• Published 15th Jul 2019
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The Centurion Project - TheEighthDayofNight



Elias "Rubrum Aquilae" Bright, the former leader of the Legio I Americana, on the run from his past, finds himself thrown into the conflicts of Equestria.

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Chapter 51: Aftermath

Luna sat alone in her carriage as it rolled back to the castle. She had managed to keep her composure enough to say her goodbyes at the wedding, but as soon as she had climbed in her carriage, she had begun to softly cry. No amount of logical thinking or justification could calm her cracked heart, so she simply told her guards to take the long way back so that she had time to grieve her lost friend in private. She truly wanted to find Elias again, to make him shout and scream at her, so that she could argue in turn. She wanted to make him change his mind, but she had seen the look in his eyes that meant he would stand his ground no matter what. No matter how wrong she believed he was, Elias had his heart set on remaining isolated, so she would not push. She would let her friend slip away, hurt and alone, until the path she had forced him on came to its conclusion. Then maybe she could try to reconnect.

Luna wiped away her tears and let out one last sniffle as her carriage pulled up to the castle gates. She needed to buck up. Few ponies knew that she had gone to a wedding with Elias, and none of them needed to find out that he had hurt her. His reasoning was sound, and though she was in pain, the last thing Luna wanted was retribution. She just needed to put on a brave face until her heart hurt less, then she would wait patiently until she could have her friend back.

The carriage halted, and Luna let out a small sigh as she rose from her seat and pushed the door open. Her guards exchanged a glance as she stepped out of the carriage, her head bent low. Black Skies cleared his throat and shuffled in place.

“Would you like someone to escort you to your room Princess? Shadow Mark can put away the carriage by himself…”

Luna shook her head and answered without looking up, or stopping.

“Nay my friend, I wish to be alone for a moment. I appreciate your concern, but…”

She suppressed a sigh and felt her tail begin to drag behind her.

“I am tired. I wish to be alone so that I can rest.”

She could feel their wish to protest in the air, but neither spoke. They instead quietly closed the carriage door and began pulling it to its storage house. Luna pushed through the castle doors and turned toward the hallway that would lead to her room, and hopefully some measure of comfort for her aching heart.

Before she could leave the entry hall however, she heard heavy footsteps approaching quickly, and she heard her sister call out.

“Luna?”

The blue alicorn flinched as Celestia trotted up to her. Luna straightened and put on her best fake smile.

“Yes sister?” she said with a too-toothy smile. “What are you doing up so late in the evening?”

The white alicorn’s expression bled concern as she stopped just short of her younger sister.

“I was going to the kitchens for a bit of cake before bed, but then I saw you coming in, and could practically feel your distress. Are you alright? Did something happen at the wedding?”

Luna drooped and looked away. There was no way she could hide her feelings on the night’s events. Her only escape was to evade and walk away.

“Nothing at all sister,” she said. “It ‘twas a lovely evening. I am merely tired after all of the excitement.”

Hooves wrapped around her barrel, and Celestia nuzzled her starry mane, pulling Luna into a tight hug.

“Please don’t tell me you’re tired Luna,” Celestia said in her ear. “I hear that white lie far too many times when something was always wrong. I failed you last time by not pressing further, and I refuse to do so again. Please, I’m begging you with all my heart, talk to me. Whatever it is, we can at least talk about it. I want to be here for you.”

Luna opened her muzzle to lie again, but found that she couldn’t do it. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she desperately turned and wrapped her hooves around her sister. She sobbed aloud, crying into Celestia’s fur, uncaring of how she looked.

Celestia took the outburst in stride. She rubbed small circles on Luna’s back, while also humming softly in her sister’s ear. The display of affection and caring was more than enough to push Luna over the edge, and words began to spill out as she cried into her sister’s fur.

“He turned me away ‘Tia! I understand why, but it just hurts so much. Why can’t he let me love him?”

Luna felt her sister’s grip tighten, and Celestia growled.

“Elias Bright did this to you?”

Luna immediately felt warmer, and her tears dried enough that she could see her sister’s fur start to flicker with flame. Luna tightened her grip on Celestia and stared up at her with pleading eyes.

“You cannot do anything!” she said quickly. “It was his choice; I merely grieve what he has chosen! Please, he hurts as I do, I do not blame him!”

