A War

by Comma Typer

Conscience

A river. A stream.

This pristine river glittered under the moonlight, those sparkly drops of pure light coming and going in the creek like diamonds or stars that twinkle.

A field of lavenders and bellflowers lay before it, taking the river captive with its luscious fragrance which could cause anypony to feel drowsy, and then to sleep soundly. They curled under the soft, cold wind, bending together in the night.

In the background, pine trees and peppermint flowers in the dark, barely visible by the mountains that surrounded this little patch of grass. Owls hooted, flew about in the darkness.

Overlooking the river and its flowers was a wooden bungalow, a measly cottage with only two windows—one by the front door, one by the back door facing the river.

This window was open.

Past the drawn out curtains was the cloaked pony sitting on a chair, leaning her weight on the window. Her face gleamed under the moon and the stars above, her eyes reflecting their glow.

On the small desk beside her were pairs of goggles and contact lenses of all colors, echoing the dim lamp over them.

Her eyes not of green, nor of yellow, nor of red, nor of magenta, nor of blue.

Under the moon and the stars above.

"It is four forty-seven in the morning," she muttered. "Less than nine hours to go before it kicks off. Everything's in their place, most of the outcomes are beneficial...all I have to do is be there, make sure nothing goes wrong, and, perhaps, this will be the final blow that will rouse all of Equestria to take away its trivial diversions of words and games. By noon, all will see, all will despair, and all will hate themselves for having wasted their time beforehoof."

Sweating.

She drew in breath.

"Have I...? No...it can't be. They will thank me, they shall recognize me as the one who brought the war to its end, and if not, there is always another plan, no matter what even the Princesses say. The lives I took—better they who are powerless, cowardly, ineffectual—better they who die and thus make the body stronger by cleansing it from disease and fat than they who are the muscles, the bones, the brains...the heart."

She placed a hoof to her head.

Headache.

"All is justified. Who could blame me when it was not I who influenced them to be lazy, to be wishy-washy when they know full well that a simple bomb from the other side would mean their end? What use is this talk of peace, of compromise, when the enemy sees no reason, when their leader is preposterous and senseless—when what he wants is not something complex or nuanced, but mere world domination? It's only fair that I take the weak out to give way to the strong so they won't be dragged down by the wants and needs of the feeble? Why spend resources on them when they are not willing to submit?"

She levitate a pair of goggles before her.

Rotating it around.

Those yellow lenses shimmering under the moon.

"Anyone would've done the same thing in my place. If they analyzed the effects of this war, the results of this conflict, than they will see that there is no choice but to give the Crystals all we got—nothing less. If they want to run around outside and chase each other, then they have to work for it—if they want to play, they must work for it. It's only common sense."

She placed it back on the desk.

"They shall ask me if I thought about their lives—if I, with my intellect, could've given them something better than death, something that would've helped. A life could think, a life could do, and, therefore, a life could always be helpful and never be useless—that's what they say. But, there are minds that are entrenched, minds that will never get out of the mire of selfishness—for them there is only one place they deserve to go and that is the grave. I am only doing them a good service."

Gripped the window with her forehooves.

"What if they bring me to court? If they find out the many crimes I've done in order to bring this plan about? I know the laws...I won't be sent to death, I would be sent to Tartarus. I know that...it would be horrible to stay there for an eternity. To face the humiliation, the disgrace of millions—the shame, the dishonor upon my name, though what I did was best for the Equestria I love!"

Sighed.

Closed her eyes.

Breathed in.

Breathed out.

Opened her eyes.

Looked out the window.

Saw the river, the flowers.

Felt the frigid wind.

"I still have time. There's still...time. Only if things get too bad, get too out of hoof. I still have a good plan, a good plan...yes, a good plan, a good plan! Everything's in their proper places, all I need is for the sun to rise and everything will fall apart accordingly."

She stood up.

Poked her head out the window.

Feeling the cool breeze.

"Many have died because of me, and many shall continue to die. No one had to catch a scent of my trail, no one had to know exactly what I was doing. Soon, the changelings will be gone, but at what cost? Islands, too, but...the ponies, the innocent...."

Her legs buckled.

Reeled her head back inside.

Teetered to the wall with a thump.

Held herself up.

Standing up.

"No...they are a part of the problem, too. They shouldn't...they shouldn't be interfering with Equestria. They aren't faithful to the cause, they aren't loyal—they only grab what they want for themselves. Greedy, narcissistic ponies—they don't even perform well when drafted to the cause, so killing them is the only way..."

She turned to the left.

Another desk.

A framed picture.

She choked.

Levitated the picture to her eyes.

Saw a loving family posing with smiles for the camera—with Princess Celestia herself. There was the father and the mother, both unicorns, then the big brother along with the babysitter. In front of them all was a unicorn filly.

All smiling.

A tear forming in the stranger's eyes.

"You've...you've been good to me...I'm sure you wouldn't want to see me...this...this evil..."

She closed her eyes.

Tears down her face.

Baring her teeth.

Gnashing her teeth.

Holding the picture closer.

"Mom...Dad..."

Whimpered.

Tears glimmering under the moon.

"Shining Armor...Cadance...Celestia..."

Sobbed.

More tears.

Trying to hold them back.

