Chapter 3: Without the Crown
Time and space Await…
Was it really her? Colgate glanced around the cavern. There was no pony else here. Yet, Colgate was positive no other mare had a cutie mark like this one. But instead of her multi-colored mane, it was only a glittery pink. Was this really the princess she knew?
“Celestia…” Colgate whispered the name in an almost panicked breath. She knew of no other alicorns. But why was she here and why did she look like this? A suspicion snuck up in the back of Colgate’s mind that she didn’t want to believe. The Celestia that Colgate knew and the one that lay at her feet were not the same. They were certainly still the same mare, but the one on the cavern floor looked very young. Colgate thought of what had happened with her magic. Did her incident with Discord have something to do with this? Why had she ended up there first and then arrived here?
Colgate smacked a hoof against her head, mentally scolding herself for over thinking again. But had she really? In this case, she might just be under thinking things. Before she could decide, Colgate heard a set of hooves clicking against the cavern floor. A soft blue light like the ones already floating around Colgate came around a bend down the left passageway. She couldn’t see who or what was behind it, but upon turning in her direction, it came to a jagged halt. Had it seen her? The light went out. A few moments of silence and it was replaced by what Colgate knew to be the glow of a horn.
Suddenly, in a flash, a mare hijacked the space in front of her, standing over the still unconscious Celestia, and spreading its wings, perhaps to look fierce, and shot a beam from its still emblazoned horn. Colgate was thrown backwards faster than she had probably ever gone before. Striking the cavern wall sent pain needling through her nerves. It was only the start. The resulting reverberation through the wall pried large stones loose from the ceiling. Lying on her back against the cave wall, the first came down directly on top of Colgate’s left hind leg.
The crunch was more than her ears wanted to hear. It had been no small stone. Colgate screamed. She flailed, trying to get the rock off, but it wouldn’t budge. Her ear piercing shriek echoed down every passage around them, bouncing down the cavern and back only to return to her in a horrible delayed chorus. Her whole body felt suddenly weak. She couldn’t push the rock off, she couldn’t get up, couldn’t stop the pain. Her screech dissolved into a squeak and then resolved itself to a whimper. Tears poured out of her eyes to the point where she couldn’t see. She didn’t want to though so that was good. She didn’t want to look at her leg or for that matter, the mare that had done this to her for fear that if she got out of this, she would hold a horrible grudge.
Colgate lay there for what seemed like hours whimpering in pain, uttering an occasional squeak as the rock shifted across her leg as her body trembled. She lay shaking as if the cave’s temperature had suddenly dropped below freezing and she was shivering uncontrollably.
“Who are you?” A childish voice asked. Colgate didn’t reply, taking short quickened breaths to try to deal with the pain. Her leg was certainly broken, probably more than broken, but she didn’t want to think about it.
“I’m sorry,” Colgate managed through her gasps and sobs. She didn’t even know what she was saying. The pain had her mind in a daze. Perhaps she only apologized in the hope that if the figure forgave her, it might make the pain go away. “I’m sorry,” Colgate repeated. There was no such result. Colgate could hear her attacker shift, moving toward her and then back, hesitating. Then, the mare Colgate had concluded was Celestia stirred. Maybe the scream was enough to wake up even an unconscious pony.
“Are you okay sis?” The childish voice asked in a worried hush. Sis? Colgate’s mind stopped there. It was still too clouded to think any farther.
“Where…Where are we?”
“I don’t know. But this funny looking pony tried to take you.” There was a pause and then and horrified gasp. It was a wonder that Colgate’s sobs weren’t the first thing Celestia heard when she woke up.
“Luna what did you do to her!?”
“Wh- Tia!” The younger mare seemed to plead after her sister as Colgate heard her approach. Colgate felt the boulder shift. The unicorn was moving it with her magic.
“Ow,” Colgate squeaked. “No no no no, stop stop!” Colgate was begging through ragged breaths.
