Exchange - 10 (Part 2 of 4)

>You adjust your tie one last time as you begin to walk down the side corridor leading to the castle's grand outdoor plaza.

>Your 'best stallion' / personal guardsp0ny fidgets with his own as he trots alongside you and for the millionth time you reassure him that, yes, his tie looks fine too.

>It's about 7am now and the ceremony's already underway. You've been waiting in a nearby anteroom to be called to make your appearance, and now it's finally time.

>The two of you reach the door at the end of the corridor. The unicorn usher guarding it nods to the two of you politely before opening it for you with magic, revealing the vast congregation beyond.

>Your heart begins to thunder in your chest at the sight. There must be over 500 p0nies here, most of whom appear to be members of the nobility. Temporary pews have been arrayed into theatre-style seating, creating two secondary aisles and one primary aisle between them which leads to a grand altar facing the plaza's eastern edge. Beyond the assembled p0nies you can glimpse a mostly vacant large open reception area with a stage, dance floor, many dining tables and various chefs hard at work placing the finishing touches on a delicious looking selection of dishes. The central piece, a wedding cake of grand size and scope, tops it all off, complete with a little mini-human and alicorn princess at the top.

>The sun has not yet risen, just like she said it wouldn't when you spoke the night before last. The horizon is alight with the warm oranges, yellows and soft blues of the twilight before dawn. Countless stars can still be seen in the vast sky overhead. Though the moon is absent, there's more than enough light to see courtesy of the many magical lampposts scattered throughout the plaza, which have the additional benefit of keeping the cold night air at bay.

 

>It's truly an amazing sight. Whoever was responsible for the planning deserves a pat on the back at the very least; this is probably the most spectacular venue for a wedding ceremony you've ever seen. You close your eyes and breathe deeply of the crisp mountain air, and a soft smile makes its way across your face.

>Maybe one day you'll be able to get married in a place like this to a special mare. Less than a week ago such a thought would've forced you straight to the nearest bar to drink yourself into oblivion, but after everything that's happened, and after finding your special somep0ny, it now warms your heart instead. You allow a little fantasy to play out in your mind before banishing it and steeling yourself for what's to come.

>With a silent apology to all the p0nies who worked so hard to put this together, you reach your designated place near the altar, Pyre taking his own to the side of you. A quick glance around reveals Luna seated with the rest of the Equestrian Royalty in one of the front reserved pews. There are armed guards positioned all along the plaza's perimeter as well as along the three aisles. Like, a lot of guards. You take note of their numbers and positions for later.

>Your thoughts are interrupted as the music for the processional begins, and the bridesmares begin their trek down the central aisle, one at a time.

>The first is Squiggletail, her poise and stature as perfect as one would expect from a lady of class. Or in your personal opinion, a lady who's really good at faking having class, but hey, it's a decent enough approximation. She seems just a little bit angry at something, though it's impossible to tell what as her measured strides carry her to her place near the altar.

 

>Next comes Speedysnooze, and you have to fight to suppress your laughter. She obviously doesn't like being put in this kind of position as she attempts to not trip over the hem of her own dress the entire way. Her wings, restrained by the dress' back, are fighting for freedom, and she sports an expression which perfectly combines 'smile for the camera' with 'oh god I'd rather be anywhere other than here'.

>Finally, there's Butter Squeak, the Mare of Honor. Unlike the first two, she actually seems to be somewhat relaxed in her role. The typical paralyzing nervousness you'd expect from her is absent and she even gives you a smile and a slight wink as she takes her position opposite of Pyre. It's kind of odd, but maybe it's because she doesn't really have to do anything but stand there, so the pressure of her role isn't really that demanding.

>Next, after the bridesmares, come the flower filly and the ringbearer. These two you're unfortunately very familiar with, as they make up of 2/3rds of infamous Cutie Mark Crusaders. Little Sweetie Belle relishes her role as she skips down the aisle, tossing flower petals from her basket along the way. Scootaloo looks extremely serious as she follows, as if she were tasked with taking the Ring to Mount Doom itself. You can practically hear her thoughts screaming 'Don't mess up, don't mess up, don't mess up!' as she cautiously advances to her designated position.

>Surprisingly, it all proceeds without incident. Once all the p0nies are in place, Mrs. Sparkle stands from her seat in the front pew, and the rest of the congregation follows suit. You hear the notes of the traditional bridal march begin to play, and out steps Princess Twilight Sparkle, escorted by her father.

 

>Her dress is nothing short of amazing, combining the traditional pure white of a wedding dress with the beautiful colors of the rose streak that runs through her mane and tail. Her hair is simply styled, but perfect as it flows and shimmers behind her, and her deep violet eyes find yours as she trots down the aisle. Everything about her is radiant, and you can genuinely tell this is one of the happiest moments of her life. She takes her place next to you, and for a moment you see the good p0ny you once knew standing there... your friend, Twilight Sparkle, who helped you get settled in this strange new world. You allow the memories to wash over you as the minister begins his speech.

>It's almost time. You planned in advance when you'd make your move. And you also planned in advance, against your better judgment, to give her one last chance before you do. As you watch her standing there, listening attentively to the minister's words while stealing playful glances at you, you feel now more than ever that maybe she deserves it. She wasn't always this monster who's been stalking you for the past half a year. You still have hope that the old nerdy, studious but dependable Twilight is still inside her, somewhere, and that she can shine through once again.

>You agonized over this decision as you were working yesterday.  You wrestled with it for hours, but ultimately came to the conclusion that even after all that's happened, even though her actions have made your life hell and infuriated you to no end, and even though your reluctance was the cause of all of this in the first place, you don't really want to hurt her if you can help it. Partly because that's how you truly feel, and partly because you know Cel wouldn't want her to be hurt, either.

>"...And now, the bride and groom shall read the vows they have prepared."

 

>Twilight's horn glows and a massive stack of papers pops into existence, which immediately begin flying everywhere when she loosens her telekinetic grip on them a bit too much out of nervousness. She yelps and tries to recapture the fluttering pages while the congregation chuckles, but quickly gives up, banishing the remaining papers away and turning to you instead, flush with embarrassment.

>She giggles. "Well... I suppose I'll have to summarize the key points. Maybe it's for the best." Again, a chuckle rolls through the congregation, and you catch the bridesmares behind her sighing with relief.

>"It... it wasn't love at first sight, Anon. At first, I was genuinely curious about you, um... only in a scientific sense, of course. Once I knew that you were a sapient creature, on or possibly beyond the intelligence level of your average p0ny, I knew I was facing an unprecedented opportunity to advance my studies. I mean... friendship with a new species! The opportunity to delve into the knowledge of a whole new world and civilization! It was like a dream come true! I couldn't wait to report my findings to the Princess!"

>She hops up a bit, her enthusiasm for scientific achievement getting the better of her for a moment.

>"We spent so much time together, and I learned so much about your species. But somewhere along the way, I began to lose interest in studying humans, their history, their culture... and I realized that what I really, truly wanted to study... was -you-. Not Anonymous the Human... but you."

>You can see the hint of tears beginning to form in her eyes, and you fight your own as the memories of your first few months in Equestria come flooding back.

 

>"I... I didn't know what was happening to me. I knew I was being neglectful of my studies, but I didn't care! I just wanted to know you more. I looked up my symptoms in every relevant book I could find, and when those couldn't give me conclusive answers, I turned to my friends. And they told me... they told me that I was in love with you, Anon. And I realized they were right."

>She looks away from you to the floor.

>"I knew what the hurdles would be toward getting you to like me from the start. You had told me about how your kind were the only sapients of your world, and how mating with other creatures was considered a grave taboo. But I also knew that if, somehow, I could get you to look at me, not as a friend who happened to be a mare, but as a female, showing real desire for you, then maybe, just maybe I could break through that mental barrier. My friends had all sorts of tips, especially Fluttershy, and we tried almost everything, as I'm sure you remember."

>Yep, you remember all right. They must've gone through every damn fetish in the book, and when the book ran out they started inventing them...