Celestia growled louder and her mane briefly flickered orange.

“After everything we’ve given him, he still dares to hurt my baby sister. That ungrateful wretch will beg for the day when wendigos were his greatest threat!”

Luna sniffled as Celestia’s grip tightened.

“T-tia, you’re hurting me,” she whimpered.

The heat and rage vanished from the air, and the white alicorn immediately loosened her grip.

“Luna, I am so sorry, I was just…”

Luna sniffled again and nuzzled Celestia’s chest.

“It is of no concern,” she said. “You wished for me to talk to you, and I shall, but only on the promise that you won’t do or say anything to Elias. He doesn’t deserve punishment because he has done nothing wrong, and despite his words tonight, I love him as much as ever.”

Celestia’s eyes flickered with anger again, and she slowly shook her head.

“Luna, he cannot be allowed to escape this unpunished. He hurt-…”

Luna pressed her nose with a hoof.

“Himself. He rejected me not out of want, but out of believed need. We are both in great pain, but ultimately, I grieve for him, because he has nowhere else to turn.”

She put on a small smile.

“At least I have my best big sister to turn to.”

Celestia sighed as Luna withdrew her hoof, and though Luna could still see some flickers of anger in her eyes, they began to slowly fade.

“Fine,” Celestia said. “I shall pretend that this does not involve him, and that the actual perpetrator has been thrown into the sun. Would you like to join me Luna? Perhaps we could turn my snack trip into a little feast?”

Luna seized the opportunity for company and junk food. With how she was now, she knew that she could get anything she asked for.

“Pizza with extra peppers please,” she said with a smile.

Celestia chuckled.

“You and your spices. Anything else?”

“Moonpies?” Luna asked hopefully.

“That was assumed,” Celestia replied, scooping up her sister.

The magic drain had impaced Luna’s size more than Celestia’s, so she fit quite well on her sister’s back. Luna wiped her eyes free of tears as the pain in her chest dulled just slightly.

“Lot’s of buttery popcorn!” she continued. “And cider! From the cellars!”

Celestia chuckled and began to trot toward the kitchens.

“Are you trying to force a growth spurt Luna?”

Luna giggled and poked at her sister’s rump.

“Perhaps, but it would take quite a bit of effort for the moon to become anything like the sun, don’t you think?”

“Har har, you’re very funny Luna.”

The blue alicorn flinched at the familiarity of the line. She always said that to Elias, and he always replied with;

‘But I made you laugh, didn’t I?’

Luna felt her momentarily uplifted spirit fall, and she hugged her sister’s back.

“Tia?”

“Yes Luna?”

“Can I sleep with you for a while?”

Celestia stiffened slightly, but kept walking.

“Luna, are you sure that…”

“Please?”

Celestia sighed and glanced back with a smile.

“Of course Lulu, anything for you.”

Luna sniffled and hugged her neck.

“Thank you, Tia. Things will get better eventually; I can feel it. It just…. hurts for now.”

*****

“General, I have news that I think you’ll like to…”

The loveling froze in the doorway to his office like he had run smack into a brick wall. Elias squinted at him from his slouched position and waved his hand.

“Well come on then, out with it. Just because I’ve had a drink doesn’t mean I can’t listen to what intel you’ve brought.”

Snowball blinked rapidly, then slowly walked into his office, looking about like he was about to be ambushed. His purple eyes flicked to the bottle on Elias’ desk, then to the man himself.

“What happened Elias?” he asked. “I thought you would feel overjoyed and bursting with love tonight, but now… you feel hollow.”

Elias snorted and looked away from the loveling.

“I did the right thing. That’s what happened. I did something that I should have done a long time ago, but now I’m in the final stages of wrapping up. It would seem that the universe agrees it should be done, because you have been delivered to my doorstep.”

Snowball’s eyes narrowed.

“What do you mean? Don’t tell me that this is more of that dumb notion that you can’t have any friends.”

Elias picked up his bottle of bootleg vodka and raised it to his lips.

“It isn’t dumb if it’s true.”

Before he could take another drink, the bottle flew from his grasp and shattered on the wall. Elias stared after it, watching as glass mixed with the vodka as it slid down the stone wall.

“That cost me two-hundred bits,” he said absently.

