Princess Celestia took long exaggerated sips from her tea cup and closed her eyes in an attempt to avoid the wanton looks. They wanted information albeit from a hurtful memory. She knew about Spike's affliction but needed a moment to gather enough courage for the coming story. Perhaps this would not be the best place to retell such a story. Alas, her sister and the six sitting across the table needed to know something concerning Spike's condition. Today a new burden would rest upon her shoulders for the sun shines its light on many things and carries the weight of illuminating truth.
"So, Princess, what the hay is wrong with Spike?" Rainbow Dash inquired with an earnest desire to know more about her friend.
Celestia calmly set the tea cup down on the table, took a breath to ease her mind, and opened both eyes to view the six before her. A serious look was etched into Rainbow's face and Celestia acknowledged the similar concern expressed by the others. She took a moment to view each face presenting its own level of involvement noticing one beheld a little more than the others. Celestia tried to return her eyes to Rainbow, but the accompanying voice caught her retreating glance.
"I-I don't want to sound too forward but, Princess Celestia, I humbly request you tell us what is wrong with Spike. I certainly could tell...something was off earlier this morning though I knew not the cause. The look in your eyes is understandably one of great concern and pain. However, I need to know what is wrong with my Spikey-Wikey," Rarity said letting two tears fall onto the table's surface.
The Princess looked upon the quickly drying tears watching scenes play out in their reflective surfaces: one of her sister and the other-.
Princess Luna interrupted the passing thoughts with her own voice.
"This is not like thou, dear sister. What is wrong with thee?"
"...Memories from a nearly forgotten time, Luna." Celestia said this painfully returning her eyes to the five sitting across the table. "My Little Ponies, I have lived for more than a thousand years. Countless and innumerable are my experiences, tribulations, and...failures. You all know how I failed my sister for you saw the darkness in her heart. There is another I failed soon after my sister's banishment. It is contained within a memory never told to anypony including my sister.
One fateful night, my sister and I set out to reclaim property stolen by a great accumulation of dragons. They had become brazen to a point where Luna and I feared the increasing raids. You six must understand times back then were very trying when hardships were plentiful in rebuilding Equestria and developing new communities. Our task was not only to return the stolen property but dissuade future raids. Among our many disagreements, my sister and I could not reach a compromise on how best to approach the dragon problem. I wanted to talk peace whereas my sister wanted to demand it."
"T'was a foolish notion, dear sister. Our hooves have caused many troubles and have learned thy lesson tenfold endlessly contemplating our envious anger in an everlasting solitude."
Celestia gave a forgiving look and nod in hearing Luna's words who only meekly smiled back in response. Celestia, however, kept referring to the group as a whole intending to reveal a story held close to her heart.
"My forgiveness should be enough to put those concerns to rest. However, as you six can plainly see, the past enjoys haunting one's present memory in numerous ways. When my sister and I approached the dragon horde celebrating their largest catch, we both found that many had attacked each other seeking claim to others' fortunes. It didn't take long to realize a single jewel—a pure white diamond—had enticed the greedy nature of these dragons into open conflict.
Remarkably, only a single dragon remained standing, visibly bewildered and shaking having witnessed untold violence. He had claimed the diamond regarding its beauty with nervous eyes. My sister and I continued to curiously watch as this particular dragon turned to his brethren berating and scolding their very nature. He expressed with screams of anguish a wish that he'd reviled his dragon nature since birth wanting a different life than what fate beheld for him.
There came a moment in his outspoken cries when the diamond dispersed an unnatural bright light causing the dragon to fall silent. His eyes fell upon the diamond and, though I'm fairly unsure what he saw, his face struggled into an unfamiliar smile. Perhaps my eyes deceived me in the bright light, but I did not see a dragon holding that diamond which led to my final decision.
I can clearly remember the tearful dragon whom returned the pure white diamond to our hooves that fateful night. My Little Ponies, I cast a forbidden spell that night with high hopes tearing away the outer scaly skin to reveal what lie within. It is forbidden for a reason due to a particular devastating effect. I'm very sorry that Spike is the next to fall victim to its enchantment...I wish there was more I could do for him..."
