"Sister?" Luna asked softly, her hoof rapping against the door lightly, "Are you in there?"
There was no answer, but it didn't change the fact that Luna did in fact know that her sister was in her chambers. Luna sighed and sat on her haunches as she looked at the doors that spanned from the floor to the ceiling. Celestia hadn't been out of her room for some time and it was beginning to worry her.
'I know that she was upset about what happened, but I thought she would be fine,' Luna thought to herself, 'I've watched her carry on during my imprisonment, so this shouldn't be any different.'
Luna shook her head. That was an entirely different situation altogether. Celestia knew that Luna was going to return and she also had undying faith in the Elements to revert her back to normal. However, in this situation, Celestia knew that she was never going to be able to see him again.
Luna sighed once more. It was bewildering to think of the odd romance her sister had gotten involved in because of Starswirl. And especially when the pony Luna had associated him with was both eerily similar and different altogether.
'Alright, so falling in love with the alternate version of a tyrant king probably wasn't the most sane thing to do,' Luna admitted to herself, 'but, love is a funny thing in and out of itself, if what Cadence told me is any consolation.'
Luna looked back at the chamber doors. Celestia had been fine for the past few weeks, for the most part. But, day by day, she ended up retreating to her chambers at the end of the day quickly, each time sooner than the last. And today, she didn't even bother to leave the room.
"Sister, I know that you're there," Luna said finally, a small sigh escaping her, "won't you please come out?"
There was silence on the other side of the door.
Luna sighed once more. "I didn't want to have to do this..." She sparked her horn to life. "But desperate times call for desperate measures."
"Don't even bother," Celestia's voice said raggedly, "I put a spell on the door that even you can't break, Lulu."
Luna's magic faded instantly. "So she speaks." She knocked on the door again. "Tia, please, let me in! You know I don't like it when you shut me out!"
Celestia let out a sigh. "Leave me be, Luna. I need some time alone..."
Luna frowned. "You've been in there for days, Celestia! I had to raise the sun for you! You know how sensitive I am to that kind of exposure!"
"Luna, you've risen the sun for me before," Celestia said in a flat, unamused tone, "don't try to use that as an excuse to get me out."
"It was worth a shot," Luna muttered to herself, "just come out! I'm really worried! Twilight's worrying, too!"
Celestia was silent for a moment. "Twilight's worried?"
"She's always worried!" Luna exclaimed, "And you not replying to her letters is making it worse!" She sighed. "Poor Spike is picking up her feathers because they're falling from stress!"
Celestia let out a sigh. "She saw what happened... She should understand..."
Luna gave the door a deadpan expression. "You're talking about what Cadence told us, aren't you? About how she met a stallion in that other world?"
"Yes," Celestia said drearily, "like mentor, like student..."
Luna shook her head. "While that may be true in that respect, you're forgetting that as her mentor you're supposed to set an example for her to follow. And the one you're setting isn't all that pretty."
"What happened to it being fine that I do this?" Celestia asked suddenly, "You told me that there was nothing wrong with making mistakes and that just because I'm a princess doesn't mean I can't be a pony... a pony with a heart, no less."
Luna let out a growl of frustration. "Celestia, you're being a foal! You won't let me in to talk to you and I know that something's wrong! Just let me in and help you!"
"You mean like you did before you were banished?"
Luna's eyes widened and she found her anger turn into shock almost immediately. With a slight tremble in her voice, she said, "That was different... I didn't think that you--"
"That I cared?" Celestia cut off, "I did. I do. But Starswirl assured me otherwise and I pushed it from my mind so that I wouldn't have to put up with it."
Luna frowned. "He didn't know a thing about me and you know it."
"But at the time I didn't," Celestia told her, "and at the time, you didn't even talk to me about it. So I didn't know about just how angry you were and how far you were willing to go."
An image of cyan, cat-like eyes flashed through Luna's mind. She shook her head. "That's in the past, and I hate that you're trying to use it as an excuse for what you're doing now."
"Just leave," Celestia said harshly, "I'll come out when I'm ready... If I ever am..."
Luna opened her mouth to protest, but stopped as she realized the futility in doing so. She sighed. "Very well."
