Chapter 97 - Mates and Foals
Early the next morning, I complimented Chrysalis on her work so far. Today was my newest wife's fourth day of tryouts for the role of advisor and the first without Raven’s supervision. I had to admit to myself that my herdmate brought numerous good qualities to the job: the ability to read the emotional states of the petitioners, an uncanny sense of when any being was being untruthful or just selective with the information they provided, unafraid to give me an alternate point of view without being disrespectful, and the force of presence to gain the attention and respect of any petitioner. Also, she could dial this back and offer encouragement when a shy or intimidated supplicant brought their case to me.
The changeling queen gave me her smug grin. “Of course I am excelling. I have over seventy years of leadership and infiltration experience. You would be wise to recognize my over-qualification for this position.”
“Whatever you say, Chrys.”
“Ugh!” She made spitting noises. “You will not refer to me with that horrid nickname! It is demeaning!”
I tried to act contrite. “But nicknames are supposed to be playful. You know – a sign of affection.”
“No. That name is distasteful in the extreme. Absolutely not.”
I smirked. “Your wish is my desire, Sally.”
This time I got an open-mouthed stare. “No! Under no circumstances is that acceptable! That name is a hundred times worse!”
“Too late. You used up your one veto… Sally.”
I found her growls to be highly entertaining until she whispered into my ear. “You have to sleep sometime.”
Wait. She wouldn’t.
Would she?
I sat down on my throne a good half hour before Day Court was set to begin. I motioned my herdmate closer to go over the list of petitioners and their cases. I would often need members of one government department or another to resolve issues on the spot. Sure, it was my royal prerogative to pull them away from whatever they were doing at that moment to come to the throne room. However, I preferred to give them forewarning. That made for happier staff. Chrysalis found this to be inefficient but conceded that nearly all the employees appreciated my consideration. Yes, the exception was the Chief Building Inspector. The elderly unicorn mare despised any interruption to her work schedule. Chrysalis found her unabated hostility “a breath of fresh air for a pony” and “it was a pleasure to be near a being that hated everything and everyone with no hint of bias or favoritism.” Whatever rocks your boat, Sally.
My pro-tem advisor did not respond to my summons. Instead, she stared at the room’s entrance. I heard the sergeant-at-arms hurriedly call out, “Announcing Her Majesty, Queen Apicula of the Southern Wastes Hive.”
I turned my head to see the aforementioned changeling queen alighting before the dais. She bowed her head, “Prince Mark Wells.”
I stood up and walked down to the marble tiles. “Queen Apicula. To what do we owe this pleasure?” I didn’t need Chrysalis and the schedule on her clipboard to tell me this was an unexpected visit.
Apicula frowned at me. “I have… heard through my acquaintances that you remain troubled by the loss of my sister, Diadem.” The queen was obliquely referring to Lady Silver Dreams, her lead love and intelligence gatherer in Canterlot… or possibly a different member of her network of disguised changelings throughout the city and castle.
I winced before tamping down my emotions. Belatedly, I realized this was a useless endeavor when facing an emotivore. No sense trying to hide it. “Yes. I still have trouble sleeping at night.” I sighed and looked at the floor. “So many things I see and hear every day remind me of her and I just… can’t help but feel her loss every time.”
“You must let her go.”
That made me jerk my head up. “You mean forget her?”
Apicula’s smiled gently. “By no means. Our loved ones should be forever honored in our memories. I ask that you think instead about how happy and fulfilled she became under your tutelage. When I foisted Diadem on you, she was an adolescent in every way: selfish, arrogant, and lacking empathy. My sister blossomed into her full potential in your castle. The Diadem that moderated discussions between all the queens in your Great Hall bore little resemblance to the one I raised from an egg. Respite was the first of seven communities founded throughout Equestria with equal members of ponies and changelings. None of this would have happened without her understanding of both races guiding the queens to that agreement. Let that be her legacy to you. May you remember her with pride… as I do.”
I looked down again and considered. Off to my left, Chrysalis spoke quietly with one of the pages who teleported away.
I said, “Thank you, Apicula. I think that does help.”
She hugged me. “You aren’t alone in your grief. Call on me when you are ready to talk. In the meantime, share your feelings with your mates. Talk to your friends. They will help you.” She bowed. “Your Highness.”
I did the same. “Your Majesty.”
After Apicula had trotted out, I returned to my throne. Chrysalis waited for me there with a familiar item around her hoof.
She said, “My advice to you will be different from my fellow queen. Here.” She hoofed over the braided ring of her mane and tail hair. Chrysalis must have had the page retrieve it from our chambers. “Do you know what I was doing when I gave you this gift? What it symbolized to me?”
Other than fulfilling the conditions I had imposed upon entering my herd? I shook my head.
“By giving you this from myself, I was giving up my past. I embraced the new Chrysalis by abandoning my old self. Do you know why I did not hesitate to risk my life to your untested expertise with the Bewitching Bell? Because you represented my future. I had already dedicated my life to your herd and Equestria. There was no deliberation needed because the decision was already made.”
