Reflections Along The Roads We Travel.
The Sun Princess sits enjoying a cup of tea this late night. She watches her sister’s moon glowing bright against the velvet backdrop of innumerable stars.
Smiling gently as is her wont, she refills the cup from a pot that sets on a warming stone, keeping it fresh for her. The magic from her horn surrounds the delicate porcelain, tilting it just that much to pour a perfect amount before she sets it back down.
Staring at it for a moment she remembers this gift from a visitor five hundred years gone. The tea service is still as new as the day she received it with much thanks to the elderly pony who had crafted it himself in preparation for his visit.
The set is protected by spells against breakage or wear he had told her, that it would last as long as the stars themselves he hoped. He had wished her to be able to enjoy it long after he was gone he had said.
She did, and always would, enjoy it every day of her long life. The flowers picked out in colors that still caught the eye, the dancing foxes along the side made one smile in delight at the whimsy.
As she lifted the cup to her lips she eyed the delicate bowl, the paper thin sides that looked as if they would shatter if one so much as breathed wrong at it, but was strong as some of the finest steel even without the spellcrafting.
It still amazed her even today.
Her magenta eyes closed at the taste of fragrant liquid, remembering when the elderly Unicorn had hobbled his way into the throne room refusing all offers of help. He had shakily brought out the set and opened the finely crafted carrying case to show the Princess his gift.
Her breath had caught at the first glimpse of such a marvel. She closed down the court for the day, inviting him to be the first to share a drink of tea from this very set with her, not caring if she angered any audience seekers.
She had been afraid he was going to fall over at the invitation.
But he had made it to the small table in her private study, waving away the kitchen staff who wished to prepare the Princess’s tea for her. He was adamant she recalled, pouring an amount of gently ground leaves that steeped for a certain amount of time before serving her himself, making sure none but his own hooves touched the very first serving in his present.
Her eyes opened once more, looking down to see the second bowl that stood on the opposite side of the table. A setting for a kindly pony, a measure of the tea inside that his descendants sent her quietly and without fanfare for the past half millenia from their farm in the Unicorn Hills, always a place was there for him.
Now that her sister had returned she had been pleased to show her this wonderful treasure, delighting in sharing it with Luna at every possible moment whether it was coffee or simply water.
But always the cup stood by itself, the very one he had sipped from when he first came to the court. No other lips had ever touched it since, not even her.
So strong was the memory and the joy it brought, it followed her even unto dreams, bringing with it the comfort and solace she felt in real life when doing this.
A soft voice from behind brought her out of the remembrance of things past.
“Even in dreams you enjoy your tea set ‘Tia.”
Celestia chuckled brightly, “You are always welcome to sit and share your day with me over some Luna.”
She could feel the smile from the darker mare behind her, but the feeling faded fast, as did the warmth in her voice.
“I would, but at this moment I bring a visitor who has news my sister, I am sorry for disturbing your peace.” Her voice and the way it was said made Celestia turn, seeing a sable Pegasus standing shyly beside the taller Princess.
“Athena?” Her eyes shifted from her sister to the silent mare and back again, returning to rest on the solemn Pegasus, “What is wrong my little pony?”
Athena tried, she did, to lift her eyes and face the alabaster mare who looked upon her with warmth, “I..” She took a deep breath, trying once more, “Crusader is..is gone.”
Her brow furrowed for a moment, “I understood he was hurt in the battle, but nothing more. Was this wrong?” Her voice was never accusing, “Did something else happen?”
“N..no Your Highness.. he’s...gone.” Athena struggled with what to say, “He..I lied. I told everypony he was just injured, scrambled from the fight and that I could bring him back.” The look on her face almost broke Celestia’s heart, “I didn’t want him to be gone but he is, he was. I can’t bring him back Princess, he’s not there anymore.”
“Are you sure? Is there any way to..” She was stopped by Athena shaking her head.
“He’s gone Princess, I’ve tried thousands of times to bring him back and nothing is working. N..nothing. I’m..I’m sorry..”
