Fears of Bygone Eras

by Lusaminia

Chapter 3

An excerpt from Queen Twilight Sparkle on celestial punishment, and how it has changed, in response to it’s sudden abolishment at her reign’s beginning.

“When I was a filly, a unicorn, a simple student of Princess Celestia, I learned of the highest criminal punishment a pony, griffon, or any other race could obtain. This was a punishment that Celestia had called celestial punishment. These ponies, who are convicted of such crimes, do not come around often, but many of our greatest enemies are those who served it. Discord, Tirek, Sombra, and as much as I hate to say it, Princess Luna, are all subjects of these punishments. These are ponies who didn’t just harm a few ponies, but all of Equestria, perhaps even beyond. For many years we saw it as necessary, but times have changed.”

“The form celestial punishment takes is the reason that I have chosen to abolish it, despite having used it myself in some cases. We, as ponies, should decide what the charges of these ponies are, not artifacts. The Elements of Harmony kept us safe for centuries, but who wouldn’t agree that being turned to stone or being banished to the sun is just? While my thoughts as a citizen were that they are necessary, I have come to the conclusion that they fall into the definition of cruel and unusual punishment. Know that those serving it will not suddenly be released, but know that when something like them comes, it will be the people to decide their fate, not stones of a bygone era.”

“I understand the cause for concern and the outcry, but in times ponies will come to understand why I have made this choice. Thank you for your time, and for giving me the opportunity to answer this question.”

--------

“-with that, I bid you all a good night under Luna’s moon,” Twilight stated after two hours of speaking. “Thank you for your time.”

As she said those words, the crowd below her started to disperse, many probably getting ready for a good night's rest. She couldn’t help but smile, thinking of how overjoyed the crowd was as she announced these years location for the festival. It really did make her feel bad, taking this long to hold such an important event in Celestia’s home, as well as what had been her home during her younger years. That wasn’t saying she was old, but with different she looked to back then, it certainly felt like it.

Yet, as much as she smiled, the entire thing speech had felt “off” for some reason. She remembered her eyes landing on a pegasus all the way in the back of the crowd. Her coat a pitch black, looking like an ant from her point of view. She hated how the comparison twisted itself in her mind, making her seem higher than everyone else around her, but there was nothing that felt more accurate. She didn’t know what happened, but suddenly the two had locked eyes, and Twilight felt something that she hadn’t felt since her battle with Chrysalis, Terik, and Cozy Glow: terror.

Not terror of the pony, she knew that much, but rather the terror that pony felt had transferred to her. It was as if she was calling out for help, crying for someone to save her life. Twilight had long ago learned to keep such fear hidden, at least in front of a crowd, but in the moments she locked eyes with the mare, she felt the need to scream herself. Today had been the biggest challenge in keeping that feeling hidden, but she didn’t give in, didn’t show weakness. Once again she has proven to herself that Celestia had made the right choice, that she was the one to be left in charge.

Turning away from the city below, Twilight made her way off the balcony and into the audience chamber. Raven Inkwell, the royal scribe since before she obtained the throne, fell in behind her, not saying a word. As Twilight walked past the throne, her gaze quickly fell on one of the many stained glass windows. On it was her, with the other element bearers, fighting against evil more than two decades ago. Looking at it, that terror she had been holding back finally overwhelmed her, and she fell to the floor crying.

So much time has past, and she barely saw them anymore. They were too busy with everything else going on in life, her most of all. She now understood why Celestia rarely visited her in Ponyville, though she did admit that it didn’t bother her too much after that first week. Thinking about the amount of time that had passed, how much different Ponyville has become in those years, it terrified her. She had done all she could to bury that feeling, but every now and again it surfaced. Today was but another one of those days.

“Is something wrong, your majesty?” Raven asked, rushing to Twilights side.

“I miss them all so much,” Twilight explained. Knowing what was happening, Raven turned to the guards at the audience room door and motioned for them to leave. They knew just as much as Raven did that these moments were ones that privacy was required in. “I want to go back so badly. I want to go back to the days where I had the time to be with the ponies I cared about. I want to go back to when the CMC were still fillies, and not grown ups. I want to be with my friends again!”

