The Simple Life Chapter 39

     Celestia had sat and listened to the hedgehog’s tale, not once taking her eyes away from him for the entire duration of his story nor his plea for aid. She had sat, listened and not once interrupted as she took in all that he had to say and only now that he was finished did she move. She leaned back on her throne, crossed her hinds legs, and brought her forelegs up, bringing her fore hooves together in front of her chin for her head to rest on as she thought. Her eyes stared at the floor and remained that way for several moments until at last she spoke. However before she opened her mouth, Celestia returned her gaze back to Sonic who looked back at her expectantly, but his demeanor altered to one of worry as saw the look Celestia gave him.

     “I am,” Celestia began, her voice kind yet apologetic. She paused as she saw that her very tone struck the hedgehog as well as any spear would. She inhaled deeply and began again, but her tone apologetic all the same as she delivered her answer. “I am sorry, Sonic the hedgehog. I can not.”

     “But!” Sonic stammered. “Hang on! What do you mean, you can not!” his shock quickly dissolving to anger. “Didn’t you hear what I said?” Sonic continued, balling his fist and taking two steps forward. His aggression not going unnoticed as several pegasus guards moved forward slightly, spears at the ready, but Sonic didn’t care in the slightest. “Don’t you get it? Millions are gonna die! Maybe more! They’re gonna die because you’re not gonna help me! So how about you sit there on your throne a little longer before you tell me, I can not! You know what!? METAL!” Sonic called out to his robotic counterpart. “Show her! Show her what we’re up against. Show her what a nuke can do!”

     Metal Sonic hovered beside Sonic, and with a quick flash of light, an image was beamed from his ocular sensors and depicted a three dimensional image of an island before them for all to see. Moments later the island disappeared in blinding light which once dissipated, depicted a monstrous cloud that took up an expanse of geography far exceeding the island itself. A moment later, the growth of the cloud slowed and billowed high into the air leaving beneath it a stalk which gave the cloud a mushroom like appearance. The island was not to be seen. Several of the others gasped, save for Dash who had seen an explosion like this once before, Sonic, Metal, and Princess Celestia herself who only looked on with an uneasy pensiveness.

     “Show her more,” Sonic declared coldly, as he looked on at the princess. Metal complied and began show nuclear test after nuclear test from his archives. After the seventh he began showing images and video that recorded the aftermath. Charred earth and barren, unlivable lands that had once been lush forests. Creatures that suffered from fallout and the agonizing deaths that had to look forward to once expose, but throughout it all Celestia’s countenance did not change.

     “For comparison,” Metal announced flatly, he now showed a topographical view of Ponyville and its surrounding lands that he had gathered from his time on the planet. He then began placing layered circles of red, orange and yellow over the land. “The red indicates what will be incinerated within the first one thousandth of a second post detonation. The orange will most likely be obliterated from extreme heat exposure and shock wave damage, the yellow will suffer prolonged exposure from the blast that will lead to radiation burns, sickness and eventually death,” he explained in his cold and uncaring voice as only he could as the others looked on in horror, Apple Jack even going as far to begin muttering ‘no’ several times to herself at the sight of Ponyville, the Everfree Forest and all the lands that surrounded it completely covered in red. As Metal altered the view projection to encompass the full size of the blast. They all could see that even Canterlot would not go untouched as the white city sat comfortable in the yellow ring. “Based on wind patterns that I have documented, the nuclear fallout would and essentially divide your land in two by creating a harsh, irradiated landscape for approximately a century. This wasteland would be unsuitable for organic life.”

     “Do you see?” Sonic began again, “Do you see what your not helping will bring?! Do you see why you have to help us!? Why you must?!”

     “Sister, Fenrir is to deliver this weapon. Not even he can withstand such a thing. Regardless of your feelings, he is still your brother. You cannot possibly sit idle!”

     “I can,” Celestia answered, her voice sad, yet firm. The room was shocked at her answer “I can and I must. It isn’t my place.”

     “MURDERER!” Sonic roared, Pegasus guards swiftly lowered their spears, but Celestia waved her hoof and they returned to their positions.

     “Spike?” Celestia asked gently. “Would you please leave the room?”

