To Touch the Sun

by RoyalBardofCanterlot


Vigil

Celestia's hooves pounded on the cold, marble stone of the hall. Her golden shod hooves slammed into the floor as she galloped, both of her alabaster wings spread wide. Maids, butlers and nobles cleared out of her way. Duchess Blueblood stumbled as Celestia rushed past her. Just behind her, Luna struggled to keep up. She was smaller than her sister and a full gallop was not enough to keep up with her. Celestia lifted into the air, soaring toward the exit. Luna spread her own dark, blue wings soaring after the older princess.

"Sister, sister please wait up!"

Celestia did not even deign to respond to her. She knocked open the doors of Canterlot Castle and soared upward into the turquoise sky. Her sun shone in a cloudless sky. It was afternoon and the sun was past its brightest point. Beneath her the towered city shone in the golden sunlight. Her wings spread out against the blue sky. Behind her, Luna still struggled to keep up.

"Sister, please!"

Celestia found it remarkably easy to ignore her sister's voice as she scanned the city beneath her. Too late she realized Canterlot was home to a number of hospitals and the guard hadn't specified. She closed her eyes, searching for one unicorn's aura in a city of half-a-million unicorns, many of them extraordinarily powerful. She glided, allowing the currents of air to carry her along. She felt the ancient, pulsating lines of spiritual energy that had built up here over the centuries. The mountain itself already hummed with primordial power. Generations of unicorns living and dying here, having their children here, being buried here had made Canterlot a hub of spiritual power. The city being host to two physical goddesses in everything but name had added to the power of the place.

Celestia focused as the magic of this city even scrambled her senses. She searched for one particular aura, a powerful aura. At last, she found it. Her eyes widened. Twilight was powerful, among the strongest of her particular generation. Yet, her aura was faint. Her impressive stores of magical energy had been exhausted. Tears welled up in the Sun Princess's eyes.

"Sister-"

"Not now, Luna."

A whimper escaped Luna's throat at the coldness in Celestia's voice.

"Tia, I'm sorry."

Celestia glared at her. "Of course you're sorry. You're always sorry."

She shot off like a rocket before Luna could respond. Luna fought back tears of her own and took off after her. Celestia remembered suddenly that she could simply teleport. Closing her eyes, she drew up magic from her core and vanished in a burst of golden light. Luna vanished in a burst of blue light, following her sister's trail.

They reappeared in a grassy meadow. Two live oaks spread their branches above a small stream. For a moment, Luna thought there had been some mistake. Then she saw a white building rising up before them.

Celestia turned to her. A coldness was still in her voice and tears were welling up in her eyes. "This hospital was built in the 700's. It was believed that nature had a healing effect so many hospitals were built outside the city limits in meadows like this one."

Luna nodded, avoiding her sister's gaze. "I see. Tia, I just want to say-"

Celestia put a hoof to her lips. "Not right now, Luna." She turned away.

It would have been better if Celestia had yelled at her or or even if she had struck her. It would have been something. What Luna couldn't stand was the silence. Celestia opened the white doors and Luna trudged in after her into a sterile waiting room painted the same white as the outside. A coffee table was stacked with magazines. Ponies, many with visible afflictions such as runny noses, sat around on the hard wooden chairs with red cushions. All bowed, or attempted to, when they saw Celestia and Luna. Celestia raised a hoof. "No need for that, My Little Ponies. As you were."

A white coated, golden maned unicorn nurse rushed up to the Princesses and hurriedly bowed. "May I help you, Your Highnesses?"

"Take us to Twilight Sparkle."

The nurse shuffled a hoof. "Are you blood relatives?"

Celestia gave her a glare that made Luna grateful she was not currently on the receiving end of Celestia's ire, since that ire was now deflected on the poor nurse. The nurse gulped. "R-right this way, Your Highness."

The nurse led them down the hallway and then to an elevator. Luna stood back as the unfamiliar device opened. The nurse and Celestia walked onto it. Luna hesitated. Celestia extended a wing and ushered Luna inside. Luna took some comfort in the feeling of Celestia's feathers on her withers. That small gesture of kindness didn't change how angry Celestia was at her nor how much Luna deserved every bit of that anger. Luna nearly jumped as the elevator began its ascent.

