The First Day of the First Year of the New Era
The Moon was just above the horizon, waiting to be set. The stars had begun to fade. The Sun was just peaking over the opposite horizon, waiting to be risen. The four princesses stood, just behind the doorway that lead to the great balcony atop the largest tower in Canterlot Castle. The streets of Canterlot below them were full. The streets looked like one great living thing; nobles and commoners, citizens and guests, ponies and creatures of every kind. All had come to view the transition; the ascension of the two older princesses to their next phase of being, and the succession of the two young princesses to be the sole co-rulers of Equestria. Spotlights from the castle walls and towers shone into the night sky like crystal pillars. The princesses spoke together as they waited for the appointed time.
“After a hundred years of experience ruling your personal demesne, ten years of intensive training, a year of public preparation, a week of the largest celebrations in Equestrian history, and a day of succession ceremonies, the time has come for you two to finally decide.” Luna stared at one young princess and then at the other.
“You both have completed all the training for both roles superbly. You have the power, the skill, and the wisdom for either role.” Celestia was calm, collected.
“We know that you have carefully considered these options. We expected you to make your choices long ago, so each of you could focus on your individual roles.” Luna was not collected. She was tired of waiting. “But now the time has come. You two must decide.”
“Princess Cadenza, Princess Twilight, which of you will control the Sun and which of you will control the Moon when we move on?” Celestia got to the heart of the matter.
“You're right, Auntie,” Princess Cadenza said. “We have thought long and hard about this.”
“And we've come to a decision,” Princess Twilight said.
The two younger princesses looked at each other and smiled broadly. “We're going to share!” they both exclaimed.
Celestia and Luna were taken aback. “Share?”
“After I merged with the Crystal Heart, and Twilight merged with the Tree of Harmony, we each have the power and skill to control both the Sun and the Moon.” Cadenza stood very straight. “While we greatly appreciate your gifts, and know they will be immensely helpful, we do not wish to be defined by them.”
“I’ve checked the transfer ritual a hundred ways.” Twilight dropped seamlessly into ‘lecture mode’. “There's nothing in it that requires either of you to transfer all of your power to just one princess.”
“I will continue to be the Princess of Love.” Cadenza smiled at Twilight.
“And I will be the Princess of Harmony.” Twilight smiled back.
“And together we will both be shepherds of the Sun and the Moon,” they said together. “We request that you each share your gifts equally with both of us.”
“I suppose... that could work,” Princess Celestia said haltingly.
“Tis most irregular... and not an option we had considered,” Princess Luna said.
The two elder princesses looked at each other questioningly, then smiled knowingly. “We will do as you request,” they said together.
The designated time had arrived. All the spotlights turned and shown on the great balcony. The four princesses stepped forward, through the doorway and into the light. A great cheer, like a wave of power, rose from the masses below. The princesses beat their great wings and rose into the air above Canterlot Castle. The spotlights followed their ascent. The four princesses reached the location in the sky designated for the ritual. They hovered in the air, bodies upright, heads and horns held high. In royal voices that could magically be heard equally well throughout all of Equestria, they spoke.
“I Celestia, Princess of the Sun, diarch of Equestria, do deed my powers and royal authority to the new rulers of this land, Princess Cadenza and Princess Twilight.”
“I Luna, Princess of the Moon, diarch of Equestria, do deed my powers and royal authority to the new rulers of this land, Princess Cadenza, and Princess Twilight.”
“I Cadenza, Princess of Love, accept the power and royal authority, and will do my duty to protect and serve as diarch of Equestria.”
“I Twilight, Princess of Harmony, accept the power and royal authority, and will do my duty to protect and serve as diarch of Equestria.”
The four princesses gathered together and made a square, each princess placing her forelimbs on the shoulders of the royals to the right and left. The elder sisters smiled warmly at the younger princesses, then nodded. Celestia and Luna bowed their heads forward and touched the tips of their mighty horns. Gold and blue magic swirled into a great ball above the tips where their horns touched. They were ready. Princess Cadenza and Princess Twilight leaned their heads forward and touched the tips of their horns to the other princesses’, creating a pyramid. The swirling gold and blue magic pulsed, hovering above the horns of the younger princesses.
In her mind, Princess Cadenza heard a voice like Celestia's, “All the power of the Sun can still be yours, all you need do is accept it. Fear not for your sister, you know Twilight will be pleased with the power of the Moon. Wouldn't you rather have all of the power and all of the secrets of the Sun rather than just a portion? You must act now.”
In her mind, Princess Twilight heard a voice like Luna’s, “All the secrets of the magic of the night can be yours, all you need do is accept it. Fear not for your sister, you know Cadenza will be pleased with the power of the Sun. Wouldn't you rather have all of the magic and power of the night rather than just a portion? You must act now.”
Cadenza and Twilight could feel the mysteries and secrets of the Sun and the Moon, held just beyond their grasp. They knew by instinct, without the full power of the heavenly bodies, those secrets would be lost.
