Chapters Equestria, a land of: green grass, blue skies and filled with pony civilians. Canterlot, a beautiful city, built by the hooves of earth ponies and populated by the magical unicorns. Inside the castle at the top of the mountain where Canterlot lies, resides the ruler of all Equestria, Princess Celestia, in her: big, beautiful, marble castle. The princess is inside preparing for her faithful student and her friends to arrive.
"Excuse me, may you please straighten that portrait?!" the Princess politely ordered a mare servant who was passing by.
"Right away Princess!" the mare acknowledged and began adjusting the portrait till it appeared straight.
The Princess grimaced, "Can you turn it a little to the left?" The mare moved it more left. Celestia shook her head, "To far, a little right!" The mare adjusted again, and Celestia once again was not impressed, "Left!"
The mare stepped away from the portrait and studied it, "Princess, not to go against you word, but this looks straight to me."
"Well it does not look straight to me!" the Princess raised her voice and it sounded like it went through a megaphone. "Now fix it!"
The mare bowed to hide her face, "Sorry Princess, right away!"
The mare turned around and was about to fix the portrait, when it became enveloped in a transparent black and sparkle filled wavy outline and moved a little to the left. Celestia and the mare turned around and saw another alicorn standing in the doorway entering the corridor, with her horn glowing. "Thank you Soap Bubble," the alicorn ended her spell and her horn and the portrait stopped glowing, and smiled, "You are dismissed."
"Yes Princess Luna." Soap Bubble bowed to Luna and then to Celestia, "I'm sorry Princess." She than ran out of the corridor.
The dark purple alicorn, then slowly walked to her twin sister, her black and dark purple mane flowed magically behind her, with no wind. "It has been a long time since you have used the royal voice," she stated.
Celestia exhaled and sad sigh, "I didn't mean to yell," she put her neck on her sister's as to show greeting, then withdrew it. She then looked at the portrait, "I just want everything to be perfect."
"Now dear sister, you have been working yourself rugged for three days preparing," Luna stated. "You almost missed you own sunrise this morning. You must take a break and relax."
"I know I must..." Celestia began to respond, but turned to the window directly behind her and looked out it. The window looked out into the royal gardens being lighted by the sun on a brilliantly bright day. She continued, "It just has to be perfect."
The purple alicorn studied the portrait and absorbed her sister's words. "A Family Reunion," Luna read the title of the painting and Celestia turned her head, but did not say a word. "The day that Nightmare Moon an: evil, jealous, deity, who wanted to shroud Equestria in eternal night..." Luna turned to face her sister and smiled broadly, "Became the: nice, friendlier, Princess of the Night, who raises the moon every night, but lowers it when it is time for the sun to bring a new day, Princess Luna."
Celestia gave a slight smile; "I know what you are trying to do..." she turned her head back to the window and observed the residence of the castle watering the royal flowers, and shining the marble walkways. "You and Discord may have seen the errors of your ways, but... He's a different story."
Luna watched her sister's brightly colored mane flowing in the same magical way as her's. "We've beat him before, and he hasn't had a chance to regain his magic, maybe he has changed."
"No!" Celestia snapped, and turned fully around to face her sister with a stern look. "He will never see this land again... Not as long as we are here."
Luna eyes grew wide, she had never been yelled at by her sister before. "You are right... It would be to risky too release him." Luna began to walk out of the doorway she entered, but then stopped, "I just wish all three of us were in that portrait," she then walked out of the corridor.
Luna's hoof steps grew feint and when they could no longer be heard, "Me, too," Celestia said to herself.
Celestia began walking to the other end of the corridor, when the sound of hooves approached the entrance behind her, "Princess Celestia, you highness!" a male voice called.
Celestia recognized the voice and turned around, "Yes, Golden Quill."
Golden Quill bowed, "Princess Twilight and her company have arrived."
Celestia frantically looked out the window and stared at the sun, "Its noon already?! Shoot!"
Golden Quill rose up. "Shall I tell them, to come back later?" he studied the white mare closely. "You look as if you need rest."
Celestia shook her head, "No, tell them I will arrive shortly."
"Yes, your highness!" Golden Quill bowed again then ran out of the corridor.
Celestia chuckled a little. She closed her eyes and her horn glew yellow, then her entire body became enveloped with the same hue, then the hue grew brighter, and brighter. The color faded to reveal a well rested-looking Celestia, "I still prefer sleep," she turned to the entrance Golden Quill and Luna entered and left in, and began to trot out of the corridor. "But a rejuvenation spell doesn't hurt once in a while."
"The Princess will be here shortly, us, Princess... She has to finish a task first," Golden Pen explained to the purple alicorn and her five friends.
"Do you know what task the task was," the Princess asked.
"I am not sure Princess Twilight, that..."
"Pleas call me Twilight," the Princess politely instructed.
"Oh, yes... Your highness, a thousand apologizes," the stallion bowed. "The Princess never mentioned what she was to finish... Come to think of it, she never really said she had to finish a task... She just said 'I will be there shortly', then I came here, and now I'm rambling, aren't I."
"Well duh," the blue mare with the rainbow mane agreed.
"Rainbow Dash!" the mare with the purple mane scolded.
"What? I'm just answering his question Rarity," Rainbow Dash defended.
"Now Rainbow, be nice," the light brown mare with the blonde mane tied up, to resemble straw being bailed together. "We're guest in this here castle, let's not be rude."
"Do you have any snacks?" the pink mare asked unexpectedly.
"Yes..." Golden Quill answered off guard. "Just straight down the hall the third door on your left..." He pointed down the hall. "But, wh..."
With that the pink mare took off, "Pinkie! Come back here!" Twilight ordered.
"I'll get her Twilight," the light yellow mare reassured her.
"Thanks Fluttershy," Twilight agreed. "But be back before the Princess gets here!"
"Sure," Fluttershy promised, and began to fly to the room that was promised to hold snacks.
Golden Quill threw his hoof in his face, and shook his head, his black and red mane waved with his shaking. "The Princess will not be happy with me. I haven't introduced myself, I'm letting you run about, hay!" he began to pace. "I haven't even offered you a seat. I'm a mess."
Rainbow Dash leaned closer to Twilight, "Wow Twi, he's perfect for you..." Twilight's eyes grew wide. "Hay, he even has the pace down perfectly."
