1.23- Pride of the Lion
Pride of the Lion
Mattias had maneuvered the Sanguinium Martyres to a flanking position alongside the Empress’ flagship. With Inqusitional armaments it might have stood a chance against one of the Astartes ships, it could do little against several dozen of them supported by the most powerful mobile fortress in the Imperial arsenal, so it would be best to take up a supporting position... or at least one where they could dart forward for a glorious sacrifice so the Empress might survive.
“Open comms,” he said to his communication officer. There was a pause before the connection broke through. “Empress, this is Inquisitor Mattias.”
“Inquisitor,” the Empress said. “Have you alerted your Deathwatch teams to the situation?”
“They are focused on the last of the Greenskins, Empress,” Mattias said. “None of the assigned Marines are Dark Angels or successors, so we do not have to worry about a potential mutiny if this gets out of hand.”
“Good, good. Keep close to us so that we do not lose communication, and I may like you to come aboard should this escalate further.”
“Inquisitor Mattias!” another communications officer called. “We’re receiving a communication from the Rock.” Mattias paused. The Dark Angels would not single out a single Inquisition ship, so it was most likely a general broadcast. That should go over well with the more trigger-happy members of our fleet.
“Put it through,” he said. “Let’s see what the Dark Angels have to say.” the communications officer nodded before keying in a response, static buzzing over the speakers before the communication began.
“To the fleet orbiting Caesaria,” a deep, commanding voice said. “I am the Lion, Primarch of the Dark Angels and loyal servants of the Imperium and the Emperor. Had we met on less dubious occasions I would congratulate you on your victory over the Greenskins, but I will refrain until the issue set before us is settled: that of your leader, the so called Empress of Mankind.”
Nope, definitely won’t go over well.
“My demands are simple: this Empress must come aboard the Rock, alone and unarmed, so that I may decide for myself is she really is the Emperor Reborn. If she is who she claims she is, I will bend the knee and pledge the Dark Angels to your Crusade. If she does not, we shall destroy your fleet and all who swear loyalty to the traitor.
“You have twenty four hours to respond. Fail to respond by that time, and you will be fired upon.” with that the message ceased. There was silence aboard the bridge of the Sanguinium Martyres, communications officers looking to Mattias for guidance. He said nothing before communication to the Empress’ flagship was resumed.
“Inquisitor Mattias,” the Empress said.
“Empress.”
“Bring your squad and cutter to my ship at once.” Mattias had no chance to speak before the Empress terminated the call. Mattias’ hand tightened, a vain attempt to release some of the tension left in his body.
“The cutter is ready for transit and your squad has been alerted, Lord Mattias,” another officer said.
“Good.” Mattias composed himself before turning. “Let them know I’ll be right down. In the meantime, keep all power in our shields and do not activate macro-batteries unless the Dark Angels fire.”
“Yes, Lord Mattias.” Mattias continued on down the hall, hands still balled up. He had no time to grab his weapons or armor, and so would have to rely on other skills for now.
Then, what skills can be used against a battlefleet commanded by a stubbornly loyal Primarch?
Mattias spoke to no one until he stepped out into the hangar. The cutter had been prepared, Magos Arryl’s servitors loading the last of the machinery while his henchmen checked their weapons. Angelique was staring off into space, perhaps observing the Dark Angels through some psychic power, and said nothing until Mattias drew close.
“The lion roars as the eye gathers below the petals of the flower,” Angelique said. “The mare plucks the thorns away, so they may see themselves truly.”
“We heard about the fleet,” Nikolai said as he plugged the power pack into his hellgun. “Are we coordinating with the Empress?”
“Yes and no,” Mattias said. “Lion El’Jonson himself has delivered an ultimatum: the Empress speaks with him, or he blows the entire fleet to scrap metal.”
“The bite of the lion is strong; the slash of the raven clean.” Angelique said.
“I had read stories of the Dark Angels’ Primarch being a bit... blunt.” Alexis said. “Pray hope that the Empress might be able to temper him.”
