Infinitas Exemplum

Celestia looked up at the sky, watching the stars of her sister’s night begin to fade away. It was true what they said; the night was darkest just before the dawn. To the west, Luna’s moon had begun setting, adding to the temporary darkness.

Celestia sighed, standing on the balcony of the tallest tower of the castle. Under normal circumstances she would look forward to performing her duty, but with the dream she had endured hours earlier, she was now nervous about raising the sun; something she hadn’t been since she was a filly.

Focus Celestia, she mentally scolded herself, shaking her head as if in an attempt to wipe away the worries that plagued her. They persisted, but the Princess knew she couldn’t stall any longer, as ponies would soon start waking up, and there would be confusion about why the sun hadn’t risen. The hoof of blame would immediately swing towards Luna, and Celestia never wanted her sister seen in that light ever again.

Taking a few deep breaths to calm herself, Celestia spread her wings and extended all of her senses, feeling the various energies of the planet as she did in her dream. As she did this, her horn became illuminated in a golden hue of light as she reached out to the sun, willing it to move, and nothing else. With a few flaps, she was off the balcony and rising slowly.

As she rose, the sky began changing colour, and she slowed her assent just a little, so as to appreciate it. It also served as an excuse to keep a wary eye on her celestial charge, in case her dream, no matter how unlikely, become reality. Slowly, the sun peaked across the eastern horizon, washing it in an orange glow that soon turned golden as any clouds lingering in the sky began turning pink.

A smile crossed Celestia’s face, as though it was a simple trick of the light, she never tired of the sight of pink clouds floating above her, reminding the Princess of her foalhood mane and tail. I imagine Pinkie Pie would be waiting beneath that with a straw, Celestia thought to herself, remembering the party-throwing pony’s delight of chocolate rain during the revival of Discord.

As the sun ascended higher with Celestia guided it, she realised just how foalish her worries had been. Even Ragnarok wasn’t strong enough to sever her connection to the sun, and the only reason he did so in the dream was because it was just that: a dream, where the imagination played while the body rested. Content that the sun would now take its path over Equestria without exploding into a blinding light of doom, Celestia now floated there, overlooking the now illuminated lands.

Canterlot sprawled beneath her, perched on the mountainside and overlooking the magnificent River Mane far below, which resided in Whitetail Wood, a peaceful stretch of woods that were part of the Running of the Leaves during Autumn. The river weaved its way through the land, curving as it continued its path north-east before passing through a large gap in the mountains, known as the Phoenix Valley. After that, it continued heading north-east before exiting Equestrian borders.

Directly east beyond the mountain range was the city of Fillydephia, the large city spread a fair distance before green hills came into sight once more. Further on were the smaller cities of Trottingham and Sydneigh, the latter being a favourite holiday spot for ponies wishing to head for the beach. Equestria’s borders continued onwards, until the edge of the country was hard to spot due to the sunlight of the morning sky.

Turning north, Celestia spotted the northern-most town of St. Petershoof, where the northern barracks protected Equestria from any hooligans of the Gryphon Empire to the north of the border. They were not at war, but relations were always frigid between the two nations, and Celestia had had to show her authority in the face of arrogant gryphon generals.

The Gryphon Empire was situated in a cold, mountainous region, so the Princess understood if there was some resentment towards ponykind for the eden in which they lived. The gryphons built their cities high on the side of the mountains, much like Canterlot in that regard, though they also had to contend with dragons that favoured caves in the mountains the gryphons colonise.

Putting those thoughts aside, Celestia’s gaze turned west, and very close to Canterlot was the small dot on the land that was Ponyville, the home of her faithful student and seemingly the epicentre for all recent events, as well as the cloud town of Cloudsdale, which was responsible for the weather in this region of Equestria.

Just southwest of that was the large Everfree Forest, which stretched down to barely a kilometre away from the southern shore to a small mountain range which halted its expansion. Resting in-between the forest and the shore was the city of Manehatten, the southern-most city in all of Equestria and a major metropolis not unlike Canterlot.

Beyond that, the land became dryer and a tiny dark brown dot could be seen near a valley of green. Appleloosa, if Celestia wasn’t mistaken. Though she remembered signing the deeds that allowed the ponies to settle there, it wasn’t until Twilight’s friendship report that she knew what it was like over there. A small ways southeast of the town was Dodge Junction, another western town she’d learnt of from the letters. Also to the northwest was the cloud metropolis of Las Pegasus, the great cloud city renowned for producing the best Wonderbolts.

Finally, Celestia’s gaze swung south, towards the wide, arching shores of the Great Equestrian Bight. A small thin line of land stretched across the far side of the sea. That was the Kingdom of Cevidaeus, the land of deer, reindeer, moose and elk. The landmass of their country was joined to Equestria by a thin stretch of earth, with another much larger expanse of water on the other side.

