It was into the beautiful starry night that Celestia, Princess of Equestria and the undeniable ruler of daylight, stared. Her long ethereal mane fluttered as a midsummer breeze passed the balcony on which she sat. A wistful sigh escaped her lips as her thoughts turned to memories born many millennia's ago. Like old parchment, she sifted through her memories slowly and delicately, remembering everything since the day of creation. She remembered when Luna first designed the night sky. She remembered the strain on her sister's alicorn body as she harnessed great magics to complete her work of art. She remembered the sheer beauty of the first evening and the joy and pride it gave Luna. The stars in the sky are just a vague reflection of the masterpiece it used to be. Soon, those stars will twinkle out.
This world is dying.
A clenching feeling in her stomach told her of the decay and the rot within the core. She also felt her magical bindings, holding this world together, flex taught as the energy within surged menacingly. When she spread her awareness into Equestria, she heard the cries of the plants and small animals, whose confused signals could only grasp that something is wrong. Celestia knew that unrest in the pony communities will soon follow.
Silently, her little sister landed by her side with a soft clunk of her hooves and a small flap of her wings to keep her steady."What has you so glum dear sister?"Luna approached Celestia with the graceful stride of nobility and nuzzled her. Celestia let her soothe her frets and worries. The familiar scent of Luna somehow calmed her pent up muscles and brightened up the cosmic display before her.
"Do you not feel it?" muttered Princess Celestia eventually, turning her violet gaze to her sibling.
"I have felt it every day since I returned to this world," responded Luna as she took a seat next to her. "Sometimes the moon refuses to rise from its slumber, only for me to push it in place. Tia, the moon should always want to light up the sky. I don't understand it."
"The stars grow tired..." both alicorns looked into the night sky."The end will come, if we do not act now. It looks like Mother was right. This was born to fail."
"No Mother is not right! We achieved everything we set out to do!"
Celestia shook her head as thousands of years of maturity examined and dismissed Luna's idealism. "Everything was so much simpler back then. We broke free of Mother's embrace to seek our own destinies. We formed this world in the Maelstrom of Time. However, she knew, she always knew that our world was flawed.
"Can't you see that this world lacks a soul? It breathes, it lives, yet it can't function for itself. Have you ever questioned why we control the sun and the moon? Why pegasi maintain the weather? We've kept it on life support, staving off its death for
thousands of years. And now, we've brought an entire pony civilisation into the mix."
"Ah sister," began Luna as she cast a comforting wing over her sister, "I've learnt recently that there is no point regretting past actions. Yes, mother may have banished us to the world we created but for every problem there is a solution."
"But there is only one solution..."
Luna gazed at the moon. Its rays of light illuminated the balcony with a comforting silver sheen. "Indeed there is."
Celestia, eyes widened from the calmness in Luna's voice. "You can't make me go through with that. What about My Little Ponies? What about Equestria?"
"They will rebuild. But more importantly, if all goes well, our world will have a soul. And then Mother and Father will have to acknowledge us. If we don't - " Luna paused as she herself struggled with the consequences "- Everything will die, including the ponies, including us."
"Oh how did things get this dire?" Celestia managed a weak smile. A rolling tear glistened in the moonlight, leaving a silver trail down her cheek. Luna strengthened her embrace. They sat in the darkness while the breeze whistled an ethereal tune.
Luna heard a soft purring snore as the weight on her shoulder increased tenfold. Somehow, waking Celestia up seemed like a poor idea. Celestia slept little nowadays; the pressure of ruling a nation and this recent development kept her fretting. Luna guided her dreams away from the dark nightmares and smiled as the white alicorn relaxed into a peaceful slumber.
"Do not worry; we will get through this." Luna found herself gazing across their realm. It was a magnificent view. From the Royal Canterlot Tower, nestled within a tangle of other and less ornate towers, she saw the Great Plains underneath the floating city of Cloudsdale whose rainbows lit up the night sky. To the north, she saw the great spire that dominated the Crystal Empire. To the south, she saw the sleepy town of Ponyville, nestled snugly against the Everfree Forest. This was their world, and it was beautiful.
