To Chase The Shadows of Redemption

Celestia flew with purpose and power, making her way out west.

It was finally happening. Celestia didn't know what would happen once she got there, but the dreadful waiting game - which had been extended far longer than she had ever been expecting to wait, was finally almost over. It was one thing to wait knowing something wasn't available, and something else entirely different when it was but you still couldn't.

She thought about what Twilight had told her. It should've bothered her more, but she had known the encounter wasn't going to be an easy one from the beginning. If anything, this was one of the more tamer results.

Too much time had she been delving back into the past looking for answers and resolution to an impossible dilemma.

Gone were the thoughts of the past on Luna dealing with public affairs. That didn't matter. If her sister simply said she wanted nothing to do with it, Celestia wouldn't object in the slightest. What Celestia would do however, is offer a hoof to Luna. Offer to bring her back home, and enjoy any comforts and all things she never got to really experience in the past. There was a lot to catch up on, and she was sure Luna would grow to appreciate it all.

Images of Luna laughing and playing in the garden graced her mind, and she smiled despite herself. She saw Luna painting while asking one of their little ponies to muse and stay still. It was very humorous. Celestia would be there quietly enjoying the evening with a cup of tea, enjoying the view with a smirk and all would be peaceful in the world. A simple scene that filled the heart with all that was so dearly missing.

Celestia would fight to make that world a reality, no matter what.

Blossom Fever made her way over to the local farmers market in Riftly. As one of the more rare unicorns in town, Blossom had never felt differently to her fellow pony. Riftly had experienced several inflows of different populations over time, the most recent being pegasi. It had once been a critical junction in establishing western Equestria. A bright smile plastered over her face. Her little filly had finally entered school now, and it felt like everything was finally falling into place in her life. Her job was satisfying and not overwhelming, and the stallion she married and returned home to, Blake, was a continual blessing in her life.

The town around her was a buzzing beehive of activity despite the snowy weather. Her hooves sank into it with each step just a little. The ponies of this town had seen so much snow over years passed, that the current weather seemed to be a taunting prelude to disaster, because there was no way it was going to stay this shallow.

Approaching the vendor, her cheerful attitude seemed infectious, "Why hello there! Hope you've been doing well Blossom, I take it little Hazel has started school? What would you like?"

Her afternoon continued to be joyous as she had pleasant and innocuous conversations with the other town ponies which she had grown up with and knew quite well. Riftly hadn't always been the easiest of places to live, but the ponies here stuck together and supported one another to make up for it a little bit harder than other places. Picking up the assortment of groceries in a brown paper bag, she began her way back home. It was just past midday, and she had a decent trot back to her home that was closer to the outskirts of town than the heart.

It was at this time she heard a commotion around the corner. This kind of racket was pretty rare around here, so she couldn't help but stop and little for a bit. Something caught her ear, and she turned to rush towards the sounds.

"Princess Celestia! Princess Celestia!" Many ponies were speaking under their breath in awe and that they couldn't believe royalty would grace their quaint little town so far away from the capital. To Blossom's complete shock she found their excitement real, the princess looking slightly out of her element surrounded by a gathering of ponies which had formed after she had been spotted.

"It is lovely to meet you all, my little ponies. Remember, equestrians will always have the backs of one another." Her graceful smile was an instead crowd pleaser. Blossom, despite her shock, couldn't stop staring at the princess. She thought to get her husband, and even to steal her little filly from school, to see this close to once in a lifetime sight. It really was their goddess in the flesh! The rumors didn't do her justice either, and you could feel the magic in the air just from her presence alone. She stood slightly taller than the rest, so most could get a good look at her. Her mane floated through the air in such a breathtaking way, and there was something about the way the slow falling snowflakes seemed to glide into it and disappear that was so beautiful.

Before their answers for why she was here in the first place, she placated them simply: "Is it so wrong for wanting to visit every aspect of my kingdom? It is good to check on my little ponies along the way, is it not?"

Blossom couldn't help but feel like this was a good omen that was a direct continuation of the auspicious and content way her life had been going recently. Ponies in far out communities had often very few chances if any to see royalty, so this was something of a big deal. No doubt the mayor would try and throw a celebration if Celestia was to stay at all. Thanks were being applauded to the sun princess from all over in the ever-increasing in size crowd, her sun giving life a chance to resist against the colder elements of the north.

After promising the crowd that she would be back at some point in time some day, she attempted to break through the mass and leave. Blossom spent a final moment memorizing the sight before her, but she started dashing home. Perhaps she could get Blake in time to see her on the way out.

By the time they had returned, Celestia had mysteriously already vanished, her likeliness in name to gossip on would last several months and persist regardless. It was disappointing, and few ponies could explain where she had went in a hurry.