Luna walked through the halls with Sombra, Chips Delight, Wub Step (Who seemed to be acting odd.), and Violet Scribe. The halls, to Luna, seemed empty. Hollow and without purpose. The princess's thoughts seemed to cloud out even the loud clicking of her royal boots. She couldn't even be comforted by Sombra's presence. The four ponies made it to the staff dorms, where the last unicorn waited.
Luna told the ponies to wait while she went in. The night ruler slowly and quietly opened the door. The mare in the room was sprawled across the small bed. A large notebook was on the dresser. Luna took a seat near her and enter the dreamscape. In it, she saw many ponies dreams and nightmares. She entered the nearest dream. It was dark as Luna tried to become a character in the dream. The dream started showing itself to the Moon Ruler.
The ground underneath her hooves was dark and cold. The air was tense and sickeningly warm. Luna raised her hoof to call out to the pony. Only the wind answered back. Luna lifted her wings, she silently raised off the cold dirt. The pale dead trees surrounding her seeming to reach out to her as she flew up higher and higher in the dark, moonless night. Even the stars were not out. But ,of course, it is a dream. Luna flew for a long while, searching for the mare she was sent to retrieve.
Then, out of the corner of the her eye, the princess saw a speck of bright blue. Luna swan-dived down to the ground. She lifted her wings to slow down her descent. She walked up to the quivering figure of a pony.
"Note Story? Is that you? Are you alright?" Luna asked calmly.
The bright blue pony stopped shivering on the ground but she did not answer. Luna still could not see any of the mare's features besides her cutie mark of a pen and pencil, how she is indeed a unicorn, and how her mane and tail was a rich brown color. Yet she couldn't see her face.
"Note Story? Look at me. Are you alrigh-" Luna stopped in mid sentence as the pony turned to her.
Luna had expected a warm smile and welcoming expression on the unicorns face. Note Story, on the other hoof, had a nightmare-ish smile. Her Iris and pupil were similar shades of red and her whites were gray. Luna could barely recognize the mare since there was a long scar going from her eyes to her chin. The light from her eyes was gone.
"Yes Luna?" She said in a dark tone.
The princess did not respond.
"You told me to look at you. What's the matter? Afraid of a little darkness?" The mare said lighting up her horn with magic. Its black aura surging.
'That aura....' Luna thought. 'I've seen it before. In Sombra! During the battle, during the absorption spell.'
The nightmare version of Note Story struck out at Luna. Striking her with spells that did no pain but still put fear in the night princess's heart.
"What's wrong dear Luna? You're already being overpowered by your sister, you should be used to this." It taunted. "Everypony know it. Don't deny it! We all love the day more than the night. Nopony needs you." It continued lashing out harmful words until it seemed to be echoing around Luna, engulfing her with fear, anger, and confusion. Luna, distraught by how it seemed to be true, fell to the ground.
"N-no. It's- That's not true..... My friends.-" Luna whispered.
Hearing this, the nightmare clone of Note Story quickly took action. The mare walked up to the alicorn, used her magic to lift the distraught mare's head, so that Luna could look at her when she spoke.
"Face it, they're all around you so that they can be with your sister when you're taken down for power. All of them. Chips Delight. Violet Scribe. Wub Step. Illusion Flight." The being paused, knowing all too well that this remark would hurt the sad alicorn. "Even Sombra doesn't want you around. He just wants Celestia."
Luna couldn't take it anymore. She stood up, horn alive with dark magic and struck the nightmare. The being screamed and shouted out at her. The dark shade on the pony slowly started dissipating.
The pony, who now had a welcoming atmosphere, shook her head.
"Wha- what happened? Luna?" The blue mare asked worryingly.
"N-no. No! NO! No! NO!" The princess screamed. " You're nothing but a nightmare! I hit you with that spell, why can't you just go away?!"
"Whoa, wait! Luna! It's me. I'm normal, why would think I'm a nightmare?" Then the mare looked around at the barren forest. "Oh. We're in a nightmare, what happened?" she asked.
"It's nothing. Just leave me alone. Celestia want you awake for a spell. Its urgent, a good friend of mine was attacked." Luna said, getting up. " I'll be by your bed when you wake."
