If there was one thing that the sisters can describe...it was the sky.
Unlike the usual blue to hot bronze, this sky was stretching forever in every direction with the hue of an entirely different world. The world around them was colored with a mixed shade of violet and magenta, clouds scattered from miniature shreds to massive chunks flowing through the almost unnoticeable breeze, even proven by the bubbles that seem displaced. Shards of unknown origin floated along side some furniture, basking this Ether in a touchless glow. Out of all the things aimlessly hovering about, there was one single creature.
This being glowed just like the objects around it but the radiance it possessed seemed to glow so vividly that the features cannot be described. There was no face...no detail, only the silhouette shape of the creature that was alien to them. It stood like a bipedal minotaur as it's head only supported any kind of fur which flowed effortlessly in the Ether. The limbs and legs carried digits, twenty in total but five in each. It wore no clothing, but they seemed it wasn't much of a problem since the glow literally censored it's entire being
So this is a human...shorter than I thought. Celestia pouts a bit in disappointment. There aren't that many creatures, sentient to say the least, that were as tall as them.
"Hello. It is nice to see you both face to face. I'm sorry to say this but, I cannot properly introduce myself...for I am not worthy of performing any kind of introduction." a feeling washed over the sisters' cores, was it pity?
Celestia was the first to reply. "It is nice to meet you. I believe you already know the both of us. Do you know our purpose of being here?"
It nods, "I am well aware of both your purposes. The younger youth desires purpose and some knowledge of her destiny." pausing it points a finger to Celestia. "But you...your desire...it's something else. The co-ruler Celestia desires..." and it didn't even need to finish the sentence.
A lump forms in the throat, eyes dilating on how this being knew about this so easily. Eyes meeting her youthful sister, seeing the urge for an explanation. The spark of betrayal flared in Luna's pupils, and the older sister attempted to make the explanation one that both can bear.
"Sister, it's not what you-"
"Wh-what is the meaning of this? Are you hiding something from me, something that keeps me from grasping my destiny?" the goddess with no purpose begins to whelp with tears. And every assumption she made was right, stabbing Tia in her heart of emotions. "I...I trusted you. You're my only Tia a-and you still hide things from me?"
"Lulu this is for your safety and well-being." she tries to keep her voice from quivering.
"You! YOU told me that sisters never keep secrets from one another!" Luna's voice grew to a much higher tone.
"I CAN'T RISK LOSING YOU SISTER!!!" Celestia was the first to raise her voice to climax.
Luna follows along, but with a more childish reply. "THEN YOU WOULD RATHER LIVE THE REST OF YOUR LIFE WITH A NOBODY THAN LOSE YOUR OWN SISTER!!!"
But the human intercepts, "It is alright. Hehe," suppressing a soft laugh. "This is quite common actually. Where one performs such actions out of love for their individual. Do not worry Luna, she was doing this out of love for you."
Luna turns from her enraged tantrum and glared at the illuminate entity. How would this person know? How? Why? Why does this...thing know the real situation of this? She shakes her head, the tears had stopped flowing from her eyes to give the residue of bloodshot sclera.
"You know nothing.." she hissed.
The human approached the young alicorn, merely standing just an inch of space between the two. Slowly, the hands rise from underneath and wrap across the top of her neck, some of the weight dragging her head down. The child ceases applying the weight of his arms and taps its forehead just between Luna's eyes, though there was no imagery, they could tell that it was smiling.
"I know more than nothing." it was a rather bland response. "This act your sister has done was performed so many times before my very eyes. To save someone out of their love for the other, a sacrificial risk they all take."
Luna stared awkwardly at the illuminate child, "That means you used to be mortal, haven't you? You may have the body of a transcendent being, but the memories of any regular mortal."
Letting go, this human walks away from the two with arms open as the world changed around the trio. Behind the human was a memory..of an infant. The memory of seeing a mother and father's face for the first time. With every second the memories changed, from infancy to childood..eventually going stagnant within the years of pubescence.
"You are correct, I was once a human just like any other. Eventually during my age there were scientific outbreaks, many wounds sown closed throughout the world, peace made with everyone and eventually the frontier of space exploration had begun." the memory behind transforms into some kind of insignia, the label beneath says Galactic Alliance. "I in particular was chosen to be the pinnacle and ambassador of humanity when meeting other-kin of different worlds."
The sisters were impressed, a human just within teenager years had become an important vessel for developing relationships with otherworldly species. Though impressed, Luna still felt anger deep down..still she hoped that her call to destiny will be answered.
The human was not yet finished with his speech. "Just like any species, we have not attained peace and harmony as easily as you have. I feel a bit envious, while we humans struggled just to settle our differences by centuries, you ponies had accomplished this feat within barely half of our time span."
A bit of pride was absorbed into their souls, looks like they achieved a few things faster than these humans after all. But Celestia was the first to frown at the child's envy, he must have seen years upon years of suffering just to make peace. Heck, this child may even have some ancient blood spilled on his hands.
The hypothesis was answered. "After long decades of fighting and hardships..I have finally achieved eternal serenity. My feats both risen humanity to a great point along with many other-kin that followed alongside." it looks at its hands. "And I now have become an influence..an entity that desires to help along. I have made peace with myself, and now it is my turn to give peace to others."
