Princess Celestia's eyes were closed in an effort to rest. It had been a long Summer Sun Celebration and she had been up since the crack of dawn to attend various events in her honor. Her ears twitched as the only other pony in the room muttered again under their breath. Celestia sighed and opened her eyes, the familiar sight of Twilight Sparkle's room in Canterlot Castle greeting her.
"Are you nervous, Twilight?" Celestia asked, tracing the pattern in the carpet left by the lavender alicorn.
"No, I'm not nervous at all!" Twilight scoffed, rolling her eyes as she paced. "Why in Equestria would I be nervous? I'm only participating in a ritual performed once every millennia or two, attended by every immortal who wasn't imprisoned, asleep, or otherwise engaged!" The young alicorn flopped down on the floor of her room next to Celestia, burying her face in the carpet, still besides her twitching wings. "I've met, what, four of the attendees, including you? And one of them was a megalomaniac who brainwashed my brother and tried to destroy my home!"
Twilight raised her head and continued, "Not to mention I am now the newest immortal, and am thus by far the youngest, weakest, and least experienced of them. I'm getting married and I can't have any of my friends or family here to support me because I'm going to outlive them a hundred times over."
"Technically, this isn't a wedding," Celestia reminded her. "Modern marriage was modeled after the bonding ritual, but isn't quite the same."
Twilight lifted her head to shoot the white alicorn a scathing look. The older alicron just laughed and kissed her cheek. Twilight sighed. "So, no, I'm not nervous in the slightest," she concluded.
Celestia smiled and kissed the alicorn's forehead. "You're cute when you're nervous, but you could tone down the sarcasm a tad, my love." Twilight sighed and leaned her head on the taller mare's side. Celestia's brow furrowed. Hesitantly, she asked, "You're not nervous about the last step, are you?"
A look of confusion crossed Twilight's face for an instant before the comprehension hit. "You mean the bonding?" she asked. The smaller mare smiled softly and pulled the other alicorn closer. "No, of course not. I love you, Celestia. I've known that for a long time now. I'm not having any second thoughts about that." Unable to stop herself, Celestia leaned in and kissed Twilight again.
"Now Discord being in charge of the ceremony?" Twilight said after their lips broke apart. "That, I'm afraid of."
A loud crack interrupted their laughter and a grinning Discord appeared, leering over the two. "Oh come now, Twilight Sparkle. Surely our friendship means something to you. You should be glad I am officiating this ritual. Besides Luna, I will be your closest friend there and none of the immortals have seen more of these than I."
Twilight rolled her eyes while Celestia just smiled. "Hello, Discord," Twilight half-groaned. "Thank you for being in charge of the ceremony, we really do appreciate it." Discord looked at her expectantly. Twilight rolled her eyes again but continued, "And I do value our friendship, its just sometimes I'm not sure if you do."
Discord's eyes widened and he covered his mouth in fake shock. "I'm hurt, Twilight Sparkle! I've only ever given you reasons to mistrust me, and yet here you are, mistrusting me!" He covered his eyes and turned away in mock horror. With a pop he vanished and reappeared with an arm around Twilight. "Besides it's not like I can break the structure of the ritual anymore than you can. All immortals are bound by it."
Celestia nodded. "Thank goodness. These are already the subject of far too many contests of strength and power. If they could go any further I'm sure we'd have year long fights as the entertainment," she laughed. "But that's neither here nor there. Is it time for us, Discord?"
"Why yes, Celestia. Your time has come." He said, a peal of thunder following ominously. Twilight and Celestia stared at him, deadpan. He just laughed and with a crack of magic he vanished.
Celestia turned to Twilight, smiling unconvincingly. "Are you ready, love?"
Twilight chuckled and wrapped a wing around the larger alicorn. "No, but neither are you. As long as we're together, we'll be fine. I mean that's what this is all about right?"
"As usual, Twilight, you are correct." Celestia nuzzled Twilight once more. "As you haven't been to Dream Valley before, you won't be able to teleport yourself there. It requires special rituals to travel there, different for each of us. Since you don't have your own way, I'll handle it today.
Twilight nodded, taking one last deep breath. "Okay, let's go," she sighed.
The two ponies rose to their hooves and kissed one last time. As their lips separated, Celestia's horn began to glow. Motes of light began to form in the air surrounding them, drifting lazily through the air, unconcerned with gravity. As the glow from Celestia's horn grew, so did the number of the light specks until the alicorns were surrounded by thousands of lights. When at last the room was too full of light to be seen, Celestia halted the magic from her horn and the lights surged inwards.
Twilight winced, tensing for the inevitable contact. When it didn't come she opened her eyes gingerly. Her room was gone, replaced by an open grassy field dotted with the ruins of various stone structures. The sky was a pristine pool of blue, unmarred by a single cloud, and the grass stretched off in every direction until, many miles away, mountains rose and clawed at the sky.