“I’m sure she will, but that is not for us to decide.” Mattias brushed past his henchmen and onto the cutter. “My guess is that the Empress will use this vessel to head to the parley... let’s just hope the pilot interface is compatible with her powers, or it will be a short journey for all of us.”
“Well, we’ll be here to steer her straight.” Alexis said, smiling. His smile faded as the realization came over him. “Unless... the Empress is going alone...”
“As per the Dark Angels’ commands, if she does decide to parley.” Mattias sighed. “Had I more foresight I would have arranged a little more contact with the Western Imperium, so we could better understand the Dark Angels in these hours... I guess we just have to rely on our own intuition.”
“And hellguns, if things go to the Warp quicker than we think.” Alexis said. Mattias sighed, but at least the Valhallan was keeping his spirits up... somewhat.
“I do not think it will come to that, but we must be prepared for everything.” Mattias replied. “Come, we have tarried here long enough.”
...
Twilight and the Sisters had hurried down to the hangar after they had finished with her armor, deftly dodging through crowds of crewmen and soldiers as they prepared for possible action against the Dark Angels. Moving in the armor was much easier than Twilight had thought it would be, especially once she had gotten her undersuit on, and she found herself darting through the halls at a pace that would have put her preconditioning self to shame.
She might have given Applejack or Rainbow Dash a run for her money, but that could be considered wishful thinking.
Their journey took several minutes of darting and diving through the halls before they finally came to the main hangar. Around Twilight, fighters and bombers were loaded up with weaponry in preparation for a possible attack, hundreds of missiles and bombs arrayed around her while servitors prepared their warheads. Celestia could not be seen, though she could make out the telltale silhouette of Mattias’ cutter as it rested near the entrance to the hangar. That’s probably where Celestia will be.
“Come on girls!” she called. “We might make it to the Empress in time before things get further out of hand.” the Sisters nodded and followed after Twilight, armor rattling as they kept their pace. Most of the crewmen and servitors preparing the attack aircraft were swift to part for the Sororitas and Twilight, but a few suffering from brain locking needed a bit more encouragement before one of the Sisters trampled it in their rush to find the Empress.
Another minute of running, and Twilight spotted Celestia standing before the cutter. Corax and several Custodes were on her left, the Primarch looking a bit more cross than usual, while Mattias and his group stood to Celestia’s right, discussing something Twilight could not hear. Twilight slowed her pace before calling. “Empress!”
“Tara,” Celestia looked back for a brief instant before turning her attention back to the cutter. “I do not remember calling you down here.”
“Some of the officers said this is where you’d be, so I came here to help.” Twilight said, pausing to catch her breath before speaking. “I haven’t heard much else, though. Will the Dark Angels attack?”
“Unlikely as of now,” Corax said. “The Lion was many things, but he was never one to engage an enemy without proper scouting beforehand... though I do not agree with the Empress giving in to his demands so easily.”
“If it means that we are spared pointless bloodshed, so be it.” Celestia replied.
“What demands?” Twilight asked.
“The Dark Angels have requested an audience with the Empress aboard their fortress,” Mattias explained. “Unfortunately for us, that audience is the Empress alone and unarmed.” Twilight held back a small gasp.
“That... seems needlessly paranoid.”
“That sentence is quite fitting concerning the Dark Angels, but that’s not the point.” Mattias turned to the Empress. “With all due respect, your majesty, stepping onto the Rock alone and defenseless is far too risky: if the Dark Angels are deployed for war, they could very well use it as an attempt to capture or assassinate you without further resistance.”
“While I appreciate your concern, you are still approaching this as if I were a normal diplomat.” Celestia shook her head. “I have been absent for fifteen millennia, but I still trust the Lion will not raise his blade against the fleet unless he is completely certain it is a battle worth fighting.” Corax opened his mouth to speak, but Celestia shot him a short glare. “That requires full confidence on both sides, Corax; even with your ability to remain unseen, there is too much risk if you are discovered before I can talk the Dark Angels down, should you choose to accompany me. I must go alone.”
“... As you say, Empress.” Corax muttered, turning away as Celestia looked to Mattias.