“I’m, sorry. But bear through this.” With this statement, the boulder on Colgate’s leg donned an aura of yellow and slowly rose from her leg. Even if she had lifted the boulder centimeters over the course of an hour, it would have resulted in a pain that was almost more than her mind could take. She felt at several points as though she had blacked out, missing bits and pieces of her own screaming and writhing. The boulder moved off to the side and the next thing Colgate felt was a horn touch her shattered leg. It was only a tingle at first, as if the only thing the supposed Celestia was doing was numbing the ruined appendage. But after a bit, it began to hurt less. Not because it was numb. Colgate could still feel it. But as the alicorn’s horn shone brighter, the leg began to actually feel movable.
Colgate finally had a chance to dry her eyes so she could see clearly and bring her pathetic whimpering under control. The light was a gentle yellow, just like the sun and Colgate silently thanked it for hiding her leg behind itself because she was still afraid to look at it. The horn’s glow stopped abruptly, revealing Colgate’s leg to her eyes to her dismay. She hesitated in moving at all. She just stared at it as Celestia slumped to the gravel floor, seemingly exhausted.
Colgate moved her hoof as slightly as she could at first. There was no pain. She brought her leg in and then stretched it back out again. Was it fixed? Colgate kept moving her leg around in disbelief. She looked up able to see both mares clearly now. It was even more unreal. The younger was to Colgate’s amazement, indeed Luna as her apparent sister had called her. She glared at Colgate with an upset and puffy cheeked frown, almost pouting. She was small though, perhaps even smaller than Colgate herself, but with the same midnight blue fur and a mane washed in light teal. Her mane was short, not like the Luna Colgate knew with her flowing mane that was almost a mirror to the night sky. Yet she still had the horn, the wings, and the crescent cutie mark that Colgate knew only Luna bore. Colgate’s eyes moved back to Celestia, who looked a little rougher for the ware after she had used her magic to fix Colgate’s leg.
“That was…amazing,” Colgate attempted a thank you. “How did you do that?”
“It was nothing really,” Celestia said modestly. Her voice was very calm, a bit younger in pitch, but still held Celestia’s familiar serene tone. “I fixed it as best I could. I would avoid walking on it for the moment though.”
“No, it’s great.” Colgate assured her. “Thank you, princess.” Celestia, looking up, gave Colgate a confused expression. Had she said something wrong?
“Princess?” Celestia repeated as if the term were foreign to her. “Why would you call me something like that?” Colgate’s mind locked up.
“A-are you…” Colgate stammered. “Are you not…Celestia?” Celestia eyes narrowed.
“Have we met?” She asked. “How do you know my name?” Colgate’s brain waves were tied in a knot. Colgate recalled her initial suspicion before her thoughts had been paralyzed. Had she really gone back in time? How far had she gone back? This was indeed Celestia, but she wasn’t a princess yet? More than that, Luna was still with her. That meant that whatever time she was in, was before Celestia banished her sister and before these two sisters were even rulers. What did that even mean?
“Ow,” Celestia winced putting a hoof to her forehead. At this point, Luna chimed in after seeing her sister being put in pain for somepony she didn’t know.
“Now look what you did,” She seemed to scold Colgate, her voice like that of a child no more than ten years old. “You made sis all woozy again.” Luna trotted up to her sister. “Does it hurt Tia?” Her tone changed immediately when talking to her. Of course, Luna seemed naturally wary of Colgate and she couldn’t really blame her. After all, Luna had no idea who Colgate was or where she had come from.
“It’s alright Luna,” Celestia assured her. “She needed help. This headache will pass.”
“Umm…” Colgate was nervous upon speaking up. “If I may…how did…you two get here?” Luna gave an angry huff at this question. Not because it was Colgate that was talking, but rather because it made her think of something that irked her.
“It was that pony headed worm!” Luna growled. Colgate raised an eyebrow at her terminology.
“She means Discord,” Celestia explained.
“He’s a worm sis! Only a worm would do this.” Discord? Colgate saw the dots almost merge together in her head. After the incident with Discord in her time, Colgate remembered hearing the story that before Celestia and Luna ruled what she knew as Equestria, that Discord had ruled it first. This had come about due the fact that upon Discord’s release, Colgate’s magic had teleported her to any location it could think of, in one of which she overheard Celestia explaining the story to somepony. Colgate had no idea who and her magic zipped her away as soon the short exposition was over. Was that the time period she was in? It would explain why the two sisters weren’t princesses yet and why they appeared to be so young. They really were young and Colgate had landed on the threshold of Discord’s overthrow. But it hadn’t happened yet. Or had it? Colgate became wary and thought of her next question with caution. This was the past, it had finally occurred to her. One wrong move and the present she knew would be gone forever. Suddenly she felt as though she were on paper thin ice, the likes of which her mere appearance may have already broken. She wasn’t supposed to be here.
