Equestria Forsakenby NixusinChapters- But AliveCelestial AdviceNew MorningsSweet DreamsRude AwakeningsHell on Northern HeightsBroken-Interlude - Time Goes ByThe Bad News, The Worse News, and an Even Worse Outcome- But Alive"I am not a kind Emperor. I am not a wise Emperor. I am simply a pony given a place and a title. I do not have any obligations to anypony but myself. That is how the world should be." - God-Emperor Aeternum / "Interesting..." She muttered, flipping through her mind. It'd been a stressful few days. The news of her righteous accusations... hadn't done much. Her chest still felt empty and cold. She didn't mind though. She'd found the gifts Magic had given her to be much more interesting. She didn't understand- and yet she did. She'd been given a plethora of knowledge that was, for all intensive purposes, impossible. And with the impossible, the possibilities were endless. Of course, she had a few visitors every now and then. Her former friends had tried to coax her into coming out. She obviously didn't. Her brother had come by.. but she forgot what happened. It didn't matter, truthfully. They all made the empty feeling in her chest worse. She didn't need them. But.. Her magic flicked off, bringing the large, sleeping form of another alicorn into view. She stared at the red stain on her white coat. She didn't know- what to do, feel, or say. Celestia had made the feeling go away. She wasn't sure why- her mentor had abandoned her as well- but.. She could stay. Maybe it had been they way Celestia had cried when she'd found her. Or the way they had had to get Luna to pry the Solar monarch off of her body while she'd slept. But... Gods, love could make you feel damned. Spike had been sleeping at the end of her bed. As much as he made the feeling vastly expand, he was her damn child!.. even if she'd never told him that was how she felt. She wouldn't turn him away. If it hurt to have him around, then so be it. Before she could return to looking at all the knowledge she had gained, the sound of the door opening brought a flicker of annoyance. "Girls, I told you all before; I'm not coming out." She repeated for the... fuck, seventh time...! "Twilight Sparkle?" The sound of Luna's voice saying her dead name came from the door, bringing the chasm's return. Luna hadn't even been there to back her up- and likely wouldn't have. 'Just another traitor...' "Mmm, that's not my name, go ahead and wear it out.." Her horn lit again, bringing the tablets of spells and symbols back into view. She casually scrolled through them, manually working them all out. She enjoyed it quite a bit- redoing the spells in her mind to get a complete layout of the theory. It passed the time. She ground her teeth as an azure flash of magic dispelled her construct. That had taken time to make, fuckwad! She snapped her head towards Luna. "Yes, Luna?" To her ever-increasing satisfaction, the Lunar Goddess flinched at the rising anger in her voice. "I'd like you to make this quick, I don't wanna have to deal with you right now." "Ehm, yes... apologies, uh, we.. what should we call thee?" She stopped for a moment. She.. hadn't thought about it much. After organizing a private funeral for Twilight Sparkle (attended, sadly, only by herself), she hadn't made up her mind. She'd been hoping to put it off. She wasn't Twilight Sparkle. Twilight Sparkle had been mortal. She'd been a unicorn. She'd had a normal mind and body. Mostly. She wasn't Twilight Sparkle... she didn't think so, anyway. Celestia still called her by her dead name, but she didn't have the... heart? To correct her. Maybe... She opened up the magic tablet again, scrolling through the sections. If she was right, then.... "Call me... Oblivion." Luna stared at her for a moment, analyzing her features. "We... understand. Why doth thou pick such a name, if.. if we may ask?" Oblivion looked at her. She put on her dumbest look. "As the Goddess of Magic, I am also subsequently the Goddess and Empress of both the Aether and Nether, the Realms of Magic, and the Holy Protector of the Elements and their Virtues- of Time with Charity and Contentedness, Technology with Knowledge and Diligence, Fire with Courage and Justice, Wind with Love and Chastity, Magic with Faith and Wisdom, Dark with Compassion and Prudence, Death with Humility and Forgiveness, Water with Kindness and Sincerity, Ice with Tolerance and Empathy, Life with Temperance and Determination, Earth with Fortitude and Patience, and Light with Hope- of the Aether and the Elemental Sins- of Fear, Lust, Apathy, Arrogance, Malice, Despair, and Madness- of the Nether. The the Aether's antithesis. I am then essentially the Oblivion." "Balancing them results in a state of totality; a state in which transcendence to a higher state-of-mind occurs. I balance them with Dominance, magic's sub-element; the greatest of them. I'd think a Goddess should know that. Simply because one is a lesser of one those elements, their virtues and sins, does not mean they must give in to it. Arrogance is for the weak, fear is for cowards, and justice is for the damned. I am simply here to uphold their integrity and existence. It's strangely contradictory, that I'm an exception to those rules because I'm their defender. Magic's is of the greatest influence, but you may be familiar with... some of the virtues." Luna stared at her for a moment, seemingly assimilating the information until she whispered, "The Elements..." "Precisely." Oblivion grunted. "It's why they were able to stop Discord's mad rampage before it could begin. He may be a channel for Madness and Chaos, but not even he can hold his own against five combined virtues and an Aether's element. It was never friendship- only the state of the virtues' power. Harmony is otherwise- Harmony and Eternity and Creation. They are made up of the virtues in the same way Silence, Oblivion, Destruction, and Mayhem are by the Sins of the Nether. Time is a very unique case, though. It is part of the virtues in of themselves, and a part of its own obscure, virtueless-sinless branch. The branch contains Time, Soul, Space, Reality, Power, and Mind. Those are universal branches of magic, ones that can be used by any magic wielder. They're what we use most commonly." Luna looked at her, shaking her head slowly. "How doth thou... know such things?" Oblivion shrugged. "Magic's Godhead isn't the only one I was given. Knowledge, Power, and Energy and.. some others. I know things- even if I don't remember. I... I know a lot of things. Things that should be impossible to know. I can... feel, creation in a different way. It's like... a connection. I... know things. Feel things. That's... it's the only way to describe it. It's.. why I'm acting this weird. Or... out of character? Yeah.." She looked past Luna. "Well.. we have... come to discuss, with thee. Since thine ascension, we will be required to maketh thee... a princess, as tradition states. We find it best to do so sooner rather than later, and thou will be coronated here in Canterlot." Oblivion's look shifted from impassive- to outright furious. "Like tartarus I will!" She cursed, to Luna's utter shock. "Who the fuck do you think you are telling me what I do and don't have to do? Tradition? Do you think I give a fuck about your shitty little traditions? Do you know who I am? Do you know what I am capable of, plebian? You would dare-" Celestia's groan quieted her rampaging tirade. "Mmmoo.. Sister?" She blinked her eyes. "Mm-Twilight? What's going on?" She looked at them. CO Oblivion opened her mouth to retort the use of a dead name- but stopped. Unlike with Luna, she didn't have the ability- almost physically- to correct that with Celestia. Celestia hadn't betrayed her like the rest- Cadance was her niece, after all; and had been since before she'd been Luna's. Besides.. she loved Celestia.. Her friends, on the other hoof, had sided with Cadance because she was a princess, and... Everything stopped. They had sided with her... ... because she was a princess. She smiled a crooked, surgical smile. "Me and Luna were talking. Nothing big. Just my coronation. I had second thoughts about it, but... well, I don't see any inherent issues with the decision..." She paused, scowling. "Nobility aside." Celestia stared at her, dumfounded. "I-I.. Well, I did not think you would..." she stuttered, "I did not believe you would accept so easily..." Luna looked at her quizzically- a look she ignored in favor of indulging Celestia. "I think it's fine. She said my coronation would be, 'sooner rather than later'." Her smile dropped away. "Ah... I see.. well.." she looked Oblivion up and down. "Twilight... we may want to work on your voice beforehoof... it is quite... convincing." Celestia scratched the back of her neck. "Sorry, that's just the residue magic. It tries to take control of your mind and.. well, make you listen to me. Sort of like a puppet." She laid back down in her bed. "Sorry about waking you up, Celestia." The Sun Princess blinked in surprise at the blatant use of her name. Then smiled brightly. "It's fine, truly. I was merely curious about what you were talking to sister about. It... seems to be sorted, yes?" She looked at Luna, who still sat, utterly confused. The Lunar diarch rubbed her head, turning towards the door again. "Indeed... but... Oblivion, remember. This is no game- even if you may dislike it, even if you may despise them. You have a duty to Equestria as an alicorn. Such has been the rule in history. I know little of the role you may play, but you have become what you are, and therefore, as a princess, you will be the will of your ponies. Do you understand?" Luna waited for a response. She stood in the doorway for a full minute, fearing what she would see if she turned around. After receiving no reply for several more minutes, she finally peaked- and went galloping down the hall. Oblivion had sat, staring at her with wide, vacant eyes. Eyes filled to the brim with the blackest of malice and hatred. With a look that could only be acceptance. Celestia stared after her sister. Luna had acted strangely, of course, but... Twilight had spoken to her. That was what mattered. She now had a now topic to discuss with the mare, as well. "Twilight..." Celestia whispered. Oblivion remained silent, contemplating whether or not to reply. To reply would be to give in to the burning desire to have an intelligent conversation the only pony who didn't hurt to be in the presence of... but she would be giving in. She ran the options through her mind. She could talk to Celestia... that had always made her feel better.. Or she could ignore her. Then she wouldn't have to talk to anyone. "Twilight, pl-please..." Celestia's voice cracked at the second plea. "I-I.." Oblivion felt a blade enter into one side of her hollow heart- and exit out the other as she heard Celestia. Her damn heart... even emptied out, it made itself known as she tried to force the desire to speak to her former mentor down, her courage ridiculing them for their emotional vulnerability. She gulped. "Twilight..." Celestia buried her face into her hooves. "I'm sorry... I-I.. I'm so sorry..." She swallowed a sob. "I-I shouldn't... I sh-should've trusted you..." The stabbing pain tore through her resolve like tissue paper. Her conviction may have been powerful, but not that powerful. She quietly got out of her bed. Being alone wasn't worth making Celestia cry. "Twilight... Twilight, p-please... please... I'm sorry... j-just..." she choked, "please do not leave me... please..." She stepped up to the crying alicorn. Thin trickles of tears were a new addition to her. It was too much. She wrapped her hooves around the massive alabaster torso, letting her head fall limply against it. She wasn't sure why- but she felt better. The nothingness in her chest had faded. For the first time in days... She felt whole. She felt her heart beat anew; like a breath of fresh air. She was alive. "There's nothing to forgive... It wasn't your fault, Cadance is your niece, and I... it made sense-" "I was so cruel to you!" The Princess of the Sun wailed. "Sense or not, I should not have allowed my emotions to detest you! I should have known then that your accusations were not unfounded! I should not have left you to drown in despair! I... I should not have said..." 'You have a lot to think about.' There was the pain again. They both felt it now. Celestia was eating her own words. "Celestia, I... I know.." Oblivion closed her eyes. "It... hurt. A lot... like, it really, really hurt." She gave a dry, emotionless chuckle. "Th-they hurt me too, but.. you... you just..." "Gods, it hurt.." She closed her eyes, shutting off her own tears. It was curious that even after she'd ascended, it still hurt so badly. "But... I-I already forgave you. It's just... hard. To talk to you. I'm... dealing with some stuff, in my head. I... I know I... I know I might've said fear is for cowards... but..." "I'm scared, Celestia. What's gonna happen to me? I... I'm just..." Oblivion felt the stinging in her eyes intensify as she buried her face into the nape of Celestia's neck. "Please... I forgive you... just... please stay. I don't.. feel right.." A pair of hooves wrapped around her neck and a set of wings draped themselves around her. "I will... I swear, I will... I'll cancel Day Court... I... I should not have left. Not earlier today. Not yesterday... not... not then, either... Gods, I am a fool... I'm so sorry... I'm-mmph-" Celestia blinked in surprised, her face beet red as a pair of lavender lips pressed themselves against her own. Oblivion pulled away, her face a similar shade of crimson. "I told you I forgive you... just... do this for me... if you... if you go again.. I-I don't think I'll make it.." "I just.. Celestia.. please.. I can't do this alone. Not now.." Celestia nodded mutely, the beating of the organ in her chest trying to break out of its cage quickening as the taste of dandelions and lilac lingered behind. She... wasn't sure what she felt. Love was a foreign emotion to her- desires of the flesh she had dared not participate in- and if the feeling of a flock of angry hummingbirds trying to peck through her rib cage wasn't enough... She missed the tender pair of lips that had so briefly met hers. The nobility had tried to force her into marriage thousands of times in the past. They had failed, obviously- the Goddess of Virginity and Chastity had done a wonderful job at defending herself from those demands in particular. In the ancient times, it had made her feel out of place to be the only pony who refused to partake in the... displays of horrendous coitus. Ever. Ponies would do the deed.. in many ways, wherever, whenever, and with whoever they wished. Many ponies- her own mother included- had attempted to force her into the activities- or force themselves onto her. They failed. They ended up with their heads on pikes. It had been tartarus. So, after using Discord as a trap to slay her parents, she had begun reshaping Equestria into a land where she wouldn't feel too out of place. The trauma from Discord's reign had effected her judgement during that time. She'd been volatile to violence and cold to those around her... Sister... This wasn't like either of those, though. It wasn't the movement that had caught her attention. The action, either. It was the pony. Twilight... She didn't know if it was possible- she knew what Twilight was, of course- but... a relationship? It seemed so... impossible. Twilight, a mortal, and her? Why love a pony when you will lose them.. That had been her excuse before... now she had none. None but guilt.. She had no excuse to cover up the truth- a fact. The harsh truth of her situation. She was in love with Twilight Sparkle. Her student. A... mare. She was in love.. and had no clue what to do. She didn't know how long that had been so. All the shitty novels in Equestria couldn't even begin to compare to her situation. So, she laid there and contemplated. She had sworn she wouldn't leave Twilight- and Tartarus, nothing short of Discord returning would make her leave the mare alone again. She'd made that mistake before... Twilight's tense body had scooted skittishly away from her. The impassive mare was visibly swallowing her embarrassment, trying to inch away. The kiss had been positively delightful... Gods, she felt old. It was sudden, perhaps? But, after a desperate millennia, she was willing to take her chances, inhibitions be damned. Besides, her student.. was quite a lovely mare. If only she knew how to deal with her own emotions... Celestia pulled Twilight into her, curling around the smaller mare's body. She held her in a firm grasp, noticing the frost that seemed to cling to Twilight. She was freezing cold- something Celestia planned to fix. A teary, joyful whimper sounded from underneath the cocoon. She was in love with Twilight Sparkle... And maybe that was just fine. Even if she hadn't the slightest clue what to do about it... And she had only hurt the mare... A lot. The thought filed itself away for the morning, when she could panic about it unbidden. "Mmm..." she heard the voice murmur. Sleep was subjective for them all the same, but it was a simple thing that worked wonders for coming back with a clear head. Sleep came quicker than her nervous body would have liked. Celestial Advice"Sometimes, it can be hard to forgive yourself. I know it will be for me. I.. have had to do things for my husband and my empire that have brought my name nothing but bastardization. I regret my actions, no matter how many times I am forgiven. Maybe one day, I'll forgive myself.." - Queen Cosmos, fall of Queen Noxus C The first thing Celestia had noted about Twilight- Oblivion, as she had practically shouted at Luna the day before- after she had awoken was that she was a cuddler. She was not gentle, either. Celestia had been lucky to get enough time to raise Sol before she'd been yanked into a bear trap of purple hooves. Twilight had grown during the night, that much was obvious. Where she had formerly been small enough to fit under her wing, she now lay almost as tall as Celestia herself. She hadn't let up on her vice-grip for even a moment. Celestia could make out little else. The second thing Celestia noticed was the long, girthy length and two generous orbs pressing against her fur. Her face went red- so red that, had she not been a goddess, she likely would have died of hemorrhaging- at the feeling. She knew what it was- she had since she'd taken Twilight on as a student- but to be this close to it... was an enlightening experience, of sorts. She didn't know how to feel... but it was eye-opening. Seeing it and touching it- having it rub against her fur- were two entirely different experiences. Her teats seemed to be far more sensitive than usual, and she could feel the cool air blow against her undisguised folds. It was new. She didn't mind. She squirmed her untouched nethers away. Its purity was both her pride... and her shame. It was too pure. So long as Twilight didn't do that... Yet, she longed... She'd was quickly become uncomfortable. The mare beside her was asleep, she was certain. Twilight was a heavy sleeper. It would have taken a rampaging Ursa Major to wake her up. The feeling of the length had made her unbearably uncomfortable, though. It was... foreign. Strange. New. Like the world she had woken up in. She had betrayed Twilight. She had left her to her tears and sorrow in an act of foolishness. But... Twilight's ability to forgive was a feat. Even after what Celestia had said, even though she didn't deserve it, Twilight had forgiven her. She had let Twilight die. And then Twilight had forgiven her. ... she didn't deserve it. Her chest felt odd again. Different feelings, all mixing with the lovely warmth in the center. Pain was one of them. She didn't deserve any of this- she should be on her flanks begging for forgiveness!- but... It wasn't her choice to make anymore. That felt nice, at the least. The smell of ozone that radiated from Twilight was slightly disconcerting. It seemed to mix with paper and ink, sitting itself in an unnatural trilateral between the two. For the most part... the mare smelled like she should. She laid her head back, resting it against the back of the lofty couch. It felt like an eternity as she laid there, feeling the gentle beating of Twilight's heart and the slow, rhythmic pulse of blood up the length. It was calming, if soothing; and she let her mind be dragged off by the lulling hum. Until she heard a voice. 'Who do we have here?' a cheerful, familiar voice inquired. She should have expected that. 'The reason I rushed your dawn, perhaps?' she answered back. 'I think it's a very good reason, Celestia. I've never seen you with another pony before. It's... cute. Wait, no.. I don't mean it, like...' Sol grunted in frustration. 'Sorry. I didn't mean it like... cute, like, that... I meant I'm surprised it took you this long to find 'the one'. Thousand years, sheesh. Looks like she was worth the wait, though, hum? She's cute. And, from most of your interactions, like, inequinely nice.' 'Indeed... I simply worry, friend. I... Celestia's mind struggled to put together a coherent thought. She... 'You got the jitters, hm?' She nodded weakly. Sol was childish at best, but... knew what to say, most of the time. 'C'mon, Celestia! You've been waiting millennia to have somepony for yourself! And one you definitely say yes to be a lover to just hands herself over to you on a silver platter? You're crazier than your sister- and she's a genocidal slut!' Derogatory comment aside, it was true. 'Perhaps, but.. it's simply so sudden. I fear as though it is not meant to be... that it was simply made in the moment.. and are my fears unfounded, truly? What I have done to her... it could not bring any success to us.. have I not poisoned any potential for its possibility to be true?' Celestia sniffed, forcing her muzzle deeper into Twilight's coat. Sol was silent for a moment.'Celestia,' it finally began, 'I know you think that. I... Hey, I've had a millennia to get to know you. I should've guessed you'd feel that way. But I want you to listen to me. The only pony here doubting this is you. I've seen that mare work- the fact you didn't know she's always felt this way... kind of baffles me- and I'll be damned if I let your paranoia ruin it for the both of you. Did it look like she doubted it? For even a second? Did it sound like some kind of epiphany to her? Or did she say it and know it? The only one here that's having any kind of problems is you. You made a mistake- a bad one. You fucked up, Miss 'Sol Invicta'. You're still going to try to make that up- I know you will. That's just how you are. But damnit- if you ruin this because of your guilty conscious..!' 'You fucked up bad. I'm old- older than you, your father, and your father's father. I've seen a lot of fuck ups in my eternity. Aeternum fucked up when he decided to go and face Discord himself. Cosmos fucked up when he fell into your trap and got himself killed. Galixia fucked up when she decided to 'defend' you from the 'Mad God'. You fucked up with Scorpan and Tirek. You fucked up with Sombra. You fucked up with Luna. Do you know what you did afterwards? After Tirek had rampaged through Equestria? You blamed yourself. Even after you defeated him. You blamed yourself for not getting to the Crystal Empire in time to save its ponies. There's a lot of stuff you can blame yourself for. But you need to stop right here.' 'I might not know the mare as well as you, but I know enough. I know enough to know that if she knew you'd beat yourself up over what you did, she'd scold you like a filly and blame herself. And you know I'm right. So don't start having second thoughts now. Twilight broke her own mind, alright? I saw it happen. I'm the sun for eternity's sake. Twilight wantedMagicto break her mind. She'd asked for it. Did you make a mistake? Yeah. Yeah, you definitely did. Do you plan on fixing it? You'll try. But.. you can't expect this to work, if you're just going to go on and on because of guilt. It would be you poisoning the relationship. Remember, Twilight told you she forgave you. Don't waste that forgiveness like an idiot. Not every single misfortune in history is your fault.' 'Besides, she really will need you. Not many ponies ascend, and the ones that do typically have to take a while to get used to it. She's not gonna be an exception to that. You heard her yesterday- her mind is trying to run her in circles. The Aether sucks like that, apparently. And with all those elements? We're lucky she hasn't gone insane. Of course she'll need you. By Elysium, how do you think she feels when she's alone?' She'd gotten used to Sol constantly being right. Of course the sun would be right. Of course the sun's argument was completely and utterly true. Of course she had nothing to retort. It was right. 'I... had not thought... of.. that... 'Trust me, you wouldn't have. Guilt clouds the mind, but that's why I'm here. You love her, don't you?' She nodded vigorously. Every part of Twilight had been something she had sought; her heart; caring even in the most hopeless circumstances, her faithfulness; even in treachery, her intelligence... she had a way of getting under Celestia's fur that she'd never felt before. The rare beauty in the mare was hard to miss. Their personalities' similarities. Twilight left her with an odd, fuzzy feeling in her chest. A feeling that had spread throughout her body when she was with the mare... 'Then listen to me for once in your life! You always ignore my advice- but listen to me now! Just this once- gods! We don't have the connectionLun and Luna have, I know! You don't talk to me much! Even friendly, we aren't that close! You prefer listening to yourself. I understand that! But please! You don't have to listen to me again, but... please. Just this once. It's... it's all I ask.. I'll never contact you again unless you want. Just... listen to me. One damn time...' Many times in the past, Celestia had ignored Sol's pleading in favor of her own plans. She'd always placed her own experience before the experience of the sun... But now, the sun's experience was all she had to go by. So she'd listen. Outside, it brightened a smidgen. 'Please do not make me regret this, Sol.' 'You won't, Celestia. My advice tends to have a much better outcome than your self-loathing.' Celestia's lips tilted downward. 'Oh, don't be a sour puss! I'm only trying to help. Besides, what's the worst that could happen? A guilt-ridden, heartbroken Oblivion falls and becomes the next Nightmare Moon with no Elements if Harmony to stop her?' Sol mocked. The joke was terrible, of course. In fact, it was a terrifying thought. But insult to injury was how the sun tended to work. 'Would your wisdom perhaps extend to this?' She focused on the feeling of the slick length against her stomach. Mild amusement overcame her worry as Sol went silent for another moment, seemingly entranced in thought. She waited for a reply, the rushing of solar energy that had flooded her ears dimming. 'Well.. I will admit, I have never seen anything like it... or... felt? It doesn't matter.. truthfully, what you wish to do with this knowledge is for you to decide. I see no reason for this to become something major. She might be a goddess, and she might have.. one of those, but inside, she's still a mare. What are your thoughts?' 'I... I believe similarly. The problem is miniscule, indeed. Of course, this does mean that we could...' Celestia gulped. And the sun seemed to flare through the window. 'OPPORTUNITY!' With that, and a screeching blare of solar wind, the voice went silent. 'Great gods, what have I done...' She watched the window, the sun glowing with more radiance than it had in all her life. Perhaps Sol was correct, though. The sound of a low, husky groan singing against her eardrums was a sign that she would find out soon enough. New Mornings"If all you ponies see in me is a monster, then a monster I shall become! If I have to rip this Tartarus forsaken land apart myself!" - Discord, the Slaying of Aeternum O Her head was a cacophony. Ideas- conscious, living ideas were bubbling and screaming at her. It was... It... It was so fucking annoying. 'S̶i̶l̸e̴n̴c̸e̴.̸' Her voice echoed off the walls of her mind. It was fragile- Magic had had to piece it back together from almost nothing before they fused- and she wouldn't risk the insanity of the elements destroying it before it could recuperate. She was groggy, that much was true. What time it was, she didn't need to- nor did she want to- know. She was curious about other things at that moment- the voices, herself, the very comfortable warmth against her and her stiff male appendage... She paused on the last one for a moment, before moving on. She felt... nothing, really. Not anymore. She had suppressed the cries of the virtues and sins, leaving her feeling... nothing. Well, except for the morning wood. A lot of mares would ask how stallions dealt with it, but it was very simple for a pony who it'd come to naturally. She pressed her hips forward into the warmth. It felt soft... Whatever it was, she'd clean it later. She rhythmically humped the soft, plush shape. It squirmed for a moment, before going still as it seemed to find a comfortable position. Odd. Normally, inanimate objects didn't do that. Knowledge was banging against the mental barrier again. 'O̵̳̭̝̖̳͂́́͑̕ḥ̴͕͇̦͂͊,̴̻̮̈́̔́͌͠ ̴̨̦͌̈͊̂̈́͘͠w̸̢͎̙̼͈͎̉̍̌͊̓h̷̨̜̿́̾͋͛̃͒a̵͙̻̹̦̰̣̽̑͒͑́̚͠t̶̻͈͎̖̩̏̇ ̷͖͈̯̱̉͛t̷̹͓͔̺̭͚͋͌̽̒̓͠ͅh̶̗̔͐͆è̷̗̺͚͌̇̕͘ ̸̠̓̄̒̈́̀̿f̴͈̍̊̍̚͝ư̶̗̲̳̦̣͇͈̊̌͋̊̊c̸͈̫̊̌ǩ̸̞̳̟̜̱̺͠ͅ ̴̡̤̌̃̏i̶͍̙̯̱̍̈́s̷̖͉͓̣̞͂ ̵͔͎̝̞͕͊ḯ̸͙̘́̇͠͝t̷̜̹͈͍͉͜͝ ̷̦͓̼̲̘̱̔̃̅̕ń̶̼͋̊̑͝ö̵̢̟̞̥́͌̉̎̕͝͠w̴̬͈̝̉̈́̈̀͐͗͘?̷̢̨̮̻͍͆̈̀̂͋͜' Her mind hissed, pressing her cock firmly into the plump mass. What was so important- ... 'Shit.' Her eyes cracked open, allowing the blinding light of the sun to penetrate her divine pupils. In her hooves,-now at... equal height?!- lay Celestia. She was blushing profusely- Oblivion had never seen so much red on the Sun Goddess's face- and avoiding her eyes. Scratch that. She wasn't avoiding eye contact, she was looking at... C Celestia felt her breath hitch as the hard, throbbing length against her chest pushed forward. She'd been in similar situations- unwillingly- but none had ever gone this far. Nervousness and fear came immediately. Her first instinct's reaction would have normally been, in any other situation, to vaporize the pony. This wasn't a normal situation though... She was willing to see this through. She was terrified, of course- who wouldn't be?- but curious. She'd never seen the male genitalia at work before, and it may have been a good opportunity to learn about what she would need to prepare for... from a first person perspective. Yes. and perhaps obsess over Twilight. Only a bit. Not too much. The soft, unrestrained groans played in her ears. The mare was clearly enjoying herself- that much could be observed, but still seemed.. asleep. Mostly asleep. And oh, how beautiful she looked! Twilight's peaceful, resting features were more serene than any mask she could ever have managed! A sticky liquid had also made itself present. She knew what it was- but hadn't the courage to try and move. She wasn't sure if she wanted to help please Twilight or hide in the opposite corner of the room and leave the mare to do her.. thing. Both choices seemed optimal. Before she could pick one, though, the sound of the door creaking open interrupted the sound of the slick, wet squelching. "Twilig- Er, apologies, Obliviooooo.....-" Luna walked muzzle first into the room, eyes immediately landing on the cozy couch in the corner. Celestia felt her ageless heart stop. Luna stared at her and Twilight, jaw slack. Her eyes were the size of Canterlot Castle's chandeliers, and her voice seemed to have eaten itself before reaching her mouth. "-n." she squeaked. No pony moved besides Twilight, who, after a few more hard thrusts, paused. She seemed to be waking up now, her half-dazed humping coming to a complete stop as a pair of unfocused eyes fixed themselves on Celestia. The three ponies sat in silence, watching each other in the current of awkward display. Luna visibly failed at speaking as she tried to move her mouth. C x O Oblivion held her tongue. Quite literally. She felt it bleed in her mouth as her teeth bit down on it, silencing anything that would have otherwise forced itself out of her mouth. The room was still as death- funny, to her- and the divinity simply stared at one another in shock, embarrassment, and shame. "W-well..." Luna stated lamely. "Uhm... this is... unexpected... mostly..." Celestia gulped, running her tongue along the inside of her mouth. Her throat was suddenly dry, and a sense of sweeping terror had arisen. She wasn't sure why, but the thought of being watched while she satisfied the sleeping mare beside her made her feel... heated. Luna sputtered, watching Celestia's mask strain to keep itself together. "W-we apologize if we are interrupting, sister, we.. Uhm, I was simply here to tell our soon-to-be Princess that her friends await her outside... we..." She trailed off, trying desperately to find any excuse to leave. Celestia hid her face behind her mane in shame. Luna had... She'd... A face buried itself into her neck. Twilight's body had frozen over- the ice was visible now- and felt more like a glacier than a pony. She would send herself to tartarus before she let her Twilight go, but the sheer, gargantuan amounts of humiliation that seemed to flood her made her shake. 'Celestia? Listen to me, alright? Luna should have knocked first- don't go now. You'll send Twilight the wrong signals. Remember, this isn't your fault. Use your indignation, Celestia. Protect yourself, damnit! It was her fault for barging in here like she owned the place! If she considered you and Twilight equals,- sisters- she wouldn't have done that! You understand? Don't go back now- you want your happy little ending with Twilight? Then don't fucking do it! What you were doing was fine! Just get her out!' Sol howled into her mind, her righteous tone beating back the inability to speak. She swallowed the embarrassment, repairing her shaky mask as best she could. "Sister.. we would appreciate if you gave us some.. privacy, please..." Luna gave her a pointed, 'We'll talk about this later' look, and fled; an unconscious baby dragon held in her magic. Celestia clutched the freezing pony to her chest, feeling her temperature continue to drop as the door slammed shut. A whimper came from below her head. "M'sorry..." Oblivion muttered. "I didn't mean to.. I forgot... I jus'..." She pulled her hooves around herself. "I didn't mean to.. I was just doing what I normally do.. I.. I didn't remember..." A pink, crystal tear fell limply onto the couch. "Twi-Twilight...-" "Oblivion..." She muttered sadly. "Please.. it... it is fine. It was not too much of a bother. While it was unexpected I.. will admit I was intrigued. It.. it is fine- love, please... please calm down..." She stroked the mare's frost-coated mane. "Please... you're alright..." "B-but I... I'm..." The mare that was once Twilight Sparkle hiccuped. "d-disgusting.." "No.. you are not.." Celestia whispered softly. "Yes I'am..." Oblivion mumbled sleepily, turning her body away to hide her shame between her hind legs. The pink crystals shattered against the cold, unforgiving floor. "I would've stayed in'm bed... I jus' forgot I was'a m'nster... I'was jus'... so happy.." Bitterness sunk it's fangs into her. "M'sorry..." 'Damage control. Now.' Celestia was already on it, though; grabbing Twilight in her magic a she tried to climb off the relatively crowded cushions. "Wait, please-" "Nyyyo! Lemme go! I... I'm... I'm..." The purple alicorn sagged as the solar magic yanked her back to her spot on the couch. "'m evil..." "I'm an abomination... 'ma freak.. lemme... lemme go..." She pulled her tail over the source if her misery, pinning it against her. "Lemme go... I'm... 'm..." Celestia tenderly stroked the frost covered pony's muzzle. "Where do you come up with such things, Twilight..? Hadn't I taught you never to judge a pony by their appearance?" "'m different!..." The mare cried, her sleepy gaze never focusing. "I shouldn' exist... I'm not a mare.. I'm jus'-" 'That's illogical.' "You are a mare, Twilight. You may be of both genders' influence, but you are a mare in mind and physique. Please, Twilight, talk to me... Who would say such things? You are the kindest pony I have ever met, and you have befriended all you have come across. You have never said such things before.. Who would put these horrible ideas in your head?" "'verypony that knows... what'I am..." Oblivion mumbled. "They all think it... m'a freak..." "You are not a freak for that reason alone, Twilight. A pony with a heart as caring and forgiving as yours is not a monster. Please, answer the question; who would say those things.." 'You're hurting, and you refuse to tell anypony who it is that hurt you..' She pleaded. 'Just like me..' Oblivion whimpered as her sleepy haze faded. "Does it matter? You can't do anything about it.. no one can..." "I'm just the butt of a shitty joke the universe likes playing.. I'm sorry about yesterday... it was out of line. I shouldn't have done that... I-I wasn't thinking.. I did something I'm not allowed to.. just another stupid mistake... I'm still fucking useless-" "Answer the question. Now." 'Cool it. Defensive? Fine. Just don't go on a fucking head hunt yet. You still gotta lift her out of her hole, 'kay?' She didn't respond. Oblivion shook her head weakly. "No... They're right... I keep making stupid mistakes and getting out of line... going out of my way to be a burden... just like the wedding... I'm.. I'm just-" The alabaster goddess grit her teeth. "Damnit, Twilight, tell me! You have done nothing above your newly given authority, and must I say it out loud for you to understand? Did I not clearly state my lack of such an opinion? Must I say it so you understand? Damnit Twilight, I love you so! I would shout it to the world! But you must tell me who bothers you! Who would say such things! And why-" "My parents! My.. my..." "My parents..." The response shocked her. Her rant stopped... "Your..." She shakily managed. "My parents... my parents.. my own fucking parents.. everypony at your stupid fucking school!... all the nobles... doctors... th-they all know... they all know I'm... I'm..." She choked on her words, squeezing her tail against her chest. The less she could see of what it hid, the better. It- She was tossed onto her side again, pinning her chest-to-chest with the mare whose height she almost mimicked. She found her vision filled with lime-green and white, the delicate scent of a field of flowers in spring reaching her senses. Celestia lay in stunned silence, squeezing the lavender ball of light in her hooves. She'd expected the middlemost two, but the first and the last ones... She'd have to have a parent-teacher conference very, very soon. Twilight writhed in her grasp, trying to shake herself free. She leaned down, pushing her lips against the tip of the lavender horn the now sat in front of her muzzle. "Twilight... you should've told me.." she whispered. "No! Because they're right! Because they've always been right! Nopony can love me- nopony! I'm just a useless leech! I'm a monster who's only alive because you protected her! I can't even take care of myself! I deserve every time a pony's tried to hurt me! I-" Celestia closed the voidesque depth that howled its blasphemy. Terror to her ears- verbal abuse; something she knew quite well. As a filly, no less. She'd never thought her ponies could be so blind- and cruel. She had thought they'd learned from her mother and father's corrupt reign. Twilight was a very accomplished mare; who'd built her own self-importance- but none of that seemed to register with the mare herself. And her parents... Twilight struggled in her hooves for a time, her mouth attempting to utter the terrible words of self-loathing and hate. Her undesirability and lack of worth. She fought Celestia's hold, but her heart- as empty as it was- wasn't behind it. Celestia could tell. As Twilight fell still, the tinkling of crystals as they were crushed and shattered played in time with the soft sobs, the biting air of the room as Magic's cold, soulless reasoning fought with the sun's loving warmth. The cries brought hammer after hammer down on Celestia's heart. Goddesses, she had hurt Twilight. But Twilight had hurt from far worse, for far longer. "You are wrong... you are so, so very wrong. I love you, my Light. I love you so dearly.. Other ponies may not, but I do. I will love you as you should be loved... and I will love all of you- even the parts you consider monstrous. Please, Twilight... To see you suffer pains me..." "Į̷̬͛̌t̴̝̓̊ ̸̟̥̉d̴̖̯̎̓ī̷͜ď̶͈̈́n̷̗͆͐'̴̡̀̆ͅt̵̺̊ ̵̛̰p̴̦͌̑a̶̝̓̓i̶̻̲̔̄n̴̬̭̈ ̶̱͍͝y̸̢̦̿o̵̰̠̓ụ̴̻̇̂ ̷̗̫̆̐b̶͕͌ĕ̵͖f̷̮̈o̸̜̗͌̏r̴̡̐ȩ̷͚͗̌,̷̦̬̐ ̵̯̫̑͛ḏ̵͊͝i̵͎̘͝d̴̬̰͐ ̵͓̮̑̔i̵͍̘͋t̶̙̻̆?̶̼̓̿ͅ ̷̦͆͝W̴͇̉ͅh̶̢͗̑ẻ̷̥̯̋n̶͍̙̆͛ ̷͍͝I̸̜̽ͅ ̷̥͚̚w̷̠͌â̵̖̞n̴̲̿t̸̲͍̓e̸͖̖̓d̸̦̬͆ ̵͇̇͆t̸̘̾̅o̸̩̮͑͛ ̵̘̤̄̉k̶͓̞̄̏e̸̥̾ḙ̶̉͝p̴̹̓ ̶̛̟̣̕y̸̢̦̽͑o̷̻̔u̵̹͚͐̚ ̴̛̰a̴̛͉͓̍l̵̮̻̈́͠ĺ̷̲̮ ̸̟͕̎ṣ̸̪́̑a̴͈̍͠f̶̦͙̔̑ĕ̶͚,̵̼͛ͅ ̶̹̮̉̃d̵͈̓ì̶͜d̷̤̑ ̷̱̕y̷̱̠̽o̷̬̩͋û̷͙̜̍ ̷̡̅͝f̸͉̀e̵̩͚͒͑ȩ̴̜̌͊l̷̛̪̙ ̸̺͔̕a̸̲̿n̵̢̾͘ẏ̸͜͠ ̵̥̿ͅr̴͖̮̒e̸̡̔m̴̛͍̖o̵͚͒ȑ̴̝̗̍s̷̯̫͋e̷̫̮͘ ̷̱̆̒͜ẗ̶̗̺̃h̶̠̺̑e̵͓̹͒n̴̯͌̀?̷̮̀ ̵̦̊̈́W̵̝̰̌͘h̸̦̍e̵͔̱̓n̶̡͗ ̴͖̂ỷ̶ͅò̴̲u̵̫͝ ̷̙͚͗͂l̵̪͊͝e̷̬͚̾͒t̷͔̆͝ ̸̤͉̿́m̷̨̱̂e̷̥̔̐ ̴̼̊̈́c̷̟̄͠r̵̭͖̂ỹ̵̹ ̵̖͆̐m̷͖̪̾ÿ̸͔̫́̕s̵͍̃e̶̹̓̈́l̸̜̊f̵̹̆ ̴̧̜͋̏t̶̪̾o̶͓͔͝ ̵͍̕s̵̘̙͑l̴̞͂ẹ̶͇́̏ė̸͈̙̇p̶̰͆͆?̵̭̘̾ ̸͍̬̀D̷̃́ͅi̸̢̓ḓ̶̊͠ ̸̤͆̍i̷̠̱̅͗t̵̖͘ ̸͖̋̚p̶̥̿ã̴̗ỉ̷͉͕n̸̠̈́ ̸͋̊͜y̶̧̕o̶̫͛ū̶͕̤͌ ̶̗̹̈́͂w̵̬̰̎̔h̸͕̋͂ͅė̵̛͜n̴̝̏ ̵̜̈́͌y̶̭̟̚o̷͓̹̾̈́u̷̦͌͊ ̸̦̑͜ḓ̶̊̑͜ḯ̶͔d̵̮̃ ̵̥̼͒̕ṫ̴̨̇h̷̖̒a̷̩͐͠t̷͎̂̋?̶̟̈́͑ ̵̨̡̣̎̑̌̀̽̃͝Ẃ̵̡͔̲̣̭̆͗͗̔̉̏h̷̡͎̞̳̦̬͎͎̝̻̚ͅe̴̩͕̦͚͕̲͚̰̋͌̀̽͠n̷̛̬̝͚̩͐͊̋̾̀̽̐̏̃͠ ̸̨̡͚̭͚͈̬̻̌̈́̔̈́̌͗̏͝ÿ̵͖́͋͊̅͆̊̑̈̚ǫ̷̠͖͙̺͈̠̟̒̔̉̉͛ͅͅų̴̢̡̠̤̹̫͗̏̄́̊̚͘͠ ̶̧̪̭̭͕̩̠̲̝̥͇̦̋̉̽̀̆̈́̉̄̊͆͜͝͝͝l̷̨̝̜͎̰̋͌́͂̆̾̆͆̈ͅȩ̸̻̺̰̟̬̬̹̪͔͔̥̅͜t̷̤̖̓ ̸̠̥̱̥̭̪̖̫̱̯̹͌̉̈́͗̈́̇̽͜m̷̧̜̗͉̳͔͇̣̏͊͆̕͜͜e̵̮̍̀ ̶̨̲̮̩͎̈͛̋̈́̅͐̀̀̈̕̚͘͝d̵̹̮̳̩̝͉̱͍̳̐͛̈́͐͆̇̎̏̕ͅȋ̵̱̦̪͆̅̊ȩ̴̝̤̥̗̞̾̓̇̄̏̓̌̈́̽̌̕?̵̧̭͍̮͍̲́͒̐̚͜ͅͅ" The screeching abyss bellowed. Celestia rubbed the base of Twilight's wing, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "Yes, it did. I.. I thought myself right.. I thought my wisdom superior... I have yet to forgive myself for being so foolish..." The voice didn't reply. "And I... I will not do so... for I had so stupidly left another pony to a fate so similar, and nigh lost them. And I had not learned... Now I have broken the one that I love..." She winced. "And I cannot fix my mistake..." The room was still as the crystalline ice that had formed on the frozen mare slowly melted back into her body. Her body temperature went up in time. All good signs, in Celestia's opinion. She felt a sigh. In her tangle of legs, Twilight had shifted her head down, her eyes focusing on the white fur of the alicorn's chest. Celestia watched her precious Light press her hooves against her tail, stimulating the dark-purple cock underneath it. Her face was covered in a bright red shame. Something that would likely be the pride and envy of all stallions was the mare's largest social hindrance. Something she would be allowed to hide from her no longer. Even with the discomfort. 'And.. the possibilities.' Her forehoof moved down to Twilight's tail and, to her Light's surprise, moved it aside. She brought the irritated length over to rest against her stomach. It was impossibly long- ending just below the center of her chest- and dangerously thick, but remained motionless as the pony it belonged to twitched, hugging herself tightly. "There's no need to be ashamed, Twilight.. while it might not be a feature on any other mare, it makes you special. You have something they never will. Do not hide it from me, please.. Do not hide something so deserving of praise.." She looked at Twilight, who was visibly fighting herself. Oblivion wasn't sure anymore. Everything she had been told all her life- by everypony- was being questioned and defied in a single moment. She believed it, obviously- a pony who couldn't even be born right didn't deserve to be loved- but then again... Arrogance may have been able to fix it... she'd consider. Besides, Celestia was a fellow Goddess... if it was true, then what was wrong? She had been given explicit permission. She had been told she was loved... and she was, if the virtues' influence did not lie. But... The raging storm in her mind was a tiring task for the barrier to contain. She couldn't decide on how to feel- but.. Celestia had said yes, so it stood to reason. Reason and logic worked. They didn't have opinions. They were fact. Celestia loved her. Celestia said she didn't mind. It wasn't disturbing to Celestia. Therefore, she could. She pushed herself forward, squishing her length between them. Her hooves latched themselves around the other alicorn as her head finally came to rest itself against an alabaster cheek. 'Congrats, crisis averted... seriously, congrats. I thought she'd lose it there for a second. She's pretty fucked in the mornings... guess I can see why, though. I mean, mental instability and repressed emotional trauma? That's a messed up combination.. Then again, you'd know about those things too, wouldn't you?' 'You said you would not return unless I asked it of you.' Celestia nuzzled Twilight. 'Sorry, I'm just trying to help. I mean, you've never listened to me before! How can I just sit by...' 'You said you would.' 