“Your cutter is ready for transit?” Mattias gave a short nod of affirmation. “Good. I shall return once I am finished. Tara?”
“Yes, Empress?” Twilight asked, rocking on her feet.
“Keep an eye on the fleet. Perhaps this is a time when a less warlike approach is needed.” Twilight blinked a few times, her eyes darting between Celestia, Corax, and Mattias for any sign of relief. Sensing none, she merely gave a short nod.
“I’ll do my best.” she said.
“That is all we can ask for.” Celestia replied. “You know your duties: see to it that they are carried out.” With that Celestia strode onto the cutter, the door closing behind her and leaving the others waiting outside. Corax was already moving off through the hangar, leaving behind Twilight, Mattias, his squad, and the Sisters.
“Orders, Tara?” Sister Naomi asked from behind her.
“The Empress just asked me to keep an eye on the fleet, not command it.” Twilight said, stepping to the side slightly so she could face both Mattias and his group and the Sisters. “I doubt Corax will start a fight, but I should probably stick close to him in case he has any further concerns... Any more concerns than usual.”
“No doubt a wise course of action. I will be here in the event that you need me.” Mattias paused for a moment as he regarded Twilight. “... New armor?”
“Yes,” Twilight looked down at herself. “The Empress wanted me to stay protected in the event I get into trouble like... last time...”
“Fitting.” Mattias nodded. “Should all go well with the Dark Angels, perhaps it will help to endear you to them once they are worked into the fleet.”
...
Celestia had shed her armor, adjusting the sleeve of her dress uniform as she waited for the cutter to dock aboard the Rock. The Dark Angels had respected the ceasefire, allowing her to travel under her own power for at least part of the last leg of her journey.
How they would deal with her once she arrived, though, would remain to be seen. And there was always the concern that one commander of either fleet might get it into their head to do something... rash.
The cutter gave a small shake as it finally docked, Celestia rising to her feet as she walked towards the main entrance. She paused only to regard her armor, allowing a small part of her power to cloak it from view. That task complete, she continued on towards the door, taking a small breath before opening it to the outside.
She was not even surprised to find almost an entire company’s worth of Terminators waiting for her.
“Is this what has become of the First Legion?” she asked, eyeing the massed ranks of white-clad Marines before her. “Have you grown so paranoid that one person requires most of your strength to subdue?” the Deathwing did not answer her, barely wavering in their resolve to stare her down. At least that is commendable. Celestia said nothing more as a blue-clad Astartes stepped forward, the Librarian eyeing her up and down for a moment.
“So you are the one who claims to be the Emperor Reborn.” the Astartes said.
“Yes, I am she.” Celestia replied. “I understand that tensions are high, so please escort me to the Lion so that I may prove my identity as the Master of Mankind.” there was a pause, the Dark Angels looking to one another before Celestia spoke again. “Is something the matter?”
“... No matter.” the Librarian said. “Come, the Primarch is expecting you.” Celestia nodded, stepping into the hangar as the Deathwing Marines formed up behind her. She remained silent, keeping her eyes ahead so as to avoid drawing further suspicion from the Dark Angels.
The caverns of The Rock appeared unchanged, sweeping upward into darkness as Celestia and her escort moved further. It was far quieter than expected, with only the sound of boots against rock and ceramite echoing through the caverns. Celestia did not mind- if anything, it was a relief from the cacophony of religious hymns and machinery that filled her ships during the current Crusade.
In time, they would be silenced as well, but only when the Imperium was willing to accept her lack of divinity.
As she mused on the thought, she felt something shift to her side. A void, almost, gliding through the ranks of the Terminators as it drew closer to her. She allowed only a side glance as a little figure dressed in green robes stepped from the shadows, the creature gliding up to her side as she walked. It made no noise, even its feet silent against the ground, and while the psychic void prevented her from truly seeing it for what it was, she could feel that the creature was watching her... It and several more of its fellows that glided past, some moving to join the first alongside Celestia.
An odd escort, but then Celestia had learned to avoid dismissing such omens.
