Sun & Moon Act I: Ascending Star

by cursedchords

Chapter 3: The King's Pawns

“For we are above all else an adaptable species. Place a pony in any circumstance you could care to name, and it will find a way not just to survive, but to thrive.”

- Twilight Sparkle, The Politics of Friendship

Celestia was pacing about in the cramped space of their apartment, a hard enough task under the best of circumstances. Her mind was restless, just as it had been for all of the hours since the two of them had returned here. It seemed that whatever she tried to do to forget about her discussion with Atlas back in the square, the events refused to be set aside.

For a moment, she paused beside the drooping mattress that was her sleeping arrangements. Nestled into their own protected nook by the bedside were a few battered grey volumes, pages worn by years of use. Neither she nor Luna had ever had a formal education, indeed almost no pony had since the beginning of the King’s reign. These few relics of the bygone era of prosperity were her own way of remembering that which once had been.

Technically speaking, of course, spending supplies on literature went against her usual mantra of practical, frugal living, but Celestia had an insatiable curiosity, and she simply could not sit idle knowing that there was knowledge out there for her to learn. She had pored over each of these books many times, extracting the maximum amount of insight that she could from the histories held within their pages. Often, it was into a book that she would retreat when the world outside seemed to be getting too dark to live in anymore.

These old friends, however, had proven to be useless in driving away the feelings eating away at the corners of her consciousness. It was Atlas’s first question to her that rattled constantly through her head, delivered in that crisp, friendly, but now maddening tone: “Are you happy with your life, Celestia?”

Even after all of these hours of contemplation, she still didn’t have a satisfactory answer. This had been her life ever since Luna had been old enough to work with her, and it was certainly better than what she had had to deal with before then. But was it good enough? She took in the entirety of the room with a glance around. It would indeed be an ignominious end if the two of them never achieved anything more than this for the rest of their lives.

But that line of reasoning had an unfortunate conclusion that she didn’t like having to come to. If this life was indeed not good enough, and she should be looking for ways to strike out into something new and exciting, then it seemed inescapable that by refusing Atlas’s offer she had missed out on the perfect opportunity to do so. Now, all that she and Luna were left with was more of the same, moving about their usual cycle without any hope of breaking out of it anytime soon.

Behind her, she heard the sounds of her sister stirring from the peaceful slumber that had consumed her all through the night. Celestia had done her best to avoid the confrontation that she knew was inevitable, hoping that after a few hours her head would be clear enough to present a convincing argument that would placate her sister. It seemed now, though, that the delay had only served to confuse Celestia further.

Still, with morning now dawning – such as that could be said of course, in reality neither of the two sisters had ever even seen the Sun, let alone a sunrise – there really wasn’t much point in putting off the discussion any longer. Once Luna had shaken the last few wisps of sleep from her head Celestia walked over to her own bed and stood facing her. She didn’t need to say anything for Luna to realize that the time had come. “So, ready to talk then?” her sister prompted her, looking up with expectant eyes.

“I still stand by my decision,” Celestia said, trying to sound as confident and assured as possible.

“Why, then?” the reply was quick and pointed.

It was a rare event that Luna was the one asking the pointed questions. To Celestia’s memory, it usually worked the other way around. She tried not to sound too defensive in her answer. “I think that we would have been fools to trust Atlas after the way that he came after us. There was a lot that he wasn’t letting on.”

Luna got up from the edge of her bed and walked forward to look her sister in the eyes. Her gaze was shining bright with passion. “And why do you think that any of that matters, Celestia? You know that he was right, after all. Equestria is the way it is now because of ponies like us, ponies willing to live within Discord’s kingdom rather than fight it.”

In spite of the fact that she knew she needed to remain calm, Celestia felt her own emotions rising. “I would not be willing to throw away everything that we have worked so hard to gain merely for the chance that things might get better!”

“Oh, that’s right, I forgot! You’re totally satisfied with your life the way that it is right now. Totally willing to keep on perpetuating the very problems that we both know are to blame for the wretchedness of our circumstances.”

“Oh, come now, Luna! I mean, especially in our line of work, I would expect you to be aware that a pony is not always what he claims to be.”

