Chapter 1-Ponyvile Central

Part One: Ponyville Central:

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK

A loud and disruptive knocking echoes through a private bedroom in Castle Canterlot, Its sound reverberating off of the countless bookshelves filled to the brim with priceless tomes from only the most esteemed sources.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK

This bedroom though similar to almost every other room in the castle had several key differences that set it apart.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK

For starters the room was covered in arcane diagrams in charts which left little room for anything else. Any personal effects that could have been visible, choked out by the incredible amount of information that would take any ordinary pony years to properly understand.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK “Mam? Are you in there?”

In the very corner of the room what could be classified as a bed, if it was not covered in enough books to form a kind of paper shell over the soft cushioning.  And hiding underneath this paper shell like a dragon in its hoard the creature within began to shake and stir in its slumber.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK “Ma’am? Are you there? This is important.”

The movement of the covers on the bed grows greater as the hibernating creature attempts to ignore the affronting sounds disturbing her slumber, trying with all her might to drift back into the realms of sleep.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK “Mam? You need to open the door! Seriously, magi and their magical locking mechanisms….”

A purple hoof slowly extends from under the covers gently pulling the heavier books on top of her prone form. Though her mind is not in top shape having just woken up, she knows it is a scientific fact that there is no way she is waking up this early. Not without several more minutes and an entire pot of coffee.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK “Ma’am, The princess’ secretary sent me to get you, she said that you were taking a nap now of all times. You need to open the door and come with me.”

‘Why won’t the annoying voice go away?’ The slumbering creature thinks. ‘I’m comfortable here, why can’t he just leave me alone.’

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK “MAM! You need to wake up now! You were supposed to report for preliminary tasks over ten minutes ago!”

The slumbering creature’s eyes widen in terror and in the fraction of a second the bed and all the contents on it explode into the air in a burst of magical telekinesis. Her eyes as wide as saucers the lavender unicorn mare looks at the door as though it were a dragon pounding at the gates. Reaching up with her petite hooves the mare grasps her three toned mane composed of a dark purple body and pink highlights like a dark and a sunset sky. in a nervous fit as a single hair pops up from her mane in a curly shape as her bloodshot eyes scan frantically around the room. Her cutie mark, a mark that signifies every pony’s special talents and skills, is that of a large six pointed purple star surrounded by five white stars as white and radiant as a real star. Her mark signifies the mare’s skill in the magical arts as well as her composed and bright personality, however at this very moment the mare is anything but composed and bright.

“……I’m….. tardy?” The Purple unicorn mare’s bed head becomes even more frazzled as she comprehends the magnitude behind those words “……I…….. Twilight Sparkle am…….. Tardy?”

The guard behind the door grunts in frustration “seriously why do I get stuck with this job?” the guard sighs as he knocks on the door again.

KNOCK, KNO…… BOOOM!

With the subtly of a steamroller, the door explodes of its hinges sending the guard in front of the door skidding across the floor while screaming for his life. Barely managing to open his eyes the unlucky guard manages to see the most demented mare in Castle Canterlot running past him carrying several objects in her telekinesis as she bolts down the hall with reckless abandon. Strapping her saddle bags to her side, the mare begins to brush her untidy mane while brushing her teeth and eating her breakfast (wheat toast and an entire pot of coffee) at the same time. And if the scene weren’t improbable enough, the mare manages to do all this all while running full force down the hallways screaming at the top of her lungs about being banished to the moon for daring to be late.

“OHMYGOSHINEEDTOGETTOTHEPRINCESSNOW,PLEASEDON’TBANISHMETOTHEMOONI’MSORRY!!!” in other words it sounded something like that.

The guard groans as he barely manages to slowly pick himself off the ground. With an impartial glance the stallion gazes upon the destruction left by Celestia’s private apprentice. “Yep, just another day in Canterlot…” THe jaded guard remarks as he prepares to go back to his post, unwilling to think about the destruction the mare has just wrought on his watch.

Meanwhile the mare having tidied her mane eaten breakfast and brushed her teeth runs down the hall at full force. “I’m late! I’m late! For the most important date! OF MY ENTIRE LIFE! I need to get there ten minutes ago!” In her panic Twilight sparkle most magically talented unicorn since Starswirl the bearded builds up a magical charge large enough to destroy a small house and molds its power to suit her purpose. Imagining the location that she is supposed to be at and distributing the magical charge over her body Twilight fades from reality over the space of a single second and in a flash of brilliant purple light…….

Pop!

……..reappears at another location.

In contrast to the quiet atmosphere of her room, or her previously frantic pace down the halls, the Open air stadium Twilight now finds herself in is one of quiet awe. The octagonal shaped room provides a perfect display of the stars above, yet is enclosed enough to protect from prying eyes. The walls of the room around her are emblazoned with countless pricelessly ordinate runes designed not to keep ponies out, but to keep aether in, and prevent rouge magical power from surging out in case of disaster. Performing other idle tasks of the side are various master magi and full-fledged ponies of the solar guard, ensuring that their tasks are carried out and everything is in its place.

Yet dominating the room and surpassing the importance of all the ponies in it lies a large jet black bolder. Set upon an octagonal patio engraved with one of the most complicated and powerful magical arrays known to ponykind the bolder presides over the entire room as if the room was designed around this single inconspicuous object. The stone though it appears from simple sight to be no more than a black rock emanates an aura that makes it unmistakable that it is an object of immense importance an object that can…..

“Enjoying what you see my dear?”

“GWAH!” jumping three feet in the air Twilight hits the ground with a thud, looking behind her to see the origins of the voice that succeeded scaring her out of her skin.

The zebra mare, adorned with a long white coat that barely obscures her toned flank and surrounds her barrel chuckles a bit at Twilight’s overt reaction. Straightening up the other mare’s disheveled appearance with a handy hoof-brush the mare touches up the mare’s disheveled mane while dexterously wielding the brush with her hoof. The Zebra’s black and white mane, tied in an Asian style bun bobs up and down in perfect unison with the zebra’s bare arms and legs as she finishes up combing the unicorn’s stray hairs. “Relax Dear Twilight, you have nothing to fear. For I am now here!” Placing the brush back in her pocket the Zebra extends her hoof to the prone mare with a smile of concern.

Twilight sighs and pulls herself to her hooves with the help of her friend “Thanks Zecora. I guess that I’m just nervous. I mean this what I have been preparing for ten whole years, ever since I became Celestia’s Apprentice. And to top it off I was running late and…..”

Twilight’s eyes widen as she begins to panic “OH my gosh I’m late! I’m Ten minutes late! I can’t believe you convinced me to take a nap when I was supposed to be doing preparations! Oh Celestia’s going to kill me. What do I….. mmmhhh?”

Twilight’s rant is cut off by Zecora’s gentle hoof. She chuckles again “Do not worry Twilight. I told you to take a nap so you are not so bright in the middle of the night. For disaster to be averted, you cannot be hurting from lack of sleep.”

Now in much calmer spirits the lavender unicorn removes the zebras’ hoof. “Uhh thanks Zecora, and I know that you love rhyming and it's part of your culture and all, but please could you….”

Zecora’s eyes widen and she begins to relax “I am sorry Twilight, I realize that in the seriousness of the mood it is aggravating to hear one always speak in riddles. What I was trying to say is I recommended you take a nap because it was important that tonight of all nights during a lunar eclipse of the summer solstice that you be at your best when we release Nightmare moon from her thousand year imprisonment. ” Zecora remarks impartially.

“I know that Zecora. Remember that whole preparing for ten years thing?” Twilight waves her hoof at the room around her, pointing to the octagonal pedestal. “I know everything there is to know about Nightmare Moon and the mission that we are supposed to be doing tonight.” Twilight lowers her head “And I know that I am supposed to be at my best, so that I can help to prepare the Arcanum that will purify Nightmare Moon. It’s just…… I don’t know………. Now that I’m here, I just don’t feel very ready.”

Zecora’s face presents a gentle smile. “Twilight sparkle you are a talented and unique mare and I know for a fact that you are one of the most talented magi in Equestria in one thousand years. You are more than ready for this task.”

Despite Zecora’s comforting words Twilight still cannot shake the feeling that she is missing something. “But I don’t even have my stand power yet!” Twilight looks over to the giant black stone in the middle of the room. “If I am really the best mare for the task, and one of the best magi in Equestria how come I can’t even manifest my own stand even after countless attempts?”