Celestia’s eyes go soft, opening a bit wide as she steps forward, gathering the Athena into her fore hooves, “What are you sorry for?”
“Be..because I lied..and..and I can’t bring him back!” Athena can’t help it, droplets of crystal begin to fall once more from tired eyes.
Princess Luna steps closer as Celestia envelopes the pegasus with her wings, “Shush my little pony, it’s alright.” Her lips kiss Athena’s forehead gently, “In time we all must leave this world Athena, even my sister and I eventually I’m sure.”
“B..but I told them I could. Th..that he..he was just hurt.” Her sigh is loud in the quiet room, “But he’s not..he’s gone Princess..he went away and I can’t find him.”
She clung to the warm Alicorn that held her so tight, not hearing the exchange above her.
“We need Discord, go and find him could you my sister?” Celestia’s face was pleading.
“Of course.” She looks at the sobbing pegasus held close, “Will you be all right?”
She receives a nod, taking to wing and heading through a hastily made portal to find Discord who could perhaps shed light on this situation.
Celestia smiles once more, leading Athena over to a cushion and settling down, pulling the mare tight against her and covering with a soft wing, “It’s all right my little pony, we’ll find the truth, come what may we will be with you.” A nod from the hidden face gave her confirmation of a shattered heart and soul, making the Sun Princess hold all the tighter.
-------------
Princess Luna shot through the night, her face set in determination as she left behind one whom she had grown fond. Hard working wings caught the night air, stepping between the dreamtime and reality. Her horn glowed as she sought out that particular energy that spoke of Discord and chaos.
Nightmares and horrors scattered before the fierce visage, tearing through dreams and banishing them without a thought. She was not to be trifled with tonight and the things that lurked in shadows moved, clearing the pathway for her race to provide succor.
Luna grit her teeth as she roared through the illusionary landscapes, searching and reaching out with her most powerful spells, a beacon that peered into every nook and cranny. Those that brought fear and worry that stood before her were sent far to the pits of Tartarus with but a single glance until the way stood empty.
A point of light, a single spark caught her eye as she turned, diving into another scape that was ignored in her quest. A single house stood upon a darkened plain, a lantern stood its lonely vigil in the window as she slammed to a landing, pounding a shod hoof on the door of the domicile that Discord currently resided in.
A snaggle toothed face opened the door, dressed in a smoking jacket, holding a pipe in one paw as he grinned at the Moon Princess.
“Why Luna, how nice..” He was stopped by an upraised hoof.
“We have no time, we need you Discord.” She calmed herself, “Crusader is gone..we..we think he may have passed on.”
The wild eyes blinked for a second, unsure of what to believe as he stared at Princess Luna for a long moment, “You must be joking.”
“I do not Discord, look at me, we must go.” Her face was set in stone.
He snapped his talons, the jacket and pipe gone as he did not even crack a smile. Reaching out his paw, he touched her on the shoulder, giving another snap as they found themselves in Celestia’s dream once again.
Athena was still hiding her face in the alabaster coat, the slight sounds of sobs still carried in the silent air, making Discord look on for a single moment before he simply nodded.
Getting a faraway look on his face, he spread his arms as if grasping for something intangible. In reality he was using his powers, looking through the realms he frequented, ransacking places unknown to others. Closing his eyes he peered beyond and farther, testing even his own strength to it’s limits as he finally returned to himself.
Two sets of eyes awaited him upon his return from the elsewhere, hope giving way to sadness as he shook his head, not wanting to voice anything while Athena was close by.
Standing for a moment, he mouthed, “I’m sorry.” Before getting an odd look. Snapping his talons one final time he disappeared to someplace else.
Luna’s face turned to rage as she prepared to drag him back, but was stopped by her sister’s voice, “Don’t bother, we know now.”
Celestia looked at the spot where Discord had stood, seeing the look of sadness on his face the split second before he went away. Even he is affected by some things, she thought.
-------------
Luna stood tall, standing for a moment at the window as she heard the quiet words of her sister, shushing Athena’s cares away as they stood guard over one who needed them. The night was still early for the moment, only needing a few more hours until her sister awoke.
