Statues

Chapters

Part 1: Filly
Part 2: Gifts
Part 3: Garden
Part 4: Accident
Part 5: Statues
Part 6: Decided
Part 7: Mercy
Epilogue

Part 1: Filly

Majesty Song was excited to be staying up so late. She had sneaked out of her house in Canterlot and entered the statue gardens in the cool of the evening. The full moon and numerous stars scattered across the dark blue velvet of the sky illuminated the statues easily as the young unicorn softly tiphoofed the path through the silent forms. She stopped to look at one that represented Compassion: a male earth pony seemingly wrapping a bandage around the leg of a cat. Majesty smiled and turned to continue down the path.

Celestia stood up ahead, watching her patiently.

“Princess Celestia!” Majesty squeaked. A smile appeared on the alicorn’s muzzle.

“What is your name?” she asked the small unicorn.

“I’m... I’m M... Majesty Song.”

“Hello, Majesty Song. What are you doing outside so late?”

“I... I... I sneaked out,” Majesty said, looking at her hooves. Celestia’s gentle laugh made her look up again.

“I understand,” she said, approaching the young mare. “Where do you live?”

“I live outside the gardens,” she piped with a blush.

“Would you like me to walk you back?” the Princess asked, kindly.

“Couldn’t I... Couldn’t I see the rest of the garden?” the filly asked, her heart beating excitedly.

Celestia minded the little unicorn for a while, her head tilted slightly with her mane softly undulating. The longer she stared the more nervous the filly became. The Princess’s face was entirely unreadable. Her visible eye blinked but betrayed no emotion, her mouth neither smiled nor frowned. Finally, after almost a full minute had passed, the Princess’s face opened into a sympathetic smile.

“I’m sorry, Majesty Song, but your parents would want you back in bed. I will walk you back.”

“Are you going to tell them?” she asked, her large, gold eyes shining in the moonlight as she begged. The tall Princess shook her head while a warm smile entered her eyes.

“Not if you promise to stay out of the garden at night. However, if you come here again and I catch you, I will have to tell your parents. Do you understand?” she said gently. The unicorn nodded so excitedly that her yellow and copper mane fluffed up to resemble a lion’s. She blushed deeply and the Princess laughed musically.

“You’re quite the lion aren’t you?” she chuckled and magically smoothed her mane back down.

“Thank you,” the unicorn said politely.

“You’re very welcome. Now let me take you home...” the Princess stopped and seemed to listen to the night breeze for a moment. “It’s just not safe for you to be alone,” she finished, still looking around the garden statues.

That was the first time Majesty ever realized just how silent night was. The silence of night in the garden tingled with the feeling somepony was watching you. The statue of Compassion... looked like it was ready to move. Majesty felt anticipation creep up her neck as the stark shadows cast by the moon illuminated the statues features. Her parents had told her to not let her imagination run away with her... still sometimes it was hard not to.

“Come,” Celestia gently commanded. She walked silently next to Majesty Song in the direction the little mare had come from. Majesty watched her leader’s hooves as they lightly tapped against the concrete walkways. Something was funny about them but Majesty couldn’t quite remember.

“So... Majesty Song, why did you come to the garden at night?”

“I wanted to see the statues but my parents never have time to let me see them all.”

“I see. Do you have any sibling? Friends who can take you?”

“No, none of them live close to me. I’m an only filly.”

“I see,” she simply said and her hooves continued to tap. Majesty bent her head all the way back and saw the moon reflected in the Princess’s crown. The dark impression of a mare was clearly visible.

“Princess Celestia?” The Princess jumped a little and then looked down at her again. “Is Nightmare Moon real? I keep hearing stories about her...” Princess Celestia looked down at the path in front of her, silently.

“Yes... she is real.” Celestia stopped and stared up at the moon. “She’s been there nine hundred and sixty-seven years...” The Princess appeared lost in her own mind.

“Will she come and hurt me if I wander the gardens? Mommy always said she would.” Celestia laughed heartily and sniffed after she was done. Her eyes were a little shinier.

“No, I promise I’ve made sure she will... never hurt anypony again...” she began to walk. “No matter the cost...”

The entrance of the garden was close now. Majesty watched the hedge arch approaching and looked back at the statues sadly. Celestia noticed.

“You’re very brave are you not? To come here alone?”

“I... I don’t know. My Mommy and Daddy say I’m brave.”

“Bravery is a valuable thing to have. But with bravery you should use caution. When do you and your parents plan on visiting the garden again?”

“I don’t know... We do always visit it the day of Nightmare Night!” she added excitedly. Celestia nodded and gave a small smile.

“Very well,” she said but stopped again by something only she heard. Her eyes darted around the statues. Her barrel expanded and contracted as if to catch lost breath. Majesty cleared her throat before speaking.

“Princess Celestia, thank you very much for walking me here but I can make it back home by myself,” she said with a reassuring smile. Celestia looked down at her with a small, hesitant smile and patted the filly’s head with her front hoof.

“Of course. I hope to see you again soon, my brave little Majesty Song.” Majesty nodded rapidly and turned to go through the arch. Finally, she realize what had been so odd about her leader’s hooves: she wasn’t wearing her gold horseshoes. Majesty looked back as she trotted away from the entrance to the garden. They had probably been too dressy for her leader to wear on a simple garden stroll, and perhaps a little too loud for the silence of the garden.

“Majesty Song!” Celestia called and the young mare ran back just inside the entrance to where the path turned sharply to the left. “Remember to stay out of the garden at night. It’s not right for you to be here,“ she warned gravely. Majesty nodded just as gravely and the breeze picked up again. This time she could actually hear something.

Her...

Part 2: Gifts

Majesty sat in her backyard, staring up at the full moon. The light from the house behind her pasted squares of yellow onto the dark blue grass. Lightning bugs floated past her, contrasting the silver stars with their golden pinpoints of light. She listened, wanting to hear the tingling stillness of night’s silence. Perhaps it was just too early in the evening though. The light and the house behind her still created too much noise.

“Majesty!” her mom called from the house.

“Yes, Mom?”

“Time for you to come in. Princess Celestia told us that she would like to wish you happy birthday tomorrow so I want you to clean your room.”

“Mom... Princess Celestia isn’t going to run straight to my room as soon as she gets here to make sure it’s clean.”

“You never know,” she said. Majesty laughed to herself and stood up, magically brushing the grass off of her shield cutie marks. She had received them the night after she first met Celestia in the garden ten years ago. She could still hear the voice she had heard whispering “Her” and almost instantly afterwards her shields had appeared. They were bold red with a lion on each of them, poised to fight. Celestia had joked that Majesty was “marked to be a soldier” when she saw her during her family’s yearly trip to the gardens on the day of Nightmare Night. Her parents had never looked so surprised or proud of her.

“Close the door behind you,” her mom reminded her as she entered the bright house. Majesty grabbed the handle with her teeth and pulled it shut.

“Majesty, I’ve told you before to use your magic when closing the door!”

“Sorry, Mom. I forgot. I can’t use my magic for everything though,” she said before giving her mother a quick kiss on the cheek.

“How’s the moon tonight, Fuzzball?” her dad asked from the living room, levitating a glass of water and a newspaper at the same time.

“Nightmare Moon’s still up there,” she remarked.

“Good, and she better stay up there,” he replied as his daughter kissed him on his cheek. Majesty had to keep herself from rolling her eyes as she walked up the stairs. Each step was starting to creak under the weight of her hoof now. How long had her family lived here?

She entered her bedroom and closed the door before magically depositing all out of place objects into a large black trunk. That took care of the clutter. She closed the lid with a snap and was glad she had learned that “bottomless pit” spell from Celestia last year. She would have to go through that trunk one day but that would have to wait for a day when Princess Celestia wasn’t about to unintentionally drive her mother into a nervous breakdown over needing to clean the house. After her clean-up was finished, she opened her window, folded her forelegs across the windowsill, and stared at the sky again.

Would Celestia understand if she visited the garden tonight? She could easily see the hedge surrounding it, a constant blockade. She watched as the Princess flew down from Canterlot castle into the garden, disappearing behind the tall, thick hedge. It was best for Majesty not to risk it tonight. She sighed and her hooves clopped onto the aged cherry floor. Too bad.

She couldn’t quite understand her obsession with the statue garden. It had just always been there since she had first seen it over a decade ago. Something about the statues called to her, sometimes she could almost be positive she heard the statues calling for her. She had asked Princess Celestia about it and, while the alicorn had appeared a little distracted, she would just smile and say the imagination is a powerful thing and that she too sometimes could hear the statues.

Majesty stood in front of her dresser and magically picked up a hairbrush to brush her mane. It never seemed willing to calm down or stay in one place. Brushing was always a temporary solution. When she was done she placed the brush on top of a short stack of books she would need for her final year at Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. The thought of her final year weighed on her again.