Twilight restates, unable to accept her friend’s assuring words. “If I can’t even handle manifesting a stand power when almost every member of the royal guard can do it in their sleep, then what kind of unicorn am I?” Looking over towards the dark black stone in the center of the room, the enormity of the task ahead of the mare suddenly begins to seem all that more daunting. “Maybe Celestia is better off finding a new pony to handle a task as important as this…”

“Do not doubt yourself so easily my young student; you are far more talented than you know….”

Twilight’s breath nearly stops in her throat as a gentle reassuring voice begins to fill her very being with endless confidence. Falling gently from the sky like a sunbeam, the princess and monarch of the sun gracefully steps down in front of the two mares. The full grown alicorn mare, possessing both a majestic horn and a large pair of pegasi wings lands on the ground with the slightest noise possible, as she demonstrates her natural born grace. From her alabaster coat whiter than any silk sheet, to the flowing three toned mare of teal, sunset pink and a light purple that puts Twilight’s coat to shame it is evident to all that the mare before them is a goddess in physical form. Her cutie mark of the invincible sun defines her as the picture of illumination and leader of the entire Equestrian Empire. With untold grace the regal leader’s flowing mane ripples off to the side as she addresses her doubting student.

“…..And as for manifesting your stand….” The Goddess of the Sun Chuckles “……I remember telling you to simply be patient, it will manifest when it is ready, and not before.”

Twilight bows her head in shame, still unwilling to admit her friend’s confidence in her is well founded. “But Princess…..I’m just a filly I may be a pretty good at magic but I don’t have half the experience that other ponies have. What about the head magister? Can’t she look over the circle in my place?”

Suddenly Twilight Sparkle’s eyes widen in realization of what she just said, her mentor chuckling at her student’s slip of the tongue. “I mean…… well I know that she can’t…….. You know what I mean! She’s the head magus; she was your student before me! Surely she should be more qualified for this than I am!”

The Princess smiles gently as she looks at the magic pedestal. “True she was my student as well at one time, but you are my student now. And let me assure you Twilight nopony, not even the head magister has as much knowledge in magical theorem and arcane runes as you.” Celestia gestures over to the nearby circle with her wing. “Why you practically designed this magic yourself Twilight, and I could think of no pony more qualified to conduct final preparations than you.”

In a comforting gesture Celestia drapes her free wing over Twilight’s back. “And while the other ministers are managing the ambient energy fields to insure optimal conditions and to protect Canterlot, I know that you will insure that the Arcanum functions properly.”

“But…. But…..”

“No buts Twilight Sparkle. You really must have more faith in yourself than that. I saw in you from a young age a filly that would pour all of her talents and energies into things that would enrich the world.” Removing her wing from the timid Unicorn’s back, Celestia looks with purest pride over to the magic circle inscribed into the patio. “And now you are poised to help me save my only sister from the darkness that consumes her. And you know what Twilight? I wouldn’t have any other pony helping me than you.”

Zecora walks forward putting a gentle hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “Celestia is right. I am certain that if, Celestia on high forbid, something bad should happen tonight, it would not be your fault. After all there is no pony that has given more to make this project succeed than you have Twilight.”

“Yeah Twilly! don’t worry!” Twilight turns around to greet another familiar voice, one that fills her with joy to hear. An official looking stallion dressed in glistening gold armor and adorned in a centurion’s helm covered in blue accents, his white coat and two toned blue mane complementing his muscular figure. Upon his flank is his cutie mark, that of a gleaming shield representing both his desire and ability to protect, and his face is a smile of unbridled happiness. “After all when you have a handsome older brother to protect you, there’s no way that anything bad can happen, am I right?”

Not missing a beat the lavender mare smiles as she turns to face the white coated stallion. “Yes Shining Armor, but then I’d need a HANDSOME older brother.”

“……Touché Twilley.”

Despite his demeanor, or perhaps because of it Twilight sparkle can’t help but smile as she rolls her eyes. “Yes Shining Armor I am happy that you are my older brother as well, however all the brotherly love in the world won’t help me if this circle isn’t completely and utterly perfect!”

Shining Armor frowns at this and glances over towards the giant magical circle “I just don’t see why we even need this big of a magic circle anyways. My Stand power Bastion is an unbreakable barrier and the magister is handling the backlash fields, I don’t see why we shouldn’t be able to handle any feedback without some fancy magic circle.”

The group looks at the captain of the Royal Guard with looks of shock and surprise on their faces. Twilight even manages a face hoof as the captain of the royal guard glances at their disappointed looks. “What?” Shining asks “Was it something I said? OUCH! Hey sis that hurt!”

Twilight groans advancing on her brother who is rapidly giving ground to the mare who just punched him. “Shining do you even know the first thing about the Red Stone? Or why we need a powerful Arcanum that is so complex and powerful that it encompasses the combined knowledge of almost ten entire generations?” The purple unicorn states with an upset tone. “Do you even remember why I’m freaking out here? DO YOU?!?”

Shining leans his neck back to put as much distance between his sister and himself as the feared lavender mare moves closer to him with every passing second.“Uhhhhhhhh because you’re obsessive compulsive and have a deep seated fear of failure?”

Celestia can barely suppress a chuckle as Twilight begins to fume from Shining Armor’s response. “I am not! I am just…… Ugh never mind! Let’s take this from the top since SOME PONY can’t seem to get this right.”

Clearing her throat and adjusting her posture Twilight raises her head in pride as she begins to indulge in one of her most well-loved hobbies, elaborating on complex magical theory. “Normally in order to perform magic three things are necessary, a power source, a method of molding said power, and a method of activating and or controlling said power. In the case of ponies, magical power or aether/manna/magic whatever it has been called through the ages, is drawn forth from the world around them, or more specifically from their element. Earth ponies draw their magical power from the earth, Pegisi the sky and unicorns the astral plane.”

“This magical power is drawn in through the body naturally be eating, drinking, resting and breathing to replenish the body’s own magical supplies that are lost from moving, thinking, fighting or yes preforming magic. This magic can then be focused through parts of the body such as the horns, wings and hooves to perform spells such as telekinesis, flight and superior strength and heightened resistance. Once the part of the body has a supply of magical power the user can activate the power by simply willing it. Earth ponies, pegasi and sometimes even unicorns can manifest their powers unconsciously without even having to think about it which is why many ponies even believe that pegasi and earth ponies don’t even have magical power.”

Shining raises his hoof cutting off his sister“Uh Twi, thanks for the magic 101 but I don’t see what this has to do with the circle. Plus I think that you forgot stand powers.”

Twilight levels her gaze on her brother again and lightly bops him on the head with her hoof “Don’t interrupt when the teacher is talking. I was just getting to that Shining.”

Clearing her voice Twilight begins again “Stand power, as it is called due to the fact that it manifests a magical construct that ‘stands’ by the user’s side is a form of magic that is drawn forth by exposure to the Red Stones. In simple terms it is a manifestation of the ‘soul’ of the user; their magical energy in their body taking physical form. The user can then direct this magical construct with their will since the magic forming a stand’s body is technically part of their being, allowing the construct to perform any task that the user designates. The stand can also manifest a special power biased upon the user’s desires and needs that corresponds in some way to the user’s psyche. And because it is made in the form of the user’s soul, it can take almost any form varying its shape and powers based on its user’s psyche. For example Shining, your stand takes on the appearance of a giant bubble…”

“Twi! I told you it’s a 360 degree protective shield!”

Twilight laughs, glad that for once she was able to upset her brother. “…. Like I said, a giant bubble, and its power makes it unbreakable. This power is due to the fact that you are a born protector and you desire a power that allows you to better protect others. This is the kind of power that can be drawn out of others by Red Stone of Aja, a national treasure of Equestria that is unknown outside the highest levels of Equestrian’s government.”

Shining smiles at the complement. “That’s right sis. I will always be there to protect the ponies that need me the most, that's what makes me a soldier. And though I REALLY enjoyed the long boring lecture ….” Twilight shoots her brother a hostile gaze letting him know that his sarcasm will not be tolerated causing the stallion to fearfully back away from her. “….It still didn’t answer my question of what does this have to do with the Red stone of Aja and that Arcanum thing.”