Until then, the rent fragments of a heart must be put back together slowly. Piece by piece they helped in turn, bringing each scrap to light and gently in place, calming and pushing away fears of rejection for her supposed sins.
Time was slipping by slowly, for in the dreamtime it was hard to judge, but Princess Luna kept a firm grip on it, bending it to her will to last as long as she could force it.
But as in all things, the ticks of the clock caught up, tolling that one final time that pronounced an end to her night. She stepped into the real world, leaving the dreaming for the moment as she set the moon to lowering, giving her sister time to awake and send her own celestial body on it’s journey.
Sliding sideways to the world, she quietly walked back into the dream of her sister. Her eyes soft as she gave a nod to watching eyes.
A kindly face lowered itself to one ear of the resting mare, “Athena, wake my pony, come back to us.”
Her eyes shot open, blinking for a moment as she rubbed sleep out of them and looked around.
“I...oh no! I’m so..” She was stopped by a hoof on her shoulder.
“There is no need, awaken now Athena, await us at edge of town and we will join you for one more part of your journey.”
The sable mare nods slowly her eyes dry now and rested, she stumbles to her hooves, too long in one place as she shakes herself.
“I will be there Princess, I can’t thank you enough.”
Luna steps beside her sister, looking at Athena carefully, making sure she is ready, “We understand, sometimes grief is a lasting thing, something we know all too well.”
A dark shod hoof is laid upon Athena’s own, “Open your eyes, and be of good mind, we will be there soon to help you.”
Before she can reply, Athena awakens to find herself on the command deck, clutching a crumpled piece of paper in her hooves. She notices the wet stain upon the fine carpet Rarity had put down and tsked to herself, “I promise, I’ll get it cleaned, I’ll make sure this is always kept up to remember you brother.”
A mirror in the maintenance area gives her a chance to straighten herself, to look as proper as possible like Rarity always tells her to do. She steels herself and steps out into the light of the morning sun, the warmth settling upon her like a blanket as the shining orb peeks over the land.
Closing her eyes she steeps herself in it’s all encompassing light, letting her body soak up the life giving rays that tell her there is a real Princess who watches over them all, even Bolos.
A single step, crunching the gravel underneath her hoof, brings her back to now as she takes another. Slowly and carefully she walks, moment by moment picking up speed until she is at a pace. Holding her head up, though not exactly smiling, she makes her way to a bench near the river.
There she sits, watching others go by for the moment when there is a bright flash of light, sensors tell her it is a magic spell so she does not react as she would normally to an enemy.
A soft voice with the crunch of a hoof on gravel, ruffling of wings tell her the Princesses have arrived, so she bows as is only polite. Crusader always told her to be polite, no matter what.
“Are you ready Athena, if you are hesitant..”, the sentence is left unfinished on purpose, it’s a test.
“No Your Highness, I’m good to go.” She looks upward, her eyes bright and clear as they meet magenta ones.
Princess Luna smiles, stepping beside her as they turn to walk slowly through the town, “We are glad to hear it, come, let us go.”
As the trio walked through the town, heading to the orchards, Luna chatted with Athena quietly, acknowledging ponies as they went, but keeping her attention focused on the sable mare.
“You grieve deeply do you not?” Her voice was soft and gentle.
“We do Princess. Bolos have grieved for our commanders since we were first self-aware. It is deep and long because we cannot forget.” She hesitates, “Not only cannot, but we will not forget. It has long been an... unwritten rule that we remember if no one else does.”
She looks at me from one eye, “Does that mean...?”
“Yes Princess, I remember them all.”
“It truly must be hard sometimes.”
“It is, but we have accepted it as the price of being who we are, or were.” She looks at the ground for a moment before raising her eyes again to stare forward.
“How long will you live Athena? Honestly.” Luna is curious, having been wanting to get an answer to this question for a while..
“Theoretically with proper care, forever Your Highness.” She looks at the darker mare, “Unless we get tired and choose to be no more I would venture.”
