//------------------------------// // If Celestia does it, how hard could it be? // Story: The Dawn Before Twilight // by CinnabarPony //------------------------------// Twilight had begun to grow tired of sitting proudly upon her throne, and descended to stretch out her legs. Everything in the throne room, including the pair of guards positioned below her, were so still it almost seemed like time itself in the castle had been frozen indefinitely. She trotted along the many depictions of her friends, the princesses, and Spike adorning the walls. Rain pounded onto the stained glass with what seemed like the force of bullets. It almost appeared is if the colorful, transparent figures were crying. “Your highness!” A white and blue pegasus came flying swiftly into the throne room. “I apologize for barging in like this,” he came to a quick halt behind her. “It’s fine, Cloud Chaser.” Twilight had not turned around to look at her guest, she was instead entranced by a colorful depiction of herself above. A smiling, bright purple alicorn, the newest princess of Equestria. “What is it, now?” “Well, your Highness...” Cloud Chaser seemed at a loss for words. He tried a few more times to string a basic sentence together, but found it much harder than expected. Twilight eventually cast him an impatient glare, urging him to get on with it. “It’s just- Twilight...” “Your Highness,” Twilight corrected. “You were right the first time.” “I apologize, your highness, it’s just that, well, with the royal sisters gone...” he rubbed his neck and turned to look out the grand window before them, “there is yet another task that needs to be taken care of in their absence. Although I fear... I fear it isn’t a very simple one.” Twilight merely nodded, “The sun and moon.” “Well, yes. We aren’t exactly sure whether you are, um... capable of it, Princess. But it’s just, without the royal sisters, there’s no one else to complete the task.” Twilight succumb to thought. Cloud Chaser had a point. She was the only pony in Equestria with anything near the amount power required to perform a task so grand, so vital. This was something her subjects needed. Something that she was required to give to them as their ruler. And if Twilight can make it known that she can do the jobs of the royal sisters with just as much efficiency… “You’re right, Cloud Chaser. I will lower the sun and raise the moon at once. Tell anypony who might arrive that i'll be with them shortly.” And with that, she spread her wings and soared off towards somewhere better suited to perform the daunting task. The pegasus stared after her, shocked, “But, uh, Princess! Are you sure you can-” “Handle it? She called back to him. “I’m the ruler of Equestria now, aren’t I? I can most certainly handle it.” And the doors to the throne room slammed shut behind her. Spike lay sprawled out on Twilight’s bed, completely at a loss with himself. He stared up at the dancing rays of sunlight on the ceiling, the downpour outside drowning out all but his own thoughts. Once he had managed to get himself together and back to the room, there was nowhere else for him to be and nothing else for him to do. Something was obviously very wrong with Twilight. This evil force that she had been talking about, it had her. It had her and Spike didn’t think it would agree in letting her go all that easily. He didn’t even know what this thing was; nopony did. And it's not like he could just go and ask Twilight for answers, she was hardly even herself anymore. And the other princesses, the only other ponies who would know anything at all about her situation, were in comas for Celestia knows how long. Regardless of how infuriating the situation was, Spike knew he had to do something. He needed to tell somepony, to get help for his best friend. His first thought was to write another letter to the Elements of Harmony. Surely they could help him, help Twilight, help the princesses. They’ve done it time and time again. Picking himself up off the bed and seating himself at the desk beside it, he pulled yet another roll of parchment out and dipped a new quill in the awaiting ink jar. Only, before his claws met the soon-to-be letter, he stopped. His eyes grew wide as Twilight’s furious words from earlier came barging into his brain, unwarranted. “I gave you an order, you disrespectful little dragon!” “We do not need the elements’ help, do you understand that?” “Spike, you have to listen. You are never to disobey me again. You are my assistant, you have a duty to me and to Equestria. There will be consequences next time.” He couldn’t bring himself to do it. Never could he disobey such a direct order from her. He was scared for her, and he loved her, but he just couldn’t bring himself to do it. Rare have been the times that Twilight had ever really been angry at her little assistant. Annoyed with him, perhaps, when he slept in too late in the morning, when he ignored her warnings and ate so much ice cream he ended up with a huge stomach ache the next day, or when one of his misadventures ended in the partial distruction of Ponyville. But Twilight and Spike shared a bond closer than even siblings could dream of. Spike had been with Twilight ever since he hatched, and Twilight with him ever since she was a filly. And Spike knew that Twilight loved him enough that she could never stay cross with him for long. Spike adored every second of being the Princess of Friendship’s assistant. The two had together saved the crystal empire, the rest of Twilight’s friends, and even the pony that now lived in the castle with them, Starlight Glimmer, when she tried to end the Equestria as they knew it. "Wait, that was it! Starlight Glimmer!" Such a realization by Spike justified nothing less than a glowing light bulb to appear over his head. That was what he’d do, he’d send a letter to Starlight! It was truly a magnificent loophole, Twilight had specifically ordered him not the write to the Elements of Harmony, but she had never said anything about