“Right” Twilight clears her throat again more than willing to continue. “If the Red stone was normal magical power the Arcanum would be completely unnecessary. However as you might have guessed by its ability to cause living beings to manifest strange powers known as Stand, the Red Stone’s magic doesn’t obey the normal rules of magic because it’s magical power is entirely different.”

“Wait. What?” Shining asks

“It’s an anomaly shining.” Twilight clarifies with a somber tone of voice. “It’s an object beyond time and space. Even our greatest scientists and theoretical physicists can’t understand how it fully works. Even Princess Celestia who has studied the Red Stones for years and established the Red Stone Group to research it, barely has any idea of how its powers seem to defy time and space.” With all the caution of a physicist picking up a bar of uranium the mare points to the black stone sitting on the altar. “And because the stone is an anomaly in space time it is incredibly difficult to control its power, even the princess who has more magical experience than any living being on the planet has trouble with directing such power.”

“And we’re just going to fire it off randomly and hope it all goes right?” Shining Armor Captain of the Royal guard remarks snarkilly. “Great idea.”

“That’s why we have the Arcanum, Shiny.” Twilight corrects the stallion “Even if the Red stone is an abnormality in space time that taps into a power beyond our understanding, it still follows quite a few laws in our dimension. By using the Arcanum It allows us to use the stone as a catalyst and a power source allowing us to achieve feats of magic that would normally be impossible due to their scale and difficulty.”

With no small amount of pride the lavender unicorn walks up to the stage tapping a hoof on the well inscribed magical circle surrounding the Red Stone of Aja. “This Arcanum is specifically designed to separate and destroy the almost limitless evil that is contained within the soul of Nightmare moon. It’s similar to the way in which the stone allows ponies to physically manifest aspects of their psyche physically though a stand power. This Arcanum will draw out this evil and subsequently destroy it, freeing her from the corruptive influence of the dark magic affecting her actions. I personally helped Celestia design this circle along with many of the top mages in Equestria. It’s a project that I myself have been working on for ten years, but even this is my first Time seeing the main body of the red stone up close.” Twilight suddenly glances over to the large black bolder in the center of the room her face masked with worry. “I only hope it works….”

Celestia smiles benevolently wrapping her wing around twilight. “Twilight the circle is perfect. As you said before the Red Stone of Aja will provide the power, the circle will focuses it, and the rest is up to me to direct and control the power of the Red stone.”

Shining armor looks at the dark monolith of black, a sudden look of awe in his demeanor. “To purify your sister’s inner evil……I had no idea that the stone could even be used in this way….”

“What was that Shiny?”

Shining immediately snaps back to attention “Nothing! It’s nothing little sis.” Turning his back leg Shining begins to make a hasty retreat towards a very official looking group of unicorn guards “anyways I need to work on the barriers with the rest of the guard. Catch you later Twilly!”

“I should get going as well.” Celestia states as she glances up to the sky above her, the dark face of a pony drawn into the surface of the moon reminding her of the mission’s importance. “The Arcanum will do most of the work drawing forth the corpse’s power and do focusing it. However it is up to my will and strength to purify my sister. And to do that I need to…… To prepare. To prepare once again face my sister….” A look of deep melancholy crosses the goddess’ face, a regret so heavy that it could break lesser mortals like matchsticks.

For the first time since she arrived Twilight becomes worried about something beyond her own insecurities “Celestia…..”

Celestia snaps out of her mental daze “I am fine Twilight; my magic will draw my sister to me when the lunar eclipse occurs. And if the Arcanum is successful, you will have reunited me with my sister and that is worth any amount of emotional discomfort.” Celestia turns away eyes still locked on her apprentice. “I’ll say it once again Twilight, I have absolute faith in you. I trust you to make sure the Arcanum is ‘up to snuff’ as those youngsters these days say.”

The zebra coughs getting the attention of the goddess and the giggling purple unicorn “ummmm princess I don’t think any ‘youngsters’ these days say that.” the Zebra says.

“Oh. Really I could have sworn that was the right ‘lingo’ are you sure that ponies these days don’t use ‘up to snuff’ anymore?”

Zecora sighs “No princess ponies do not use ‘up to snuff’ anymore.”

Celestia blushes slightly “Goddess I feel old now. Oh well, learn something new every day I suppose. Come along Zecora, we have important matters to attend to.” With brilliant illumination Celestia charges her horn preparing for a quick teleport “oh and Twilight remember what I said, I have faith in your judgment.” And with that Celestia and Zecora disappear in a flash of light leaving the lavender unicorn once again alone.

Though originally disheartened by every pony’s sudden absence, the mare Twilight sparkle wastes no time. With urgency befitting her situation, Twilight slaps her cheeks with her hooves waking her mind and body up for the important task she is about to begin. “All right Twilight! It’s up to you now, all you have to do is go over the Arcanum and every rune in it in order to make sure that everything is in its proper place. Compared to your other work this should be a breeze.”

Leaping to her hooves Twilight begins to walk over the layers and layers of carefully choreographed runes that lie upon the ground. With peerless perception and years of photographic memory on the circle’s from and composition, she goes tirelessly over every sigil, every bump, and indent on the stage strengthening the marks and insuring every letter of the magical alphabet is spell checked to reduce any margin of error. Seconds drag unto seconds, minutes into minutes until finally the empty room around her begins to fill with serious looking ponies each member a master in the magical arts, as Twilight resolves to make sure her greatest work is nothing short of perfect, no matter how long it takes.

…………… two hours and twenty three minutes later……………

“FINISHED!” Twilight wipes the sweat off her brow breathing a sigh of relief as she takes pride in the brain child of her ten years of research resting beneath her hooves. “That was exhausting, I almost thought that I had made a mistake on review number three on the fourth wall but luckily I was wrong! I guess this circle is about as perfect as I can make it that means all I have to do is sit back and…….what?”

However just as Twilight is about to turn away her eye catches the sight of something out of place. “Hunh? That’s not right….” Looking to the left and the right fro signs of anypony else, Twilight walks carefully forward to the center of the circle where t the red stone is. Tip hoofing over the detailed magical runes (many that she helped craft) she stops near the center of the circle and stares agape at a single syllable slightly outside the center of her perfectly crafted ritual.

“There’s no way….” Twilight peers that the circle again her mouth suddenly coming agape at the single most horrifying thought in the world “I…. made a mistake? NO! That’s impossible I checked and double checked this rune at least four times this shouldn’t be here! Celestia herself said that she would go over this part of the Arcanum! And there’s no way that Celestia of all ponies would make a mistake!”

Twilight states with a tone of finality as she tries to convince herself otherwise. “This must be a new addition to the Arcanum to boost its power, yeah that’s it! Celestia must have just changed this part of the Arcanum without telling me! There’s no way that this could be a mistake. ”

Twilight looks to around her again, gulping deeply in fear “However……This could cause a catastrophic magical surge if it is not properly handled…. And Princess Celestia DID say that she trusted me to go over the circle for any errors……”

Twilight falls to her rump, her mind in deep concentration ‘OK Twilight this is the moment that you have been trained for, fix the circle and risk Celestia’s wrath or don’t fix the circle and risk Celestia’s wrath. There are no wrong answer only two equally dangerous decisions that could end up with me banished to the moon or Nightmare Moon rampaging free across Equestria. This moment will decide the fate of your entire life, and you can’t afford to mess it up.’

Looking up at the moon, Twilight thinks of Celestia’s long lost sister corrupted by dark magics. She thinks of this magical circle the only real hope of purifying her from the darkness that consumes her. She thinks of her own brother, and how she would do anything to save him if she was in Celestia’s place.

Suddenly her mind is made up. “The princess trusted me and my judgment to make sure that this Arcanum would drive out the evil in her sister. If there is even a single error in it is my duty to make sure that it functions properly! Besides such a textbook mistake can’t be considered worthy enough to bother Celestia, especially since she needs all her focus for tonight. I’m sure she would understand.” igniting her horn Twilight fires a beam of magical energy at the opposing rune causing it to glow. Slowly the affronting rune takes on a new shape better conforming to the circle’s pattern.

Twilight smiles and nods her head, content that now the circle will do its purpose. “Whew. I’m glad that moral dilemma is over. I just hope that this won’t have any far reaching consequences!”

Suddenly Twilight’s train of thought is cut off by a familiar voice, the voice of her brother “Twilly! We’re about ready to start! Get over here.” Shining Armor cries out waving his hoof off to the side of the Arcanum’s platform.

