//------------------------------//
// 1 - Usurper [Tags - Slice of Life, Sad] (Character - Celestia, Twilight); Rating - T 
// Story: The Dream Series 
// by GhostofSandwich 
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	Please read the disclaimer in the author notes below before reading; it explains my reasoning behind writing this and I didn't want put it in the description. It will appear on every "chapter"/short story from here on. Also, come back to the author note and read the "Dream Explanation" after reading. Other than that, please enjoy!

"I'll take it from here, sis," Luna said, tapping her sister on the shoulder. Celestia yawned and smiled at her sister, her eyes drooping. I had been a long day. It had started off simply enough, but by noon, Twilight had contacted her and informed her of a issue that had arisen in the heart of Canterlot. It had been resolved only an hour beforehand, and Twilight had been visiting since then. She often found it hard to see how much Twilight had grown. As much as she hated to admit it, she had had her doubts about her faithful student a couple of times. But each time she saw her student, sporting wings, it gave her a tremendous sense of pride. 
"Thank you, Luna. Is everything prepared for tomorrow?" she asked, referring to the preparations for Discord's (supposed) birthday. As big as the differences were between her and Discord, she couldn't help but like the controlled chaos he caused. A thousand years of order was incredibly taxing, and she'd come to like Discord's antics, even though it had once or twice caused wide-spread panic in Canterlot. Especially the issue a couple weeks prior in which he switched the gender of every pony in Canterlot for a day. Luckily, she herself was spared, as she had been away visiting an old friend in Manehatten. Luna, however, was less than pleased. Apparently, as a male, she had a beard not unlike that of Starswirl.
"Honestly, I don't see why you've warmed to him, sister. I understand that he is of use to us, but how long until he goes against us again? Need I remind you when Tirek-"
"I know, Luna," Celestia interrupted. "Trust me; I'm not blind to the danger he poses. But he's essentially shackled by the friendship he shares with Twilight's friend, Fluttershy. Besides, my dear sister, I think he fancies you,” Celestia joked, her mouth forming a sly smile. 
“W-what?! Surely you jest, sister!” she quickly replied, her face immediately turning a burning crimson. Celestia laughed and stuck her tongue out as she walked away.
“Goodnight, Luna,” Celestia cooed. 
“Sister, wait! You’re having a laugh at my expense, correct? Celestia!” Luna desperately cried, but not before Celestia shut the door, leaving Luna confused. “Yes, she must have been joking...”
“Hello, my darling Luna,” a voice said from behind Luna. She immediately shivered and turned around to see Discord standing behind her dressed in a tuxedo and a top hat, complete with a gentle-man’s mustache. 
“Celestia!” Luna cried, before teleporting away. Discord blinked twice and shrugged.
“Just wanted to ask her if my outfit was good for tomorrow. Honestly, those two are terrible at keeping secrets,” he mumbled to himself before turning around and walking down the hall, twirling a large candy cane.

Celestia yawned and pulled the covers of her bed back before collapsing face-first onto the mattress. She mumbled something to herself before rotating so that she was properly aligned in the bed. With a flash of her magic, the lights in the room all disappeared, save for a light glow on the other side of the room; a nightlight the shape of a sun. She was indeed afraid of the dark, something only her sister knew of her. She sighed contentedly and slowly closed her eyes. Her breath slowed and she soon found herself drifting into the realm of dreams.






