“…and so here we are again.”
“A place where true ambition was lost to time.”
“They believed that after all that had happened, it could now be the last haven from the troubles and trials that still face us all.”
“There would be no worries”
“Just follow the forged road”
“Trust in it”
“…and keep everyone else following you as if they where children in comparison to your own path of wisdom.”
“Though this time things may end up differently….”
Guardians of the Skies
An tale of two Alicorns named Luna and Celestia.
LOCATION: UNKNOWN
/COORDINATES/
S:???/???/???,
T:???/???/???
C:??/??/??
DOMINION: UNKNOWN
DATE: UNKNOWN
LOCAL TIME: 11:01 PM
For as long as she could remember, Luna had found solace in the night. It seemed like every corner of the sky told a new story. A script to an epic theater with the moon lighting the stage. But what was a story worth if nopony was willing to look and listen to it? She understood that most ponies needed to sleep during the night, that was a given. However, her work as co-ruler and her control over the night skies where never really given the same appreciation as her sister’s duties. Luna was a brilliant administrator. Her knack for the arts and sciences had saved Equestria from collapse due to a recent freak drought. She had always wished to prove herself to the people of Equestria, but she continued to have trouble communicating ideas and instructions between her and her subjects. Luna preferred at this point to work behind the public face of her sister. She had tried countless times to reach out to the people of Equestria directly but she never was as socially proficient or in tune with culture as her sister. While these faults often lead to problems, the real nail in Luna's social coffin was the increasing occurrences of ponies being attacked at night by dangerous nocturnal monsters. Ponies used to mostly ignore Luna's night but now they often feared and hated it. Some would even go as far as demand that the night should be removed from Equestria. Luna herself would not have minded as much, her sister had always said that a princess must face hardship and adversity with composer. However, she was beginning to grow bitter at the fact that the population were content on taking out all of their frustration on her alone while always hoping that celestia would make everything better in the end. The truth in Luna's mind was that Celestia one way or another had something to do with the freak drought that Luna' herself had put in so much effort to mitigate.
Celestia was the princess of the SUN and day after all. The two royal pony sisters, ever since they became rulers had a strange connection to the skies of day and night, almost like the skies where another leg or wing. Recently the skies or day had become brighter and the skies of night had grown darker. Did this have something to do with how Luna and her sister where feeling? She knew that Pegsi would flare their wings involuntarily in surprise or arousal and the same could be said for a Unicorns magic, but she never quiet understood now she was able to move the night sky. Whereas Unicorns of old would work together with their active magic to perform such a task, to Luna, it was like walking. The royal pony sisters possessed immense power in each of the abilities that they always had for as long as they remembered. Luna and her sister could fly as well as any pegasi, work the land as well as any earth pony and their magical abilities far surpassed any other unicorn. But even with what they could measure of their powers, moving the sun and moon with any normal magic would be an extremely exhausting task even for the two Alicorns. Celestia and Luna did make the task look strenuous to boost the drama of.....
A knock could be heard at the entrance to her chamber that snapped Luna back into focus after allowing her mind to drift into thought.
“Your majesty?”
Luna quickly composed herself and turned to face the source of the noise with her Royal Canterlot Voice.
“Speak now subject! What business do thou bring to us at this hour?”
“At the request of her majesty Celestia, we have brought for your consideration, a candidate for the position of ‘Scribe of the Night Court’.”
Luna took in a deep sigh. It just seemed that she would never get a real reprieve from her toils as Equestria's co-ruler.
“Very well, you may enter.” Luna replied slightly annoyed
Slowly the doors opened to reveal four ponies. Two where Luna's night guards and the third was a green Unicorn Stallion that went by the name of Laudan Clear. Following him was a smaller Unicorn mare... barely a mare by the looks of her. Her coat was a bright neon aqua while her somewhat shaggy mane was sky blue, maybe slightly green tinted. She wore glasses over her deep blue eyes, a sign that she may have been reading books for a long time. When Luna examined her closer, she could tell that she looked nervous and distant, not desiring to be here.
“Your majesty, may I have the pleasure of introducing you to my second daughter, and the finest scribe in the land, Crystal Clear! She has just now completed her studies of government and is now ready for your consideration to her service.” Laudan Clear announced with pride.
Luna at least wanted to know what was troubling the mare. “We shall consider thy request, but first we demand for time to speakth with thy daughter alone, without any other interference!”
