Eternity Together
“Do you know what it is like to have to sit in a bed of desolation, knowing full well that nopony but you is to blame for making it? If not, then consider yourself blessed. It is a curse that comes to ponies that stretch the limits and pursuits of magic and science too far, and often, there is no cure. Beware Twilight, my faithful student, how far you go and always be cautious. You’re incident with the ‘want-it-need-it’ spell should have given you taste of what it is like when things get out of hoof. Learn from this, so that you don’t repeat the same error twice.”
Celestia stopped reading the letter. She stood up and looked out over Equestria, basking under the light of her sun. The sounds of Canterlot floated up from the populace below. The carriages rumbling along the streets, the calls of merchants selling produce, the ‘sophisticated’ accents blending into one high class cacophony. Celestia looked back at the letter one her desk, picking it up in her magic; she brought it outside lighting it on fire in transit. Still holding it in her magic, she watched it burn away into ashes that fell softly over the city. Having watched the remains descent, she stepped back inside her room.
She was cleaning out her desk, something that happened maybe once every fifty or so years. That letter was a draft to Twilight further discussing the implications of using magic that could have unforeseen consequences. Celestia again began sifting through the many scrolls and documents that cluttered her work space.
It was now late afternoon and Celestia had successfully reorganized her desk in a fashion that would have held up to even Twilight Sparkle’s inspection. Originally, Celestia would have asked for Twilight’s help, but she and her sister were off enjoying their anniversary together. Celestia smiled fondly. She would have never imagined the far reaching actions of that Nightmare Night on her students’ and sister’s relationship and how it developed into them being couple for eight years today. Celestia couldn’t be happier for them either. She had seen their need to have somepony that could withstand and understand their respective, eccentric quirks. They truly were compliments of each other and anypony could plainly see that they were happiest when around each other. Granted the pranks became more elaborate and successful when the two ganged up on her, but that was a small price to pay. Tonight however she didn’t need to fear finding a spider in her bed or anything since the both of them were in Ponyville celebrating. Normally, Celestia would have sent them somewhere nice and particularly romantic, but they both agreed that this year it would be nice to return to Ponyville again. Not just because that is where the seeds of their love had been sown, but also because the foal shower for Fluttershy and Big Macintosh’s new foal was tomorrow.
Celestia had been sent an invitation and would be down tomorrow to see the newest addition to her subjects and in a way, extended family. No doubt the young pegasus would be adorable. She could practically see the Elements of Harmony all gathered around the young one smiling and cooing. Foal showers were a big deal amongst Twilight’s friends as Fluttershy and Big Mac were the only ones that Pinkie Pie would be throwing one for amongst their circle.
About a year after Fluttershy and Big Mac married, Applejack and Rainbow Dash decided to finally come out about their relationship. Pinkie Pie wasn’t surprised at all, for reasons chalked up to her just being Pinkie Pie, and was quite prepared with a party. Most of the others weren’t necessarily shocked by the revelation but weren’t completely prepared either, so they settled somewhere in-between, wishing them well and so forth. Big Mac hadn’t really said much, though that wasn’t much different than normal, about the affair one way or another. Celestia suspected though, that he wasn’t exactly happy that his sister swung that way, being a very traditional family, but he didn’t appear to be too perturbed by it either. He mostly did his best to keep Granny Smith oblivious to Applejack’s preference for the last years of her life. Then two years ago, Rarity and Pinkie Pie hooked up. This one was much more shocking as many of her friends never even saw that one happening. Rarity being so sophisticated and familiar with the upper echelons of Canterlot society and Pinkie Pie being, well, Pinkie Pie, made the match up seem to come from nowhere. Despite this though, they too proved to be each other’s yin and yang. Pinkie’s parties extended to formal events under Rarity’s guidance while still maintaining that Pinkie Pie flair for fun. Rarity began to become less uptight and relaxed about certain things, like dirt, much to Applejack’s delight. Overall, the two balanced the other out. Of all those relationships though, Twilight’s and Luna’s was the mind blower. They had managed to keep it secret from the others for many years, making sure that Celestia was the only one that knew about them until they felt it was time to inform the others. They were more apprehensive not only because of the fact that they would be branded fillyfoolers, but because Luna was royalty, and that could go one of two ways if other ponies found out. It was a small affair, keeping just their little circle in on it, as the general public didn’t need to know. Regardless, Celestia was happy for the Elements of Harmony and how each of their lives was turning out. If anypony deserved to find happiness that a special somepony can bring, they certainly did.
She could remember what it was like to be in love, the impossible amount of happiness that sprung from everywhere and nowhere caused by the simple knowledge that somepony, somewhere, loved you and that you loved them. The simple knowledge that there was somepony to go home to, to have and to hold, to talk to, and to care about you was its own special kind of magic. Celestia remembered it fondly and well, treasuring those sacred memories from so long ago. She also remembered the feeling of loss, and emptiness that follows when that magic is taken away. What is worse is the knowledge that she was the one at fault and the cause of its ruin. She remembered the look on his face, his cries of pain, how that one moment changed everything. Her fear of losing him drove her to pursue what she thought would be a dream, only for her to instead create a nightmare.
If anypony were able to hear down in the streets the sounds coming from the royal chambers, they would have heard the princess crying.
Celestia opened her eyes. The air was still cool and it was still dark outside. She stepped out of her bed and out on the balcony. The calm night graciously accepted her as the bright moon shown in the sky. Judging from its placement in the sky, it perhaps just a few hours before dawn. She could see a few ponies stumbling around in the early hours. Some of the youth returning from a night of partying, others setting up their stalls or just getting a head start on the oncoming day. Celestia sometimes envied their simple existences, and now was one of those occasions. Very few of them would ever make the caliber of choices she had or will later, long after they had passed. None of them would ever have to live with the effects of those choices for the rest of eternity. For them, death has an ending and peace that she can never have. Her story would carry on, ushering the years and generations into existence and bidding them farewell when their time had come and gone. That is what caused the whole problem to begin with. She groaned in silent anguish.