Dream


“Twilight...” Celestia murmured, her eyes looking down upon her student.  “This is the third time in the past two months.” 
“I’m sorry,” Twilight apologized, her voice stuttering as she tried to hold back tears.
“Sorry isn’t good enough. The first two times were excusable, but this time,” Celestia trailed off. She wanted to forgive her student, but some things just couldn’t be forgiven. She hated to have to do it, but she was still the ruler of Equestria. Some things just had to be done. “Because of you, Ponyville was completely destroyed. The only saving factor here is that nopony was hurt, miraculously. But the fact still stands; you’re becoming a danger to Equestria. You hold a tremendous amount of power, but you just can’t control it.”
“No, b-but I can!” Twilight cried in between sobs. “Please, just give me a chance; give me time to fix my mistakes!” Twilight continued to sob, her face streaked with tears. Her lower lip quivered uncontrollably. Looking down at her student, she couldn’t help but feel sorry for her. However, she knew deep down that this was an irreversible catastrophe; all of Ponyville was a crater that was somehow made devoid of magic. Whatever Twilight had done, however she had done it, the area in and surrounding where Ponyville once stood was of a completely different realm than what theirs was. Simply stepping into the area stripped her of any magic and she immediately felt as if she had been sapped of all energy. It was as if ponykind couldn’t exist in that vicinity. She shuddered to think what would have happened if she had not intervened and teleported all the ponies and animals away,
“Twilight, I know you,” Celestia whispered. She had suddenly found herself unable to look at Twilight anymore. She knew what had to be done, but she didn’t know if she could. “You’d stop at nothing to try and fix the issue... and that’s what scares me. What if, during your quest to fix this, you caused something much worse? I simply cannot take that risk, Twilight.”
“Please, you have to let me-“
“I don’t have to do anything, Twilight,” Celestia argued. She was slightly shocked at herself for taking such a rude tone with Twilight, but she knew this had to be done. She wanted there to be another way, she’d give her life for there to be another way, but the chance of a negative outcome was too great. “I have to do what’s best for Equestria. If I were to let you continue your studies under me after today...” she once more trailed off. Twilight began to plead again, but she immediately glanced at Twilight, her eyes commanding. “My authority would fall under question. Ponies all around would wonder how much I’d let you get away with.”
“...what are you saying?” Twilight whimpered, her heart immediately jumping to her throat. Fear, the likes of which one experiences when their entire life crumbles away, took over her entire body. She felt as if she would collapse any moment. 
“I’m saying...” Celestia sighed, turning away so as to hide her own shaking lip, “I’m left with no options. If you stay, I’ll have an uprising. Everything I’ve worked for this past millennium will fall apart.” Tears had begun to well up in Celestia’s eyes and her voice had begun to shake. “You are the best student, and best friend, I’ve ever had, second only to my own sister. And you know that even she isn’t excused from causing Equestria trouble.”
“A-are you...” Twilight gasped, backing away slightly, “banishing me?” Celestia immediately turned around and looked at her student who was shivering. She knew that she was the one causing such trauma and she absolutely hated herself for it. If she had control of time (she’d considered using Starswirl’s scroll, but it had went missing after Twilight had used it last) , she’d go back and stop the events leading up to this ever happening. If she were not in control of the greatest kingdom in the known world, she’d embrace her student and tell her she could stay. But none of that was the case; she had a job and that came before anything else.
“No. The fact of the matter is that you still hold the Element of Magic. And to that cause, you and your friends will not come under any disciplinary action. But,” Celestia shakily said, a single tear falling freely to the floor, “you cannot stay here. You are hereby relieved of any official responsibilities to me. You... are no longer my student.”
“No, please! I’ll do anything! Please, Celestia, give me one more-“
“Quiet, my little pony... This is the last thing I want. To see this all happen again... to be the one that has to destroy a life, just as I did to my sister all those years ago, it kills me. And I know, believe me, Twilight, I know that this, everything we had, is the world to you. I’d go to Tartarus and back, without my wings or magic, just to make this all right. But there isn’t a single other option. You’re just too powerful. Ever since you were a filly, you’ve had more magic in you than anypony else in Equestria and beyond. But you never learned to fully control it. And I fear that it is your feelings of obligations to me that is the problem. I’ve expected way too much and pushed too hard. I rushed you. I’m the one to blame.”
“I-I’ll go find another time control spell, stop this from ever-“Twilight tried to plead, but was interrupted by Celestia again.
“I’ve already considered it. After you last used it, it inexplicably vanished. I’ve tried to find it, but I couldn’t locate it with even the greatest magic. Twilight, there is no more to be said.”
“No, it can’t end like this! I’ll-“
“NO!” Celestia bellowed, her voice echoing throughout the entire audience hall. Twilight recoiled and began to back away at a steady pace. Tears were now flowing steadily down Celestia’s cheeks, dripping from her chin. She had not screamed in anger, but out of grief. Each plea by Twilight lead her to want to forgive and embrace her student... former student. But she knew that keeping Twilight as her ward, the inhabitants of Ponyville, and soon all of Equestria, would be in uproar. Even if Twilight could somehow miraculously fix everything, which she actually did not doubt, it would be too late. The residents of Ponyville had all seen Twilight in her splendor moments before wiping Ponyville off the map. They’d want vengeance; for even the kindness of pony’s hearts knew limits, and there were things even they wouldn’t forgive.
“W-what...” Twilight cried, absolute terror and panic etched on her face, a sight Celestia would never forget, “what am I to do?” Her voice had gone from shaky pleading to emotionless defeat. As she continued to slowly back away from Celestia, the princess couldn’t help but visualize the happiness and love, everything begin to drain from her former student. She tried to speak, but nothing came out. She began to shakily step forward, but stopped when Twilight hastened her retreat.
“I...” she whispered. She was trying her hardest to say something, but nothing would come. Her vocal cords weren’t responding, her lungs paralyzed and not releasing air. Before she could even recognize her own voice, she had already said those three words that would forever haunt her, as well as Twilight. “Leave Equestria forever.”
Twilight didn’t say anything. The damage had already been done. What had been a happy pony, the one pony that was destined to become the Princess of friendship, was sapped of every bit of emotion. She didn’t feel sadness or anger. She was just empty inside. She stopped her retreat and stared Celestia in the eyes. There was no life left in them.
“Twilight...”
“This isn’t goodbye.”

