Chapter 50 -Prelude to War-
-Prelude to War-
"Anara!" Crystal yelled as she tore through the castle, knocking over butlers, maid, guards, and workers alike. Her eyes were wet from her panicked state, causing her running to become sloppy. She turned sharply and lost her balance, sending her careening into a display table, shattering it. "Anara! Wait!"
With a shaky stance, Cadance stood in the grand throne room, shielding herself by her father's ornate throne, being careful to remain in her Spirit form so if she needed help it would be easier to call for it. She stared daggers at Chrysalis as she hurried to her hooves, brandishing a worried, hurt look.
"Stay away from me." Cadance barked.
"I-I will." Chrysalis nodded vigorously, not willing to upset her daughter further. "Just don't run, please."
A burning desire drove Cadance to want to shout the walls down and force Chrysalis out of Farhaven, to accuse her of posing as her mother. Ultimate punishments flashed through her mind as memories of a ruined wedding and multiple nation-ending coups stoked her anger. She fought a grin at imagining Chrysalis in the stocks, having tomatoes pelted at her, but a dread grew as realization replaced hate. Her enemy just hesitantly claimed to be her mother.
"How can you be my mother?" Cadance asked somberly.
Chrysalis choked on her words and took a deep breath on the third attempt to talk. "That's a good question after everything I've ruined." She stepped forward, but took an immediate step back when Cadance distanced herself further. "I... As your father told you... long ago I died."
"You mean the second time you died?" Cadance asked, spurred by her talks with River earlier about taboo. Deep down, if she wanted answers, she knew she needed to press advantages when they presented themselves.
Chrysalis hung her head. "Yes, the second time." She sat down and looked at the throne room, reaffirming that they were alone. "All those years ago, I slipped from all senses and awoke in a torn land with all forms of creature you can imagine infected with sickness. I survived in this realm of radiation and strife until I discovered a way back through a dead elder tree. Once I was back... you and Skies were gone."
"So four years ago when you sat in the Royal prison, when you told Twilight "Changelings came from a tree" you weren't lying?" Cadance asked.
"I was telling the truth, but not the whole truth." Chrysalis said. "If Celestia learned of my real identity, then I would have been executed along with the other changelings."
"Why become evil in the first place?" Cadance asked.
With a ragged breath, Chrysalis shrugged with tears in her eyes. "I don't know." She looked up at the rafters to see her husband's forest magic spider-webbing branches up the walls, she feared making eye contact with Cadance. "I was hurt. My family was taken from me and I wanted revenge. While in that torn realm, I discovered who tormented me and began my war. I know it's not a good excuse, but I hurt so bad, I wanted to hurt others in return." She closed her eyes. "Like a child."
"Who was it? The one who trapped you?"
"Celestia's council." Chrysalis scuffed her hoof into the ground as she redirected her eyes further from Cadance. "They out resourced me at every turn, so I stuck to secrecy and attacked their weak points. Eventually I had an opening to take out celestia and expose her."
"My wedding?"
Chyrsalis gave Cadance a hurt look and began to trot away into the castle's corridors with tears streaming down her neck. Her sobbing grew as she ran harder and harder.
Wordlessly, Cadance sank fully onto her haunches. "Is Chrysalis really my mother?"
"Yes." Sif emerged from the shadows, making no sound but the sound of her breathing.
"You knew?" Cadance asked, a cold, confused expression painting her face.
"I knew." Sif affirmed and nudged Cadance to her hooves. "When your mother appeared, your father ordered me to investigate her. What he did not know, was that I already suspected her." She stood, large wolven body swaying on her paws as she looked down at the lithe doe. "I never forget a scent once I become familiar with it and your mother always smelled of desert sage. I tracked her years ago until I found a tear between dimensions that reeked of chaos magic."
"Chaos?" Cadance asked quietly. "Are you saying Discord helped her?"
"Yes." Sif said. "I don't know why since he disappeared soon after your father returned, however, I know he is still around. I smell his desire every now and again, a perversion of magic only he can achieve." The throne doors opened to reveal many of her father's council walking in. "But now we need to get you to safety."
"What's the meaning of this?" Cadance asked.
After a tense look, Sif relaxed. "Anara, it pains my heart to say this, but a warship has landed in Ponyville. Your father suspected something like this would happen and has given me orders to raise the alert level should that come to pass. We are now moving from a pre-war standby to a conflict standoff."
"W-What?" Cadance asked.
Honos walked around from Sif in his armored Spirit form and slowed. "Lady Anara, in the event of war, I am to be your guard."
"War?" Cadance nearly shrieked as creatures of all kinds passed her. "That can't be, they haven't done anything."
"Our enemy is making the move, not us. They likely decided squashing a fledgling nation would be easier than an entrenched enemy." Sif said with an annoyed sigh. "They landed a battleship in ponyville, they don't parade those out for insignificant reasons and I don't see a royal show in Ponyville. The operational cost for one week on that ship would level Ponyville's yearly budget."
"Maybe it's for the guards?" Cadance said, trying to make sense of the sudden, aggressive move by Equestria.
"Anara." Sif cooed with her deep voice. "Staging a mobile fortress a few miles from our borders is a prelude to war. We will try diplomacy, but battleships are not the sign of someone seeking fair diplomacy."
Deep down, Cadance knew Sif was right. She felt a paw rest on her shoulder.
"Three months ago, your father theorized this would happen, but was only unsure of the exact date." Sif placed a paw on Cadance to steer her from the throne room. "It is likely that they will try everything in their power to draw us out and then Farhaven would be razed. In terms of strategy, the enemy has laid in wait, watching Shattered Skies and now we suit them as an enemy. Your father told us all at that meeting that "we are a fruit ripened and ready, they will come.""
"When did this happen? I attend all meetings and I don't remember this." Cadance stated, having tried to absorb everything that unfolded at the informal meetings her father held.
Sif looked around and insured no one was around to hear. "Because it was a meeting that only four attended in place of the usual representatives." She sighed at Cadance's hurt look at being left out. "After this is all over, your father left you a letter beneath the waterfall in the cave, explaining it all. He told me that should I tell you to keep it a secret, the plan depends on it."
"But-"
"You must go and talk to your mother now, there is no more time left." Sif said. "I know she isn't perfect, but she loves you. My father tried to eat me at birth, so count yourself very lucky." She looked up to the room of Spirits and officials just through a doorway, waiting for her and winked at Cadance. "If you're so set on hating your mother, hear her out and see if your anger is well placed."