As Luna began to exit the dream, the scenery around the two began to fade, warning that Note Story was waking up. The princess flew up towards the sky, opening a portal back into reality. After closing off the portal, she uttered one thing.
"Could she have been right?" Luna whispered to herself.
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"- And then my elder sister told me to get three magically gifted unicorns. So, I go you, Chips Delight, Violet Scribe, and Sombra."
"But that's four unicorns." Note Story said.
"Well Tia asked for Sombra herself as well as you three." Luna spoke almost in a whisper. Noticing this, the unicorn mare chose not to ask.
"Well lets go!" The blue mare remarked cheerfully as she walked out of the room, notebook in her magic. And she left the night ruler alone.
Before following, the princess felt a surge of magic go through her. Almost like somepony was watching the whole thing play out. Watching them and their struggles. Suddenly, her heart felt like it was being squeezed. The pain quickly went away, but in its place was all the things that Luna worried about.
Her fear of Sombra not loving her, but her sister. The doubt she has about her role as ruler. The lack of emotion she's had lately. How ponies loved her sister more than her.....
Luna looked at herself in the mirror. Her coat was a lighter shade of blue, but it was still darkened by the shadows. Her hair was solid and short, as it is when she feels weak or sad. And her eyes, they were scalene and her whites were a greyish- blue color, even her eyelids has a shade of purple. Then, she felt something stab her gums. She opened her mouth to reveal fangs. Her wings form was sharper. Then Luna smiled.
"Oh Nyx is a fool to believe she is going to control the shadows. Even Celestia doesn't have the power to do so. But I," Luna said, using her magic to put pressure on the glass. " Have the power to control them and more. From now on, the night and all its darkness now belongs to me. "
Luna looked at her reflection one last time, then smashed the mirror. Some pieces fell on the floor, and in their reflection, a shadow hung over Luna. The shadow had her same smile.
" Nopony understands. Celestia may think she can control shadows through lifetimes of study. When its the same power I was Born with." She finished as she closed the door.
Princess Luna turned around to her group of friends, a smile on her face. Her eyes landed on Sombra and said.
"Let's not keep my sister waiting."
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"Do you all understrand this spell?" Celestia asked.
The three unicorn mares nodded in unison.
"You're going to cast a spell that transfers our energy to you," Chips Delight said, repeating Celestia's orders.
"Then You'll begin your memory spell with Sombra and Luna-" Violet Scribe continued.
"And we'll be sleeping for you so that you don't mess up anything during the process." Note Story finished.
"Good." The solar princess commented.
The white mare turned to her sister and Luna's apprentice.
"Sombra." Celestia paused, noticing that Luna tensed up. "Sombra, you defeated Nyx today on your exam. You have been deemed worthy of being the Prince of Everfree. Luna? You shall decide what he shall rule over."
Luna grinned, happy she got a say in this. She inspected Sombra, thinking of what would suit him as a ruler. Then an idea crept into her mind.
"I name you, Sombra, the Prince Of Dreams and the Stars." Luna said, finishing the deal. Everypony in the room all murmured in agreement and approval.
"Oh this is awesome! I'm best friends with the Prince of Dreams.!" Wub Step cheered." Talk about the stallion of ponies' dreams!"
"And Stars!" Chips Delight giggled. "And here I thought you were just as lifeless as a rock, but you're funny!" She laughed even more as she placed her hooves around Sombra and Wub Step in a big hug.
"Ahem." Tia spoke, silencing the room. "Luna, you know what to do."
The young sister nodded, turned to Sombra, and struck him with magic. Only there was no pain. Sombra opened his eyes as he felt a cool breeze go rushing through his body. He started to get all the knowledge he needed for his new role. He could feel his muscles tightening up with the amount of magical power flowing through his very being. Visions of all Luna had experienced through her reign with her sister played out for Sombra. When it was over, Sombra had grown in height, his grey coat got a bit darker, and finally a pair of wings. Finally, he was fitted with armor and a red cape. Celestia placed a steel crown on his head.
The group of ponies that surrounded him all bowed in respect. Even the two alicorn princesses.
"Now Let's begin." Celestia stated. And with the flash of her, Luna's, and Sombra's magic, they began to travel through the beaten pegasus's memories.