Twilight turns around with a look of shock on her face “Coming shinny!” Building her magic in her horn Twilight teleports off of the dais directly to the side of her brother. “Don’t worry I’m done! No magical catastrophes or anything!”

Shining armor smiles at this “that’s good Twilight. Now get ready to watch the real show put on by yours truly.”

Before Twilight can retort on the fact that it is Celestia that will be invoking the circle’s power, and he’s only playing a supporting role, the blaring voice of Zecora cuts them both off. “Quiet all! This is no time for Fuss! The lunar eclipse is almost upon us! So clear the way and play your part. For Celestia’s role is at the heart!”

Zecora’s booming voice causes the soldiers and magi around her to immediately scurry around as they frantically prepare for the eclipse. “Man your posts, and perform them well. Else what shall happen not even I can tell.”

Shining groans “Ugh does she have to rhyme now?”

“Only when it’s important big brother.”

No sooner that Zecora finishes her ‘motivating’ than a brilliant flash of light emerges from the center of the circle. Covered head to hoof in glimmering runes and shining armor the monarch of the sun emerges in in front of the red stone of Aja her face grim and resolved. Facing the red stone with the reverence of a saint, Celestia raises her horn to the heavens as the four stars near the cardinal points of the moon.

“All right stallions enough horsing around.” Shining bellows as he dawns his gleaming helm. “The moment that Nightmare Moon lands in the circle I will use my stand to trap her inside while Celestia does her part. Mages, Flow your magic through the inscriptions on the stone to help control the power of the Red stone. The rest of you form a perimeter and get ready for a heck of a show!”

Following his commands several prominent magi including our young heroine ignite their horns around the stage forming a pentagram of prismatic light suspended in midair. Clearing their minds unicorn mares and stallions alike touch their horns to the side of the octagonal platform causing the light from their horns to slowly spread through the runes underneath the monarch’s feet, their magical pentagram meshing together with the runes of the circle. Finally the entire circle gives off a dull illumination and the magi raise their heads again, their will and magic bound to the Arcanum in a dramatic display of arcane power.  As the Arcanum glows bright white The monarch of the sun stares stoically at the dark shadow on the moon preparing for the confrontation to come as the moon begins to turn blood red against the dark and foreboding sky.

“Thirty seconds until Lunar eclipse! All ponies stand by!” Zecora bellows.

The guards stand ready forming a perimeter around the stone dais upon which Celestia stands.

“Twenty seconds until Lunar eclipse!”

Celestia herself stands ready, raising her horn to the heavens as the last white sliver on the moon prepares to give way to the blood red that spreads across it.

“Ten Seconds until Lunar Eclipse!”

Shining armor readies his horn igniting its pinkish hue, his face stern and unmoving.

“Five seconds!!”

Twilight gulps heavily ‘All right Twilight, this is it!’

“ZERO!” Zecora shouts her voice echoing off the enclosed room with the intensity of a thunderclap.  the shadowy face on the moon disappears. All is deathly silent as everypony holds their breath and waits for the horseshoe to drop.

Ten seconds pass……

Twenty……..

Thirty…….

Everypony is too scared to even breathe. Each one, mare and stallion alike, holding their breaths as they prepare to plunge into an uncertain future. Yet each pony stands at the ready, prepared to do their part though each one is uncertain of what will happen next.

Suddenly as fast as a thunderbolt a dark shadow falls on Canterlot. A fell wind blows as a creature that could only be conceived of in a night terror lands in front of the monarch of the sun. Its wings sickly and bat-like flap in the night air like the ancient devils of old. Its teeth pointed and jagged as if designed to consume the very flesh of living things gnash in boiling rage. A mane as dark and shimmering as the water from a well that has never seen the sun, ripples in a nonexistent wind as the few glimmers of starlight contained in its’ vestiges are choked out by its pervading dark. The creature’s body, black as coal is adorned with ancient cobalt blue armor that is etched with the foulest runes made from the blood of countless innocent creatures. However most terrifying of all are its eyes, Eyes devoid of compassion, mercy and any trace of goodness, eyes devoid of a very soul.  Its Alien slatted eyes more likely to be found on one of the near extinct dragons of the fiery plains than a creature of warm flesh and blood.

This creature, not pony, but creature shakes off the dust from its coat as it looks upon the Princess of the Sun and it does something more terrifying than simply existing.

The monster opens its mouth and contorts its razor sharp teeth into a broken grin.

Nightmare Moon has arrived.

“SHIELDS!” Shining Armor cries out. In a flash the entire circle is surrounded in a purple barrier that cuts the mortals off from the two gods standing face to face in the circle. And though they are safe from physical harm the haunting image of the dark pony has engraved fear into their souls.

Without wasting a single breath the dark mare manifests a dark shadow from behind it. The image she manifests behind her is a shape of utter darkness, a shadow of the darkest night devoid of any features aside from its pony shaped body. Its dark mane of the brightest white is the only colorful feature on its body. The shadow lacks a horn, wings even eyes, yet it stands suspended in midair its malice and intent almost palpable as its hoof moves like a bush in the wind.

Suddenly the dark stand extends its arm like a tentacle straight towards the heart of Celestia its’ sharpened point ready to skewer her without giving her a chance to defend. However at the last second the arm of the creature is sheared clean off by a burst of the brightest sunlight, the remainder of the stump sizzling as the heat from the laser eats away at its arm.

With a look of resolve in her eyes Celestia makes a calculated step to the left, her stand emerging out from her right side in a flash of light. As if a complete contrast to Nightmare Moon’s stand of pure darkness, the stand that Celestia manifests is a creature of pure white sunlight. It’s illuminated body coated in plate mail that extends across its torso, like a thousand tiny vines of purest gold. All its limbs from its wings to its hooves are covered in emblazoned golden armor that glimmers with every movement of the mare refracting every glint of light in the air around it. Its armor is scaled and plated, covering its entire body save its face, belly and mane with armor so fine and luminous it almost seems transparent. And upon its head is a brilliant war helm accenting a foot long golden horn and blazing red eyes.

“Hello…. Sister.” Celestia states, “how are you?”

Laughing maniacally the creature offers up an evil grin as its stand regenerates its entire arm that seconds before was reduced to dust. “Me? You are concerned about me? I suppose that there is a first time for everything Celestia. In the past you cared more about your pathetic mortal subjects than I. Is it only now that I have returned that you feign concern?”  The nightmare mocks “Typical of a weakling such as you to try and take the easy way out of your defeat by attempting to ‘win over’ me like a common filly having a temper tantrum.”

Confronted with an image of absolute evil Celestia still manages to stand her ground her voice fair and benevolent. “I’m not trying to deceive you Lulu, and I am not trying to win you over to my side.” Celestia states with a stern look. “I don’t want to be right, I don’t want the power and prestige of an empty crown, I only want my sister back.”

“Humph, then I guess that you are going to be very disappointed now aren’t you Celestia.” The nightmare grins as it circles around the mare testing her opponent's mental weaknesses and probing her physical defenses. “That pathetic filly Luna is gone now. Nightmare Moon is all that remains of her, and Currently Nightmare Moon wants to mount your had on a pike. Now how does that sound?”

Celestia recoils as if struck with a whip her hooves shaking as she stares into the pits of the monster’s eyes, realizing that the creature before her was at one time a pony she cared about more than any other. Starring her sister straight in the eyes with a sorrowful look that would cause stones to weep the celestial monarch begins to tear up as she attempts once again to reach the mare before her. “I was Wrong Luna, I was so very wrong and it ended up hurting you so badly.” Celestia sheds a sole tear. “I just….. I tried to think of what I could say…. To……”

“You can say NOTHING! SUN WITCH!” the nightmare screams as the dark mare’s hooves slam into the ground beneath her. Breathing heavily Nightmare Moon stares hatefully at the Princess of the sun, her eyes wide as if realizing a dirty secret  “Ahhhhh I see now. You think that this, this rebellion is a bit of teenage angst, some pathetic cry out for attention hummmm? You think that deep down I just want ponies to love me again so you try to tempt me with your sappy sisterly love and acceptance.”

The nightmare takes a step closer to the monarch of the sun “You think that this is about ‘IT’ don’t you? You think that this is about the love of the common ponies that you stole from me. You think that this is about the loneliness and isolation that you filled my every waking moment with. You couldn’t be more wrong.”