“Discord sent you here?” Colgate questioned.
“‘Cause he’s a worm!” Luna declared indignantly.
“We were supposed to fight him…” Celestia explained. “I’m sure you’ve seen what’s become of Equestria since he took over. Everypony’s been hiding for so long. He’s made things horrible for us. We’re just tired…Is that why you’re here?” Celestia’s voice would have been full of weariness even if healing Colgate’s leg hadn’t tired her out. Colgate could tell the thought of Discord made her countenance a bit droopy. Had she failed? Had the two sisters already attempted to oppose Discord and failed? Colgate was baffled. On top of not having an immediate answer to Celestia’s question, she was taken aside by the fact that Celestia and Luna had actually failed. And, it was by no mistake of her’s or her magic’s.
“I…I don’t know where I am,” Colgate replied. “I woke up here, and you were lying on the cave floor.”
“But how did you know my name?” Celestia was sharp and Colgate didn’t have a reply. Luna stared at her, ready to undo Celestia’s healing at any moment.
“What’s my name?” Luna asked.
“Uh…Luna.” At this Luna, rather than being suspicious got angry, as if her question had been part of a guessing game that was supposed to have stumped Colgate. She wasn’t sure why. Colgate was certain Celestia had addressed Luna by name more than once during their conversation. But Luna didn’t seem to realize this and only got upset.
“You’re a very strange mare,” Celestia commented. Colgate didn’t know what to say and she didn’t want them to pry into the issue any further. She couldn’t tell them she was from the future. Such an alibi in any situation is nearly impossible for anyone other than the pony that has seen space collapse around her to believe.
“I- I’m sorry princess,” Colgate apologized for her strangeness, which probably only made her look even stranger.
“Why do you keep calling me that?” Colgate realized what she had said and scolded herself again for it. “You’re starting to sound like my friend Ruya.”
“Who?” Colgate had never heard this name before.
“She’s a filly I know,” Celestia explained. “She always telling me how great of a ring ‘Princess Celestia’ has to it. If you asked her, she’d probably tell you I really was a princess.” Maybe it was only a coincidence, Colgate thought. This filly calling Celestia a princess before she actually was, when Colgate knew that was exactly what was supposed to happen was a little uncanny. But Colgate was thinking needlessly again. She would be able to find answers quicker if she got out of this cave first. She had no idea how to get back to her own time at this point, but forward was the only real option.
“I see,” Colgate said. “So either of you know which way is out?” Both of the alicorns shook their heads. This was a disappointment, but Colgate knew better than to start thinking that things couldn’t get much worse. After all, who knew what was in this cave and she was lucky at least that she hadn’t woken up to find herself all alone and without light.
“Well,” Colgate said finally getting to her feet. “I guess we’d better-” She winced and crumpled back down to lying on her stomach. It was her hind leg again. Colgate remembered Celestia’s warning.
“Shoot,” Celestia got all worked up. “I’m sorry. I should have done a better job.”
“It’s fine,” Colgate assured her. “It was more than I could’ve asked for.” This was true.
“Here I…I’ll carry you.” Colgate looked up at her.
“You don’t have to do that. I’m sure if we just w-wh wh-” Colgate was lifted from the cave floor by Celestia’s magic, encasing her like a mold, and placing over the alicorn’s back, her head resting over Celestia’s shoulder. “Prin-I mean-well… you don’t need to-” Celestia placed a hoof to Colgate’s mouth to quite her.
“Shh. I’ll be fine. Besides, if it weren’t for us you’d still be able to walk. So sit tight.” Celestia gave a wink. It seemed Colgate had no choice, although Luna didn’t look any happier than Colgate was at this new development. But one question from her sister was enough to make her forget her grudge at least for the moment.
