The Dying of the Lightby AmrothChaptersTroubled DreamsA Saucerful of SecretsTurning AwayThe Dark Side of the MoonTroubled DreamsOn a summer night, the city of Canterlot slept. Glittering stars covered the sky, winking in the warm pall of summer air that embraced the city like a blanket. With few exceptions, the only ones that stirred in this comfortable summer somnolence were Princess Luna and her Night Guard. The Night Guard patrolled in every level of the castle; their dim lanterns flitted by the windows like so many fireflies. More surreptitiously, a few patrols sparsely covered the outlying grounds. While the patrols were dutiful, even diligent, they were also, if you wanted to get right down to it, mere ponies. The Night Guard had finite attention spans. The Night Guard had no reason to suspect trouble. The Night Guard had not been vigilant enough, for within this idyllic silence, there was a lone mare who tonight found herself in opposition to the Night Guard. Stepping out from Pony Joe's donut shop, Twilight Sparkle casually said her goodbyes to its proprietor. She wore a simple cloth pack securely attached by a strap, and her face had an unusually grim set to it. Turning, she walked away from the shop at a slow trot, and paused in an alley. A faintly ticking watch came out of her pack and floated in front of her with a dim glow. With no more than a few seconds of contemplation, Twilight replaced the watch and screwed up her courage. It was now or never. There was a wavering, brilliant glow, a small pop, and then Twilight was no longer in the alley. Wincing at the conspicuous sound and light, Twilight found herself atop a balcony of one of the towers of Canterlot. Looking out over the city, she recognized one of the nearby towers. It was where she had become Celestia's apprentice, where she had earned her cutie mark. With a sinking feeling in her chest, she looked, lost, back at the castle proper. Twilight felt as though she could have stayed in that trance until dawn, but it was broken by the insistently growing sound of approaching hoofbeats. Snapping back to attention, she searched in the stark light of the stars and moon for curtains that she knew should be there. With only seconds left, she dashed behind the dark velvet curtains, as unseen as she had hoped. “Did you hear something?” said one voice. “No. You've got to calm down, rookie. Not every bump in the night is a threat,” said another voice, horribly familiar to Twilight's ears. “I mean, take a look at these curtains,” it continued, “they flap with the breeze so much that it's a wonder you're not hearing something now.” “...fair enough, Captain. I'll continue on my beat,” replied the first voice, slightly peevish. There was a brief pause, and then the sound of a single set of hoofbeats, walking away. For a moment or two, there was merely the soft sound of another pony breathing, facing the balcony. Then, the soft clack of hoof against stone as the pony turned around. “You can come out now, or I can make you come out.” Sheepishly, Twilight brushed aside the curtain with a flourish, and looked into the face of her older brother. “Twilee? What... what are you doing here?” Shining Armor whispered urgently. At first unable to meet his gaze, Twilight steeled herself and looked into his eyes. “I memorized the schedule for the Night Guard. This is one of the few vacant spots during the changing of the guard. I think that's because its pretty inaccessible, and then who would even be crazy enough or powerful enough to teleport directly outside the Princess's chamber? The-” “No, that's not what I mean,” Shining Armor said in a desperate attempt to cut off her rambling before she hijacked his own train of thought. How did she even get a copy of the Night Guard's schedule? Had she stolen it from him? “I know, and I'm sorry,” said Twilight sadly. At this, Shining Armor looked back at Twilight. Her eyes were big, and her lip wavered in that peculiar way that had never failed to find purchase within his sympathy. “It's okay, I'm sure the Princess will forgive you, we'll just explain-” “No, I'm sorry,” said Twilight, now interrupting him. A terrible green glow surrounded Twilight's horn, and within a heartbeat, a green jet arced from her horn and lanced into her only brother, the Captain of the Guard, Shining Armor. He had time only to widen his eyes in a shocked expression before slumping to the floor with a grunt. Gingerly, he was picked up by Twilight's magic and tucked behind the curtain. Twilight took a minute to stop and think: The first patrol wouldn't return until another fifteen minutes. The Captain of the Guard was given free rein to oversee the entirety of the castle grounds and so- *her throat caught* -Shining Armor wouldn't be missed until he failed to report in at the end of his shift in midmorning, and he would awaken no later than noon even if he weren't found. Satisfied, Twilight turned from the balcony to once again consider the castle itself. The curtains that separated her from the Princess seemed to rise up at her attention, forbidding her entry. With a snort, Twilight rolled her eyes and walked softly into Celestia's quarters. The room was as it ever had been: clean, simply, though not plainly, outfitted, with a comfortable-looking queen-sized bed. The sides of the rooms were lined with bookshelves, and Philomena's cage was mercifully empty. In the middle of the bed, sleeping fitfully, was the immortal ruler of Equestria, Princess Celestia. Her uneasy rest was punctuated by grimaces that were unbecoming to such a regal face. Twilight, framed by the silvery light of the night sky, approached Celestia, expression unreadable. She looked from one end of the bed to the other, and then sighed. Forcing herself to turn away from the bed, unable to give aid or comfort, Twilight again pulled out her watch. Putting it more fully into the starlight, she read the time and frowned. With another fierce effort of concentration, Twilight began to teleport. She vanished with a pulsing, purple light. Celestia stirred for a moment, and then returned to her troubled dreams. Twilight's destination was quite far from the castle proper, even for her. With a gasping huff, Twilight staggered to her feet outside the Castle Labyrinth. She hadn't much time! Wheezing, Twilight struggled through the outer hedge wall, parting the tall bushes with magic. Twilight could hear the patrolling Night Guard just on the other side of the wall. Trying to calm her nerves, she focused on steadying her breath. Shakily, Twilight set out from the entrance towards the center of the maze. She had, of course, memorized the layout long ago, never imagining that she would be putting that knowledge to use. Not like this, anyway. Running on automatic, Twilight found herself standing still after a few short minutes. Her breath caught, briefly, before returning in a rush of dry night air. Finally, she had reached her goal. She drew out of her pack one of the six most powerful artifacts of this world, known to some as the Element of Magic, and placed it atop her head. She then neatly took off her pack and lay it on the ground. Finally ready, she drew her gaze upwards and steeled herself. Princess Luna, relieved at the tranquility of the night and its uneventful passing, moved to wake up her sister from what she feared had been another restless night. Groggily, Celestia awoke, stretched, and walked to her balcony. Looking into the city, she beat her powerful wings and began to rise into the sky with the first light of dawn. It was when this light began to pass over the sky that Twilight knew she had run out of time. Shaking partially from anxiety, partially from something else, her eyes began to glow with an inner light, and she began to free Discord from his stony prison. A Saucerful of SecretsAbout one year earlier: It was a warm summer morning in Canterlot, and Twilight was aglow within and without. Without, from the mounting summer heat. Within, from the hot tea she was sharing with Princess Celestia and from the excitement at seeing her mentor once again. Celestia and Twilight had chosen a gazebo outside the Royal Gardens as their meeting-place. After Twilight had gotten her fill of the scenery, she talked of her travels, her friends, and the various quibbles she had with the Canterlot library staff on the library's new filing system. After a few minutes, Twilight noticed that Celestia hadn't replied in some time, and was looking out at the garden with a serene expression. She cleared her throat uncertainly. “Oh! Excuse me, Twilight, I was lost in thought,” Celestia said with a regretful smile. “Something wrong?” Celestia set down her teacup, and turned to face Twilight with