Everyone kept on asking what she was planning on doing with her life just to make conversation. She never really had an answer. Yes, her cutie mark stood for bravery but what salary did that come with? She was good at magic but how was the spell she was taking so much time learning practical? Why not some other spell or some other career choice? Even though she never seemed to have a career choice, none of the suggestions other ponies had made interested her. She still had time to decide anyway.

She noticed her mirror had become dusty and levitated a tissue to wipe it off. The problem was she would always be good at what she did... but never the best. Of course she wasn’t the worst but she had always just been... average. Never extraordinary, never special, never important. She brushed any clear space on her dresser with the tissue and deposited it into the wastepaper basket. She looked at herself in the mirror again. Would she ever leave an impact in Equestria? Or would she die without anyone remembering her years afterwards? Did it matter if she was always... average?

She crawled into her bed and pulled the thin blankets over her. They were perfect for summer weather like this. The night was balmy but an occasional breeze could cause shivers. Majesty Song closed her eyes and tried to relax, but could not silence her brain for the entire night.

A gentle nudging woke her up. She opened her gold eyes to see her mom’s brown eyes smiling at her.

“Good morning, little Majesty.”

“I’m not that little anymore, Mom,” she laughed and shuffled out of bed. Her mom chucked with her.

“No, to me you’ll always be my little filly.” Majesty smiled but had to restrain herself from rolling her eyes.

“Love you too, Mom. Is Princess Celestia here yet?”

“No, not yet, she sent us a note saying she would be here in an hour. Bless her for giving us enough warning,” the tan mare said as she and her daughter left the cosy bedroom.

“Mom, you don’t need a fair warning, you always keep the house clean.”

“Well, you always need to be ready to accept guests,” she pointed out.

“Is that my little lion I hear?” her father called from downstairs. Majesty gallops down the protesting stairs and jumped on her dad as he levitated a candle over a delicious-looking birthday cake.

“Can I try a bit?” Majesty joke and lowered her mouth to take a bite of her mom’s delicious orange frosting.

“Not until you blow out the candles and we are not lighting them until Celestia arrives,” he said, pushing another candle into the smooth icing surface. There was a knock on the front door.

“I’ve got it,” Majesty’s mother announced and opened the door. “Hello Dad!” she exclaimed and Majesty turned to see her Grandpa Bass giving his daughter a quick nuzzle while Grandma Cotton climbed the front steps, moving slowly. Oh. Great.

“Go give your granponies a hug, Majesty,” her father gently commanded. Majesty obediently trotted over and gave each of them a nuzzle.

“So how is your singing coming, Little Song?” He had always called her that and it was no subtlety of his that he was determined to see Majesty Song musically inclined since her second name came from him.

“I’m still, tone deaf, Grandpa,” she reminded him bluntly.

“Well, I’m certain there is a spell that can fix that,” he said, good-naturedly, ruffling her mane up again with his hoof.

“Now Horace Bass, don’t you be trying to make her do what she don’t want to be doing!” Grandma scolded and magically straightened Majesty’s mane. Majesty had always liked Grandma Cotton.

"Oh, I'm just encouraging her," he said with a resonant laugh.

“You’ll encourage her to be sleeping in a nut house if you don’t stop your pestering!” she scolded and jokingly nudged him with her right forehoof. Her grandpa laughed and trotted off to greet her father. Majesty loved her grandpa but her grandma was right, his generous encouragement could be somewhat overbearing.

Within the hour a few other close relatives arrived and her father began to grill the carrots and veggie cakes on the backyard charcoal grill. About two minutes to Celestia’s arrival Majesty looked towards the castle in the distance to see the Princess take off and begin the flight towards her house with two guards following her.

Celestia had admitted to her once that she wasn’t too thrilled to have guards constantly around her every time she went to visit ponies outside of Canterlot Castle. That was why she walked in the statue garden many nights. That was the one time where she could sneak past her own guards and walk around without being scrutinized. As Majesty watched her approach she suddenly realized something and sprinted to her mom.

“Mom,” she asked while he mom chatted with one of her aunts, “Mom did you tell...”

“Just a minute...and I tell you, Peony, that foal is the cutest little critter I’ve ever seen!” For some reason, Majesty’s mother always broke into her old accent Grandma Cotton had given her whenever she talked to her siblings who had stayed around their hometown after marriage.

“Mom, please, it’s kinda important,” Majesty prodded.

“Excuse me, Peony,” she said and Majesty’s aunt nodded and trotted off. “Now Majesty, that was rude what you just did right there.”

“I am sorry, Mom, but did you tell anyone that Celestia was coming?”

“Well...I...oh.” her mother realized with a look of horror and glanced at old Grandpa Snap who had fallen asleep in a lawn chair and was snoring under the sound of everyone chatting pleasantly. At this point Celestia’s trajectory would be obvious to anyone who looked up and noticed her, which is exactly what cousin Cherry Blossom did.

“It’s Celestia!” she shrieked and dove into the nearest butterfly bush. Majesty’s mom facehoofed herself as the relatives began to look and panic at the approach of royalty.

Celestia lightly touched down in an empty spot of the back yard and stood in her majestic glory. There was a small moment of awkward silence when she smiled warmly at the ponies and they stared at her with their jaws dropped. Majesty’s dad looked up from flipping a vegtable cake on the grill, looked at Celestia, then at his wife and the relatives staring at her. His expression deadpanned.

“You forgot to tell them too, didn’t you?” he said to her and she laughed nervously and shrugged. Majesty cleared her throat and approached Celestia who was beginning to shift her weight on her hooves, uncomfortable. She jumped up and gave her a quick hug around the neck, trying to ignore the gasps behind her and the glare of the guards. Celestia tensioning muscles relaxed a little bit and she hugged her back, whispering a slightly indecipherable “thank you” to her.

After that, the evening went mercifully better. The food was all delicious and Majesty’s family eventually learned to loosen up around Princess Celestia, talking, asking questions, even risking a joke. Even Cherry Blossom crawled out of the bush long enough for Princess Celestia to give her a smile. She darted back to her hiding spot almost instant.

“She’s... shy,” Majesty excused.

“She’s not much younger than you were when I first met you,” Celestia remarked.

“Yeah, she really is a sweet girl once she gets over her shyness, though.”

“Well, perhaps you can let her know I empathize with her,“ Celestia said.

“I will,” Majesty promised with a smile.

After spending the whole night celebrating her birthday her relatives left and piled their gifts for Majesty in the living room on top of “Dad’s chair”. Celestia stayed a moment longer to personally wish Majesty a happy 16th birthday. She touched her horn to to top of Majesty’s mane, which had again become wild, and quickly whispered that her gift for Majesty would be waiting in her room once she went to bed.

“Thank you, Princess Celestia,” Majesty said back.

“And thank you, Princess Celestia, for honoring us tonight with your presence,” her mother graciously said.

“Oh please think nothing of it!” Celestia said with a laugh. “Thank you for making me feel welcome,” she said and gave them all one last nod before taking off.

“So are you going to open your presents now?” her father prodded. Majesty’s mind was on the one present she knew was waiting for her upstairs but she was content to open the gift from her other relatives first and show her parents what had been given to her. Most of them were things associated with future careers she could take. She couldn’t help but sigh as she unwrapped paper covered in musical notation from a book of music spells given to her by Grandpa Bass.

“He means well,” her mother said.

“I know. I just wish he wouldn't expect me to be exactly like him. I mean not everypony can get into the Royal Canterlot Opera Company.”

“I’m certain he’ll be proud of you no matter what you do. As we are.” her dad said, bringing her to give a small, but genuine, smile as she floated the book to sit on top of a sewing machine from her aunt Peony, next to her paternal grandma’s typewriter from Grandpa Snap.

Majesty magically hoisted her presents up the stairs and placed them on top of her large black trunk. She would have to put them away later. A large, flat, rectangular box sat on her bed with a scroll on top. Majesty hastily unfurled the scroll.

My dear Majesty,

I believe you can make good use of this. It once belonged to someone very much like yourself. And also for tonight, you may meet me in the statue garden, where you normally sneak in when you believe I’m not there.

Yours,

Princess Celestia

Majesty almost choked when embarrassment stopped her heart and lungs, realizing that perhaps she wasn’t as stealthy as she had thought, but she was excited to be allowed into the garden at night without having to sneak in through that weak spot in the hedge. She lifted the lid to the bright red box and her mouth dropped open. It was a genuine edged shield.

The shield was divided into three parts, the top seemingly devoted to the stars, being dark blue steel and glittering in small diamonds, the lower right was devoted to a mosaic of mother-of-pearl to show one third of the moon inhabiting that section. The last section was dedicated to the sun with beautiful gold, copper, and brass to create a smaller third of the sphere than the moon and the rays that almost stretched to the edge of the shield. Majesty had never seen anything so beautiful. She slipped it onto her back and instantly felt like a turtle. It was obviously made for a larger pony than herself.