She sighed. “I understand you feel emotions I cannot feel… that I will not feel. If I pined over all of my children that died because of my delusions of power, I would be of no use to my herdmates or to you. It is my nature to live without regret. I learn what I can and move on. I… suggest you do the same, husband.”
Chrysalis walked away, fussing with her clipboard, leaving me with my thoughts. Glancing around, I saw that the guards were likewise giving me privacy.
My musings were interrupted by a tear in space appearing in front of me. A clawed hand reached through and snatched the ring of hair. As it pulled back, I saw the room beyond. It was the Canterlot Castle Great Hall. I gasped as I saw Princess Diadem. Her wings buzzed in excitement and her smile beamed with joy. The moment came back to me. All the changeling queens applauded after she announced the agreement to found hybrid changeling/pony settlements. Through the rent in space, Diadem looked directly at me and her smile grew even wider. She radiated happiness and accomplishment at that moment.
The tear disappeared only to reopen, much larger this time.
“It’s done!” yelled Discord as he stepped through. Chrysalis turned around and came up to my side. We both looked up to see him holding a sweater knit from shimmering blue yarn. He grinned down at us. “This is for your nymphy-foal-princess-y thing.”
Chrysalis asked, “Is that… did you knit that from my hair?”
The draconequus nodded his head quickly to an accompanying rattling sound. “Yes indeedy! Mark taught me that you have to invest time to make something worthwhile. I’ve been knitting this thing for ages – since one of your boring Grogar strategy sessions if I remember right.”
He handed the sweater to my herdmate then frowned. “Funny thing about playing games with time. I grabbed your hair from some-other-when and your firstborn won’t fit in it until she’s three. Don’t ask how I know, I just do.” He beamed. “Consider this an early birthday present!”
Chrysalis tapped her chin. “I think the pony thing to say now is, ‘Thank you very much for this gift, Discord.’ Yes, let’s go with that.” She turned to me and blinked. “Husband… Mark, are you well?”
I wiped tears away from my eyes. For the first time in weeks, I felt the muscles unclench in my neck as my body relaxed.
After several deep breaths, I said, “Chrysalis, dear. There’s a tradition from my world I would like to bring to Equestria. We often name our children after those we wish to honor and remember. What do you think about naming our firstborn Diadem?”
A pleased smile grew on her face. “There is a similar practice among changelings. Besides, there are only so many names anyling can derive from insect body parts. Yes, that would be a fitting tribute.” We shared a kiss.
I turned to see Discord pointing to his cheek expectantly which made me laugh. “Discord, you know the favor I owe you?”
He nodded.
“Make it a big one.”
The draconequus eyebrows vibrated up and down quickly before coming to a stop in a look of abject surprise.
A smile slowly took over his face. “I know just the thing.”
No soy un fan de los titiriteros, pero tengo un miedo molesto
Alguien más está tirando de las cuerdas
Algo terrible está bajando por toda la ciudad
Causando anarquía y todo lo que trae
I belted out the lyrics in a fine baritone as I strummed my oversized guitar. Did I know before today that there existed a mariachi song written about Discord? Did I know any Spanish beyond what I learned in Mr. Perez’s seventh-grade class? Did I expect to be wearing a black suit and sombrero both embroidered with silver thread? I did not. Yet here I was, singing like a native. My strumming skills had received an upgrade too. Even with the unconventional way the day had gone so far, I couldn’t say I had anything to complain about.
Saturday had started early for me with a loud thump on the patio of my herd’s suite. I had almost convinced myself I had imagined it when the sound repeated itself insistently. Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!
Sighing, I extracted myself from between Rarity and Trixie. I weaved my way past the couch holding a snoring Penumbra. Today, all of us had the day off and the batpony took advantage of this rare treat. Our suite now seemed crowded with the addition of two more members and their assorted crap. The mares had met without me to plan out where Trixie’s Suite Version 3.0 would be constructed. My after-the-fact protest that I could have cast the deciding vote was met with four condescending stares. Only Chrysalis wanted a nice, cozy subterranean cavern so a decision was not hard to reach. The next home for the herd would take up part of the new floor being built above the Great Hall.
Quietly stepping outside, I saw the sun rising over the horizon. Looking up, I spotted Celestia on her balcony and gave her a wave which she returned. The solar alicorn leaped from her perch and banked out of sight. Looking down, I saw a glossy paperback book bouncing joyfully on the padded bench. OK, Discord. I get the hint.
I sat down on the bench and caught the volume as it flew into my hooves like a happy puppy. I turned the now inert book over to read the title: La Receta De La Abuelita. In English, that translated to The Recipe of the Granny. How did I know that? Opening to the first bookmark, I found I could read the Spanish recipe for traditional flour tortillas with no difficulty.
“¿Que es esto?”
Uh oh. Looked like today was the day. A quick flip through the bookmarks showed me dessert had not been picked out. That was not a problem. I dog-eared the page for sopapillas and had a reasonable guess what I needed for fried ice cream.
I stepped back into our suite long enough to kiss my four sleeping mares. All smiled in return except for Penny who just snored louder. To Trixie, I said in my deepest voice, “Te adoro, mi cariño y mi cielo” (“I adore you, my darling and my sky”). She snuggled deeper into her pillow, murmuring contentedly.
