//------------------------------// // Playing Games Ch.2 // Story: A Time Before // by Blue Turtle //------------------------------// Celestia had spoken to the flowers many times. But not actually speaking, but listening. She was beginning to grasp the idea that magic flowed everywhere. Celestia spoke to them because she thought that since only ponies can do magic, which are alive and can talk, that the plants could talk too. She took care of them, watering them and pulled out weeds, hoping that if she took care of them long enough they'd talk back to her. Celestia often watched them grow, a long process but she had nothing better to do, Her parents were often too busy with either the court or on trips to neighboring countries. Nebulis was either dealing with the courts and filing papers and Galaxia was also doing the same and preparing for Celestia's new sibling. Celestia was not supposed to play with the other children, apparently she had to keep herself higher than them. But she didn't feel like that, After all, she was just a filly like them. Maybe it was because she was an alicorn? But that thought slipped her mind as she looked down from the raised garden to see a group of noblemen's children playing. A few pegasi, a earth pony and then a unicorn that sat in the shade. Celestia glanced over to the door that led to her and her parent's room. Though she was only allowed in the small garden outside of that, she disregarded that and flew down. The pegasi and earth pony stared at her, and the unicorn looked at her from afar. Celestia walked up slowly and calmly to the pegasi and quietly said, "May I play with you?" Celestia looked up at the pink pony that seemed to be in charge of the small group "Yeah! sure, But we won't treat you any different because you're a princess ok!" The pink pegasus fluttered its wings and pushed over a ball. "Ok, so the object of the game is knock the ball into the goal. One of us will be the one to try to stop the ball from getting in. We'll have two teams of two, but since we only have one goal then whichever team gets the ball in get's the point." the pink pony then lined up the four players, picking what was probably her friend or sibling to be on her team. Then called over the unicorn and said. "If you want to be our goalie then no magic!" The pink one said with a rude tone. The unicorn nodded and ran over to the post. The pink filly kicked the ball to the earth pony, who kicked the ball towards Celestia. Celestia kicked the ball back to the pink pegasi's team mate a grey pegasus known as Spark Shower. The Earth pony Lily looked at her and confidently smiled when Spark Shower missed the ball and it went into the goal. The unicorn attempted to stop it but missed by a few centimeters. This happened several times for both sides. Celestia once again tried but was stopped and so was Spark Shower's attempts. They played games for hours; Hide n' Seek was a favorite. By mid afternoon Celestia had known all the names and characteristic of her friends. Spark Shower was tall and lean but was timid for his age, He was grey and had golden yellow streaks in his mane. Lily was small but was not afraid to tell somepony if they were wrong. She often settled disputes with logic and reasoning. Lily was light grey with a dark green mane. The pink pegasus was known as Wind Song, though she was mostly pink there were some tones of purple and light blue. She quite pretty actually. She was nice enough but a bit commanding and put into the leader role many times, She often liked to crack jokes with her new friends.The unicorn was called Nebula for her dark blue coat, She rarely talked and would listen carefully and intently, always following orders and never asking questions. "So now what? It's almost sunset." Wind Song playfully said "We could play Hide and go seek again." Spark Shower looked around "Nah, That would be the sixteenth time." Lily calmly said "We could tell stories." Celestia hovered over the three. "Yeah! like um... Well I don't really have any." Wind Song started out confident but then grew timid. The other ponies nodded in agreement. "You guys don't know any stories?! Well then I can tell you some..." Celestia slowly uttered They looked up and Celestia was about to begin. "Ok, so once a long long time ago, There were four kirin that gave us all the land, the sea and the clouds. Oh and warmth! Anyhow, so the i'll give you the names... Ignis was the one who created the land but there was no life. Aquarius then made water to erode away the land. Then Gaia made plants to keep the land in place. Ventus then made weather to displace the water and either erode away the land, give the plants water and refill the oceans and lakes. Ventus understood the balance that needed to be kept between the four. He then told the others and they agreed to stop fighting each other but then-" Celestia was cut on when the heavy thump of hooves hit the ground on the small area they were on. Her friend turned then saw the figure and bowed. The unicorn gasped as her eyes darted away from his scroll to see King Nebulis right in front of Celestia. He seemed angry with her. "Young filly! What do you think you're doing! You know the rule!" Nebulis scolded Celestia. She winced and his dark magic picked her up and carried her up to the balcony above. Nebulis turned to look at the cowering fillies and sighed. "My apologies but Princess Celestia is not supposed to play down here." Nebulis looked down at them with a slow gaze that humbled the fillies easily. "We- we're sorry you- your majesty..." Lily barely said as her eyes darted back and forth between Celestia, who was up above them and looked at them with concern and her friends who were terrified. Spark Shower looked like he was about to have a heart attack. Nebulis let out a hearty deep laugh, and tussled Spark Shower mane. The now confused fillies looked at him with a look of, "Ok who are you and what have you done with our King?" look. "Alright, I must be off, stay away from the edge." Nebulis said as he flew onto the upper