River's words sank into Cadance's mind about giving love a chance. With a hard, dry swallow, Cadance nodded. "I'll try. I promise to at least hear her out."
"There's the fighter that smacked my snout when she was born." Sif nuzzled Cadance and disappeared into the grand council chambers.
"I smacked her snout?" Cadance asked herself with an amused grin. She turned and walked through the castle to find Chrysalis. For being a large castle, it was easy to navigate with different themes pointing toward the different wings. Since so many lived in Farhaven now, the castle reflected its ever-growing diversity.
The idea of war weighed heavily on Cadance's mind as she passed the large windows that looked down onto the lake city of Farhaven. She grew up believing war was never the answer, but the view of Farhaven gave her a cold, comforting feeling.
Cut stone halls and angular designs mimicked that of the Diamond Dog boroughs inside the mountain. They were so grateful to her father that they carved a statue of him in their halls and became the primary stone masons for Farhaven. Even their leader, Chance, relinquished his chieftain roll in favor of a council seat, seeing it as a valid way to not only further the Diamond Dog way of life, but elevate their stance in society.
Griffons flocked in from slums throughout Equestria, having to threaten violent protest when the guards were ordered not to let them leave. They were welcomed into the large trees from the forest. They gave their knowledge of military combat and metal working to make better tools and outfitted many in the town with metal fittings for their houses. Even lending aid by bringing in ships to start trade, an institution Equestria has actively tried to suppress which led to small time piracy and smuggling to gain a favoring in Equestrian harbors.
Changelings, both reformed and not, excelled with textiles, mingling colors and shapes to make clothes for Farhaven to wear. They fit in everywhere since they could adapt so easily. A few of them felt obligated to offer up espionage services to Skies, but he turned them down, stating that he would never force something upon those who do not wish to fulfill that role, much to their delight. Their patriarch, Thorax, had reluctantly allowed some of his citizens to resettle despite the passive aggressive letter he sent to Farhaven's leaders, fearing the move harkened a possible second coming of an evil monarch.
As every new race came in, they melded with who was there, even ponies, the species that had put most of them through dire straits. Mereponies helped fishers, livingdead ponies helped in the hospitals, Cattle and Sheeple helped earth ponies with farming, Longma and dragons helped with many of the smithies and places that needed fire, Woodland Unicorns became teachers and apothecaries, and even the enormous wyverns offered up scales for superior armor and boiled large water reserves to provide Farhaven with hot, running water through its newly installed aqueducts that flowed to all parts of the city and then down like waterfalls to clean the streets, warming and otherwise fridged valley.
Pain washed over her when she imagined the lives they had being burned away by overwhelming cannon fire.
The distant image of a red stallion balancing a small hippogriff in his head while walking next to a familiar griffon tipped her mind toward something darker.
"I need to find Chrysalis." Cadance said to herself, hearing a fall beside her, drawing her attention.
"Princess Anara!" A Changeling shouted through strained breath. "We have a problem. I just saw Queen Chrysalis running through the castle, she impersonated a blonde mare before running out into the city!"
"Which way did she go?" Cadance leveled her stare toward the portly Changeling.
"Toward the western gate, I believe." He said. "We should be safe, but I knew I needed to tell you."
'The western gate?' Cadance paused and her stomach dropped. "She left before the emergency level was raised." She began to trot out of the castle. "Thank, you, Dale!"
"She remembered my name?" The Changeling's wings chattered against his back as he held his hooves to his face.
Long and hard, Cadance ran. She summoned her cloak and draped her body as she leaped out of the castle doors and teleported from spot to spot as she ran, exhausting her magic to get out before the gates closed. Confusion moved through the crowds by the seven story gate coming to a close. Dozens began to hurry into the gates as Cadance teleported before the deep thud.
Knowing the path was long and being disadvantaged by her mother's head start, Cadance began to run. Animals hung in the trees, they too fled to Farhaven as the smoke began to rise in the distance. As time passed, the distant streak of smoke grew into a long column.
Before long and before her mind could proceed to worry, the forest opened up to widely spaced trees allowing for a panoramic view of the valley Ponyville was founded in and the realization of war sank in like a lead weight in water. Her heart beat fast as she came down from the sprinting she didn't realize she was in. Her vision flashed between looking to the warships and of her father's home.
Conviction moved through her as she raced toward the estate and through the deer emblazoned, stone posts that marked the beginning of his lands. The path she had taken almost everyday since finding her father stretched on for what felt like minutes, until she reached the large wooden doors at last. Thrusting them open, she was met with eyes looking back at her. Familiar eyes.
"Lady Anara?" The voice of Inko whispered from beneath the form of a large, orangish-red feathered being with swaths of purple to tint her plume. She stood upright, her body resembling that of a griffon, but no lion parts, only four legs with talons, all beneath two large wings. She smiled as she stood in the foyer amidst the whirlwind of voices.
"Inko?"
"Yes." Inko moved and drapped the cloaked Cadance with a massive wing, guiding her up the stairs. "My Lady, you should not be here. Your father would be very upset by this."
"I know, but I'm looking for my mother." Cadance pleaded. "Have you seen her?"
"Yes, I am leading you to her." Inko stopped just short of Skyfall's study and knocked her talons against the metal plaque, setting off a sickening clacking noise.
"Yes, Inko?" Honey's voice bled through the door, sounding more raspy than usual.
"I have the water you requested, my Lady." Inko turned and placed her claw on Cadance's shoulder. Both turned to see the handle jostle and unlock. With no smile or emotion whatsoever, Inko glanced out the window to black plumes of smoke and then to Cadance to whisper. "Please be gentile with her."
"I will." Cadance saw what Inko had seen through the window and took a deep breath before trying the handle. With the door now open, she saw her mother wrapped in cloth and sitting behind father's desk. "Mom?"
Honey went ridged at Cadance's voice.
At seeing the reaction, Cadance's heart and mind went to war. Her mind roared with memories of wrong doing and thoughts of punishments she wished she herself could pass down through official court hearings that she knew Chrysalis would fail. Her heart, however, felt sorrow at seeing her mother's terrified reaction, she wanted to go over and hug Honey and go back to the days they just spent together staying up late and trading stories. To the silly night she spent among her mother's friends, being the subject to kissy faces and tales of her foal years.
