Chapter 36 -Crystal's Love-
-Crystal's Love-
"That wasn't funny!"
"Eh, it was a little funny." Streams chuckled as she backed away from Cadance's piercing glare. She was cornered in the royal chambers having gone and looked for their antlered leader, but found an angry princess demanding her attention.
"Raven cried for three hours about some pony named Jack. I still don't get it." Cadance barked as the doors opened revealing her father and her mother.
"Skies, help me against your daughter, it's like arguing with Crystal, trying to make me feel guilty." Streams chuckled as Cadance smacked her shoulder.
Skies smiled. "I would leave you to your scolding, but lucky for you we need to have a family talk."
"Ah, see you later." Streams rose and slithered out as is through a floating stream of water.
Cadance trotted over and wrapped her mother in a hug. "What are we talking about?"
Skies smiled as he was brought into the hug as well.
"I need to speak with you and your father about when the Empire disappeared." Honey smiled before kissing her daughter on the cheek. "Come, let's get comfortable."
Cadance shuffled around while her father lay on the floor and her mother next to him, ultimately, Cadance choose to lay between her father's hooves.
"So what exactly are we going to talk about?" Cadance gave her mother a questioning look. "We're together and that's what matters. Right?"
Honey placed her hoof on Cadance's. "Yes, but there are things you both need to know." She looked to Skies, who wore a conflicted look upon his face as he stared at Honey's horn. "About me and my life since the Empire fell."
No words were traded between the mismatched family as they lay in wait for someone to start. Surprisingly, Cadance was the one to break the silence.
"Are you really my mother?" Cadance's voice didn't shake like she was afraid of the answer, her voice was calm and deliberate like her demeanor, something that the Spirits in Farhaven had begun to liken to her father.
Honey's face fell when Cadance questioned her status as her mother. "Yes. I am, but I am not the same mare as before."
Skies picked up on the use of words and knew that eventually, he needed to speak with Honey. Alone.
Like a floodgate being torn open, Honey tried to speak only to be interrupted by Skies’ voice. "Start after that night." With a solemn nod, Honey understood that he was trying to spare their daughter the heartache of their 'last moments' together. "That night in the cave, I felt myself slip-"
Skies knew of the feeling. When everyone passed into this world, there was a subtle pulling, much like the feeling of falling while you try and sleep, but without the sudden jolt to wake you up.
"-I fell and woke up in darkness." Honey said. "I bit and tore my way out of the ground to see that I was in a deep catacomb."
"Do you remember where these catacombs were?" Skies asked.
"No, I suspect that I was in another realm." Honey said monotonously. "Don't ask me further, I do not know much about the first years. Only that they were tainted with stuff I had to do to survive." Honey leaned against Skies and stared at an old tapestry on the wall emblazoned with the head of a golden stag. "I clawed my way out of those catacombs and the world I found was...different."
"How so?"
"It was exactly like this one, but in a constant state of decay. Cities lay in ruins and the land was covered with mutated monsters." Honey said, quickly moving from the topic so as to not relive the memories. "I found a portal and once I returned, I found out that it had been two hundred years since the Empire disappeared and fell into myth."
"Perhaps this would be better with some food?" Skies asked, knowing their conversation was about to take a dark turn. He saw Cadance's happy gaze peer up.
"Can I make something?" Cadance asked.
"If you want, you have free reign of the kitchen." Skies smiled as Cadance got up and bounded out of the room.
"I see you're just as tactful as ever." Honey cooed. She knew what Skies' silence meant, he wanted answers. Now. "You know all you have to do is ask." She pressed her face against his coat. "I never could deny you."
"Why haven't you changed into your Spirit form?"
Honey gulped loud enough to make a point. "I hate the way I look."
With a subtle touch of his head to her’s, Skies reassured Honey. "You don't have to show me if you do not wish to, but please, tell me the truth of everything before our daughter gets back, which will be a while considering I hid the measuring cups before coming here."
Honey smiled, but it faded into a sad look. "I won't beat around the bush by saying vague statements like 'I haven't been the best person, or the most faithful creature.' In short, I've been a very bad person."
"What have you done?" Skies asked, knowing that if she said bad, she meant horrible.
"Everything one can do to get revenge." Honey's tone didn't falter, she looked up into Shattered's eyes. "I don't regret who I am, just that I didn’t handle news of your passing as well as I should have."
Honey's hoof brushed against Skies' face. "I thought you two were dead, I nearly broke when I saw you. When Psalm found me, she convinced me to open myself up and follow her. I won’t lie, it wasn’t easy, but I slowly began to trust her. Then, she told me about you and Cadance."
There are certain things in an intimate relationship, especially one between spirits that have been around as long as them that you don't need to say. In this case, both Skies and Crystal knew that their time apart had affected them to the point that what they had may be too damaged to repair and needed more time apart, perhaps indefinitely.
"I would ask if we can work it out, but I knew from the moment I saw you that you've moved on." Honey buried her face into Shattered's coat once more.
"You're the mother of our child." Skies said before draping a wing over her. "I'll never stop loving you."
"Even though your heart belongs to another?"
"Even though my heart belongs to another."
Honey smiled as her throat tightened. "You always were the charmer."
"You always called me fool."
Honey chuckled. "That too." She magicked a floating image from earlier of Skies standing before his troops, lecturing them. "You've taken a brazen stance, being a Captain in her guard."