Chrysalis’ head popped up from the far side of the bed. “Didn’t understand a word, but I felt the emotion behind that. We might have to ask Discord to keep him this way.” I rolled my eyes and smiled. Fortunately, the Lord of Chaos’ meddling always had a built-in time limit.
I grabbed some bits and my bottomless saddlebags then headed down the hallways to the kitchen. Surprising me not in the least, by the time I arrived, a fully-armored Penumbra waited at the counter nearest to the pantry. Just to emphasize the point, she had two empty cups in front of her to go with the cup of coffee in her hooves.
Cross-referencing the shopping list Discord thoughtfully made out for me, I gathered most of what I needed. For the rest, I flew to the nearest farmer’s market. Lots of smiles and wordless exchanges of bits got me the remaining produce. Stasis spells would keep the ingredients fresh and the ice cream from melting. In my head, I was already planning out the order in which to prepare the ingredients and then the courses: fire-roast the chiles, prepare the guacamole and pico de gallo, preserve them with a stasis spell, mix the flour tortilla dough (fortunately vegan) …
The mission-style restaurant next to Fluttershy’s cottage gave me a very big hint where Discord wanted me to set up shop. Penny took up patrolling outside the structure. This wasn’t by her choice – she physically couldn’t cross the threshold.
I knew I was going to be busy all day in the well-stocked kitchen. I had a multi-course feast to prepare.
Blue Corn Nachos with Homemade Pico De Gallo; Hearts of Palm and Artichoke Aguachile Negro; Elote (spicy roasted corn ear); Rutabaga Tacos with Greens and Queso Fresco; Crispy Mushroom, Spinach, and Avocado Quesadillas. After each course, Fluttershy would gently pat her barrel then tell Discord that their little one approved of the dish – she could tell because it would kick when mom stopped eating! As for the draconequus, his eyes never left his pregnant marefriend. I’d have to get his food review later.
Now it was the mariachi band’s turn to entertain the enraptured couple. Along with the Star Wars movies, Discord showed the original Muppets Show to the Element of Kindness. This proved to be her favorite series and my bandmates reflected this. The furry giant Sweetums had a deep and resonant bass voice to accompany his tiny violin lost in his oversize hands. How he worked the strings correctly, I have no idea. The remaining two musicians were tiny by comparison though their scaled-down instruments matched the volume of the others. Gonzo (the Great) double and triple tongued crisply through his trumpet sections. Rizzo the Rat strummed his guitar like a pro and his alto voice showed no hint of a New Jersey accent.
Estoy bien con cambiar el status quo, pero no en dejar ir
Ahora el mundo está siendo desgarrado
Una terrible catástrofe de tu sinfonía
¡Qué aterradora obra de arte!
All the band members finished with a flourish. Fluttershy cheered audibly, going as far as clapping her hooves. Her noisiness might have something to do with the empty margarita pitcher on the table. Just like with all other Equestrian pregnancies, spells protected Fluttershy’s developing hybrid foal from diseases, alcohol, and even the capsaicin from the spicy dishes! It seemed that the yellow pegasus used this excuse to cut loose and freely enjoy herself. I could tell from Discord’s expression that he adored seeing his mate this happy.
Fluttershy’s smile was as big as I had ever seen it. She flew up to each musician and kissed them on the cheek. Sweetums practically melted in place. I smiled at the most adorable display I’d seen since Gemini tried to howl along with Winona’s puppies at Sweet Apple Acres.
I was the exception. To my shock, Fluttershy kissed me full on the lips. As she flapped unsteadily back to her table, I saw the draconequus staring darkly into my eyes, his clawed hand high and ready to snap.
“What’s next? Hey, Dizzy! What’s next?”
Fluttershy’s nickname for Discord broke him out of his dangerous mood. “Ahhh… Dessert is next, dear heart!”
I took that as my cue and moved closer. “Tenemos sopapillas y nieve frita, yegua joven. ¿Quieres más margaritas de fresa?” (“We have sopapillas and fried ice cream for desert, young mare. Would you like more strawberry margaritas?”)
She shook her head, causing her mane to fly. “No. Jiffy Pop!”
I blinked. Hadn’t heard that name in a long time. I supposed she had seen the ads along with the Muppet Show broadcasts. That also explained why Discord hadn’t marked out any dessert recipes. His marefriend already knew what she wanted.
Discord waved his paw to a spot behind me before taking Fluttershy’s hooves in his hand and paw. “It’s to the right of the fireplace next to the fire-starter. Make sure to use the tongs and asbestos gloves.”
Fluttershy leaned over the table. “Do you have any idea how happy you make me?”
Discord inclined his neck forward and gasped. “I’m just your clueless male. How could I possibly know?” At her giggle, he said, “You’d best show me.”
As much as I wanted to give them their privacy, I knew Rarity would make my life Tartarus if I didn’t bring back a report on the shameless flirting between these two lovebirds.
Fluttershy licked her lips, closed her eyes, and moved to within an inch of Discord’s lips. “Oodles.”
She then sat back down and cracked up at Discord’s shocked and disappointed expression. The hairs on the back of my neck rose when the Lord of Chaos looked my way again. He was interrupted by his marefriend leaping over the table to tackle him and pepper his face with kisses.