“Which way do you think Luna?” Celestia asked. At this, Luna’s upset expression turned into a decision making face and the blue ambient spheres that has been their source of light up to this point began to shift. Colgate had wondered what they were or where they had come from. It didn’t really surprise her that they were one of Luna’s spells. There were five of them in all and two went floating down separate passage ways casting their eerie glow as they went. Colgate was a bit perplexed by this and was captivated by Luna’s shimmering horn. She was so young and yet she was guiding two different objects from so far away with her magic. Celestia had also done healing that Colgate hadn’t known was even possible. They had such control. Colgate sulked at this, knowing it was her lack of control that had gotten her here. These were two legendary alicorns Colgate was considering, but it didn’t make her feel any better about herself.
At any rate, the two passageways, to their dismay, ended with the same result; a sharp bend around which they couldn’t see. Both tunnels looked largely the same and would yield equally unknown results. Colgate watched as Luna pondered this. Then, a clicking noise. Luna was knocking the orbs against the tunnel walls one at a time. If they sounded different, Colgate couldn’t tell. Apparently neither could Luna, as each successive knock and pause to listen only resulted in a more puzzled face. Luna turned to her sister
“They’re practically the same sis.” This didn’t seem to faze Celestia
“I guess we’ll just have to pick one,” She decided, keeping her chin up. “How about this way?” She pointed down the right passage and Luna had no reason to disagree with her.
“Okay.” She nodded following Celestia as she began to walk. Colgate of course, was simply along for the ride.
“Prepare your eyes,” Celestia advised as they entered the tunnel. Luna’s orbs vanished in the chamber behind them and as they did Celestia horn flared into shining beacon to light their way. Colgate squinted against this new light, not preparing her pupils as much as she probably should have. The new light revealed the cave to be jagged and dry. It wasn’t one of those wet drippy caves. Yet, this was perplexing as when they rounded the corner they hadn’t been able to see around to reveal another tunnel a faint sound was added to the crunching of their hooves in the gravel.
“Tia,” Luna whispered. “Do you hear that?” They stopped and sure enough Colgate confirmed in the silence,
“Water?” There was a faint echo of water splashing against rock.
“A river?” Celestia said.
“Is that good?” Luna asked. The two were silent.
“We could follow it,” Colgate suggested feeling a bit awkward about telling the mares she knew as princesses what to do. Luna frowned at her, not liking the idea because Colgate had suggested it. She still didn’t trust her.
“How do we know it’s a river?” Luna asked simply for the sake of questioning Colgate’s suggestion. Colgate couldn’t answer her. There wasn’t a way to really tell unless they saw it, but that’s just what the water sounded like.
“No that’s a good idea,” Celestia agreed much to Colgate‘s relief. “It might lead outside. And even if it doesn’t we could use the water.” That was something Colgate hadn’t thought of. There was no way to tell how long they might be lost in this cave and having a source of water might prove invaluable. Colgate had never really had to think like a survivalist this way, but perhaps these two had and she wondered to what degree Celestia had meant when she said Discord had made things horrible for them. She still felt bad for weighing Celestia down by not being able to walk.
“Good point,” Luna could only agree. Even if she didn’t like the idea because it was Colgate’s she had to see the benefit to it and she trusted her older sister. The two made an interesting pair and Colgate could only wonder what had happened that had made Luna turn against her sister. The two seemed inseparable right now.
As they continued on, Celestia did her best lighting their way and trying to follow the sound of the flowing water. It proved difficult at points as sometimes it seemed the sound was coming from all directions and there wasn’t always one path to take. Eventually though, the cave began to open up, no longer restricting them to small narrow hallways, but larger rooms and open passages with stalactites whose sharp ends glittered back at them from the ceiling. The sounds of water became louder, almost like there was a waterfall inside the cave and the environment went from the dry sandy cave they had woken up in, to a moist and rocky environment. They had to be close. They came to a large room and through a narrow gap between walls of stone, Colgate spotted water, glinting off the light from Celestia’s horn that managed to bounce back almost waving at her.