“Do you… want me to give you some-”

“No, please!” Twilight said, hugging Raven. “I don’t want to be alone right now.”

“I hope you don’t mind me asking, your majesty, but what caused such an outburst?” Raven asked. “Did something happen out there? Did the citizens seem upset about-”

“No, they were good,” Twilight explained, finding the strength to stand up by herself. “Everything went right, but I made a last minute change at the beginning,” Raven tilted her head in confusion, knowing that this was very much unlike her majesty. “I decided to… withhold the information regarding Spitfire’s murder, and Shield’s promotion.”

Raven’s eyes went wide, shocked to hear such a thing. Twilight rarely shifted away from the speeches she had prepared, and never did she decide to withhold information within them. Spitfire’s death, whether it be from the queen’s lips or the newspapers, was something that they had already kept hidden for a week. They knew that they had to tell it now, and yet despite all of that her majesty had gone against her word. Raven knew nothing about the pony Twilight had seen, but knew that whatever had done this was something unnatural. Not just because Twilight withheld what she promised to say, but because of how sudden she burst into tears.

“But your majesty, we agreed on sharing it!” Raven reminded the queen. “What in Celestia’s name could have possibly made you go against that?”

Twilight looked away, knowing that she was pointing her hoof at somepony who was probably innocent, but she had to say it. As Raven had said, she made a promise, and the mare had a right to know the truth.

“I… saw somepony in the crowd,” Twilight explained. “I didn’t know her, or at least I don’t remember seeing her before. Our eyes locked, and I felt… or at least I think I felt some for of fear,” Raven opened her mouth, only to be quieted as Twilight continued to speak. “It was fear of her, but rather I could feel her fear. I… I think she was crying out for help, but not through words. It’s hard to explain.”

“Would you… like the royal guard to fetch this pony?” Raven asked. The queen stayed silent, only nodding. “Then I’ll need a description. What did she look like?”

“A coat, pitch black, and a mane as bright as Celestia’s star,” Twilight told the scribe, the latter quickly writing it down on a parchment. “One more thing, though, before you leave.”

Raven gave a smile to her queen, doing all she could to try and cheer her up. “Yes?”

“I received a reply from Ember,” Twilight said. “She said that she has made a last minute guest of honor, though she didn’t say anything more than the fact she wasn’t a dragon.”

--------

The dragonlands was far from the most habitable place to live, but nevertheless a people called it their own. They were the dragons the very region was named after, reptiles who breathed fire and swam in lava. To them, the heat of an active volcano meant absolutely nothing, for one does not fear what can’t harm it. With a feast of gemstones, and a government ruled by the one chosen as strong enough, dragon kind had turned what seemed like an inhospitable land into a home.

Yet Ember, current dragonlord of the the dragonlands, knew that it had become more than just a home of her kind. Along with the phoenix who flew through the sky, dying only to be reborn, one other creature had come to call it “second home”. Though her gaze fell upon the dragons swimming in the lava pool below, her attention was to that of the cloaked beast behind her. A predator, much like her, though instead of scales it was covered in grey fur. If she was anything, she was more like a carnivorous pony, one with paws and claws, teeth ready to tear flesh, and a coat so long Ember had no idea how it could stand the heat. She remembered how much her people tried to shoo it away, but every time it came back, and each time it beat the dragon that had told it to leave.

“You think “her majesty” will be fine with a supposedly extinct race suddenly showing up in two weeks?” Ember asked, less out of concern and more out of curiosity. “No offense, but passing you off as a four-legged, magic chanting diamond dog isn’t exactly going to work.”

“Depends on how much the queen trusts you, or were you bluffing about being her friend?” The creature asked. It stood behind Ember, not because she thought herself unequal in the face of the dragonlord, but because the lower elevation was just slightly cooler.

“Hah, like “Queen” Twilight Sparkle would forgive me if I did that,” Ember laughed. She finally turned to the creature. “Though I would expect her to question your motives. I, for one, welcome a little action after all these years of nothing. Know that even if she doesn’t allow the hunt,” Ember pointed to herself with a smug grin. “I’ll march the entire dragon army in there and demand her to.”