The sadness creeping up into Celestia's throat made it difficult to continue the story. Twilight took this opportunity to learn more about the spell. She felt that if she knew more there might be an unseen fix. However, she hadn't yet seen why the spell was forbidden.
"So, this particular spell is the same one cast on Spike?" Twilight asked to which Celestia nodded.
"T'was our fault, Twilight Sparkle," Princess Luna interjected her response to the inquiry. "We assumed it a necessary course of action at last night's display when two particular wishes reached our ears. We would not have cast the spell if it were known to be forbidden."
"What makes the spell forbidden?" Twilight asked curiously.
"I-" Princess Luna tried to respond cutoff mid-sentence by Celestia.
"-it causes one to fester, rot, and wither away to dust," Princess Celestia tearfully said regaining the ability to speak.
"IT DOES WHAT!?" Twilight shouted out in complete shock.
Twilight's friends expressed the same concern in their own words. Rarity, on the other hoof, simply fainted with a thud on the floor helped back up by Princess Luna.
"Who the hay would use such a spell! That's entirely uncool!!"
"Oh my..."
"WHAT!!? THAT'S NO FUN!!"
"Now jus' on hold on a minute here, y'all!" Applejack said extending a hoof to calm the others down. "Spike's in a real pickle right now! Ah'm sure there's a way ta fix this but flyin' off the handle ain't gonna help!"
"Applejack's right, everypony!" Twilight seconded the opinion. "There has got to be a solution to this problem like a counteracting spell, potion, or..."
"I'm afraid not, My Little Ponies," Celestia said shaking her head with closed eyes. "This spell proved impossible to overcome in the past."
"What about that other spell you cast an hour ago?" Twilight asked hopeful for a solution.
"That is only a temporary fix, my most faithful student. It is a powerful spell meant to envelop another in a protective layered aura."
"So, it's like a shield?"
"Not quite. More like a film or wrapping."
"How come Spike returned to his dragon form if it is only a protective spell?" Twilight asked intrigued about these spells she's never seen performed.
"I do not know. Perhaps that is a reaction to the previous spell," Celestia responded now witnessing a familiar glint in her student's eyes.
"That sounds plausible as some spells can lead to a chain reaction due to properties exhibited in earlier ones. If the second spell temporarily fixes the first, there is a possibility that a solution could be ascertained between the two."
Twilight started to tap her chin in deep thought. Celestia smiled for this was the very reason she was proud to have her as a student. Trouble arose countless times with easy fixes seemingly out of reach, but solutions were surprisingly achieved in the enthusiastic aspirations of this filly so young. Celestia trusts her most faithful student and so threw Twilight into harm's way entrusting the young filly with blind ambitions assuming the outcome would not lead to another mistake. She's glad they never did for the princess does not need anymore burdens of guilt. Twilight repeatedly overcame these insurmountable odds to Celestia's relief which is why she was chosen to be an alicorn. The Princess continued to watch Twilight deciding that perhaps her most faithful student would like to see something worthy of interest.
With her horn glowing brightly, Celestia summoned a book from her royal bedroom quarters onto the table before Twilight.
"Huh? What's this?" Twilight asked partly surprised by the book appearing before her.
"My own personal collection of past memories, spells, incantations, political conflicts, and many other things I'd never show to another...except my sister of course."
"Wow," Twilight uttered marveling at the simplicity of the small black book before her. "How can something this small contain so much?"
"You'll see," Celestia responded.
The book sitting in front of Twilight beheld an unremarkable cover hiding away a thousand years worth of knowledge. Celestia opened it up to one particular page whose countless small dots could not be recognized as written words. Twilight's friends rushed to her side and likewise found the book impossible to read. In the next few moments of trying to decipher the innumerable small dots, the written words on the page all at once became readable, enlarging themselves enough to accommodate an observing eye.
