*Two months after Maverick left Canterlot*
Ever since dear Maverick left about two months prior, my sister has been sending letters to him asking for forgiveness. Maverick hasn’t given a correspondence back yet, to which I believe he won’t be doing any time soon. Not that I told my dearest sister this as she is still faithful in making amends, but despite this “positive” attitude, I can see it wearing her down. She hasn’t done her makeup for a while now, and she seems distracted every time anypony tries to speak with her. As if her mind is elsewhere, which it is. But that wasn't all.
After Maverick left, we had a discussion about her actions, actions that were out of her character. During our talk, I took notice of... something. I wasn't sure what it was, but there was... something that my sister's eyes held. Something I couldn't describe. It gave me a strange, instinctual feeling; she still isn't telling the whole truth about why she kept everything from dear Maverick. Not to mention there’s been something amiss about her lately as well since then, but I just don’t know what it is. It will make itself known eventually, when she is ready, so I'll let her keep her secrets. For now.
What I won’t allow her to do is hide what she had done to Maverick. After our discussion, I had told her that she needed to make an apology to not only Maverick, but to everypony involved in this whole debacle. And to also make it known to her student as well. “Cover it in a friendship lesson if you have to, but tell her of your mistake,” I told her. We also discussed how I will no longer be left out of personal projects and that anything opened or closed with SAM-D will take both of us to action. Although I doubt anything like this will ever happen again, it would be wise to make preparations for future events. She agreed.
Today, though, I wanted to see my sister again. This time, just to have a morning tea with her before I make my way to my bed. It has been a busy few days, so I was looking forward to having some quality time with her. To make up for lost time. As I neared her chambers, I saw that her two sentinels looked like they were trying to talk through my sister's door. I trotted up to them hastily. "Sentinels, is there something wrong?" I say. At my presence, they stood rigid; one of them spoke up. "Your Majesty, there seems to be a ruckus in Princess Celestia's royal chambers. We heard yelling and things being destroyed. There's something blocking the door and we can't get in there. She also isn't responding to us. We are unsure what is going on." The sentinel seemed to be a bit spooked. I narrowed my eyes.
"Your job is to ensure Princess Celestia's safety. My sister's safety. Why haven't you blown the hinges off? Step aside, I shall ensure of her safety for you, sentinel." The Royal Guard is not like it was back then, that's for sure. "Y-yes, Princess Luna." The sentinels stood back as I readied a spell and discharged it at the door, turning it, along with the dresser blocking us from entry, into woodchips.
"Sister! We are here to save you! What has happened!?" As I entered the room, I immediately saw chaos and broken furniture. Dressers and drawers were broken and their contents littered the ground. The beautiful pictures that were hanging on the walls were nothing more than broken frames and ashes. Her bed was flipped and her pillows were torn apart. The stone walls themselves had cracks and scorch marks. It was a mess. "Sister? Where is thee...?" As I scanned the dark room, my voice drifted off as I saw a dark figure in the corner of the room, quivering and crying. She was in bad shape. Her form was sweaty, dirty, and full of cuts and scrapes.
"Sister? Are you okay?" I ask as I made my way to her fetal form. She didn't answer, instead she wrapped her hooves around me as I knelt down to her. She continued to cry, her tears staining my coat. I hadn't known what happened, but I was here for her and I always will be. "Shh... It's okay, Tia, just let it out." I repeated the mantra as she cried harder. I heard the sound of somepony walking over the broken door pieces; it was the sentinels making their way in, albeit they did so reluctantly. I used my hoof to shoo their useless flanks away.
Through her crying, my sister finally said something to me.
"W-why did we do it, Luna? W-why d-did I do this? I-I should have l-left it alone, but I-I didn't," she gasped through her tears, "why did we do this!?" Celestia cried, looking into my eyes. She was more than a broken mess--she was utterly destroyed. The hairs on my coat rise and I felt goosebumps on my body. "What? What do you mean, Tia? Do what?" She held onto me tighter. She leaned into my ear as she whispered to me.
"Friction, Luna. FRICTION."
