A Glimmer of Darkness, A Glimmer of Hope
The Scroll to Celestia...
Celestia gestured sharply at the scroll floating in front of her.
“Luny…did you read this?” she said, much more tersely than normal, a deep frown wrinkling her brow.
“No, Sister…it was a private communication between you and Princess Twilight. You usually inform me if…” Luna started to say helpfully.
Celestia leapt from the throne dais, glided quickly halfway down the Throne Room hall, landing in front of the stained glass window of the Six defeating Tirek. When she touched down, she took up an immediate canter.
“Come with me. Now.”
Princess Luna felt her eyebrows climb into her maneline and peek out from beneath the flowing strands mimicking the night sky. Not much would make them do that.
Brusqueness was not a trait assignable to Celestia. The Alicorn had an unlimited, unending well of patience, and would walk a thickheaded foal through things over and over again; things that long before would have had Luna looking for that Moon marooning spell.
Luna quickly followed behind Celestia, who had thrown open the entrance doors with her aura, heedless to the possibility that somepony may be in her path. However, once in the public area, Celestia slowed down to a brisk walk, giving Luna an opportunity to catch up.
“Wha…” Luna started to say when she pulled alongside.
A sun-yellow binding aura immediately clamped over her mouth, then dropped away.
“Not here. Apartments.” Celestia said sternly.
The Guard barely had time to salute before Celestia stormed by him without even a nod. Before he could even reach for it, the door flicked open with a wisp of her Magic, then closed behind them almost as suddenly.
Luna stopped, started to turn toward Celestia, who had stalked to the center of the Great Room. “Okay, Sis…what is…?”
The binding flew over her mouth once again. Silently, her eyes narrowing, she watched Celestia pull down every shade and close all the doors inside the apartments. The binding started to slacken as Celestia warded the door…
Then goggled as Celestia released the binding, while she warded the entire apartment!
She didn’t even have time to react as Celestia thrust the scroll in front of her.
“Read,” she said simply.
Luna started to read. And barely choked down her own emotions.
A minute or two later, she looked at Celestia, eyes wide. “Is this all true?”
Celestia rolled her eyes at her younger Sister as she made a derisive noise. “Twilight? Exaggerate?”
Luna’s eyes lowered. “No, I suppose not.” Luna gently patted Tiberius, who had awakened at the commotion. She watched nervously as Celestia rummaged through drawers and cubbyholes of the secretary, yanking out quill, ink, and parchment. She also drew out ribbon, a seal wax candle, and her signet.
She started to write. “Luna…I need the Captain of the Guard and the Royal Messenger immediately. Get that Corporal outside in here; he is to take these to the proper recipients with all due speed. He’ll already know where the Captain is. Derpy will be in the Steward’s Office, at her desk.”
“The Captain? Why?”
“I want two companies, one of yours, and one of mine, full field kit. They are to travel by Pegasi troop carriers to Twilight’s Castle as if I wanted them there yesterday. The Quick Reaction Force, too. I have had it with Twilight’s lax security. They are to lock her Castle down until further notice from me, and only from me. Bunk them in the hallways if there isn’t a barracks available, or bivouac on the greensward. Preferably both. Double guard on the Map, the Magic Mirror, and all access points into the Castle. Everypony who isn’t Spike, the Six, or Canterlot Canton is to be escorted from the grounds, even if all they want is to return a library book, until I speak with Twilight directly.”
“Once Derpy gets here, I want her to find that husband of hers, and I want him and that blue box in front of me within the hour. I need answers, and he better have them, or I will flay the hide off of him and stretch it out to dry on the portcullis. Then, she is to deliver a Special Summons to Canterlot Castle to one Princess Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship, over THIS,” she said, waving the floating scroll “…and the current whereabouts of one Starlight Glimmer. And she damned well better obey.”
Luna looked at her. Celestia was a roiling lake of determination, anger, resentment…and something too terrible to contemplate…
Fear.
“Sweetie…I have a letter for you…”
Derpy worriedly handed over the scroll to ‘John Smith’ or, ‘The Doctor’, depending on circumstances. Normally, they were for ‘John Smith’, Derpy’s newlywed husband, just shy of one year. This time, Derpy saw Princess Celestia’s face as she hooved over the ornately ribboned and sealed scroll. This one was for ‘The Doctor’.
