• Published 18th Oct 2015
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Change - tom117z



Twilight Sparkle is not who she says she is, she doesn't really know WHAT she is...

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31 - Intermission: In The Mind Of The Sun

The Morning After Twilight's Attempted Assassination, Hours after Chrysalis confronted Celestia



The blinding sun cast its rays across Canterlot, its long lines spreading out all of the days wondrous light. The idyllic image it created through the balcony doors of Celestia’s personal chambers was one of the princess’s favourite parts of the day. But today it held a double edged sword to her mind.

Just looking upon it, she could not help but recall the name for this time of day; twilight. Just thinking it brought pain to her heart, her mind quickly dancing to the mare currently residing in a hospital bed. She wished to be there herself, but took solace in the fact Chrysalis was with her.

Princess Celestia sighed loudly, and let the magic drop from her quill. If that wasn’t enough on her mind, then the task she had just finished would haunt her for years. Today marked the first day in over a decade that the Royal Guard had suffered a casualty, let alone eight. What made it even worse was that they had all been, with the exception of two, traitors.

Her anger flared, before her face caught sight of the papers on her desk; eight letters addressed to the families of the fallen, with details for the funerals attached. Her mind was at war within. She was fighting between grief for the fallen, a feeling of failure for Twilight, and anger for those who had committed this atrocity.

“I know I should feel more sorrow for those guards, but I just can’t. My focus is mainly on Twilight. That doesn’t make me a bad pony, does it?”

As always, Philomena sat silently on her perch, but she cocked her head to the side.

“It’s just that she is almost the daughter I never had. I’ve grown so fond of her, and so close that I just can’t stand the thought of losing her. And then I remember it. Like I am still there; I’m turning around at Longshot’s shout, and I have to watch the colour drain from her eyes while I hold onto her.”

Celestia stood from her desk, and began pacing about the room.

“And each time I relive it, the anger at those guards grows a little more. Each time it makes it harder to remember them for who they were. Each time I demonise them more. I fear that if I dwell too much on this, I might reach a point where I do something I regret. I fear that I will want to. After Chrysalis calmed down, I realised what I said to her – I said I was willing to kill somepony. Right know, I don’t know where I stand.”

Celestia sighed. “It’s happening again. You weren’t there, a thousand years ago. The night I lost Lulu was one of the worst of my life, and I was in a dark place after. The only thing that kept me from taking a similar path to my sister was the determination to make things right, to craft an Equestria that would accept her upon her return from the moon. But with Twilight…”

Philomena flew across the room, and settled on the frame of the largest painting in the room. It was of Luna, not long after her return from the nightmare.

Celestia smiled at her beloved pet phoenix, “You’re right, as you so often are, Mena. Who better to ask about inner demons than my own sister?”

Philomena ‘cawed’ her approval, before she flew down, landing on Celestia’s back. Celestia turned her head and nuzzled her, wearing her first smile of the day. “Thank you, Mena. It is soon time to lower the sun and make way for Luna’s moon, so I shall ask her after the task is complete.”

Philomena ‘cawed’ again, before taking flight, leaving through the open balcony doors. Celestia headed out of her chambers, intent of having a light snack before she lowered the sun. But she never made it far before a voice called out for her;

“Aunty!” She turned around to greet Cadance, but was blindsided by a hug; one she returned with gusto.

“I need to borrow you, there is something you need to see.” Before Celestia could question it, Cadance had taken her wing in hers and was dragging her down the corridor. It was going to be a long day.


Canterlot Castle Interrogation Room Two, The Next Morning



‘Cadance found one.'

'She found one of the traitors.'

'He is right here, in front of me.'

'One of the ones who tried to kill my Twilight is right in front of me.'

'I could just reach out with my magic; his neck would be like a twig beneath a hoof.’

Luna continued to conduct the interrogation. She was either oblivious to Celestia’s inner turmoil, or she chose to ignore it. In truth, Celestia was barely listening, at least until she heard the word ‘Everfree’.

“The Everfree Forest, a place barely anypony goes. No wonder the Commander chose to make a base there, but at least we now know where he is.”

Her sister went back to her questions, but all she could focus on was running through her mental map of the Everfree, and all of the places she knew a group could hide. She ruminated on this until she heard Luna begin to wrap up.

“Well in any case you have been most helpful Harvest Leaf, but there is one last thing I want to know,” Luna leaned forwards. “You have told us how you came to be here, but you haven’t told us why. Why have you abandoned your fellow conspirators and sold them out? What changed your mind?”

“Several things,” he responded. “The fear and fury Princess Twilight showed during the attack, the behaviour of some of the other changelings we have hunted…” Harvest’s eye became downcast. “And her…”

“Her?” Luna interrupted.

Bringing his head back up to face Luna, he replied: “You know, the maid that died. Well, the thing is, there are many whispers that the commander was responsible.”

Luna looked him in the eyes. “That maid’s name was Sunny Aura.”…

“…a few of us started to believe he had a hoof in her death. Just before I left I even worked up the courage to ask him and… he was indifferent. He didn’t answer yes or no but…”

Sunny Aura. Celestia, wrapped up in the event of the past forty eight hours, had all but forgotten about her passing. She had been an excellent maid, and a good friend to many, stopping behind after work to chat, sometimes even over a cup of tea. Now it was confirmed, she was murdered.

Broad Sword’s headcount had grown, adding another member of Celestia’s circle of friends, and in her position that list wasn’t always as high as she would like. The internal fire was given more fuel. If one was to look into her eyes right then, you would practically melt.

Before she knew it, it was time to deliver her verdict, and after carefully schooling her expression as well as her voice, she spread her wings as she delivered it, “Private Harvest Leaf of the Equestrian Solar Guard, you shall be imprisoned within the dungeons until your court martial at a later date. We can’t ignore the crimes you have committed against the harmony of Equestria and the surrounding lands, but the assistance you have provided today will also be taken into account when judgement is rendered. Do you have anything else to say in your defence?”