Starlight! And when the Princess’s pupil got it, she’d tell the others and everypony would come to help! Excitement drowning out his previous fear and despair, he began to write. With a bit less urgency at hand than when Twilight was crying out in agony before him, he look the liberty of making this letter a bit more detailed than the previous: Dear Starlight Glimmer, Things have gotten really bad here in Canterlot. Some evil force has 'chosen' Twilight as it’s victim. It can speak to her inside her head and is really hurting her, corrupting her magic and her mind. I’m not exactly sure how it works, but I know she’s in a lot of trouble. She’s not even acting like herself anymore. I can’t reason with her. Princess Celestia, Luna and Cadance are all unconscious, and I don’t know how to wake them up. Twilight’s declared herself the new ruler of Equestria in their absence. Please, get the others and come help. We need to figure out what this thing is and stop it. Her thought for a moment before adding: P.S. Be careful when you get here, I doubt Twilight’s looking forward to your visit. Spike. The dragon stared at the finished letter, content with himself. He had hope now, at least, that some form of help was coming. He hopped off the desk and reopened the window Twilight had previously slammed shut, raindrops beginning to patter onto the carpet. He rolled his lifeline up tightly in his claws and reassured himself for a moment, knowing that this was what needed to be done to protect everypony. He breathed in deeply, and, with a light green flame being exhaled from his mouth, the letter was gone and on its way to Starlight. Twilight hadn’t been inside Celestia’s study for many years. Back when she was just a filly, she and the solar princess would have their private lessons in this room, and the place was ridden with old memories. There was the time Twilight had accidentally set fire to the couch (the charred mark was still there) or that time she had made all the books in the room sprout wings and fly around aimlessly, knocking over everything in sight, or even when she had blasted a hole right through the curtains. Actually, a surprising number of things Twilight recalled doing in her lessons ended up awfully destructive. Mostly, though, Twilight’s memories of the sun princess's study were pleasant ones of an overachieving student under the watchful eye of a proud mentor. But Twilight needn’t let useless nostalgia consume her for long, for she soon found exactly what she had been searching for. A set of double doors, shaking back and forth from the violent outside winds, led to the all-too familiar grand balcony. This was where Celestia would normally raise and lower the sun, and where Twilight hoped it would be easiest for herself to do so as well. Tearing open both doors with her magic, Twilight entered the insane state the outside world of Canterlot was in. Even though this storm may have been planned by the pegasi, she couldn’t help but think that they might had overdone it a bit this time. She walked, slowly and somewhat unsurely, towards the very edge of the balcony. Rain had soaked through her mane and fur in mere seconds, and all sound was driven away by the angry howls of the surrounding torrent. Harsh winds whipped her mane around, and lightning would constantly strike somewhere nearby. She had no idea where the sun she was supposed to lower even was, the sky was so dark and chaotic. Ok, Twilight. Calm yourself. You can do this. She closed her eyes. Not that it did much, since her surroundings didn’t give out all that much light as it was. Then, it happened again. Her head began to ache. Only, the voice that came wasn’t with exuberant happiness or commanding anger this time. While it most certainly still hurt, it was not nearly as bad as the last time it had occurred, only enough the make the alicorn grimace in discomfort. “Do it, Twilight. Then they will all see how powerful you are. Go on, now.” Twilight’s magic sparked to life, and she set about locating the sun. At last, she was able to find the hidden celestial body. It was countless miles away, hidden beneath a thick veil of storm clouds, but it was there. She tried her best to grab it with her telekinesis. Though, try as she might, she just didn’t have the strength for something so enormous. Twilight had managed to move the sun and moon once before, but that was will all of the alicorn magic in equestria at her disposal. Alone, she was nothing. “Really? Must you have so little confidence in yourself, Twilight? Even with how much I have worked to shape you up? Fine, I will assist you. Just follow my lead…” Twilight began to tug the sun again, although this time, she found it surprisingly easier. The voice was helping her, and she was very grateful. Although, even with the newfound support, it still took a great deal of strength to move the enormous sun down below the horizon. When she knew it was gone and would be out of sight once the storm passed, she let go of the sun, sighing in relief for the enormous weight lifted off of her. But she wasn’t wasn’t finished yet. Scanning the areas beyond with her improved magical strength, she located a concealed moon. Then, with all the power she could muster, the great purple alicorn spread her wings, clenched her teeth, and, with difficulty, grappled the nighttime moon into the swirling abyss of a sky. Rain soaked her to the bone, wind whipped at her face in vicious lashes, but at last, she had done it. She gave a wide smile. She had done it. Along with the help of her new friend, she had proven that Equestria needed her to rule and nopony else. She let out a cackle, which soon grew into a mighty laugh. She laughed at all the ponies who thought her incapable. She laughed at Celestia, Luna, and her dear sister Cadance. She laughed through the wind and the rain and the ear-splitting thunder. A lightning bolt crashed, dangerously close, but she only continued to laugh. And her newfound friend laughed alongside her.