Mending the Sunby Twilight Best PonyChaptersChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 1The mid-morning sun shone down upon Canterlot. The hustle and bustle of the city never seemed to change, and never took a day off. Only on one fateful day did it falter, but that day was three months ago, when the incident at Canterlot Castle took place. An attempt at keeping the Princesses’ subjects mostly out of the loop had partially failed. The knowledge of a missing Princess was quick to escape from the castle staff, but the reasoning behind Celestia’s disappearance was kept under wraps. Though the months seemingly passed quickly for the ponies of Canterlot, the few inside who knew the whole truth didn’t have that luxury. Each day they were reminded of the altercation that occurred beneath the castle in the Crystal Caverns. Each day, the new impromptu rulers of Equestria had to move the celestial bodies as they once had before. Each day, the search continued for their lost ruler, sister, and friend. Twilight laid peacefully on her medical bed. Though it wasn’t the most comfortable surface to be on twenty-four seven, she couldn’t really complain. Her eyes remained closed as her chest rose and fell softly, the injured mare doing her best to get some much needed rest. She was about to fall back asleep when a gentle knock came from the door. Her eyes tiredly opened and lazily focused upon a nurse standing in the doorway. “You have visitors, your majesty,” the nurse said. Twilight nodded her head slowly, and the nurse left while a familiar alabaster unicorn rushed into the room. Twilight immediately tried to sit up upon sight of her friend, only to wince in pain from her injury and quickly fall back down with a ragged gasp. “Oh my stars!” Rarity rushed to Twilight’s side and gave her a look that reminded Twilight of her mother whenever she got herself injured as a filly. “Are you all right, dear?” “I’m fine,” Twilight answered, letting out a soft, tired chuckle. “Just gotta remember to keep still.” “And how are you feeling?” Rarity asked while inspecting the bandage on Twilight’s chest. “A little tired and weak, but I’m feeling fine otherwise,” Twilight replied, looking up to her friend with bags forming under her eyes. Before Rarity could say anything else, the rest of her friends caught up and entered the room. Fluttershy was the first to enter. She immediately gasped and hid behind her mane, while mumbling something too quiet for Twilight to hear. Everypony else followed the timid pegasus, each one quiet and looking more downtrodden as they moved closer. They all shuffled awkwardly as they looked over their injured friend. Spike moved passed the elements and continued on to Twilight’s bed where he immediately hugged her. Twilight smiled tiredly, before breaking the silence with, “Hey everyone.” Her friends all smiled in return, their looks showing acknowledgement of Twilight’s injuries, as well as pity and sadness towards their best friend. They all took turns returning her greeting, each one giving Twilight a soft hug. Spike remained attached to her side all the while, silently enjoying the presence of his caretaker, to which Twilight’s smile never faltered. Once everyone had given their greeting, they all backed away to give Twilight her space. Twilight opened her mouth to say something, but a low grumble from her half bandaged stomach interrupted her. Her mouth shut immediately and a soft pink blush washed over her cheeks. Her friends smiled and giggled as Twilight opened her mouth again to say, “I haven’t had breakfast yet.” “It’s almost noon, silly,” Pinkie said with a smile. “You must be super-duper hungry!” “It does look like ya could use somethin’ to eat, Sugarcube,” Applejack chimed in, looking over Twilight’s unusually thin body. “Would you like anything, darling?’ Rarity asked, looking over her friend as well. “I can go get the nurse if need be.” There was some apprehension before Twilight replied. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt. I’ve just been taking it easy on what I consume due to my injuries.” Noticing Twilight’s behavior, Rarity was careful with her tone of voice as she asked, “What’ve you been eating recently?” “Mostly liquids, shakes, that sort of thing,” Twilight replied nonchalantly. Applejack immediately scoffed and chuckled. “No wonder you’re lookin’ thin and weak,” she said. “Ya ain’t been eatin’ right!” Twilight blushed once again as a few more of her friends nodded. “What would you like?” Fluttershy asked, repeating Rarity’s earlier question. Twilight took a moment to mull over her options before answering. “Some soup and a sandwich, I guess?” “I’ll get it!” Rainbow stated, puffing out her chest and getting ready to do mach speeds down the hallway. “Like, go and get it?” Fluttershy asked quietly in a confused tone, which stopped Rainbow in her tracks. “Well, I thought it’d be faster if I went and threw something together and brought it back,” Dash answered. Applejack looked at her rainbow maned friend with a deadpan gaze, and spoke with a tone to match. “Sugarcube, ya nearly burned down my house tryin’ t’make breakfast…” “But it was only pancakes!” Rainbow quickly retorted. “Yeah, an’ what makes you think you can handle soup and a sandwich?!” Applejack continued. “At least the sandwich will be cold!” Rainbow responded as she closed the distance between them, eventually getting right in Applejack’s face. Rarity scoffed as the two continued to bicker. “Ruffians.” She turned back to Twilight. “Worry not, darling; Fluttershy and I will find something.” Fluttershy nodded with a small smile. Rarity looked over to Spike and asked, “Would you like to come along and help me, Spikey?” Spike froze for a moment before looking between Rarity and Twilight, torn between staying in Twilight’s comforting embrace or riding upon Rarity’s back on a quest for sustenance. With a sigh, Spike finally replied. “Sure, Rarity.” He climbed onto Rarity’s back and gave Twilight a wave and said, “We’ll be back soon, alright?” Twilight nodded and watched as the three of them left the room. