Indeed, what's so terrible about that?
Author's Note
Okay, this one was fun to work on. I think it's obvious by now I'm a superhero fan, right?
I figured, why not pay homage to the greatest superhero of them all? I think in this sad, cynical world we need more of Superman and the like, so I figured... why not do this?
Indeed, what's so terrible about that?
Some days started out with a roar, some started out with a quiet whisper. Celestia preferred the latter, honestly. The regent of the sun preferred her days start as quietly as possible, then let the daily stresses build up and flow like a tidal wave. For almost 1000 years now, she had kept the peace. Kept Equestria from falling into darkness, and kept the land one of bright serenity. A beacon of love and hope to the masses. It was never easy, but if a hard fought battle was the price Celestia was willing to pay for her ponies to live a life in a world of honor and dignity? Well, that was the price she was willing to pay.
Some called her soft, of course they did. They didn’t understand the burden of what she held back every day. How could they? It was only if they were in her position that they would ever understand. In the back of her mind, on rare occasions, she thought about just once letting her full power be on display. Though those thoughts were quickly quelled. No. They’d be frightened of her, and justifiably so. So they never learned of the full power that their Princess truly possessed.
A lesser ruler might have used that power to keep their subjects in line, rule not by gentle wisdom but terror and fear of reprisal. Celestia honestly pitied those who had to stoop to such unsavory means. They were not worthy of their titles. Perhaps, with some gentle instruction, they might one day be. Worthy to join her and her subjects in the sun. Celestia crushed those traitorous thoughts as soon as they came.
She hated it when she presumed to act on some moral high ground. Like she was better than everypony else. Power never made anypony better than anypony else. No, acts did. She’d earned her right to rule, her and… Luna.
Here she was projecting again. Ever since that day all of those long years ago, she’d changed. Celestia wasn’t honestly sure it was for the better. She took a more hardline stance to tyrants, acting ahead of time instead of letting them make the first move. She sat down with them, and with nary a word, convinced them to change their ways. Was it for the best? Did she have the right to interfere in her little ponies’ lives at the drop of a hat? Celestia honestly feared the possibility that they might grow… complacent. Wait on her to do every little thing, instead of doing what they rightly could themselves. That included deposing tyrannical rulerships.
Yes, Equestria was entering a new golden age of peace and tranquility… But what was the cost?
What was the cost indeed?
No, no self-doubts. None of that! What she did was for the best. Her ponies needed her, they needed somepony to show them that there was always a better way. That they could be better. Ponies always thought she’d ascended because of her connection to the sun, and so she let them. The actual truth was a bit more complicated. Celestia ascended to alicornhood because she had a talent for leading ponies, showing them the light. The sun, for her, represented motherhood, and a kindly warmth. Just as Luna’s cutie mark represented dreams and helping those from the shadows.
“So, Quick Quotes, how are the wife and kids?” Celestia asked as she passed the Royal Transcriber, the earth-gray pony managing a tired smile.
She always made sure to remember her little ponies’ names, each and every last one, no matter how tiresome it was. She made sure to remember little facts about them, minor things here and there. She didn’t even need to peer into their minds, perish the thought. No, because they looked up to her, so they always divulged little things about themselves. Celestia wasn’t always sure if she liked them being so trusting. If she were a more dangerous mare…
“Doing fine, Princess,” Quick Quotes said. “Oh, the missus said she’d be happy to have you down for dinner sometime, she has this new recipe she wants feedback on and…”
“Well, that’s what you’re for, isn’t it?” Celestia replied to him, and Quick Quotes chuckled, rubbing the back of his head with a hoof.
“...admittedly, I may be slightly biased.” he remarked and Celestia laughed slightly.
She continued striding down the halls, passing her head chef and the sous chef. “Salt, Pepper. Is everything prepared for King Aspen’s arrival next week? He’s very specific about what he likes.”
“Yes, madam,” Salt said. “No meats anywhere in sight, and everything is naturally grown as requested. Oh, by the way, I meant to remind you, we have Zesty Gourmand coming in this Thursday to review what she thinks should be in her personal restaurant.”
Oh yes, that. Now Celestia remembered. The mare had said the ponies deserved to know what their Princess ate and experience it for themselves just for a month. Clearly, the mare intended on getting in good with her, though for what reason Celestia wasn’t sure just yet. There was always an angle with ponies like her.
“Oh well, the best we can do is oblige her,” Celestia sighed, letting her mask drop if only briefly. It wasn’t even noon yet and already she felt exhausted. Oh well, chin up and hope they didn’t notice that their beloved Princess had any emotions aside from perfect serenity.
Little did she know the week ahead was going to push her serenity to its limits.