“I don’t care!” Snowball shouted. “I won’t let you throw away all the progress you’ve made because you’ve got a stupid idea in your head. Everypony else might let you get away with it, but not me!”

Elias glanced at the loveling.

“Don’t you think you’re overreacting? I haven’t even said anything yet.”

“You don’t have to,” Snowball spat. “I felt your emotions shift as soon as you saw me. I’m smart enough to know that you likely pushed everyone else away, and now intend to do the same to me. Am I wrong?”

Elias sighed.

“No, you aren’t. I’m sorry, but it was a mistake to invite you to be my friend in the first place.” He picked up a page from his desk. “I was actually working on the orders I would issue to Adiutor Binder for your love rations. She and First Centurion Flash should be more than capable of…”

The page caught fire in his hand, and after a brief moment of pain in his fingertips, it was nothing but ash. Elias glanced over to Snowball, who’s nostrils flared with anger. Elias rolled his eyes and looked away.

“Stop being immature and accept that it’s going to happen. You won’t like the alternative.”

“No, you won’t like the alternative,” Snowball snapped. “But you’re going to go through with it anyway, because despite how stupid you’re acting, you know that this isn’t right.”

Elias’ bad eye twitched and he slowly straightened in his seat.

“I suggest you change your tone Adiutor Snowball, because I can have you thrown back in the dungeons on a whim. You should be grateful that I’m still keeping you in my legion.”

“I’m still here because you need me,” Snowball said. “And not for some stupid spying on the other generals, but because I allow you a small measure of comfort. If you turn me away now you will be dead inside of a month.”

Elias snorted in disgust.

“Please, I’m not some weak pony. I don’t need all of your stupid softness to survive. I managed fine on my own before all of this, and I can continue to do so without you, or anyone else.”

A file thicker than a textbook slammed down on his desk, and Elias stared at it blankly for a moment.

“What is this?”

Snowball snorted.

“You’re medical history. I was bringing it here because I found General Lionheart trying to find it in Doctor Scalpel’s file cabinets. The good news is that Scalpel was keeping it in his safe, and he trusts me to hold on to it, because I’m your current best friend.

“And what do you think is so important about my medical file?” Elias asked with a sigh.

“Page forty-nine to page fifty-seven,” the loveling replied. “It is undeniable proof that you need me to still be your cuddle bug, or that you at least need someone to do the job.”

Elias glared at him for a moment.

“You read it?”

Snowball rolled his eyes.

“I’m a spy General, I read everything. You of all ponies know that.” He tilted his head. “If you’re looking for a reason, it’s because I wanted to know what General Lionheart was looking for, so that we could curb his attempts in the future. I read the entire document, but aside from a few oddities, I don’t think there is anything he can use against you.”

Elias picked up the folder and began thumbing through it.

“Scalpel’s thoughts on my night terrors are ground for dismissal I’m sure.”

“But Princess Celestia and Princess Luna know about those,” Snowball replied. “They should never have given you the job if they didn’t think you mentally stable.”

“Exactly what I said,” Elias muttered. “I wouldn’t have any of these damn problems if Celestia would get that stick out of her ass and listen to me for once instead of blindly thundering ahead with her great “plans”.”

Snowball sighed and took Book Binder’s chair from behind her desk.

“I agree, she really needs to discuss things more. That’s what I particularly love about the hivemind. Mother always takes all of the information on hand into consideration, makes the plan for the decision, then discusses it with us to weigh emotional response. It’s all very efficient and we have fewer incidents where ‘lings are hurt because of mistakes that could have just been avoided.”

He blinked as he paused, then he straightened in his seat and leaned toward Elias as the human set the file on the desk. Elias motioned to the pages.

“What am I supposed to be looking for here that is your “undeniable proof”? All I see is different heart rates.”

Snowball nodded.

“That’s exactly what’s important. If you’ll notice,” he pointed at the top of the page, “here is just before you started sharing your love with me.” Snowball turned the pages and tapped a result near the middle. “And here is yesterday. We’ve only been doing this for a couple weeks, and already your heart is beating at a much more normal rate, and your blood pressure is way down.”

Snowball reached into his saddlebags and withdrew a document.

“Here is the performance, discipline, and morale logs for the last three weeks. Notice how performance is going up despite the fact that you’ve disciplined less ponies? I’m not saying being a tough general isn’t effective, because the results show otherwise, but these last few weeks you’ve been showing small glimpses of kindness that show your legionaries that you really care about them.”

