In the magical land of Equestria, there once lived two sisters. Celestia, the princess of Daylight, ruled over the sun, which illuminated the world with its bright rays. Luna, the Princess of the Night, ruled over the moon, providing a safe haven for ponies during the night and guarding their dreams. Together, they governed the Auroran Empire, a vast and powerful empire that spanned the heart of Equestria's internal plain.
After defeating the ancient god of Chaos and Disharmony, Discord, they ordered the lands and made them a home for the many ponies that lived within them. The world was at peace, and they believed that evil had been vanquished. However, their peace was shattered when their former suzerain, King Sombra, attempted to conquer them, as he enslaved his own Crystal Empire to his dark will.
After a fierce war, the two sisters defeated King Sombra. In his final act of defiance, he sacrificed himself and his empire to the darkness, birthing the Nightmare Moon. This dark perversion of the Alicorn Princesses slew Luna and enthralled her army, leading them to the Everfree, the seat of the Auroran Empire. With no other option left, Celestia unleashed the power of the sun to banish Nightmare Moon, destroying her army and imprisoning her in the moon. This event marked the first Summer Sun and is the most important day on the Equestrian Calendar. It is a sacrosanct holiday celebrating Celestia's great power but also mourning the death of her younger sister.
This is the story that Twilight Sparkle grew up with and believed in as she first saw Celestia's glowing radiance during her first Summer Sun. It is also the story that she accepted during her studies under Celestia, now the Imperatrix of the Equestrian Commonwealth.
Twilight had chosen this event as the topic of her paper to secure her Archmagistrate, as she wished to study the magic of the sun, with the hope of one day becoming as great as her mentor.
Staring at the doors of the restricted section of the Canterlot Royal Archive, Twilight had been granted permission to access the documents that would assist her on her lifelong journey to becoming an Archmagistrate.
As she stood there, lost in thought, she heard a lightly playful voice from behind, "Such an ominous door, I'd have believed that you'd pick a more welcoming location to write your paper."
"I don't believe the door detracts from the importance of my research, Spike. I would go to Tartarus if I could learn something from the experience," Twilight responded bluntly.
"You're always so serious," the teenage dragon retorted.
"Somepony has to be," the purple pony replied as she slid the key into the lock and watched as the doors mechanically moved apart. Behind them was a room filled with bookcases and lockboxes, built in the intricate styling of the Early Celestine Era. The room had a large window that looked out over the city of Canterlot and was adorned with elegant tapestries and sculptures. Twilight looked over the library with an expression of awe, never before had she seen a view of Canterlot like this before, framed so perfectly, almost as if it was a painting.
Twilight's eyes soon fixated on a tapestry adorned with the symbols of both the Sun and the Moon. "There it is, that should be the section on Auroran History," she said with determination. Spike chuckled at his adoptive sister's eagerness. "I knew you'd head straight for the books," he teased. "I'm here to research, not sightsee," Twilight retorted sharply.
She quickly scanned the bookcase and said, "Okay, so I'm looking for anything related to the Battle of Everfree. Let's start with the Crystal War and work our way forward. I've compiled a list of authors referenced in later sources, so this should go quickly. Keep an eye out, Spike." Twilight then magically levitated a notepad in Spike's direction. Spike grabbed the notepad and said, "Okay, but you owe me some donuts after this."
"If we make a breakthrough, I'll buy you donuts for the rest of your life," Twilight promised with a brief smile at her dragon friend, before returning to her search.
***
Twilight gazed at the stack of books she had read, still unable to find any useful information. All of them merely contained knowledge that she already knew from later sources or from conversing with Celestia directly, and none of them were primary sources. She couldn't even find any sources from the decade that the Battle of Everfree had taken place in, and her magical dating methods only revealed books from the following decade at the earliest. Twilight let out a sigh, contemplating quitting for the day and resuming her search tomorrow.
"Twilight, I think I found something. It doesn't have an author, but it seems pretty old to me," Spike called out from a ladder. Twilight trotted over to the dragon, casting her dating spell. The book's parchment was dated a thousand years old on the dot, the same year that the Battle of Everfree had occurred. "This is it, give it to me," the pony exclaimed. "Only if you say please," the dragon teased her. "Please," Twilight responded curtly, clearly impatient, before snatching the book from him and opening the cover.
"Fear not, faithful, for our sovereign has not vanished. As the thousandth year reaches its apex on the longest day, she shall be freed, when the stars themselves will aid in her escape."