Celestia takes a defensive step backward as this entity takes one forward in return, arms open as if waiting for a hug. "You know what you must do dear sun goddess. You have to let go, though you may have ceased your sister's destiny for a while, that time is over. It's not healthy to refuse what will be given to you."
Her breath wavers. It's been years since she had cast the Destiny Veil, with her one and only use being on her beloved Luna. She didn't know if she had the will to muster and take down the incantation for good...
Celestia was in the room, an underground chamber where various arcane tools, potions, and a miniature library took space. Some papers were scattered, scribbled with what would seem meaningless drivel but rather it was theories and hypotheses for new types of magic. In that mess was Star Swirl the Bearded, looking into some books then writing down one of his many notes.
"Ah it is a good day to see you Princess. Is it day? I can't tell I have been down here far too long to remember." he greeted the solar princess.
She looked nervous, almost slightly paranoid as she looked at the eyes of the magician with great desperation. "I have great importance in asking you Star Swirl. The future is something I need to know. It's just that..well..there is a bad sensation I have and the knowledge to know of the future will at least calm my nerves."
The old stallion's eyes widen..if not just a bit. "Your highness, I have told you before that looking into the future will be incredibly dangerous, even for you. You may live for thousands of years before me, and so after, but even an immortal's mind can only take so much before it snaps."
The royal princess shakes her head. "I am well aware of looking into the future. But all I need is a glimpse, just to see what is the source of all this paranoia I contain."
He nods, "Of course. Which individual do you want to focus on?" through magic ponies with high magical power can look into the sands of time, however to further lessen the risk of the brain snapping they use this only on a single pony or at least a small squadron.
"....My sister." Celestia gulps, swallowing the tension.
Star Swirl cocks an brow. "Your own sister? It is worrying why you must know what happens to her in the future. But for your sister, I can see the care in your eyes." and ends with a smile.
His horn shines a light, multiple layers of magic filing over one another as the world went white, arcane circles surrounding the room....And there they were. The timeline of Luna. It was a black abyss around, the only light being an infinitely branching road of glow. It was a breathtaking yet bland scene to absorb. While the great unicorn magician sat down in patience, the princess heads over to one of the branches and approaches the bubble, which created a branch and multiple pathways for the other bubbles of possible occurrences.
She found it.
The source of her worries and fears, her sister...she was no longer who she was. The goddess saw herself, cowering and crying to the silhouette of her sibling. Those familiar slit pupils and turquoise irises, darkened coating and jagged teeth...and a cutie mark of the moon.
Nightmare Moon.
Celestia saw enough to know. Veering her eyes away from the bubble he nods at the unicorn whom ceases the incantation, the room fading back to its usual manor.
"There's one more thing. Is there a way to prevent a pony from obtaining their cutie mark?" she turned to the Star Swirl.
He nods once more. "I see what you want now. You want to save your own sister from becoming something. It must terrify you, and burden your heart now knowing how things might go. Very well..but you know you cannot keep Luna away from her destiny forever."
Sighing the goddess says, "I know. Just until it is time. If I can avoid this possible future then I'll need to get all the time I need."
He walked over to a single sheet of paper, turning around to give the alicorn with levitation. "I call it the Destiny Seal. It can be only used on a single pony, however the affected will never meet their destiny..their internal timeline being caught in a loop until the spell is cast aside."
Celestia bows in respectful thanks. "Thank you Star Swirl."
...but she just had enough. It's time to face the future.
With a smile of sorrow the elder sister uses her magic, the horn glows a total of two layers as the insignia of a clock shines above the younger youth. The clock emits a ticking sound, then starts moving at such a rapid pace..then stopped just as fast. When looking at Luna once more, it looked like she grew a few inches taller..and her features were more mature.
The human being smiles at this action, while little Luna had tears like waterfalls. Leaping towards her sibling, Luna tackles her with a hug..Celestia only returned a grunt of sudden force and a smile of lifted weight.
"I'll take you back to your world now. Your present is ready to open." the world goes dark, leaving only the sisters, the human, and the abyss around them.
The lighting of the world returns..this time it was Equestria this time! No illusions nor false imagery, they could not deny the sensations were all too familiar to be artificial. The smell, the sound, the sight...even though some of the buildings were burning. But in the sky there was something different..something out of place. It lit up the night like a candle in the dark forest, white light reflecting from the surface, smooth as if this object was a newborn.
A newborn moon to be exact.
It was all the lunar princess could dream of. The celestial object she so desired, and the destiny she could finally achieve. The orb they had traversed was gone, leaving only the illuminate child in its place. It nods, waiting for the final action to end this all. Luna was so happy, she couldn't even form words for both her sister, whom has stuck with her thick and thin despite being the cause of all of this. Now she knew that she could count on her only Tia for help. And the human..he may not have revealed much of himself but all she needed to remember that this child had given the princess the answer to her cry for help.
"Ready Luna?" Celestia nuzzled her neck, a giggle escaping her mouth.
"I've always been." her horn was enveloped with magic.
The moon shook visibly in the air, almost trembling in the deep star-carpeted sky. The youth concentrates, focusing her power on the placement of such mass..and it started to move. The moon was being moved from the east to the west, the sun following along as the darkness was lit with the bright flame of the sun as it transitions into daylight. Luna and the trio couldn't feel anymore happier.
And just as destiny called, a tiny spark of envy grew inside her.