And with that, Luna made her way down the hall, completely unaware that her conversation had an audience.
* * *
Shattered.
There were many words that Celestia could use to describe herself at the moment being: crushed, demolished, broken, split, pulverized, snapped, splintered, fragmented, smashed, dashed, she could go on until she couldn't speak.
Yet, there was only one word that could possibly begin to understand just what she was feeling and that was it. Shattered.
Her heart was shattered, her mind was shattered, her very being itself was shattered. And she knew that it had only happened when that mirror had done so itself.
'When it broke, I did, too...' Celestia thought bitterly, 'I was just too stupid to notice... just like always...'
Celestia knew she was a fool. There was no doubt about it in her mind, and she bet that everypony-- no, everyone thought the same of her. Tartarus, she bet that even ponies from that other world thought of her as that, though not her specifically if she were to be technical.
'I am such a damned idiot... I should have never gone through that stupid mirror with Starswirl... I should never have gone through after... I should never have--'
She shook her head. "No." Her voice was broken, yet still sharp. "I won't say that. I won't even think that. I couldn't help falling in love, even if I tried."
'And I did...' she added to herself silently, 'we both did...'
She looked over to the corner of her room, where a small, but important plant stood. It held two things that both made Celestia happy and sad at the same time: a small piece of paper with "Always" written on it and a piece of the mirror, each bound by a single ribbon.
Celestia soon saw the similarity between herself and those two item. Because like them, she was hanging onto a shred of fabric, one that held no hopes of holding forever.
* * *
"So, Celly's a bit heartbroken, eh?" Discord asked no one in particular, "I wonder who over..."
He shrugged. "Oh, well!" He snapped his fingers briskly, causing a glass of chocolate milk to appear in his paw. "What Celly does is what she does." He paused for a moment. "Just who am I talking to?"
He continued his small walk through the castle, his tall, lanky form hunched over in a slouch. His mismatched legs moved with surprising fluidity, though the grace was lost upon as his height and strange appearance altogether made it difficult to notice.
"Hmm, perhaps I should send a letter to Fluttershy..." Discord mused, "I'm interested to know she's doing, especially since Sparkle got some new digs." He giggled mirthfully. "Oooo, I wonder if she'll convince her to get me a throne of my own? Maybe it could be next to hers!"
Discord's blitheness was broken through as a small, quiet whimper resonated from Celestia's room. His floppy ear perked up at the sound and turned towards the door on it's own, against Discord's orders. He let out a small, annoyed grunt and put his paw over his ear in a attempt to keep it from doing so.
"Noop," Discord told himself, "You're not getting involved in Celly's personal affairs. She doesn't like you, and she even told Luna to shove it, so you're not qualified." He blinked. "Just who in Tartarus am I talking to?"
Another whimper fell through the doors, this time louder. Discord sighed. "I'm going to have to be a friend, aren't I?" He snapped his fingers, causing a box of chocolates to appear in his paw where his milk had been and tub of red velvet ice cream. "Looks like I'm gonna have to launch into 'Comfort Female Friend' mode like I did when Flutters watched that stupid dog movie..."
He waltzed up to the door and knocked with his goat leg while he balanced on his tail. "Celly? I got some chocolate and ice cream if you want to talk."
A soft cry escaped from the room. "Go away, Discord. And tell Luna to shove those sweets up her plot for sending you!"
Discord's eyes widened. "Whoa. I didn't know she was into that sort of thing..."
"I said 'go away'!" Celestia exclaimed, her voice tired, yet powerful, "I'm not coming out!"
Discord rolled his eyes and tossed the items in his hands behind him, causing a passing servant to slip and fall with a loud yelp. "Looks like this calls for desperate measures..."
Celestia sighed. "I already told Luna. I put a spell that even she can't break--"
Discord snapped his fingers.
"--through?" Celestia finished as Discord appeared in her chambers. She glowered at him. "Damn you."
Discord opened his mouth to make a comment about her potty mouth, but stopped as he took in Celestia's appearance. Her ethereal mane was a mess and hung past her shoulders like vines in the Everfree Forest, but it did little to hide her scruffy and stained coat. Her royal regalia was tossed about the room, some broken and others cracked, while her crown was gone from sight. And her dreary, tired eyes were heavy with dark bags underneath them.
