1: Her Name Was Celeste
Twilight Sparkle raced through the streets of Canterlot. She would normally have to avoid most ponies, but now that she was a princess, they pretty much avoided her. She hated it.
As she passed by Canterlot’s most famous donut café, Donut Joe waved Twilight over.
“Princess Twilight! I haven’t seen you or yer friends here in a long, long time! How’s life?”
Twilight sighed. “It could be better. These ponies treat me like I have the Cutie Pox! They avoid me and fall over their hooves bowing. It’s not like I’ll yell at them or anything!”
Joe smiled and handed Twilight a cup of hot chocolate with donuts. “Ye’ll get used to it in no time, I assure ye. I’ve known a few important ponies with that problem.”
Twilight tilted her head curiously. “Really? Like who?”
Donut Joe smiled. “Why, the princesses of course.”
Twilight choked on her chocolate and spewed the hot liquid all over the table. “Wh-what! But– how did– huh?”
The café owner leaned closer. “Keep this between us, Twilight Sparkle, but the princesses like to live normally too.”
He turned around to grab a washcloth for the now soaked table. “I got two regulars unda’ the names Sunny Skies and Silver Moonlight. Act an awful lot like sisters to me.”
Twilight stared in shock. “I-I never knew that… Why didn’t they tell me?”
Joe smiled again. “Do ye really think that ponies wouldn’t pay attention to a pink unicorn with a sun cutie mark hanging around the Princess’s personal student?”
Twilight flushed in embarrassment. “Oh, heh right.” She looked at the clock on the wall. “Well, I’d better get going soon. I was planning on visiting Pr– er, Celestia, for an impromptu magic lesson.”
The café owner waved as Twilight headed toward Canterlot’s main attraction and most safely guarded area. “See ye soon Miss– er, Princess Twilight Sparkle!”
Twilight reached Canterlot Castle, raced up the steps in anticipation of meeting her mentor, and stopped short of the throne room. She heard voices from within.
"-your highness. So, as I was saying, the terms of negotiation must be according to Griffon Law."
The sweet, motherly voice of Celestia now had a sharp edge to it. "I'm afraid not, Commander. These terms simply would not work near the deer's forestland."
The rough, grating voice of who Twilight assumed was the Griffin Commander now sent chills down her back. "Well then, I suppose-"
Twilight sneezed.
The massive double doors, one half a golden sun and the other half a silver moon, swung open and Celestia strode out, her multicolored sparkling mane swimming through an invisible sea.
"Twilight Sparkle, whatever are you doing here, my dear?"
Twilight started in fear. "Well, uh, I actually came to ask you some questions about magic, but seeing that you're busy at the moment, I'll, uh, wait till tomor-"
Celestia smiled, calming Twilight's nerves. "It's fine, Twilight. How about you wait in the Castle Library until I'm finished?"
Twilight grinned at the mention of books. "Thank you, Pr- uh, I mean Celestia. Ooh! Maybe I'll find what I'm looking for in there!"
Celestia nuzzled her affectionately. "Have a good day Twilight!"
As Twilight left, Celestia muttered something to herself.
"I hope the goodness lasts."
~*^*~
Meanwhile, a creature stirred in a hollow block of ice-like crystal. The refracted light lit up a single white feather.
White, tipped with red.
Its golden eyes opened. There was the scratching sound of scraping talons as it twitched.
Not from anger.
From impatience.
It wanted to see her. See ‘Lestie again. And it would. If she was sick, it would heal her. If she was gone, it would find her.
And if she was dead, it would bring her back. No matter the cost.
~*^*~
Twilight sighed. She levitated another book in front of her. ‘The Magical Rulers of Harmony’.
Twilight loved books. She really did. But sometimes it felt like they just weren't enough. Every book was about the glory of their rulers, or the fabulosities of magic.
What about the magic of the rulers themselves?
How did Celestia raise the sun?
Where were the royal sisters from?
Would they teach her their magic?
Was Equestria its own planet?
Are planets round?
And how the hay was she supposed to figure this out without offending anyone?
