Chapter 11: The Plan (Part I)
"Are you to be my entourage?"
The two ponies looked at each other, and then back at Celestia. They were an earth pony and a pegasus, the former male and the latter female. Both of them were wearing sun-bleached cloaks that would have made them look more than a little conspicuous in any sane and rational universe.
"Are you 'Twinkle'?" asked the mare in a low monotone.
Celestia nodded, and produced a letter from her saddlebags. It was something she'd received from Twilight Sparkle – instructions on how to meet up to regroup, signed by Applejack herself. This was the designated place at the designated time, one small back-alley among hundreds of others in the town of Trottingham. The rebel ponies looked over the letter, then nodded to each other. They didn't see a tall and glorious princess standing before them, only an ordinary young mare with pretty pink curls, but there was something in their eyes – a certain wariness – that made Celestia suspect they had an inkling of who and what she was. She offered them a mild smile to put them at ease. She'd picked the form of an earth pony for the same reason.
"You're going to have to put this bag on your head if you want us to take you to our hideout," said the stallion, "I, uh, I hope that's all right." The mare glared at him, leading to a brief game of charades, with plenty of shrugging from both sides. "Well, it better be," added the stallion a little louder than necessary, "because it's not optional."
"Certainly," said Celestia, and bent her neck to allow them to cover up her head.
One of them took up a position ahead of Celestia, and one of them behind her. Were they escorts or guards – who could say? They themselves didn't know how it was appropriate to treat her. Eventually, after a few minutes of misdirection, they led her inside a building of some sort, and then underground. The air temperature dropped a few degrees as the floor slanted downwards.
Once they were deep enough, Celestia asked for permission to remove the blindfold. Even without being able to see, she could sense a hesitation in the ensuing silence. Nevertheless, they pulled the bag off. Both of them had their hoods pulled back now. The stallion was rather handsome, with a generic brown on brown color scheme. The mare was blackish-whiteish, suggesting she was either a zebra or a mixed breed.
As far as unlit underground tunnels went, the sights were quite interesting. The complex was obviously far-reaching – quite possibly linking together dozens upon dozens of different basements. Celestia made note of traps embedded in the walls, including mechanisms she guessed would cause the tunnels to collapse in case of intrusion. The place was a stunning testament to earth pony ingenuity and labor, all the more impressive for being built entirely in secret. After a few minutes of traversing empty tunnels, they reached deeper halls that were obviously built for habitation. Firelight seeped out from open doorways, and they started coming across other ponies, some of whom threw Celestia curious glances, while others passed her by in blissful ignorance.
"Might I perhaps ask where I could find my dear sister?" asked Celestia, all prim and proper. The earth pony guards were being so uptight that it was hard to keep the amusement out of her voice.
"Your sister," said the female guard, "That would be the Princess."
"That's right," said Celestia, as if she was talking to a little filly, "Princess Luna. I'm sure you've noticed her around."
The stallion cleared his throat. "I think I saw her in the canteen just a short while ago. I don't know if she's still there, but..."
"But it'll be a good place to start looking!" finished Celestia for him, "I would very much like to see my sister and make sure she's all right, so could you please point the way?" She looked around between the two. "Oh, and I suppose one of you should find Applejack and announce my arrival, isn't that so?"
The guards both looked shocked at the suggestion, and quickly held another wordless conference. Between a deep frown from the mare and more shrugging from the stallion, they seemed to reach some sort of agreement.
"I suppose one of us should," said the mare. Somehow, bizarrely, she made this innocuous comment sound like a threat.
Celestia watched her take a few steps back, then turn around and disappear into one of the nearby corridors. She took one last glance over her shoulder before rounding the corner. Celestia turned back towards the stallion. There was something very schoolcoltish in the way he looked away from her.
"The canteen?" suggested Celestia with a smile.
"Yes. Right."
The stallion seemed hesitant to put his back to her, so Celestia solved his dilemma for him by walking at his side. She didn't expect him to break the awkward silence.
"You're not exactly what I- we expected," he said.
"Oh indeed?"
The stallion didn't elaborate. His back was straight as a ruler, and his neck jutted upwards sharply. He looked as if he was trying to stand at attention and look casual doing so. It wasn't an attempt to impress.
"Did you think I would breathe fire and wear spiky armor and try to steal your foals?" asked Celestia, but regretted it an instant later. The jest seemed in poor taste, considering that many ponies indeed lost their children to Equestria's armies.
"I'm not sure," said the stallion, "I'm honestly not sure."
"Have you ever seen the Queen?"
"N-no. Never. I've just heard the stories."
"She's just a pony, you know. Underneath it all, despite all the power, she's just a pony. Don't ever forget that."
"That's what Applejack keeps telling us."
They walked the rest of the way without saying anything. When they finally reached the entrance to the canteen, Celestia breathed in sharply and raised a hoof to her mouth.
"Oh dear, I completely forgot," she said.
"What? What is it?"
"I just realized that I really should have a talk with Spike! Would you be so kind as to fetch him?"
"The dragon?"
"Yes, please. If he's available. I'll just see if Luna is here in the meanwhile, hmm?"
The stallion looked as if he might say something, but Celestia turned around and stepped inside without waiting for a reply. She didn't turn to see to ascertain whether he was leaving or not.
The canteen was low and wide – Celestia couldn't have stood up to her full height under the ceiling – and was lit by half a dozen low-burning oil lamps hanging above a series of long tables. The chamber was sparsely populated considering its size, and the ponies that were there mostly seemed to be conversing and generally killing time rather than eating. A few of them watched Celestia canter inside, but most of them were crowded around one of the side-tables and had their attention focused on a pegasus standing on top of a bench and gesticulating wildly. This pegasus happened to be Rainbow Dash. Celestia barely recognized her without her glorious mane.
"So there I was, playing chicken with a dragon," she declared, sweeping her forehoof from one side to the other, "Outmatched in every possible sense of the word, I'd set myself on a course for my own destruction! I'd been in some tough spots in my life, but this? This one was a real doozy! I knew that my survival depended on just one thing – firing off a sonic rainboom in the dragon's face at just the right moment..."
