The Festival of the Dead

Chapter 5: The Two-Faces on the Hill

Say what you will about beings that live and serve under a ruler of ultimate evil, they knew how to get things done if it means they get what they want. The craftsmanship on each of the stalls, booths, and even entire buildings was immaculate to say the least, Ponyville looked more like it was building an entire extra town instead of setting up a festival. The creatures all seemed to know which projects they were supposed to work on, with the most dexterous, strong species handling the large-scale projects, leaving the more awkward, slow species to handle simple jobs like stands. The balance of labor between species meant that almost all of the structures being set up would be completed at the same time, creating an impressive spectacle if only by the harmony in which the builders collaborated. Several ponies actually offered their assistance to the work but were turned away very politely by one of the many foremen, saying that they 'Couldn't possibly intrude on their day any more than they already were in good conscience'.

The work was complete in about eight hours, the workers continuing with their jobs after the sun set, still energized from the race and refusing to bed down for the night before they were finished. By the time the residents of Ponyville woke up the next morning, everything had changed.

Buildings of every color, shape, and origin were set up wherever there was free space. Everywhere the citizens looked, they saw no fewer than a dozen different styles, none of the buildings seemed to actually clash against each of their neighbors, regardless of how different they seemed. Celestia was watching the spectacle of the celebrating creatures from a hill near the town, resting in the shade of a single tree. "It really shows how long they had been planning for this event." Celestia said to her unlikely guest.

"Yes, they have been waiting for a very long time for this, I can't imagine being the one to tell them that they wouldn't get to leave after all." Remarked Andras, actually caught by Celestia in one of his rare 'good' moods.

"So tell me, what do you actually look like, Lord owl-ears?" Joked Celestia, having finally realized that the small tufts on his head were, in fact, a second pair of ears with the exact same coloration as a barn owl.

"I believed that if anyone noticed it would have to be you or that student you have." He actually didn't appear to be offended by his extremely degrading nick-name, a good sign in Celestia's eyes. He pulled out a very small piece of paper and unrolled it, handing it to the princess. "From the day I was made a god."

Celestia looked at the photo for several moments before handing it back. "Why didn't you just come like this? You would hardly stand out in most of the crowds."

"If I came in that form, your people would start rioting in every town I came to pass. It is my job to sow discord into the world and it didn't seem like the best gift to bring to the party, I'm sure you understand."

"That sounds quite a bit like Discord's job was, until you took him away, that is."

"There is a difference between breaking the status quo and making it rain chocolate, princess. He was as much a master of chaos as I am a master of patience."

That bad then? "I'm beginning to doubt that you even think of Discord as another god."

"He wasn't a god. There is a difference between being an immortal and earning the rank of a god. Almost a quarter of the festival-goers have earned the gift of immortality. They could technically return to their worlds whenever they wanted, that includes a fair number of the ponies from this realm."

Celestia was extremely shocked to learn of this secret, she also couldn't help but notice the obvious flaws in his statement. "If they could return, why wouldn't they? They could share knowledge that could help us understand the world better, or worlds, rather."

"Imagine a perfect world, princess. There were no bad ponies, trying to take advantage of the weaker or simpler. There were no loved ones to lose, only more to gain as time went on. Things never stayed the same, things were always exciting, unless you didn't feel like doing anything that day, of course."

Celestia had to admit, it did sound nice but she couldn't imagine being able to resist the urge to return to her world with the secrets of the universe. "I'm not sure I would-"

"I am not finished explaining princess, now imagine that you were just a normal person, not a royal, maybe not even middle-class, those that had to work for their entire lives just for their family members to be more comfortable than they are. They reach the afterlife after their days of repetitive, unappreciated labors and are allowed to live anyway that they want, anytime. Do you think that they would want to return to a world that worked them to their death?"

"Well, no but the-"

"Those with easier lives face the same problem as any other, the fate of any immortal in a mortal plain. As an immortal yourself, you have undoubtedly faced losses. How many people you cared about have you outlived? Does it ever get easier to have someone you trust entirely age and eventually leave you? You have had experience in these matters because you didn't have a choice, but they do. They don't have to watch the members of their family disappear forever, why would they? They can just wait in paradise for them to arrive themselves." He took a quiet breath, he had been talking silently, but with a speed that left him out of breath. "Do you see why they wouldn't want to come back just to spoil the surprise?"

Celestia was silent, deep in thought. She didn't want to imagine the afterlife, the uncountable number of friends waiting there that she would never see. She wasn't sure if she wanted the answer, but she couldn't help but ask. "What is it like, right after they die?"

He was quiet for a long time before he spoke up again. "The instant the life ends, it's like having all of your pain taken away by a breeze, all the fear or sadness from before can't help but leave with it. It makes you feel safe, secure. It is hard to explain but, depending on your life, you can be deposited at any of the number of afterlives. Those that were kind and fair to others, those that spend their lives trying to help others, go to paradise. Those that never went out of their way to help others, content to keep themselves protected, wait until they earn the right to join the others." He was silent, not from emotion, just to avoid overloading the princess, and continued a few seconds later. "Those that tried to use others as tools to raise themselves above others are left in the underworld, either left to wander or, if they were particularly bad, put under the 'care' of a demon to pay for their selfish lives. Those that experience the last are commonly either murderers or have committed equal acts."

He sat next to Celestia, staying silent with the solemn princess near him. He turned to the princess, still lost in thought and spoke up. "I have never seen a race have as many of their people accepted into paradise immediately as your ponies. It is rare for them to even have to wait in purgatory." He stood up and turned toward the town again, staying long enough to make sure his words had the correct impact.

"Thank you, owl-ears."

Satisfied, he walked towards the town, stopping next to the tree, whispering silently. "Do not do anything foolish while she is still accepting this. She will likely be thinking this over for a few days at least, I don't need you screwing it up."

Avnas stepped out from behind the tree, grin gone and instead adopting a serious expression. "Don't act like you know the emotions of others just because of your status, you are a complete fool if you think that she will be satisfied with what you told her. You are supposed to be the responsible one during the festival and you've already managed to both tell beings of this world about the afterlife and show one of them your actual form!" It was good that the princess had been put to sleep by Avnas before, else she would not believe the venom with which he was speaking.

"She is responsible, Avnas, she will not want to burden her people with this information, I very much doubt that she will even tell her sister what we have discussed today."

"Just don't break any more of the rules. If we have to take you back for punishment, things will be unbelievably difficult for the lot of us here. I want nothing more than to let the people here enjoy themselves but I will not hesitate if I find out you have continued giving them information that could put all of them in danger."

"It will not come to that."

"It had better not!" Avnas was practically hissing in the face of the god. "I said that I would not bring work here and you had better not be the one to make me." He stalked into the Everfree, shooting out moments later on his wyvern heading back to the festival.

He knew that Avnas was justified in his anger, he obviously cared about the denizens of this world in his own way and was not about to endanger them from something as foolish as getting lost in conversation. He had a short fuse when it actually came to things he cared about. The worst part was that Avnas' opinion was usually right. And that's why I can't stand him thought the god as he trudged back to the town with the princess.