A purple unicorn sat in a tower overlooking the Everfree Forest, and smiled as she watched the springtime sun rise over the trees there. The light glinted off of her mane, a simple black streaked through with purple, pink, and a band of deep red. The mare noted that her hair had hardly grayed at all, even though she was technically thirty years old, a quarter of the way through her life if it was to be considered average. Of course, Twilight Sparkle’s life was going to be anything but average.
Her gaze flitted over a nearby map tacked to her wall, representing the tiny town of Ponyville, and the area surrounding it. Several lists were fastened to it as well, dignitaries and guests with important areas outlined in red. After taking in the contents of that list one more time, she smiled and set it to the side. Turning to a simple wooden picture frame, she examined a photograph that she still held very near and dear to her heart.
Fluttershy’s demure smile caught her eye first. In all the years she had known the timid Pegasus, Fluttershy’s smile had never changed. She smiled much more often, nowadays. She had every right to, seeing as she was expecting a child of her own soon. The foal was due in the spring of next year, and every one of her friends was looking forward to the christening, even though she had already chosen the name. A simple spell from Twilight had revealed the gender of the child, and it was to be a filly. With Rarity’s permission, Fluttershy was going to name her Belle.
Rarity hadn’t smiled much since the day Sweetie Belle’s limp body had been pulled from the rubble of the tower, and she had hardly spoken to Twilight for a while after that. She understood, of course. Sweetie Belle had died in Twilight Sparkle’s employ, while helping to further Twilight Sparkle’s cause. To be honest, Twilight Sparkle had expected Rarity to hate her for what she had done, but the tide of fury had simply never come. One ill had come of this, however. Rarity was so consumed by grief that she was no longer able to use her Element with any sort of significance. Indeed, most magic was completely beyond her now. This made her most recent gift to Twilight all that much more meaningful.
Pinkie Pie’s cheerful grin had been a constant uplifting force throughout the past few months. She had taken to using her Power well, and whenever efforts to rebuild had gone sideways, it could be relied on that Pinkie Pie would be there with a smile, a joke, and a new, different solution to a problem. It had been Pinkie Pie who had come up with the idea to keep Ponyville as a neutral haven. She had proved herself remarkably savvy as a politician, as well. She was on the fast track to take the mayorship soon, if she wanted it.
Rainbow Dash was next in the circle. Her days off stunt flying and airspeed records were long gone, after the injuries she had sustained at the final battle, the one they were calling the Fourth Battle of Dunsinane. She too had lost her Power in that struggle, though it was not because of any emotional grief. In fact, it was because she no longer saw a use for it. The once-fiery mare had mellowed considerably, becoming almost monastic in her habits. Twilight would have been unnerved, except for the fact that Rainbow Dash seemed genuinely happy. Soon, she would head north to assist with the reclamation of Equestria’s northern lands. She was going to help train teams of a new group of flyers at a school funded by both Twilight and Celestia. The students were called Stormchasers.
Finally, her gaze rested on Applejack’s smiling face. Her story was not nearly so kind. She had lost a sister, as well, but whereas Rarity had allowed her grief to flow naturally, Applejack’s emotional distress had turned inward. She hardly ever left the farm anymore, and Twilight was told not to come near her land. Twilight respected her friend’s wishes, of course, and would continue to do so even after Applejack had her foal. An invitation had been sent, regardless, and Twilight could only hope that Applejack would set aside her anger for one day.
“Twilight? Are you still awake?”
Twilight turned with a start, tearing her eyes away from the picture to see Tarantella standing behind her, watching as she examined her old things. She felt a grin creep across her face as she studied Tarantella, who looked at her with a curious expression on her face.
“Aren’t we supposed to be avoiding each other until the wedding is over?”
Tara snorted. “I believe that applies to the dress. What are you looking at?”
Twilight indicated the picture frame. “I’m just going through some of my old things. I’ve come a long way since that picture was taken. And to be honest, I’m not entirely sure I like where I’m at right now.”
Tarantella smiled, reaching out and drawing her in close. “That is why I know you will be a good leader, Cara Mia. The wise leader is the one who leads out of necessity, not a lust for power. It is what separates you from Celestia.”
Twilight slumped, relaxing into her fiancé’s embrace. “That’s not it, though. I mean, that’s some of it, but not all of it. A lot of ponies got hurt because of me, and not all of them were willing to fight in the first place. And I can deal with that, I can figure it out as it comes, but there’s something I’m really uncomfortable with.”
Twilight’s eyes stung with tears for a moment before she lifted a hoof to brush them away. “Tara…I’m going to be alive for a long time after you die. A really long time, probably. And I know there’s probably at least a hundred ponies I could think of who would love to have the sort of life I’ll have, but…I just want to live a normal life. Is that so much to ask? I’ll grow old with you; have years and years by your side. I may even ‘die’ around the same time as you do. But when my time comes, I’ll be young again. Sixteen, not even fully grown. We’re the same age because I used so much magic to heal you, but when we are at the end of our lives, you’ll move on and I’ll…stay behind.”