Snowball sat back in his seat.

“I think that if you turn me away now, not only will you have a heart attack, but all of this work will be undone, and morale and performance will plummet. You’ve been pushing just the right amount recently, and a drastic change in your emotional state will undo that. If you truly care about seeing as many ponies as you can through the march, you cannot push me away. You’ll get them all killed.”

Elias stared down the loveling.

“I should break your muzzle for saying something like that.”

Snowball shrugged.

“You only feel that because you know I’m right.”

Elias continued staring at him, then sighed and looked to his desk. His hand drifted down to one of his drawer handles, and after a pull, he removed another bottle of gryphon vodka. Snowball’s muzzle curled in distaste, and his horn began to glow. Elias’s free hand shot out and smacked the loveling across the cheek. As Snowball blinked in stunned silence, Elias jabbed a finger at him.

“You break this bottle and I’ll send you home to your mother in a box. This was a very expensive gift, and I won’t let you ruin it.”

“A gift from who?” Snowball asked, rubbing his cheek.

Elias sighed and withdrew a pair of glasses with small silver fangs surrounding their bases.

“Anyon and Nightshade,” he said. “He got the booze, she got the glasses. Nobody knows I have it, and nobody is going to find out unless you want to see the three of us thrown in jail for possessing a class four illegal substance.”

Snowball stared at the bottle with a look of horror.

“That stuff is as dangerous as distilled nightshade?”

Elias shrugged and popped the cork.

“It’s old and magically preserved is what it is. Costs a small fortune on the market these days, but Anyon got it when he still worked for the king. Said he was “saving it for a special occasion”. My promotion apparently fit the bill.”

Elias snorted as he poured the vodka into the glasses.

“Probably had enough foresight to realize how much of a shit show this job would be.”

He set the bottle down and picked up one of the glasses, holding it up to the light of his lantern. He smiled faintly as her swirled the clear liquid.

“I’m told that this stuff is enough to knock even a full-grown dragon on its ass. Here’s hoping I stack up.”

He saw a look of dismay pass over Snowball’s face as he put the shot back. Swallowing it brought about an intense burning sensation, and Elias immediately closed his eyes and leaned forward.

“Are you alright?” Snowball asked.

Elias coughed once, doing his best to keep the vodka down. Damn did it burn.

“Do you know what regret tastes like?” he growled. “Because I do.”

Another cough escaped, followed by a third as he sat up in his chair. The fiery alcohol stayed down however, and after a bit of heat rose to his face, Elias convinced himself that he was fine. The rumbling in his belly was nothing, he was sure of it.

Elias pushed the second glass toward Snowball. The loveling stared at it with wide eyes, then looked up to Elias, who cleared his throat.

“General, I’m not really sure that…”

Elias raised a hand, and the loveling fell silent.

“If you really want to stay, I will allow you if you can prove that you’re tough enough to survive. You’ve managed to approach this issue in the one way I can’t refute, and you’re right. I cannot allow my standards to slip, and you’re needed to keep me going.”

He raised a finger.

“But, there will be terms and this time I will not budge on them. First, you are nothing but a soldier when we’re out and about. You only get to be my cuddle bug once the day’s work is done.” He raised another finger. “Second, there will be no talk of allowing others to act with your privileges. The ponies I have cut off will remain so until after the march.”

Snowball sighed lightly but nodded.

“Okay. I don’t think now would be a good time to reconnect anyway.”

Elias motioned toward the glass.

“The third term is that you drink that and keep it down. I’m not putting another drop of love in you unless you can prove to me that you have some sort of stomach for survival. Drink it. It might taste like bleach, but it isn’t half bad.”

Snowball eyed the glass and swallowed nervously. After a moment of deliberation, he raised it in his magic and pumped it back. The loveling’s ears flattened and he choked as he fell from his chair with a chirp of distress. Elias laughed aloud as the loveling sputtered and spat. Despite his struggles, Snowball didn’t spit up. The human rose from his seat and grabbed his canteen. He kneeled beside the loveling and offered him the water. Snowball paused in his flailing to sniff at it. Elias rolled his eyes.

“It’s water Snowball. Quit being dramatic and take it.”

