//------------------------------// // Tragedy Strikes // Story: Longing for the Past // by Fantasia //------------------------------// The crackling of flames, and cries of distressed ponies bombarded Celestia's eardrums. She glanced around desperately within the stifling, thick smoke as it filled and burned her lungs. The voices seemed to ring from far and near, and the smoke was making her too lightheaded to tell. Tears formed in her eyes as the smoke stung them. I must endure... for the sake of everypony... and quell these wicked flames... Mustering her strength, she shut her eyes and held her breath, beaming a storm cloud into existence. The dark mass expanded in size until it blanketed the city, and not long after, let loose a torrent of pouring rain. All across the city, the fire sizzled and simmered to ashes, leaving nothing but smoldering buildings and dark skies. Thunder bellowed and lightning rippled through the cloud layer as rain continued down in droves. Celestia breathed out a sigh of relief—once again able to breath—and brushed her sopping mane from her eyes. The groans and pleas of her subjects become clear as she turned her head towards the nearest source of them. As much as Sunset's whereabouts, and the cause of these fires worry me... I cannot neglect those who need my help— Her eyes widened, and her head whirled in the direction of a creeping silhouette that she had caught sight of from the corner of her eye. She squinted through the rain and mist, listening intently for a hoofstep, or flap of a wing. After a moment, she dropped her guard. Did I imagine—? There! She spun around once more, this time picking up what she thought were the buzzing of wings. Or was it the rain? she wondered, again dropping her shoulders and staring at the spot. bewildered. Am I just hearing what I wish to hear...? She put the thoughts aside, deeming it not as important as saving whatever lives she still could. Tracing the agonized groans coming from nearest to her, she arrived in the ruined remains of what had seemed to once be somepony's home. Her eyes widened, laying sights upon a downed unicorn stallion, pinned underneath a downed ceiling beam. "Help..." the stallion wearily groaned out. "Somepony, please..." Celestia galloped up to him in no time at all, lifting the collapsed beam in her magic, successfully freeing his forelegs. "Nngh... Alright." She threw the wooden beam aside, and smiled wearily down at the injured stallion, extending a hoof. "Allow me to get you to a hospital. Hopefully there's one that's still in one piece..." He winced, looking up at her with a pained expression. "You're... too kind, Princess..." His jaw unhinged, tongue spilling out, and before Celestia could react, he tackled her to the floorboards. His eyes flickered from white to blue, as he stared down atop her hungrily. "Allow me to feed off it!" "Young Twilight and friends, tell me... Have you seen my sister? I cannot seem to locate her anywhere." The six of them turned to see Luna descending from the space beside them. "She took off towards Canterlot," Rainbow answered, speaking up first. "Canterlot?" Luna repeated, disbelievingly. She turned inquisitively toward the city, furrowing her brow at the sight. "Why are the city's defenses not active? And why is there a storm cloud the size of—?" Her heart sunk, her ears drooping as her voice became that of a whisper. "Oh my word. That is 'Tia's magic..." "The whole city was on fire, Luna," Rainbow continued to explain. "She flew off after Twilight figured that Canterlot was the real target this whole time, and that... somepony named Sunset was behind it." "Sunset? My sister's pupil? Hrmm..." Luna brought a hoof to her chin in contemplation. "I always did have my wits about her..." Twilight peered up at her, taken aback. "You believe me?" "I am... more accepting of the idea. Stay here. I will see what is keeping my sister." She turned halfway, and had only just spread her wings when Twilight cried out to her. "We can help!" Luna turned back to face her, her curiosity swiftly being replaced with a stern look. "I am afraid that you and your friends are needed here, Twilight Sparkle. If the changelings really have invaded Canterlot, they may head here next." "But we already have soldiers stationed at every road leading in and out of—!" Twilight paused, noting the alicorn's steadfast expression, and instead, tried another approach. "Luna, if this is about what I said..." Luna softly gave her head a shake. "I assure you, it is not. In fact, it is I who must apologize, for I did not mean for my words to come across so hurtful. What's more... is that you were not