Chapter 41: The Princess of Equestria

Starlight adjusted her clothing. It was a form of armor, but it was adorned heavily with a ceremonial garment that resembled a flowing robe. Starlight did not much care for the flowing nature of the outer portion, but she greatly appreciated that both pieces had been constructed in such a way as to allow her to proudly display the exposed implants in her back, as well as her new wings, as tiny as they were. She also was a fan of the color: unlike her traditional dark armor, this version was constructed in white.

What she liked far less about her appearance was her eyes. They were now asymmetrical. The one she had been forced to remove had been replaced by an artificial version produced by the Reaper implant that still resided within her. It was silverish in color, unlike her other red eye. The only reason Starlight had kept it was because it reminded her of Jack, whose eyes had possessed the same silver luster toward the end of her life.

As Starlight adjusted the collar of her clothing, One appeared beside her. She was also dressed in an extensive flowing dress, although like Starlight she also wore the armor associated with the Cult of Harmony. Unlike Starlight’s white, though, One’s armor was designed with a black and silver color scheme.

“Wow,” said Starlight. “You look good.”

“I do?” One did not bother to forgo her French accent. She saw no need to, now that she was not forced to keep up the perpetual guise of being Twilight Sparkle, at least around Starlight. In Starlight’s opinion, it had changed her behavior drastically. That secret must have been weighing on her greatly, because now that she was able to share it with at least one other pony she had so much more energy. He nightmares and flashbacks to the horrors of her abuse at the hands of Cerberus had also decreased, although Starlight would still hear One talking to herself angrily when she thought she was alone. Even that was happening less and less, though.

“Yeah,” said Starlight. “With clothes like that, I’m sure you could get two, maybe even three consorts.”

One blushed. “Hardly,” she said. “Nor would I try. Attempting to compete with you would be trying, I think.”

Starlight laughed, and so did One.

“I’m so happy to see you this way,” said One.

“What do you mean?”

“Happy. Alive. Before, you were so sad. But now…”

“The problem was, I was facing the wrong way.”

One looked confused. “Wrong way? I don’t understand.”

“Like Celestia. When I connected to the sun, I saw her memories. That was her problem. She could only look in reverse, toward the path. She had all the power in the world, but she couldn’t use it because she couldn’t bring herself to look toward the future.”

“And you could?”

“Not when I was like that,” said Starlight, her good cheer dropping for a moment. “But like this? Like this I can.” She reached out a hoof and opened a new, modern omintool. “I have my tech back, and my magic back. I’m as powerful as I ever was. And I’m with friends. Plus, I hear we’re going to have an excellent part later.”

“So you keep saying,” said One. She remained incredulous. “Although I will withhold judgment on the quality of this party until I see it. Trusting it to this ‘Pinkamena’ seems…unorthodox.”

“Trust me. Pink says she does excellent work.”

“And so I will take your word on it.”

Starlight laughed, but then became more serious. “She’s here, isn’t she?”

“You mean Babylon,” said One, her own voice adjusting in tone to match Starlight’s. “Yes. She is. Many important dignitaries are. This is an important ceremony. Perhaps the most important in recorded Equestrian history, if that does not sound too arrogant.”

“And…you talked to her?”

“I did.”

“And how did it go?”

“I simply told her that she was not permitted to end our Alliance. She tried to press me, but I held firm. I simply stated that there was no way I would ever disown you.”

“And?”

“And she seemed to think that our nation’s relationship was more valuable than any damage you could possibly ever have committed.” One paused. “In all honesty, though? I think she intended it from the beginning. That this was a ploy. I can’t prove it, though.”

“She would do all that? For what?”

“To win,” said One, simply. “Starlight, I would recommend staying away from her. I consider her a friend, but not the kind of friend that you are. It is better if I handle her.”

“Yeah. I think you’re right about that. Because next time, I think I’m just going to punch her in the face.”

One gave Starlight a look, and Starlight laughed. “Kidding. Of course.”

A door opened on the far side of the room, and a Priestess entered.

