Prince Blueblood, Tyrant of Equestria, has a final talk with his would-be assassin.
Years have passed since Prince Blueblood has claimed the throne. In the absence of the princesses, he has crushed everyone who dared oppose his tyrannical rule.
When someone from his past tries to claim his life, the Tyrant of Equestria decides to have a talk with his would-be assassin, and reveal the secret he has been keeping for so long.
Blueblood let out a condescending sigh as he leant back in his throne. The golden crown on his head filled the room with a soft glow of sunlight, very much like the shimmering cape that adorned his back. Ten steps away—held in the air by three unicorn mages—his would-be assassin glared back.
You'll never get away with this, Those words again. Blueblood had forgotten how many times he had heard that exact phrase. Some had said it in bitterness, others in rage. Hundreds upon hundreds of voices had wept, whispered, screamed, yelled, and spat those words at him, all in the hopes they would bring a change. All of them had been rendered silent, and the so sought after change remained a distant fantasy.
"You too, Applejack?" Prince Blueblood closed his eyes. His head tilted slightly forward causing the massive platinum grown to tremble for just a moment. "Did I not give you anything you could desire?"
"Ya snake-ridden tyrant!" Applejack shouted, causing the unicorn mages to take a step back. "You and yer rotten—" A silence spell ripped her voice from her mouth, leaving the mare struggling in mid air.
A tyrant... Blueblood forced an eye open. They continue to call him that: enemies, discontents, allies, even his most treasured friends... even Macintosh. Blueblood had shared things with his lover that he hadn't with anypony. He had granted him favours that were seen by many to be generous—even ludicrous—and, despite that, his sister had attempted to kill him in cold blood. The element of Honesty had actually lied for no more than a chance to send him to Tartarus.
"What I've done, I've done for Celestia," he proclaimed, looking at her with contempt. She was the fourth element to face him in the last year. First was Rainbow Dash, of course. Barely a month after he ascended to the throne, she had lead a coup with half the Wonderbolts, starting the second bloodiest civil war in Equestrian history. Blueblood's archers had pinned her to the wall in this very hall, while she cursed Blueblood with her final breath.
Blind, foolish Loyalty. The Prince waved a hoof lazily. Immediately, one of the servants trotted to him with a bowl of wine on a platinum platter. Arriving near the bodies he stopped, head bowed low and waited. Blueblood glanced at him from the corner of his eyes. Taste it. He tapped the side of his throne.
Rarity had been the second Element to try and kill him, and had almost succeeded. She had spent months charming her way into his good graces. All those social gatherings she had attended, all those days devoted spreading his propaganda to every corner of Equestria had fooled everyone—Blueblood included— into thinking that she had accepted the change of rule. In truth, she had been biding her time, waiting for the precise moment to strike. The moment had been during the first anniversary of Blueblood's rule. Rarity had gone out of her way to find the most exquisite bottle of Château d'Aubergines 929 to toast the occasion. Both of them had clinked their glasses, before downing them. Blueblood still remembered the slightly sweetish accent of the poison mixed in with the fruity bouquet of flavour. He also remembered Rarity dropping to the ground alongside him. Generous to the end, offering your life for everypony else's.
"Well?" Blueblood's voice echoed in the hall.
The servant trembled. The bowl floated off the platter, wrapped by his magic, to his lips. A moment's hesitation, a second of doubt, and a set of six arrows pierced the servant, dead.
"Clean that up." Blueblood pointed to the lifeless body bleeding at the base of his throne. "And tell Fancy to diminish sunshine rations by ten percent." He glanced once more at Applejack. "No exceptions."
A new set of unicorn mages emerged from the sides of the hall, levitating the unfortunate servant away, bowl, platter, blood, and all. In less than a minute there wasn't even a trace of the incident. Instead, a new servant was standing before the Prince—head held low—testing a new bowl of wine.
"Let her go," Blueblood ordered, nodding in Applejack's direction. "Then get out."
With a ‘pop’ the spell around Applejack was gone, releasing the mare from its clutches. The unicorns didn't even give her a second glance, as they trotted out of the throne-room.
"Unquestionable loyalty." Blueblood took a sip of his wine. "They know they'll lose their dream rations if they disobey."
"There still are dreams?" Applejack's voice quivered with disbelief. "But I reckoned that Princess Luna—"
"Was gone?" Blueblood let out an arrogant laugh. "Was dead? Stupid, honest Applejack, I can grant dreams and sunlight to anyone I choose. I'm surprised your brother didn't tell you."
Always the gentle heart, aren't you, lover? Hiding it from your own sister so she'd despise me less? Blueblood, finished the wine in his bowl, then let it grip on the floor. The time for presences had past. Now you get to see. The Prince leaned forward. His incandescently white body slid off the throne with the grace of a fashion model. His golden cape glimmered for a few seconds under the light of the setting sun, then dropped to the floor revealing a set of flawless wings.
"What in..." Applejack's eyes widened.
"Magnificent, aren't they?" Blueblood smirked, flaunting them with every step towards her. "A final gift from Auntie Celestia before her retirement."
"I-I-I ain't letting ya win," Applejack stuttered taking a step back. "And neither is Shining. He'll make ya pay—"
"For what I've done," Blueblood finished for her. "How rurally naive. Do you think the Crystal Empire is any better? In a few years its Lord-Protector will realize the truth and impose the same restrictions I have." His voice echoed in the empty hall. "Rationed love." Applejack winced in pain. "Rationed magic."
"Twilight ain't gonna—"
"Twilight is dying!" Blueblood shouted. "As is Celestia and every other alicorn princess! Did you think they just took a hike? Twilight hasn't made a public appearance in months. The next one she does will probably be her last. I'm not even sure if Flurry Heart is still alive. My relations with Shining have been—" Blueblood paused, shaking his mouth in search of the correct word, "—strained recently."
"But the sun!" Trembling, Applejack looked in the direction of the nearest window.
"It'll be gone in a few years." The Prince flapped his wings, stopping in front of her. "Maybe a few decades at most if I ration it properly. Equestria will run out of dreams far before that, though. I give it seven years. Maybe a few more before depression sets in."
The two ponies looked at each other in silence. There's eyes did all the talking necessary. Just as Pinkie Pie, the Prince thought. Barely a month had passed since he had led the same conversation with the Element of Laughter. She too had come with the intention to make a change, passing though his guards as if she were Discord himself. Blueblood's words had left her completely shattered.
"Can Ah see 'em?" Applejack whispered, breaking the silence.
"You don't want to see them." Blueblood shook his head. "They aren't as you remember them."
"Please."
For the slightest moment, Blueblood's expression softened. The arrogant sharpness of his features melted away, revealing the pony underneath—not the Tyrant Prince, not The Betrayer, not the alicorn, but a simple pony, ground down by years of exhaustion.
"Go to Luna's Tower," he told her. "The guards won't stop you."
You'll never get away with this, Blueblood thought, as he watched Applejack leave the throne-room. The same phrase repeated time and time again. Everyone kept insisting, both friends and foes. And yet here he was, desperately keeping Equestria in existence with every ounce of strength he had left. To achieve that, however, he had to remain alive, be it as a heartless Tyrant.
"Guards!" Blueblood shouted, levitating his cape back on. "Double all shifts, and have mages on the outer walls." One Element was yet to pay him a visit, and he intended to be ready when she did.
The sheets were covered in cold sweat. Another dreamless night. I’ve been getting more and more of those lately. The only dream I’ve had in the past nine days was of my mother screaming incessantly in a dark room. It was so terrifying it woke me up, releasing the contents of my stomach on the floor. Yet, I'd still choose it over dreamlessness.
I stared at the ceiling for a few minutes, then made the effort to get out of bed. Even with three lamps burning, the room seemed grey. My coat and mane were in no better shape, and I could only guess what my eyes looked like. The temptation to go lie back down was unbearable. Sadly, I had an appearance to uphold.
Shaking off as much sweat as I could, I went to the window. Another dark morning—not sunless, not somber, but completely dark—no sun, no moon, no stars. Auntie was slipping again. She had been slipping for months: first a few seconds, then minutes; soon we would be nearing hours. Everypony knew it, yet all they did was set their clocks and watches back.
“Let’s go through the motions,” I whispered and moved away. Time for my grooming. At this point I was one of five beings who bothered to maintain an appearance. That fact itself filled two pages of every newspaper in Equestria. Sad, considering how many important things could be in print instead.
I left my room. The guards in the corridor barely noticed my presence. Guards. I snorted in contempt. More like statues. I’d laugh if the situation wasn’t so bleak. The entire palace had become a tomb—cold, dim, and completely cheerless. I walked on. To Tartarus with the guards! They were tired, but so was I, more than most ponies could imagine.
The walk to the bathroom was tedious. A few maids bowed as I passed. I acknowledged their presence with a nod. A while back, I would have flirted, maybe even given them a compliment or two.
As I approached the door, a stallion appeared round the corridor. White coat, blue mane, lots of sparkling body gear… Shining Armor? I paused. Seeing him was a surprise. Since he had become Captain-Prince of the Crystal Empire, he rarely appeared in Canterlot. There was no official visit planned, nor had I heard of a reason for him to be invited. So what was he doing here?
“Shining.” I tried to make up for my ghastly appearance by straightening my posture. His mane was messy, his eyes practically cracks on his face.
“Oh, hi Blue.” He smiled at me, one of those tired smiles that screamed ‘to Tartarus with everything.’ “How’ve you been?”
“Couldn’t be better,” I lied. Either my hubris or the sight of his wretched state wouldn't let me complain. “Yourself? How’s Cadance?” I almost felt weird asking.
“Not well,” he sighed. Instantly I knew something was wrong. “Flurry is sick. Cadance, Sunburst, and every other royal mage is trying to find the cause, but…” The ominous silence said it all. He had already prepared himself for the worst. “I’ve come to ask Princess Celestia for help. She hasn’t been returning Cadance’s letters.”
She hasn't been returning anypony's, I thought. Even Twilight Sparkle had been hounding the palace twice a week in hopes of getting an audience.
"Did she give you the runaround?" I chose to cushion the blow.
"I'm off to see her now," he said with a yawn. That was surprising. I never thought she'd agree to such a thing. Then again, if there was anyone who'd she talk to, it would be him. As much as Auntie liked Twilight, she no longer considered the “Princess of Friendship” her apprentice. Flurry Heart, however, would become that in time.
"Well, let me not waste your time." I forced a smile, but knew it was weak. "Let me know how it goes."
Shining nodded, then disappeared down the corridor. It seemed even the Captain-Prince wasn't immune to troubles. I never would have thought.
The bathroom was chilly, despite it being summer. The maids must have forgotten to heat it again. I used a touch of magic to heat up the shower cloud, then started washing.
"What am I going to do today?" I asked. I felt beyond pathetic. I could cycle the dance clubs again. Lately they seemed to be the only sparks of joy in the greatness that was Canterlot. Maybe I could take up Spitfire on her offer and visit the Wonderbolt academy? At least that would be a change.
Less than five minutes in I heard a knock at the door. I promptly ignored it. The staff should know better than to disturb me during my shower. The knock persisted. Somepony had no intention of leaving me alone.
"Yess?" I hissed. Decades of being useless and there's always somepony who still comes to me for advice.
"The Princess has asked for you." The voice was Raven’s. Other than myself, she was the only pony in the palace that remained unchanged. Now, though, I could hear worry in her words.
"I'll be there as soon as I finish—"
"Now," she said, cutting me short. "She wants to talk to you now."
"And I'll be there," I growled. Not even Auntie could be so demanding as to have me rush out of the shower. "As soon as I freshen up and get groomed!" However, I still set the cloud to drizzle. It was unusual for Auntie to ask for me.
"No, Blueblood." The door opened. "You're going now."
So arrogant. If anypony else dared speak to me this way they would have Tartarus to pay. I wasn't in the mood, especially now. One look at her face was enough to silence my thoughts. The crush of my youth was now reduced to a sack of bones covered in skin. Her brownish mane, once elegant and sparkling, was now a grey mess barely held together in a bun.
"Raven..." I took a step towards her. Instantly she turned away, afraid as if my touch would cause her to crumble to dust.
"Don't," she whispered. "Please. Just go to her."
"Alright." The grooming would have to wait. "Throne room?"
"Tower," Raven replied, moving away. "Shining’s visit has concluded early; I'll see him off. Tell me when you know what needs to be done."
A shiver passed through me at her remark. Before I could ask what she meant, Raven was gone. Knowing her, she wouldn't tell me even if she had stayed. I cast a quick drying spell over myself. Canterlot might be going to Tartarus, but I wasn't going to be caught looking like a common scarecrow.
My hoofsteps echoed through the empty halls as I made my way to Auntie's quarters. Not too long ago I was complaining about the constant noise and laughter that filled the palace. Now I couldn't be sure if that had ever been real. Was it possible that all the colours I remembered seeing as a child had been but a foal’s imagination?
The closer I got to Auntie's door the less guards there were, as if some force had pushed them away. Maybe it's the problems of the west, I thought. There were rumours of troubles near the sea. A whole regiment of guards had been gone there a month ago. A total information blackout had soon followed. Fancy Pants had let it let slip once that the troubles were more than a rumour, but had stopped short of outright confirming anything.
"I’m here, Auntie," I said, reaching Celestia's bedchamber. No answer. The door stood before me, cold and imposing. "Auntie?" I knocked. Still nothing. Did Raven lie to me?
I knocked once more, harder this time. To my surprise, the door slid open.
"Finally,” I whispered under my breath, but at the same time a sense of dread swept over me. My forelegs froze in place, refusing to let me continue onward. My hind legs, however, managed to give enough of a push for me to enter.
"Good morning, Auntie." I said, trying to make my posture as cocky as possible. "You're late with this morning’s sunrise again."
If there was an answer I didn’t catch it. My mind was too busy adapting to what my eyes were seeing. This wasn't the bedchamber of the Sun Princess! This was an abandoned room, dimly lit by a single flickering candle, so cold that I could see my own breath. Trays of untouched food lined both sides of the once-majestic bed, and between them, shivering, curled up like wet cat, was the ruler of Equestria herself.
"Auntie?" I barely resisted the urge to flee.
The creature I once called ‘aunt’ budged. Her ears flicked twice, then her eyes opened and turned in my direction. As fast as a sloth in winter she raised her head, then sat up in a clumsy attempt to appear regal. It was pitiful.
"What happened to you?" I gazed over her weak body. Her legs and wings were trembling.
"I'm dying, Blueblood," she said softly, her words hitting me like a thunderbolt.
"What? But you can't—" I stopped. Somewhere in the back of my mind I heard the voice of reason laughing at me. The embodiment of the sun itself had just told me she was dying, and I had to respond with the greatest of all clichés?
"And I'm not the only one." The shock of the statement returned me to a state of normality.
"Luna?" That would explain my dreamless nights, as well as everypony's worsening condition. Remove one's dreams and they have far less to live for. Psychologists and philosophers had always taken that theory for granted. I wondered how they would feel seeing they were right.
"All alicorns," she clarified.
Flurry Heart! I thought. "How?"
"Fate?" Auntie shrugged. "Sickness? Magic?" A smile appeared on her face. Even on her deathbed, she hadn't lost her horrible sense of humour.
“You don't know?” Anger burned inside me. “You've been in this state for stars know how long and you never once—” My vision blurred for a moment. I needed more air.
“I tried,” she said. I could taste the sadness in her words. “It's no longer important. In a decade I expect there'll only be one alicorn left in Equestria."
"Who?" My mouth felt dry. A single alicorn, a single ruler over all. How would everypony react? I barely knew how I would! I caught myself staring at her mouth. Auntie must have noticed as well, because she coughed a laugh.
"You," she pointed at me.
I didn't speak. What was there to say? That I was horrified? That much was obvious. Hearing my ruler, the physical embodiment of the sun, announce my ascension from her deathbed made me wish I was having a nightmare.
"You're speechless?” She tried to laugh. “You used to beg me for a pair of wings when you were younger; now you get—"
"Auntie, stop!" I spat the words with rage. I didn't want her gone. Not her, not Luna, not Cadence and her daughter, not even Twilight. "I—"
"There's no one left, Nephew." She tried to take a step towards me, but her shaking foreleg stopped mid way. "If Equestria is to survive, you have to accept my wings and my burden." She started coughing again—the deep watery cough that makes ponies turn away. "You will be my hope: the first, last, and only male alicorn Equestria will ever know."
"But I'm an idiot." My voice was trembling. I turned away, avoiding her glance. “A fop, a snob, a playcolt—” A tear rolled down my cheek. It was surprisingly warm, unlike everything else in this sun forsaken room.
"Please," Celestia pleaded. "Please, take the sun and moon and guide my ponies for me. Please let them have a future."
Easy for her to say. By her own words she'd be gone in a few years. The troubles of Equestria would no longer matter to her. I was going to see what follows, I was going to live it, carrying the burden of an entire world on my back… and I didn't think I would endure.
“Will you do that for me, my bright eyes Blueblood?”
I looked up. For a moment I saw Celestia as I remembered her—strong, kind, almighty, the caring deity that had raised me after my mother's death. I reached towards her, in an attempt to share my fears, as I used to when I was a colt. Before I could utter a single word the moment was gone. A weak shadow of a goddess was looking back at me, asking for my strength.
The single light in the room flickered out, plunging everything in darkness, and in that darkness I whispered, "Yes."
Screams filled the corridor. Even two layers of sound isolation spells couldn't hold the constant wails. I sighed, as I made my way to the dungeon door. Less than a decade ago, this whole complex was nothing but a latticework of caves under Canterlot. After the changeling invasions, Auntie Celestia had transformed them into a prison complex. Ironically, the only current occupants were her and her sister.
"Open it," I told the guard. He looked at me with dark bloodshot eyes, then obeyed.
"I won't go! I won't fade into the darkness!" Screams hit me as the iron door slid aside. I closed my ears on reflex. No avail. If spells couldn't block the noise my ears wouldn't either. "Nooo! Nooo!"
She was at it again. It hurt how much she had changed in the last few months. Luna, Warrior Princess, Sovereign of the Night, Keeper of Dreams, Diarch of Equestria, reduced to a wailing wretch... my heart ached at the thought.
Taking a deep breath, I continued along the corridor. There were no torches on the walls—I had ordered them removed two weeks ago. How foolish I was to think that by removing the light I could ease her slumber.
"Cadence! Twilight! Take them instead!" The shouts grew louder with every step. "They don't deserve wings! Don't deserve power!"
The same story again. The first time I told Luna that the affliction hadn't taken Twilight's strength yet, she had been happy. As the disease ate through her, that joy transformed into hatred.
"We are Luna! We are Nightmare Moon!" The ground shook with her screams. "We are the night! It will not engulf us! We will never cease to exist!"
The end of the corridor. The darkness was full, but my recently obtained powers let me see through it. I made the final few steps, crossing the invisible threshold into Luna's cell. Sensing me, she froze. The screams stopped, as two venomous blue eyes glared at me.
"Hello, Aunt Luna," I said softly.
"You!" she hissed, trying to break the chains that bound her to the wall. "You stole my wings!" She waved a wing stub at me. I grit my teeth in an attempt not to cringe. It was Luna who had torn her own wings off three weeks ago. Her scream had pierced the entire castle. I remember galloping into her cell only to find it on the floor still twitching. And yet that hadn't been the worst. Ten steps away—screaming, shedding blood and feathers—Luna had sunk her teeth into her remaining wing in a furious attempt to rip it off her body. I remember vomiting on the cell floor while she finished the deed.
"Your wings will grow back, Auntie," I said. At this point it didn't matter whether she could tell I was lying. "I came to help you sleep."
"Lies!" The strength of her yell pushed me a whole step back. "I won't let you take me! You won't fade me!"
"You're not going to fade, Auntie." I took a step forward. "You are just feeling unwell. I'm only here to h—"
"You think that I've lost my mind!" She laughed at me. "You think that because plague has claimed my body I don't know what's happening? I'm not some decrepit old mare you can throw away in a cell and forget! I'll survive through this and outlive you all!"
I clenched my jaw. I had hoped the illness would take her mind completely. At least then things would have been easier. The alicorn plague had affected each of the princesses in a different way. Auntie Celestia had merely closed her eyes and fallen in a deep sleep. Ever since our fateful talk she had only woken up twice, a few minutes each time, before peacefully passing back into oblivion. Flurry Heart was being consumed by her own magic; seven Crystal Empire wizards stood by her bed at any one time, draining as much of her mana as they could in an attempt to slow down the process. Cadence had developed dementia, often forgetting where she was and what she was doing there. As for Luna... she had succumbed to madness.
