Chapter 43: Clear Fate
Silver Star kept his word, and stood watch over Magpie’s body. It didn’t matter to him that he had to do it in the company of a potentially hostile spirit. It didn’t matter that he had no food or water, he’d gone without food for weeks at a time without real issue.
At least he didn’t have to look directly into the terrible consequences he had invoked for Magpie, since she was soon completely encased in crystal. At first he could make out the faint shape of her cloth cloak within, a dark patch in the center of the strange space. But as the hours passed, even that faded. There was soon nothing left in the center of the crystal, no way to tell that his friend had ever been there.
All this because I couldn’t resist the Polestar’s influence. Should I be furious, or relieved? That would probably depend on what emerged from within the cocoon. Though it was still possible that Magpie had been right all along, and this was all an elaborate way for the Polestar to kill her.
“You could at least use this time productively. If you insist on waiting.”
He glared back at the stone, mostly out of habit. There was no real reason to expect it to care where he looked, but he couldn’t help it. “How? I’m not leaving.”
“You could be instructed on the function of the gun. It’s attuned to you now, and it’s possible no other will ever inherit it. You must know how it works.”
He looked across the room, levitating the weapon over and holding it in front of him. So worn down with deprivation and tiredness, holding the gun took some effort. But he also hadn’t been able to see it in full light before. It was an impressive piece of craftsmanship. Any commander in Moonrise would be lucky to own a weapon like this, even if all it did was look pretty.
“Tell me then. I’m listening.” He didn’t get any closer to Magpie’s chrysalis, though Polestar hadn’t chided him for being near her for nearly an hour now. That probably meant she wasn’t contagious anymore. “It can’t be much. I’ve never used a rifle, but I know the idea. Use the metal on top to aim it, pull the trigger to shoot, then empty powder and ball and repeat.”
“There is no mechanical sight. This rifle will fire in a straight line at whatever target you intend. It can read your intentions, and will direct the bullet accordingly. You should still aim it as closely as you can, because the bullet it fires will penetrate only its first target.
“Whatever that target, be it a starship hull, a pony, a station support beam, or a planet—will be penetrated nearly instantaneously. It will continue forward for approximately one meter beyond its initial impact, then stop.
“It will only penetrate physical objects this way—its bullets entirely ignore the protection of magical barriers. To all observation, this gun appears to violate the conservation of energy.
“After being fired, you must wait fifty-three seconds to fire again. It would also be wise to conserve ammunition, as previously discussed.”
He set the gun back down in front of him. Even with his feeble grasp of science, it seemed like an object that shouldn’t exist. Couldn’t exist. The conservation of energy was a law wasn’t it? Nothing broke it.
That explained why Polestar thought he could use it to kill an Alicorn. If it could ignore magic, then he could even fire it directly at the princess if he had to.
The thought made him sick, and he pushed it aside violently. Nightmare Moon hadn’t been the one to throw his family out on the street. She hadn’t frozen his brother or dragged his father out onto the surface to suffocate. Ultimately, that was Regent Rockshanks. Possibly Flint too, though he’d been too young at the time to carry many memories of the other officials. Only the Lord Commander mattered.
“I won’t have to do anything to the princess,” he insisted. “You’ll see. She’s basically a captive in her palace. The Lord Commander runs everything. I’ve only ever seen her twice in my whole life.”
At least he could be sure that Polestar was listening to him. “You may be right. It seems more likely that Cinereous Gale’s efforts to put her on the path to rejection of the Awakened has failed. Few Alicorns had the strength. The power that requires a lifetime to win can be taken in hours with the Awakened. For many, this exchange was worthwhile.”
But not the First Commander. The stories of his ancient refusal were still told, even to children. He was the reason that anypony who wasn’t a bat could exist. His desire to save Moonrise’s entire population had built the colony and everything inside it, even if he hadn’t invented so much as a gear.
“If a regular pony can refuse it, Nightmare Moon can too.”
“She would not be Nightmare Moon anymore if she did. Based on her spellcasting technique, it does not seem likely she finished much of her formal training before Vanaheimr was destroyed.”
But that was all over his head, and he had trouble even caring about much of it. He wanted to make life better in the ditches and dirty alleyways. He wanted ponies not to be dragged into an arena and beheaded. Deciding what came next for the princess was way out of reach.
“Who can judge a ruler but the population they rule over? When the time comes, Silver, you may find it easier than you think. If you survive long enough.”
