Silence broke as the sound of hoofsteps echoed through the hallways of the Canterlot Vaults. Princess Celestia graced the halls of the museum which held Equestria’s greatest artifacts from history. Sunlight entered through the large windows, flooding in from floor to ceiling. The light shone on the Princess, adding more brilliance to her multi-colored mane. Though, if anypony were to approach her they would be able to notice she had lost her radiance.
Her coat did not seem as bright as normal, and her mane did not wave majestically like usual. The stern look on her face was one she wore only in privacy. The museum did not opened until later for the day, now was as good a time as any to show the expression.
She passed by items of significance to her. Each in at least a small sense. In her long lasting lifetime she had seen the creation of almost every artifact in the Canterlot Vaults. She met the painter of that portrait. Watched as Star Swirl the Bearded finished that spell book. She approached the statue of Discord. A replica from when the god of chaos had been imprisoned in stone. The Princess felt a twang of guilt for not trying to reform the draconequus sooner.
The statue led to the main attraction of the Vaults. The Elements of Harmony. The five necklaces and crown sat on velvet under the protection of crystal. True, they were not the originals, but the craftspony had done a superb job with them. She could make out all the imperfections from the originals that those who had not studied them for thousands of years would not notice. Though today, she saw more. She could see those who wore them last. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity....and Twilight.
Celestia’s legs buckled as she lowered to the marble floor. She did not wish to think of these ponies. Not now. She remembered the six ponies who did so much to mold her ideas on life. As a result, she remembered all the others she had lost. Cadence, Shining Armor, the others who were gifted with the Elements of Harmony before.
The torrent of memories could not be held back. The joy, the frustration, the solace, the panic. Many, many years had past since the lost of all the great ponies she knew. Yet they seemed like they had been so recent. The curse that followed Celestia with her age.
The only pony she had not lost was her sister, Luna. Luna had been a great sibling and companion for the Princess. Though now she had fallen into as deep a depression as Celestia. And just like Celestia, because of her losses through time. The Princess could not help but question why she did it. She knew she needed to appear as a kind, gentle ruler to Equestria. But why did she build relationships with ponies she always knew would leave her one day?
Tears clouded her vision. The alicorn let it all out. Her wings drooped beside her and onto the floor as she cried. Her first moment of sadness she had allowed in centuries. The tears rolled down her white coat and fell to the cold floor.
“Princess Celestia?”
Celestia jumped to her feet and spun around. Standing before her was a unicorn filly. The small pony had a orange-red coat and royal red colored mane to accompany it. The color of her being like the sunrise Celestia saw when she rose the sun each day.
“H-How-” Celestia began before taking a deep breath. “How did you get in here?”
She made her voice as calming as possible as not to scare the filly. Though that did not seem like much of a problem as the filly ran up to the Princess.
“It really is you! I can’t believe it!”
Celestia had grown accustom to the reaction of fillies meeting her for the first time. This unicorn seemed different though, like when she first met Twilight.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Celestia replied. “But I must ask you, how did you get in here?”
“Oh!” the filly said. “I got tired of waiting. So I snuck in. Oh wow!”
The filly ran past Celestia to get a better view of the Elements of Harmony.
“It’s really them!”
Celestia could not help but watch with wonder at the unicorn. The filly stood on her back legs to try to get a better view of the artifact sitting atop its pedestal.
Princess Celestia lowered her large wing at the hooves of the filly. The unicorn looked up at the princess as if to ask if it were okay.
“Climb on,” she replied before the question could be asked.
The filly hopped on and Celestia lifted her with ease so that the case was at eye level.
“Wow,” the filly said with amazement.
The young unicorn’s gaze did not divert as she asked, “What were the Heroes of Equestria like?”
“They were-” Celestia began. But the memories just brought back the tears.
“They were amazing.”
Celestia lowered her wing and the filly hopped off.
“Are you okay princess?”
Celestia felt foolish. If this little filly could see she was depressed, than anypony could. She put on her best smile.
“Of course not.”
“Are you sure?”
Celestia tried to say yes. But the orange apple of one of the Elements caught her eye and she did not reply.
“Well,” the filly said, “when I have a bad day at school, my mommy reads me a funny story. It always cheers me up!”
The smile on the unicorn’s muzzle was infectious. And Celestia could not help it as her masked smile began to turn sincere.
“Laughter truly is the best medicine,” the Princess said as she looked to the blue balloon of another Element.
“If you want, my mommy could tell you a story. Would that help?” the filly asked.
“Did you leave your mother to come inside?” Celestia asked.
“Yes,” the unicorn replied in a lower tone. Knowing right away that it was wrong to leave her parent. The Princess lowered her head to be at the filly’s level.
“I would love to hear a story,” Princess Celestia said.
The filly excitedly led her down the hallway to the entrance. As she followed, Celestia knew why she built relationships. For the joy that came from getting to know all the special ponies in Equestria. If she did not build relationships, she would not know who would be her life long friends.
The Princess looked back over her shoulder as the Elements of Harmony. Laughter echoed in her ears. The laughter sounded just like Twilight’s. She was joined by Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash. Then more ponies who had left her. Their laughter did not sound taunting in the least. No, this was joyous laughter. The tears came back, but were joined by a smile and a laugh.
Celestia looked down to the filly. She could not help but feel that she would soon have another friend like those whose laughter now rang in the halls.
“What is your name?” she asked.
“Autumn Sky,” the filly replied.