"Meaning is subjective. The only reality is the reality in which we ourselves believe." - Starswirl the Bearded, 'Existentialism in Magic'

C

Waking up stiff and sore was not fun. That was her first realization. The second was that her body was practically a board, and she could barely move. She had woken up like this before, only now, the length inserted into the entrance between her hind legs was a comfort- even with the stiffness it brought.

She pressed uselessly against the feathery cocoon encompassing her. It didn't budge- only tightened, leaving her in the comforting warmth of Twilight's protective embrace. Poetic, certainly. Having eternally slept alone, the change of pace was refreshing. She'd never realized that company in bed could make slumber so much easier.

Attempting to roll over, she had only succeeded in reminding her body of the spire it had comfortably rested upon. It was.. concerning, perhaps, that she had become so used to its presence within her that lacking it caused her body to linger almost too squeamish on empty cavern that took up the space.

The sun felt like a hot iron against her horn. She was late again.. well, not again. Late seemed fine. So long as Twilight approved- and judging by the soft vibrations of her magically charged form, she did. Her horn lit momentarily, and watched the usual yellow tint that it had once been be replaced with a deep, soothing orange. She found it easier on the eyes, surprisingly. It didn't take long, but the hooves that had clasped themselves onto her like chains didn't seem intent on allowing her any movement whatsoever.

At least the strange runes were gone..

As soon as the sun rose, peeking through the wide-open curtains behind them, a disapproving groan sounded from behind her. "Why..."- a head hit the pillow -"the fuck.." again, "can't the sun.." and again, "just.." thump "stay.." thump "downnn..." Groaned the behemoth.

"Mm.. I apologize, I had to..." She leaned into the embrace. "Forgive me?"

...

From where the words had come, she was unsure. It was foalish, she knew, but she subconsciously hoped for a 'yes'...

"Alright... jus' this once..." Twilight yawned. "Close the... thingies.. on the window, when you do. Whatev'r they're called.." she paused. "Scratch that.. we'll just sleep in your room... I like the bed hangings.."

Relieved, she nodded in response. Her bed was much larger, anyway. The fact Twilight hadn't fallen off.. she'd have to take those things into account from now on. For whatever reason. To make it more comfortable for her and her lover. The joy compliance to her superior brought her.

Yes. Both of those things. Perhaps a therapist as well. They both seemed very keen on mentally slating. And the mood swings. She couldn't forget about the mood swings either. She-

'Having fun?' The smugness in Sol's tone was almost enough to make her forget about the intruder forcefully rearranging her alicorn biology, and nearly teleport to the sun simply to move it out of the sky.

'Yes... and, what is it you have to say, friend?' She irritably replied.

'Nothing, you were just gone for a while. Two months is a prettyyy long time for a spell. So, how's it going~?'

'Quite well.. I do feel different, but it is.. it is nice.Her thoughts drifted to the feeling of her swollen teats and bulging form. 'I do not wish to burden her with my unfulfilled needs. Should I not have to ask for her consent for such things? She did not seem to approve of my unpermitted decision.. Perhaps?'

'Probably. Riding someone without their consent seems like a pretty bad idea, y'know. I thought you of all ponies would be above that.'

'Yes... I was simply feeling.. empty, Sol. It was rash... but irrational seems to be the theme now. I thought she may perhaps enjoy the control..'

'It was the wrong time for that, y'know- oh... oh! Celestia wants some of that lovey-dovey-controlly stuff, doesn't she?' Static snickering filled the air after the sudden epiphany. 'Maybe if you ask nicely, she'll take you f-for a walk and call you a good g-girl..' The snickers morphed into giggling. 'O-oh heavens, th-this- this is priceless!'

Celestia scrunched her embarrassed blush. The giggles only proceeded to get louder, breaking down into a fit of roaring humor at her expense. 'Have you come here simply to insult my... admittedly deviant new desires, or is this a meeting of importance?'

In between its ceaseless laughter, Sol finally managed to say, 'O-oh, it's important alright!' it snickered again, 'Sol Invicta! Sol- Sol-snch- I-I can't! I can't do it! It's just t-t-to-ho-o-oo funny-hy-hy-hy-hy-hy-yyyyy!'

Celestia buried herself under her lover's soft, feathery shelter. It may not have drowned out the laughter, but the shame and sudden self-consciousness were muted. It reminded her that she had a simple job. A simple task. Her place was rightfully underneath Twilight and her embrace, and her purpose was the one Twilight gave her. It was fine. Even with that in mind, she was still a princess, and she still cared about her ponies' well-being.

The roaring cackles went on for a while longer, seemingly laughing at the inexplicable irony, before slowly trailing off into an air of humor. It was humiliating- something she should have been reprimanding. She found no will to do so, though, for it was true. Her newfound desire for exploration of their new lives- both union and sensual- was foreign, yet embraced. Of course...

The mocking was more than discouraging.

'I'm sorry, it was just..' She could imagine the hoof gestures the as the sun chuckled. 'Like, Sol Invicta? That nickname is the most ego-induced psycho-creation you ever made. You claimed to be me! Then you..' It stopped. 'Uhh.. I'm not.. I'm not actually serious. About that stuff, I mean. It's- it's completely fine. Just because I'm a part of you, doesn't mean I, like, wanna.. make you feel bad for it.. just thought it was kinda funny.. you.. you know you can do whatever you want, right? I'm not judging.. Just... Celestia? Celestia?'

