//------------------------------// // Sisterhood Social // Story: Imperial Forclousure // by The Sound of Loneliness //------------------------------// The next few weeks were different. They were much like what she saw back in prison. Each day was the same, get up, eat, spend the day in one place, sleep. She was spending her days studying the spell. Rich was concerned, but she needed to get this done. She knew exactly what the changeling meant by giving her the book. There could only be one she would summon. She needed chalk, yes, chalk. That was easy to find. She also needed a quiet, flat space. A bit harder, but this village had many places where ponies rarely went. Candles? For protection, she needed none. Lastly, an item, the one that belonged to the summoned. She did not understand where she would be summoning from, but that wasn't a necessary detail. The spell itself was simple, surprisingly simple. Some of the ones she discovered herself were much more complex. Simple things almost always had caveats, but she was willing to risk. Finally, the day had come. She slipped out from the wagon before dawn and went down to the fishing docks by the ocean. She chose a space behind some old, abandoned boats at one of the piers. Ponies walked by her circle every day and never noticed it. Her only concern was the waves. They always washed off a little of her chalk at night. So it was this time as well. The water cleaned off one side of her circle, so she had to draw again. The pier was moist, so the chalk didn't hold to it well, it took her an hour to fix the damage. The morning tide would not come for a few hours at least, she was safe for now. Without wasting any time, she put the book in the circle and began casting the spell, as the book described. She was only meant to power the circle and it would do the rest, that is why it was so simple. The book described the "Transfer Spell" but she did not know this one so she improvised, she used one of her beams. The circle started to glow purple, as was described. Now if everything went right, a cloud of black smoke should appear... Yes! The cloud appeared as was intended. She patiently waited as the cloud grew larger and darker. Two lights appeared somewhere inside, two vibrant, cyan eyes. The circle then dimmed, leaving the smoke to hang in the air. She noticed that the wind did nothing to scatter it, so it must have worked. ...But nothing happened. Growing restless, she carefully reached for the book to check if there was anything else she needed to do. "That is not yours," the cloud suddenly spoke, she froze in place. "Little thief. You should know better than to steal from your Empress," the cloud slowly turned around. The glowing eyes were now staring directly at her. Those were not the eyes she expected to see. The pupils were slitted, like the ones of a predator. "Where are your parents?" "I only have sisters..." The answer gave the cloud a pause. "Your name?" "Tiny." "Ughhmmm..." the mare heavily sighed. She then noted where they were. She spun around, looking for something familiar. "What is this..." she whispered to herself. She then looked underneath herself, at the circle. "A summoning circle. You did this?" She curtly nodded, still unsure what to make from this. "Impressive, for someone so young, but still too amateurish. You should not dabble in the things you do not understand. Your luck that this spell requires a specific item to summon anyone, otherwise you might have summoned some creature bound for Tartarus instead of me. Now, what is it you want from me? I'd rather not linger." "But I am your-" "My sister, I know. You've made it obvious enough," the cloud interrupted. "That alone would not earn you any credit, dear sister of mine. You've summoned me from my rest. Speak what you wish and be done with it." It took Tiny a moment to realize that she could not formulate what it was that she wanted. She felt miserable. She regretted coming here. She regretted it all. She knew now how the foal felt. She also knew what to do, or rather, she wouldn't be able to control it if she tried. Her eyes became wet and, soon enough, tears started rolling down her cheeks. As good enough of a way to vent her despair as any. The pain of being rejected by the only kin she could have was crushing. And she didn't even know the words to convey it. The mare she heard stories about simply turned away from her and stared into the ocean. Slowly, she turned back again to look at her. Her look was softer this time. "I am sorry, little sister," she said the same cursed words. "My... encounters with our other sisters were not too friendly." After saying that, she waited for Tiny to calm a little. "Would you tell me why you summoned me?" "You are my sister," Tiny slowly said. "Do you feel lonely?" The question took her a little by surprise, she nodded in the end. "I am sorry to hear that. I was not lonely in my time, believe it or not. Some ponies knew who I was, but accepted me regardless. I miss them often," she said sadly. "Is this why you came? You wish to learn how to make others accept you?" Tiny shook her head vehemently, her nose still sobbing. "Very well," she sighed. "Perhaps, then, we should go somewhere? I doubt local ponies would appreciate you conversing with me so openly." The cogs in Tiny's brain worked a little before she remembered there were other ponies around in the town. She nodded, several times. "Do you have a hideout here, perhaps?" "Just Mister Rich's wagon..." "Mister Rich?" Tiny nodded. "Ughhmm... Very well, let's go to Mister Rich then. I suppose no one would notice us before dawn." Tiny quickly took her older sister back to the marketplace, she felt better now. Although she didn't quite know what to do now, past telling Mister Rich, that is. The wagon was just