Celestia's Sorrow

CHAPTER TWO: Books, Dreams, and Guards

Twilight was awake, but she kept her eyes shut tight. All of her feelings towards Duster suddenly disgusted her. She got up, opened her eyes, and washed her mouth, over and over again, until it was as wrinkly as a prune. She stood up, and silently cursed the party a million times over. She trotted all around her room, then stood up tiredly and walked out the door. When Duster looked at her, she determinedly looked away. She thought she saw Duster trotting over to her, but when she dared to look back, he wasn't. Probably stopped by another one of the staff, she thought angrily.

She had no idea what she was going to do today, she just hoped it was over quick. The ponies seemed to be watching her closer. She rushed away, and went to buy some books to read, titled: ANCIENT EQUESTRIAN MONSTERS, HISTORY OF OLD EQUESTRIA, AND THE PRINCESS'S PARENTS- FACT OR LEGENDS?

She opened the second. Old Equestria? What was that?

It is a known fact that Equestria used to be larger. The borders used to be twice the size, but were reduced for an ancient reason. No living pony other than Celestia or Luna know why, as it was over 2000 years ago.

Never, in any of the books that she'd ever read, had she ever read about this... “Old Equestria”.  She devoured the book, and stopped, one hoof on a page scribbled on.

It lives. The beast lives, and I... I am nothing.

A jolt, like a tiny lightning zap, filled Twilight, followed by a warmth blossoming from her heart, heading to the tips of her hooves and end of her horn and tail. She traced her hoof across the words. They meant SOMETHING, she was sure, but what? She stood up off the bench, paced for a second, repeating the words under her breath. “I am nothing... The beast lives... Wait! These books were bought as a trio-!” She pounced on ANCIENT EQUESTRIAN MONSTERS, and opened to dog-ear crease. It was a monster, quite like a bear, with three mouthes, six legs, and long talons. It had huge, leathery bat wings and spikes rippling down its spine, each six inches tall under a bright, black-blue armor-like covering of fur.

It looked pretty bad-ass, but it said they died out a thousand years ago. She flipped open THE PRINCESS'S PARENTS- FACT OR LEGENDS? She looked for any specific markings, but on the cover-

“They died.” She read aloud, baffled. It matched the hoofwriting in the other books. There was a mystery to solve, a story to be found. She clicked her tongue, and looked down at all of the notes, muttering them all together nonstop. Finally, she took out a piece of parchment and a quill and wrote down- 'Celestia's parent's dead, killed by a BearSpider, which is still alive. Author of the notes... is nothing... don't know what that means, going to find out.'

She realized just writing that was stupid. Was it all just a huge joke? If it wasn't, then what did that mean? How could someone be nothing? She looked up in the sunny sky, not expecting an answer, but something fell into place- She could just ask Celestia! While on it, why not ask how she was? Twilight jumped to her hooves, ready to go then and now- but sat back down. Enjoy the day now. Solve mystery later. She was itching to ask, and she knew she was just putting it off- but she didn't know why.

She snuck back to the hotel, not seeing hide nor hair of Duster until she opened her door, to see him standing there, hooves crossed and standing on his hind legs. “You've been avoiding me. Twilight, please. I was drunk. I. Was. Drunk.”

“You got yourself drunk!” Her voice was strangely high-pitched.

“I saw it in your eyes, Twilight. When I said it. I saw your... closeness to me. I thought you'd be asking for more, not acting like it never happened. We didn't have a roll in they hay or romp in bed, so why do you keep acting like we were brother and sister who just mated?” Duster said, on all four hooves, but eyes narrowed, piercing her sharply. But she refused to flinch or cower. Duster glared at her, and for fifteen minutes it was a silent glare, and Twilight whispered, “I'm sorry.”

Duster's eyes became concerned. “I may not be a mare, but I know something's wrong. You can tell me if you'd like, not that you need to.” He coaxed.

All of the nightmares, dreams, mysteries, concerns, and feelings of shame and love came back to her. She wanted to tell him everything- her strange reluctance to love him anymore, after the kiss, but love for someone- or something- else.

“No, Duster. There's nothing wrong.” Twilight said softly.

He raised a quizzical eyebrow, in a you-can-tell-me-what-you-want look, and walked off through the door, and Twilight sighed and laid on the bed, looking up at the ceiling for what must've been hours. Her stomach growled and she realized she had missed breakfast and lunch. She had a quick salad for dinner, and went to sleep.

Twilight was in darkness. It was completely dark, then a voice- “I need to warn you-”

Twilight zoomed away, into  a bright white flash, the flash wouldn't leave- and suddenly, she was Celestia, she was watching through her mentor's eyes. She was raising the sun, and tears dripped off her muzzle-

She was back in the darkness, but a second voice appeared in the dark. It was deeper, kinder, and happier. “I am waiting for you! I'm almost-”

She was Celestia. Her hooves twitched between black with red slippers to white with pale yellow slippers- and thick tears were dripping down her face, He wasn't back yet, why not, she felt Him, she felt Him somewhere, He had contacted someone else, but if to take all that energy, wouldn't He contact her...

