Pandora's Box

by Rocinante

01

Author's Note:

This is my "big story" that I have been working on since season 2. However I no longer think I will be able to finish this story. I have other that I think are better deserving of my time. I need to focus on fewer stories, so that I can complete them. This habit of chocking in the second act is getting on my nerves. I have spent too much time to simply chunk this though, so I'm posting what I have, as it stands. I love feedback, but keep in mind that I simply did not give this a good editing. The whole thing is in a second draft.

Mother is the name of God on the lips of children, but what is Mother on the lips of Gods?

- - -

Green fire broke Twilight away from her studies. The scroll tumbled in the air a moment before being snatched up in Spike’s claws. “Letter for ya, Twilight,” he announced, walking across the room to hand it to her.

Snapping the wax, she unrolled the letter:

Twilight,

Today at noon there will be a solar eclipse. Everything is fine, do not worry and please comfort any panic that this may cause. I will fill you in on the details in the coming days. The large dispatch of pegasus guards is for alerting the other cities and towns.

I apologize for the short notice.

Your friend,

Princess Celestia

“A solar eclipse!?” Twilight balked. “Spike, there’s going to be an eclipse in...” looking to her mantel clock she checked the time; it was ten in the morning, “Two hours! There hasn’t been an eclipse in twelve hundred years!”

Twilight skittered around the library, certain she needed to be doing something, but not sure what. Concluding no matter what, the first step would be going outside, she made for the door. Throwing on a saddlebag as she went, she tossed in, what appeared to Spike to be, a unrelated pile of junk. With her sidetrack finished, she bolted out of the library with a bit more confidence.

Outside a gray streak caught her attention; it was a royal guard, and he was heading straight for town hall. She could see a dozen others in the sky, heading in all directions.

- - -

The air around town hall buzzed with manic energy. Twilight and the mayor stood atop the podium. “OK everypony!” Twilight yelled over the din. “It’s going to start soon. It will get dark slowly, until it’s like night, then it will fade at the same speed” She repeated for the eighth time in the past hour. They had to know what to expect. “Do not look directly at the sun while this is going on. It will do permanent damage to your eyes. Use either the smoked glass or the camera obscura I showed you how to make.”

There were no small number of ponies making the mentioned devices, with whatever they could their their hooves on. The lenses and boxes were being passed around to the various groups of friends and families, so they could witness the legendary event.

Twilight consulted the camera obscura she had made for herself earlier. The lesser orb was already well into the body of the sun. Soon it would hit the critical mark of ninety percent and the sky would begin to darken.

Gasps announced the arrival of that critical mark, though no alarm, other than the sudden dimming of the world was needed. The dimming continued till dusk fell upon them. Ponies stared through black glass in awe as the sun was slowly being consumed, its heat faded with its light.

Then the gloom winked out into utter darkness. Screams and gasps accompanied the violent transition. Twilight would have spoken up to calm everypony but the night of nights took her breath away; no stars, no moon, nothing, only a ring of fire writhing in the zenith of the heavens. The ring gave less light than a campfire and left the world a gray shadow outline. Twilight’s voice echoed through the void “Stay calm everypony. This will only last for five to ten minutes”

Raw magical power rippled out from the solar ring. Unseen, but felt by everypony there, unicorns wincing as if struck. All eyes turned towards Twilight for comfort and explanation. But, they found her lost in a thousand yard stare, her eyes luminescent orbs.

Twilight’s skin crawled at a wave of energy that overtook her. She had felt this once before. This was the power of the elder gods. Her vision went gray, and when it cleared she found herself disembodied, a floating consciousness in an old room that she guessed to be in Canterlot.

Two horns touch at their tips; one darker than a midnight shadow, the other white as virgin snow. Idle static jumps between the points as they lightly brush against each other. “Mother,” two voices call as one. The voice is tender like a child seeking approval and terribly powerful like it’s will could reshape mountains.

Viscous day and night explode into the room, the two meeting but never mixing. Luna’s eyes burn with searing light, Celestia’s become pits of shadow. The two figures hold like statues while the dark and light swirl and crash about the room. The liquid luminescence and shadow fight until all their energies are spent; leaving them pooled in equal measure.

Gods of sun and moon blink in perfect unison. Their rigid stance breaks when their eyes reopen. Gone was the room filled with ink and sunlight. They both let their posture slip into a casual pose. Looking around they find themselves in an endless sea of low rolling hills, covered in bright grass that tickles their barrels; the sky is a vibrant twilight. She knows this land, it is the eternal twilight of the everlasting summer equinox. The field of sweet grass stretch infinitely in all directions. No amount or running will ever bring you anywhere but to more of the same rolling prairie.

A speck on the horizon moved towards them. They watch with subtle smiles as its form becomes clear. A powerful mare galloping wildly through the grass, slightly larger than the elder sister, but with neither horn or wings. She exuded feral energy with every movement. The grass that she tramples grows taller in her wake.

“My children,” the world sings as the mustang stops before them.

The sisters press into the mare affectionately, all three rubbing heads and necks together. “Its been too long,” Luna says.

“I’m so glad you two have reconciled,” the wind whispers to them.

Celestia smiles, watching her little sister melt to the ground under the attention of her mothers grooming, “I’m afraid we have come for your help mother. We have questions and little time to ask them.”

The grass waves and speaks to the eldest sister, “Lay beside me dear and ask what you need.”

The elder sister lays down in the grass, tucking her legs beneath her. “A first-borne attacked us Mother, it was your brother. We do not know what brought him forth and we fear his children may be stirring as well.”

The mustang turns her powerful head toward the eldest child and their eyes meet. Her lips part and a sound rolls out that shakes the world. It is not loud, rather something like a babbling brook. Yet, the whole of Elysium stands on end to obey it. “Yes my eldest, they stir. The spell that shackled them with in Tartarus is waning. I can not say for how much longer they will be held there.”

Luna and Celestia eyes go large as they look to each other. Things unspoken are shared between them. “But why?” Luna’s voice cracked.

Their mother looks gently upon the dark coated alicorn. “The Elements of Harmony and the Elements of Chaos are both primordial powers that make up the very fabric of creation. You forced the Elements of Harmony to take scions, as the Chaos did long ago. Just as there was then, there are consequences.

An infinitely-loving embrace warms Twilight, despite her current lack of body. She watches Mother rubs necks with the two alicorns affectionately “Now, you three, your time here is over. Go and do all the good you can”

The two sisters trade a puzzled look just as the world winked out around Twilight.

Gone were the endless fields, in their place was a huge crowd of ponies staring up at her. The sky was again a dim twilight, the sun slowly escaping from behind the moon.