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash and Applejack continued their argument, and Twilight found herself enjoying the comforting presence her friends left in the room. Pinkie had remained mostly silent throughout the whole ordeal, but once their friends had left she strode over to Twilight and spoke up. “Twilight, can I ask you a super serious question?” The question, and the fact that it was Pinkie asking it, caught Twilight off guard for a moment before she turned to her friend and answered with, “Sure, what is it?” “...If they ever find Celestia, do you think you could ever forgive her?” Pinkie’s question hit Twilight like a ton of bricks, as well as Applejack and Rainbow Dash who immediately stopped brawling on the floor and looked up at the party pony in shock. Twilight began sputtering, trying to form a coherent thought, let alone a response. An empty void began forming in her chest. Thoughts about Celestia, what she’d done, and what Twilight thought about her twisted her heart strings. Her emotions ran high and a heavy pressure began to settle in her chest. It wasn’t until after she managed to work her way out of her heavily emotional stupor that Twilight managed to form a half-hearted response. “I-I don’t know Pinkie...I-I just don’t know…” ~~~~~~~~ Her musings kept her so distracted that she didn’t hear somepony enter the small office she was in. Only when she heard them clear their throat did she turn away from the window. As her eyes adjusted to the dim lighting of the room, her gaze fell upon a lone guard. “Your majesty,” Iron Shield greeted, bowing slightly. “Captain,” she greeted in turn. “Any word on the whereabouts of my sister?” Iron Shield sighed. “Nothing your highness, I’m sorry.” A frown fell upon Luna’s lips as her brow furrowed, “Tell everypony to double their diligence.” Without waiting for a reply, Luna turned and gazed out the window again, lost in her thoughts. The guard captain awkwardly mumbled something incoherent before bowing and hurrying out of the office. Luna took a deep breath and sighed. Her eyes narrowed as she continued to gaze out the window. She spoke to herself in a voice full of determination with a hint of hope. “I know you’re out there…we’ll find you, sister.” Author's Note Oh look! It has started! A big thanks to Pvt Caboose and Razalon The Lizardman Chapter 2The sun had dropped drastically while Twilight was awake. Golden rays illuminated her hospital room. Half the room was bathed in oranges, reds, and yellows of the day’s dying light, while shadows grew on the other side. A book lay perched upon several pillows on her chest. The pillows buffered the hardcover and weight of the old tome over Twilight’s injury. While not many things could be accomplished while penned up in the white, sterile room, she did the one thing she was allowed to do: read. Oblivious to the word, she turned old yellowing pages carelessly as her eyes danced across the ancient ink that each page held. Her injuries were irrelevant; Celestia’s actions didn’t matter. The only thing she cared about was the story held within the weakened bindings of the book in front of her. Through twists and turns, highs and lows she followed the words from page to page as time ticked away. Her closest friends had left long ago. The slightest thought of them was almost enough to break her out of her reading trance. Their company had made the day easier for Twilight and managed to keep her mind busy. Now alone in her room, she desperately attempted to keep herself busy with a book as to not think about Celestia. Pinkie’s earlier question had shattered any temporary blocks Twilight had put over the horrific and scarring ordeal. A sigh left her as she placed a bookmark on a page and gently closed the book. The large tome sat on her lap as she leaned back, closing her eyes and stretching. Any thoughts she had escaped her as she stared up at the white ceiling. She’d be up well past sunset, silent, alone, and hurt. Into the late hours of the night she’d toss and turn on the hard surface of the hospital bed, desperately seeking some form of comfort. She’d lay awake and wish it were all a terrible dream and not the grand mistake and misunderstanding it became. Her thoughts would eventually move on to regret and how she’d continuously think of Celestia. Twilight knew in her heart that the missing monarch was out there. Speculations and ideas of where she was could keep them speculating for months, if not years. Equestria was a big place, and not always the most friendly in some parts. Even though the damage done by the ruling alicorn could’ve permanently scarred her for the rest of her life or even killed her, Twilight worried about Celestia. An internal argument that had plagued her for days on end left her confused on how to feel about Celestia. There were so many uncertainties that ran through her head daily that she was almost rendered comatose each time. Twilight took a deep, relaxing breath and pushed away her thoughts for a few minutes. Then, using her incredibly weak magic, she managed to move the book to a nearby nightstand. Even months after the initial damage, she remained weak and feeble as she desperately tried to regain her strength. Ever so carefully she sat up. No tubes or wires restricted her to the bed; only her weak body. She eyed the door intently, outlined in the soft orange glow of a nearby candle. Freedom was just beyond the door. A determined look settled across her thin features as she gathered all of her strength to stand up. Shuffling off of the bed’s side came with ease, and so did planting her hooves on the hard linoleum floor. Putting all of her remaining weight down on the other hoof nearly caused her to topple over in a heap. Her breathing was deep and steady as she stabilized herself by holding on to the bed. A few shaky wobbles passed through her before she stood up straight. Slightly labored chuckles left her as she freely stood. Like a foal, she set out at a slow and steady pace. One hoof in front of the other as she slowly made her way to the door. A large grin formed on her lips as joy filled her chest. She was actually walking, so close to seeing the outside world again. She arrived at the door with a slight huff. Her breathing stopped as she silently gathered strength at the door. No sound came from the hallway outside as she used what little magic she had left to open the door. Noiselessly, the large white door swung open. The hallway was dimly lit, not a soul