      “But?” the dragon began, but something in Celestia’s eyes told him not question her and he too left the chambers. Once gone, Celestia gave her attention back to who was left.

      “Graywing intends to use this weapon against dragons.” Celestia began, “And while I do not wish such a thing on any creature, Graywing feels it is essential to protecting us from dragon attacks. I myself do not agree with it. If it was in my power to stop it, I would, but I simply cannot interfere with Lord Graywing’s plans. This news that you bring, I am…” Celestia paused to choose her words, “knowledgeable of. Graywing had sent a messenger some time ago, informing of his plans. I will admit, I did not know of the capabilities that Lord Graywing possessed, nor the capabilities of the weapon he is intending to use. But it is his order that it be carried out. He intends to use it at this upcoming Dragon Migration to deal a decisive blow to their numbers that would permanently lower the possibility of dragon attacks. Equestria falls under Graywing’s protection Sonic, I cannot move against him.”

     “He intends to wipe them out. Dragons from all corners of the earth gather at the great migration. If that many were to be destroyed, their numbers will never recover. He intends on removing the species from the planet!” Luna cried out in both shock and disgust. “This is… unspeakable! Sister, you just had two dragons in your court not a heart’s beat ago and yet you have knowledge of their coming extinction and can speak with them as if all is well! How can you be so heartless?”

     “I do not wish this Luna!” Celestia countered. “What would you have me do?! I mustn’t go against him!”

     “If you sit idle and do nothing,” Sonic seethed, the hedgehog couldn’t believing what he was hearing. “If you know what this thing can do, and DO NOTHING! You might as well kill them yourself! You say you’re against it, but you’re practically committing the genocide yourself if you don’t help us. You can help us stop this! You can save thousands, maybe millions!”

     “At what cost?” Celestia asked quietly before turning her full attention to Sonic. “To openly defy Lord Graywing, to aid you in thwarting his plans as you would have me do, will be viewed as nothing short of an act of war. Graywing’s armies are vast and powerful, so great that the very threat of him marching is enough to keep the enemies of Equestria at bay. He is responsible for protecting our lands. All he would have to do is speak the word and legions of his troops will return from our borders and leave us vulnerable. The herds of goats from Tambelion, The great lion Leopould and his prides to the south. The Deer folk have even long had eyes on our lands. All kept at bay by him. We are just managing to contain the Changeling Splinter hive that has infested our lands, I would fear if an entire Tendril of the Great Devourer were to descend upon us. Perhaps Equestria could stand against one of these… but against them all, surely we would fall, and I fear Graywing would never let our lands fall into their hands, rather...” Celestia sighed. “He would dispatch Fenrir, and if the black wolf of the North were to call off his packs from their dragon hunts and unleash them upon us…” Celestia paused as she did terrible math. “You say if I do nothing, the blood of tens of thousands of dragons would be on my head, but if I were to act, I would be stained with the blood of tens of millions of ponies. So I ask you again, Sonic the hedgehog… At what cost?”

     Sonic was speechless. Not once had he considered saving the day and being the hero could come at the cost of igniting an entire war. His heart twisted as his mind raced to try to find the right words to say, but all he could manage was final, desperate, summary of all that he heard and taken in.

     “But…” he choked, “But this is wrong! Can’t you see that? Can’t you see how wrong this is!?”

     “I do,” Celestia answered him. “I wish with all my heart that there was something I could do…but what you ask would spell the end of my ponies.”

     “So we do nothing...” Sonic cried out, half mourning and half infuriated. “We’re supposed to do nothing?!”

     “I am sorry,” Celestia lamented. The chamber grew silent as all who were in attendance couldn’t believe what they had heard. There was no questioning Celestia’s logic and none were envious of her position and responsibility, however that no less removed the shock of hearing it delivered from their monarch. “Truly, I am sorry.”

     “Sister,’ Luna spoke up, her tone cold and serious, “We would have words.”

     “We fear there is nothing you can say that sway my decision sister,” Celestia answered her. “I will not go against Lord Graywing’s wishes.”

     “Hearing you quake at this, Lord of the Griffon’s reprisal,” Luna continued, her words referencing Graywing spat out as if they were poison on her tongue. “Give Us much to say, dear sister. We were to be slow to broach this news that I bear, but seeing you turn from a just cause out of fear has emboldened me. I would speak words Graywing, words that would stir your own heart from thoughts of fear and submission to fury and war against him.”

