Chapters The hoof-falls of two ponies echoed through the empty hallway. One pony, tall and regal with a coat of pure white silently led the way. The other pony – an electric-blue unicorn, just barely older than a filly – followed hesitantly. After a while, the hallway opened up into a round chamber. The younger pony looked up and, in the dim light, was able to make out several massive statues lining the far wall. As the older pony increased the light emanating from her horn, the younger realized that the statues were arranged in three groups of six.
Princess Celestia finally spoke. “You’re probably wondering where we are and why I brought you here today, Aurora.”
The young pony nodded meekly in reply, unable to shift her gaze from the imposing figures across the room.
The Princess smiled. “Impressive, aren’t they?”
“Who were they, Princess?” Aurora asked after a moment, finding her voice again.
“These are the Guardians, my student. Eighteen ponies who have given us the peace that we all enjoy today. Equestria would be a very different place without their labors and sacrifices. Each one is immortalized in granite, so neither themselves nor their deeds would be forgotten. Most importantly, though, each group has a lesson to teach – a lesson we must all learn to keep the prosperity that they have fought for.”
“The six on your left. Commander Hurricane. Private Pansy. Chancellor Puddinghead. Smart Cookie. Princess Platinum. Clover the Clever. These are the Founders. The six ponies who first established Equestria. I’m sure you recognize their names from the Hearth-Warming Pageant. The lesson in that pageant is still true today. You must always keep your heart open and look for friends, even in the most unlikely places. Ponies who were once enemies can unite as friends; they need only the will and desire to do so. That is the first lesson you must learn today.”
“The statues in the middle. Marshall Steelcutter. Commander Sleet. Regent Granite. Chancellor Grahamcracker. King Mithril. Duke Constellation. These are the Renouncers. Their names are probably the ones you know the least, but they were instrumental in reuniting Equestria after the reign of Discord. In order to create peace and prosperity, they were asked to sacrifice their power and their kingdoms. And each of them did. They trusted an uncertain fate, and that fate took everything they had except for one: their friendship. They were true friends, and as long as they had each other, none of them lost anything that really mattered. That is their lesson: happiness does not come from power, but rather with whom you share what you have. A pittance is a fortune when enjoyed with friends.”
“You certainly remember the six on your right from your classes.” Now Celestia had to hold back tears, for these six ponies were especially dear to her heart. “It’s hard to believe that they passed away only a few generations ago,” Celestia whispered. Picking up her voice again, the Princess continued, “These ponies are the Elements of Harmony. Applejack. Rarity. Fluttershy. Pinkie Pie. Rainbow Dash.” Celestia paused “…and Twilight Sparkle. They had much to teach about friendship, but perhaps their most important lesson is this: friendship is the greatest gift one could give or receive. But it must also be maintained. Like a flower, it must be tended and cared for or it will wither and die. But the blossoms it bears are more than worth the effort. These six ponies faced more trials than any others I know, but also I have never known a group of ponies that had a stronger friendship than they.”
Princess Celestia than fell silent again. Aurora looked back at the alicorn and finally ventured: “Are you alright, Princess?”
“Yes, my student. I’m just reminded of a time back when I showed another promising young student this room. There were only twelve then. You are free to look around this room all you wish and return whenever you desire. It is said that the Guardians reveal further wisdom to those who truly let friendship into their hearts. I cannot say whether this is true; these ponies have given so much to me – to us – in life that I have no right to ask any more of them in death. Please honor their memories and learn their lessons well. One day you may be among them.”
Aurora looked puzzled. “Me? Why would I be remembered like this? What can I do that equals what these ponies have done for Equestria?”
Celestia answered is an uncharacteristically soft voice and her eyes finally began to tear up. “These ponies have truly done much for Equestria. But, they have granted me an even greater favor. Of all of my subjects over the centuries, these ponies were the only ones, apart from my sister, to ever call me their friend.”
Clover the Clever looked all around her, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. She found herself in what seemed vaguely like a small chamber with large windows. The strangest thing about this room, however, was the white light that saturated the area. Brightness seemed to permeate the air, walls, and floor and yet did not seem to emanate from anywhere.
“Where am I? Am I dead?” the aged unicorn asked. The last thing the magician remembered was beginning a ritual. One that held the promise of saving Equestria. It was an act of desperation, and Clover was the only pony powerful enough to carry it out. Tears fell from Clover’s eyes. “It didn’t work! I’m sorry, my friends. I have failed you.”
You need not be afraid; you are still very much alive, a kind-sounding voice suddenly said. Like the light, the sound was disembodied, seeming to come from everywhere at once. You are the unicorn that not only discovered the Music of the Spheres, but performed the rituals, are you not? I am most impressed; I truly did not think any pony had the skill and magical ability to succeed.
“Succeed?” Clover echoed. Summoning up courage, the magician looked up and replied in a firm voice that belied her confused state: “I am she who performed the ritual. Are you an astral spirit, unbound by time or destiny?”
I am.
“You know, then, of our plight! The being that calls himself Discord governs our land. He not only rules as a tyrant, but he twists reality. For his own amusement, he distorts the very fabric of space, time, and magic. The astral spirits surely must oppose this affront to nature. Why do you not act?”
It is not simple, my little pony, the voice answered. We sympathize with you; We realize Discord must be overthrown. But We are above nature, We are not of it. We must not, and cannot, interfere with your world.
“So my efforts were wasted! You will not help us!” Clover cried.
Once more, it is not simple. We possess neither form nor substance. We do not exist but by the agreements we make with your world. As such, We cannot at once be as We are and change your world. But…
Clover turned at that last phrase. “But?” she asked.