>"There were several points where I almost gave up, one of which was when you left on your journey. I thought you had abandoned me, and I thought that in addition to losing your love, I'd lost your friendship. It was... really hard. I didn't know what to do, and I didn't leave the Library for weeks. Nop0ny could cheer me up, not even Pinkie Pie, though she tried her hardest."

>She turns back to you, a bright smile on her face.

>"And then... and then you returned. I was summoned to Canterlot, and the Princess presented me with the Orb of Ascension, which you went out to risk your life for, all for me. That's when I knew. That's when I knew that I had gotten through to you, and you really did love me, even if you didn't want to admit it!"

 

>A few strands of her mane pop out of place, but not enough to be noticeable to anyone in the crowd.

>"I just want to say, Anon... that I promise, as your wife, I'll return the love you've shown me a hundred times... no, a million times over. If you give me your heart today, I'll love and cherish it forever. That's my vow to you."

>You can hear some sniffling in the audience, as well as from the bridesmares. Hell, even Pyre is a little broken up. You sigh internally and prepare yourself to look like the biggest douchebag to ever walk the planet.

>The minister turns to you. "Sir Anonymous, your vows?"

>You look the beaming alicorn princess in the eyes, a sad smile on your face.

"Twilight... I can't give you something I no longer own."

>You hear hushed murmurs from the crowd as Twilight's ears fold back and she hiccups.

>"N-No, Anon. Don't do this. Please don't do this."

"I can't marry you, and I can't love you the way you want me to. I can't give you my heart, because I've already given it to someone else; someone very special to me..."

>"DON'T DO THIS, ANON!!"

>Her Canterlot voice nearly blows you off your feet and the entirety of the crowd cringes at the outburst. You recover to find Twilight's eyes glowing with magical fury and her body trembling with anger.

>"Not. Another. Word. NOT ANOTHER WORD! I gave you a chance... I gave you chance to love me, but you still keep throwing it away like I'm nothing! Why?! I've already surpassed her! I've already defeated her! What does she have that I don't?! What makes her so bucking special?!"

>Her tears are evaporated by the radiating magic from her eyes before they even have a chance to fall. You square your feet on the ground and place your hand in your pocket to prepare for what's to come.

"It's because she re--"

 

>"ENOUGH!" her voice booms again. "DON'T YOU GET IT?! SHE'S GONE FROM YOUR LIFE NOW, ANON! -I'M- THE ONLY THING YOU HAVE LEFT! THERE'S ONLY ME!"

>The alicorn stumbles back a bit. The magic in her eyes fades, and she heaves out deep breaths as she tries to regain her composure, while the congregation watches on in stunned silence.

>"I've... I've changed my mind. I'll never remove that Geas! She doesn't deserve you... she never deserved you... but she kept trying to take you from me. Why...? Why would she do that when she knew that you were mine?! Mine! My very special somehuman!!"

>She's openly sobbing now, as her horn begins to shine. You feel a searing pain in your wrists as the Geas bands brighten.

>"I tried. I gave you a chance to drop your inhibitions and come to me willingly, but I guess that's too much for you, isn't it? But don't worry... you -will- realize your love for me. You -will- WANT me. You -will- NEED me..."

>You've seen this before; it's a mind control spell. This is it, then. There's no turning back, and there's no getting through to her. You push past the pain, grab the item in your pocket, and begin to concentrate.

>Here goes nothing...

>"YOU. WILL. LOoooouuuuaaaggghhhh!!"

>The purple alicorn stumbles back, her spell broken. She shakes her head, nearly collapsing from the motion, and blinks her eyes in rapid succession as she tries to recover from the shock of what just happened.

>"My magic... it's... it's... A-Anon... what...?"

>You can't answer her... the amount of power flowing through your body is clouding your mind. You take a few steps back and pull your hand from your pocket, revealing the shining gemstone held tightly within your palm. The arcane bands around your wrists are so bright now they're almost blinding...

 

>Last night, you painstakingly removed every single gem from the casual outfit Rarity made for you, storing them safely in your various tuxedo pockets. Discord hinted that you could redirect Twilight's magic through the conduit of the Geas and into an outside source to prevent your body from turning into a bomb from the power overload. Turns out the crystalline nature of gems allows them to store a staggering amount of magic, which is why they're often used to craft consumable spells useable by non-unicorns. A little basic research uncovered all of this, in addition to the method of meditation needed to draw the power from Twilight through your shared link.

>You crack a smile. Thanks to Rarity's habit of slapping an excessive amount of gemstones onto absolutely everything, you now have someplace to safely discard the purple alicorn's stolen magical power. With her magic being actively drained she shouldn't be able to use spells, so her only options are to continue to lose vast quantities of magic to your gem supply until she's completely exhausted, or forcefully cancel the Geas at the cost of most of her magical power. Either way, she'll be rendered harmless long enough for you to escape.

>"Princess!!"

>Her friends cry out in surprise and rush over to her as she staggers about, but she shakes her head and waves them away.

>"There's no need... I'm fine... g-guards, restrain Anon, but don't you dare... harm him!"

>The various armored soldiers shake off their confusion and begin to rush the altar. Now comes the next part of your plan...

 

>The gem you're holding is now nearly filled to capacity with magic. You switch it out for a fresh one, but not before tossing the filled one at the oncoming guards. It shatters on the ground and releases a powerful shockwave of stored magical energy that blasts the front few rows of pews backwards along with their occupants and tosses the surprised guards through the air like ragdolls.

>That appears to be the last straw for most of the congregation, as screams of panic begin to ring out and the various p0nies start stampeding toward the exits. Some guards begin helping the panicked p0nies with their evacuation while the ones closest to you attempt to regroup but can't find the courage to approach.

>So far, so good. Twilight's currently neutralized, the guards are in complete disarray, and the less innocent bystanders around the better. Now for--

>"Nop0ny hurts the Princess! You're gonna get it, Anon!"

>Aw fuck.

>Rainbow and the rest of the bridesmares are noticeably pissed at you for some reason or another. The cyan pegasus crouches and begins what she intended to be a flying charge, but her wing-restraining dress screws up her trajectory and you easily sidestep the failed leap, giving you the valuable time you need to move on to the next phase of your escape.

>And there it is, right over there!

>You dive, roll, and when you're back on your feet you're proudly holding the item you were searching for in your arms: Sweetie Belle.

>She looks at you with shining green eyes and waves a forehoof as you cradle her.

>"Hi, Anon!"

"Hi, Sweetie."

>"Release my sister at once, you... you ruffian!!"

>Rarity is understandably upset about what's going on, but it doesn't matter to you anymore. You'll do anything, -anything- to make it out of here... even become a monster yourself.

 

>Out of the corner of your eyes you can see the guards regrouping for another charge, Rainbow ripping her dress to shreds to free her wings, Rarity levitating some lose debris and aiming it at your head, and poor Pyre looking utterly shocked at what's going on.

>Looks like it's now or never. You reach into your suit's jacket with your other hand to pull out the item you found in the Forbidden Archives... your trump card.

"NOBODY FUCKIN' MOVE!!"

>The various p0nies stop in their tracks, all eyes on you.

"If you make even one move to stop me or get in my way, I swear I'll read some excerpts from Twilight's diary to this little filly!!"

>You wave the stolen diary for emphasis, and a collective gasp erupts from the assembled p0nies.

>Rarity's eyes go wide. "You fiend! You... you wouldn't!"

>Fluttershy whimpers and turns away.

>"She's just a filly, dude! Nop0ny deserves that! Think of what you're saying!" The rainbow-maned pegasus is nearly in tears.

"Don't test me! I swear I'll do it! But if you do as I say, no one's childhood innocence has to be ruined today. It's your choice..."

>You swap your filled gem with fresh one again, then turn your gaze toward Twilight herself, who's still staggering around nearby, trying to regain her equilibrium. She shakes her head before turning to address her friends.

>"H... How would you girls even know what's in my diary, anyway?"

