Epilogue: Picking Up the Pieces
Cadence
Several days pass in what is little more than a vague blur to me. The rescue efforts go on, ponies are treated, fires extinguished, damage repaired. Slowly but surely the Crystal Empire begins to recover from the damage of the occupation. I know that I should be happy about that, but I can’t really bring myself to be.
Eventually Shining Armor returns with several of Equestria’s soldiers and Twilight Sparkle in tow. My husband won’t talk to me, and for my part I don’t really blame him. He thinks that I did what I did out of love-blinded idiocy. That I ignored the safety of my kingdom and subjects because I wanted to have sex with him again or something like that. He doesn’t know the full circumstances behind my decision, and for the moment I can’t tell him.
Twilight, by contrast, is all over me. She’s absolutely delighted to see her sister-in-law alive and in one piece, and the hugging takes a little while to end. When it does she asks plenty of questions, mostly varieties of “What happened?” and “Are you alright?”. I answer as best as I am able, omitting a few details here and there. I hate to lie to her – I’ve done enough of that – but in this case it is necessary.
As for my “dear” aunt, she seems mostly content with the damage she’s done. She let me go without a word the night Shining left and, for the most part, has avoided me since. Perhaps she feels that she’s done enough to punish me inside the family, because nopony is more publicly adamant on my blamelessness for the whole affair. The official story, as I understand it, is that Sombra’s return was a matter of ill luck and horrific timing, for which nopony among us should be held accountable. On the dark king’s shoulders alone rests the blame for everything, which is a story the ponies of the Crystal Empire seem ready enough to believe. Even after all this time the cultural memory of the dark sorcerer remains powerful.
Of course, it could also be that she worries that if I’m pressed any further I’ll decide that I have nothing to lose, flip out, and publicly try a murder-suicide against her. I don’t think either of us are entirely sure who would come out on top of such a contest now. Celestia lost an enormous chunk of her magic to Sombra, and he took it with him when he died. This won’t be like Tirek – there’s no recovery in sight for her. And even if she did win, a public fight to the death with her own niece would destroy all of her carefully-cultivated reputation and shatter the illusion of an infallible, always-moral god princess. I can’t say that the thought isn’t sometimes tempting.
But no. Whenever I even begin to think such thoughts I put a hoof to my belly. I have things to live for. Ponies I love. Ponies I have to care for. I have a child on the way, and husband who loves me. I heard about what he did – how he was willing to die by Sombra’s hoof before letting the same happen to me. Such love is not lost in a day, merely buried. He is angry at me, he thinks me childish and stupid and perhaps an unfit ruler, but he hasn’t stopped caring. I know it in the depths of my soul: Shining Armor still loves me. For his sake, and for the sake of our child, I cannot give up. I won’t surrender to despair. My family needs me.
Those ponies who died in the crisis are given an elaborate state funeral as a group. Those whose families wish it will of course have a more private service later, all paid for by me, personally. It is, I feel, the very least I could do for them. The final casualty list is thirty-eight ponies killed, either during the takeover or by Sombra’s liberal use of solar fire during the final battle. Each death weighs heavily on me, for I should have been able to prevent them, to protect them. That I failed is a stain on me that ten thousand years won’t wash out.
Shining Armor, as the hero of the hour, delivers the opening speech. There are more than three thousand ponies turned out for this, and there would be more if we had been able to find room. All of the alicorns are present as well, and we listen with bowed heads and heavy hearts. Well, my heart is heavy at any rate. To see Celestia doing it just feels like mockery. Even Hoarfrost is here, though for taste’s sake he’s under an illusion. It wasn’t long ago he was leading the very army that killed some of these ponies.
Next, the families of the deceased take the stage to deliver their eulogies. I’ve already memorized the names and faces of the dead, but seeing their families standing there, tears in their eyes, commemorating the slain really drives the point home for me. My rash action and lack of forethought killed these ponies. My aunt may be a lying, snake-tongued murderess, but she wasn’t wrong about that. I should have been more cautious, taken measures to ensure our security. That I didn’t will haunt me forever, I think.
