Aftermath
“Though the prevalence of anecdotal evidence gathered via interviews with the local populace does suggest some kind of upward trend in general magical capability in all three major pony races, whether that magic be expressed internally, as with earth ponies and pegasi, or externally, as with unicorns, all of that evidence remains anecdotal, and thus circumstantial at best. If we can secure the necessary funds, we would like to conduct a large-scale survey of the populace, optimally seeking to find pairs of ponies who demonstrated comparable ability before Tirek’s attack, but afterward…”
Celestia suppressed a sigh as the stallion in the lab coat, a magic researcher by the name of Significant Digit, carried on with his explanation of the project they hoped the Crown would fund. Outwardly she maintained her usual serene smile, designed to assure anypony she dealt with that yes, she was listening, and yes, she really did care, no matter how frustratingly obtuse their point turned out to be. Not that she wasn’t interested, of course. The fact that some ponies actually found their personal magic, whatever form it took, stronger after the defeat of Tirek was a fascinating puzzle, and one she’d quite like to know the answer to.
Unfortunately, she had already reached that decision ten minutes ago, but the researcher always seemed to somehow have yet more to say.
The younger alicorn seated to her left, however, clearly had no such troubles with his verbosity. In fact, her questions were a major factor in just how long this presentation had gone on.
“While I understand that this is a general survey and not a formal test of your theories, I’m curious about the hypothesis you mentioned earlier—I take it you based the ‘more than the sum of the parts’ concept on an expansion of the Houyhnhnm-Schleswig theorem of…”
Unlike her mentor, Twilight was only too happy to spend twenty minutes, at a bare minimum, discussing obscure formulae and theories about the nature of magic with a fellow expert in the field. Oh, certainly, Celestia understood the laws of magic on an intuitive level, and had experience enough to comprehend any text on the matter, given some time to study it. However, she had always found wielding magic beyond that of the average unicorn to be a very personal experience, one best understood through personal growth and revelation.
Describing it in mathematically precise terms was an exercise Celestia left to Twilight, though her sister was just as fond of precision as her former student. Thus far, however, Twilight had unfortunately not had opportunity to approach Luna on the subject, their occasional meetings either occurring during emergencies or as part of a larger social gathering.
Celestia had just begin distracting herself from the unending discussion of arcane theory by pondering ways she might arrange more private interaction between the two, and imagining what might come of it, when motion from the corner of the room caught her eye. There, at a side entrance, her personal cook had apparently just pushed her way into the room, and was waiting impatiently.
Oh, sun above, an excuse at last. Merry, I could kiss you.
Celestia cleared her throat just as Digit began to respond to Twilight’s latest query. Both ponies stopped and turned their attention to her.
“While the discussion has been fascinating, it seems the palace staff has prepared a lunch, and are becoming a bit impatient with us. I’d hate to allow these ponies’ hard work to go to waste by letting it grow cold.” She gave a smile to the cook, then turned back to the petitioner. “Mister Digit, we thank you for your presentation, and the crown sees fit to grant you the funds to pursue further research. All we ask is that you submit the proposition and abstract for your research, in full, for review beforehand — care of Princess Twilight Sparkle.”
The researcher bowed and began thanking her profusely, while one of the Royal Guard’s court attendees collected his tripod and display board, and began gently guiding him towards the door. Celestia breathed a sigh of relief. Mister Digit was excited to pursue his research, Twilight would be excited to read all about his research, and Celestia would be happy to not have to read about any of his research. She would gladly wait for Twilight or Luna to get their hooves on the final results and share a much-abridged version with her.
Her ponies might think of her as scholarly, but that was just because living for centuries gave one quite the knowledge base to draw on. Celestia was much more one for creativity — how ironic that, over time, she’d become known for a school of magic, while her sister had become known as a patron of the arts.
“Court will now hold mid-day recess! The clerk will still call you by number, so feel free to partake of the refreshments provided at the hall entrance. You won’t lose your place.”
