Discovery of the hidden dragons

by EveryAlternateEnding

Consequence

"Alright. Let's talk about the consequences," Twilight said.

"First of all, I'm going to have to step down," Celestia deadpanned.

"What?!" Twilight yelled.

"Well, most likely, anyhow. How did you describe it to the ponies of Equestria, Twilight? Unless you were very careful about it, you might have made me look like a monster."

"I didn't name any names. Just said that we'd been historically ignorant and handled the situation the best way we could think to with the knowledge we had."

"That was a mistake. True, but a mistake. If you give them someone to blame, they won't blame us as a group, and the group can keep its approval. Now is not the time to take one for the team."

"Celestia is right. When a war is won we blame the enemy. We have to make it seem like a triumph against evil was made."

"I guess you're right. It's only the old ones out there that remember a time when we didn't think dragons were sapient."

"I'm not talking about the ponies of Equestria. They aren't going to rebel against us. They practically worship us. But it would be foolish to feed them one story and Garble another. He'd figure it out and come to the worst conclusions."

"But... Celestia... Where will you go?"

"Where I'll go, I don't know. But, don't worry about me. I can transform into anypony I please, so I'll make it by."

Twilight came up with an idea. "I got it! You could come back as my head advisor! Your life would hardly have to change at all!"

Sunburst looked stunned. "Um... Twilight... Could we get a moment alone?"

"Sure."

The two broke away from the group and entered one of the stables.

"Twilight, if she did all this, why do you even want her to stay?"

"I...don't know. I guess because things are changing so fast, and she's been in my life since I was a little filly. I don't want to leave her.

Sunburst seemed rather confused and distressed. "I just punched her in the face twice. I was ready to kill her if I had to because I thought she was the bad guy. Twilight, if it wasn't Celestia who'd done this, would you let them go that easily? Heck, what would the book of law say?"

"I...see what you're saying." Twilight said, lowering her head. "I guess we should talk about punishing her. But later. After we figure out how to tell Garble."

Sunburst looked only somewhat reassured. "No, not later. Now. The four of us can't be going against each other like that. You have any idea how we can keep her from doing that?"

Twilight tapped her chin. After a moment, she said, "Yes."

The two shared their idea with Luna. "Celestia," Twilight began, "I think that Sunburst and I have decided what your consequence should be. As planned, you'll be made to look like a regular pony so that you can act as my advisor. However, you'll also have the magic of one."

Luna gasped. "Twilight, you don't mean-!"

"Yes. We're going to use the Rock of Tirek."

The Rock of Tirek had been used before-for dangerous, aggressive prisoners who left no other option. Once free of any magic, even the roughest and heartiest of them had become weary, idle shells of their former selves. It wasn't something that wardens liked seeing done to anyone.

"Against my sister? Have you left your senses?!" Luna growled, scowling. Beside her, Celestia looked terrified.

"Twilight, please! You know the position I was in!"

"I'm not going to leave you magicless. We'll find a weak magical force in the Rock of Tirek to give you. But I still think it's necessary. It's not because you locked up the dragons, Celestia. There was no good option in that situation, and I can understand that. It's because you went behind my back to solve the issue. If we're going to be fighting a war, then we need our unit of leadership to communicate. It needs to be many brains in one head. A beast with two heads is forever bound to fight itself. I need to make sure that you don't do this again."

The look of disapproval on Luna's face softened. Celestia looked almost resigned.

The plan was implemented. The three alicorns announced that Celestia was stepping down because of her disastrous attempt to cover up the past of Equestria's racism. Celestia was at this time escorted out. She held her head low and appeared without any of her jewelry. Four guards surrounded her, but their armor was blue, orange, and purple, not yellow. They were there to prevent her escape, not her harm. A few ponies in the crowd were angry, and yelled and booed and kicked up sand. The vast majority, however, were stunned. They felt as though a constant part of their lives had been uprooted. Like from now on, the sun wouldn't rise. One pony even spat into the eye of Twilight's guard. In the end, though, Celestia was transported deep into the woods.

It wasn't until late that night that Dulcet Song returned, having taken the form of a green earth pony with a limp yellow mane and tail and soft blue eyes. The three ruling alicorns took out the rock of Tirek and stole her magic, replacing it with the magic of an average pegasus. Celestia would never be able to transform into anything, let alone her old form, again.