     “Luna,” Celestia replied her tone now fierce and a stark contrast to her prior demeanor. “I must warn you. I cannot uphold treason. Not for you, not for any pony.”

      “Then grant us private audience and judge my words!” Luna declared not backing down. “For the words We have are drenched with treachery and treason! But judge for thyself who hath committed the act!”

     Again a harrowing silence filled the hall.

     “Leave us,” Celestia declared. “All of you. Guards, see to the doors that none shall enter. I will speak with my sister.”

     “Twilight Sparkle shall remain,” Luna demanded.

     “For what reason?” Celestia asked.

     “She is the one who aided me in this discovery. She will aid in explaining it as well.” Luna answered.

     Celestia mulled over her sisters words for a moment, and then nodded her approval.

     “B-but,” Sonic muttered, still in disbelief that Celestia refused to help him.

     “Fear not speedster,” Luna assured. “All is not lost, trust me and fear not.”

     Sonic could do little but stare in shock but yielded as the rest of Twilight’s friends milled out of the throne room and he two was escorted by Celestia’s guards who shut the chamber doors behind them all as they left.

<->

     “Raargh!” Sonic belted out as soon as the throne room doors shut behind them. “You gotta be kidding me… You have GOT to be kidding me!” he continued as she furiously began to pace back and forth, his fists balled tightly.

    “Take it easy Sonic,” Dash said as she trotted close to him, “I’m su-“

    “I take it things didn’t go very well,” Spitfire swiftly interrupted. She and Soarin’ had been dutifully standing by and upon the exit of the group, sans Twilight and Luna, moved to join them. Spitfire stopped beside them, making sure to position herself close to Sonic, but more importantly beside Rainbow Dash.

     “Oh no, things went great!” Sonic spouted out sarcastically, “just freakin’ peachy.”

     “Look I’m sure Luna will convince her,” Dash spoke up again, “don’t gi-“

     “Dash,” Spitfire interrupted, “He’s upset, and maybe what he needs is a little space.” She concluded, emphasizing the tail end of her comment. “Besides, I wanted to talk to you for a sec,” she added, flexing out her wing and corralling Dash away from the still pacing hedgehog. She led her back to where the rest of her friends were standing before tucking it back at her side.

     “Uh,” Dash began nervously, “What is it yo-“

     “I don’t want to talk to you,” Spitfire replied curtly. “But it would seem you might need a reminder about the whole, give him some space thing that I mentioned to you.”

     “Oh, yeah…” Dash muttered sadly. “Sorry, I just wanted to help.”

     “Yeah, well, you suck at it. You need give him space and not just try to barrel in there and act like everything’s A-Okay, because, your untimely apology or not, they aren’t. Now, forget about him for a second and tell me what happened in there?”

     “Something quite unexpected actually,” Rarity answered.

     “Yeah, Spikey went to ask Celestia for help, and she said no.” Pinkie Pie answered, her demeanor sad and a far cry from the one she normally wore. “She sounded really sad, like super-duper sad though, like she really wanted to help.”

     “I can’t blame the feller for bein’ so upset,” Apple Jack agreed.

     “It was really quite surprising,” Rarity added, “I never imagined things would turn out the way they did. I thought for sure the Princess would help. For as long as I’ve know the princess she has practically been so kind to those in need and incapable of not helping.”

     Spitfire chuckled.

     “And what you do find so funny?” Rarity huffed. “Do you have something to say on the matter?”

     “No,” Spitfire continued, trying to stifle her outburst, at first failing but then was able to control herself. “After all, Celestia’s a Saint. Kind and loving and can do no wrong.”

     The rest of the ponies stared at her warily, until Rarity spoke up once more, “It would seem you have a much different opinion of the princess than the rest of us. Would you care to enlighten?”

     “Madam,” Spitfire began, a fake smile now plastered on her face. “As a Captain in her majesty’s Royal Navy, I fully uphold and support any decisions that she makes,” she answered. But, her tone was such that all of them could tell it was a much rehearsed answer, perhaps one she had said several times in her career. Before they could question her, Spitfire turned and trotted away.

