Time For Tomorrow
The moon was a quarter of the way through the night sky, and as round as an orange. Its pale, milky light shone over Equestria with the subtle sadness of a lonely heart. Yet this night it wasn’t Luna who was pulling the moon through the sky; Celestia was keeping an eye on its course. That single day had replayed so many times over the pony civilians were worried they may never see the beginning of tomorrow.
In a cloud house over Ponyville, an aged Rainbow Dash was sat looking at the clock. This clock showed not only the time, but the date also, which was currently at 23/4/90.
“It’s always the 23rd of April. Always.”
Sighing, the cyan mare looked over at her Wonderbolt outfit. The bright blue material had faded over the years, leaving it a dull sort of grey. Somehow, however, its regal stature and impressive edge remained, the work of Rarity lingering on the clothing although the pony herself was gone. Only Twilight, Pinkie Pie, Spike and Rainbow remained of the previous group. Even that wasn't a consolation as Pinkie was still bouncing while Rainbow had to rest.
Dash hadn't seen Twilight for so long it felt as though she were gone too.
Three of the elements were gone, in another world. Rainbow wondered if they would have been able to make sense of what had gone wrong with time.
*************************************
On the moon an empire was rising.
Luna sat on a throne of stars, surveying her newly formed army. Her sister’s behaviour had gone on for long enough – Celestia needed to stop changing time. Everypony knew that they were living the same day over and over. It had gone on for a few months and had progressed way too far. Luna had no power over her moon after Celestia's heart had taken control of it and the lives of millions of ponies. A shout jumped to the alicorn's throat.
“I stand before you, my Lunar Army! We are strong, and I shall lead you forward to retake the moon’s power! I am your superior! Is this understood?”
Below, the large group of armoured stallions roared in answer to her question, clanking their helmets against their silver breastplates, some even singing the old Equestrian battle hymns. Luna listened intently, and while she knew this was the only course of action she could take now it was almost against her consience to fight against her sister. If only the silly white mare would just allow nature to take its course. Luna had tried to talk to Celestia so many countless times. As she turned once again to her army a sorrow engulfed her. So tired of talking now. Action was the only way.
“Be ready to rise!”
The Princess of the Night turned and spoke to the three guards closest to her. They were the most loyal of all her charges and had been chosen specifically to stand at her side. They weren't commanders or generals, just kind hearted ponies.
“Ink Blot, Shiny Opal, Darkened Steed, you will come with me to see my sister. The others will come later, if Celestia will not listen. Goodness knows I have tried. Tell your commanders to come later if my words do not work. “
All three ponies bowed and ran over to their superiors. Once the orders were understood they appeared suddenly at her side.
“Are you all ready? Yes? Good, then we shall teleport to wherever my sister is. I do so hope I do not have to wage war…”
A deep blue light surrounded the four peacemakers and they were shunted from one world to another in a split second. It was a nauseating journey; Ink Blot’s indigo face turned a sickly green as her hooves touched down on a different ground.
“I am never, ever doing that again,” Ink remarked.
The room they had arrived in was lit only with an oil lamp of very small proportions. It cast a quiet light upon the white alicorn in the corner and the bed by her side. Luna was shocked to see Twilight Sparkle, dulled with age, sleeping underneath the duvet with about five drips and a heart monitor connected to her. Her grey mane covered most of her lilac face, and the Princess of the Sun was sat stroking it. The monitor’s steady bleeps were coming to be few and far between. A white muzzle pointed in the direction of the intruders.
“Luna, Luna, help me. She’s dying. My Twilight Sparkle, my shining star, she’s going to go so soon. I can’t let her go.”
Everything made sense now. If the day could happen over and over then Twilight wouldn’t have to die – the day would begin again with Celestia’s student brought back to life. It was a crude sort of immortality that the white alicorn had fashioned especially for the lilac mare. It wasn't right. This was selfish love. Celestia reminded Luna of a mare she'd known years ago, one who'd broken up a happy couple because she loved the colt. Only it was selfish love, just like this. Luna wasn't angry, just sorrowful to see her sister so. For days on end Luna had come into the same room to speak the same words and nothing worked anymore.
“Celly, you can’t do this.”
“Why can’t I?”
“The ponies out there have lives to lead. Reliving the same day over and over isn’t a life; it’s like a prison cell!”
“No.”
The atmosphere in the room stilled. All three guards shifted uncomfortably. For all the years they had spent training, the raw emotions of a princess with incredible power was nearly all too much. While speaking levelly they could feel the princess' loneliness in the short word. The blue alicorn wanted to soothe her sister so much, yet it had never worked before and wouldn't now. Anger was her only outlet.
“Celly, this is what is called abusing your power. You cannot just change time to suit you!”
“I'm not abusing it. Funny to hear you say that ‘Nightmare Moon!’”
“That was different, sister.”
"I can hardly see how."
"I was corrupted. That was a lack of love and this is an abundance of it. You think this is right. It's wrong. This is for your selfish needs sister."
"Selfish! This is for Twilight."
"Does she want it though?"
Something stirred in Celestia's eyes. An idea flew into the night princess' mind like a firework and she smiled to herself.
"GET OUT! GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!"