Fluttershy was also there, Celestia belatedly realized, sitting in the shadows behind Dash. She barely seemed to be paying attention to the latter's tale, choosing instead to take slow sips from a steaming cup and brood. Even seated, she looked incredibly fragile, like a flower made of ice, like she would break up at the slightest touch.
Celestia passed through an archway separating the canteen from a kitchen area where a single earth pony was bustling at an oven. Luna was also there: a large, deep blue shape in the darkness, crammed into a chair at a smaller round table. She seemed to consume the light around her – or perhaps glow more darkness. She was close enough to observe the crowd in the other room, but distant enough to give them an excuse to ignore her.
"This fudge is delicious!" Luna announced to the cook, just as Celestia was stepping in, "I shall have another!" Her eyes widened when she noticed Celestia. "Sister...?"
Before Celestia could do anything, Luna had stood upright, rushed up to her and nuzzled her face against Celestia's neck. It wasn't exactly royal decorum, and must have looked a tad awkward considering their usual size difference was currently reversed, but neither of them particularly cared at that moment.
"It is so good to see you again, sister!" said Luna.
Celestia gave her sister a kiss on the cheek. "Likewise, Luna."
"Your disguise is rather impressive! If only I had thought to disguise myself like you did..."
The sudden turn to self-admonishment wasn't lost on Celestia. "I'm glad that you're safe and sound. I never doubted that you'd acquit yourself well in this hostile environment."
Luna scoffed a little as she pulled back, but didn't say anything else. It was something Celestia had seen a thousand times before: Luna biting back self-criticism and burying it deep within. She was still bright and cheerful, so Celestia was loathe to push the matter with questions, but it was her duty to work through these things.
"Is something the matter?" she asked.
"I'm afraid I've acquitted myself a little too well," explained Luna levelly, a lop-sided, apologetic smile on her face. "My hot-headedness may have cost us an important strategic advantage. But never mind that for now. We can go over all the particulars of what we've been up to later on."
The pair of them took a seat at the table, where Luna sidled up close to Celestia and offered her the plate of sweet fudge that the cook had deposited there. Celestia wasn't hungry, but accepted the plate to please her sister.
"Trottingham's a lovely town, isn't it?" asked Celestia, taking a spoonful of fudge to her mouth. She wished she more often practiced eating like an earth pony.
Luna cocked an eyebrow. "I could not disagree more, sister. I find an ugly, dreary, thoroughly unpleasant place. Unsafe too, as a matter of fact. That dome seems as if it could break up and collapse at any moment!"
"All of that is true, yes, but I still much prefer it to Everfree City. Oppression weighs ponies down like iron shackles in that place."
"I suppose conditions are abysmal all around," muttered Luna.
"Have you, Twilight and Spike gotten settled in nicely here?"
"You could say that." Luna turned her head to look at the ponies in the canteen. "The atmosphere is understandably awkward, you understand. They look at Twilight Sparkle and Spike and see one of their greatest, most dangerous enemies and a mindless, remorseless killing machine. To hear respected figures like Rarity and Rainbow Dash tell tales of how heroically they fought against one of the Secret Police must be rather jarring. I think they are coming around to recognizing Twilight's value, and not just for her magical abilities. But while we are on the subject, I believe you should go and talk to Twilight soon. She has need of your guidance."
"Oh? And where is she?"
"I told her to get some rest, so that's what she'll be doing if she knows what's good for her. She should be in the barracks, in Applejack's bed."
Celestia bent forward and arched an eyebrow. Luna made an adorable frowny-face that made Celestia want to pinch her cheeks. "You know very well what I mean!"
While Celestia laughed, Luna tried to look dignified. "This is a good crew here, I believe," she went on, "The Apple Underground has acquitted itself as well against Daymare Sun over the years as could be expected, and I see a lot of potential in Twilight's friends. I'm sure that with her guidance, they will be able to live up to heroic standard set by their counterparts. They will be a formidable group once we complete the set."
"Oh, I don't doubt that they will be formidable," said Celestia, stroking her chin.
"Now that you're here, we can hold a proper war council and come up with a plan. I have some ideas I want to put forward myself..."
"You know, you neglected to mention what the Apple Underground thinks of you."
"It's the strangest thing, sister!" said Luna, genuinely incredulous, "I thought my appearance would frighten them, but it is not so. Instead they seem curious – fascinated even! Some of them seem hopeful about my presence, and I've done my best to bolster their spirits and assure them that I will lend my power to their cause. I did not think to expect this. It's not so strange, after all, that they would feel an affinity for shadows, right? All their lives, shadows have provided them with safety and relief. Darkness has been their home. Isn't that bizarre?"
"I don't think that's bizarre at all," said Celestia tenderly.
"A while ago, I found out that this world's Luna was killed trying to fight back against Daymare Sun." Celestia had heard the same thing. It was a slightly shameful relief to know that she didn't have to break this news to Luna herself. "I thought this made me – her – a miserable failure. I'm still not sure that's wrong, really. It wasn't easy to hear that everything that other Luna ever was had been almost forgotten, but that might not be entirely correct. There's quite a few ponies here that have heard her name in bedside stories and vague myths. Those that have heard of her have been telling the rest since I arrived here. I had been nearly forgotten as well, and... truth be told, I don't even know why I'm telling you this. It's just good to know that she's not completely gone yet."
"Princess Luna led the original rebellion against Queen Celestia," said Celestia, "She was, in a way, the inspiration for all those that followed her, including the Apple Underground. They are right to look up to you."
They sat in a happy silence for a few moments, until Luna's expression started curdling. "Oh yes. I had nearly forgotten. Have you seen any sign of Brainy Bright?"
Celestia put down her spoon and took a thoughtful lick of her plate. Luna was right – the fudge was quite good. "No, I haven't," she said.
"Hmh. Neither have Twilight or I. That's not too surprising, really. He could be anywhere within the hemisphere for all we know."
"We'll come across him eventually, no doubt."
