Chapter 50 - With Answers
04-08-1003 - Continued
The late afternoon sun was shining through the windows of the tea room where we had all gathered. The revelation that Luna had foals and that a number of terrible events had been erased from history had lead to some uncertainty. That paled in comparison to the discomfort visible on everypony’s face to Celestia’s simple declaration that she would answer questions. I had a couple questions of my own but I was reluctant to be the first to ask. Unfortunately, it appeared the others felt the same way. Still, as the silence grew from seconds into minutes, Celestia smiled in an attempt to reassure everypony.
“Please, don’t hesitate. My sister and I won’t be upset by anything you ask. Ahhh yes, go ahead Fluttershy.”
My head snapped up and I looked over at the shy pegasus in surprise. Her hoof was half raised up and her eyes had gone wide when Celestia noticed her. For a moment I wondered if she was going to freeze. Fluttershy shrank in on herself a bit but asked her question anyhow.
“Ummm, you said Starswirl was your guardian. What happened to your parents? If you don’t mind me asking that is.”
Celestia and Luna exchanged a glance. Something passed between them at that moment, like they were deciding if they wanted to speak of this. The expression on Princess Luna’s face reminded me of the day she encountered Steel Rain at my school. After a few moments, Luna nodded and turned to face Fluttershy.
“It has been far too long since anypony was brave enough to ask if we even had parents,” Luna said. “Some foolishness belief persists about us being eternal deities but the truth is, we began life as normal foals. Our lives were difficult since our father was a pegasus and mother was a unicorn. Intertribal relationships were rare but they existed and were subject to horrible prejudices. Father died before my second birthday during a fight with some other pegasi who took exception to his choice of a unicorn as his bride.”
Celestia took over at that point. Her voice was distant when she spoke, not looking at any of us as she dredged up long-buried memories.
“After our father died, mother refused to let us out of her sight. We were practically her shadows while we made the difficult trek to our new home in Equestria. As a result of her fears, Luna and I were watching her assist in the ritual to bring forth the day a few weeks after our arrival in Unity. It was quite unusual for foals to watch the ritual but nopony thought it was a danger. Sadly, as fate would have it, tragedy struck. One second our mother was standing tall; her horn blazing with magic as the sun crept over the horizon, the next she was on the ground with her last breath leaving her body. She poured every last ounce of her life into the daily ritual.”
Celestia stopped right there and stared out the window straight at the sun. The rest of us were staring in stunned silence. From their expressions, it was clear nopony was aware that lives had been lost in the effort to keep the day to night cycle moving. Luna glanced over at her sister with a sympathetic expression and picked up the story.
“Unicorns who participated in the ritual nearly always suffered temporary magic burnout from the effort. It was exceedingly rare for a pony to actually die. It was odd that for all the centuries the ritual had been used nopony had considered the risk of two grief-stricken foals charging blindly into a faltering ritual. While taxing for the casters, the ritual was remarkably stable under normal circumstances. As we entered the ritual to somehow help our mother, Celestia’s magic flared and the ritual destabilized violently. As a four-year-old Pegasus in the middle of what was a terrifying maelstrom, I simply did the same thing I did every time my sister’s magic had flared before. I spread my wings and tried to calm her with a cool breeze.”
Twilight gasped with horror. “A magic flare in the middle of a multi-pony ritual would be bad enough but adding another tribe’s magic to the mix on top of that? I can’t even imagine what the result would be. The word disastrous seems inadequate.”
“That is correct Twilight,” Celestia said. “Neither of us can recall what happened next. According to witnesses, Luna and I vanished into a wildly seething storm of magic. The sun and moon swung around the sky like they were caught up in the same maelstrom. Everypony watching was certain the world was about to end. Then as quickly as it had begun, the magic dissipated, the moon set and the sun rose. Laying in the middle of the scorched ritual circle were two unconscious Alicorn foals, bearing the cutie mark of the sun and moon respectively. In that single, horrible moment, we had lost our mother, ascended, and discovered our calling. After that, Starswirl and the founders took care of us.”
Most of us were simply speechless at the discovery. It was an oddly mundane beginning for the two mares who had grown to become the princesses of Equestria. I found myself wondering if there were other Alicorns but before I could ask, somepony else stepped in.
“Hold on Luna, did you say you had wings first?!” Rainbow Dash asked while staring at Luna. “You were born a pegasus!?”
Luna smiled and stretched her wings out. “I was very young when I ascended but yes, I started life with wings. In fact, I believe-”
Luna was cut off by an obnoxiously loud pounding on the door, which was pushed open abruptly a moment later. As soon as it was open, an unpleasantly familiar voice became audible. The transition was quite abrupt like someone had just started an mp3 in the middle of a song.
“-ght to stop me from speaking to Auntie Celestia! Now get out of my way! Auntie! Tell them to get out of my way!”
You have got to be kidding me Spark.
I can’t believe we’re going to have to endure this pompous jerk again.