“Oh, I am well aware of that.” Luna stalked away from her toward the window. “And I guess that I am also supposed to be happy with the fact that for the rest of my life I will be nothing but a liar and a criminal, surviving only off of what can be swiped from the tables of the innocent while they’re not looking. What a life that will be.”

Celestia took a deep breath. She knew that she had to be conciliatory now, as further escalation of the argument wasn’t going to get them anywhere. The only problem was that she wasn’t sure how to put a positive spin on any of this. “It won’t be this way forever. One way or another, this will not be our final destiny. Once we have enough to fulfill our own needs, then we can start to worry about the rest of Equestria.” She approached Luna slowly from behind, and reached out to lay a comforting hoof onto her sister’s shoulder.

“Then why did you say no?” Luna wheeled about as soon as Celestia’s hoof touched her. There were tears in her eyes. “Why did you refuse the only chance that we’ve ever had, to get out of this cycle once and for all?”

Celestia drew back from the sharp rebuke, and her sister quickly moved around her back into the room. She didn’t know what to say anymore, what the argument was that would justify her position. She heard Luna open up the pantry to rustle about for some food, but still Celestia remained at the window. Eridian spread out before her in all its grime and squalor. She didn’t want this to be their end, did she? But then, why? Why refuse her first chance to have a different life, to do something constructive to help change all of this? She didn’t know.

---

They went out for work again that night. It was the same routine, just like they had been doing for so many years, but tonight was different, if only for the pall of melancholy that had fallen over Celestia ever since the confrontation she had had with Atlas back in the square.

Still, Celestia hoped that perhaps getting back into the regular daily routine was just what was needed to chase the niggling concerns about their future from her mind. She knew of course that Luna didn’t like having to do it, but it wasn’t like they had a choice. For this night, they chose to move to a new area of the city. She had told Luna that it was only to reap the benefits of inexperienced marks, and of course she understood that even saying that didn’t put a particularly bright spin on the whole ordeal. But Celestia knew that Luna could see what the real reason was for the change of location. She swore to herself that she would be exceptionally vigilant tonight, to make sure that no uninvited guests could eavesdrop on their activities.

There was a chill wind in the air that night, and Celestia even felt an uncharacteristic shiver as they entered the square and set about preparing for the night’s work. While there were no real “seasons” in Discord’s Equestria, she somehow had the feeling that the days had been growing colder of late. Something probably had the King in a foul mood. Regardless of the weather, there were still ponies out and about, and it wasn’t long before both of the sisters fell into their pre-established routine, and set about to their task.

It was quite the brisk evening for work, and it was only a matter of minutes before they had amassed the usual stockpile of takings. Luna caught her eye over the crowd, and indicated their bulging saddlebags behind the table. Celestia returned a nod. The crowd was still lively, so there was no reason not to continue. With any luck, this might be the last time for a while that they would have to do this.

After sharing this unspoken conversation with her sister, Celestia turned around to go off again in search of any new clientele. Just as she stepped away once more into the square, she nearly collided with a stallion who had been standing behind her, a youthful yellow pegasus with shiny spectacles straddling his face. She quickly apologized before stepping around him, but then his face registered inside her memory, and she stopped.

“Hello, Celestia,” Atlas said, his voice just as clear as it had been last night.

“Hello, Atlas,” she returned, before turning around and coming up to stand beside him again. Part of her felt a bit smug to be here defying him so openly, but there was also a part that was very much on guard. Not only had he found them again, but clearly he had another discussion planned, since he had made his presence known so openly. “To what do I owe the courtesy of this meeting?”

Atlas kept on watching the spectacle before them with a deadpan expression as he continued, “Not to me, I’ll have you know, Celestia. I was quite disappointed, you see, with our conversation the other night, and so I went back to my colleagues, my fellows in the Resistance, with a bitter heart.

“I told them that we were wasting our time here in Eridian; I told them that you and Luna were clearly a lost cause, and that there was no point in continuing our attempts to persuade you to join our little crusade to free the country.”

“Hmm, and yet here you are again,” Celestia returned. She felt a bit of her original curiosity towards him re-surfacing. Regardless of whatever danger Atlas might represent, there was still something mysterious about him, and this resistance that he claimed to represent, that she wanted to know more about. Of course, that didn’t mean she was going to be any less wary of his motives.

