//------------------------------// // Past // Story: A Drink // by Chemtest //------------------------------// Celestia sighs, writing down the last of a lot of orders in her private study. All orders are to carry out investigations in different places and layers in society, and to audit every possible dream magic user in Equestria. It will be a long, and very, very difficult process, but it will be worth it to discover any who might have framed Darius. Appearing in a flash of flame in front of Celestia is Daybreaker, her usual fang-filled grin gone as she steps up to the table Celestia sits at, “Is this it, Sunny-Bunny? You’re going to sit here ordering others to investigate those who you and I both know didn’t do it?” Celestia looks up at the demonic mare, “We do not know anything, Daybreaker. We must investigate every tier of society.” Daybreaker snorts, “Investigate? What’s happened to you? We both know that that Zebra remembers his dream perfectly well, Sunny-Bunny. So take those memories from him, by force, if he isn’t willing to share.” Celestia frowns, “I shall do no such thing. My ponies will investigate, and they will find the one behind this. I shall resort to darkness no more.” Daybreaker frowns, “You would give up our nation because you are afraid of darkness? Oh. I see how it is.” She sneers, trotting through the table to get closer to Celestia, “It’s that mare. Have you truly become so lonely that you’ll give up our nation for a mortal mare, Celestia? Are you so desperate as to sell our souls to the Nightmare for some flank?!” Celestia scowls, “I sell nothing and give up nothing, Daybreaker. And even if I were to, why would you care?” Daybreaker snorts, “Why would I care? Why would I care?! When I win, Celestia, and trust me, I will win, I’d prefer to have a nation to lead! I shall become goddess of this land, and I won’t let you kill my worshippers out of some infatuation! Now get off your fat flank and fix this mess!” Celestia stands up, her horn passing through Daybreaker’s face, as she trots to a nearby window, “You forget who is in charge, Daybreaker, and you would do well to keep your place in mind. I am Princess, and I am the one who penned the laws I currently abide by. I shall not become a hypocrite or be a tyrant any longer because of your rage and paranoia. I have never lost before, nor shall I ever.” Daybreaker appears in front of Celestia, leering at her, “You haven’t lost? Then why do you stand here alone, Sunny-Bunny? Where is Luna, hmm? I’m afraid I don’t see Father anywhere, how odd. Your Uncles? Frozen in stone, frozen in time. Is this what victory looks like, Sunny-Bunny? Standing in an office, alone, speaking to your personal demons? You’re weak, pathetic, not deserving of your power. Give it fifty years, Sunny-Bunny, and you’ll go the way of Uncle ‘Dissy’.” Celestia scowls, taking a moment to come up with a response, only to pause, “Discord… the Elements went inert when I used them on Luna…” Daybreaker blinks, appearing in the office behind Celestia, “They turned to stone. That means-“ Celestia rounds on her, “The enchantment is weakened.” Her eyes widen, “A false dream meant to play us off each other… meant to cause chaos!” Daybreaker blinks again, only to slowly grin, “Oh-ho, clever, Sunny-Bunny. Has that finally lit a fire under your flank?” Celestia looks at Daybreaker, “You knew. You were trying to tell me all along, weren’t you?” Daybreaker grins more, “You know, Sunny-Bunny, I also remember a certain shadow’s banishment lasting a thousand years. Wasn’t that in 1500?” Celestia frowns, “Sombra and Discord, and we have no Elements. Just us. Come on!” She turns, leaping out of the nearby window, spinning and spreading her wings, catching the air with not a single shard of glass on her. Her large wings flap, sending her rocketing towards the Gardens. The ponies of Canterlot would wonder why they heard a sonic boom that afternoon, and many chided Pegasus friends playfully for ‘causing it’. However, for a select few near the palace, they’d be able to look up and see their Princess flying through the air, a radiant corona of solar flames surrounding their immortal ruler. The wonder lasts for only half a minute before the Princess lowers out of sight, and the average pony is left to go about their business. All except for one unicorn mare, who rushes to where the Princess landed. Celestia comes to a rapid landing in the gardens, sending dust flying up and almost making a crater at the point of impact as the flames around her die out. Nearby, the Royal Gardener jumps in fright, with him frowning slightly, not seeing the Princess behind the dust cloud, “Don’t disturb the animals! They don’t like new things!” The dust settles down, and Celestia looks towards him, with him immediately panicking and bowing, “Rise. I won’t chastise you for doing your job. But take the