Familiar Skies: Part 1

Despite the disappointing turnout of the costumes, Rarity had set off towards the school, determined to deliver them. Never mind the fact they weren't as special as she wanted them to be, they needed to arrive at the school before the play.

Rarity was already most of the way to the school when she heard the first ominous roar of thunder. She jumped and felt her skin crawl. The thunder had been so loud, it almost felt like it had rumbled directly in her ear. She shot a worried look up at the sky, and was terrified at the sight of a massive, dark cloud covering the previously blue sky.

Her slow canter quickly turned into a hastened trot. Her magic sparked and fought against her as she carried her box stuffed with the mediocre costumes. As much of a disappointment as they were to her, the last thing she wanted was for them to be ruined in the rain. She was also terrified at the prospect of her mane being ruined.

Thunder continued to roll across the darkening sky, rumbling the nearby buildings as Rarity ran by. The school was now in sight, just a few more city streets, and over a small bridge. And then, the downpour began.

A light drizzle quickly turned into a sharp shower of icy cold water. Rarity yelped as she continued to run, her coat and mane being coated and soaked. She tried to keep it out of her mind how the costumes in the box were fairing. She hoped the cardboard lid would be enough to keep them dry.

The soft dirt beneath her hooves quickly turned to slippery mud. Rarity let out a small scream as she slipped and fell to the ground. Mud splashed in every direction, and she was tempted to just lie there and cry out her feelings. The day had already been stressful, but the sudden and harsh rain was close to sending her over the emotional edge.

Despite this messy set-back, Rarity stood again and began a more careful run towards the school. Her hooves rang an echo over the bridge as she ran, and she hoped that she was still on time. The thought hadn't crossed her that this rain would set back the play. At the moment, the only thing keeping Rarity going was the determination to deliver the costumes on time.

The last stretch of the path from the bridge to the school finally came to a close, and dramatically, Rarity slammed open the back door of the school's outdoor theater. The fillies and colts inside jumped at the noise, and their attention was immediately drawn to the small unicorn at the door.

Rarity slowed her walk and dragged in the box full of costumes. "I'm here! I'm here!" She called out, using a muddy hoof to swipe a wet strand of hair out of her vision. She knew she looked a mess, and she would cry about it soon. But for now, she didn't want to let down her teacher and fellow peers.

Rarity's teacher dropped the mop she'd been using to clean up excess water, and rushed over to her student. "Oh... dear hold on, let's get you cleaned up." She fretted, looking around for a spare cloth or towel. The small unicorn that stood before her was soaked in icy rain water and stained with mud.

"No- wait, I brought the costumes!" Rarity stammered, pushing the box forward and towards the teacher. Her teacher flinched at the sudden movement, but carefully peeled open the lid of the box. She smiled kindly at first, as she began pulling out the costumes, marveling silently at her student's resolve to deliver the costumes, despite the terrible storm outside.

She made a mental note to bring up this courageous (and dangerous) feat to Rarity's parents.

"That was very... kind of you dear." Her teacher commented. She shuddered as she lifted the costume lying on the top of the pile. The soaked fabric was cold to the touch. "Although... I'm afraid with the weather..." She trailed off, glancing back at her other gathered students. They'd already been informed of the terrible news, and were waiting for their own parents to arrive.

She turned back to Rarity, who stood at attention, waiting desperately for her teacher to say something- anything. "You see, because of this sudden storm..." Her teacher was hesitating on her words. She knew what had to be said, but if she saw another heart-broken filly's reaction, she just wasn't sure she could handle it. Then again, she was a professional, and had to have more resolve than this.

Her teacher sighed, and she set down the costume she'd been holding. Mindlessly, she wiped her hoof against the other as she spoke. "I'm afraid, Rarity, that the play has been canceled. We simply can't perform in this storm, and we don't know how long it will last for."

"Perhaps we can squeeze it in for next week... or maybe the week after, before classes begin. But well, the others are waiting for their parents to pick them up... Perhaps you should do the same. I can wait with you until they arrive." Her teacher kept a kind, and well-meaning tone of voice. And, despite her own disappointment at the sudden turn of events, it was her duty to ensure her students both knew the truth, and were strong enough to deal with it.