He opened it, read it quickly.
“Oh, dear. Derpy. Go gather the children. You and the family need to come with me to New Equestria. A short holiday; shan’t be long. A little sun, some new views, just perfect."
“I have one more message to deliver first,” Derpy prevaricated. What was going on?
“Oh, absolutely no problem. I’ll give you a lift. Twilight, I’ll bet. Right into the…”
“You can’t. Princess Celestia has deployed the Guard at her Castle. They’re in lockdown.” She glanced around nervously. “How bad is it?”
“Oh, not so bad. Barely a hiccough. Should have it resolved in no time. Just run along and bring the children, please, dear. We’ll sort it out after you get your message delivered, and everypony to New Equestria.”
Derpy did as asked, dread clutching at her heart. No matter how hard he tried to make light of the situation, these were the contingency plans they made if something extremely dangerous was happening in Equestria.
And the dread deepened quickly after Twilight, grousing about all the soldiers in HER home, read her scroll, blanched, and teleported in an instant after Derpy delivered her scroll to her. Derpy ended up advising Spike about all the Guards and their requirements, something she was very uncomfortable giving. It certainly didn’t help her feelings.
The mood hadn’t lifted one bit as she, Amethyst, and Dinky watched the TARDIS dematerialize from the lovely greenbelt around Ponyville City, three thousand and a few years into the future on a planet orbiting a small, hot blue-white star. The mile high city with hundreds of leagues of buildings gleamed in the bright sun.
Normally, she loved the place. Archmages managed to establish the Magic of Equestria here; invocating the crystalline ley lines and nodes that concentrated the energy produced by the rotating ring belt around the planet, rings ‘built’ by the Techno-Arcanists, (though the process more resembled budding and farming than building).
Now, the possibility existed this would be their home, for the rest of their lives. Their ride was off into the unknown.
She sighed, consulted the unfolded microtablet strapped to her right front foreleg. “Okay girls… the taxi will be here in forty seconds or so.” The microtablet re-folded into a smart-looking bracelet, though a small section of the screen remained. The telephone, watch, and text field stayed active. “Anypony want to go out to eat, or should we order in?”
“Mommy…will Daddy be all right?” came a tiny voice between Sparkler’s front legs. Dinky turned bright, troubled eyes toward her mother.
Derpy smiled brightly, though her own eyes started to blur from tears. “Dinky…Daddy always does his very best. We have to be strong for him now. Can you do that?”
The filly nodded wordlessly. As Derpy’s head lifted, she saw Sparkler’s face, the concern there, the banked tears trying not to fall. Sparkler nodded too, unable to trust her voice.
The cheerful yellow automated cab swept into view, hovered, then descended, the boarding ramp already lowering. In a minute, they were on the way to the open space penthouse loft they owned in this most modern of cities…
The small pop sounded clearly in the hall, followed by a polite knock on the door. “Princess Twilight Sparkle, Majesties,” the Guard outside said quietly.
Celestia lifted the warding on the door, tugged it open. Twilight walked in, brows knitted in concern. Celestia settled the warding back in place as she shut the door.
Celestia stared hard at Twilight, her face stone. “Where is Starlight Glimmer?” she said flatly.
Twilight answered as neutrally as possible. “Still in Our Town, em, Sugarville, Celestia. She’s making amends, and I thought…”
Twilight felt the imperceptible click under her foot of the land mine she just stepped on, as it armed itself. Celestia’s face barely, minutely shifted, but the shift was of very tightly, but precariously restrained implacable fury.
Twilight knew Celestia for most of her life. Though it was a bare flicker in Celestia’s vast existence, Twilight had never seen this from her.
Ever.
Celestia confirmed it a moment later. “Like you ‘thought’ your Castle didn’t require a proper Guard?” she growled rhetorically.
Twilight decided discretion really was the better part of valor, especially in this case. She nodded meekly. “At once, as you order, Princess Celestia,” she said softly. Twilight moved quickly to the door, as Celestia lowered the warding on it. Once through, there was a pop from Twilight’s teleport, as Celestia re-settled the warding.