“There,” Colgate pointed to the empty space. Celestia and Luna trotted over and sure enough, on the other side, was a small waterfall perhaps ten feet, flowing into a stream whose current moved at a steady pace. The crevice was just wide enough for one mare to squeeze through. Celestia looked into it tentatively, easing her way in a little bit to make sure she didn’t have to put Colgate down before she proceeded through. Celestia confirmed this with a nod.
“Looks good,” She said taking glances through to the other side. It seemed rather paranoid of her. But a low rumble from behind them made these actions seem insufficient in hindsight. It wasn’t a rumble like that of rocks falling somewhere far off in the cave. It was shallower than that and more guttural. Perhaps that was what made it eerie. No inanimate object would have made a sound that could have been described as guttural.
“Uhhh…sis?” Luna was facing away from the crevice into the room, staring up at something. The light from Celestia’s horn had been restricted by the crevice she was halfway into, but turning her head back revealed a pair of dimly gleaming eyes in the passage across the chamber. They were huge. Celestia’s eyes widened.
“Ursa…” She breathed. “Luna, quick, into the opening.”
“There’s no room sis.”
“Luna y-” Before Celestia could protest the beast let out a deafening roar apparently feeling they were in a space that belonged to it.
“Luna!” Celestia moved back a step. Luna’s horn glittered blue and a number of sparks flew from it forming into the orbs she had been using as light sources before, spreading about the room providing the light Celestia’s horn couldn’t.
“Go, it’s only a minor!” Luna stood her ground and urged her sister in spite of her hesitation.
“But-”
“You have the injured one. Go!” Celestia quickly made up her mind and began shifting herself through the small opening as quickly as she could. Colgate wished she could have helped. But now, not only could she not control her magic anyway in order to fight back, she couldn’t walk either. Luna backed toward the opening as her sister made her way through, but the Ursa didn’t seem to think letting them walk out unharmed, was an option. It thundered forward baring its teeth. Luna stopped backing up and as Celestia came out on the other side of the wall Colgate saw the Ursa directly in front of Luna raising a claw to strike.
“Luna, run!” Celestia shouted through the crevice. Luna didn’t reply. Remaining in place, a small dome of deep blue formed around Luna like a shield. The Ursa’s claw came racing down and had Celestia not felt the weight of Colgate on her back, she might have tried to run back and help her sister. She stopped short, and through the opening Colgate saw the Ursa’s paw come down on the bubble around Luna. A shockwave trembled through the walls, and Luna’s shield rippled, absorbing the impact. It was like a dense liquid that even the force of the Ursa’s strike couldn’t get into. It sent lightning flying back at the Ursa, bouncing rapidly from orb to orb that Luna had placed around the room. The Ursa backed away closing its eyes against all of the blinding light, waving its paws blindly. It continued backing away, frightened by Luna’s magic.
As the lightning made its last jolt, Celestia flinched and put a hoof to her forehead again. The light on her horn went out. It was dark. The only light a faint glow from Luna on the other side of the wall.
“Tia?” Luna called back to her as her barrier faded.
“I’m alright,” Celestia replied. Colgate was getting uncomfortable in the dark, but she remembered it was her fault Celestia was having trouble with her magic. And it wasn’t alright. There were footsteps, large ones. Colgate’s first thought was that the Ursa minor was coming back for a second try. But this sound was different. There was that rumble again, deeper this time. It was close, too close. Celestia’s horn brightened up, and Colgate froze. Before them, was another Ursa only much larger than the last. An Ursa major. Celestia gazed up at it.
“Curse you, Discord,” She muttered. “Luna, stay on the other side!” Celestia turned to flee. The Ursa slammed its foot on the stone riverbank and roared.
“Tia what’s going on!?” In the confusion of Celestia turning to run away, Colgate toppled from her back and smacked against the cave floor. Colgate gritted her teeth. Celestia turned back nearly horrified her eyes frantic. Colgate attempted to get up, but was met with the same sharp pain in her leg and collapsed again. The Ursa advanced as Colgate tried to drag her left hind leg along with her. She wouldn’t be fast enough and the Ursa had its eyes locked on her now, recognizing her as the more vulnerable intruder. The expression on Celestia’s face changed. It was like she forced courage into them. She galloped back and placed herself firmly between Colgate and the Ursa.