There’s no point in avoiding him or the issue any longer. He’s not going away, I made sure of that, and,…….well……..it has been a while since I talked to him last.”
She sprung silently from her balcony and unfurled her wings. Her majestic wings slowed her descent and allowed her to glide into the Royal gardens. She landed softly on the immaculately cared for lawn, doing her best not to disturb the ground too much. She began walking through the statues slowly before stopping before one in particular.
“Hello Discord,” she nearly whispered.
The stone statue remained still, and quiet. Celestia almost lost her nerve but regained it.
“I know you are there. Of all the ponies in Equestria, you should know better than to think that you could fool me into thinking different by keeping silent. Especially after all the time we spent together Discord, or should I say Justice.”
This triggered a response as a voice filled the small clearing, “I thought we agreed to not use that name Celestia.”
Celestia smiled sadly, “You know that I won’t let you forget the pony you used to be; the pony that I fell in love with and wanted to spend the rest of eternity with.”
A small opaque draconequus appeared in front of Celestia, smiling cruelly, “Instead you got me, my dear Celestia. I have seen the irony in this little situation too, over the years.”
Celestia’s head dropped as she looked at the ground before her, “I too have seen such irony.”
Discord didn’t relent, “Oh have you? I don’t quite think do. I remember those days very well Celestia, perhaps some of the greatest in my existence. I remember us in those days. How you began looking for a cure for death when you nearly lost me in an accident. You wouldn’t listen to reason and were adamant to find some way to cheat it. Some way to make me immortal. A way for us to stay together forever. You looked into meddling with the way life and nature worked; the very harmony it created. At first I was able to argue with you into letting it go, and enjoy life while I had it. Then you made the discovery, and with the opportunity at immortality dangling before me, I too couldn’t resist it. I agreed to let you experiment your spell on me. You worked it out and cast the spell, and it worked. Just not the way we anticipated. You disturbed harmony trying to retrieve a soul from death’s waiting line. You created the chaos doing that. That chaos then filled me and corrupted my soul and created me. I became immortal and all-powerful form of chaos. The cosmic equation balanced itself out. You made me the monster I am today; your lover now your archenemy. You thought that you could beat nature, that you were bigger than it and it came back at reminded you of where you stood in the scheme of things. You thought you could gain it all, and instead you have lost everything. This is the irony Celestia, you had me, Justice, and instead you received the universe’s justice. It turned out we are two very different things.”
The draconequus ended with a malicious smile across his face as he saw his point strike home. Tears fell from Celestia’s face onto the grass beneath her hooves, and her voice cracking, “For that I am sorry. I am sorry that I ever was so foolish to pursue giving the “gift of immortality” to others. More than anything though, I am sorry that I did this to you Justice, that you must bear the effects of my decision squarely upon your shoulders. I can never forget your screams of fear and pleas of help. How I pushed forward saying that it would be worth being together forever in the end. I was so absorbed that I didn’t notice you changing until it was too late. ‘Be careful what you wish for.’ That phrase has since held a deeper meaning after that night. I wish we could go back to the way things were before Justice. When it was simple; when we weren’t always fighting each other just because we represent the antithesis of the others’ role. I want to go back to those nights we would spend together,” she looked up at the mirage, seeing her former lover, and not the mismatched creature that was there before. “I want you back,” her head dropped again and she spoke more softly, “I want to be able to love again.”
The tears fell from her face faster now, effectively watering the grass beneath her. Her soft sobs racked her body as she sat down, “My life is now nothing more than a prison Justice. Everywhere I look, I see reminders of what I lost. The worst part is, there is no end in sight either. This is my prison for all eternity, with no chance of parole.”
Discord looked at the Princess before him, more broken than ever. As much as he wanted to enjoy this one small victory, he couldn’t. He was just as much a prisoner as she was. Perhaps, for the first time since the accident, he put aside chaos and the evil for a moment. His image stepped forward and wrapped its forelegs around the crying alicorn.
He spoke softly, no malice tainting his words, “Celestia. What has been done is done and neither of us can change that right now. No matter how much we both wish to undo the past and return to the way we were, we must move forward. Underneath these layers of chaos and evil, there is the pony you used to know, but I have changed, and so have you. As of now, where we go from here is all the matters.”
Celestia returned his embrace, nuzzling his neck, “I know. Just some days, the pain is just too great to handle on my own. Why can’t we be like this more often Discord?”
“Because that not how nature intended, my love.”
Celestia nodded solemnly and Discord faded away. She stayed staring at the statue for a few more minutes. After that, she unfurled her wings and kicked off, flying back to her tower. Discord, despite dissipating, watched in spirit form.
“Perhaps someday we can escape this hell Celestia. Perhaps someday, when there is no longer a need for us, and we have long since served our purposes, we can reunite and embrace each other as lovers once more. Maybe, together we can find a way for us to embrace mortality, and reject this curse of living forever. If so, then that day when we aren’t needed, let’s explore the great beyond together, side by side."
Discord returned to staring at the birds and watching gardeners tend to the greenery. He sighed deeply, "Let’s spend eternity elsewhere."
Author's Note
Hello, I hope you enjoyed this, and if not, let me know why so that I may improve. This is going to be a one-shot kind of deal as I already have another story I am trying to write and this idea just popped up out of nowhere and kept impeding my work on the other story. Anyway, thank you for reading and if you noticed any errors let me know so that I can fix them and if you have any other comments, post them below.