Without warning, the Earth cried out in pain. Celestia awoke. Without even thinking, both sisters gathered their power and shot it straight into the mountainside. Like the roots of a great, old oak tree, the magic snaked through the rock. A soft cyan glow emanated from the mountain and long tendrils of magic held Canterlot tight in its embrace.
A few moments later, the earthquake struck.
The world shook around the unaware alicorns as they protected Canterlot's foundations. Tendrils of magic sewed together cracks in the mountain. Rocks fell onto the city only to hit an invisible barrier that crumbled them into dust. A tower toppled. But, like a striking cobra, the same magic caught and propped it back into place with the care of a skilled artisan.
Celestia's eyes shot open when a pony screamed. She left Luna to her work and took to the sky. Below her, she saw ruined houses in sections she could not protect. Rubble lay in the streets with casualties that cried pitifully for attention. Ponies ran from street to street, fleeing an unknown and terrifying danger. A grey unicorn stallion levitated rubble and threw it down an alley, revealing a crushed mint green mare laying still. Celestia heard his anguish.
As soon as the earthquake had arrived, it left. Celestia stared in horror as her helpless ponies struggled against the very city that they called home. Like a waiting predator, homes had swallowed families' whole, choking them in its embrace. Water pipes gave way, spurting a stream of liquid into the streets, drenching those that escaped and drowning those that could not. Other ponies just stood there dumbfounded, as realisation sunk in that they lost everything. Gas filled the air, choking Celestia with a foul odour. Pockets of Canterlot, exploded into a raging inferno as electricity lines crossed leaking gas mains. More ponies screamed, unable to do anything but flee the horror.
Without warning, Celestia fired a beam of golden light, digging a trench in the street to channel the water towards her. With a soft thump, she landed into a growing puddle of her creation. Legs splayed and her horn glowing, the runoff suddenly launched itself into the air in muddy brown columns the width of Canterlot castles spires. Exactly two seconds passed when torrential rainfall of the same liquid fell onto the many erupting fires.
She then flew from thatched building to slate building, raising each structure that fell and revealing the horrors that lay within. The rain drenched her fur and feathers, making flying an exhausting and laborious task. In the sky, Luna followed her example, her mane and tail, like hers, somehow resisting the weather as it floated ethereally.
They worked long and hard, stopping only to lower the moon and raise the sun. Canterlot overall, suffered only in the poorer district where the homes were not built from stone. It was a blessing, but Celestia could only focus on the dying and the dead. She held back a sob as cursed herself for not doing more.
In the afternoon, they held a wake for the fallen as was pony tradition after a disaster. The grand hall in Canterlot castle became a temporary sanctum. Row upon row of ponies lay peacefully on wooden stretchers; each one held a flower of varying colour and size in their hooves. Incense covered the growing stench of decay, making the room hot and stuffy. Candles lined every surface not in use as the main lights failed from power shortage. The stain glass windows, depicting recent and past glorious events, mocked the gathering as it cast rosy hues of colour into the room. By the throne, Princess Celestia stood with Princess Luna and stared into nothingness. Celestia had said only one thing. "As it was in time in memoriam, we watch over those whose flame has guttered, as a reminder to all that they are still our children." Like stoic sentinels of peace, they protected the sanctity of the hall. Ponies trudged between the rows and mourned silently, afraid to break the oppressive mask of silence.
The princesses performed their sombre duty for two days. They stood at the end of the hall, watching over the dead, with heads held high and wings half unfurled, as families mourned and priests performed the grim task of carrying those that began to return to the earth. Luna watched the tears flow down her sister's face while controlling the burning warmth at the corner of hers.
Canterlot remained in the grip of sorrow. Both princesses jumped into the administrative and political side of their occupation as they helped their beloved city recover. Reports from other towns trickled in. Princess Celestia heaved a sigh of relief as Princess Twilight Sparkle's friendship/damage report materialised in front of her the next day.
Dear Princess Celestia,
I am responding to a recent enquiry from you about the recent Earthquake that struck during the evening three days ago.
