//------------------------------// // Chapter 1. A Great Magical Unbalance // Story: Not Like This // by Guitarriffthepegasus //------------------------------// here “What good is love when there’s no growing old together?” - The Age of Adeline My dearest faithful student, It has occurred to me that my immortality has given unto me total and all encompassing sadness. I have loved and lost, given and taken, and repeated the same cycle for thousands of years now. Although I show love and kindness to all of my subjects, my life is filled with sorrow. When I accepted my duties as princess of the sun, I had no idea of the pain and suffering that would follow, and I must say my sacrifice is too great. Even my dearest sister had grown weary; you know that much. At first we were inseparable but the strain had become too much for her. I only dread the day when she can no longer bear the stress. I am doomed to walk the earth and never grow old. I miss him so much, Twilight. I sometimes wonder if there is an afterlife, and if he’s waiting for me there, only to be disappointed time and time again when he doesn’t see my face… I have made a terrible mistake, my faithful student. I have doomed you to the same fate as mine. When all of your friends have grown old and pass, you will witness all of it; still looking the same as you do now. No longer do I wish to feel this, and no longer shall I. Goodbye forever, Princess Celestia Twilight stared at the letter from her teacher, barely able to process what she had just read. “What does it say?” Spike asked the concern clear in his voice. Twilight remained silent. “Uh Twilight, are you ok?” The alicorn’s horn began to glow, and in a flash she disappeared. In an instant, Twilight appeared in the large throne room of the Canterlot royal castle. A lone royal guard was standing in front of the two thrones. The guard immediately took notice to Twilight’s presence and rushed over. “Your Majesty, Princess Celestia has disappeared!” the guard spoke franticly, hoping that the purple alicorn might be able to shed some light on the princess’s absence. “No! She can’t be gone!” Twilight exclaimed frantically. The royal guard shook his head. “I’m sorry your majesty, but she is nowhere to be found. All I could find was this note that just said goodbye.” He flashed a small note. “Is Luna still here?” the princess asked. The guard scratched his chin with his hoof. “She is in her bedding chamber and has requested to be alone.” “May I speak to her?” ******************** *A knock on the door to Luna’s bedroom. “Who is it that dares to disturb me!?” Luna’s loud voice boomed through the castle. “It’s me, Twilight.” Her voice was shaky at the unexpected outburst. “Oh… hey Twilight, what are you doing here?” Twilight entered the dark chamber. “I’m looking for princess Celestia, have you seen her?” Luna looked down and away for a moment. “No…not since yesterday evening.” She returned her gaze, a single tear in her eye. “So that’s all you know?” Twilight’s voice started to crack. “Yes, I’m afraid. She left us without warning.” Twilight looked down, lowering her head. “I - I don’t…” Luna put a hoof to Twilight’s lips. “Please, don’t worry Twilight Sparkle.”Luna pleaded with the purple alicorn. “I promise you, we will find her!” Twilight paused for a moment. “Okay…but where would we even begin to look?” Luna glanced away. “Perhaps we should try the archives.” Twilight couldn’t believe what was happening. She couldn’t shake this terrible feeling in the pit of her stomach. The two princesses began to make their way to the entrance hall. “L – Luna?” Luna stopped dead in her tracks as if she knew what Twilight was about to say. She remained silent. “Y-you don’t think that she…” Luna cut her off. “Don’t.” Luna’s voice was cold and lifeless. Twilight went silent, avoiding provocation of Princess Luna’s fragile emotions. They continued onward to the entrance hall, stopping in front of a large door. There was a sign posted at the top of the door’s frame that read “Canterlot Castle Royal Archives” The large door to the castle archives slowly opened, revealing a vast library of books and scrolls. Twilight remembered how much she studied here when she was just a young filly. Luna had fond memories of this place as well. She and her sister would try to perfect spells by reading up on them, and going outside to the garden to practice. The two Princesses began their search for even a shred of evidence of where their beloved had gone. Books and scrolls were flying left and right, and were placed in a large pile in the center of the vast library. Neither mare spoke, for they were much too busy to even acknowledge each other’s existence. Twilight broke the silence. “I can’t find any clues!” Twilight exclaimed; feeling all the more frustrated at her mentor’s disappearance. She noticed a small turquoise book lying open in a corner. “Huh, I don’t remember opening that book… Hey, Luna?” Twilight got no response from the blue Alicorn. Her horn began to glow, and a purple aura surrounded the book. She levitated the book closer to her. The title read Mortality. Twilight gasped at the title. “Luna, come quickly!” Princess Luna darted her glance towards the purple mare. She concentrated and after a few brief seconds, appeared next to Twilight in a blue flash. “What, what is…?” Luna paused when she noticed the book Twilight had. “Oh no, it can’t be!” Twilight noticed a small piece of parchment sticking out of the book. She stared at it for a moment, before taking it out to read. Using her magic, she unfolded the piece of paper, and began to read its contents. “It- it’s for you.” ******************** My Dearest Sister, I am so sorry to do this, but at the same time I almost feel no remorse. I am drawing my life, and my duties of the princess of the sun, to an end with a mortality spell. You may find this decision to be rather selfish and full of imprudence; but alas, I must disagree. As you already know, I lost a lover and great companion some 1600 years ago. Many have told me that I would move on; that love may come again, but neither of these experiences has come to fruition and I can’t fake it any longer. As I said to Twilight, I miss him so much, and I wonder if he awaits my arrival in the afterlife. By the time you have discovered this note, the mortality spell has caused my age to catch up to my body, and I have withered to the dust of the earth and sun. I wish I could have said goodbye in person, but you would have tried to stop me. I am at peace with this, and you must find yours. I love you, Luna. Never forget that for as long as you continue to present the stars. I am going to see him now… With love and compassion, Princess Celestia Luna’s eyes grew wider as she read the note from her sister, tearing up as she reached the end. “N-NO! Why would she… NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!” Luna’s eyes cascaded a dark aura, and a black shroud of mist enveloped her body. Her teeth grew razor sharp. “Princess Luna!” Twilight shrieked, fear filling her mind. “Please princess, Y-you don’t have to do this!” Her words were of no avail, for Nightmare Moon presented herself before Twilight. The sky grew dark as if an eclipse had blocked out the sun. The temperature became frigid, and Twilight’s breath was now visible. “The night will last FOREVER!!!” Nightmare Moon stood at the center of her bedroom, basking in the dreary, monotonous shadow that cascaded over her chambers. Her ominous black wings shot out from her body, and with a thrust she took to the sky. Twilight stared at the evil Alicorn’s grand exit. Fear, disbelief, shock, nausea, and a myriad of other emotions raced throughout Twilight’s being. “I-I have to get back to…” she trailed off as her horn illuminated, and in a bright flash, she disappeared. ******************** Back at Twilight’s Castle, Spike was pacing anxiously across the floor. “Where could she have gone?” The young drake was startled as a bright pink flash revealed Twilight in the library’s center. “Twi! I’ve been worried sick! Where have you…” He trailed of when he noticed Twilight’s not-so-subtle depression. “Uh…Twilight, W-what happened?”