"It's enchanted," Celestia stated seeing the confusion in her student's eyes. "An incantation was placed on the book long ago to make it feasible to write this much. One might say it is an optical illusion, but we do not say such things in reference to magic."
"Fascinating! I'd like to borrow it," Twilight said without a second thought on the inquiry.
"When you're older, Twilight," Celestia quickly responded. "In fact, I'm noticing a few wandering eyes."
Celestia's horn started to glow and she blocked out everything except what she wanted the six to see. Pinkie raised a hoof in order to ask a question.
"Yes, Pinkie?" Celestia asked.
"I know I wasn't supposed to see anything, but what is with the 'banana enlargement spell'? It seemed a bit strange."
"Nevermind that spell."
"But-"
"-Best forget what you read. It is for you own good. Its effects are not as pleasing as one would think. In the end, size doesn't matter."
"...Okey dokey," a confused and dejected Pinkie responded.
Princess Luna shot a suspicious look at Celestia concerned about her sister's mental state. What had she been doing in Luna's absence? Celestia noticed the suspicious look deciding to offer a whispered response.
That year we experienced the worst famine as the Pegasi couldn't get the rain clouds to cooperate, Celestia said quietly.
"T'would be true if based on facts, dear sister. Thee always enjoyed enlarged bananas," Luna said rolling her eyes to which Celestia formed a sly smile on her lips.
The facts are that one of those enlarged bananas was more tasteless than one of your moon pies.
"We will not stand thou mockery of our delicious moon pies in comparison to thy tasteless enlarged bananas!" Luna's outburst caught the attention of the six sitting across the table. She quickly averted her eyes elsewhere slightly embarrassed by the abrupt display of emotion.
"Do you see the spell, my most faithful student?" Celestia asked returning the focus to the topic on hoof.
"Oh...yes," Twilight said studying the words again. "The spell unveils the true nature of whomsoever gets hit by it. It seems rather straightforward although the caster needs to realize what lies inside one's heart so-to-speak. The most peculiar aspect of this spell's description are these words: To not err in a face, a dole, and slice is provable of imbuement. Whatever does that mean, Princess?"
"I don't know, Twilight. I only assumed it meant not to make a mistake in casting the spell. Is there something off about it?"
"I'm not entirely sure, but it seems as though the one who wrote the spell was trying to convey a truth about its casting we have not yet realized."
"What makes you say that, Twilight?" Celestia asked curious as to what Twilight was seeing in those words.
"Well, 'err' means to make a mistake. So, the first part does serve as a warning for one not to cast the spell without knowing another's true nature. The manner in which the description explicitly states this indicates that special precautions have to be taken. However, the words, is provable of imbuement, sounds like something else needs to be considered. My hunch is that this spell was incorrectly cast on that dragon and Spike. The answer is in those words. I know it!" Twilight excitedly skimmed the rest of the spell looking for answers. However, her orange-coated friend looked up with a bit of confusion displayed on her face.
"Ma head is spinning from all this riddle talk. Many pardons, Princess, but what happened to the dragon? Did he experience the uh...effects ya told us 'bout?" Applejack asked. "Ah'm just wonderin' if what happened ta him could provide some clues ta help Spike."
"That is an excellent question, Applejack. As said before this is the same spell cast on the dragon from times long past. I'm still a little hesitant in continuing the story as it is not a pleasant memory."
"I-If we could hear the tale it would be most appreciated," Rarity spoke up with a few tears in her eyes garnering Celestia's undivided attention. "It was my...wish that got him into this troubling predicament. I need to know what happened to my Spike."
"T'is not true, young one. We should have known better," Princess Luna said this trying to accept the blame but the white-coated unicorn shook her head in response.
"It is not your fault, Princess Luna, for it is solely mine. I must take full responsibility for these occurrences as Spike is very dear to me."
"Rarity, it is no-" Twilight said trying to dissuade her friend from admitting guilt.
