Chapter One: A Wish Came True
It all started about a week ago, sometime before the Grand Galloping Gala. It was the 5,000th year anniversary and everypony was excited. The hall and garden where the gala was held was full of party planners, decorators, and caterers from all over Equestria. I liked this time of the year when Canterlot looked all jazzed-up on one of the biggest nights in Equestria. When I was younger, I loved to walk down the streets; listening to the music from the gala and seeing the streets light up in beautiful golden light during the night.
I felt truly at home on the night of the gala and I've always wished for Tia to join me. Unfortunately, she was busy greeting and talking to guests and making sure everything goes swimmingly. I want to spend time with her, but she has a nation to rule and look after. I guess I can live with that since that’s the way it’s always been for a very long time.
I walked across the hall toward the dressing room to see Tia. When I open the door, I see one of the most beautiful dresses I’ve ever seen: it was white with golden streaks going from the waistline down and expanded toward the bottom. The edges of the dress were embroidered in gold and shown in the light. On the top of the mannequin was Celestia’s crown. The dress shone in the sunlight and this dress could easily draw much attention from the party goers. I didn't even notice Tia walking up from behind the mannequin. She came and stood beside me, staring at the dress.
“Doesn't it look beautiful, Luna,” she asked. “One of the best fashion artists in Canterlot made this for me for the Gala.”
“It does look wonderful. Wait, where’s my dress?” I looked up at her and noticed something different about her. She doesn't look quite well.
“Your dress is coming in tomorrow, but I have the picture that was sent and I think you’ll like it!” Her voice was breaking a little.
Tia went to the dresser, opened the drawer, and took out a small piece of picture paper. She used her magic to levitate the picture in front of my face. It was very beautiful, but a little too fancy for me. On the other hoof, it looked very nice.
“It looks nice, sister. I can’t wait until the Gala,” I turn and say. She was holding her stomach with one of her front hoofs and leaning against the drawer. “I just wish that we can be together before that night.”
“Well, I think that your wish just came true,” she smiled at me. “Do you know how over the last couple of weeks I was working overtime, day and night?”
“Yes, I do.”
“The reason that I was working so hard was for this week,” she started to get excited. “All of this week, you and I can do whatever you want!”
My heart almost stopped. Did she just say that I can spend time with her all of this week? I almost couldn't take it. I stumbled a little before I caught myself. You could say that I was overreacting, but I would say that you’re wrong. It’s been over 1000 years since the last time I've been with her. And besides, she’s my only sibling!
“Oh thank you, sister! I've been waiting for this day to come!” I run up and hug her tightly. I wipe the tears from my eyes as I look at her.
“It was the least I could do. After all, you are my sister.”
“You’re the best sister ever! Well, you are my only sibling.” I let her go.
“How about you rest for tomorrow, Luna,” Celestia put her hoof on my head. “You would want to be well rested for all of the fun we’re going to have!”
I walked out of the room feeling giddy inside. I have anticipated this day for many years and now it’s here. I needed to tell someone about this. I ran over to the library where I saw Twilight in her element: reading. She was so concentrated on her book that she didn't notice me. Also, I don’t think she blinked at all while reading.
“Twilight, I have something amazing to tell you,” I started, but she didn't look up. “Twilight, this is important. Twilight. TWILIGHT!”
“Aah! Wha-what is it, Luna,” she looked up at me. She looked petrified. “You almost gave me a heart attack.”
“Do you remember how I've always wanted to spend time with my sister?” I smiled. “Well, my wish came true! All this week, I get to be with Celestia! Think about it, Twilight: just me and her and all of the time in the world for that week!”
“I’m happy for you, Princess, I really am. What are you and Celestia going to do?”
“Actually Twilight, I don’t really know what we’re going to do,” I slowed myself down. I got so happy at the idea, that I didn't know what sister and I were actually going to do!
“I need to start planning, Twilight! Thanks for reminding me!” I ran out of the library.
“You’re welcome?”
***
There was a hallway filled with rooms in an unknown location. A dimension to be found by no one and occupied only by the ones who first inhabited it. Many of the rooms were filled with memories, good and bad, dreams, hopes, and fears and were labeled as such. Only one of the rooms looked different; instead of a regular door, it looked like a giant safe. The room inside was dark and forbidding.
In the back sat four Alicorns, but they weren't the ones you already know. These four were some of the most feared, yet no pony knew who they were or their backstories. They all looked similar (like to one princess we already know), but were very different in terms of personality. They sat around a glass ball on a tall pedestal. The ball was showing images of a small, blue Alicorn smiling up at the others, as if the four Alicorns were there.