The herald calling out the announcement to those petitioners waiting out in the great hall brought Celestia from her musings on history’s treatment of her, and she stood, fighting the urge to stretch until she and Twilight had made their way into the hallway to the dining room. Perhaps if she’d been alone that day, she’d have given in, but she was, in theory, serving as an example for Twilight. If she was going to relax and be casual, it should be in private.
“Thank you again for letting me do this, Pri— I mean, Celestia,” Twilight said as she trotted along behind her mentor. “I know I’m supposed to have a kingdom of my own, but…”
“It’s quite all right, Twilight,” Celestia said, laughter in her voice. “It can be overwhelming at first, I know. I was no better prepared than you when Luna and I accepted the thrones.”
Twilight shook her head. “That I can hardly believe. You, not ready for this?”
“I wasn’t!” Celestia objected. “Until that point, Luna and I were adventuring. Certainly, we took on responsibilities when we found ponies in need, and we fought in defense of others, but is that really so much more than what you had done until you earned your wings?”
“That’s not the same at all.”
“Isn’t it? We fought Tirek, the windigo, and Discord, negotiated peace with the zebras and griffons, and used our powers to help those in need. You faced Nightmare Moon, Discord, and the changelings, negotiated a peaceful solution to conflict with a dragon and the buffalo, and, with your friends, have helped those in need.” Celestia smiled. “You aren’t off to a bad start, Twilight. You’re just comparing your first year to my thousandth.”
Twilight sighed, but smiled back. “I guess you’re right. Still, I appreciate you allowing me to attend Court with you. I still have a lot to get used to, there.”
“And, as Cadance rightly pointed out, it introduces others to the idea that you’re the princess of an allied power, exactly like she is.”
“And that is an idea I’ll never get used to.”
“I know you have no interest in a political divide between our kingdoms, Twilight, but some of the ponies you deal with will put great stock in these sort of political technicalities, such as the fact that you are and I are the rulers of principalities rather than kingdoms, regardless of what terminology has been in common use for centuries.” Celestia paused and looked up at the approach of a Royal Guard. “Yes, corporal?”
The golden-armored unicorn snapped a salute. “I’m sorry to interrupt, your highnesses, but you have a visitor.”
Twilight glanced behind them towards the throne room. “We just came from Court, though.”
“A request for a private audience, Princess,” the guard clarified to Twilight, and then passed a scroll to Celestia in his magic.
Celestia unwound the scroll. “Duchess Silver Reign? How peculiar.”
“Silver Reign?” Twilight asked.
“From Armaneia, a small nation between Equestria proper and Saddle Arabia. Her holdings include a city very important to trade between our nations, and so she’s certainly in a position to demand an audience with me.” Celestia frowned. “Armaneia has never sent a delegation here without contacting us ahead of time, however. I can’t imagine what this could be about.”
“Ah.” Twilight kept a neutral smile on her face, but couldn’t help her ears drooping at the news. “I guess that’s it for today, then?”
Celestia shook her head and smiled at her. “Influential enough for an audience, yes. To demand it be a private one? Not quite. I think this will prove another excellent learning experience for you.” Her smile fell a bit as she glanced down the hall towards the dining room. “Though I may have to impress upon her that we are overdue for another appointment…”
Twilight returned Celestia’s smile, and the two of them allowed the guard to lead them down the halls towards the private meeting chambers. Once there, he opened the doors for the two princesses and stood aside, waiting at the ready and prepared to meet any threat. Celestia thanked him for his service as she and Twilight passed, and the door was quietly shut behind them.
When Celestia’s eyes adjusted from the sunlit halls to the candle-light of the private inner chamber, she found not the opulence typical of the Duchess, but a small group of ponies hidden within travelling cloaks. Immediately, she was on guard, though she kept her face neutral, and only a pony very close to her would have noticed the difference. And indeed, Twilight seemed troubled by the change. A quick hard glance was enough to convince the younger alicorn to remain silent for the moment, however, and then she turned her attention back to their visitors.
