Pit grumbled in his sleep. The sunlight from the window had hit his face at that annoying angle again, dragging his mind back from the land of nod. He sighed inwardly, he had never been and knew he never would be, a morning angel. As his mind groggily readjusted itself he remembered something. He had the day off, Palutena had surprised him with that lovely fact yesterday, for all his hard work or something. He didn't remember exactly, when the words 'day' and 'off' were mentioned in the same sentance he zoned out. Days off meant lie ins and lie ins were the best thing since sleep itself.
Pit smiled to himself, now the wonderful moment were he could just drift back off to sle-
Something smacked Pit on the forehead knocking him out of his pleasant daze.
Pit fell of the edge of his bed in surprise, sprawled out on the floor in a mess of limbs and the bed covers.
Pit mumbled a few curse words under his breath as he looked up at his assulterer.
Dark Pit was standing over him with a small smirk on his face.
"Rise and shine princess."
"It's bad luck to wake up a sleeping angel you know" Pit grumbled in reply
"That's sleep walkers" Dark Pit replied shaking his head slightly
"Pretty shore it's both" he said under his breath
Dark Pit recovered the sandal he had lobbed at Pit and began refastening it to his foot.
"Come on, Plautena wants us"
"That's Lady Plautena" Pit stressed
"Come on Pit you've known her your entire life, you can stop with the formalities you know"
"Besides" Dark Pit continued before Pit could defend himself "she doesn't like being called that"
"W-wait she doesn't?!" Pit said surprised
"You mean you never bothered to ask her?"
"No I just, kinda always did it" he replied "Anyway how could you know she wants us, your not even dressed yourself" he pointed out
Dark Pit smiled slightly again "Don't be dumb Pit, my wreath vibrated like normal. Wait why aren't you wearing yours?"
"I don't really sleep with it on" Pit said unsure of himself again
"Why exactly? You can hardly feel it when you sleep." Dark Pit said curious
Pit looked down slightly breaking eye contact
Dark Pit's grin grew wider.
"You still think it's going to 'squeeze your brains out' don't you?" he said
Pit still looked slightly embarrassed.
"You need to learn how to take a joke Pit"
"Yeah, but whenever she does say that it grows tighter!" Pit responded
"Added comic effect or your imagination, you know she would never actually do it Pit" Dark Pit said back still smiling. "you really are a pranker's dream you know"
"Come on you making me late as it is" he cut in quickly before Pit could try and justify his gullibility
Dark Pit finished strapping on his sandal and proceeded to dash out of the room still snickering to himself.
Pit sighed getting up and proceeding to reassemble the bed, casting his mind back to the events leading up to sharing a room with his snarky clone.
Pit had essentially just saved the world. The dark lord of the underworld, stealer of souls and downright annoying God of evil had been blown to smithereens by his own hand (that and a supercharged experimental laser cannon). The humans had all rejoiced at the victory ceasing the war, skyworld had been rebuilt and the forces of nature had called a truce with the Skyworld army with even Vicenti had even admitted Pit had done a good job. The celebrations had been underway when Pitto had spoken to Plautena privately. He had surprised the Goddess when he essentially opened his heart to her describing his apparent lack of direction in his life. He saw himself as an imperfect clone, created from the worst qualities of a good person. He felt lost and unsure about his true purpose with what to do next now that there was nothing powerful left for him to fight. Palutena had responded with the content of her own heart to. She offered him a choice of joining her and the other angels in skyworld, a job and a home. Dark Pit was similarly surprised, an unconditional act of kindness from a person who didn't even know him all that well. He had been reserved about the offer, he would be serving a god, contradicting his fiercely independent nature. When Plautena casually mentioned that he would get to fight alongside and against Pit himself Dark Pit had quickly made up his mind.
Pits reaction had been somewhat different. He had no problem with Pitto himself ("stop calling me that!") but it was Palutena's decision for them to share a room that he objected to. Palutena said it would help them bond, Pit said he couldn't snore at leisure anymore. To Plautena it didn't really matter anyway, having two angel captains was better than the one. And so for 4 months Dark Pit and Light Pit had been room mates and had only 30 less arguments than expected for the first month. Neither of them however could argue with how well they worked together in battle together when they fought together on a regular basis. alutena had seen the goodness within Pitto, understanding who he really was and had given him support, Pitto had thought it only fair to repay her in kind.
Pit just finished getting ready, preening the last of some loose feathers from his right wing, there had been more and more of those recently he thought. Replacing his golden wreath on his head he dashed out the door after his new partner.
