The next morning arrived with Cosmos and Woona going to bed and Tia raising the sun along with Galaxia who was about to begin her ruling of the daytime on her side of the throne room. Bond Racer was still asleep, recovering from the night before where he performed despite his embarrassment of it all.
His main objective was to hope that Starswirl had got around to creating a portal spell that would take him back to the future...if there was a DeLoran with a built in flux capacitor, he would've been able to have it ready ages ago, of course such technology of that calibre did not exist, so patience was the main mindset to put up with for the time being.
In the throne room, Galaxia had finished her paperwork for the morning and looked at Tia who was looking through the window glass overlooking Canterlot. Seeing that she had mastered her new role of the sun as well as becoming smarter and stronger, the Queen sighed quietly and thought that it was time for the reigns to pass on.
"Tia, would you kindly please sit on my throne room chair for a moment?" Galaxia asked.
"Okay Mother." she replied.
Galaxia got off the chair, then Tia walked up to the chair and sat in a good position. She seemed to look perfect in the eyes of the queen and she smiled at her. "You look so perfect in that chair, as if you're a ruler already." she complimented.
"Thanks mother, can I ask why?" Tia replied.
"Well...your Father and I have given some thought and seeing you both now more than capable of keeping your duties on strong form, we have agreed that it's time to pass on the leadership to you."
Tia was taken back slightly, of course she knew the day was always going to come, but she didn't expect it to happen today.
"Really mother, are you and father sure about it, despite Woona not out of her filly years?"
"We haven't been more sure than we are now and Bond Racer will need to hear this too as until Starswirl helps him get back to his timeline, he is still under the orders of whoever leads Equestria, which will be you and Woona very soon."
"Okay, I can understand that, will we have a group talk later?"
"Yes my dear Tia, we'll all be together to discuss it after our dinner time."
Shortly then, Tia got off the chair and left the throne room with a smile as Galaxia got back on her throne. Tia liked sitting there and she was quite happy, but at the same time, she felt worried about what's gonna happen to her mother and Cosmos when Tia and Woona become the new rulers of Equestria.
Several hours later when it was just before dinner time, Bond was talking to Tia about what happened last night.
"So it was you who did that favor for Woona?" Tia asked.
"Yes it was me, there was no way I was going to let Woona miss out on all the fun, I guess I'm a lifesaver of sorts." Bond replied.
"Well, all I can say is thank you so much, I don't know what Woona or I would do without you."
"It's my pleasure, just anything to make princesses smile."
Tia then gave him a friendly hug which he accepted, he smiled cause he knew that he would see Tia and Woona back in the future...when he is finally able to go home.
Shortly afterwards, dinner was underway and Cosmos and Woona had joined at the table, even though Bond wasn't part of the royal family, they all agreed that he had been like one of them and they also knew that they were going to miss him. But they concentrated on the happy side of things for now.
After dinner was over, Cosmos and Galaxia nodded to each other as if to have the talk with their daughters about 'passing the torch' so to speak. Woona and Tia listened carefully as the King and Queen began to speak with Bond needing to hear it too.
"Children, we had a long talk together but your mother and I believe that you are both ready to be handed over the leadership of Equestria. You both have proven that you're more than able to uphold the ruling of peace and harmony." Cosmos said.
"Really, I get to be a leader?" Woona asked.
"Well, a co-leader to be more exact." Galaxia replied. "Between the day and night, you will swap roles of leading the kingdom as you must continue your roles with the sun and the moon."
"However, before you two can rule the lands, you will have to go through royalty training." Cosmos added. "I must warn you, the procedure for the training will be swift and at times be painfully strict, but it has to be done."
"However, we believe you won't have that problem at all as Bond Racer will carry on with his duty which will now be changed." Galaxia continued. "He will no longer be watching over you, instead he will be your support worker in case you need it."
"That's exactly fine with me, Queen and King." Bond intervened politely.
"But on a serious note children, we had to save this to last as we're not sure how you're going to take this..." Cosmos then sighed, "...but when you become the new rulers, your mother and I will have to leave the world behind us."
