III.The Night Has Stories Also
III. The Night Has Stories Also
In the core of the cold night, Twilight walked the streets of the Celestial Tier alone.
Her hoofsteps reverberated from the old stone walls around her, bouncing back against her ears like the memories of the day bombarding her mind. She saw herself marching the long way down the main boulevard of Canterlot, eyes unwavering in their vigil, the palace her only goal..
Now, with everything said, Twilight was adrift.
Words echoed in her thoughts, bobbing around like bits of driftwood from some mighty ship in the sea of her mind.
“Sorry I was late, girls. Went by home to see the family, y’know,” Applejack said.
Applejack’s reliable rustic twang rung through her memory as Twilight stared down at her lonely path in the inconstant lamplight. She could almost see it. Applejack, hanging her hat on the rack, being greeted by her brother and cousins. The room was full of smiles, happy chatter. Applejack reconnecting, coming back from the mouth of hell to a warm bed and some light conversation that had nothing to do with funeral pyres or conspiracies.
When was the last time Twilight had seen or talked to them, for that matter? Days? It had to be at least two weeks since their last true conversation. Her mother had been concerned about Twilight overworking herself. Her father had given her a warm, comforting hug, and then...Twilight forgot the rest.
She hadn’t seen Spike at all. Of course not; she'd 'been too busy', now hadn't she? So very focused on meandering around the castle foyer, rehearsing her carefully chosen weapons of mass condemnation, only for it all to dribble worthlessly out of her ears as soon as she'd walked into Luna's study. An hour she could’ve spent with Spike. Saying hello. Asking him how he was. Hugging him, and feeling that familiar, scaly embrace. Hearing him speak and being perfectly alright and perfectly alive.
Twilight paused in an intersection, and looked around as though she were a mare in a foreign land. She knew these streets intimately, yes, but in the dark they seemed like another place. A more dangerous place, yes, but one she could be in awe of quite easily. She had forgotten the whimsically cast streetlamps, and how from a rise, the city below looked like an armada of fireflies. She had forgotten. No, no that wasn’t quite accurate. “Forgotten” wasn’t the right term; she’d simply stopped seeing such things altogether.
She sighed and took a left, heading for one of the parks. It was a beautiful night tonight, for all the troubles of the daytime. Hadn’t she watched the stars, once upon a time?
Her eyes wandered over the old doors and quaint shop windows. They brought a smile to her face, a slow one, carefully smuggled through enemy lines. She painted over it all with her mind’s eye, imagining the streets full of life. Ponies crowding and thronging about, smiles on their faces, most chattering in groups, a few loud with laughter. Here, at the mouth of an alley, gathered around an empty barrel, old timers humming over dominoes. A truant foal peeled through the streets with a devilish grin. On a whim, she made it a wandering Scootaloo.
Of course, not all who wandered were lost. Twilight knew exactly where she was.
While some shops were closed, others were open. They cast friendly candlelight into the streets, their windows full of life. As she passed, she looked in and saw ponies in a small tavern drinking. She heard the questing, wavering notes of a song from inside, played on lyrestrings.
Twilight shied away from the lights on either side, sticking to a tiny, shadowy strand in the middle. No offering of alcohol or song tonight. She had to think, and besides, it was too crowded. Too many ponies.
Eventually, she emerged from the winding streets into a wide-open park. It was old, untouched land from the days before the city had risen out of the ashes of Discord’s reign, and while not the most impressive of expanses, the common had some charm in the day-time. Trees shaded the tiny, meandering stone walkways as they wove through the grass like patchwork hemlines.
Twilight took the second path on the right, humming to herself. The sound was welcome, breaking up the stillness of the night for a moment, like the sudden touch of a friend.
She missed the music that would sometimes linger among the trees here. The first time Twilight had brought Spike here, there had been a young mare her age practicing with a lyre.
There was a wooden bench along the way, and she took a seat.. Sighing, she cast her sight up and took in the stars.
Twilight had no idea how long she sat there, legs tucked in beneath her, mind drifting, biting chill of the night growing less and less noticeable...
And so she almost missed his approach. Almost. She peeked one eye open and smiled as she called out to him.
“Spike.”
His footsteps stopped somewhere behind her, and she heard him let out a huff of what she assumed was disappointment. “Uh, Twilight, it isn’t fun if you catch me, you know.”
“Oh, but it’s fun for me, Spike!” she said with a little laugh. “Come and sit with me.”
She realized that it was perhaps not a very wise suggestion as he came to stand before her. He had grown over the years. He was a teenage dragon now, as she was fond of telling him and as he was fond of claiming. He was almost two meters now, his cute pudgy baby fat now given to a chest like carved granite chest and scaled arms passable for banded iron. His bright, curious eyes were now sparkling with perceptive intelligence, set above pronounced cheek bones that lent him an austere visage. When he didn't have his old toothy grin, anyway.
He laughed, and the sound was deep. Twilight imagined she almost could feel it in her chest. “I’m not sure I can.”
She waved a hoof at him. “Doesn’t matter. I’m glad to see you. Sit.”
He did, crossing his legs. “I looked all over for you,” he began, and her cheer evaporated like water in the desert. Her ears drooped. It was like her stomach had become an icy pit.
“I’m sorry, Spike. There’s no excuse that’s good enough. I was... I was...” She didn’t want to use the word that came to mind.
“Busy?”
