From Ashes (XIV)
i
When Celestia awoke to an abrupt burst of blinding light, she already knew she'd lived all this before.
“Good morning, Celestia!” A voice rung out cheerily—a vivid contrast to the painful whiteness that had flooded her eyesight. Whether the voice belonged to a mare or a stallion Celestia couldn’t be sure over the sound of blood pumping furiously through her ears and her unfocused eye.
“You’re not going t-to have any more luck today,” Celestia snarled. No reason to delay. Heavens knew she had a long day ahead of her, and she was anxious to have it behind her. “I wonder how you idiots are going to justify this sunless day.”
“That’s none of your concern. Your job is raising the sun.”
“My job is ruling Equestria. No amount of torture is g-going to t-take that away from me.”
The pony—a mare, Celestia was confident now—cocked her head. “Still having stuttering problems?”
“It’s a little h-hard thinking straight when you h-have p-ponies sticking electrodes into your brain.”
“I’m sorry, truly... but whose fault is that?” The mare asked—not with malice, but like a teasing schoolteacher. She set down a bowl of bland-looking porridge atop Celestia’s bed as she spoke. She wasn't a guard like the others, but a smiling nurse—Celestia didn't quite know why they were bothering with such. It was as though they weren't comfortable committing to the act of torture, and felt they had to redeem themselves anyway they could. “Who is the stubborn mare who refuses to do the things politely asked of her?”
Celestia glared. She shuffled from her bed, only to collapse firmly onto the ground as her hooves gave out beneath her. “Disobeying ponies like you gives me no shame.”
This nurse was the same as yesterday, and Celestia knew that she carried a glimmer of sympathy towards her. She was a good mare, apparently on the wrong side of a revolution. Nonetheless, with the peering security camera above, it was quite obvious she had no intent of disappointing her superiors.
“I see we’re going to have a repeat of yesterday,” she said.
“We’re in a f-feedback loop,” Celestia said. “You want me to do your bidding, and yet you have nothing to threaten me with that you haven’t torn away.”
“You need to understand, Princess Celestia… regardless of how it may seem, everypony here respects you. We don’t like having to resort to such alternative means of—”
“You’re torturing me,” Celestia interrupted. “Stop justifying it on behalf of your s-superiors. Say it how it is.”
“Look it, Princess Celestia.” The mare sighed. “I feel like you’re not listening to me, so I’m going to be blunt. All I need to do is escort you as far as the SunTrotter. After that, I need to leave, and you’re the responsibility of the same guards as yesterday. Judging by your stuttering, I don’t imagine they treated you well. But you can avoid all of that, just by raising the sun.”
“I am not surrendering to you.”
The nurse sighed again. “Then for what it’s worth… I’m sorry. Can you please at least walk with me to the SunTrotter? Trust me when I say I don't like having to hand this off to the guards.”
Against her better judgement, Celestia nodded and rose to her hooves. “...I know you don’t. You… you’ve been n-nice to me.”
“You haven’t done anything wrong, Princess Celestia. You shouldn’t be treated like you have. Now come on. We need to get moving.”
It was easier to obey this young mare than it had been the more aggressive guards that had preceded her, and Celestia followed her with only a shadow of reluctance through the long and brightly lit corridor leading to the telescopic device. Even with her horn inhibitor locked in place, Celestia was able to levitate her porridge in her magic as she followed, and she scarfed the meal down quickly. She had a long day before her.
“What is your name, my dear?” Celestia asked. Might as well become a little acquainted with this mare, considering she was the only one to treat her with any bit of respect.
“Coral Shine, Princess,” she said. “I… I don’t mean to be rude, but I told you that yesterday, too.”
Celestia stopped.
Had she? Celestia couldn’t for the life of her recall. Yet with her involuntary stuttering considered, Celestia did not doubt that Coral was telling the truth.
“I’m sorry,” Celestia said, continuing her walk.
“No reason you have to be,” Coral replied, distant blame clear in her voice. She looked to the ceiling, and, seeing no security cameras nearby, continued. “Their… um, methods… seem to be causing you some sort of brain damage.”
“I don't see how st-sticking electrodes into a pony's brain would d-do that,” Celestia replied coldly.
Coral Shine did not immediately answer, but she looked to her hooves instead of at the path before her.
Soon, they were back beneath another peering security camera, which forced Coral Shine into a dutiful and harsh stride, which she maintained for the duration of the walk down the corridor. At the end was a heavy looking steel door, which Coral Shine wasted no time inserting a key into.
Still, she hesitated before turning it.
“Please, Celestia. Just raise the sun. Nopony in here wants to… to have to do this to you. Please stop giving us reason to.”
“I’m n-not y-your tool to use as you see fit,” Celestia replied. “I know you symp… sympathize with m-me, Coral Shine, but don’t think for a moment y-you understand me. You are n-never seeing my sun as long as I am down here.”
Her piece said, Celestia raised a hoof to point at the heavy door ahead, and she gave a single nod in its direction. To the timid young nurse, the simple movement seemed like a command, and even with nothing being used to threaten her she obeyed without question.
On the other side, Celestia frowned at the similar telescope-like device before her.
She walked towards the center of the room, until she was standing directly before the SunTrotter. For a few motionless moments, she percolated the possibility of sticking her horn into the device and greeting her sun once more—like they were friends seeking reconciliation.
With a smug smile, Celestia turned her back to the SunTrotter and sat stubbornly on the cold concrete floor. Before the entranceway was a security camera, and she stuck her tongue out at it and waited for whoever was watching to dispatch their ponies.
