Elite

Celestia moved through the narrow tunnel in an old form which she hadn't need use of for over two millenia. A simple white alicorn, as she were, but smaller, much smaller, and with a solid pink mane that drapped around her shoulders like a headdress, going down past her hooves. She had it braided as preparation for entering the site and helping with the final excavation.

Odd, how the pegasus even made it this far into the mountain, much less, into one of the crystals that dug into the hard rock, entrapping himself. The crystals had a very high magic resistance, and were as hard as diamonds, making it impossible for nearly anypony to do anything. Not Celestia. Her mightiness strolled over to the crystal and she only lay her horn tip to it, shatterign the great crystal into large, emerald cut gems that glittered as they fell under the lamp light.

The pegasus entrapped fell with the heavy gems, even movin some aside to stand up slowly. Then he fell, and rose again.

"Hello?", Celestia asked.

The stallion turned around, staring blankly to where she was standing. He had a gaze like he was dazed. And as just so, he let a few coughs, spreading blood over his hooves. Then he fell over, silent and unmoving.

"Bring him to the castle, and have my doctor tend to him. Right now, start tearing down this cave, leave the gems."

Nopony disobeyed, and some even freaked out, doing what she asked quickly. Standing supports were bucked down in a fit of panic, causing the whole situation to literally come crumbling down. If it weren't for Celestia's magic to hold up the cave, many ponies would be trapped. Though, as she left, she made a head coutn before exiting the mouth of the cave.

The connection with the sun hit her, feelign like a vice had been released from herentire being. But it wasn't the connection she always felt. Just what happens when she takes on her younger form.

In front of her, three unicorns held up her new guest, going through the halls instead of the walls which had been punched through. It was quite a sight to see such damage done to the castle. But with one flick of her horn, Celestia's magic repaired the castle to perfect condition. No holes, no scorch marks. Something she had learned long ago in an ancient war...

"Princess."

Celestia turned to the mare who ahd addressed her. It was the nurse.

"Oh, Nurse Heart. Good to see you. Have you gotten the news?"

"Of the...pegasus in the mountain, I was told."

"Well, even more grave than it sounds. He seems critically injured. I got to check him over with a wealth of health spell. He has several fractures, internal bleeding, and even more dire health problems. I am currently keepign him alive as best I can without actually mutating him."

"Yes, I know of your inability to heal...But...I should get to him right away. Where should he be held?"

"The gravity chamber. The weight of his own body is causing problems. Bring him there, keep him suspended."

"Thank you for your analyses, princess. I will do my best."

Celestia nodded, and the white unicorn was off in a flash.

Celestia let out a soft sigh and teleported to her room, a simple move. But it was to have access to a mirror.

Her mane was like a log hanging from her nape, sitting there like a huge pink rope. She drew the scissors she had kept by her be for nearly a decade, and looked at them closely, then at her horribly long hair. With a smile, she unwove the braid, allowing it to flow over the floor beneath her.

"Let's try a new style...", she spoke.

After about half an hour of shortening her hair, bit by bit, it was beginning to look well. Thanks to a sight spell, she could see what her mane looked like, away from her body, like a stylist at work. A few more snips and she held ehr own sight away from herself, seeign the finished product. Still very long, and still sleek, untouched, unravaged by what scissors can do to a mane. Her first manecut in over two millenia, and she did it herself, not to mention, very well.

Luna walked in not a moment later, a bit groggy from her early awakening. A bit earlier, by a few hours. Though, the first thing she did, was see the pink maned mare in her sister's room.

"Excuse me, but who are you?", Luna asked.

"Oh, Luna. You're up early."

"Tia?"

"Yes. I've just recently done this, too. Not even an hour ago. Like my new manecut?"

"It's....I...You look so different..."

"You don't remember me looking like this?"

"My earliest memory of you was with that multicolored, sparklign mane of universal beauty, which I saw."

"So this is your first time seeing me as my actualy self?"

"Yes, actually."

"So, then. What do you think?"

"It's wonderful.", Luna smiled.

"Well, almost wonderful. I still need to trim my tail, but that should be easy. A simple, lock-and-tail spell should fix that."

Celestia's horn glowed dimly and her tail was sliced by multiple crescent waves that just assaulted the length of her tail over and over, cutting it shorter until it stopped, matching the style of her own mane. Still a bit long for pony standards, but as said, sleek, straight, and clean."

"Wow. I've never seen you like this, Tia."

"Thank you, Luna. Now. I have to check up on my new...guest..."

"Guest? Is there something I should know?"

"Well, you slept through it, and that's a bit shocking. The vortex rift spell was a success, and it resulted in slingshotting an unknown pegasus into the castle. Went through every wall of the castle, and even ended up half a kilometer in the mountain, inside one of the crystals."

"That...bu that's impossible..."

"He's still alive and my personal nurse is tending to bring him back to perfect health. He would have died quickly, should I not have done something."

"May I come with you?"

"I don't see why not."

The walk to the gravity room of the castle was a short walk. Done so in case Celestia needed it upon an emergency. In fact, it was not even but about ten meters away. The inside was paved with white tile, givign it a sort of glow that didn't stop. Inside, the pegasus was held, slowly floating by. He was conscious to, and even moving barely to move himself around the room.

"Nurse heart?", Celestia called.

"She left to go get Princess Celestia.", the pegasus replied.

"Oh...Well, I'll tell her when I see her..."

"Yes, but a world still in kingdoms...Princesses, princes, kings and queens..."

"What are you getting at?", Luna asked.

"You where a crown, I presume you are the queen?", the stallion spun himself.

"Oh, no. I'm Princess luna and this is-"

"I am Tiana.", Celestia interrupted.

Luna looked at ehr sister a moment, and looked away in confusion.

"So, what happened to your mane? I saw you in the cave, and it looked like a giant pink rope was attached to you."

"Oh. A few hundred years to grow it, just decided to finally cut it."

"Well, it looks wonderful. Who did it?"

the pegsus stopped himself on one of the walls and looked at the two mares.

"I did it myself.", Celestia said proudly.

"Hmm. Well, I was told that I'll have to be in here for a few days."

"Did Nurse Heart tell you anything of your condition?"

"A few broken bones, internal bleeding, lacerations. She gave me the whole fifty two death report."

"Fifty two death?"

"Yeah. All fifty two things which could kill me, or anypony else. Including the poison which I gained from swallowing that molten crystal. Though, she said that as long as I stay in this room, I'll be fine."

Celestia smiled softly, and turned towards the darker alicorn.

"I think we should find Nurse Heart."

"Agreed.", Luna replied.

After they left, Luna spoke after she closed the door.

"Why did you lie to him?"

"Luna, I have my reasons."

"Oh, I get it.", Luna smiled, "You are keepign your real name from him so that if he is dangerous, he won't keep it from you!"

"Luna, first, that idea may need some work. Second, I have my reasons."

"Then what are your reasons?"

"Reasons which I have a choice to tell you or not. You can try and figure them out, but I refuse to tell you what they are. I have duties to attend to."

Celestia's horn glowed pink, different from her usual ligth blue aura, and her form changed within seconds, growing from a shorter version of ehrself, back to the icon of Equestria.

"I have three hours left to attend many meetings and lower the sun. by that time, I hope you will have at least slept some more."

"Sister..."

"I have to go."

Celestia turned and walked away, disappearign in a flash of magic.