OK. Safe from Rarity’s wrath. Best get on with my assigned duties.
Sure enough, there was the familiar aluminum foil-covered circular disk with a wire handle propped up against the fireplace bricks. I stacked a few split logs onto the empty fire grate and looked around. No kindling or paper to use. I checked my magic. Nope. No access to fire spells. For the duration of my favor payback, I could preserve food and perform some basic levitation but that was it. Discord wanted all the meals to be truly prepared by hoof and that restriction hadn’t changed.
I paused before putting on what had to be the asbestos mitts. Just a short exposure and I’d wash my hooves and pasterns thoroughly afterward. The tongs were over three feet long. What could be so hot as to require these?
I picked up the implements and moved closer to a bright white square set in the stone floor. Not seeing a lid or other mechanism to open, I gently touched the grabbing end to the white spot. The tongs passed straight through. Aha! A portal then.
I opened the tool slightly, feeling around until they impacted something. I clamped down and pulled the item out of the space beyond the portal and into the room. Even with the bright white glow, it was easy to identify the artifact: Grogar’s Bewitching Bell.
I stood in shock for perhaps two seconds before I realized I was sweating profusely. The magical talisman was white-hot and making the area feel like a sauna. Quickly, I touched the bell to the right, center, and left sides of the log pile in the fireplace. Large flames erupted from each spot. Just as swiftly, I maneuvered the artifact back through the portal, released it, and pulled the tongs out. The grabbing ends had melted slightly.
I carefully set the tongs back to their spot on the brick fireplace, set the gloves next to them, and trotted off to the kitchen to scrub my hooves.
“To my dying breath, nopony will ever know.”
Chrysalis’ egg hatched. I was now the father of a changeling grub.
Let’s face it – newly hatched changelings are not exactly cute. Her mother assured me that she was perfect though, so I decided that I would learn to love it. Not that I had much interaction with the child. Grubs were normally cared for by changeling attendants in special nurseries. Courtesy of Hive Mother Twilight, one had been set up with some of her drones. Chrysalis merely had to visit three or four times a day to feed the hatchling love. I wasn’t needed until she molted and became a young bug-pony nymph. Due to the plethora of love available, this didn’t take long. My daughter resembled a miniature version of Thorax when he was in his Kevin guise, only with a green backplate to match her mother and a yellow mane and tail inherited from her father. Then Pinkie Pie threw a naming party for the new princess. As I had requested, we named her in honor of my former advisor. After that, my newest herdmate was proud to bring Diadem to the family gatherings so that she could interact and play with others.
When not on duty, Chrysalis was free to indulge in whatever activities took her fancy. She still had guards following her around but they were there for her protection, just like the rest of us. She rarely chose to leave the castle grounds though, and I was curious about the reason when she did. An inquiry with her guard detail had me discreetly following her one day. She had taken Diadem with her and headed for a public park. There she met up with Twilight Velvet who was minding Regis and Gemini for part of the day. My herdmate loudly encouraged our daughter to “play with your peers” while she chatted with Velvet. I had to stay out of the range of Chrysalis’ empathic senses so I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but the guards reported it to me later.
They were bonding over their grandchildren.
Velvet was giving tips on the upbringing of ponies while Chrysalis offered insights into the needs of changelings. And when that topic was done, they started talking about knitting. So help me – Chrysalis pulled out a half-completed sweater! Velvet gushed over the progress my herdmate had made and Chrysalis looked very pleased. I am never going to figure out that changeling.
...
I wonder who the sweater is for?
The problem with pregnant unicorns is that it’s difficult to get them to slow down and take things easy when they’re mere days away from giving birth. They point out, not unreasonably, that they are taking it easy as they lie there and do everything by telekinesis. Rarity refused to reduce her workload, pointing out that much of her time would be taken up by our foal later and she needed to get her orders completed before then. As I have yet to win any arguments with my wives (and calling them herdmates is just a legal euphemism), I resorted to ensuring that Rarity at least took breaks and got as much to eat and drink as she wanted to keep up her strength. And no, that was not a job for a servant. Not while I was her stallion anyway.
Then one afternoon, my mate made a noise that was something like, “Ngkk!”, and a ponyquin went flying across the room to crash into a wall.
At my questioning look, Rarity said, “Sorry, darling. That was a contraction.”
“Are you telling me that your very first contraction was that bad?” I asked suspiciously.
“W-e-l-l… maybe not the first.”
I rolled my eyes as I headed for the door. “Dear, you’re nuts. You can’t just hide going into labor for the sake of a dress.” I poked my head out of the room, spotted Night Bloom on duty, and said, “It’s begun.”
The thestral stallion nodded and galloped away to summon the midwife and alert everyone else who needed to know. I closed the door and saw Penny helping Rarity over to the bed. As soon as she was settled, I placed a suppression ring over her horn. She gave me a dirty look for that but I said, “If you’re going to be hurling stuff around the room at every contraction, you need that ring now, not later.”
Calming Hooves turned up promptly and gave me a stern look. “I hope you remember what we discussed?”