Celestia’s face immediately freezes in terror “what are you talking about Luna?”

The nightmare grins as it once again begins circling around the princess of the sun. “I realized long ago the greed and selfishness of the common pony Celestia. Yet you always made the mistake of trying to live your life, slaving away for these worthless mortal shells, for these beings that would take everything that we so openly offered to them and give nothing in return. You think yourself their ruler, HA! You are their slave Celestia, a slave to their desires and whims! And I do not desire to be a slave.”

Celestia recoils again “Luna what do you…..”

“There is only one true way to free this world of their corruptive influence.” The Nightmare continues her voice gaining momentum and pace with every word she utters with her forked tongue “And that is to show these pathetic mortals what life would be like without light or mercy. To show them who truly rules over their lives and their destinies. It is time to show them a world without the sun and see how long they hold their haughty heads high as they freeze to death in the darkness!”

Celestia stands straight lowering her head ever so slightly as she closes her eyes in deep thought “….you would kill any pony who opposed you, Luna? You would literally kill every living creature on the planet simply because you can? You would kill me if I tried to stop you?”

The nightmare grins “Just the ones that refused to bow down and submit to my will. And as for my poor misguided sister, Heh I would kill you anyways for being such a pathetic waste of existence,.” The dark Alicorn flares her wings revealing her terrible majesty. “There is only room for one at the top of the world Celestia, and it shall be me.”

Celestia raises her eyes at her sister, her own flesh and blood with a ferocity and anger that could put the flames of the sun to shame “YOU are not my sister. Luna loved the night and all her ponies. She was as generous and loyal to her ponies as if they were her own blood.” Celestia stamps her hoof in her furious rage “And she would NEVER allow herself to fall so far that she would believe she had to resort to genocide simply because she had a little power. I don’t know how much of you is left in there Luna, but I will save you, and I will protect my little ponies at the same time.”

The nightmare lets out a bellowing laugh that this “HAHAHAHAHAHA! Such fierce resolve from so weak a pony. Then try it! Go ahead and kill your little sister! Oh that is right you can’t because you love me! HAHAHAHAHAHA!” The shadow continues to bellow for a few more seconds before she cuts herself off.

“Enough of this Foolery Celestia.” THe nightmare glares at her sister. “I can tell from looking at your stand that your connection to ‘it’ is gone. You may have the stone hare but you cannot use ‘IT’S’ Power.” The shadow looks off to the stone at her side as a evil look crosses her muzzle. “You may have thought that your strong desires would have been enough to allow you to harness the true power of the Red Stone of Aja but you were gravely wrong. And in doing so you have placed before me the means by which I might make my dream a reality!”

“NO!” Celestia shouts. However she is too late as she shadow sweeps over the Red stone. The previous princess of the night solidifying again as she comes to a rest atop of the black rock. Raising her head to the night sky above the Nightmare lets out a howl to the moon above as she basks in her self-proclaimed victory.

Standing on top of the Red stone the nightmare lets out another mighty laugh. “You are far too late Celestia; the power of Harmony is now MINE!” Looking down at the rock beneath her hooves the Nightmare licks her lips. “Now ‘stone’ you will obey me and my will! Bask this world in eternal night and make me the ruler of all!”

Celestia wasting no time, taps her horn to the stone and charges her horn’s magic in an aura of brilliant illumination causing the entire stone beneath Nightmare Moon’s hooves to glow bright red. “You were right about one thing Luna; I have always been slow and cautious. After all it took me so long to see how much you were suffering.”

Celestia grins as the Nightmare’s dismay becomes apparent “However in your haste you forgot three very important things. One Even if ‘it’ is not a part of me there is more than one way to use an Arcanum, and more than one way to tap into its power. Two I have spent the last thousand years researching and developing an Arcanum that can remove inner evil, all that is necessary it to make sure that the victim lands inside of the Arcanum for it to work.”

The stone beneath the nightmare glows bright red as the entire Arcanum comes online; it’s previously invisible markings illuminating in the night sky. “…And Three, I may be too slow, but you were always too easy to fool, and far too eager to jump to conclusions.”

The Nightmare stands stunned, completely surprised as she now finds how ironically the tables have turned on her.  Realizing too late that she is now caught her sister’s trap, the Nightmare spreads her wings in a vain attempt to take to the air as the entire sphere is illuminated with the brightest light imaginable. The figures inside the sphere blur and vanish under the immense onslaught of magical energy as those outside the sphere do everything in their power to keep the spell from falling apart.

“URRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH It’s too powerful!” Shining screams as his invincible shield quakes from the intense magical energy. “I can barely hold it all in!”

“Shield guards one through seven Support Captain Armor!” Zecora bellows out. No sooner than she speaks several concentrated beams of magic converge with Shining’s shield causing the purple sphere to take on a rainbow hue. “Twilight how is the Arcanum holding up?!”

“The buildup is a concern Zecora!” Twilight screams out over the din of the advanced magical reaction taking place a few hooves away. “Isn’t the Arcanum and the shield supposed to prevent this kind of backlash?”

“That should be the case little one!” Zecora yells “the new runes that we added today were supposed to help channel the magic into the participants better so that it would not put a strain on the Arcanum.”

“New Runes? But I didn’t see any new…..” Twilight’s heart stops. “Wait. What do you mean new runes?!”

However Zecora cannot hear Twilight as the blaring sound coming from inside the circle grows from simply uncomfortable to almost ear splitting in under a second. All the ponies surrounding the Arcanum begin to struggle as waves of magical power and deafening sound course through their very beings. The light from the dome grows brighter and brighter eclipsing even the sun. All the while, what few ponies that are able to stand their ground through the reverberations of the magical reaction cover their eyes and ears in an attempt to withstand the immense sensory bombardment.

Thinking on her hooves, Twilight pushes even more power into the Arcanum in an attempt to analyze the status of the circle. ‘Let’s see, from what I am reading from my sensory spell, the circle is working perfectly, all seven layers of the Arcanum are fine. So why are we getting this magical feedback?’ Twilight expands her consciousness through the Arcanum she remembers what Zecora just said. ‘Wait a minute Zecora said that the rune was added last minute to channel the excess magical energy through the participants. But if that rune was changed that would send all the excess magical buildup straight through……..’

Twilight’s face consumed with equal parts dawning comprehension and absolute terror as she raises her voice above the din of the constant magical reaction taking place in front of her. “HIT THE DECK!” Twilight yells as she breaks free of the Arcanum running for cover as fast as her little hooves can take her.

Those left in the stadium barely have time to think as all the pent up magical energy explodes outward from the center of the Red Stone of Aja in a catastrophic explosion. Like the sound of a thousand pounds of fine china being blown to bits, the single most priceless artifact in Equestria explodes. The barrier around the stone, unable to withstand its might, instantly crumbles to pieces in a single flash of Crimson light. Every mare and stallion falls to the floor from the sheer force of the blast as hundreds of thousands of shards of the Red stone are sent spiraling far into the atmosphere their trajectory directed upwards from the Arcanum’s feedback.

Like a rain of shooting stars streaking across the skies, thousands of pounds of magically charged stone begins to rain down all over the land of Equestria. Each shard and fragment glows with an eerie red light that refracts the starlight above  as it tumbles through the stratosphere. This single event, an accident of epic proportions, would go on to be known as the night of shooting stars and at the time was celebrated by ponies all across the land as a beautiful accompaniment to the Lunar Eclipse.

Countless ponies would never know that what they thought of as a display of their princess’s power over the stars was a massive catastrophe what would have such dire and longstanding consequences that would change the very shape of their world.

And that night, unknown to the ponies of the land of Equestria, would signal the beginning of all the things that were to come.

……………………..

The dust begins to settle around our heroine, Twilight Sparkle coughs out some of the latent magically charged dirt, a lingering effect of the ionized Red Stones, as she slowly rises to her hooves. “Well…. I’m alive I guess….” Looking around at the scene of disarray around her, Twilight makes out the silhouettes of her brother and Zecora as well as other disoriented members of the Royal guards. “We’re all alive….. We took a point nine magical blast point blank and we’re all right! Wow I guess I have to thank Shining after all, if it wasn’t for that barrier I’m not sure that we would have made it.”

