It was a normal day like any other in the magical land of Equestria. The Sun stood high in the sky, its beauty unobstructed by clouds on this hot summer day. And it would be on this day Princess Celestia would meet a very peculiar subject during day court. So far throughout the day, it had been the same old same old for the princess.
Nobles looking for grants. Land disputes between farmers. Even a foal who wanted nothing more than to give her a flower she grew herself, brightening the solar princesses day even further. (Not even the normally stoic guards present in the throne room could keep themselves from smiling at the foals gift to their charge)
“Send in the next petitioner.” Called out Princess Celestia towards the guards stationed at the throne room’s entrance. The guards gave a firm nod and escorted her next petitioner in. It was a lone pegasus mare her age probably in the late twenties guessed Celestia. Her coat was as black as a raven. Her mane and tail a shade of white with a grey streak running through them. On her flank lay a cutie-mark in the shape of a bird sitting atop a mountain. For some strange reason, Celestia felt like she had seen this mare before.
Watching her subject approach her throne Celestia noticed the way the mare’s eyes glanced about the throne room. One is that there were large bags under her eyes and two her gaze was not filled with wonder or awe at the sight of the throne room, it was filled with what one would describe as a sense of nostalgia instead. Her gait was strange as well with it being more akin to an old and tired mare and not that of a young Pegasus in their prime who was probably suffering from sleep deprivation.
The pegasus reached the steps before the throne and bowed down shakily as if it was the hardest thing the mare had ever done. Celestia saw what was about to transpire and quickly moved next to the mare to prevent her from falling. She looked down at the mare in her grasp before she spoke.
“Are you alright my little Pony?” She asked, her voice filled with concern for this pony. The mare in question looked up at Celestia, a sad smile on her lips.
“I’m fine princess, It just seems my age is beginning to catch up with me.” Responded the mare tiredly. Her answer confused Celestia greatly. From this close, she didn’t look a day over 30 to the Alicorn. “Anyway”-The Mare began again interrupting Celestia’s train of thought-“ Thank you for the help Princess but, heh, I did not come here to fall all over myself.” She finished with a cheeky smile now directed at the Princess.
Celestia gave a small laugh in return. “Why yes, I do not believe that is the reason for your visit ms…?”
“Perene.” Supplied the mare. “I would bow but we saw how well that turned out,” She said with another laugh.
“So Miss Perene, how may I be of assistance?” And at that, the cheeky smile Perene wore changed to something different, something Celestia had never seen on a young mare before.
“I know it may be selfish but can we talk somewhere private?” She looked at her legs and the white forearm holding her up “Maybe somewhere with a couch to sit on?”
It was a strange request to be sure, but not an uncommon one when it came to whatever private matters her subjects wanted to discuss with her. Looking towards the door she asked the guards. “ Are there any other immediate petitioners outside?”
“No ma’am Ms. Perene is the last one.” Responded the Guard.
“Then close the court for the day, I will be in my study with Ms. Perene if I am needed.”
“Heh Lucky me.” Commented the mare in question with a small laugh.
The guard gave a nod and a salute in return as Celestia fired off a teleport spell bringing herself and Perene to her Study. The pair reappeared with a pop before Celesta led the mare to a nearby couch. Sitting down the mare sighed in clear exhaustion.
“Ahh, it feels good to sit down after a long day right?” Asked Perene, her eyes closed in contentment as she relaxed on the couch. Princess Celestia took a seat across from her, eying the mare carefully.
“Yes… that is quite true.” Answered the Princess slowly her thoughts about this mare resurfacing. She didn’t make any sense. She looked like a normal adult mare but the way she behaved herself spoke more of an old mare at the end of their life.
“Okay… I know what you're thinking Princess, your not the first” She began her eyes still closed with a content smile on her lips. “ Your thinking: Just who is this mare and why do they act more like some old grandma than an Adult? Right?” She opened one eye and looked towards the princess, that cheeky smile back on her face.
“Yes, you are correct. Why is that? Is it an act? Are you suffering from some sort of illness?” Answered the Alicorn of the Sun curiously.
“It’s more of a curse really but it’s at least one that has finally run its course.” She responded cryptically a smile still on her face.
“What do you mean?” Questioned Celestia once again.
“Let me answer your question with a tale you have probably heard long ago:
A foal walks up to his parents and asks: How was the crystal city built? The parents respond that there to the north in the snow there once lived a couple whose love knew no bounds. Then one day an evil sorcerer came and demanded the couple submit to his will. The couple rejected his offer and fought back. In the ensuing battle, only one stood, her husband dead and the sorcerer gone. The mare, heartbroken by the loss of her husband, tried to join him in the afterlife. But before the sorcerer left he placed a terrible curse upon the mare in revenge that she may never die unless she builds a city for her husband out of a small crystal that only forms every 100 years at the peak of the highest mountain of the land. And that when the mare has completed her task the curse will be broken and that she may be with her husband once again for every second of Eternity there ever was and ever will be.
Ever heard of that story Celestia?” Asked Perene a sad smile on her face.
“Yes I have… it is one of the oldest pieces of literature ever recorded and has become standard reading in schools but what does it have to do with…” Responded Celestia before her eyes began to widen when the mare’s smile grew cheeky once again.
“Hah who knew that the one time I told some kids about why I was protecting some pile of crystals in the middle of nowhere ends up becoming something every foal needs to read about.” The mare began to laugh heartily. Celestia still stared at the mare trying to process this revelation. Was she telling the truth? Was she making it up? Eventually, Celestia found her voice and spoke.
“That's not possible… You can’t be the mare from the story that would make you…the oldest being on the planet. Older than even Luna and I…“ Celestia said her tone unbelieving of what she was implying.