He didn’t respond, forcing even his mind to remain clear. The more he thought about it, the more he felt like the princess would somehow see his thoughts as Polestar did, and punish him brutally.
He didn’t think Nightmare Moon was a poor ruler, but that didn’t mean he thought she was merciful either.
He didn’t have much longer to stew in his own thoughts. Soon enough the cocoon began to twitch, and he turned towards it. Something moved within, though his eyes couldn’t focus on it properly. Something was strange in the crystal, which he could somehow see through even though he knew there was a pony inside.
“She’s waking up.” He hurried over to the side of the cocoon, searching for something he could use to help open it. “What do I do?”
“Observe. Teach her caution, if you can. She hasn’t been alive in so long she may forget it has demands. Even for a creature as near the fringes of life as she has become, she must work to survive. With Nightmare gone, there will be no waking if she shatters that body.”
Something moved just under the surface, before the outside began to crack. A few steady blows at first, shaking the little cocoon. Then it split, and a hoof burst out.
It was shaped like a hoof, anyway. It was even smaller and stubbier than his own, just like Magpie had always been.
It didn’t have fur, or even bones. Silver could see through it completely, like a thick piece of colored glass. A second later and she jerked it down, spreading the cracks down the thin film of the chrysalis. He gripped the edge with his magic, pulling on a few of the biggest pieces. They strained for a moment, then split easily, and somepony spilled out onto the ground in front of him.
She sounded like someone dropping a crystal glass more than a pony landing. And there was no wondering about why.
Magpie didn’t look like a bat pony anymore—or any kind of pony, for that matter. She looked like… The magic book talked about this. Didn’t the Crystal Empire perfect the art of changing ponies into stone? Trapping their souls in their bodies so they wouldn’t die, and…
Polestar ignored him. Magpie still looked a lot like herself. The same squat shape, somehow mature and undersized at the same time. Her body was made of light blue crystal, with her mane somehow the same dark red it had always been. The same fangs, the same thin wings.
Not skin anymore, but rock so thin it should’ve shattered. Except that it didn’t even crack, and neither did the rest of her. Her wings weren’t quite identical, though. One was transparent, while the other had a metallic skeleton visible within. His own handiwork, right down to the springs and joints made of True Lunarium. The rest of the wing had grown around it, almost the same size as her real one.
So much as any of her was real anymore.
Then she spoke. She sounded exactly the same as before, except that her voice seemed to resonate through her whole body, so much as emerging from her mouth. It would probably be quite confusing to any nearby bats in the dark, but he lacked those senses.
“When I was just a filly, I went to the salt lick with my brother. I burned an entire month’s coin, and… I don’t remember what happened. I never thought I’d feel anything as awful as I did the next day. But now… now I have.” She stared at the rocky chrysalis, shuddering with horror.
She still moves exactly the same. How can crystal bend without breaking? It’s like those are real legs.
Then she seemed to notice her own body. She stared down, eyes wide. Or they seemed to be—it was harder to see her eyes when he could see through most of them. But not the center, curiously. “What in Luna’s name did you do to me?”
“Purified,” Polestar answered. “Through other means.”
This time, she reacted. Her head twisted violently towards the center of the room, as she rose to her hooves. “You’re doing the mind thing. You take Nightmare’s place in my head, bastard? After murdering my friends.”
Silver rose with her, following. Mostly he was fascinated with what he was seeing. Magpie had become something out of legend, and the dim pages of lost magical tomes. She was something that shouldn’t exist, but clearly did.
“Not murders. Executions. Your friends were monstrous beyond comprehension. All of you could’ve been destroyed, but were not. The survivor was permitted the least degenerate of her compromised agents. You survive because you were better than them.”
She stomped right up to the Polestar, and this time its light remained an even white. It didn’t seem to bother her, even though her cloak had vanished completely. Only the glint of metal inside one of her wings disrupted the even refraction she left on the floor behind her. “What did you do to me?”
“Sacrificed something of incredible value to secure Silver’s cooperation. Ensure he is successful, and make that investment profitable.”
“She wants to know what you did physically,” Silver said. “Me too. I’ve read a tiny bit about creatures like these, but I’m guessing it’s all wrong. What is she?”
“A race of mineral life-forms gifted those crystal seeds long ago. They were remarkable for being entirely immune to Awakened influence, as few other races. The Alicorns exterminated them ruthlessly.”
“I’m a buckin’ rock,” Magpie said, wings spreading in her disgust. “You made me into a rock.”