The docile, deferential attitude Twilight had shown ramped up Celestia’s anger slightly. NOW she decides to be helpful, Celestia thought.
Celestia felt the vibration warning from her warding. She dropped it over a small section along a far wall in another room, and went to watch as an incongruous blue police public call box from a dimension away materialized there. Luna had followed, though Celestia hadn't asked her to.
The door on the box squeeked open. “I got your message. What can I do to help?” the chestnut-colored pony that walked out asked.
Celestia made a small sigh of relief, though the anger continued to simmer. She floated the scroll to him. “Read this, and maybe you can tell me…”
“Erm…wellll…let’s see what I can find out,” he said, after looking at the scroll. “Ladies, if you would, please…” he said, heading over to the TARDIS and opening the door. He gestured the Diarchy inside.
“Luna, stay here,” Celestia said firmly.
“Why? Am I not to learn as well?”
“I need you to monitor the warding, handle communications; and when Twilight returns with this Starlight Glimmer while I’m inside. And one more thing…”
Celestia leaned over, whispered in her ear. Luna’s face stared in utter shock.
“Celestia…?” she asked, a pleading tone creeping into her voice.
“It’s necessary,” Celestia said decisively.
Luna hung her head, eyed downcast.
“Sister…I shall fetch it. But, please…for both our sakes…find another way, I beg of you…” She turned away, went toward a wall in the room slowly.
She waited until The Doctor and Celestia entered the blue box, the door closing with the familiar squeek. Once the door closed, she moved the painting of Starswirl the Bearded aside with her aura. It swung open on hidden hinges.
She pushed her horn into the hole revealed. With a quiet click, a section of the wall opened like a well-hidden pair of doors.
Several items waited in the revealed interior of the safe. Luna lifted a silver ring out of the velvet, then closed the safe back up, moving the painting once more into its place.
Luna lifted her hoof up, nestled the plain, unadorned, unremarkable thing on it.
Such a small thing, she remarked to herself. Small, simple, ordinary…terrible thing.
She held it up, peered through the center of it; as she carefully and cogently kept it away from her forehead.
Magic-binding rings were not unheard of. Unicorn criminals, (the extremely few they had nowadays) wore them while in custody and while serving their sentence.
This one, however, was quite different…and very dangerous. It removed Magical abilities permanently.
On top of that, bad enough as it was…the process was ugly, protracted, and macabre. Once placed, it shrank to fit tightly enough to prevent its removal. Then, over the next ten days, it slowly dissolved the unicorn horn to powder. The process was painless, and the pony healed without a sign of injury; but they had to watch, everyday, as their Magic dissolved in front of them.
She hated the thing. It was horrible. That’s why they had locked it away. They hadn’t been able to find a way to destroy it yet.
But if this Unicorn was a dangerous as it seemed she was…how could they protect Equestria without using it on her…?
He led Celestia up the ramp to the Time Rotor console. As she gathered near, he pulled a screen around where they both could see it as he tapped controls. He glanced up at it askance, and then froze, staring in disbelief, his face in complete incredulity.
“What? Impossible! This can’t happen! It’s a fixed point! How?” His jaw dropped next as he twisted a knob.
“Great Whickering Stallions!!! She stubbed a fixed point!”
He facehooved. “You know, this was hard enough to manage when just straight science was involved! Adding Magic to the mix…” he said, pulling a lever sideways.
Celestia started. “What do you mean?”
He pointed toward the screen with his hoof. On it, a cyan-colored filly with rainbow mane and tail flashed by, followed closely by two brown coated colts…
“THIS! This race with Rainbow Dash…”
As they watched, Dash abruptly dived after a young Fluttershy, who was falling uncontrollably toward the ground. Suddenly, Rainbow Dash breached some sort of barrier, and a riot of rainbow color flashed outward from the point. The screen switched to five fillies as well, younger versions of the Six, watching the wave of colors. Six Cutie Marks appeared on the flanks as Destinies were realized.
The Doctor froze the images.
Celestia murmured. “I remember that…”
“Of course! This is one of those milestone events that happen on occasion. Princess…this is a fixed point. Or was. Unalterable. This event shouldn’t have been able to be changed. Yet, it was!!”