Blueblood was looking over his shoulder at the guards as he pushed his way into the room. He didn’t even bother to check who was inside as he marched in like he owned the place. His eyes were focused squarely on Princess Celestia. I saw Twilight’s horn glow and her tablet computer flew into her bags. The last thing we needed was for the racist to discover I came from another realm, even if I did have roots in Equestria.
“I’m sorry your highness, we did try but he was quite insistent,” the guard explained as he poked his head into the room.
“Thank you, Stalwart Shield,” Celestia replied wearily. “Shut the door, we will take it from here. Please ensure there are no other interruptions.”
My whole body tensed up as the most obnoxious pony I had ever met entered the room like he owned the place. He watched as the door closed and the turned to look at Celestia. Then something happened that made my fur stand on end. His posture became oddly confident and the childish arrogance dropped out of his voice as he began to speak to Celestia.
“Auntie, we have to talk about-” He began but he stopped short when he finally realized the room was full.
His eyes scanned the room quickly, dismissing the ponies before locking onto me, Twilight, and Sunset sitting on the couch. When he spotted me his eyes went wide with clear surprise and terror. His whole posture collapsed into an almost a ridiculous caricature of fear and disgust but it wasn’t anything I hadn’t already seen from him. I bit back my irritation at seeing him but I couldn’t help glaring at him.
“WHAT IS THAT THING DOING HERE?” He shouted, the petulant, childish tone reappearing out of nowhere. “Auntie, haven’t you wasted enough time on these peasants and barbarians?”
Before anypony else could react, Luna sprang her hooves in a moment, flaring her wings wide as she stalked over to Blueblood. He flinched back when he saw the expression on her face.
“If we did not know the truth about you, we would take great pains to ensure your family line ended today for the pain and insults you have visited upon our friends. Now is the time to speak plainly regarding the farce we witnessed today.”
“But Auntie-” he whined.
“Enough Vladamir,” Celestia interrupted. “My sister is right. You’ve caused a great deal of trouble by instigating a duel with a pony wearing an emissary medallion. Even worse, you very nearly caused a riot at the arena with the bigoted advertising for your ridiculous performance. I want the real explanation, right now.”
Celestia looked almost angry as she stared at him. Watching Blueblood at that moment was unnerving. He froze and his eyes glanced around the room nervously as she spoke. After Celestia finished up, he hesitated for a moment but then his body language underwent a subtle shift shifted. He straightened up and the perpetual sneer vanished from his face. Suddenly he looked far more confident and sure of himself.
“Fine, but I expect everypony here to keep their mouths shut about this,” he replied in a far less obnoxious tone. “My work is already ten times more complicated thanks to the inconvenient terms of the duel contract.”
I snorted. “Next time, read the amendments before you sign it.”
Blueblood glanced at me and rolled his eyes dismissively before turning his attention back to Celestia and Luna.
“If the peanut gallery is quite done gloating, I will explain,” he continued. “As you well know, Bat Ponies are constantly confused with those silly vampony tales, even among the educated. So rumors that a bat pony had been spotted walking in broad daylight in Ponyville caused more than a bit of concern among the nobility. Naturally, several nobles dispatched spies to observe. When reports arrived that he was cozying up with Princess Twilight they were horrified.”
I felt Twilight tense up next to me. “What business do they have poking into my life?” she huffed.
“You’re a Princess; get used to it,” Blueblood replied harshly. “As I have informed you previously, the Equestrian Culture Preservation Society spearheads efforts to ensure that our nation remains true to the nation established by the three tribes. At the most recent meeting, the members were absolutely adamant that something had to be done to discourage the mutant beast pawing at the youngest Princess. Their words, not mine. I pointed out it was probable they would be attending the Gala, which would provide a perfect opportunity.”
Luna cleared her throat. “While this is fascinating, I fail to understand the relevance of accosting Silver Spark and subjecting him to a duel. I do not appreciate this poor treatment of my student.”
Blueblood winced at Luna’s stern tone but surprisingly he stood his ground. I glanced around the room and took in the hostile mood. Rarity looked like she was ready to wring his neck and Rainbow Dash was glaring at him. Twilight was almost shaking from anger beside me. I was watching him through narrowed eyes, finding his abrupt shifts in personality extremely suspicious. Blueblood didn’t even bother glancing at us and simply continued his explanation to Princess Celestia and Luna.
“It was ridiculously easy to goad the Bat Pony into accepting a challenge,” He sniffed. “No doubt a product of their aggressive culture. Forcing a classic duel placated the hardliners and was intended to provide an opportunity for your agenda, Auntie Celestia.”
“An opportunity,” Applejack snorted. “What kinda use is beatin’ up another pony?”
Blueblood shot an irritated glance at Applejack but to my surprise, he answered the question as he returned his focus to Celestia. “Firstly, by framing it as a good vs evil fight, it drew out the purists out of their shells. The frenzy of the crowd gave us the opportunity to evaluate several noble families that have been relatively careful to conceal their biases. Both for and against a more diverse Equestria. You will no doubt find the information valuable Auntie. Then, when the bat lost to Iron Lancer, you would have been able to step forward to repudiate the ridiculous terms I had set. Then you simply had to speak forcefully in favor of a diverse nation as you always do. One speech from Princess Celestia is all it would take to create the shame necessary to push the peasants away from the purist factions.”