One by one the families file by, reminiscing about those that they loved and tearfully bidding them goodbye as they join the Eternal Herd. I allow myself a few tears and a brief prayer of my own, silently asking the spirits of the dead for their forgiveness. I have no idea if they can hear me, but it’s always possible. If so, ponies, please know that I never intended this, and had no idea what would happen.
Eventually the eulogies end, and it’s my turn to speak a few words. I climb up onto the stage with as much solemn grace and dignity as I can muster, making certain that my black dress doesn’t get caught on anything.
“Citizens of the Crystal Empire… Guests… My friends,” I begin, voice carried easily through the air by magic. “We have all gathered here to mourn the loss of thirty-eight good ponies, lives cut short by the malice of a great evil. Today is a tragedy, and I join each and every one of you in shedding tears for those now departed from us. Further,” I pause for just a moment. “I wish to extend my personal condolences and heartfelt apologies to everypony here. I failed to protect you all as well as I should have, and for that I am deeply sorry.”
I bow my head once, twice, thrice, and so on, until I’ve bowed the mourners of each and every one of the dead. Some of them cry a little at the gesture.
“Before I call this to an end, I have one more thing to say,” I continue, slowly. “Though this is a day of great sorrow and mourning, I implore each and every one of you to not allow this to change who we are. Let us rise of from the ashes of tragedy with a new determination. Let us not allow the specter of what has been to mar our futures. Let the Crystal Empire stand as a beacon of hope brighter than ever before, shining the light of love across all lands, to every corner of the world. Let us build an even brighter future, that the tyrant rotting in the eternal abyss will know that he has failed to break us. This I implore you: let the Crystal Empire rise anew, like a glorious golden phoenix.”
That earns me a good amount of agreeable stamping from the crowd. I bow my head again before descending back towards my seat, the eyes of the theater following me. Save for one.
Shining Armor
The state funeral ends shortly after Cadence’s remarks. Then we move on to the more private funerals – at least those where we’re wanted. Some of the families requested our presence, others declined. My wife and I go together as a public show of unity and strength. Sometimes Celestia, Luna, or Twily are also invited, other times they’re called away to the funerals of the Equestrian embassy staff.
We don’t actually do much, just generally show up, offer our condolences, and show support for the families. I wish I could do more. Scratch that, I wish I had been strong enough not to get possessed and enable all of this in the first place! Lacking the means to make that a reality, all I can do is offer what comfort I can to those who need it most. Since somepony put the word out that I was the one who slayed Sombra this time, they’re all looking up at me like a I’m some sort of hero.
The various funerals we attend take up virtually the entire day, but even they eventually come to a close. Coffins are buried, prayers are said, and ponies go home for the night. As for us, we head back to the Imperial Palace, currently undergoing rapid repair. Cadence tries to make small talk on the way. I don’t answer her. Eventually she falls silent, looking down.
I’ll admit to feeling extremely conflicted right about now. On the one hoof, I love Cadence. I’ve spent centuries with her, raised children with her. To see her looking miserable makes me want to do nothing so much as comfort her and assure her that everything will be alright.
On the other hoof, I can’t ignore what just happened. Dozens of ponies just died because of her negligence and infatuated stupidity. She cared so much about putting me back in flesh that she ignored the empire’s defenses and made everything that just happened possible. My sister was kidnapped and imprisoned, I was possessed, the empire overrun, and Celestia permanently damaged as a direct result of her actions. I can’t overlook something like that – it calls her entire stability and competence into question. I know that she obviously would never intend such a thing to happen and that she was deceived, but results matter.
So what do I do about it?
I don’t know, to be perfectly honest. By the time I returned from getting Twily back, the decision had already been made not to make that part of the story public. To avoid undermining the public’s confidence in their leadership even further, Luna explained to me. And it is certainly true that ponies need to believe that their rulers are looking out for them. But how am I supposed to look after them when the biggest threat to their safety might well be their beloved princess, my wife?
I just don’t know how to deal with Cadence right now. We’ll have to speak again sometime, but I don’t think I’m ready for it. I don’t want to explode against her, but at the same time she has to learn that there are serious, personal consequences for dealing with the devil. I can’t in any sense appear to condone her behavior. What’s the right balance between loving correction and firm discipline when you’re dealing with an immortal alicorn princess who also happens to be your wife?
