Celestia looked around the group, her eyes resting on Crimsonleaf, who was lying nearby, and her gaze was that of a mother looking at the child she loves more than the world.
Crimsonleaf noticed his mother's gentle gaze. "I know you're good at stories, Queen. Why don't you tell one? It is a nice day."
Celestia smiled softly at her colt's trying attempt to be formal. "Why not?"
She streched out, crossing her golden-shod hooves, and looked up at the sun, closing her eyes in thought.
"How about the story of how Equestria was made?" Tigerjay piped up, eyes gleaming with excitement. "Momma doesn't know it, but I've heard it's really good!"
Gilda blushed profusely and used one talon to push her son back onto his belly. "Sorry about him."
"No problem." Celestia muttered. "He's holding us together. Now, let us begin our story. Now, my mother told this to me long, long ago, and I will tell it to you in the words she used."
"So, in the beginning, there was chaos, and chaos was a birthday cake. There was nothing special about this birthday cake, other than the fact that it was the only thing to exist, other than nothing. So chaos floated through nothing, whatever nothing may be. And suddenly, from the cake, came something. Something was like nothing, and beat back chaos and nothing to make planets and stars and clouds and water and grass and sky. And in this way, something controlled nothing and chaos and kept them as far away from its creations as possible. But chaos did find it's way in occasionally, in the form of war and earthquakes and tornadoes and the birthday parties of foals. But, as chaos snuck in occasionally, something was making more somethings, and they were animals; birds and fish and turtles and dragons and griffons and ponies. And something was very pleased with these things.
"But, at first, all ate plants. As time passed, the animals had more children than there were plants, and because of this, the grass and trees began to fade away. In shock, something asked nothing for help. So nothing came down to earth in the form of a great raven, and made all the creatures line up. It gave out special powers to each; fire for the dragons, sharp claws to the griffons, gills to the fish, wings to the birds - because, in the time of creation, birds could not fly, just as the fish walked on land - hard shells to the turtles, and other things to everything else. And some started eating meat, but the balance was the same, and the earth returned to its' former glory.
"But at the end of it all, there were three ponies waiting for gifts. They stood in front of nothing, expanctant smiles on their faces. Nothing reached back, expecting another special power, but there were none left. Looking at the ponies, it tore it's own wings off and set them on the back of one, and it became a Pegasus, flying instead of running. Nothing then tore out its' own magic heart and gave it to the second pony, who accepted it, and grew a horn to show her abilities, and she became a Unicorn. Now, as the other two left, nothing faced the last pony. She looked up from the ground, where she had been digging up a grassy clump.
"<I am very sorry,> said nothing, <but I have nothing left to give you but my own body.>
"<It does not worry me,> the pony replied. <I will become strong with my own help. I will harvest the crops and plant the seeds, will tend to the gardens and take care of the wounded. When the time comes, I will be the infantry, guiding the creations you have made to freedom.>
"<You do not need to do all of that for me.> Nothing muttered. <I am not worth it. All I am is an empty shell.>
"The pony looked up further, straining to see nothing's eyes, and smiled. <You are more than nothing. You are something as well.> She smiled, but it was more determined, and she planted her feet in the dirt. <And I will do what I've told you. I promise.>
"Nothing was surprised, but as the pony cantered away to join her friends, he could hear them laughing together. <Despite their differences,> nothing declared, <they will act as one.>
"And nothing vanished."
There was silence between the ponies as they listened to Celestia's voice trail off. Her eyes opened again, and she looked down at her subjects.
"Was that a good enough story, Tigerjay?"
The young Griffon nodded. To him, her words had shown images in his head, of a great, nine-tailed raven who oozed with power and darkness, and the wingless birds, and the walking fish, and the planets and the stars- "It was great!" He exclaimed.
The assembled ponies laughed, and Celestia found her smile reappearing.
They were so much like the ponies she had known when Twilight was still a filly.
Fluttershy's helpful nature had actually come through in Chibi and Gilda.
Rainbow Dash was in Rainbow Dark, for obvious reasons, but also in Scootaloo.
Applejack's youthful spirit was caught in Applesauce.
Pinkie Pie's randomness was showing through Tigerjay's blue feathers and orange-black fur.
Twilight Sparkle's love for reading and learning was in Sunrise.
Rairty's love for helping was in her own daughter, who's real name was Squishyheart.
Celestia paused, a last thought crossing her mind. Luna... Luna was becoming Celestia.
She smiled at the thought. Her sister, once feared by all as the dreaded Nightmare Moon, had become just as love as the Sun Princess. With a yawn, Celestia put her head on her hooves and fell into a calm, deep sleep.
Crimsonleaf lifted his ears, hearing something like a dog's whine, high and keening. If the other ponies heard it, they didn't pay it any mind. The keening became a white noise, and Crimsonleaf squinted, baring his teeth against the squealing. The others started to hear it too, standing up and glancing around in confusion.
Gilda screeched, shoving her talons over her ears. A thin trickle of blood ran from each one. Tigerjay ran towards her, but was scooped up in Sunrise's claws as she took off flying. Rainbow Dark grabbed Gilda's tail and started dragging her away, but the Griffon was writhing in pain.
Scootaloo and the other Crusaders gathered up most of the ponies - Chibi, Saucey, Squishy, and Crimsonleaf - and began running them towards town.
Sunrise was carrying Tigerjay a good distance ahead of the others, despite the Griffon's constant struggle.
The keening just... stopped.
For a moment, the air was still and silent. It ended just as oddly as it began, with the sound of a wave crashing on rock and the howl of wind. A large mass appeared above the remaining group; Zecora, Twilight, Applejack, Gilda, Rarity, Celestia and Rainbow Dark.
The mass continued emitting the horrific noise, all the while shifting into a solid, dark shape. A giant bird, with no wings and a clean-cut hole through it's chest. Nine dragon's tails swept the air around it, as it opened it's beak - or at least, where the beak should be, and probably was, but it was head-on, and the colour of mysterious forms - and let out a cat-like wail.
The gaint creature struck out with it's tails, constricting all the remaining group and holding them far off the ground.
Tigerjay kicked out and was dropped, landing on his feet and facing the giant, wingless bird.
It turned to face him, or at least, in his general direction, and on the sides of the great face opened two eyes of feiry red. Tigerjay screamed in terror and the bird-thing whipped it's tails, but the second he turned to run, it vansihed into thin air, bringing it's seven victims with it.