6000 years

What stood below her was a crater. She didn't have to guess what made the impact. Celestia leaped over the rubble, into the dusty crater. Her stomach dropped lower and lower by the second. With a hesitated move, she lifted the large tree covering 3/4 of the whole. What lay there was a broken and battered Luna. She was branded with lightning burns that branched from her horn down to her cutiemark. Celestia was aghast.

"Luna!" Her voice cracked as she dove deeper into the crater, pressing her ear to her sisters chest. The sound of a heartbeat felt like a blessing from the gods. Celestia examined her sister further, the damage was worse than she thought. Luna's horn was bleeding, severely. Cracks and burns ran along the twisted curves like weeds, they leaked red with blood. Tears burst from Celestias eyes as she wailed for her sister to wake.

"Lunaaaa! Please! Please wake up...."

The heavens opening up above her had no meaning, the pheonix crying on her shoulder didn't matter, it was all drowned out by the alicorn before her. All she could do was hug the younger alicorn, her heartbeat was slow a steady,

Celestia recognized that heartbeat,

It was her sisters,

The sister she would do anything for,

The one that was almost always their..

Almost,

She  wouldn't lose her again,

She'd die trying.

Celestia readied a teleportation spell. Power and emotion surged through her body, adrenaline rocketed through her veins. Her concentration shattered like glass against stone as thundering of hooves of the guard rampaged over the debris. They surrounded the alicorns within a matter of seconds. Celestia didn't have time to think as the hundreds upon hundreds of lunar guard stood at attention, her secretary and a solar palace guard leading the charge. One by one, row after row, they bowed. Their muzzles nearly hitting the slick and muddy dirt.

And with that, Notebook stepped forward.

"We are at your service, my liege."

--------–----------------------------

Princess Sparkle sat there for a moment, the salad dressing slowly gathering at the bottom of her plate. Her thoughts silently blurred as she pondered what to do. She was at a loss for a meaning or a plan. It was all one big rush of overwhelming adrenaline, smudging like a hoof to wet ink.

After an minute or an oblivion, something in her head finally made sense. A quote. Something she had passed over, though never really made sense of it.

"When facing the rush of life, it would be wise to run ahead of it, than barricade they self against the storm."

She didn't know who said it, but whoever had said those philosophical  words was bloody brilliant.

Twilight bashed through the palace doors, leaving the desperate overtime palace day guards behind. Her mane lashing back behind her, she took to the sky. rocketing around to the back of the castleThe garden gates where busted open,  lock smashed in and all. Gaining speed over the field of the sticks and stones, her heart began to pull at itself. Desperation overflowed her brain and train of thought. She rocketed towards the center of the field. Not caring what she flew into. What stopped her dead in her tracks was not the giant tree branch she was in front of , but the whole bat-pony brigade locking eyes with her.

And with that,

The rush of life hit like a bucking train.

Notebook face-hoofed as the bloody princess of friendship fainted in front of her friends. Ridiculous? No. Common? No. Probable? Yes. She looked back and forth from the now-stuck-in-tree-princess to the real emergency at hand. The real emergency happened to have disappeared. With a sigh she turned around and motioned the bat guards to retrieve the now-falling-out-of-tree-princess. Leaving the single palace guard and night brigade in the dust, she galloped along the path and back to the castle, the infirmary in sight.

What had she gotten herself into?

The pathway towards the infirmary was blocked by six palace guards. No in, no out. With another sigh she sat on her haunches, the fatigue of adrenaline catching up to her. A frustrated grunt escaped her lips as she staggered up, no change in the guards expressions. No guard in their right mind would understand her predicament. In defeat she walked away, no looking back. But she knew one thing. Times were going to be tough for now on.

Her depressing thoughts where broken by the slamming of the infirmary door and a exasperated sob. Looking behind her, there stood the solar monarch, she was a mess. Mane ragged and dark lines of tears  imprinted her fur. With one fluid movement she collapsed onto her haunches, and continued onto the floor. Tears began to fall for her eyes, splashing silently onto the floor. The six guards shuffled slightly, exchanging glances, not knowing how to handle the situation.

Slowly notebook turned around, her face became concerned. Hesitantly she walked towards Celestia. Bending down slowly she attempted to hug the fallen princess. Immediately Celestia came back to reality, nearly throwing notebook off her. With a frantic expression she dashed away, tears beginning to form in her eyes again. Notebook cried out desperately for The solar monarch and began to rush towards her, but the looks of the guards made her hesitate. She shouldn't have messed with this.

And with that,

She stopped, dropped, and cried.

Celestia was embarrassed. She cried in front of her subjects, she had shown she was weak. The temporary emotional barrier she had built crashed down the second she found her bed. What a mess she had become. She was tired, hurt, and.. Alone. When would she be able to show the world she was a pony too, with feeling!?  It hurt so much to feel this pain of loss. Luna would was almost dead, what would she do without her?

Complicated and rushed feelings tore at her heart and head. Equally taking advantage of her fatigue and utter soreness. No words could describe it.

Her emotional and mental breakdown was paused as there was a soft knock on the door. Celestia didn't hesitate to ignore it. Before the minute was over the knock came again, a bit firmer.

"Who is this and what do you want?" The alicorn asked with scraggly yell.

"Princess, it's me, Notebook. Listen-"

"Go away, please Notebook, I don't need to see anything right now."

"Prin-"

"Please, go away."

"Celestia! I'm royal secretary AND advisor. And if you would listen to me, I would ADVISE you to do so."

"...."

"I saw you back there, crying, and I just wanted to say something." She entered the room slowly. Inching the large doors open.

"Crying does not mean your weak."

Celestia looked at her quizzically, tears still escaping her eyes.

"And why is that?" Notebook continued.

"Crying does not mean your weak, crying means you've been strong for far too long." She said boldly spoke. A whisper of a sigh escaping her lips as she finished. Celestia looked at Notebook, jaw agape.

"Notebook I-"

"Celestia  as your advisor and secretary it's my job to take care of your job. But, as a friend, it's my honor to take care of you." Celestia merely got up, her hooves shaking from fatigue. With a partially graceful poise, she sat on her haunches. And hugged her friend. Notebook hugged back with all she could give, hoping she got it through.

"Your not alone Celestia, you have friends. And I'm only one of them, and we can't put into words how much we care." Celestia began to bawl, her emotions spilling out at once as notebook held her there.

"Your not alone."