“Well your plan didn’t work out,” Shining Armor replied. “Iron Lancer was a solid fighter but far from the best in the guard. Did you even have a plan if your champion lost?”
“Not as such, no,” Blueblood snorted. “Iron Lacer was enthusiastic about the duel thanks to his extreme dislike of the Nightguard. Still, I had not anticipated Princess Twilight would be associating with a creature vicious enough to consider crippling a pony just to win a duel. It is quite antithetical to her title after all. Still, we may be able to salvage this. The bat’s unexpected little speech sowed some doubt that-”
Blueblood stopped suddenly, interrupted by a low, rumbling growl coming from my throat as I got up to my hooves. I had been listening to the conversation with growing fury as I realized how he had manipulated me. The anger I had felt when Shining Armor walked into the room was nothing compared with the rage burning through me now. My teeth were bared, revealing my long, vicious canines. I was barely keeping myself under control as I stepped down from the couch and began stalking towards him.
“You dare call me vicious after what you put me through?” I hissed at him. “You set me up and used me you manipulative sleaze bag.”
“Now, let’s not be hasty,” Blueblood protested as he began to retreat. “It was for your benefit! We’re just trying to build a better Equestria.”
“I don’t care,” I spat, stalking closer to him as if he was prey. “I could have been crippled or killed in that fight that you dragged me into. I have second-degree burns because of your arrogant game.”
“Some sacrifices are necessary for the greater good,” Blueblood said nervously, continuing to scramble back.
“Easy to say when you’re not on the chopping block,” I hissed, not taking my eyes off him.
“Calm down Silver Spark,” Celestia said gently. “Please don’t do anything rash.”
My heart was racing from the anger as I stopped and looked over at Celestia. I shouldn’t have been surprised she would side with him. I wanted to act and do something but it was clear I would not be given that opportunity. I nodded curtly at the princess but I made no move to return to my seat.
“Thank you, auntie,” Blueblood snorted. “Princess Twilight, do keep your pet under contro- AHHH!”
There was a loud snap as a whip of pink energy hit Blueblood in the cheek. He squealed in pain and collapsed to the ground. Twilight walked up beside me, her horn blazing with energy. The only time I had ever seen her that angry was in a dream of her former home in Ponyville being destroyed by Tirek.
“He is NOT. A. PET!” she snarled, punctuating the last word with the Canterlot voice.
Sunset rushed up beside Twilight and put a hoof on her shoulder to calm her down. Sunset horn was blazing a bright teal and I could tell she was prepared to intervene somehow. Nopony stopped me as I walked slowly over to where Blueblood was crumpled on the ground. A red welt was already rising on his cheek where Twilight struck him. I stared down at him with contempt while he looked up at me with terror-filled eyes.
“I have been through a great deal of misery these past few days,” I told him in a dead, flat voice. “I don’t care that you believe you were somehow ‘helping’. Your intent and goals mean nothing to me. Don’t ever cross me like this again or I will teach you the true meaning of pain. And believe me; I know a great deal about the subject. Do we have an understanding?”
Blueblood’s white furred face had somehow gone even paler as his eyes flicked over my scar covered body. He began nodding so violently I thought I was going to faint. I turned away, trying to ignore the sick feeling in my stomach. I’d been within a whisker of thrashing him but that wouldn’t have gone over well with anypony. I didn’t like making threats but he’d crossed a line. It would have been easier to handle if he’d just been a racist jerk. I trudged over to the couch and flopped down on it, refusing to make eye contact with the others.
Only a couple of seconds later, I felt a feathery wing over my back as Twilight settled back down next to me. I just buried my face in her mane and inhaled the lovely lavender scent that always clung to her fur. I was just too tired to care what anypony thought about my relationship with my mares. I felt Sunset’s head lay down gently on my back. I accepted the comfort and began to breathe slowly, trying to calm down.
“We believe it would be best if you took your leave now nephew,” Luna said sternly. “We will speak with you later regarding the duel and your atrocious lack of manners. Begone.”
There was a clatter of hooves as Blueblood rushed out of the room, followed by a slamming door.
“Well, that was unpleasant,” Sunset commented. “He really hasn’t changed, has he?”
“Unfortunately, while his goals are noble, his methods are questionable,” Celestia replied. “On that note, I am sorry you got caught up in his scheme, Silver Spark.”
“Don’t bother,” I sniffed, not lifting my head off Twilight’s back. “The only one who should apologize is Blueblood and it’s clear he doesn’t regret what he did. If he actually follows through on the terms of the duel this won’t be a total loss.”
“Well, I for one doubt he’ll be willing to actually work,” Rarity sniffed. “That boorish stallion has not changed one bit.”
