Death's Stolen Diamonds

by Monochromatic

Rating: teen
Tags: Princess Celestia, Twilight Sparkle, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Alternate Universe, Sad, Romance, Princess Luna, Rarity
Length: 5729

It was widely known that neither the Goddess of Life nor the Goddess of Death could interfere with each others realms. But, on the terrible day the Goddess of Life decided to save a single soul from death, another soul paid the terrible price.

Two alicorn sisters ruled over life and death. The Goddess of Life was of a beauty as passionate and vibrant as the life she brought forth in every creature. The Goddess of Death was of a beauty as calm and peaceful as the peace she brought upon creatures when their time had come.

It was widely known that neither one could interfere with each others realms. But, the day the Goddess of Life saved a single soul from the reaper's hoof, another soul paid the terrible price.

Published 2016-01-11 19:20:02 UTC
Last updated 2016-08-24 07:46:31 UTC

Prologue

Death’s Stolen Diamonds

by Polychromatic

Prologue

Every thousand years, under the twilit sky,

when the fingertips of light and darkness brushed,

Death and Life would meet to drink a cup of tea.

Life would drink black tea with lemon and honey.

Death would drink white tea with five spoons of sugar.

A lone cloaked figure sat in the middle of the universe’s largest courtroom, awaiting judgement for the worst of crimes.

Two Emissaries of the Goddess of Life were standing on the right side of the court, their heads held high and their eyes fixed on the pony in the center.

Two Emissaries of the Goddess of Death were standing on the left side of the court, their bodies hidden by their black cloaks. Their hood was not on, allowing all to see their bowed heads and the blue blindfolds covering their eyes.

In front of the room, sitting on their thrones, were the Goddess of Life and the Goddess of Death; the former’s head was held high, the latter’s was bowed down.

The courtroom had no walls; it went on and on, in pitch-black darkness, for as long as it was needed. There were no benches either, for the dead needed not sit.

Circling the ponies and the courtroom were the souls of the long-dead, their essences represented as millions upon millions of multicolored translucent teardrops. To count how many there were would take an eternity, but all that mattered was that each and every one was victim to the worst crime in the universe.

The Goddess of Death stood up, head still bowed. A scythe appeared next to her, and only then did she rise her head, at the same time as the Goddess of Life bowed hers and looked away.

“The Trial of The Realms begins…!”

She paused, and her ears lowered.

“...Now.”

At that very instant, inside a castle high above the clouds, a lavender unicorn’s eyes fluttered open, taking in the light after having danced in hooves of darkness incarnate. She sat up on the bed, and looked around to find herself in a beautiful garden.

What a beautiful place, she thought, at the same time as, inside the courtroom, the one who’d offered her the chance to gaze at such a place now rose to stand trial.

Chapter 1 - Celestia

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

One such time, using a bit of levitation,

Death raised her cup and took a sip.

Once she was done, she put it back down

and asked Life a simple question.

“You and I, sister, are two sides of the same coin.

Are we not?

Two alicorn sisters ruled over life and death, two sides of a coin as close yet distant as night and day itself.

The Goddess of Life, named after the sun that shone over the land, was of a beauty as passionate and vibrant as the life she brought forth in every creature.

The Goddess of Death, named after the moon that covered the land, was of a beauty as calm and peaceful as the peace she brought upon creatures when their time had come.

But, not every soul in the land was peacefully reaped. While so many sought to live eternal, the Goddess of Death painfully knew that no creature sought to ever meet her, and as such, her temperament could be as fierce as the temperament of those who struggled in their last moments.

Death was inevitable.

The Goddess of Death did not chose when it came, and she mourned for those that entered the Lower Realm too soon, but she never relented and never offered second chances.

The Goddess of Life knew this, and the resentment her sister held towards her was enough for her to never interfere, even if it pained her to the very core to see her beloved ponies perish.

All was well for millennia upon millennia, until the terrible day the Goddess of Life decided to save one of her own creations.

“Your Grace, Celestia!”

Sitting atop her throne, Celestia looked out into the vast garden of her castle high above the clouds in the High Realm. She gazed at all her creations, ponies and otherwise, of very young ages, running across her heavenly kingdom, all waiting for the moment in which they’d arrive to the land below the clouds.

