The Opposing Sides Of Life

Chapter 5: The End Is Only The Beginning

The Next morning.

The smell of grilled daisy sandwiches filled the air. The smell of daisies was concentrated bye being the heat from cooking it. This was a smell that wasn't like anything that Celestia or Luna had smelled before. The aroma brought the two sisters from their sleep.

Luna yawned "Tia what's that smell?"

"It smells like daisies... But better." Celestia said.

"well let's go down stairs and get something to eat." Luna said.

The two sisters got out of bed and got ready. Celestia brushed Luna's hair and Luna had done the same for her sister.

"Tia you have such a beautiful mane." Luna said.

"Thank you. So do you." Celestia said as she started to brush her sisters hair. "We should go down and eat soon though."

After Celestia and Luna finished getting ready they went downstairs to see what was for breakfast. Strawberry Shake was in the kitchen talking with Sundance and Nightlight. "Oh look who it is. Finally decided to get up and come down to eat? It's almost Ten o' clock you know." Strawberry said with a smile. "Come take a seat there's a lot I with to talk about. Now what do you two want to drink? Lemonade or would you rather try my famous Strawberry Twist Shake?"

"Oooo I want to try the shake it sounds good." Luna said. As she took the shake form Strawberry. It was in a tall glass and was filled with strawberry ice water and kiwi with a slice of lemon on top. Luna had happily started drinking it with a smile on her face.

"So what do you two like to do?" Strawberry asked.

"Watching birds and butterflies. oh and flying too!" Luna said happily

"I like studying magic and playing games with Luna." Celestia said. "And flying!" Luna added with the smile.

"Oh that sounds like alot of fun. How do you like being able to use magic and fly?" Strawberry asked handing out the food.

"It's really fun. It feels so cool flying, The cool breeze and weightlessness of you feet. Me and Celestia and only move a short distance but it feels so cool. Magic is fun too. It's cool how spells are created and how they work." Luna said.

"Oh I bet. It must be so nice to be a Alicorn." Strawberry said.

"How did you know we were Alicorns?" Celestia asked with a questioning look.

"Oh. Your parents were telling me about it. It must be great knowing that you two will one day rule all of this land." Strawberry said with a happy sigh.

They all stopped eating and were staring at Strawberry.

"What are you all looking at. What did I do?"

Night sighed and looked at Celestia and Luna. " I suppose we had to tell you two someday. When you two were born everypony was shocked. Nopony had ever saw a pony that had not only wings but horns too. Also you came from earth pony parents. A lot of things were said about it. We took you to Doctor Featherhoof and he gave us a book. It was a book Starshine The Great the great had wrote. He was like you, an alicorn. His studies were interesting. He came up thought that Alicorn's were put on this world by the gods. He said that they were meant to rule this world. But he also said that it wasn't just any alicorn. It was the children of two Earth Ponies. It said they had the Brightest coats and biggest hearts. He wouldn't see them.Not in his lifetime. So everyone believes it is you. But you must not tell anyone about this. If someone heard about it and forced you to use power it in the wrong way it could be devastating. You must not let anyone know about this kind of thing. Don't even tell anyone about theory of Alicorns they may piece it together and word may get around." Night said finishing with a sip of Strawberry Twist Shake.

Luna and Celestia just stared at their father for a while. Celestia's mind was wild with thoughts and questions. She held them though. Luna was doing the same.

Celestia broke her stare. "We won't. Don't worry. We promise right Luna?"

Luna shook her head. "Yes we promise." She said with a smile.

"Good now let's go look around Canterlot. Strawberry is going to show us around today." Night said. Sun sat across from him and nodded her head with a smile. "Alright shall we go then?" Night said.

The five ponies walked around Canterlot sightseeing. They stopped at the sweets shop and had some cake. When they got inside Luna and Celestia's Jaws dropped. There was cakes, ice cream, cookies. They had tiny ones. Ones that were taller than them. You name it they had it. Luna was in paradise. Here and Celestia went around smelling all the cakes. They then spotted it. It was a table. A table full of cakes and fresh cookies that had a huge sign on the front that said. Free samples. The two ponies ran full tilt at the table and started eating everything in sight. Night and Strawberry ran over and started pulling Luna and Celestia off the table before they ate everything there was. Sun went up to the counter and asked the pony behind it for some treats to take with them. Strawberry and Night finally got the two sisters calmed down enough and they left. They all walked around Canterlot learning about the ways things are made and how Canterlot came to be. Celestia and Luna were having the time of their lives. They all came to a story tellers tent and went inside.

"This is Madam Star's tent. She is a psychic. Ask her a question or ask to see something and she will show you." Strawberry said with a smile.

They sat down around the psychic's table.

"Hello my name is Madam Star." A voice said coming out form behind a curtain. Madam Star sat in her chair. She was a short Unicorn with a dark grey coat and mane her voice was crackly. "What is it you seek my friends?"

"Celestia you go first." Sun said with a smile.

Celestia thought for a second. "Has Luna ever taken from my secret stash of cookies?"

At hearing the word cookie Luna's head snapped to Celestia.

"Ahh let me see." Madam Star said with her horn lighting up. The crystal ball in front of her started to glow too. It showed Luna hiding under Celestia's bed while she slept eating the cookies from the box that was under there.

Celestia just turned and stared at Luna. "So it was you. I didn't think I ate all those cookies." Celestia said with a irritated look.

Luna laughed and started thinking of a question. "Oh I have one! Will we ever find a new home and live with mommy and daddy forever?"