“Yes, ma’am. Go fret elsewhere and leave you to your job until called.”
She smiled. “Excellent.”
Doctor Bellows arrived and gave me an acknowledging nod.
I leaned over the bed to give Rarity a long kiss. “I’ll be just down the hall if you need me, love. Remember, I held Trixie’s hoof through her delivery. I could do the same for you.”
“I’m afraid I’m a bit of a traditionalist, Mark. There are some activities where I’d prefer my stallion not be present. Don’t worry, darling. We’ll be fine.”
“Worrying is the sire’s job,” I replied before heading out with Penny.
The wait was longer than with Trixie but, other than that, the experience was much the same as when my first child was born… right down to the shock afterward.
“It’s a filly, but…” Calming Hooves began before being lost for words. She held out the crying unicorn foal.
She was gorgeous. She had the same white fur as her mother but with my blond mane. And she was an anthro. Rarity and I exchanged knowing glances. I then levitated the foal out of Calming’s grasp to place her in her mother’s embrace whereupon the filly quieted.
“It’s okay, Calming. Although we did not expect this result, we know why she’s like this. She was conceived in another dimension where ponies are bipedal and have hands instead of hooves on their upper limbs. I can assure you that she looks perfectly normal for that kind of pony. As long as you are satisfied with the health of mother and child, then all is well.”
I never expected to have to play the role of the calm and collected pony while the midwife dithered. She looked at least partly reassured. She shook her head and got her mind back on the job.
Doctor Bellows was equally surprised but gave the foal a clean bill of health, and there certainly wasn’t anything wrong with her appetite. As she fed, Rarity smiled and drew me closer.
“Thank you, darling,” she said softly.
I raised an eyebrow. “For what?”
“For giving me a child that I didn’t know I wanted this badly. I have been so buried in my work that I had lost touch with my desires. To think that I was going to put off this miracle for years!”
“It doesn’t bother you that our foal is an anthro?”
She made a scoffing noise. “Your first child changes species and sex. Twilight’s is a hybrid ponyling. On that scale, Pearl hardly even rates.”
“Pearl?”
“You don’t like that name?”
I looked at the filly’s almost iridescent coat. “No – I think it suits her perfectly. Pearl Belle it is.”
“Not Pearl Wells as it would be in your home dimension?”
I grinned. “Just one look will be enough for everybody to guess that I’m her sire. I think we’ll stick with the matrilineal naming.”
Rarity giggled. “Yes, you do seem to bring the unusual. What do you think Penny will have?”
I shrugged. “As long as it isn’t an alicorn, I’m safe. I didn’t promise anything else. Speaking of Penny though, it’s time that we let the rest of the herd come see our daughter.”
Rarity nodded and I headed to the door.
When Luna and Celestia said that they had wound up all their commitments and obligations and would now be moving to Silver Shoals for their well-earned rest, I expressed surprise that they were going to some kind of retirement village. After they finished laughing themselves silly, they informed me that, while it was a popular destination for senior citizens, it was because of the resort there. The community was relatively new. I hadn’t known anything about it but it was a popular vacation spot for families. They assured me they would still come back to their rooms at the castle now and again. The Royal Sisters intended to buy a villa and spend a few weeks relaxing and recreating before moving on with their new goals in life. And what were those? Neither had decided yet.
Luna opened a nightclub.
I suppose it was obvious in retrospect. With her Night Court duties now in the Triarchs’ hooves, she had the opportunity to explore Canterlot’s nightlife at her leisure. The Anticyclone had touched off the interest in that kind of business and all it took was the right partner to get it off the ground with a bang.
Vinyl Scratch a.k.a. DJ-Pon-3 was very popular in the music scene and was constantly in demand by the various venues. However, Luna succeeded in tempting her into a partnership in a new nightclub where the unicorn would have a permanent gig. Plus the entertainer had a near unlimited budget to work with. Luna excitedly related some of Vinyl’s ideas for sets, dance floors, guest artists, lighting and special effects, etc. etc. Plus these would all rotate on a bi-weekly basis to keep the creative juices flowing. The fully staffed and equipped recording studio next door was a natural offshoot of the partnership.
We were invited to the opening night and it was spectacular. My ears might still be ringing if I hadn’t cast a spell to muffle the sound. The lighting effects were marvelous but there was one unique feature to the venue – the enormous skylight. Luna’s moon and stars were part of the atmosphere and, occasionally, she would make them dance too. It probably pissed off the astronomers but who was going to tell a goddess not to play with her possessions?
Celestia spent some time teaching at her school. With no royal duties, she was able to concentrate on giving more lectures on advanced spells and techniques. It wasn’t a full-time job though, and now that she wasn’t acting as my advisor, she seemed to me to be a bit restless.
Then one morning, I woke early for some unknown reason. I crept out of bed without disturbing Trixie or Penny and wandered over to the balcony doors. Dawn’s light shone through a slight gap in the curtains letting me see the way without turning on a lamp. I decided to step out and enjoy the fresh morning air, but I was startled to see that I had company. Celestia was there, watching the mist over the land light up in the sun’s rays as she lifted it over the horizon. She sat on the bare marble unperturbed by the chilly stone, but the solar alicorn was never cold even in the worst of blizzards. She turned her head at the sound of the balcony door opening and she smiled. She extended a wing and patted a pillow that was by her left side.
