John Sampson's Story

It’s time, Great Friend John. I must go lower the moon. Today thou will be going to Sweet Apple Acres to meet with Fred and Applejack. May I accompany thou on this errand?”

“Most certainly, Friend Luna. I have to go to Twilight’s tower to pick up some things and will meet you back here in your kitchen.”

“Thank You, Friend John”

Everypony is in the kitchen wondering about me when I walk in to Twilight’s tower.

“Swift, forget about the decon. I’ll get Steel to clear the area with Guard and take care of the whole job myself. I need you mares to get every single asset in trust for the herd today. That’s priority. I don’t want anypony to be able to declare me dead tomorrow and take them. AJ, you and I are going to the farm to set some things up. Luna will be coming with us. First, I’m going to collect my tech for disposal.”

Up in our special room, I open my wizard’s pocket and pull out a bunch of human clothes I never want to need again. All my tech goodies go in the pocket and the duffel bags get stuffed with old clothes, tarps, etc. I put the duffels in the pocket too for easy carrying and head back down to the kitchen.

“Come on AJ. We’ve got to see Steel for a minute then pick up Luna.”

Steel was in his office looking glum.

I smiled at him, “Steel my friend, why so sad?”

“Celestia is on the warpath and I haven’t found the first demon.”

“Don’t worry. Just get me some ponies out to barricade the old bank building and I will solve your problems for you. We’re going out to the farm to set some things up and I will be back before lunch. When I get here I will clean up the site and leave it ready for new construction. Tomorrow I will take care of the demons and Celestia. You might want to retire before then. I am very sure that Swift will have a job opening for a chief of security.”

“John, what in the hell are you going to do?”

“Fix Equestria. Trust me and follow my advice. I’ll be gone for a while but I will leave everything Equestria needs ready to go. You need to be part of it.”

Luna is waiting and a quick teleport lands us in front of the farm house. I take to the air and spot Fred a couple of hundred yards north. Landing, I inform the others and we walk off that way.

“Fred has agreed to participate.”

“That went much better than I expected. I don’t why I worry. Fred always exceeds my expectations. Please take very good care of him for me.”

AJ heads for the farm house. Luna teleports to her rooms. And because I am ahead of schedule, I decide to fly to Canterlot. Soaring among the clouds is a simple pleasure I will be doing without for a very long time. Too soon, I see Canterlot below me. As I circle in to the construction site, a squad of Pegasi rise up to meet me.

“Your Majesty, we have been ordered to escort you to the Throne Room.”

“So escort me. By the way, we are going to make a stop at the site of the old bank building. I’m going to spend a few minutes cleaning up then we’ll go humor Celestia.”

“I don’t think that’s what She meant, Sir.”

“I know it’s not, but I don’t have to listen to her. Just keep me surrounded and we’ll tell her you tried.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Steel has the area well covered. I can work without fear of hurting anypony.

“Sergeant, make very damned sure that none of your ponies cross over the site. I’m going to throw enough energy around to vaporize anypony caught in it.”

“Yes, Sir!”

I hover over the crater as the squad scatters around it. To begin I open a continuous teleport portal to the sun with the end of it near the bottom of the crater. I order everything organic to leave the ruble and jump into the portal. Then I lift out that layer of ruble and stack it next to the hole. I do it again and again. After the third layer lumps begin to jump into the portal. I keep going until I have a bare hole in the ground. I shut the portal and set up an opaque cylindrical shield around the hole and ruble. Then I ask the sun to sterilize the whole thing. There is a bright flash with a cloud of steam. I drop the shield and it is done.

“Sergeant, time to go.”

I wait for the Pegasi to form around me and we head for the Castle. Landing, we walk in the main gate, up the hall, and around the corner to the main Throne Room door. I walk in to find Celestia sitting on her Throne waiting.

Celestia wastes no time, “John Sampson, you are ordered before this Court to show cause why you should not be expelled from the Royal Herd for inability to perform your required duties.”

“What ‘duties’ and what ‘inability’? You and I have an agreement that details who needs to do what very specifically. I’ve done my part and most of your part too. All failures are yours.”

“Not the single biggest failure. It’s yours.”

“And when would you hold this Court?”

“Right now.”

“What, no time to gather witnesses or evidence? No chance to find a proper venue? That hardly seems fair.”

“Very well, you have the rest of today. Be here and be ready when Court begins tomorrow morning.”