Celestia treasured them dearly, for she knew very well that once they left, they would never be coming back to her kingdom. They would live a life filled with joy, sadness, love, heartbreak, and eventually, they would descend into her sister’s realm — never to be seen again by her.

“Your Grace?

Celestia looked around and saw a pink mare — the only adult in the entire garden save for the Goddess herself. “Ah. Pinkie Pie.”

Eons ago, when there was nothing, Celestia had created three living being to assist her as Emissaries of Life, among them two mares. Two mares who would never know of the wonders of life, but would instead know of the wonders of giving life.

Pinkie Pie had been created as a being of joy and laughter because, ultimately, Celestia thought these were the elements of a fulfilling life — and more than that, elements that would lead to a peaceful death.

“Are you okay?” Pinkie Pie asked, her brow furrowing with concern. “You look a teeny bit not-okay…”

Celestia smiled, when indeed, she was not fine. “It’s nothing to be concerned about, Pinkie. I suppose my head is up in the clouds today,” she reassured, winking and adding, “And quite literally, in fact.”

Pinkie giggled. “Oki-doki-loki!” she exclaimed, before trotting off with the usual spring back in her step.

Her emissary at ease, Celestia looked back to the garden, taking another deep breath. Her other emissary had been sent on a reconnaissance mission, and it would not be merely an expression to say that the results terrified her of, not to, death.

Celestia lifted her hoof, and after a simple gesture, a haze of white smoke rose from the ground, dispersing and then reuniting to form a thick cloud in front of her.  A moment later, a spark of magic shot out from her horn, and an image appeared on the cloud; a screen for her to see beyond her castle.

She usually reserved it for gazing into the land below, but sometimes…

On the screen appeared a garden similar to the one where she was, save for the fact that a beautiful starry night covered the garden and its blue castle. Though she’d never told her so, Celestia was impressed by Luna’s ability to constantly maintain such an illusion over her castle.

Creatures of all kinds and ages made their way through the beautiful garden, looking so at peace and so content. Celestia recognized them all, of course, and it was probably because of that same reason that she never looked to her sister’s realm very often. Though she was happy that the Lower Realm was a very peaceful and happy place for them, it… it saddened her terribly that they were there to begin with.

She heard laughter suddenly, and several foals appeared on screen, laughing as they were being chased by puppies and kittens. Celestia closed her eyes, taking a very deep breath. Death is inevitable, she reminded herself, I cannot intervene. This had become her mantra whenever a soul was taken too soon. A way to remind herself that there was nothing to be done except hope they truly would be going to a better place.

Laughter.

Celestia opened her eyes, and there was a familiar yellow mare with the foals and animals. Though she wore her usual cloak, the hood was not over her head and so was the usual blindfold missing from her face.

Just like Celestia had hers, so did Luna have emissaries of death. Three in fact, which Celestia had allowed considering Luna’s task required more than just two ponies.  There was also the fact that, unlike Celestia, Luna had not created hers. For many long years, the Goddess of Death had been alone in her terrible task of reaping souls, until she found souls willing to help her in the duties.

Fluttershy had been the first to be selected, and Celestia had been reluctant about it. She had created Fluttershy to be kind to everything and everypony, and when she expressed her disdain at the pegasus taking on such a grim task, it was Luna herself who reminded her that life is precious, and a very earnest kindness is needed upon taking it — and more than that, help the soul transition peacefully.

Moments later, the foals disposition changed from gleeful to fearful, several of them suddenly grouping around Fluttershy, almost as if wanting to use her as shield of sorts. Celestia frowned, seeing nothing scary in the vicinity, and her heart dropped when she saw her sister step into view, looking… sad by the reception.

Though Celestia knew the Goddess of Death to be kind, it was harsh to see for herself the fear ponies regarded her with. Even Fluttershy herself seemed to try and appease them, bowing down and trying to nudge them towards the young Goddess. However, when this resulted in the foals trying even harder to use the pegasus as a shield, Luna stepped back, like a forlorn filly shunned by all.

With Fluttershy busy calming the foals, neither she nor them noticed the third mare stepping into view. Like Fluttershy, she too was wearing her cloak, with the exception of having the hood still on, thus clouding her face from view. Nevertheless, Celestia clearly recognized the purple tail peeking from under the cloak.