“Oh thank you, sister! I've been waiting for this day to come!” The image said. One of the ponies looked away in disgust.
“This is revolting, Nero. Do you really expect us to listen to this and to learn something? This is sickening.” She said.
“She’s right, Nero. You should have brought some popcorn for this, this is very entertaining.” another one said.
“That’s not what I meant, Caligula! Idiot.”
“I think that we can learn a lot from this, Commodus,” another one said. “I've learned that Luna is really desperate for attention. That’s why she turned into Nightmare Moon.”
“See, guys? Elagabalus learned something from this,” Nero turned to Commodus. “Learning is key if we want to get out of here.”
“Speaking of, when are we gonna get out of here?”
“Be patient, Commodus. We’ll get out of here soon. We just need to wait and I think Luna will help.” She turned back towards the glass ball.
“She better hurry, I've been starving for the last 9,000 years!” Caligula held her stomach up.
“Oh, don’t worry sister. When we get out, you can eat whatever you want whenever.” Nero stared into the glass ball. It was frozen on an image of Luna smiling.
Luna didn't know that what was going to happen or the dark secrets that were to be released.
Chapter Two: A Wish Destroyed
Celestia sat up in her chair, looking awful. She was in the dining room and after raising the sun to begin the new day, she was usually starving. However, today was not the case. She didn’t want to eat nor wake up this morning. She wasn’t feeling like her normal self, and this bothered her.
“Why am I like this? Today’s the day that I am to be with Luna, and I feel very sick.” She grunted at the table.
She could smell the scent of freshly made scrambled eggs and fried hay on the stove and the smell made her even sicker. She couldn’t shake this feeling and it was getting worse.
“Oh, come on Celestia. Just don’t think about it and it will go away.”
It wasn’t just the regular illness that was bothering her; it was something else, something long forgotten that was coming back. It was a sick feeling when you know that bad things will occur in the future. She could have easily went to a physic and find out if this feeling was true or not, but she can’t just leave. She promised her sister that she will stay and it is one that she attends to keep.
The chef came out of the kitchen and set down a plate with the eggs and hay. “Good morning, Princess.”
“Good morning, Cecil. What day is it?” She looked up at him.
“It’s Monday and it is also the week before the Gala. Why do you ask and are you O.K.?” Cecil tilted his head. “You look a little sick or maybe a lot sick.”
“I’m fine; I just need to rest for a little. Today I’m going to spend time with Luna.”
“That’s good. I just hope you make it through the day,” Cecil started back to the kitchen. “Have a good day.”
Celestia stared at her plate of food. The smell was making her nauseous and she started seeing spots. Why am I torturing myself like this, she thought. She tried to eat, but she almost threw up. She was about to pass out when she heard something.
“HELLO, CELESTIA!” The sound seemed to shake the whole castle. It was Discord.
Oh no, she thought. He’s here. She sat there, sick and hurt from ear ache, while Discord stood beside her. “How are you doing today? Sick, perhaps?” He leaned closer.
“I’m not in the mood right now. I don’t feel well, but I need to fight through the pain,” her words were slurred. “Luna needs me.”
“Whoa, Celestia; did you party too hard last night?” he smiled at her. “You sound like you’ve just drank an entire bottle of hard apple cider. Ha, that’s like me every Saturday night.”
After Discord was apparently reformed by Fluttershy a couple of months ago, he moved to Canterlot and got a house on the outskirts of Canterlot at the bottom of the mountain. It wasn’t much of a real home, but it was shelter and that was good enough for him. He didn’t turn fully good, but he stopped being ‘bothersome’, according to Celestia. He still kept his ways of pranking and doing things very out of the ordinary, but he didn’t do anything completely bad. He and the princess were still trying to get along and things were looking good.
“Actually, what is wrong with you? Did you work a little too hard and got sick?”
The princess just nodded. She didn’t want to talk right now and especially not to him. She really did not want to feel worse. She got up to leave and she immediately fell. Discord caught and held her.
“Discord, get me to the infirmary now.” She closed her eyes.
“Oh goodness. Get out of the way. Don’t worry, I got you.” He carried her out of the room.
***
Today’s the day: the day that will stick with me for the rest of my life and will make any of my other good days run for their bits. I was almost too excited to go to sleep last night, but I did and now I’m so energized! Just think of all of the things we get to do, all of the fun we will have. All this waiting, all of this heartache and shame will finally pay off.
I walk into the throne room when I see that no one is there. I become a little put off as to why sister isn’t there. Maybe she’s still sleeping, because she was as excited yesterday as I am now. I skip towards her room and knock on the door. There was no answer. All right, I’m officially confused. I really hope she isn’t playing any tricks on me; I hate it when she does that. I need to go find Sister.
