Guest Tale: Branching Out by Trinary
Guest Tale: Branching Out
by Trinary
I was in the showers when I got the message. Naturally.
The Wonderbolts had just finished knocking the socks off the crowd in Ponyville for some charity event, and we were cleaning up and cooling off. Believe me, there’s nothing more awesome than getting to wear the uniform, but it gets hot after performing high-g stunts for over an hour. And the less said about the smell, the better.
Captain Spitfire was under the showerhead next to me. She gave me a nod that said, ‘You did good out there.’ No need to make a big deal out of it or anything—she’s a professional after all. And so am I.
Rainbow Professionalism Dash. That’s me. Still cool that she gave me the nod though. I mean, I always do great out there, but its still gives me a little thrill that Spitfire—Spitfire!—recognizes how good I am.
I was one of them. I belonged. I was a Wonderbolt.
Plus, this was Fleetfoot’s first show with us since getting back from rehab and being reinstated. I didn’t try to make a big deal out of it or anything, since I know she didn’t want that—but she made it clear how much she appreciated what I did for her. I didn’t care so much about that as just having her back with the rest of the squad. She’d been practically another aunt since I started training to join the Wonderbolts. I couldn’t wrap my head around the idea of her not being there, and having her back made things so much more awesome. So I was feeling pretty good about myself.
That was when Lightning Dust strolled in. She and I came up through the Academy together, almost literally neck-and-neck from start to finish. I won since I was made a full ‘bolt a full two weeks before she did. Naturally, I was the bigger mare and wouldn’t rub that in her face or anything. Unless she started it.
The two of us would ride each other every chance we got, always trying to prove who the better flyer was. We were … what the hay were we? Friendly rivals? Frenemies? It was hard to describe. Was there a word for rivals who occasionally fooled around with each other? Whatever. Point is, I liked her—but she could be a major pain in the flank.
Sometimes literally.
“Think fast!” Lightning called about a millisecond before a rolled up towel snapped my rump. “Too slow!”
I totally didn’t yelp, because that would’ve been lame. And everypony else in the showers started snickering because they must’ve been thinking about that stand-up comedian we saw last week. “Dammit, Lightning…” I glowered at her, but I think it needs some work. Instead of being fried to a crisp beneath my vengeful glare, all she did was smirk. The fact that my face was half-covered by my mane probably didn’t help.
“Hey Dash,” she said casually. I wanted so much to wipe that smirk from her face. “Got a minute?”
“For you, I have ten seconds.” I did my best not to grumble as I turned around, the cold water numbing the sting on my backside. “What do you want?”
She dropped the towel she smacked me with and rolled her neck. “Messenger came by and dropped off a letter for you. Thought you’d like to know.”
Was it possible to actually be able to taste smug? “Thanks, Lightning.” I grinned. “You’re a pretty good messenger yourself. Might want to look into that, y’know, professionally.”
Lightning couldn’t hide her annoyance. “Yeah yeah ... yuck it up. Just come out and sign for your feathering mail.” She tried to inject a little sweetness into her voice. “Be sure to be properly dressed for a change, hmm?”
I felt my ears burning as more snickers broke out, so I ducked my head back under the showerhead. Scheming little... A while back, I took Lightning’s place during a show in Canterlot. It was actually a command performance for Governor Cadance and Empress Sunbeam. Lightning had been so jealous that during one practice she undid the back-flap of my uniform when I wasn’t paying attention. Naturally that was the practice where a photographer for Illustrated Equestrian Sports magazine was visiting. “Whatever, still more attention than you’ve ever gotten.”
“Is that right?” Lightning’s smile was forced. “Rainbow Crash?”
I felt myself go hot and then cold all over, and it had nothing to do with the shower. “Not at all, Lightning Dust.” I didn’t use a nickname back, to let her know that this wasn’t playing around time.
The rest of the shower room grew quiet, except for running water. The silence was so tense that even Lightning managed to realize how badly she stuck her hoof in it, the other Wonderbolts frowning at her like she just farted during a eulogy.
Fleetfoot frowned at her. “Lightning…” I held up a wing and she stopped. Much as I appreciated it, I didn’t need to her stand up for me. I turned off the shower and started to head out.
“Wait, Rainbow…” Lightning put herself between me and the door. “‘M sorry.”
I just grunted, not wanting to dwell on it. “Fine.” I toweled my mane dry. “Catch you later, Lightning.”
She nodded. “So … later tonight?” She tried to keep her voice casual, but the way her wings shuffled gave her interest away.
“I’ll think about it.” I started to walk past her—then stopped. “Actually, Lightning…?”
She leaned in closer, clearly excited. “Yeah?”
“Think fast.” Fun fact: a wet tail can be even better than a towel. Lightning let out a hilarious shriek that set off some more laughter from the rest of the ‘bolts. Since I had won that round, I decided to make my exit to see whatever it was this messenger had for me.
Imagine my surprise when I found the messenger waiting by the staff entrance. Only, it was a rather familiar messenger. It was hard to forget the pink coat or tri-color hair, but it was the whole ‘being an alicorn’ thing that really sealed the deal. “Governor Cadenza?”
“Hello, Rainbow Dash. And please, when we’re alone you can call me Cadance.” She smiled as if we were lifelong friends. With most ponies I would’ve called it fake, but with her I could actually buy that she thought that way.
Her smile made me feel uncomfortable. Cadance was so beatific and kind that it made me feel like I didn’t belong in the same room as her—especially since I’d just finished messing around with Lightning in the locker room shower.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I hated her or anything. But when Cadance shows up, things get … complicated.
Case in point, this. “I thought Lightning said there was a messenger here.”
“A minor spell to make anyone looking at me think I was simply a mailpony.” She explained it so casually like it was an everyday thing for anypony to do.
I felt myself tensing and tried to relax. “So, what’re you doing in Ponyville? Here for the show?” Somehow, I couldn’t make myself believe that she came all the way down from the North to see a Wonderbolt show, even if I was being totally awesome in it.
“Actually, I’m the one who arranged for it to be here.” She winked as she let me in on the secret. “I encouraged one of our local friends to request the Wonderbolts perform here to raise funds for the new children’s wing at the local hospital. After that, it was just a matter of asking a friend in Canterlot to run into Spitfire to convince her to accept the job.”
The way she said ‘friend’ made it clear that she was referring to more members of her Circle, with a capital C. The whole thing made my wings twitch: the secretive deals and bargains and arrangements. Anypony who knows me will say that I’m pretty above board on most things. I’d rather fly under my own colors than sneak around.
Unless I was a superhero. Superheroes don’t count.
“Uh, okay … that doesn’t really explain why you did all that stuff.”
Cadance looked around cautiously. “We needed to talk.”
If I was uncomfortable before, now it was getting into downright bizarre territory. All that running around and stuff, just so she could talk to me? “And you couldn’t just drop by and do that because…?” But I knew the answer even as I answered my own question. “The Empress.”
