The kingdom of Canterlot had evolved into a sprawling city of peace and harmony as the years passed by. The ponies within the walls enjoyed the bounty of food, security and peace. It was a truly a golden age for the kingdom, with one minor exception.
The princess of Canterlot, Celestia, was an inconsiderate and selfish ruler, very different from her caring and compassionate mother.
Celestia cared little for her people and only wanted to make herself happy. It was never about anypony else, only her.
Ever since Luna’s ‘banishment’, as Celestia would call it, things between her and her mother had been growing worse. So much so that the tension within the castle was rising.
Celestia sat in her room on a pillow taking in slow relaxing breaths. The two maids behind her were gently stroking a brush through her mane. The earth ponies were being very careful with Celestia’s mane, taking their time.
“Remember not to pull my mane when you brush!” Celestia snapped, holding her head up and not even looking at them. It was as if she didn’t even recognize them being there. “I want you to make my mane presentable, not rip it from my head!”
The earth ponies meekly nodded. “Yes, your highness.” They continued their repeated strokes, this time being even more careful. If Celestia had turned around, she would have noticed a cold sweat coming from both of them.
But she didn’t care. It was all beneath her. She had more important issues on her mind.
“Where is that blasted maid with my breakfast?!” she growled in her mind. “If that cook could be any slower, I would surely starve.”
The statement couldn’t have been further from the truth. As she looked down, a large patch of flab hung pompously over the side of its equally arrogant owner’s stomach. The sweets she had partaken in for years had finally taken their toll on her body. But that was far from important. She was a princess; she was to be spoiled.
The door on the other side of the room slowly opened to reveal a white mare with a plate of cookies. She started to shake nervously as she approached the less than radiant and more overweight Alicorn.
“Your cookies you requested, your highness,” she spoke in a tense tone as she held out the plate with the golden brown cookies. The cookies were not uncommon for Celestia. She would take sweets whenever and wherever she could get them. And as her title as princess of Canterlot, it wasn’t difficult.
Celestia’s horn started to glow as the treat was lifted into the air by the magical aura the formed around it.
“It is about time!” she barked. “Could the chef be any slower today?”
The maid lowered her gaze, as the princess’s eyes grew harsh. “I’m sure he did his best.”
The princess took a single bite of the chocolate chip pastry, but after a second, spat it in the maid’s face.
The maid drew back in shock, as cookie crumbs, chocolate chips, and saliva were hurled in her face.
“These cookies are cold and there are not nearly enough chocolate chips in them!” Celestia shouted as she leaned forward. The maids behind her tried to compensate for her sudden movements, but could not keep up.
“Take them back and tell him to make a new batch!”
The maid bowed her head quickly; sweat building on her face from fear. “Yes, your majesty. I’m sorry, your highness.”
Celestia tilted her head with a snobbish ‘humph’. “Forget it, I have lost my appetite.”
She used her magic to jerk the plate of cookies into the air, causing the treats she despised to be hurled all across the floor. The maid looked around her, seeing the desserts rain all around her. She then looked down for she knew it was her responsibility to clean them up.
“Take those and throw them away!” Celestia ordered.
“Yes, your highness,” the maid meekly whispered. She then proceeded to pick up the treats that were scattered across the floor.
“And what did I say about pulling my mane?!” Celestia turned back towards the maids behind her.
The two ponies bowed their heads in unison and spoke, “Apologies, your majesty.” The maids knew it was because of Celestia’s sudden movements that had caused them to accidentally pull on her mane, but they didn’t dare speak up. It wasn’t their place. So instead, they just took her harsh words.
The princess then turned her head back to its normal position and continued to watch as the young maid attempted to clean the mess Celestia made.
“Is it too much to ask for the ponies in this stupid castle to do anything right?”
The maid started out of the room with the plate of cookies in hoof when she bumped into a tall purple stallion with a dark blue mane. “My apologies, Sir Roland,” she whimpered as she bowed her head.
The old stallion smiled and bowed his head. “It is quite alright, my dear.”
Sir Roland made his way into the princess’s room and bowed before the Alicorn. “Your highness.”
Celestia eyed Roland and then turned away, her head tilted upward. “What is it, Roland? Can’t you see I’m in the middle of something?”