“Hello Raven,” said Celestia to her personal bookkeeper. She’d always been terrible with money admittedly, so someone had to manage the kingdom’s funds. “How was your vacation?”
“Lovely, the Islands were nice this time of year,” Raven said before seeing her Princess open her mouth to speak again. “And no, before you ask, I didn’t meet anypony nice.”
“Oh well, a mare can dream yes?” Celestia asked. “I think another mare would do you a world of good!”
“Sorry, but I’m just not in the market for another mare just ye-” Raven started, but she wasn’t allowed to finish. In burst another pony, looking scared out of his wits. Celestia put on her best ‘reassuring Princess’ face and approached the pony, hoping to learn of his ills.
“So tell me, my little pony, what troubles you so? You look-”
A shout rose up from the streets of Canterlot. “DRAGON!”
A roar was swift to follow. Celestia broke into a sprint, before rocketing out of the nearest window, spreading her wings. Dark clouds began to blot out the sky, a crimson serpent taking flight over the city much too low for Celestia to be comfortable with. One flap of his wings at the wrong moment, and Canterlot would see itself leveled to the ground.
It took a perch atop a nearby mountain, the scaled titan looking out over the city. Celestia took notice of how it seemed to be appraising the nearby mountain range of threats, and she realized. Of course, it had to have been getting close to it’s hundred-year hibernation. Well, now, that simply wouldn’t do, now would it? She was all for a nice long sleep, but not one that would release a toxic cloud for miles around! Crops would die, and it would be impossible to grow them while this dragon napped. She’d have to convince it to leave and take residence up elsewhere.
Hopefully, he was willing to listen to reason and that this wouldn’t be too taxing. Using force was always a possibility, but Celestia hated to have to resort to it. There was always a better way. With luck, this dragon would listen to reason and a cool head would prevail instead of her having to resort to violence.
Celestia knew her ponies liked it when she played the hero. Celestia liked their adoration, or at least a part of her did. It made her feel as if she was doing her job properly. ‘Here came the Princess of the Sun, ready to save the day!’ and all that. Was it so wrong? She was, after all, just a pony just like everyone else. Maybe she felt a little guilty for wanting admiration, but even she was allowed some error. And if wanting to be acknowledged was an error, well… There were worse mistakes in the world to make.
“And you know all about worse mistakes, don’t you?” Celestia, in a moment of weakness, mused. It was a brief traitorous thought, like all the rest. Yet this one persisted for a few moments longer than the rest. “After all, if you were a better mare, then maybe…”
Luna’s return was coming up fast, maybe that’s why Celestia put in so much effort as of late. When her sister returned, Celestia wanted her to come back to a world of peace and happiness. From the shadows, Celestia had guided her ponies here and there. Let them embrace the night skies, pour some funding into astronomy so they, like her, would learn to love what was up there.
But that's neither here nor there. She, right now, had a dragon to persuade.
“Hello there,” Celestia greeted cheerfully as she set herself down in front of the dragon, “I’m sorry to intrude, but can we talk?”
For her troubles, the dragon snorted smoke in front of her face. Celestia coughed, her pure white fur now stained with ash before she sighed. “Well, that’s rude isn’t it? But I’m not mad, I mistepped my boundaries really. This is your home isn’t it? Well, you’d have to invite me over the threshold. I apologize.”
Here, she bowed, prostrating herself in front of the dragon.
“I assume I’m forgiven?”
Royal guards and civilians alike watched anxiously from their places in the streets below.
And the dragon answered with a single little word. “No.”
Then, he blew her away.
Celestia tossed and turned in the winds, and sighed to herself before teleporting out of the gale and into the calm.
“Again, that’s just rude,” she said. “I came here in peace. My little ponies are my concern, you see. If you were to take up residence here, then… That smoke of yours, mighty as it is, would blot out the sun. Crops would never be able to grow for the next hundred years.”
“So, your ponies can move!” the dragon said.
“That we can,” Celestia conceded. “But we have lived here for centuries, laid down roots. What if you were forced to move, without a moment’s notice?”
“That’s what you’re forcing me to do, right?” the dragon replied. “There aren’t that many large mountain caves around.”
“I’m sure you can find one or two,” Celestia said. “There are plenty of caverns in the lands west of here. I’m sure we can come to a compromise. Perhaps, weekly, I can send ponies up here. Unicorns, have them cast spells to redirect the smoke away from Canterlot…”
“And what if I don’t like ponies intruding on my home?” the dragon warned.
“You’d be asleep, you’d hardly be in a position to argue,” Celestia replied. “You wouldn’t even know that they’re there.”
“It’s still my home!” the dragon complained.