A collective sigh reached them from the crowd ahead. The House had won another round, and Luna pulled another dozen apples over the counter. A warm smile came to Celestia’s face as she thought of all that tonight’s take would purchase for them, but she hid it quickly when Atlas brought his eyes over toward her. He held her gaze for just a moment before answering her unspoken question.

“Well, I was out-voted. There were others among the group that did not share my view, and felt that the two of you were worth a second attempt. So they sent me back once more, and I figured that there really wasn’t much of a point in trying to be subtle about it this time around.”

It was a satisfactory answer, certainly, but Celestia felt her interest intensifying. “And what is it about the two of us specifically that makes them so interested?”

Atlas remained silent for a moment, and Celestia guessed that he was weighing his options, in trying to figure out precisely how much he was going to reveal to her, and how much he was going to commit to the sale this time around. A cheer and some applause echoed over the square to them, but Celestia didn’t pay the ongoing game any attention. Luna would allow the players to win every so often to convince them that it was still worth their time.

At length, Atlas replied. “Do you think that I spend all of my days restocking bar inventories? You are correct after all. While little acts of kindness do help the situation, we are both aware of what needs to happen if Equestria is to change. And it is not an easy thing.” As if to punctuate what he was saying, a purple burst of magic lightning lit up the sky off in the distance, answered by a low rumble of thunder that echoed over the city.

Celestia knew what he was talking about, of course. Nothing could be done to change anything whilst Discord still reigned. But the state of Eridian itself was a testament to the power that he commanded. What could anypony hope to do to challenge it? “So if that is your grand goal, then why do you think that we have anything meaningful to contribute to it?”

“There are a variety of reasons in fact, not the least of which being the wings on your backs in concert with the horns on your heads. By virtue of your birth, you and Luna already have access to a greater potential power than an ordinary pony would. But most of all, it’s because I can see that you really do want to change things, in spite of anything that you might tell me. It’s that spark in a pony’s heart that really lets them change the world, for good or ill. You just need to believe that you can.”

For an instant, Celestia allowed herself to imagine what might happen if Atlas’s words were indeed true. For that moment, she wavered on the edge of the decision, enraptured by an image of everything that her and Luna might accomplish. There would be justice and freedom once more, security, safety, and strength. Light would return to a forsaken land. It was an impossible and yet invigorating idea, far and away greater than anything she had ever imagined for herself. But it was such a challenge, and such a risk. It would mean the end of all of this, in exchange for a completely uncertain future.

Atlas continued quickly, seeming to sense that he was on the verge of a breakthrough. “You wouldn’t be alone. There is more to the Resistance than just me. We would teach you about the powers that you could wield, about how to unlock the hidden might of your mind and of your spirit. And when it comes down to the end, we would stand with you.”

In spite of all of it, Celestia still found that she could not quite say yes. Even given everything that Atlas had said, both now and over the previous night, there was still one question, the answer to which she could not proceed without: “Why should I believe you?”

She could feel his will radiating out through his bright eyes, willing her to finally give in. “You should believe because you want to. And because if you don't, you know that you will regret it for a very long time.”

It was the third cheer, with resounding applause and a murmur of approval, that finally jolted Celestia back to the plane of reality here in the square. She looked out over the large crowd of ponies and finally caught sight of Luna’s frantic attempts to gain her attention. Around went the cups once more, and again the stone was revealed. Her sister handed twenty-five more apples back to the assemblage.

Celestia’s breath caught in disbelief. She glanced over at Atlas, who was still watching nonchalantly, and knew immediately what was going on. “What are you doing, Atlas?” she demanded of him.

She could clearly tell that his surprised expression was feigned. “Me? I’m not doing anything. I’ve just been here talking to you.”

An expectant hush fell over the square for a moment, and then another burst of applause came from behind her. Celestia could see more ponies rushing toward the spectacle, eager to cash in while things were good. “We need these apples to survive, Atlas!”

“Really?” he replied, his satisfaction now all too evident. “Celestia, you had enough to get by with more than fifteen minutes ago. So why not stop then, hmm?” His eyes probed her once more, and Celestia felt that sinking feeling, the same one as she had had back in the square the other night. That feeling of her king being backed into a corner, deftly sidestepping a rook’s determined thrust only to have a pawn leap forward and cut off her only means of escape. She had been outmaneuvered, and now all that was left was damage control.

