Author’s Note: Hiya! Update! U happy? I hope so. :D hehe! Short chapter this time. But…hey…it’s something. Lol.
Chapter Seventeen
“Revelations”
When Celestia’s eyes fluttered opened again, she felt as if the world had crushed her skull in. She tried to lift her head up off the ground and it pounded. She furrowed her brow and moaned slightly, trying to shake the dizziness and confusion she was feeling. What had happened? Where was she? So many questions flooded her mind. She rubbed her head with her hoof and tried to recall what had happened to her. When the listlessness had worn off, she realized that all around her were walls of stone. She turned her sore, stiff neck when she heard a noise.
Hooves clopped on the rocks as Luna entered the mouth of the large cave. Her eyes had dark circles underneath them and she looked weak, lethargic, and in a state of shock. Her horn glowed as she levitated a pile of wood above her head. She dropped the wood onto the cave floor like she couldn’t hold it any longer and let out a sigh. She turned her head and saw that Celestia was sitting up, awake.
“Oh! Tia. You’re awake,” she said sighing again in relief. “I was worried about you.”
“Luna, wh…what happened?” asked Celestia, blinking, trying to be rid of the two purple alicorns staring back at her.
“You don’t remember?” Luna asked.
“I…I…remember I was in the castle sleeping,” Celestia replied. I didn’t want to leave my bed. My head hurt and I was feeling very sad because of yesterday. Then, the castle started shaking. The guards came in and told me they had to evacuate you and I to the caverns below the castle. They didn’t really know what was happening, but I went with them down some halls, and then…more shaking. Everything was just turning and falling. It was awful! I had to teleport a few times…and then something hit me and I think I blacked out. Then I remember ash and seeing a red sky. Then…I woke up here.” Luna nodded and looked down sadly.
“Tia…” she said hoarsely. “Discord attacked Canterlot. He did all that.” Celestia, felt like her heart stopped in place and she jerked out of her own body. She mouthed “what”, but no words came out. The words couldn’t even process through her brain. They bounced around inside it, but they couldn’t sink in.
“Come here,” said Luna. Celestia slowly followed her sister to the mouth of the cave. She looked out and saw the castle in the distance, except it was floating upside down. The sky was covered in dark clouds and brown-colored rain was pouring over Canterlot. “You can’t even see the sky anymore. And…the rain is all…chocolate milk…” said Luna grimly. “He took it all over so fast. I had to get us out of there. I don’t know what happened to all the guards, but, all I know is, I ended up alone amidst the chaos and found you unconscious. I teleported us to the nearby cliffs outside the city to escape. I….I…know it probably wasn’t right, Tia, and I didn’t want to leave all the subjects, but…you were unconscious. Mother and father are gone now. I didn’t know what else to do! I found this cave and…you’ve been out for all yesterday afternoon, night and today, up until now. I’ve been gathering food…wood for fire. The night was so cold and I didn’t sleep. I was worried when you didn’t wake up, Tia. I kept checking your heartbeat every hour and…” Luna was shaking and tears were pouring from her eyes.
“Oh, Luna,” said Celestia embracing her little sister. “Shhh. It’s all right. It’s all right. Don’t cry. Shhh. You did the right thing. You were so brave, Luna. Thank you. You saved my life. You saved us both.” In reality, Celestia was battling the temptation to sob. She pushed through it, sinking her teeth into her lip. She had to be strong for Luna. Luna was strong for her already. Now, she had to show courage.
“Tia…did…did something happen between you and Discord? Why would he do this to us? He loves us. He loves you.” Luna said, trembling. Celestia attempted to swallow the lump in her throat with no such luck. She looked down at the ground, shut her eyes and felt her spirit crumble.
“I said no…” she whispered.
“What?” Luna asked.
“He asked me to marry him…and I said no…” said Celestia, her voice cracking. Luna’s eyes grew wide and she didn’t respond. Celestia didn’t need to say why. Luna knew. There was a short silence. Just then, a realization hit Celestia like a ton of bricks. “I…I told him I couldn’t love him. But…I only meant because I can’t die. I knew his heart was fragile. I paid that price when I healed him. It made his heart too fragile. I shouldn’t have worded it that way. Oh, Luna! How could I have been so stupid?! This is all my fault! Just look at what he’s done now to get back at me. I broke him, Luna. I never intended to, but I turned him into a monster. It’s my fault…” At this point, Celestia turned and lay in the dark recesses of the cave to allow a few tears to slip from her eyes. After quite a while of silence, Celestia composed herself, rested her eyes a bit, and then turned to see Luna had started a fire on the pile of wood and was resting by it. It was dark out now, much to Celestia’s surprise.
“Tia, come lay with me, please.” Celestia lay down next to her sister, feeling the fire warm her fur. Luna leaned her head against her neck. “See how it got dark all of a sudden? He took control of the sun and moon too.”
“That’s why I feel so empty,” said Celestia. Luna nodded in agreement.