Snowball sniffed the canteen again, then snatched it away. He drained it in desperate gulps, stopping only when the canteen was empty. He laid his head on the floor and panted softly.

“That was awful,” he said.

Elias rolled his eyes and grabbed his canteen.

“It wasn’t that bad. You survived, didn’t you?”

Snowball huffed and pouted, but nodded. After a moment of laying on the floor catching his breath, he rose and moved back to his seat, glaring at the bottle of vodka the whole while.

“I’m going to find a way to destroy that,” he muttered.

“If you do, you’ll be fired,” Elias said in reply. “I drink, get used to it.”

Snowball sighed.

“Fine, but now you’ll hear my terms.”

Elias poured himself another glass.

“You are in no position to give terms.”

Snowball shrugged.

“Maybe, maybe not. You’re still going to listen though.”

Elias stared at the glass for a moment, then smirked and nodded as he corked the bottle.

“Fair enough. What terms do you have for me?”

“First,” Snowball started, “I’m in charge of your schedules from now on. You work too late in the day and wake up too early. I’m putting limits on you.”

“The work needs done,” Elias replied. “It can’t just be left unfinished.”

“And it won’t be,” Snowball said. “This is not part of the term, but I’d like to bring in a few of my kin to work as non-military assistants. Just to relieve you and your official subordinates of the extra paperwork. Do you really want to spend hours on end approving each and every letter home?”

Elias sighed.

“No, I don’t.”

“Exactly, we can develop guidelines for what can and can’t be talked about, then they will do the actual work. If you’re worried about further spies, fear not, I have authority as a prince. They will keep their noses out of specific things.”

Elias tapped his shot glass absently.

“Your mother has been trying to slip more spies in, hasn’t she?”

Snowball nodded.

“Yes General, she’s worried that I’ve bitten off more than I can chew. I can present two of them to Princess Celestia as changeling trackers, and the rest we can just add on as temporary assistants. No march for any of them.”

Elias sat in thought for a moment, then nodded.

“Granted, but only once your kin prove themselves capable. I won’t let work get done sloppily.”

Snowball inclined his head and continued.

“My next term is an increase in cuddle sessions, for your sake. I can feel your heartache General. I know I am a sore replacement, but you need someone to love, and to love often. We will cuddle no less than four times a week, more if your health deteriorates. The third term is that I will monitor Doctor Scalpel’s physicals so that the second term can be adjusted if you deteriorate.”

“Which is why you also want to bring in more lovelings, as cuddle backups,” Elias said.

Snowball nodded.

“Yes, though they aren’t as friendly as I am. I begged my mother for the chance to infiltrate ponies, because they’re about the only species that meets my cuddle needs.”

Elias snorted.

“Good to know that I’m trusting an awful lot to a potential weirdo.”

Snowball grinned.

“I could say the same to your General. At least my species is natural to Equestria.”

Elias conceded the point with a snort, and after a brief lull in the conversation, pumped back his glass again. The vodka burned just as much the second time around, and Elias closed his eyes to savor the pain. A low heat was beginning to radiate across his body, a sign of the alcohol’s strength, but he was nowhere close enough to where he needed be to function.

He cracked open his eyes to pour another glass to find the bottle gone. Snowball held it in his magic, keeping it far away from Elias’ hand. The human squinted at him.

“Give that back, I’m not done yet.”

Snowball shook his head.

“I’m sorry Elias, but you can’t have more of this stuff tonight. I’ll even go out and buy something softer, but not this. Please. Even gryphons have a hard time drinking a lot of this stuff.”

Elias sighed and leaned back in his chair.

“So then what would you suggest we do Snowball? I’m not exactly in a sleeping mood.”

Snowball frowned in thought as he levitated the bottle over to Elias’ hand. He briefly considered popping the cork for one more drink, then decided against it. He was already starting to slow down mentally. He couldn’t quite remember why turning Luna away had been such a good idea, but he knew it was the right decision. He was fairly certain. At least he still had…

Elias blinked as the drawer shut with a clack. His mind focused on a fact that he hadn’t really processed on an emotional level yet. Save for Snowball, he had finally succeeded in the goal he had set for himself when he had woken up in the castle. He was once again well and truly isolated. He had nobody to turn to. Nobody to comfort him if things went horribly wrong. He was once again surrounded by ponies, but unable to interact with any of them. There would be no overly friendly pegasi to approach him now however.