wrong, Twilight." Princess? Twilight titled her head curiously. "Now do not fret," the older princess declared. She unfurled her wings and started back in the direction of Equestria's capital. "The combined might of my sister and I can no doubt handle the task at hoof... and I would hate to take you and your friends away from your home over what may end up being a rebellious youth, and a few bugs." "Princess!" Luna sighed and turned back around once more. "Yes?" "T-there's a lot of lives in Canterlot..." "As I am well aware." Twilight quieted, looking down at her hooves. "Including my parents." The reminder hit Luna hard, leaving her, for a moment, speechless. "I can't bare to lose anymore family, s-so please..." "I... will do my best," Luna assured her, before then taking to the skies herself. Luna flew over rooftops, and above the spirals and towers of her once beautiful city. She persevered through the unending torrents of rain and mist until it affected her feathers to the point she was forced to land. She set hoof on a street belonging to several houses, and trotted among them carefully. Everything is eerily quiet... One of the homes stood out to her, giving her pause. This is the residence of Twilight Sparkle's parents... Luna walked down the path leading to the front door. I recognize it from their dreams... Her stomach dropped as she reached the door, not having noticed it from where she had been... but it was open just slightly. The door creaked open as she pushed it the rest of the way open, cautiously stepping inside. The interior was dark, the entrance mat damp with rain water. Luna walked in further, looking around herself with a growing, sinking feeling. There were no signs of a struggle. No, everything seemed to be in its rightful place— "L-Luna...?" Luna's ears perked, and her head turned in the direction of the soft voice. "Thank goodness... I was hoping you'd come to our aid..." Twilight Sparkle walked out cautiously from behind a corner, staring hopelessly into Luna's eyes. Luna's own eyes widened, and she took a couple steps back. "Please," the young alicorn begged, proceeded by a sniffle. "Help my—urgh!" She was blasted back against a wall by one of Luna's beams. "Impostor! You are not Twilight Sparkle." "I came here after noticing the fires, Luna! I came here for my parents!" "You lie! Twilight Sparkle stayed behind with her friends to protect Ponyville from your kind, you fiend!" Twilight's anger subsided, and she stared ahead of her dumbfounded. "Why would she...?" "Furthermore... Twilight's appearance has undergone a change since you saw her last... Chrysalis!" Chrysalis stared at the princess, flabbergasted for a moment, but she turned her head and snorted in amusement. "What gave it away?" "Only you, with so much hatred towards Twilight Sparkle, would sink so low as to disguise yourself as her, in order to undermine her own family. Might I add... Twilight would never address me so informally." "Hmph, duly noted." She chuckled under her breath as she wearily got her hooves. "It was just too easy... disguising ourselves as somepony's loved one in this wretched city..." Chrysalis, still as Twilight, swerved around an incoming beam of magic. "Oh Mother, Father! I saw the fires, so I came as fast as I could! Oh how I could use your love right now..." "Monster! What have you done to them?" Chrysalis sneered devilishly. "Why, we ate dinner together, as a family." Luna's heart skipped. "So, then..." Her brow creased and she grit her teeth, clenching her front hooves in anger. "I promised Twilight..." "That everything would be okay? Oh, Princess... Don't let the weight of all this—" She waved her hoof around. "—bring you down. It really is brilliant little Twilight's fault. She rallied everyone together to protect that dumb town of hers, but why ever would I dare conquer that backwater town?" "She feared it was her friends you were after..." "Oh, give me a break. Her friends? I could have drained them in their sleep!" Chrysalis fired a sudden beam that caught Luna by surprise, knocking her onto her side. "No, what I want," she hissed, "is to take everything from her! First the city she grew up in, then her family, and finally... the ponies she admires most. When that happens, she'll shun her friends, losing them without me having to do a thing." She swung her hoof into Luna's side and smirked. "She'll either take her own life, or forever be miserable. She and her friends will never be the same again, and I will reign supreme!" "Twilight... ngh... is stronger than you think, Chrysalis." "Hmph. We'll see. All I know is that when she discovers that you failed her..." She gasped in