“Sit with me?”
This was too much of a coincidence that I would wake at this time and she was raising the sun from my balcony. I knew that Celestia wanted to have a private chat and I was happy to oblige. Besides, the dawn was rather pretty.
I settled my butt on the cushion and we both watched for a while as the country stirred with the new day. Eventually, Celestia said, “I’m leaving.”
Not wanting to jump to conclusions again, I asked, “Why?”
“After being bound to the throne for a thousand years, I desire nothing more than to get away from this city and have some adventures.”
“So, what’s kept you here?”
“It’s not easy to let go, Mark. For over ten centuries, I have done my best to guide and protect Our Little Ponies but the world has changed so much in the few years that I was gone. To my pleasure and my dismay, it has become so much better.”
I arched an eyebrow. “Dismay?”
“You, Trixie, and Twilight have accomplished so much in such a short time. That showed me that my rule had become stagnant. However, even now, I still have the urge to meddle. That is why I had to relinquish the role of advisor to Chrysalis despite your misgivings. You don’t need somepony mired in the past to pressure you into seeing things her way. Queen Chrysalis will force you to think for yourself and do your very best as a ruler of this ever-growing empire that you’ve built.”
“And what about the millennium of experience and knowledge that you will take away?”
“You have the library for the latter and Twilight is an excellent researcher. As for experience, the world has changed and the ways in which you will have to interact with it will be different from mine. However, if you truly need my advice, I won’t be totally incommunicado. Dragonfire letters will still reach me if necessary, but I have confidence that you can resolve problems without my help.”
I gave her a crooked smile. “Have you heard about all the blunders I have made too?”
Celestia giggled. “Yes, and I suggest that you learn from mine. I was your age once and just as uncertain and inexperienced as you. Worse yet, Luna and I were thrust into the role at a time of turmoil. You have the advantage of a stable nation and a plethora of friends to help. You’ll do fine.”
I pondered that briefly before giving her a flat look. “You arranged for me to wake up so you could give me this pep talk, didn’t you?”
The solar alicorn gave me that knowing smile and nodded.
“What about Trixie?”
“Princess Beatrix Lulamoon has confidence to spare, but Trixie needs you to be her best. Twilight Sparkle too. I see now that I was grooming Twilight to be too much like me. She needs to be herself to be a good ruler. King Thorax was an unanticipated twist but their union has already done more for changeling relations than decades of negotiations could have done. Nevertheless, the whole Triarchy hinges on working harmoniously together and you have been the linchpin of that coalition.”
“I’m just an ordinary person from another dimension who got thrust into an unlikely role by pure luck,” I protested.
“Was it luck though? You’ve acknowledged that you have been Harmony’s champion and your ascension to alicorn status backs that up. Is it possible that you were chosen as Equestria’s best hope for the future?”
“That thought makes me a little uncomfortable. I just tried to do my best under the circumstances.”
Celestia put her wing around my withers and hugged me. “Mark – look out there.” She gestured with her other wing. “Thousands of ponies, griffons, and other citizens are starting their day just as they have for years. They will work hard, provide for their families, and socialize with their friends. In short, they are all good citizens of this country. Equestria may benefit indirectly from their efforts but very few of them will actively try to build this nation. You, however, started doing so from the time you first arrived. You tried, and that’s a lot more than most will do.”
“You make it sound so simple.”
The solar alicorn laughed. “I think we both know better than that.”
I smirked. “So – you’re throwing me in the deep end.”
She nodded. “But you know how to swim and you don’t need me to be looking on anxiously from the side of the pool. This country is yours to rule now, Prince Mark Wells. Listen to your herd and your friends and you will do well. As for me, I’m going to explore some of this wonderful world of ours and keep out of your mane.”
“We’re going to miss you, Tia.”
“Oh, I’ll be back often enough to tell you about all the fun I’ve been having. Just don’t use my suite for storage, okay?”
I chuckled. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
Celestia rose and gestured towards the wing of the castle which held the dining hall. “Care to join me for breakfast?”
I noticed that I had quite an appetite. “I’d love to.”
As we took flight to glide down to our destination, I realized that the flag had formally been passed to me. I only hoped that I would continue to be worthy.
Celestia was currently on safari in Zebrica with Daring Do. They were on the trail of an old legend that might explain the world’s origins. When I asked if it would be dangerous, she had enthusiastically replied, “I hope so!” Whatever floats your boat, Tia.
Raising the sun in the morning was a task that Celestia intended to continue. She felt that it was as much a part of her as breathing, so it wasn’t a burden. However, if the sun failed to rise one day, we would know that she was in trouble and needed help. I shuddered to think what could happen that would incapacitate her, but despite the current period of peace, Equestria was not a completely safe world yet. Maybe it would never be. Perhaps that was something we ponies and all the other sapient species needed to constantly strive for to give our lives meaning.