“You’re right. It isn’t fair. It’s not fair to you, or to me, or to anypony we know. I won’t get to see you in the afterlife, and you’ll have to live the rest of your life without me after I’m gone, at least until you find somepony else. And you will find somepony else, eventually,” Tarantella said, looking into Twilight’s eyes. “But I am content. We have each other for a time, and I think that is enough. It could have very easily been less than that. And as for your friends, and their losses, I think there’s something to be learned from it.”
Twilight sniffed. “And what would that be?”
The Condottiero smiled, turning with Twilight so that they could survey the town beneath them. “They made their choices of their own free will, Twilight Sparkle. And they must deal with the consequences of their actions. But because of the choices you have made, they were able to make choices of their own free will. Not since before the Celestial Wars have ponies been able to make their own choices, and though we may not like where our decisions lead us, at least we know that we are free to choose our own paths.”
The streets of the small town began to stir. Ponies were waking up to a still more glorious dawn. Twilight watched as stores began to open up, and a walleyed grey Pegasus lurched into the sky to deliver her mail, her tousled cornsilk mane blowing in the low breeze. Twilight watched her go, and realized that she represented the direction Twilight had chosen to lead ponykind. There would be bumps along the way, mistakes would be made, but at the end of the day, she knew that the mailmare would return home, to a daughter that loved her very much. And speaking of daughters…
“Is Cirrus up?” Twilight asked.
Tarantella shook her head. “Not yet. She wanted to stay up late for the rehearsal dinner, so I let her sleep. She can have a day off from her flying lessons, this sort of thing only happens once after all. She’ll need to be well rested for the ceremony tonight.”
Twilight felt the back of her neck prickle nervously at that. “It feels unreal. After all this time, after so much, I’m…”
A wing blocked her from saying anything further, as Tarantella leaned in and kissed her cheerfully. “Getting married, yes. I believe southern Equestrians call it ‘getting hitched’, or ‘the old tack and plow’. After tonight, we’ll be together in the eyes of all, for better or for worse.”
Twilight returned the kiss, before her horn lit up, tossing Tarantella gently on her nearby bed before following her onto it. Drawing her close, she leaned in, her lips almost brushing Tarantella’s ear, which twitched in pleasure. “Hopefully for the better.” she whispered.
Rarity shuffled nervously in her seat. Four of Twilight’s best friends had arrived to her wedding, a quiet affair in what Twilight had once called her library. The inside was a bit bigger now, of course, Twilight certainly had the power to do so. She had called in a favor from some sort of Doctor, and Rarity could now definitely be sure that the treehouse was bigger on the inside. But the unusual dimensions of the room she was in wasn’t what made her nervous.
Celestia had arrived, as had Luna, and Cadance, who would be presiding over the ceremony, as was her right. A few others took up some of the seats. Shining Armor, dressed in his military finest, seemed both nervous and proud as he waited for his sister to stride down the aisle formed by two groups of low wooden benches. His opposite, Silent Shield, stood at attention in a simple high-collared shirt of black, upon which was emblazoned a silver crescent moon. In addition, a few courtiers from both sides, as well as Twilight’s mother and father, occupied space on the benches.
Pinkie Pie and her husband were both chatting quietly, a surprise in and of itself. Pinkie Pie had hardly done anything quietly in the past few months. Rarity shook her head, and continued her survey of the crowd, hoping to see one more face that she had not yet. She saw Fluttershy, positively glowing with happiness as she and her husband whispered contentedly to one another. They had lost Fluttershy’s house in the fighting around Ponyville, but the rebuilding hadn’t taken long, and they had added on extra rooms for their foal.
Rainbow Dash was speaking quietly with a Gryphon in the back, the one they called Mahtaram. Apparently, her siblings had acquitted themselves a bit too well in battle, and she had moved up in line for the throne. Now she stood at the right hand of her brother, who would be King someday. The two appeared to be hitting it off quite well, as Rainbow Dash was cracking the occasional joke, which Mahta tolerated and even managed to grin a few times.
And then there was herself. Golden Rule sat next to her, along with their adopted foal, Brownstone. She had made it through alright, despite everything seeming like it should have turned out differently. Somehow, some way, she had managed to get a happy ending out of it all. Well, almost happy. Or it should have been happy.
Rarity knew that she would be dealing with what Sweetie Belle had done for years, if not a lifetime. And that grief would stay with her for a very long time. But she was blessed, she knew that much. She had lost a sister, while others had lost so much more. Fluttershy had lost a home, Rainbow Dash had lost her excellent flying skills, and hundreds of thousands had lost their lives in the series of battles that had taken place over the course of a single day from start to finish.