a more subdued expression. “I've been doing quite a bit of thinking since Princess Cadence and Shining Armor's wedding,” she said at last. The wind started to pick up in small gusts, nearly spilling the tea, though it went unnoticed by the both of them. Twilight studied her mentor's face, surprised and sympathetic. Unsure how to proceed, she hesitantly asked, “Is it.. is it because of the Changeling Queen? Every text I read about Changelings mentioned that-” “No, Twilight,” Celestia gently corrected, “while my... defeat... was indeed distressing, I think it may have been a blessing in disguise.” “I think that it acted as a sort of memento mori.” Twilight thought back to her knowledge of Old Equestrian. “'Remember you must die'? How is that a blessing in disguise?” Celestia bowed her head, and began to explain, “Twilight, I have ruled over Equestria for thousands of years. I have inured myself to the pain of losing those close to me. I have accepted that my life is eternal, or nearly so, and that that has made some things easier and some things more difficult.” She paused, struggling to bridge the gap between immortality and everyday existence with mere words. “I realized,” she finally managed, “when all seemed its darkest, when the Changelings seemed to be unstoppable, that mortality is what truly gives life its meaning.” “I lived more in the rest of that day than in the entirety of the millennium when Luna had been banished. I was connected once more with the ponies around me, and it was because we shared mortality, vulnerability.” Twilight pensively considered this as Celestia continued, “Without mortality, I am lifeless. I continue to draw breath, but there can be no ultimate significance, no purpose.” Celestia favored Twilight with a crafty smile as her pupil raised a teacup to her lips. “That's why I've decided I'm going to die.” There was a great deal of spilled tea and sputtering at this, and Celestia's smile grew wickedly. “What?! Princess, you can't- I mean, you literally can't as well as shouldn't, but you can't die, you're-” “Please calm down, Twilight,” Celestia chuckled, “I didn't mean to upset you.” Twilight scowled darkly at this, knowing her mentor all too well, and asked, “But what on Equestria do you mean by that, Princess?” “I mean, Twilight, that I intend to become mortal.” Twilight's burgeoning questions had a brief, yet fierce inner struggle before one won out over the others. “How can an alicorn even become mortal?” she asked simply. Celestia stood at this, and began to pace uneasily before stopping at the edge of the gazebo and turning back to face her student. “There are but few methods of taking an alicorn's immortality,” she quietly admitted, “and it is well that they are not known, even to you, Twilight Sparkle, for most of them are fell and terrible. Their knowledge would bring you no joy.” “However, even more recondite than those methods is the knowledge that an alicorn's immortality is not automatic; it must be renewed, every year.” Almost unconsciously, the unicorn's mind began to process this information, and returned an answer that fit what she knew. “The Summer Sun celebration,” murmured Twilight. “Indeed. Luna has a more private ceremony during the Winter Solstice of which I will not speak without her leave.” Drawing nearer to her pupil so that only she could hear, Celestia said, “Cadence has chosen to be mortal, further testament, if I am not mistaken, to her love for Shining Armor.” Celestia allowed a brief frown to flicker across her face at this, and continued, “That is why although she is an alicorn, she is not,” and here she shrugged helplessly with her wings, “like me.” Twilight allowed herself a few minutes to process this, and then could contain her questions no longer, and they spilled out, one after the other. “But why do you want to be mortal? What of Luna? And.. and... how long would you live if you gave up immortality?” Celestia closed her eyes, slightly pained at this litany of questioning. “Twilight, I know what life would be with mortality and without, and I know that the time I share with Luna and with everyone else would be far more precious if I am mortal. I will live life as it is meant to be lived, cherishing more deeply the moments I have with those around me.” Celestia took a breath and looked back at the Castle before returning her gaze to Twilight, now a little unsteady. “As for Luna... I hope that she will understand.” Celestia mused a bit longer, and then straightened. “Twilight, I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. I would have about as long a lifespan as you if I chose not to renew myself at the next solstice.” Twilight searched Celestia's eyes at this, staring hard. Anger finally managed to replace bewilderment. “I can't believe this. I can't believe that you're seriously considering this! What happens if you change your mind after next summer? Can you become immortal again?” Celestia considered Twilight evenly before replying, “I didn't expect you to understand at once, Twilight. And no, once I've made my decision, it will be final.” At this, Twilight's teacup, forgotten amid the conversation, gave a momentary creaking sound before wrenching itself apart. The liquid and shards of ceramic stayed locked within the grip of her magic, floating absently in a strange cloud. Twilight turned from the Princess to face the castle, breathing heavily. Celestia craned her neck, trying to glimpse Twilight's face, but it was in vain. After a few long seconds of tense silence, she made to speak, when Twilight glanced over, and allowed the remnants of the teacup to fall to the floor, cracking into even smaller pieces. In a flat voice unlike any she had spoken before, Twilight said, “I think it would be for the best if I left now before I did or said something I regret. Goodbye, Princess. I'll be in touch.” With that, she stepped briskly off the gazebo towards the castle. With an incredible flash, seeming for a moment to be a giant purple flame, Twilight vanished. The air rushing to fill the space where she had stood sounded almost as loud and severe as a thunderclap. Celestia blinked, and looked forlornly at the broken teacup. The set had been a gift, she remembered absently, from a Griffin monarch in the 3rd, or was it the 4th- “Is everything okay, your Highness?” asked a guard, investigating the unusual disturbance. “I-” Celestia looked at him uncertainly for a few moments, “I think it will be. Thank you.” Authors note: Whew. Finals, what are those? In all seriousness, I probably won't be able to do any updates this quickly for a while, as a variety of things are demanding my time. Expect an update next Monday? Turning AwayAuthor's Note: I am a bad person, a worse writer, and worst at all at keeping promises and schedules. I plan to finish this, but I can't promise regular writing. That being said, the lie of the day (or tentative schedule) is a chapter about this length every weekend. If I can't do that, I'll post a note saying why. I hope this one is okay, I haven't proofread it very much. The sun was low in the sky when Twilight finally arrived in Ponyville from her Canterlot trip. While on the train, she had done a great deal of thinking and had moved past shock, anger, and worry to fall into a kind of silent contemplation. Twilight sighed. She hadn't thought much about death; she knew in a sort of distant, suppressed way that she would one day die. Memento mori, she recalled from her talk with the Princess. But there was so much that she wanted to do, so many things that she wanted to share with her friends before she died.... Had Celestia simply lived long enough that she had done everything worth doing? She shook her head. Celestia had had many things that would be left undone if she were to die. Many schools unbuilt, many charities unfunded, many things that she seemed to relish every day. No, Twilight thought as she walked limply from the train, Celestia's day-to-day life was at least satisfactory, certainly not empty. There had to be something else to this. Twilight walked undisturbed to her home; Ponyville was as empty as any small town that late in the day. As she opened the door to the library, she noticed Spike reading a book at the table in the middle of the room. He was too short to reach the table from the chair, Twilight remembered with confusion, and then saw with some fondness that he had a pile of books on the chair underneath him, as she had often done when she was a filly. With a faint smile, Twilight quietly walked from the door to the table to see what he was reading. She was amused to find that it was a book of poems. “Poetry, Spike?” she asked with a smirk. “GAHH!” Spike reeled in surprise, and