'Fine, fine..' Sol's grumbling voice vanished. In the now relatively peaceful room, Celestia exhaled quietly. Quiet was nice. Quiet and.. well, another noise. She pressed her hips forward, her cock running along Celestia's soft coat. Precum had already slathered the length of it, and each thrust was slick with another quickly following it. She yearned for more- something further down, something she knew was uncharted territory to anyone that had ever lived- but dared not. She wouldn't test her luck yet; it had already given her enough. She ran the tip of her nose along Celestia's collarbone, putting the knowledge she had gained from Lust's Element to use. Maybe a little too intimate, but if it was fine with the mare beside her, then... Her teeth daintily nipped the taut, stretchy flesh. Celestia's face was a mixture of surprise and confusion as she moaned. Oblivion paused, looking up at her unsurely. She pushed the base of her cock against the mare's stomach, momentarily satisfying the burning need. "Can I... Do you want me to stop..? It's, uh, fine if you do... I was just-" she started. "N-no... it's fine, truly. Ah, perhaps a bit... forward, for only the second day, but... there is nothing wrong with that. It feels.. wonderful, actually. Where did you learn this? I have not known you to have done anything.." Celestia gestured with her hoof. "I haven't.. I just, know this stuff.. now. It's hard to explain. I just know a lot of stuff and how to do it. This is one of those things. So... it's okay?" Celestia nodded. She leaned her head back down, nipping and kissing the parted fur. Her muzzle trailed across the perfect coat, pulling generous amounts of the smooth, pink skin up with each delicate nibble. She grinded her cock against Celestia, feeling it pulse with each moan. The sound of her lover's soft, uncertain moans was more than a little arousing. Her hooves rubbed the length of the alicorn's flared wings as she pressed the length between her hips harder, shortening her thrusts. She groaned, pulling away from Celestia's neck and leaning up. She pressed her lips against their ivory counterparts, soaking in their taste. She knew Celestia had a sweet-tooth, but the taste of chocolate cake that coated her lips was priceless. Her tongue worked its way out of her mouth and she gently prodded the pair of white, velvety lips against her own. A moment of hesitation seemed to pass through Celestia, face rose red and panting. Oblivion opened her eyes, lovingly gazing into the magenta pair that met them. Gods, did she feel amazing... But her mare seemed nervous. Unsure of whether to accept her invitation or not. Her tongue slipped back into her own mouth, pulling away. "Too much?" She breathed softly. "I... do not know... perhaps? It seems unorthodox to myself. It wasn't that long ago that I left you to become a mound of flesh and blood at my actions..." Celestia's ears pinned back. Oblivion paused, leaning her horn against her mare's. She wasn't wrong in her observation, but.. perhaps it was. She didn't want to scare the chance of more off, either. Celestia had agreed out of curiosity. "I'll be finished soon; it'd be.. easier if you were on your back and I could.. well, be on top." a blush crept its way onto her cheeks. "I... It'll make it easier.. besides.." she murmured. "I'd feel a lot closer to you on top..." Celestia looked contemplative for a moment. Obviously she was ready to see just how far she and her lover could go, but it didn't seem right... not yet. But when dealing with divinity, orthodoxy tends to fail spectacularly. She bit her lip, rolling it in her mouth again as the options fought with each other for dominance. She doubted she would regret it- she may not have been lustful.. or very sexual at all, but she could still feel pleasure- and it was Twilight.. Nopony had to know about their activities. Except her sister, but that was unavoidable. Irony was a killer, and... who were the ponies outside to deny her the long-awaited intimacy she'd been searching for? Boundaries would have to be set, of course, but... Right now, it was perfect. She wasn't living in the past anymore. This was no attempt at molestation or forced confrontation. This was... love. Mutual. Different from how most ponies did it nowadays, but it was love. It was the highest form of intimacy, and they were both suckers for it. The closest, most intimate you could get with another pony, or goddess, was inside of them. Besides, it wasn't like anything could go wrong. ... right? 'I can think of about thirty things that could go wrong just off the top of my solar flare.' An irritating voice that was promptly ignored stated. She looked back at Twilight... The mare had grown. Significantly. Her body was also changing drastically. Apparently, she wasn't done with her ascension- not entirely. It was as good a time as any. It'd leave a lasting impact on her subconscious mind- hopefully a good one. Celestia pushed their muzzles back together. Oblivion felt her cock throb as she thrust against her lover's coat. Her wings extended with a loud 'pomf' as her tongue was greeted by an open muzzle, diving into it. She moaned, the feeling of another hot, wet appendage mingling with hers making her stallionhood pulse, oozing precum on both of their chests while her body fought itself on top and she pushed her meat against Celestia. Hard. She felt a pair of soaked lips spread around the base of her spire. Her eyes locked with Celestia's, who had taken to grinding her and moaning with reckless abandon. They met gazes as she pushed again and in a final, utterly irrational decision, Celestia nodded. Oblivion took a hint. She pulled her body back, lining up the tip of her cock with Celestia's dripping pussy. It was leaking, and the smell of arousal that filled the air was almost intoxicating. She pushed her length forward, gasping as the slit stretched around it. The faint feeling of a barrier that she had quickly pushed through and a cry of pain from below caused her to look down. Celestia was biting her lip to keep from screaming in agony and attempted re-rationalization. It felt so good.. she couldn't stop now! She shook Twilight's concern off. Rational or not, the mare would take her now! "Oh, Celestia.." Oblivion opened her mouth in a groan. The slick feeling of blood was being washed away by Celestia's juices; coating and lubing her length. She pressed forward, her cock sliding into the tight, moist hole. She continued without pause, feeling the writhing ecstasy below her. Celestia's mind was awash with a haze of pain and pleasure. She had never known such a feeling could exist- it was beautiful!- and she didn't want it to stop. The feeling of being filled was so foreign; yet completing. Animal instinct took over as the length was buried inside her. Oblivion felt her medial ring lash out against the entrance of her princess's pussy. She thrust vigorously, pumping in and out of the hole until the feeling of sticky, wet mare juice squirting onto her let it slip through. Celestia convulsed blissfully below her as they both cried out in unison, joyous screams filling the empty room. She thrust it back, before forcing it into the ever-expanding hole again, driving her cock deeper with each subsequent thrust; her and Celestia's kiss breaking as a pair of well-endowed balls connected with an obscene, lewd smack. She hilted in the hole, pumping her cock against the entrance of Celestia's womb. It didn't matter now. Both of them wrapped the other in their hooves as her balls churned, a vibrating pulse shaking her unsteady legs. She pulled Celestia up, letting the mare slide down her cock until she hit the base. Her length disappeared into the hole as a throb began making its way up her cock. "Celestia- I-I'm gonna c-cum.." she breathed. Her tip flared against the womb's entrance. Without pause or second thought, Celestia moaned. "Twilight.. Inside, please.." She wanted to be stuffed- wanted to feel the fullness in her womb. Gods, she wanted to foal the mare's children! The eroticism and the moan that followed drove Oblivion over the edge. She pulled her mare as close to her as she could, tying their muzzles together as a torrent of thick, milky cream exploded from her cock. She felt Celestia bloating by the first load, and gently rubbed the bulge in her alabaster form. Another load, thicker and heavier than the last, squirt from her cock. She kept thrusting in short, rhythmic bursts, slamming herself into Celestia's cervix. She felt no small amount of fear as what she had done temporarily registered. It disappeared a moment later, being replaced by need. She continued fucking Celestia, holding the mare in a sitting position as her body went limp and her moans grew to screams. The feeling of the clenching hole and squirting juices was too much, even as she let her seventh load unrestrained into her mare. 'Fuck, I don't think I can stop...' Her loads kept coming, the well of cum overflowing inside Celestia. She felt it spill out of her lover's overstuffed cunt and onto her, coating her ballsack and teats; staining her inner thighs white. The sticky foal juice covered the couch under them, as the waves of sperm kept coming. After her thirty-second load, she felt the drain. Her spurts slowed and thinned, leaving a river of cum to soak their impromptu bed. Oblivion sat down in her cum, rubbing her own pussy into it. The act was disgusting, but in her hazy state, it brought another short spurt of spunk from her length, feeling sleep creep up on her as she looked down at the mess. Her body fell forward on top of Celestia's, who had already passed out. She unconsciously tightened her hold on Celestia, letting her mind shut down as the thought of all the potent semen inside of the mare threatened to drag her into a panic attack. Letting the exhaustion take over as she thought about how she had claimed the mare only a day-and-a-half into courting her dulled the panic. And how stupid and thoughtless she had just been. And what they had just done... What she had just put into the mare. ... Gods, she'd deal with tartarus later. Her eyes drifted closed as she fell into a dreamless sleep, the abstract knowledge of the fact that she would not, as she had thought, be awakening tomorrow. Lust metaphysically grinned. It would be its last act before being sealed inside of this mind, sure- but it was worth it. As the last of its influence was drained and crushed, it felt itself being torn apart and consumed by Dominance. It was worth it. L "I gotta see her, she's my sister!" Shining Armor shouted. He and Luna had been arguing since they'd gotten back to Twilight's tower. She had insisted he stay outside before she came in, but he was her brother, damnit! Twilight had already said she wouldn't be able to forgive him, and if he didn't show up first, he'd only make it seem like he didn't care! "Captain Armor, while we appreciate the fact you care for your sister, must remind thou that, via thine last conversation with the mare, we have found she is still quite baleful toward thee. It will not take long, only a moment-" Shining shot past her, tearing the door open. "I don't have a moment, I need to see my little... sister...." He fell silent. Luna felt an abstract sense of fear crawl up her spine. The captain was a stallion with a big mouth, and an attitude that made even that seem humble. Whatever had drawn his silence was worthy of her attention- but she feared what she would see. She would already be dealing with the fallout of interrupting her sister's... Mother, she didn't want to picture it again; no matter how arousing it was. It was her sister. Celestia. She pushed forward though, slowly stepping around the captain. Whatever it was, it couldn't be that... bad... They both stared. The bed was empty, of course- it had been forsaken by its owner in favor of a lofty, red-velvet couch. That wasn't what had drawn their silence, though. It was the scene on the couch. And the ponies. The ponies whose bodies were mingled, shifting and morphing. The ponies... .. who were covered in a very familiar white liquid. It ran down the cushions, pooling almost invisibly on the marble floor. She would've missed it, if it weren't so... copious. She didn't know of any creature that could produce that much semen, but there was a look of near-recognition on the Captain's face as his pupils seemed to shrink in time with his widening eyes. Luna, on the other hoof, was in shock. About the obvious signs of sex? Yes. But she had become so accustomed to an environment of coitus that it hadn't registered quite as well as the ponies. Their bodies shifted and morphed, remaining equine in shape as they tried to find something to function with the increase in magical power. A few of the more obvious changes were noted. Celestia's mane and tail had been replaced with a substance more closely attune to plasma than the normal flowing, ethereal strands of hair. The plasma-esque form had a clear, dark purple outline, resembling the purest form of magic. It was a great deal of change compared to Oblivion's, whose own had taken to flowing like a whirlwind. The tips of her ethereal cosmos were a soft, sparkling blue, and the only true additions were two new highlights; one a warm, shining gold, the other a cold, harsh silver. That had only been the first changes, though. As their bodies settled, accomodations for the increase in both mares' wellsprings seeming to complete themselves, Luna took in another grand detail. Their coats. Where Oblivion's had grown lighter, Celestia's had taken on a new sheen of perfection. It was gold- the rich, soft gold of her regalia- and seemed almost too glossy to be real. The only reason she could tell, truly, was because of the fact that both of their coats now flowed in time with their manes. Those things may have been important, but the most glaring detail that had etched itself flesh-deep into both mares were the runes. Scripts and texts, glyphs and symbols. They were so vast and endless, she almost didn't notice that each set was on the opposite side of the other mare's body, two halves completing a massive, monstrous work of unspeakable mastery. Even their hooves, the most minute details, had been modified. They glowed and oozed blue and purple-rimmed-orange for each mare respectively, the colors running up their legs until their knees, where it slowly died off. Strangely, the bottom of Celestia's hoof had a six-pointed sunburst etched into it- seemingly ingrained into the very marrow and soul. She couldn't see underneath them, but knew almost certainly Oblivion had a matching set of suns. This was all besides their horns. Oblivion's was almost thrice the length of Celestia's former horn, curving downward. Halfway up the menacing appendage, her real horn ended, its tip having cracked and split open to allow for the arrival of the white, blinding counterpart, which composed the rest of the horn upward. Celestia's was similar in build, having doubled from its original length. In place of Oblivion's white glow was the same deep-orange that was her new signature color. It was also the color that coated her primaries, only barely visible underneath a lavender wing, flashing its own; glowing in a chromatic rainbow. Oh dear... yes... yes, this was a jaw-dropping, mind-numbing, stare-worthy problem. This much magic had never been seen on Equis before... ... or anywhere else, now that she thought about. A problem worthy of being stared at, that was indisputable. They had both clearly grown to levels of power Luna could never hope to dream of- she wondered if Celestia's body had bonded with Oblivion's, who had yet to achieve finding a comfortable form the last time she had been in the room- and it had done wonders for them... The changes to their bodies were obvious, not as obvious as their height growth-the formerly tiny lavender mare now lay a head taller than her sister; whose height had grown by at least several inches!-, but she worried for her sister's state more than anything else. The additions had subtly connected in her mind, and she was worried for both ponies mentally. Cadance had claimed she'd felt unmeasurable despair coming from the pony that had been Twilight Sparkle. What that would do to her sister she doubted would be helpful. Both mares were emotionally unstable by Luna's account, and if the consistency spread to the realm of the mind... The world would learn a new degree of loss. The one thing that had hit Luna hardest, though, were their cutie marks. Oblivion's pink starburst now had a smaller, yellow one inside of it. The five formerly around it had become twenty-four- an absurd amount. It was a crisis in the making, surely, but none of the strange changes had affected Luna as much as Celestia's cutie mark. It was a little detail, but.. She grieved nonetheless. The sun had gained an outline similarly to the one that accentuated her mane and tail. A shade of deep, royal purple. It stuck out oddly on her newly-minted body, though the colors were far more complementary than she had first thought. It didn't change the fact that in a matter of moments, both mares that had formerly existed, had been simultaneously erased. And the fact that she knew- as impossible as it was- the source of the creamy puddle now. Mother, hath mercy... Author's Note Alrighty, after this chapter we calm it down. I made sure these first few were some crazy bastards that made huge ass problems, oh boy, and the little scene at the end... I'm going to mention very quickly though that this will be mainly from the view of Oblivion and Celestia. The reason the reference to the former changes is perspective. Celestia will continue to call her Twilight; or, 'her Light'. It's a good way to tell whose view is whose. The only time it'll go out of those two's POV will be for something integral or a short scene added to the story. Uhh.. another note: the whole jumping perspectives between the two is done on purpose. I'll label sections to specify that. This'll be one of the very few sex scenes (most other times it'll just be referenced and talked about or short lived moments that won't actually play out in full for you- these scenes are just for special instances; or Celestia and Twi). We're going to be having a seven week time skip after this. Oblivion and Celestia will be catching up with the waking world later. P.S. An image of them is going to be posted down here for anyone who wants a visual aid. Gonna take some time, but it'll be worth it. That's all folks. Sweet Dreams"If I must choose between Love and War, I will choose war." - King Sombra of Umbra, the Usurper C The first thing that she saw were the colors. So many colors. Familiar ones, reds and blues, greens and browns, and colors she had never seen before. Colors that could not be described for words would do them no justice. Colors not meant to be seen by any creature- alive or dead. Colors whose majesty would break and blind. The pressure it put on her skull was phenomenal. It felt as though the meaning of Divinity and Godhood had compressed themselves into this tiny, miniscule realm and were attempting to pry her skull open and tear her apart from the inside out. Goddesses, it hurt! But the colors were so beautiful... she couldn't look away. It was impossible. A beautiful nightmare. Her eyes stung with unshed tears as the swirling void of colors seemed to slowly drain away. It was so beautiful; but it hurt so much. It reminded her of the day she had first looked up at the sun. The day she had found its beauty so grand and majestic she had looked up at it, and reached out. Gods.... gods, she felt like a foal again... Only this time, she knew the chaotic abyss was not hers to touch. She knew who the amalgamation belonged to- she felt the mare inside of it- but hadn't the courage to seek her out. She had just done the most irresponsible thing on Equis! And... and she had enjoyed it. Twilight had felt amazing to her. Maybe it had been that she was a mare; or the way she had held her close after they had committed the act, but... She'd enjoyed it. The thought disgusted her; Twilight was vulnerable! She shouldn't have agreed with the rash decision-making that had led them... wherever they were. At the same time, the feeling of a pair of purple teats pressing against her own as she was hilted in came back to mind. Came... Her hoof trailed down to her stomach, carefully prodding her bulging womb; stuffed to the brim with Twilight's sperm. Gods, she was a mess.. She looked around at the new expanse. The colors- those elysium forsook pieces of infinity- had shrunk down to the point of becoming a dot in the distance. In its place, the light the sun shone, as brilliant as it had always been. The vibrant rays seemed to chase after the amorphous mass of tendrils and cosmos; attempting to coil around it with each second it became smaller and smaller. She didn't know where she was- or why- but if it had anything to do with what they had done before... She wasn't sure if she could face Twilight. As her eyes scanned the void, a voice filled the space. "Ehm... Hello? I- uhm- sorry if I took a while. It's been a long time since anypony's been here; especially, y'know, divinity.. So, you and her are... wow, alright, let me... let me just get my bearings real quick. It's been a while. My name is Amor. I'm love- er, well, both of you already know that... but, I'm... I'm like the aspects. Like, Sol or.. or the other Elementals. The.. figurative voice of love. I'm bound to the alicorn you call Cadance, but I still.. well, I used to have another job.. here. It's been some time, like I said.. you two are an- uh, interesting couple. I.. is she normal? I mean, memory says she's not, and I've never... seen a pony with both of those. Or with that much Despair.. I- sorry, I just haven't had anyone to talk to in so long.. Uhm, I.. Would either of you have questions?" "Indeed," Celestia looked around. "perhaps the first would be... where are we?" "Oh... oh, ah... Ooh, that's a tough one. Well, it's hard to describe, really. This place.. you could call it another plane. Or a subdivision. It's.. a place where love is most prominent. It used to be different. Uh, organized. I just stopped taking care of it so long ago.. It's also the place I used to be able to drag two lovers to complete the ritual, but... well, Equestria's love has been tainted for as long as I can remember. I was only able to get you here because of how strong your love is. It... took a lot of effort, but I managed. This is.. uhm, I guess the place where I do my rituals. Or, ritual, actually.. I can't manifest at the moment, so this'll be one of the few times I've had to complete the ritual by letting the lovers do it.. but, you two will do just fine.. even if there is an underyling poison between you. But, this'll fix those problems as well! Uhm.... first I have to get you both together, though. Hold on one moment..." The voice turned into a low hum, gradually increasing in volume as Celestia felt herself dragged from where she stood over to the raging, angry cloud of colors. She'd have to face the mare now- whether she wanted to or not. O Oblivion was a lot of things. A genius? Definitely. Magically powerful? Always had been. A good decision maker?.. Most of the time. She was many things. Not all of them were good in that moment, though. She was also feeling very panicky. After waking up in a tartarus-scape of rainbow, she'd started hearing a voice. As smart as she was, she hadn't the slimmest idea of where she was. Or where Celestia was, for that matter. She had to see her! ... But why? To apologize? ... no. that wasn't it. As stupid as it was, she wasn't going to bring up the topic yet. She... missed her. The all-consuming, all-encompassing storm around her slowed in pause. A force, most likely whatever the voice had been, was yanking her along. It'd been very keen on remaining silent, not having said a word since the feeling of being dragged to wherever her destination would be had started. It was getting frustrating having to wait for it to pull her there, but the thought of reaching Celestia had kept her quiet. Just as she was considering asking the voice why it had stopped talking, the heavens split, and the signature warm, yellow light of the sun spilled through. Gods, she was free! .. and an angel awaited her arrival on the other side. C x O Two towering, monolithic alicorns eyed eachother in awestruck silence. It had been that way for quite some time, neither having the will to speak up as they took in their changes. Oblivion avoided Celestia's gaze, the sight of the amber irises stinging her broken heart. They screamed her ignorance back into her face, reminding her of what she had done to the formerly alabaster mare. Celestia, meanwhile, felt small. It wasn't for the first time in her life she'd felt small, but.. The trip had made Twilight's dominance crystal clear to her, a hurricane of rainbows and chaos as her proof. Both awaited the return of the voice- hoping for words of distraction. Instead, when it returned, it only made them feel worse. "See? This is what I mean. Neither of you can just.. be open with each other. Oblivion, guilt is eating you up; why aren't you talking to Celestia about it? Is it because you're scared? That you'll do something wrong, and she won't love you anymore? Or are you lettingArrogancedrown out the sound of the voices that eat you up inside?" It inquired. "And Celestia, you blame yourself for putting her and you here. Do you really think that's a bad thing? At that, was this a one-party effort? No. Both of you, even if it was on a complete whim, fully consented. Is it that you need something to blame yourself for, or the fact that you've reigned so long you've let everypony's 'problems' become your fault- even if they aren't problems at all?" They both looked down at their hooves, one flipping her ears back while the other resigned herself to shamefully nodding. "This is whatSolis talking about, Celestia. Do you see it yet? I am love- all aspects of love influence me. You both have an unbreakable bond, and the most love I've seen in a very long time- especially from Equestria- but you poison it. If it weren't for me, it would only get worse. You both already hide your shame and worries about what you've done from each other. Tartarus, one of you despises your own existence! But let me tell you a secret..." It let the silence consume all things once more as it disappeared. They sat in utter lack-of-sound for a full minute, before finally, "Exactly. Love has no secrets. I never have. But do you know why I exist? To stop these trends. One of you has the Sin of Lust and Malice inside your head, and those can lead to the destruction of a couple very quickly. I've seen a lot in my years; marriages so stained with lies and affair and violence the fact that the love had managed to survive the venom that was slowly killing it impressed me greatly enough to allow the mortals in. I've seen starstruck lovers who are in physical pain when they're apart. Those ones are so beautiful.. but, I've also seen alicorns.. and they are, out of all the liars and cheaters, the worst. They believed their divinity an excuse to participate in their indulgent hedonistic desires. Any alicorn romance was crushed under the weight of sheer lust for any sex either alicorn could come across. They were arrogant and foolish. Whenever they appeared here, they would attempt to run and flee." "They'd fail, of course. No one can physically leave without completing the ritual. It didn't stop them from trying, yes, but their efforts were futile. 'Love conquers all' may not be the truth entirely, but it conquers many things. That's why I am here now. You two are the first alicorn goddesses to exist in this realm with no panic over what the ritual entails. That being said, you don't exactly know what it is. If that was not impressive enough, you worried more for the other than yourself. Oblivion, though you may insist you are inferior, you enjoy dominance. You seek a pony who will not cast the judgement of ignorance or cruelty for your hermaphroditic nature, and instead adore you for the pony you are. You seek to protect what is yours at all costs. You wished for Celestia's presence not only because you found comfort and piece with her, but you sought to ensure her safety. And yet, you are also incomplete. You claim to be a mare, and yet reject it as a part of your nature. You have no partner to fulfill the half of your desires you neglect. There is a... quick fix, a way to overcome this, but.. you can. As long as you're the one demanding Celestia do it to you. I will admit, your fragile state of mind made you quite difficult to transport here.. you're barely stable enough to be considered sane." "In the case of Celestia, it is strangely fitting. Her rule has made her long for a pony to dominate her, and a millennia of waiting for one that she could finally love has left her with a lover's subservient mindset. Never having set herself a pony in mind, she was blind to her own attractions toward her most faithful student- one does not simply become the Goddess of Virginity without reason, hum?-. She wishes to follow the commands given and be controlled by the one whom holds her heart. You both seem to be, 'suckers,' for romance, so I don't think you'll mind what the ritual entails." The voice's giddy undertone was unmistakable to the two nervous, blushing ponies. Oblivion's indignation had skyrocketed- then plummeted. "Y-you keep talking about some kind of... ritual. What... uh, if you don't mind, what is it?" "In due time. Now, one of you has ambiguous morals at best. You are both inexperienced in the topic of love- as the novels you read are... hooey, because I... well, they're stupid, and... I don't really have a better word for it.." The voice chuckled awkwardly. "But that's besides the point I'm trying to get across here. To answer your question, the Bonding Ritual is... major. If you've heard of ponies that get married and have a long, healthy relationship for the entirety of their lives.. it was likely the Bonding Ritual- sometimes ponies don't get it, and still do that.. it depends on how well they're going to do throughout the.. union. What it does, in essence, is... well, bind you. Spiritually, of course. It's like... inseparability? It comes with a few rules for both parties. I'd made these because the alicorns kept going off and... well, rotting their bonds by fighting and cheating. The amounts of affairs and inter-marital wars alicorns had... gods, they were fools. Never learned." "They also exist to aid ponies similar to Oblivion. Ponies with a strong bond and excessive love are almost guaranteed to be together, but for a pony who has a difficult time telling right from wrong, they see nothing wrong with sex outside of their relationship, or a, 'roll-in-the-hay,' with somepony that wasn't their partner normally ended with.. devastating consequences. The first and most important rule is about your relationship. It is monogamous; as are both of you. It may be against equine nature to some ponies, but they seem to forget gods are the antithesis to equine nature. You do not follow the same rules as them. This is what you've chosen to be your nature and, because of that, the nature of your relationship as well. While I have seen many polygamous lovers in my time- and I have let them agree to a similar rule between all ponies in their group- there are many monogamous as well. That is why your first rule is to wholly and fully accept that. This relationship- one between only two gods- will never be broken. It will be as infinite and vast as both of you. You will not break this rule- you will not coitus with any besides eachother, you will not have romantic affections for any creature besides eachother, and you will be connected on the level of your souls-" "D-don't you think that's a bit much for only two days in? W-we only just got together..." Oblivion stopped as Celestia whimpered. "N-not that that's a bad thing! We've just... we've been going so fast it's... I'm just.. How do we know we can do this?" She bit her lip, feeling her uncertainty cave in the face of Celestia's pleading, tearful gaze. The look caused her heart to tighten in her chest, and her mindfulness was beaten to a pulp. Gods... she couldn't say no. Even if she wanted to. Not if that was how it would make Celestia feel. She loved her. She'd... she'd put foals into her, damnit... they'd need eachother... With that, any of her remaining uncertainty was blown to the wind. "Doesn't matter, really. Each one moves at it's own pace. You two don't seem to understand that well, so let me give you an example: for mortals, it can be years before they have sex, foals, or know that they'd found the pony they wanted to spend the rest of their life with; or, in other cases, they know it the moment they lay eyes on each other, and two days later they're married and in bed together for the rest of their lives. Rare, but they happen. Alicorns are infinite, so they don't have to worry about time. Literally. You'll all still be living when creation comes to an end! Unless you're killed by some other deity... But, that's why this is so important. It doesn't matter how fast you're moving, only that you're content to just be with each other, and that it is a pace you both agree with. Relationships with ponies that can never have enough... never come here. It's why Equestrians have always been so rare in my realm. The lovers and unions are always over before they can even begin, and it was always painful to watch.. That's another reason we have that first rule. It'll make sex with any other creature besides eachother and romantic love for anyone else, impossible. This rule brings the possibility of rape down to non-existent simultaneously, due to the magic that it takes to ensure this rule is followed. I take pride in that, you know. It also brings us to our second, and just as importantly emphasized rule:" "You will not, in any serious or malicious way, bring harm to each other. I'm not a creature to deny ponies their kinks, so long as they agree with rule one. If you enjoy pain; then so be it. Exhibitionism? Why not. Humiliation? Go ahead. This won't stop anything like that. What this will stop is any abuse. There are relationships that come here; and one of the ponies in love is sick and twisted, whether for one reason or another, and will bring harm to their partner. It's love, but something has happened to one of the ponies involved that has poisoned them and given them the ability to injure their partner in anger or spite or simply.. simply because they want somepony to take their anger out on. It is far worse, though, when the pony enjoys the pain they bring upon the one they love. When they use their power to play with their partner's mind.. It's heartbreaking, seeing them push through even with their evil ways. That's why rule two exists. You will not bring harm- physically or mentally- in any malicious, cruel way to your partner." "Rule three is much simpler than the others. It is not a rule that applies to all couples, but ones with your deviances do receive them. Oblivion, as the alpha, you will be tasked with the protection of your mate. At any cost, you will defend her and use all powers available to you to ensure her safety. Alongside your duties as Protector of the Virtues and Sins, Goddess of Magic, Aether, Nether, Knowledge, Power, Energy, and Death, you will hold it with just as much importance as the rest, and remain constantly vigil in your task of her defence; and be her caretaker in her times of sickness and depression. You will not misuse her, but love and treasure her. She is your equal in godhood, but your lesser in power and bond. It is your duty to keep her safe. Celestia, you are your mate's subservient half. You will instinctually be drawn to and desire their presence, even in the most mundane settings. You will seek the comfort that lay under her wing more than the glamour of the throne, and be more keen to obeying her requests. You will seek to serve and to be loved, and you will work in the name of success for you and your lover's bond. You, in particular, will seek to keep your lover from the cloud of sorrow and despair that hovers above her infinity." "You will place her above even the needs of your ponies." They all sat in silence. Oblivion looked contemplative as she went over the terms. They made sense to her- even the last one. They checked off multiple boxes on her 'guide to a successful relationship'... wherever that came from. It was wrong, she knew. This wasn't how love normally was between ponies. She had always thought it a rocky stead of ups and downs. Of course, she also weighed the pros. These rules may have dictated how they behaved, but it was to ensure their success. Besides, rule two hadn't implied making them think and talk the same. They would still be themselves, and they would still agree to disagree.. It was a very useful rule, in her opinion. Rule one may have been a bit... controlling, but the specifications for just being here qualified for its existence. They wouldn't drift apart. The ones who had come before them had resulted in that rule. She worried quite thoroughly about the third, though... She looked up at Celestia. Those amber eyes looked at her with so much love and hope... love and hope she needed to feel. The choice was obvious. She wanted to know first, though. "Well... uhm, I do have a question myself. You've talked a lot about us, but..." Her hoof shakily pointed at the lower half of Celestia's torso. "I... maybe it's stupid, because you probably wouldn't interfere with that, but... we'll.. they'll be fine... right? They'll.. we... I'm..." She quieted, letting her hoof fall limply back to her side. "I just wanna know... we'll love our foals, right? We'll... I.." Huh.. her vision was blurry. That was strange, she didn't remember... "W-we won't be.. b-be so obs-sessed we.. don't love our own... our..." Oh.. She was crying. Right. She forgot she could do that. Better than most. There was another pony hugging her. Probably Celestia, if she had to guess... it was nice. It made the tears stop- even if they were soaking into her pristine golden fur. The feeling of Celestia's rapid heartbeats and long, deep breaths was.. soothing. The voice came back, much softer than it had been before. "It's alright to worry about them.. Tartarus, I would too. There's implications in here that are going to effect you both forever. You have a right to worry about what it'll mean for your foals... Funny. They were unintentional, weren't they? You two couldn't control yourselves- but.. fate has a funny way of making unintentional consequences have wonderful results. So, to answer your question, no. It won't. It won't get in the way of your instinctual parental love. I'm not a monster.. just trying to make sure everything goes by smoothly. My job, right? You will have perfectly healthy, truly lovable foals." Oblivion chuckled, hiccuping. "Y-y'know, I-I normally wouldn't-t believe y-you, b-but... w-well, with how I-" Her voice cracked. "p-panicked before, I.. d-didn't really th-think about it.. j-just.. just knew I did something.. wr-wrong.. but.. I-I can't g-go back now... and.. a-and, as crazy as I-I might b-be... I..." "Come to find out you've always liked the idea of having lots of foals? Believe me, that's something a lot of creatures find out. Normally it's mortals; and they get twelve or so before they can't anymore and decide to stop. For the occasional dragon? It's a couple hundred hatchlings. The perk of never having to die, huh? You'll see them- however many you want to have- grow up. For all the friends you'll lose, you'll never have to give up the family you make. I'd say it's worth it, but... maybe I'm biased. That's why I let you ask these things. It's easier to know about the changes and accept them; moving on with your life, than to have them forced onto you and dwell on them. I think the phrase... 'If I am to be chained, it will be of my own volition,' comes to mind?" Oblivion nodded. Logic worked. It never failed. The hoof stroking her mane was calming- the familiar warmth of Celestia's sun. "She is correct. Perhaps it was thoughtless, but.. I do not doubt it will end wonderfully." Celestia whispered. She sighed, wiping the dream-tears from her face. They were pink-just like her real ones had become. "How do we start?" "Oh, that's easy. You both just need to let your magic flow into one another. I'll do the rest." Oblivion furrowed her brow. "That.. seems a bit, y'know, suspicious.." "Oh, I know. You don't like ponies touching your magic? That's how I imprint the rules, though. They're more of a... code, you're going to follow. I also need a direct link to your souls for the bond, and this is the only way I can do it. Happy?" The voice sighed. "Yeah.." the Goddess of Magic grumbled. "You can imagine why I'd be pretty nervous about some corporeal entity digging into my wellspring for my soul." Celestia hushed her. "It'll be fine, Twilight. If.. if we are where I think we are, then she will truly bring no harm to us." "I have no reason to try and start something with the embodiment of magic. I'd be crazy! Just remember, though- while you're right to think this is controlling, the better question would be this: is it wrong? Perhaps to some. They have morals and expectations, and enjoy the full experience in a relationship's progress. But they so easily accept heartbreak and loss. They say it is a part of life, but gods do not live, do they? Gods are eternal, and those mortal ponies are not. Who are they to decide what is and isn't toxic? Are morals not subject to change, just as the view on a proper, wholesome relationship is? I leave you with that. Otherwise, I wish you two safe travels. This'll take quite a while, so.. be ready." They both fell silent. "Alright.." In the realm of the living, the gloomy backdrop above Equestria's capital seemed to reflect a light that burned with the intensity of a thousand suns. As Love's realm shook with the might of two goddesses, Amor felt an odd sense of relief. The feeling of that accursed structure- the crystal city- exiting her home through the rift the ponies had torn open was like the weight of a thousand years of suffering souls lifted from her back. The joy at creating the first new bond in a millennia was almost as great as the relief. Her kingdom had returned. And this time, Sombra would fail. Rude Awakenings"The most effective form of oppression is consensual oppression." - Holy God-Empress Faust O The two ponies had finished drying each other by the time an irritated knocking broke the mutual silence. It wasn't awkward- but Oblivion hadn't been in the mood for conversation. Celestia might have enjoyed their impromptu lovemaking in the shower, and she had been fondly rubbing the cum bulge ever since, but Oblivion had gone on airplane mode halfway through. She'd had a good reason. She was.. anxious. Dreading having to face the ponies outside of their safe haven. With every second she got closer to the door, the voices seemed to cry out even louder. 'TRAITORS!' they all echoed in unison, rippling through her skull and sending her brain into a frenzy of despair. It'd been so easy to forgive Celestia- she had had a very valid excuse for what she'd done, after all. These ponies she was about to face were bootlickers. They had left her in favor of a pony with more power and influence. They weren't her friends. They weren't her friends. It hurt to think, and even with Celestia's comfort, nothing could stop the crushing void that seemed to overtake her as they exited the oversized bathroom. Relief flooded her as soon as she realized it was still only Spike and Luna. The pit in her gut had diminished to a fraction of its size, and she had managed to nod while squeezing the pony under her wing. Facing them could wait. For now. "Hello, sister..." Luna narrowed her eyes on Celestia, who gulped. "L-Luna, I believe I can-" "Thou needeth not explain hither, we knowth enough, sister. Thou art fools! Hath the years raked thee with madness? For long now, we hath stood in the lock of battle with Sombra whilst thee and thine student..." She gestured with her hoof at the bulge. "Thou mind hath gone at last! Please, we beggeth, tell us thee didst not make a deal with the demon!" They didn't reply. "By the gods! Madness, we tell thee! Harrow to the chains bound to both of ye! What on this wide Equis weret thou thinking?!" "You would've done the same, Luna! It was our choice! We agreed-" "Oh hells and Tartarus, thou truly approved of such monstrous shackles?! Madness! Tis' madness!" "Of course you wouldn't understand-" Oblivion silently observed the bickering princesses. It was.. embarrassing. The way the crowned rulers of Equestria behaved was better akin to fillies than to the warrior princesses who had brought the land back from its deathbed after Discord's nightmarish reign. And Luna's outburst at their decision- making a 'deal with the demon'- was entirely unprovoked. She almost wished she was unconscious again- at least she wouldn't have to deal with the sheer stupidity the waking world held- but the mention of Sombra had struck her odd. While she didn't know of any 'Sombra,' and only had source references in her new collection of magical knowledge mentioning something called the 'Crystal Empire,' she did know what an Umbra was. The shadows were powerful in their own right. While she may have been unmatched in regards to sheer, utter magical power and arcane knowledge, she was neither the shadows, nor the sun, moon, or love. Goddess of the Aether and Nether did not make her the goddess of the aspects themselves, after all. Those rights went to other ponies. Ponies of elemental choosing. She'd be lying if she said it wasn't going to be miserable dealing with an Umbra. Having tuned out the princesses by now, drifting into a sea of her own thoughts, the aspects began their infighting again. 'This is useless.' 'That's a very rude way of putting it, but.. it's unnecessary. They're sisters, right? They shouldn't fight over this..' 'Luna's being a bitch! Why haven't we knocked it into her thick skull yet? Why are we letting her talk to our Guardian's mare that way?' 'Please calm down... they're just arguing. It's fine-' 'As if! I'm in agreement with Justice, she is testing our patience!' 'No, she really isn't.' 'It is normal. Sibling conflict is- 'Hush, fool. She takes our forgiveness yet shows none in return. Her arrogance is outrageous-' 'Plebian, please! You are perhaps the most foolish beast I have ever had the displeasure-' 'Fuck off, Arrogance! No one asked.' 'How dare you!' 'Please-' 'I'll beat your fucking ass!' 'Guys, you're gonna-' 'Ş̴̧̗̯̝̞̱̟̩̗͕̎̈́́͐ȋ̵̢̛̬̰̘͓̱́̑̉͐̈͆̃̈́ĺ̸͍̤̖͉̰̬̫̫͉̬̮͚͈̊͆̍̇̆̿͘͝ͅȩ̴̡̛̘̲͙̯͎͔̞̟̗̈́͊̿ͅņ̴̡͇̩̰̐̈́̾̕͜͝c̵̨̲̥̟̤̺̬̟͙̗̗͎͉͙̳͌͗̈̾̅͛̔͊̌̑͊͆e̷̱͙̣͕̖̙͊͂̀͗̾.̵̧̧͍͔̻̟̙̹̣̹̺͂͑̓͐̐̔̆̍̌' Before Despair could breach its prison and shriek Madness awake, she was jolted from her trance-like state by the sudden disappearance of the warmth under her wing. She blinked awkwardly, staring down at them. They'd gone oddly still and quiet, as if fearing they had provoked a nearby predator. She couldn't quite make it out, but Luna seemed to bite back her terror and a grimace. The room was quiet- almost too quiet. Then, she realized why they'd stopped. The thing- or, more specifically, the pony they feared they had provoked.. was her. She eyed them incredulously, before slowly opening her mouth. They sat there for a while longer, Celestia frozen stiff in the center of the room, right between them. Her eyes fell on Luna, where they hardened. Unbeknownst to her, an oddly visceral snarl had taken shape on her muzzle, exposing the disconcerting omnivorous teeth that hid within. "What?" She finally inquired. She despised the silence, and the fact Celestia had left her spot made her mood drop sharply. Their charade was getting tiring. "What happened? I... I kinda zoned out for a bit. What... what.. happened..?" She watched nervously as the shrinking ball of gleaming gold and magma backed up again, tucking itself under her wing as it mumbled. "Nothing..." She could hear the hurt; and berated herself for sinking back into the vast expanse so easily. She was a responsible adult with a pony to protect now! Her eyes narrowed on Luna, who'd suddenly found a keen interest in the floor. "We.. we apologize, sister... perhaps thou.. art right. We shouldst not allow ourselves to project our animosities unto thy and thine... lover, with such haste.." Luna spat the word so venomously, it was all she could do not to explode on the Lunar Goddess then and there. It was insulting! They'd just gotten back, and she was treating them like shit! She'd... she'd said something. And it'd hurt Celestia. Her anger rebounded and she snapped her muzzle shut, her teeth colliding with a deafening clack in the silence. The audacity.. "Alright," She hissed. "if you can't act like grown mares for, like, five minutes, I.. gods, I swear. Luna, you're running your mouth, and I have no clue what's going on, so why don't you tell me what we're dealing with? I don't know who 'Sombra' is! I barely know anything about the Crystal Empire. Could somepony please explain this to me? And stop acting like foals." Another mental checklist formed. 'Teeth grinding? C̶͍͖̲̜̳͕̊͠ḥ̴̤̝͔͂̎͋ẽ̵̢̫͒̄̚c̵̛̦͙̼̄k̶̞̀̈́̌̏.