“Then you realize...” She is stopped by a nodding head.
“Yes Princess, there will be many many more times like this.” Lavender eyes met the Princess’ for a moment, “But this is new, we were never as we are now, somehow it is more poignant and devastating because of that.”
A warm smile graces the pretty face as Luna returns the look, “Of course, it is because he is your brother if not by blood than by what you shared.”
“That too. I will miss him, to the end of my days Princess.” Athena’s voice almost breaks, almost, but she recovers quickly.
“If you did not, I would believe you to be a most callous and unfeeling pony.”
The Princess is surprised and somewhat delighted as a wing tip brushes hers, “I will never be that, ever, thanks to you and Princess Celestia and my friends.”
Celestia chooses that moment to voice her thoughts, “That is good, for sometimes even long lived beings need a time to reflect and remember, it is only right. Having somepony to share it with makes it all to the better.”
Athena nods, “You do have Cadence and Twilight, I am sure your meetings are somewhat unique.”
Princess Luna brays loudly, scaring a few nearby ponies, “Oh if you only knew! Twilight and her lists, Cadence and the Crystal Empire. You would think they would love a simple laugh or two, but noooo, I try to liven things up and get looked at as if I am mad.”
“Luna, you know very well some of your pranks are not well-received.”
“Bah! I was the Element of Laughter once, I still am!” She looks at a nearby couple listening to the conversation, flipping her head around and whispering “BOO!” at them, making them jolt and run off.
She cackled happily in the daylight, “Oh yes, I still have it.”
“That was not very polite Luna,” Celestia is giggling, trying to be admonishing.
Athena cannot help it, she has to ask, “Princess, why do you laugh so much at times like this? I feel nothing but sorrow right now and have seen others do the same even when sending their loved ones off. It’s confusing.”
Another smiles breaks across a darker face, “Because we are on an adventure Athena. I believe I told you before, but let me just say this... Our lives are full of wonder, with all the joys and sorrows it brings, if we let ourselves go too deep into despair then where would we be?”
She stops in the road, no one is nearby as she points around, “All you see, this land and this world show us that there is reason to rejoice. We work, we play, we rest, and when one journey ends another begins.”
“It is right and proper to miss loved ones, those who mean so much. But if our lives stopped because of that, we would pass by so very many things.”
“I think it would not do well to the memory of those who go before us that we should end our own learning because we are too caught up in our own misery.” She looks at Athena closely, “Don’t you think so as well?”
“I...am not sure, but I would like to hope that there is something beyond what I know. It would be comforting.”
Celestia chuckles, “Don’t we all, but we cannot know until we are there, isn’t that the way of all mysteries?” She winks at Athena, “But I think we all know in our hearts and souls there is. It would be good to see old friends.” She gets a faraway look for a moment.
All too soon the wonderful conversation ended as they stood looking at the door of a farmhouse. Warm and comfortable, the smell of an early morning meal wafted through the open windows as Athena could hear Apple Bloom racing around inside, Applejack’s voice telling her to stop trying to help with things, the usual morning confusion.
Athena shook her head, raising a hoof to knock quietly but firmly at the wooden planks, hearing small hooves scrambling near, “I’ll get it!”
The door opened, Apple Bloom staring out and starting to say “Who is...ohmygosh!” Her eyes went wide, seeing both Princesses and Athena standing at the opening.
Before any of the three could say anything, the little filly turned her head and almost screamed, “APPLEJACK!”
“Oh what is it now, we’re just gettin’...” The voice went silent as she turned the corner, seeing the diarchs and Athena standing in the doorway.
Before anypony could say anything, Celestia smiled, “Dear Applejack, come with us for a moment if you would?”
Reaching out slowly for her hat, they could see her mind racing as she shooed off Apple Bloom to go get Big Mac, telling him to get breakfast on the table while she was gone.
Stepping out of the doorway, she waited until it was closed, looking at the three closely before she voiced her concern, “It’s Crusader isn’t it?”