>Rarity shrugs. "We've known you long enough to make some educated assumptions. But that's beside the point, darling, there are greater issues at hoof! Anonymous has truly proven himself to be among the lowest of the low with all this... "

>"Running away from your love, standing you up at your own wedding, foalnapping fillies... it's... it's tough for me to say it but... he's... he's a m-monster..." Fluttershy manages to squeak out as she trembles nearby.

>Rainbow pounds her two front hooves together. "You've got that right. But what can we do? He's holding all the cards!"

 

>The purple alicorn chuckles, then suddenly breaks into riotous laughter, much to the confusion of all present. You brush it off as another one of her stress-induced psychotic breakdowns and ignore her to start planning your escape route from the plaza.

>Most of the p0nies have fled, and the guards assisting in their orderly escape have refocused their attention back on you. Though they're keeping their distance, they've blocked off all the major exits and are slowly starting to box you in.

>You need to figure out the best way to approach the situation, but Twilight's disturbingly calm, almost sinister sounding lilting voice captures your attention once again.

>"How many gems did you bring, Anon~?"

>You freeze in your tracks.

>"Was it ten? Twenty? Thirty? I can't imagine you'd be able to fit more than that on your person..."

>She begins to slowly pace toward you. Deep down, you already know what she's getting at, and it's something you didn't consider. Something extremely important... and the very thing that's causing the terror in your heart to root your feet in place.

>"Your plan was very cute... and very imaginative. I never thought you'd come up with something like this... I never even thought of it myself!" She laughs again, fighting her dizziness before regaining her balance and staring at you once more.

>"But Anon... I'm an alicorn. And I'm the Element of Magic. It's like you're trying to drain the ocean into a series of buckets. Theoretically it's possible... but do you have enough to complete the task?"

>Her eyes meet yours, and you can see the unshakable resolve within them as she fights the effects of the drain. "Simply put, the answer is no."

>You can feel the gem in your palm reaching its limit, so you swap it for a fresh one once again. Twilight notices and laughs.

 

>"I don't even have to do anything. You can try to run. You can even try to find more gems. But it'll only be delaying the inevitable. The moment you stop the transfer I'll regain my power and break your will. I've had enough, Anon. The time for these games is over. You can't stop destiny... you can't deny it. The stars brought us together, the weaving of the world's magic led us to one another... and it -will- happen, whether you like it or not..."

>You step back, eyes scanning the plaza, and so some quick math in your head.

>At best... in the absolute, most positive best case, your gem supply will hold out for another 15 to 18 minutes.

>And while your filled gems are good at clearing out guards, they won't be enough to get you out of the city. And if you can't even break the Geas like this, then there's no point in even running in the first place. Twilight can paralyze you with pain at will, from anywhere, even if she doesn't know where you are.

>You turn and accidentally meet Luna's gaze as she sits, alone, curled up upon one of the pews. Shit... you completely forgot about her. She hasn't even made a move against you, but her expression says it all:

>'Either stop this foolishness, or we will stop it for you.'

>There were only two possible outcomes for today, Anon, and it looks like it's been determined which one came to pass. You close your eyes and sigh.

>"Anon...?"

>The filly in your arms looks up at you with concern. "Why are you so sad? Is it because you're marrying the Princess even though you really don't love her?"

>You chuckle.

"That's one reason, yeah. How'd you figure that out?"

>She rolls her eyes. "Duh, I was listening to what you were saying to her. Even though it doesn't look like she was listening. Or anyp0ny else was. Grownups are really weird sometimes."

"Yeah, we sure are..."

 

>A few more memories of your time in Equestria flitter through your head, and you laugh and ruffle the filly's mane.

"Hey... sorry about the whole kidnapping and threatening to ruin your innocence thing. No hard feelings, right?"

>She giggles. "It's okay. The Princess' diary can't be any more boring than the one Rarity hides in her dresser underneath her special back massager. It's almost all about how much she likes wieners, what she wants to do to wieners, who has the best wiener, the wieners she wants to see the most..."

>Oh god. Sweetie isn't exactly whispering here. You risk a sideways glance to see that Rarity is now crimson with embarrassment and trembling with barely contained rage.

>"SWEETIE BELLLLLLLE...!"

>You turn back to the filly.

"You know, I was going to let you go back to your sister, but... I don't think it's really safe for you to be near her right now. You wanna stick with me?"

>"Sure!" she squeaks. "I really like being so high up! It makes it easier to see the sky, and it's really pretty today..."

>She shifts her gaze to the horizon and you do the same.

"Yeah... it really, really is."

>The colors of pre-dawn cling to the sky's lower edge, obscuring the stars that would normally be arrayed near the mountains in the distance. All except for one, lone star which shines brightly in the dancing oranges and yellows. A smile finds its way across your face as more pleasant memories of the past rush by, and before you know it, some words you'd one day hoped to speak to your future children, back before you came to Equestria, are leaving your mouth unbidden.

"Hey, Sweetie. Do you see that star over there, near the mountains?"

>She nods. "Uh huh."

"Did you know it's not really a star at all? That's the planet Venus. It's much closer to us than a star, which is why it's so bright."

 

>The filly raises an eyebrow and looks at you like you just said the dumbest thing ever. "Uh... what's a 'Venus'?"

>You laugh. 'What's a Venus?' Man, the education system in magical horse land must really be failing if kids don't even know the names... of the... planets...

>Your heart nearly stops. This is Equestria. A different world. Venus doesn't exist here. But if that's the case...

>No. No, Anon. Don't do this to yourself, not now. There's nothing more tragic than baseless hope or unrealizable dreams.

>You tell yourself that, but you can't tear your eyes away from that star, and you can't stop hoping. Because even if this isn't Earth, and even if it isn't what you think, and even if it's nothing but a wish you could never bring yourself to utter...

>To you, at this very moment, that unexplainable light in the distance is the promise, then, now, and until the end of your days:

 

>That the twilight won't last forever, and the sun will rise again.

 

>The star shimmers, and the shape of a familiar helium frame comes into view within the light. It grows as it approaches at a speed few things in this world can hope to reach.

>You can feel the tears begin welling in your eyes, because there's no mistaking it now, and you cry out with unrestrained joy.

"CEL!"

>The Dawn Star cleaves through pre-dawn light with its always familiar speed and grace. Before you know it, and before anyone can really react, the ship is hovering at a stop above you, its shadow cast across the plaza. It finishes its descent to complete a rough landing several hundred feet away in the vast empty reception area, crushing the various tables, buffet spreads, and even the wedding cake. The guards nearby all dive for cover while Twilight and her bridesmares look on in stunned silence.

 

>The ship's gantry lowers, and out steps your trusty crew.

>Applejack, her stetson defiantly tilted to the side and obviously itching for a fight.

>Pinkie Pie, bouncing around with unrestrained energy like always.

>Big Macintosh, with Applebloom upon his back, his trademark calm expression slightly fiercer than usual.

>And Cel. Your special somep0ny, whom you feared you'd never see again. She's really here...

>Your eyes meet across the large expanse that divides you, and she lifts her good wing to give you a little wave hello. Sweetie Belle enthusiastically waves a hoof back while you run your free hand over your face to pull the tears away, then cup it near your mouth to yell over to them.

"You guys are late! I had to crash the damn wedding myself!"

>"My apologies!" comes the alicorn's reply over the commotion. "If it's any consolation, I promise to be on time for the next wedding in which you happen to be the groom!"

>You simply laugh in response. This fuckin' horse...

>Twilight's eye twitches and several more strands of her mane and tail pop out of place. She attempts to cast a spell, only to yelp in frustration when it fails.

>"You... you... you never quit, do you, Teacher?! You never know when enough is enough! I won't allow this! Guards! I order you to apprehend them!"

>The various guards who've regained their composure prepare themselves to charge at the crew. They lower their heads, nostrils flared, and kick at the ground.

>"Stand down."

>The words flow from Celestia's mouth in motherly tone. She doesn't speak them harshly, as one would an order, but the authority she carries in her voice is unmistakable.

>"This is a matter between a teacher and her student. Please, do not interfere."

 

>The guards' ears fold back and some nearly fall to their knees. They shuffle away, leaving the central aisle clear for Celestia and the other p0nies to advance to the altar, and your jaw nearly drops at the sight.