Twilight's face grew red with embarrassment as her friends giggled at her. "You guys! I told you I'm not ready to find a stallion yet!"
"Relax Twilight darling. We're only playing with you," Rarity comforted.
"It may not be a bad idea to start looking for a stallion to help you, my faithful student," Celestia's voice came from behind Golden Quill, who stopped pacing and froze.
"Princess!" everypony said off guard and bowed, except Golden Quill who didn't move.
"Princess!" Twilight ran up to her former teacher and rubbed her neck on her's. "It's great to see you again."
"It's great to see you, too," the Princess returned the greeting and everypony stood up and she smiled. Celestia looked at them and smiled. "Where are Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie?"
"Snacks for Pinkie and Fluttershy went to check on her."
Celestia gave a soft chuckle, "Pinkie Pie is always hunting for her sweets." Her eyes wandered to her squire, "He froze again didn't he?"
"Does he always do that?" Rainbow Dash flew up to him and tapped him with her hoof and he didn't even flinch. She moved back a little in concern.
"I'm surprised he had a conversation with you," Celestia admitted.
"Well, why's that?" Apple Jack asked. "Is he snooty and uptight?"
Celestia chuckled again, "Not at all. He's just nervous around mares..." Celestia explained, "He rambles on and on, then he just sort of crashes when somepony catches him talking to a mare."
"Oh, that's cute!" Rarity admired and walked up to the statued stallion. "He finds one of us attractive," the rest of the girls blushed a little.
A stomach could be heard growling in the back, "Sorry ya'll," Apple Jack apologized. "I thought we'd be eating by now."
Celestia acknoledged the earth pony's statement, "Then we shall go and eat in the garden."
"Boy howdy! I can't wait to eat some of Canterlotian cuisine," Apple Jack rejoiced.
The mares began to walk to Celestia, but then stopped in front of Golden Quill who still stood there. "What are we going to do about your new statue Princess?" Rainbow Dash asked.
Celestia put her hoof up to her chin, "Well all you really have to do is this..." Celestia withdrew her hoof and pulled it back, then rushed it in a forward sweeping motion, smacking the stallion's flank.
"Whoa!' the stallion fell on his face. Rainbow Dash laughed, while the other three had looks of shock. Golden Pen pulled himself off the ground slowly, and looked at his Princess, "It happened again didn't it?"
"Yes," Celestia answered calmly. Her horn flashed and so did Golden Pen, who levitated to his hooves.
"One day I'll overcome you, you stupid obstacle." Golden Pen shook his hoof at the ceiling.
Celestia smiled and placed her hoof on his shoulder, "We can overcome fears later..." the Princess began, "But for now, let us feed our guests."
Golden Pen bowed, "Yes, Princess!" With that he ran into a castle hallway and disappeared.
"Is he always that... Uh, excitable?" Rarity wondered.
Celestia smiled, "Always has been, always will. Ever since he was young, he's always been like he is." Celestia sighed, and turned back to the mares, "Let's go eat!" They all rejoiced and Apple Jack began jumping like Pinkie Pie. "First, let us find Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy."
"Pinkie, we should get back!" Fluttershy softly commanded.
Pinkie Pie jumped out of a vat filled with chocolate pudding. The now brown colored mare bounced in front of the yellow Pegasus, "And miss out on all of this!" she wrapped her incredibly long tongue around herself and spun around fast and the chocolate pudding disappeared into the mare's smiling mouth. The pink again mare bounced excitedly, "Are you crazy?!"
The chefs in the kitchen glared angrily at her because of the hoof tracks on the floor, chocolate on the walls, and for ruining Princess Luna's pudding.
Fluttershy gave a shy smile to the angry chefs, who went back to work. She looked back to where Pinkie was standing, but Pinkie wasn't there, "Pinkie?"
"Over here Fluttershy!" Pinkie called with a slice of cake in her mouth.
"Pinkie..." Fluttershy trotted up to the ravenous mare, "we have to get back to the others."
"But this cake is so good!" Pinkie took another piece of cake and ate it in one bite.
A chef with a very tall white hat and a tweedy moustache stomped up to the pair and yelled at them in a fancy accent, "Aund what dooo you sink you are doing?!"
Pinkie laughed in her usual way, uncontrollable and loud, "You sound like Apple Bloom when she had the cutie pox."
"I doo not know zhes Apple Bloom, nor do I care too know. I just want you..." he motioned his hoof vigorously between the two of them, "out of mye kitchon!"
Pinkie Pie laughed harder, "Kitchon!"
Fluttershy shyly smiled and blushed in embarrassment, "We'll leave right away."
"NONONO!" Pinkie objected in her laughter, "I want to hear him say more words!"
"Git out of mye kitchen, before I call zhe guards!" the chef threatened.
Pinkie Pie was rolling on the ground laughing harder than ever before in her life. The chef looked even angrier; Fluttershy leaned down to Pinkie, "We should go... Now."
"Sahahay mohahare!" Pinkie demanded through laugher.
The chef's face grew red, "Guards! Guards!" he called.
Two white pagesi decorated in golden armor and a golden head dress with their blue buzz cut manes arrived through the door. "Yes Master Chef!" they responded in unison.
The chef pointed at the two mares, "Arrest zhese two!"
Just as soon as they were ordered the guards seized the two "Intruders". Pinkie Pie stopped laughing and put on an angry look, "Hey, get off me, I want to eat more caike!" Pinkie burst into laughter again when she mocked the chef.
Fluttershy shook her head, and had a depressed look, and the chef laughed, "Au revoir!" he waved with a wicked smile.
The pegasus guards began to drag the two mares away, Pinkie struggled to get free, while Fluttershy let her hooves drag along.
"What's going on her?" a familiar soothing voice asked.
"Princess!" Master Chef said taken aghast, he bowed followed by every one else, even the guards. "We were just escorting zhese tow kitchen wreckors out of zhe castle," he explained
Twilight deadpanned, "Pinkie, what did you do now?"
Pinkie snorted, "Did you not hear his voice? Speak more!" she demanded.