She groaned. “No. Yes. Not busy in that I had things to do, just preoccupied. Ponyville... No,” she shook herself and hesitantly met his eyes. They shone the moon’s light back at her. “I won’t use that as an excuse. I’m just stupid, Spike.”
“I doubt that,” he said softly. “You know, you can just say ‘sorry’ like most ponies, Twilight.” He smiled at her, and she felt the ice in her stomach melt a little.
“I’m sorry.”
“‘S all I needed. I heard about Ponyville. It was bad.” It wasn’t a question.
She bit her lip, then sighed. “Yes, it was. I’m sorry, Spike, I should’ve been the one to tell you.”
Spike shook his head. “No, it’s fine. It’s fine, for real. I’m more interested in how you’re doing anyhow. I’m sad about Ponyville, but... how are you holding up?”
She choked out a laugh, and it sounded crazed even in her own ears. “Me? How am I holding up? Oh, Spike, where do I begin?”
“The beginning?”
She laughed again, but it was more genuine. She smiled at him. “Ha! Like that’ll happen. We’d be here all night. I’m just... I don’t know. Afraid? Angry? Sad? I don’t know what I’m feeling, Spike. I miss Celestia. I miss writing her letters. I miss being able to look at the stars with Luna and not have to call her princess. I don’t anymore, not usually. We’re not exactly on good terms. I miss going to cider tastings. I miss watching Rainbow in the air pulling of fancy, dangerous tricks and ending up face first in a tree because she’s crazy!”
She realized she was waving her forelegs in the air and felt stupid. She set them back down again.
“What can I do?” Spike asked quietly.
“You’re here, aren’t you? I’m not sure, Spike, but I’m glad you found me,” she responded, smiling at him. She wanted to step down and lie beside him in the grass, stroke his scales and soothe both of them. Or maybe... just me.
But she couldn’t. If she did... she wasn’t sure. She just felt like she would lose heart. She would think about leaving him here, because she knew she had to. There was something for him to do. Something she couldn’t do, but that he could.
“You raised me, silly, of course I came. Well, more or less raised me.”
Her smile shrunk, and she looked away from him. “I did, didn’t I? Sort of. I wonder about that sometimes, worry if I did a good job.” The end rushed out, before she could think about it.
“You know you did.” It was a little harsh, a little insistent. Twilight winced at it.
She shrugged, biting her lip. Twilight watched him, and then her eyes wandered away towards the grass shrouded in darkness.
“I do have something to tell you though, besides that.”
“I gathered that by how you avoided coming home to the tower.”
“You know me well.” Twilight sat up on her haunches. “Spike... I’m going to have to go away. For a while.”
Spike started, his mouth hanging open. He stared at her.
She spoke quickly. “Spike, it has to happen. The refugees... and the food supply... hay, the politics. I have to go west. I have to find the Princess. I mean, without her, we’re dead. The sun still only shines for six hours a day if Luna can keep it up. It’s taking a lot out of her, and the nobles are starting to turn on her and each other, and the city is just... and—”
“Twilight.”
“—and what if it spreads? What if the raiders keep attacking villages, and killing ponies, and how long can Canterlot even hold together on its own anyway and—”
“Twilight!”
She shut her mouth, and discovered that her hooves were shaking. She looked down at them.
“Twilight, it’s alright. Calm down, okay?”
She nodded. “I’m sorry.” Twilight took a deep breath. “Applejack, Pinkie, and I are going west to look for Celestia. I’m not sure how long it’ll take or how far we’ll go. I don’t know where she is. Luna told us she had a way of finding her, but...”
Spike was stone still. “But you aren’t sure about it. No guarantees.”
“No guarantees. Rarity is taking the rest north. Spike, walk with me?” She jumped down from the bench and stretched her legs. “I just... want to be on the move.”
He nodded his assent and followed her.
“Things are going to move quickly now, and I’m not sure what’s going to happen. Without us to keep her steady, Luna will be all alone.” She tried to catch his eyes, but couldn’t. “Spike, the nobles are getting restless. I thought perhaps they would make the right choice, but they haven’t.”
Spike’s claws clattered against the rock. There was a sudden breeze, and Twilight shivered. Spike looked down at her.
“Cold?”
“I’m all right. But Spike, I’m worried about Luna. Rarity and Rainbow can take care of themselves and Fluttershy. I’ll be fine. But Luna? Spike, she’s all alone. Stars, I was so harsh with her, but I had to be! You understand, don’t you?”
“Harsh? Twilight, what did you do?”
She groaned softly. “I had to be harsh with her. She was paralyzed, not willing to act. But I’m the only one she could talk to, and now I fear all on her own she’ll just go back to where she was: lost. Maybe... maybe I shouldn't have yelled.”
“What are you gonna do?” Spike asked her, his voice soft.
“Not what I’m going to do,” Twilight answered, stopping. Spike turned back, his head cocked to one side. Her thoughts were racing. “No, what you’re going to do. Spike, I have favors to ask of you. It’s a rotten time for that, isn’t it?”
“Gosh, Twilight, what do you mean? I mean, am I coming too?” His voice cracked a bit, and she smiled. It was just another reminder of how old he was. It scared her to think of him here alone, but it also... He’s not grown up and gone yet. Not everything has moved on.
“No. I wish you could, Spike, but three is enough. Any more than that and keeping in food and water will be too much out there on the road. Three is easier to hide than three and a dragon.”