"Hiding in plain sight is our most useful disguise." Skies shrugged. "Judging from the way you glared at the Princess, I take it you've had a few run ins with Celestia? Bad ones, I assume?"
"Very. I’ve meet with a few of the princesses before, but never expected one to be mine own child." Honey cleared her throat and blushed. “I meant, ‘my own child.’”
Ignoring the archaic speak that Spirits fall into at times, Skies smiled. "If that's true, then I imagine you will have to break the news to Anara about the situation."
"I can't." Honey shook her head as she put a hoof on her mouth as if to stop herself from gagging. "She would hate me, and I don't think I could take that right now."
"She's our daughter, she will understand. Eventually." Skies reasoned softly. "Unless she takes after you and flies into a fit of rage and starts throwing her shoes everywhere over being five minutes late with our instant noodles-"
“Let that go.”
“And then rant for forty-five minutes about how you leave hair in the bathroom sink when she know it’s not your fault, the sinks on the fritz.”
“Skies, that was like twice.”
“Then proceed to lock the door each and every night, forcing me to sleep in the couch.”
Honey grabbed Skies’ face and wrenched it to face her own. "You won't let me live that down! That was like six thousand years ago!"
"Yes, I told you I wasn't going to let you live it down." Skies chuckled. "Amore always thought we were funny."
Honey stretched and started to think about their old friend. "She did, but she always laughed at everything you said, even if it was something obscure. I think she liked you."
"Well, I am very tall." Skies chuckled when Honey swatted his chest. He looked back and flexed his back. “And I am very amazing the beach.”
“You are so conceited.” Honey laughed to herself.
Skies wore a quite smirk as the momentary lapse in conversation caused Honey to sputter with her language, trying to figure out what to say next.
"I heard that Sombra was back and that he collected all but three pieces of her crystallized form." Honey said as she produced a hoof sized, red crystal from a pocket portal.
“I heard the same. Celestia and the other heroes were able to break him of a curse that the Umbrum placed on him as a colt.”
Honey hummed to herself. “Was that the reason you couldn’t figure out what ailed him? I remember you making regular trips to the Empire at Amore’s request.”
“The Umbrum were always mysterious, but they had been gone so long I believed them to be extinct.” Skies sighed, wishing he had recognized the signs. “Aside from my own bias, he isn’t actually a bad stallion. A bit wimpy.”
"What are we going to do, Sky?" Honey sighed after another moment of silence.
"We aren't going to do anything." Skies look down when Honey shot him a questioning look. "You and Anara are going to stay out of the fray, I won't be able to make sound decisions if I have to worry about you both."
For a brief moment, Honey snarled, preparing a barrage of insults as her retort for Skies' blatant assumption of her uselessness, but saw that serious look her husband was giving her.
"You know I know you're more than capable of handling yourself." Skies cooed as he placed his hoof on hers. "You were strong enough to survive death, war, and even being married to me." Honey chuckled before he continued. "But I need you to be there for our child, being a Spirit is new to her and even if she put on a brave face, she’s scared. My brothers and sisters want me and everything I stand for to be swept away. If I can't stop them, I need you to get our daughter to safety."
Honey closed her eyes and kissed her ex-husband's cheek. "I'll keep her safe."
"You sound hesitant, what's wrong?"
With a solemn sigh, Honey shook her head. "I know she won't like me... the real me, no one does."
Skies nuzzled the mother of his child. "I figured you had run ins in the past, but were they really so terrible?"
"Yes." Honey said curtly.
"Then show her the real you and ask for forgiveness when it comes time."
"I-I can't." Honey's tone threatened to shatter. "I know she'll never forgive what I've become, can't we just live like this? I can stay like this, pure, and just like it was in the beginning."
"You would ask that we live a lie, to protect our daughter's feelings?"
"Yes."
"A lie only gets worse, but that’s your decision." Skies' words cut her to the core. "Not admitting the truth when it is needless to keep it secret is cruel, especially to our daughter. I know if you just speak with her, she'll come around, even though at first it may feel a little painful."
"But-"
"Do you still trust me?" Skies asked.
After a pause, Honey nodded. "I do."
"Consider getting to know her before transforming. I won’t up and expose you unless you wish for me to, that’s your business.”
"And if she hates me?" Honey asked, a sad, hesitant look on her face.
"Then we work it out, together." Skies smiled.
"Okay." Honey's demeanor relaxed. Soon, she started to laugh louder and louder, much to Skies' confusion. His raised brow only made her laughter grow before she tried to explain. "I remember the conversations Amore and I had before we started to see each other. I would always say that you were like a rug at times because of how relaxed you were about everything and how you would lay everywhere and that's always when Amore would talk about wanting to lay all over a Skies rug."
"You never told me that." Skies chuckled.
"Eh, I figured she crushed on you hard enough, Mr. Animal." Honey nibbled at Skies neck, trying to tease him. "I missed teasing you."
"I can tell." Skies raised up slightly to confuse her before rolling over, wrapping her in a hug.
Despite her protests, Honey went along and allowed herself to be embraced. She missed affection, real affection, from someone who knew her and not a front that she wore.
"Skies! Crystal!" Sif roared as she tore up the castle and into the room.
Skies and Honey shot up to meet Sif at the door.
"We have an emergency, it's Cadance!"
"What happened!" Skies barked.
Skies, Honey, and Sif ran through the castle before Skies pulled them through one of the many branches that cris-crossed the city; per his instruction.