Master Chef grew red in the face, Princess Celestia began to chuckle, the chuckle then turned into laughter. Everyone gave an uncomfortable laugh. She then stopped after a few seconds and so did every one else. "Let them go please!" Celestia ordered patiently.
The guards immediately released the mares who went to their friends' sides. Master Chef's mouth flew open, and his eyes grew wide, "But... But, Princess..." he stuttered. "Zhese two, have ruined everyzhing... Your cakes, Princess Luna's pudding and..."
Princess Celestia interrupted him, "And you are my Master Chef..." she turned around and faced the mares, "you should be able to make replacements immediately right." She winked at the mares, who acknowledged the gesture and smiled.
Master Chef's face grew pink in embarrassment, "Of Course I can..." he threw a hoof on his chest, "I can do it fastur zhan you can say, 'Giant hats make zhe stallion."
"Giant hats make zhe stallion!" Pinkie mocked.
Master Chef squinted his eyes angrily, "We are not done here," he stated.
"Well duuuh, because you're over there..." Pinkie pointed her hoof right in front of her, "and you're not here."
"You gotta admit, she's one of a kind," Rainbow Dash laughed.
"Come on ponies, now that everypony is here, let's go to the garden!" Celestia corralled them, out of the door.
They gave a collective, "Yea!", and walked out of the kitchen.
"Hold on a second!" Celestia turned around back into the kitchen. She walked up to the chef, "Did she eat any of the banana cream pie?"
"Uhh," the chef turned around and saw the freshly made yellow pie he made. He turned back around, "No Princess, she did not."
Celestia giggled, "Good make sure that gets out there. I've been craving that all day."
Master Chef bowed, "Yes Princess," with that Princess Celestia trotted back to the group and they continued their way out of the castle. When they could no longer be heard, Master Chef released a loud sigh. He turned around to face the kitchen staff, who stood there trying to hold back their laughter. He stood up straight, closed his eyes for a second, then opened them with authority on his face, "Well what are you standing around for!" he stomped his hoof on the ground. "We need: four caikes, Princess Luna's poodding remade, and anozer banana cram pie! Now move!" With that, the kitchen became alive again with rushing ponies trying to prepare the last of the sweets.
Outside in the garden, the six mares, and the twin princesses sat in the garden and made small talk, while Golden Quill brought them their food and refreshments.
Celestia told stories about the historic figures, and Luna told the stories of the Zodiac ponies. While listening to the stories: Pinkie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Apple Jack, watched Gold Quill as he ran back and forth.
Princess Celestia took notice of this, "Golden Quill may you come here."
Golden Quill filled up the rest of Pinkie's punch cup and ran over to Celestia, and bowed, "Yes, your highness."
"Sit down and enjoy this lovely day with us!" she peacefully ordered.
Golden Quill's eyes widened, he drew in close to his ruler. "You mean sit down with you and all of these other mares and eat and... Talk?" he whispered nervously.
She smiled confidently at the party, then turned her head, so her mouth was close to his ear. "Yes," she whispered back.
"Princess I must oppose. There is much work to do, and I must make sure my duties are attended to," he made a quick excuse.
Celesia put her hoof to her chin, "Let me think... You are my personal assistant, and as my personal assistant you do whatever work I give you. Right?"
Golden Quill looked at the mares in the corner of his eyes, and blushed a little. "Well, it is a beautiful day out and the food does look, we made..."
"Then sit on down partner!" Apple Jack scooted over to make room.
"Now that I think about it..." Princess Luna began, "Where is my pudding?"
"I don't know Princess, but it was good!" Pinkie Pie answered with her mouth full of cake.
"And what does that mean?" Luna wondered.
Golden Quill sat down by Apple Jack, but he tried to make as much space between him and her. His horn began glow a brighter yellow than him and so did a cupcake that levitated to his mouth. He took a small bite and looked up, every pair of eyes were on him, he nervously swallowed while adjusting his square glasses. He turned bright red, "Nice weather were having today." He looked at Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, "The pegasi sure do know what their doing with the clouds."
"Actually, I don't even do anything to the weather," Fluttershy humbly stated.
"Yeah! Just because a pony has wings, doesn't mean she plays with the weather!" Rainbow Dash scolded.
The yellow hue disappeared from his horn and the cupcake, which fell to the ground. Pinkie looked at the frozen stallion; she snuck up on him and began to poke him. "Oooo he's like a stallion statue..." she thought for a second, "A stallitue," she laughed at her new word.
"Rainbow Dash why'd you scare him?!" Twilight scolded.
"Excuse me for defending my kind?" Rainbow defended.
"Now now, ya'll. Let's not get bent out of shape," Apple Jack stepped in. "Yes, his comment may have been a little racist, but hay, every race has their stereotypes that everypony pokes fun at."
Luna walked up to Golden Quill, "I can see into the dreams of sleeping ponies..."
"Wait! You can see into dreams?" Rarity fretted.
"Yes, and when it comes to your dreams..." Luna shuttered, "I wish I wasn't able, too," Rarity blushed and frowned. Luna turned back to the living yellow statue, "I have seen his dreams before. He does not live in Canterlot, he has no horn..." she tapped his horn, and he wobbled a little, "He lives in the clouds, with wings and a wife. They're soaring in the skies, while teaching a young filly..." Luna's horn and Golden Quill became shrouded in a black outline. Golden Quill started to rise above the ground; he was about fifteen feet up when the magic shroud disappeared. "To fly!" she finished her statement with enthusiasm.
"Are you crazy?!" the mares questioned in unison.
As he fell Golden Quill's mane flowed upwards, he blinked furiously and screamed, "Not Again!"
"Again?!" Rainbow asked. She took off in a mad flying dash to stop the stallion from hitting the ground.
He began to glow, and looked as if he exploded in a brilliant ball of light. He appeared with the same intensity on the ground right back in the spot he originally sat in. Rainbow Dash stopped and turned around with an astonished look so did every one else, except Celestia and Luna.
Golden Quill breathed heavily, but then slowed. "Honestly I love the feel of that wind every time," the wind blew his mane back.
"Your welcome," Luna smiled.
The mares awkwardly laughed, Rainbow Dash landed and landed back in her seat. Twilight shook her head, "How did you do that blink spell?"
He looked at Twilight, "I've been raised in the castle since I was born. Princess Celestia taught me everything about magic, so I know a bit about magic."