'What do I do?'
"I know." Honey said. "You're conflicted at seeing me."
"Yes." Cadance admitted, stepping forward, each step adding to Honey's slight trembling. "That now makes two parents of mine that are hailed as villains. One of which I've been up against more than once."
Honey tried to fight a smirk at the situational humor. "Well, exceptional children are often the product of unremarkable parents."
"That's not what I'm trying to say." Cadance moved slowly through the study and lowered her hood as she neared her father's desk. Honey faced away from the side Cadance appeared on until she touched her back. "Society dictates I should forgive and forget. I like to think I'm forgiving mare."
"That's a bad thing to be if you're a country's leader." Honey smiled weakly.
"I know. Father and I have talked about that at length, it's mostly me talking and him sitting patiently, listening to everything I say. Whenever I talk about the Empire, he tries to not criticize as much as I know he wants to." Cadance sat near to her mother. "I'm trying to learn. I really am. But this..."
"It's shocking, I know." Honey said, facing her daughter with tear matted cheeks. "Your father told me to wait until he returned to show you. Our plan was to sit down and he would tell you who I was and get you to think about it all, then I would transform."
"I wish I would have known that." Cadance deadpanned.
"I know, Sweetie." Honey reached toward Cadance to rest her hoof her daughter's cheek and paused out of fear. A light gasp escaped her when Cadance grabbed the outstretched hoof and held it. "I wanted to tell you the instant I saw you in the kitchen. To be honest, the moment I realized who you really were my heart felt like it would rot away from shame."
"Dad should have given me more credit." Cadance sighed.
"He does, dear." Honey said. "Trust me, he does. I've known him nearly his whole life and the one of the biggest obstacles in our relationship is his secrecy. But this time it was to break the news to you gently and in a situation where we were able to ease the tension more."
"So, he knew?" Cadance asked. "How long?"
"Honestly? I think deep down he knew the entire time that I wasn't the Crystal that left that day in the cave. But as for seeing me, I showed him a week before he went through the mirror." Honey said sadly.
"Tell me."
Last week
Skyfall's eyes seared as the night had long fallen, given way to the night and long queues of paperwork waiting for official seals to be handed out. The house held laughter from the first story as Applejack was over speaking with Honos and River, having come by more often to learn more about white collar business.
Light knocking tapped on the door, sending the sleepy Alicorn to her haunches and nearly off the couch.
"I think that's your cue, Luna." Skyfall smiled. "I'll see you next week before I go. And again, sorry about the paperwork."
"It's okay." Luna smiled. "We have next-next week and it's my turn to pick the board game."
She shimmered out of sight as the door opened to reveal Honey, smiling wide. "Good evening, dear."
"Hello, hunny." Skyfall rolled up a scroll and sealed it with silver and blue colored wax before stamping it with his cutie mark's symbol. "Not having fun with our guest?"
"No, Applejack is a fine mare. I just thought that since you were alone, I would come and pay you a visit." Honey smiled, but the smile wore on as Skyfall raised a brow at her. "What?"
"And?"
"And what? I didn't say anything." Honey said.
Skyfall placed the scroll on a pyramid of papers. "We've known one other longer than most. Your tail kinks slightly when you're nervous and embarrassed by something.
"It does not!"
Skyfall smirked and reached for the next scroll. "Fine, keep thy secrets."
Honey slumped, knowing she was had. "I came to speak with you about my thing."
"What thing?" skyfall asked nonchalantly, tormenting Honey. "The thing about the stuff with the guy? Or the stuff about that thing in Manehatten? Or perhaps, the thing with the guy that has the stuff? That stuff? I think the thing is more important than the stuff but the guy says the guy-"
"You're evil." Honey mumbled, eyes turned skyward, running her hooves down either side of her face.
"Or." Skyfall paused as he cracked the seal on the scroll labeled: 'tectonics' "Have you come to tell me about your little escapades in Canterlot the day of our child's wedding and the resulting parade of events years later?"
In shock, Honey looked forward to see her lover's golden eyes piercing the void between them.
"Is that the "thing" you wanted to talk about?"
"You investigated me." Honey said and paused in understanding. "Of. Course."
"Do you blame me?" Skyfall said, frozen in movement like a cat caught looking at its prey. "Cadance's safety and wellbeing is chief among my concerns."
"Even above Farhaven?" Honey asked, trying to playfully simmer down the tension.
"I would let Farhaven burn to the ground with everyone in it by my own hoof before I let harm come to our child." Skyfall's eyes portrayed the honestly within. "Even from her mother."
Honey looked into his eyes, she still felt taken with him even after more than a milllenia apart. He loved Farhaven, but to make a gruesome statement only showed the unwavering love he had for their child. And when he said 'our child', her heart fluttered.
"So you still see me as your wife?"
"Of course I do." Skyfall chuckled without missing a beat. "You birthed our child and for that you will always hold a place in my heart. I took my oath seriously the day we gave ourselves to one another."
"But." Honey's smile lessened.
"Yes, there is always a but." Skyfall said, finally moving to a lounging position in his chair. He looked out the dark hued window and saw the village still lit in the night. "We both are smart enough to know what happened in each other's absence."
A cold spike struck Honey's heart.
"You betrayed your vows and so did I. It is what it is." Skyfall shrugged. "Long ago we decided to try and love again if one of us fell, so I will never fault you. We weren't each other's first, nor were we the last."
"But I..."
"I know." Skyfall admitted. "When I said I still loved you for becoming the mother of our child I didn't mean it in a familial way. I still hold you in my heart. Were things a bit different, I would let you take me."
Honey guffawed at Sky's bluntness. "Sky!"
He rubbed his shoulders and feigned a shiver. "I would let you splay me out on the desk and have your way with me, you commanding mare, you. Just, on me like a fat mare on a slice of cake, ravenous and hungry. Slobbering, receipt still in hoof."
Sky started speaking louder to where if someone was eavesdropping outside the door, they would be able to hear. In lieu of this, Honey waved him down. "Stop, we have guests and our daughter is downstairs."
"Yes, the daughter we made. I can see it in your eye, you want another." Skyfall stood and flopped onto his desk and collapsed to a side. "Oh my, you seem to have that research paper, Miss Honey. What was that? It's late and you think there's room for extra credit?" He ran a hoof up his leg and looked to Honey with half closed eyes. "Well, if you won't tell anyone, I'm sure I can let you participate in some... extra circular activities."