"Return our power!" She spat at me. "Return our dreams, our nightmares! They are ours to command! You stole them from us! Usurped them as you did the throne!"
"You gave them to me to guard until—"
"Lies! Thief!" She rattled her chains, trying to tear them out of the wall. "My dreams! My lovely precious dreams," she lamented, weeping. I looked away. "My precious dreams, my precious sweet little ponies... I don't want them to fade away..."
I grabbed the chance. My spell pierced Luna's mind while she was at her weakest. Our minds linked. I could feel her sorrow, her anger, her unimaginable fear—fear of fading away into nothingness. The weight of the realization crushed me, making me lose balance.
"Help me, Blueblood!" the last grain of sanity in her mind pleaded. "Don't abandon me!"
Instead, I slammed the door in front of it, cutting it off the rest of her mind like a steel trap. If sanity was making her behave like this, I would remove it. At least now she wouldn't feel the pain for a while... until the next time the grain burned through my mental cage.
With a yell I broke the mental link. Exhaustion took its toll, sending me crashing onto the floor. My entire body was drenched in sweat. Gasping for breath, I looked up. Luna, or what used to be Luna, stared at me, her glance devoid of any sentience. In removing her rage, I had also removed her reason to do anything at all. For the next few weeks she would have to be force fed just to remain alive. It was an unpleasant and wasteful experience, but I was going to see to it. I owed her that much, at least.
"You could have given her a dream," a voice said beside me. "She would have liked that."
Twilight. Of course she would be here. She was one of three ponies aware of the fate that awaited Equestria. When I had first told her, I feared she would enter a rage that would start a civil war throughout the realm. Rather, she had chosen to remain in the Crystal Empire to be close to her niece and brother.
"Were you here the whole time?" I stood up. The pain was still excruciating, but my alicorn magic helped take off the edge.
"No," she replied, not moving from her position. "I was watching."
Watching. I laughed at the irony. Before she vanished from Canterlot, Twilight had managed to learn Auntie Celestia's See-all spell. A few months later the sickness had stolen her sight. Now the Princess of Friendship was completely blind, relying solely on magic to perceive the world around her.
"I'm proclaiming myself ruler at dawn," I said. The words tasted bitter in my mouth.
"Are you sure that's the right choice?" Twilight stood next to me. "Everyone will hate you for it."
"I'm sure they will, but they'll hate me more if I delay. Ponies are starting to ask questions and even with my magic I can't keep the secret much longer."
"As you wish," Twilight sighed. "I'll stay in the Empire. I want to spend whatever time I have left with my family. Take care, Blueblood." With a flash she was gone, leaving me alone with Luna once more. Saliva was dripping from the corner of her mouth onto the floor.
I shook my head. Who was the greater fool of us all? Maybe it was the destiny of the universe for all alicorns to perish, taking everything else with them. Turning around, I headed towards the exit. There were matters that demanded my attention.
"You were wrong, Twilight," I said, walking through the corridor. "I don't do this because I wish. I do it because I must."
I delayed sunrise by one hour. All Equestria was probably panicking, yet I didn't care. Today was a day of mourning and should be remembered as such.
The grass cracked under my hooves as I made my way to the graveyard. I had hoped that the icy mist would keep most ponies home until noon. I should have known I would be mistaken. All of them were already there when I arrived: the Elements, Rainbow's friends, even the crusader fillies. I could feel their icy glares on me as I made my way to the grave. They hated me, and at this moment I couldn't blame them. Rainbow Dash might have rebelled against me, yet I was the one who had her killed. I might as well have shot the lethal bolt myself.
"What in tarnation are you doin' here?!" Applejack swaggered towards me. She was drunk. I could smell it from here. Ever since Rainbow's death she had sought solace at the bottom of a barrel. "I oughta buck you one right in the face! Comin' here with your white cape and fancy crown! I oughta—"
"Not here, sis." Big McIntosh hushed her. How I envied his strength and calm. He was smart enough to know something was happening and strong enough not to let it ruin his life. "Dash died to end the fighting. What would she think if she saw ya startin' a fight on her wake?"
"Yes, Applejack," Rarity chimed in. Since the unfortunate rebellion, she was the only Element that chose to take my side. She had one condition, of course: that nothing bad happened to her little sister. "His Majesty has just as much right to be here as anypony else. And while my heart bleeds for the disastrous events that took place a moon ago, we must move on. For the sake of Equestria, we—"
"Bah! Y'all are cowards, every apple-picking one of ya!" Applejack shouted. "Y'all think because he wears a tin hat he can jump up and down like a rotten filly? He killed Rainbow Dash! How could y'all—" She burst into tears, sobbing like a drunkard who had lost all hope.
How ironic that hers was the only adequate reaction. If they knew what I did, the others would join her on the spot. Instead, they hid everything under a mask of false hopes and presences, clinging to the dream of better days.
"Hush now, darling." Rarity pulled her away. "I know, I know. We all miss her. You more than most."
I watched the two mares walk off towards Sweet Apple Acres. The way she was going, Applejack could become a concern in a few years' time. Thankfully, for the moment she was harmless. I was more inclined to have her watched out of fear she might harm herself. Losing another Element so early in my reign wasn't something I could afford.
"They don't like ya," McIntosh said. He didn't bother lowering his voice.
"Don't they?" I hissed. There was no reason for the comment to make me angry, and yet my nostrils flared. "If they had any idea of what—"
"Then why don't you tell them?" He cut me short.
My entire body shook with rage. With a single word I could send him to the Canterlot dungeons, or banish him beyond Equestria. The stallion looked at me as calm as a statue then shrugged and walked away. Thank the stars he did. The recent uprising had me on edge. Gritting my teeth, I tried to think what had brought me here. The burden Celestia had put on my shoulders was unbearable. It took all my efforts just to keep things going. I deserved thanks for what I was doing! Ponies everywhere should be worshipping my efforts! Instead I got ridicule, dissent, betrayal—useless annoyances that distracted me from my real task.
I took a deep breath. Coming here was a mistake. However, it was too late for me to back out. Burying my emotions, I went to Rainbow Dash’s final resting place.
The grave was made of pure white marble. I had refused to use the epitaph Twilight had requested, providing one of my own: Rainbow Dash, Loyal to a fault. I could not allow it be mentioned she was a Wonderbolt or Element of Harmony. Doing so would threaten a new civil war.
"You did it, Rainbow," I whispered over her grave. "You won." At least she had died a hero, fighting for what she believed in. Would I be as fortunate?
I remained at the grave a few minutes more, then headed for my carriage. Walking tired me. Tomorrow I would appoint Fancy Speaker of the Court. Let him play politics, while I try to find a way to save us all.
"You need to tell somepony," a voice said, interrupting my thoughts. I looked over my shoulder. To my surprise McIntosh was there again. "You'll go insane if you don't."
"Oh?" I turned around to face him. "What could your puny little mud mind understand?" I mocked. "Run along and be the good brother and keep your sister from drowning in a barrel. That's the only thing you're good at."
"Nope." He stepped forward. "Not till ya speak your mind."
"You don't want to know anything!" I hissed. The anger was back in full force. "You just want to live your stupid little life, enjoying your illusion of happiness!" The words came pouring out. "You're like all the rest! You don't care what's going on, as long as it makes you imagine yourself safe! The six-month dread, the civil war, even the death of your friend!" I felt something burning down my cheek. "I didn't ask for this! I don't enjoy it! If I had a choice—"
Without warning McIntosh grabbed me and pulled me towards him. His foreleg placed my head on his shoulder, keeping it there almost forcefully.
"I know," he whispered into my ear. I felt his hoof slide through my mane.
"You don't know anything," I sobbed, my tears falling into his fur. "They are dying. All of them." I relaxed my head onto him, incapable of moving away. "The sun, the moon, the dreams... everything is fading away."
"It ain't your fault." His voice was soft, soothing. It only increased my pain.
"I never wanted this! I didn't want to watch them go insane." There were almost as many words as tears. "I didn't want to keep them locked away."
"It ain't your fault."
"I didn't want a civil war," I sobbed on, my voice weaker. "I couldn't tell Rainbow Dash. I didn't want another Spitfire. And instead... instead..."
"It ain't your fault," McIntosh said adamantly. "It ain't."
I kept on talking for hours, spitting every bit of pain and sorry I had gathered throughout the years. The alicorn plague, Luna's insanity, Flurry Heart's death... hundreds upon hundreds of horrors I had seen, the lives I took, the regrets I had. And all that time he just stood there, holding me, repeating one single phrase on and on.
All of them had gathered, the entire Wonderbolt command, eagerly expecting the news. Spitfire glanced briefly at their faces. Anger was written on each one, anger at the obligatory draft, at the new regulations, at the new ruler himself. Some openly referred to him as the Tyrant-Snob, when they bothered mentioning him at all.
"Well, Captain?" Rainbow Dash asked. "How'd it go?"
How'd it go? The question seemed so irrelevant that Spitfire could laugh.
"We're under direct crown control," she said, making her way to the office. "Nopony flies anywhere without written orders from the Prince. Home leave is suspended until further notice."
"But, Captain!" Rainbow Dash shouted above the roars of her colleagues. "What about—"
"I'll tell you about further changes as I learn them." Spitfire walked on. Shouts erupted around her, only to be ignored. They're better off not knowing, she thought. Right now, this was the best she could do for them.
Closing the door behind her, the captain of the Wonderbolts went to the filing cabinet and opened the drawer. A bottle of hard cider lay inside, along with a bag of rock salt. Spitfire reached for the bottle. Upon touching it she stopped—matters had escalated beyond salt or alcohol at this point. Shutting the drawer, she looked around her office. Certificates, awards, medals, two signed pictures of Princess Celestia herself: her entire life since she had become number taken over as captain. The space between these four walls was her refuge, her castle, yet today it seemed so fragile and insignificant.
"Damn you, Blueblood!" she whispered, kicking the cabinet with her forehoof. "Why did you have to tell me?" When she had gone to see him, she had expected a confrontation. She had been prepared to be relieved of command, stripped of all rank, and possibly even court martialed. Instead, the bastard had told her everything!
One decade to live, a few more if restrictions were imposed—that was the future that awaited Equestria, and there wasn't a damned thing anyone could do about it. Blueblood was deluding himself to believe otherwise. How could he—a mere unicorn—succeed where four alicorns had failed? Even if Princess Twilight was helping with his research, he could never attain the unattainable and no number of restrictions would change that.
"Captain!" The office door swung open. "What happened?"
"Not now, Crash." Spitfire didn't bother to turn around.
"Then when?!" Rainbow Dash shouted, slamming the door behind her. "Ever since the idiot snob took over things have gone to shit! Half Equestria is mobilized! I have friends who aren't allowed to leave their hometowns. Ponies need a permit to use the trains or any sort of air transport. Just yesterday I got mail that Pinkie Pie, the Element of Laughter who's saved Equestria ten times over, has been ‘relocated’ to the rock farm of her parents. Soarin's sister—"
"We live in trying times, Crash." Spitfire went to her desk and sat down. "Blueblood is doing what he can."
"And that involves, I don't know, turning the royal guards into his personal thugs and us into show ponies?" Rainbow Dash stomped on the floor. "It was bad enough we got into arguments with the guard every time we bothered to help somepony, but now you're telling me we're not allowed to do it at all? Ponyfeathers, Captain!"
"We serve the Crown, Crash." If only you knew the truth Dash, you'd lose the will to fly.
Six months ago, Spitfire had made a decision to become a mother. Work wasn't as much fun as it used to be, the world was starting to look a little dimmer... At the time, Spitfire had thought it was because of her age. She wasn't as young as she used to be, so maybe it was time to pass the torch and start a family. How could she have possibly imagined that Equestria’s sun really was getting dimmer?
"We serve goodness and righteousness!" Rainbow Dash shouted. "And Bluesnob isn't either! He might wear the crown, but he's no Celestia!"
"If we don't comply, the royal guards will take our place." Spitfire took a pen and a sheet of paper. "Do you want to start a civil war?" Rainbow Dash froze. Her eyes widened in horror. "At least we have peace now."
"Is that what he threatened you with?! Did he—"
"Crash." Spitfire looked up, the pen in the corner of her mouth, face as pale as a sheet. "Rainbow. Please let this go. I know it's not what anypony wanted, but it's the best we have. Trust me."
Rainbow Dash didn't flinch. She opened her mouth to say something, but didn't go through. With an angry shake of her head she turned around and flew out, leaving the door open behind her.
It's better this way, Dash. No one else must know.
Spitfire finished the letter. It didn't say much—a simple apology and wishes for them to be strong, four words in total. There was so much more she wanted to say, so many she wanted to say it to, but how many words do you need to announce the end of the world?
"Forgive me, Princess," Spitfire said to the photo of Celestia on the wall. "I'm just not that strong. I can't bear this." She turned to the window. The sun was shining bright, but it brought her no joy.
A decade of light, Spitfire thought. More if there are rations. Only a monster would think of sunlight rations, Blueblood, even if a noble monster. The pegasus took one final glance at the life she was leaving behind, then thrust towards the sun.
"One last kiss, Princess," she whispered.
The air cut like ice as she ascended. Spitfire pushed upward for a while longer, then paused to a level flight. This was the first time she had ventured so far above the clouds. As a cadet she would often play chicken with other Wonderbolt candidates, challenging them to see who could move closer to the sky. Now she was closer to the sun than she ever had been.
“You believe it's necessary, do you?" Fancy Pants asked, sipping the last of his latest glass of Scotch. Seeing my disapproval he levitated a the bottle towards me. "Fancy a drink?" he offered. "Golden Special. Eighty years old single malt. Cost me a fortune back when money actually meant something."
"Haven't you had too much?" I directed my attention to the window, looking out on the seven rays of white light connecting Canterlot to the pale moon in the sky.
"On the contrary, old boy." Fancy filled up his glass. "If anything, I haven't had enough." He gulped half of his drink, then placed it on the table. Always the sophisticated aristocrat, even now. "How else do you expect me to go ahead with this?"
"It's necessary..."
"Sending a quarter of a Canterlot to the moon?" Fancy snorted then got back to his Scotch.
I couldn't blame him. The decision to mass banish what remained of Equestria to the moon wasn't made lightly. And yet, I hadn’t felt a thing. It was all out of necessity, just numbers on a scroll, that's what life had become to me. My goal was to prevent the number from reaching zero. Other than that, nothing mattered—not since McIntosh passed away. Only numbers mattered now.
"The moon will keep them alive. It has lasted longer than anything else on Equestria."
"And in the meantime there'll be less of them to feed, right?" Fancy refilled his glass. "I guess you'll finally have your four hour day. That was your life's goal, if I remember correctly.”
Clever pony. Fancy had always been clever, far more than ponies gave him credit for. When Auntie Celestia was alive I took him for a fool who only reached his position thanks to his family fortune and political connections. The way he talked, the way he dressed, the way he acted in public, all reminded me of those annoying nobles who tried to worm themselves in the palace. As it turned out, he was far more than that.
"Do you think Auntie made a mistake choosing me?" I glanced at the Scotch bottle. It was nearly empty. "Would things have been difficult with you at the helm?"
"Oh, absolutely." He tried to stand up, but the alcohol pulled back onto the couch. "You've been in my dreams, haven't you, old chum?" He laughed. "Not a day goes by without me imagining bringing you down. My word, it's glorious each time. Everyone rejoicing, the sun flaring up rekindled by our cheers, even the Princesses awakening from their slumber. And do you know the irony of it all?" I shook my head. "I can only afford these fantasies because of the dream rations you've been giving me. Without them I'd be as brainless and docile as what passes for a royal guard these days."
"I’ve never looked into your dreams," I said. "Too much effort."
"Yes, quite." The last of the bottles contents poured into his glass. "Eyes on the prize and all that. So, tell me old boy, have you figured out anything? Are you any closer to this glorious discovery that will save us all?"
A few years ago I would have been angry at anyone who held such a tone. Things being as they were, I no longer cared. Of course, I wasn't going to tell him the truth. The most cruel thing I could do to anyone now was to give them hope.
"Possibly," I replied, knowing perfectly well how he'd interpret it.
"Possibly." He laughed again. "Two decades of misery for a possibly? Though, I ought to be grateful. The way things are going, you'll probably manage to grant me another decade or so of misery before it's over. Splendid show, I say. Let's drink to that."
If only that were true. In truth, the sun had less than two years left. It didn't matter if I reduced sunlight to one hour or even a minute per day. The magic sustaining it was fading, and if Twilight's calculations were to be trusted, it would poof in a cloud of darkness anytime between sixteen and twenty moons from now. There was an entirely different reason I didn't want it to shine. Fancy just wouldn't understand and I needed him alive, just in case things worked out.
"Fleur went insane again yesterday," the stallion announced once he finished the last of his Scotch. "Tried to use her magic to set her room on fire. She failed, of course. There's hardly enough magic nowadays to cast a glow spell. When she realized, she started bashing her against the wall. Broke her horn in half before the guards could stop her."
"Again?" I moved away from the window. Fancy had never mentioned any of this before. "I'll give you some more love rations."
"To Tartarus with your love rations!" he hissed. "That's your answer for everything isn't it? Why do you think I never told you about her episodes? Do you honestly think she would be happier as a love addict? Do you think I would? You of all ponies should know how well that ends."
"Careful, Fancy..." I wasn’t going to let anyone talk that way about my McIntosh. His decision had been his own.
"Or what? You'll kill the only fool willing to speak to you? No, old boy, we're stuck with each other." He levitated the empty bottle, examining it closely, making sure he hadn't missed any precious drops of liquid. Finding none, he sighed and made a sign to one of the guards to bring him another. I allowed the order go unchallenged.
Outside, a single ray of light still shone upon the moon—the last few dozen souls transported. For over a thousand years the practice was considered unspeakably horrendous. Funny how it had become the last hope of a dying world. If in banishment I managed to preserve enough ponies to last through this entropy, I could at least die knowing I had succeeded. Everything in my research pointed to it being the only permanent solution—Equestria's lifeboat.
There was just one catch: I couldn't be sure any pony would survive the process. That's why five weeks from now I was going to visit the moon and check on them myself. If they managed to survive I'd send the next batch, and the next, until the only pony in this fading land was me. Then, finally, I'd do what needed to be done.
“Lunar Delight, a hundred and twenty years old,” Fancy said behind me. “Are you positive you don't want a drop?” I heard the pop of a cork, followed by the splashing of liquid in a glass. “I'm sure it fits the occasion perfectly.”
“No.” I stared at the moon, its surface scarred by the thousands of new souls it bore.
The staircase narrowed as we went further up. When I first had Auntie moved from the dungeon I had spent weeks making sure the tower was escape proof. Such a waste waste of time and effort. Celestia wasn't going out, and nopony would want to go in.
"Your soldiers are, like, mega unhappy," Pinkie Pie said behind me. Even after I'd told her the truth she couldn't remain silent for more than twenty seconds. "Maybe let them have a party every week?" I wasn't sure what was worse—her keeping hope, or her trying to share it with me. Ten minutes ago she had tried to kill me... and had come dangerously close to succeeding.
Celestia's door, cast in enchanted gold, loomed before me. Only three ponies were allowed through: Fancy Pants, myself, and what remained of Raven. It was a shame that my best efforts couldn't stop Raven from withering away. Maybe she really was linked to Celestia?
Two silent guards rested on either side of the door. As we approached, their horns glowed with a menacing light.
"Move," I whispered. The living statues obeyed. With a flash of my own horn, I opened the door. "Are you sure?" I looked at Pinkie Pie. Already, I could feel her anguish—she was smart enough to know she could have won the battle, yet too caring to steal Equestria’s hope for survival. The sentimental side of me tried to rationalize having her locked up, or even letting her go under surveillance. It would never happen. She was too much of a threat.
"Uh-huh," she nodded, her mane as flat as a sheet.
"Suit yourself." I shrugged. Sympathy wasn't a luxury I could afford too often.
The Element of Laughter entered the room. I didn't follow right away. Unlike Pinkie, I had been here more times than I wished. A year ago I'd come every evening. Now, I could hardly force myself to do so once per month.
"Is she drinking whiskey?!" Pinkie Pie said with such indignation that I almost hopped in place. Instantly, I looked at the bed. Auntie was lying there, half-covered in a blanket, her breathing almost non-existent. Seconds later I saw it—a half full glass of whiskey resting a few steps away on the floor.
"No, that's Fancy's." I shook my head with a dry chuckle. "He's... been using it a lot these last—" I stopped. Had she just made me laugh? The experience had become so alien that for a moment I was terrified what might follow. "How did you do that?" I felt myself shiver. Of all the Elements, she was the most terrifying. Who would have guessed?