She couldn’t wait to take it into the garden that night.

Part 3: Garden

The moon was full again for a second night in a row. Majesty kept her eyes on the yellow square of light on the grass coming from her parent’s room, which seemed to be taking forever to turn off. Majesty could see the Princess lift off from her castle and enter the garden. In the corner of her eye, the yellow square disappeared.

Majesty sighed in relief and began to crawl out of her window. She had done this countless times since that first night and she knew how to climb down without hurting herself. The roof ended a little lower than her window and created enough of a ledge for her to walk on... for now. Her hooves just barely stayed inside of the dark path marked by the roof tiles. The beams creaked a little bit too much with the shield on her back and she still had some growing to do. A different path would need to be strategized later. She carefully walked to the chimney at the end of her house. The shield was heavy on her back but she felt elegant wearing it. Like she was on a prestigious mission. Once she reached the chimney, the ivy growing up it provided a faithful ladder for her to climb down. She was soon standing on the soft grass in the shadows of her house. She kept along her normal path, but instead of following the hedge along to outside to her not-so-secret spot, she walked through the front entrance and then turned left.

The garden’s familiar beauty and the glistening tone of night filled her with calm. The shield swayed with her shoulders’ movements, making a soft brushing noise against her coat and mane. She rounded the corner of the garden and found the Princess waiting on the path, wearing all she had worn at the party except for her horse shoes. Majesty approached her with a smile.

“Thank you so much for the shield, Princess Celestia! It’s beautiful!” she said not raising her voice but still speaking excitedly. The moon reflected in the Princess’s large visible eye. Somehow...she seemed so sad even while she smiled.

“It’s a little big for you... but I felt like you should own it.” she said, walking down the path into the garden.

“Who did it belong to? Was it yours?”

“No, it...belonged to my brother.”

“Your brother? You had—”

“Yes, a long time ago.” she said briskly.

"What was his name?" The Princess took a few more steps before she answered.

"Astrophel, he was given authority over the stars in the sky. The top portion of your shield represents him."

“Where is he? I've never heard of him before.” Majesty stated, surprised. Celestia did not answer for a while. When she spoke again it wasn’t really an answer.

“I want to show you something...” she said and continued to walk.

“Princess Celestia, are you alright?” Majesty asked. Celestia stopped and a breeze blew by, sounding as if it was saying something over and over again. Celestia seemed to struggle with some inward restraint. What was so... difficult for her to speak about? Why was she struggling like this whenever she entered the garden at night? Why did she find it hard to look at some of the statues?

“I...honestly I...I’m...I'm not sure...”

“Can you tell me what’s wrong?” Majesty offered. Celestia looked down at her and patted her mane gently with her forehoof.

“My dear Majesty Song, I appreciate your willingness to help me...more than you realize. I wish I could tell you what it is...but, you’re not ready yet to find out.”

“When will I be ready?” Majesty asked. Celestia stared down at her for a few moments.

“You’ll be ready all too soon, I'm afraid.” she said ruefully. Majesty touched her cheek to the tall alicorn’s shoulder in comfort and the Princess smiled down at her.

“I understand.” Majesty said. Even though she didn't understand what caused the Princess's sadness, she could empathize with being caught in it without being able to get out.

“Thank you. You’ve always been so brave...” she couldn’t speak for a few moments, “Come, let me show you. We’re almost there.” she said with a sniff and composed herself again to walk down the path.

Majesty Song followed her, looking at the different statues. One or two more had been added since she had first been there ten years ago. Music, Victory, Honor, and Love were the most recent additions. The same tingling stillness came over her as she listened to the soft tap tap tap of their hooves on the path. She wanted to be able to comfort the Princess, who had grown into her closest friend. Princess Celestia had been there to encourage her, understand her, and just listen to her sometimes. She had done so much for her and Majesty wished she could return the kindness that had been paid to her.

Celestia stopped in front of one statue. The one to represent Chaos.

“Majesty, What do you know of this statue?” Celestia asked, gravely.

“Well... I was told it represents Chaos but some say it represents Discord. It was carved to mimic a Draconequus, a creature from the earliest days of Equestria. They were a dangerous race of creature who turned the world we live in into a nightmarish place without order or...”

“Please, I have to stop you there.” Celestia said quickly.

“Did I say something wrong?”

“I believe you’ve said what you were taught. Unfortunately...that’s not the whole story. It’s been...twisted by time and...” she left off before she could say more. Majesty watched Celestia as she stood directly at the base of the statue and looked up at the face of the creature. She suddenly looked older but majesty could not tell why. She began in a soft, instructive lecture,

“You are basically right: he is a Draconequus, representing Chaos, who went by the name of Discord. He ruled Equestria before Luna, Astrophel, and I came here. Each of us had two magical Elements of Harmony we were in control of. Six altogether. We could use these elements to create powerful magic to protect...and to fight.

"We saw the world Discord was creating and felt he was...wasting the potential. His world was fun but nothing but fun. Never anything serious, never any chance to grow through trials. Only chaos where nothing could be permanent...nothing could last. So...we decided to overthrow and fight him, no matter the consequences.

"His chaos was so powerful though. Astrophel tried to defeat him alone, tried to kill him even though we hadn’t been able to find a way to even wound him. No matter what we had said to our brother, he still believed we would all be able to win against Discord. Luna and I never imagined he would...go without us if we refused to fight with him. To this day I can still hear the moment...when..." Celestia stopped herself again before she changed her track, "Luna always blamed Discord and for a very long while I blamed him too. But, Astrophel...he weakened himself..." Celestia closed her eyes and shook her head as if saying no to herself. She opened her eyes and spoke matter-of-factly, "we lost him...we couldn’t do anything except turn on Discord and...” she stopped again and the silence built.

“Princess?”

“I’m fine, thank you. But... you said he was a statue carved to represent Discord?”

“Yes?” Celestia’s look showed the briefest glint of pity.

“Only two ponies know now this that are still alive but this statue isn’t carved...it is Discord.” Majesty looked up at the tall statue.

“How?” she gasped.

“With the six elements, Luna and I petrified Discord. He has been here ever since. He was the first statue in this garden. The first of many...” Celestia said, looking away and walking farther down the path. They walked in silence for awhile and though Majesty tried to enjoy the statues she couldn’t help but worry about Celestia. Finally, Majesty cleared her throat and spoke,

“Princess Celestia?”

“Hmm?”

“Why did you tell me this? I mean...I appreciate knowing the truth...but...why do I need to know?” Majesty asked. Celestia stopped and turned to face Majesty. She lowered her head and her long mane tickled Majesty’s face as Celestia looked her in the eye and spoke with great compassion,

“Because I want you to know that I love Equestria and the ponies in it with all my heart. I want to do all I can to defend them and keep them safe.”

“But...why me?”

“Because one day I may ask something great of you, Majesty Song. I think you would be willing to do it. But I want you to know why first.”

“What would you ask me to do?” Majesty inquired, uncertain. Celestia’s face was the perfect example of sympathy.

“Something that I am not ready to ask you yet. For now I only ask you to do this: enjoy your time. Enjoy your life and live it in a way that would leave you with no regrets. I want you to enjoy the time you have with your family. I could see how much they loved you and you are fortunate in a way many ponies are not, to have them. Treasure them even when it is hard. Some day you may not have them to treasure.” Celestia said, punctuating the last sentence with another sad smile.

“You miss your brother and sister, don’t you?” Majesty asked. He heart beat in her throat as Celestia quickly raised her head again to her full height. Perhap she had asked too much. Celestia looked away and seemed to think to herself before replying,

“I always do. But I am not far from them. Astrophel set the stars permanently in the sky as a constant reminder of his love. I will always have them to remember him by...and I have the moon to keep me company and remind me of the happier times I had with Luna. I have memories, at least, to keep to.” she finished with a smile that the Princess had used to describe Majesty: brave. She was only ever allowed to be brave. She had to rule Equestria by herself and deal with the pressure of royalty...alone. No family to talk to. Both of her siblings gone.

“You have me too, Princess Celestia.” Majesty said suddenly. Celestia’s sadness still dwelled in her smile.

“Yes, my brave, loyal friend. I do have you.” she said and smoothed the unicorn’s mane with her hoof, "I have you for now."

Part 4: Accident

“I can’t believe I didn’t bring my shawl. It really is too chilly today.” Majesty’s mother remarked, shivering a little.