Celestia smiled at Twilight's awed look. "Welcome to Dream Valley, Twilight."
Any further conversation between the two ceased as the sound of voices greeted them.
"At last! They have arrived," a booming voice called out. Celestia and Twilight turned, and Twilight's wonder grew. She had known that immortals would be here, but seeing them up close and personal was another matter.
Twilight couldn't help but stare at the strange group that was gathered there. A crowd of what was perhaps about fifty gathered in what appeared to be the ruins of an amphitheater. Twilight's eyes flew across the various forms, flipping through mental pages of notes on immortals she remembered and trying to recognize anyone present.
The voice which called out to them belonged to Luna. She was smiling widely beside the imposing form of Taurus, who was at one time the leader of the minotaurs. He had abdicated his rule long ago and now spent the majority of his time traveling and mastering nature magic, available to provide advice should his people need it. Besides Taurus and Luna, Twilight recognized no more than ten others. She saw the three dragon matriarchs that were present and couldn't help but wonder where the fourth was. Discord's distinct figure was visible in conversation with someone Twilight guessed was Scorpan. Twilight's eyes lingered on the black carapace of Chrysalis who was conversing cordially with what appeared to be a sphinx. Twilight couldn't put a name on other figures she'd seen in illustrations, but they certainly stood out- a bright red hippogriff and a small group of fae gathered around who Twilight could only guess was the Queen of the Faeries.
A large pair of antlers rose above a small crowd, who, surrounded by cheers, was apparently participating in some contest of strength or magic. All around, ageless figures chatted, laughed, argued, and caught up, all of them waiting on her and Celestia. Slowly, the word spread across the crowd that the main event had arrived and the focus shifted towards the new arrivals.
Celestia smiled widely, ruffling her wings and getting the blood flowing in her appendages. She took two galloping steps and with one beat of her powerful wings, she was off, pulling up into a quick loop over an opened-mouth Twilight. She swept over her lover, pulling into a tight spin and allowing her feathers to graze the back of the young alicorn.
Not one to be left behind, Twilight spread her wings and took off, albeit much more carefully than her older counterpart. As they soared, the group below finished their conversations and gathered into the amphitheatre.
As Celestia and Twilight landed, Discord and Luna arrived at the front of the crowd. Luna broke into a canter, wrapping her sister in a crushing hug. "Congratulations on this happiest of days, Sister!" she said, unable to suppress her beaming smile. Luna released Celestia and moved over to embrace Twilight. "And I suppose now I can call you sister as well!"
Discord tutted."That's enough of that," he said with a snap, Luna vanishing and reappearing next to Taurus. "We're already late enough as is, the ceremony has to begin." She blew a raspberry at Discord but otherwise didn't protest. Snapping again, Discord warped Twilight to his left and Celestia to his right as he cleared his throat. The crowd fell silent, ready at long last for the ritual to commence.
"This is a gathering of immortals, of those unchained from time." Discord began, his voice uncharacteristically serious, speaking the traditional script from memory. "Of those who see little difference between the passing of a century and the passing of a second, of those whose lives are comprised of infinite eternities. Since our last gathering, we have lost companions on this long road. Whether they are incarcerated or missing, there are no longer beside us. May they not be forgotten." Discord fell quiet allowing for the acknowledgement of those not present.
"But now, it is important to note that there is one new member of our ranks." Twilight swallowed, feeling the focus of the crowd turning to her. "This pony before you, Twilight Sparkle, is the newest ascended alicorn. After four of these gatherings with none new among us, it's good to finally have some fresh blood." Discord jibed, getting a few laughs from the audience.
"And if I dare say it, she is worthy of our number," Discord continued speaking more intensely. "She has accomplished much in her short life, it speaks of her worth that she so readily leads a group which not only helped defend her home but could control and direct the Elements of Harmony." Several members of the audience winced at the mention of the Elements and the painful memories which arose with them.
"When challenged by immortals, she has never lost. She has controlled the power of two immortals in addition to her own and that of a powerful winged unicorn. Not only did she survive those powers, but she wielded them and fought one of our own. He held power that should have outmatched her twice over, and yet she fought him to a standstill." Discord paused, thinking on his next point for a moment before continuing. "She has bested me on multiple occasions but has never lorded over me. I am proud to say that I am her friend and she will be able to call on me as an ally for the foreseeable future." There was a slight intake of breath at this bold declaration. Even Twilight could recognize the powerful political move Discord made. Her eyebrow raised, wondering exactly what the games of politics was like with immortals.