But it wasn’t for herself that she was worried. She didn’t see Applejack, and that worried her. They hadn’t heard anything from their friend since the day they had all returned home, on Hearth’s Warming Eve. Applejack had taken her family home without a word to anypony, and she hadn’t left the farm since. Twilight’s invitation had not been responded to, and Rarity supposed that she could understand Applejack’s unwillingness to see them all. Family meant more to Applejack than most realized, and she and Applebloom had been very close.
“You know, you look lovely.” Golden Rule whispered. “No dress, no makeup…you’re even growing your mane back out again. It looks good on you. The mare I fell in love with all those years ago.”
Rarity blushed. “Well, I decided that maybe…maybe I needed to make things a bit more simple again. After all, Canterlot’s a high-society sort of place, and Ponyville is considerably more rustic. I’m sure young Silver Spoon will jump at the chance to take my place there. All I could ask for is in Ponyville. Peace and…peace and quiet.”
Brownstone looked up at her quizzically. “Mom? Is the wedding going to start soon?”
Rarity nodded. “Yes, Brownstone. It is.”
“Where’s Aunt Applejack?”
“Right here, little hayseed.” came a voice from behind them. Applejack strode up the aisle, Honey Crisp and Barley Scotch in tow. She turned to Honey Crisp, who was acting unusually bashful. “Now Honey, you go on ahead and sit next to Brownstone, y’hear? Daddy will be by in a minute, and I’ve gotta talk with your Auntie Rarity.”
The little filly tentatively crept to her seat by Brownstone, where she sat blushing hard as Brownstone did his best to start up a conversation with her. Rarity shook her head fondly as she walked up to Applejack and met her in an embrace.
“We’ve missed you, darling. How are things?”
Applejack rested a hoof on her stomach, which was starting to bulge a little with the weight of her own child. “They’re…they were rough, I’ll be honest. But they’re getting better, bye and bye. I shut myself off from the world for a while, from Honey and Barley too. Losin’ Applebloom…it was powerful hard, and I can’t help but to blame Twilight for it. Don’t rightly know if I’ll ever forgive her for the hardship she put my family through, but I realized once spring rolled around that I couldn’t just shut myself off from the world forever. My family needs me, and so does the community around here.”
Rarity nodded. “Do you know what you’ll say to Twilight?”
Applejack sighed. “Not really. I suppose I’ll just have to find the right words at the right time. I don’t think that I’ll ever really trust her again, but I can at least try to lay the past down to rest. Aside from that, though, I can’t say. Things are changin’ real quick around here. Have you noticed?”
Rarity nodded. “It’s like the Everfree is leaking out into Equestria. The clouds move on their own, Fluttershy has noticed that some of the animals are talking about new predators…whatever deal Twilight made with Discord, it’s already taking effect.”
“T’aint all bad,” Applejack said. “Things are growing quicker, even the weeds.” She chuckled, scratching at the back of her neck. “We’ve had our hooves full down at the farm, keeping things running smoothly. Suppose it’ll be like that from now on, what with Ponyville being called neutral ground now.”
Rarity nodded. “I’ve already said goodbye to a few of my friends up in Canterlot. They’re leaving for the new city Twilight is building, calling it a brand new opportunity to make history. They’re calling themselves Starsworn, and the new capital of Twilight’s kingdom is called Starfall.”
Applejack was about to reply, but before she could, a set of bells began to ring from nowhere, prompting a scramble from every pony except for the three Alicorns for seating. Cadance took her position at the head of the aisle, and as they waited, the bells began to fade. It was noon precisely when Twilight Sparkle stepped into the door of her library, with Tarantella Allegretta at her side.
Twilight Sparkle, known to those who followed her now as Lady Everstar, was many things. She was a warrior, and a diplomat. She was a mage and a scholar, a general without peer and a leader without equal, save for perhaps her teacher. She was broken and made whole, she was mortal, and yet she would never die, not until her tasks upon this earth were done. She was a revolutionary, and a fugitive, and a librarian, and a student and teacher and friend to so many. And, stepping through the door, she was revealed to be one thing more.
Twilight Sparkle was beautiful.
She was clad in a gown of dusky, wine red, with a simple circlet of thin tarnished gold resting upon her brow, from which a single amethyst dangled between her eyes. Her hooves were bare, and she wore no jewelry save for a simple pendant made of obsidian, cunningly fashioned into the shape of a dragon. Her face, for the first time in four long years, was completely at rest. Twilight Sparkle, though she had waged war for so long, had found her own peace. And she would never let her go.
Tarantella Allegretta’s dress was simple, a sleek affair in purple and silver that seemed to shimmer like water and float like clouds. It was Rarity’s gift to the new couple, the first dress she had made in years. And she had done all that work by hoof. Tarantella wore a simple band around her leg, leather studded with diamond, that wrapped around her leg three times before fastening near the top. Her brow was unadorned, but in her ears dangled two earrings, each stud set with a perfect ruby.
