Static World

by Kendandra

11: Chambers

Deep within Canterlot Castle the doors to the Chamber of Harmony were blasted off their hinges. Celestia marched forward, not seeming to notice the extent of the damage she had caused to the room She walked down the aisle with heavy steps, her normal poise and grace discarded wholly. The stained-glass told stories. Stories she would rather not remember. She passed the window depicting the events of Nightmare Night. She shook her head somberly at her greatest failure. How had she become so ignorant to her own sister’s wants and needs? Then she remembered. While her sister spent her time locked in her tower with her paints, Celestia had ruled. Celestia had to rule or chaos would rise again and he would return. Now she stood in the Chamber of Harmony, where the most powerful and ancient artifacts were protected and sealed away from the common pony. The Elements of Harmony had saved her kingdom in its darkest hour no less than three times. She could feel it. They would be needed again. They were calling out to her. She inserted her horn in the lock and cast a spell. The door opened with a twitch and a soft blue glow. There in a largely empty hexagonal chamber sat a small lockbox. He scooped up the box and opened it. She had to gaze upon them once more. To be sure that they, and the aid they offered, were still real.

She placed her cheek near the crown. It felt cold to the touch. It had forsaken her and her sister. Too many sins of the past clouded her thoughts for the Elements to work properly. Still, they appeared happy with their new bearers. They had changed shape from the first time she had seen them. A signal, she guessed, that they had passed themselves on to new owners. She thought back to the first time she had discovered them back in the depths of Tartarus. In the endless series of bits and caves that made up that twisted maze, she had found the cave of metal. She could remember the over-cheerful voice that narrated her find:

The large doors to the chamber broke off and shattered from eons of rust. Helia peeked her head inside the room. It was dark, but there was a light source. A series of glowing gems sat in the center of the room, placed atop bronze pedestals. A voice was chattering endlessly in the background. It must have been a Sound Permanence spell. Like the one mother had shown her. The speech was repeating apparently the same short message again and again. Perhaps it was a warning. Helia hated to admit it, but she was a tad frightened. She had not been frightened in a long time. It was slightly exhilarating. The young Alicorn with the pink mane walked around the room. A few more light sources sprang to life, recognizing her presence and honoring it by guiding her. She was now close enough to hear the voice’s message. At times, she could understand it, but in other moments it appeared to be speaking in a different tongue:

“…à votre civilisation! … Greetings, Friend! You are currently standing in the chamber of…”

Helia glanced at the walls. They were covered in glyphs she could not understand, but they were also familiar. Books from long ago, back when she was nothing more than a mere filly, had spoken of them. They were the ancient ones.

“…beyond the laws of physics and time, it evolved into magic! ...”

They cared for the world in times past. She wondered what had happened to such a great race.

“…coalition used magic to create a solution for…”

They were masters of magic. Perhaps the original masters of its great power. Some would say the ancestors of the Unicorns. She was not so sure. She had been alive a very long time.

“… Crystallization of the distillation of emotions, a set of six…”

But then again, even they had predated her. Helia wanted to call out to her sister. To show her what she had found. But the mysteries of the place were captivating her mind.

“…amplify positive psycho-emotive energies! ...”

She stared at the gems on display in the center of the room. Each item bore a different color. She touched one out of curiosity. That was when she first had a taste of their power. She fell to the ground in a fit of uncontrollable laughter. She felt giddy and warm on the inside. A feeling she had not felt in a long time.

“…of Harmony introduce a pacifying effect on…”

Feeling temptation well in her, she tapped a different gem with her hoof. Memories of her mother welled up inside. She felt the warmth of her embrace and the pride she felt when her mother gave her a complement. Her thoughts turned to her sister. She would never abandon her sister, no matter how dark the battle had become.

“… If you are incapable of understanding the principles presented in this…”

More! She needed to know more about these wonderful gems! They held such powerful emotional connections. She placed her cheek against another one of the stones. This time she felt sobered. The truth of the current situation she had gotten herself and her sister in hit her hard. She fell to the ground in a fit of tears. So, they were not all wonderful it seemed.

“…not yet advanced to point of needing…”

With a bit of hesitation she placed her hoof on another gem. This one felt much better. She felt as though she owed her sister a better home. She owed the world a better age. She owed the whole world so much. And she would give it what it needed most.