I just don’t know. And until I do I won’t risk accidentally sending the wrong message. The stakes, as today demonstrated, are too high.
Late in the evening, as the sun is gently setting over the western horizon, I’m seated atop a balcony on the Imperial Palace. I’m here alone, picking at my dinner, thinking. And thinking. And thinking some more. What do I do? What do I do? What do I do? What do I-
My train of thought is interrupted by a soft knock on the balcony door.
I look up, set my face in its best steely expression, and then cautiously reach over with magic to open the door.
“Hello,” says Princess Celestia.
My face falls a bit. I was expecting Cadence. Just looking at Celestia right now makes me feel somewhat guilty. She’s lost a huge chunk of her power, and for reasons ultimately traceable back to me. Seeing the princess I used to guard victimized by a monster like Sombra is quite uncomfortable.
“May I please have a word with you?” she asks in a soft tone.
“Of course,” I nod, making space. “Do you want anything? I can have-”
“Nothing,” she cuts me off, walking easily over to take a seat across from me. “But I thank you for your hospitality.”
“Think nothing of it! You’ve more than earned every bit of hospitality we could give!”
“That’s very sweet of you to say,” she smiles. “But perhaps you overstate things.”
Her modesty is incredible – just as I remember it. It’s like she doesn’t even slightly resent losing so much magic to try to fix our mistakes.
“Regardless,” her tone becomes more serious. “I should like to talk to you about something very serious.”
“Go on.”
“It is about…” she hesitates. “Your upcoming foal.”
I blink. “Our foal?”
These last few days have been so hectic that I’ve barely had time to think about what Cadence said that night.
“Yes. Let me be blunt,” she looks me in the eye. “Each and every alicorn born is heir to immortality and vast power. Even the least can do great good or great harm. They may cause nations to rise and fall, or hold the lives of millions in their hooves. Their early environment and instruction are therefore matters of the utmost importance to us all. And, I am sad to say..." she sighs. "That in light of recent events, I fear that Cadence can no longer be trusted with the responsibility of raising an infant alicorn.”
I honestly don’t know what to say to something like that.
“…What are you proposing?” I eventually manage.
“Well,” Celestia says, slowly. “I did have a few ideas…”
Cadence
“Cadence?” a soft voice accompanies the knock on my door.
“Ah,” I turn my head, a smile on my face. “Come in! Come in!”
I’ve seen enough of Celestia. She thinks she’s won. She’s thinks that for all she’s lost she’s finally on top of the world. Well, Sombra thought the same thing, right before Shiny gutted the bastard. Well, Auntie, I’m not giving up. I have something to live for, and a future to secure.
You’re not in it.
But for all that you are a horrible, backstabbing, baby-stealing old witch, you do occasionally spout some good ideas. You were right when you said that a big part of what happened was my excessive secrecy, my refusal to invite ponies who cared for me to help. That policy ends right this moment. You gave me the idea that I need to set everything right again. I’m sure you’ll appreciate the irony.
“You wanted to see me?” my guest walks in.
“Twilight!” I smile at her. “Come in! Come in! Give your sister a hug!”
She does so, cheerfully. I can feel the innocent warmth flowing freely from her, seeming to make the world a better place by its mere presence. I take a moment to seal the door shut behind her, casting a few spells in case of eavesdroppers.
“What’s up, Cadence?” she asks. “You said you had something you wanted to talk to me about?”
“Yes, I did. Before we begin, can I count on your absolute silence on this?”
“Of course!” Twilight insists, looking a little worried. “You know you can trust me! Is something wrong?”
“I need your help with a little… magical problem I’m having.”
“Oh?” her ears stand at attention. “What kind of problem?”
“I’m looking to develop a very specific kind of counterspell for something very important to the empire’s security.”
“I can help with that. I know a lot about counterspells,” she says. “What kind of spell are you looking to get rid of?”
I smile a little on the inside.
“A geas.”
