Many Dreams
“Behold, a creature you should all fear!” Princess Celestia stood from afar as she watched an earth pony proclaimed to the citizens of Canterlot as he stood on a small crate. Two other ponies covered his three and nine like guards. In front of the earth pony was a box like shape, covered by a brown cloth.
“Shall I stop this stallion from speaking?” a guard spoke to Celestia as he stood beside her.
“No, I want to see this creature.” Celestia noticed the announcer caught her eye, and then proceeded to remove the cloth. To her surprise and horror, the princess saw a small black body, shivering in a cage in the winter cold. Its eyes was like an insect and had holes in its legs. The child had long limbs, but looked very weak.
“Behold, a changeling!” In an instant, the changeling transformed into a filly unicorn. The ponies watching gasped in shock at the sudden change of appearance. “What I have here is a creature that not only lies on outward appearances, but also feeds off of love.”
The stallion stepped off his small literal soapbox and showed the ponies before him a bouquet of flowers. “A lovely array of roses. Red, white, and pink.” He tossed them onto the ground and grumbled, “Feed.”
Scrambling onto its feet, the changeling shot a beam of green energy at the bundle of roses. Slowly, the flowers began to wilt and die.
“Horrible!”
“Monsters!”
“Tell us more about these creatures!”
A flurry of words rang out as Celestia watched the small thing shiver in her cage. The changeling looked into the princess’ eyes with sadness. Celestia took one step forward to save the child, when a voice behind her spoke.
“Why have you come to see me sister? I need my rest.” Luna’s voice boomed. Celestia blinked and the entire scene was different. She now stood in her sister’s domain, by the door. Luna’s room was dark, the lighting very feint.
The dark-blue alicorn sat on her bed, facing away from Celestia. Turning to face Luna, Celestia began to walk toward her sister, knowing she is troubled. “You have been acting strange lately and have avoided coming out when the sun is up.”
“I prefer the darkness, dear sister. It welcomes those who wish to be covered by its black veil.”
Now at Luna’s bedside, Celestia reached out a hoof to touch her sibling’s shoulder. But a glare from Luna made the white alicorn take a few steps back. “Keep away from me sister! I am fine! I just want to be alone.”
A cough echoed in the darkness. And another. Then an concession of coughing and wheezing followed. Light flooded the room as Luna and her dwelling vanished in a wisp.
Celestia now stood in the Canterlot infirmary, staring down at Star Swirl the Bearded. His eyes were heavy but he still smiled despite his sickness. A cold shiver ran down Celestia’s spine as she briskly walked over to him. The nurses quickly moved out of the way, lest they wanted to be run down by the panicking princess.
“Star Swirl,” Celestia choked over her words. “Just hang in there.”
The old wizard chuckled before painfully coughing once more. “Oh I have done my hanging about for years now my friend. I do believe it is my time to rest. Yes…” Star Swirl blinked his old eyes slowly and looked at Celestia with a smile. “Don't be sad my friend. I will be fine. Just… watch. . . your sister. . . for me . . .” He then let out a soft sigh, his grin ever so wide. But his eyes glossed up and his body grew limp. He was gone.
Celestia gave Star Swirl a small shake, trying to wake him from his “rest.” The nurses watched helplessly as the princess started to panic. “Star Swirl. Star Swirl! Please! I thought you said you will be fine! You lied to me!” In a flurry of saddened rage, she scolded the infirmary staff. “Why have you failed keeping him well?! Aren't you supposed to be the the best caretakers? Or have you lied to me as well?”
“Princess please,” the head nurse muttered, her voice and knees shaking, “we did what we could. But he was old and-”
“I am old as well, yet you don't see me dying!” Nopony dared to speak against Celestia as she stared the nurses down. They knew she was in the wrong, but resisted the urge to speak out. “Useless!” Celestia stormed out of the infirmary and opened the door. The moment she stepped through, she was at her throne room.
Laughter echoed in the night as the Elements of Harmony glittered in the moonlight. The six emblems rested on their own small holders. Running over to the six gems, she levitated them from their stands, then looked upwards. Through a hole in the sealing, Celestia saw Nightmare Moon flapping her dark wings as she continued to laugh loudly and wickedly.
“I am sorry sister, but you leave me no choice!” Celestia bellowed as the Elements of Harmony spun around her body. Her body darted up into the night sky, squaring off with the former shell of her sister. The two shot a blast of energy from their horns in an attempt to beat the other.
With the Elements of Harmony at her disposal, Celestia overpowered her sister and blasted her to the moon, banishing the evil away from Equestria.
Celestia slowly descended down into her throne room, now exhausted by the power she had expelled. No longer holding onto the six powerful stones, they fell to the ground, ringing each time they bounced off the tile.
Her heart grieved the loss of both Star Swirl, and the now banishment of her treacherous sister. The cold of sadness and heat of anger swirled around inside Celestia. “YYYEEEEAAAGGGHHHAAAHAAAHAAAA!” Her lamenting cry tore Celestia’s throat, the noise echoing in the hollow hall. She knelt down to sob. Alone. In the veil of darkness.
