//------------------------------// // Ch. 7: The Sun // Story: Generation 4: P-1 Grand Prix // by TundraStanza //------------------------------// Chapter 7: The Sun --- Unleashing The Power Of A Thousand Suns The Unintentional Troll Of Equestria PRINCESS CELESTIA! --- "W...where am I?" --- The connection that Celestia usually felt with her sun was disturbingly absent as she opened her eyes. The last thing she remembered was an unusually strong magical gravitation on her entire body. She had blacked out and then... she didn't know what happened after that. Taking a moment to right herself up on her feet, she found herself in the middle of a giant room. Its walls were lined with tall bookshelves filled to the brim with tomes. What was strange about this was the number of books that were haphazardly flying around like bird's wings. "What in the heavens...?" trailed off Celestia before a square-shaped image of light appeared above her head. "Fillies and gentlecolts!" announced the image. "Welcome to the P-1 Grand Prix Tournament! Now that all of the contestants have arrived, we can begin. We shall be thy host Princess Luna of the Night. We shall bring thee (how do you say it?) the play-by-play of the action. Each match will pit the contestants against each other as they let loose their pent up anger and frustration. The last filly standing at the end of the tournament shall claim bragging rights as best pony!" "Luna?" inquired a confused Celestia. "This isn't funny." "I...I'm sure I have a lesson to turn in around here somewhere," spoke another voice. Celestia turned away from the image that had moved higher up and out of the way. In front of her stood a face that always brought Celestia joy to see. Though, there was something a bit unusual about the face here and now. For one thing, Twilight Sparkle wasn't looking at anything in particular. In fact, her darting eyes seemed quite distracted by finding some imaginary object. "Twilight, is everything okay?" asked Celestia with her standard procedure. "That's what I need to do!" shouted Twilight suddenly. "I'll make a problem that I have to solve and can learn something from so that I can turn it in. Sound good, Princess?" Celestia blinked. "Perhaps you should calm down a bit before jumping into action..." "Action, that's it!" exclaimed Twilight. "I'll start attacking the princess. Then, when she's finished banishing me to the place that she banished me to, I'll write my letter of friendship that will then be sent to the moon where she can read it every night. It's the perfect plan!" Again, Celestia blinked. "Twilight, you're acting very strangely and your words don't make sense. This is very unlike you." "I'll show you, Princess!" blathered Twilight. "I'll show you everything by forcing you to physically restrain me!" "She's ignoring everything I say to her," Celestia muttered, "and she's very insistent on a violent punishment. What is going on?" Round 1 Fight! Before Celestia could mull over the absurdity of the situation, Twilight had started charging up her magic. A magenta layer of light surrounded several of the flying books and forced them to Twilight's will. "The sparks are already flying!" hollered Luna. The hardback covers flew under the influence of magical force. Had this been a longtime enemy's attack, Celestia would have already placed the necessary defensive spells. She had not expected to be attacked by her student of all ponies. Because of her pause out of bewilderment, she felt the impact of each and every one of the books against her body. The last one caused her to trip and tumble backwards. Has she lost herself? thought Celestia, Perhaps the time has come again for the fail-safe. Standing back up on all fours, Celestia attempted to gather energy to cast the counterspell. But whatever she was about to cast suddenly fizzled out on the spot. What? Celestia opened her eyes wide. It's not working. Has... something cut off my magic? Meanwhile, Twilight had switched tactics from book tossing to casting a barrage of magic missiles. Experimentally, Celestia tried to alter her magical focus. She was rewarded with a barrage of golden magic missiles that countered Twilight's blast for blast. One even managed to crash through and stun Twilight who let out a yelp upon impact. No, it's not my magic that's being blocked, realized Celestia. It's just that one spell. What is going on? During Celestia's brief pondering, Twilight had recovered and shook her head. Twilight then started flashing her horn again in a somewhat brighter light. In a flash, she disappeared from her position entirely. Another popping sound announced Twilight's reappearance elsewhere in the room. Celestia managed to use her own magic to yank one of the books off the shelves just in time to block another magenta bolt coming from behind. As the eerily blank pages floated to the ground, she heard Twilight teleport again. Celestia moved another