̶̭͒͠ "That may be for the best.." Luna sighed. "Long as thee doth not plan on doing more of the zoning out." "That'd be stupid. Besides, it was only for a minute! I can't control it. My head is pretty active right now, y'know?" Oblivion clenched her jaw. "Now answer the question..." Luna stomped her hoof in frustration. "Thou seem not to understand what I have said. At this moment, ponies march north to fight in a war between ourselves and Sombra. We-" "Okay, that's well and great," she interrupted, "but it doesn't answer the question. Who in Tartarus is Sombra?! I know, war is bad, all that, but you're dodging the fucking ques-" "Sombra is a tyrant and a murderer." Celestia's venomous tone shattered the cloud of anger. "He is as ruthless as he is mad. He will stop at nothing until he achieves his conquests, if he must enslave this world. His reign over the Crystal Empire is only because of his control over their minds. Those that do follow him are brainwashed fools, but they are fools whom know the art of war. He is the Crystal Usurper. Nothing more." Oblivion did a double take, pausing for a few moments as the short, informative description of a Shadow King was slotted into the vast expanse. "A.. he... he's.." The pony across from them muttered. "He is not that heartless, sister.." "He is. It is his own fault the crystal ponies vanished for millennia. You wish to speak of shackles, then let us look no further than those of the crystal ponies, the ones he attempted to put on you, and used then to bring conquest and war. He is mad, nothing short of lunacy. He controlled ponies to serve his own purposes, and when their usefulness had forgone them, he disposed of them. You will not paint him in a greater light. There is no greater light for a murderous tyrant. It was because of his manipulation you fell. His silver tongue is a trap for your mind." Hissed the venomous tone. "Yet you excuse your own tyranny as a necessity. To keep your ponies safe, yes?" "You will not-" "Alright, stop it!" Oblivion growled. "You two need to stop. If we're going to get anything done, you need to just.. stop. We can't win a war if we're too busy fighting each other... Right? If he's.. if he's some kind of.. killer.. maniac..." she shivered, "Anyway, it would have been nice to know this before," she huffed, "but that doesn't matter now. Right now, we... we.. Where's Cadance at?" She couldn't help it. Not one bit. She'd been stuck in her head all day. It was.. hard. Hard to do anything. Her mind was all over the place, conjuring scenarios and depictions of her brother and Cadance being tortured through various methods. She'd never felt so sick... so.. horrified. It shouldn't have happened. She may not have been able to stand her brother, but she would have never wanted him to be captured, especially by a rampaging tyrant... captured, or worse. The only source of escape she'd found had been the warmth that hadn't left her side. It was a slight to the thoughts that plagued her, eating away at her rationality. It shifted every now and then, but remained. They hadn't left the tower after her breakdown. She couldn't face the ponies she knew would be waiting for her at the bottom of the spiral staircase, so Luna had taken Spike, who'd begged to stay, and left. It'd been for the best, really. The room was a mess. It was hard for her to look at Celestia, knowing she'd seen her outburst. It was even harder to speak, knowing that ponies from all across Equestria had been dying in the cold while they slept in a warm tower. She felt.. dirty. So, they sat. There was no need to do anything else. But it would only get worse if they did nothing.. nothing, while ponies were sent to die, in the north. Funny. Goddess of Death, with no experience in the subject at all. The godheads seemed very lenient, in her opinion, but what did she know?... That was a stupid question. She was supposed to be Equestria's thrice-time savior. The idea was hard to grasp as she thought about all of it. She looked in the mirror again. It was.. strange. Like looking at another pony entirely. All her life, she'd been so used to be shorter than average. Most ponies had towered over her. Even her horn was disproportionately smaller than most other unicorns', especially one with a wellspring her size. She glanced over the outrageously long, curved horn. It was menacing, with its eternally luminescent tip. Her wings, the inherent strangeness of their rainbow primaries. Her height. Gods, her height. The others thing were miniscule compared to that... Even as much as Celestia's own had increased, she was still taller. Everything about her, the unfair shortness, horn, and strength disadvantage had all been rectified. She'd marred even her normal irises, the pulse of a circling rainbow replacing her normal purple. And Celestia... The fact their horns almost emulated one another made her feel guilty. Guilty because she enjoyed that her own traits had overpowered Celestia's. But then again, she felt guilty about a lot of things. She wasn't sure what Celestia had thought about her old body, but this... there had to be loss in there somewhere. The fact her mane and tail had transformed as they did was less concerning. Plasma fit the Goddess of the Sun. What did concern her was the barely-visible purple shade that outlined it. She'd defaced the sun! Their bodies had been unmade, and they'd been turned into something else. She doubted they were even fully equine anymore! Every feature had changed, from their primaries, to their horns, to their hooves! Even their eye-colors and manes had been forcefully rearranged. There.. There wasn't even hair anymore. Just... whatever they were made of now. It was... stuff. There was no better way to describe it. She just... couldn't. Just like she couldn't describe at lot of the other things that had happened. They felt normal.. somewhat, but looked so.. The weight shifting under her wing brought her out of her thoughts. She looked at her right wing, watching the pony underneath it squirm uncomfortably. The pleading look of promised comfort and suppressed need was so tempting... but she wouldn't let her body give in. She shifted her eyes back to the mirror, gracing the room with a glance. The curtains had been pulled open, and the 'gloom and doom' look seemed to envelope Canterlot in a waning embrace. She couldn't see north, but knew that somewhere out of her line of sight, ponies were dying. Dying when they shouldn't be. ... She didn't know how to feel. Her brother and Cadance had been captured, and ponies were going to war for the first time in a thousand years- death rates had increased in numbers she didn't even want to begin calculating. And it was her fault. It... She rubbed her eyes, letting her head droop. If she hadn't.. if she'd just.. 'No... that's a bad way to think. I did it for us...' She glanced back over at the orange glow of the pony beside her. 'Even if I.. I'm letting ponies fall head first into their coffins.. gods..' Her ears lowered as she felt the pit in her stomach churn. She didn't want to know who. She didn't want to know what they'd left behind, families losing fathers, mothers.. and elysium forbid they have to tell parents that their children... wouldn't come home.. She felt sick again. A sharp horn nudged her side. "Twilight, lay down.. please... your fretting will not bring us well.. you're freezing over again.." she was dragged down by four desperate hooves. She'd been neglecting Celestia's wants for a while now. She just felt so... out of it. Tears pricked the edges of her vision. Her knowledge on death was little to none, and the only time she'd ever known it had been when her grandmother, Twilight Andromeda, had died. Now she was responsible for so much. The smaller form moved infront of her stomach, resting its back against her. "Please, Twilight... talk to me. I know you're troubled- as am I- but.. do not go back to that place. It is painful to watch.. I do not wish to see you despair yourself so." The form relaxed against her bare chest. ".. you should not fault yourself alone, nor should you fall into such thoughts.. I should not have allowed my longing to control my actions.." "I-it's not that." she finally replied. "I just.. Celestia, I'm... I don't know. Just.. I decided to listen to you. I'm weighing a lot of things... I-I think it was worth it, agreeing to that.. and the.. th-the bond? I'm just.. I just don't know. I keep thinking about what you said, and I... I keep.. imagining it. All the dead ponies. M-my brother. Cadance. H-h.." "Ho-how?" she croaked. "How am I supposed to feel? I just keep thinking about it.. going back again and again, and again.." She closed her eyes, sighing. "What.. wh-what do I-I do... I wouldn't give this.. us.. up for the world, but... all those ponies, I.. I'd never thought about it before. It's.." "Hard to process. You are in shock. Twilight, you need to rest for a while.." Celestia whispered, almost too softly to be hard. She was maneuvering again, twisting and turning as she tried to position herself.. somewhere. "Probably.. I just... I feel so dirty.. am I just- just being self-important?-" she grit her teeth at the feeling of something sliding down her extra appendage. "Wh-wha..." her mind reflexively suppressed a sting of despair. "Celestia, please.. I don't think now is a good time for that... I'm just.. not feeling like it." The feeling of a sticky tunnel around the length in between her legs only reminded her of what they'd done. And what it'd cost. It twitched and writhed, before finally going still. "A-apologies, I felt.. quite hollow. I.. I find myself yearning more and more... I did not mean to impede, I simply.. It seems that I am no longer in control of my own estrus, nor my hormonal functioning. I did not mean to act uninterested, my Light.. it was impulse, I... I couldn't help myself." she paused. "Perhaps we have- ngh!- that in common as well... please, continue.." Oblivion, the Goddess of Magic, epitome of her talent, buried her face into Celestia's flowing, amalgamate mane. "O-oh... that's.. fine, then, I just.." the smell of ozone was palpable, burning ber nostrils and reminding her of the horrible feelings the north gave her. ".. i-is it my fault? I.. could've done something.. maybe.. maybe there wouldn't have been.. w-war? I-I.. maybe if we'd waited.. I just.. I feel like I'm dirty.. like I just.. can't be clean again.. I. . ." "I feel like a monster.." "You.. are not. Say what you might, but.. you are not. You believe you are- mmh!-- r-responsible for creating the problem." Celestia almost voiced her inner monologue. "As I do so often... Was Luna correct in regards to our selfishness, my Light? I.. I am unsure myself anymore..." Oblivion ran the question through her checklists. By all accounts, it was an inconsiderate, thoughtless action. Pregnancy, coma, and.. whatever that strange realm had been. They were selfish, she knew. Once more she thought back, though. Did it make them wrong? The act didn't. But.. it kept coming back to what it cost. For all she wouldn't have given up their closeness, she felt the fact she'd indirectly caused the death of thousands weigh on her. Something so pointless as war. All the lives she could have saved if she'd just.. been there. Acted.. something. "I don't know... you've done so much for everypony. I.. I know that.. thing, said I was the dominant in this, yeah, and I think we'llll make it work.. when we can, come to grips with stuff.. But I.. I-I think I'm pretty selfish. I already have a lot.. b-but, I wanted more. I.. n-needed to have you as well. I wasn't going to let something like... selflessness or reason just stop me from having somepony so beautiful, so compassionate... so.. devoted... I think I.. Maybe I took more than I should have.." "There are none more worthy than you, Twilight. You returned my sister to me, did you not? You brought down Discord on your own. You saw through the lie of an invading force's leadership, one with the strength of an alicorn. Is that not enough?" Celestia inquired, barely above a whisper. "I always had to have my... 'friends'," the word came out bitter and estranged, "help me, for anything to work." She felt the mane she was in sway as the pony it was a part of shook her head. "As I understand, it was you who awoke the Elements, and you who brought your friends back from their.. Discorded states. By all rights, it was you alone. You... you ascended yourself, Twilight. Without my aid or guidance. And even after we had.. even after we had doubted you in favor of Cadance, you were right." Celestia lowered her head in shame. "And.. you forgave me. I.. believe that is worthy of much more than simply myself.." "I have to disagree.. what could be better than the pony I love, hm?.." "Any degree of power and knowledge would suit the need.." They both laid in silence as Celestia cut herself off. "No.. this is better... I still don't like it.. all those ponies are dead because we..." She paused, nuzzling Celestia. "I just feel guilty.. I mean... a war? It's..." "We'll find a way to f-fix it, love. We will.. a-and we will return your brother and my n-niece home.. that.. that I swear. Oh- believe this is.." she heard Celestia take a sharp breath, barely suppressing a moan. "Best discussed tomorrow.. when we- oh, gods- r-return to our d-duties..." Oblivion nodded, keeping her peace against the form that had inserted her into itself. Sleeping on it would make it better... "Mhmm... Well, I guess you're right... I did do some pretty big stuff... We'll... make it worth it, right?.. I think.. I guess I like being the big spoon, anyway... Celly." She mumbled, wrapping her hooves around Celestia and hilting herself inside her mare. The moan that followed quieted the clamoring voices in her mind, and silenced the laments her actions had brought. Her thoughts drifted to the pulsing around her shaft and the soft thrumming against her chest. She brought her hoof to the bulge in her Celestia's belly. Promises of a future she and Celestia could look forward to. Away from the world that was slowly falling apart around them. Her wing draped itself over the smaller form, sealing it away from the outside. First came tomorrow, then.. then... .. She drifted off into a fitful sleep filled with nightmares and haunted by an ever-present despair. L She was pacing again. Again? Right. She'd been at it for hours, now that she thought about it. Every possibility had run its course, and her choice wording with sister had likely caused unnecessary damage. Worse then, now she had to deal with... "Auntie Luna, you said she'd be here.." An irritated Blueblood growled. "May I ask what delays them?" "Yes... The problem is the fact that... well..." Luna's face folded into a frown. "We may have... squandered diplomacy with her. We were... perhaps overly aggressive. Neither she nor Prinzessin Oblivion took it kindly.. nor did the latter take the current position of Princess Cadance or Captain Shining Armor.." she gestured with a wing. Blueblood looked absolutely outraged. "You-! How can you fail at that! She is your sister, for the Hells' sake! Even I have managed better!" Luna grumbled. "Perhaps thee wouldst like to try?" "Quite so." He huffed. "You seem to misunderstood your task. It was such a simple one! Auntie's strategic ingenuity is a requirement if we wish to defeat Sombra! And, if your statement about the... Miss Oblivion, rings true... though I may dislike cooperating with the lowborn beast, she would be masterful for our logistics." "This is important, fool! How could you fail?!" She was tired. Tired of everything. The courts, the nobles, the laws she had yet to brush up upon. Those were her sister's strong suits. Ponies showed up in Day Court to attempt to play her sister for a fool. A fool she was not, but she would allow her ponies to do as they saw wise. Luna was no good at any of those things. "We do not know, Blueblood. We.. I could not contain my temper.." "Ah yes, a princess of Equestria who cannot behave as royalty should." The sound of a spell being cast filled the space. "Honestly, I should not be surprised.. sending Passion herself to deal with a delicate situation. Gods, my stupidity!" He grunted, standing up from his position at the round table. "Auntie Luna, while I appreciate the effort.." he paused as he shuffled the papers in his magic. "It seems as though I must talk sense into them myself." She turned toward him, scowling. "Fine.. but doth not put the blame unto us if our newest Princess's hostilities are too great for thine mortal body. We.. we shallth wait for thee in the Solarium. We hope thou hath more luck than us.." They both turned and left, one to sulk, and the other to prepare to do what she could not. Hell on Northern Heights"Meaning is subjective. The only reality is the reality in which we ourselves believe." - Starswirl the Bearded, 'Existentialism in Magic' C Waking up stiff and sore was not fun. That was her first realization. The second was that her body was practically a board, and she could barely move. She had woken up like this before, only now, the length inserted into the entrance between her hind legs was a comfort- even with the stiffness it brought. She pressed uselessly against the feathery cocoon encompassing her. It didn't budge- only tightened, leaving her in the comforting warmth of Twilight's protective embrace. Poetic, certainly. Having eternally slept alone, the change of pace was refreshing. She'd never realized that company in bed could make slumber so much easier. Attempting to roll over, she had only succeeded in reminding her body of the spire it had comfortably rested upon. It was.. concerning, perhaps, that she had become so used to its presence within her that lacking it caused her body to linger almost too squeamish on empty cavern that took up the space. The sun felt like a hot iron against her horn. She was late again.. well, not again. Late seemed fine. So long as Twilight approved- and judging by the soft vibrations of her magically charged form, she did. Her horn lit momentarily, and watched the usual yellow tint that it had once been be replaced with a deep, soothing orange. She found it easier on the eyes, surprisingly. It didn't take long, but the hooves that had clasped themselves onto her like chains didn't seem intent on allowing her any movement whatsoever. At least the strange runes were gone.. As soon as the sun rose, peeking through the wide-open curtains behind them, a disapproving groan sounded from behind her. "Why..."- a head hit the pillow -"the fuck.." again, "can't the sun.." and again, "just.." thump "stay.." thump "downnn..." Groaned the behemoth. "Mm.. I apologize, I had to..." She leaned into the embrace. "Forgive me?" ... From where the words had come, she was unsure. It was foalish, she knew, but she subconsciously hoped for a 'yes'... "Alright... jus' this once..." Twilight yawned. "Close the... thingies.. on the window, when you do. Whatev'r they're called.." she paused. "Scratch that.. we'll just sleep in your room... I like the bed hangings.." Relieved, she nodded in response. Her bed was much larger, anyway. The fact Twilight hadn't fallen off.. she'd have to take those things into account from now on. For whatever reason. To make it more comfortable for her and her lover. The joy compliance to her superior brought her. Yes. Both of those things. Perhaps a therapist as well. They both seemed very keen on mentally slating. And the mood swings. She couldn't forget about the mood swings either. She- 'Having fun?' The smugness in Sol's tone was almost enough to make her forget about the intruder forcefully rearranging her alicorn biology, and nearly teleport to the sun simply to move it out of the sky. 'Yes... and, what is it you have to say, friend?' She irritably replied. 'Nothing, you were just gone for a while. Two months is a prettyyy long time for a spell. So, how's it going~?' 'Quite well.. I do feel different, but it is.. it is nice.Her thoughts drifted to the feeling of her swollen teats and bulging form. 'I do not wish to burden her with my unfulfilled needs. Should I not have to ask for her consent for such things? She did not seem to approve of my unpermitted decision.. Perhaps?' 'Probably. Riding someone without their consent seems like a pretty bad idea, y'know. I thought you of all ponies would be above that.' 'Yes... I was simply feeling.. empty, Sol. It was rash... but irrational seems to be the theme now. I thought she may perhaps enjoy the control..' 'It was the wrong time for that, y'know- oh... oh! Celestia wants some of that lovey-dovey-controlly stuff, doesn't she?' Static snickering filled the air after the sudden epiphany. 'Maybe if you ask nicely, she'll take you f-for a walk and call you a good g-girl..' The snickers morphed into giggling. 'O-oh heavens, th-this- this is priceless!' Celestia scrunched her embarrassed blush. The giggles only proceeded to get louder, breaking down into a fit of roaring humor at her expense. 'Have you come here simply to insult my... admittedly deviant new desires, or is this a meeting of importance?' In between its ceaseless laughter, Sol finally managed to say, 'O-oh, it's important alright!' it snickered again, 'Sol Invicta! Sol- Sol-snch- I-I can't! I can't do it! It's just t-t-to-ho-o-oo funny-hy-hy-hy-hy-hy-yyyyy!' Celestia buried herself under her lover's soft, feathery shelter. It may not have drowned out the laughter, but the shame and sudden self-consciousness were muted. It reminded her that she had a simple job. A simple task. Her place was rightfully underneath Twilight and her embrace, and her purpose was the one Twilight gave her. It was fine. Even with that in mind, she was still a princess, and she still cared about her ponies' well-being. The roaring cackles went on for a while longer, seemingly laughing at the inexplicable irony, before slowly trailing off into an air of humor. It was humiliating- something she should have been reprimanding. She found no will to do so, though, for it was true. Her newfound desire for exploration of their new lives- both union and sensual- was foreign, yet embraced. Of course... The mocking was more than discouraging. 'I'm sorry, it was just..' She could imagine the hoof gestures the as the sun chuckled. 'Like, Sol Invicta? That nickname is the most ego-induced psycho-creation you ever made. You claimed to be me! Then you..' It stopped. 'Uhh.. I'm not.. I'm not actually serious. About that stuff, I mean. It's- it's completely fine. Just because I'm a part of you, doesn't mean I, like, wanna.. make you feel bad for it.. just thought it was kinda funny.. you.. you know you can do whatever you want, right? I'm not judging.. Just... Celestia? Celestia?' 'Alright, I know it's not my place. I shouldn't have said it, yeah, but you sounded like you needed something to laugh at.. past mistakes? Irony? Stuff like that.' She moved Twilight's glowing wings to cover any exits where her head may have poked out, falling limply underneath it. 'I.. I do not know anymore, Sol. It is all so new.. it frightens me. I wish to explore so deeply, and see what discovery may bring, but I.. I am frightened. I have never wished once for another, alone so intensely to be above me, and I have no experience in the subject. I.. am searching. It is as though I must relearn what I once knew. I do not understand.' 'Soul-searching? Er, romance searching? Sex? Love.. whatever. You wanna try some stuff, understand. You definitely are not a top. Well, actually.. oh, my.' another short snicker. 'Well.. You are not a top when you get the right to decide. But, listen, I get it. It's fine. You hate ruling. You hate... like, being the center of attention. I totally get it. Sun, remember? Everypony loves... you, but not.. actually, you know, you. They love the perfect image they have of you. You're supposed to be the best. You're supposed to be the strongest. You hate it. Like, the same way I hate ponies who thank me for being some life-giving power. I don't do that! Literally! That's like giving me all the credit for the stuff Energy and Light do!..' 'Point: I totally understand. Somepony that'll do all the complex stuff while you.. serve them? That's what it is, right? Something like that, probably. I think. Besides, you live to serve. Isn't that how you say it?' Her hoof lingered on her belly. 'Indeed..' 'At least you're serving a good cause. I think a bit of foaling and needy worshipping fits you pretty well. I mean, there's always everypony else's opinion, but.. who are they, am I right? Besides, divine stuff. You can do what you want.' 'A similar ideal caused their destruction before, Sol. Divine we may be, we are not goddesses in a sense mortal ponies understand. Weren't you the first to agree that the mantle of Divinity did not equate to mortal belief of the term?' 'Don't change the subject! I wanna know this stuff! I've never gotten to ask you this before! Come on, we barely talk! You're totally freaky when you're not in that stiff little shell!' Celestia wouldn't dignify that with a response. 'Aw come on, just a few? I'm so bored, andLun won't talk to me! Pleaseee? I just wanna help! I can give you ideas, or maybe advice, or-or-' 'While the offer sounds.. rather enticing, I cannot. It would not be befitting, and with the current state of the north-' 'To Tartarus with Sombra! I don't see you getting up right now. Especially like that. Please? The fronts can't be bad enough that you'd have to pull yourself off and run down to the field! You're two months pregnant! That'd be a horrible idea! Besides, if they really need you, they'll come get you... probably. Anyway, please? I can help! I know a lot about these things! From observation, but still! I'm the sun!' Perhaps it was another mistake... No, she knew it was. She knew it. But... 'Fine, I will.. enlighten you, as best I can. I.. may be unsure of many things, but.. any questions will not go unanswered.' Regrets could come later. Sol's... wisdom, had brought nothing short of a miracle. Seeing the new light for the first time in all her life, leaving her feeling.. liberated. WT He exhaled shakily, letting his head rest against the frost-covered edge of the drop. It was a living hell, now that they'd lost their mage company. They hadn't even noticed the shadows until it was too late. Sombra's army- ponies and shadow monsters looking like nightmares Discord or Grogar would've summoned- had gotten the jump on them. They were fucked all the way down the line. Wind Trailer wasn't sure how long he'd sat in this damn hole in the ground. He knew, from the mountain of corpses and limbs that littered the field, all mutilated, their flesh and muscles peeled away, revealing the broken, pearly white skeleton drenched in crimson beneath... he was one of, if not the last, ponies left in his division. It'd all gone by so quick, his brain hadn't even kicked in yet. The day had started out as normal as any, routine trench maintenance, headcount, armament replacement. It'd all been going perfectly up until about mid-day, when the recon team disappeared. Lotta ponies shit themselves when they found out their only recon team had completely vanished. They'd advised the recently promoted Commander, Flash Sentry, to pull back south and abandon position, but with the limited contact to Canterlot and Flash's stupid fuckin' hero syndrome, they'd been sent back out into the cold. Trailer wasn't a military pony- didn't know the first thing about combat or war- but even he saw how massively fucked they'd be. He'd considered deserting, but walking out at the last minute would've made him a coward. And if there's one thing he wasn't, it was a coward. Even if he knew it was a ticket straight to Tartarus. They hadn't even seen them coming- literally. One moment, he'd been sitting at the south-east end of their measly little fortifications, lounging with the Bolts, and the next, a giant ass crystal had eaten half of it! He felt bad for the poor bastards that got trapped in the crystal. They all knew the rumors- of what happened to ponies that were caught by Sombra's army. Then, those fucking shadows. He couldn't describe them, even now. They were.. horrifying. The way their skin barely stuck to their hulking, bipedal forms, the black, tar-like liquid that poured from their... everywhere! They looked charred to the bone, the 'skin', if it could even be called that, had been black and rotting. Their dirty, blood-soaked claws, the mist, all of it.. It'd fucked him up. He'd always wondered how he would die, since he'd been able to understand what it meant. Sometimes, he thought about growing old. Having a family. Find a wife, another pegasus, maybe one of those cute unicorns they had all around Canterlot; have foals, then watch them grow up and have their own; and then he'd die. Not a perfect life, but a good one. After the war had started, he'd imagined dying in combat, battling horn-to-hoof with the hordes of mind-controlled ponies. He'd die a hero, for Equestria and the princesses. They'd be honored for their service, saving the nation from a tyrant. Then, he'd pictured freezing in the snow. Slowly dying from frostbite, waiting for the Sombra to attack, then dying from attrition in the tundra when he did. He'd pictured himself frozen over so many times, he'd lost count of the different ways he'd be taken out by the cold. Now, though? Now he just wished it had been any of the former. He didn't have any doubts that those things, if they didn't bring him back to be turned into one of Sombra's bitches, would be what killed him. Fuck, that'd probably be better than becoming one of the ponies with a weird ass helmet. He'd known the moment they had stepped out of the black mist that covered the crystal, that that was the truth. He'd thought it would be ponies- even prayed, the second he saw the first claw, that it had been dragons, possessed by some sort of spell. At least then, they could say they stood a fighting chance. That the mage company could have held the damn things off. That it could've been worth it. The battle was over in less than a minute. It hadn't been fair, nor had they stood a chance. Hells, he doubted they'd win the war if this was what they were dealing with. They were fucked! Flash had been the first to go. Like the idiot he was, he'd charged right into those damned things. Then he'd lost his head after getting a few hooves close to one. He steadied his breathing, looking down at his own body. Any protection they'd had, had been torn through like cloth. He could still see the jagged lines across his chest, and the blood seeping from the wounds in his side, after one of those things had picked him up and tried to crush him. His ribs were probably broken- hell, one was sticking clear out of him; a sharp, bony protrusion that had probably gone end-first into his lungs, judging by the blood he was coughing up. It was all numb now, though. Probably the cold. He could barely see in the blizzard, and anything he could see was covered in organs and blood. Half Spade's torso, trailing its frozen entrails, sat just in front of him. He'd been skinned and crushed alive. They'd ripped the flesh from his face. His teeth, from the perfect front, to his replacement molars. The abyss in his socks, where his eyes had been, was as hopeless as the chance of them winning. By now, the skull of his oldest friend was just another reminder that they'd failed. That they couldn't win. He grit his teeth, wincing at the sharp pain that came with each breath. If he was lucky, he'd choke on his own blood and die before they could capture him. If he still had his spear, sword, or even one of the mage's horns, he would have done it himself. It was better than becoming one of those things. The unison march reached his ears. Ever since the shadow monsters had thinned out, Sombra's troops had been cleaning house, capturing anypony still alive. He looked around frantically, searching for something- anything sharp. It was shitty that he didn't have magic like the damn mages- he could off himself way easier. The sound was getting closer though, and he could hear the snow crunching under their hooves as the group of ponies dispersed. His breathing stopped, and he focused his attention on the noise. Crunching in the distance, slowing getting closer. The scaping of metal against metal. Lumbering steps nearby. The screaming. The other guys still alive were screaming. They all screamed when they were taken. They all did. They'd seen it. His eyes darted around desperately. He'd have flown up and taken a fall head-first if he had the strength. His eyes landed on Half Spade's horn, jutting useless from his head. He wouldn't need it anymore. He reached forward- One of the rough, oily claws clamped around him again. He thrashed against it, flailing his hoof towards the horn despite the pain. "NO!" he shouted. Just as the horn made a brutal, sickening snap!, he heard a similar noise play grotesquely in his eardrums. He wheezed, watching in terror as the horn broke off, and fell tip-first into the snow. The damn abomination lifted him up, and he stared, wide-eyed, at the black, bubbling flesh on its face. It's beady eyes and crooked mouth stared down at him with a look of primal hunger. It had no lips- or muzzle, giving him a clear view every last razor-edged chomper. The claw it held him in dropped to its side as it made its way back toward the mist. He screamed, and screamed, and screamed. Begged and prayed like he had only so long ago. He screamed his throat hoarse when he felt another crack! in his chest. The pain was unbearable- but not as unbearable as the sheer, stark raving terror that he felt as they drew closer and closer to the writhing black cloud. He continued thrashing, hoping for a flickering moment that the next snap would split his spine. It was all for naught, and only when they crossed, did he realize just how useless it all was as they had finally entered the mist, and all the light and hope left in the world vanished. He'd already accepted his fate. C 'You know, I'd never really have expected it. It's like.. you left, and came back.. well, an actual pony! With real desires! She'd probably say you look good on a leash. Don't you two have each other's cutie marks on you, like.. somewhere? I think that was another thing. Hooves, or something. The fact you're the only royal whose never had a harem kinda throws me off, but hey! I don't have anything wrong with monogamous ponies! I.. don't really have sexual desires either. Or any desires at all.. Still, it's hard to imagine you being the submissive one here.. I mean, weren't you her idol or something?' Celestia rolled her eyes. 'So you would think. I cannot help but believe that is not true after what has happened.. but I am glad things have gone the way they have. Even in her state, this side of her is beautiful. Gods, if I'd known this awaited me, I would have attempted to bring us together myself. It was perhaps my wisest choice to listen to you, Sol... But do not believe I will listen to your every idea simply for this. 'Come on! You should at least try water sports! You already wanna try most of the other stuff, why not that? Ponies seem to like it!' 'I did not say I would not, I am... just being cautious. I am interested in many things, but such are.. seemingly quite the stretch..' She blushed. 'You should probably talk to Oblivion.. Twilight.. whatever, just.. you totally need to talk to her! I mean, she's pretty experimental, and I think she'd know a lot more than us. That weird lusty stuff. Besides, what about your body? Doesn't it look so amazing?! You look more like me now! It'll totally make her even more hot and bothered!' 'Perhaps you should have kept the former to yourself. I now have a reason to dislike it.' her mind detested. 'Uh-huh. Go take your sexy ass over and satisfy your stallion.. or.. whatever! You need to get some work in, filly! No laying around when you could let her wake up to an orgasm!' Sol shouted into her brain. 'But she said not to disturb her..' Celestia's hoof traced the bulge that Twilight's cock formed. It stuck out from the excess cum bloating, leaving the hard, unmoving appendage's outline visible just by looking at her. The mare's cock had all but imprinted itself inside the slippery, gaping hole. Something she wouldn't have even been able to comprehend seeing two months ago. 'Good point. She's pretty cranky when you wake her up before she's ready. Plus, we did just talk about consent.. Well.. other than that, I've got nothing. I mean, maybe it's late to be mentioning this, but you two are totally having foals out of wedlock. That'll be tartarus to deal with..' She felt a jolt of panic shoot through her. 'Oh heavens, you're right! You-' 'The fact both of you have neurotic breakdowns every five minutes is concerning. Don't you think you should leave it to Twilight? That's totally what you're all about. She'll know what to do. Funny that you two don't talk about what it's going to be like walking into Day Court together. Luna told the press. you know-' "SHE DID WHAT?!" Celestia clamped her hooves over her mouth, but the damage was done. Twilight groaned. 'Great..' "Mmm... who's there?" The poly-vocals spoke. The sound of several dozen voices, all speaking in simultaneous harmony and unison, combined with the clear lacing of magic made her shiver. "My deepest apologies, Twilight... I could not contain my outburst at a certain revelation. It will not happen again, love.." she whispered. "Oh.. mm.. al.. alright... that's.. that's fine.." a sniff filled the room. "Wow... If you're that desperate, why didn't you-" she yawned "-just wake me up.." "I..." Celestia rubbed her hooves together awkwardly. "I did not wish to disturb you.. mistress?" The breathing behind her halted. It was almost purely out of fascination and disbelief, she could have guessed. The room was still. 'I think you broke her..' Sol whispered- as unnecessary as it was. "Too soon...?" She ducked her head, hiding the permanent shade of crimson embarrassment that tinted her gilded muzzle. 'You may be correct..' "U-uh.. maybe.. I-I'm.. not sure if I can handle that kind of responsibility right now..? I'm kind of... loopy in the head for that... heheh.. just got out of a sex coma.. sort of ascended as well.. self-induced guilt... brother's captured by a tyrant.. y'know, there's a lot going on in my head right now... I'm not saying no, I'm just saying.. give it some time..." Twilight chuckled madly, curling around her. 'Oh.. fair point. Yeah..' Sol whistled. ' Probably should have thought of that..' "Ah, yes.. I apol-" "Hush up, my lovely little Sun. Talk later. Sleep now." a pair of lips met the tip of her horn. "Forgiven. Just... lemme sleep'abit more.." 'Gotta wonder where the idea 'gods don't sleep' comes from.' Celestia breathed a sigh. 'Because I have turned Equestria into a land of fanatic fools.' 'Aren't you just the perfect contradiction to everything you've preached. Going around screaming about how alicorns aren't gods a thousand years ago, then saying you're the 'Eternal Sun'. I think it's funny.' 'You would find humor in your own demise, Sol. Would I not know you, I would find your act better fit for a foal than a primordial entity. It's-' The floor cracked. 'So...' She eyed the vine that had broken through the palace floor. She could recognize them from anywhere. They'd been another result of Discord's reign. Plundervine seeds super-changed with chaos magic. Plundervines- as a species of plant- had already been extinct by the time the he had taken over. The Mad God didn't care though. They were his personal favorites when it came to torturing ponies. Watching the spiked plant thrash violently as it grew through the hole in the floor was like watching his nightmarish hordes consume Equestria all over again, reducing it and its protectors to mere dust beneath his claw. "Twilight?" Nothing stirred. "Twilight, wake up..." she whispered louder. It was closer now- two more broke through the floor. They were closing in on the Everfree. Everything burned. Ponies. Villages. Drowning in rivers of cooking chocolote. Inverted ponies shambling around upside down on clouds, their internal organs hanging limply from their bodies. The panic that filled her at the sight was overwhelming. "Twilight, please, wake up!" her voice rose again, barely above hushed. She yelped as it gripped her left hindleg. The thorns dug into her fur, painfully tearing the skin beneath. It spiraled upward, and she lit her horn to reduce the vile plant to ash- only for it to flicker out. The warmth of another aura encompassed her. It seeped through her panic, quelling the rising emotions. Fear and memories were washed away, replaced with the tingle of magic coursing through her entire being. A pair of hooves kneaded her shoulders, and a tired voice spoke up, "Saw them coming.. signatures of chaos magic spiked a bit ago..." She nodded, watching as the tangled abominations screeched, shriving at the touch of the rainbow nimbus that was oozing from Twilight's ethereal fur. They retreated back into the holes in the floor, and she could swear, for but a moment, that she'd felt a sudden maliciousness coming from the pony behind her, whose head had turned to watch the invading plants retreat. "Stupid powerful magic..." the voice murmured. The form behind her shifted, before tilting itself upward. "Well.. looks like I won't be getting back to sleep anytime soon." She arched her back, gasping as she was pulled out of. The feeling of longing returned- the loss of Twilight's closeness was worthy of tears. The disappearance of the protective layer of feathers made her whimper, and she glanced up at the towering alicorn. Twilight looked down at her, her comforting gaze thawing the harsh cold that had settled as she gestured up with her horn. "As much as I'd really love the stay in bed, we totally.. have to go outside. Sometime. Maybe. Get ready first, then go outside. Right." another chuckle, more nervous. As her Alpha's right, lavender wing lifted, she managed to pull herself off the bed, stepping and snuggling contentedly under it. The stench of sex was the only smell left in the room, overpowering their own odors. Twilight's face wrinkled, before she blanched. "Yeah, we're not going down there smelling like this.. also too soon. Already going to have to deal with a tartarus of a coronation in, what, a week?" Celestia felt an instinctual sense of disappointment and shame at the displeased look on Twilight's face. The coronation had been her idea, after all. Many other events that were to come were her idea as well. The fact it inconvenienced her Alpha so.. she wished she could take it back, if only to erase the image of the displeasure and mild contempt that had been cast from the mare holding her. The comment hadn't been directed at her, yet... It had been her idea. And in her state, that look was a sign of failure. "Alright, uhm.. checklist. Checklist, checklist, checklist. C'mon, we gotta hurry.." Celestia glanced at the mirror. It was impressive- Twilight had cleaned both of them and the room. The smell was virtually non-existent, and any sign of the previous night's activities had been inexplicably unmade.. her stomach excluded. Twilight grinned cheekily at her work. The mare had been working ten times as fast as she normally did- which was fast enough as it was- and had even re-manifested the broken items. Unsurprisingly, not a single book had been harmed in her mental break. Even with her newfound power, it seemed the librarian in Twilight remained, though her job had been taken. She'd offered her help several times, even told Twilight she would do it, but her Alpha was having none of it. It was obsessive, the way she seemed to clean and organize every last spec of dust in the room- quite literally, as she had watched her place dust-bunnies in an exact, coordinated position underneath the couch they had slept on before. Gods. Celestia may have lived to serve, but it was clear this pony was a master at her craft. She couldn't have replicated the precision if she'd truly tried. It was beyond even her, and yet Twilight did it with such ease and haste it almost seemed as though it were foal's play. All without magic. The grooming had been nice, though. She now understood how preening made ponies feel closer- it was far more sensual when done by another. Everything her Alpha had done was undoubtedly calculated and meticulous. Celestia had come to accept long ago that an alicorn's body was always subject to change, but the sensations remained, even if they did not effect the body. Each feather had been removed or nuzzled back into place with a tender caution, and by the time she'd finished, the room had looked as it had the day it had been built, and the bristle of the cold against her wings made her shiver. "I do not remember a letter in which you mentioned studying preening, nor that you could do it so.. intrinsically." she looked about the hoof-crafted shelves, seeming to overshadow all else in the room. "I.. didn't actually, not at first. Rainbow said something about Fluttershy not preening her feathers until she was done preparing her house for the critters coming out of hibernation. I guess I just got caught up in it, and by the time I was done, I'd read almost every book on it.." she sighed wistfully. "Do you have any other such secrets? This is astonishing work, for only having read books on the topic." "Oh, I do! I.. had a lot of time. Too much, heheh... I think the room could've gone better, though.." Twilight looked around, suddenly burrowing holes into the wedges between the walls, ceiling and floor. Celestia nuzzled her way deeper underneath the mass of feather and fur. "I never noticed how off the room's diameter is... was it supposed to be this crooked? The entire tower is uneven." "We.. no, but we thought it as close to perfection as we could achieve.." she murmured. "I think it's just sensory overload. I can still feel the entire city. It.. bothers me. The entire thing is sideways! Not one building adds up! None of them!" Twilight lamented. "Mhm..?" she looked up. "Yeah.. I don't know when it kicked in, but I woke up, and I just... felt. That's it. I felt. Not just, felt, you know. I actually was. It was just for a few seconds, but I was.. All magic. It didn't really take long to find my way back, but.. Weird. I could.. feel everything. I still can, just not as far as I could before. It was like astral projection, except I could feel, and I was a lot bigger. I felt.. large. Really, really large. I also, maybe kindasortafelteverysinglespellbeingcastlikever. So, it was an overall painful experience." Well. She wasn't surprised- not at all. She could do similarly with all that was light. The spell, though... "You can see.. spells?" "Sort of. I don't think you know this, but from what I felt, every time somepony uses magic, they... bend a piece of me, I guess. That's how I know it. Well, how.. I know it. So, if you're using any of the Aether's or Universal elements, it's like having a piece of myself pulled away for a second. Then you give it back when you cast the spell... it's hard to explain." "But.. well, Frozen North, all of that.. if the elements are tinged with the Nether's influence, that magic is really, really painful. Like, I'm being pulled apart, and you're drowning me in bits of myself." the look on her face told Celestia the explanation was obviously simplified from what would have been a total breakdown of the processes structure. Still, it helped. It also explained that Sombra's mere existence had hurt Twilight. She opened her eyes a crack, softly kissing the fur she'd pressed herself into. "A lot of Malice and Arrogance, maybe Apathy as well. Mostly Fear, though. Unbelievable amounts of Fear." Twilight craned her neck, searching the room. "I guess it makes sense. Umbra are Umbra. Dark Magic kind of always being on the tipping side of the balancing scale. What doesn't make sense.. are these dimensions! Come on!" "Must we truly worry about such things, oh architect mine..?" she whispered. "Yes, it doesn't make sense.. and I've really had it.. with things that don't. Make. Sense.." Before either of them could say anything else, a knock echoed from the door to Twilight's tower. "Great.. stallion, taller than average, magic isn't that powerful. That's the guide to Noble Genetics 101." the boiling storm clicked its tongue. "Auntie Celestia? Are you in there?" She pitied Prince Blueblood, yes, but never so much as in that moment. Twilight's face flickered through a plethora of emotions, before settling on an impassive mask, burying the seething fury. Their eyes meet, and the nod was all she needed before she answered, "My nephew, would you so kindly remind me why you must interrupt-" 'Us. They know.' "-us so early?" "Auntie, you must come out here right this instant! I demand an explanation of your foolish behavior." she inhaled, pushing down the annoyance that arose with every moment she had to explain herself to another. Twilight and her didn't answer to them! After another calming breath, she opened her mouth to reply- "Blueblood, it's disrespectful not to look somepony in the eyes while your talking to them. And stop standing infront of my doors like they're the gates to Tartarus!" Twilight chided. There was a pause. The door opened inward, and the Prince shakily stepped into the room. His lesser mind wasn't built to defy magically laced commands. Then again, nopony's was. But non-alicorns even less so. When he finally caught sight of them, his eyes grew larger. With each passing second, the saucers became dinner plates, until she could almost mistake them for the trays used during her cake escapades. His eyes were almost popping out of their sockets by the time her saw her stomach, and an aura pulsed from beside her. She couldn't comprehend it- but it felt imposing. Larger-than-life. It pushed her very will away, reducing it to a lifeless corpse. Any strength or resistance within her was crushed and drained away in a single moment. She knew Twilight hadn't grown; she would have felt it, but the mare still seemed... larger. Much, much larger. It was grandeur she felt. It was also a feeling of submission. The aura and its sheer, utter density left no room for defiance. For all intensive purposes, in that moment, no will, not even that of the sun, existed. None except Twilight's. And she would obey it without fault. As quickly as the crushing weight had arrived, it lessened. The pressure on her body released, and the ability to be returned. Her independence returned, and the right to think- to exist- came with it. She kept staring up in complete reverence, though; not taking a moment to look at Blueblood, whose entire body had lowered in a frightened stiff, floor-low bow. She'd unconsciously lowered her own head in subservience. Twilight, meanwhile, facehoofed. "Damnit, Dominance... stupid powerful magic. Blueblood, get your face off the floor, you look ridiculous." He did, without question; eyes wide and slightly-terrified. His white coat had gone a shade paler, and he seemed unable to even form a coherent sentence. The choking sounds of somepony attempting to understand something they couldn't even begin, for even a moment, to comprehend filled the room. She barely understood it. "Seriously? Ugh.. breathe, speak, talk! Do something!.. why are you here?" the aura battered against Celestia's conscious mind again, but the subtle vibrations seemed to deflect around the room, passing over her as they sunk into the prince. Maintaining any form of self was a dizzying, daunting task. To lose focus for even a moment would have meant being swept away in it. It bent and reshaped thoughts on a whim, acting out the will of its owner. The Prince wheezed uselessly for a moment, before finally choking out a sufficient reply. "I-I came t-to convince you both t-to return. A-auntie Luna failed th-therefore I-" It was enough, apparently, by the sudden disappearance of the influence. The air cleared, and the vicious mental barrage ceased, as everything became a shade clearer. The damage was clearly done, though. It was almost comical how thoroughly Twilight had run her mental defenses into the ground. Her former thoughts- on the imbecile prince, the room, her sister, Sombra's war- had been erased, and replaced with the sole desire to submit. Submit to Twilight. Her happiness came with subordination. She blinked, falling limply against the wall of soft, flowing fur. The fight had been drained in a single swift motion. The pony she leaned against held her tighter, banishing the worry and inquiries. Their significance was clear. 