At first I was confused. Friction? What friction? But as I thought about it, it dawned on me. Friction. Friction between worlds. The danger of it all. Oh no. Oh gods no.
"Sister, you don't mean..." I couldn't finish my sentence as she gave me a tearful nod.
My pupils shrunk into pinpricks. That's why she kept it from him. That's why she ghosted Maverick. Why she lied to him. Oh dear gods, no...
"...D-dear sister, why didn't you tell me this sooner?" I say, slightly shivering myself. How could I tell Maverick? How could I tell him that... his.... his... I shut my eyes, tears forming in them as well.
I understood now. I understood why she couldn't tell him. I don't even think I can. No, I know I can't. She has kept this to herself for so long now, it just finally hit a breaking point now. She was trying to protect him. I can't tell him, it would destroy him. Dear gods... please forgive me, Maverick.
Please.
*Seven months after Maverick left Canterlot and three days after finishing the Cabin Cruiser*
Rainbow was very excited to show me something she did to the Cabin Cruiser, leading me to the site with a blindfold on. After we finished the build, she told me that she needed to do some final touches to it and to not go the cruiser until she went and got me. I obeyed her and stayed home, though I was quite anxious that I couldn't fly my cruiser right away. I figured that she was painting on the name she thought of, to which I was also excited to finally see. I was hoping it would be a good name, but I trusted Rainbow. If there's one thing she's good at, its being awesome. Either way, even if I didn't like it, I was gonna keep it.
"Alright, Mav, almost there. Oh man! I can't wait for you to see it!" Rainbow flew above me, guiding my head with her hooves. Why is she so weird. "Yeah, I can't wait either. Mostly because I want to take this blindfold off." I gave a smirk as I teased her. "Oh har har. Alright, here we are. On the count of three, go ahead and take it off." She let go of me as she flew to somewhere in front of me.
"One... two... three!" With that I took off my blindfold. My eyes took a second to adjust, but when they did, I saw what she named it.
Free Spirit was written on the side of it in a fancy font. Not a bad name at all.
"I decided that her name is gonna be Free Spirit! I think it fits with this whole thing about exploring and being able to be free. Hope its not too cheesy." Rainbow looked at the ground with a sheepish smile and a hoof behind her neck. I studied the name for a moment longer before trotting up to her and giving her a large bear hug. "I think its a great name, Dash! It fits perfectly. Thank you." Her cheeks turned slightly red as it contrasted with her blue coat. "Uh... haha, yeah. I know, I'm awesome." I ended the hug and looked towards the ship again. She was finally ready. I felt a gust of air as Rainbow flew above me to the deck of the ship and looked down at me.
"Well? What are you waiting for? Lets go take her for a spin!" She disappeared, presumably to the cockpit of the cruiser. Sorry, of the Free Spirit. Might as well make it habit to say her name now. Anyway, I followed up, making it to the cockpit. Already, I saw Rainbow at the console trying to start her up. I just laughed. "You gotta turn on the master power switch before anything else. Its the lever right there. Yeah that one." Rainbow flipped the master power switch and the console lit up with some buttons highlighting different things as it went through a power cycle. After a few seconds, some warning lights and gauge lights turned on.
"Awesome, what next?" She asked, not even trying to hold in her excitement. "Alright, we gotta make sure all the fluids in the ship are primed, so go ahead and turn that dial to run. Yep just like that." As I explained how to turn on the ship, I walked up next to her. After a moment, the gauges and warning lights turned off. Good. "Next, after all the warning lights have shut off and the gauges are reading good numbers, go ahead and prime the ignition. It'll be a series of sets to get it going. First hit the first switch--yup right there." With a flick, the first switch was flipped and a loud turbine could be heard turn on. Excellent, all is going good. "Go ahead and hit the next switch--do it in sequence with about five seconds a part with each switch. There's four of them." Rainbow listened attentively and flipped all the switches. Everything was working smoothly. Thank God.