He grimaced, and scratched his head. “Ouch.”
“Sorry, Spike. You know I don’t mean anything by it. But there’s also the matter of Luna.”
They came, at last, to the end of the trail. Twilight found herself turning towards the palace and sighed. Perhaps it was time to go home, after all. They walked towards the Silver Gate at the foot of High Canterlot in silence at first. Twilight formulated what she wanted to say, weighed how best to say it. Spike’s lanky, adolescent body betrayed his impatience with its jumpy steps. Or is that him slowing down for me? His stride is so long now.
“Luna needs a friend. One who hasn’t shamed her in front of ponies she likes—that means I’m out for sure—and who isn’t going away for a long time. Someone she can see as a partner, whom she has no political ties to. I think the best dragon for the job is you.”
“Partner? To do what? I mean, yeah, I can still send messages, but that’s it. It’s not like I can do magic and stuff.” He looked down and flashed her a toothy grin that would’ve worried her coming from anyone or anything else. His teeth were sharp now, and myriad. “If I could do magic, I’d have the best beard ever, you know.”
Twilight rolled her eyes. “Probably. But Luna is surrounded here, Spike. The pony in the street isn’t sure about her. Half of the nobles blame her for... well, everything, and a lot of those who are still loyal and true are afraid to show that. You remember House Rose.”
Spike let out a breath, shuddering. In the light from the lamps, Twilight could see him curl up a lip to reveal his growing canines. “Yeah, I remember. Saffron Rose gives a nice speech to the assembly of Houses Major in support of the crown, and the next morning her entire house was found dead. Long knives in the night? Nothing like it in the past millennium? Yeah, I definitely remember."
“They’re scared. Everypony is, a little. But I think with us gone, they’ll think Luna is vulnerable and somepony will do something stupid. Maybe Cold Blood. Maybe he’ll get House Rowan-Oak to do his dirty work, who knows? Something is going to happen.”
“And you think I can help?” he asked. Twilight heard fear, but there was also that little sliver of eager pride she needed. She appealed to it with a grin as they took another turn.
“Yes. Without us, Luna’s position will be weakened. But with you at her side, somepony—ha, some dragon, more like!—to confide in? Then at least she won’t be alone. The Princess can fight back. You can be there, letting her know someone cares.”
“Don’t you? You say that like I’ll be the only one.”
Twilight shifted a bit, looking back to the streets before her. “You’re not,” she said, but it was soft. “I’m just... bad at it.”
“Aw, c’mon Twi, that’s not true,” Spike began, but she cut him off. Ahead, the beautiful silver gates were shining in the torch light. They were tall, ancient, carved by magic older than Equestria, brought over from the old lands of Unicornia. The walls to either side were white, though the scattered torches on the ramparts cast them in yellow. The swirling silver reflecting the fire was almost hypnotic.
“It is, though, Spike. You know what they call me in the halls of the Houses Major?”
“Twi, didn’t you just finish saying—”
“They call me the Apostate. Do you know what that means? Someone who has renounced former loyalties.”
Spike stopped. Twilight trotted a few more steps before noticing that Spike wasn’t following her, and she turned to him. He was rooted to the spot, staring at her with his mouth open.
“What... Twilight? Do you not... I don’t understand.”
She sighed, and returned to him. “Spike... I haven’t exactly been a good friend. Celestia taught me how to be a good mare, and I just... I’m not blind. I know I’ve been an awful friend. You know the last time I had a real, meaningful conversation with Applejack? With Rarity? With you, even, before right now?” Spike shook his head slowly, and she continued. “A long time. I don’t even know how long. I’ve forgotten. And you know what Spike? I don’t think Celestia is coming back. I don’t even think she cares anymore.”
“But she loves you!” He fired back, his eyes bulging.
“Then why did she ab—” Twilight looked away, clenching her jaw. “Never mind. Just... I’m sorry. Maybe you’re right. I don’t know. The point is, Spike, that I’m not the friend Luna really, really needs, and I’m so sorry. Maybe it’s better that I’m going.”
She sighed, and turned back to the gate. Spike hesitated, and she almost expected him to speak. But he said nothing. After a few seconds, she heard his claws clacking against the cobblestone, and he was once more beside her.
With a sigh, Applejack hung her hat on the rack and looked about the living room. Big Macintosh hovered over Apple Bloom’s shoulder at the table as she scrawled something on a page, a pencil in her mouth. Homework, Applejack guessed. One of their cousins, Fiddlesticks, napped on the couch.
Macintosh looked up at her, one eyebrow raised. She mouthed, ‘We’ll talk later,’ at him before Apple Bloom could look, and he nodded.
Her little sister glanced up and dropped the pencil on the table with a grin. “Applejack!” The filly jumped down from her chair and ran into her sister’s waiting forelegs. Chuckling, Applejack swung her around in a playful arc.
“Aw, I ain’t been gone that long!”
“Yeah, but I only saw you a little ‘fore ya left! An’ you stayed out for so loooong!” Apple Bloom whined.
“Yeah, well, business, young ‘un. You get your homework done?”
“Almost! Big Mac was helpin’ me with math!”
She looked over Apple Bloom’s bowed head to share a smile with her brother. “An’ you’re doin’ good ‘n all, I hope.”
“Mhm. Miss Star told me I was top of the class yesterday while you were gone.”
