Chapter Four: The Collapse
Celestia, alicorn of the sun, one of the two rulers of Equestria for about ten years was deep inside Everfree Forest. Her sunrise was supposed to come in about an hour, she was exhausted. The dark circles, ruffled mane and tail, ruffled wings and lack of her usual jewelry was a sign her night, and most likely the previous day had not gone well.
But, she was beyond angry. Beyond confused. Beyond any emotion that she could reasonably keep in anymore. Which is why she was marching in the dead of night. Where no pony could see her as she moved forwards for a mission. Her heavy unstable breathing rang in her ears as she ignited her horn and summoned a quick blast to destroy the thick bushes in front of her.
Starswirl was long gone with the other pillars of Equestria due to Stygian turning into the Pony of Shadows. Where he had gone was Limbo, there was no coming back from that. But at that moment she was considering damn well trying to get him back for any sort of guidance on how to handle her own life, on how to handle Luna as she marched on with rage.
Luna and she found the elements of Harmony shortly after he and the others went missing in a place under the castle called the Elements of Harmony Tree just as a creature named Discord was throwing their world into chaos. They took a chance, a risky one, combining their magic to activate them to use as weapons. It worked...
He turned to stone.
King Sombra turned to stone. Taking a whole empire with it.
Tirek was banished to Tartaus.
The threats should have been gone. The threats were handled with or so Celestia thought until she got news that her own sister was breaking into her records. Trying to turn ponies to her side as a way to control the monarchy. Trying to change the rules so she could be in control and push Celestia out.
Celestia didn't exactly like ruling but it was all she had. She had long forgotten what she felt as a mortal, what her dreams and hopes were as a mortal, and what her plan even was in life. Her personality, and her identity had changed into some fake version that had to please and help everypony. Celestia was a lie. Celestia was alone. All she had now was the sun.
She didn't trust Luna. Not one bit.
It's not like she was innocent in the matter. She had grown overwhelmed with work which was a bad excuse, she actually had grown too comfortable lying her way through life to avoid arguments, to avoid wasting time with petty squabbling that wouldn't get anywhere. Pushing down her actual thoughts and feelings until they were buried too deep for her to even consider caring about anymore.
But now she was. Now they were full force hitting her in the chest and head. Her anger had reached a boiling point. She had spent all day trying to calm the nobels down at the rumour that Luna might try a takeover. A Solar Court matter that her sister clearly wasn't allowed to be a part of.
Then, she spent that better part of the night fighting with Luna in petty arguing that, as she knew it would, got nowhere. Luna didn't listen. Luna only saw the surface of the matter and didn't consider that ponies are not all that they seem. The fame and glory meant nothing. Celestia would have had none of it if it wasn't for the fact they needed something from her. The moment she won't, or can't give it, they will drop her. They will abandon her.
Luna was far too angry and buried in her own dark thoughts to consider such a notion. She kept bashing Celestia, with insults, threats, and accusations, over and over. Celestia gave her some back after a while. Eventually, they fell into a deep tense silence as they both realized that they were no longer sisters. The bond was snapped and all that could have been said had been, and there was no side that won.
Luna wanted to be respected like Celestia was, for them to praise her moon as they praised her sun.
Celestia should have done more.
Celestia marched into a clearing as the moon was still high in the sky, the alicorn screamed in pain, anger and the overwhelming feeling of hate towards...everything until her voice cracked and gave out. Followed by her collapsing to the grass to weep.
She was an awful sister.
She was the worst leader.
How could she have let it get this bad?
More than ever, she couldn't help but wonder why was she the sun alicorn? Why did she have to live forever? Whatever her dreams as a mortal were, whatever she might have done as a mortal had to have been better than the hell she was trapped in now. A hell of her own design.
She cried deeply for the first time in years, weeping on the ground like a filly for a long time. All her pent-up emotions were too much.
Eventually, the crying stopped, and she opened her tired eyes to see the moon beginning its reluctant descent into the sky, slower than usual. Celestia didn't have the energy to care much at the unusual time it took as she ignited her golden magic, blanketing across the forest floor to reach out to the sun. She barely even had the energy to raise the sun.
The sun rose as the moon disappeared on the horizon. Beautiful colours shined through the sky as it grew brighter. Ponies in nearby towns woke up, feeling the warm heat with a deep happy sigh. Happy to see such a beautiful sight.
The alicorn of the sun laying silent on the dirtied ground in a place no pony would dare look for her, watched the sun, her sun, reach the needed point in the sky before she let go. Her magic died and she stayed silent as she watched it.
She hated the sun.
The sun...
She hated the light. The light was a lie.
The sun was not perfect. The sun had thrown her into hell.
She wished she could remember the time she loved seeing the sun in the morning. Or the first, even the second time she raised the sun to remember why she loved it. Why she loved the light. But...
It all seemed worthless.
She squinted and hissed as her weak eyes could not take much of the sunlight. She wanted nothing more than to beg Luna to bring the darkness back. But, the ponies came first. The country came first.
She pushed herself up with a groan as her aching bones moved. She weakly did a spell to make herself at least seem presentable. She didn't dare look up to the sky, to that awful burning blaze that lit up the day when she teleported back to the castle. Marching straight to her study as she gave fake smiles and happy tones of hello to each passing servant.
She marched straight into her study, and closed all the curtains to be in darkness as she began the day's work in dead silence.