Princess Celestia: The Changeling Queen Chapter 8 The Dawn of a New Celestia
Past...
I felt the hard grit against my cheek give way to soft, wet pinpricks. My eyes were closed shut in a futile attempt to block the agony in my gut. The searing pain was tempered by the cold, metal spearhead lodged somewhere inside me. I did not want to open my eyes, but I had to know where I was. Slowly, I let myself see.
What I saw in made me forget my pain.
The Castle of the Two Pony Sisters, a fortress that changelings would never approach lightly, was destroyed. Its great towers were a crumbled ruin. What little of the concentric walls that had not become rubble were scorched by fire. Some of the panes of the once fabulous Great Hall’s stained glass windows were cracked and others were completely shattered, their fragments strewn all over the earth. Above the castle, the sky’s glittering carpet of stars was being torn apart by great blinding flashes of lightning. It took a moment for me to realize the lightning was not natural. There were no clouds. Instead, there were two spherical tempests of magic: a shimmering stygian storm of the darkest night, and the other a glowing pink sun of a new day. I swore I saw the form of a pony at the centre of each storm, but I quickly dismissed the idea. No mere pony could wield such power.
The two maelstroms charged at each other, and caused the air to scream in protest. They collided in a flurry of sparks and a thunderous cacophony. I instinctively moved my hooves to my ears and gasped as I was sharply reminded of my broken forelegs. When I raised my eyes again, I was met with the most wondrous sight I had ever seen.
It was a rainbow. Each ribbon of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet shone gloriously through the night. It burst out from the pink sun and effortlessly tore through the stygian storm. Rising high like some great snake, it soared through the sky, getting smaller, and smaller in the distance. To my surprise, the tip of the rainbow seemed to reach the moon.
There was a bright flash. I turned my head away from the intense light. When I gazed back upon the moon, I noticed a shadow across its great white face, the shadow of a unicorn.
However, I had no time to contemplate this new development. The remaining vortex of energy was approaching me. It glided like a graceful eagle to where I lay. Whatever it was, I had no intention of being caught in this form. I took a deep breath and from every fibre of my tortured body, I pulled the strength needed for a transformation. Emerald flames crept up my carapace, warping my features and wiping away chitin. Mere seconds later, I was an unassuming charcoal coloured unicorn. My mane and my eyes were the same colour as they had been before, but I didn’t have the magic left to change them. I dearly hoped the disguise would hold.
The swirling storm of energy set down upon onto the ground in front of the castle and began to advance on me. Every step made my heart beat even faster, until I felt it was about to explode within my chest. I wanted to freeze, to somehow remain unseen, but the pink corona did not stop its advance. Yet, as it drew nearer, I noticed the colour began to fade. The tempest of rose-coloured magic began to dissipate as if it were being blown away by some invisible wind. Like clothes stripping from a body, strands of magic fell away to reveal the figure underneath.
I knew who this being was. My sisters and I had infiltrated pony civilization enough times to learn to respect their rulers. My mother spoke of her with fear and warned us to approach her only with great caution. But I had never seen her like this. Her white coat was marred with a myriad of injuries: from light scratches and charred fur, to deep gouging gashes in her skin. From these wounds her blood flowed. Red rivulets crisscrossed and stained her normally pristine coat. Feathers were missing from her great wings and patches of raw skin were exposed to the biting cold air. An eye was gone; only a bloodied socket remained. Her mouth was peppered with holes where the teeth had been knocked out. It was a miracle she could stand on all four legs. Even her eternally ethereal mane that glimmered in the sun had changed. New green and blue stripes now streaked across the rose. The mane itself appeared dull, its colours were faded and it wavered like a pennant on a windless day.
At that moment, Princess Celestia of Equestria could not hurt a fly. Yet, somehow I was afraid. I trembled and bowed my head in deference. There was something about that tortured alicorn that made me want to prostrate myself in front of her. Her majesty was gone, as were her trappings, but her remaining magenta eye gazed down at me imperiously.
“Changeling, we have not seen your kind in a long while. What brought thou to this place?” spoke Celestia. Her voice was hoarse, yet the force behind it was like the glaring summer sun. My eyes widened. I opened my mouth to protest but then closed it. I was all too aware of the vulnerability of my position. My horn glowed as I let my disguise fall apart. Emerald flames raced up my body and transformed flesh back to carapace.
“How did you know?” I asked.