"But today is only partly about her." Discord's voice pulled attention back to the matter at hand. "It is also about Celestia, who has walked the path of immortality for longer than many of us combined. She has lead her land through times of war and strife and steered them towards an era of prosperity. Whether you are one of her allies or her enemies, you must admit she is admirable and has been a good steward of the time given to her."
"We are here today because of love. And not love as the mortals see it." Laughter rippled through the immortals. "For we who see the road before us without end, love is rare. We see too much. We remember too much. There is too much of a gap between ourselves and those we wish we could love, and loving another who walks the road with you is difficult. We have seen within the last millennia quarrels between the closest of us." Luna's face darkened at this reminder, but even that reminder was not enough to erase her smile. "That is why ceremonies such as this are so rare. We all know how tough it is." Heads nodded throughout the audience.
"But these two have made that choice. They have chosen to bond their love here, as immortal as themselves, with immortals to bear witness. We who are the only ones who understand the depth of love that this ritual requires shall sanctify this union."
"If any in our number objects to this union, speak now or forever hold your peace." Discord's gaze swept over the immortals, almost daring any of them to speak.
"As none have spoken, despite possessing the insight to appreciate the meaning of forever, we shall proceed." Discord turned towards the white form of Celestia, addressing her. "Celestia Eternia, forge your bond before us all."
Celestia nodded, stepped forward, and closed her eyes. Rather than light her horn, The white alicorn tipped her head back until her face was basking in the sun's glow. She was still for a moment before she began to breath in. As the air entered her lungs, the sun dulled, losing its warmth and sending a chill through the verdant valley. Her lungs full, Celestia blew out a tight stream of air, and with it the sun surged in heat, like a furnace under the bellows. She continued with this, the sun growing hotter and hotter, until at last it she inhaled deeper than before. It seemed as if she would inhale the sun itself as all the light and warmth was pulled away. She held the breath within her for an instant, before at last opening her mouth and allowing the air to escape, ever so slowly, out. The warmth crept back warily, as if it were afraid it would be taken again, but the light remained dim.
Finally, Celestia's last wisp of breath ran out and the valley stopped. The breath of the crowd was caught in the moment. After eternity, the world began again. It began with light, and from out of Celestia's mouth came a star.
It floated forth from the alicorn, carried upon a wind that wasn't there through the dark, still valley towards Twilight. It brought life to the lavender alicorn who couldn't help but step forward. The star seemed to hesitate before pulling towards her and ever so slowly started to orbit her. The silence reigned as the star revolved around the starstruck alicorn.
Celestia took a step forward, visibly weakened from the effort. She swallowed once before she spoke. "You, are the eye of my storm, the center of my orbit, the life for which my light shines. I love you, Twilight."
Celestia moved to the teary eyed alicorn, carefully avoiding her personal star, and placed a gentle kiss upon the lips of her love. The light and warmth returned to the valley, but it remained hushed. At long last, the lingering kiss broke, and the sun shone brighter than it ever had.
Reluctantly, the two separated, returning to their places.
Discord looked out to the audience, then nodded. He turned to younger alicorn. "Twilight Sparkle, forge your bond before us all."
Twilight, still misty eyed, swallowed and nodded. Mimicking the other alicorn, she took a step forward, closed her eyes, and began to concentrate. A violet glow slowly built up around her horn. She didn't direct the magic; she simply let it flow out. Rather than dissipate, the magic in the air gathered into a corona around her horn. She poured out more and more magic, but instead of enlarging, the magic condensed into a field of gleaming violet energy that continued to intensify. Finally, when the corona seemed almost entirely solid, Twilight's eyes shot open, white with power, and her magic flashed and expanded out, forming several more coronas enveloping the first.
Every being in the valley could feel the power radiating out and pulling at something inside them. Their eyes were glued to the newest immortal. Each member of the audience, Celestia, and even Discord started as they felt their magic stir of its own accord. It pulled itself up inside them and then out into the air, flying directly towards Twilight like a thousand arrows in a myriad of colors. These arrows of magic came not only from the immortals, but from everywhere in the magic-rich valley. They were not large enough to weaken their sources but so numerous that for a moment, the world was nothing but streaks of magic and flashes of color.
The lances of power flew towards Twilight, combining as they grew closer. As they came within two body lengths of the alicorn, the power of her still growing coronas bent the beams of magic, pulling them into a tight rainbow spiral which fed into the stormy field of magic. The cyclone of power eventually subsided, leaving the alicorn suspended in the air, the power flowing through her body. There was an instant where she simply stayed there, suspended in the power she wielded.