She nodded solemnly. “The Governor of Northmarch coming all the way down just to meet with a new Wonderbolt would’ve raised more than a few eyebrows. But I have a history with one of the doctors in the pediatric wing, so our running into each other while you’re here isn’t as conspicuous.” Her lip twitched. “And the show did help the hospital and the foals, so I managed to do some good while getting to meet with you.”
Remember when I said Cadance made things complicated? That’s what I was talking about. “I get that but … can’t you do anything, y’know, simple?”
“I am just a pony,” Cadance replied. “Equestria is large, and the wider world is even larger—and so are the threats they face. I can only do so much, especially if I’m to have my own moments of joy and love in my life. I may be a powerful pony, and I want for nothing, but the one thing even I cannot afford is to do things simply.”
“Okay, okay—so what did you want to talk to me about?” I knew I sounded impatient, but I didn’t care. This cloak-and-dagger secret agent stuff was cool to read about, but having lived it? It basically just means being jerked around by a bunch of different ponies who never let you know what the whole deal was.
A big part of becoming a Wonderbolt was training to be in-synch with your squadmates. You knew exactly where you were in relation to them, even if you couldn’t see them. You trusted them and they trusted you. You eat with them, shower with them, live with them on the road … there were darn few secrets between ‘bolts. We laugh at each other, at ourselves, support one another but above all we have to know where we stand with each other. That’s a big part why Fleetfoot’s doping hit me as hard as it did.
But now? It feels like my life was becoming nothing but secrets. First Empress Sunbeam tells me I’m part of a super-secret team to stop Nightmare Moon from destroying the world in a couple of months. Then I get recruited by Cadance and the Circle into making sure Sunbeam doesn’t use the Elements of Harmony to kill Luna or conquer the rest of the world. And then Rarity—Rarity, of all ponies—turns out to be the Sapphire Guardian, and I have to keep her secret from the rest of our group.
With the Wonderbolts, everypony trusted me and I trusted everypony. With this new group, I had none of that.
I mean, I get having secrets. Everypony has a few. But when it gets to the point where you’re wondering if that janitor really is a janitor or a spy for Cadance or the Empress, or if there was some secret message you missed because you thought their ‘code’ was somepony trying to sell you a carrot-dog, that’s just way too much.
I guess Cadance or one of her ‘friends’ had picked up that I was getting fed up with the lack of answers, because she said, “You said you wanted to meet the Circle's leader. And that’s why we’re here.”
“Your leader is in Ponyville?” I had to admit, that was pretty brilliant. I mean, nopony ever really thought much about Ponyville except to say that it had a really unoriginal name.
“Close by,” Cadance corrected. “Do you think you could slip away for a few hours without raising suspicion?”
Spitfire would be PO’ed if I wasn’t back in time for lights out, but that wasn’t for a while. “Sure. When do we leave?”
Cadance beckoned me with a wing. “Sooner is better. And now is better than sooner.”
“Sure.” I flew up alongside her. I was getting tired of straining my neck upwards to look at her. “But I think you might have forgotten something.” I smiled. Cadance frowned, trying to figure out what I meant. It was nice to have her looking all confused for a change. “The second we get out of here we’re gonna be mobbed by a ton of screaming fans.” I shot her my best smirk. “Would kind of defeat the purpose behind you trying to meet with me on the sly, right?”
Cadance grimaced and grumbled something I couldn’t quite make out. “A valid point.” She sighed. “I’m sorry. I’ve been … distracted lately. Hold on, this will just take a moment.” Her horn began to glow and I felt a cool tingle work its way up my spine. It faded but didn’t quite go away completely. “There. That was the Background Pony Spell. It makes us appear unremarkable and unimportant so nopony will pay us any mind.”
Huh, so that’s what being a retail worker felt like. “This is cool! Think of everything you could do like this! The pranking potential alone...”
“I’m glad you’re impressed,” she chuckled. “Come on. We have a flight ahead of us. Are you coming?”
Like she even had to ask. I was out the doors before she had even spread her wings. I even managed to score a short rest on a nice, fluffy cloud before she caught up to me. “What took you so long?”
“We’re not all professional athletes, Rainbow Dash,” she observed dryly.
“Yeah, but you are an alicorn,” I observed helpfully. “Aren’t they supposed to combine the best strengths of all three types of ponies or something?”
She tilted her head at me, probably impressed with my insight. “That’s more or less accurate.”
“Then you should be one of the best flyers in Equestria. Come on, show me what you got!”
“We should get to the meeting place…” Cadance trailed off, seeing my expression. Just to drive the point home, I crossed my hooves at her response. “Alright,” she conceded. “But we’ll do it on the way.”
“Yes!” I pumped my hoof in the air. Before I started my victory dance, I recalled one little detail that hadn’t been mentioned. “Um, on the way to where, exactly?”
Cadance glided past me, heading for the boundaries of Ponyville. “The Everfree Forest.”
Whoa. I had heard about it. It used to be a massive, wild forest filled with all sorts of creatures that wouldn’t think twice about devouring a pony. Since then, the expansion of Ponyville had cut the Everfree down to size. I could see a bit of that expansion as we flew over the coliseum, the hotel the Wonderbolts were staying at, a couple of apartment complexes, factories … it was a good five-minute flight to the reach the outskirts of Ponyville. Of course, I could’ve made in a fraction of that time, but Cadance wasn’t that fast a flyer.
I did a couple of loops and rolls as I flew so Cadance would have a chance to keep up with me, then spun a couple of clouds around, performed a few steep dives where a split second was all that stood between me and becoming a smear on the rooftops. You know, nothing major.
Cadance was suitably impressed when I rejoined her. “That’s some very impressive flying. It’s no wonder you’re one of the youngest Wonderbolts in history.”
That made me grin. “Thanks. Of course, aren’t you pretty young to be a governor? I mean, I could be wrong, but all the other governors had much longer beards than yours.”
She chuckled. “Just so. I suppose I have this to thank for my rapid rise.” She tossed her head, displaying her horn.
“Meh.” I tucked my hooves behind my head and coasted alongside on my back. “Seems like you wouldn’t have that horn and your wings if you weren’t awesome, so my point stands.”
Cadance smiled modestly but didn’t say anything more about it.
That’s something that a lot of ponies really don’t get: they think that modesty is always the right way to go, that self-confidence doesn’t really have a place. I’ve seen a lot of potentially great flyers just never become as great as they could be because they mentally held themselves back. Granted, I’ve seen more than a few ego cases crash and burn in a spectacular display—but seeing somepony else’s career never get off the runway because they didn’t have the confidence to give it their all isn’t any less tragic for being less visible.
Instead, all Cadance said was, “I understand the Empress has introduced you to the rest of your companions. Might I ask your impressions of them from that first meeting?”
I shrugged. “Well, turns out that I already knew some of them. Fluttershy and Derpy Doo are two of my old friends from flight camp, so that was cool.”
