Burning
The pain coursing through my body and the smell of burnt flesh brought me back into conciseness that I unknowingly had lost. My body felt hot, uncomfortably hot, like I was standing next to the sun. Why? Why do I feel like this? What's going on? The only way to find out was to open my eyes. Slowly my eyes open to view the world around me.
I wish I hadn't. Smoke and flame entered my vision. My eyes watered immediately as the heat stung my eyes. I however, did not close them, I could not close them. I had to see it, see it all.
In time I was able to see through my watery vision. Along with the smoke and fire ash was falling all around me. Even though it is off color it reminds me of snow. The flames I see are feeding off the debris that they are rising from. The debris is made of wood and other flammable material. What they once were I can not tell. Some sort of structure or structures perhaps but beyond that I don't know.
Movement catches my eye and I look. It is close by and on the ground. It is slowly dragging along the ground carried by the wind. It takes me a moment to recognize what it is. It is a stetson, though it is burnt, not doubt by what ever caused this mess. I continue to watch it drag across the ground until it is stopped by something in it's path. The hat stopping object is organic. Most of everything on it is brunt but I can see a bit of what might be yellow fur and some pink at the end which looks like what suppose to be a tail.
I hear screaming. Some in pain others in worry or despair. There is one voice that is coming closer but I think little of it as I return to looking around. Now I see that there are other objects like the first around me. All of them are burnt, some more then others. One of them in particular, a unicorn is chard completely. I count five of them and from the looks of it they seem to have been trying to protect something. Oddly there is something familiar about them. It's hard to think and now I feel something wet and warm flowing down from my forehead. I try thinking hard as to why these...bodies seem so familiar to me. The pain which I had forgotten has now come back like it is purposely trying to prevent me from reaching my answer. I do not give up. I push forward and...and I get my answer. Tears are rolling down my face but it is not because of the stinging sensation coming from the flames. My friends...my friends are dead. They died protecting me. I will never see them again. I won't hear the laugh. I won't see them cry. I will never be able to hear them speak or make wonderful memories with them ever again. I feel a void open up in my heart and consume everything good within it leaving me empty.
The voice from before but now it is join by others. They are calling my name, they are looking for me. Not just me however, for among the voices I here other names being called. Names belonging to my friends. My friends who will never answer back. I look up into the sky and through the smoke I see glimpses of the bight blue sky and the sun. I open my mouth despite my lips being dry. I took in a deep breath and...
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I screamed, I screamed in sorrow and despair, in the lost of my friends and for myself.
The eyes of Princess Twilight Sparkle shot open. She gasped for air in a greedy manner and then Panting followed shortly after. She was laying on her back and upon something soft. She would have sat up if it wasn't for the pain that ran through her body as her muscles tighten in her attempt to move. While trying to calm down she took a look at her surroundings. She was in a dull white room. The room was bear besides a door on the wall in front of her and the window on the right wall. The reddish glow coming in through the window told Twilight that it was sometime in the late afternoon.
Twilight's breathing finally returned back to normal. All across her body she felt cold patches covering her. pushing through the dulling pain she checked to see what was the cause of said patches. Her eyes shrunk slightly at realizing what it was. There were bandages placed over parts of her body. The cold feeling was probably some sort of gel that had been placed on the bandages before being applied to her body. Giving herself another look she found that her wings were still there and not badly damage. That gave her some relief for she had gotten quite attached to them.
Once she conformed that she was alright albeit in pain and bandages, her mind began to wonder. What had happen? why was she in this room? Where was this room located? They were the question to first plague her mind. Soon however, her thoughts turned to what she had been doing before waking up in the white room.
She had gone to the spring fair in Canterlot with her friends and then... smoke and fire filled her mind and all the feelings that came with that memory came flooding back into her. Her eyes began to tear up. Her friends...her friends were...
At that exact moment the door opened to reveal the regal form of Princess Celestia, Twilight's former mentor and fellow Princess. Seeing Twilight awake Celestia's mouth carved into a small smile. "It is good to see you awake my faithful friend." She spoke softly, trotting to Twilight's bedside.
Twilight looked up at the Alicorn mare with tear filled eyes. "My friends...My friends are..."
"Are ok, in fact they are helping the Royal Guards in clearing up the fair grounds. They wanted to stay around to see if you were ok but when the request for help was sent out they just couldn't stand by and do nothing."