then shock, as he fell from his stack of books. The candle, knocked by an errant claw, fell on its side and flickered, casting wild shadows in the dark of the room. Spike winced, bracing for an impact that never came. He and the candle were surrounded by a purple glow, and soon set aright; he, back on his pile of books, and the candle a little further from the edge of the table than it had been. “Twilight, why did you do that? You scared the crap out of me!” Spike managed to huff out, still breathing quickly. “Spike, language!” “Sorry, I... but why didn't you say something?” he asked more calmly than before. “I guess I'm sorry too, Spike. The meeting with the Princess didn't go all that well... and, I've... I've kind of have a lot to think about. I was just surprised to see you reading poetry, that's all.” Spike took this in, and considered. He was a lot smarter than most ponies gave him credit for, but then again, he wasn't Twilight's number one assistant on the basis of his good breath or cheap nutritional requirements. “Is everything alright, Twilight?” he finally asked. “No. But there isn't really anything to be done. Not now, anyway.” “Did you and the Princess have a fight?” “No, we just... we just have a disagreement.” Both looked soberly at the other at this; Twilight didn't want to worry Spike, and Spike didn't like being left in the dark. With no more information forthcoming, Spike sighed, and gestured towards the book. “I was reading poetry because Rarity borrowed a book of poems earlier. She said that they inspire her when she wants to come up with new designs.” Twilight smiled, and walked over to the table to see what he was reading: “ Under the wide and starry sky Dig the grave and let me lie. Glad did I live, and gladly die, And I laid me down with a will. This be the verse you grave for me: “Here he lies, where he longed to be; Home is the sailor, home from the sea, And the hunter home from the hill.” ” Twilight grimaced, and the book landed back on the table with a clunk. “And this is your idea of a romantic poem to read to Rarity?” Spike frowned, and walked to the door. Night had fallen while they were talking. He shut the door, and then looked back at Twilight. “I may have started reading poems with that in mind, but some of these are uh.... well...” Spike paused to scratch behind his head with a claw, and then continued, “...some of them are really good. And they make me think.” Twilight's expression brightened as she said, “Spike, that's wonderful! You should be glad that you enjoy poetry! I wouldn't have thought you would have the patience for something like that just yet. Let me know if you want any recommendations.” “Will do, Twilight.” Twilight beamed some more at Spike, and then headed upstairs to put down her bags. As she dropped her bags to the floor, she walked to the window, looking out at the quiet of the town and the cold glimmer of the stars. She idly brushed her hair as she stood, thinking about Spike, Celestia, and death. She couldn't tell Spike about this, at least not yet. Celestia was like a mother to him, and as a dragon, he would outlive her if she had Twilight's lifespan. Sparing him the details of her 'disagreement'... that was a mercy. Her brush caught on a knot in her hair and she pulled a little harder in an attempt to tame it. Would Spike's long life persuade Celestia to keep her immortality? She brushed some more, and considered. It was unlikely. If Celestia were mortal, Luna would live long past her death, and Celestia had doubtless already thought of that. Twilight turned from the window, and put the brush back down on her nightstand. Having thought out the consequences of an action did not mean that those consequences were felt at a deep, personal level, or that all of their ramifications seemed viscerally real. She had once read that when making plans, bad consequences in the future are written off as less likely or painful than they would be, while immediate benefits were overstated. All in all, the future and future actions would seem less real than the present, which caused bad decisions. Funny how clinical it seemed, she wondered idly, when the bad decision-making process was considered separately from the bad decision. She turned back to the window, and looked at the stars for a moment or two before heading back downstairs. “Spike, I want you to take a letter.” He looked up from his book. “To Celestia?” “To Princess Luna.” The Dark Side of the MoonAuthor's note: I really appreciate all of the kind words and encouragement. Thank you, and I think that this will get the plot rolling at an acceptable clip. It was seven days until Twilight heard back from Luna. Seven long and lonely days of waiting and uncertainty. The letter she sent had been brief, a mere summary of her discussion with Celestia and a simple request at the end for a talk. Twilight hadn't talked to any of her friends in Ponyville about Celestia; it seemed too personal, somehow, to involve them without knowing more. So, she read, and slept, and endured. She hadn't cried. She couldn't. She was still so angry, so uncertain about it all, that it felt like getting sad, properly, deeply sad at the thought of losing Celestia, would be too great of an acknowledgment that it was an actual possibility. Spike had been cautiously optimistic. Perhaps, Twilight mused, because she hadn't been attempting to travel back in time or enchant the town. She would have, if she had thought it would save Celestia. Twilight idly wondered what exactly she would be willing to do if Celestia's life were threatened by some external threat. She had faced Discord, she had faced Nightmare Moon, she had done many things, for Ponyville and Equestria. But Equestria and Ponyville were abstract things, places. Celestia was a pony she loved, a pony she wanted to protect, honor and cherish. What exactly would she be willing to do to keep her safe? She was interrupted from her thoughts by Spike, who held a dark blue scroll fastened with an onyx bit of wax. After thanking him, Twilight went upstairs and closed her door, wanting privacy to read Luna's response. She took a deep breath and broke the seal: “If you would speak with me, come at the middle hour of the night to the old Royal Castle. --Luna” Twilight stared at the letter and read it again. She didn't know what she expected, but she thought Luna's response would be something more... substantial than this. She shook her head. Luna could be as cryptic as she wanted, so long as she would help. Feeling a little less burdened than before, Twilight marched back downstairs to find Spike. After a brief investigation, she found that he had busied himself in the noble pursuit of taking a nap, so she left him as he was and wandered outside to find a way to kill time while she waited for night to fall. Seeing that the market was still open, she walked over to find Applejack's stand. There were only a few ponies there this late in the day, and AJ had sold all but the last of her apples. Applejack looked at Twilight and smiled. “Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes, Twi! I haven't seen you much at all this week.” “I know, I've just been really busy with a project.” Twilight managed while sporting a weak grin. Applejack narrowed her eyes. “Spike said you've been moping around, that you haven't been working on much of anything.” “Oh?” “He also said that it seemed like you were hiding something. Not telling the whole truth, leastways.” Twilight was the perfect image of indignant confusion. “I don't know what you're-” “You ought to know by now that lyin' to me isn't exactly the most productive of activities.” Applejack softened, and continued, “But I understand if you need some time to think if something's bothering you.” Twilight half nodded at this and picked up one of Applejack's remaining apples before she responded, “Applejack, I can't talk about this now. It's about Princess Celestia, and that's all I'll say for the moment.” “You aren't going to start waving magic dolls around again, are ya?” “I don't know, I still haven't gotten the last one back from your brother.” A ghost of a smirk spread across Applejack's face before it faded and she replied, “Twi, I don't know what's going on here, but I can tell it's more serious than before. You should talk- if not with me, then with Rarity, or Fluttershy, or any of your other friends. You can't solve everything alone, you taught me that.” “I haven't forgotten, and I think I might have found just the pony to talk to about this tonight. Thanks, AJ. I won't let this get out of hoof.” Twilight turned to walk away, but Applejack's voice rang out as she left: “You can have the apple, by the way!” Twilight smiled. Amidst