Twilight sighs as she lowers her head in shame “Good now maybe I’ll live long enough for Princess Celestia to banish me to the…… CELESTIA!”

Her own imminent banishment forgotten Twilight turns around to see the stage behind her to find her mentor lying prone and scorched upon it. Celestia’s body normally the picture of pristine beauty is now covered in countless wounds and magical burns as she lies on her side completely still.

“Princess!” Teleporting over to her mentor in the space of a second Twilight buries her face in her Princess’s chest. Trying to drown out the sound of her own frantic heartbeat Twilight listens for any signs of life in her mentor. Seconds blur into years as the lavender mare begs any powers that will listen that her Princess, still lives. Her own life, her fate, her failure is completely inconsequential as she begs fate that life will return to a mare she loves as a mother, to a mare that is truly irreplaceable to her in every sense of the word.

Ba-Dump.

Twilight’s face brightens as hope once again returns to her tumultuous heart.

Ba-dump.

Her smile returns, as her fears fade away, banished by a small and simple sound that she had taken for granted her entire life, the sound of a heart beating. Suddenly the white goddess begins to stir groaning as if awakened from sleep, her eyes blinking groggily as she registers the presence of her student by her side. Twilight, unable to endure the emotional tension another second longer lets loose a cascade of gentle tears, overjoyed that in this merciless world that sometimes things turn out for the best.

“…..Twilight?” the goddess asks.

“Yes Celestia I’m here it’s all over now, you’re going to be fine…” Twilight assures with tears in her eyes.

“…..Lu…… Luna…. Is she…. Is my sister….. Is she…….”

Nightmare moon! Twilight completely forgot about her! Her entire body tense, The mare looks across the stage, spying another prone shape off to the side. Twilight’s body becomes almost frozen in fear as the thought of a great dark demon rising from the ashes to suck their blood fills the crevices of her mind.

However to her great surprise the figure that she sees is not a notorious demon, but a very pony looking creature with a light dark blue coat and light blue mane. All in all the figure before her looks like any normal pony she could find on the street, save perhaps the fact that she possesses both a horn and wings as well as the black blot surrounding her cutie mark of a crescent moon, no doubt the residue of left over dark magic. Though the figure’s mark was strikingly similar to the Nightmare’s her mark seems to represents the beauty and majesty of the night rather than the terror of the dark that Nightmare Moon represented not too long ago when she descended from the moon seeking revenge and death.

‘But is she still the same’ Twilight muses ‘or is this really……..’

Twilight’s train of thought is cut off suddenly as the blue mare opens her eyes staring directly into the unicorn’s soul with frightening powers of perception. The two mares retain contact as the blue mare rises shakily to her hooves both mares staring the other down, unwilling to give the other any ground mentally or physically. Eventually the silence is dissipated as Twilight being the younger of the two, cannot hold her tongue any longer “Um, Princess Luna? Is… is that really you?”

The blue mare counters with silence.

“You’re not going to go all evil on us again?” Twilight asks.

Again silence.

“Are you hurt? That was some explosion…..”

 The blue mare stares into her eyes judging her with an intensity that can scarcely be understood. Finally she responds “I don’t know….. I feel better than I should, but…..” The blue mare looks the prone form of her elder sister, her body exhausted and scorched, her golden armor rent and singed from the force of the spells beyond mortal ken.

Suddenly the eyes of the two siblings lock and after what seems like an eternity of separation, and Celestia despite her condition manages to muster enough strength to speak “…..Sister……… you…….. You…….”

The blue mare recoils in terror from her sister as if she were a ravenous beast. “I need to get away from here!” she declares with no small amount of fear. Without another word the alicorn charges her blue horn with an intensity rivaling that of the brightest star as she prepares to teleport away from her locale.

Twilight rushes towards her “Wait! Princess Luna! Wai….” However before she can reach the long lost alicorn the princess of the moon vanishes into thin air leaving Twilight falling to her rump in defeat.

“………Luna……..” Celestia moans.

Realizing that she has just left her teacher alone in her hour of weakness Twilight rushes back over to her Princess, clasping her hoof reassuringly. “Don’t worry princess, I don’t know for sure, but from the look of it, it appears that the Arcanum worked. Nightmare….. Princess Luna…. That is…. Ummmmmmmmm.” The student fumbles with her words as she tries to assure her mentor.

“She probably just needs some time to herself!” Twilight states with faltering certainty. “Yeah that’s it, she probably just needs time to sort all this complicated stuff out, that’s all! And once she comes back it’ll all be fine and everything will be sunshine and rainbows and you can be sisters again….. and …….. and…..” Twilight fumbles as she works at combining as many comforting phrases together as possible in a vain attempt to alleviate the mood of her heart-stricken mentor.

Celestia is as silent as death as all she can do is stare vacantly at the space that her sister used to occupy.

“Princess Celestia?” Twilight says “I know that I really messed up today….. but you said that you trusted me.” Twilight dons the greatest look of resolve that she can muster “then you can trust me on this. Your sister Princess Luna is fine. Everything is going to be fine, I promise.”

After what seems like the longest and most disappointing night of her life a gentle smile crosses Celestia’s tired muzzle. “….she’s …… fine? Good…… as long as she’s fine……. Then……… I am……. Too…………….” The monarch of the sun, exhausted from her day and her near death experience finally drifts off to sleep cradled in the arms of her most trusted student.

Twilight breathes a sigh of immense relief as she stares down at her mentor “well at least one thing went right tonight…….”

“Twilly!” A familiar voice calls out.

“Twilight dear!” another voice joins in as both Shining armor and Zecora rush up towards the lavender mare and their monarch.

“Shining! Zecora! Thank goodness you’re alright. Is everypony else okay?”

Zecora lowers her head in shame. “There are no casualties here my dear. But the destruction of the stone is something great to fear.”

“Zecora is right. The destruction of the Red stone is nothing short of a national catastrophe! What did you do Twilly?”

“Hunh?” the mare asks trying to play as dumb as possible, a difficult feat for a genius with an IQ of 180 “I don’t know what you are talking about big brother! It what makes you think that I had anything to do with what happened?”

Zecora stares down Twilight with her piercing gaze causing her back up as Zecora’s condemnation grows ever closer. “Twilight Sparkle. This is a matter of national security. This is no time for games. When I mentioned the new runes that we were adding to the circle you seemed ignorant of them and seconds before the blast occurred you told us all to hit the deck.” Twilight’s retreat finally fails causing her to fall on her rump. “Now Twilight I know that you have only the best intentions but I must ask. What. Did. You. Do?”

Twilight’s normally razor sharp mind stops functioning almost instantly in the wake of Zecora’s accusations. Twilight’s brain freezes over as the various high magi and military ponies gather around the purple mare in order to hear her ‘valid’ and ‘logical’ explanation for why everything went wrong.  Her amazingly high IQ producing no ways to escape the hole that she has dug herself into.

“Well Twilight?” shining armor chimes in “Please, tell me Zecora is wrong. Please tell me that you didn’t have anything to do with this!”

Twilight’s brain finally comes back from vacation as her stalled mind begins to think again. ‘Alright this is no time for stalling now come on think brain! This is the one chance you have to explain yourself before you are banished to the moon for a thousand years. Think of something clever and logical that explains you just wanted to make the circle magic circle more efficient and better able to cleanse Celestia’s Blood sister of corruptive magics. Then they will see that it is not your fault that a priceless artifact that is tantamount to the military strength of the nation exploded!’

Twilight sparkle demonstrating amazing resolve in the face of pressure rises to her hooves with dramatic flair. With social grace befitting the private student of the ruler of the country, she clears her voice in a solemn way, and raises her hoof, her entire body prepared to deliver the most eloquent speech in her life. The speech that her entire life depends upon. Finally her mouth opens and a torrent of words pours out.

“wiuhiuahifuwadhuaifhiuauriwweeygytrewwqasdfvgyyuhkikjnkkolllkjhggfvbnjnnggfdxsxszazszsswefghhuiopopoijukuhrfhguiufvkhdhughufhuuhdshilssdjicslkmsfjkjfdvmdsudgrurungnhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.” And with that brilliant piece of literary genius, Twilight sparkle falls over fainting dead away from the waking world.

………… 12 hours later…………..