Madam star closed her eyes and her horn lit up like before. Then she shuddered. What she saw took the breath out of her. She heard the howl of a wolf and all that could be seen was blood. She had slowed her fast paced breathing and opened her eyes. They were all staring at her.  "Well... Well it seems that is to far beyond my vision. I'm sorry I must go now." Madam Star said as she got up and quickly went behind the curtain.

Everyone just stared for a second then got up and left. Luna knew something wasn't right. She should have been able to see something like that. She had just shook off the thought and carried on walking. Strawberry had told them how Madam Star was one of the best psychics anypony has ever heard of. It would be dark in a while so they decided to go up to the mountain's overlook and watch the sunset. The road winded as it went out of Canterlot It followed a dark path lit by some lanterns hung by the trees of the Everfree forest. It was a fairly narrow path, made out of dirt until the base of the mountain then changed to stone steps. It fair walk from the outskirts of Canterlot to the base of the mountain.

"Strange.. Usually there's a lot of ponies on this path." Strawberry said but she couldn't lose the feeling that she was being walked but ignored it continuing to walk.

Sun and Night were walking behind the three others. It was a beautiful night out and they made some small talk and admired the night's sky. Celestia and Luna were talking to Strawberry about their adventures. Luna kept on looking behind here at the trees, she had done this a few times and was earning some strange looks from her sister. She paused for a second and so did everyone else. Something was watching them form the forest.

"What is it Luna?" Celestia asked.

"Uhhhh.. It's nothing I just thought I saw something." Luna replied.

"Oh.. well then Strawberry what did you do when you were a filly?" Celestia asked as they carried on walking.

"Oh let me think. Oh yes when I was a filly your father and I ran around and played in the village you grew up in. One day we got bored of the same thing doing the same things over and over again. We decided that we would go exploring outside the village. We went and looked at shiny rocks and ponds. There was one spot in a clearing not to far from the village that was just absolutely amazing. We sat there for a while and then our father came and found us. He was about to grab us and drag us back to the hut. We started to run. He chased us for a long time before we finally had enough. He ended up tackling us and we were honestly scared. He stared at us for a second then started laughing. We walked back to the hut but not without a lesson. He taught us about the evil things that were in the forest and that we should never go in there. It was just a ruthless place. There were beasts with fangs the size of a pony's leg. We never left the village again. Well that is until that we feared for our safety and I took my mother and father to Canterlot. This is when your father met Sundance. He decided to stay here with her. He wrote me letters and sent them. I don't know how he got them here. I think it was someone he met. Recora's friend that was a Unicorn. If I remember it right. I don't think he ever met the Unicorn but he knew Recora." She said with a smile. "Now tell me more about you two practicing magic and flying."

Celestia smiled. "Well magic is very interesting. You see..."

Luna's ears started to swivel again and she stopped to listen. Right before she turned around there was a horrific scream and the three whirled around. Sundance was gone. Night had a frozen look on his face. He was completely frozen with shock and fear. Seconds later there was a big grey flash and Night was on the ground. A grey wolf was on top of him biting at his fur. Luna stood with a horrified look on her face. Celestia and Strawberry started to scream at the wolf but it just kept biting at Night's hide.

"Get away."

Celestia's horn started to glow. "I said. Get. Away."

A blinding white light filled the sky. There was a loud fizzling sound and a few seconds later the white light dissipated. Celestia lay on the ground breathing heavily. Luna was on her knees trying to comprehend what had just happened. Strawberry was now on her knees at Night's side.

"Everything is going to be alright. Just keep calm." Strawberry said in a panic.

"N.. No. It's to late for me. It's my *cough* It's my time to go." Night said with a shrill fading voice. He was covered in blood. He was moaning with pain. His mane was matted with blood and dirt.

Strawberry looked over to see Celestia on her hooves and running over to them. She had a look of devastation on her face and Luna was right behind her sharing the same look.

"Daddy." Celestia mumbled starting to cry. Luna was just staring at the ground with her eyes starting to tear up as well.

"Daddy don't go...." Celestia said with what could barely resemble words.

"Shhhh Celestia. I have to. Just remember these two things. *cough* One. Always look after your sister. Two. Your mother and I will *cough* always be there. Just look up to the stars and talk. We will hear you. We will always guide you. You and your sister both have full lives ahead of yourselves." He said then moving his eyes to his sister. "Strawberry. You do the same and please..... take... take care of them...." Night  whispered letting out a heavy breath.

Luna started crying into Strawberry's chest and Celestia did the same. Their crying muffled the sound of Strawberry's own quiet sobs.

"Shhh it's ok. I know how you feel. He was my brother. But you must remember he will always be there. For all of us." Strawberry said with a few sniffles.

The screaming and bright light Celestia had shot off had attracted a lot of attention from Canterlot. Ponies were all gathering around and to see what happened. A few ponies from the crowd didn't waste on anytime in helping. The others just stood around watching in horror. The three were all helped to their hooves and helped walk them home. A lot of ponies were taking Night off of the path and others were removing the now charred remains of the wolf.

Celestia just couldn't get the picture out of her head.She kept seeing the wolf tearing at her father's hide. "W.. Where's mother?" She asked one of the ponies from the crowd.

"I'm sorry. I haven't saw her. I don't think anypony has." The pony said.

It was the sound of his voice that made her fully realize what had just happened. She started to feel dizzy. There was a bunch of clatter from hooves hitting the stone path and voices yelling as everything went black.