The sun rose steadily over Canterlot, casting shadows from the early morning around the buildings and the castle. The morning crowd was already making it’s rounds; ponies heading to work or about their business as usual. It looked like the start of another wonderful day for the kingdom. But it’s ruler looked on from her balcony with worried eyes.
It had been almost three weeks since Twilight and Luna had vanished into the aether, leaving the monarch alone to wonder. No word had been heard back from them as of yet, an Celestia knew that something must have gone wrong. While it was not terribly unusual for Luna to disappear to her business for long periods of time without sending word, it was highly so for Twilight. By now some kind of interim report would have normally been sent.
Granted the two of them were in another dimension. But that just made Celestia worry all the more. She didn’t know what kind of powers were stirring there, and she had no way of sensing if the two most important ponies in her life were in any kind of danger.
She had been contemplating for the last few days about what to do. This morning she had made up her mind.
“I’m going after them.”
With a decisive nod she turned from the balcony and began the necessary preparations for her journey, wondering just what it was she was going to find.
Cale stepped out of the shower and made his way back into his room. His mind wandered idly as he went about getting dressed and ready for the day. Something had been weighing on his mind since the night he had thought about Haley and the life he had left behind.
That next morning he had gone to Celestia and had told her everything that he had been feeling and thinking, deciding that he had been hiding from her for too long. The monarch had been consoling enough, but there had been a look in her eyes that had, at first, confused him.
She had looked hurt. And it wasn’t a pain, he felt, that was reserved just for himself.
Ever since that day he had made it a priority to spend as much time as he could with her, especially after the business of the day had been concluded. They would often find themselves in the garden or library, or even in her chambers from time to time, discussing different things. They would talk about the analogies of life in Equestria compared to life on Earth, or would joke and laugh about nothing in particular. Cale had been surprised to learn that there were, in fact, many other universes besides the two he knew about.
Apparently not long ago Celestia’s student Twilight Sparkle had taken a trip to a realm much like his own, with it’s own variety of humans. Celestia had explained to him that that was how she had known enough about his culture to help get him as situated as possible.
But every now and then he would catch her staring at him, or see her looking towards the ground sadly. And he had started to garner on to what was bothering her, at least where it concerned him. He was still learning the body language of this new people, and most obvious things still eluded him. But Celestia’s had been particularly hard to read until he started to pay closer attention. If she had been a woman from his own realm, he would have picked up on it much sooner.
She had feelings for him. Feelings that spanned much further than what he felt was normal for an eternal being such as herself.
At first Cale had been completely taken aback by this stunning revelation. How could what could easily be described as a goddess have feelings for a mortal like him? And not just any mortal, but an alien at that? It’s not like he had ever been particularly popular with the opposite sex back home. Even here he was hardly given a second glance, from what he could tell.
And what’s worse, he was still dueling with his feelings of losing his home and not knowing if he’d see Haley again. Going home was something he had brought up to Celestia a few times. And she had always assured him that, while she did not know how she could send him back, she had her top unicorns working on it. She had even said that she had put in a number of excruciatingly long study sessions as well, going over her many years of knowledge.
The most she had been able to tell him, though, was that some form of magic older than herself had brought him here, and that that magic is what it would probably take to send him home.
While it hadn’t been the most consoling of news, he dealt with it the best he could. What was worse was that he was starting to wonder where his own feelings laid with Celestia. At first he had seen her as nothing but a protector and a staple of Equestrian government. But now, after having spent so much personal time with her, and having learned so much about her, he didn’t know.
A strong sense of betrayal kept pulling at the back of his mind. Was he ready to give up on going home already? It had barely been three weeks, and yet his old life just felt like a memory that was going grey. He knew that he still loved Haley, and he knew he still missed his family. But there was no denying the attraction he felt towards Celestia, be it a recent occurrence or not.
Was he just attracted to her power? Or because she had saved his life? Or because of how new all of this was? What about the fact that she was not only immortal, but also of a different species?
This new feeling, taboo as it was, was definitely appealing. But his mind kept pulling him back to thinking that what he was doing was wrong. His heart was still broken from the nagging feeling that he would never make it home to see Haley again. But at the same time it surged from the new world that was opening up before him.
With a sigh Cale made his way from his room. He had to talk to her about this. He had to reveal his feelings for her, if for nothing else than to at least get them out in the open. He wasn’t doing anything for himself by stewing in his room.
As he made his way towards her chambers, he couldn’t help but wonder how she would take this news.
Celestia had just sent out word to her guard that she was about to make this journey when there was a knock on the door. Figuring that it was one of her guard come to see her off, she beckoned them entry. She was pleasantly surprised to see Cale walk in and shut the door behind him.
He looked as if he had something on his mind, but his brow furrowed as he saw the saddlebags on her hips and the normally regal disposition of the Princess downcast. “Celestia? Is everything okay?”
With a sigh the monarch turned fully to him and took a couple steps forward. “I’m afraid that it isn’t. My sister and pupil have been gone far too long, and I worry for them. So I’ve decided to go after them. If for nothing else than to slate my own worry.”
Cale nodded and sat on the edge of the bed. Well, so much for telling her what was on his mind. “I see…” He thought for a few moments, Celestia’s eyes never leaving him, before he spoke up again. “You said they went to the...aether, right? The plane between realms? Is it dangerous there?”
With a small nod, Celestia sighed. “It is.”
Cale steeled himself and then stood, moving over next to her. “Okay. Then I’m coming with you.”
Celestia balked. That had to be the very last thing that she had expected him to say. All she could do was stare at him for a moment. She was very rarely surprised anymore these days, but every now and then it happened. And the longer this human was with her, the more often it happened. Finally setting her jaw, she responded, “Cale, I am afraid I cannot allow that. There is much danger where I’m going, and I wouldn’t want to put you in harm’s way.”