* * *
Celestia stood regally on her balcony like she did every evening. She had already set the sun and Luna was already fulfilling her own duties as she quietly stood there. Celestia was not there for the calming scene like normal, nor for the peace that practically radiated of it either, no she was there for another reason. Her manner was not particualrly different from normal but her mindset was. The sad fact was that she didn't really know what her mindset was, she knew it was negative what she was feeling was not what she would normally call 'good'. She was......worried, yes that was the best word she could think of, nothing was wrong with the state of equestria but she felt that something would at some point, in the future happen and that that something would be bad. And that's what frustrated her, her conclusion was nothing new, it was almost certain that something bad would happen in the future but she still felt uncomfortable and she couldn't for the life of the sun put her hoof on what she was so worried about. She sighed slightly, she was probably just not feeling herself although she couldn't care to remember the last time she had been properly ill. She turned away from the fantastic view, with a very slight frown on her face trying to dispel the strange sense of unease she felt. Walking back towards her room a soft fluttering behind her confirmed what she already knew. Luma princess of the night, had finished guiding the moon on it's course across the star speckled sky and had decided to join her sister on her balcony to briefly review the day together like they did occasionally. Celestia would always greet her appearance with her warm smile and a small remark, so Luna could tell something was wrong to her sister when she landed behind her and saw her heading back inside earlier than normal. The fact that she didn't even look up at her when she landed didn't do anything more to help her worry.
"Tia, what's wrong?" Luna asked apprehensively but with some small sense of urgency, a worried sun goddess is never a good thing.
Celestia stopped and turned her head towards Luna with a smile halve the size of her normal one.
"Nothing to worry yourself about."
"Tia, it obviously is if it worries you" she replied with more force, secrets or doubts held from one another had done them no favours in the past.
Celestia turned to face Luna properly.
"It really is quite insignificant, call it leaders worry" she said shaking her head slightly "either that or I've picked up a bug"
Luna immediately relaxed, releasing the small amount of tension in her muscles.
"Please, don't do that" she replied but now with a sense of ease "I trust you instincts an awful lot you know"
Celestia smiled "A little too much" she tittered.
Luma returned her smile "Hey I shouldn't be here, to sick monarchs makes running a country far harder" she said playfully.
Their conversation quickly turned to more trivial matters, sharing some of the days events with each other before Celestia stifled back a small yawn.
"And I'll take that as my cue to leave" said Luna.
"Yes, sleep is a demanding obligation" Celestia said through another yawn.
"I'll let you get to your important duty and while I'll get back to mine" Luna replied with a smile
Celestia returned it in full and with a small nuzzle to Luna before making her way back inside while her sister took to the night sky to watch over the night once again.
Celestia removed her bridle and crown rubbing her fur underneath, those can get very uncomfortable after long days she thought.
Celestia began to get into her princess size bed when she felt the same sensation again. She thought she had felt it earlier, it had given her the sense of worry in the first place. But it was far more intense this time and she had no doubt over what she was feeling. It was not pain for a disruption of the order of equestria. No, it was something more profound, definitely negative in tone but curious in nature. She didn't know why but Celestia felt a sense of loss. Something was missing from the world and it put her on edge. Celestia continued to get into bed apprehensively, she didn't know what to do. Being tired didn't help here thought process at all, she needed to deal with this when she didn't feel like sleeping where she stood. Getting under the covers, Celestia's mind rushed with worry until she tired herself out and gave in to sleep.
* * *
Palutena greeted her guardian angels with her usual warm smile. Dark Pit and Light Pit both fell to one knee before her at the same time and almost symmetrically, an habit neither of them particually liked but found themselves doing automatically.
"Good morning to you both" the goddess of light greeted them.
"Sorry of our slight delay" Dark Pit began "we were held back by Pit's extended beauty sleep"
"Hey you seen the studies, it does help maintain muscle tone and a clear complection" Pit retorted.
"Your not helping your side you know, sleeping beauty" Dark Pit responded glancing sideways with a condescending look.
"Actually it doesn't particularly matter" Palutena said cutting off Pit before they both started bickering again "I called you both up slightly earlier than I needed you to compensate for" she cleared her throat quietly "my captain's resting habits"
"Wait you know?" Pit said a little shocked.
"I've known your for a your whole life Pit, a person tends to learn about another if they've known them that long" Palutena said "that and you have obvious bed hair"
Pit suddenly reached up to feel his hair, a shocked expression on his face.
Palutena openly laughed lightly while Dark Pit chuckled to himself.
"Anyway" Palutena said reestaishing the topic while her captains stood up to face her, one considerably more miffed than the other "we have a special guest here today to help with the new boot camp"
"Oh I forgot that was today" Pit realised
"Yeah, I was surprised you actually went through with that idea" added Dark Pit
"Well if the war taught us one thing it was that the centurions are just as fickle as ever" Palutena replied "so this will help toughen them up a bit although I still hope I don't have to use them..."
"Me and Pitto are more than capable for anything that can be thrown at us" Pit said boldly while Dark Pit glared at him for using his disliked nickname.
"Oh those no issue with you two" Plutena replied warmly "it's mostly so they have something to do and can pick up the slack from both of you should you need it"
"Which brings me nicely on to why our guest is here" she continued
"Oh yeah, why is that?" asked Pit, it was rare for vistors in Skyworld, it being in the Sky.
"Well I needed someone to help introduce the training regimen to the troops and since you insisted on that day off...." Plautena said
"Wait I asked for a day off?" Pit interjected
"Yes you did, for both you and DP, don't you remember? You had plenty of holiday time so I reallocated a day here" she finished with Dark Pit smiling for her using his prefered nickname before he realised what Palutena had just said.