He stared at her, astounded. “There are now five major, and several minor divergent alternate timelines associated with this ‘fixed point’. A fixed point!”
He turned back toward the screen, sat down heavily. “Those are stub timelines. It would take specialized Magic, or temporal equipment like the TARDIS to take advantage of them…but it can be done.”
He began switching controls. Then froze again, aghast.
“Oh, my…” he breathed, traumatized.
Celestia looked at the six scenes displayed on the screen. She glanced at, then ignored the one with Discord on a unicycle, wearing an ermine trimmed royal cape behind a pair of immortal Alicorns in fright wigs and clown makeup. Ridiculous, but not horrifying…
But the others…Chrysalis, firmly ensconced in Canterlot, pursuing resistance members in the Everfree Forest...
Tears welled up in her eyes, dashed away angrily as Nightmare Moon sat upon the throne in Two Sisters, within a land of eternal night...
Sombra, chuckling as ponies fought each other, killing…and dying! Once was bad enough. Seeing it again…
Tirek, laying waste all around him as he pursued more and more Magic...
The last…
She stared, horrified, at a dead Wasteland. Blasting sand in windswept, empty ground. Barren; interrupted only by the skeletal remains of once living trees. Nothing alive. Nothing left.
No. Her mind rebelled against the repulsive image.
NO!!
“Thank You, Doctor. I have seen enough,” she said calmly. Calm and composed in body and voice. But, the eyes. The horror remained. In the eyes, in her mind, and in her heart.
He heard the horror. “Princess…”
“I do not wish to reveal your presence to Starlight Glimmer, but I find I require your perspective.”
“Princess Celestia…”
“I wish for you to remain in this room, and listen in to the debate.”
“Cely…”
She turned back toward him, the tears welling up. “What would you have me do, ‘John’? She’s opened up some sort of can of macabre terrors! According to Twilight's scroll, Starlight Glimmer is an Alpha Plus level Magic user. One that DID NOT go to my School for Gifted Unicorns to be taught, trained, and mentored; a Wild Talent that fought one of the most powerful and capable Alicorns on this world to a stalemate! I swore to protect this world. This world, and all those that live upon it.” She dashed the tears away with a hoof, but more flowed to take their place. “I have a weapon loose on Equestria; an incredibly destructive weapon that in least in one case, killed everything…”
He gathered her up, hugged her close. “I know. I understand. And I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry. I shouldn’t have showed you that. You’re frightened, and angry, and you want, you need to do something. But something is not necessarily the right thing. I’ll help. I always will. But we have to be careful, because it’s very easy to set events into motion that can cause that future.”
She gently pulled away, sat down on the decking around the console and Time Rotor. “What should I do, ‘John’? Bind her Magic? For how long? Take it completely away from her? Banish her? When ponies were primitives, they used to execute threats. Luna and I stopped that, and then we got Sombra. So many died…” she gasped, a small sob escaping before she thrust it down.
He sat in front of her. “Celestia…I have a rule. You know it already. Everyone has to have a chance, pony or not. Everyone. A chance to put it behind them. To change. To evolve. They have to have a chance.”
“‘John’…she’s powerful. More so than any Unicorn I’ve ever known. More than Starswirl was at this age. More than Twilight is in some ways, even as an Alicorn. You’re asking me to gamble with a planet filled with life, against a dead future. How…?”
He held up a hoof, then laid it against her shoulder. “Daleks never give chances. Sontarans plan so to prevent others from having them. Cybermen can’t even understand the concept. Remember the Angel? Those hunt in ways to minimize them. So, how can I do it?”
She nodded.
He stood up. Maybe it was the change in perspective, him towering over her. Some sort of change in the timbre of his voice, the steely certainty in eyes that had watched planets burning in the dark. Something important, strong, that he was sharing willingly with her. She felt it, took it to her heart.
“Because I don’t want to be like them,” The Doctor said simply, but with the weight of centuries behind it.
The corners of her mouth involuntarily tweaked upward a tad. She shook her head ruefully.
“Derpy has no idea how lucky she is…” Celestia said as she stood, her strength and certainty returning.
“Actually, Princess…I’m the lucky one. Not a better compass in the ‘verse to be had, when you need to find your way. Glad to share with you what she does for me. Makes me a better pony, she does. Happy to help.”