- - -
When Celestia awoke—properly, this time, to the guest room of Blueblood and Rarity's condo—she did not immediately rise. Instead, she simply lay still, watching the dancing patterns of yellow-orange fog rippling over the balcony, rising higher too, alternatively obscuring and revealing the spires of Old Canterlot Castle, perched hundreds of feet higher on its mountaintop roost.
She let out a soft sigh, laying still and trying to allow the comfort of her surroundings cast the last of her nightmare aside. Twelve years ago, when Celestia had first dreamed of Luna, it had been startling. But it had occurred again and again and soon, the pain just became as natural to her as closing her eyes. It was still so hard to sleep knowing what hellish world awaited her on the otherside, but she had grown accustomed to worse. Then, dreams of Cadance had joined. Dreams of the bloodshed that was the Crystal War—vivid recollections of carnage and hatred and of flaming bursts of solar magic turning the snowfields into red slush.
In her prison, such dreams had taunted her, and now that she was free of her prison, it seemed only right that her prison would, too.
Celestia sighed again, casting her cover aside and rising. Lying still, the infernal nightmare was only percolating, and she'd already sworn off wallowing in the past. If her stubborn subconscious brain wanted to keep shaming her, she wasn't going to do the same in her waking moments.
Suddenly, just as her hooves touched the carpeted floor of the guest room, a light tapping rung out through the silence. Celestia nearly started at the sound, although it was no louder than a pebble flicked at a glass window.
Cocking her head, Celestia cast her magic across the room, letting it sweep over every surface and echo back a projection of the room for her mind's eye to consider, but there was nobody besides herself in the room. Frowning, she twitched an ear, and sure enough the sound came again—it was not unlike a coin being tapped against a glass surface, and it seemed to be emanating from the sliding balcony door.
Tiptoeing as if in caution, Celestia sneaked across the room to the balcony, which looked quite deserted, and slid the door open as quietly as she could manage—the high altitude elements hadn't been kind, and it squeaked all the same, and she muttered a curse at the sound.
The quietness of a city half-asleep flooded her ears the moment the door was open, the cool wind blowing her mane every which way.
The tapping didn't come again, but a sound like a ship sail greeted her next.
The proud, dignified rustling of an impressive wingspan of well-groomed feathers.
“Philomena,” she cooed softly, a wide smile creasing across her lips. She bowed her head as warm wings wrapped around her neck, the old bird giving a small chirrup of glee. She had always been a stoic bird, and many had mistaken such as aggression. Many a pony had asked her why she had chosen the company of such an irritatingly prideful bird, but it had never been a question to Celestia.
“Oh, I've missed you so much,” Celestia said, her smile goofy and exaggerated as she lifted the phoenix with a hoof, letting her clamber onto Celestia's back and nuzzle her head, cooing and chirruping the whole while.
Philomena had been one of Celestia's demands, when she had finally agreed to raise the Sun for Flim Flam Industry. She'd demanded her pet be brought to her—if she was going to be imprisoned, she'd be damned if she would be kept lonely the whole while. And yet, as soon as she'd made the request she had regretted it. It seemed cruel, to share her pitiful end with that of her beloved bird. Two archaic old birds, dying alone together in a cage.
She'd been morbidly happy to hear that Philomena had nearly pecked out the eyes of a guard in order to escape. Like a specter, they'd told her, she had vanished into the wind and clouds.
Giving a particularly vocal chirrup, the old bird repositioned herself on Celestia's back, leaning her beak forwards so that it was parallel with Celestia's own snout. She giggled softly, but her good humour faded to curiosity when she saw a piece of delicately folded parchment held in Philomena's beak.
“Hm. Don't tell me you molted into a carrier pigeon during my absence, Philly?” she chuckled, taking the note in her telekinesis, Philomena obediently letting go the moment she did. The wind already began tugging at the corners of the note, and Celestia backed her way into the condo once more, lighting an oil lantern and closing the door behind her.
Unfurling the note, Celestia noted immediately that whoever had written it had taken the liberty of writing using a particularly vibrant quill and plenty of ink, her words dictated precisely and carefully and in large font that Celestia found she could read without having to rely on any magical echolocation.
Celestia,
Firstly, let me just say how great it was to hear from you again, and I apologize for taking the week to respond. I've been being hounded by journalists a good deal, but truthfully it is a morbidly satisfying feeling to tell them, in firsthand account detail, just how gruesomely Flim Flam Industry treated you. They're being cast under public scrutiny in more and more papers, as more and more ponies want to see what other details have been kept from them. I'm glad I can act as a messenger of these truths, and get out the proper accounts of what happened. For both our sakes.
Once your secretary, always your secretary, right?
Which reminds me. Assuming you are reading this note, I don't quite need to tell you that Philomena is doing quite alright. I realize she is classified as an endangered species and it is a crime for me to care for her, but I've been doing so for twelve years without consequence. Still, as healthy as she is, I believe she misses you greatly. She knows the way back to my apartment, so do not be afraid to send her back if she becomes a burden. I realize how busy your days have become as of late.
Still, busy as they may be, I hope you know that, even with our professional relationship dissolved, you're still my friend first and foremost.
And also, I need a competent bridge partner. We made quite the team back in the day and I hope to reclaim the infamous reputation we had amongst the rest of the castle staff.
Come visit sometime, Celestia. It's not my room in Canterlot Castle, but it's a home you're always welcomed in.
Your friend always,
Raven.
Folding the letter with a small smile, Celestia put it onto the guestroom desk. As flattered as she was to hear back from Raven, it was a friendly correspondence and not much more. With Twilight's fate in the terrifying realm of obscurity, such a correspondence didn't quite matter much to her now.
