“Sooo, how’s the training going?” Eventide asked as Luna poured boiling tea into his cup, his reflection gradually appearing in the settling tea as he watched it.
“Rather well, if I do say so myself,” Luna remarked, pouring her own tea. “In the mornings I help Applejack on the farm and she runs me through a few drills to determine my progress. By the time we’re done, it’s usually noon and Rainbow Dash finally wakes up from her ‘Post-Weather Patrol Duty’ nap. If she actually gets up on time, we go through a few wing stretching exercises and maybe a light hover. I’ve grown much stronger now, though. Have a look!” Luna said as she rose.
It quickly became apparent that Luna had indeed gained quite a physique; her body was much more toned than it had been. Each individual muscle was clearly defined -- although this in no way diminished her sensual curves -- with all of it culminating in the firm, shapely flank that bore her Crescent Moon cutie mark. The princess was in magnificent shape, and truly a sight to behold as she stood there, proudly displaying herself.
Eventide couldn’t help but blush. “V-very impressive, Luna,” he said, shying away. He quickly averted his gaze downward, to hide the (potentially inappropriate) admiration shining within it, yet could still be caught sneaking a few peeks from the corners of his eyes.
Luna sat back down on her cushion, stifling a giggle. “It is, is it not? Thought, sadly, one cannot tell at a glance whether my wings have truly grown any stronger,” she said with a pout, flexing her wings and giving them a good flap. ”I’d like to think they have, at least.” The breeze her wing produced caused the wispy trail of steam rising from their tea to momentarily disperse.
She looked up proudly at Eventide, who smiled weakly.
“Anyway, after Rainbow Dash leaves to take her afternoon nap, I shall meet up with Pinkie Pie at Sugarcube Corner. It’s a rather delightful bakery where she lives with her aunt and uncle, the Cakes. We go about town doing deliveries for them, and the citizens of Ponyville grow accustomed to seeing me regularly. The whole town has become quite friendly towards me, actually, and it certainly helps that I come bearing delectable treats!”
“T-that’s great! And you still find time to raise the moon? H-how is it you manage all of this without being completely exhausted all the time?” he asked, blowing on the steaming drink as he stirred it.
“Well, Fluttershy is quite the skilled masseuse, you see. She’s been perfecting her technique and, I swear every time she gives me a massage I feel miraculously rejuvenated. It’s really quite amazing! Between that and the spa dates I go on with her and Rarity, it’s honestly quite hard to say that I feel like I’m working at all.”
“H-heh. Sounds like you’re having a great time.” Eventide smiled.
“Yes, it has been! And have you noticed the new decor? An absolute delight, is it not?” Luna brought her hooves up, gesturing Eventide to take in the room in its entirety.
The room had been spruced up quite a bit, mostly due to Rarity’s help. The Element of Generosity had been working almost non-stop over the last few months. She had helped clean the room and brought in many new pieces of furniture to breathe life back into the once-dusty old chamber she called her ‘pet project’. The walls and ceiling had been repainted a magnificent shade of cobalt blue and adorned with random white dots, reminiscent of the night sky, making the sheer size of the chamber much more apparent. It allowed room for a wardrobe, dressers, vanity mirror, couch, and small tea table, while still feeling spacious. Of course, this was only fitting of royalty.
The each new piece of decor was a unique piece that had been flown in from town, sporting lighter shades of blue to accent the room as a whole, and it matched beautifully. Rarity had even gone so far as to replace Luna’s bed; in its old spot now lay a massive and luxurious bed, adorned by a custom crescent-moon canopy from which thin, blue silk veils draped down around a starry bedsheet.
The part Luna loved the most, however, was the painting that hung over the softly crackling fireplace; the same one that had portrayed the two regal sisters in their earlier years. Rarity had brought it to be touched up by an artist in Canterlot, and it now looked more magnificent than ever. The worn colors had been retouched, brought back to their original beauty once more. Any visible damage or wear had also been smoothed out and repaired through the artist's’ handiwork. The pristine portrait now lay in a brand new frame, hoof-crafted by the very same artist, with an elegantly designed trim of gold. Most importantly, she could once again proudly hang it above the mantle, proof of the bond rekindled between her sister. It was truly a beauty to behold.
“I-It’s magnificent,” Eventide said, taking a sip of his tea. He immediately choked on the scaldingly hot liquid, fanning his tongue with his hoof and eliciting a small giggle from the princess. “Whhat abouth Twilighth?” he tried to speak, still fanning his injured tongue.