“Princess?” a small voice squeaked. Celestia gasped, now noticing she was sitting on her throne, staring down at Chrysalis and her daughter. The princess remembered those eyes. They were from the changeling that was trapped in the cage that same winter.
“Princess, please,” the child spoke again, her voice quivering. “You must give us love. Otherwise, we may have to attack and take what we need.”
As Chrysalis spoke to the filly, Celestia leered down at the two changelings. “You dare come into my home and threaten me? Do you know what I have recently endured?!” Celestia’s voice echoed in the halls as the child remained mute at the sudden outburst; Chrysalis pulled her daughter close to her body. “Go back to the hole your crawled out of you insect.”
“You WITCH!”
The atmosphere morphed into Star Swirl’s office as Celestia saw Chrysalis raise her horn. The princess lowered her own, ready to blast the changeling, along with her lying friend away.
“Sister!” Both Coco and Chrysalis images faded away as the voice echoed through the air. Celestia turned her head to the window, and saw that it was broken still. The alicorn saw her sister fly down to her and into the room. Luna’s hooves cracked the shards of glass as she approached Celestia.
Celestia let out a sigh, glad to realize she was dreaming. “I never thought I would be getting a visit from my sister as I dreamed.”
Luna did not smile at her sister’s words and shook her head. “You were not just dreaming Celestia, you were having nightmares about many things. And you know this as well as I do: dreams and nightmares are reflections of one's thoughts.”
Celestia stepped back, realizing her sister was peering into her mind. “It's…” She looked away from Luna. “I am fine.”
“Didn't I tell you that before?” Luna asked with her brow raised. “Didn't Star Swirl the Bearded say nearly the same thing?” Celestia had no words as Luna had her hanging on a lie she dreaded. “You say you are fine, yet your thoughts haunt you.” Luna placed a hoof on Celestia’s shoulder, and gave a light smile. “Tell me what is wrong sister. I remember what happened to me when I didn't tell you what was bothering me. Don't bottle it up. Or you may do something you might regret.”
Coco and Chrysalis poofed into existence, startling the two sisters. What surprised Celestia even more was how she had now suddenly lost control of herself. She looked to the ground and saw a red velvet cake resting on a small plate. Her horn glew with light and picked up the cake, shooting it into Coco’s mouth.
“Sister, what are you doing?!” Luna barked.
Celestia wanted to speak to her sister, but her tongue and eyes went rogue and darted at Chrysalis. “I am glad your daughter perished!”
No longer under this mysterious spell, Celestia collapsed to the ground and the mirages vanished. Angered and depressed, the alicorn began to sob hot tears. Thankfully, her sister was quick to be by her side.
“Celestia.” Luna's words were soft, and filled with concern. “What happened? Why were you dreaming of me and Star Swirl the Bearded? And why was Chrysalis in your dream as well?”
Celestia had to stabilize her breathing before she could speak again. “I- I was b-betrayed today. Lied to.”
Luna had to think for a moment, collecting the best words she can muster. “It was Chrysalis and that pony I saw just now, yes?” Her sister slowly nodded before sniffing in nasty mucus running out of her nostrils. “What did they do to betray you?”
Celestia told Luna about how she met Coco and “Your Majesty.” How she was suspicious of “Your Majesty,” but didn't want to believe it could have been Chrysalis. Celestia did not want to admit it, but the time she had spent with the changeling was enjoyable. And when Chrysalis showed herself, the alicorn hated how she was used to have her trust gained and then shattered, like the very windows of Star Swirl’s office. Celestia then explained how Coco pretended to not know about Chrysalis’ alius before unveiling that the pony knew more than she looked. Celestia confessed to Luna that she went to far with her words and actions. But she wanted her words to hurt just as she felt betrayed once more. The only thing she did not regret doing was the test on the Stitch character Platinum spoke about. It was necessary to do in order to find out if Coco was a changeling or not.
“I see…” Luna’s eyes grew wide with fury. “Shall I seek out the blasted queen and torment her dreams?!”
“No sister...” Celestia held up a hoof. “Besides, there is more to what had happened.”
Luna’s eyes calmed, but her brows were still furrowed. “Go on…”
“Chrysalis extended her friendship to me after telling me she still hates me.” Celestia watched Luna’s mouth part slightly in shock.
“That is interesting. And what was Chrysalis’ reason?”
“Coco Pommel was her reason.” Celestia looked to where the two stood for most of the time, pretending they were there. “She said that Coco made her want to ‘move on from the past.’ It is hard to believe somepony when they say they hate you, but want to extend their friendship to you.”
“I can agree, sister. But there are two things I do not understand.” Celestia looked to her sister, curious about Luna’s words. “Why was Star Swirl the Bearded and I dreamt up? And what of that changeling child? Yes I did see everything, but I do not understand why you had so much going on in your mind.”
