//------------------------------// // Two Days of Strange. // Story: Celestia's look-a-like assistant. // by TheDawsonator1 //------------------------------// I walked in the green grass fields outside a town...it was not a town I was familiar with, I don't even know its name of all things. But I didn't care, I didn't care where I was going or what I was doing, all I was doing was walking and I didn't seem to be getting anywhere in particular. But after a while I noticed the Sun was getting really bright and I started to sweat, really sweat and the sun is really really bright now, what's going on? "Celestia, can you tone down the sun please?" I asked Celestia as though she could actually hear me. No response but the Sun got even brighter...if that's even possible, I had to cover my eyes and I couldn't open them without having to close them again, even looking at my own shadow was too bright. "Awaken..." "Wha--?" "It's time for you to awaken Sun Glow, your destiny awaits..." The Sun's brightness made everything go white as I felt myself burning and-- I immediately sat up in my bed as I recalled the...dream I just had, I wouldn't call it a nightmare but...it was a very strange dream I just had. What time is it? 6:30am? Well...there's no real point getting back to sleep so I may as well get up and...why is there a letter on my bedside table? I rub my eyes just to make sure I am not imagining it and I saw it was still there. It was a midnight blue envelope with Princess Luna's cutie mark as the seal...this is from Princess Luna? Why would she send anything to me? Well...there's one way to find out. I open the letter to read it... Dear Sun Glow, I apologize for burdening you with this letter the first thing this morning but I must request to speak with you in my chambers as soon as you are able. I am aware this may seem a strange request since you and I haven't met but rest assured that this may be important for you. Please come as soon as you are able, I will explain everything once you arrive and don't worry about being late, I will explain to my sister that you are with me. Signed, Princess Luna. Um...okay, so Princess Luna wants to talk to me? About what? What could Princess Luna possibly want to talk to me about that's so urgent? A think-over in the shower didn't get me anything in the way of answers, nor did any breakfast. I just can't figure out why Princess Luna would want me. I opened the door to see Sharp Spear standing outside at his post as he looked towards me. "Good morning Miss Glow, off to the throne room?" Sharp Spear greeted me. "Morning, and um, no. I need to go to Princess Luna's chambers." I told Sharp Spear. Sharp Spear had a look of confusion on his face. "Why?" He looked to me for an answer. "Princess Luna wants me there for some reason." I shrugged. "Very well, I shall lead on." Sharp Spear said, I followed him down some hallways as I found myself still wondering what Princess Luna could possibly want. Maybe it might be about the Spring Gala or my friendship with Celestia, who knows? But in no time at all, the hallways turned darker as the moon themed hallways replaced the Sun themed ones and we arrived outside Princess Luna's chambers where two Night Guards stood guard. "Miss Glow, her highness is expecting you, go in. Your guard is to wait outside." One guard spoke up. I looked towards Sharp Spear who just nodded at me. I opened the door to find a much darker room as the whole room was the night sky but in front of me stood Princess Luna, once Nightmare Moon, the mare is the tales everypony was afraid of, this is the first time I am meeting her. "Ah, Sun Glow, welcome to my chambers, I apologize for such an early summons but it is necessary at this time. Please, take a seat over there" Princess Luna spoke. I took a seat to my left as Princess Luna closed the blinds and started lighting up her horn. "Counter-eavesdrop measures. Can't afford the paparazzi snooping in this conversation, in my day, they learned not to meddle in private affairs but it is no longer the case these days." Princess Luna explained as she saw my confused look. "Um, Princess...?" I started. "Just Luna here Sun Glow." Luna said. "...Luna, what is all of this about?" I asked. I watched as Luna took a seat opposite me. "I need to ask you some questions, and I need them answered honestly, do you understand?" Luna told me. "Yes but what does this have to do with--?" I started. "Just answer them and if I'm right, there may be some change about to happen." Luna said impatiently. "What change?" I asked, hoping for an answer. "Have you ever had that dream before?" Luna asked. Like I have a record of all my dreams...but still... "I don't think so, but I don't remember every dream I have ever had." I answered honestly. "Next question, have you ever heard the voice before?" Luna asked as she wrote down some notes. "Uh...no." I shook my head. Luna wrote down some more notes as she looked me up and down. "Luna, what is this really about?" I asked. "Something confidential, you