In her frustration, she slammed her little muzzle into the thick wooden table. Gritting her teeth in pain, she started to leave the room when she saw it.
Right in front of her. Before her very eyes. A damaged book. In Celestia's Library.
"I am so dead..." Twilight muttered, running over to inspect the torn tome.
But it was not a busted book. It was a dingy diary.
Twilight bit her lip nervously. She WAS in a public library… Maybe just a few pages would be okay.
That couldn't hurt, right?
“Sedemnajstega oktober… Njenega lady-canstvo Celeste Helios-Selene.”
Twilight frowned. This was in ancient unicorn, which would take a bit of time to translate. Fabulous.
Her eyes narrowed in determination. She would get through this book, no matter the cost. She will not leave any page unread! She was Princess Twilight Zvezda Sparkle, former librarian of Ponyville.
“Let’s see… Ha! ‘Seventeenth of October… Of Her Ladyship Celeste Helios-Selene’!”
Twilight tilted her head sideways in bewilderment.
“Who the hay is Celeste Helios-Selene?”
~*^*~
Celestia breathed a silent sigh of relief as the tall, rather plump, griffon snarled its way out of the castle. There seemed to be only one noble griffon in the entire kingdom. And he was, of course, probably dead.
What had happened to him? Was he truly dead? The weight and heat of molten rock could not possibly have left him alive. Those days were so long ago, also. Thousands of years, in fact.
Celestia gracefully slipped down the hallway to go to Luna’s room. Her sister was the best person to go to in times of comfort. Alicorns were really good huggers.
Speaking of alicorns, Celestia remembered Twilight. She would quickly stop by the library before meeting her sister.
Then she froze.
From down the hallway, she heard Twilight’s voice.
“… Ha! ‘Seventeenth of October… Of Her Ladyship Celeste Helios-Selene’!
Who the hay is Celeste Helios-Selene?”
She could not let Twilight see that book. Not one single page.
You’ve come, such a long, long way…
The words haunted her as she raced through the corridors.
And I’ve watched you, from that very first day…
Run faster, don’t let her read it!
To see how you might grow,
To see what you might do,
To see what you’ve been through,
And all the ways you’ve made me proud of you…
No, no, no!
It’s time for you, to fulfill your destiny…
“Twilight Sparkle!”
~*^*~
Author's Note
Yay, Chapter 1 of a new story when my other one is on hiatus !
So proud of myself...
2: Moonlit Pools
“Twilight Sparkle! Drop that book at once!”
Twilight squeaked in surprise. “P-princess! What’s wrong? I was j-just reading it ‘cause it was in the library and–”
The book was firmly encased in the kind, yet iron grip of Celestia’s golden magic.
Twilight’s eyes welled up with tears at the cold expression on her mentor’s face, which quickly softened to sympathy.
“Twilight,” Celestia gently said, “I am not angry with you. I simply wish to protect you from certain… things. Not all books are meant for everypony.”
Twilight hung her head. “I’m sorry Princess– erm, Celestia. I just found it lying on the ground in front of that statue of Queen Heliopause and–“
Celestia interrupted her. “In front of Heliopause?” she asked urgently, “Are you sure?”
“Y-yes, I mean, I just saw it lying there and went to pick it up, and then I just felt… compelled, I guess, to read it.”
“So the prophecy is true,” Celestia murmured to herself, “She is destined to be the Queen of Blood.”
Twilight looked up at her teacher. “What?”
Celestia’s eyes widened, then settled back to normal with a glazed look of uncertainty. “Nothing, my dear. I’m sorry for keeping you waiting for so long. Your friends are probably worried by now.”
Twilight’s eyes widened at the mention of leaving the book behind. “Oh no! They, uh know that I'll be out all day so it's fine-”
Celestia forcibly smiled. “I just received a letter from Spike asking where you were.”
Twilight sighed and teleported out of that library into the streets of Canterlot, crashing right into an elderly old apple green mare.
Her eyes widened in shock as she realized who it was. “Granny Smith! Are you okay? Oh my gosh, I am so sorry!”
