being you miss the most, the one who you want back, but know that will never happen,” she answered.
“Henry? I... how can I find forgiveness from Henry?” I asked her in confusion. “He’s dead and it’s my fault! That’s the entire point!”
Celestia just looked down at me with her ancient, kind eyes and I suddenly felt the impact of their power rock me to my core. With but a glance from her my anger cooled and my mind cleared.
“I... I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I’m just... so lost.”
“Then find yourself, and you’ll find your forgiveness from Henry,” she said gently. “And by then, you’ll have found what you seek.”
“I... okay,” I said quietly. “I... thank you... Celestia... I just... I don’t know anymore.”
“It’s fine, not many do,” she told me.
“So... what now?” I asked. “Do I just... look for ‘myself’ or... is there something I should actively be doing?”
“That’s something you’re going to have figure out for yourself,” Celestia told me. “But... you have sacrificed so much for yourself... perhaps it is time to start sacrificing for others.”
“You’re... not going to give me a straight answer, are you?” I asked her, unable to keep a slightly irritated undertone from entering into my voice.
“I gave you more than you realised,” she told me with a kind smile. “You just have to see it,” she added before she lifted her wings off of me and began to stand back up. “Now, you’re welcome to continue staying in Equestria if you wish, and if you need any more help, I’ll be happy to assist you if I can.”
There was such a note of sincerity in her voice that it almost knocked me over... she truly did wish to help me. It wasn’t just a placation as others had given me before... nor was it an ‘attempt to understand’ what I was going through... she honestly just wanted to help me.
“I... thank you, Princess... thank you so very much,” I whispered hoarsely.
“You’re welcome,” she replied with her kind and warming smile.
“I think we’ve been gone long enough,” I quietly told her. “I don’t want Applejack to jump to conclusions and think I’ve killed you.”
A small amused chuckle rolled out the princess’s throat. “Now we don’t want that, do we?”
“No, I have had to put up with quite enough unfounded anger from her and am in no mood to acquire more,” I agreed, shaking my head. “So, shall we?” I added, nodding towards the door.
“Let’s,” she agreed as she turned to head for the door. I followed behind her and we emerged back in the other room to find Twilight and Applejack in the midst of a conversation.
“I just don’t know what could be keeping them so long,” Twilight told Applejack with a frown. “Whatever gem they’re looking for can’t be this hard to find.”
“You know Rarity, always looking for perfection for her outfits,” Applejack told the purple mare. “I’m sure her and Spike will come back soon.”
“I guess. I’m just worrying about nothing, aren’t I?” the mare asked.
“Probably,” the farm pony agreed with a small nod.
Twilight smiled and then glanced over at Celestia and me. “Oh, you’re done,” she said with a another smile. “How did it go?”
“It went well,” Celestia answered. “I think Cres knows a bit better on how to find what he is looking for now.”
“That’s wonderful,” Twilight said with a nod as she glanced over at me.
“Yeah... she gave me a lot to think about,” I added.
“I hope so,” Applejack said in a small sour tone.
In response I simply shot her a harsh glare and then said. “I think I will go out for some air.”
“Actually, if you didn’t mind, I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind answering some questions,” Twilight spoke up before I could get very far.
“What kind of questions?” I asked cautiously.
“The simple kind,” Twilight replied with a smile... oh no, I know that smile.
My eyes widened in alarm. “I-um....I don’t think I’m up for it,” I said as I took another step towards the door.
“Please?” She asked, the most adorable pleading expression I’d ever seen (outside of Belle’s) splattered across her face.
I stared at her, unable to muster up the will to move another inch... the look on her face was just so... familiar.
“I... alright. I’ll answer your questions,” I submitted, walking over and sitting down beside her.
Celestia smiled and chuckled lightly. “Anyways, I better head back to Canterlot,” she commented before turn to face the front door. She glance back at me. “It was nice talking to you Cres.”
“Thank you again,” I said with a small bow of my head.
“Good-bye, Princess,” Twilight added as she dug out five pages of notes from a pouch beside her. My eyes widened in terror... it was going to be a long afternoon. “Now Cres; I want you to begin by telling me every type of Pokemon you can think...”
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Twilight has no idea what she's getting into.
kill Twilight please
should have been 'i'll answer your questions but only 2 questions a day" it will give him something to do each day to stop him getting bored. That and power/control with knowledge (twilght's true weakness)
Now I'm curious to how a pony stumbled into giratina's dimension.