in sight. Twilight’s smile returned in full force as she set out on her gentle pace down the hall. She didn’t really have a destination in mind, simply following her hooves wherever they took her. Soon one hallway turned into a second, corner after corner, junction, and split. She crept her way through the familiar hallways. Without really giving it a thought as to where she went, she found herself entering the throne room. Though there were candles and torches lit along the walls, the room remained relatively dark. It surprised her to see no guards present. A sigh left her as she slowly began walking down the long, red carpet of the throne room. Pillars, painted glass windows, priceless busts, and artwork passed her as she eventually arrived at the thrones. Upon a large pedestal, there sat three thrones. One gold, one a dark blue, and the other a rose color. Three thrones for three Princesses. Twilight’s expression fell slightly at the sight of the large, golden throne. The one place she’d always find Celestia sitting at. She turned away, looking to head back when one glass mural caught her attention. A dark violet and blue tree was pieced together by glass. Two pieces of glass on the trunk held both cutie marks of the Princesses. The center of the tree held a six pointed star. Each point directed a branch. Each branch held a different gem, all in different colors, pink, blue, red, purple, and yellow. The Tree of Harmony… The picture instantly registered in her head. The tree the elements came from. Silently she stared up at the massive mural, slightly awestruck as a small inkling formed in her scattered thoughts. Though it didn’t give her more than a slight feeling about the landmark, it stayed with her. Something about the tree. The sound of hoofsteps caused Twilight to turn and gasp. From one of the many shadows strewn about the room, Luna emerged. Her emotionless face delicately lit up at the sight of the purple princess. “Twilight?” Luna asked. “What are you doing out here?” Twilight blushed lightly and stammered, “I-I just came out to get some fresh air.” Luna sighed as she brushed against the smaller princess, who began leaning on her for support. “You know you are not permitted out of your bed,” Luna said with a caring nuzzle. “I-I know,” Twilight replied quietly. Luna smiled and chuckled, nuzzling Twilight again before ushering her back towards the doorway she entered through. “No harm done, my little star,” she said. “Now come, lets get you back to bed to rest.” As they slowly trekked back to the hospital room, Twilight looked back over her shoulder at the large glass mural. There was something about that tree she just couldn’t place… Chapter 3Luna sat as still as ever, becoming the epitome of concentration. The wind gently blew past her as the world moved on by. The castle gardens were as peaceful as ever. Her eyes scanned the dark sky,reflecting the fading light of her moon. One half of the ever expansive sky held her night, hundreds of thousands of stars sparkling while her moon drifted down towards the western horizon. To the east, an orange glow began peeking over where the sky met the beautiful lands of Equestria. In a few minutes’ time, she would lift the sun as her sister did and bring day upon the land. A deep sigh escaped her lips, her slightly somber and quiet mood darkened. Sadness began to creep through her chest as her head sank, whimpering as her ears folded down. All she could ever want was her sister back. No matter her actions, the only other member of her family was incredibly important to Luna. The sun had begun to peek over the horizon when she looked back up toward the sky. A barely noticeable, soft rose glow surrounded the gas giant. Day had begun, and it was time Luna to carry out both her’s and her sister’s duties She stared intently up at the sky, hoping for answers to come raining down. After another moment of silence, Luna rose from her grassy patch and slowly began making her way back inside the castle. The dreaded Day Court was upon her, with no way around it. Luna had to give her sister credit; dealing with Canterlot nobles took a lot of both patience and self control. While she managed to keep herself from spiteing snobbish ponies into oblivion, she couldn’t resist a few sarcastic answers. The high flow of ponies kept her much busier than her own court, and she found some enjoyment out of turning down antsy nobles. Most of the morning she was bound to her sister’s golden throne. One by one, nobles came through the large doors at the end of the room. Some with real problems that Luna gladly acknowledged and took note of, while others outrageous demands made her blood boil underneath her dark fur. She found herself zoning out frequently, often staring into space as her mind wandered, wondering about her sister. Mountains of questions tumbled through her mind during the morning, often being left without answers and leaving her both conflicted and downtrodden. Sometimes she turned into a silent statute, barely acknowledging the presence of anypony until her attention was caught. Celestia plagued her thoughts. Day in and day out, her mind constantly returned to her missing sister. The amount of time that had passed since the incident seemed staggering, and she still hadn’t been found since then. She constantly dreamed of finding Celestia, bringing her back and patching over their wounds. But it could never be that easy, Luna’s thoughts would answer. They’d have to find her in the first place, which clearly, wasn’t as easy as they thought. Next would be nursing Twilight back to health, and hoping she could forgive Celestia for what she did. They would also hope Celestia could forgive herself and return to her rightful place on the throne. Luna sighed again, turning back to the surprisingly tolerable noble. A forced smile, kind eyes, and a nod of minor acknowledgement sent the smiling noble away. It was so silent during court, her lack of speech and thousand yard looks was off putting to many that entered the room. Hope began to dwindle as the days continued on, dark thoughts of never finding Celestia often entering Luna’s mind. There was nothing she could do, being bound to the throne. It was up to her to take Celestia’s position. Twilight was too inexperienced, and