What's in the box?
This Quiet Earth
by
Dafaddah
Chapter seven: What’s in the box?
Edited by and based on an idea proposed by Sharp Logic
Searching for Twilight Sparkle, Starswirl wandered through the gallery until he spied a lavender leg protruding from an egg-shaped furnishing. He paced around the object until it revealed Twilight Sparkle reclining inside as tears ran down her face. He could faintly hear some music playing. The tune was lively and quite pretty.
“Do you know this composition, Maestro?” asked Twilight.
He shook his head. She gestured for him to sit beside her and helped him up. The egg shaped furnishing was quite spacious and easily accommodated two ponies. The music was much louder inside the egg. Twilight waved a hoof and several lines of glowing white text appeared in the air just above their heads.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Variations on "Ah vous dirais-je, Maman" (K. 265 / K. 300e) (1781 or 1782)
“Can you r...read this text?” she asked, voice cracking.
“Yes,” he said. “The title is in French, a language I learned many years ago on Earth – Ah vous dirais-je, Maman, or in Equestrian Oh, mother, I would tell you, and the composer is listed as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.”
“I know him as Hoofgang Amoodeus Moozart,” she sobbed, “the great Bovine composer. Mozart. Moozart. There was never really a Moozart, was there? He’s a fictional character, invented by Princess Celestia to introduce human culture into Equestria. Like so many other lies she told us.”
She took a halting breath. “Ça alors!” she said.
Starswirl raised an eyebrow. “Vous parlez français, princesse?” he asked.
“Un peux.” She snorted. “Of course, we call it Fancy. When I was a filly I studied it for a while under Princess Celestia.” Her face clouded over. “‘Part of the rich tapestry of Equestrian culture’, she said. What a joke!” She waved her hoof again and the text disappeared.
“You sound very disappointed, lass.”
She nodded. The lights flickered and the sound of the music froze momentarily. When it started playing again Twilight let out a breath she had apparently been holding since the flickering started.
“Then let me ask you this: would you have done anything differently, if you were in Princess Celestia’s horseshoes and had the same information?”
“I wouldn’t have lied to everypony about it!” Her fore-canons covered her eyes.
“Then you would have just informed everypony that all this knowledge and culture was from another world?” He looked at her until she returned his gaze. “How do you think that would have impacted Equestrians, to know that all of these advancements, all this music, and stories, and languages, and things of beauty and utility, that these were all borrowed from another, more advanced society?”
“Well at least I – I mean they, would have know the truth.” Her ears hung forlornly on the side of her head and her chin was low.
“In my own timeline I recently came across some information from Earth obtained by Princess Luna before her banishment.” He had the pleasure of seeing one of her ears twitch marginally upwards. “It was information on colonies established by some of the powerful nations of Earth in its more remote and less technologically advanced lands. In essence, every such encounter has been disastrous for the less advanced nation.” Twilight’s other ear rose up. “Yes, lass, every such case. And there is no lack of examples from Equestria’s own history, a fact of which I am sure Princess Celestia is aware.” He steepled his forehooves. “So I repeat my question: knowing that Equestria was irrevocably destined to one day encounter humanity, and that you wanted to ensure that it occurred when both were on an equal hoofing, what would you have done?”
Twilight had stopped sniffling, which he took for a sign of both concentration and distraction from her woes. “Maybe I would have... probably done something much the same.” Her smile flashed in the semi-darkness of the egg chair. “Maybe I would even have gone looking for help from amongst the humans. Despite her age and wisdom, Princess Celestia has always had the humility to seek the help of others. I’d like to think I would have done so as well.”
They sat in companionable silence until Twilight asked another question.
“It really boggles my mind that the greatest magician of the pre-classical era of Equestria wasn’t even a pony. You, Starswirl the Bearded, are held up as the very example of what it means to be a unicorn. I wonder what it would do to Equestrians’ pride to find out the truth.”
“What about you, lass? Does your stomach turn in revulsion at the very thought?”
To her credit the mare chuckled. “Nope. After having had you under close scrutiny for several days I am forced to admit that – for a human – you make a pretty convincing pony.”
His own chuckle answered Twilight’s.
“Maybe,” said Twilight in a slightly breathless voice, “we aren’t so different inside.” She placed a hoof on his foreleg, and her expression grew serious. “Tell me what it was like, Maestro... to leave everything you knew behind and start a new life with a very different body shape. Were you scared?”