The blood rushed up Honeys neck and into her cheeks. Her husband always knew what buttons to press, even before he was her husband.
"I see you're still hot for teacher." Skyfall sat up and crossed his legs on the desk. "You always did enjoy the clothes that came along with-"
The large, dark wood desk jolted as Honey leaped and tackled Skyfall over the desk and onto the ground. The contents on the desk went flying into the wall and the table next to his desk that held writing supplies and the odd book folded under their fall. Sky began to chuckle until he felt a rush as he saw Honey kissing his neck, proceeding only to move down to his chest.
"Honey."
"Mhm?" Honey pawed at his body like a rabid animal.
"Honey?"
"Mmmm." She continued, obviously overthrown within her own mind until a hoof grabbed hers and wrenched it back.
"Chrysalis."
With a long, panicked breath, Honey raised up until her torso rested on his pelvis between his legs. "So, you really do know about me..."
"Yes." Skyfall said.
Without wasting another word, Honey's horn and eyes glowed, burning away the facade to reveal a long, slender body of one of Equestria's most wanted. Between his legs.
"Oh my."
"T-That bad?" Chrysalis asked, trying not to look into her husband's eyes too long.
"No." Skyfall grabbed her face and gave her what she needed. A deep, love filled kiss. She pulled back, but found his hooves wresting control away from her, forcing her to accept it. As they separated, he chuckled. "So that's the last I want to hear about any flip flopping about us. I still love you, deal with it."
"And about us in the mean time?" Crystal asked. "You just got out of a relationship with that yellow pony."
"We can be real about this." Skyfall cooed. "We need to ease back into things, grow back together otherwise you and I would never last. Plus, I must admit I grew interested in another before you returned."
At knowing how their hearts worked, she understood what he meant. "That wasn't Fluttershy?"
"Sadly." Skyfall admitted. "I gave that a good try but she broke a cardinal rule of mine and dumped me at the behest of another."
"I hope she wasn't put off by my presence. Having an "ex-wife" living with you does spell disaster." Chrysalis admitted. "I mean, I'll try and steal you back with my wiles."
"Oh, I don't doubt it." Skyfall chuckled.
"But you're still a one mare, stallion." Chrystal deadpanned.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I like to stick to one partner at a time."
"Flotsam had four hundred wives." Crystal said, causing Skyfall to groan.
"This again?" Skyfall said. "You used to bring this up every eighty years. I'm a one trick pony, babe. Multiple mares just ain't my thing, sorry. Herds are for the indecisive and I'm not courting an entire village."
"No they're not." Chrysalis said plainly. "They're for stallions with enormous libidos, if you love more than one then allow them to love you. Flotsam kept most of his wives happy-"
"And pregnant." Skyfall reminded with a solid nod. "And he got nothing done because of it. And what's this about the libido? You can speak from centuries of experience with me, you're always satisfied. Or, do you think I can't keep up now?"
"I never said that." Chrysalis sputtered into a laugh.
"Yeah, but were thinking it."
"No I wasn't."
"You looked like you were thinking it." Skyfall squinted.
"No I wasn't, I know you can keep a mare like me satiated. And then some." Chrysalis said, thinking about some of the more promiscuous situations they've been in. At seeing his playful look, she laughed. "What?"
"Nothing."
"No, you do this. What is it?"
"Nothing, you've finally accepted your insatiable status." Skyfall chuckled at Chrysalis' baffled look. "Think back, "a mare like me.""
A playful swat clapped against his shoulder. "You jerk."
"Yeah, but you like it."
"I do." Crystal smiled. "But I am a big girl and know when to hold myself back."
"Oh really?" Skyfall challenged.
"Yes. Really." Crystal poo-poo'd.
"Then why do you have me pinned to the floor by my pelvis?" Skyfall pointed, causing her to grow slightly flustered at the realization.
"That's a good question." She mused as she looked around. "We kind of made a mess. We cleared your desk and knocked over your lamp." She rustled her body a moment and sighed. "We even broke a leg off of your table. I'm sorry, Sweetie."
"Um, Honey?"
"Yes?"
She followed his pointing hoof. "That isn't a table leg-"
Present
"Mom!" cadance barked.
"What?" Honey said. "It was right where we're sit-"
A hoof clamped onto Honey's mouth. "Mom, you have a serious problem."
"What?"
"You share too much about you and dad." Cadance said.
"But you wanted to know more about us." Honey laughed lightly.
"Yes, but not your intimacies." Cadance gagged. "Leave your freaky, sexual escapades to yourselves."
A quiet moment passed between then before the stare they held melted into boisterous laughter. They hugged one another, but the sound of an explosion rocked the countryside, dragging them back to the reality they were avoiding. War.
"What do we do?" Cadance said, looking out the window as her father always did between scrolls. "I was so bent on finding you that my mind went blank concerning Ponyville."
"It happens." Honey nuzzled Cadance. "I fear I know who is leading that battle. We must now run."
"To Farhaven?" Cadance asked.
"No." Honey said. "Your father believes they will send a force there too and Farhaven has wards activated now, making it near impossible for someone that isn't your father to enter. Luna would be the only one I could think of that could bypass those defenses."
"Then let's find Luna?" Cadance said.
"If I know your father, he already has her working on her own plans. Likely gathering members of her own guard to lay in wait to help turn this when it reaches its climax. I spoke with her recently, your father entrusted some of the tools Celestia hid in her vault after the trials to her." Honey shook her head. "I wrote to her years ago before I attacked your wedding and warned her of the day. She met me and after some strained greetings, she allowed me to continue under the condition that no one was to be harmed. After everything was done, I was to set everyone free and we would put the ones deserving of judgement on trial."
"Wait." Cadance held up a hoof. "That's why she wasn't there to defend Canterlot that day?"
"Yes? What do you think happened?" Honey asked, surprised, believing it was obvious.
"Wait, then why didn't she tell dad about you?"
Honey shook her head. "She understood that was between him and I."
"So if Luna is unreachable; where do we go?"
"Unfortunately." Inko said, opening the study door. "We don't have an escape route, so we have to hide and hunker down."
"What about the forest?" Cadance proposed.