Ponyville suffered much damage during the first seconds of the earthquake. It turns out that the structural integrity of Ponyville's houses are not designed to accommodate a shifting ground mass. Many structures lost walls or just fell entirely. However, I was able to save most of the town centre and surrounding area through a spell that counters each shift of the ground by an equal shift in the other direction.
However, I did not anticipate the depth to which earthquakes struck. Cracks and fractures have appeared in the rock far below, where the borders of my spell met the moving rock. Further monitoring and analysis will take place to ensure the future of Ponyville's foundations.
To summarise, there has been major structural damage, leaving the outskirts of Ponyville ruined and many homeless. The good news is that no deaths and only a few injuries (none serious) have been reported.
As to me, I am fine. Finally, I'm starting to get some flight practise with these new wings of mine. Also my friends have helped tremendously to rally the good ponies of Ponyville to rebuild their town. Renovations, repair and reconstruction will approximately take a year to return Ponyville to as it was.
In short, I have learnt that you can always rely on your friends to help you in any situation and together, you can overcome any obstacle that lies before you.
Still and forever your faithful student,
Princess Twilight Sparkle
A couple of days later, a letter from the Crystal Empire, written by the hoof of Princess Cadence, arrived.
Dear Princess Celestia,
It is with a heavy heart that I write this letter.
Times are hard here in the crystal empire. The Earthquake struck without warning. With a rumble like the growl of a Dread Hound, it swept ponies off their feet and inspired fear in their hearts.
Then some of the buildings shattered. At first they were there, then they weren't. Some exploded with such force that deadly shards slew the ponies where they stood.
This is why I have to keep to this letter short. Shining armour and I are needed in just about every part of my kingdom, to heal the hurt and comfort those that have lost a loved one.
My duty requires me to ask this from you. I know Canterlot will have its own problems but I require medical supplies. Our hospitals are full with the dead and the dying. We have run out of bandages, completely. And antibiotics and other medications are in short supply.
I cannot help them by myself.
Yours sincerely,
Princess Mi Amore Cadenza
Later, after they sanctioned a train full of supplies to the Crystal Empire, the alicorns met for breakfast.
Luna entered the royal dining room. She turned her nose up at the bright white and yellow decor. She felt exposed as the only dark object in this unbearably bright room. Her hooves clopped softly on the marble floor. Some good quality slate would really add some colour into this sea of white. She absently flicked a chandelier with her magic, sending it rocking from side to side. The mounted diamonds twinkled in the light like an expensive disco ball. She met Celestia by the massive bay windows that overlooked the gardens.
"This will happen again," said Luna.
"I fear as much." Celestia took a couple of scones and a slice of cake from the hastily prepared table. She suspiciously glanced to either side of her before scoffing her food with no pretence for propriety.
"Stressed?" asked Luna, risking a small smile. It had been a long time since laughter filled the castle.
"I'm just so....hungry!"Celestia stuffed an entire pastry in her mouth. Her eyes rolled back as a tart lemon taste overwhelmed her taste buds.
"Just please, remember to chew this time. You're not a duck!" Celestia gave her an unapproving stare before returning to her royal duty of destroying the buffet table.
"I haven't eaten since before the wake!" said Celestia as she tried to justify her behaviour like a young filly. "I can't remember when food tasted this good!"
Luna flicked a cupcake with her magic onto her plate. With a small fork and sensible portions, she provided a complete contrast to her glutton of a sister.
It only took Celestia fifteen minutes to polish off the cake, the cupcakes, the pastries and the cereal. She laid there with a fully extended belly, moaning in pleasure amidst a sea of crumbs, bits of frosting and an unused plate.
"Sister look at you," said Luna with mocking concern.
"Don't care." mumbled Celestia.
Luna pointed to the remnants that survived Celestia's frontal assault. "Look at the mess you've made."
"Don't care."
"Ponies are going to talk about this..."
"Don't care."
"...About you."
"Don't care."
"Well I'll see you in the garden in an hour. We need to talk...where we can be totally alone." With that, Luna left the dining room; her dark blue mane and tail brushed against the doorframe.
