Knowledge Brings Change

by hydra30

43 Recompense

Doctor Rorschach froze on the spot as she slowly turned to look up at Princess Celestia. "Her... Hermaeus Mora?"

It was a day nopony would forget anytime soon, the day the skies of Equestria were filled with multiple pulsating whirlpools extruding inky black tendrils, some of which housed the most horrendous eyes anypony had ever seen at the epicenter. It was almost unfathomable, especially after the creature introduced itself. Hermaeus Mora, Daedra of Knowledge, whatever a Daedra was. Nothing had been the same for anypony since that day, Doctor Rorschach being no exception. In fact she had been affected by the creature both directly and indirectly.

While primarily majoring in phycology, Doctor Rorschach had attended several physical aspects of medical school and knew how organic bodies functioned, and to learn that those horrid protrusions in the sky were part of a single entity went against everything her medical knowledge represented. Multiple corporeal forms, one consciousness, confirmed after she read the records the Princesses released to the public detailing Hermaeus Mora. How could such a creature even exist?

Her professionalism had also been affected.

Ever since that monster arrived, a string of new patients had been introduced to her. Ponies who had been as healthy as a horse not a day ago, and for some cases even less, suddenly came to, or were escorted, to Ponyville General, babbling incoherently about a great realm consisting entirely of knowledge, as well as the new master they served. At first Doctor Rorschach had been concerned that a new epidemic had emerged, until the patients began to call the name of their lord, Hermaeus Mora. She had sent word to the crown right away, the response was a detailed report by Princess Celestia herself, describing an artifact crafted by Hermaeus Mora, The Black Books, detailing their properties and effects, how they ensnare anyone who reads them and drag their souls to Apocrypha, Hermaeus Mora's Plane of Oblivion, where he hordes his accumulated knowledge, so vast in proportion that most mortal minds aren't able to handle it, only those of supreme intellect or will able to withstand the effects. Apparently her patients had come across these books and had entered the realm of Apocrypha, and sure enough, said items were discovered in either the library or in the patient's residence. Information each on each had vanished in a wave of inky tendrils before it could be contained, reclaimed by their master.

But, worst of all was Doctor Rorschach's personal encounter with Hermaeus Mora.

One day, after an appointment, Doctor Rorschach had entered her office, only to find three of the tendriled portals hovering over her desk. She tried to scream, but one of the tendrils gagged her. What happened after that was a horrendous image of a tentacle wrapping her horn, brief images of her medical knowledge flashing through the forefront of her memory, and, briefly, an echoing laugh while one of those horrible eyes with two connected pupils flashed in her mind. Needless to say, she had almost needed a psychiatrist after that.

"Wh... why is that creature coming here?" she asked, almost on the verge of hysterics.

"He must be coming for his compensation for his assistance," said Twilight, an irritated scowl on her face.

"What did you promise him anyway?" asked Princess Celestia. "What does he want with Trixie, or should I say Penelope?"

"I think we are about to find out," said Twilight, looking back in the direction Penelope had been fleeing.

The rest followed her example, and they all saw that Penelope had halted on the path, but she was no longer alone. Before her, the incomprehensible form of Hermaeus Mora loomed, five whirling vortices extruding oily tendrils, three of which housed eyes.

___

A few minutes earlier Penelope was galloping as fast as her legs could carry her. She didn't know where she was going, only that wherever it was she had to find this Hermaeus Mora there. If what the princess said was to be believed the last remnants of her home were to be found under his thrall.

So she would find him, whatever it took...

Which, apparently, was a short flight from Ponyville jailhouse.

Even with her incoherent focus, Penelope didn't fail to notice the dark vortices spiraling into existence in her path. She ground to a halt just as waving tendrils emerged from them, three of which were followed by a bulbous mass that split open to reveal poisonous yellow eyes housing two conjoined pupils. Penelope froze in shock and alarm at the sight before her, plopping to her hindquarters as she stared into the eye housed in the center vortex.

"Ah...I see my champion's little strategy... was a success," said an oily voice that seemed to reverberate from both a far away place and deep within one's mind, the center eye turning skyward and gazing at Celestia's altered sun. "Hmm... interesting. I was... uncertain Auri-El's magic would have the same effect here. I shall add this piece of knowledge to my library."

Penelope, after having the sound of the unnerving voice wash over for the last few seconds, managed to gather her wits enough to speak.

"A... are... are you Hermaeus Mora?" She asked, trembling.

The central eye focused on her. "Indeed... child. I am the one you know of by that name... though it is not the only one I have..."

