//------------------------------//
// Chapter Two - Camp 
// Story: After the Fall 
// by Sapidus3 
//------------------------------//





After packing their dishes back into her saddle bags, Celestia, Luna, and Twilight ventured back into the ruined city. Celestia was happy to see that Twilight was following them without prodding, but after her earlier conversation with Luna could not help but wonder how much of the behavior was simply reflexive. 

An image kept popping back into her mind. Twilight sitting alone in the remnants of a town square. Nopony else for hundreds of miles, and yet Twilight just continued to sit there. Years passed and the ruins turned to gravel, and still Twilight did not move. Celestia hated to think what would happen if she gave up on her former student. Neither hunger, age, nor the elements would ever take her pupil. Twilight would just become a fixture of the landscape.

Yet, in some ways retreating to Luna’s insane castle seemed even worse. A pony deserved to have the truth, even if it was a hard truth. If everything was perfect and happy, a pony would have no chance to grow and develop. Celestia just wanted what was best for Twilight.

“So this is where they built their new library after Twilight’s tree exploded?”

“Yes, I think so. If I have my bearings right that is. Even if the city was intact, it’s been so many years, and I never knew the place as well as Twilight. The decision to build it came after the mayor decided that they needed their own library independent of the “Royal” library in Twilight’s summer palace. "

Celestia turned and saw her sister smiling and arched an eyebrow.

“Oh, we were just remembering when little Twilight came to the Night Court concerned about the ramifications of her new crystal palace.”

“Yes, I remember you telling me about that. What was it you were worried about Twilight? That your destiny might be to secede from Equestria.” Celestia smiled at Twilight.

“Luckily we were able to put that to rest and reassure your student.”

“I have an idea. I’m reasonably confident that the library is buried beneath this pile of rocks somewhere. Twilight, Luna, let’s have a game. The first pony to find a book wins.”

“Thou, art so on sister.”

“But we have to be careful!” Celestia shot her hoof out towards Luna before her sister had a chance to direct any colossal spells at the rubble pile. “We don’t want to damage anything that might be buried here.”

Luna had not adapted to the scarcity of magic any better than Celestia, but her sister was much more prone to expending great reserves of her precious magic on frivolities. Celestia could still remember that absurd sculpture Luna had carved into the side of the Canterhorn. Luna had been exhausted for weeks before rebuilding her strength. Celestia suspected that she could wait a thousand years and Luna still would not know how to take proper care of herself. 

Celestia gave a grateful smile as she felt Luna’s magic dying down, but then frowned as she heard a grumbled. “Not like we can make everything any more ruined.”

She opened her mouth to retort, but felt her words dying on her lips. In the end she simply whispered right above the edge of hearing. “Just try not to break anything.”

“Can we start our contest yet, sister?”

Celestia glanced to Twilight sitting at the edge of the hill of stone and wood they stood on top of. There was little chance she would participate in their ‘game,’ but Celestia still had to try. “Twilight, would you like to do the honors?”

The silence seemed to stretch out until Celestia heard a pony scream in her ear from behind “GO!”

She turned and huffed at her sister while rubbing her ear, “Twilight was supposed to be the one to say that.”

“We were not aware you wished for this contest to be one of patience.”

Celestia realized her pout was ineffective against her sister who was already buried neck deep in a small hole and watched for only a moment longer as Luna began digging at the ground with her hooves. Celestia shook her head and began to levitate a timber away. With her belly filled, she could afford to use a little bit of magic. 

However, even with her hunger sated, the spell was strenuous. Celestia was not sure if she would ever get used to the change. Her horn glowed brighter as it attempted to pull more energy from the dead ether.

Five hours later Celestia let her rump hit the ground in the center of a small clearing she had created. The broken flagstone of the building’s original floor let up a cloud of clinging dust, and Celestia gazed over a mound of junk they had sorted through to where her sister was glaring at her.

“This game of yours is a farce. This is nary a book abound. Naught but broken quills and remnants of sofas. Where are all the books dear sister?”