-------------
Setting under a broad tree with a trunk thick and gnarly, apples shiny and well grown, the four ponies took their ease. Simply sitting in the shade of the tree was enough to cut some of the days heat, bringing a coolness to the little gathering far from prying ears.
“To answer your question Applejack, “Celestia started off softly as they had walked here without answering it, “Yes, it is about him.”
The orange Earth pony nodded, “Ah thought so, I wondered ever since that fight.” Before Athena could say anything she pointed a tough hoof at her, “You keep forgetting about body language missy, didn’t Crusader ever tell you?”
“He did, but I thought I had covered it well.”
A smile appeared under the emerald eyes, “You ain’t got a good poker face sugar.”
Athena nodded, looking at the ground, “I am so sorry Applejack, I lied about it when I should have just told you all. I just didn’t want him to be gone.”
“Whoa, wait a second, he’s gone? As in gone gone?” Her eyes are puzzled, “Ah thought maybe he was just hurt really badly or something. Are you telling me he’s passed?”
Princess Celestia nodded when Athena stumbled over her words, “She is Applejack.”
The green eyes pierced deep into the sable Pegasus’ own for a moment, looking for the truth and finding it on the surface above the roiling feelings. She nodded to herself and reached over to place a hoof on Athena’s, “Are you okay?”
The mare was taken aback for a moment by Applejack’s words, she looked at her like she’d gone crazy for a moment then settled back down, “I..I am. But I am more worried about you.”
The Earth pony just sat for a moment, “Ah think I already knew, deep in mah heart. When you acted right funny on the trip back and avoiding me at the party I kinda wondered. Hay in fact I been wondering all night.”
She reached out again, placing a hoof on Athena’s, “You know he always worried about what would happen to you if he was gone?”
“I..know a lot now, but I did not look into his private memories.”
“Well he did, every day he worried ‘bout ya. Told me his fears at the end of the day sometimes while we watched ya playing with Apple Bloom.”
Athena cannot help herself, “How can you be so calm? How..how can you be worried about me!?”
“Because he asked me too. Doncha think for a moment ah’m not feeling it either sugar, ah am, so deep it’s like a nail through mah heart.” She smiled wanly, “But he also asked me to keep an eye out for ya if anything happened. We both knew one day this might happen to that dunderhead, always bein’ the hero.”
Athena couldn’t help but laugh, hearing that tone in her voice from so many times before when Crusader made a mistake that she had to rescue him from.
“Ah know it’s hard, but we’ll get through it, ah promise ya Athena.” She moved close, hugging the sable mare tight, “We’ll both get through it, takes a family and a lot of love, but it’ll help.”
Princess Celestia chose this moment to speak, “Applejack, you are strangely calm about all this, it is quite unexpected.” She peered closer at the Earth pony.
“Ah grew up on a farm Princess, things change, chickens get old and the same happens everywhere.” Her eyes got a faraway look for a moment, “Things change.... But a good family sticks together and helps each other through the sad times.”
She smiled again, “Don’t get me wrong, ah’m gonna miss him somethin’ fierce, ah did every time he was gone. But ah guess this time... he ain’t comin’ back.” She points a steady hoof at Athena, “Speakin’ of family, you be home for dinner, doncha be skippin’ meals. Plus that room of yours is a mess, Apple Bloom wanted to clean it but ah think that’s your job missy, so don’t think yer gettin’ out of chores.”
Athena can see plain as day what she’s doing, what she’s attempting to do. It’s all so normal, so everyday, it sinks deep into her heart as she smiles and looks a bit abashed, “Yes Applejack.”
“Good.” She gets to her hooves and looks at the three ponies, “I’d invite y’all to breakfast, but ah think I better break the news mahself if that’s okay with you? Apple Bloom’s gonna have questions sure as shootin’." Her eyes search the Princesses and Athena’s, receiving nods in return.
“Thank you so much for comin’ Your Highness’s, you don’t know how much I appreciate it.” She starts to walk slowly away before turning to Athena once more, “Ah mean it, dinnertime. I know ya got things to do, but no skippin’.”
