Chapters The Definition Of Happiness
She paced up and down the castle corridors, her slender and tall body exhausted. She was the picture of perfection and regality, the pony whom was a beacon to the mares, stallions and foals everywhere. She led them and made sure harmony danced throughout the land.
She was Princess Celestia.
She folded her glorious wings as she gave a short sigh. Her rosy cheeks were safely hidden amongst the curls of her translucent, rippling multi-coloured mane. Her white fur was a blanket of soft fresh snow. She truly was a majestic sight. What could a princess like her want more? She has her crown, her throne, her looks, her respect. Why were the streams of tears collapsing from her eyes to the golden embroidery of her carpets?
Cloud Drifter let his wings fall and lift as he soared quickly towards Celestia. His Golden Horseshoe dropped in his rush, and he was forced to retreat for a moment to retrieve it before darting to the princess. "Your Highness? Are you alright?" He knew all to well that the constant, muffled noises were. It was the sound of a tearful sniffle, one that was caused by such a pony who refused to let others know she was slowly breaking down.
"Y-Yes S-Sir C-CloudD-Drifter..." She whispered, her eye contact directly on the floor. She couldn't let him know... She just couldn't.
"Then why are you crying?"
"C-crying? The princess of the sun does Not cry."
"Everypony cries, Princess. No disrespect, but I believe your being selfless."
"T-that's g-good, isn't it?"
"Yes, but not right now. Your majesty, you are not a machine built just to raise the Sun. You can cry, it helps."
"I-if y-you I-insist..." And with that, she did. She cried and screamed, and found it did help.
"Thank You, Cloud. Your presence calmed me down."
"Think nothing of it. But what troubled you, Celestia- if I may call you so informally."
"Do not worry. It's just... Lately I've been wishing I could be Somepony else... Without all the burdens and responsibilities. I want to know what true happiness is.
The pain that I go through each and every day,
The Definition Of Happiness
Celestia thrusted her beautifully decorated blanket of her body and allowed a crown and collar to levitate in a sphere of golden light. She smiled as she stepped towards the mirror, her usual self grinning back at her. Still, her heart felt heavy with sorrow and grief. Flapping her large and wide wings, she landed gently and gracefully on the balcony, of which her horn was enveloped with a shimmering aura. The sun slowly lifted until it finally lay in the centre of the now blue sky. "I am a lucky pony. There's nothing else to say. I am the luckiest pony in Equestria-" a bright light interrupted her. She found herself slowly shrinking, her muscles and bones twisting and turning until they finally stopped, fixed in their new positions.
Desperately, she rotated herself in an effort to find a mirror. When she did find one, her reflection left her in awe.
"Oh. My. Me." She muttered in disbelief.
"Mama! Mama! What's for dinner?" Yelled a unicorn filly with a purple mane.
"Yeah Mama! It's been a long day of school!" Added a Pegasus colt with a blue mane. They stopped eagerly and waited, staring at her every move.
Turning to them, she dropped to the clean, shimmering floor. Then, her jaw opened to create a passage for sound to leave, and with he his she let out the most immature, unprincessly and high-pitched scream. The colt and filly simply huddled in the corner. Finally, darkness grabbed her by the eyes, and she fell unconscious.
"Mama..." "Mama..." "Mama!"
"What? Mama? Huh?"
"Mama?" A colt looked at her in utmost confusion.
"Dinner! We cooked dinner!" The filly grinned, placing the bowl onto the table.
"I...uh... Cookies? Uh- Yay... Best Food..."
"Really? You say they aren't good dinner?" Said the colt.
"We'll use it for... Dessert. I'll cook a meal..."
"What? Mama, don't let us die of famine!"
Say something... Anything? Ugh, think Celestia... What did Luna die for when she was a filly... Ah ha!
"Spaghetti Bolognese!" in response to that, both foals threw their hooves in the air, celebrating.
When was the last time I cooked Spaghetti Bolognese? Wait a second... When was the last time I even cooked?
Celestia stepped towards the stove, concentrating on the pans. Finally, when she remembered she didn't have her horn, she facehoofed herself as she walked over and picked it up. "Here goes nothing..."
"Dinner Is Served!" She smiled, throwing the plates on the table.