The mare in question laughed harder in response to Celestia’s obvious confusion and slow revelation making itself known on her face.
“Haha hahaha. Oh wow, I needed that *giggle* Thank you, Princess. But yes it's true… I am that mare. If you want proof just look at any famous painting of a historical event. I can almost guarantee you if you look hard enough I will be there. After all what better way to spend the time between journeys traveling the world?” Perene said that smile back on her face as she motioned with her hoof towards a painting on the wall.
In response to that proclamation, Celestia followed her hoof and gazed at a painting from a thousand years ago. It was a painting from before Luna’s banishment with it being a snapshot of both Alicorns sitting upon their thrones, their castles staff and guards lined up to their left and right. Taking the mare's advice she focused on the faces of the paintings' figures. Several seconds pass before she spots it. Just off to the left, where the castle maids stood lay the face of the mare sitting across from her. The cheeky smile she was currently wearing on her face.
“I gotta say being a maid for you two is hard work. Especially when it comes to cleaning up after you and your midnight snacks.” The mare commented with another giggle. “The number of cake crumbs I kept finding was comical!”
“Well… that…certainly proves your claim” Celestia responded with a tinge of red on her cheeks before clearing her throat. “So then… why have you come to me and revealed yourself now?”
Perene’s smile became a sad one once again. “That's because I am almost finished Celestia and I need your help. I have lived too long a life and it's time for it to end. There is one last piece of crystal I need and I cannot get it without your help. So I come to you asking you to help this old mare be with her husband once again.” Perene asked with a smile as tears began to appear in the corner of her eyes. And Celestia’s heart ached at the sight. An immortal being is the loneliest being there is if you cant share eternity. How this mare still had her sanity was a mystery and Celestia was not going to let her millennia-long quest end now. Even if that meant losing a friend she didn't know she had until now.
“Of course I will, my little pony ' was Celestia’s response as Perenes face lit up with joy, her wings happy fluttering against the couch she sat upon.
“Thank you” Responded the mare, as tears of joy began to run down her face.
“What do I need to do?” Asked Celestia, getting up from where she sat.
“First come here and let me hug you.” Answered the smiling Perene as she sat up. Celestia obliged with a smile and moved to sit next to the mare embracing her just as she asked. A Small string of thank you’s could be heard from the mare during the embrace. But when it came to an end Celestia found herself a tad bit lighter as her crown was removed by the mare. Confused Celestia looked at what the mare was doing before she watched her remove one of the crystals that lay within it.
It glowed slightly in the frog of her hoof as she looked at it, tears once again welling up in the corner of her eyes before holding the crystal close to her heart, her eyes closed in loving recollection of the love of her life. “I am almost there my love…I am almost there.” Spoke Perene to the crystal before looking up at a smiling Celestia. “When can we leave?”
Celestia sat in thought as she recalled when the next train left for the Empire before the smile on her lips grew. “I believe one leaves within the next hour.”
The train ride was a quiet one for the pair as Perene slept the trip away, the crystal still held close to her heart and a happy smile on her lips as she dreamt of her husband. Celestia sat next to her writing a letter informing Shining Armor and Cadence of their arrival. The Sun was beginning to set on the horizon as Celestia focused her energy. The moon soon took its place in the night sky as Luna raised it having already been informed of Celestia’s trip to the Empire.
An hour passed as the Crystal city came into view on the horizon, its lights acting as a beacon in the night. The train began to slow down and pull into the station where Shining Armor and Cadence were waiting for them. Perene meanwhile was in a daze as all she could think about was finally being with her husband once again. Her eyes were glued to the tip of the crystal spire, as everything else was drowned out around the mare. Every passing pony a blur and every noise a dull ring.
Even the voices of Celestia, Cadence and Shining Armor were nothing but background noise to the mare as she walked with a smile on her face into her city. Meanwhile, on the outside, Celestia was telling the crystal couple who Perene was and why they were here as they followed the near-catatonic mare in front of them. The royals made sure to wave off any guards or citizens out of Perene's way. It went without saying that Cadence was beyond willing to help the mare in ending her eternity-long mission to reunite with her husband. Shining shared the same sentiment stating that he would do the same for Cadence who promptly kissed him deeply before he could even finish that sentence.
But as with all journeys, it must come to an end as the four of them stood at the top of the crystal spire. Perene having led them through the city she had started building an Eternity ago. Some help was needed by Perene on the stairs up as her legs gave out from under her. But now at the top of the spire, silent tears were openly flowing from the mare's eyes as she approached a small hole located in the center of the Spire atop a lone pedal stool, just underneath where Sombra hid the crystal heart all those years ago. Perene moved the crystal to her lips, kissing it lightly before bringing it down and slotting it in.
Instantly Perene felt her strength begin to leave her as she fell to her knees as a large beam of light engulfed her being. Her life began to flash before her eyes. From the time she and her husband faced the sorcerer. The first time Perene collected the crystal that would dominate her thoughts for so long and finally to that last walk up the Spire to where she was now. The beam of light began to dim and fade as the three royals rushed to her side.
“Perene! Is everything alright?!” Questioned Cadence frantically as she shot off scanning spell after scanning spell on Perene who simply looked up at the blurry but teary faces above her. Cadence was just about to fire off another spell before an alabaster-white hoof stopped her from firing another. The head connected to it sadly shaking their head.
“I have never felt better in a thousand years… Thank you…all of you…And Celestia? Before I go...please do this one last thing...Consider it my last request... Don’t let my story be forgotten… And please add this to its ending… tell them… tell them that they may think that it is a hell of a long time but that personally… You think that that was one hell of a Mare… ha…ha...” Perene closed her eyes one final time, that cheeky smile on her face once again for the rest of eternity.