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Luna opened her eyes as she, her sister, and Sombra seemed to be floating in an unknown dimenson of space. Much like her dreamscape dimenson. As they floated through it all, squares of what must've been her memories.
"I'll try guiding us through the old memories to get to the most recent ones." Celestia said.
"I'll guide us through the saddest and happiest memories." Luna said. " I think that might also give me a good idea of who she is as a friend."
"I guess I'll guide through the memories of her attack?" Sombra questioned.
"So we're all agreed. I'll start." Celestia began. The pasts memories quickly flew past the trio of alicorns, though Luna and Sombra could make out some of the memories.
They saw that as a filly she was feared and picked on by the other ponies. Then ,a few years later, she earned respect from some ponies when her temper broke and she stood up for herself against dark grey unicorn colt. Then a year later her best friend , a red bat pony with dark purple eyes and his mane was orange and blue, was mad that she did not return his feelings for her and attacked her through rage. Then, that same year, a eclipse happened when she was just a teen and she fought an innocent earth pony. Her eyes went red and her cutie mark's flames were black and the lighting bolt was red. Even her wings morphed into the shape of a bat pony's. Even Luna was afraid of her friend's unusual
"Oh Illusion Flight, what are you?" Sombra said towards the vision, a sad but honest look on his face.
"She's a pony like any other! She's no different a pony than you or me!" Luna snapped defensively.
Celestia paused, slowly coming to a stop in the sea of memories. The elder sister looked sick and mournful. She gestured towards her younger sister.
"Guide us." She said.
Luna concentrated on her most emotional thoughts and tried to search for a similar signal from the memories she needed to go through. As soon as she found them, her horn lit up and made a path for them. She floated in her own self- conscious and slowly her vision faded to black as her body moved through the memories. Visions came one by one to Luna. The happiest memories appeared to her first.
Her second birthday, a perfect gift for the pegasus pony, of course is a pet. Illusion Flight was given a black kitten with green eyes. She named the cat Shadow Gem. It played with her all the time and was her only friend for a long time. Then, later on, around her ninth birthday, her life was turned around by the birth of her sister. Then the visions showed her meeting with Luna. The lunar princess chuckled in remembrance at how random it was. The last happiest memory shown to her was the night she left with Nyx, where her crush asked her out after going to a magical lake, which seemed absurd to Luna.
After the happy memories faded, Luna call up the most horrible emotions she could and traced the memories linked with those emotions. A flurry of visions seemed to swallow the blue alicorn. First, was a blurry vision of a small building, a small , newborn Illusion Flight was barely breathing, Luna was standing right by her when two teal pegasus fillies appeared next to Illusion Flight. The new figure on the right had a strange glow to her, and her hair was like Illusion Flight's only her hair had emerald green instead of blue. Plus, her eyes were normal and were red. She had no fangs, or odd features. The only different thing was that she had pure white wings. Though a filly, it had a cutie mark, a ruby crown with wings.
The one on the Left, once again very similar. The hair had a dark purple streak instead of blue and had large fangs, it's eyes were a dark blue and the whites were dark grey. The filly had a sort of shadow over it, making its appearance all the more horrifying. It had a pair of black wings. It's cutie mark was a sapphire with black wings with blood on them. The black winged version of her friend looked straight at her and spoke.
"Go away night ruler. I am nothing but a vision of her sister. But I am also her inner demon. You are but a fragment in this reality." It said towards the young alicorn.
"Sister? Illusion Flight told me she had a brother and a little sister not a twin or two. Who are you? What are you?" Luna asked aloud.
"You are in no place to question me." It simply said back.
The white winged pony glared at the shadowy being across from it. " Illusion Flight does not know of us really. We died so she may live. I would've been a pony named Pure Flight, loved by all and too perfect a child. Night Flight over there" She gestured towards the black winged pony. " Would've been a marvelous soldier and leader but her looks would have her feared for life. Leaving her without love, making her jealous of me and we would have wrapped the world in more chaos than even Discord. If we lived, the world and Illusion Flight would have been in danger."
"Why would Discord plunge the world in chaos?" Luna asked. She got no response.
"You must go! Before it's too late." Pure Flight suddenly snapped. "This is a memory not a dream. Now go!"
