//------------------------------// // Just A Memory // Story: Longest Journey // by Tom ruler of the stones //------------------------------// In this dark and dreary place memories weren't a recall of what happened. They were much more than that. In a way memories were what kept this place alive, the echo of a ghost is nothing more than a memory. It is quite daunting in a sense, who knows what memory you could stumble across, a death, a birth, a loss, a gain? This place had rules, however, preventing such things from happening; each memory was personal, not random. When Celestia opened her eyes the surrounding that greeted her was quite familiar. The area was small, but not down right cramped, cozy would be an accurate description. It was obviously a log cabin judging from the walls and ceiling. A small fireplace was at the end of the room and a large quilt lay on the wooden floor. Despite the calm environment shivers racked Celestia's spine, and for good reason too. A very large pony soon entered the room. The mare stood at an intimidating 5'8, her mane was a bright orange with a small twinge of yellow apparent, in complete contrast with her mane her coat consisted of a very dark sky blue almost the same shade as Luna's, the mares eyes in question were exactly the same colour and size as Celestia's. The characteristics of the mare are not what caught Celestia's eye; the foals on her back were. The two foals on the mare's back were a spitting image of Celestia and Luna when they were much, much younger. "Mommy when will dinner be ready?!" Asked the younger Celestia, bouncing up and down on the mares back. "Shh. Your sister is still resting, dinner will be ready when the time comes," Replied the older mare. The young Celestia pouted at her mothers scolding, yet did as she was told. She was growing restless, she hadn't eaten at all since breakfast, her mother seeing this decided that a course of action was required. "Hush now little one, your time will come Before it does you will discover magic and wonder So hush now my little sun, as you have yet to rise" "The day when you will close your eyes is yet to come, so hush my little sun Hush and dream about the light you will spread, dream about the lives you will change One day when your time to set has come, I will embrace you with open hooves" "So Hush now my little sun, your time is yet to come." Tears openly streamed down Celestia's face as she watched her slumbering self lay gently against her mother. She desperately wanted to be seen by her mother. She approached her mother and carefully placed a hoof under her mother chin. Sadly the hoof just went through her mother. "Mum! Please I'm right here. Please... Notice me." Celestia sobbed, she didn't care at this point. Is this how she was to live her life? Constantly watching the ghosts of those she loved. Maybe she could give up, after all, Twilight had ascended she easily had enough power to raise the sun. Luna could keep the nobles in check and raise the moon. Cadence would be there for, Twilight. Celestia shook her head. That would never work. The common ponies would cower in the face of the unknown, they would start asking questions. She recalled the things they said about her sister. "Vile beast." "Witch." "Unholy demon from the depths of hell." No. Celestia couldn't give up. She lived not to view the ghosts of her past, but to acknowledge the achievements of those around her, to guide people through their hardships. After a possible eternity of staring a her mothers ghost Celestia was able rip her eyes away from the scene. It pained her, seeing her dead mother, who was undoubtedly waiting for her. She couldn't live in the past, she had to move on. "Mother I know your waiting for me and I thank you for that. *sigh* But I have ponies relying on me, and maybe, just maybe one of them will fill my place. Until that day I cannot join you. I am sorry." Unable to bare the sight of this memory, Celestia exited the cabin, vowing silently to herself that one day she would speak to her mother once again. She left the cabin swiftly, not wanting her moral to be broken anymore than it already was. Once again she was at that god forsaken road. Rather than mope and sob about the horrors that the road would bring Celestia became furious. She blasted the road with every ounce of power she had. She stomped on it with her powerful earth pony legs expecting to see the earth shatter a her whim. As if the road itself was mocking her nothing happened. "Human concrete, strong stuff." Celestia turned her neck around silently to get a look at her commentator. To her non-existent surprise, Death was sitting right behind her without a care in the world. "I've seen you cry a river, wail like a banshee and mope like a teenager, but never in my time so far have I seen you try and destroy the road." "Don't talk to me like you know me!" screamed Celestia. "You don't know a thing about me. You think your so mighty in this vile hellhole of yours, but guess what? Your not! You don't know anything about me!" "Perhaps your right," replied Death. "But I do know someone who knows everything about you" "And who would that be?" Snarled Celestia. "The road"