Tears fell down Twilight's face but they were not of sorrow but of joy. "They're alive! thank goodness they are ok." Princess remained quite allowing her former student to cry uninterrupted.
After a few minutes of crying Twilight wiped away the last of her tears with a hoof. "What happened? All I remember is heading into the fair grounds with my friends."
Celestia nodded sagely. "I see, the blast must of cause temporary memory loss." Seeing the bewildered look on Twilight's face she continued on. "I would like to know what happened through you point of view but that will have to wait. For now I'll tell you what I know. There was an explosion on the fair grounds this morning. there are some wounded as well...as...a few dead." Uncomfortable silence descend onto the two Alicorns. It took a full five minutes before Celestia spoke again but in a more somber voice. "They found you on top of a wreaked plushie stand. The force of the blast must of sent you flying into it. Though even with your 'soft landing' it is a pleasant surprise that the only injuries you sustained were minor first degree burns and some bruises."
Twilight nodded along with what Celestia was saying but by the time she had finished speaking Twilight had a question. "What about my friends? weren't they with me?" she asked.
Celestia shook her head. "No and from what they told in the very little time I was able to talk to them they told me that you had separated from the group in order to find a popular book that was being sold at one of the stands. You wanted to get one before they sold out but didn't want to take time away from their fun having them follow you as you try to locate this infamous book stand."
"Sounds like me" Twilight giggle a little before cringing in pain. Seeing this Celestia lowered her head and nuzzled Twilight's head.
"Rest now Twilight, You had enough excitement for one day. We can continue this later with your friends once you have recovered." Celestia smiled sweetly at the mare in bed. Twilight replied with a nod. "If you need anything there are guards outside so don't hastate to ask." Again Twilight nodded but not as much as the first one.
Satisfied Celestia turned around and headed to the door. Celestia reached out with her magic and grabbed the doorknob but stopped short of opening it. She turned her head back to Twilight. "Good Night Twilight Sparkle."
"Good Night Pr- Celestia." Twilight replied, her eyelids slowing closing. Celestia smiled before opening the door and leaving the room.
Fifteen minutes later Princess Twilight Sparkle's hospital room was engulfed in an explosion killing it's sole occupant.
Princess Luna, the Mare of the Night and the Guardian of Dreams sat quietly at her oak desk filling out paperwork under the evening sky. Before her lay Missives, status reports, complaints and any other combination of ink and paper that had succeeded in passing the triple screening process to even get a chance to be glanced at by one of the Equestrian princesses. Two years ago when the Equestrian government begun it's reform a pony told Luna that sitting at a desk reading paper after paper was much easier and less strenuous then holding court of which the former was replacing.
That pony was a big fat Liar. Going through paperwork was nothing new to Luna. She had done such a duty even before her banishment to the moon. Now with the workload tripled an less time to do anything else she had already begun to miss listening to her subjects no matter how silly some topics could get. Thankfully there was a light at the end of the tunnel. After today she will be able to rid herself of these damnable papers on top of her desk. Princess Luna's salvation came in the form of a trip to Saddle Arabia. It was no vacation. She had duties to attended to once there, but never-the-less it was a welcome change. Princess Luna also had plans to invite a particular group consisting of five mares. There was however, a pony she needed to talk to first.
Seven minutes after the lowering of the sun and raising of the moon, Princess Luna, with great enthusiasm finished the time consuming paperwork. Princess Luna immediately rose to her hooves and stretched. Once satisfied she made her way to the door and the two stoic Lunar Guards standing next to it. Opening it with her magic she stepped through it without slowing down.
Two more guards stood on the other side. They took a second to confirm that it was their Princess of the Night who was coming out before resuming their silent watch. The two guards from the room followed Luna out taking positions besides her as she continued to her next destination.
Cantorlot castle was no longer the colorful open place it once was. The castle always had its Royal Guards, but they seem to fit into the background not taking away the beauty of the castle itself. Now a pony could not take a step onto the grounds without seeing several squads of armored ponies making their rounds; and that was only if said pony was even allowed to enter castle grounds. The castle had become a cage of isolation, separating the Princess for the ponies they were suppose guide and protect. Luna hated it all but there was nothing she could do but grin and bare it. The decrees and government reform had came fast and hard. Luna was to late to stop it from starting and due to her lack of support she was unable to halt it. The only way for things to return to the way they were was to convinced the one who had made the changes in the first place, Her sister Princess Celestia. That however, was a matter for another day. Now, in the castle wing belonging to her sister and in front of the door of the Sun princess's Study a battle of words and logic was about to begin.