Roland tilted his head lower to the ground. “Forgive me, your majesty. But I come on behalf of the council.”
Celestia rolled her eyes and gave an exhausted sigh. “What do they want now?”
Roland raised his head and met with Celestia’s face. “They are requesting that you visit the village this morning.”
Celestia scoff and almost started laughing. “The village? Tell me you jest. I am not setting hoof into that rat town again.”
The stallion took a nervous step forward. “Forgive me, princess, but I do feel that it would be good for you to see the citizenry.”
Celestia snapped forward. “Do not proceed to tell me what is good or bad for me!”
“My apologies, your highness. I…” the stallion lowered his gaze again. “...Overstepped my bounds.”
“That you did,” Celestia replied with a snarl. An eerie silence fell within the room. The only sounds that were heard were the silent brushing of the princess’s hair or the birds chirping out the window.
Sir Roland looked towards the ground as if looking for what to say.
Celestia rolled her eyes and sighed. “Fine, I shall attend to the village.”
Sir Roland glanced up to the princess with a bright look on his face. And then the princess spoke again.
“But you are never to harass me about this again! Am I clear?” Celestia snarled.
The stallion bowed his head once more. “Of course, my princess.”
Celestia waved her hoof as if to shoo Roland away. “Then ready my carriage. I shall grace that dirt heap with my presence.”
Roland started to cringe at Celestia’s choice of words, but quickly hid it, hoping she wouldn’t see.
Celestia did see, but she ignored it. She didn’t care about what Roland or anypony else thought of her. She just wanted to get this nonsense over with. And the sooner, the better.
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Riding in the carriage was never something Celestia enjoyed. She just wanted to stay in her room and rule her country from there. She hated going to the village. It was dirty, low-class, and everypony there had horrible speech patterns. She looked around her to see pony after pony giving a quick glance at her majesty carriage.
The carriage was gold and bright. It mirrored the one her father had been in when he left for the peace summit. The one he never returned from. The ominous memory didn’t help cool Celestia’s nerves.
As the ponies looked upon the carriage, they whispered to each other. Celestia couldn’t hear what they were saying, but she had a good idea. She had once heard several maids speaking to one another when they thought she wasn’t listening. They would go on and on about how tyrannical Celestia was and how she was nothing like her mother or sister.
They would make up cruel and despicable names for her, like ‘Trollestia’ for her fat body and mean demeanor that represented the mystical beast; the troll. They would go on about how she should crawl back under the bridge she came from. They would laugh as they continued to belittle her.
“How dare they speak so ill about me?! I am the Princess of Canterlot! I should be respected and worshiped!”
The carriage stopped sharply, throwing Celestia off balance by the sudden shift of movement.
Celestia cursed under her breath. She poked her head out the window of the carriage. “What is going on?!”
At the front of the carriage was a white unicorn, who was confronting the two pegasi drawing her carriage. “Please, I must speak with her royal highness,” the mare begged.
Sir Roland came from the side and approached the mare. “State your business.”
The conversation continued, but Celestia had quickly lost interest. She slunk back into her carriage and waited like an impatient child. “This is exactly why I don’t like going to dirt town.”
Within a few moments, Sir Roland appeared at the window side. “Your majesty, if I may speak.”
“If you must,” Celestia snarled, glaring at Roland with discontent.
The stallion bowed his head, “Your highness, the unicorn is a nurse from the Canterlot City Clinic. She has asked me to speak on her behalf.”
Celestia remained silent as she turned her head away. She didn’t want to hear about what petty problems these ponies faced.
“Your majesty, please. Just listen,” Roland continued.
Celestia once again glared at the knight. He had been in service of Canterlot since her mother was young. He was a strong, kind and honest knight. He was also annoying persistent when it came to helping others. He would always speak about the joys of helping others and simply asking nothing in return.
Celestia was above all that. She was a princess and all that moral code and ethics meant nothing to her.
“She is having trouble helping her patients and would ask that you lend her your magical talents.”
Celestia snorted in contempt. She was hoping that was enough to break Roland’s will, but the stallion was uncommonly unrelenting.
“Please, your highness. If not for me, for yourself.”
Celestia moaned as she rolled her eyes. “Fine. But this is the last time I do this village any favors.”
