Power Crazy

by DerpyStarlet

Sorrows' Diurnality

“What have I done?” Celestia descends to the grown slowly in sorrow, the elements float around her idly. She has just used the elements to stop the monster that used to be her sister, but she’s not quite sure what’s happened. There are now marks on the moon that resemble a pony, she’s positive they weren’t there before. That, and the elements magic had overpowered Nightmare moon and then aimed towards the moon. Celestia is too sad to understand what has happened. She can’t figure out what all these things mean, what it means she’s done.

Why had her sister done what she did? Why had she done what she did? Where is her sister? Is her sister okay? All these questions and more bounce around Celestia’s weary mind, she’s emotionally drained. She can’t wrap her mind around the situation, but she can’t let it go. She’d done something to her sister, and it’s going to haunt her mind until she finds out what. Probably even long after that. But she doesn’t know nor does she care how long she stays on the topic, all that’s on her mind is what the problem is and how to fix it.

Celestia looks at the elements floating around her and she ponders their power, they have solved the hardest of problems. Discord had been a major problem, but the elements had encased him in stone. The elements erased discord from the equation and it was no longer a problem. Had the elements erased her sister from the equation? How had they done so? The elements had directed their energy to the moon, and now there is a pony shaped mark in the moon. Is it possible that the elements put her in the moon? It sounds preposterous, but it’s the first breakthrough she has.

“Oh, Luna… I’m so sorry, I’ll find a way to get you out,” Celestia raises her head to the sky and looks sadly up at the moon. “We’ll find a real solution… Why did I do this? Why did the elements do this?” Celestia crys in sorrow, she can’t understand how the symbols of peace and order can put so much distress and sadness into her life. Celestia can feel the tears streaking down her face from the guilt of what she’s done, she can’t believe that she would do something so terrible to her kin. She locked her sister up like a criminal, she could have found alternative help. There has to have been another way!

“Princess, calm your mind,” a voice speaks up from Celestia and she spins around.

“Who are you?” Celestia asks in a regal tone.

“My name is Starlet mint,” The mare is a bright grey unicorn with a dark brown mane. Her mane has red tips, and her tail has similar tips and streaks of red. Her eyes are a bright red, and Celestia can see a cut on the mare’s muzzle. The cut has a small amount of blood dripping out of it, but it looks mostly healed.

“What business do you have in the castle,” Celestia asks shortly, she’s in no mood to be dealing with ponies right now. Then she thinks about where they are and what has just happened, how had this mare gotten here at this time anyhow?

“No business, but I do wish to help you,” Starlet sits right in front of Celestia.

“Help? We aren’t in need of help,” Celestia turns away from the mare and puts the elements back in their place. She then sits next to the elements and stares at them, she doesn’t bother putting them back under. She lets her thoughts drift to using the elements again and bringing back luna, but her thoughts are interrupted by the mare.

“It won’t work,” the unicorn mare sits down beside her and stares at the elements with her. Celestia stiffens at the mares words.

“What won’t?” Celestia asks cautiously.

“Using the elements to bring her back, the elements don’t work like that…” Celestia turns to look at Starlet, she doesn’t expect what she sees. The mare isn’t physically different, but she looks much older. This mare looks sad, regretful. This mare looks understanding, comforting. Celestia shakes away her musings and her mind latches onto the mares words. `the elements don’t work like that? nopony knows how the elements work,` Celestia decides to press this matter.

“And how do you suppose the elements work?” Celestia asks.

“The elements use their magic enlaced within them to enhance the users natural harmony, but it only works with the strongest bonds. There are three strong forms of harmony, this is what the elements run on. The elements can only be used by ponies with the purest of the elements in their relationship. All the ponies don’t have to have every aspect, but each aspect has to be in a pure form inside at least one of the ponies. You and luna shared each attribute, but some ponies might not. The three bonds that the elements will use are familial bonds, bonds of love, and bonds of friendship. These are the purest forms of harmony, and they’re all a form of pure friendship,” Celestia is amazed at this mare’s explanation.