The old mare’s eyes opened, revealing golden-orange orbs that looked as if they had never lost their shine.
“Eeh? Whasat?”
Twilight put on a weak smile. “It’s me, Granny. Your granddaughter’s best friend Twilight Sparkle.”
Granny wrinkled her nose. “ Limelight Sprinkles? Wha’ kinda name’s that?”
Twilight cleared her throat. “Twilight Sparkle.”
“Donut Twinkle? Which un’s yer real name?”
“Twi-light-Spar-kle.”
“Eh?”
Twilight gritted her teeth in frustration. “TWILIGHT SPARKLE!”
Granny Smith sighed and rolled her eyes. “Oh… Well, why didn’t ya say so in th’ first place, Miss Twa-light.”
“It’s TWIlight.”
“Twa-light.”
“TWIlight.”
“What’s yer name again?”
Twilight facehoofed. “Ahem, anyway, sorry about bumping into you. I’m on my way to research someone named Celeste Helios-Selene back in my library in Ponyville, so see you later.”
Granny Smith gave a wide grin. “Ooh! Ah knew her when she was just a lil’
filly!”
Twilight whirled around. “What? Bu–how–d–guh, how?”
“Cuz ah helped her a’course,” Granny replied to Twilight’s elegantly formed sentence.
Twilight said another grammatically wonderful sentence. “Buwgah…”
Granny rolled her eyes in exasperation, and swiftly whacked the flabbergasted alicorn with her purse.
Twilight thudded to the ground.
Granny Smith sighed and began to drag the purple pony towards the train station.
“Th’ things ah have t’ do these days… Pity she ain’t as light as that young ‘un Lula was.”
~*^*~
Twilight woke up to the refreshing smell of wood and apple pie. She opened her oddly heavy eyelids and found herself in a warm room with a concerned Applejack standing by her.
“Ya alright there sugarcube?”
Twilight groaned and rubbed a small lump next to her horn. “Never been better.”
Applejack sighed. “Sorry ‘bout that. She can get a bit… impatient, ah s’pose.”
“I noticed. Anyways, thanks for your help, but I’d better get going. I don’t think I should leave Spike alone at the library again–”
Applejack shook her head. “No can do, Twi. Ya got a bump on yer head ‘bout as big as yer horn. Ya better get some rest.”
“I WHAT?!”
~*^*~
After Applejack had left the now dark and moonlit room, Twilight noticed the old book lying by the table.
Her eyes widened when she saw the year on it.
“No way,” she murmured to herself, “This can’t be the same book.”
Completely disregarding Celestia’s warning, she opened to page one.
~*^*~
“Lestie!”
Ow.
“Lestie!”
What…? Huh, was that Lula-–
“CELESTE!”
“Ah!”
A small blue pegasus filly sat and watched as a tall, lanky pink unicorn fell out of bed.
The pale pink pony dazedly pushed herself up.
“Lula! You know the rules; no jumping, leaping, diving, nor any such activity that involves going up in the air and landing on the bed. Do I make myself clear?”
The dark blue filly leaned closer.
“What’cha say, sis? Oh, and, uh, you got a little something near your eye right ther–“
“Oh, come on!”
~*^*~
After an hour of brushing her rose-colored mane and searching for a spell to fix the bruise near her eye (most of that time spent fixing the bruise), Celeste was able to render it nearly invisible. Although it still hurt, it was a good thing she had done that.
“Mother, are you sure that the dignitaries are coming today? ”
Celeste looked up at a tall, regal unicorn, who had a long, pale blue mane and a creamy-pink coat. Elected the representative of Hollow Shades, or it’s original name “Votle Senčniki,” Lady Calypso Helios-Selene was well known by many famous ponies, including Princess Platinum.
Even though the three pony tribes had united to form Equestria, Pegasi, Unicorns, and Earth Ponies tended to remain to themselves, however. Thus, Hollow Shades primarily housed unicorns. Of course there were exceptions. Lula, for example had been born a pegasus in a family of unicorns. This had caused numerous rumors about bloodlines, but the family had checked the records hundreds of times and had never found a single flaw. When they checked her however, every test had proved her to be pure pegasus, with not a single drop of unicorn blood. Some speculated that she had been taken in, but she bore an uncanny resemblance to Calypso. In fact, the only difference was her dark blue coat.