“Ah,” replied Starswirl. He chose his words carefully. “You must understand that I was an old man on his deathbed when that happened. Princess Celestia had been asking me to become one of her subjects for several years. I think she was afraid I would die before I accepted. But still, I was stubborn, and reasonably happy living in the retinue of the King of France. He even used to call me Papa. It scandalized the nobles!” The memory brought another chuckle.
“I nearly did expire, but Celestia had arranged with my companion, Count Melzi, to send a signal should my last days be imminent. She is a consummate planner, a habit she nurtures in her students, it would appear.” He winked at Twilight and in the muted light could just see the answering blush that graced her cheeks.
“In the end, I only accepted because she told me she needed my help to save the Earth. Well, we all know now how that worked out.” He could not hold the resentment from his voice as he said the words.
Twilight stirred against his side. “Do you regret it, then? I mean, having become a pony?”
It surprised him how easily the answer came to him. “No, dear child. My second life amongst the ponies has been a blessing and a joy. Celestia has my eternal gratitude for choosing me for this honour. Yes, it hurt to leave dear friends behind, and for a painter and sculptor to lose one’s hands is more of a sacrifice than you might understand. But despite all that, I have learned so much, seen so many wonders, befriended and loved so many ponies, and been loved so much in return, that no, I don’t regret a single moment of it. Not even now, when I know my mission has failed.”
Twilight lay her head on his withers and they listened to the ebb and flow of Mozart’s variations. Again the lights flickered and the sound shut off abruptly. She waved a hoof in the fashion that had previously called forth the text floating in the air. Nothing happened. She tried again frantically several times. Finally she gave up. Lowering her hoof and her head, she again lay against him. He felt her shudder, and they wept together.
After a while, Twilight let out a long breath. “I... I guess all the magic we’ve been doing around here has finally affected the music player.”
“Yes,” he replied in a shaky voice, and Twilight slowly sat up on the edge of the egg. Being built for humans it was suspended a bit higher than ponies would have prefered. She jumped out of the egg and landed lightly with a flap of her wings.
The mare bravely tried to smile and held a foreleg out to him. “I’m really starting to get the hang of these wings!”
Starswirl let himself be assisted out of the egg. They paced slowly back through the forest of statues. Every few steps Twilight would stop and ask questions about the people or beings depicted in the graceful sculptures. The next hour was a blur for Starswirl as he lost himself in the pleasure of sharing and discussing art with the perceptive young mare. Finally they reached the stairs leading out of the gallery, where they stopped in front of the portrait of his Lady.
He glanced at Twilight who seemed completely focused on the painting. "I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t been there with me this day past. I felt lost, but never alone. You are a true friend, Princess.” He tried to smile. “You know, you really do deserve that title.” Another glance informed him that her expression mirrored his own.
“Thank you, Maestro. But then how could I possibly find a higher honour than being a friend to my hero and role model?”
Starswirl swallowed and turned his head to look at the sculptures nearby. "You can still say that after learning that I am not the pony you thought I was?"
Twilight's expression grew warmer. "My admiration only grows the more I know about you, Maestro. Although not born to magic, you became the greatest mage in Equestrian history." She pointed to the portrait of his Lady. "And your artwork is considered a treasure of your world." She tilted her head sideways. "Why didn't you pursue the arts as vigorously once you became a pony?"
He considered a moment. "Even on Earth, the pursuit of knowledge has ever had the greater claim to my heart. When I got to Equestria there was all the domain of magic to explore, and then magic to use as a tool to explore everything else! I started several paintings and did a few small sculptures for the princesses, but I never again was so eager to put brush to canvas as I was when I painted my Lady. After her, it seems that I had nothing left to prove, so science became my brush, and magic my canvas."
Twilight seemed satisfied with the answer. The painting began to glow purple and then levitated from the wall to hover in front of Starswirl. “You shouldn’t leave her here, alone.”
He hesitated as he stared at the familiar visage. He rose on his hind legs and held that painting in his forehooves. “My Lady. Every line and contour of her face, and every stroke and dab of pigment bring with them memories of my life on Earth, so very long ago. I only abandoned her to leave the Earth as a pony. How often she has come to me in my dreams since!” He sat back down on his haunches and turned to Twilight. “I’m afraid, lass. She might not be loved in Equestria, and it would break my heart to see her become nothing more than a curiosity, a depiction of some unknown monster. I... cannot subject her to that.” He moved to place the work back on the wall, but the purple glow gently plucked the painting from his hooves.