“Thank you for the offer, but my sister and I will share the Sun and the Moon. We will be the best shepherds we can, regardless of what magical mysteries are lost to us.” both young princesses said together.
“So it begins,” they heard in their minds. Swirling gold and blue magic raced from the ball above them, down their horns, and into their very being. First came power. Power tied to the Sun, and power tied to the Moon, flowing down from the magic sphere.
“This is your last chance, with the full power of the Sun, you may cast you sight anywhere that Sunlight falls. Without it...!”
“This is your last chance, with the full power of the Moon, you may cast your magic anywhere shadows fall. Without it...”
“We will share and be equals shepherding the Sun and the Moon,” the young princesses cried out together.
“So be it,” came the reply. “Your trust in each other shall be rewarded!” The power flowing into them doubled And the full power of the Sun and the Moon, along with all the mysteries and magic of both celestial orbs, flowed into both princesses. For the magic generated by their friendship, love, and trust in each other was enough to multiply the gifts of the elder princesses. The torrent of power and knowledge was overwhelming. Both princesses struggled to maintain their identity as millennia of wisdom and secrets poured into them. Though they thought of themselves as fully formed, the younger princesses were as foals compared to their elders.
“I am the Princess of Love!” Cadenza cried.
“I am the Princess of Harmony!” Twilight replied.
In response, the powers of their respective aspects blossomed fully, until the power, and magic, and secrets of Love and Harmony matched those of the Sun and the Moon. The Princess of Love was filled with a complete understanding of all types of Love, and the powers therein. The Princess of Harmony was filled with all aspects of the magic of friendship and Harmony. Their identities solidified and they drew strength from their knowledge of themselves and of each other. The elder princesses pulled back and the younger princesses embraced and crossed horns. “Let us be true sisters and share in all things!” they cried. Love and Harmony were as two sides of the same coin. Their friendship, love, and trust in each other doubled their own gifts, the ultimate act of sharing duplicating their powers in each other, filling them as if to bursting.
“We are complete!” the younger princesses said together. They nuzzled each other one time, then pulled apart. The two younger princesses were still hovering over Canterlot. They shone like stars, with a radiance that overwhelmed the puny searchlights from below. Lightning danced around them from horn to hoof, for each held the power and magic of four fully realized alicorns. Their gifts were so many and varied that it would take time for the princesses to learn to wield them effectively. Though they contained the same powers, they were not clones. Cadenza would forever wield the powers of Love with greater facility, just like Twilight would forever have a greater skill with the powers of Harmony and magic.
The elder princesses hovered near by. They were etherial in the night sky. The light from the searchlights seemed to find no purchase on them, but the light from the young princesses illuminated them for all to see.
“You have passed your final tests brilliantly,” Celestia said.
“We could not be prouder of you both,” Luna said.
“Thank you for everything you have given us, for everything you have given Equestria!” Cadenza and Twilight cried. They both hugged Celestia, and then Luna. The former diarchs felt as light as soap bubbles to the young princesses. Celestia and Luna smiled at eachother and nodded. It was time to move on.
“May you rule with wisdom and compassion,” Celestia said.
“May you bring happiness and fulfillment to your subjects and yourselves,” Luna said.
“May all your future steps bring you great joy and revelations!” Cadenza and Twilight called.
Celestia and Luna ascended into the heavens. They were translucent, and the spotlights shone through them, but all on the ground could see them with perfect clarity. As they rose, they grew in size but faded in intensity, until the outlines of Celestia and Luna were visible all over Equestria and filled the sky from horizon to horizon. When they touched both horizons, the elder princesses’ remaining color rushed together into a single bright star, high over Canterlot. The star coalesced into a rotating disk. One side featured a great blue heart with white wings. The other displayed a six pointed magenta star with five smaller stars around it; the symbols of the Princess of Love and the Princess of Harmony. The symbols hung high over the capitol, visible from all parts of Equestria.
The new diarchs looked at eachother and smiled. They pulled together into a hug and held it, hovering in the spotlights for a long time. They could feel the sadness they shared at their elders moving on. They could also feel the weight of duties that had been left them as co-rules of a great nation. Finally they could feel the immense powers they now wielded, far greater than anything they or the elders had wielded before. The power spoke of both possibilities, and responsibilities, in equal measure.
“It’s time for a new day,” Princess Cadenza said. Together, their horns glowed, and they each extended a forelimb and lowered it majestically. The Moon dipped behind the horizon and the stars slowly faded away. They turned as one, and raised their forelimbs together. The Sun emerged from behind the horizon and was set onto its course for the day. It spread a grand pink and purple sunrise across the land.
“Equestria awaits,” Princess Twilight said. They were both illuminated by the great rotating star above, the sunrise on the horizon, the spotlights below, and their own internal radiance. Together the co-rules spread their wings wide and dove toward the city below, welcomed by a storm of cheers and good wishes from all across the city and the countryside.