“The Watchers draw close to you,” the Librarian said from ahead. “Do not consider it a sign of favor, for they often draw close to those who may yet present a threat.” Oh, you have no idea, Celestia thought, but she remained silent as the Watchers of the Dark continued to escort her.
As they walked, Celestia could hear new sounds. Not that of machinery or Astartes, but... voices. Screams. Cries for mercy that would never be answered. The effect had, perhaps, been enhanced by her psychic powers, the walls themselves resonating the sound to her as she walked along. She would have peered further, but the effect grew stronger the further in they ventured, and the nulling void of the Watchers was one that she did not intend to test.
Interned on the Throne, she had often searched for an answer to the Dark Angels’ actions. Now, she had full proof of what happened within the darkened halls of the Rock. All that remained, perhaps, was the Lion.
Celestia was eventually led to a grand door at the center of the fortress. The cries of torture had died down for now, Celestia recalling her power further to block them from her mind for a moment, aided by the small throng of Watchers that surrounded her. The Deathwing parted, the Librarian stepping forward to speak with several more Astartes, one dressed in the armor of a Chaplain while another stood with his own Watcher, eyeing Celestia as she waited. The conversation continued before the three disappeared into the room, leaving Celestia alone with her Watchers and Deathwing.
The temptation to reach out and listen to the conversation held behind doors was great, but Celestia reined herself in again. She did not have to wait long before the Dark Angel leaders returned. “He will speak with you now. Do not leave him waiting.”
“You will not be joining us, then?” Celestia asked. The Dark Angels seemed more frustrated.
“The Lion insisted that he pass judgment in private.” the Chaplain said. “Now go.” Celestia nodded, stepping past the Dark Angels and into the room. The Watchers followed after her, though only a few moved past the door and into the sanctuary.
The door led to a large corridor, at the end of which stood a grand throne. It was stone, carved directly from the Rock itself, inlaid with skulls and overseen by two great stone wings. Two Watchers stood before it, staring out at the door, and the hall itself was supported by statues, each one carved in the visage of every Dark Angel Grand Master that had fallen since the Heresy.
And standing near the base of one of the last was the Primarch himself, Lion El’Jonson. Unlike Corax, ravaged by time and woe, Jonson appeared much as he had when Celestia had first met him. He was dressed in black armor adorned with silver icons of Caliban and the Imperium, clashing slightly with his blond hair. He had his back to Celestia, hiding his face from her as he continued to inspect the statue before him. Celestia remained in place, holding her hands in front of her and waiting for the Primarch to speak.
“Some of the Knightly Orders of Caliban were much more reverent in glorifying their fallen champions,” he said, still not turning to face Celestia. “Warriors set within their armor, embalmed yet standing as if ready to join battle against the monsters that haunted the forests. I never truly cared for the practice, but I did understand at least some of the motive behind it.”
“Veneration of the dead is often for the living’s comfort, is it not?” Celestia replied.
“I suppose that justifies why these fools allowed the Emperor to rot for ten thousand years.” Jonson muttered. “And look where that led them: fifteen thousand years of superstition and betrayal, blindly worshiping a man who was more like them then they care to realize.” Jonson turned his head to cast a sideways glance at Celestia. “Fifteen thousand years, and you arrive to indulge them even more.”
“Do you think I parade around as a god and bask in their admiration?” Celestia snapped, finally stepping towards the Primarch. “I would just as well have them cast aside these superstitions and place their faith into something real, but even I cannot undo fifteen thousand years of belief with a wave of my hand.”
“You seem quite hesitant to change anything, though.” Johnson turned away and walked further down the hall. “You claim the throne of Mankind, yet your overtures and battles pale in comparison to what I have seen, what you should have seen were you truly who you say you are. You are like a child stepping into the shoes of their father, trying to appear as they are... and failing.” Celestia furrowed her brow further.
“The Legions are scattered, their Primarchs either missing or dead.” she said. “I wish to restore the Imperium to its true glory, but all I have are scraps, scraps that must be worked with if they are to prove useful.” Jonson said nothing as Celestia continued. “And what of you? Why do you stand here judging me now? If I was some ordinary liar and traitor, why am I standing before you and not a firing squad?”