     Not satisfied, Rainbow Dash went after her, and once alongside, she decided to try and find out what Spitfire had meant.

     “Ma’am,” She started, causing Spitfire to stop and giver the cyan mare her attention. “Do you have some sort of problem with Celestia? Uh… off the record?”

      Spitfire gave Dash a once over before shooting her a steely glare that chilled the other mare to the bone. “I just started tolerating you, Ensign Dash. We’re not friends, and we damn sure aren’t that good of friends.”

     “I…” Dash began, but she saw the seriousness in Spitfire’s eyes and backed down, “Yes Ma’am.”

     “I need something. Someone gimme something. Rarity,” Sonic snapped, drawing everyone’s attention to himself once again. “You always lug around a ton of stuff, gimme something!”

     “Oh, um,” Rarity responded, a tad shocked at not only Sonic’s tone and demand, but the fact that he called her out. “Sure I, let me just see what I have in my saddlebag.” Without further delay, her magic opened her bag and she turned her head, “What exactly did you have in mind?”

     “Anything!” Sonic responded.

     “Well I’ve got a handkerchief,” she began to rattle off the items in her bag, as well as levitate them out of the bag. “I have a-“

     Before she could continue Sonic had marched over, grabbed the handkerchief out of mid-air and with an angry shout and hurled it as hard and far as he could. Which, due to the nature of the object, sailed approximately three inches from him and daintily fell to the floor.

      “Oh for the love a- Gimme something else! Something I can throw! I need to throw something!” Sonic shouted as he dove his hand into Rarity’s saddlebag without permission. He felt his hand touch something hard and throwable and without thinking wrapped his hand around it, yanked it out and chucked it across the room.

     Everyone stood in silence and watched as the small cylindrical object wrapped in paper sailed across the room and landed a good distance away. Sonic stared wide eyed as he had a strong inkling of what he just threw.

     “Was that a…” he began nervously before sighing loudly as he came to the slow realization. “Did I just throw a tampon?”

     “Yes,” Rarity fumed, “And I would like it back.”

     Sonic zipped back and forth across the room in an instant and now stood holding the object in his hand, his cheeks now a bright red as he extended the device towards Rarity.

      “Uh…Here’s your ta-,” Sonic began to apologize, but he was interrupted by the powder white unicorn angrily yanking the object out of his grasp with her magic before placing it back in her bag with a loud and distinct ‘harrumph’.

      “Has your anger subsided?” Metal Sonic’s monotone voice called out from just behind Sonic as the robot hovered and landed beside his organic counterpart. However, Sonic didn’t answer as he was still in shock at what he had just chucked. “If not, would you like me to attempt to locate more toiletries and feminine hygiene products for you to scatter about.”

<->

      “Very well, sister, let’s hear it,” Celestia spoke, relaxing back on her throne as she gave her sister her full attention.

      “Sister, I believe that it was not Fenrir who killed our father. I believe you, and the whole world along with you, has been lied to. I believe that Graywing struck down the Dragon King.”

      Celestia sat and digested her words. She mulled the sentences Luna spoke once or twice in her head before responding. Twilight for the life of her, couldn’t read her reaction. Was she angry? Upset? Surprised?

      “That is quite the accusation, dear sister, one you could be put to death over.” Celestia said leaning forward, “Why would you say such a thing?”

      “Twilight,” Luna responded, giving the purple unicorn the go ahead to speak.

      “Oh, uh,” Twilight, fumbled, as she began producing books from her saddle bags and began to flip through them. “Well, Starswirl made several accounts shortly after the Night of Ruin. And We think he was trying to tell us something. Like, in code. Certain portions of his accounts of history he would remark as being ‘The Cold Truth’. We think everything that he attached that phrase to, or applied it to, was a lie.”

      “Starswirl was trying to tell us something, and though We were not here, we can only imagine that he was afraid. Afraid of coming right out and telling the truth for fear Graywing would have him killed. We believe he was afraid for a great many years after the Night of Ruin.” Luna continued.

      “I find that hard to believe,” Celestia responded. “He hadn’t seemed that fearful in the years that I had known him.”

      “I find it hard to believe that Fenrir would kill his own father!” Luna countered. “Yet you swallow that truth as easily as sugar!”