“I’m sorry Luna, I could have sworn this was where the library had been built.”

Luna’s frown disappeared with her her next words, “No it is my fault dear sister. I ask too much from your memory. After all, they say the mind is the first thing to go.”

“What?” She felt that one vein on her brown twitch.

“Nothing dear sister. Simply for a mare of your age, remembering even the general location is to be commended.”

“Take that back.” Her eyebrow had joined the vein in twitching.

“I meant no disrespect. I understand that when you were young, proper endings to games had not yet been invented. But I mean the utmost respect for my elder.”

“I am not old.” Celestia could feel her face twisting up. 

“No, certainly not. Definitely no older than the star you gave birth to.”

“There is nothing wrong with my sun.”

“Nothing wrong if you-”

Luna never got to finish her sentence as a white blur slammed into her. 

They rolled around through the dirt each trying to find an opening in the other’s defense. Celestia always won their tussles. That was why she was so surprised to find herself on her back with Luna above, and soft feather tips rubbing against her sides.

She resisted as long as she could. Celestia tried not to squirm.

The dam burst and she broke out laughing.

“I yield, ha,” Celestia was gasping for breath, “ha, please. I yield. No more. You win.”

Luna’s onslaught ceased as the feathers stopped their assault. Celestia used one of her own wings to wipe a tear from her eye and looked up at her younger sister to see Luna starting off at something with a perplexed look.

“No… It seems our young Twilight has won the game.”

Celestia craned her head backwards against the ground. In her vision Twilight towered upside down only a span from where they had come to lay and Celestia rolled until Twilight was right side up. Her former student was sitting upright in the exact same spot she had been since they had arrived at the rubble pile.

However, there was a coverless book at Twilight’s hooves, practically underneath Celestia’s head.

Luna and Celestia untangled themselves as they both stood up to stare at Twilight.

“When did she-”

“We do not know sister.”

“How long ago did she-”

“We do not know sister.”

The exchange was one of numb surprise.

A number of possible scenarios raced through Celestia’s mind. The book could have been knocked there, either in the earlier search or the ensuing tickle fight. The damaged text seemed to be squared up too perfectly with where Twilight was sitting for that to be the answer, however. Luna could have also planted the book, perhaps as a misguided attempt to apologize for her earlier words during lunch. Celestia could think of no evidence to discredit that possibility.

However, there was a third possibility that kept coming back to Celestia.

Celestia swept Twilight up in a massive hug, and tried to ignore how her students head fell limply over her withers.

“You won the game Twilight! You should have told us when you found a book, but you did a very good job. Neither Luna nor myself could find one. I’m very proud of you.”

For the third time that day Celestia wiped a tear from her eye. However, this one was not from sadness or from laughter. 

“Please, do not patronize her so.”

Celestia turned her head to look at her sister in bewilderment. “What do you mean?”

“She used to be the greatest mind in Equestria. You’re telling her you’re proud that she found a book?”

“I… I am proud of her.”

“She should be happy with this then? Twilight is this all you want?”

“Yes- no-” Celestia did not know how to respond.

“Either she is a simpleton or she is still our Twilight. You can’t have it both ways Celestia!”

“Twilight is still plenty smart. You heard her theories on Discord earlier. We never even thought of something like that. She’s just… buried… I’m proud she is working her way out.”

Celestia twisted around behind Twilight and used her wings to cover Twilight’s ears. She didn’t know how much made it through to her student, but she didn’t want her to hear the fight she knew was coming.

“Celestia, whenever I treat her like a child you scowl at me. Yet, that is all you do. You feed and clean her. You praise her for the simplest of things-”

“And why shouldn’t I? If an Equestrian Cup flier were to break her wings, you would praise her during her recovery efforts and therapy. Each step and each flap of the wing is an accomplishment. And, eventually, when she is able to compete again, you praise her for that as well.”

“Sister, use your brain for a moment. Think about what pony we are dealing with.”

