Author's Note
Well, I've had this challenge burning away at me for almost a full year. Turns out inspiration is a gigantic bitch that comes and goes when she pleases.
Like today for example. So here you go, a one shot as original as I think I'll ever be. And without a single human to boot. All written in a: Write what you can in 45 minutes or less challenge!
Begin!
Mother
Mother
"Get out of the way, we've got another coming through!"
Canterlot castle's throne room was as grand as the day she was built. Tall, golden spires gave the illusion of balance, of holding the majestic ceiling high above the ones she protected from nature.
All of this majesty was unfortunately unnoticeable now, what with beds, monitors and the medical scent of a hospital thick in the air. Everyone, not pony, but everyone was doing something. Be it Pony, Griffon, Minotaur or Zebra, everyone had their hands, hooves and talons full.
There were those in armor around the makeshift hospital, wielding spears, sword and shield. Some had their horns alight, some flapped their strong wings to stay airborne, and some had their teeth bared in an eternal grimace around their weapon of choice.
All were sweating as silence overtook the grand chamber, watching nervously as a gaseous black figure seemed to materialize beneath the crack of the great throne door.
The figure was shapeless, its figure wafting and changing to and fro with each second that passed. Almost as if it were observing them…all of them.
"Be brave my stallions!" called a strong female voice, a commanding yet undoubtedly kind one. "Remember that you are the Equestrian Guard! Remember what you fight to protect, who you fight to keep safe!"
If one turned around they would find their muzzle nigh graze the once luxurious coat of Princess Celestia herself. The Princess in question was nought but a shadow of what she used to look like. Her coat was frazzled and covered in a thin sheen of dirt, of grime. A far cry from the beautiful appearance of old, but nonetheless one she cared little to have back. Her mane and tail was tied back in a messy ponytail, flowing slightly in the non-existent breeze.
She wore no armor, seeing little point given the enemy she faced now…as she had before again and again. Her weapon of choice was simply her horn, her magic.
Foolish some would say given the being they were up against. But one look into those determined eyes was more than enough to shut them up.
"It is as my sister says!" cried another voice, a younger sounding one yet with all the authority her sister had, anger too. "The being we face has no mercy for who she chooses, She does not care for your family, for your loved ones, for your very life! Nay, she would play her victim like a fiddle! You must resist her words, her charm and whatever appearance she captivates you with."
Like her alabaster sister, the dark coloured mare was covered in dirt and looked utterly exhausted. The fire in her eyes was dim, so unlike the blaze it had once been.
"Remember my little ponies," Celestia stepped in, voice taught with love and pride. "That you are our little ponies, but you are NOT foals! No matter what this creature says and thinks…you are in control! This is YOUR LIFE!"
Cheers and overly loud stomping followed the inspiring words from the two sisters, both looking upon their subjects with affection and strength.
Until…
"No…NO!"
Silence overtook the chamber as a doctor, one overseeing a sickly looking elderly mare backed away wildly, knocking over chairs and monitors in his path in utter panic. The reason for this rapidly became clear as the gaseous form began to near him, its shape unchanging to every eye but his own.
Quick as a flash the guard sprang into action, weapon of choice firmly held as they all surrounded and attacked the creature. The creature instantly retaliated, its form grabbing the offending weapons and disintegrating them on the spot, before reaching out with long, black ropes and throwing each offending stallion away forcefully, the sound of bones cracking causing many to wince in fear.
The Princesses looked at each other once and nodded, both their horns alighting instantly and firing at the gaseous form, surrounding it in a bubble of absolute magic.
Which lasted about four seconds before it shattered into a million pieces, the two dropping to the floor from the backlash.
The poor stallion had already backed himself into a wall, sweating and nigh crying as the being stopped in front of him, fear all but overtaking his senses as he too lashed out…and gasped, tears slipping down his cheek as he mumbled incoherently to himself.
Luna shook her head roughly and glanced up at the stallion, a Pegasus of dark green coat and little mane to speak of. She glanced up and watched in horror as the still crying doctor giggled like a foal…and all but dived onto the creature, his body quickly enveloped in its dark embrace before falling gently to the floor.
Yet another fallen to the creatures of unknown.
"No…not another one," she heard her sister mumble, distress clear within it. "Oh mother, why have you forsaken us?"
"Tis truly the darkest of times Celestia," Luna said quietly, the two helping the other up onto their shaky hooves. "Everyone within this lone chamber is all that is left of our once great world. And our spell, t'was our strongest spell to date…and it did nothing. We failed our subjects again. We failed the world again."
"Do not say such things little sister," Celestia scolded lightly, nuzzling Luna softly. "We may be all that is left of Equis, but while there is still hope, there is always a way to defeat the coming darkness."
"The darkness you speak of came a long time ago Tia," Luna sighed bitterly, looking morosely at the broken stallions of their once grand guard. "We simply didn't see it until it was too late…and it cost everyone dearly."
"But we cannot let this get to us Luna, we are all that keep our subjects going, be it Pony, Griffon, Minotaur and Zebra. We are all that keep them with hope in their hearts."
"And when one of us falls to those…those things? What then, does hope die?"