“Well, she spends the entire day by my side,” Luna said calmly.
“The entire day? Doing what?” Eventide asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Well, overseeing things, I suppose.” Luna spoke, pondering Twilight’s intent as she brought her hoof to her chin. “When we finished the reconstruction on Ponyville, she’s spent every day with me making sure therapy has been going well, and when I’m not training with Applejack or Rainbow Dash, she usually has some lesson plan for strengthening my magic prepared.”
“That seems like quite a bit of work! She must really care,” Eventide said, not minding his choice of words much.
“Y-yes, well—" Luna stammered, looking a bit flushed, “—what of you? You are letting your wounds healing properly as well, aren’t you?” she asked, desperate to change the topic. Luna levitated a sugar cube into her cup and attempted to idly stir it.
“I keep telling you, I’m okay now. I’ve had plenty of time to heal already and I can resume my duties. Even Aurora agrees!” He smiled, knowing the princess had been concerned about his health; she had been profusely apologizing ever since the incident.
“You say that, but still, I feel terrible...” Luna stared at herself in the tea, the image’s complexion melting into a haunting black as it grinned maliciously at her.
“It’s okay Luna. I already forgave you long ago.” Eventide smiled at the concerned alicorn across the table. “You’ve come a long way in these past few months since Nightmare Night, you know? Much different from all those years ago. I’m proud to serve you.”
Luna brought her head up to meet his smile, returning a meek one of her own. “I am equally proud of you, Eventide. You are not without change as well. Change for the better, of course. You have grown much in our time together, serving me faithfully beyond this last millennia, and now you have found a love that has instilled such great strength in you. I feel I must note that you nearly speak completely free of affliction now as well! It brings me great pride to see you as you as the fine soldier you are tonight.”
Eventide let out a small chuckle to himself, secretly cherishing the compliment Luna paid him as he sipped some more tea. He knew better than anypony that it was all too rare that a princess would honor their guard, let alone in such an informal manner. He had finally begun to feel that they could speak to each other much more casually, and that meant a whole lot more than some silly plaque or medal. It meant that they truly were friends.
“And Miss Aurora Shine? How fares your relationship?” Luna asked, pouring him more tea.
“O-oh, w-we’re great! Thank you for asking. She has been visiting me every night—"
Luna momentarily choked on her tea.
"—to check on my wounds. You know, make sure it’s healing properly.”
“Y-yes, yes, of course.” Luna wiped a bit of tea from her muzzle. “I trust it is going well then. She is well known for her medical superiority among her peers.”
“Her healing magic really is amazing. I’ve never seen a wound mend so quickly, and a lesser soldier wouldn’t be able to perform so well under such stress. I’ve healed so fast that I can barely feel it anymore!” Eventide pounded on his chest, only coughing a little. He blushed at his failed attempt. “Hehe cough, g-guess it still hurts a bit though.”
Luna wore a pained expression as she watched him fight back another fit of coughs. Eventide continue to fidget, bringing his hoof down from his muzzle after he felt himself settle. He looked back up at Luna with a friendly smile.
“I-I’m okay though, r-really. It’s been nice having her around to take care of me. I’ve been trying my best to spend time with her other than when she’s just checking on me though. I mean, I want to show her she means a lot more to me than just a caretaker. We’ve even been going out around Canterlot lately when she’s not on duty!”
“My! It seems as though you spend all your free time together, does it not?” Luna commented, lightly poking fun at his romantic endeavors. It was something Rarity had taught her in their time together and that the unicorn had emphasised as ‘essential to acquiring information subtly from your marefriends.’
Eventide laughed in reply, stroking the back of his mane anxiously. “Y-yea. I g-guess you’re right. Things have been getting s-s-serious...” he trailed off, idly toying with his teacup. An awkward silence quickly filled the air.
Oh dear. Perhaps I went a bit too far...
“A-a-anyways,” Eventide lifted his head, breaking the quiet. “She knows I’m h-here visiting you before her route begins so I told her I’d meet her—"
The doors to Luna’s chambers creaked open, drawing the attention of the tea-partying ponies, as a familiar Dawnguard stepped in.
“Good morning Princess Luna. The night was beautiful as always.” She bowed before the princess. “I assumed Eventide would be here when I did not see him wandering the halls. I hope you will excuse my intrusion.”
“Come come, Aurora, I’ve told you time and time again that there is no need for such formalities.” Luna motioned the mare in with a wave of her hoof. “The more the merrier!”
“My sincerest apologies Princess.” She rose, trotting over to Eventide’s side, and began to lovingly nuzzle him. “I’ve missed you, my dear.”