“We saw the green ichor pouring from thy wound. Only a changeling has green ichor.” I glanced down at my stomach, and cringed at the sight of the spear in my midsection. I had not attempted to examine the wound that was sapping my life away, and now I wish I hadn’t. I lay in a pool of my own blood. A pool that grew steadily. I looked back up and met Celestia’s single eye. “Answer us, how didst thou come to this place?”
“I...” Memories of my battle with Chrysalis, mother’s death, and my defeat flooded back to me. My mother’s sacrifice, my failure to avenge her, my mistakes... These reminders hurt me even more than Chrysalis’s deathblow. I shut my eyes and cursed my weakness as tears trickled down my cheeks. “Just go away! Why should I tell you? Besides, how would you understand? You know nothing of us!” I cried. What remained of the alicorn’s brow rose slightly, and slowly, with great effort, she lowered herself to the ground in front of me. I watched her carefully, though I knew I could not stop whatever she had planned for me.
“We understand more about the changelings than thou thinkst. Tell us, or would thou like thy story to remain untold? Lost to the sands of time? We know thou wouldst like to tell some being,” said Celestia. She smiled, her chapped lips cracking as they tugged sideways.
I ground my teeth together and glowered at the alicorn, who continued to smile down on me. I did not want to tell this pony, but the worn smile she wore was sincere, and she was right. I didn’t want anybody to know what I did, but I wanted to tell someone, anyone. The sadness and the grief that I held hurt so much. My hesitation and caution could not beat back the ache in my heart. So, I opened my mouth and spoke. “Chrysalis, my sister, I don’t know why. She wanted my mother’s throne and attempted to remove her from it. I found out and fought her, but during our battle... I...” Tears burst from my eyes. I slammed my head against the ground again and again, welcoming the pain that came with it.
“I should have known she would predict my actions! I sparred with her so many times! Instead, I did the first thing that came to my mind and teleported. My mother... She threw her life away to save me! I tried to avenge her. I fought Chrysalis with everything I had, but I couldn’t beat her. My allies... they saved me, but they’ll die because I failed. Why didn’t I see this coming? Why, damn it, why!” I couldn’t say anything more. Just the thought of my mother’s smile, the times when she taught us, the moments she punished us, they all brought me back to that fatal image of her standing in front of me, a spear embedded in her chest. I couldn’t stop my tears, no matter how tightly I shut my eyes. They just kept flowing down my cheeks. Despite the fact I knew it was futile, I wished I could use my hooves, just so I could wipe them away.
That was when I felt a warm touch on my cheek. My eyes snapped open and I saw a white hoof gently dry my tears. I glanced upwards at the alicorn, shocked. She still wore a smile, but her eye was moist.
Did she just cry for me? Did this pony princess just try comfort me? How was this possible?
“Why did fate decree two sisters to fight sisters on the same day?” rasped Celestia.
“What in Tartarus are you talking about?” I demanded and then gasped. I had realized what, or more correctly, who the other vortex of energy had been.
Celestia bowed her head and closed her single eye. “We ignored our little sister, Luna. She only wanted our ponies’ appreciation. We tried to help, but we never tried hard enough. Then today, she came to us and said she would not lower the moon. We pleaded with her, but then she turned into that... thing, Nightmare Moon.” I was astounded, wet eyes wide as plates. Celestia, the Princess of Equestria, was in tears, wracked in great sobs that ground against my ears. “We battled her, we tried to restrain her. But in the end, we were forced to seal her in her own moon. What could we have done? We could not let the night last! Our ponies would have died in the thousands! If only we had loved our sister more dearly, and took her concerns more seriously, then this would never have come to pass!”
I bit my lip and tasted the wet saltiness of the tears that continued to run down my face. To my surprise, I realized I pitied Celestia, she who failed to help her sister and had to hurt her to save her subjects. How could the world be so cruel to have two sisters fail so miserably on the same day? No matter if she was a pony, she needed my comfort. It was the last thing I could do. I knew I did not have long left. Since I was unable to move my forelegs, I nuzzled Celestia’s hoof. She opened her eyes and stared at me. I met her gaze, and smiled. “At least you saved your subjects,” I said.