'Alright, I know it's not my place. I shouldn't have said it, yeah, but you sounded like you needed something to laugh at.. past mistakes? Irony? Stuff like that.'

She moved Twilight's glowing wings to cover any exits where her head may have poked out, falling limply underneath it.

'I.. I do not know anymore, Sol. It is all so new.. it frightens me. I wish to explore so deeply, and see what discovery may bring, but I.. I am frightened. I have never wished once for another, alone so intensely to be above me, and I have no experience in the subject. I.. am searching. It is as though I must relearn what I once knew. I do not understand.'

'Soul-searching? Er, romance searching? Sex? Love.. whatever. You wanna try some stuff, understand. You definitely are not a top. Well, actually.. oh, my.' another short snicker. 'Well.. You are not a top when you get the right to decide. But, listen, I get it. It's fine. You hate ruling. You hate... like, being the center of attention. I totally get it. Sun, remember? Everypony loves... you, but not.. actually, you know, you. They love the perfect image they have of you. You're supposed to be the best. You're supposed to be the strongest. You hate it. Like, the same way I hate ponies who thank me for being some life-giving power. I don't do that! Literally! That's like giving me all the credit for the stuff Energy and Light do!..'

'Point: I totally understand. Somepony that'll do all the complex stuff while you.. serve them? That's what it is, right? Something like that, probably. I think. Besides, you live to serve. Isn't that how you say it?'

Her hoof lingered on her belly. 'Indeed..'

'At least you're serving a good cause. I think a bit of foaling and needy worshipping fits you pretty well. I mean, there's always everypony else's opinion, but.. who are they, am I right? Besides, divine stuff. You can do what you want.'

'A similar ideal caused their destruction before, Sol. Divine we may be, we are not goddesses in a sense mortal ponies understand. Weren't you the first to agree that the mantle of Divinity did not equate to mortal belief of the term?'

'Don't change the subject! I wanna know this stuff! I've never gotten to ask you this before! Come on, we barely talk! You're totally freaky when you're not in that stiff little shell!' Celestia wouldn't dignify that with a response.

'Aw come on, just a few? I'm so bored, andLun won't talk to me! Pleaseee? I just wanna help! I can give you ideas, or maybe advice, or-or-'

'While the offer sounds.. rather enticing, I cannot. It would not be befitting, and with the current state of the north-'

'To Tartarus with Sombra! I don't see you getting up right now. Especially like that. Please? The fronts can't be bad enough that you'd have to pull yourself off and run down to the field! You're two months pregnant! That'd be a horrible idea! Besides, if they really need you, they'll come get you... probably. Anyway, please? I can help! I know a lot about these things! From observation, but still! I'm the sun!'

Perhaps it was another mistake... No, she knew it was. She knew it. But...

'Fine, I will.. enlighten you, as best I can. I.. may be unsure of many things, but.. any questions will not go unanswered.' Regrets could come later. Sol's... wisdom, had brought nothing short of a miracle. Seeing the new light for the first time in all her life, leaving her feeling..

liberated.

WT

He exhaled shakily, letting his head rest against the frost-covered edge of the drop. It was a living hell, now that they'd lost their mage company. They hadn't even noticed the shadows until it was too late. Sombra's army- ponies and shadow monsters looking like nightmares Discord or Grogar would've summoned- had gotten the jump on them.

They were fucked all the way down the line.

Wind Trailer wasn't sure how long he'd sat in this damn hole in the ground. He knew, from the mountain of corpses and limbs that littered the field, all mutilated, their flesh and muscles peeled away, revealing the broken, pearly white skeleton drenched in crimson beneath... he was one of, if not the last, ponies left in his division. It'd all gone by so quick, his brain hadn't even kicked in yet. The day had started out as normal as any, routine trench maintenance, headcount, armament replacement. It'd all been going perfectly up until about mid-day, when the recon team disappeared.

Lotta ponies shit themselves when they found out their only recon team had completely vanished. They'd advised the recently promoted Commander, Flash Sentry, to pull back south and abandon position, but with the limited contact to Canterlot and Flash's stupid fuckin' hero syndrome, they'd been sent back out into the cold.

Trailer wasn't a military pony- didn't know the first thing about combat or war- but even he saw how massively fucked they'd be. He'd considered deserting, but walking out at the last minute would've made him a coward. And if there's one thing he wasn't, it was a coward.

Even if he knew it was a ticket straight to Tartarus.

They hadn't even seen them coming- literally. One moment, he'd been sitting at the south-east end of their measly little fortifications, lounging with the Bolts, and the next, a giant ass crystal had eaten half of it! He felt bad for the poor bastards that got trapped in the crystal. They all knew the rumors- of what happened to ponies that were caught by Sombra's army.

Then, those fucking shadows. He couldn't describe them, even now. They were.. horrifying. The way their skin barely stuck to their hulking, bipedal forms, the black, tar-like liquid that poured from their... everywhere! They looked charred to the bone, the 'skin', if it could even be called that, had been black and rotting. Their dirty, blood-soaked claws, the mist, all of it.. It'd fucked him up. He'd always wondered how he would die, since he'd been able to understand what it meant. Sometimes, he thought about growing old. Having a family. Find a wife, another pegasus, maybe one of those cute unicorns they had all around Canterlot; have foals, then watch them grow up and have their own; and then he'd die. Not a perfect life, but a good one.