“Goodbye.”

It’s time for lunch and I need to take somepony with me. Swift is in my old office with stacks of papers along one wall.

“Swift Honey, let’s go eat lunch.”

“I’m going to have lunch brought in so I can keep working.”

“This won’t take that long and it’s important to me.”

“Let’s go.”

I teleport us to the street right outside Smoky’s.

Walking in the door, “Smoky! We need to talk.”

My usual table was empty so we settle there to wait. In under a minute Smoky comes out of the kitchen.

“Your Majesty John, welcome to my kitchen.”

“Smoky, we want our usual and I have news for you. I’m going to be gone for a while, years in fact. I’ll be back but until then Swift here will be your benefactor. If anything happens or you need anything, see her. She will probably move out of the Castle but she’ll let you know how to find her.”

“John, we’ve been hearing rumors of trouble in the land.”

“They’re no longer rumors. I’m going to put a lot of things right tomorrow. After that you two will have to hold Canterlot together until I return.”

The food arrives and we get busy with it.

Swift is somber, “It’s really sinking in now. You are going away.”

“Yes and I am relying on you to carry my load while I am gone. I’m sorry. It’s not what I had in mind at all.”

“Don’t worry. You’ve shown me heights I never dreamed existed. The only regret I have at all is not having your foal beside me while I wait.”

“Talk to AJ after I am gone. You can have a very good second best.”

We are done so we walk out the door and I teleport us back to my office.

“Swift, I’ve had a flash of paranoia. Make copies of everything and have Twilight take them for safe keeping in the Crystal Empire. I have no idea how Celestia is going to react to tomorrow but right now she is trying to kick me out and the logical next step to that is to seize everything I own.”

“John, the sense I get from the ponies that would do the kicking and seizing is that they’re far more likely to resign than follow her orders.”

“Yes, but I want them to have an ironclad reason not to follow the order.”

Leaving the mares to their work, I go to confirm with Steel that bank site is released.

“John, you are a prophet. This is my request for retirement right here in front of me and I may have to resign before it can take effect.”

“Don’t worry about it. Swift is waiting for you and can pay you better than Celestia. We’ve got a compound right outside the Palace gate and assorted farms available for immediate occupancy and we can build anything. Do what protects you and yours then fight over the pension later. We’ve got lawyers on staff.”

“There’s still a lot to building a Guard from scratch, John.”

“Who said ‘scratch’? The same deal applies to your chosen staff and, to a lesser degree, everypony down to recent recruits.”

“John, are you trying to hire the Guard away from Celestia?”

“Consider, how much is the Guard obligated to Celestia and how much to the Royal Herd? At least half of the Royal Herd will be splitting with Celestia. Who will you follow if Celestia is left in the Palace by herself? I’ll bet the half that leaves is the half that holds the rest of Equestria together. I want them to have the best chance of keeping the ponies healthy and happy.”

“I understand, John. My oath is to Celestia but my allegiance is to Equestria.”

“Then we are of a like mind. I wish you the best of luck.”

Back to Twilight’s tower to wait. My band will trickle in as they finish their day and we will have one last pile together. Some of them will still be here when I return but nopony will be unchanged, except maybe me.

Shining is waiting for me at the door, “John, what can I do to talk you out of this?”

“You can turn into a fourteen band Alicorn and do it for me.”

“That’s not funny, John.”

“It’s not funny from this side either. Show me any better way to save Equestria from the demons and I’ll jump on it in a Manehatten minute.”

“Cadance is talking to Celestia right now.”

“I wish her luck. Last time I tried, Celestia pulled a suicide charge on me.”

“Whoa. That’s bad.”

“And the demons have guns and good cover. I don’t feel like I have a lot of time or choices here.”

“What can I do, really?”

“Keep our records and keep a place for anypony that Celestia gets too mad at.”

“That’s a given, John.”

Cadance comes in the door behind me.

“John, why in Equestria are you tormenting Celestia like this?”

“I don’t know, maybe because it’s not me?”

“You’re the one that fought her to complete submission and just walked away, aren’t you?”

“No, I’m the one that fought her to complete submission and got blocked by her magic.”

“That doesn’t make sense, John.”

“Sense and Celestia should never be used in the same sentence. Haven’t you noticed all these oaths she likes to push on me? The last one included some specific conditions that had to be met before I could cover her. They haven’t been met. So her efforts to control me have backfired on her.”

