Fluttershy carefully trotted back into her cottage to find a crying and bleeding Asa. Her hair was now a tangled mess, her dress was missing it’s left sleeve and her wound looked worse than ever. Her pale cheeks were stained with tears, a few of the animals were crowded around her and giving her tissues.
“Asa!” Fluttershy said, she quickly grabbed the First-Aid kit still by the couch and got to work fixing the wound. “What happened?”
“She burned it. Celestia burned it.” Asa mumbled in between the tears.
“Burned what?” Fluttershy asked. “Does it have anything to do with the Eclipse?”
Asa nodded.
“It’ll sting again, I’m so sorry.” Fluttershy placed more of the purple goo on the wound. Asa didn’t react. She barely noticed it. “Could you tell me what she burned? You don’t have to...”
“I want to.” Asa stared her eyes at Fluttershy. “I need to.”
Fluttershy nodded, wanting to hear what happened after Asa left the party.
Asa tried to make a brave face, her upbringing coming into effect.
“Celestia locked me in the dungeon, she forgot about me a long time ago. She decided to place a magic lock on me.” Fluttershy’s eyes widened. “It was a basic Lock, I got rid of it in seconds.” It was still shocking to hear. “She found the place where I was placed as a statue. There was a *sniffle* painting inside it. *sniffle* And for the smallest second I thought she remembered. *sniffle* But she didn’t. *sniffle* She-She didn’t listen. So, Celestia decided to *sniffle* *sniffle* burn it.” Asa then broke down, crying into her hands at the loss of the painting.
Fluttershy, her big heart coming into play, flew over to the Queen and began patting her back. Allowing the tears to fall.
Five minutes later, the tears slowly came to a stop. Fluttershy looked at the broken hearted girl with pity in her eyes. It just didn’t seem fair. All Asa did was try to keep her sisters good, she didn’t deserve to have this painting taken away.
“What was this painting of?” Fluttershy finally asked.
“My family *sniffle* before they died.” Asa cried. “What made it so much worse was that Lulu did nothing! She just watched Celly, no, Celestia” Asa spat the name out “burn my most precious and cherished object. My crown is dirt compared to that painting and now it’s gone.” Tears came again.
Fluttershy couldn’t stand to see Asa cry like this, it was almost too much.
‘How Galaxy? How could my daughter do this to her sister?’ Faust asked the stallion merged with the moon.
‘I don’t know. But I would like to find out.’
At Canterlot, ponies went crazy over the Eclipse. Many ponies tried breaking into the castle to ask the Princesses to ask them. But the Princess were just as clueless. Celestia was having such a long day that the moment she stepped into her room, she dropped right onto her bed.
Her dreams however, which much crazier than her week.
The first was of the day she got her cutiemark.
“But Asa, are you sure that I can do it?” Young Celestia asked. Looking over her shoulder she noticed a younger version of Asa run up to her.
“Of course. Now just focus on it and think about it going up.” As Celestia did what she requested she began to question her older sister’s motives. How was raising the sun going to give Celestia her cutiemark anyway?
Soon enough, the sun was risen in the sky and a bright flash appeared on her white flank. But Celestia didn’t notice that last part.
“There We raised the sun, can we both just go back inside Sister?” Celestia asked. Her sister was wearing ‘The Smile’ again. The one she got when she planned a prank. “Did thou do something to US when We raised the sun?”
Asa shook her head.
“How about we go see Mother and Father? I think they would like to see us.” Celestia rolled her magenta eyes at her sister but followed her nonetheless.
The white alicorn noticed all the strange glances the Palace Servants were giving her and the quick reply Asa gave them.
What made it make sense was when they got to their Mother and Father’s Throne Room.
“Tia thou hast received thy Cutie Mark!” Luna yelled. Celestia turned around and saw a sun plastered on her flank.
“Asa! Thou did not alert Us of this!” Celestia yelled at her older sister.
The memory faded as Asa laughed at successfully helping her sister get her cutiemark.
The next memory was after the painting was made.
