//------------------------------// // three // Story: A Mother Remembered // by Foals Errand //------------------------------// Celestia groaned as her eyelids twitched. Something soft and fluffy was on her forehead under her horn, she shivered it was cold. Her eyes opened to see Twilight looking down at her, relief filling her eyes. “Oh thank Harmony, I was so worried when you passed out like that!” Celestia smiled a touch taking the small cloud from Twilight’s grip “Interesting use of a rain cloud Twily.” She released it and watched as it floated lazily back up into the sky through a hole that had obviously been created in the canopy for just that reason. She closed her eyes trying to relax when they snapped back open. “The foals!?” “Are fine. Since I had to open the canopy to bring that rain cloud down to you I used the broken branches to create a soft bed for them to lay on.” Twilight indicated to Celestia’s right with her muzzle. Celestia slowly clamored to her hooves and looked down at where the two foals were fitfully sleeping upon a bed of soft moss and pine needles. She cocked her head at them, carefully taking in the sight of what she now recognized was her little sister and herself. After a few moments she turned and smiled at Twilight “I was a pretty cute foal, wasn’t I Twily?” Twilight grinned, relieved that Celestia seemed to be feeling better “The very cutest Tia. Now though we need to figure out what we are going to do.” She sat on her haunches a few feet away from the foals so that their discussion would not disturb them. I wonder how much longer they are going to sleep. from what I remember when the Cake twins were born they slept quite a lot. But these two weren’t exactly born so would the same rules that were applied to newborns even apply here? Celestia sat next to Twilight though she kept glancing over as if to check on the foals Twilight couldn’t help smile Celestia always had been very maternal after all. “I guess we need to figure out why we are here in the first place.” Twilight nodded chewing her lip “Tia? D-do you remember your parents?” Celestia closed her eyes her mane once again flowing around her “Not much I have to admit.” She said after a few moments of thought. “You have to remember Twily Luna and I are... well to put it simply if we were artifacts we would be considered ancient. I would estimate we are between four and five thousand years old. From what I can remember though Luna and I were raised by two very loving mares. Though I fear they perished to Discord because I do not recall being with them after he was defeated.” Twilight’s left ear flicked “Pe-perished? B-but do you know for certain I mean did you see their bodies?” Celestia frowned trying to think back to her first few decades of life. It wasn’t the easiest thing to do, akin to a normal pony trying to recall their infancy After a few moments her tail flicked back and forth “No no Luna and I never saw our mothers die nor their bodies, I… I think I can recall a bright light. I’m sorry Twily it was just so long ago!” Celestia turned to look at Twilight whose mane was beginning to stick out and winced This isn’t good… “Perished? No... no I. we... that that can’t be it! Don’t you see Celestia, we are the mares who raised you and Luna! If they perished to Discord... then, that means we will perish! We can’t perish! Think of what would happen to the future, present, whatever! Things would be destroyed! We’d forever be in a time loop, coming back just to die! Nononononono, there has to be something we can do! But, if we are supposed to perish, what happens if we don’t perish? Will it destroy everything? Will we unmake everything? Will everything in yours and Luna’s life even happen? Oh my harmony, will I be stuck in Magical Kindergarten forever? No! I can’t go back, I can’t!” slap! Twilight blinked holding her hoof to her right cheek which was turning red from where in had been struck. Celestia sighed evenly. “Better?” Twilight nodded, blinking back tears. It had hurt, but she was feeling calmer now. After a few moments she glanced over at the foals. Celestia’s wings were starting to twitch, a sign that she was starting to wake up. “Twilight, right now there is nothing we can do to prevent what may, or may not happen in the future. Until the tree of harmony decides to send us home, or you invent a spell to travel forwards in time.” Celestia shrugged “This is our home.” Twilight sighed her mane falling back into it’s normal orderly style “I… yes, you’re right Tia. We need to think about right now not however long from now.” Twilight glanced around the clearing “First of all, I think we need to find a safe spot to build some type of home. It needs to be able to house the foals and us, maybe a cabin of some type?” Twilight got up and paced as she thought out loud. “I don’t want to venture too far from the tree of Harmony, in case it summons us again, so the best choice is to stay here in the Everfree. But that’s a problem as well, because that’s a large drop for small foals if they were exploring. We need to be farther away.” Twilight began walking away from the Tree of Harmony towards which she knew was the edge of the Everfree. Celestia cleared her throat. “Oh Twilight?” Twilight stopped in her tracks. “Huh wha?” “I do believe you are forgetting something.” Twilight blinked a few times before she face hoofed “Right the foals. We can’t really do much until they wake up can we?” Celestia shook her head with a smile, and laid down next to the foals, lifting her left wing invitingly toward Twilight. The younger mare smiled before cantering over and snuggling to Celestia’s side, letting out a happy sigh as Celestia gave her a little squeeze with her wing and they watched the foals.