You are more powerful than you know. I wish to help you, and I know another of my kindred who also wishes to help. But we cannot take forms of our own accord. You, however, might be powerful enough to bind us. To give us forms. So bound, our power will be greatly diminished, but we can then interfere on your behalf.
Clover was dumbfounded. “Give you forms? H-how can I do that?”
It will be neither quick nor easy, but I will teach you. First, you must give me a name; it is the first step of granting me a destiny. Think on it, but give me a name you feel is right. Let your heart guide you.
For the first time since entering this place, the unicorn felt hope. After several minutes of thought, the magician smiled and said in a strong, clear voice:
“Very well, I name you ‘Celestia.’”
That is a very good name.
As soon as she entered her private chambers, Princess Celestia gave a long-repressed sigh. Not only was she still exhausted from the defeat of Discord several days back (channeling the power of three Elements of Harmony was hardly easy work), but today’s ceremonies had to be performed in the Royal Canterlot Voice. Recognizing an incoming ambassador was much more annoying than it should have been. Thus, even though the formal negotiations haven’t even started yet, the Princess had one of her worst headaches to date.
As badly as Discord’s reign had damaged Equestria, the old pony kingdoms had also suffered greatly. Discord – most likely for his own amusement – allowed them to keep a semblance of government, but had forced them to pay a costly tribute. In addition, they were as much affected by the tyrant’s shifting reality as Equestria. Now that Discord was finally overthrown, they needed to recover. And since it was an Equestrian magician that had figured out how to contact the Princesses in the Astral Plane and had asked them to help overthrow the draconequus, the old kingdoms naturally turned to Equestria for aid.
However, the ponies of Equestria had begged the Princesses to stay and lead them, to which they reluctantly agreed. This meant that the Princesses suddenly had to help four kingdoms recover instead of one. When Celestia inquired into the state of the old kingdoms, she quickly discovered that they were too damaged to survive. There was only one way forward: Equestria and the kingdoms had to unite as a single nation. It was now all a matter of convincing the newly arrived ambassadors. If only they weren’t so difficult.
Commander Sleet, of the Pegasus Nation, was just as warm and friendly as her name suggested. She had immediately taken the attitude that the Princess was an opposing general, and the other ambassadors her allies. Thus, any request of concession was treated with contempt, like a headstrong centurion treats a request to surrender. At least Celestia had one advantage: the pegasus Commander had been impressed by her orchestration of the defeat of Discord.
Chancellor Grahamcracker of the Principality of Earth Ponies was at least more agreeable than the pegasus. On the other hand, she was easily distracted, flighty, and excessively cheerful. Celestia’s advisors had warned her that in every generation of Earth Ponies, a hoofful started acting this way upon receiving their cutie mark, and that such ponies were traditionally appointed as Chancellors. Celestia smiled slightly; despite these faults, she could probably work with this ambassador. After all, she had appreciated the Princess’ own sense of humor, even if she was over-entheusiastic in showing it.
The worst, by far, was Duke Constellation, of the Unicorn Kingdom. He was especially paranoid, and reacted badly to even the smallest request made by the Princess. From what little Celestia knew of King Mithril, she suspected that the monarch most likely told his ambassador that the royal sisters had come as conquerors rather than allies. The Princess found very few common qualities with the Duke, apart from a shared appreciation for the difficult and nuanced art of fire magic. More importantly, the Duke was also singularly susceptible to flattery.
Despite all of this, the day hadn’t been entirely fruitless. Skillfully using of all of her advantages, the Princess had at least got the three of them to sit at the same table with a minimum of squabbling. It was hard work, but it was more than any of her advisors had told her to expect on the first day. Maybe she had a knack for diplomacy.
Celestia smiled for the second time since she woke up this morning. After the ambassadors dined, they were to introduce themselves to the Lunar Court. Luna had always been less patient and more abrasive than her older sister. Maybe tomorrow, they will come to appreciate the reasonable advice of the Sun Princess.
The unicorns had been the first, Celestia mused silently to herself regarding the benighted landscape. They refined their magic to the point where they could command the sun itself. From what she had been told by the oldest ponies, the sun had looked different in the days before Discord. Its appearance was influenced by the magic used to draw it forth, and the spells the unicorns used to propel the sun across the sky colored it a brilliant blue-white.
I wonder what color it will shine for me? While the unicorns taught her the spells necessary to bring the day, Celestia was an alicorn. Her magic was at once more powerful and infinitely subtler than anything the unicorns could conjure. Celestia recited the steps in her head.
Let’s begin. First, paint the sky. As Celestia cast her spell, she felt the distinct sensation of being an artist drawing a brush across canvas. The darkened sky changed, first into a deep violet and then lightening into a ruby red.
Not quite the color I remember. Celestia recalled what the sun looked like during Discord’s reign. Usually, it changed colors several times each day. Other times, it took on several colors at once, bathing the landscape in eerie and unnatural hues. Only very rarely was Discord’s sun constant for more than a few minutes. The final day of the Chaos Tyrant’s reign had been one of the constant days: the sun shone with a dull red light all day, seemingly portending the fall of its abuser.
Next, bring forth the sun. As Celestia continued casting, the sky continued its procession of colors. The red lightened into fiery orange, then a pale yellow, then a light green. Suddenly the alicorn felt a new sensation, akin to drawing a bow across a stringed instrument. The solar disc began to peek out over the horizon. It shone with a fiery orange light that changed to a deep gold as the star continued to ascend.
Lastly, raise it up for all to see. Like raising a glass, the alicorn lifted the sun further into the sky until it reached the point where it would continue across the sky on its own. Celestia smiled; her sun was a striking gold-white. Finishing the spell, she regarded the landscape lit for the very first time since Discord’s fall. The First Princess of Equestria turned back towards the city that would be Canterlot.
Let the rising of this sun mark the beginning of Equestria’s greatest age.