The same lavender mare who had fainted away in front of a crowd of twenty, Twilight sparkle, stands before the throne in front the highest power in the land of Equestria, none other than princess Celestia. Channeling her inner tapeworm Twilight crouches as low to the ground as possible as she stands in judgment at the very hooves of she has spent her entire life trying not to disappoint. The very goddess that raises the sun and the moon, one of the strongest and wisest creatures in the world, a living god in body mind and soul, and Twilight had failed her. Standing before the solar throne in a room devoid of any pony aside from her aide Zecora, the solar monarch stares down upon her apprentice as the twilight mare seems to be melting into the floor.

The lavender mare muses on the fact that she could be disintegrated on the spot and no pony would even know. But even more painful to her is the fact that she knows, despite everything, that she deserves it. More crushing than the mare’s disappointment in herself is her abusing the very faith Celestia had put in her skills and abilities. Celestia trusted her, Twilight sparkle, to help her save her sister and now Luna is gone to goddess only knows, and the most valuable object in Equestria has been destroyed at her hooves. Banishment to the moon is far too good for ponies like her.

‘Why doesn’t she just say something already?’ The scum known as Twilight sparkle thinks to herself ‘Why doesn’t she just banish me to the moon already? I can’t take the pressure anymore! Just say something! Anything!

Finally after minutes of complete silence the princess opens her mouth. “Well…..” the princess of the sun begins “…..it seems that we are in a bit of a pickle now aren’t we.”

“A bit of a pickle…….” Twilight stares aghast at her mentor “A BIT OF A PICKLE!?! Princess Celestia I destroyed one of the most valuable and priceless objects in the entire kingdom with nothing to show for it! A bit of a pickle doesn’t even begin to describe the mess that we are in now!” Twilight lets her frustrations out on a fury of self destructive words. “Now thanks to me the means to obtain powerful magical abilities, to obtain Stand powers, is now scattered across the whole of Equestria!”

“Twilight…”

“I don’t understand why you are not taking this seriously! I deserve to be banished from Equestria!”

“Twilight……”

“…..Or be thrown in a dungeon!”

“Twilight…………”

“Or be banished and be thrown in a dungeon in the place that I’m banished to! I don’t deserve to…”

 “ENOUGH TWILIGHT SPARKLE!” Manifesting the full power of the royal canterlot voice Celestia breaks her student out of her manic rant. “HOLD YOUR TONGUE HENCEFORTH SO THAT WE MIGHT CONVEY WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY TO THOU!”

The purple unicorn cowers on the ground as she prepares to face judgment for her crimes against the kingdom of Equestria. Her entire body shivering in fear at the wrath of her mentor.

As suddenly as it appeared, the wrathful visage of the monarch of the sun fades away leaving behind the mentor Twilight knows and respects. “Forgive me Twilight, but what I what I have to say is something that you need to hear.”

Twilight leans forward gently in order to better hear the princess’s words. ‘This is it! This is the point where the ever so perfect princess banishes the foolish failure of a mage! Goodbye Equestria! Goodbye Shiny! Goodbye Canterlot!’

“What happened to the Red Stone of Aja….” Celestia takes a deep breath. “Was not your fault.”

Never had Twilight sparkle been more surprised in her life than she had in this moment. In fact if one had keen ears they might be able to hear all the gears in her brain grinding to a complete and sudden stop. As if doubting her own senses Twilight sparkle pulls herself off the floor and cleans the wax out of her ears with the aid of her magic. “That’s funny my ears appeared to have malfunctioned there for a second, I thought you said that what happened to the Red stone of Aja wasn’t my fault.”

Celestia chuckles “that Is because it wasn’t your fault Twilight Sparkle.”

“What.” Twilight’s entire mental being breaks down in the wake of an inconceivable possibility.

Celestia smiles gently. “After I recovered from magical exhaustion I went over the entire Arcanum myself and from what I say your last minute modification actually improved the spell’s effectiveness, just as you predicted.”

“What.”

“What I mean to say…” Celestia Resumes “Is that your change to the Arcanum had no effect on the Red Stone of Aja’s destruction. You are completely in the clear my dear student.”

“What.”

“Twilight, do you understand what I am saying to you?”

“What.”

Celestia rolls her eyes. “It seems Twilight’s train of thought has crashed again.”

“Shall we wait for her to regain her senses?” Zecora asks.

“What.”

“No this looks like it’s going to be a long one Zecora, and as it stands now we have precious little time.” A faint glow illuminates from the monarch’s horn as she spins a storm cloud into existence directly above the stuttering unicorn.

“What.”

“I am sorry Twilight but desperate times call for desperate measures.” Igniting her horn with a flash of yellow light, a single bolt of lightning from the cloud shocks the mare to her senses; her body shivering from the brief display of electro-shock therapy.

“Uggggggggggggg” The singed purple mare groans on the floor as she body discharges small arcs of electricity.

“Twilight? Are you okay now?” Celestia asks timidly

“Uggggggg thanks PrincessI really needed that.” Pulling herself off the floor Twilight stands before the princess again. “Now where was I………….. Oh yes, WHAT?! How could I not be responsible? There wasn’t a problem with the Red Stone and there wasn’t a problem with you so the problem must have been the Arcanum! And since I was the only one to modify it before the ritual, it must be…...”

“Actually Twilight….” The princess interrupts “….in a way it was my fault that the ritual failed.”

“What.”

Celestia’s voice rumbles like thunder “Do not start that again Twilight Sparkle.”

Twilight gulps “C-Continue Princess.”

“As I was saying….” The princess continues her voice tinged with regret “It seems like I heavily underestimated the strain that two goddess level entities would put on the Red Stone.” Celestia admits. “I had thought that between Shining Armor’s Shield and the Arcanum that any excess magical power would be dealt with. However our two energies combined were far too much of a strain for the Red Stone to handle. It’s like two professional wrestlers decided to fight on top of a table, no matter how strong it is even the most stable of objects can fall apart if enough strain is placed upon it.”

Twilight sparkle mind wheels about as all her previous expectations of banishment and guilt are smashed to pieces. “Sooooo……. You aren’t going to banish me and throw me in a dungeon in the place that I’m banished to?”

Celestia chuckled at this “Twilight Sparkle, Believe me when I tell you this. Even if you were responsible for the destruction of the Red stone I would never banish my precious student for something that they had no control over.”

Twilight’s eyes begin to tear up “Princess…”

“That being said….” The princess of the sun rises from her throne and begins to walk down the steps in front of her. “I have an important task for you Twilight. One that I only trust you to perform.” Coming to a stop in front of her student Celestia stares into her eyes “the question is do you feel up to it?”

Leaping in the air in excitement and the opportunity to redeem herself Twilight cries out in joy “YES! YES I Would love to help out in any way I can Princess!”

Realizing that leaping around her mentor like a school filly might not be the best way to demonstrate her maturity and readiness to embark upon a dangerous task, Twilight adjusts her intensity level “I mean, if that is you desire princess.” Twilight says as she breaks into a short bow.

Celestia smiles that the childish display of her student, however she quickly takes on a stern demeanor as she prepares to explain the importance of the task she is to assign her student. “Twilight do you know what the common ponies are calling the incident that took place last night?”

The unicorn shakes her head ‘no’ as Celestia continues. “They are calling it The Night of Falling Stars. Fortunately since the summer Sun Celebration was in full swing the ponies of Equestria thought the thousands of Red stones falling across the sky were an attempt at celebration. They even took the lack of the mare on the moon as an artistic change.” Celestia chuckles. “In fact I have received several compliments from members of the nobility about the ‘artistic liberties’ that I am taking with the night sky.”

Twilight giggles at the idea of ponies thanking Celestia for something as frivolous as changing the appearance of the moon. However her mirthful behavior is immediately cut off by her mentor’s serious appearance.

”This is no laughing matter Twilight.” Celestia states. “I spent hundreds of years denying my own sister as a mere legend for fear that when she did return to me, her past crimes would haunt her and drive the ponies whom she loved away from her. As a result few ponies even know the reality of my sister or her return.”

“But….. But she’s not evil any more. Right?” Twilight asks cautiously “You said yourself the circle worked, and I saw her! She didn’t have any of that evil aura that I felt coming from Nightmare Moon. And you said yourself that the Arcanum worked…. Right?”