mockery. "It'll crush her." "I have let ponies down before. To me, that is nothing new." Chrysalis' eyebrow raised, looking back at the lunar princess with mild interest. "I will understand if she never forgives me... The least I can do for her however, in this very moment—" Luna's eyes turned white, and magic swirled forth from the floor, circling around her. "—is put a stop to you once and for all!" Chrysalis instinctively stepped back just as the Princess of the Night got to her hooves, and looked into her gleaming eyes, grinning at the prospect of a challenge. "I'd like to see you try!" A beam fired from Celestia's horn into one of the changelings, knocking it into one of the upper floor walls. It collapsed into a heap, only for more changelings to take its place. "Tch..." Celestia grit her teeth, lowering her body into a defensive stance, her horn at the ready. Rain continued to fall heavily, concealing her foes behind a thick curtain of rainfall and a growing mist. I must put a stop to this rain, but... doing so will only leave me vulnerable—! The buzzing of wings all of a sudden grew closer, and she fired several quick beams into the thick fog. The buzzing ceased as a few pained hisses sounded out, their faint silhouettes disappearing deeper into the mist. Celestia huffed out, regaining her composure. I'll need to buy myself some time... Closing her eyes and focusing her magic... she conjured up a dome-like shield around herself as she charged her spell. All around her, startling thunks rang out as changelings came up to, and pounded their hooves against the sturdy barrier, but she kept her composure, drowning out their presence until her horn rippled with a magical aura. She waved her horn, as if a conductor, to her side, and with it, the clouds above slowly began to dissipate... the downpour of rain slowing to a drizzle. The changelings had all nearly reared up their hooves for one final collective strike, when she dispelled the dome outwards, knocking all of them that had dared surround her either skidding along the floor, or flying into the walls of the dilapidated home. There, thought Celestia, letting out a momentary breath of relief. Now that I can see... She turned her attention towards one of the downed changelings, and whisked them up off the ground with her magic. She pulled them closer, staring icy daggers into the changeling's panicked expression. "Tell me. What have you done with Sunset?" "S-Sun...?" the frightened changeling stammered out. "Sunset! An orange unicorn mare, with the sun for a cutie mark! She was in charge of the city's defenses!" The changeling made a face of realization, telling Celestia they did indeed know her whereabouts. "You misunderstand, Princess..." They began to smirk as they went on to explain, "We haven't done anything to her. She—" A beam fired into the Celestia's side, disrupting her concentration, and knocking them free of her grasp. "She's right here!" Celestia heart skipped at the familiar voice, and she turned towards the sight of her very own student descending from the sky above, using the changelings themselves as stepping stones as, one by one, they lowered themselves at her hooves. Her gaze trembled at the sight, her ears folding in dismay. Her heart sunk at the unicorn's own malevolent smirk. "Twilight tried to warn me... b-but I refused to believe..." Her whole body locked rigidly in place as her worst fear became a reality right before her very eyes. "That what?" Sunset grinned devilishly, setting hoof on the floor. "I would try and take what is rightfully mine?" The changeling that Celestia had let go, took advantage of her awe-stricken state, swiftly draping their long tongue across her horn, and coating it within a green slime before buzzing off. She hardly noticed however, unaware of her surroundings as she found Sunset encompassing every single one of her thoughts. "What is that supposed to mean?" Her brow furled, longing to understand. "I gave you everything you ever could have wanted!" Sunset stomped her hoof. "Except nobility!" she growled out. "To be worshiped like I deserve!" "Like you deserve?" "I am powerful! I am... more knowledgeable, a-and skilled than anypony else in this kingdom! I realize what life's all about, and that's to have ponies fear your greatness!" She lowered her voice, glowering spitefully towards her old mentor. "There's nothing more to this life than being powerful and important." "I gave you power and importance. I trusted you with protecting this city!" "And it went unnoticed by everypony! Who here even knows my name?" "If you had only opened yourself up to having friends—" "Don't make me