Twilight examined the first passage, curious about its opening sentences. Was this a book written by followers of Nightmare Moon, during the year of her imprisonment? She wondered how the demon managed to dominate minds so quickly after her imprisonment. She continued reading, discovering that the book contained almost religious text, holding a reverential faith in the nightmare being, portraying her as a savior, in opposition to Celestia, who was demonized. Strangely, the tome contained no mention of Luna, maybe the cultists saw Celestia as a greater threat than her younger sister. In the last paragraphs of the book, a passage was included relating to the return of Nightmare Moon. At first, Twilight was doubtful of the claims, but as she continued reading, she began to doubt her initial skepticism. The day of the prophecy was less than three weeks away, and Twilight had a dreadful feeling about it. Whether it would come to pass or not, Twilight knew she had to bring it to Celestia's attention.
"I think we should leave now, Spike," Twilight said, her voice trembling with anxiety.
Spike's expression changed to one of concern. "What's wrong, Twilight? You look like you've seen a ghost."
Twilight sighed. "This book contains a passage that concerns me. I need to discuss it with Celestia before we leave for the day."
"Sure thing. I'll pack up and meet you at Ponut Joe's. You do owe me a donut," Spike said, with a hint of playfulness.
"I know, and I'll buy you one. But let's not waste any time. This might be a breakthrough," Twilight replied, handing Spike the magic key to lock up the library.
***
Twilight hurried through the public section of the archives, quickly turning right down the hall that led to Celestia's royal office. Her mentor had been occupied with planning the Millennial Summer Sun Celebration for almost a month now. She turned left to enter the administrative section of the palace and made her way to the waiting room in front of Celestia's office, where she saw Sunset, a fellow magister who studied under Celestia with her and Cadence.
"Hey Sunset, I wasn't expecting to see you here today," Twilight greeted her, trying to sound casual.
Sunset responded, "The League sent me to convince Celestia to greenlight the Penumbra Project. I doubt their arguments will sway her."
Twilight raised an eyebrow, "Dark magic research? That's a dangerous proposition."
"I agree, but I'm here to present their argument anyway," Sunset said, smirking. "Who else is even going to try to argue against a thousand years of precedent? I think I'm their best debater."
Twilight smiled at Sunset, "Well, good luck with that. Who's talking to Celestia now?"
"It's Blueblood, he's angry about the town selection process," Sunset sighed.
Twilight knew that she had to act fast. The second she heard that name, she knew that she could enter Celestia's office. Blueblood was notorious for his long-winded rants, and nothing he said would be as important as her warning. She opened the door and interrupted him mid-sentence.
"Your choice of Ponyville is an insult to more important cities, my Imperatrix. I don't think anybody understands why you'd pick that hovel over a more important city," Blueblood complained, clearly having spent hours preparing his rant.
"Who dares interrupt me?" Blueblood asked, looking annoyed.
Twilight cut him off, "Celestia, I found something very important during my studies, and I need to bring it to your attention."
"Of course, Twilight. I always have time for you," Celestia said, dismissing Blueblood.
Blueblood objected, "It can't be more important than the Millennial Summer Sun Celebration. Are you sure that you can't book a formal mee--"
"You've spoken over your hour, Blueblood, and Twilight wouldn't interrupt me if she didn't have something important to say," Celestia interrupted.
Twilight breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that she was able to warn Celestia before it was too late.
The princeps let out a deep sigh as he began to gather his documents. "I'll reschedule for sometime next week, and my secretary will be in touch with you," he said before leaving. Celestia closed the door with a flick of her magic and let out a sigh of relief. "I'm so glad you came when you did," she said with a smile, "Blueblood can be so exhausting to deal with sometimes. How can I help you, Twilight?"
In her private form, Celestia's appearance was much more subdued. Her fiery mane had calmed down to resemble that of a regular pony, and her eyes had lost their primal glow. Twilight didn't waste any time and went straight to the point. "Celestia, I found something that's scaring me," she said with a worried expression. The Imperatrix's eyes softened, and she moved closer to Twilight. Though she was much larger, she sat down beside Twilight to comfort her.
"You found the prophecy, didn't you?" Celestia asked gently, "I was worried that it hadn't been recatalogued." Twilight nodded slowly, and Celestia continued, "It was made by ponies corrupted by Nightmare Moon. They concocted various myths in their madness to delude themselves into continuing their war against Equestria. I wanted to release the text to scholars almost a decade ago, but it went missing. It seems that you found it."