She penned a response of several paragraphs and made a mental note to send it when she had the chance. She wrote and raised the Sun in unison, Philomena still perched on her shoulder as though afraid she may vanish again at any moment. She wrote slowly, her thoughts a distracted slurry, every sentence she penned trailing into meaninglessness and needing rewriting. Her thoughts were very clearly elsewhere.
To Celestia's surprise, she didn't quite feel much fear towards Twilight. Not as much as she surely should've, or perhaps it was some perversion of fear more elaborate and difficult to classify.
Or perhaps, it was just fury.
Not at Twilight, but at Flim Flam Industry.
She had no doubt it was their doing—Twilight had told her all about the atrociously corrupt nature of Equestria's present governing. Or, in some bizarre sense, it was not corrupt at all. It was simply the way things had changed. Her country's government was helmed by Flim Flam Industry, after all, so it seemed a tad silly to say that it was corrupt when no such corruption had any real reason to exist.
It was so insulting to Celestia that she found it difficult to believe Equestria had been quite content with it. A nation's peace held in place through corporate law.
Outside the window, with the Sun on it's rise, the skyglow had been cast away to hazy morning light. The sound of clinking and the smell of brewing coffee soon began wafting through the condo, and Celestia found herself allured by the smell like an overworked university student.
““Good morning, Prince—” Rarity began, although the words died immediately when she actually turned to greet her. “I… I do hope that thing won't scratch up my hardwood floors with its talons. They are incredibly expensive.”
“Oh no. Philomena is quite gentle. Isn't that right, girl?”
Philomena gave Rarity a curious gaze.
“I see. She is a rather beautiful creature, then,” Rarity replied, her expression softening some. The unicorn was dressed in a colourful bathrobe, her mane an uncharacteristically frazzled mess. She motioned to the pot hovering in her telekinesis. “Coffee?”
“That would be wonderful, dear, thank you.” Celestia nodded, taking a seat at the kitchen island, gently plucking Philomena off her back and onto the chair next to her. Rarity levitated a steaming cup onto the island counter before her, as well as a creamer and sugar bowl.
Blueblood was nowhere to be seen, but the sound of steadily running water from the washroom made it quite clear where he had gone.
“You look tired, Princess,” Rarity observed, taking a sip of her own coffee.
“Mm. I admittedly could have slept better.” Celestia tipped the creamer over her coffee and began stirring it idly.
“No fault of the guest room, I hope?” Rarity offered, cocking her head.
“No no, of course not,” Celestia replied. “Just… silly dreams, is all. And thoughts of Twilight.”
“Ah,” Rarity said, glancing at the closed door of the washroom. “Blueblood mentioned that mare.”
Rarity's tone made her unfounded opinion of Twilight Sparkle quite clear, and Celestia let out a small sigh.
“Yes, well, that is hardly his business,” she replied, still stirring her coffee. “I don't quite understand where his dislike of Twilight Sparkle derives from.”
“I have no intentions in involving myself in any of the drama going on between you three,” Rarity replied. “Heavens knows I've got enough useless pleasantries to remember with my own clients.”
“Hm. That is wise, I suppose,” Celestia mused. The sound of the shower had stopped, and Celestia had taken to playing idly with her coffee, shooting spikes of telekinesis into the rising vapour, causing it to rise and twirl in peculiar patterns.
As if on cue, the door to the washroom opened, and Blueblood came staggering out.
“Morning, girls.” He gave Celestia and Rarity a small nod, presently in the process of drying his mane with a bathtowel, meandering over to the kitchen and plucking a grape from a bowl on the countertop. Philomena gave him a cold glare which he didn't bother to return. It hadn't been much of a secret to Celestia that Blueblood despised her pet phoenix.
“For heavens sake, dear! This isn't summer camp!” Rarity glowered, shooting daggers at the small trail of water leading from the washroom.
“Mm, I'm a busy stallion,” Blueblood replied, ignoring Rarity's gaze completely.
“Yes, actually… there is some… ah, matter we need attend to, today, nephew.” Celestia betrayed her wariness with a sip of coffee. “Involving Twilight Sparkle.”
“Oh, what now? I thought you were done lecturing me about her, Auntie.”
“She's been arrested.”
Silence, for several seconds. Rarity poured the rest of her coffee down the sink and looked as though she were preparing a fast exit.
“What.” Blueblood sat down at the dining table, bringing a hoof to hit snout. “What in Tartarus did she do now?”
“I don't know. Not the details. She called here last night, and told me she was being pursued.”
“That stupid bitch,” Blueblood growled. “I'm sorry, Auntie, but that's what she is. An immature marechild. This is unbelievable.”
Rarity fixed her husband's insults with a sideways glance of disgust, fishing her cigarette holder from the kitchen island and fleeing out to the foggy balcony.
“Do not insult my friends before me, Blueblood. This is an offensive act against me. It has nothing to do with her.”
“Oh, that's why she's the one getting us all into trouble?!” Blueblood retorted. “Auntie, just leave her. Let her deal with whatever it is by herself. It isn't our problem until we make it such, and heavens know we have enough on our plate.”
Celestia narrowed her eyes. “Let me be frank. This isn't a debate, Blueblood. I don't recall asking for your opinion of her, nor do I recall asking for your thoughts on how I should proceed. I'm telling you what I am doing, and if you're going to let your pride keep you from helping, I cannot be bothered to care.”
“Auntie.” Blueblood's tone had softened some, although it seemed a guise to Celestia. “I know she's your friend… but we need to look at things logically here. We're already under the public spotlight, how do you think this is going to look? Associating our political cause with a radicalized, convicted criminal?”
