Seraphis Virtuoso

Luna exhaled slowly. She hadn’t had much of a chance to decompress. Everything seemed to happen in a whirl, her guards reporting the attack, leading them through Canterlot and collecting as much of a fighting force as she could… the march to Ponyville, and subsequently setting up their Forward Operating Base. She was amazed she still had the energy to stand. When was the last time she’d slept? Yesterday? The day before? She couldn’t remember.

“Damn it, Tia…” She whispered. “What am I supposed to do? Where did we go wrong? How did we get caught off guard so completely?”

She knew there would be no answer, her sister was missing, possibly dead. Her nation’s capital was occupied, and she didn’t have nearly a large enough army to take it back. She wasn’t even sure she would be able to get the various guard groups to get along.

Her vision started blurring again, as it had several times throughout the chaos. This time though, she let the tears flow.

“Damn it!”

It was too much. She threw herself to the floor, sobbing fiercely, and shaking her body. She was angry. At the infiltrators for so brazenly attacking her ponies. At her sister, for insisting that the wedding continue as planned, even in spite of the circumstances. At her ramshackle guards, for not being able to put aside their rivalries when Equestria needed them most… but above everything, she was angry at herself. She was responsible for the safety of Canterlot. She was responsible for security. Her sister had a duty to make an appearance, and had thus relied on her to ensure the ceremonies proceeded without incident. She had failed in her duty, she had failed.

There was a soft knock on the door to the room she had found herself in. Luna was half tempted to ignore it, to wallow in her sorrow some more. But at the second set of knocks, she pulled herself from the floor, and set about erasing all signs of weakness. A few cantrips and glamor spells later, she turned to face the door.

“Enter.” Her voice was cold, and crisp. Worthy of a commander.

Harsh Echo’s familiar form appeared in the doorway, she bowed before Luna, spreading her wings as out as she did so.

“We have established ourselves within the Town Hall, the general hospital is being utilized to its fullest ability as we have wounded refugees and military personnel alike. Apart from some mildly confused looks, we haven’t had any issues from the local population, but they will need to be addressed soon. I would recommend by noon tomorrow,” Harsh’s crisp no-nonsense voice gave way to a softer tone. “My lady, I must insist that you rest. It will be a busy day tomorrow, and we need you at your best.”

Luna sighed. “I’m afraid that is much more easily said than done, Harsh.”

“I can tell when my lady’s heart is heavy,” Harsh hesitated, then raised a wing to her own face. “The spellwork is cleverly hidden. But my Lady would be hard-pressed to fool the eyes of this humble servant.”

She left an opening for Luna, allowing her to expound if she wished, but not pressing her. Luna dropped her gaze.

“I promise that I shall try to get some sleep.”

“There’s a local alchemy shop nearby, I could always procure a sleeping potion should the need arise.”

It was times like this that Luna knew she had chosen well in appointing Harsh Echo as her attendant. These rare moments of dryness that she never could figure were intentional or not.

“That will be unnecessary, Harsh,” Luna said with a half smile, “I suspect that as soon as I find myself in a bed, I will find it much easier to fall asleep.”

“I also must insist that my Lady keep her oneiromancy to a minimum tonight.”

Luna frowned. “I have to check in on them. It could be critical for the remaining defense within Canterlot.”

Harsh stepped closer, and used her wing to tilt Luna’s chin up, forcing the princess to look her in the eyes.

“Two hours. You can spare two hours, no more.”

Luna’s lip curled into a wry smile. “If I didn’t know any better, I would say that that sounded like an order from you.”

Harsh didn’t break her stern gaze. “When it comes to the safety and healthiness of my lady, I outrank everyone. Including herself if the need be.” She dropped her wing and stepped away.

“I will procure the sleeping potion anyways. If you aren’t in a sufficiently deep sleep, I will not hesitate to administer it, regardless of your wishes.”

Harsh bowed once more, then turned around as if to sweep out of the room, but she paused just before crossing the threshold.

“I made sure to have a room prepared for you as soon as I carried out your initial orders. The local library, Golden Oaks, has a room. The Good and Faithful Student Twilight Sparkle takes up residence there when she’s not on official business. Seeing as she is missing, we commandeered her room. It will prove sufficient.”

Harsh didn’t turn around as she spoke.

“Please, Princess…”

Her voice was shaky, and then she was gone, to leave Luna with her thoughts once more.

***

Luna had decided on a course of action, she would heed Harsh’s words, and minimize her dreamwalking for the night. Truth be told, she was honestly relieved that somebody was willing to tell her to do so. It made it easier for her to follow the directions, helped alleviate the stab of guilt she felt for giving herself rest.

