How Equestria Fell

by Clockwork2003

First published April 27th, 2022 15:30

There are many different explanations as to why Equestria fell. The true answer is quite simple: Nothing can kill Friendship more than a mother having to bury her own child. Clockwork lived a long life, but Luna was blinded by grief.

This tale should be a warning to all to always live in the present, and not be blinded by goals for the future, or reminiscence about the past.

Edit: Featured 4/27/22

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Nothing is more painful than a mother burying her own foal.

Nothing is more painful than a mother burying her own foal.
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How Equestria Fell

Nothing is more painful than a mother burying her own foal.

The day Clockwork Relativity died was the day Equestria fell into ruin.

He lived a long life of 120 years, certainly his alicorn mother aided in his longevity. He died in his sleep, surrounded by his mother Luna, his daughter Luster Dawn, and several of his grandponies. His wife Starlight had died five years prior. He felt no pain, Luna made sure of that. Upon Clockwork's departure from the mortal coil, Luna's once beautiful, diamond blue eyes lost their color.
"...My foal...I dreaded this day since Sombra hurt me, giving me the one true thing that made me happy...Why? Why didn't Tia give him immortality, like she did with Flurry Heart?!" Luna said angrily, as her granddaughter Luster Dawn hugged Luna tightly. There hasn't ever been a time in Equestrian history where Luna was so upset. Not even during her millennium long exile on the moon.

"Grandmare Luna? What is Celestia going to do? Or Princess Twilight?" Luster asks, horrified at the burial process and other reactions from the Canterlot elite. Luna sighed, and almost smothered her grandfilly with her wings. "You look so much like Clockwork, Luster. You have his eyes...you have MY eyes."

Everypony there knew Clockwork wasn't going to receive a Canterlot burial. It was to be expected, after all. He's a bastard foal. His existence exists solely out of the crime committed by Sombra! Luna carefully trotted over towards Clockwork's body, lying peacefully in his bed. With tears in her eyes, she sings him the lullaby she sang when he was a wee foal, one last time.

"How my deeds pain me
as time stretches long
How could I have hurt them this way?
So rest easy now, my punishment’s mine
The weight of my crimes are my own

But into that stillness
you brought me your song
With your voice my company kept
For your tired eyes and sweet lullabies
In exile I pay you my debt

Once did a pony who
gleamed like the moon
Look out on her kingdom and sigh
Dejected she cried,
“Surely there is no pony
“Who loves me, or finds
any love in my night.”

So great was her pain,
she rose in rebellion
Against those who cared for her most
She let the Nightmare
fall on those she ruled
And threatened to grip
them in permanent cold

Lullay, dear Tia, good night sister mine
Rest now in starlight’s embrace
May this cool lullaby
reach you in dreams
And ease you your passage of days
May my apologies find you this night
And may my sorrow in kind
Tia, you loved me much more than I knew
Forgive me for being so blind

Soon did her sister do what was demanded
And gave to the Moonlight her due
Breaking the Harmony,
she saved her ponies
And banished her, as
a wise ruler must do

Such is the weight of the crown that we wear, sister,
Duties we always uphold;
May you forgive me that foolishness mine
And live on with no
burden upon your soul

And forgive me for being so blind
The space now before us
empty and forlorn
I never imagined we’d
face them all alone
May these sunless seasons
swiftly pass, I pray
I love you, I miss you,
all these miles away

May all your dreams be sweet tonight
Safe upon that bed above the lights
And know not of heartache,
fear, nor gloom
And when I dream, I’ll
fly away to meet you soon
Sleep, sleep

Sleep…"

The funeral was held the next night, which happened to be the full moon. As predicted, Princess Celestia did not attend the burial of her own nephew. However, Princess Twilight and Princess Cadence both attended. Cadence knows what this is like. She buried Shining Armor 15 years ago. "Aunty Luna...I'm so, so sorry." Cadence says, hugging her aunt during her time of need. Luster Dawn gave her grandmare some space, and let the two deities console each other.

Finally, it was time for Luna to give her eulogy of the one pony who gave her the will to live. She was dreading this moment since Clockwork was born. She approaches the small crowd, and breaks down into uncontrollable tears.

"Clockwork...my son. You lived a long life. A century and twenty years. Not many ponies live that long. You beat the odds, my boy. You found your chosen family. Sunburst, your best friend who died in your arms a few months ago. You got married to one of the kindest ponies I've ever met, and you gave me a grandfilly and several great grandponies." Luna takes a minute to blow her nose, and continues. "You were gifted in the temporal arts, and cursed with the knowledge of the past and future. In spite of this, you always reminded everypony around you to live in the present. I wish I had listened to your advice...I miss you so much."

Luna certainly had more to say, but she was in such hysterics that Princess Twilight had to escort the moon deity off the lectern. Twilight, assuming her statepony role, fills in for Luna and continues.

"S...sorry about that. Clockwork was a good stallion. I didn't really know him that well, but he was always nice to me. I always wanted to legitimize him, but Celestia, even after she retired, told me what troubles would come if I did so. Nevertheless, I will give Clockwork one final gift before we say goodbye."

Luna looked at Twilight with anger and fury. She has the audacity to do this, NOW?

"Clockwork is the legitimate child of Luna, on my own authority."

Luna was livid. Why didn't Twilight do this when her foal was alive? She felt the nightmare return, and in her grief and anger, Nightmare Moon came back once more. Luster was horrified, but didn't intervene with her grandmare's actions.

"I...I loved you, Twilight, and this is how you repay me?! Why didn't you cure him of his mortality?!" Nightmare Moon said, teeth glaring and tears flowing like a rainstorm. Twilight was taken aback, but not suprised.
"Celestia wouldn't let me, Luna. You know that!"

It didn't matter. Nightmare Moon was so angry and full of grief that she teleported behind Twilight and killed her, sending a lethal spell through the mare's chest. "That was for my son, you disgraceful mare!"

Everypony was terrified by what Luna had done, and immediately upon Twilight's death, Celestia was alerted, and brought to the burial ground. "Luna, did you kill your sovereign?" Celestia says, quite furious with her younger sister.

"YOU HAD THE POWER TO MAKE MY SON A GOD, AND YOU REFUSED. I HAD TO BURY MY SON TODAY!" NOPONY SHOULD HAVE TO BURY THEIR CHILD!!!

It seems rational thought was impossible in Nightmare Moon's grief. It didn't matter, anyway. Luna's actions, and her brief moment of insanity led to the collapse of everything Twilight Sparkle fought for. Without her guidance, and the mane 5 being long dead, ponies and creatures no longer trusted each other. The Equestrian government collapsed within hours, and the three pony tribes quickly congregated amongst themselves, and split up into different factions, fighting a long, deadly civil war.

Centuries pass, and Luna visits her son's grave every single day. She talks to him like he was still there. Celestia hasn't spoken with her sister since she killed Twilight in pure rage, and neither has Cadence or Flurry Heart. Luna was lost to the madness of losing the one pony she loved the most...

She always placed a bouquet of lilac tulips on his grave in Sire's Hollow. Tulips were his favorite.

His epitaph read: "Clockwork Relativity: "I might know the future, but there's no time like the present!"