Eclipse Born

by Seeking Dusk

Scars of the Moon

Though the proverbial smoke cleared, it was still a few more moments before there was much activity from the three closest to the impact point. Celestia recovered first. Caution etched in her bearing, she took a few steps closer to the impact zone. Just what in Equestria was going on here? The residual magic alone in the area was pricking at her fur and wings. If someone had described the effects of that particular magic phenomena, for spell did not seem and adequate term for the event that took place, she would not have expected this. True, she did not quite know what she would have expected, but not a pile of slightly damaged books and that creature.

“Is everypony alright?” Celestia called out, splitting her attention from the great puzzle piled up before her with an effort of will. Luna was still standing, and Twilight was slowly getting to her feet with a confused groan. Around them, several royal guards were also getting their hooves back under them, but they made sounds of reassurance. Furthermore; a few additional guard ponies were galloping or flying over, attracted by the phenomena.

“I’m okay, Princess Celestia,” Twilight reported, accepting the aid of a pegasus that landed beside her and lent his hoof for support and trotting over to join her mentor after shaking her mane back into a somewhat acceptable fashion. “But what just happened? I don’t think I’ve ever felt magic that strong!”

“Agreed, Twilight Sparkle,” Celestia said, relieved that nopony was hurt by the shockwave. “I would go as far as to say, in terms of pure magical output, it might have been a match for that of the Elements.”

“Equal to the Elements?” Twilight echoed weakly, her eyes widening. Her long association with the Princess taught her many things, one of which was that Celestia enjoyed the somewhat familiar relation she had with her. As such, when the Princess used her full name, it was because she truly believed the situation was becoming grave.

“I simply cannot understand what the purpose of this spell was, or what that creature is,” Celestia said, concern in her voice. The royal guard was gathering, most being pegasus guards, but earth and unicorn guards present as well.

“You don’t have any ideas, Princess?” Twilight said, taking a few steps closer to the pile and the creature strew out on top of it, her curiosity piqued.

“Miss Sparkle, I advise you hold back,” a stoic unicorn guard said.

“Be at ease,” Celestia said, joining Twilight. “Twilight Sparkle is my trusted student, and the bearer of the Element of Magic. Few are more qualified on matters of magic. Her opinion on these matters would be most welcome. Isn’t that right, Twilight?” Celestia said, smiling down at her reassuringly. Twilight flushed from the praise, and did her best not to disappoint her, her horn glowing as she started examining the area. The guard frowned slightly, but nodded.

“Luna, what are your opinions on this?” Celestia continued, her own horn glowing as well. When her sister didn’t respond, she looked over to her.

“Luna!” Celestia said in sudden fright. She leapt, her powerful wings snapping out, turning the jump into a shallow glide that covered the distance across to her sister. At first, it was not clear what startled the solar monarch into such distress.

True, the Princess of the Moon was looking rather guarded, but after that display, few would blame her. She had her wings flared, one held between her and the impact point, half shielding her face, her left foreleg half raised in case swift action was required. But yet, she was almost immobile, save for a slight tremor in her wings, the twitching of almost unblinking eyes, and the shaky shallow breaths that wheezed in and out of her flared nostrils.

“Is something wrong with Princess Luna?” Twilight said worriedly, prematurely breaking off her examination of the scene to stand by her mentor’s side.

“I… I am unsure,” Celestia said. Though hesitant, she pressed a hoof against her sister’s shoulder and rocked her slightly. “Lulu, Sister? Speak to me… Luna!”

-----------------------

Luna was not in the state of mind to comprehend her sister’s pleas for her attention. Though her body was still standing, her mind had wandered. The eclipse she saw in the sky, it through open doors in her memories, doors she would have rather left shut. Worse yet; she found herself forced to walk down those paths.

Praise Celestia; she who raises the sun! Thank you, Princess Celestia; your day is so lovely! Oh Celestial; we love you so! Celestia. Celestia. Celestia! It incensed her, the unfairness of it all. Hath they forgotten that there were two monarchs? Didst they not recall that Celestia did not stand alone when the Tyrant Discord was finally defeated? Didst they no see the rich tapestry in deep blue and purple, a pale moon proudly displayed, that hung equal with the golden hanging and its imagery of the oh so loved sun?

Curiously detached from the memory, yet still the same alicorn that paced the halls of the Castle of the Two Pony Sisters, Luna watch as her past self’s thoughts surged in frustration at the parade held for herself and her sister just hours before, each step stiff, her ears flicked backwards in anger. Ha! For all our subjects cared, it mayest well be the Castle of Celestia!

It pained her. It pained her how they forget her and what she did for them, no less than Celestia did. Her wings fell as silent tears streaked down her cheeks, both from the sorrow and desire to be loved as her sister was that her past self felt, and the regret that her present self, reliving this moment, felt. ’That’s right…’ the one reliving the moment thought. ‘It were here… here that the idea first came…’

And what if they forget me? What of my stars and the beauty of my night? My sister raises the sun to bring a warm new day, I raise the moon to bring a cool restful night, yet they only sleep, never seeing the beauty that I gifted them!

Luna’s thoughts went to her precious stars that glittered so lovingly at night, each carefully ordained, that the night sky was an unmatched tapestry. But they do not want my gift… “Nor do they appreciate it. I; who walks their dreams. Stand between them and the terrors that would plague them. Take their wishes on my own wings and lift them!”

“Luna?” a warm, though concerned voice cut into her tirade, one that became vocal without her realizing it. Celestia trotted over to her startled sister, looking at her with worried eyes. “Art thou… art thou well, dear sister?”

“Of course, I am, dear Tia,” Luna said, though her smile was somewhat forced.

“I noticed thou vanished from the banquet hall, so I came searching for you, little sister,” Celestia said, nuzzling Luna’s neck.

