A Dance Between the Sun and the Voice in Her Head

by MistOverMoon

Chapter Twenty-Four - A Cycle Broken

Celestia laid on the ground with her head flat on the floor and looked into her own eyes.

It wasn't really her own eyes. Or maybe it was. They were fiery orange and connected to a white coat. As she stared more and more, a realization occurred. She was looking into the eyes of Daybreaker. Somehow Daybreaker was laying across from her.

They laid in a field of green grass that swayed in a gentle wind. The sun was directly overhead as it warmed her with its gentle rays. The sky had a few white puffy clouds that floated lazily along. Birds chased each other playfully in the deep blue sky.

"Who are you?" Celestia asked, her scattered thoughts swimming.

"Daybreaker." The pony across from her said. "At least, that who I think I am."

"Where did you come from?"

"You." Daybreaker said.

"Me?"

"You."

Celestia groaned as she slowly stood up from the grass. A mane of multicolored hair waved past her vision. It was her original hair, before she became Daybreaker. As she looked at her hooves, she noticed a distinct lack of flame surrounding her. She was truly Celestia once again. It was a feeling that made her as giddy as it made her confused. She glanced around with a muddled mind.

"What are you going to do?" Celestia eyed Daybreaker wearily.

"I don't know, what should I do?" Daybreaker asked.

"I thought you were going to burn something."

"Is that what I should do?"

"No." Celestia shook her head. "I... I think you should follow me. If you really came from me, then I have a responsibility to you."

"Okay. Should we be friends?" Daybreaker stood. "I think that is important, but I don't know why."

Celestia looked at Daybreaker. She was everything she hated about herself, everything that would happen if rage overcame her. Her thoughts shifted to Nightmare Moon. Was this something similar? She sighed.

"Yes, we can be friends." Celestia gave her a warm smile. "Now, we need to find my other friends. Have you seen them?"

"Do you mean those three?" Daybreaker pointed with her hoof to her right.

Celestia's gaze followed the hoof. At the base of the hill, her friends were piled up in a slumbering pile. The sight caused tears to well up in her eyes. Luna was snoozing softly while Nightmare Moon snored with such vigor the ground seemed to vibrate.

Then there was Gaiya. He laid on the green grass, the sun shining down onto him. His crystal and stone body reflected the light in a kaleidoscope of rainbow colors. It was as if the elements were within him. Chunks of him were missing still, forever lost. He was looking out over the environment, the warm sun shining down onto him.

"Can I have a moment alone?" Celestia asked Daybreaker.

Daybreaker nodded and sat down, looking at the area around her. In her hoof she picked a daisy and looked at it, mesmerized by the little bee that was collecting pollen on it.

Celestia then turned back to look at Gaiya.

He was looking off into the beautiful blue skies. The wind rustled past him, and for a moment Celestia could imagine the mane he used to have blowing in it. Though he was missing a front hoof, and his body was cracked all over he didn't seem to be in pain. In fact, he seemed at peace.

"Thousands of years in darkness, thousands of years seeing the world only through your eyes." Gaiya didn't even turn to look at her, completely entranced by the world around him. "And now, a blue sky and a beautiful sun."

"You helped me." Celestia stood behind him, the wind blowing her mane. "You helped us after everything I did to you, why?"

Gaiya sat for a moment.

"Because I never stopped loving." Gaiya turned to look at her, his eyes meeting her own. "Not only for you, but for Luna, for what we once had. We three were beautiful. Us against the world, us for the world. Even after all those years in the amulet I never forgot what that felt like. Even as the darkness tried to rip me apart."

"I... I can't love you the same way." Celestia said. "I don't know what we are anymore, but I have never seen you that way. I'm sorry. I have never seen anypony that way."

"I know. Take your time. And if you ever find it in yourself to love me, I will be waiting." Gaiya said. "Until that possible day though, I would like to have what we once did. Friends. The three of us, or... perhaps five."