“Princess, High Priestess,” she said, bowing. “It is time.”

“Right,” said Starlight, looking to her friend. “How about we get this over with?”

“‘Get it over with’. A peculiar choice of words for the situation.”

“I mean my part. This is supposed to be your day.”

“No way. You are not going to let me face this alone. If I have to do it, so do you.”

The started toward the door, and One sighed.

“What is it?” asked Starlight.

“I just wish…well, I know it sounds strange, but I wish that I could go into this next chapter of my life with a real name.”

“A name?”

“I know. To you, that must seem ridiculous. But I have never had one. Everyone in Equestria will know me as ‘Twilight’, from now onto eternity. And to all others, I am given a simple number. No one even bothered to name me.”

“Well, I’m not going to.”

One gaped at Starlight. “You- -you aren’t? But why not?”

“Because I’m not in a position to. At this point, you can’t just get a name. You have to make one.”

“I never thought of that,” said One. “Hmm. That will take some time.”

“Which we have. We’re both kind of immortal. But when you think of one, let me know, alright? I’ll use it so much it wears out.”

One smiled. “Yes. I will. I think I would like that.”

The ceremony had been set to take place on one of the highest halls of the Temple. It was a grand room, long and open on either side. One had written the custom and design for the entire process based on historic data, and it bore her trademark precision and organization.

On either side of the grand hall, dignitaries from various locations stood, waiting and then standing in unison as Starlight and One entered the room. Many of them were Equestrian, but many were not.

Starlight scanned through the crowd of fine clothes and alien faces until she saw her friends. They were standing with the delegates sent by the Council: a white Pegasus, dressed in an impeccable suit, and an asari woman in a beautiful dress who was covertly holding Sbaya’s hand. Sbaya was dressed in a similar but more masculine design as that worn by the asari diplomat, and she was grinning widely as if she could not comprehend her good fortune. Zedok was standing to her side, and she looked much less comfortable in her formal clothes. Despite that, though, she was able to break protocol and lift her hand slightly, waving to Starlight and smiling.

The other side of the hall contained a different set of individuals. Among them, the group that stood out the most was a pair of Alliance officers in full formal armor, both of whom were flanking a white, blond-haired pony wearing much more simple dress. Starlight recognized both of the officers. One was the synth Marc Antony, and the other was Four.

“I can’t believe she came,” whispered Starlight.

“Neither can I,” said One, nervously.

For a moment, One and Four’s eyes met. Four did not glare, exactly, but maintained a rather cold and neutral expression. Starlight did not know what their momentary exchange meant, or what it might mean for the future of their relationship. As much as the pair hated each other, they were still sisters. At least they could remain civil for a limited time.

There were others, too. Dignitaries from the various realms of Equestria and beyond: an armored, bipedal dragon, the leader of the breeders, a Tartaran princess, several Armchairs, all of whom looked profoundly confused and may have been there only by mistake.

At the farthest end, a pair of ponies caught Starlight’s eye. One was an elderly stallion dressed in a formal Crystal Empire uniform, and beside him a tall and eternally young alicorn. Starlight smiled at Sunburst, and he returned her smile with a wink.

Beyond the dignitaries stood two lines of Priestess-warriors. Both of them presented arms as One and Starlight passed between them, all acting in perfect unison. As Starlight passed, though, she noticed a strange and toothy smile on one of the soldiers. She shifted her vision to her smiling, an extreme breach of protocol. She almost hoped that One did not see until she saw that of the otherwise nearly identical, that one specific Priestess had wide, insect-like blue-green eyes that faded to normal yellow almost as soon as Starlight noticed them.

Then, finally, the hall ended at an balcony that extended into the cool night air. Below, tens of thousands of ponies had gathered. As soon as they saw One and Starlight, they cheered.

One waved, and that made them cheer even louder. As she did, a Priestess approached them with a beautifully adorned breeder at her side. Her coat was bright green, and her hair jet black. She looked excellent, and of all the Priestesses that Starlight had vetted over the past several months, she had proved to be the most worthy to become the new High Priestess.