“Twilight-”

“Exactly!” Luna paused just long enough for Celestia to open her mouth again, “Twilight Sparkle! Maybe you are right that being out here in all of this waste is better for her than being in my castle. Neither of us really know. We aren’t psychologists… Of course if this is even a psychological issue. It could also be neurological, or in all likelihood a magical ailment. We’ll give that you were always better at theory than I, but your talents never leaned towards healing.” 

Luna continued her rant, “But the fact is that nopony alive has the knowledge to properly diagnose whatever happened to her, with the possible exception of Twilight herself, and little good that does us. So I have deferred to your judgment. You know her better than I. But… Your treatment of her has been blind.”

“How so?” Celestia could feel her teeth grinding.

“We are talking about the pony that nearly destroyed Ponyville when she thought she was going to be tardy.”

And suddenly Celestia understood what Luna was saying. Her legs felt weak. 

“You’re saying-”

“Yes. You need to push her. If she is still our Twilight, then the core of her being is still intact. At heart she is a student, your student. At heart she desires to please. Push her. Give praise where it is due.”

Celestia shook her head. “She’s getting better.”

“She is sitting underneath your wings like a rock.”

“I… I admit that you have a point. A very valid point. Maybe… Maybe I can use her desire to please to drag her out. But… It can’t be that easy, or she would be back with us now. I don’t know what she is struggling with, but I WILL celebrate her victories. And I expect you to celebrate with me. Is that understood.”

For a moment it seemed like Luna was about to say something more, but instead she just reluctantly nodded her head. Celestia let her wings drop from Twilight’s ears.

“Twilight, I am sorry for what you might have heard me say earlier. We did not mean it. We understand that thou has demons to conquer, but we lack the patience of our sister. I did not mean to spoil your victory in our game… Let’s all look at the book you found.”

Celestia shot Luna a grateful smile as they gathered around the tattered book.

“Tis a ledger…”

Celestia hummed to herself as she responded, “so it would seem.”

“It seems this store only did business with quills and sofas.”

“So it would seem. An oddity to be sure. I think Twilight may have once mentioned-” Celestia was cut off as Luna began laughing. Celestia glared at her sister in more curiosity than anything else, “Is everything alright Luna?”

The princess of the night waved a hoof as if to shoo Celestia away as she calmed down. “Tis only the absurdity of this afternoon. We spend hours digging through a worthless pile of rubble looking for a good book to read. In the end it is Twilight who finds our quarry, but it’s just a ledger.”

“Luckily I have some books set aside that we can read tonight. Perhaps we should find some place to settle down. It is nearing time for you to raise the moon.”

Luna nodded her assent and the three of them went to find a nice place to curl up for the night while there was still daylight. The summer was still warm enough that they did not need to worry about catching chill or about lighting a fire for warmth. However, they did need to find a location sheltered from the wind. After all the trees had died and the rain had stopped, much of the countryside had turned to dust, and billowing winds could carry particles at high speed. During the day Celestia kept a magical barrier up, but at night it was easier to drop the spell.

Luna suggested that they return to the bank, but Celestia was not eager to return there. It was such an impersonal building with no soul to it. In the end they had settled on an old cottage. The ceiling had collapsed and the timbers would likely be rotten if everything was not dead. Even the things which normally feasted on ruin had surrendered to the great silence. As it was, the walls seemed sturdy enough to keep out the wind. 

Celestia left Twilight inside the cottage with Luna. The furniture had all been ruined when the roof had given way, and it would take some time for her sister to prepare the building for them to spend the night. Celestia ideally hoped that Luna might find something of value as she headed back out the door to make a circle of the cottage. 

It was a habit she had picked up during a different era and a different age. It was important to always make a sweep of the perimeter. Over the years the compulsion had faded, but with the solitude it had returned. 

Celestia stopped behind the ruined home next to a dry rain barrel. A pony skull sat besides it, bleached white from the sun. Celestia moved her hoof towards it but froze halfway through the motion. Slowly her horn flickered to life as she pulled away a few hooffuls of the the cracked earth. With gentle care she lowered the skull into the hole, and smoothed the dirt over it.