It was their annual trip to visit the Statue Garden during the morning of Nightmare Night. Princess Celestia walked next to Majesty while her parents walked on the other side of the now 21-year-old unicorn. Majesty no longer dressed up for the occasion, as she had done when she was younger, but she still wore the shield across her back and had even smoothed and braided her mane. Celestia always seemed happy to see her wearing the shield proudly. She had magically shrunk the shield to fit the unicorn’s shoulders more easily, once Majesty was sure she had stopped growing.

The garden was full of other pony families, all of them with small children. Candy was always scattered in the grass for the fillies and colts who were too young to stay up for Nightmare Night. Majesty had many fond memories of finding delicious treats she was never able to have during other times of the year. Her mother had made so many beautiful and fun costumes for her. How she missed being that young...no responsibilities outside of cleaning her room. She had definitely wasted that time trying to grow up.

Her father strolled a little closer to her mother.

“You know, if you're cold, I could do something to make you blush. Would that help?” he said coyly.

“Nevermind I think that just did the trick...” her mother said. Majesty suppressed a snicker. Still, growing up wasn't too bad. She had never realized, when she was younger, how cute her parents were as a couple. She had never appreciated their relationship, or really them, before. She had love them, yes, but never truly appreciated them. Her smile faded as she recalled all the times she had talked back, lied, stolen, and done other things that hurt her parents. She wasn’t sure what had made her realize just how much she owed them, but she was glad she had at least realized the debt she had accumulated and could never pay back.

“By the way, Majesty, I forgot to tell you but we got a letter from your Aunt Peony. Your cousin, Day Lily, just got engaged.”

“Really? How old is she?”

“About your age.” Majesty stopped the deadpan expression she had inherited from her dad so she wouldn’t offend her mother. Lately her mother had begun to push her in a way that reminded her of Grandpa Bass. Majesty couldn’t blame her. She just wanted to be a grandmare and only had one daughter who could fulfil that wish.

The truth is, Majesty had almost no close guy friend and they all had girlfriends or dating them would just be awkward. She’d rather not risk losing a friendship by forcing a relationship. Besides, they hadn't been as close recently since Majesty had started working and spending more time with Celestia, but her mother wouldn't be happy about that explanation at all. It wasn’t that her mom didn’t understand...it just was that she also had a plan for her daughter which she believed would make her happy.

“I would like to thank you all for allowing me to walk with you. However, I must do another candy drop.” Celestia said and bowed her head to each of the ponies.

“Thank you, Princess Celestia.” her mother said.

“We’ll probably head back anyway—” her father added.

“May I finish walking through the garden?” Majesty asked.

“You’ve seen it hundreds of times!” her mother laughed.

“Well, Yeah...”

“I do need you to do the dishes.” her mother stated simply.

“All right...” she said and masked a sigh.

“Take care, all of you.” Celestia said and took off to fly over the grass and scatter a blanket of candy that magically sprouted from her horn. Majesty turned around and walked back to the entrance of the garden, somewhat grudgingly, among the cries of joy coming from fillies and young colts as they ran to select their favorite sweets.

“I’ll be back down in a moment. I just need to put this away.” Majesty said, indicating her shield as they entered the house.

“All right. Just don’t play around.” her mother reminded. Majesty climbed the stairs to her room and opened the door with her magic.

Her room had not changed much in the last few years. It was still the same yellow-and-red walls with the same wooden bed, desk, dresser, bookcase, and black trunk...that she still needed to go through. She magically unstrapped the shield and placed it on her bed. No matter how many times she had worn it it still looked brand new. A spell was most likely responsible for that.

A note from Celestia sat on her dresser and she opened it up eagerly. Perhaps she would allow her into the garden again tonight?

Dear Majesty Song,

Meet me in the garden as soon as you can tonight.

Yours,

Princess Celestia

Majesty couldn’t help but frown. Usually the notes inviting her to enter the garden at night were just that: invites. This almost had a command attached to it.

“Majesty!” her mom called from downstairs.

“Coming!” she shouted and galloped downstairs before her mother had to grow insistent.

The clean plate clinked against the one next to it as Majesty placed it in the drying rack. Her mother stood next to her, drying the silverware before placing it in the drawer.

“So, Majesty, why do you always want to spend time in that garden?”

“It’s beautiful, Mom. It helps me relax.”

“I think you need to spend less time in the garden and more time on finding another job.”

“But, Mom, I’m happy at the bakery. I’ll move out but I haven’t saved enough for an apartment yet.”

“I just think you should set goals that are a little bit higher than baking bread and pastries your whole life.”

“Like what?” Majesty asked and handed some spoons directly to her mother with magic.

“Well, I hear that they could use some help down at the Opera House...”

“Did Grandpa Bass ask you to do this?” she groaned.

“No, I mean as a stage hand. You might like it. It would be a wonderful opportunity.”

“Who told you more people were needed there?”

“Your Grandpa. He might be able to help you get ahead in the list of applicants.”

“Mom...I..." Her mother looked at her expectantly, but Majesty thought better of saying what she wanted to, "I’ll think about it. But can we please stop talking about what I need to do with my life?”

“I just want you to spend more time working and less time playing around with a few statues.”

“Ok. I understand.”

“You have to decide what you want to do and sooner is better than later. It's a good opportunity and I think you should take it.”

“Mom...please,” Majesty said, putting the last dish into the drying rack none too gently, “I know you love me and I know you’re concerned that I’ll die old and alone but perhaps I have no idea what I want to do with my life yet!” Majesty facehoofed. A gentle nudge from her mother’s muzzle touched her right temple.

“I’m sorry. I won’t bother you about it again.” her mother’s gentle voice said.

“I’m sorry, too. It’s just...you and dad and Grandpa Bass and...just everyone. It seems like everypony in this family is trying to get me to be something...and it’s like they...they don’t want me to be somepony they want me to be them... Well, you and dad aren’t quite that bad but...you know...” Majesty said, staring at the last few plates in the sink.

“I understand.” her mother said and they stood silently by the sink for a few moments. Majesty finally lifted the last plate from the suds and moved the sponge over the surface. It clinked against the other plates.

“Thank you for helping. I’ll take care of the rest of this.” her mother said. Majesty nodded and climbed the stairs. She felt like she needed a nap. Why was it that she tired so easily lately? Was this her growing...older?

She entered her room and turned to look at herself in the mirror. She tried to see the pony who had stood there the first time she was planning to visit the garden at night: the filly with no cutie mark who had devised a way to finally see all the Garden’s statues. A pony who didn't need to decide right that minute what she wanted to do with her life. She was echoed in the face Majesty saw now, but only echoed. Now, the mare staring at her...had to be a grown up.

It was then that Majesty thought she understood why she felt as if she owed an unpayable debt to her parents: they were growing old. Her mother's mane had faded slowly over the years from deep brown to more of a hot chocolate with milk color. Wrinkles crinkled the skin around both of her parents' eyes. Her father had to wear glasses now and seemed to be taking more time to walk the distance to the Garden each year. They no longer were allowed time to have fun and goof off. If they had time they didn't have enough energy. They had responsibilities that they couldn't escape. They had invested over half of lives into her and one day...they would no longer be there. Was all they had done for her going to be wasted? She so often felt that she was heading that direction of wasting all the work they had put into her. But, working under Grandpa Bass's constant stream of urging to practice singing wasn't the way to pay them back for all they had done for her.

Majesty looked to her door when she heard a thud from downstairs. What was that? She hurried down the stairs and cantered into the kitchen to find her dad kneeling down next to her mother who was collapsed on the floor, but conscious, and crying into her hooves. Her father placed his left foreleg over his wife and rested his muzzle in her hair.

“What happened?” Majesty asked, dumbfounded. Her father lifted a letter to her with his magic and continued to comfort his wife. Majesty took it and recognized her Aunt Peony’s thick but small handwriting:

Cocoa,

I hate to not tell you this in person but right now but I figured you’d need to know. Cherry Blossom was in an accident yesterday morning. She passed away last night. The funeral will be held in two days.

Love,

Your sister, Peony

Majesty couldn’t stop reading the letter again and again. It couldn’t make sense. She hadn’t seen Cherry since... since she crawled out of a butterfly bush, too scared to speak to Princess Celestia. Had it really been that long ago that she had last seen her? She read the note over and over. The words were there but she couldn’t believe it... she didn’t want to believe it. It just...didn’t seem real. She looked back to her parents, huddled close together. She heard the sobs her mother was trying to suppress, but didn’t know what to do. Cherry Blossom...was ten years old now.

She stood there, watching them, and let the letter drop to the floor

Majesty walked into the garden without her shield this time. It just didn’t seem appropriate for some reason. She was still somewhat in shock over Cherry Blossom’s... passing away. The paved path glowed in the moonlight shining freely without clouds to hinder them. She hoped that the Princess wasn’t expecting her to be cheerful. She turned the corner after entering and almost ran into her.

“Oh! I’m sorry! I...”