“Now,” he said, clapping his front hooves together, rubbing them vigorously. “What do we do?”
“Plug me into this whatsis of yours. I need to see her past. Somewhere, back there, is the cause. Maybe, perhaps, if we’re observant, we will find that answer as well.”
“That’s the spirit, Princess!! Just watch me work! I can do this, oh yes I can! Just watch!” He leapt to the console, spun controls with dexterity. “And Princess…?”
“Yes?”
“Mind giving that bicycle pump there four or five strokes?” he said, slightly embarrassed.
Celestia chuckled, the first happy sound she made since she opened Twilight’s scroll. “Of course, Doctor. But I thought Derpy told me the two of you were working to change this?” she said as she pulled the handle up and down. By hoof, no less.
“Welll…been a bit distracted,” he said, the embarrassment flushing his face.
Celestia noticed it, decided to tighten the girth a bit. ”Oho! And what, pray tell, could be more important than working on your TARDIS together?” she said innocently.
She chuckled louder as the blush deepened, and he rubbed a hoof along the back of his neck…
Luna heard the pop of Twilight’s teleport, along with a second one she hadn’t heard before. She tucked the ring into her mane.
When Luna, as the Nightmare, had been banished in the Moon, she had been deprived of social interaction, something herd creatures like ponies found hard to bear. She strained constantly to hear the others far below her on the planet as solace for her loneliness. As a result, Luna had extraordinary sharp hearing, and could discern the slightest differences in sounds others found identical. One of the reasons her earphones were so quiet compared to the volume others used.
And unless she was sorely mistaken, Twilight brought Starlight Glimmer.
Walking into the Great Room, she pushed Celestia’s warding back away from the door with her aura, then opened it.
The Guard turned, looked at Luna. “Majesty, Princess Twilight Sparkle, and Unicorn Starlight Glimmer.”
“Thank You, Corporal. Please, ladies, come in,” Luna said simply.
Luna studied the pink Unicorn as she entered. She was certainly apprehensive, and Twilight radiated all sorts of palpable unease, which probably exacerbated it. The eyes darted around as her ears swiveled, seeking threats as she bowed. Luna was glad that she and Celestia maintained the Great Room as a calm, restive environment. The real threats were behind the painting on the wall in the other room.
And the one buried in her mane, of course.
“Please, sit. Shall We call for refreshment?” Luna said calmly, regally, her manners in full display.
Starlight Glimmer shook her head minutely, the intimidation of being in a room with the alter ego of Nightmare Moon working on her psyche. For once, Luna wasn’t upset The Nightmare was foremost in a pony’s mind. And she wasn’t about to dissuade that assumption for now.
Twilight pushed through her unease. “No, thank you, Princess Luna, we’re fine for now,” she said quietly.
“Very well then.” She took the cushion straight across from them, the low coffee table between.
Luna turned toward Twilight, one eyebrow raising. Luna had been studying how Celestia worked visitors, and had been employing the lessons.
Twilight took the hint. “Princess Luna, may I present Starlight Glimmer?”
Luna nodded regally, acknowledging the Unicorn.
“Starlight, this is Princess Luna of the Diarchy of Equestria.”
Starlight was definitely cowed. Messing with a young Princess of Friendship was definitely different than challenging a Demigoddess Diarchal planetary ruler. Luna nudged it along further.
“Charmed,” she said imperially. Pause for effect…
“Starlight Glimmer. We have requested thine presence to direct an inquiry; specifically, a difference of opinion between you and the Princess of Friendship.”
Luna gauged the reactions Starlight Glimmer tried to conceal as she spoke. Luna intentionally softpedaled the epic fight the two of them had been engaged in, making it seem as though the conflict was just a trifle to the ruling Alicorns. The same as using the word ‘request’. Starlight was certainly intelligent enough to imagine what ‘ordered’ might entail, if this was what ‘requested’ meant.
Twilight started to speak up. “Princess Luna…”
Luna raised a hoof, turned a stately but stern look upon Twilight. “Princess of Friendship, We have not asked for thine statement as of yet. Please hold thy tongue. We first wish to speak with Our guest.”
Twilight, shocked, shut her mouth with a snap.