“At once your highness.” Laudan Replied
Laudan and the two guards proceed out of the chamber leaving only Luna and Crystal Clear alone.
Crystal Clear retreated slightly, Luna narrowed her eyes. She had a feeling that maybe this young mare had gone through some exhausting work to get to this point, perhaps not of her own choice. Luna recalled how many Equestrian families of high esteem such as the Clear Family, took emphasis on its members contributions to the family image. She never particularly liked such attitudes, ruling Equestria sometimes made her wish that she could just leave. She often had to deal with all of the hard work while her sister, would get to meet diplomats, host dinners and go to celebrations. She had to keep yelling in this ridiculous pattern of we's, thee's, thy's and thou's because it was insisted that Equestria's leaders be able to project strength and their voices be instantly recognizable. She never understood why this was necessary; most ponies already feared the wrath of the princess of the ni.....
“ Princess....?” Crystal asked worryingly.
Luna had once again been caught lamenting over her current situation and quickly snapped to attention, rather annoyed this time.
“ VERY WELL, COME FORTH SUBJECT!!!”
Crystal was swept off her hooves from the full force of Luna's Royal Canterlot voice and slammed into the opposite wall. Crystal Clear was out cold. Luna, now realizing that she had once again exerted too much effort into the simple task of calling a subject forward, could only muster up one more word.
“ opps....”
ONE HOUR LATER
Luna had laid Crystal Clear on the large bed in her living chamber quickly after the incident. She did not feel like revealing this little slip up to Laudan Clear hence she spoil another chance of boosting her strained public reputation. Maybe some tea and muffins to save face? Being the princess of the night could be lonely at times, so Luna always wanted to make sure that she could treat any guests to the finest Tea and the most delicious muffins in Equestria. The culinary arts where something Luna could dive into to escape her troubles. As a side effect she became quite a good baker and her tea was not too bad either.
Luna lost herself in this little ritual once again, slowly but carefully measuring the ingredients. She became slightly memorized as she proceeded to stir the batter. Once the batter was prepared, she began work on her tea concoction. It was her own special blend, she called it "Sparkling Dreams". A teaspoon of morning dew, pedals of a moon lily, and a pinch of stardust were stirred together with Luna's own horn until the mixture began to resemble the night sky itself.
“ Ha! This should give my Sister's "Liquid Sunshine" punch a fine challenge!” Luna exclaimed with pride.
Luna then proceeded over to her fireplace, levitated three logs into it and set in ablaze with an ignition spell. She then placed the containers of batter and tea on an iron grate above the fire. It took a few minutes, but Luna was soon able to get the temperature just right.
MEANWHILE
At first, all Crystal Clear could perceive was blackness, but then a vision began to form in her mind as she lay unconscious. She could feel a strong jolt.
First she saw the two Royal Pony Sisters, it looked like…. they were in some kind of argument.
She saw Luna alone and Crying….
She saw Luna with hatred in her eyes approaching six colored stones. As she lifted the stone in the center, she was enveloped by a dark aura and emerged as a jet black mare with a helmet.
Crystal saw this mare confronted by Celestia which resulted in a battle of magic.
As Celestia lay defeated, five other ponies run in between the dark mare and Celestia.
The six stones lit up in a brilliant display and appear next to each of the five ponies with the center stone appearing next to Celestia. A plume of light erupted against the dark mare.
Crystal saw Luna once again crying, this time in a strange void of nothingness before her vision began to fade.
Crystal then felt another jolt, and a painful tug seemingly on her mind itself.
As the vision slowly faded it began to fizzle and distort violently briefly showing the six colored stones from earlier converging until they collided and merged together forming a tear shaped crystal of brilliant white. A crack formed on the crystal as her vision once again faded for the final time.
She thought the she possibly heard a voice speaking to her faintly.
“To break the grip of established destiny.”
“She needs you…..”
Crystal Clear slowly opened her eyes, still slightly dizzy from the wrath of the Royal Canterlot Voice. As her vision began to clear, she began to recall what had happened. Crystal then began to mutter to herself disgruntled. “ I guess I am back home, mother is weeping in the corner and Father will burst in any moment to scold me for my failure to the family name. “ Crystal let out a defeated sigh.
However, as she came to, she found that she was not in her room in Canterlot. The room she now found herself in was colored deep blue with periwinkle trim and the bed was much larger than her own. On the nightstand to her right were two pieces of regalia that matched the color of the room. Crystal then knew where she was but did not understand why. A pleasing aroma from the next room however, derailed her train of thought. She slowly got to her hooves and moved closer to the smell to investigate.