“This lies nowhere in the vicinity of politics,” Celestia replied. “This is my friend, being held from her freedom by the same ponies who did quite the same to me. Do you think I'm going to sit around and let that happen?”
“Yes! She did this to herself! All she had to do was lie low and act like a grown up, and it seems she couldn't even do that! Do you realize how it feels, to have spent the past fifteen years fighting for political recognition, only to have to share it with some unqualified madmare?!”
“Fifteen years,” Celestia repeated. “That's… some time.”
“You're godsdamned right it is! I came close so many times, but letting the archaic 'Prince Blueblood' into the political race never really seemed like an idea Flim Flam Industry wanted to allow.”
“Fifteen years you've been trying to take the throne, hrm?” Celestia sipped her coffee. “It's funny that you say that considering I was only away for twelve.”
“Oh.” Blueblood shrugged. “My mistake.”
“Of course,” Celestia said, her tone an icy neutral. “Still, I suppose you can't be blamed for seeing a positive outcome to your aunt's failing health, right?”
“What?”
“It's all about power to you, nephew, do you know that? It's a competition for you.”
“I don't know where the hell these accusations are coming from!”
“I do. I've been watching you since I crowned Princess Cadance. You're jealous, Blueblood.”
“Maybe I am! I was in-line to take the throne from you! I spent my whole life being told that's what I was meant to do!”
“You must have been ecstatic when Cadance died, then. And with my health in rapid decay, you must have felt quite optimistic.”
“Auntie, where the fuck is this coming from? What happened to you?”
Celestia laughed, although the sound had no humor to it. “What happened to me? Goodness, where do I begin?”
“Well, you're wrong. When the report came that you had passed away, I wasn't optimistic. And I sure as hell wasn't looking for ways to profit off it. It damn near destroyed me. And when I heard you were okay again? Auntie, I think that was the happiest and most unbelievable moment of my life.”
Letting out a long sigh, Celestia hung her head. “I… I know. I shouldn't have said any of that.”
“Well. You know, I think you're right, though,” Blueblood replied levelly. He was, to Celestia's shock, not nearly as furious with her as she felt he deserved to be. “I just… Auntie, I don't know where to begin. I think I am greedy for power, for a reputation, for something. Maybe I just want to be more than 'Celestia's rich and spoiled nephew.'”
“I… I'm sorry, Blueblood. I just don't know what to do anymore.”
“No, I'm sorry, too. I don't have reason to insult your friends or your choices like that,” Blueblood had risen—Celestia hadn't seen it with her eye watering and her gaze upon the marble counter, but she did feel the warm of his snout as he gave her a small nuzzle. “I… just don't get it, Auntie. Why Twilight, and not me? Don't you owe me that, at least?”
There was a box of tissues on the countertop, too, and Celestia brought one to her eye—to both eyes, she reminded herself, although truly only one needed it.
“Intuition,” she replied softly, feeling a blush of shame and hatred. “A… a gut feeling.”
Blueblood, for all the rage Celestia had been expecting, sounded disappointed instead. “That's… that's it?”
“Nothing more.”
“Huh. That's… upsetting.”
“Blueblood, I love you so much, but I raised you. I think that, at the end of things, there's just too much of myself in you for me to be able to trust you with the throne.”
iii
Celestia yawned as she stepped down from the gangplank of Blueblood's airship and onto the rain-swept 8th-story roof. She was wearing a scarf in place of her regalia, her mane bunched into a modest ponytail courtesy of some friend of Rarity's. She thought it looked quite nice, all things considered—youthful had been the word Rarity had used when describing to her friend just what look Celestia had been looking for. Celestia thought the goal had been accomplished nicely.
She'd be damned if she would ever touch her regalia again, after having spent so long out of it. It was just a reminder now, truly, and if she wanted to be seen as anything but a relic going forwards, it was a reminder she wouldn't need.
Two officers—a mare and a stallion—were already rushing through the door onto the roof, but their intensity evaporated the moment they saw Celestia and Blueblood marching towards them.
“You don't have authorization to park that there!” The mare officer said, gaping at the airship with its propellors still in the process of slowing to a halt.
“Well, good luck towing it,” Blueblood replied levelly, brushing effortlessly passed the officer. Celestia simply gave a sheepish, apologetic smile and continued to follow her nephew towards the still-open door.
“And just where are you going?” The second officer said—he sounded scared and unsure, and Celestia thought it rather respectable that he was so committed to his job so as to confront her anyways.
“I am going to collect Twilight Sparkle,” Celestia replied. “I aim to be in your hair for less than half-an-hour.”
Blueblood let out a snorting laugh as he followed her into the building, leaving two very alarmed looking officer's in their wake.
“Ma'am, I think you are mistaken!” the mare was calling after. “There is no such mare in any of our—”
“My dear, what is your name?” Celestia cocked her head as she started down the stairs.
“Officer Night Glider, ma'am, but I don't see—”
“A lovely name,” Celestia cut in. “Night Glider, neither me nor Blueblood have any intentions of leaving without my friend. If she is not in your possession, then she is therefore missing and possibly in danger. Either way, I have important business to attend to, and I would very much appreciate some help.”
The two officers shared a wary glance, before Night Glider finally conceded.
“I'll take you to my supervisor.”
And so, Celestia and Blueblood were thusly led down the steps to the roof and into the tall and modern brick building. As they were ushured along, Celestia found herself eyeing everypony and everything, trying to take as much of her world as possible. This was her first real insight towards how Flim Flam Industry's government were handling law enforcement, and she could see that it was at least in some strange way visually parallel. The telephones were the only thing she had noticed in abundance that seemed new to her, and she truly thought they were amazing and innovative devices anyways.