Rarity's small ears pricked and folded against her head. She felt her stomach plummet. And finally, after the most stressful, desperate, horrible, messy day she had EVER dealt with in her (admittedly short) life- she finally snapped.

First, her lip quivered and trembled. Then her large, blue eyes filled and began pouring out comically large tears. And finally, she gave into despair. She threw herself onto the floor and wailed, loud enough to echo and rattle the walls of the tiny backstage area. She buried her head in her hooves and cried, not caring for the scene she was making in front of her peers and teacher.

"Oh my..." Her teacher sighed. No amount of kindly dressed words or professional language could have saved this foal's day from being ruined. And no amount of professional training could have prepared her for this foal's reaction, or current state. Carefully, she moved the box out of the way and walked over to her other students, who were clearly disturbed by the scene laid out before them.

Quietly, the teacher stepped around Rarity and walked to the other end of the room, picking the mop back up. Rarity continued to cry and wail, her pent-up grievances over the terrible day she'd had finally being let out. She was oblivious to the rest of the room and world at that moment. She could only focus on the terrible heartache she'd been forced into.

Truly, this was the worst day in her ENTIRE life!

Though not the worst day in her life, today seemed just as lifeless and dull as all the rest that work common work days for Pinkamina. The sky was still its usual dark grey, though no rain poured from the heavy clouds. They simply sat still, covering all underneath in a boring, sad shade of grey.

Pinkamina rolled the last, small pebble into her work pile, and solemnly followed her family into their farmhouse for dinner. Which would also contain rocks of some variety. Pinkamina stood in line has her family slowly made their way inside. Their movements as bored as Pinkamina felt.

The tiny pink pony gave a final look at the sky. She didn't know why she was so fixated on the sky today. It was always this lifeless and dull. Today hadn't been any different.

And yet, somewhere down deep inside, she felt compelled to look up at it. The tiniest spark of hope lit up for a moment in her heart. And then, that feeling was gone, just as quickly as it had come. She turned her head away, losing all interest in looking up at the clouds.

She stepped into her family home, and took her seat at the table. She knew how the next few hours would play out, the way they always did. They would eat, her father would recite the family traditions and rules before bed. She would fall into a dark and dreamless sleep. She would wake, and work would begin all over again. The same things, over and over... and over.

Despite the repetitive nature of her life... Pinkamina wished, just a small wish- but she wished to feel hope again... even for a fleeting moment.

As Sunset and Celestia stepped off the carriage and onto the smooth pavement of the Castle grounds, Sunset let out an involuntary yawn. She quickly shook her head and kept walking. Today had been more exhausting than she was willing to let on, though her body was making the reactions for her.

Sunset slowed her walking pace as she felt Celestia close beside her. Evening was almost here, and Sunset still had a few final tasks to do before she could settle down for the night. She nodded to an attendant who handed Sunset her task list. Just a few items left... She noted as she gazed down at the sheet.

Celestia had been right earlier, they were simple enough tasks to do that didn't require her Queen to be present. Though they had been at the entrance exams longer than Sunset liked. As she walked Sunset heard Celestia humming quietly.

To any other pony they would simply take that to mean nothing of interest, or that their Queen simply liked to hum to herself. But, for ones close enough to Celestia, they knew it meant she had something particular on her mind.

Sunset looked up from her task list, raising a curious brow as she addressed Celestia. "Is there something on your mind?" She asked, not caring to dance around the subject.

Celestia drew her gaze to Sunset and smiled. "Nothing important." She replied, and began walking past her student. "I was just wondering if you'd like to have some tea before you finish your work for the day. We were out for a while, I should think some tea and snacks would be nice." Celestia continued.

Sunset began walking again, notably at a distance from Celestia. "I'd like to," Sunset replied, drawing her attention back to her sheet. "But I'll have to decline for tonight. I'm pretty tired from being out... those exams took longer than I thought."

Sunset began making her way down a separate hallway, calling out to Celestia as she walked away. "Thanks though. I'll see you tomorrow!" Sunset rounded a corner and disappeared out of Celestia's sight.

Celestia stood alone in the royal kitchen. The staff had already left for the night, and now was the time that Celestia enjoyed being in the kitchen most. She was ever grateful for her staff, but they would fuss over her being in the kitchen, insisting that they prepare any and everything for her.