>There's no easy way to say it. It doesn't look like Cel could harm a fly right now even if she wanted to. She's covered in bandages. One of her wings is still rendered completely useless. Her injured hoof reveals itself in her very noticeable limping gait. Despite trying to hide it, she looks absolutely exhausted, as if she has to concentrate to even maintain consciousness...

>She couldn't realistically threaten a single guard like this, much less all the guards still scattered about the plaza. But still, they cower from her, some out of fear and some out of seeming reverence.

>You glance over to Pyre who's in a similar state.

"What the heck is going on with you guys?"

>He shakes his head. "We're... we're all members of the Solar Guard. We served under Celestia before we served Princess Twilight. We joined the guard to serve -her-. For most of us, it was a foalhood dream, something we strived for all our lives. For some of us, serving her was a duty passed down in our families from generation to generation. No matter what happens, or who claims the throne, she will always be our Sun."

>You pat him on the back as you swap gems again.

"I think I understand. But I've gotta say, I'm a little upset to find out that you weren't totally loyal to me after all."

>He scoffs. "I... I don't even know what to think of you anymore. Are you my Prince? Are you my enemy? Are you trying to stage a coup?"

"No, no, and no."

>You hold out your fist.

"My name's Anon, I'm from another world, I'm currently an unemployed airship captain and I'm dating a horse. Nice to meet you."

 

>He pauses for a moment, a look of incredulity on his face, before laughing and returning the bump.

>"Likewise."

>Following Celestia's request, he flies over to the sidelines with the rest of the guards who're now watching all of you intently.

>You turn your attention back to the central aisle. It looks like, with the guards out of the way, the odds of a large scale fight breaking out have decreased significantly. You gently place Sweetie Belle down on the ground since you don't really need her for leverage anymore. Well, that and your arm was getting tired. She squeaks with delight when she notices that Applebloom's arrived with the others, and she and Scootaloo quickly run down the aisle for a belated Crusaders reunion.

>To be perfectly honest, you want to run down the aisle yourself to go meet your special somep0ny, but the arcane bands around your wrists give you pause. It's easy to see that Cel's exhaustion is more than physical in nature. Much like Twilight, she's barely able to remain standing as the effects of the Geas weigh on her. You're afraid getting any closer will make it worse...

>Instead, you opt to stay back and keep a cautious eye on Spergle and her bridesmares while focusing on draining her power and coming up with some sort of plan. Cel's arrival here is helpful, but you're still not sure it'll be enough to get you out of this mess.

>Twilight stomps her hoof and growls, nearly losing her balance in the process. "H-How dare you disobey me! I'm your Princess! I'm your bucking -PRINCESS-!" She turns to her friends, the fire burning in her twitching eyes turning to desperation. "Girls... you need to stop them! They want to take him away from me! Don't let any of them lay a single hoof on my Anon!"

>Rainbow flares her newly freed wings. "You got it, Princess."

 

>Rarity clears her throat. "Forgive me, darling, but wouldn't it be more prudent to stop Anonymous from doing whatever it is he's doing to you?"

>"Yes! That works too! Just DO SOMETHING, anything!"

>The white unicorn flashes you a sinister smile and her horn starts to glow as Rainbow flies off toward Cel and the others with Fluttershy in tow. You ready one of your filled gems to disrupt whatever it is she intends to cast...

>"Sorry, ain't happenin'!"

>...But before either of you can make a move, a lasso finds its way around the fashionista's tail, and with a yank and a yelp she's pulled to the floor, her spell broken. An orange farmp0ny gallops over, coiling the line in her mouth as she runs, her emerald eyes shining with determination.

>"Yeehaw! Howdy there, Captain! Fancy meetin' you here!" She gives you a smile and a wink as she bolts past you on her way to the white unicorn.

>"Applejack..." Rarity's horn shines and she magically unties the rope just in time to prevent herself from being completely hogtied. With a surprisingly acrobatic backwards roll, she's back on her hooves, huffing with aggravation. The two mares stare each other down, daring the other to make the next move...

>Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash flies down the main aisle toward Celestia and the others at an extreme speed, Fluttershy clinging to her back hoof for dear life.

>"Wheeee! This is fun! Great idea, Fluttershy!"

>And suddenly Pinkie Pie is there, clinging to the cyan pegasus' other back hoof. Fluttershy meeps with surprise and loses her grip, tumbling to the floor and continuing on her trajectory in an unending series of forward somersaults.

>"Pinkie Pie?!" Dash glances back in horror when she realizes that the pink party p0ny has latched onto her and starts taking evasive maneuvers in an attempt to shake the pink parasite. The two rocket down one of the castle's entry corridors and out of sight.

 

>Fortunately for Fluttershy, her somersaulting comes to a stop when she bumps into something at least somewhat soft. The disoriented pegasus' eyes roll around in her head a bit before she comes to her senses and looks up to see two red legs leading to a broad chest, massive neck, square muzzle and two lazy emerald eyes.

>"Oh... um... h-hello."

>"Howdy."

>She whimpers and hides behind her mane.

>You hear the crackle of teleportation magic and turn to notice that Luna's vanished from her former perch on the empty pew. She rematerializes in front of her sister, the two standing eye-to-eye, or as close to it as they can be given their height difference. The dark alicorn regards her sibling with a welcoming smile, an unspoken conversation taking place between them.

>That leaves you and Twilight, alone and relatively close to one another. Both of you are struggling; her with the magic drain, and you with your need to concentrate more and more in order to maintain it.

>"It won't be long now, Anon... Every moment that passes... is another moment closer..."

>You close your eyes and focus. You've come too far... there has to be a way out, and you're going to find it...

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Applejack and Rarity

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

>"How dare you show your face at this wedding! Have you no shame? Do you have no respect for the Princess whatsoever?!"

>The white unicorn jumps to the side, carefully removing some sequins from her dress and firing them through the air like bullets with her magic.

>"Ah'm doin' ya a favor! Y'all should be ashamed of bein' in this sham of a weddin'!" The earth p0ny dives behind a nearby pew, the sequins harmlessly bouncing away from it. "An' fer the last time, she ain't 'the Princess', she's -TWILIGHT-! She's always gonna be Twilight ta me, no matter what dumb title she picks up, or what dumb things she does, 'cause she's my friend! Always has been, always will be!"

 

>Rarity scoffs as she hides behind another pew, carefully pulling her dress apart stitch by stitch to increase her mobility and provide the raw material to fashion ropes of her own.

>"Complete lack of class, complete lack of tact, and a complete disregard for social stations... you truly are beyond saving! You won't recognize her accomplishments, and you won't even allow her to marry her true love! You're not a p0ny, you're... you're... a beast!"

>"An' you don't have one lick'a common buckin' sense in that gossip magazine-filled head'a yours! Rarity, he doesn't love her, and he ain't ever GONNA love her! It's plain as day ta see! Twilight deserves somep0ny who can actually return her feelings!"

>The farmp0ny holds up her hat from behind the pew as a decoy, which instantly gets bombarded by sequins and fabric ropes. She uses the opportunity to sprint from cover, straight toward the source of the projectiles. Rarity, caught off guard by the charge, attempts to flee, but her hooves are no match for Applejack's speed. The two collide and roll into a p0ny-shaped melee ball of kicking and biting.

>"And since when has reciprocal love -EVER- been required for a marriage?! My mother and father secretly hate each other, but aside from that we're a perfectly happy family!"

>"That's... that's a whole 'nother can of worms there, Rares! But doggone it, if ya just saw how lovey-dovey Anon n' Celestia acted around each other, ya'd definitely see why he ain't a good match fer Twi!"

>The unicorn immediately stops fighting, and the farmp0ny does the same in response.

>"Anonymous and Celestia?! Really?! So I was right all along?!"

>She leaps up from the floor, holding Applejack's forehooves in her own, and the farmp0ny chuckles a bit at her sudden change in attitude.

>"Ah swear, if ah was a minister ah'd have already married 'em myself just ta get it over with."

 

>"Darling... you simply must tell me everything! Everything! Every lurid detail! I -must- know!"