'There's nothing to worry about. It's fine. You're fine. I'll protect you. You're mine, and I'll protect you. You're safe.' Twilight knew best. Celestia's purpose was obedience. Obedience to Twilight. She had no other purpose, than to give in. She was stripped of anything that was not ownership by her sole superior and Alpha. When the power ravaging her mind finally spit her up again, she felt terrible. Her head ached- nay, her head felt as though it had been split in thrice. It barely clicked that her horn seemed to burn with the intensity of liquid magma, and her thoughts had reverted to a jumbled mess. The world made no sense anymore. Colors mixed together and formed amorphous blobs, light shining in reflections and curves as her retinas screamed out in agony. Thought was impossible. Oblivion had not permitted her thought. She... A form of consciousness seemed to arrive once more. She took in a deep, shuddering breath as the broken world- eerie and disfigured, so much so that none without an innate comprehension of the abstract understood- came back into focus. Blueblood sat across from them, his mouth wide open in a silent scream. Her other senses managed to return to her. The instinctual draw to the pony she'd been under remained, and she clumsily attempted to drive herself further beneath the wing. Her thoughts had been shuffled and bitten away. Magic seemed to fill the space oxygen normally took. Twilight was saying something. "Celestia? Celestia?!" She thought about replying, but couldn't form the words. It was like learning how to walk on all four hooves again. Sounds came together to form letters, those letters combining to form words: "Twilight..?" "Oh thank me... er- the gods- you- shit, sorry.. my magic discharged. I.. stopped most of it... are you okay?" It took a moment for thought to re-establish itself, and as it did, she managed, "I.. am not sure." Twilight's exasperated, nigh-incoherent reply barely made it through to her. "I knew I shouldn't have tried to use magic.." the body she'd been leaning against deflated. After many long, grueling minutes, Celestia's senses returned in full. The room- more specifically, everything around them- had been scorched. The blackened floor was befitting of the small fire that burned seemingly in laze around them. "First order of business when everything calms down: learn how to control my magic.. all over again..." A sigh escaped Twilight's lips. "How are you feeling now?" Celestia flexed her right wing, nodding as she felt them part the cool air that had overtaken the warmth. "I.. feel much better now. I believe we share the sentiment, my Light." she paused, looking over at the Blueblood's dazed expression beside Twilight's own, which had twisted into a mask of nervousness. "Oh- oh, do not worry, Miss Sparkle, I know quite well... Oh, dear.. allow me... another moment, please? Heavens.." looking over at Blueblood, she watched as he swayed, barely balancing himself against the small desk, where an inkwell had fallen over, spilling its contents across the table. "Wait-" Twilight snapped her head toward him. "- what?" It took her nephew a while, but after sufficiently massaging his temples and shaking the daze from his... gaze- 'You deserve a medal for that one.'-, he looked back at them. "Yes..." his eyes fell back on her again. "And... yes. Auntie Luna was foolish enough to allow those peasants from the Canterlot Times to have a conference on the subject of your disappearance. So far, only a few know. She's kept it under tight wraps indeed. That means little to us. The Lords have their opinions on the matter, but the House of Nobles has learned better than to question Her Majesty. I still must ask- why?" He looked up at them, standing on all four hooves now. "While I will say nothing of your chosen... consort, I am puzzled. I have never known you as the kind. While I did doubt the words, 'Brash decision,' were they.. correct, Auntie?" he glanced at her, before returning his frightened gaze to Twilight, whose eyes had taken on a steely tone. Even the rainbow irises seemed muted. "Mmm..." she nodded hastily. "It was, yes. I cannot tell you why, but I can say with certainty it was.. perhaps it is naïve, but I do not regret it. Well..." she winced. "Mostly..." He stared at her before muttering to himself. "I... see. Should the houses take this as a sign of the return to-" "I will not allow you to open a brothel, nor will I repeal the current prohibition of prostitution." She felt herself scowling now. It felt.. wrong. Especially on her. But the matter was one frequently discussed, and fervently denied. "What we alicorns do and what it equates to are beyond your understanding, Prince Blueblood. I believe I taught the houses the consequences of comparing themselves to us during your grandfather's time, yes? I will not have anypony defiling this great nation, least of all those meant to hold a such a high standard as examples to the rest." The 'Prince' nodded, but she could see him swallow a retort. "I'm sorry for asking, auntie. I am.. surprised, perhaps. A lowborn.." before his frustration could rise any further, the familiar aura encompassed the room. He froze mid sneer, letting his face go slack. The message was made clear- a warning. A single warning. As it dispersed, he looked between them nervously. "Yes, well... I am not at liberty to make demands, then. Perhaps I can request... that you both join us? We.. require assistance. Several petitions arrived over the time of your 'disappearance,' requesting changes to existing laws within the Celestial Code. We would not let your sister touch them. While we respect her throne, you are the true ruler of Equestria. Those decisions were not hers to make." he stated firmly. "Afterwards, we.." He collected himself, gritting his teeth. "We are not quite.. as skilled as you in the art of war, auntie.." The mention of war had brought back the unpleasant memories. Memories of a time before. They mattered little now, underneath Twilight's grip. But they remained. She thought it over. It would be tedious- organizing their return. For several centuries, she had not left the confines of Equestria personally. The sudden disappearance could've- and likely had- been covered up. It was still an annoyance that Luna could not simply refuse to tell the press. In fact... "Well." She looked up at Twilight, whose impassive gaze had settled on the door. After a nudge, she looked back at Celestia. "I believe now would be a good time, yes?" "Returning to a disaster?" monotoned the familiar set of multiple vocals, as all she gained a flat stare. "I mean, it's nothing new, so... alright." after a shrug, she nuzzled Twilight gratefully. It was a feeling she had become used to- their fur meshing and intertwining, rubbing against the skin just beneath. It was one she would constantly miss as she finally stepped out from under the safety net. Blueblood wore his relief on his sleeve. They stepped closer, and he turned around, grinning. "I told auntie I could do it." "You're just lucky we're in a better mood today... and, you didn't fucking yell at us." He laughed, but the tension remained crystal clear. "It was foolish to believe Auntie Luna would do anything less. As I said, though we may respect her throne, we have all agreed that she is.. perhaps not the most stable of royals. I can imagine she simply bombarded you both with questions?" "Yes." they both replied, near simultaneous. "She had personally requested to be the first to see you," he stepped out the door and began climbing the stairs, the two princesses following suit. Twilight paused, eyes wide. After the clopping of hooves had ceased entirely, he looked back. He held his tongue, and Celestia watched as her Alpha peaked over the side. Her body relaxed, and she fell into step again. They said nothing, returning to their normal pace. "I didn't believe she would cause problems. Truly, I didn't! But I am a fool, nonetheless. She has proven far too emotional to handle diplomatic quarrelling without being consumed in it herself." He continued. "As much as I hate to admit it, sister.. was never the wisest of ponies. She has always been quite impulsive. I do not believe it to be her own fault, but.. the fault of another. I am not surprised by your observations. I expect her to cause another scene in the near future. It cannot be helped." Celestia remarked. There was no reason to truly blame Luna for how they had been raised. Impulse and instinct drove anypony to terrible lengths to get what they desired. And she was again reminded of her own situation. "Still didn't like it.." Twilight voiced from behind them, swiveling her head as she searched the corridors of the Solar Wing. "I.. it's probably just me. I should've.. paid more attention." she seemed to deflate with each word. Celestia sidled up to her. "Does it.. still trouble you..?" Twilight shook her head, the energy seeming to sap itself from her body. "Later.. it can wait." "Honestly, I worry less about this war than I do what it has done. I have had to care for many foals whose mothers and fathers no longer reside in Canterlot." Blueblood's voice took on a tone of sympathy. Even as cold-hearted as he was, it was below him to spite foals over their societal ranking. He was not a monster, after all. "The poors things.." Twilight looked down. "Yeah..." The silence continued as their hoofsteps echoed off the floor. The lack of guards and maids, combined with the obvious signs of neglect, painted a picture of the decaying nation. They weren't prepared for open conflict, nor had they been given coping mechanisms for death. Her ponies walked forth into fields of blood and ice without knowing of their own demise. She was naïve, now that she thought on it. Naïve enough to believe she, simply because of her own Godhood, was impervious to love. Naïve enough to believe that her ponies would never again have the need for war. She'd gotten herself to believe in the perfect world she'd built for them. And how it hit her. It threw her in loops, reminding her of her failure. She kept a straight face, remaining quiet as the throne room's entrance came into view. The sounds of Day Court bounced off the walls, an obvious sign the crowd was much larger now than many times in the past. She had another thing to dread now. Her appearance. She stopped. "Blueblood... perhaps it would be best to.. announce this to all of Canterlot." "Why? I'd think this would be credible-" Twilight's monotone was slowly becoming more concerning, as emotion seemed to completely disappear from her. "More efficient. If she announces it to Canterlot and shows them she's really who she is, ponies will have an easier time believing it. Any story coming out of this room will be taken with a grain of salt. They're all deceivers, so the chance that anypony believes them is slim. If she were to, for example, raise the sun in front of Canterlot, ponies would believe it's her, even with how she looks now." Celestia glanced back at the impassive stare. It didn't radiate the exuberance it once did, of the mare she'd known. The life seemed to drain away from Twilight, and her blank, forward stare disregarded the world around her. It wounded her to see how quickly she hope had disappeared from her lover, but she continued without pause. "If ponies saw her, they wouldn't believe that she was who she said, since her cutie-mark is different. That's just one example, though. Raising the sun would affirm that she was who she was. Even if.." she looked out the window. "it's already been raised. She could set it, then bring it back up. There's not many options that would make ponies believe." They had stopped in front of the doors, contemplating the idea. Blueblood bit his lip, "Perhaps.. you cannot avoid the Manehattan Haystock, Fillydelphia Paper, or Canterlot Times. They have been lobbying for weeks. Once they see a new alicorn," the revelation seemed to smack him in the horn with the force of an earth pony. "A... new alicorn..." Somewhere, hundreds of journalists felt their fur stand on end as the opportunity of a lifetime presented itself. "I agree with Miss Sparkle-" "Oblivion." "Oblivion. It would also do us well to introduce the newest member.. of royalty." he blinked. rubbing his forehead. "By Celestia's sun... why didn't I realize that." "We've all been focused on the immediate problems, so we forgot about the others." Twilight stated. It was rather matter-of-factly, but did the trick. Blueblood turned left. "I will bring you up to date on current transmissions, then. Come along now, we shant dally a second longer. Enough time has been wasted. We cannot keep running in circles." He marched down the halls, and they fell into step behind him, much to Twilight's chagrin. Celestia was left to wonder when they would make up their minds on what exactly to focus on. Author's Note yes, from now on, one character perspective at a time. Double PoVs will be rare from now on. day 3 - migraine. must read. reread. day 5 - reread. doing my editing. kill me. - finally came up with an upload schedule -note didn't reread end of chapter yet. head hurts. will post though. enjoy. going over it later. Broken-"We do not realize just how wrong we are, until it is too late." - King Cosmos, 'Discord's Descent' TS The sound of desperate, heartbroken sobs filled the silence of the room. In the corner, Twilight Sparkle lay limply, flipping through page-after-page of her books. They were all on magic. The theory, of course. She gone to them for comfort... because there was no one else left to go to. She hiccuped, echoing another despaired cry as she tried to read the text through blurry eyes. Her heart hurt- it physically hurt. The pain felt like it would kill her if given the chance. She felt so useless... She'd only wanted to help... She loved her friends... her brother... Celestia... 'You have a lot to think about.' She threw the book, folding into her sorrow. Curling up on the floor of her tower, her howling sobs echoing in the cool night air. It wasn't fair! It just wasn't fair! 'Why... why, why, why...' Her mind cried. She'd never meant to make Cadance cry. She'd never wanted to ruin their wedding. She'd just.. She cried out as betrayal emptied her. The room seemed to get darker- colder. The world lost its color. All that was left was her grief... and magic. Magic hadn't betrayed her- it hadn't left her alone to cry. It hadn't flown away with the wind. It didn't hate her. Magic didn't care, either. But it didn't hate her. She had something. She rubbed her eyes, feeling the soaked fur around them. They had betrayed her, she realized with a start. THEY had betrayed HER. Her mind fluttered back to an event not too long passed. 'Lesson Zero.'. Her lip quivered. 'How could they... after everything that happened... everything we've been through... after all the promises...' all the happy memories.. They just hurt now. She'd been disowned- by everypony. Her friends, her son, her brother... and her teacher... She clutched the Element of Magic to her chest, letting the others collapse to the floor around her. Magic hadn't abandoned her- not like them. She was still the Element of Magic. It still appreciated her- it still wanted her around. She took the warm, comforting pulse of light from the gem as a nod of agreement. Squeezing it tighter, she disregarded the thin trickle of blood that made its way down her withers as the edges of the gemstone cut into her. It wouldn't leave her. It valued her- it cared about her. Her friends may not, but it did. She gave a cracked, broken smile. She knew what she needed to do- Magic was her last friend on all of Equis. The other elements didn't matter- not to her. Magic could do it alone. It always had. The elements only worked because Magic existed. She sat up and held out the gem in front of her. It was clearly different from the others. It was the only one that had pre-existed as Magic- her cutie mark. It glowed with unmatched power, sticking out like a sun among a group of black holes when compared to the other elements. They just leeched off of it- channeling its energy into themselves. She furrowed her brow, idly noting that her tear stained fur had begun to mat in places. The spell connecting the elements was complex- powerful, too- and seemed to simply be... a leech spell. It just didn't make sense. Like Cadance. It just didn't make sense. Unlike Cadance, though, she could make it make sense. She could fix this for the element- maybe it would like her more if she did. It wouldn't have the others stealing magic that rightfully belonged to her and it. ... her, actually. She knew that. Magic was hers, and it liked her. So the magic was hers, as well. She stroked the hard, cut gem of Magic. It was hers. She just couldn't access it. Magic wanted her to have it, right? Why else would it let her be its bearer? The other elements weren't of any use to it. They were foreign- unnecessary lowlifes. Taking magic that wasn't theirs. Her broken heart brightened when Magic seemed to hum. It had to be in approval- right? It meant she was on the right track. It meant that was what Magic wanted. It wanted her to become a part of it. It made sense to her. Why else was her cutie mark Magic itself? It made sense. She liked things that made sense. It dulled the aching pain of the needles that seemed to dance and spin in her chest. It was a distraction- a distraction she would appreciate. She sat up, looking around the room. A few trickles of blood and the other elements scattered the floor of her tower. She knew what she needed to do now. She knew what magic wanted her to do. Magic wanted her to take it. Take the power that rightfully belonged to her. She grit her teeth in concentration and, in a single, simultaneous scoop, cupped all of the interlocked spells in her magic. They scorched her horn, eating through her wellspring with unmatched hunger. She screamed as tears of pain seared her ice-cold flesh. They were eating her! Her mind raced as she felt the other elements begin consuming- further and further into her wellspring. Her very life force was being drained from her! It hurt. So much. She gave a defiant shout and yanked. The lines connecting Magic and the Elements ripped- then tore themselves in half. Twilight's weak, faded tendril of magic gripped the ones that seemed to be excreting Magic's essence, and fused. The world went silent and dark, and the night air hissed softly. C Chrysalis couldn't have been happier! It was all going perfectly- oh, so perfectly! Her little run-in with the brat had made her the hero! She was on top of everything! No one would stop her, not the Princesses, not Equestria, and most certainly not that whelp. She grinned into the mirror, oblivious to the scrying spells placed around the room, humming with a gentle summer's breeze. Concealing the boiling rage of the pony it belonged to as she watched the imposter. T̵̜͚͉̄̿S̴̢̢̛̛̳͖̪͗̓̈͝ Her world was one of pain- and acceptance. As Magic slowly ripped into her body, forcing itself into her as her flesh and muscle seemed to split and break apart, she felt her thoughts going numb. Her horn had split- then shattered, leaving a gaping hole in her skull; squirting blood all over the floor. Her bones twisted and crumbled to dust. The next to go was her fur. It slew from her body, leaving her flesh raw and open. If the floor wasn't drenched before, it was now, as the building pools of red liquid combined into a single bubbling, sizzling mass. Her body caved in on itself, folding uselessly into a flab of raw meat. She had stopped screaming after her lungs had melted, and her windpipe had glued itself closed with tender, boiling muscle, reduced to a thick substance that blocked her breathing. Her chest collapsed open, and her heart, nerves and veins still attached, fell out. She only had one wish. To die at peace... ... A wish that would not be granted, as the pain and power dug itself into her mind with a crack- until finally, it broke. And from her broken, irreparable state, she would be rebuilt from nothing. C The sound of metal meeting marble had been a constant that day. Celestia stood tall over the royal guards, who had been dispelling the horde of Changelings everypony only now realized was surrounding Canterlot. They'd likely been unpleasantly surprised when the last transmission their queen had made that morning had been one of Cadance's magic blasting the bug in the face. The queen herself had been placed under the highest wards available at the time and thrown into a cell in the bowels of the castle. She hadn't seen Twilight, though. Or the Elements of Harmony, for that matter. That was what concerned her. What also concerned her was the pain in her chest. She sighed in defeat as she gripped the doors to the tower in her magic. Goddesses, she didn't want to do this to her student.. she'd hurt the mare enough as it was. But she had to make sure Twilight hadn't done anything too rash. The doors began melting, the wood turning to ash as Sol's energy converged on it, leaving a puddle of melted precious metals and jewels where the door had once been. She stepped through the entrance- and gasped. The room had been destroyed. Scorch marks littered the walls and ceiling. The floor... The floor was covered in blood... blood and... Celestia's wide eyes stared at the clumps of violet fur and deep, midnight-blue hairs. No... "No.." Her whisper carried the weight of the world upon its shoulders as the rest of the guards stepped forward. It didn't matter- not anymore. 'Oh gods... Oh gods, Twilight...' "Twilight..." Celestia pitifully whimpered. She fell onto her haunches, the puddle unmoving as Celestia prayed for the second time in her life. She prayed for something- anything. For her student to rush down the stairs, laughing at the terror on her face as the cruel prank broke her heart; the sudden rush of dark magic, to revive her student as a warlock of death.. anything. Anything to make this horrible reality that was, no longer be... To close the hole that had opened in her chest. ... There was nothing. Her prayers to the long-dead gods went unanswered. The puddle of Twilight didn't so much as croak. She stifled a wail- she dared not cry in the presence of the guard- and fell before it. The blood that soaked into her once pristine alabaster coat went unnoticed. The sounds of vomiting went unheard. Even the cry of anguish from Shining Armor, as he saw what remained of his sister, meant nothing. It was all white noise. Her eyes never left the puddle of gore. Blood and lavender fur collided with her, but she ignored it all. Twilight was gone... Goddesses... "N-no..." 'And it's all your fault.' She laid her head down into the viscous puddle. Her heart seemed despondent as she took in the smell. Mixed with the scent of iron, she could faintly make out parchment and ink. A stray tear mixed the with visceral pool of blood and intestines. She let herself cry as softly as she could manage. Once again, she had pushed a pony she cared for away... Brushed them aside... And once again, she had lost them for it... Why did she never learn... Why- The sound of a thump and a loud, pained yell from the upper half of the tower caught everypony's attention. It was only then, drowning herself in Twilight's insides and her own tears, she let herself hope. Hope those sounds meant the one thing she wanted. Even as discouraged as she was by it all, hope was hope. To Tartarus with the consequences. She was halfway up the stairs when another cry and thump reached her ears. It didn't matter- Twilight could still be alive. There was hope! She crashed into the wall as she reached the top of the stairs. Through the dizziness and remaining tears, she could just make something out- it glowed, fur shining like a lavender star as it stood facing the remains of a large window, overlooking the city below. She didn't need to see the mare to know it was her. The magic felt the same. Even if it was stronger... and colder... She dived forward, disregarding the two ponies in Solar Guard armor who had dropped to the floor- whether in reverence or agony she did not wish to think about- and met the halo halfway. Her hooves clasped the smaller form as she tumbled and crashed, ignoring the pain that flared in her wings as they were crushed against the wall. The cold form squirmed and wriggled, falling limp after a few moments of struggling in her grasp. "Oh, Twilight! I'm so sorry-" With a sharp intake, she loosened her hooves. 'Gods, if I hurt her... she opened her eyes- and blushed. Twilight's face was inches away from hers. Her muzzle had lit up in a barely visible tint of crimson. She pulled her head back- Then froze, as years, upon years, upon tears of plans crumbled to dust before her eyes. The first differences- the ones that caused her the most dread- were Twilight's eyes and back... Or, more specifically, her hollow, empty gaze; and the two brilliant, glowing wings that protruded from her back. Oh yes, it was dread. A dread so terrible it seemed consume all of the joy she had felt before. Twilight's look was so impassive it shattered her heart. Because she knew that look. It was the look of a soul that had been torn apart and stepped on. The look of unending psychological torment. The look of a pony who felt they had lost everything. Even a reason to live. The worst part, though? She was to blame. The look did more than shatter her fragile heart- it very nearly broke her resolve. Because it did more than stare. As blank as it was, there was still a pony underneath. And the look on the pony.. it was accusing. Accusing her. And she knew it was right. And the wings were proof that the look on her student's face- the feeling of betrayal and sorrow, of having her own heart torn from her body and consumed- would never leave. A shell left to live. . . . She felt like a monster. She barely managed to stop herself from crying now. She had done it- no, she had done worse! She had condemned Twilight to an eternity of betrayal! She squeezed her eyes shut, avoiding the gaze that burrowed into her as the mare she held finally focused on her and spoke those dreaded words. The same terrible, horrible words that her niece had spoken upon her ascension. "That's not... my name..." Her body went limp, eyes closing in a slow, fatigued motion as she mumbled. Celestia cried. Author's Note I can't be the only one that finds it fucking outrageous that Celestia didn't see the massive army of Changelings around Canterlot, right? Interlude - Time Goes ByAuthor's Note Alright, in the next few chapters we'll be introducing the real problems this world has. The foremost one is Sombra. This world's Sombra, unlike the one in the MLP series, is a conqueror. His end goals are just that- Conquest. Conquest, power, and wealth. His goal is to expand his own influence at all costs. He's cold, cruel, calculating and merciless; and has programmed his puppets to be the same way, leaving a trail of bodies wherever they go. While I won't go into detail about his history too much, I'll give a brief overview. Secondly are the plundervines. Those are self-explanatory. These two are the largest and most apparent 'oh nos'. The rest... you'll see. Interlude - Time Goes By "They say myself condemned to madness, so why shouldn't I drag the rest of this world down with me?" - Discord, 'Slaughtering Faust's Empire' L The impatient clicking of Luna's hoofsteps echoed throughout the chamber as she paced, glancing down at the city below from the grand window of the Solarium. She'd been damned to this fate, really- the excuse of her sister's absence for negotiations with the dragons had only been possible because of Sombra's return. In reality, she had left those duties to Fluttershy and Spike. The lie could only work for so long. It irked Luna, really- her sister and Oblivion conveniently being absent when the 'God of Umbra' had returned, allowing him to usurp the crystal throne once more. The war- if it could even be called a 'war'- had been going miserably. Luna was a saboteur; her batponies were her agents of the night. Where the sun did not shine, they kept a close eye on the land from the cover of night's darkness. Espionage was the suit of the Moon, Arts, and Passion. This had left the war up to the incompetent Royal Guard and Wonderbolts, both of which had no combat experience in the modern era. So, no. The war was not going well. She was no strategist, either. That honor went to sister. Where she had always worked in the shadows, her sister had bathed in the glory of war. She had proven effective, as well- one did not declare war on the gods and lack true strategic and tactical genius unless they were a fool. Or a mare once known as Twilight Sparkle. It was nothing short of a wonder to Luna. The formerly mortal pony had acted as though defeating gods was no more complicated or difficult than eating a hayburger, something she did quite often. She was terrifyingly efficient. And with Godhood she was all but unstoppable. The destruction of the Elements of Harmony had come as another infuriating factor. Ever since they had crumbled to dust, it had been necessary to keep an entire division of unicorns on watch to ensure the Everfree Forest did not spread any further than it already had. Plundervines had become the bane of her existence in a short time, and had taken up any potential free time she could have spent relaxing from royal duties. If the plundervines were loose, then the Tree of Harmony was no longer active- or worse, had befell a similar fate as the one of its Elements. It was tiring. Very tiring. The fronts were not truly fronts, so much as Sombra's mindless puppets congregating a defense behind the wedge in the pass while her army of recruits and rookies attempted to assault the empire. Safe to say, if they were preparing to launch a full-scale invasion from the north, there would be little she could do to stop them. The only thing that had stopped the Changelings from joining them had been the threat that if they did, their queen would meet her end. The queen was another can of worms entirely. One she would await her sister's return to deal with. The day the crystal empire had fallen- the day Shining Armor and Cadance had been captured- had been the first time the nation had known war and death in the last one thousand years. She was beginning to miss her sister's nonsensical morning babblings about magic and politics. The reaction had been exactly what she had expected; shock, horror, and disgust. While no strategist, she knew enough to have begun a recruitment campaign. Simply flying over the glacier and destroying the Crystal Empire would have been an easy fix, but the amount of ponies whose lives would have been lost in such an event would have made her as much of a monster as the false-king. She had not the wellspring to do that, either. Even corrupted, the Crystal Heart protected the empire. It was strange how, of all the ponies she had bedded, Sombra had been both the one she had truly loved most, and the most psychotic. That hadn't been important in her mind back then- all she had cared about was her thrill- but standing at the top of the world, looking back at the destruction his forces had already caused, she saw him for what he was. Just another Discord. Yet, still.. she'd always hoped for something more with him. It was all a long forgotten pipedream now. She could always hope, though. Maybe he could change.. Who was her sister to find somepony so special while she herself still had to participate in long-dead practices to get her pleasure and intimacy? T'was not fair that she was disallowed to participate in the modern practices of courtship simply because she lacked another! The doors to the Solarium crashed open, revealing five mares and a baby dragon. "Princess Luna!" A trail of dazed and trotten guards lay behind them as they stampeded toward her. She had contacted them on short notice, citing an unidentified surge of power. While it was true she had been unable to tell where the shock came from, she'd had a sneaking suspicious that it wasn't as far from home as she'd thought. They came to a halt a few steps away, all but the two visibly most athletic in their group panting from overexertion. In any news, sister's return would put the houses at ease. Her sudden disappearance to negotiate terms of 'Unification' with the Dragonlands had stirred quite the press conference, and Luna lacked the legitimacy her sister held. That fact greatly displeased her- she was a princess too, was she not?- but she had kept her reservations. It was best not to push the nobility or the lords, as they had more influence and bits than they knew what to do with. It would only cause problems. Problems she couldn't have distracting her at the moment. Nopony had questioned where Oblivion, or 'Twilight Sparkle,' had gone- besides these ponies, who knew.. nothing of the story. The hoof full who did know- the ones who had been told everything- had been monitored constantly. It was for national security. A requirement, in the case she was to be lost, where they could find her sister. And so it was that Luna found the lack of concern their ponies had for their protector, who had felled gods in the name of defending them, saddening. Their ponies were ungrateful at best, but even so.. They all continued to play their parts nonetheless. She couldn't argue with tradition. "Why'd y'all need'sus 'ere, Pr'ncess? Y'alls weren' none-too-clear in that there summ'nsa yours.." The Apple farmer managed. She stood at the head of their group now, having taken on the role of 'leader.' Another quirk these ponies seemed to have was how quickly they were all drawn to the strongest pony in their group for guidance. Allied alicorns had worked similarly, as few knew. Then again, so had herds. "Greetings, fair Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and Miss Pinkamena." She nodded her head at the ponies. "I'm here too.." Spike grumbled. "Apologies, Spike. We are.. distracted, at the moment. In fact, this distraction is why we have brought thee here. As thou may already, the war with the tyrant Sombra has not gone particularly well.. but, that means nothing. Earlier this morning, we felt the sun's magic surge. We do not know why, nor are we sure how, but we have great hope that it means sister will be returning soon." The ponies and drake gave a collective sigh of relief. She had yet to tell them the bad news, of course- that she could no longer raise the sun by forcing the continuation of the day-night cycle- and likely wouldn't, but it could wait until after they had found out the state of the other half of Equestria's quadriarchy. "Finally! Then we can totally go out there and kick Sombra's flank, right?" Rainbow grinned. 'Oh, foal. If you only knew the extent of how 'occupied' she was..' "Unfortunately, no. My sister's return may not be entirely... pleasant. She will require time to recuperate before she is ready to lead the battle to Sombra. Until then, we-" "What! C'mon, we've been waiting, like, forever! What about all those ponies that h-he k-killed!" Luna noted the group's flinch at the word. "We need her! We don't even know where she's been! Why won't you tell us?!" She coolly regarded the rainbow maned hothead that had flown infront of her as the ponies' faces turned from overjoyed to disappointed. Spike, on the other hoof, looked worried. "Is Twilight gonna be alright?" He asked. She knew what he meant, she'd given him the short of their full situation- out of all the creatures Oblivion knew, the whelp was by far the most mature, likely due to his upbringing with the mare- after which he had consistently requested to see her. While she knew it impossible, the dragon almost seemed like the mare's first child in many ways. "Indeed. Perhaps disoriented, but she will be entirely indifferent from how she was before she gone." 'Mostly...' His sigh of relief brought a frustrated growl from the rainbow maned pegasus. "See?! What're you two talking about? Twi's been missing too! She's our friend-" "Cool it, RD. Ain' no need'a bring Twilight in'a this mess. Y'alls is jus'-" "No!" Rainbow rounded on the earth pony as she came up behind her. "She and Celestia went missing at the same time! C'mon, you can't be serious! That's not, like, suspi-sus-susp-" "Suspicious, darling?" "-Yeah! And why do Spike and Luna have to know everything! Spike's just a kid!" The dragon in question scowled, but held back any retorts. "Applejack, while I do hate to admit it, dear, it seems Rainbow Dash is correct. They couldn't both be distracted now, when all of Equestria is at stake, could they? At the same time? It simply doesn't add up." Rarity's ears tilted back. "U-uhm.. I think... uhmm.. Rainbow Dash is.. right..." Fluttershy squeaked. "Wha'ina hay? I know y'all fin' it kin'a funny they's both wen' missin' at the same time, but y'alls can't be tellin' me ya think Twi's got some'hin'a do wit'it? C'mon, that don' make a lick'a sense, ei'her! It's Twi!" "Actually, it totally really does! I mean, Celestia was in her tower after that meanie Chrysalis ruined the wedding! And the wedding rehearsal. Y'know, that wedding rehearsal where we ran off after Cadance but then we found out Cadance was actually a big bug and Twilight was right and then something really super-duper-bad happened to her and now she won't stop calling herself, uh.. Oblivion? Yeah!" The other ponies winced at the reminder. "Yeah... the wedding." Rainbow grunted, looking down at her hooves. "Besides, they were, like, totally smoochy-smoochy! I mean, didn't you hear them? Celestia was all like, 'Oh Twilight' and then-" The pink-party-pony-problem was silenced by a snap of azure magic. "Darling, while that story was amusing the first time, it is getting quite.. old. I don't mean to sound rude, but.. this is Twilight we're talking about. The Twilight Sparkle? The same mare that possessed all of Ponyville because she was afraid of a late friendship report to the Princess?" Pinkie Pie frowned at Rarity. "But it's true! I mean, I woke up feeling a doozy! A doozy! C'mon, that has to mean that Twilight and Celestia are go- mphf-!" Luna's magic sealed Pinkie's muzzle shut. The party pony was maddening in many ways- the way she defiled reality itself, her unending chatter, and her high-pitched voice, making Luna's ears feel like they were being penetrated by a melding iron- but her unique ability to know things simply because she did was worse. Oblivion could be explained. This mare, on the other hoof, could not. "Miss Dash, I will explain when they have returned. For now, I will tell you that the chances my sister will be thoroughly exhausted are quite high. She will be of no use to anypony if she wakes only half when she is brought to the table. Miss Belle, you understand it is important for a mare to acquire adequate rest, yes?" Luna nodded at Rarity. "Oh, heavens! You are absolutely correct, your highness! It would be a crime to keep our princess from her much needed beauty sleep. Though I am quite curious, you say you will explain when they return, but I do wonder what extraordinary task could take that much out of Princess Celestia?" The fashionista rubbed her forelegs together uncomfortably. "Soon.." Luna muttered. She glanced at the tower in the distance. "We believe we should be going now. While we are unsure of what we may find, any other concerns may be answered along the way. Shall we be going?" The ponies looked like they were about to argue, but paused as Spike sped off, fleeing toward the last place the ponies had seen the two missing ponies. Luna's hoof took a one-way trip to her face. "So y'all still gon' giv'sus lan' rights tuh th' farm?" Luna nodded. "Sister is a firm believer in inheritance. It has much to do with her sense of honor, as a way for ponies to remember those of times long past, but has led to the House of Lords and Nobles decadence. While we've requested she amend it for that reason, she's refused every time. Apparently, it has become such an importance to our ponies' society that to be rid anypony of it would be seen as taking away their basic equine rights. As her Will leaves you the farm, the crown would make no move to intervene unless you were suspected of harboring outlawed substances or otherwise violating the Celestial Code of Law." Applejack regarded the statement with a quiet sigh of relief. Granny Smith's death had been a tragedy. They'd predicted the mare would still have a few years, but to have been so wrong.. well, it'd been a shock. 