"That's all I am." She looked at me as if it were the simplest thing in the world. "So Celestia's colourless, huh?" Pinkie Pie moved closer to the bed. It was impressive how she remained so calm. The first time I saw Auntie in that state, I wanted to vomit my guts out. It wasn't just her mane that had lost its colour. One day her very flesh had become transparent, revealing her bones.
"The curse affects everyone differently." I turned away. Auntie Celestia was turning invisible, and I hadn't been to Luna’s prison in over two years after she distorted herself into a puddle of fur and flesh. "You know what I'm going to do with you." A statement, not a question.
"Of course." She nodded. "Just because I'm smiling doesn't mean I'm stupid."
Yes, she was smiling, but even in this faint light I could see tears in the corners of her eyes. I wonder if she had known before she had tried to assassinate me? Not that it mattered at this point.
Pinkie rested her head on Celestia's chest. I so deeply wished I could find it peaceful or nice, or even serene. Instead, I saw it as grotesque.
"I just need a few minutes," Pinkie said, sensing my question.
"Take an hour." I could feel Auntie's disappointment. What would she think if she could see me now—squabbling for time after I'd killed half her Elements? How would she react if she knew the things I was about to do? The only way I could rationalize it with myself was that there was a chance I would succeed. No, I knew I would! All I needed was enough calm and raw magic and I'd make it worth all the suffering I'd subjected Equestria to.
"Do you want to be happy?" Pinkie Pie looked up. I frowned.
"Rarity tried that approach. It didn't work." Plus, I had McIntosh now. Even as we marched into the abyss he would remain by my side. And he’d always love me.
"I can hear her heart," Pinkie changed the subject. "It's beaten twice just now. I think she’s happy to see you."
"You're imagining things—"
"I'll give you my laughter," she said all of a sudden, making me forget my own thoughts. "If it helps Equestria I'll do it."
"You can't." If there was a way I could extract the Elements I would have done it by now. Twilight and I had both worked on this during the first few years. Auntie had also tried to help, the few times she was able to speak. It had taken us half a year to give up.
"Of course you can't, silly." She waved her hoof in false amusement. "Only I can do that."
"If you're trying to—"
"Discord took my laughter once." Determination shone in her eyes. "And so did Starlight. But each took part. If I give you my Element and my cutie mark at the same time, you'll be able to have it." I just stared at her, not so much because I hadn't thought of that, but because she offered it. "Just promise me one thing." Pinkie Pie stood in front of me. "Sprinkle my laughter over Equestria. Everypony deserves to be happy, if only for a moment."
Damn the stupid sentimentality. "Pinkie." I placed my wing on her shoulder. "I promise."
"Pinkie Promise?" She winked, forcing herself to laugh.
"Pinkie Promise." I smiled.
That was all it took. The sound of my voice hadn't stopped echoing when the mare before me changed to dust. I watched her crumble away before my very eyes, her lips moving in a final "I'll miss you" as the specks of laughter hit the floor like pink sugar. I dared not move out of fear I'd crush some of them. For a full minute I just stood there, looking at the room my strength lacking. It was tempting to take some happiness for myself, licking it off the very floor, yet I resisted. Focusing my magic, I gathered every speck of laughter from the ground, lifting it into a sphere in the air.
"Oh, here you are, old boy." I heard Fancy's voice behind me. He smelled of alcohol. "This is slightly embarrassing, but I think I might have left my glass here."
"You did," I said coldly. "Try not to in future."
"Quite, quite." He glanced at the pink sphere levitating in the room. "Well, I best leave you to your business, shall I? Cheerio—"
"Fancy." I stopped him. "Get a pegasus carriage ready. I want you to deliver a message for me."
"Hmm, why yes, certainly." He paused.
"Go to Chrysalis." I'm so sorry, Pinkie. It's for the greater good. "Tell her I have something she wants and am willing to make a trade."
As I said it, a single tear rolled down Celestia’s cheek.
Celestia dreamt of whiteness, whiteness that stretched to infinity. There was no texture, or sound, or odor, just emotiness. The dream didn't bother Celestia. She felt at ease, knowing she was part of it all. Nothing changed here. There was no pain, no fear, just hope—no, knowledge—that Equestria would be saved. Remnants of memories floated in and out, reminding her of her plan. Celestia couldn't say what it was—she had lost herself too much in her dream—but knew it was the right one.
The whiteness stirred. Black tears appeared, disturbing the calm. Celestia felt herself being torn from the oneness. It's time. Celestia slid through infinity, casting aside like a winter veil. Then she opened her eyes. Dull darkness greeted her. The room, her prison, seemed slightly different from what she last remembered—it was smaller, barer, emptier.
"Your Highness?" A trembling voice asked. It was a male voice.
"Blueblood?" Celestia tried to sit up, but her limbs refused to budge.
"I'm afraid it's only me, Princess." Fancy Pants leaned above her. He seemed changed as well—thinner, paler, and so much older than she remembered. "Guard, fetch the Prince, would you?" he shouted over his shoulder. "Right." He turned back towards the princess. "I’d best be going. I'm sure you have plenty of important—"
"You've started drinking," Celestia said softly.
Fancy's expression froze. His eyes moved to the left, as if only now noticing the half full glass of whiskey floating beside him.
"It's all right." The ex-monarch smiled. "I have seen ponies drink before." Using what she had of her magic, she levitated her head upwards, moving the pillow below to a better angle so she could see more of the room. "I take it Equestria is still in danger?"
"Ah, well." Fancy Pants avoided her gaze. "Progress has been made in several areas. Your last discussion with Twilight bore unexpected fruit, actually. The Princess believes—"
"My dear little pony." Celestia closed her eyes, laying her head back down. "Please don't start lying to me now."
"I, well... the thing is, Princess." Fancy Pants took a gulp of his glass. "Things are catastrophic, Princess. The worst you feared, and then some."
"Oh," Celestia said, the hope of a thousand years crushed and shattered in a single word.
"Rationing sunlight wasn't enough for Blueblood. He has rationed dreams now." Fancy spat the words out. "The way things are going he'll ration everything else!" With a flash of his horn, Fancy closed the door, then cast a sound-proofing bubble surrounding himself and the Princess. "Blueblood has gone insane. He's opened negotiations with renegade changelings, even threatened all-out war with the Crystal Empire unless they surrender all their magic."
"Is Cadence still alive?" Celestia stirred, eyes still closed. "Is Twilight?"
"As far as I can tell," Fancy Pants replied. "I'm not much in the loop, I'm afraid. Princess, I implore you, remove Blueblood's wings. Nopony's any closer to finding a solution. Tartarus has already begun to shrink. No big loss I admit, but if it's started somewhere..."
"My dear, faithful Blueblood." Celestia smiled. Using what little strength she had, she opened her eyes, focusing on his features. "Do you remember how we used to talk in my chambers when this whole thing began? Just you, me, and Raven. We discussed dozens of options, went through countless possibilities. Wasn't it you who suggested we give the burden to Blueblood?"
"I was wrong," the unicorn whispered. "It was a mistake that condemned Equestria to... this."
"Are you so convinced it was a mistake?"
"He's calling himself a bloody Tyrant!" Fancy almost shouted. "He's already killed two Elements of Harmony and countless other ponies. Stars know how many will follow! Those that are loyal to him get better rations. Those who oppose him a stripped of their property, have their magic drained, and their thoughts locked away. The Wonderbolts are no more, the royal guards are reduced to mindless statues with no will of their own... Ponies are killing each other for sunlight and nightmares. What more must he do before you accept we were wrong?"
"You still wonder why I didn't choose you?" Celestia asked.
The princess' mind thought back to the eventful day when the symptoms of the disease first struck. Back when Luna had become increasingly unstable, Celestia had gathered the only two ponies who she knew she could trust—Fancy Pants and Raven. Both knew more about the affairs of the kingdom than any other, plus neither of them were alicorns. For months they had thought over the matter. Fancy had wanted to focus all their efforts on finding a cure. Raven—the more practical—had suggested an entirely different approach. She spoke of a pony to take the power, the burden, of all alicorns. Fancy had proposed Blueblood, but Celestia had felt what lay in his heart.
"You want me to grant you wings as well," the princess sighed.
"I say to Tartarus with what I want!" Fancy snapped. "To Tartarus what any of us want! It's what we need to do. It's what you need to do!"
The castle shook. Fancy Pants removed the sound bubble. The faint noise of hooves clanking reached the room.
"Guard!" He shouted. "What's happening?"
The door swung open and a lifeless statue of a pony rushed in. Once he had served as Celestia's captain of the guard—now, he was a will-deprived puppet. Is this Equestria? The Princess averted her eyes.
"His Majesty is under attack, my lord," the guard said with a voice barely his own. "You are to be escorted to a secure location."
"Attacked, you say?" Fancy glanced at Celestia from the corner of his eye. "Pray, who is attacking our most noble Tyrant?"
"The Element of Laughter," the guard replied, his voice completely aimed of emotion. "I am to escort you to a secure location."
"Quite right." Fancy Pants nodded. "One has to follow orders to the letter, doesn't one? Yet, as you'll notice I'm already at the most secure location in the palace." The words made the guard pause, his face twitching at the conflicting instructions. "There is no better protected room, is there? As such I'll be perfectly safe here, won't I?"
The explanation seemed sufficient, for the guard turned around and abruptly left. Celestia and Fancy Pants were alone once more.
"Do you see the Equestria we have created?" the unicorn asked, eyes wet, pleading her for help. "Help me. I still have my connections in Canterlot. Twilight and the Crystal Empire will support me. We'll have peace at last. No more misery or pain, just a few years to put everything in order before the end."
Celestia remained silent.
"I can fix things, you know I could." He moved closer. "Just take his wings and give them to me. Nopony else has to suffer."
The floor shook once more.
"Princess, please!" Fancy Pants begged. "Any alternative would be better!"
Any alternative. Celestia closed her eyes. It was impossible to tell whether she had made the right choice, just as it was impossible of knowing whether Fancy Pants would make matters worse. She had known his family for generations, as assistants, ambassadors, even advisors. There was no pony in Equestria better suited to take the reigns of power.
"My dear friend," she whispered. "We all learn from our mistakes..." Summoning all the power she had, Celestia cast a spell. There was no telling if she would ever have the strength to cast another, there was no telling if she would even wake up again, yet the princess felt this was something she had to do.
Incandescent light filled the room lifting Fancy Pants into the air. Its strength singed the unicorn's fur, letting off a crisp smell of ozone.
"And Blueblood has already made his," Celestia whispered.
The spell came to an end abruptly. The light vanished in a flash, taking with it the last five minutes of conversation from Fancy Pants' memory, along with any thoughts of insurrection. He would still keep his mind, but from now on, he would remain forever loyal to his monarch.
Bags lay in the corner, all full of the finest dresses money could buy. A few years ago, Rarity had trouble keeping up with demand. Today, she couldn't give them away if she tried.
"Must you go?" Sweetie Belle blocked the way to the door. "I heard Canterlot has changed since..."
There was no need to finish. Since Blueblood had proclaimed himself ruler, things had taken a turn for the worst. Rarity had seen that before anypony else. While others looked at the big things, her keen eye had spotted the minute differences—the dreamless months, the change of sunrise, the disappearance of the Princesses. Not a soul spoke about that now; they wished to forget, choosing the bleakness of today over the thought that something had happened to Celestia. When Rarity had shared her fears with her friends, they had laughed, all except Twilight. That too had told the fashionista a lot, compounding her fears.
"Please," Sweetie Belle whispered, holding back tears. "I don't want to—"
"A lady must do what needs to be done, Sweetie Belle," Rarity said, gently moving her aside. "And so must I." She opened the door, not looking back. Even her performance skills were not enough to fool her sister. "One day, you and the Cutie Mark Crusaders might hold the fate of Equestria in your hooves," she added over her shoulder. "Remember that."
A sad meow was the last thing Rarity heard from inside as she trotted to the station. In the past, she would carry a whole cartloads of baggage; today she had one. Passing by the station guard post, she flashed her Canterlot pass. Ever since the changes she had made it her business to keep close relations with Fancy Pants, granting her unrestricted travel to anywhere she chose. At times she would joke that the train was running just for her. Sometimes she would be right.
"To Canterlot, ma'am?" A young pegasus guard approached her. "The capital is a state of emergency after the coup attempts."
"Coup attempt?" Rarity arched a brow. "Darling, it has been months since the Wonderbolt incident."
"That might be so." The pegasus' ears flicked as he heard the name. "But my orders are—"
"Darling, I have a permit given to me by Lord Fancy Pants himself," Rarity said. "And I happen to be a dear friend to the Prince, as I am to the Princesses. Do you want me to have to explain why I declined his invitation?"
The soldier stiffened. His wings froze as he looked at the white unicorn uncertain what to do. Rarity waited. She knew how to apply the exact type of pressure to make others fold. The pegasus looked at the guard post, then back at Rarity.
"My apologies, ma'am," he said at last. "The train will be departing shortly."
"Thank you." Rarity passed by him with a curt nod.
The train was empty. The few allowed to use it preferred not to, remaining in the safety of their towns and cities, hoping that would keep them away from the Tyrant's reach. What they didn't know was that they were strengthening his grip.
"Just another ride to the lovely Canterlot," Rarity sighed as she looked out of the window. She'd had many wonderful memories in this train, so many adventures that started here. Her trips to Manehattan with Pinky, her journeys to Appleloosa. How had they all faded away so quickly? Things hadn’t been the same since Twilight left for the Crystal Empire. Pinkie Pie tried to keep the group together, but fear and apathy had crept in. Now Rainbow Dash was gone and Applejack was drowning herself in alcohol.
"Refreshments, Miss?" A pony approached. She was new, barely older than a filly.
"Thank you, darling." Rarity smiled. "Do you have any champagne? I feel completely parched."
"Umm." The stewardess shuffled. "I'm afraid we don't..." She bit her lip. "Maybe you'd prefer some wine? I think we still have a bottle."
"That would be splendid, darling." Rarity nodded, not in the least bit bothered. Luxuries were in short supply as of late. Those who produced them made sure to keep them. Bits were cheap—goods, excessively expensive. "Maybe you'd share one with me?"
"Oh, no, I couldn't!" The mate froze. "I... I..." she looked about, as if fearing somepony might be watching. "I'll go bring you your wine, Miss." the stewardess galloped off. Rarity sighed and looked out of the window once more.
The wine tasted of boiled candy. It took Rarity the entire ride to finish her glass. She still thanked the stewardess before leaving the trading, though. The pony was clearly a spy, but out of necessity. Her body language screamed that she didn't enjoy what she was doing, yet preferred it to the alternative. Rarity had seen many like her—clumsy, scared, trying to adapt to a new Equestria.
A whole regiment of armed pegasi glared at Rarity as she stepped off the train.
"Ah, Rarity," a familiar voice said, opening a path between the pegasi. "So wonderful of you to make it." Fancy Pants emerged, the suit Rarity had given him as a gift now ruined by glistening medals and golden epaulettes. "Please forgive the security measures. Passions are still running a bit high, you see."
"Why, yes, I expect they would be." Rarity put on a smile. "And wonderful to see you again, Lord Fancy. I see that your tailors have modified my design a touch?"
"Oh right, they have haven't they?" Fancy Pants glanced at his medals. "Just a temporary measure, I assure you. I think it nonsense, but Prince Blueblood insisted on a display of... etiquette. But where are my manners?" He moved forward and raised her forehoof to within a whisker of his lips. "Was your trip bearable?"
"Well—" Rarity pulled her hoof away "—I could have used some champagne. But as I see, I'm not the only one."
"Quite right, quite right," Fancy Pants laughed. "Forgive me, my dear, I never was an admirer of spirits. I'll be sure to organize a soirée for you and Fleur. Poor girl could use some distraction from the daily tedium."
"Well, I'll do my best to provide it." Rarity took a step forward. "Is the Prince doing well? He seemed distraught at the funeral."
"Yes, dreadful business, that." Fancy lead her forward, indicating to one of the soldiers to take Rarity's bag. "He's been quite busy, I'm afraid. In fact he's pretty much placed the everyday things on my shoulders. That's precisely why I asked you to come."
"Oh?"
"I need someone to help me in the task, my dear, and frankly Raven is becoming increasingly unreliable." Fancy let out a deep sigh. "She's a beautiful old soul, but her health has taken a turn for the worse."
"Oh." Rarity stopped. She liked Raven. She had always acted with Equestria's interests at heart. "I'm sorry to hear that. Is she...?"
"Oh, dear me, no." Fancy laughed. "She's very much alive, still walking about the palace when she feels like it. I simply don't have the heart to burden her with work. And we both know Equestria needs all the help it can get right now."
"Certainly." Rarity continued forward. "I'll do my best to help. I am the Element of Generosity, after all."
"Dear Rarity." Fancy shook his head, a sharp glint in his eye. "Quite admirable on your part, but it's not generosity that Equestria needs. It's a change of perspective. If ponies are fated to live in cages, those cages might as well glitter. I trust you understand?"
"Yes, Lord Fancy." Forgive me, Sweetie Belle. I'm doing this for you. "I understand perfectly."
Ink glowed as I wrote down the formula on paper. Finally the pieces were in place. All that time spent in research, the years wasted in accumulating magic, had at last shown me what I must do.
Twilight was wrong in her projections, all of them were! Only Auntie had glimpsed the truth. Somehow she had known all that time ago, when it first had started. The alicorn plague wasn't a disease, it was the cure. Over millennia, ponies had grown to be the problem—exploring, settling, multiplying, draining more magic that Equestria could offer. Their very existence had tipped the balance, forcing a correction, and nature was merciless when it came to correcting imbalance.
"You can drop the act, Discord," I said, continuing with my work. "My study has four columns, not five."
"Your study?" The farmost column shifted shape, changing into the draconequus' primary form. "I could have sworn this used to be Celestia's palace. You know, that alicorn that gave you wings?"
"It still is." I understood why Auntie found him so pesky. Discord had the annoying habit of knowing more than he was supposed to. She could never stop him from entering the Palace, just as I had failed to. "And to what do I owe this intrusion?" I sighed, putting the quill away. "Did Fluttershy send you to kill me?"
"Fluttershy?" He swirled his way over to me. "What makes you think I've seen Fluttershy? What makes you think I care—"
"He's lying!" my crown said. "He's seen. He cares."
"Oh, did I forget to mention?" I turned around to face him, admiring his perplexed expression. "I've added a truth-teller spell to my crown. So, please, continue."
Discord's mane and eyebrows burned green.
"Fluttershy didn't send me to kill you," he snarled, knife-like claws emerging from his paw. "I decided that on my own."
The crown remained silent. Not that I was expecting anything different. Ever since my confrontation with the Element of Laughter, I had known this moment would come. I had amassed too much power, made Equestria too orderly in my own fashion.
"A bit late to react, don't you think?" I looked at him again. His eyes were burning with rage as he glared down at me. "I extinguished four Elements and you didn't lift a finger."
"Those five don't concern me—"
"He's lying!" my crown shouted.
"—as much." Discord snapped his fingers. My crown disappeared, replaced by a jester's cap. If I were still capable of feelings I would probably have been be amused. "It's precisely because you disposed of them that I chose the act. Do you take me for a fool? It's only a matter of time before you stop scribbling your nonsense and go to... pay her a personal visit."
"Ah." I glanced at the fresh formula I'd written. I could spot a few mistakes. Nothing irreversible. I still had enough magic to fix them. "I guess I know what happened to the guards I sent. They cost me a considerable amount of magic, you know."
"Bah!" The draconequus waved his paw. "Puppets. Low quality ones at that. When I pulled ponies' strings, I left them the illusion of free will."
"Well, I don't have the luxury of time as you did." I stood up. "I'm actually surprised. You could have made your presence felt all this time, but you didn't. Could it be the plague has affected you too?"
The faintest bubble of rage echoed within me. If he had lent a hand all that time ago maybe Auntie could have been cured. During the first years of the plague, Twilight had made countless attempts to find him, yet he hadn't shown up once. Magic, dragon letters, even her own spells had failed to bring him out of hiding. I couldn't help but think he had done it all for a laugh, amused by the chaos the sickness brought. Well, he wasn't laughing now.
"As if you don't know," he scoffed. "The plague only affects female alicorns. Well, females anyway. Which gives me an idea." His face wondered in a monstrous grin. "There's nothing preventing me from transforming you into a mare. I wonder what aspect of the sickness will affect you then? Blindness? Paralysis? Insanity?"
"I suppose you could." I took off the jester cap and placed it on the desk. There would be a time for that later. With a casual stroll, I passed by Discord heading towards the window. "But then what would happen to your dear Element of Kindness? If I die, the whole of Equestria dies with me. Or do you presume to be able to keep it together?"