“Elias?”

The man blinked, then wiped his blurry eyes. He sniffed and wiped his nose, then looked to Snowball.

“Yeah?”

“Are you going to be alright?”

Rather than answering the question, Elias slowly pushed himself to his feet, doing his best to ignore all of his aches.

“I’m fine,” he replied. “Come on, I think I’ll give sleeping a try after all.”

As he moved around the desk, Snowball pinned himself to Elias’ hip, and the pair made their way to his bedroom.

*****

Luna looked around in the darkness of her sister’s room. It was a little after midnight, and though she had tried as best she could to stay awake, Celestia had eventually turned in. Luna had joined her instantly, unwilling to be left alone. The elder alicorn slumbered peacefully beside her, and while her comfort had been enough for her to fall asleep, something had driven Luna to wake up.

She blinked at the dark wall for a moment, then started mentally walking through the halls, doing her best to determine what was in the direction she couldn’t turn away from. It didn’t take her overly long to figure out who’s bedroom sat only a few hallways away, and she sighed aloud as she laid her head back down.

Though her dream magic was essentially non-usable, she could still detect when a nightmare was occurring, and with the power of Elias’…

“Oh my love,” she whispered. “I wish I could help you now. I wish I could do my duty to put your nightmares to an end.”

Celestia’s head rose.

“Did you say something Luna?” she asked blearily.

Luna nuzzled her sister’s side.

“Nay sister, merely thinking. Thank you for letting me rest with you.”

Celestia returned her nuzzle, then settled back down. Her breathing quickly resumed its slow tempo, and Luna let out another small sigh as she laid her back down. Even though she closed her eyes, sleep came slowly. All she could think about was what could have been if things had gone differently.

*****

Unseen by anyone, a trio of beings watched in brooding silence as the blue alicorn fell asleep next to her elder sister. Though she had found temporary solace from her pain, they all could very well see that she was lying, both to herself, and those around her. Her soul screamed in anguish, crying out for something it could not have. All because of a stubborn, chaotic alien.

A tall white alicorn snorted and turned her head away from the scene.

“This is repulsive. Avatar Moon is supposed to be a mature being spreading joy and harmony, not this sad, lonely thing. She will break her vows once more. We must nip this in the bud and remove her.”

Another alicorn, her fur a sharp blue with brilliant gold streaks, snorted.

“Don’t be so hasty Generosity. Avatar Moon has not failed her duties yet, and while her heart is not in it, she is still accomplishing her vows. If we remove her now, Equestria will plunge into absolute chaos as Candidate Sparkle becomes self-doubtful. Do you truly think taking away her first victory will inspire further harmonious acts? Nay, she will falter, then fall, and the Elements will need to find new bearers. That may take centuries, and that time is better spent growing harmony, not squandering it over one problem.”

Generosity snorted.

“Then you agree there is a problem that needs fixed Loyalty?”

The blue alicorn sighed and the view shifted to the sleeping human, curled around the loveling prince.

“As much as I hate to admit it, yes. The human has shown a strong sense of loyalty, but his own mind works against him. It sows doubt, makes him weak when trying to form lasting friendships. Even now he thinks of driving away his family. It is… not what I had hoped for him.”

The third alicorn grunted.

“I believe that is understating things. We are responsible for this, we are the traits he embodies most, and yet he still falls short. He’s lying, to those around him, and himself. It’s causing division where there shouldn’t be any. To make things worse, he’s started to believe these thoughts as truth, and now he is acting on falsehoods. He drove away Avatar Moon on such an internal falsehood.”

“Thank you for telling us the events of the last hour Honesty,” Generosity sneered. “It is almost as if the human is unstable and dangerous. If we cannot remove Avatar Moon, we must remove the human.”

Honesty nodded in agreement.

“Yes, we do. Avatar Sol had the right idea trying to use his foreign abilities to the advantage of Equestria’s military, but his usefulness is coming to an end. He needs to be removed from power, then disposed of. It will hurt a few ponies in the short term, but they will move on once he is gone from memory.”

Loyalty looked aghast at the red and green alicorn.

“You’re suggesting we kill him?” she spat. “That is not our way.”

Generosity held up her hooves and put herself in front of Loyalty.