Twilight lifted a wing and the painting disappeared into her magical storage cache. “Then I’ll hold her for you, until you feel it’s safe for her to come back to you.”
“Child, if I understood Discord’s little discourse correctly, I will be going back to my time when our sojourn here is completed. As you’ve already made your decision, I suspect we will not tarry here much longer.”
Twilight looked down, her expression unreadable. “No, I suspect not.”
They rose up the stairs together.
Discord was again seated in Maximilian's chair. He stood up as they rose into the room, observing the pair with a certain sense of resignation. “Hello, Your Majesty, Maestro,” he said, and sketched a brief bow. They nodded back, faces very serious. Somehow he felt his usual jocularity might not be apropos the occasion. But he did feel the need to comment.
“I suppose there were no guarantees things would work as planned when I invested my magic in Twilight. Furthermore I did not seek your permission, Princess, and for that I do apologize.”
Twilight blinked in surprise. “Is that Discord being considerate of another’s feelings?” She strode up to him and poked him in the chest twice. Raising one eyebrow she looked up disdainfully into his face. “Admit it!” she accused. “You’re a mirror pool Discord, and Fluttershy buried the real one in the pet cemetery behind her cottage.”
The draconequus’ jaw literally dropped to the ground and he stood gaping at the mare for a full three seconds before his mouth snapped shut, then parted again with a throaty laugh.
“That was a good one, Princess!” He sobered. “What pet cemetery?”
Twilight beamed at him. “Nope, I guess it’s the real Discord. The sympathy just threw me off for a second.” She strode back to stand beside Starswirl, who was struggling to keep a serious demeanor, and failing.
Discord smiled sheepishly. “Okay, I guess I deserved that. Touché!” He bowed again, deeply this time. When he rose again he also assumed a more serious mien.
“I suppose there’s no reason for me to keep you both here any longer then. Thank you for helping with Max's funeral, it really did mean a lot to me.”
“It was an honour, Discord," said Starswirl. "I know I should be angered that you brought me here without so much as a by-your-leave, but if you hadn’t I would have never found out the truth about the fate of my world. Nor would I have met a certain young alicorn mare who reminds me so much of some very dear friends. I am equally honoured to have met you, Discord. Were that it had been under better circumstances.” He approached and wrapped his forelegs around the draconequus. “Sia bene ed arrivederci, Discordia!”
Discord leaned into the hug. “E lo stessi a voi, il mio amico!” After a moment Starswirl stepped back, leaving him staring into the serious face of Twilight Sparkle.
“Well, Princess, I guess I’ll see you around Ponyville.”
“No you won’t,” she replied calmly.
He looked at her then at Starswirl. “Hmm... as the very ponification of Friendship, I thought you might be a tad more forgiving. Perhaps I underestimate how much I angered you, after all, I’m still not that good at the whole empathy thing–”
“–That’s not what I mean,” interrupted Twilight, eyes huge and very serious.
“Then, Princess, what do you mean?” asked Discord. He could not keep the dread from his voice.
She shook her head. “I won’t be coming back to Ponyville with you.” She took a step forward.
“I accept,” she said, very simply.
Somewhat unexpectedly for indoors, a wind began to blow around them. Discord looked around, first in confusion and then delight. Starswirl's attention focused on Twilight, a look of gratitude in his eyes.
The wind increased and it soon became evident it was centered around the alicorn mare. Discord produced a bag from nowhere and began pulling items from it: a rubber chicken, two apples, a banana peel, a very large pair of spectacles with a fake mustache attached, a metal pail, a tightly wound scroll of paper, a wooden bat, a lampshade with ‘Spilight Twarkle’ written in sequins on it, and with a flourish, a toothbrush. He held on to the lampshade, pail and toothbrush as the wind increased, a look of anticipation on his face.
At the center of the whirlwind, Twilight’s eyes began to glow bright white. Then swirls of red erupted as if she had fireworks inside of her head. The edges of her form started to blur as the whirlwind increased in speed, and her body lifted into the air, legs dangling. There were flashes as if from lightning, and both he and Starswirl were forced to step back.
Soon, nothing could be seen of Twilight Sparkle save an indistinct purple blur, and sometimes the tips of her limbs. The sound became deafening, and just as Discord brought his limbs up to cover his ears there was a blinding flash... and then silence.