Rarity, in life, had been an exceptional seamstress, as well as an undisputed beauty. It was said — and Celestia knew — that the mare could make stallions and mares alike fall under her whims as easily as she could make the most extravagant and elegant of dresses and suits. But more than that, and it was something Celestia had prided herself with, was that Rarity held within her a generosity that was unmatched.

And, it also hurt Celestia that it was this very same generosity that cost Rarity her life — too fast, too soon, just like Fluttershy.

Admittedly, Celestia didn’t know why Luna had chosen Rarity. Generosity was a trait that served better in life, not in death. She’d heard rumors of course, from the messengers who traveled back and forth both realms. But Celestia herself had never believed them, until… that very moment in which she saw Rarity snuggle up against Luna in a certainly non-platonic way.

Oh my…

For a moment, Celestia felt badly for spying in on such an event, but her curiosity got the best of her, as it always did.

She watched as the forlorn Luna leaned down to nuzzle with the unicorn, muttering something which Celestia assumed were complaints about her treatment by the foals. Rarity lifted her hoof, gently stroking Luna before leaning up to whisper something in her ear.

Immediately, Luna rose up, blinking at the unicorn with a frown, and even Celestia could make out the skeptical “really?” she mouthed to Rarity.

Rarity giggled and gestured for her to proceed with whatever she’d told Luna. Luna stared at her for some moments, still looking very much unconvinced, before looking back to the foals. A spark of magic shot out from her horn, and suddenly, a whole armada of fluffy-looking pillows appeared on the ground.

The foals stopped their cowering long enough to look back and forth between the bundle of pillows and the Goddess, just as confused as Celestia herself was. Another spark of magic, and suddenly, to the foals’s great delight, a very large blue slide appeared in front of them.

Celestia smiled. I see…

It didn’t take any encouragement from Fluttershy for them to rush towards the ladder, nearly breaking into an argument over who got to go first. One by one, they started to climb up, but more than looking at them, Celestia’s sight was set on her sister who looked absolutely ecstatic by the foals’ enthusiasm.

Once the foals had all gone down the slide and landed on the pillows, several of them went back for a second round, and others timidly made their way towards Luna, seemingly wanting to engage in hesitant conversation.

Rarity, seemingly pleased by this, detached herself from Luna and trotted over to Fluttershy. It wasn’t until she wasn’t looking anymore that Luna glanced down at the foals, gesturing for them to remain quiet, before allowing her horn to glow and, without warning, levitating Rarity into the air.

“L-Luna! Er, I mean, Y-Your Grace!” Rarity shrieked, helplessly trying to look towards the smirking Goddess and giggling foals. Her cape fell off, revealing the blue blindfold covering her eyes. “What are you doing?!”

Without replying, Luna levitated Rarity atop the pillows and unceremoniously dropped her, the unicorn landing face first. As Rarity struggled to get up from the pillows, Fluttershy trotted towards the foals and ushered them away, and Celestia was pleased to find several of them timidly waving goodbye to Luna, who perhaps waved them off a bit too eagerly.

Once they were gone, Luna trotted towards Rarity, who’d resigned herself to lying down on the pillows. Just as she’d reached Rarity, the unicorn used her magic to pull Luna down, laughing when the alicorn fell face first as she previously had. However, rather than scold Rarity, she leaned in to nuzzle her.

At that moment, Celestia decided she’d seen enough, and made a movement to disperse the clouds, but stopped when a curious thing happened. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Luna’s crown flashed, and the smile was wiped off Rarity and Luna’s face. Without hesitation, Luna lifted herself from the pillows, whereas Rarity seemed reluctant to do so.

Eventually, she did as Luna, stepping onto firm land. They shared a few words between them, and once they were done, Rarity readjusted the hood over her head.

A reaping! Celestia thought, her breath hitching and her heart nearly skipping a beat. She looked to her sides, searching for somepony, and when she looked back to her screen, she felt despair crawling up her heart. Please, Rainbow Dash… Hurry back…

Celestia couldn’t bear to watch further, and with a gesture, she quickly dispelled the clouds, closing her eyes and taking several deep breaths.