She whirled about and stole a glance again at the table. The wagers were coming out, larger now and more assertive, as the marks tried to double and triple their winnings. She had to get there to stop it all before she and Luna had nothing left to pay out. She left Atlas standing there, and dove into the crowd.

It was difficult to maneuver herself through the crush of bodies. They were all straining forward, eager to get their own place at the board, and eager to throw their own bets down on the table. She had to push, squeeze, and shimmy her way through as best as possible. Up ahead, she could hear Luna’s shaking voice, calling out the end of the betting round and going into the shuffling. It was close, just over this next row of patrons. With a grunt of exertion, she reached forward with her wings and pried open a gap, just large enough for her to squeeze through and flop out next to the table.

“Luna!” she managed to gasp out between pants. “We need to stop everything, right now!”

Luna had just finished moving the cups around, and the player had just been about to make her decision. The dark alicorn looked down at her sister, and then nodded once. She reached out to place one hoof over the far left cup, and began her announcement. “Sorry folks, I’m afraid that’s all for tonigh—”

“Oh no you don’t!” This came from an excited green stallion, who leapt forward from the crowd and slammed a hoof down onto the table, causing everything on it to bounce upwards an inch and a half. “There’s no way you’re stopping it now, not with my bet on there! Let her play out the round.” He was answered by a chorus of angry shouts from throughout the crowd. Luna looked over to her sister for an answer, and Celestia knew that there was no way out. She acquiesced with a sullen nod.

The player stepped forward to make her decision, and Celestia got her first chance to see the pony who had apparently caused them all of this trouble. She wore a dark traveller’s cloak that obscured much of her face, but from this angle Celestia could see that she had a pair of expressive light blue eyes evenly spaced beneath a lengthy pearl-white horn. When she reached out to indicate her choice, Celestia also saw something else. It was minuscule, so small that it would surely have been missed if she hadn’t been looking directly into this mare’s face, but Celestia recognized it immediately: a tiny glimmer of azure light caught in her pupils. Sure enough, her indicated cup contained the stone.

The mare turned her eyes right to Celestia then, and it seemed that she was smiling, with that same smug grin that Atlas was no doubt still wearing, back out in the square. As the last cheer went out through the crowd, and Luna handed over still more of their takings, Celestia set her own thoughts back to their present conundrum. She would be getting answers tonight, however she had to go about getting them.

---

Once everyone in the crowd had gotten their winnings and dispersed, and the two sisters had packed up their apparatus as well as their now meager takings, which turned out to be barely enough to survive on, Celestia and Luna once again met up with Atlas and his mysterious colleague in the center of the square. Atlas made the formal introductions. "Celestia, Luna, I’d like to introduce you to Aqua, a very close friend of mine, and another member of the Resistance."

Aqua exchanged a silent hoof-shake with each of the sisters, and when Celestia grasped the unicorn’s hoof, she took a moment to study the mare’s features. Aqua had let down her hood to reveal a well-groomed blue mane that cascaded in curls down over her white shoulders. It framed a weathered complexion that still retained memories of a classical beauty, and which radiated a calm, confident surety. The austerity of her features suggested to Celestia that hers was a face seldom graced by a smile, and indeed even now she felt a hardness in Aqua’s gaze. Celestia became aware that Aqua was studying her keenly as well, and she sensed a great deal of calculating going on behind those clear eyes. Finally, she let go of Aqua’s hoof and went back to standing patiently at Luna’s side.

With the introductions over, Atlas cleared his throat. “Right. It’s time that we got down to business.”

Celestia agreed. The time for flitting about between each other’s advances in an attempt to keep the other side off-balance had ended. “Okay,” she said, stepping forward to speak for both her and her sister, “what is your game?”

It was Aqua who answered her, “No games, Celestia. Not anymore. After what happened before, we decided that it would be best if this time nothing was left to chance. This was all merely an exercise, to demonstrate to you what staying here in Eridian would mean for your future.”

Although the directness of the unicorn’s tone signalled to Celestia that this had indeed become a serious negotiation, the words weren’t quite what she had been expecting. “A demonstration? I’m not quite sure that I follow.”

“Precisely,” Aqua replied. “This was only the first part. If you’ll follow us, we can show you the rest.” She gestured off to one of the myriad side-streets that branched off from the square.