Now that the magic had been gathered, she began to weave it. First slowly, but then faster and faster, her own field began to shift, slowly working its way out and around the magic she had taken in. It was only a moment before the multicolored sphere of foreign magic hovered inside an orb of her own. With a surge of power, Twilight compressed her magic and the cocoon of energy instantly collapsed upon itself, compressing the central sphere more and more. Beads of sweat dripped from her brow as she focused her whole being on the singular center point, trying desperately to force every last drop of the magic into the same place. The air around the sphere was distorted by the sheer power being harnessed as the surface receded at a crawl. Sparks of electricity coursed through the sphere, each illuminating the strands of power within.
The compression continued until the orb was about the size of a large pearl. For several minutes, Twilight held it there as the sparks became more rare until at last there was no more electricity. Her eyes closed once again as she reigned in her power. Her hooves returned to the ground, legs quivering. She steadied her breathing for a moment before opening her once again violet eyes. She stepped towards Celestia, presenting the now solidified magic. She gestured for Celestia to take it in her own magic, and the white alicorn did so.
As Twilight's magic settled around the solidified magic, it's outer layers cleared and within it, a perfect replica of the surrounding area was revealed. Each piece of magic Twilight took had reverted to the shape of it's source within the sphere. The moment when Twilight forged her bond was forever frozen in time within the sphere, each form a perfect match to it's counterpart.
Celestia only took her eyes off it when Twilight spoke. "I will never forget this moment, and I will never forget my love for you. This moment in time is forever etched into the essence of that magic as my love for you is forever etched into my soul."
Celestia closed the gap between them in an instant and swept Twilight into another kiss, deeper than the last. Their lips broke apart but their bodies did not. They didn't speak, contently lost in each others' eyes.
"Your bonds have been seen and accepted," Discord spoke softly and was touched by the displays of love he had seen, though he would never admit to it. "Now the time has come for you to exchange these bonds. Take what you have used your very souls to craft and become one with the one you love."
The two lovers nodded, turning from the embodiment of chaos and towards each other. Twilight's horn began to glow and Celestia closed her eyes. The star's revolution slowed, eventually coming to a halt directly in front of Twilight. The solid sphere of magic floated next to it. Celestia and Twilight gazed into each others eyes and Celestia nodded. The star and the orb moved away from their creators. As the star neared, Twilight could feel the tug of its gravity, calling for her to reach out and touch it. Celestia felt similarly, her magic practically leaping out of her horn to grab the sphere and pull it closer. Still they both resisted the urge and allowed each other to make the final connection.
Simultaneously, the twin objects reached their destinations, brushing against the alicorns' chests. There was a moment of resistance before the sphere and the star began to sink to the alicorns. Twilight shivered, able to feel the warmth of the star as it became a part of her. She could feel it moving through her, almost as if it was searching for something. And then at last, it found it.
It was almost as if she had been shocked, her whole body jumping. Her vision seemed to shift sideways, and she staggered to her left. Celestia took the jolt a little better, wincing slightly but managing to remain composed.
Twilight was reeling, her mind struggling to process what she was feeling, and yet she felt no fear. She knew she should by all means be at least a little nervous, but now all she felt was a wave of calm and the soft glow of affection. Twilight's brow furrowed as her vision returned to normal. She could feel her own confusion, but that sense of comforting calm remained.
Celestia laughed, breaking Twilight from her introspection. The lavender alicorn tilted her head, a question on her lips before the answer hit her. "Wait," she said, her brain struggling to process the revelation. "This— I mean, my emotions... a-and your emotions?" she stammered.
Celestia laughed again, rushed to her lover, and wrapped her wings around the shocked alicorn. "Yes," she said simply. "We're connected, Twilight. The ritual worked, and its effect is still fresh, so it's stronger than it will be in time, but we are now forever intertwined."
Twilight's mouth opened searching for the right words, but found none. Celestia giggled and bent down, gently kissing Twilight, who's eyes widened at the feeling. She could feel the kiss not only as herself, but also as Celestia. She could feel their love pouring out and into each other, which only lead to even more love from them both. She closed her eyes, her wings spreading involuntarily, and lost herself in the kiss. At that moment she was truly happy. With Celestia by her side, she faced eternity.
The kiss ended, and the two lovers embraced each other. The audience finally broke the silence with cheers and applause. Even those who were not supporters of Celestia could not deny the passionate display.
Discord's voice rang out above the clamour. "In our eyes and the eyes of time, Twilight Sparkle and Celestia Eternia are bonded in mind, body, and soul for as long as the road stretches out before them."
Luna rushed towards her family but before she could reach them Discord spoke. "Now be sure to enjoy my present to it's fullest extent!" A mischievous gleam appeared in his eyes as he smirked. There was just enough time for a pair of confused expressions to appear on the couples' faces before Discord snapped and they vanished, replaced with a wild breeze and the smell of untamed wilderness. Discord's laughter echoed in their ears.
Author's Note
Written for the Seventh Bimonthly Twilestia Contest