"Kind of like me," Twilight realized. "Except I wasn't here when I was born, and I don't live in the castle anymore." Twilight glanced at her teacher, "So why did you need us here today Princess?"
"Ah, yes that," Celestia remembered. "We just wanted to celebrate the creation of Equestria with our favorite ponies."
"Over a thousand years ago, two alicorn sisters, one who raised and set the sun, and the one who did the same with the moon, discovered a land were peace and harmony could reign. So they inhabited the world with subjects that had similar characteristics as them. With that Equestria was born," Twilight explained.
"Yes, my star pupil," Celestia congratulated. "And together Luna and I..."
A large clash of thunder sounded close and a flash of lightning appeared to strike the castle. Fluttershy jumped and hid behind Rainbow Dash, every one looked up. Erie dark clouds began to roll above them virtually blocking out the sun.
"It's not supposed to rain today," Celestia whispered to herself. With that it began to downpour.
Rarity screamed, "AAAAAHHH, my glorious mane!"
"Everypony inside!" Luna commanded. No one waited, they all ran for the open door leading into the castle. After Apple Jack was inside, they closed the doors.
"Is everypony okay?" Twilight asked.
Apple Jack shook herself dry, "Of course, it's only some water."
"You may be able to say that. But look at my mane!" Rarity whined, as she pointed at her dripping mane.
"Those pegasi are going to answer to me!" Celestia threatened. "They do not intrude on a supposed to be beautiful day, just to pull some prank!" She stomped off and every one nervously followed behind.
"Why do you think they're pulling a prank?" Golden Quill asked Luna silently.
"I don't think it was them," Luna stated.
He raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"
There was no time to answer because they were in the throne room, and on the throne sat a figure in a green cloak. Celestia stopped, as did the rest of the party.
The figure raised its head slightly and his white teeth could be seen in his shadowed face. "Dear sisters," his voice was deep and haunting.
Luna went beside her sister, "He's Back?!" she said with concern.
Celestia's pupils shrank as her eyes widened, "That's... That's impossible."
The figure laughed, "But of course it can, as you can see, I'm here... Where I belong!"
Author's Note
I'm not really sure how the French talk, I'm just going off how I think how they would talk.
Princess Celestia and Luna pushed the rest of the party behind them, and readied themselves as if they were going to be attacked. "Who is that, Princess?" Twilight asked confused.
The figure disappeared from the throne, as if he was never there. The group began to look around for him with no luck. "Who am I? She asks," the air whispered in every ones ears. "Dear sisters, why do they not know about me?"
"How did you break out of your containment?" Celestia snarled.
The air gave a wicked laugh, "Because you are weak, and I have my power back, Tia!" The sound off hoof steps sounded from behind them. The party turned around to see the cloaked figure standing tall behind them. He bent down and smiled, "Hello..." he smiled, "my little ponies."
Fluttershy fainted and Apple Jack quickly went over too comfort her, "It's okay, sugar cube, it's okay."
Rainbow Dash began to flap her wings and floated up in front of the tall figure, "Hey pal! What's the big idea?! Scaring us, especially Fluttershy like that!" she scolded.
He laughed, "At least you kept one thing the same." Underneath his cloak, a dark blue hue burned brightly, dimly lighting his face. His face was like that of Princess Celestia, except there was a barely visible scar under his right eye that was just a brighter blue than he was, and his dull grey eyes flashed as he watched them. The dark blue hue gathered around Rainbow Dash, her wings stopped flapping and she began to struggle. She drew closer to him, while she floated he examined her, "My, my, you certainly are a strong one aren't you." He pulled Rainbow Dash's wings apart, "Nice feathers. You must preen often."
Rainbow Dash blushed as her friends slightly chuckled, "I don't preen! That's not cool."
"Well it's better to preen then not take a bath," he reassured her.
"I take as many baths as the next pony!" she objected. "Now put me down!"
"Put her down, Cloud Bringer!" Celestia demanded.
The figure took notice of the alicorn's request and began to lower Rainbow Dash to the ground, "As you wish," he said. When Rainbow Dash was on the ground she trotted back to the rest of the group and watched him in silent hate. He looked at Princess Celestia, then at Princess Luna. He began to lead his hoof to his hood, he then lead the hood off of his head and down the back of his neck. His full head could now be seen, and his grey eyes fell on each of the ponies, they all felt a sudden chill on their backs. His eyes fell back to the other alicorns, "I'm surprised you remembered my name, Tia."
"How could I forget the name of one who tried to take over Equestria?" Celestia questioned.
"I'm confused Princess..." Twilight intervened, "There's only been a few ponies who have tried to take over Equestria in all of history," she pointed at Cloud Bringer, "Who is this?"
Cloud Bringer disappeared, "The one who reads all day, and all night, doesn't even know who I am?" he questioned. He reappeared on the throne, "I didn't know it was possible to rewrite history."
The group turned and Celestia gave him a furious look, "You don't belong in the books. You were threating the whole kingdom of Equestria."
"And Nightmare Moon didn't?" Cloud Bringer smirked. "Oh, yes I know all about it. How sweet little sister Luna became jealous of her beautiful night being shunned by all of the subjects, just so they could admire Celestia's glorious sun that brightened the sky." Luna's eyes narrowed as she gave a scolding look at the stallion on the throne, "She wanted too shroud all of Equestria in her beautiful night, but was stopped by the hero of the hour; Princess Celestia."
"Enough!" Celestia demanded. "Unlike you, Luna has admitted to her crimes, and she has paid her debt to society. You could..."
He disappeared and reappeared right in front of Celestia, "I didn't commit any crimes. I was defending a race of ponies from tyranny, and enslavement," he explained.
"What is he talking about Princess?" Twilight questioned.
Celestia looked at her faithful student. Cloud Bringer appeared next to Twilight, and lowered his head close to hers, "Yes Tia! What is he talking about?" he mocked her.
Celestia's horn began to glow brightly as she hovered off of the ground, and she roared, her eyes turned completely white, "You will never see this land for all of eternity!" she announced as the spell went off. A flash of bright light surrounded the area, and every one screamed.
"I can't see!" Pinkie shouted.
"Me neither," Rarity responded.