Celestia either didn't know or simply chose not to answer…which for Luna was an answer. Sighing to herself sadly, the Lunar mare and her sister walked over to the wounded and did all they could to help, caring little for the blood on their once perfect bodies.
It was little over an hour later that it began…that the end came.
"PRINCESS, PRINCESS!" cried a loud, fearful female voice. Said voice instantly drew the attention of everyone in the room, each eye regarding the frightened mare with apprehension as they realized what she was looking through.
Namely…a clear window.
Luna got there first, her eyes looking out into the abandoned city…and widening with utter terror at what was nearing the castle.
"What is it Luna," Celestia asked, coming close and looking out of the window herself. "You look..."
Much like the one before, a gaseous form was floating swiftly towards the castle. Enough to cause distress in everyone for sure…but not the true reason behind the alicorn's fear.
Nay, it was all the rest behind it that almost brought the mares to tears.
"We can teleport everyone out," Celestia suggested fearfully, her breathing shallow.
"Neither of us have enough mana left to teleport them anywhere but outside the castle," Luna replied, shooting her idea down. "And even if we could...they found us so easily sister. Without us there to guide our subjects, to keep them from killing each other in fear…"
"Then what do we do?" Celestia nigh pleaded. "There's nothing we can do to keep these creatures out, our magic is useless."
Luna looked up at her uncharacteristically terrified sister and nuzzled her neck comfortingly, hoping against all hope that it'd help her own fear die down, if only a little.
"I think…I think this is it Tia, the final stand," she said, finality heavy in her voice. "End of the line."
The younger mare could only watch and despair as her older sister fell apart, burying her wet muzzle against her neck so as to futilely stifle her tears.
Celestia had always been the stronger of the two magically, but the weakest emotionally. And as the creatures took more and more, her poor sister had barely been able to hide her depression. So it came to Luna to keep her hope alive…and yet with that final line said, hope died.
And as their subjects witnessed their Princess weep…their hope died with hers.
The door was closed and locked with everything possible to them, but there were no fighters among them…and even then, what could they do.
Seven minutes later saw the great door shudder as the soundless creatures attempted to penetrate its defences and find their chosen victim. Both sisters wrapped a wing around the other, looking at the other once and nuzzling slowly, as if it were the last time.
It was.
Their subjects found comfort in each other, strangers huddling and comforting strangers, tears and surprisingly laughs escaping a few.
And when the final shudder ceased and the door stopping shimmering, it was with little reservation that they all held another close.
"I love you little Lulu."
"We love thee too big sister."
The door opened slowly, revealing the hoard of gaseous beings as they gradually floated in, many a gasp leaving someone as any particular one came in.
"Sister..."
"I know, I see her too."
Luna looked down at the gaseous form of one female alicorn, shadowy and mysterious to any eye but her own. To her own…she looked beautiful.
"My little Luna, all grown up now…yet still so alone," the alicorn crooned, the maternal smile upon her muzzle instantly causing Luna's mind to numb pleasantly. "But no longer little one. Mother's here now…mother's here to make all the pain go away."
"Mommy?" Luna whimpered, all fear forgotten as her hooves took one step after the other, ignoring the desperate cries of…someone.
"Yes little one, it's mommy," the alicorn nodded, her hooves wide, smile inviting, loving. "Come here Luna, come to mommy." Her coat was shadowy no longer, but rather a dark blue, and her mane…was exactly like her daughters.
Tears blurred the Lunar mare's eyes as a nigh overwhelming feeling of warmth soothed away the faintest whisper of troubled thoughts, leaving nothing but a needy desire to…to…
"Mommy!" Luna cried, running and stumbling over herself until she was near enough to launch herself at the smiling mare, crying and whimpering as said mare shushed her warmly, wrapping wings and hooves around her daughter lovingly. "Oh mommy, I've missed you so much!"
"Shhh, it's okay," her mother crooned, nuzzling her head affectionately. "Mommy's missed you too, but it's going to be okay. I'm back now, and I'll always take care of you."
Luna pressed her wet muzzle firmly against her mother's plush barrel, caring little as she was effortlessly picked up pulled closer still. Her hooves, now so tiny reached up to touch her mother's muzzle, a giggle escaping her as it was kissed lovingly.
"If you're a good girl," her mother whispered softly. "Mommy will ask the servants to make extra moon pies for dessert. Does that sound good?"
Luna looked up with wide, excitable doe like eyes and nodded furiously, her mother tilting her head and smiling down at her in turn. The most beautiful smile in the world to little Luna.
Outside of what was believed reality, Celestia wept in horror at her as a wide smile overcame her shadow enveloped sister. She had no strength left within to ignore the shadowy mare beside her…and so she looked, tears running down her cheeks as she looked into eyes long forgotten.
"Oh, my little Tia," the mare soothed, her very voice alone enough to bring the once great ruler to more tears. "Hush, you need not cry any longer. I'm here now…"
Celestia tried…truly she did, to ignore, to reject, to scream again and again that this mare was not her mother.
But with one look upon her smiling sister…she found her will to care, to hope…gone.
"M-Mommy?"
End