everything else, she had forgotten. Sometimes the little things made all the difference. She took a bite of the apple and walked to the park, wanting to watch the sunset. The sky was glowing shades of pink and purple as a late summer sun dipped below the horizon, and the trees and ground looked almost as if they were lit aflame, orange and alive amid the dying of the light. Twilight settled down to eat, and produced a pair of sunglasses to watch. It was too beautiful to look away. All too quickly though, the apple had been reduced to a core, and the embers of the sun had faded to leave a somber darkness in its place. She felt cold, somehow, even though the summer air was still warm with the memory of day. Standing, she stretched and looked back towards the town, then turned away and walked with purpose towards the gloom and isolation of Everfree Forest. If she wanted to keep her appointment with Luna and travel safely, she had to start walking now. The walk was quieter than she had expected. The sounds of the forest grew to be part of the unconscious background after a while, and though the path was circuitous and filled with obstacles, she didn't encounter any manticores, dragons, cockatrices, or anything else unseemly. As she reached the bridge that separated the old Royal Castle from the Everfree Forest, Twilight wished she had brought Owlicious with her; his eyes were so much keener in the night than hers. Not wanting to trust that the bridge's flimsy supports would still hold, she teleported across the chasm and lay winded on the other side before picking herself up and walking to the castle steps. With a sense of déjà vu, Twilight walked up the steps to the room where she and Nightmare Moon had once stood, where the heart of darkness had been at its most formidable. She shuddered, and pressed onward. When she finally reached the top of the castle, the darkness hung as heavy as curtain in the air. The room was dank, and what little of the moon's glow could be soon was from small cracks in the castle's stone. In the very middle of the room, Twilight saw a tall figure shrouded in a colorless robe. With some trepidation, she walked closer, noticing that a dark blue light emanated off of the her. “Luna?” The figure turned and reached up to remove her cowl. It was Princess Luna, looking more solemn than Twilight had ever seen her. “Twilight. Do you know why we're meeting here?” Twilight considered, and then said simply, “No. Why didn't you just respond in the letter? Why all of these theatrics?” “These are NOT theatrics. Twilight, I have been aware of Celestia's intentions ever since the wedding. I've been talking with her about what I consider to be a colossal mistake. But,” Luna paused in an awkward silence before she continued, “I cannot talk about her choices with you or anyone else.” Twilight took all this in before she hesitantly asked, “Luna, are you afraid to disagree with Celestia?” Luna shifted uncomfortably. “I've been very careful since I coming back from my exile to avoid a repeat of past events. I, and others, would see a public disagreement with Celestia as the start of a path that leads only to treason. For that reason, I will speak of Celestia with you tonight, but no more. Twilight, no one must know of our talk.” Luna looked directly at Twilight and said, “So to answer your question: No, I am not 'afraid' to disagree with Celestia, merely cautious in my doing so.” Twilight sat down, suddenly unsteady on her feet. Luna was supposed to be the voice of reason, the cavalry, the indefatigable force that would convince Celestia. Twilight looked up at Luna, unsettled that her plan had run aground so quickly, and said, “Have you had any success in talking to her? Any indication that she will change her mind and renew for at least another year?” Luna walked closer, the darkness obscuring her face until a beam of moonlight happened across it, revealing worried resignation. She looked down at Twilight and quietly began, “I have not. I have been speaking against... the 'idea', but I haven't gained any ground. Celestia is convinced that the realm depends on her far more than is good, that her eventual passing will ease the realm into sufficiency, and that she will enjoy life all the more if it is finite. She is convinced that meaning only exists if her life will one day end.” Luna closed her eyes and continued, “At least, that is what she tells me, the reasons she gives. I don't think that she truly believes that her life until now lacked meaning or purpose, but the Changelings' attack changed something in her estimation, that is apparent. And now she will forever be lost unless I can convince her by next Summer Solstice.” Twilight felt her eyes beginning to well up, but she blinked away the tears, unwilling to accept the sadness because it would mean accepting Celestia's demise. She rose, unsteadily, and walked to Luna, carefully avoiding broken cobblestones and other debris that littered the floor. Luna opened her eyes before Twilight said, “Luna. It is impossible that Celestia be lost to me in this way. It is unacceptable for her to continue down this path.” It was well that Luna had picked such a secluded meeting place, as Twilight's voice grew louder and more frantic, echoing in the largely empty hall, “If she can't be convinced, then we have to find a way to protect her- from herself! We need time, and the summer solstice is just months. Would you be able to turn Celestia to stone, to send her to the moon, something, anything to delay? Would you-” Luna put a hoof to Twilight's mouth, and warily looked around the empty hall before responding, “Twilight, this discussion grows close to open treason. It was once immediate banishment to speak thus, abandonment to the wild and the cold, for Equestria was a wilder and harsher place than you know, and the laws were harsher and stricter of necessity. Celestia has informed me that the land is no longer so wild, the laws no longer as strict.” There was a heartbeat of silence before Luna began again with a smirk, “Although, since I have returned, I have borne witness to a Parasprite infestation across the realm, Discord's return, and the most widespread Changeling infiltration in recorded records for five hundred years, among many other minor calamities. How much calmer is Equestria, truly?” Twilight stood, and looked Luna directly in the eyes. Her voice was hard as flint as she demanded, “Arrest me, then. Throw me in a dungeon, or banish me to the moon. But don't abandon Celestia to this and claim that it is treason to do otherwise.” Luna's expression became pained, but she didn't back down. “If Celestia gets her way, and she almost always does, then I will be the sole monarch, and the nation is not yet ready to govern itself. If the realm is not to descend into chaos, then there must be continuity. I have to be trusted in order to fill that role.” Twilight felt trapped. Luna could not, would not help her, and her reasoning was sound. Equestria needed a monarch, and Luna's duty to the realm prevented overt action against Celestia. Even if she succeeded in freezing Celestia in stone, the Castle Guard and the rest of the realm for that matter would never allow it. Anypony would assume that Luna had become Nightmare Moon again, or that they simply couldn't trust Luna as a Princess. After all, currently living ponies had known her for only the better part of a year, and faith was slow to build when ponies still primarily remembered you as a bedtime story to scare foals. Luna smiled sadly, and looked at Twilight with fondness. She seemed to know what Twilight was thinking. Twilight began to speak, but was cut off by Luna, “I will not arrest you, Twilight Sparkle. You bear neither me nor my sister any ill will, and you have always been my sister's faithful student. I would implore you, however: if you care about my sister, speak with her. Talk with her every day. If I cannot convince her that she is in the wrong, perhaps you can.” “Of course I'll talk with Celestia,” Twilight said, “I've been avoiding her because I had hoped that this would go away, that she would change her mind. I'll keep fighting for her, though, however I can.” Luna smiled. “I would expect no less from the Element of Magic and my sister's personal student. Allow me to send you back to Ponyville. The forest is not safe at night.” After a nod, Twilight was swallowed up in a starry blackness, and deposited right outside her house in Ponyville with not a flash or the slightest of sounds, merely a temporary parting of the darkness as she filled the formerly empty space. Twilight looked up at the moon one last time before sighing and opening the door. She had less of an idea of what to do than before, but she was simply too tired to go on.