"Okay, Rainbow. Last thing. You ready?" I ask with a smirk. She smirked back at me. "I was born ready, lets friggin' do it!" With that, we pushed the helium inflation system button together and the ship made a loud groaning sound before a loud rumble sounded. As the balloon began to fill, a gauge showed how much was in the balloon. As it made its way to a steady one-hundred, we began to lift off the ground. Its finally happening. All those of months of work, putting this thing together with my own blood, sweat, and tears--and with Rainbow's help--its finally in the sky. I was ecstatic.
I glanced over to Rainbow, who happened to look to me as well. A large smile was plastered on her face. "Its working, Mav. Its actually working!" She went in for a bear hug of her own, lifting me up somehow, and crushing my ribs. "Yup! A-all thanks to your h-help, Rainbow!" I said between breathes. She set me down and gave a confuse look. "All thanks to me? Mav, I barely did anything. YOU did all the work." I gave a nod. "Well, I did all the super complicated things, but without your help, I'd still be fixing things inside the ship. Hell, you even gave it a better name than what I was thinking. This couldn't have been done this quickly and this well without you, Dash." I gave her an honest smile as she stared up at me with flushed cheeks. I think mine were too to be honest. We sat in silence for a moment before her face lost its redness and her expression turned serious.
"I want to go with you." It wasn't a question, but more of a demand. I sighed, way to ruin the moment, Rainbow. "Rainbo--" I was immediately cutoff.
"Before you say anything... yes. I know what I will be leaving behind. I love my friends, I don't really like my job, but I do enjoy my time here. And I don't want to give up my dream in becoming a Wonderbolt... but I want to go with you. I want to explore the world with you, Mav." Her voice was quiet, different from her usual brusque attitude. She was serious. Dead serious. Rainbow... dammit. I had a feeling she was going to do this. Don't get me wrong, I love being in her company--she's my best friend in this world... but her life is established here. I can't just whisk her away, I can't let her just dump her dreams. She's on track to be a Wonderbolt for Christ's sake. Hell, she's the Element of Loyalty! I can't take her away. What if they need her?
I took a moment to think before saying anything brash. I gave another sigh, "Rainbow. I want you to go with me too. I'd love for you to be in my company..." I hesitated. She looked to the ground. "But?" She asked.
"...But, you can't. I know you're willing to drop everything to go with me... but you're too important." I say. She didn't say anything, so I continued. "You're a hero here, Dash. THE Element of Loyalty. If you went with me, what would happen if Equestria needed you?" She immediately retorted. "They'd figure it out! I believe in my friends, they are resourceful and capable. They could... they could find another way to save Equestria." Her words seemed to hurt her as she said it.
"Not only that, what about your dream about becoming a Wonderbolt?" She tried to say something, but I kept going. "You just said you don't want to give that dream up! I don't want to take that from you! You even told me that they are scouting you right now. And your friends... they love you too. You're the Element of Loyalty, what would everyone say if you just left? For your sake and reputation, you can't go Rainbow. Your friends... they need you. Equestria needs you!" I say.
"Well, I need you!" Rainbow yelled in response. I froze. She froze too. What? She closed her eyes for a moment, before gulping and meeting my gaze again. "I need you, Mav. Don't my needs matter too? I might have not known you as long as my other friends, but you... we get along so well. Its like you're a piece of me that I finally found. Somepony I can get along with and you understand me. I mean, I've told you things that no pony else knows. I feel like I can be myself around you. You mean... you mean a lot to me." For the first time since I've known her, I saw Rainbow Dash cry. I didn't know she felt this way. I couldn't help but slowly tear up a bit myself. A large part of me wanted to say fuck it and let her go with me, but the small, more logical part of me knew that I'd be taking someone who was a key person for the peace in this land. The embodiment of life or death. I can't take her. I want to, but I can't.
My heart began to hurt. Not like when I found out I couldn't go home, but like something else. I could only stare at Rainbow. Her face began to tense up. "Well? What do you say?" She asked. Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck.
I slowly walked up to her and put my claw up to her face. She looked up to me, meeting my eyes. I closed them out of shame of what I was going to say. "Rainbow. Your needs are important too. And you are my best friend. Maybe... even more... but I can't. I'm so sorry, Dash, but I can't let you come with me." I said the last part quietly. She didn't say anything, for a long time.
