Celestia's tiny white hooves hit the snow-laden ground with all the might of a filly far too young to have the burden on her shoulders, the carriage she pulled along her barrel creaking and shaking from the uneven rocky ground. She carried her little sister, still just a newborn, and used all her magic just to keep the both of them warm and safe. Shed been running for so long now she couldn't even keep track, her pure alicorn physiology allowing her to maintain the kind of strength impossible even for others in her race. Her inventory was a mere 2 blankets and a single serving of dried fruits shed been saving for her sister.

The stars had vanished from the night sky at some point during celestias journey, along with the warmth the sun had provided. She hated the nights cold death grip on the world, and she became sick of the moon she used to admire. For whatever reason, its multi-hued pale celestial body had went bleach white, with non-descript craters forming along its circular surface. Ever since her mothers death, the world had been in a perpetual twilight. The sun was just below the horizon, while the moon remained stagnant in its position in the north.

While caught up in her own thoughts, Celestia tripped but caught herself, silently praying she hadn't woken the sleeping foal on her back. Surely enough, the tiny cornflower blue goddess was still resting peacefully on her back. She had rationed whatever food shed had, hoping against hope that it'd be enough to get her through this hell.

It was so cold. Her magic was running out, and even the magical heating gem her father had brought with them during the trip to Minos was running out of fuel. The white alicorn almost gave up hope before she saw a too-massive oak tree. It reminded her too much of the forest that sprang up around her mother, like a protective tomb of vines and trees. There had been guards with them on the trip, but for some reason her father had told them to return to the homeland halfway through the trip back from the minotaur kingdom. They wanted to put up a resistance, but her father had been quite adamant, even giving the poor guards a direct order. Their father was kind and never gave orders, so it was a shock even to Celestia.

The former princess squinted and saw the faint shape of a tall, lanky mare with a graying purple coat and a mane that was mostly white, save for three remaining streaks of gold, purple, and pink. She wore a dark blue cloak that obscured her thin, elderly body. She had saddlebags with a six pointed star on the clasp on one side and some sort of strange familiar symbol the filly couldn't recognize right away. Celestia could almost cry from exhaustion, yet she did not dare to stop running until shed reached the elderly mare. She hadn't seen the sun in days, the moon remaining stagnant after her mother.. No, she wouldn’t think of such things when she was so close to safety.

With that final thought, she used the last bit of her golden magic to reach the mare, collapsing in a heap in front of her but making sure not to disturb the cornflower blue foal in the carriage strapped to her back.

With victory finally secured, the alicorn closed her eyes. Before she felt herself fully depart from the world, she felt the warm touch of the mares light pink magic, like a comforting blanket. It lifted her, and carried her inside. She awoke with a start and sat upright, accidentally bumping her head on the too-low bed ceiling above her. She groaned in pain. Her whole body felt so sore.. Wait. Celestia's eyes shot open and she looked around, looking for the mystery mare or her baby sister. She got up from the hole in oddly comfortable wooden alcove-bed and looked around, searching for a door or an exit. When she finally found one she tried to levitate the handle open, but a spike of pain shot up her over-taxed horn and she gingerly dabbed it with a hoof to ease the pain. She shook her head and opened the door, stepping through to the other side.

The room beyond her could only be described with 2 words. Cozy, and overwhelming. It was a circular room with several windows and alcoves, with stacks of books so ancient some of them looked older than their owner, and gadgets, weapons, and all sorts of trinkets lining every inch of the place. The ceiling was a wooden tapestry lined with enchanted gems and carved wood. There were the star beasts her mother had created before her birth, several strange alicorns she couldn't identify, and many ponies and scenes she wasn't familiar with. In the middle of this tapestry was 2 revolving stylized sun and moon symbols in a yin-n-yang symbol. It was all quite intricate, made with an artistry shed only seen from the professionals back in her homeland that graced their palace with tapestries of the royal family and all their achievements.

It looks like the elderly greyed lavender mare cleaned up a bit for her guests however, as the floor was still walk-able. Speaking of, Her eyes immediately locked onto the cloaked aged mare cradling her sister, sitting on a window seat in an alcove. Now that she could get a better look, celestia realized the mare was far older than she first realized. She looked older than even the withered tree she lived in. Her mane was completely greyed out except for 3 dull streaks of faded orchid, pastel gold, and a lavender that was a shade darker than her coat, all wrapped up in a high bun and bangs that went just above her faded purple eyes that still glinted with youth and curiosity. Her coat was the exact same shade as her mother before it was corrupted before she passed, surprisingly. Aside from the obvious difference in saturation. The mare had abandoned her saddle bags, Opting to only keep her coat on. She had long fetlocks and had ancient unicorn hooves that ended in a layer of dark covering. She didn't have the ancient unicorn tail nor the unique crescent-moon shaped horn that they were known for, however. A hybrid of sorts?