"Sweet mother of you," Discord breathed, "you look like a rake."
Celestia gave him a hard glare. "Thanks for that gracious compliment. Now leave, before I run you out of here."
Discord frowned at her. "Yeesh, Celly, aren't you aggressive? Last time I saw you so feisty and ragged was before my imprisonment."
"I've had a rough time," Celestia told him softly, but her tone was rigid at the same time, "and I doubt you'd be able to understand why."
Discord arched a brow. "Somepony broke your heart?"
Celestia flinched, her glare turning into a shade of broken despair. It was a bit alarming to see for Discord, who had never been able to even break through her hard exterior in such a way.
"Who was it, hmm?" Discord asked, "Perhaps a servant?"
"No," Celestia said softly.
"Or maybe a prince from another kingdom? One who doesn't like mares taller than him?"
"Stop it," Celestia begged quietly.
"Or was it something else?" Discord crossed his mismatched arms. "Maybe even a little fling-buddy from another universe?"
"Stop it!" Celestia cried, her voice shattering as Discord blinked in surprise at her, "Stop it, stop it, stop it!" She took in a ragged breath. "Please... For once, Discord, stop..."
Discord frowned. "Why is this such a big deal? You lost your sister for 1000 years. So what's a couple more centuries for you to figure out a way back to your little lover boy?"
Celestia looked up at him with steely, wet eyes. "I can't find a way back! Last time I was there, I nearly merged our worlds and put both of them in lethal danger!"
"So?" Discord questioned, "You have the power of the sun on your side, Celly. You can do whatever you want and kick total flank while doing so!" He snapped his fingers and made a crown appear on his head. "But all you are is a pretty princess in a pretty land of ponies who's not using her potential to the best of her abilities."
Celestia glared at him. "I won't use my powers like you! I'm not a crazy god who uses their abilities for petty things like you are!" She stomped her hoof. "I've had to give up so much for my kingdom so that it could thrive and survive, Discord! I had to give up my mortality so I could fight you, I had to imprison my sister to save myself and our home, I had to disconnect myself from the Element of Harmony so that I could keep them safe, and now, I had to..." She took a deep breath. "I had to give up the one pony who was literally out of this world so that both our kingdoms could be safe! Because I know he would never forgive himself if something bad happened to his kingdom or mine!"
"And was it worth it?" Discord asked.
"NO, IT WASN'T WORTH IT!" Celestia shouted, the volume of the Royal Canterlot Speaking Voice suddenly becoming extremely quiet.
Discord watched in stunned silence as Celestia took in ragged gasps of air from her outburst. It must have been centuries since she used her voice in such a way.
Finally, Celestia let out a heavy sigh. "And yet, I keep doing what I'm doing... Not for myself, not even for my kingdom..."
"Then who for?" Discord questioned, "Just who is so important that you keep letting yourself suffer like this?"
Celestia didn't say anything immediately. Her gaze flickered away from him and over to the small table beside her, holding a small photo of the stallion who was the cause of her misery.
"Him?" Discord blurted out, "Why him?"
Celestia frowned. "Yes. But..." She took a deep breath. "...It's not just him."
Discord gave her a confused look. "What on earth are you talking about?"
Celestia stood up shakily. "I'll show you..." She looked up at him. "But don't tell anyone... Please... It's absolutely crucial."
Discord wanted to make a witty remark, but refrained from doing so. There was something in Celestia's eyes that stopped him, that was holding such a hold over him that he knew that it wouldn't be right to say anything at a time like this.
He nodded. "Alright. Show the way, Celly."
* * *
It only took Celestia a moment to get them where she needed them to be. Both her and Discord were in a hidden, dark hallway that held no windows of any sort on it's stone walls.
"Just where are we?" Discord asked as he looked around.
"In the mountain," Celestia told him, "there are dozens of halls and rooms in here, but they're only used for the hidden archives and such."
"Which one are we here for?" Discord questioned.
"Such," Celestia replied, "though that's a broad category."