“Death is inevitable,” she whispered. “I cannot intervene.”

“Your Grace!” a familiar and dreaded voice called, and her tone of voice only made it harder for Celestia to think.

“Death is inevitable,” she whispered again, forcefully, trying to convince herself of her words. “I cannot intervene.”

“Your Grace,” the voice repeated yet again, and finally Celestia turned around to look at her second emissary, who seemed to be out of breath.

“Rainbow Dash,” she greeted, making sure that her voice did not betray her state of mind. “How is she?”

How is she, she asked, even though she’d never dreaded an answer more in her entire eternal life. How is she, she asked even though she feared the answer would hurt more than anything in a very long time. How is she, she asked, even though she felt the answer would compel her into breaking everything she and her sister had agreed on.

Rainbow Dash gulped down. “Well… I… Your Grace…” she stammered, looking very distressed, and that stammer told Celestia her answer.

It suited Rainbow Dash to be afraid to tell Celestia the truth. Her loyalty to the Goddess was unquestionable, and so she avoided to bring pain upon her. It was this loyalty that Celestia had instilled into the mare, and hoped would be instilled into the ponies themselves. Loyalty to life meant that ponies would fight for it until the very end, with every fibre of their being.

And still… though the hesitation told Celestia the answer...

She needed to hear it to believe it.

“Rainbow Dash.”

“It’s time, Y-Your Grace,” Rainbow Dash finally said, no doubt using every ounce of courage in her to do so. “I-I’m sorry, I… I don’t think she’s going to last long.”

Celestia looked away, letting out a deep breath.

She’d always known that it would happen, and yet even with that knowledge, she’d foolishly allowed herself to become entranced by one of her own creations. Ever since that day when she did the impossible, Celestia had kept an eye on her… She’d watched her become a prodigy of a mare. She could have done so much good for the world, but now…

Now, like so many, she too was being taken too fast, too soon.

And Celestia had finally grown tired of it.

Without a word, the Goddess of Life stepped down from her throne and trotted away, her emissary following behind.

Death wasn’t inevitable.

She would intervene.

~ ∞ ~

There had ever been only one time in eternity when Celestia revealed herself to a mortal being.

And it was to Twilight Sparkle.

They’d met during one of Celestia’s descent to the land below the clouds. Though, ‘met’ was not a very accurate definition, all things considered. Celestia had always know of Twilight Sparkle, since the very day she created her, to the very day she herself accompanied the filly down to earth.

Celestia loved the earth she had so carefully filled with life. She loved going down there as often as she could, almost as if she were trying to live a simple life like the ones her creations did. But once she had her two emissaries, her descents became less frequent, and instead she’d sometimes go down simply to observe.

That fateful time, she had decided upon visiting Equestria, the kingdom where most of her pony creations had decided to live in. Being an alicorn herself, she was biased towards that kingdom where those so similar to her where.

Her own presence went unnoticed by the ponies, as if she were nothing but a ghost walking amongst mortals — and in many ways, she was just that. She made her way through the marketplace of a castle, secretly blossoming new life into the flowers of a passing florist, and giggling to herself at the expression on his face.

She loved seeing them go about their daily lives, and she wished she could follow each and every one because her love for them was as overflowing as her curiosity.

“Fruits! Get your fresh fruits!” a merchant called, using his magic to levitate oranges and apples that certainly didn’t look fresh, Celestia thought.

The merchant himself looked pale and scrawny, and Celestia knew who he was. She remembered all her creations, from their names to their personalities. Fritter Cobb she remembered as a plump little colt who always lingered by her throne, and it saddened her terribly to see how miserable he looked.

Perhaps that was another one of the reason she had stopped going down to earth. It pained her to see when her ponies suffered, and it pained her even more to know she could do nothing much about it.

“Fruits! Get your fresh fruits!” Fritter Cobb called again, desperation ringing in his voice, before he finally lowered his fruits and sat down on the dirty ground with a weary sigh. He looked to a dirty, cracked vase on his stand, on which several wilted lavenders stood. “Get you fresh fruits… Please…”

Celestia looked to her sides, and after making sure no one was glancing their way, she turned to the stand and with but a spark of her horn breathed new life into the fruits. She watched silently as they transformed from undesirable to very much so. She then turned to the vase, and with but a gesture with her hoof, the flowers blossomed anew, filling the air with a scent sweet enough to attract many passing shoppers.