Celestia wasn't sure what to think of this. She still didn’t have the answer to that fundamental question: “How do I know that I can trust you?”

The serious expression on her face did not waver. “Like I told you, Celestia, no more games. You can walk away from this whenever you like, and if you say no now, you’ll never see me or Atlas again. It’s completely up to you.”

Once again it seemed that they had come to a crossroads. This time the choice didn’t seem quite so final as it had with Atlas before, and yet Celestia had the feeling that setting even one hoof along this new path could lead the two of them to unexpected places. Once again, she could see Atlas’s will plainly written across his face, but the feelings of the unicorn standing beside him were much more difficult to determine. Celestia again got the distinct impression that she was being judged, weighed and measured carefully behind the clear pools of those blue eyes. She found herself suddenly wondering at Atlas’s words from earlier. Was Aqua the colleague that had convinced him that the two of them were worth the second try?

Celestia also felt another will beside her, this one belonging to Luna, who obviously was all for the new opportunity. If Aqua’s offer was to be taken at face value, then Celestia knew she would find it nearly impossible to justify an answer of no to her sister. And to top it all off, she felt that draw of curiosity, intensified now that she had met this most interesting white unicorn. She still had so many questions that she needed answers for. If she said no now, those answers would clearly be lost forever.

Celestia looked up from her deliberations. “Okay. The two of you shall lead us on to the next part of this demonstration.”

Two sighs of relief rent the silence of the night in answer. Only Aqua remained as implacable as ever, although she did at least acknowledge the answer with a nod. She gestured with a hoof off into the labyrinth of streets that branched off from the square. “Go ahead then, Atlas,” she said.

The group headed off in silence, with Atlas in front, Celestia and Luna behind him, and Aqua bringing up the rear. Shortly they began ascending the hillside, although they kept to the side-paths and avoided the city’s major thoroughfares. The city was mostly dark and deserted, with the occasional whispering breeze flowing down into the alley from higher up the mountainside. The silence hung the air with tension, and from the way that Aqua swept her eyes over the surrounding neighbourhoods whenever the group turned a corner, Celestia sensed that this part of the city held some hidden threat.

Atlas resumed talking, in explaining what this second part of the “demonstration” was to entail. It seemed that it was still his job to make the sale. “You’re both intelligent mares, Celestia and Luna, and you’ve already found a way to survive in Discord’s Equestria. This speaks a great deal to your resourcefulness, and your cunning. However—” he arched an eyebrow dramatically “—success in this society can only lead in one direction. Aqua and I have decided to show you precisely where the path that you are currently on is going to take you, so that you can make the final decision about whether or not it is a place where you would like to live.”

Once they had turned around a final switchback in the path, Celestia realized that the environment had changed. The dirty streets of the city had fallen away, and up ahead a gleaming and polished stone archway beckoned. The cobblestones beyond this barrier were all well-set and sturdy, and proper sidewalks ran alongside the wide avenues. She could even discern the spires of several large buildings shooting skyward beyond the portal.

Atlas paused just off to the side of the archway, and when Aqua had caught up to him, the two of them shared a nod. Both of them took long, deep breaths, and Celestia knew then that her earlier suspicion had been correct. There was danger ahead.

It was Aqua who turned to give the sisters some explanation. Her voice was very serious, even a bit grave. “Beyond this arch is Upper Eridian, a sequestered town that lies in the immediate vicinity of the King’s castle. I want you to both be on your guard. Stick to the shadows, and watch out for any suspicious movements. Atlas will show you the way. There is magic in the air up here that warns the King about any approaching unicorns, so I will be engaged in protecting us from it with a counter-spell. The clouds overhead—” she indicated the dark grey ceiling that spread out over all of Eridian, surprisingly and frighteningly close now that they were this far up the mountain “—are also of magical origin, and will prevent any of us from flying to escape. You will have only your wits to protect you from this point on. Stay close.”

Atlas saw the uncertain expressions that materialized on both of their faces, and so he placed his own addendum on his partner’s speech. “Once again I’d like to remind you that this is all your own choice. Walk away if you like, but this is your last chance to do so. Whether or not you end up joining the Resistance tonight, nopony that enters Upper Eridian ever leaves it the same.”