Cadance smiled. “I’m glad to hear that.”
“Yeah, I mean—Fluttershy’s a Knight now. Order of Sol Invictus. And Derpy’s a captain in the Imperial Corps of Engineers.” I laughed. “I did not see either of those coming.” I mean, Fluttershy, winner of the Miss Meek competition for four years running becoming a sword wielding knight? Derpy, whose talent for accidental destruction got her bubble butt listed on insurance claims in her hometown, actually building things? All of a sudden the old indignation I felt towards the Empire for guiding me to being a Wonderbolt flared up. At least they managed to change since they were younger. I was exactly what I’d been trained to be. Even if my life now was awesome, I didn’t need to be led to the Wonderbolts on a leash.
If Cadance could tell what I was thinking—and it might be paranoia on my part, but sometimes I wonder if that was the case—she gave no sign of it. Her smile was genuine, at least. “I’m glad that you managed to reconnect with your old friends.”
“Are you going to ask me to bring them into the Circle stuff?” I half-expected her to say yes. If she was anything like Sunbeam, she’d already be working the angles of how to best use my friendships to get what she wanted.
I was almost grateful when she shook her head. “I don’t think so. It’s a major commitment, and it’s difficult to open up to somepony about the Empire without giving too much away.” Cadance hesitated. “I wouldn’t want you to use your friendships like that. Even if you and they disagree about the Empress or the Circle, don’t let that ruin them.” Okay, points to her for saying no. It helps me know I’m on the right side here. “What about the others in your group?”
I frowned. “Well, the others are Rarity and the Empress’ two students: Sunset Shimmer and Twilight Sparkle. But you probably know them.”
“And you don’t like them?” She didn’t give me much time to think of a nice way of saying it.
“Not really.” I shrugged. “Rarity is actually pretty cool once you get to know her. She’s—” I wondered if I should tell her that Rarity is the Sapphire Guardian. The Empress knew, but I doubted if Cadance did. I promised to help the Circle stand up to Sunbeam, but I also promised Rarity I’d keep her secret. Which one counted more? I could practically feel Cadance’s eyes boring into me, so I had to finish the thought. “—fussy and kind of prissy. I mean, really prissy. A teacher at Harshwhinny’s, you know?”
Cadance dipped her head. “I’m familiar with it. She teaches Twilight’s younger sister at the academy. But what about Sunset and Twilight?”
I let out a groan. “Twilight’s like the anti-me: she likes sitting inside all day and studying, obsessed with research and reading dusty old books. She just does what she’s told, especially when it comes from Sunbeam.” I thought I saw Cadance wince briefly, but she might have just swallowed a bug. It’s a hazard of flying. “I mean, she isn’t annoying or anything, she’s just not somepony I’d probably hang out with if, you know, the fate of the world wasn’t riding on it.”
After that Cadance just rubbed her face for a moment before pressing on. “And Sunset Shimmer?”
“She’s a nag.” That I could say without the slightest bit of hesitation. “She’s like a mini-Sunbeam. She’s obnoxious, naggy, and is pretty much an Empress’ pet. I’ve met yaks who were more pleasant.”
Cadance blinked once. “Well, there’s certainly no doubt about why you were given the Element of Honesty.”
What can I say? I like having ponies know where they stand with me. None of the tiptoeing around the Ursa Major in the room. I mean—wait a second. “How did you know which Element I got? Not even Twilight or Sunset knew about the Elements of Harmony or Nightmare Moon until Sunbeam spilled the beans.” It had been hard pretending that I had no idea what they were talking about when the Empress showed us around her little trophy room, made worse by having to put up with Sunset Shimmer being so condescending and smug. I had so wanted to rub it in her face that I knew the score even before the much-vaunted personal student of the Empress was allowed in on it.
“The Empress does love her secrets,” she commented, which had the benefit of being true and avoiding the issue. Politicians, am I right?
So, I decided to be a bit more direct. “So who are you that you knew about it before they did?”
“Somepony who's very well-connected.” Again, not very useful. “Our leader filled me in.”
“And who is she? I mean, you were the aedile of Canterlot and now governor of Northmarch. And you’re an alicorn! Who could be above you?”
She just smiled mysteriously. “Who indeed?”
Ugh, seriously? “How’d you get involved with this Circle business?”
Cadance thought it over. “I suppose one could say that destiny led me here.”
So she was going with that old dodge, huh? I rolled my eyes. “If you didn't want to talk about it, you could've just said so.”
Cadance shook her head. “It's not that. I got lost in this very forest when I was a very young filly, and that's when I met her.”
Now we were getting somewhere! “Who?”
She gave one of the enigmatic smiles I was coming to associate with alicorns. “You'll see in just a minute.” She held up a hoof to cut off my objection. “Before you get too upset, it’ll be faster to show you than it would be to explain it.”
Before long, I spotted something half-shrouded by fog. It was a ruined castle in the heart of the Everfree, broken down and crumbling with huge gaps exposing the place’s innards as vines grew over the rest. Clearly housekeeping hadn’t been by lately. “Is that it?”
Cadance shook her head and flew lower. “That’s the Castle of the Two Royal Sisters. It was their home until Princess Luna became Nightmare Moon, after which it was abandoned for Canterlot. From what I understand, it was truly magnificent a thousand years ago.”
“If you say so.” We landed on the far side of a chasm by a rotten and fallen rope bridge. Somepony should really fix that. “So this is where your leader lives?”
“Below, actually.” Cadance pointed to a flight of stairs carved into the mountain that I swear I didn’t notice despite looking almost right at them. She trotted down while I flew behind her. I mean, what’s the point of wings if you’re not gonna use them?
When I reached the ground I spotted a cave, big and dark and—well, cavernous. Then, for just an instant, there was this bright twinkle of light from somewhere in the deep. It was so fast I wasn’t sure if I imagined it or not. But somehow, I knew I hadn’t.
“Go on.” I hadn’t even heard Cadance approach me. I totally didn’t flinch though.
“Wha—er, right, right.” I coughed. “Did you bring a light or—” Her horn began to glow. She gave me this tiny little smirk and trotted on ahead of me. Alicorns. Ugh.
The cave was bathed in the bluish light of her magic, though there wasn’t much to see. Then her light refracted off something and the entire place lit up. I had to cover my eyes with a wing to keep from being blinded, and wishedI had brought my goggles for what little good they would have done.
I blinked as the source of the light came into focus: a giant tree made entirely of crystals.
I kept it cool though. “That is ... what is that?!”
“That is the Circle's leader.” Cadance dipped her head to it. “Rainbow Dash, this is the Tree of Harmony.”
I did not hear that right. “A tree?!”
“Well, it's not just a tree,” Cadance said in her defense.
Yeah, sure. “That is a tree. I know a tree when I'm looking at one, even if it’s a weird crystal tree-thing, and I’m looking at one right now!” I groaned and facehooved. “Your leader is a tree. You should've called in Fluttershy. She would love this.”