“Are you sure of this, John?”

“Cadance, I fought her with the goal of wearing her down to submission without any injuries. I did it. I had her in my complete control. She was mounted and locked up with wings and scent and the whole nine yards. I was drawn up and rock hard. And when I went to thrust nothing happened. I couldn’t move. Is that enough for you?”

“I believe you. Have you told her?”

“I’ve told her forty times and forty different ways that she has to trust and share like an adult or it just won’t work. I’m going to tell her for the last time tomorrow morning three minutes before I leave.”

“You don’t think maybe some of the rest of us might get through to her and save you this trip?”

“Cadance, I’m not going because I want revenge on Celestia for her stupid personal problems. I’m going because it’s the only way I can save Equestria from the demons. And what I want right now is to enjoy one last night with the ponies I love.”

We push the beanbags together and get comfortable for an extended grooming session. It grows as ponies come home until we have to take dinner in shifts. Finally it’s time for bed. There’s some careful arranging until I’m in my place in the center of the pile.

Everypony but me is asleep. I’m too deep in protective mode to relax. A dark shape appears at the door.

“Be there room for another?”

I say softly, “Luna, there will always be room for you even if I have to stack you on top of me.”

Giggling, “That be a strange image, Friend John. Where might I fit tonight?”

“Come up in front of me. I will back up and you can slide in until you can rest your head on my shoulder. Then we can cover the pile with our wings overlapping.”

She fits right in and I can rest my chin on her shoulder. This is how Alicorns live. I can feel it in my bones. Then the tears begin. I can’t stop them.

I’m on my white floor with Luna.

“I know leaving hurts, Friend John. We all know and will wait for you.”

“It’s not the leaving, my Darling Luna. It’s the failure. I have my whole herd here, together in health and happiness, except one. That one is howling in loneliness right now. I feel it and I can’t help. I should have found a way.”

“It’s not over, Friend John. Alicorns have all the time in the world. Give her a century or two and try again.”

“Luna, my mind knows that and I have made my plans accordingly, but my heart still feels the pain and demands action.”

“That be thy youth talking, Friend John. In a few centuries it will pass and thou can cry for its loss instead.”

“So immortality isn’t all that it’s advertised to be.”

“Longer be longer and better be better. They be not the same thing. All thou really hast be more chances to fix thy mistakes.”

“My Great Love Luna, this is why I want you with me. You have the same wisdom and perspective as your sister but without the narrow focus.”

“Curb thy thoughts, Friend John. Too far down that road lies madness.”

“You forget who you are talking to, Friend Luna. I’m the stallion that eats monsters. I have decided against killing Celestia many times and will continue to do so.”

“I do not understand, Friend John.”

“Without the demon threat, I would take all herd members that wished to accompany me and set up a new society in a place far enough away for Celestia to be unknown. You know I have the resources and ability.”

“I believe that I would accompany you, My Magnificent Stallion.”

“I believe that most of Equestria would.”

“I don’t know, Friend John. Many ponies would stay in the homes they are accustomed to simply out of habit.”

“I am sure you are right. Many more would stay out of fear of the unknown. That’s a good thing. The ponies that leave would be the best ponies. The new society could leave a lot of mistakes and impediments behind.”

“Thou speak as though thou hast seen this before.”

“I have, Friend Luna. The land of my birth was formed this way and in less than two centuries became the most powerful nation on Terra. I think of that and I think of the advantages I could give such an undertaking by already knowing many of the mistakes that could be made. You should tell Celestia of this conversation while I am gone.”

“Are thou sure that would be wise?”

“No, but I must give Celestia every possible chance when I return. I owe her that much and the existence of such an alternative might be the incentive she needs. I thank you for the intelligent advice, My Wonderful Mare Luna. Now I need to prepare myself for what is coming.”

“Fare thee well on thy journey, My Magnificent Stallion John. I will be eagerly awaiting thy return.”

I use the rest of the night to make plans and look for flaws. There are a few flaws but the alternatives are all worse. I have at least enough to accomplish my goals. Then Luna slips out and I know it is time. As soon as Luna is out the door I back up far enough to be clear of the pile and teleport to the balcony. I don’t have to wait long.

Celestia teleports to right in front of me with her horn lit and ready.

“Don’t even think about it you bastard. The sun is mine and I’m not giving it up.”

