Celestia stepped out onto the balcony. Luna lowered the Moon and went back to bed while Celestia struggled. At first it did not seem the Sun would budge.
"C'mon... Move it! The plants need you, Stupid ball of fire get your butt in gear!" Celestia said as she fed more magic into her horn, which in turn tried to push the Sun upwards into the sky. Celestia huffed and grinded her teeth.
Why isn't it moving? It's being especially difficult today. Celestia thought as pain shot up her shoulder.
Gosh darn it now now! Celestia thought again as she collapsed into the ground.
Breathing heavily, Celestia got back up again and tried again and again and again until she could no longer get up. Celestia tried to get up but her shoulder would not let her. Celestia with the last bits of angry magic pushed the Sun up whether it liked it or not. Celestia sighed with relief and rose up slowly, only to limp back into bed. Celestia closed her eyes briefly, only getting five more minutes of rest before Luna began to sing. Luna danced on Celestia's back.
Good thing you're not that heavy...
"I'm walking on Sunshine! Woooah!" Luna said in a half done note, the sound hurt Celestia ears as Luna's voice cracked slightly. Luna was joking with her sister, She laughed as she bounced off and smiled at her sister.
Celestia grumbled and opened her eyes. Celestia rose up and walked over to their dresser only to bring out medical wrappings. She tightly wrapped them around her shoulder and walked out.
"Tia are you feeling ok today?" Luna said, not really worried.
"No! I'm not fine! Our parents are basically as good as dead! No pony is here that can help me with the Sun, while you can just throw the Moon across the sky like it's nothing! My shoulder feels like it's being torn off every time I raise or lower the Sun!" Celestia said, snapping.
"Tia I-" Luna choked out. Celestia glared down at the filly, only to stamp away.
Luna sat there. Her eyes filled with tears, feeling the sting of Celestia's words. Celestia winced in pain as her shoulder protested to her heavy steps. Luna turned around and walked the opposite way from her sister. Luna arrived back on the balcony. Luna jumped off and fluttered her wings.
No.. I can fly... I don't need Tia! If she's gonna be mean then I don't need her! Luna thought as she fluttered her wings harder, Attempting to fly down. Luna felt the draft of wind shake her around like a rag doll. Luna screamed at this, closing her wings she fell like a rock. Celestia heard this, and immediately burst through the balcony door, looking over the rail she saw her a blue alicorn begin to fall.
"Luna I'm coming!" Celestia yelled as she jumped off.
Celestia closed her wings, gaining speed she caught up to Luna and held her close. Celestia kept Luna under herself as she turned, her back facing the ground. Celestia flapped her wings hard, but the cold air was less dense and Celestia plummeted. Celestia slowed only slightly. Celestia hit the ground with a thump. Dust kicked up from the area below and Luna could not see, but she could definitely feel Celestia under her.
"Ti-Tia..? c'mon.. you can't get hurt now.. we gotta go and see Wind Song and Lily and Nebula... what about Spark Shower? He'll ball his eyes out if you get hurt." Luna said as she lifted herself off her sister's hooves, which fell limply. Celestia coughed a bit. then lifted herself off.
"Heh... I guess i'm ok.." Celestia said as she fell down again. Luna rushed over and helped her sister up again.
"This was an eventful morning." Lua choked. Celestia smiled.
"I'm sorry for-" Celestia began to say as Luna hugged her tightly.
"Let's go get breakfast." Luna said, running forward. Celestia trotted behind. A crowd looked at her like she was crazy.
"Princess are you ok? You just fell from all the way up there!" A pegasus said as he pointed towards the balcony. The balcony was far upwards. Hundred of feet above, a guard was staring down.
"Wow..." Luna said as she looked at Celestia.
"I can't believe I'm ok." Celestia said as she walked after Luna. The crowd stared at Celestia. They were the only ones who noticed Celestia had a chunk or rock in her back. The crowd stared at the rock as it was pushed off, covered in blood. Yet the wound in Celestia closed as what seemed like her own magic worked around it, In only a minute Celestia was back to normal. The crowd stared at the bloody rock.
"Eh Princess-" The pegasus said again. Celestia turned around. Holding up the large rock in a magical aura, a unicorn's face contorted as it was held up with it's magic. Celestia shook her head.
"I think I would have known if I'd hurt myself that badly." Celestia said as she walked away. Luna waited for her by the doorway and they walked into the castle. The guard said as the lasts of the wound closed up. His eyes widened.
Holy stars above... Ok.. ok Keep it together... after all she is an alicorn...