"No please stay, I do enjoy talking to your inner demon." Night Flight said, her dark blue eyes filled with devious
The vision started fading to other ones. Before it could disappear, Night Flight spoke.
" Bon Voyage. I'm sure we'll meet again, many years later." She said, her fangs showing.
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Luna watched many, many memories pass like when her brother died on her birthday. She shuddered as she remembered her dream of him. And what he said.
After all the memories were done, she turned to Sombra.
"Ok, It's time we know what happened today." Celestia said.
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Illusion Flight said goodbye to her family and coltfriend Cosmic Shadow. She flew off, map in hoof. She made the two hour fly to the castle without to much difficulty. When she walk up to the gate guards ask who she was and had Celestia approve of her entry. As she trotted down the hallway she met a unicorn cook and a librarian. They took joy in talking to her after they were impressed by her facts on exotic animals and other subjects like the history of the kingdom. She even had lunch with them soon after. Then as they said goodbye, Illusion Flight wrote down their names to remember. She made her way to the staff dorms where a strange creature was using magic to mess with a blue unicorn.
"Hey! Stop that!" Illusion Flight shouted.
The creature dropped the unicorn and the mare quickly dashed away. Illusion Flight flew up to the creature, looking it in the eyes. It's red eyes and yellow whites didn't bother her, after all she basically had a similar problem. She flashed her fangs and pointed her claw armored boots at the being.
"I don't know what you are, but you should know not to bother ponies like that! It's mean and disrespectful. You should be ashamed of yourself. Apologize!" she said, her eyes blazing with rage.
"And who, pray tell, are you to tell me what to do? And no. I won't apologize, she said that nopony will ever love me." The creature said, making a box of heart chocolate appearing then disappearing.
"Well I am very sorry about that, but you should know better than to fight back words with magic!" The pegasus mare said.
"Name?" It responded.
"Illusion Flight, yours?"
"Discord, spirit of Chaos!" He said proudly.
"No offense but are you some kind of pet?" Illusion Flight asked observing his physical features.
"I'll have you know I'm the Princess's royal chief advisor." Discord said. " What are you? A science experiment?"
" Guess I deserved that. Do you know where Princess Luna is? She's expecting me." Illusion Flight chuckled.
"Lulu hmmm? She's gone, her apprentice is trying to become prince." Discord stated calmly.
"Her apprentice huh?" She chuckled. " I've heard a lot about him."
"Have you now? Well Let's not wait for them here. I'll show you around." Discord said.
The two walked around the castle, getting to know each other since they probably won't meet anypony as weird as them. They even played pranks on other ponies, without hurting them of course. On one occasion, they made two of the servants who didn't do their jobs slip on banana peels. Illusion Flight forced Discord into making the ground in front of them soft. So, he replaced the hard rock with cotton candy. the two landed face first into the sugary sweets and they got out, shouted about how it stuck to their manes.
Later right before sunset, they flew down a long corridor of the castle. They raced down the hallway, both trying to beat the other. Illusion Flight was in the lead and she turned around the corner, leaving Discord behind her. After a few minutes and she hadn't heard from the draconaquis, the teal pegasus stopped and turned around. She waited for a pair of red eyes to come crashing into her. She waited. And waited. and waited. No pony, no draconaquis came. Getting nervous, the mare started going towards the corner she had passed.
When she peeked around the corner, the first thing she saw was a ratty and dirty grey and red mane and tail. The pony in front of her had a very dark purple coat. Her horn was slightly curved and the tip of it was red. Illusion Flight could barely notice that Discord was on the ground wriggling around in agony. And that his limbs were held down by a dark magical aura. His eyes, though closed, leaked out a purple mist. And as Illusion Flight observed a little while longer, she noticed that the familiar mare looming over him had the same mist. Illusion Flight pulled her head back as she processed what was going on.
"Why is V-Velvet Fire here? Why is she torturing Dis-" Illusion Flight paused. "SHE'S TORTURING DISCORD!"