"We would have to leave immediately. And even then, we would be out in the open. Soon troops will start burning the forests edge to smoke out anyone hiding." Inko said.
"Then underground." Cadance said. "There is a mare on the edge of Ponyville who lives in a cave system. Maud has always been tolerable of me, if we go immediately, we might be able to warn her and save some of the towns-ponies. That way, we might be able to at least hide."
"A fine idea. Follow me." Inko disappeared down one of the corridors that housed her room.
Cadance and Honey sprang up and cantered down to Inko's room, waiting behind as she tapped on the door in a rhythm that dispersed the hold spell, thrusting the door open only to clatter onto the doorstop roughly. Rushing into the room, Inko reverted into her disguised form and rooted around a large, stone closet.
"My ladies, you should look for equipment to put on in case we get into a brawl." Inko called, tossing all manners of tools onto the bed. "Using magic may draw attention when we need secrecy."
Honey moved to the bed and moved through the pile of equipment on the bed while Inko struggled to pull on form-hugging, black clothing to which satchels and armor could be placed. Its mute colors would blend into the shadows serving it a second purpose, camouflage.
"Cadance, you should suit up too." Inko offered.
"I've never really been in a fight before. There was this colt in the second grade, but aside from that I've been safe." Cadance said.
"Talking your way out of a problem is nice, but short swords are quieter." Inko held out a sheathed blade to Cadance, shaking it until she took it.
"I'm not sure about this." Cadance said.
"I know, sweetie." Honey appeared before Cadance with an outfit similar to Inko's and a cloak. She pushed Cadance to her haunches and gave her the clothes. "This time, we're on our own. I wanted Feather of Truth to teach you how to fight, but time escaped us."
"We must go immediately." Inko said, hefting a handled metal rod onto her back. "We can return when their sweeps become patterned, but now it's too dangerous."
"What about the ponies downstairs?" Cadance asked, receiving a questioning look from Inko. "The voices I heard when coming in?"
"That was a spell I was casting. It makes it seem as if there are people talking around the corner constantly, when you go to check it appears around another corner. It's useless to us now, but the spell will soon start to spread to Ponyville and will cause the guards havoc around nightfall." Inko opened the door and started to walk down the hall, taking wide, slow steps to make rubbery spandex ride up where it would naturally.
Cadance turned to leave after Inko, but stopped at Honey's touch. "Mom?"
"Anara, are you okay with me?" Honey tried to force the words from her, but nearly failed. "I know I'm not perfect, but I need to know where we stand."
Cadance's neutral expression melted into a weak smile. "We can talk about it after all this. So far you've been good to me, so who you were is not something to be concerned with now."
"Thank you." Honey smiled. She jumped as light filled the room just before the sound of a loud explosion rocked through the country side. Honey forced herself up off her haunches and into Cadance, taking her to the ground as glass butterflied into the room.
"You okay!?" Inko roared as she leapt up the stairs and off the wall to reach the room Honey and Cadance laid in.
"Yeah, what was that?" Honey called, barely able to hear herself.
"Shock and awe." Inko rubbed her ears. "Skyfall's gonna have a pond on his property now. And several large rocks. Times up; now or never."
Helping Cadance to her hooves, Honey cursed to herself at having to retreat. "Lead the way, Inko. We'll save who we can, but I fear saving ourselves will be hard enough."
With haste, the three mares grabbed what gear they could and negotiated their way out the freshly shattered back window in an attempt to not be seen. Cadance flew and landed with Honey while Inko simply jumped, landing on her hooves like she was floating on a cloud.
Soon, the forest swallowed them and concealed them from the raid parties flying overhead. Inko, having been under Skies' lordship for many millennia and subject to walking around the surrounding forests, guided her party as they rounded around Ponyville through the forest to get to the cave's entrance that laid halfway to the town's swimming lake.
As they moved, their silence grew more defining as screams were heard in the distance which drew Cadance's attention. She looked over to see the large, hulking warship above Ponyville, eclipsing the center of town. Droves of warriors moved in waves, slamming down prisoners and shackling them.
"Mom, we have to help them."
"No." Honey slowed to a stop with Inko. "Actions like that is what Fury is counting on."
"Fury? The Captain of the Guard?" Cadance asked while moving slowly, emotionless.
"Yes, I will tell you more when we get time to regroup." Honey trotted back and pushed her head against Cadance to re-initiate her heightened pace. "They know they're being watched."
Cadance gave one more parting look to Ponyville. She could see ponies she knew being thrown down or beaten down, if you fought back the punishment was only more severe. It was clear that death wasn't on the agenda. At least not yet. Formations of Pegasi flew in arrowheads far above the village, being careful to not interrupt the spells unicorns were casting in the air. All this centered on that same warship, with a proud red stallion on its bow. The last sight she witnessed before running deeper into the forest was of Spike being carried away by Rainbow Dash as guards leaped for them, a green flame burning something in Spike's claws before being snuffed into the dirt beneath Rainbow and three more guards.
Traveling skyward, the flame angled toward Canterlor before being struck with a spell, dissipating the flame into embers and falling into sparks.
Fear and pain filled Cadance, but more importantly, the sense of helplessness she felt every time a disaster happened around her. She wondered silently to herself if disasters followed her and everyone she loved, a silly thought she believed.
A secluded dock
Southeast Fish District
Seagulls perched on the railing of the newly christened "Caged Crow." The black paint running slightly from being applied with an uneven, inexperienced hoof of its captain. She sat on the swing that was lowered from the deck, smiling at the work she had finished.
"Tia, are you sure it's okay to keep ignoring your responsibilities?" Sombra peeked out through a port hole from the cramped space of the scooner's deck, head wrapped in a pale canvas.
Sunny sighed and glanced over at Sombra who coughed bashfully.
"Sorry, Sunny."
"It's cool." Celestia reached up and pulled the cloth from her own head to let down her pink mane. "It'll be fine, I put Faith on it. She'll handle everything. Once I go, Canterlot will be able to run itself. They have my sister's guidance, they don't need me anymore."
She pulled herself onto the crow's deck and capped her paint buckets, but stopped when Sombra appeared next to her.
"You're not coming back. Are you?"
Celestia stopped, thinking about the words she uttered moments before. She reviewed in her mind if Canterlot and Equestria would be fine without her. Sitting on a nearby step, she shook her head.