Luna at this time was almost finished with her little culinary project.
“Come here Miss Clear, please sit with me.” Luna said calmly, forgoing the usual royal protocol of speaking.
Crystal was a bit taken aback by this; Luna at least had a reputation of being cold and dark.
“Your majesty I am sorry to have dishonored you, if you wish I can leave now and I will never return.”
Crystal spoke in a disheartened tone.
“Wait! Would you like some Tea and muffins?” Luna blurted out with haste.
Crystal looked up, surprise on her face.
“Your highness, I cannot possible accept.....”
“Please... I was the one to have an outburst. My court has been... difficult recently, and I simply wish to make up for what happened earlier.” Luna put on a guilty smile
Crystal really could not think straight, after seemingly been dragged and smacked around by everypony she thought she could trust. Everything just had to fall apart once she finally got her cutie mark years ago. Her father essentially forced her into rigorous government studies in hopes that her refined talent could get her an important government position to boost the prestige of her family. Her friends that she had known since fillyhood seemed to be more interested in being friends with an important member of the court than Crystal’s feelings about the whole ordeal. Her one fleeting hope was that maybe the princesses’ could be the good company she had needed for so long. This hope however, faded as quickly as her consciousness after slamming into the wall. She was now faced with a princess trying to make amends in the most childish way possible, like she was being taunted or insulted. She just could not take it anymore.
“Make... up? Make....up?! I get shut in by my father for years to study to become a member of the royal court and then once I finally get dragged to the palace, I get wailed at and slammed against a wall! I heard that you princesses do this all the time! I had to give up my life for you at my father’s wishes! All I see now is me getting further trampled over while you royals and my parents can meet in fancy dinners and Galas!”
“ Please......” Luna muttered.
“ I do not need your pity! All you want is make sure the you stay a good princess by shutting me up!”
Luna finally snapped....“ You... yooou.. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT I HAVE TO GO THROUGH EVERY NIGHT?!?!?! MAYBE WHAT YOU SAID COULD BE PINNED ON MY SISTER, BUT I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF PONIES PILING ALL THE BLAME ON THE PRINCESS OF THE NIGHT FOR THEIR TROUBLES! I WORK AND WORK TO MANGE BOTH MY DUTIES AND THE PROBLEMS THAT MY SISTER IS TOO INCOMPETENT TO SOLVE! BUT DOES ANYONE THANK ME FOR WHAT I DO?!?!? NO!!!! THEY CONTINUE TO CUDDLE UP TO MY SISTER AND HER PRETTY WORDS!!! I TAKE MY TIME TO TRY BEING KIND TO YOU AFTER WHAT HAPPENED; I EVEN WAS GOING TO GIVE YOU THE POSITION OF SCRIBE. YOU SEEMED UNHAPPY AND I TRIED TO HELP BUT I CAN SEE NOW THAT YOU ARE SIMPLY AN UNGRATEFUL WHELP LIKE THE REST OF THEM!
As soon as Luna was finished unleashing the full wrath of her Royal Canterlot Voice, she then did something Crystal Clear had never thought she would see a Princess do: Begin to cry.
It took a moment for Crystal to notice this, being slammed against the wall yet again. She however then felt horrible for what she said to Luna and considered leaving this rather pathetic sight, but something in her mind beckoned her to stay.
Crystal soon realized her frustration fueled folly. She had been asking for a break for a while now and when somepony (A Princess for that matter) was finally giving it to her, she effectively spit in the face of her benefactor.
“Luna..... I.. I am so sorry!” Crystal said apologetically
“GO! Just... go. Leave me alone like everypony else! I have had enough of trying to care about all of you ponies! All I get in return is more hardship! Get out! Get out! GET OUT!”
Then Crystal remembered….
“She needs you…..”
Crystal Clear stood her ground. She could see the pain in Luna’s watering eyes. She had to stand up for herself for once and make things right, otherwise this night would end as it had always, returning home empty and alone.
“Princess I am not leaving. I cannot leave you after seeing you like this! I did not know things were this bad for you. I thought I was the only pony in Canterlot that did not want the life that was forced onto me. It felt like all my old filly friends began to drift away from me, becoming more interested in the social statuses of themselves and their precious families. Maybe they still invite me to places, and we still keep in touch when I am not being grinded by father but it just is not the same as before. Please Luna, I have nopony left to go to! I was hoping that maybe the royal pony sisters could help me. From what you just said I feel that you may be the only pony in years that could understand how I feel!” Crystal said all this with great conviction.