Starlight Glimmer finally put her hoof firmly down and demanded an assistant to act as Vice-Headmare of the School of Friendship. Enrolments had exploded and the workload for the new school year was going to double... at least! Luckily for her, Sunburst decided that his role as Flurry Heart’s minder was complete. The filly was old enough to leave in the care of the nannies that Thorax had assigned to the Crystal Principality when Skyla was born. The younger pegacorn was as much attached to them as Flurry had been to Sunburst at that age. Starlight’s best friend dived into his new role with glee. I always thought that he was well suited to be an educator.
About a month later, the long-delayed reopening of the Golden Oak Library was celebrated. With all the interruptions and turmoil of the past few years, Twilight’s efforts to accelerate the enchanted tree’s regrowth had been frequently put on hiatus. She had declared it ready to be re-stocked a few days ago and I had spent part of Saturday morning helping the purple alicorn put the final touches to it. Nyx and the other Crusaders had assisted in bringing over books that had been stored in the castle pending the completion of the library. Gallus, Smolder, and their friends brought contributions from the school to decorate it in the theme of racial harmony.
With only about half an hour to go before the mayor would officially dedicate Ponyville’s restored library, I stood back and took in the final result. “Hmm… This looks so familiar and yet it’s not the same.” Shelves were in different locations. There were four floors instead of three. Most noticeably, there was more room inside.
Twilight said, “You’re not wrong. Library trees are living things, so even though they are grown to suit their purpose, no two are ever the same. Sadly, that seems to apply to regenerating one from a stump as well.”
“Sadly?” I queried.
“I really wanted the library to be exactly how I remembered it. I started my new life here and it held some of my dearest memories.”
“So… you won’t be sleeping here tonight after all?”
She gave me a flat stare. “Let’s not start with the crazy talk!”
I chuckled. “Is your new Head Librarian ready yet?”
“I think Spike is still at Rarity’s boutique. She insisted that he needed to be dressed to look the part.”
At least his latest growth spurt would help him fill the role. My reptilian pal no longer resembled a baby dragon, a fact that some fillies had begun to notice. In particular, the younger sister of a certain fashionista. Would anything come of that? I sure couldn’t guess but I knew better than to bet against it.
It was always going to be a toss-up which of my mates was going to give birth first. Trixie may have conceived a day after Penny did, but twenty-four hours was nothing in terms of the length of a pony pregnancy. As it turned out, the bat pony’s water did break first but I think the excitement triggered off Trixie’s labor. My two next foals were delivered within minutes of each other. Which was first? We would always keep that a secret. We had no intention of one sibling claiming seniority over the other for the sake of a small fraction of an hour.
Penny had a colt – a bat pony like herself. Thestrals didn’t normally have a colorful range of hues like other ponies, but my mate found our son’s fern-green coat to be quite acceptable. There certainly wouldn’t be any doubt about who had sired him! Our biggest headache was giving him a name as we had different ideas about what worked. Eventually, we settled on Verdant Wells, and by ‘we’, I mean that Penny refused to budge once we narrowed down the possibilities. I decided that I could live with nicknaming my son as ‘Verd’. Penumbra countered that I could also live with a smack upside the head every time I did so. Yep, she always found a way to get in the last word.
Trixie had a unicorn filly – blue of coat and blond of mane with gold stripes – whom my wife named Allura. I didn’t argue because I thought it was a beautiful and appropriate name. After waiting a couple of hours, we decided that there weren’t any surprises to be had right now. Time would tell if any would pop up in the future, I supposed. Trixie declared that our next child would be a son. When asked what she would do if it was a daughter again, she merely shrugged and told me that she would keep trying until we had a colt. She had promised me lots of foals, after all. It’s a good thing that the castle has plenty of rooms to spare!
Was I worried about having so many children? The only thing I feared was that I wouldn’t have enough time for all of them. However, I had lots of friends who supported me and my family, and it was the Magic of Friendship that would ensure that they would grow up happy and healthy. Who could ask for more?
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I was half expecting Discord to have Mark dressed up in a samurai kimono.
I mean, a Marry Achi band?
good job... but this feels like an epilogue... I'm guessing the story is coming to an end. That makes me sad. But that I guess is a complement.
unless the sun fails to rise one day ...
Ha!
¡Discordia! Estoy aullando a la luna
Y durmiendo en medio de una tarde de verano...
Breaking out the classics, eh? Good on ya, dissy.
Hey, Mark? It's been a pleasure watching this series of train wrecks and triumphs. Keep on flying, and may clear skies carry you.
May I ask, why the spanish lyrics instead of the english one?
P.S: Good chapter, too bad I have the feeling it's finishing, and while I think it was asked before, I have the memory of a fish... What is your next project?
Been fun. Sounds like epilogue is next. Found this story when it only had a few chapters. Found Cosmic Lotus on another site and followed it here.
Wonder what epic he has planed next.
10423555
I wouldn't put my money on that, wouldn't be the first time a chapter ends in a "and the story's over" mood.
So quickly coming to an end...
Also, nice Respite reference. We appreciate it.
Also, he never wins any arguments. Why not? He's not dumb, he must bring up some valid points. Do they not value his input?
Wowsers... This is some wrap-up. Jeez, I hope not.
Wonderful chapter, Goldfur. But, then again, you know that...