"I... don't think I am." Celestia looked up at the castle that had been her home for the past few hundred years. She admired Canterlot and the size it became, having grown so large it had to separate into four distinct districts; Cloud, Stable, Rein, and Fish.
"But everyone looks to you." Sombra said.
"They will have another to look forward to." Celestia offered. "My sister is more than capable of ruling. I know she will be upset with me at first, but I know she understands. These nightmares drive me to leave, but I'll stay away even when I solve them." She stood and moved to the railing. "I'm not dumb, Sombra. Given time, Shattered Skies would use me to start a war between our states. Luna knows him more than I ever could, she can stop this. She's always been more decisive in politics than I am."
Sombra lowered his head at Celestia's view of herself.
"No." She said. "If I'm to be honest. I'm tired of this. I sit in court and forget where I am to the point I skip through hour long talks because I reminisce about being everywhere else."
"And of the Spirits you watch over in Cloud district?" Sombra asked, knowing that was a pressure point for her remaining in Canterlot, doling out tasks to Twilight Sparkle and her team in place of taking action herself.
"I don't know anymore." She said. "A part of me wants them to be thrown into Tartarus while the other part of me doesn't care what they do. Having known Spirits, I know there can be good ones out there, but they're loose weapons capable of immense destruction."
"So are you." Sombra said, earning a scowl from Celestia. He gulped and approached the railing beside her. "You're one of the greatest powers on the planet. In my travels there are some stories of you calling down a column of fire from the sky to eliminate your enemies. You rule a nation, a military, and are able to reflect light from the sun to bring the morning and nights faster or slower at your command. That is power."
Celestia opened her mouth, but Sombra continued.
"Equestria holds you on a pedestal and would do near anything for you. Foals wear costumes, colts and fillies hang posters, and adults read books. All influenced by you." He cupped his hooves and looked over to Celestia. "Sometimes people need a second chance. Perhaps, that includes Spirits as well."
"They destroyed my kind." Celestia nearly barked.
"That may be, but I destroyed lives too." Sombra said. "Not all of them attacked the Alicorns, if they did I believe things would be different."
Celestia tried again to talk, but Sombra looked her in the eye.
"When we leave, I imagine you'll have another chance to decide the pony you want to be."
"That's impossible, I am who I am." Celestia said, prompting Sombra to turn and head toward the entrance leading below deck. "Do you think I'm in the wrong regarding the Spirits?"
"I don't know, that's not my lane to decide." Sombra said, stopping to turn to Celestia. "But you told me when the Umbrum were torn from me upon my revival thanks to you and the other princesses. I was forgiven and I was given a fresh chance to start over and be the pony I wanted to be." He looked away toward Canterlot, its architectural mixtures through the ages coupled with poines traveling to and fro. "I didn't realize I wanted to be forgiven. Maybe I was too angry to see it, but I was relieved to have it. It allowed me a chance to be me. Maybe you need the same."
And with that, Sombra disappeared below deck.
"Absurd." Celestia shook her head and slumped onto the banister. "I deserve the apology, it's my culture and family that was stolen from me."
Her words played in her mind. Having stolen away much in the trials; culture, family, life. She looked to Canterlot once more and the imagery in her nightmares shadowed over the city, making it as the Alicorn capital. Burning, filled with screams. Her mind then filled her vision with the homes of the Spirits she persecuted. A hollow thought came to her mind.
'What if I'm wrong?'
A burst of green flame landed at her hooves, searing at the touch when she snatched it up, knowing who sent it.
"Spike?"
The half torn scroll was hastily written in a shaky hand. She tried to read the text and growled, snapping magic over the parchment to clear the writing, something she had to do with her own hoof writing from time to time.
"Ponyville. Send. Guards are attacking." Sombra read aloud over Celestia's shoulder, having re-emerged from under the ship. There were a half dozen other words on the charred parchment. They both recognized a messenger intercept spell that struck the paper, a tactic used to cut communications, A set of steps to enact when attacking an opposing force.
"It's half torn, I imagine there was more." Celestia burned the scroll and rushed passed Sombra, nearly knocking him down. She knew if Spike sent the letter in such a manner, there was no possibility for his misunderstanding, Ponyville was being attacked. The memory of her heroes guild sending her a similar cry for help before their light disappeared from the world. Her own oath from that guild bubbled to her mind as she blasted a crate, smashing the lid to reveal her own light armor.
"Tia, what's going on?" Sombra called. "You need to assemble the guard!"
Celestia paused, running through likely outcomes molded by centuries of trial and error. The letter implied her own guard was attacking. If her own guard attacked then there was no way Fury would not know about it. If he was on her side, he would take action without her approval. If he wasn't, the guards wouldn't be of help anyway.
"Celestia!"
"I'm going." She said, her voice firm. "I should have remained in Ponyville until this entire issue was laid to rest."
Knowing that with a wave of her horn, she could dispel most foes, Sombra stood silently. He watched her step into her leather armor, fitting its separate pieces to loops before pulling them tight with her teeth. Once ready, she leaped up and out of the hold. Sombra followed, but nearly fell down the stairs when the ship jerked upward.
Alone, Celestia, from her disguise of Sunny, undid all ties from the mast letting the canvas run free. The scenery turn lopsided, the loose jetty lifted up with them as the rope drew tight. A sudden correction slammed the dock back into the water when her magic slipped loose the knot that kept them moored.
"Hey! You need to pay your fee!" An angry dock worker yelled, levitating up crates and jettisoning them toward the fleeing ship.
Hastily tying a line from the mast to his waist, Sombra cursed under his breath. "Tia! If we fly like this we're going to alert the guard!"
Knowing he was right, she halved the canvas once she was halfway through Rein district. She looked down at Canterlot's center for production, steam stacks and crowded cobblestone streets. Having found herself disappearing to this district many times to get away from court duties, she knew it too well as the district River Bend lived in to control the trading guilds, a task she had failed in as of late as smuggling and crime were on the rise in all districts, but mostly in Rein.
"Sunny, where are we going?" Sombra asked, once the wind died down.
"To Stable district." Sunny adjusted her course to avoid the tall clock tower and a larger trade frigate she became sandwiched between. Ignoring the yells of deckhooves as she zoomed past, she narrowed her sight on the Rein-Stable district wall. Each district was walled off in its own section, an act she convinced ponies was in case the outer walls were breached, but in actuality, it was for the casts demanding that other rabble stay away from them. Didn't help crime, it just shut ponies up and kept them away from her court.