Rainbow Dash laughed. “I’ll bet you enjoyed seeing him cringing on the floor waiting for Silver to thrash him.”
“I am a proper lady, so of course I would never admit to savoring every moment,” Rarity replied coyly but her smile told the true story.
“Since we’re talkin’ bout that twit now, ah have a question that’s been botherin’ me ever since ah’ saw that lowlife at that first Gala,” Applejack interjected. “Ya both call Blueblood yer nephew, so who’s the third princess that’s yer sister?”
“T’was one of Starswirl’s gambits to give us legal authority and to properly unite the tribes,” Luna replied. “He was our guardian but he also arranged for us to be legally adopted into the families of King Bullion, Commander Hurricane, and Chancellor Puddinghead. As an unexpected bonus, that act also made Princess Platinum our sibling. Vladamir is the eldest of the Platinum lineage and thus our nephew for the sake of simplicity.”
Celestia sighed. “He is proud of his ancestry and in spite of his flaws his behavior is actually a marked improvement over his father and grandfather. They were two of the most disappointingly bigoted ponies I’d seen in a hundred years.”
“Interesting,” Rarity muttered, looking over at Celestia. “So does that mean Silver Spark legally outranks Blueblood because he is your blood relative?”
My head shot up off Twilights back; all thoughts of rest gone in a burst of panic. My mind just careened off into total confusion as I tried to sort out the unexpected twist. I stared at Luna with wide eyes while awaiting her judgment.
Luna looked back at me and nodded thoughtfully. “They would be equals at the very least if we were to publicly acknowledge his identity.”
“Pass, thank you!” I said firmly.
Rarity gasped in horror. “But Silver, think about the opportunity! You could be a prince!”
“Nope, not a chance,” I repeated firmly. “I am not accepting a title given to me just because I’m related to somepony. That path leads to ponies like Blueblood. I have no regrets about what I’ve discovered about my relationship with Luna but I’ll stick with whatever rank I earn. I’m just glad that isn’t much.”
Twilight, Sunset, and Cadance suddenly began laughing. I looked around the room at the giggling ponies, trying to figure out what was so funny.
“What?”
“You and your human friends earned a noble rank as a result of your heroic actions during Twilight’s first two visits,” Cadance explained. “It is yours and theirs even if they never step through the portal. So that puts you one short ceremony away from officially being a Knight of Equestria.”
“Plus, we’re dating a princess you silly colt,” Sunset giggled. “What rank do you think Shining Armor gained when he married to Princess Cadance?”
The double hit of shock from both myself and Spark left me disoriented while I tried to sort out the latest revelation. Spark was of no help at that moment, leaving me there with my jaw slightly slack. It took me ages to come up with a truly brilliant response.
“Uhhhhhh, what?”
The amusement suddenly vanished off Twilight’s face and she frowned. “You don’t want-! Surely you knew what would come with dating a- a princess?”
I noticed the hitch in her voice and turned to look right into her eyes. “No, it honestly never occurred to me but this doesn’t change anything. I fell for Twilight Sparkle, not a title.”
Twilight’s eyes went misty and she leaned in to give me a quick kiss on the cheek. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“Awwwww! So cute!” Pinkie squealed.
“I know, right?” Sunset replied. “Luckiest mare in two worlds, right here.”
Twilight and I both blushed, making everypony giggle a little. I could tell Twilight’s friends were surprised by the display of affection she showed.
When they all finally calmed down, I crossed my hooves and glared at the room.
“Well, now that everypony is feeling better, could we get back to questions?”
“Yes, I have a question regarding the old alliance,” Shining Armor said. “How could we have possibly been friends with the Diamond Dogs? I find it hard to believe they were once our allies. Rarity’s encounter with the Rambling Rock Pack is fairly typical these days.”
“Of all the surviving races of the Starlight Council, the Diamond Dogs fared the worst,” Celestia replied sadly. “They preferred to travel the world in small packs and chose to build the core of their civilization in Hipacelion City. When it was destroyed their society collapsed, leaving only the small roving tribes.”
“Be that as it may, what could they have offered in return?” Rarity sniffed. “The ones that abducted me seemed rather lacking in . . . well, anything.”
“Tis easy to judge the Diamond Dogs on their appearances and rough behavior,” Luna said. “They are second to none when it comes to mining. Their magic allows them to carve through dirt and stone like it is butter. They also seem to have a sixth sense for structural weaknesses in stone. They employed that ability to help investigate natural cave systems and the tunnels left by wyrm activites. They were the foundation of Equestria’s metal economy during the years of the alliance. They dug out metal ores while we provided them tools and the gemstones they loved.”
I looked over at Luna and raised an eyebrow. “You know, if my family history is accurate, the primary thing the Starlight Council offered in trade was defense.”
Rainbow Dash suddenly started laughing. “Oh, that’s a good one, Silver! Equestria had Commander Hurricane, Flash Magnus, and the Pegasi Legions! Why would we need more defense?”