may be tied to it but you might not, I need more information before I can tell you." Luna answered. Well, that told me absolutely nothing at all. "Why can't you tell me?" I asked. "Because it's something only a few should know about, the information that I may have to tell you can be misused with the right circumstances. I want to tell you Sun Glow, but until confirmation that you are what I think you are comes, I can't tell you." Luna explained. "That I'm what?" I asked. "Something important is all I can tell you, but for now, have you ever experienced anything strange that definitely shouldn't have happened?" Luna asked. "...um, I don't think so?" I shrugged. "Hmm, still doubtful. But I think I need more time with you Sun Glow, I would like to spend the day with you so that I may determine if you are really the mare I think you are." Luna said. What is Luna searching for in me? Why is the voice so important to her? It's just a dream, nothing more. "Don't worry about Celestia, I will inform her that you are with me, she can do without you for a but." Luna told me. Well that helps. I saw Luna pull out some cards...what? Are we gonna play poker? "Now Sun Glow, I am going to hold out these cards and I want to see how you react to them" Luna instructed me. "Okay" I nodded in understanding. I saw Luna's horn glow as the cards shuffled and she looked at the cards and then she showed me the first card: an Alicorn. "It's an Alicorn Luna, like you and Celestia are." I told Luna. The next card showed Luna but...there was a few inaccurate details, there weren't any wings or a horn. "It's you, although not a great artist about it." I said my answer. Next card was a sun but it...it looked like my cutie mark... "It's a sun." I said. "Is it only the sun? Your expression said that there was more to it, be honest Sun Glow." Luna said to me. "It...looks like my cutie mark, but I am sure that's just a coincidence." I said what I thought. The next card I couldn't deny had to do with me, it was a Celestia card, but there were only wings and looked normal pony sized, it had to be me, but why is there a card of me? What is Luna's game here? "It's Celestia" I lied. "You lie Sun Glow, I can see it in your eyes, you know full well who it is." Luna immediately told me. "But the question is, why is there a card of me? Why is there a card of my cutie mark and why is there a you with no horn and no wings. What is the meaning of this game?" I demanded answers. "We shall see, I'd like for you to see three more cards Sun Glow." Luna said to me. Luna pulled out another card, this time a picture of a temple of some kind with the Sun burning brightly above it. "I don't know what this is." I told her. "You may find out soon." Luna said. The next card was me in front of temple with an arrow to the sun. I didn't react but I saw what clearly looked like me going into the sun...was I gonna burn into the sun!? 'Uh...am I gonna be tossed into the sun?" I asked out loud. Luna looked confused for a moment before giggling. "Oh, no Sun Glow, rest assured my sister nor I would throw you into the sun, that is inequine. But I cannot say for--" Luna started. "You say that too much Luna, and what was the deal with those cards?" I asked. "It's something similar to Tarrot Cards only, it has accuracy in predictions rather than blind luck and pointing out the obvious. It's something from the Pre-Unification days where Unicorns would let the cards help see the future. Of course, we shouldn't take such predictions as 100% set in stone, knowing the future is a dangerous thing and can easily change." Luna explained. "Why is knowing the future bad? Can't it be useful?" I asked. Luna gave me a serious look. "Such reliance on future events is dangerous Sun Glow, that is why Time Travel and foresight magic is classified as Dark Magic and looked down upon unless special circumstances call for it. Take it from me, it gets you in messes no amount of foresight could ever have you see coming." Luna said. "Okay, if I ever magically gain magic powers, I'll keep Time Travel and Foresight stuff out." I said quickly. "A wise choice, but these cards predict you are something special Sun Glow. Of course, I have been wrong which is why I would like further proof that you are what I think you are." Luna said. "And how would I do that? I don't even know what you are talking about." I asked Luna for more information. "Nothing you can do intentionally nor something I can force an answer out of, time will tell, for now, take this." Luna said. Luna handed me a bracelet with a sun symbol on it. It had a rather bright gold colour with the sun being a...well, sun colour. "Um, Luna? This is a nice piece of jewelry but--" I started. "It's enchanted, Sun Glow. Should you have what I am looking for appear, this bracelet will glow and let me know immediately. I would like for you to wear it for a week, if no glow appears for that week than you aren't what I am looking for." Luna told me. "And if it does?" I asked, curious about