"Y-You've been good..."

Floating the picture past her.

Past her bed, past several bookshelves.

Flung to the fireplace.

The family picture burning, melting under the fire.

She closed the window.

Closed the curtains.

Trotted to her bed.

Lied down.

Covered her wet face with a pillow.

Cried.

---

Outside the cottage, standing by the side of this little bungalow, was Princess Luna.

Looking upon the house.

"Something is about to occur."

She spread her wings and took off from the grass fields.

Away to the night sky.

---

Luna landed on the balcony of the tower.

Celestia waiting for her there.

Below, a sweeping view of a sleeping Canterlot—most lights off.

"How is she?" Celestia asked, pained in her words. "Is she alright?"

Luna shook her head. "I heard her cry."

Celestia perked her ears up. "This is the first time she's cried in a long time. Could it be...?"

Luna shook her head again. "No. She is ready to go through with her plan of facilitating the attack on Canterlot."

Celestia looked away from her sister, avoiding her.

"This is not something we could debate about for a few hours!" Luna said, trotting up to her. "If her plans prevail, then Canterlot will be worse off than what happened with Starlight's supporters! Hundreds if not thousands of ponies will die if we remain unprepared."

Celestia sighed. "But...what if she's right?"

"You are biased!" Luna yelled, pointing at her. "She's been your protegé, your most faithful student, but do not let that blind you! She may be smart, maybe smarter than the two of us with our wisdom, but she is not good anymore! She is not a moral pony! She has become callous, cold-hearted—everyone who knows her knows that, you especially, but you refuse to accept the truth!"

Celestia backed away from her, retreating into the lavish guest bedroom of white walls and marble floor, then pointed at herself. "Me? Refusing to accept the truth?! What happened to believing anyone could be saved from evil whatever the difficulties we face?"

"You cannot be compassionate with her forever," Luna replied. "You have been her teacher—you must remember that a student needs discipline as well and, if she has done any wrong, that student also requires punishments."

"You can't be careless, too!" Celestia answered, stressed and gesturing her hooves about. "Have you forgotten that she has lots of power, knows lots of spells a normal unicorn could never even begin to conceive of learning? What if she defeats us in a fit of anger—I don't want to think of what she would do with the sun and the moon!"

"Then, we shall resort to the Elements of Harmony," Luna said, finality in her words.

Celestia raised her hoof, opened her mouth.

"And, before you speak, sister," Luna interrupted, walking up to her, "we have to use the Elements as early as possible. She already has knowledge of chrono spells—that is more than enough to devastate not only the world but all of reality along with it. She must be stopped!"

"The Elements are already fragile!" Celestia said. "I could sense it, you could sense it...if we use them on her, they might break and send Equestria into total chaos!"

"Might break," Luna replied. "Even without the Elements...I remember you saying something about Element-bearers—"

"What if we're wrong?! If we place them on the wrong ponies, the Elements might crack—"

"Might crack," Luna repeated. "If you don't want to risk anything, you might as well sleep in for the day and never come out of bed!"

Celestia widened her eyes open, backing her head up.

Both of them breathing, silent.

Staring at each other with troubled eyes.

Desperate sweat.

A tear rolling down Celestia's white cheeks, to her gritted teeth.

Tasting the harsh tear.

Outside, the night continued.

"So, Celestia...have you decided?"

She let out a sigh. "No..."

Luna closed her eyes. "What will you do?"

Celestia raised her head. "I will perform my royal duties without any changes. I will raise the sun, take care of our subjects, and, if the need arises, fly off to another combat zone."

Luna turned around, faced the moon. "As I feared."

"But, we will defend Canterlot," Celestia continued. "They're Crystal ponies. As long as Sombra isn't with them, then the city won't face massive damages."

Luna did not look at her sister, stepping onto the balcony. "And, in the off chance that Sombra is with them?"

"Then, we face him together."

Luna swung her head about. "You will not intervene in Twilight's plan?"

"I will not."

Silence.

As they stared at each other.

Luna opened her wings. "Anything else you must tell me? I know you are hiding one more thing from me."

Celestia walked to the doors at the end of the bedroom. "I will pay another visit to Sunset Shimmer. I worry that the Crystals might enter the castle and destroy the mirror. I would like to see her for what may be the last time."

Luna glanced outside, eyeing the moon. "That is commendable, but is it not too early for that?"

"Which is why I shall do it in the morning," Celestia said, opening the doors and showing a long hallway furbished with stained glass windows.

Luna nodded. "I hope you come back safe."

She flew out of the balcony, into the night sky.

Celestia saw her off, seeing her sister become smaller until she was indistinguishable from the night sky itself.

She trotted forward into the hallway, on to the red carpet.

Closed the doors.

With a smack.

A smack echoing throughout the hallway.

Celestia was alone.

With a carpet, with lavender flowers, with stained glass windows, with columns.

That sweet smell of lavenders.

She sniffled.

A tear went down.

Splashed on the carpet.

Under the night.

Comments

[Sir Budginton]

Umm...shit. This is bad, very very bad. Noooooo!!!!!!!!! You can’t do this to best pony. Well, at least now we see twilight for the first time. Dammit, now I’ve entered the situation where the everything goes wrong but I just can’t look away.