All this I did for Equestria

by Scramblers and Shadows

Now and Then, Compassion

“Manehatten is gone,” said Luna.

Celestia silently looked at her sister for several seconds. “Gone?” she said quietly. “Meaning what?”

The two of them stood in Canterlot Castle's great hall, surrounded by scattered scrolls: Correspondence from guards stationed around Equestria.

Luna stared at the ground while she spoke. “We haven't had any reports from anypony within near the city for several hours. Our closest pegasus spotter reported back a few moments ago. He says he saw something happen, and that the city is gone, but he doesn't want to talk about it.”

When she looked up, there were tears in her eyes. “Two days, sister! The Scourge came out of the sea only two days ago and we've lost an entire city! And along with it we've lost...”

“Discord?” said Celestia. “Twilight? The Elements?”

Luna nodded.

The strength went from Celestia's knees and she sank to the floor. “All hope?” she said.

“Not now, sister, please!” said Luna. “We need to–“

Bip

There was now a scroll sitting directly in front of Celestia. She looked from the scroll to Luna and back again, and then, tentatively, lifted the scroll and unfurled it. As Celestia read it, her breathing became shallower. Luna waited. Celestia read and re-read the scroll. Eventually, she looked up at Luna and, passing her the scroll, voice cracking, said, “It's from... Our sister.”

Luna snatched the scroll up and read it. At the end, she followed Celestia's lead and sat down abruptly.

The princesses sat looking at each other, trying to process on top of everything else the contents of the letter.

Luna spoke first. “She was looking over us all this time. And now we finally find out, she's gone? I can't...”

Celestia looked at the scroll again. She didn't respond.

There was a frantic hammering at the door. Celestia still said nothing, so Luna bade the caller enter, and pulled open the door with her horn from across the hall, not bothering to stand up. A breathless pegasus was on the other side.

“Princess!” he said, “Discord. Has just checked in. He saved them. The Manehattenites. And the Elements. They're all here.”

Celestia broke out of her reverie and looked at the pegasus. “They're alive?”

He nodded. “They all appeared together a few minutes ago. On the outskirts of Canterlot. They say... Well, most of them are finding it difficult to talk of what happened, but those who do say that something attacked the Scourge and froze it long enough for Discord to start teleporting ponies away.”

Celestia stood up and took a deep breath, expression resolute. “Captain Mist, start preparations for evacuating Canterlot. The Scourge will be coming here next, and I don't want any innocents in the way. Discord, Luna, and I will start teleporting them away within the hour. I want Discord and the Elements up here immediately. And tell Twilight we're going to try a syncresis spell for the Elements and the Crystal Heart. She'll know what I mean. Go, now!”

Mist scampered out the room.

Celestia looked at Luna. “We are going to win this,” she said. “That thing took Discord's kin, it took our sister, and now it thinks it can come here and attack Equestria? Well, I won't let it. I am going to use every resource at my disposal, everything I can, down to my own horn and hooves and teeth to end that bastard. Are you with me, sister?”

Luna nodded.

*

Three alicorns sat around a conjured fire in the middle of a veldt. They had spent the day breaching the troposphere and diving at the continent below them. Now, quite exhausted, they were content to tell stories through the night.

“I promise you,” said Celestia, grinning. “Give it just two seasons. He'll be begging to get under my tail.” She burst into giggles.

“Oh, Celestia, you are incorrigible,” said Renaissance.

Luna tittered quietly and Renaissance shook her head, frowning and trying suppress a smirk until she, too, broke out into peals of cackling.

At length, their laughter died away and Renaissance adopted a serious look.

“Sisters,” she said, “Meeting Discord yesterday has given me some concerns. I have not seen a being older than I am for a very long time. I have not seen an immortal that was not my kin, ever. It may be that there are other things out there, other immortals, other spirits. It may be that we are not as safe as we think we are.”

Luna was silent, enraptured. Celestia, less so. She cocked her head and gave Renaissance a quizzical look.