Troubled DreamsOn a summer night, the city of Canterlot slept. Glittering stars covered the sky, winking in the warm pall of summer air that embraced the city like a blanket. With few exceptions, the only ones that stirred in this comfortable summer somnolence were Princess Luna and her Night Guard. The Night Guard patrolled in every level of the castle; their dim lanterns flitted by the windows like so many fireflies. More surreptitiously, a few patrols sparsely covered the outlying grounds. While the patrols were dutiful, even diligent, they were also, if you wanted to get right down to it, mere ponies. The Night Guard had finite attention spans. The Night Guard had no reason to suspect trouble. The Night Guard had not been vigilant enough, for within this idyllic silence, there was a lone mare who tonight found herself in opposition to the Night Guard. Stepping out from Pony Joe's donut shop, Twilight Sparkle casually said her goodbyes to its proprietor. She wore a simple cloth pack securely attached by a strap, and her face had an unusually grim set to it. Turning, she walked away from the shop at a slow trot, and paused in an alley. A faintly ticking watch came out of her pack and floated in front of her with a dim glow. With no more than a few seconds of contemplation, Twilight replaced the watch and screwed up her courage. It was now or never. There was a wavering, brilliant glow, a small pop, and then Twilight was no longer in the alley. Wincing at the conspicuous sound and light, Twilight found herself atop a balcony of one of the towers of Canterlot. Looking out over the city, she recognized one of the nearby towers. It was where she had become Celestia's apprentice, where she had earned her cutie mark. With a sinking feeling in her chest, she looked, lost, back at the castle proper. Twilight felt as though she could have stayed in that trance until dawn, but it was broken by the insistently growing sound of approaching hoofbeats. Snapping back to attention, she searched in the stark light of the stars and moon for curtains that she knew should be there. With only seconds left, she dashed behind the dark velvet curtains, as unseen as she had hoped. “Did you hear something?” said one voice. “No. You've got to calm down, rookie. Not every bump in the night is a threat,” said another voice, horribly familiar to Twilight's ears. “I mean, take a look at these curtains,” it continued, “they flap with the breeze so much that it's a wonder you're not hearing something now.” “...fair enough, Captain. I'll continue on my beat,” replied the first voice, slightly peevish. There was a brief pause, and then the sound of a single set of hoofbeats, walking away. For a moment or two, there was merely the soft sound of another pony breathing, facing the balcony. Then, the soft clack of hoof against stone as the pony turned around. “You can come out now, or I can make you come out.” Sheepishly, Twilight brushed aside the curtain with a flourish, and looked into the face of her older brother. “Twilee? What... what are you doing here?” Shining Armor whispered urgently. At first unable to meet his gaze, Twilight steeled herself and looked into his eyes. “I memorized the schedule for the Night Guard. This is one of the few vacant spots during the changing of the guard. I think that's because its pretty inaccessible, and then who would even be crazy enough or powerful enough to teleport directly outside the Princess's chamber? The-” “No, that's not what I mean,” Shining Armor said in a desperate attempt to cut off her rambling before she hijacked his own train of thought. How did she even get a copy of the Night Guard's schedule? Had she stolen it from him? “I know, and I'm sorry,” said Twilight sadly. At this, Shining Armor looked back at Twilight. Her eyes were big, and her lip wavered in that peculiar way that had never failed to find purchase within his sympathy. “It's okay, I'm sure the Princess will forgive you, we'll just explain-” “No, I'm sorry,” said Twilight, now interrupting him. A terrible green glow surrounded Twilight's horn, and within a heartbeat, a green jet arced from her horn and lanced into her only brother, the Captain of the Guard, Shining Armor. He had time only to widen his eyes in a shocked expression before slumping to the floor with a grunt. Gingerly, he was picked up by Twilight's magic and tucked behind the curtain. Twilight took a minute to stop and think: The first patrol wouldn't return until another fifteen minutes. The Captain of the Guard was given free rein to oversee the entirety of the castle grounds and so- *her throat caught* -Shining Armor wouldn't be missed until he failed to report in at the end of his shift in midmorning, and he would awaken no later than noon even if he weren't found. Satisfied, Twilight turned from the balcony to once again consider the castle itself. The curtains that separated her from the Princess seemed to rise up at her attention, forbidding her entry. With a snort, Twilight rolled her eyes and walked softly into Celestia's quarters. The room was as it ever had been: clean, simply, though not plainly, outfitted, with a comfortable-looking queen-sized bed. The sides of the rooms were lined with bookshelves, and Philomena's cage was mercifully empty. In the middle of the bed, sleeping fitfully, was the immortal ruler of Equestria, Princess Celestia. Her uneasy rest was punctuated by grimaces that were unbecoming to such a regal face. Twilight, framed by the silvery light of the night sky, approached Celestia, expression unreadable. She looked from one end of the bed to the other, and then sighed. Forcing herself to turn away from the bed, unable to give aid or comfort, Twilight again pulled out her watch. Putting it more fully into the starlight, she read the time and frowned. With another fierce effort of concentration, Twilight began to teleport. She vanished with a pulsing, purple light. Celestia stirred for a moment, and then returned to her troubled dreams. Twilight's destination was quite far from the castle proper, even for her. With a gasping huff, Twilight staggered to her feet outside the Castle Labyrinth. She hadn't much time! Wheezing, Twilight struggled through the outer hedge wall, parting the tall bushes with magic. Twilight could hear the patrolling Night Guard just on the other side of the wall. Trying to calm her nerves, she focused on steadying her breath. Shakily, Twilight set out from the entrance towards the center of the maze. She had, of course, memorized the layout long ago, never imagining that she would be putting that knowledge to use. Not like this, anyway. Running on automatic, Twilight found herself standing still after a few short minutes. Her breath caught, briefly, before returning in a rush of dry night air. Finally, she had reached her goal. She drew out of her pack one of the six most powerful artifacts of this world, known to some as the Element of Magic, and placed it atop her head. She then neatly took off her pack and lay it on the ground. Finally ready, she drew her gaze upwards and steeled herself. Princess Luna, relieved at the tranquility of the night and its uneventful passing, moved to wake up her sister from what she feared had been another restless night. Groggily, Celestia awoke, stretched, and walked to her balcony. Looking into the city, she beat her powerful wings and began to rise into the sky with the first light of dawn. It was when this light began to pass over the sky that Twilight knew she had run out of time. Shaking partially from anxiety, partially from something else, her eyes began to glow with an inner light, and she began to free Discord from his stony prison.