Applejack ruffled her mane. “Good. An’ woodshop?” Her eyes instinctively wandered to the filly’s flank and the hammer and paintbrush cutie mark there. That had been a surprise, though not a bad one. She was proud.
“It’s great! I love it a lot. I’m makin’ a birdhouse!”
“Really now? Tell me ‘bout it,” she said, and as Apple Bloom began to eagerly explain, they walked into the kitchen. Applejack heard Fiddlesticks snort, waking up, and rolled her eyes.
Dinner was prepared quickly. Family was recalled from the upstairs rooms and gathered into the crampedll space. It was a chaotic affair, organizing and feeding two dozen ponies, but she loved it. The noise, the hubbub, the happy mess of it all. Sweet Apple Acres, with the hole in the roof and the beaten down door, seemed an eternity ago. This was home.
As ponies began to drift out, Applejack realized that it was time.
It was Apple Bloom she was worried about the most. As the happy filly cleaned the dishes while humming a little song, Applejack lingered by the table.
This place was home now, she decided. In its own way, it felt like home, Apple Bloom doing her chores and her brother off... doing whatever it was he did. She suspected he read, but who knew with him?
Which made it worse. Apple Bloom was going to turn around, and then she would have to say it. It would be real, then. Gods, I can’t do it. She’s gonna—
“Hey, Applejack.”
Aw hell. I ain’t ready. “Yeah, Bloom? Whatcha need?”
“Jus’ wonderin’, that’s all. ‘Bout how Ponyville was. Didn’t get a chance to ask earlier.”
Applejack stared at her. She had never considered having to answer this question from Apple Bloom. Big Mac knew, as did her cousins, but Bloom? What would she say? What could she say?
“Ah... Well, it was deserted, y’know? A bit beat up. Broken windows, you know.”
“That’s real descriptive,” Apple Bloom replied, looking over her shoulder.
Gettin’ sassy with age, ain’tcha? I was too, ‘round then. Applejack’s eyes wandered. Her thoughts raced ahead of her, and she could grasp at nothing. So she went with what she had. “Yeah, I guess it ain’t. Didn’t really find anythin’.”
Applejack was a terrible liar. She knew it, and Apple Bloom knew it. Her little sister had grown to notice it on the spot, like she might a stalk sticking out from a field above all the others.
Apple Bloom’s head rose, and she stopped washing dishes.
Panicking, Applejack began to speak before her little sister could tease out the lie. There was no way she was telling Bloom about burning bodies in Ponyville. Or even think about it, gods no.
“Bloom, we need to talk. Somethin’s... somethin’s come up.”
Her sister turned towards her fully, brow furrowed. Aw, darn it, that was the worst combination of phrases I coulda used.
“Apple Bloom... I’m...”
“You’re gonna leave, ain’t ya?”
Applejack had nothing to say.
Her sister sighed and looked down at the kitchen tiles. “Yeah. I... thought ya might. I mean, it was just a feelin’, y’know? When ya didn’t come home for a long time, I figured maybe it was important. An’ if it’s important...”
“C’mere, hon.” Applejack offered her foreleg, and her sister came to her. Applejack wrapped her up in a hug and sighed. Her legs felt like lead. It had been a long day, and it would be a little longer yet.
Sleep eluded Rarity utterly. She had tried to capture it and hold it close, and it had simply slipped from her grasp as water might.
She walked the walls of High Canterlot under the silent moon. The occasional lonely sentinel nodded at her as she passed, and she returned the gesture with a polite smile. But mostly she walked in silence, her gaze wandering from the ramparts to the Old City below.
A breeze found her and she shivered, tucking the jacket she wore tightly to her.
Rarity often had trouble sleeping in the wake of the Long Night. She blamed many things; the change in the light bothered her circadian rhythms, she was busy... more recently, because she’d seen things.
Over and over, she could see Fluttershy staring up at the horrible images, tears rolling down her cheeks. She saw those faces. Every time she shut her eyes, Rarity saw them.
So she had left her warm bed behind, crept softly past her sister’s room, and into the night. The intention had never been to be out for long. Just a brisk walk about the neighborhood, maybe sit by the fountain nearby, clear her head. Instead, she had walked more than half the length of the Solar Districts wall.
The night really is beautiful. It was odd, that it should be. Just as it had been odd on the way back from Ponyville that the sun had shone brightly and the day been as pleasant as could be. If she were energetic enough to be dramatic, Rarity would have said it felt wrong. It was like a note out of context with the rest of its chord.
As it was, her hooves felt like they were bound in chains with lead weights. Her eyes wanted badly to close, but she would not allow them to. Her ears drooped whenever she was away from prying eyes.
It was foolishness, and she knew that. They headed out tomorrow, and here she was, pacing around in the dead of night. Well, no, not pacing exactly, as it implies I’m going back and forth... oh, bother. It’s too late to think. And yet she continued to do so.
The sound of her own hooves against the stone was all that kept her awake; not even the cold could do it anymore. But you simply can’t rest, can you, Rarity? You simply must dramatically walk the ramparts like some paperback heroine. She chuckled.
A sound caught her ears, and she looked back towards the palace in interest. It sounded familiar. Soft. Like...
“Wrong way, Rares.”
Feathers. She turned back towards the lowest tier to find Rainbow hovering. She felt no shock. It was far too late for shock.
“Could you not sleep either?” Rarity asked, blinking her eyes blearily.