“And that is my ponies’ home below. Be reasonable, now! The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one,” Celestia argued. “We can be friends here, there’s no need for us to even be arguing!”
Damn it, she swore to herself. Why did this dragon have to be so stubborn? She hated having to pull out the Torch card, but it was looking like she may very well have to. But before Celestia could even say anything else, the world rippled and it warped. Her eyes widened, no it couldn’t be. In a brief moment of panic, she thought of Discord. He was supposed to be sealed away!
And yet he still was, and Celestia watched in horror as the dragon was sucked inside an impossibly small hat.
“Well, now, that was easy wasn’t it!” a Trottingham accented voice breached the air. Celestia recognized. How could she not? She recognized all of her guards’ voices.
“Gale Force,” she said politely, evenly even after she’d just seen a dragon sucked into a black hole with chaos magic powerful enough to make Discord proud. That kind of stuff wasn’t easy to get a hold of, but not impossible. You had to be a skilled spellcaster in your own right, make bargains with the old gods. Offer up something equally worthy in exchange. Your undying devotion generally sufficed.
“Princess,” said the guard, his tone equally even. Once, he’d been the picture of what the Royal Guard offered, the classic ideal of one. Now, though, he showed the signs of his diminished training regimen. His blue mane was a mess, and his feathers stunk out unevenly. A rebellious spirit, personified. Beside him, a coal gray unicorn who stunk of chaos. He wore a suit, nicely pressed. His chaos-laced hat soon returned to his head. Behind them and standing silently, towering over both was a large earth pony.
“The three races united, how interesting,” Celestia remarked. “I suppose this is intentional? You’ve let yourself go, Gale.”
She tried not to let her anger show, he and his merry band dared to consult with the forces of chaos? Did they not know what generally followed? Or did they simply not care?
“Yes, well, when you’re finally your own man? I think you’re allowed to have something of a rebellious spirit!” said Gale, messing with his mane. A dark leather overcoat had long since replaced gilded armor. “Sorry, let me re-introduce myself. Name’s Gale Force. Aspiring do-gooder and all-around pain in the arse at your service. That’s Long Shot, our own personal walking hat trick. Big guy’s name is Top Soil, then again… I guess you already knew all of this. You seem to know everypony’s names, kinda creepy when you say it out loud.”
“You killed him,” Celestia said, still in that even tone, trying desperately not to keep that bubbling anger from rising to the surface. “He did nothing to you. And you sucked him into a black hole.”
“Did nothing?” Gale laughed. “Have you gone deaf in your old age or something Princess? That dragon was breathing smoke out all over Canterlot, and he would have done so for the next hundred years! We did you a favor, the least you could do is to say thank you.”
“We were working it out,” Celestia replied. “Coming to a compromise. Who are you to judge who lives and who dies?”
“We’re the Royal Guard, or at least we were,” said Gale. “It’s our job to protect the populace.”
Celestia, in the back of her mind, remembered why Gale was no longer with the guard. Something about excessive force. These other two, she hadn’t remembered kicking out. Must have been friends of his, left the guard to show what they thought of Gale being kicked out.
“It’s our job to protect you, even after a discharge or two,” Gale continued. “The very least you could do is show some gratitude. Apologies if that sounded blunt. The truth is I ramble when I get nervous, and I'm... I'm actually somewhat stunned I’m having an actual disagreement with Princess Celestia.”
Disagreement, yeah that was one word for it, Celestia mused to herself.
“...you’re… you’re really tall,” Long Shot said numbly in the background.
“There’s no need to resort to flattery to make me like you,” Celestia said. “All the same, I… thank you.”
It took a fair amount of force to get those words out of her mouth. Celestia really wasn’t fond of thanking murderers.
“See, that’s not so hard is it?” Gale crowed triumphantly. “No need to go all pomp and circumstance really, you can ditch it. We’re all friends here. Isn’t that what you always say? Practice what you preach, am I right? It’s fine to have a marital spat now and again!”
Marital spat, that’s what he called it? Celestia was all for ponies being casual around her, in fact she enjoyed it, but there was something about Gale’s free-spirited personality that really grated on her.
“Yes, I suppose…” Celestia said politely.
“Well, look on the bright side! No mess, no fuss!” said Gale as he inspected the cave the dragon had once resided in. “If you were to have it my way, there’d be a fair bit more bloodshed. Boom, one magic lance straight to the heart.”
“Decided we should make a better first impression,” Long Shot said with a grunt. “Didn’t think you’d take kindly to Gale’s way of doing things.”
“No, I doubt it…” Celestia murmured, apparently going unheard.
“So I convinced him to do things my way,” Long Shot continued. “Figured it might be better for all involved.”