Good. The rebuke had the desired effect. Starlight misinterpreted the confusion on Twilight’s face as alarm; that Twi had overstepped some sort of line.
Luna leaned forward slightly, stared at Starlight Glimmer. “Please, continue,” she stated clearly. Starlight Glimmer heard ‘ordered’. Exactly as intended.
Starlight Glimmer, slowly at first, then more quickly as she warmed to the subject, told Luna what had occurred, starting with Our Town…
Luna, patiently, listened with focused attention. She raised a hoof at times, and when Starlight Glimmer stopped, asked pointed and erudite questions, then bade her continue when satisfied.
More richly detailed than the message Twilight sent, Luna cataloged the information. When Starlight finished, Luna looked at her; still managing to maintain her calm.
“Starlight Glimmer…We now wish to know why thou went to such lengths.”
Luna delicately, tranquilly settled herself deeper into her cushion, arranged herself ceremoniously.
Time to go for broke. Luna felt the same tingle at the base of her spine she had when she bluffed Rainbow Dash with a pair of fours.
Celestia drew in a sharp breath, held it a moment.
“That’s it. Right there. That’s what set her off…” she said with certainty.
‘John’ and Celestia watched raptly, as a pink Unicorn in adorable pigtails cried unashamed, painful tears at what should have been a joyous moment, as her dear coltfriend was taken away…
Tears flowed unabashedly down Starlight Glimmer's face, as she let vent the terrible pain of her watching her best friend being carried away; as he was ripped from her life…
Luna watched the mare, the hurt unmistakable. She nodded sagely.
Jackpot.
“Thank You.” She levitated a glass of water she herself poured from the carafe on the coffee table to Starlight, along with a linen hoofkerchief. “Please, drink, and compose yourself once more, We beseech thee. Take whatever time you wish.”
She turned toward the purple Alicorn. “Princess Twilight Sparkle. We have already read of your part in this disagreement. We ask now that you speak of events after your return. Do not leave anything out. Starlight, feel free to add your insights as you feel need to.”
She sat back, as Starlight Glimmer put the glass back on the table, half empty now.
“Continue,” she ordered…
“Doctor…I had a plan. Something awful. If I found Starlight Glimmer enough of a threat, I planned to take her Magic away. Permanently.”
She paced around the Time Rotor. “In the time Luna and I have been around, we’ve come across certain…artifacts. Tools and devices. One such is my ‘banana’ amulet. Wear it, and then think of food. No matter what comes to mind; cakes, apples, the most succulent tofu burger and potato hayfries from McD's…and a banana will appear. Nothing else. Just a banana. Get a hankering for a cream cheese cherrychimichanga, and you’ll trip from the banana suddenly appearing on the floor before your front hoof steps on it and slips. I actually think it’s one of Discord’s toys, myself.”
She sighed. “Another is a simple silver ring, designed to bind a Unicorn’s Magic, like the Arches we had at the Equestrian Games; and Thank You for coming up with something better than that, by the way. Put it over their horn, and it slips down to the base, where it shrinks and tightly clamps on around it.”
She stopped pacing, idly dragged a hoof back and forth along the console edge. “This one, however, had an additional property…it slowly dissolved the horn of the Unicorn wearing it. No matter what was done, the ring stayed in place until the horn fell apart. It didn’t cause physical pain…it just took the Magic of the Unicorn wearing it away. For the rest of their life.”
“Once upon a time, as they say. I found it soon after Luna was banished. And I kept it, just in case…”
“For Luna. Or more accurately, for Nightmare Moon,” he said quietly.
A thin smile. “Correct. The Nightmare would have been gone. Forever. Luna could have gone on as a Pegasus. My Sister would have remained, after a fashion. But I couldn’t do that. Not on a living creature. Even now, with the possible threat that the Nightmare could come back one day. But I was sure I could do it to Starlight Glimmer. To save Equestria, I would have to.”
She shook her head. “But that’s the rub. To punish a pony for their crimes is justice. To punish a pony for what crimes they may do is repression. I would have become Sombra, enslaving the world to keep it safe.”
“So, your decision. What will you do now?” he asked.