The taller unicorn turned her head delicately toward her elder daughter, her teal eyes secretly smiling.
“Yes, Celeste, they are coming. Although, I believe that you would be happy to see them.”
Celeste snorted. “Since when have I been happy to see politicians? All they do is lie.”
“‘Good afternoon,’ lied the politician,” she mimicked in a high voice.
Lula came running in through the massive golden double doors, her mane scruffy and her feathers ruffled.
She leaped into her seat. “Ooh! I know! Is it Aunt Cadenza? And Liltizinn?”
Calypso’s eyes twinkled a yes.
Celestia’s ears perked up. “Aunt Cadance? And Lilt?”
Lula smiled. “Yup!”
“Wait a second,” started Celeste, “How could you possibly know that before me?”
“Because I saw them through the window. They looked kinda weird though. I mean, their guards were like SOAKED in blood.”
“What?!” cried two simultaneous voices.
~*^*~
Celeste panted as she ran down the stairs. Night had fallen, and Cadance had still not woken up.
Cadance was the current ruler of the Crystal Empire. Unlike other regions, the Crystal Empire had been its own nation, slowly conquering the frozen north. Emperor Sombra Solanáceas had originally ruled it. After he had become hungry for power, Cadance, or Mi Amore Cadenza II, had been able to create a jewel to capture and amplify the power of love. This later became known as the Crystal Heart. After a large rebellion, Cadance had been able to gain power, thus driving Sombra away into the ice.
Cadance wasn’t really her aunt. They were simply close to her family, and acted pretty informally toward each other. Cadance had at first been married to Prince Blueblood, Princess Platinum’s brother, but after a tragic accident involving a poisoned wedding cake, Cadance ruled the Crystal Empire alone.
Celeste smiled as she ran back up the stairs carrying buckets of water. At least her “aunt” had Lilt. Lilt, or Liltizinn, was the same age as her. He was only ten times as fun. He was pretty much hers and Lula’s favorite visitor, and had even managed to make the usually stoic Calypso laugh.
Finally, the pale pink unicorn reached the oak door leading to the infirmary. She opened the door using her golden magic aura, and was careful enough to shut it behind her. She levitated the buckets over to the orange-maned nurse, who gave a kind, yet tired, smile.
“Thank you, dearie. I’m sure she’ll be fine from here.”
The unconscious elderly mare rested delicately on the bed, her pink and gold hair swirling over the pillows, slightly streaked with silver. Her dark pink coat was unblemished, except for a long, jagged cut that ran from the base of her foreleg to her wings. Her breathing was erratic, and the cut was still bleeding despite Peach Heart’s efforts.
Celeste scrunched up her nose in worry. “Are you sure there’s nothing I can do to help, Nurse Peach Heart?”
The pale gold mare smiled. “I’m sure, Celeste. Now why don’t you go calm down Liltizinn? He’s been pacing around in here constantly until I sent him off. Knowing him, he’ll be in the observatory.”
Celeste’s eyes widened. “Oh! I, uh, actually didn’t think of that… Thank you Peach Heart!”
“No problem, sweetie. Now go, shoo!”
~*^*~
Twilight’s eyes blinked in confusion. She had read this for the first time, right? Then why did it seem familiar? Like– like a memory.
She sighed, leaning back onto her pillow. Maybe Applejack was right. She should get some rest.
She yawned, and just before she closed her eyes, she saw the last remnants of a few clouds in the sky. They shimmered as they went under the moon, looking like pools.
“Like… moonlit pools…” she murmured as she drifted off to sleep.
As soon as she fell asleep, all was silent. Until that was broken by a sparkling sound.
Twilight was still asleep. But her horn was alight.
And her magic was red.
Author's Note
Finally, Chapter 2! A huge apology to those who had to wait so long... I got... well, distracted. Consider this a Valentine's Day gift. 