Harvest Leaf hung his head dejectedly as he rose to his hooves. “No, your highness.”

“Very well, take him away.”

Two Solar Guards led Harvest Leaf out of the interrogation room, leaving the two royal sisters alone.

“Sister,” Luna addressed. “What do you intend to do?”

“I will talk with Chrysalis, but this group must be wiped out soon to prevent another catastrophe. I do not intend to let Broad Sword escape, and we must pray that the others surrender to us if they do not wish to share his inevitable fate. I will be there, as I know Chrysalis will almost certainly will. I imagine your captain and Sergeant Longshot will also volunteer readily.”

“Be careful not to let your personal feelings get in the way Tia, they are a very dangerous thing in the middle of battle.”

Celestia gave her little sister a smile. “Do not worry Lulu, I promise I will be fine. The fate of Broad Sword’s co-conspirators is still up to them when the time comes, but Broad Sword’s sentence has been relegated to Queen Chrysalis to decide, considering the circumstances, and we both know what the verdict will be.”

“Funny how that leaves your pristine image intact.”

“Luna?” Surprise and hurt tinged Celestia’s voice.

“You cannot fool me Tia, I know you want him dead just as much as Chrysalis, just… please be careful. Such dark thoughts can lead to much more trouble down the road.”

Celestia lifted one large alabaster wing over Luna. “Then it is a good thing I have my little sister to keep me in check,” she smiled as she gave her sister a little nuzzle.

Luna nuzzled back. “I said it once, and I will say it again. How did you last without me for a thousand years?”

Celestia chuckled. “It is a mystery to us all.”

That was a lie.

It wasn’t a mystery to Celestia.

She had swallowed her rage before with a divine sense of purpose, to make things ready for Luna’s return. But now she had no such purpose, and she needed an outlet. For all the love and adoration she received, despite all those truly believing her to be some kind of goddess, she knew better than anypony that she in truth was just a pony. And just as flawed.

Luna bid her farewell, she had Night Court to attend to after all. However, Celestia stayed in that room for a few more minutes. When she finally left to make preparations, the smell of burnt wood lingered on her coat. Back in the room, where the chair had once stood, was nothing more than a pile of ash.


Everfree Forest, That Night.



Celestia wasn’t sure she liked flying by helicopter, her wings were far gentler, but she couldn’t deny that it left her fresh for the battle ahead. Once the machines reached the drop zone, the passengers disembarked. While Celestia could see in the low light conditions, she lit her horn, illuminating the area around her with pure sunlight.

She had never intended to make it so bright, but right now, her fury was barely held back, and her emotions fuelled her magic. The choppers retreated, heading for Ponyville, and the raiding party headed out.

It wasn’t long before they found their target, a large cave mouth in the side of a small cliff. And the enemy had rolled out the welcome party.

“We have contacts! Princess your orders?”

“Form up behind me, the commander’s fate is sealed but I want to give these ponies a chance.”

The group emerged from the dense tree’s lining the edge of the forest and quickly formed up on the cave. At the head of the enemy group a single pony stepped forwards, his armor signifying him as a lieutenant of the Solar Guard. Being face to face with the traitors, wearing her own colour armor no less, did nothing good for Celestia’s mood.

‘No, I can’t be too hasty. They have been duped. It doesn’t absolve them of their crimes, but I have to give them a chance.’

“Hold there parasites! You will go no further!”

‘Or not. It’s like he wants to die.’

Celestia stepped forwards from the group and addressed the misguided ponies. “Hear me ponies of the Solar Guard, for I am your princess, and I command you to stop this madness! If you surrender yourselves now you shall be treated mercifully, but should you continue down this path of disharmony you shall face the full wrath of the sun!”

“Quiet you parasite!” the Lieutenant shouted. “You can’t fool us! The Princess would never attack her own ponies, nor would she ever taint herself with battle.”

Celestia sucked in a heated breath; who was this pony to question her? “You know very little, Lieutenant. I have faced conflict you can only see in your deepest nightmares! I have faced Discord, the Tyrant King, and my own sister. I am Princess Celestia, and even though you outnumber us you cannot hope to defeat us. I am asking again, stand down now. This is your last chance!”

“Lies and manipulation!” the Lieutenant shouted, and Celestia sighed as she knew what was about to happen. “True protectors of Equestria, kill the-“

The red mist descended. She had promised Broad Sword to Chrysalis, but right now, any one of the traitors would do. She channeled all of her anger into her horn, and unleashed a beam of pure burning sun.

The Lieutenant never finished his sentence. The beam hit him clean in the throat; his neck ceased to be, and his head sailed through the air, landing down in front of a golem.

Celestia had prided herself on the lack of violence Equestria had witnessed over the past years, over the fact that she hadn’t had to kill anypony since the early days.

But now all hell had broken loose.

Throughout the fight Celestia forced herself to channel her energy into protecting her ponies, to preserve their lives as the traitors fell.

But, at her hoof, some traitors still shared the Lieutenant’s fate.

And when all was said and done, she couldn’t help but fell a little hollow on the inside. The ride back to Canterlot giving her ample time to think things over.

The traitors were dead, but now the rage had subsided, she couldn’t stop herself from mourning their loss. She quickly remembered why she garnered a distaste for such affairs, and for conflict in general.

Perhaps the death of yet another friend, Longshot, was a wake up call.

Celestia would move beyond this, it would have taken some time, but she would heal and find acceptance for what she had done.

But right then and there, Twilight Sparkle was safe, and that was all that truly mattered.

Author's Note:

Largely written by Copey, I just added and changed a few bits here and there.

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