'She seems to hide her grief well..' It was impressive that the farm pony had kept up her visage of stoicism. Most grieving ponies barely had the will to leave their own homes, let alone lead their clan into the future while war tore the northern nation apart. She glanced around her as they came to a stop. The ponies seemed not to have noticed their location yet, which Luna took as a silent victory. If they knew where they were, they would start asking question. All she had to do was excuse hersel- "Uh, darling, isn't this.. Twilight's tower?" Ah, of course.. Rarity would be the first to notice, even with her lack of observance. Any hope this would go without questions was stomped beneath the confused looks on the other ponies' faces. Spike was likely already up the stairs waiting for her. While it wasn't her right to intrude, she'd left them in the dark for long enough. "This is where sister and her former student have been for the last several weeks, my little ponies. Doth that answer thine questions?" She inquired. They looked at her incredulously, while Rainbow Dash's face morphed into a twisted mixture of anger and disbelief. "What the hay! What do you mean they're here?! They've just been sitting here while we sent all those ponies to-" "No, Miss Dash. If thou would cease thine arrogant imbecility for a single moment, we would have explained to thee that sister has truly been busy. I will be the first and only pony to warn you that currently, should any of you go up there, the possibility you may simply be unmade by one of them has increased tenfold. Their situation is very sensitive, mortal. Your interruption would only cause our problems to worsen." Luna hissed. The pegasus jerked back. She looked terrified, but it was just what she needed to be. If she refused to acknowledge the validity of just how dangerous their brash actions could be to the emotional mares, then... well, that was best left for a world that she hoped would never exist. Luna stared hard. If her point wasn't clear before, she knew it was clear now, as the pegasus begrudgingly- and fearfully- lowered her head. "Before I can allow any of you in their presence, I must see what state they are in. You will remain right here while I do. Are we understood?" She set her firm gaze on the rest of the group, all of which nodded hastily. While she may not have truly been vexed, sometimes her reputation was useful. She turned around, and slowly began climbing the spiral staircase. Leaning against the door of the tower and letting her mind wander as her sister's moans, even through the windstorm that coated Canterlot in a layer of frost and ice, battered her ears, she idled. She'd never have guessed her sister, Celestia of the Sun, would have been a screamer. She really never would have guessed it! Nor had she wanted to find out. A memory came to her unbidden. Luna lay spread-eagle on a large, four-poster bed. The sheets had been discarded, and her hooves had been bound to the mattress below her. A tall, dark stallion lay atop her, his hooves pressing into the bed at her sides. The large, black cock between his hindlegs was barely visible as it buried itself into her. She moaned, an orgasm wracking her exhausted body. Their sweat drenched coats pressed against each other, the shadow that had surrounded him parting as their bodies met over and over. She was panting and struggling, trying desperately to stay awake as her vagina was spread and penetrated. Her cervix was sore and her sex-driven mind wanted nothing more than to be filled. She felt him hilt and screamed, "Sombra!" Luna stared down at the concrete that made up the majority of the ground balcony of the tower at the arousing memory. She'd always been grateful for her lack of fertility, but now.. The wind seemed much louder now, the ponies all crying out for her death being revived in its wake. It wasn't the first time she had missed him. She wiped the odd tear that had slipped past her eyes and sighed, pressing her ear against the door. The moaning had gone quiet, and all that was left was the biting storm against her muzzle. She looked over at the drake, who had taken a seat next to the stone wall. He picked at his claws, trying his best to hide his nervousness. He was so young, especially in dragon terms. Seeing and hearing his only parental figures in their current position had left an impact on him. An example of the world sister had created. It was hard not to feel sorry for him. He'd had to take care of his own caretaker since the beginning of his relatively short life, and had lacked what most would consider a proper foal-or whelp-hood. His maturity was impressive, but a sad sign that he had never been without it. He had taken the sight in stride, but the drake had distanced himself from all of them since then. Luna had two theories on the matter. Of course, she could be wrong. History never said she'd always been right. She exhaled and tapped Spike with her magic. His gaze shot over to her. "I believe they are... finished. For now. It would be a wonderful time to enter and see how they are, yes?" He nodded in response. Luna turned around, flicking her ear at the pitter patter of his scaly feet colliding with the ground. She waited until he had stopped in front of the door, rubbing his arms as he stared at its wooden frame. Funny how sister could reduce even the hardest of metals to a helium concoction at the flick of her hoof. After a few more deep breaths, she laid her hoof on the door. She'd spent enough time procrastinating. Her wings ruffled uncomfortably, and the dread that had wormed its way into her chest had begun choking her resolve. She lifted her hoof and knocked. . . . 'Thump!' "Oh gods... what happened..?" A familiar, warped feminine voice groaned. "I do not know, love, but I feel... quite full.." Another replied, her voice smooth as butter. "I... I guess.. whatever in Tartarus' name just happened..." It paused, and the sound of fur-on-fabric could be heard. A second later, a faint, but audible, sigh reached her ears. "There... I like this." "Shouldn't you have answered the door... hum, door. Strange. I could have sworn I had created your own from Solarite.." "Probably.. and, I think that's because you melted the other one, remember?" The voice sounded more like several speaking at once, but Luna recognized it from anywhere. Even through the inequine quality. "Perhaps I should... clean myself, before? I.. it would make for awkward conversation, would it not?" "Don't worry. If it's important, whoever it is'll just tell us anyway. I'm too comfy, and you are really, really warm and sticky. You're not going anywhere until I say so. Besides, you look beautiful." The voices for a voice giggled, reverberating as an oddity against the sound barrier. "Twilight... do you feel alright? That- that is quite the brash statement for you.." A few seconds passed before the response came. "I... feel fine. A little different. sure, but fine.. am I acting different?.." "Perhaps.. but, as am I.. but, perhaps it is not so bad, as she said, yes? I believe my.. Alphamare, would be magnificent if she were perhaps moreso. I feel more alive currently than I have in eternity."A moment later, a flash of rainbow magic gripped the door- and it seemed to crumble out of the fabric of reality. With the addition of a grimace at the 'idle' bed talk, Luna also had a stunning hornache now. "O-oh... I'll have to get used to that, won't I?" Was the last Luna heard from the voice as she walked in, and came face to face with the two alicorns whose changed forms radiated a light of power. One, stiff as a board, and the other, soaked from head to hoof in a thick, white liquid, hiding the gold sheen of her coat beneath it. She could just make out the sloshing bulge of semen inside of her sister's belly as she buried her face into Oblivion's sparkling, rainbow primaries. Today just couldn't get any worse, could it? Then she remembered Spike. She looked over at him. His traumatized look was enough for Luna to regret bringing him along almost instantly. Gods, it would be a long morning.. The Bad News, The Worse News, and an Even Worse OutcomeHey guys, uh.. author here. I... okay, how do I say this? I'm abandoning this story. Fuck, that was a bit blunt. I'll explain myself. Lately, I haven't... I haven't been feeling like myself. It's hard to find the motivation to write anymore. I want to- believe me, I do!- I just... can't. I've demoralized myself to the point of forsaking the idea of continuing with this. My mind has a hard time staying in one place, and writing this has really pushed that to the limit. I'm creative, but I'm the jump-all-over-the-place type creative. The 'this doesn't make much sense and is everywhere at once but there's a lotta love put into it' type. I... I'm sorry. For anyone who did like this idea. I know, I know, I'm a quitter. I tried- I really did! I had most of the next chapter finished, but I just couldn't find it in myself to post it. I feel like I'm humiliating myself by doing this, but I'm just not able to write anymore. I don't have the fuel tank or the heart. Anything I would post here would be hollow and effortless. Literally. I'd be writing long, logical chapters, but I'd be doing it with no emotion. That's a machine's job. I can't handle something like that. It wouldn't feel like me writing. I'd drain myself trying to write something I don't want to. It is with a heavy heart and out of sync chakra that I must inform you all of this story's definite cancellation. I'm sorry. Nixus
- But Alive"I am not a kind Emperor. I am not a wise Emperor. I am simply a pony given a place and a title. I do not have any obligations to anypony but myself. That is how the world should be." - God-Emperor Aeternum / "Interesting..." She muttered, flipping through her mind. It'd been a stressful few days. The news of her righteous accusations... hadn't done much. Her chest still felt empty and cold. She didn't mind though. She'd found the gifts Magic had given her to be much more interesting. She didn't understand- and yet she did. She'd been given a plethora of knowledge that was, for all intensive purposes, impossible. And with the impossible, the possibilities were endless. Of course, she had a few visitors every now and then. Her former friends had tried to coax her into coming out. She obviously didn't. Her brother had come by.. but she forgot what happened. It didn't matter, truthfully. They all made the empty feeling in her chest worse. She didn't need them. But.. Her magic flicked off, bringing the large, sleeping form of another alicorn into view. She stared at the red stain on her white coat. She didn't know- what to do, feel, or say. Celestia had made the feeling go away. She wasn't sure why- her mentor had abandoned her as well- but.. She could stay. Maybe it had been they way Celestia had cried when she'd found her. Or the way they had had to get Luna to pry the Solar monarch off of her body while she'd slept. But... Gods, love could make you feel damned. Spike had been sleeping at the end of her bed. As much as he made the feeling vastly expand, he was her damn child!.. even if she'd never told him that was how she felt. She wouldn't turn him away. If it hurt to have him around, then so be it. Before she could return to looking at all the knowledge she had gained, the sound of the door opening brought a flicker of annoyance. "Girls, I told you all before; I'm not coming out." She repeated for the... fuck, seventh time...! "Twilight Sparkle?" The sound of Luna's voice saying her dead name came from the door, bringing the chasm's return. Luna hadn't even been there to back her up- and likely wouldn't have. 'Just another traitor...' "Mmm, that's not my name, go ahead and wear it out.." Her horn lit again, bringing the tablets of spells and symbols back into view. She casually scrolled through them, manually working them all out. She enjoyed it quite a bit- redoing the spells in her mind to get a complete layout of the theory. It passed the time. She ground her teeth as an azure flash of magic dispelled her construct. That had taken time to make, fuckwad! She snapped her head towards Luna. "Yes, Luna?" To her ever-increasing satisfaction, the Lunar Goddess flinched at the rising anger in her voice. "I'd like you to make this quick, I don't wanna have to deal with you right now." "Ehm, yes... apologies, uh, we.. what should we call thee?" She stopped for a moment. She.. hadn't thought about it much. After organizing a private funeral for Twilight Sparkle (attended, sadly, only by herself), she hadn't made up her mind. She'd been hoping to put it off. She wasn't Twilight Sparkle. Twilight Sparkle had been mortal. She'd been a unicorn. She'd had a normal mind and body. Mostly. She wasn't Twilight Sparkle... she didn't think so, anyway. Celestia still called her by her dead name, but she didn't have the... heart? To correct her. Maybe... She opened up the magic tablet again, scrolling through the sections. If she was right, then.... "Call me... Oblivion." Luna stared at her for a moment, analyzing her features. "We... understand. Why doth thou pick such a name, if.. if we may ask?" Oblivion looked at her. She put on her dumbest look. "As the Goddess of Magic, I am also subsequently the Goddess and Empress of both the Aether and Nether, the Realms of Magic, and the Holy Protector of the Elements and their Virtues- of Time with Charity and Contentedness, Technology with Knowledge and Diligence, Fire with Courage and Justice, Wind with Love and Chastity, Magic with Faith and Wisdom, Dark with Compassion and Prudence, Death with Humility and Forgiveness, Water with Kindness and Sincerity, Ice with Tolerance and Empathy, Life with Temperance and Determination, Earth with Fortitude and Patience, and Light with Hope- of the Aether and the Elemental Sins- of Fear, Lust, Apathy, Arrogance, Malice, Despair, and Madness- of the Nether. The the Aether's antithesis. I am then essentially the Oblivion." "Balancing them results in a state of totality; a state in which transcendence to a higher state-of-mind occurs. I balance them with Dominance, magic's sub-element; the greatest of them. I'd think a Goddess should know that. Simply because one is a lesser of one those elements, their virtues and sins, does not mean they must give in to it. Arrogance is for the weak, fear is for cowards, and justice is for the damned. I am simply here to uphold their integrity and existence. It's strangely contradictory, that I'm an exception to those rules because I'm their defender. Magic's is of the greatest influence, but you may be familiar with... some of the virtues." Luna stared at her for a moment, seemingly assimilating the information until she whispered, "The Elements..." "Precisely." Oblivion grunted. "It's why they were able to stop Discord's mad rampage before it could begin. He may be a channel for Madness and Chaos, but not even he can hold his own against five combined virtues and an Aether's element. It was never friendship- only the state of the virtues' power. Harmony is otherwise- Harmony and Eternity and Creation. They are made up of the virtues in the same way Silence, Oblivion, Destruction, and Mayhem are by the Sins of the Nether. Time is a very unique case, though. It is part of the virtues in of themselves, and a part of its own obscure, virtueless-sinless branch. The branch contains Time, Soul, Space, Reality, Power, and Mind. Those are universal branches of magic, ones that can be used by any magic wielder. They're what we use most commonly." Luna looked at her, shaking her head slowly. "How doth thou... know such things?" Oblivion shrugged. "Magic's Godhead isn't the only one I was given. Knowledge, Power, and Energy and.. some others. I know things- even if I don't remember. I... I know a lot of things. Things that should be impossible to know. I can... feel, creation in a different way. It's like... a connection. I... know things. Feel things. That's... it's the only way to describe it. It's.. why I'm acting this weird. Or... out of character? Yeah.." She looked past Luna. "Well.. we have... come to discuss, with thee. Since thine ascension, we will be required to maketh thee... a princess, as tradition states. We find it best to do so sooner rather than later, and thou will be coronated here in Canterlot." Oblivion's look shifted from impassive- to outright furious. "Like tartarus I will!" She cursed, to Luna's utter shock. "Who the fuck do you think you are telling me what I do and don't have to do? Tradition? Do you think I give a fuck about your shitty little traditions? Do you know who I am? Do you know what I am capable of, plebian? You would dare-" Celestia's groan quieted her rampaging tirade. "Mmmoo.. Sister?" She blinked her eyes. "Mm-Twilight? What's going on?" She looked at them. CO Oblivion opened her mouth to retort the use of a dead name- but stopped. Unlike with Luna, she didn't have the ability- almost physically- to correct that with Celestia. Celestia hadn't betrayed her like the rest- Cadance was her niece, after all; and had been since before she'd been Luna's. Besides.. she loved Celestia.. Her friends, on the other hoof, had sided with Cadance because she was a princess, and... Everything stopped. They had sided with her... ... because she was a princess. She smiled a crooked, surgical smile. "Me and Luna were talking. Nothing big. Just my coronation. I had second thoughts about it, but... well, I don't see any inherent issues with the decision..." She paused, scowling. "Nobility aside." Celestia stared at her, dumfounded. "I-I.. Well, I did not think you would..." she stuttered, "I did not believe you would accept so easily..." Luna looked at her quizzically- a look she ignored in favor of indulging Celestia. "I think it's fine. She said my coronation would be, 'sooner rather than later'." Her smile dropped away. "Ah... I see.. well.." she looked Oblivion up and down. "Twilight... we may want to work on your voice beforehoof... it is quite... convincing." Celestia scratched the back of her neck. "Sorry, that's just the residue magic. It tries to take control of your mind and.. well, make you listen to me. Sort of like a puppet." She laid back down in her bed. "Sorry about waking you up, Celestia." The Sun Princess blinked in surprise at the blatant use of her name. Then smiled brightly. "It's fine, truly. I was merely curious about what you were talking to sister about. It... seems to be sorted, yes?" She looked at Luna, who still sat, utterly confused. The Lunar diarch rubbed her head, turning towards the door again. "Indeed... but... Oblivion, remember. This is no game- even if you may dislike it, even if you may despise them. You have a duty to Equestria as an alicorn. Such has been the rule in history. I know little of the role you may play, but you have become what you are, and therefore, as a princess, you will be the will of your ponies. Do you understand?" Luna waited for a response. She stood in the doorway for a full minute, fearing what she would see if she turned around. After receiving no reply for several more minutes, she finally peaked- and went galloping down the hall. Oblivion had sat, staring at her with wide, vacant eyes. Eyes filled to the brim with the blackest of malice and hatred. With a look that could only be acceptance. Celestia stared after her sister. Luna had acted strangely, of course, but... Twilight had spoken to her. That was what mattered. She now had a now topic to discuss with the mare, as well. "Twilight..." Celestia whispered. Oblivion remained silent, contemplating whether or not to reply. To reply would be to give in to the burning desire to have an intelligent conversation the only pony who didn't hurt to be in the presence of... but she would be giving in. She ran the options through her mind. She could talk to Celestia... that had always made her feel better.. Or she could ignore her. Then she wouldn't have to talk to anyone. "Twilight, pl-please..." Celestia's voice cracked at the second plea. "I-I.." Oblivion felt a blade enter into one side of her hollow heart- and exit out the other as she heard Celestia. Her damn heart... even emptied out, it made itself known as she tried to force the desire to speak to her former mentor down, her courage ridiculing them for their emotional vulnerability. She gulped. "Twilight..." Celestia buried her face into her hooves. "I'm sorry... I-I.. I'm so sorry..." She swallowed a sob. "I-I shouldn't... I sh-should've trusted you..." The stabbing pain tore through her resolve like tissue paper. Her conviction may have been powerful, but not that powerful. She quietly got out of her bed. Being alone wasn't worth making Celestia cry. "Twilight... Twilight, p-please... please... I'm sorry... j-just..." she choked, "please do not leave me... please..." She stepped up to the crying alicorn. Thin trickles of tears were a new addition to her. It was too much. She wrapped her hooves around the massive alabaster torso, letting her head fall limply against it. She wasn't sure why- but she felt better. The nothingness in her chest had faded. For the first time in days... She felt whole. She felt her heart beat anew; like a breath of fresh air. She was alive. "There's nothing to forgive... It wasn't your fault, Cadance is your niece, and I... it made sense-" "I was so cruel to you!" The Princess of the Sun wailed. "Sense or not, I should not have allowed my emotions to detest you! I should have known then that your accusations were not unfounded! I should not have left you to drown in despair! I... I should not have said..." 'You have a lot to think about.' There was the pain again. They both felt it now. Celestia was eating her own words. "Celestia, I... I know.." Oblivion closed her eyes. "It... hurt. A lot... like, it really, really hurt." She gave a dry, emotionless chuckle. "Th-they hurt me too, but.. you... you just..." "Gods, it hurt.." She closed her eyes, shutting off her own tears. It was curious that even after she'd ascended, it still hurt so badly. "But... I-I already forgave you. It's just... hard. To talk to you. I'm... dealing with some stuff, in my head. I... I know I... I know I might've said fear is for cowards... but..." "I'm scared, Celestia. What's gonna happen to me? I... I'm just..." Oblivion felt the stinging in her eyes intensify as she buried her face into the nape of Celestia's neck. "Please... I forgive you... just... please stay. I don't.. feel right.." A pair of hooves wrapped around her neck and a set of wings draped themselves around her. "I will... I swear, I will... I'll cancel Day Court... I... I should not have left. Not earlier today. Not yesterday... not... not then, either... Gods, I am a fool... I'm so sorry... I'm-mmph-" Celestia blinked in surprised, her face beet red as a pair of lavender lips pressed themselves against her own. Oblivion pulled away, her face a similar shade of crimson. "I told you I forgive you... just... do this for me... if you... if you go again.. I-I don't think I'll make it.." "I just.. Celestia.. please.. I can't do this alone. Not now.." Celestia nodded mutely, the beating of the organ in her chest trying to break out of its cage quickening as the taste of dandelions and lilac lingered behind. She... wasn't sure what she felt. Love was a foreign emotion to her- desires of the flesh she had dared not participate in- and if the feeling of a flock of angry hummingbirds trying to peck through her rib cage wasn't enough... She missed the tender pair of lips that had so briefly met hers. The nobility had tried to force her into marriage thousands of times in the past. They had failed, obviously- the Goddess of Virginity and Chastity had done a wonderful job at defending herself from those demands in particular. In the ancient times, it had made her feel out of place to be the only pony who refused to partake in the... displays of horrendous coitus. Ever. Ponies would do the deed.. in many ways, wherever, whenever, and with whoever they wished. Many ponies- her own mother included- had attempted to force her into the activities- or force themselves onto her. They failed. They ended up with their heads on pikes. It had been tartarus. So, after using Discord as a trap to slay her parents, she had begun reshaping Equestria into a land where she wouldn't feel too out of place. The trauma from Discord's reign had effected her judgement during that time. She'd been volatile to violence and cold to those around her... Sister... This wasn't like either of those, though. It wasn't the movement that had caught her attention. The action, either. It was the pony. Twilight... She didn't know if it was possible- she knew what Twilight was, of course- but... a relationship? It seemed so... impossible. Twilight, a mortal, and her? Why love a pony when you will lose them.. That had been her excuse before... now she had none. None but guilt.. She had no excuse to cover up the truth- a fact. The harsh truth of her situation. She was in love with Twilight Sparkle. Her student. A... mare. She was in love.. and had no clue what to do. She didn't know how long that had been so. All the shitty novels in Equestria couldn't even begin to compare to her situation. So, she laid there and contemplated. She had sworn she wouldn't leave Twilight- and Tartarus, nothing short of Discord returning would make her leave the mare alone again. She'd made that mistake before... Twilight's tense body had scooted skittishly away from her. The impassive mare was visibly swallowing her embarrassment, trying to inch away. The kiss had been positively delightful... Gods, she felt old. It was sudden, perhaps? But, after a desperate millennia, she was willing to take her chances, inhibitions be damned. Besides, her student.. was quite a lovely mare. If only she knew how to deal with her own emotions... Celestia pulled Twilight into her, curling around the smaller mare's body. She held her in a firm grasp, noticing the frost that seemed to cling to Twilight. She was freezing cold- something Celestia planned to fix. A teary, joyful whimper sounded from underneath the cocoon. She was in love with Twilight Sparkle... And maybe that was just fine. Even if she hadn't the slightest clue what to do about it... And she had only hurt the mare... A lot. The thought filed itself away for the morning, when she could panic about it unbidden. "Mmm..." she heard the voice murmur. Sleep was subjective for them all the same, but it was a simple thing that worked wonders for coming back with a clear head. Sleep came quicker than her nervous body would have liked.
Celestial Advice"Sometimes, it can be hard to forgive yourself. I know it will be for me. I.. have had to do things for my husband and my empire that have brought my name nothing but bastardization. I regret my actions, no matter how many times I am forgiven. Maybe one day, I'll forgive myself.." - Queen Cosmos, fall of Queen Noxus C The first thing Celestia had noted about Twilight- Oblivion, as she had practically shouted at Luna the day before- after she had awoken was that she was a cuddler. She was not gentle, either. Celestia had been lucky to get enough time to raise Sol before she'd been yanked into a bear trap of purple hooves. Twilight had grown during the night, that much was obvious. Where she had formerly been small enough to fit under her wing, she now lay almost as tall as Celestia herself. She hadn't let up on her vice-grip for even a moment. Celestia could make out little else. The second thing Celestia noticed was the long, girthy length and two generous orbs pressing against her fur. Her face went red- so red that, had she not been a goddess, she likely would have died of hemorrhaging- at the feeling. She knew what it was- she had since she'd taken Twilight on as a student- but to be this close to it... was an enlightening experience, of sorts. She didn't know how to feel... but it was eye-opening. Seeing it and touching it- having it rub against her fur- were two entirely different experiences. Her teats seemed to be far more sensitive than usual, and she could feel the cool air blow against her undisguised folds. It was new. She didn't mind. She squirmed her untouched nethers away. Its purity was both her pride... and her shame. It was too pure. So long as Twilight didn't do that... Yet, she longed... She'd was quickly become uncomfortable. The mare beside her was asleep, she was certain. Twilight was a heavy sleeper. It would have taken a rampaging Ursa Major to wake her up. The feeling of the length had made her unbearably uncomfortable, though. It was... foreign. Strange. New. Like the world she had woken up in. She had betrayed Twilight. She had left her to her tears and sorrow in an act of foolishness. But... Twilight's ability to forgive was a feat. Even after what Celestia had said, even though she didn't deserve it, Twilight had forgiven her. She had let Twilight die. And then Twilight had forgiven her. ... she didn't deserve it. Her chest felt odd again. Different feelings, all mixing with the lovely warmth in the center. Pain was one of them. She didn't deserve any of this- she should be on her flanks begging for forgiveness!- but... It wasn't her choice to make anymore. That felt nice, at the least. The smell of ozone that radiated from Twilight was slightly disconcerting. It seemed to mix with paper and ink, sitting itself in an unnatural trilateral between the two. For the most part... the mare smelled like she should. She laid her head back, resting it against the back of the lofty couch. It felt like an eternity as she laid there, feeling the gentle beating of Twilight's heart and the slow, rhythmic pulse of blood up the length. It was calming, if soothing; and she let her mind be dragged off by the lulling hum. Until she heard a voice. 'Who do we have here?' a cheerful, familiar voice inquired. She should have expected that. 'The reason I rushed your dawn, perhaps?' she answered back. 'I think it's a very good reason, Celestia. I've never seen you with another pony before. It's... cute. Wait, no.. I don't mean it, like...' Sol grunted in frustration. 'Sorry. I didn't mean it like... cute, like, that... I meant I'm surprised it took you this long to find 'the one'. Thousand years, sheesh. Looks like she was worth the wait, though, hum? She's cute. And, from most of your interactions, like, inequinely nice.' 'Indeed... I simply worry, friend. I... Celestia's mind struggled to put together a coherent thought. She... 'You got the jitters, hm?' She nodded weakly. Sol was childish at best, but... knew what to say, most of the time. 'C'mon, Celestia! You've been waiting millennia to have somepony for yourself! And one you definitely say yes to be a lover to just hands herself over to you on a silver platter? You're crazier than your sister- and she's a genocidal slut!' Derogatory comment aside, it was true. 'Perhaps, but.. it's simply so sudden. I fear as though it is not meant to be... that it was simply made in the moment.. and are my fears unfounded, truly? What I have done to her... it could not bring any success to us.. have I not poisoned any potential for its possibility to be true?' Celestia sniffed, forcing her muzzle deeper into Twilight's coat. Sol was silent for a moment.'Celestia,' it finally began, 'I know you think that. I... Hey, I've had a millennia to get to know you. I should've guessed you'd feel that way. But I want you to listen to me. The only pony here doubting this is you. I've seen that mare work- the fact you didn't know she's always felt this way... kind of baffles me- and I'll be damned if I let your paranoia ruin it for the both of you. Did it look like she doubted it? For even a second? Did it sound like some kind of epiphany to her? Or did she say it and know it? The only one here that's having any kind of problems is you. You made a mistake- a bad one. You fucked up, Miss 'Sol Invicta'. You're still going to try to make that up- I know you will. That's just how you are. But damnit- if you ruin this because of your guilty conscious..!' 'You fucked up bad. I'm old- older than you, your father, and your father's father. I've seen a lot of fuck ups in my eternity. Aeternum fucked up when he decided to go and face Discord himself. Cosmos fucked up when he fell into your trap and got himself killed. Galixia fucked up when she decided to 'defend' you from the 'Mad God'. You fucked up with Scorpan and Tirek. You fucked up with Sombra. You fucked up with Luna. Do you know what you did afterwards? After Tirek had rampaged through Equestria? You blamed yourself. Even after you defeated him. You blamed yourself for not getting to the Crystal Empire in time to save its ponies. There's a lot of stuff you can blame yourself for. But you need to stop right here.' 'I might not know the mare as well as you, but I know enough. I know enough to know that if she knew you'd beat yourself up over what you did, she'd scold you like a filly and blame herself. And you know I'm right. So don't start having second thoughts now. Twilight broke her own mind, alright? I saw it happen. I'm the sun for eternity's sake. Twilight wantedMagicto break her mind. She'd asked for it. Did you make a mistake? Yeah. Yeah, you definitely did. Do you plan on fixing it? You'll try. But.. you can't expect this to work, if you're just going to go on and on because of guilt. It would be you poisoning the relationship. Remember, Twilight told you she forgave you. Don't waste that forgiveness like an idiot. Not every single misfortune in history is your fault.' 'Besides, she really will need you. Not many ponies ascend, and the ones that do typically have to take a while to get used to it. She's not gonna be an exception to that. You heard her yesterday- her mind is trying to run her in circles. The Aether sucks like that, apparently. And with all those elements? We're lucky she hasn't gone insane. Of course she'll need you. By Elysium, how do you think she feels when she's alone?' She'd gotten used to Sol constantly being right. Of course the sun would be right. Of course the sun's argument was completely and utterly true. Of course she had nothing to retort. It was right. 'I... had not thought... of.. that... 'Trust me, you wouldn't have. Guilt clouds the mind, but that's why I'm here. You love her, don't you?' She nodded vigorously. Every part of Twilight had been something she had sought; her heart; caring even in the most hopeless circumstances, her faithfulness; even in treachery, her intelligence... she had a way of getting under Celestia's fur that she'd never felt before. The rare beauty in the mare was hard to miss. Their personalities' similarities. Twilight left her with an odd, fuzzy feeling in her chest. A feeling that had spread throughout her body when she was with the mare... 'Then listen to me for once in your life! You always ignore my advice- but listen to me now! Just this once- gods! We don't have the connectionLun and Luna have, I know! You don't talk to me much! Even friendly, we aren't that close! You prefer listening to yourself. I understand that! But please! You don't have to listen to me again, but... please. Just this once. It's... it's all I ask.. I'll never contact you again unless you want. Just... listen to me. One damn time...' Many times in the past, Celestia had ignored Sol's pleading in favor of her own plans. She'd always placed her own experience before the experience of the sun... But now, the sun's experience was all she had to go by. So she'd listen. Outside, it brightened a smidgen. 'Please do not make me regret this, Sol.' 'You won't, Celestia. My advice tends to have a much better outcome than your self-loathing.' Celestia's lips tilted downward. 'Oh, don't be a sour puss! I'm only trying to help. Besides, what's the worst that could happen? A guilt-ridden, heartbroken Oblivion falls and becomes the next Nightmare Moon with no Elements if Harmony to stop her?' Sol mocked. The joke was terrible, of course. In fact, it was a terrifying thought. But insult to injury was how the sun tended to work. 'Would your wisdom perhaps extend to this?' She focused on the feeling of the slick length against her stomach. Mild amusement overcame her worry as Sol went silent for another moment, seemingly entranced in thought. She waited for a reply, the rushing of solar energy that had flooded her ears dimming. 'Well.. I will admit, I have never seen anything like it... or... felt? It doesn't matter.. truthfully, what you wish to do with this knowledge is for you to decide. I see no reason for this to become something major. She might be a goddess, and she might have.. one of those, but inside, she's still a mare. What are your thoughts?' 'I... I believe similarly. The problem is miniscule, indeed. Of course, this does mean that we could...' Celestia gulped. And the sun seemed to flare through the window. 'OPPORTUNITY!' With that, and a screeching blare of solar wind, the voice went silent. 'Great gods, what have I done...' She watched the window, the sun glowing with more radiance than it had in all her life. Perhaps Sol was correct, though. The sound of a low, husky groan singing against her eardrums was a sign that she would find out soon enough.
New Mornings"If all you ponies see in me is a monster, then a monster I shall become! If I have to rip this Tartarus forsaken land apart myself!" - Discord, the Slaying of Aeternum O Her head was a cacophony. Ideas- conscious, living ideas were bubbling and screaming at her. It was... It... It was so fucking annoying. 'S̶i̶l̸e̴n̴c̸e̴.̸' Her voice echoed off the walls of her mind. It was fragile- Magic had had to piece it back together from almost nothing before they fused- and she wouldn't risk the insanity of the elements destroying it before it could recuperate. She was groggy, that much was true. What time it was, she didn't need to- nor did she want to- know. She was curious about other things at that moment- the voices, herself, the very comfortable warmth against her and her stiff male appendage... She paused on the last one for a moment, before moving on. She felt... nothing, really. Not anymore. She had suppressed the cries of the virtues and sins, leaving her feeling... nothing. Well, except for the morning wood. A lot of mares would ask how stallions dealt with it, but it was very simple for a pony who it'd come to naturally. She pressed her hips forward into the warmth. It felt soft... Whatever it was, she'd clean it later. She rhythmically humped the soft, plush shape. It squirmed for a moment, before going still as it seemed to find a comfortable position. Odd. Normally, inanimate objects didn't do that. Knowledge was banging against the mental barrier again. 'O̵̳̭̝̖̳͂́́͑̕ḥ̴͕͇̦͂͊,̴̻̮̈́̔́͌͠ ̴̨̦͌̈͊̂̈́͘͠w̸̢͎̙̼͈͎̉̍̌͊̓h̷̨̜̿́̾͋͛̃͒a̵͙̻̹̦̰̣̽̑͒͑́̚͠t̶̻͈͎̖̩̏̇ ̷͖͈̯̱̉͛t̷̹͓͔̺̭͚͋͌̽̒̓͠ͅh̶̗̔͐͆è̷̗̺͚͌̇̕͘ ̸̠̓̄̒̈́̀̿f̴͈̍̊̍̚͝ư̶̗̲̳̦̣͇͈̊̌͋̊̊c̸͈̫̊̌ǩ̸̞̳̟̜̱̺͠ͅ ̴̡̤̌̃̏i̶͍̙̯̱̍̈́s̷̖͉͓̣̞͂ ̵͔͎̝̞͕͊ḯ̸͙̘́̇͠͝t̷̜̹͈͍͉͜͝ ̷̦͓̼̲̘̱̔̃̅̕ń̶̼͋̊̑͝ö̵̢̟̞̥́͌̉̎̕͝͠w̴̬͈̝̉̈́̈̀͐͗͘?̷̢̨̮̻͍͆̈̀̂͋͜' Her mind hissed, pressing her cock firmly into the plump mass. What was so important- ... 'Shit.' Her eyes cracked open, allowing the blinding light of the sun to penetrate her divine pupils. In her hooves,-now at... equal height?!- lay Celestia. She was blushing profusely- Oblivion had never seen so much red on the Sun Goddess's face- and avoiding her eyes. Scratch that. She wasn't avoiding eye contact, she was looking at... C Celestia felt her breath hitch as the hard, throbbing length against her chest pushed forward. She'd been in similar situations- unwillingly- but none had ever gone this far. Nervousness and fear came immediately. Her first instinct's reaction would have normally been, in any other situation, to vaporize the pony. This wasn't a normal situation though... She was willing to see this through. She was terrified, of course- who wouldn't be?- but curious. She'd never seen the male genitalia at work before, and it may have been a good opportunity to learn about what she would need to prepare for... from a first person perspective. Yes. and perhaps obsess over Twilight. Only a bit. Not too much. The soft, unrestrained groans played in her ears. The mare was clearly enjoying herself- that much could be observed, but still seemed.. asleep. Mostly asleep. And oh, how beautiful she looked! Twilight's peaceful, resting features were more serene than any mask she could ever have managed! A sticky liquid had also made itself present. She knew what it was- but hadn't the courage to try and move. She wasn't sure if she wanted to help please Twilight or hide in the opposite corner of the room and leave the mare to do her.. thing. Both choices seemed optimal. Before she could pick one, though, the sound of the door creaking open interrupted the sound of the slick, wet squelching. "Twilig- Er, apologies, Obliviooooo.....-" Luna walked muzzle first into the room, eyes immediately landing on the cozy couch in the corner. Celestia felt her ageless heart stop. Luna stared at her and Twilight, jaw slack. Her eyes were the size of Canterlot Castle's chandeliers, and her voice seemed to have eaten itself before reaching her mouth. "-n." she squeaked. No pony moved besides Twilight, who, after a few more hard thrusts, paused. She seemed to be waking up now, her half-dazed humping coming to a complete stop as a pair of unfocused eyes fixed themselves on Celestia. The three ponies sat in silence, watching each other in the current of awkward display. Luna visibly failed at speaking as she tried to move her mouth. C x O Oblivion held her tongue. Quite literally. She felt it bleed in her mouth as her teeth bit down on it, silencing anything that would have otherwise forced itself out of her mouth. The room was still as death- funny, to her- and the divinity simply stared at one another in shock, embarrassment, and shame. "W-well..." Luna stated lamely. "Uhm... this is... unexpected... mostly..." Celestia gulped, running her tongue along the inside of her mouth. Her throat was suddenly dry, and a sense of sweeping terror had arisen. She wasn't sure why, but the thought of being watched while she satisfied the sleeping mare beside her made her feel... heated. Luna sputtered, watching Celestia's mask strain to keep itself together. "W-we apologize if we are interrupting, sister, we.. Uhm, I was simply here to tell our soon-to-be Princess that her friends await her outside... we..." She trailed off, trying desperately to find any excuse to leave. Celestia hid her face behind her mane in shame. Luna had... She'd... A face buried itself into her neck. Twilight's body had frozen over- the ice was visible now- and felt more like a glacier than a pony. She would send herself to tartarus before she let her Twilight go, but the sheer, gargantuan amounts of humiliation that seemed to flood her made her shake. 'Celestia? Listen to me, alright? Luna should have knocked first- don't go now. You'll send Twilight the wrong signals. Remember, this isn't your fault. Use your indignation, Celestia. Protect yourself, damnit! It was her fault for barging in here like she owned the place! If she considered you and Twilight equals,- sisters- she wouldn't have done that! You understand? Don't go back now- you want your happy little ending with Twilight? Then don't fucking do it! What you were doing was fine! Just get her out!' Sol howled into her mind, her righteous tone beating back the inability to speak. She swallowed the embarrassment, repairing her shaky mask as best she could. "Sister.. we would appreciate if you gave us some.. privacy, please..." Luna gave her a pointed, 'We'll talk about this later' look, and fled; an unconscious baby dragon held in her magic. Celestia clutched the freezing pony to her chest, feeling her temperature continue to drop as the door slammed shut. A whimper came from below her head. "M'sorry..." Oblivion muttered. "I didn't mean to.. I forgot... I jus'..." She pulled her hooves around herself. "I didn't mean to.. I was just doing what I normally do.. I.. I didn't remember..." A pink, crystal tear fell limply onto the couch. "Twi-Twilight...-" "Oblivion..." She muttered sadly. "Please.. it... it is fine. It was not too much of a bother. While it was unexpected I.. will admit I was intrigued. It.. it is fine- love, please... please calm down..." She stroked the mare's frost-coated mane. "Please... you're alright..." "B-but I... I'm..." The mare that was once Twilight Sparkle hiccuped. "d-disgusting.." "No.. you are not.." Celestia whispered softly. "Yes I'am..." Oblivion mumbled sleepily, turning her body away to hide her shame between her hind legs. The pink crystals shattered against the cold, unforgiving floor. "I would've stayed in'm bed... I jus' forgot I was'a m'nster... I'was jus'... so happy.." Bitterness sunk it's fangs into her. "M'sorry..." 'Damage control. Now.' Celestia was already on it, though; grabbing Twilight in her magic a she tried to climb off the relatively crowded cushions. "Wait, please-" "Nyyyo! Lemme go! I... I'm... I'm..." The purple alicorn sagged as the solar magic yanked her back to her spot on the couch. "'m evil..." "I'm an abomination... 'ma freak.. lemme... lemme go..." She pulled her tail over the source if her misery, pinning it against her. "Lemme go... I'm... 'm..." Celestia tenderly stroked the frost covered pony's muzzle. "Where do you come up with such things, Twilight..? Hadn't I taught you never to judge a pony by their appearance?" "'m different!..." The mare cried, her sleepy gaze never focusing. "I shouldn' exist... I'm not a mare.. I'm jus'-" 'That's illogical.' "You are a mare, Twilight. You may be of both genders' influence, but you are a mare in mind and physique. Please, Twilight, talk to me... Who would say such things? You are the kindest pony I have ever met, and you have befriended all you have come across. You have never said such things before.. Who would put these horrible ideas in your head?" "'verypony that knows... what'I am..." Oblivion mumbled. "They all think it... m'a freak..." "You are not a freak for that reason alone, Twilight. A pony with a heart as caring and forgiving as yours is not a monster. Please, answer the question; who would say those things.." 'You're hurting, and you refuse to tell anypony who it is that hurt you..' She pleaded. 'Just like me..' Oblivion whimpered as her sleepy haze faded. "Does it matter? You can't do anything about it.. no one can..." "I'm just the butt of a shitty joke the universe likes playing.. I'm sorry about yesterday... it was out of line. I shouldn't have done that... I-I wasn't thinking.. I did something I'm not allowed to.. just another stupid mistake... I'm still fucking useless-" "Answer the question. Now." 'Cool it. Defensive? Fine. Just don't go on a fucking head hunt yet. You still gotta lift her out of her hole, 'kay?' She didn't respond. Oblivion shook her head weakly. "No... They're right... I keep making stupid mistakes and getting out of line... going out of my way to be a burden... just like the wedding... I'm.. I'm just-" The alabaster goddess grit her teeth. "Damnit, Twilight, tell me! You have done nothing above your newly given authority, and must I say it out loud for you to understand? Did I not clearly state my lack of such an opinion? Must I say it so you understand? Damnit Twilight, I love you so! I would shout it to the world! But you must tell me who bothers you! Who would say such things! And why-" "My parents! My.. my..." "My parents..." The response shocked her. Her rant stopped... "Your..." She shakily managed. "My parents... my parents.. my own fucking parents.. everypony at your stupid fucking school!... all the nobles... doctors... th-they all know... they all know I'm... I'm..." She choked on her words, squeezing her tail against her chest. The less she could see of what it hid, the better. It- She was tossed onto her side again, pinning her chest-to-chest with the mare whose height she almost mimicked. She found her vision filled with lime-green and white, the delicate scent of a field of flowers in spring reaching her senses. Celestia lay in stunned silence, squeezing the lavender ball of light in her hooves. She'd expected the middlemost two, but the first and the last ones... She'd have to have a parent-teacher conference very, very soon. Twilight writhed in her grasp, trying to shake herself free. She leaned down, pushing her lips against the tip of the lavender horn the now sat in front of her muzzle. "Twilight... you should've told me.." she whispered. "No! Because they're right! Because they've always been right! Nopony can love me- nopony! I'm just a useless leech! I'm a monster who's only alive because you protected her! I can't even take care of myself! I deserve every time a pony's tried to hurt me! I-" Celestia closed the voidesque depth that howled its blasphemy. Terror to her ears- verbal abuse; something she knew quite well. As a filly, no less. She'd never thought her ponies could be so blind- and cruel. She had thought they'd learned from her mother and father's corrupt reign. Twilight was a very accomplished mare; who'd built her own self-importance- but none of that seemed to register with the mare herself. And her parents... Twilight struggled in her hooves for a time, her mouth attempting to utter the terrible words of self-loathing and hate. Her undesirability and lack of worth. She fought Celestia's hold, but her heart- as empty as it was- wasn't behind it. Celestia could tell. As Twilight fell still, the tinkling of crystals as they were crushed and shattered played in time with the soft sobs, the biting air of the room as Magic's cold, soulless reasoning fought with the sun's loving warmth. The cries brought hammer after hammer down on Celestia's heart. Goddesses, she had hurt Twilight. But Twilight had hurt from far worse, for far longer. "You are wrong... you are so, so very wrong. I love you, my Light. I love you so dearly.. Other ponies may not, but I do. I will love you as you should be loved... and I will love all of you- even the parts you consider monstrous. Please, Twilight... To see you suffer pains me..." "Į̷̬͛̌t̴̝̓̊ ̸̟̥̉d̴̖̯̎̓ī̷͜ď̶͈̈́n̷̗͆͐'̴̡̀̆ͅt̵̺̊ ̵̛̰p̴̦͌̑a̶̝̓̓i̶̻̲̔̄n̴̬̭̈ ̶̱͍͝y̸̢̦̿o̵̰̠̓ụ̴̻̇̂ ̷̗̫̆̐b̶͕͌ĕ̵͖f̷̮̈o̸̜̗͌̏r̴̡̐ȩ̷͚͗̌,̷̦̬̐ ̵̯̫̑͛ḏ̵͊͝i̵͎̘͝d̴̬̰͐ ̵͓̮̑̔i̵͍̘͋t̶̙̻̆?