Discord rolled his eyes as he walked beside Celestia down the hall. "Alright, fine, be cryptic. It's not like anyone can hear us."
"You're right," Celestia amended, "not even Luna knows about this place. And I tell her everything." She paused. "Well, almost everything."
"She didn't take too kindly to your coltfriend, did she?"
Celestia gave him a hard look. "I don't see how that's your business."
Discord flinched. "Sorry. I'm not good at being supportive, let alone of a pony who imprisoned me."
Celestia didn't even bother to merit it with a response. "We're getting close."
Discord spared the hallway a look. The further they went, the darker it became, making it extremely difficult to see.
"I should have brought some night vision goggles..." Discord muttered to himself.
"Hush," Celestia chided softly, "we're getting close..."
Suddenly, the darkness faded a bit and Discord soon saw that a there was a source of light at the end of the hall. The light was leaking out from the edges of a door, while at first dim, it slowly turned into a brightness that almost made Discord cover his eyes.
"What are you going to show me?" Discord asked as his eyes adjusted.
"Not a what," Celestia whispered as she stood in front of the door. Her horn touched the door as it glowed a golden color, causing the door to sparkle with golden light. Finally, the door faded away, leaving a doorway for them to walk through.
Discord's eyes widened as he took in the occupant of the room. "Celestia... Is that...?"
"Yes," Celestia whispered, tears springing to her eyes, "she is."
In the middle of the room was a bed surrounded by a golden barrier, an aura so pure and strong that Discord bet not even his best spell could break through the shield. But, that alone didn't take from what was inside. Or rather, who.
A little filly with a pristine, white coat laid there, who was only a few days old at best. Her mane was a flurry of colors like her mother's, though streaks of black flowed through her mane and tail. Her little horn was barely visible in her messy head of hair and Discord could make out the outline of wings beside her.
"You wanted to know who was worth my suffering," Celestia said, not taking her eyes off of her daughter, "she is. And she always will be."
Discord stared at the filly. "How long?"
Celestia looked down. "A millennia. And I didn't know she was with me until long after Starswirl and Luna were gone."
"Does anyone else know?" Discord whispered.
She shook her head. "I was always hidden away, careful not to let it show. Everyone thought that I was mourning for Luna and they gave me my space, so there was one good thing that came out of that situation..."
"Celly..." Discord was at a loss for words. "I had no idea..."
"No one did." Celestia sighed. "Not even Sombra... But I wanted to tell him..."
"You just never got the chance," Discord finished, "it was too late..."
Celestia looked away from him. "I better leave... If I stay here too long, she wakes..."
"Is that such a bad thing?" Discord questioned, "Her being with you?"
Celestia was silent for a moment. "No, it wouldn't be. I would love every second of it." She faltered. "But she'd suffer so much... There'd be a scandal about her and she'd hate me for it..."
"You don't know that," Discord argued, "You could explain what happened. You could tell them--"
"No." She looked back at him. "It was one thing to have Luna revert to the Nightmare and for her to reform. It'd be another for me to have a child out of wedlock, one that was conceived in a dire situation no less. Myself and Luna would suffer for it... Not to mention her."
Discord frowned. "Are you sure that's what he would want? Do you think he'd approve of you keeping your daughter a prisoner just so that you wouldn't be embarrassed?"
Celestia glared at him. "I would never be embarrassed of either of them!" She took a deep breath. "I just don't want her to be the presses next 'hot scoop'... They're all vultures..."
Discord put a paw on her shoulder. "Don't pay them any mind... Just focus on her and I'm sure you'll be fine."
Celestia was silent for a moment. "Luna's going to flip out when I tell her she has a niece..."
Discord blinked. "You'll do it?"
Celestia shook her head. "Not immediately, no. I need time to adjust, to make sure that I'm ready for this..." She took a deep breath. "That everyone is ready..."
Discord looked back at the filly in the barrier, who was sleeping peacefully. "Does she have a name?"
Celestia lifted her head up and she looked at her daughter. Her eyes watered and tears welled up in her lids as she fought to keep from crying.
"Reflection," she whispered, a tear rolling down her face as she said it, "her name is Reflection."
