We went to the Crystal Empire on the same train Cadence took to get back. We were going to ride coach, like normal people, but Cadence invited us to her private car. Of course, she had questions of her own. Seth almost immediately fell asleep to the clickity-clack of the train, so it left us free to have a more adult conversation.

"I have a couple questions. There's some things I just can't wrap my mind around." Cadence began.

"Ya. K. Better than sitting in silence looking awkwardly."

"I understand than Aunt Celestia has taken a... oh... how do I word this... I get that she hasn't exactly taken a direct role..."

"Please Cadence, stop beating around the bush." She seemed almost scared to ask."

"Was fighting her really necessary?"

"Yes."

"Why? Couldn't you have just explained it?"

"If I did that, it wouldn't have had the same effect. For her to realize her failings, she had to suffer a bit."

"That's your justification for causing pain? Celestia has been miserable ever since then. You really hurt her, and not just physically."

"Cadence, pain isn't evil."

"How can you say that?"

"Hmm... let me ask you something. Cadence, how do ponies learn to walk?"

"What?"

"Learn to walk. How do ponies learn to walk?"

"They don't. They're born, then they get up on their hooves a few hours later and they walk. What do you mean learn to walk?"

"When humans are born, they're completely helpless. Their parents lay them on their backs. This is uncomfortable, so the baby cries and screams and flails, and their parents leave them there, watching them. Eventually, their random flailing builds muscle and they stumble across the correct pattern of movements to roll from their back to onto their chest. This is a bit better, but it's still uncomfortable. Their face is pushed into the ground by the weight of their head, and the weight of their body puts pressure on their lungs. They try to lift their head to ease their pain, they flail their arms and legs till they somehow manage to get their limbs under themselves and then? They crawl. They lift their head and see the world. They see such wondrous things, all out of their reach. They want to see! They want to know! They want to reach those lofty heights they see the rest of the world is at and be a part of it! So, they find something, pull themselves up... they stand. Then, they take their first step, and fall flat on their face."

I punctuated this by slapping myself in the face, hard enough to leave a red imprint.

"Friggin hurts. Way more than anything they've felt before, and yet they get up and try it again, and again they fall, and again, and again and again and AGAIN, AND AGAIN. And then they learn to walk."

"That's awful."

"No Cadence. That's LIFE. Pain is what lets you know your limits. Without it to tell you where the boundaries are, you never push past them. You never grow. You wither away. You stay an infant, laying on a pillow, never doing anything for yourself, totally reliant on other people to do everything for you. Celestia has been like that for almost a thousand years. She's forgotten what it means to suffer, to push past your suffering and become more than you are. Losing Luna a thousand years ago hurt Celestia, more than anyone could comprehend, and because of that, she intentionally avoided any and all strife, but in doing so, she became weak and let down all the people who need her. I had to fight her Cadence, because she's been asleep for a thousand years, and needs to wake up. The fact that she's been miserable ever since I beat her is good. It sounds cruel, and I don't care if she hates me for it."

Cadence just shook her head.

"In any case, now she has a choice to make. She can reject her pain, go back to the way she is now. If she does, this will all happen again, only, it will not be me. It will be someone far more cruel. Someone who won't stop at a bloody nose. Or, she can accept it, realize that she needs to get stronger. Feel the burning need for strength and follow it."

"When is it enough Griffin? When do you stop? Do you just let your hunger for power grow and grow till it consumes you? Where does it end? Once you've thrown away everything?"

I could tell that the love-alicorn was having a hard time accepting this. I merely looked away and sighed.

"Who can say? I don't have the answers, but I know where I might find them."

"Is that why you wanted Sombra's library?"

"Yes. Sombra, from what I've heard, was unique in many ways. Yes, he was evil, and a tyrant, but he was also something else. Of the powerful beings in this world, there are the alicorns, bound to an aspect of creation. There's Discord, the spirit of chaos. There was Tirek, but his power was not his own, it was borrowed from others, and his immortality came from the fact that as a demon, he was not technically 'living' to begin with. Then there's Sombra. Sombra was a normal unicorn who became something more. He gained incredible power and skill, enough that even after dying, his soul remained, with enough power to pull an entire city into a pocket dimension for a thousand years. Sombra was someone who understood the need for power, but he took it too far and became a villain. If I can figure out where he went wrong, where he crossed the line, I can avoid doing that myself."

"I see." Cadence seemed thankful that, at the very least, I wasn't going to go totally evil villain. I will admit, after fighting Celestia, many people will change their opinions of me, for better or for worse. I don't care either way, but it would be bothersome if someone with significant influence decided to get rid of me. It would mean I'd have one more pain in the ass thing to deal with.

"That, and there's one more thing."

"Which is?"

"The crystal ponies, many have been alive for more than a thousand years. They weren't put in stasis while in Sombra's realm. They lived. They are not powerful beings like alicorns, but they have incredible longevity. Sombra wasn't a crystal pony, yet he also existed for a thousand years, even after his body was destroyed. How the hell did he do it? It's become clear to me that Equestria can't be counted on to protect the New Dominion. Right now, I'm doing it, and I'm trying as hard as I can to make it so it's people can protect themselves, but what if someone like Tirek shows up? There has to be someone like me there to handle it. Who's going to do it when I die? I got to thinking... Sombra died, but he stuck around. There's no guarantee I'll find what I'm looking for, and, right from the beginning I've never wanted to, but I may have to become immortal, or, at the very least, find a way to stick around even after I die. That's why I wanted his library."

"Thank you, I think I understand you now."

"That's good Cadence. Not many people can claim that. The inability to understand others is what leads to conflict, and I think we've all had enough of that for the time being."

When the train arrived at the Crystal Empire, there was a familiar trio at the train platform. On exiting the train, a pair of crystal pony foals rushed towards us, one jumped me, and the other squished up against Gilda's leg.

"Does your mother always bring you two to play at the train station?"

"Uh-huh!" The colt replied. "That way we can see everyone coming and going!"... Every-one? Not everypony?

"Oh... sorry." Their mother followed her foals. On noticing Gilda and Seth nearby, she perked up. "I see you got them back. I'm glad."

"Grif, who is this?"

"This is... uh... I... well crud. I met them last time I passed through the Crystal Empire, when I was coming to rescue you, but I can't remember their names for the life of me."

"I'm Misty Morning. This is my daughter, Sunny Day, and my son, Cloudy Day." She mercifully reintroduced.

"And do they always hug attack people?"

"Just griffins. Apparently that's a common occurrence here."

"Yep!" Sunny piped in. "Griffins are just so fuzzy. We used to have one live with us. And he made hay fries."

"Out of potatoes!" Cloudy added.

"That would explain the giant crystal statue of a griffin outside the town hall." Gilda stated.

"Though... the massive statue of Spike holding the crystal heart is new." I pointed out.

"Anyway, don't you have something you should be doing?" Cadence reminded me.

"Oh, yeah, that's right! Group up everyone! We're going sightseeing!" Yes, I know Cadence meant the library, but I promised Seth we'd get to see the Crystal Empire. I'm not going to lock myself in a library while everyone else goes and has fun. Who do you think I am, Season 1 Twilight? If there's anything I've learned from this is that no matter what happens, family first.

Author's Notes:

What is this? I actually have a semi-reasonable update schedule again? Loomy Naughty confirmed!