"Cadance collapsed in the kitchen while tasting some honey, I think her magic is starting to show itself." Sif said urgently as Skies tore past her. She waited for Honey to follow before following behind them. "I've pulled everyone back so they won't be hurt."
"Good, tell me what is happening, exactly." Skies demanded, the worry in his voice clear.
Sif barked to move the crowd of beings before their approach. "It's her magic."
Those three words registered in both Skies' and Honey's mind as they skidded to a halt, just short of the kitchen's door. They knew what happened when magic was forceably sealed, especially a Spirit's power.
"Skies, I think I should be the one to go in." Honey said desperately.
For a moment, Skies had to take a deep breath to calm his mind. "No, I should go in, I can-"
"No." Honey stomped. "You're not good with controlling fluctuation magic levels. You can't bite your way to an answer."
Honey's words stung, Skies knew she was right, he couldn't absorb the magic to stabilize her. Fear seeped into his thoughts, forty thousand years of experience with life and his mind was blank. "What about the Effigy? It could take her power and-"
A loud crack rang through the halls as Honey slammed her hoof into Shattered's cheek.
"Why did-"
"Don't ever suggest using that weapon on our daughter again." Honey teared up in anger. "I hate that you had a part in creating it in the first place, you should have done everyone a favor and destroyed it. It's a coward's weapon."
"It can help."
Honey drew back to hit him again and Skies wrapped her up in his arms to keep her from striking him again. "Let me go."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to suggest that, I just panicked." Skies admitted. He knew Honey understood, but she had hated many of the decisions he made and for good reason, she reminded him again and again of moral consequences. It wasn't until the fall of the Empire that he warnings struck a cord. "You can go in, I'll stay here."
Slowly, the magic began to seep into the hall, it carved edges into the stone, showing its potency. Honey moved to act, she knew how to counteract the magic, but that required her transforming, something that terrified her.
With a slow, even pace, Honey walked into the castle's enormous kitchen. The blue, ethereal magic that erupted from Cadance's unconscious body surged around, destroying whatever it touched.
Honey dipped and dodged around the tendrils, making sure not to be touched prematurely. A young Spirit's magic was unpredictable, it was known to take on the attribute of whoever it touched unless one was careful.
"Anara, can you hear me?" Honey called.
Slowly, Honey transformed, but turned the lights down at the same time so that the onlookers wouldn't be able to see her Spirit form. She cringed as she caught the image of herself in a nearby mirror, she hated that he once white coat was gone and that her wings were taken from her. She swallowed hard and turned her attention to her daughter, the one that mattered to her the most.
Emerald magic started to flow out in tendrils to meet the expanding magic, as they touched, bright flashes lit up the room. One by one, the arms of magic were forced back to Cadance's body and made to circulate around her body like a whirling torrent of contained fire.
Soon, Cadance started to convulse as Crystal stood over her body, scanning her. She could feel her daughter's pain as her power increased and decreased wildly.
Crystal teared up, knowing that she had to transfer a small bit of power to her daughter to relieve the pain and force her change to occur, but her disdain for her hideous form weighed heavily on her mind. "I'm sorry, Cadance."
As she knelt down, her horn touched her daughter’s forehead and then Cadance's body shook as the transformation started to happen, antlers started to grow, breaking the skin and making it bleed, then her solid hooves cracked, becoming cloven. With a tentative step forward, Crystal laid down to her ailing daughter, knowing they were in for a long night.
“Mom.” Cadance called with a weak, strained voice.
Crystal covered her daughter's eyes so she wouldn’t be shocked, she leaned down and cooed into her ear. “It’s okay, I’m here.”
Outside the kitchen, Skies sat by, helpless. He would have sat by, waiting, but Sif nuzzled him, breaking him from his worries.
“Are you okay?”
“No.” Skies said, it hasn’t even been a year and life is still just as hectic as it was when we lived here the first time.
Sif smirked, remembering the days they lived among ponies in the kingdom of the royal pony sisters. “I heard what Crystal told you earlier, about her past.”
Skies nodded, not wanting to speak about it in the middle of a castle hallway.
“Do you want me to investigate?” Sif asked quietly.
Trust. Trust was something he wanted to give to everyone, but in reality, Skies trusted no one, that’s why he had contingency plans for everything. He wanted to look at Sif and shake his head, but the truth was that if Crystal was a spy, it would be all too easy to destroy everything. “Sif, please be discreet about it. None may know.”
“It will be done.” Sif said as she backed away and into another wolf. “Oh, I’m sorry, Quiet.”
“It’s okay, Mother Sif.” The smaller wolf said as she rubbed her nose. “I just have a message for Lord Skies.”
“Ah, very well.” Sif smirked, flicking Quiet’s rear with her tail as she passed, showing silent approval. The instant she turned the corner, Skies chuckled.
“What’s funny, My Lord?” Quiet asked.
It wasn’t his business to tell Sif’s feelings, so he shook his head, declining to answer. “Nothing, my dear, what do you have to report?”
Quiet bowed. “Lady Raven, the Spirit of knowledge has requested your presence.”
“Ah, and here I thought something had happened.” Skies raised his brow when Quiet shook her head and rose.
“There is also an owl in the aviary that claims to have an urgent message for you.” Quiet’s demeanor changed as she looked around. “Something about an attack on Ponyville.”
“It’s likely what happened earlier today with Celestia’s attempts at a ‘Farhaven attack.’” Skies mused with sarcastic air quotes. “Could you escort me to the library? I’d like to speak with you.”