10423605
You're right - he's not dumb. He knows when to lose an argument as well as when to win one.
10423605
Obviously you've never been married. XD
10423529
Mariachi band!
Discord arranged for a romantic evening for his marefriend, Latin style!
Not Farasi?
Why do I feel like the end is here. Or something really bad is going to happen
10423478
You know as well as I do that if it was suggested as a possibility, then it will eventually happen.
Well, if she really doesn't like it, there's always Pooka/Phouka.
Actually, she might like that one a little too much, if she ever learned the legends behind it.
10423659
Mark aint a dumbass. If you're im a marriage and you always lose every argument, you aren't in a healthy relationship. Talking things out is supposed to help others see your view, and if they never see or care about his side, it's an unhealthy relationship.
Damn fine chapter. I wonder when they start there space program? There is a Moon that needs terraforming
Damn fine story
I wonder what the next challange would be. So far only the Zebras keep to themself and Minatours are also not within the list of close allys of Equestria. How is the relationship between nations?
In Heart of Iron mod Equestria at War there are still events that would fit here quite well.
- The undead uprising.
- Windigo return seed disharmony.
- Rebellions/power grabs of more powerhungry side factions
- Is slavery a thing on the Deer nation? A plotpoint worth from other storys perhaps?
- Ooo crap... Is Pinkie Pie the only singel mare now?
Call Cadance for a 'Emergency shipping meeting' !!!
10423637
So whats next? There is a lot that can still happen.
-The return of the Wendigos?
-Undead curse uprising?
-Space program to the Moon with legit tech in one or two centuries ?
Did Marcus give Phil a update how things are running?
Grogar is beaten but he did his stuff for Centuries or? Dont they have to mop up his remaining followers?Like the Storm King remnants previewsly?
3 more Chapters to the 100 Chapter milestone
As my mother always says, the secret is to know when to stop.
I suppose that makes "Sally" there a bit of a connoisseur.
(whistle) That's surprisingly deep.
10423875
oh, if you want a space program story, you might like "changeling space program".
it's partly based on the author's experiences playing Kerbal Space Program.
No, it's just the wise thing to say.
"Lo que sea que haga flotar tu bote... Sally."
Can I just say that I really like this version of Chrysalis?
Well, at least it isn't something like...
What's harder to deal with than pregnant unicorns?
Pregnant Alicorns.
Well his first 2 children are the unique versions for foals with a sex and species swap and and anthro filly that probably will make Blueblood uber jealous. Interesting to see Celestia now off on her own adventures while finding a mare now and then for fun times. Luna with her nightclub will be fun for all.
Also Goldfur, will Phil ever learn of what Mark has been up to and be put in within the next 3 chapters?
Of course it isn't. It's a new branch.
Well, I sense we are nearing an end. Trilogies tend to be just the right length.
Unless something totally out of left field occurs. Its not marked as finished, no pun inteneded. Knowing your creativity, Goldfur/Airy, anything can happen.
when celestia passed the flag to mark it reminded me of the god father when father and son sat down and passed the title over
a totally amazing chapter so much happening,, but this is feeling like a rap to this grate story.
my question is does this mean you are one steep closer to going back to your House Path story line?
10424062
Ouch.
And I thought my “sequestration” pun was bad.
10423975
Thanks i check it out
Time for some silly fun:
By the way... Who you think we should ship Pinkie Pie with?
She is the only singel mane6 member now
10424167
Yeah, fair enough.
As a total non sequitr, the place is safe for now, but I wonder if they'll encounter someone like... Majesty. As pointed out by Silver Quill, she'd be a rogue Element, if you will. If you don't fit her idea of Harmony, well...
https://www.deviantart.com/mlp-silver-quill/art/Majesty-vs-the-Flim-Flam-Brothers-667658831
Oops! Somebody forgot a picture of Allura!
Great chapter, Goldfur!!
10424632
Not forgotten. Just haven't had one done. I'm not a bottomless art pit.
I guess the inside of Equestria's sun isn't quite as hot as ours.
10424672
point me at your favorite artist and if there prices are reasonable i will correct this issue.
That chapter feels like an appropriate “The End,” but the story is still marked incomplete. Will there be an epilogue, perhaps of a few years/decades later after the events of the story? Or will it be continued? I look forward to either.
Allura
Did you name her for Princess Allura of Altea or for Lady Allura Vysoren?
10424724
Three more instalments to come yet. An even 100 chapters.
10424759
Neither. I was just dreaming up nice names and that one stuck.
So waiting for one of his kids to take after Marklestia not Mark Wells
While this may not be an end... it still fits its role perfectly.
The foals have been DOUBLED! Nay, TRIPLED!
All the kids be coming, and so cute!
Lovely piece on Diadem. Treasured with no regrets.
Much fun, an even stronger era of prosperity and peace, but is there something new on the horizon?
Keep going! ;)
Next update wil be like:
10424712
You may have noticed that the majority of the character pics are by Foxenawolf. She charges US$60 for a single character pic with color and shading. If you are interested in getting a picture of Allura, you could go to her, or you could send me the money. If it's too much for your taste, I'd still be interested in getting a part payment because I'd like to see a pic done too.