"The Element Bearers brought Miss Sparkle in earlier this afternoon. She was in a pretty bad shape, but she's since been stabilized. She's still comatose."

The elevator stopped and the doors opened.

Luna looked at the nurse. "What is the treatment for magical exhaustion in this day and age?" In her time, the treatment had been a casket and a head stone.

"Generally, Phoenix Tears Elixir, rest and after they come out of the coma plenty of fluids."

The nurse led them down another hall. "The reason it was so deadly in your time was that no one had realized how magic can be restored through certain potions. Had Phoenix Tears Elixir even been created yet?"

"No, it had not. Not as I know in any case, healing was never my strong suit with magic."

The nurse stopped at a door. "Listen. You need to prepare yourselves. Miss Sparkle is still in a very bad way. It's going to look much worse than it actually is."

Luna and Celestia shared a look. Celestia took several deep breaths. "We're ready."

The nurse nodded. "Alright, then."

She opened the door and the princesses stepped inside. Celestia gasped and then Luna did. Twilight was lying in the bed, covered in bandages. Her horn had cracked and the bandage around it had a dark red spot. She was covered in scratches and bruises. The only sign that she was still clinging to life were the periodic shallow, ragged breaths that shuddered out of her.

Twilight's friends were on either side of her, Spike curled up on her chest as if asleep. Celestia knew he had entered into a state of a dragon guarding something very precious. Rarity was between Applejack and Fluttershy, both of whom had their forelegs wrapped around her. Twilight Velvet and Night Light were holding their daughter's hooves. Shining was sitting on a chair, holding a crying Cadence.

Rarity looked up as Celestia went up to the bed. She wiped away the ruined mascara trailing down her face. "It was for me, Princess."

Celestia looked to her. "What was for you?"

"She sacrificed the last bit of magic she had...oh Gods. To heal me." She broke off into sobbing, Applejack holding her and Fluttershy running a hoof through her mane.

Celestia looked down at her student, feeling a spark of pride at what Rarity told her. Twilight, nearly exhausted, bordering very close to death, sacrificed the last bit of magic-the last bit of life force she had in order to heal a friend.

Celestia reached out and stroked Twilight's face, remembering a very young purple unicorn filly that she'd taken on as her student. When she'd first seen Twilight, the filly had lost control of her own magic. Celestia had laid a hoof on her shoulder and looked into those eyes, full of fear, and felt a desire to protect her from whatever fears were in her heart.

After the magic surge passed and Celestia took her on as a student, Twilight had spent several minutes bouncing around her shouting yes. Unlike many students who eventually lost their enthusiasm, Twilight never had. She was full of life, bouncing ahead of Celestia as she had shown her the castle, running from shelf to shelf in the library, picking up any book that even remotely caught her interest. She was filled with life, filled with perpetual amazement at the world and all its wonders.

From the time Celestia's sun rose to the time it set, Twilight had studied, pouring over ancient tomes at Celestia's side or alone, enjoying the solitude of studying in her room or (when Celestia could convince her to) outside beneath a tree or in the garden. Many a time, Celestia had had to take her books away so Twilight wouldn't spend all night studying. Even as an adult mare, Celestia would often find her passed out over a book in the library.

Whenever Twilight, as a teenager, stayed out past curfew on the weekends and her parents couldn't find her they never feared. Velvet or Night Light would tell Celestia and Celestia would find her in some dusty corner of the library that only high mages were allowed access to due to the dangerous nature of the spell books there. At the age of fourteen, Twilight had sent an article to the Mages Guild revolutionizing the study of water magic. They hadn't believed she'd written it. After examining her, they had declared her a high mage. At eighteen, she'd been declared an archmage, the youngest archmage to ever achieve the title. Somehow, Twilight had not grown arrogant as so many others had. She remained, and considered herself, merely a humble scholar, nopony special.

Teaching her had been a joy, Celestia reflected. Every morning Twilight would greet her with a smile as their lesson began. She'd ask Celestia rapid fire questions, taking joy in simply learning. That joy had brought joy to Celestia's own heart as they explored side by side the deepest mysteries of magic. Twilight had grown and their lessons had slowly become collaborations as they debated each other, studied together and learned from each other.