Gentle music seemed to float down from the rafters as the duo strode up the aisle, coming to a halt before Princess Cadance, who looked at them both with a smile on her face as they turned to face one another, lost in each other’s eyes. Spreading her wings wide, she began to speak.
“Friends, we are brought together on this, the first true day of Spring, to join in matrimony these two ponies, whose love, dedication, and will to thrive has brought them far and stood the test of time. Their love for one another has seen good times and bad, and it is to the benefit of all that they have decided, on this day, to be as one body and soul. Should any gathered here have reason as to why they should not be so joined, let them speak, or forever hold their protests.”
There was not a sound from the tiny room, and after a somber pause, Cadance continued her litany.
“Marriage is perhaps the greatest adventure we can hope to embark upon. By taking these sacred vows to one another, Twilight Sparkle and Tarantella of Clan Allegretta agree to be of one household, relying on each other in times of need, through times of triumph and trial. Through marriage, these two make a commitment to face their disappointments, embrace their dreams, realize their hopes, and accept one another’s failures. They hereby swear to aspire to these ideals during their time together, through mutual love and acceptance of one another.”
Cadance’s voice rang clear like birdsong through the library, and it was hard to find a dry eye in the room as she continued to speak.
“We are here today, gathered before friends and family, to witness the joining of marriage between Twilight and Tarantella, a celebration which marks the ending of two lives and the beginning of one new one, full of joy, peace, and laughter. And now, through me, you will be vested in that most sacred of bonds. Who gives away this mare Tarantella to be wed?”
A single Condottieri stood up from the back of the room. “I, Molto Allegretta, do give away my cousin on this day to be wed.”
Cadance inclined her head regally. “And who gives away this mare Twilight to be wed?”
Celestia rose from her seat, her voice even, calm, and perhaps the tiniest bit proud. “I, Celestia Aetheria ex Equestria, give away this mare to be wed.”
Cadance turned to Tarantella. “Do you, Tarantella Allegretta, take this mare as your wife, to stand by you through wind and storm, in the cold of winter and the heat of summer, as friend and family both? Will you love her, comfort her, remain true to her, remaining by her side at the cost of all else, so long as you both shall live?”
Tarantella’s voice was soft. “I will.”
Cadance then turned to Twilight. “Do you, Twilight Sparkle, Lady Everstar of the Forest, take this mare to be your wife? Will you see her through the day and the night, through wealth and poverty, as friend and family both? Will you love her, comfort her, remain true to her, remaining by her side at the cost of all else, until the end of your days?”
Twilight’s voice held a lifetime of love in two words. “I will.”
Cadance bowed her head briefly. “May you always share in the joy of love, one in heart and mind, may you always create a home together that leaves a smile in your hearts, love, generosity and kindness. As Twilight Sparkle and Tarantella Allegretta have consented together in marriage before friends and family, what, therefore, fate has put together, let no thing tear asunder. And so, by the power vested in me by my right as Princess of Love, I now pronounce you wed. And may your days be good and long on this earth.”
Cadance smiled, and nodded to them both. “You may now kiss.”
The two locked into a fierce embrace, meeting in a passionate kiss as their assembled friends and family applauded wildly, clinging to each other as if for dear life. It was only after a long while that they finally broke that kiss, panting and grinning at one another like the pair of love-struck fools that they were.
Joining hooves, they all but floated back down the aisle, their friends and family trailing behind them. Placing their hooves on the door together, they threw the simple wooden portal open wide, and stepped blinking into the sunlight.
A titanic roar greeted them from the gathering crowd, as an equal number of Solar Guards and Ever Free soldiers raised swords in unison, and with one voice, barked “Hail, Lady Everstar! Hail Lady Tarantella! Hail!”
Twilight was reminded for the briefest moment of the dream she had once thought to be a prophecy, of Morning Star’s mocking words. In the end, she had been able to have her happiness after all. As they strode down Ponyville’s main avenue, with friends, family, and monarchs trailing behind, Twilight Sparkle fell at last at peace. Soon, she would have to face reality once more. Applejack had done her the courtesy of arriving, and she would need to answer for her sins. Twilight had the feeling she would be answering for a very long time.
But for now, all that mattered was this. Today, Twilight Sparkle had won. She had fought against all odds, defied the sun, surpassed the moon, and with any luck, soon enough she would be able to restore balance to the world. Right now, Twilight was bound to only one thing, and one alone. Tarantella would be there with her, every step of the way. Together, they would take on the world.
Together, they were now and forever Free.
We never did figure out why Celestia was upset with Twilight loving another mare.
2898239
Because she wasn't in love with Morning Star.
2898246
That wasn't obvious? She killed him pretty good...
That's all I have to say, really.
Job well done, sir.