"Silly colt," Discord laughed. "I won't have to! I can move between dimensions at a mere whim! I admit I'd miss this silly little place after all that's happened, but nothing lasts forever. Well, except me. The only reason I'm wasting my precious time away from Fluttershy is because you have grown too big for your britches and, in your insanely idiotic attempts at magic weaving, could harm her."
"Oh?" This was unexpected. Did the draconequus know something I didn't? "Where's Fluttershy, Discord?" I looked over my shoulder.
"Somewhere where you'll never find her!" he said theatrically, summoning a cape into existence. "Damn those O&O sessions! They always manage to ruin the moment." If this was supposed to be funny, I didn't feel it. Discord snapped with his tail. The cape disappeared. "Please be a sport and don't tell anyone about this in the great beyond?" He grinned viciously, moving closer. "I have an image to uphold, after a—"
He never got to finish, a few steps away an arrow crashed through the window, blurring itself into his heart. For several seconds Discord just stood there, incapable of accepting that anything was capable of harming him. His lips moved, wanting to curse me, or ask a final question, right before his massive body fell lifeless to the floor.
"Changeling stone,” I said calmly as I turned around. “You never considered I'd use it as a weapon, did you?" I stood over his body. He must have seen me make the trade with Chrysalis—all the Laughter I could give for a piece of her throne. A worthless deal, unless one knew the purpose. “Surprise,” I said, the word coming out drained of joy.
The “eternal, everlasting Discord” was no more, dead out of pure arrogance. Ages ago he had called himself Tyrant too, one with all the power in the world at his disposal. If I had even a fraction of what he had—the things I'd be able to do! I'd eradicate the plague before it could start. Now, I would content myself with using what was left of his magic to save my crumbling Equestria.
"He wasn't lyin'," my crown said, now back to its original shape. "You ain't gettin' Shy."
"It doesn't matter." I went back to my desk. I had one more piece. Soon I'd have enough and then... then all would be forgiven.
Two sets of chains rattled round Trixie's legs. On their own they were harmless—the magician could cast them off in the blink of the eye. The four mages surrounding her were a different matter entirely. Two of them were of the Crystal Empire, spoils of war, as Trixie liked to put it when in discreet company. The remaining two were among the Tyrant's prized enforcers, the few who still had a speck of magic left.
"Maybe the Great and Powerful Trixie has something that would change your mind?" the magician said with hope. "Love? Dreams? Sunlight?" There was no reaction. "Magic?"
The ponies marched on, taking her further into the palace. Years ago, Trixie would have given anything to be there. Back when Celestia ruled it was a place of wonder and beauty. Now it was a synonym for dread and death. The only ponies who entered were dead, dying, or dead-to-be.
"Surely there's something that the Great and Powerful Trixie could—"
A flash of white burst around Trixie, blinding her for several seconds. When the magician could see again, she found herself in a vast hall bathed in the light of thousands of magic candles. Instinctively, she moved her foreleg to shield her eyes. It was at that point that she noticed the chains that bound her were gone. The mages, unfortunately, weren't.
"Hello, Trixie," a sharp voice said, sending shivers down her spine. For the first time in her life she knowingly stood before the Tyrant, in all his terrifying glory. "It's not often that a minor annoyance distracts me from my work."
"Trixie is humbled. If there's anything she could—" A ring of fire formed round her neck, choking her into silence.
"Quite the performances you’ve put on," Blueblood continued. "They truly bring back the glorious days of the past. I hear you do quite a believable Princess Celestia, if one overly dramatic." Trixie fell to the floor, struggling for air. "And they always end in a magnificent display of fireworks. Green, if I'm not mistaken."
Trixie kicked wildly in the air, hoping that would loosen the spell's grip enough to take a breath. One of the mages—a crystal unicorn—glanced at her for a moment, then turned his head away.
"I'm told that the experience is quite—" Blueblood leaned forward from his throne "—refreshing. Almost as if the audience is waking up from a long nightmare."
"My stories contain hope," Trixie croaked.
"No." The Prince waved his hoof. The ring of fire vanished, allowing the magician breathe again. "Your fireworks contain magic. For years I wondered what had happened to Starlight." Blueblood narrowed his eyes. "Starlight Glimmer, Princess Twilight's prized pupil, believed to have disappeared before the start of the war with the Crystal Empire. Some went so far as to suggest she had taken her own life out of despair."
Trixie swallowed. She had invented that rumour—the greatest disappearing act in Equestria. It had taken considerable effort to plan and execute, containing just enough hints to convince pursuers, while at the same time providing a grain of hope to the ponies that needed it. A most grandiose performance Rarity would say, had she been alive to witness it.
"If you k-kill me h-hope will still—"
"You're insignificant," Prince Blueblood said in a level voice. "Yet there's something you could still provide me."
"I've no idea what you want," Trixie crawled back away from the throne. Blueblood didn't stop her, staring into her eyes as if distance didn't matter.
"I know Starlight gives you magic." Blueblood pointed a hoof at one of the Crystal ponies. Flecks of white sunlight appeared above the mage, pouring down onto his mane. "Which you squander."
A blue aura emerged from the mage's eyes and horn, violently streaming out of his body as every muscle in the unfortunate’s body twisted in uncontrollable pain. Trixie's stomach churned. The mage was a trophy of the Crystal Empire, one of a dozen beings still capable of magic, and the Tyrant was tearing him apart just like that?
"I know that you add specks of it to the fireworks you cast at your performance," Blueblood said as a second Crystal pony began lurching in pain, his screams adding to the agony of the first. "In this day and age a touch of magic is enough to give anypony hope—" with another wave of his hoof the last two mages rose into the air, their magic and life-force drained before Trixie's very eyes "—and love, and joy. That much I know. What I don't know is where Starlight is hiding."
Blueblood lowered his hoof. The lifeless pony husks fell on the floor, charred as if they had gone through the fires of Tartarus. Trixie froze. There was no escaping that. How foolish she had been to think she stood a chance.
"But now you're here." Blueblood stood up from his throne. His mane shone with golden light as he moved forward, more majestic than the sun, more magnificent than anything Trixie had ever seen.
I hate you! the magician thought. You killed my friends! You killed tens of thousands, imprisoned millions, sent them to the moon, drained them of their magic! And yet, she couldn't look away.
"Give me Starlight and I'll spare you," Blueblood said, his expression as emotionless as marble.
"No," Trixie whispered, tears pouring down her cheeks as she glared at him.
"Give her to me and you'll have what I promised Rarity and Applejack." He moved closer, his muzzle almost touching her ear. "I’ll spare the life of someone close to you. The life of a 'sister’, for example."
Trixie's ears flicked. Starlight had assured her that no spell could pierce the shroud of mystery she had cast over Trixie’s wagon. It had to be true; otherwise Blueblood would have found her by now.
“What was her name again?” The Tyrant mused.
“I’m a single child, I don't have—”
“Scootaloo, wasn’t it?” Blueblood cut her short. “She performed before Auntie at a ceremony once. Undoubtedly an honour. A shame the years haven't been kind to her since. The death of the Element of Loyalty hit her quite hard. You had to nurse her back to health, if I recall.”
Trixie gritted her teeth. She remembered better than anyone the state Scootaloo was in when she had found her. The pegasus had completely lost the will to live, remaining at Rainbow Dash's grave for days before the magician had come along. She had been so weak that Trixie had to use magic to move her to her wagon. She had spent years tending over the pegasus, feeding her—forcefully when needed—washing her, always keeping an eye open so that Scootaloo wouldn't try to hurt herself.
“Give me what I ask and you can keep her,” Blueblood went on.
“Starlight saved my life! I can't—”
“And you are saving Scootaloo’s,” Blueblood snapped. “You’ve spent years telling ponies how ruthless and petty I am. Do you think I won't do something out of spite?”
Trixie fell silent.
"I'm giving you a choice." Blueblood turned around, heading back to his throne. "I don't have magic to waste on finding Starlight, but I know exactly where Scootaloo is. Give me one, or I'll take the other. Who will it be?” He looked at her over his shoulder. “The one who saved you, or the one you saved?”
“Give you one?” A spark of determination shone in Trixie’s eye. “I’ll never give you that satisfaction!” Her horn flared up with magic. Forgive me, Starlight, Trixie thought as she channeled the meager amount of magic she had left. Forgive me, Scootaloo. I can't choose between you two.
A green firebolt flew off the tip of Trixie's horn at the massive chandelier, bringing it down upon her. I’ve won, she thought, ready to meet her demise. You’ll get nothing.
The instant the chandelier came in contact with her mane, it burst into a thousand tiny pieces, devoured by white flames.
"Oh, no," Blueblood's voice sounded. "You will remain until the very end."
"Curse you, Tyrant!" Trixie sobbed. Blueblood had foreseen such an eventuality, and had taken appropriate measures. There was no way she could avoid her choice. Soon she would have to decide, and then she would live with the consequences until the end of Equestria.
"For goodness sake!" Rarity hissed as she glanced at the morning papers. All of them had the exact same headline on the front page: Equestria's Trains Stopped Until Further Notice. The horrible travesty of words made her blood boil—so direct and lacking emotion that it was certain to alienate what few supporters Blueblood had left. The article itself wasn't much better; Rarity had seen deserts less dry. In no way could this be considered news.
"Guard!" Rarity called, as she grabbed another paper. "Guard!" No response followed. "Oh, for goodness sake, I know Fancy posted you at the door, so kindly trot along and fetch me my assistant!"
The muffled sound of hooves sounded outside the room.
"I swear, the guards get dumber every day," Rarity hissed under her breath as she focused on the article.
Not a moment would pass without her tsking or outright sighing at the block of text that passed as information. After the first paragraph Rarity could stand no more and placed the paper on her desk atop the rest. There was no point in reading any further; the articles she had skimmed through appeared identical.
A soft knock sounded on the the door. Rarity sat up, adjusted her glasses, then levitated a tray of tea onto her desk. Despite everything going on in Equestria she would never allow herself to be seen as uncultured.
"Do come in, darling." She lifted the teapot to fill one of her cups.
"You sent for me, Lady Rarity." A young unicorn mare bowed upon entering. Like everypony else in the palace she was exceedingly young, and very much a spy.
"Yes, yes I did." Rarity nodded, filling the second cup halfway. "Could I offer you some sugar this time?"
"Milady, it isn't..." the mare whispered. "I am not allowed—"
Rarity dropped two lumps of sugar into the cup, then levitated it to her assistant. Noting the relief and joy in the young one's eyes, Rarity allowed herself a smile. Poor thing. She'd probably forgotten what sugar tastes like, and yet she'd rather starve than ask me outright.
"Now then, what happened with this?" Rarity levitated the newspaper in front of her. "The suggestions I made aren't in the least bit reflected in this... article."
"My apologies, milady." The assistant cowered. "I was my fault that I didn't take them to the editors on time."
"Well." Rarity took a deep breath. On the inside, she trembled with rage. There notion that her instruction had been completely ignored made her want to strangle somepony, yet at the same time she couldn't be mad at her assistant. Poor thing, you must be terrified. "Well, there's no point crying over spilled oats. I'll go to The Equestrian’s editor in chief myself and explain the situation. There's an hour before the presses start—plenary of time to fix this small oversight."
"My lady..." The assistant swallowed. "It... it won't make a difference. Your changes..."
Rarity didn't need to hear the rest of her sentence to get a clear picture of what had happened. Her nostrils flared, as she hit the desk with her hoof, causing both her tea set and her assistant tremble.
"I should have known!" She stood up. “My suggestions were rejected, weren't they?” She headed towards the door at a steady determined pace. "It's Fancy, isn't it?" She stormed past the guard outside. "Always saying ‘Yes, Rarity’, ‘Of course, Rarity’, and then changing my instructions behind my back!" Her hooves echoed as she went down the staircase, straight for the meeting room.
"Milady, you cannot—" one of the guards began. Rarity didn't flinch. Leaning on the door with both hooves, she pushed it open.
"Fancy, darling, this must stop!" Rarity shouted the moment she went in. "I—" Abruptly, she stopped. She had expected to find Fancy Pants in one of his daily meetings, along with his cutthroat friends and what few representatives of the military Equestria had left. What she did not expect was for the Tyrant himself to be present.
"Ah, Rarity." Fancy Pants nodded in acknowledgement. "I take it you are here about the slight modifications to your article?" A few of the nobles chuckled under their breath. Rarity, however, kept staring at Prince Blueblood. This was the second time she had seen him in the last two months. It took a special level of arrogance to leave others to run the kingdom while he enjoyed his fancy. One day, somepony was going to cut his life short. Maybe it would be her.
"Why, yes, in a manner of speaking." Rarity quickly came back to her senses. "I couldn't help but notice that you had modified the scrolls I sent to the editors in chief." Did Blueblood smile at her just now?
"Ah, right, right," Fancy said, diverting his attention to one of the many reports on the table in front of him. "Masterfully written! Splendid work. They just didn't convey the message His Highness wished—"
"Message?" Rarity raised her voice. "Message?! Darling, that's as much a message as a dragon roaring at your face!"
"You would know," Fancy sighed.
"You might as well put bars on everypony's homes." You just had to go there, didn't you Fancy? "That way you'd at least save time."
"My dear Lady Rarity, I assure you the council knows what it's doing. I, for one, have full confidence that firm control is what's needed in these difficult—"
"You and your friends in high places might think you control everything, but you don't!" Rarity snapped at him. "Not in the slightest. Tell me, darling, how many ponies did you send to the dungeons this month? Even without your detailed reports I could tell it's more than last month, which was more than the month before that."
Several ponies in the room stirred, but Rarity continued. "You might know everything there is about politics, but you know nothing about newspapers. The public doesn't want to be told the obvious. They want to have hope that things might get better. A few negative remarks, a little gossip, and they'll start looking elsewhere. His Highness has blood ties with the Princesses, so instead of censoring every mention of them we should emphasize that fact."
"And that's a good thing, do you think?" Fancy scoffed.
"I do, indeed. At present we might as well gather all troops and fortify the castle. Frankly, I'm surprised there hasn't been an attempt at the Tyrant's life yet!" Gasps filled the room. "Everything since the Rainbow Dash incident has been handled so poorly that I'm surprised there hasn't been even more unrest!"
"I say!" Fancy Pants rose from his seat. "Now you've gone too far! I—"
"You haven't changed a bit," Prince Blueblood interrupted. Everypony froze silent. "As fiery as you were at the gala. Would you leave me with the lady, please?" The tone was calm and polite, but there no illusions—this wasn't a request. The gathered nobles and generals hurried to leave the room. "You too, Fancy."
The unicorn arched a brow at the remark, but obeyed. As he passed by Rarity he gave her a warning glance. Remember who brought you here, his expression said. Menacing without a doubt, but Rarity hadn't gotten where she was by being intimidated easily. Flashing her most respectful smile she looked him straight in the eye, as the guards closed the double doors to the room.
"So, you don't think I should be presented as flawless?" Blueblood asked from his set at the distant end of the room.
"An iron hoof doesn't always bring the desired effects, Your Highness." Rarity dared move closer. Her leg trembled upon making its first step. "The public knows you are their ruler. Reminding them ad nauseam would only drive them away."
"You'd be surprised how much that's true," the Prince sighed. "You were wrong, by the way. There have been a few dozen attempts at my life, just not as… obvious as that one unfortunate incident."
An icy chill swept through Rarity. She stopped in her tracks, eyes glued on the Tyrant. In this setting he seemed deceivingly harmless, almost innocent—he wasn't wearing one of his dreadful uniforms, no crown adorned his head. A simple white cape that covered his back and flanks was all he wore. If she didn't know better she might say this was the same charming, but spoilt, stallion she had met at the Grand Galloping Gala all those years ago.
"Still, I'm glad you pointed it out," Blueblood continued. "Fancy means well, but it's been difficult getting a different view these last few years. Iron hoof in a velvet boot—that's all he knows. You," the Prince waved at the room before him," don't look at this and see a cage needing a coat of golden paint. You see it as a safe place from which to peek at the dangers outside."
"You flatter me, Your Highness." Rarity looked to the side.
"I only say this because it's true." His voice was serious. If Rarity had any doubts he was merely being polite, they were now gone. "In fact, I'm thinking of making you Fancy's equal. He'll continue to preside over the matters of state with his friends ‘in high places’, while you are in charge of all Equestrian press."
"Oh, my! This is quite an honour!" Rarity said with a modicum of humility. She had observed the Tyrant long enough to know exactly what he liked and disliked. Now was the time to take advantage. "If I have found your favour, might I make a small request? Just a trifle, I am sure."
"Rarity, nothing you could ask is just a trifle," the Prince laughed. "Go ahead."
"My sister," Rarity began. "She's young and rash. Would it be too much to ask that she be kept alive... and well? Even if something were to happen."
"Your sister." Blueblood tapped his forehooves against each other. "Fancy would have me throw you in the dungeon just for asking." He tapped them twice more. "And I would agree. Today, though..." he narrowed his eyes. "Fine. You may relax. Sweetie Belle will be safe whatever happens. You have my word."
"Oh, thank you, Your Highness," Rarity let out a sigh of relief. At least you'll be safe, little sister. "Might I also ask that we celebrate the occasion with a toast? I have this exquisite bottle of De Philly 948 I brought with me from Ponyville. I think it would do splendidly."
"Again with the requests," Blueblood frowned. "Why not. It's been years since I sampled anything remotely nice. I'll send a guard to fetch it."
"Nonsense, Your Highness! What kind of pony would I be if I didn't extend you every courtesy?" With as little as a bow Rarity rushed towards the door. "I'll be back before you know it."
"If you insist. Just don't take too long. There's something important I need to tell you."
"Naturally, Your Highness." Rarity trotted towards the staircase. I'm sure there's much you want to tell me, Tyrant. Before that, however, both you and I will be dead.
Not a single guard stopped Applejack as she made her way to the tower. Nor did they follow her up the dark staircase. Now she stood at her final destination—the Princess’ chambers—watching what was left of Celestia wither away.
"Princess..." Applejack slid a hoof along the alicorn's mane. Once it shone with the colours of the rainbow; now it was clear as ice, just like the rest of her body. "Why didn't ya tell us?"
" 'Cause she wanted to protect you," a voice said behind her.
"Big Mac?" Applejack turned around. It had been months since she had last seen her brother. Ever since he had moved to the palace the two had been distant. "Ya knew?" The last time they had talked she had yelled at him, shouting that he had chosen his no good lover over what was right.
The stallion sighed. He had lost weight since their last meeting, lean and muscular, more like a trophy than an actual pony. Yet he also seemed tired—Applejack could see it in his eyes.
"Why did you have to do it, sis?" he asked, refusing to move beyond the threshold. "Didn't you get plenty? I made sure that Blue gave you triple rations of sunlight, double the water. Sweet Apple Acres was the envy of Equestria, the best orchard there could be."
"Ya tellin' me Ah should be grateful?" Applejack snapped back. "Ya ain't been to the farm for years! And don't ya be sayin' otherwise! What do ya know about what's happenin'?"
"You really should have continued drinking." Big Mac stepped over next to her, and Applejack caught the faint odor of sweetish perfume, the same she had smelled during her talk with the Tyrant. The thought made her stomach turn. "You never thought why the farm was doing so well, did you?” her brother asked. "Crops have been dying across Equestria, businesses failing, yet the farm survived."
"What’re you sayin'?" Applejack narrowed her eyes. "Doin' well, ya tell me? Applebloom has been breakin' her little back so there's enough food on the table! The entire family is! Just because ya gave a little more sunlight doesn't forgive—"
She stopped. The conversation was pointless. Ever since Big Mac had become the Tyrant's lover, things had been strained between them. At first Applejack could drown her grievances in drink, but as time went by even that wasn't enough. The more Big Mac went to Canterlot, the more he became like the Tyrant: his way of speaking, his attitude, his view of things. Applebloom was all that kept what was left of the family together. When Blueblood declared he was rationing sunlight, that was the final straw. Applejack had never looked her brother in the eye since.
"What will happen now?" Applejack whispered, stroking Celestia's mane.
"I don't know." Big Mac moved away. "Until today, I had convinced Blue that you were no threat. You and Applebloom were to be protected and receive special treatment. Sweet Apple Acres was to become the only—" he paused, glancing at Applejack over his shoulder. "The last orchard in Equestria. The two of you would have been happy until it was over."
"And now? Can't Applebloom—"
The stallion shook his head. Too late The unspoken words echoed in the room. Applejack knew she would be killed the moment she left the room, and Sweet Apple Acres would fall to ruin soon after.
"Big Brother, please," Applejack pleaded. "Applebloom is still so young. Ain't there something that snake wants?"