She stepped away and silently watched as one after another, ponies began to ask about the fruits, their prices, did he sell by the dozen, and Fritter Cobb quickly began to answer as fast as he could, the smile on his face as radiant as the fruit on his stand.

Satisfied with her actions, she continued down her path, looking for other ways to assist her ponies. Her meanderings eventually led her down a street where she found several foals huddled together, their curious eyes all glued to the same little alley.

“Do you think she’ll do it?” a concerned filly asked, which Celestia knew to be called Winter Rose.

A colt, Dusk Diamonds, snorted in reply. “No, dummy, she can’t bring stuff back from the dead.”

Now that.

That caught Celestia’s attention.

She carefully stepped over the gossiping foals and into the alley, making her way down and down until she turned left and her eyes met a little garden and her ears were filled with the sound of sniffled cries. Though she couldn’t make a sound, she still crept as silently as she could, hiding herself in the shadows and feeling her heart break at the sight she found.

Celestia remembered having created Twilight Sparkle as being extraordinary in the art of magic, but she never intended for Twilight to use her powers for such a sad thing.

Twilight Sparkle, of perhaps no more than seven years of age, stood in front of a  blonde cat. Considering the animal was lying immobile on the ground, it was not hard for Celestia to ascertain what was happening — or, perhaps, already had happened.

“Come on, Calli…” Twilight said, tears streaming down her cheeks and falling to the ground. She scrunched up her eyes, groaning for a moment until finally, several sparks of magic shot out from her horn and fell on the cat. She opened her eyes moments later, hope sparkling in them, and when the cat failed to move, the sparkles of hope died and so did Twilight fall down on her hindquarters, staring down at her pet with a desolate look.

It was painful, to say the least. But what was even more painful was how Twilight refused to give up.

She stood up again, wiping away her tears. “Come on, Calliope! We were gonna go to magic school next year!” she insisted, stamping her hoof on the ground. She scrunched up her eyes, and Celestia knew the filly was using all the extents of her powers in trying to save her friend. Several sparks of magic shot out, one, two, three, four, and they all fell on the cat who did not budge.

After a moment, Twilight sat back down again, reaching over and taking her pet in her forelegs.

“Calli… Please…”

Twilight…

It was touching to Celestia to see how much the life she gave was valued by others, and more than that, how they valued the lives that weren’t just their own.

For a moment, she felt tempted to step out into the garden, but stopped when a haze of black mist arose from the ground. She retreated back to her shadows, and decided on watching, both curious and concerned. She didn’t like watching reapings, but she felt compelled to make sure this one was treated with all the dignity and respect a little filly deserved.

To Celestia’s surprise, two reapers appeared next to Twilight, their hoods covering their faces. Why two? she thought. Only one reaper was needed, and if either of them tried to take something else than the cat, they would be confronted with a very angry Goddess of Life.

“The poor filly,” one of the reapers said, which Celestia instantly recognized as Applejack. “It just ain’t right for a foal to go through this. It just ain’t.”

Applejack had been the second of Luna’s emissaries, and it made sense that Luna chose her. Death, at the end, had to be faced with complete honesty. Honesty of what one had done in their life, how they lived, and who they were. An honest death, where one faced the demons within, was the key to a peaceful afterlife.

To Celestia’s surprise, the other reaper took off her hood, revealing herself to be Fluttershy. In retrospect, it made sense Fluttershy would be sent to assist an animal cross over.

Her eyes were blindfolded, a custom Luna had implemented from the very beginning. Death is blind, the Goddess of Death believed, and it makes exceptions for no one. Sight clouds judgment, but darkness allows one to be just.

“She feels so at peace,” Fluttershy said, lifting her hoof and petting the cat. “And she feels sad, too. She wanted to stay a bit more with her master.”

Applejack inched over to the filly, and wrapped a foreleg around her. “Don’t you fret none, Sugarcube. We’ll take right good care of her,” she reassured, and Twilight hiccuped in reply, almost if though she were nodding.