When Twilight had moved to Ponyville, those daily lessons had stopped. That first morning Celestia had Luna back and her attention had been focused on her. Those days had turned to weeks and Celestia had felt a certain sadness slipping over her. Twilight was gone, moved on with her own life, making friends, growing and exploring apart from Celestia.

Luna herself had noticed that sadness and asked her what had caused it. Celestia hadn't known, hadn't been willing to admit just how much her student had come to mean to her. The sadness lifted each week when a letter from Twilight arrived. It didn't matter if she was in the middle of court or even a session of Parliament. She would excuse herself, suspend the meeting and go to pour over the letter, marveling at how much her student had grown, her heart swelling with both pride, and yes, love.

Slowly, rhythmically, Celestia stroked Twilight's face. Night Light gave his daughter's hoof a squeeze. "It doesn't look natural, does it? Her being so still."

Finally, Celestia's tears escaped, falling on the fur of Twilight's chest. "She'll be okay." Even she could tell it sounded more like she was trying to convince herself. Cadence left Shining's embrace and trotted over to Celestia, looking down at Twilight. "I should never have let her go."

Celestia looked up at Cadence. "You knew?"

Cadence nodded. "She stayed over at the palace."

Celestia grit her teeth. "And you let her go?"

Cadence squeezed shut her eyes, fighting back another crying fit. "I tried to convince her against it."

"You should have tried harder." Celestia winced at the harshness of her tone and the way Cadence flinched. She spread a wing over her niece and Cadence leaned against her. "I'm sorry, my dear niece. I know when Twilight gets an idea in her head, it's nearly impossible to stop her."

Cadence nuzzled against her. "She will be alright, won't she?"

"Yes. Yes, I know she will."

From behind her, she heard Luna sniffling. She turned and wrapped her sister up in her wings. Luna collapsed into her, crying. Celestia wiped away her tears with a feather as she felt her anger at Luna dissolving.

"I'm so sorry, Sister, so sorry, please forgive me."

Celestia went through a mental catalog of misdeeds her sister had committed, realized this one wasn't even in the top ten and decided she could forgive this. She kissed her beneath her horn. "I forgive you, Luna. I know you had good intentions."

Velvet was not nearly as forgiving. She had been listening to the sisters and let go of Twilight's hoof. "Forgive her for what, Your Highness? Exactly what does Princess Luna have to do with my daughter being at death's doorstep?"

Luna stepped out from behind Celestia's wing. "Lady Velvet, please accept my apologies-"

"What are you apologizing for?"

Luna shrunk back slightly as Velvet managed to stare her down, the first mortal in many a year to manage that. "I...I'm the one that gave Twilight the idea of getting the necklace." She hung her head. "I didn't realize a dragon would be there."

Velvet narrowed her eyes. "I always thought you were too easily forgiven for the whole Nightmare Moon business. Personally, I thought you should have been tossed in a dungeon-"

Celestia flared her wings in anger. "Hey! That is my sister you're talking to!"

"But I didn't realize you were stupid as well!" Velvet marched closer to her. "What the actual buck were you thinking?! Were you thinking?!"

Luna shrunk back from the shouting, suddenly feeling more like a chastised foal than a princess. "I...Twilight...I thought...I just wanted them to be happy!"

Celestia laid a hoof on Velvet's shoulder. "Velvet, we've been friends for a long time. I'm asking you as a friend to calm yourself."

Velvet knocked away her hoof. "I get a call from the hospital telling me my daughter was nearly killed on some sort of suicide mission and I'm supposed to be calm! Please tell me that necklace can slay some sort of ancient evil! Somepony please tell me what's going on!"

"Twilight is courting me."

Velvet's jaw worked up and down as did Night Light's.

Celestia continued. "It was a gift for me."

Velvet sighed. "I see. I've known for a long time that Twilight's had a crush on you. But I don't want her in a relationship with you."

"Is it because I was her teacher?"

"I had a crush on my teacher, I understand that. Twilight is a bright, intelligent girl. But when it comes to you, she loses her mind. I don't think I need many examples of that. I can't imagine how much of a disaster a relationship between you two would be."

"Trust me, Velvet, I've considered the exact same thing." She reached down to grasp Twilight's hoof, needing to feel her pulse. Needing to know she was still alive. "Me and Twilight are going to have a long talk when she comes to."