The human sighed and rubbed his temples. “Yeah, I figured you’d say something like that.” He looked up to her and gave a half-hearted smile. “Look, Celestia, I know that I don’t have the magic of a unicorn, the agility of a pegasus, or the endurance of an earth pony. But I can’t let you go wandering off into this place by yourself. I probably won’t be able to do much of anything when we get there, especially when it comes to protecting you, but I can’t just let go of this. You’ve been there for me every step of the way since I first got here, and I’m not going to let you leave me now. Selfish as it sounds...I can’t do it.”
His eyes fell, “I care about you. And now you’re going someplace dangerous. Someplace that your sister, who’s your equal as far as I can tell, and your student, who’s no mouse when it comes to power, haven’t come back.” He looked back up to her. “Even if I can’t do anything, I’m going with you.”
Celestia was stunned. It wasn’t odd for him to speak to her without the proper, royal decorum. That much was understood, and she had expected as much. But what she hadn’t expected was the determination in his voice. The way he put forth so much emotion in what he said. And when he said he cared about her? She thought she could sense a little something more behind those words.
A resigned sigh followed and she leaned down to press her cheek against his. “Very well.” When she pulled up, her eyes were hard and determined. “Stay close to me at all times. The aether is not forgiving. I’ll protect you, so don’t worry about that. Most of the creatures there no better than to stand in my path.”
Cale nodded and watched in awe as she closed her eyes and the magical aura of the sun surrounded the two of them. It was only a moment later that they vanished with a small pop!
A soft groan escaped from her mouth as she slowly opened her eyes and looked around. Her head ached and she couldn’t move her body. At first she couldn’t even focus on what was around her. Then, as the memories came flooding back, her eyes snapped open and darted around quickly.
Where is she?
Where’s Luna?
“Ahh. It appears my dear enemy has decided to rouse from her slumber. Good of you to join us once again, Miss Sparkle.”
The eerily familiar, female voice pulled Twilight’s attention from the surrounding area to the left. She found that she was truly immobile, only barely being able to turn her head. Her body was kept pinned to the ground by some kind of web, and she couldn’t call forth her magic, no matter how hard she tried. “W-who are you…?” At least she still had full use of her mouth.
A high pitched, squeal of a laugh followed the question. The laughter’s owner soon stepped into her vision, and Twilight’s eyes narrowed. “Why, it’s none other than The Great and Powerful Trixie!” The blue mare in question threw up her fore legs and cackled that screeching laugh once again.
Twilight watched on in horror. That wasn’t Trixie. At least not the way that she knew her. Her powder blue coat was thinned and missing altogether in some places. She was haggard and thin, with ribs showing, and her mane was ripped and shorn like she’d encountered a wild animal. She wore neither her tell-tale cape or hat. And when she landed, Twilight could see her eyes. Once a beautiful lavender, were now stark yellow.
She looked like a monster of a pony.
“Y-you’re not...Trixie,” Twilight spoke softly. It was all she could manage. She felt as if she’d taken a massive beating, and every breath made the ache in her head intensify.
The not-Trixie rolled her eyes and shrugged, “Yes, I suppose it does make sense you’d be able to see through this suit of flesh right away. After all, one can’t hope to contain so much power if they hardly have any to begin with, hmm?” The other mare stepped forward and leaned down to almost touch noses with Twilight. Her breath burnt her nostrils. “After all, it’s nothing compared to, say, an Element of Harmony? Or a...Princess?”
Twilight’s eyes widened and she she scanned her proximity once again. “Oh, looking for your beloved moon, are you? Don’t worry, she’s close.” With a spark of magic, Luna appeared and dropped to her right. She looked just as bad as Twilight felt, and she was still unconscious.
“It’s amazing. Even after the past two years she still holds no small amount of hatred for you, Twilight. But don’t feel special, she hates almost everything. I’m surprised she hasn’t called out to me sooner. But I suppose it makes sense. She’s trying to overcome a thousand years of the hatred I instilled in her.” With an aloof, almost nostalgic tone, “She really is my favorite pet project...hmm.”
Twilight screamed and tried with all her power to break past her binds, “Don’t you touch her! I know who you are! Nightmare, I swear to Celestia-”
A loud, victorious laugh cut her off. “Celestia?! Yes, where is your precious princess, Twilight? On her way here, I suppose. Good. Oh, and she’s even bringing her new pet.” Trixie leaned down and smirked, “I wish I could take you, Twilight. But there’s no hate in your heart. You don’t even hate me, do you? No, you simply pity me.”
She raised back up and began to move towards Luna. “You see, I can only take control over those that feel the burning hate towards another. How else am I going to bring forth their power? I did it with this...Trixie, here. That’s how I was able to bring that human into this world. And ever since he came here, Celestia’s power has been weakening. She’s falling in love with him, you see. She’s never felt love like that before, and so it’s breaking down her walls, her defenses. She’ll arrive, and she’ll sacrifice herself for him. It’ll be quite lovely, I assure you.”
She placed a hoof on Luna’s shoulder and smirked, “But first...I think it’s time for me to retake my favorite body.”
Twilight merely watched on in horror as Trixie collapsed, broken, abused, and barely breathing. And then as the smoky form of the Nightmare sank down into Luna’s body.
She waited….and waited...on baited breath she waited for something, anything, to happen.
And then Luna stood. And smiled. “Oh, yes. This is wonderful.” She turned to Twilight, “I really must thank you. You being here when I kill Celestia is going to make it so much sweeter.”
A dark aura encapsulated the Moon Princess for but a moment, and then cleared.
Twilight shuddered. “N-Nightmare Moon…”