After the war had started, he'd imagined dying in combat, battling horn-to-hoof with the hordes of mind-controlled ponies. He'd die a hero, for Equestria and the princesses. They'd be honored for their service, saving the nation from a tyrant. Then, he'd pictured freezing in the snow. Slowly dying from frostbite, waiting for the Sombra to attack, then dying from attrition in the tundra when he did. He'd pictured himself frozen over so many times, he'd lost count of the different ways he'd be taken out by the cold.

Now, though? Now he just wished it had been any of the former.

He didn't have any doubts that those things, if they didn't bring him back to be turned into one of Sombra's bitches, would be what killed him. Fuck, that'd probably be better than becoming one of the ponies with a weird ass helmet. He'd known the moment they had stepped out of the black mist that covered the crystal, that that was the truth. He'd thought it would be ponies- even prayed, the second he saw the first claw, that it had been dragons, possessed by some sort of spell. At least then, they could say they stood a fighting chance. That the mage company could have held the damn things off.

That it could've been worth it.

The battle was over in less than a minute. It hadn't been fair, nor had they stood a chance. Hells, he doubted they'd win the war if this was what they were dealing with. They were fucked! Flash had been the first to go. Like the idiot he was, he'd charged right into those damned things.

Then he'd lost his head after getting a few hooves close to one.

He steadied his breathing, looking down at his own body. Any protection they'd had, had been torn
through like cloth. He could still see the jagged lines across his chest, and the blood seeping from the wounds in his side, after one of those things had picked him up and tried to crush him. His ribs were probably broken- hell, one was sticking clear out of him; a sharp, bony protrusion that had probably gone end-first into his lungs, judging by the blood he was coughing up.

It was all numb now, though. Probably the cold. He could barely see in the blizzard, and anything he could see was covered in organs and blood. Half Spade's torso, trailing its frozen entrails, sat just in front of him. He'd been skinned and crushed alive.

They'd ripped the flesh from his face. His teeth, from the perfect front, to his replacement molars. The abyss in his socks, where his eyes had been, was as hopeless as the chance of them winning. By now, the skull of his oldest friend was just another reminder that they'd failed. That they couldn't win.

He grit his teeth, wincing at the sharp pain that came with each breath. If he was lucky, he'd choke on his own blood and die before they could capture him. If he still had his spear, sword, or even one of the mage's horns, he would have done it himself. It was better than becoming one of those things.

The unison march reached his ears. Ever since the shadow monsters had thinned out, Sombra's troops had been cleaning house, capturing anypony still alive. He looked around frantically, searching for something- anything sharp. It was shitty that he didn't have magic like the damn mages- he could off himself way easier. The sound was getting closer though, and he could hear the snow crunching under their hooves as the group of ponies dispersed.

His breathing stopped, and he focused his attention on the noise. Crunching in the distance, slowing getting closer. The scaping of metal against metal. Lumbering steps nearby. The screaming. The other guys still alive were screaming. They all screamed when they were taken. They all did. They'd seen it.

His eyes darted around desperately. He'd have flown up and taken a fall head-first if he had the strength. His eyes landed on Half Spade's horn, jutting useless from his head. He wouldn't need it anymore.

He reached forward-

One of the rough, oily claws clamped around him again. He thrashed against it, flailing his hoof towards the horn despite the pain. "NO!" he shouted. Just as the horn made a brutal, sickening snap!, he heard a similar noise play grotesquely in his eardrums. He wheezed, watching in terror as the horn broke off, and fell tip-first into the snow. The damn abomination lifted him up, and he stared, wide-eyed, at the black, bubbling flesh on its face. It's beady eyes and crooked mouth stared down at him with a look of primal hunger. It had no lips- or muzzle, giving him a clear view every last razor-edged chomper.

The claw it held him in dropped to its side as it made its way back toward the mist. He screamed, and screamed, and screamed. Begged and prayed like he had only so long ago. He screamed his throat hoarse when he felt another crack! in his chest. The pain was unbearable- but not as unbearable as the sheer, stark raving terror that he felt as they drew closer and closer to the writhing black cloud.

He continued thrashing, hoping for a flickering moment that the next snap would split his spine. It was all for naught, and only when they crossed, did he realize just how useless it all was as they had finally entered the mist, and all the light and hope left in the world vanished.

He'd already accepted his fate.

C

'You know, I'd never really have expected it. It's like.. you left, and came back.. well, an actual pony! With real desires! She'd probably say you look good on a leash. Don't you two have each other's cutie marks on you, like.. somewhere? I think that was another thing. Hooves, or something. The fact you're the only royal whose never had a harem kinda throws me off, but hey! I don't have anything wrong with monogamous ponies! I.. don't really have sexual desires either. Or any desires at all.. Still, it's hard to imagine you being the submissive one here.. I mean, weren't you her idol or something?'

Celestia rolled her eyes. 'So you would think. I cannot help but believe that is not true after what has happened.. but I am glad things have gone the way they have. Even in her state, this side of her is beautiful. Gods, if I'd known this awaited me, I would have attempted to bring us together myself. It was perhaps my wisest choice to listen to you, Sol... But do not believe I will listen to your every idea simply for this.

'Come on! You should at least try water sports! You already wanna try most of the other stuff, why not that? Ponies seem to like it!'