In a single flash of light, Twilight was gone. Twilight’s final words hung above Celestia as if a storm cloud, never dissipating. Celestia herself, from that day on, stopped showing emotion. She continued to do her duties, but she rarely left her chambers outside of that.





Celestia, her eyes weary, looked out from her balcony towards the crater where Ponyville had once stood. It had been twenty years since her meeting with Twilight, a name that she couldn’t go a day without thinking about. It had seemed to have been only a few days since their fateful departure from one another. Every day, she came out to the balcony and just spent hours looking down at the crater.
There had of course been uproar. It took an entire year to calm the masses. Twilight had been labeled one of the greatest evils to ever walk Equestria, but, much to Celestia’s disgust, nopony truly blamed the princess herself. She was made out to be a victim, the one that suffered most from Twilight’s betrayal. She had wanted to protest, but Equestria needed a scapegoat, some pony to blame for the tragedy. They would never blame their princess, the only one that could fix everything. Then came the rise of Tirek...
He had come to power quite easily, and would have won if not for Discord. Back when Twilight had went missing each of her five friends disappeared from Equestria as well. Discord took it personally; he viewed Twilight as the one that took his only friend away from him. From that point on, he’d vowed to protect Equestria so that Fluttershy would have something to come home to. When Tirek had invaded, Discord sided with him, but betrayed him at the last minute, utilizing a new form of magic that he had created. It replicated the power of the Elements, but had a cost. He had sacrificed himself for Equestria, taking Tirek with him to another existence. He was labeled a hero and statues of him were erected all across Equestria.
Celestia once again somehow managed to get praise for allowing Discord to stay and her position as Equestria’s leader was only strengthened more. The guilt weighed on her and she began to do her royal duties from her chambers. Any attempts to communicate were met with an expressionless princess who would just stare off into the distance. Soon, Luna, in fear of ponies worrying for her sister, took a stand as the face of Equestria. Thus began her rule.
Luna quickly became a beloved princess, and out of respect for her sister, she began to outlaw any reference of Twilight. She claimed it was because she wanted Equestria to start anew, to forget the evils past. It took two years, but eventually, Twilight was forgotten. All that remained were retellings of what had happened, most of which entire fictional. What Luna had not told Celestia was that she had spent those two years tirelessly going through the dreams those involved in the accident. She couldn’t wipe Twilight from their minds, but she could change how they perceived that fateful day. She couldn’t change what stories had already been told, but she could make it so that nopony fully knew the truth. Fifteen years after the accident, nopony knew what had truly happened there, save for Celestia and Luna. Stories still were passed around the campfire, but one thing was for sure: Twilight Sparkle, the destroyer of Ponyville, was nothing more than a folk-tale. None remained to even confirm that Twilight had indeed done it, and the truth would go with Celestia and Luna to the grave, if they ever did find themselves in one. Celestia was grateful, but it was of little effect; she still saw Twilight’s horrified face and heard those final words echoing forever, a constant cursed reminder of what she had done.
Nineteen years after the accident, on a cloudless full moon night, Luna mysteriously disappeared. When Celestia awoke, she was horrified to find that the throne-room had but one chair, and Luna’s name was stricken from every writing in the world. Nopony recalled who she was; Celestia was the only ruler Equestria had ever know, and she alone had destroyed Nightmare Moon, banishing her to the moon.
That night, she looked up to see that terrifying black face staring at her from the moon. Her sister was gone, this she knew. There was only one being with the power to do that and to strike somepony that influential from history. She both relished the thought and was terrified at the same time.
“This isn’t goodbye,” the voice echoed again, a constant loop, never stopping, tormenting her every waking moment.
Twenty years later, to the day, she stood on her balcony, looking down at the crater. A single tear fell from her eye, hitting the railing before dropping down to the roof below. Before it was able to impact, she sensed a surge of magic far beyond that of which Equestria has ever seen. All around the world, in Equestria and out, magic faded from ponies, griffins, zebras, everything. Anything that had any connection with magic was sapped and drained of all energy.
Celestia stood wide eyed, her mouth agape at the site before her. The crater was no longer there. Instead, there stood an untouched Ponyville, uncorrupted by time. It was exactly as it had been. A gust of wind blew through the air, and she heard the door behind her shut.
“You look terrible,” the voice, one that held no emotion, anger or otherwise, said.
“It’s been a long twenty years,” Celestia replied, her voice cracking. Behind her was who she knew would be her end, the one she had wronged. “Twilight...”
“Celestia,” Twilight replied, her voice cold. There was no contempt, only that monotonous voice. “Ponyville is back. Nopony will remember that it was ever gone.”
“You’ve been studying,” Celestia whispered. She began to weep, but not from sadness. She turned and faced her student, who now stood at an equal height to herself. Twilight had somehow turned into, and become a full-grown alicorn. Celestia sniffled and smiled.
“I learned from the best,” Twilight replied. Her eyes were nearly grey, completely devoid of all life. The two stared at one another for a grueling time, all of which Celestia was sobbing, not wanting to say anything. Twilight just stood there, unmoved by anything. Her eyes never left the same spot, and they indeed never did for the remainder of their conversation. Finally, Celestia broke the silence with the one question that had been bugging her for two centuries.
“Where did you go?”