Now go take your long overdue nap.
there will be a sequel eventually, right? i mean, i can understand taking a break, but we are gonna go after the shadow next, right?
Applejack should be blaming Celestia for what happened to applebloom! Not Twilight! Celestia is the one that mind raped her! You didn't even explain why Celestia wasn't oh I don't know, LOCKED AWAY FOR LIFE!
2898307
Right.
2898321 sorry if i sound pushy, but got any idea how long? usually i'd let the writer be, but your stories are SO FUCKING AMAZING!
So... new chapter with the link to the next one?
2898337
Months. I'll do smaller projects, but I really do need a rest. And so does she.
2898428 i can live with that....still sad though. i guess i'll just have to reread it for the 8th time!
Thank you.
Great story, but I'm a bit confused as to how easily everypony has buried the hatchet. These were ponies who were up to the very last moment killing each other en masse. In particular I have no idea as to how or why Twilight would even invite Celestia to her and Tara's wedding, much less allow herself to be given away by her. This is the mare who would've slowly killed off every non pony had she had her way, tried on multiple occasions to have Twilight effectively raped to death, and was responsible for numerous atrocities during the course of their country's civil war. Not to mention that she very nearly killed Tara herself, albeit in an understandable rage from having her eyes stabbed out. It just seems working together for the greater good of creation and getting along shouldn't necessarily be mutually inclusive in this case, all things considered.
The others in attendance such as Cadence and co. similarly have me scratching my head, but to a far less degree. Does she still bear that magical brand Twilight placed upon her face? Reading this post I know I'm coming off as overly critical, but that isn't my intention. Still enjoyed the hell out of this fic. I just assumed everypony wouldn't kiss and make up so quickly.
Um, yes, this is fantastic, but... what about the "Hatred"? The thing which separated from Luna when she briefly became Nightmare Moon in order to escape her prison? Big swirling mass of blackness from beyond Creation which threatens all realities? It was kind of the whole reason Luna betrayed Twilight and had her killed, so she could meet with Mother and gain the power of Knowledge in order to bring her reality into either Chaos or Order, so that all the versions of Twilight would have a chosen side so that they could defeat the Hatred and cast it out of Creation... so, will it be dealt with in a sequel?
And what of Sweetie Belle's child? Did it just die as well? Sort of shifted perspective from Sweetie Belle investigating this rebellion and getting caught up in events beyond her control to Twilight being awesome and forging an Empire of sorts. Not that I think this is badly written - oh, no, you had me well interested and enjoying each and every update - but I think you may have lost some focus along the way, swapped protagonists, and dropped a crucial plot point!
I loved this story. Even considered writing something based off it myself. You're a fantastic writer, I just think you let the narrative get away from you a bit.
Although, if this Does mean a sequel... please, write it!
I'm sure in time, Rarity will gain her magic back when she has had more time to heal. Spike will continue to wait for Twilight on the other side, as will Tara when she passes I'm sure. Applejack, I feel has a little misplaced anger. It was Celestia that turned her into a Sunsworn, not Twilight. Nor was it Twilight that killed her. Apple Bloom died because she had killed Scoots and was going to kill Sweetie Belle. I feel killing off Sweetie Belle was a dumb move because so much time went into the relationship with her and Nightlight and then her pregnancy. Since a lot of this was Sweetie Belle's story, it just seem unfulfilled. Like why did we care if she was pregnant or not if she was going to die anyway. I feel it also ended a nice storyline for the upcoming sequel. All in all, a good story. I feel some of the choices of what happened to the characters were done for shock factor rather then good story telling but at the end of the day Twilight got most of her friends back, so Harmony reunited. Applejack will come around, though it may take something major to have that happen in the future, but at least the willingness is there, and again, her misplaced anger toward twilight and no mention of her anger toward Celestia who used her sister in the first place bothers me.
Anyway, look forward to more in the future and I hope next time you decide who lives and who dies for the stories sake and not just for shocks and awes. Thumbs up!
Honestly... I'm a bit disappointed. Everything got wrapped up nice and neat (well as neat as it can be in the short-term). Really? Too neat. The war is over, and everyone's simply getting along after a very brief period? Bull...
Once again, I am annoyed, immensely, that Celestia/Luna are given leave for the atrocities and betrayals they've committed. I understand Twilight feels she needs them to combat the Shadow, though of course that's probably for the sequel, but really... In reality she probably wouldn't have anything to do with either of them, and I'd much of rather had them attempting to re-assemble themselves after being quartered, violently, by Twilight.
That and having Sweetie Belle die, though it was a great parallel, having all three CMCs die in the conflict, was largely meaningless. Honestly, the ending just did not do it for me. Not quite as bad as some, which can/have totally ruined stories, but a far cry from what I expected.
First off, this has been an amazing ride! Your story is at the top of my list of epic pony stories, dethroning Immortal Game. Congratulations on a job well done writing this massive epic.