No, no no no no, Colgate’s mind screamed. If she was going to be responsible for the death of the pony that was supposed to save Equestria, she would never forgive herself or even perhaps have the chance to do so. The Ursa hesitated at this action, stopping its advanced and sizing this new mare up. It let out another savage roar. Celestia stood her ground. Her horn was making a hissing noise as if it were heated like a sword in a furnace.
“Stop!” Celestia shouted at the creature. It glared at her. “Please, we mean you no harm. I know Discord has made you angry, maybe taken away your home. He’s done the same to us. So please, I don’t want to hurt you. Maybe we can even help you!” The Ursa seemed to calm only for a moment and then after seemingly considering what Celestia had said, opened its mouth and bellowed out another wave of sound. Its roar had its own force to it, compelling things in its path backwards.
“Please listen to me,” Celestia continued to plead with it. Colgate wasn’t even sure it knew what she was saying. “Just let us leave. We’re not here to hurt you.” The Ursa raised a claw. “No…” Celestia shook her head, yet still made no move to run. “Please…Please don’t.” Colgate glanced to the side, catching Luna in her gaze. She was standing just inside the opening they had come out of, stiff and on edge, almost sweating. The Ursa tightened its claws, signaling it was ready to swing.
“No…” Celestia just kept shaking her head. It was unpersuaded. Its claw sliced through the air like swords through leaves. The blow came in a motion so swift it was like it didn’t exist between its starting point and its destination. There was only one response and Colgate thought she was going to see the princess shredded before her eyes. Before the Ursa’s claw connected, there was a scream.
“Noooooo!” Fire roared from Celestia’s horn, summoning a light bright enough to make the cave look like a stone field at noon. The Ursa bellowed in agony unable to finish its action and toppled backwards flailing against the heat. Colgate could feel it where she was. It was sweltering and heated the air to a temperature that was difficult to breathe in. From within the flame, Celestia’s horn shot a beam of light that went straight through the Ursa and in moments, the flames devoured it with an unquenchable hunger. The Ursa lashed out only once and in the eyes of the sun, it burned.
Abruptly the blaze vanished, leaving no trace of the bear behind. Colgate had no words for this. Celestia had just incinerated their threat. Colgate never knew Celestia or Luna had the kind of magic that she had just seen. Perhaps in the era she lived, it was no longer necessary. But as Colgate observed, the princess was not proud of herself. Upon, seeing that her foe was gone, Celestia crumpled to the floor, the room went dark and Colgate heard her start to cry. To Colgate it was nearly heartbreaking and she knew it was once again her fault. From the crevice, Luna’s orbs flooded into the room to provide light and in their midst Colgate could see Luna running to her sister.
“Tia,” She said stopping in front of her. “Are you alright?” Colgate stayed where she was. She couldn’t think of anything she could say that might comfort her. The best thing she could probably do for these sisters at this point was find a way back to where she was supposed to be. “Tia, don’t cry. That thing was nothing but a big meanie.”
“But…” Celestia sobbed. “I killed it Luna. It’s dead.”
“Tia…”
“I didn’t know what else to do…I just…It was going to hurt her. I wish I could have just scared it away like you did.”
“You’re just tired sis,” Luna said. “You should rest.”
“You think?” Celestia choked on the words looking at Luna through watery eyes.
“You protected us. Besides, you’re still my sis.” Luna gave Celestia a swift hug too self-conscious to prolong it. Celestia smiled at her.
“Thank you Luna.” Luna smiled back
“You should rest by the river. I’ll go get the weird one.” Celestia could only agree. Luna trotted over to where Colgate had been sulking while listening to them. Colgate had laid her head down on her front hooves and looked up at Luna as she loomed over her.
“You’re not good for my sister,” Luna glared at her.
“Sorry…” Colgate looked away.
“It’s not cute when you sulk either.”
“What?”
“C’mon.” Before Colgate could clarify anything, she was lifted from her place by Luna’s magic and levitated off down toward the flowing water. If Colgate hadn’t known better, she’d have though that Luna intended to throw her in to be rid of her. She stepped into the shallows and Colgate hovered over the water’s surface in confusion. She was lowered to the point she could have shoved her head under had Colgate not pulled back. She looked to Luna who frowned.