Cadence had her own city to run. If Luna had her way, she’d be out there with the search party looking for her sister. Being so helpless, all Luna could do was pray that her sister returned safe. But she could never hang onto her thoughts for long, for there were always ponies to answer to and deeds to be done. Her free time dwindled as the full weight of leadership fell squarely on her. Luna sighed, breaking her thoughts. A forehoof idly rubbed the bridge of her nose, trying to clear her mind and focus her vision. She quickly glanced out the window towards the sun court would be over soon. A small smile graced her lips at the thought of being free from one of her daily tasks. At long last, deep in the heart of Canterlot, bells rang loudly to signify noon. Luna all but jumped off of the throne, giving a passing glance to the slightly shocked line of nobles. A nearby guard began speaking on behalf of her while ushering ponies out of the throne room. While the remainder of the day was still scheduled for several meetings, Luna was on a mission of her own. Setting off at a fast trot, she exited the room and made a beeline towards her office. Twilight’s breath was deep and labored. As quietly as she could, she leaned against a wall in the massive hallway she stood in. Once again she had escaped the confines of her hospital room. Her destination was unknown, but she tried to wander in the direction of her old library. She began regretting her decisions even when she was only halfway toward her destination. Pain radiated throughout her chest and stomach as she limped along the wall, trying to be careful not to mess up her bandaged wounds. Ever so slowly, she made pained progress to her goal. Unknowingly, Twilight managed to arrive at the throne room. She sighed as quietly as she could and mentally reprimanded herself. There was no way she was going to make it out without being caught and sent back to her room, but this was the only shot she had since Luna had threatened to station guards at her room if she were to leave again. With bated breath, Twilight peered into the large room. She waited several seconds while scanning the room, daring not to breathe so as to not alert anyone of her presence. It was empty. She let out a relieved sigh and slight giggle and continued on inside. A smile spread across her lips as she looked around the oh-so familiar room. Her hooves made soft thuds against the red carpet of the throne room. Her smile remained as she neared the large, gold throne. As carefully as she could, she climbed up one treacherous step at a time. She reached the top, shaking and sweating slightly,wishing she’d waited to escape until after receiving her pain medication. A hearty sigh left Twilight as she sat upon the throne. The height advantage gave her a new perspective of the glorious room as she looked out like Luna and Celestia had. Her mood dropped slightly, looking down to where her mentor had sat. She sighed, thoughts of Celestia plaguing her mind. All she could wish for was the location and returning of her old mentor. She shook her head slightly, dispersing her thoughts as she looked up at the surrounding stained glass pictures to distract her. Carefully, her eyes looked over every detail, moving from one picture to the next before finally ending on the Tree of Harmony. Twilight sat still for a moment, the familiar feeling of a forgotten thought filling her mind. That’s when she gasped loudly and her eyes opened wide. The Tree of Harmony! Twilight skidded down the throne’s steps as she set out at the fastest hobble she could muster. Pain flared up immediately, but she pushed forward as she burst through the door into the hallway. Her weak limbs clambered along the marble floor as she bounced from wall to wall in her mad dash. When Twilight turned down the next hallway she was met with several ponies. Carelessly, she weaved in and out between all the maids and guards. They stopped in shock at first, then immediately gave chase. Twilight had a slightly crazed giggle as she continued on towards Luna’s office, guards and castle staff hot on her hocks. After what seemed like eons of galloping, she spotted the all too familiar door. With a mad smile, she used her remaining energy to push on. Luna sat at her desk with a frown. Officers of her guard and her sisters’ guard sat before her, sharing tactics and plans for new areas to search. Their search continued to come up negative as they tried their best to comb through Equestria. Her gaze fell to a map before her and she shook her head slightly. She has to be here somewhere, Luna’s thoughts echoed. She barely recognized the sound of so many ponies coming down the hallway before her office door all but exploded. Papers, utensils, furniture and ponies went flying. Some took cover while others were helplessly hurled through the air. Luna’s forehooves covered her head as she waited for everything to settle down. Eventually, she peered out, seeing that her office was a disaster as dust was kicked up into the air. In the doorway, leaning up against remnants of her door, laid Twilight. Luna lept over both her desk and the still cowering guardsponies and came to her aid. A supportive hoof wrapped around Twilight’s shoulders, while another carefully moved to her cheek. “Twilight? What is the matter?” Luna asked her. Meanwhile, the pursuing guards and maids skidded to a halt outside of the room, all of them panting and attempting to talk at the same time. Luna shook the spaced out alicorn. “Twilight, why are you out of bed?” There was no answer. Luna’s eyes drifted down towards her bandages, which were stained pink and darkening. “Y-You’re bleeding, Twilight. Why did you go and do this?” Still no answer. Luna began to grow worrisome. “Somepony fetch a nurse!” she shouted. Slowly, almost as if in response to Luna’s cry, Twilight’s eyes focused, looking straight into her’s She panted hard, wincing slightly. “Twilight? Dear?” Luna said, still trying to rouse the unresponsive mare. Twilight began giggling. “Twilight, what is it?” Luna persisted. “I-I-” She winced again. “I-I know where she is.” Her whisper barely registered to Luna. “What is it, Twilight?” “C-Celestia,” Twilight giggled and winced again. “I-I know where she is!” Luna froze, her grip tightening on Twilight. This could be it, her sister could be found.