     “Do. Not. MOCK ME!” Celestia shouted, her anger shocking both of them as the alabaster Alicorn rose from her seat. “Were you there Luna?! I was! I saw him drenched in our father’s blood and still gripping the spear! Had Graywing not brought him to heel I would have killed him myself for his treachery! When you were banished, Fenrir was the rock against the waves! A lighthouse in a tempest! If not for him, I would…” Celestia trailed off in her anger. “When that wolf betrayed our father …Betrayed us all… I was broken.”

     Luna couldn’t respond, she had not figured on her sister seeing Fenrir commit the deed. She had believed in her heart of hearts that he had been framed, but now…

     “You said Graywing brought him to heel?” Twilight asked meekly. “How?”

      “When I had arrived in the chambers and bore witness to my father’s corpse with my own eyes, Graywing had managed to place the collar Gleipnir around his neck. I might not have had the foresight to see Fenrir’s black hearted intentions, but luckily he had. And so did Starswirl, who fashioned the collar.”

     “So you didn’t see Fenrir kill him,” Twilight pressed on, “but when you saw him, he already had on the collar?” she asked as she swiftly began to flip through the pages of yet another one of her books until she found what she had bookmarked. “When Starswirl made the collar, he fashioned it after the Alicorn Amulet, which if placed on a subject, the device would grant complete and utter servitude to whoever placed it on. The only reason Trixie,” Twilight interrupted her train of thought with her own run-in with the Alicorn Amulet, “wasn’t a slave to anypony, was because she put the Amulet on herself. What if Graywing placed it on him before he killed him? What if Graywing ordered Fenrir to kill him? You said it yourself, you weren’t there to see it, and according to Graywing’s one account of what happened, no one was there except for himself, Fenrir, the Dragon King, three other dragons and Discord.”

     Celestia paused and considered the implications that Twilight brought forth.  

     “Sister,” Luna spoke up again, ‘Starswirl edited, Graywing’s accounts, and titled the very book ‘The Cold Truth’. Where was he? Where was the greatest wizard ponykind has ever known in this grand battle?”

     “He had stayed behind, the Dragon King insisted he stay behind. We marched on Discord and his armies with two hosts of legions from each of the races of the Dragon King’s Court, the Court ourselves, and The Dragon King took with him three of his mightiest Wyrms as a Royal Guard. The Wyrms were traitor to the king and sided with Fenrir. When I happened upon the scene, the Dragon King had already been slain, as was two of his royal guard, torn asunder in the battle, the third escaping along with Discord when it saw the wolf had been overpowered.

     “Yes, that is what Graywing says,” Luna replied, “But we feel this is more to this story. Shortly after the Nigh of Ruin, Graywing began his crusade of Dragon hunts. Rooting out Ancient wyrms and having Fenrir and wolves dispatch them. Why do you believe this to be so?”

     “After the night of Ruin, there were Dragon attacks that destroyed entire villages in Graywing’s land and their danger to us was proved imminent.

     “That’s where these books comes into play,” Twilight announced. “The Draco-Canidae War, and Coyote uprisings. So, the Draco-Canidae War describes Dragons burning down entire villages, but they all just so happen to be canine villages.”

     “In reprisal for Fenrir killing their Master,” Celestia countered.

     “Buuuut,” Twilight interrupted, “in coyote uprisings, Fenrir had put entire villages to the sword and burned them to the ground and after cross referencing dates… exactly at the time dragons were to have attacked. The thing is, there are plenty of eye witness accounts to Fenrir slaughtering his own wolves. No one ever saw a dragon attack. Plus, Fenrir is only hunting ancient wyrms. If you wanted to put an end to dragons, why not go after all dragons? Why just the ancient ones? Unless there was one ancient one in particular that you wanted to find… one that may or may not have seen everything… one that maybe, just maybe, escaped.” She finished with a smile. However, her grin quickly faded as she looked once more on her beloved mentor.