“Shh!” Celestia cautioned. Majesty blushed from humiliation and followed the Princess who stood, ready to lead her down the familiar path.

“Princess Celestia...I...” Majesty looked down and the alicorn turned her head to see her.

“Majesty...what’s happened?” she asked, surprised at Majesty’s demeanor.

“I...my mother got a letter today...”

“One of your grandparents?” Celestia asked, sympathetically.

“No...do you remember my cousin Cherry Blossom? She kept on hiding in the butterfly bush when you visited?”

“Yes...Majesty, what’s wrong? Where's your shield?” Celestia asked, frantically. Majesty didn’t realize she had started crying.

“I...I left it...she was...she was in an accident...” Majesty gasped and hoped her voice would stop wailing, “I don’t know what happened...she was...she was 10 years old...the funeral is in two days...I don't know how she...”

“Majesty, I am so sorry.” Celestia said, genuinely sympathetic.

“I don’t know what happened...she was just ten years old! She was ten years old! How could she....she...she's...gone...but, she was ten years old! How could she be...” The Princess did nothing for awhile. She almost seemed as scared as Majesty had been to see her own mother cry. Majesty didn't care. something was slowly releasing itself from her in each tear and gasp.

Celestia very slowly, and cautiously, lifted her foreleg and rubbed the unicorn's shoulder with her hoof. She let the unicorn weep noisily into her regal mane. She knelt down with Majesty resting her forehead on her left foreleg while her right hoof rubbed her back, trying to comfort her. Majesty began to keen. She wasn't able to stop it and Celestia seemed to have forgotten the need for silence and no longer hushed her. She covered the back of Majesty's head with her chin and wrapped her right foreleg around her now, holding her close. How long had it been since she had hugged somepony like this?

Sobs echoed, along with occasional babble, among the statues, silent watchers who were unable to move, unable to help, unable to comfort. They were stuck standing on their pedastals. Cold, smooth, polished, unmoving stone. After what felt like half an hour, Majesty finally exhausted her tears. She still rested her forehead against her friend but her voice was more calm when she spoke,

“It just...how do I even deal with...with her...being gone?” Celestia was silent for awhile.

“It's hard...I know...it's hard...perhaps...perhaps it is best to cry...” Majesty looked up to see the Princess had cried too, "You know...it's funny. Luna once told me that tears were nothing to be ashamed of...tears are...not weakness...and that I should never feel sorry to feel grief like what you’re feeling now." Celestia swallowed as she continued to force herself to speak what she was saying, "She told me...sometimes being brave is...letting others know you’re hurting. That it’s ok to talk about it and cry over it. Even if you just cry over it and don’t say anything that is better than to pretend as if nothing happened. It’s unhealthy to deny grief a chance to be purged...” she said, more to herself than to the unicorn still under her foreleg. Majesty slowly and politely stood up, easing herself from under Celestia's foreleg. Celestia rose too.

"That makes sense...but, why is it funny though?" Majesty asked, wiping her muzzle with her hoof.

"I'm not sure...I think because...she was the one who told me that...maybe that's why I never...Well, it's hard to explain...but to me it's...ironic really." she said, ending with a weak laugh that was almost a sharp gasp.

"Well, thank you for letting me just cry, Princess Celestia..."

“Majesty...my title is no longer needed when you are addressing me. To you, let me be Celestia.”

“Thank you...Celestia...” she wiped her muzzle with her right foreleg, “You did say you wanted me to come here...”

“I had hoped to talk with you about something tonight, but circumstances indicate that you might not be ready to... discuss what I had planned. We can speak later. I come to the garden every night. Just meet me when you’re ready.” Celestia said with a comforting smile.

“Thank you...” Majesty said and sniffed, “I’m going to head back home now. Thank you for letting me...talk with you.” she said with a smile and eyes that were hard to see out of through a film of tears. She turned around and walked back a few steps towards the entrance.

The statues could wait for another visit. She had to comfort her parents now.

Part 5: Statues

It was a cloudy night in the garden. Majesty knew the path well enough to keep walking, even though she could see little. Celestia’s white form loomed from the darkness as she approached the statue of Discord. Majesty trotted to her and gave her a tight hug which Celestia returned.

The funeral had been good for her. Even if she couldn’t understand why her cousin had died...she had said good-bye and trusted Cherry Blossom was in a happy eternity. Yes, she had cried her eyes out multiple times along with her mother and knowing how to comfort her aunt was practically impossible, but at least they had been there. Majesty stepped back from Celestia after the hug and noticed a familiar sadness in her eyes.

“Celestia?”

“Thank you for coming, Majesty. I see you brought the shield with you again.” she said, giving it a fond glance.

“Yup...” she said before she could stop the speech of her mother’s side of the family from leaking out, “What did you want to show me?”

Celestia allowed a sigh to escape her. She looked up at Discord’s statue and shook her head with a bitter laugh.

“I’ve had months and then an extra week to think of how to tell you...and still I can’t think of the best way...no... I’ve had years to think of how to explain this to you. But every year it grows harder for me to think of having to tell you...Majesty...remember the night I told you the truth behind Discord and his statue here?”

“Yes...it still boggles my mind. He’s right...here.”

“I can hear him...” Majesty stared at Celestia, unable to speak, “I can hear him. He talks to me and though I doubt I can ever agree with his point of view...I've realized that it truly wasn't his fault...Astrophel's death.” she added, softly.

“How are you able to hear him?” Majesty asked in wonder. Celestia closed her eyes for a moment and took her crown off her head by magic.

“This...as long as I have this on my head I can hear...their voices.” Majesty took a step back.

“‘Their voices?' What do you mean ‘their voices'?” Majesty said over the deafening throb of blood rushing through her ears. For an answer, Celestia floated her own crown in front of Majesty. Majesty had never felt a desire to run away from the Princess before. It was a sickening sensation that gave her a headache to go with the heavy lump in her stomach. She didn't even know why she had this urge to run. She gulped and slowly ducked her head under the crown.

You’re next, you know...

What are you supposed to be? The Pet?

Bravery? That's a joke! She can't even tell her family that she doesn't want to follow their plans!

She can't even decide for herself what she wants!

You never guessed I was the one calling to you... telling you that you are the next one...

Oh dear... I think somepony is being disappointed.

Let’s cry with her... IF WE HAD TEARS!

If we could cry!

Celestia has stopped that now hasn’t she?

GET OUT WHILE YOU CAN!

She imprisoned us and she intends to do the same to you!

Oh, and I suppose you thought she was your friend? How sweet... AND RIDICULOUS!

Take off the crown and run away from her!

You’ll be stuck in stone and those you love will die without you! I saw them grow old!

I can see why Nightmare Moon wanted to overthrow her...

I’ve seen her plans for you! They’re not very nice....

I was their only son! They loved me and she took that away!

I CAN'T MOVE!

Majesty hit herself in the face trying to knock the crown off. Celestia stared at it where it fell on the path as Majesty trembled and panted.

“They’re...they’re all ponies...They’re all ponies turned to stone!” Majesty gasped, shaking as her back legs collapsed. Celestia stepped forward and Majesty shrunk back but the Princess had only moved to retrieve her crown. She placed it on her head again and Majesty softened slightly at a realization:

“Celestia...you choose to keep hearing them?”

“Yes, Majesty Song. I do. I imprisoned them in stone. All they have left now are their insults for me. I would not deprive them of all they have left...when I took so much...” She had no idea how Celestia could think straight with the constant stream of voices attacking her.

“How could you have done this? Why? What reason is there to turn ponies into stone?” Majesty begged. Celestia looked up at Discord again.

“Because one day, Equestria will face a threat that will be too great for me or even the Elements of Harmony to handle. I have chosen the best ponies in Equestria...to be set in reserve as soldiers."

“Nightmare Moon... I read that one day she can come back...”

“Luna and I began this garden. We petrified Discord and Luna got the idea to petrify other ponies so we could have an army that no other enemy knew about.”

“But...he knows!” Majesty exclaimed, indicating the statue they stood in front of.

“Yes, he does. But...I believe that he will not be able to break out... the Elements are indescribably powerful and if they’ve kept him this long I’m certain they will keep him until the end of our world. Until it won't matter if he is released or not.”

"So you use the Elements of Harmony to freeze...your own ponies?"

"I use a different spell. I haven't used all of the Elements by myself since I banished Nightmare Moon."

“Celestia...” Majesty said, her heart squeezing her throat closed, “They said I was next...please tell me it doesn’t mean what I think it means...” Celestia closed her eyes, and hung her head.

“I’m afraid it does...I was intending to one day turn you into a statue soldier in the Garden.”

“I trusted you. You were my friend! Now you want to turn me to stone?” Majesty's voice was rising with the heat in her neck and face. She was stepping back from the Princess, her muscles ready to bolt.