The tree began to shimmer, twinkling in random places—and then, a new voice echoed in the cavern. “Once, in the time before the Empire, I was queen. I ruled for hundreds of years before stepping down. In my last days, I realized that there were dangers which the Empress was unaware of and could not defeat on her own. So I chose to merge my essence with the Tree of Harmony.”
The voice was strange: gentle but firm, with an odd echo to it. The more it talked, the more the tree sparkled. The tree was talking.
I wasn’t even aware I was sitting down until my rump hit the cold stone floor. “You're the Old Queen Celestia.”
It lit up again. “Yes.”
Okay, limit reached. I tried to say something—anything—but nothing came out.
“I am sure this must be very startling for you,” the tree—Celestia (Treelestia?) said. “I apologize.”
“Just a bit,” I said weakly. “So, uh, what’s up?”
The tree seemed to hesitate. “What's ... up?”
Cadance glanced towards the tree. “I told you she was a bit unique.”
“I didn't ask for a courtier with perfectly refined manners,” the Queen responded. “I asked for Rainbow Dash. Now, my little pony, was there anything else you wished to ask?”
“Oh no, nothing much only, just a little—I don’t know—everything!” I yelled. “How did you get to be a tree? Didn’t you die? How the feather is this happening? I mean, you’re a tree!”
She did ask.
“It would be more accurate to say that my spirit is currently contained within a tree.” That just explained so much. “To call me a tree would be inaccurate; in my current state, I am connected to and a part of all life in Equestria. In many ways, I am now at a higher plane of existence than I occupied as a pony.”
What the hay are you even supposed to say to that? “Okay, so … how’s that working out for you?”
Celestia paused. “Fine. I find it very relaxing.”
So. Weird. “Sooo, can you see me, like right now?”
“Yes, I can.” The tree moved a branch reaching down and brushing my side. I jumped back. I mean, who wouldn’t? A tree had reached out and touched me.
“How can you do that?”
“I can do much more than that,” Celestia responded. “The Tree of Harmony can see events all across Equestria and beyond.”
Okay, that seemed like a bit much. “Really? Being a tree lets you know what’s going on everywhere? I’ve heard of sinking roots into a place and branching out, but this is ridiculous.”
Cadance moaned. “Rainbow…”
“Perhaps she requires proof.” Celestia offered, twinkling. Why did she sound so pleased by the prospect? “I could perhaps tell her something that I shouldn’t know, being a tree rooted in one place? Hmm … There is her crush on Fluttershy...” I felt my jaw drop open and a sudden flush of heat rush up my face. Oh. My. Goddess. I dimly heard Cadance giggling.
Apparently Celestia had a mischievous streak—which I would normally appreciate if it were under different circumstances—because then she oh-so casually added, “Of course, there is also your very personal time with your wingpony, Lightning Dust.”
Dangit, why couldn’t I speak? I could only communicate in squeaks! Now I could definitely hear Cadance chortling. I snuck a peek and saw her looking positively giddy. I am so doomed.
“I trust you are satisfied with this little demonstration?” Celestia asked. “If not, there was also that incident at the Wonderbolt Academy—”
“Alright alright, you made your point!” I shouted. Geeze, didn’t she know there’s such a thing as too much honesty? Cadance didn’t even try to hide her mirth. I groaned and rubbed my face. This is so not how I expected this to go at all. “So, you’re the leader of the Circle? You sent Cadance to talk to me?”
“I am indeed.” Her branches glimmered. “I felt it was time I got to know you better for myself, and to more fully include you in the Circle’s activities.”
Okay, I’m game. “Sure, go for it.”
Celestia chuckled. “Unique indeed. Cadance?”
She dipped her head to the tree and took a breath. “We’ve managed to secure the election of a tribune who’s friendly to us, as well as several new governors and a dozen mayors. We managed to influence Sunbeam to adopt a more conciliatory policy towards the caribou.” She paused, looking nervous about something. “Argentium met with me and the Empress, and stressed the importance of Luna regaining her mantle as Princess of the Moon.” She bit her lip, her eyes flickering over towards me.
What, did I have something in my teeth?
“She is going to be in the middle of all this.” Celestia said. “You can speak plainly in front of her.”
“Very well,” Cadance sighed. “I know you want to see your sister restored, Your Majesty, but given that she’s spent the last thousand years in the grip of madness, it’s going to be hard for ponies to accept her. How can you even be sure the Elements will completely heal her mind?”
Celestia didn’t seem put off by the question—then again, she was a tree. I guess you could say her expression was a little wooden. “I understand your concerns, but I know what the Elements of Harmony are capable of. They can restore my sister.”
“Even if they do,” Cadance conceded. “How do you know that her isolation won’t cause her to backslide again? She’s been gone for a thousand years. Everything she knew is gone … including you. If she could fall before, what’s to stop her from doing so again—especially once she learns how much Sunbeam has changed?”
“I have faith in my sister,” Celestia said solemnly. Really, that’s it? I guess she must’ve guessed what I was thinking—or that Cadance was thinking the same thing—because Celestia added, “Sunbeam assumes the worst of everypony and everybeing, based on her own tragic experiences. She feels that if there is even a minute chance that some ill could come from a pony’s choice, she must take that choice away. But we can show her a better way. If we are to do so, we cannot allow ourselves to write anyone off merely because there is a risk that a pony may someday do something harmful. Otherwise, how is our thinking any different than hers?”
Cadance sighed, unhappy and unconvinced but at least willing to give it a chance. “As you say.” She hesitated, before clearing her throat. “I arranged for Twilight to meet Argentium, in private. She figured it out and...” For the first time since I’d known her, Cadance needed to stop to go regain her composure. Even then, it wasn’t terribly convincing. “I—I don’t think Twilight will be open to joining the Circle anytime soon.” Her shoulders slumped. “I also accidentally revealed her mother’s place in the Circle.”
Whoa. Twilight’s mother was in the Circle? That was a pretty big deal. I felt myself leaning forward to hear more, but Cadance didn’t add anything else. Even though she was just a tree, I could somehow tell that Celestia was focusing on me now. “Do you understand what the Circle is and what we intend to do?”
“Yeah,” I nodded, trying to not be distracted by wondering about Twilight and Cadance. “You want to keep Sunbeam honest. But what I don’t really get is what I’m supposed to do exactly. All I’ve got is a big round rock. Unless the goal is to throw it at Nightmare Moon or Sunbeam really hard, then I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.”
“You will learn to unlock their power through the magic of friendship.” The tree sighed, which was something I never expected to hear. “Despite Sunbeam's hopes, I do not think it is something you can learn by reading books.”
“If it was, then Twilight would be a friendship expert by this point.” I wished I could take that back the moment after I said it; the hurt look on Cadance’s face was actively painful to look at. “Sorry.” I coughed. “Queen Celestia, can I ask you something?” Ugh, I was asking permission of a tree. Here I was complaining that my life had too much direction just a little while ago…
The tree lit up. “Of course. You may ask anything you wish of me.”