“… Please feel free to explore the chamber but do not…”

Only two more gems had not been tested. She glanced at the remaining stones. They looked so foreign. Gems were always reflecting the light and sparkling, but these were actually emitting the warmth of a soft glow. The next gem’s feeling was hard to describe. But she felt content. Content, despite all the troubles that were burning in her heart.

“…society is currently undergoing a period of magical chaos, now is…”

The last gem. The one positioned in the center of the other five. She saved this one for last. It had to be the most important. And it was. It was completely. She tapped her horn against the stone, and was filled with power. A power beyond her dreams flowed through her.

“…friends and create your utopia of harmony! …”

Utopia. These ancient ones could not obtain it. But she could. She could feel the power in these artifacts. She was a mighty Alicorn! She had the strength to make her will a reality. She would right her wrong. She and her sister would have their peace. She did not care how much effort it would take.

“…best of luck to your civilization! ... ¡Saludos, amigo! Usted...”

Celestia shook her head and snapped the lockbox shut. Memories attacked her mind. With a sharp inhale she attempted to purge out the darker times in her life. But they would not leave her thoughts alone. She sprinted to the center of the Chamber of Harmony. In a small fit she stopped her hooves and pressed her head to the floor. Her mane lost a bit of its color, turning a pinkish hue, “We can’t let all we’ve worked for…”

Celestia shouted a sound that belonged to no word. She regained her regality, for the first time today, and stared at one of the windows. She clenched her jaw when she realized she was staring at the window depicting Discord’s defeat at her hoof. She focused her attention to the series of bells that lined the castle walls. They were summoning bells for alerting castle staff that she needed assistance. With a flick of her magic the bells all rang at once. She tilted her head to adjust the flow of her mane while she waited. All over the castle they would be scrambling to find her location; all of them eager to serve. After a few moments one of her top attendants entered the room, a young mare by the name of Rising Star.

“Your highness, you rang?”

“Ah yes, fair Rising Star, Fetch me the acting Captain of the Royal Guard.” It felt good to have a bit of civility again.

“Acting Captain, my princess? Is Shining Armor ill?”

“He is away on a personal errand for the crown. Please send in his second-in-command. Post-haste, my dear.” Rising Star nodded and sprinted off at top speed to the guardhouse. Celestia waited patiently as the sound of galloping hooves outside the door faded away. Eventually the galloping sound returned and the acting captain entered the hall. “Acting Captain Wind Strider, I have a command for you.”

“Anything you want, your majesty!”

“I want you to place Canterlot on lockdown.”

Wind Strider gasped, “Lockdown!? We have not placed the city in lockdown since the Changeling Incident! The ponies will be in panic if we call a lockdown! Perhaps you should rethink…”

“I make the decisions in this kingdom! Lockdown Canterlot. Close all the gates, put in place a curfew, and triple the patrols.”

“Understood, my princess.” Wind Strider left the room and Celestia lifted her head to the sky and with a sense of clarity in her mind, she cast a spell. A golden sphere of light enveloped the city, shielding it from harm.

---

Shining Armor was furious. He stepped in between Twilight Sparkle and Princess Luna. He faced the princess of the night and gritted his teeth. He was still breathing slightly heavy from galloping all the way from the train station to the library in his full set of armor. Or perhaps he was simply hyperventilating from his suspicions being true. He had originally intended to confront Twilight alone, he had been sure that Princess Luna was in Griffica, but now that he caught her in the presence of his sister, there was nothing more obvious about the situation. “I know!” It was all he could get out of his mouth.

Twilight smiled sheepishly, “Know what…?”

“About you two!”

“How…? How could you possibly know?! We’ve only been a couple for a few minutes!”

Shining Armor pointed with his hoof, “So you admit it!”

Luna stood up and stomped her hoof, “Captain!”

“I saw all the paintings of you in the princess’s room!”

“You were in my room?!” Luna’s voice echoed in the night.

“The painting with me and my friends?”

“No! The twenty or so paintings of you and the princess walking along the beach!”

Twilight scratched “Twenty?! I didn’t see any of those…”

Luna blushed, “I may have cleaned up a bit before you entered the room…”

Shining Armor was poking Luna with his hoof, “Yes! You were in her room too! I saw the brush!”