“Absolutely.” Quiet smiled. After she watched Skies seal the kitchen so his family wouldn’t be disturbed, he turned and lumbered. As they walked, she noticed that he seemed more tired than usual. “My Lord, is something the matter?”
With a wheezy laugh, Skies glanced down at the young wolf. “When’s something not the matter?” After his facetious question, he craned his head to Quiet. “Frankly, no more than usual. There is about four thousand other things I have to fix and I can only do so much. I made an error recently and we may be having a mass migration coming to Farhaven, more than we can readily feed.”
“How did you do that?”
“By convincing Celestia it was in everyone’s best interest.” Skies mumbled.
“Isn’t she evil?”
After a long sigh, Skies shook his large head. “There’s no such thing, well, not in a literal sense. I believe she’s just confused and is trying to do the best she can. I just hope that a peace between us can be reached before her four advisors do something to force our borders closed completely.”
“Do you think it will come to that?”
“Historically, it usually does.” Skies said. “It is only now that I look back and see that our precarious situation may have been fixed had I trusted Celestia a little bit more.”
“Sire?” Quiet asked. “I don’t follow.”
Skies just smiled at the small wolf, he wanted to vent about all that he has done and that in earlier days, he would hang over Celestia’s shoulder and try to give her much needed advice. In the end, it may have harmed more than it helped. “Nothing, just musings of an old Spirit.”
They stepped out of the grand doors that lead to the main hall and they stopped to take in Farhaven as it basked in the setting sun. It had grown by leaps since they started to settle the land, houses were built, businesses were open, and statues were erected, even an elegant aqueduct snaked through the city to supply clean, mineral rich water. A fact River never let anyone forget, she even went so far as to open up a small utility company so she could advertise.
Overall the architecture to the city had no real theme, it took inspiration from each culture that hand a hand, hoof, or claw in its construction. Buildings sat by the water around much of the lake and expanded back in all manners of ways. Every species lived next to and with one another while having districts with a clearly dominant theme, even wyverns had their own style of fire blasted stone to live in, but stayed far enough from the large trees Griffons liked to sleep in. And all were overlooked by the great Diamond Dog stonemasons in their mountain carved halls.
To everyone’s delight, the city melded together and thus far, no real problems occurred.
“It’s amazing.” Quiet said. “I’ve been really surprised since the aqueduct was opened, the city is happy. Our wolven force has yet to even quell any real argument.”
“We’re getting there.” Skies nodded as he walked, but grinded to a halt when a small, red Hippogriff buzzed over and landed on his muzzle.
“Serenity!” Gilda squawked as she flew up to retrieve her daughter. “I’m so sorry, my Lord.”
“No, it’s fine.” Skies chuckled as he sat and cradled the small, giggling Hippogriff. “How is she doing? Is the medicine agreeing with her?”
“Not really, she still gets sick, but Mackie sits with her until she feels better.” Gilda smiled as Skies gave her daughter back. “You look surprisingly well for giving birth recently.”
“My mother was a Northern Griffon and so am I, we give birth with little consequence to our health.” Gilda stated matter of factly.
“Lucky you.” A Diamond Dog muttered as she passed, much to the laughter of the passerbys.
“How are you and Big Mac handling life here?” Skies asked.
“We’re doing fantastic.” Gilda chirped a little, her feathers ruffling in pride. “Our place is between the new farmlands and the market district, so it’s perfect. Our only problem is the smell of manure and little Serenity here wanting to buzz out the window every chance she gets.”
“It sounds like you have your claws full.” Skies stood once more and turned. “I’ll take my leave, enjoy your day, Gilda.”
“Lord Skies?” Gilda interjected in Skies’ leave.
“Yes?”
“I know Big Mac has been worried about it, but I should ask; when will the mail route between Farhaven and Ponyville be opened?”
Like opening a can of worms, Skies groaned mentally. He could have lied to her, but there was no gain in that. “Honestly, Gilda, there were talks to open a mailing route, but the representative that we sent through came back with a black eye. In short, it will take time until we open up a mailing route.” Skies looked around and leaned in to Gilda. “However, if Big Mac has a letter, I will be more than happy to deliver it, in person.”
Gilda smiled deviously at that sentiment. “Give me one moment.” She turned around and rustled in her bag before producing a letter, it was apparent that she asked about the mailing route, anticipating Skies to say yes. “This is Big Mac’s letter. Thank you for taking it.”
Skies grabbed it and smiled. “No, it’s my pleasure. This is some of the only entertainment I get.”
With a nod, they went their separate ways, as they did so, Quiet sucked her teeth. “You know Mother Sif would be upset to find out that you’re going to expose yourself to the ones that hunt you.”
“‘Hunt me,’ right.” Skies chuckled. “I know they traipse around my forest looking for me, only to end up dirty and sweat and empty hooved. There has only been two times where they actually found me, the other forty three the ended up walking in circles.”
“Mind telling me what you have planned, Sire?”
The large museum was hard to miss, they didn’t have much time to speak before meeting Raven, so Skies chose to forgo his teasing. “I’m going to deliver this letter and make them all flustered when I disappear.”
“Why?”
“Partly to send a message.” Skies admitted. “They watch that forest so intently, that when their enemy calmly knocks on their door, it will show them that they fail, not only at Spirit hunting, but at anticipating me. Plus, it’s fun.”
“I watch them, Sire.” Quiet said. “What if they found a way to catch you?”
“Hm, good point.” Skies mused. “That would be bad.”