Now, I must say that Applejack's mentality confuses me. I get that Twilight shares some responsibility with what happened to Applebloom, however the lion's share of responsibility lies with Celestia for turning Applebloom into a weapon and throwing her on the front lines. Thing is, both Twilight and Sweetie Belle confirmed all of this to Applejack. Is there something I'm missing? Applejack is stubborn but she's not stupid.
I still wanted to see Celestia truly broken for all that she's done. I mean, we lost ALL of the CMC!! That alone deserves annihilation.
Take care on your rest, you deserve it. Keep us updated about these smaller projects of yours.
[aplauso]
Poor Sweetie. I had a feeling she was actually dead. I guess her foal won't play a role in anything after all.
A comment to everyone wondering why everyone's playing nice at the wedding: Twilight's now a head of state, and she's trying to establish balance in the world. That's NOT easy and she'll need the others to accomplish that. Starting off by snubbing them at her wedding (and keep in mind that, formerly, these are some of the people the absolute closest to her ever) is only going to cause more bad blood, working against her goals. So what better way to kick off harmony and balance than by trying to be friendly and having everyone at her wedding, like they would have been if she'd gotten married years ago?
Queue Fireworks.
A thought occurred to me concerning Sweetie Belle. Remember in chapter 45 Sweetie was making the decision if she should fight or leave? Pinkie Pie came up to them to offer help and mentioned this in relation the new Changeling Queen:
It was at seeing the whole ascending of the Queen that Sweetie Belle decided to stay and fight....and die.
Soooooo, we can say that Pinkie Pie killed Sweetie Belle! Dun, dun, duuuunnnnn!
Thank you for writing this amazing story, I think that was the best ending to a story that I have read in a long time.
And so the Zenith Era comes to a close. But the new age is just beginning, an era of magic!
Dayum, it's finished, gonna read it now. This better be good.
I'm with everyone else. It seems a little off that everyone goes from killing each other to being friends. Even for the wedding of the most powerful mortal pony in the world. Either way I look forward to the sequel and you other works until then Airstream.
wait.......its over???......I NEED MORE xd
anyway, i really loved this, i think is my second best fic in the site and i will miss it, only thin thought is the celestia never got her comeuppance but happy ending never the less. A little sad about the cusaders but i really ejoyed this journey
Hmmm, Twilight being awesome was great but yeah it's sort of weird how much time and chapters were devoted to sweetie bell and developing her character and building up her pregnancy then it's like 180 degree just kidding she's dead!
But this last couple chapters felt really awkward. It's sort of like if you wrote a story about Hitler and showed how evil he was for a long time then suddenly at the end your like, "oh but we have to work together with him now to keep those silly Jews in line".
In other words..Yeah, Celestias ending was very unsatisfying.
Its finally done.
Against all odds, she managed to do it.
Still cant beleive this story has finally ended.
Hope there is a sequel to this someday although i don't think it would be for awhile, i bet you need some rest after finishing this mammoth of a story.
2898428It's been a ride, and I appreciate you giving an approximate time for a sequel....
This story was amazing, and has an amazing cliffhanger, almost as good as displacement's
Excellent story, no doubt about that, but that ending is a bit weird. Okay, I can gather that a lot of time has passed (about six months if I guess right) but that doesn't change the fact that Celestia, Carance and Luna tried to kill nearly everypony in that room at some point. I can understand them being there for political reasons, but for Cadance to hold the ceromony and Celestia to give Twilight away... It doesn't really fit.
Then, of course, you dropped a bridge on Sweetie after her huge character arc culminating in a pregnancy and the death of her friends. I also imagine Applejack feels some guilt over that—Sweetie survived the battle when Apple Bloom didn't, so Applejack must have wished that it was the other way round or been jealous o Rairty or something, and then Sweetie dies a few hours later anyway.
Finally, either Discord, Luna and Celestia working together defeated the... Thingy automatically, like a literal Deus ex Machina, or there is still an eldritch abomination running around somewhere.
TL;DR—I respect your decision to take a break, and I loved the story (and I normaly don't like evil Celestia stories), but you've left several character arcs and a plot thread unresolved.
I think I can agree with everyone else with regard to Celestia, it seems wrong-ish that she should be invited, or welcome, much less "giving away" Twilight, etc considering that much of the damage done to Equestria and it's ponies rest squarely on her shoulders. She needs to suffer somehow, or at least it would be nice to see that she isn't perfectly okay with the things that she did/allowed to happen. One would hope she would at least regret somethings. It still seems as though everyone is too comfortable with all this, it would be nice to see some more from the respective's mane six's angles on this. Honestly, I think the second to worst part for them is that they're still alive and some very important members of their immediate families are not. Obviously the worst is the whole thing and how screwed over everything is now. It's pretty bad when all the youngest die. Hopefully the sequel will place some emphasis on how these events changed the lives of ponies across Equestria and not gloss over it like everyone has forgotten already.