Daybreaker sneezed in the back.

"I don't understand. Why is Daybreaker separate from me?" Celestia asked.

"We all have a shadow inside of us. As alicorns our power attends to attract the most powerful of them. They feed on your insecurities and doubts and grow to overwhelm you." Gaiya said. "I sent such a shadow to Luna all those years ago to befriend her, and to grow her into Nightmare Moon."

"Then why are they..." Celestia turned to look at Daybreaker who was swatting at a bee. "Not evil?"

"Only when you forgive yourself for your failures and overcome the shadow within will they become like this. Cleansed of the hate they once embodied they are born anew. Shadows outside the hive mind that dwells." Gaiya touched a crystal hoof to his body with a clack. Deep within, a faint darkness swirled. "It seems I still have some learning to do."

"Then... Luna forgave herself. For what?" Celestia looked to her sleeping sister. "I was the one who wronged her."

"I don't know. But the proof is clear as crystal." Gaiya gave her a light smirk. "And you as well. You have a friend of your own now. A boon if you will for your troubles."

"Then are we immune to doubt and insecurity?" Celestia asked.

"Of course not. It could grow and fester again, perhaps not. Perhaps Daybreaker will be shunned for what she looks like and turn into the real thing, perhaps you will become something darker once again. It is up to you where the road goes." Gaiya said. "Daybreaker is a cleansed piece of the darkness and nothing more."

Celestia noticed something in the grass. The elements of harmony, once again dull. As she touched one, it glowed faintly before flickering out. She did not feel a connection to it.

"What about the elements?"

"Do you think I know everything?" Gaiya chuckled. "You really are foolish."

"Have you really forgiven everything I did? I... feel like I should have suffered more." Celestia said.

"No. Do you see me restored to my previous self?" Gaiya gestured to the area around him. "But I want to try. I don't want this cycle of hatred to continue any longer. We have contained the darkness inside up for the final time, and I just want to move on."

"Then let's move on." Celestia gently sat next to him, hesitant as to how he would react. He didn't move. "Slowly. Will you come back to the castle with us?"

Gaiya looked up at her.

"The castle? Ha!" Gaiya laughed. "Maybe once I've traveled the world and seen the sights! If... if you could keep a room ready for me though... perhaps a throne...a nice big throne."

"There will be many more thrones." Celestia smiled. "Yours included. Equestria cannot be maintained by one princess any longer. There will need to be more, and of course... a single prince."

"The only prince in Equestria!" Gaiya laughed. "That. That would be nice. Make sure to put me in one of those stained-glass windows of yours. I always loved those."

"I have a few to commission and work on myself." Celestia said. "One for you, one for our battle, one for Luna and Nightmare Moon, and of course... one to restore."

The thought of the old stained-glass window came to mind. That was one that had to be restored.

"I do have one more question." Gaiya looked at the slowly awakening pile of ponies.

"What?"

"I do believe that your kingdom was in a... what did she call it? A mass induced herd hysteria." Gaiya said.

"Oh. Your right." Celestia stood immediately as a shot of panic flowed through her. "Do you... want me to pick you up? Can you move on your own?"

"I'll be fine. Go on without me." Gaiya gave her a smile. "I need some time to think. Say, how about I visit the castle in three days' time? After everything is stable there again."

"Are you sure? You have been alone for so long..." Celestia felt guilt well up in her heart.

"I'm sure. I just want to look at this beautiful world." Gaiya said. "You really outdid yourself Celestia. This land is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. Almost as beautiful as you."

"I-I couldn't have done it alone." Celestia coughed an unknown feeling of heat rising to her face. Was she becoming Daybreaker?

"Go on then. I'll be right behind you." Gaiya said. "They will want to see you when you awake."

"Please, be safe." Celestia said.

"I'll be fine. Now go on, I've been haunting your head for long enough."