Discord opened his eyes. Before him stood neither an alicorn princess, nor a draconequus. The lavender coat and dark blue mane and tail streaked with pink and purple remained, as well as the four hooves and majestic wings. But instead of a winged unicorn, or a horse and dragon chimera, there stood before him a creature with an upright human torso bearing arms and hands, topped by a purple horn protruding from a very human head. In one hand she held a staff topped with a purple diadem in the shape of her multi-pointed cutie-mark star.
"I was given everything, and I have given up everything: my form, my family, my mentor, my home, and even my very best friends." Her gentle soul looked out at them from sad and mismatched eyes, one of the irises lavender and the other red. “Isn’t that a small price to pay to save two worlds?”
She looked down at her hands. "I guess I’m not Twilight Sparkle anymore. But then a new me should have a new name.” She turned her gaze to an awestruck Starswirl. "Yesterday, Maestro, you went looking for hope, but couldn't find it. Now you have, for all I have left is hope, and all I can give is hope. Hope... and life."
Her eyes lit up in inspiration and then she smiled beatifically. “You can call me Pandora."
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Personally I think she should retain her name....
At least the Twilight bit of it.
Other than that......
Good Job!
Loved it!
I see what you did with the chapter name ;P
Mmm.
Let's see what happens next.
more
4356768
I thought she would most likely change name since in this universe alicorns and draconequii are a single species whose form is related to their philosophical convictions (hence the 'septs of Harmony and Chaos). In that scenario "Discord" is obviously not the draconequus's birth name, so I concluded they must change names when they change form.
There are specific reasons that Twilight chose the name Pandora. I suggest you read up on the legend of Pandora and who she really was and what she represented.
Welcome to Pandora, kiddos!
Reverse the word order.4359087 All right, looks like you know more French than I do. Deutsche ist die beste Sprache anyway.*tick* Number five hundred two, the doctor will see you now.
"Nurse, i can't seem to find him..." ha ha fimfic humor
4358233
"Parlez-vous français?" is a more formal question, ie, "Do you speak French?"
"Vous parlez français?" is more of an exclamation, i.e "You speak French, do you?"
Both are acceptable in conversation.
So the question is, did you follow Hesiod on this matter, is this 'Pandora' akin to her namesake? Is she the first woman created by the gods, and also the first absolute evil? Is she therefore the explanation of theodicy, the reason for the existence of all evils in the world, with Hope left behind as the last cruel trick of Zeus to keep Man from such total despair that he is rendered unable to escape from perpetual torment by the taking of his own life?
Or have you gone with the versions of Pandora far from the original, where Pandora is just a poor girl whose innocent curiosity unleashes all torment and horror?
Implying that Twilight is the mother (either through trickery, innocence, or intent) of all evil, is a bold turn.
I also wonder what of the Elpis in her metaphorical jar? The jar (box) of Pandora is a prison, in which all evil is kept, hope is the final evil, the one that traps. "And thus no man escapes the mind of Zeus". Is her jar to be a torment, or a blessing?
This twist, the use of that particular name, 'Pandora', leaves me puzzled.
The question is what is 'evil' and from whose point of view? Zeus's? His definition of it seems to be the tyrant's: that which challenges me and my power is evil, and one way to read the story of Pandora is akin to the story of Eve and the Apple, the knowledge of good and evil is what allows humanity to leave its child-like state and assume responsibility for itself.
Like Pandora, Twilight has lost everything through a choice she makes, although of course there are major differences in that in this case Twilight has done so for an altruistic motive. But even then, in her own mind she is defying the established authority and her own definition of good and evil.
There is also the issue that Celestia herself is bound by her own promises, and Twilight is providing a way out for Celestia, whom she loves to the extent of being willing to sacrifice her own Alicorn of Harmony status.
Another reason for this choice is that one of the central themes of Twilight in the show is her dedication to science (knowledge), and how she is being groomed for something important. In my own mind-canon Celestia and Luna have a long term project to progressively nurture the ponies of Equestria towards self determination. This represents a major change for Equestria away from the tradition of benevolent stewardship to one in which the ponies essentially rule themselves, as I depicted in Renaissance Pony.
Also keep in mind that I am supposing here that Twilight has been exposed to the legend of Pandora as 'ponified' by Celestia, and she may have been aiming for a slightly different message than in the original Greek. (I have a fantasy of writing some of the legends and stories ponified by Celestia as stories for FIMfiction - but unlike time-travelling ponies I do have issues with time!)
Note: there is a final chapter coming (very soon!) in which much more of this will play out.
please let there be a sequel