book to block a blast from above herself. The pattern of teleportation and blasting book shields continued for a while longer. But after a few times later, Celestia decided to actually fly out of the blast's way. She then used her magic to surround the tip of her horn with a blinding light. Twilight reappeared and was about to cast another bolt but then looked at where Celestia was now. The light felt like it was burning her eyes and Twilight lifted both of her hooves to try and rub the pain out. Unfortunately, she was standing on the edge of a bookshelf when she got blinded. Twilight ended up losing her balance and falling to the floor below. The impact shook some more books off the shelf and they formed a makeshift pile over her. Her groan of pain could be heard just as three bells decided to ring. "Whoever said words cannot hurt clearly never went to a library before," said Luna jokingly. Celestia raced over to the book pile and started lifting some of them away. A tired looking Twilight Sparkle emerged from the less crowded pile and rubbed her head. "Are you okay, Twilight?" asked Celestia. "Ugh, I think so," groaned Twilight. "I guess I never expected you to actually threaten me." "Threaten you?" Celestia tilted her head. "But I heard you desperately asking me for some form of reprimand." "Huh?" Now it was Twilight's turn to tilt her head. "You told me that I was supposed to defeat your unintentional tyranny, whatever that means." "Hmm," Celestia looked down in thought. "Was our hearing of each other being blocked by some form of illusion?" "I... suppose that's possible," considered Twilight, "That would explain why your choice of words didn't sound like anything you would say." So she was hearing me say weird phrases as I heard her say equally obscure words, thought Celestia. A rectangular light suddenly appeared next to the two ponies and flickered an image of some pony within it. Celestia was caught off guard that the pony was... herself. "That's enough. Hurry onto the next stage of the tournament! By the way only the winner can advance from the arena while the loser is forced to stay. Keep that in mind because I won't repeat myself!" The voice that the pony used even sounded like her. Except there were two things wrong with the lookalike. She lacked the gentleness that Celestia usually used when she talked. Additionally, the pony had a hat that looked more like it belonged on an airship captain than a princess. Before Celestia could observe for any other discrepancies, the image flickered and the rectangle disappeared. "Only the winner can advance?" echoed Twilight. "Wait... if this is some kind of tournament... then that means we aren't the only ones in here! My friends got sucked into the T.V. too! They're trapped in this world!" "Easy, my faithful student," shushed Celestia, "Remember to breathe." Her faithful student used the moment to take in a deep breath and release it. "Sorry." "Knowing your friends, I'm sure they're doing fine," smiled Celestia. "I'm going to go ahead and check things out. You should stay here and rest." "All right, Princess. I will," agreed Twilight with a bow. Celestia nodded before trotting off to the east side of the library. --- On a roll! The No-Nonsense Dictionary That Is Definitely Not A Robot SWEETIE BELLE! Celestia passed through what felt like a strangely dry fluid. After trotting through a short and plain corridor, she found herself entering a completely different area than the library. It resembled a stage for modern-day performers. A giant red curtain was closed and there were amplifiers at either end of the stage. "Communicate. Enumerate. Elucidate. Exaggerate." Upon hearing the monotonic voice, the princess looked around before finally resting her eyes on the little filly standing in front of a microphone. "Indicate. Explicate. Bloviate. Overstate." Further visual examination allowed Celestia to recognize that filly as the little sister of Rarity. What was her name again? Sweetie Belle! That was it. "Hyperventilate." Though, why the young one was saying such random words, Celestia had no clue. At that moment, Sweetie Belle turned around. She opened her eyes wide upon seeing the princess. "Gasp," she stated with just a hint of emotion. "Troll detected in the metaphysical dungeon. Initiating combat mode." She then proceeded to crouch in a way that a cat would before pouncing. These must be the illusion's words, thought Celestia while maintaining her composure. I'd rather not fight her, but it's the only way that seems to work right now. Round 2 Fight! Sweetie Belle leaped from her position without a second's pause. Her front hooves wrapped around Celestia's neck. That feels kind of nice, smiled Celestia slightly. "Set phasers to 'hug'," droned Sweetie Belle as her grip suddenly became uncomfortably tighter. Celestia could feel the air being forced from her windpipe. She opened her mouth and gasped, but it wasn't