She smiled. “Time for you to watch me work, my friend. Time to watch me work, indeed. Afterward…go and be with your family. I hereby grant Derpy a week off. Let me know how New Ponyville was, and if the noodles are still as good as I remember at that Canternese restaurant.”
“I couldn’t get the government to take down those four-hundred foot tall statues of the Alicorns, Celestia. They were quite adamant about it.”
“Well then, I suppose I’ll have to earn it.” She started back down the ramp to the doors.
“’John’, come with me, please. I need to talk with Luna a minute.”
Celestia slowed as she entered the Great Room and saw the pink Unicorn. ‘John Smith’ pulled up as well. She thought fast.
“Ah, Luna. I see you have guests. May I have a word with you for a moment?” she asked, carefully keeping her face neutral.
It never fails, she thought. Every world-ending creature I meet always seems so normal the first time I come across them.
“As you wish, My Sister. Ladies, excuse Us a moment…” Luna said, rising to her feet. As they started back to the room where the TARDIS was, Celestia saw Twilight place a steadying hoof on Starlight’s shoulder.
Interesting.
Once inside the room, they all looked at each other.
“I think I know how to fix this…” the Sisters said at once. ‘John Smith’ chuckled warmly.
Celestia reacted first, smiled gently. “Jinx, Sis. Raspberry soda at lunch, and you’re buying.”
Luna relaxed, dropped the shocked look. “Okay. Large size, I suppose,” she groused smoothly.
“Of course. I’ll be magnanimous in victory. You go first.”
Luna quickly related Starlight Glimmer’s story about being separated from her coltfriend and playmate.
Celestia sighed deeply. “I just watched that in the TARDIS. Well, now we all know. Happen to get a name, Luna?”
“Sunburst, I believe.”
Celestia broke into a broad smile. “Mother of Me! How kind of the ‘verse to drop the solution so felicitously into my forelegs! Luna, please...give me five minutes, then have your guests come to the Tapestry Room off the East Hall. I have to run by the Magic School first, I believe. Somepony there I need to see about a horse. Doc, you can go ahead and go now. And Sir, I Thank You for your stalwart heart and guidance.”
He pulled the most amazing bow, standing on his rears. His body was rocked back over one of them as the other stretched forward, sweeping a foreleg across his chest, the other raised behind him in the air. It would have been comical, except for the sincere gallantry behind it.
“Anytime, Princesses! Always happy to help, I am! And by you leaves, I think. My wife is waiting.”
Celestia waved goodbye. “Have some noodles for me!” she grinned. He waved back.
He walked over to the TARDIS, tugged a door open. As the ruling Alicorns walked back into the Great Room, Celestia lifted the warding as the odd noise of the TARDIS dematerializing sounded behind them.
Celestia cheerfully winked at Luna, nodded at Twilight and Starlight as she walked past them and opened the door.
As she walked down the hall a short distance, Celestia felt for the position of Her Sun.
Ah. Ten O’clock. Everypony should still be there. She stopped.
The smile grew larger, and she started to glow slightly. With a pop, she teleported.
Luna resumed being the solicitous host. “Ladies, Thank You for your input. Please, have some water. The guest bathroom is behind that door.” She pointed. “Princess Celestia has asked us to attend her in the Tapestry Room in five minutes.”
Starlight Glimmer made a beeline toward the bathroom, pulled the door open with her aura, closed it gently behind her.
Twilight took the opportunity to talk to Luna. “Um…Princess Luna?”
Luna walked back to the other room, carefully kept her face neutral against her distaste as she opened the safe and put the ring back. “Celestia has a plan, Twi. You trust her, correct?”
“Of course.”
“Me, too.” She closed the safe up; smiled reassuringly as she put the picture back.
“What was that?” Twilight asked as her curiosity got the better of her.
“A very poor choice; and one that I am grateful isn’t necessary to make any longer. Now, for you. Is Starlight Glimmer sincere in her change?”
Twilight locked eyes with her. “Yes.”
“I also trust you. So. I believe it is time to meet Celestia. Acquire your charge, and we will see what destiny has in store for us…”
Starlight tentatively walked into the lovely tapestry room behind Luna and Twilight Sparkle. Then she stopped.
