//------------------------------// // Lapia 132 // Story: Records of Scientia // by Morgan83 //------------------------------// "Twilight, you know she didn't mean it like that..." "..." "Starlight is just trying to look out for you. You've been locked up in here for weeks at a time. She's right. You need to get out more, get a life. Maybe....maybe meet somepony." "Spike. I do not WANT to meet somepony." "Twilight...she did not mean what she said...how she said it. It....it was poor wording." "Sounded like she meant it exactly as she said it. Go. I...I have work to do." "Sis..." "Go...please..." *quiet thud of a door* "[sniff]....I don't need a reminder.... "Ahem, my name is Twilight Sparkle...this is...[sniff] Lapia re-recording number one-thirty-two. As...as per previous recordings this is a one chance process. We are close to figuring out how the Lapia are made, but have yet to create one ourselves. This has made our supply of Stones limited. Still, we shall do what we can. Without further delay, lets begin." *click* *clinking glass, liquid poured* "Ah, Barrel's Scotch. How I have missed you." *gulping* "Oh, it has been a long time. Heh." *chair scrapping* "Hmm? Is this thing on? Tree blind us all! Clover, can you not shut down anything properly? Hmm, well it is a fresh one...and tonight is a night of....reflections... "Good evening. I am Starswirl the Bearded, and this shall be a rather unusual lesson. Considering what day it is, I would like to discuss a more recent historical point. This will be more of a personal account with information I later gathered to help flesh out what had truly happened the day the Moon covered the sun. Yes, my attentive listeners, the day the Throne of Two, was riven in twain. Just give me a moment, I must fortify myself for this instruction." *glass clinking, liquid pouring* "Let us start with the history of the Throne of Two, The Celestial Throne. The Throne was constructed at the end of the Era of Division. When the Princesses Celestia and Luna had managed to forge an alliance that put all three tribes under one banner. It was during those first few months, that a group of ponies representing everypony in the new kingdom, presented the Throne to the Sisters. Carved of Marblewood, one of the few surviving Greater Trees from the Forest of Songs, the royal seat was designed as one piece. So you can imagine how difficult that was to haul some three thousand miles from where it had once sprouted. I am told they actually carved it along the way. "In many ways I think that the Throne has traveled more of the land than your average pony has done in recent years, which was what the creators wanted it would seem. A reminder of the land two Alicorns now ruled. "The cutting of a great tree to make that singular piece had at first angered the two. First and foremost, Marblewood is unique in its properities that share comminality with marble stone, of which it derives its name from. Secondly, the trees are special in that they grow no where else in the known world and do not produce nearly as quickly. "From what certain acdemics have stated, more guessed if you ask me, is that these trees germinate only once every few thousand years. So the Sisters' anger is wellfounded. "However, Princess Luna had made a profound realization that she had uttered aloud that day the rather large white seat was presented to them: "I can see no greater representation of the cost of rule, Dear Sister. The tree's loss is great, but so to is the loss of the lives spent forging this kingdom. Let this be a reminder, to not only Us, but to the nation as a whole, of what we as a people had to do to be united under one ideal." "I am, of course, paraphrasing as I doubt you halfwits would fully grasp what she was saying originally in the Higher Tongue. "Princess Celestia agreed, but made the commandmant that none cut another Marblewood down for the sake of the species. "I suppose I should describe this great chair to you. As it is now, sitting somewhere above in the Great Hall, it is nothing more than a broken ruin. Split at an angle down one side, yet remarkably, still standing. "The Throne, as I said before, is carved from Marblewood. A great tree that is white in both the outside and inside. Brilliant rings of blue mark its age within in circles. The crafters, carved the thickest part of the tree into one giant peice in the shape of another, more legendary Tree. The Tree of Harmony. A representation of the unity which we ponies are now ruled beneath. There is not two seats, but one singluar large bench, for both Sisters to sit in judgement and rule as equals. "From there the two ruled in fairness and justice to all ponies, great or small. It was truly a time of peace. Interupted only by the occasional evil that reared it's head. *clinking of glass, pouring liquid* "That was, until twenty-five years ago. *gulping* "I suppose I avoided the subject enough. "The events surronding the disaster that broke the Throne is muddled. I was not there when the conflict broke out between the Sisters originally. I may have been able to put a stop to it had I not been distracted with the excavation of an ancient fortress to the north. "The battle raged on for three days as the moon held its place over the sun. By the time I had arrived, much of the castle staff and local populous had evacuated. The dead...littered the halls. "It didn't take me long to find them. The sound of battle was accompanied by the shake of the forest fortress itself. When I had gotten to the Grand Hall, I had stopped to behold the devastation. Celestia and Luna were locked in conflict. Both mares looking like nothing I had seen before, their forms were....terrifying to witness." *sipping* "They had been battling over the Elements themselves, and in their conflict of wills and terrible power, had broken the entire Hall. The Throne, torn nearly in two. The...the forces that had once guarded their seat of power laid in piles...blood flowed heavily...give me a moment." *chair scrape, the sound of pacing hooves* "It truly was a day of horrors. Celestia eventually ripped the control of the Elements away from Luna completely. A complicated spell, the likes I have never seen, blossomed forth from her horn and the Night Princess....she was casted away. Her destination? I think we have all seen her visage upon the Moon she once stood sentinel over. "She told me later that it was selfish desire for the attentions of herself and us citizens that made the younger of the pair inflict conflict. That Princess Luna felt shunned by us all. I am stricken with grief even now that I had played a part in the downfall of Princess Luna, and the rise of the now named Nightmare Moon. "Though, something else occured in that moment after the battle that still puzzles me to this day. The Elements, upon the moment of the casting of that spell, turned inert. Turning into balls of stone that no chisel could chip, nor water worn away. The symbol for each Element standing as a relief upon their surface. The Element of Magic was gone completely. "To deepen the mystery, Celestia herself was in a fit of rage at their loss. Shaking each with what looked to be the intent to shatter. When I tried to interrupt, she...looked upon me...and I swear my dear listeners, that was not the mare I had pledged heart and soul to serve. Something dark exists there." *clinking glasss, sipping noises* "Of course, she eventually came to herself and apolgized to me, but I am not so sure if it was genuine. Those....golden eyes held...I'm getting off course. I apologize. "With the Castle in ruins, and the halls far too stained with death, it was decided that the seat of power of our nation would be transfered to the dig site I had been so recently overseeing. At this very moment a castle is under construction on the side of the mountain, now known as Canter Mountain. Princess Celestia has also asked for a remake, of regular marble this time, of the Throne of Two. But, I have been told that the seat no longer holds that name. The Riven Throne seems an apt name on everyponies' tongue. "There you have it. I know this is not as indepth as my other dissertations, but that day has been on my thoughts. Something is terribly wrong in the world now. And I cannot decern what it might be. Thank you for listening in on this old stallions ramblings. Please, do not neglect your family, nor your friends. You may come to disagreements, times may become difficult. But through faith and love for one another, you can overcome it. Let the lessons of the Sisters be your guide." *click* "...I see, even from the distant past you still have so much to teach me don't you Starswirl? I should apologize to Starlight." *click*