helping. This little pony was actually trying to suffocate her. Well, no more, thought the princess. She closed her mouth and opened her eyes shining in a bright, white glare. An orb of magical energy started forming around her center. This orb began to spread out and surround her entire body until it resembled a growing dome. The dome began to shove against Sweetie Belle. Her grip loosened as she was sent flying to the side. Sweetie let out a small grunt as she impacted with the floor. As quickly as Celestia's magical shield had formed, it vanished. "I guess Celestia's not a very huggy pony," giggled announcer Luna. Shaking her head, Sweetie Belle picked herself up and stared determinedly at her opponent. Calling on some unholy inner voice, she screamed at top of her lungs. The high-pitch vibrations were actually visible. Some of the stage started to rip apart from the sound waves alone. For her part, Celestia was actually sliding a bit along the wood. She had to close one eye to dilute her growing headache. Still, she managed to stand strong against the gale screech. Celestia took a deep breath before doing something that she had not been required to do for centuries. "Be silent, my little pony!" she ordered in the Royal Canterlot tone. The screaming from before stopped as Sweetie Belle was flung through the air yet again. The microphone stand she was using prior to the fight actually fell on top of her as she lay on the floor. Three bells rang after that. "I always knew she was full of hot air," smirked Luna. Quickly, Celestia galloped over to Sweetie Belle's side. With a gentle nudge, she levitated the metal bar off of her subject's body. "Are you alright, Sweetie Belle?" the princess asked. "Ow... yeah," groaned Sweetie Belle. "I think so. That was kind of cool. I didn't know that you could do that loud voice trick that Princess Luna did." "Yes, well, I don't really like calling attention to that," smiled Celestia sheepishly. "Um, Princess?" squeaked the filly. "What did you mean before when you said you'd destroy all robots?" "Huh?" wondered Celestia before realizing her epiphany in her previous combat. "Oh, that. From what I understand, this so-called tournament world is causing every pony to hear things that aren't really being said. It's only after some pony wins a match that we can hear what's really being said." "Ohhhh," realized Sweetie Belle. "That explains why you weren't making any sense before." "I have to get going, little one," told Celestia. "Will you be alright waiting here?" "Yeah," chirped Sweetie Belle. "Of course, Princess." "Good," nodded Celestia as she proceeded to exit the stage. "I'll find you later." --- Let's keep it moving! Everything about this one is a complete mystery! ???? The area that she found herself in both surprised Celestia and gave her unease. The corroding stone walls replicated the looks of her original castle that now lied in the Everfree. Strange, black flames danced along the edges of the walls and the floor. What pony would have gone out of their way to create something like this? Celestia's pondering was interrupted by a puff of purple smoke engulfing a small area in front of her. As soon as it appeared, it revealed a mirror image of herself. "What is the meaning of this?" asked Celestia defensively. "How does it feel, Celestia?" chuckled the smokey doppelganger. "I mean, knowing that your subjects are now tainted and disloyal?" "I asked you a question first!" stated Celestia with authority. "Who are you and what are you planning with this tournament?" "Heh," snickered the doppelganger. "If you beat me, maybe I'll let slip a few hints." "I see," sighed Celestia. "You're basically saying that the only way to get the truth from you is by fighting. Very well. If you insist." Both Celestias took fierce stances. Round 3 Fight! "Hey, Tia! Don't beat yourself up too badly, okay?" laughed the announcer Luna. Ignoring the voice that couldn't be her sister, Celestia stood firm. She eyed her impostor carefully, never flinching. To this, the doppelganger smirked a little before creating a spark from her horn. A burst of lightning started making its way toward the original. With a slight golden glow from her own horn, Celestia created a small version of her shield. The shield that resembled a dinner plate was more than large enough to deflect the electric discharge heading her way. The resulting flashes briefly made the entire room glow in golden, white light. Barely a second later, the doppelganger took flight with a powerful flap of her wings. She flew up in a single loop-de-loop motion before setting her sights down at a diagonal path. She was quickly gathering speed. Seeing this, Celestia quickly hopped back. The doppelganger just barely missed as her hooves dug into the concrete and created a large impression of cracks. "Come on, Celestia!" taunted the copy, "You can't win if you just defend and run away!" "Patience is its