"...O...Okay." She said quietly. She turned to leave. "Wait--Rainbow..." I went to stop her but she moved away. "I need to be alone for a while, Mav. I'll see you later." With that, she left the cockpit and flew away. It was just me, myself, and the Free Spirit now. I could only sigh. Its for the best. She might hate me right now, but she's just too important. Important to her friends, to Equestria... to me.
She's just too important to me.
Poor Rainbow Dash...
well, I can make a couple guesses as to what that means, none of them good.
Also a shame that Dash couldn't come, would've been fun, but I feel Maverick is right, she's a lynchpin of a superweapon. Too important to take on a jaunt through the countryside.
Glad to see this back, and I hope we get more soon.
Wow, Celestia killed a planets worth of lifeforms. Seems par the course for her decision making, honestly. Although I admit I didn't see it coming. I was expecting her to turn into some sort of Hyde version of herself because she got possessed by something during the experiments.
That hit hard... Considering what Celestia implied, Maverick's fate is sealed – he can't go home, because there is no home.
Welp, I'm waiting for more. I hope that, at the very least, Maverick and Celestia make up in the end, especially considering this revelation.
She's going to stow away isn't she.
....Well, that explains why Celestia was hesitant to tell Mav. And poor Dashie! I feel like this should be discussed among her friends. I imagine Twilight could probably whip something up for when Dash is urgently needed. She'll probably just stow away instead. Here's hoping that won't cause any trouble.
Well now we know the reason why Celestia ghosted Maverick and what she implied there's a very strong hunch that he can't go back home as it no longer exists. I wasn't expecting that this really sucks his home gotten destroyed due to the reckless of their experiments.
Also it's a sad shame that Rainbow can't tag along it would have been very fun and exciting with her onboard but Maverick is correct about her being far too important to leave with him as she's one of the elements of harmony.
I do hope that Maverick and Celestia can make amends in the near future also it wouldn't surprise me if Rainbow Dash chooses to stow away to be with him.
11502616
more like a Universe
You're welcome.
Ow... that's gotta hurt. Knowing you fucked up that badly, and having a reminder of your failures trotting around confronting you like that
11498190
Ah the Goliath eh?
He could at least let her fly off with him on his maiden voyage.
She can speed back to Ponyville lickety split.
Even if it hurts...
I assume Celestia and Luna just destroyed a universe, wow, what fuck up, if meaver k find out, i wouldn blame him if he try to assesinate Celestia and destroy Equestria XD.
If I was meaverick, and rainbow just confessed, the i would just not travel anymore, i would stay and just make a life there.
Change genres? Buddy, at this rate you should probably change the title. Its all well and good to build up to things, but with that title and summary, I think it's fair to say that the expectation is for things to be a bit more in media res.
Well, that's... I don't have words for that. Maverick, sole survivor. Ouch.
hydrogen inflation system?
I thought Maverick was using helium.
11503024
Oops, yep it’s supposed to be helium. Thanks for the catch!
Whelp, of course Celestia managed to destroy Mav's home. Of freaking course she did. This story seems to be taking radically different directions each time I thought I had an idea of what happens next. This isn't a bad thing but its already becoming noticeably different then what the description implied. IDK, I'm still enjoying it though. Also, I truly hope that Mav doesn't ever forgive Celestia (especially after what was revealed here). It would be like someone going up to you and saying "Hey, I know I killed everyone you've ever known and loved, as well as making you the last of your kind through my own reckless dimensional experiments but it was an accident. So we're good, right?". No, that is not something that can just be forgiven or ever forgotten.
Nice
11502859
Yes))
11504425
Seen that movie multiple times.
I'm not sure that this was ultimately necessary. Or rather, a reveal of this magnitude should've been near the end of the story. Celestia was already the villain due to ghosting Maverick, but this pushes her far, far into the "irredeemable" category, accident or not. Did she need to also destroy his world? I think ghosting him was reason enough.