Illusion Flight jumped out from the corner and looked at Velvet Fire. She quickly extended her wings, preparing to hit the old mare at full force. She crouched down, trying to put as much energy as possible in her legs. She waited until she knew the mare couldn't see her, and charged. She raced on her hooves faster and faster and then lifted her wings, lifting her almost to the ceiling and then after flying forward a little she tucked her wings to her side quickly. She flipped in mid air then slammed the old mare with her right fore hoof. Velvet Fire fell to the ground, a gash on her forehead brought a dark red color as time went on. Illusion Flight had thought she won when the figure of Velvet Fire disappeared.
"Where'd she go?" Illusion Flight turned to the walls around her, calling out to no pony in particular. " Where are you? Come out witch!"
"Witch? That's a bit harsh isn't it? I mean, I was a good family friend." Velvet Fire said.
"Until you started attacking innocent ponies. And Getting yourself banished so that Cosmic Shadow and Lunamoon had to fend for themselves." Illusion Flight countered. " What a mother." She taunted.
"Who said I didn't help them?" The dark unicorn said, slowly walking out of a room a few yards away, her expression was blank. " Don't you remember those days they both disappeared, everypony thought they went for an adventure?"
"But Cosmic Shadow would never-" Illusion Flight began.
"Oh, But he would NEVER! Boo Hoo, Boo hoo. Face facts kid. I did help them, I told them how to wield magic effectively, how to hunt, and how to attack other ponies for protection." Velvet smirked.
"No." The teal mare said calmly. " I will not believe my very special somepony would ever listen to you after you attacked an innocent pony. This time, I won't let you confuse me, I will fight you. Unless you're scared."
The purple mare just rolled her dark blue eyes, the whites of her eyes glowing green. " Take a shot." She said darkly.
Illusion Flight stomped her hoof down. Her multicolored eyes turning mostly red. She ran at neck breaking speed and charged towards the unicorn. There was a green flash of magic and the pegasus mare skidded to a stop right in front of the new pony. The stallion was a dark grey unicorn with green eyes, his mane and tail similar to Velvet Fire. The stallion who blocked her was,
"Cosmic Shadow? What are you doing here? Why aren't you protecting the village?" Illusion Flight stopped, noticing the long gash on his forehead. She her knees gave out and she was left sitting on the floor, helpless to her confusion and heartbreak of realizing why he was here.
"Oh foolish mare, I'm helping my mother. I thought it was obvious. And don't worry about the village, you're not gonna be hearing from it anytime soon." He said.
"No." Illusion Flight said "Please don't let that be true. I know you wouldn't-"
"You sound like my sister." He said trotting past the broken - down mare.
He took a limp Discord in his magic and turned back to his mother. She was given the draconaquis and quickly teleported away. Cosmic Shadow waited, he looked at Illusion Flight, who looked at him with tears in her eyes. He felt a small pulse of guilt as she turned away. Her ribs quivering through each sob. Her wings were ruffled, the feathers twisting over the other and her mane was a mess. Her eyes were small a dots and she was talking to herself like a mad mare.
" I'm so sorry." He was about to leave when Illusion Flight spoke.
"You didn't kill them did you?" She said, her eyes glared at him with hatred. "My family?"
He didn't look at her. He couldn't.
"No. I didn't." He sighed. " They left soon after the attack began."
He paused.
"You know I wouldn't kill them , right? Even if they were here?" He asked, guilt flooded the question.
"I don't even know you." She answered back, no emotion in her voice.
Cosmic Shadow looked at the floor. Illusion Flight was silent. Then she chuckled, a dark ,sickening laugh that caused Cosmic Shadow to get shivers down his spine. The pegasus got off the ground. Her laugh echoing off the walls, a continuous chorus of laughter.
" Do you think, that I would let you destroy my village and let you Live?" She turned to the smoky grey unicorn. " Well, I'm sorry dearie. That's not going to happen. " Illusion Flight held up one armored boot the two claws attached to it were razor sharp.
Illusion Flight's eyes turned blood red, her whites were a dark grey. Her pegasus wings changed form into bat pony wings.
"H-how are you-" Cosmic Shadow started.
"Looks like your mother has a few secrets. I guess she blew me off as a failed experiment?" Illusion Flight said coldly. "Let's play a game."