"Hopefully sooner rather than later! I will say this: we should not necessarily wait until we've defeated Daymare Sun to make contact with our Equestria. I am getting somewhat concerned with how things are going back home. All this time, you've been such a..." Luna briefly averted her eyes and then raised them again to meet Celestia's. "such a strong leader, and now you are lost to them." If Celestia hadn't known better, she would have had the vague impression that Luna was somehow reproachful. "There will be panic. If not right away, then once the short-term ecological problems become apparent. Equestria needs you, Celestia. You must not dally with your return."
“As a matter of fact, I have certain contingency plans in place. Besides that, my government isn't composed of children, you know. I'm sure Cadence, Shining Armor and Fancy Pants have matters firmly in hand for now. They have Twilight's friends to help maintain harmony, don't they?"
"That is true. Still, we mustn't forget about Brainy Bright! We have no way home but for him. Gah, I can't wait to get my hooves on him!"
"I didn't realize you felt that way, Luna..."
"Please do not turn this into a joke!" said Luna loudly, "He attacked you! He disrespected you! That coward! There is no punishment great enough!" Her anger disappeared in halting glimpses of expression, leaving behind only uncertain solemnity. She sighed, and went on speaking with uncharacteristic delicacy. "Please tell me how you feel about all this, sister. Are you... upset?"
Celestia hesitated. "I'm... disappointed in Brainy Bright's actions, yes, of course. He threw away so much for this one chance to get rid of me. I don't understand why someone so brilliant and well-regarded would... take such a negative view of me." There was a strained note in her voice that Celestia didn't appreciate. She didn't want to be thinking about this. "It doesn't matter," she said with a shake of her head, trying to smile, "It's irrelevant. We have bigger concerns, don't we?"
"Yes, well..." Luna bit her lip. "I didn't just mean Brainy Bright, I meant..." She made a weak sweeping gesture. "...everything. Fighting such a distortion of oneself must be a harrowing ordeal in itself. Part of you is still within Daymare Sun, guiding her. Everything about this world is a demonstration of sorts of your own potential for destruction, is that not so? By all rights, this should be an enemy more intimate than any you've faced before. I am not certain that I could stand to confront what I once was in person – and I know you're stronger than I am, and dealing with it much better than I would be, but... What I'm trying to say is that it would be understandable for you to be upset. I hope you know that I want to be here for you, to help you figure things out about Daymare Sun and what brought about her change."
For a moment, Celestia entertained the notion of telling Luna of her suspicions, but looking at her staring back with such obvious worry in her eyes quickly caused her to discard that idea. Where she should have been feeling grateful and touched, she instead felt a curious sense of detachment that she couldn't quite explain. Celestia was the comforter; she found that she did not wish to be comforted herself. In fact, she wished Luna had never even thought to raise this issue, if for no other reason than because she didn't want Luna to have cause to doubt her. She did not need to make sense of all the emotions roiling in her chest since finding out who she was up against to view the matter of her opposite number with perfect clarity.
"You don't have to tell me that, sister," said Celestia with utmost grace and deliberation, "I've never doubted that I can rely on you in this battle. When we work together, there's nothing we can't accomplish and no one that can stand against us. I know you'll help me fix everything and undo the evil that my twin has wrought."
Luna released a quiet breath. She looked as if she hadn't quite gotten what she'd wanted from Celestia, but all the same, she couldn't keep from blooming into a slight self-satisfied smile from the praise. "Yes. Yes, of course! I'll do anything within my power to help you!"
Celestia smiled and nodded. There was, of course, an unspoken implication in Luna's words. Nothing Luna had done in the time since her release from the moon had in any way made up for her actions as Nightmare Moon, at least in her own eyes. She'd taken on minor duties in the governance of the realm, started charities, traveled the world, saved and improved lives, but none of it was enough. Going up against Daymare Sun was a perfect chance to redeem herself for her actions as Nightmare Moon. There was something a little troubling about that mindset... Celestia knew her sister would have done good with or without a guilty conscience, but did Luna?
Both of them turned to their side at once, glimpsing movement from the corner of their eyes. The earth pony guard that had accompanied Celestia had appeared on the doorway, Spike in tow. They began moving through the canteen towards them.
"I'll have that talk with Twilight now," said Celestia, "but I'd prefer some privacy. Why don't you distract my little bodyguard for a moment?"
"If you wish."
The rebel and Spike approached their table. The earth pony had a vaguely nonplussed expression, but Celestia's gaze was invariably drawn to Spike. There was nothing particularly haggard about his appearance, but it was hard to overlook the faded black scorch-mark still adorning the scales on his belly. Celestia returned his wave.
"You found your sister," said the earth pony, "That's good. I've brought the dragon, but now we should really-"
"You there!" barked Luna, "Caramel, is it?"
"Yes?"
"Do you have a marefriend?"
"Yeah... buh... what?!"
Celestia, now upright again, bent down to the floor, pushed her snout underneath Spike and lifted him up, then let him roll down onto her back. Half a second later, she was already casually cantering away. Spike had dug his claws into her mane in response to the sudden drop, but she barely felt him. Somewhere behind him, Caramel was nervously explaining that he wasn't in the market for a marefriend.
"Ahem, welcome to the Apple Underground, Your Majesty," said Spike once he'd gotten the chance to brace himself. She found his light-hearted formality much more amenable than the real thing.
"Why, thank you, Spike. Let's go and find Twilight now, all right?"
Rainbow Dash's display in the canteen seemed to have taken a bizarre turn from self-aggrandizement to economic theory. She seemed to be talking about the rights of the working class. Celestia made a brief mental note of the oddity of this when she walked past, but paid it not further heed. She also noted that Fluttershy had taken off in the meanwhile.
After Spike had given her directions as to which corridor to head down, he settled down on her back and began telling a story. Spike talked, and Celestia listened. He talked of the dried-up and lonesome Dragon Swamp and meeting the fellow dragon that inhabited it, of Rainbow Dash and Agent Striker, and of the battle. He forwarded the explanation Twilight had given him of what had happened while he was unconscious, and described the awkwardness that took hold in the group after they left the swamp. He continued on with their search for the frontier town where Fluttershy made her home, with Luna and her cloud, with the griffon guest and the long path to getting Fluttershy to agree to come along. Celestia often asked for clarification or elaboration, sifting through the story, picking up errant facts and new bits of information to fit in with what she already knew. One could never be sure which seemingly innocuous detail could end up becoming relevant; being aware as much as possible was an essential part of problem-solving. Celestia was a big believer in the doctrine of "knowledge is power."
