Cadence stared into Azula's eyes, her awakened empathy filling her with the pain of everyone she'd ever hurt, everyone she would hurt, and the flames that roared through her being, ready to erupt with the passing of the Comet. Desperately, Cadence reached out to offer her comfort, to hold her close and tell her everything would be alright, that she would fix it...but she could not fix it. Azula called out for help...but Cadence' hoof brought only death.
As she touched the young woman before her, the desperate hand of a young girl seeking love was knocked away, her desperate yearning spurned by what she saw as the embodiment of love. Young eyes filled with betrayal stared up at Cadence, tears of fire pouring from her eyes. "I don't want to go..." she whimpered desperately.
The child before her dissolved in light, the swirling winds of possibility tearing at Cadence' wings, showing her everything that might have been that now could never be, the changes that might have happened had only she swallowed her distaste at the sense of wrongness deep inside Azula and offered her the love she so desperately craved. Once more, Cadence screamed in agony, as the flames began to consume her, licking up her forelegs to devour her soul in the agony of her crime.
"You did this to me," the blue dragon hissed in her ear in Azula's voice as it swirled around her. "You destroyed me, left me to become a monster!" Beneath the blue dragon's wings, the Kraken rose, devouring the fleet. "The sons and daughters of fire fell, because of you!"
Desperately, Cadence turned to the red dragon, but it stared down at her impassively. "There are no punishments for mistakes," it whispered in Iroh's voice. "Only consequences."
"And now it's time to face yours!" the blue dragon snarled, lunging forward. "Join me in the death you chose for me!" Its jaws opened wide, and Cadence lost herself in terror.
The blue dragon dispersed as a ray of purest light pierced it, wrapping around Cadence as the red dragon faded into the ether. The crimson flames withdrew, held back by soothing blue light that gently cradled Cadence, lifting her out of the agonizing vision that had tormented her for so long. Lifting up from the scorched lands of the Earth Kingdoms, she found herself resting upon a cloud over Canterlot, the stars drifting through the night sky like ducks upon a river. Beside her upon the cloud, a familiar blue figure rested, wrapping a comforting wing around her as the soothing blue light released her. "Oh my dear sweet niece," the soft voice murmured in her ear, as a warm muzzle nuzzled into her neck comfortingly. "What horrors have you lived through, to leave such scars upon your mind and soul, and when could they have possibly come to pass?"
Cadence glanced around quickly in confusion, eventually managing to take in the figure beside her. "L-Luna?" she gasped out. "B-but..."
"Shh," Luna gently hushed her. "You are in the realm of dreams, Cadence. The pain and torment of your nightmare was so great that it pulled me in, and I did what I could to aid you. Normally, I would seek to aid you in addressing the cause of your nightmare, but well do I recognize the terror visions born of past memories. Still, this is hardly the dreams you should be having the night before your wedding."
"Dream..." Cadence murmured softly, managing to get herself to calm down somewhat. "Yes...a very familiar dream...one I've had many times since...that day."
Luna watched her silently for a time, letting her get herself back under control. When that was done, she spoke up. "Within the dream realm, time passes - or not - at the rate of thought. If you wish, I can take the time to hear the whole story, to perhaps better aid you with this pain."
Cadence smiled softly. "I appreciate the offer, Luna, I really do...but it's an old pain. I've been dealing with it for thirty years-"
"But you are only 32," Luna pointed out. "And I saw in the dream that you were older than two when that happened."
Cadence chuckled softly. "Physically, yes. But...well, let's just say that things were quite complicated."
"Indeed?" Luna replied with a chuckle. "How so?"
"I lived thirty years in another world, and only five minutes passed in this one," Cadence explained.
"I thought you said it was complicated," Luna countered. "Sounds simple enough to me."
"Reverse aged into an infant that, for some reason, aged to adolescence in three years and then only aged another ten in the remaining 27," Cadence continued.
"Yes, being an alicorn does have unusual effects on the aging process at times," Luna confirmed.
Cadence stared at Luna for a time, trying to detect any hint that she was being teased. "Well...I suppose we could talk for a bit..."
"...and then I sat, waiting for my father to wake up and live again," Cadence finished, sipping the tea she had conjured for the both of them. "It's been...an adjustment, coming back after having been gone years in seconds."
"I can well imagine," Luna replied, chuckling.
"Truly?" Cadence inquired.
"If you thought trying to unlearn thirty years of habits in seconds was difficult, try embracing a millennium in change in perceived seconds."
Cadence struggled not to chuckle. "Goodness. I guess you did have a great deal to adjust to after coming back from the moon."
"Indeed," Luna confirmed, sighing sadly. "I...have a lot to make up for. Much like you, there are crimes upon my soul that, despite forgiveness offered, I cannot let myself forget. I must always remember what I've done, so I do not make the same mistakes again..."
Cadence frowned, something about how Luna put that bothering her. "Luna...how exactly are you ensuring you never forget?"
