• Published 28th Jul 2014
  • 1,144 Views, 11 Comments

The Unfaithful Student - PiercingSight



Celestia and Luna. The Princesses of Equestria. Both kind, intelligent, and loving. They grew, they suffered, they fought, and they lost. But perhaps worst of all, they lost each other.

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1 - The Time Has Come

Chapter 1

In a castle, at the base of a mountain, a midnight blue alicorn with a golden main overlooked the cityscape below him, bustling with waking ponies as the sun graced the landscape with it's etherial glow.


The king stood out on a marble balcony, embellished with a delicate golden fence. The light of the morning sun highlighted the fringes of his recently washed coat. He watched the city below as ponies of all shapes and colors filled the streets, leaving their homes for work, heading out to make some early morning purchases, and, some of them, returning to their beds after a long night shift somewhere. The golden light of the young day was bright enough to give radiance to the coats of the colorful equines, yet cool enough to enjoy a stroll through it's beautifying glow. The movement provided a delicate hum of hoofsteps and friendly conversation that reached up to the castle, alerting his highness to the activity of the city before him.

King Cosmus, king over all of Equestria, observed the phenomenon from his small balcony as he did everyday. It was a comfort to him, a living breathing work of art upon which he could calmly ponder the things that a king is duty-bound to ponder. It gave him a peaceful look into the kingdom over which he ruled, allowing him to see the ponies that his decisions would affect and ask himself what difference they would make to those families that depended upon the hard work and protection of their rulers.

For many ponies, such a view would give them the feeling that it is they who were the rulers, who's every whim was to be served as they stood over and watched the small ponies below them. But for Cosmus, it was a reminder to him of just how many ponies he was to serve, for who's families and futures he was responsible. And perhaps most of all, it gave him a love for the ponies. He could see their movements, their desires, their hopes and their dreams as he watched them make their way from one place to another. And he wanted to help them accomplished these goals.

As he thought on these things, the sound of a great wooden door shutting behind him alerted him to the pony entering his room.

"Good morning, Oculus," Cosmus said without so much as turning his head. He didn't need to see to know who it was. Every morning his faithful assistant would enter carrying with him an agenda of the day's activities.

"Good morning, Your Majesty." Oculus bowed slightly.

Cosmus turned to look at his assistant and smiled. "I've already said many times that you need not call me that. You are my friend, and can address me as one."

Oculus smiled back. "I know, but old habits return when least expected."

Chuckling, King Cosmus returned again to the glorious view from the castle. "What is on schedule today?"

"Today you have scheduled nearly the entire day at the Everfree School of Advanced Studies."

The king watched the sun rise slowly over the mountains in the distance. "Today has arrived already?"

Oculus fumbled a little with the scroll in his magical grip. "Sir, if I may ask, what is so important as to require the entirety of the day like this?"

Cosmus stood silent.

"I understand a quick visit to encourage the foals there, but this is no mere visit is it?"

Oculus had learned that he could be open and candid with the king, as the king had often sought his advice and perspective, despite the rather stark difference in age between them. Oculus was always amazed that Cosmus, even being the oldest, most knowledgeable, and wisest pony in all of Equestria, was humble enough to ask the opinion of his young assistant. He awaited the king's response, even if he wasn't going to get one.

But this time, he did.

"Oculus, I once asked you if you were willing to take my place as king should the need arise, yes?"

The question surprised Oculus, as he remembered very clearly the moment the king was speaking of, but didn't understand how this connected to the school visit. "I remember."

Cosmus nodded. "And you remember that you said that you would prefer not to, even if you felt you could be trusted with such a responsibility. Is that right?"

"It is." Oculus' eyebrows furrowed, the oddness of the conversation weighing on his mind.

The king continued. "I once asked the same thing to my student Starswirl, and he gave an answer very similar to your own. Do you remember the reason that you gave me?"

"I do." He waited for the king to continue speaking, but was met with only silence, so he continued, "I said that I would prefer to live out my life in peace, providing for my family, protecting them, and giving them the love that any family deserves of it's father. I also said that I would not be fit for the position because I wouldn't be able to trust myself not to make decisions for my own benefit instead of for the benefit of the ponies of Equestria."

Cosmus stood in silence once more.

"Sir.... I don't understand."

The king sighed. "Do you know how old I am?"

"I don't... I don't think I quite know." Oculus managed. "Some say over a thousand years. History suggests someth-"

"I am two thousand five hundred and sixty two years old, to the day," Cosmus stated matter-of-factly.

Oculus was silent. The king had never told anypony his age, much less the anniversary of his birth. Oculus began to fidget absentmindedly with the scroll, so he tucked it away in his bag. "Why are you telling me this, your highness?"

"Please, call me Cosmus. Just Cosmus." He turned around to smile at his assistant. "Oculus, my dear friend. A certain time is upon me."

"I'm sorry, si-... Cosmus. I do not understand."

The king continued, still smiling, "Oculus, you have been my assistant for quite some time. You have been a worthy ally, and a dear friend. Your advice and wisdom has been invaluable to me, and I trust you to the ends of the universe.