As Spike's narrative came to a close, Celestia first slowed down, then came to a halt and craned her neck to the side to look Spike in the face. She didn't want to give him the impression that he didn't have her full and undivided attention.
"I'm truly sorry to have put you in that position, Spike. You're far too young to have come so close to dying. It was a mistake to let you go out on your own."
Spike didn't completely succeed at putting on a brave face. "Yeah, well, it couldn't be helped, could it? We had to be there to save Rainbow Dash, and you had to be elsewhere to deal with other stuff."
"Mmm. Are you feeling all right now?"
"I think so." His hand unconsciously drew to his chest. "I'm not in any pain or anything, though I do get out of breath a little easier. I just wish I could have done more and protected everyone. I asked Twilight if she could figure out that growth spell and use it on me, but she just looked at me as if I was crazy!"
"Perhaps she doesn't want to put you in harm's way like that."
"Whatever," said Spike with a sigh, "But it should be my choice, right? Those other dragons haven't got a choice, but I do. I want to help, but... I can't. Not really. I can only send some letters and provide moral support."
"You don't necessarily have to fight to contribute," suggested Celestia mildly.
"I know, I know! I guess I'm not the only one feeling useless right now. Everypony's trying to figure out how we could track down Pinkie Pie right now. We're done for if we can't find her, but we still don't even know if she even exists!"
"I might have an idea or two on how to resolve things. For what it's worth, Spike, I'm sure you'll have a role to play in all this." She winked, leading to a sheepish smile of gratitude.
They reached the barracks in a couple of minutes. Celestia was noticing that, despite the skill of the labor that had created this headquarters, it was not particularly well-planned place. The barracks seemed to be a fairly haphazard collection of dormitories and bedrooms, with living areas interspersed in the halls, and the way there was long and winding. Some of that was no doubt necessitated by the secrecy of its construction, but this hidden village underground was not such a perfect place to live, in the end. Some of the bedrooms didn't have doorframes, much of the furniture was generations old, and hygiene and sanitation were probably luxuries. Celestia looked at the faces of ponies she came across, and wondered how many of them lived there because they didn't have a choice – because they were outlaws in the outside world, or because their previous lives had been destroyed by a whim of fate. She wondered how many of them truly preferred this sort of freedom.
Celestia caught a glimpse of Rarity in a common room, hunched over a young unicorn colt with a white coat and a blonde mane and talking to him in hushed tones. There was something vaguely familiar about the colt, but Celestia paid it no further mind. They were almost at Applejack's personal bedroom, which she'd been lending to Twilight to use.
"This is it," said Spike, hopping off Celestia's back to stand next to the closed door, "Twilight's been asleep for a while now, so it should be okay to wake her up."
Celestia stepped into the bedroom in her true form. She found Twilight still in bed, sleeping the sleep of the righteous. A pang of nostalgia went through her when she saw Twilight lying there in the darkness, looking so small, so defenseless, so much like a young filly. Twilight's mouth was open and her mane frazzled. It almost seemed a cruelty to wake her up, to drag her out of peaceful dreams into a harsh and troubled reality. Before Celestia could even finish the thought, however, a shudder seemed to pass through Twilight's body and her expression tightened into a frown. Celestia hurried closer and gently touched her shoulder as she sat down on the edge of the bed. Twilight awoke with a start, momentarily confused.
"Who's there?" she mumbled.
"It's me, little one."
Celestia did not need a spell to create a source of light like a unicorn would have – Celestia was light. It only took a thought for Twilight to see her as clearly as if it was the brightest day. As Celestia didn't need aid to see in the dark, the bright aura did not pass beyond her form to illuminate the room itself. Twilight wasn't even blinded; her eyes adjusted instantly.
"Princess Celestia!" gasped Twilight, "You're here!"
"Indeed. I only arrived a short while ago."
"Um, well, welcome!" Twilight scrambled up to sit on her haunches, rubbing the bleariness from her eyes. "I'm very, very glad to see you. We've been waiting for you to have a little conference and figure out what we're going to do next..."
"I know. Luna and Spike filled me in."
"Oh, did you find what you were looking for in that library? That prophecy?"
"Actually, I did not. I found nothing conclusive at all, only hints and clues and breadcrumbs." One of those breadcrumbs, admittedly, could yet prove very valuable.
"Ah... That's a pity."
"How did your journey go? Your letter mentioned running into some difficulties."
"'Difficulties?' Did I really write that?" She chuckled humorlessly. "Well, yes, we had some of those."
"Tell me what happened."
Twilight took a deep breath and broke into a story of her own. Although she was hesitant at first, it wasn't long before the words were streaming out of her. Celestia let her unload, without interruption, even though she already knew what happened. Twilight needed to get it off her chest. Her story was a little different from Spike's. Although usually so analytical, she now talked less of events but more of reactions, worries and emotions. The biggest worry on her mind was uncertainty – uncertainty about whether she should have acted differently, uncertainty about Rainbow Dash, and uncertainty about the path they were meant to take. When she was finally done, her voice was close to breaking.
"I'm just so glad you're here now," said Twilight, smiling vaguely, "It's all getting to be a bit much for me, all the decisions..."
"Oh, Twilight," said Celestia, wrapping her forehooves around her and pulling her close, "I'm so sorry you had to go through this. This must all be a terrible burden on you, but you don't have to keep worrying about it any longer. Rainbow Dash was right to take that pony's life."
Twilight tensed up and pulled back, looking at Celestia. Her big purple eyes were quivering in wonder and confusion. "Oh," she said. Poor, poor Twilight. She was ill-equipped to handle a dilemma like this. Celestia might have hoped that she'd never have to lift this veil of innocence from Twilight, but this was a situation that required a realistic perspective.