The sun continued its trek towards the west, Celestia feeling it as a distant pulse. The Element Bearers talked among themselves, reminiscing about Twilight and the joy and companionship she had brought into their lives. The time she had hosted a sleepover for Rarity and Applejack. The time she had followed around Pinkie, studying her unusual gifts. The time she had given Dash her Daring Do novel when Dash was in the hospital and all the discussions Dash and Twilight had since then about their mutual favorite series.

Twilight had grown so much, learned so much, blossomed into a brilliant and beautiful marehood. They reminisced about adventures they'd gone on, evils that they had faced. Discord, Chrysalis, Sombra. All had been faced by the Bearers and leading the charge was always Twilight Sparkle. She had inspired her friends, comforted them, aided them in times of trouble and shared their joys. In turn, they had given her aid and comfort and shared her joys.

Their bond had been forged in fire and was as strong as steel. When Celestia had sent Twilight off to Ponyville, she had expected her to make friends. She just hadn't realized how those friendships would bring out the wonderful qualities she'd always known were in her student. Cadence leaned into her side, looking down at her sister-in-law. "Do you really think she'll be alright? I know I just asked that, but she just looks so...weak."

The sun crested below the horizon. Celestia laid a hoof on Cadence's shoulder. "I know she will. Have faith, Cadence."

The rite was as old as the Reign of the Two Sisters. The sun's red and golden rays spilled through the windows, bouncing off the sterile white walls and illuminating the room in a crimson glow. Celestia lit her horn and and the sun sank to its western rest. Luna lit her own horn and the silver moon rose as the sky darkened and the stars twinkled in the velvet abyss of the night.

Nopony made any move to leave. Applejack sighed. "I'd best be gettin' home. It's my turn to read Apple Bloom a bedtime story and if I don't show up that little filly will be crushed." She gave Twilight a nuzzle. "Hang in there, Sugarcube."

Rarity had orders to get started on, Dash needed to get up early for her job as did Pinkie and Fluttershy had her animals to tend to. Each one left, giving Twilight a nuzzle and well-wishes. At last there was only Twilight's family, Celestia and Luna.

Velvet shook her head. "She hasn't moved. She's still breathing. That's the only way..." She choked back a sob. "That's the only way I can tell she's still alive."

Luna hid her face behind a wing, a fresh geyser of shame welling up in her. Night Light patted his wife's shoulder. "Our daughter's strong, Honey. She'll get through this."

Velvet leaned into him. "I know. She's gotten through worse with all those magical experiments she used to get into and being an Element Bearer. But it's just had to see her like this."

Night Light sighed, looking down at Twilight's unnaturally still form. Her chest rose up and down in a faint, but steady rhythm. "I know. It is hard." He pressed a hoof to his daughter's chest, feeling her heart beat. "She's strong, she'll get through this."

Everyone in the room knew he was trying to convince himself just as Celestia had been. Celestia felt a sudden urge to leave the room, dragging her sister along with her. This was a family moment, a private moment, they had no right to be here. Night Light glanced over at her and surprised her by smiling. "Y'know, Velvet, Twilight could do worse than the Princess. I think they'd make a good couple."

Velvet opened her mouth as if to argue, then closed it, sighing. "She's a grown mare, it's not up to us. I still say it's a terrible idea though."

At last, visiting hours came to a close. Unwillingly, Twilight's family said goodbye, nuzzling her as her friend's had. Velvet nudged Spike who looked as if he was going to protest, but just couldn't find it in him to argue with his grandmother. He climbed up on Velvet's back and left with them.

Luna laid a hoof on her shoulder. "I believe it is time for us to leave, Sister. We shall return on the morrow."

Celestia shook her head. "I'm not leaving. I intend to stay with Twilight."

A red-coated unicorn wearing the uniform of a nurse trotted in and dipped into a bow. "Your Highnesses, I'm afraid visiting hours are over."

Celestia stared her down, lifting her head, throwing out her chest. "I'm not leaving."

"You're highness-"

Her voice rang out with the authority of centuries. "I will not leave her."