“And I would be powerless to stop you from doing so,” The creature replied, sharing a smile. That smile only stay for a few seconds, however, as a grim look took its place. “If I were to walk into Canterlot, they would rightly think of me as nothing more than a fleshy timberwolf. A time of joy is no place for such wishes like the one I would ask, but there is no other time.”

“Any chance you’ll find these “paradoxes” you mention there?” Ember asked again. “Would definitely help prove your point if such a monster was to show up, would it Silvia?”

The creature, Silvia, looked away, knowing that what Ember asked was not as simple as yes or no. The dragonlord was the only one that she had informed of her plan, of the grief that it would cause Equestria. Even then she had held so much that she was sure even Ember had no idea the scale of her plan. Her thoughts crossed back to the void, the light she had met, and the fate she had seen. She knew what she would ask would not give her much love or fanfare, but it had to be done.

“It would help, but by that time the damage might already be done,” Silvia explained. “One pony, one that Equestria knows and adores, has already met a cruel fate by one’s hands,” Silvia’s eyes fell to her chest, a medallion with a blue glow resting on it. “No one will ever know the killer, but more ponies would have died had I not done anything.”

“There you go again, acting all dark and brooding,” Ember replied, sitting down. Her legs hung limply over the ridge’s edge, that smile unchanging. “This is for the good of the world, right?”

“True,” Silvia nodded. She sighed. “I’m just worried. My broken world with the true one, mixing together. We saw ourselves the threat they pose, and we managed to stop that one without any long lasting harm” Silvia closed her eyes and looked up to the sky. The cloak fell back, revealing the face of a canine creature with a large black nose, pony-like ears, and brown eyes. “Equestria, however, isn’t like everywhere else. A land built on peace and harmony, which hasn’t seen a war since it was first founded.”

“Yeah, you told me about that,” Ember said, bending to rest her arms on her legs. “Dragonlord… Thalok?” She looked to Silvia for confirmation, a shake of the creature’s head telling her she was wrong. “Wait, Tholak,” That time she got a nod. “Yeah, he didn’t sound like the kind of dragon we would allow around here these days. He definitely wouldn’t help our attempts at making peace with the Griffon Empire.”

“It is terrifying what can happen when someone, whether they be dragon or griffon, can do when they actually have an economy,” Silvia replied, echoing her friend’s concerns. “To think I would ever see a day where the griffon empire stood strong, reunited after years of strife and growing in power.”

It was no secret that, at least in Equestria, the Griffon Empire’s revival was a miracle long thought impossible. For decades the griffons were an impoverished people, greedy and rude, but one look at it now would make it seem strange that that was the case some years ago. It had all started with the sudden announcement of a royal heir, a young griffon by the name of Gabriel Derev. He had used what he learned at the Equestrian University of Friendship, or EUF, originally founded by Queen Twilight herself, and applied it to griffon cultural views to rally support. In no time a nation thought dead returned from the grave, and Equestria welcomed it with open hooves. Many a griffon, pony, or changeling agreed he would go down as a hero.

Dragons, however, had been an entirely different case. Due to gem trading between the Crystal Empire and the Dragonlands, the Griffon Empire saw them as an enemy of their closest ally. Empress Flurry Heart was not by any means or tyrant, but when she pointed hooves at Equestria for her parent’s sudden disappearance, the Griffon Empire had defended its allies. Such defense received one of the most unexpected responses anyone had seen from the empire: a declaration of independence from Equestria. When the dragons learned of the Empress’ bold action, they formed an alliance under the pledge that if Equestria or the Griffon Empire attacked one of them, the other would help.

“Yet, if there is any hope, than I must see to it that everyone hears what I have to say,” Silvia said. “Though my allegiance may lie with the Dragonlands, I must see that everyone sees my reasoning,” Silvia felt a tear burn in the volcanic air as her words turned to whispers. “Especially since I know what side you would be on, my sweet little Luminous.”

--------

“Sorry about that Spike,” Luminous called to the dragon, who was still sitting at the table she had left him in. She motioned to Psyche next to her, smiling innocently. “I… managed to find somepony I know.”