From what celestia could tell when she looked out the window, they were far above the ground, which was strange as what she assumed was the tree house they were in wasn't all that big. The mare herself was strange. She was old and looked almost ready to keel over and pass from the mortal realm at any moment, yet radiated a strong sense of power shed never felt before. It was like the body was a mortal, but her soul was not. If she had the tools to dig deeper, she'd be able to tell that this mares very essence was linked to something far greater than even herself.

The filly edged closer to the mare, speaking in a low tone. “H-hello?” she spoke in a voice far too hoarse to be her own. She hadn't spoken a word in who knows how long unless it was to shush her crying sister, or to cry herself at the resurfaced heartache. The mare looked over and smiled. A kindly smile, one that has seen through a lifetime of pain.

“Oh, dear. Did I wake you, my little pony?” she spoke in a gentle, raspy voice. Yet it was filled with so much power the filly almost buckled, if it wasnt filled with so much kindness and compassion the filly definitely would have.

“N.. No. I was just wondering who you are, and why you're holding my sister?” celestia took a step forward. She didn’t trust this stranger yet, but she was tired and needed to rest her sore hooves.

“I am twilight starswirl. It is nice to meet you, filly.” the mare shot the filly a sympathetic look, but a frown crossing her aged features. “Do you mind explaining what's happening? The Goddess appeared in my dreams and spoke to me of an urgent manner.” the mare pursed her lips. She obviously wanted to say more, but she wanted to give the white filly a chance to explain things.

The filly sat down next to the mare and told her story. How shed come back from a diplomatic mission from Minos, the ruins of her life, and how shed managed to avoid any pony settlements to avoid complications. Shed spoken of her mothers instructions to find her. Twilight starswirl, for her part, merely nodded along and made several mental notes. She did frown sadly at the news of the goddesses demise, lowering her head in mourning then lifting it back up to face the present. "So you travelled from mount canterhorn all the way in the heart of equestria to the middle of the frozen north in.." twilight looked at a nearby calendar and the clock then back at the filly "3 proverbial days, 2 nights, with a full size heavy carriage, almost no food, and a baby to boot?" at the shocked reaction of the fillys face, twilight assumed she hadnt been keeping track of time. She cringed inwardly at her lack of hospitality and suddenly set the alicorn baby in her hooves down to get up.

"You poor dear, no wonder you look starved. Come with me," she exclaimed softly, worried eyes scanning the semi-malnourished and exhausted white alicorns body. It looked like her young goddess physiology allowed her a feat no mortal could do, especially with how she traversed half the frozen north just to get to the mare.

The mare draped a comforting hoof over the young filly, holding her tight to her chest and pushing her into a hug. Her body was definitely cold, but it still held a sense of strange warmth.

Celestia began to tear up a little, quickly trying to collect herself. She spoke again quietly, Softly. “Thank you for saving us, miss twilight. Ill repay this debt as soon as I can.” she softly claimed through the soft crying and hiccuping.

“My dear sweet child, there is no debt to kindness and generosity. My goddess came to me in my dreams before she.. Left this world. She asked me to take care of you and your sister. Its not a favor, nor is it a debt. Don’t you worry about any of that.” the mare comforted, putting a grayed lavender hoof on the filly's withers.

“Thank you, miss.” she said sincerely, smiling and nodding slowly. The mare nodded back, then gingerly got up.

“Do you have your mantle yet?” she asked, patiently waiting for an answer. One that the filly couldn’t provide. She scratched her head and looked back at twilight sheepishly, grinning awkwardly. “Erm.. No.. I doubt i even can now.” the unicorns eyes widened as she gazed upon the filly. There were alot of questions on the aged unicorns mind, and many of them were thankfully solvable.

“Looks like I have a lot to teach you, young one.” smiled the elderly mare, the filly flanking her as they descended the stairs down to the kitchen.

Author's Note

this is what twilight looks like. if you cant see the image, go to my IG on @fablebitme