>The orange mare simply rolls her eyes. "All right, all right, keep yer stirrups straight. Ah don't have time fer the full story but here's the short 'n sweet'a it..."

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Crusaders

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

>"An' then... we looked over, an' two'a the ships exploded! Kablooie!" Applebloom raises her hooves in the air for emphasis.

>"Whoa..." Scootaloo stares at the yellow filly, completely entranced by her story. "That. Sounds. SO. COOL!"

>"Yeah, it sounds amazing!" Sweetie Belle adds, her voice cracking in its usual way. "But guess what? -I- got foalnapped and used as leverage by Anon in order for him to mess up the wedding and escape from Twilight!"

>"What the heck is 'leverage'?" The little pegasus scratches her head, completely lost.

>Applebloom gapes. "No way! When was that?!"

>"Right before you got here!" The unicorn filly nods proudly.

>Scootaloo sighs. "I guess that means Sweetie's in the lead in our contest to see how many times we can be taken hostage by bad guys..."

>"Yep! Score one for me!"

>"Nuh uh, it doesn't count 'cause Anon ain't a bad guy! He's nice!"

>Scootaloo raises an eyebrow. "What? If he's so nice, why's he ruining the Princess' wedding?"

>Sweetie rolls her eyes. "Haven't you been paying attention? It's because Anon doesn't love her and she's trying to force him to marry her anyway!"

>Applebloom nods. "Eeyup. He really loves Celestia, and she loves him back! It's why she came all this way ta save him from the Princess!"

>"Whoa, really?" The pegasus flutters her tiny wings. "Wow, it's like some kinda cheesy movie or something. So I guess that's why your sisters are fighting to the death over there?"

>The three turn to observe the current brawl between Rarity and Applejack.

 

>Sweetie Belle shrugs. "Eh, they do that sometimes. But yeah, this time that's why."

>Appleboom clops her hooves together and adopts a mischievous grin. "Girls! I think there might be a cutie mark ta be gotten outta this..."

>Sweetie gives Scootaloo a confused glance. "Uh... really? But what would it be for, and what would we do?"

>"Simple!" Applebloom chirps. "We'll be true love reuniters! All we gotta do is get Anon 'n Celestia together in the same place!"

>Scootaloo grimaces. "I dunno... that sounds a lot like that matchmaking thing we tried with your brother and Ms. Cheerilee. I don't think we're good at it."

>"Nuh uh, it ain't the same! We already know they both love each other, we're just reunitin' 'em! It should be easy an' there's no way anythin' can go wrong!"

>The two other crusaders give it a bit of thought before holding their hooves up in agreement.

>"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS TRUE LOVE REUNITERS, YAY~!"

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

>The pink and cyan p0nies crash together in a heap in the center of one of the corridors leading from the plaza to the castle proper. Rainbow shakes her head to clear her dizziness away while Pinkie stands back up as if completely unaffected.

>"I can't believe you're on their side, Pinkie Pie! You helped us go after Anon when this all started, but now you're nothing but a dirty traitor! Why?"

>The pink p0ny's mane deflates a little, and she looks at Dash with a hurt expression.

>"I... I want all my friends to be happy, Dashie..."

>"Then why did you abandon Twilight? Isn't she your friend too?!"

>"Yes, she's my friend! She's one of my super duper looper wooper best friends!" She fidgets with her hooves and looks away. "But Non-non and Celly are my friends too. I want them all to be happy, and... and I couldn't figure out how to make it all work!"

 

>Dash shakes her head in contempt. "So you decided to go for two out three, huh?"

>Pinkie sniffles, tears pooling in her eyes. "No... I didn't. At first I... I thought that maybe I could get Non-non to like her back. I thought that maybe him not liking her was just him being a silly-head and not liking p0nies in general. But when I saw what she was doing to him, I..."

>She stomps a hoof. "I... I realized that it wasn't nice... and I realized that it was Twilight who needed to change."

>"I don't have time for this..."

>Rainbow attempts to rocket past the forlorn p0ny, but she pops up like a coiled spring, snatching the pegasus out of the air.

>"I wanted to be there to help her, and to try to make her smile again! I really did, Dashie! But I was told to go with Non-non by a very important p0ny, so I couldn't...!"

>"I don't want to hear your excuses!" Rainbow kicks her legs, trying to break free from Pinkie's grip.

>"But now I know! I know how she can be happy too!" The pegasus stops struggling and gives the pink earth p0ny her attention.

>"She... she has to learn to let him go."

>Rainbow laughs. "I knew it. I knew you were never on her side..."

>Pinkie turns away. "Celly and Non-non are in love. You'll see it for yourself soon, and so will Twilight. She'll need to learn to let go, or she'll never smile again..."

>Without warning, the party p0ny stands up straight on all four hooves and strikes a dynamic pose. "But as long as my name is Pinkie Pie, I'll -NEVER- give up on her smile! It's a Pinkie Promise!"

>She grabs Rainbow with her hooves, much to her surprise and displeasure. "H-Hey, what's the big idea?!"

>"C'mon, Dashie! We've got work to do!"

>"No, Pinkie, wait!"

>Completely ignoring the cries of protest, she gallops down the hall and into the castle proper, cyan pegasus in tow.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Celestia and Luna

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

>The two alicorns stare at each other directly for the first time in a long while.

>Luna, the Princess of the Night, radiates the full power of her station. The presence of her magic can be felt in the very air itself, subtly flowing all throughout the plaza.

>In contrast, Celestia, the former Princess of the Day, is barely standing. Covered in injuries, and weakened by the effects of the nearby Geas, she pours all her willpower into merely remaining conscious.

>"...We have heard of your triumph over the Trials, Sister. Congratulations are in order. We knew if anyp0ny could overcome them a second time, it would be you."

>"I wasn't alone, Lulu... I had a true friend with me the entire way."

>The midnight blue alicorn smiles. "Yes, well, we are happy for your safe return. Even if it violates our decree, we feel an exception is in order, as it saved us the trouble of having to meet you over the ocean later this day."

>Celestia gives her sister a confused glance. "A meeting over the ocean? But why?"

>"Surely you have felt it... for nearly a week now, there has been a great darkness creeping across the land. It's not visible, but can be felt through the aether, and it is spreading, and despite our searching, we know not its source. It is the first thing, in a great long while, to strike such terror in our heart..."

>"A spreading darkness...?" The white alicorn ponders. "No... I haven't felt it, though perhaps that's due to my current condition. But come to think of it, there was an odd occurrence during the Trials when we visited the Dark Star chamber. The Star was reacting to something, and we barely made it out in time. Could it be related to what you're speaking of?"

 

>"The Dark Star...? Truly?" Luna steps back, lost in her thoughts. "If... if that is the case, things are worse than we feared, which makes what we intended more important than ever."

>She returns to stand before Celestia, her deep cyan eyes focused with purpose.

>"Sister... give to us the Orb of Ascension you hold, and we shall perform the exchange to restore you to your former self. Now, more than ever, this world needs the true Celestia of the Sun to assume her rightful place. Twilight Sparkle is talented, true, but she has not the experience or resolve to lead Equestria through this trial."

>Slowly, Celestia closes her eyes and turns away.

>"No, Lulu. This precious gift was not meant for you, nor was it meant for me."

>Luna rears back in shock. "What?! Art thou mad...? You... you cannot be serious. Sister, if you were intending to return to Anonymous in order to make use of the Orb he carried, you should banish those thoughts. Twilight Sparkle destroyed it, and it is no more. Using your own Orb is the only option we have!"

>"...I know that Anon's was lost. I could feel it, somehow, but it changes nothing."

>Luna shakes her head, her starry mane framing the strained smile on her face. "This... jest has overstayed its welcome. Thou must give us the Orb of Ascension so that we might empower thee, Celosia! We shall not ask again!"

>And again, the white alicorn, weak, covered in injuries, and on the brink of collapse, turns away.

>"...I will not, Gloomy. I did not journey with him, and through all that we experienced together, to give this gift to you. There is only one creature in this world who is meant to receive it..." She looks up, her magenta eyes traveling beyond her sister's frame to the human standing near the plaza's far edge. "...And nothing, not even the end of the world itself, will ever change that."