This shocked Tia and Woona, they weren't exactly sure what they meant by that, but Bond did as he read a book about the beginnings of Equestria with Twilight.
"What...what are you saying?" Tia asked worryingly.
"We mean that we can no longer be with you when you become the official rulers of the land." Galaxia replied.
Tia was able to handle it well, but Woona on the other hoof wasn't able to control her emotions as well as her sister could.
"So...does this mean you're saying goodbye?" Woona asked as she began to sniff.
"Yes, Woona...it has to be this way, but let's not be too depressed...come here and let us have the best time as a family for all time." Cosmos said as he opened his arms out.
Tia and Woona joined him and Galaxia in a group hug, the two princesses began to sniff, trying to fight back the tears as they hugged their parents tightly.
Bond shed a tear in the background and decided to leave them alone and have them enjoy thier final moments as a loving family. He left the dining room and felt quite emotional walking down the hallway, he knew exactly how they felt when he lost his parents when he was a filly, back in Fillydelphia.
Just then, Starswirl showed up, trotting towards Bond as if he had something to tell.
"Bond! Glad you're here, I have just discovered and learnt a portal spell that will allow you to go through it and bring you back to your timeline...it pushed me to the very limit of my magic, but I got there in the end, you'll be able to go home soon." he said happily.
"Yes! Thank you Starswirl, that news was all I needed to cheer up." he replied.
"Cheer up, what happened today?"
Bond then gave a quick summary about the parents 'passing the torch' to the princesses.
"Oh my...I bet they didn't take the news well."
"Actually, Tia was able to do so, but Woona couldn't quite do the same."
"It also means that I won't be their magician tutor anymore once they become the new rulers...so in a way, I may be out of a job."
"That's terrible news, can't you find a job around Canterlot, maybe send off an application form?"
"Jobs in this timeline are very hard to come by, I'd be lucky if I landed a job as a toilet scrubber."
"Don't talk such pile of manure, you're better than that."
Ba-dum tish!
Starswirl was slightly confused, "Not sure if you were trying to make a joke, but I'll take it as a compliment."
"Okay, please do that...I better let you get back to your portal spell perfecting."
"Actually I was going to tell the family the news but I'll go in slow and gently for their sake."
"Good idea, I'll be at my tower room if any of them need me."
Starswirl walked ahead past the hallway whilst Bond left the main castle and flew up to his tower room. He looked at the view all around him and soaked up the surroundings, as if to make the most of it now before he goes back to his timeline, he was smiling and was looking forward to seeing all his friends from the future that he had missed so much.
Sometime later, it was the beginning of the night, Cosmos watched Woona raise the moon one last time before he got up and hugged Woona tightly.
"Woona, I am incredibly proud of you and how far you've come since you became a princess." Cosmos said as he held her, "I know that you will carry on with the rulership of the night and make the family proud."
"I will, father...thank you...thank you for all the good times you gave me." Woona replied.
Galaxia and Tia were beside them, also sharing a close and tight hug.
"Tia, you have also become the greatest blessing of Equestria and you have shown true leadership when you raise the sun and bring forth the new day. I have full confidence that you will be the strongest and most powerful princess of the day." Galaxia complimented.
"Thank you mother...I'll always love you and the rest of my family." Tia replied with a warm smile.
The family got into a close hug once more before lights began to glow around Cosmos and Galaxia. The parents then walked towards a light that showed a gateway to somewhere, but nopony knew where it was.
"Children, your moment has arrived...our time to be with you is coming to an end and it is time for us to part." Cosmos said.
They walked up to the light portal before looking back at Tia and Woona who began to cry.
"We understand, but we're gonna miss you when you leave us." Tia said as she tried so hard not to cry, Woona was already there as she hid her tears on Tia's shoulder.
"One final thing, children." Galaxia said, "Although Equestria is destined to be full of peace, harmony and happiness, we are not alone in the universe. When the world and beyond hears of us gone, forces of evil and darkness may try to stand in your way and conquer Equestria."
"Forces of evil and darkness?" Tia asked as she comforted Woona in a hug.