"-No, no, Twilight. My presumptuous behavior is what led up to this conversation. It was a foolish notion to seek love. Be that as it may, I need to know what will happen to my Spike. After all, he is my super special somepony. I implore you, Princess Celestia, to divulge the story of the dragon from long ago."
"Very well," Princess Celestia said closing her eyes trying to recall the painful memory in full. "The events of the dragon's degradation occurred soon before Luna's...final disagreement with me. Therefore, both events transpired simultaneously though I'm not sure which one hurts me more. Listen well for, once this story is revealed, I will promptly take my leave as I have many responsibilities today."
Princess Luna and the six ponies across the table looked upon Princess Celestia as she began to retell a story not disclosed for a thousand years.
[/hr]
Princess Celestia stood above all others in her Day Court. The bustling activity and rife commotion was proving to be overwhelming. Looking from face to face, Celestia tried her best to address all concerns, but she soon discovered that this was not feasible. Today's proceedings were a chaotic mess with flurries of inquiries, insults, and accusations running rampant. She could only involuntarily watch as the court officers tried their best to maintain order.
Sister, what have you done? she asked herself.
"Princess Luna has abandoned us!" one stallion yelled out.
"Good riddance! Kidnapping little yearlings! The nerve!" a noble mare responded.
"It wouldn't have happened if Princess Celestia kept better watch over her!" a third stallion chimed in.
"So, you're blaming Celestia, are you!?"
"What if I am!? What good have these two sisters really done for us in recent years!? My family barely has enough to eat!"
"Watch your tongue, neigh-sayer! Or Celestia will imprison you!"
"Her soft heart doesn't have the guts! Besides, I'm already being tortured under her rule!"
"ENOUGH!!" bellowed Princess Celestia in her rarely used Royal Canterlot Voice. "WE WILL NOT ACCOMMODATE SUCH DISHARMONY! IT WILL ONLY SERVE TO FURTHER DRIVE OUR NATION APART!"
In the following silence, Princess Celestia steadied herself beginning to address everypony's affairs one at a time.
"My Little Ponies, I understand your concerns about my sister's absence from these halls. However, we must work together to find a solution and not come at each other's throats. My sister's leave is very troubling. Rest assured I will not sit idly by while my sister tears our nation apart and kidnaps young colts and fillies. There have already been many talks concerning this matter and, though I wish it would not be so, we might be facing an open conflict. Her...disagreements are causing too much rift."
Sister, why must you leave me with no other choice. Have I not shown you due care? Celestia lamented to herself before continuing.
"In addition, I have already addressed the famine issue with repeated inquiries sent off to the Pegasi. The clouds are not behaving correctly and it will take a little while to correct the problem. Many alternatives are being taken under consideration as we speak. Know that your Princess is doing everything in her power to-"
The court's doors abruptly opened with a decrepit pony shambling through them. Princess Celestia would not had paid it a second thought, but this particular pony seemed familiar.
"HOW DARE YOU!!" the pony screamed at the top of his lungs with a voice reverberating off of the court's walls unhindered in the silence. "YOU TOOK EVERYTHING AWAY!! NOT EVEN MY MOTHER RECOGNIZES ME!!"
Everypony looked at the new arrival in shock due to both his unsightly appearance and rude entrance. His disheveled and unkempt hair matched the lack of color in his coat. With sobs, tears, and a heaving chest the pony locked eyes with Celestia. Untold bitter anguish and hostility was expressed through gritted teeth. He tried his best to move towards the Princess held back by physical handicaps and the court officers.
"WHO ARE YOU TO DICTATE MY LIFE?! WHAT MAKES YOU THE HIGHEST AUTHORITY IN THESE LANDS!? THIS IS WHY MY BRETHREN DESPISE YOU!!" The ruined pony relaxed in exhaustion unable to physically express the anger in his heart. "I believed you knew what was best. I trusted your wisdom falling prey to it. Now, look at me. LOOK AT ME! I'm more lost than I've ever been before..."