Luna glanced away, biting her lip. She plainly didn't want to speak of it...but eventually, she relented. "Perhaps you may understand after all," she allowed. "I have created a dream creature, one that will ensure I never forget that horrible crime I have committed...by making me relive it in my nightmares."
"That's not healthy," Cadence stated bluntly.
"It is not so different from these nightmares you cannot escape," Luna countered.
"Isn't it?" Cadence demanded. "You said it yourself, these are scars upon my mind and soul. There is nothing wrong with keeping your scars." Lifting her hoof, she manipulated her dream to make her coat recede, revealing the burn scars. "They remind you of your mistakes, and help you remember to learn to do better. But to deliberately inflict the same injury on yourself over and over...that is no scar. That is tearing the wound open repeatedly, guaranteeing that it will never heal."
"Do I not deserve it for what I've done?" Luna demanded defensively.
"I told you what Azula did," Cadence countered. "I told you what she would have done. Do you think she deserved anything that happened to her? Whether by my hoof or her brother's hand?"
Luna stared into Cadence's eyes for a time, then glanced away.
"I understand not being able to forgive yourself," Cadence continued. "It's something I deal with as well. But you made a mistake, that's all. There are no punishments for that, only consequences." She lowered her gaze. "Father taught me that. It...helped me get past my guilt regarding my involvement with...what happened in the Northern Sea." She raised her head, gazing into Luna's eyes. "But it still haunts me...and I accept that as one of the consequences for my mistake. But I don't punish myself for that mistake beyond these nightmares my mind creates on its own...the pain of those scars flaring. Is what you did so much worse than my own mistakes?"
"And every decision Celestia made on her own for the kingdom, shaped by her grief and desire to somehow save me...is that not my fault as well?" Luna demanded.
"Merely more consequences," Cadence continued. "But will you face them...or hide from them?"
"Hide?!" Luna demanded angrily. "I will not hide from the consequences of my actions!"
"And yet you feel you have to create your own punishment?" Cadence countered, firmly meeting Luna's angry gaze.
Luna fell silent, letting her niece's words turn over and over in her mind. Eventually, she lowered her gaze. "It...it is not so easy to let it go..."
"That's why you have a loving family," Cadence replied softly. "We'll all be here for you, to help you through it...if you'll just open up and let us."
Much to Cadence' surprise, Luna chuckled softly. "How often have I given that self same advice to a child whose nightmares I have helped them face?" she murmured. "I was summoned to your nightmare to help you with your pain...but it seems it is you who have helped me, somewhat, with my own."
Cadence smiled softly, extending her wing to embrace her aunt. "Just addressing the issue doesn't fix it," Cadence offered comfortingly. "But it is the first step."
Luna leaned into the comforting embrace, relaxing. After a time, she spoke up again. "Your father sounds...interesting," she mused idly.
"Pretty sure Aunt Tia's already called dibs," Cadence replied impishly.
"Ponyfeather."
Cadence couldn't help but laugh.
Come on luna, you already have the batman.
share the love.
That's gotta suck. Your aunt likes your Dad. But your Dad is a totally different species (isn't he still human?) While your aunt raises the entire sun every day.
Why do I see this happening in the eventual crossover?
-Luna sighed as she watched her alternate slip a wing around the bat pony introduced as Bruce Wayne. "Why are the good ones always taken?" she asked.
You just shut down 'Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep', alright then.
Can't wait for Sombra to try something, emphasis on try.
Well Celestia was certainly due for a lover. So onto the wedding next or are we seeing Sombra get a pink alicorn smack down?
So if you're getting Iroh with Celestia, could you get Damas with Luna? Luna seems more the warrior type and Damas is so bada.
7072323
I just realized something.
Fire
Water
Earth
Air
add in the crystal Heart, and who does that make?
"With these powers combined, I am Captain Princess!"
*whistles innocently* Definitely not doing anything like that in my fic.
7072363 I don't know. Did Kratos have any wife after all that happened with the Pink One? I can see Luna and him going well together.
7072371 not far from the truth actually!!
Oh, hey, you noticed that. Thanks for not letting me think I'm crazy, figment of Cadence's inhibitions.
... Is this some sort of chapter devoted to me?... Because if so, I'm impressed.
Oh, hey, this is sort of like what Yue did for Aang when he was comatose!
Well, you remember when there was this huge gap between Seasons 2 and 3? Well, during that gap, there were these commercials that kept going on, telling you to put in this code for this game for the Nickelodeon game or whatever, and it tells you what happens to Aang after he got healed by Katara and before he woke up. He goes on a spiritual journey, and you learn some interesting things, the formation of the Dai Li, fleshing out of the Water Avatar's backstory, etc. I don't remember much of it, though, but it was an experience I'll never forget... anyways, pony.
Huh, so Luna gets a response through cigarette powers?
saccashandcarry.com/assets/images/10406.jpg
If it ever turns out that I don't really like this story as a whole, take this to heart: you did not portray Luna as a psychopath who doesn't care about the things she's done in the past. You actually portrayed Luna AS Luna, and that's an achievement unto itself.