The first pony she tried to contact, of course, was Celestia. But… something was blocking her. In her long life, nothing before had ever managed to block her so absolutely. Celestia was as unreachable as a corpse…

She did not like that train of thought at all.

She turned her focus back to the task at hoof. A name popped out at her, one she was mildly surprised to find, but nevertheless she followed the strand to its host.

Twilight Sparkle’s dreams were always dutifully organized, every piece of her subconscious filed away in neat little filing cabinets. It was something that Luna had always found endearing. Now though… Twilight’s subconscious was scattered and jittery. As if she hadn’t been sleeping well lately. Luna cautiously continued following the string, hoping it would eventually lead her to Twilight’s inner self.

She saw the wedding invitation flash above her, forming a sky to the mindscape, she then saw it rip down the middle and catch fire. She saw the disapproving looks of her friends looming from the shadows, jeering at her. Worst of all… she saw her sister. Luna stopped with a gasp. No, it wasn’t Celestia. Not really. It was a recent memory of her. Celestia loomed over Twilight, impossibly huge. Her face a radiant glow, representative of the sun she controlled.

“You have a lot to think about.”

Celestia’s form then turned her nose up, and walked away, ignoring the tears that were flowing freely from Twilight’s eyes. The Unicorn curled up into a ball, sobbing.

Luna slowly walked towards Twilight, making sure that the thread was leading to her, before settling on the ground next to her.

“My sister can be… scary at times. Hurtful, even. But I assure you, Twilight Sparkle, she would never have wanted to see you reduced to this.”

Twilight let out a soft, choking gasp. As if she were forcing thorns out of her throat.

“Pr-Princess Luna?” She rasped.

Luna smiled down at her, gently running her wing down the Unicorn’s back. “Yes, Twilight Sparkle, Good and Faithful Student.”

Twilight slowly uncurled from her ball, and wiped her eyes. “I don’t feel like much of a good and faithful student…” She mumbled.

Luna studied her; noting the tension across her body, the bags under her bloodshot eyes, and her disheveled mane.

“Perhaps a change of scenery is in order.”

She tilted her head up, horn glowing, and summoned the mindscape around her, causing it to collapse into darkness. A few quiet moments passed, before sunlight started filtering into the space, as if it were filling a room at sunset. It was the gentle and warm sunlight, friendly and joyful. A contrast to the solar fury upon Celestia’s face earlier. Slowly, color began to wash over the two of them. Shapes took form, a breeze seemed to pick up, and before too long they were laying on a red and white checkered picnic blanket at the top of a gentle slope. Spread out below them, Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns formed.

“Oh wow…” Twilight’s voice was awestruck.

“Yes, the art of oneiromancy is a beautiful thing, Good and Faithful Student.”

Luna watched Twilight’s reaction out of the corner of her eye. She always found this part fascinating to watch. She saw Twilight’s face shift from confusion, to recognition, then back to confusion and undercut with a tiny semblance of fear. Yet, yearning to burst out she saw clear, apparent curiosity and understanding forming. This all happened in a manner of moments, but everything was there. Clear as a cloudless night lit by the stars and a full moon.

“I see you putting the pieces together, Twilight Sparkle.”

“This is a dream then? And… and you’re visiting me?” She seemed to shrink away from Luna. “So… you saw…”

Luna silenced her with a wingtip. “You don’t have to explain anything to me,” Luna looked into Twilight’s eyes, smiling gently. “Tia is many things. Wise, kind, warm. All aspects associated with the sun and good weather. But what else can you tell me about the sun, Twilight? I mean the celestial body, not its manifestation on Equus.”

Twilight frowned, touching a hoof to her chin.

“It’s likely made up of gasses, if I were to hazard a guess as to its composition, it will likely be made up of mostly hydrogen. Maybe 65 to 75 percent? The remaining 35 to 25 percent would be primarily helium, but I would bet that it is made up of several smaller portions of other elements too.”

Luna kept smiling.

“What about its effects on Equus and the solar system?”

Twilight’s frown deepened. “Where are you going with this, Princess?”

“Humor me.”

Twilight sighed, but continued.

“It is likely at the center of our solar system. We would orbit it naturally, but we don’t, and haven’t for… millenia. That is why you and Celestia control it, to maximize our yields from our crops, right?”

“More or less correct, yes.”

Twilight wasn’t done though. She kept speaking, gradually increasing her speed. Luna watched with satisfaction as the tension slowly began to fade from her body as she talked about something she was comfortable with. She listened to several minutes of solar facts that Twilight knew just off the top of her head, before gently interrupting her.