"I've had to openly oppose Fancy Pants for the increased sunlight rations," Big Mac said. "He's not one to forget. And even if he did, Blue won't accept it. He listened to me once. If one sister could attack him, what would stop another?"
"How did things become so dang bad, Big Mac?" Applejack looked down. "We defeated monsters, bucked villain's teeth out, and I reckon we saved Equestria ten times over."
"Sometimes there just ain't no saving, little sis," her brother said beside her—her real brother, not the trophy-pony the Tyrant had turned him into.
Applejack looked at him with a tear in her eye. For the first time in what seemed an eternity she felt her bother there—the big brother who protected her, who was always there no matter the hardships to come. The grief of Rainbow Dash's death had blinded her to that, but at least now, at the end, she got to see the truth one last time.
"Ain't there a way to help her?" Applejack asked. She wanted to hug her brother and cry until everything vanished, but she couldn’t.
"There..." A moment's hesitation crept into Big Mac's voice. "Nothing alone can change his mind, but two things might be able to."
"Two things?"
"The first will cost me a lot," Big Mac said slowly. "The other will cost everything, as it did Pinkie Pie. Are you sure you want to? If I talk to him we won't be able to change our minds… ever. And it won't be pleasant."
"Don't ya hold that talk to me!" Applejack tried to put up a smile. "There ain't anypony that can take more unpleasant stuff than me! If it'll save Applebloom, I'll march through Tartarus itself!"
"For Applebloom, so will I."
Blueblood sat on his throne as his latest archmage approached, carrying his new crown on a velvet cushion. The young unicorn was a prodigy, his skills far surpassing those of his peers. He was far better than the last archmage, even if he was no Twilight. A shame that his life and magic would be drained after the ceremony.
"Everything went without a hitch, My Prince." The unicorn bowed, levitating the cushion with the crown in front of Blueblood's hooves. "I've taken the liberty of testing it and can assure you it works perfectly."
"Yes, yes." Blueblood yawned. "Good work. Go see Fancy. He'll know what to do with you."
Beaming with joy the unicorn bowed again, then eagerly trotted out of the throne room. A pity his career didn't last long, Blueblood thought. The Prince found it daunting to bring each new archmage to speed. Maybe it was time to drop the act and announce he was an alicorn to Equestria? With luck, that might diminish the assassination attempts.
"I must admit, you surprised me, lover." Blueblood levitated the crown in front of his face. It was made of white gold, unlike his current one—simple and elegant, like the sun itself. "So cold and calculating. I'm starting to fear I've might have made you too much like me."
"I do what I can, Blue." Big Mac emerged from behind one of the columns. "Isn't that why you love me?"
"Maybe." The Tyrant brushed a speck of dust off his new crown. "Or maybe Fancy is right, and I truly lose my judgement when talking to you." He glanced at his concubinus—the only pony in Equestria who loved him. "You were wrong about one of your sisters. Why should I take a chance with the other?"
"Because of what we gave you, Blue." Big Mac smiled.
"So you say." Blueblood placed the new crown on his head. "Tell me, do you love me wholeheartedly and without reservations?"
"Yes—"
"He's lyin', " the crown said, its voice ringing with the Honesty it was made of.
"—but I will," Big Mac finished.
The crown remained silent. Prince Blueblood smiled. Yes, for my promise to your youngest sister, you will. Both of you will.
Shining stared at the report. If things didn't improve he'd have to resort to another draft, possibly even lower the conscription age to fourteen. Damn me to Tartarus! Sending colts to the battlefield... That was no way to live. Even if they survived the slaughter, they'd never be the same. And what then? Reduce the conscription age to thirteen? Lower?
"Shining?" a soft voice asked from his study entrance.
The prince-regent brushed his reports into a drawer and turned around. Princess Cadence was standing in the doorway. Summoning all his strength, he put on a smile.
"You must take a rest, you know." The alicorn came in. Her steps were slow, uncertain, and weak, but her beauty radiated stronger than ever. "You're a father now. If it's sleepless nights you want, I'm sure our daughter will oblige." She stuck her tongue out as she did when in a playful mood.
"Yes, she's a pro at that." Shining laughed. Inside he was screaming in pain. His daughter—their daughter—hadn't been awake for years, frozen in a solid block of ice. "Much like her mother."
"My Shining." Cadence chuckled. "Always the charmer. What are you working on, anyway? I don't remember any affairs of state that need your attention so badly."
"Well, I..." What do I tell you? A lie? The truth? Both are equally bad.
"Please tell me you're not organizing some surprise party for me again." Cadence moved closer to him, her muzzle almost touching his. "Because if you are... I won't complain." Her lips locked with his.
Another hollow kiss. There wasn't a shred of emotion attached to it. Shining felt no spark, no joy, no pleasure. Even the gentle breath of his wife seemed lifeless. It hadn’t been like that at first. When the sickness was in its infancy, he had cherished every moment of affection she'd offer. It didn't matter she'd forget things or mix up memories; he was always there. Even now he still loved her, but at times looking at her twisted the knife that had come to live in his chest. This was no longer his wife, just a fleeting memory of her, a fragment left over by the sickness and soon to be snatched away forever.
Cadence pulled away. "Is something wrong?"
"Yes," Shining whispered. "Just that I've done so little to deserve being married to the most beautiful mare in existence." He kissed the side of her neck. "Maybe we can go for a stroll?"
"I see. Running away, eh?" Cadence giggled. He could tell she was in heat. She often was when the sickness released its grip. "I guess I'll let you have this small victory." She pecked him on the cheek. "A stroll. A short stroll!" Cadence winked. "I'll just check on Flurry and be right back."
"I'll be waiting for you downstairs."
Cadence trotted out. Shining waited for a few more moments, then took out the reports. Thanks to Twilight's magic, his forces continued to crush the invading armies, yet Blueblood kept sending more. The death toll was unimaginable. By Shining’s rough calculations a tenth of all Equestria had perished, all for the mindless folly of a dictator.
Will you break? Shining wondered, looking at the projected death count. Or will you break me? He had already lost so much—three members of his family had fallen to the sickness: his sister, his child, his wife—but their legacy would remain, even if Shining was the last pony standing!
"Shining," Cadence sang out from the corridor, drawing out every note. "Where are you?"
"I’ll be right there, my sweet." The documents were locked away in the war cabinet once more. There they would be safe until Cadence forgot everything again. "Just give me a moment."
Straightening his uniform, Shining glanced into the mirror on his study’s wall. His reflection looked tired, and his grey hairs had started to make their presence known. A spell later they were concealed for another few hours. Here we go again.
The weather was pleasant outside the castle—warm and sunny, without a single cloud in the sky. Nothing gave an indication of the horrors that took place outside the Empire's borders. The entire capital was in the eye of a hurricane of war and devastation, projecting a false sense of safety.
Maybe Cadence is the lucky one? Shining looked at his wife. With most of her memories gone, she had been spared the bitterness others had gone through. There was no war, Celestia was still on the throne, Cadence hadn’t witnessed the loss of their daughter—
"Shining?" The Princess paused. "You're crying..."
"Only tears of joy." I can't go on with this charade. "Tears of..." I know the truth will hurt you, but I just can't. In a day you'll forget everything that happened, losing yourself in your mind. I won't. "I..." Forgive me, my love. I simple must—
"If somepony had told me you'd be having a second honeymoon I'd have delayed my visit for another week," a familiar voice said, a voice that shining despised.
So you finally dared, you snake! Shining spun around. He had suspected for years it was a matter of time before the Tyrant teleported to the Crystal Empire capital, and he was ready. His horn flashed violet. The living essence of his sister shone through—the single single most powerful spell remaining in Equestria. Blueblood might be an alicorn, but at this distance—
"Dad, dad!" An alicorn filly jumped off Blueblood's back. Shining froze; his spell fizzled away as his daughter, healthy and grown, flew towards him. "Uncle Blueblood told me I can go with him to Equestria if you say yes. Please, please say yes! It's been forever since I've been to Auntie's castle!"
"Huh?" No! It can't be! You can't be my Flurry Heart! I watched the sickness took you. The mages had to encase you in ice so you wouldn't burn up. You can't be real! He took a step back, unable to look away. The filly was exactly what his daughter would have been had she been allowed to grow older: slender and beautiful as her mother, with the most majestic wings Equestria had known, and so full of life and happiness.
"Dad, please?" Flurry tugged his foreleg. "I promise I'll be good. Even better than I usually am!"
"Now, now, sweetie," Cadence giggled. "Don't start pestering your father. Not after you've tortured your uncle for a full morning."
"Moooom!" The filly crossed her forehooves, pouting. "I didn't torture uncle Blue! I just—"
"I'm sure. But maybe we can leave the princes have a word in private? Blueblood has traveled quite a long way to speak with your father."
"Fiiine!" Flurry Heart pffed and fluttered towards her mother. "But it'll be unfair if I don't get to visit Auntie Twilight after this!"
Speechless, Shining watched as his wife and daughter trotted towards the palace. He wanted to shout out, to beg them to come back, but he lacked the strength to do so.
"Incredibly lifelike, aren't they?" Blueblood whispered. "Precisely what they would have become if it weren't for the sickness. Minus a few memories, of course. The ones even I couldn't restore."
Lifelike? Shining glanced at Blueblood, then back at his family. Was this a dream the Tyrant had sent to torment him? A spell? The details were too precise. The smells, sounds, the touch of the wind, it was all too real.
"An illusion?" Shining asked.
"Oh, quite the contrary. They are as real as you and I," Blueblood said in his icy fashion. The reason for the presence gone, he no longer bothered displaying any emotion. "They're just not here, at least their bodies aren't."
"What?"
"Changelings, my dear Shining. Simple, stupid changelings. They owe me a few favors, so I decided to put their talents to good use."
"You..." Panic rushed through Shining's entire body. He tried to move but his body refused to obey him, standing still as marble. This was the second time in his life he had experienced such a sensation. "You let them cocoon us?!" He shouted. "You couldn't beat me on your own and made a deal with the changelings?!"
"Shining, Shining, Shining." Blueblood tsked as he walked around the flesh-like statue of the prince-regent. "I didn't need to make any deals with the changelings for that. You already lost the war."
“Liar!”
"My troops marched in the castle weeks ago," Blueblood went on. "You surrendered unconditionally. Everything—your troops, your home, your magic—is mine now. And still, I choose to offer you a trade." The Tyrant put his wing over Shining's back. "They're wonderful, aren't they? The wife you lost so young, and the child you never got to see grow up. Outside the cocoons Cadence can't remember anything past two minutes and Flurry lies half dead in a block of ice. Here, they get to live. Here, they have a future to look forward to… with you."
A future. Was that what Blueblood was offering? Shining had heard those lies ever since he had ascended to the throne. Were they truly lies, though? In a few years what remained of Equestria, good or bad, would fade away into oblivion. There wouldn't be anyone left to remember this pointless battle, the struggle, or even the Tyrant and his obsession. Shining closed his eyes. Would it be so bad to say yes and spend the last few years with his family? It would be a fake life, but at least they'd be together, at least they'd be happy.
"What do you want?" the prince-regent whispered.
"Just two things." Blueblood removed his wing from Shining's back. "The location of the Crystal Heart, and Twilight's living essence."
The trade was obvious—two for two. That was why the Tyrant had done through the trouble to bring back some of Cadence's memories. If he had only offered Flurry Heart the temptation might have not been enough.
"For my family, you can have them." The words rolled out of Shining's mouth.
"Why toy with him?" Queen Chrysalis asked, looking at the green cocoon holding Shining Armor. "I could have made two more."
"For what?" The Tyrant started his way to the cave exit. "He can't tell the difference. Why waste magic unless we have to? In a few months they'll all be gone either way."
"I guess you're right." Chrysalis shrugged. "As long as I get whatever love he has to offer."
"Do as you wish," the Tyrant said as he left the cave. "He's already given me everything I need." His horn shone purple.
"You've nothing to worry about, Fluttershy." Discord clawed a tear into the fabric of reality. "You're perfectly safe here. I've made sure—Are you crying?"
"I don't want to lose you!" Fluttershy grabbed Discord's leg, as tight as she could. "I don't—"
"Hey, hey." The draconequus patted her on the head. "No need to be sad. Everything will turn out okay. Am I not the omnipotently powerful spirit of chaos?"
"Yes, but—"
"Tut, tut, tut." Discord shook a finger. "There's nothing in this world, or seven hundred twenty-three others for that matter, that can harm me. So don't ruin your lovely face. I'll snap there, k—show that pup Blueblood the error of his ways, then snap back. I bet you won't even know I'm gone."
"That's what they all said." Fluttershy sniffled. "Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Applejack..."
"Bah!" Discord waved a paw. He'd never admit it, but Fluttershy knew he missed them. In his own way, he cared. He had always cared. "Don't compare me to three silly little ponies. Pinkie had a spark of promise, I must say, but Applejack? Rarity? It's like throwing hay at a fire." He snapped his fingers, teleporting Fluttershy onto her couch. "I'll be back in a few minutes, maybe ten or fifteen at most, definitely not more than half an hour. Just in time for tea."
"But it's eveni—"
"Evening tea, yes!" Discord made a step towards the tear. "Some good old evening tea!" He passed through the rift and disappeared. Fluttershy just sat there, gazing at the empty spot the draconequus had been, letting the events of the past minute sink in. Shortly after, the tear reappeared and Discord’s head popped through. "Oh, and don't be stingy with the sugar. And maybe make some of those chocolate cookies I adore?"
"Umm." By the time Fluttershy managed to speak the tear had vanished, leaving her alone once more. "Umm, what do you think, Angel Bunny?"
The white rabbit hopped on the table, glared at her with its arms crossed, then vigorously shook its head. Fluttershy chuckled. Angel and Discord had never seen eye to eye on anything.
"Let's go make some cookies, Angel." Fluttershy climbed off the couch. "And I'll make you your favorite dessert."
Discord will only be gone for a few minutes. I hope I have enough time to get tea ready. He's always been impatient. Fluttershy went into the kitchen and started pouring water into the kettle. Despite appearances, Discord was very picky about his tea; if it was too thick or too watery, he'd put on a grumpy face and spend the evening making sarcastic remarks. He still did that when it was perfect, but Fluttershy could tell the difference.
"Angel, could you see if there's enough honey in the jar?" Fluttershy moved the kettle to the stove. Instantly, green flames appeared underneath. "I wouldn't want to bother the bees for more unless I have to."
With a frown and a grumble, the bunny hopped to one of the kitchen cabinets and pulled it open. The cabinet was fully stocked, as usual, brimming with all sorts of food anyone could think of. A few of them were even edible. Sadly, there was a suspicious lack of items Discord didn't care about. There were five different types of sugar, but not a single jar of honey, and Fluttershy liked honey.
"Half a jar?" Fluttershy interpreted Angel's gesticulation. "That's wonderful. Please, put it on the table, Angel."
You're always such a help, Angel. Fluttershy smiled, going to get some flour and raisins for the cookies. I really don't know what I'd do without you. Usually she'd just do chocolate chip, but this time she wanted to make them special. Raisins and orange peels, when mixed with chocolate, would give the cookies a unique bouquet of taste.
"Angel, could you please get some eggs from the attic?" Fluttershy took out a whisk from a drawer. "I know I'm relying on you too much, but I really want the cookies to be ready by the time Discord comes back. Please?"
The rabbit sighed heavily, but hopped out of the kitchen. Fluttershy hoped he wouldn't forget to thank the hens for their work; of everyone, they missed seeing the sun most of all. Even if it was pale, even if only appeared for a few hours per days, it still remained the sun—a symbol of hope that made life bearable.
The sound of a kettle whistle filled the room. Fluttershy stopped her cookie preparations and went to take it off the stove. She then poured the water with care in the teapot, adding four spoonfuls of tea, along with half a jar of sugar. Did I add a teensy-weensy bit too much?
"Discord, is half a jar too—" Fluttershy stopped. There was no draconequus in the kitchen or living room. "Umm, never mind."
He's probably taking his time. It wouldn't be chaotic enough if he was on time. I'm sure everything's fine. It's only been ten minutes.
Fluttershy went back to cooking. Angel arrived with a basket of eggs—a baker's dozen, freshly laid—and put them on the table. Those were easily enough to make three batches of cookies, maybe four. Milk was the big issue, though. Discord hadn't transported any cows to his pocket reality. There was an endless supply of chocolate milk, of course, but lately Fluttershy had started to tire of it.
"Maybe I'll ask Discord to bring some more guests to my cottage," Fluttershy said. "It will be nice to have someone else to talk to. Not that I don't like talking to you, Angel." She smiled in the rabbit's direction. "It's just that I miss Equestria, and Discord won't let me visit unless he's with me." She wished Twilight could be here, or Treehugger, or the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Discord had been adamantly opposed to anyone else entering his reality. As much as she begged, the answer remained no. Ponies weren't like animals, according to him; any more than one and reality might collapse. Fluttershy knew he was lying, but never called him on it.
The first batch of cookies went into the oven. Twenty minutes had passed with no sign of Discord. Maybe he's gone to see Princess Celestia? Fluttershy thought. They've known each other for longer than anypony can remember. Of course he'd want to talk to her. I'm sure he'll be back right when the cookies are ready.
"I'm being silly, aren't I, Angel?" A few steps away, Angel shrugged.
Oh, I completely forgot about you, didn't I? Fluttershy rushed to get ingredients for his dessert. Although he didn't show it as much anymore, she knew that the bunny was as picky as Discord. Every week or so he'd protest, demanding something other than a cucumber cherry salad, and each week Fluttershy would indulge him.
Carrots, lettuce, and whipped cream had become one of her favorite desserts for Angel—easy to make and the bunny loved it. Naturally, he feigned disinterest the entire time Fluttershy was preparing it, but once served he descended upon it like a diamond dog on a pile of gems.
“Don't forget to chew.” Fluttershy giggled and went to check the oven.
The cookies were almost ready. Fluttershy opened the oven and tapped one with her hoof. The surface was hard. Just a few more minutes and she could take them out. One dozen seemed like enough for Discord and herself, with a few going to Angel, of course. But what if it wasn't? The draconequus would probably be exhausted by his long talks in Equestria. What if he wanted a few more biscuits, but there were none?
I had better make a second batch, Fluttershy thought. I don't want to disappoint him. Once more she whisked eggs, sugar, butter, and chocolate milk into the bowl. This time she added scrapes of lemon peel, along with bits of cherry, and flour followed.
"Won't Discord be pleased?" Fluttershy asked as she put the new batch into the oven. "I know he says he doesn't like it, but he always sneaks into the kitchen to wash the bowl I made cherry batter in, and then—" she giggled "—eats it."
Angel just stood on the table, looking at her, one ear flopped. There was no angry thumping, no eye rolling, or grumbling, just an air of sadness that surrounded him.
"Don't worry, Angel." I'm afraid. So very afraid. "It's just Discord being Discord." I told him not to go. Why didn't he listen to me? "Like back when he transformed you into a rhinoceros for no reason?" What if... No! I don't believe that! I can't believe that! Discord is fine and he'll be here any moment!
The second batch of cookies was ready. Fluttershy arranged them on a tray, then took them and the teapot into the living room. There she placed them on the table and waited.
Minutes passed. Some of Fluttershy's animals friends called for her attention: the diurnal creatures needed to go to sleep, and the nocturnal ones needed to be fed. Fluttershy smiled and gave each and everyone the care they deserved. The hungry were fed, the dirty were washed, and the tired were tucked away to rest until morning. Every now and again she'd glance back into the living room, but there was still no sign of the draconequus.
Maybe he got lost? Fluttershy wondered. It had happened before. Maybe she'd find him wandering outside? Tucking the last of the animals to bed, the pegasus went to the door and opened it. Her eyes gazed into a vast sea of nothingness, not black, not white, just an ever-shifting notion of color that Discord had placed her cottage inside. No magic other than his own could find its way here, just as nothing inside could escape.
"Umm, Discord?" Fluttershy spoke into the void, her words echoing twice before vanishing into silence. "Discord, your tea is getting cold," she added. It had been cold for hours.
No answer. Fluttershy waited for a few more minutes, then closed the door with a sigh. Looking at the nothingness made her feel unwell. I'll just have to wait a bit longer. She went back to the couch and climbed onto it. Maybe I'll read a bit. I need to improve my cooking for when Discord comes back. I've been doing the same dishes for months, I'm sure he must be bored—.
Angel Bunny hopped onto the couch and huddled against her.
"There, there, Angel." Fluttershy smiled, petting the rabbit. "There's nothing to be afraid of. I'm sure he's fine. He's probably just hanging out with the Smooze or one of his chaotic friends. It'll be fine, you'll see." She took a cookie from the tray. "Here, have a cookie." Fluttershy placed it in the bunny's paws. "And don't you say no, mister. I've been watching you eye them all evening."