“A-Aurora! N-not in front of Luna!” Eventide fidgeted uncomfortably.
Look at those two. Such a lovely couple! It has been too long since I’ve seen such an innocent and pure romance blossom in Equestria. If ever a pony needed a shining example of love, they need look no further than those two. One can only count the nights ‘til they forge the final bond and celebrate with a momentous ceremony. Oh, how the mind tends to wander...
Luna giggled, pouring a cup of tea and placing it on a new saucer next to Eventide’s cup. “‘Tis quite all right. It’s admirable to see such love between two ponies. It does an old heart good. But please, do not act as though I have never experienced such a thing before either.”
“Sorry Princess, I just love him so much that I honestly can’t help myself sometimes,” Aurora Shine giggled. She withdrew from her doting slowly, nudged off by Eventide. “Um, pardon my asking, but have you had a lover before, P
“Why, yes, but... t’was a long time ago. He is gone now...” Luna’s eyes seemed to glaze over in a distant stare.
Love had become a much more relevant topic lately in Luna’s life, and the events of Nightmare Night happened to open the floodgates of memories, sending her forgotten emotions flooding in once more. Seeing the image of her love from days gone by had become nothing but a painful reminder of all she had lost. It had shattered her world then, and its effects could still be felt rippling into the present. The very thought would send a chilling shiver down her spine as the bottom of her being hollowed out.
“My apologies, Princess Luna. I meant no offense!” Aurora apologized, bowing profusely before Luna.
“‘Tis all right. I have moved on since then,” she assured the fussing Dawnguard. “At least, I like to think I have...” she uttered under her breath, nopony seemingly noticing.
“Anyway, how was your route, Dear?” Eventide asked, turning to his love.
“Honey, I’ve barely started,” she replied, taking a sip of her tea. “Mmm, delicious. Thank you Princess Luna.”
“‘Tis my pleasure,” Luna replied.
“I was just about to make the rounds and stopped in when I couldn’t find you. Oh, but you know...” Aurora began, gesturing with her teacup at Luna. “I heard from one of the other guards that Miss Twilight Sparkle was spotted sneaking the yards this morning with a few of her friends.”
“What was she doing sneaking around Canterlot?” Eventide pondered, sipping his tea.
“No clue,” Aurora replied, “but he said they found her in that dusty, old sealed wing of the archives. What’s it called... Oh, I always tend to forget it, but I pass it nearly every day...”
“The Starswirl the Bearded Wing?” Eventide asked.
“That’s the one!” she confirmed, relieved to finally remember its name.
Luna spat out the tea was sipping in a dark mist, much to the surprise of her companions. Her eyes went wide and her aura surrounding the cup dissipated, causing the teacup to fall. The delicate cup shattered into several tiny pieces, spilling its contents across the floor. The two ponies just stared in shock at her.
“L-Luna, a-are you okay?” Eventide asked, holding on to Aurora as though his life depended on it.
“Where has she gone?!” Luna demanded, stomping on the table with her forehooves. The frail table shook violently, throwing the other two teacups from its top and shattering them both in suit. The small pool of lukewarm liquid forming on the marble floor revealed the reflection of two shivering guards, clasping each other for comfort.
“I-If I had to guess, sh-she’s returned to her home in Ponyville, Princess,” Aurora answered fearfully.
“I apologize for cutting our visit short, but I must go see her!” Luna shouted as she raced out the door, leaving the Eventide and Aurora to cluelessly stare at eachother.
I must hurry. If she has found... No, I musn’t assume that to be the case. There’s no way she could have—of course she could have! This is Twilight Sparkle we’re talking about! I have to stop her before she does something dangerous!
Luna began to break into a sweat, galloping down the hall and toward the landing strip. She ground to a halt at the opening, staring into the empty skies she had never dared to tread alone. Not in body’s current condition, at least. Her carriage lay housed in a stable nearby, having seen much more wear in the past few months. Noctus and Vesperus, her dedicated fliers, had been bringing her to Ponyville daily to meet the Elements, but she knew they were likely to be found resting today after she granted them leave.
No time to raise Noctus and Vesperus, Luna. You’ll just have to wing it!
Anxiously, she spread her wings, stretching her hooves and her feather folds. She shut her eyes, taking a deep breath. She flapped her wings once to check them, took a deep breath, and began galloping full-speed at the edge of the landing. With each strike of her hooves, she began to flap her wings more and more, gaining a rhythmic tempo. The edge grew closer and closer as she desperately attempted to gain proper speed. Stopping now would only mean a painful fall to the Earth below. She had to do this.