The ending is a bit weird, but it's supposed to be. There is absolutely no way for it to not be weird when there are a couple god like powers that are not exactly friendly towards each other. Celestia giving Twilight away at the wedding is actually the closest thing we have ever seen to Celestia truly admitting defeat, at least in my opinion it is.
All in all, the previous chapters felt a bit flat to me, like the climax was not proportional to the build up; however, the wrap up chapter more than made it up to me.
I realize there are things left unanswered, but at this point I'm sure that a writer of your caliber has a plan for all (or at least most) of them in the sequel.
I look forward to your next works (big and small).
Cheers.
It's a pity so many important ponies died in this cursed war.
Though it was obvious.
While there was only redemption and no redeeming or retribution, this was an apt end to thrilling journey.
It brought me much rage.
Excellent work, dear Author!
congrats on finishing the story man, cant wait for the third (and final?) story in this. im sure it will be as good as the rest. enjoy youre break while you can. the readers re gonna be pestering you for the first chapter soon enough :p
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Pretty much this. Only one detail more:
Shining Armor once stated how much he wanted at least one opportunity to talk with her sister. However, not a single line was exchanged between them on-screen. Somehow, it´s another, if minor, loose end
Not that I deem him anything less than a conniving piece of filth at the same level than Morning Star, truth be told. His BBBFF license forever revoked.
And were are their parents anyway? Shouldn´t Velvet be the one lending Twilight´s hoof to Cara instead of Tyranestia?
That was epic. This story was perfect in tone, setting and depth and was actually pretty emotional towards the end. My only criticism is Celestia and the other three gods got off lightly considering the amount of crap they put twilight through but then again they've got bigger concerns around the corner.
This easily one of my favourite stories. You enjoy your rest, you deserve it.
Well Airstream, it was a glorius adventure you set us upon.
It was a very interesting journey through your form of Equestria and I'm happy I stuck around since the beginning.
I'm looking forward for the 3rd part of this and anything you write between this and that! On the other end, enjoy your break
Protinus te videre!
Vale!
(Thats as far as my latin knowledge goes xD)
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Yeah, that too. Afterall, Twilight dropped an airship on him, disfigured his wife and slaughtered his soldiers. On the other hoof, Celestia brainwashed him and used his soul as a magic battery for Cadance without his consent, recognising that it might very well kill him.
Then there's the fact that Shining went willingly to war against Twilight's forces (well, as willingly as anyone on Celestia's side).
So Shining definitely needs a character arc just to sort out all his shit. Probably work best in a side story, however.
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Twilight didn't actually drop an airship on Shining though. The airship was falling and Twilight ran toward it to use as an aid in her escape. She didn't know Shining was chasing after her in that moment. What happened to Shining was a complete accident.
I've always felt that one of the weak points of this story was how little insight it gave us into certain characters minds. Shining being a major one. We don't know how much mental manipulation Celestia and Cadence used on Shining, if any. If none was used then Shining chose Celestia's vision over his own family but we get no indication as to why he would do that. If a lot of mental manipulation was used we never see it applied and honestly one would think part of that manipulation would have broke during the final battle, but we didn't see anything like that either. It all feels odd.
On a similar note, I've often wondered why Twilight's parents didn't leave Canterlot for her rebellion? I mean, Celestia even admitted she was going to kill Twilight via breeding. As parents, they should have been pissed and thrown in their lot with Twilight immediately.
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From what I recall, Twilight chose to run in that direction trying to lure one of her friends underneath it, but ended up luring Shining under it instead.
And yeah, Twilight's family have a really weak prescence in this story.
IT'S BIGGER ON THE INSIDE! lovely reference!
great way to end the second part of the series.
the only thing i feel unfitting is how all of her former worst enemies are not only present but also central to her marriage ceremony; it just doesn't feel right without some kind of bridge between worst enemies and suddenly quite friendly, especially considering how celestia, cadence, shining and luna (to a lesser extent) all wronged twilight. there's not even any kind of tension described between them. i guess you still have the sequel to describe their ongoing relationships though, it might not be very important right now.
one other thing: why does rarity and, most importantly, AJ put all blame on twi for the death of sweetie and AB? sure, she owns some of the blame, but i would say that celestia carries even more responsibility. on that note i also want to say that i was very surprised to find that sweetie truly died, i was so sure she was gonna make it considering how she was spared the first time she ought to have died.
I can only assume you'll be doing something with Sweetie Belle. After all, you can't impregnate someone, kill the father, then kill the mother before the baby comes out! Seriously, if Sweetie wasn't pregnant, literally nothing would change. It's the bird or the cage all over again.