Twilight interjected, "I'm still concerned. The prophecy is set to happen in three weeks, and I can't shake this bad feeling I have about it." Celestia pulled Twilight in with one of her wings and gave her a reassuring squeeze. "I understand why you're worried, but there's no need to be afraid. I haven't felt my powers waning, and there are no signs of Nightmare Moon's return. Even if she does come back, I am perfectly capable of defeating her. When I first defeated her, she was at her peak, but now she's been starved of power for a millennium."
Twilight felt some relief upon hearing that statement. "Good, I was worried that we might have missed something. But since you've known about the prophecy for years now, that means we're likely safe. I'm sorry for taking up your time." Celestia smiled warmly at Twilight and said, "Don't apologize, Twilight. I'm happy that you came to me first. Remember, if you ever need anything, I'm always here for you."
As Twilight leaned into Celestia's comforting embrace, she couldn't help but feel grateful for the alicorn's reassurance. After all, Celestia had been the one constant in her life ever since she was accepted as a student of magic. The princess had always been there to guide her through the trials and tribulations of being a powerful unicorn, and Twilight knew that she could always rely on her.
As they sat there, Twilight found herself studying Celestia's face. It was hard to imagine that this calm and collected alicorn was once a warrior, fighting to save Equestria from the darkness of Nightmare Moon. But when Celestia spoke about her experiences, Twilight could see the fierce determination that had led her mentor to victory.
"I know it's hard not to worry, Twilight," Celestia said, breaking her reverie, "But you must remember that prophecies are often just stories. They're not always set in stone, and they can be changed."
Twilight nodded, feeling reassured by Celestia's words. "Thank you, Celestia. I don't know what I'd do without you." Celestia smiled at her, "You'll never have to find out, my dear. Now, why don't we take a break from worrying about prophecies and discuss something a bit more lighthearted?"
Twilight smiled, grateful for the opportunity to talk about something other than the looming prophecy.
***
Twilight couldn't help but feel curious about what Blueblood had been complaining about. She knew he could be insufferable at the best of times, but she couldn't imagine what would make him so upset that he would even attempt to disagree with Celestia. "What was Blueblood complaining about?" she asked, hoping to satisfy her curiosity.
Celestia smiled warmly at Twilight's question, knowing that her devoted student was always eager to learn new things. "He was complaining about the location of this year's Summer Sun Celebration," she explained, her tone tinged with amusement. "As you know, the location changes every year, and this year it will be in Ponyville."
"Ponyville?" Twilight echoed, intrigued. She had heard of the small town before, but had never been there herself. From what she knew, Ponyville was a tight-knit community that took pride in their love for nature and diversity. "Why would Blueblood object to having the celebration in Ponyville?" she asked.
Celestia chuckled. "Blueblood believes that the celebration should be held in a larger city, as it always has been," she said, "He doesn't think a small town like Ponyville can handle an event of this magnitude. But I have faith in the ponies of Ponyville. They have proven themselves time and time again to be resourceful and creative."
Twilight couldn't help but smile at Celestia's confidence in the town. "I've never been to Ponyville, but I've heard wonderful things about it," she said. "I've heard that the ponies there are incredibly kind and welcoming."
"Twilight," Celestia said, her voice taking on a serious tone, "I need you to go to Ponyville."
Twilight's eyes widened in surprise. She had not been expecting this. "Ponyville? Why?" she asked, feeling reluctant already. Leaving the comforts of Canterlot made her nervous.
"I need someone I can trust to oversee the Summer Sun Celebration," Celestia explained. "Blueblood has already made it clear that he has no interest in doing so, and I cannot leave it in his hooves."
Twilight frowned, feeling the weight of the responsibility already. "But why me? There must be other ponies who are more qualified than I am," she protested.
"You are the only one I trust with this responsibility," Celestia said firmly, placing a hoof on Twilight's shoulder. "And besides, there is something else that I think will interest you."
"What is it?" Twilight asked, curious.
"Ponyville has a library, carved inside an ancient tree," Celestia said, a hint of excitement in her voice. "It is one of the older libraries in Equestria, and I believe you could learn a great deal from it. Think of it as an opportunity to expand your knowledge."
Twilight hesitated, contemplating the offer. The thought of going to Ponyville made her nervous, but the prospect of visiting such an old library was too tempting to resist. "Alright, I'll go," she said, determined. "But I will need assistance in organizing the celebration. I do not want to make any mistakes."