"I'm not going to tell you that these are somehow extraordinary circumstances that warrant extraordinary measures. Nothing about this place is intrinsically different from where we come from. Our Equestria has been violent and chaotic in the past and could easily become violent and chaotic again. It's taken a great deal of effort on my part to ensure the peace and stability of modernity that we all enjoy. What kind of ruler would I be if I lacked the will to do whatever it took to defend my people? The truth is that anypony that wishes to lead or to champion others should possess a certain... flexibility. I'm sure that someone as scientifically-minded as you, Twilight, can appreciate what I'm saying. It's very important not to fall into rigid patterns of thinking, and a stubborn insistence on a simplistic division of right and wrong is one of the greatest of such fallacies. Twilight, you don't think I've never killed anyone, do you?"
Twilight flinched as if slapped, even though Celestia's tone had been far from harsh. "I know you've fought in wars," she said quietly.
"You know this because you've read it in books, but you don't truly acknowledge to yourself what it means. I've sent armies off to do battle with the stroke of a quill and the sound of a trumpet. I've forgotten more combat magics than any unicorn has ever learned. And yes, I've fought myself." She touched her forehooves to Twilight's cheeks and forced Twilight to look in her eyes. "I've taken lives with these very hooves."
Twilight stared back at her, doe-eyed and mesmerized. "That's different," she whispered.
"In some ways, perhaps. In any case, it's been centuries since I've had to take measures like that. I've quite successfully phased out the concept of war, but make no mistake – it was integral in teaching Equestria's neighbors that ponies are not prey."
"You- you don't have to tell me this, Princess. I know that this is how things have to be. I may not like it, but I accept it."
"You might have to put forward more than just tolerance, Twilight. I'll do what I can do avoid it, but you may well find yourself in other life-or-death situations, where your survival, the survival of others and the success of our entire mission may depend on you making the right choice. Do you understand, Twilight? There may come a moment where all non-lethal avenues are exhausted and you yourself will have to kill as well."
There was, of course, one more theoretical scenario that these high stakes opened up. The fact that Celestia refused to acknowledge or consider this possibility, despite a nagging fear at the back of her mind, was a persistent reminder that her conviction was not absolute. That was not such a bad thing though. Celestia felt strengthened by the knowledge that there were lines that she would not cross, that her conviction remained tempered by morality...
There was a pause before Twilight answered her, as if she was mentally replaying Celestia's words to make sure she'd heard right.
"I- I don't think- I couldn't. I'm not a soldier, Princess, I'm just-" She stumbled over her words, unsure of what to call herself.
"You're my student," said Celestia gently, "so pay attention and learn. No pony is made for killing. Any pony can do it when the need is great enough. All it takes is an adjustment of mindset. Should you come face to face with other agents of the Secret Police, it would be better not to think of them as ponies at all. That will make it easier."
"They're not... ponies?"
"No, Twilight. They are weapons of the enemy; they are obstacles in the path to justice and freedom. Like their dragon slaves, they are nothing but tools. This Equestria is rotten to the core, and the Secret Police gnaws at that rot. I grieve for their ruined, stolen lives – I do – but there there won't be a place for them in the new world we shall create."
"What about Daylight Sparkle?"
"What about her? She is ultimately just another cog in a machine that has no other purpose but to ruin. Don't let her name bother you. Don't waste your time thinking about her. The time for pardons, forgiveness and re-education will come, but not yet. Right now, we must focus on victory. Don't ever think I don't consider this only the very last option, but it's important to explore all possibilities. This is a fight we cannot afford to lose."
Twilight's gaze slowly drifted away from Celestia's face and onto the empty darkness around them. Although she still looked conflicted, there was now a trace of academic puzzlement in her features, the likes of which Celestia had often seen while Twilight was considering some great theoretical problems set before her. Celestia could tell that she'd gotten Twilight thinking. Twilight may have had a tendency to over-complicate, but Celestia was certain she'd reach the correct conclusion in the end.
To be continued in Part II.
Stats
Page generated in 0.042 seconds
Total duration
850 users online
1,528,057 hits today, 2,454,720 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
scranton.mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/img/mlfw7606-22403.gif
Update!!! Also: First!!
Can't wait for more.
An update!
I prefer not to speculate on Celestia's suspicions. I enjoy a narrative reveal and never feel the need to guess.
As for wild conspiracy theories, Daymare Sun is actually Luna impersonating Celestia out of remorse after killing her.
As for the writing, I did find Celestia's dialogue a little aloof. Kinda too serene. She shows far more emotion in less intense scenes in the show. But maybe she's overly occupied. And maybe my mindset (very stressed right now) doesn't allow me to properly empathize with the characters I'm reading at this time.
Also still waiting for Twi to bring up the point that Daylight and Twilight are both who they are due to the influence of their respective Celestia. And have a personal crisis trying to determine if there is a true "core' to her identity or if she is just a sum of her influences.
YES!
Waitwhat. Blueblood is in the resistance? I guess that shouldn't surprise me too much, but somehow I just sort of hadn't thought he would be transplanted like that, lol. Or maybe he was introduced in that capacity before, in which case I'm going to look like a forgetfulnoob here.
In terms of responses to the notes:
I'd prefer if you combined the chapter pieces, but with about two weeks' delay between releasing the second half and then combining them. It should leave pretty much everyone reasonably unconfused, because those who are already reading it will be alerted of the second part, and those who read it later won't have to deal with the split at all. You might also want to a blog post tagged to the story when you do combine them, just to make sure everyone is aware of what you're up to. The only people who will miss anything are those who are following the story, but who don't check the update alert for it until three weeks (two weeks + the time it takes for the blog alert to disappear) after it comes out, and that's such a narrow set of specifications that I'd be pretty surprised if anyone actually fulfilled them.
Honestly, I'm not sure about Celestia's suspicions or plan. Normally I do a bunch of indepth speculation and so on, but my brain is on low-power mode right now, so I'm much less idea-ful than normal.
I might reread this chapter in a couple weeks though, and there's a decent chance I'll have more to say then.
1193827
That's funny, Daymare Sun being Luna (or someone else) was actually a thought i had too...
I really liked Celestia's conversation with Twilight. It gets at the sort of moral problems Twilight is going to have to face in a way you don't normally expect (many fics have the ponies adjust to violence far too quickly). Suggesting that Twilight dehumanize the opposition (deponyize?) was a little shocking to read, which I guess is a good thing.
