Gone with the Wind

(Three Months Later)

Luna wasn't the one someone would usually come to, to plead for help. She was the troublemaker out of the two, Celestia was the trustworthy one. When Starswirl came to her and "requested" she tell her all of her sister's activities to "prevent them from getting killed," Luna was surprised.

She was still surprised as they stood in one of the many empty rooms in the tallest tower in the castle. Celestia was drawing runes in a circle on the middle of the floor as she occasionally looked up at the books she was reading, then back to drawing the complicated design.

Luna didn't like being an Alicorn, despite the fact they were basically royalty and rich now. This is what most ponies value the most these days, including family. But the plan Celestia laid out for them had her worried. Very worried.

"Tia. This is a bad idea." Luna pressed. But, Celestia ignored her. That was nothing new. Celestia activated her horn and the runes lifted up from the ground. She and Luna moved to the middle of the circle as the yellow symbols swarmed around them. Luna still couldn't bring down the feeling that something terrible was going to happen. "Stop! Let's think about this..."

"No." Celestia said with a big smile on her face as the rune swirled faster and faster around them. Luna noticed the dark circles around her eyes. She hadn't slept. Which means her thinking was impaired. "This will work. It has to work."

"This is mad! This is experimental magic. We haven't even-" Luna started to choke on her words as it felt like the oxygen had been sucked out of the room, she choked and gagged. Tears sprang from her eyes as she looked over to Celestia who was in the same state.

Luna attempted to shut down the magic but it was quickly soaked up in the magical bubble surrounding them. Luna's body started to burn, both of the sisters cried out in pain as they were lifted up. The magic slowly...Violently ripped out of their bodies.

Suddenly, Luna saw her vision blur. She groaned as she hit the ground hard at the sound of an explosion. She opened her eyes slowly to see the gray hooves of her teacher. She slowly looked up at Starswirl who had his horn ignited, creating a shield around him, allowing the magic that was stolen from their bodies to reenter peacefully.

He was furious. But not at her. She looked to her right to see her sister unconscious next to her.

"What happened?" He asked, with clear restrained anger.

"Cel-Celestia had a spell. An experimental spell to make us go back to the way we were." She mumbled before coughing several times. "I-I am sorry."

"This isn't your felt, Luna. Although I wish you tried to stop her...You're not in trouble. But I can't say the same for your sister. Why? Why didn't you two at least test it out first?" He asked with concern.

"We were to be crowned tomorrow," Luna said. "We were running out of time."

"Were?"

"Well, in our condition," Luna gestured towards her sister still lying motionless on the floor, other than the rising and falling of her chest. "I don't think we can do it anymore."

"That is true. But..."

"But you are thinking of a way to make us be crowned tomorrow either way." Luna snapped with hostility. "There must be somepony else that can do this!"

"There is no pony else! Your cutiemark proves that. If you two try to reverse the effects. It will kill you both. Your parents couldn't live with that. Equestria needs you both."

Warm tears ran down her cheeks as medical ponies entered the room and rushed off to examine the sisters. She looked up to see Starswirl silently begging her to not resist anymore. She sobbed as the unicorns levitated her sister out of the room.

Luna was tired. She was tired of constantly fighting her teacher the last few months. If they continued the way they were, they were going to end up dead. It would kill their parents. She nodded, quickly looking over to the exit of the room.

"We will relent for now." Luna said. "But, we will not give up researching how to change this...We don't deserve this."

Luna pushed herself off the floor, then stumbled out of the room with medical ponies watching her every movement.

(One week before Twilight's coronation)

Cadence tapped against the double doors in Canterlot Castle that had the famous sun Princess's cutiemark.

"Come in."

Cadence slowly pushed open the door and looked across the dark room. Her eyes followed to the open door to the balcony. She looked through the doors to see her auntie Celestia sitting in silence outside with tea. She occasionally sipped it, then turned her head slightly as Cadence stepped onto the balcony.