“You consort with the forces of chaos, you really think that’s be-” Celestia started, with Long Shot laughing.
“Sorry, you make it sound like I’m dating Discord!” he commented. “Not really into chimeras, thank you very much!”
“As I was saying, you really think that’s better for all involved?” Celestia lectured. “Do you really think this is wise? What did you have to offer in return for your new magic? Tell me, and I might be able to help you.”
“You assume I want help,” Long Shot said before taking a swig of alcohol. He’d pulled a bottle out of his hat, and was currently drinking it dry. “Way I see it, if I get magic that allows me to deal with threats that only otherwise you would be able to handle, it’s worth whatever price I’ll have to pay eventually. You can’t force me to change my mind. That’s not you. Me, Gale, and Top Soil? We only want to help you out.”
Celestia wasn’t really sure if she wanted their type of help.
“So who are you?” she asked and Gale beamed.
“Glad you asked, allow me to give the nation my address!” he commented before charming his voice so that all of Canterlot could hear. Orbs floated around him, broadcasting footage to everywhere else. “This is a call-out to the shadow cabinets, petty dictators and all-around tossers of the world. You're on notice. We're not bound by lines on a map or political alliances or government bodies of any kind. We are our own bosses, and we have a very simple job. There are the good guys, namely us, and the bad guys, namely anyone who treats anyone else like trash to further their petty aims. We turn bad guys into memories. So mind your manners, boys and girls, or we'll blow your house down. We’re the Next Step. You asked for us, world. Now you got us.”
Celestia felt a chill run down her spine at his proclamation. This was going to end badly, she knew it. And something told her that stopping -and they needed to be stopped, that much was true- the Next Step would be one of the hardest things she ever did.
That thought turned eerily prophetic in the coming days. The newspapers began to spread word of the Next Step’s ‘great deeds’. They, obviously, little by little were winning the public’s support. Hopefully, her little ponies would see the light sooner or later. Even if that seemed to be a faint hope upon the horizon. They were killers. In all of her years of ruling, Celestia never would have imagined that…
“You alright?” Raven asked her one morning, seeing the exhaustion present on her Princess’ face. “It’s them isn’t it? The Next Step? Abominable ponies, horrible excuses for heroes.”
“Are you saying that because you agree with me, or are you saying that because you have to agree with me?” Celestia asked wearily, wanting the honest truth no matter how bad it was.
“No, I’m saying it because I do agree with you,” Raven sighed. “They’re killers, probably psychopaths. That speech of theirs? That wasn’t them giving some grand heroic gesture to win support, no it sounded like they were holding the whole world hostage. Do as we say, or we hit you back.”
“It is a very thin line,” Celestia agreed. “It is a very thin line. What’s to stop them from going after more than just villains? Or rather, who they perceive to be villains?”
“Namely, who disagrees with them?” Raven asked.
“Who would be there to stop them?” Celestia mused. “Who indeed?”
“Well, you ma’am!” Raven said. “You’re the Princess! Equestria is a monarchy, not a democracy! Send some Royal Guards to arrest them!”
Celestia chuckled. “Were it so easy,” she mused aloud. “Would you rather we have a revolt? The Next Step, as much as I hate to admit it, are rather popular. If I do anything that… extreme, it would not endear me with the populace at large.”
“So, you’re the Princess!” Raven disagreed. “You’re not in this to be popular, you’re in this to rule a country!”
“It helps to be popular, I’m afraid,” Celestia sighed. “Your little ponies are more likely to listen to you that way.”
“Listen, you’ve been the Princess of Equestria for well over 1000 years, ruler of all that is. Equestria’s mother. I don’t think they’re just going to ‘stop’ listening to you any time soon,” Raven said. “So what, the Next Level are the new kids on the block, they’re popular. But their popularity will fade, ponies will see reason, and things will go back to normal. You don’t have to do anything, at least at the moment. If the Next Step get out of hand, deal with them then. For now, let Gale bluster about. Ponies will get tired of listening to him after a while.”
Celestia smiled. “I hope you’re right, because right now… Have you ever heard of a stallion named Strong Arm? Maybe you have, maybe you haven’t. He was a unicorn, spelled and killed four ponies in a subway car in Manehatten. Initially, ponies saw him as the victim, or a vigilante. Public opinion, especially in times like these is fickle. When you’re 1000 years old, I’m afraid, you do learn how the game is played.”
“And if you arrest them without due process, the public may not be so sympathetic to your plight. Gale and company, that’s another matter. What happened to us?” Raven asked despondently. “What’s so terrible about peace and love and the Equestrian way?”
“Nothing,” Celestia said. “As you said before, ponies will come around.”