"Why?"
"I need to see what the navy is doing." Celestia said. "That way I'll have my answer."
Minutes passed by and a small guard skirmish vessel approached them heading toward Fish district, its captain glancing over to Sunny as she passed, giving her a hard look. It picked up speed and flew away, forcing Celestia to pick up her own speed and curse.
"Sombra, get armor on." Sunny called.
"Why?"
"That guard ship will be upon us soon. It's likely going to the dock we stayed at, it might be able to get to us before we get out of the city." Sunny zoomed passed the district wall and snapped her head right to look far out to the large lake that most of the navy's ship would be moored in. Her heart sank at seeing Fury's entire detachment emptied from its section. Having had no time to mobilize herself and her own ship, that task would be impossible for Fury without advanced warning.
The Caged Crow rocked harshly as Sunny corrected their heading toward Ponyville. She reopened the canvas as blew past every checkpoint out of the city, swift enough to escape any craft that began their fresh pursuit.
"What are you thinking?" Sombra asked, undoing his line and ascending the small stairs to the wheel. "I saw the navy yard too. You don't think this is intentional, do you?"
"Doesn't matter. We're heading to Ponyville now." Sunny reached over and turned smaller wheels beside her to lower the Crow's altitude and skim along the ground, hugging the hills as she did to avoid anyone following her.
As night began to fall, hours of travel ticked by under Sunny's gaze. Columns of smoke sprouted from the earth as Fourth Stable ships hung above the road far ahead. A massive warship hanging above the town far to the horizon.
With no order, Sunny brought the wheel hard port and jerked the nimble ship East. Shielded by Skies' enormous trees, her ship slowed and crept through the forest. Trees on the boarder of the forest Skies manipulated were spaced further apart than the ones nearer to Ponyville.
"Plan?" Sombra asked.
"Land on the outskirts and walk our way in." Sunny said. "If those ships are stationed above the routes leading in, they're trying to prevent entry when they should be stopping an attack."
"Unless they wanted it that way." Sombra said, having been too familiar with the suppression and domination of populations. He and Sunny didn't need to talk about what they both knew was true, Ponyville was being attacked by Canterlot.
A small pond covered by tree canopy emerged in the forest and Sunny wasted no time in setting the Crow harshly down into the water, bouncing like a rubber ducky, sending waves onto its shore.
"You ready." Sunny asked, leaping down the steps and trotting over to Sombra who was struggling to affix saddles to himself.
"As ready as I'm going to be." Sombra's hooves shook slightly, betraying his nerves. He felt Sunny grab his hooves to calm them against herself.
"You don't have to go." Sunny offered. "I can do this alone."
"I need to just as much as you do." Sombra rose to his hooves, looking to Sunny as she shared a thankful smile. "I'm your first mate, I'll follow."
A red scroll appeared before Sunny, sealed with gold wax and emblazoned with a pyramid mark, Faith's symbol. She gripped it, silently terrified of what may lie within the letter. What the letter says would show the depth of treachery she suspected. She bent the scroll and snapped the seal, itself unraveling in her hooves. Pictures fell from the scroll and onto the deck of the ship as she read.
---
From Office of the Royal Council
My Princess, I am saddened to inform you, however it is my duty to brief you as your advisor.
Our investigation into Ponyville has come to a head. Farhaven has infiltrated Ponyville, and through subterfuge, gained their allegiance. Early this morning we attempted to drive out approaching Farhaven incursion forces, but were met with heavy entrenched resistance from many members of Ponyville's population.
I regret to inform you that your former student and fellow Princess, Twilight Sparkle has been making diplomatic trips to Farhaven. We documented this and allowed it to go on, believing she was seeking peace. Attached are authenticated photos of Princess Twilight and your inquisitor, Sunset Shimmer, making their entrance into Farhaven and then into Shattered Skies' royal castle. They are both cloaked, but I assure you that if you inspect the photos you will arrive at the same answer.
We are trying to negotiate terms with her, however she does not seem interested in what we are trying to discuss. We will continue to try to bring her back into the fold.
We ask that you gather the remaining stables and attack in a week. Captain Fury believes that application of force will drive Farhaven back and then the battle will be fought on our terms.
Please remain safe in Canterlot, far away from the fighting. Our guard is more than a match for Farhaven.
Signed, Faith
Office of the Royal Council
Sunny snarled, incinerating the letter in an instant.
"Bad news?" Sombra asked, shying away slightly from Sunny's inferno.
She knelt down and picked up the photos that came with the now departed scroll. With silent anger, her harshly flipped through the pictures. They were truly of Twilight and Sunset entering Farhaven. Thoughts and questions raced in her mind as to why they would betray her. Being very fond of Twilight, she wanted nothing more than to sit her down and talk to her in a very loud tone.
"I can't let them kill Twilight." Sunny said, igniting the photos in bright fire.
"What if you find out she sided with Shattered Skies?" Sombra asked.
"Then I'll imprison her in Cloud District with the other Spirits." Sunny spat before her anger simmered away. "No. I will keep her in the castle and help her to escape the mental manipulation I know she would be under. I will save her."
"What if she isn't the one in need of saving?" Sombra asked.
"What?" Sunny asked, searing as she stood by trying not to scowl.
"You okay?"
"I have a headache, that's all." Sunny spat. "It will go away soon."
Sombra squinted, seeing the red at the ends of Celestia's vision. "Fury mobilized his guard to attack Ponyville. We both suspected that back in Canterlot, Spike wouldn't misunderstand that. This doesn't seem normal, not by a long shot, even speaking as a former villain."
"I-"
Their sight changed as Sombra teleported them both onto the shore. He looked at her with a skeptical look, having interrupted what he suspected to be a sharp reply about being older and wiser. He casted a spell the struck her between the eyes. "Sorry, this should relieve your headache."
She stood and felt at peace under Sombra's magic. Sombra was right, this wasn't normal. Ponyville was under attack and was being shadowed by a massive warship, one that was not of typical Equestrian make. She stepped off into the forest, deciding to seek her own answers.
Close on her heels, Sombra concentrated on Sunny. Silently weaving spells onto himself for protection her etched spells onto a pad he brought with him in case he needed it.
He knew what he saw in her eyes.