That offhand comment aside, Penelope only had attention for that confirmation. She had found the one she had been looking for. The one who could grant her her request.

"The changelings, I heard they're under your command now," she said.

"Again... you are correct, child," replied Hermaeus Mora, his multiple eyes blinking out of sync. "I have corporated the remains of that wannabe conqueror Chrysalis's forces into my service."

That was the final confirmation Penelope needed. If Celestia was to be believed the residents of her hometown were among the victims Chrysalis used to increase the numbers of her forces. Wherever, whatever they were now, she had to rejoin them. She may have only regained her identity of Penelope Lulamoon but she has been and always will be a Kelptown resident and she felt like she needed to rejoin her people.

She slumped to her belly, trying to appear as humble as possible. "Please, everypony I knew were among the many that horrible creature turned into changelings. My parents, my sister, my neighbors, my friends. I have to see them, please!"

Penelope's plea echoed through the surrounding area, Hermaeus Mora showing no sign of reaction, his tentacles weaving and his eyes blinking like they always did.

"It is either arrogance or ignorance that gives you such gall... child. Which instills in you the belief that you can request anything of me?" said Hermaeus Mora, his tone almost sounding chiding. "Who are you to request a boon of me, Hermaeus Mora, Daedra of Fate and Knowledge?"

"I don't care who or what you are," said Penelope, some of the grit she had portrayed under her persona as Trixie coming out. "All I care about is that you are the one who can bring me to what is left of what I once lost."

"Oh...is that a fact?" inquired Hermaeus Mora smugly. "And you believe I will just concede to your request? That I, one of the Sixteen Daedric Princes, will just give in to your demands without compensation?"

"If it's tribute you want I'll give you whatever you ask," said Penelope, still fighting the urge not to tremble at the sight of the grotesqueness before her. "Please, I must see them again! Whatever it takes."

"Oh... your answer pleases me greatly, child," said Hermaeus Mora, his center eye squinting sinisterly. "Very well. If you agree to enter my... service, I will grant you your desire..."

"WAIT!"

Before anything more could be said between the Daedra and the pony the unmistakable sound of a Royal Canterlot Voice reverberated past them. Penelope turned around, finding Princess Celestia, Doctor Rorschach, and Twilight galloping towards her, stopping a few feet away, not daring to approach the Daedra any more than necessary. They would always be wary of him, anyone should be wary when it comes to dealing with Daedra Lords.

"Trixie, you don't have to do this," insisted Celestia. "As I have told you I have seen the changelings, whoever they once were is gone. There's bare fragments of the life they once had but they're not the ponies they once were, they're even less so now, under Hermaeus Mora's influence."

Trixie may have done a lot of things, but Celestia didn't want her falling under that monster's thrall. Not as Twilight had. She felt there were still calamities that were to come as a result of her student's pact with him.

"Penelope," said Penelope as she turned to the Princess fully, her face grim. "My name is Penelope Lulamoon. Trixie was my beloved older sister."

"Yes, quite right, forgive me," said Celestia with a humble bow. "But regardless, you don't have to enter his service, Penelope."

Neither Twilight or Doctor Rorschach said anything during this, Twilight because she knew it was futile, and Doctor Rorschach because she was too petrified by Hermaeus Mora's sudden appearance to speak. She had only pursued for the sake of her patient.

"As I told you the changelings retain very little of their lives as ponies," insisted Celestia.

"I don't care how much of the ponies I once knew is left," said Penelope, her face determined. "Even if all that is left are mere fragments, that's more than enough for me."

"But Penelope, you don't fully understand," argued Celestia, pointing to Hermaeus Mora. "You don't fully understand what he is. His sinister conniving nature aside he's not actually of this world. His realm is Apocrypha, a plane of existence of his own creation that exists outside of this reality, and that's were he's taken the changelings. If you want to find them you have to journey there and the only way is through Hermaeus Mora, and it's the same for coming back.

"If you go with him, you may never return to Equestria."

Penelope didn't seem deterred by this grave news, sitting on her hindquarters and closing her eyes solemnly. "Is there a reason for me to stay? There is nothing here for me anymore."

"Penelope..."

"You said it yourself, Princess," said Penelope, cutting off Celestia. "The moment I touched that amulet I became a condemned mare. Even the alternative you came up with isn't viable. My home doesn't exist anymore." She turned to Hermaeus Mora and smiled with what little dregs of hope she had left. "Except with him."