̶̼̓̿ͅ ̷̦͆͝W̴͇̉ͅh̶̢͗̑ẻ̷̥̯̋n̶͍̙̆͛ ̷͍͝I̸̜̽ͅ ̷̥͚̚w̷̠͌â̵̖̞n̴̲̿t̸̲͍̓e̸͖̖̓d̸̦̬͆ ̵͇̇͆t̸̘̾̅o̸̩̮͑͛ ̵̘̤̄̉k̶͓̞̄̏e̸̥̾ḙ̶̉͝p̴̹̓ ̶̛̟̣̕y̸̢̦̽͑o̷̻̔u̵̹͚͐̚ ̴̛̰a̴̛͉͓̍l̵̮̻̈́͠ĺ̷̲̮ ̸̟͕̎ṣ̸̪́̑a̴͈̍͠f̶̦͙̔̑ĕ̶͚,̵̼͛ͅ ̶̹̮̉̃d̵͈̓ì̶͜d̷̤̑ ̷̱̕y̷̱̠̽o̷̬̩͋û̷͙̜̍ ̷̡̅͝f̸͉̀e̵̩͚͒͑ȩ̴̜̌͊l̷̛̪̙ ̸̺͔̕a̸̲̿n̵̢̾͘ẏ̸͜͠ ̵̥̿ͅr̴͖̮̒e̸̡̔m̴̛͍̖o̵͚͒ȑ̴̝̗̍s̷̯̫͋e̷̫̮͘ ̷̱̆̒͜ẗ̶̗̺̃h̶̠̺̑e̵͓̹͒n̴̯͌̀?̷̮̀ ̵̦̊̈́W̵̝̰̌͘h̸̦̍e̵͔̱̓n̶̡͗ ̴͖̂ỷ̶ͅò̴̲u̵̫͝ ̷̙͚͗͂l̵̪͊͝e̷̬͚̾͒t̷͔̆͝ ̸̤͉̿́m̷̨̱̂e̷̥̔̐ ̴̼̊̈́c̷̟̄͠r̵̭͖̂ỹ̵̹ ̵̖͆̐m̷͖̪̾ÿ̸͔̫́̕s̵͍̃e̶̹̓̈́l̸̜̊f̵̹̆ ̴̧̜͋̏t̶̪̾o̶͓͔͝ ̵͍̕s̵̘̙͑l̴̞͂ẹ̶͇́̏ė̸͈̙̇p̶̰͆͆?̵̭̘̾ ̸͍̬̀D̷̃́ͅi̸̢̓ḓ̶̊͠ ̸̤͆̍i̷̠̱̅͗t̵̖͘ ̸͖̋̚p̶̥̿ã̴̗ỉ̷͉͕n̸̠̈́ ̸͋̊͜y̶̧̕o̶̫͛ū̶͕̤͌ ̶̗̹̈́͂w̵̬̰̎̔h̸͕̋͂ͅė̵̛͜n̴̝̏ ̵̜̈́͌y̶̭̟̚o̷͓̹̾̈́u̷̦͌͊ ̸̦̑͜ḓ̶̊̑͜ḯ̶͔d̵̮̃ ̵̥̼͒̕ṫ̴̨̇h̷̖̒a̷̩͐͠t̷͎̂̋?̶̟̈́͑ ̵̨̡̣̎̑̌̀̽̃͝Ẃ̵̡͔̲̣̭̆͗͗̔̉̏h̷̡͎̞̳̦̬͎͎̝̻̚ͅe̴̩͕̦͚͕̲͚̰̋͌̀̽͠n̷̛̬̝͚̩͐͊̋̾̀̽̐̏̃͠ ̸̨̡͚̭͚͈̬̻̌̈́̔̈́̌͗̏͝ÿ̵͖́͋͊̅͆̊̑̈̚ǫ̷̠͖͙̺͈̠̟̒̔̉̉͛ͅͅų̴̢̡̠̤̹̫͗̏̄́̊̚͘͠ ̶̧̪̭̭͕̩̠̲̝̥͇̦̋̉̽̀̆̈́̉̄̊͆͜͝͝͝l̷̨̝̜͎̰̋͌́͂̆̾̆͆̈ͅȩ̸̻̺̰̟̬̬̹̪͔͔̥̅͜t̷̤̖̓ ̸̠̥̱̥̭̪̖̫̱̯̹͌̉̈́͗̈́̇̽͜m̷̧̜̗͉̳͔͇̣̏͊͆̕͜͜e̵̮̍̀ ̶̨̲̮̩͎̈͛̋̈́̅͐̀̀̈̕̚͘͝d̵̹̮̳̩̝͉̱͍̳̐͛̈́͐͆̇̎̏̕ͅȋ̵̱̦̪͆̅̊ȩ̴̝̤̥̗̞̾̓̇̄̏̓̌̈́̽̌̕?̵̧̭͍̮͍̲́͒̐̚͜ͅͅ" The screeching abyss bellowed. Celestia rubbed the base of Twilight's wing, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "Yes, it did. I.. I thought myself right.. I thought my wisdom superior... I have yet to forgive myself for being so foolish..." The voice didn't reply. "And I... I will not do so... for I had so stupidly left another pony to a fate so similar, and nigh lost them. And I had not learned... Now I have broken the one that I love..." She winced. "And I cannot fix my mistake..." The room was still as the crystalline ice that had formed on the frozen mare slowly melted back into her body. Her body temperature went up in time. All good signs, in Celestia's opinion. She felt a sigh. In her tangle of legs, Twilight had shifted her head down, her eyes focusing on the white fur of the alicorn's chest. Celestia watched her precious Light press her hooves against her tail, stimulating the dark-purple cock underneath it. Her face was covered in a bright red shame. Something that would likely be the pride and envy of all stallions was the mare's largest social hindrance. Something she would be allowed to hide from her no longer. Even with the discomfort. 'And.. the possibilities.' Her forehoof moved down to Twilight's tail and, to her Light's surprise, moved it aside. She brought the irritated length over to rest against her stomach. It was impossibly long- ending just below the center of her chest- and dangerously thick, but remained motionless as the pony it belonged to twitched, hugging herself tightly. "There's no need to be ashamed, Twilight.. while it might not be a feature on any other mare, it makes you special. You have something they never will. Do not hide it from me, please.. Do not hide something so deserving of praise.." She looked at Twilight, who was visibly fighting herself. Oblivion wasn't sure anymore. Everything she had been told all her life- by everypony- was being questioned and defied in a single moment. She believed it, obviously- a pony who couldn't even be born right didn't deserve to be loved- but then again... Arrogance may have been able to fix it... she'd consider. Besides, Celestia was a fellow Goddess... if it was true, then what was wrong? She had been given explicit permission. She had been told she was loved... and she was, if the virtues' influence did not lie. But... The raging storm in her mind was a tiring task for the barrier to contain. She couldn't decide on how to feel- but.. Celestia had said yes, so it stood to reason. Reason and logic worked. They didn't have opinions. They were fact. Celestia loved her. Celestia said she didn't mind. It wasn't disturbing to Celestia. Therefore, she could. She pushed herself forward, squishing her length between them. Her hooves latched themselves around the other alicorn as her head finally came to rest itself against an alabaster cheek. 'Congrats, crisis averted... seriously, congrats. I thought she'd lose it there for a second. She's pretty fucked in the mornings... guess I can see why, though. I mean, mental instability and repressed emotional trauma? That's a messed up combination.. Then again, you'd know about those things too, wouldn't you?' 'You said you would not return unless I asked it of you.' Celestia nuzzled Twilight. 'Sorry, I'm just trying to help. I mean, you've never listened to me before! How can I just sit by...' 'You said you would.' 'Fine, fine..' Sol's grumbling voice vanished. In the now relatively peaceful room, Celestia exhaled quietly. Quiet was nice. Quiet and.. well, another noise. She pressed her hips forward, her cock running along Celestia's soft coat. Precum had already slathered the length of it, and each thrust was slick with another quickly following it. She yearned for more- something further down, something she knew was uncharted territory to anyone that had ever lived- but dared not. She wouldn't test her luck yet; it had already given her enough. She ran the tip of her nose along Celestia's collarbone, putting the knowledge she had gained from Lust's Element to use. Maybe a little too intimate, but if it was fine with the mare beside her, then... Her teeth daintily nipped the taut, stretchy flesh. Celestia's face was a mixture of surprise and confusion as she moaned. Oblivion paused, looking up at her unsurely. She pushed the base of her cock against the mare's stomach, momentarily satisfying the burning need. "Can I... Do you want me to stop..? It's, uh, fine if you do... I was just-" she started. "N-no... it's fine, truly. Ah, perhaps a bit... forward, for only the second day, but... there is nothing wrong with that. It feels.. wonderful, actually. Where did you learn this? I have not known you to have done anything.." Celestia gestured with her hoof. "I haven't.. I just, know this stuff.. now. It's hard to explain. I just know a lot of stuff and how to do it. This is one of those things. So... it's okay?" Celestia nodded. She leaned her head back down, nipping and kissing the parted fur. Her muzzle trailed across the perfect coat, pulling generous amounts of the smooth, pink skin up with each delicate nibble. She grinded her cock against Celestia, feeling it pulse with each moan. The sound of her lover's soft, uncertain moans was more than a little arousing. Her hooves rubbed the length of the alicorn's flared wings as she pressed the length between her hips harder, shortening her thrusts. She groaned, pulling away from Celestia's neck and leaning up. She pressed her lips against their ivory counterparts, soaking in their taste. She knew Celestia had a sweet-tooth, but the taste of chocolate cake that coated her lips was priceless. Her tongue worked its way out of her mouth and she gently prodded the pair of white, velvety lips against her own. A moment of hesitation seemed to pass through Celestia, face rose red and panting. Oblivion opened her eyes, lovingly gazing into the magenta pair that met them. Gods, did she feel amazing... But her mare seemed nervous. Unsure of whether to accept her invitation or not. Her tongue slipped back into her own mouth, pulling away. "Too much?" She breathed softly. "I... do not know... perhaps? It seems unorthodox to myself. It wasn't that long ago that I left you to become a mound of flesh and blood at my actions..." Celestia's ears pinned back. Oblivion paused, leaning her horn against her mare's. She wasn't wrong in her observation, but.. perhaps it was. She didn't want to scare the chance of more off, either. Celestia had agreed out of curiosity. "I'll be finished soon; it'd be.. easier if you were on your back and I could.. well, be on top." a blush crept its way onto her cheeks. "I... It'll make it easier.. besides.." she murmured. "I'd feel a lot closer to you on top..." Celestia looked contemplative for a moment. Obviously she was ready to see just how far she and her lover could go, but it didn't seem right... not yet. But when dealing with divinity, orthodoxy tends to fail spectacularly. She bit her lip, rolling it in her mouth again as the options fought with each other for dominance. She doubted she would regret it- she may not have been lustful.. or very sexual at all, but she could still feel pleasure- and it was Twilight.. Nopony had to know about their activities. Except her sister, but that was unavoidable. Irony was a killer, and... who were the ponies outside to deny her the long-awaited intimacy she'd been searching for? Boundaries would have to be set, of course, but... Right now, it was perfect. She wasn't living in the past anymore. This was no attempt at molestation or forced confrontation. This was... love. Mutual. Different from how most ponies did it nowadays, but it was love. It was the highest form of intimacy, and they were both suckers for it. The closest, most intimate you could get with another pony, or goddess, was inside of them. Besides, it wasn't like anything could go wrong. ... right? 'I can think of about thirty things that could go wrong just off the top of my solar flare.' An irritating voice that was promptly ignored stated. She looked back at Twilight... The mare had grown. Significantly. Her body was also changing drastically. Apparently, she wasn't done with her ascension- not entirely. It was as good a time as any. It'd leave a lasting impact on her subconscious mind- hopefully a good one. Celestia pushed their muzzles back together. Oblivion felt her cock throb as she thrust against her lover's coat. Her wings extended with a loud 'pomf' as her tongue was greeted by an open muzzle, diving into it. She moaned, the feeling of another hot, wet appendage mingling with hers making her stallionhood pulse, oozing precum on both of their chests while her body fought itself on top and she pushed her meat against Celestia. Hard. She felt a pair of soaked lips spread around the base of her spire. Her eyes locked with Celestia's, who had taken to grinding her and moaning with reckless abandon. They met gazes as she pushed again and in a final, utterly irrational decision, Celestia nodded. Oblivion took a hint. She pulled her body back, lining up the tip of her cock with Celestia's dripping pussy. It was leaking, and the smell of arousal that filled the air was almost intoxicating. She pushed her length forward, gasping as the slit stretched around it. The faint feeling of a barrier that she had quickly pushed through and a cry of pain from below caused her to look down. Celestia was biting her lip to keep from screaming in agony and attempted re-rationalization. It felt so good.. she couldn't stop now! She shook Twilight's concern off. Rational or not, the mare would take her now! "Oh, Celestia.." Oblivion opened her mouth in a groan. The slick feeling of blood was being washed away by Celestia's juices; coating and lubing her length. She pressed forward, her cock sliding into the tight, moist hole. She continued without pause, feeling the writhing ecstasy below her. Celestia's mind was awash with a haze of pain and pleasure. She had never known such a feeling could exist- it was beautiful!- and she didn't want it to stop. The feeling of being filled was so foreign; yet completing. Animal instinct took over as the length was buried inside her. Oblivion felt her medial ring lash out against the entrance of her princess's pussy. She thrust vigorously, pumping in and out of the hole until the feeling of sticky, wet mare juice squirting onto her let it slip through. Celestia convulsed blissfully below her as they both cried out in unison, joyous screams filling the empty room. She thrust it back, before forcing it into the ever-expanding hole again, driving her cock deeper with each subsequent thrust; her and Celestia's kiss breaking as a pair of well-endowed balls connected with an obscene, lewd smack. She hilted in the hole, pumping her cock against the entrance of Celestia's womb. It didn't matter now. Both of them wrapped the other in their hooves as her balls churned, a vibrating pulse shaking her unsteady legs. She pulled Celestia up, letting the mare slide down her cock until she hit the base. Her length disappeared into the hole as a throb began making its way up her cock. "Celestia- I-I'm gonna c-cum.." she breathed. Her tip flared against the womb's entrance. Without pause or second thought, Celestia moaned. "Twilight.. Inside, please.." She wanted to be stuffed- wanted to feel the fullness in her womb. Gods, she wanted to foal the mare's children! The eroticism and the moan that followed drove Oblivion over the edge. She pulled her mare as close to her as she could, tying their muzzles together as a torrent of thick, milky cream exploded from her cock. She felt Celestia bloating by the first load, and gently rubbed the bulge in her alabaster form. Another load, thicker and heavier than the last, squirt from her cock. She kept thrusting in short, rhythmic bursts, slamming herself into Celestia's cervix. She felt no small amount of fear as what she had done temporarily registered. It disappeared a moment later, being replaced by need. She continued fucking Celestia, holding the mare in a sitting position as her body went limp and her moans grew to screams. The feeling of the clenching hole and squirting juices was too much, even as she let her seventh load unrestrained into her mare. 'Fuck, I don't think I can stop...' Her loads kept coming, the well of cum overflowing inside Celestia. She felt it spill out of her lover's overstuffed cunt and onto her, coating her ballsack and teats; staining her inner thighs white. The sticky foal juice covered the couch under them, as the waves of sperm kept coming. After her thirty-second load, she felt the drain. Her spurts slowed and thinned, leaving a river of cum to soak their impromptu bed. Oblivion sat down in her cum, rubbing her own pussy into it. The act was disgusting, but in her hazy state, it brought another short spurt of spunk from her length, feeling sleep creep up on her as she looked down at the mess. Her body fell forward on top of Celestia's, who had already passed out. She unconsciously tightened her hold on Celestia, letting her mind shut down as the thought of all the potent semen inside of the mare threatened to drag her into a panic attack. Letting the exhaustion take over as she thought about how she had claimed the mare only a day-and-a-half into courting her dulled the panic. And how stupid and thoughtless she had just been. And what they had just done... What she had just put into the mare. ... Gods, she'd deal with tartarus later. Her eyes drifted closed as she fell into a dreamless sleep, the abstract knowledge of the fact that she would not, as she had thought, be awakening tomorrow. Lust metaphysically grinned. It would be its last act before being sealed inside of this mind, sure- but it was worth it. As the last of its influence was drained and crushed, it felt itself being torn apart and consumed by Dominance. It was worth it. L "I gotta see her, she's my sister!" Shining Armor shouted. He and Luna had been arguing since they'd gotten back to Twilight's tower. She had insisted he stay outside before she came in, but he was her brother, damnit! Twilight had already said she wouldn't be able to forgive him, and if he didn't show up first, he'd only make it seem like he didn't care! "Captain Armor, while we appreciate the fact you care for your sister, must remind thou that, via thine last conversation with the mare, we have found she is still quite baleful toward thee. It will not take long, only a moment-" Shining shot past her, tearing the door open. "I don't have a moment, I need to see my little... sister...." He fell silent. Luna felt an abstract sense of fear crawl up her spine. The captain was a stallion with a big mouth, and an attitude that made even that seem humble. Whatever had drawn his silence was worthy of her attention- but she feared what she would see. She would already be dealing with the fallout of interrupting her sister's... Mother, she didn't want to picture it again; no matter how arousing it was. It was her sister. Celestia. She pushed forward though, slowly stepping around the captain. Whatever it was, it couldn't be that... bad... They both stared. The bed was empty, of course- it had been forsaken by its owner in favor of a lofty, red-velvet couch. That wasn't what had drawn their silence, though. It was the scene on the couch. And the ponies. The ponies whose bodies were mingled, shifting and morphing. The ponies... .. who were covered in a very familiar white liquid. It ran down the cushions, pooling almost invisibly on the marble floor. She would've missed it, if it weren't so... copious. She didn't know of any creature that could produce that much semen, but there was a look of near-recognition on the Captain's face as his pupils seemed to shrink in time with his widening eyes. Luna, on the other hoof, was in shock. About the obvious signs of sex? Yes. But she had become so accustomed to an environment of coitus that it hadn't registered quite as well as the ponies. Their bodies shifted and morphed, remaining equine in shape as they tried to find something to function with the increase in magical power. A few of the more obvious changes were noted. Celestia's mane and tail had been replaced with a substance more closely attune to plasma than the normal flowing, ethereal strands of hair. The plasma-esque form had a clear, dark purple outline, resembling the purest form of magic. It was a great deal of change compared to Oblivion's, whose own had taken to flowing like a whirlwind. The tips of her ethereal cosmos were a soft, sparkling blue, and the only true additions were two new highlights; one a warm, shining gold, the other a cold, harsh silver. That had only been the first changes, though. As their bodies settled, accomodations for the increase in both mares' wellsprings seeming to complete themselves, Luna took in another grand detail. Their coats. Where Oblivion's had grown lighter, Celestia's had taken on a new sheen of perfection. It was gold- the rich, soft gold of her regalia- and seemed almost too glossy to be real. The only reason she could tell, truly, was because of the fact that both of their coats now flowed in time with their manes. Those things may have been important, but the most glaring detail that had etched itself flesh-deep into both mares were the runes. Scripts and texts, glyphs and symbols. They were so vast and endless, she almost didn't notice that each set was on the opposite side of the other mare's body, two halves completing a massive, monstrous work of unspeakable mastery. Even their hooves, the most minute details, had been modified. They glowed and oozed blue and purple-rimmed-orange for each mare respectively, the colors running up their legs until their knees, where it slowly died off. Strangely, the bottom of Celestia's hoof had a six-pointed sunburst etched into it- seemingly ingrained into the very marrow and soul. She couldn't see underneath them, but knew almost certainly Oblivion had a matching set of suns. This was all besides their horns. Oblivion's was almost thrice the length of Celestia's former horn, curving downward. Halfway up the menacing appendage, her real horn ended, its tip having cracked and split open to allow for the arrival of the white, blinding counterpart, which composed the rest of the horn upward. Celestia's was similar in build, having doubled from its original length. In place of Oblivion's white glow was the same deep-orange that was her new signature color. It was also the color that coated her primaries, only barely visible underneath a lavender wing, flashing its own; glowing in a chromatic rainbow. Oh dear... yes... yes, this was a jaw-dropping, mind-numbing, stare-worthy problem. This much magic had never been seen on Equis before... ... or anywhere else, now that she thought about. A problem worthy of being stared at, that was indisputable. They had both clearly grown to levels of power Luna could never hope to dream of- she wondered if Celestia's body had bonded with Oblivion's, who had yet to achieve finding a comfortable form the last time she had been in the room- and it had done wonders for them... The changes to their bodies were obvious, not as obvious as their height growth-the formerly tiny lavender mare now lay a head taller than her sister; whose height had grown by at least several inches!-, but she worried for her sister's state more than anything else. The additions had subtly connected in her mind, and she was worried for both ponies mentally. Cadance had claimed she'd felt unmeasurable despair coming from the pony that had been Twilight Sparkle. What that would do to her sister she doubted would be helpful. Both mares were emotionally unstable by Luna's account, and if the consistency spread to the realm of the mind... The world would learn a new degree of loss. The one thing that had hit Luna hardest, though, were their cutie marks. Oblivion's pink starburst now had a smaller, yellow one inside of it. The five formerly around it had become twenty-four- an absurd amount. It was a crisis in the making, surely, but none of the strange changes had affected Luna as much as Celestia's cutie mark. It was a little detail, but.. She grieved nonetheless. The sun had gained an outline similarly to the one that accentuated her mane and tail. A shade of deep, royal purple. It stuck out oddly on her newly-minted body, though the colors were far more complementary than she had first thought. It didn't change the fact that in a matter of moments, both mares that had formerly existed, had been simultaneously erased. And the fact that she knew- as impossible as it was- the source of the creamy puddle now. Mother, hath mercy... Author's Note Alrighty, after this chapter we calm it down. I made sure these first few were some crazy bastards that made huge ass problems, oh boy, and the little scene at the end... I'm going to mention very quickly though that this will be mainly from the view of Oblivion and Celestia. The reason the reference to the former changes is perspective. Celestia will continue to call her Twilight; or, 'her Light'. It's a good way to tell whose view is whose. The only time it'll go out of those two's POV will be for something integral or a short scene added to the story. Uhh.. another note: the whole jumping perspectives between the two is done on purpose. I'll label sections to specify that. This'll be one of the very few sex scenes (most other times it'll just be referenced and talked about or short lived moments that won't actually play out in full for you- these scenes are just for special instances; or Celestia and Twi). We're going to be having a seven week time skip after this. Oblivion and Celestia will be catching up with the waking world later. P.S. An image of them is going to be posted down here for anyone who wants a visual aid. Gonna take some time, but it'll be worth it. That's all folks.
Sweet Dreams"If I must choose between Love and War, I will choose war." - King Sombra of Umbra, the Usurper C The first thing that she saw were the colors. So many colors. Familiar ones, reds and blues, greens and browns, and colors she had never seen before. Colors that could not be described for words would do them no justice. Colors not meant to be seen by any creature- alive or dead. Colors whose majesty would break and blind. The pressure it put on her skull was phenomenal. It felt as though the meaning of Divinity and Godhood had compressed themselves into this tiny, miniscule realm and were attempting to pry her skull open and tear her apart from the inside out. Goddesses, it hurt! But the colors were so beautiful... she couldn't look away. It was impossible. A beautiful nightmare. Her eyes stung with unshed tears as the swirling void of colors seemed to slowly drain away. It was so beautiful; but it hurt so much. It reminded her of the day she had first looked up at the sun. The day she had found its beauty so grand and majestic she had looked up at it, and reached out. Gods.... gods, she felt like a foal again... Only this time, she knew the chaotic abyss was not hers to touch. She knew who the amalgamation belonged to- she felt the mare inside of it- but hadn't the courage to seek her out. She had just done the most irresponsible thing on Equis! And... and she had enjoyed it. Twilight had felt amazing to her. Maybe it had been that she was a mare; or the way she had held her close after they had committed the act, but... She'd enjoyed it. The thought disgusted her; Twilight was vulnerable! She shouldn't have agreed with the rash decision-making that had led them... wherever they were. At the same time, the feeling of a pair of purple teats pressing against her own as she was hilted in came back to mind. Came... Her hoof trailed down to her stomach, carefully prodding her bulging womb; stuffed to the brim with Twilight's sperm. Gods, she was a mess.. She looked around at the new expanse. The colors- those elysium forsook pieces of infinity- had shrunk down to the point of becoming a dot in the distance. In its place, the light the sun shone, as brilliant as it had always been. The vibrant rays seemed to chase after the amorphous mass of tendrils and cosmos; attempting to coil around it with each second it became smaller and smaller. She didn't know where she was- or why- but if it had anything to do with what they had done before... She wasn't sure if she could face Twilight. As her eyes scanned the void, a voice filled the space. "Ehm... Hello? I- uhm- sorry if I took a while. It's been a long time since anypony's been here; especially, y'know, divinity.. So, you and her are... wow, alright, let me... let me just get my bearings real quick. It's been a while. My name is Amor. I'm love- er, well, both of you already know that... but, I'm... I'm like the aspects. Like, Sol or.. or the other Elementals. The.. figurative voice of love. I'm bound to the alicorn you call Cadance, but I still.. well, I used to have another job.. here. It's been some time, like I said.. you two are an- uh, interesting couple. I.. is she normal? I mean, memory says she's not, and I've never... seen a pony with both of those. Or with that much Despair.. I- sorry, I just haven't had anyone to talk to in so long.. Uhm, I.. Would either of you have questions?" "Indeed," Celestia looked around. "perhaps the first would be... where are we?" "Oh... oh, ah... Ooh, that's a tough one. Well, it's hard to describe, really. This place.. you could call it another plane. Or a subdivision. It's.. a place where love is most prominent. It used to be different. Uh, organized. I just stopped taking care of it so long ago.. It's also the place I used to be able to drag two lovers to complete the ritual, but... well, Equestria's love has been tainted for as long as I can remember. I was only able to get you here because of how strong your love is. It... took a lot of effort, but I managed. This is.. uhm, I guess the place where I do my rituals. Or, ritual, actually.. I can't manifest at the moment, so this'll be one of the few times I've had to complete the ritual by letting the lovers do it.. but, you two will do just fine.. even if there is an underyling poison between you. But, this'll fix those problems as well! Uhm.... first I have to get you both together, though. Hold on one moment..." The voice turned into a low hum, gradually increasing in volume as Celestia felt herself dragged from where she stood over to the raging, angry cloud of colors. She'd have to face the mare now- whether she wanted to or not. O Oblivion was a lot of things. A genius? Definitely. Magically powerful? Always had been. A good decision maker?.. Most of the time. She was many things. Not all of them were good in that moment, though. She was also feeling very panicky. After waking up in a tartarus-scape of rainbow, she'd started hearing a voice. As smart as she was, she hadn't the slimmest idea of where she was. Or where Celestia was, for that matter. She had to see her! ... But why? To apologize? ... no. that wasn't it. As stupid as it was, she wasn't going to bring up the topic yet. She... missed her. The all-consuming, all-encompassing storm around her slowed in pause. A force, most likely whatever the voice had been, was yanking her along. It'd been very keen on remaining silent, not having said a word since the feeling of being dragged to wherever her destination would be had started. It was getting frustrating having to wait for it to pull her there, but the thought of reaching Celestia had kept her quiet. Just as she was considering asking the voice why it had stopped talking, the heavens split, and the signature warm, yellow light of the sun spilled through. Gods, she was free! .. and an angel awaited her arrival on the other side. C x O Two towering, monolithic alicorns eyed eachother in awestruck silence. It had been that way for quite some time, neither having the will to speak up as they took in their changes. Oblivion avoided Celestia's gaze, the sight of the amber irises stinging her broken heart. They screamed her ignorance back into her face, reminding her of what she had done to the formerly alabaster mare. Celestia, meanwhile, felt small. It wasn't for the first time in her life she'd felt small, but.. The trip had made Twilight's dominance crystal clear to her, a hurricane of rainbows and chaos as her proof. Both awaited the return of the voice- hoping for words of distraction. Instead, when it returned, it only made them feel worse. "See? This is what I mean. Neither of you can just.. be open with each other. Oblivion, guilt is eating you up; why aren't you talking to Celestia about it? Is it because you're scared? That you'll do something wrong, and she won't love you anymore? Or are you lettingArrogancedrown out the sound of the voices that eat you up inside?" It inquired. "And Celestia, you blame yourself for putting her and you here. Do you really think that's a bad thing? At that, was this a one-party effort? No. Both of you, even if it was on a complete whim, fully consented. Is it that you need something to blame yourself for, or the fact that you've reigned so long you've let everypony's 'problems' become your fault- even if they aren't problems at all?" They both looked down at their hooves, one flipping her ears back while the other resigned herself to shamefully nodding. "This is whatSolis talking about, Celestia. Do you see it yet? I am love- all aspects of love influence me. You both have an unbreakable bond, and the most love I've seen in a very long time- especially from Equestria- but you poison it. If it weren't for me, it would only get worse. You both already hide your shame and worries about what you've done from each other. Tartarus, one of you despises your own existence! But let me tell you a secret..." It let the silence consume all things once more as it disappeared. They sat in utter lack-of-sound for a full minute, before finally, "Exactly. Love has no secrets. I never have. But do you know why I exist? To stop these trends. One of you has the Sin of Lust and Malice inside your head, and those can lead to the destruction of a couple very quickly. I've seen a lot in my years; marriages so stained with lies and affair and violence the fact that the love had managed to survive the venom that was slowly killing it impressed me greatly enough to allow the mortals in. I've seen starstruck lovers who are in physical pain when they're apart. Those ones are so beautiful.. but, I've also seen alicorns.. and they are, out of all the liars and cheaters, the worst. They believed their divinity an excuse to participate in their indulgent hedonistic desires. Any alicorn romance was crushed under the weight of sheer lust for any sex either alicorn could come across. They were arrogant and foolish. Whenever they appeared here, they would attempt to run and flee." "They'd fail, of course. No one can physically leave without completing the ritual. It didn't stop them from trying, yes, but their efforts were futile. 'Love conquers all' may not be the truth entirely, but it conquers many things. That's why I am here now. You two are the first alicorn goddesses to exist in this realm with no panic over what the ritual entails. That being said, you don't exactly know what it is. If that was not impressive enough, you worried more for the other than yourself. Oblivion, though you may insist you are inferior, you enjoy dominance. You seek a pony who will not cast the judgement of ignorance or cruelty for your hermaphroditic nature, and instead adore you for the pony you are. You seek to protect what is yours at all costs. You wished for Celestia's presence not only because you found comfort and piece with her, but you sought to ensure her safety. And yet, you are also incomplete. You claim to be a mare, and yet reject it as a part of your nature. You have no partner to fulfill the half of your desires you neglect. There is a... quick fix, a way to overcome this, but.. you can. As long as you're the one demanding Celestia do it to you. I will admit, your fragile state of mind made you quite difficult to transport here.. you're barely stable enough to be considered sane." "In the case of Celestia, it is strangely fitting. Her rule has made her long for a pony to dominate her, and a millennia of waiting for one that she could finally love has left her with a lover's subservient mindset. Never having set herself a pony in mind, she was blind to her own attractions toward her most faithful student- one does not simply become the Goddess of Virginity without reason, hum?-. She wishes to follow the commands given and be controlled by the one whom holds her heart. You both seem to be, 'suckers,' for romance, so I don't think you'll mind what the ritual entails." The voice's giddy undertone was unmistakable to the two nervous, blushing ponies. Oblivion's indignation had skyrocketed- then plummeted. "Y-you keep talking about some kind of... ritual. What... uh, if you don't mind, what is it?" "In due time. Now, one of you has ambiguous morals at best. You are both inexperienced in the topic of love- as the novels you read are... hooey, because I... well, they're stupid, and... I don't really have a better word for it.." The voice chuckled awkwardly. "But that's besides the point I'm trying to get across here. To answer your question, the Bonding Ritual is... major. If you've heard of ponies that get married and have a long, healthy relationship for the entirety of their lives.. it was likely the Bonding Ritual- sometimes ponies don't get it, and still do that.. it depends on how well they're going to do throughout the.. union. What it does, in essence, is... well, bind you. Spiritually, of course. It's like... inseparability? It comes with a few rules for both parties. I'd made these because the alicorns kept going off and... well, rotting their bonds by fighting and cheating. The amounts of affairs and inter-marital wars alicorns had... gods, they were fools. Never learned." "They also exist to aid ponies similar to Oblivion. Ponies with a strong bond and excessive love are almost guaranteed to be together, but for a pony who has a difficult time telling right from wrong, they see nothing wrong with sex outside of their relationship, or a, 'roll-in-the-hay,' with somepony that wasn't their partner normally ended with.. devastating consequences. The first and most important rule is about your relationship. It is monogamous; as are both of you. It may be against equine nature to some ponies, but they seem to forget gods are the antithesis to equine nature. You do not follow the same rules as them. This is what you've chosen to be your nature and, because of that, the nature of your relationship as well. While I have seen many polygamous lovers in my time- and I have let them agree to a similar rule between all ponies in their group- there are many monogamous as well. That is why your first rule is to wholly and fully accept that. This relationship- one between only two gods- will never be broken. It will be as infinite and vast as both of you. You will not break this rule- you will not coitus with any besides eachother, you will not have romantic affections for any creature besides eachother, and you will be connected on the level of your souls-" "D-don't you think that's a bit much for only two days in? W-we only just got together..." Oblivion stopped as Celestia whimpered. "N-not that that's a bad thing! We've just... we've been going so fast it's... I'm just.. How do we know we can do this?" She bit her lip, feeling her uncertainty cave in the face of Celestia's pleading, tearful gaze. The look caused her heart to tighten in her chest, and her mindfulness was beaten to a pulp. Gods... she couldn't say no. Even if she wanted to. Not if that was how it would make Celestia feel. She loved her. She'd... she'd put foals into her, damnit... they'd need eachother... With that, any of her remaining uncertainty was blown to the wind. "Doesn't matter, really. Each one moves at it's own pace. You two don't seem to understand that well, so let me give you an example: for mortals, it can be years before they have sex, foals, or know that they'd found the pony they wanted to spend the rest of their life with; or, in other cases, they know it the moment they lay eyes on each other, and two days later they're married and in bed together for the rest of their lives. Rare, but they happen. Alicorns are infinite, so they don't have to worry about time. Literally. You'll all still be living when creation comes to an end! Unless you're killed by some other deity... But, that's why this is so important. It doesn't matter how fast you're moving, only that you're content to just be with each other, and that it is a pace you both agree with. Relationships with ponies that can never have enough... never come here. It's why Equestrians have always been so rare in my realm. The lovers and unions are always over before they can even begin, and it was always painful to watch.. That's another reason we have that first rule. It'll make sex with any other creature besides eachother and romantic love for anyone else, impossible. This rule brings the possibility of rape down to non-existent simultaneously, due to the magic that it takes to ensure this rule is followed. I take pride in that, you know. It also brings us to our second, and just as importantly emphasized rule:" "You will not, in any serious or malicious way, bring harm to each other. I'm not a creature to deny ponies their kinks, so long as they agree with rule one. If you enjoy pain; then so be it. Exhibitionism? Why not. Humiliation? Go ahead. This won't stop anything like that. What this will stop is any abuse. There are relationships that come here; and one of the ponies in love is sick and twisted, whether for one reason or another, and will bring harm to their partner. It's love, but something has happened to one of the ponies involved that has poisoned them and given them the ability to injure their partner in anger or spite or simply.. simply because they want somepony to take their anger out on. It is far worse, though, when the pony enjoys the pain they bring upon the one they love. When they use their power to play with their partner's mind.. It's heartbreaking, seeing them push through even with their evil ways. That's why rule two exists. You will not bring harm- physically or mentally- in any malicious, cruel way to your partner." "Rule three is much simpler than the others. It is not a rule that applies to all couples, but ones with your deviances do receive them. Oblivion, as the alpha, you will be tasked with the protection of your mate. At any cost, you will defend her and use all powers available to you to ensure her safety. Alongside your duties as Protector of the Virtues and Sins, Goddess of Magic, Aether, Nether, Knowledge, Power, Energy, and Death, you will hold it with just as much importance as the rest, and remain constantly vigil in your task of her defence; and be her caretaker in her times of sickness and depression. You will not misuse her, but love and treasure her. She is your equal in godhood, but your lesser in power and bond. It is your duty to keep her safe. Celestia, you are your mate's subservient half. You will instinctually be drawn to and desire their presence, even in the most mundane settings. You will seek the comfort that lay under her wing more than the glamour of the throne, and be more keen to obeying her requests. You will seek to serve and to be loved, and you will work in the name of success for you and your lover's bond. You, in particular, will seek to keep your lover from the cloud of sorrow and despair that hovers above her infinity." "You will place her above even the needs of your ponies." They all sat in silence. Oblivion looked contemplative as she went over the terms. They made sense to her- even the last one. They checked off multiple boxes on her 'guide to a successful relationship'... wherever that came from. It was wrong, she knew. This wasn't how love normally was between ponies. She had always thought it a rocky stead of ups and downs. Of course, she also weighed the pros. These rules may have dictated how they behaved, but it was to ensure their success. Besides, rule two hadn't implied making them think and talk the same. They would still be themselves, and they would still agree to disagree.. It was a very useful rule, in her opinion. Rule one may have been a bit... controlling, but the specifications for just being here qualified for its existence. They wouldn't drift apart. The ones who had come before them had resulted in that rule. She worried quite thoroughly about the third, though... She looked up at Celestia. Those amber eyes looked at her with so much love and hope... love and hope she needed to feel. The choice was obvious. She wanted to know first, though. "Well... uhm, I do have a question myself. You've talked a lot about us, but..." Her hoof shakily pointed at the lower half of Celestia's torso. "I... maybe it's stupid, because you probably wouldn't interfere with that, but... we'll.. they'll be fine... right? They'll.. we... I'm..." She quieted, letting her hoof fall limply back to her side. "I just wanna know... we'll love our foals, right? We'll... I.." Huh.. her vision was blurry. That was strange, she didn't remember... "W-we won't be.. b-be so obs-sessed we.. don't love our own... our..." Oh.. She was crying. Right. She forgot she could do that. Better than most. There was another pony hugging her. Probably Celestia, if she had to guess... it was nice. It made the tears stop- even if they were soaking into her pristine golden fur. The feeling of Celestia's rapid heartbeats and long, deep breaths was.. soothing. The voice came back, much softer than it had been before. "It's alright to worry about them.. Tartarus, I would too. There's implications in here that are going to effect you both forever. You have a right to worry about what it'll mean for your foals... Funny. They were unintentional, weren't they? You two couldn't control yourselves- but.. fate has a funny way of making unintentional consequences have wonderful results. So, to answer your question, no. It won't. It won't get in the way of your instinctual parental love. I'm not a monster.. just trying to make sure everything goes by smoothly. My job, right? You will have perfectly healthy, truly lovable foals." Oblivion chuckled, hiccuping. "Y-y'know, I-I normally wouldn't-t believe y-you, b-but... w-well, with how I-" Her voice cracked. "p-panicked before, I.. d-didn't really th-think about it.. j-just.. just knew I did something.. wr-wrong.. but.. I-I can't g-go back now... and.. a-and, as crazy as I-I might b-be... I..." "Come to find out you've always liked the idea of having lots of foals? Believe me, that's something a lot of creatures find out. Normally it's mortals; and they get twelve or so before they can't anymore and decide to stop. For the occasional dragon? It's a couple hundred hatchlings. The perk of never having to die, huh? You'll see them- however many you want to have- grow up. For all the friends you'll lose, you'll never have to give up the family you make. I'd say it's worth it, but... maybe I'm biased. That's why I let you ask these things. It's easier to know about the changes and accept them; moving on with your life, than to have them forced onto you and dwell on them. I think the phrase... 'If I am to be chained, it will be of my own volition,' comes to mind?" Oblivion nodded. Logic worked. It never failed. The hoof stroking her mane was calming- the familiar warmth of Celestia's sun. "She is correct. Perhaps it was thoughtless, but.. I do not doubt it will end wonderfully." Celestia whispered. She sighed, wiping the dream-tears from her face. They were pink-just like her real ones had become. "How do we start?" "Oh, that's easy. You both just need to let your magic flow into one another. I'll do the rest." Oblivion furrowed her brow. "That.. seems a bit, y'know, suspicious.." "Oh, I know. You don't like ponies touching your magic? That's how I imprint the rules, though. They're more of a... code, you're going to follow. I also need a direct link to your souls for the bond, and this is the only way I can do it. Happy?" The voice sighed. "Yeah.." the Goddess of Magic grumbled. "You can imagine why I'd be pretty nervous about some corporeal entity digging into my wellspring for my soul." Celestia hushed her. "It'll be fine, Twilight. If.. if we are where I think we are, then she will truly bring no harm to us." "I have no reason to try and start something with the embodiment of magic. I'd be crazy! Just remember, though- while you're right to think this is controlling, the better question would be this: is it wrong? Perhaps to some. They have morals and expectations, and enjoy the full experience in a relationship's progress. But they so easily accept heartbreak and loss. They say it is a part of life, but gods do not live, do they? Gods are eternal, and those mortal ponies are not. Who are they to decide what is and isn't toxic? Are morals not subject to change, just as the view on a proper, wholesome relationship is? I leave you with that. Otherwise, I wish you two safe travels. This'll take quite a while, so.. be ready." They both fell silent. "Alright.." In the realm of the living, the gloomy backdrop above Equestria's capital seemed to reflect a light that burned with the intensity of a thousand suns. As Love's realm shook with the might of two goddesses, Amor felt an odd sense of relief. The feeling of that accursed structure- the crystal city- exiting her home through the rift the ponies had torn open was like the weight of a thousand years of suffering souls lifted from her back. The joy at creating the first new bond in a millennia was almost as great as the relief. Her kingdom had returned. And this time, Sombra would fail.
