Equestria, the Infinite, and the Divine

by TheApostate

[Crystal Palace, Crystal City, Crystal Empire; A day later]

She hated summer. Yes, winter was not preferable – her people can agree full-heartedly with that particular sentiment – but it is unanimously agreed upon on the great ease one found to heat themselves during the season rather than desperately chance upon the optimal manner to cool oneself.

The Crystal Empire was a magnificent land, but perfection it was not. And the more Cadance thought about it in her endless stride around the Crystal Palace, the less she was sure she had lived in any sort of “perfect” place.

Maybe Canterlot was a good contender to Crystal City – sure – but it lacks the relativism that comes with the cold north. Then again, the over-use of “crystal” in every name was getting on her nerves, but never would she admit to the Empire she rules that most hidden sentiment. It was there ancient culture, after all, who was she to deny them that? The Princess and ultimate authority in the land (precluding Celestia and the occasional intervention of Luna when she felt like it), but also a mare that did not really care for that formality.

Her husband was in Canterlot to supervise the training of new guards with… She could not remember with whom exactly. All Armor’s friends sported names eerily similar to one another; she gave up long ago to remember who was who, and made sure – using all options at hoof – for Armor to pronounce the name first. Canterlot has a diverse array of names, but, for a bizarre reason, for them it was barren. Almost insulting in their lack of imagination. But one had to only look at their splendid, boring similitude to discern what an obvious fact it was. In her opinion, Armor tended to agree, it was simply Celestia having fun in some bizarre, perhaps oddly twisted way.

‘Or to hide her plot armor,’ Cadance mused at a remark once made by Twilight. ‘Or is it… Is it a name of one of them? Plot Amor,’ she repeated in a malign, interested way. She shrugged. ‘Possibly.’

Still, for the incredible leg work she was doing that day, escaping the capital of Equestria was the best thing she ever did in her life. Yes, the first few days had not been the most…

She sighed.

…welcoming.

However, the Empire quickly turned into a far better alternative. Having hours of continuous discussions is fun and all, but it gets tiring, almost exasperating. Cadance vastly preferred spending alone time with herself or with friends. The balancing act she played with her private and public life had worked perfectly all her time in Canterlot. Many did not know she existed until she came to rule, and she liked it. From Celestia's busy schedule, Cadance understood quickly privacy would become a rare commodity; better enjoy it before it would be snatched away from her.

But in the Crystal Empire, at that moment, the lack of that balancing act was depressing.

One would think the challenges posed by the newly reappeared Empire would keep her distracted with endless conversations about rights, privileges, and whatnot the different involved parties thought were important. But a cursory look at recent history shows that it was the land itself the source of all problems. During the first few years, forgetting the early incident and along with her administrative work, she went on with Armor to cleanse the lingering remnants of foul magic. Not all of Sombra’s taint could be removed, but they had deemed the job done... for now.

During summer, her people and officials were concerning themselves with harvesting the land – she had nothing to add to it. Befriending one of her officials could be detrimental to day-to-day operations to continue peacefully and-

‘-harmonically,’ she laughed at the word. ‘Funny how it works.’

Her people were diligent and disciplined enough to not need constant oversight and trusted with the work she delegated. Trade deals had been signed, and other than a Griffon delegation arriving in a few days to discuss knowledge-sharing, Cadance had nothing expedient.

Others would have felt pride at a job well done, but Cadance felt useless – almost forgotten. None of her old friends had followed her to the Empire; she could not blame them, but it was-

‘Uncool.’

She took a deep breath and smacked her lips. ‘Maybe I should go to Equestria…’ She thought more about it. Her trips there had turned sparse and scattered, and indulging in the summer festivities of Equestria was not something she ever relished in. The Gala was coming soon, maybe she should prepare herself for Celestia’s insistence for her to attend. ‘Or I should just invite someone here. I wonder if Luna and Twilight are free. But I feel Luna would-’ She paused in her walk, near the balcony. ‘Well, fuck me, I am speaking to myself.’

‘And you are very impolite,’ stated a voice, followed by a soft detonation of magical energy. Experience had taught Cadance to always gear herself for the worst; she lowered her head, pointed her horn to the outside, and prepared to aim. Shining Armor often mocked her for being a pessimist; she would disagree full-heartedly. She would describe herself more as a great optimist, but also someone that would always envisage the worst possibilities to better prepare for any ill eventuality. She could never decide whether it was a positive trait or a negative one – not that it would impact her much either way.