I go to find a guard to find out what has happened. Instead, I find Twilight in front of the infirmary, pacing back and forth and muttering to herself. She looks anxious and panicky and like a mess. She sees me approach her and gets scared and covers her ears with her front hoofs.
“Please don’t get mad, Luna,” she was almost about to cry. “I don’t like it when you get mad.”
“Get mad about what, Twilight? What’s going on?” I look at the door to the room. It’s empty and has a red bar on the front. Means it’s closed.
“Something bad has happened to Celestia and Discord said that she passed out sick during breakfast,” she wraps her hoof around my neck. “I’m sorry.”
The world froze around me. I try to speak, but my throat chokes up and I can’t utter a word. I thought that today’s the day, but once again, I’m wrong. So wrong in thinking that I could ever have a good day. My temples and neck start to hurt and I begin to cry. I wrap my front hoofs around Twi and start to bawl.
“I know that you thought that today was your big day, but nothing’s perfect.”
“I-I know, b-but I just want so-something good to happen to m-me for once. I want my sister!”
“You can go to her but just don’t startle her.”
I let go and approach the door and knock lightly. I open the door slowly and make my way in. Inside, there were a couple of beds and machines around all of them. At one, in the far corner of the room, there was Discord sitting at the side while at the bed was Celestia, looking paler than usual and sweating and asleep. There was a machine hooked up to her with a repetitive beeping noise that sounded oddly ominous. The room itself was dimmed and there wasn’t as lighter as I wanted it to be. Discord sensed my presence and turned to me.
“Be careful, she’s sleeping.” He whispered.
“I know. Can I see her?” My voice was shaking from crying. I was surprised to see Discord, of all creatures, to be worried about Tia like this. He nodded and I hurried my pace so I can see her.
I couldn’t stand to look at her. She was shivering underneath 7 blankets and was sweating buckets. When she coughed, it sounded like she was dying. I couldn’t take seeing her like this. I turn my head in anger and sadness. Tears stream down my face as I remember the dream that was destroyed.
“It happened this morning. She was trying to eat, but she was just getting sicker,” Discord started. He knew I didn’t want to hear it, yet he kept going. “She was looking awful when I saw her; she looked very pale. When she tried to get up and leave, she fell and told me to take her here. Also, I think that she threw up on the way here.”
I heard Twilight come in and approach the bed. All three of us were looking down on a sick and weak pony. I can see that Twilight looked more astonished than sad at this; the only other time she’s seen the very powerful made weak was during the wedding. However, that was public and this was personal, at least for me anyway.
“Is she going to be O.K.?” Twilight whispered.
Discord and I look at each other with confusing looks on our faces. We’ve both seen Tia get sick many times before and usually, she’ll heal fast. That’s how Alicorns work. But now, she’s getting older, and none of us can do anything about it. Twilight should know that already.
Everything was silent as we all sat there, watching a princess be sick. All of a sudden, somepony comes in and turns up the lights. I squint at the brightness as I try to make out who it is. It was the castle doctor, Dr. Monitor. He walks up to the bed and waves to us to move out of the way. He checks the pulse on the monitor as it beats steadily and makes that beeping noise. He nods his head and turns around to the rest of us. In his white coat, he pulls out a brown folder. He hands it to me and I open it up.
“We have been trying to figure out what caused this sickness, but we’ve had no luck,” he states. “However, we have found out what this sickness is.”
“What is it?” Twilight asked.
“She’s suffering from a bad case of the stomach flu. She probably ate something bad and caught it.”
“Wow, really? That’s a relief. I actually thought she was gonna die for a second.” Discord puts his paw on his chest.
“Celestia should recover in about a week. She just needs to rest and take some medication.”
“Wait a minute, Doctor. So you’re trying to tell us that sister needs to spend the only break she’s gotten in the past 6 months fighting off some illness she only got a couple of days ago?” I was getting frustrated.
“Unfortunately, that’s the case. Life doesn’t take favorites you know,” Dr. Monitor started towards the door. “If there’s a rainbow after the storm, then there is a storm before the rainbow.”
I just stood there in disbelief at those words. That phrase is so overused, but it serves a purpose, a useful purpose. It teaches the rest of us that life is quite mean and vengeful, but it has its moments and those moments are what make us want to keep living. Patience is key if you want to get something. But I’m tired of waiting; I want it right now, and I think I know how to get it.
I run out of the room, knocking Discord and Twilight down and to my own bedroom. Right when I shut door, I get to work coming up with ideas on how to get what I want in a quick and timely matter. I’ve got ideas, and no pony’s going to stop me from getting what I want. I will get what I want. Even if it kills me.