Fluttershy stepped back, lifted her hoof, and suddenly, an orange smoke emerged from the cat. Celestia watched, mesmerized, as it floated towards Fluttershy, and when she gestured with her hoof, the smoke dispersed and then reunited to form what looked like a teardrop.

“Hello, I’m Fluttershy,” she said kindly, offering a forehoof for the soul to levitate over. “You’re Calliope? Oh yes, I think she chose a very good name for you too. Would you like to say goodbye?”

Fluttershy gestured with her hoof, a long circular motion, and before Celestia’s eyes, the smoke began to take a shape, ending up as a translucent version of the cat currently in Twilight’s forehooves.

Calliope gracefully landed on the floor, and after stretching out for a moment, she made her way towards Twilight. Once she reached her, Calliope stood up on her hindlegs, placing her paws on Twilight’s crossed forelegs and leaning in her head to lick the filly’s chin.

Twilight stopped her silent weeping, blinking twice and lifting a forehoof to her chin. “H-Huh…?”

“See? Calli and us are gonna watch over you,” Applejack said, her enthusiastic claim met by a meow from Calliope and several giggles from Fluttershy.

Eventually, time came for them to leave, and while Calliope rubbed herself against her master one last time, Fluttershy busied herself with putting her hood back on. Once Applejack was back to her side, Fluttershy gestured with her hoof and the cat jumped into the air, transforming once more into a hazy teardrop.

It was fitting, Celestia thought. Fitting in a tragic way.

She watched as black smoke arose from the ground, enveloping the two reapers and then, in a second, they were gone and Calliope had gone with them.

All that was left was a lonely filly, crying over her lost friend.

And before she could stop herself, before she could even properly realize the consequences, Celestia stepped out from the shadows and into the garden, for the first time in millennia making herself visible to the mortal eye.

“Hello, little one.”

Twilight looked up, blinking twice at Celestia before clutching Calliope closer to her. “H-Hello…”

Celestia stopped several paces away from Twilight. “May I?” she asked, gesturing to a spot next to Twilight. When the filly timidly nodded, her eyes glued to the alicorn, Celestia ceremoniously sat down next to her, adjusting her wings in the process.

Celestia looked towards the garden, taking her time, before finally gazing at Twilight. “She seemed like a wonderful companion. What was her nam—”

“‘Is’,” Twilight interrupted with a sniffle. She looked back to her cat and replied, “Her name is Calliope.”

Celestia smiled gently.

Is, indeed, she thought, finding it endearing that Twilight was more concerned over things like those, rather than the fact that Celestia had wings and a horn. Foals always saw beyond the exterior appearances, didn’t they?

“That’s an interesting choice of name!” Celestia said, looking up towards the blue sky. “Do you know who else wa— is named Calliope? The mu—”

“The muse of epic poetry in Ancient Greek Equine mythology,” Twilight finished instantly. “And there’s an instrument named after her, too.” When Celestia looked down at her, impressed by Twilight’s correct answers, the filly held her cat closer against her chest, her ears folding back. “Calli and I read it in a book when we were studying…”

“Studying?” Celestia asked, looking towards a nearby bush where a bird busied itself preening its wings. “For Canterlot’s Magic School, I take it?”

Twilight nodded, the topic seemingly brightening her up. “Calli helped me study for my exam. ‘Xcept she doesn’t like magic spells a lot, and she used to hide— she hides under the couch when I p-practice. Mom s-says that because she was old, it scared her a lot.” When she corrected herself, her voice cracked slightly, and Celestia was upset to see tears flowing anew down the filly’s cheek. “M-Maybe that’s why s-she won’t let my magic fix her.”

“There are some things magic cannot fix, Twilight,” Celestia said, lifting her foreleg and watching as the little bird flew over and settled itself on the very tip of her hoof. “Life is fleeting, and when it ends, it can be very sad for those of us who stay behind.” She nudged her hoof, and the bird took off into the sky. Once it was gone from view, she lowered her hoof and turned to Twilight. “That is why we must remember the joyful times we shared with our loved ones while they were here with us.”

And, to that, Twilight had a reply Celestia wasn’t expecting.