Rude Awakenings"The most effective form of oppression is consensual oppression." - Holy God-Empress Faust O The two ponies had finished drying each other by the time an irritated knocking broke the mutual silence. It wasn't awkward- but Oblivion hadn't been in the mood for conversation. Celestia might have enjoyed their impromptu lovemaking in the shower, and she had been fondly rubbing the cum bulge ever since, but Oblivion had gone on airplane mode halfway through. She'd had a good reason. She was.. anxious. Dreading having to face the ponies outside of their safe haven. With every second she got closer to the door, the voices seemed to cry out even louder. 'TRAITORS!' they all echoed in unison, rippling through her skull and sending her brain into a frenzy of despair. It'd been so easy to forgive Celestia- she had had a very valid excuse for what she'd done, after all. These ponies she was about to face were bootlickers. They had left her in favor of a pony with more power and influence. They weren't her friends. They weren't her friends. It hurt to think, and even with Celestia's comfort, nothing could stop the crushing void that seemed to overtake her as they exited the oversized bathroom. Relief flooded her as soon as she realized it was still only Spike and Luna. The pit in her gut had diminished to a fraction of its size, and she had managed to nod while squeezing the pony under her wing. Facing them could wait. For now. "Hello, sister..." Luna narrowed her eyes on Celestia, who gulped. "L-Luna, I believe I can-" "Thou needeth not explain hither, we knowth enough, sister. Thou art fools! Hath the years raked thee with madness? For long now, we hath stood in the lock of battle with Sombra whilst thee and thine student..." She gestured with her hoof at the bulge. "Thou mind hath gone at last! Please, we beggeth, tell us thee didst not make a deal with the demon!" They didn't reply. "By the gods! Madness, we tell thee! Harrow to the chains bound to both of ye! What on this wide Equis weret thou thinking?!" "You would've done the same, Luna! It was our choice! We agreed-" "Oh hells and Tartarus, thou truly approved of such monstrous shackles?! Madness! Tis' madness!" "Of course you wouldn't understand-" Oblivion silently observed the bickering princesses. It was.. embarrassing. The way the crowned rulers of Equestria behaved was better akin to fillies than to the warrior princesses who had brought the land back from its deathbed after Discord's nightmarish reign. And Luna's outburst at their decision- making a 'deal with the demon'- was entirely unprovoked. She almost wished she was unconscious again- at least she wouldn't have to deal with the sheer stupidity the waking world held- but the mention of Sombra had struck her odd. While she didn't know of any 'Sombra,' and only had source references in her new collection of magical knowledge mentioning something called the 'Crystal Empire,' she did know what an Umbra was. The shadows were powerful in their own right. While she may have been unmatched in regards to sheer, utter magical power and arcane knowledge, she was neither the shadows, nor the sun, moon, or love. Goddess of the Aether and Nether did not make her the goddess of the aspects themselves, after all. Those rights went to other ponies. Ponies of elemental choosing. She'd be lying if she said it wasn't going to be miserable dealing with an Umbra. Having tuned out the princesses by now, drifting into a sea of her own thoughts, the aspects began their infighting again. 'This is useless.' 'That's a very rude way of putting it, but.. it's unnecessary. They're sisters, right? They shouldn't fight over this..' 'Luna's being a bitch! Why haven't we knocked it into her thick skull yet? Why are we letting her talk to our Guardian's mare that way?' 'Please calm down... they're just arguing. It's fine-' 'As if! I'm in agreement with Justice, she is testing our patience!' 'No, she really isn't.' 'It is normal. Sibling conflict is- 'Hush, fool. She takes our forgiveness yet shows none in return. Her arrogance is outrageous-' 'Plebian, please! You are perhaps the most foolish beast I have ever had the displeasure-' 'Fuck off, Arrogance! No one asked.' 'How dare you!' 'Please-' 'I'll beat your fucking ass!' 'Guys, you're gonna-' 'Ş̴̧̗̯̝̞̱̟̩̗͕̎̈́́͐ȋ̵̢̛̬̰̘͓̱́̑̉͐̈͆̃̈́ĺ̸͍̤̖͉̰̬̫̫͉̬̮͚͈̊͆̍̇̆̿͘͝ͅȩ̴̡̛̘̲͙̯͎͔̞̟̗̈́͊̿ͅņ̴̡͇̩̰̐̈́̾̕͜͝c̵̨̲̥̟̤̺̬̟͙̗̗͎͉͙̳͌͗̈̾̅͛̔͊̌̑͊͆e̷̱͙̣͕̖̙͊͂̀͗̾.̵̧̧͍͔̻̟̙̹̣̹̺͂͑̓͐̐̔̆̍̌' Before Despair could breach its prison and shriek Madness awake, she was jolted from her trance-like state by the sudden disappearance of the warmth under her wing. She blinked awkwardly, staring down at them. They'd gone oddly still and quiet, as if fearing they had provoked a nearby predator. She couldn't quite make it out, but Luna seemed to bite back her terror and a grimace. The room was quiet- almost too quiet. Then, she realized why they'd stopped. The thing- or, more specifically, the pony they feared they had provoked.. was her. She eyed them incredulously, before slowly opening her mouth. They sat there for a while longer, Celestia frozen stiff in the center of the room, right between them. Her eyes fell on Luna, where they hardened. Unbeknownst to her, an oddly visceral snarl had taken shape on her muzzle, exposing the disconcerting omnivorous teeth that hid within. "What?" She finally inquired. She despised the silence, and the fact Celestia had left her spot made her mood drop sharply. Their charade was getting tiring. "What happened? I... I kinda zoned out for a bit. What... what.. happened..?" She watched nervously as the shrinking ball of gleaming gold and magma backed up again, tucking itself under her wing as it mumbled. "Nothing..." She could hear the hurt; and berated herself for sinking back into the vast expanse so easily. She was a responsible adult with a pony to protect now! Her eyes narrowed on Luna, who'd suddenly found a keen interest in the floor. "We.. we apologize, sister... perhaps thou.. art right. We shouldst not allow ourselves to project our animosities unto thy and thine... lover, with such haste.." Luna spat the word so venomously, it was all she could do not to explode on the Lunar Goddess then and there. It was insulting! They'd just gotten back, and she was treating them like shit! She'd... she'd said something. And it'd hurt Celestia. Her anger rebounded and she snapped her muzzle shut, her teeth colliding with a deafening clack in the silence. The audacity.. "Alright," She hissed. "if you can't act like grown mares for, like, five minutes, I.. gods, I swear. Luna, you're running your mouth, and I have no clue what's going on, so why don't you tell me what we're dealing with? I don't know who 'Sombra' is! I barely know anything about the Crystal Empire. Could somepony please explain this to me? And stop acting like foals." Another mental checklist formed. 'Teeth grinding? C̶͍͖̲̜̳͕̊͠ḥ̴̤̝͔͂̎͋ẽ̵̢̫͒̄̚c̵̛̦͙̼̄k̶̞̀̈́̌̏.̶̭͒͠ "That may be for the best.." Luna sighed. "Long as thee doth not plan on doing more of the zoning out." "That'd be stupid. Besides, it was only for a minute! I can't control it. My head is pretty active right now, y'know?" Oblivion clenched her jaw. "Now answer the question..." Luna stomped her hoof in frustration. "Thou seem not to understand what I have said. At this moment, ponies march north to fight in a war between ourselves and Sombra. We-" "Okay, that's well and great," she interrupted, "but it doesn't answer the question. Who in Tartarus is Sombra?! I know, war is bad, all that, but you're dodging the fucking ques-" "Sombra is a tyrant and a murderer." Celestia's venomous tone shattered the cloud of anger. "He is as ruthless as he is mad. He will stop at nothing until he achieves his conquests, if he must enslave this world. His reign over the Crystal Empire is only because of his control over their minds. Those that do follow him are brainwashed fools, but they are fools whom know the art of war. He is the Crystal Usurper. Nothing more." Oblivion did a double take, pausing for a few moments as the short, informative description of a Shadow King was slotted into the vast expanse. "A.. he... he's.." The pony across from them muttered. "He is not that heartless, sister.." "He is. It is his own fault the crystal ponies vanished for millennia. You wish to speak of shackles, then let us look no further than those of the crystal ponies, the ones he attempted to put on you, and used then to bring conquest and war. He is mad, nothing short of lunacy. He controlled ponies to serve his own purposes, and when their usefulness had forgone them, he disposed of them. You will not paint him in a greater light. There is no greater light for a murderous tyrant. It was because of his manipulation you fell. His silver tongue is a trap for your mind." Hissed the venomous tone. "Yet you excuse your own tyranny as a necessity. To keep your ponies safe, yes?" "You will not-" "Alright, stop it!" Oblivion growled. "You two need to stop. If we're going to get anything done, you need to just.. stop. We can't win a war if we're too busy fighting each other... Right? If he's.. if he's some kind of.. killer.. maniac..." she shivered, "Anyway, it would have been nice to know this before," she huffed, "but that doesn't matter now. Right now, we... we.. Where's Cadance at?" She couldn't help it. Not one bit. She'd been stuck in her head all day. It was.. hard. Hard to do anything. Her mind was all over the place, conjuring scenarios and depictions of her brother and Cadance being tortured through various methods. She'd never felt so sick... so.. horrified. It shouldn't have happened. She may not have been able to stand her brother, but she would have never wanted him to be captured, especially by a rampaging tyrant... captured, or worse. The only source of escape she'd found had been the warmth that hadn't left her side. It was a slight to the thoughts that plagued her, eating away at her rationality. It shifted every now and then, but remained. They hadn't left the tower after her breakdown. She couldn't face the ponies she knew would be waiting for her at the bottom of the spiral staircase, so Luna had taken Spike, who'd begged to stay, and left. It'd been for the best, really. The room was a mess. It was hard for her to look at Celestia, knowing she'd seen her outburst. It was even harder to speak, knowing that ponies from all across Equestria had been dying in the cold while they slept in a warm tower. She felt.. dirty. So, they sat. There was no need to do anything else. But it would only get worse if they did nothing.. nothing, while ponies were sent to die, in the north. Funny. Goddess of Death, with no experience in the subject at all. The godheads seemed very lenient, in her opinion, but what did she know?... That was a stupid question. She was supposed to be Equestria's thrice-time savior. The idea was hard to grasp as she thought about all of it. She looked in the mirror again. It was.. strange. Like looking at another pony entirely. All her life, she'd been so used to be shorter than average. Most ponies had towered over her. Even her horn was disproportionately smaller than most other unicorns', especially one with a wellspring her size. She glanced over the outrageously long, curved horn. It was menacing, with its eternally luminescent tip. Her wings, the inherent strangeness of their rainbow primaries. Her height. Gods, her height. The others thing were miniscule compared to that... Even as much as Celestia's own had increased, she was still taller. Everything about her, the unfair shortness, horn, and strength disadvantage had all been rectified. She'd marred even her normal irises, the pulse of a circling rainbow replacing her normal purple. And Celestia... The fact their horns almost emulated one another made her feel guilty. Guilty because she enjoyed that her own traits had overpowered Celestia's. But then again, she felt guilty about a lot of things. She wasn't sure what Celestia had thought about her old body, but this... there had to be loss in there somewhere. The fact her mane and tail had transformed as they did was less concerning. Plasma fit the Goddess of the Sun. What did concern her was the barely-visible purple shade that outlined it. She'd defaced the sun! Their bodies had been unmade, and they'd been turned into something else. She doubted they were even fully equine anymore! Every feature had changed, from their primaries, to their horns, to their hooves! Even their eye-colors and manes had been forcefully rearranged. There.. There wasn't even hair anymore. Just... whatever they were made of now. It was... stuff. There was no better way to describe it. She just... couldn't. Just like she couldn't describe at lot of the other things that had happened. They felt normal.. somewhat, but looked so.. The weight shifting under her wing brought her out of her thoughts. She looked at her right wing, watching the pony underneath it squirm uncomfortably. The pleading look of promised comfort and suppressed need was so tempting... but she wouldn't let her body give in. She shifted her eyes back to the mirror, gracing the room with a glance. The curtains had been pulled open, and the 'gloom and doom' look seemed to envelope Canterlot in a waning embrace. She couldn't see north, but knew that somewhere out of her line of sight, ponies were dying. Dying when they shouldn't be. ... She didn't know how to feel. Her brother and Cadance had been captured, and ponies were going to war for the first time in a thousand years- death rates had increased in numbers she didn't even want to begin calculating. And it was her fault. It... She rubbed her eyes, letting her head droop. If she hadn't.. if she'd just.. 'No... that's a bad way to think. I did it for us...' She glanced back over at the orange glow of the pony beside her. 'Even if I.. I'm letting ponies fall head first into their coffins.. gods..' Her ears lowered as she felt the pit in her stomach churn. She didn't want to know who. She didn't want to know what they'd left behind, families losing fathers, mothers.. and elysium forbid they have to tell parents that their children... wouldn't come home.. She felt sick again. A sharp horn nudged her side. "Twilight, lay down.. please... your fretting will not bring us well.. you're freezing over again.." she was dragged down by four desperate hooves. She'd been neglecting Celestia's wants for a while now. She just felt so... out of it. Tears pricked the edges of her vision. Her knowledge on death was little to none, and the only time she'd ever known it had been when her grandmother, Twilight Andromeda, had died. Now she was responsible for so much. The smaller form moved infront of her stomach, resting its back against her. "Please, Twilight... talk to me. I know you're troubled- as am I- but.. do not go back to that place. It is painful to watch.. I do not wish to see you despair yourself so." The form relaxed against her bare chest. ".. you should not fault yourself alone, nor should you fall into such thoughts.. I should not have allowed my longing to control my actions.." "I-it's not that." she finally replied. "I just.. Celestia, I'm... I don't know. Just.. I decided to listen to you. I'm weighing a lot of things... I-I think it was worth it, agreeing to that.. and the.. th-the bond? I'm just.. I just don't know. I keep thinking about what you said, and I... I keep.. imagining it. All the dead ponies. M-my brother. Cadance. H-h.." "Ho-how?" she croaked. "How am I supposed to feel? I just keep thinking about it.. going back again and again, and again.." She closed her eyes, sighing. "What.. wh-what do I-I do... I wouldn't give this.. us.. up for the world, but... all those ponies, I.. I'd never thought about it before. It's.." "Hard to process. You are in shock. Twilight, you need to rest for a while.." Celestia whispered, almost too softly to be hard. She was maneuvering again, twisting and turning as she tried to position herself.. somewhere. "Probably.. I just... I feel so dirty.. am I just- just being self-important?-" she grit her teeth at the feeling of something sliding down her extra appendage. "Wh-wha..." her mind reflexively suppressed a sting of despair. "Celestia, please.. I don't think now is a good time for that... I'm just.. not feeling like it." The feeling of a sticky tunnel around the length in between her legs only reminded her of what they'd done. And what it'd cost. It twitched and writhed, before finally going still. "A-apologies, I felt.. quite hollow. I.. I find myself yearning more and more... I did not mean to impede, I simply.. It seems that I am no longer in control of my own estrus, nor my hormonal functioning. I did not mean to act uninterested, my Light.. it was impulse, I... I couldn't help myself." she paused. "Perhaps we have- ngh!- that in common as well... please, continue.." Oblivion, the Goddess of Magic, epitome of her talent, buried her face into Celestia's flowing, amalgamate mane. "O-oh... that's.. fine, then, I just.." the smell of ozone was palpable, burning ber nostrils and reminding her of the horrible feelings the north gave her. ".. i-is it my fault? I.. could've done something.. maybe.. maybe there wouldn't have been.. w-war? I-I.. maybe if we'd waited.. I just.. I feel like I'm dirty.. like I just.. can't be clean again.. I. . ." "I feel like a monster.." "You.. are not. Say what you might, but.. you are not. You believe you are- mmh!-- r-responsible for creating the problem." Celestia almost voiced her inner monologue. "As I do so often... Was Luna correct in regards to our selfishness, my Light? I.. I am unsure myself anymore..." Oblivion ran the question through her checklists. By all accounts, it was an inconsiderate, thoughtless action. Pregnancy, coma, and.. whatever that strange realm had been. They were selfish, she knew. Once more she thought back, though. Did it make them wrong? The act didn't. But.. it kept coming back to what it cost. For all she wouldn't have given up their closeness, she felt the fact she'd indirectly caused the death of thousands weigh on her. Something so pointless as war. All the lives she could have saved if she'd just.. been there. Acted.. something. "I don't know... you've done so much for everypony. I.. I know that.. thing, said I was the dominant in this, yeah, and I think we'llll make it work.. when we can, come to grips with stuff.. But I.. I-I think I'm pretty selfish. I already have a lot.. b-but, I wanted more. I.. n-needed to have you as well. I wasn't going to let something like... selflessness or reason just stop me from having somepony so beautiful, so compassionate... so.. devoted... I think I.. Maybe I took more than I should have.." "There are none more worthy than you, Twilight. You returned my sister to me, did you not? You brought down Discord on your own. You saw through the lie of an invading force's leadership, one with the strength of an alicorn. Is that not enough?" Celestia inquired, barely above a whisper. "I always had to have my... 'friends'," the word came out bitter and estranged, "help me, for anything to work." She felt the mane she was in sway as the pony it was a part of shook her head. "As I understand, it was you who awoke the Elements, and you who brought your friends back from their.. Discorded states. By all rights, it was you alone. You... you ascended yourself, Twilight. Without my aid or guidance. And even after we had.. even after we had doubted you in favor of Cadance, you were right." Celestia lowered her head in shame. "And.. you forgave me. I.. believe that is worthy of much more than simply myself.." "I have to disagree.. what could be better than the pony I love, hm?.." "Any degree of power and knowledge would suit the need.." They both laid in silence as Celestia cut herself off. "No.. this is better... I still don't like it.. all those ponies are dead because we..." She paused, nuzzling Celestia. "I just feel guilty.. I mean... a war? It's..." "We'll find a way to f-fix it, love. We will.. a-and we will return your brother and my n-niece home.. that.. that I swear. Oh- believe this is.." she heard Celestia take a sharp breath, barely suppressing a moan. "Best discussed tomorrow.. when we- oh, gods- r-return to our d-duties..." Oblivion nodded, keeping her peace against the form that had inserted her into itself. Sleeping on it would make it better... "Mhmm... Well, I guess you're right... I did do some pretty big stuff... We'll... make it worth it, right?.. I think.. I guess I like being the big spoon, anyway... Celly." She mumbled, wrapping her hooves around Celestia and hilting herself inside her mare. The moan that followed quieted the clamoring voices in her mind, and silenced the laments her actions had brought. Her thoughts drifted to the pulsing around her shaft and the soft thrumming against her chest. She brought her hoof to the bulge in her Celestia's belly. Promises of a future she and Celestia could look forward to. Away from the world that was slowly falling apart around them. Her wing draped itself over the smaller form, sealing it away from the outside. First came tomorrow, then.. then... .. She drifted off into a fitful sleep filled with nightmares and haunted by an ever-present despair. L She was pacing again. Again? Right. She'd been at it for hours, now that she thought about it. Every possibility had run its course, and her choice wording with sister had likely caused unnecessary damage. Worse then, now she had to deal with... "Auntie Luna, you said she'd be here.." An irritated Blueblood growled. "May I ask what delays them?" "Yes... The problem is the fact that... well..." Luna's face folded into a frown. "We may have... squandered diplomacy with her. We were... perhaps overly aggressive. Neither she nor Prinzessin Oblivion took it kindly.. nor did the latter take the current position of Princess Cadance or Captain Shining Armor.." she gestured with a wing. Blueblood looked absolutely outraged. "You-! How can you fail at that! She is your sister, for the Hells' sake! Even I have managed better!" Luna grumbled. "Perhaps thee wouldst like to try?" "Quite so." He huffed. "You seem to misunderstood your task. It was such a simple one! Auntie's strategic ingenuity is a requirement if we wish to defeat Sombra! And, if your statement about the... Miss Oblivion, rings true... though I may dislike cooperating with the lowborn beast, she would be masterful for our logistics." "This is important, fool! How could you fail?!" She was tired. Tired of everything. The courts, the nobles, the laws she had yet to brush up upon. Those were her sister's strong suits. Ponies showed up in Day Court to attempt to play her sister for a fool. A fool she was not, but she would allow her ponies to do as they saw wise. Luna was no good at any of those things. "We do not know, Blueblood. We.. I could not contain my temper.." "Ah yes, a princess of Equestria who cannot behave as royalty should." The sound of a spell being cast filled the space. "Honestly, I should not be surprised.. sending Passion herself to deal with a delicate situation. Gods, my stupidity!" He grunted, standing up from his position at the round table. "Auntie Luna, while I appreciate the effort.." he paused as he shuffled the papers in his magic. "It seems as though I must talk sense into them myself." She turned toward him, scowling. "Fine.. but doth not put the blame unto us if our newest Princess's hostilities are too great for thine mortal body. We.. we shallth wait for thee in the Solarium. We hope thou hath more luck than us.." They both turned and left, one to sulk, and the other to prepare to do what she could not.
Hell on Northern Heights"Meaning is subjective. The only reality is the reality in which we ourselves believe." - Starswirl the Bearded, 'Existentialism in Magic' C Waking up stiff and sore was not fun. That was her first realization. The second was that her body was practically a board, and she could barely move. She had woken up like this before, only now, the length inserted into the entrance between her hind legs was a comfort- even with the stiffness it brought. She pressed uselessly against the feathery cocoon encompassing her. It didn't budge- only tightened, leaving her in the comforting warmth of Twilight's protective embrace. Poetic, certainly. Having eternally slept alone, the change of pace was refreshing. She'd never realized that company in bed could make slumber so much easier. Attempting to roll over, she had only succeeded in reminding her body of the spire it had comfortably rested upon. It was.. concerning, perhaps, that she had become so used to its presence within her that lacking it caused her body to linger almost too squeamish on empty cavern that took up the space. The sun felt like a hot iron against her horn. She was late again.. well, not again. Late seemed fine. So long as Twilight approved- and judging by the soft vibrations of her magically charged form, she did. Her horn lit momentarily, and watched the usual yellow tint that it had once been be replaced with a deep, soothing orange. She found it easier on the eyes, surprisingly. It didn't take long, but the hooves that had clasped themselves onto her like chains didn't seem intent on allowing her any movement whatsoever. At least the strange runes were gone.. As soon as the sun rose, peeking through the wide-open curtains behind them, a disapproving groan sounded from behind her. "Why..."- a head hit the pillow -"the fuck.." again, "can't the sun.." and again, "just.." thump "stay.." thump "downnn..." Groaned the behemoth. "Mm.. I apologize, I had to..." She leaned into the embrace. "Forgive me?" ... From where the words had come, she was unsure. It was foalish, she knew, but she subconsciously hoped for a 'yes'... "Alright... jus' this once..." Twilight yawned. "Close the... thingies.. on the window, when you do. Whatev'r they're called.." she paused. "Scratch that.. we'll just sleep in your room... I like the bed hangings.." Relieved, she nodded in response. Her bed was much larger, anyway. The fact Twilight hadn't fallen off.. she'd have to take those things into account from now on. For whatever reason. To make it more comfortable for her and her lover. The joy compliance to her superior brought her. Yes. Both of those things. Perhaps a therapist as well. They both seemed very keen on mentally slating. And the mood swings. She couldn't forget about the mood swings either. She- 'Having fun?' The smugness in Sol's tone was almost enough to make her forget about the intruder forcefully rearranging her alicorn biology, and nearly teleport to the sun simply to move it out of the sky. 'Yes... and, what is it you have to say, friend?' She irritably replied. 'Nothing, you were just gone for a while. Two months is a prettyyy long time for a spell. So, how's it going~?' 'Quite well.. I do feel different, but it is.. it is nice.Her thoughts drifted to the feeling of her swollen teats and bulging form. 'I do not wish to burden her with my unfulfilled needs. Should I not have to ask for her consent for such things? She did not seem to approve of my unpermitted decision.. Perhaps?' 'Probably. Riding someone without their consent seems like a pretty bad idea, y'know. I thought you of all ponies would be above that.' 'Yes... I was simply feeling.. empty, Sol. It was rash... but irrational seems to be the theme now. I thought she may perhaps enjoy the control..' 'It was the wrong time for that, y'know- oh... oh! Celestia wants some of that lovey-dovey-controlly stuff, doesn't she?' Static snickering filled the air after the sudden epiphany. 'Maybe if you ask nicely, she'll take you f-for a walk and call you a good g-girl..' The snickers morphed into giggling. 'O-oh heavens, th-this- this is priceless!' Celestia scrunched her embarrassed blush. The giggles only proceeded to get louder, breaking down into a fit of roaring humor at her expense. 'Have you come here simply to insult my... admittedly deviant new desires, or is this a meeting of importance?' In between its ceaseless laughter, Sol finally managed to say, 'O-oh, it's important alright!' it snickered again, 'Sol Invicta! Sol- Sol-snch- I-I can't! I can't do it! It's just t-t-to-ho-o-oo funny-hy-hy-hy-hy-hy-yyyyy!' Celestia buried herself under her lover's soft, feathery shelter. It may not have drowned out the laughter, but the shame and sudden self-consciousness were muted. It reminded her that she had a simple job. A simple task. Her place was rightfully underneath Twilight and her embrace, and her purpose was the one Twilight gave her. It was fine. Even with that in mind, she was still a princess, and she still cared about her ponies' well-being. The roaring cackles went on for a while longer, seemingly laughing at the inexplicable irony, before slowly trailing off into an air of humor. It was humiliating- something she should have been reprimanding. She found no will to do so, though, for it was true. Her newfound desire for exploration of their new lives- both union and sensual- was foreign, yet embraced. Of course... The mocking was more than discouraging. 'I'm sorry, it was just..' She could imagine the hoof gestures the as the sun chuckled. 'Like, Sol Invicta? That nickname is the most ego-induced psycho-creation you ever made. You claimed to be me! Then you..' It stopped. 'Uhh.. I'm not.. I'm not actually serious. About that stuff, I mean. It's- it's completely fine. Just because I'm a part of you, doesn't mean I, like, wanna.. make you feel bad for it.. just thought it was kinda funny.. you.. you know you can do whatever you want, right? I'm not judging.. Just... Celestia? Celestia?' 'Alright, I know it's not my place. I shouldn't have said it, yeah, but you sounded like you needed something to laugh at.. past mistakes? Irony? Stuff like that.' She moved Twilight's glowing wings to cover any exits where her head may have poked out, falling limply underneath it. 'I.. I do not know anymore, Sol. It is all so new.. it frightens me. I wish to explore so deeply, and see what discovery may bring, but I.. I am frightened. I have never wished once for another, alone so intensely to be above me, and I have no experience in the subject. I.. am searching. It is as though I must relearn what I once knew. I do not understand.' 'Soul-searching? Er, romance searching? Sex? Love.. whatever. You wanna try some stuff, understand. You definitely are not a top. Well, actually.. oh, my.' another short snicker. 'Well.. You are not a top when you get the right to decide. But, listen, I get it. It's fine. You hate ruling. You hate... like, being the center of attention. I totally get it. Sun, remember? Everypony loves... you, but not.. actually, you know, you. They love the perfect image they have of you. You're supposed to be the best. You're supposed to be the strongest. You hate it. Like, the same way I hate ponies who thank me for being some life-giving power. I don't do that! Literally! That's like giving me all the credit for the stuff Energy and Light do!..' 'Point: I totally understand. Somepony that'll do all the complex stuff while you.. serve them? That's what it is, right? Something like that, probably. I think. Besides, you live to serve. Isn't that how you say it?' Her hoof lingered on her belly. 'Indeed..' 'At least you're serving a good cause. I think a bit of foaling and needy worshipping fits you pretty well. I mean, there's always everypony else's opinion, but.. who are they, am I right? Besides, divine stuff. You can do what you want.' 'A similar ideal caused their destruction before, Sol. Divine we may be, we are not goddesses in a sense mortal ponies understand. Weren't you the first to agree that the mantle of Divinity did not equate to mortal belief of the term?' 'Don't change the subject! I wanna know this stuff! I've never gotten to ask you this before! Come on, we barely talk! You're totally freaky when you're not in that stiff little shell!' Celestia wouldn't dignify that with a response. 'Aw come on, just a few? I'm so bored, andLun won't talk to me! Pleaseee? I just wanna help! I can give you ideas, or maybe advice, or-or-' 'While the offer sounds.. rather enticing, I cannot. It would not be befitting, and with the current state of the north-' 'To Tartarus with Sombra! I don't see you getting up right now. Especially like that. Please? The fronts can't be bad enough that you'd have to pull yourself off and run down to the field! You're two months pregnant! That'd be a horrible idea! Besides, if they really need you, they'll come get you... probably. Anyway, please? I can help! I know a lot about these things! From observation, but still! I'm the sun!' Perhaps it was another mistake... No, she knew it was. She knew it. But... 'Fine, I will.. enlighten you, as best I can. I.. may be unsure of many things, but.. any questions will not go unanswered.' Regrets could come later. Sol's... wisdom, had brought nothing short of a miracle. Seeing the new light for the first time in all her life, leaving her feeling.. liberated. WT He exhaled shakily, letting his head rest against the frost-covered edge of the drop. It was a living hell, now that they'd lost their mage company. They hadn't even noticed the shadows until it was too late. Sombra's army- ponies and shadow monsters looking like nightmares Discord or Grogar would've summoned- had gotten the jump on them. They were fucked all the way down the line. Wind Trailer wasn't sure how long he'd sat in this damn hole in the ground. He knew, from the mountain of corpses and limbs that littered the field, all mutilated, their flesh and muscles peeled away, revealing the broken, pearly white skeleton drenched in crimson beneath... he was one of, if not the last, ponies left in his division. It'd all gone by so quick, his brain hadn't even kicked in yet. The day had started out as normal as any, routine trench maintenance, headcount, armament replacement. It'd all been going perfectly up until about mid-day, when the recon team disappeared. Lotta ponies shit themselves when they found out their only recon team had completely vanished. They'd advised the recently promoted Commander, Flash Sentry, to pull back south and abandon position, but with the limited contact to Canterlot and Flash's stupid fuckin' hero syndrome, they'd been sent back out into the cold. Trailer wasn't a military pony- didn't know the first thing about combat or war- but even he saw how massively fucked they'd be. He'd considered deserting, but walking out at the last minute would've made him a coward. And if there's one thing he wasn't, it was a coward. Even if he knew it was a ticket straight to Tartarus. They hadn't even seen them coming- literally. One moment, he'd been sitting at the south-east end of their measly little fortifications, lounging with the Bolts, and the next, a giant ass crystal had eaten half of it! He felt bad for the poor bastards that got trapped in the crystal. They all knew the rumors- of what happened to ponies that were caught by Sombra's army. Then, those fucking shadows. He couldn't describe them, even now. They were.. horrifying. The way their skin barely stuck to their hulking, bipedal forms, the black, tar-like liquid that poured from their... everywhere! They looked charred to the bone, the 'skin', if it could even be called that, had been black and rotting. Their dirty, blood-soaked claws, the mist, all of it.. It'd fucked him up. He'd always wondered how he would die, since he'd been able to understand what it meant. Sometimes, he thought about growing old. Having a family. Find a wife, another pegasus, maybe one of those cute unicorns they had all around Canterlot; have foals, then watch them grow up and have their own; and then he'd die. Not a perfect life, but a good one. After the war had started, he'd imagined dying in combat, battling horn-to-hoof with the hordes of mind-controlled ponies. He'd die a hero, for Equestria and the princesses. They'd be honored for their service, saving the nation from a tyrant. Then, he'd pictured freezing in the snow. Slowly dying from frostbite, waiting for the Sombra to attack, then dying from attrition in the tundra when he did. He'd pictured himself frozen over so many times, he'd lost count of the different ways he'd be taken out by the cold. Now, though? Now he just wished it had been any of the former. He didn't have any doubts that those things, if they didn't bring him back to be turned into one of Sombra's bitches, would be what killed him. Fuck, that'd probably be better than becoming one of the ponies with a weird ass helmet. He'd known the moment they had stepped out of the black mist that covered the crystal, that that was the truth. He'd thought it would be ponies- even prayed, the second he saw the first claw, that it had been dragons, possessed by some sort of spell. At least then, they could say they stood a fighting chance. That the mage company could have held the damn things off. That it could've been worth it. The battle was over in less than a minute. It hadn't been fair, nor had they stood a chance. Hells, he doubted they'd win the war if this was what they were dealing with. They were fucked! Flash had been the first to go. Like the idiot he was, he'd charged right into those damned things. Then he'd lost his head after getting a few hooves close to one. He steadied his breathing, looking down at his own body. Any protection they'd had, had been torn through like cloth. He could still see the jagged lines across his chest, and the blood seeping from the wounds in his side, after one of those things had picked him up and tried to crush him. His ribs were probably broken- hell, one was sticking clear out of him; a sharp, bony protrusion that had probably gone end-first into his lungs, judging by the blood he was coughing up. It was all numb now, though. Probably the cold. He could barely see in the blizzard, and anything he could see was covered in organs and blood. Half Spade's torso, trailing its frozen entrails, sat just in front of him. He'd been skinned and crushed alive. They'd ripped the flesh from his face. His teeth, from the perfect front, to his replacement molars. The abyss in his socks, where his eyes had been, was as hopeless as the chance of them winning. By now, the skull of his oldest friend was just another reminder that they'd failed. That they couldn't win. He grit his teeth, wincing at the sharp pain that came with each breath. If he was lucky, he'd choke on his own blood and die before they could capture him. If he still had his spear, sword, or even one of the mage's horns, he would have done it himself. It was better than becoming one of those things. The unison march reached his ears. Ever since the shadow monsters had thinned out, Sombra's troops had been cleaning house, capturing anypony still alive. He looked around frantically, searching for something- anything sharp. It was shitty that he didn't have magic like the damn mages- he could off himself way easier. The sound was getting closer though, and he could hear the snow crunching under their hooves as the group of ponies dispersed. His breathing stopped, and he focused his attention on the noise. Crunching in the distance, slowing getting closer. The scaping of metal against metal. Lumbering steps nearby. The screaming. The other guys still alive were screaming. They all screamed when they were taken. They all did. They'd seen it. His eyes darted around desperately. He'd have flown up and taken a fall head-first if he had the strength. His eyes landed on Half Spade's horn, jutting useless from his head. He wouldn't need it anymore. He reached forward- One of the rough, oily claws clamped around him again. He thrashed against it, flailing his hoof towards the horn despite the pain. "NO!" he shouted. Just as the horn made a brutal, sickening snap!, he heard a similar noise play grotesquely in his eardrums. He wheezed, watching in terror as the horn broke off, and fell tip-first into the snow. The damn abomination lifted him up, and he stared, wide-eyed, at the black, bubbling flesh on its face. It's beady eyes and crooked mouth stared down at him with a look of primal hunger. It had no lips- or muzzle, giving him a clear view every last razor-edged chomper. The claw it held him in dropped to its side as it made its way back toward the mist. He screamed, and screamed, and screamed. Begged and prayed like he had only so long ago. He screamed his throat hoarse when he felt another crack! in his chest. The pain was unbearable- but not as unbearable as the sheer, stark raving terror that he felt as they drew closer and closer to the writhing black cloud. He continued thrashing, hoping for a flickering moment that the next snap would split his spine. It was all for naught, and only when they crossed, did he realize just how useless it all was as they had finally entered the mist, and all the light and hope left in the world vanished. He'd already accepted his fate. C 'You know, I'd never really have expected it. It's like.. you left, and came back.. well, an actual pony! With real desires! She'd probably say you look good on a leash. Don't you two have each other's cutie marks on you, like.. somewhere? I think that was another thing. Hooves, or something. The fact you're the only royal whose never had a harem kinda throws me off, but hey! I don't have anything wrong with monogamous ponies! I.. don't really have sexual desires either. Or any desires at all.. Still, it's hard to imagine you being the submissive one here.. I mean, weren't you her idol or something?' Celestia rolled her eyes. 'So you would think. I cannot help but believe that is not true after what has happened.. but I am glad things have gone the way they have. Even in her state, this side of her is beautiful. Gods, if I'd known this awaited me, I would have attempted to bring us together myself. It was perhaps my wisest choice to listen to you, Sol... But do not believe I will listen to your every idea simply for this. 'Come on! You should at least try water sports! You already wanna try most of the other stuff, why not that? Ponies seem to like it!' 'I did not say I would not, I am... just being cautious. I am interested in many things, but such are.. seemingly quite the stretch..' She blushed. 'You should probably talk to Oblivion.. Twilight.. whatever, just.. you totally need to talk to her! I mean, she's pretty experimental, and I think she'd know a lot more than us. That weird lusty stuff. Besides, what about your body? Doesn't it look so amazing?! You look more like me now! It'll totally make her even more hot and bothered!' 'Perhaps you should have kept the former to yourself. I now have a reason to dislike it.' her mind detested. 'Uh-huh. Go take your sexy ass over and satisfy your stallion.. or.. whatever! You need to get some work in, filly! No laying around when you could let her wake up to an orgasm!' Sol shouted into her brain. 'But she said not to disturb her..' Celestia's hoof traced the bulge that Twilight's cock formed. It stuck out from the excess cum bloating, leaving the hard, unmoving appendage's outline visible just by looking at her. The mare's cock had all but imprinted itself inside the slippery, gaping hole. Something she wouldn't have even been able to comprehend seeing two months ago. 'Good point. She's pretty cranky when you wake her up before she's ready. Plus, we did just talk about consent.. Well.. other than that, I've got nothing. I mean, maybe it's late to be mentioning this, but you two are totally having foals out of wedlock. That'll be tartarus to deal with..' She felt a jolt of panic shoot through her. 'Oh heavens, you're right! You-' 'The fact both of you have neurotic breakdowns every five minutes is concerning. Don't you think you should leave it to Twilight? That's totally what you're all about. She'll know what to do. Funny that you two don't talk about what it's going to be like walking into Day Court together. Luna told the press. you know-' "SHE DID WHAT?!" Celestia clamped her hooves over her mouth, but the damage was done. Twilight groaned. 'Great..' "Mmm... who's there?" The poly-vocals spoke. The sound of several dozen voices, all speaking in simultaneous harmony and unison, combined with the clear lacing of magic made her shiver. "My deepest apologies, Twilight... I could not contain my outburst at a certain revelation. It will not happen again, love.." she whispered. "Oh.. mm.. al.. alright... that's.. that's fine.." a sniff filled the room. "Wow... If you're that desperate, why didn't you-" she yawned "-just wake me up.." "I..." Celestia rubbed her hooves together awkwardly. "I did not wish to disturb you.. mistress?" The breathing behind her halted. It was almost purely out of fascination and disbelief, she could have guessed. The room was still. 'I think you broke her..' Sol whispered- as unnecessary as it was. "Too soon...?" She ducked her head, hiding the permanent shade of crimson embarrassment that tinted her gilded muzzle. 'You may be correct..' "U-uh.. maybe.. I-I'm.. not sure if I can handle that kind of responsibility right now..? I'm kind of... loopy in the head for that... heheh.. just got out of a sex coma.. sort of ascended as well.. self-induced guilt... brother's captured by a tyrant.. y'know, there's a lot going on in my head right now... I'm not saying no, I'm just saying.. give it some time..." Twilight chuckled madly, curling around her. 'Oh.. fair point. Yeah..' Sol whistled. ' Probably should have thought of that..' "Ah, yes.. I apol-" "Hush up, my lovely little Sun. Talk later. Sleep now." a pair of lips met the tip of her horn. "Forgiven. Just... lemme sleep'abit more.." 'Gotta wonder where the idea 'gods don't sleep' comes from.' Celestia breathed a sigh. 'Because I have turned Equestria into a land of fanatic fools.' 'Aren't you just the perfect contradiction to everything you've preached. Going around screaming about how alicorns aren't gods a thousand years ago, then saying you're the 'Eternal Sun'. I think it's funny.' 'You would find humor in your own demise, Sol. Would I not know you, I would find your act better fit for a foal than a primordial entity. It's-' The floor cracked. 'So...' She eyed the vine that had broken through the palace floor. She could recognize them from anywhere. They'd been another result of Discord's reign. Plundervine seeds super-changed with chaos magic. Plundervines- as a species of plant- had already been extinct by the time the he had taken over. The Mad God didn't care though. They were his personal favorites when it came to torturing ponies. Watching the spiked plant thrash violently as it grew through the hole in the floor was like watching his nightmarish hordes consume Equestria all over again, reducing it and its protectors to mere dust beneath his claw. "Twilight?" Nothing stirred. "Twilight, wake up..." she whispered louder. It was closer now- two more broke through the floor. They were closing in on the Everfree. Everything burned. Ponies. Villages. Drowning in rivers of cooking chocolote. Inverted ponies shambling around upside down on clouds, their internal organs hanging limply from their bodies. The panic that filled her at the sight was overwhelming. "Twilight, please, wake up!" her voice rose again, barely above hushed. She yelped as it gripped her left hindleg. The thorns dug into her fur, painfully tearing the skin beneath. It spiraled upward, and she lit her horn to reduce the vile plant to ash- only for it to flicker out. The warmth of another aura encompassed her. It seeped through her panic, quelling the rising emotions. Fear and memories were washed away, replaced with the tingle of magic coursing through her entire being. A pair of hooves kneaded her shoulders, and a tired voice spoke up, "Saw them coming.. signatures of chaos magic spiked a bit ago..." She nodded, watching as the tangled abominations screeched, shriving at the touch of the rainbow nimbus that was oozing from Twilight's ethereal fur. They retreated back into the holes in the floor, and she could swear, for but a moment, that she'd felt a sudden maliciousness coming from the pony behind her, whose head had turned to watch the invading plants retreat. "Stupid powerful magic..." the voice murmured. The form behind her shifted, before tilting itself upward. "Well.. looks like I won't be getting back to sleep anytime soon." She arched her back, gasping as she was pulled out of. The feeling of longing returned- the loss of Twilight's closeness was worthy of tears. The disappearance of the protective layer of feathers made her whimper, and she glanced up at the towering alicorn. Twilight looked down at her, her comforting gaze thawing the harsh cold that had settled as she gestured up with her horn. "As much as I'd really love the stay in bed, we totally.. have to go outside. Sometime. Maybe. Get ready first, then go outside. Right." another chuckle, more nervous. As her Alpha's right, lavender wing lifted, she managed to pull herself off the bed, stepping and snuggling contentedly under it. The stench of sex was the only smell left in the room, overpowering their own odors. Twilight's face wrinkled, before she blanched. "Yeah, we're not going down there smelling like this.. also too soon. Already going to have to deal with a tartarus of a coronation in, what, a week?" Celestia felt an instinctual sense of disappointment and shame at the displeased look on Twilight's face. The coronation had been her idea, after all. Many other events that were to come were her idea as well. The fact it inconvenienced her Alpha so.. she wished she could take it back, if only to erase the image of the displeasure and mild contempt that had been cast from the mare holding her. The comment hadn't been directed at her, yet... It had been her idea. And in her state, that look was a sign of failure. "Alright, uhm.. checklist. Checklist, checklist, checklist. C'mon, we gotta hurry.." Celestia glanced at the mirror. It was impressive- Twilight had cleaned both of them and the room. The smell was virtually non-existent, and any sign of the previous night's activities had been inexplicably unmade.. her stomach excluded. Twilight grinned cheekily at her work. The mare had been working ten times as fast as she normally did- which was fast enough as it was- and had even re-manifested the broken items. Unsurprisingly, not a single book had been harmed in her mental break. Even with her newfound power, it seemed the librarian in Twilight remained, though her job had been taken. She'd offered her help several times, even told Twilight she would do it, but her Alpha was having none of it. It was obsessive, the way she seemed to clean and organize every last spec of dust in the room- quite literally, as she had watched her place dust-bunnies in an exact, coordinated position underneath the couch they had slept on before. Gods. Celestia may have lived to serve, but it was clear this pony was a master at her craft. She couldn't have replicated the precision if she'd truly tried. It was beyond even her, and yet Twilight did it with such ease and haste it almost seemed as though it were foal's play. All without magic. The grooming had been nice, though. She now understood how preening made ponies feel closer- it was far more sensual when done by another. Everything her Alpha had done was undoubtedly calculated and meticulous. Celestia had come to accept long ago that an alicorn's body was always subject to change, but the sensations remained, even if they did not effect the body. Each feather had been removed or nuzzled back into place with a tender caution, and by the time she'd finished, the room had looked as it had the day it had been built, and the bristle of the cold against her wings made her shiver. "I do not remember a letter in which you mentioned studying preening, nor that you could do it so.. intrinsically." she looked about the hoof-crafted shelves, seeming to overshadow all else in the room. "I.. didn't actually, not at first. Rainbow said something about Fluttershy not preening her feathers until she was done preparing her house for the critters coming out of hibernation. I guess I just got caught up in it, and by the time I was done, I'd read almost every book on it.." she sighed wistfully. "Do you have any other such secrets? This is astonishing work, for only having read books on the topic." "Oh, I do! I.. had a lot of time. Too much, heheh... I think the room could've gone better, though.." Twilight looked around, suddenly burrowing holes into the wedges between the walls, ceiling and floor. Celestia nuzzled her way deeper underneath the mass of feather and fur. "I never noticed how off the room's diameter is... was it supposed to be this crooked? The entire tower is uneven." "We.. no, but we thought it as close to perfection as we could achieve.." she murmured. "I think it's just sensory overload. I can still feel the entire city. It.. bothers me. The entire thing is sideways! Not one building adds up! None of them!" Twilight lamented. "Mhm..?" she looked up. "Yeah.. I don't know when it kicked in, but I woke up, and I just... felt. That's it. I felt. Not just, felt, you know. I actually was. It was just for a few seconds, but I was.. All magic. It didn't really take long to find my way back, but.. Weird. I could.. feel everything. I still can, just not as far as I could before. It was like astral projection, except I could feel, and I was a lot bigger. I felt.. large. Really, really large. I also, maybe kindasortafelteverysinglespellbeingcastlikever. So, it was an overall painful experience." Well. She wasn't surprised- not at all. She could do similarly with all that was light. The spell, though... "You can see.. spells?" "Sort of. I don't think you know this, but from what I felt, every time somepony uses magic, they... bend a piece of me, I guess. That's how I know it. Well, how.. I know it. So, if you're using any of the Aether's or Universal elements, it's like having a piece of myself pulled away for a second. Then you give it back when you cast the spell... it's hard to explain." "But.. well, Frozen North, all of that.. if the elements are tinged with the Nether's influence, that magic is really, really painful. Like, I'm being pulled apart, and you're drowning me in bits of myself." the look on her face told Celestia the explanation was obviously simplified from what would have been a total breakdown of the processes structure. Still, it helped. It also explained that Sombra's mere existence had hurt Twilight. She opened her eyes a crack, softly kissing the fur she'd pressed herself into. "A lot of Malice and Arrogance, maybe Apathy as well. Mostly Fear, though. Unbelievable amounts of Fear." Twilight craned her neck, searching the room. "I guess it makes sense. Umbra are Umbra. Dark Magic kind of always being on the tipping side of the balancing scale. What doesn't make sense.. are these dimensions! Come on!" "Must we truly worry about such things, oh architect mine..?" she whispered. "Yes, it doesn't make sense.. and I've really had it.. with things that don't. Make. Sense.." Before either of them could say anything else, a knock echoed from the door to Twilight's tower. "Great.. stallion, taller than average, magic isn't that powerful. That's the guide to Noble Genetics 101." the boiling storm clicked its tongue. "Auntie Celestia? Are you in there?" She pitied Prince Blueblood, yes, but never so much as in that moment. Twilight's face flickered through a plethora of emotions, before settling on an impassive mask, burying the seething fury. Their eyes meet, and the nod was all she needed before she answered, "My nephew, would you so kindly remind me why you must interrupt-" 'Us. They know.' "-us so early?" "Auntie, you must come out here right this instant! I demand an explanation of your foolish behavior." she inhaled, pushing down the annoyance that arose with every moment she had to explain herself to another. Twilight and her didn't answer to them! After another calming breath, she opened her mouth to reply- "Blueblood, it's disrespectful not to look somepony in the eyes while your talking to them. And stop standing infront of my doors like they're the gates to Tartarus!" Twilight chided. There was a pause. The door opened inward, and the Prince shakily stepped into the room. His lesser mind wasn't built to defy magically laced commands. Then again, nopony's was. But non-alicorns even less so. When he finally caught sight of them, his eyes grew larger. With each passing second, the saucers became dinner plates, until she could almost mistake them for the trays used during her cake escapades. His eyes were almost popping out of their sockets by the time her saw her stomach, and an aura pulsed from beside her. She couldn't comprehend it- but it felt imposing. Larger-than-life. It pushed her very will away, reducing it to a lifeless corpse. Any strength or resistance within her was crushed and drained away in a single moment. She knew Twilight hadn't grown; she would have felt it, but the mare still seemed... larger. Much, much larger. It was grandeur she felt. It was also a feeling of submission. The aura and its sheer, utter density left no room for defiance. For all intensive purposes, in that moment, no will, not even that of the sun, existed. None except Twilight's. And she would obey it without fault. As quickly as the crushing weight had arrived, it lessened. The pressure on her body released, and the ability to be returned. Her independence returned, and the right to think- to exist- came with it. She kept staring up in complete reverence, though; not taking a moment to look at Blueblood, whose entire body had lowered in a frightened stiff, floor-low bow. She'd unconsciously lowered her own head in subservience. Twilight, meanwhile, facehoofed. "Damnit, Dominance... stupid powerful magic. Blueblood, get your face off the floor, you look ridiculous." He did, without question; eyes wide and slightly-terrified. His white coat had gone a shade paler, and he seemed unable to even form a coherent sentence. The choking sounds of somepony attempting to understand something they couldn't even begin, for even a moment, to comprehend filled the room. She barely understood it. "Seriously? Ugh.. breathe, speak, talk! Do something!.. why are you here?" the aura battered against Celestia's conscious mind again, but the subtle vibrations seemed to deflect around the room, passing over her as they sunk into the prince. Maintaining any form of self was a dizzying, daunting task. To lose focus for even a moment would have meant being swept away in it. It bent and reshaped thoughts on a whim, acting out the will of its owner. The Prince wheezed uselessly for a moment, before finally choking out a sufficient reply. "I-I came t-to convince you both t-to return. A-auntie Luna failed th-therefore I-" It was enough, apparently, by the sudden disappearance of the influence. The air cleared, and the vicious mental barrage ceased, as everything became a shade clearer. The damage was clearly done, though. It was almost comical how thoroughly Twilight had run her mental defenses into the ground. Her former thoughts- on the imbecile prince, the room, her sister, Sombra's war- had been erased, and replaced with the sole desire to submit. Submit to Twilight. Her happiness came with subordination. She blinked, falling limply against the wall of soft, flowing fur. The fight had been drained in a single swift motion. The pony she leaned against held her tighter, banishing the worry and inquiries. Their significance was clear. 'There's nothing to worry about. It's fine. You're fine. I'll protect you. You're mine, and I'll protect you. You're safe.' Twilight knew best. Celestia's purpose was obedience. Obedience to Twilight. She had no other purpose, than to give in. She was stripped of anything that was not ownership by her sole superior and Alpha. When the power ravaging her mind finally spit her up again, she felt terrible. Her head ached- nay, her head felt as though it had been split in thrice. It barely clicked that her horn seemed to burn with the intensity of liquid magma, and her thoughts had reverted to a jumbled mess. The world made no sense anymore. Colors mixed together and formed amorphous blobs, light shining in reflections and curves as her retinas screamed out in agony. Thought was impossible. Oblivion had not permitted her thought. She... A form of consciousness seemed to arrive once more. She took in a deep, shuddering breath as the broken world- eerie and disfigured, so much so that none without an innate comprehension of the abstract understood- came back into focus. Blueblood sat across from them, his mouth wide open in a silent scream. Her other senses managed to return to her. The instinctual draw to the pony she'd been under remained, and she clumsily attempted to drive herself further beneath the wing. Her thoughts had been shuffled and bitten away. Magic seemed to fill the space oxygen normally took. Twilight was saying something. "Celestia? Celestia?!" She thought about replying, but couldn't form the words. It was like learning how to walk on all four hooves again. Sounds came together to form letters, those letters combining to form words: "Twilight..?" "Oh thank me... er- the gods- you- shit, sorry.. my magic discharged. I.. stopped most of it... are you okay?" It took a moment for thought to re-establish itself, and as it did, she managed, "I.. am not sure." Twilight's exasperated, nigh-incoherent reply barely made it through to her. "I knew I shouldn't have tried to use magic.." the body she'd been leaning against deflated. After many long, grueling minutes, Celestia's senses returned in full. The room- more specifically, everything around them- had been scorched. The blackened floor was befitting of the small fire that burned seemingly in laze around them. "First order of business when everything calms down: learn how to control my magic.. all over again..." A sigh escaped Twilight's lips. "How are you feeling now?" Celestia flexed her right wing, nodding as she felt them part the cool air that had overtaken the warmth. "I.. feel much better now. I believe we share the sentiment, my Light." she paused, looking over at the Blueblood's dazed expression beside Twilight's own, which had twisted into a mask of nervousness. "Oh- oh, do not worry, Miss Sparkle, I know quite well... Oh, dear.. allow me... another moment, please? Heavens.." looking over at Blueblood, she watched as he swayed, barely balancing himself against the small desk, where an inkwell had fallen over, spilling its contents across the table. "Wait-" Twilight snapped her head toward him. "- what?" It took her nephew a while, but after sufficiently massaging his temples and shaking the daze from his... gaze- 'You deserve a medal for that one.'-, he looked back at them. "Yes..." his eyes fell back on her again. "And... yes. Auntie Luna was foolish enough to allow those peasants from the Canterlot Times to have a conference on the subject of your disappearance. So far, only a few know. She's kept it under tight wraps indeed. That means little to us. The Lords have their opinions on the matter, but the House of Nobles has learned better than to question Her Majesty. I still must ask- why?" He looked up at them, standing on all four hooves now. "While I will say nothing of your chosen... consort, I am puzzled. I have never known you as the kind. While I did doubt the words, 'Brash decision,' were they.. correct, Auntie?" he glanced at her, before returning his frightened gaze to Twilight, whose eyes had taken on a steely tone. Even the rainbow irises seemed muted. "Mmm..." she nodded hastily. "It was, yes. I cannot tell you why, but I can say with certainty it was.. perhaps it is naïve, but I do not regret it. Well..." she winced. "Mostly..." He stared at her before muttering to himself. "I... see. Should the houses take this as a sign of the return to-" "I will not allow you to open a brothel, nor will I repeal the current prohibition of prostitution." She felt herself scowling now. It felt.. wrong. Especially on her. But the matter was one frequently discussed, and fervently denied. "What we alicorns do and what it equates to are beyond your understanding, Prince Blueblood. I believe I taught the houses the consequences of comparing themselves to us during your grandfather's time, yes? I will not have anypony defiling this great nation, least of all those meant to hold a such a high standard as examples to the rest." The 'Prince' nodded, but she could see him swallow a retort. "I'm sorry for asking, auntie. I am.. surprised, perhaps. A lowborn.." before his frustration could rise any further, the familiar aura encompassed the room. He froze mid sneer, letting his face go slack. The message was made clear- a warning. A single warning. As it dispersed, he looked between them nervously. "Yes, well... I am not at liberty to make demands, then. Perhaps I can request... that you both join us? We.. require assistance. Several petitions arrived over the time of your 'disappearance,' requesting changes to existing laws within the Celestial Code. We would not let your sister touch them. While we respect her throne, you are the true ruler of Equestria. Those decisions were not hers to make." he stated firmly. "Afterwards, we.." He collected himself, gritting his teeth. "We are not quite.. as skilled as you in the art of war, auntie.." The mention of war had brought back the unpleasant memories. Memories of a time before. They mattered little now, underneath Twilight's grip. But they remained. She thought it over. It would be tedious- organizing their return. For several centuries, she had not left the confines of Equestria personally. The sudden disappearance could've- and likely had- been covered up. It was still an annoyance that Luna could not simply refuse to tell the press. In fact... "Well." She looked up at Twilight, whose impassive gaze had settled on the door. After a nudge, she looked back at Celestia. "I believe now would be a good time, yes?" "Returning to a disaster?" monotoned the familiar set of multiple vocals, as all she gained a flat stare. "I mean, it's nothing new, so... alright." after a shrug, she nuzzled Twilight gratefully. It was a feeling she had become used to- their fur meshing and intertwining, rubbing against the skin just beneath. It was one she would constantly miss as she finally stepped out from under the safety net. Blueblood wore his relief on his sleeve. They stepped closer, and he turned around, grinning. "I told auntie I could do it." "You're just lucky we're in a better mood today... and, you didn't fucking yell at us." He laughed, but the tension remained crystal clear. "It was foolish to believe Auntie Luna would do anything less. As I said, though we may respect her throne, we have all agreed that she is.. perhaps not the most stable of royals. I can imagine she simply bombarded you both with questions?" "Yes." they both replied, near simultaneous. "She had personally requested to be the first to see you," he stepped out the door and began climbing the stairs, the two princesses following suit. Twilight paused, eyes wide. After the clopping of hooves had ceased entirely, he looked back. He held his tongue, and Celestia watched as her Alpha peaked over the side. Her body relaxed, and she fell into step again. They said nothing, returning to their normal pace. "I didn't believe she would cause problems. Truly, I didn't! But I am a fool, nonetheless. She has proven far too emotional to handle diplomatic quarrelling without being consumed in it herself." He continued. "As much as I hate to admit it, sister.. was never the wisest of ponies. She has always been quite impulsive. I do not believe it to be her own fault, but.. the fault of another. I am not surprised by your observations. I expect her to cause another scene in the near future. It cannot be helped." Celestia remarked. There was no reason to truly blame Luna for how they had been raised. Impulse and instinct drove anypony to terrible lengths to get what they desired. And she was again reminded of her own situation. "Still didn't like it.." Twilight voiced from behind them, swiveling her head as she searched the corridors of the Solar Wing. "I.. it's probably just me. I should've.. paid more attention." she seemed to deflate with each word. Celestia sidled up to her. "Does it.. still trouble you..?" Twilight shook her head, the energy seeming to sap itself from her body. "Later.. it can wait." "Honestly, I worry less about this war than I do what it has done. I have had to care for many foals whose mothers and fathers no longer reside in Canterlot." Blueblood's voice took on a tone of sympathy. Even as cold-hearted as he was, it was below him to spite foals over their societal ranking. He was not a monster, after all. "The poors things.." Twilight looked down. "Yeah..." The silence continued as their hoofsteps echoed off the floor. The lack of guards and maids, combined with the obvious signs of neglect, painted a picture of the decaying nation. They weren't prepared for open conflict, nor had they been given coping mechanisms for death. Her ponies walked forth into fields of blood and ice without knowing of their own demise. She was naïve, now that she thought on it. Naïve enough to believe she, simply because of her own Godhood, was impervious to love. Naïve enough to believe that her ponies would never again have the need for war. She'd gotten herself to believe in the perfect world she'd built for them. And how it hit her. It threw her in loops, reminding her of her failure. She kept a straight face, remaining quiet as the throne room's entrance came into view. The sounds of Day Court bounced off the walls, an obvious sign the crowd was much larger now than many times in the past. She had another thing to dread now. Her appearance. She stopped. "Blueblood... perhaps it would be best to.. announce this to all of Canterlot." "Why? I'd think this would be credible-" Twilight's monotone was slowly becoming more concerning, as emotion seemed to completely disappear from her. "More efficient. If she announces it to Canterlot and shows them she's really who she is, ponies will have an easier time believing it. Any story coming out of this room will be taken with a grain of salt. They're all deceivers, so the chance that anypony believes them is slim. If she were to, for example, raise the sun in front of Canterlot, ponies would believe it's her, even with how she looks now." Celestia glanced back at the impassive stare. It didn't radiate the exuberance it once did, of the mare she'd known. The life seemed to drain away from Twilight, and her blank, forward stare disregarded the world around her. It wounded her to see how quickly she hope had disappeared from her lover, but she continued without pause. "If ponies saw her, they wouldn't believe that she was who she said, since her cutie-mark is different. That's just one example, though. Raising the sun would affirm that she was who she was. Even if.." she looked out the window. "it's already been raised. She could set it, then bring it back up. There's not many options that would make ponies believe." They had stopped in front of the doors, contemplating the idea. Blueblood bit his lip, "Perhaps.. you cannot avoid the Manehattan Haystock, Fillydelphia Paper, or Canterlot Times. They have been lobbying for weeks. Once they see a new alicorn," the revelation seemed to smack him in the horn with the force of an earth pony. "A... new alicorn..." Somewhere, hundreds of journalists felt their fur stand on end as the opportunity of a lifetime presented itself. "I agree with Miss Sparkle-" "Oblivion." "Oblivion. It would also do us well to introduce the newest member.. of royalty." he blinked. rubbing his forehead. "By Celestia's sun... why didn't I realize that." "We've all been focused on the immediate problems, so we forgot about the others." Twilight stated. It was rather matter-of-factly, but did the trick. Blueblood turned left. "I will bring you up to date on current transmissions, then. Come along now, we shant dally a second longer. Enough time has been wasted. We cannot keep running in circles." He marched down the halls, and they fell into step behind him, much to Twilight's chagrin. Celestia was left to wonder when they would make up their minds on what exactly to focus on. Author's Note yes, from now on, one character perspective at a time. Double PoVs will be rare from now on. day 3 - migraine. must read. reread. day 5 - reread. doing my editing. kill me. - finally came up with an upload schedule -note didn't reread end of chapter yet. head hurts. will post though. enjoy. going over it later.