Chapter 1The mid-morning sun shone down upon Canterlot. The hustle and bustle of the city never seemed to change, and never took a day off. Only on one fateful day did it falter, but that day was three months ago, when the incident at Canterlot Castle took place. An attempt at keeping the Princesses’ subjects mostly out of the loop had partially failed. The knowledge of a missing Princess was quick to escape from the castle staff, but the reasoning behind Celestia’s disappearance was kept under wraps. Though the months seemingly passed quickly for the ponies of Canterlot, the few inside who knew the whole truth didn’t have that luxury. Each day they were reminded of the altercation that occurred beneath the castle in the Crystal Caverns. Each day, the new impromptu rulers of Equestria had to move the celestial bodies as they once had before. Each day, the search continued for their lost ruler, sister, and friend. Twilight laid peacefully on her medical bed. Though it wasn’t the most comfortable surface to be on twenty-four seven, she couldn’t really complain. Her eyes remained closed as her chest rose and fell softly, the injured mare doing her best to get some much needed rest. She was about to fall back asleep when a gentle knock came from the door. Her eyes tiredly opened and lazily focused upon a nurse standing in the doorway. “You have visitors, your majesty,” the nurse said. Twilight nodded her head slowly, and the nurse left while a familiar alabaster unicorn rushed into the room. Twilight immediately tried to sit up upon sight of her friend, only to wince in pain from her injury and quickly fall back down with a ragged gasp. “Oh my stars!” Rarity rushed to Twilight’s side and gave her a look that reminded Twilight of her mother whenever she got herself injured as a filly. “Are you all right, dear?” “I’m fine,” Twilight answered, letting out a soft, tired chuckle. “Just gotta remember to keep still.” “And how are you feeling?” Rarity asked while inspecting the bandage on Twilight’s chest. “A little tired and weak, but I’m feeling fine otherwise,” Twilight replied, looking up to her friend with bags forming under her eyes. Before Rarity could say anything else, the rest of her friends caught up and entered the room. Fluttershy was the first to enter. She immediately gasped and hid behind her mane, while mumbling something too quiet for Twilight to hear. Everypony else followed the timid pegasus, each one quiet and looking more downtrodden as they moved closer. They all shuffled awkwardly as they looked over their injured friend. Spike moved passed the elements and continued on to Twilight’s bed where he immediately hugged her. Twilight smiled tiredly, before breaking the silence with, “Hey everyone.” Her friends all smiled in return, their looks showing acknowledgement of Twilight’s injuries, as well as pity and sadness towards their best friend. They all took turns returning her greeting, each one giving Twilight a soft hug. Spike remained attached to her side all the while, silently enjoying the presence of his caretaker, to which Twilight’s smile never faltered. Once everyone had given their greeting, they all backed away to give Twilight her space. Twilight opened her mouth to say something, but a low grumble from her half bandaged stomach interrupted her. Her mouth shut immediately and a soft pink blush washed over her cheeks. Her friends smiled and giggled as Twilight opened her mouth again to say, “I haven’t had breakfast yet.” “It’s almost noon, silly,” Pinkie said with a smile. “You must be super-duper hungry!” “It does look like ya could use somethin’ to eat, Sugarcube,” Applejack chimed in, looking over Twilight’s unusually thin body. “Would you like anything, darling?’ Rarity asked, looking over her friend as well. “I can go get the nurse if need be.” There was some apprehension before Twilight replied. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt. I’ve just been taking it easy on what I consume due to my injuries.” Noticing Twilight’s behavior, Rarity was careful with her tone of voice as she asked, “What’ve you been eating recently?” “Mostly liquids, shakes, that sort of thing,” Twilight replied nonchalantly. Applejack immediately scoffed and chuckled. “No wonder you’re lookin’ thin and weak,” she said. “Ya ain’t been eatin’ right!” Twilight blushed once again as a few more of her friends nodded. “What would you like?” Fluttershy asked, repeating Rarity’s earlier question. Twilight took a moment to mull over her options before answering. “Some soup and a sandwich, I guess?” “I’ll get it!” Rainbow stated, puffing out her chest and getting ready to do mach speeds down the hallway. “Like, go and get it?” Fluttershy asked quietly in a confused tone, which stopped Rainbow in her tracks. “Well, I thought it’d be faster if I went and threw something together and brought it back,” Dash answered. Applejack looked at her rainbow maned friend with a deadpan gaze, and spoke with a tone to match. “Sugarcube, ya nearly burned down my house tryin’ t’make breakfast…” “But it was only pancakes!” Rainbow quickly retorted. “Yeah, an’ what makes you think you can handle soup and a sandwich?!” Applejack continued. “At least the sandwich will be cold!” Rainbow responded as she closed the distance between them, eventually getting right in Applejack’s face. Rarity scoffed as the two continued to bicker. “Ruffians.” She turned back to Twilight. “Worry not, darling; Fluttershy and I will find something.” Fluttershy nodded with a small smile. Rarity looked over to Spike and asked, “Would you like to come along and help me, Spikey?” Spike froze for a moment before looking between Rarity and Twilight, torn between staying in Twilight’s comforting embrace or riding upon Rarity’s back on a quest for sustenance. With a sigh, Spike finally replied. “Sure, Rarity.” He climbed onto Rarity’s back and gave Twilight a wave and said, “We’ll be back soon, alright?” Twilight nodded and watched as the three of them left the room. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash and Applejack continued their argument, and Twilight found herself enjoying the comforting presence her friends left in the room. Pinkie had remained mostly silent throughout the whole ordeal, but once their friends had left she strode over to Twilight and spoke up. “Twilight, can I ask you a super serious question?” The question, and the fact that it was Pinkie asking it, caught Twilight off guard for a moment before she turned to her friend and answered with, “Sure, what is it?” “...If they ever find Celestia, do you think you could ever forgive her?” Pinkie’s question hit Twilight like a ton of bricks, as well as Applejack and Rainbow Dash who immediately stopped brawling on the floor and looked up at the party pony in shock. Twilight began sputtering, trying to form a coherent thought, let alone a response. An empty void began forming in her chest. Thoughts about Celestia, what she’d done, and what Twilight thought about her twisted her heart strings. Her emotions ran high and a heavy pressure began to settle in her chest. It wasn’t until after she managed to work her way out of her heavily emotional stupor that Twilight managed to form a half-hearted response. “I-I don’t know Pinkie...I-I just don’t know…” ~~~~~~~~ Her musings kept her so distracted that she didn’t hear somepony enter the small office she was in. Only when she heard them clear their throat did she turn away from the window. As her eyes adjusted to the dim lighting of the room, her gaze fell upon a lone guard. “Your majesty,” Iron Shield greeted, bowing slightly. “Captain,” she greeted in turn. “Any word on the whereabouts of my sister?” Iron Shield sighed. “Nothing your highness, I’m sorry.” A frown fell upon Luna’s lips as her brow furrowed, “Tell everypony to double their diligence.” Without waiting for a reply, Luna turned and gazed out the window again, lost in her thoughts. The guard captain awkwardly mumbled something incoherent before bowing and hurrying out of the office. Luna took a deep breath and sighed. Her eyes narrowed as she continued to gaze out the window. She spoke to herself in a voice full of determination with a hint of hope. “I know you’re out there…we’ll find you, sister.” Author's Note Oh look! It has started! A big thanks to Pvt Caboose and Razalon The Lizardman
Chapter 2The sun had dropped drastically while Twilight was awake. Golden rays illuminated her hospital room. Half the room was bathed in oranges, reds, and yellows of the day’s dying light, while shadows grew on the other side. A book lay perched upon several pillows on her chest. The pillows buffered the hardcover and weight of the old tome over Twilight’s injury. While not many things could be accomplished while penned up in the white, sterile room, she did the one thing she was allowed to do: read. Oblivious to the word, she turned old yellowing pages carelessly as her eyes danced across the ancient ink that each page held. Her injuries were irrelevant; Celestia’s actions didn’t matter. The only thing she cared about was the story held within the weakened bindings of the book in front of her. Through twists and turns, highs and lows she followed the words from page to page as time ticked away. Her closest friends had left long ago. The slightest thought of them was almost enough to break her out of her reading trance. Their company had made the day easier for Twilight and managed to keep her mind busy. Now alone in her room, she desperately attempted to keep herself busy with a book as to not think about Celestia. Pinkie’s earlier question had shattered any temporary blocks Twilight had put over the horrific and scarring ordeal. A sigh left her as she placed a bookmark on a page and gently closed the book. The large tome sat on her lap as she leaned back, closing her eyes and stretching. Any thoughts she had escaped her as she stared up at the white ceiling. She’d be up well past sunset, silent, alone, and hurt. Into the late hours of the night she’d toss and turn on the hard surface of the hospital bed, desperately seeking some form of comfort. She’d lay awake and wish it were all a terrible dream and not the grand mistake and misunderstanding it became. Her thoughts would eventually move on to regret and how she’d continuously think of Celestia. Twilight knew in her heart that the missing monarch was out there. Speculations and ideas of where she was could keep them speculating for months, if not years. Equestria was a big place, and not always the most friendly in some parts. Even though the damage done by the ruling alicorn could’ve permanently scarred her for the rest of her life or even killed her, Twilight worried about Celestia. An internal argument that had plagued her for days on end left her confused on how to feel about Celestia. There were so many uncertainties that ran through her head daily that she was almost rendered comatose each time. Twilight took a deep, relaxing breath and pushed away her thoughts for a few minutes. Then, using her incredibly weak magic, she managed to move the book to a nearby nightstand. Even months after the initial damage, she remained weak and feeble as she desperately tried to regain her strength. Ever so carefully she sat up. No tubes or wires restricted her to the bed; only her weak body. She eyed the door intently, outlined in the soft orange glow of a nearby candle. Freedom was just beyond the door. A determined look settled across her thin features as she gathered all of her strength to stand up. Shuffling off of the bed’s side came with ease, and so did planting her hooves on the hard linoleum floor. Putting all of her remaining weight down on the other hoof nearly caused her to topple over in a heap. Her breathing was deep and steady as she stabilized herself by holding on to the bed. A few shaky wobbles passed through her before she stood up straight. Slightly labored chuckles left her as she freely stood. Like a foal, she set out at a slow and steady pace. One hoof in front of the other as she slowly made her way to the door. A large grin formed on her lips as joy filled her chest. She was actually walking, so close to seeing the outside world again. She arrived at the door with a slight huff. Her breathing stopped as she silently gathered strength at the door. No sound came from the hallway outside as she used what little magic she had left to open the door. Noiselessly, the large white door swung open. The hallway was dimly lit, not a soul in sight. Twilight’s smile returned in full