“I want to protect Equestria! My dearest friend, I don’t want to turn you into stone but I have to! To turn you into stone now would be to allow Equestria to die out peacefully rather than to die in the coming...possibility I have seen!” Majesty stared at the Princess. Celestia was begging. She implored with her gaze in such desperation that Majesty felt sorry for her...almost

“I...I can’t believe this. You’ve been friends with me...only because you wanted a soldier?”

“No...I became friends with you...because I wanted a...a...” she said, her large, pink eyes building a ridge of water on her lower eyelid.

"If you say 'a friend' I'm running out of this garden right now."

"Well, all right I admit I was first drawn to you because the statues told me to search you out. But it changed as I got to know you!"

"How could you care anything about my friendship? I'm - who knows how many years - younger than you!"

"But I could talk to you! Majesty please..."

"You could talk to me? Well, find a guard to talk to or are they unqualified unless you intend to make them into a decoration?"

"Majesty! Listen to me..."

"Is that a requirement of being one of your statues? I have to listen to you now without a choice? Well, I've been listening for years and you never told me you were going to turn me into a lawn ornament!"

"LOOK AT ME!" Celestia suddenly exploded. Majesty jumped and her heartbeat deafened her again. Tears were flowing, full force, down the royal's face. The depths of anguish and misery were open now in the alicorn's wide eyes, tring bloodshot from tears. Majesty stepped back, unsure of what to do.

"I'm...I'm looking at you." Majesty said while her voice shook.

"You're the only one I've ever allowed to do this...to look at me when I cry...for over nine hundred years...I never allowed anyone...no one believed that I could cry. No one wanted to believe I could cry. I refused to cry! I...I miss them so much and something about you...your willingness to see me as a friend...your cousin's death...you broke me...broke me so...so I could at least talk about it...about losing Astrophel...about missing Luna...

"You...you shared yourself with me and wanted me to share myself with you without any personal gain on your part. No pony else has been able to do that for centuries. Not since Luna...when Astrophel...was killed...when his own horn was crushed back into his skull...I had Luna to comfort me until she turned on me. She turn on me. She turned into Nightmare Moon and tried to throw the world into darkness. She was the only other pony who saw him die...I trusted her...and then she changed on me...I depended on her...

"You didn't wait for me to be dependent on you. You let me see you cry and you...you gave me a chance to cry for somepony else...to feel sorry for somepony else...to care about somepony else. How could I not think of you as a friend after all of that? After you trusted me not just because I'm your ruler...at least...I believed you trusted me...as a friend." Celestia turned her face away and finally closed her eyes again.

“I don’t know what to think about this... I can't think right now this is just too much for me to believe... I need time—”

“Please, Majesty," the Princess implored, opened her eyes again and lowering her head to be level with Majesty's, "I can only spare you a week to figure this out. Time is running out. The spell is most powerful and will keep you in the best of condition during the waning moon towards the end of your 21st year. Next week you turn 22. Please decide before then...and please forgive me...”

Majesty backed away and didn’t say goodnight to the Princess. She galloped out of the Statue Garden and ran home, quietly coming in the front door and closing it behind her. She was in her home now. This was her front door. This was her family. This was her house. This was where she belonged. She tiphoofed up the worn wooden stairs and to her room, closing her door to her room behind her. She magically unbuckled the shield from her back and threw it onto the bed.

One week...her cousin was dead and she had one week to see if she could decide to disappear herself. To cause her parents more pain...to leave her family. To force her mother and father to cry again over a child's...loss. She had just learned to appreciate the family she had, and now she had to leave them?

“It’s not fair.” she gasped, her voice shaking. It was wrong to turn ponies into stone like that. How many of them wanted to do that or knew what they were doing? None of them sounded happy. How long had some of them been in there?

Majesty looked at her black trunk. Would she have time to get it sorted? For years she had thrown stuff in there to avoid dealing with it... All the things she was pushed to be...her family’s hopes...plans...ideas for her. They were things she had avoided by hiding in hopes that nopony would bother her about them...

The shield commanded her attention again. That was the one gift she had ever truly appreciated. It fit her even when it was too big...it was loved more than any other possession. She walked over to it and placed a hoof on its surface. Celestia had called her a soldier when she first saw her shield cutie mark. Her parents had never been so proud. But, was this what she wanted? To wait for a battle? To watch her parents grow old without her and die? To take away their only child? She wouldn’t be able to comfort either of them if the other died. Shouldn’t she hold her responsibility, to love her family and be there for them, as more important than the future of Equestria? Yes, she had no plans for a future now but didn't she still have time to decide? Didn't she had a right to be with her family?

Or...should she give up her right to a family...so that future families would be allowed to die peacefully? She was one pony deciding if she would rather live her life being pushed to do one thing or another by her family, wondering if Celestia would find somepony else to replace her as a soldier...or if she would rather choose this one path, and only be allowed to stay on that one path, and find out for herself if Celestia gathered enough ponies to fight the coming battle. Was this her path? Or was she even needed? How could she leave her parents? But, how could she fail Celestia?... her friend?

She looked back at the trunk. Perhaps she needed to start working on it now after putting it off for so long.

Part 6: Decided

“Breakfast!” Majesty heard her mom call from downstairs. She had not slept all night but it was finally done: everything was out of her trunk and piled around her room. Clothes she had forgotten about, books she had wanted to read, and bought multiple copies of so she could finally finish them, papers, quills, homework that had never been turned in...most of it was all the gifts her relatives had given her in hopes she would follow a specific career in the future.

Her mom’s voice called again and Majesty felt a deep tearing in her heart. Letting go of objects on the floor was easy. Her parents were something different entirely.

“Majesty? Are you awake?” Her voice was at the door and Majesty couldn’t stop her in time. The door opened and her mom saw the piles of junk around her daughter’s room.

“I can explain...” Majesty offered.

“Please. Do.”

“I...I enchanted the trunk you got me for my tenth birthday so it would be bottomless and I went through it last night. I...haven’t looked through it in years.” Her mom’s brain seemed to have broken as she stared around the piles of stuff.

“Are all those books...?”

“The same exact book? Yeah...” Her mom stared at the stack that almost reached her muzzle and burst out laughing!

“I think you have a few extra copies!” Majesty laughed with her. For some reason they couldn’t stop laughing for the next few minutes. Finally, her mom just shook her head and smiled in a way she had not for weeks.

“I’ll take care of it...”

“Come downstairs, we have to show this to your dad!” her mom laughed and magically carried the large stack of The Legend of the Headless Horse and led her daughter downstairs.

Majesty and her dad sat on the back porch later that evening. it had been a warm day especially with all the trips to charity her and her family had made. A large box sat in the front hall with clothes to be given to her cousins who might like them. The merciful cool night was rolling in lazily but Majesty couldn't enjoy it. Her decision took precedence in her mind.

“Dad?” she began.

“Hmm?”

“What have you always wished for me to be?” There was a long pause.

“I don’t know, honestly. I think when you were born I thought you might make a decent athlete. I remember even the pegasi you would run into were scared to cross you because they knew you were stronger.”

“I remember... Do you remember when Celestia met us that one trip to the garden the year I got my cutie mark?”

“Yes.”

“Dad... When do you know when a sacrifice is the right one to make?”

“Majesty, where did that come from?" he said with a laugh before showing concern, "Are you in trouble?”

“No, don’t worry. I just... I want to know...if I had to do something, something I believed was right, what cost would be worth it?”

“Well, what is it?”

“I don’t think I can tell you...”

"I have a feeling this isn't purely hypothetical."

"Hypothetical questions rarely are." Majesty mumbled to herself. Her dad paused.

“Does this involve Princess Celestia?” he finally asked.

“In a way.”

“If you...truly believe and know that what your goal is...is right. Then you should sacrifice anything you have a right to sacrifice.”

“Like...myself?”

“Majesty...what’s causing you to ask me these questions? What has Princess Celestia asked you to do?”

“Dad...what sacrifice would you make to keep Mom and me safe?”

“...Anything...everything...myself. All I could give. Especially for you.” he said and wrapped his foreleg over his daughter’s shoulders, “I love you above anything else on this earth. I would give everything I had to make sure you were safe.” Majesty nodded. She knew what to ask now.

“What if I was the one who had to make the choice? Would you and Mom understand if I felt I had to make a sacrifice that separated us, because I thought it was the right thing to do?”

Her father’s silence built on her. She just needed the answer to this question. He cleared his throat and stared at the railing of the porch. He just needed to answer. That was all Majesty wanted: just one answer. He sighed and shook his head but there was a smile on his muzzle.

“I always knew I would have to let you go some day. I always knew that you seemed...set on something more than what was offered to you. If your mother and I knew that you truly believed your sacrifice was made because you believed it was the right thing to do. Even if we didn’t agree with it, we would always love you and always support you.” Majesty nodded. That was the answer she knew he would give. But hearing it...still helped somehow.