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I wonder what Celestia plans on doing when she gets to Ponyville.
Tia a reckoning is goign to begin and you will see that you are the manupulated.
I can’t wait to see Celestia’s reaction when she finds out the truth.
Daaaamn... Celestia's rage is probably overflowing right now. I wonder if the Spirit Council she relied in knows that she isn't trusting of them anymore and knows she's coming to find out the truth? If not, RIP them. They can try and fool her again, but there's plenty of possibilities that they won't lie well enough to fool her, or members of Farhaven will stop their attempts at doing so. Either way, Equestria's Alicorn of the Sun is not happy. Not a single bit.
8892545
Ikr lol
8892545
I doubt she'd see it as the truth. She seems to absorbed in the idea that the spirits killed the alicorns, and hasn't shown any second thoughts about it. I believe she will attempt to "cure" anyone who heads to Farhaven of their "indoctrination."
8892612
They don't know, cause if they did they would imprison or kill her. Spirits are powerful, but Celestia is much more powerful as the ruler of the sun, and can easily nuke all of them with solar radiation.
8892838
That’s the truth I mean. That Discord was the one that killed the alicorns. It’ll likely take an admission from discord himself for Celestia to believe it, but I’m betting it’ll happen eventually.
I await the next chapter, as is usual.
10 chapter more to go.
Yeah probably, but not the way you expect her too
The clear signs of mental manipulation magic... he would never mistake it for anything else
This is getting so exciting
8892492
That or Sombra will make sure she learns about it... and he would be the best source of knowledge with this kind of magic
8892982
Maybe
But the biggest problem right now is that she is also under some subtle mental manipulation magic that seems to activate whenever spirits, and especially Shattered Skies, come up.
It seems to increase her aggression (and possibly her paranoia), as well as leading her away from even trying to make peace with Skies
8893143
Well yes, the Spirit War did happen, but Celestia seems to be unaware of the war, and just thinks that the spirits killed the alicorns for no reason. Besides, she has been lied to by her own council, and she bought it hook line and sinker. Now, the question is, how many bodies will she have to see before she realizes this?
Celestia needs to be imprisoned for a loooong time. She is utterly unfit to rule. Those who have attacked need to be put down. No trials, no arrests, just executions.
8897367
Uh... you do realize she was tricked right?
8898621 Was it or was it not her arrogance and hatred of Spirits which led to the executions of hundreds if not thousands of them? And the rest sent into exile in Tartarus, unless I am mistaken? Where exactly is she innocent? I would really like to know?
8898686
She doesn't know that it was Discord who killed the Alicorns. There has been subtle kind magic in the background influencing her. She has been lied about various Spirits causing harm (like her being told that Sky caused Luna to turn into Nightmare moon). I'm fairly certain most Spirits were banished to the human world, and many are in the Cloud district or something.
I think you should reread some chapters, seems like you're saying stuff without really knowing everything that's happened thus far and also assuming stuff yourself. Also I'm not saying she's innocent, but she certainly doesn't deserve to be imprisoned. Maybe she's unfit to rule, but only because she has been misled for a while and needs to get a clear view on everything again while taking a break.
8898695 I may assume a fair bit, but I am not wrong as often as you seem to think. Check the older comments, I was the first person to name who Anara's Mother was. In any case, Celestia has been the ruler who executed innocent Spirits. There is no walking away from out-and-out murder. Furthermore, if she is running the country, then the reaponsibility and blame falls to her shoulders. Fury and the others have been manipulating her, but she was only open to it because of the hatred she already had. Were it not for her foolishness, many lives and a tremendous amount of suffering would have been avoided.
8898709
Eh. It always bugs me when someone says the responsibility falls on just one individuals shoulders. To me it's just silly to ignore all the reasoning behind mistakes and etc. Either way, I don't think such a situation can be black and white, which is why I don't think she deserves what you say she does. Sure she messed up, but others have messed up before her which caused her to mess up, as have others messed up before the other others which caused them to mess up too.
It's about time! I've been looking forward to this culmination of events for so long!
8898959 It always bugs me when people think of excuses for never taking responsibility for their own actions, like Celestia has done since the start of the story. That and being completely unreasonable and unwilling to admit when she is wrong, and racist A.F. It has notbing to do with reasoning. Reasoning doesn't matter, only the outcome matters.
With the mentality you mentioned, nobody ever has to take responsibility for their actions. By your logic, all somebody has to do is say 'it's not my fault.' and make some obscure reference to a different person who came before them and OOP look, no blame and no responsibility. This is the same reason I hate kids these days. They NEVER take any responsibility for their actions, even if caught on camera or in the act. 'It's not my fault, I l grew up poor and my parents didn't have good morals.' That is a bullshit copout excuse that is only use by infantile morons.
In this case, Celestia has the burden of guilt as the leader of the country. It is a package deal: if things go well, you did good; if things to poorly, it's your fault. This is the way things work in real life and is the core of the burden of leadership, which is obviously completely beyond your comprehension. Is she solely to blame? No. She has to be held responsible for everything that happens though.
8899373
I'm only mentioning this mentality because this story takes place in a world of magic and monarchies. It's not such a simple world where one person did something wrong and he should take blame for it. I don't know what you think, but considering that there is mind manipulating magic and many individuals who have lived for thousands of years here and can transform their appearances to perfectly fool others... You can't just blame Celestia solely for everything. Yes, she's at fault for killing innocent spirits, but just punishing her alone and killing all the ones attacking ponyville wouldn't solve much in the long run. I doubt Skies would be doing everything the way he is now if it would.
Comparing this to kids who are recorded doing stuff on video and blame it on their parents doesn't seem very fitting here...
EDIT: Also going to point out, I'm not saying she's blame free. I'm just thinking that your punishment for her is too simple to atone for everything that's happened.
Do you blame the idiot for falling for the con? Or the con man for tricking people into an idiotic idea?
Age old question there.
How much Blame Celestia should bare for her decisions regarding the Spirits I think will depend a lot on how Faith and crew managed to convince her to their side.
Did she just fall for simple persuasion tactics, or flat out being brain washed via powerful magic that they performed undetected?
Though I do think she is being terribly dense at the moment.
I mostly give her a free pass though as its really plot convenient.
Dammit... I found this beauty three days ago and now i'm caught up.. Please tell me this story is still alive! This is such a cliffhanger!!!!!!