Angel looked at her, then at the cookie. His whiskers twitched slightly, as if trying to reassure her or himself; then he started nibbling on it.
"There we go." Fluttershy continued stroking the bunny. "There's nothing to worry about. Nothing at all." He had adapted remarkably well. All the animals had. As long as she was there to take care of them, they continued living as if nothing had changed. It was natural—they had relied on her ever since she had gotten her cutie mark. In their eyes Fluttershy was a goddess, despite all her faults; for their sake, she had to be strong. But what about her? Who was there for her?
"My little ponies," Twilight called out from the castle tower. Below, hundreds of thousands had gathered to hear her, filling the space from the Imperial square to the surrounding blocks. "I don't have to tell you about suffering and sacrifice. You feel that every day. What I want to talk to you about is hope."
Twilight's horn shone a magnificent blue. The whispers in the crowd stopped. All eyes were focused on the light radiating from the alicorn's spell, its rays almost as bright as the fading sun.
"We are at war with Equestria, but it wasn't always so." A large aethereal image of Princess Celestia appeared above the tower. "We had a ruler—a glorious, noble ruler who protected Equestria and all its subjects. Most of you might not remember, but her name was Princess Celestia. She was your Princess of the Sun, ruler of Equestria...and my mentor." Twilight paused to blink away the beginnings of a tear in her eye. Her mentor may have been the last true noble, the last one who truly tried to protect everypony; she had been wise, capable, kind, and caring. Twilight did her best to fill those shoes herself, despite their impossible size.
Not now. Twilight clenched her jaw. There weren't supposed to be tears today. Not when she was addressing the crowd. War and rations had hurt the crystal ponies enough. With love and magic fading as well, they needed hope more than ever before.
"She was the one who gave your Princess wings," Twilight continued. "She was the one who gave me wings." The image of Celestia was replaced by that of Twilight’s coronation ceremony. There had been so much joy back then—thousands of ponies had galloped to Canterlot to witness the event. Millions more had listened to it in their homes. If even half of a tenth of one percent of that joy could reach the hearts of the ponies gathered below, Twilight would be ecstatic. "And she still lives on."
The most difficult part of the speech—telling a lie in a way that it became truth. Twilight had plenty of practice in that, but each time she felt as is a piece of her heart was torn off. Why can't I tell them the truth? Why are they so fragile? She had tried to do it once in a small village. All of the ponies there were her friends; they had held her trust, and were strong enough to take it. Or so she had thought. An hour after her fateful speech, the entire village was gone. Those who hadn't killed themselves had gone mad, charging at each other with murderous intent. Twilight had been forced to erase the village from the map. A broad crater marked its location now—a symbol of her eternal regret and a constant reminder of her folly.
"The Tyrant couldn't kill her." Drops of sweat formed on Twilight's forehead. Maintaining complicated magic spells of such magnitude was taxing even for her. "That's beyond him. He wants everypony to believe he did. That way he can plunge Equestria into despair and rule it." Just a few seconds longer. Twilight gritted her teeth. "The wars, the light rations, the lack of dreams, all is to drive you into despair. He doesn't control love or magic, and that frightens him." Her left hind leg was beginning to tremble under the pressure. "But above all he is terrified of hope, because he knows that if you have it he'll never be able to conquer you!"
The aether image vanished. Shouts and cheers filled the air. letting out a sigh of relief, Twilight looked at the crystal ponies. They were happy, as much as anypony could be in a dying, fading world. Waving to the crowd, she turned around and walked into the tower. That was enough talking for one day.
"How did it go?" a weak voice asked from the bed at the far end of the room.
"Well enough." Twilight stretched. "It will keep them going for a few weeks. Months if we're lucky." She went to the table and poured herself a glass of water. It tasted bland, just as the rest of Equestria. "I'll do better next time. A few minor tweaks to the spell and—"
"There'll be no next time," the voice interrupted.
Twilight froze. The magic round her glass vanished, leaving it to fall to to the falls, smashing into pieces. No, not yet. She glanced at the bed. Wrapped in a robe of spider silk, leaning against her pillow a figure looked at her. Once this had been a pony, a close friend, one she trusted, one she depended on; now she was more ghost than pony, barely connected to the world.
"You knew it was coming," the figure said, a faint purple glow flickering at her every word. "You'll be fine, though. I trust you'll be fine."
"But..." Twilight moved closer to the bed. "I could use more magic. If I—"
"Hush." The figure leaned forward. In the darkness a faint contour became visible. "You'll need it more than I do. The ponies will need it."
"They need you!" Twilight shouted. "Not some fake who shakes her flanks from a balcony! Without you they are lost. Without you, Blueblood..." She stopped. There was nothing worse than stating the obvious. But what else could she do? Her lips trembled. She shut her eyes again, determined not to let her tears show.
"Starlight," the figure whispered. "My student. My ever faithful student. You aren't a fake. Without you, the Empire would have fallen years ago. Without you I wouldn't have had time to complete my spell...my final spell."
"But—"
"No buts, not this time." The voice sounded amused, almost as if the figure was smiling. "Can you do me a favor? Please take your normal form. I'd like to look at you as you were before I go."
Twilight nodded. Silent, she took a step back and raised her head. A single spark of magic appeared on the tip of her horn, growing larger and larger until it covered her entire body. A bluish-purple light shimmered around her. Her wings twisted off her back, disappearing in flash of green flames that went on to consume her crown, her face, her turn. Seconds later Twilight was gone, and a pinkish-purple unicorn stood in her place.
"Changeling magic," the figure said. "I'm a little sad I never got to learn that. I think it would have been interesting."
"But why can't you stay?" the unicorn asked, tears shimmering as they trickled down her muzzle. Now that she was Twilight no more, the gates that kept her emotions in check were gone. Now she could finally cry. "Why must you go?" She placed her head on the specter's shoulder and wept.
"My sweet Starlight." A smile shone in the darkness. "I’m already too far gone. The sickness took my sight, my feeling, my touch. Apart from yourself, I can't perceive ponies anymore. Even Shining is like a blur. In a few more years they will vanish completely, leaving me in an empty world." She moved Starlight's head off her shoulder. "Blueblood was wrong. I can see that now. Nothing can save Equestria. It was foolish to try. We could have had a few years of joy, then gone to sleep as we should."
"You should have let me kill him," Starlight hissed.
"No. He would have killed you like he did my friends." There was a pause. "I should have killed him."
You could have, Starlight thought. Before Blueblood had become the Tyrant, his understanding of magic had been a joke. Even with wings, he was no match for the Princess of Magic. Yet Twilight had believed in his plan, and had devoted her time and energy to finding a way to save everyone—a greater spell, a more powerful artifact, an ancient being. Starlight had helped as much as she could, but as her mentor transformed into a being of pure magic, she couldn't keep up. The difference had become too large, but it didn't matter one bit. Twilight had gone through all the variables, asked all the questions, considered all the options, and learned the truth: there was no answer.
"And I will," the specter added.
Starlight looked away. The message was clear.
"I want you to leave," the specter went on. "Leave the castle, leave the Empire, go somewhere where nopony will find you. After years of being me you've earned some time for yourself. Enjoy it and help all you can."
"Easy for you to say." You didn't cause all your friends to die.
"Life's like that. It's always easier for everypony else." Soft laughter followed. "You were very close to me. My first student, my last student. It saddens me we couldn't have spent more time together as equals."
Shut up! Silent tears trickled down Starlight's cheeks.
"I know it's too much to ask, but can you do me one last favour?" The specter glowed. "Cast a spell on me. I want to be Twilight one last time."
One last spell, Starlight thought. She never imagined she'd be the one to cast it. Taking a deep breath, she concentrated. The spell was simple but demanding. Rays of magic light blasted from her horn onto the specter, giving it form and substance. Hooves formed, followed by a head, a pair of wings attached to a slightly plump body. Starlight continued, bathing the specter in light until her entire body was visible.
There. The spell ended abruptly, bringing Starlight to the floor. Gasping for air, she tried to push herself back up. Her legs fought her, but a minute’s effort brought her up onto her hooves. Shivers passed through her body—the specific type of cold one got from using too much magic. It couldn't compare to the alicorn plague, though.
"You've been a perfect me." Twilight placed a wing over her former student’s back. "Now go be yourself. And please tell my brother to see me. I need to give him something."
Starlight nodded. Her mentor stood in front of her as if she had not aged a day since since they started working together. And yet even as they hugged she felt so very distant, almost as if she wasn't there at all. Starlight whispered a "thank you" in her ear, then left the room. Floating down the stairwell, she cast a spell. A brilliant magic aura mixed with the light of the torches. When her hooves touched the base of the tower, she was no more—there was only Twilight.
"Equestria will always need Princess Twilight," Starlight whispered as she trotted through the crystal corridor. "And they will have her. Always!"
"I'm not sure about this." Spike glanced at me over his shoulder. It had been days since we entered the Dragon Lands, but we had yet to encounter a single sign of its inhabitants. "I think we should head back, you know?"
"No," I said. That option had vanished the moment we left Canterlot. "We can't."
Spike didn't say anything. He knew I was right. I still felt guilty for sharing the truth with him. When the disease struck Twilight, I had made her a promise to keep the secret from her dragon. Knowing how emotional he was, we had both agreed to hide the truth—no matter what it took. How naive of us to think we could.
It had taken the dragon less than a month to see through Twilight's disguise. A momentary lapse, thanks to her silly habit of suspending all magic while yawning, and the illusion covering her sightless eyes had vanished. She hadn't even noticed, but Spike had rushed to tell me about it. It was then that I shared some of the truth. To my surprise, he'd responded with a mere "Oh". I guess he was made of sterner stuff than I expected.
"It's the only way for Twilight to get better," I said. A lie I kept clinging to. Better. Everything was supposed to be better—I had imagined myself going to the ends of Equestria if needed, searching for some long-forgotten power that would help everyone. I still believed it, but after all this time doubt had started to creep in. What if there was no way to solve this?
"We passed the end point of the dragon migration days ago." Spike looked at the sky, no doubt hoping to spy some dragon flying over us. "Nothing at the volcano, nothing at Throne Hill. They've just vanished."
"You're still here," I said. "Try sending a scroll."
Hesitation, doubt, hopelessness. I knew Spike felt them as strongly as I did. That didn't stop him from taking a scroll out of his backpack. While he rummaged through his things for a quill, I sat on the ground. Controlling the sun exhausted me more than I liked to admit. Every day it grew weaker and weaker, demanding I expend more magic to keep it bright. At first, I had barely noticed the increased drain, but now it clawed at me for magic like a desperate elder clinging to life. If this went on I would have to consider taking mana from volunteers, or start rationing sunlight as Fancy Pants insisted.
"What should it say?" Spike turned at me, expectantly. I arched a brow. "Sorry, habit." He shook his head with a sigh. "Won't happen again."
"No worries." I smiled. He was still living in the past. To be honest, so was I.
I watched him scribble a message and puff it away into nothingness. Usually the messages would go to Auntie or Twilight. All our attempts to establish contact with the dragons had been unsuccessful. The last time any of us had heard from them was a month before the plague had struck, an interesting coincidence to say the least.
Minutes passed. Both of us knew there would be no answer, yet we stood there nonetheless. When the sun reached its peak, we continued our journey. Based on Twilight's correspondence with the Dragon Lord, their migration pattern was always was due southeast. Gritting my teeth, I took the lead.
The summer heat of the badlands mixed with my constant headache. This was the worst I had ever been in my life. My mind wandered back to the days of my careless youth. Back then I couldn’t chip my hoof without a royal mage coming to cast a healing spell. Now I was the one doing the healing.
"We'll need more water." Spike tapped on his water flask. "And gems. I haven't eaten since yesterday."
"I'll summon some tonight," I said. Preferably after I got a few hours of rest.
We walked for ages. Twice I was tempted to lower the sun early. If Spike wasn't with me, I probably would have. After a few miles we came across a patch of eggshells. Half buried in the sand, they were the only trace that other dragons ever existed. We'd found plenty: at the volcano, Throne Valley, the abandoned caves of the Everfree Forest. According to Auntie, new hatchlings only appeared every fifty years. Now there were thousands, but they too had vanished into thin air.
Night couldn't come too soon. The second of the appointed time I lowered the sun. In an instant, the weight of a mountain fell off my shoulders. At last I could think straight again.
"Food?" Spike glanced at me, his hands extended. I could see saliva on his lower lip.
"Sure." I cast a summoning spell. Never change, Spike. I smiled as the dragon gorged himself on the pile of gems that appeared.
"So, whaph will you do when we phind them?" he asked while chewing.
"Ask for advice, naturally." Another lie. I was going to ask them for strength and advice. A cure for the plague was only the beginning of my worries. If Twilight was right, I would also need a tremendous amount of magic, maybe more than the Elements of Harmony themselves. "Why? Do you have anything in mind?"
"Nah, just wondering." He licked his claws. "I mean, Twi is sick, right, and the whole of Equestria is sick, but what about you?"
"What about me?" I narrowed my eyes.
"You know, you'll still be alone." Spike tilted his head. "Like, you'll save everything, but then what? Remain alone in the world you saved?"
"Go to sleep, Spike." I looked away. I had enough problems as it was; I could find somepony when things got back to normal. Auntie would be well then. She and Luna would rule Equestria, taking back control of the sun and moon, and I would return to being comfortably useless. I would have plenty of time to pursue companionship. So why did my chest hurt as I thought about it?
"Just saying, Blue." Spike shrugged. "Funny I'm the one to give advice, but—" Spike belched, green flames emerging from his mouth. My ears perked up as, for the first time, I stared at the thing I had sought all along—hope. Today, hope came in the form of a scroll, dropping out of the air and onto the ground.
For the longest of seconds we looked at each other motionless, then Spike grabbed the scroll.
"It's from Ember," Spike said, as he read. "She... oh." He suddenly stopped. I shuffled my legs, but didn't ask the question. Instead, I grabbed hold of the scroll with my magic. Feeling the tug, the dragon let it go.
Spike, I know this might be hard, but you can’t write to me again.
I'm gone.
The letter was harsh, but it had given me what I needed. Thanks to a few of Auntie's spells, I could pinpoint Ember's exact location. It would only take teleporting there to get on with my plan. With the sun down, I could easily teleport Spike back to Ponyville, keeping him safely out of the way. Seeing his agitated state, however, I wasn't sure that would be the best idea. Twilight would be upset, and I needed her.
I concentrated on the scroll. I could see minuscule traces of magic flicker as they evaporated into the air and pulled them in, consuming them in preparation for my spell. Pure dragon essence flooded my senses for a moment—cold and dry as its owner, ripe with the stench of unbridled greed. Clearly, the Dragon Lord wasn't the belle Spike thought her to be.
"Hey." I moved closer. "It'll be fine." I had Auntie to thank for that lie. She said it at the end of every visit. "Maybe she's just worried about you."
"Yeah." Spike nodded. It was clear he wished he could believe me. "Guess there still are dragons in Equestria. They just don't want to see us."
The phrase made my nostrils flare up. I knew what he was saying was logical, but at the same time I felt rage as I never had before. Those arrogant winged lizards! Who were they to treat me like this?! They knew I controlled the sun and moon, I had sent them scrolls stressing the point, and they still refused to see me?
"That's too bad." I started my teleportation spell. "I want to see them!"
The world popped around me like a bubble. Next thing I knew I was in a cave of some sort. A dark red fiery glow irritated my eyes. Molten lava. Normal, considering the sender was a dragon.
"Whoa!" Spike said wide eyed. "You—"
I didn't wait for him to finish and cast a protection sphere around my body before trotting forward. The sound of hissing and bubbling drowned the sound of my hooves. A sticky smell of ash mixed with sulfur filled my nostrils, bringing tears to my eyes.
"Wait up!" I heard Spike's voice behind me, but kept going. I could feel magic emanating from somewhere ahead, old and powerful magic. How could magic stronger than mine have remained hidden? Twilight's spell and the map were supposed to show me all of the great artifacts, magic-users, and natural sources of mana in Equestria. Gritting my teeth, I broke into a gallop.
The cave led to a larger tunnel. The larger tunnel led to a hall, and the hall made me freeze in my tracks. Blood red rubies shone from the walls, bathing everything in aether light. They weren't the source of the magic.
"Blue." Spike came running in into the hall. "Why did you run off like that?" Then he saw them too.
Dragon eggs. Thousand upon thousands of eggs. The entire floor was made of them, continuing as far as the eye could see—and each held as much magic as I did.
"So you decided to come, after all?" A loud voice echoed throughout the hall. I looked around trying to find its source. It didn't take me long. Part of the floor shifted. The eggs parted, letting an enormous dragon head emerge. He stared right down at me. "I knew you had a crush on my Ember, little dragon. I didn't think you'd bring a pony here."
"Dragon Lord Torch," Spike whispered.
"I brought us here!" I said, trying not to tremble. "It was my decision, and I have a very good reason for it."
"Oh?" The dragon's head smirked. "Enlighten me."
"The Princess of the Sun has been afflicted by a sickness," I began, carefully choosing my words. If I didn't make it sound serious enough, the dragon might not help me. Too serious, and Spike would start asking questions at a time he shouldn't. "As has the Princess of the Night. I've sought you out to seek your help in finding a cure—"
The dragon laughed.
"You disturbed my sleep for that? Go back to your palace, little horse."
"Equestria is dying!" The words slipped my mouth. In part I felt like biting my tongue, but this was the point of no return. "If you don't help me, so will you!"
More laughter echoed throughout the hall. I felt someone tug on my tail, probably Spike, but chose to ignore it.
"Amusing,” the dragon head said. "You think the end of a world would affect us? We are dragons, not some soft fleshy ponies. Worlds come and go, but we remain forever."
"How?" Rage bubbled inside me. Rage at my own futility, at how helpless I was. My aunts had granted me the strength of two alicorns and still I remained powerless.
"We wait."
"Blue." Spike tugged me again.
"Not now, Spike!" I hissed.
"The eggs! They are here!" he insisted. "All the dragon—"
"I'm not blind!" I snapped at him. "I can see they're here! Do you take me for an idiot?"
"No, I mean the dragons are the eggs! Ember, Garble, the rest, they are the eggs."
The phrase hit me like a wet blanket. My heart raced as I looked down, only now seeing the obvious. Dragons, tens of thousands of them, shrunken to the size of eggs. Auntie had told me about this when I was a colt: Dragons were an embodiment of greed and magic—the more they had, the larger they grew, yet should they choose they could revert back to their original state...protected by an indestructible shell.
"Seek your answers elsewhere, pony," the elder dragon grumbled. "Enjoy what time you have left."
"So it's over?" My legs felt faint. All this search to receive a death sentence.
"Perhaps." Torch mused. His giant eyes bored into mine, as if to determine my worth. Whatever the test was, I apparently failed, for he snorted fire out of his nostrils. "No, you won't do."
"Tell me." I moved forward.
"Blue, I don't think—" Spike began, but I cast a silence spell around him.
"If you can do it why can't I?"
"I suppose you could." Torch narrowed his eyes, his massive mouth forming a smile. "Give me one thing and I'll tell you how."
"Typical dragon greed." I spat the words out.
"We are what we are. Do you want my advice or not?"
Ever fiber of my body screamed it was a trap. Dragons were know for taking advantage of any situation. If I were talking to Ember there was a chance she'd help me, but Torch... And yet, I still couldn't refuse the offer. No matter what it cost me, I had to see this through.
"Do you guarantee it will work?" I asked. Beside me, Spike was doing all sorts of signs to tell me to stop. Too late, my friend. I cast a force bubble around him, trapping him in an aether cell.
"No." Torch sounded amused. "If that does not interest you, walk away. Your choice, princelet."
There was no telling what he could ask of me. If I was lucky it could be treasure, gems, possibly even control of the sun. That's what any dragon would want. Not in a decaying world, though. What good would any of that do if it would all fade away?
"There is a way, little prince." The dragon’s voice turned to a low, seductive rumble. "Give me what I ask and I will tell you how."
"What do you want?" I asked, my mind racing through all the options. What possibly could interest him?
"Him." A plume of smoke made its way towards Spike, stopping feet away from the aether bubble I had encase him within. The little guy didn't react well, pounding on the barrier in a futile attempt to break through. "Give him to me and I will make you know."
The math made sense. A whelp for the whole of Equestria. Auntie would understand—even Twilight would. So why did I feel like I had a shard of glass in my stomach? Giving a life away, even if it was just one, was against everything Auntie stood for, everything Equestria stood for. I turned around towards Spike. Seeing my gaze the dragon went quiet. He couldn't hear anything spoken outside his bubble, but he knew—I could tell he knew. Right now I wished I could be more like Fancy. Under his silken exterior was a being of pure steel. He could easily sacrifice one half of Equestria if it meant saving the other.