Alright, might as well go for the big question. “Why? Why are you leading the Circle? Why’d you even step down and make Sunbeam the Empress if you were just going to end up opposing her anyway?”
“Is that what you think we’re doing?” She turned the question back on me. “Opposing her?”
I looked around. We stood in a hidden cave in the middle of a wild forest, sneaking out of Ponyville by magic and Governor Cadance wore a nondescript cloak. Yeah, color me crazy, but that did kind of suggest a secret opposition.
When I said as much, Celestia answered, “Our position is not one of opposition so much as ... guidance.”
She really liked splitting hairs for a pony who didn’t have any. It bugged me. “Okay, fine but why even put her in charge if you're just going to have to guide her into doing the right thing anyway?” I snorted. “If you didn’t trust her to run Equestria, then maybe you shouldn’t have let her off your leash.”
Even I knew that was pushing it with that. I expected to get my head bitten off for that (or whatever the equivalent would be from a tree), but instead all Celestia did was sigh. How she sighed without having lungs, you got me. “Because I was tired of ruling. Tired of the price my mistakes had on my subjects. And because she deserved to be saved.”
“So instead you let her take over to make even worse mistakes?” I growled. “She conquered half the world! She’s told every race she comes across 'Join the Empire' or else!’ She created the feathering Ministry of Heart!”
“And you think if I had retained the throne, there would be no evil?” Celestia didn’t even sound fazed. “Under my reign, pony slaughtered pony because of my mistakes.”
I grumbled, having heard a bit of the old history from my family. “Well, okay, but would you have forced every race around to bow to you?”
Celestia’s lights seemed to dim for a moment, as if depressed. “No.” I shrugged, not seeing what else to add. But Celestia had more to say. “I am not pleased by all of Sunbeam's solutions, but her methods do often yield positive results. It has always been a question of whether the benefits justify the price.”
This was why I preferred flying to politics. “Okay, I get that you don't want to rip everything down. But what is the Circle actually doing to make things better?”
“To begin with, we've worked to ensure that the citizenship process truly is fair and equitable.”
Well, that’s something at least. But that didn’t answer the big question. “What happens if tomorrow Sunbeam wants to take over another other race?”
“We would work to persuade her that conquest is not the best way to expand.” Celestia sighed, though this time I could see her branches sway slightly. “Believe it or not, the situation with the caribou and the buffalo represents an improvement; expansion through cultural and economic hegemony rather than direct conquest. Nine hundred years ago, she would have mustered her armies and driven the buffalo out. This time, she negotiated a treaty.”
A treaty that swindled the buffalo out of their ancestral stampeding ground because their chief was old and senile. I sighed. Derpy had told me about how she managed to convince the Empress into at least listening to the buffalo. Just thinking about all this was more tiring than an entire performance. “Look, I know you don't want to start another civil war or anything; I don't either. But you can't just go around acting like her conscience or whatever. Sometimes you just gotta stand up and loudly tell her 'No.'” I paused, then added, “And maybe hit her with a rolled up newspaper or something.”
“Which is why we are pressuring her to reopen negotiations with the buffalo,” Celestia answered evenly. “And why we arranged to have Cadance put in charge of the caribou situation. We will show her that there is a better way.”
Huh, that was news. “You arranged it? I thought Sunbeam posted Cadance there.”
“She made the formal appointment, yes. But where do you think she got the idea?”
“You mean you put ideas in her head?”
“Not directly, no. But several members of the Circle hinted at the idea, and she took it to heart.”
Well, that begged the million bit question. “Does she ... know about you?”
The tree lit up. “She has known about the Circle almost since its founding. It was inevitable, when we recruited so many ponies who were close to her. And yes, that means it is quite possible she knows about me as well.” My eyes widened. Damn. Celestia certainly liked to live on the edge … for a tree, I mean. “She doesn't seem inclined to kill me or take other aggressive action. In her own way, I think Sunbeam loved me, as much as she was capable of such a thing.”
“If you say so.” I ruffled my wings, trying not to dwell on the Empress’ bizarre feelings. “This is really serious isn't it? I mean, after Sunbeam and Cadance spoke to me, there was that aedile who got killed…”
“Yes.” I don’t know how a tree could sound pained, but that’s exactly how Celestia sounded now. “Pinkie Pie, who was destined to wield the Element of Laughter, just as you were destined to wield Loyalty.”
Loyalty? But I was honesty! Wasn’t I? “How can that be? I mean, if it's destined to happen—how can it if she's dead? And I'm not that loyal; not to Sunbeam anyway.”
“Destiny is ... more complex than a set of events immutably written in stone,” Celestia said, clearly measuring her words.
Not that it helped all that much. “Huh?”
The tree lit up. “Would you like a very long and complicated explanation that would likely be over your head, or a simple analogy?”
“I’m not stupid,” I grumbled, tired of having ponies talk down to me. “...simple analogy please.”
“Destiny,” Celestia illuminated the cave as she spoke, “is not so much a single set line of events as an infinite spiderweb of potential.”
I stuck out my tongue. “Hate those things.” Cadance let out a quiet snicker. “What? I’m totally not scared of spiders, if that's what you're thinking. I just … don't like them is all. Like eggplants. I’m not scared of eggplants, who is? But I don't like 'em.”
“I think we might be getting lost in the metaphor,” Celestia observed dryly.
“Huh? Oh right.” I shook my head. Okay, focusing. “So how can something be destiny if can not happen?”
“In short, because ponies always have the capacity to chose.” Celestia’s branches lit up. “It's terribly complicated. Sunbeam always hated the topic.” I had never felt more sympathy for her. “A great deal is likely to change with my sister's return. How much ... remains to be seen.”
I thought back to my talk with Empress Sunbeam. “It’s like you said, the Empress always assumes the worst of everyone and plans things out that way. She’s convinced that she’s the only being in the entire world who knows what to do and that nopony else can be trusted to do things right. To her, if there’s like less than a one percent chance of someone screwing up, she wouldn’t risk it. Especially when it comes to letting anyone else make a choice for themselves.” I rubbed my neck. “She'll probably try to lock Luna away for what she did as Nightmare Moon—or maybe just not let her become immortal again.”
“I will not allow my sister to rot away in a dungeon cell or be robbed of her rightful span, rest assured of that.” Celestia’s branches flared at the proclamation, and I believed her. “But I suspect there is more to her plans than that. I have a question for you, Rainbow Dash: she gathered you and the other Element bearers together in her private vault. I would have your impressions.”
I told them about how the Empress got us together in her study and how she laid it all out for the others—I had to pretend not to know what was going on, but I think I pulled it off (for some reason Cadance coughed suddenly when I mentioned that). When I told them about all the stuff the Empress kept in the vault, I could feel their attention grow, especially when I got to the part about the Empress’ holding onto the bodies of Celestia and Midnight Sparkle.