She looked at the barrel and considered breaking off a piece of wood to use as a marker. Then she realized that she would likely never come by here again. There would be no other pony to ever see any cairn or memorial she might leave.

“Sister!” Luna’s head jutting out a broken window, horn ablaze, nearly gave Celestia a fright. “You must finish your dreary patrol and come in here posthaste. There is a small pocket, no more than two span across at most, but still it is certainly there.”

Celestia smiled at her sister and leapt through another window, hoping to give Luna a start. She winced as a shard of glass bit into her side, but was not concerned. It would clot soon enough. 

When she looked around the single room cottage, Celestia saw that Luna had shoved all the rubble against the walls. Twilight was still sitting in the center of the room, silent and unmoving. Luna on the other hoof was practically dancing in place in the far corner, flipping her mane from side to side.

After they had found their first pocket of magic Celestia had hoped she had found the key to helping Twilight. They had placed her in the center of it and she had absorbed it like a sponge, but otherwise showed no outward signs of change. It had been like that with all of the small isolated pools of magic that somehow had survived. Eventually she had given up.

Celestia came closer to her sister but did not feel the ether until she was only a hoof length away. It was indeed a small pocket, but not the smallest they had found.

“Sister, you must feel this against your mane. I feel like casting a spell- Oh! In the morning we can use this to seek out the library you seek. There we will find more than enough books for you to read to Twilight.”

Celestia shook her head. “Let’s save it. We don’t know what is happening to the tainted residue in the ley lines, and we might need a reserve someday.”

She hated the disappointed look in her sister’s eyes. “I suppose 'tis for the best. You are, as always, level headed.”

Luna drew just enough magic from the pocket to cast a light spell, holding back the growing darkness, and Celestia pulled the book she had secreted away in the outer pocket of her bag. She had found it several weeks back in a worn saddle bag in the middle of the road. There had been no sign of the former owner, but it was not unusual for the skeletons to have already turned to dust.

She took a moment to sort through her two saddle bags and frowned at the way they were beginning to bulge. She would need to keep an eye out for a larger bag, but even still it was likely time to make her way back to Canterlot. Out of the corner of her eyes she gazed at Twilight’s bare back. She had considered asking if Twilight would mind carrying a bag several times, but whenever she did the words never came.

“I will not reduce my student to a mere beast of burden.” She whispered. Shame suddenly rushed through Celestia. She had thought herself above such ancient racism. 

Celestia sat down next to Twilight and paged through the book. Every four or five pages there would be a full page illustration breaking up the large font text. Celestia had not intentionally chosen it because of Twilight’s condition, but she wondered if it would be easier for her student to follow than some of the other students. Ultimately it did not matter. Until she managed to find where the library was buried, her selection was limited.

“Owen was a peculiar creature. He had no tail or hooves, and only two legs. He was so peculiar that he did not…” and Celestia read the story.

Luna had started off sitting on the other side of their little camp site, but as Celestia was turning a page, she realized that her sister had sidled over next to her and was watching over her shoulder. Celestia paused looking over to Luna.

“Come Tia. We are nearing the end.”

Celestia relented to the prodding of her sister’s hoof and continued reading. She felt guilty that Cadence was out there alone somewhere, but was surprisingly content. It would be nice if she could end each night like this.

With the turn of another page, she looked up to see Twilight’s head bobbing as she struggled to stay awake.

“I think we are done for tonight.”

Celestia spread her forehooves forward and after a moment pulled Twilight so that her student’s head was laying across her front legs. Some nights Twilight would take the initiative and lie down by herself. She put away her book and pulled out a brush and began combing it through Twilight’s mane. Celestia hoped that Twilight liked it.

“It’s a shame that her mane had not yet become ethereal. It would make the grooming much easier.”