Rainbow Dash squeaked, "Hey, whose hoof is that?"
"Sorry," Golden Quill apologized.
Fluttershy woke up, "Oh my gosh," she said startled. "What's going on?"
"My pupils feel like they're being branded!" Apple Jack cried.
The room came back to normal color, and the stallion was gone. Everyone rubbed their eyes and began to search the area, "Where did he go?" Twilight asked.
Celestia fell to the ground, and everyone gathered around her, "He's gone for good this time," Celestia explained out of breathe.
"Are you alright sister?" Luna asked while comforting Celestia.
"Yes," Celestia answered. "I'll be fine. It's just that the banishing spell takes a lot out of me."
Twilight sat on the ground next to her teacher, "Who was he?"
Celestia stared at her student, then looked at the other faces staring right at her, with the same question on their faces. Celestia looked at Luna, who gave her a nod, then sighed, "That stallion was..."
"Is your brother, you mean," the stallion's voice entered the room.
Celestia's eyes widened, while everyone else gasped, "How is this possible?"
A grey cloud entered the room, and hovered above the party. A slight drizzle began to fall on them, when the water stopped, the dark blue stallion fell out of the cloud and onto his hooves on the floor. He walked through the crowd, who moved out of his way, and made his way up to Celestia, he lowered his head to her level and grinned , "Like I told you sister. You are weak."
"But that spell..." Celestia began.
"Takes a lot of magic to conjure," he rebuttled, "Something you don't have."
"Can somepony tell us what's going on?!" Twilight demanded.
The stallion dragged his head to the purple alicorn, and stared at her, "Why, yes, Princess," he bowed and reappeared on the throne again. "So what do you want to know?"
"Who are you?" Twilight asked.
"Cloud Bringer, I believe that was mentioned before."
"Do you have any chocolate cake?" Pinkie asked.
"Yes I do," he pulled a cake out from behind him. "I just got it from the kitchen."
Pinkie Pie tried to move towards the cake, but was stopped by Apple Jack grabbing her tail, "Pinkie, you can't just go up to some random pony that the Princess just tried to banish, and take a cake from him," Apple Jack explained through clenched teeth.
Pinkie pouted and sat down in a humph. Apple Jack let go, that's when Pinkie sprang up and ran over to Cloud Bringer and ate the cake in one bite, "Mhmm, that was some good caike," she bursted into a laughing fit as she trotted back over to her shocked friends.
"Any more questions?" Cloud Bringer asked while reclining on the throne.
"Where did you get that amazing cloak?" Rarity asked in awe.
He grabbed a piece of the fabric and brought it in front of him, "Oh, this old thing. It was made for me by Small Stitch."
Rarity's mouth flew open, "Small Stitch..." she looked at her friends. "She was the first seamstress ever. She lived over a thousand years ago."
"A thousand years ago?!" they all questioned at once.
Rainbow Dash stepped forward, "What is your relationship with the princesses?"
Cloud Bringer smiled, "Brother."
"But there is never any record of a male alicorns," Twilight explained confused. "And there is no evidence that there was ever a brother to the creators of Equestria."
Cloud Bringer shook his head, "I know a shame they're depriving everypony of their history."
"Stop this Cloud Bringer!" Celestia demanded.
"But why Tia?" Cloud Bringer pouted. He smirked and pointed at the other ponies in the room, "They want a little history lesson, and I want to teach them."
"No, I won't..." Celestia's mouth was zipped shut by a zipper that appeared there.
Cloud Bringer sat up in the chair, and his horn stopped shimmering. He cleared his throat, "Let's go back to a thousand years ago, when Equestria was young, and so were we."
"Come on Tia!" a younger, smaller Cloud Bringer urged his sister, "We're almost there!"
"This isn't fair," Celestia complained as she scaled the steep hill after her brother. "How come Luna gets to ride on your back, but I can't!"
Luna looked at her sister and grinned wickedly, "Because he loves me more, duh."
"Now now girls," Cloud Bringer stepped in, "I don't love either of you two more than the other." His horn lit up and Celestia began to levitate off of the ground, and was placed on her brother's back next to Luna. Celestia stuck her tongue out at Luna, who humphed angrily. Cloud Bringer chuckled as he continued to walk, "Better?" he asked.
"No!" Luna objected, "Tia takes up too much room!"
"Hey!" Celestia argued.
"Stop it you two!" Cloud Bringer's voice sounded as if it were put through a megaphone, Celestia and Luna shrank. "Sorry, I didn't mean to yell," he apologized, "But if we can't get along, we'll never see what we are suppose to do here."
Luna began to survey the landscape, "What do you think we're suppose to do here?"
"Maybe we have to figure out where we come from?" Celestia suggested.
"That maybe harder than you think," Cloud Bringer quarreled.
"Well, why do you think that?" Celestia questioned.
"Well..." he began, "Think about it. We're three alicorn siblings, who woke up two days ago, and we live in a land inhabited by nopony else."
Luna hummed loudly, and threw a hoof up in the air when she had an idea. "Maybe we have to morph the land into our own creation!"
The older siblings looked at their younger sister in astonishment, "Where did that come from?" Cloud Bringer said in awe.
Luna shrugged her shoulders, "I dunno"
"Do you think that's a possible idea?" Celestia asked her brother.
Cloud Bringer continued to walk up the hill, but was caught up in his thoughts.
Luna stood up carefully on Cloud Bringer's back, hopped over Celestia and fluttered up to her brother's head and laid on it. "Do you really think nopony else lives here?"
"Well we haven't seen anypony else in the two days we've been here," he answered.
They reached the top of the hill. Celestia hovered down from her brother's back and stood beside him, while Luna sat up on his head. They all stared at the amazing scene in front of them.
A brilliantly green valley, with a plethora of plant life with rich fruit and vegetables, and a beautiful mountain range in the background. "Whoa," Celestia gasped.
"This place is so beautiful," Luna agreed.
"Well how about we actually see what's down there?" Cloud Bringer suggested.
Luna began to gallop down the hill, flapping her wings excitedly. She giggled, "Last one there is a Tia!"
Celestia grew angry and launched herself towards her bubbly sister, "You're so going to get it!" she threatened.
Cloud Bringer chuckled as he began to trot down the hill, "I don't want to be a Tia."