"Sorta,” Rainbow allowed, setting down before the unicorn. “Something like that. What are you doing? You look like you’re about to fall over.”
“I don’t want to sleep,” she began, sitting down heavily. “If I sleep, I’ll see them. See them, just... looking at me.”
“You keep walking, and you’ll see them anyway. Except when you wake up, you’ll be laying in a pool of your own drool on the ground and you’ll look stupid,” Rainbow said. Rarity wished that her face was more visible, but the torches were too far away.
Rarity scowled. “What a lovely picture you paint. You’re right, of course. But...” She looked along the wall. “Walk with me, would you?”
Rainbow shrugged, and fell in step beside her. Rarity felt more alert with the company, if only a little. Perhaps it was for the better that Rainbow had come. She wanted to talk to somepony. Anypony.
“Twilight is out here somewhere.”
“How do you know? Run into her?”
Rarity nodded absently. “Yes, though she probably didn’t see me. I had just left my house when I saw her. She looked... preoccupied, so I didn’t say anything. Just watched her pass, and then went my own way. I hope we don’t cross paths again.” Rainbow didn’t comment on this, and Rarity continued. “What were you doing, anyhow? Trying to sneak up on me like that? That was a bit childish, with the hour and all considered. I could have fallen right off the wall.”
Rainbow chuckled. To Rarity it seemed a bit nervous.
“Yeah, sorry. I guess that was kind of stupid. I just saw you wandering from my cloud, and I thought you might want some company. I didn’t want to bug you. I guess I just... thought it might cheer you up? I don’t know why.”
“Your cloud...? Oh. Rainbow, you know we’d love to have you stay with us. Any of us. You have to stop this.”
Rainbow huffed. “I like my cloud.”
“Of course you do.” Rarity rolled her eyes. “Rainbow, it simply will not do. I must insist that you come stay at my residence. If you won’t take a bed, at least the couch is inside where it’s warm. What if you catch... cold, or something?”
“Pegasus,” Dash replied flatly. “Cold doesn’t bother us all that much.”
“Ah,” she answered, at a loss. It was far too late for thinking.
They continued in silence for a few more minutes. Rarity was sure that Rainbow would leave her, but she never did. As her steps began to wobble, Rainbow steadied her.
“Hey, you all right?”
“I am weary, but elsewise quite all right,” She managed to get in before she gave a long yawn. “Excuse me, oh... May I sit? Just a moment?”
“You’ll fall asleep.”
“I shall simply have to take that risk, I fear,” she responded, and sat. Her eyes closed almost immediately. “Oh, but I have been so foolish. I should’ve just stayed home and slept. I should’ve known I would avoid it if given half the chance. I always do.”
Rainbow sat beside her, and cast a hesitant wing over her. Coughing, she scooted closer. “Yeah, kinda dumb. You should head home.”
“I should...” Slowly, Rarity gave Rainbow a sidelong glance. “In fact, you should walk me home. If nothing else, we could both use company.”
Rainbow nodded, and helped Rarity rise. They continued until they came to a stairwell down to the street, where a guardspony saluted crisply, Rainbow returning it by habit. Rarity gave him a weary smile.
“Goodnight, my good sir,” she offered, and in passing caught a hint of his grin. She allowed herself to feel a hint of pride. A lady, she reasoned, could coax a response out of anything. Equestrian Guards, rocks, bandits; she would leave nothing unmoved.
Her steps in the paved lanes of High Canterlot were uneven. She sighed. “Will you tell anyone? Promise me you won’t, Rainbow.”
“Tell them what?”
“That I am this silly. Childish. I’m out here afraid of nightmares! Oh, Rainbow, how do you do it? Stay brave? Be, oh, I don’t know... daring. All of this seems not to have changed you at all.”
Rainbow hummed, and Rarity assumed she was thinking. A few houses passed and a few more minutes died.
“...I dunno. I guess I just do stuff. I keep moving? Not sure how to put it to you, really. Maybe it’s just a pegasus thing. Fluttershy is doing alright, all things considered, you know? Well, mostly.”
In the silence that followed, Rarity considered this. Activity. Blind action? How much of that is just running away? She shook her head, sneaking a guilty glance at the pegasus beside her who walked on oblivious. We are feeling uncharitable tonight, aren’t we, Rarity? Goodness.
Before she could formulate a proper response to this, Rainbow spoke again. “Turn this way, right?” Rarity nodded, and followed her. “Right, thought so. Actually, now that I think about it, Fluttershy is... maybe not the best example. Have I ever told you about us in flight school?”
“No, not really.” She wished she was more awake to hear it. She tried to remember what Cloudsdale looked like, with its wispy platforms and pillars of cloud. Closing her eyes for a brief moment, she could see Rainbow flying.
“Well, Fluttershy and I did things different. I know, what a shock! She would meet a challenger and just cower. No resistance! She just did nothing, or she kinda just slinked off. I would have some colt in my face and I yelled back! Yeah, I was a pretty cool filly, y’know? Got into a lot of fights, even made some friends doing it. Cloudsdale is a great place, but sometimes it can be rough. Fluttershy got into a lot less trouble than I did, but she was always unhappy, Rares, and when I saw that... I think running away is bad. Yeah, maybe you go longer without gettin’ beat up, but it’s so sad.”
“It explains our dear Fluttershy’s...” She yawned loudly. “Ah, sorry. Our dear Fluttershy’s attachment to the ground, yes.”
