Princess Celestia lay by the bed cradling her sister. Tears pricked her eyes as she hugged the burning hot body of Princess Luna. Luna herself was drifting in and out of consciousness. Her mane no longer flowed, she was as much a filly as she had been when she was cleansed of Nightmare Moon by the Elements of Harmony.
Luna stirred, her breathing shallow, and barely present. She had been diagnosed with an illness, known as Magic Deprivation. Magic Deprivation occurred when a pony's magic began to drain slowly out of them. For most most ponies, it would just leave them tired and unable to use their magic abilities, for instance, a pegasus would fall through clouds. But they would recover eventually. The cause was unknown, as was the cure.
However, an alicorn's life force was represented by their magic. The less of it they had, the weaker they were, and the shorter their lifespans would be. At the height of its power, an alicorn is immortal. In most cases, a disease that would kill a normal pony would barely harm an alicorn, but in the case of Magic Deprivation, the opposite was true.
As the condition progressed, Luna would lose power, and therefore would revert to the form of a filly, as her body's natural response and attempt to prolong the inevitable. Celestia hadn't eaten or slept in weeks. The citizens of Equestria were beginning to worry; Celestia had forgotten to raise the sun on multiple occasions, and had also done the same with the moon, which Luna was now too weak to raise.
"Lulu, what have you done to deserve this?" she whispered tearfully, caressing her sister's mane.
Luna's eyes flickered open. For a brief moment, the Royal Pony Sisters locked eyes, Luna's feverish gaze meeting Celestia's.
"In this world there is no wrong or right, sister. Things are the way they are. None of us can stop the circle of life from going on its way," a hoarse voice whispered.
Celestia however, noticed no movement of the once again sleeping Luna's mouth. She shook her head, wondering if she was losing her mind. Eventually, for the first time since Luna had fallen sick, Celestia surrendered to sleep.
~~~
"Let's play by the water, Sis!" the purple filly suggested.
"Alright. Let's go already!" agreed the white filly.
"Be home before dark, little ones," the gray mare asserted.
The sisters ran to the lake. The cool water soothed their sore hooves and splashed their wings with its refreshing power.
The duo played until the sun began to set, and the gray mare ushered them home.
~~~
Celestia woke up laughing. Memories of her fillyhood in the valleys deep within the Everfree Forest filled her with joy. She could still feel the fresh water, taste the sweet flowers and fruits the trees bore. She could still feel the warmth of their mother's embrace, hear the snores of her family as they slept.
She could remember the morning the sun forgot to rise, the morning she got her cutie mark. She could remember the night when the moon deviated from its cycle, a new moon where time decreed a full moon should be. The night Luna received her cutie mark. She recalled the day when Luna's mane began to flow, the day the ponies of Equestria coronated them as rulers.
All too soon, the harsh reality of life and death sunk in. Laughter soon turned to tears as Celestia recalled days long past, days she would never be able to relive. Days when things were simpler, when the sisters weren't running a kingdom, when Luna wasn't driven by jealousy and malice. She longed for the caring touch of a mother's love, to hear the shouts of delight from the other fillies and colts in the valley. Yearned to listen to the zebra storytellers recount tales of heroes who, even then were ancient.
However, the dream had struck Celestia with inspiration. She would take a trip to the Everfree Forest, and meet with a certain zebra.
~~~
Zecora gazed at the tearful princess and listened respectfully as Celestia recounted her tale. She didn't interrupt once, politely told Applebloom to leave when the little filly had barged in asking why she had seen the princess flying into the forest unguarded, and even shooed a wild animal away when it had come looking for a healing brew, telling it to come back later.
"Please Zecora, can you devise a cure for Luna's ailment? If she leaves this realm I'm positive my grief will cause me to follow her..."
"Dearest mare, I feel your pain, but life cannot exist without strain."
"Can't you at least try?" Celestia cried, her voice growing more and more desperate with each word.
"I would love to help, but for you, I fear I lack the proper brew," Zecora answered flatly, and immediately wished she hadn't.
The princess broke down into tears. For a while she lay sobbing, shuddering every few seconds, until eventually she was still. Upon closer examination, Zecora realised that the poor mare had passed out. Laying her on the bed, Zecora set about researching alicorns and their behaviours. She read as many books on healing plants as she could, and even took advantage of Applebloom still hanging around outside to get some delivered from Ponyville.
She got a few results. Princess Celestia woke eventually, and Zecora relayed her findings.
"I have read up on herbs, few sources match the written word," she said with a wink.
"Please Zecora, tell me what you found," begged Celestia.
"There is a flower which can cure, with brilliant colours of strong allure. It is found I'm sure somewhere, but alas, the bloom you seek is quite rare. The plant in question is called Night Rose, but I lack the knowledge as to where it grows. A certain mare may be of help, however, she dislikes whelps. Treat her with the utmost respect, perhaps to the flower she can direct. This mare is called Yin Yang, she dwells in the valley of the Harmony Clan. Search far and wide and seek her out, perhaps you can show her what true care is about," Zecora explained.