Celestia wanted to protest further but knew she couldn't. Penelope was right. Without a home to send her to the only recourse is Equestrian law, a law that cannot be disputed at this point. She wished she had never passed that law but the Alicorn Amulets wreaked unparalleled havoc when they were in use and it was the best choice at the time.

"Hermaeus Mora!" snapped Celestia, looking up to address the writhing form of the Daedra. "What are your intentions for her?"

"Nothing harmful, I assure you," said Hermaeus Mora, completely unfazed by Celestia's expression, a scowl that had curbed many rebels in the past. "I will be... acquiring something new for my library very soon. Something young Penelope will be... instrumental in... deciphering."

Celestia didn't know what Hermaeus Mora could mean by that; from what she could tell Penelope's talent revolved around ships. But then again, Twilight had informed her that not everything about Hermaeus Mora was within the realm of contemplation as they understood it. And not just that, she had also explained that Hermaeus Mora doesn't discriminate when it comes to gathering knowledge, regardless of how meaningful or necessary it may seem.

If any comfort came out of this she could be assured that Hermaeus Mora most likely meant no harm to Penelope. If she was instrumental in something he wants, her survival was guaranteed. Even if it meant she was to be confined to Apocrypha.

"Penelope," she said remorseful as she addressed the cyan mare. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry things turned out like this."

"It's okay, your majesty," said Penelope humbly, any bravado she portrayed as Trixie having faded with that persona. "It's not your fault. Besides, at least there's a chance I might be able to see those I once thought lost."

Celestia smiled,"I wish you luck on your journey."

Penelope bowed and was about to turn back to Hermaeus Mora when she suddenly remembered something.

"Princess?" she said, turning back to the pony who's rule she had lived under all her life. "You said you wanted something in return for your leniency. What was it?"

"Oh, that," said Princess Celestia. "That is of little consequence."

"Come on, your majesty, I insist," said Penelope. "I wouldn't have this chance if it weren't for you. Please, tell me what it was you required of me."

"Oh, well, if you insist," said Celestia. "Where did you come across the Alicorn Amulet? Something else was lost when it was, something that will be appropriate for upcoming events."

Penelope relayed the events that led her to discover the Alicorn Amulet and then turned back to Hermaeus Mora.

"I am ready," she said with determination.

One of Hermaeus Mora's vortex's that didn't house an eye rippled and one of his Black Books was offered to Penelope with a tendril.

"Simply read the tome, child. Once you do... you will be inducted into my service."

Penelope wasn't any more put off by the grotesque method in which the book was offered then she was at Hermaeus Mora's arrival, taking the book in her magic and opening it. A halo of yellow runes extruded from the book, followed by another black tendril that wrapped around Penelope's withers. In the blink of an eye she was gone from Equestria, most likely never to return, Hermaeus Mora himself receding back into his vortices without another word.

"Are you sure it was wise letting her go with that thing?" asked Doctor Rorschach. Penelope had been her patient so she was concerned for her.

"There wasn't any other choice," said Celestia remorsefully. "She went with him willingly."

"And it's pointless to get between Hermaeus Mora and something he wants," said Twilight. "Not unless you have a death wish."

In the end there was nothing further to be done, so the matter involving the Alicorn Amulet and the wayward mare was brought to a close. Doctor Rorschach had other patients to attend to, so she dismissed herself to return to the hospital.

"I suppose I had better get back too," said Twilight, looking back in the direction of Ponyville. "We're almost finished with the preparations. We should be ready to head to Canterlot by tomorrow."

That was some good news to Celestia. With all the heartache and tragedy, it was nice to hear something was going right. Besides, Cadance and Shining Armor had waited long enough.

"Oh, that reminds me, I have some news to share with you, Twilight," said the Princess, Twilight looking back at her expectantly. "Haakim and Amira have requested an audience with the crown."

Haakim and Amira, the delegates from Saddle Arabia? Every so often they visit Equestria for some diplomatic reason or another. Twilight, as Celestia's student, had met them on occasion and thought they were mild mannered, decent ponies.

Though, now wasn't the best of times for them to visit.

"Their visit isn't going to hinder the preparations, is it?" asked Twilight nervously.

"I don't believe so," said Celestia with a shake of her head. "When I informed them of the upcoming wedding between my niece and captain of the guard they insisted on attending, actually."

"Oh!" said Twilight, perking up. "I had best inform Pinkie Pie to add two more ponies to the guest list."

"Indeed," said Celestia, spreading her wings in preparation to take flight. "Now, if you'll excuse me, my faithful student, I must inform my sister of this development. And we must put Penelope's information to use."