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The fight between Celestia and Cadance is never going to end well. Even without the Geas, now Celestia's planted the idea that taking Shining and Cadance's child came after Sombra's attack, not before. And unless Cadance can prove that Celestia implanted the geas and what it means then even if she's allowed to say anything else, it would be disbelieved.
Welp. Things are getting even more tense going into story number three. I'm very much looking forward to it.
I would appreciate a sequel, quickly if possible, I want Celestia's head on a pike.
I tried to post this comment before, but my connection failed exactly when i tried to post it. So allow me to try again.
Great story, nice ending, I´m looking forward to the third arc but I have a complain.
First of all, this is YOUR story, your canon, so, you have all the right to write the characters like you wish, but, IMHO, and considering how you stabilished how devoted Shining is towards Cadence, his phisical attack, the slap (hoofslap ?) was very out of character for him.
Sure, a minor detail, the story is still great, but while I can accept, easily, a manipulative Celestia, Shining Armor striking Cadence is harder to swallow.
Anyway, I hope the next part comes out soon !
Thanks for the effort !
Let the end begin!
Celestia that caniving bitch
. Awesome chapter Snake Staff. 
Oh my, that cliffhanger! Equestria may have been saved, but the rabbit hole of lies only gets deeper! Anyways, great job as always, and I'm looking forward to the sequel!
What is a geas? I never heard of that before.
This feels like the end, but is it a trilogy?
Please be!
If that is alright with you of course.
Aaw yiss, Twilight gonna fuck that geas up, and then Cadence gonna fuck Celestia up!
6484570
It is from the previous story. It is forcing Cadance to keep a secret.
Interesting...
Cadance still obviously does not fundamentally understand Celestia. Not that I blame her, I just wanted to note that.
As for the events about to happen... this won't end well regardless of who wins. Or even in the case of truce. I somewhat doubt that Cadance has made a though-out plan regarding what she plans to actually do when the Geas is lifted. Celestia will most likely not surrender if it comes to a straight fight, as she obviously does not believe Cadance would be capable of properly ruling Equestria. And it will most definitely not be that case that everyone supports one side. So yeah. Here we come, civil war.
Still, the world will at least most likely not end regardless of who wins. And neither side will cause an inherently good or bad result, merely different ones. Cadance will likely value freedom and truth more, while Celestia values well-being, harmony (perceived, at least) and peace.
I honestly still prefer Celestia. Regardless of who's morally right or wrong, on average, being under her rule would lead to a likely higher probability of being happy with my life/it being longer, comparitively. (Assuming one is a randomly selected pony)
I like this. Celestia has kind of set herself up here. the suggestion of having celestia raise the foal in addition to the selling the foals for time to help shining makes Celestia look like she has set this up in advance, it would take just the implication that she may have helped sombra (even if it's not true) to ake shining completely 180 back to supporting Cadence
Twi scans Cady, finds Cellys spellwork, bust into Cellys office demanding explanations, Cady gets a supporter when all this blows up. Shiny will most likely believe his sister if he doesn't believe Cady.
6486224
Shining doesn't know about her plan in the first place. As to leaving one another, given the demonstrated lengths the two have gone to for one another and the strength of their attachment, she's pretty justified in assuming that won't happen. And if it takes them ten years to make up, she can wait. And Cadence is geas-bound to turn over the child under pain of brain-erasing.
Again, Cadence is under a geas. She is unable to tell anyone about their conflict. And in any case Celestia didn't force her to deal with Sombra except indirectly through general pressure - she didn't even know that he was still around. That deal was the initiative of Sombra and Cadence themselves.
Celestia only placed the blame on Cadence in private. The next chapter shows why she did. And nothing she said was an outright lie, it merely omitted a few details Cadence cannot reveal.
And even she could leave, it would be terrible idea. Celestia has a lot of resources and all the time in the world to track her down.
the truth route eh?
well lets see where this goes then...
only slightly disapointed with this as i think the running away route might be more intresting in my opinion...