The princess slowly shook her head, “We only postponed her inevitable victory. We need to recover, we need to rest. But not in time to raise the sun, not before she returns.” Celestia sighed mournfully. “Thou art fortunate. Thou canst die, regretting that thou could not punish your sister. I have solved thy problem because the whole world will die! Changeling and pony, zebra, griffon, donkey, mule, cow, dragon, animal and insect, everything will wither because of our failure to give some time for our own sister! When we return, there will be nothing left! Nothing because of our selfishness! Everything will die and we will live, knowing it was because of our mistakes!” cried Celestia.
I winced at the alicorn’s wail of despair. I had no way to comfort her. I could only offer my condolences. “I’m sorry. You must love your ponies greatly,” my voice came out in a whisper. I had begun to feel short of breath. It seemed like a weight had descended upon my eyelids and I had to struggle to keep them open. At least the pain was gone.
Celestia sniffled, “We do, and they love me greatly too. They would give their lives for us in a heartbeat.”
I chuckled, and coughed. I watched as drops of blood spattered the ground in front of me. I did my best to ignore them. “So much love... I bet if I were you I could easily raise the sun and the moon.”
I then noticed Celestia’s remaining eye widened, glinting, not with tears, but with an eager, anticipating hope.
“What is thy name and title?” demanded the alicorn urgently. Her voice was stronger than before, but it seemed to come from a long way away. My vision had darkened. I could barely see Celestia’s white hooves.
“I am Alternia, daughter of Chamelia. Goodbye, Celestia,” I closed my eyes.
Out of nowhere, I felt new vigour, new energy pouring into my limbs. The sleepiness was gone. I suddenly did not feel numb anymore. I also felt a wet sensation on my snout and I opened my eyes.
Princess Celestia was kissing me.
“MMMPHMF?” I was horrified. I should have been more worried that I had nearly died, but at that moment, all I could really think of was the fact I was being kissed. I’m not sure changelings can blush, but I swear my cheeks were aflame with embarrassment. Yet, there was something else I felt. It was love. Not romantic love, but deep appreciation and sympathy. It had been transmitted to me through the kiss and had awakened me before I fell into the abyss.
The alicorn pulled back from me, a cheeky grin on her face. “We will not have thou leavest this world just yet, changeling. We have a proposition to make.” I frowned, the princess was smiling, but her brow was set in a determined expression.
“We are about to pass on. Our body must recuperate from our sister’s assault and from sealing her. In order for us to recover, we must sleep for more than a thousand years. We must leave Equestria, in the blanket of eternal night, our ponies with nopony to turn to, nopony who can lead them, nopony who can protect them. Thou are wounded, exiled, without power, without love and without the ability to deliver justice upon thy sister. We have a deal that can solve both of our problems.” My ears straightened and my eyebrows rose, as Celestia began her proposition.
“Explain, Princess.”
“Dost thou remember that bet thou made? Thou proposed that if thou were us, thou couldst raise the sun and moon. We ask thou to take up that bet.”
I frowned, perplexed by what Celestia had said. There was only one thing that matched with what the alicorn had suggested, but it made no sense.
“Are you asking me to impersonate you?”
The princess nodded.
I gasped, coughed and burst out into laughter. My wounds groaned in protest, but I couldn’t help it. I was to pretend to be Celestia? The very thought of trying to attempt such a deception was absurd. I mean, all that love would make me the most powerful changeling in the world. So, perhaps I could raise the sun and moon.
My giggle stopped.
“That’s...” I paused, lips pursed, eyes widened, as recognition dawned. “That might just work. Are you sure I can raise the sun and the moon though? I mean the love of Equestria...”
“It will be more than enough, Alternia. It has to be,” interrupted Celestia. The alicorn momentarily gasped and gritted her teeth. “Time is running short. Alternia, Chamelia’s daughter, in return for all of the love of Equestria, dost thou swear to maintain the orbit of the sun and moon? Swear to protect our little ponies and Equestria’s citizens for as long as we rest? Swear to lead our ponies through the coming trials and turmoil? Swear to do thy best to save our sister Luna when she comes back?” demanded Celestia. I hesitated and pursed my lips. I thought about the love I had seen the ponies express for Celestia. The admiration, the praise, and the adoration that they showered upon the princess was beyond measure. It would save my life. A darker thought took hold of my mind. The love would give me the power to take revenge on my sister. No matter how long I needed to toil as Equestria’s ruler, I would give anything to have that one chance.