The figure beneath the cloak looked enough like the Duchess, and it was certainly not unusual for her to keep a retinue. However, the cloaks themselves were a part of what troubled Celestia — while finely made, they were in an outdated style, and looked worn. Silver was obsessed with being the height of fashion, to the point that she would have a fashion designer and tailor accompany her on her visits, and refuse to be seen in public until she wore something yet unseen in Canterlot. And she would never allow a travelling cloak, no matter how expensive, to conceal her prized jewelry.
And beyond the clothing and accessories themselves, what was lacking was a sense of extravagance. In her own thoughts, Celestia sometimes found herself comparing the Duchess to Rarity—if Rarity were lacking most of her positive qualities, and her flaws exaggerated to make up the difference. It was totally unlike her to appear in a manner so subdued.
The list of creatures who would attempt this sort of deception was a rather short one.
“I had hoped this would be a private affair, Princess,” the Duchess said, with a slight rasp in her voice.
“I do apologize. I might have arranged something ahead of time, had you given me your usual notice. However, I have absolute faith and trust in Twilight. Anything you could tell me, you may tell her.” Celestia paused and fixed her gaze on the most prominent cloaked figure. “How about you, though? You sound a bit unwell.”
“At death’s door, I assure you.” The Duchess chuckled darkly. “Oh well. It’s not like I can keep this up much longer, no matter what the circumstances.” The room was silent as Celestia stared down the group, and Twilight looked back and forth between her mentor and their guests, until finally the Duchess spoke again. “Once all is revealed, do not be too quick to act. This is not an attack, but a plea for sanctuary.”
Celestia narrowed her eyes at those words, but they opened in shock as a wave of green fire rippled across the entire group of cloaked ponies. The hoods of the cloaks fell away from a few of the smaller figures, while what had been presenting itself as the Duchess was now as tall as Celestia — and was the unmistakable shiny black of changeling carapace. That she was speaking to the changeling queen and some of her minions was no great surprise. That they would reveal themselves so openly, however, was.
Before Celestia could react, Twilight was between her and the changelings, her horn already shining with a purple and white glow. Celestia could not see Twilight’s face, but she could see the changeling queen’s reaction to it.
Whatever Chrysalis saw there made her recoil, green light shimmering across her own horn. A quarter-circle of green flame arose between the ponies and the changelings, a faint light in a matching color glowing in the air above it—something Celestia recognized as a rudimentary barrier. For Chrysalis to use such trivial magic against the amount of power Twilight was holding, her machinations would have to be reliant upon risking her life against the young princess…
Or the deathly fear Celestia saw in her eyes was earnest, and she simply lacked the strength to defend herself. She briefly hoped Twilight would reach the same conclusion, but already she could feel the magical attack taking shape.
Celestia gasped. “Twilight, stop!” She lunged forward, light from her horn spreading across the edge of her wing. She stretched that wing towards Twilight, praying she could disrupt the spell her former student had readied. With the strength Twilight had developed, even such a hasty spell could pose dangerous if released into a confined space.
As the magical charge began to form into a blast of magic, Celestia’s feathers brushed Twilight’s mane. Twilight let out a shriek and threw her head back as yellow energy crackled across her back, from the tip of her horn, down her spine to the end of her tail. Celestia winced at the pain she’d caused, but it was a necessary evil to disrupt casting with a pony of Twilight’s capability.
Despite Celestia’s efforts, Twilight released her spell, though misaimed and lacking proper focus. It struck Chrysalis’s barrier with a brilliant multicolored flash and, with the sound of shattering glass, continued on to scorch the wall above the changelings’ heads. Once the blinding light had faded, Chrysalis lay on the ground, apparently unconscious but breathing, with her changeling retinue clustered around her.
As soon as Celestia was certain none of the changelings had been killed or injured by Twilight’s spell, she rounded on the younger alicorn to demand an explanation, then paused when she saw Twilight’s wide, damp eyes.
Celestia let out a deep breath and approached Twilight, kneeling beside her and pulling her close in one wing. “Twilight, be calm. She isn’t a threat like this. See what is before you, not what you fear.”