With a powerful lunge, she took off into the sky, the gravitational forces churning her stomach. She shut her eyes and spread her wings, flapping with reckless abandon, but the feeling only grew stronger. The wind blew forcefully into her wings, causing her to jolt and tilt violently. She couldn’t manage to remain stable. Her flapping grew more desperate as she attempted to level her body out, but what little strength she had failed her as her wings snapped shut into her sides.
No! It’s not enough! I’m going to fall! her mind screamed, begging her to open her eyes.
As Luna peaked out, her eyes shot open and, with a grimace, she spread her wings one last time. A powerful gust blew beneath her, and she found herself gliding effortlessly over bustling metropolis that was Canterlot. Luna was flying.
“I—oh! Ha! Ha-HA! I’m doing it!” Luna cried in excitement.
She stretched out her hooves, allowing herself to take a more aerodynamic form and adjust her body’s position more easily. As she swooped over Canterlot, she pulled herself up to level out, gliding at a safer height over the city. It was a magnificent sight to see the hustle and bustle of ponies leaving to begin their daily life. The city appeared much more different than the view through her looking glass.
Yes. Yes! I’m doing it, I’m really flying! Oh how magnificent it feels to be so—no, wait, now isn’t really the right time to be celebrating, Luna. You’ve got a mare to save!
It wasn’t long before Luna began to feel like she could handle flying again; everything seemed to become easier and more natural. She soared gracefully through the sky, her wings gradually adjusting to the turbulence caused by gusts of winds, all without too much trouble.
Numerous ponies below watched in excitement from the streets, pointing at and calling to the princess. Some waved, other stared in awe, but not a few actually cheered at the sight of her passing overhead. She would have probably adored all the attention she was receiving from the city-folk, if her mind weren’t so preoccupied with the dire situation at hoof. She had to get to Twilight; now was not the time to get distracted!
Luna quickly headed for Ponyville, as fast as her wings would carry her. From the window of her own chambers in Canterlot Castle, two lovers, holding on to each other tightly, watched Luna soar off into the distance, while another figure stood glaring at the departing alicorn from the chambers opposite hers.
Luna arrived shortly, still giddy over her newfound ability. She gave her appendages one last stretch, relaxing any tension before strutting into a full-steam gallop for the town’s library.
Many ponies stopped in the street to pay respects to the racing princess, but Luna took no time to reply. Far more was at stake, and she had to make every second count. She shot past countless familiar faces, each pony’s expression turning to concern as they failed to receive a greeting themselves. For a moment even Pinkie Pie came upon her, asking a million questions at once, but the pink Earth pony suddenly burst into erratic twitches before breaking from their galloping formation. It wasn’t long before Luna could see the Library. Upon her arrival, she burst into the massive oak building, it’s double-doors swinging open with a loud crack as it seemingly collided with something behind it, accompanied by the sound of several books spilling onto the floor.
“Aaah!” a small voice cried out from behind the door.
Luna peaked around to discover Spike, rubbing a bump on the back of his head, buried up to his neck in a pile of books.
“Geez, I should have kept that hoofball helmet Fluttershy lent me—Princess Luna?!” Spike shot up from the pile immediately, running over to hug one of her hooves.
“Now is not the time for pleasantries, Spike! I must speak with Twilight!” she spoke, panting with exhaustion.
“Oh, well, she’s upstairs sleeping. Y’see, we were out all night with Pinkie Pie and—"
“Yes yes, that’s all very nice, but I need to speak to her now!” she replied, galloping up the stairs to the mare’s bedroom in the upper section of the library.
“Man,” Spike whined, “she usually brings me—"
A sapphire-encrusted cupcake in a small plastic container suddenly came flying toward the young dragon. He caught it immediately, his eyes sparkling in the gems’ reflections. His head shot up to meet Luna passing him a smile just before continuing up the stairs.
“Thanks Princess Luna!” Spike shouted after her. Looking back down at the delicious gift, he licked his lip. “And hellooo beautiful.”
Charging into the room with a power stomp, Luna heard a small yelp followed by a loud thud as a pile of blankets and down collapsed around the figure in the small loft. The small lavender unicorn emerged from the mound, dark circles around her bloodshot eyes and her mane still a frizzy, burnt mess. She looked out from the pile of comforters at the princess in a daze of confusion.