The nurse dropped into a bow. "As you wish, Your Highness. But, please, I ask you not to disturb the other patients." That said, she hurried from the room. Celestia inwardly winced, hating throwing around her power like that. She was not an absolute ruler, ancient law did limit her authority, but in practice she was so respected that few disobeyed her.

She tried not to take advantage of that fact, but sometimes it was too tempting to resist. Luna stood beside her. "I will stay with her as well, Sister."

Celestia stared at Twilight. "No Luna. I need to be alone with her."

Luna looked down at the ground, her ears drooping. "Oh, okay."

Celestia wrapped a wing around her. "Luna, I forgive you for this one. You didn't intend for this to happen."

Luna rested against her chest. "I just...wanted you to be happy. I never wanted this. Twilight was the first friend I made when I returned. I'd never wish to hurt her, never."

Celestia tightened the wing around Luna's shoulders. "I know, Sis, I know."

After a few moments, Luna left the embrace, squeezed Twilight's hoof and walked from the room. Celestia turned to her student, grasping her hoof. The sharp beep of the heart monitor was the only sound in the room. One by one the lights in the hospital went out and soon the heart monitor's eerie green glow and the silver of her sister's moonlight spilling through the curtains were the only sources of light in the room. Celestia lit up her horn and pulled the sheets up over Twilight, the way she had so many times before when Twilight had been her student and had fallen asleep over a book.

Celestia held Twilight's hoof. "I know you can't hear me, Twilight, But I wanted you to know that that was a brave, foolish, idiotic, noble thing you did." She leaned down and pressed her lips to Twilight's own, possessed by some sort of fairy tale logic that the gesture would magically awaken her. "We all love you. Please come back to us, Twilight."

Tears escaped her eyes and splashed the pillow Twilight's head was resting on. "I love you." The realization struck her with the clarity of a thunderbolt. What she felt deep in her heart for her former student was love. "I love you, Twilight. I love you."

How long had it been since she had said those words? More tears splashed on the pillow as the Sun Princess unabashedly wept by her student's bedside, her shoulders shaking. She had lost so many and finally, after losing even her own sister, she had closed her heart to love, not allowing herself to feel even friendship nonetheless romantic love.

It had been Twilight. Celestia had shared no motherly bond with any other student, keeping a distance from them in a way some might call cold. Twilight's eagerness, her awe at the world, her longing to learn all that could be learned, her moments of vulnerability when she showed up at Celestia's bedchamber after a nightmare or wept after a spell went wrong. All of it had begun to melt the ice of a millennium from Celestia's heart.

Side by side they had studied ancient tomes and fallen asleep over the same book. They had spoken of magic's deepest secrets while walking among the roses and while sipping tea.

When had it happened? When had Twilight begun to love her not as a mentor or a friend, but in a more passionate way? Had it been those nights when Celestia had protected her from her fears beneath her wing or wiped away her tears when her insecurities had clawed at her heart? Had it been when they had begun to speak of magic as equals, two fellow companions on the road to understanding the Cosmos?

Finally, her heart melted, the last jagged spikes of frost melting away like snow when spring has come. She wept like she hadn't since her sister returned and laid down on the bed, curling around Twilight, wrapping her up in the embrace of her wings and forelegs.
...
Just as it always did, the distant pulse of the sun awakened Celestia. She was still wrapped around Twilight who hadn't moved during the night. The sky outside was a dark blue, a few stars still shining. The morning star shone from its place in the sky, telling her it was time for her to raise the sun. She stretched and disentangled herself from her former student. Her hooves landed on the cold, linoleum floor. She lit her horn and the sun peaked above the horizon, the rosy and orange light of the morning filling the sky as the golden disk began its ascent in the east.

Her daily task complete, she began to stretch, spreading her wings and crouching, stretching her back. She rose and turned to her student. She still had that air of unnatural stillness surrounding her. Celestia walked over and laid a hoof on her heart, feeling the rise and fall of her chest. There was a morning session of Parliament that Luna could handle. She would not leave Twilight.

The same nurse from yesterday walked inside and blinked. "Oh, you're still here." She hastily bowed. "We're going to be operating, Your Highness. More Phoenix Tears Elixir injections."

Celestia idly grasped the necklace that Twilight had returned to her after so many centuries. "I see."

The nurse hesitated. "Princess, if I may. I would advise not staying here. Making yourself sick with worry is not going to help her. Take a walk around the grounds if you wish or try to find something to take your mind off things."