own reward," stated the princess flatly and calmly. Not-Celestia let out a grunt of discontent. "Typical," she spat. "You're cowardly and weak. You don't have the power that it takes to be the Princess." "And just what do you mean by that?" inquired Celestia with an eyebrow raised. Sparks started racing all over the doppelganger's body. Her eyes glowed with the fury of a vengeful apparition. "Let me show you what true power is!" she shouted as her magic concentrated into a wide, scattered arc of electricity. Celestia held her ground with determination despite her mane waving in the new vibrations of the air. Her golden aura surrounded herself before becoming a shield just large enough to surround herself. The sporadic lightning strike couldn't touch her. In fact, it merely danced around and struck the floor in various spots. She didn't notice the slightly red aura that flashed in front of her eyes briefly. "An Awakening!" gasped Luna. "Has this confrontation reached its conclusion prematurely?" With her shield still up and strong, Celestia started trotting forward. Her trot sped up into a gallop. Her gallop became a sprint. Still quite angry, the doppelganger kept trying her thunderstorm attack. But it was for naught. Upon getting just in front of her opponent, Celestia made a quick turn and lifted her hind hooves. She delivered a kick that completely threw her impostor out of concentration. Not-Celestia collapsed on the ground underneath one of the windows. Three bells rang all around the room. Celestia closed her eyes. "Just because I have power doesn't mean I should constantly use it," she stated gently. "You'll never get your sister back with that kind of pacifism," groaned the doppelganger. The princess snapped her eyes open when she heard that. Quickly, she turned around and glared. "Where is Luna?" she asked with a bit of force. "Heh heh heh," chuckled the doppelganger as her body was suddenly swept away in smoke. The smoke cloud fled the arena. "Wait!" called Celestia as she galloped after the cloud. --- Next up... Everything about this one is a complete mystery! ???? "Get back here!" ordered Celestia as she continued to pursue the dark cloud. However, the dark smoke had other plans and passed underneath a yellow door. Using her magic grip, Celestia turned the handle before yanking it open. She hurried on through without a moment's hesitation. Random lighted buttons and switches flashed all over the large room she had entered. She nearly ran smack into the other occupant. "Tia?" asked Luna aloud. "Lulu!" exclaimed Celestia. The princess sisters embraced with their necks and wings for a moment's reprieve. "Oh, isn't that sweet?" chuckled another voice on the other side of the room. Celestia and Luna's eyes snapped open as they quickly glanced over to the voice. Its shape was that of Celestia, but there were fairly noticeable differences. The copy wore a sailor's cap in place of a tiara, had an eerie golden glow in its eyes, and a purple, fire-like aura that practically licked the air around it. "Who are you and why did you take such measures to capture us?" inquired Luna none too politely. "I have a fairly clear idea," mentioned Celestia. This enemy was capable of powerfully magical feats, used lightning as its main attack, and practically wrapped itself in darkness. There was only one pony Celestia knew that matched those traits. "Show yourself," demanded the elder princess, "Nightmare Moon!" "Humph!" snorted the dark figure as its cloud aura twisted around, obscuring it from view. After a second, the suspected dark alicorn with blue armor reappeared in the fake Celestia's place. "That's... impossible," breathed Luna in bewilderment. "Not as impossible as you might think, dear inferior half," retorted Nightmare Moon. "What do you hope to accomplish with your plan?" asked Celestia firmly. "I sincerely doubt this other world has anything to do with eternal night." "Yes," agreed Nightmare with a small smile. "I've long since given up such an impossible dream. Now, all I want is to hold all the power I can. I'm already more than halfway done." "What do you mean by that?" asked Luna while narrowing her eyes. "I've already trapped Equestria's Elements of Harmony bearers and its princesses right here, where I want them," laughed Nightmare Moon as her dark, cloudy mane spun around wildly. Luna looked ready to tear her darker half a new one, but Celestia held up a hoof to hold her off. "Leave this to me, little sister," whispered Celestia. "You may have succeeded in forcing my subjects to fight each other," she stated louder in Nightmare's direction, "but their hearts shall always fight on the same side in spirit." Celestia's mane seemed to wave at twice its usual speed. "And now, with their support, I shall take you on once more, Nightmare Moon!" "Well then, Celestia, bring... it... on!" Final Round Fight! --- Enlightenment -- Vitality -- Assurance -- Splendor