“I love you, Daddy.”

“Can you tell me what this is about?” Majesty took a shaky deep breath.

“I’ll try. I can’t tell you everything...but I’ll tell you what I can. There is a cause for...Celestia that she told me about and I believe I want to join. I feel like it’s the right choice for me. It means though...that I can’t ever see you and Mom again.”

“When does that happen?”

“I have a week to decide.”

“A week...how long have you known about this?”

“Since yesterday.”

“Why couldn’t she have told you sooner?”

“She tried to the night Cherry Blossom died...”

“So that’s why you went through all your stuff...”

“I still have time to decide.” Her father grew pensive.

“Majesty Song...I believe you’ve already decided what your choice will be.”

The trunk was in front of her again. She could hear her parents speaking, with rushed voices, downstairs. Even though the voices weren't fighting, her mom did not sound happy. What else did she expect? Her mother had been very protective of her despite the constant prodding for Majesty to grow up and settle her adult life with the perfect stallion. Her mother: always wanting her to grow up and decide but never wanting her to leave or make her own choices.

The remaining piles around her towered towards the ceiling. All the potential of all she could be overshadowing her, taunting her with her decision. One stack of music-related books from Grandpa Bass, one stack of clothing design books from her aunt Peony, who had bought them so Majesty could get some good use out of the sewing machine she had given her, blank scrolls and journal notebooks were next to the typewriter from Grandpa Snap; a pile for cooking, for being a homemaker, for office work and how to get ahead in business...none of the piles had ever been used.

'She can't even decide for herself what she wants!' the statue had taunted her... it had been right.

'Bravery? That's a joke! She can't even tell her family that she doesn't want to follow their plans!' That was right too... Celestia had always called her brave. What was it that made her brave though? Her cutie mark? Sneaking into the garden? Even if she was, hypothetically, "marked to be a soldier," was she even close to being ready? How was she "brave"?

The voices downstairs had stopped. Majesty expected her mother to be there in a few minutes to try to convince her not to leave...if only she knew how she would disappear, that she would never truly leave.

"Majesty? Are you in there?"

Bingo.

"Come in, Mom." Majesty said. She might as well face her now rather than later. The tan mare entered the room, restrained.

"I've just had a talk with your father. Do you want to explain to me what you're up to?"

"What did he tell you?"

"He told me you were asking him questions about sacrificing yourself to keep us safe? What are you really up to? You can tell me, I'll forgive you, no matter what you did."

"Mom...Princess Celestia has asked me to join a cause that I believe in—" Her mother cut her off with her hoof to Majesty's muzzle.

"Majesty...if you're scared we're going to kick you out if you don't get a second job—" Majesty gently pushed her mother's hoof off her mouth.

"Mom. It's not that—"

"We'll still love you no matter which career you choose. Grandpa Bass will—"

"Mom, it's not that."

"What is it then, honey? Why don't you tell me what this job is that's so dangerous you can't ever see us?"

"Mom, I did not say that. I said I wouldn't be able to see you—"

"So, it's not dangerous?"

"It is dangerous—"

"Majesty! Please just tell me what the problem is! Have we been pushing you too much?"

"No, Mom. You haven't. I just believe this is right."

"Why would Celestia want to take you away from us? Please, tell me why you're running away."

"I'm not running away."

"Where are you going?"

"I can't tell you."

"Why?"

"Because Celestia doesn't want me to."

"Did she say that?"

"Not exactly."

"What did she say?"

"Mom..."

"What? Please, just tell me why you're running away! We love you—"

"I told you, I am not running away! I know you love me."

"Then why are you not going to be able to see us?"

"MOM!" Majesty screamed. Her mom stared.

"Well, what is it?" her mother said after a pause, her tone rough, as it always was when she was offended. Majesty paused long enough to calm down but not long enough to give her mother a chance to speak again.

"Mom...I love you. I love dad. I love you both and everyone in our family...I never thanked you enough for how you raised me. You've given me a lot and...I've just never appreciated it. But...but last night Princess Celestia told me something in the garden—"

"You've been visiting the garden at night?! Majesty! You know it's dangerous! How have you been—"

"Mom! Please!...I'm trying to talk to you and it's not easy...I feel like I can't talk anymore..." she breathed deeply before continuing, "Remember when I was five and you used to listen? I know you probably only heard half of what I said, it wasn't wrong or mean I just talked too fast and about nothing, but anyway, Mom...I need you to listen to me now. It means so much to me right now that you just. Let. Me. Talk." her mother stared at her.

"I will listen. Go on." she said, calmly.

"All...my life I've been pushed to be one thing or another by people who genuinely love me...but, I've always felt like they were trying to live their lives through me...like I was their second chance to have their dreams come true. All these gifts sitting around me are unused. They never interested me but I was too scared to tell them to stop giving me...to stop pushing me to live they life they wanted. I never wanted to hurt anyone. I could never say anything... Mom, what is the one gift I've been given that you have seen with me after it's been opened?"

Her mother's eyes answered the question by pointing to the shield. Majesty continued, gently,

"Mom, that shield... I value that not because of who gave it to me or who it belonged to before me...but because...it fits me somehow. It fit me even when it was too big for me. It's like...I feel most comfortable when I'm carrying it around. It's not a dress or a shiny instrument, but I feel...beautiful somehow when I wear it. Like something is right about it.

"Now, Princess Celestia has offered me a chance to join a cause which that shield stands for. It means that you'd have to lose me." Majesty hated seeing tears in her mothers eyes but felt like every sentence allowed her heart to beat more freely, "The truth is: you can't hold on to me forever...even though I wish you could as much as you probably wish you could...but we will lose each other some day. I will lose you the same day you lose me.

"Mom, we can't hold on to each other forever no matter how much we both want to. Would you rather have me be lost after living a long life of never amounting to anything, becoming a copy of someone else, always being scared to state what I believe...or would you rather lose me because you know I am doing something I believe is right? You always call me 'my little Majesty'...Mom...I'm 21. While I will always be your daughter...I'm an adult now... I will have to make this choice myself. All that you can choose to do...is say good-bye to me one last time before I leave and give me one last good memory of you and Dad to hold on to."

Majesty's mom was crying silently. Majesty couldn't stand looking at her tears anymore and turned away to let her own tears of relief flow down her muzzle. How long had she been holding that back? It felt weird to no longer be under the pressure of her own silence. No matter what happened now...she had finally said it.

"I love you, Majesty." her mom said before giving a quick gasp to control a sob. Majesty looked up to see her mom giving her a brave smile. Majesty smiled back.

"I know."

Part 7: Mercy

The soft bristled brush helped to smooth Majesty's mane as her mother hummed gently. Majesty stared at herself in the mirror. Would her parents go into the garden after she was frozen and see her? Would she be able to see them?

Her room was all packed up. All of the gifts that had been given to her she designated to be given to her cousins or, to those who were still alive, to have their presents returned with an honest but tactful explanation. Grandpa Bass had taken the instruments, books, and other gifts back with the most disappointment, but he seemed to finally understand.

The typewriter and paper from Grandpa Snap sat in the office downstairs. He had passed away a year ago so he was spared being disappointed. Aunt Peony had understood and was thankful to have the sewing machine and books back. Majesty never explained exactly why she would no longer need the presents given to her, having her parents explain it after the fact would give them a chance to talk about it, to heal.

Last night had been sleepless for Majesty. Her bed was the only thing left in the room. The last time she would sleep in her bed in her room...never again. Even if she did eventually become a pony again she wouldn’t have the same bed...her parents just down the hall...they’d be gone. The emptiness had filled the room with nonexistent echoes, sounds made by unfamiliarity and imagination.

“I love you, Mom.” Majesty said.

“I love you too, my li... Majesty.”

“You can call me ‘my little Majesty’... I don’t mind.”

“My little Majesty... I love you too.”

“Where’s Dad?”

“He’s...packing.”

“Are you moving?”

“Yes...we’ll find somewhere else. Perhaps close to Grandpa Bass.”

“...If you and Dad can stand to adopt someone in the future..." her tears overtook her, "I’m so sorry...”

“Majesty...” Her mother nuzzled the back of her head, allowing the mane she had been brushing to puff out again, “Majesty, no one can fill your spot in our lives and our hearts. But, we are proud of you and you have nothing to be sorry over.” Majesty sniffed and stopped shaking somehow. She needed to be brave...for Mom and Dad. Her mother left a kiss in her hair, so much like a lion’s.

Majesty could see through her mother’s bedroom window that the stars were beginning to come out. She would have to leave soon. They were all going to walk together, as one family, one last time. Celestia would tell her parents when she no longer wanted them there. Her dad poked his head in.

“So, are you going to put that on, Fuzzball?” he said, indicating the shield resting on the bed.