“That is why you are here, is it not?” Jonson asked. “You have won many over, even Corax. I wanted to see for myself what drew them to you, the 'Empress' of Mankind.” Celestia remained silent, doing her best to meet Jonson’s eye, no small feat as he kept dodging away from her.
“So, ‘Empress’, what will you say now to ensure that I will not kill you as a traitor and a liar?” he asked.
“You were always direct in such matters, Jonson.” Celestia replied. “In truth, there is nothing that I can say that will fully convince you that I am the Emperor, just in the body of a woman-”
“Your first mistake. Why come back as a woman? There is nothing to be gained from it besides the perverse fantasies of some of the less noble among your forces.” at this, Celestia scoffed.
“If they really did surrender to such drives, they would already be slaves to the Ruinous Powers.” She said. “I can see already that this is a waste of time. If you are going to accuse me of treason, do so now and be done with it.”
“You set yourself up to die instead of trying to defend yourself?” Jonson asked.
“What else do I have? My fleet cannot reach me, I am unarmed and outnumbered, and I realize that arguing with you will only delay the matter.” Celestia drew herself up straight. “So go on then, call me a liar. Call me a traitor. Draw your sword and strike me if you so desire, I won’t stop you. I only ask that you look me in the eye as you pass judgment upon me.” There was a long pause, Jonson regarding her for any signs of weakness. Finally, he spoke.
“Judgment... You and I are not the only ones seeking it, are we?” Celestia said nothing as a hidden door behind Jonson opened. Two Deathwing Terminators and a Chaplain entered, the former dragging an unarmored man between them. Jonson stepped aside as the man was tossed to the floor at his feet, the two Terminators backing off as the Primarch continued.
“My sons have kept many secrets since the destruction of Caliban.” Jonson continued. “If you are truly who you say you are, then you may be privy to at least some of them.” Celestia turned her attention to the man before her. While he may have been a mighty warrior in some past life, he appeared now as an emaciated old man with barely enough strength to kneel. Under his breath he murmured a string of words Celestia could not decipher. As she regarded the man, she allowed some of her composure to soften.
“Sar Luther,” she said, loud enough to catch the prisoner’s attention and cause him to fall silent. “He was your mentor, your closest friend, until you cast him from your sight and set him on the road to betray you.”
“The demands of the Great Crusade were for excellence,” Jonson replied. “Luther failed on Sarosh, and I could not allow such failure to go unpunished.”
“He saved your life.” Celestia countered.
“Only after toying with the idea of allowing myself and countless others to die for his own gain.” Jonson’s face grew stern. “Had he been truly loyal, he would have quickly rejected those temptations and taken action to save those lost to the Saroshi, end the rebellion before it even began.”
“And yet you rewarded his reaffirmation by banishing him from your sight.” Celestia turned her full attention to Jonson. “At his weakest, you betrayed him to his darkest desires and sowed the seeds of rebellion in his mind.”
“Do not blame me for his betrayal,” Jonson snapped. “I was fighting the Imperium’s wars, trying to serve and save the man you claim to be-”
“And you could not even be bothered to see if your greatest friend was still the man you knew him as? Even a simple message would be enough to assure his loyalty, but you allowed your arrogance and your woundedness cloud your judgment.” Jonson’s composure fell away completely.
“You have no right to judge me for his actions!”
“Yes, I do.” Celestia’s glare intensified. “I asked much of you and your fellow Primarchs during the Crusade. I asked you to be my greatest warriors, the face of the Imperium against the tides of xenos and traitors. How foolish I was, now that I see that my actions only encouraged doubt and mistrust among brothers and friends.” she closed her eyes. “But then, while my selfish desires may have fostered resentment, it was not my command that you banish Luther to Caliban, where his betrayal could grow more substantial.”
“Silence!” Jonson bellowed. “You are twisting words against me! You are a traitor in the guise of a benevolent ruler, and you are not the Emperor of Mankind!”