"Uh, mama. Why does this taste like manure?"
"..."
"Why does this taste like a dead pony corpse?"
"..." Her blush of embarrassment spread over her muzzle as she turned away from the children. "Mama is a little tired... Sorry, dears." And she walked away.
What. In. Equestria. Am. I. Doing. I'm not their mama? I'm not even a Pegasus! I need to fix this!"
She quickly ran out and left the house, flapping her wings. Nothing happened. In a desperate effort to get airborne, she collapsed. Tears streaming down her eyes as she continued to try.
"Must...get...to...Luna..."
The Definition Of Happiness
Her tired eyes weakly opened as she stretched her wings. Never once did she sleep so well in her life, no more servant hoofsteps or the clattering of the royal breakfast, not even the yelling of the royal advisor with hall the paperwork. The millennia's she had lived, she never thought she could ever escape the burdens she had once called her daily routine. She stepped towards a pond, looking back at the pony who returned the stare. She was enjoying the new life she had now, was that wrong? Was it wrong she didn't care if she's stay like this forever? She sighed, and retreated back to the house.
The little colt sat with a bowl of grapes in his hoof and the filly upside down on his lap, every so often levitating a piece from the bowl and popping it into her mouth. "Aren't you two suppose to be at school by now?"
"But it's the weekends!"
It's still night? But it's supposed to be daytime by now. Why hasn't Celestia raised the- Oh, Ponyfeathers...
"Okay, my little ponies, who wants to go on a trip to Canterlot?"
"But daddy's coming home?" She rolled her eyes, muttering an Of Course as she did so.
"Oh... Right. May I see your... Class books."
That has their names labeled on it, right? I can play the role of their mama while I find out how to get back in my original body.
"Sure, mama! Here." They rummaged through a pink and blue bag, before taking out a damaged, stained book. Opening the first pages she found a report card stapled on each, calming Celestia.
Name: Stargazer Midnight Gender: Colt Age: 5 years Type: Pegasus
Name: Shimmer Midnight Gender: Filly Age: 5 years Type: Unicorn
They were interrupted by a knock on the door, and the sound of rusty old keys being rotated in their lock.
"I'm home!" A fairly familiar voice called from the entrance corridor, and both Stargazer and Shimmer ran out excitedly.
"CloudDrifter? Is that you?" Celestia answered, recognising his reassuring voice.
"Indeed, my dearest wife."
W-Wife... One of my royal guards referred to me as a W-Wife...
"Skips, are you okay? Your turning as red as a Tomato?"
I'mmarriedtomyroyalguardI'mmarriedtomyroyalguardI'mmarriedtomyroyalguardI'mmarriedtomyroyalguardI'mmarriedtomyroyalguardI'mmarriedtomyroyalguardI'mmarriedtomyroyalguardI'mmarriedtomyroyalguard
"You look like you've seen a ghost, Cloudskipper!"
I'mmarriedtomyroyalguardI'mmarriedtomyroyalguardI'mmarriedtomyroyalguardI'mmarriedtomyroyalguardI'mmarriedtomyroyalguardI'mmarriedtomyroyalguardI'mmarriedtomyroyalguardI'mmarriedtomyroyalguard
"CUT IT OUT!" He hugged her, allowing the layer of red on her cheeks to thicken.
"I'm s-sorry, C-Clouddrifter... J-just a l-little s-surprised to s-see y-you c-come h-home e-early..."
"I always come at this time, Skips?"
"I-is that so? I-I'm going to rest a little... Hope you don't mind..."
Well... I'm doomed. I wonder if my funeral will be held on a Sunday. Luna always jokingly said it would but- Shut it, Celestia. You shall survive. I hope.
The Definition Of Happiness
She reached out and poured some cereal into a bowl as she yawned, and slowly placed a spoonful into her mouth. Clouddrifter smiled as he watched the slightly scared Celestia chew.
"Can I come with you?" She quickly yelled, and his grin widened further.
"Well, I'm pretty sure they won't mind if I leave you in the staff room. The children will be at school so I don't think it is a problem."
"Great!" She smiled as she grabbed her coat from the hanger and threw it around her.
"It's nice to see you so eager on spending time with me." He chuckled, placing a golden helmet around his head. "It is an extremely long flight to the castle, are you really sure about this?"