Illusion Flight jumped towards Cosmic Shadow, her fangs pointed towards his throat. Her claw-boots were aimed towards his torso. Her wings were extended, her eyes were narrowed and small. The teal pegasus looked like death itself. Her fangs missed, but the claws made a cut on his leg and chest. He stood there, stunned. Taking this chance, Illusion Flight used her speed to bite his back and right leg. Snapping back to reality, Cosmic Shadow used his magic to trap her and keep her from attacking him.
" I didn't want to hurt the village! I never wanted to hurt you! I just..." He trailed off.
"Enjoyed the rush?" She finished darkly.
"No, I-" He stopped. So did his magic.
His horn fell to the floor. The stallion looked at the scrap of bone, his emerald eyes filled with fear. Though it was a clean cut, a few drops of blood went down the wound. Illusion Flight stood tall compared to Cosmic Shadow, as she stepped towards him, her boots clicked against the stone floor. She put a clawed boot up to his neck, she lifted his chin so he would look at her. In the background the sun was almost below the horizon, giving her a shadow. While her face was darkened by rage and hatred, her eyes seemed to glow with sadness for the loss of her village. Her home.
" You lying monster. " She said, her fangs glinting.
She was about to end it for the poor fool, then she was blown back by a blast of magic. As she got up, she looked towards the pony who struck her. Two stallions, one was a unicorn, the other was a pegasus. They seemed to be twins, both were black with gray manes with a streak of blue. Their eyes were an amber color. The unicorn's horn was curved and was tipped with red like Velvet Fire's. The pegasus's wings were tipped with the same shade of red. Illusion Flight closed her left eye, the blast caused her to get a few scratches. With one good eye, she grinned at the newcomers.
"Can't save yourself Cosmic Shadow?" She teased. " Pathetic."
The pair still said nothing, they looked at the dark grey stallion on the floor, then at Illusion Flight. The injured pony got up and looked towards Illusion Flight, hatred in his emerald eyes. Even through that hate, Illusion Flight could see guilt in his stare. She calmed down, her wings turning back to normal and her whites once again were their natural color, though her cold glare remained.
"Just go. You're not worth killing. I already ruined your life." Illusion Flight pointed with her hoof at the two twins. "Take them with you."
"Negative. We are here to finish the job." The pegasus stallion spoke. " Black Spark, go with Cosmic Shadow. I'll take care of her." He said.
"Of course Shadow Wings." The unicorn said.
Before the two left, Illusion Flight called out.
"Good Luck with the life of an Earth pony Cosmic Shadow." She spat.
After Black Spark and Cosmic Shadow left, Illusion Flight flew towards Shadow Wings, her hoof pulled back to hit him. The impact threw the pegasi backwards a few feet from each other. The teal mare got up first, and she felt her strength giving out. She jumped up into the air a flew outside to the garden, she searched and searched for one guard, somepony who could help her. She saw a black pegasi guard, his mane was black and white, and was about to ask for help when a hoof came slamming down on her spine. She gasped in pain as she fell to the ground. Shadow Wings grabbed the mare and put her up against an old tree. While his eyes are normal, when he opened his mouth to laugh, fangs glinted against the moonlight. Illusion Flight didn't have the strength to move or fight back. Shadow Wing bit her wings, hooves, and chest. Each times the biting pain was increased by a burning sensation of dark energy.
Lastly, the black pegasus stallion took Illusion Flight into the air and threw her down. Illusion Flight could barely see him fly of west before hitting the tree and blacking out. Seconds before she closed her eyes, she heard a flash, as she hung limply from the tree she could make out the colors of Princess Luna.
"P-princess L-luna..... help." She whispered and blacked out.
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Luna blinked her eyes open to see she, and the others, were back in the throne room. Sombra and Celestia stayed silent while they woke up the three unicorn who slept by them. All of them had many questions, but nopony could ask any as they heard a groan. They all looked at the teal pegasus in the middle of their group. The mare lifted her head, looked at Luna and asked.
"What happened?" She moaned.
"It's a long story." Sombra explained. "But for now lets all rest."
"Wait, Velvet Fire, Cosmic Shadow they-" Illusion Flight began.
Celestia stopped her. "We know, we went through your memories of the event."
"So I guess you know I need a place to stay?" The teal mare joked.
" You can stay with me in my room." Luna suggested. " Its big enough for both of us."
"We can descuse living arrangments later. For now, lets rest." Celestia concluded.