Celestia let go of the necklace. "I need to be here when she wakes up."

The nurse hesitated again before reaching out as if to lay a hoof on her shoulder. She stopped the affectionate gesture at the last moment placing her hoof back on the floor. "I understand, Princess."

Celestia shuffled awkwardly, saddened by her subject's timidity towards her. "Nurse, how good is the recovery for magical fatigue? I'm afraid I'm not up on the medical advancements lately, but as I understand it won't there be lingering effects? Loss of magical strength for example?"

The nurse glanced down at the ground."Yes. Miss Sparkle is an alpha-level unicorn, but she'll have to relearn everything about magic."

Celestia closed her eyes, sighing inwardly. Twilight had beaten the odds before. This time the nurse put aside her hesitation and laid a hoof on her shoulder though it was tentative. "The outlook is good-very good. She'll survive and she'll beat this."

Celestia looked back at Twilight. "I suppose all I can do now is wait."

"I know this must be difficult for you, to not be in control."

"More so than you can imagine."

"I promise you, Princess, she will be alright."

Celestia smiled. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Taking time to reassure me. I needed that."

The nurse smiled back at her. "It's almost my job. When a loved one is sick, their family and friends suffer too. Why don't you get some breakfast? She's going to be in good hooves."

Celestia nodded. "I'll do that." She patted the nurse on the shoulder and rewarded her with that gentle smile that'd become her trademark before exiting the room. She really was hungry and made her way down the halls and turns of the hospital, letting her nose be her guide. She knew there were cinnamon rolls around, she could smell them. Following a few other sickly looking ponies, she made her way to a large cafeteria.

The cafeteria was filled with white, wooden benches. Celestia maneuvered around the benches. The cafeteria was filled with the chattering of ponies, contrasting with the peaceful breakfasts she shared in private with her sister. Thoughts of Luna sprang into her mind as she made her way to the line in front of the counter and she pushed them away. She would deal with worrying about that when she was done worrying about Twilight.

I'm still angry with her. Yes, I forgive her and I still love her, but part of me just wants to choke her! The thought made her stomp her hoof to the general alarm of her subjects.

A trembling, yellow Unicorn colt gulped and knelt. "Y-you can cut in line, Your Highness!"

Celestia cursed herself. "No need, My Little Pony. I apologize for the outburst, I'm just a bit...tense."

"Oh, I understand perfectly, my grandma is in the hospital and I just feel like crying and screaming at the same time. You see she took care of me from the time I was a colt, well, a smaller colt." He chuckled as he continued rambling, his eyes darting back and forth.

The line moved. The colt continued talking, out of fear or nervousness about his grandmother, Celestia couldn't tell. Many of her subjects feared her, not because she was a tyrant (she hoped she wasn't), but because of her sheer age and power. There were even times when she felt that Twilight feared her. Velvet's warning popped back into her mind. If Twilight held a twinge of fear for her their relationship could be doomed before it started.

The line moved up till it was the colt's turn to order. He ordered waffles and moved on, saying goodbye to Celestia. She gave him her sympathies regarding his grandmother and ordered cinnamon rolls from the uniformed, green unicorn at the cash register. Levitating her paper plate she walked from the cafeteria and located the exit out of the hospital.

She stepped into an expanse of grassland, the dew of the tall grasses tickling her pasterns. She trotted in the meadow and sat on a stone bench beneath the shade of a spreading oak tree.

Gee Celestia, maybe if you didn't isolate yourself so much everypony wouldn't be afraid of you.

Celestia groaned at the mental self-deprecation. After so many centuries of loneliness she had began having conversations with herself. When she was in a bad mood they turned into arguments with herself. The noise in the cafeteria had been too much and she needed quiet to think. Besides, her subjects weren't afraid of her.

She bit into the cinnamon roll, the sweet flavors filling her mouth. What about Twilight? You've screwed that filly up so much, she thinks she nearly has to kill herself to win your love.

Celestia closed her eyes and held back tears. She couldn't start crying, if she did that she'd never stop.
...
The first thing Twilight became aware of was absence. Something was missing, something extremely important. She groaned and felt somepony's hoof on her. This made her squirm, trying to get away from whoever was holding her down. She ached in every part of her body from her horn to her hooves. Her eyes sprang open. Her horn! Something was wrong with her horn! She tried to reach up to it, but found her hooves restrained by something.