Silver hesitated, reaching out with one hoof. He wasn’t sure what she would feel like—but she couldn’t be worse than a nearly-rotting corpse. She was warmer than he expected, and softer too. But somehow still smooth… it didn’t make much sense. “You’re alive, Magpie. You got your wing back. Isn’t that what you wanted?”
She glanced to the side, staring at the open wing. Her eyes lingered on the metal skeleton, before her attention drifted back to Polestar. Whatever she was, she was clearly better able to withstand Polestar’s presence than before. “I’m less alive than before, aren’t I? At least then I was undead. Now I’m just… what, a sculpture?”
“You are alive. The mineral life you have become is somewhere between what you were and the extinct alien race who gave it. You do not breathe, but you do eat. You do not drink, but you do sleep. Your magic no longer regenerates naturally, but can be supplied by any suitable source like any other thaumic battery. You do not age, but you can breed.”
Magpie stared at the Polestar for a few seconds more, before turning sharply on it, tail raised high behind her. “I think we’re done here, Silver. Let’s go.”
You’re not trying to kill me, so I’ll take it. He hurried after her, limbs feeling stiff from so little use. He sealed his helmet, then finally lifted the rifle into the air. He left the satchel—they wouldn’t be collecting thaumic crystals for the wing now that Magpie was a crystal.
This time, the door actually did open ahead of them. The lights went out behind them, and Polestar’s voice continued to echo in Silver’s mind. “Do not hesitate to do what is necessary. The city must survive.”
All this time, the Polestar hadn’t ever told him why it had cared enough about what he wanted to spare Magpie when he made the ultimatum. The spirit had to want something, didn’t it? It had even adjusted its speech for him when he expressed confusion.
I wish you were still alive, Faithful Gale. You would know what the buck is going on.
“At least you don’t have to worry about the city trying to kill you anymore,” he said, still muffled by the suit. “Isn’t that—”
She spun on him, shoving one hoof up against his helmet. It clinked, like two glasses touched together. “Stuff it, stallion. I’m still figuring out what to do about you. Keep your mouth shut and don’t push your bucking luck.”
He didn’t. They walked in silence all the way back to the library. Sure enough, none of the sculptures tracked them anymore. Where before angry lights sometimes followed Magpie as they passed, now they could travel with impunity. Though without a helmet over her face, he could see her frustration and annoyance build as the trip progressed. What was bothering her so much?
They returned to the library, and Silver placed the gun in a place of honor near where he stored the air-armor while he bathed.
He returned to his strange conversations with the library, giving Magpie her space. The mare hadn’t left the library behind, even though she clearly didn’t need to breathe any more than she had before.
It was over an hour before she finally came to him, gliding down from the top floor and landing in his booth.
She sat down across from him, folding her forelegs on the table in front of her. “Do you have any idea how long it’s been since I ate anything, Silver?”
He raised an eyebrow. “You were eating those hayfries about… was that a month? Stars, has it only been a month?”
She tapped one hoof on the table impatiently—and the effect was loud enough that even she seemed momentarily surprised. “Shut up stupid, that’s not eating. That’s just wasting food. I could barely taste it, and it never satisfied. Couldn’t feel full, couldn’t feel hungry, couldn’t feel drunk or tired or anything.”
She grinned at him, smile as wide as a filly’s. “I’m hungry. It’s your fault, so you’re going to cook for me. None of that… eating it out of the can you do. My first meal should be special. Go.” She waved her metallic wing, pointing away from the table.
She could never force him to do anything, particularly before. But this was his fault. Maybe… this was her way of starting to forgive him?
He obeyed, climbing out of the booth. The lights went out the instant he left—apparently being made of rock didn’t make the machines like her any more. They just weren’t trying to kill her. “I don’t know anything about how to cook, Magpie. I’ve never had a house, let alone a kitchen. But I’ll try if you want me to.”
She hesitated for a moment, pursing her lips in thought. It really did seem like the old Magpie was still in there, just a little clearer than before. “Fine.” She followed him, glaring. “I will tell you how to do it. You’re going to get it right the first time, because now those supplies are for both of us, and we have to make them last.”
The library didn’t have a kitchen, but Magpie knew more about the Gatecrasher supplies left behind than she’d let on. She opened one of their supply-boxes, revealing something she called a “portable stove” along with some simple metal cooking utensils, and some old jars of spices. An entire portable kitchen, sitting meters from the food stash.