Twilight tilted her head up in memory, “Brush? Oh right, when I spent the night.”

“You spent the…!” Shining Armor gasped. “You…!” Shining Armor gasped. “In her room...!” Shining Armor gasped.

All the blood in Twilight’s body rushed to her face, “Oh, no! It wasn’t like that!”

Luna smiled devilishly, “Well, we did share the bed….”

“You! You! Harlot! I used to… to think you were alright, but now I see you lie to your sister about your whereabouts, you sneak around behind ponies’ backs, and you had the gall, the absolute gall to steal my sister’s innocence!”

“Armor, we never…”

The stallion flopped his ears down and began chanting, “La, la, la! I don’t want to hear the details! The point is this is all over! She’s not just some… thing you play with until you get bored!” He pressed a hoof against Luna’s chest. It clinked against her royal vestment.

Luna’s eyes flashed into green slits for a moment. Nightmare Moon was screaming in her mind. “You will remember your place Captain. You speak to a princess… and a goddess.” It was taking every fiber of her very being not to be screaming in the Royal Canterlot Voice.

Twilight put a hoof around Shining Armor’s back, “Armor, you need to calm down, I’m a grown mare. I make my own decisions. And you’re acting crazy in front of my fillyfriend. And, well… your boss.”

Shining Armor pushed Twilight aside and focused magic in his horn. Luna was chuckling inside, was this little pony really going to attempt to fight her, the princess of the night? It was highly laughable. She’d just let him blow his puff of smoke and wait for him to tire. Or at least she would if Nightmare Moon would stop shouting in her thoughts. Shining Armor gritted his teeth, “You will not lay another feather on my sister! Do you understand?!”

Twilight stamped her hoof, “Armor!”

Luna was practically shaking, he head was hurting so much, “There… is something to be said for sibling concern.” She choked the sentence out and turned to the balcony. “I need some air, I will be back shortly.” Luna pushed open the door and let the cool air of the night sky fill her mane. With a grandiose leap, she departed from the balcony. Once she reached a high enough altitude, she allowed Nightmare Moon to speak. And the Alicorn of eternal night had quite a bit to say.

“We must go back! The foal seeks to take our Twilight! We must show him his place! His death will be slow…”

“Twilight still doesn’t know about you. And under no circumstances would offing her brother keep her close.”
Luna’s wings forcefully folded onto her sides, “I will not sit idly while you let her slip away!” Luna began to plummet to the ground. “I will handle the situation from now on.”

Fast and fast she fell, “You have all the subtly of an Ursa Major. If I let you run things, we’ll be alone again. I will not be alone again.”

Luna’s wings opened reluctantly. The Alicorn swooped into a glide moments before hitting the ground. Luna turned back in the direction of the library. She landed ungracefully on the balcony and walked back into the room. Shining Armor was calmer now, he was no longer bearing his teeth but he was still practically growling at Luna.

“I still think you’re too young, Twily.”

“The point is, I like Luna, a lot. And we’re going to be together and that is something you’ll just have to get over.” Twilight sighed.

Shining Armor approached the princess, “I am sorry, Princess. Twily is everything to me. I don’t want to see her hurt.”

Nightmare Moon hissed in Luna’s mind, but the Alicorn ignored it, “It is all right, your protection for your sister is admirable. But there is something we need to discuss.”

“Celestia doesn’t know you’re here does she?”

“No. And she doesn’t know about me and Twilight either.”

“You want me to keep a secret from Celestia? I can’t do that! That would be treason.”

“I am ordering you to keep quiet; it would be treason to tell her.”

Twilight looked depressed, “Luna, I think we should tell her. She’ll be happy for us, you’ll see.”

Luna stopped her hoof, “No! You don’t know her as well as I do Twilight, she’s protective of you and untrusting of me. Please… I’m asking you to give me time to think of a way through this.”

Twilight nodded, “Alright, Luna. She’s your sister.”

Shining Armor, “I don’t feel right about this. But… I guess.... Does she really make you happy, Twily?”

Twilight nodded and walked over to Luna’s side. Luna placed her wing around Twilight and nuzzled her head onto Twilight’s own. Twilight glance briefly out the window, “It’s past midnight. There aren’t any more trains; you’ll need a place to stay for the night.”

