Twilight almost didn’t notice Celestia teleporting next to her. The look of fear had been hidden under a mask of concern. Twilight could read Celestia like a book, though. Half of the concern was for Twilight’s well-being, but the other half was concern for her own. She only saw that expression when she was approaching a potential threat to both her own life and her kingdom.
“Princess, please don’t look at me like that…” She whispered. Celestia’s eyes widened and she took the tiniest of steps back from her glowing student. She closed them and took a deep breath. Twilight saw her entire demeanor change then, one to genuine concern for Twilight. She had flushed the less than savory thoughts and feelings from her mind.
“I’m sorry, dead memories… Twilight, I need you to take a deep breath and focus yourself inward. You are currently in possession of far too much arcane power and it must be bled off or it may damage you.” Celestia explained, though an eyebrow raised when Twilight shook her head. She did the first part, taking a deep breath and focusing more on self-analysis.
“Princess, this isn’t overflow… Well, some of it is… I’ll bleed that off within a minute. Spike, can you please bring me some of the inert emeralds?” The glowing unicorn called. Spike nodded from within his bastion of safety and, seeing that the two ponies he trusted most in his life seemed to think it was safe, he rushed out with a small armful of dull emeralds. Twilight smiled at him and made to pat him on the head, but thought better of it. She didn’t know what would happen if she touched another source of magic like a dragon while overcharged like this.
It took an immense amount of concentration to channel only her excess energy directly into the inert gems, which would diffuse the concentrated energy safely into ambient magic since they couldn’t properly hold their energy due to imperfections and bite marks. After half a minute or so, Twilight seemed like she normally did on any average day. Celestia’s horn lit up to check for herself and found that Twilight was indeed perfectly normal. That is, if it was perfectly normal for a Unicorn to have so much arcane potential.
“Twilight, when I made you my student it was because I saw much potential in you… Specifically, just how large your reserves were and how potently you channeled it. Right now, you have more than any unicorn I have ever met. I would hazard a guess that you have larger reserves than myself, though of course you don’t have the near limitless supply of energy the sun gifts me…” Celestia explained slowly. It was taking a lot of self control to keep the ‘this person is now a threat’ mentality out of her head, that much Twilight could tell.
Twilight couldn’t really believe that. She was going to voice that thought, but she caught the momentary slip in Celestia’s mask. She wasn’t keeping the ‘this person is now a threat’ mentality out of her head. She was just hiding it. It caused her words to catch in her throat and she could feel her eyes watering.
Celestia caught it too. She couldn’t meet Twilight’s gaze.
“I’m sorry…” Twilight managed to choke out. Celestia’s gaze snapped back to the unicorn, surprised.
“You have nothing to apologise for… It was made perfectly clear this wasn’t the intended outcome… I’m honestly impressed you even survived so much magic rushing into you… Any other unicorn probably would have exploded…” The alicorn practically snapped back, though Twilight could tell the words were more for the princess than herself. She was trying to convince herself that her most faithful student was not in fact a threat to herself or her kingdom.
She had to do something.
“I-I could use an inhibitor, one keyed only to you j-just in case…” Twilight started. She was going to ramble on more suggestions but was stopped as a hoof went over her mouth.
“Twilight, stop right there. I may have… terrible things rolling around in my thoughts right now about this, but the mare who is your mentor in me would never allow you to do that to yourself. No, before I leave I will have to expand my lessons with you to encompass your new power and make sure you can control it.” The Princess explained, taking another deep breath. Twilight just nodded slowly, not daring to speak around the hoof pressed against her lips. Celestia’s eyes softened and she slowly pulled Twilight into an embrace. The unicorn couldn’t help but nuzzle into her favorite spot on the princess’ shoulder and lean into the embrace.
This wasn’t right. She opened her eyes, the cavern was an endless expanse of white with an expanse of stars above. Celestia’s coat was blue.
It wasn’t Celestia.
It wasn’t the cavern.