"Fine!" I hissed.
"A wise choice. He might be a wingless dragon pony, but he's still better among his own." Torch stirred. The entire hall trembled. "There is no way to stop the fading, but you can wait it out. Just like us." His giant hand emerged, taking Spike from next to me. "It will take everything you have, the sun, the moon, your essence itself, but you can manage. When the new world is born you will awaken, possibly with your memories intact."
"That's my choice?" I would laugh if it weren't so tragic. "Save myself and leave everyone else to die?"
"Ponies will come again into being. This time you'll guide them."
"What about Equestria?" I flared up my horn as anger filled me.
"No." He shook his head, his hand and Spike disappearing under the sea of dragon eggs. "Only your memories of it."
"That's all you have to tell me?" I pounded my hooves against the floor and snorted. "Let everything become dust so I can live?!"
"Oh, no." Torch's eyes flashed. "In order to survive like a dragon you must become like one, and for a pony like you that means sacrificing the one you love, who is your very life, your world itself. Only by smashing—unleashing—the most powerful of attachments can your essence flow from this age to the next."
"I don't have anypony I love!" I shouted. Was the dragon even listening to what he was saying?
"Then you die. If you want to see your new Equestria, you must find and sacrifice your love."
The dragon's head disappeared under the eggs. If they were less invulnerable, I would have cast a lightning bolt at him through the shells to destroy them. I had given up Spike and gotten less than nothing in return—a seed of temptation stuck inside my brain.
"You're wrong," I growled. "There's another way and I will find it!" I would, no matter what it took, and I would never become as heartless as him!
No noise came from Canterlot. The city of a thousand lights, the heart of Equestria, was now dark and lifeless as a snuffed candle. The buildings remained intact, covered with huge paintings of the Tyrant, but the windows were empty and the street lamps unlit.
At the edge of the city, Starlight looked around. The train station, once bustling with ponies from all over the land, now lay abandoned. The tracks, though they had known no trains for years, glistened in the moonlight as if they had been laid down yesterday. Moving closer, Starlight slid a hoof along them. No dust, no decay, no wear, like everything else in the world lately. Ponyville, Manehattan, Fillydelphia, the Crystal Capital—all had become ghost towns preserved for eternity.
So it has come to this. Starlight turned around. She could feel the extent of the Tyrant's power, just as she could feel the vast emptiness that surrounded her. Trixie hadn't exaggerated when she had spoken of the city; if anything, she had left too many details out.
"Time to end this," Starlight whispered. Her horn flashed blue, changing her form into that of Twilight Sparkle. If somepony is to take the Tyrant down, it must be you, Twilight.
Hoofsteps echoed as Starlight walked towards the palace. Every few streets she would pause, expecting a squad of mages or a patrol of soldiers, only to be greeted by silence. The thousands of troops she remembered seeing the last time she had ventured in the city were gone, probably sent to quash the meager pockets of resistance Starlight had created on the edges of Equestria. Looking back, it seemed like a foolish endeavor. The Tyrant had gathered all magic for himself. For the past few weeks he had even hadn't bothered raising the sun, plunging the land into darkness. In a matter of weeks, all remaining food supplies would run out. Then every living thing would be faced with one choice: submit or perish.
Massive doors loomed over Starlight as she approached the entrance. No longer the ceremonial doors she remembered, they were reinforced with several layer of steel, giving no illusion as to how welcome visitors were. Starlight lit up her horn. Before she could form a spell to smash the double door in, however, it swung open.
"No need to waste magic," the Tyrant's voice echoed from inside. "There are other things you need to preserve it for."
Starlight felt a shiver through her body. Taking a final look at Canterlot, she stepped inside. The corridor was long and dark. If there were any colors left, she couldn't see them among the shades of grey. In the distance, the only source of light shone cold and white.
"If I'd known you would arrive so soon, I'd have brushed up the place."
No, you wouldn't have. Starlight continued forward. As she entered the throne room a cold chill hit her in the chest. The place was unlike what she expected—rather than embracing the austere, dead aesthetic he was known for, the Tyrant had built up the seat of his power beyond even the grandiosity of Celestia’s day. The floor and walls were freshly-laid white marble, the ceiling was now supported by magnificent columns taken from the Crystal Palace, everything was trimmed with gold, and all glowed with the radiance of the Tyrant's light spells.
No guards? She narrowed her eyes, casting a quick reveal spell. Her horn flashed for an instant, filling the hall with blue sparkles. No one appeared.
"Nice to know that Trixie kept her word," Blueblood said from his throne. On his right side, the greying figure of Fancy Pants stood in a black and gold uniform, taking a sip from a silver-encrusted crystal glass. On the Tyrant’s other side, looking at Starlight with a vicious smile, was the second most hated and distrusted creature in Equestria—Queen Chrysalis herself. "It must have hurt for her to betray you like that."
"She didn't betray me." Starlight approached, keeping an eye on the changeling queen. "I chose to come here on my own."
"Yes, that's what you would say," Chrysalis laughed. "I bet you tell yourself that each time you think of her betrayal."
"Chrysalis, behave please." The Tyrant raised a hoof. "This is no way to treat the savior of Equestria."
The changeling snorted. Her fangs bared, glistening for a few moments before disappearing behind a vicious smile. Starlight tensed.
"Where are your guards?" Starlight asked, glancing over her shoulder.
"As with the rest of Equestria, their services are no longer necessary." Blueblood stirred. "The moon suits them better."
"You banished everypony to the moon?" The thought sent shivers down Starlight's spine. "All of them?!"
"Just the major cities for now." The Tyrant straightened up. "Canterlot, Manehattan, a few others for sentimental reasons. Cloudsdale is in an hour, if I remember."
"Jolly good." Fancy Pants hiccuped. "Marvelous city that. Did I tell you they make the best wine there? Opened a crate just yesterday. Splendid stuff. No idea how they distill it. I'll look into that. Ah, but how my Fleur loved wine. I remember she would insist on my getting the best of Cloudsdale when we had guests." He took another sip of his wine. "Good times."
"Thank you, Fancy." Blueblood stared down at Starlight. "I couldn't have said it better myself."
"You know you can't win, right?" Starlight's pulse hastened. "I know you need me for something and I'll kill myself before I give it to you."
"She's lying," the crown on Blueblood's head said. "Sorry, sugarcube."
"Applejack?" Starlight blinked. "I thought you were—"
"She's alive in a manner of speaking." Blueblood tapped the side of his crown with a hoof. "And even if she wasn't, I still know you wouldn't harm yourself. If you wanted to, you wouldn't have come all this way to see me." Beside him, Chrysalis hissed. "You're curious, very much like the pony whose shape you wear. You're clever enough to see that I have a plan, and as much as you've convinced yourself that it's evil or impossible, you still want to hear it."
Mind games. Throughout the decades the Tyrant had become increasingly good at that. Even with her shielding spells, Starlight was sure he knew everything there was about her. And he was right—she did want to know what his plan was, if only to laugh in his face.
"I was like you once," Blueblood went on. "Determined and misguided. Dreadful combination. You know the difference between us? I was lucky to see through things early on."
"Just get on with it," Chrysalis snarled. "She's here, why waste time?"
"Nice to know you haven't changed." Starlight took a step forward.
"The plan," Blueblood said, raising his voice, "is simple. I want you to cast a spell for me, the spell you perfected decades ago."
"That's it?" Starlight flicked her ears. "You’ve been hunting me for years throughout Equestria, you cursed my best friend just to send me a message, and all you wanted was a spell? You're insane!"
"It takes a bit of insanity to go through what I've planned. And it isn't any spell. It's a spell that cuts to the quick of magic itself, something that is capable of unleashing the greatest power there is."
No! Starlight froze. Even you can't be this insane!
"I've managed to gathered all the magic in the world." Blueblood stood up. His wings spun open, shining with cold incandescent beauty. "Dream magic, sun magic, star magic, chaos, love, even the final spell of your mentor. It's still not enough. For what I have planned, I'll need more." Starlight shivered. "Yes, I'll need the power of every cutie mark in Equestria, and you're going to give it to me."
"That's why you left me alive?" Starlight would have laughed if the irony wasn't so painful. She had spent decades hidden, doing everything possible to confront him…which was the one thing she shouldn't have done. All this time, she had believed Blueblood hadn't killed her because he couldn't. The truth was he never wanted to. The only thing he wanted was to capture her unharmed, and she had given herself to him on a silver platter. Now she couldn't even kill herself to prevent it; any attempt and she'd end up like Trixie.
“If I could have duplicated your talent, I would have.” His cold gaze fell on her. “Sadly, changeling magic proved a poor replacement.” The Tyran looked over at Chrysalis.
With a low hiss the changeling queen glared back, then flashed into the shape of Starlight as it had been decades before. Was I so young? Starlight thought. Her doppelgänger laughed then teleported in front of her. The action caught Starlight off guard, making her lose focus of her own shapeshifting spell. The alicorn wings fell off her back, consumed by green flames that went on to consume their rest of her false image.
“Just a cheap mask,” the fake Starlight laughed. “No match for real changeling magic.”
“And yet you fail to match her spell,” Blueblood noted.
“Nothing a few weeks in a cocoon wouldn't fix.”
“No,” the Tyrant said sharply, making Chrysalis briskly move back. “She will do it for me.”
"You wish!” Starlight said through her teeth. “You're drained Equestria of everything else, now you want to drain everypony’s very selves? Why not just kill them?!"
"Because that was never my intention." Blueblood’s words were calm, devoid of any anger or hate, just as they lacked any empathy or feeling. "There is no way to stop the decay of Equestria, but with enough magic I can bring about the birth of a new one and transport my little ponies there. You will give me that when you remove everypony’s cutie marks."
“Yes, you're right.” A blue glow surrounded Starlight’s horn. “I am the only pony with this power, and I intend to use it!”
A beam of blue light shot forward. Chrysalis yelled, leaping forward, but it was already too late. Before the queen could touch the flow of aether, the spell would have done its work—Blueblood’s cutie mark would be no more, and along with it his alicorn powers.
Checkmate. Starlight smiled as she pulled the compass rose off the Tyrant’s rump. She knew that if she took it on her days would be numbered. The plague that had taken the Princesses would claim her as well, but not before she put an end to his dreaded reign.
“Can you see me, Twilight?” Starlight whispered while the cutie mark was burned onto her skin. “I finally got my own wings.” Ignoring the waves of pain from the searing of Blueblood’s cutie mark into her flesh, she took a step forward. The Tyrant stood before her, motionless as a statue. His wings were still attached, but his flank was bare. “And now to—”
Starlight stopped. She could feel the essence of the cutie mark merging with her consciousness, yet she could feel no wings.
“Remarkable.” The Tyrant looked at the empty whiteness of his side. “You’ll do splendidly.”
“Why?” Starlight shouted. Her mind felt as if it were on fire, full of concepts she couldn't understand. “I have your cutie mark! Why do you still have your powers?” She slammed her head against the floor in an attempt to stop the pain.
“My alicorn powers never came from my cutie mark.” Blueblood moved closer to the twisting unicorn. “They were a gift from my aunts. Do you know what my mark stands for?”
Starlight’s screams filled the hall. Her mark and Blueblood’s clashed, striving for dominance over her, neither willing to conform to the principles of the other.
“The compass rose,” Blueblood said, calm and smooth as marble. “It was my ability to chart a way to the destination no matter the challenges, no matter the cost. And just to show you how serious I am..." He turned towards Chrysalis. The changeling queen arched a brow in confusion. She raised her forehoof, perhaps to speak or to shield herself.
White flames engulfed her entire body.
"Why?" the queen screamed, her cries mixing with Starlight’s as she flailed in vain to put out the sorcerous fire.
"You have no place in my new Equestria," the Tyrant replied as his spell siphoned her magic and burned her husk to a crisp. Once it was over the screaming ended, replaced by Starlight’s quiet sobbing. "Fancy?" Blueblood turned to his only remaining companion. "Please fetch Philomena for me. And something to eat. I'm sure our savior could use a bite before we go."
"Good thinking, old boy!" Fancy Pants nodded, levitating his glass on the floor. "We have some premium cherries in the cellar. My wife loved cherries, couldn't get enough of them." He passed by Starlight, nodding, and trotted out of the hall.
Blueblood looked at the spot where Chrysalis had been, then sat on his throne.
"Now that that's over, what is your answer?" the Tyrant asked. "Will you help me?"
Help you... Starlight thought. Her head was still heavy from the experience as she stood up and looked around. The hall was the same as it had been moments ago, yet she could see things so clearly now. The plague, the decay destroying Equestria, the death of her friends—all pieces in a giant labyrinth she could never have conceived of, but now she could also see a path forward.
"Yes," she whispered, eyes blankly staring into the distance. "I will save Equestria."
Scootaloo stared at the trees. When she was a filly, they had terrified her. That never stopped her from sneaking into the Everfree Forest, but she had always felt a rush of adrenaline knowing that at any point the foliage could transform into a Timberwolf.
That was before. The whole forest was brown and dead, and it had been years since Timberwolves ceased to exist; the last had been captured by the Tyrant's guards and taken to Canterlot on Lord Fancy's orders.
"As long as you stare, no wolf will stand there," a mare’s voice said from behind her, gentle and low. "The things you must think all lie in the past, and as our sun, they no longer last."
"You haven't lost your touch," Scootaloo said, turning around. Seeing the old zebra again took her back to her youth. For a moment she could almost remember the time she was a Cutie Mark Crusader. She had friends back then...before life happened and they drifted apart. "How are you, Zecora?"
"Your question is hard for one who’s so lost. And as I can see, you've paid your own cost." The zebra approached, glancing at the mare's cutie mark. A white circle surrounded it. "Though it now is dark, I still see your mark."
"Joy." Scootaloo frowned. "So, what have you been up to? The forest seems to be the same, things considered. Beasts still hiding about, I guess?"
"The only beast that roams is not in here, and I'm always glad to see a friend dear." Zecora ruffled Scootaloo's mane. "Come and let us talk now, yourself and me, and enjoy a taste of my herbal tea."
"I really wish you'd stop talking like that." Scootaloo sighed, but followed.
The longer they walked, the more Scootaloo noticed how few plants there were. Once, the ground had been covered with poison joke. Now there wasn't even a blade of grass between the dead tree-trunks. The sun had only been gone for a week and already Equestria was changing. It wasn't as cold as everypony initially feared: there were no storms, no blizzards, no end-of-days cataclysms—only a sense of dull, dreary helplessness no one could escape from.
"Do you think there'll be food without the sun?" Scootaloo asked. The zebra just kept walking, humming a strange tune. "I didn't think so either. I remember how the thought of an eternal night terrified me as a filly, back when Nightmare Moon was a thing. Funny, right?"
Zecora smiled, moving along. So much for small talk. The forest seemed remarkably different, all the more with all the creatures missing. Now and again something familiar would pop up: the horseshoe tree on which Scootaloo and her friends would pin a horseshoes in the middle of the night on a dare, the Pine of Promises where they had made unbreakable vows, the Tree of Flight... Scootaloo winced. It was there that Rainbow Dash had tried to teach her how to fly. A futile experience, but also the best time of the filly's life. If there was anything she could give to turn back time and make those memories real again, she would do it.
"We have arrived at the hut you once knew," Zecora announced as they approached. "Sorry to say that I have only stew."
"That's okay." Scootaloo attempted a smile. "I don't need food anyway." Not since Trixie cursed me to this eternal existence. She stepped inside the hut. "Tea’s fine. I haven't had a drink in—"
Scootaloo froze. The hut was dimly lit and full of smoke, yet she could still see who else was inside: the faces of childhood friends she had forgotten.
"Apple Bloom? Sweetie Belle?" She couldn't hide her surprise. Years had passed and yet they still seemed so young, almost unchanged since Rainbow Dash's funeral. Back then Scootaloo had yelled at them, she had yelled at the world. She had said things that shouldn't be said, and she had meant every word.
"Hey, Scootaloo." Sweetie Belle looked up from her book. Apple Bloom didn't bother, still stirring the concoction in Zecora's cauldron and letting the unicorn carry the burden of conversation. "You look well."
"Yeah." The pegasus glanced at her friends’ cutie marks—both bore the Tyrant's circle. "You too." So you're cursed too, huh? her glance asked. Sweetie Belle looked away, and Scootaloo changed the subject. "What are you reading?"
"Rarity's Fashion Advice," Sweetie Belle said, flipping a page with her muzzle. "Nearly a bestseller in Canterlot and Manehattan, and undoubtedly a smashing success in the Crystal Empire if any publisher had agreed."
Sarcastic as ever. Good to see some things never change. I guess. Scootaloo snorted.
"But really, I was just looking at the pictures." The unicorn closed the book. "There’s not enough light to read, and no magic to make any either. You? I heard you went into show business."
"Yeah, something like that."
Trixie would have loved to hear her act described in such a way. In truth, Sweetie Belle wasn't far off. After everything collapsed into bleakness, the shows Trixie had put on were the only thing that still touched ponies' hearts...until the Tyrant got to her too.
"How you doing, Apple Bloom?" Scootaloo asked, looking around for a place to sit. The only choices were a few dirty rugs, a small table, and a chair near the cauldron in the center of the hut. The pegasus considered between spots on the ground, finally deciding to lean against the wooden wall. "Brewing is looking—" she eyed the green fumes coming from the mixture "—good."
"It'th tea." Apple Bloom stirred the brew a few more times and let go of the ladle, leaving it to be taken by inertia. "With roots. Ain't no more leaves to use."
"Ah." Scootaloo nodded. "At least it tastes like something?"
"Yeah, at least it—" Apple Bloom stopped. Her face twisted in grief. Before a single tear could appear, however, the mare kicked some dust in the air, looking away. "Why are you pretending? We ain't seen you in years, and you can’t just un-say what you said before that. At least I visited Sweetie Belle when Zecora took her in. You—" she pointed at the pegasus with a glare "—left us. The Scoots we knew died with Rainbow Dash. You’re just her shadow."
A dull pain clamped down on Scootaloo's stomach. There was a time she would start a fight over such words, and there was a time she'd break down at the thought of her idol's death. Now she barely cared. How could she with the end of Equestria so near?
"We're all just shadows." Sweetie Belle said, standing up. She grabbed a cup from the table with her mouth, scooped up some tea, and placed it before Scootaloo. "But at least we got to be together again."
The tea was as bitter as charcoal. Scootaloo took a few sips, then gulped the rest down in one go. Despite its taste, she didn't dare spit it out. This was the first liquid she had had in months.
"What happened to us?" Scootaloo asked, looking down at her empty cup. "We used to be something." She flinched when Apple Bloom snorted. "It's all over, isn't it? No love, no magic, no sun...soon, no Equestria. And we'll be alive to see it all."
"You tried, didn't you?" A smile of pity appeared on Sweetie Belle's face. "It's okay. I did too. I used what magic I had to tie myself to a rock and levitate out to the middle of Ponyville Lake. The pain was there, I just couldn't die."
"Well I didn't," Apple Bloom snapped as she served Zecora’s tea. "My brother and sister gave their lives so I wouldn't be harmed, and I ain't gonna disrespect that!"
"The world is fading, but you’re all here at last. Why stand here and argue about things in the past?" Zecora asked, nodding to Apple Bloom with a gentle smile. "The Tyrant may have twisted the promise he made, but through the giving of others you still are saved."
More like cursed, Scootaloo thought.
"Your sisters and your close ones have given up a lot. Will you squander their gifts now in anger? I think not." Zecora took a sip of her tea. "My cost was my craft, which even he cannot take; the power I give him can have no equal fake. Potions and powders and amulets arcane; all these I give so that I can remain. My dealings with Blueblood have been like those of you three, but it is thanks to such bargains we all can run free."
"Yeah. Lucky us," Scootaloo muttered.
"Luck, hope, and joy are things of which there’s a lack,” Zecora said over her cup. “But at least you three can all have your friends back."
The word made Scootaloo's mane tingle. Friends. It was the most painful word she knew. Whether like Trixie, or Rainbow Dash, or now Apple Bloom, friends always turned around on her one way or another.
Seconds passed in silence, then minutes. Zecora finished her tea and left the hut, muttering something about taking care of the forest. The silence reigned on. Scootaloo didn't know what to say, choosing to glance about the hut in an attempt to avoid looking at her childhood friends. By the end of the first hour she gave up, lying on the rug by the door. Sweetie Belle looked at her, the faint smile on her face, then opened her book once more.