The knight bowed his head and advanced towards the white unicorn, who could be heard cheering with joy at the news she had heard.
Celestia shook her head in annoyance. She couldn’t believe that she was actually going to help the rabble. “What have any of these ponies done for me? Why do I owe them anything?”
A question she continued to ask herself as they made their way to the clinic.
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The clinic was not far from their current location. A short jaunt was all that was required to arrive. The carriage placed itself just outside the doors to the medical center, with the pegasi waiting outside.
The unicorn, Sir Roland, and Princess Celestia entered the hospital, one after the other. The nurse led them to down towards the coma center. Rows upon rows of beds greeted them, each of them holding a filly or a colt. They were all tossing and turning, mumbling something. Celestia couldn’t hear what they were saying, but then again, she was hardly interested.
“These children have all been experiencing the same problem,” the nurse stated.
Celestia noticed Roland raising his eyebrow, “And… what problem would that be?” he asked.
“They enter a death-like coma, only screaming and shouting for something to stay away from them,” the nurse explained.
“All of them?” Roland asked, a horrified look attached to his face.
Celestia was thinking the same thing, but did her best not to show it.
They were taken to a mare and a stallion, who were kneeling over a small filly, who was lying on a white mattress. The pair’s eyes were bloodshot and there were tear stains on the sheet covering the child.
The trio approached the slumbering child. “This is Melody,” the nurse introduced the child on the bed, pointing towards her. “And these are her parents.” As her hooves motioned towards the pair at their child’s bedside.
The parents did their best to smile, but couldn’t find the strength or courage to do so. Celestia simply tilted her head upward with a snort.
Silence fell all around them. Celestia wasn’t interested in the sob story that was about to be told, but she knew Roland would be, so she didn’t say anything.
And like the sun predictably rising over the mountains, Roland finally broke the awkward silence. “And this child as well?”
The nurse nodded. “She seems to be having nightmares.” She then placed her hoof on the child’s head.
An ominous silence fell over them, as if the nurse didn’t have the courage to continue. It was several seconds before the nurse finally spoke again. “We have tried every spell we can think of, but nothing has helped. If anything…” the nurse paused. She took a deep breath as she looked into the hopeless faces of the child’s poor parents. “It’s made things worse.”
Celestia rolled her eyes. “What do you want me to do about it?” she asked, impatiently.
The nurse bit her lip, a cold sweat slithering down her face. “We… we were hoping that… you could help…” she stuttered. She then swallowed deeply, as she realized she forgot to pay her respects. “Your majesty.”
Celestia turned away. She knew that Alicorns were more magically adept than normal unicorns, but she wasn’t interested in using her magic. She wanted to just turn around and trot out, but Roland’s voice stopped her.
“Please, your majesty. Please try.”
Celestia scowled at the knight for his abruptness. She shook her head. “Fine.” The princess’s horn started to glow as she took a step towards the bedside. Melody’s parents took a step back, fearing the worst, silently praying for the princess to succeed.
The princess concentrated with all her might, attempting to awaken the child with a ‘wake up’ spell. However, something resisted her. Something incredibly powerful. It fought against her and pushed her back. After several moments, she surrendered to the mysterious force and cancelled her spell.
She exhaled deeply in irritation. “There is nothing I can-!” Melody screamed out as she leaned up from the mattress and grabbed Celestia’s arm violently.
At that moment, the hospital room that Celestia had been in a second ago had vanished. Instead, what replaced it was a fiery nightmarish hell. The sky was bright orange and red, thunderclaps echoed all around her and lightning flashed in every direction she looked. She saw stone platforms floating uncontrollably around the empty space that engulfed her. However, like volcanoes, the platforms would erupt in fire, smoke and lava. With each passing second, a new platform would burst with a quaking boom that overpowered the thunder.
She then turned around to see a pair of yellow eyes peering straight at her. As she looked beyond the eyes, she saw the figure of a massive beast. It had two hideous horns on its head and a smile that took her very breath away. The creature then unleashed a sinister cackle in the air as a wave of fire rushed straight towards her. The flames consumed her, as she screamed in searing pain.