As she landed back on the balcony, Celestia’s gaze was in the direction of the larger ocean to the west, knowing it was there she had sealed Ragnarok away all those centuries ago. Her thoughts briefly returned to her dream before lingering on Cobalt Shield. It was unknown how long she stood there. In all likelihood, it was a few minutes, but to Celestia it felt like an entire year could’ve have passed at that moment and she wouldn’t have noticed.

“Sister?” A voice asked, freeing Celestia from her trance. She turned to see Luna standing a few feet away from her, the glittering blue mane of hers flowing like that of her sisters. Luna had bags forming underneath her eyes, a sign that the Night Court hadn’t been enjoyable.

“Oh, Luna,” Celestia answered softly, a small smile forming. “You startled me. I guess I was still tired.”

“I startled you?” Luna asked, tilting her head to the side much like Twilight would when presented with something incomprehensible. “You are the one that summoned me to meet you. What is it you wish to discuss?”

Celestia turned to face her younger sister. “Yes, I needed to ask a favour of you.” Luna raised an eyebrow, prompting Celestia to hold back a giggle as she continued. “There is a matter of great importance that requires my attention, and I must handle this myself. Therefore, Luna, would you be so kind as to take my place for a few days?”

To say Luna was shocked would be an understatement. Her jaw dropped for a second before she attempted to compose herself once more, with limited success.

“M-Me?” She asked, pointing a hoof to the regalia resting around her neck and chest. “You want me... to take your place?”

“For a few days yes. This will mean you’ll have to close the Night Court to fill in for me during the Day Court. And then there’s the matter of raising the sun.”

Luna’s pupils narrowed to pinpricks. “T-T-The sun? Me? I-” Celestia raised a hoof to stop the stunned noises her sister was making before continuing.

“I know this is a great increase of responsibility, but I know you can do it. You are the only pony that can.”

Luna glanced at the sun before sitting, looking down at the balcony floor. “But, the sun has always been your charge. What if I can’t do it? Why must I bear your responsibility as well as my own?”

“Luna,” Celestia said reassuringly, placing a hoof on the younger alicorn’s shoulder. “I wouldn’t ask this of you if I didn’t think you couldn’t handle the task. Besides,” Celestia’s smile returned, “I raised your moon for a thousand years. The least I can do to return the favour is allowing you to raise my sun for a few days. It’s not that much different than the moon, but I’ve left notes in my chambers in case you’re unsure how to proceed.”

“But you still haven’t told me why you must leave.” Celestia sighed, and for a fraction Luna could see through her elder sister’s facade, and witness the fatigue withheld from the world. “Tia,” Luna asked, concern now filling her voice as she stood once more, moving closer to her sister. “What is troubling you?”

“It’s nothing.”

“Do not treat me like a filly Tia, I can see you are unwell.” Celestia looked back at her sister, and smiled in spite of her reason for this talk.

“I’m sorry Luna. It’s just, I had a dream – no, a premonition last night, an unsettling one at that.”

“What about, if you mind my asking?”

A look of what appeared to be shame mixed with sadness fell across Celestia’s face as she closed her eyes. “...Ragnarok...”

Celetsia didn’t need to see her sister’s reaction, as she imagined it would be the same as hers. Luna stood there, staring at the Sun Princess as her eyes widened and her head slightly shook back and forth.

“B-But, that cannot be... You said the last time he returned was no more than five hundred years ago.”

“I know, I asked the same questions myself. But it appears that recent events have sown enough negative energy to hasten his return.”

“Recent events?” Luna asked, tilting her head in confusion once more.

Celestia nodded. “Things such as the return of Nightmare Moon, Discord’s revival, and the Changeling invasion. These, along with border disputes with the gryphons, have generated negative energy faster than normal.” Luna’s ears lowered when her former self was mentioned. Guilt coiled itself inside her, making her feels worse. But when Luna looked back, she saw Celestia come close and nuzzle her, the kind smile once more on her face.

“I’m sor-”

“Luna,” Celestia interrupted, pulling back to look her little sister in the eye. “I don’t blame you for becoming Nightmare Moon because you couldn’t help it. You are not at fault. Let what happened go.” Luna looked down before nodding.

“Okay... I’ll try, and I will try to be as good a leader as you have been.”

Celestia’s smile widened a little. “That’s all I would ever ask for. But, before I go, there is one more thing you could do for me.” Celestia pulled a pleading face, causing the younger sister to giggle.

“Anything,” Luna replied, smiling back at her silly elder sister.