Celestia sighed, staring into her sister’s eyes. “Let's start with the first question; you and Star Swirl.”
“Alright.” Luna looked to the picture of the famous wizard propped up on the wall. “He was such a good friend to you, wasn’t he?”
“More, actually…” Celestia’s cheeks flushed, the pink brightly standing out. “Though I never had the strength to tell him- that…” Luna gasped, opening her mouth to speak, but Celestia held a hoof up to stop her sister from speaking. “The part of the dream you saw was the day he- passed away.” Luna hummed a sad sigh as she saw Celestia hang her head. “He said he was fine. But he lied to me.” The white alicorn looked at her sister with glossy eyes. “Just as you did. But the difference between you and him was your betrayal against me.”
Luna saw in the faint reflection of Star Swirl’s mirror her own reflection. But was greeted with the eyes of Nightmare Moon. The princess looked herself over to see she was the evil mistress who was banished to the moon many years ago.
“Sister-” Luna stopped her sentence short, noticing how her voice was the old, evil persona she once was. Celestia couldn't bare the sight and looked away from the evil being.
“Your betrayal changed me, dear sister.” Celestia tried me make her words less harsh toward Luna, but they stung at the dark-blue mare’s ears. “I feared that another I trusted would turn their back on me.”
“And that is why you acted so bitter toward Chrysalis and Coco.” Luna saw her reflection change back to her normal self.
“Yes. Because they were to betrayed my trust, I wanted to show them my pain.” Celestia frowned at her own words. “But I know that is not me. I am not cruel. Yet, my anger got the best of me. It wanted to control me. So I let it.”
“I know what it was like. To have that monster that we know as Hatred move us to his will.” Celestia creased her brow slightly as Luna addressed Hatred as a he. But that detail was not important. “You should have told the two of them your frustration about their betrayal, and how it hurt you. Even if she was a changeling…” Luna grumbled, bothered that her sister was lied to by the Queen of Changelings. “Speaking of changelings, why were you dreaming of that changeling child?”
“Do you remember the detail of how I told you about Chrysalis’ daughter, how she threatened me?” Luna nodded. Celestia frowned, now knowing the fate of the child. “Back before you were banished to the moon, nopony knew what changelings where. And they frightened everypony because of their abilities and what they consume. After your betrayal, and having the knowledge of changelings, I feared the creatures ever since. And when the child said she may have her kind attack Canterlot, my instinct told me to reject her request.”
“Of course, you told her to crawl back into a hole where she belonged…” Luna frowned, but didn’t shake her head in disapproval. She understood Celestia’s reasoning, even if Chrysalis’ child was lost that winter. “Do not feel guilty, Celestia. You did what you needed to do.” Luna knelt down to her sister, embraced Celestia for a moment, then stood up. “Now rest. And if Chrysalis tries to create any trouble, we will be prepared. We have stopped them once, and we can sure do it again.”
Celestia took in a deep breath, and closed her eyes. And when she opened them, the mare was now awake in her estate. She looked around her dark room, wondering what time it was. But her eyelids started to droop slowly, claiming her conscious. Before she fell back into slumber, she wondered, Who was that stallion who showed Canterlot Chrysalis’ daughter that winter? Before she could think any further, her mind drifted into a better place.
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Well, that at least sheds some light of what happened back then and why Sunbutt reacted like that. All the sides have their reasons and they are believable.
... I wonder if that stallion was Chryssie's former partner.
A few small errors here and there, feint being used instead of faint and 'Yes. Because they were to betrayed my trust', which should be 'they too betrayed my trust'.
Oh, if only she knew what Celestia REALLY did, I'm sure she'd change her tone. Still though, this got me tensed up. Can't wait to see what you do next time. Maybe infuriate me with more Celestia having her head up her plot?
7787911 I will fix that.
As for that stallion... more on that in the previous story...
...Not buying it. This explains Celestia rejecting Chrysalis's daughter when she was young, inexperienced, ruling an untamed and hazardous land, and going through some very personal rough patches -- which I never had a problem believing.
It doesn't explain what happened present-day. She's had far too long to reflect on it, seen far too many ponies get old and die to hold that particular kind of grudge, she's far too aware of her own deceptions and masks to seriously entertain the hatred of lies thing, she's far too fundamentally nice to display that kind of open cruelty without being even a little apologetic about it, and she's far too experienced as the face of an entire nation to throw a juvenile, dogmatic tantrum like that in front of anyone, hostile or not.
7788358
Support.
And add Luna in this chapter. Yes, she is more agressive persona than her sister. But after had been Nightmare Moon, she can't not know position when being persecuted as monster.
7788358 I will definitely think about acts of hurt and cruelty more carefully. I never planned for Celestia to be so mean. Perhaps I shouldn't go too far, just to convey emotions and "feels".
7788833 No, I redact my words. I have my reason for having Celestia act that way, but I cannot say anymore. And it has nothing to do with her.