Her screams came in unison with Melody’s as the filly plopped back onto the bed without making another movement. Celestia looked around her and saw that she had been freed from that nightmare world and back into the hospital. She took a step back in fright, unsure of what to make of her vision. She looked down at her hooves and noticed they were shaking. The world that she had entered, the sounds and sights of that strange Tartarus, and the beast within, it was enough to scare her speechless.
Finally, Roland came to her side. “Your highness, what is it? What happened?”
Celestia continued to breathe heavily as she tried to conjurer an explanation of what she had just been through.
“What in the world was that?” She asked herself. “Was it a dream? A nightmare? My head playing tricks on me?”
Her mind recorded justification after justification, but none made sense.
Roland’s voice tried to reach her, but she couldn’t hear him. His voice made no sound. She only heard the sounds of the hell she had been trapped in for a moment or two. She had never been so terrified in her life. It was worse than any prank that had been dealt to her on Nightmare Night. And then it hit her.
“This… This was some sort of trick or prank!” she declared. “It must be! Something to make me look foolish! The nerve!”
Roland slowly helped Celestia to her feet. As he looked into her eyes, he saw anger and frustration in them. “Princess, what is wrong?”
“Roland, we are leaving!” Celestia snapped as she turned towards the exit, trotting with her head held high.
“Pri-Princess… I,” Roland stammered.
“Now!” Celestia interrupted as she turned her head towards the knight. The stallion motioned to speak, but surrendered to Celestia’s will. He simply bowed his head and followed the alicorn towards the carriage.
“Princess Celestia!” the nurse shouted. She made her way to the princess’s side and bowed. “Please, princess. You can’t just leave.”
Princess Celestia glared at the mare before her and held up her hoof. “I can do what I please! Now away from me!”
The nurse was dumbfounded with shock and grief. She simply stood up and stepped to the side, allowing the princess to pass unhindered.
As Princess Celestia started to board her carriage, the mother of Melody came to the carriage’s side.
“Please, you can’t leave my baby! Please, don’t leave her!” she begged as she desperately grabbed at Celestia’s hoof.
Celestia struggled to break the grip of the mare. “Let go of me! Guards, get her off me!”
Roland approached the mother and wrapped his hooves around her. He then pulled her back with all his might, forcing the mare to release Celestia’s hooves. “Ma’am, you need to step back,” Roland stated. As the carriage door shut, locking Celestia inside, the mare started to weep uncontrollably. Roland leaned in on her ear, attempting to whisper, but Celestia heard what he said all the same.
“I’m sorry… I am so sorry.”
“Why in the world is he apologizing to her?!” Celestia ranted. “I’m the one who deserves an apology. I was forced into traveling to this dirt town, was coerced into using my magic against my will, taken to … Lords know where! And then I was assault by this ruffian!”
Celestia sat on the leather seats of her carriage as the pegasi continued their march towards the castle. She looked out the window to see the fading image of the village she detested so much. It was so small and so irrelevant compared to the castle. She didn’t understand why any pony, let alone one as important as her, would bother with such a trivial place.
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Celestia had spent the rest of the day in her room, having her servants wait on her. However, she was growing increasingly bored, but had little interest in doing anything beyond sitting and watching her servants attempt to entertain her. Her mind kept wandering back to the incident at the village. She continued to curse Roland for forcing her to go and the village for their cruel trick.
“That was uncalled for!” she thought to herself. “I didn’t deserve that!”
Celestia’s horn started to glow as a cupcake was hovered to her face. She took a bite and moaned as its sweet taste tickled her tongue. She swallowed with a sigh of satisfaction. It was the first treat she had had all day that didn’t taste like it had been in the trash first.
She took another bite as the door to her room slowly began to open. When she looked towards the doorway, she saw Sir Roland standing at the doorway. Celestia rolled her eyes as the knight entered the room. “What is it now?” Celestia snapped.
Sir Roland bowed his head. “The council has asked for your presence.”
Celestia scoffed, as she took a bite of her treat. “What makes you think I care if the council requires my presences?” she spoke as she chewed her cupcake.
Sir Roland diverted his eyes and bit his lip. Clearly it bothered him to see such poor manners, but Celestia didn’t care. She was a princess after all.
“Your highness,” Roland said as he stood tall. “I am to deliver you before the council.”