A Saucerful of SecretsAbout one year earlier: It was a warm summer morning in Canterlot, and Twilight was aglow within and without. Without, from the mounting summer heat. Within, from the hot tea she was sharing with Princess Celestia and from the excitement at seeing her mentor once again. Celestia and Twilight had chosen a gazebo outside the Royal Gardens as their meeting-place. After Twilight had gotten her fill of the scenery, she talked of her travels, her friends, and the various quibbles she had with the Canterlot library staff on the library's new filing system. After a few minutes, Twilight noticed that Celestia hadn't replied in some time, and was looking out at the garden with a serene expression. She cleared her throat uncertainly. “Oh! Excuse me, Twilight, I was lost in thought,” Celestia said with a regretful smile. “Something wrong?” Celestia set down her teacup, and turned to face Twilight with a more subdued expression. “I've been doing quite a bit of thinking since Princess Cadence and Shining Armor's wedding,” she said at last. The wind started to pick up in small gusts, nearly spilling the tea, though it went unnoticed by the both of them. Twilight studied her mentor's face, surprised and sympathetic. Unsure how to proceed, she hesitantly asked, “Is it.. is it because of the Changeling Queen? Every text I read about Changelings mentioned that-” “No, Twilight,” Celestia gently corrected, “while my... defeat... was indeed distressing, I think it may have been a blessing in disguise.” “I think that it acted as a sort of memento mori.” Twilight thought back to her knowledge of Old Equestrian. “'Remember you must die'? How is that a blessing in disguise?” Celestia bowed her head, and began to explain, “Twilight, I have ruled over Equestria for thousands of years. I have inured myself to the pain of losing those close to me. I have accepted that my life is eternal, or nearly so, and that that has made some things easier and some things more difficult.” She paused, struggling to bridge the gap between immortality and everyday existence with mere words. “I realized,” she finally managed, “when all seemed its darkest, when the Changelings seemed to be unstoppable, that mortality is what truly gives life its meaning.” “I lived more in the rest of that day than in the entirety of the millennium when Luna had been banished. I was connected once more with the ponies around me, and it was because we shared mortality, vulnerability.” Twilight pensively considered this as Celestia continued, “Without mortality, I am lifeless. I continue to draw breath, but there can be no ultimate significance, no purpose.” Celestia favored Twilight with a crafty smile as her pupil raised a teacup to her lips. “That's why I've decided I'm going to die.” There was a great deal of spilled tea and sputtering at this, and Celestia's smile grew wickedly. “What?! Princess, you can't- I mean, you literally can't as well as shouldn't, but you can't die, you're-” “Please calm down, Twilight,” Celestia chuckled, “I didn't mean to upset you.” Twilight scowled darkly at this, knowing her mentor all too well, and asked, “But what on Equestria do you mean by that, Princess?” “I mean, Twilight, that I intend to become mortal.” Twilight's burgeoning questions had a brief, yet fierce inner struggle before one won out over the others. “How can an alicorn even become mortal?” she asked simply. Celestia stood at this, and began to pace uneasily before stopping at the edge of the gazebo and turning back to face her student. “There are but few methods of taking an alicorn's immortality,” she quietly admitted, “and it is well that they are not known, even to you, Twilight Sparkle, for most of them are fell and terrible. Their knowledge would bring you no joy.” “However, even more recondite than those methods is the knowledge that an alicorn's immortality is not automatic; it must be renewed, every year.” Almost unconsciously, the unicorn's mind began to process this information, and returned an answer that fit what she knew. “The Summer Sun celebration,” murmured Twilight. “Indeed. Luna has a more private ceremony during the Winter Solstice of which I will not speak without her leave.” Drawing nearer to her pupil so that only she could hear, Celestia said, “Cadence has chosen to be mortal, further testament, if I am not mistaken, to her love for Shining Armor.” Celestia allowed a brief frown to flicker across her face at this, and continued, “That is why although she is an alicorn, she is not,” and here she shrugged helplessly with her wings, “like me.” Twilight allowed herself a few minutes to process this, and then could contain her questions no longer, and they spilled out, one after the other. “But why do you want to be mortal? What of Luna? And.. and... how long would you live if you gave up immortality?” Celestia closed her eyes, slightly pained at this litany of questioning. “Twilight, I know what life would be with mortality and without, and I know that the time I share with Luna and with everyone else would be far more precious if I am mortal. I will live life as it is meant to be lived, cherishing more deeply the moments I have with those around me.” Celestia took a breath and looked back at the Castle before returning her gaze to Twilight, now a little unsteady. “As for Luna... I hope that she will understand.” Celestia mused a bit longer, and then straightened. “Twilight, I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. I would have about as long a lifespan as you if I chose not to renew myself at the next solstice.” Twilight searched Celestia's eyes at this, staring hard. Anger finally managed to replace bewilderment. “I can't believe this. I can't believe that you're seriously considering this! What happens if you change your mind after next summer? Can you become immortal again?” Celestia considered Twilight evenly before replying, “I didn't expect you to understand at once, Twilight. And no, once I've made my decision, it will be final.” At this, Twilight's teacup, forgotten amid the conversation, gave a momentary creaking sound before wrenching itself apart. The liquid and shards of ceramic stayed locked within the grip of her magic, floating absently in a strange cloud. Twilight turned from the Princess to face the castle, breathing heavily. Celestia craned her neck, trying to glimpse Twilight's face, but it was in vain. After a few long seconds of tense silence, she made to speak, when Twilight glanced over, and allowed the remnants of the teacup to fall to the floor, cracking into even smaller pieces. In a flat voice unlike any she had spoken before, Twilight said, “I think it would be for the best if I left now before I did or said something I regret. Goodbye, Princess. I'll be in touch.” With that, she stepped briskly off the gazebo towards the castle. With an incredible flash, seeming for a moment to be a giant purple flame, Twilight vanished. The air rushing to fill the space where she had stood sounded almost as loud and severe as a thunderclap. Celestia blinked, and looked forlornly at the broken teacup. The set had been a gift, she remembered absently, from a Griffin monarch in the 3rd, or was it the 4th- “Is everything okay, your Highness?” asked a guard, investigating the unusual disturbance. “I-” Celestia looked at him uncertainly for a few moments, “I think it will be. Thank you.” Authors note: Whew. Finals, what are those? In all seriousness, I probably won't be able to do any updates this quickly for a while, as a variety of things are demanding my time. Expect an update next Monday?
Turning AwayAuthor's Note: I am a bad person, a worse writer, and worst at all at keeping promises and schedules. I plan to finish this, but I can't promise regular writing. That being said, the lie of the day (or tentative schedule) is a chapter about this length every weekend. If I can't do that, I'll post a note saying why. I hope this one is okay, I haven't proofread it very much. The sun was low in the sky when Twilight finally arrived in Ponyville from her Canterlot trip. While on the train, she had done a great deal of thinking and had moved past shock, anger, and worry to fall into a kind of silent contemplation. Twilight sighed. She hadn't thought much about death; she knew in a sort of distant, suppressed way that she would one day die. Memento mori, she recalled from her talk with the Princess. But there was so much that she wanted to do, so many things that she wanted to share with her friends before she died.... Had Celestia simply lived long enough that she had done everything worth doing? She shook her head. Celestia had had many things that would be left undone if she were to die. Many schools unbuilt, many charities unfunded, many things that she seemed to relish every day. No, Twilight thought as she walked limply from the train, Celestia's day-to-day life was at least satisfactory, certainly not empty. There had to be something else to this. Twilight walked undisturbed to her home; Ponyville was as empty as any small town that late in the day. As she opened the door to the library, she noticed Spike reading a book at the table in the middle of the room. He was too short to reach the table from the chair, Twilight remembered with confusion, and then saw with some fondness that he had a pile of books on the chair underneath him, as she had often done when she was a filly. With a faint smile, Twilight quietly walked from the door to the table to see what he was reading. She was amused to find that it was a book of poems. “Poetry, Spike?” she asked with a smirk. “GAHH!” Spike reeled in surprise, and then shock, as he fell from his stack of books. The