'I did not say I would not, I am... just being cautious. I am interested in many things, but such are.. seemingly quite the stretch..' She blushed.

'You should probably talk to Oblivion.. Twilight.. whatever, just.. you totally need to talk to her! I mean, she's pretty experimental, and I think she'd know a lot more than us. That weird lusty stuff. Besides, what about your body? Doesn't it look so amazing?! You look more like me now! It'll totally make her even more hot and bothered!'

'Perhaps you should have kept the former to yourself. I now have a reason to dislike it.' her mind detested.

'Uh-huh. Go take your sexy ass over and satisfy your stallion.. or.. whatever! You need to get some work in, filly! No laying around when you could let her wake up to an orgasm!' Sol shouted into her brain.

'But she said not to disturb her..' Celestia's hoof traced the bulge that Twilight's cock formed. It stuck out from the excess cum bloating, leaving the hard, unmoving appendage's outline visible just by looking at her. The mare's cock had all but imprinted itself inside the slippery, gaping hole. Something she wouldn't have even been able to comprehend seeing two months ago.

'Good point. She's pretty cranky when you wake her up before she's ready. Plus, we did just talk about consent.. Well.. other than that, I've got nothing. I mean, maybe it's late to be mentioning this, but you two are totally having foals out of wedlock. That'll be tartarus to deal with..'

She felt a jolt of panic shoot through her. 'Oh heavens, you're right! You-'

'The fact both of you have neurotic breakdowns every five minutes is concerning. Don't you think you should leave it to Twilight? That's totally what you're all about. She'll know what to do. Funny that you two don't talk about what it's going to be like walking into Day Court together. Luna told the press. you know-'

"SHE DID WHAT?!" Celestia clamped her hooves over her mouth, but the damage was done. Twilight groaned.

'Great..'

"Mmm... who's there?" The poly-vocals spoke. The sound of several dozen voices, all speaking in simultaneous harmony and unison, combined with the clear lacing of magic made her shiver.

"My deepest apologies, Twilight... I could not contain my outburst at a certain revelation. It will not happen again, love.." she whispered.

"Oh.. mm.. al.. alright... that's.. that's fine.." a sniff filled the room. "Wow... If you're that desperate, why didn't you-" she yawned "-just wake me up.."

"I..." Celestia rubbed her hooves together awkwardly. "I did not wish to disturb you.. mistress?"

The breathing behind her halted. It was almost purely out of fascination and disbelief, she could have guessed. The room was still.

'I think you broke her..' Sol whispered- as unnecessary as it was.

"Too soon...?" She ducked her head, hiding the permanent shade of crimson embarrassment that tinted her gilded muzzle. 'You may be correct..'

"U-uh.. maybe.. I-I'm.. not sure if I can handle that kind of responsibility right now..? I'm kind of... loopy in the head for that... heheh.. just got out of a sex coma.. sort of ascended as well.. self-induced guilt... brother's captured by a tyrant.. y'know, there's a lot going on in my head right now... I'm not saying no, I'm just saying.. give it some time..." Twilight chuckled madly, curling around her.

'Oh.. fair point. Yeah..' Sol whistled. ' Probably should have thought of that..'

"Ah, yes.. I apol-"

"Hush up, my lovely little Sun. Talk later. Sleep now." a pair of lips met the tip of her horn. "Forgiven. Just... lemme sleep'abit more.."

'Gotta wonder where the idea 'gods don't sleep' comes from.'

Celestia breathed a sigh. 'Because I have turned Equestria into a land of fanatic fools.'

'Aren't you just the perfect contradiction to everything you've preached. Going around screaming about how alicorns aren't gods a thousand years ago, then saying you're the 'Eternal Sun'. I think it's funny.'

'You would find humor in your own demise, Sol. Would I not know you, I would find your act better fit for a foal than a primordial entity. It's-'

The floor cracked.

'So...'

She eyed the vine that had broken through the palace floor. She could recognize them from anywhere. They'd been another result of Discord's reign. Plundervine seeds super-changed with chaos magic. Plundervines- as a species of plant- had already been extinct by the time the he had taken over. The Mad God didn't care though.

They were his personal favorites when it came to torturing ponies.

Watching the spiked plant thrash violently as it grew through the hole in the floor was like watching his nightmarish hordes consume Equestria all over again, reducing it and its protectors to mere dust beneath his claw. "Twilight?"

Nothing stirred.

"Twilight, wake up..." she whispered louder. It was closer now- two more broke through the floor. They were closing in on the Everfree. Everything burned. Ponies. Villages. Drowning in rivers of cooking chocolote. Inverted ponies shambling around upside down on clouds, their internal organs hanging limply from their bodies. The panic that filled her at the sight was overwhelming. "Twilight, please, wake up!" her voice rose again, barely above hushed.

She yelped as it gripped her left hindleg. The thorns dug into her fur, painfully tearing the skin beneath. It spiraled upward, and she lit her horn to reduce the vile plant to ash- only for it to flicker out.

The warmth of another aura encompassed her. It seeped through her panic, quelling the rising emotions. Fear and memories were washed away, replaced with the tingle of magic coursing through her entire being. A pair of hooves kneaded her shoulders, and a tired voice spoke up, "Saw them coming.. signatures of chaos magic spiked a bit ago..."