"You asked for a day off for both of us?" asked a perturbed Dark Pit, turning to Pit "I'm more than ready for a bit of sparring and knocking around a few grunts" he said briefly shadow boxing as he finished "Speak for youself next time."
"Oh yeah I remember now" Pit said, recalling yesterday's events and ignoring Dark Pit "it was because my wings have been giving me trouble lately"
"Your wings?" Plautena said, a genuine curious tone in her voice.
"Yeah, they keep aching and more of my feathers keep falling out"
"Getting all over the furniture" muttered Dark Pit.
"I've seen a few black ones around to actually" Pit replied.
"I keep mine confined to the bed and-"
"Ok you two, I understand" Palutena interrupted with a motherly albeit firm tone "the reason I woke you both up is because I thought you would like to meet our guest" she said smiling again.
"Who is it exactly?" asked Pit
Plautena smiled wider and indicated with her hand to her right. Through a door way strode a largely built human with a mop of long black hair and a rough shaven face with a small goatee. He was wearing blue dyed clothes that did not seem to be able to give any form of protection to the obvious warrior they were worn by. His bare arms each had long but simplistic black tattoos down them which gave of a sense of hard battle experiance along with the over sized blunt sword on his back.
"Hello again, angel face" Magnus said in his gruff voice.
* * *
Celestia was pensive at breakfast, idolly chewing her manhatten bagal while not touching the rest of the large assortment of foods in fron of her. Luna, on her part had done her best to ignore her sisters behaveior dimissing it as the illness she theorized the other day. It was however becomeing harder and harder to do as every time she sttemptted to strike up casual convsersation, Celestia shot it down with some half conjoured relpy that wasn't rude but gave little room for expansion in the interaction.
"Weather is set to be bright all week" Luna tried again.
"Mmmm" Celestia mumbled.Still gzing at the back wall behind Luna.
"Supposed to compensate for spate of rainstorms the weather factory organized last month." Luna continued.
A small silence decended on the room again, before Luna tried again.
"Fleet Foot is expecting a foal." she said making the topic more important.
"Good, good" she replied lazily, now focusing her gaze on the corner of a tapastery hung on another wall.
"She thinks it may well be a filly, 'little filly fleet foot' she calls it" Luna said with a hint of happiness for the mare.
"Makes sense....." Celestia replied, trailing off.
"Tia who am I talking about?" Luna suddenly asked.
"Mmmm?" Celestia uttered, focusing her attention on Luna who was wearing a frown on her face.
"A pony. I was just talking about a pony who had some interesting news. Who was it?" Luna said sternly.
"Um. Sleet Soot, the chimmny sweep. He's expecting some coal." She said with forced sureness.
"You're not listening to me?" said Luna a stern and offened tone to her voice.
"Pardon?" Celestia replied, suprised by her ssister's apparant change of character.
"Fleet Foot. PegasusDivision, 3rd regiment. She's pregnant witha foal." Luna repeated, exasperated by her sister's lack of attention.
"Oh, of course. Good for her" Celestia hastily said.
"Why aren't you listening to me, this is not normal Tia. You've been acting wired since last night but just brushed it off as to an affliction but this is out of character and no ill I know of dampens the attention span" she finished, worried but stern.
Celestia's shocked expression vanished almost immediately as it had come and she let out a resigned sigh.
"Your right, Luna" she admitted "I'm not myself but I dont know what's wrong. I know something bad is going to happen but it is so hard to pin down what. I keep feeling these sensations of loss, I think, but I don't know what of. I feel like the world is made of glass and is just about to shatter...."
Luna lost her flustered state and imdeitaly changed it to one of understanding. Celestia was far more in tune with the world then she let on. She had become in one with the blance in equestria and was affected by sudden changes in it. Thus when Celestia felt something it was always best to take it seriously. Luna knew this all to well.
"Tia" she said getting up and walking round to her side of the table "whatever it is we can get through it together and prepare for what ever is going together" Luna assured her, embracing her with her wing.
"It's the worry that bothers me so.. " Celestia began.
"Which is why it is best if you tell me your troubles as a burden shared...." Luna intergected.
"...is a burden halved" Celestia finished with her usual smile.
Luna nodded and returned it while Celestia pulle her closer into the embrace.
"Thank you Luna, you help me focus on what's important." Celestia said with her eyes closed and a smile on her face while in the hug.
"We both support each other, that has how it has always been and it has always worked." Luna replied while doing much the same as her sister.
"But what do you think we should do?" Celestia said with tripedation, breaking the hug to look at her sister.
"Prepare what we can" she said matter-o-factually "it being a vague threat doesn't mean that there is nothing we can do about it"
"Yes your right" Celestia nodded
"I will go and do some more research to try and assess the balance of the world and specifically look for things that might be missing." Luna confirmed
"And I will inform Twilight, she may not be able to do anything now but it will be better if she was at least aware of this" Celestia replied.
"Meet back at my room in half an hour?" proposed Luna
"An excellent idea." Celestia agreed.
With that Celestia nuzzled Luna quickly before bidding her sister a late good morning and parting ways. Celestia left the dining room assured but still reserved. As she walked back to her quarters with her guards she couldn't stop herself thinking one thing:
Please let me be wrong.....