Which, yeah, I don't blame them. Keeping corpses around your private trophy room? That's not messed up at all. Of course, it had to be even weirder for Celestia.
But that’s not what she asked about. “Did you ... notice anything about Sunbeam and her child?”
Besides the fact that she kept her dead daughter on display in her den? I thought back. “Well, she stopped in front of her for a bit and we had to wait for her.”
“So would you say she still mourns her daughter?” Celestia asked.
“I guess?” I shrugged. I wasn’t a mind-reader.
“Of course,” Celestia answered her own question—then why even ask me? “The only pony she truly loved. That raises a very troubling question for me: the Circle knows that Sunbeam has no intention of restoring Luna to equal status once she regains her sanity. Which begs the question...”
What, is she waiting for me to fill in the blanks? “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Why she ever let her daughter die in the first place, when she could have passed dominion over the moon to her?” I got the sense that she’d be frowning if she still had a face. “At the very least, she could have given her daughter the moon mantle until Luna’s return.”
Is this going to be a thing, where they keep asking me stuff I couldn’t possibly know? “Maybe she is that cold-hearted of a nag.”
Celestia didn’t seem to think so. “Would somepony that cold still keep their child's body and visit it daily?” I just shrugged. Her tone was cautious. “I can't find a reason why Midnight Sparkle isn't alive. Not one that satisfies me. And when I can't find a rational explanation for something that important, it bothers me. Because it means I'm missing something. There must be an answer. And I think we need to know it before Luna returns.” She paused, I guess wanting it all to sink in. “Do you understand all this, Rainbow Dash? Can you handle it?”
“If you didn’t think I could, you wouldn’t have asked me to come.” I grinned. “Be-leaf me, I’m not easily over-elm-ed.” Out of the corner of my eye I saw Cadance groan and facehoof. Naturally, I kept going. “I ash-ure you, everything will be oak-ay, even if it is a larch problem. I’m sure we can get Luna to turn over a new leaf and stick around, lay down some new roots and stuff. Maybe even spruce up Sunbeam’s attitude while we’re at it, provided she doesn’t charge us all with tree-son.”
“Rainbow Dash,” Cadance looked positively pained.
Frankly, I felt proud of myself for holding off on the tree jokes for as long as I did. Who says I can’t focus on what’s important?
There was a long moment of silence as Celestia’s tree went dim. It was just long enough for me to start to worry that maybe I had gone too far … but then it lit up again and Celestia laughed, loudly. “Very true! I think yew should know, I’ve pine-d for a pony who would be maple to keep up with my sense of humor. But be careful, cedar or later you’ll go too far and then you’ll be in deep fertilizer!”
I grinned. I’m going to like working with her.
Cadance groaned. “Don’t encourage her…”
On the flight back to Ponyville I noticed Cadance was being unusually quiet. I did a quick loop around her, but she didn’t even seem to notice me. Well, I’m not one to turn down a challenge, so I settled for setting myself right in front of Cadance. Luckily for both of us, she wasn’t so out of it that she would miss something blue and awesome in her flight path.
Drawing herself up short, Cadance whinnied in confusion. “Rainbow, what in the world—?!”
“Hey, I had to get your attention somehow and I didn’t think you wanted me to do a Sonic Rainboom under your snout.” I smirked wryly. “Not exactly good for us sneaking around, right?”
She rubbed her face. “Yes, that would make things difficult.” She started around me, but I sped in front of her. I was a professional flyer. She wasn’t going to get around me or lose me without bringing out the magical big guns, would have about the same impact as me doing a Sonic Rainboom. In other words: she wasn’t about to lose me.
When I told her as much, she grimaced but couldn’t argue against my awesomeness. “Is there something wrong, Rainbow?”
“Yeah, you’re stealing my line.” I leaned forward. “What’s wrong with you? And don’t tell me nothing’s wrong. You look like somepony peed in your rain cloud.”
Cadance wrinkled her nose in disgust, but apparently decided not to argue the point. “You’re right, it isn’t nothing. But it’s nothing you can do anything about.”
That was precisely the wrong thing to say to me. “Why don’t you let me determine what I can or can’t do?”
“Rainbow—”
I waved her objection off before she could even make it. “Nothing doing. I’m not stupid, Cadance. I can tell that something’s bugging you about how your meeting with Twilight about the Circle went down.”
If we were playing battleclouds, I would’ve just zapped her weather pony; she couldn’t stop herself from flinching. I felt a bit of satisfaction in knowing that I was right, but that died after seeing how miserable she looked. “Wanna—” I started before catching myself. “Need to talk about it?”
Cadance’s body posture, usually so well poised and stunning, slumped. Her body looked like a sack of potatoes held up by her wings. “I foalsat for Twilight when she was a little filly. Her sister Amethyst, too. She was always so happy to seem me. We had our own activities, even a special greeting.” Her voice quavered. “When I was with them—it was like I was already part of their family, well before I proposed to Shining. It was wonderful.” She swallowed an emotional lump in her throat. When she continued, her voice sounded painfully raw. “Then in a moment, it all started to fall apart.”
“Hey.” I flew next to her, letting my outstretched wing slide over hers in an old pegasus expression of support. “It’ll be okay. Twilight was probably just surprised about all this Circle business. If she’s half as smart as she acts, she’ll see that we’re doing the right thing.”
But it was like she didn’t even hear me. “Twilight was furious,” Cadance whispered. “She knew I had arranged for Shining Armor to be away, knew I had set up the meeting with Argentium. I tried to put her off, I knew she would be too upset to understand why the Circle exists. But she … pushed.”
Something about the way she said that made my ears twitch. “She ‘pushed’ you? How?”
Cadance shook her head. “She didn’t mean it, she wouldn’t really…”
I suddenly got that feeling when get when you stop flapping and feel yourself plummeting down, your gut sinking and twisting up. “She wouldn’t really have what?” I demanded, dreading the answer. “She didn’t threaten you, did she?”
“She wouldn’t really have have gone to them...”
There was only one them in Equestria that sounded that ominous. I felt my jaw hanging open. “She threatened to rat you out to the Ministry of Heart?!” Okay, I got why Twilight was pissed, really I did. Ponies she knew and trusted were keeping secrets from her. I’ve been there, and I get how much that hurts. But to threaten Cadance with the feathering Ministry of Heart? Bluff or no, that’s going too far, dammit! “What the feather?!”
Cadance must’ve seen I was pissed. Then again, it wasn’t that hard to notice. “Rainbow Dash, I need you to stay calm...”
“Feather calm!” I shouted. “Feather Twilight, feather the Ministry and feather Sunbeam! I’m going to fly out to Canterlot right now and deck that Twilight right in the snoz!” I wouldn’t wish the MoH on my worst enemy, let alone my future sister-in-law! That was—she—what was wrong with that pony?!
I suppose I must’ve said that last part out loud, because Cadance sighed gently. “She’s very loyal to her grandmother. She’s allowed her love for her and her accomplishments to blind her to Sunbeam’s very real and very serious flaws.”