4237334 Probably got pushed onto a frozen lake during Winter as Giratina was screwing around...
4218232 run quagsire to stop teams that rely in setting up. I run a setup that laughs in talonflames face.
4237381 so giratina's just flying around in his dimension when a pony just pops out of a mirror and starts screaming when they see giratina while gira is like "where the hell this pontya come from"
4237334 Most likely it was Starswirl the Bearded. He was working on portals to parallel worlds sometime during his life, before he sealed them away.
Well, that's an interesting idea/explanation for how Pinkie can materialize out of thin air........
Cres, you just have to do 18.
Don't do it cress, you have so much to live for
"Simple" as in "Optimal thrust:lift ratio for Saturn V" simple, or "Quantum String Theory" Simple?
This is gonna take a LONG time...
4237520
....
It all makes sense now!
EDIT: Somehow, I just want Cres to give Twi some sort of info that'll suggest not delving deeper.
Nice chapter. To the point.
Wow, big outpouring of feels there. Guess Celestia just gave off the caring mother vibe eh?
4237248 Soon it will be Twilight wishing she didn't ask that instead of the answer agreeing to her questions! MUHAHAHAHA!!!
yay
4238914 Let's see, 18 natural types and one mystery type, currently 718 pokemon and three unofficial ones, 609 moves with various effects, 188 abilities, HP, Atk, Df, SpD, SpA, Spd, inheritance (breeding/egg moves), natures, ditto, "strategy" pokemon (like Shuckle, Smeargle, etc)
Oh Twilight, pokemon is more confusing than you know
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And whether or not a pokemon is shiny. Because glittering pokemon are bad-ass for no reason.
4239226 She's going to need more than five pages... If it were gen 1 she might have a chance... but... it's not! >:D
4237295 twilight will kill herself due to overwork on the sophisticated world of the pokemon.
Twilight really does not know what she is getting herself into and therefore pay the price by fatigue and death or becoming the clutch player that everyone hates
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4240862 you are all forgetting one thing...
Cres haven't payed much attention to knowledge based topics, as stated, he rather lets belle worry about that.
So i don't think he's going to be able to answer many of those question fully
4241196 But, Twinerd is still Twidorable.
Therefore, she's still going to strongarm him into giving up all the knowledge he has to offer. All of it.
4240955 Nice picture
4237334 a pony met a pokemon...
and thus, the ponyta was born
4241866 hmm...must've been twily's grandparents or something
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eeyup poor poor Cres.
once Twilight starts her questions its hard to stop her
4241196 he's a half legend (pokemon who are not legendary but can make their way up ie: lucario) i bet he knows stuff on Pokemon
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I love you.
Twilight's brain is possibly going to fry with the info that he's going to give her!
I was very pleased to see you portray Celestia so well. She was very much in character here, for which I thank you. Too many stories out there with aliens in Equestria who turn Celestia into a unreasonable xenophobe. Not here, though. Just kind, warm, motherly Celestia, as she should be. Bravo, good sir!
4252679
Why thank you
I always tried to do my best when writing Celestia. And I agree, too many go out of character for her in other fics.
After reading this, I want to see some a pair of meowstic (male and female) and an espurr in equestria. Espurr vs Fluttershy stareoff. Who wins?
May we give a moment of,rest for our fallen comrade, who has fallen victim to the adorableness of 'The Face.'
4266144 Yep, forgot about that pronunciation until you replied to the comment.
I hate it. I will stick with my Absoul. 
the following conversation just has to go one of two ways:
1.) Twilight tires out Cres with her questions
2.) Twilight won't understand anything that Cres tells her
I would have expected Applejack to correct Cres in that they don't live in a monarchy since Equestria is a diarchy.
Celestia seems a little strange. I would expect to be more serious and threatening. After all she's pretty hostile towards any potential threat to any of her ponies and to Twilight in particular.
I think it's good if Cres would answer Twilight's list of question. More knowledge would foster more understanding from everypony (including Applejack)
I love how Celestia is portrayed here.
4745609 As do I. Not a hint of Trollestia to be seen, just a kind, patient immortal being with infinite capability to understand and love. Applejack on the other hand/hoof... I just wanna up and hug the bitterness out of her. Failing that, huggle her some more just because she's cute.
Here comes twilight with her thirst of knowledge
Called it, of course Celestia knows Giratina, because Why the hell not! And it does make sense.
Poor Cres...