Now if only she could actually believe that…
The Next Step’s next action of ‘heroism’ came sooner than Celestia actually would have expected. You see, every now and again, transports to her kingdom came under attack by raiders thinking they could make a quick buck or scare her little ponies.
More often than not, the Royal Guards showing up, and frightened them back into the shadows.
Not today.
This raiding party was actually pretty brazen for their lot, and had actually managed to kidnap some ponies for ransom. That, Celestia decided, she simply could not let stand. Damage her kingdom’s goods all you like, but hurting her subjects was another matter entirely.
Like a whirlwind she came upon them, with the clap of thunder. The raiders never knew what hit them, and were sent flying by the sheer force Celestia exhibited upon landing. She caught them all, of course, but most soon took the hint and scattered into the winds. I say most, as one or two of them got the ‘bright idea’ of charging and attacking.
Celestia let out a gasp of pain as one raider scored a hit with a makeshift sword, blood flying. She clutched her side in pain, trying to stop the bleeding. However, she was so focused on this task that, alas, Celestia couldn’t manage to muster up the concentration to grab ahold of the attacker with her magic.
Thankfully, Top Soil was on the case and with a show of force, slammed into the raging raider before knocking him to the ground with a sickening crack. The earth pony pressed his hoof down on the raider’s leg, making him scream out in pain.
Long Shot floated into view.
“Now my friend isn’t gifted with the art of speech, you see, but I think he gets his point across. Run.”
The raider wisely decided to do just that. Celestia meanwhile, created prisons of gold magic for the remaining raiders.
“No, no, that’s not enough,” Long Shot decided, before he sucked the ponies inside of his hat and listened to the terrified screams. “...that’s better.”
“Was that really necessary?” Celestia asked disapprovingly.
“Buck’s got a point, really,” Gale Force remarked upon arrival. “See, raiders? They don’t have the same sense of right and wrong that you or I do, right? They’re just going to keep on killing and striking fear into the hearts of merry bands of travelers. Best you treat them like cancerous tumors and cut them out.”
“But…” Celestia tried to argue.
“You don’t like it, you can do this on your own time. Try and reform the next batch, that’s what you do right?” Gale Force laughed. “But I’m going to tell you right now, what you want isn’t always what you’re going to get. Not all ponies will be receptive to this kind of thing.”
“You should still always just try!” Celestia argued.
“You’re like a broken record, Princess. Forgive and befriend, it’s not always going to work!” Gale said. “Look at the power ponies books. That’s what you remind me of. That type of willful blindness. Honestly, you should be raising a copy of that book instead of the sun every morning, because that's what you represent - all two dimensions of it.”
“Perhaps, but at the very least we should always offer the option to choose,” Celestia refuted. “That’s what Equestria was founded on, friendship. Or would you rather invite the windigos?”
“I’ll take my chances,” Gale replied. “Look, don’t get me wrong. I used to love heroes. Mares and stallions in tights, swooping down to help us when we needed it. No tough questions, always simple answers. Good vs evil, that sort of stuff. For a while, you sold me on that dream. And then I woke up. The masks are for hiding, the capes are for play. Real villains don’t tell you their plans before they smoke you, except in campaign speeches or when they get in front of the class.”
Celestia didn’t look impressed by his pontificating.
“Reality’s a bit bloodier, the shades of gray a bit darker. Look, I’ll strike you a deal,” Gale offered. “Mad scientists, maybe a few madmares here and there. Stick to your side of the pitch and we’ll stick to ours.”
“Is that how it is?” Celestia sighed. “Very well then, I’ll just have to teach ponies the right way.”
“The right way?” Gale laughed. “Do you mean what’s right for the world or what’s right for you? Like I said, I’ll take my chances. Ta-ta, for now!”
Day Court came, and of course everypony was talking about the Next Step.
“Well, I for one see things turning around!” Jet Set said. “Forgiveness is old hat anyways! We need a more hardline stance to things! A more aggressive approach to problems!”
“Forgive me dear boy, but do you really believe that?” one Chancellor Fancy Pants questioned. Adjusting his monocle, he continued. “They’re strong arming their way into society. I did some checking around, and surprise of surprises but Gale in particular was tossed out of the Royal Guard for… what was it, excessive force? I personally want to know who exactly these ponies are before we throw our lot in with them!”
“You’ll come around, as will everyone else,” Jet Set said. “I personally feel much safer with their approach. Never again will Equestria be threatened!”
“Oh, I quite agree,” Hoity Toity said. “Though, really, we must talk about their fashion choices! Leather, ugh, the horror of it all!”