They walked down the long boulevard, and Rarity saw home up ahead. Somepony had left the light on, and she felt shame bubble up in her. But before she could dwell on it, Rainbow was speaking again, her voice soft. Rarity strained to focus..
“Yeah. Rares, you don’t have to fight to not run, you know? I mean, I do, and I’m awesome at it! But I think maybe there are a lot of ways. Fluttershy found hers. I mean, it’s not for me, but still, the ways she helps ponies isn’t running.”
“Perhaps,” Rarity allowed.
They came to her doorstep, and Rarity opened the door carefully, mindful of her sleeping sister.
Her Majesty Princess Luna, Celestial Diarch, Dea Nocturnis, Coda of the Songborne, watched Twilight Sparkle as she returned to the palace grounds. Her former familiar spoke quietly to her, and while Luna’s sensitive hearing could make out the sounds, she could not fashion them into meaning.
From her perch on the balcony, she watched them stroll through the hedges. They seemed in no hurry. In particular, she kept her eyes fixed on Twilight, gauging her mood.
Luna unfolded her wings. She paused, and cast her face in a guarded expression, hoping it would be convincing.
To go, or not to go? It could mean a lot of things. Primarily, it could mean having to watch a second dear friend wander west. It also meant making a choice between silence and speculation... and Luna wasn’t sure she wanted to reveal her private fears quite yet. Her hooves felt heavy, and the stone beneath them seemed safe. Solid. What will you do, Luna, when she brushes you aside? Condemns you again? Crawl? Slink away into some hole to lick your wounds once more? Oh, but we should learn, shouldn’t we!
And yet... she flapped her great wings once and lifted off. Luna soared through the cold night air, more leaping than truly flying, with her great wings and innate magic slowing her descent, setting her gently down as though cradled by the skies themselves.
Twilight came immediately to a cold stop. Icy shards of fear chipped at Luna's resolve, and for a moment she hesitated, her heart strained with the weight of doubt. But still she drew a breath, striding calmly forward, feigning a confidence that they both knew she hadn't possessed for a long time now.
Between the hedges, before a small fountain, they met.
“Twilight Sparkle.”
The once faithful student regarded her silently, but Luna stood her ground. Was this not what had been asked of her? She did not let her stoic expression falter. If this was some kind of test, she would pass it.
“Hello, Luna.”
No honorific. Either promising, or damning. Twilight, she knew, had left her study undecided on that. Oh, dearest Twilight, come back to us as a friend.
“I... I wished to inquire as to whether or not your walk was pleasant,” she began, still watching for any signs of what Twilight was thinking.
Twilight Sparkle didn’t smile, but neither did she sneer. That was good. “It wasn’t so bad. It’s a beautiful night.”
Something melted inside Luna, and she smiled. “Thank you, Twilight. That means much to me.”
Spike looked from mare to mare, his brow furrowed. Luna caught the movement out of the corner of her eye but gave it little attention. Spike was important, yes, but Twilight was here and talking. This was what she’d been waiting for.
“Luna... I wanted to speak to you, actually.”
“I wished to see you as well, Twilight.”
“How do I begin?” Twilight chuckled, with what Luna guessed was nervous energy. “I’m not saying I was wrong Luna, but I was hard with you.”
The Princess looked down at her hooves. In the night, with nopony to watch, she had left her hoofboots and ceremonial chest plate behind.
“We—I perhaps deserved that, Twilight. You were right. I have been deep in contemplation since you left my study.”
“What did you uncover?”
Luna smiled, and it was bitter. “We are not that strength which guided Equestria for all these ages, Twilight. Recent times have proven that We are, indeed, the lesser light, for all that we—I, cry your pardon, for all that I tried to deny it long ago, plunging an innocent nation into undeserved war."
“Luna—”
“Pray, let me finish. You were—you are right about me, Twilight. I cannot even manage to speak properly in this day and age, can I? Oh, but We try, but We vacillate. You see?” She groaned. “I am glad that the Lunar Guard is not here to hear us speak.”
“As am I. There’s something that needs to be said. Luna, will you hear me?”
The princess nodded.
“Luna... we used to be such friends. We stargazed together, at least before I became an awful pony and stopped caring. I know how lonely you are. I miss her too.” Luna lowered her eyes, her ears drooping, and Twilight rushed on. “Your isolation is something I’ve contributed to. I’d have to be blind not to see that, and maybe I was, a little. Yes, you were wrong, and you made mistakes, but everypony makes mistakes, and it wasn’t just your fault.”
“Ah, but I am different. We great and noble alicorns, born of the Song that wove the world from dream to being through word and melody. One would think such beings would know better." Luna chuckled darkly, and turned to look at the fountain.
But should she really? That was the question. The secret, intimate fears she kept close to her heart beat at her chest. They wanted to be free, to find hearts and minds to burrow in and make new homes. They wanted to brood.
Which was fine, if she was right. If Luna was right, then doubt and fear were perfectly acceptable reactions. They were healthy, even, if she was right.
But I have never wished to be more wrong. And what good would it do you, Twilight, to know what it is I fear? If I am right, there is nothing to be done. But... don't you have a right to know, if I'm sending you into harm's way? Moreover, if anypony was know know how best to face such a thing, would it not be you?
"But even alicorns are still ponies. You are still a pony. I mean, aren't you? You get to be sad, and mess up sometimes, we all do. Everypony falls down sometimes, without exception. You and I both just made mistakes."