She nodded, watching as the tangled abominations screeched, shriving at the touch of the rainbow nimbus that was oozing from Twilight's ethereal fur. They retreated back into the holes in the floor, and she could swear, for but a moment, that she'd felt a sudden maliciousness coming from the pony behind her, whose head had turned to watch the invading plants retreat. "Stupid powerful magic..." the voice murmured.

The form behind her shifted, before tilting itself upward. "Well.. looks like I won't be getting back to sleep anytime soon." She arched her back, gasping as she was pulled out of. The feeling of longing returned- the loss of Twilight's closeness was worthy of tears. The disappearance of the protective layer of feathers made her whimper, and she glanced up at the towering alicorn.

Twilight looked down at her, her comforting gaze thawing the harsh cold that had settled as she gestured up with her horn. "As much as I'd really love the stay in bed, we totally.. have to go outside. Sometime. Maybe. Get ready first, then go outside. Right." another chuckle, more nervous. As her Alpha's right, lavender wing lifted, she managed to pull herself off the bed, stepping and snuggling contentedly under it. The stench of sex was the only smell left in the room, overpowering their own odors.

Twilight's face wrinkled, before she blanched. "Yeah, we're not going down there smelling like this.. also too soon. Already going to have to deal with a tartarus of a coronation in, what, a week?"

Celestia felt an instinctual sense of disappointment and shame at the displeased look on Twilight's face. The coronation had been her idea, after all. Many other events that were to come were her idea as well. The fact it inconvenienced her Alpha so.. she wished she could take it back, if only to erase the image of the displeasure and mild contempt that had been cast from the mare holding her. The comment hadn't been directed at her, yet...

It had been her idea. And in her state, that look was a sign of failure.

"Alright, uhm.. checklist. Checklist, checklist, checklist. C'mon, we gotta hurry.."

Celestia glanced at the mirror. It was impressive- Twilight had cleaned both of them and the room. The smell was virtually non-existent, and any sign of the previous night's activities had been inexplicably unmade.. her stomach excluded. Twilight grinned cheekily at her work.

The mare had been working ten times as fast as she normally did- which was fast enough as it was- and had even re-manifested the broken items. Unsurprisingly, not a single book had been harmed in her mental break. Even with her newfound power, it seemed the librarian in Twilight remained, though her job had been taken. She'd offered her help several times, even told Twilight she would do it, but her Alpha was having none of it. It was obsessive, the way she seemed to clean and organize every last spec of dust in the room- quite literally, as she had watched her place dust-bunnies in an exact, coordinated position underneath the couch they had slept on before.

Gods. Celestia may have lived to serve, but it was clear this pony was a master at her craft. She couldn't have replicated the precision if she'd truly tried. It was beyond even her, and yet Twilight did it with such ease and haste it almost seemed as though it were foal's play.

All without magic.

The grooming had been nice, though. She now understood how preening made ponies feel closer- it was far more sensual when done by another. Everything her Alpha had done was undoubtedly calculated and meticulous. Celestia had come to accept long ago that an alicorn's body was always subject to change, but the sensations remained, even if they did not effect the body. Each feather had been removed or nuzzled back into place with a tender caution, and by the time she'd finished, the room had looked as it had the day it had been built, and the bristle of the cold against her wings made her shiver.

"I do not remember a letter in which you mentioned studying preening, nor that you could do it so.. intrinsically." she looked about the hoof-crafted shelves, seeming to overshadow all else in the room.

"I.. didn't actually, not at first. Rainbow said something about Fluttershy not preening her feathers until she was done preparing her house for the critters coming out of hibernation. I guess I just got caught up in it, and by the time I was done, I'd read almost every book on it.." she sighed wistfully.

"Do you have any other such secrets? This is astonishing work, for only having read books on the topic."

"Oh, I do! I.. had a lot of time. Too much, heheh... I think the room could've gone better, though.." Twilight looked around, suddenly burrowing holes into the wedges between the walls, ceiling and floor. Celestia nuzzled her way deeper underneath the mass of feather and fur. "I never noticed how off the room's diameter is... was it supposed to be this crooked? The entire tower is uneven."

"We.. no, but we thought it as close to perfection as we could achieve.." she murmured.

"I think it's just sensory overload. I can still feel the entire city. It.. bothers me. The entire thing is sideways! Not one building adds up! None of them!" Twilight lamented.

"Mhm..?" she looked up.

"Yeah.. I don't know when it kicked in, but I woke up, and I just... felt. That's it. I felt. Not just, felt, you know. I actually was. It was just for a few seconds, but I was.. All magic. It didn't really take long to find my way back, but.. Weird. I could.. feel everything. I still can, just not as far as I could before. It was like astral projection, except I could feel, and I was a lot bigger. I felt.. large. Really, really large. I also, maybe kindasortafelteverysinglespellbeingcastlikever. So, it was an overall painful experience."

Well. She wasn't surprised- not at all. She could do similarly with all that was light. The spell, though... "You can see.. spells?"

"Sort of. I don't think you know this, but from what I felt, every time somepony uses magic, they... bend a piece of me, I guess. That's how I know it. Well, how.. I know it. So, if you're using any of the Aether's or Universal elements, it's like having a piece of myself pulled away for a second. Then you give it back when you cast the spell... it's hard to explain."