With that she took wing, flying towards her sun and vanishing within the vortex of dark crimson it had become.

Twilight watched her go, afterwards turning back to the spot where Penelope had vanished, silently wishing her luck too.

___

In the realm of Apocrypha, Penelope couldn't help but go as rigid as a statue at the sight. The endless sea of churning black liquid. The poisonous yellow sky, dotted with even larger vortices extruding Hermaeus Mora's tendrils. And the monolith she stood upon, comprised not of stone, but of several large black tomes. But despite the baffling, foreboding sight, it didn't take Penelope long to gather her wits and focus on her newly acquired goal.

If Hermaeus Mora was to be believed the reminisce of the ponies of Kelptown were to be found here.

"Welcome to my realm... child," Penelope turned around, seeing a cluster of Hermaeus Mora's vortices housing eyes materialize before her, as well as revealing that a grand structure also stood upon the apex of this monolith. "Welcome to Apocrypha... where all knowledge is hoarded."

"Alright alright, enough of the dynamic entry," said Penelope. Not only did she not have the patience for such things, she was practically an expert on the subject and had long since lost the knack to be swayed by such things. "You said in return for my help you would reunite me with the ponies I once knew. What do you need?"

Hermaeus Mora blinked. This pony sure had a lot of grit to speak to him like that. But Hermaeus Mora wasn't the type of Daedra to expect all of his subordinates to grovel at the mere sight of him. He just needed them to do his bidding.

"There will be time for that later, child," said Hermaeus Mora, no shift in his tone. "In the meantime..."

The doors to the massive structure opened and Hermaeus Mora began to recede back into his vortices.

"Enjoy your reunion." with that Hermaeus Mora vanished completely, fully revealing the open doorway...

Where two unusual individuals stood.

One was black, lanky and tall, tall as Princess Celestia. Large wings extended from its back that had the appearance of a swallow-tailed butterfly and a tail that resembled one of Hermaeus Mora's tendrils. It wore an elegant robe of moss green, a hole in the chest revealing an eye identical to Hermaeus Mora's eyes, obviously part of the creature. It had an eye in the chest. Around its neck it wore a large pendant, roughly teardrop shaped and housing a green stone that appeared to be carved in the likeness of a serpent's interlocking coils.

The same design was stitched into the front of the robes, a crest or symbol of some kind.

But despite the perplexing appearance of this individual, his companion was downright foreboding.

It was stocky and chitinous, resembling a large bug of some kind. It had a head that housed pincers, large compound eyes, and great antennae. A red frill extended from its back, towards four gossamer wings. The spiny thorax ended in another set of large pincers, from within four legs extended. The hind legs were thin and resembled cricket legs, the front large and bulky and resembled the front legs of a praying mantis.

Penelope could only stare, frozen stiff with shock, even as the two odd creatures began descending the stairs leading up to the building. Before she knew it they were standing before her and she was looking up into the taller one's face, noticing the compound eyes and large horn concealed within the hood of the robes.

"Hello Penelope," it said in a gentle voice, the gesture revealing that it was apparently male, as well as the fact that he seemed to lack any form of mouth.

But this didn't matter to Penelope. Nothing mattered to Penelope other than the familiarity of that voice.

"Me... Meek?" she inquired with a shaky voice, then turned to the other. "Anchor?"

"Ha, didn't take her long," said the Chaurus Hunter that was the changeling equivalent of a Lurker. "Sharp as ever, Penelope."

The taller one nodded, though solemnly. "Those were our names, when we were ponies. Now I am Thorax. My brother is Pharynx."

Whether this revelation affected Penelope wasn't clear, for at that moment she had thrown herself at Thorax and wrapped her forelegs around his neck, the Draconian Madstone wedged between them. Thorax's compound eyes widened at the unexpected gesture of affection, but his expression softened at her soft sobbing. Lifting his long forelegs, Thorax returned the hug.

"It's good to see you too, Penelope."

"Alright, enough of the sappy stuff," said Pharynx. "If you're going to be joining us here we're going to have to show you the ropes. Plus we wanna show you the new changeling empire we've built..."

He was silenced when Penelope pulled him into the hug with her magic, wrapping her left foreleg around his chitinous neck and keeping a grip on Thorax with the other. With a final huff of annoyance Pharynx submitted to the embrace, letting the lost girl reunite with her long lost childhood friends.

___

At the Pie family rock farm, Celestia's altered sun set over the quarry. Before vanishing beneath the horizon, two shapes emerged in a flare of magic. Celestia and Luna flew over the barren landscape and, as her sun disappeared, Celestia became bathed in glittering light and her normal colors returned.

