//------------------------------// // Part 1: Filly // Story: Statues // by TypewriterError //------------------------------// Majesty Song was excited to be staying up so late. She had sneaked out of her house in Canterlot and entered the statue gardens in the cool of the evening. The full moon and numerous stars scattered across the dark blue velvet of the sky illuminated the statues easily as the young unicorn softly tiphoofed the path through the silent forms. She stopped to look at one that represented Compassion: a male earth pony seemingly wrapping a bandage around the leg of a cat. Majesty smiled and turned to continue down the path. Celestia stood up ahead, watching her patiently. “Princess Celestia!” Majesty squeaked. A smile appeared on the alicorn’s muzzle. “What is your name?” she asked the small unicorn. “I’m... I’m M... Majesty Song.” “Hello, Majesty Song. What are you doing outside so late?” “I... I... I sneaked out,” Majesty said, looking at her hooves. Celestia’s gentle laugh made her look up again. “I understand,” she said, approaching the young mare. “Where do you live?” “I live outside the gardens,” she piped with a blush. “Would you like me to walk you back?” the Princess asked, kindly. “Couldn’t I... Couldn’t I see the rest of the garden?” the filly asked, her heart beating excitedly. Celestia minded the little unicorn for a while, her head tilted slightly with her mane softly undulating. The longer she stared the more nervous the filly became. The Princess’s face was entirely unreadable. Her visible eye blinked but betrayed no emotion, her mouth neither smiled nor frowned. Finally, after almost a full minute had passed, the Princess’s face opened into a sympathetic smile. “I’m sorry, Majesty Song, but your parents would want you back in bed. I will walk you back.” “Are you going to tell them?” she asked, her large, gold eyes shining in the moonlight as she begged. The tall Princess shook her head while a warm smile entered her eyes. “Not if you promise to stay out of the garden at night. However, if you come here again and I catch you, I will have to tell your parents. Do you understand?” she said gently. The unicorn nodded so excitedly that her yellow and copper mane fluffed up to resemble a lion’s. She blushed deeply and the Princess laughed musically. “You’re quite the lion aren’t you?” she chuckled and magically smoothed her mane back down. “Thank you,” the unicorn said politely. “You’re very welcome. Now let me take you home...” the Princess stopped and seemed to listen to the night breeze for a moment. “It’s just not safe for you to be alone,” she finished, still looking around the garden statues. That was the first time Majesty ever realized just how silent night was. The silence of night in the garden tingled with the feeling somepony was watching you. The statue of Compassion... looked like it was ready to move. Majesty felt anticipation creep up her neck as the stark shadows cast by the moon illuminated the statues features. Her parents had told her to not let her imagination run away with her... still sometimes it was hard not to. “Come,” Celestia gently commanded. She walked silently next to Majesty Song in the direction the little mare had come from. Majesty watched her leader’s hooves as they lightly tapped against the concrete walkways. Something was funny about them but Majesty couldn’t quite remember. “So... Majesty Song, why did you come to the garden at night?” “I wanted to see the statues but my parents never have time to let me see them all.” “I see. Do you have any sibling? Friends who can take you?” “No, none of them live close to me. I’m an only filly.” “I see,” she simply said and her hooves continued to tap. Majesty bent her head all the way back and saw the moon reflected in the Princess’s crown. The dark impression of a mare was clearly visible. “Princess Celestia?” The Princess jumped a little and then looked down at her again. “Is Nightmare Moon real? I keep hearing stories about her...” Princess Celestia looked down at the path in front of her, silently. “Yes... she is real.” Celestia stopped and stared up at the moon. “She’s been there nine hundred and sixty-seven years...” The Princess appeared lost in her own mind. “Will she come and hurt me if I wander the gardens? Mommy always said she would.” Celestia laughed heartily and sniffed after she was done. Her eyes were a little shinier. “No, I promise I’ve made sure she will... never hurt anypony again...” she began to walk. “No matter the cost...” The entrance of the garden was close now. Majesty watched the hedge arch approaching and looked back at the statues sadly. Celestia noticed. “You’re very brave are you not? To come here alone?” “I... I don’t know. My Mommy and Daddy say I’m brave.” “Bravery is a valuable thing to have. But with bravery you should use caution. When do you and your parents plan on visiting the garden again?” “I don’t know... We do always visit it the day of Nightmare Night!” she added excitedly. Celestia nodded and gave a small smile. “Very well,” she said but stopped again by something only she heard. Her eyes darted around the statues. Her barrel expanded and contracted as if to catch lost breath. Majesty cleared her throat before speaking. “Princess Celestia, thank you very much for walking me here but I can make it back home by myself,” she said with a reassuring smile. Celestia looked down at her with a small, hesitant smile and patted the filly’s head with her front hoof. “Of course. I hope to see you again soon, my brave little Majesty Song.” Majesty nodded rapidly and turned to go through the arch. Finally, she realize what had been so odd about her leader’s hooves: she wasn’t wearing her gold horseshoes. Majesty looked back as she trotted away from the entrance to the garden. They had probably been too dressy for her leader to wear on a simple garden stroll, and perhaps a little too loud for the silence of the garden. “Majesty Song!” Celestia called and the young mare ran back just inside the entrance to where the path turned sharply to the left. “Remember to stay out of the garden at night. It’s not right for you to be here,“ she warned gravely. Majesty nodded just as gravely and the breeze picked up again. This time she could actually hear something. Her...