“I personally disagree,” said Night Light. “Not sure about if they’re who I want my daughter to be looking up to…”
“So, who would you want her to be looking up towards? Celestia?” Jet Set laughed, and at this the mare shed a single tear before wiping it away so no one would notice. So this was how they won her little ponies over, piece by piece. Did her ponies really want this? Heroes that killed? And if that was the case, was there really a place for her in Equestria anymore? “I apologize for how this sounds, but she may no longer have the right approach to problems…”
“Now that’s just going too far!” Fancy roared. “How dare you!”
“Hey, it’s a free country right?” Jet Set said. “What are you going to do, have Celestia arrest me for speaking my mind?”
Fancy snorted angrily, but said nothing further on the matter. He shared a look with Night Light. An unspoken message passed between them. Both of them would be re-evaluating just who they let around for dinner these days.
Celestia even found herself talking with Blueblood of all ponies for reassurance. Not what she expected to do today.
“Look, auntie. I’m going to be the first to admit you’ve made some terrible decisions,” the Prince started.
“That’s reassuring.” Celestia deadpanned.
“What it comes down to, ponies want easy answers, and quick results. The Next Step, they seem to offer that. Maybe it’s time you lead by example,” Blueblood theorized and despite how much of a snob he was, Celestia did value his opinion. Especially in times like these. “Do what you do best. Teach.”
The time would soon come.
One professor, Gully Trotter would bring up statistics when interviewed by a local newspaper. Heartbreakingly, they had this to say: “It seems a change is in the air, as it seems over 65% of Equestria sides with the Next Step. Saying they feel safe with their new brand of heroism. I’m personally quite curious with how Princess Celestia responds!”
And respond she did. Calling a press conference to the castle, she finally spoke up.
“Is the Next Step truly right for our country?” Celestia asked. “They say they’re good for us, but are they really? They kill. Are those the principles our country was founded on? No, I think not. It was founded on peace and understanding. Friendship.”
“So you’re saying we should ‘forgive’ all of our enemies?” someone asked.
“No, that is not what I’m saying. But giving into our base impulses?” Celestia questioned. “I’m not sure I like the sound of that. Killing as a means to an end! I’m not sure I like the sound of it at all.”
“And yet you have encased the spirit of chaos in stone,” another reporter questioned. “He’s alive, yes, but forever a stone statue. How is that any different from killing him, in fact in this scenario would killing him not be a mercy? He thinks, he breathes! He knows what he is!”
“Depending on how you look at it, yes killing him would be a mercy,” Celestia agreed. “This may be worse for him. Yes, maybe he knows that he’s a statue. Or maybe he doesn’t. But that is the perfect punishment, to lay forever still in the gardens. What happens when decades, if not centuries pass? They’ll find themselves in a whole new world, and that, I think, is a far better punishment than killing them. They’ll be forced to change, and to adapt. Perhaps better themselves, perhaps not. Maybe Discord will fall back on old habits. But more importantly, he is allowed the freedom to choose. The Next Step doesn't give you that freedom.”
“Because we don’t need to!” said Gale as he stepped forwards. “What do we do? We stop the troublemakers, don’t give them a chance to strike back. They’re in the ground. You said it yourself! Discord, when he’s released, may fall back on old habits. What if he does, and screws us all over? Think about that, and you’ll be the mare who said ‘he could change’. Think on that ponies of Canterlot.”
Smoke filled the air as flashbulbs went off.
“Look, Celly, can I call you that? I’ll assume I can. Celly, when we take down the baddies, they stay down. Isn't that better for everypony? Peace and harmony for all!”
“We are not above the law. We have to show the world that there's a better way. That we can be better,” Celestia replied simply. Ponies were watching them, almost like a tennis match.”
“But that's the problem. They can't. The world's overflowing with sick puppies. You know it, and I know it,” said Gale.
“I'm not an idiot. I know evil exists! It's not a perfect world, but we can't just throw morality away into the garbage!” Celestia argued before she spied a pin on his coat. Her eyes widened in horror. “The alicorn amulet, is that what you resort to?”
“If I must, it helps me along. Like a shot to the heart, the whole body’s pumping with adrenaline and power now. But you disapprove. Of course you do. Suit yourself, but me personally? I want to live in a world free of sin,” said Gale before he took to the skies. “If I have to be the one to help it along, then so be it.”
Celestia sighed to herself. She found herself in need of a good long fly, and so she took to the skies over Canterlot. Her lance-like horn glowed as gold as the sun itself, bright and filled with warmth. She overheard conversations. The ponies were divided. They didn’t know who to side with. Not anymore. And then it hit her like a punch to the gut. Several kids were playing in an alleyway, one dressed up like her. Fake cardboard wings and a horn, the whole shebang. Another was dressed up like Gale.