On the longest day of the thousandth year, the stars will aid in her escape. Not to bring about an endless night, but to bring harmony to this day.
“Princess, who is the mare on the moon?” Twilight asked, looking up at Celestia. Twilight Blinked, where did that come from? Celestia blinked as well. Both of them looked confused for a moment before their gazes were drawn to a book on the ground between them. Celestia’s expression became horrified for just a moment as Twilight picked it up.
“What… what is this doing here? I don’t remember casting the summoning spell on it…” The unicorn started before looking back up to see Celestia’s expression. The horror had mixed with the confusion.
“Twilight, you are my most faithful and loyal student. Because of this, I am going to give you the benefit of the doubt and you will have the chance to explain yourself before being convicted of the highest forms of treason. Whether or not this will come to pass depends entirely on your explanation and if I detect any lies in said explanation.” Celestia explained in her most diplomatic voice, which made the unicorn and the dragon in the room suddenly fear for their own lives.
“Ba… wha… What? But I thought… I assumed…” Twilight started blubbering, though a single raised eyebrow from her apparently very close to vaporizing the room princess stopped her there and she took as calming a breath as she could. She would never commit treason, the fact that Celestia was giving her this chance to explain it was proof enough of that!
Ok, stop thinking about it and talk before it gets very hot in here.
“I woke up this morning with it sitting on my desk, in the ‘in’ tray to be precise. I had assumed you had left it there for me to research or as material for a later lesson which is the only reason I didn’t immediately come to you.” Twilight answered evenly. Her tone was confident, though even the old griffon warlord couldn’t completely keep his composure this close to Celestia’s fury. The fact that her voice didn’t crack more was a testament to just how confident Twilight was that this was just a misunderstanding.
By the way Celestia’s body immediately relaxed and she let out the most relieved sigh Twilight had ever heard reaffirmed her confidence.
“Normally I wouldn’t just assume something like that, but when I picked it up in my telekinesis it felt kinda like… you. Or at least it felt like something I’ve only ever felt interacting with your magic.” Twilight continued, looking at the thing that was still in her magical grasp. Celestia sighed deeply and wordlessly placed a wing over the two and led them back towards the elevator.
“It’s… a long story… A story you know part of already apparently... “ Celestia started. She hesitated to continue, though. Twilight seemed confused.
“I have no idea what any of this means, Princess…” She admitted. Celestia looked a little surprised by that.
“Wait, have you not read it?... No, no I suppose you wouldn’t have if you’re asking who is the mare in the moon… Damn me and my mysterious educational tendencies…” The Princess groaned as they rode the elevator and started heading towards where Twilight knew the Princess’ chambers were. It was a familiar path.
“Open to the first page, at least… I haven’t decided if I should let you read any more…” The Princess continued as they made an unfamiliar turn. Twilight, unsure, did as she was bade and read the inside cover. She let out the tiniest gasp.
‘On the longest day of the thousandth year, only the stars could aid in her escape. To bring eternal night.’
That was wrong.
“Equestria did not always have a single ruler, you know this correct?” Celestia asked before Twilight could comment. She nodded, opening her mouth to say something about the words being wrong.
“It is not very well known knowledge, but it is also false knowledge, that Equestria’s other ruler died in battle a thousand years ago. She fell in battle, yes, but she did not fall into death’s embrace. And she did not fall protecting her kingdom…” Celestia cut her off. Now was Twilight’s chance to bring it up as Celestia seemed to be collecting her thoughts. Her words caught in her throat again as she noticed where they were.
She had no idea where they were.
The architecture was gothic to say the least, the aesthetics here were to the rest of the palace what the night was to the day. Dark, sombre, beautiful. There seemed to be far less industrialization here, if there was any at all. No pipes, no faint hiss of steam or the grinding of gears or whirring of mechanisms as the doors opened and closed. They had stopped in front of a large door, however, what appeared to be a modern vault door. It bore the mark of a crescent moon carved into the mechanism.