"But.. well, Frozen North, all of that.. if the elements are tinged with the Nether's influence, that magic is really, really painful. Like, I'm being pulled apart, and you're drowning me in bits of myself." the look on her face told Celestia the explanation was obviously simplified from what would have been a total breakdown of the processes structure. Still, it helped. It also explained that Sombra's mere existence had hurt Twilight.

She opened her eyes a crack, softly kissing the fur she'd pressed herself into.

"A lot of Malice and Arrogance, maybe Apathy as well. Mostly Fear, though. Unbelievable amounts of Fear." Twilight craned her neck, searching the room. "I guess it makes sense. Umbra are Umbra. Dark Magic kind of always being on the tipping side of the balancing scale. What doesn't make sense.. are these dimensions! Come on!"

"Must we truly worry about such things, oh architect mine..?" she whispered.

"Yes, it doesn't make sense.. and I've really had it.. with things that don't. Make. Sense.."

Before either of them could say anything else, a knock echoed from the door to Twilight's tower.

"Great.. stallion, taller than average, magic isn't that powerful. That's the guide to Noble Genetics 101." the boiling storm clicked its tongue.

"Auntie Celestia? Are you in there?"

She pitied Prince Blueblood, yes, but never so much as in that moment. Twilight's face flickered through a plethora of emotions, before settling on an impassive mask, burying the seething fury. Their eyes meet, and the nod was all she needed before she answered, "My nephew, would you so kindly remind me why you must interrupt-" 'Us. They know.' "-us so early?"

"Auntie, you must come out here right this instant! I demand an explanation of your foolish behavior." she inhaled, pushing down the annoyance that arose with every moment she had to explain herself to another. Twilight and her didn't answer to them! After another calming breath, she opened her mouth to reply-

"Blueblood, it's disrespectful not to look somepony in the eyes while your talking to them. And stop standing infront of my doors like they're the gates to Tartarus!" Twilight chided.

There was a pause. The door opened inward, and the Prince shakily stepped into the room. His lesser mind wasn't built to defy magically laced commands. Then again, nopony's was. But non-alicorns even less so. When he finally caught sight of them, his eyes grew larger. With each passing second, the saucers became dinner plates, until she could almost mistake them for the trays used during her cake escapades.

His eyes were almost popping out of their sockets by the time her saw her stomach, and an aura pulsed from beside her. She couldn't comprehend it- but it felt imposing. Larger-than-life. It pushed her very will away, reducing it to a lifeless corpse. Any strength or resistance within her was crushed and drained away in a single moment. She knew Twilight hadn't grown; she would have felt it, but the mare still seemed... larger.

Much, much larger.

It was grandeur she felt. It was also a feeling of submission. The aura and its sheer, utter density left no room for defiance. For all intensive purposes, in that moment, no will, not even that of the sun, existed. None except Twilight's.

And she would obey it without fault.

As quickly as the crushing weight had arrived, it lessened. The pressure on her body released, and the ability to be returned. Her independence returned, and the right to think- to exist- came with it. She kept staring up in complete reverence, though; not taking a moment to look at Blueblood, whose entire body had lowered in a frightened stiff, floor-low bow. She'd unconsciously lowered her own head in subservience.

Twilight, meanwhile, facehoofed. "Damnit, Dominance... stupid powerful magic. Blueblood, get your face off the floor, you look ridiculous." He did, without question; eyes wide and slightly-terrified. His white coat had gone a shade paler, and he seemed unable to even form a coherent sentence. The choking sounds of somepony attempting to understand something they couldn't even begin, for even a moment, to comprehend filled the room.

She barely understood it.

"Seriously? Ugh.. breathe, speak, talk! Do something!.. why are you here?" the aura battered against Celestia's conscious mind again, but the subtle vibrations seemed to deflect around the room, passing over her as they sunk into the prince. Maintaining any form of self was a dizzying, daunting task. To lose focus for even a moment would have meant being swept away in it. It bent and reshaped thoughts on a whim, acting out the will of its owner.

The Prince wheezed uselessly for a moment, before finally choking out a sufficient reply. "I-I came t-to convince you both t-to return. A-auntie Luna failed th-therefore I-"

It was enough, apparently, by the sudden disappearance of the influence. The air cleared, and the vicious mental barrage ceased, as everything became a shade clearer. The damage was clearly done, though.

It was almost comical how thoroughly Twilight had run her mental defenses into the ground. Her former thoughts- on the imbecile prince, the room, her sister, Sombra's war- had been erased, and replaced with the sole desire to submit. Submit to Twilight. Her happiness came with subordination.

She blinked, falling limply against the wall of soft, flowing fur. The fight had been drained in a single swift motion. The pony she leaned against held her tighter, banishing the worry and inquiries. Their significance was clear. 'There's nothing to worry about. It's fine. You're fine. I'll protect you. You're mine, and I'll protect you. You're safe.'

Twilight knew best. Celestia's purpose was obedience. Obedience to Twilight. She had no other purpose, than to give in. She was stripped of anything that was not ownership by her sole superior and Alpha.

When the power ravaging her mind finally spit her up again, she felt terrible. Her head ached- nay, her head felt as though it had been split in thrice. It barely clicked that her horn seemed to burn with the intensity of liquid magma, and her thoughts had reverted to a jumbled mess.

The world made no sense anymore. Colors mixed together and formed amorphous blobs, light shining in reflections and curves as her retinas screamed out in agony. Thought was impossible. Oblivion had not permitted her thought. She...