“Finally!” Daring barked as Skies reached the museum doors. “I’ve waited three days for you to actually come here.”
With a long, agitated sigh, Skies nodded. “Right, the release orders.”
“Yes, the release orders you were supposed to sign, days ago.” Daring said. “Without that, I can’t even take my artifacts out of their cases.”
Before another word could be uttered, a clipboard was shoved in Skies face, eliciting another annoyed groan. “Fine.”
Upon seeing the look on Skies’ face, Daring cocked her head. “Are you okay, Skies?”
“Yeah, it’s just that my daughter is going through power fluctuations, so I’m worried.” Skies whirled his pen around in the air. “Amidst everything else; Angry solar Princesses, evil shadow councils, ethnic tensions, and not enough time to spend with my mare-friend.”
“Mare-friend?!” Both Daring and Quiet sputtered before the eavesdropping citizens of Farhaven gasped.
“I do have a normal life, if you take away all the crazy stuff.” Skies looked between Daring and quiet. “What do you think I do when I’m not around? Meditate with my hooves crossed in a giant tree?”
Daring blushed a little and scratched her cheek.
“You totally think I do?”
“Do not!”
“You do!” Skies laughed as he passed her, giving her signed paperwork. “Anyway, where’s Raven?”
“The crying Griffon?” Daring asked. “She’s in the back office with the giant owl-emblazoned door.” She jabbed a hoof down the hall. “You can’t miss it, just listen for the crying and look out for the blue and white, painted Pegasus painting the ceiling.”
“Ah, I see Mix Up finally made it.” Skies said. “How does he like the museum?”
“He seems happy.” Daring shrugged. “I’ve been so busy with the exhibits that I haven’t had the time to ask, I just admire the ceiling as I pass from room to room.”
“Wonderful, I know my next stop.” Skies continued to lumber and looked up to the ceiling. The ceiling had depictions of many eras that were unknown to Equestria. Civilizations and figures that looked better left to novels of fantasy than in a museum of history. Farhaven counted itself lucky that Raven allowed copies of her own personal library to be made.
As they neared, the light sound of music could be heard from a table where a stallion stood, sketching his next piece. Next to him where copies of some of the older history books ever created, with notes and smaller sketches drawn in them.
“Mix Up, I presume?” Shattered Skies asked, starting the stallion out of his daydream.
“Ah, hi Lord Skies, you scared me.” Mix Up patted his chest, trying to calm down.
“I take it you found yourself something to ‘take to the next level?’” Skies smiled, remembering that he had invited Mix Up to Farhaven after meeting him at the masquerade Blue Blood had thrown.
“I take it Loveless told you about me?” Mix Up asked.
“He did, He goes around to look for those that are in need of a second chance. He also told me of your art work being stolen by the Trade Union.”
With a solemn nod, Mix Up’s smiled dropped. “It was, some of my earliest works and some pieces I collected from famous painters under something called ‘reclamation act of Giffonstone.’”
“I’ve heard of it.” Skies said. “Hopefully, you won’t have to go much longer without them. Amazing work by the way.”
“Thank you, Lord Skies.” Mix Up smiled as Skies stumbled away towards the master librarian’s door.
“Come along, Quiet, stop admiring.” Skies boomed as he strode away, spurring Quiet to catch up to him.
“Sorry, we haven’t lived in cities in a while so us wolves are a little awestruck.”
“It’s understandable.” Skies went to knock on the door, but heard crying and knew she wouldn’t hear him, so he just pushed Raven’s doors open. “Why are you crying!”
“She let him go!”
“What are you talking about?!” Skies barked as the large, stone doors swung shut, leaving a very confused Quiet to slip away, not wanting to deal with a sobbing Spirit.
“Rose.”
“Who?”
“Rose!” Raven threw a pillow at Skies before it was cut in half by a vine.
“Are you talking about Titanic? Again.” Skies groaned. “You can not let that go.”
“It’s your fault, your daughter came in here and reminded me!” Raven’s black feathers were ruffled and tissues were jammed up both nostrils. “She could have moved her, pasty, beluga whale body and saved him but no, she let him freeze, that door was huge!”
“Yes, the movie upset us all.” Skies deadpanned. “You need to pull it together, Raven, we have business to discuss.”
With a ragged sniffle, Raven looked up. “What is it?”
“It’s about the job.”
“Yeah, you want me to take care of the library.” Raven said. “I told you I can do that.”
“There’s something else.” Skies sat and looked around the large, circular room, it was covered in ornamentation, from statues to plant, to books and magical artifacts. “Something more.”
Raven’s apprehension took over. “Oh, I don’t know about this Skies. I agreed to watch the library, but I hate dealing with other beings.”
After rolling his eyes, Skies figured Raven still had a mistrust for mortal creatures, she considered them to be permanently ignorant and dangerous to unbiased knowledge.
“W-What is it?” Raven asked, know there were few jobs he would have in mind for her.
“I want you to teach.”
“Never.”
“But-”
“No, I can’t.” Raven waved her claw dismissively. “You know I can’t trust mortals, they think they know best and can’t accept fact unless it lines up with their own idea of what facts should be.”
“I want you to teach my daughter about our history, unadulterated by what side won. A true history.” Skies said solemnly.
Raven knew what Skies was asking and she raised to her feet slowly. Thousands of years ago, the Spirit council decided to keep the unbiased account of history for themselves to allow the mortal races to develop naturally, something Spirits still contest today.