“If that is your judgment.” Celestia said. “Go on then, and make it so.” Celestia closed her eyes, not watching as Jonson drew his sword and swung at her head. All she did was shift her energy ever slightly, even as the presence of the Watchers and other psychic wards strained against her.
It was just enough to not only shatter the sword, but to send the Lion staggering back several feet from both the shockwave and surprise. The Watchers barely flinched, and Celestia did not bother to extend her presence to the Terminators or their prisoner. She allowed the silence to linger for several moments before she opened her eyes, noting that while Jonson’s composure remained, she could see small traces of surprise and even doubt among his eyes.
“Look at me, Jonson,” she said, stepping towards the Primarch. “Look into my eyes and tell me what you see? Are they the eyes of a liar, of a daemon wearing a pretty face to deceive the First Legion? Are they the eyes of a mere mortal, hoping to beguile themselves into your good graces?
“Or are they the same eyes you looked into when I first met you on Caliban? Are they the eyes of the ruler whose vision has rotted away over the course of fifteen thousand years?” Jonson said nothing, Celestia’s vision narrowing. “Tell me, Jonson: are they the eyes of your Emperor, or are they not?”
Jonson remained silent, matching Celestia’s glare with his own. The prisoner still muttered away, but both Primarch and Empress ignored him for now. Finally, Jonson spoke, though the tightness of his jaw indicated he was not fully convinced of what he was saying. “... Yes. Yes they are.”
“Good.” Celestia allowed her gaze to soften. “I know that I still have much to do to convince you fully, but at least I have gained your trust... for now.” Jonson said nothing. He was humoring her, perhaps, but it was a better step forward than nothing. “Now, to the matter of your prisoner.”
“I have no need for him.” Jonson said. “Do with him as you wish.”
“Rather callous for your former mentor, do you think?” Celestia asked. Jonson did not reply, instead watching as Celestia crossed to the prisoner and knelt. The Watchers followed her, though they did not close to her as they had when she had first arrived, still silently observing all Celestia did.
“...The darkness of Chaos swells around those who see themselves loyal,” Luther babbled, not even noticing as Celestia knelt before him. “Absolution comes for the guiltiest, it comes from She, the Emperor changed but in the flesh.”
“So it has.” Celestia placed a hand on Luther’s forehead. “Sar Luther of Caliban, I find your sins laid bare. Now, I release you: be at peace.” With a single pulse of psychic energy, Luther’s head snapped back, the Fallen Marine’s eyes growing pale as his body crumpled to the floor. There was a lengthy pause before Celestia rose.
“It is done.” she said. “Now, there is more work to do.”
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Well, hi there Lion. It's been a long time.
Not gonna lie, killing Luther caught me by surprise. Good twist.
And now we'll see the
closet hereticsMOST LOYALlegionCHAPTER OF THEM ALL joining in. I look forward to seeing the Lion's reaction to Twilight. [grabs popcorn].yay
Great chapter! More, please!
Damn...
Yet another excellent chapter.
Dark Angels being their usual paranoid selves. Naturally, though Celestia may be unarmed, she would hardly break a sweat killing everyone in the room, with just her powers alone; and the Watchers could do nothing to stop her if she did.
Did Celestia just break the Lion Blade? Like the special Dark Angels' sword that Cypher carried around for all those years to present to the Emperor? Sucks to be him I guess.
8376359 Not the Lion's Blade, but it was a nice sword.
8376102
You better not be hatin' on my Smurfs.
I wonder if Cypher will turn up at some point... and what he plans to do... Will the lost be welcomed back?
Can this story be anymore awesome and perfect? I think not for this story is the will of the God Empress!
With the Lion done, I can only count down the chapters till the Wolves are in focus! So much wolfy goodness in store! I only ask that the chapters come swiftly before I explode in anticipation.
I'm actually happy to see Luther die. A non-astartes kept alive for 10,000 years in the gentle care of the Dark Angels? That has to be almost as bad as the Emperor's Golden Throne.