Luna turned back. She looked to Twilight carefully, traced the line of that hopeful smile with her eyes, saw how Twilight’s own caught the light of her moon. She decided.
"Twilight, I shall entrust an artifact into your keeping come the morn, before you depart. It is an amulet of sorts, a charm that might illuminate the golden steps upon the path my sister walked. I have done this before, but the ponies guided by it were... slain, on the roads near into Valon."
“Valon?”
"Yes. In the west... I knew it all so well, once. Its great verdant plains, and such rich sprawling forests!" Luna was taken with a broad smile, her eyes sparkling with memory, her words spoken in the voice of a carefree age. But only for a moment, before she shook her head, and came back to herself. "Our—ahem. My sister and I must have walked the width and breadth of the countryside three or four times over through our years in search. Valon is the gateway to the wildlands, Twilight Sparkle. The Ruby of the Shore, shining scarlet aside the emerald seas... In essence, Twilight, all told they did not make it that far."
Twilight grumbled. “Well that’s encouraging.”
Luna shook her head, smiling, and spoke firmly. "Nay, Twilight Sparkle. Remember yourself; you who years ago tamed an Ursa Minor and subdued him to sleep, who defeated the trials and malice of black-crowned Sombra single-hoofed! You shall be weighed, Twilight, but I expect you will be found far from wanting. Far indeed." She paused. "However, I did want to tell you that when you walk this path, you shall be making your way to my homeland."
“Your... I’m sorry, what?”
“Did you think my sister and I were born out of a rock? Oh, Twilight! No, we were born out of the Song itself, on the Plateau of Jannah.”
The name seemed to register. Twilight’s eyes widened, and her ears folded back.
“Wh-what did you just say?”
Luna tilted her head. “We thought you might not be familiar with the story of the forming of the world, Twilight, but you seem rather overly surprised.”
“Princess Celestia mentioned that name once before,” Twilight said, shaking her head. Her eyes avoided Luna’s gaze, casting about as if for some better answer.
"Jannah; it is a city, a grand expanse of of history." Luna too looked away for a moment, as though seeing the city anew, overlaid atop the spires of Canterlot. "Sprawling out for miles through the ages, it is a place with a pedigree that near rivals my own. At its core there lay a raised plateau, and atop that one finds the Well."
“I mean, I’ve read about the Song, but no one ever explains it. The only books old enough to mention it act like it’s common knowledge, and it isn’t, not anymore.” She sighed. “Princess Celestia mentioned seeing an old friend in Jannah.”
Luna stared at her in shock. “Why have you never spoken of this before?”
“I...” Twilight looked away, pawing at the ground. “I didn’t understand the significance? She didn’t say any more than that, and I didn’t think it was important. I never found any references to any of it.”
“Of course you didn’t. Oh, but I begin to see now,” Luna replied, and groaned. She closed her eyes, and put a hoof to her temple as if in deep and decisive thought. “Twilight, we have things to discuss, and little time in which to discuss them. Can you delay your slumber for an hour? I would advise you of the lore I fear you may need to know before you arrive in the west.”
Twilight, her ears perking up at this, nodded. Luna turned and led her towards the palace with its libraries and ancient halls. Spike fell in step beside the young mare, and though to Luna he seemed uneasy, still he managed to get a laugh out of the former librarian; something about ‘old times.’
The night’s princess put it out of her mind. There were things to talk about, in the night. Stories to tell, before Twilight would sleep.
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So, it returns. I wondered when it would.
Something I noticed.
Slight reconciliation! yay! The birthplace of Luna and Celestia you say? You have my undivided attention...
What's best is worth the wait. Take your time.
Too many words, not enough f's.
Typo shouldn't be too hard to locate.
That first conversation was a pleasure to read. It was clearly hard for Twilight to lay the situation out after all she'd been through and how little time she's spent with her oldest and closest friend. It's preferable, though, to see Spike with all six of his friends rather than just his adoptive sister; still no hint of his status with the other five. At least he'll have an important role, even if it yet again means he must stay put while the others go on a journey, which is always a disappointment. But Twilight had the right idea at the end: make some repairs to that rickety bridge between herself and the princess before setting off, especially since said life companion is about to be Luna's only non-political one. Hopefully there will be some major developments in Canderlot so the story can take us back to Spike and Luna, maybe the Apple family, etc.
It was also a good choice to send Rarity and Fluttershy up north. It's best that they both spend time on a safer journey away from Twilight now that we know the visions of death she conjured up are causing nightmares (a curious development, considering her role in the IDW comic). Wish I had more to say on the rest, but the fandom places so much exclusive attention on the six ponies that they become difficult to care about, leaving the seventh part of their group, and the one with the most dammed-up potential, as the only one I find truly interesting.
Yep, Cold Blood's definitely gonna do something evil. I can tell.
Suffix play was groan-inducing after the first dozen fanfics I saw it in. You are far too good for that. But at least it's less cliched than the misconception that Spike and Twilight have a mother/son bond.
To be fair, she never would have gotten past Sombra's door if Spike hadn't shown up, and would've taken longer on the stairs for the same reason. It also required all three of her siblings to secure the Heart. Apparently speech isn't the only thing Luna needs to brush up on.