“You knew about this, and didn’t tell me?” he asked, and a little frustration seeped into his tone. “I drank bean water.”
“Did you hear the evil rock? Drinking’s your problem. I don’t feel very sorry right now, Silver. Ask me again in a few days, if I have a comfortable sleep. I’m taking your bed too—can’t say you don’t know how to make one of those, I’ve seen it.”
Because rocks can eat pony food, and need to sleep. It made about as much sense as anything they’d seen in the Sacred City so far. As much sense as a rifle that didn’t need powder and could shoot through magic spells.
“Fine,” he said. “I guess I owe you that.”
“And a lot more,” she countered, resting a hoof on his shoulder. “I’ve decided to let you live, temporarily. You didn’t make me into something that’s gonna die, so… maybe I’ll be able to ignore how much of your fault this all is.”
But there was no anger left in her voice—her tail wasn’t up; her fangs weren’t exposed. All her fury and betrayal was gone. “Just so long as you give me credit if you end up preferring it this way.”
She rolled her eyes. “Not bloody likely.”
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It made her into a crystal thestral. How about that?
I'm not sure there's any way to trust that we're actually getting Magpie back after this.
Okay, mom.
Oh, it's the gun from the Ancillary Justice series. Rough universe out there if those guys are hard pressed by the Outsiders.
That's the problem, she already didn't.
Neat.
Okay, it's probably her.
So, immune to the Outsiders and completely irreplaceable.
Interesting. I wonder if she's still immortal?
It's definitely her.
It could not possibly not be her.
Why chapter 0? I kinda expected a flashback.
Chapter zero because..... It's the end of the old city, and the start of something new? And end to the old rule and lineage, unbroken from the time of Iron Quill... until now?
53 seconds between shots is a severe liability. Would be much more useful if it had a 5shot storage of energy.
A rock that apparently gets to enjoy all the pleasures of life, with less than half of the downsides. Sounds like a pretty good deal, all things considered.
Edit: Does the 'Chapter 0' title hold any story significance, or is that your posting bot acting up?
Wonder if Magpie got any new kinds of magic and/or if she still has access to her Void Seeker/bat pony powers. I'm also curious whether her magical reserves (for lack of a better phrase) are larger to make up for the inability to replenish them on her own.
Magpie is being so tsundere right now and it's hilarious.
Is it just me, or is Magpie acting especially bratty, especially considering this is a better outcome than she ever could have dreamed for in the past... what? Five centuries?
I just kept expecting silver to ask for a second crystal so he could use it on Luna and he never did. I figured he was waiting until after nightmare couldn't overhear them anymore when magpie became a crystal pony.
Magpie will need to remember how to micromanage all those pesky mortal things once again. Eating, sleep, not being able to respawn, very obnoxious once you think about it.
10097884
Too expensive.
10097779
It's an unknown and it comes with responsibilities she hasn't had to deal with in several centuries, maybe longer. Old habits that have died, will have to be restarted, etc.
Silver's actions have lead to possibly a better path for Magpie, but it will make her life more difficult. She also had little to no choice in it all, remember that she was put into a situation where she had to choose between Nightmare or Polestar, both of which exert their will in exchange for gifts. Polestar might seem more reasonable, but likely only because it needs to as it is more limited even if it is more powerful.
Wait. Did the Polestar just say the seeds were a gift from the mineral race and the alicorns rendered said race extinct?
10099035
I believe so.
I think in the previous chapter, it was implied that the majority of Alicorns before Vanaheimr made pacts with the Awakened (even though they already had immortality and awesome magicks, greedy bastards). Given the Rockmen's immunity to Awakened influences, they were probably "persuaded" into hunting down the Rockmen, since they were a threat the Awakened couldn't directly address.
10099480
Dang. Feelsbadman.
Also, fun seed, 10/10 would try.
So we've still got ~500 years until "the Stars will aid in her escape", right? Now we've got tsundere!Magpie at the beginning of her totally-not-in-a-relationship-with Silver Star, and she can both have foals and is ageless, to potentially guide hundreds of years of offspring.
And she's all sparkly now, like a star.
Would her foals be crystal ponies or normal ponies?
Alternative way of creating Chrystal Ponies:
Unless you stumble on somthing and literally crash down on the floor.
Just me adding fitting music.
She certainly is a poor ruler if she uselessly consume taxpayer money and only alicon's power is only thing that kept her safe.