//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 - Lost Students // Story: The Darkness among the Stars // by Haseo //------------------------------// Chapter 3 Lost Students Mere seconds passed before the entry door literally exploded and wooden fragments burst through the room. A bright light blinded the injured unicorn and her loyal little assistant. As soon as their eyes adjusted to the brightness, they could recognize two familiar faces. The first one being the glow of the great white Alicorn and sun princess, Celestia of Equestria. The second one was the face of a far smaller white-coated stallion. His blue-shaded mane and royal guard uniform made his identity unmistakable. He was Twilight’s older brother, captain of the Royal Guard. Prince Shining Armor. The unicorn stallion immediately ran toward to his sister in need. “Twily! What happened? Who did this to you? Is he still around here? I will blast him to the moon! Where is he?! In the closet or on the roof?” Shining never stopped running around like a startled pig. Only laughter was audible from the unicorn on the ground. “Calm down, Shiny. It just happened after I woke up, no one is here.” Everypony looked at the brilliant white Alicorn behind them as she cleared her throat to speak. “My faithful student, I'm so sorry that I didn't respond before. Maybe I could have prevented all this.” “That's not true princess! I overreacted I think. My legs are just a little bit numb that's all.” The captain of the royal guard couldn't believe his ears and pulled his little sister in a bone-crashing hug. “Don't be a silly filly, little sister. I won’t let anything happen to you. I will take you with us to Canterlot! I mean someone has to look after you, Am I right?” Before Twilight could respond, the Princess of the Sun raised her voice in her lovely and motherly tone. “Indeed, I personally will take care of you from now on. I'm not sure what could lead to this physical state of yours, but I want to be sure that it's nothing serious before you go back home.” The expression of the little unicorn mare only grew darker with every single word the Princess spoke. “But Princess, my friends are all here, they will be worried about me.” Her brother stepped to the side of the Princess and flashed his sister a wide grin. “Don't worry little sister. I will take care of it, I'm staying here in Ponyville to tell your friends that you will stay in Canterlot to visit Mom and Dad.” “So basically you want lie to them? Shiny they are my friends! You can't do this.” Out of her low level of anger, the ailing unicorn tried to stand up, but she immediately fell down to her knees again. But even faster, the Princess of the sun put her supporting white plush wing around her student. “Don't over strain yourself. Something strange is going on and we will solve this together. I can't let anything horrible happen again.” Twilight flashed her teacher an questioning expression. “Again? What do you mean with again?” While Twilight questioned her, the princess become visibly uncomfortable. “Brace yourself, my student. I will take us now to Canterlot Castle.” The eager unicorn’s face showed her wish to know what the princess meant with 'again'. But it was too late to ask. When Twilight opened her eyes again, they both where standing in the throne hall of Canterlot castle. “Twilight? It's 6 o'clock in the morning, my beloved little sister and I tend to have breakfast by now. Do you want to join us?” Celestia gave a friendly nudge to her student with her nose while helping Twilight walk with her magic. It mended her wounds with every step until only dust remained inside her fur, which she quickly shook off. Every time the young unicorn wandered through the marvellous marble-covered corridors of the old castle, she was amazed by the beauty and perfection of the architecture of the Alicorn’s home and refuge. Even the wooden door that hid the gateway within the wall at the end of the corridor was decorated with beautiful patterns carved into the wood itself and door handles made of pure gold. Though nopony ever used them. The doors began to glow with a golden magical aura as princess Celestia opened them with her magic. The wooden hindrance gracefully opened and revealed the private breakfast chamber of the alicorn sisters. The princess of the sun stepped into the room first. Where her sight immediately locked to the tasty-looking cake at the centre of the table before them. Right behind this cake sat her sister, the mistress of the moon, Princess Luna of Equestria. “Tia! Where have you been? I've waited for you, I even got your favourite cake.” Next to the stunned form of Celestia, the relatively small unicorn stumbled into the room. As soon as the younger sister noticed Twilight, she beamed with