The plot thickens, a new mystery has been added to the check list, our heroes are trying to coop with the situation and preparing for what's to come and...... maybe is the sleep deprivation and that I never take my shipping goggles of but... was that a hit of future rarydash? because if it is that would be awesome
2555986
Okay, yes, Spike is important, everyone gets that. However, he is NOT a good character for adventure fics. You need to stop expecting him to pop in- unless it takes place ten years in the future, spike being involved in the adventure means SOMEONE has to carry him most of the way, you're forced into having a weeboo you don't necessarily want, because his personality is all over the place it's hard to predict how he'd react to something particularly traumatic... He's tough to right in a story like this, and his mere existence will cause problems for the writer. Oh, and lets assume that we wanted him in the story- how does he convince Twilight to take him? She has consistently acted in a motherly fashion, trying her best to protect him from threats. It would be crazy out of character for her to let him come, and then the rest of the fic would consist of Spike causing problems but never getting the beating he deserves for it because he's the weeboo.
2558805 Let's not start this again. I'm left wondering if you even read the chapter...
“Saruman believes it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. ... Why Bilbo Baggins? I don't know. Perhaps because I am afraid, and he gives me courage.”
- The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
“Had I ever been real superhero? The most I'd ever had to offer the world was good intentions and a slightly elevated capacity to take a kicking. With no power comes no responsibility. Only, that wasn't true.”
- Kick-Ass
I can see how this can easily turn into a '300' type story; adventures in far off places juxtaposed with politics and brutality at home. Only here we have 2 groups going in different directions, chasing different goals, and the de facto ruler surrounded on all sides with only a "hero in training" as back up. Spike's gonna rock the house, I can taste it!
Also glad to see Luna and Twilight trying to mend the bridge between them. Good work so far, Cyne!
Oh, the references!
I. . . what?
Heh. Plus 5 points for inverted references.
Nope, nothing ominous 'bout that. Nope, nothing at all
Maybe he watches cartoons about talking monkeys?
Nice chapter, it was definitely worth the wait. The three different groups here ~ Twilight to the West, Rarity to the North, and Spike in Canterlot ~ should be interesting to watch, especially spike. The kind of politics and back~biting <and assassination attempts, cause hey! you gotta have at least one> will be interesting to see from the perspective of a ripped, highly intelligent dragon.
Only criticism was Applejack saying "Gods!" all the time. The princesses kind of count, kind of, but the phrase just seems out of place
.
2559479 I have a lot of plans for Spike and co.
Glad you're enjoying it so far! :3
2560526 Oh Applejack and her mouth.
Rainbow watching Rainbow... hehehehe. Derp. Lemme fix that.
so many references. :3
Ha, too bad I don't read the comics, so I know I'm missing some amazing references...sorry
2562031 I've only read the very first one! So don't worry, you ain't missin' any from those.
(Though you should if you can! They are really great. )
Hm pretty good. I'd argue that I'm a little dissapointed that this chapter was a little bit like collaboration of scenes for each handful of characters and not that much plot progress happened. I mean, to be fair there ought to be these emotional scenes where we can get to understand how the characters are feeling, but chapter 2 pretty much had plenty of that while also building the world spectacularly. I'd say it's good that you're doing this but I would have been happier to have a change up to the action again after chapter 2.
Still though, this was quite a good read.
PS: A few errors here and there but it looks like commentors are bringing it up already. Maybe just get somebody to look at it before release.
Don't let them nay sayers say anything, this stuffs good.
2598879 I'm glad you think so! Reception's been rather positive, actually.
2562280 Trust me, those errors are entirely mine afterwards. I've never had anything looked at more than TNIP. I've got so many hands in this pie it's not even funny anymore. heh
You are indeed forgiven. Just so long as I'm forgiven for taking so long to read your new chapters. I wish I could post a few comments on a new chapter right away, increase its chances of getting featured for every new chapter, but I just don't have the attention for reading all the time.
Another brilliant chapter, as usual. I came into this one after having read some other new chapters from stories on my favourites list, and looking at their 900+ upvotes for things that are close to, but not quite up to the standard of your writing, makes me wonder how to even get upvotes. It's all so much luck, isn't it? Because this story certainly deserves to be right up there with those on the other side of 500 (more deserving, in some cases). That's just my little musing for the chapter.
2603019 It's alright. If someone reads it, I'll write it.
How the world works!
Numbers are nice. Friends are better.
So I'm at peace. And also, thankya kindly
it is very good story
This mood... My god is it heavy. The feels are strong with this.
I see a Romance, Dark, and Adventure tag... But not Tragedy or Sad... Hope for a decent end? Or am I just deluding myself?
Either way... MOVING ON!
~Skeeter The Lurker
This is brilliant so far!
*see romance tag*
(Unless you plan on Twilight going at it like Blackjack from FoE:PH ...hopefully without as much trauma... )
Okay good , a romance in a post-apo setting... kind of.
*Read third chapter*
Okay , all my ships most likely sank here...
Might I ask , eventually , what are the pairing going to be ? That's spoilerish (Is that even a word...) I know but kind of like to know beforehand regarding that matter
The second 'chest' is redundant.
'Of' should be 'off,' here.
I hope not to give offense by leaving fix comments like this. If I do, I cry your pardon.
I don't know why I haven't read this yet. Delightfully Campbellian.
same
same
same
same
Called it. Luna does know something. And you write Spike very well, by the way. It seems the journey is beginning as well.
Oh boy, this is certainly going to be epic!