Luna was the first one into the bundle of trees that sat at the foot of the hill and began to look for a hiding spot. She decided to hide behind a tree as Celestia entered the woods.
"Luna get out her! Now!" she commanded.
Luna silently giggled as her sister walked right pass the tree she was hiding behind. After a moment or two, Luna decided to remove herself from behind the tree and began to walk on the path that Celestia walked down. Luna began to look around at the trees as they passed, and thought to herself, "You'll never scare me Tia."
The leaves fluttered in the breeze, a bush rustled lively next to Luna. Luna pretended not to notice the noise, and continued to walk. A smile crossed her face as she walked by the bush, and she slowed her walk. She stopped and turned to the bush, "You'll never scare me Tia!" Luna lunged at the bush with a laugh and fell right into it, she laughed as she thrashed around the bush. She stopped after she realized there was no one else in the bush, Luna popped out of the bush and wondered.
"Luuuna," a whisper was heard.
Luna began to look around, "Hello?" she asked the forest.
The only thing that was there was the forest barely blowing in the breeze. "There is nothing in that bush... Luna," the forest answered.
Luna began to chuckle, "Alright Tia, you had me going for a minute, but now I know it's you."
The wind stopped, and an eerie chill came into the air. Luna shivered as she looked behind herself worriedly, but nothing was there.
"Okay Tia, I maybe a little scared," Luna admitted. A high pitched scream was heard in the distance. Luna wasted no time, she began to run in the opposite direction of the scream. "Okay, I'm really scared now," she panted.
She looked behind as she ran and only saw the forest, but she still ran. She stopped running when she hit the body of another form, and fell down. She looked up, dazed, and saw a tall figure peering down at her, "Do I scare you?" it asked in a creepy voice.
Luna screamed, "Tia help me!"
"She'll never come..." it smirked as it raised a limp body, "Never again."
"Tia!" Luna shouted as she realized it was her sister.
"Now for you to join her my dear!" it said as it licked its lips as it lowered its head towards her.
Luna scooted away from the figure, but her back hit the back of a tree. She was trapped, and the figure was approaching her. She began looking for an escape, but found none. She threw her hooves over her head, "Cloud Bringer save me!"
The figure stopped approaching and laughed, and the laughter of someone else was added as well. Luna removed her hooves and saw the forms of her siblings, laughing at the at her. "You should have seen the look on your face," Celestia laughed as she rolled on the ground.
Luna puffed up, "That wasn't funny."
Cloud Bringer laugh turned into a soft chuckle, "Oh come on Luna, with all the pranks you've pulled on us in the past couple of days. It's about time for some payback."
"What?! Name one time I've pranked you!"
"What about the time you 'had your hoof sliced off by that branch,'" Cloud Bringer suggested.
"Or that time, your hoof was trapped between two rocks, and you couldn't get out," Celestia added.
"Or when you put poison ivy in my salad."
"Or..."
"Okay, I get it..." Luna interrupted, "I guess I've pranked you two a lot." Luna stood up and brushed the dust from her coat, "But come on they were funny."
Cloud Bringer rolled his eyes, "Yeah, giving me seven heart attacks, and an itchy throat all in one day was funny."
Luna turned around on the to the path and began walking, "You guys worry too much..." Luna stated. "You guys just have to stop worrying so much."
Celestia deadpanned, "So we shouldn't worry about you tripping on that exposed root?"
"Yes," Luna answered. She kept walking and tripped over the exposed root her sister just pointed out to her. Luna fell on her stomach, tears forming in her eyes, she began to whimper.
Cloud Bringer immediately ran to her side and comforted her, "It's okay sweetie," he rubbed his head on hers.
Luna blushed and pushed his head away from hers, "I'm fine," she stood up, "I can walk on my own." She began to walk, with an obvious limp, she winced and whined with every step.
She began to glow in a dark blue hue and levitated to his back, "You don't have to play the brave girl."
"I'm not playing..." Luna pouted, "I am."
"Aww, that's cute," Celestia cooed, "she's trying."
Cloud Bringer turned his head towards Celestia, "Stop! Or you walk."
Celestia rolled her eyes and her eyebrows furrowed, "Fine."
Luna sat on Cloud Bringer's back, "I'm sitting on your back because I want too, not because you made me!"
Cloud Bringer chuckled, "Isn't it always like that? You coming Tia?"
Celestia uncased her wings and flapped them, she flew in the air and landed on his back. Once she was on his back, she closed her wings again, "So where are we going?"
"To the valley," Cloud Bringer began to walk.
Celestia looked confused, "Why the valley?"
Luna wiped away a tear from her eye, "Is it talking to you?"
Celestia face hoofed, "Don't be so ridiculous Luna! Valleys don't ta..."
"Yes it did," Cloud Bringer interrupted. Celestia's mouth flew open, as she stared at her brother in wide eyed disbelief. "Well it didn't speak to me, like we are, but it just has this gravitational pull that interests me."
Celestia shook her head, "You must be crazy! What would one spot do for us?"
Cloud Bringer continued to walk, "Maybe it holds some answers."
Luna leaned in towards her sister, "Maybe he's lost his mind."
Celestia nodded her head. "You guys know I can hear everything you guys say right."
The two fillies blushed, "You weren't suppose to hear that!" Luna shouted surprised.
"It's kind of hard to not hear you two, when you're on my back."
Celestia looked passed her brother's head, and saw the opening to the valley, "Hey look!" she pointed in front of them, "There's the opening."
"Let's see if what answers lay in our wake," Cloud Bringer said confidently, as he pushed into the light of day.
Author's Note
Sorry it took me so long. I would blame the delay on school work, or just work in general... But I have to blame this on my own laziness, it kicks in quite often.
The Valley of Inspiration
"So we walked all of that way..." Celestia swept her hooves across the land, "for a bunch of grass."
Cloud Bringer began looking around, "Do you feel that?" he asked.
The two fillies exchanged a concerned look, "No," they answered in unison.
"Quick get off, I want to see something!" he ordered them eagerly. They climbed off of his back, and he took off to the sky. He climbed higher and higher, while his sisters watched, he climbed so high that he looked like a speck in the sky.
"What's he doing?" Luna asked without taking her eyes off of her brother.