“What you two are about to see in this room are never to be spoken of. Period. Herein lies every single reminder of my greatest folly. My greatest regret.” Celestia said softly as her horn lit up to manipulate hidden mechanisms not even Twilight could discern the exact positions of. The grinding of gears rarely used and the slight whistle of steam through some crack in the piping made the two younger creatures flinch. Twilight was going to say something, but Celestia hadn’t even reacted.
That’s how it was supposed to sound, so loud half of the palace probably heard it. In fact, Twilight remembered hearing this exact sound very rarely in the palace. A certain realization dawned on her then.
She remembered hearing it only once a year the few times she spent the day in the palace without Celestia. The day of mourning.
“Please, I would request you didn’t ask questions here Twilight. Perhaps some other time, but I’ve had enough regret today I don’t think I could handle much more…” The Princess asked softly as the door slowly creaked open. Twilight almost couldn’t believe what was on the other end of this secluded vault.
It was a bedroom, similar to Celestia’s. A bedroom that hadn’t been used in a thousand years. The walls were covered in art and tapestries depicting ancient festivals and conquered battlefields, somewhat out of place podiums held various trinkets and oddities. What was an abacus doing on what appeared to be a display?
“There are only four creatures alive that know this room exists. I’d rather that number not drop back down to two… I beg for your secrecy, you two... “ Celestia said, her voice wavering at the end of it. That scared the two more than the threat. They could only nod as they looked around and Celestia took the book Twilight was still carrying in her own magic. Twilight actually had to relinquish control of it, Celestia either couldn’t or chose not to simply overpower her own magic.
“Wait, Princess…” Twilight started. Celestia turned to look at her. The expression seemed to say ‘I thought I requested no questions’. Twilight shook her head. “If you didn’t leave that book on my desk, then what did?” She asked. Celestia looked at the floor and hummed in thought before looking at the book and squinting at it, almost as if it would reveal its secrets if she looked hard enough.
“The wards around the book itself have been completely dissolved, though the wards on both the room and its podium are still wholly intact. Worse yet, I didn’t notice the wards being dissolved even though they were expressly designed to tell me if they were changed in any way. There isn’t even a trace of them left…” She explained as she examined it with both her sight and her magical sense. She looked over at Twilight and seemed to be deep in thought again.
“This morning I received news that means my departure for the griffon lands will be as soon as possible rather than in three weeks’ time… I had made the time to oversee your initial test of the arcane engine and I was going to discuss my departure with you over the results… I refuse to let this leave the castle, but how this appeared in your care is something that must be discovered…” Celestia explained. Twilight’s eyes showed concern for a moment, but one shake of her head told the unicorn that the news itself wasn’t something she intended to share.
“I’m not too good with this kind of stuff Princess… are you sure you want me to be here for this?” Spike said softly, cringing at the fact that he was breaking the silence that had formed himself. Celestia’s look softened.
“I’m sorry Spike, sometimes I forget that you’re far more mature than your age… What you’ve already heard and seen is more than anyone else has ever heard or seen… I trust you enough to keep it that way. If you aren’t confident in your ability to do so then I will not think any less of you if you wished to leave. If you really aren’t confident then it may be best to pull this particular memory from your mind…” The Princess suggested. Spike slowly shook his head.
“I… still don’t have the self control to stand my ground when Twilight bribes me with rubies to do her a favor… If this is really that important then I think you should wipe it.” The young dragon explained as he bashfully scratched the back of his head. Twilight let out a little noise and nuzzled him.
“Spike, I think that’s the most mature thing you’ve said to me… Very well. Perhaps when you’re more confident in yourself you can be filled in… I hate to do this, but I’m proud of you for recognizing that it needs to be done.” Celestia said after a few moments of silence. Spike puffed up his chest at the praise as Celestia touched her horn to his head and he was gone in a golden flash.
“Home or back to the testing chamber?” Twilight asked.
“Kitchens, actually. He will remember shutdown procedure two being successful and us tasking him with making sure he’s properly fed while we go over the results.” Celestia answered. Twilight smiled and nodded before they both frowned as the book floated between them.