“Don’t worry, you at least gave me some notice, which is better than sometimes,” Spike replied. He did his best to not remember all the times that Twilight had suddenly left without telling him. His gaze shifted to the blindfolded mare next to Luminous. “Psyche right? Nice to meet you.”

Psyche didn’t respond to him, instead turning to Luminous. Spike held his hand out, hoping the pony would take it, but she didn’t move.

“Luminous, this Spike you talk about wouldn't happen to be the royal advisor, would he?” Psyche asked. Luminous looked to Spike, and then back to Psyche. She looked back to Spike, the words finally clicking in her head. Her eyes went wide as she looked back to her friend.

“Royal advisor!” Luminous shouted, Psyche nodding mechanically. “Oh sweet Celestia I hit him in the face when we first met and just left him here while I went to find you.”

“You’re not too good at this friendship think as well, are you?” Psyche asked. Luminous gave her friend a look a look of disapproval.

“You’re one to talk,” She replied. Once again, Psyche to her words seriously and nodded. Spike, on the other hoof, was doing his best to hold back his laughter back.

“Don’t worry, Luminous, you’re fine,” Spike told the pegasus, holding in his laughter. “So, Psyche, you going to join us for a little bit?”

“That’s what I was dragged here for,” Psyche nodded. “Luminous wanted to do this, so here I am. I can figure out my exhibit tomorrow.”

The two ponies sat down at the table, Spike finally taking a bite of his sub. While he and Luminous talked, Psyche sat there motionless, her mind entertaining her own thoughts. Multiple times Luminous had to force the mare to talk, knowing that otherwise she wouldn’t. It was ultimately Luminous’ job, or at least she felt like it was, to try and help Psyche understand emotions better. The constant worry of her friend dying alone, with no pony that loves her, made the mare worry in ways that few understood.

“So, if Psyche is a sculptor, and I’m the royal advisor,” Spike chimed in some time later. “What is you profession then? I did notice you don’t have a cutie mark.”

“I don’t have one and never will,” Luminous explained. She pointed to her flank as she continued. “It’s a condition I have, a really rare one at that. It’s called Joal. Apparently it’s an acronym or something but basically I have no special talent.”

Spike remember hearing about the condition from Twilight a few years ago, and as Luminous had explained it was exceptionally rare. A pony’s cutie mark was defined by whatever they are best at, but through history their had been examples of ponies who were genetically unable to have one. As far as Spike knew, Luminous was the first pony he knew to actually have it, though there may have been others he met that he just didn’t realize had it.

“That’s sad to hear,” Spike replied. “Gonna be hard to find a job of getting the backing to start one. Joal isn’t exactly common enough for anypony to bring up in front of her majesty.”

“Not to mention most ponies would rather call “blank flank” and think Luminous a complete idiot instead of only half an idiot,” Psyche responded, receiving a punch in the shoulder from Luminous. “Luminous seems to have had an appropriate response to these words.”

“Oh sure, you understood that much,” Luminous sighed, holding her head in her hooves. “Look, you might think that not having a talent is bad but personally it just allows me to do whatever I want. Nopony is gonna judge me for doing something that seems outside my talent, so it’s perfect for trying new things,” She did her best to hide her disapproval behind a smile. “Ponykind needs to learn how to deal with these situations. I’m still a functioning mare, but everyone who sees I don’t have a cutie mark just assumes I’m some sort of mistake or mental patient.”

Spike was scared to respond, both because he didn’t know what to say and because he didn’t want to offend her. Despite his best attempts to hide it, Luminous recognized the look from many ponies who were afraid of the same thing. Part of her regretted revealing her disorder, but she knew that this was better than being laughed at. She didn’t think Spike would do such a thing, but it was something she had learned to never take a chance at. With a sigh, she took her spoon to her mouth a had another slurp of her soup.

“At least soup doesn’t judge ponies.”

Comments

[FarmFreshAppleTarts]

Know that those serving it will not suddenly be released, but know that when something like them comes, it will be the people to decide their fate, not stones of a bygone era.”

Based Twilight takes world ending villians to court.