“We will not stand for this act! Now We shall be forced to stand still again!” A much younger Luna yelled.
“Asa how did you manage to do this?” Celestia looked and saw the memory of her father yelling at a hysteric Asa.
“Dad it was funny! Even Mom and Celly are laughing at it!” Asa gestured to a white alicorn with a flowing yellow mane and Celestia.
Celestia noticed the painting being held in a prismatic grip. The creature was right.
They were Sisters.
“Galaxy do not be so harsh. Twas a simple prank, and it does look fantastic with the ears.” Faust told her enraged husband. “How about we let her keep it? I see no harm in letting it go.”
Celestia didn’t pay attention to what happened next. The revelation of what she had done came down on her, breaking her heart.
The next memory brought more tears to her eyes. She was standing in the room where she found the painting, only one major difference.
A stone statue looking exactly like Asa stood in the center.
“Asa lied to Us. It did looked like it did hurt.” Luna cried, staring up at the statue.
“Lulu, it doesn’t matter now. We know not the way to bring her back.” A young Celestia comforted her young sister.
“How could I have done this to my own sister?” The Older Celestia asked.
“Now we need to hurry. Asa said the creature will be here within the hour. We must inform the servants of this.” Young Celestia began to walk away, Luna continued to stare at the statue with tears in her eyes.
“What do we say happened to her?” Young Luna asked.
Young Celestia looked at the statue then her young sister.
“That she was taken by the Creature. That is all there is to say.” Young Celestia said. “Come along dear sister.” Luna, making a quick action, hugged the statue.
“We shall miss you Asa!” Luna cried. Young Celestia looked on, a tear falling down her cheek. Same for the Elder Celestia.
The memory faded again, this time taking Celestia into a dark abyss.
“At least tell me why.”
Celestia looked around, immediately remembering the voice.
“Mother?”
A figure appeared, same white coat, same yellow mane with an orange glow. Same kind sky blue eyes.
Faust.
“She was your sister. Tell me why you did this to her?”
Before Celestia could respond, an image appeared. In the same way Celestia showed Twilight before she became an alicorn.
“I said give me answers!” Celestia’s voice boomed.
“Mother, I didn’t know!” Celestia cried.
“I’m telling the truth! My title is Queen Asa! I’m your older sister that was turned to stone. Please just put the painting down!” Asa cried.
“WE DEMAND YOU TELL US WHAT YOU ARE! WHAT YOUR BUSINESS IS HERE!” Celestia yelled.
Celestia felt ashamed, what had she been thinking? How could she have done something to her big sister?
“SISTER WE DEMAND YOU PUT THAT FIRE OUT THIS INSTANT!” Asa yelled.
Celestia remembered what happened next but couldn’t bare to watch.
“YOU WERE WARNED CREATURE!” Celestia yelled. With a swift movement, the fire and painting became part of one hold.
“NO!” Asa cried as the tears fell from her eyes.
Celestia fell to the floor, tears falling free from her eyes.
“Tell me why you broke my heart.” Faust asked her middle daughter.
The other memories she and Asa shared came to light. All the fights, all the words shared and all the laughter. It was almost too much.
Faust faded, clearly knowing she would not receive an answer.
She awoke with a start. Her face shining with tears, her magenta eyes bloodshot. Celestia remembered the dream clearly. She had destroyed her sister’s best gift ever all because she forgot who Asa was.
“Sister, you have woken up. I could not get into your dream, what happened?” Luna asked. She came in once she discovered Celestia dreaming and her dream was unreachable.
“How?” Celestia asked.
“How what?”
“How could I forget Asa?” Celestia asked.
“You remembered her after you did that to her?” Luna asked, shocked.
Celestia nodded. “The Eclipse must’ve been caused because of our fighting. I can’t believe I actually burned it and now I’ve lost Asa.” Luna gazed at her elder sister’s face and noticed the tears.
Luna could think of no words of comfort. For she herself felt just as guilty, she did nothing to stop it.
Both sister’s gazes moved to the Eclipse, wondering where their Eldest Sister was hiding after their betrayal.