“Man, Celestia’s such a downer!” said one, tossing his fake wings in the trash. “Gale’s on the up and up! He’s cool, and yet she scolds him like he’s a kid like us! Dad said they’re killing ponies. Maybe they’re right, maybe I should join the Next Level when I get old enough. It could be fun to kill the bad ponies.”
She overheard similar conversations all across the city, the tide was turning.
“Listen, I like Celestia, sure. But the Next Level? Hell yeah, they’ll kill these murderers and terrorists. What's not to like?”
“I’ve lived in Equestria all my life. But so have those criminals Celestia and her Royal Guard have put away so many times. Maybe their way doesn't work. Actually, you know what? Kill them all and let Faust sort it out.”
Celestia forced back a sob, and that night she found herself looking to the moon for guidance. Forcing down another sobs, she thought: “Where have I gone wrong, Lulu? I heard a child said he wanted to join The Next Step because it would be fun to kill. Fun to kill. Where have I gone wrong? Ponies have to know there is another way.”
And so they would, Celestia thought as an idea struck her. If her ponies wanted to see what was so great about killing others, maybe she should show them…
For Gale’s part, he was actually surprised when he received the letter. An invitation to see who really was right. Whoever won this next bout, well, they had the right to do what they saw fit. But it wouldn’t be a war of the words. No, it seemed Celestia was quite willing to come to blows to defend her position. Was he a bit nervous? Hell yeah. But if it meant the Princess in her castle was finally going to leave him alone? Well then…
“Here’s a nice piece of pitch to play on, just as you requested,” Gale said, doing a bow. All around them, miles upon miles of Appleloosian desert. Nobody around except for a few vultures. “Now, shall we get down to business? I presume you’ve got some big speech planned?”
“Gale, think about what you’re doing,” Long Shot said. “I mean, this is Princess Celestia we’re talking about here. Don’t you think this is going a bit far? I mean, what if you kill her?”
Those same magical orbs floated around, broadcasting the entire thing as it played out.
“Not going to kill her, just going to rough her up a bit,” said Gale. “Besides, every new order has to be dragged in kicking and screaming.”
“A new order, is that what you call all of this?” Celestia asked, gliding down towards the threesome. “Think about it, after you’ve killed all the bad guys in the world? What next? You're going to kill somepony just because you think they’re bad? That’s not protecting your ponies, that’s ruling over them in tyranny! That’s fascism. I cannot let that stand. If I have to stop you, so be it. Don’t make me do this, Gale. You were a good guard once, you can be again.”
“You know what?” Gale finally decided, the alicorn amulet glowing as he launched a deep red electric blast at Celestia, charging it up with his wings and then tossing it. “You’re stubborn as a mule!”
Celestia staggered, only for Long Shot to throw a bunch of missiles from his hat and send her flying with Top Soil charging forwards. He slammed his whole body into her, and used his earth pony strength to pin her to the ground. Slamming his hooves into her, Top Soil began punching the Princess of the Sun over and over, blackening her eyes and blood splattering his face.
Celestia eventually managed to toss him off, only to be sent crashing into a mountainside via an energy blast from Long Shot’s hat. Top Soil ripped boulders from the earth and bucked them towards her, while Gale surged forwards and went into a spin slamming himself bodily into Celestia.
“Don’t look away kids, as for my next trick…” Long Shot said, as two hands of earth grabbed Celestia and tossed her into Gale, who punched her in the face. She flew towards Top Soil, who kicked her into the earth ripping it up like an angry child in a tantrum.
“Well, I think that about sums it up…” Gale laughed. “Point being? You lose.”
However, to his shock and horror, ‘Celestia’ just poofed out of existence.
“What? A doppelganger?” he roared in rage. “You played me?”
He failed to notice the heat until the very last moment. He failed to notice the heat until Top Soil was burnt to ashes, a magnificently horrifying firestorm taking hold of the land.
“I finally get it,” a voice said, filtering itself inside their minds. It was dry as a bone and harsh as ash, promising nothing but pain and suffering. “I really have to thank you, Gale. Guess you could say you’ve finally shown me the light.”
The sun seemed to burn ever brighter, as Gale suffered a horrific realization.
“Oh Hell, she’s playing this our way!” he thought even as Long Shot was sent flying into the stratosphere in less than a second. And that’s when he finally got a glimpse of the new Celestia. Her mane blazed like an inferno, her once caring eyes now offering nothing but contempt.
“Really, you have no one but yourselves to blame,” ‘Celestia’ remarked, looking incredibly bored. “You challenged me, so it’s only right you get to witness the full scope of my power. Long Shot? He went into orbit. At mach seven. If you or I had super-hearing? Well, any second you could hear the POP.”