Most of the officers were younger, but when Celestia flared out her magic for her mind's eye to see, she recognized a few older older mares and stallions from her own guard. They all looked up at her from their desks in shock as she was led down the hall to the elevator. They looked as though they did not know whether to divert their gaze, or stand to attention.
One of them—who Celestia was fairly certain she had once tipsiley flirted with—she winked her inconspicuously artificial eye at. Perhaps it truly was impractical—she was still growing as blind as a bat, after all—had given her a great deal of her old confidence back, it seemed. She couldn't even remember why she hadn't gotten one immediately after she had recovered from doing battle with Nightmare Moon.
Something about penance? Goodness, it all seemed so juvenile to her now.
Eventually, the labyrinth of elevators and hallways brought her to the office of the Chief of the New Canterlot's Police Force.
Celestia gave a small smile in recognition at the name on the door as it was opened, and she and Blueblood were ushered into the modest office overlooking the concrete canyon that was New Canterlot.
“Good day, Lance Corporal Thundercloud,” she greeted, giving a polite bow of her head.
He gave a thin smile and curt nod. “Your eras are off, Miss Celestia. It's Commissioner Thundercloud, now.”
Celestia gave a small chuckle. “Yes, of course. How silly of me.”
Thundercloud had never really liked Celestia. She'd always known, even if she'd never understood why. He came from a noble background, and oftentimes ponies from such backgrounds had a tendency to dislike her for a long time after some misdeed she'd done to their ancestors. If she felt one of her courtiers did not have the best interests of her ponies in their minds, and they couldn't properly justify themselves to her, she didn't hesitate to excuse them from her court. She was a busy mare and she didn't have time to coddle greediness and classism. If her courtiers didn't have the interest of the public in their mind, she didn't have many of their interests in hers, and she thought that was rather fair.
“Now… to what do I owe the pleasure, Celestia?”
“You can cease with the patronizing pleasantries. You know exactly why I am here.”
On Commissioner Thundercloud's desk was a bottle of whiskey and a glass, and Celestia helped herself as she took a single step closer to the shocked stallion.
“I'm afraid I don't know,” Thundercloud replied.
Celestia brought a hoof to her snout. “My goodness, am I ever growing sick of you ponies. I am here for one reason. Twilight. Sparkle.” Celestia punctuated each word, as though it was the most important thing she'd ever said. “Where is she?”
“Presently? She is in our custody.”
“So then you do know why I am here.”
In the ensuing silence, Celestia took a seat before Thundercloud, setting her glass down.
“See, this isn't necessarily complicated,” Celestia said. “I understand your motives completely. You think that this move has given you some leverage over me. You think that Twilight Sparkle is now a tool for you to use with little consequence. To you, this is the equivalent of finally getting a pawn to my side of the board and you are excited about it.”
Celestia took a small sip from her whiskey, dancing a hoof around it for several seconds after she had set it down.
“But this isn't chess. It's not even politics. To me,” she continued, “...It is far more simple. You are blackmailing my friend with the ignorant belief that I am simply going to sit back and allow it to happen. I regret to inform you that this is a mistake on your part. For the last time, I ask you to do the sensible thing.”
“Ma'am, I think perhaps the best course of action on your part—”
Celestia nearly growled at the word 'ma'am', coming off the tongue of a pony who, when she had seen him last, had been little more than a guard fresh out of training—training that she had helped oversee.
“No, stop it,” Celestia cut in, bringing a hoof to her snout instead. “You're doing it again.”
Thundercloud blinked. “Ah… doing what, Ma'am?”
“You're patronizing me. Acting like I need to be spoken down to. As though I'm some feeble old mare in a rocker. Just who, precisely, do you think you are speaking to, here?” Celestia said. Beside her, Blueblood tensed.
“You aren't in any sort of position regardless, Thundercloud. You have no leverage at all over me. You've sugar-coated it nicely, but stripped down to it's core, I see this as a very simple affair, You have stolen something from me of irreplaceable value, and I am retaliating. Do you honestly think you an outsmart me, here? Captain, who do you think Equestria's ambassador was? Do you know how many hostage scenarios I've overseen? This isn't new or special to me. You ponies are textbook at best.
“Now, I'm going to tell you exactly what is going to happen and you are going to sit there and listen to your damn princess speak. You are going to leave this office. You will be gone anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour—and trust me, I'm being generous with that time—and then, that door will open and you will re-enter with Twilight Sparkle. Then, Twilight Sparkle, my nephew and I will leave you ponies, and there will be no further trouble. Is that abundantly clear for you, Captain?”
There was a moments silence, and then;
“What exactly is it you are threatening us with here, Princess Celestia?”
Celestia smiled. “Oh, Captain. If you really have to ask for specification, I think you should already know.”
iv
The prisoner visiting room of the New Canterlot Penitentiary wasn't quite different from a school cafeteria, Celestia thought. Or, at the very least, the layout reminded her of one—the atmosphere wasn't nearly as welcoming.
Largely deserted, the ponies who were there turned to look at Celestia with mild interest as she passed. She was perhaps an oddity, but they likely knew exactly who she was here to see.
Twilight, sitting in the corner of the room with her brother, was at least as much of an oddity, after all.
Her eyes grew wide in fear, her mane a disheveled mess of sweat, dirt, and uncleaned mascara. She looked less like Celestia's friend and partner, and more akin to a beaten dog.
Celestia bit her lip against another flare of fury, and gave Twilight an awkward smile instead.
“Got ourself into trouble, did we?”