“Drink,” She said. Colgate glanced to Celestia who had just finished doing the same, stepping wearily away from the water and slumping down next to a large smooth stone. “Drink.” Colgate heard again. She supposed she had no choice and this not being able to walk thing was getting really annoying. Colgate put her mouth to the stream and took a drink. The water was cool, tasting of minerals and stone, but at the same time it was very clean water. The water clung to her fur and Colgate could only assume she looked silly as it dripped from her chin after she had her fill. Luna giggled at her.
“This is your fault,” Colgate told her. She wiped her chin with her hoof.
“Well if you’re done, then off to sleep with you,” Luna said haughtily as if she were trying to be her mother. Colgate was plopped down facing Celestia, who had her head propped against the rock she had laid down beside.
“You rest here sis,” Luna told Celestia. “I’ll make sure nothing else comes over here.” Celestia smiled at her sister and then looking at Colgate as she was put down,
“You know,” Celestia said as if she were only thinking out loud. “I don’t think we ever got your name.” This was actually true Colgate realized. Due to her knowing the two sisters names right away, there had been no need for introductions.
“Oh…” Colgate thought about giving them an alias at first, but thinking about it concluded it wouldn’t really help her, and it would only be dishonest. “It’s Minuette.” Colgate gave them her real name as she felt giving them her nickname would be strange. Luna squinted at her.
“That’s a funny name.”
“It is.” Colgate hadn’t expected Celestia to agree. The two giggled at her, Celestia’s really more of a sigh.
Yeah, well your name…is…well- it…” Colgate addressed Luna but couldn’t think of a rebuttal. “Ah, never mind.” Luna donned a proud expression, tilting her nose to the air.
“So where are you from Minuette?” Celestia asked. This was a bad question. Colgate had no idea what to tell her and too much hesitation would just look bad.
“I…I don’t know…” Colgate wasn’t witty enough at the moment to think of a lie, considering Ponyville didn’t exist yet.
“How can you not know?” Luna asked. “Sis, I don’t like her.”
“It’s okay Luna. Do you mean you don’t remember?” Colgate shook her head. “Or you wish not to tell?” Colgate looked away from them, lowering her head.
“It’s better if you don’t know,” she told them. A terrible excuse, at least from their point of view. Luna was glaring at her again.
“I see…” Celestia didn’t pry into it. “So how did you get here? Did Discord send you here as well?” Colgate sat up at this question. Her eyes jumped around in thought. Had he, Colgate thought? Had Discord sent her here? She recalled her brief run in with him, in the seemingly nondescript place. There was something uncanny about it. The things he told her, the riddles, and the way he had asked her to tell others that he deserved a second chance as if he knew she could give him that. But there was no way he could have known. He was just as surprised at her appearance as she was at his and in the end, his magic had proved ineffective in her eventual escape. It must have been her own power that had gotten her out. Perhaps it had only been a dream. Colgate wasn’t sure now.
“I…” she pondered the question. “Maybe…I don’t really know for sure.”
“Discord’s magic can be very strange,” Celestia said. “But you should rest now too. It will give your leg time to recover. You should soon as well Luna.”
“Don’t worry about me sis,” Luna assured her. “You just sleep.” Celestia laid her head down.”
“Thank you Luna.” Colgate couldn’t say no to this as despite having been unconscious frequently as of late, she still felt tired after what had just happened. Luna turned to her, eyes glowering down like a hawk.
“Don’t you try anything funny.” Colgate didn’t reply, keeping eye contact as long as possible. Luna hopped up onto the rock they lay against and sat above them. Colgate didn’t really find her distrust that strange and in fact had expected more of the same type of attitude from Celestia. But Celestia still had some qualities of the one she knew in her own time. Despite being very different, she still had an overwhelming sense of compassion. Colgate closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep…
Or she would have. But as she tried to let slumber settle in, she became uneasy. Something was wrong, horribly wrong. She shifted around several times against the rock, trying to see if it was the way she was laying that was making her antsy. She clicked her hooves nervously. Shifting a few more times, she found her efforts useless. He eyes came open. She needed to do something; there was something she had forgotten. How could she have forgotten? This was bad, Colgate thought, very bad.
