1: Her Name Was Celeste
Twilight Sparkle raced through the streets of Canterlot. She would normally have to avoid most ponies, but now that she was a princess, they pretty much avoided her. She hated it.
As she passed by Canterlot’s most famous donut café, Donut Joe waved Twilight over.
“Princess Twilight! I haven’t seen you or yer friends here in a long, long time! How’s life?”
Twilight sighed. “It could be better. These ponies treat me like I have the Cutie Pox! They avoid me and fall over their hooves bowing. It’s not like I’ll yell at them or anything!”
Joe smiled and handed Twilight a cup of hot chocolate with donuts. “Ye’ll get used to it in no time, I assure ye. I’ve known a few important ponies with that problem.”
Twilight tilted her head curiously. “Really? Like who?”
Donut Joe smiled. “Why, the princesses of course.”
Twilight choked on her chocolate and spewed the hot liquid all over the table. “Wh-what! But– how did– huh?”
The café owner leaned closer. “Keep this between us, Twilight Sparkle, but the princesses like to live normally too.”
He turned around to grab a washcloth for the now soaked table. “I got two regulars unda’ the names Sunny Skies and Silver Moonlight. Act an awful lot like sisters to me.”
Twilight stared in shock. “I-I never knew that… Why didn’t they tell me?”
Joe smiled again. “Do ye really think that ponies wouldn’t pay attention to a pink unicorn with a sun cutie mark hanging around the Princess’s personal student?”
Twilight flushed in embarrassment. “Oh, heh right.” She looked at the clock on the wall. “Well, I’d better get going soon. I was planning on visiting Pr– er, Celestia, for an impromptu magic lesson.”
The café owner waved as Twilight headed toward Canterlot’s main attraction and most safely guarded area. “See ye soon Miss– er, Princess Twilight Sparkle!”
Twilight reached Canterlot Castle, raced up the steps in anticipation of meeting her mentor, and stopped short of the throne room. She heard voices from within.
"-your highness. So, as I was saying, the terms of negotiation must be according to Griffon Law."
The sweet, motherly voice of Celestia now had a sharp edge to it. "I'm afraid not, Commander. These terms simply would not work near the deer's forestland."
The rough, grating voice of who Twilight assumed was the Griffin Commander now sent chills down her back. "Well then, I suppose-"
Twilight sneezed.
The massive double doors, one half a golden sun and the other half a silver moon, swung open and Celestia strode out, her multicolored sparkling mane swimming through an invisible sea.
"Twilight Sparkle, whatever are you doing here, my dear?"
Twilight started in fear. "Well, uh, I actually came to ask you some questions about magic, but seeing that you're busy at the moment, I'll, uh, wait till tomor-"
Celestia smiled, calming Twilight's nerves. "It's fine, Twilight. How about you wait in the Castle Library until I'm finished?"
Twilight grinned at the mention of books. "Thank you, Pr- uh, I mean Celestia. Ooh! Maybe I'll find what I'm looking for in there!"
Celestia nuzzled her affectionately. "Have a good day Twilight!"
As Twilight left, Celestia muttered something to herself.
"I hope the goodness lasts."
~*^*~
Meanwhile, a creature stirred in a hollow block of ice-like crystal. The refracted light lit up a single white feather.
White, tipped with red.
Its golden eyes opened. There was the scratching sound of scraping talons as it twitched.
Not from anger.
From impatience.
It wanted to see her. See ‘Lestie again. And it would. If she was sick, it would heal her. If she was gone, it would find her.
And if she was dead, it would bring her back. No matter the cost.
~*^*~
Twilight sighed. She levitated another book in front of her. ‘The Magical Rulers of Harmony’.
Twilight loved books. She really did. But sometimes it felt like they just weren't enough. Every book was about the glory of their rulers, or the fabulosities of magic.
What about the magic of the rulers themselves?
How did Celestia raise the sun?
Where were the royal sisters from?
Would they teach her their magic?
Was Equestria its own planet?
Are planets round?
And how the hay was she supposed to figure this out without offending anyone?
In her frustration, she slammed her little muzzle into the thick wooden table. Gritting her teeth in pain, she started to leave the room when she saw it.
Right in front of her. Before her very eyes. A damaged book. In Celestia's Library.
"I am so dead..." Twilight muttered, running over to inspect the torn tome.
But it was not a busted book. It was a dingy diary.
Twilight bit her lip nervously. She WAS in a public library… Maybe just a few pages would be okay.
That couldn't hurt, right?
“Sedemnajstega oktober… Njenega lady-canstvo Celeste Helios-Selene.”
Twilight frowned. This was in ancient unicorn, which would take a bit of time to translate. Fabulous.
Her eyes narrowed in determination. She would get through this book, no matter the cost. She will not leave any page unread! She was Princess Twilight Zvezda Sparkle, former librarian of Ponyville.
“Let’s see… Ha! ‘Seventeenth of October… Of Her Ladyship Celeste Helios-Selene’!”
Twilight tilted her head sideways in bewilderment.
“Who the hay is Celeste Helios-Selene?”
~*^*~
Celestia breathed a silent sigh of relief as the tall, rather plump, griffon snarled its way out of the castle. There seemed to be only one noble griffon in the entire kingdom. And he was, of course, probably dead.
What had happened to him? Was he truly dead? The weight and heat of molten rock could not possibly have left him alive. Those days were so long ago, also. Thousands of years, in fact.
Celestia gracefully slipped down the hallway to go to Luna’s room. Her sister was the best person to go to in times of comfort. Alicorns were really good huggers.
Speaking of alicorns, Celestia remembered Twilight. She would quickly stop by the library before meeting her sister.
Then she froze.
From down the hallway, she heard Twilight’s voice.
“… Ha! ‘Seventeenth of October… Of Her Ladyship Celeste Helios-Selene’!
Who the hay is Celeste Helios-Selene?”
She could not let Twilight see that book. Not one single page.
You’ve come, such a long, long way…
The words haunted her as she raced through the corridors.
And I’ve watched you, from that very first day…
Run faster, don’t let her read it!
To see how you might grow,
To see what you might do,
To see what you’ve been through,
And all the ways you’ve made me proud of you…
No, no, no!
It’s time for you, to fulfill your destiny…
“Twilight Sparkle!”
~*^*~