laugh, Celestia! Friends? Friends are expendable. Like minions, they're only good for getting you places in life, and once I get rid of you, these changelings will have gotten me everything I could ever want!" "There's more to life, Sunset." Celestia told her pleadingly. "You seek earthly desires, when getting others to like you... is what you should have been striving towards this whole time." Sunset narrowed her eyes into a glare. "Being all-powerful, or having all the wealth in the world... is meaningless! None of it will matter once you move on to the next life." Sunset scoffed. "Easy for you to say. You've had such a long life, you've outlived so many others! It's so easy for you to criticize them, say they should live this way, or that way, when in fact you have no idea what it's like to even be mortal—much less me!" She fired a couple of beams from her horn in anger, striking the alicorn princess directly, and causing her to recoil. Although they did little more than sting, and left the fur on her chest slightly tinged... it was the emotional implications that hurt the worst. "You were born into regality, Princess! You were apprenticed by the great sorcerer, Starswirl! You've been nothing but privileged your whole life, and now you think you can lecture me on what I should be doing? Earthly desires are all ponies like me have!" She fired one final beam, this time striking Celestia directly in the face... and knocking the crown from her head. It clattered against the hardwood floor as she winced, turning her head away, and realizing for the first time... that she couldn't retaliate even if she wanted to. She breathed shakily, turning sorrowfully towards the mare she had thought of as her very own daughter for the longest time. "That is not true, Sunset. Friends can give life a meaning all its own, and make any life feel accomplished. Twilight is only where she is because of her friends—!" Sunset grit her teeth. "Twilight, Twilight, Twilight! I am so sick of hearing about precious little Twilight! Why was she so fit to be princess, and not me?!" "Because she understood honor, integrity, and goodness. Qualities which I had always hoped you would pick up on someday. Putting others before yourself is truly what makes a leader great." "She never even wanted the stinkin' title!" "Because she already had everything she could ever want!" "Enough!" Sunset yelled. "After tonight... she'll have nothing left! I supplied the changelings with information on every citizen, so they knew exactly who to impersonate—and now they're all ashes! Except Twilight's folks of course, who Chrysalis already had her sights set on." Twilight? Celestia turned her attention in the direction of their house but was distracted by another one of Sunset's shots. "Your capital is in ruins, Princess... and it's all because you chose to be compassionate." Celestia lowered her sorrowful gaze to the floor. "My only mistake..." she lamented in a murmur, "was having too much faith in you." "You can reflect on that in the next life. Don't worry, Princess. Chrysalis and I will rule Equestria in ways you never could. We, but mostly I, will be so rightfully worshiped for everything I am, and we will command respect! First the griffons, then the yaks, and hay... maybe even the dragons—!" "No!" A light began to emanate from Celestia's horn as it grew hot. The heat increased in volume, and caused the air around them to become stifling. The changeling goo melted from the alicorn's horn as Sunset's heart skipped, and she took a few cautious steps back, watching as the alicorn's mane erupted into flames. The puddles of water evaporated instantly, and whatever rain still lingered ceased as the heat caused even the clouds to dissipate. I-impossible... Sunset raised a foreleg to shield her eyes, her mane clammy from the sweat on her face and brow. The changelings hovering above them exchanged wary looks before slowly backing away. Their actions didn't go unnoticed as Sunset glared up at them through squinted eyes. "Stay and fight you... in... sects..." Sunset's words dwindled as her old mentor lifted her head, and she caught Celestia's gaze out of the corner of her own. The sclera of which were black and filled with malice, yet Sunset didn't waver... despite the chills the new look gave her. "Is... i-is that supposed to scare me?!" screamed Sunset. She grit her teeth and fired a flurry of shots one after the other, only to have them disappear into a conjured-up shield. "Rrgh... Why won't you just perish?" The aura surrounding her horn flared, and bowing her head, she fired a burst of magic that engulfed the alicorn. A few moments passed before