A form of consciousness seemed to arrive once more. She took in a deep, shuddering breath as the broken world- eerie and disfigured, so much so that none without an innate comprehension of the abstract understood- came back into focus. Blueblood sat across from them, his mouth wide open in a silent scream.

Her other senses managed to return to her. The instinctual draw to the pony she'd been under remained, and she clumsily attempted to drive herself further beneath the wing. Her thoughts had been shuffled and bitten away. Magic seemed to fill the space oxygen normally took. Twilight was saying something.

"Celestia? Celestia?!"

She thought about replying, but couldn't form the words. It was like learning how to walk on all four hooves again. Sounds came together to form letters, those letters combining to form words: "Twilight..?"

"Oh thank me... er- the gods- you- shit, sorry.. my magic discharged. I.. stopped most of it... are you okay?"

It took a moment for thought to re-establish itself, and as it did, she managed, "I.. am not sure."

Twilight's exasperated, nigh-incoherent reply barely made it through to her. "I knew I shouldn't have tried to use magic.." the body she'd been leaning against deflated. After many long, grueling minutes, Celestia's senses returned in full. The room- more specifically, everything around them- had been scorched. The blackened floor was befitting of the small fire that burned seemingly in laze around them.

"First order of business when everything calms down: learn how to control my magic.. all over again..." A sigh escaped Twilight's lips. "How are you feeling now?"

Celestia flexed her right wing, nodding as she felt them part the cool air that had overtaken the warmth. "I.. feel much better now. I believe we share the sentiment, my Light." she paused, looking over at the Blueblood's dazed expression beside Twilight's own, which had twisted into a mask of nervousness.

"Oh- oh, do not worry, Miss Sparkle, I know quite well... Oh, dear.. allow me... another moment, please? Heavens.." looking over at Blueblood, she watched as he swayed, barely balancing himself against the small desk, where an inkwell had fallen over, spilling its contents across the table.

"Wait-" Twilight snapped her head toward him. "- what?"

It took her nephew a while, but after sufficiently massaging his temples and shaking the daze from his... gaze- 'You deserve a medal for that one.'-, he looked back at them. "Yes..." his eyes fell back on her again. "And... yes. Auntie Luna was foolish enough to allow those peasants from the Canterlot Times to have a conference on the subject of your disappearance. So far, only a few know. She's kept it under tight wraps indeed. That means little to us. The Lords have their opinions on the matter, but the House of Nobles has learned better than to question Her Majesty. I still must ask- why?"

He looked up at them, standing on all four hooves now. "While I will say nothing of your chosen... consort, I am puzzled. I have never known you as the kind. While I did doubt the words, 'Brash decision,' were they.. correct, Auntie?" he glanced at her, before returning his frightened gaze to Twilight, whose eyes had taken on a steely tone. Even the rainbow irises seemed muted.

"Mmm..." she nodded hastily. "It was, yes. I cannot tell you why, but I can say with certainty it was.. perhaps it is naïve, but I do not regret it. Well..." she winced. "Mostly..." He stared at her before muttering to himself.

"I... see. Should the houses take this as a sign of the return to-"

"I will not allow you to open a brothel, nor will I repeal the current prohibition of prostitution." She felt herself scowling now. It felt.. wrong. Especially on her. But the matter was one frequently discussed, and fervently denied. "What we alicorns do and what it equates to are beyond your understanding, Prince Blueblood. I believe I taught the houses the consequences of comparing themselves to us during your grandfather's time, yes? I will not have anypony defiling this great nation, least of all those meant to hold a such a high standard as examples to the rest."

The 'Prince' nodded, but she could see him swallow a retort. "I'm sorry for asking, auntie. I am.. surprised, perhaps. A lowborn.." before his frustration could rise any further, the familiar aura encompassed the room. He froze mid sneer, letting his face go slack. The message was made clear- a warning. A single warning. As it dispersed, he looked between them nervously.

"Yes, well... I am not at liberty to make demands, then. Perhaps I can request... that you both join us? We.. require assistance. Several petitions arrived over the time of your 'disappearance,' requesting changes to existing laws within the Celestial Code. We would not let your sister touch them. While we respect her throne, you are the true ruler of Equestria. Those decisions were not hers to make." he stated firmly. "Afterwards, we.."

He collected himself, gritting his teeth. "We are not quite.. as skilled as you in the art of war, auntie.."

The mention of war had brought back the unpleasant memories. Memories of a time before. They mattered little now, underneath Twilight's grip. But they remained. She thought it over. It would be tedious- organizing their return. For several centuries, she had not left the confines of Equestria personally. The sudden disappearance could've- and likely had- been covered up.

It was still an annoyance that Luna could not simply refuse to tell the press. In fact...

"Well." She looked up at Twilight, whose impassive gaze had settled on the door. After a nudge, she looked back at Celestia. "I believe now would be a good time, yes?"

"Returning to a disaster?" monotoned the familiar set of multiple vocals, as all she gained a flat stare. "I mean, it's nothing new, so... alright." after a shrug, she nuzzled Twilight gratefully. It was a feeling she had become used to- their fur meshing and intertwining, rubbing against the skin just beneath. It was one she would constantly miss as she finally stepped out from under the safety net.