“Hu-wha-?” Twilight rubbed her eyes, trying to focus with the bright light from the bedroom window intruding on her dark sanctuary of slumber. Gradually, they adjusted to reveal Luna, who seemingly fighting a pained expression. “Luna? What’s wro—"
“Your mane...” Luna uttered, furrowing her brow at the unicorn.
“What about it?” Twilight shot back, audibly annoyed at being disturbed from her slumber. She proceeded to climb out of the pile of comforters, lifting them with her magic and folding them neatly before placing them back onto the bed.
“It’s... different? Rather... bold, is it not?” Luna tilted her head, genuine concern kindled in her eyes as she continued to stare at (what she assumed was) simply one of those newfangled, fashionable manestyles Rarity had told her about.
“Oh, eheheh. That.” Twilight gazed up at the jagged, fire-trimmed mess of mane, and her fried-to-a-crisp ends. She immediately turned a crimson purple. “It’s a, uh, long story... Anyway, what are you doing here? Isn’t today supposed to be your day off? Shouldn’t you be resting?”
“Well, yes, technically, but I urgently needed to speak with you, Twilight!” Luna said as she approached the mare, curiously examining her disheveled and slightly-scorched mane up-close.
“About what?” Twilight said. It was her turn to tilt her head now, a few burnt strands of her rustling mane falling to the ground. In fact, a small pile of pink and purple hair was collecting at the unicorn’s hooves, a small bald spot starting to reveal itself around her horn.
Luna was aghast with horror at the sight, pulling away and cringing.
Twilight quickly took notice of this, bowing her head in shame, her cheek soon aflush with a rosy hue once more. Just as she attempted to hide the offending spot under her hooves, however, her entire body suddenly began levitating, becoming encased in a dark blue aura, which elicited a small squeak of surprise from the unicorn. A bright light flashed before her eyes, and before she knew it, she was standing on her own four hooves before the princess again, blinking in confusion.
“T-there, now we can talk,” Luna said, nervously adjusting her breastplate.
Twilight examined her own body, checking for any changes; she scanned her back, her hooves, and even her cutie mark, but nothing seemed particularly different from before. She sat down and stared blankly at Luna, who smiled in return and suggested she take a look in the mirror atop her dresser with a slight nod of her head.
“My mane!” Twilight squealed with glee, staring in disbelief at her fully-groomed reflection. “You restored my mane!”
“I’m sorry, I just couldn’t stand your new ‘look,’ regardless of how ‘popular’ or ‘trending’ it may be at the moment,” Luna said apologetically, hoping her presumptuousness wouldn’t upset Twilight.
Twilight ran up to give her a big hug, however. “Oh thank you, Luna! This is wonderful!” She smiled, leaning back a little from the alicorn she was still holding onto. “I was planning on looking for just such a spell after I took my nap, but now I won’t have to! Do you know what this means?!”
“That your manecut was an awful decision you deeply regret, and that you’ll never succumb to the inexplicable whims of fashion ever again, because you are already lovely just the way you are?” Luna commented quickly.
“Nooo... This means I won’t have to push back the meeting with the Ponyville Hay Board!” the mare shouted with joy, before what the princess uttered had even fully registered with her. ”Consequently,” she rattled on, ”I won’t have to reschedule my lunch with Pinkie Pie, so if I eat fast enough there I might actually leave myself with just enough time to start writing my list of things to prepare in order to draft a new schedule for next mon—Wait, what?”
“Y-yes, all right, scheduling. That’s all well and good, but I must speak with you about something more urgent Twilight,” Luna spoke with a more serious tone completely disregarding anything the frantic unicorn had just said. She leaned down to allow the unicorn off her. “You see I flew all the way—"
“You flew? I mean, you can’t fly. Rainbow Dash said that with shape your wings were in there’s no way you could fly for at least a few more months. How could you have flown? It’s not scientifically possible. You are not scientifically possible!” Twilight poked Luna in disbelief.
“Twilight, please! The message I have for you is of utmost importance and—"
“You have an important message for me?” Twilight interrupted again, leaning on her forehooves toward Luna.
“That’s right. Now listen—"
“Why did you have to fly here? Oh, something terrible must have happened!” Twilight said with a horrified expression, pacing around the alicorn.
“Please, just let me explain!” Luna pleaded to the unicorn, whose mind was far too busy sorting out possibilities to listen.
“Is Canterlot under attack? Did some sort of beast escape from Tartarus?” The mare continued to fret.
“Actually, everything in Equestria is fine, but that’s not important right now,” Luna deadpanned.