     Celestia was different. Regal, yes. Air of authority and wisdom of the ages, no question. But she was different. Twilight could see in her face. The way her jaw had slightly bunched, and the way the muscles underneath her pristine white coat quivered at her shoulders. Her ever present soft grin was now a frown, one that gave reason to see that her majesty was beyond irked and at the moment was malcontent at what she had just heard. However it was her eyes that actually frightened Twilight that depicted a different mare than Twilight had known her entire life. Her lilac eyes were hard, and focused. There was fury and rage such that Twilight had never seen. A quiet frightening rage that promised with it death and anguish. Then, without so much as a word, Celestia’s horn flared up and her magic sparked to life and Twilight’s attention was drawn to a corner of the room where she saw the princess begin to levitate a small potted plant that was one among many that decorated the throne room. Once the Princess set it down before herself, Twilight quickly identified it.

     Tobacco.

     The princess plucked a single leave off of the plant with her magic, raised it before her eyes and instantly the leaf began to wither and dry. Twilight herself felt an intense heat from the leaf as it dried. A moment later, the leaf began crack and crumble and soon it was nothing more than dried brown bits that Celestia then began to manipulate with her magic to shred it to tiny slivers. As this occurred the Sun Goddess also levitated a spare piece of nearby parchment, and once the shreds of the leaf were fine enough for her liking, she rolled them tightly in the paper. She brought it to mouth, and with a swift motion licked the paper sealed, and finished her task by sparking one of its ends with her magic.

     The Sun Goddess brought it to her lips, and took a long deep drag only to exhale through pursed lips a stream of smoke.

     “Y-you smoke?” Twilight asked, not believing what she had just seen.

     “Not in a great while,” Celestia responded casually, inhaling from the freshly made cigarette once more. “Then again, it has been a great while since I’ve talked of that night, and with all that you and my sister bring to me… I hope you’re willing to forgive this weakness.” Celestia then spoke to both of them. “You know what you are insinuating and you know what it means. And while Twilight, I don’t expect you to know, Luna, do you fully understand what will happen? What I will see done, no matter the cost, if you are right?”

     “If I am right, dear Sister, everything will change,” Luna answered. “And even if the very pillars of this world were to come crashing down around us, We would spill the very last of Our blood to see justice done.”

      “You have given me much to dwell upon, sister, but you must understand, this is the truth that I and the rest of this world have known for nearly a millennia. I cannot commit to such an act on accusations and speculations alone.” Celestia declared.

     “I would never bring to you these accusations if I hadn’t a way of proving this to be so.” Luna reassured.

     “And how would you do that?”

      “Twilight discovered a passage in one of Starswirl’s writings, regarding the Iron Mountain of the Fenrisian Fields.”

      “It’s true Princess,” Twilight went on to explain. “Starswirl specifically said, and I quote, ‘Even when threatened with death and extinction of their already scant kind they still refuse to spill the secrets of the great furnaces that lie deep in the Fenrisian Fields. It is as if the great mystery of the mountain would change our world as we know it, and I believe by no stretch of the imagination that it would. I surmise it is the cold truth, that these noble and resolute canines would not share their secret with the moon herself if she was to descend upon them’.” Twilight went on to read from the text as she levitated Starswirl’s written word in front of her face before lowering it to look at Celestia. “I talked with Luna, and we believe that if everything that involves the cold truth is a lie. Then what he’s saying is the Thylacines of the Iron Mountain are keeping a secret that they’ll only tell the moon. And think about it, it was foretold Night Mare Moon would come back, maybe he believed that Luna could be returned. Who better than somepony who wasn’t present at the Night of Ruin to believe him. Somepony not indoctrinated with a thousand years worth of lies. Uh, no offense,” Twilight swiftly added in.

      “None taken,” Celestia replied, puffing out another cloud smoke as she listened.

      “We believe he wanted Luna to go to the Mountain. That only she will be able to find out the truth. Because she would still believe Fenrir wouldn’t do such a thing.”

      “Do you believe he was right, Luna?” Celestia asked.

     “A stallion told me sister, rather recently actually, sometimes you can’t just believe what a pony will tell you, and that no matter how true something may seem doesn’t make it true. Sometimes you just gotta see it with your own eyes and you gotta find out the truth for yourself.” Luna answered. “And though he has been on the earth but a moment compared to the likes of us, the truth in his words cannot ring louder. We would see the truth for myself.”

     “And you, Twilight?” Celestia asked, turning to her pupil, taking another drag and blowing another cloud. “What do you make of this?”