Blueblood wore his relief on his sleeve. They stepped closer, and he turned around, grinning. "I told auntie I could do it."

"You're just lucky we're in a better mood today... and, you didn't fucking yell at us." He laughed, but the tension remained crystal clear.

"It was foolish to believe Auntie Luna would do anything less. As I said, though we may respect her throne, we have all agreed that she is.. perhaps not the most stable of royals. I can imagine she simply bombarded you both with questions?"

"Yes." they both replied, near simultaneous.

"She had personally requested to be the first to see you," he stepped out the door and began climbing the stairs, the two princesses following suit. Twilight paused, eyes wide. After the clopping of hooves had ceased entirely, he looked back.

He held his tongue, and Celestia watched as her Alpha peaked over the side. Her body relaxed, and she fell into step again. They said nothing, returning to their normal pace.

"I didn't believe she would cause problems. Truly, I didn't! But I am a fool, nonetheless. She has proven far too emotional to handle diplomatic quarrelling without being consumed in it herself." He continued.

"As much as I hate to admit it, sister.. was never the wisest of ponies. She has always been quite impulsive. I do not believe it to be her own fault, but.. the fault of another. I am not surprised by your observations. I expect her to cause another scene in the near future. It cannot be helped." Celestia remarked. There was no reason to truly blame Luna for how they had been raised. Impulse and instinct drove anypony to terrible lengths to get what they desired.

And she was again reminded of her own situation.

"Still didn't like it.." Twilight voiced from behind them, swiveling her head as she searched the corridors of the Solar Wing. "I.. it's probably just me. I should've.. paid more attention." she seemed to deflate with each word. Celestia sidled up to her.

"Does it.. still trouble you..?"

Twilight shook her head, the energy seeming to sap itself from her body. "Later.. it can wait."

"Honestly, I worry less about this war than I do what it has done. I have had to care for many foals whose mothers and fathers no longer reside in Canterlot." Blueblood's voice took on a tone of sympathy. Even as cold-hearted as he was, it was below him to spite foals over their societal ranking. He was not a monster, after all. "The poors things.."

Twilight looked down. "Yeah..."

The silence continued as their hoofsteps echoed off the floor. The lack of guards and maids, combined with the obvious signs of neglect, painted a picture of the decaying nation. They weren't prepared for open conflict, nor had they been given coping mechanisms for death.

Her ponies walked forth into fields of blood and ice without knowing of their own demise. She was naïve, now that she thought on it. Naïve enough to believe she, simply because of her own Godhood, was impervious to love. Naïve enough to believe that her ponies would never again have the need for war.

She'd gotten herself to believe in the perfect world she'd built for them.

And how it hit her. It threw her in loops, reminding her of her failure. She kept a straight face, remaining quiet as the throne room's entrance came into view. The sounds of Day Court bounced off the walls, an obvious sign the crowd was much larger now than many times in the past. She had another thing to dread now. Her appearance. She stopped. "Blueblood... perhaps it would be best to.. announce this to all of Canterlot."

"Why? I'd think this would be credible-"

Twilight's monotone was slowly becoming more concerning, as emotion seemed to completely disappear from her. "More efficient. If she announces it to Canterlot and shows them she's really who she is, ponies will have an easier time believing it. Any story coming out of this room will be taken with a grain of salt. They're all deceivers, so the chance that anypony believes them is slim. If she were to, for example, raise the sun in front of Canterlot, ponies would believe it's her, even with how she looks now."

Celestia glanced back at the impassive stare. It didn't radiate the exuberance it once did, of the mare she'd known. The life seemed to drain away from Twilight, and her blank, forward stare disregarded the world around her. It wounded her to see how quickly she hope had disappeared from her lover, but she continued without pause.

"If ponies saw her, they wouldn't believe that she was who she said, since her cutie-mark is different. That's just one example, though. Raising the sun would affirm that she was who she was. Even if.." she looked out the window. "it's already been raised. She could set it, then bring it back up. There's not many options that would make ponies believe."

They had stopped in front of the doors, contemplating the idea. Blueblood bit his lip, "Perhaps.. you cannot avoid the Manehattan Haystock, Fillydelphia Paper, or Canterlot Times. They have been lobbying for weeks. Once they see a new alicorn," the revelation seemed to smack him in the horn with the force of an earth pony.

"A... new alicorn..."

Somewhere, hundreds of journalists felt their fur stand on end as the opportunity of a lifetime presented itself.

"I agree with Miss Sparkle-"

"Oblivion."

"Oblivion. It would also do us well to introduce the newest member.. of royalty." he blinked. rubbing his forehead. "By Celestia's sun... why didn't I realize that."

"We've all been focused on the immediate problems, so we forgot about the others." Twilight stated. It was rather matter-of-factly, but did the trick. Blueblood turned left.

"I will bring you up to date on current transmissions, then. Come along now, we shant dally a second longer. Enough time has been wasted. We cannot keep running in circles." He marched down the halls, and they fell into step behind him, much to Twilight's chagrin.

Celestia was left to wonder when they would make up their minds on what exactly to focus on.

Author's Note

yes, from now on, one character perspective at a time.

Double PoVs will be rare from now on.

day 3 - migraine. must read. reread.

day 5 - reread. doing my editing.
kill me.
- finally came up with an upload schedule

-note didn't reread end of chapter yet. head hurts. will post though. enjoy. going over it later.