“The elements don’t normally work for one pony, but you found the loophole. You used the elements out of love for your sister, you loved her so much. The elements used that love and let you use them, however, your thoughts were very vague. The elements are slightly psychic, meaning they use your thoughts to form the best solution. Your mind was not solely on your sister, your thoughts were a bit different. You thought of stopping her, you thought of keeping her away from other ponies, you thought of your subjects before her. You were more concerned about keeping everypony safe, instead of getting your sister back.” Celestia doesn’t know how Starlet knows this, but she knows she’s right. It’s part of the reason Celestia is so distraught, she had thought of strangers ahead of her family. Celestia lets a stray sob come out and Starlet notices.

“It’s okay princess, you had a moment of weakness. No one thinks less of you for what you’ve thought. Your heart is too big for it’s own good. But now you must make amends for what you’ve done, and apologize to your sister when she gets back. She will need your support, she isn’t feeling well either.” Celestia looks excited once she hears the last sentence.

“You have spoken to her?!” Celestia asks enthusiastically, she has hope for seeing her sister. her hopes are dashed by Starlet’s reply.

“Before she was banished I attempted to help her, things were distasteful when I left. I, unfortunately, could not help her. Our meeting ended on… unsatisfactory terms,” Starlet reaches up and touches the cut on her muzzle. Celestia gasps in shock, she cannot believe her sister would do such a thing.

“She struck you?!” Celestia exclaims.

“‘Tis nothing, She is not herself. She was overcome with anger, she was not well in the head. I attempted to clear some of the haze, but I fear that it was too thick,” Starlet looks down with regret, her own guilt plastered across her features. “Your plan will not work because Luna is cut from Equestria. Her magic is in stasis and her mind is blocked from both sides. She may or may not be able to see us all from her prison on the moon, but even if she can she is still trapped within her own mind. She is stuck in her prison until the elements effects wear off. Since the other element bearer that bears with you is no longer part of equestria’s magical field, you cannot wield the elements. Until Luna returns, you cannot wield the elements. It would be best for you to keep them hidden where no one can find them, The elements should not be lost. Keep them away from you, if you have them near you then ponies will know that they are precious. It will be easier to find them if they are close. There will be a time when the elements need to be found. when that time comes, the ones that need it will find it.” Celestia looks forlornly at the elements, they were her last hope for helping her sister and now she has nothing.

“Surely if I could wield the elements alone once, then I can use them to bring her back. I could wield them with the love of my sister,” Celestia is pleading for an alternative.

“That won’t work because of the reason I’ve already told you and one more. It won’t work for the same reason you can’t bring a pony back to life with it. Even if you love that pony with all of your heart, you could not bring them back to life with the elements. The elements prevent you from bringing anything back to you that you have lost, unfortunately, your sister now fits this description.” Celestia is losing hope quickly.

“Is this it then, I just wait for however long until the elements give her back?” Starlet nods apologetically. “Why did this have to happen?” Celestia feels the tears as they streak down her muzzle.

“All magic has it’s costs, and we must always live with the outcome. Yet we can always make amends for negative outcomes,” Starlet moves closer to Celestia. Celestia feels a comforting hoof stroking her back in a calming way, the motion seemed to give her confidence. “Everything will turn out ok,” Celestia turns to Starlet and sees a warm smile being beamed at her. A memory of long ago springs to celestia’s mind, a memory from her fillyhood. A memory of her mother doing the same for her when she had felt down, a memory of a comforting hoof and warm smile.

“Thank you, Starlet. I thank you for your help,” Celestia stretches a wing around the mare and pulls her close and into a hug. “I do hope our advance was not to forward,” Celestia says as she lets Starlet go.

“No, it’s quite alright. I wasn’t aware that the Princess gave out hugs, I’m honored,” Starlet lets out a small laugh and Celestia manages a chuckle. Celestia looks at her guest curiously, she is an enigma of sorts. Before she came Celestia had been the saddest she could possibly be, she’s still sad. But this mare had made it a little better, she had made everything ok.