The pegasus’ eyes widened in horror as the sinking realization finally set in. He did this. He was responsible for the end of the world. In a last desperate plea, he whispered: “T-This isn’t you. Y-You don’t do this, you’re Princess Celestia!”
“Well, I was but not anymore. I need a new name,” the mare laughed. “Mhmm, what do you think? How does the name Daybreaker sound? Magnificent enough? Regal enough?”
“No, no no…” Gale Force whispered as he tried to run, only to be caught in Celest… no, Daybreaker’s grasp. “Please, no…”
“I think I’ll keep you,” Daybreaker said. “You’re a handsome enough stallion.”
“What are you?” Gale whispered.
“You said it yourself, the new order,” Daybreaker laughed cruelly and Gale’s insides chilled. “Look, up in the sky. It’s your new savior, Daybreaker and ruler of all that is. I want to ask you something, how does it feel to be deconstructed?”
“You… you killed them all…” Gale whispered, not really sure why he was still talking. Some last desperate heroic stand maybe? “You killed them, you self-righteous hypocrite. You killed my team.”
His tears evaporated in the hot air.
“Your team of killers, and now… guess what. They won’t be killing ever again,” Daybreaker said, and then Gale finally found the strength and stupidity to fight back. A lightning blast was launched, and Daybreaker found herself thrown from her hooves.
And Gale? He just flew like Tartarus itself was after him. One minute, he was in Appleloosa, the next over Ponyville. The next, over Canterlot and finally over Manehatten. But it still wasn’t enough. She was still after him. In desperation Gale found himself tossing chariots and sections of street just to try and slow her down. But it was all for naught, and the mad alicorn was on top of him in a second.
“You’re a monster…” Gale whispered, trying so desperately to cry but finding it impossible. “I used to look up to you, but you… you…”
“Became a killer? See, now that’s where I dare to disagree. I became what the world needs,” Daybreaker laughed again, before Gale’s very eyes she changed. Gone were the flames, gone was the mad look in her eyes, and once again in front of him was Princess Celestia. “....or have I? Have you, for that matter?”
To Gale’s shock, all the damage that their fight did was repairing itself little by little as fully dressed Royal Guards came out of the woodwork, repairing buildings. Other guards revealed themselves, with shields around what Gale had thought were civilian casualties caught in the crossfire.
“It… it was all a ruse?” Gale whispered. “But what about…?”
“Your team? They’re fine, I had several of my guards teleport in while I showed you what you wanted to see. Me, cutting loose and becoming the very thing you thought the world needed. It’s not a perfect world. In a perfect world, none of us would ever be needed. But your team, yes. They’re just nursing headaches I’d rather not think about, but very much alive and well. In a word, psych?” Celestia laughed softly.
And suddenly Gale could see it, what truly happened. He could see Celestia throwing up illusion magic right and left while she and her guards saved his team. In another time, in another place he would have complimented her with a “Bloody good show, Princess.”
“It’s way too easy, really. To give into that part of ourselves. It’s so easy. That sums it up really. Vigilante justice is an oxymoron, that to me is exactly what being a criminal entails. I have the power to wrestle gods, to move mountains. But if you ask me? That’s nothing compared to the strength it entails to just hold back. I could end the world with a flap of my wings, but I hold back,” Celestia said, with Gale desperately trying one final argument against her.
“Yeah, I suppose you do… But…”
“But nothing,” Celestia refuted. “I am but a simple servant of the populace, Princess or no. If they wanted, they could easily dissolve the monarchy and I would hold no ill will towards them. If it’s what they want? It’s what they get. If the government fails them in some way, they can point their horns at me. I do believe in using all of my power to guide them however, and while I am on this earth I declare this. Dreams save us. Dreams lift us up and transform us into something better. And on my soul, I swear that until my dream of a world where dignity, honor and justice are the reality we all share, I'll never stop fighting. It’s a long hard battle, yes, but I believe it’s one worth fighting.”
And finally, Gale collapsed into tears, finally deconstructed. Celestia could only hold him in her wings, and whisper this.
“It’s okay, my little pony. I’m here…”
The Next Step would be taken to a Canterlot prison, carefully watched and carefully guarded. Celestia, at times, gave them a thought and wished them a prayer. But they never troubled her again. However, the damage had been done. Equestria had nearly been ripped apart by civil discourse. And that simple civil discourse, would, in a few years, give rise to something far worse. Something uglier, and meaner. Something… chaotic. But then again, if it was a perfect world, well, it wouldn’t need heroines would it? But that’s a story for another time, and one we know how it ends.