While she was still uncertain, Celestia realized immediately that there was no way she could turn down a hook like that. They had spent the better part of nine years engaged in the same cycle of making ends meet down in the city. Any way out of that was a welcome turn of events. She felt a strange mixture of emotions at the prospect, as the excitement for something new mingled with her lingering doubts and the clear sense of foreboding that Aqua’s warnings imparted. When she looked over at her sister, she saw a similar melange of feelings written upon her face. But Luna caught her gaze with a hopeful smile. “Something different for a change,” she simply said.

“Okay then,” Celestia said to their two companions. “Lead on.”

---

Towering slate roofs and spires of cold stone pierced upwards into the low grey cloud layer on both sides of the avenue. Every flicker of lightning over the city cast long, deep shadows across Upper Eridian. Each house occupied its own expansive estate, and most were separated from each other by tall wrought iron fences or stone walls. Many of the estates also included numerous outbuildings, primarily storage sheds and the occasional servant’s quarters, each of course built in a far less salubrious style than the main houses. The emphasis on glamourous architecture was markedly at odds with the environment, which was of course still as dark and gloomy as ever.

The four ponies had immediately gotten off of the main road after having passed through the archway into the upper city, and now ducked cautiously between the shadows in between the estates. Atlas led the way, seemingly able to pick a sense of direction out of the surroundings. Celestia and Luna both followed, with Aqua, horn glowing bright to ward off the detection magic, again bringing up the rear. Occasionally they had to scale walls in order to do this, but fortunately the entire area seemed to be deserted. As they passed through each estate’s grounds, Celestia spied hedges and gardens cultivated into elaborate patterns, and even the odd statue, carved from rough grey stone and invariably depicting a single pony, presumably the owner of the estate, standing tall at regal attention. Such a lavish display of seeming wealth shocked her. She hadn't thought that such a lifestyle could even be possible in today’s Equestria.

It was Luna that first voiced the obvious question, though of course in a quiet voice befitting the circumstances. “Who owns all of these houses?”

It was Atlas, once again leading the company, who answered. “The elite citizens of Upper Eridian own all of this. It is an exclusive group, but its members enjoy all of this and more. A citizen of Upper Eridian never has to worry about getting enough to eat or drink, and they get to relax while the work of their households is done by others. They can sleep safe and warm, and spend the day relaxing and socializing with the other members of the enclave.”

Atlas seemed to be doing a pretty good job at selling the whole experience, but Celestia knew that something had to be up. Especially in Discord’s Equestria, something this good simply couldn’t exist. “Surely there is some kind of catch to it all, though, right?” she asked.

Atlas stopped and turned around. A sly, mischievous grin had grown on his face, the same calculating smile that told Celestia he had reached a key point in his strategy. “Hmm, I guess that there is one little catch. But knowing the two of you, it’s not such a hard thing. This place, really, is proof that individual ponies can, and in fact do, have influence over the state of Discord’s Equestria.” He came back a couple of steps, so that he was standing just in front of Celestia and Luna, and then extended a hoof to his left to indicate the house on their current estate. “All of this that you see here, Celestia and Luna, from the wood and stone used to build these houses, to the food in these pantries, the wine that stocks these cellars, the jewels that adorn the chandeliers of these lofty halls, and the gold that trims these walls, is stolen. All of it is stolen from the ponies down there.” He had swept his forelegs all about the city in making this proclamation, and was now even up into a low, excited hover as he indicated the rest of Eridian farther down the mountainside. “That’s all that it takes to get into Upper Eridian: the know-how and the spirit to know what you want and to take it.”

Once again, Celestia felt his words hit their marks like well-aimed arrows. There seemed to be nowhere she could hide from this logical barrage. Still, the comparison was hardly fair. “How can you make that implication, Atlas? This, this is theft on a completely different level than what Luna and I do. We take only what we need to survive.” It was the same argument that she had brought out with him before, and Celestia could almost feel the rhetorical walls closing in. She didn’t have much space left to stand on anymore.