Celestia simply noded in response as she continued her ministrations and began to hum a lullaby. As she continued working the brush through Twilight’s purple mane, she looked at Luna’s and her own mane with an appraising eye. It was true that there ethereal nature made them easy to keep clean, but they were painful reminders of what had been lost.

Both of their manes hung limp around their necks untouched by the slight breeze cutting in between the barriers of their camp. The astral wind that once carried their manes was long dead. She was not sure if the convenience of staying clean was worth the price of the painful memories.

“You should do voices.” Luna’s whisper took Celestia by surprise and she looked up from Twilight’s mane to see a pout on her sister’s face.

Celestia broke her melody to ask for clarification, “What do you mean.”

“When we were little, you used to read me stories like that. But you would do voices. Do you remember that.”

Celestia resumed her humming.

“You had funny ones, and serious ones. There were scary voices and heroic voices.”

She nodded her head.

“I liked the voices… You should do them.”

“I can do the voices.”

Celestia resisted the urge to squawk when a leg was thrown around her neck for a hug. A moment later she felt a warm body cuddling next to her.

“Twilight will like the voices.”

Celestia continued to brush Twilight’s hair. Without the ability to bathe, keeping Twilight groomed was a challenge. Even in possession of her faculties, her student had been exceptional at getting knots in her mane.

“Goodnight Tia.”

“Goodnight Lulu.”

And then the nightscape was transformed. Luna’s spell vanished and only a dull moonlight lit their “camp.” Celestia considered casting a weak light spell of her own, but once her eyes adjusted to the darkness she would be able to continue working the  brush just fine. While she waited she focused on the sounds.

There was the shrill, ever present wind along with the pater of dust sprinkling against their shelter. Twilight’s breathing was a comforting rhythmic sound. Celestia still remembered those panicked minutes when it all began when she had been deprived of that rhythmic sound. Finally there was the sound of Luna already snoring.

Celestia liked to joke that her sister’s special talent in fact had nothing to do with the moon or even dreams, but instead was the ability to sleep through anything short of a dragon’s roar. 

“We should go see where Luna found the grass and water tomorrow.”

Celestia looked down in surprise at Twilight trying to determine if she had imagined the words or if her protege had truly spoken. When nothing else was forthcoming she resumed her humming, though no longer with a clear melody.

She sighed. There was a harmony, of sorts, in all the death that surrounded them. The world no longer warred with itself, and as Celestia looked at the two ponies curled against her she felt that there was harmony in their camp. Perhaps, if one day Cadence could be persuaded to return to them, the gaping hole in her heart could begin to heal. Celestia nodded her head in confidence. Cadence would return once Twilight got better.

As she continued to move the brush up and down Twilight’s neck she contemplated the spot where her crown and regalia should have been. She glanced down at her own chest to see it bare. After wearing almost the same thing for thousands of years, she thought she would have missed it more. 

Celestia spread her massive wing to shelter the two ponies so very close to her heart and gave a contented sigh. She lowered her head across Twilight’s neck and closed her eyes seeking the embrace of sleep.

However, as her mind began to drift, she continued to picture her crown. As she remembered the day she set aside her regalia, Celestia decided she did not mind no longer being Princess Celestia.


+++


”Fantastic Turnout”, says Princess Twilight Sparkle

Early estimates are showing an eight-seven percent voter participation amongst eligible Equestrian citizens in what will surely go down in history as Equestria’s first open and free election (pictures of happy ponies at the ballot boxes can be found on page 11).

Not all ponies came to vote however. “This is a mistake,” Trotter Heart told reports, “Things are fine the way they are.” It is believed that a significant portion of those who did not vote partook in the protests which continue throughout this evening but remain peaceful.

In a sign of support for the new Democratic system, Princess Luna was the first to cast her ballot. Rumors had been abound that the Princess had opposed the plan in closed door meetings.

Princess Luna along with the other Princesses of Equestria will retain ceremonial roles under the new Democratic system and are expected to take on adversarial positions within the new government. When questioned about what forms these positions will take-