day off.” She trots past the bowing stallion, headed deeper into the garden. On a normal day, Celestia might trot around the garden as a way of relaxation. Alone with nature, away from the noise of the city, surrounded by the beauty of the world, it can be very relaxing and freeing for the mind. Normally, birds would tweet and exotic animals would scurry about below the bushes, by the shrubbery, and around the statues. But now, the animals are completely quiet, all watching the Princess with baited breath, knowing instinctively not to get in her way. She comes to a stop in front of a particular statue, slowly looking up to look at it’s face. A face frozen in the middle of laughter, a lion’s paw tucked over a snake’s torso and an eagle’s claw held outward. Despite being made of stone, the statue seems alive, and full of a chaotic energy, almost seeming like it’s moving if one looks long enough. Celestia sighs as she looks at it, “Hello, Uncle.” Daybreaker appears behind her, watching with interest. She then grins, stealing a glance to the nearby bushes, where she sees a unicorn hiding, “You know, Sunny-Bunny, I wonder if he can hear us. That would just be torture, almost too much for even my tastes, to be trapped like that but still conscious.” She shudders, “Not even able to annoy you.” Celestia nods sadly, “If he is still conscious inside there, then I have no doubt he will try to kill me if he escapes. If he is still conscious in there, then I have performed the most evil act imaginable by putting him there, no matter the reason. If.” She slowly lights up her horn, surrounding the statue in a yellow glow, “He’s still here.” Daybreaker nods, “Oh, I’m sure he’s still physically there, but his power is definitely leaking. He’s obviously trying to arrange for his escape, Sunny-Bunny. You know you’ll have to stop him.” Celestia looks back, not noticing herself one of the nearby bushes rustling, the eyes of Teardrop Exalted looking out from within, “Without the Elements of Harmony? We both know that there is no other way to stop him, Daybreaker, unless we were to somehow convince Løkus to plant another tree.” Daybreaker grins, “Oh yeah, Løkus, didn’t his son take over the title? He might be easier to convince than his father was. But no, Sunny-Bunny, I don’t know that there’s no other way. In fact, I think I know one way in particular. Order.” Celestia scowls, “You would suggest we turn to Father’s magic? Chaos is preferable to Order, and I will not resort to such measures ever, even if it would mean my death and Discord’s escape.” Daybreaker shrugs, “Well if you don’t want solutions, don’t ask for them, Sunny-Bunny, and pull that fifty inch stick out of your flank, geez. Try to be helpful for once and look what it gets me. My solution works, at least, that’s more than you can say. What’s your backup plan, hmm, Sunny-Bunny? Have hope and faith?” Celestia opens her mouth to speak, only for a male voice to call out and interrupt her, “Celestia?” She blinks, and turns to face the zebra that now approaches, “Darius? I was under the impression you had departed back to your lands.” Darius smiles and nods, “I may have said as such, but I changed my mind. I have dispatched my fastest courier, Marathon, to deliver orders to Chief Caranus to carry out an investigation on a national scale. I will, if your fair graces permit, stay here in Canterlot rather than return to Neighgeria.” Celestia nods back, “Why is it that you are staying, Darius?” Darius smiles more, “I find myself thinking still of the conversation we had, and wonder what more wisdom we could share with each other. I must also admit, I find myself feeling safer from threat of assassination here than I would feel back home.” Celestia smiles softly back, “Well, Darius, if it is assassination you fear, I could send you to stay with Fatecaster Knip. Tartarus would be safer than even Canterlot, especially in the halls of the Fatecaster, and I am fairly certain you are a distant cousin to him.” Darius shakes his head, “More like a distant nephew, Celestia, only due to my line’s first and his relation to Zuéstro. But I also stay here so I may better understand the dominant culture of the world, and I stay so I may speak more with you.” Celestia smiles more, and nods, “Very well, then. I shall have a room in the palace prepared for you to stay, Darius, and you have all the resources of the crown to ensure your comfort. If you don’t mind, I do have something else I must do, a matter that has drawn me north. I shall be back by dawn tomorrow, fates permitting, if you would wish to speak then.” Darius smiles back, “I would wish, Celestia. Have a comfortable trip.” He then smiles more, as Celestia turns and trots off, muttering under his breath, “I would wish much more than talk…” Nearby, in the bushes, Teardrop watches on, her face scrunching with jealously.