“Are you sure about this?” Raven asked. “You were on the Spirit council, would this not go against that?”
“The Spirit council has been disbanded for a long time.” Skies said. “I want the world to know the truth. Of everything.”
“Even about you?”
“Even about me.” Skies stared at Raven. “I want the world to change. No. The world needs to change and it begins here, in this era. If we can lay the groundwork to set education right, right now, then our future has become that much safer.”
“So I can teach, unabated by regulations, just a true account of history and discuss themes
That took place, without some council authority trying to stop me?” Raven asked, leveling a blank stare at the lord of the forests.
“I’m asking you to, so I’m behind you on this.” Skies said.
“I’ll need it in writing, signed in blood.” Raven summoned a scroll that was seemingly pre-filled out.
“I’ll sign in ink.” As he took the quill, his vision blurred and a dull whine rang in his ears. The paper fell from his grasp before his body forced him to sat down.
"Skies?"
As Skies sat there, he felt like his blood pump like paste, moving through his veins, he struggled to regain his composure. Time slowed until it seemed that minutes turned to seconds. By the time he regained his senses, Sif was standing over him with one of Farhaven's doctors, a Changling.
"Is he going to be ok?" Sif asked.
"Honestly, Lady Sif, I don't know. Physically, he seems fine, but I'm no expert on Spirits." The Changling sighed and removed the stethoscope from his head, being careful to avoid the dual, purple fins that ran down his head. "His emotions on the other paw, are in a tangled maelstrom."
"What does that mean?" Sif asked.
"Nothing." Skies said as he stood unevenly.
"Sire, be careful, if you stand too fast, you may pass out." The Changling warned before tapping his cheek in thought. "Then again, you are a Spirit so..."
"I'll be fine." Skies stated. "Just a little exhausted."
"You should rest." Sif said as she stepped to Skies' side. "I've sensed that you've been strained lately. I've remained silent, but this is too much too soon, it hasn't even been a year since your return."
Sif cocked her head as Skies started to walk towards the library's exit. "Where are you going?"
"To deliver a letter and hide at a certain mare's house." Skies said cryptically before finally leaving the library, with Sif and the summoned medical staff watching with worried faces.
Sweet Apple Acres
Twilight huffed as she tossed a map from the table in frustration. She ran her hoof down her face and groaned. "This is impossible."
"You got that right." Sunset added as she stretched. "It's one thing to have a physical barrier, but add in the magic barriers powered by natural magic amplified by natural regeneration to heal any hole you make and you have-"
"A problem." Twilight finished.
"Honestly, you two, I don't see what the big deal is." Rarity said. "That monster hasn't attacked at all. You try to find ways in and he doesn't even act, sweeties, it's time to give it up."
Twilight shook her head. "Princess Celestia is counting on me. It's just like she says; the sooner we capture him, the sooner the world will set right."
"What does 'set right' mean exactly?" Pinkie asked, still choosing to speak her mind in lieu of constantly trying to brighten the mood. She turned a page of the book she read while being lounged in the corner. “Because nothing seems really wrong right now about him.”
Twilight shook her head once more. "I'm not so sure anymore." The memory of Harmony replayed in her head and the words repeated every day since the Gala, she knew she needed to speak with Shattered Skies, but her task was to capture him. She glanced out the window and sighed. "What do I do?"
"Well, whatever you do, just make sure he stays off my land." Applejack walked into the room with a clipboard. "It's been hard to get any workers interested in the farm since that city of his hit the front lines of the Equestria Daily newspaper.
"How is that going?" Sunset asked.
"It's fine. Skyfall said he penned a letter to a foreign dignitary..."
"Of course he did." Twilight mumbled and began to mock Skyfall. “Oh look at me, I know important ponies and can write to embassies and talk to the Princess like she’s my old friend.”
Applejack raised an eyebrow and continued despite Twilight's ire. "...right, so he wrote a letter to a foreign dignitary from Clydesda and she wrote me a letter saying she would be here within the week."
"That's really good, Applejack!" Rarity guffawed. "Clydesda is starting to become well known across the sea, having some of their natives on your farm will do wonders for your business."
"That's what Skyfall says." Applejack smiled. "He seems to know his stuff. He's been more help than I can hope to repay."
"Sounds like you're crushing." Rarity cooed, but scoffed at Applejack's gagging motion.
"He's good looking, but no." Applejack reaffirmed. "I'm just not interested."
"Not even after that Hearthwamring's kiss?" Rarity wriggled her eyebrows.
"Especially after that." Applejack mumbled. "I get that it's traditional, but I see him more like a... like a..."
"A business partner?" Sunset asked. "You too seem too friendly for that to be professional."
"They argue a lot." Apple Bloom said as she hopped past Applejack, her hand-me-down hat bouncing on her mane.
Applejack shrugged and sat down. "He knows business, well, actually he's good with ponies and knows how they think. He knows nothing about country living and looks at our apple sorter like Twilight would, but he means well, especially after Big Mac left. He doesn't pick up the work load, but he's helped me get my business going, we just argue at times."
"Wonder why?" Twilight said.
"What's wrong Twilight?" Sunset asked.
"Nothing!" Twilight snapped, but instantly regretted it when everyone gave her an annoyed look. "Sorry, I'm just frustrated. It's been months and we've come no closer to even getting close enough to talk to him."
"Hopefully our venture to the other world will yield results." Sunset put a hoof on Twilight's shoulder. "If anyone will know how to get to Farhaven, it will be one of these Elementals."