Celestia quite enjoyed cooking- in any form it took. And, she enjoyed making things for herself, when she could find the time. Now, she stood over the stove, a teapot boiling and bubbling as the essence of the tea soaked into the water, and colored it a pale yellow pigment. Celestia enjoyed every process of making tea, watching with fascination how each step progressed, and ended in a final, soothing drink.

Technically, one of her magical prowess could easily make tea appear whenever she wanted. She could heat the water up instantly faster than a stove, and make the tea any flavor she could come up with.

But Celestia hardly gave those ideas much thought. Magic was vastly important to her world and very existence... but it wasn't everything. Celestia, though being the sole ruler of Equestria, found solace in being able to cook herself a simple meal or brewing tea, while using minimal amounts of magic. She had been alive a long, long time. And more than ever... well since Luna was gone... she felt the ability to take care of herself, to cook for herself, brought her the tiniest amount of control to her own life.

Rules and schedules, meetings and proceedings dictated most of her waking hours. And when she was asleep... All her mind could do was remind her of days gone by. Lives she'd known, and that were long since passed. Now, and only now, could she find peace in these quiet moments. And she found she was clinging onto the few real connections she'd been able to make.

Maybe she was selfish for keeping Sunset within the Castle's walls. Maybe she wasn't the right mare to have raised Cadence. Maybe she wasn't the right one to lead all of Equestria.

...But, regardless, she was in the thick of it now. She'd made her decisions. She'd chosen to raise the sun all those many, many lifetimes ago.

She'd chosen to rule alongside her sister, and guide pony kind in its earliest of days.

She'd chosen to ignore her sister... and she had also chosen to banish her when it was far too late.

She'd chosen to keep that lost foal... and she'd chosen to raise Cadence as her daughter... if only to have someone around to disturb the constant loneliness she had felt.

She'd chosen to take on students of magical promise... and she'd chosen Sunset Shimmer.

She'd chosen to keep Sunset here, and give her a position forever at her side...

And now... what else would she have to choose?

Celestia poured the tea, and stirred in spoonful's of sugar. She walked with her cup and took a seat beside the window. She didn't care to go out to her balcony. Whether there or not, she would begin to lower the sun. Her horn lit in a golden glow, and she gently, slowly, began lowering that bright ball of light down past the horizon.

She mindlessly sipped at her tea, her thoughts still tangled in guilt and worry. Truly, she didn't know what she could do next. She had asked Sunset to be at her side, and for what?

The excuse that her sister- Nightmare Moon would someday return? Celestia knew that day was fast approaching... and she couldn't make her student, her closest ally deal with her mistakes.

And yet, despite that guilt... Celestia didn't know what she could do. She had lost touch with the Elements the moment she had banished her sister. She was lonely and clueless. No better than a foal lost without their mother.

As the last of the sunlight vanished over the horizon, Celestia's magic turned to a light blue as she began raising the moon. The pale glow emanating from it made Celestia feel all the more guilty.

She felt the last of her resolve dissipate as she stared at the crater formation on the face of the moon. The silhouette stared back at her, taunting Celestia with its stillness.

Her magic released and Celestia turned away from the window. She stared down at her drink and pondered. Centuries of life experience flooded into her mind and overwhelmed her.

And then- a thought struck her. It was a small one, not really of much note... but it made her pause. It was just a small question, and one that had crossed her mind before, though she hadn't thought about it any further.

But it intrigued her. Celestia quickly rose from her seat and levitated her cup to a nearby counter. Not wanting to waste any time she teleported herself into her Castle's library. She looked around and quickly began walking down isles of ancient texts. She came to a small cove within a corner, and opened the door.

Inside were the oldest of writings known to her kind. Most of the texts inside couldn't be read by ponies, as the languages were as dead as those who had written them. But, Celestia had been versed in most every ancient or dead language.

Her magic lit up specific books and pulled them to her. Each one opened and floated around her. Celestia stood in the center of the room, rapidly flipping through the pages of one book, then moving onto the next.

The thought she'd had... it had turned from a simple idea, to a question she needed to know the answer to. It was louder in her mind now, and had taken over every other thought in her mind. Her eyes skimmed the pages quickly, hoping to find something, even a small mention of something that would give her an answer, or at least a vague idea.

Was it possible... even in the slightest amount, that someone else could wield the Elements of Harmony?