“Tartarus,” she replied, much to the shock of Celestia.
“H-how long?”
“Two hundred years,” Twilight retorted. There was a haunting aura about her. She didn’t move, didn’t appear to breathe, and didn’t seem to be affected by anything. “It took me a year until I was able to control magic properly there. After that, I started taking over.”
“T-taking over?” Celestia asked, the tears drying up. Happiness to see that her student was alive was quickly turning to confusion. Nopony had ever went to Tartarus and stayed an extended period of time.
“Tartarus is mine. Everything that was there has been banished to another world. Those five other ponies that I once called ‘friends’”, Twilight continued, her voice only faltering ever so slightly, showing only the slightest hint of sadness, or possibly longing, when she mentioned her friends, “rule the five corners of Tartarus. They’re immortalized in time; to them, not a single day has passed. Nothing has changed. It took me fifty years, but I mastered control of time. I came back to that day and I took them.”
“Twilight, you-“
“Don’t say my name,” Twilight commanded, her voice rising slightly. Celestia found herself stunned and she felt something she’d not felt in a long, long time: fear. “It took me a hundred years, ten years here, before I discovered a power equaling mine; Tirek. I released him.”
“Y-you?” Celestia stuttered.
“Yes. I knew Discord would stop him and I knew he’d do it in a way in such that he would remove himself from this world. He, too, had a power matching mine. Two birds with one stone.”
“He almost destroyed all of-“
“But he didn’t,” Twilight snapped. “I calculated everything perfectly, like a well-controlled game of chess. Celestia...” Twilight trailed off. Celestia began to respond, but not before the room erupted in a dull purple light and she found herself in the throne room, standing before Twilight. It was exactly like their last chance meeting, but save for one difference.
Twilight was sitting on the throne.
“Twilight, what are you-“
“Stop calling me that. I gave up that name two-hundred years ago. I don’t have a name,” Twilight coldly dictated. Her voice was slowly going from the calm, emotionless tone she had used for two-hundred years to one of anger, something she’d not felt since their last meeting. “I asked only for one more chance, but you valued your own position as the ruler of Equestria over me. That’s alright; I understand. But there are certain things you take a chance for.” Twilight stood and looked down at Celestia. It was a perfect recreation of the day they parted, but with their roles switched.
“You think I don’t regret that decision every day?” Celestia cried, her own voice rising. Twilight raised an eyebrow at this response, as she had not expected it. “I’ve spent the last two decades wishing I could take everything back. No matter what I did, no matter how hard I tried, I was made into the victim or the hero. I wanted to be the one to blame, but imagine the consequences of Equestria losing its princess!”
“A millennium is enough for one princess to be in power. You ruled justly, but you never took risks. I asked one favor of you, and you wouldn’t do it,” Twilight angrily replied. Celestia began to reply, but not before Twilight angrily yelled and blasted Celestia across the room. She tried to stand, but she was drained of all energy. “I did everything for you; I tried to be the perfect student. I defeated Nightmare Moon, Sombra, Discord, everything that threated Equestria in your name!” Twilight, with no effort at all, lifted Celestia from the ground and levitated her so that the two were almost face to face. Celestia had no control of herself whatsoever; she was completely as the mercy of her former student.
“Y-you’re right...” Celestia whimpered, her voice barely escaping the magical grip Twilight had on her. Twilight was taken aback at the comment; she hadn’t expected Celestia to admit her failure, her betrayal. Twilight looked down and stared at the floor, where her entire life had fallen about two centuries beforehand. Without even feeling it, she watched a tear drop and hit the floor. Without warning, she released Celestia and returned to the front of the throne. Celestia regained her strength and stood, looking up to see Twilight staring down at her.
“Things can never return to the way they were.”
“I know,” Celestia replied. As she looked up, she saw not a full grown alicorn devoid of life; she saw a spry young filly with a will to learn from somepony she admired enough to dedicate her life to them.
“Do you know what happens now?” Twilight asked, her voice quivering. Celestia slowly saw the color returning to her student’s eyes. 
“I do... Princess Twilight,” she softly replied. “I’m ready for my punishment. I’m ready to surrender my throne. I know you’ll make the right choices. I’m so proud of you, Twilight,” Celestia said, all fear gone from her. She began to weep the tears of somepony who had just been cleared of a never-ending nightmare. “Banish me.”
Twilight stared down at her former-mentor, the pony who she had loved, then resented. The one living being she was once willing to face anything for, and the pony that she had walked where no other pony has ever walked before to seek her revenge on. And in that moment, she felt only one thing: happiness.
“I’m not banishing you. But this...” she trailed off, her voice returning to that happy voice Celestia had loved, “...this is my kingdom now. Your time is over. You...”
“Leave Equestria forever...” Celestia interrupted.
“Yes, but not as you may think.”
Celestia closed her eyes and didn’t resist in the slightest as Twilight walked towards her. She waited to feel the surge of magic, then nothing, but it didn’t come. A moment passed before she opened her eyes. Before her, Twilight stood. Before she could question her student’s intentions, Twilight embraced her.
“I wanted revenge,” Twilight started, “but in the end... I just wanted to see you again, to know that you regretted your decision.” Twilight sniffled and backed away, smiling at Celestia. “You may be leaving,” she proudly said as her horn lit up. Celestia began to see the world around her disappearing; it was time for her to go. She was ready.
“Goodbye, Twilight,” she said. She expected to hear a goodbye as well, but instead she heard nothing. In the fleeting last second of her existence, she heard three simple words.
“This isn’t goodbye.”