“But you’re going to fix her, won’t you?” she asked, clutching Calliope tight and staring at Celestia with big, wide eyes.

It was natural, she supposed, that Twilight would think she could. Foals often believed adults could do the impossible, but even if she wanted to, Celestia was now unable to do so. Once a soul was in a reaper possession, only they could decide its ultimate fate.

“I’m afraid I cannot do that, Twilight,” she said in the kindest way she possibly could. “I know it’s har—”

“Yes, you can,” Twilight interrupted immediately, her eyes fixed on Celestia’s. “I’ve seen you do it. You can fix her.”

Celestia blinked at her. She can’t possibly know, can she…? Celestia shook her head, dispelling the preposterous thought. No, of course not. That’s impossible.

“You’ve seen me do it?” Celestia asked, laughing good-naturedly. “I think that’s quite impossible, Twilight. We’ve never met before, and I’m not from around these parts.”

“B-But I saw you do it in my dreams!” Twilight protested, desperately, tearing one hoof away from Calliope so as to grab onto Celestia. “I-In your castle in the clouds! Y-You can bring things to life, with your two angels, and  d-dragon!”

Celestia drew back, and if she had heart like her creations did, she was sure it would be beating at a very alarming rate. How is this possible? she thought, regarding the filly not as a filly nor as one of her creations, but as something else entirely.

Save for herself and her emissaries, any soul that left the Higher Realm and descended to the land below would have their mind wiped of their memories before birth. No soul had ever been knowingly allowed to bypass this rule, and yet this filly…

“That’s why you’re here, isn’t it?!” Twilight asked, shaking Celestia with her hoof, even more tears streaming down her face. “Please, Lady Celestia! Please fix Calliope!”

“I— I can’t,” Celestia blurted out, her mind still desperately trying to comprehend how Twilight could know; know about Celestia, about the Higher Realm, about the creation of life, about things she couldn’t possibly know.

“You… You can’t?”

“I was too late,” Celestia said, forgetting her vow to never reveal her identity or that of her world. “My Sister’s emissaries were already taking her by the time I arrived. I… There was nothing I could do. I’m sorry, Twilight.”

Twilight let go of Celestia, and pulled herself back, wrapping her free foreleg around her cat.

There were no words to describe just how terrible the feeling creeping up Celestia’s soul was as she helplessly looked back at Twilight Sparkle. All her life, her long immortal life, she had always suffered alongside ponies when their time came, like a friend embracing them and telling them to be as brave as they could. But now…

Now she was the terrible one.

Even if Twilight wasn’t saying it, her eyes all but screamed it. Celestia, the Goddess of Life, had allowed death to befall over and over again on ponies, animals and every single being. At first, she had instilled in them the desire to live until the very end as a way to make sure they took full-advantage of it, but now… now she realized the only thing she’d done was make sure that they’d all feel terrified and helpless when they passed away.

Could it be… Could it be that Twilight was an anomaly meant to make Celestia realize what she’d allowed for so very long? Was it perhaps Celestia herself who’d unwittingly allowed Twilight to remember as a way to make her see the suffering she brought upon her creations? Like an author, she’d given the character of the earth life and personalities, and though she always allowed them to take their own path, she knew where they were headed.

But now… Now one of her characters had become something distinct from her, and with two teary eyes, it brought judgement day upon the Goddess.

“I… I don’t wanna go there,” Twilight said, terror sewn into every word. Without warning, she grabbed onto Celestia again and pleaded: “Promise me you won’t let them take me, Lady Celestia! I don’t want to go there! Promise me you won’t let them!”

And, feeling more helpless than she ever had, Celestia uttered the two words that sealed Twilight’s fate.

“I promise.”

Hours later, when she’d be back in the Higher Realm, sitting on her throne, barely cognisant of Pinkie’s questions or Rainbow Dash’s scolding of the foals, Celestia would tell herself that she had simply made an empty promise to reassure a terrified, grief-stricken filly.

Twilight was just a filly. She’d eventually forget it. Forget the encounter, forget Celestia, and even those dreams were bound to become nothing to Twilight but an idea she’d ‘made up’ as a foal.

Twilight would forget, but Celestia…

Celestia never would.

To Be Continued

Chapter 2 - Luna

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