"Perhaps you're right." Twilight sighed, knowing that now, above all else, she wanted to speak to Skies, just the two of them, to know the truth. 'It isn't like he would just show up.'
All of a sudden, three soft knocks feathered along the door.
"I got it!" Apple Bloom called before bounding into the family room to answer the door, leaving the book she had just began reading. The other mares in the room went about their conversations, but stopped when Apple Bloom squealed. "You're back!"
"Hello, Apple Bloom." A deep, booming voice greeted before everyone heard loud, thudding steps. "How have you been?"
"I've been g... well." Apple Bloom corrected herself for proper grammar.
"Well, you say?" The voice questioned in a playful voice. "I see you're learning something in that school of yours."
"Trying!"
"Wonderful, is your sister in?"
Apple Bloom made a quiet humming sound. "She is, but are you sure you want her to see you?"
"Apple Bloom, who is it?" Applejack called, but to answer her question, two large sets of antlers entered the room before a bowed head rose to its full height.
"Good afternoon, everyone." Shattered Skies smiled at the awestruck expressions of the room.
For a long minute, looks were traded around the room. Twilight cycled through the spells in her mind, trying to figure out a plan, but every plan was met with skepticism and uncertainty.
"What are you doing in my family's home?" Applejack seethed.
"In short, delivering a letter. To be more precise, delivering a message." Skies said as he summoned Big Mac's letter and levitated it over to Applejack who refused to take it. "Take it."
"No."
Shattered Skies rolled his eyes and floated it over to Apple Bloom
"Apple Bloom, don't take it!" Applejack shouted, but Apple Bloom took the letter and opened it anyway, over excited at Big mac's letter.
"It's from Big Mac!"
"See." Skies said as he tried to turn, but found his hooves frozen into the floor. He glanced over to Twilight and Sunset, who were working together, weaving a spell to keep Skies still. "Huh, Quiet was right."
Slowly, both magics created a woven spell that crept up Skies' legs and around his body. Had this spell been cast on Luna, she would break it with a mere flexing of her magic, but this spell was surprisingly intricate.
"I see you've noticed." Twilight said with a labored breath, the spell she used was new and as a result she was spending too much magic on its use. "Sunset and I can hold you for an hour, long enough for the Princess to arrive."
"And there it is, your utter devotion to fulfilling your sense of duty to Tia."
"Princess Celestia." Twilight said, slightly upset at Skies flippant use of her mentor's name. "You don't know her well enough to act like you are."
Skies raised an eyebrow at Twilight. "Okay." He looked over to Applejack and smiled as his body started to lose color. "One last thing, Applejack, your brother misses you. So if not for yourself, write back for him. It can be tough raising a newborn."
"Gilda gave birth?!" The room erupted.
"I'm an aunt?!" Apple Bloom cheered. "What's the babies name?"
"Read the letter." Skies smiled as his body started to turn to ash like smoldering firewood long after a bonfire. "Now, there's someone I have to see."
"Wait!" Twilight called desperately. "I need to talk to you!"
Twilight teleported and started flying in front of Shattered's face. She glowered at him.
"You know where to find me." Skies cooed before the rest of his body disintegrated. Before he knew it, he woke up in the tree line inside his real body. He rubbed his eyes and examined the tree he sacrificed so he could make a golem. Sharp pain in his arms drew his attention Twilight's ethereal magic that had left deep bruises. "They're getting more dangerous."
A loud, angry scream echoed through the orchard. Articulate insults in combination with the 'royal' canterlot voice, the voice could have only belonged to Twilight.
"I must tread carefully."
Slowly, Skies teleported through the forest to get to Fluttershy's house. He transformed and time started to slow again until he reached the door, his blood beginning to flow like paste once more. "F...Fluttershy?"
"Ar-re." A small rabbit answered the door and bowed, but yelped as he had to jump out of the way to avoid Skyfall's heavy hoof falls. "Y-You home?" A cold sweat moved over his body as gravity seemed to yank him to his haunches. Animals started to circle him, unsure of what to do.
The floorboards creaked as Skyfall's heavy body slammed to the floor. He panted as darkness took his vision.
"Skyfall, is that you?" Fluttershy asked as she stepped out of the shower and stopped at what she saw. "Sky!"
Farhaven
"Mom?" Cadance's voice stirred Honey awake.
With a few blinks, Honey raised up and looked around the dark room. "Where are you? It's dark in here."
"I think we melted the lights." Cadance's voice sounded like a Spirit that wasn't masking their two toned voice. "Let me cast a spell so we can see what we're doing."
"No." Honey commanded. "Let me, if you are what I believe you've become, then you may destroy the castle."
Slowly, Honey's horn lite up in an emerald glow and sparked white light in the room. She smiled and a tear ran down her face as she looked at her daughter for what felt like the first time. "Anara."
Cadance took after both of her parents. She had golden eyes and a sand colored coat. Her crown like antlers had grown in and she gave a cursory glance at her clear wings and beat them a few times before they fell against her coat, becoming a design in her fur. Like a baby with a toy, she examined her blue mane and cloven hooves with extreme fascination.
"Cadance jumped up onto her hooves and smiled at her mother. "So how do I look?"
"Beautiful." Honey smiled.
"Now show me what you look like!" Cadance cheered.