“What are you trying to say, sister?”

Renaissance sighed. “That something may one day have the means and will to harm us as mortals harm one another. I hope that is not the case, but the possibility is there. So–” She teleported between Celestia and Luna and put her wings around them. “–I promise you both that should anything threaten either one of you, I will throw myself before it, do everything in my power to destroy it, even at the cost of my own life. And in return, I wish you both to promise me that, should I be lost in such a manner, you will both carry on and honor my existence by being the wonderful sisters that you always have been. Do you promise?”

“Sister! I–”

“Celestia! I will not brook disagreement on this matter. Do you promise?”

Celestia nodded. “Yes.”

“I promise too, sister,” said Luna softly.

Renaissance smiled. “Good. Then all is well.”

*

*

Author's Note:

Ye gods, it's hard to characterise Celestia and Luna properly when your only scenes have them as either under extreme stress or much younger than they are in the show.

Thank you, everyone who fave'd, liked, or commented this story. I was pretty amazed by the response. You're all awesome.

This was intended to be a oneshot, but since a few people wondered if there might be any more, and since I'm a hack, I came up with these little scenes today. I'm not too sure about them. They might detract from the story. Tell me if they do, so I can excise them.

As for further continuations: There is probably some mileage in telling what came after the Scourge's attack, and in telling the adventures of the three sisters before Renaissance was eaten. I don't have any plans to do either of those in the forseeable future, because they would be long, drawn out stories, and I don't trust my writing skills to start on a project of that size just yet. But I will keep the idea in mind.

Comments

[zernoc56]

2207652 i agree, she was just doing what she felt needed to be done in order for her and her species to survive. the will to survive by any means necessary is ingrained in the genetic code of all living things. it is the nature of life itself, certain organisms must harm other organisms in order to continue their genetic line.

[Rakaziel]

Very interesting, and very well written imo.

[Papercraft]

is this gonna continue because it says complete and it doesn't seem complete

[Zervziel]

Interesting story let down by one of the most unwieldy names I've ever seen on a character. Renaissance? Really?

[toafan]

Huh.

Honestly? I think you should have left it at the letter. These scenes are part of those longer tales you mentioned. The letter, however, is complete unto itself. What I'd recommend (and don't feel remotely obligated to follow this, it's just what I think) is to un-publish this chapter, and save it for when(if) you tell one or another or both of those epics.

[Quillbit Marelor]

Story: All This I Did For Equestria

Author: Scramblers and Shadows
Reviewed by: Quillbit Marelor

All This I Did For Equestria is a bit a mess of a story. Nothing is really explained or expanded upon, making it seem somewhat empty. There is no reason for audiences to care about these characters or give them a second thought once they are finished reading the work. But, with some reworking, these ideas could actually flourish. Nothing is ever completely perfect once it is first created and, if given the chance, this story could prove that right.

Full Review
Score:3/10

[SPark]

This was very interesting. I do have to say that I agree with the review that it's a little disjointed. Especially the second chapter, which just throws out a few random scenes that the first chapter already implied. I still did enjoy it though! Chrysalis as an older alicorn is a very interesting idea.

[Scramblers and Shadows]

4025661

Yeah, going beyond the letter wasn't the best idea I've ever had. I'd probably cut it if there weren't comments attached.

That's what I get for trying to pander, I suppose.

4026647

No, but that'd be a helluva crossover, wouldn't it?

[HonorableInsanity]

I liked this, it's an interesting view on how all these major event's happened in relatively quick succession after centuries of peace, and a nice take on Chrysalis. As for this last chapter, while I don't feel like it detracts anything form the story, I don't feel like it adds anything either.

[nioniosbbbb]

4035082 Is there a continuation? What happened to Chrynessaince?

At first i thought it was the Smooze.

[Fourpony]

frowning and trying suppress a smirk until she, too,

Forgot "to".

This is very interesting headcanon and I like it. Nice interpretation on things and with good narration to boot.