MOAR!!!
This story is labled "dark" yet it has so much sunlight in it. Oh the irony!
Thanks for the comments, everyone. It's hard to complain about notifications of people adding my story to their favorites, but a comment always makes me happier.
1193563
Thank you for the high praise, and for pointing out that awkward error. Slipped in from some copy-pasting.
1193827
Also still waiting for Twi to bring up the point that Daylight and Twilight are both who they are due to the influence of their respective Celestia.
You have no idea how glad it made me to read this. However, that observation's probably going to have to wait until they meet, don't you think?
In regards to your other comments: "aloof and serene" is generally what I'm going for with Celestia. She is very focused right now, but I added in stuff like embarrassing Luna with innuendo to address her light-hearted nature.
1193946
Waitwhat. Blueblood is in the resistance?
That's not Blueblood. That's Brightsmile, a younger rebel pony that appeared in chapter 4. Check the blogpost I just put up that I actually intended to put up a couple of hours ago. Of course, they do look rather similar... Hmmmm.
I was also thinking of a waiting period before combining the two parts, so I'm glad someone feels the same way.
Also, I have high hopes of part 2 being out in a couple of weeks, so you'd have your answer then without having to reread part 1!
1193977
Suggesting that Twilight dehumanize the opposition (deponyize?) was a little shocking to read, which I guess is a good thing.
Yes. Yes it is.
1194069
I know, right? It's pretty darn grimlight.
Awesome, keep it up.
I'm betting on some form of Luna still being alive, but banished for some reason, I don't think they ever found a corpse, rule number one of any story, no corpse, no assurance of death.
Okay, 90k words of absolute legit awesome? And Incomplete? Oh, so DO WANT!
i.neoseeker.com/mgv/574321-Liege/321/13/dowantscoot_display.gif
Twilight's gonna be sent on a one-way mission.
> She's the only "non-native" element.
> There's an implied "your life may be at risk [because I would do anything to fix this broken world]" in Celestia's speech.
> The "native" elements are built around her. Dawn is the local Element of Magic. I think Twilight is going to be eclipsed by Dawn, or that the Elements will bond on a mission to rescue her.
I also think Luna or Celestia need to be giving a crash course in battle magics to Twilight.
So now all we need is for this to update so we can find out how far off I am, right? Please?
Great, I get but a taste of the future before actually getting the full plan.
Honestly in a case like this I would do the following:
1. Figure out a way to lure the Secret Police into a trap, if they are to win they need their enemy's SS crippled and less of a problem.
2. Capture or kill Daylight Sparkle during said battle.
3. Step up on the raids on military encampments (more Luna trashing enemies).
4. Using a combination between Twilight sending a false reports back to Daymare, and Luna making herself known to the populace force the dictator out of her fortress.
5. While Luna, Celestia, and a contigent of rebels set up shop at some strategic point to take down Daymare Sun; Twilight and the gang + other rebel forces launch an attack on the capital from within, wipe out the rest of the Secret Police, and find the location of the EoH and Pinkie Pie.
6. (Backup) If EoH/Pinkie cannot be found, kill Daymare Sun rather than injure and either run the world through the portal or set up a new government.
Daymare Sun is weaker than Celestia + Luna afterall
So, I assume this means Twilight's gonna get to kill some Secret Police? Oh yeah, the Solar Gestapo's gonna get a good ol' fashioned ass-kicking!
I did cringe during Celestia's "don't think of your enemy as people" speech. The worst kinds of atrocities are justified with this sort of logic.
If she truly thinks like that, I'm not sure I'd want her fighting on my side.
1195646
While I'd agree in a larger scale, in the scope of a battle, your opponent's should be considered nothing more than targets, not people. When they stop trying to kill you you have time to take a step back and consider things.
1195958
I get where you're coming from; it's definitely an effective strategy to overcome one's own natural empathy. Still, I'd be hard-pressed to overcome my worries about ponies pushing the line further and further. After all, if your enemies aren't thinking. feeling people, torturing them for information could become the next logical step, and so on. No- I wouldn't have that among my staff; but I'm not Celestia, and she has to live with her own decisions. Both our attitudes come with their own cost, and there is no easy answer.
You better believe I will.
I have a sneaking sneaky sneak feeling that Pinkie will be apart of the Government here.
That, or some crazy hermit.
Fantastic chapter! I look forward to more!
Suspicions? Brain's sudden disappearance. The physiological effect of fighting an enemy that resembles the ponies she grew up with. Celestias own doubts and fears that she is not strong enough or won't make it out alive or, in a worse case scenario, becomes the new "queen".
The most importantly, you added this line, ""Actually, I did not. I found nothing conclusive at all, only hints and clues and breadcrumbs." One of those breadcrumbs, admittedly, could yet prove very valuable". Besides the confusion of yourself as you mentioned, she's talking about a library. These libraries are filled with blurs of histories and myths. Myths.
Luna was a myth. Luna's murder was a piece of history. Who exactly says this is the right order? Maybe Luna is alive on the dark side of the planet, waiting on the moon for somepony to find her. Besides the plot twist, this sudden character reveal could be a means to strengthen your, rather lacking, Luna like you did with Celestia.
Just a quick though.
Moving on, as for the plan. There are a lot of wild cards and a bit too many of them to count. The plan should change. The characters are too undeveloped for the final stages to commence (Though this may be biased since this is a fan fic and not a good 500 piece of Anglo-sexton literature :/)
1. Spy works. Intelligence is key. The apple underground seems very eager to jump in a situation to deal with a force like the secret police. Being one instead of being a normal guard means they all must have extreme ability or focus. It took awhile to get Striker, what about the rest of the secret police? Could it be possible that they may or may not have the ability to kill one of them? Without the information, you know they'd just jump down in the well.
2. Recruitment and training. Ah yes, any extra pony getting ready is good. They would probably create, manufacture or research new weapons, technology or fighting style.
3. Shenanigans. Rather it be a mission or character development or whatever.
4. Shenanigans. Rather it be a mission or character development or whatever.
Then after that its a bit too far.