“The Pegasi legions were strong but they were the wrong kind of military,” Celestia replied. “Before the advent of the Windigos, the pony homelands were actually quite secure from monsters. Most Pegasi spent their lives training to fight Earth Ponies and Unicorns on a traditional battlefield. When everypony migrated to Equestria, the Pegasi Legions were not equipped for the challenges we faced. The Starlight Council avoided pitched battles and monsters would simply evade the large military forces.”
“There were, of course, exceptions such as the legendary Flash Magnus but in most cases, the Starlight Council were simply better suited to fight the monsters that inhabited Equestria,” Luna added. “Fortunately, the pegasi were able to control the weather, a feat none of the Starlight Council members could match. The modern weather service is based on the old legion structure. As time passed, the Thestrals and the Seaponies formed the core of the force responsible for securing Equestria’s borders though representatives from nearly every Starlight Council tribe participated.”
Cadance looked slightly confused. “This may be my pegasi roots speaking but I always Thestrals use the same magic as Pegasi to fly. Was that wrong?”
Luna shook her head. “Both actually. Pegasi and Thestrals both use magic to aid their flying and both can interact with clouds. The magic involved is similar enough that Rainbow Dash could teach Silver to fly. That is where the similarity ends. Pegasi can project their magic over a wide area, allowing the manipulation of the weather on a vast scale. Thestrals cannot project their magic in the same way. The rest of their magic is internal with some distant similarities to Earth Ponies.”
Once Luna finished, I raised my hoof to finally ask a question. “What role did Starswirl the Bearded play during the purge of the Starlight Council Tribes after you became Nightmare Moon?”
Twilight’s head swung over to me with an expression of surprise on her face. “Starswirl was already an accomplished mage when Celestia and Luna ascended. Sadly, he died a long time ago.”
“The last time Luna and I saw Starswirl was only four years after the alliance had been established,” Celestia added. “He departed on another one of his mysterious adventures but never returned. The tragedy with Luna didn’t occur until almost 500 years later.”
“Something doesn’t add up,” I countered, shaking my head. “Twilight, when you came to help us with the Sirens you told us they were banished to my world by a pony named Starswirl the Bearded. Once we became friends with them, Adagio and Aria both told us they were alive when Luna fell! The court record you found even details the mysterious fights that broke out in the army that eventually attacked Hipacelion City!”
“Y’all sure they were tellin’ the truth?” Applejack inquired skeptically.
“Aria confirmed her participation in the fight and aftermath,” I replied, thinking back to my first sparring session with her. “She referenced atrocities she blamed on Celestia but refused to speak of any details. Adagio was the one who asked specifically about the fate of Hipacelion City.”
“Do you remember the look on their faces when you showed them that court record?!” Sunset gasped. “The three of them looked so relieved when you discovered nopony had died during the destruction of that city. That’s not a reaction you can fake.”
“I recall working with Queen Crescendo on designing weapons to enhance their magical abilities but I cannot recall what we discovered,” Luna replied. “It vexes me that there are gaps in my memories from those years before I fell. My greatest fear is that the Nightmare was already influencing my actions.”
“Well, how did seaponies cast spells?” Sunset asked. “Perhaps that might help you remember.”
Luna smiled as she thought back. “Seaponies cast their magic through song. Heart songs do not hold a candle to the music that permeated every aspect of Seapony life. They called their elite mages Spell Singers. Their magic worked on land but it was far less powerful; limited by their access to a source of water.”
“I vaguely remember Starswirl telling us about the Sirens,” Celestia replied. “That incident occurred before Luna made contact with the Starlight Council. How could they have fought with Luna five hundred years after they were banished?”
“I don’t know if there’s an easy answer to that,” I replied, admitting defeat. “Obviously we’re missing something here. I suggest we table this until we can talk with the sirens. I think you have enough information to convince Adagio to tell us her side of the story.”
Twilight leaned over to nuzzle me and then went tense as she turned to stare at her mentor. “I agree because what Silver is saying brings me to my next point. Where is the documentation, Princess Celestia?”
“What do you mean, Twilight?” Celestia asked, her expression becoming worried the moment she noticed the shift in Twilight’s posture.
“Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence,” Sunset replied firmly.
As soon as Twilight had gone tense I began watching her carefully. Her expression was wary and almost distrustful. I’d seen her act like this a few times before but never when Princess Celestia was involved. Now her concern was focused squarely on her mentor.
“Precisely Sunset,” Twilight echoed. “Somehow we have to convince everypony that their ancestors are potentially guilty of atrocities that fly in the face of everything we’ve ever been taught about the history of Equestria. Without extensive evidence, we will fail miserably. All we have so far is your word, Silver’s family stories that don’t even reference ponies, and one obscure court record that is loosely tied to the destruction of Hipacelion City. A city that nopony has ever heard of.”
“Perhaps you could enlighten us as to what evidence you desire,” Luna said carefully.
“Everything you have!” Twilight exclaimed. “Information about the alliance! Details about the tribes I’ve never even heard of! Written testimonies! Notarized court documents, physical evidence of the destroyed settlements! I’d even settle for a single picture of a Flutter Pony considering I’ve never heard of them!”