“There’s an inn here, I think. I’ll…”

“Nonsense, there’s plenty of room here on the couch. This is the first time you’ve ever visited me in Ponyville. You’re going to stay at my place.” And suddenly, like a switch, Twilight became doting again. She gathered blankets and helped her bother remove his armor. She set him up on the sofa in the reading area of the library before head upstairs to her own bedroom.

Luna lingered by Shining Armor for a moment, “I’m not playing with her. I love her, Captain. It may sound cliché, but the thought of her is what keeps me from being so lonely. Princess Cadence would bring about eternal night before I would hurt Twilight.” Shining Armor shook his head disapprovingly. Luna sighed and walked up the stairs. She laid down on the bed next to Twilight and turned her back to her fillyfriend. Twilight waited for Luna to get comfortable before she started speaking.

“A couple for only five minutes and we’ve already got chaos everywhere. At least I was able to talk Shining Armor down. I’m sorry about him. He’s always so protective of me.”

“It’s alright.” Luna curled into a ball and let her mane fall over her face.

“Luna? Why don’t you want to tell Celestia about us? Is it because you’re not supposed to be here? Or is it something else?”

“You need to understand, Twilight. You are Celestia’s favorite of this generation.”

“What?”

“Every generation of ponies, Celestia finds one that’s the best at something. The best flyer, the best fighter, or the best racer. She then adopts them as her surrogate daughter. It’s her way of dealing with the loneliness that comes with immortality.”

“I’m one of these ‘favorites’?”

“No. You’re the favorite. It’s different with you. I’m not sure if it’s because you are an element bearer or if it’s just your talent for magic. But she is enthralled with you.”

Twilight smiled, “So that’s great! Who else better for her sister than her favorite?”

“She likes you better than me.” Luna said remorsefully. “Not that I’m jealous. It’s my own fault. I messed up when…. Well you’ve read history books.” Luna rolled over in the bed.

“So what about you?”

“Hm?”

“You said Celestia has her friends to keep her from being lonely in her long life. What about you?” Twilight said with a whisper. Luna could not help but feel Twilight was fishing for a sappy note, but Luna decided she would indulge the Unicorn.

“I had my paints. I would paint everything. The stars in the sky. The shadows on the moon. I would paint landscapes of all over Equestria. I would paint self-portraits and still-life. But those paintings were not alive. They couldn’t replace the joy of a real live friend. That was before Nightmare Night. Once I was back… I found somepony in particular to be my muse. So now I have you.” Luna rolled over and yanked on the cloth covering the bed.

“Luna, you took all the blanket…” Luna smiled devilishly. She extended a wing and waited for Twilight to snuggle underneath it.

Comments

[Kendandra]

I should really get a cover image for this story, huh? Anyone got any ideas for one?

[Bri]

604825

Might be able to do something for this. What are you looking for?

[WintherBloom]

Amazing. I think you're doing great writing this Kendandra.

[Sai]

“Acting Captain Wind Strider, I have a command for you.”

I see what you did there.

Also, I just wanted to point out that you occasionally have the habit of using "board" when you mean "bored". Likewise with "quiet" and "quite", respectively.

I'd be interested in helping out with a cover image, if you'd like. Have you got any ideas about what you would want it to contain in particular?

[Kendandra]

607801
1) It's a great name for a Canterlot Pony.
2) Yeah, spell check doesn't catch everything and I cant spell to save my life.

3) True had an idea: Have Discord floating above Celestia, Luna, and Twilight with puppet strings.

[Sai]

607875
Interesting idea...I have some free time tomorrow; I'll have a go at something then.

[Archvile]

uhm... this chapter felt really... REALLY rushed :/ it was like OMG and then HUH? and then ITS SORTA FIXED NOW...

[catoparadox]

So we created magic is what im getting at? Well damn.....

[Jordan179]

She’s not just some… thing you play with until you get board!

Bored.

[Water Lilly]

D'awww.

[SoleReclaimer]

While I can understand all the emotions and the stuff, this chapter did feel a bit rushed and too fast pase for something that's suppose to have a lot of emotions. But so far I am enjoying the story and can't wait to read what's next. Your word spelling is the only real critique but I love your discord and the inner conflicts of the characters. Keep it up.