She knew the voice; she knew who the figure was, but the bitter taste Chrysalis had left during her wedding did not easily abate. Where she attempted to not fall, to not dig deeper, was by questioning the identity of all.

Luna teleported to the balcony of the Crystal Palace. Cadance immediately backed from her defensive posture and rushed to greet her aunt.

They greeted each other without the requirements of protocol and etiquette. Though it was hard to imagine anyone keeping those when hugging the other.

‘I hope I am not intruding,’ said Luna, releasing Cadance.

‘You are interrupting my loneliness, yes.’

‘Important dealings, then.’

‘Very,’ she laughed.

She invited Luna to sit down.

‘Order tea or something,’ asked Luna. She adjusted her seat for optimal comfort. ‘We have things to discuss.’

‘Before, can I get a preamble? Maybe I don’t want to hear about those things?’ She smirked.

‘I will tell you about the Infinite and the Divine. It is a wonderful tale,’ sneered Luna.

Cadance imitated her, knowing full well, but expectedly, it was going to be the complete opposite.

‘And I will make it long, don’t worry about it.’

‘Oh, take your time. Take your time.’ She turned away toward one of her maids. ‘I’ve known worse.’

‘I won’t get in that debate.’

‘I will try to bring it up regardless.’

Luna pleasantly smiled and told Cadance everything she and Celestia knew about those two eternal geriatrics.

****

‘I like that name for you.’

‘They lack the proper brain matter to conceive the true meaning of my name.’ Orikan mumbled a curse at Trazyn for phasing them into the cursed land of that false empire.

'Stop using your brain to childishly declare your prowess - you seldomly use it wisely.’

‘You are not one to speak, Trazyn.’

‘Perhaps, but my great task has some meaning in our benighted universe.’

‘Do not even think of capturing either of them,’ he warned.

‘Why would I take one of those two? They are unique specimens, yes – the small ones in particular. But, dearest Orikan, if sharing the great historical repository of Solemnance means the instant, deflagrating death of even a simple monocerii, then I see no point in it.’

‘What of blackstone?’

‘Instant death either way. Even at low levels of polarization. Somehow, their world is separated from what the Imperium names the Great Ocean. A mild connection to the Warp and their souls are consumed. So, I would not imagine what one of those three presents would do.’

‘Three?’

‘Soon, the history of this world will witness a yet-unseen event. That Cadance evolved beyond a simple representative of their strains by Celestia, and she will make history.’

‘Their genetic engineering is that developed?’

‘Beyond its natural evolutionary boundaries? No. They use magic,’ he cursed.

‘They took creatures and made them into things horrific.’

Trazyn lifted his head to a semblance of a straight stand. ‘It is difficult to say if they have been given immortality. The tests are inconclusive.’

Orikan only answered with a great laugh, buried by the invisibility field they were overlooking Luna and Cadance from the other side of the room.

Trazyn cut him off from his audio-feed and continued listening attentively to them speaking. An idea drew itself in his mind. But Orikan overrode his wards.

‘An Equestria at war would be a fascinating thing to behold,’ mused Orikan.

Trazyn faced him.

‘For once, we are met with a people that, for all conceivable reason, have remained at peace for hundreds of years and have full mastery over their abilities without fear of it overwhelming them; why should we perturb such an oddity? Once, in the Times of Flesh, we had strived for that level of comfort, if you have forgotten.’

‘And look where we are now,’ continued Orikan, enjoying the irony. ‘I had warned you. I warned the Silent King. I-’ he stopped himself; repeating the same argumentation dulled him. ‘One day, those beings,’ he pointed toward Luna and Cadance, ‘will understand the full extent of my prescience. Of my warning lost to time.’

‘Want them to build you a statue?’ laughed Trazyn.

‘Why not, eh?’ Orikan paused and laughed as he wanted to mess with Trazyn. ‘Which one of those… Alicorns you prefer the most?’

‘That one,’ he pointed his staff at Cadance. ‘And the elder. There is a sense of struggle that makes them endearing.’

‘And about that “Twilight”?’ he hissed.

‘A child. All of them are, really. But she is egregiously so.’

The answer perturbed Orikan. It was too succinct for one as Trazyn. Something off was triggering Orikan. The Diviner analyzed the Infinite’s posture. The perpetual smile seemed more prominent.

‘You are planning something.’

‘I never said I was a Necron of my words.’

Comments

[Miskr]

Keep up the good work