“May I ask something? How are you so knowledgeable on how the elements work?” Celestia looks over to Starlet for an answer and Starlet looks back.

“I study harmony for my duties. I need to know about harmony and all of its workings if I am to be successful,” Starlet replies non-chalantly.

“What exactly is your line of work?” Celestia asks.

“It’s of no importance,” Starlet says.

“Maybe so, but I would still like to know.” Celestia responds. Starlet gives her a long look before relenting.

“I’m a helper,” she responds with a sigh, “I help keep the harmony,” Starlet looks to Celestia for a reaction.

“Keep… the harmony? in Equestria?” She asks incredulously.

“Most versions of it, some places are meant to be lacking in harmony. But I try my hardest to keep the harmony in certain places,” Starlet replies.

“Most versions of it? Do you you speak of alternate realities?” Celestia looks at Starlet in awe.

“That I do,” Starlet sighs once more. Celestia manages to see the real thing that separates this mare’s look from her actual physical appearance. At this moment she looks old, not in a bad way, but she looks like she has seen a lot. She looks like Celestia does whenever she feels stressed or weary from a day’s work and she takes a good long look in the mirror. Celestia sees herself in this mare, it brings a smile to her face.

“You don’t suppose you could take me any time soon?” Celestia asks in earnest.

“I’m afraid not, and even if I could… I’m not so sure that would be a good idea.” Starlet responds with an apologetic look.

“I understand…” Celestia and Starlet sit there in silence for several minutes before Starlet gets up.

“I shall take my leave, I am needed elsewhere. Besides, it would appear that you have a castle to rebuild,” Starlet takes a look at all the rubble from Celestia and Nightmare Moon’s tussle.

“Perhaps I should just build a whole new castle… maybe somewhere not so close to the everfree,” Celestia muses.

“Maybe,” Starlet agrees.

“Will I ever see you again?” Celestia asks.

Starlet pauses before answering, “Perhaps.”

“Then I shall await your return, maybe my sister can join us next time we meet,” Celestia gets up from her spot and pulls the mare in for another hug, Starlet wraps her own hoof around Celestia.

“I would like that,” Celestia watches as Starlet disappears from sight. She doesn’t even so much as move, nor does she make any noise. She had not used magic, yet she was just gone. Celestia stares in awe at where the mare had been before a smile creeps up on her face. Celestia has gained new confidence that everything will be alright, just so long as she doesn’t dwell on the past. She just has to keep her head up and hope for the best.

Her mother had always told her `Let your past make you better, not bitter` and she had never given it much thought, but she’s sure she knows what she was talking about. Things will happen, either to people you love or things you have caused, sometimes it’s both. But you can’t let these bad experiences plague your mind and further poison your actions, but that doesn’t mean you ignore those bad things. No, you make up for mistakes and learn from them.

Celestia looks one last time at the elements before making up her mind, she needs to hide them. She looks at the rest of the castle and the state that it’s in, maybe she will just build a new castle. But first, she’ll get some well needed rest. Today has been physically and emotionally exhausting, but first she’ll need to lower the moon. It is still day time after all. She can then take a nap till she has to lower the sun, and raise the moon. It’s going to be tough Raising and lowering the sun and moon until Luna get’s back, she’ll have to get used to it. It’s a new age for Equestria, one filled with sorrow and regret just as much as with hope and happiness. Celestia only wishes that she is able to do the best she can for Equestria.

“Maybe I should look into taking on a personal student at one point…” Celestia muses, she lays the thought to rest as she saunters towards her room for a good rest. The moon is lowered and the sun can be seen once more, the panic from the citizens stops as they see this. All across Equestria ponies are puzzling over what just happened, but the Princess just slips into a peaceful sleep. She’ll have to handle everyponys' panic, but later. It can all wait, because she is now the sole ruler of Equestria. She is the pony everypony looks up to when they think of a messiah, when in truth she is just like everypony else. She is Princess Celestia, Princess of the day.

Author's Note:

The second chapter feels a bit rushed, but it's not supposed to be long. I am okay with it's turn out, what do you think?