“Breathe my friend, breathe, you know better than that. Honesty has ever been blunt. She did not mean remove in that fashion.”

The red alicorn shrugged and looked back to the human, who frowned in his sleep.

“Maybe I didn’t. I cannot say more than that.”

Loyalty growled.

“You’d better explain yourself, or this is going to be brought up with Keeper. We are not killers.”

Honesty sighed.

“No, we are not. We have never taken direct action of that nature with our planet, but perhaps this is the one time that we need to. This human is not ours, does not follow the rules of our world. His very being is poisoned, and it is leeching into the world around him. I do not suggest some dirty murder in the middle of the night by a trusted friend, but rather a quiet, peaceful end in his sleep. We convince Sol to remove him from power, then give him reason to move on from Canterlot. Once sufficiently alone, we do the mercy of ending his battered form, then offer him a place in the Verdant Fields.”

Loyalty scoffed.

“Because that plan worked so well when Generosity did it, or did you forget the part where he rejected Moon’s hoof in marriage? Peace does not interest him,”

She paused, then frowned.

“But neither does war. He is… conflicted. We just need to let things play out naturally. Yes, Moon is hurting now, as is the human, but give them time. They are adults. We must trust our ponies to find their own way. Whether he was born ours or not, he is here now. The human counts as ours.”

Honesty sighed and shook her head.

“I disagree, but I think we will not find agreement this night. Go about your duties Loyalty, think on my words. We must come up with a solution to this, letting it sit is no more our way than direct action. We must fix this problem. Generosity and I shall talk, then approach you with better solutions.”

The blue alicorn matched her sigh and nodded.

“Fine, I shall think on it.”

She vanished in a flash of blue magic, leaving Honesty and Generosity alone. They remained in silence for a moment, merely watching as the human began to toss and turn. The loveling prince woke from his rest, and while he did his best to snuggle and comfort the human, his efforts were for naught. A long scream escaped the human’s lips, and the loveling moved off the bed as the human thrashed about. Generosity shook her head in disgust.

“We cannot let this stand. The human is dangerous, and he has already hurt an Avatar. He will cause more strife.”

Honesty looked to the white alicorn.

“And what do you suggest? I noticed your silence when I spoke of solutions.”

Generosity nodded slowly.

“That you did. I had an idea, and it functions well within our plans for Candidate Sparkle. The Crystal Heart has many uses, do you think it could force harmony into this one?”

Honesty frowned in thought.

“Maybe, but that carries a healthy dose of risk.”

Generosity nodded.

“Of course, but as you said, the human’s body is filled with poison. He is already dead; it is simply a matter of letting his body die. If nothing else, the Crystal Heart would be quick, merciful, and painless.”

Honesty sighed and rubbed her forehead.

“Though it is distasteful, I agree.”

Generosity trotted over and hugged her tight.

“It is alright sister, I know that this is not a glorious part of our duty, but you are right. This is a difficult circumstance with a being that is not one of our own. We did not create the human, we did not bring him to our realm, and we did not fill him with these poisons. It was a wild act that brought him here, we merely have to fix the problem.”

Honesty nodded with tired eyes, sighing as she watched the human wake up, tears running down his face. The loveling leaped into his lap, and tears began to flow faster as the human wept and hugged him tight.

“I know sister,” she replied softly, “I simply wished we could act more. I almost regret Keeper giving ponies free will. Things become messy, and chaotic.”

Generosity snorted.

“Ah, but then they wouldn’t be as enjoyable to observe. You love trying to guess their paths as much as any of us. Besides, the little touches of chaos are what make harmony all the stronger.”

Honesty sighed and stared hard at the human.

“True, but this one… He does not belong here. He rejected our offer to fix him and give him a happy life, so now he forces our hoof. He is a negative influence on the Avatars.”

“Indeed,” Generosity agreed. “Hopefully the Crystal Heart will fix him, or it will put him to sleep. Either way, the Avatars will endure, and Moon will forget this foolish love that hurts her so.”

The white alicorn gave Honesty a quick nuzzle, then faded from view as she returned to her duties in Tartarus. Honesty remained over the viewing portal, watching the human as the loveling prince comforted him back to sleep. There had to be a way, had to be a solution. The red alicorn opened a separate window to the still sleeping Crystal Empire, and she focused her vision on the Crystal Heart.

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