“Oh, I can’t believe you really flew! How did it, I mean you, manage?” Twilight asked, eye’s gleaming with curiosity.
“I simply jumped and spread my wings,” Luna replied, rolling her eyes. She could feel her patience fleeting. “Look, we need to talk about the Canterlot Archives. Now, you have to listen to—"
“The Archives? Really? Why? I’ve been in there dozens of times. Is there something important that I missed?” Twilight continued her spree of interruptions.
“Dozens?! In the Star Swirl the Bearded wing?!” Luna nearly screamed with horror.
“Well, not there... Why? What’s in there? Is is important? Oh, will it help me move on to the next level of studies with Princess Celest—"
Luna shoved her hoof into the unicorns mouth, effectively muffling her incessant chatter.
Goddess! At times she is worse than Pinkie Pie and Rarity combined!
“I have something extremely important to tell you about the Star Swirl the Bearded wing, so please, just sit and listen,” Luna said, her hoof extended to keep her distance from the seemingly volatile unicorn.
Twilight immediately stopped her muttering, removing Luna’s hoof from her muzzle and plopping down onto her haunches. Much to Luna’s pleasant surprise, she sat there completely still and silent, watching Luna with her big, violet eyes. Luna was too surprised by the sudden change in disposition to begin properly, but quickly shook it off.
“Now Twilight, whatever you do, you must never—"
Suddenly, a blinding light flashed before Luna’s eyes. She dizzly stumbled about in a stupor, desperately trying to regain control. It was impossible to see, as everything moving created a repeating image of itself to appear. All the figures, objects, and scenery seemed to all smear and blend together. For a moment, she nearly felt motion sick. Luna eventually gave up on stumbling around and simply sat down, the focus gradually returning to her eyes.
She was back in Canterlot, in the throne room no less, and there before her sat her big sister, Celestia.
“Celestia, what is the meaning of this!” Luna cried out in confusion.
Celestia first looked to the Dawnguards who occupied the room, clearing her throat. They took note of the subtle gesture and bowed to both princesses before excusing themselves, the massive double-doors leading to the throne room slowly closing behind them. With the room clear, Celestia brought her attention back to Luna.
“Dearest Sister, you know why I have brought you here. Do you really intend to tell Twilight everything?”
“I... I’m not sure...” Luna stared at the pearly marble floors, her doubt growing.
Celestia rose from her throne, slowly pacing towards Luna. “It is not yet time for her to discover the truth. She still has much to learn. She’s not ready.”
“But she was... She has seen the Star Swirl the Bearded Wing! There’s no telling what she already knows!” Luna cried, her eyes pleading understanding.
“You are acting too brash, if only to spare your own feelings. I saw her in the Archives this morning myself. Trust me, she has found nothing,” Celestia assured her.
Celestia lay a hoof over her as Luna let out a sigh of relief. Luna lifted her head and smiled back at her smirking sister. She found comfort in her sister’s words.
“It will be all r—"
In that instance, a disturbance echoed throughout the frames of the two alicorns, shaking them to their core. They both braced themselves as if preparing to be shaken by some tremendous invisible force, but only a lurching unease coursed through their body. Their bodies burned and ached, lungs screaming for air, but neither sister could move. The two stood frozen in their stances, breaking the silence with simultaneous, heavy sighs.
Celestia brought her head up to look at her sister. “Luna? Did you—"
Luna stood heavily panting, fighting to catch her breath. “I-I have not felt that since... Since Mi Amore Cadenza—"
“Earned her Cutiemark,” Celestia interrupted. “That can only mean that somepony has established connection with the Cosmic Leylines...”
“Twilight!” Luna shouted, looking to her sister.
“But... but that’s impossible! I saw her! She hadn’t found anything! She was too busy looking for...” Celestia trailed off, her eyes going wide with horror.
Luna took Celestia by her hooves, standing her up on her and meeting her eyes. “What?! Looking for what?!” She cried with panic.
“...Time spells,” Celestia slowly uttered.
“T-time spells?! Sister, how could you not know that was Astromancy?” Luna screamed, dropping Celestia to her haunches.
“I knew, but I never could have imagined Twilight’s power had grown so much since she’d left that she actually be able to cast it...” Celestia sat in a stupor.
“Well?! We have to do something!”
“It is not too late!” Luna roared. A brilliant light replaced her eyes as she focused the raw magic coursing through her. She bent down, aiming her horn at Celestia and causing her to rear.
