//------------------------------// // 191. Mathematics by Honey Mead // Story: The Sun and the Stars: A Twilestia Prompt Collab // by Fuzzyfurvert //------------------------------// by Honey Mead *** Celestia bit into an apple. The skin broke in a spray of juice, filling the air with its sweet scent. Not that she noticed. Before her, three blackboards filled the all too small bedroom. The central one was covered in a dizzying array of markings, long form equations mixed precariously between spell-work and runes. To the right, a piece of chalk worked to fill the second board with similar markings--despite her apparent lack of attention to its movements. And to the left, wrapped in a protective magic shell, were the remains of more spell-work, two long slashes from an eraser making them indecipherable. Dear Princess Celestia, There's something I need to tell you. Despite the chalk and apple held in her magic, all of Celestia's attention focused on the stack of papers spread out on the floor before her. When she'd found them, they'd been spread across the room, pinned to the walls, scattered over the floor, hidden inside or under books and furniture. It'd taken nearly two weeks to find and sort them into something that approached a meaningful body of work. She still wasn't convinced that she'd found them all. The central and leftward chalkboards were as she'd found them. She recognized the basic spell-work right off, it was the base formulae for Starswirl's work in temporal transversal. She took another bite of the apple. For as long as I can remember, you have been the most important pony in my life... Page three hundred five--by her best guess--started out as a discussion on the use of sunlight over moon or starlight as the standard measurement of speed, only to fall into a digression on how self-centered it was for the sun to hold itself so far above everypony else.... She stopped reading at that point and turned the page. Finishing the apple, she set the core aside and picked up the next from the small plate of fruit as she turned her attention to page three hundred six. It wasn't until Rarity pointed it out to me that I gave it any thought... Taking another bite, sweet and acidic juice once again sprayed into the air and across her tongue. She stopped and frowned, something was off. Celestia looked up at the three blackboards, studying them, paying special attention to what she'd written on the right. There were no problems there. Eyes on page three hundred six, she glanced back at three hundred five, but no, that wasn't it either. She took another bite. She looked at the apple. Turning her head she let the half chewed rind fall to the plate and set aside the orange. She turned again to the problem that had consumed her every moment for the past weeks. I did the math, and the numbers surprised me. At some point, Spike entered, retrieved her dinner plate, and left again. If he said anything, she didn't notice. A while later, after the Sun had gone down and the Moon had come up, somepony knocked at the bedroom door; she didn't wait to be acknowledged before entering. Luna was silent at first, her eyes falling heavy on the smaller alicorn. It hurt to see her sister so, barely taller than the average stallion. She looked frail, weak, her mane pink and limp across her shoulders. "Tia, it's time to come back to Canterlot." Celestia didn't turn away from her work. When she spoke, her voice was no less melodious and serene than ever, "Soon, sister. I think I almost have it." Luna placed a hoof on her withers. "Please, I need you. I... I'm not asking you to stop, but perhaps a break would help. A few days to allow your mind to re-focus." Celestia reached back with a hoof and patted Luna's pastern. It would have been a comforting gesture, had it lacked the absent mindedness that pervaded Celestia's every action. "You don't need me. You'll have those stuffy nobles eating out of your hoof in no time." Seconds passed by. "You've not been sleeping," Luna said without needing to look at the wrinkled but unused bed. "'Tisn't healthy." "When did you become the elder sister?" Celestia asked with a long suffering chuckle and sigh. "I promise, I'll sleep soon. Thank you for stopping by, but I really must focus." Quiet settled between them again, save for the occasional click of chalk across the blackboard. Luna steeled herself. "Celestia. You need to stop this. It's been three months." The chalk paused. "Has it? I admit, I've not kept track." The chalk started up again. "It shouldn't be too much longer." Every time I think about you, my heart rate raises by five beats per minute. I read every letter you send until I have it memorized backward and forward... "How much progress have you made?" Celestia started to respond, but the words never came. Her face scrunched, and the chalk pressed harder. Luna's hoof returned to her sister's withers. "You have responsibilities, Tia. There are other ponies who--" Wood splintered, spraying like so much water off a rippling pond. Luna fought back, but between the buzzing in her head and constriction in her throat, she could barely manage to bat uselessly at her sister's forelegs. Her vision wavered from the smoke, heat, and tears that filled her eyes. "No!" Celestia towered over her sister, pastern pinning Luna's throat to the wall, her mane licking at the ceiling, leaving black scorch marks that threatened to catch fire. "No pony needs me more! Not you, not Cadence, not every pony across Equestria! No pony!" Luna slumped to the floor when the pressure let up, her lungs working to make up for lost time. By the time her eyes cleared enough to see, Celestia had returned to her spot, as short as when Luna had first arrived, staring up at the chalkboards. Coughing, Luna slowly found her hooves. She searched for words, only for Celestia to speak again, her voice a thousand miles away. "It's my fault, Luna. I did this to her. She... I... It's all my fault. I crushed her without thinking. If I'd thought, even for a second..." Tears began to fall from her magenta eyes, barely caught by royal blue feathers before they could stain the collected notes. Luna forced Celestia's muzzle into her shoulder. I love you, princess. I have always loved you.