//------------------------------// // The New Princess // Story: The Beginning of the Eclipse // by Snorlaxkid //------------------------------// The amalgam sat across from Twilight in the map room, robed unceremoniously in a towel, since none of the clothing Twilight had could fit her. Other than that, her only clothing were bandages, covering wounds neither had even noticed in the darkness, the bandages already stained red with the alicorn's blood. This would have to do until she could retrieve her regular clothing from the crater in the morning. She sipped some of the tea Twilight had offered, doing so in the dainty slurp that Celestia had mastered. "After the explosion," She continued, in a strange mixture of Nightmare Moon and Daybreaker's voices, "The next thing we knew, were lying in that crater. We panicked at first, both thinking the other was left behind before we both cried out... with one voice. Shortly after we got our bearings, we heard you coming and hid. Thankfully it was you and not someone else, we are of one mind that no one should see us until we have made a... final decision about this." Twilight was rubbing her forehead and hyperventilating. It was understandable given the circumstances, but the princesses needed her to remain calm. She walked stood up and walked over, pulling Twilight up and giving her a warm hug. Celestia's voice alone spoke up. "Shhh... It's alright, I'm here Twilight. We're all here." Twilight looked up, and before her, the strange, red eye that had been unfamiliar to her slowly changed. The whites purged the red from them, and the pupil expanded to normal, as the shade turned to a familiar light pink-purple. "Princess Celestia, your eye!" She exclaimed in surprise. The amalgam placed a hand over her eye, stepping back. "W-What? Is it bleeding? Did I injure myself further somehow?" "No no! It's... It's back to normal!" Both alicorns paused, slowly absorbing the implications of the moment. "That means... We... We could return to normal. To ourselves." Luna's voice now came out, sounding tired, strained. "Hypothetically at the least. It's a small relief, but a relief nonetheless." "In the meantime," Now the strange mixture of voices again, Twilight mentally noted this was possibly the most literal moment of talking to one's self that has ever occurred. "We need a name. Or, this...." The amalgam gestured to itself. "This form needs a name. Something to call itself." Twilight and the new alicorn both went silent, as five minds in two bodies began thinking. Several names were thrown out, Spacial Specter, Heavenly Bond, and Lightmare Noon being the most amusing. Even Twilight had to relax and laugh at that suggestion, especially given she could practically see Celestia giving her a smug grin as it was suggested in her voice. Eventually however, they came to an agreement. "Solar Eclipse. An event that occurs when the sun and moon share the sky." the newly named alicorn said, the voices echoing slightly as they all speak at once, "It works. A good idea Twilight." The last part was added solely by Celestia, in a calm, reassuring tone. The two alicorns stood, about to retire to bed, as Solar Eclipse had a revelation. "...I have to raise the sun in a few hours." Twilight stopped and turned. "Yes... and?" "And then everyone will be wondering where we are. We were hoping to put off revealing ourselves but..." She sighs, an odd sound given it comes from multiple voices. "We'll have to head back to the castle and change... We'll find something... appropriate." Twilight chuckles a bit at that. "It'll be fine. You managed to calm me down, after all." ----------------------------------- The response to Solar Eclipse's speech was definitely less than fine. There was a clear nervous murmuring around the crowd, and one could almost feel the possible panic ahead. Her left hand gripped the railing of the balcony she stood on tightly, barely holding back Nightmare Moon's rage at their doubt. "Please do not be alarmed, citizens of Equestria." She continued, the booming of her many voices giving little comfort to the multitude. "This change shall only last a short time, we assure you. Before long, things will return to normal. Until then, please, put your faith in us. We will not fail you, even while we are in this unfamiliar form." This addition barely helped, but it did quiet the murmur of anxiety. That would have to do for now. "Now, return to your lives. Rejoice in your continued safety. Tonight there will be a beautiful shower of falling stars." That got a bit of a response, even if it was halfhearted as the crowd dispersed. "That could have gone better." Luna muttered through Solar's forced smile. "We should inform Princess Cadence, lest she suspect something is amiss." ----------------------------------- One letter and several tossed aside drafts later, and Solar was alone with her thoughts. Celestia had to clear her normal schedule due to the asteroid the day before, so today was focused on damage control. Her thoughts were cluttered, four minds all pushing their own thoughts. "Stop! Stop! We have to focus on one thing!" Celestia's voice cried out as Solar grabbed her head in agony, too many minds in one head tearing her apart. After a painful minute, the voices died down, Solar collapsing on her back. "We're going to be stuck like this for a while at least, we have to learn to work together. First things first, we have to maintain order. Nothing can go wrong until we're separate once more." Of course, being one of those things that is only said to tempt fate, something "wrong" was happening just then. As it turned out, the royal guard outside her door was not the stallion he appeared to be. Or a stallion at all. "His" emerald eyes flash as a grin forms on his face. "So the princesses are trapped like this? What an... interesting turn of events. Perhaps I can use this to my advantage, and to regain my throne." He barely restrains his laughter as he steps away from his posting, walking down the hall to get somewhere private to scheme.