She's desperately begging for his forgiveness based on false pretenses, hoping that the sole survivor of her choice can assuage her guilt. Worse, she can't tell him the full story, because he would never forgive her. This is really, really dark. If your intention is to have Mav and Celestia come to some understanding far down the line...
No. If he ever finds out, this ends with one of them dead. And he should find out at some point. It would be disappointing for him not to find out. Not exactly the story I was expecting going into this, and that's not a bad thing, but the story really doesn't match the "chipper, adventurous" tone of the summary.
I'm going to be thinking about "accidental genocide" Celestia for the rest of the story, and that's going to get in the way of "a quest of adventure, treasure hunting, romance, and doing whatever the heck he wants with his pirate crew of misfits."
Final note: "Heartbreak" is missing the "t" in the middle.
Come. The fuck. ON!
What is wrong with authors on this site? Why do they have this overwhelming urge to screw over humanity in every story? I reaaaally hope that Celestia is wrong and Earth is completely fine. If not, then Maverick should kill Celestia in the most painful way possible and then reduce her entire planet to space dust by the end of the story.
Yes, you should. I was expecting a light-hearted adventure story and was hit with a genocide out of nowhere.
Wait wait wait... where the hell did we get the idea that his world is destroyed?
Well, now he has a goal. If Celestia really destroyed his world, he has every right to take her Equestria. Well, for example: to recruit a team of dedicated corsairs and rob airships, then assemble a huge fleet of armed and technically advanced (as I understand it, he is an amateur mechanic, so why not come up with some new weapons, armor, ship design, for example) airships, and to some the moment to fall on Celestia's head like snow, then the coronation of the new ruler of Equestria, the long and tough reign of the pirate king. It's just an idea I suggested. But it would be interesting to watch the history of Equestria's capture. I wish you good luck in writing.
P.S. I myself am now writing a story in which the hero will capture the entire Equestria, because of his subjects (who themselves will come under his rule, in one arch) who need freedom from underground shackles (they are residents of underground cities).
11508941
This is basically a time-bomb.
At one point in the future, Celestia or Luna will have to tell him about this because as far as he knows, his universe is still there somewhere.
I know it's the whole universe meaning humanity and every other species that was alive there, but I think his thoughts will be about his family, friends and acquaintances.
Then... the gates of hell will be opened.
Firstly: Great story! the start was a little bumpy, but you got the ball rolling and at this point I'm completely hooked. *Investment has been made!*
Second: Why is it that most people think that the best form of revenge is death? Death would be a release(as Maverick's already experienced) and the best option would be to do nothing. In the end, Celestia will do all the torturing herself. The guilt, regret, agony, and knowledge that she was the cause of an unthinkable amount of death, will crush her emotionally and spiritually.
Third: What is the definition of Friction? The resistance that one surface or object encounters when moving over another. That doesn't necessarily mean that his world/universe was destroyed. Most likely it was damaged or scarred. Or, in my opinion, the most interesting outcome was that the same time Maverick was shunted over to Equis, something ELSE, was shunted over to Earth. Something DEVASTATING! *cough* EVIL Discord *cough*
Fourth: It was an accident! Is it terrible? YES Should she be punished? YES Will this haunt Maverick until the end of his days?! YES! But the real question is: Will killing her or "make her PAY!" change anything? no.
Fifth: The best choice he could make when he finds out about all this is making sure humanity's history/discoveries/wonders/failings lives on. By writing everything down he can remember, he can make sure that all of humanity's achievements/experiences live on through him. He can also let people know of what he lost in maybe a biography or something. That doesn't mean he WILL make that choice, but it would be nice if he eventually realizes it.
Sixth: Can one of his crew members be a Diamond Dog, Minotaur, or Dragon?! PLEASE!!!!
11508941
Yeah! This is a total WTF moment, author.
11510957
When she was explaining the experiment if they screwed up by even like a centimeter you could cause both of the universes to rub against each other depending on which one gets the bad luck one of them just deletes or both
So not only did she lie once she lied twice and the second lie is even worse than the first one and now Luna's on it if she doesn't tell him with him time he's going to hate her too on top of what celestial really did this is a turning into several hundred powder kegs. this is going to detonate
Random unnecessary angst is random and unnecessary. Random grimdark bullshit for the sake of being 'edgy'. Why? What does this add to the story at all? Nothing. It's just angst for the sake of angst.
