Angel of Justice: Blood Moon

“Princess… are you sure you want to do this?”

It was two days after that fateful night. Celestia was standing in the grand hall of her palace back in Canterlot, accompanied by her beloved student Twilight as they made their way toward the front doors, where Luna and Cadence were waiting.

Celestia gazed down into the unicorn’s face. Although all of their wounds had been healed over time with Raincloud’s help, Twilight had a worried look in her eyes.

“I must do this, my student… I would not be able to hold my head high ever again if I didn’t.” She explained softly.

“I know,” Twilight said. “I’m not saying you shouldn’t tell them about it,” She wrinkled her expression slightly, seemingly disagreeing with her own words, before softening it, “but… are you really going to… to-”

The unicorn paused abruptly at a hoof being placed on her shoulder. She looked up to see the same gentle, loving smile on her mentor’s face that she had come to know her by.

“Don’t worry, Twilight. I will still be your teacher… if you still deem me worthy of such a title.” Celestia grew quiet for a moment before drawing her mouth into a line. “But… this is my mess. I must take responsibility for it.”

Twilight didn’t say anything to that. She merely stared at the alicorn with soft eyes until the hoof left her shoulder and Celestia walked away.

As she approached the front doors, Celestia paused to meet her sister and her niece, who both wore similar looks of concern to the unicorn behind her.

“Sister,” Luna started, seemingly thinking of saying something else before sighing and flashing a soft smile. “Is it too late to try and talk you out of this nonsense?”

Celestia mirrored the younger mare’s smile. “I’m afraid it is.”

“You know, it doesn’t have to be like this,” Cadence added. “They’ll understand if you just tell them the truth.”

“I am going to tell them the truth, Cadence,” Celestia replied plainly, which seemed to silence the pink alicorn momentarily.

Finally, Cadence wrinkled her mouth before letting her shoulders sink and her ears droop. Still, she moved aside and flashed a paper smile as she gestured to the door.

The white alicorn rested a hoof on her niece’s shoulder briefly and glanced at her sister before settling her gaze on the opening outside. She took an even breath and steadied herself before slowly walking out.

Immediately, the clear sunlit skies of Canterlot greeted her, along with a crowd of murmurs and voices being suddenly hushed. Ahead, a large gathering of townsponies watched her, with a scattering of cameras and even a few reporters for the Equestrian Gazette near the front.

As a few camera flashes came from the otherwise quiet crowd, Celestia made her way down the steps, where a small podium with a microphone had been prepared.

Twilight, Luna, and Cadence all watched from the door as Celestia approached the podium. They all wore varying degrees of unease and worry on their faces as a lump slowly formed in their guts. For better or worse, they knew that this single speech would change the history of Equestria.

Ignoring the feeling of dread nagging at her, Celestia sat down behind the podium. She swallowed apprehensively, fighting her wayward lips to hold steady as a harsh ring came from the mic at the sound. By now, any lingering whispers or mutters from the crowd fell silent as all eyes burned into her.

“Ponies of Canterlot and beyond…” Celestia spoke, hoping to counter her racing heart by just getting started. She already knew what she wanted to say, but somehow, getting it out was more difficult than the fight she had a couple of nights ago.

“I come before you today… to inform you of the great tragedy that has befallen our lands in recent days,” Celestia explained. “As some of you may know, myself and many others were attacked on multiple occasions by a band of unfortunate souls made into pale monsters by a single individual… a vampire.”

A few stunned whispers passed through the crowd. Many ponies around Equestria knew that monsters of all sorts and varieties existed, especially in recent months, but it was still shocking to hear that all of the problems they had heard of or experienced were caused by the undead monster of myth. It would have been ridiculous if they didn’t know for a fact that numerous ponies had died.

Celestia tensed her hoof against the stone path behind the podium. Every fiber of her being dreaded having to tell her beloved ponies about such a shameful moment in her life, but she knew that it had to be done.

“Some of you may have heard rumors that this vampire was an alicorn… and, it is my duty to you to tell you that these rumors… are true.” Her voice grew softer and her face grew more grave as she continued. “Not only was this vampire an alicorn… but he was my student.”

A series of gasps washed over the crowd. Every jaw dropped and every eye widened. A couple of mares even fainted, only to be caught by a friend or stranger.

Luna lowered her head and closed her eyes as she heard her sister say the last thing she wanted. There was no putting the genie back in the bottle now. They were committed.

Celestia trailed her eyes down briefly before somehow managing to face the crowd. “Long ago… many years before any of you were born, I took him under my wing as the first of my students. His name was Dusk… and I thought to teach him and shape him into a fine young alicorn. But… I came to learn that he was a monstrous and hateful individual… with no concern over taking the lives of innocents to further his twisted desires. I wish that I could tell you that I did everything I could to stop his horrid crimes all those centuries ago… but I did not.”

The crowd was deathly quiet by now. If anyone dared to utter even a whisper, they were so quiet that even those around them couldn’t hear.

