//------------------------------// // Ready // Story: Entropy // by Rose Quill //------------------------------// “Princess Sunset Shimmer!” the door attendant cried as I entered. “And Duchess Sunshine Shimmer!” I can’t believe they still call me a duchess, Sunshine thought to me. It’s not like I’m in control of a Duchy. It’s more an honorary title, remember? I said as we walked the distance to the dias where Celestia and Luna sat. I frowned. Is it just me, or do their manes look a little limp? “Princess Twilight Sparkle!” came the next announcement. “Feel better?” I whispered as she caught up with me. “Yeah,” she whispered back. “Sorry about all that last night.” “Don’t worry about it,” I returned. “Welcome, Sunset, Twilight,” Celestia said. I frowned as I realized that her voice sounded tired, but not the kind of tired that came from a lack of sleep. “I’m so glad you could made it.” “Well, you sent it via official channels,” I said. “Couldn’t really ignore it.” Celestia chuckled, then drew herself up slightly. “You’re wondering why we are stepping aside,” she said. “Don’t worry, it’s not a permanent abdication, it is merely something we must do.” “Every fifteen hundred years we must renew our bond with the sun and the moon,” Luna said. She sounded just as tired. “We are past due for our ritual due to recent events, and as such, our powers wane.” “We cannot, however, leave the thrones vacant even for such a short period as the week it will take,” Celestia continued. “The citizens of Equestria must have someone to look to for reassurance.” “And that’s us,” Twilight said, looking at me. “So why did I get chosen to take over the Day?” I asked quietly. “It is not mere chance your cutie mark is a dual sun, Sunset,” Celestia said. “You gained it recreating my duty in minature, do you recall?” I nodded. It was a silly little thing I had done as a surprise when she visited the school prior to my being chosen as a personal student. “Any your talents, Twilight Sparkle,” Luna said. “Will aid you in your Dreamwalking.” “D-dr-dreamwalking?” Twilight stammered. Luna nodded. “The dreams of Equestria must be warded in my absense.” “How long will this ritual take?” Sunshine asked. “The actual ritual will only take two days and two nights,” Celestia told us. “But the travel to the shrine and the preparations will take a total of a week.” “So what are we expected to do?” I asked, a little afraid of the answer. “You will be taking over the rising of the sun and moon in our absence,” Celestia said, sitting down. “If you wish, we can cancel the daily court meetings until our return so as to limit your duties. Grasping the finesse to control the heavens may tax you at first.” “Though Twilight has some prior experience with it,” Luna said. “If a bit unrefined.” I looked at Twilight. “It was during the Tirek incident,” she stammered nervously. “And I had the power of four Alicorns then! Can I really do it with just my own?” “We will transfer to each of you some of our power to ease the passing just after we make the announcement at the conclusion of today’s court.” “Speaking of,” I asked. “Are we supposed to run things alone, or can we have aides?” “If you choose to hold court, you will of course be allowed to choose someone to assist you, yes,” Luna said. “We will let you discuss this, of course,” Celestia said. “Are you ok?” Twilight asked. Celestia nodded. “It is just that we have waited too long to renew the connection, and it drains our energy daily,” she said. “You may have noticed my declining lack of effectiveness in recent years, particularly during the incident with the Crystal Heart or when Chrysalis captured us all.” I blinked. I may not have been as star struck as Twilight was, and I was shocked that she was admitting to a waning of power to us. And if I was shocked, Twilight was stunned into petrification. “So your power is only as strong as the connection to your respective charges,” Sunshine said. “And I assume your life-forces are as well.” “Indeed,” Luna said. “As long as the sun and moon sail the skies, we will continue on.” “Hence the need to renew your connection,” my wife continued. “To maintain your own lives.” I saw the acknowledgement in the eyes of my mentor. “I’ll do it,” I said softly. Everyone’s head turned to me. “But only for a week,” I said. “Seven days and I’m back to just a plain old pony. And don’t count on me not to speed the days up.” Celestia smiled at me. “One week,” she agreed. “Starlight would be a great aide,” Sunshine said. “She’s worked alongside you for years now, she knows how you think.” Twilight nodded. “I agree, but she would be invaluable to Sunset as well,” she glanced at me. “They’re just as good friends as they are with me, and Starlight would be able to catch her up on recent changes that she might not know about.” “Then who were you thinking of tapping to be your aide if I take Starlight?” I asked. “Trixie?” “I was thinking Moondancer,” she said. “Night court is fairly standard things that couldn’t make it on the docket for Day court for various reasons. If anypony is as precise as I am about details, it’s Moondancer.” An image of a girl rose up in my minds eye, the haze surrounding it making it obvious that I was seeing one of Sunshine’s memories. “Are we talking about the shy girl that more or less emulated you when you were younger?” she asked. “And is probably even more bookish than we are?” “Yes,” Twilight said, a grin spreading. “I patched up our relationship a while before you first returned, and we’ve kept up with each other.” “I’m having difficulty imagining a pony more bookish than Twilight,” I said. The doors at the other side of the small conference room opened as they admitted both Celestia and Luna. They moved over and sat down, their increasing fatigue obvious to me. “Go ahead,” I said. “You made the announcements, there’s no reason to hold a formal transfer of power. Go ahead and do what you have to do.” Twilight stepped forward and took a spot next to me. “We’re ready.”