“But you…” Twilight shook her head, then closed her eyes and pressed herself against Celestia, who continued holding her under one wing.
At that moment, the door burst open and a half-dozen royal guards rushed into the room, placing themselves between Celestia and the changelings, spears leveled at the huddled group.
“Everypony stop,” Celestia commanded. “At ease.”
The guards gave her confused glances over their shoulders, but obeyed, bringing their spears back to a resting position.
Celestia took a calming breath, then nudged Twilight. “Stand with me,” she whispered to her, before rising back to her full height. After a moment, Twilight rose and stood beside her, though her eyes remained downcast, and she didn’t look towards Celestia.
Celestia spared Twilight a concerned look, then turned back to the changelings. “Chrysalis claimed to seek sanctuary,” she proclaimed to all present. “And I am inclined to believe her. Clearly, some great catastrophe has befallen the changeling race, and I cannot imagine that they would have come to us for aid unless their queen saw no other recourse. While they were our enemies in the past, I do not see enemies before me now—I see refugees. Regardless of past conflict, it would betray everything our kingdom has stood for if we were to turn against them now.”
Celestia could feel Twilight’s attention return to her finally as she stepped in front of her guards to stand before the changelings directly.
“This does not mean I will not take prudent action. Changelings, you and your queen will be cared for, insofar as we are capable of doing so. However, you will also remain within the palace, in our custody, until a path forward has been found.” She turned to the guards. “Take them to the Western tower, and avoid the main halls. I would rather this remain contained for now. Be wary, but try to treat them as guests rather than prisoners. Inform Princess Luna, as well.”
Under the watchful eyes of the changelings, two of the guards lifted Chrysalis in their magic, and then a group of them herded the changelings out through the door, leading them through back halls towards the Western end of the palace.
Celestia glanced to the remaining guards. “If you would be so kind as to secure the way to my chambers, I think Twilight and I could do with some solitude. Send word to Prince Blueblood and the chancellor that Court has ended for the day due to a delicate matter of foreign affairs demanding my attention.” She paused, and sighed. “And give my apologies to Merry Hearth, and ask her to bring our lunch to my chambers.”
Stats
Page generated in 0.026 seconds
Total duration
1,065 users online
1,942,977 hits today, 2,561,572 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Really nice start. Hoping to read more you tease
7295015
I have the second chapter written, and the third nearly done, and expect it to run for about 12-15 chapters. I was planning on spreading them out a bit instead of just posting as I finish them, that way I get them out at a more consistent pace.
7295026 so is this a Twilight x Polyarmory? Cause its been added to the folders of Twilight x Chrysalis,
Twilight x Luna, and Twilight x Celestial in the Twilights Marek/Harem group
If not, then which shipping is it?
7295624
Spoilers, because I want to tease things a while before the final outcome plays out: It actually shouldn't be in that group at all. Twilight isn't shipped in this one at all, but will be in a potential sequel, if I wind up deciding to write it.
7295705 then you should request it be removed
Hmm, interesting start, can't wait to read more. *prepares some love soup for Chryssie*
7295705
I'll file this under Read Later, and I'll probably have to read whatever the final chapter is before I read the rest. Never liked starting a Romance-tagged story without knowing what ship(s) might be sailing.
Speaking of which, I'm still waiting for the shipfic follow-up to Passing the Time. I can always hope!
But is the ship among the tagged characters?
I'm surprised the other changelings didn't try to stand in front of Chrysalis or more vocal about what happened to their queen. Chrysalis will have an interesting tale to tell once she gains consciousnesses.
Curious! Solid enough first chapter, and I want to see more. :)
Strange that the chapter publish date is the 16th of December, 2015. It threw me for a second until I saw that the story itself was published only recently.
7300751
I was publishing them to the story as I wrote them, but waiting until I had a few ready to go before submitting it. I've been juggling multiple projects, so the first three will be out in relatively short order, then it'll be slowing down after that.
7300787
I figured it was something like that. Looking forward to the next few! :)