the answer. "Then there is no doubt you are who I think you are, and my sister and I shall then reveal all to you but only if that bracelet glows." Luna simply answered. "Okay, so I just...do...whatever?" I asked Luna on what to do. "Yes, you may do "whatever" for a week. There is however, one condition to this arrangement." Luna answered. "What?" I wondered what condition this could be. "Tell nopony of what has happened in this room. My sister will know but you must not speak of this in public, not even to your guard and not to my sister in any public setting, if this conversation must happen, it must happen in private. What we have discussed here is merely an atom of knowledge and if you are what I think you are, you will soon enter a whole new world of secrets." Luna told me the condition. This is all so strange, this whole secrecy thing about something I don't even know and the only way to know is if I'm something I don't even know what I am meant to be anyway, does that even make sense!? Because it sure doesn't right now! But... "I agree" I nodded. "Excellent, now, you may continue your day, if my sister asks, just tell her you were with me." Luna said. I walked towards the door and as I put my hoof on the door, I heard Luna call out. "I mean it when I say don't say a word, the consequence is very severe." Luna said in a tone that suggested I better keep this secret. I nodded and left Luna in the room behind me and I saw Sharp Spear waiting for me. "You look troubled Ma'am, is everything okay?" Sharp Spear asked me. "Er...yeah." I nodded as I spoke. "Are you sure? What was that all about in there?" Sharp Spear asked. "Sorry, I can't say. It's...a secret." I replied. "If you insist Miss Glow, are you heading to the throne room?" Sharp Spear asked. "Yes, lead the way." I said. And with that, I started walking to the throne room... Back at Luna's room... Luna was watching the door which Sun Glow had left. Luna was fairly certain that she was the one that has appeared at last, and if that's correct, there's another pony to find as well which Luna must seek out personally. "How strange, there is one more card left and I forgot to show Sun Glow the card" Luna said to herself. Luna looked at the card, it had a picture of a Sun that was neither Celestia's nor Sun Glow's cutie mark, but it had an arrow pointing to the right above the sun and with a clock on the right of the sun. Luna had a look of confusion on her face. "I don't understand what this card is meant to symbolize, I have never seen it this way before. What could it mean?" Luna said out loud. Luna decided it wasn't important, what was important is confirming Sun Glow is the same mare that Luna thought she is. 9:00pm the same day... Well the day with Celestia was uneventful, but then again, who knew Day Court was actually so boring? I sat and listened to rich ponies complain and various ponies trying to get what they can out of Celestia with a side of some legitimate concerns. But this morning was downright weird and confusing, Luna knows something and thinks I am some mare she's been looking for, but that's crazy talk, I've only ever been some mare that looks like Celestia and nothing more and that's all anypony ever cares about. I look down at my bracelet and it hasn't glowed at all yet but I need to wear this for a week so whatever Luna is searching from in me could still show up. KNOCK KNOCK!! "Hello?" I called out. "It's me." Sharp Spear calls out. "Come in." I called back. I watch as Sharp Spear comes in. "I am about to head back to the barracks, do you require me for anything before I leave?" Sharp Spear asked me. "No Sharp Spear, but thank you, we both should get some sleep." I replied back. "Indeed, I shall see you at 8am sharp." Sharp Spear said as he turned away. "Goodnight" I said. "Goodnight to you also Ma'am" Sharp Spear said. I watch as he closed the door behind him as I turned off all light sources in my room and decided to go to sleep, maybe whatever weird thing Luna thinks will happen tomorrow or maybe Celestia could tell me as soon as I get her alone. Yaaaawwwnnn, Day Court made me extra drowsy, time for sleep... Back to Luna... Luna stood in a green field that was inside Sun Glow's dream, there wasn't any sign of what she was looking for yet but Sun Glow seemed okay despite the dream seeming to confuse the Dream Sun Glow. "I know it's there, why will it not show up?" Luna muttered under her breath. Luna shook her head, there were other dreams calling to her and she could not abandon her duty for long and after all, as ponies said nowadays: A watched pot never boils. Besides, Luna reasoned to herself that the bracelet will let her know if Sun Glow displays any activity that proves she's the one, even in dreams. "Rest well Sun Glow, for I am sure I will find what I am looking for soon enough" Luna said as she left the dream. The rest of the night went uneventful but elsewhere, plans were being made, but what those are won't be found out until tomorrow when the new day comes...