     “I…” Twilight answered slowly. “I think this is a long shot. It’s almost fantastical really. We’re operating on the slimmest of details and hunches. And it’s from a stallion who I found out was a philandering stallion-whore at that.”

     “Indeed,” Celestia chuckled, “A great stallion by any measure, but I cannot deny his insatiable desire to fornicate.”

     “So if you ask me,” Twilight began, “Even if it’s true. It’s a lost cause.”

     “I see,” Celestia answered. “Sister, I feer I may feel the same way Twilight Sparkle. This endeavor you wish to partake in might just be that… A lost cause.”

     “But…” Twilight perked up. “When you get right down to it, I mean… really get down to it. A lost cause is perhaps the greatest cause of all. And those are the ones that the great stallions and mares that I’ve read about fought for. And they do it for one simple reason. A rule that we all we know. A rule that you taught, Princess. Love thy neighbor. If Graywing has done, what we said he has done, then he’s done something terrible and he’s wronged us. He’s wronged you, Fenrir, Luna, the Dragon King himself. He’s wronged the world and all of us with it. And if we believe in that golden rule, love thy neighbor, and we were to ever claim we love this world and love our neighbors in it, and sit by and do nothing, then what are we? Nothing but cowards. Cowards and liars. So you ask me, what do I think? Princess, the only question you should ask is, what would any pony, any pony with a shred of decency in them do? And if you asked that, I’d say they would wanna know truth.”

     Celestia dropped her cigarette and immediately left her throne. The princess swiftly trotted next to Twilight Sparkle and embraced her tightly.

     “P-princess,” Twilight shuddered as she reluctantly returned the embrace. “What are you doing?”

     “What can evil do? Twilight Sparkle?” Celestia whispered, Twilight could have sworn it sounded as if she was crying. “What can it do against ponies with ideals such as these?” Celestia then released her pupil, took a step back and gathered her countenance. She turned to Luna. “Very well,” She began again, her voice strong and full of fire. “I will arrange a ship to take you across the sea. It won’t be much, but that will help not draw attention to yourself. You will go to the Mountain, and see what you can learn. I cannot move against him, until we know the truth. You understand I cannot protect you from him, if you are discovered, if your mission is discovered it will be seen as crimes against the King’s Vassal. You will be put to death.”

     “I understand.”

     Celestia hugged Luna, “Send for the hedgehog, the royal cartographer as well and together we shall come up with a plan! We will move against him on two fronts to ensure you can slip by unnoticed. Sister, there is much in me that prays you are wrong, but Lord of Griffons should pray even more.”

     “At once sister,” Luna replied with a smile before turning and making her way to the great doors of the throne room.

     “What will you do?” Twilight asked once Luna was out of earshot, “If we’re right? Will you go to war against him?”

     “I give you my word, Twilight Sparkle, by his blood will I see my sister ascend to her rightful place at my side.”

     “But before, you said if we went to war, Graywing would see us destroyed!”

     “I will see the collar removed from Fenrir’s neck, Twilight Sparkle,” was all Celestia answered.

     “And you think he would help us?”

     “You do not know Fenrir as I do Twilight, if he is innocent, then I have much to atone for. I shall begin by seeing that the Alpha of Alpha’s claims his birthright and with it, Graywing will rue the day he betrayed us,” Celestia replied solemnly.

     “Y-you’re going to kill him?” Twilight asked with a gulp, though she already knew in heart of hearts the answer. For she had never heard such a cold and threating words from her mentor. And the way she had spoken them with such certainty, the lavender unicorn could only ascertain that freeing Fenrir of Graywing’s persuasion would be nothing short of a death sentence for the Lord of Wyndia. However she nervously tried to appeal to her mentor’s better nature. “Maybe there can be another way, maybe you could force him to surrender.”

     “No,” Celestia said fervently, “If what you say is true, then there is nowhere in my heart for lofty ideals and kind judgment. Blood demands blood. He has soaked the earth with the blood of our father, the blood of Dragon's and Fenrir’s wolves, and even now stands uncontented. Well blood demands blood, Twilight Sparkle. Fenrir will demand it, and I will do all that is in my power to see my brother’s thirst is well slaked.”