She was hooked up to wires that were pouring some sort of orange liquid into her. A cursory review of her possible condition and her knowledge of potions cued her into the fact that the liquid was most likely...her mind drew a blank.

A splitting headache radiating from her horn was making it nearly impossible to think. Stallions and mares in white coats were all around her.

One stallion was looking over her and occasionally glancing at some sort of instrument that the wires were connected to. A thaumameter, reading how much magic she had.

Twilight blinked and tried to speak. The stallion signaled a nurse who brought her some water. She sipped it, the cool water refreshing against her parched throat. "Your thaumameter is broken."

The doctor looked away from the instrument. "I'm afraid it's correct, Miss Sparkle."

Twilight coughed. "Can't be. Not even a Delta level Unicorn would have readings that low...I'm Alpha..."

The doctor suddenly looked profoundly uncomfortable. "Your horn was severely damaged, yet you teleported. I'm sorry, very sorry...you should know this, but casting a spell while the horn is cracked is extremely dangerous. Magic exists as energy at a unicorn's very core, the core being connected to the horn with a series of energy vessels, chakras. With the horn cracked, magic was already bleeding out of you-"

Twilight tried to lift up on the bed, but the wires restrained her. She was getting very annoyed with the doctor's condescending tone. "What are you trying to say?"

The doctor looked back at the machine. Twilight realized he was deliberately avoiding looking her in the eye. "I'm sorry, Miss Sparkle. That teleport completely drained you of magic. Your friend had to transfer energy to you."

Twilight laid her head on the pillow and closed her eyes. This could not be happening.

"It will take a long time, months possibly years, before you recover your strength. And when you do, your skills will have atrophied-you'll have forgotten how to do them."

The tears refused to leave her eyes, because there was nothing to cry about. This was all a dream, a terrible dream. If she went back to sleep, surely she'd wake up.
...
Celestia sat on the cool stone bench, her back hooves deep in the grass of the meadow. A light breeze swayed the oak branches. She had removed her golden shoes, needing to feel the grass. It soothed her, calmed her. Or that was the theory anyway. The four shoes were on the bench beside her. Giving up on her attempt at meditation she put her shoes back on and began to pace through the grasslands.

Leaning down, she nibbled on some of the grass. It was sweet and the cinnamon rolls had not filled her, but she soon lifted her head away from the grass. She was hungry, but couldn't eat.

A nurse rushed into the meadow and bowed. "Your Highness, Lady Twilight is awake."

Celestia didn't even hesitate, following the nurse back towards the hospital. They hurried through the twists and turns of the hallway, the nurse leading her to the elevator. The elevator stopped at the intensive care unit. Celestia followed the nurse to the room Twilight had been in yesterday.

Celestia walked inside it. Twilight sat on the edge of the bed, still wrapped in bandages. She stared blankly, uncomprehendingly, at the wall. Every now and then she'd light her horn, little sparks coming from it. A tissue lifted from the kleenex box, caught up in her aura. Celestia could see the strain on her face. The nurse wisely excused herself.

Saying nothing, Celestia went and sat down beside her. She laid a hoof on Twilight's back and her concentration was broken. The tissue fell and a curse escaped her lips. She laid her face in her hooves. Celestia began rubbing soothing circles into her withers.

Twilight lifted her face back up."I'm stupid. Everypony always tells me I'm smart. I have several pieces of paper assuring me I'm smart, but it was all a lie. I'm stupid."

Celestia continued rubbing her back. "Why would you say that about yourself? It isn't true."

"It is. It really is. I've been trying to, I don't know, win your heart. Trying to make myself worthy of your love when I'm clearly not and never will be-"

Celestia pressed a hoof to her lips. "I have never once deemed you unworthy of my affections. Indeed, there is no one in my whole kingdom, in the whole world, I would deem more worthy. I've just, I've been scared. Scared to open my heart again, scared to love."

Twilight rested a hoof in Celestia's hoof. Celestia squeezed it. "Princess, right now I'm scared too."

They sat there in silence, holding each other's hooves.