Celestia smiled at Twilight's agreement, relieved that she had convinced her faithful student to take on this important task. She knew that Twilight was often hesitant when it came to meeting new ponies, but she also knew that she was more than capable of handling the responsibility that had been given to her.
"I am glad to hear that you will go," Celestia said, her tone gentle. "And do not worry, Twilight. I will make sure that you have all the assistance you need. I have already made arrangements for a few ponies from Ponyville to come and help you with the preparations."
Twilight sighed in relief, grateful that she would not have to tackle this task alone. "Thank you, Princess," she said, feeling a sense of gratitude towards her mentor. "I don't know what I would do without your guidance."
Celestia smiled warmly at Twilight's words, feeling proud of the pony that she had watched grow and develop over the years. "You will do just fine, Twilight," she said, her tone reassuring. "And who knows, maybe you will even make some new friends in Ponyville."
Twilight's smile faltered slightly at the mention of making new friends, as she was not particularly good at socializing and often found it uncomfortable. However, she knew that this was a task that she could not afford to fail, and that she would have to put her reservations aside and do her best to make a good impression. "I'll do my best, Princess," she said, her determination renewed. "I won't let you down."
As Twilight turned to leave, she suddenly remembered Sunset Shimmer waiting outside for her meeting with Celestia. She hesitated, unsure if she should say anything, but ultimately decided that it would be impolite to ignore her. "Excuse me, Princess," Twilight said, turning back to face Celestia. "Sunset Shimmer is still waiting outside for her meeting with you. I should let her know that you are ready to see her."
Celestia nodded, "Of course, Twilight. Please do let her know that she can come in now." Twilight nodded and made her way towards the door, her mind already racing with thoughts of the journey ahead. As she opened the door, she took a deep breath and stepped out into the hallway, breathing in deeply as she prepared mentally for the coming three weeks.
***
After leaving Celestia, Twilight went to make arrangements to take an airship to Ponyville, given the short notice, she'd have to leave tomorrow if she was going to pull off the 1000th Summer Sun Celebration. The planning still only acted as a slight against her resurfacing worries about the prophecy, even though Celestia seemed confident, Twilight still had deep concerns, what if there had been something Celestia had missed, or if she had been misjudging her own power. Silly Twilight, she thought, of course Celestia knows her limits, how else would she run a country for over a millenium.
Maybe finding Spike would help, she had to tell him about the trip, given that she'd easily be gone nearly a month. Maybe he'd want to come with her, he actually liked meeting new people.
As Twilight strolled through the moonlit streets of Canterlot, her gaze was drawn towards the Mare in the Moon, rumored to have been seared into the sky during Celestia's battle with Nightmare Moon. With time running out before the impending prophecy, Twilight knew she had to find answers fast. Perhaps the library in Ponyville would hold the key to unraveling the mystery. Three short weeks remained, and Twilight was determined to uncover the truth before it was too late.
She saw a small donut shop, Ponut Joe's, and opened the door. There she saw Spike chatting with a mint colored coat. Before she could greet Spike the mint pony jumped up and hugged her, "Hey Twily, I haven't seen you in so long how's it going." "I'm doing fine, Lyra," Twilight almost jumped back, startled by the pony. "Anyway, I just saw Spike here waiting for you and decided to chat a bit, he said you're writing a paper now," Lyra smiled at Twilight, "I'd really like to read it, I always enjoyed what you had to write when we were at the Magistrate." "It's very technical, I think that you'd find it a bit boring," Twilight responded dryly. Twilight looked at Spike, seeing him cringe a bit, like he usually did when she made a social faux pas, Twilight realised a bit too late that she had indirectly insulted her aquantance's intelligence. "Pfft, I like magical theory fine Twiley," the minty pony nervously laughed, "either way, I'll see you around." The pony again insisted on hugging Twilight before leaving the shop.
"Next time you should probably just say that you'll mail it," the dragon said in a half snarky half helpful tone. "Anyway, your meeting took a bit, its been like two hours, is everything okay." "She wants me to organise the Summer Sun Celebration," Twilight responded. "Congratulations, you love organising things," the dragon commented as he scarfed down his donut. "Thats my study schedule, not a national holiday Spike. I'm going to have to talk, to ponies, without a common interest to deflect to." "Thats why I'm coming with you, I love talking." "I thought you'd say something like that," Twilight smiled at the dragon, "the next airship leaves at 10:00 tomorrow, so we should probably get home to pack, we're gonna be there for a month." "Ugh, I didn't think we'd go that soon," the dragon stood up, "guess I won't be getting my beauty sleep in tonight either."