“It’s not your fault, Tia,” she said. “Please don’t blame yourself for what he’s done. You had no idea this was going to happen.”
“I have to fix this, Luna,” said Celestia. “Tomorrow. I need to see him. Talk to him. He may not listen, but I have to try. The kingdom needs me now.”
“I’ll go with you,” said Luna nodding.
“No,” said Celestia shaking her head. “You’re staying here. I need to do this myself.”
“But…” Luna said.
“No protesting, Luna,” said Celestia quickly. “Mother and Father aren’t here anymore, so I’m responsible for you now. You need to listen to me. Gods and goddesses know what Discord’s done to Canterlot. It could be dangerous. You need to stay here and rest.”
“But, Tia…”
“Luna, that’s my final word! I’m not loosing you too!” said Celestia raising her voice. She paused and shut her eyes as her throat tightened and tears threatened to return. “You’re all I have now, little sister…” she whispered. Luna hugged Celestia as she started to cry. So much for strength. “Don’t leave me alone…”
“I won’t,” said Luna. “I won’t, Tia. I’ll stay. I’ll stay.”
“You’re stronger than I am, Luna,” said Celestia, wiping her eyes. “You are. I need to be now, though. I owe them.”
“I don’t think so,” said Luna smiling. “I think you’re so brave and stuff, Tia. More than I ever will be. I only want to help.” Celestia smiled back and kissed Luna’s head.
“Sleep,” she replied. “Help me by getting some sleep.” Luna nodded and leaned against her sister’s wing. Eventually she fell asleep. Celestia did too and when she did, she dreamed of a happier time. She was dancing with Discord and Luna in the courtyard of the castle underneath a cotton candy cloud. Chocolate milk rain poured onto her white fur, making it feel sticky. She opened her mouth and tasted the sweetness of it. And there were no fears. No complications. No worries. There was only innocence, fun, and bliss. And in the midst of these childish fantasies, when Celestia was in between sleeping and just resting, her lips curled into a pleasant smile and a thought entered her mind. She may not have meant it. Or maybe deep down…she really did.
'I wouldn’t change a thing, Discord, she thought. Even after all we’ve been through. We still have that day. No; even if I could, I wouldn’t change a thing…'
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Empty? Well this made things easier for him. An empty throne room meant the king and queen weren’t even there. Where had they gone? He hadn’t the slightest idea. Probably fled when he turned the castle over. The princesses had left as well. They were probably all huddled together in hiding somewhere. Perhaps they truly were cowards like his mother said. At least now everything seemed much better. Upside down-right side up. Right-wrong. Unnatural-natural. Everything had changed. Discord sunk down into King Orion’s empty throne. It was resting on the ceiling now, of course. The chandelier was sitting up proudly before him. Ah, yes. Much better. Just then, a palace guard stumbled up to him.
“D…Discord? What have you done? Everything is…”
“Chaotic?” said Discord laughing. “Of course it is! What would you expect? Oh…and that’s King Discord to you now.”
“King?” said the guard confused. Discord snapped his fingers and a cotton candy cloud appeared over the pony’s head. Immediately rain poured on him and Discord smiled.
“Right. Now, you will be my court jester.” He snapped his fingers again and a jester hat appeared on the guard’s head. “Entertain me. I’m quite bored.”
“I’m not going to…” said the guard indignantly. Just then, Discord snapped his fingers again and puppet strings appeared on the pony’s hooves.
“Come now! Dance for me, jester!” he said laughing as he made the strings move on their own. The guard’s eyes grew wide.
“Are you doing that?! Stop that!” Discord laughed harder at the guard’s reaction. “Well. I’ve certainly missed out on quite a few things, haven’t I? You see, equine, things are going to be different around here. My whole life, I was under your strings. I was never accepted. I was taunted, rejected, and ridiculed for being me. But…now…it’s all in reverse. I’ve taken over Canterlot from those alicorns and that Celestia who dared play me. Two can play at this game, you see. Because soon…all of you will be under my strings. I will be in total control of Equestria. And I will watch Princess Celestia cower under me and I will break her by plunging everything good and orderly…what she loves most, you see…into sheer…perfect….wonderful chaos. My mother and father will be proud. I will finally cut the chords that held me back for so long and I will be the new puppet master. It’s all perfect,” he said sighing and making a glass of chocolate milk appear in his hand. He stared at the glass briefly. “Why be loved when you can be feared?” He grinned at the guard.
“W…well… can I at least stop dancing now?”
“Mmm……no,” Discord replied making banana peels appear under the guard’s hooves.
TO BE CONTINUED…
Continued Author’s Note: Poor guardy. *snickers under breath*. I’m evil. Speaking of evil: the evilness of school has started once again. :p (Major Spike NOOOOOO!) I may not be able to update as often as I’d like, but never fear, my people. Nrdygrl won’t fail you! I will follow this thing through! *epic battle music plays in the background.* I shall return! Peace.