Twilight didn't reply, her head sinking low. She looked to Celestia as though she would have rather vanish completely than bring her gaze upwards.
“Hey, Princess,” Shining Armor greeted. “You're looking… good, actually.”
“Shining Armor, I'm sincerely sorry.”
Shining Armor laughed. “And why might that be?”
“I made a promise to you that Twilight would be safe, and I've broken that promise.”
“Hm. Well, if it consoles you any...” Shining rose, looking up to meet Celestia's eyes. “I never really believed you anyways.”
The anger Celestia had been expecting was not present—Shining simply looked tired. Celestia couldn't imagine how long he'd been awake, fighting for his sister against a corrupt guard he no longer had control over.
“Well, I'll leave you two to talk alone,” Shining said, giving Celestia a final affirming nod. “You'd better call me when you can, Twily. You owe me that much.”
For a brief moment, Twilight glanced up, just enough to watch her brother leave. She was very deliberately avoiding Celestia's line of sight, as though part of her were wishing Celestia, too, would turn and leave her.
“Twilight. Look at me.”
“I don't want to. I know you're mad at me.”
“I'm not, Twilight. Look at me.”
Shakily, her gaze rose, a lip quivering as she did. With effort, she, too, met Celestia's eyes, and for sometime neither mare spoke.
“Do I look angry with you, Twilight?”
“N-no...”
“Mm. Then why do you look so frightened?”
“Oh, Celestia,” Twilight whispered, her voice weary and uneven, as though she'd been weeping. “I'm so, so sorry. I never thought—”
“Apologies and regrets do not solve issues,” Celestia said. “Nor repair mistakes.”
“Am I… going free?” Twilight posed, her head falling again.
“Yes.”
“On… on bail?”
Celestia sighed. “Yes, but they have given me some… conditions in order to allow it.”
Twilight blinked. “...oh?”
“They act like they are something I should fear, but truthfully, I do not. They want you to say that this whole ordeal was my endorsement to you.”
“Y… yeah.”
“As the kids say, 'go nuts,' Twilight. I approve of what you did, and I'm not going to lie and say otherwise.”
“You… you do?”
“Given the circumstances, yes. You don't belong in prison, and the alternative is far more appealing.”
“But… are you sure...Isn't it going to ruin you?”
“I sincerely doubt it.”
Twilight started to protest, but instantly her resolve failed. Her head sank, and she nodded slowly instead. “I… I guess you're right. I'll… I'll just add it to the list of stuff I've screwed up.”
“Don't be depressing, Twilight. Again, do I look angry?” Celestia replied. “Your trial is scheduled for the twenty first of this month, by the way.”
“That's in two weeks!” Twilight blurted.
“Yes, efficient, hm? I'd assume this is them 'striking while the burner is hot.'” Celestia illuminated her horn, centering her magic around the cuffs still linked to Twilight's hooves. In a moment, they had begun to glow with light, before fading completely. “Now, unless you wish to sit in this building all day… come along, Twilight Sparkle.”
“What… what about my stuff? They took my jacket and my notes and my—”
“It is on Blueblood's airship as we speak. It's waiting for us on the roof.”
And, indeed, it was—after Celestia and Twilight had been ushered up the endless stairs to the roof of the New Canterlot Police Department, the ship's engines were already spinning in anticipation for take-off. The gangplank lowered as they crossed the windy roof, the station's guards shuffling awkwardly as they did. It surely must have taken some level of effort to simply watch as a convicted criminal was escorted out of their jurisdiction, and Celestia had to respect their misplaced loyalty to their responsibilities.
Blueblood was waiting by the gangplank, and Twilight locked glares with him like two feral animals about to break into a fight for food.
Blueblood was the first to pipe up. “Yeah, that's an appropriate look to give the stallion who bailed your fat ass out.”
“You must be loving this,” Twilight replied. She gazed past Celestia to the long, porch-like deck stretching around the gondola of the airship. “I'm staying out here. I need some fresh air.”
Twilight stormed past Blueblood, angrily stomping her way towards the stern of the airship.
“I'm sorry,” Celestia offered to Blueblood. “She's been through a lot.”
“She's an idiot,” Blueblood retorted.
“I'm aware of your opinion about her,” Celestia sighed. “I'll try and talk to her. She shouldn't be treating you like that.”
“Uh huh.”
It was chilly on the back deck of the Phaethon, more so after she had dusted off from the station's roof and into the glowing yellow night, but the ship was big enough to fit a cozy little solarium on the very stern of the ship. Twilight was lingering within, sitting on a wicker chair and watching the passing streetcars four hundred feet below. Celestia imagined some part of her assertion was truthful, however—the fresh air truly would be preferable after spending the past several days in such a dingy cell.
“You truly shouldn't be so rude to Prince Blueblood,” Celestia said. “He did help you, you know.”
Twilight didn't answer immediately. A spark of light illuminated her as she lit a cigarette.
“I guess you're mad at me,” Twilight whispered, exhaling cigarette smoke from her snout as Celestia settled beside her. “I… I guess my time as your Crown Minister-to-be is done, right?”
“Is it?” Celestia replied. “And why do you figure that?”
“Because I'm a screw-up. I'm nothing. I just make problems that you have to solve, and keep putting you back into the crosshairs. No wonder you turned to your nephew.”
“Twilight, I didn't turn to anypony. You made that assumption all on your own. When did I ever tell you I was replacing you with Blueblood? Why would you even assume that?”
“I don't know. You're just...” Twilight rubbed her eyes. “I just don't know, Celestia. Why would anypony want me? He's right, you know. Your nephew. I really am nothing.”
Celestia cast a glance behind her. “My nephew is wrong about many things, and you are one of them.”