“I banished Dusk from Equestria and sent him to live the rest of his life in exile. In truth… I thought him dead until all this started. However, it was my naivety and foolishness that allowed him to find unnatural means of extending his life and granting himself the power to return.” Celestia lowered her head as she continued, unable to face her ponies. “Every life Dusk has claimed in this past week has been my fault… and I don’t think I can adequately express to you how sorry I am. However… a mere apology will never be enough to make up for my mistake. In light of this… I have decided to step down as ruler of Equestria.”

The moment those words left her mouth, another series of gasps rang out, followed swiftly by a sea of voices muttering and whispering among themselves.

“I realize this decision is sudden, and many of you may find it difficult to adjust, but I can assure you that my sister Luna will govern over you far better than I ever could,” Celestia said. After taking a deep breath, she lifted her head once more and gazed out at the crowd with a sorrowful expression. “I am sorry to have failed you so gravely, my little ponies. I will not sit here before you and ask for forgiveness… because I feel that I am undeserving of such kindness. Please understand… It has to be this way.”

Then, she started to leave. Her heart was heavy, and it was taking everything she had not to shed a tear, but it was for the best. She couldn’t put herself in such a high position of power after all that she had done, at least in her own mind.

“Wait!”

A mare’s voice broke free of the crowd.

“Princess Celestia! Please don’t go!”

The alicorn paused mid-step and turned. She looked to the source of the voice, only to find a peach earth mare with brown hair standing among the crowd. It was Scholarly Scribble, and standing right beside her was her brother Blank Page, who still had a cast around one of his legs.

Soon after, another mare in a different part of the crowd spoke up as well. “Yeah! We want you to stay!”

“Yeah!”

“Don’t go!”

“Please!”

Celestia was speechless as the crowd erupted into pleas for her to reconsider. Near every pony present wore a dismayed frown and raised their voice until the grounds in front of the palace were alive with one singular statement.

“You… you want me to stay?” Celestia spoke, though it was mostly to herself as the microphone failed to pick up her voice so far away. “But I…” She trailed her eyes away in thought. She had done so much wrong, at least as far as she was concerned. Even if there was no way of her knowing Dusk would return, she still blamed herself.

Looking back toward the palace doors, she saw Twilight, Luna, and Cadence smiling at her, offering her the encouragement that they always had. Surely they of all ponies would have been upset with her after everything that had happened?

After a moment of thought and self-reflection, a well of emotion started to overflow within the white alicorn. She couldn’t help but smile warmly as her eyes started to water. Finally, she wiped her face on a foreleg and made her way back up to the podium.

As she paused before the microphone and gathered herself for a moment, the crowd gradually fell back into an uneasy hush. Now, everypony was standing on edge as they waited to hear what Celestia had to say, hoping against all hope that she would be moved by their pleas.

“If you truly wish for me to remain your princess…” Celestia started, taking a moment to gather herself as another joyful tear fell down her face. She smiled regardless and faced the crowd with her head held high. “Then I will work tirelessly every day to make myself worthy of such a title… Thank you, everypony.”

Once again the crowd erupted, only this time it was with cheers. Even as the alicorn turned and left, they were all smiling and raising their hooves in celebration, and she was more upbeat because of it. It was like a heavy weight had been lifted from her shoulders, and their regal and benevolent princess of the sun was back.

Celestia turned to see the crowd, waving at them before entering the palace again and shutting the doors behind her. She looked to the three mares gathered before her, their infectious smiles getting to her.

“I’m glad that you’ve come to your senses, sister,” Luna said. “Are you really surprised at this reaction?”

Celestia snorted softly. “No… merely humbled.” She said, her expression falling slightly as her thoughts drifted elsewhere. “After everything that’s happened, I… I suppose I expected everyone else to hate me as much as I hated myself.”

“Princess,” Twilight spoke, causing the alicorn to look up to see her smiling softly, “we’ve already told you… You have nothing to be ashamed of. There’s no way you could have known that any of this would happen when you chose to banish Dusk. He should have died a long time ago… but he let his emotions linger inside of him for all these years. If you do the same thing, it will keep eating away at you until there’s nothing left.”

“It seems like your student is being wiser than you right now, Celestia.” Cadence teased.

Celestia giggled instinctively before having to remind herself that she was upset. Even then, she couldn’t keep up the self-loathing for long and finally sighed. “Indeed. Perhaps she should be the one teaching me instead?”

Twilight laughed briefly before shaking her head. “No… I think I like you as a teacher.” She smiled warmly before a slight pang in her stomach made her look down. “Princess… The girls and I were about to go get some breakfast. Would you like to join us?” She asked, smiling hopefully.

Celestia paused at that and let her warm expression falter, which in turn made Twilight do the same. She couldn’t help but think about all the pain and sorrow the five mares had gone through, particularly Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy.

Still, she managed to return a smile to her face as she nodded. “That sounds like a wonderful idea, Twilight,” Celestia said before turning to Cadence and Luna. “Will you two join us as well?”

“Of course,” Cadence said immediately.

Luna, however, hesitated for a moment as she trailed her eyes off in thought. “Actually… I’m afraid that I will have to catch up with you. There is something I must attend to first.” She explained before starting to walk away.

The trio watched the blue alicorn leave. Somehow, they all had a rough idea of what she was talking about.