I'm probably one of the few that hopes that Celestia will be redeemed in the end. In fact, I myself sort of support her. Her motives, although irritating to us, are pure from her perspective. (I think.) She sincerely believes that mortals need immortals in order to achieve any kind of harmony--and from what we've seen of other nations (as far as I remember, which may not be too far!), mortals really aren't all that good at it. The alicorns were created as a bridge between the gods and the mortals (unless I understood the origin story wrong), and so Celestia has no other perspective but to pity the mortals and seek a way to save them from themselves.
Now, this doesn't mean I condone Celestia's actions with Cadence. Celestia should never go that far, and she needs to understand Cadence more. And her plan to take Cadence's children and make them just like Celestia is nowhere near the best way to go about bringing immortal harmony to the rest of the world. All she's doing is creating dissonance among her own ranks, and she's blinded because she believes that no one else understands what she's trying to do in the right way.
But Cadence is at fault, too. She needs to understand Celestia's motives. She has the right to be angry at Celestia, especially after all that's been done to her, but she shouldn't try to hurt her aunt--why not explain herself and her worries and anger... And apologise? She should at least try to show love. And this brings me to my final point...
Friendship is magic. Cadence should know that much. They all should know that much. The whole point of the show is that friendship is harmony, and no matter what a pony has done, they can be forgiven--if only they'll ask for it. I would be sorely disappointed if, at the end of the third story, Celestia is killed instead of redeemed. Even if she gets well-deserved retribution, all I want is for her to see the light in the end... And for Cadence to see that, too.
Awesome stories, without a doubt. But now I'm here for Cadence's revenge and I'm not getting off mister bones' wild ride until that happens.
Celestia stop being a manipulative bitch!!!! That is Shining's child just as much as it is Cadance's child, and you have no right to implant the idea in Shining's head that she and him are unworthy of raising their own child!!!!
It looks like from the ending that Cadance has an idea to get around Celestia's geas, and I hope she does! Because I can't stand the idea that their own child being raised by a snake like Celestia!
I also see one major flaw in Celestia's plan to have an alicorn rule over every nation. All the kingdoms' original species will start to think that Equestria believes they are weak and are trying to take over them, and then they will rebel against their rulers. I honestly don't see how an alicorn can rule over a race like the griffins or the dragons. They're both a race of greedy creatures and it's in their nature! Sure Spike got a hold of it, but I think if an alicorn tries to rule over dragons and tries to suppress their nature, the dragons will think that they are trying to make them weak like ponykind!
Plus, you can't raise a dozen alicorns foals to have the same exact personality you want for them! Not only that, someone who grows up without a father figure doesn't always end well!
Wow just... Wow. I have seldom felt such unbridled HATE as I do for celestia at this moment..
Your wrighting is amazing and I can't wait for part three.
Checklist of possible outcomes.
-Cadence goes to battle with Celestia
-pony tribes and Crystal pony Civil war
-Shining Armor Dies.... Again... I think?
-Twilight goes Crazy in helping this war start and proceeds to "fix" it with or without her friends
-The Elements of Harmony being used against Cadence... Or Celestia...?
-Shining Armor dies the nth time, once again
-Cadence finally admits to being crazy
-Heroic Sacrifice of Shining Armor
-Miracle of Shining Armor returning back to flesh as an Alicorn.
-ending credits taking up a whole chapter.
Yeah this story is going to end in a high note and it will be with drama and added action, considering this one had a "return from the dead" plot.
*Deep breath*
Aww man, Author? Why must you do this to us?
Wait a second, if Celestia was so desperate for male alicorns, how come she never ended up just taking on a male student and promoting them like she did with Cadance and Twilight? If even someone worthy of becoming an alicorn came once in a generation, seems like there'd have to have been enough chances to get legitimate alicorn foals of her own that nobody would mind her raising to be the perfect leaders.
Ah well, magic.
6559986
Who says she hasn't been trying that? Alicorn-quality students don't grow on trees. It's worth noting that in multiple millennia of life Celestia's seen only two ascensions before this story, only one of whom she got to during her formative years.
6581971
She didn't reveal it - he already knew, and she knew that he knew. She's obliged to keep it a secret, but nothing was said about talking with ponies already in on it. Cadence technically didn't break her word there, the same way she doesn't break it when talking to Celestia about what happened. Magical contracts thrive on loopholes like that.