force as she set out on her gentle pace down the hall. She didn’t really have a destination in mind, simply following her hooves wherever they took her. Soon one hallway turned into a second, corner after corner, junction, and split. She crept her way through the familiar hallways. Without really giving it a thought as to where she went, she found herself entering the throne room. Though there were candles and torches lit along the walls, the room remained relatively dark. It surprised her to see no guards present. A sigh left her as she slowly began walking down the long, red carpet of the throne room. Pillars, painted glass windows, priceless busts, and artwork passed her as she eventually arrived at the thrones. Upon a large pedestal, there sat three thrones. One gold, one a dark blue, and the other a rose color. Three thrones for three Princesses. Twilight’s expression fell slightly at the sight of the large, golden throne. The one place she’d always find Celestia sitting at. She turned away, looking to head back when one glass mural caught her attention. A dark violet and blue tree was pieced together by glass. Two pieces of glass on the trunk held both cutie marks of the Princesses. The center of the tree held a six pointed star. Each point directed a branch. Each branch held a different gem, all in different colors, pink, blue, red, purple, and yellow. The Tree of Harmony… The picture instantly registered in her head. The tree the elements came from. Silently she stared up at the massive mural, slightly awestruck as a small inkling formed in her scattered thoughts. Though it didn’t give her more than a slight feeling about the landmark, it stayed with her. Something about the tree. The sound of hoofsteps caused Twilight to turn and gasp. From one of the many shadows strewn about the room, Luna emerged. Her emotionless face delicately lit up at the sight of the purple princess. “Twilight?” Luna asked. “What are you doing out here?” Twilight blushed lightly and stammered, “I-I just came out to get some fresh air.” Luna sighed as she brushed against the smaller princess, who began leaning on her for support. “You know you are not permitted out of your bed,” Luna said with a caring nuzzle. “I-I know,” Twilight replied quietly. Luna smiled and chuckled, nuzzling Twilight again before ushering her back towards the doorway she entered through. “No harm done, my little star,” she said. “Now come, lets get you back to bed to rest.” As they slowly trekked back to the hospital room, Twilight looked back over her shoulder at the large glass mural. There was something about that tree she just couldn’t place…
Chapter 3Luna sat as still as ever, becoming the epitome of concentration. The wind gently blew past her as the world moved on by. The castle gardens were as peaceful as ever. Her eyes scanned the dark sky,reflecting the fading light of her moon. One half of the ever expansive sky held her night, hundreds of thousands of stars sparkling while her moon drifted down towards the western horizon. To the east, an orange glow began peeking over where the sky met the beautiful lands of Equestria. In a few minutes’ time, she would lift the sun as her sister did and bring day upon the land. A deep sigh escaped her lips, her slightly somber and quiet mood darkened. Sadness began to creep through her chest as her head sank, whimpering as her ears folded down. All she could ever want was her sister back. No matter her actions, the only other member of her family was incredibly important to Luna. The sun had begun to peek over the horizon when she looked back up toward the sky. A barely noticeable, soft rose glow surrounded the gas giant. Day had begun, and it was time Luna to carry out both her’s and her sister’s duties She stared intently up at the sky, hoping for answers to come raining down. After another moment of silence, Luna rose from her grassy patch and slowly began making her way back inside the castle. The dreaded Day Court was upon her, with no way around it. Luna had to give her sister credit; dealing with Canterlot nobles took a lot of both patience and self control. While she managed to keep herself from spiteing snobbish ponies into oblivion, she couldn’t resist a few sarcastic answers. The high flow of ponies kept her much busier than her own court, and she found some enjoyment out of turning down antsy nobles. Most of the morning she was bound to her sister’s golden throne. One by one, nobles came through the large doors at the end of the room. Some with real problems that Luna gladly acknowledged and took note of, while others outrageous demands made her blood boil underneath her dark fur. She found herself zoning out frequently, often staring into space as her mind wandered, wondering about her sister. Mountains of questions tumbled through her mind during the morning, often being left without answers and leaving her both conflicted and downtrodden. Sometimes she turned into a silent statute, barely acknowledging the presence of anypony until her attention was caught. Celestia plagued her thoughts. Day in and day out, her mind constantly returned to her missing sister. The amount of time that had passed since the incident seemed staggering, and she still hadn’t been found since then. She constantly dreamed of finding Celestia, bringing her back and patching over their wounds. But it could never be that easy, Luna’s thoughts would answer. They’d have to find her in the first place, which clearly, wasn’t as easy as they thought. Next would be nursing Twilight back to health, and hoping she could forgive Celestia for what she did. They would also hope Celestia could forgive herself and return to her rightful place on the throne. Luna sighed again, turning back to the surprisingly tolerable noble. A forced smile, kind eyes, and a nod of minor acknowledgement sent the smiling noble away. It was so silent during court, her lack of speech and thousand yard looks was off putting to many that entered the room. Hope began to dwindle as the days continued on, dark thoughts of never finding Celestia often entering Luna’s mind. There was nothing she could do, being bound to the throne. It was up to her to take Celestia’s position. Twilight was too inexperienced, and Cadence had her own city to run. If Luna had her