The Cutie Mark Thief

by Zee The Freeman

Ascension

Celestia frantically looked about her throne room to find what awoke her from her haze. Pox slipped behind the throne, holding perfectly still. He held his breath to slow his heartbeat as the princess grew more paranoid. "Luna!" Celestia shouted into the empty air. Moments later the Night Mare appeared before her sister, Pox watched with one eye behind the throne. "Did you hear that?" She inquired, looking at Luna with something akin to fear in her eyes. Luna stood in shock, she couldn't move let alone speak. Her sister never feared anything, yet it sat in her gaze. Her flank barren, Celestia followed Luna's eyes to herself. "How is this possible? What happened? Luna! Why aren't you saying anything? Luna!" Celestia shouted, clutching Luna in a supportive embrace. Luna felt the difference in her sister, the emptiness that now loomed inside her.

"I...I do not know, sister. Do you recall what happened before the scream?" Luna chose her words carefully, her tone falsified to keep her sister in the illusion. Deep Pockets played his part, she needed to play hers to obtain the throne. She looked past her sister's face as it budded with tears. The throne of Princess Celestia, her sister, now sat closer to her reach than ever before. She could simply push her sister aside and sit down. She could call the guards, proclaim her sister a changeling with her missing mark, and she could rule all forever. Forever seems an awfully long time to be away from one's own blood. Luna didn't want the throne permanently, just be 'Queen for a day'. Just as Deep Pockets promised. After the taste of rule, her sister would regain her sun-butt, and all would be well again. She saw Deep Pockets peering out beside the throne. "Sister, perhaps you should go lay down. We shall figure out what to do when you are rested."

"Luna, you need to find out what happened. My magic is nowhere near as powerful as what it should be. I cannot raise the sun, Equestria will be pitted in eternal night. I trust you. I know you can fix what happened." Celestia spoke hopefully, though her face didn't cash the checks her words wrote. Luna noticed her sister's face looked worn, more shadowed. It seemed that stealing away the sun bathed her in darkness.

Late as usual, the royal guards bashed through the doors, approaching Celestia. "Your highness, is everything al-" The speaking guard didn't finish his sentence, as he saw what the princess was missing. He and the rest of the guard there stood speechless.

"I'm not sure what happened, but I need to rest."

"Right away, your highness." They led Celestia out of the hall, and slammed the door behind them. The sharp echo went through Luna's ears, slashing them like blades. Complete trust placed in a traitor. Again.

"Nice work, Queen Luna." Pox said, stepping out into a patch moonlight near her new throne. "Come, take a seat. This is yours now. You earned it."

"I earned nothing. I betrayed my sister again. You never told me she would not raise the sun again!" Luna's glare ate at Pox's nerves.

"You will earn it, Luna. You'll earn it all. The respect of your subjects, the glory you deserve." He spoke carefully, hood covering his eyes from hers. "Besides, I thought it was assumed she would not perform her duties. What did you think I was to do?"

"I-I didn't expect it would be to steal her cutie mark from her! How can you do such a thing?" Her anger mixed with panic as she approached Pox. He guided his new queen to her throne.

"There's many things you won't expect with your new duties. You'll take them in stride, and learn to work with them, shift them to your scheme." Pox said, offering Luna the seat on the throne. Luna stared at the royal cushions sprawled upon the throne, each gilded and carrying intricate designs of Equestrian history. Minutes passed, her gaze still fixed to her throne. "Your highness, shouldn't you take a seat?" He suggested, breaking her focus.

"Since I am the ruler now, I should get used to the seat."

"That's it, Luna." She took her seat and Pox continued, "This is a new day in Equestria. Well, new night, moreover."

"Does this mean you can raise the sun? Since you took her power, don't you have it?"

"I suppose I do, don't I? Hmm, interesting."

"We will not see the sun for a long while, will we?"

"Only until you wish to undo your new royal duties. As I said, it's reversible. Now, if you do not mind, your highness, I must take my leave of you."

"I'll find you, Deep Pockets. I know there's something more to this than you're letting on. For now, you may leave." She said with a new air of royalty, and waved him away. She fixed the fit of her horseshoes, they seemed to glow brighter, the silver gleaming in the moonlight. Luna watched Pox walk down the royal hall, and he stopped at one of the stained glass windows. It was the depiction of The Harbinger's second defeat. Pox looked upon the depiction of Rainbow Dash in the glass. The eye of the pegasus initiated an undulating glow, matching that of Pox's magic.

Deep Pockets cleared his throat, and spoke in a hushed tone, "Celestia has been taken care of. The time draws nearer."

"Have you discovered anything else?" The eye spoke into his mind, changing in tone with the shifting colors.

"Yes, I know how to gather the Elements of Harmony. Their power, plus much more, has been infused within 6 ponies."

Author's Note:

Another layer unfolds, and a new objective makes itself known. As does the voice in the glass.