It had been a century in her life. She had lived it proudly and loved every moment of it. She turned and looked out towards the rising sun and smiled. She had always loved the sun in its entire splendor.
“I always wanted to have the power to raise the sun,” she whispered, her voice weak.
“Oh, my most faithful student, if you knew what I knew...” the voice trailed off. She smiled as she heard the melodic tone, one which she had known almost all her life. She turned, looking away from the sunset, at the pony before her: Princess Twilight Sparkle.
“I always loved your stories, Princess Twilight,” she whispered.
“Well, my little pony, this story begins over a thousand years ago. You see, two magnificent sisters once faced off against a mad god wielding an ancient magic call the Elements of Harmony. They defeated this chaotic god, who was really just misunderstood, and turned him to stone. After that, they restored peace to a trouble land,” Twilight recounted. Of course, none of this had ever happened; everypony knows that Princess Twilight had been the ruler of Equestria for thousands of years. “Do you know what their names were?”
“No,” she replied.
“Their names were Princess Luna and Princess Celestia,” Twilight continued. This brought a spark of life to the white, rainbow haired mare before her.
“Oh, I would love to have been a princess,” Celestia replied. “Luna would have loved it as well,” she replied, her eyes growing heavy. Twilight laughed and put her hoof on her student’s.
“Oh, but you are, Princess Celestia. You’ve always been,” Twilight said.
“You spoil me,” Celestia replied, her voice growing thin and her words few and far between.
“One day, a thousand years later, Princess Celestia met a young filly who she grew to love. This filly’s name was Twilight Sparkle. The two quickly became inseparable. This filly did everything for her mentor who she loved. The two shared a bond nopony else could ever understand,” Twilight continued, her voice growing shaky. Through her sobs, she looked down at the mare before her, whose breathing was shallow. “Even destiny could not separate the two, and one day, that little pony became a princess herself. She became the princess of friendship, and she lived in a marvelous tree-house with her best friends.”
“How... big?” Celestia whispered/
“As big as Canterlot Castle. And it was made of diamonds. Princess Celestia was so proud of her young student. Yet, Twilight was not immortal. So, on her final day, she lay in her bed, wishing she had the power to raise the sun. Princess Celestia was not sad to see her student leaving; she was only glad that she had gotten to know this pony. She would live on and through her, Twilight would be immortal,” Twilight whispered, tears welling in her eyes. Her horn lit up as she gave Celestia one last bit of strength. “Go ahead and try,” she said, the tears now falling.
Celestia opened her eyes and, with little effort, began to raise the sun. Fulfilling her final wish, she looked back at Twilight and smiled. Twilight smiled back.
“This, Celestia... This is goodbye,” Twilight said, wiping her tears away with her free hoof.
“No... I live on through you. Just... like the story,” she said, her words getting slower and slower. 
Celestia closed her eyes and drifted peacefully into an eternal sleep. Twilight, her hoof still on her former mentor's, looked up at the sun and began recounting the first time she'd seen Celestia raising the sun. That seemed so long ago.