6582135
Ahhhhh. I see I see.
I don't get why everyone's siding with Cadence- Celestia is hard and calculating, but she's maintained a thousand years of peace by herself in an entire kingdom. In this story even, she never forgets those whom die by her hoof. She's being a bit dumb with the alicorn universal leadership idea, but she's not perfect even as an immortal and even then, its to bring about friggin world peace. Heck, that kind of society, magic and adorable ponies is what makes FiM desirable in the first place, right?
Cadence has been to immature to let go of her highschool crush (despite letting her children pass!) and has gotten how many dozens of ponies killed here? How many homes and livelihoods destroyed? She already got her happy lifetime with her literal knight in shining armor. Wanting more is selfish- if you want the freedom of mortal life, die within the first century of your existence, don't expect to get it and godlike power, eternal youth, and an entire kingdom.
Half of me wants to see Cadence double down on the prospect of just being a good mother and abdicate the throne to go raise her child, magic-free in the human world. As far as we know, Sunset Shimmer was the only one to know that bringing the element ofmagic would bring magic to the other dimension, and as Sunset has never been mentioned in the fic, its plausible to assume that EQG never happened/was resolved differently in this AU. Not to mention, if the events of EQG were never introduced to the human world, the human world would still be temporally separate from Equestria- Cadence would vanish to there and have a teenager before Celestia figured it out.
Or Cadence could tale Shining there to explain everything without the geas...
sequel, when?
As much as I want to see Celestia get hers in the sequel...I can't really see HOW. Even if Cadance frees herself from the geas...so what? Celestia has twisted events to put her back up on top. Luna supports her, and I wouldn't be surprised if she was secretly geased herself (you really think this Celestia would risk another Nightmare Moon style rebellion from one who had proved capable of it already?), and unfortunately Twilight has had her lips surgically implanted in Celestia's ass since foalhood, so even when she figures out (and you know she will) that Celestia was behind Rose Quartz and Cadance's own geasing...she'll probably still side with her anyway. Finally, her relationship with Shining is in tatters, and with Celestia manipulating him into giving up the foal voluntarily, and with his current lack of trust in her, he's also more likely to help Celestia get her way.
Really, as sad as it may be, the only visible option at the moment for Cadance is, as a couple others have suggested, to commit suicide, since it really seems to be her only way out that doesn't end up with her being locked away as Celestia's broodmare for eternity.
So, did the sequel ever get done? I can't find it on your story list.
Oh my... a third installment?
Before I read this, what is the Dark tag for ?
And how bad does it get ?
Yeash! Here's hoping this Celestia gets what's coming.
So, I love this story to bits; finally finished it today after having come back to it and reread it all. Last I read, only up to Celestia and Luna's approach on the Crystal Empire was written. I do wonder if Celestia had been replaced by a changling when she and Not-Twilight interrupted Shining's flight lesson, and Cadance attempted to talk to her about their 'agreement', if that would have popped the geas. Was pretty worried then. Gotta say too, the way the final confrontation was handled was excellent. Thank you for writing this, and I'm holding out hope for part three!
pleeeaaase finish the trilogy.
im dying to know what Cadances plan for Celestia is.
*looks at publish date and current date*
Big oof
Man Celestia is so hatable ya so relatable at the same time..............good job NOW PLEASE MAKE A SEQUAL!!
Seriously this story is a masters class in how to make a great villain. Celestia is so hatable in this story but her criticisms of the protagonist are 100 percent valid and her utilitarianism ideology is easy to understand makes a large amount of sense. Due to everything she is doing to cadence I hate her, but due to everything cadence does wrong in this story and how logical celestia’s overall plan is it’s hard to even call her the bad guy.
I don't give a damn! What's she's done for Equestria
that bitch of an Alicorn Celestia deserves nothing more then to burn in deepest pits of Hell!!!
Are there any plans for a sequel still?
still doesnt make sense. celestia should be fully regenerated by now, because this is exactly like tirek! theres no difference! how is her magic just.. GONE???
no she fucking did not
I’m guessing a no on that.
You can has review!