My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is the intellectual property of Hasbro, Inc and Lauren Faust. I make no claims of ownership. This is a not-for-profit fan fiction.
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“…you’re sure of this?” the Royal alicorn asked of her most trusted advisor. “The reports are one hundred percent accurate?”
“Without question, your majesty,” the General replied, muted sunlight glinting off of his polished golden armour. “There have been at least a dozen individual cases of infection in at least four metropolitan areas reported within the last half-hour. This is not going to be as simple as we thought.”
The royal alicorn, coat a brilliant white and adorned with a gilded rune of the sun as her cutie mark, looked absolutely weathered. Her mane, usually a glistening nebula of soft, pastel hues was nothing more than an occasionally flapping shell of its former self, colours deflated to match the hair-style. Celestia had not slept in at least six days - whereas the princess could usually go without sleep for at least two weeks at a time without any serious difficulty, the stress and anxiety of the few days that had just passed had worn at her very being; physically, intellectually and emotionally, she was quite simply exhausted.
While the leader of the royal guard might not have been inclined to comment on the princess’ condition - for fear of losing his rank (and perhaps head) - Celestia’s sister, Luna, had no such moral trepidations.
“Tia.” the blue alicorn addressed her sister in a tone that could only be afforded a blood relative. “You have to get some rest, sister. The last time I saw you this tired was…was…” the alicorn trailed off, not wishing to drag up old emotions or re-salt allegedly healed wounds.
“-Since you first became Nightmare Moon,” Celestia finished for her little sister. Luna could do little more than bow her head in remorse, images of those she slaughtered in her jealous rage so many, many years ago coming into the forefront of her mind more freely than apples from a wilting orchard. Just as tears began to well in Luna’s eyes, her sister offered the blue alicorn a gentle, yet reassuring wing, nuzzling her smaller sibling against herself.
“I know that you’re sorry, Luna. Sometimes, I just…I just have trouble adjusting to the fact that you’re really here. It’s been so long…and believe you me, Luna, you’re not the only one who has regrets.” Celestia’s eyes grew soft for a moment, as if remembering a sour memory in her greater than millennial lifetime. She stiffened, however, eyes hardening in resolve.
“But that, dearest Luna, is a conversation destined for another time. For the moment, we have much more urgent matters at hand. The situation throughout Equestria is…look, I won’t lie to you. Any of you.” She gestured to the half-dozen ponies gathered atop the rhinestone tower, the afterglow of sunset illuminating the rock and casting an almost mystical golden hue throughout the entire city of Canterlot.
“We have not experienced this caliber of crisis in the entire history of Equestria. Not even the great plauges of the pre-Mare ages can begin to amount to the catastrophe which threatens our fair kingdom.” She turned to General Rough Rider, commander of the Royal Guard.
“General. I want you to initiate a complete and total lockdown of all metropolitan areas of Equestria. Manehattan, Phillydelpha, Appleoosa, Ponyville, even the frontier lands beyond the Everfree - I want them all…” Celestia shut her eyes tight, holding in the tears.
- “I want them all quarantined.”