"Yes! Wait...flight?"
Ever since my wings changed shape I cannot fly! How will I...
"It's just, I sprained my wing after going grocery shopping..."
"Oh, I don't think there is another route for the Pegasi guard. I'll just have to..." He lifted Celestia onto his back and cheerfully flared his wings, "carry you."
He was right, the distance to the castle was terrifying, and all the while she could hear Clouddrifter huffing and straining to fly while she was balanced on him. Gently flapping her wings, she attempted to get airborne, but she couldn't. She was rather flattered he proposed to carry her all the way, even though he was running late.
"We have arrived." He turned to smile, and was greeted with one. He landed swiftly and let Celestia down, who immediately ran through the castle doors.
"Luna should be asleep, therefore, she should be in her chambers." Celestia galloped as fast as she could, but the realisation dawned on her.
"Well, my sweet, I must go to work. Luna has asked for an increase on security, and that all Royal Guards of Celestia work for her for a month."
"Can I come with you?" She quickly yelled, and his grin widened further.
"Well, I'm pretty sure they won't mind if I leave you in the staff room. The children will be at school so I don't think it is a problem."
An increase of guards! She knew there would only be one place they couldn't patrol. The secret entrance! She dashed up the stairs until she was directly above Luna, and placed her hoof on a small lever on the crescent moon pattern of the floor. Suddenly, only the moon descended as she pushed it, and her eyes met with an awake princess.
"Who art thou?"
"Lulu, it's me, Tia!"
"T'is a lie! We repeat who art thou? If thy insolent mare refuse to say, we will thrust thou into the dungeons to rot! And that be merciful!"
"But you came into my dream? You... You... A Luna from a different dimension... My apologies, your highness..." And she darted out the open window, her wings spread out.
Wait A Second... I can't fly...
"Pony feathers."
The Definition Of Happiness
Pacing up and down the stairs, her eyes twitched as she stared through the pristine window, through it the night had finally come to an end.
Luna must have had to do it...
She tossed her rose mane to the side as she climbed up to the foal's room, where sure enough they were asleep. She snickered quietly at their sounds. Stargazer snored so loudly it made his sister shudder every now an then. Celestia sighed and decided to find her room, she was indeed exhausted. She dragged herself to the large door with flowers painted on the curves and edges. Quietly as to not disturb the ponies that may or may not be in there, she held her breath as she thrusted the door open ever so slightly. Nopony was there, and so she drowned in relief as she climbed into the master bed, closing her eyes.
Celestia found herself no longer in the warmth of her bed, but in a bundle of chains. She was now back into her usual angelic body, and the magic inside her danced in the atmosphere. The rusty chains wound around her legs, neck and horn. She felt heavily claustrophobic, but this wasn't even the start of the torture that would become reality. She waited for the hunger and thirst to kick in, she knew it was coming, so why had it delayed itself? The galaxies of stars beautified the dark skies, and Celestia gave a small grin at their sight. Looking right, she saw her planet, far from her reach. Then, a faint sparkle hinted her Somepony had entered her dream. Sure enough, it was Luna, her crown balanced on her breath-taking mane. Landing, she stared at Celestia awkwardly before nodding her head.
"Hello, Tia."
"Hello, Lulu."
"We are wondering why thy dream is known as the property of Cloudskipper."
"It's a long story... But I must have accidentally recited an ancient spell that switched our souls in different bodies. My only confusion is where my body is now."
"We know."
"You do?"
"Thou shan't like it."
"Lulu."
"Fine. Thy body is locked where thou stand currently. Though this Cloudskipper is in the Sun, she is in a different dimension with no way out unless something be done to remove thyself of her body and switch thy souls once more. We- that is to say, I, believe I can lift the moon and sun for no longer than around a month. But I beg thee, find a way back. I believe you can do it. I will continue reading books on the topic but the reason I cannot find you is... Your locked in a different dimension too. Sister,my time grows short in the world of dreams, return to me!"
Awakening slightly, she felt a heavy but warm object lay on her, and turning herself, found it was the wing of her 'husband', Clouddrifter.
"Eep!" She squeaked and rolled out of the bed gently.