where she left it. She could even hear oh so familiar snoring. "Too bad we have to wake him, waiting is not an option," her sister sounded jaded now. She was right too. Tiny climbed inside and started to carefully shake the stallion inside. "Ughrrr, wha..?" he mumbled through his sleep. "Good morning, Minister." The regal voice announced herself. Mister Rich's eyes immediately flew open. "T-tiny? That you?" "Guess again," the ominous response came. "Oh no. No-no-no-no!" Rich panicked. "You are dead! You are dead!" "Quite so, Mister Rich," the cloud responded trivially. "I fear I could not stay so. Your young... shall we say friend, ensured it." Rich shot a look at Tiny, who gave no explanation. For a while, all three waited silently. "May I inquire where have you found this?" The black book appeared from the dark cloud, floating in the air, being held by some force. "A changeling gave it to us... Your Majesty," he quickly remembered his manners and threw a tiny bow. "Oh? A changeling then. I wondered if she is still living... Is she with you?" "No, Your Majesty. She lives with your sister these days. On top of the nearest mountain. Your sister has a lot of your other things as well." "I imagine. My sister would have a lot of explaining to do soon," having said that, the cloud started to float away. "What of us, Your Majesty? Should we... wait for you here?" "You need not call me that anymore, Mister Rich. I am free from my position and titles, I do not intend to re-assume them." "So... what now?" "Well..." she spoke wistfully. "I suppose, first thing would be speaking to my sister. I wish to know why exactly she is in this... place. As for you, I would not give you orders anymore. But I must say, I am glad to see you again after all this time, Mister Rich." "Wait, don't go!" Tiny cried out and hopped out of the wagon back to the ground. "I'll go with you!" she lifted herself up from the ground with her magic. The eyes within the cloud visibly narrowed just a little, as if to accompany a smile. "Why sister, aren't you adorable?" the tone instantly changed. "Ehh... Your- Ma'am, if I may, arguing with her won't do much. I tried," Rich warned. "I do not intend to. If the young mare wishes to accompany me, I see no reason to leave her behind. You may come too if you wish. I don't suspect you would learn anything new regardless." Rich looked confused. "This is unexpected. You usually do not tolerate any listeners." "Why the surprise, dear Mister Rich? I told you already, I do not intend to come back to the court," the older mare then produced a prolonged sigh. "If I am to be perfectly plain, I was glad to be relieved. That decade I spent in the palace felt like a century. Now there is no more need for secrecy. The dead have little worth to hide. Otherwise, I would need someone to tell me what happened while I was away, and I doubt my sister saw too much from her seat up there." "Glad to die?" Tiny asked, surprised. "When you live your first thousand years, little one, you would understand how life can become burdensome. Now come, I suppose with Mister Rich in tow, we will have to take a less steep way up. Unless he would prefer to be carried." "N-no... Thank you." "Well then, shall we?" It took them until dawn to scale the mountain again. Mostly because Rich needed periodic rests and declined all offers to help him. But otherwise, they had a pleasant time. She was glad that her other sister proved to be so much nicer. She was already accustomed to being treated fine by other ponies and meeting with the same cold indifference she knew from her hometown was rather painful. She was also glad to finally speak with someone like her. She mostly listened though. Her older sister had questions, the answers that Mister Rich gave made little sense to her. He spoke of the power vacuum and struggle. The discussion left her sister rather discontented. "What of Twilight Sparkle?" the older mare asked. Her tone being deeply worried. "She assumed your role as the Empire's leader, but from what I heard, she could not hold it for long. It started to look bad when I saw the yearly financial reports from farming collectives. We were about to starve. I retired before that could happen." "I see. Most troubling news indeed. Are you aware of where Twilight Sparkle is now?" "No, my Lady. I left before she did. Perhaps your sister would know more." "Yes, perhaps. Let us press on, she would be raising the sun soon. I would like to catch her before she knows we are coming." The wind picked up before they reached the summit, and it slowed their climb even further. It hurt the older stallion particularly bad, he should have taken something warm. Tiny did help him to stay warm despite his promises that he would be fine, her older sister disagreed. Tiny wondered at the measure of authority this long-dead mare still had. Out of a habit, or respect, Rich treated her as if she still was his monarch. When they reached the summit, the sun started to slowly rise over the horizon. The house was lit from the inside, but the outsides were still wrapped tightly in shadow. One such shadow separated itself from the house wall and started its measured and even way towards them. It was the changeling again. She stopped about ten meters away. "Mistress," she whispered a greeting and bowed deeply. "I waited for you to return for me." "Oh, dear-dear, Shadow!" her older sister dotingly crooned, while rapidly closing her distance. "To see you again is just... I just wish I could..." her delight suddenly ended. "Mistress?" the changeling asked, stepping closer. While Tiny watched in confusion as the black cloud continued to hang without movement. "Is there anything wrong? Did I-" "N-no, no... It is nothing, dear Shadow," her voice sounded shocked. "It's just that something