Athena is so grateful for this bit of life, this part she needs so badly, she smiles widely, “Yes Applejack.”
We watch for a moment as she trods down the path, her head slightly lower but still held up as she heads to a conversation that is always hard no matter who you are.
A wing taps Athena’s shoulder, Luna looking down, “Come, there are others to inform.”
But...but don’t you have to be in Canterlot running the country or something? I’m sure I can do this, I’m pretty sure..” Athena rubs one front leg along another.
Celestia laughs, “Oh no, you won’t get away that easily. We told you we’d be with you, let us go.” She nudges the pegasus lightly, setting her on the road again.
Athena’s first few steps turned into stronger ones as she realized never would have to face the long night alone ever again. Even with Crusader not here, she had what she needed to help be set on her own journey. She turned her head for a moment, seeing Applejack walking towards the farmhouse, knowing what she faced, but letting the Earth pony deal with it as she wished.
It is not a long path that daunts us, it is the end of it. What happens after all is said and done and we go to wherever we go?
Athena didn’t know and that was a good thing. Life without mysteries is boring, a slog through the dull day to day things. But a life full of wonder and thought, that was what she looked forward to, a time of seeing things she could never have imagined on her own.
It took time to see through the fog, the small openings that let the barest glimmer reveal itself were rent and torn open to let light shine through to her.
I smile, listening to the jokes between the sisters, my steps no longer loud in my ears as I finally realize. It’s not the road itself that matters, it’s who you share it with during the times low and high. You see Crusader? I learned something.
I learned something.
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6124183 I feel like I ran out of pie, asked for more, and got slapped in the face with two more. I feel somewhere between 'yay more pie' and 'the hell just happened? Ow.'
6124379 I apologize, but I honestly don't know where all the words are coming from. I sit down to write and got two chapters.. But expect more!
I'm waiting for a miracle save, If this ends with Crusader dead.....
6124387
As the little red bubble informed me of my nearing the end of this chapter I started quietly screaming. Stop that, I'm a grown ass man, damnit!
Great chapter :)
WOW.
Until these last few chapters the only time I felt a true emotion of any kind was about a decade ago when my life and everything I knew was destroyed.
On an unrelated side note are emotions supposed to feel akin to taking a bullet?
Athena needs all the hugs. ALL of them. Now I'm smiling as I cry. Curse you NFire and your hold on my feels! Crusader better come back as a like a Force Ghost or something!!
P.S. These last few chapters have won you quite a bit of hate NFire and I must ask if that was planned.
Either way the story is still doing great in my opinion.
Owch... NFire, you've read my Pinkie. What you don't know is I write via method acting. So I was 100% in Pinkie mode, all bubbly and bouncie then I read these two chapters. I think I literately have emotional whiplash. But for the sake of being my usual fun self:
God damnnit! Even AIs forget to set windows backup files!
Did that help you? Yeah, me neither.
6124511 I'm hoping he's literally brought down from the sky by Odin, "You sure you want to be back here? I thought you liked Valhalla."
i feel like everyone should be feeling more, im not sure why but everyone just seems to strong willed right now, i dont know
great chapter still
Okay. I can write this out without drenching my tablet in salt water now. You are a special kind of cruel with these chapters NFire. I didn't cry at my grandfathers funeral, but you managed to make me start mourning Crusader. I had to actually stop reading to clear my nose and clear away some of my tears halfway through the first of these two chapters. You are a special kind of cruel.
I wont lie I didnt read 3/4 of this chapter I just speed read to see if crusader got back yet.
Applejack cries on the inside...
Me on the other hand...
It's 2:00 I the morning and I'm reading these, please let him return. Also, I just had a thought they never found his avatar, did they? Of course we all figure, quite reasonably, that it's gone, but if he is just cut off from the hull or something-I would be pleasantly surprised.
6124387 I think you just have an army of monkeys with typewriters and you just wait until they give you something good to work with. Or maybe an army of clones. Who knows.