The hours passed slowly. Without the sun, Scootaloo couldn't tell if it was time for bed or not. It was a blessing. With dreams gone for years, sleep was a worse torture than her life: being locked in an vast endless darkness, not seeing, not hearing, not feeling, just aware of her existence. Usually she would remain still instead, eyes wide open, staring at the moon. This time, though, she was kept awake by Apple Bloom’s snoring.
You’ve gotta be kidding me. Scootaloo bit her tongue and looked over to Sweetie Belle. This reminded her of when she had gone camping with the other Crusaders, their sisters, and Rainbow Dash. Rainbow had done all the snoring back then… But though the memory was bittersweet now, how could her once-friend sleep in a world like this?
"I don't know how she does it either," Sweetie Belle whispered. "But she does every night, like clockwork. I couldn't. Even back when I had enough dream rations, I just couldn't—not with Rarity gone."
"I know." I've been there, Sweetie. "Do you two still...talk about the past?"
"Sometimes. Rarely. Apple Bloom spends most of her time with Zecora or gathering roots in the forest. I just keep going through the books I have. It's more a habit now. I know them by heart. I tried writing too, but it didn't help much—it’s too dark to see what I’m writing. What about you? What do you do to keep your head on straight?"
"Well, I traveled across Equestria with—" Scootaloo paused. Remembering her time with Trixie left an aftertaste as bitter as Zecora's tea. A sharp crack from outside grabbed Scootaloo's attention. "Ssh!" She got to her hooves, careful not to make a sound.
"It's just the wind," Sweetie Belle whispered. "It happens all the time. I've gotten used to it."
"Sweetie Belle—" Scootaloo tiptoed towards the door of the hut "—the Tyrant took all the clouds and winds months ago." She cracked the door open. "You wake Apple Bloom. I'll go see what's happening."
Rays of moonlight shone down through the branches as Scootaloo stepped out into the forest; that frail light was the only reminder that Equestria hadn't completely faded away. I'm sure I heard something. Scootaloo crept forward. If it was some Everfree creature, she could relax and go back to lying awake in the hut. She wanted to; after all these years she yearned for an end to the running and the constant fear of pursuit.
"The plot you plot, it is not wise." Zecora’s faint voice was only a short distance away. "This even you must realize."
"You don't understand!" another voice said, this one just as familiar. "We must be ready. If Starlight fails, we won't have another chance."
Trixie? Scootaloo froze in her tracks. She had never expected to see Trixie again. After her betrayal, Scootaloo had done everything in her power to get as far away as possible, and yet here she was in the Everfree Forest. Zecora, why didn't you tell me you were meeting with her too? She gritted her teeth and snuck forward.
"Even if what you say is quite true, there's no way we can win, me and you." Zecora's voice sounded louder, nearer. "The Alicorn Amulet is still in my care, but as you well know, it is too risky to wear. Last time it consumed you, ate you almost to bone. Wear it again and you'll be less pony than stone."
"If that's the price I have to pay, I’ll pay it!" Trixie said. Scootaloo could just barely make out the old showmare’s frame between the trees. Time hadn't been kind to her. The curse had transformed her into a walking bag of bones. "I know that the Tyrant is going to cast one final spell. Everything he's done throughout the years, all the magic he has drained, has been for that own spell. When he casts it he will be vulnerable."
"Your aim is good, but blinded by rage." Zecora sighed. "You see the jailer, but not the cage. Even if you succeed, will it help those in need? In mere weeks the world’s course will be run. You, I, and everything will be undone."
"That's precisely why I want to do this! I know I can't kill the Tyrant, but I can use the amulet to redirect his magic." Trixie stomped on the ground. The bitterness in Trixie’s tone became palpable. "Discord... he showed me how to tear the fabric of reality to reach other worlds just to mock me. He knew it would take more power than even an alicorn could wield. But now I can use the Tyrant's magic to send you and the girls somewhere safe."
No! Scootaloo's body felt numb. I never asked you to do this! I shouldn't be alive, none of us should! Can't you just let us rest once and for all?
A short distance away, Zecora nodded.
“The thing that you want of me is not small to ask, but I’ll give it to you if you’re up to the task.”
The final beam of light vanished to the moon—the inhabitants of Trottingham and Las Pegasus were safely banished. Beside me, Starlight looked away. She was still crying—the drawback of having a heart. I had been the same once. Thinking about it, Auntie Celestia must have done the same as I the first time her world ended. I should have asked. Instead, I wasted time trying to find a workaround.
"Was that it?" Starlight muttered. "Is everyone...there?"
"Mostly." I glanced up. "Are you ready?"
"Give me a few minutes."
Grief—another useless feeling I could no longer understand, but I would indulge her this once. As the final piece of my puzzle, she had earned that right. A few minutes would hardly matter, not after the years I squandered.
Two decades and change. That was how long it had taken me to get prepare for this moment. Looking back, I could have completed it in four years. In her idiocy, Rainbow Dash had given me precisely what I needed. Her useless death had turned everypony against me, but it had also drawn out Big Mac's love. I could have killed him there and then, and maybe I should have. Or maybe not? Things take time to blossom.
"I say, jolly good timing, old boy." Fancy Pants leaned against me, waving an empty bottle in the air. "I just found that we're out of liquor. Shameful, that. I thought I'd been saving a case of Celestial from 891. Turns out I finished it yesterday."
"Accidents happen, Fancy," I said, enduring his drunkenness. He had been my one loyal supporter through all of this. The years had made him a wreck. If it wasn't for Auntie's magic he'd be long dead. "Nothing that can't be fixed."
"Ah, yes!" He hiccuped and made an attempt to stand up straight. "Nothing that can't be fixed. Capital."
"I'm ready," Starlight said, brushing away her tears as she returned to my side. "What do I do?"
"You cast the spell." I glanced at the the moon, trying to ignore Fancy Pants as he muttered a eulogy over his bottle. "When the first cutie mark is separated from its owner, I'll transform it into energy and channel it through you. Then you'll have the power to take the rest."
"And at the end I take my own." She looked at me. There was no need for me to nod. She was smart, and was wearing my cutie mark. "I understand. Will I survive to see the new world?"
"After I assimilate your cutie mark and my own, I'll drain Equestria of its remaining magic and cast the creation spell. If you're alive by then, you might." I lied. It was impossible for Starlight to survive being a conduit. She would most likely die before she could remove her own cutie mark, but by then I'd be able to do it myself.
"I see," she said, turning her eyes to the moon. "So I only need to reach one of them?"
"No." I could have placed a hoof on her shoulder, provided her a bit of comfort. Twilight would have done it. I wasn't Twilight. "Not them."
It took only a moment for her to understand. There were things that had to be done. Fancy had been by me all this time, my indestructible pillar that even alcohol hadn't managed to corrode. Now we was going to help me once more—as the spark that would ignite the change.
Starlight's horn lit up. The thousands of aether strands that composed her spell wove together into a bolt of blue light. So simple, yet so elegant. It flew through the air, striking Fancy Pants’ cutie mark. Chrysalis could never have copied such an intricate composition.
Fancy’s ears perked up. Even in his drunken state, he could tell what was happening. He glanced at the cutie mark peeling off his flank, then turned towards me. I expected scorn in his eyes, an outburst of rage, but instead he gave me the warmest smile I had seen since Big Macintosh passed.
"Finally," the unicorn said. His features relaxed; without what must have been a practiced mask, his true age and weariness shone through for one fleeting moment. Then he collapsed.
"Continue with the spell!" I ordered. I could sense Fancy’s heart stopping, popping under the shock of the spell, but I had to go on.
The three-crown mark floated before me, held in the air by Starlight's magic. I gazed at it for a second before casting Twilight's devouring spell. A heat surpassing the depths of the sun swept through me as the spell activated. My magic surged, making my fur light up the world with its glow. It was far more power than I expected, but not more that I could handle. Spreading my wings to their full span, I redirected part of the energy to Starlight—just enough for her to reach the moon. Even at this stage, I could not risk her turning against me.
"Now the rest," I said, and her body lit up with the intensity of a star.
My thoughts lingered on our research with Twilight for an instant. Such a waste. If only she had been male, if only she had sacrificed her love of ponies...how much we could have achieved. Tens of thousands would be still alive or transformed into mana. But even trapped in her delusions, Twilight had helped me. The spell she had given her brother, the spell she had transformed herself into, had the power to destroy anything and convert it to energy. No doubt she hoped to cast it on me and return what I had gathered to Equestria, giving everypony a few final months of bliss. Such a plan was foolish and sentimental; her failure had been a blessing.
A wave of light fell upon me as Starlight’s spell fired, bringing me to my knees. It took all my strength to stay upright, bombarded by hundreds upon hundreds of cutie marks. Like snowflakes they rained from the moon, devoured into nothingness by my spell before I could even make out their patterns. I glanced at Starlight. Her mane was charred by the intensity of the magic, yet she kept on casting. I could have thanked her in these last moments. Her body would melt into the aether for her efforts, but at this point it didn't matter.
The ground shattered beneath my hooves, incapable of withstanding the magic that ran through me as Starlight fed me every cutie mark she could tear away. The spell grew even greater in magnitude, absorbing what was left of the unicorn and forcing me to take over drawing in and eating the last thousands of cutie marks. Yet I still needed more power to do what the dragons couldn't. In their greed, they saw Equestria as little more than stone and ore and gems, but they were mistaken. There was dormant magic in every leaf, every pebble, every speck of dust, in the air itself.
"For Equestria," I said, casting my final spell towards the horizon. It was time for the old to be consumed so it could give birth to the new.
A smell of ozone filled the air, the first I had felt in an eternity. My thoughts went back to that dreary night it had all begun. I had been suffering from dreamless nights for days, maybe more, living through what I thought was a nightmare. I remembered bumping into Shining Armor—something about his child being sick—before Raven took me to my Aunt. There was no way I could have known that a decade later Raven would be dead and I would be engaged in a war with the Crystal Empire.
If I had refused my wings that day, would the outcome have been different? Perhaps Auntie would have offered her wings to Fancy Pants or Shining Armor, or another honorable stallion instead. Would he have walked the same path as I, or allowed Equestria to slip into oblivion as Twilight wished to? Could he have found a better way?
The sound of crackling magic echoed in the distance as my strength was drained by the spell. I gasped for air, fighting to remain on my hooves. My insides felt as if I was drinking molten iron, but I wouldn't give in, not until I had created my new world.
A red flash flickered in front of me—a teleportation spell. A blue shape emerged before me as the horizon evaporated.
"Trixie," I said. Another set of shapes took form behind her. Three more deathless ponies I had created, three more foolish pacts I could not undo. But what interested me was the Alicorn Amulet Trixie wore around her neck. "I wondered where that trinket had gone. Now I know."
The ruby of the amulet flickered. Trixie had planned her moment well—attacking me while I was at my weakest was her only chance of success. Why had she brought the fillies, then?
I spread my wings and cart a protection bubble around me. This was no time to take chances, even against a mere unicorn. As I did the amulet round her neck pulsed, red streaks spreading deeper into her skin.
"You missed your chance," I said, glancing at the walls of white light in the distance. It was moving closer, bringing the horizon with it. Already the edges of Equestria were visible to the naked eye, devoured by the second. "It is insulting that you thought you could harm me with that pathetic toy."
“As if I ever had a chance.” Trixie cast a protection bubble of her own, levitating herself and the fillies into the air. “You've won, haven't you? I just wanted to be here to witness the fruition of this grand scheme of yours, to see what I had to betray my friends for.”
The hatred she and the others held for me boiled in their eyes and froze the air; I responded with a contemptuous glare. If it hadn't been for their unimportance and their sisters, they would have long been dead by now.
"The bubble won't protect you from the devouring spell." I rose into the air, borne up more by sheer power than my wings. "When it reaches you it will eat that too. Then it will drain your magic, followed by your flesh and bone, and reduce you to nothing."
"That's it?" Trixie laughed at me. "Your grand plan is to destroy Equestria before it can fade away? Wow, Blueblood, you really are an idiot."
The sound of my name brought a bittersweet sensation to my tongue. Blueblood was a naive fool too compassionate and caring for his own good. There was no place for him in this remnant of a world, though maybe a pony like him would return in the next.
"Good thing you went to another world before you cast that spell," Trixie continued. She seemed to be making an attempt to mock me. "You didn't? Well, better luck next time. Oh." She moved a hoof in front of her mouth, as if to cover a gasp. "There is no next time. Oops?"
"Once Equestria is devoured it will release an unimaginable amount of magic," I continued when Trixie was done making a pathetic show of herself. I looked below. Only Canterlot remained, floating in a sea of whiteness. "All that magic will be compelled to merge with the single remaining piece of Equestria, and that is me."
Trixie's face twisted in horror. Flashes of red light shot out of her amulet adding layer after layer to her protection bubble—a desperate attempt to stop the inevitable.
"Don't waste your magic." I spread my wings. "Even if you succeeded, it wouldn't matter. How do you think you've remained immortal? The spell I cast on you, on all of you, made you part of me."
"He ain't lying, Sugarcube," the crown on my head said.
"When the spell merges with me it will latch onto my memories and build a new, better Equestria." I braced myself. Only the palace remained. "There will be new seas and mountains, new fields and forests, and new ponies." A final tower was left standing, a needle in an infinity of magic. "My little ponies, that will look up to me and worship me—"
Trixie's spell burst into hundreds of glimmering sparks, no larger than a speck of light. Like a swarm of bees they jetted in my direction, tearing a pinprick hole in the fabric of reality inches from my head. Without hesitation I cast a disabling spell, wrapping the ruby of the amulet with my own magic. I had no intention of giving Trixie another opportunity. There effects of her spell, however, were still visible.
As the devouring spell closed in I stepped back from the hole, arching a brow towards Trixie in confusion. She scoffed at me with a crooked smile, her hoof rising to point at the dot she had made in the endlessness surrounding us.
“Did I ever tell you how I saved Equestria with Discord once?” she asked. The miniscule red dot that blemished the whiteness began to grow, turning into a purple tear. “I was magnificent back then, so magnificent that he shared a secret with me.”
The rip in space was nearly my size now and growing further, but Trixie didn’t stop running her mouth.
“He told me how to find his realm. Not how to enter it, of course—he thought I was too ‘simple’ for that—but I could still find it. With enough magic, I can call it to me.”
A door formed in the purple tear, and a second later it opened.
"Discord?" a pony asked, one I hadn't seen in over a decade. Her yellow, pink-maned face stared into mine, eyes filled with confusion.
Then the creation spell drew upon all the power I had hoarded, completing itself. The entire essence of Equestria, gathered into a tiny ball of light, jetted through space and planted itself on Fluttershy's forehead.
"Eek!" The Element of Kindness fell back into the pocket dimension she had appeared from and the rift closed, leaving me behind.
Of course. I laughed. Of course the world I knew would choose a pony with a heart.
“Congratulations, Blueblood, you've won,” Trixie jeered. “Welcome to your new world, filled with your own creations.” Behind her, the three fillies stared through me, their gazes emotionless as my own.
Equestria was gone. It had been inevitable—Fluttershy had felt that in her wings from the start, from the very moment she heard Princess Celestia had been stricken with a strange illness. She had known something was coming, she had felt the world’s used-up magic dwindling away. Now, at last, Equestria was gone.
Fluttershy sat in the shade of a young oak tree outside her cottage, her eyes squeezed shut. There was a breeze, but it was still too hot. It was the longest day she had ever known, and a hot sun still hung unmoving overhead. It had risen upon her little pocket-world when a warm, bright ball of magic burrowed in from Equestria to land on her face and disappear in a flash. Before it closed, the hole left between dimensions had granted her a brief glimpse of the alicorn tyrant Blueblood, who had looked right at her and laughed as a white void consumed everything around him.
When the world erupted from the grey, Fluttershy had initially been overjoyed to find herself in a place so vibrant and alive, or anywhere at all. Her cottage no longer rested in the strange, empty limbo where Discord had hidden her from the Tyrant. There was a sun again, and it was brighter than she had ever seen—a young sun that rested in the bold blue of the heavens, not the dying, dimming blob that had trudged through Equestria’s grey and weary sky.
But there was more. There was life again. Grass prickled at her flanks where she sat, and saplings and barely-mature trees dotted the landscape, bearing the few songbirds that had been in Fluttershy’s cottage when Discord spirited it away. Wildflowers bloomed here and there on an endless series of rolling hills that became immense blue mountains in the distance. A brook flowed and babbled nearby, and the pegasus thought she heard the crashing, dangerous waters of a young river further away.
It was beautiful, but it was not Equestria.
"I really wish it was evening already," Fluttershy said to the breeze. And, silently, she willed it to be so. It couldn’t just keep getting hotter and hotter; the chickens, sensitive as they were, were complaining, and soon the rest would be too. She sniffled, wiped away the mourning that matted the fur beneath her eyes with her fetlocks, and rose. Carrying water back and forth for her animals had worn her out, but some of them probably needed more by now, and she needed a drink too.
The light dimmed. Fluttershy blinked, and glanced upwards. The sky was lit with the gentle blues and pinks—and near the setting sun, oranges—of evening.
"W-wait a moment." The pegasus fixed her eyes on the heavens in awe. What happened? Perhaps she had only spaced out, or had a heat stroke and lost most of the day? Oh goodness—her animals! She rushed around the back of her cottage to check on the chickens, but they were just as confused as she was.
Perhaps this was just a lingering element of Discord’s trickery. He had controlled this place once, though Fluttershy had grown to accept that he was gone, and he had made stranger things happen here. Installing a personal cotton candy cloud to produce all the milk Fluttershy needed wasn’t even the beginning of what the chaos spirit had done. The pegasus forced herself to calm, and she had almost succeeded when a wonderful, terrifying thought occurred to her.
Had Discord’s true final gift been control of the sun?
"Okay, okay, I’m okay, I’m not freaking out, I’m not freaking out!" Fluttershy said to herself over and over as she dashed inside her cottage, her mane and tail streaming through the air behind her. "Angel! Angel Bunny, where are you?" A chirp from behind brought her about, and she found her white rabbit upside-down in one of her long waterproof boots. "Oh no, Angel! I'm so sorry!"
After a minute of struggling with the boot—and consoling a flailing rabbit enough to make the boot the only problem—Fluttershy managed to pull Angel Bunny free. He was quick to confirm that it wasn't just her and the hens. The sun really had moved, and quite suddenly at that. But he also pointed out something else.
"M-my wings? What about my wings?" Fluttershy looked back. Her wings were just as she preferred them, well-groomed and folded to her sides. When Angel chattered at her again, she looked at him, then her feathers, and finally to the sun. "They glowed? Oh, m-my. What if..."
Fluttershy took several deep breaths, then walked outside and stared down the sun. What if she could do this? What if she had done this?
"Please move," she whispered. The sun wouldn't have heard her if she had screamed, and she didn't want to disturb all her animal friends again. The sun sprang to the other end of the sky, turning back to a bright but pleasant morning. It had listened. Was this like her ability to communicate with animals?
"N-no, Mister Sun." It was a ridiculous thing to say, but it was ridiculous that the sun would listen to her. She pressed on. "Maybe if you could just set, please—"
The sun was off like a shot. It passed beyond the horizon, only to rise again and resume its noon position in seconds. Fluttershy giggled.
"You're a very silly sun, aren't you?" she said. It bobbed in the sky. "Yes? Does that mean yes? Well, as funny as you are—oh, that was pretty funny—can I ask you a teeny-tiny little favor? Could you maybe set for a few hours, so everyone down here can sleep and cool off? And maybe you could send the moon out to watch over us? There is a moon, right?"
The sun jerked back and forth. Its speed was incredible, but at the cost of control.
"You don't know how? Oh, I'm so sorry! Maybe I can help you?" Fluttershy wondered what she was saying. How could she help the sun set properly? But something in her wings seemed to know, and she was a pegasus. She always trusted her wing feelings. "Okay, Mister Sun. Now, I'm going to be ever so gentle and help you down. We can both learn as we go, alright?"
Warmth surged through Fluttershy's feathers, and the sun turned slightly more pink than yellow. The pegasus smiled as if to reassure it. "It's okay. I'm sure that isn't anything bad. It doesn't hurt, does it? G-good." She took a deep breath, planted her hooves firmly in the grass, and closed her eyes. Her wings spread wide, angled towards the heavens. They did the work, whatever that work was, and it was more natural than flying.
When she opened her eyes again an hour later, the sun had set. Though the sky was still bright as one of Equestria’s fading days, two strange and beautifully curved crescents were brighter, and these youthful moons danced about each other in the dimmed sky.
"There should be stars..." Equestria was gone, but gazing upwards in wonder, Fluttershy smiled again. "Maybe I can make some stars."