dawned on me right now." "Can I do something?" the changeling pleadingly asked. "N-not now. I wish to see my sister now, Mister Rich and Miss Tiny told me she is here." "Yes, Mistress. She is raising the sun at the moment. I shall show you the way immediately," the changeling uncharacteristically sharply turned around. "This way, Mistress. Should your guests stay?" "No, Shadow. They may come with us." "Of course, Mistress." Tiny looked up at Rich, but he simply shrugged, just as clueless as she was. Shadow led them not into the house but rather around it. Lady Daybreaker was there, surrounded by burning candles and smoking sticks that smelled funny. Before her was a sand plot littered with stones of various sizes. Daybreaker's horn glowed warmly as the sun was rising to face her lady. "A moment," a whisper brought her back from sightseeing. "Mistress allows you to be present, but make no mistake, you are not allowed to interfere. Try to make yourself so unnoticeable they forget you are here, it is for your own good." The changeling quietly warned before following her Mistress already on her way to the garden. She stopped and waited for her sister to finish raising the sun, while Tiny and Rich watched in wonder until the orb became too bright to bear looking at. They both seen many sunrises, but they saw a Princess doing it. The smell of the burning incense lingered in the air before a gush of wind blew it away, unseen bells somewhere next to a house began to chime. It took another minute before the dawn fully illuminated the mountaintops. Daybreaker exhaled gracefully and stood up from her seat in the ritual. She then turned around, preparing to head back inside and go about her daily business, when she suddenly froze in place. "Hello, sister," Nightmare Moon greeted. For a second a glimmer of true panic could be seen in Daybreaker's eyes but it was immediately suppressed. "Welcome to my home, sister," Daybreaker then proceeded to formally bow. Her size and the lack of practice made her a little clumsy. "I suspect you have questions," she said as readily as only numerous practice tries could let her. "Oh, no-no-no, don't bow to me! You are my sister, not a peasant!" Nightmare Moon lamented. "I need not such gratification, please rise up." Daybreaker obediently stood straight, her eyes were slightly narrowed, "Sister, I only wish I could embrace you after so many years, there's no need for this formality! But we would have to refrain from that..." the last phrase sounded had a tone of extreme sadness to it. "Sister, I..." Daybreaker suddenly looked directly at Tiny and Rich, who were silently hugging the wall. "You! How dare you! My own sister, brought back in a form of a pathetic-" Daybreaker was already making her way, preparing to demonstrate the full power of her anger, but Nightmare Moon moved to shield them. "Daybreaker, please," the similarly mournful plea was voiced. "I did not bring them here to vent your anger on." "My Lady," Shadow took the word. "I took my liberty to offer Miss Tiny Mistress' spellbook. I apologize for going behind your back, but I am not sorry." "Is that so, dear sister? It was not your intention?" Nightmare Moon asked straightforwardly. Daybreaker did not answer and refused to look her sister in the eyes. "Shadow, dear. I believe you know the sequence of events after my death." "Of course, Mistress. After the night of your speech, Princess Twilight attempted to take your place. After the immediate power vacuum was filled, Princess Twilight attempted to establish a relationship with your sister, Lady Daybreaker was in a poor state but she obeyed the Princess. She has been raising the sun ever since. Princess Twilight attempted to strengthen her control over the Empire by appointing her friends in the influential offices. They eventually held a council on whether they should attempt to resurrect Your Majesty. The vote failed with the majority voting against, Twilight Sparkle herself included." "We wanted to wait," Daybreaker blurted without looking up. "We wanted to find a better option than... this." "What, you wanted me to be anything more than a ghost? Oh, truly, so caring you are, dear sister. Have you, perhaps, considered not murdering me in the first place?" Daybreaker continued to stand silently without looking her sister in the eye. Her face was calm again. "Do you really have nothing to say for yourself, sister? Why, I know you better than this." "I expected this," Daybreaker explained. "Sparkle would've found a way sooner or later. I knew that one day we would have this conversation. I came to terms with the fact that I would have to answer to you. There is only one thing I can say now, sister. I cannot ever do enough to earn forgiveness, but know that I am sorry for what I did. I-if you would choose to never speak to me again, then I shall do as you wish." An awkward silence followed. "Sister, look at me," Nightmare Moon said calmly. Daybreaker slowly obeyed. "Sister, I don't know what hurts more, that I could never feel you again, or that you think that I might not want to speak to you again. Damn you, you poor, terrified, fool, say something!" Daybreaker exhaled sharply, "You always, always were too magnanimous for your own good. Sister, I killed you, but you are forgiving me this easily!" Nightmare Moon crossed the rest of the distance between them and engulfed her sister. "Sister, you are a puff of smoke. You cannot embrace me," Daybreaker sighed from inside the black cloud. "I don't care." "Sister, I killed you." "Stop talking." Daybreaker begrudgingly did as ordered. "That went well," Rich mused aloud. "Would've never imagined our Majesty could be this lovely when in private." "There is a lot you do not know about my Mistress, Sir Rich," the changeling whispered with a chuckle.