6124672
his avatar was the nuke so nothing would be left to find, but we all saw how he was a planner so there may always be something overlooked
more plz
6124414 Then it's a real bummer. But that is reality for you, ya win some and ya loose some.
Damn it! The feels, they hurt!
6124861 Wishful thinking I guess?
6124235 More like this:
Crusader: Uhhh... do you need our help?
Big Mac: Eeenope!
Athena: You sure?
Bulk Biceps: YEAH!!!!!!!
Nfire, I must ask you, how big is your feels train? because I don't see an end yet...
I have to be honest. These chapters, while good, are the wrong kind of good for me.
These are probably the only Legacy chapters I've ever skimmed over rather than savouring for a mixture of two reasons:
1. This isn't what I read for... to a great enough extent that I'm willing to potentially miss plot points to fast-fortward to when things become what I want again (or I hit the end of the story and file it under "mis-labelled tragedies")
2. My psyche has an instinctive "nope!" reaction to sads of certain types which operates at the "parsing prose into mental imagery" step of the reading process. (eg. I can't even get through the first chapter of Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale because, every time my brain starts to achieve immersion, it detects how depressing the situation actually is and pulls the emergency ejection handle.)
The moment I saw the cover art, I was like, "Is that a BAAAAAAANEBLAAAAAAADE?!"
Then I realized it wasn't, and I was sad because there would be no righteous fury of the God-Emperor in this fic. But no I'm going to read it anyway, because there's a giant tank on the front and I like that shit.
... not enough sad emot pics. Your beautiful story leaves me in tears many props please keep it up...
When I first saw these updated I had a few jokes and jabs I wanted to say but right now I think it's better to just say once again "thank you for sharing such a wonderful story".
I really do not know where you plan to take this story but I do think you'll do good! Just don't do too much, you also need to rest you know?
To many sad feels, not even Discord can make me laugh.
6124997 Totally agree!
I never really get the feels when i read stuff other people say is sad but i still really like the writing, so very poetic.
Also i'm still of the opinion that Crusader was just pulled into the realm inbetween and is pounding the shit out of whatever is squatting around in there. And when he gets returned he is even more calm and collected because he spent all the time venting agression by clobbering monsters.
6124586 Applejack's pretty well established as 'the stoic', in canon and otherwise. She's holding her feelings behind a facade of self control and routine. Unless NFire does a section from her point of view, I doubt we'll see her grief. For the Princesses, how many times have they seen friends pass in their long lives? It still hurts them, but they've long since learned how best to channel their grief.
You just keep sending out these sad, yet wonderful chapters, NFire. Short of a time skip, I think we've got at least two more coming, unless I'm mistaken. Athena telling everyone of Crusader's passing, and a memorial service. You've done masterfully with these sad chapters so far, and I'm looking forward to the next few chapters and the close of this greater arc.
6124387 A deep and insightful chapter; thought Applejack would show more of a mournful side than that--don't get me wrong, she'd help out Athena, that's for sure. I just would expect a few tears...of course, it could be as Pinkie said.
I'd have had Twilight been the one to take the roll of comforting Athena as Applejack did; they're partners and the Princess of Friendship would have been able to be there for her.
But don't get me wrong, it was still a great chapter. Many were the Feels...
OMG! The feels have been tripled.
6124414
I'm with you on this regard Reality Check, plus a Heroic Self-Sacrifice play seems somewhat anticlimatic for defeating an eldrich horror without getting any answers...More to the point there's too many questions left unanswered. Why does the Horror know Concordiat Standard? How did the Twilight Copy know military overrides of a nation long since dead and dust? These have to be answered or I'mma Rageflip all the tables.
-Angel of Team Angelfang
6125422
you have a valid point i didn't think of that, i can't wait to see the next chapters
6124414
We've yet to see Crusader's saving throws.... Please tell me he rolled high!