Celestia shuffled nervously, unaware of Luna’s intent. The horn’s aura grew larger as the focused magic strengthened. Horrified, she tried to cry out, but became enveloped in a bright light before she form a response. Before she knew it, the light faded, and she could feel a pounding headache send waves of pain crashing through her skull. Luna had teleported them back to the Ponyville library, just under the loft where Twilight lay. Celestia turned to confront her sister, who was too busy gawking at something else to pay her any attention.
A shining lavender light reflected in the glaze of Luna’s eyes, constantly growing and fading. Only, it grew brighter and brighter with each pulse. Celestia turned her head to find her favorite student swallowed in a sphere of radiance.
“Hnnnaaaauuuugghhhhh!” Twilight Sparkle howled in a frighteningly distorted voice, thin essences of magic trailing from her lips. She turned to the princesses, her eyes beaming with raw power. “What’s. Happening. To. Me?!”
The unicorn hovered just slightly above her bed in the loft, bobbing gently up and down in the sphere of light. Twilight herself seemed subject to random violent spasms, twitching and curling as she moaned and cried in pain, sending varying pulses of energy forth. The surrounding furniture had been thrown about and various books and decor were shaken from their shelves by the impact of each flowing arcane burst. The room was slowly being torn apart with each concurrent wave.
“We have to stop this!” Celestia shouted, charging forward. “Twilight, you have to stop!”
Celestia rushed towards Twilight. The blinding light had become too much for her to bare, forcing her to avert her eyes just as she came closer to the helpless unicorn. She slowed her approach and trotted calmly toward her, just as she had the first time they had met at Twilight’s entrance exam for her School for Gifted Unicorns. Celestia hoped that the same tactics would prove just as successful the second time around.
“My dearest Twilight Sparkle...” Celestia began as she calmly strode towards her, the glowing figure turning to face her. “You simply must—"
“Hnnaughhh!” Twilight cried, clasping her head and sending a wave of energy pulsing out from the sphere. The burst collided with Celestia, blasting her over the railing and to the floor below, sending her skidding across the ground.
“Sister,” Luna cried out to Celestia, “are you hurt?!”
“I’m fine,” Celestia replied, slowly coming to her hooves. She was a little scuffed here and there, but the blast seemed to do little damage. “But we still need to stop this and I can’t get to her!”
Luna turned to face Twilight once more, the unicorn flailing and spasming about in the radiant sphere of glowing magic. The pleading eyes of the mare met the princess’, begging for a savior, before the mare continued to flail in agony.
I... I have to do something. I have to stop her. I have to disrupt the leyline connection. But how do I do something like that? How do you interrupt the flow of creation itself?! Luna’s heart began to race as her mind searched for an answer. She turned to her sister, who stood grounded, grimacing at the thought of what was to come and how powerless she was to stop it.
Go to her...
Luna shut her eyes and drew a deep breath. She spread her wings and flew up toward Twilight as Celestia watched from the lower floor. The mare turned to meet the princess, sending another wave of energy pulsing forth. Luna absorbed the blow, cringing in pain as she endured and continued her advance. With each step the unicorn let out another piercing cry of agony, sending successively more powerful waves of energy cascading forth. The first few only left Luna feeling numbed, but each felt as though it were enough to blast any unsuspecting victim clear through the oak library’s thick walls. The growing intensity would eventually prove too much for the princess. As Luna drew closer to Twilight, the mare let out a blast so powerful it knocked Luna off her hooves and sent her colliding into a wall. Luna’s body smashed through many shelves, their contents spilling onto the floor in the chaotic debris that were Twilight’s belongings. Amongst the various rubble of personal items before her lay the possibility of salvation. The crystalline leystone pendant.
Luna quickly picked up the pendant, revering its quality. A normal crystal would have dulled, losing its luster after such a long period of time. It’s trilliant cut was still as brilliant as the night she had given it to Twilight, as it was clear the unicorn took extremely good care of it. Maintaining a level of this quality would have meant a rigorous shine and polish almost daily. She couldn’t help but admire its beauty before coming back to reality. Twilight still lay within the glowing sphere of light before her, thin waves of energy pulsing forth as she writhed in pain. If anything physical could possibly hope to channel the ethereal energy, it was a crystal leystone.
Luna clutched the pendant in her hoof, her determination renewed. She took one last look at the pendant, the beautifully clear crystal gleaming a soft reflection of lavender light back at her, before charging forth. While the distance was short, a steady wave of magical pulses pounded away at the princess’ body, forcing her back with each step. The unrestrained energy hammered away at the walls, shaking the tree house and furthering the damage to the surroundings. Various furniture splintered and shattered under the immense pressure of the energy, sending junk and debris along with books and belongings everywhere. Luna’s sister sat, watching concernedly as Luna advanced amidst the chaos, withstanding each blow as best she could before continuing on. Slowly, the alicorn closed the distance.