Okay, I was all for loyalty—kind of a prerequisite when you’re in a team as close-knit as the Wonderbolts—but not when it let you become blind to what was going on around you. Blind loyalty is a recipe for servitude and slavery.
Still, there was a problem in front of me and I knew just how to solve it. “Stay here, Cadance. I’m going to fly to Canterlot, kick Twilight in the rump until her brains start working again and she realizes that you were right.” I tried to move but found myself surrounded by a pink bubble of magic. Feathering bubbles. “Cadance … you know you can’t keep me here.”
“Rainbow Dash, please listen,” she urged. “I know you want to help me and I really, really appreciate that. But trust me when I tell you that this won’t help. You can’t force Twilight to get over her feelings of being angry at me and her mother, and exposing your own connection to the Circle would jeopardize yourself and everything we’ve been working for!”
Dammit, I hate it when other ponies make sense. Especially when it would feel so satisfying to kick somepony’s flank. After a moment she let the shield disappear. Introducing Twilight’s rear to my hoof was out of the question, so I settled for kicking irritably at a passing cloud.
Cadance looked over, clearly relieved that Twilight’s plot wasn’t going to be wearing my hoofprints. “Thank you, Rainbow.” She leaned over to nuzzle me. “You’re a good friend.”
“Yeah, well…” I grunted and kicked at another cloud. “What do we do now?”
She didn’t even have to hesitate. “Prepare for Nightmare Moon’s return. Things with Twilight will run their course. And hopefully, we’ll mend fences before then.” She couldn’t quite repress a sigh as she spoke.
That didn’t sound nearly good enough, especially since she didn’t even seem to really believe it. Cadance nudged me gently. “In the meantime, we should get you back to the other Wonderbolts before lights out. I’d hate to get you in trouble with your commanding officer.”
Spitfire did love yelling at ponies for anything and everything. “Good point.” But I wasn’t quite ready to just leave Cadance looking so depressed. She was to the Circle what Fleetfoot was to the Wonderbolts: my mentor and friend, almost like an aunt. I didn’t leave Fleetfoot hanging when she needed help, and I wasn’t going to do any less for Cadance. I tried to think of something to help her when inspiration hit me. “So, before I turn in for the night, think you’d be up for helping me with a little prank?”
Cadance’s ears perked. “A prank? What kind of prank?”
Oh the possibilities that having a partner—and alicorn!—offered. How could I choose just one? Wait, who said I had to? “We’ll brainstorm on the way back. We still got some time.”
She thought it over and nodded. “That’s true. We’ll also have plenty of time to talk about you and Fluttershy … or would you rather discuss Lightning Dust?”
Oh, horseapples.
The End
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Man I still miss Pinkie Pie.
End of the Guest Tale, but the main story is still progressing.
I don't really have anything to say about that, I just feel like someone should acknowledge that it's there, and that we see what you did.
That said, I really enjoyed the chapter.
Oh my god, you guys turned Celestia into a proto Hist Tree (Elder Scrolls ref.)
that is awesome
Sorry Rainbow, but Twilight had every right to be pissed at Cadence. I am so, so disappointed in Celestia. Even after all that's happened she still doesn't trust Sunbeam, heck, maybe she never did. Oh, she dresses it up in platitudes and the like, but what it really comes down to, what it has always come down to, is trust.
7726094
Ironically, Sunbeam's commitment to try and save Luna shows her trust in Celestia, even though the last time they spoke was almost a thousand years ago.
7726094 yes , it would have been much easier and safer to just freeze or petrify Sunbeam and Midnight if she did not trust her with equestria.
It's official, this version of Rainbow Dash is best pony.
7726094
I'm pissed at Celestia for choosing the coward way out and letting Sunbeam take the throne so that she would be the one dirtying her hooves making the hard choices: "pacifying" the gryphons, purging Tartarus, etc...
Note, I agree with Rainbow in almost every word regarding the Empress, but still...
I thought Celestia would make an appearance, but not in this form. Consider me surprised.
Amazing chapter though! Dash and Celestia clicked quite well. And it was a pretty amusing conversation too.
This bit though...
How is Cadance going to be Dash's future sister in law? Is this an error, am I missing something, or is my memory just plain bad for not remembering something from previous chapters?
7726217
Which makes it all the more tragic that Celestia doesn't trust her. Their's seems doomed to be a one-way relationship.
7726264
Rainbow has a point, but she lacks context. She (vaguely) knows the 'how,' but not the 'why.' It doesn't help that Celestia is clearly an unreliable narrator here.
7726344
Hey, I'll ship Sunset X Treelestia. They just need an epic makeup crying session!
7726264
Hey, don't you dare say that! Rainbow Dash is ALWAYS Best Pony!
7726094
Eh, what is trust beyond a belief that you know how another will behave in a certain situation? Celestia trusts that Sunbeam, without being lead to a different way, will fall back on her tendency to simply eliminate a threat rather than give a pony a chance. So why did Celestia allow her to become empress in the first place? Partly guilt over her own missteps leading her to feel that it was time to go, partly knowing that Sunbeam was capable of protecting her little ponies, and partly belief that doing so, combined with some guidance, would lead to Sunbeam becoming a better pony and saving her soul. It was never just a matter of handing over the keys and assuming she'd do great.
7726610
It's been around a thousand years man, there comes a point where it's time to let go, and Celestia has gone far beyond that point.
7726282
I can see how that might be confusing, but Rainbow is putting herself in Twilight's position. When she says she'd never set the MoH on on her future-sister-in-law, she isn't saying that Cadance is HER [Rainbow's] sister-in-law, but that she'd never do what Twilight did if she [Rainbow] was in Twilight's position.
Really enjoyable read. Cadance and Rainbow's dynamic is very fun and sincere, as is that little pun exchange towards the end with Treelestia. I'm glad we've finally figured out the Circle leadership, though I'm pretty sure my money was on Celestia from the get-go. Nice touch using the Tree of Harmony there too.
7726264 Celestia promised Sunbeam that she would make Sunbeam an alicorn if she couldn't cure Sunbeam, and Celestia would be no different from Sunbeam if she cared only about the ends(a better ruler) than the means(breaking a promise).
7726687 Celestia fully expected to live for a lot longer than a thousand years before she lost her alicornhood, so saying "there's a time to let go" is not a strong argument.
7726927
Celestia confessed Sunbeam she had seen the trap coming, but she "allowed" herself to be tricked. she wanted Sunbeam to take up the Sun Mantle and become a better pony, one who did not falter to do the necessary to secure Equestria´s survival and prosperity even if that end required not-exactly-morals means.
In other words "I´m too kind for my ponies´own good, so gonna put my highly competent yet sociopathic vizir in charge. But I will still stick around just in case she becomes too meanie".
