Arboreal Grieving

This was not a good decision, Celestia thought, dismally.

Sleet pelted her coat as she desperately tried to turn the storm towards Ponyville. Her mane’s inherent magic had failed in the face of the storm’s downpour, soaking it beyond belief. The chill had penetrated her very bones, and she knew her alicorn status and fire affiliation were the only thing keeping her alive.

Celestia had desperately tried to wrangle the storm, or even just a part of it. Every time, she was denied, flung out into the rain in the wake of her misguided attempts. Her primaries were drenched and bent, barely able to keep her form airborne. And to top it off, she could barely tell what was going on at all—the storm tried its best to disorient and bewilder her with gusts from all sides, pounding rain, and mind-deafening thunder.

As she dodged yet another lightning strike, Celestia felt herself starting to panic. Her limbs began to shiver uncontrollably as she forced herself into yet another grapple with the heart of the storm. But she knew her motivation, and the stakes. Princess Celestia was not backing down to a mere storm.

If I can’t control it from the heart… then there’s only one other option.

Celestia beat her wings once, clearing the space around her. With the clouds momentarily pushed back, Celestia took her opportunity to reorient and leap upwards. Ascending through the cloud layers, Celestia flapped her wings with every ounce of energy, fighting tooth and nail to climb just one more level.

Celestia felt herself falter in the ascent, but the Golden Oaks Library burning in the back of her mind kept her spirit burning. She had to do this. There was no other choice.

Cloud after cloud, Celestia punched through. Her vision was almost completely obscured—her natural pegasus affinity the only thing keeping her on the right path. She beat apart yet another raincloud with her primaries, shaking off the frost and dew.

Finally, with a soft puff of cloud, Celestia surfaced on the top. Coughing violently, she found herself unable to stand. Collapsing onto a strangely comfortable thunderhead, Celestia struggled to find her breath. Her body was soaked to the bone, her wings almost too wet to continue functioning.

However, for a moment, Celestia found herself able to relax, despite everything.

Up here, she thought, it almost seems peaceful. The sun had still not quite climbed over the horizon, and so the sky was a beautiful blend of red, orange, and blue. She couldn’t see the fire from here. On the top of this raging storm, Canterlot’s ivory towers, White Tail Woods’ endless expanse of trees, the purple-tinted Canter mountain range: all of it was stunningly beautiful.

Celestia’s limbs didn’t appreciate the image. Aches and pains made themselves known, and her wings beat nervously. And worst of all, the image of the library burning lingered in the back of her mind. I can’t stay here forever, she thought.

Picking herself up, Celestia repositioned to face Ponyville. She plunged her hooves into the clouds, solidifying them into place with some quick cloudshaping. Her wings began to beat, gathering magic into the pinions.

She closed her eyes, taking a steady breath. Bracing herself, she pushed.

She held her breath, coercing, encouraging, compelling the storm to just listen to her. Hearing the responses, she released the magic with a silent curse.

She had pulled out all of the classic pegasi tricks, but the wild magic of the Everfree would still not obey. It was too chaotic, too self-important, it would never follow her orders. The tinge of hopelessness invaded her soul, and she forced herself to muster all of the determination she could find.

Whatever opposition I face, I must put forth all I can muster.

Pulling her hooves back into position, she readied for another attempt. Gathering magic from the ambient air, she imbued her primaries to the fullest extent she could manage. Her horn lit in tandem with her beating wings as she ignored the biting frost, gritting her teeth.

Celestia pushed again, to little effect. She felt a marginal shift in favor from the clouds, but it wasn’t enough.

Celestia gathered her magic again. I have to try something different, she thought, Maybe if I… ”

Celestia experimentally flapped her wings. Taking a breath, she plunged her wings into the cloudcover, shivering despite herself. She centered her mind, pushing away the distant feelings of gust and cold.

You have to do it. If this fails, all is lost.

She paused for a deep, steadying breath.

Come on, Celestia, third time’s the charm!

She braced her muscles, straining against the now-solid clouds. Her horn lit once again.

You’ll have let Twilight down.

For the third time, Celestia pushed.