way, she’d be out there with the search party looking for her sister. Being so helpless, all Luna could do was pray that her sister returned safe. But she could never hang onto her thoughts for long, for there were always ponies to answer to and deeds to be done. Her free time dwindled as the full weight of leadership fell squarely on her. Luna sighed, breaking her thoughts. A forehoof idly rubbed the bridge of her nose, trying to clear her mind and focus her vision. She quickly glanced out the window towards the sun court would be over soon. A small smile graced her lips at the thought of being free from one of her daily tasks. At long last, deep in the heart of Canterlot, bells rang loudly to signify noon. Luna all but jumped off of the throne, giving a passing glance to the slightly shocked line of nobles. A nearby guard began speaking on behalf of her while ushering ponies out of the throne room. While the remainder of the day was still scheduled for several meetings, Luna was on a mission of her own. Setting off at a fast trot, she exited the room and made a beeline towards her office. Twilight’s breath was deep and labored. As quietly as she could, she leaned against a wall in the massive hallway she stood in. Once again she had escaped the confines of her hospital room. Her destination was unknown, but she tried to wander in the direction of her old library. She began regretting her decisions even when she was only halfway toward her destination. Pain radiated throughout her chest and stomach as she limped along the wall, trying to be careful not to mess up her bandaged wounds. Ever so slowly, she made pained progress to her goal. Unknowingly, Twilight managed to arrive at the throne room. She sighed as quietly as she could and mentally reprimanded herself. There was no way she was going to make it out without being caught and sent back to her room, but this was the only shot she had since Luna had threatened to station guards at her room if she were to leave again. With bated breath, Twilight peered into the large room. She waited several seconds while scanning the room, daring not to breathe so as to not alert anyone of her presence. It was empty. She let out a relieved sigh and slight giggle and continued on inside. A smile spread across her lips as she looked around the oh-so familiar room. Her hooves made soft thuds against the red carpet of the throne room. Her smile remained as she neared the large, gold throne. As carefully as she could, she climbed up one treacherous step at a time. She reached the top, shaking and sweating slightly,wishing she’d waited to escape until after receiving her pain medication. A hearty sigh left Twilight as she sat upon the throne. The height advantage gave her a new perspective of the glorious room as she looked out like Luna and Celestia had. Her mood dropped slightly, looking down to where her mentor had sat. She sighed, thoughts of Celestia plaguing her mind. All she could wish for was the location and returning of her old mentor. She shook her head slightly, dispersing her thoughts as she looked up at the surrounding stained glass pictures to distract her. Carefully, her eyes looked over every detail, moving from one picture to the next before finally ending on the Tree of Harmony. Twilight sat still for a moment, the familiar feeling of a forgotten thought filling her mind. That’s when she gasped loudly and her eyes opened wide. The Tree of Harmony! Twilight skidded down the throne’s steps as she set out at the fastest hobble she could muster. Pain flared up immediately, but she pushed forward as she burst through the door into the hallway. Her weak limbs clambered along the marble floor as she bounced from wall to wall in her mad dash. When Twilight turned down the next hallway she was met with several ponies. Carelessly, she weaved in and out between all the maids and guards. They stopped in shock at first, then immediately gave chase. Twilight had a slightly crazed giggle as she continued on towards Luna’s office, guards and castle staff hot on her hocks. After what seemed like eons of galloping, she spotted the all too familiar door. With a mad smile, she used her remaining energy to push on. Luna sat at her desk with a frown. Officers of her guard and her sisters’ guard sat before her, sharing tactics and plans for new areas to search. Their search continued to come up negative as they tried their best to comb through Equestria. Her gaze fell to a map before her and she shook her head slightly. She has to be here somewhere, Luna’s thoughts echoed. She barely recognized the sound of so many ponies coming down the hallway before her office door all but exploded. Papers, utensils, furniture and ponies went flying. Some took cover while others were helplessly hurled through the air. Luna’s forehooves covered her head as she waited for everything to settle down. Eventually, she peered out, seeing that her office was a disaster as dust was kicked up into the air. In the doorway, leaning up against remnants of her door, laid Twilight. Luna lept over both her desk and the still cowering guardsponies and came to her aid. A supportive hoof wrapped around Twilight’s shoulders, while another carefully moved to her cheek. “Twilight? What is the matter?” Luna asked her. Meanwhile, the pursuing guards and maids skidded to a halt outside of the room, all of them panting and attempting to talk at the same time. Luna shook the spaced out alicorn. “Twilight, why are you out of bed?” There was no answer. Luna’s eyes drifted down towards her bandages, which were stained pink and darkening. “Y-You’re bleeding, Twilight. Why did you go and do this?” Still no answer. Luna began to grow worrisome. “Somepony fetch a nurse!” she shouted. Slowly, almost as if in response to Luna’s cry, Twilight’s eyes focused, looking straight into her’s She panted hard, wincing slightly. “Twilight? Dear?” Luna said, still trying to rouse the unresponsive mare. Twilight began giggling. “Twilight, what is it?” Luna persisted. “I-I-” She winced again. “I-I know where she is.” Her whisper barely registered to Luna. “What is it, Twilight?” “C-Celestia,” Twilight giggled and winced again. “I-I know where she is!” Luna froze, her grip tightening on Twilight. This could be it, her sister could be found.