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Celestia walked past the throne room, hearing the chatter of the court. Levier had less and less time for them but somepony else had been kind enough to teach them magic. An old friend of Levier's actually. He was alive during the time when Equestria was born. StarSwirl the Bearded, he had created hundreds of spells and many potions for magic. Though he had aged as time went on he was still a great and powerful unicorn. Celestia though was worried about meeting him, Luna couldn't be more excited.
"I can't believe we're going to meet him!" Luna said happily and she skipped down the hallway.
"I dunno..." Celestia's voice trailed off as a grey unicorn walked down the hallway.
"Excuse me sir, do you know where I can find StarSwirl the Bearded by any chance?" Celestia said politely.
"Why?" The grey unicorn said.
"Eh.. well Levier asked us to find him.. she said he might teach us..." Celestia said under the unicorn's gaze. His yellow eyes peering into her.
"Hm... well, here he is." the unicorn pointed to himself. Celestia and Luna's jaws dropped and they bowed quickly.
"I'm so sorry I didn't know what you'd look like or-" Celestia said quickly and the unicorn patted her head slowly.
"It's quite alright." the unicorn said quietly.
"It's pleasure to meet you- sir" Luna said as she bounced up and down.
"Indeed." The unicorn said as he turned down the hall.
"Wait, where are you going?" Celestia said, a confused tone in her voice.
"You said you needed to learn magic right?" The unicorn said with a slight smile.
Celestia smiled and Luna chased after the unicorn as they all ran down the hallway. They arrived at an area specifically designed for learned magic. It was a round ring of sorts. Farther away was a pool of water with one tree, A Weeping Willow, leaning over the water. The area was shaded by the castle.
"I guess your mother did have knack for making things just right." StarSwirl said as his smile faded slowly. Celestia nodded a bit, Luna quietly sat down, only to wave over Celestia. The two sat down and waited for instructions.
"Alright. Stand up." StarSwirl said. The girls stood up.
"Ok. Sit down." StarSwirl said with mischievous tone. The girls slowly sat back down.
"Now get back up." StarSwirl said as he sat down. Celestia and Luna looked at StarSwirl unamused.
"Eh... what the heck kind of training is this?" Luna said flatly.
"You'll see." StarSwirl said as a smirk spread across his face. Celestia huffed and stood up. StarSwirl progressively got faster until the sisters were actually tired.
"Good. You two will listen to me." StarSwirl said as a servant came over with three drinks. Celestia allowed herself to take a sip of tea, only to give Luna her water. Luna was never one for tea. StarSwirl sipped his tea, which was strong compared to Celestia's. StarSwirl sat down near the pond, sitting in the shade of the willow.
"May I sit next to you?" Celestia said as Luna joined her. StarSwirl nodded his head and watched the sisters carefully. He saw how Luna was quite creative and adventurous while Celestia would take her time if she could. He could easily see that the two loved each other very much, anypony could see that. They had a strong bond with each other.
"Oh goodness! We forgot." Celestia said as she quickly rose up.
"StarSwirl, can we go see our friends.?" Celestia looked up to the old stallion. He nodded and the sisters were off.
_______________________________________________________________________
"I can't believe you met StarSwirl the bearded!" Nebula said excitedly.
"That's amazing!" Spark Shower said as he fluttered his wings.
"I can't believe we're being taught by him!" Luna gushed excitement with her voice.
The friends chatted on and on, under the shade of a tree. the open park was beautiful in the sunlight, ponies played without a care in the world. Lily though, sat alone, near the pond. Celestia saw her sitting alone and excused herself. She walked over slowly. Lily's eyes seemed to stare into the distance, empty and cold.
"Hey Lily." Celestia said as she neared the mare. Lily looked up at her, tears streaming down her face.
"Oh my- Wait happened." Celestia rushed over and moved Lily to face her.
"I- I-" Lily choked out.
"It's ok Lily you can tell me." Celestia said looking at the mare, clear worry in her expression.
"I can't get over... Why? Why...? It's not fair!" Lily said, pounding her hoof into the ground. Celestia put her hooves on the mare's shoulders and held her close.
"My parents died..." Lil said quietly, only to sob uncontrollably. Celestia's expression went south.
"I'm so, so sorry Lily, please, Is there anything I can do?" Celestia said, tears welled up in her eyes.
"I don't know... I just know that i'm moving downtown to live with my other friend." Lily said quietly.
"Alright... I'll tell the others when you're ready... You don't have to tell them yourself." Celestia said with a small smile, Lily thanked Celestia over and over again.