“I don’t want the sun, Celestia. Just the opposite. I’m here to say goodbye.”

“How do I know I can trust you after you betrayed me?”

“I never betrayed you Celestia. That was your mistake. Remember that binding oath with all the clauses to keep me under control? Well it kicked in. You never met the requirements to allow me to cover you. Believe me, I was trying.”

“What are you talking about, John?”

“Remember you were supposed to line up mares for me? I did that. Remember you were supposed to have resources set aside to raise the foals and care for the gravid mares? You refused, told me they were my responsibility. Remember you were supposed to keep my mares safe? And one got kidnapped right out of the Castle. But most of all, you were supposed to call me to you when you were ready. You didn’t do that. You made me fight you. So I simply couldn’t make that first thrust no matter how hard I tried.”

“Why didn’t you tell me, John?”

That breaks her concentration so I scoop her up with a three yard spherical soft shield. She is pissed but she is smart enough not to fight the shield.

“Damn you, John. I knew I shouldn’t trust you.”

“I didn’t tell you this time because I’ve told you over and over and your reply is that it’s not a problem. Well now you’re going to have a lot of time to think about how much of a problem it really is. You had your dream, a stallion with the strength and knowledge to make Equestria a paradise. I wanted all the ponies to welcome the new age of prosperity heralded by the formation of a Royal Couple. All you had to do is act like an adult and you couldn’t do it.”

“We could still do that, John. You’ve convinced me.”

“Celestia, it’s simply too late. You’ve cost me too much time dealing with the demons. I have to get them now or they’ll get us. I’m not leaving because you pissed me off. If that was the case I’d cross an ocean and forget about you. This is much bigger than your emotional problems.”

I feel Luna moving. It’s time. I reach out and ask for the sun.

“Come to me, my friend. Bring your light and warmth to us all and bring your gift to me. It is time.

As my magic releases the sun a yellow beam shoots out and envelopes me. Power surges through me and I grow into a fourteen band Alicorn. Suddenly I can see everything. All of Equestria is laid out before me plain as day including the demons.

“Thank you, my friend. I will try to use your gift wisely.”

Celestia is stunned, “John, you’re going to burn out like that!”

“Yes, I know. But not before every last demon has been fed to the sun. Every second I’ve had since the demons cornered me in the bank has been a gift. I wanted to use the gift for the glory of Equestria but I’m going to have to settle for Equestria’s survival.”

I call the duffels out of my pocket and send them to the sun.

“That was all the remains of my human life. My tech won’t be around to tempt anypony. Think on this, Celestia, what you see standing in front of you is what our grand foals would have looked like.”

The nearest demon is in the Palace. I teleport to the hall outside Steel’s office and walk through the wall.

Steel is surprised, “John? You’ve changed again.”

“I have a present for you, your spy.”

I open the door to his clerk’s office and seize the clerk in my magic.

“Want to touch her and verify what I’m telling you?”

“No thanks. I trust you.”

I send it to the sun.

“I’ll root them all out before I’m done. Don’t be surprised at any stories you hear. And you better get on that retirement.”

I teleport around Canterlot digging out and disposing of demons. Zigging and zagging across Equestria, I find sixty two. Steel’s list was a little short. I destroy a couple of workshops containing stolen tech too. One last circuit of Equestria by air with no demons found and I’m done. I land in the pasture on the farm. Fred and AJ are waiting.

I edit Fred’s body image in place and when I release it, it takes effect. Fred is still Fred colored but he’s a pony with an anchor for a cutie. He’s bigger than Big Mac but he’s smaller than a horse. He’s a Draft pony, like an Earth pony but bigger and with more magic.

“How’s it feel, Fred?”

“Colors, so many colors.”

“Yes, ponies have more colors in both senses. Fred, our link will still be there even if I don’t remember. Use it to learn.”

“Yes, John. Much happy. Much sad.”

“AJ, I’m so sorry for dumping this on you. Equestria is safe now and everypony can get back to having a normal life except us. I will become a Draft mare, a match for Fred. My foals will be important to Equestria but my bloodline won’t be useful to Celestia. Swift will help you with them. Between you two they should have the best herd imaginable.

“I’ve told Swift this already and she has promised to honor me. I want the same from you. Don’t wait for me. I may be gone longer than you’ll live. Find a good stallion to help you and make you happy.”

I pull up the ‘Bud’ body from my list and pour all of my magic into it.