The pony weakly raised a hoof observing its ugly appearance.
"What has happened, young one?" Celestia asked trying to match a face to a name.
"What happened indeed?" he mocked the Princess with a bitter smirk. "Do you not recognize me, pony goddess?"
"Can't seem to recall your name at the moment, I'm truly sorry," Celestia responded maintaining an unwavering prose.
"Then I will not tell you my name lest it be taken, too."
Celestia shifted her weight feeling uncomfortable in this pony's presence.
"I'll ask again. What has happened, young one? Why have you interrupted these morning's proceedings?"
"What happened is that I returned your diamond and received a curse!" yelled the pony shaking a hoof at the Princess.
One of the court officers had heard enough getting ready to push the pony out the doors. However, Celestia stopped the officer with a wave of her hoof.
"A diamond? Do you mean to tell me that you're the dragon from the night my sister and I recovered the stolen property?"
"I was once a dragon. But not anymore. I'm not even sure what I am," said the pony hanging his head in sorrow.
Though those attending could not tell, Celestia experienced withheld shock and confusion. Could the pony standing before her really be the one from that fateful night? Celestia looked beyond his decrepit appearance realizing this was indeed the dragon and something had gone wrong.
"I'm not entirely sure what has happened, young one, but let me help."
"I don't want your help," the pony muttered to himself.
"There are many doctors that could help with your con-"
"-I DON'T WANT YOUR HELP!!" The pony turned his eyes to the others in the room seething with anger. "YOUR PRINCESS IS A FAILURE!! SHE OFFERS ONLY LIES, DECEIT, AND PAIN!! DO NOT BE MISGUIDED UNDER HER RULE!!"
"Please, I can hel-"
"-I RETURNED THE STOLEN PROPERTY...AND YET WAS CURSED FOR IT!! DOWN WITH YOUR PONY GODDESS!! I CURSE HER NAME UNTIL MY DYING BREATH!!"
"Please, I ca-"
"-YOU ALL WANT TO KNOW WHAT AGONY IS LIKE? JUST ASK YOUR PONY GODDESS TO SHOW YOU!!"
"GUARDS! TAKE THIS ONE AWAY TO THE DUNGEON!"
The guards promptly did as they were told hauling away this pony to the dungeon. A confused mass of ponies looked at their princess whom tried her best to remain calm. Only in rare occasions did they witness a pony sentenced to imprisonment due in part to Celestia's caring nature. However, this pony had struck a nerve by trying to publicly defame her character. None dared to make any noise. They listened as the pony was taken away afraid to make any movements.
"THIS IS THE TRUE FACE OF YOUR PONY GODDESS!! REMEMBER IT WELL ON YOUR OWN DEATH BED!! SHE WILL-"
The doors leading to the dungeon quickly shut with the resounding screams abruptly silenced. Celestia said nothing staring off into the distance trying to recollect herself. The mass of ponies remained quiet not daring to make any movements.
"The Day Court is adjourned for today," Princess Celestia said heading off to the dungeon. "Thank you all for coming."
[/hr]
The pony faced the corner of his cell refusing to acknowledge Celestia's presence. She looked in at him through the bars wanting to know more about what happened to him.
"Will you not let me help you?" Celestia asked in the kindest voice she could offer.
"No. You've done enough."
"It is not in my nature to walk away," Celestia persisted.
"Do as you please."
"What I want to do is help. How can I when you will not tell me what happened?"
"...Why do you care?"
"It is in my nature."
For a minute or two an uncomfortable silence hung in the air.
"...Did you do this to me on purpose?" the pony asked weakly holding out a hoof.
"The transformation to a pony form? Yes. But not the condition you appear to be in. Are you in pain?"
"Yes."
"Oh. I'm sorry," Celestia said expressing genuine sympathy. "If I would have known the spell's effect, I wouldn't have cast it."