 

>Through great effort, Luna chokes back a Canterlot voice-empowered reply, instead settling for something just above a whisper.

>"You've learned nothing, and your selfishness remains unchanged. Still you run from your duty! Still you break your oath! We... we cannot stand the sight of you."

>Her horn glows, and in a flash of magic she blinks away, her destination unknown.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Big Mac and Fluttershy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

>"So... um... may I please, maybe... um... g-get past you so I can stop Celestia from reaching Anon?"

>"Eenope."

>"Oh, okay then."

>The previous conversation has repeated itself in various forms for the past several minutes, and the outcome is always the same. The trembling butter-yellow pegasus asks to pass, gets told no, and turns away. It's only through sheer determination and a will to help her friend that she's able to summon the courage to ask again each time.

>After this latest failure, she flutters away and hides behind a pew to regroup and plan her next move.

>"Okay, there's no reason to be nervous. You're a highly accomplished author who's written a ton of explicit sex scenes featuring stallions who were modeled after him because you don't know very many stallions you can talk to or even look at from a distance without locking up and fainting like a goat. N-No pressure, right? Just turn on the old Fluttershy charm and ask him again, and he's sure to let you through this time!"

>She emerges from the pew for her next attempt. Several seconds elapse before she returns.

>"Okay... that didn't work. M-Maybe he hates me, or thinks I'm ugly and weak. Or maybe he hates me -because- I'm ugly and weak! I... I can't really do anything without the girls, or Angel, or the rest of the animals to help..." She whimpers. "Oh, Fluttershy, what are you going to do?"

 

>After yet another round of trembling behind the pew, she perks up.

>"Wait a minute. Maybe I should try being assertive again, even though it's usually a bad idea. But... but if it's to help Twilight win her love, maybe it's okay to try..."

>The meek pegasus emerges from her hiding place and lands in front of the large stallion once more. With a deep breath she begins:

>"Listen here, mister! You're gonna let me pass right now, or you're gonna regret it!"

>"Eenope."

>She stomps a hoof in frustration, and it barely makes a sound.

>"I said, 'let me pass'..."

>"Eenope."

>"Let me pass, or your ass is grass!!" She shouts the command with authority, causing the stallion to actually look down at the smaller p0ny.

>And that was his fatal mistake.

>Her eyes, holding some sort of strange power, begin to rob him of his will. He finds himself unable to move, speak, or even form coherent thoughts, and without warning his hooves are moving him aside and out of her way.

>"Heh. Always works!" With a smirk of triumph, the butter-yellow pegasus begins her march toward the two alicorns standing near the end of the aisle. After a few steps she feels a strange rush of air from behind, and then...

>Big Mac shakes his head, the strange haze that fell over him lifted. He turns to see Fluttershy sprawled on the floor, a nasty looking bump on her head, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders standing nearby. He notes that Applebloom has a piece of wood in her mouth.

>The red-maned filly startles when she notices he's back to normal, dropping the item. "Oh! Hey there big brother, how're ya doin'?"

>He turns his head to regard the scene one more time before speaking.

>"...Applebloom, did you 'n your friends here clock Miss Fluttershy in the back of the head with a busted chair leg?"

>Immediately the three fillies get that guilty look that only children can.

>"Um... y-yes? We just wanted ta help!"

 

>The stallion nods. "...Good work, lil' sis. Thanks fer the save, but don't make givin' random p0nies head injuries a habit, ya hear? Same thing goes fer you two."

>"Yes, sir!" The other two crusaders salute for good measure.

>Applebloom beams with pride. "C'mon girls, we're doin' great already! Let's keep goin' with the plan!"

>The exasperated stallion rolls his eyes, then trots off to go get his other sister to come tend to the injured pegasus.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anon and Twilight

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

>Another gem filled, and another takes its place, just like the one before it, and the one before that one, and...

>No, try not to think about it. Yes, your supply is starting to get dangerously low, but that's not what you need to focus on right now. You need to find a way out of this; a way that ends with the Geas broken so that you actually stand a chance in the long run.

>Cel's arrival, while being extremely helpful in removing the guards from play and occupying the bridesmares' attention, is also a hindrance. You can't move closer to her in any way without weakening her further. You're not sure what the extent of the curse is, or what kind of lasting damage it would leave on her should she have to weather the full effect, and you don't intend to find out. What's worse is that due to your position near the altar at the plaza's far edge and her position near the central rearmost pews, there are no exits you can realistically move toward that don't involve getting closer to her. You're essentially trapped here with a weakened, but very pissed off purple alicorn nearby.

>Your mind is blank... you can't think of anything that would help short of Twilight releasing the Geas willingly. But she'd never do that... the advantage she gains from it is way too massive for anyone in her position to realistically relinquish. But there has to be--

 

>A rolling ball of white and orange nearly crashes into you as the two p0nies fiercely fight with one another. You watch with curiosity as they come to an abrupt stop near one of the plaza's edges and then start conversing like best friends. There's no telling whether that's a good or bad sign since you can't hear their conversation. You suppose there's no point in worrying on your end, so you turn back to your thoughts as you swap gems yet again.

>It doesn't make sense. You -know- Cel wouldn't be here if she didn't have some sort of plan for dealing with the Geas. She has to have one, but the real question is: what's your role in it? What are you supposed to do? Is there some sort of signal you've missed? Did Applebloom just smack Fluttershy in the back of the head with a chunk of wood?

>Well, at least you have an answer to your last question. Looks like she's down for the count, and Mac's headed over to the conversing AJ and Rarity, probably to get some help for her.

>You turn to Twilight, whose unfocused eyes probably can't even see what just happened. She's struggling against you with all her might. Maybe... maybe your role here is to convince her, but she's proven time and time again that she won't listen to reason when it involves you, so...

"Aaaaah!"

>A lance of pain jumps down the arm you're using to hold the gem with such intensity that you cry out and fall you to your knees. You nearly lose control of the constant focus you need to keep the power transfer active, and Twilight immediately takes notice.

>"It's... painful, isn't it, Anon? I was wondering when it would start..."

>You bite back the pain and glare at her.

"What did you do?"

>She chuckles. "Nothing. It's magic fatigue. Your body's not used to... to channeling that much magical power, even if it ultimately only goes into the gems. It taxes you, and if you ignore it, your body will shut down. It happened to me as filly... and later as a student when I was developing my talent."

 

>You try to stand again, and realize to your horror that your legs are no longer responding to your commands. You switch to another empty gem and try to fight back against the panic that's starting to well up within you.

>Not good. Any plans that you were making which involve you moving around just went into the trash heap. Fuck...

>You hear the sound of teleportation magic and look up again to see that Luna's vanished to god knows where, leaving Celestia standing in the aisle alone. The various other p0nies are spread out amongst the plaza; AJ and Rarity tending to Fluttershy with Mac, and the CMC over in a corner whispering about something. Rainbow and Pinkie are nowhere to be found, which is probably a good thing if you think about it.

>Again, you breathe out and fight back the pain. You want to call this an advantageous position, but you know that's a lie. Still... if the only thing you can really do now is talk, maybe it's worth a shot.

"Looks like your bridesmares are either KO'd, MIA, or have defected. The guards won't help you, and Luna's gone too. It's over, Twilight... remove the Geas and let's end this."

>A giggle and a snort precedes her reply. "Cute. Very cute, Anon... I love you, but not enough to make a dumb mistake like that. You must be very desperate now... running low on gems?"

"You wish."

>You only have four left now.

>"Didn't I tell you before? You do a little thing with your lips when you lie, Anon." She smiles. "Even though... even though the wedding didn't go as planned, you'll still be married to me before the sun rises. And then... our honeymoon will begin... and nothing, not even you MEDDLESOME FILLIES WILL CHANGE THAT!!"

 

>The alicorn's Canterlot Voice blasts the three Crusaders away from her, tossing them and the piece of wood they were carrying into the pews. Shit, you didn't even notice them... were they trying to sneak up on her in her blind spot?