Broken-"We do not realize just how wrong we are, until it is too late." - King Cosmos, 'Discord's Descent' TS The sound of desperate, heartbroken sobs filled the silence of the room. In the corner, Twilight Sparkle lay limply, flipping through page-after-page of her books. They were all on magic. The theory, of course. She gone to them for comfort... because there was no one else left to go to. She hiccuped, echoing another despaired cry as she tried to read the text through blurry eyes. Her heart hurt- it physically hurt. The pain felt like it would kill her if given the chance. She felt so useless... She'd only wanted to help... She loved her friends... her brother... Celestia... 'You have a lot to think about.' She threw the book, folding into her sorrow. Curling up on the floor of her tower, her howling sobs echoing in the cool night air. It wasn't fair! It just wasn't fair! 'Why... why, why, why...' Her mind cried. She'd never meant to make Cadance cry. She'd never wanted to ruin their wedding. She'd just.. She cried out as betrayal emptied her. The room seemed to get darker- colder. The world lost its color. All that was left was her grief... and magic. Magic hadn't betrayed her- it hadn't left her alone to cry. It hadn't flown away with the wind. It didn't hate her. Magic didn't care, either. But it didn't hate her. She had something. She rubbed her eyes, feeling the soaked fur around them. They had betrayed her, she realized with a start. THEY had betrayed HER. Her mind fluttered back to an event not too long passed. 'Lesson Zero.'. Her lip quivered. 'How could they... after everything that happened... everything we've been through... after all the promises...' all the happy memories.. They just hurt now. She'd been disowned- by everypony. Her friends, her son, her brother... and her teacher... She clutched the Element of Magic to her chest, letting the others collapse to the floor around her. Magic hadn't abandoned her- not like them. She was still the Element of Magic. It still appreciated her- it still wanted her around. She took the warm, comforting pulse of light from the gem as a nod of agreement. Squeezing it tighter, she disregarded the thin trickle of blood that made its way down her withers as the edges of the gemstone cut into her. It wouldn't leave her. It valued her- it cared about her. Her friends may not, but it did. She gave a cracked, broken smile. She knew what she needed to do- Magic was her last friend on all of Equis. The other elements didn't matter- not to her. Magic could do it alone. It always had. The elements only worked because Magic existed. She sat up and held out the gem in front of her. It was clearly different from the others. It was the only one that had pre-existed as Magic- her cutie mark. It glowed with unmatched power, sticking out like a sun among a group of black holes when compared to the other elements. They just leeched off of it- channeling its energy into themselves. She furrowed her brow, idly noting that her tear stained fur had begun to mat in places. The spell connecting the elements was complex- powerful, too- and seemed to simply be... a leech spell. It just didn't make sense. Like Cadance. It just didn't make sense. Unlike Cadance, though, she could make it make sense. She could fix this for the element- maybe it would like her more if she did. It wouldn't have the others stealing magic that rightfully belonged to her and it. ... her, actually. She knew that. Magic was hers, and it liked her. So the magic was hers, as well. She stroked the hard, cut gem of Magic. It was hers. She just couldn't access it. Magic wanted her to have it, right? Why else would it let her be its bearer? The other elements weren't of any use to it. They were foreign- unnecessary lowlifes. Taking magic that wasn't theirs. Her broken heart brightened when Magic seemed to hum. It had to be in approval- right? It meant she was on the right track. It meant that was what Magic wanted. It wanted her to become a part of it. It made sense to her. Why else was her cutie mark Magic itself? It made sense. She liked things that made sense. It dulled the aching pain of the needles that seemed to dance and spin in her chest. It was a distraction- a distraction she would appreciate. She sat up, looking around the room. A few trickles of blood and the other elements scattered the floor of her tower. She knew what she needed to do now. She knew what magic wanted her to do. Magic wanted her to take it. Take the power that rightfully belonged to her. She grit her teeth in concentration and, in a single, simultaneous scoop, cupped all of the interlocked spells in her magic. They scorched her horn, eating through her wellspring with unmatched hunger. She screamed as tears of pain seared her ice-cold flesh. They were eating her! Her mind raced as she felt the other elements begin consuming- further and further into her wellspring. Her very life force was being drained from her! It hurt. So much. She gave a defiant shout and yanked. The lines connecting Magic and the Elements ripped- then tore themselves in half. Twilight's weak, faded tendril of magic gripped the ones that seemed to be excreting Magic's essence, and fused. The world went silent and dark, and the night air hissed softly. C Chrysalis couldn't have been happier! It was all going perfectly- oh, so perfectly! Her little run-in with the brat had made her the hero! She was on top of everything! No one would stop her, not the Princesses, not Equestria, and most certainly not that whelp. She grinned into the mirror, oblivious to the scrying spells placed around the room, humming with a gentle summer's breeze. Concealing the boiling rage of the pony it belonged to as she watched the imposter. T̵̜͚͉̄̿S̴̢̢̛̛̳͖̪͗̓̈͝ Her world was one of pain- and acceptance. As Magic slowly ripped into her body, forcing itself into her as her flesh and muscle seemed to split and break apart, she felt her thoughts going numb. Her horn had split- then shattered, leaving a gaping hole in her skull; squirting blood all over the floor. Her bones twisted and crumbled to dust. The next to go was her fur. It slew from her body, leaving her flesh raw and open. If the floor wasn't drenched before, it was now, as the building pools of red liquid combined into a single bubbling, sizzling mass. Her body caved in on itself, folding uselessly into a flab of raw meat. She had stopped screaming after her lungs had melted, and her windpipe had glued itself closed with tender, boiling muscle, reduced to a thick substance that blocked her breathing. Her chest collapsed open, and her heart, nerves and veins still attached, fell out. She only had one wish. To die at peace... ... A wish that would not be granted, as the pain and power dug itself into her mind with a crack- until finally, it broke. And from her broken, irreparable state, she would be rebuilt from nothing. C The sound of metal meeting marble had been a constant that day. Celestia stood tall over the royal guards, who had been dispelling the horde of Changelings everypony only now realized was surrounding Canterlot. They'd likely been unpleasantly surprised when the last transmission their queen had made that morning had been one of Cadance's magic blasting the bug in the face. The queen herself had been placed under the highest wards available at the time and thrown into a cell in the bowels of the castle. She hadn't seen Twilight, though. Or the Elements of Harmony, for that matter. That was what concerned her. What also concerned her was the pain in her chest. She sighed in defeat as she gripped the doors to the tower in her magic. Goddesses, she didn't want to do this to her student.. she'd hurt the mare enough as it was. But she had to make sure Twilight hadn't done anything too rash. The doors began melting, the wood turning to ash as Sol's energy converged on it, leaving a puddle of melted precious metals and jewels where the door had once been. She stepped through the entrance- and gasped. The room had been destroyed. Scorch marks littered the walls and ceiling. The floor... The floor was covered in blood... blood and... Celestia's wide eyes stared at the clumps of violet fur and deep, midnight-blue hairs. No... "No.." Her whisper carried the weight of the world upon its shoulders as the rest of the guards stepped forward. It didn't matter- not anymore. 'Oh gods... Oh gods, Twilight...' "Twilight..." Celestia pitifully whimpered. She fell onto her haunches, the puddle unmoving as Celestia prayed for the second time in her life. She prayed for something- anything. For her student to rush down the stairs, laughing at the terror on her face as the cruel prank broke her heart; the sudden rush of dark magic, to revive her student as a warlock of death.. anything. Anything to make this horrible reality that was, no longer be... To close the hole that had opened in her chest. ... There was nothing. Her prayers to the long-dead gods went unanswered. The puddle of Twilight didn't so much as croak. She stifled a wail- she dared not cry in the presence of the guard- and fell before it. The blood that soaked into her once pristine alabaster coat went unnoticed. The sounds of vomiting went unheard. Even the cry of anguish from Shining Armor, as he saw what remained of his sister, meant nothing. It was all white noise. Her eyes never left the puddle of gore. Blood and lavender fur collided with her, but she ignored it all. Twilight was gone... Goddesses... "N-no..." 'And it's all your fault.' She laid her head down into the viscous puddle. Her heart seemed despondent as she took in the smell. Mixed with the scent of iron, she could faintly make out parchment and ink. A stray tear mixed the with visceral pool of blood and intestines. She let herself cry as softly as she could manage. Once again, she had pushed a pony she cared for away... Brushed them aside... And once again, she had lost them for it... Why did she never learn... Why- The sound of a thump and a loud, pained yell from the upper half of the tower caught everypony's attention. It was only then, drowning herself in Twilight's insides and her own tears, she let herself hope. Hope those sounds meant the one thing she wanted. Even as discouraged as she was by it all, hope was hope. To Tartarus with the consequences. She was halfway up the stairs when another cry and thump reached her ears. It didn't matter- Twilight could still be alive. There was hope! She crashed into the wall as she reached the top of the stairs. Through the dizziness and remaining tears, she could just make something out- it glowed, fur shining like a lavender star as it stood facing the remains of a large window, overlooking the city below. She didn't need to see the mare to know it was her. The magic felt the same. Even if it was stronger... and colder... She dived forward, disregarding the two ponies in Solar Guard armor who had dropped to the floor- whether in reverence or agony she did not wish to think about- and met the halo halfway. Her hooves clasped the smaller form as she tumbled and crashed, ignoring the pain that flared in her wings as they were crushed against the wall. The cold form squirmed and wriggled, falling limp after a few moments of struggling in her grasp. "Oh, Twilight! I'm so sorry-" With a sharp intake, she loosened her hooves. 'Gods, if I hurt her... she opened her eyes- and blushed. Twilight's face was inches away from hers. Her muzzle had lit up in a barely visible tint of crimson. She pulled her head back- Then froze, as years, upon years, upon tears of plans crumbled to dust before her eyes. The first differences- the ones that caused her the most dread- were Twilight's eyes and back... Or, more specifically, her hollow, empty gaze; and the two brilliant, glowing wings that protruded from her back. Oh yes, it was dread. A dread so terrible it seemed consume all of the joy she had felt before. Twilight's look was so impassive it shattered her heart. Because she knew that look. It was the look of a soul that had been torn apart and stepped on. The look of unending psychological torment. The look of a pony who felt they had lost everything. Even a reason to live. The worst part, though? She was to blame. The look did more than shatter her fragile heart- it very nearly broke her resolve. Because it did more than stare. As blank as it was, there was still a pony underneath. And the look on the pony.. it was accusing. Accusing her. And she knew it was right. And the wings were proof that the look on her student's face- the feeling of betrayal and sorrow, of having her own heart torn from her body and consumed- would never leave. A shell left to live. . . . She felt like a monster. She barely managed to stop herself from crying now. She had done it- no, she had done worse! She had condemned Twilight to an eternity of betrayal! She squeezed her eyes shut, avoiding the gaze that burrowed into her as the mare she held finally focused on her and spoke those dreaded words. The same terrible, horrible words that her niece had spoken upon her ascension. "That's not... my name..." Her body went limp, eyes closing in a slow, fatigued motion as she mumbled. Celestia cried. Author's Note I can't be the only one that finds it fucking outrageous that Celestia didn't see the massive army of Changelings around Canterlot, right?
Interlude - Time Goes ByAuthor's Note Alright, in the next few chapters we'll be introducing the real problems this world has. The foremost one is Sombra. This world's Sombra, unlike the one in the MLP series, is a conqueror. His end goals are just that- Conquest. Conquest, power, and wealth. His goal is to expand his own influence at all costs. He's cold, cruel, calculating and merciless; and has programmed his puppets to be the same way, leaving a trail of bodies wherever they go. While I won't go into detail about his history too much, I'll give a brief overview. Secondly are the plundervines. Those are self-explanatory. These two are the largest and most apparent 'oh nos'. The rest... you'll see. Interlude - Time Goes By "They say myself condemned to madness, so why shouldn't I drag the rest of this world down with me?" - Discord, 'Slaughtering Faust's Empire' L The impatient clicking of Luna's hoofsteps echoed throughout the chamber as she paced, glancing down at the city below from the grand window of the Solarium. She'd been damned to this fate, really- the excuse of her sister's absence for negotiations with the dragons had only been possible because of Sombra's return. In reality, she had left those duties to Fluttershy and Spike. The lie could only work for so long. It irked Luna, really- her sister and Oblivion conveniently being absent when the 'God of Umbra' had returned, allowing him to usurp the crystal throne once more. The war- if it could even be called a 'war'- had been going miserably. Luna was a saboteur; her batponies were her agents of the night. Where the sun did not shine, they kept a close eye on the land from the cover of night's darkness. Espionage was the suit of the Moon, Arts, and Passion. This had left the war up to the incompetent Royal Guard and Wonderbolts, both of which had no combat experience in the modern era. So, no. The war was not going well. She was no strategist, either. That honor went to sister. Where she had always worked in the shadows, her sister had bathed in the glory of war. She had proven effective, as well- one did not declare war on the gods and lack true strategic and tactical genius unless they were a fool. Or a mare once known as Twilight Sparkle. It was nothing short of a wonder to Luna. The formerly mortal pony had acted as though defeating gods was no more complicated or difficult than eating a hayburger, something she did quite often. She was terrifyingly efficient. And with Godhood she was all but unstoppable. The destruction of the Elements of Harmony had come as another infuriating factor. Ever since they had crumbled to dust, it had been necessary to keep an entire division of unicorns on watch to ensure the Everfree Forest did not spread any further than it already had. Plundervines had become the bane of her existence in a short time, and had taken up any potential free time she could have spent relaxing from royal duties. If the plundervines were loose, then the Tree of Harmony was no longer active- or worse, had befell a similar fate as the one of its Elements. It was tiring. Very tiring. The fronts were not truly fronts, so much as Sombra's mindless puppets congregating a defense behind the wedge in the pass while her army of recruits and rookies attempted to assault the empire. Safe to say, if they were preparing to launch a full-scale invasion from the north, there would be little she could do to stop them. The only thing that had stopped the Changelings from joining them had been the threat that if they did, their queen would meet her end. The queen was another can of worms entirely. One she would await her sister's return to deal with. The day the crystal empire had fallen- the day Shining Armor and Cadance had been captured- had been the first time the nation had known war and death in the last one thousand years. She was beginning to miss her sister's nonsensical morning babblings about magic and politics. The reaction had been exactly what she had expected; shock, horror, and disgust. While no strategist, she knew enough to have begun a recruitment campaign. Simply flying over the glacier and destroying the Crystal Empire would have been an easy fix, but the amount of ponies whose lives would have been lost in such an event would have made her as much of a monster as the false-king. She had not the wellspring to do that, either. Even corrupted, the Crystal Heart protected the empire. It was strange how, of all the ponies she had bedded, Sombra had been both the one she had truly loved most, and the most psychotic. That hadn't been important in her mind back then- all she had cared about was her thrill- but standing at the top of the world, looking back at the destruction his forces had already caused, she saw him for what he was. Just another Discord. Yet, still.. she'd always hoped for something more with him. It was all a long forgotten pipedream now. She could always hope, though. Maybe he could change.. Who was her sister to find somepony so special while she herself still had to participate in long-dead practices to get her pleasure and intimacy? T'was not fair that she was disallowed to participate in the modern practices of courtship simply because she lacked another! The doors to the Solarium crashed open, revealing five mares and a baby dragon. "Princess Luna!" A trail of dazed and trotten guards lay behind them as they stampeded toward her. She had contacted them on short notice, citing an unidentified surge of power. While it was true she had been unable to tell where the shock came from, she'd had a sneaking suspicious that it wasn't as far from home as she'd thought. They came to a halt a few steps away, all but the two visibly most athletic in their group panting from overexertion. In any news, sister's return would put the houses at ease. Her sudden disappearance to negotiate terms of 'Unification' with the Dragonlands had stirred quite the press conference, and Luna lacked the legitimacy her sister held. That fact greatly displeased her- she was a princess too, was she not?- but she had kept her reservations. It was best not to push the nobility or the lords, as they had more influence and bits than they knew what to do with. It would only cause problems. Problems she couldn't have distracting her at the moment. Nopony had questioned where Oblivion, or 'Twilight Sparkle,' had gone- besides these ponies, who knew.. nothing of the story. The hoof full who did know- the ones who had been told everything- had been monitored constantly. It was for national security. A requirement, in the case she was to be lost, where they could find her sister. And so it was that Luna found the lack of concern their ponies had for their protector, who had felled gods in the name of defending them, saddening. Their ponies were ungrateful at best, but even so.. They all continued to play their parts nonetheless. She couldn't argue with tradition. "Why'd y'all need'sus 'ere, Pr'ncess? Y'alls weren' none-too-clear in that there summ'nsa yours.." The Apple farmer managed. She stood at the head of their group now, having taken on the role of 'leader.' Another quirk these ponies seemed to have was how quickly they were all drawn to the strongest pony in their group for guidance. Allied alicorns had worked similarly, as few knew. Then again, so had herds. "Greetings, fair Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and Miss Pinkamena." She nodded her head at the ponies. "I'm here too.." Spike grumbled. "Apologies, Spike. We are.. distracted, at the moment. In fact, this distraction is why we have brought thee here. As thou may already, the war with the tyrant Sombra has not gone particularly well.. but, that means nothing. Earlier this morning, we felt the sun's magic surge. We do not know why, nor are we sure how, but we have great hope that it means sister will be returning soon." The ponies and drake gave a collective sigh of relief. She had yet to tell them the bad news, of course- that she could no longer raise the sun by forcing the continuation of the day-night cycle- and likely wouldn't, but it could wait until after they had found out the state of the other half of Equestria's quadriarchy. "Finally! Then we can totally go out there and kick Sombra's flank, right?" Rainbow grinned. 'Oh, foal. If you only knew the extent of how 'occupied' she was..' "Unfortunately, no. My sister's return may not be entirely... pleasant. She will require time to recuperate before she is ready to lead the battle to Sombra. Until then, we-" "What! C'mon, we've been waiting, like, forever! What about all those ponies that h-he k-killed!" Luna noted the group's flinch at the word. "We need her! We don't even know where she's been! Why won't you tell us?!" She coolly regarded the rainbow maned hothead that had flown infront of her as the ponies' faces turned from overjoyed to disappointed. Spike, on the other hoof, looked worried. "Is Twilight gonna be alright?" He asked. She knew what he meant, she'd given him the short of their full situation- out of all the creatures Oblivion knew, the whelp was by far the most mature, likely due to his upbringing with the mare- after which he had consistently requested to see her. While she knew it impossible, the dragon almost seemed like the mare's first child in many ways. "Indeed. Perhaps disoriented, but she will be entirely indifferent from how she was before she gone." 'Mostly...' His sigh of relief brought a frustrated growl from the rainbow maned pegasus. "See?! What're you two talking about? Twi's been missing too! She's our friend-" "Cool it, RD. Ain' no need'a bring Twilight in'a this mess. Y'alls is jus'-" "No!" Rainbow rounded on the earth pony as she came up behind her. "She and Celestia went missing at the same time! C'mon, you can't be serious! That's not, like, suspi-sus-susp-" "Suspicious, darling?" "-Yeah! And why do Spike and Luna have to know everything! Spike's just a kid!" The dragon in question scowled, but held back any retorts. "Applejack, while I do hate to admit it, dear, it seems Rainbow Dash is correct. They couldn't both be distracted now, when all of Equestria is at stake, could they? At the same time? It simply doesn't add up." Rarity's ears tilted back. "U-uhm.. I think... uhmm.. Rainbow Dash is.. right..." Fluttershy squeaked. "Wha'ina hay? I know y'all fin' it kin'a funny they's both wen' missin' at the same time, but y'alls can't be tellin' me ya think Twi's got some'hin'a do wit'it? C'mon, that don' make a lick'a sense, ei'her! It's Twi!" "Actually, it totally really does! I mean, Celestia was in her tower after that meanie Chrysalis ruined the wedding! And the wedding rehearsal. Y'know, that wedding rehearsal where we ran off after Cadance but then we found out Cadance was actually a big bug and Twilight was right and then something really super-duper-bad happened to her and now she won't stop calling herself, uh.. Oblivion? Yeah!" The other ponies winced at the reminder. "Yeah... the wedding." Rainbow grunted, looking down at her hooves. "Besides, they were, like, totally smoochy-smoochy! I mean, didn't you hear them? Celestia was all like, 'Oh Twilight' and then-" The pink-party-pony-problem was silenced by a snap of azure magic. "Darling, while that story was amusing the first time, it is getting quite.. old. I don't mean to sound rude, but.. this is Twilight we're talking about. The Twilight Sparkle? The same mare that possessed all of Ponyville because she was afraid of a late friendship report to the Princess?" Pinkie Pie frowned at Rarity. "But it's true! I mean, I woke up feeling a doozy! A doozy! C'mon, that has to mean that Twilight and Celestia are go- mphf-!" Luna's magic sealed Pinkie's muzzle shut. The party pony was maddening in many ways- the way she defiled reality itself, her unending chatter, and her high-pitched voice, making Luna's ears feel like they were being penetrated by a melding iron- but her unique ability to know things simply because she did was worse. Oblivion could be explained. This mare, on the other hoof, could not. "Miss Dash, I will explain when they have returned. For now, I will tell you that the chances my sister will be thoroughly exhausted are quite high. She will be of no use to anypony if she wakes only half when she is brought to the table. Miss Belle, you understand it is important for a mare to acquire adequate rest, yes?" Luna nodded at Rarity. "Oh, heavens! You are absolutely correct, your highness! It would be a crime to keep our princess from her much needed beauty sleep. Though I am quite curious, you say you will explain when they return, but I do wonder what extraordinary task could take that much out of Princess Celestia?" The fashionista rubbed her forelegs together uncomfortably. "Soon.." Luna muttered. She glanced at the tower in the distance. "We believe we should be going now. While we are unsure of what we may find, any other concerns may be answered along the way. Shall we be going?" The ponies looked like they were about to argue, but paused as Spike sped off, fleeing toward the last place the ponies had seen the two missing ponies. Luna's hoof took a one-way trip to her face. "So y'all still gon' giv'sus lan' rights tuh th' farm?" Luna nodded. "Sister is a firm believer in inheritance. It has much to do with her sense of honor, as a way for ponies to remember those of times long past, but has led to the House of Lords and Nobles decadence. While we've requested she amend it for that reason, she's refused every time. Apparently, it has become such an importance to our ponies' society that to be rid anypony of it would be seen as taking away their basic equine rights. As her Will leaves you the farm, the crown would make no move to intervene unless you were suspected of harboring outlawed substances or otherwise violating the Celestial Code of Law." Applejack regarded the statement with a quiet sigh of relief. Granny Smith's death had been a tragedy. They'd predicted the mare would still have a few years, but to have been so wrong.. well, it'd been a shock. 'She seems to hide her grief well..' It was impressive that the farm pony had kept up her visage of stoicism. Most grieving ponies barely had the will to leave their own homes, let alone lead their clan into the future while war tore the northern nation apart. She glanced around her as they came to a stop. The ponies seemed not to have noticed their location yet, which Luna took as a silent victory. If they knew where they were, they would start asking question. All she had to do was excuse hersel- "Uh, darling, isn't this.. Twilight's tower?" Ah, of course.. Rarity would be the first to notice, even with her lack of observance. Any hope this would go without questions was stomped beneath the confused looks on the other ponies' faces. Spike was likely already up the stairs waiting for her. While it wasn't her right to intrude, she'd left them in the dark for long enough. "This is where sister and her former student have been for the last several weeks, my little ponies. Doth that answer thine questions?" She inquired. They looked at her incredulously, while Rainbow Dash's face morphed into a twisted mixture of anger and disbelief. "What the hay! What do you mean they're here?! They've just been sitting here while we sent all those ponies to-" "No, Miss Dash. If thou would cease thine arrogant imbecility for a single moment, we would have explained to thee that sister has truly been busy. I will be the first and only pony to warn you that currently, should any of you go up there, the possibility you may simply be unmade by one of them has increased tenfold. Their situation is very sensitive, mortal. Your interruption would only cause our problems to worsen." Luna hissed. The pegasus jerked back. She looked terrified, but it was just what she needed to be. If she refused to acknowledge the validity of just how dangerous their brash actions could be to the emotional mares, then... well, that was best left for a world that she hoped would never exist. Luna stared hard. If her point wasn't clear before, she knew it was clear now, as the pegasus begrudgingly- and fearfully- lowered her head. "Before I can allow any of you in their presence, I must see what state they are in. You will remain right here while I do. Are we understood?" She set her firm gaze on the rest of the group, all of which nodded hastily. While she may not have truly been vexed, sometimes her reputation was useful. She turned around, and slowly began climbing the spiral staircase. Leaning against the door of the tower and letting her mind wander as her sister's moans, even through the windstorm that coated Canterlot in a layer of frost and ice, battered her ears, she idled. She'd never have guessed her sister, Celestia of the Sun, would have been a screamer. She really never would have guessed it! Nor had she wanted to find out. A memory came to her unbidden. Luna lay spread-eagle on a large, four-poster bed. The sheets had been discarded, and her hooves had been bound to the mattress below her. A tall, dark stallion lay atop her, his hooves pressing into the bed at her sides. The large, black cock between his hindlegs was barely visible as it buried itself into her. She moaned, an orgasm wracking her exhausted body. Their sweat drenched coats pressed against each other, the shadow that had surrounded him parting as their bodies met over and over. She was panting and struggling, trying desperately to stay awake as her vagina was spread and penetrated. Her cervix was sore and her sex-driven mind wanted nothing more than to be filled. She felt him hilt and screamed, "Sombra!" Luna stared down at the concrete that made up the majority of the ground balcony of the tower at the arousing memory. She'd always been grateful for her lack of fertility, but now.. The wind seemed much louder now, the ponies all crying out for her death being revived in its wake. It wasn't the first time she had missed him. She wiped the odd tear that had slipped past her eyes and sighed, pressing her ear against the door. The moaning had gone quiet, and all that was left was the biting storm against her muzzle. She looked over at the drake, who had taken a seat next to the stone wall. He picked at his claws, trying his best to hide his nervousness. He was so young, especially in dragon terms. Seeing and hearing his only parental figures in their current position had left an impact on him. An example of the world sister had created. It was hard not to feel sorry for him. He'd had to take care of his own caretaker since the beginning of his relatively short life, and had lacked what most would consider a proper foal-or whelp-hood. His maturity was impressive, but a sad sign that he had never been without it. He had taken the sight in stride, but the drake had distanced himself from all of them since then. Luna had two theories on the matter. Of course, she could be wrong. History never said she'd always been right. She exhaled and tapped Spike with her magic. His gaze shot over to her. "I believe they are... finished. For now. It would be a wonderful time to enter and see how they are, yes?" He nodded in response. Luna turned around, flicking her ear at the pitter patter of his scaly feet colliding with the ground. She waited until he had stopped in front of the door, rubbing his arms as he stared at its wooden frame. Funny how sister could reduce even the hardest of metals to a helium concoction at the flick of her hoof. After a few more deep breaths, she laid her hoof on the door. She'd spent enough time procrastinating. Her wings ruffled uncomfortably, and the dread that had wormed its way into her chest had begun choking her resolve. She lifted her hoof and knocked. . . . 'Thump!' "Oh gods... what happened..?" A familiar, warped feminine voice groaned. "I do not know, love, but I feel... quite full.." Another replied, her voice smooth as butter. "I... I guess.. whatever in Tartarus' name just happened..." It paused, and the sound of fur-on-fabric could be heard. A second later, a faint, but audible, sigh reached her ears. "There... I like this." "Shouldn't you have answered the door... hum, door. Strange. I could have sworn I had created your own from Solarite.." "Probably.. and, I think that's because you melted the other one, remember?" The voice sounded more like several speaking at once, but Luna recognized it from anywhere. Even through the inequine quality. "Perhaps I should... clean myself, before? I.. it would make for awkward conversation, would it not?" "Don't worry. If it's important, whoever it is'll just tell us anyway. I'm too comfy, and you are really, really warm and sticky. You're not going anywhere until I say so. Besides, you look beautiful." The voices for a voice giggled, reverberating as an oddity against the sound barrier. "Twilight... do you feel alright? That- that is quite the brash statement for you.." A few seconds passed before the response came. "I... feel fine. A little different. sure, but fine.. am I acting different?.." "Perhaps.. but, as am I.. but, perhaps it is not so bad, as she said, yes? I believe my.. Alphamare, would be magnificent if she were perhaps moreso. I feel more alive currently than I have in eternity."A moment later, a flash of rainbow magic gripped the door- and it seemed to crumble out of the fabric of reality. With the addition of a grimace at the 'idle' bed talk, Luna also had a stunning hornache now. "O-oh... I'll have to get used to that, won't I?" Was the last Luna heard from the voice as she walked in, and came face to face with the two alicorns whose changed forms radiated a light of power. One, stiff as a board, and the other, soaked from head to hoof in a thick, white liquid, hiding the gold sheen of her coat beneath it. She could just make out the sloshing bulge of semen inside of her sister's belly as she buried her face into Oblivion's sparkling, rainbow primaries. Today just couldn't get any worse, could it? Then she remembered Spike. She looked over at him. His traumatized look was enough for Luna to regret bringing him along almost instantly. Gods, it would be a long morning..
The Bad News, The Worse News, and an Even Worse OutcomeHey guys, uh.. author here. I... okay, how do I say this? I'm abandoning this story. Fuck, that was a bit blunt. I'll explain myself. Lately, I haven't... I haven't been feeling like myself. It's hard to find the motivation to write anymore. I want to- believe me, I do!- I just... can't. I've demoralized myself to the point of forsaking the idea of continuing with this. My mind has a hard time staying in one place, and writing this has really pushed that to the limit. I'm creative, but I'm the jump-all-over-the-place type creative. The 'this doesn't make much sense and is everywhere at once but there's a lotta love put into it' type. I... I'm sorry. For anyone who did like this idea. I know, I know, I'm a quitter. I tried- I really did! I had most of the next chapter finished, but I just couldn't find it in myself to post it. I feel like I'm humiliating myself by doing this, but I'm just not able to write anymore. I don't have the fuel tank or the heart. Anything I would post here would be hollow and effortless. Literally. I'd be writing long, logical chapters, but I'd be doing it with no emotion. That's a machine's job. I can't handle something like that. It wouldn't feel like me writing. I'd drain myself trying to write something I don't want to. It is with a heavy heart and out of sync chakra that I must inform you all of this story's definite cancellation. I'm sorry. Nixus
