Incandesence

by TGM

Rating: everyone
Tags: Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Princess Celestia
Length: 1459

Just as the moon rises every night, the sun must bring forth the dawn.

Princess Celestia awakens in the very first hours of dawn to tap deep into her magical reserves and bring the ponies of Equestria a new day. She does this every morning, every day of her life.

However, she does so every morning with a smile on her face. One as warm and radiant as the sun itself.

This story is standalone. You do not need to read the prequel first.

Preread by Rainedash

Published 2015-10-08 18:30:01 UTC
Last updated 2015-10-08 18:30:01 UTC

Incandesence

Silence.

It was serene, a peace that existed nowhere else.

A pause from the voices of the nobles contesting for her time. A break from the cries of her subjects, vying for her attention. A still in foreign politics, dignitaries sugar coating their malicious intents with a fake smile.

None of that mattered now.

Princess Celestia sighed. The grass was damp and cool against her fur. In contrast, the feathery embrace that surrounded her was warm and comfortable. She felt as though she could remain here forever.

The prone form next to her adjusted itself, and she smiled as it nestle closer to her. Her tired eyes drooped, but remained open as the peered at Luna's form.

Luna’s horn was aglow, the colors and stars of the night sky flowed along it like a celestial river. The stream of her magic flowed into the world around them.

And all around them, the silence broke.

Crickets chirped their nocturnal tune. Water flowed from a lake upstream into a calm river that passed in front of them. Animals called out to one another, their sounds and voices adding to the cacophony of the night.

It wasn’t unpleasant. Celestia found herself able to relax as the sound reached her ears.

Luna smiled, then breathed deep. She released another steady stream of magic. All around the two sisters, seeds grew to stalks. Stalks sprouted buds, then the buds unfurled. Glowing, marvelous flower petals reached for the starry night sky with all their might.

A rather large flower sprouted behind them. However, unlike its brethren who reached for the sky, this one bent over and hung above the two sisters. Its petals releasing a glowing pollen that drifted around them.

Celestia found herself in awe of the spectacle, and only tore her eyes away for a moment to bring her sister into a loving embrace. And there in the midst of flowers, a nocturnal symphony, and a flowing river the two sisters were happy.

Luna nuzzled her sister, then cast a glance to the horizon. Very slowly, a golden light began to leak over the far off mountains. Luna hesitated, then leaned down to whisper in her sister’s ear.

Celestia’s ears perked, then she gazed up at Luna with a frown.

Luna frowned as well, but then smiled and gave her sister another hug. Celestia returned it happily. Then, cradled in her older sister’s embrace, Luna began to melt away.

Her form softened more and more, until she was nothing but stardust. Celestia’s legs closed on themselves, and Luna’s form scattered across the river.

Celestia’s ears drooped, but then she straightened herself. She puffed out her chest and held her head high, then closed her eyes as the warmth of the coming light washed over her. It filled her with energy and power—

Then she woke up. She took but a moment to recollect the events from the night before, the authentication of Luna’s night court that would be put into effect tonight. The dream she had would be their last time to spend time together for a very long time, now that Luna was finally able to take on Princess duties alongside her.

Celestia’s head impacted her pillow again, and she breathed deep into the softness of her bed. She squirmed, trying to find the lost comfort so she could get those few extra moments of sleep that she craved. When that failed, she turned her gaze to the balcony doors. Beyond it, the sparkling lights of the stars hung in the sky. Their brilliance faltered ever so slightly by the golden light of the morning. It called out to her.

She pushed the blankets off, and slowly climbed out of bed. Her horn glowed golden, and the bed made itself behind her.

She stepped towards the balcony, her royal regalia flying to her as she walked. Her crown seated itself atop her head first, then her peytral clipped around her neck. It closed to form a clasp, the gem embedded in its front shimmering in the faint light. Her golden shoes slipped on, one after the other.

Finally, she reached the doors. She pushed them open with a burst of magic, and stepped out onto the balcony. The cool night air rushed through her fur, and she breathed it in deep. As much as she loved her sister’s night, it was time for it to go. A new day was coming.

She turned her head to the side, to look at the tower next to hers. There, out on the balcony, was her sister. She glowed under the light of the moon, her nocturnal power made her glow like a beacon in the dim light. She cast a glance over to Celestia and smiled. She smiled back, then nodded.

Luna closed her eyes. The glow of her sister’s body brightened as she began to rise into the air, magical power flowing along her like a river as she took the moon into her magical grasp.

Celestia breathed deep herself, then focused on the golden glow just over the horizon. She reached out, and imagined golden tendrils of light reaching from her to link to the distant horizon. She poured all her might into her magic, willing it to travel faster. Go farther. To her this may have seemed like eons, but to anypony watching it happened in but a few seconds.

Finally, she found what she was looking for. She grasped her target with all of her might. The feedback was immediate, Celestia felt an immense warmth fill her from hoof to horn. It was not hot, per se, but it was intense. Celestia thought that if anypony were to touch her, they would suffer a burn.

Now that she had a grasp, she needed to bring it closer. Celestia closed her eyes and felt the ground fall away. She imagined herself floating up into the sky. Her wings spread as she felt the warmth radiate from her in waves. There was no one else around, just her and her warmth.

Celestia slowly raised her head, willing the light to come closer. Travel farther. It was reluctant, and stubborn. It did not budge. Celestia poured more magic into her actions, then lifted her head more. This time, slowly, the light spilled forth. The golden strings of magic pulled taut as they lifted the light. It was slow progress, but the change was immediate.

The calm darkness of the night was washed away. Golden beams shot through the clouds, and it turned them from dark blue to white.

The black of the sky faded away, replaced with a bright golden color that washed the land below it with warmth and light. The sun continued its ascent, up and up like a pegasus ascending into the clouds. With its rise, Celestia heard the birds beginning to chirp. The animals started waking up. The new day was almost complete.

With one final, powerful pull, the sun took its place in the sky. The golden tendrils broke, and Celestia no longer needed to touch the light to feel its warmth.

Her eyes opened, and she realized how far she’d ascended. She looked down to Canterlot, so far below that the ponies beginning to emerge looked like ants. She looked at the surrounding land, her land, awash in the light of the new morning.

She looked at the orb, high in the sky, and she smiled. She flapped her wings and slowly descended back onto the balcony where she’d began. She glanced over to the other tower, but Luna was not there. Gone to bed, she imagined.

Celestia spared one last look for the city of canterlot, and for the land of Equestria all around her, then turned and exited her room. She greeted the guards standing on either side of her door, and began to descend the stairs. As she trotted, a pony with a light blue coat of fur, a brown mane, freckles, and a long list held in his magical grasp approached her. He began to speak, but Celestia did not pay much attention. She only made a sound to every now and again to let him know that she was listening.

Celestia entered her throne chamber. She climbed the steps and seated herself on the throne. She cast a glance outside, smiling as she caught sight of a bluejay singing its morning tune.

Her bird watching was distracted as a guard got her attention, his hoof upon the door and a question in his eyes. Celestia nodded, and then the guard opened the doors.

And so, Celestia began a new day.

Author's Note

This was actually pretty fun to write.

Might do one for Twilight, Cadance, and Discord too.