“All that would help immensely,” Sunset nodded. “Recordings of the events would be even better but that technology isn’t even 100 years old in the human world.”
“Even as she betrayed our trust, Arcane Vision also helped,” Celestia chuckled. “Rarity, do you happen to know the origin of the memory crystal spell you used to decorate the throne room of Twilight’s Castle?”
“It’s an awfully big coincidence if such a spell was developed just before it was needed,” Rarity gasped.
“Indeed and yet that is precisely what happened,” Luna explained. “Arcane Vision was a seer. I would confidently say she had the most powerful talent for prophecy ever recorded. My sister and I have occasional visions of the future but it is merely a consequence of our alicorn natures. Arcane Vision’s talent was foresight and she learned to see more than simply the inevitable chain of future events. She saw shades of possibility and how her actions could influence those pathways as easily as you see me now. The first memory crystal enchantment was achieved under her direction three years before I became Nightmare Moon.”
Twilight had begun to relax. “Copied memories would be just about the best evidence I could imagine. This information is all safe?”
“The evidence you will need is stored in three secured vaults,” Celestia confirmed. “After the incident, there was a desire to eradicate all knowledge of the Starlight Council. The surviving relatives of the nobles that were assassinated worked very hard. Fortunately, the volume of information meant it was trivial to gather those same resources and store them safely. Everything that I could gather is stored in three secure vaults. They are in Canterlot, the Everfree Castle, and Manehatten.”
“Some of the crystals chronicle the worst of the battles and some of the most atrocious events during the purges,” Luna warned. “The violence might be too much for the average pony to handle. They will need to be checked before release to the public.”
“If the memory crystals top a movie with an R rating in the human world, I’ll be surprised.” Sunset sighed. “Silver and I can help with the initial review.”
“Our worlds couldn’t be that different, could they?” Rainbow Dash chuckled. “We fought the changeling hordes in Canterlot.”
“The human world isn’t nearly as peaceful as Equestria seems to be most of the time,” I countered quietly. “At least twenty people die in my favorite holiday movie. Some of them quite violently. It’s a fairly typical R rated film but it’s far from the worst I could find if I put the effort into it.”
Sunset glanced over at me. “Die Hard?” When I nodded she grinned. “Such a good movie. We should watch it again sometime.”
I smiled at Rainbow Dash whose eyes had gone wide with surprise. “If you’re really curious, I’d suggest we test you out on a few lighter movies to see if you can stomach cinematic violence. Anyhow, I’d be glad to help out with the first look at those crystals, Luna.”
“My thanks to both of you,” Luna replied. “Thine relative comfort with the darker aspects of war will be of great help. T’would be a disaster if we overwhelmed the public with the full horror of those events. All must be revealed someday but there is no value in alienating ponies with unfamiliar levels of violence before understanding is achieved.”
With that disquieting comment, I thought we were coming to the end of our question session. Then Cadance suddenly shot to her hooves and faced her adopted aunt.
“Auntie Celestia, I have a concern before we adjourn for the night,” Cadance declared, looking at her target with narrowed eyes. “Your non-reaction to my new cousin’s existence has been nothing short of disgraceful. Your first reaction was to chastise your sister for failing to adhere to a ridiculous ultimatum fifteen centuries ago and it just went downhill from there. You have treated Blueblood with more respect and affection on his worst days. What is wrong with you?”
Celestia averted her eyes. “His ancestors suffered because of my mistakes and negligence. I will not force a relationship on a pony who I have wronged.”
“Oh, for the love of god,” I grumbled, struggling up to my hooves.
All eyes were on me as I walked over to Celestia. I stopped a short distance away and watched the white alicorn for a moment. I could tell she was watching me nervously out of the corner of her eyes. Her wings were drooped and she looked tired. She continued avoiding my gaze, leading me to just sigh.
“I forgive you,” I told her gently.
“But what I did to your family . . .” Celestia trailed off without finishing.
“Was a terrible tragedy,” I responded. “A pony I respect very much once told me that what has been done cannot be changed. You’ve treated me with complete respect since we first met. Besides, I agree with what Cadance said earlier, I’d rather have more family than less.”
She stared at me and then looked over at Luna who was smiling at me with obvious approval. She turned back to me and for the first time that day she actually looked me in the eye. Her pink eyes were shining as if she was just holding back tears; an unsurprising state after the emotional revelations of the afternoon. Finally, she actually smiled at me nervously. Celestia unfolded herself and closed the gap between us, leaning down to give me a hug. I could hear a high pitched squee of excitement escaping from both Rarity and Cadance in the background.
“Hello nephew,” Celestia said nervously. “I honestly still can’t quite believe we’re related but it seems my sister’s descendants have done a fine job.”
“It’s nice to finally meet you too,” I laughed quietly. “I think it might be a bigger leap for me. Three months ago magic wasn’t even a thing in my life. Now it turns out I’m related to ponies that can move the sun and moon. Weird has become my lot in life but I can live with it.”