7726856 Aaaaaaaaah right. Makes sense now. Probably had a waterclogged brain or something at the time
Twilight. She's going to use the moon mantle to make Twilight into an alicorn, to be her new, completely loyal, daughter that Midnight never was because she helped found the Circle.
False. That is the second-baitest switch I have ever seen.
OH BUCK YOU!
Granted, great idea, totally stealing that for later use, but still.
Buck. You.
7726094 Sunbeam doesn't deserve to be trusted from the point of view of Celestia and those of us who think like her.
Sunbeam is very much one of those ponies who does not at all flinch when faced with the trolley problem. She throws the level and has 0 regrets about letting one get run over to save five. And that mentality is the sort of mentality that can very easily start justifying other, larger scale atrocities as a 'Greatest Good' scenario. Her whole conquering half the world is a perfect example of that.
And we see it in the real world too. That kind of thinking was part of why we in the US invaded Iraq - a naive belief that we knew better and were justified in breaking a few eggs to save the Middle East from itself. And now? 14 years later we're still mired in the consequences of that belief.
And that's to say nothing of all the choices she has taken away from others. As has been said - and shown - you end up on the path Sunbeam intends for you, or prepare to get bulldozed. Freedom is a messy thing. It's like childhood. You can force your child to sit down and study and follow your path you set out for them. Sometimes? They prosper. Sometimes? They move away to college and start failing hard the instant you stop helicoptering control over their lives. If you truly want your child self-actualized, you need to give them the freedom to make mistakes.
I would bet a thousand bits part of the reason Celestia also opposes her is because Celestia has the same capability herself. The Sun-Tree is well aware of just what she could do, or have done, with that capability - and knows exactly what dark paths you can easily walk down.
Sunbeam, eventually, has to make a choice. Either she lets go of the reins of power and allows ponies the freedom to make their own mistakes - or else, in the end?
The other option ends very simply : We Are Borg. Resistance is Futile.
Also in other news, I was wondering for a long time if Celestia was gone, and this way of handling it? Awesome.
or "how can destiny not happen"
IMO, this is why prophecies are so vague If, in an infallible prophecy, someone told AJ "next Tuesday in the apple orchard you will trip on an apple & fall to your death.", she wouldn't go near the orchard. That's why it would be something more like "On the day of the full moon, your Cutie Mark will lead you to your fate" . There's probably a magic law for prophecies "Clarity + Accuracy is a constant = to the prophet's skill + power". That is, a prophet can be accurate or clear but it's hard to be both & some are just better than others.
Problem I see here: the reason we are here, and the Circle thinks we are up poo creek, is that Celestia screwed the pooch one time too many. Sunbeam wasn't helpful in that regard, no, but Sunbeam was also not responsible for Luna's banishment, Celestia ignoring the pegasi so long they revolted, and most relevantly, Celestia paralyzing Sunbeam, which lead to this whole situation. To be clear:
If Celestia hadn't fucked up, she would still be in charge.
So, why is she now is a position where her every criticism of Empress Sunbeam is taken as gospel? Discuss.
Heh, I expected Celestia to show up at some point in one way or another, but I expected something closer with Shadow's armor.
8867422
Simple. Empress Sunbeam is not particularly beloved, and it has been such a long time that ponies are willing to give Celestia a second chance.
On a side note, I highly doubt Sunbeam would have handled the Lunar Revolution any better.
8867422 I did not get notified of your answer, for some reason.
Please try to go into the chapter where the comment is before answer...there is a bug that makes it appear on the last uplodaded chapter.
Again, simple. Sunbeam is harsh. Ponies are nervous around her because they are afraid of her. Then there is the Ministry of Heart.
You know how sometimes you are nervous around police, even though you have commited no crime? Imagine that same feeling turned up to eleven. Every day of your life. Every hour. The Ministry is watching.
As far as I know, we do not have an 'official' list of Celestia's accomplishments in this storyline. I assume the defeat of Tirek, Discord, Sombra and Nightmare Moon (Yes, her too) are still part of this, but...who knows?
Sunbeam conquered a large portion of the world. Equestria has been in a permanent war for quite a while.
9230548
Okay, yeah. Good points across the board. My only nitpicks are as follows: to my understanding, civil wars are far less popular than wars of conquest, especially if you are winning said wars regularly, and the "constant state of fear" bit. I highly doubt that everyone would be living in a state of constant fear. Sunbeam's empire is not 1984, and the Ministry of Heart is not Big Brother, despite all the similarities. If anything, it more closely resembles the Galactic Empire and Imperial Intelligence from Star Wars Legends, minus the institutionalized racism and fixation on giant super-weapons. There were plenty of worlds/people that were happy with Imperial rule, and for a variety of reasons. Hell, Sunbeam's empire is far better in several respects; at least this time the Emperor isn't the guy who puppet-mastered the entire civil war that brought them to power.
But, with that I concede victory to you, sir. There are indeed a multitude of reasons for ponies to go to Celestia for advice. I will admit, most of this stems from my own tendencies to trash on Celestia when given the chance, and Root for the Empire, so my ability to agree with you on this is severely hampered. It just really sucks that Celestia is their best option at this point. Why oh why can't mortals just up and rule themselves for a change? I guess if Freeport is our only example, that would be a bit scary, but come on!
9230837 I have to give it to you, a civil war is far less popular than a (won) war of conquest. Though, the staggering time since the civil war happened means ponies are more willing to forget.
I do not think Celestia is the 'best option'. I do not think she is even an option, she is just...an oposition. It would be rather strange for her to return.
We kind of suck at it. I mean, you say you are biased against Celestia and you say ponies were killing each other in massive amounts every few hundred years. Now check the list of wars involving...let us say, France. I have no idea how a real-life inmortal rule would be...but this version of Celestia is better than real life, for certain.
Not that Rainbow's wrong about the value of confidence, but it's very hard to focus on both sides of "the more you know, the more you know you don't know" at the same time. And of course, there's always going to be running in parallel "the less you know, the less you know you don't know".
Rainbow Dash kind of belongs in the shonen genre. It's not that she's stupid as that she believes in simplicity. If there's a complex problem, there's someone somewhere who can be bucked in the face to fix said problem. Just as sufficiently canon Twilight kind of belongs in a magical girl show - her intelligence tends to serve her better as flavor than function.
Eh, no real opinion on the Lunar Rebellion with Sunbeam in charge. One the one hand, she'd have hit hard at a time when that seems to be very workable. On the other, Sunbeam being there was several beads on the string of events which led to the Lunar Rebellion happening at that time in that way, and the "when, where and who" seem to have been the details which aided in shooting the best potential solution to the underlying problems to Tartarus. You can even make a case for a more personal problem: Sunbeam being Sunbeam wasn't the reason her daughter was in danger there, but it did repeatedly open up avenues of threat to Midnight even as Sunbeam was trying to be Sunbeam to protect her. (Don't like that last sentence grammatically either. Almost replaced "being" with "doing" - and suddenly realized how that looked. "Banging, Banging Everywhere" indeed.)