Without a second thought Luna was shrouded once again in her magic and went off without a trace.
*************************************************
Celestia felt a raw and salty tear trickle down her glorious white fur. Who was her sister to push her around and tell her to essentially kill her own student? Anyway, there was no world in which she would give up her Twilight. The dusky scent of the grey mane filled the air and brought forth a joy which nopony could ever hope to explain. Her deep purple eyes shone with a raw beauty even a goddess could not deny. How could such wondrous life be allowed to pass?
“I would darken the sun for you. I have changed time so I may never lose you, Twilight Sparkle. Be happy.”
“I am… happy.”
The unicorn’s eyes closed slowly, causing the white mare to whinny in fear as the beeps from the heart monitor grew further and further apart.
“Oh no you don’t! Don’t you even consider giving up now!”
A slight jolt of golden magic made the monitor run smoothly again. Twilight moaned in exhaustion as she felt her tired heart be forced to restart. She wanted to sleep but she couldn't. Much as she loved Celestia this was too much and she could barely muster the strenth to whisper comforts to the alicorn.
“Heavens,that was close. You're still going Twi. Keep on going.”
“P-p-princess?”
Turning towards the door, the princess saw a younger version of Twilight, small and hope filled, at Luna's side. The unicorn’s eyes were full of wisdom and terror as she surveyed the scene before her. Luna was smiling calmly. This little student was her special attack move. As Celestia had been wallowing in her misery, Luna had taken the liberty of visiting a younger Twilight. This young mare only had a short time in the future, but perhaps she could help in the precious minutes. Luna had only had moments to explain the situation. If she was lucky Twilight would not be overly confused.
“Princess Celestia, what’s going on – oh my, that’s me isn’t it! I look so...old.”
There was a pregnant pause as everypony processed what was going on before them.
“Princess, is what Luna says true? You're stopping time for me?”
“Yes. If Luna says that I have caught the whole world in one day so you could live, then that is the truth.”
Two blazing violet eyes met those of the white mare, and then those of the night’s guardian. Ink Blot, Shiny Opal and Darkened Steed left the room out of respect and confusion, closing the door silently on the awkward moment inside Celestia’s chamber.
“Princess, you don’t have to do this for me.”
“I do! My heart has suffered too much loss already, I need you.”
"You did not need me once. Before I was born you didn't have me. You don't need me now. Move on."
"It hurts too much."
"When you love someone you give them up."
A violet hoof touched the white wings of the sorrowful tutor lightly, in a soothing manner befitting of a first class spa worker. Two pairs of eyes met, and a connection was made between student and teacher. Only this time it was the student doing the teaching. Her voice was heavy with wisdom her heart held.
“I know all you want to do is save me, but this is all wrong. I’ll always be there, in you, even when I go. There’s a little bit of magic in death that means everypony remains within somepony else. I learnt that when my Mum passed on. She’s with me…”
Twilight gestured towards her heart. A small smile played across her face as the memories overwhelmed her mind. Holding her mother's hoof as life slowly ebbed away in those caring eyes. Funerals and flowers and hurt. Eventually she had to give her mother up - why not do it now? Twilight took all the memories and let them go, one by one. The hurt lessened until she was void of the pain. Yes, her mother was there in her heart... she just wasn't hurting Twilight with her painful abscence in life.
“She’s with me in here. Trust me; I’m never ever letting you go. I’ll be in your heart for eternity. Let go of the memories, Celestia. I think today has gone on for long enough, don't you?"
A small tear trickled down a violet cheek, reflecting unseen rainbows.
“It’s time for tomorrow.”
The tolling of the midnight bells rang joyously across Equestria, and the light of the full moon showered the chamber with a white glow. Taking her time, Celestia removed all the drips from her student’s forelegs and turned off the heart monitor. Celestia's side was empty - young Twilight had gone quietly, hopefully as the older version would. Luna couldn’t find words to speak. Her eyes were red and empty of emotion as her sister did the bravest thing she had ever seen a pony do. The time had come, and, smiling, the dying mare said two words.
“Goodnight Celestia.”
And she was gone. Eyes shut, mind clear. Celestia cleared her mind and did not mourn. She had given Twilight up and it had hurt, but now she was happy. Someday, in a thousand years when she gave up her immortality, perhaps Celestia would see Twilight again. But for now there was life to live. And as Celestia rose to her hooves she kissed the dear mare on her sunken cheek.
“Goodnight, my dear friend. Goodnight," she whispered.
******************************************************
Dusky nights and evening showers
Shining rubies and sweet young flowers
An eye for an eye,
A heart for a heart,
The twilight’s end,
The morning’s start,
Belief beyond the lover’s dance,
The willing heart that takes a chance,
A newfound life,
A brand new day,
The mind that will,
The mind that may,
Bravery beyond compare,
The ifs, the buts, the neverwhere,
A Magic in death,
An empty tear,
The open door,
A lack of fear,
A little piece of unknown sorrow
Goodbye, sweet day,
It is tomorrow.
Hello, and thanks for reading. This is a fairly revised reading of my original ficlet - I hope it's a bit better than before. Thanks to Browser for being my support in my MLP writing and being the loveliest Special Somepony ever.