"I don't know," Celestia answered, "But he is going to do something."
And he did, he started flying in a circle, his speed began to pick up. The sky looked as if it was distorting, it was shrinking, collapsing in on itself. Then the most surprising thing happened. Water began to fall from the sky, it hit Celestia and Luna in the face.
"What is this?" Luna removed the water from her face.
"It's water..." she responded, "but from the sky."
They looked up again and noticed that there were other things in the sky besides their brother. They were some that were white and fluffy, and others were a sort of greyish. The grey ones began to glow a dark blue, then disappeared from existence, while the white ones flew high. Cloud Bringer began to descend to the ground.
"Whoa!" Luna said in astonishment. "What do you call those?"
"What those?" Cloud Bringer turned in the sky and pointed towards the sky. "I don't know, they just sort of appeared." He placed his hoof on his chin and hummed loudly, "How about: cloud?"
"That sounds like a good name," Celestia agreed.
Luna pointed at her brother's flank, "Look at that! There is picture on your butt."
"What?!" Cloud Bringer looked at his flank with concern as he landed, "What the hay is that?!"
There were three looping lines that appeared to be moving a cloud to a different location. "You never had that before," Luna wondered.
Celestia examined it closer, "This picture appeared when you made the clouds up in the sky," Celestia deduced.
"Okay, but what is it?" Cloud Bringer questioned.
"Maybe it symbolizes who you are," Luna suggested.
Her siblings looked at her again in amazement, "How do you do that?" Celestia asked her.
Luna shrugged again, "I dunno,"
"Okay. Let's play along with this," Cloud Bringer began, "This mark tells a pony what they can do. So what do we call it."
The sisters thought. "How about Destiny Bond?" Luna suggested.
"No," Celestia disagreed, "That makes it sound hopeless. How about Truth mark?"
"Hokey," Luna stuck out her tongue, as if disgusted. "How about Cutie mark?"
"Cutie mark?" Celestia pondered the name.
"Yeah, because it's like a birthmark and too be honest, it's kind of cute."
"You know. That may actually work," Cloud Bringer agreed.
"Yeah, I kind of like it," Celestia added.
Luna celebrated her victory, "Yay! I discovered something new!"
"Yeah, yeah!" Celestia rolled her eyes. She turned her attention to her brother, "So your talent is making clouds?"
"I guess so," Cloud Bringer said unsure.
"Well they are very pretty," Luna added. "How did you come up with the design?"
Cloud Bringer blushed, "Aw, you know the whitish plant we saw that one time," his sisters nodded, "Well kind of like them I guess. Nothing special."
"But what about the water that fell from your clouds?" Celestia asked.
"Water?" Cloud Bringer wondered, "What water?"
"You know, the water that fell from your clouds."
Cloud Bringer wondered, he pawed at the ground and finally realized it was wet. "I made water fall from the sky." He thought for a second, "For now on this is called rain!" he decreed.
Celestia gave him an inquisitive look, "Are you just making up words, or are they already made?"
"When you're the only ponies on the land..." Luna jumped in excitedly, "you can make up all the words you want."
Celestia looked up at the sky, there was the blue sky and the white clouds. "How is the sky so bright? There is nothing there to shine light."
"Not sure," Cloud Bringer looked up. He then turned his attention to Celestia, "But you're good with light, maybe you can find a way to explain it."
"Do you really think so?" Celestia asked her brother with wide eyes.
"Well I have my cutie mark, time for you two to get yours."
"Come on Tia," Luna urged. "Make the mysterious light, not so mysterious."
"Okay, I'll do it!" Celestia announced confidently. She stepped forward and began to flutter her wings, she ascended to the sky like her brother did, but at a slower rate due to her smaller wings. She stopped in the sky when she was high up enough, and began to look around, "Okay, now what?"
"What do you think she's going to do?" Luna asked her brother.
"I don't know, and she doesn't seem to either."
"Make a light big enough to brighten up the whole land," Celestia said to herself. She hummed while thinking of an idea. "Eureka!" she exclaimed as she came up with the perfect idea. Her eyes began to glow, then her whole body erupted with light, Cloud Bringer threw a wing over Luna's eyes and closed his tightly. "This is the perfect thing!" There was a large explosion in the sky.
Cloud Bringer opened his eyes, and stared to the sky. "Tia!" he shouted as he saw his sister falling from the sky. He pushed off of the ground with a mighty flap and took to the sky, he flew faster than ever before. He stretched out his front legs and caught Celestia, who looked up at him, "Are you alright?"
She nodded, "Yeah, just a little tired from making that," she pointed up to the sky.
Cloud Bringer looked up and saw what Celestia had made. It was a giant yellow orb that floated in the sky, and radiated its brilliant light over the whole land. "You made a giant ball of fire,"
"Yes... Yes I did," Celestia smiled with this response.
"Well it's very beautiful," he landed on the ground and laid Celestia down. He shaded his eyes with his hoof, "And very bright."
Luna ran up to them, "Are you alright Tia?"
Celestia nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine."
"Hey!" Luna pointed at Celestia's flank, "You have a cutie mark!"
Celestia pointed her attention to her backside, a wide smile crossed her face, "I have my cutie mark!"
Her flank showed a big orange ball with other orange spikes coming out from it. Luna's eyes sparkled as she examined it closer, "So pretty..." she looked at her sister, "What are you going to call it?"
Celestia looked at Cloud Bringer, then to the sky. She looked at her creation, "Well if we can name anything whatever we want..." she pointed up to big orange ball, "It will be called the sun."
"But you didn't give birth to a colt," Luna said confused.
Her siblings laughed, "No, not as in a living, breathing son. I mean, it is like a son, but it's on fire, so change the 'o' to a 'u'."
Luna pouted. "What's wrong Luna?"
"It's not fair! You have your cutie mark, and now Tia has hers!" she crossed her front legs. "I want mine!"
Cloud Bringer messed with Luna's mane, "Don't worry..." he reassured her, "We all get our cutie marks when we find out what we're good at."
Luna deadpanned, "I hope I can find it soon."
Celestia walked by, with her head pointed high in the sky, "Yeah. You don't want to be a blank flank forever," she laughed devilishly.
