For the Good of Equestria: Shadows

by brokenimage321

10: The Crystal Empire

Over the next few months, Celestia and Twilight grow even closer. Celestia tries to come down to Ponyville whenever she can, usually on some semblance of official business, to spend an afternoon or evening with Twilight and her friends. During this time, Celestia tries her best not just to read Twilight's Friendship Reports, but also to learn from them--and, though she continues to make mistakes, her heart slowly begins to thaw.

Throughout this process, Celestia tries to be happy around Twilight, but, every time she sees her, she's reminded of the journal locked in her drawer--the journal that, perhaps, might allow Twilight to become an Alicorn. As much as she wants to relax around her, she can never really allow herself to do so--not while she still has the journal.

Things begin to normalize again, more or less. Luna heals up, and Cadance and Shining Armor spend their honeymoon helping with reconstruction. Celestia keeps on gently pressuring Cadance to take an extended diplomatic visit so she and Shining Armor can get away and bond, but Cadance resists her; Celestia realizes, suddenly, that Cadance doesn't want to leave those that she loves, and those who still need her help.

[Perhaps: though Luna heals just fine, she's left with some notable scars--including a thin, pale scar that runs diagonally across the bridge of her snout. For some reason, I really like that image.]

Twilight and her friends continue to thrive. Celestia, perhaps a little greedily, asks that each friend write friendship reports for her, and, though she enjoys them all, she still likes Twilight's the best.

One clear spring day, without any warning whatsoever, a thin, ragged pegasus, wearing unfamiliar armor, stumbles into Celestia's throne room. After a moment of confusion, Celestia recognizes him as Flash Sentry, the polite guard with the country accent that helped her locate the Crystal Heart so long ago. She tries to help him--patch up his hurt, get him something to eat--but he resists, saying that the Crystal Empire has returned, and that it desperately needs the help of Equestria.

Luna, Celestia, and Cadance fly up to the Empire together, and find that the entire Empire, from the Crystal Spire to the furthest outlying village, has returned basically all at once. All the citizens are confused, disoriented, and hungry, and, with no food or supplies, things are only going to get worse.

The Princesses take over, and, with Celestia leading, begin to get things back under control. Emergency food supplies are imported from Equestria, and some semblance of order begins to return. As Celestia continues to coordinate, she realizes that Cadance is leading the ponies themselves, helping them to rebuild and repair what she can--that is, she has, very naturally, taken charge of the Crystal Ponies. When Celestia notices how comfortable she is ruling her people, she gently withdraws from her own efforts, allowing Cadance to take more responsibility, but stays nearby to help her with the transition into full Princesshood. No one ever really appoints Cadance as Princess, she just kinda takes over, but still, everyone in the Crystal Empire seems to recognize her as their rightful queen--regardless of the fact that no one, including Cadance herself, has guessed her true parentage.

Cadance tries to re-start the Crystal Empire's farms, but, as soon as the growing season begins, a new, vicious storm sweeps down out of the north. It threatens to bury the Crystal Empire again, but, with the three Princesses working together, they manage to throw up a shield. Celestia can tell that Cadance and Shining Armor both are struggling to protect their people, and calls for Twilight and her friends to come help out.

Celestia tries frantically to keep the shield up as long as she can, noting, with some frustration, how Twilight and her friends hold a party rather than attempting to help out. However, Twilight and her friends are able to locate the Crystal Heart just as the snowstorm is about to consume the Empire again, and are able to properly destroy the ghost of Sombra to boot.

After the battle, and after Cadance gets some food and sleep, Cadance examines the newly-returned Crystal Heart. She experiments with it, and finds that she can connect with it and instinctively use its power, marking her as true ruler of the Crystal Empire. She seems to notice the connection between the Crystal Heart and her own cutie mark, though what she suspects she keeps to herself.

Celestia tries to give Cadance advice on how to rule her new kingdom, but, despite everything, notices that Cadance still resists her help. Celestia leaves with an exhortation that Cadance write her if she needs anything--anything at all--but Cadance more-or-less ignores her. Celestia rides the train home (on the newly-laid rail line, quickly and shoddily laid to bring up emergency relief supplies), and, though she's initially pensive, ends up having a great time with Twilight and her friends. Luna, who has been quiet for the entire trip, keeps mostly to herself, but carefully watches Celestia and Twilight.

They make it back to Canterlot without incident. After Celestia fondly sees Twilight and her friends off, she returns to her bedroom. She takes Starswirl's journal out of her drawer and examines it, thinking over her old questions again--is it more important to her to never lose Twilight? Or to protect her from suffering the pains of immortality?

Suddenly, Luna asks what she's going to do with it. Celestia, who didn't realize she was there, jumps with fright. Luna asks her again what she's going to do with the book: it's been almost a year, and she hasn't made a decision yet. They begin to argue, with Celestia passionately pleading that she needs more time, but Luna pressuring her to make a decision anyways--the only thing she's doing in stalling is prolonging the suffering of herself and others.

Celestia, frustrated, angry, and frightened, cries out and flings the journal away. It flies, dramatically, end over end--and lands right in the middle of the lit fireplace. Luna watches in silence as the flames lick the book, and the pages begin to curl and burn.

"You know what this means, don't you?" Luna asked quietly.

"I know," Celestia said, her voice quiet and strained, as she leaned, heavily, on the fireplace.

"It means that, eventually, she's going to die," Luna said.

"I know," Celestia repeated.

"It means you're going to have to say goodbye--"

"I know," Celestia snarled.

Luna looked up sharply, and saw the tears already running down Celestia's cheeks. Celestia looked up at her.

"I know," she repeated, her voice thick.

She bowed her head and began to weep. Luna's eyes widened, and, after a moment, she stepped forward and took Celestia in her arms.

"I know," Celestia repeated again, through her tears. "I know, I know, I know..."

Author's Note:

See? Toldja it wasn't a fix-fic.