Luna ran her hoof against the soft fabric. It looked much better than when they had started, at least. All of the hues had been whitewashed, giving it a slightly more 'it's-supposed-to-look-like-that' appearance.
Clearing her mind of random thoughts, she concentrated on the task at hand. Crimsonleaf was standing on the cover a bit further down, still attempting Celestial Enhancement. The sun was moving lower, which was a great improvement, but she finished it for him anyway before moving the moon. It was almost effortless now. As the moon reached the brightest spot, Luna let it stop.
Crimsonleaf turned to look at her. She was about to congratulate him on his efforts, until she noticed his eyes were full of tears.
Careful to stay on the supports, she galloped over. "What's wrong?"
He lunged forward, his front hooves wrapping around her neck. She was frozen with shock as the colt's wings slid limp along the tarp, his body wracked with sobs.
"I miss her." He choked. "I want her to be here. I need her, Luna."
She rested one hoof on the back of his neck, his limp orange mane running over her silver shoes. They stood like that for a long time, each passing second driving a new shard of ice into Luna's heart.
She couldn't replace Celestia. Ever. Every morning strained her, the unfamiliar magic still ripping her strength to pieces even after almost three months. She was trying to be leader, but she couldn't take care of Ponyville and the rest of Equestria. Canterlot had been adapted a long time ago to function without the presence of Alicorns... back when Luna and Celestia were the same age, same power, and in the end, same time of death.
She knew all of the important affairs were being handled for now. Those words cut open the last sliver of resistance from her core. For now. Someday she would have to leave this fragile, broken Ponyville in exchange for Canterlot, and never have enough precious time to take care of this little place. She doubted Ponyville would continue existing if she left.
Her storming conscious settled momentarily as Crimsonleaf stepped back, his hooves dropping back to the wood. He re-folded his wings at his flanks.
"I'm sorry, Luna. Don't tell anyone, okay?" He turned without waiting for an answer, gliding down to the ground and back into the tent.
The Goddess stood silently, holding back her intense emotions. She had to get away.
Flapping her powerful wings, she lauched skyward, dancing between the clouds until she was far from the tent. Settling on a warmer cloud, she lay down. She felt strangely more comfortable the further she went from the others. Gritting her teeth against the cold wind, she took off again, darting around the clouds as adrenaline raced through her chilled veins. When her exhaustion fianlly caught up, she landed, flailing through the snow as her hooves scavenged for stable ground. Attempting to move forward, she surged through the drifts, head raised high and teeth showing as she struggled against the forces of nature,
There was something watching, however, that she couldn't see. It was a vastly powerful creature, one of the Firstborn Spirits of nothing and something. There were five Firstborns in the beginning; Corona of Fire, who created the Sun, Altitudo of Space, who created the Moon, Maris of Water, who created the seas, Faenum of Earth, who created the plants, and Fulmen of Electricity, who made the storms.
Corona took the form of an Alicorn, Altitudo took the form of a great dragon, Maris turned into a rainbow-hued snake, and Faenum became a golden wolf with bird's wings tipped in green. Fulmen turned her form into that of a tiger with the wings of a bat.
They split the spoils of creation. Corona became the mate of Altitudo, and these two divided the land into sections, giving each species a section in which they ruled. Altitudo gave birth to two Alicorn filles, and when the coupled Firstborn began having to travel all over, they promoted the two foals into the powers of the Sun and Moon. And all was fine.
Until Fulmen became jealous. She came out of her underground palace - the only domain unused by the others - and seduced Maris into her palace, and when she released him to return to the sea, she began dabbling in Darkness. Faenum was troubled by the corrupted Firstborn, and attempted to destroy the unborn child. Faenum's powers were great, but Fulmen made a last-moment counter that deflected most of the attack. Both believeing nothing more could be done, Faenum sighed and returned to the surface, leaving Fulmen to rage underground.
Corona and Altitudo were worried at the sadness of Faenum, and drew the Keepers of their sections togther in order to protect the two new Goddesses. Maris rose the sea in a threat to flood the Firstborn's underground realm, and in the end, Fulmen prowled out of her den, body flecked with dried blood and dirt.
Faenum watched the Firstborn stumble towards the flooded castle, immortal paws making small ripples on the surface of the water. Faenum's wings twitched, wanting to dive at the feline Firstborn and destroy the unborn kit. But Fulmen made no aggressive moves, if she even noticed the judging eyes of the Earth Maker.
Maris's winding form dashed under his water, red mouth open, rows of yellow teeth shining as he drew closer to the battered creature. As the snake drew nearer, he twirled his body, waves splitting the surface and battering the walking tiger. Faenum felt like stopping him, but her own feelings stopped her.
When the water settled, Fulmen was still standing. Maris's great body loomed out of the water behind her, pink tongue flicking as the Firstborn continued her trek.
After what seemed like years, Fulmen brushed the closed gates of the castle with one paw, leaving bloody stains on the polished gold. Maris withdrew his waters back to their place, leaving the other Firstborn to stand on sodden ground. Fulmen was pulled into the castle by the tail, and thrown into the dungeon, for her immense power had been drained by the enchanted waters of Maris. Faenum found herself walking to the dungeon every hour, checking on her sister.
The greatest storm known to the new lands began building, with no rainfall. Instead, great winds and thick lightning struck the earth. The summond creatures returned to their homes to prepare for the storm. And when Faenum went to check on Fulmen, the tiger was sprawled on the floor, flanks heaving. Faenum teleported into the chamber, and for a long time, the winds ripped stone into mountians, and the lightning carved valleys. The winds let out one final gust, and with a flash of lightning, the storm clouds vanished. The world recovered.
And in the dungeon, Fulmen's barbed tongue tugged across a small bundle of fur and scales and feathers. Faenum was still with her, displeased at this turn of events.
Between Fulmen's paws, two mismatched red-and-yellow eyes opened for the first time.
And now, as the desendant of her siblings struggled through the snow, Faenum waited. And on the wind, the great golden wolf could hear the distorted yowling of a laughing tiger.
Luna shut her eyes, feeling small shards of ice lodging themselves in her lids. Her entire body was growing numb, and she was scared of dying. She was scared of herself.
Faenum shook out her wings, their ancient width shedding centuries of dust and stone and shimmering in the light of the moon. The Firstborn drew the warmth of her brother's sun and her sister's moon, and melted the snow in front of their struggling child. Flapping her emerald wings, she danced to the ground.
Luna's shoe clicked against a stone as she sank into the snow. It was dissolving around her, seeping into the dead grass and soaking her already-cold fur. She let out a shiver as the wind bit against her skin. Pain ripped through her entire body as she stumbled forward. She could see a cave now, visble through the warming wind. Luna's tongue was hanging out in exhaustion as she limped forward, making her way into the darkness and collapsing on the warm stone.
Faenum dug deeper through her earth. One of Maris's springs was under this dirt, and she was determined to raise it. Her stubby claws were cracked and bleeding, but she kept going, ignoring the stones cutting her paws. When warm, steaming water finally burst from the earth, the wolf nearly passed out in exhaustion. Putting aside her own troubles, she returned to the entrance, pulling the Moon Goddess into the warmth of the cave and out of the reach of the raging wind.
And like she had for Fulmen, she sat down to wait. Somewhere in the dark underground, Fulmen was laughing, her glowing green eyes piercing the layers of rock in order to watch the struggles of her neice.