"If it's no problem, May I ask.. how?" Celestia said to the mare.
"It happened during the attack, My mom and dad ran outside, but they never came back. Before I knew it I got whisked off my Spark Shower, and well you know the rest." Lily's voice trailed off.
"Ok, I understand." Celestia said, giving Lily a handkerchief.
Lily got up and walked alongside Celestia on the way back, Her friends started to know the height difference between Celestia and the rest of them. Celestia was only a few inches taller but it still made her look older even though they were all about the same age. Lily sat down and smiled at her friends. Celestia took a seat next to Luna, who played with her mane, hiding in it she "spied" on Wind Song as she talked to Spark Shower, even though they weren't even a foot away. Lily joined the conversation by making a comment on Nebula fangirling about a stallion that's almost a hundred years old.
"Hey! You'd be acting the same pony who came up with... uh what exactly do you do Lily?" Nebula said as she paused for a moment to ponder what Lily's cutie mark meant.
"Yeah! The first pony to make candles!" Nebula said raising her hoof in the air. Lily pushed her hoof down.
"I don't make candles, it represents illuminating bringing out the truth." Lily said as she looked at nebula calmly yet with a bit of annoyance.
"So what are you a detective?" Nebula said looking back at at Lily, they each took a step closer to each other, getting close to each other's faces.
"No. It just means I can read people.' Lily said, her mouth pushed back in a snarl.
"GUYS!" Spark Shower said pushing the two away from each other.
"No petty arguing." Spark Shower said as the two gave a half apology, refusing to make eyes contact.
Wind song, then attempted to lighten the mood. Wind Song flew up into the clouds and began to make shapes. first she made a bunny, then made a snake chasing the bunny, then she made an bucket to catch the snake, rounding up all the clouds she could she made the picture of two alicorns, then a unicorn and an earth pony, the two pegasi. The earth pony and unicorn were mad at each other until one pegasus came over and pushed the two apart. The earth pony ran off and one of the alicorns brought it back. the smallest one, another alicorn, jumped onto the other alicorn and hid in it's mane. The other pegasus smiled and the other ponies joined it and also smiled. Wind song then dispersed the clouds. Her ears perked up when cheers came from the ground.
"Amazing!"
"Such great cloud work!"
"The characters were so cute!"
"Who is that mare?"
"Wind Song that was awesome!" Luna said from below, jumping out of Celestia's pink mane. Her friends smiled ad laughed at themselves. Lily turned towards Nebula, who was blushing to see how silly she and Lily looked.
"Truce?" Nebula said with a mischievous smirk.
"Truce." Lily said and she hit Nebula in the shoulder.
Nebula took this and hit Lily back. Celestia winced at the thought, though her shoulder thinking the same as it shot pain through her again. Celestia rubbed it a bit and smiled up to Wind Song, who flew down. Spark Shower clapped and a few smaller fillies came over and asked what else she could make in the clouds. Wind Song took a few requests and flew up once more, making the clouds move again. Ponies cheered and laughed, StarSwirl even came out onto one of the many balconies of the castle to watch.
"Alright.. i'm tired, tomorrow.." Wind Song said as she breathed heavily. the fillies all nodded and ran back.
"That was great Wind Song! Where'd you learn to do that?" Lily said as she trotted over.
"Oh, I learned how to do it by myself. Mostly when I got bored at home." Wind Song said with a slight smile, blushing a bit under her mane.
"There's no need to be embarrassed Wind Song, that was great!" Spark Shower said as he flew over the mare.
"Aw, Thanks guys." Wind Song said and she smiled.
They all smiled and laughed and played for the rest of the day, Celestia and Luna walked their friends home (This had become a regular thing)All along the way, one by one she would whisper into her friend's ears about what happened to Lily. Though the time came where Celestia and Luna had to rush home and do their duties. Celestia lowered the Sun, though this time her shoulder didn't hurt nearly as much as it did in the morning, Luna lowered the Moon.
"Today was nice." Luna said as she fell into her bed.
"Yeah, hey Luna..?" Celestia said as she turned towards her sister.
"Yeah?" Luna rolled over to face her sister.
"Promise me that you won't leave me ok? I'm sorry about this morning again.." Celestia said, though her eyes felt heavy she kept herself awake for Luna's answer.
"I won't Tia, promise. I'm sorry too... jumping off was not my best idea." Luna said with a tired giggle.
"Goodnight Luna." Celestia said as she drifted off to sleep.
"Night" Luna said as she felt herself drift off as well.