"Hello, Cadence."

"Hello, Auntie..." Cadence hesitantly said as she moved to stand beside Celestia to gaze up at the Moon. "Sorry, I am a little late. Flurryheart wasn't settling down as easy as I hoped. What...Um...What did you want to see me about?"

"I have a secret to tell you."

Cadence looked over to Celestia to judge her reaction. She knew that expression. Celestia was being dead serious. Cadence shifted on her hooves uncomfortably when Celestia took another sip of her tea.

"A-Alright."

"You know that Alicorns live for eternity, correct?" Celestia asked. Cadence stayed silent for a moment as she considered the question.

"Yes. Of course, I do." Cadence slowly replied. "It's well documented through complex experiments from Starswirl and other scientists. You of all ponies know most about this. You and Luna were the ones to prove it. What's going on?"

"They were lies." Celestia spat out with more hostility than Cadence had ever heard. Cadence clinched and took a step back. She let out a dry chuckle. "You wouldn't believe how long it took to change the history books. Not everything you read is fact."

"You are starting to worry me, Auntie. Just tell me what is happening."

"Alicorns were created through a power transfer when six of the most powerful unicorns in Equestria lost the ability to raise and lower the sun. Luna and I didn't ask to be turned into Alicorns. We certainly weren't happy about it." Celestia explained. "So, Starswirl experimented on me. He stayed away from Luna on Princess Platinum's orders. She always had a soft spot for her. Starswirl's experiments lead him to believe that if the magic that was given to us was taken out of our bodies, the years and centuries we have lived when we should be dead, will catch up to us. A few months after the transformation, I found a way through experimental magic to take it from our body, to release it back to the ponies it belonged to. It went as well as I should have expected. Luna and I almost died so we decided to finally give in and just accept our fate."

"Why are you telling me this?" Cadence asked as many emotions bubbled up to the surface. She inhaled as she struggled to control her anger at not being told that information.

"Twilight is about to be crowned the sole ruler of Equestria. She needs our magic to raise and lower the sun and moon. Luna and I will transfer our magic into our crowns before the ceremony, then combine them to add with Twilight's magic when she is crowned."

"And?" Cadence asked, trying to hide her annoyance.

"When we transfer our magic. We will have enough to survive for maybe twenty-four hours before we pass on."

Cadence looked over to her Aunt in alarm.

"You are going to die? NO!" Cadence snapped, she started to pace as anxiety and doubt clouded her mind. "How do I know you are telling the truth?"

Celestia slowly looked up to Cadence with tears in her eyes, she held back a sob before looking back down at the shining city below.

"Have I ever lied to you before?" Celestia asked with her voice starting to crack from emotions. "This is serious, Cadence. At least one of the last three Alicorns needs to know what is going to happen to us. What will happen to you."

"We need to tell Twilight. She need-"

"No. I am telling you because if Twilight tries to find us after she is crowned, somepony needs to tell her because we won't be able to. We can't tell her now because she wouldn't want to take our place."

"Why don't you just keep ruling Equestria then?"

"The magic is slowly starting to leave our bodies. It is a sign, that we need to step down. Our fate has played out. Our destiny has played out. Luna and I want to see our parents again. The one thing we have never experienced is death."

"This is mad." Cadence snarled. "You can't seriously expect me to believe-"

"I am too tired to argue about this, Cadence. It's true. You, Twilight, and any pony else can't stop it. Ask Starswirl. He can confirm everything I have said."

"W-What exactly do you expect me to do with this information?"

"I want you to tell Twilight the truth when you feel it is right, but three days after the coronation."

"Alright. I will." Cadence said. She didn't feel they should keep that information from Twilight. But...She understood why. She shook her head with a long sigh. "Is there anything else you want to discuss?"

"No. You may go. Thank you, Cadence."

She nodded, then silently headed back inside.

---End of Chapter Three---