“What are you doing down there?” Luna asked, no doubt perturbed by all of Colgate’s rolling about. Colgate looked up to find Luna staring down at her, her blue eyes shadowed against the faint light behind her. Colgate would have gotten up, but remembered her leg was still out of it.
“I… well I need to uhhh…” Colgate stammered.
“Out with it, you weirdo!”
“I need to brush my teeth,” Colgate said quickly. There was a pause in which Luna seemed to process the statement.
“You need to…what?” She cocked an eyebrow. Colgate must have sounded ridiculous. Dentistry, to these mares, would have been entirely alien. Colgate looked to Celestia, who had somehow already drifted off, seemingly undisturbed by their conversation.
“I need to brush my teeth,” Colgate repeated, knowing all too well it wouldn’t do any good and sounding like a child that needed to be taken to the bathroom. Luna looked side to side and then back to Colgate.
“You keep getting weirder, you know that?” Colgate sunk back, embarrassed for even bringing it up. Talking to Luna like this, despite the fact that the alicorn was probably younger than her, made Colgate feel like a toddler.
“I can’t sleep without brushing my teeth first,” Colgate shuffled her hooves.
“What does that even mean?”
“I’m a dentist you see and well…”
“What’s a dentist?”
“Where I come from, I-”
“Which is?” Luna interrupted. Colgate stopped. This was useless. Even if she could explain to Luna what a dentist was, there was nothing here to brush her teeth with.
“Never mind,” Colgate flattened out. Her teeth felt instantly sullied and it made her already start to worry about their condition. Who was going to trust a dentist with dirty teeth? But she supposed she had bigger worries at the moment. But her teeth! As Rarity might say, this was the worst possible thing that could happen right now. Colgate was tempted to put this above even being attacked by the Ursa major.
“Look,” Luna said. “If you can’t sleep, I can help with that.”
“Do you have a toothbrush?” Colgate perked up. Luna lifted a hoof, tilting back as if she feared Colgate might jump at her.
“A wh- no!” Luna put her hoof back down and pointed her horn at Colgate. “Here” A bolt of blue flew from Luna’s horn and into Colgate’s forehead. She slumped back down. Her vision blurred.
“What…was…” Colgate yawned. She was suddenly extremely drowsy. But she hadn’t even brushed her teeth yet! How was she supposed to sleep without brushing her teeth?
“Wait,” Colgate tried to raise a hoof, but it flopped back to the rock floor. “I need to brush…I can’t…brushie……..brushie…”
“Good night weirdo,” Luna turned away on her rock and these were the last words Colgate heard her spoke. She was fairly certain that she had dreamt the part where Luna had gotten down from the rock and was poking her in the face with her hoof, telling her to shut up. Brushie is too a word, Colgate insisted. It was blurry mostly, so it must have been a dream. Eventually, Colgate managed to settle down and sleep, dreaming only of floss and toothpaste.
Interlude 2:
Stupid, silly mare, the alicorn thinks. No matter what she says, something that sounds as ridiculous as brushie could never be a real word. She gives the unicorn’s face a few more pokes as the mare futilely tries to resist the sleeping spell by mumbling ridiculous phrases about the needs of her teeth. Her head slumps into her hooves and the alicorn, satisfied with the resulting state, leaps back up onto the rock her two sleeping friends lay against to keep watch. Perhaps it was better this way, the alicorn thinks. The sleeping spell assured that the strangely named Minuette wasn’t going to fake her slumber or wake up soon to try anything. She doesn’t like her. The alicorn stares into the cave almost more wary of the unicorn below her than what might lie down the darkened passages or across the shallow river. At one point, she finds herself eyeing the mare’s cutie mark, a symbol she finds just as suspicious as Minuette herself. What did an hourglass as a cutie mark mean? The alicorn doesn’t like the fact that she showed up near her sister, without explanation and refusing to explain. She’s not waking up soon though, the alicorn tells herself. She goes back to keeping watch. Tia will be able to sleep in peace. She will make sure of it. And, as time spins on, the alicorn distracts herself, arranging her magic light sources into shapes. Shapes resembling the constellations she always used to show to Tia on clear nights before Discord made a mess of them all.
Interlude out…