"...Yeah...ok...If it is any consolation, the new form made me happy for a while. The company of pony kind is more accepting than dragons albeit I still miss my old life. The small village you sent me to accepted me openly and I now have many fond memories of the place. However, it didn't take long for this new body to...turn into what you see. Not a day went by I didn't feel my skin crawl. Then, came the searing pain like another's claws dragged along the underbelly. Every pain-filled fiber in this body indicates something is wrong. All in all, I can sense my end quickly approaching with each muscle's cry of pain from moving about. I didn't belong in that pony village and so returned to a rejecting mother. I'm sorry about the interruption from earlier. I assumed the affliction to be entirely your fault but, perhaps, this is just what I deserve..."
"Would you have preferred a dragon or pony life? I suppose I should have asked you that night."
"I-I don't know..."
"I see. I'll send for a carriage to take you to the local hospital."
"Don't bother. Let me be. This is where I belong. This is what I deserve."
Celestia tried to reason with the pony that a hospital would be more suitable than the dungeon. However, his stubbornness forced her to send him to a hospital without consent. The many doctors and physicians assigned to his case couldn't figure out what was wrong. Their lab reports indicated a healthy pony though his appearance said otherwise. It only took a few days and his condition worsened to a degree almost disabling the ability to walk.
Worry crept into Celestia as she repeatedly looked over her mentor's notes for any cure or counteracting spell. Alas, she did not find a single answer in those riddled words. The best she could do was provide a room in the castle for comfort. She made repeated visits to check up on his status finding the room empty one day. In gathering a search party, she discovered that the pony returned to the dungeon seemingly convinced that the cell is where he belonged deserving the bitter end in losing what made him whole.
At the same time this occurred, Celestia tried to recover the missing colts and fillies taken by Luna. Luna refused to release the yearlings back into Celestia's custody. Murmurs and rumors ran rampant throughout Equestria picking sides for now the nation became divided between two sisters. Particularly disturbing were the murmured accounts of one called, Nightmare Moon, whom gave Luna counsel.
An exhausted Celestia returned to the dungeon seeking a solution not only to the pony's problem but her own failures.
"I've been thinking," the pony weakly said lying down on his side in the cell's dirt facing the wall, "perhaps the air, itself, is hurting me. If I stay still, I don't feel the pain so much."
Celestia decided to blow some air into the cell with her wings. The flowing air seemingly made the pony wince in pain. Celestia apologized and promptly hurried out of the dungeon with renewed hope. She skimmed her book for the spell that would most likely save his life. Having found the spell she rushed back to the dungeon and cast it. There before her laid the dragon from long ago. She smiled with happiness not felt for many days though it faded when she realized his condition remained the same.
The pony dragon struggled to sit up and stared at his returned claws. He then peered behind him at Princess Celestia with a look of confusion and a single tear escaping his eye.
"I feel a little better...but it still hurts very much," he said before lying back down.
Celestia had one last hope to help the dragon. In requests bordering on pleading, she asked the owner of the pure white diamond to part with it. The owner only did so after many trade offers and one threat of banishment. Upon receiving the diamond, Celestia was surprised to find it lost most of its shine looking rather dull. The owner had even warned that it didn't look quite the same in recent years. This was the first time Celestia had ever seen a diamond lose its shine. Nonetheless, she rushed to the dungeon with this latest endeavor.
Placing the diamond before the dragon, she watched his eyes widen. His claw trembled as he reached out for it but then stopped halfway. For a brief moment, the diamond emitted a bright white light and some color returned to the dragon's scales. Celestia watched in amazement as the dragon strained a smile in response to the diamond's emitted light. However, both the diamond's light and the color of the dragon's scales quickly faded back to grey.
Celestia decided to leave the two alone hoping this would be an unexpected fix. She had other matters that needed attending.
Upon leaving the dungeon, she set out to raise the sun but found it an impossible feat. The moon was locked in place. In anger of this betrayal, Celestia flew off to confront her sister who denied the sun's advance and the moon's retreat. Celestia tried to reason with her but Luna lashed back in fury attacking her sister. Celestia, of course, defended herself knocking Luna to the ground whom shook it off and stood back up unaffected.