"Wait, I'm sorry Gaiya. I'm sorry for everything I did to you. I know it may never be right, but I just wanted you to hear that." Celestia said.

"Then you will have to make it up to me, won't you?" Gaiya waved her off. "We will make it right in time, go on Celestia, one day, I will forgive you."

Celestia reluctantly stepped away. She took one last look at the tortured soul that was Gaiya. This could have ended many ways, but she was glad that this was how it ended. One more alicorn, looking out over the world, and enjoying the moment. Then she ran down to Luna and Nightmare Moon. Daybreaker followed her, shaking the bee from her nose. The wounds on her body hurt, but it was nothing in the warmth of joy that she felt.

Luna groaned as Celestia approached her. Tiny cuts covered her body, but it didn't look as bad as before. Maybe the elements had healed them?

"Sister, is this thy afterlife?" Luna groaned. "It seems... painful still."

"No Luna, we won." Celestia said. "It is done, the darkness in contained."

"Then the elements, they actually came to our aid?" Luna asked. "After they abandoned us?"

"They did." Celestia levitated the gems of harmony over.

"We are not ungrateful, but we cannot help but as why." Luna sat up and winced as the light of the sun caught her eyes.

"I don't know." Celestia hummed as she floated the elements into Luna's saddlebag. "But they do not respond to me again. Maybe it was one final burst of energy, for old times' sake."

"Then we are glad they still saw good in us." Luna said. "Now, where is Gaiya? We wish to see him again and thank him for what he has done. It takes a good heart to do such a thing."

"He is over there." Celestia pointed. "However, he said he wishes to be alone. He will be at the castle in three days' time."

"Then we will wait." Luna said. "There is another question on our hooves though."

"Yes?"

"Why is there you and Daybreaker?" Luna asked.

Celestia started to explain what Gaiya had told her.

"We see. So now their future will be decided by us." Luna said. "Either a life full of hate and loneliness, or a life full of love and friendship."

"I think we both know what to choose." Celestia pat her sister's shoulder. "Now, I don't know where we are, and Nightmare Moon is still snoring away. We have to get back to Canterlot and announce that we are back. The place is in chaos without us."

"Indeed." Luna shook as a loud snore rumbled out of Nightmare Moon.

"Can you activate the teleportation matrix?" Luna asked.

Celestia reached out with her magic. She could still feel the spell matrix. It would be impossible to teleport alone though, her magic was simply too drained. It was a good thing then, that she had three alicorns around her to help.

"I need your help." Celestia said. "I cannot power the power the teleport back alone."

"We thought you would never say that." Luna smiled.

Daybreaker looked confused as she stepped in near them but applied her magic to the cause anyways. Celestia could feel the raw power coming from Daybreaker. She wondered if it would be possible for them to merge as did Nightmare Moon and Luna. Daybreaker was the same size as her so if they merged together... how big would she be? This was not the time for such thoughts though, Canterlot was in need.

"Nightmare Moon!" Luna shook her. "We implore thee to wake up!"

"Wha? Did we win?" Nightmare Moon pulled herself to her feet.

"Indeed. We need to get back to Canterlot now, we are still needed." Luna said.

"Count my shadowed self in." Nightmare Moon said. "I havent slept since I was created and it is the most wonderful thing. Wait, who is that?"

"There is no time. I will explain later." Celestia said with a smile. "Now, everypony gather close to me."

They all gathered together. Celestia extended her wings around them all, pulling them all beneath her large wings. Wings that could shelter a nation, and all the friends she loved. Their horns began to glow together, sticking into the sky like four swords. One red, one gold, one blue, and one of a darker hue. Then, they vanished with a sparkle of magic.

Gaiya glanced over to see the sparkle and gave a slight smile. Then, he turned back to the beautiful world before him, the wind blowing over his body, and laughed.

A single crystal tear fell from his eyes and into the grass. It nourished it, and in turn, it nourished him.

He was broken, yes, but he was back, and the world was beautiful.