I assume leaving Twilight/Tara in "overwatch" of the fleet served a dual purpose. Namely, get Twilight used to the idea of leading and being independent of Celestia's supervision where and when necessary, and then also get others used to the idea of having Tara in the command structure.
Of course, leave it up to the gender swap to be the main reason why they can't possibly believe it's the Emperor. Malcador was a (for all intents and purposes) normal man and he shoved a moon into the Warp and set it up with wards that protected the entire planetoid for centuries, in one go.
Got magic that can send messages out light years, enchant things for ages, move and destroy the very heavens themselves, but changing bodies is clearly impossible and evil. Lion! So stubborn, so dense. So accurately written and true to character.
Another great chapter!
DIS ZOGGIN GIT.
8377115
Lion was an excellent general and a superb warrior...and sometimes, just a tiny bit dense.
I kinda want to see Twilight turn Magnus The Red. It's too late... the Wolf is at the door and it hungers for blood. Oh, Throne... no, the blood! The Ravens, I see them too. The lost sons and a Raven of blood. They cry out for salvation and knowledge, but it is denied!
I suspect that a considerable amount of this story is going to be Celestia giving the surviving Primarchs the spanking that they deserve!
As for Twilight, I suspect that she has her own role to play in Celestia's plots and strategems. Corax has already proved that she can touch by love those who cannot be reached by loyalty or reason. If Celestia means to once again make the Imperium a bastion of Order, then she will need that flexibility.
8379279
Bruh, he's all but blatantly stated that the sisters of battle will be EoH.
I could say that a good comprehensive crossover should at least include the main cast particularly in this case.
But,
I'm going to be frank though and say that while I'm happy to see OCs taking a strong roll here, they have nothing on the potential of the mane six here.
Not even because they aren't as fleshed out as the mane six, which isn't entirely true, but because this series, and other ones like it, capitalize HUGELY on character contrast.
The mane six have so many crossovers because they do it REALLY well.
And while twilight alone is still awesome, we seriously fucking missed out here.
Justa sayin.
8377115
To be fair, changing bodies like this has kinda been Chaos' thing. Between the Tzeentch, Lord of Change and the multisexed Slaanesh, the former being responsible for it (though that is wisely not brought up EVER), such a thing in this setting would be incredibly suspect.
8380853
Yes, but if we go that route essentially everything is tied to Chaos in some fashion. There are very real reasons to ascertain whether or not she's the real Emperor, but a sex change isn't one of them. They knew the Emperor could be reborn in another body, as evidenced by Lion saying she chose to be female. Meaning he knew it was a possible choice to make.
Honestly, I'd be more suspicious if the Emperor came back exactly the same as before. Would seem more like a ruse. With obvious changes like this, who wouldn't immediately suspect? That'd call too much attention and scrutiny to someone trying to infiltrate and replace the Emperor.
I want to see twi's both the space elves and the emo space elves
8376574
By then, getting his brain psychically shutdown would be mercy
Will Cunto Shitcarius appear? I can just imagine Celesta's reaction
8414180 Anyone that is currently alive in 40k canon that isn't in stasis, a daemon, or otherwise immortal, has been dead for centuries. It's the 45th Millennium, not the 41st. And Cato died offscreen way back in Chapter 2 of God Empress.
8414668
Ah, makes me wonder if Cypher's still kicking?
And yay
8414668
Well Good, now he won't sit on Calgar's throne ever again.
8469714
Farsight is best Gundam Tau
moar?
The Emperor must truly have perished to let this story slip to the wayside...
8711776
How about this one (in which Twilight becomes an inquisitorial acolyte and chases Necrons) and this one (in which Ultramarines decide to fight with the ponies against Tyranids) ?
8716246
You're forgetting the one where she ends up joining the Iron legion chaos marines xD
I want to see twilight be the one who either defeats magnus permanently or turns him back to the side of the imperium. Or at least away from chaos.
8414668
Define "immortal". An Astartes can potentially last millenia, but they're still ultimately mortal.
11084285 Perpetuals, Eldar trickery, being a Necron, that sort of thing. Maybe not fully immortal, but longer lived than most of the others.