Celestia looked at Roland with a look of shock and disgust. She swallowed her treat and spoke, “You are to deliver me?” She leaned forward, glaring at him. “Who do you- Who do THEY think they are?! I am the princess of Canterlot!”
“I am sorry, your highness. But those are my orders.” Roland stated firmly. “And I will carry them out.”
Celestia mouth hung wide open with disbelief. She was baffled by such disrespect towards her. Celestia finally stood up and marched towards the doorway, bumping rudely into Roland as she passed.
“How dare Roland treat me this way?! Why is everypony against me?!”
She continued down the hallway towards the council conference room, where she was expected.
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Celestia entered the double doors of the conference room, where a gathering of stallions and mares sat at a large round table. As she entered the room, all eyes diverted themselves directly to her. She looked behind her to see Roland, still escorting her.
He stepped in front of her and bowed his head to the council. “Princess Celestia, my lords and ladies.”
The stallion at the head of the table bowed his head. “Thank you, Sir Roland.”
Roland lifted his head and exited the room, leaving on the council and Celestia behind.
“Step forward,” one of the mares said.
Celestia snorted as she complied with her order. “Consider that a boon. One I will not repeat.”
“Do you understand why you are here?” the head stallion spoke.
Celestia didn’t care to shake her head or nod it. She didn’t know why she was here, but she had a good idea. The council had always wanted her to speak to the citizens more. They wanted her to become closer to the ponies she was going to one day rule. Something Celestia did not share. She did not see why she would need to spend time with them. To be closer to them. She failed to see why it would even concern her. She was royalty and that was enough to get respect.
After an elongated silence, the head stallion spoke again, “You are here because you failed to represent the kingdom of Canterlot in a positive manner.”
Celestia’s ears perked themselves up. She shot a look of discontent towards them. “What does that mean?!”
“You are incapable of compassion and kindness,” the first mare left of the head stated. “It has shown itself on more than one occasion.”
Celestia growled under her breath. “Compassion? Kindness?! When have I ever been shown either?! Why is it expected of me when I am not treated to such things either?!”
“You are disrespectful towards everypony around you and you have no concept of responsibility!” the second mare left of the head snapped. “The servants who work for you are treated poorly and the villagers are treated even worse. An unacceptable aspect of your demeanor.”
Celestia had finally heard enough. “How dare you?! You are not fit to judge-!”
“Be silent!” the head stallion sharply ordered.
Celestia took a step back in shock. She couldn’t believe what that stallion had just done. He had interrupted her and more to the point, he had told her to keep silent. Celestia then grew enraged. “You would dare interrupt me?! I am the princess of Canterlot!”
“Not anymore,” the head stallion stated.
Celestia opened her mouth to speak, but she stopped when her mind processed the words that were spoken. “Not anymore?” she replayed the message in her mind. She looked around the room, taking note of each of the ponies around her. She was expecting one of them to crack a smile or burst out laughing, as if it was some kind of joke. She saw none of that. Instead, she only saw scowling faces and disapproving eyes.
“What?” Celestia finally asked.
The head stallion stood up and one by one, the others followed. “Celestia, you are being stripped of your title and your authority. And you are to be banished for the good of the kingdom.”
Celestia shook her head in disbelief. “That is ridiculous! On what grounds?!”
“The grounds that you are unfit to be the future ruler of Canterlot. You fail to see what our kingdom stands for. The ponies and the kingdom do not deserve a pony who would treat them with such disdain.”
Celestia took a step forward. “You cannot take my title from me! You can’t banish me! I outrank all of you!”
The head stallion diverted his eyes from her and towards the ground. His eyes then glared at her. “This comes from a higher authority than even you.”
Celestia drew back in alarm. She couldn’t believe what she had just heard, but somehow it didn’t surprise her. It only made her angry. “I want to see my mother!”
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Celestia burst into her mother’s room, the doors booming as they flung open. She saw her mother standing by the window side, the same window side she stood at when she delivered the news of her father’s death.
“How dare you?!” Celestia shouted as she pointed her hoof at her mother.
The queen turned around and gazed upon her daughter. “You left me no choice.” Her voice was calm and still. She didn’t look like she fully recognized what she was doing. That only upset Celestia even more.
“No choice?! How dare you take my title from me?!” Celestia stomped forward and locked her eyes directly into her mother’s.