"Oh, thank goodness," said the Solar Matriarch, looking herself over.

"Pity, I was just getting used to it," said Luna mischievously.

Celestia scowled. "Let's just get to searching. If Penelope's information is to be believed she found the Alicorn Amulet around here."

"Do you really think it will be here as well?" asked Luna, turning serious.

"We can only hope," said Celestia as they circled the quarry. "After all the calamity Blood Diamond caused, it would be fitting."

They arrived at a crater on the border of the quarry, where Penelope said she had inadvertently unearthed the Alicorn Amulet. It was too dark to see into the depths so Luna shined down a pillar of moonlight to light the way. A form was visible at the bottom, ragged robes visible in Luna's light.

Celestia and Luna gasped.

"It's true," said Celestia.

"After all this time, Princess Blood Diamond's remains have been found," said Luna.

They descended and landed in the bottom of the crater, on either side of the skeleton that had once been the wayward unicorn bent on supremacy. The first true enemy either Princess had faced. With bated breath, Celestia pulled back the frayed hood.

"It's here," gasped Luna.

Upon the boney horn of the skeleton was an ornamented silver ring. It was identical to the Sparkle ancestral ring, but with ruby instead of amethyst. The ring of the Sparkle family was more than just an heirloom that had once belonged to Princess Platinum, they had once been the wedding bands of Platinum and Blood Diamond's parents. When Blood Diamond murdered her parents and began her rebellion she stole her father's ring as proof of her deed, Platinum claiming the other one as a memento and a symbol of their families shame. And when Celestia smote Blood Diamond, the ring was lost with her, along with the Alicorn Amulet.

Gently, Celestia removed the ring with her magic and held it before herself and her sister.

"After so long, they will be reunited," said Celestia, her eyes glistening.

"And right when a member of the Sparkle family is about to wed," said Luna, just as emotional. "It's almost like destiny."

Celestia nodded in agreement and looked back down at the skeleton, frowning as she remembered the horrid pony it had once been.

"I don't think we should leave this here," she said, snorting. "Pinkie's family don't deserve to stumble upon it. They might choke on their rock soup."

"But what do we do with it?" asked Luna, "Do we bury her with her parents and sister?"

Luna snorted too, the idea disguised her.

"No," Celestia proclaimed with finality. "Blood Diamond lost that right long ago. In fact, she lost the right to be called a pony." She looked at her sister with a scowl. "As far as I am concerned she's not a pony. She is a relic. A relic of history."

Luna smirked upon noticing the emphasis her sister put on the end of her statement. "You thinking the museum?"

"Precisely," said Celestia, looking back down at the skeleton, her scowl deepening. "Let future generations look upon her and remember the bigotry and bloodshed she spread."

Luna nodded in agreement and looked at the ring. "Do you think that the legend is true? Do you think Starswirl blessed the rings?"

Celestia smiled and looked at the ring too, the ring that was to join its companion as Cadance and Shining Armor's wedding rings. "I hope so."

Comments

[OP Omni God-Emperor Doom]

Good to see Penelope meet her friends at long last.

And finally founding Blood Diamond's remains and what to do with it. It's very satisfying for what she had deserved.

[Greenhorn]

11610838
Indeed, after so many tragedies occurred in this story. At least I can see someone is finally have a somewhat happy ending. Too bad, it seemed her family was not among the survived changelings.

[TallBrew_CoffeePone]

Ayyyyyyy, it’s finally updated. Nice to see the story’s not dead.

[Venerable Ro]

That ring's got to be cursed nine ways to Sunday, not the best choice of a wedding present if you ask me...

[Herald of Opera]

11611257
Nah, any lingering dark will has the body itself to work with. Especially since they're refusing to give it a proper burial.

[Munro]

not shure if i would be so keen ore happy about getting a wedding ring that was just recently plugd from a pile of bones

11611257
wouldn't that be a hoot

[Alyarin9000]

No rites. They're asking for a necromancer to find her body, aren't they?

[Moon Glow]

Why am I getting Potema vibes, here?

[Herald of Opera]

11613191
Said necromancer would hardly even need to do anything, with that history.

[aalelu]

They descended and landed in the bottom of the crater, on either side of the skeleton that had once been the wayward unicorn bent on supremacy. The first true enemy either prince had faced. With bated breath, Celestia pulled back the frayed hood.

Do you mean princess?

[Solar_Wolf]

I'm enjoying the story can't wait for the next chapter