Instead of waiting for one of the guard to announce her as protocol demands Princess Luna knocked on the door herself. The two ponies standing guard flashed her a nervous glance, fearful of their solar Princess reaction to braking protocol.
"Who is it?" A monotone voice called out from behind the door.
"It's your sister, I wish to speak with you." Princess Luna answered sternly.
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"Come in."
"The two of you will stay here." Princess Luna ordered her guards before entering the room. Princess Luna was greeted with a sight that mirrored her study not to long ago. The only difference was that it was Princess Celestia behind the desk and not her.
Princess Celestia waited till one of the guards closed the door before speaking. "What do you wish to talk about Princess Luna. Princess Celestia said in a cold and distant tone, not even looking up at her sister. What irony that the Princess of the sun acted so unlike the celestial body she controlled. Princess Luna found it almost unbelievable that this was the same pony who broke down sobbing as she tried to give an eulogy of the late Princess Twilight. All the while apologizing to family and friends for not protecting her better.
"It's about the trip to Saddle Arabia."
Princess Celestia levitated a stamp from it's resting place and pressed down on the paper below it. "So you have changed your mind about sending ambassador Fleur instead?" The stamp once again was lifted up into the air.
"No, I wish to bring the element bearers." Princess Luna announced. In truth she need not ask her sister for permission, however It would be a bad idea to take the five mares with her without at least informing Princess Celestia.
The stamp stopped moving through the air. Princess Celestia finally looked up at her younger sister. Her icy glare would have made a lesser pony pee themselves. Princess Celestia gently place the stamp down on it's inkpad. "Leave us, I wish to speak to Princess Luna alone. Wishing not to upset their Princess the two guards did as they were ordered. One guard hesitated, ready to look back but a chill flowing down his spine convinced him to continue forward.
Now that it was just the two of them Princess Celestia dropped the mask of indifference reveling a disdained expression. "Luna, It would be unwise to take the bearers anywhere outside of Equestia. We need them here in case of an emergency."
"They need a break Tia." Princess Luna sighed. "Time away from work and the training you forced them into, they're not soldiers." Luna spoke calmly.
"That's right they're not soldiers which is exactly why they need to stay here and continue their training." Princess Celestia roared, slamming her forehooves down hard on her desk. Princess Luna swore she saw her sister's eyes burst into flames for s moment or two. "If two years of training isn't enough for normal cadets to become Royal guards then it is defiantly not enough for regular ponies." She sneered.
The furiousness within Princess Celestia's words surprised Princess Luna but she was determined to hold her ground. "Tia, Sister, You need to stop. They do not have the same motivation our cadets have to become armed defenders of Equestia. They just want to live normal lives...well as normal as it can get." She let out a heavy sigh. "Besides we no longer have the elements in our possession. They are still with the Tree of Harmony. Even if we were to take them again we are still short a bearer."
Princess Celestia opened her mouth to retort but Was stopped by Princess Luna. "Oh, don't think I haven't seen your plans to re- to find a pony capable of welding the element of Magic. So far you only have two candidates and one of them has been living in that...'human world' for years. Come on sister, let me give them this."
Princess Celestia removed her hooves from the desk which now had two sizeable dents in it. The Solar monarch lowered her head, breaking eye contact with her sister. "Fine, do what you want." she grunted. "But you only have two days. I doubt any of them will be able to go on such short notice."
Princess Luna smiled inwardly "That's not a problem I sent out invitations weeks ago and they all said yes, even Rainbow Dash." Princess Celestia flash her a disapproving glare but said nothing. Princess Luna was about to turn around to leave when an idea entered her head. "You could join us too I-"Princess Luna stopped suddenly upon meting Princess Celestia's fiery gaze.
"I'M IN CHARGE OF A COUNTRY HERE. I CAN NOT AND WILL NOT WASTE TIME VACATIONING UNDER THE PRETENSE OF MEETING WITH FOREIGN LEADERS IN THEIR HOMELAND." Celestia yelled.
"sister"
"Or do you believe me inadequate in my duties that I need to be replaced. I'm I so incapable of taking care of my ponies that I have to 'take time off' until I am deemed sufficient enough lead them again?"
"Tia please..." Luna spoke weakly.
"Maybe this is how you plan to take over Equestia like you tried to do as Nigh-"
"I'M WORRIED THAT I'M GOING TO LOSE YOU SISTER." Princess Luna screamed over Princess Celestia's ranting stopping her completely. silence fall upon the Study as both mares proceeded to came down.