Sorry if I sounded to blunt or a bit too complicated. You can use or dismiss this as you please.
Yes an update
I hope Celestia will teach Twilight some combat spells. Twilight felt, to me, so useless and weak in that battle earlier. For some reason, it really annoyed me. It seems like Twilight should be stronger, even with things she doesn't know. I would think she's smart enough to figure out some combat spells on her own.
Oh well, it's still a fantastic work of fiction! Looking forward to more!
1195168 honestly i would add "find and release discord for back-up" into the list cause i have a feeling that the peaceful celestia and luna won't win against a power hungry daymare sun.
As to a suspicion to what might have corrupted the Celestia of that realm, I once saw a comic where Discord corrupted Luna, and that was what caused her to become Nightmare Moon. It is possible that the conflict between those three ended with Celestia being corrupted, or she could have been possessed, or it might not be an Alicorn at all, and could in fact be a changeling, though in that world I don't think a Changeling could survive very well as there seems to be very little love in it, and it is likely that if Daymare Sun is in fact an Alicorn that she wiped them out early-on.
what's a TV trope?
Yes, the agent that RD killed was trying to kill them, but he was also trying to recruit RD into an already extant rebellion separate from the apple underground.
It was about time I faved this.
Ill say what i say everywhere, queens are "Your Majesty" princesses are "Your Highness"
Other then that great story
I found this pic on goggle and it just screams Daymare Sun!
i.imgur.com/UoTbvl.jpg
1201028
You know, when you come in and say stuff like that, it would be helpful and polite to be clear and specific about the problems you have. What particular weaknesses in my storytelling bother you?
I like how you used the word 'Correct' at the end, as if dodging the word 'Right'.
1197009
Pinkie was in the last chapter (or the one before that, whichever one had the meeting between Daylight and the others.The "fool"or jester as it were: Pinkamina Diane Pie.
Edit: to BornIn1142: an excellent dark adventure fic with just the right amount of moral grey area. Keep up the good work.
Dig the swell story!
No, seriously. Keep it up. This is awesome.
After finally reading all of it up to this point I have to say, this is one of the greatest stories I've had the pleasure of reading so far.
It is well thought out and the character development is excellent. You know how to make a good story.
Gold star, sir. Gold star.
bf2142.free-gfx.com/bf2142_awards/medals_bf2142/medal_big_05.png
I'm enjoying this so far.
Looking forward to where this is going, but judging by the upload times, it's going to be a while till it reaches it's destination.
If I had to criticise (which I do), I dislike the way Celestia's been portrayed in this latest chapter. She seems too cold in her mannerisms. Not the loving benevolent ruler from before.
(Although, it's entirely possible that this is part of the story for later on, now that I think about it)
Either way, it's a watch from me.
Good job, old boy.
1208627
If I had to criticise (which I do), I dislike the way Celestia's been portrayed in this latest chapter. She seems too cold in her mannerisms. Not the loving benevolent ruler from before.
Does she really though? I tried rather hard to make her ridiculously supportive and giving. She's always saying little things to bolster Luna's self-esteem or giving physical affection. My intention wasn't to paint her as cold, but as warm yet emotionally closed-off. Perhaps I miscalculated with that though...
1210191
The way she behaved with Luna was nice, it's the conversation with Twilight that I had problems digesting.
The entire conversation boiled down to:
"Princess, one of my oldest friends killed someone before my eyes and it's haunting my every waking moment!"
"Pfft, big deal. I've killed hundreds over the years. I can't even remember half of the spells I've used to kill. You see these hooves? Yeah, I used them to kill dudes. You'll probably have to kill too, you know. Oh, and in all likelihood, we're going to have to kill your doppelgänger too, so there's that."
Rest of it seemed fine, though.
1202208
Oh, I guess I had forgotten. Thank you for reminding me.
Yay! An update. And thank you.
A tvtropes page is no real indication of quality. It just means that somebody liked it enough and saw enough story elements to add it to the list of other fics. But thanks for the thanks.
As for this chapter, this clearly uses a jump cut to help speed the story along a bit. As it is though, there's not a whole lot that could be said, except maybe giving a little development for the ride back. Come to think of it, that could have made for some more fun stuff, particularly in that fluttershy might need a little bonding time with the other elements. and I dunno, I might have also liked to know what Applejack said to Rarity on facing death. Eh, but the little details can be skipped.
As for the talks, there's a lot of love here, though, I dunno. It seems a bit stronger in the sister conversation, though that's probably because the two of them haven't seen each other in so long. So the two sisters reunited, talked about the sunshine world, and luna mentioned her worry about the dangers of them being banished to another dimension. Truthfully, one thing I didn't expect you to do in this chapter was to retcon (though it works given how you kept your detail on canon equestria to a minimum in the first chapter) the story with season 2 finale details. Namely, Cadence and Shining Armor. In the strictest sense, this doesn't necessarily retcon in the wedding, since both were working there long before then, but it does acknowledge their existence, and admit that their world isn't dying without their princesses. In the head canon, can cadence move the celestial bodies?
Also, I get the feeling that Brainy Bright's reasons for trying to banish celestia will become a key plotpoint in this story.
So Celestia tried to assage twilight's doubts, but in a way, it's a bit saddening as well. If I could put my finger on it, I'd say that Celestia is training twilight to be a warrior at this point. and that's sad, because it is the intellectuals who often are pained the most during war.
It's necessary for now, but still sad. Further, if this is a war, it's a war that few of the warriors will have known outside of it. If the Apple Underground is a resistance, few have known peace or freedom very well, so it's a war in which peacetime might actually lead to much sadness as they all ask, "so what now?" I guess that's also why the outsiders are so important, to remind them what they fight for under the war against the crown.
I also say Twilight's a warrior, because a soldier follows orders. A warrior fights, and thinks his way through battles, and twilight is going to need not only magic, but her mind as well to help turn the elements of harmony back on track.
And oh the problem of Ms. Diane. If only they could see what we shadows see (reference to the pony pov series). Oh well, we'll find out soon enough.