“No, he's not wrong. My whole life has just been a series of stupid moves and mistakes. No matter what I do, there's always… that feeling, you know? The… the inadequacy. Just constantly telling you how much you're letting everypony down. Always reminding you how the entire world sees you as a joke."
Biting a lip, Celestia looked away. She'd been expecting Shining Armor to talk to Twilight, but she hadn't quite been expecting his words to ground her so. “And how long have these feelings been plaguing you, Twilight? Forgive my rudeness, but they do not sound like healthy thoughts.”
“I'm not sure,” she replied, closing her eyes and exhaling deeply. “If I were to guess… it was when I failed my entry exam.”
A painful, electric chill shot through Celestia. “Oh.”
“It's just… Ever since I was a filly, I thought for sure that it was my destiny. We're told that, you know? Like, even when you do get your cutie mark, everypony makes you feel like you've got your whole life lined up for you. For years I went around, telling ponies how much I couldn't wait to practice to be the best magician in Equestria. To be like… like, Starswirl the Bearded or something. I suppose that sounds silly.”
“Starswirl the Bearded, the 'best magician in Equestria?' Quite silly indeed.” Celestia gave Twilight a playful nudge, but the unicorn barely reciprocated it.
“Well… you can imagine how crushing it was, when I failed. I went back to all my friends, and they all knew that I failed. I blankflanked my way through my childhood and got my cutiemark for an essay I wrote on one of Haycartes's old spells. How lame is that, right? I spent so long convincing myself I could be something, and I'm just… me.”
“I know that feeling. I know that may seem strange to you, but it is true.”
Twilight cocked her head, looking perplexed. “It is?”
“Ten years, Twilight Sparkle. Ten years I spent at their mercy. I do not speak of it, I pretend it bears no weight on me. But it does. I think about it often, and I wonder just how it had ended up this way. How could I have been so damn useless, for so long. All that had come before me, and now look where I am. Nothing is ever going to go back to the way things were. Those ponies in there, talking to me like I ought to be in some senior's home some place, too afraid to tell me that my time has come and gone. They look at me, and I know what they're thinking. 'You sad, useless old fool, why can't you just give up the damn ghost already?' Gods, it makes me so mad, and sometimes I'm afraid it's because I know that they're right. Take away the sun, and what am I, now?”
Celestia sighed. She could make out a field of blurred light that was Old Canterlot, the rain streaking down the solarium's tall window, capturing the light and projecting it before her as though it were a kaleidoscope in muddy monochrome. They weren't ascending to the lonely city, but it was still looming above them as they returned to Blueblood's condo.
“I… I didnt mean to rant,” Celestia said meekly, her gaze falling and tears welling in her cloudy eyes. “I'm sorry.”
“Celestia…” Twilight rose from the passenger seat of the airship and gave Celestia's shoulder a small nuzzle, which Celestia responded to with an outstretched wing pulling the unicorn even closer.
“I don't know whats wrong with me, Twilight Sparkle,” Celestia wept into Twilight's shoulder. “Why do I have to keep on failing those who matter to me? I promised your brother this wouldn't happen to you.”
“...I don't...” Twilight gulped. “I don't know how to answer that. But I can tell you that you are important. If you don't raise the Sun, Equus dies. It doesn't get anymore important than that.”
“Oh, hosh posh,” Celestia replied. “I have a few years, and you seem a quick learner. You gained the Moon with relative grace.” In her peripheral, she could see that Nightmare Moon had materialized again, but Celestia still wasn't about to give the apparition the luxury of her attention. “Soon, the only real reason I still have to even be here will be gone. I'm terrified of what will happen then. I'm already just so tired of it all. Did I ever tell you the details of how I escaped from Flim Flam Industry, Twilight?”
“N-no, actually. Huh. I guess I should've asked.”
“Mm. I tricked them. I told them that, if they were to allow me to write a scroll for them to raise the sun, then they could finally execute me and shut down their million-bit operation keeping me and the Sun alive.”
“That's… that's terrifying.”
“Do you know what the truly unsettling thing is?” Celestia rubbed her snout. “I wanted to write them their scroll. Just... give up the Sun and the responsibility and simply be done with it all. I wanted to so much."
“Well, if I have anything to say about it, I'm not going to let anypony hurt you again.”
“Yes, but that won't change what I may think about myself,” Celestia said, rubbing sleep and tears from her eyes. “Goodness, listen to me. I really do belong in a home.”
“Celestia, where is all this coming from?”
“You scared me. When I received your call, I had no idea what had happened. I didn't know if you were even…” Celestia let out a long sigh. “It sounds silly to say alive, but I was frightened.”
“Oh come on! I wouldn't—”
“Would you have ever guesses what had happened with me would have happened?” Celestia cut in. “Better yet, do you think my mind went to a logical place when it became apparent you were in danger?”
“There's no way they would—” Twilight felt her throat catch and the rest of her sentence stalled. The same words, phrased a hair differently, had been shot at her by her own brother, and now here they were again. “I'm sorry, Celestia.”
“It is fine, because it made me aware of something: I've been biding my time for too long. I've driven us into some sort of stalemate cold war, and it was in this strange mockery of peace that action was taken that was not my own. You began to fear my silence, and you lashed out. Flim Flam Industry did the same, and another problem presented itself for me to fix. Another problem in a sea or problems that at the end of the day can be all narrowed down in some way to my doing. But I'm not going to stand idly about any longer.”
“Then… where are we going?”
Celestia managed a small smile, and withdrew Twilight's journal from her pocket. “You gathered research worth arresting you over. Why would you not pursue it?”