"Yin Yang? She knows where the Night Rose is? There's a chance this will be easier than I thought!" Celestia said, her face lighting up as she spoke.
"I'm afraid I do not understand. Do you already know Yin Yang?" asked Zecora, puzzled.
Celestia never answered. She was too busy flying away, deep into the Everfree Forest, on a mission to save her sister from an untimely demise.
Celestia flapped her wings furiously, charging deep into the Everfree Forest. This mare, Yin Yang, Celestia knew very well already. She was halfway there when she realised she hadn't told anypony about her trip. She wheeled around in the air and sped off back toward Ponyville.
On her way back, Celestia recklessly clipped her wing on a tree. The pain and sudden loss of feathers forced her to land. Unfortunately, now that she was on the ground, she couldn't tell which way she needed to go anymore. She struck out in what she hoped was the right direction. She yelled in frustration and stamped her hooves, something she hadn't done since she was a filly. She couldn't afford to waste any time. Luna needed the Night Rose now!
As she trotted at a brisk pace, Celestia glanced between the trees constantly. She caught fleeting glimpses of movement, saw glowing eyes. Birds called overhead, and distant roars signalled an Ursa Major hunting. Celestia soon found herself utterly lost and began to mark a trail using a stick so she could tell where she had already been.
After finding herself in a clearing for the third time, she began to walk once more. Night had fallen, according to the time, but the sun was still high in the sky. Part of the problem was absentmindedness, but part of it was deliberate. She could see better and avoid danger easily when the sun was out. Still, the nocturnal creatures of Equestria needed to live too. She lowered the sun and raised the moon, though nowhere near as expertly as Luna.
She looked left and right, but couldn't get her bearings in the dark. She walked forward apprehensively, sensing danger. She pricked her ears and listened.
Nothing.
She tried again.
Silence.
Shaking it off as nerves, she walked forward once more, much quieter than before.
Suddenly a monstrous arachnid with pincers leapt at her, tail slashing, loaded with venom. Celestia bucked it off and stared. Approaching her menacingly was a scorpion, the same size as an average pony. Its barbed tail was swinging from side to side threateningly. It had two, bone crushing pincers which it clicked together, attempting to intimidate Celestia. Its many eyes glared at her hungrily. Its translucent body was blueish purple, with stars glowing, marking it as one of the many constellation monsters that dwelled in the forest.
The Scorpio lunged, tail aimed at Celestia's chest. She dodged elegantly, and reached out with her magic. She listened in on its thoughts, trying to reason with it, treat it with kindness, just like Fluttershy with the Manticore. But the Scorpio didn't listen to her. All it wanted was to stab her with its tail. Celestia realised that it wasn't hungry, angry or scared. It was bored. It was out hunting for sport.
Celestia lowered her head and charged the monster. It responded by brandishing a pincer which, even though she was larger than it, could still slice her in half. At the last minute, Celestia spread her damaged wings and leapt above the Scorpio. She dove and kicked it from above, causing it to shriek in pain as her bronze horseshoes punched through an armoured plate on its back.
But still it would not leave. It attacked once more with its tail. Celestia remembered a critical weakness of many constellation beings. They shunned all light but their own. Celestia illuminated her horn, casting a halo of warm yellow light around her. The Scorpio backed away, shielding its eyes with a pincer. It scuttled away sourly, to sulk between the trees.
Celestia looked around. The fight had carried her further from the clearing, into a part of the wood she vaguely recognised. She continued until she reached a dark gray wall. Skirting around it, she prayed the wall was what she thought it was.
It was. Celestia found herself standing in front of the Ruins of the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters. She breathed a sigh of relief. This was a major landmark. She knew the way to Ponyville from here. Striking out in that direction she trotted along, keeping her horn lit to deter monsters.
~~~
Twilight ruffled her brand new wings and sighed. The library was constantly full of ponies chattering excitedly, asking her questions and asking her to solve even the tiniest of problems they had. One mare even wanted her to push a wheelbarrow for her to the market place! Why would any pony need to ask a princess to do that? She had no idea how Celestia and Luna put up with it.
Now however, the crowd weren't chattering. They were watching as two brash stallions complained to Twilight about the disrupted cycle of day and night.
"Those two lazy whores need to get off their plots and fix the problems they caused. And as their representative it's YOUR job to make sure they get the memo," one colt, a blue earth pony, complained.
The crowd gave a collective gasp. While there wasn't a direct ban on speaking out about the princesses- they maintained the right to freedom of speech -nopony thought to complain about the two wise rulers. Most ponies loved them for their caring attitude and non brutal methods of law enforcement.
"The princesses have their reasons for the problems. It will be fixed soon," Twilight assured.
"Like hell it will!" the second colt, a green pegasus said, "That's just what all you snooty aristocrats say when you think we common ponies are too stupid to understand. If they have their reasons, then please, enlighten us as to what those reasons are."
Twilight bit her lip. Very few ponies knew of Luna's illness, and those that did had been issued a gag order. They didn't want to send the nation into a panic.
"Umm...that is classified information," Twilight stammered.