The ending... Perfect. Just the right amount of happiness, with the shadow of the Shadow hiding just off-camera. It's like Christmas 1915, when the British and German troops emerge from their trenches, exchange gifts and play a round or two of soccer.
Now then, I believe in Tarantella's native tongue, the word is...
AVANTE!
i.imgur.com/7OSZxx4.jpg
Fantastic end to a fantastic story, if you ask me!
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You conveniently put both my best and worst thoughts on this together in the comments.
Something I want to add; Cadance and Celestia at the wedding, really? I mean, after all this, after everything, I can see Twilight forgiving Celestia. I might even see her forgiving Cadance after the bitch-slapping she gave her.
I can't see her forgiving Celestia enough to give her away at the wedding Celestia was always opposed to. Not in the least. It wasn't touched upon nearly enough, either, for me to change my mind on that subject, particularly after how Celestia and Twilight reacted after their last meditation-meeting.
I also agree with a lot of other commentators: Killing Sweetie Belle was not the right way to go in this. It feels like a cheap way to kill her, and more importantly her foal, off because you couldn't think of a way to work them into the sequel. I have no idea how true that is, I'm only saying what it felt like reading it.
All in all a good epilogue to a great story. As someone who read the entire story in one go last weak I can honestly say this chapter is well above average compared to other stories on the site but, honestly, probably the weakest chapter in this story which is a damn shame.
Man, I feel really bad typing this because it's not a pleasant comment in the least. So much vitriol here.
We can only hope that an explanation is givin in the time leading to Twilights and Tara's wedding. It seems odd Celestia the ones who brainwashed her brother and friends not to mention killed Spike, would give Twilight away. Also seems odd Cadence would perform the ceremony.
Well, this was an excellent story. I ended up discovering it around the time the penultimate chapter was released and read through both the prequel and this story in an unhealthy amount of time. You do a great job of building up the world and the type of societies that are on display here, and most of the major characters are given some great dialogue and some nice chances to shine...
However, if I may offer some criticisms, I do feel that there was a bit of wasted potential in the story, like the Changelings. We got some nice insight into how they had been collaborating with Twilight and her forces, but Chrysalis felt very wasted as a character, existing as an instructor to sweetie bell and then given an exit via death by another Changeling who doesn't really have much of a presence in the story after that particular scene. That is a rather minor example compared to the CMC though.
Don't get me wrong, there was a lot of great buildup here, especially since Sweetie was one of the primary protagonists throughout the entire story, and the drama of having Applebloom act against her one time friends made for a great and tense scene. The scene where Scoots throws herself in front of AB's strike to save Sweetie was gut wrenching and tear jerking and amazingly well pulled off, but ultimately meant nothing because Sweetie and her unborn child end up dying by the end of the story as well. Out of everything in the story, THAT is my biggest gripe. I could talk at length about Celestia and Cadence being at the wedding and whatnot, but it's a minor point and leaves room for a sequel hook beyond combating the shadow (showing Twilight perhaps attempting to temper past relationships back to something resembling normalcy) but the way that the CMC were dealt with was something that I absolutely hate in fiction.
Sweetie was built up and developed since the very beginning of this story. Her relationship with scootaloo was touching and very realistic, and as I said before, the drama of them having to face Applebloom, knowing that potentially they might not be able to sway her was excellently crafted. But it's all undone by the rapidfire deaths of all three. I feel bad for saying this because it sounds harsh, but to me at least, it felt very much akin to how editorial mandates constantly kill off characters in comic books. Their deaths might hold some drama to them, but the deaths feel so quick and callous and come after (in most cases) YEARS of development of said character that, unless they are given a death that feels meaningful, powerful, and awesome, it feels like a complete cheapshot to the entire audience. That's what I felt here, was cheapshot, and it only got worse when I held on to some semblance of hope that Sweetie would have survived and would have been revealed in this chapter as well. But nope, we don't even see her body being discovered off screen or see Rarity's immediate reaction to it, it's told in expositional flashback narration. Same for Applebloom and Applejack, and we didn't even get a hint as to how Rainbow Dash reacted to the death of Scootaloo.
I realize I'm probably rambling at this point, but that is actually a really big compliment to your writing skills. The rest of this story, and its prequel were so immaculately constructed, filled with unique characters and fun ideas, and epic encounters, that a botch of this magnitude really sticks out and leaves a very sour taste in my mouth.
While I am still looking forward to future writings within this continuity, as well as your other writings, I hope that this doesn't become a running theme.
Anyway, sorry for the long comment, just had to get that off my chest! Like I said, apart from that one aspect, this was a great tale of high adventure and I can't wait to see more in the future.
aww not a single mention of Scootaloo???
This is the most daunting story i have seen on this site yet... COMMENCE READ! tomorrow.
A beautiful end to one of my favorite FIMFiction stories. I'll be patiently waiting for your next adventure, whenever that may be.
Isnt there gonna be a part three :l Guys?