A stallion stood at the other end with his back toward her, staring at one particular ornate tapestry hanging from the far wall. He had a goldenrod coat, with an orange mane and tail. He was slightly larger than average, but a bit thinner…
He lifted his head upward as he followed a pattern on the tapestry. A horn, hidden by his head, poked upward.
Unicorn.
Suddenly, Starlight dared not take another step. Luna and Twilight stepped to their right off the carpeted runner in front of her, their hooves making a quiet clip-clop on the flagstone floor…
The stallion’s right ear swiveled toward the sound, shortly followed by his head and neck. He smiled at the two Princesses. Then he saw the pink Unicorn mare standing still on the carpet.
“Starlight?”
The yellow blaze on his face was still there, between teal blue eyes. Teal blue smiling eyes.
He turned around, started walking towards her.
“Starry? Is it you? Is it really you?”
Starlight lowered her head, as tears dripped to the carpet. She dared not trust her voice.
Sunburst. Oh, Sunburst…
A blurry orange-ish hoof swam into view, gently cupped her chin. It lifted her head up. She started to tremble.
The hoof reached around her neck, drew the two of them together. She gasped, then sobbed uncontrollably. The tears came faster…joined by his, as her forelegs found his neck.
“Starry. I’m here. I’m right here…”
I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I was wrong…she thought over and over again as she cried.
Twilight gently wiped the small rivulets from her own face, as the two Alicorns were joined by a third, white one.
Luna didn’t bother with hers. Nor did Celestia.
Eventually the tears slowed, then stopped. Sunburst found his voice first.
“Are you okay?” he asked, as he held her at foreleg’s length.
She nodded jerkily.
“Starry…I came back home, but you weren’t there. I looked and looked. Where were you?”
She shook her head, still not trusting her voice.
Sunburst…I…
“Never mind. It doesn’t really matter, anyway. You’re here now; that’s what matters. It’s all old stuff.”
Starlight Glimmer shook her head. “No,” she whispered.
Her voiced strengthened. “No, Sunbust. Tell me. Tell me everything in your life. I want to know.”
“It was…hard, Starry. You were too young to know much about my family. They take too much pride in how many foals they send to the Magic School. The minute your Cutie Mark shows up, they cart you off to be tested.” Sunburst sighed despondently.
“There are all sorts of expectations of you carrying the pride of the family, and how important it is for Unicorns to uphold it. To be exceptional. To learn everything. To be the best.”
He sighed again. “Do you remember my cousin, Sunset Shimmer? They pushed her so hard, she eventually quit the School. Because Celestia was the one that knew she needed to slow up and enjoy her life. But the family kept pushing anyway. Eventually, Sunset went a different path, away from everypony.”
“Is she okay?” Starlight Glimmer quietly asked, concerned. She remembered that the ponies in town suddenly stopped talking about Sunset Shimmer and her amazing progress at School one day, then never mentioned her again.
“She’s…okay, Starry.” He looked over where three Princesses stood, smiled at them. They smiled back. “Her life is kinda ‘unusual’, but she’s very happy there, and made some very close, lifelong friends. I’m hearing you found some great ones, yourself.”
“I almost didn’t. I made some bad mistakes…” she said candidly, surprised at her frankness.
He smiled bigger, and it was for her. “So they tell me,” he said warmly, tossing his head at the three Alicorns. He smiled larger. “So did Sunset. But you both got over it…eventually.”
He led them both to a bench, where the two of them quietly talked. Tirek could have manifested in that room to strip everypony of Magic, and they wouldn’t have noticed. The three Alicorns stole quietly out of the room…
Luna spoke first, once they were out of earshot. “Where?” she asked.
Celestia grinned. “Believe it or not, right here at the Magic School. He teaches there now. I remembered him by that Cutie Mark of his, and I was completely convinced after you told me his name. I think I’ll have to take over his class after lunch, though. For some reason, I think he won’t be back in today.”
“Obviously,” Luna said matter of factly.
“Oh…and Twilight, would you please join us for lunch?” Celestia asked.
“Sure, Cely, Luny. I’m starved, didn’t have time for breakfast,” Twilight Sparkle said with a chuckle.
Celestia sprung the trap neatly. “I’m glad…I want to continue the discussion about Castle security…” she said decisively, as she scowled at Twilight…and Luna laughed delightedly.