Crystal was now beginning to get Luna's attention into a more civil dialog. Luna wiped the current tears from her face but still visibly bitter.
“Well at least you still have friends that are willing to talk to you at all.” Luna replied.
“Perhaps, but they all just seem so... shallow. They never want to try anything new like I do and never want to deviate from what is currently popular.” Crystal said with some guilt.
Luna was now replacing some of her sorrow with curiosity. Perhaps there was hope for her yet in finding a true friend. “Well what have you wanted to try?”
“Well my talent seems to be communication and describing things, so I thought I could maybe become something like a theater director or to go on adventures to faraway lands to meet with all sorts of ponies. Everypony I have met in Canterlot seems so rigid to me. I however yearn for a life where every day is something new.” Crystal began to speak in a slightly dreamy flare
“So what is stopping you from seeking such a path?” Luna said perplexed, beginning to forget why she was just crying.
“It seems you not favor your job. What is stopping YOU from just quitting?” Crystal said rhetorically.
They both paused, knowing what the other would say. Walking away now would betray everypony that ever tried to do nice things for them. While Luna felt like Celestia never truly understood her, she was still a sister that loved her. For Crystal, any company to break up the monotony of her days was welcoming.
Finally Luna spoke reluctantly...
“ How about we continue this dialog over tea and muffins?
A SHORT TIME LATER
“ Does Celestia really depend on you THAT much? “ Crystal said with more curiosity before taking a bite of her muffin.
“ My sister is good with ponies but always seems to fold when she cannot find a quick solution to problems. (Takes a sip of tea) Sometimes it helps being a little bit... stubborn.” Luna let out a weak chortle
Crystal Clear rolled her eyes, she had learned while preparing for tonight that Luna could be... hard to work with at times. However things were now going better that expected. Maybe she was wrong to judge Luna so quickly, Crystal could relate more to Luna than she had first thought.
“Now tell me... (sip) You said that you wish for a more interesting life that could involve your talent, correct? It still sounds like something your family and friends could be still proud of.” Luna asked.
Crystal let out a sigh....
“Maybe they should, but they just continue to nag at me why I would prefer to waste my ‘amazing potential’ in some lower class theater or far away village when I could be helping all of Equestria and making a grander name for myself as an important member of the court”. ”...and there is always that possibility that my friends and family fantasize that they could soon be related to royalty if I were to ‘get together’ with some prince during my time in court.” Crystal said somewhat sarcastically before rolling her eyes again at this thought.
Luna gave a small grin before biting into her muffin.“ I could introduce you to some fine princes you may find pleasing if you where to accept the position as my scribe.”
Crystal Clear instantly showed a combined pouting/blushing expression that gave Luna a friendly teasing smile.
“ But with all seriousness, I require all the help I can get, and to finally have somepony at my side whom I can speak with and relate to on a more... personal level.... Would you... Miss Crystal Clear, accept the prestigious position of ‘Night Court Scribe’?” Luna could not help but put a bit of formality into this sentence despite being sick of it due to her line of work
“ Of course your majesty....” Crystal Clear could only give a warm smile.
“ So then when would I be starting, Princess?”
Luna stood up from the chair she had been sitting on. “We will begin the next time that the Sun sets! But for now Miss Clear, I wish for you to get some rest. Please return now to you father with my endorsement.” Luna was showing much enthusiasm.
Crystal clear proceeded to open the door, still smiling. “ Good night your majesty....”
“ I prefer you continue to call me Luna.”
“Only if you call me Crystal.” Crystal replied, poking her head back through the door.
The door shut behind Crystal as Luna collapsed to the floor, somewhat bewildered. She could only mutter to herself. “What merciful fortune has come to me this night?”
She could feel something slightly out of place during her time with Crystal Clear. A small jolt felt in her mind. Perhaps it was only from the stress? She did not wish to give it more though at the moment.
ELSEWHERE
Celestia awoke abruptly in a cold sweat. Something had just given her a jolt to her core. She felt strange, like something in Equestria had been knocked out of place ever so slightly. While she could not shake this feeling, she was still tired and quickly drifted back to sleep.
End Prologue
Authors note: I decided to stop here in order to submit soon to get some earlier feedback on where the story was going so far. If all goes well, expect newer and larger chapters soon.