candle, knocked by an errant claw, fell on its side and flickered, casting wild shadows in the dark of the room. Spike winced, bracing for an impact that never came. He and the candle were surrounded by a purple glow, and soon set aright; he, back on his pile of books, and the candle a little further from the edge of the table than it had been. “Twilight, why did you do that? You scared the crap out of me!” Spike managed to huff out, still breathing quickly. “Spike, language!” “Sorry, I... but why didn't you say something?” he asked more calmly than before. “I guess I'm sorry too, Spike. The meeting with the Princess didn't go all that well... and, I've... I've kind of have a lot to think about. I was just surprised to see you reading poetry, that's all.” Spike took this in, and considered. He was a lot smarter than most ponies gave him credit for, but then again, he wasn't Twilight's number one assistant on the basis of his good breath or cheap nutritional requirements. “Is everything alright, Twilight?” he finally asked. “No. But there isn't really anything to be done. Not now, anyway.” “Did you and the Princess have a fight?” “No, we just... we just have a disagreement.” Both looked soberly at the other at this; Twilight didn't want to worry Spike, and Spike didn't like being left in the dark. With no more information forthcoming, Spike sighed, and gestured towards the book. “I was reading poetry because Rarity borrowed a book of poems earlier. She said that they inspire her when she wants to come up with new designs.” Twilight smiled, and walked over to the table to see what he was reading: “ Under the wide and starry sky Dig the grave and let me lie. Glad did I live, and gladly die, And I laid me down with a will. This be the verse you grave for me: “Here he lies, where he longed to be; Home is the sailor, home from the sea, And the hunter home from the hill.” ” Twilight grimaced, and the book landed back on the table with a clunk. “And this is your idea of a romantic poem to read to Rarity?” Spike frowned, and walked to the door. Night had fallen while they were talking. He shut the door, and then looked back at Twilight. “I may have started reading poems with that in mind, but some of these are uh.... well...” Spike paused to scratch behind his head with a claw, and then continued, “...some of them are really good. And they make me think.” Twilight's expression brightened as she said, “Spike, that's wonderful! You should be glad that you enjoy poetry! I wouldn't have thought you would have the patience for something like that just yet. Let me know if you want any recommendations.” “Will do, Twilight.” Twilight beamed some more at Spike, and then headed upstairs to put down her bags. As she dropped her bags to the floor, she walked to the window, looking out at the quiet of the town and the cold glimmer of the stars. She idly brushed her hair as she stood, thinking about Spike, Celestia, and death. She couldn't tell Spike about this, at least not yet. Celestia was like a mother to him, and as a dragon, he would outlive her if she had Twilight's lifespan. Sparing him the details of her 'disagreement'... that was a mercy. Her brush caught on a knot in her hair and she pulled a little harder in an attempt to tame it. Would Spike's long life persuade Celestia to keep her immortality? She brushed some more, and considered. It was unlikely. If Celestia were mortal, Luna would live long past her death, and Celestia had doubtless already thought of that. Twilight turned from the window, and put the brush back down on her nightstand. Having thought out the consequences of an action did not mean that those consequences were felt at a deep, personal level, or that all of their ramifications seemed viscerally real. She had once read that when making plans, bad consequences in the future are written off as less likely or painful than they would be, while immediate benefits were overstated. All in all, the future and future actions would seem less real than the present, which caused bad decisions. Funny how clinical it seemed, she wondered idly, when the bad decision-making process was considered separately from the bad decision. She turned back to the window, and looked at the stars for a moment or two before heading back downstairs. “Spike, I want you to take a letter.” He looked up from his book. “To Celestia?” “To Princess Luna.”
The Dark Side of the MoonAuthor's note: I really appreciate all of the kind words and encouragement. Thank you, and I think that this will get the plot rolling at an acceptable clip. It was seven days until Twilight heard back from Luna. Seven long and lonely days of waiting and uncertainty. The letter she sent had been brief, a mere summary of her discussion with Celestia and a simple request at the end for a talk. Twilight hadn't talked to any of her friends in Ponyville about Celestia; it seemed too personal, somehow, to involve them without knowing more. So, she read, and slept, and endured. She hadn't cried. She couldn't. She was still so angry, so uncertain about it all, that it felt like getting sad, properly, deeply sad at the thought of losing Celestia, would be too great of an acknowledgment that it was an actual possibility. Spike had been cautiously optimistic. Perhaps, Twilight mused, because she hadn't been attempting to travel back in time or enchant the town. She would have, if she had thought it would save Celestia. Twilight idly wondered what exactly she would be willing to do if Celestia's life were threatened by some external threat. She had faced Discord, she had faced Nightmare Moon, she had done many things, for Ponyville and Equestria. But Equestria and Ponyville were abstract things, places. Celestia was a pony she loved, a pony she wanted to protect, honor and cherish. What exactly would she be willing to do to keep her safe? She was interrupted from her thoughts by Spike, who held a dark blue scroll fastened with an onyx bit of wax. After thanking him, Twilight went upstairs and closed her door, wanting privacy to read Luna's response. She took a deep breath and broke the seal: “If you would speak with me, come at the middle hour of the night to the old Royal Castle. --Luna” Twilight stared at the letter and read it again. She didn't know what she expected, but she thought Luna's response would be something more... substantial than this. She shook her head. Luna could be as cryptic as she wanted, so long as she would help. Feeling a little less burdened than before, Twilight marched back downstairs to find Spike. After a brief investigation, she found that he had busied himself in the noble pursuit of taking a nap, so she left him as he was and wandered outside to find a way to kill time while she waited for night to fall. Seeing that the market was still open, she walked over to find Applejack's stand. There were only a few ponies there this late in the day, and AJ had sold all but the last of her apples. Applejack looked at Twilight and smiled. “Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes, Twi! I haven't seen you much at all this week.” “I know, I've just been really busy with a project.” Twilight managed while sporting a weak grin. Applejack narrowed her eyes. “Spike said you've been moping around, that you haven't been working on much of anything.” “Oh?” “He also said that it seemed like you were hiding something. Not telling the whole truth, leastways.” Twilight was the perfect image of indignant confusion. “I don't know what you're-” “You ought to know by now that lyin' to me isn't exactly the most productive of activities.” Applejack softened, and continued, “But I understand if you need some time to think if something's bothering you.” Twilight half nodded at this and picked up one of Applejack's remaining apples before she responded, “Applejack, I can't talk about this now. It's about Princess Celestia, and that's all I'll say for the moment.” “You aren't going to start waving magic dolls around again, are ya?” “I don't know, I still haven't gotten the last one back from your brother.” A ghost of a smirk spread across Applejack's face before it faded and she replied, “Twi, I don't know what's going on here, but I can tell it's more serious than before. You should talk- if not with me, then with Rarity, or Fluttershy, or any of your other friends. You can't solve everything alone, you taught me that.” “I haven't forgotten, and I think I might have found just the pony to talk to about this tonight. Thanks, AJ. I won't let this get out of hoof.” Twilight turned to walk away, but Applejack's voice rang out as she left: “You can have the apple, by the way!” Twilight smiled. Amidst everything else, she had forgotten. Sometimes the little