So Skies is starting to get in a little over his head. Like many other Spirits, he is forty thousand years old, but still struggles through much of the issues regular mortals do. To make a complicated answer short, they're human and are imperfect. In this story we'll see him get pulled in a few different directions because of his heart and mind. Not everything he does has a rhyme of reason, at times it's spontaneous, much like ourselves.
Not much to talk about in this author's notes, however, I do have a few tide bits of news.
I released another story separate from this one lately, but I hope to release one shots that are in universe, but I have no idea what to write about that is in-universe, so if any of you have any ideas, please write me. If it's in universe then I'm almost definitely going to write it.
Mix-Up, a good friend of mine, drew this a while back to show off what Cadance may look like to give everyone a visual representation.
We love ya 
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I have to say, the implications of who Crystal has become make at least two major canon MLP plot holes actually logical, rather than just plain eyerollingly stupid as the show writers left things. Well done.
Now I know who Cadence's mother is. Nice little plot twist.
Well. That's a really different look for Cadance!
Ah, using simulacra to avoid capture/death, a time-honored classic among those magic users with the time and ability to make use of them. Bravo! And if I'm reading this correctly, then Crystal will have a LOT of explaining to do regarding her spirit form...
Simply Amazing. Keep up the awesome work man!
After Honey said that she's had a run in with Cadence BEFORE Shattered Skys returned and other hints (her name cough cough), I have a theory...
but I won't share it because I don't like being the one to spoil things
Time for divorce proceedings, I guess....
Crystal/Honey is Chrysalis isn't she? Calling it now!
7970917 Holy shit, you might be right.
So Cadance is a dragonfly winged caribou? Huh.
.............
The look on her face must be priceless.........wish I was there with a camera.
Cadance looks cool and that Titanic joke.
7970917 was thinking the same thing
7971153 I concur
That face on the drawing of Cadence will give me nightmares
7970917
Currently the most logical of choices.
7971595
I know right. Don't get me wrong that guy can draw but almost evetime I see his art on this site my aesthetics scream "F*** this sh** I'm out!" because of the faces on his ponies and deer.
It was a nice chapter, as usual and the only thing that is not sitting well with me is this ship with Fluttershy, but only because in one of the earlier chapters you said you won't make a romance here, but well, things change. Keep up the good work, cheers!
I wish I knew why Skies blood appears to be turning into pudding. Is it something I'm forgetting or an unrevealed plot point?
Cadance's Response to finding out Crystal is also Chrysalis
didn't expect crystal to be wow....that was a nice twist.... a really nice twist
Yeap, Sky is getting way over his head... I hope he is more careful. If not for him then for his daughter!
I can't wait to read the next chapter!!
Keep up the good work kiddo
Ehhhh... They're Immortals and need time to work out what Crystal's done in the past, so I'm fine with Skies continuing his relationship with Shy. But with what we've seen of their past and marriage I firmly believe/hope that after awhile/Shy dies they'll be back together.
Either that or Crystal's "bad things" is something completely unforgivable like recreational child-murdering that destroys any remaining semblance of (or the possibility of future) love, trust, or affection. In which case, I will be very upset, sad, and annoyed.
It would be tragic in fact.
I do not read tragedies, they make me depressed.
Cadance looks cool. I whant to play with that Mane.
7972376 Wait, what? Quote that to me please?
She is freaking adorable in a wild nature sort of way.
7979134 the only problem I have with this chapter is that there was a big build up to the fact that his wife and daughter were killed, but then he finds out both are alive and we get a good reaction for his daughter....yet none for the wife.
I understand that the author is probably trying to hold off on the drama now, and introduce it later, but unfortunately there still needs to be some hints at the emotional turmoil under the surface...and we don't see that...
Instead of a dramatic reunion with hurt feelings due to Crystal being distant due to her past, and Sky having to deal with his conflicting feelings of love for his wife and love for Fluttershy we instead get what feels like to people who have already been through the drama and fighting and are now at the friend phase of a break up.
This feels even more wrong when you factor in that Sky comes from a broken home to begin with, so he would have even stronger feelings about this.
He would not just calmly accept that his wife is alive, but oh well I guess we just grew apart...
It just feels like the author took a short cut because they did not want to write out all the drama...so now magically she is alive and everyone is hunky dory...
Is this line here the reason this story showed up in the Fallout Equestria group/thread ?
Literally one minute later
This is great
keep it up 
7973549
I think I might actually believe that. For me, it is her wings that sell it that theory. Alas, we might see it in the next chapter.
Someone nobody like.
Emerald Magic? Fire?
The only one I can think of is...
https://youtu.be/0BpcYbLjDKI?t=1h34m43s
Chrysalis!
After seeing the comments. It's seems I'm not the only one that thinks that.
Bullshit. That part was forced as hell. He had no intention or desire to be in a relationship, then does a sudden 180 just because someone wanrs him to! What about that is love?
I find it interesting that so far the theme of Skies' return has been avoiding, fixing or circumventing other people's past mistakes but when presented a chance not to repeat a past mistake of his own he doesn't have the strength to do it.
He already knows that his lack of trust has made one of his best students into his most immediate threat and yet he cannot see how it may continue to backfire on him.
the image of cadence is broken.
Booo, can't see the pic you put up for what she look like
This together with the following passage felt very forced and painful to read.
She neither seems able to form thoughts that are at least somewhat logical sound, nor is she able to remember facts that have been discussed with her multiple times.
Another broken image noo
Time to dig through deviant art again, now what was the release for this chapter...
Edit: Huh... Couldn't find this one...