Luna gave her sister a cold stare, "Just you watch Tia!" Luna flapped her wings so she could hover off of the ground, "I'll get my cutie mark, and it will look way cuter than yours!"
The day wore on and Luna thought all day about what it was she could think of that would be Celestia's glorious sun. "Ah, I can't think of anything!" Luna said frustrated. She kicked a pebble by her hoof and watched it fly a couple of feet in front of her.
"It's been a long day, how about a rest?" Cloud Bringer asked with a yawn.
"No!" Luna objected. "I want my cutie mark!"
Celestia was lounging on a rock when looked up to her complaining sister. "Maybe you can be helpful, help me with the sun." Celestia rolled off of the rock and landed on the ground.
"Fine, I'll help you with the sun," Luna said with annoyance in her voice. "You can't do it yourself, so make your little sister slave away at it," she whispered to herself.
"What was that?" Celestia questioned.
"Nothing!" Luna answered quickly, "Lets just get the sun out of the sky."
Celestia nodded and took off to the sky, then Luna. Cloud Bringer conjured up a cloud and climbed on top of it, and watched his sisters. "Okay," Luna stopped in the sky, "How do you plan to hide this giant ball of fire?"
Celestia stopped and turned to her sister, with a small smile, "Easy..." she cocked and eyebrow, "We take it and move it somewhere else."
Luna rolled her eyes, "Oh, yeah that sounds so easy. And where exactly are we going to put it? It shines light every where."
Celestia's smile broadened, "Think about it Luna. Light doesn't shine everywhere." Celestia placed her hoof up in front of her face as a visual aid, "See, when my hoof is in direct sunlight, only the front side receives light," she pointed to the front of her hoof, then to the back, "While the back of my hoof is enveloped in a shadow."
"So what..." Luna began, "Are you saying behind the land we're on now, is just a giant shadow?"
"Well it's not a shadow..." Celestia corrected, "It's still land, like the one we're on now... Well down there at least. It's just not in direct sunlight, so that land is in a shadow." Celestia cocked her head, "Does this make sense to you?"
"Yes," Luna nodded, "So we're just moving the sun to the other side of the land?"
"Yes!" Celestia finalized.
"Okay. That sounds easy enough," Luna stated.
"Okay, just spot me!" Celestia instructed. Luna looked at her sister with a blank stare. Celestia rolled her eyes, her horn became enveloped in a yellow hue, "If I lose grip on it, catch it."
Luna's eyes widened, "How am I suppose to catch something that big?!"
Celestia face hoofed, "Just follow me!"
Celestia began to move forward and the sun moved away from her, as if it were afraid. The sky began to darken as the sun disappeared behind the horizon. Luna noticed that the sky was becoming bare and completely boring, this is when she had finally came up with an idea, "I've got it," she said triumphantly.
Her horn began to glow in a black hue, as she aimed it to the sky. When she aimed her horn at a specific spot in the sky, a white dot appeared there. She looked at the dot and smiled, "It's like a tiny sun... I'll call it a star, because it will outshine Tia's only one." Luna became giddy, "But why stop at only one?" She closed her eyes and continued to point her horn at random points in the sky, and more and more stars would appear. She opened her eyes, and was shocked by a giant clump of stars that seemed to form a smaller version of the sun, but it was made of many stars. "A night sun," Luna whispered.
Celestia returned from her trip to the other side of the land, and stared in astonishment at the sky. "It's beautiful... What is it?"
Luna smiled gleefully at her sister, "Night..." she pointed up at the sky, "Those are stars, and that big one is the night sun."
Celestia chuckled, "Night sun? Way to be original."
"Then what do you think I should call it?!" Luna said a little angry.
Celestia began flew towards the ground, "I don't know!" she shouted at her, "You figure it out." She turned around, "Oh, you also have your cutie mark!"
Luna fluttered there while thinking. "Luna, come here!" Cloud Bringer called to her.
Luna's face brightened up, as she looked at her flank, "I've got it!" Luna began to fly fast, and did wide, excited circles in the sky. "I've got it, and I have the perfect name!"
"Do you think she's over reacting just a bit?" Celestia watched her sister.
Cloud Bringer chuckled and messed with Celestia's mane, "Let her have her fun, she just figured out what she was born to do."
Luna stopped flying and began to plummet to the ground, laughing excitedly. Her siblings stared at her with concerned glances. Luna looked at her cutie mark, a crescent of her new creation surrounded by her beautiful stars, this brightened her stars even more. Before she was halfway to the ground, Luna opened her wings and glided to the cloud her siblings were on, and landed on her back. She rolled around on it with a huge grin on her face.
"Somepony is excited," Celestia pointed out the obvious.
"I've got my cutie mark and the perfect name!" she shouted excitedly.
Celestia examined it, "It's your night sun."
"The moon," Luna answered, as if she did not hear her.
"What?" Cloud Bringer looked up to the sky.
Luna pointed at the giant clump of stars, "That is the moon!"
"Well that was quick," Celestia said. "You couldn't think of a name twenty seconds ago."
Luna laughed, "Well when you are the only ponies, and everything needs a name. You can name it what ever you want."
Cloud Bringer laughed loudly, "Words from a wise stallion!"
The sisters joined in on the laughter, "Yeah. You mean a crazy stallion?"
Celestia yawned, "Your moon makes me kind of sleepy."
"Come on Tia!" Luna urged. "Just look at my moon."
Celestia's eyes closed and she curled up closer to Cloud Bringer, her breathing became slower and deeper. Cloud Bringer kissed her forehead. He uncased his wing and wrapped it around Luna and dragged her closer, and kissed her forehead also. "Get some rest, we've had a big day, and tomorrow may be even bigger," he commanded her quietly.
"Fine, I'll go to bed," Luna quickly closed her eyes and lowered her head.
"I know you're faking," he chuckled. Luna rose her head and stared at him surprised, he smiled, "Just don't stay up too late. Okay?"
"I promise," Luna swore excited.
He kissed her forehead again, "Good night dear sisters." With that he lowered his head and closed his eyes.
Luna stared up at the sky in bewildered amazement, "The night is so lovely... Only if there were more ponies to marvel it's beauty." One thought haunted her as she watched her sky twinkle, "What if I could make more ponies?"