Time To Wake Up






As Celestia slept, her dreams coming to an end, the sun began to rise. Ponies, as well as her faithful student, Twilight Sparkle, awoke to the morning sun. She had long ago become accustomed to raising the sun even in her dreams, because it was always the same way; she and Twilight would raise it together. The two shared a great bond, that which can only be shared between mentor and student, a tie stronger than even the best of friendships. She awoke with a smile on her face, the nightmare turned fantasy of the night already forgotten. She recalled how the previous evening had gone and decided she had left Luna worried about Discord long enough. She never was really that good with jokes, especially not those at her expense. Besides; she had to make the final preparations for Discord’s party. She knew that he already knew about the surprise birthday party. But what he didn’t know was that she had commissioned Pinkie Pie to do a second party; a super deluxe ultra-magnificent splendiferous mega birthday party as Pinkie had called it. Yawning, she got out of bed and left the room, closing the door behind her.
However, she failed to notice one thing. A small anomaly, barely visible unless directly stared at: a small distortion about the size of a bit that seemed to twist and blur reality. It slowly moved across the room towards the open balcony door. If she had noticed it, she would have been able to take care of it. But the world and life in general is full of “what ifs”. What danger could one small little distortion cause anyways? What harm could it possibly do? 
Only time would tell. And this story is only just beginning.


The Dream Series


Usurper


Next time on The Dream Series: Popular

"...As Rainbow Dash snoozed, the abnormality twisted and all color in the center of it seemed to absolutely cease to be. If one were to get close to it, they’d feel an overwhelming sense of dread while staring at it. If one also paid close attention, they'd see that it was barely growing. Most disturbing, however, a small guttural growl, only audible in absolute silence, seemed to permeate from it.

What that entity was, it didn't come from that world. It was different, haunting, nightmarish, wholly evil. And it was coming."