Duster was dead, eyes glazed, head lolling, and a huge, bearlike paw was on his body, he was oozing blood, and two yellow eyes pierced the blackness all around her.

Twilight woke, screaming shrilly, the creature's snarl still in her ears. The sun had just risen. Well, that tore it for Twilight. She was done. She was getting answers from Celestia today. She opened the door, slammed it shut, and locked it. She said a brief “hello” to Duster and a pale green stallion, and walked out of the hotel.

Twilight walked, walked, and walked, walking. Her hooves were barely rising off the ground, and her muscles were aching. She just kept walking, and finally, she reached the palace. She marched up to the stairs to see her brother and another guard discussing something in a low voice. Shining Armor, her brother, noticed her and bounced up to her. “Twilie! What brings you here?” He said, scraping a hoof across the cobblestone, his cheery voice and broad grin clearly fake.

“I need to talk to Celestia.” Twilight said firmly. “And you're not going to stop me.” She stamped a hoof. “You might be bigger than I am, but I can use better magic.”

“Twilie.” Shining Armor said softly, eyes wide and pleading. “Don't see Celestia today, she's tired, she just raised the sun, and she's not as young as she used to be. Go away, please, this is a bad day for the guards as well as her.”

The guard he'd been talking to slunked over, coconut-colored fur flat, and head low. He flapped his wing at Twilight airily and hissed something into Shining Armor's ear. Twilight's brother shifted uncomfortably, then glanced at Twilight and made little flicks with his hoof at her, a clear sign to go away. This enraged Twilight further, and she charged past them. “TWILIGHT!” Shining Armor started running. “Golden, guard the entrance. I have a little sister to catch!” He called, not even turning his head. The stony-faced guard sat down on the entrance with a sigh.

….....................................................

Twilight was as nimble as a cat as she swerved through the halls, heart racing, as her brother chased her. She was nimbler, yes, but he was much faster than she was. This was clear in her mind as he charged forward, and suddenly, she turned, and as he ran straight at her, dodged and raced forward while he slipped and skidded hooves first into the end of the hall.

Twilight chuckled to herself his eyes were derping in circles. There was no way he could ever catch up to her now! ...But then he shouted, “GUARDS! STOP HER!”

Oh fuck. She thought.

Twilight galloped forward, sprinting outward, and tripped. She sprawled on the carpet, and her horn ripped a very old looking tapestry on the wall. Cursing, she staggered to her feet. Two pure white guards appeared. One was a unicorn and the other was a pegasus. Twilight wasn't sure what do to, but kept running.

“HALT!” They shouted. “Before we have to use force to stop you!”

Twilight didn't respond, but swerved into another room, and knocked over a bookshelf over the entrance. She didn't know if it was with magic or with her hoof, but now she scrambled for fear of getting caught. She could hear Shining Armor's voice now, in her head. This isn't a game! You're going to get in trouble if you don't come quietly!

Twilight wanted to scream back at that voice, tell it she knew it wasn't a game. But she said nothing. She knocked over a vase, and shattered the windows, millions of pieces of glass raining down on the determined guards. The pegasus guard paused to pull out a large, jagged piece from his wing. Scarlet blood clashed on snow white feathers.

“What have I done!?” She cried aloud, but only she could hear. She was in so much trouble, damaging the palace, wounding a guard!

She paused, panting, to clutch a stitch in her side. The guards were shouting threats and curses, and looking back she saw the shard of glass made the pegasus guard inable to fly. Guilt squirmed in her belly, then filled with determination.

A dark blue pony sprang on top of her from a corner, hooves on Twilight's throat. Princess Luna jerked Twilight back, into a secret passage.

“Don't worry, Twilight Sparkle. I'll tell them you were a changeling- we get a few strays here and there, only ones that act oddly are them, though. Now... how to get thee out of here...”

“I want to see Princess Celestia!” Twilight said angrily, horn flaring. “She hasn't replied to my letters, nopony's seen her for weeks other then those in the palace, and I wanted see if she was okay!”

“No, Twilight Sparkle, she is not okay.” A shadow of unease stirred in her eyes, and Twilight tried to pursue the subject.

“What do you mean? Is she sick?” Twilight asked, ears straining.

“What do you mean? Kissing an old friend thee had long since forgot about?” Anger flared in those aqua eyes, and for a second, all she could do was wince and cringe.

“Wait... You've been watching me!?”

“Of course I have. What the hell do you think Applejack was doing there? A favor for me. Those stallions, watching you, all in debt for me. And Duster, as well.”

“What?! Why are you watching me!?!” Twilight screamed. “I don't need to be watched! I'm not a little filly, and there's no reason you need to watch me. And... you... you didn't make Duster... You didn't make him act like you loved me, did you?”

“There is, Twilight Sparkle. You see, He is back.”

“He? Who's He?”

“He is...” She hesitated. “Twilight, I know you found the books. The one who wrote it was my brother.”

“Brother? You haven't got-” Twilight began, still outraged.

“Twilight, it was written by my brother, LunarSun. And no, Duster loves you entirely. Now, who is He you ask? Well, He is the Ruler of the Universe.”