What did the Tree do. How come Crusaders triple backup of his personality mareix from teh day before, the week before and the month before not be rebooted? He sai hje went through all the backups into deep cores becaue he was aiming to not have his physical avatar return from that trip. If anything, between seeing the tree the last time, and standing at th entrance to the tunnel wouldve had enough time for multiple backps, as in having his life personality transfer back to the hull, settle down in a couple of tech spider manufactured mechanical storage devices, sealed in seperate bins or Dragon, then transfer back to his avatar. Like 6th day. Full personality store which then goes to sleep until its reawakened.
Did the Overmind capture his soul, or did he manage to break the connection beforehand so its floating free in such a way that even Discord cant find it?
Discord can dimention rift, how come he cant time shift, and To Your Scattered Bodies Go?
Either way, not liking having to wait for the memorial serivce.
This is getting as rough as Journey Of Graves.
Another Wall, sorry!
6124414 You know I'm not that kind of writer, I keep saying, never give up hope
6124451 Typing fast as I possibly can!
6124485 Fraid not for a bit more, hang in there!
6124503 Thank you!
6124514 More like a punch in the gut, writing these was hard :) Yes, I've got an outline I expand and follow as things pop up, so there is a reason :)
6124550 You are far too awesome for windows jokes :P
6124598 I am honestly not trying to be any kind of cruel, honestly, it's just writing this was tough for me too, kinda hit close to home. But I'm glad it had the impact it was designed to.
6124609 Never a problem at all!
6124645 You and me both, writing this was tough...
6124740 Dangit, someone talked! :P
6124961 It will come to an end, I promise. stick with me. :)
6124997 I've read that, definitely can't argue the point. We all do what's best for us. No worries though, hang in there for the rest of the story! :)
6125010 Great videos, but don't get out the heavy weapons just yet :)
6125036 I'm working on it, I'm working!
6125038 Welcome then, and hope you enjoy it all, the comment section is awesome with all the fine folks! :)
6125053 Thank you, very kindly for the kind words. I'll keep writing as long as I have good things to tell
6125069 You're always welcome! I'm getting rest, I promise
6125250 Not a bad idea! But it's a bit different, you'll see :)
6125422 I swear to all that's holy yer some kinda psychic, quit that!
6125759 Answers will come, although slowly. Sorry but it's just not going to be answered in one fell swoop. So expect them, they'll be there.
6127296 And grumpy, and short-tempered..yeah Dire :)
6125546 I know it's sad, but hang in there!
6128240 Will Crusader and Athena ever destroy a neighboring country? I know you're not interested in the politics and stuff, but I really want to see them just run straight into an enemy country's army all guns blazing as they leave a trail of ashes behind them.
6128240 truthfully, I think this could be one of those stories that just go on, something you still are writing on when you're in your eighties, it's set up for something like that pretty well, and you write so well I could read a story you write about a bad oc and his harem...
(plz, for the love of all things good, never do that)
I both dread the end of this story and am excited to no end about the summary of it.
personally, I thing you could do 1-2 more chapters and finish the story, or as I first said, I'm sure you could find a way to make this story go on indefinitely.
and if you start writing books, I will buy (and read) the f
k out of them
Applejack cries on the inside. But I do wonder is writing just a hobby for you?
Well NFire, as it stands, my feels and my pride are shatterd.
My feels for obviouse reasons, and my pride for crying over My Little Pony
You evil
6128240 I am emotionally distressed! Plus Changlings operate on UNIX time and we jsut had an Era switch so that's a thing too.
Honestly, you could have ended the story right there. Walking into the sunset, making her own choices in life.
Getting married to space princess Luna.but I'm glad you gave yourself save points.
I'm still holding out for some changling action. And a trip to the crystal empire.
Side stories perhaps?
Anyways, thanks for the quality updates.
6125111
Holy shit. I've caught up already?! Can't wait to see what happens next.
6125038
Baneblade?!
That's a child playing make believe compared to a high mark BOLO.
Only needed an officer and a priest...
Besides if you don't make this better i will ----------------------------------------------------------- (TEXT REMOVED FOR INAPROPRIATE CONTENT) got it?
How much longer were you planning on making this story? I'm enjoying it immensely, but I can't tell whether we're coming to the end of an arc, or the end of the whole deal.