>AJ, Rarity and Mac run from the now bandaged but still unconscious Fluttershy to make sure the fillies are okay. You see Applejack look over to Twilight with rage in her eyes, then over to Celestia as if asking for something. The white alicorn shakes her head, and the farmp0ny growls with frustration but remains where she is.

>That's right... come to think of it, neither she nor Mac nor Pinkie ever tried to approach Twilight, even though she's been weakened, but why...?

>You shift your gaze back to Cel, and to your surprise her eyes are solely on you now. You see her whisper something, and then take a step forward. She winces with pain, but quickly squares her shoulders and takes another, and then another.

>No... what the hell is she doing?! She can't come this close! You try to to retreat, but your legs still refuse to work...

"Cel, stop! The Geas!"

>She doesn't listen. There's another step. And another. With the next, she stumbles and collapses on the carpet. After two failed attempts, she manages to return to the hooves for yet another step. And then another, which causes her to cry out and pain and nearly fall again.

>"What's... what's she doing? Has she gone crazy?!"

>Twilight's just as incredulous about what's happening as you are. The two of you have become helpless spectators to the scene unfolding before your eyes. Celestia whispers something again, and now that she's close enough, you can read her lips.

>"'Anon'..."

>Another step. With each step, she says your name. You can see now that her hooves are trembling, and she shudders as if a heavy burden has been placed upon her back. Some tears fall from her eyes, but she continues on...

>Three gems left.

 

>Your Geas bands glow, and an arc of thin magical lightning erupts from them, traveling across the carpet and eventually up her hooves, chest and side, burning everything they touch. She screams out in pain, but doesn't fall, instead responding with yet another step.

"No, Cel! You can't!"

>"Stop it! Stay back!"

>Twilight's becoming increasingly more distraught with each new step. You can see that her expression, which so recently only reflected the arrogance fueled by her certain victory, now displays a mix of horror and concern. Her ears are folded back and her eyes are wide, unable to look away.

>The pieces of the carpeting bombarded by the lightning have now caught fire, threatening to burn her hooves if she doesn't move back.

>Another step, into the flames. The lightning arcs again, turning streaks of her soft white coat black and searing the many bandages that cover her. You turn away, unable to look as she cries.

"YOU NEED TO STOP! STAY AWAY!"

>"PLEASE, STOP IT, PRINCESS!"

>Twilight's cry has her slip into her old habits of speech, and it causes Celestia to weakly smile.

>"That... is a wish... I'm afraid I can never fulfill. Never, not for either of you."

>She takes one last step, and that's the end. Her body reaches its limit and the spell overcomes her. She collapses roughly twenty feet away from you, her body rising and falling with labored breaths, and her magenta eyes trained on both you and Twilight.

>Two gems left.

>She was already injured and weak before all this started. She should've known she had no chance to begin with...

>You hear a sniffling beside you, and turn to see tears falling from Twilight's eyes.

>"Why...?"

>The white alicorn closes her eyes, and a true smile plays across her lips.

 

>"It is my sincere hope... that one day, you will come to know the answer for yourself, my dear student. I know, as with all things, that you are more than capable of it." Her eyes open again to meet your own, and you can somehow feel her heartbeat mixing with yours, despite the space between you.

>One gem left.

>Twilight's breath hitches, and you can see as her thoughts begin to race, searching for an answer. Memories are recalled, analyzed, categorized, compared, and information and meaning is sought within each one. Only the sound of Celestia's breathing can be heard through the silence as Twilight slowly builds a conclusion in her mind.

>You can tell the very instant she knows. Her jaw goes slack and her stare goes blank, and single word falls from her lips:

>"Love."

>It's not the mere realization that Celestia loves you, and that you love her. On a very basic level, Twilight already knew, and has spent much of her time trying to either marginalize or simply deny it.

>No, the true epiphany in this moment comes from the recognition of the stark difference between her own love for you, and from Celestia's love for you.

>It's hard for her to frame it properly in her thoughts; despite all her power she's still a young mare with little understanding about this aspect of the world. She knows the terms, and the definitions, and many examples, but only through books. Her mind knows, but her young heart truly has yet to learn.

>The fear that now shows on her face is evidence that the conclusion she's come to was formed not by her brain and its familiar, comforting, immutable logic, but from her heart and its frightening, ill-defined but recognizable truth.

>There is a difference between her love and Celestia's love. She can't define it, she can't explain it, but she somehow -knows- it, and she knows that the difference is so vast even the Great Ocean itself couldn't contain it.

 

>There's a spark from her horn, and the Geas bands on your wrists waver and fade to nothing just as the last gem you held reaches its limit. The purple alicorn stumbles back and collapses on her haunches, staring at the ground.

>"No... no, no, no... it can't..."

>With no magic coursing through your body anymore, the pain which paralyzed you is starting to fade away. You find the strength to somewhat stand and hobble over to where Cel lies, placing a comforting hand on her withers.

"Hey there, pretty p0ny. I missed you."

>"A hello to you too, my precious human... but your flattery is misplaced. I know I look awful."

"Nah, you look great. I mean, have you ever seen yourself in the mornings? This is nothing."

>She laughs. "You're lucky I'm not able to move very well right now..." She lifts her head from the floor, craning her neck to reach you. "I suppose I'll have to settle for this in order to prevent your mouth from making any more snarky comments."

>Your lips meet in a kiss which starts out as a light, playful peck, but quickly intensifies as the realization that you've really found each other again sinks in. You use your arms to cradle her head and you hear her tail thrash behind her once with joy. The collective cheer of excitement from three nearby fillies and a cat call from a certain orange mare along with a squee from her unicorn friend are what ultimately forces you apart.

>The other p0nies all rush to crowd around the two of you. Mac uses his hooves to put out the small fires still burning on the carpet, the CMC dance with joy while periodically checking their flanks for a new cutie mark, and Rarity and Applejack move toward the forlorn princess.

>She sits there, on the ground, in her wedding dress, her head hung low and wings drooping. The soft pattering of tears can be heard as they fall from her face and strike the floor. The farmp0ny approaches first.

 

>"Twilight...?"

>She shakes her head. "No... go away. Stay away from me..."

>"Ah can't do that. Yer my friend, so there's no way ah'd leave ya be like this even if ya wanted me to."

>Rarity nods. "That's right. The same goes for all of us, even the ones who aren't here at the moment."

>The alicorn sniffles, pulling her wings back to her sides. "That's a lie... you've all abandoned me too. It's okay, though. I had a contingency plan for that happening. I... had a plan for almost everything. Everything but this..."

>She lifts her head, fresh tears falling down her face. "I... I don't understand! Why is the difference so great?! How can she love him more than me?! It's not possible! It shouldn't be possible, but it is! WHY?!"

>Rarity reaches out a comforting hoof. "Darling... it's perfectly okay to cry. It's probably what's best for your right now, I think. Once this is all out of your system, maybe you--"

>"NO! I don't 'want this out of my system'! Even if I don't understand why, I know I failed. I wasn't enough to him... I was deficient..." she turns her gaze toward Celestia. "...And I never understood the true scope of what I was struggling against. It's not fair... I didn't have all the data... how am I supposed to win if I don't have all the data...? How can I become the p0ny I need to be for him if I don't know where to go? Why isn't it enough?!"

>She stands and gallops toward the edge of the plaza, shrugging off her wedding dress as she runs. When she gets to the edge she spreads her great purple wings, her mane and tail fluttering in the cool winter breeze.

>"Twilight, wait! Don't ya leave us! We just want ta help!"

>"That's right! If you'd just let us, we'd..."

>She ignores their protests and with one last glance back, leaps from the edge, gliding from the castle to the city below and eventually disappearing into the darkness.

 

>Applejack throws her hat to the ground in frustration. "Horseapples! Where's Rainbow when ya need her?"

>"Let her be, my little p0nies. I believe what she's learned here will eventually lead her back to all of us, and back to your friendship. All she needs is time."