Now, speculation: the suspicion is that celestia will have to kill herself (a simple idea carried over from chapter 5) and take over ruling here. It's essentially a suicide-murder thing. As for the plan, I suspect that the bread crumb is going to point them towards a new plan of movement. So far, we've seen Twilight, Celestia, Luna (and spike) work their way in reestablishing themselves in this broken world as forces to be reckoned with. Well, at the moment, they've reconvened, and there's a dead end currently on the standard plan to recover the elements. Further, Luna has reestablished herself as a powerful presence to disturb the sunshine, and Gilda has now returned with the capacity to counter some of what the sunny standard army might throw at them. Though those plans could always change after the fall of the outpost.
So for now, I foresee a new complex plan being formed for the sunshine resistance.
1. Get the whole team back into Everfree City. That's where the enemy is right now. So we must return, and continue any work we have there.
2. Send Rainbow Dash and maybe Luna out into the country to continue to grow apple underground. They may be underequipped, but let them know that the princess of darkness has returned, and thus there is a new hope for people, and incentive to join La Resistance.
3. Follow the bread crumb, with Twilight and Twinkle leading that branch, with specific orders to continue a search for anything that might aid in the fight, whether it's the scar of magic, the strength of Luna, or the like. Anything to stand against Daymare.
4. Have Rarity and Fluttershy work on getting information on Big Mac. He may be but a soldier in the macro picture, but in the micro picture, finding him is essential for keeping Shy going, and getting her closer to maybe unlocking flutterrage/fluttercruel towards the guard.
5. Get celestia to admit her own fears. Sometimes the comforter needs comfort. Being an alicorn doesn't change that.
6. Depending on how steps 3 and 4 go, either seek out more bread crumbs, or stage the second jail break, get both brainy and big mac out, and escape.
7A. If A for part 6, follow the crumb to its end, then retreat to trottingham, and prepare for the inevitable seige when the guard tries to smoke out the resistance.
7B. If B for part 6, retreat to trottingham, interrogate and comfort/understand the people rescued, then move on to part 7A.
8. Prepare a last ditch effort to find Pinkie, only to one capture, and one important talk with daylight.
9. ?????????
10. Defeat Daymare Sun.
11. Profit!!!!!
Work well enough?
1213230
Well, yes, that was all meant to come across as somewhat disturbing (and a little ironic). I would just argue that it's disturbing in a relatively warm and caring way.
1217470
Thank you for writing such a thorough comment. That's certainly a plan! I don't want to give too much away, but you got step #10 absolutely correct.
To answer your questions:
In the head canon, can cadence move the celestial bodies?
Nope.
Also, I get the feeling that Brainy Bright's reasons for trying to banish celestia will become a key plotpoint in this story.
"Plot point" may not be the best word, but they'll certainly be important to understanding the basic thematic underpinnings of the story.
1213230
Personally, I find the conversation boiling down to that, dressed up in pretty words and justifications, exactly what it should be. One does not rule a nation, especially for a thousand years, without having an iron fist (or hoof in this case) under that glove of silk.
Treating your enemies as not people but objects is a key part of fighting. It is by nature horrible. It is a required horror. Mostly this advice, as harsh as it is, as jarring as it is to Twilight's image of who Celestia is, is sound. Were I in Celestia's place, I would be making the same points. (likely with less grace, but still.)
That contrast between what Equestria is like and the harsh reality's of a world without night is what keeps me reading this.
1229147
I have no problem with the fact that Celestia's killed dudes.
I have no problem with the idea that dehumanizing (or the pony equivalent) your opponents makes it easier to hurt and/or kill them.
But the way she handled Twilight's clear distress with the notion that someone she knew would take another's life was, at the very least, harsh and untactful. Something I can't see Celestia being.
Any news on update?
I lost track of this fic.... It's great to see it updated.
I lost track of this fic.....still not updated
Woah. The first half of the first half was brilliant. I'm really liking Luna, and when you say 'emotionally complex dialgoue' I think you've done it well with her.
Then Celestia and Twilight came together, and I feel you had it on your mind the whole time to just shove home the message that killin' gonna happen. It was jarring, and then jarring again. I think most readers would agree with me here, Celestia handled that utterly indelicately, with none of her usual subtly, and in turn you did not handle that aspect of coming to terms with the situation well.
The process that took -two- chapters, a talk with Luna, lots of thinking and feeling, and a heart to heart with Dash to begin with Twilight was hammered awkwardly along with a few bits moral arguments. I think you felt you needed to conclude that subplot, or at least advance it a great deal before getting back to the main action of the story, especially as the last few chapters have been slower in that regards.
There's really no other way to say it: it was very likely a mistake.
So yeah - Luna and Celestia dialogue was great. Nobody tried to push things along too quickly there. Celestia and Twilight dialogue was not great, for much the same reason. Definetly a stumble in the story, this. Still, I am happy to carry on and see where you go with it.
She's also a Twilight of that world, so she might be a really important piece of it... the world.
It seems that the same suspicions I had are confirmed in the comments. The problem with the conversation between Twilight and Celestia is that it is contradictory to what she was telling her. Instead of simply making the point that she will have to make a decision, you make Celestia go off on this odd tangent about how she had killed many. Instead of letting this be an internal conflict within Twilight that us eventually solved, you take the shortcut of this. There is also the fact that Celestia makes her point in a very non-Celestia way.
Also, I am pretty much 100% sure that Twilight is going to have to kill her alter ego. That is another problem: you aren't very subtle with the foreshadowing here. Of course, I could be wrong, but I don't see there being any other person that could do it that would hold as much effect. Celestia could kill Daylight, and Twilight could kill Daymare, making a very, very interesting conflict at the end, but I am not writing the story.
I look forward to the next chapter.
I'm going to echo most people in the comments in saying that Celestia does not seem quite right, though I accept that she has already acclimatised to this universe and is speaking as such. She's trying to drive home the importance of what they're doing, not only what the result is but what is entailed in actually achieving said result. She might have been a little heavy, but it wasn't too bad.
Seeing Luna pig out on fudge instead of Celestia gave me a chuckle too.
Luna:
img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20121027220927/ben10fanfiction/images/d/d2/Thor_Another.gif