Celestia looks at her student with a haunted look in her eyes “I certainly hope so Twilight, I certainly hope so.” Her mentor the goddess that moves the sun and moon does something that Twilight has never seen her do before, she looks worried. However realising she is in the presence of her student Celestia quickly brushes these worries aside. “But that is not your that task that I have assigned to you, I shall handle finding my sister, what I am having you do is a far more immediate concern.”

Gesturing to the window Celestia leads her student to a view that looks over half of the nation of Equestria “Twilight do you know why we gradually expose those in our solar guard to the red stone and subject them to rigorous psychological testing?”

“That’s easy Princess” Twilight sparkle chirps, as she is once more immersed in her element of facts and academia. “It’s because manifesting stand power takes a great deal of latent magical power in order to properly manifest, and if the pony who manifests a stand is not of sound mind, they might manifest a dangerous power or worse yet be unable to control their own stand.”

“That is correct, so please tell me Twilight.” Celestia, the monarch of the sun, turns to face Twilight with a grave look on her face. “What would happen if a pony with insufficient magical power and a week will was exposed to the Red Stone?”

“Well….” The purple unicorn thinks deeply at this question “they’re not many documented cases in the guard since they train so rigorously mentally, spiritually and physically. But if a pony who had insufficient will or magical power was exposed to enough of the Red Stone, it would force their stand to manifest too quickly and…… oh no.”

Celestia’s grave face reveals her inner worry “I believe you now see the problem Twilight.”

“If-if the user’s magical power isn’t strong enough the stand…” Twilight’s voice cracks as she gulps heavily “…..will drain the user’s vial life-force until they…….. until they die. And even if the user manages to survive, if they are unstable or possess a week will their stand may go berserk or develop a power that actively harms others!”

Celestia nods “and now that the red stones are scattered over Equestria there is no telling how many ponies might be exposed to its effects.”

Twilight raises her head as she looks out the window, picturing the myriad of horrible possibilities that could be taking place in the kingdom of Equestria. “We have to find the Red Stones as quickly as possible!”

Celestia nods, affirmatively “I have already dispatched most of the solar guard across Equestria, with their stand powers they should be able to locate the Red Stones and deal with any rogue stand users that they encounter, and you must join them.”

“ME?” Twilight asks. “But I… don’t have a stand….”

 Sensing her student’s distress Celestia drapes her large left wing over her student is an comforting gesture. “You will manifest it when the time is right. But now I need as many capable ponies as possible to help protect my subjects and I cannot think of any pony more capable, resourceful, and kind than you Twilight.”

Twilight looks at the ground, thinking over her current situation. On one hoof she feels utterly unprepared for the task ahead of her; she’s never been outside in the world, everything that she knows is here in Canterlot. And what if she’s not prepared? What if somepony depends upon her to save them and she fails?

Her heart sinks into her stomach as she feels a gentle alabaster hoof raise her head. Celestia raises Twilight’s vision away from the ground so that she is looking straight into her eyes, eyes that could never be disappointed in her student so long as she tries her best.

Suddenly it all becomes clear to her, Celestia trusts her because she knows that the purple unicorn always tries. It is because she refuses to give up that her mentor trusts her so absolutely, and as long as she tries her best she will not be fail.

Raising her hoof to her head Twilight gives the princess an official salute of the solar guard “You can count on me Princess! I’ll give it my all just point me in the right direction!”

Smiling at her student’s newfound confidence she has instilled into her mentor, Celestia focuses her magic into her horn causing a fully packed saddle bag to appear on Twilight’s back. “I have already taken the effort to send you to a small town nearby that according to reports should have a large number of ponies affected by the Red Stones. Knowing that you would most likely want to leave as soon as you heard I had Zecora pack your bags, so that you could leave the moment you were ready.”

Twilight, opening the bag with her magic finds that it indeed is filled to the brim with everything she could need. “You’ll find the train ticket in your bag that will take you to the town. There you will act as the princess reprehensive there and insure that not only are the towns ponies taken care of but that you gather the Red Stones and any other dangerous artifacts found as secretly as possible. And should you find any other strange magical forces you should report them to me immediately.” Raising her head in pride Celestia looks over her student again. “Now that won’t be a problem will it?”

Brimming with enthusiasm the purple mare looks her mentor in the eyes “No Princess it won’t. And don’t worry. I’ll make sure that no pony comes to harm in the town of…… What town am I going to again?”

“Ponyville my precious student.” Celestia smiles. “You are going to Ponyville.”

“Right Ponyville.” Twilight turns around awkwardly as she prepares to trot out the door. “Well…… I should be on my way…..”

Raising her hoof demurely Celestia calls out to her student just as she prepares to leave “Wait Twilight, there is one more thing that I have for you before you leave.”

Twilight cocks her head to the side “Something else Princess? Is it a book!? Is it the Magical Spell craft and practicalities By Silver text? You know the one that I have been looking forward to getting ever since, well forever. Is it a book?”

Celestia shakes her head “No my precious student. It is something far more valuable than a simple book.”

“More valuable than a book? What could possibly be more valuable than a…” Twilight’s words are cut off as the monarch of the sun pulls her student into a deep embrace, hugging her student gently as warmth both physical and spiritual seeps into Twilight’s very core. This is not an embrace of lovers; it is a soft and caring act, an act of familial love and intimacy. The kind of thing that a caring mother would give to a frightened child on a stormy day, to assure them that everything will be all right. Twilight immediately melts in the embrace, all the mistakes of the past, the tension of the present and the fears of the future fading away in the magnanimous intensity of her mentor’s love for her.

Letting her student go Celestia speaks gently to her “Be safe Twilight, above all the things you have to do, out of all the troubles that you will have to face Your most important task is to come back safely to me. Do you understand now how important it is for you to come back safely?”

Twilight lets a single joyful tear drip down her mentor’s coat as she begins to realize once again how much she means to her mentor “Princess……” Wiping the faint remnant of tears from her eyes she looks again at her mentor. “You’ve got it Princess! Don’t worry about me, I’ll be back soon.”

Now with nothing else holding our heroine down, she bolts out of the throne room door, only stopping once to wave goodbye to her mentor as she leaves behind the only home that she has known for an adventure of enormous proportions. As she leaves a smile of both faint sorrow and immense pride graces the Monarch’s face as she watches the mare that she thinks of as her own child leaves home for the first time into the world beyond.

“She’ll be fine.” Celestia assures herself “I know her and trained her myself. She is at that age where she has to begin to learn things for herself now, and I know that she will be ready to face whatever comes her way.” With a flick of her magic Celestia shuts the doors to her throne room leaving her alone once again.

“Ahem, Princess.”

Well almost alone. “What is it Zecora?” Celestia says as she turns to face her secretary behind her.

“Princess, I am relieved to see that Twilight got out at last.” Zecora clears her throat “without a punishment that would hold her fast. But was lying to her for the best? With telling her the truth I do wrest, is this some form of test?”

Playing coy with her aide Celestia puts her hoof to her mouth to hide the slight smile that is forming beneath her hoof. “Oh Zecora? Whatever do you mean?”

“You know as well as I it is not true, though telling her would make her blue, to know that the fault for her own failure is burdened by you.”

“You mean that telling her that she was responsible for the destruction of the Red Stone would be better than telling her it was my fault?” Celestia asks.

With a curt nod Zecora confirms Celestia’s suspicions “To tell a lie is sometimes right, But the truth is better not to fight.”

Looking at the door where her prized student left Celestia responds “It is true that she is responsible for this looming catastrophe is the loose sense of the word. However it is the truth that Twilight Sparkle is not guilty of the crime of destroying the Red Stone because she lacked the intent behind such an action.” Celestia remarks sagely as she turns back to face Zecora “Without the burden of her actions to weigh her down I am sure that Twilight will succeed in gathering up the pieces of ‘it’ without any great trouble.”

“And who knows?” Celestia continues “perhaps this is part of some divine plan, and everything will work out for the best.”

Zecora is shocked at this “Princess! With all due respect you surely don’t mean that. The loss of a national treasure such as the Red stone and the exposure of countless of our own citizens is anything but a good thing.”

“I do not claim to know the future Zecora.” Celestia admits as she looks out the window over her empire. “Despite all my wisdom and insight I can only guess what it has in store for us. Perhaps this so called catastrophe will pave the way for a new tomorrow.” Signaling for Zecora to follow her Celestia walks out the door to the throne room “Now come Zecora, we must turn our own attention to a more important task. The task of finding my only sister.”