“Yup.” Majesty and her mom said in unison. Majesty could see his eyes were slightly red. He probably hadn’t just been packing.

“I love you, Dad.” Majesty said.

“May I help you put your shield on?” he asked, not looking at her.

“Yes, of course. Thank you.” she said. He didn’t need to help her, which was why she wanted him to. He picked up the shield magically and strapped it across his daughter’s shoulders. Majesty quickly placed her head beneath his chin. He tensed at first but then put his left foreleg around her neck and kissed her right cheek.

“I love you too.” he said, “So... how much more time?”

“I don’t know. I think once Celestia lands in the garden...usually after the moon rises.”

“It’s risen.” he stated.

The family of three stood in front of the dresser in the master bedroom. The three of them stared in the mirror at each other. It felt like everyone wanted to speak but no one wanted to say anything. But really...what more needed to be said? In all honesty...words didn't seem to be enough right now.

They should probably go...

One of them had to lead...

‘Well, let’s go then.” Majesty sniffed. Her mother stepped back and Majesty crossed in front of her towards the door. Her parents followed her as she descended the stairs...for the last time. How many times had she run up and down them? She could almost hear the voices of relatives fill the foyer that the staircase framed. Too many memories. Could her parents really recover? She opened the front door magically and stepped into the night, lit by a half moon. When she reached the bottom of her front stairs she turned to wait for her parents. They stopped at the top and looked at her curiously.

“Please...walk next to me.” she asked. Her mother gave a soft smile and approached her left. Her father approached her right. The muscles of his face were tense in the moonlight. The flagstone path was eroding beneath their hooves. She had never paid attention to it since her father had installed it when she was very young, before she got her cutie mark. The empty streets echoed the silence, heightening the stillness of night. The road seemed too short which led to the entrance of the garden. Her parents stopped at the entrance, expecting her to keep going.

“Please...come with me. I know it’s hard but I need both of you here with me.” Majesty said, not looking back at them.

“Of course...” her mother choked. Her parents stood next to her again. The garden...her home now. The place she...couldn’t ever leave. The shield on her back had never seemed so heavy. She wanted to turn back, to run back to spend the rest of her days with her parents until they grew old and died with many happy memories of the three of them together. She had not done enough for them. But, she had decided, so she kept putting her hooves forward and moving towards her goal. Turn left...

“I’m proud of you.” her father said, suddenly. He didn’t need to say more.

Princess Celestia stood in front of Discord’s statue again, staring at it, her body tense and shaking. Was this always hard for her? She stiffened and turned to look at the family of three approaching. She nodded, respectfully to Majesty’s parents before addressing them,

“I cannot imagine how hard this is for you. I have a gift for each of you to show my deep gratitude. I can never repay you for what you have given up, I can only try to comfort you somehow..."

“Princess Celestia, pardon me for interrupting, but, if you’re suggesting taking all memories of Majesty away...we...we’d rather not forget her. We’d rather miss her and be proud of her. Please...don’t make us forget her.” her mother stammered. Celestia smiled and nodded.

“Very well. But, with Majesty I am taking away 21 years of your life...”

“Every year has been worth it...” her father said and Majesty instantly looked at him in surprise, not because of what he had said, but because his voice sounded...younger. A pony her age returned her look. He was her dad...but...

“I can only give you your years of life back. To start your family again. To have a child that you can raise to hear of your first daughter.” Majesty looked in awe at her mother...her age...how different she looked! Her father magically removed the glasses from his eyes and blinked. Her mother and father stared at each other as if entranced.

“But...” her mother began, turning her face away from her husband to Princess Celestia.

“Mom...Dad...please...take what she has given you.” Majesty said. They could have another child...another family all over again. Both of her parents looked at each other shyly then back to Celestia.

“Thank you.” her dad said.

“You’re welcome...now...I have to ask you to leave. What happens next is between Majesty and me alone.”

Majesty turned to her parents and threw her forelegs around their necks, holding them close to herself.

“I love you both...take care of my little brother or sister...please.” she begged. They hugged her back, tightly...and she let go for the last time. They turned around and left the garden, only looking back when they turned right to head towards the exit. Majesty faced Celestia, her tears finally breaking through.

“Thank you...” she said. The princess's body shook as she kept her face stoic.

“You’re welcome. It’s all I could give them since they chose to not forget you.”

“Do you do that with everypony’s family, the ones who decides to become a statue?” Celestia stared at her for awhile in a way that Majesty could not read her emotions. Finally, with perceptible difficulty she spoke,

“Majesty...did I tell you why I forgave Discord?”

“Because he showed you it wasn’t his fault for your brother’s death?”

“Well, that alone would not have eventually changed me...but besides that there was something else.”

“What?”

“He showed me mercy.”

“I don’t understand...”

“Majesty...being turned to stone...it will be painful...He described the pain and the reports of other statues confirmed it...but he was the only one who did not torment me with what I’ve done...because he showed me mercy and didn’t torture me every night though I deserve to be tortured...”

"I still don't understand...if these other statues agreed—”

“Majesty...” the Princess said and looked her straight in the eye, “you are the first pony to agree to be in the garden.”

Epilogue

The new statue, representing Bravery, was put out in the Statue Garden the morning of Nightmare Night. It was beautiful in its execution. The majestic marble stance of the female pony, her shield proudly on her back and her right hoof on the hilt of a tall claymore, was awe-inspiring. She looked down towards the ground grimly, as if certain of her task ahead and determined to follow it. True bravery. Not letting uncertainty or fear stop you.

How many time have you done this? Majesty had asked Celestia.

Dozens of times now... she had said, approaching the mare who posed on a pedestal. The stars and moon her only witnesses.

Is it getting easier for you? to do this? Celestia had hesitated. Finally, she had looked up to meet her grim gaze.

It was...

'Was?' Majesty asked. Celestia gave a deep sigh and examined the pedestal.

Yes...I hope it never will again... Majesty? she said, looking up, her voice shaking.

Yes? Majesty asked, swallowing hard. Celestia stopped again for awhile. Opening her mouth to speak but closing it almost every time. Majesty knew she wanted to say something. Perhaps an apology? A word of encouragement? An explanation? Celestia sighed.

Thank you...for coming back... she said and touched her horn to the center of Astrophel’s shield. Celestia's eyes clenched as if she felt the pain which was only conveyed by Majesty's silent screaming in her head.

A couple, one of many, walked by the statue. But, the mare, her tan belly beginning to grow with her second foal, stopped and looked up at the statue’s mane, which resembled a lion’s. Her dark brown eyes stared at the face looking down towards her. Her husband doubled back and looked up.

“It...it can’t be...” the mare said. The stallion was silent. They knew... it was.

Majesty was surprised by the silence of the other statues. She waited for the barrage of insults and screams that she had heard before. Nopony had said anything to her yet. She wondered if they knew...and if they were watching her.

These are my parents. she ventured. Silence lasted until long after the couple walked away. Finally another voice spoke.

Why? Why would you choose to leave them?

Because I believed it was right. she answered.

But...they'll forget you. They'll die and you'll never see them again.

They won't forget me.

They'll still die without you.

I know. I chose to make that sacrifice.

None of us did! one shouted and a few others made noises of agreement.

I know... and Celestia knows it too. I don't know if I'll ever understand why she kept doing it when none of you were willing to fight. All I know is that...we're the last hope Equestria will have in the future.

What if there is never an attack?

Do you really think Equestria is going to last forever? Silence was the only answer. Even if I am never needed before Equestria ends I will know I was at least ready to fight.

But your family? Didn't you think of them?

Of course I did. Didn't you? If I could be off this pedestal and with my parents I would be. Except...I want to make sure that other ponies can have what I no longer can.

So, you want to be a hero? a different voice jeered.

I just want to be myself... Majesty said softly.

No, you just want to no longer have to choose what you want to do with your life. You want to be lazy and just mindlessly follow orders instead of thinking for yourself—

Would anything you say change the fact I am here now? Even if it was true? True, I still haven't worked out exactly why I chose to be here but I can choose to stay and wait to defend the world I love, or stay and feel sorry for myself for who knows how long! her outburst provoked an onslaught of angry retorts.

Finally she spoke up again when the voices were not all shouting at the same time, Look, I can talk to you all I want, and try to defend why I am here, and debate on what is right and wrong about this situation, but honestly... in the end, if Equestria does come to war and we are released to fight for it. Would you really not defend it simply because you've not forgiven Celestia?

The minds of the statues were silent. Sounds murmured in the crisp air from fillies and colts who played and gathered candy in the Statue Garden.

Dedicated to both of my parents and my family who have always encouraged me to pursue my dreams even if they didn't always understand them. Also to those who have sacrificed to serve in the military past, present, and who will sacrifice in the future. Thank you.