It took Celestia some time to get her head away from the euphoria that was complete satiation. She sheepishly left the messed up dining room and quickly made herself presentable. She casually strolled into the garden. The sight of tweeting birds lifted her spirits. The koi in a pond greeted her by swimming near the surface and showing off their brightly coloured scales. She smiled as a cool breeze rustled the nearby trees, bringing with it the scent of carefully tended flowers. She trotted around the corner and into a small hedgerow. Behind it lay a small clearing. Small flowers littered the ground, giving a speckled look to the sea of grass. Luna stood in the centre, reciprocating her smile.
"Feeling better?" The smaller alicorn asked.
Celestia blushed. "Much, although I feel queasy after all the sugar."
"Celestia, you ate so much sugar you could put a bakery out of business!" said Luna, throwing her front hooves into the air.
"Not Pinkie Pie's..."
Luna halted in her mocking assault. Her hoof touched the lip of her mouth as she lost herself in thought. "Well...I guess if a bakery could put up with that filly's appetite, then nothing could stop it."
Celestia nodded. "My point exactly. You know, we should visit them again sometime. It would always be nice to see my faithful student again."
"Tia..."
"I wonder if Rarity could set me something up for the next damnable Galloping Gala."
"Tia..."
"It was so boring last time."
"CELESTIA!" Luna shook her head violently and stamped her hoof in frustration. "Stop trying to avoid the subject. You know as well as I about why we're here."
Celestia recoiled in shock. Her ears lowered to her skull and, for a couple of moments, she hung her head. "Forgive me sister," she mumbled. "I just don't want this."
"It must be done. We cannot wait any longer. That earthquake was the first sign."
"I know."
Luna, with her darker shade of magic, closed the gap in the hedge, sealing them in. "We need to find a soul for this world. For that we will need Seers."
Celestia kept her eyes downcast. Luna continued. "We need to find ponies with natural affinity with Equestria itself. They are out there...I can feel them."
Celestia nodded. She, like Luna, knew the plan but somehow, saying it aloud made it official. Quietly, Celestia took over the conversation, "They will need training. This amount of power will not come through innate abilities alone. They will need it if they are to wield the magic that binds our world together. And then, we will show them the ritual and they will give the world its soul."
"Do you think we can train them in time?" asked Luna.
"I don't know. But we will try."
Luna nodded, "We shall find these ponies and train them. Sounds simple enough."
"Yes about that..." muttered the white alicorn. For a moment time stood still for Luna. How could this part of the plan turn sour? This is supposed to be the easy part. "I will not be able to aid you in this. I have to remain in Canterlot and calm a kingdom full of worried ponies. You will need to find them and train them yourself."
"But...you're the teacher!" cried Luna. "You've had century's worth of experience whereas I...I tried to create eternal darkness."
"Luna," said Celestia, firmly but reassuringly, "I have every faith in your abilities."
"But...but."
"You will do fine. Plus, it's not like I will be gone." Luna picked up the lie. She narrowed her eyes on her sister. Celestia sighed, "Ok, I may be. You need your strength to train these ponies. Controlling the moon will sap you of your power. So, I will take this duty from you. I will carry the burden of a kingdom as well as both day and night. I do this to leave you free, so you can save this world." Luna began to protest but Celestia silenced her with a hug. "Please, trust me. This has to happen if we want to succeed."
"But you're the teacher. You should teach those ponies, I'll hold the kingdom together."
"I've raised both sun and moon for a thousand years, it will sap my strength less than if you did it. Plus My Little Ponies aren't used to seeing you on the throne. You may...spark some panic."
"Because they see me as Nightmare Moon?" said Luna. Notes of hurt floated in her voice.
Celestia simply said, "Yes," and hugged her sister harder. "One day they will see you for who you are not who you were. I promise."
"If there is a one day." Luna pushed off her sister. "Fine, I will acquiesce. Just know, as soon as I can, I will be by your side, performing my duty like I should." Luna quickly turned tail and shot into the sky: a small black object in a perfectly blue sky.
"I have no doubt about it," said Celestia as her gaze followed the dark shape in the brilliant morning sky.