Sorry, it's just that I read this one story that I wish I could forget. If only I could tell myself in the past that reading a 133-chapter story where the main character regresses rather than develops was a bad idea... Anyways, pony.
Huh, seems like a PRETTY big consequence to me. Now then, time to get on to that other thing you did... C-Cadence? The other thing? Threatening the girl your cousin liked without telling someone other than a one-off OC? Cadence???... Eh, oh well.
Ponyfeathers. Anyways, this was a decent chapter. See you at a later date.
7072360 i think tats will follow the main villany storyline, thats just what i think even if the tantabus has been dealt with already....so i think first comes a princessvsqueen epic mare-fight and the the evil tyrant smackdown
It's jaws opened wide
1. Its.
Not going to pun here. Not this time.
7072371 Someone make fanart of this, this must be done.
Don't worry, Luna, you'll find the right one eventually.
Both mare look around.
"Auntie, do you feel that?" Cadance asked.
"Yes niece, I great disturbance in the magic. As if a great many beings cry out in joy and there was sudden clapping." Luna replied.
That was fun, may I have another? Looking forward to more.
Keep up the good work. Deus tecum.
>
7072322 At least that Luna can have kids with Brucy. Tia can't unless they change him into a pony. A fire based unicorn Iroh would be cool.
The last few lines were hilarious
7072664
The correct term - at least, the one that I, as someone who did that in the past, prefer - is a self-harmer, and many cases are born out of pure depression over feeling the world itself would be better without you, but lacking the courage to fully take your own life.
There are also the poor souls who, like Azula in this story, have damaged nerve endings which prevents them from feeling anything.
Iroh x Celestia?!
7072323 nigga gonna get burned
I'll just put up this video by Brawny Buck here.....
I would have liked the Tantabus to appear and take on the shape of a filly to nuzzle Luna. I can't seem to ditch the image of it as a foal treating her as its mother.
Still, glad Luna and Cadence can help one another. Hopefully we'll get to see Cadence kick Sombra's flank all over the Crystal Empire.
7072761 Luna X Iroh sounds better...
although Celestia X Iroh does make sense in a way... I wont go into more details unless you specifically request it though...
Hahahaha, awesome dchapter, and that ending was funny
Nice job.
Thank ye.
7072938
You're welcome.
7072866
Exactly.
Wow. Is there, like, a site somewhere that can display all art with the tag of #tatsurou's stories? Because there is so much I want to see of this story. I think it's worthy of a comic adaptation. If there are any artists out there with the capability to do this, please, do this.
Also
Is that supposed to be singular? Because I've never seen it used singular as a swear/exclamation before.
Another enjoyable chapter. Well done.
7072694 I sense a ship.
And speaking of ships, where's mY Azulalis ship?
7073656 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea...
...It's a good book!
7072422 aw wynaut?
7073697 yes it is the mental images we're amazing
7073656 oh that ship sunk with lunaroh
Yikes.
Double Yikes.
She's been through a lot, Luna, she's been through a lot.
Aye.
Apart from the hyperbolic time chamber effect, there's the whole Wan Shi Tong's Library incident.
Oh yeah, her aging process was kinda weird.
I can imagine.
You have no idea.
Aye...
Yeah, while it's not quite, it is WAY too similar to the idea of self-harm. While I'm sure the writers weren't going that route, it's similar enough.
My point exactly.
Considering it's like mental self harm, no. You have to learn to forgive yourself.
Well, she didn't actually kill anyone, but her plan would have ended in her ruling a world of ice and nothingness, yes.
It never is. (I was tempted to post the song, but I decided it wouldn't be funny.)
Ironic, isn't it?
Luna, your alternate self has bagged BATMAN. FREAKING BATMAN. Let Tia have this. They both have a borderline fetish for tea and being cryptic. Also, pretty sure it's PonyfeatherS.
(Now let's see, there's the wedding, Sauron, I mean Sombra, the Plundervines, she could help with that, Tirek (Firebending Tirek. Oh god.) Starlight if it doesn't go like canon, and then there's the events of the Season 6 Premiere.
7073697
Oh certainly.
7074097 Personal rule to not pun on a chapter with serious issues like here, where Cadance and Luna are talking about their respective situations that haunt them.
many feels were felt, with a visit from great old FEELS
7074106 WHY CAN'T THEY BOTH WORK!?
7073697 NOOOOooOOOOoooOOOoooOOOooOOO!
All the LOLS
7074370 ah ok
Come on, Cadence! Really? Luna and Celestia could share your father, like how Mai and Jin shared your cousin!
7113528 If it makes you feel better, in an alternate realm Luna hooks up with Bruce Wayne.
7126250
Well, we don't know that, as that particular arc ends there.
Knew it, ship it, work it!
7113528
You do realize that would count as incest right?
9193287
Does it count when you're adopted though?