Sunset winced, dropping the attack as she huffed, falling back on her haunches. She softly caught her breath before peering up at where her old mentor had stood, bearing a smirk. That outta do the... Her smirk fell. Celestia stood unharmed among the destruction, her horn still brimming with magic. No...! Sunset's pupils shrunk in fear. "Y-you should be ashes! I... I...!" D-darn it! She focused on her horn but no magic came forth. Her heart sunk. That was the last of my strength...! She looked back towards Celestia in time to see her bow her head, and fire a blinding light directly at her. She braced herself, instinctively squeezing her eyes shut right as the magic hit her directly, engulfing her... And then there was silence. Sunset cautiously reopened her eyes, expecting her body to be wracked by pain... but she felt normal. Her joints didn't ache, her head wasn't spinning... and the heat and hardwood floor beneath her told her she was still alive... So if I'm not dead, then what...? As her eyes opened completely, the realization of what happened slowly dawned on her. I'm blind... Her heart squeezed sickeningly in her chest. The world around her was blurred, and nothing but murky colors... She frantically waved her hoof before her eyes, only to make out some sort of vague motion. Her voice trembled. "N-no... No...!" she seethed, clenching her teeth. No, no, no, no, no! Celestia's voice came at her from a few feet away. "I'm... sorry it had to come to that." "Y-you're sorry? You... y-you take away my eyesight and you're sorry?!" "I'm sorry that you could not be reasoned with, Sunset. Blinding you was the last thing I wanted to do... Consider it compassion." "Compassion? This is torture! T-tell me it'll come back!" Her words were met with silence. "Ngh... You should have just killed me! I... I don't want to live like this!" "Then you should have appreciated what you already have. Hopefully this shows you what you still have to lose." "Rrgh... Y-you're weak! You... you don't have what it takes to take a life—much less the lives of those who betray you!" Celestia nodded solemnly, before turning away. She peered up at the changeling swarm, and that was all it took for them to hightail it out of there. She looked back ahead, closing her eyes as she dried them with her foreleg, before then spreading her wings and setting out to find her sister. "You're so conceited, thinking you're better than me! You're not better than me! You're not, you're not, you're...! You're just a coward, taking away my eyesight because you knew. You knew that deep down I was what's necessary, and you were jealous. Ooh, consider this compassion," she mimicked mockingly, then wretched. "You think you're above me because you refuse to kill, but... you are not above me. You're not you... you do not know what's best!" Her whole body shook with anger as her hooves clenched, her blood boiling. She looked deep inside herself, forcibly bringing forth strength as she murmured, "I will show you... how strong I can be..." A light slowly blossomed from deep inside her chest, soon causing her entire body to glow brighter and brighter. Long live... Equestria's... one true princess... Celestia stepped cautiously through the broken beams of wood and the wooden frame of the once modest home. and readied her horn for a fight against the changeling queen. Though, I suppose it's nothing my dear sister cannot handle... she's had little experience dealing with Chrysalis— Her thoughts ceased as she came into view of her sister, her back towards her. Opposite Luna stood the changeling queen, and from her perspective, the two seemed to be locked in a standstill. Luna's ear twitched as she took another step closer. "Sister! I have come to assist—!" "She's no more, you know." Celestia froze, then tilted her head at her sister's vague response, furrowing her brow. It was here that her gaze drifted to the ruler of the hive, and noticed her vacant stare, as she stood stationary. Her eyes appeared glazed over as Celestia took another cautious step closer. "She doesn't appear dead..." She stepped before the changeling queen with a scrutinizing gaze. She lifted one of her hooves and waved it before her enemy's eyes. "Can she hear us? See us...?" "Her consciousness has been cut off completely from this world. It has instead been trapped in its own reality, a dream-like state the likes of which she'll never break free of." "So she is a prisoner in her own mind?" "She came here fully prepared to die, Celestia. What were we to do against a foe immune to any sort of pain... and lacking any remorse for her actions? She deserved to suffer... to regret the