Worse, it is grimdark so-edgy-I-cut-myself angst in what was billed as a lighthearted and fluffy series.
i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/548/129/538.jpg
Ok, the whole universe friction is didn't really hit me. But damn did the love denial hit me hard. I'm a sucker for a good love story
11538145
I too somtimes question the usage of Unecessary Angst in Fanfiction, keeps reminding me of those boring and not worth watching Reality TV Shows.
I do believe Angst is nothing but a cheap cop-out to get the readers to care about your character when you made them seemingly too perfect.
11531121
o h...
Well in that case, fuck OP and fuck this story.
Fuck this Shit i'm out
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FjWe31S_0g
By the god's! Definitely got slapped in the face at first by the sudden angst and genocide of an intire universe... Not going to lie at first the friction thing didn't hit and just confused me for a moment till I remembered.... A pretty much sun goddess was looking into other worlds and friction creates heat, this horse just burned over 8 billion beings in an instant at the best, congratulations celly you're officially worse then Hitler.
Now your story is great I'm interested I want to watch more but you may want to change your tags and maybe a little more because this is not light hearted it lost that title the moment you did the genocide on a full universe. Hope to see more though and definitely interested in seeing how the dash line goes maybe she's his new reason to stay?
One heck of a way to start a story for sure
Any news on an update? It appears to have been plugging along at a good pace.
Any news on the author?
Eh, its a good thing that Mav dropped Rainbow Dash, in the long run.
The element of Loyalty would hardly make for a pirate with all the... illegal-ness associated with it, especially if some of it was eventually aimed at Equestria.
11550348
Hitler meant to do the things he chose to do. And there's a strong possibility that they only found out about the "friction" after it was too late. Like the doctor said it was a barley touched field.
Don't be so quick to compare someone who chose to be a genocidal monster with someone who has to spend eternity living with the consequences of trying to get someone back home using a barley touched subject of magic.
11531123
First off, there the only ones that likely know.
Second how would you like to be told that in an attempt to get you back home the one who tried to help you accidentally destroyed your whole universe? And it happened because no one knew the risks before it was too late.
11616442
That's fair but will he think that? in that situation will any of us think rationally?? Nope we be big mad for damn long time how could you not(also once she knew realized there was a chance of a total annihilation from either side she should have dropped it entirely so still her fault)
11616482
I would likely hate and blame anyone and everyone I could for a good while then have a nice long cry, while feeling sorry for myself, and top it off with hating and blaming myself for it all.
11616439
Your own point falls through just there. She didn't mean to do it sure but she hid it, she made sure no one could tell him she burried it unlike Hitler who couldn't hide it he tried but couldn't there were rumours before we found the camps. But worst off She tested this unknown magic on the thing she wanted not on something different. She couldn't of tried finding something else to test? maybe a universe that's either empty or not what she's looking to save so when it burnt up she doesn't accidentally blast his intire friends and family! No she thinks let's try this because I'm the best oh no I killed them let's HIDE IT. You maybe different but if someone murdered all I care for I'd like to bloody know about it. Now Luna is hiding it.
She killed billions that we know of and now both godly beings are hiding it because the mortal wouldn't understand? Worse then Hitler.
11709685
Well, this is magic we're talking about. It can go whatever way the author wants, really. Same for the testing. We don't know how they could test it if at all or the end result. As for the hiding, it's really a matter of what choice they are willing to live with.
11709915
What choice they are willing to live with? It's not their choice it's not their world they burned. they don't have a choice. They lost that right when their hubris killed billions.
On a other note though got to love storys that get conversations like this started and debates about the world
update?
11504839
I knoooooooow, I'm super eager to see what happens down the line for Maverick and of what he will do. I really like the tone of the story thus far myself.
The Cake is a Lie
Now that's a name.
11550348
Its a canon event Celestia