>All eyes shift to Celestia as she speaks. She's now strong enough to sit up, and you rest beside her, running your fingers through her mane to calm the both of you down after all that's happened. You remove your hand from her curls and return it to your lap, partially out of embarrassment, when the other p0nies begin to trot back over and gather around you for a reunion of the crew, plus one unicorn and two fillies and minus a pink party p0ny.

>You lean back and look over to the Dawn Star, still grounded and waiting in the ruined reception area. It still looks pretty roughed up, but you can't help but chuckle at the fact that you've never been so happy to see a piece of machinery again in all your life.

"So, it looks like you guys got the ship fixed up."

>Mac nods. "Eeyup. Ah won't say she's good as new, but she's as good as she's gonna get without a trip back to the berths."

>Applejack throws a hoof around her brother. "The big galoot worked real darn hard on it, too! Y'all would'a been proud!"

>He rolls his eyes in response. "You, Pinkie an' Applebloom helped just as much. All ah did was direct ya."

>You hear a polite cough from Rarity and she steps forward. "Ahem... regarding that, I believe I owe all of you a bit of an apology. Had I known then what I know now about Anonymous' relationship with Celestia, I likely wouldn't have done the whole..."

"...Trying to kill us and wrecking my ship thing?"

>"Yes. That. Even though it was a crime of passion, done in the name of friendship, it's still no excuse."

>You wave her toward the Apple siblings.

 

"You don't need to apologize to me. They're the ones who had to fix the mess you made."

>Applejack roughly pats Rarity on the back with her hoof. "Don't you worry, we've got it all figured out. Ah think we've found our new farmhand fer when harvestin' season starts back up! An' ah even hear she's willin' ta work fer free! Work day begins at 5:30 every mornin', startin' the day after Winter Wrap-Up."

>The unicorn shudders at the thought. "Y-Yes... I promise to be prompt..."

>Sweetie Belle giggles at her sister's misfortune, and Rarity turns an evil eye to her in response.

>"...Don't think I've forgotten what you said in front of all those p0nies at the wedding. When we get back to P0nyville I'll see to it that Mother and Father have you grounded for as long as I can convince them to."

>The unicorn filly droops. "Awwww... grounded, -and- no cutie mark! This is the worst day ever..."

>Scootaloo looks over to you and Cel. "Yeah, I don't get it. We reunited 'em, right? Shouldn't that count?"

>Applebloom sighs. "Well... they kinda reunited themselves, so I don't think it does. Maybe we aren't cut out fer true love reunitin' after all..."

>The three fillies let out a dejected sigh and wallow in their misery for a while until Applebloom unexpectedly perks back up.

>"Hey! Do you girls wanna see the inside of the airship?"

>"Do I?!"

>"Really? Cool!"

>The three race off toward the Dawn Star's lowered gantry, and you smile as you watch them go. You feel a p0ny nose nudge your shoulder and turn your attention back to the white alicorn at your side.

>"I believe you were that excited too the first time you flew the ship. Perhaps even more so."

"I don't doubt it."

>She giggles and moves to stand. You quickly stand with her and allow her to use you as support until she can get all four legs underneath herself.

 

>"Come, walk with me. I have something for you."

>The two of you walk away to a more secluded area of the plaza, away from the guards still milling about in the aftermath of the battle and away from the spot where AJ, Mac and Rarity are working to revive the still unconscious Fluttershy. Celestia leads you to one of the far corners, facing the vast city below.

>You stare into each other's eyes for a few moments in silence. And then...

>She turns her head back and tries to grab her tail in her mouth, but she can't quite reach. She spins in place a few times before huffing in frustration in the cutest away imaginable.

>You really, really try to stop yourself from laughing. The keyword being 'try'.

"W-What are you doing?"

>"This is not funny! I... I need your help..." She flicks her tail over to you. "There's a braid in my tail. I need you to carefully untangle it, please, and be very gentle with what's inside."

"Okay, okay. Give it here."

>You gently take the curly strawberry tail in your hands and start running your fingers through it until you find the braid she mentioned. After a bit of untangling made simple by the amazing dexterity of human fingers, you manage to uncover a small stone within. It looks completely ordinary... could it really be...?

>Celestia holds out her hoof. "If you would."

>You place the stone in her hoof and with a blinding flash it instantly transforms into a fully empowered Orb of Ascension. The radiant surface... the hum of the magic within... there's no question that it's the real thing.

"Luna was telling the truth... you really did have one! But... but when'd you get it? And how the hell did you braid the damn thing into your tail in the first place?"

 

>She giggles. "I received it at the same time as you, when we were both at the altar. And as for my tail... I couldn't well keep the thing in my mouth the entire time throughout the trials, so I had some forest vines weave it securely in place for me before we left for camp."

>She flashes you a sly smile. "Those hands of yours certainly enjoy finding their way across my mane and coat. Perhaps if they had been a little more adventurous, you'd have discovered it sooner?"

>And now it's her turn to laugh as you try to hide your blush. You clear your mind of those thoughts as something important makes its way to the forefront of your mind.

"Cel... Twilight destroyed my Orb. I'm so sorry. If I had it, I'd have given to you already..."

>She nods. "I know, and I understand."

"But this is great! We can bring your power back, and things'll finally get back to normal again..."

>You glance over to the massive airship in the distance, the laughter of the fillies as they run around on deck audible on the wind.

"...Or as normal as life can be after all of this."

>She shakes her head. "No, Anon. This Orb wasn't meant for me. It's for you."

>Did... did you just hear her right?

"I... what? But why? What about you?! And what would it even do to me?"

>"My power will return to me naturally with time. It'll be several hundred years, of course, but it will return nonetheless."

>She carefully lays down on the ground, cradling the Orb in her hooves.

>"As for you... as you know, the Orb boosts the magical potential of the creature that consumes it to its greatest extreme. As you are a creature from another world without inherent magic, there would be no effect."

"Yeah, so... what would be the point?"

>She turns away from you to the horizon. "...The Orb also inducts one into Eternity, to be ageless and undying."

>Your breathing stops. Is she really serious...?

 

>"Anon... it's not a decision to be taken lightly, and I'll understand if you refuse. Truly, I will, and would hold nothing against you. But you are... I... I want you in my life, for as long as I'm able to have you. This is more of my own selfishness, but you're so, so special to me, I..."

>She holds her hoof out, and with unsteady hands you take the Orb from her. Unlike before, it doesn't transform into a mere stone again. No, not even close.

>Instead the magic thunders through you, overloading all your sense at once. The intensity fades, but still you stare at the shining stone in your hand in awe. Never before have you held an 'unlocked' Orb... good god, it's amazing...

>You have to sit down to avoid losing your balance. Eternal life. God, could you really...? Forever with Cel... to say that is sounds pretty damn tempting is an understatement, but the very idea that you'll live forever... on a certain level, it's utterly terrifying. You breathe deep, trying to find your voice again.

"I... I... I don't know if I can..."

>She smiles. "I understand. It's my gift to you, and it's yours to do with as you like. All that I ask is that you treasure it."

>As carefully as you can, you wrap the Orb in your tuxedo's pocket square, placing it in your breast pocket, and the two of you begin to move away from the edge to return to the others.

"I will. But there's something I still don't get."

>"Hmmm?"

"You knew my Orb was gone, and you still intended to give this one to me... so just how in the world were you planning on beating Twilight without your full power? If I hadn't figured out that trick with the Geas..."

>Celestia merely laughs. "I had a plan, Anon, though it seems I didn't need to use it. Just what kind of p0ny do you take me for?"

 

>She nuzzles you a bit as you walk and whispers into your ear. "And magic or no, I wouldn't ever allow her to marry you. A promise is a promise, after all."

>You look to the Dawn Star once more, a smile on your face.

"Yeah. A promise is a promise."

>You lean on her a bit as you walk, careful to avoid her injuries, and she leans back. The comforting gesture calms your frayed nerves and gives you a sense of peace you haven't had since this whole damn ordeal started on that snowy winter morning.

>You wave to your friends as you approach where they've gathered together near the ship, completely oblivious to the dark clouds gathering on the far edge of the city...

 

To Be Continued in Part 3