"Ha ha, you don't know, do you?" the first colt guffawed.
"I do, but like I said, it's classified information. It can't be shared with the general public," Twilight said, rage building up inside her.
"Ha ha ha, oh please, hold me, I'm about to piss myself with laughter!" the pegasus cried. He turned to the crowd, "Feast your eyes on Princess Twilight, almighty dumbass puppet for Celestia and Luna!" he roared.
Twilight began to cry. The two colts were beside themselves with laughter.
"Leave her alone, you jerks!" said Spike, breathing a puff of green fire as he spoke.
"What are you gonna do about it, lizard?" jeered the pegasus.
The earth pony stepped on Spike's tail while the pegasus shoved him.
The two started laughing again.
"Cease and desist, my little ponies," said a gentle, yet firm voice from the back of the room.
Everypony had been so focused on the argument that nopony had noticed Princess Celestia slip in quietly. She had seen the whole thing, and now the crowd gave her a wide berth.
She looked a mess. A few cuts here and there from the trees in the forest, leaves stuck in her mane and tail, and one wing in tatters where she had clipped it.
"Dearest colts," she said to the two stallions, who had approached her position in the centre of the crowd, eyes locked defiantly with hers. "Why do you take such pleasure in harassing my faithful student? Your quarrel is with me, not her," she continued in her calm, reasonable voice.
The colt who had claimed he was going to wet himself with laughter now wet himself with fear. The other colt however, was made of tougher stuff than his friend.
"Well, you lazy bitch, stop fucking up the day and night. We need that to stay right to survive, you selfish prick. Probably too busy gorging yourselves with cake to do your jobs, am I right? Well you need to get your shit together and fix the problem," he shouted up at her face.
A mischievous grin crossed his partner's features as he worked up the courage to join in the slander.
"And don't even get me started on that sister of yours..."
Celestia's warm smile faded and turned into a scowl. A few ponies in the crowd took one look at her and signalled to the stallion to stop. Even his friend had noticed the tension and was nudging him.
The colt ignored their warnings and continued.
"I mean, she's immature, scary, talkeths like this and cocked up her job so bad that she turned into Nightmare Moon. Honestly, she has no reason to exist and I think-"
"Silence!" boomed Celestia.
There was a stunned silence. Nopony had ever seen Celestia so furious before. She was livid with rage, and neither noticed nor cared that she was using the Royal Canterlot Voice, turning her normally docile tones into a growl befitting a thunderstorm.
"I can take your slander and hatred, however you SHALL not insult my younger sister, who at this very moment is lying in bed on the brink of death!" she roared.
Another silence. So this was the 'classified information' Twilight had mentioned. Everypony felt a pang of sympathy for Celestia, and shot the stallions a dirty look as the pair gaped at her.
Tears filled Celestia's eyes and spilled over as she climbed the stairs to the balcony and just stood there, glaring at the stallions.
Twilight, who had been sitting silently in the corner, crying from the colt's insults, began to usher the crowd out, requesting that they not spread the word, for the princess's safety.
She detained the two colts however. She created a fence around them with her magic, and left Spike to guard them.
"I warn you, I will be informing Shining Armor, and he will punish you accordingly for upsetting the princess and verbally abusing her," she scolded. "In the meantime, think about what you've done," she suggested, and left them to it.
She joined the princess on the balcony. She wasn't quite sure what to say.
"Umm...are you alright?" she asked awkwardly.
"Not really,"
"Is there anything I can do to help? I know this is really hard for you," Twilight said sympathetically.
"Yes, there is. Maintain peace in Equestria for me. My faithful student, can you act as ruler while I'm gone?"
Twilight jumped. "Me? O-of course," she said, not wanting to disappoint her teacher. "But where will you be going?"
"I learned from Zecora about a flower called the Night Rose which might cure Luna. To find it I have to ask a mare called Yin Yang where it grows. Fortunately, I already know Yin Yang and where to find her. So, I need you to watch over Equestria for me," Celestia explained.
"Ok, we'll if that's the case, then I'll watch over Equestria. But shouldn't somepony go with you?" Twilight asked.
"No, this is a journey I must make alone," Celestia answered.
"How did you get so beat up, if you don't mind me asking? And how do you know Yin Yang?" Twilight asked.
Celestia told the whole story to Twilight, about the Scorpio, and even about her dream. She also explained her relationship to Yin Yang.
"Wow! That's incredible!" exclaimed Twilight.
"I'm going to leave now. Hopefully I'll be back soon," Celestia said, before moving to exit the library.
"Wait!" Twilight called.
Celestia stopped by the door and Twilight fluttered up to meet her.
"At least let me heal you first," Twilight offered.
Celestia had forgotten about her injuries.
"I would like that," she said. She had never gotten the hang of healing magic.
Twilight's horn glowed and Celestia felt better than ever. She spread her newly fixed wings and flew off towards the Everfree Forest, Twilight waving behind her.
"Just you wait, Luna! I'll soon have you feeling better than ever!" Celestia thought, as she flew through the trees to the Valley of the Harmony Clan.