"Why must you act in this manner, dear sister?" Celestia demanded.
"Why must thou not listen to us? What makes thou know what's best for Equestria? We offer thee continual support, yet our right to equally rule by your side is neither accepted nor deemed necessary. Our loyal subjects heed only your word. Apparently, we do not deserve the same respect and admiration. Compromising acceptance among our subjects is all we've ever desired, but we're denied this every time because of you! Dost thou even care about us? Are we not more important than your trailing shadow? We are done playing your foalish games! Give us ONE reason to not end your rule tonight underneath the everlasting moon high above," Luna responded in tempered rage by no means holding back countless years of pent up resentment regarding repeated disagreements.
"I'm your sister!!" Celestia yelled out at Luna with tears in her eyes.
"...Not anymore," Luna said letting a purple shroud encase her body. "You are no sister of Nightmare Moon."
What Celestia witnessed emerge from the purple shroud made her heart skip a beat for the being standing before her was most certainly not her sister.
Why dear sister? I've always cared for you though I cannot get around the wall you've built. I fear you take a dark path I cannot follow. Perhaps one day you'll understand that your sister truly loves you with all her heart.
[/hr]
Celestia returned to the castle battered and beaten. She had done the unthinkable. Nonetheless she glanced one more time at the moon before lowering it. On her way to the royal bedroom, a few ponies caught a glimpse of their limping princess. She paid their desires to help no attention heading to the bedroom to find much needed sleep. Celestia didn't know what to think. In fact, she didn't feel much at the moment trying to maintain her composure.
An aide galloped up to her asking if she was all right. Celestia managed a nod not wanting to cause others worry. The aide then informed her that something happened to the dragon in the dungeon. She had tried to give him some food but discovered he didn't move an inch. His scaly skin, in fact, felt like dust when she reached out to touch him. Celestia's eyes shot wide open, and she hurried to the best of her ability to the dungeon. Upon reaching its entrance, she momentarily wished this was just a bad dream.
Approaching the dragon's cell, she noticed him not moving. His left claw remained extended towards the dull diamond before him. Both had completely lost what made them shine. In the rising sun sending in rays of light from a nearby window, Celestia watched as the cell's metal bars casted a defining shadow upon the diamond and the dragon with the latter slowly crumbling away to dust.
"I'm so very sorry. It was an honest mistake. Please forgive me," muttered Celestia turning away and heading back to her royal bedroom holding back a grievous lamentation.
[/hr]
The six ponies sitting across the table didn't make a sound when Celestia finished the story. Instead Celestia promptly rose to her hooves intending to leave.
"Did you find anything in the book, Twilight?" Celestia asked.
"Apart from what I read earlier, no. It's going to take some time to think on what I read. Can I borrow the bo-"
"-No...my most faithful student. Not until you're older. There are things in there I do not intend another to see," Celestia quickly responded snatching up her book from the student's grasp. Celestia then addressed the entire group sitting at the table. "You all now know Spike's fate. Make the best use of your time with him. He'll need you all in the coming weeks."
Princess Celestia quickly made her exit with Princess Luna following close behind not knowing what to say. The six ponies sitting at the table watched both princesses take their leave in silence. It was not until the door closed that Rarity burst out crying with others lending hooves to comfort her.
[/hr]
After returning to the castle, Princess Celestia went to the palace's balcony to lower the sun. Before reaching the balcony's doors, she spotted the banana she had left in the morning hours still resting on the table. Its peel had turned black and the banana most assuredly had spoiled. With her horn glowing she raised the banana and its peel into the air. She then re-wrapped the banana inside the peel with an irrational expectation that the vibrant yellow tint would return. But it did not nor should it. With no other remedy on hoof, she threw it away into the nearest waste basket. Wiping a few tears from her eyes, she exited the room onto the balcony intending to pass from one mistake to another in an eternity of relived regrets.