glee. “Oh, It's Twilight Sparkle! What a pleasure to see you again.” Twilight was also visibly happy to see Princess Luna after such a long time. After Princess Celestia finished eye-balling the cake she finally spoke up. “I'm relieved that my younger sister and my personal student get along so nicely.” Just as the princess proceeded to sit down, Twilight switched from best-buddy-mode to respectful-student-mode. “It's a privilege to eat with the both of you.” Now Twilight took a seat between the two rulers and immediately had to laugh. On her left side was the meal for Princes Luna, most of it food that Rainbow ate. Plants that are good for athletes or Wonderbolts with plenty of protein and dietary fibre. On the other side was the meal for Princes Celestia. About eighty percent of her breakfast could be called cake or muffins, the rest looked like Luna's food disguised with food colour to trick Celestia. Even a princess has to eat healthy from time to time. Princess Luna asked first about the outburst from her. “Twilight Sparkle, please explain yourself. What is amusing you in this room?” Twilight slowly tried to cover her sudden laughter so she wouldn’t offend the Princess of the night. “It's nothing, really, I only noticed that you and the princess really have differences, like day and night, at least concerning your breakfast habits.” Now princess Luna began to giggle, too. Princess Celestia joined the laughter while she ate half the cake and left the disguised food neatly arranged at the edge of her dish. “Isn't it delightful to eat with our students after such a long time?” Twilight’s surprised expression was only topped by the drilling gaze of Luna regarding her older sister. The former sole ruler noticed her mistake and tried to correct her slip of tongue but it was already too late and the Princess of the Night rose from her seat. “I have to lower the moon.” In vain Princess Celestia tried to convince her sister to stay. “Lulu please, I didn't meant to say that! Stay with us, it was funny with the three of us together, wasn't it?” Luna didn't even turn around to face her sister as she left the chamber. Worried about the sudden sad face of her mentor, Twilight asked the princess some questions about that. “Princess? You said before that something terrible happened once before and you mentioned just now that Princess Luna had a student before. Is there any connection between these two? Please tell me what happened!” Celestia slowly turned her head to Twilight, her eyes still full of sorrow. “Twilight, it's true. At that time, Star Swirl the bearded was my student. He rose in the position of the magic council and was the Leader of our defensive forces, like your brother is today, but the Royal Guard were called the Solar Guard back then. And then there was my sister’s student. His name was Black Terror, as Star Swirl was Leader of the Solar Guard, so was he the Captain of the… Night Guard. Our former offensive army. They got discarded around a thousand years ago.” Twilight noticed a funny twitching in the eyes of her mentor at the mention of the Night Guard. Had the Princess lied to her? But why should she do that, Twilight decided not to ask about this particular matter. “What happened to them? Why have I never read about Star Swirl being a member of Equestria’s army, and I never read a word about Black Terror. How is that possible?” The facial expression of the princess become a lot more serious. “Twilight... history is written by winners. There was once a terrible war. We defeated the enemy only with much luck. But we had to pay a high price. Luna and I both lost our students. Back then things happened that she and I don't ever talk about.” Now the curiosity got Twilight completely. “But Princess! I'm your personal student! I want to know, nothing is written about a great war or anything like that. Who else do you trust more than your sister and me?” As the solar princess began to answer, a royal guard burst into the room. “Princess, I'm sorry to interrupt you, but the representatives of Saddle Arabica are here to see you. If you would follow me, your highness? It seems to be a very importent matter to discuss.” Celestia couldn’t hide her pleasure about the unexpected guests that saved her skin quite well, and followed her guard. “I'm very sorry Twilight but I have to go now. Feel free to visit the library or the city of Canterlot. I will return to you as soon as possible.” Twilight couldn't even respond as the princess left the room. “So if that is the case, I will do what every good student would do now! To the library!” And so the eager unicorn left the breakfast chamber and made her way towards the library. She was running off, careless and filled with curiosity. Not knowing that a dark shadow was lurking after her.