"Tia, While I promised to never enter your dreams without your permission I can still sense when you are sleeping. You barely sleep for more then five hours a day and when you dream I can tell even without entering that they are nightmares. Sis...sister I'm scarred I'm going to lose the only family I have left to madness and fear." Luna paused but Princess Celestia said nothing to counter her sister. "You're holding up now, you've been since Tw-since her funeral but even you have a limit. How long...how long till the sister I love can't take no more and breaks under the pressure?" Princess Luna pleaded.
Princess Celestia remained silent. Her fiery rage dissipated into nothing more then cooling steam. Princess Celestia simply hung her head low with a forlorn expression on her face. The Princesses sat in silence for what felt like hours. Finally believing that she would get nothing more from her older sister Princess Luna turned to leave.
"I wouldn't blame you if you did."
Princess Luna halted "What?"
Celestia did not answer right away. Instead she opted to turn herself around to face the window and the night that was shown through it. "I wouldn't blame you if you did think I was incompetent of leading this nation." Celestia spoke softly. ignoring the hoofsteps of her sister coming closer, she continued on. "I've made peace with myself for making the mistake of turning a blind eye to your troubles a thousands years ago and for you to pay the price of an millennia on the moon. I have done my best of Equestia, but now that I look back I see stupid mistakes and dangerous recklessness."
Celestia flinched as she felt a warm feathery wing drape across her back. "I do not understand Tia? Where have those stupid mistakes and recklessness you speak of."
Celestia's ears flatted against the sides of her head. She wish not to bring up the past but for her sister she will. "I knew that one day Nightmare Moon would return. I made plans upon plans on saving you and this planet from your darkness. When Twil-when Twilight showed up I knew just how you could be saved and that filly was the key. I raised her and taught her, becoming like a second mother to her. THEN WHAT DO I DO, I send her and five civilians off against a dangerous threat. Out of all of them Twilight was the only one with any kind of defensive training, which was just the basics."
Celestia's eyes watered, she stopped to wipe them away before they had a chance to fall down her face. "But sister that just means you had faith in Twilight and her friends. It would be silly for you to teach her so much but not have faith in her to achieve the goals you set for her without unneeded help." Luna pointed out.
"Yes, but even so, I could have made sure that they would remain safe if things went south. Everything was riding on Twilight finding the elements and her friends helping her to stop Nightmare Moon...I could have at least send a small armed force to watch them and make sure they weren't hurt."
Luna opened her mouth to argue was stopped by Celestia laughing hysterically to herself. "Let's not forget the royal wedding. Twilight knew something was up. There was something of with Princess Cadance even I saw that. Buuuttt I just chalked it up to pre-wedding nervousness. Well we all know how that turned out." Princess Celestia's eyes shrunk resulting in her looking like a maniac; even more so with her hysterical giggling. "What makes it worse is I never said sorry. Nope just a 'good job Twilight, you have learned a valuable lesson in bla bla bla' I...I don't even remember the last time I said sorry to anypony. Earlier that year she and her friends learned to take each others concerns seriously even if it didn't seem like a big deal to themselves. I should have taken my own words to heart. Since the bombing things have gotten worse. Now I can't even stop the increasing crime rates I just...I just..."
Hysterical giggling lead way to soft sobbing. Princess Celestia would have collapsed on the floor if her sister wasn't there hugging her. "I miss her...I miss her so much." Princess Celestia repeated into her sister's blue fur. Princess Luna said nothing, focusing more on stroking Celestia's mane. Soon her mentally exhausted sister would fall asleep, leaving her to watch over the kingdom. For now however she was just a mare taking care of her older sister.
Princess Luna watched her sister sleep peacefully in her bed. In an hour the Princess of the sun would need to be woken up to raise the sun. Luna wished she could comfort her sister better the she had. It wasn't that she didn't know how it was just...complicated. It has taken two years of investigating but now she had a led on the ones behind the bombing and assassination of Princess Twilight. unfortunately she had to keep it a secret from Celestia. Under the cold heartless demeanor lies a fury of emotion. If that night was anything to go by who knows what would happen if Celestia found a true target to direct her anger towards. Even now she could imagine her sister waking up once again with a new mask of stone to replace the one she broke. Princess Luna, mare of the moon and guardian of dreams could only hope that everything will be brought to light before that mask is destroyed from the inside out.