“Are you ready?” she asked.

“And if we weren’t?” joked Starlight.

The Priestess just smiled, and addressed the crowd as One stepped forward.

“Citizens of Equestria,” she said. “You do us great honor by coming here to mark this historic event. Together- -us, and all of you- -we are united. United in Friendship, and in Eternal Harmony.” She paused, and the crowd remained silent in anticipation for what they all knew was coming.

“And in that spirit,” continued the Priestess, “and to ensure that it survives, enkindled across time for all of Equestria’s future continuity, I present to you: Twilight Sparkle, the Goddess of Harmony, our protector and eternal ruler: known from here and forever, Queen of Equestria!”

The crowd cheered, and the adorned breeder lifted a crown and placed it on One’s head. She grinned, bearing her pointed teeth for all the world to see, and waved. The crowd responded with cheers of joy and love, welcoming their new and eternal ruler into her new position.

“And,” said the Priestess, after the crowd had settled. That was Starlight’s cue to step forward. “To rule at her side, to execute her will and to defy her when the need arises, so that together in Frienship they might preserve our Empire’s eternal Harmony, I present to you, the Citizens of Equestria: the Princess Starlight Glimmer!”

The crowd was silent for a moment, but then cheered even louder than for One as a crown was placed on Starlight’s brow. Starlight waved to them, just as One had, and they stood there, together. Both immortals, and both destined to rule at each other side for the remainder of their eternal lives.

In the crowd, though, not all the ponies present were cheering. Unbeknownst to Starlight and One, one pony among the group was staring at both of them through a single white, electronic eye. At her side stood two ponies: one female, but with the proportions of a stallion, and the other tall and thin. Both were armored, and both wore heavy cloaks that covered their backs.

The armored pony watched the coronation, all the while knowing that what she had done had been for nothing. Strangely, though, she could not bring herself to care. Too much of her original self was gone, replaced by a version of the pony she had at one time swore that she would never become.

Neither she nor her associates did anything to disrupt the ceremony. There was no need to. Instead, she simply turned away and made her way through the throngs of ponies that filled the streets. The pair with her did the same, following her as she went, until all three of them had disappeared into the crowd.

They were not the only ones watching. Far overhead, a small high-resolution hologram was playing, held over a hand whose pale skin hid the Reaper skeleton beneath.

“Well, this was…unexpected,” said Eloth.

“I totally expected it,” said Bob.

“No you didn’t.” Eloth closed the hologram and turned his attention to Bob. She was standing, holding her artifact in a sphere of blue light between her hands. The machinery before her- -the heart of Equestria’s star- -was responding to her presence, and the presence of one of the fragments of its creators.

“It’s cute, in a sense, I suppose,” said Eloth. “But I can’t believe it worked.”

“Of course it worked,” said Bob, the machinery beginning to shift and twine around her. No pony had ever been this deep in the star, and even Celestia may not have been aware of its presence. None of them had ever had cause to reach it. In fact, even Bob would not have been able to. Not until Starlight had interfaced with the star and then released herself from it, anyway.

The machinery before her finally opened, and a blue glow filled the room. Bob’s eyes narrowed as she instinctively tried to protect herself from it, but Eloth’s did not. With no soul and no possibility of life, he had no reason to fear eternity.

An assembly pulled itself forward, rising from the machinery of the star. In its center was a writing metallic artifact only slightly larger than Bob’s. She smiled, and held out her own. The two immediately began interacting, and between them a copy started to form. Bob and Eloth watched as it formed, and then when it was done, the copy merged completely with Bob’s artifact.

The machinery began to shut down, closing itself back away, and Bob turned to leave. As she did, she repeated herself.

“Of course it worked,” she said, holding up the modified artifact and grinning madly. “Who doesn’t like a happy ending?”

Author's Note

There you go. An ending. Hopefully better than the last one. With this, the Mass Core trilogy concludes.