I looked over at Luna who was smiling broadly. “Thine acceptance of my descendant is a relief dear sister. Tis a shame but I believe our time together has come to an end. The final train to Ponyville today departs within the hour. It would be our pleasure to see you all again soon.”
Twilight grinned. “I’ll make sure to leave room in our schedule.”
It was almost unfortunate we had run out of time but after the day we’d all had it was far past time to head home. We said our goodbyes to the princesses, promising Luna that I would visit her soon. Then we were escorted down to the train station in two carriages. It was a merciful chance to evade the reporters and travel home peacefully. The press was a nightmare I would have to face someday but at least the ordeal was postponed for a bit longer. We quickly boarded the train, using the private carriage sometimes used by the princesses and soon were on our way.
The conversation between the seven mares was animated among the mares as we rumbled down the tracks. They steered away from any discussion of the discoveries of the day. Instead, they focused on what was ahead in their day to day lives. Spike had dozed off and was curled in a corner. Sunset and Twilight were snuggled together on the bench across from me as they chatted with the girls. It was a shame they weren’t wide enough for three.
I mostly kept to myself watching the scenery roll past through half closed eyes. I just wanted to clear my mind and relax after everything I had been through. We were probably about halfway to Ponyville when I was dragged out of my introspection.
“Pssst, Silver!” Rainbow Dash hissed. “Come on, I know you’re awake!”
I opened up my eyes and turned to face the group of mares. Before I could ask what was going on, Pinkie waved her hoof to get my attention.
“Rarity has a question for you!” Pinkie chirped.
“Umm yes, there is one thing I was reluctant to ask during our earlier conversation,” Rarity mumbled, briefly glaring at Pinkie and Rainbow Dash. “You were simply tired of being the center of attention. Still, there is one thing Princess Luna said has been piquing my curiosity me more than her being your ancestor. What did she mean when she called you her student, darling?”
“Yeah, what can a Thestral learn from an Alicorn?!” Dash added. “Er . . . not that you don’t deserve to learn from her. We’re just wondering what it is she’s teaching you.”
I looked around the empty train car while I considered whether or not to tell them. When my eyes met those of Sunset and Twilight I saw them both nod.
“The time for secrets is at an end,” Twilight said. “My friends need to know.”
When we had first begun training, Luna had asked us to keep my abilities quiet. We had always known the secrecy couldn’t last forever and after the revelations earlier, my skill seemed almost inconsequential. Besides, if anypony deserved to know, it was these five.
“I’d be happy to explain,” I said quietly. “Before I do, could you tell me how much you know about the magic Princess Luna wields beyond her power over the moon?”
“She takes care of ponies in their dreams,” Applejack said after only a moment hesitation, drawing surprised looks from the others. “Ah don’t know how she does it but she helped Applebloom out with some fears she was havin’ bout her cutie mark.”
“Luna helped Scoots out as well,” Rainbow Dash said. “Kid was embarrassed about being scared by those ghost stories. She was pretending to be brave just to impress me, hoping I’d mentor her. Of course, I told her it was ok and she’s my honorary little sis now, so it’s all good! She told me a while later that Luna had taught her that hiding her fears wasn’t healthy during a dream.”
“That’s what Sweetie meant!” Rarity gasped in surprise. “Ahem, the short of it is Sweetie nearly destroyed my first big costume contract with Sapphire Shore. When Sweetie fixed her mistake, she made one alteration to cinch the deal that she said came to her in a dream. Half of what she told me about why she changed her mind that day didn’t make sense until now. Luna must have helped her somehow!”
All their eyes were fixed firmly on me now. I think most of them were beginning to suspect where I was going with this but I still wanted to make it clear.
“Luna watches over ponies in the Astral realm,” I explained. “Her purpose is to guide ponies and help prevent nightmares from growing into dangerous monsters that could enter our worlds. Before she became Nightmare Moon, she was not the only pony with that responsibility. The group of ponies who helped her were called the Astral Sentinels. The first pony born with the ability to dreamwalk was Luna’s daughter.”
“You have the same ability as your ancestors!” Fluttershy gasped.
“Exactly,” I nodded and a small smile grew on my face. “Luna is my mentor in the art of dreamwalking. When I first walked into another person’s dream, I had no idea what was going on. We all thought it was an accident or something about the different laws of magic in the human realm. The truth is far simpler; dreamwalking just runs in the family.”
Twilight smiled at me and nodded. “Luna has been teaching me and Sunset as well even though we can only help once he brings us into a lucid dream. It has been a fascinating experience.”
“So you’ve seen some pretty juicy stuff then, Silver?” Rainbow Dash chuckled. “Come on, you gotta have something you can dish out! Seen any hot action yet?”
“Rainbow Dash, the most important rule I follow as a dream walker is, I will not speak of anything I see, without express permission from that person in the waking world,” I said sternly. “My ability to walk in the Astral Realm is a gift I use to help others. To share what I see with others would irrevocably undermine that trust. Even as Nightmare Moon, that was one line Luna never crossed.”