"I have been pondering a long time upon the right moment to do this, to begin this process, and I have come to the conclusion that if I don't do it now, it may never happen. There is rebellion starting up in the kingdom, corruption seeping through the ranks. We have interacted with a new species known as Gryphons just over the desert to the south, and they are not appearing as friendly as they once might have appeared to be. The economy of this kingdom is facing a near collapse thanks to the selfishness of politicians and their comrades in finance. We are being flanked by impending crises on every side. Change is occurring in Equestria at a rapid pace, and I, the pony responsible for protecting it, will soon be unable to if I do not act quickly."

King Cosmus lowered his gaze to meet Oculus' eye level. "Contrary to popular belief alicorns are not immortal. I am dying my young friend. I need an heir."

Silence hung in the air and in Oculus' mind.

The thought that the king would not live on, that he would one day get old and... It just seemed impossible. All the stories he had been told, all of the memories he had with his master, everything, indicated the long and continuing life of the king. He was still spry. He could fly and fight better than any other creature known to pony kind. And now, he says that he will soon go the way of the average pony.

"I-... Wha-... I don't-..." Oculus put a hoof to his head clenching his eyes shut.

Cosmus waited as his inexperienced assistant tried to come to grips with an unanticipated future.

Oculus looked up to his king. "How long?"

"How long do I have left? I don't quite know. After living as long as I have, who's to say that I won't yet outlive yourself. I cannot answer that question, but I can tell you that I can feel the change coming. I am slower in my body than I once was, my mind wanders longer, I have strange aches that seem to come out of nowhere, and these things are becoming more frequent."

"Have you told Starswirl?"

"He knows. He was informed not long ago. But I have not yet revealed this to anypony else, and I expect that you will guard this information as if it were the greatest secret in all of history. I cannot risk the others knowing about this and seeing an opportunity."

"An opportunity for what?"

"To take advantage of me. To call me weak. To defame me and take control of the kingdom for themselves, and frame me as if I am the reason for the current issues, and leave me to rot in the castle while they subjugate the rest of equestria to their iron hoof. Whether that iron hoof be literal or figurative. Whether it be the politicians, the news ponies, or the rebels, it doesn't matter. Nopony can know about this, do you understand?"

Oculus nodded. "Yes sir... er.. Cosmus."

Cosmus smiled once more to his assistant. "I trust you Oculus. That is why you are coming with me today. Because both you and Starswirl, the only ponies I can trust right now, have made it clear that you do not want the throne, we are going to visit a class of the most intelligent young minds of Equestria to see if I can't find one that I can raise to take my place."

"Foals? Is there nopony else? Nopony in the council or-..."

"All of the ponies in the council have received their positions through no small amount of deceitful self-promotion. They live by the selfish and destructive philosophy of negotiation, instead of the selfless and constructive law of cooperation. The ponies of the military, while loyal and intelligent, have been trained to live and breath defensive and offensive military tactics and stratagems. They have little experience with the political or legal realms, not to mention the extreme distrust that they would receive per their status as military leaders. I do not want it looking like Equestria has become a stratocracy."

King Cosmus let out a great sigh. "There is no pony else that I can trust to manage the throne at the current moment, and so with the limited time that I have, I will seek one out. Today among the academic elect. If that does not work, then I will seek elsewhere. And, if against all things should I not find another, I must know that I can rely on Starswirl and yourself."

Oculus lowered his head, trying to organize his thoughts. Cosmus sat and waited while he did so.

After a short period listening to the gentle wind outside the window, Oculus looked up to his king, worry and confidence simultaneously washing over his eyes. "I will help you in anyway I can... Cosmus." He smiled.

Cosmus returned the smile and wrapped his assistant in a large embrace. "Thank you, Oculus. If there is one thing I need at this time, it is a friend like you."

"It's my pleasure, sir," he said as he was released from the king's mighty grasp.

After a calm breath, Cosmus stood and turned to look out the window one last time. "Shall we head out then? The sooner the better."

"Absolutely. I'll go call for your carriage-" Oculus was stopped as he made for the door.

"That won't be necessary today. We shall go on hoof. I would quite enjoy a nice stroll through the city." With a quick flash of light, the king's form disappeared, replaced with a short, buff unicorn dressed in the armor of the royal guard.

Oculus' jaw hung open in amazement. "How did you-...?"

"I learned it years ago," replied the now disguised ruler of Equestria. "I use it every once in a while when I want to get away from the hustle and bustle of royal life." He winked.

"Indeed..." Oculus shook his head. "Shall we go then?"

"Let's."

Comments ( 3 )

Get that plot.
According to this fanon Alicorns die around 2500-2700 years old. Assuming Cosmos didn't get murdered. Meaning at their best Tia and Luna are about halfway there and at worst...well, Twilight probably was ascended for a reason.

4976688
Twilight was ascended for a reason, but in this story, it wasn't because Celestia was dying... you'll see. :twilightsmile:

4991251
The prologue is the lead into the entire story, not just the first chapter. Not only that, but the first chapter takes place over a thousand years before the prologue does.

Spoiler connection questions: Who do you think the king is going to find at the school? Who do you think he's going to choose?

When Celestia said: "I still lust for the praise that he always gave you.", who is he?

The next chapter is going to bring things a lot more into connection, and there will be the intermittent chapter from the time the Celestia is raising a teaching Twilight to show the parallels and cause and effect of the events that will be portrayed.

I'm a little slow at writing, yes, and this is kinda big, but when it's done, I assure you it'll make sense. :twilightsmile:

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