The grin on his face did not dissipate. “Celestia,” he replied with a shake of his head, “there’s a big difference between survival and exploitation, just like you say. But if you think back to earlier this evening, I seem to remember the two of you continuing on past the requirements for survival. And if I remember right from our first meeting, you had bought a bit more than just the necessities with your hard-earned goods. And yet, you are right. There is one key thing that still separates you and Luna from the citizens of Upper Eridian.” He paused here, and Celestia realized that this was it. All of their smaller debates and arguments were to come to their natural conclusion in this moment. Atlas was about to finally play his trump card.

But instead of saying something, the pegasus merely set down and began walking again, farther up the hillside. After a moment’s hesitation, Celestia followed, with Luna and Aqua, whose horn was still glowing from her counter-spell, coming along behind her. The group again ascended in silence for a time, until slowly Celestia began to hear the irregular sounds of conversation up ahead. Atlas came to a stop amidst a thicket of tall grass and low evergreens, whose branches knit together to block out the path ahead. He crouched down in the foliage, and the two sisters did the same. Aqua joined them, but instead of looking ahead she continued to survey the surrounding area, ensuring that the group was not surprised from behind. Quietly, Atlas reached into the treeline to open up a small vantage point. In a whisper, he said, “Go on, and look, both of you, but make sure to be quiet.” Gingerly, Celestia leaned forward to see what lay beyond.

The space beyond the trees was a sizable clearing, paved in radial lines of cobblestones stretching away from a babbling fountain in its center. The space was illuminated by bright torches, burning in groups of three spaced throughout the clearing. All around these, concentrated in knots of conversation and clutching at fine crystal snifters of brandy, were the citizens of Upper Eridian. Unicorns, pegasi, and earth ponies were all represented, and each one of them was dressed in dazzling fineries: scarlet, blue, and gold dresses for the mares, and prim, stark suits for the stallions. Glints of fine crystal, and even rare Fillydelphian charm-jewels sparkled throughout the crowd.

But by far the most shocking aspect of the display was the sight that now strode toward them from the far side of the clearing. It walked on two uneven legs, wearing a lop-sided grin upon its face and clutching its own glimmering snifter in an eagle’s claw. It was Discord, the King of Equestria himself. But more than that, it was the fact that every pony he walked past offered his or her own expression of submission: a bow, salute or curtsey. Finally, Celestia realized what Atlas was driving at. There was indeed only one qualification to get into Upper Eridian: fealty.

When she finally drew back from the image, Atlas was smiling again. “Upper Eridian, you see, is built on Discord's power. Without it, these ponies would not have the confidence they require to rob their fellow citizens blind and to live in ignorance of the rest of the country’s strife. And that oath of fealty is indeed the only thing that still separates you from them. So now I have to ask, for the last time: Celestia, what do you want?”

Celestia had no response. What was there to say? She had nothing left to hide behind, no safe territory from which she could continue to stage her defense. There was no in-between anymore, no fence left to stand on. Atlas and Aqua had broken that position. Just like he had said before, there was no going back to their old life now. If what she truly wanted was to live peacefully and securely, and not to have to worry about the necessities for survival, then Upper Eridian beckoned, just beyond the treeline. It was only logical.

But that was, just as Atlas had said during their first meeting, precisely the problem. Equestria had been ruined by ponies like these, ponies who had thought only of their personal well-being, and so had made the logical decision and thrown in with the side that could provide them with everything that they desired. To join them in following that path would be to perpetuate the vicious cycle that had torn the country apart, and had created the very squalor that she wanted to escape. If she really wanted to be part of the solution, and work to help others, then there was only one avenue of action left.

Celestia looked over to her sister, whose face showed the same deep blush of shame that still lingered in her own heart. Luna hadn’t deserved to be browbeaten in this way. Her sister’s heart had told her the right way to go from the very beginning, and it had only been her own pride and stubbornness that had necessitated things coming to this head.

She turned to Atlas, and once more he was wearing his compassionate, endearing smile. “The same offer as before, Celestia,” he said to her warmly. “There is a solution out there, and I think you know that you want to make it happen as much as Aqua and I do. Will you help us save Equestria?”

With one last deep breath, Celestia closed her eyes and nodded. Deep down, she realized that she had always known, right from the start, that this was what she would have to do. Whatever her reasons had been, it was impossible to go on wishing for the world to change whilst only making the problem worse. This was the only way that things could ever get better, and it was the only choice that she had left.

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[Titan Commander Sebaste]

And the first seeds of rebellion are sown...