“Ugh, you’re not fun,” Dash grumbled.
A new voice suddenly echoed down the hall. “Did somepony say fun!?”
Discord’s tall, mismatched form appeared seemingly out of nowhere in the aisle of the train. His sudden appearance made me nearly jump out of my skin. Almost everypony else was startled as well. Surprisingly, it was Fluttershy who seemed completely unconcerned by his sudden entrance.
“Hello Discord,” Fluttershy said quietly. “Are you ready?”
He bowed low to Fluttershy. “I am indeed. I come here, hand in hat, ready for their apology.”
Discord held out a hat in I was certain he wasn’t holding a moment ago. Inside was the lion paw from his other arm that was missing. I had already jumped to my hooves even though I had no idea what I would do if he decided to cause trouble. Twilight and Sunset’s horns were both glowing and they looked equally worried. Before anything got out of hand, Fluttershy stepped between us with one wing raised. She looked up at him and frowned.
“Discord,” Fluttershy said firmly.
“Quite right my dear, reverse that last part!” he said, looking over at me, Twilight and Sunset. “I have something I need to say to you three.”
Twilight didn’t drop her guard for even a second but she still nodded at him. “Go ahead Discord.”
Suddenly, Discord’s face turned quite serious. He had an almost hangdog look on his face as he clasped his mismatched hands behind his back.
“Twilight, when I visited you in the castle last week I made some jokes and insunations about you and your friends. They were meant to be a bit of fun but I now realize I hurt you instead. I’m sorry.”
Twilight stared at Discord like he’d grown another head. Which honestly wouldn’t have surprised me with how quirky he was. I got the impression this was completely out of character for him. Twilight’s expression suddenly softened into a smile.
“Thank you Discord,” Twilight replied. “I appreciate you taking the time to apologize. Consider it forgiven.”
He chuckled. “Well, as much as I’d like to, I can’t take the credit. My dear friend Fluttershy nudged me in the right direction after the Gala. As always, I’d be lost without her.”
“Fluttershy, you’re a class act in any world,” Sunset marveled. “Discord, I accept your apology as well. Sometimes we need a friend to point us in the right direction.”
We’re cool as far as I’m concerned, Discord!
I held out my hoof to him. “Your counterpart has been a good friend to me in the human world. I think it would be very interesting to get to know the Lord of Chaos as well.”
“Lovely, I look forward to it!” Discord said, taking my hoof in his claw and giving it a quick shake. He looked over at Fluttershy with a smile. “Well, this apologizing and making other friends thing you told me about might just work!”
“I’m glad you think so,” Fluttershy whispered, smiling warmly at him. “I told you it would be worth your while.”
Discord bowed deeply to Fluttershy and then dramatically unzipped a hole in the world that lead to a chaotic realm. The realm was filled with colors that I couldn't put a name to and lacked any edges I could follow. Just looking at it gave me a headache and for a second I thought I tasted something citrus.
“Right as always my dear,” He chuckled. “Now I must simply get back to dusting. I swear those bunnies get hungrier whenever I turn around three times. Ciao!”
I waved and watched with some relief as the universe sewed itself back up with a needle and thread. In this realm of magic, Discord was apparently in a class of his own as far as mind twisting went. The part that really blew my mind was the non-reaction of most of the ponies sitting around me. Only Sunset looked as disoriented as I felt. I guessed it was just true that you could get used to anything.
After Discord departed, the conversation went back to the more mundane and ordinary. I was content to let the conversation leave me behind. Just like earlier, I just drifted away from the conversation and watched the world fly past. Before long we would be back in Ponyville and then we would go through the portal. It was time to go home.
Stats
Page generated in 0.021 seconds
Total duration
622 users online
1,332,861 hits today, 2,139,894 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.®
I don’t know why but when I read this chapter, all I could hear was “exposition, exposition, rush it out A.S.A.P!” But it was still fun to read! Seeing Prince Blueblood get his comeuppance was just as satisfying as I hoped it would be, though I really doubt his reasons behind the duel were that “pure”.
Oh, and are you sure Silver isn’t Twilight’s pet, at least in bed?
Will he have a confronation with Sweet Drops before he leaves?
I love the new chapter looking forward to chapter 51 soon. Keep up the good work my friend.
9079765
If anypony is the pet I would say Sunset after all she loves to lay across their laps. But that is my opinion.
9079765 - Yeah, it was way more exposition than I would have liked but I feel like it made sense in the context. Glad you still enjoyed it. Blueblood's motives are complex and I'm quite sure we haven't seen the last of this. As for your last little comment, I suspected someone would ask that question as soon as I wrote that line.
Honestly, there's not really an answer to that question; at least not this early in their relationship. 
9080138 - No, that thread is going to be left hanging for now. That incident will come up again in the future.
9080142 - Thank you!
9080001 - Hmmm, an intriguing theory you have there.
9080142
Now I can only think of that Fanfic where Sunset dressed up as a cat girl.