"Yes, it is why we have created and provided these...the Elements Of Harmony." Cosmos replied.
Soon, six small gems of different shapes on necklaces appeared on a white podium and a glass case appeared and landed gently on the right side of the throne room.
"These elements are Magic, Generosity, Kindness, Loyalty, Laughter and Honesty. They will prove useful in helping you defend Equestria from darkness, you both will control three of the six elements each and you will be connected with them for as long as you have a connection to them." Galaxia added.
"Now children, never give up in hope...and always have faith on the powers of love and peace." Cosmos said.
"We will always be watching and be with you...in spirit, we'll always love you."
"Now, may your co-leadership carry Equestria forward to the future and beyond...our dear children."
The king and queen then walked further into the bright light and further upwards to the night sky before a mega bright light appeared, nearly blinding Tia and Woona until it faded away quickly. Tia and Woona looked to see their parents, but they carried on sharing their sisterly hug and tears as they now realized their parents were no longer around them.
Cosmos and Galaxia were gone from the world which would be spread around Equestria sometime afterwards, although this broke the princesses's hearts, they knew they had to stay strong for their parents and for all the lifeforms on the world as they became co-leaders of the kingdom.
It was then a week later since the King and Queen journeyed to the afterlife, Tia and Woona decided that they should no longer be called by their child names for a start, so they became Celestia and Luna from that point on. Bond Racer found out about it all by then and gave them the most loving and comfy hugs he had ever given.
On that night, Starswirl came into the castle with news once more for Bond and the princesses.
"Princesses, I have finally perfected the portal spell and I am about to open it, outside the castle." he said.
"Excellent news, Starswirl, we'll let Bond know about it now." Luna replied.
Soon, Starswirl, Luna, Celestia and Bond were outside. The guards by the castle bridge were given the night off so that nopony could see the portal spell taking place. Starswirl concentrated as he began to perform the spell, holding his forelegs out and standing up, putting all of is magic and strength into it.
The ponies then saw a circle then began to grow into a big circle and was now turned into a portal, Starswirl nearly fainted as the magic he used seemed to have almost drained his energy out....looks like his retirement is approaching faster than he thought.
"Wow...he really did it and that portal is big enough for me to go home." Bond said as he walked closer to it.
"Remember Bond..." Starswirl said as he got back up. "...it's only travels one way. Once you go through it, there is no going back...but we won't forget the days you were here and you have been very good to all of us."
Bond looked back at Celestia and Luna, they came up to him gave him a close hug.
"We're gonna miss you, Bond." Luna said.
"Yes, our kingdom won't be the same without you." Celestia added.
"I know, Princesses...I won't forget you both." Bond replied.
"But will we see you in the future?"
"Well...you never know... I'll see you in a thousand and five hundred years time."
Bond then let go of the hug and winked as he began to walk into the portal and stepped through it...shortly, he had vanished and the portal closed and disappeared. Celestia and Luna shared another closing hug, seeing that their pony who watched over them was now gone too...for the time being.
"Well, there goes our wise-cracking alicorn." Starswirl smirked. "Too bad I won't be able to see him again as I'm thinking of retiring."
But he said it to himself as Celestia and Luna were already back in the castle. Luna was on the throne as her role of the night, Celestia then headed off to bed in what was the parents bedroom but was now their own and began to sleep.
Celestia then had a bit of a nightmare dream at first where she was a young filly and was chased by a timberwoof through a dark forest. She was then cornered, until she saw Luna come in and blasted the timberwoof away to pieces. This was the night they discovered that Luna can go into ponies dreams and make them better which was quite fitting for the princess of the night.
As time went on, Celestia and Luna were welcomed and loved by all the ponies that came and went and it wasn't long before Ponyville finally came along and was turned into the town the ponies knew today, however they were challenged on two occasions by evil foes. The first of which was King Sombra who was banished away to the Arctic land by the sisters and Discord who tried to turn the world upside down with random chaos before he was turned to stone.
However, when the timeline became nearly a thousand years from the present, things would take a turn for the worse for both of the princesses when a mysterious aura showed up around Luna...but that's another story.
THE END