“Twilight!” Luna screaming through the sonic pounding and noise produced by the sphere of flowing energy. “Twilight, do you remember this? I gave this to you. It signifies the strength of our bond. The infinite potential our friendship holds. Twilight, I know you’re scared, but if you let the strength of our friendship in, I can guide and protect you!”
Twilight Sparkle turned to her, closely watching the gem in the princess’ hoof. A steady stream of tears began to trickle down her face, though her expression remained unchanged. “I’m so scared Luna! I don’t know what to—Hauuugh!” she screamed, the depth and echos of her own voice bellowing through the room. “Help. Me!”
“I want to Twilight! I want to help you like you helped me, but you have to let me!” Luna continued to cry out.
“I. Can’t. Control. It!” Twilight cried, writhing in agony.
“You have to calm down, Twilight! Gather yourself and gain control over your emotions. Then I can come help you!” Luna shouted back.
Twilight clenched her teeth in a desperate attempt to take a deep breathe. “Please, Luna, I need you...” she quietly whimpered.
The pulses slowly died down.
Now was Luna’s chance. She charged at the unicorn, but before she could reach her, Twilight became enveloped in the sphere of energy. It was impossible to see the unicorn within the shining cocoon. Still, the sphere seemed calm, almost docile in the moment. Luna levitated the pendant towards the sphere of light, it’s shape quickly becoming devoured by the blinding light. The field of luminosity seemed to massively before shrinking away. Twilight’s figured was revealed within, donning the pendant as it itself beamed with life. A bright light at the core of the trilliant cut shone forth, drawing the in the visible particles of raw energy. Slowly the sphere dimmed as it’s sized diminished, the stone in the pendant growing brighter and brighter. It was not long before nothing was left of it, and Twilight remained standing on her own hooves again.
“L-Luna?” Twilight uttered, her vision barely making out the two alicorns standing before her. She stood wobbling in place, and as she lifted her hoof to say something, she collapsed onto the floor.
“Will she... be okay?” Luna asked, staring down at Twilight’s unconscious body.
The sisters had placed her back in bed. She now lay gently, tucked in and sleeping as though nothing had ever happened. They had been able to repair damage to the room, reconstructing everything from the impossible amount of shards, splinters, and torn bits strewn about. If anything, they might have not stored the books in the same order Twilight had shelved them, and the obsessive unicorn might notice it amiss, but everything else was perfect.
“She will be just fine, sister,” Celestia assured her, placing a hoof on her shoulder. “It appears the pendant was able to channel and absorb a majority of the energy, so the process has been dramatically slowed, but not halted. When she awakens, she will have no memory of these events, but she will command a power slightly greater than before. We must keep the pendant from her reach, so that she may not accidentally unlock its powers again. I’ll have to pace her studies more carefully now as well. There’s no telling how much time we have left. We just have to hope that pendant will be able to store more energy, should the connection reopen again. I will have to monitor her more closely and work fast if she is to be ready in time when the connection fully establishes its link.”
Luna’s eyes remained glued to the gently sleeping unicorn.
“Luna... about that stone,” Celestia spoke softly, pointing to the pendant that once again lay in its original box. Only now a radiant light, no doubt the raw energy from the leyline, shone brightly in its core.
“What of it?” Luna replied.
“Well, it’s a crystal leystone from the Crystal Empire, isn’t it?”
Luna nodded in reply.
“My concern isn’t so much as where it came from, but how you activated it. As you know, dear sister, crystalline leystones from the Crystal Empire can only be activated by deep and powerful emotions,” Celestia spoke, a certain concern hanging in the tone of her words. She stood in the silence for a while, anticipating any sort of reply. She received none. “I see...” she spoke quietly, before blinking away in a bright flash of magic.
Luna stood looking over Twilight, the sheets rising and falling with the normal pace of the mare’s breathing. She looked so innocent. So peaceful. It was impossible to know what the future had in store for the unicorn, but Luna felt deep down that she had a larger role to play than anypony knew. She leaned over to nuzzle the sleeping damsel.
“Twilight, my dear, what is to become of thee?” Luna whispered quietly to the dozing mare, expecting the following silence to be her answer. She picked up the pendant, looked at Twilight one last time, and then, taking care not to make any noise, she slowly trotted out the of the bedroom.