things made all the difference. She took a bite of the apple and walked to the park, wanting to watch the sunset. The sky was glowing shades of pink and purple as a late summer sun dipped below the horizon, and the trees and ground looked almost as if they were lit aflame, orange and alive amid the dying of the light. Twilight settled down to eat, and produced a pair of sunglasses to watch. It was too beautiful to look away. All too quickly though, the apple had been reduced to a core, and the embers of the sun had faded to leave a somber darkness in its place. She felt cold, somehow, even though the summer air was still warm with the memory of day. Standing, she stretched and looked back towards the town, then turned away and walked with purpose towards the gloom and isolation of Everfree Forest. If she wanted to keep her appointment with Luna and travel safely, she had to start walking now. The walk was quieter than she had expected. The sounds of the forest grew to be part of the unconscious background after a while, and though the path was circuitous and filled with obstacles, she didn't encounter any manticores, dragons, cockatrices, or anything else unseemly. As she reached the bridge that separated the old Royal Castle from the Everfree Forest, Twilight wished she had brought Owlicious with her; his eyes were so much keener in the night than hers. Not wanting to trust that the bridge's flimsy supports would still hold, she teleported across the chasm and lay winded on the other side before picking herself up and walking to the castle steps. With a sense of déjà vu, Twilight walked up the steps to the room where she and Nightmare Moon had once stood, where the heart of darkness had been at its most formidable. She shuddered, and pressed onward. When she finally reached the top of the castle, the darkness hung as heavy as curtain in the air. The room was dank, and what little of the moon's glow could be soon was from small cracks in the castle's stone. In the very middle of the room, Twilight saw a tall figure shrouded in a colorless robe. With some trepidation, she walked closer, noticing that a dark blue light emanated off of the her. “Luna?” The figure turned and reached up to remove her cowl. It was Princess Luna, looking more solemn than Twilight had ever seen her. “Twilight. Do you know why we're meeting here?” Twilight considered, and then said simply, “No. Why didn't you just respond in the letter? Why all of these theatrics?” “These are NOT theatrics. Twilight, I have been aware of Celestia's intentions ever since the wedding. I've been talking with her about what I consider to be a colossal mistake. But,” Luna paused in an awkward silence before she continued, “I cannot talk about her choices with you or anyone else.” Twilight took all this in before she hesitantly asked, “Luna, are you afraid to disagree with Celestia?” Luna shifted uncomfortably. “I've been very careful since I coming back from my exile to avoid a repeat of past events. I, and others, would see a public disagreement with Celestia as the start of a path that leads only to treason. For that reason, I will speak of Celestia with you tonight, but no more. Twilight, no one must know of our talk.” Luna looked directly at Twilight and said, “So to answer your question: No, I am not 'afraid' to disagree with Celestia, merely cautious in my doing so.” Twilight sat down, suddenly unsteady on her feet. Luna was supposed to be the voice of reason, the cavalry, the indefatigable force that would convince Celestia. Twilight looked up at Luna, unsettled that her plan had run aground so quickly, and said, “Have you had any success in talking to her? Any indication that she will change her mind and renew for at least another year?” Luna walked closer, the darkness obscuring her face until a beam of moonlight happened across it, revealing worried resignation. She looked down at Twilight and quietly began, “I have not. I have been speaking against... the 'idea', but I haven't gained any ground. Celestia is convinced that the realm depends on her far more than is good, that her eventual passing will ease the realm into sufficiency, and that she will enjoy life all the more if it is finite. She is convinced that meaning only exists if her life will one day end.” Luna closed her eyes and continued, “At least, that is what she tells me, the reasons she gives. I don't think that she truly believes that her life until now lacked meaning or purpose, but the Changelings' attack changed something in her estimation, that is apparent. And now she will forever be lost unless I can convince her by next Summer Solstice.” Twilight felt her eyes beginning to well up, but she blinked away the tears, unwilling to accept the sadness because it would mean accepting Celestia's demise. She rose, unsteadily, and walked to Luna, carefully avoiding broken cobblestones and other debris that littered the floor. Luna opened her eyes before Twilight said, “Luna. It is impossible that Celestia be lost to me in this way. It is unacceptable for her to continue down this path.” It was well that Luna had picked such a secluded meeting place, as Twilight's voice grew louder and more frantic, echoing in the largely empty hall, “If she can't be convinced, then we have to find a way to protect her- from herself! We need time, and the summer solstice is just months. Would you be able to turn Celestia to stone, to send her to the moon, something, anything to delay? Would you-” Luna put a hoof to Twilight's mouth, and warily looked around the empty hall before responding, “Twilight, this discussion grows close to open treason. It was once immediate banishment to speak thus, abandonment to the wild and the cold, for Equestria was a wilder and harsher place than you know, and the laws were harsher and stricter of necessity. Celestia has informed me that the land is no longer so wild, the laws no longer as strict.” There was a heartbeat of silence before Luna began again with a smirk, “Although, since I have returned, I have borne witness to a Parasprite infestation across the realm, Discord's return, and the most widespread Changeling infiltration in recorded records for five hundred years, among many other minor calamities. How much calmer is Equestria, truly?” Twilight stood, and looked Luna directly in the eyes. Her voice was hard as flint as she demanded, “Arrest me, then. Throw me in a dungeon, or banish me to the moon. But don't abandon Celestia to this and claim that it is treason to do otherwise.” Luna's expression became pained, but she didn't back down. “If Celestia gets her way, and she almost always does, then I will be the sole monarch, and the nation is not yet ready to govern itself. If the realm is not to descend into chaos, then there must be continuity. I have to be trusted in order to fill that role.” Twilight felt trapped. Luna could not, would not help her, and her reasoning was sound. Equestria needed a monarch, and Luna's duty to the realm prevented overt action against Celestia. Even if she succeeded in freezing Celestia in stone, the Castle Guard and the rest of the realm for that matter would never allow it. Anypony would assume that Luna had become Nightmare Moon again, or that they simply couldn't trust Luna as a Princess. After all, currently living ponies had known her for only the better part of a year, and faith was slow to build when ponies still primarily remembered you as a bedtime story to scare foals. Luna smiled sadly, and looked at Twilight with fondness. She seemed to know what Twilight was thinking. Twilight began to speak, but was cut off by Luna, “I will not arrest you, Twilight Sparkle. You bear neither me nor my sister any ill will, and you have always been my sister's faithful student. I would implore you, however: if you care about my sister, speak with her. Talk with her every day. If I cannot convince her that she is in the wrong, perhaps you can.” “Of course I'll talk with Celestia,” Twilight said, “I've been avoiding her because I had hoped that this would go away, that she would change her mind. I'll keep fighting for her, though, however I can.” Luna smiled. “I would expect no less from the Element of Magic and my sister's personal student. Allow me to send you back to Ponyville. The forest is not safe at night.” After a nod, Twilight was swallowed up in a starry blackness, and deposited right outside her house in Ponyville with not a flash or the slightest of sounds, merely a temporary parting of the darkness as she filled the formerly empty space. Twilight looked up at the moon one last time before sighing and opening the door. She had less of an idea of what to do than before, but she was simply too tired to go on.