balcony. "What... just happened?" Wind Song turned to look at her friends "I think our King just laughed at us..." Nebula in amazement looked at where the stallion was just there moments before. "No.. I think he was laughing at our fear." Lily said as she glanced around. The ponies nodded and when the noblemen burst through the door to yell, Nebulis peaked over the railing on the balcony and gave an unamused look that said, "do not yell at them they were having fun so please do kindly silence your voices." The noblemen scurried away with their children and refused to make eye contact with their king. He disappeared behind the rail to speak with Celestia. "Celestia... dear you know why you're not allowed to play with the other children..." Nebulis looked down at his hooves "Daddy... I know but- Why? I can handle it, Promise! I won't-" Celestia cut herself off as Wind Song flew up to them and hugged Celestia goodbye "See ya later Tia!" Wind Song excitingly said. "Yeah..." Celestia squeaked out. Wind Song flew away and Nebulis looked back. "Celestia please, I don't want them to know..." Nebulis looked up with concern in his eyes. "But if I don't play with them they'll get mad at me.." Celestia sat down and looked at the lake below the castle "Ok, You may play with them. But if you sense anything is wrong, immediately come to me or your mother ok?" Nebulis pulled Celestia under his wing. "Ok Daddy." Celestia moved closer to him with a wide smile. ______________________________________________________________________________ Celestia paced back and forth on the balcony. It was the middle of the night, she was waiting for her friends. Her mother was right now having her foal and Nebulis was most likely alongside her and too busy to see what Celestia was up to. Celestia saw four shadowy figures on their play spot and jumped down. "That you guys?" Celestia whispered "Yeah, Nebula couldn't come though she had to go to a dinner party." Wind Song whispered back "That's too bad." Celestia lit a small light from her horn to shine on her friends "Ok, so we're heading to the town right?" Spark Shower whispered with his friends The other three nodded and silently, Celestia lifted up Lily with her magic. Spark Shower and Wind Song were amazed at this, Celestia though sweating from the exhaustion, lifted her wings and slowly but carefully glided down with her friends. It was a long way down from the balcony and Celestia wasn't sure how long she'd be able to glide and lift Lily up, who was terrified at the thought Celestia would let go of her. But Celestia refused to let the fatigue of both gliding and using magic to lift somepony that was most likely just as heavy as she was. The balcony jutted out from the cliff side, Celestia looked up and saw how amazing the upper castle must seem. Above them was a small garden and their favorite spot to play, and above that were her chambers. But below them is where the court was held, as were ceremonies and other various things. The kitchen and dining area was down there so often Celestia had to make a trip down the flights of stairs carved inside their mountainous home. But so was the town, if they could sneak through the courtyard then they'd be able to go to town. Though guards were everywhere and would most likely not just scold them for flying at night. But Celestia had a plan. "ok guys, I want you all the squeeze your eyes tight and no peeking!" Celestia nervously said. There was just too much space between them and the ground, at the pace they were going at they'd have to fly back up before getting in trouble. Her friends did so and they felt her magic put them into an orb. Celestia closed her wings and they fell. Faster and faster, Lily, Wind Song, and Spark Shower held their breath though, too terrified to scream or even do anything. Just as they were about to hit they bounced into the air, then stopped. "Ok guys you're good now." Celestia Hovered above them. The three fillies looked up in shock. Spark Shower had his mouth gaping open. Celestia took back the spell and then landed. "Alright then we should get going." Celestia said as she waved her friends forward. She had no clue where she was going until she remember something "Why didn't we just take the stairs down! I mean they were right next to the balcony where we played!" Celestia face hoofed and her friends then did the same. "Well there's no use now, we gotta go!" Lily started to sprint, only to be followed by her friends, eventually reaching Town square where the fountain was. Lanterns floated in the water, glowing softly against the night, which seemed abnormally dark. Though the light on top of the mountain was amazing. It was a crystal, with a blue flame inside, the crystals reflected the light beautifully. Celestia stared at the water. She almost seemed hypnotized, but Lily bumped into her and she quickly snapped out of it. "Hey where is everypony?" Wind Song looked around to see no lights coming from the windows. "Well it is late, they're all asleep probably..." Lily reasoned Celestia felt a strange presence following her all throughout the day, but it grew stronger that night. "Hey guys... you don't feel like you're being followed right?" Celestia mumbled "Nope." Lily looked strangely at Celestia "Nah." Wind song made a "pfft" sounds with her lips "Yeah.... no." Spark Shower looked behind himself "Well... ok then." Celestia unassured said. The four fillies walked down the streets, exploring the dark streets "Hey guys... I we gotta go!" Lily looked up and the moon, which was getting close to the east. The ponies shared no other words, they just ran, dodging carts and lamps posts.Celestia the waved them off as they each went home, watching them climb up into their rooms to make sure each one of them got home safe. Celestia flew as fast as she could, but felt the dawn would come soon enough and she would be caught. She neared the balcony above her parent's chambers and sighed in relief. Celestia quietly landed and walked to her chambers, only to fall asleep in a few minutes at the softness of her bed.