“You’re only mentioning the scientific parts. Not how it makes us feel.”

Twilight tilted her head in confusion, so Luna clarified.

“Yes, the sun is gentle, warm and cheerful in a way. But at the same time, it seeks to burn all it touches. Our atmosphere dissipates the most harmful effects, but prolonged exposure can still have adverse effects. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction, yes? Well, the same can be said for the wrath of the sun and the warmth of it.”

Luna paused again, watching the gears turn in Twilight’s head once more.

“So… Princess Celestia would also have a… harsh side to her? Is that what you’re saying?”

Luna nodded.

“My sister sometimes is… ignorant to the way her words impact those around her. Especially those who mean the most to her.”

Twilight was silent, staring out over the school.

“Why did you bring me to this place specifically, Princess?”

“I always found it to be a place of relaxation. I was still involved, but could keep my distance. I thought that it might soothe your thoughts.”

“You called me Good and Faithful Student…”

Luna looked over the school herself. “Ah yes. Another reason I brought you here. Was it ever explained to you what that title means?”

Twilight snapped her gaze to stare at Luna, who was chuckling.

“I’ll take that as a no,” She sighed, affectionately exasperated, “Typical Tia. Not wanting to embarrass her students. She never could bring herself to explain the significance of that title.”

Luna turned to look at Twilight again, gently closing the Unicorn’s gaping mouth with a hoof.

“The Good and Faithful Student is one of two titles bestowed upon exceptional Unicorn students at her School. There can only be one Good and Faithful Student at any time. And once the title is bestowed, it is forever attached to the bearer. It is a sign of absolute trust in its owner.”

Luna poked Twilight with her hoof.

“That’s you, in case you weren’t following.”

Twilight’s mouth seemed to be moving of its own accord, and though no sounds were emerging from it, Luna could perfectly see the flustered babbling. She continued.

“It’s not only a sign of trust though. It also distinguishes someone who is under the personal tutelage of the Princesses. Specifically Celestia.”

Twilight looked to be short circuiting, but she managed to gather herself to say a few words.

“You said someone not somepony…”

Luna chuckled.

“Indeed. The Good and Faithful Student can be any creature on Equus. In fact, there have been many bearers. Hippogriffs, Pegasi, Griffons, Zebras, Earth Ponies… there was even a Dragon once upon a time.”

“A… Dragon?”

Twilight squeaked.

“Yes, Dragon Lord Ritrax. Though he wasn’t Dragon Lord when he was bestowed the title.”

Luna sighed a little wistfully.

“Dragonkind and Ponies got along much better back then…”

She trailed off, lost in memories for a time, then continued speaking.

“The Good and Faithful Student is a creature, hoof-picked for training.”

“Training for what, exactly?”

Twilight asked.

“To be a Prince or Princess herself, dear Twilight.”

Twilight was silent for a very long time, eyes widening.

“Oh! No. Nonononono! I-I couldn’t! Th-that’s your duties! Yours and Celestia’s! I-I wouldn’t dream of… of replacing either of you…”

“There is no replacing, Twilight. One day you will rule on equal footing alongside us.”

“But… But… I’m just… just…”

Luna cut her off.

“You’re just the bearer of the Element of Magic. Leader of the Elements of Harmony. Harbinger, of the Tree of Harmony; Equestria’s oldest, and greatest relic.”

Luna barreled on, not allowing Twilight to interrupt her.

“You are the one who brought together the Elements to banish the darkness within me. You returned the Alicorn Amulet to safety, and weren’t corrupted by it in the process. Many have tried to do such a thing before… Their bones and the bones of their victims are all that remain.”

Twilight staggered back, eyes wild.

“Be still, Twilight Sparkle. Think it through, just as you did with the sun and Celestia.”

Luna watched her intently. Gradually, Twilight slowed her breathing and closed her eyes. She took one tentative step closer, then another, and eventually settled back on the blanket alongside Luna.

“You… mentioned two titles?”

She asked, eyes still closed and brow furrowed.

“I did.”

“What… is the other title?”

Luna looked back over the school, her eyes fixated on something distant and only visible to her.

“I believe you already have a suspicion.”

Twilight’s eyes snapped open, and she focused on a shape in the distance. A cloak, full of stars and billowing in the wind. A figure was barely visible, a flash of blue and a hat firmly set atop the head of the figure.
“The title of The Great and Powerful is the inverse of the Good and Faithful Student., the title belongs to one who was traditionally selected by me.”