day she became an enemy of Equestria." "I'm no stranger to Chrysalis, Sister. I know, I... was the one who put these holes in her... She deserves a punishment befitting of her wretched crimes... and after today, well... death would have been a blessing." "This is a side of you that I've never seen... Sister." Celestia nodded solemnly. "Tell me... What is she experiencing?" "I like to imagine an endless cycle of loses at the hooves of Twilight and her friends," her sister replied. Her sister's response gave her pause. "That... sounds more like a..." She turned to face her sister, and her breath caught in her throat. Her eyes widened at the sight of her sister's eerie-blue stare. Her feathers and coat were a darker color entirely. "Nightmare..." Nightmare Moon sneered. "Long time no see... Celestia." Celestia immediately readied herself into a fighting stance. "What have you done with Luna?" Nightmare Moon's expression turned indignant. "She called me forth to help deal with that vile creature. Luna called upon me, Celestia... to punish her in a way that she could not!" "And you've done that. Now give her back!" "I am afraid that I cannot." "Perhaps I did not make myself clear." Celestia scowled, igniting her horn, the whites of her eyes once again turning black. "You will relinquish control of my sister's—" "I can't," Nightmare repeated, plainly. Silence set in between the two. "Right," Celestia supposed, "well... Perhaps you have just not been properly motivated." Her horn brimming with an intense heat, she set it loose, engulfing the spot where her old foe stood. The flames crackled and burned brightly for a moment before a dark figure began to reemerge several feet away. "Your sister... willingly gave me her body, in exchange that I lend her my strength. She said it was... the least she could do... for Twilight." "Twilight?" Celestia questioned, skeptically. "Look around you, Princess! Twilight confided in Luna to save her parents... She failed, and unable to cope with letting so many down... succumbed to her inner darkness. She gave in to me in order to put an end to Chrysalis's reign of tyranny." "So my sister knowingly let a villain loose in order to stave off another? Do you take me for a fool?" "Yes, but that is beside the point. In exchange for my freedom... Luna asked that I not harm anypony." Celestia's gaze narrowed. "And you expect me to believe that you will uphold that end of the bargain?" "'Luna has given me free reign over her body, but if she desired, she could easily take back control." "And she has yet to because...? Luna, you... you are stronger than this! You have lived a thousand years of pain and regret, and this is where you draw the line? I do not blame you for this tragedy, Sister... and neither will Twilight! Just wait and—!" "Enough!" Nightmare Moon declared. "Luna is no more! I told you this already." "No, I... I will assemble the Elements of Harmony! We... We will bring Luna back by force if we must!" "The Elements only worked because Luna longed to be set free. That is no longer the case." Celestia clenched her jaw, speaking out through gritted teeth, "If you think that I am just about to let you leave—" The ground trembled beneath her hooves. Nightmare Moon smirked, raising an eyebrow. "Temper temper, Celestia." "That wasn't..." Celestia eased up, her scowl disappearing as she looked around the base of her hooves. "Me..." The tremors persisted, causing a building to collapse in the far distance. Around them, pieces of the ground began to crumble and break apart. Celestia looked around at it all in fret. "W-what is—?" The ground beneath her shifted and grew uneven, her body falling forward onto one foreleg. Nightmare Moon peered off, looking over her shoulder at an expanding circle of light, slowly encroaching inch by inch... and eviscerating everything in its way. "Ngh..." Celestia winced, watching as the light enveloped every building and spire in its path. Sunset... "Well well well... Can't say I was expecting this..." Nightmare Moon turned back to Celestia, and smiled. "Looks as though your empire really is crumbling, regardless of my promise to Luna." She began to turn, her body dissipating into a cloud of smoke. "See you around, Sister." Celestia reached out after her. "Wait!" The ground shifted some more, forcing her foreleg back to the ground in order to keep steady, and leaving her glaring bitterly into the outstretching sphere of magic. She unfurled her wings, before giving chase to her sister's fleeting shadow... and from Ponyville, Twilight fell back onto her haunches... watching in dismay as Equestria's own capital collapsed before her very eyes.