“You have proven that you are not able to rule this country as it needs to be!”
“Of course not!” Celestia snapped as she took a step forward. “But how could I compare to the precious, favored daughter of Canterlot?!” She hated herself for speaking ill of her sister, but the words escaped her mouth before she could stop them. She immediately regretted those words, but she tried her best not to show it. Especially towards her mother.
“How dare you bring Luna into this?!” Faust shouted in anger. She shook her head in frustration. “Having Luna leave us was the hardest decision I ever had to make and it was even more impossible to ask it of her! But she did it for you!”
Celestia shook her head, violently. “No, she did it for you!” she blamed as she pointed her hoof at the queen. “She did it because you wanted her to! And she’s just a devoted daughter!”
“I did it to help you!” The queen took a step forward. “I did it, so that I could personally help you become a better pony, but you keep pushing me away! You push everypony away! Your father would be ashamed of the pony you’ve grown into!”
“You condemn me for bringing others into this, yet you would bring father?!” Celestia growled under her breath, grinding her teeth. She knew it was unbefitting for a princess to look like a mad pony, but she didn’t care. She was angry. “You! The pony who stopped caring for me the second he was gone! Where were you when I needed you?! You were always with Luna or some other important business!”
“I never stopped caring for you!” Faust snapped. “But you are too wrapped up in your own anger and arrogance to see that! To see how you treat other ponies!”
“What do I owe these ponies?! They have never done anything for me!”
The queen simply glared at her daughter with disapproval. “Those ponies do more for you than you could possibly imagine. And if you can’t understand that, then I cannot allow you to stay.”
Celestia fought back the tears that were growing in her eyes. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Her own mother was banishing her. Her anger had finally reached its breaking point. “Fine! You want me gone! I’m gone!” she turned around quickly, heading straight for the door. “And I’m never coming back to this damned place!”
As Celestia marched down the hallway, her anger consumed every thought.
“This is not fair! Why does everything I love have to be taken away from me?!” She continued down the hallway, tears starting to swell up in her eyes. Her thoughts distracted her from the world so much, it wasn’t until she bumped into something that her world came back to reality. When she looked up, she saw the figure of a silver stallion with a gray mane.
“My apologies,” the unicorn expressed as he politely bowed his head.
Celestia’s anger took over and she rudely brushed against him. “Keep your apologies. I don’t want them.” She continued to trot down the hallway and towards the outer castle doors, mentally preparing herself to leave the only home she ever knew. With every step she took, she felt a piece of herself slip even further into despair. With every step she took, one more tear fell from her cheek.
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Celestia stood outside the city walls. The village had been dead silent as she and her escorts passed. They simply looked at what was happening and remained still. No matter what any pony was doing, they instantly stopped and watched as she dragged herself through the town. It was an eerie feeling, she was used to being seen by everypony for her magnificence, but this time felt different, like they were scolding her.
She would often look up as she passed them. Some of them had confused looks on their faces, some of them had anger and resentment, and some of them look rather… pleased. Pleased, like they knew what was about to happen to her. Like they knew she was destined to be sent away from her home, never to return.
“How dare they? Here I am being escorted out of the city like a common criminal! And look at them, not a single sad face among them! They should be begging me to stay! There should be a riot in my name!”
She continued to ask herself these questions as the guards opened to the doors leading out of the city. Celestia took a glance at each of the soldiers. Not a single one shed a tear, not a single one even so much as looked at her. She felt as if she had been jabbed in the chest. Not even her own servants respected her anymore. She proceeded through the doorway, her head hanging towards the ground.
She looked towards the sky, which was a sea of beautiful twilight colors. Red, orange, purple, and dark blue painted a picture of beauty and tranquility. Something she had wished she could have stayed and enjoyed. Something she wished she had somepony to enjoy it with. But she had nopony, she had nothing.
Except a single picture. It was a small picture, but it was her most valuable treasure. She levitated the picture towards her face, gazing upon it. She saw the faces of two young mare; Luna’s and herself. “Luna, you’re all I have left. I promise I will find you. I have to.”
With that thought, Celestia took her first steps forward towards the horizon. She wasn’t sure where to start looking. All she knew was that Luna was probably the only pony who cared about her. She had to find her. No matter the cost.