“Uh... alright,” Twilight managed, looking quite taken aback. “But... before we do, I think there’s somepony you should meet.”
It was a gaze Celestia had seen before, and part of her knew before she had spoken who Twilight was referring to.
“Hello again, sister.”
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IT LIVES!
I'll read it soon!
its*
You are on a roll, bro.
derpicdn.net/img/view/2014/3/6/567691__safe_artist-colon-felixpheonix66_prince+blueblood_princess+celestia_twilight+sparkle_hug_jealous_sad_winghug.jpeg
I hope he doesn't, but if Blueblood ever turns on Celestia, it just might be because she's giving him ample reason to.
Not just the above, but she also accused him of being happy when Cadance died. By the way, he didn't deny that, which should sound some alarm bells.
Now that's positive side of Tirek. Where would these miracles of technology be if not for his magic suction.
What would happen if Celestia tried to cause some chaos and get to talk with all of minor position ponies they meet? Since those at the top are proving themselves least reliable anyway. Besides, her current moves are rather predictable for tracking.
That End!
Very surprised to see this update!
Except I'm not because I preread it.
8690111
Do us all a favor and tell the asshat of an author to update more frequently, eh?
8690131
Tell him to listen to me more often first, faget.
He's been out for a rip for pretty long to go this far between updates, eh?
Great update! Please don't tske so long between chapters though! I was almost lost and had to go back a chapter to get a handle on the story again !
Oh! How exciting; let the intrigue continue!
I wonder what they will talk abou
Awesome, a new chapter! It's been long enough (and I've read enough other fics) that I've forgotten some of the details of this story – but I do remember it being damn good, and it still is.
Have a mistake correction as a welcome-back-from-hiatus present:
*Past midnight, About to go to sleep
*Sees Synthetic Bottled Sunlight Updated
SLEEP IS FOR THE WEAK.
Now the real plot begins.
Well, this is going to be something else. Loved the previous chapter with Twi and NMM. This was like the perfect end to a two part season finale.
Here’s to next season and find out what will happen with these three. Omg btw on the casual inclusion of Rarity btw.
How is the seventh of the current month two weeks away?
How is somepony who hasn't had their trial a convicted criminal?
6693616
Can we have that backstory? I'd be interested.
I think you'll want to take out the "Twilight's and" there, to make this make a bit more sense
Thank you for the lovely new chapter.
Sounds like Celestia is gearing up for some direct action! Love it. And now she's going to be talking with Nightmare Moon? Ohhhh man, these next few chapters are going to get really interesting, really fast!
Every time I see this update I end up going back and reading the entire thing over and every time it sucks me in just as excellently.
Phenomenal story, can’t wait for more!
I love the cover art! Can you send me a link to the artist?
8735767
Could’ve sworn I sourced it properly. My bad!
8736725
I keep clicking on the link, but the page shows up broken.
This looks good. 2 1/2 years and still not done? That is a story I will read and keep reading.
8977857
Really sorry about my crummy update frequency. Should be wrapping up sooner than later, as there's only several more chapters planned.
8977858
Hmm. Ok then.
Oh god, this story is amazing. Very well written, and much more optimistic than I first thought.
9002800
Thanks for your praise. Characters finding hope and optimism in the dreariest of places is one of the most satisfying things an author can write, so reading your comment really made my night.
I always swear "this is the last time I get into an unfinished fic," but in the end I can never help myself when something looks good.
OF COURSE it has to end with what is probably the singular cliffhanger of the story, and the last update was half a year ago.
Just kill me, fam.
9027004
Won’t be necessary, I’m back to writing this story and making great progress.
Haven't read in a long while but this story is still amazing. My interest in pony has pretty much died but I still really enjoy your stories. Can't wait for more.
Wow, this was still on my pile after almost a year!
Celestia and Twi both seem so broken.
It feels like the only way to fix all of this would be with time travel like in the finale, but on the other hand, wouldn't that simply erase them? 
9027085
Four months later...
Hoping that we’ll see the next chapter soon D:
Why does this happen every goddamn time
However long it'a been, I do presume that writing a 6K+ word chapter takes time, especially with this ongoing plot...
Jesus this is so GOOD! I was not expecting this story to be going the way it has, thought it would be more silly and... "eh", due to the description. But damn if this isn't gritty and intriguing, I can't believe it's taken me so long to find it. Can't wait for more!
Over a year since a update. Officially dead at this point.
9027085
...soooo, anything new to report on?
Norris, I don't care how much your sweet little lies cost, but I need you to tell me just when 'eventually' is. The cliffhanger kills the man.
Oh man, this is getting good!
Will there be any more updates to the story?
Also, apparently Luna was redeemed by Twilight Sparkle herself?
It seems the events of the canon show's entirety have not occurred, with the Elements of Harmony never discovered. Darn, I kind of wanted a redeemed Discord and maybe a Starlight Glimmer and Trixie. Honestly, there may be a different prospect with the entire canon existing in this alternate universe.
But hey, this is a great concept with all of the canon history probably needing to be redone with alternate methodology.
I love it!
Just finish rereading this story, it's still just as good as the first time I started reading. As well as the second and the third time.
This story has a very melancholic feeling to it, overall depressing story but with that glimmer of hope on the horizon. The same glimmer of hope that one day might see an update to this story :)
My favorite part of this conversation between Celestia and Blueblood. Knowing definitively that he really does care for her and is willing to admit his own desires, and even, surprisingly, ultimately accepting Celestia's once-and-for-all declaration that no, he wasn't going to be her pick, but she still loved him. Really cool all around. =)
I must say. Celestia's sanctimoniousness is really starting to piss me off.