“What do you want to do?” Twilight asked. Celestia sighed.
“I want this mystery solved, I don’t want to leave my kingdom until it is… but I have to. I trust you, Twilight Sparkle, with even my life if necessary. I suppose I can trust you with my failures… I only ask that if your curiosity drives you to read the contents of this book that you promise to always be my faithful and loyal student…” She replied. Twilight nuzzled her.
“Without hesitation.” The unicorn replied. Celestia smiled and wrapped her wings around the smaller mare. The tome was transferred back into Twilight’s lavender telekinesis as they parted and Celestia cast one last glance around the room before leading Twilight out and back towards the testing caverns.
“So, before I leave after dinner, I want to know exactly what all of this means.” Celestia asked as they returned to the observation room where the arcane engine’s test printouts were still there waiting to be looked over.
“Well, what the arcane engine was supposed to do was improve upon the design of arcane batteries. The battery is a self contained arcanotech power source that uses magical energies found in gemstones to create power- primarily electricity. The problem with them is that they don’t last too long and they often destroy the gemstone inside, which needs to be replaced.
“The Arcane Engines are supposed to be the same thing, though this one was pretty big since it’s a prototype and easier to fiddle with. Instead of having to swap out the gemstones, it was supposed to regulate the use of power and leave the gemstone completely intact but simply drained. This would mean that the gemstone inside could be recharged by any unicorn, but what I discovered during the preliminary testing was that with a few tweaks to the spell structure and adding a little bit of technology- explaining exactly what went into it took nearly a hundred pages in the report- it would gradually recharge on its own by taking in ambient magics and even tapping into natural leylines.” Twilight explained. Celestia nodded, she remembered this much from Twilight’s summary last night.
“It was working too well however. Shutdown procedure one charged the frame structure with an artificial dampening field, but the engine was already tapped into Canterlot’s primary leyline, the field isn’t strong enough to block that kind of natural energy. Procedure two was unplug everything except the primary monitoring systems and hope it turns off. By then, it appeared to have taken in far too much energy to cease function and the only way to shut it off at that time and avoid it just pasting the entire room with shrapnel and bits of Twilight was to manually cut it off from the leyline- easy enough- and siphon the energy out safely.” Twilight continued. Celestia nodded.
“And, for inexplicable reasons, rather than diffusing it into the environment it stuck with you and has advanced your magic far beyond what I thought it’d ever reach.” Celestia finished. Twilight nodded. It was kinda fuzzy up until she had channeled the overflow into the cracked emeralds.
“I had a few strange hallucinations but they were well within the normal expectations for symptoms of arcane overflow. That’s another mystery I’m going to have to solve, why the energy stuck to me and why it wasn’t al loverflow.” Twilight said. Celestia nodded as they made their way down to the husk itself.
“It would appear that, aside from the shutdown procedures, your prototype was a success.” Celestia said as they popped the sphere open to find the large chunk of Sapphire drained but still in perfect condition. Twilight squealed and pranced in place for a moment before levitating the Sapphire out.
“Now that the theory is solid I can work on refinement! And finding a safer way to shutdown…” Twilight started. She stopped herself from rambling on the possibilities as they returned to the elevator after Twilight returned the chunk of Sapphire to its previous place.
“I fear I must be leaving soon, Twilight Dear, we should head to dinner. I’d like to speak more than just business since it’ll be the last time we’ll see each other for some time. I don’t know how long I’ll be needed…” Celestia said as they reached the top again. Twilight nodded and teleported the tome into her securely locked chest hidden behind her bed in her room. Hopefully nobody found out about the first prototype for the engine in there, and especially not what it was used for when Spike fell asleep out in the tower rather than in her room.
“Well, regardless of how long, hopefully I’ll have all of this figured out before you get back.” She said with a smile as they started towards the dining hall.
“I have utmost faith in you my dear.” Celestia said with a smile.