“I do.” A moment ago I had wanted nothing else but to die. Now, it was like a spark had caught fire within me. I felt weak, but I knew what I had to do. I was ready to take on the greatest deception in my life. I would shoulder this burden and use my power to defeat my sister.
“Now tell me everything you can about yourself and how to run Equestria,” I demanded. Celestia grimaced, her marred visage darkened.
“There is a much easier method, one that will ensure that thou will keep thine end of the bargain.” Then, in one swift motion, the alicorn touched her horn to mine.
Textures, images, sounds, smells, tastes, emotions poured into my mind like a waterfall crashing down upon the rocks. Initially, I was merely shocked at these foreign sensations, but as this downpour increased, I became terrified. It was not that it was painful, but the onslaught of unfamiliar recollections that invaded my mind were too much to bear. I was lost in a whirlpool of thoughts not my own. I attempted to tear my head away from Celestia, but the alicorn pressed her nose up against mine so hard. Not able to resist or push the alicorn away, I could do nothing but stare into Celestia’s regretful eyes.
After an eternity, the torrent trickled to a halt. I felt the pressure on my horn and head give way. I blinked my eyes. Random images, sounds, thoughts came to the forefront of my mind.
“We are sorry, Alternia. But this was necessary. Thou now knows everything regarding us,” said Celestia.
I shook my head, disbelievingly. I felt alienated from my own head. I saw things I did not wish to see. Utter horrors and blazing glories that I could not comprehend, did not wish to comprehend. “What have you done to me?”
“A copy of our memories belongs to thou. It will help thou and bind thou to thy duty, at least for a while. If all hope is lost, and only if all hope is lost, then thou can find us,” explained the alicorn, her voice strangely quiet. It was then I noticed that Celestia was fading away, her tortured coat slowly becoming transparent. The fire of outrage and anger seized my mind. With the bitter sting of anger in the back of my throat, I lunged at Celestia. However, the wounded alicorn took a step back and my jaws only cut through air.
So I resorted to words. “You conniving pony bitch! You tricked me! How dare you burden me with memories not of my own! How dare you chain me to this post after I showed you pity! I should have known to never trust a pony!” I roared, my fangs bared against the alicorn I had once pitied.
Celestia bowed her head dejectedly. “We know. Thou may confer any form of punishment upon us when we return. It is our fault that this came to pass. It was our fault that we had to resort to such measures. But Alternia, we beg of thou; do not begrudge our ponies for our crimes. Thou will have many long years to plan thy revenge on us,” said Celestia.
I wanted to throttle the alicorn. I wanted to blast her with my magic. My horned sputtered, but all I could produce were tiny sparks. I lunged forward and my horn nearly pierced Celestia’s chest, but to my dismay I fell short. At that, my frustration, and my fury at being tricked, boiled within me like a raging ocean and I screamed, “You are going to wish you were dead after this is all over, alicorn!”
Celestia cringed and cantered backward, the faded light in her eyes flickered with fear. She was afraid of me. Good. I wanted her to sleep lightly and know that I was waiting to punish her. She then bowed her head and sniffed. I saw her tortured frame tremble with fear, and yet, she was still focused on one singular desire. “Thou canst do whatever thou desirest to us. As long as thou protect our ponies.”
In those words, I could taste the love she had for her ponies. It was the most powerful I had ever sampled. Those few resigned sounds were like a proclamation of love. I could also see the regret, and the guilt in the alicorn’s mangled frame. I saw her memories. They told me of her sorrow. I still was furious at Celestia. My anger and my pride, they screamed for me to hurt the alicorn and to punish her for what she had done to me. Yet, I was surprised that this pony could have so much love to give. So much love that she would offer her life to me when she returned, even when she was so scared of what I might do to her. It was something that I could not ignore.
“Go to your rest, Celestia.”
That caused the alicorn to jerk her head up, her face ablaze with surprise, “Thou...” I shot a withering glare at Celestia and she fell silent. The alicorn sighed, but she wore the slightest trace of a smile on her face.
“We wish thou the best of luck, Alternia...” As the final vestiges of Celestia’s body faded, there was a flash of light, like the final ray of the sun before it drops below the horizon. There was also another flash, of green flames crackling.
Ponies saw this light and rushed toward it. They found a wounded, white alicorn with a pink, green and blue mane, a spear stuck in her abdomen.
“The Princess is alive! Get her to the infirmary!”
Seriously, read the author’s notes. There’s an important announcement to be made.