Luna harrumphed, though some of the tension eased away. “I…” she sighed. “They came for you, sister. Not myself.”

“They came for us both, Little Luna. Though I am aware thou are not always keen on having such attentions focused on you,” Celestia commented.

That irritated Luna, and subconsciously her wings flared slightly. So what if she was not the charismatic social butterfly Celestia was? That did not mean she was always supposed to be in her shadow. Celestia was the sun, bright and burning with warmth. She just wasn’t like that.

Watching, reliving it, present Luna wanted to look away. It was here… this was when the first idea came.

Then what… the thought that truly started it all, the one Luna didn’t want to remember, came softly. What if she, the bright sun, was in my shadow for a change?

The current Luna managed to tear her attention away. She didn’t… she hated reliving those moments. She was the Princess of the Night. The only nightmares she couldn’t chase away were her own. Even the word itself was a painful one. When she returned, Celestia broke it gently to her. How that which she once stood between, the terrors that would traumatize a pony during the night, how they became a mocking reminder of her mistake.

“Luna?” the Celestia of the past said, feeling her sister stiffen.

Sister! another voice was breaking through. The real Luna looked towards it, drawn towards the pain that was making itself known to her.

“Are you sure you are fine? Shall I call for someone?” Celestia looked from Luna’s tense wings to her eyes and then hugged her.

LITTE SISTER! Under the external influence, the memory started to break apart.

“No, Tia,” Luna said, even as the memory faded, “There be nothing for thou to worry about. I was merely caught up within mine thoughts.” And yet, where her sister couldn’t see, her eyes were clouded, if just for a moment.

-----------------------

“Gah!” Luna yelped, her hoof pressed against the source of the stinging, throbbing pain. “My cheek… Thou slapped my cheek?” She said, her jaw slightly gapping. The affront was so galling she was not sure how to react.

“Forgive me, sister,” Celestia said, sighing with intense relief. “When you did not respond to my attempts to rouse you, I was forced to be more… drastic in my measures.”

Luna glared at her sister in mingled shock and outrage. Yes, Celestia looked profoundly relieved, but there was a slight twinkle in her eyes. “Thou… you enjoyed that!”

“Sister!” Celestia protested, lifting one leg from the ground. “Your welfare was my only concern! Even Twilight Sparkle was worried when you stood frozen and unresponsive for all those minutes.” Celestia’s look implied she was stunned that her sister would even thing that of her. Then she softened before admitting, “Perhaps a little.”

Luna snorted and rolled her eyes, an ear flicking in irritation. “You affections, while still leaving much to be desired, are appreciated. There is no need for you to worry; I was merely lost in a memory,” she cringed as she belatedly realized how much that statement paralleled the one that she only just recalled. She shouldered through the feeling as she shouldered past her sister.

Her concern for Luna’s wellbeing had not led Celestia to totally disregard the event that triggered her state of shock. A few ponies, only two in the armour of the guard, worked around the impact site, likely collecting various observations on the magic of the phenomena while members of the guard erect barricades around it. Twilight Sparkle was among the unicorns working, sorting through the books that had fallen with creature. Even as she watched, a pair of pegasus descended on the scene, carrying a case between them, perhaps some more equipment for the initial study.

“Celestia, where is the… the creature?” Luna asked, looking around sharply. The chill metal of the silver shoes on her hooves did much to relieve the sting of her cheek.

“With my approval, it was sent to one of the wards,” Celestia said, coming up beside her sister and looking over the impact point. With the books being moved away it was become clear that the ring like patterns were only a side effect. The real mark of the phenomena was the perfect circle within it. More than twelve feet across, it was proving to be a crater, dug out of the earth, about three feet deep. While it fascinated Celestia, Luna’s attentions were on other topics.

“I want it thrown in the dungeons,” Luna declared coolly and with finality.

“Luna?” Celestia was surprised by the sharpness in her sister’s tone. Then something akin to understanding came over her features. Celestia looked away from her sister and at the ponies working diligently for a moment. “Twilight Sparkle; please continue working with the Guard on this matter. My sister and I will return shortly.”

“Oh? Ah, yes, Princess Celestia,” Twilight said, never one to disappoint her mentor. Even before she finished, the two Princesses were gone in a golden flash of Celestia’s magic.

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They appeared again on one of the many balconies that could be found throughout the castle; a place where they could discuss the matter without causing undue alarm and concern among their subjects. Luna stalked over to the railing, her hooves clopping angrily, and wings flaring slightly.

“Is that not a rash course to take?” Celestia began. “From wha-”

“Didst thou not see the tear in the sky?” Luna demanded as her particular quirk of lapsing back into the old equestrian when under pressure in force as she looked off at her sister’s sun as it slowly descended to the horizon. “Didst thou not feel the force that took hold of our, OUR magic?” She whirled on her sister, tears in her eyes turning what might have been considered and angry expression into a distraught one. He voice was shaky, breaking as she continued. “Didst… Didst thou not see the moon cover the sun?”

Celestia gathered he sister up in a hug, tossing both forelegs around her and holding her close. “Hush, my dear, sweet sister. Hush.”

“But Tia… that hast only been seen once before in our history,” Luna whimpered. “Just once… when I… when I…”

“Shh…” Celestia said, covering Luna’s mouth with a hoof. “That was in the past. And you were not the only to make mistakes all those centuries ago.” Luna didn’t respond to Celestia, but some of her tension started to ease. “But, that does not mean you should judge this one.”

“Still, Tia… the sign… the magic… the creature,” Luna said, if somewhat lamely.

“They concern me as well, sister. However, as far as the trained healers could tell, it was badly injured,” Celestia released her sister from the hug and headed over to the very spot Luna had taken moments before. “Yes, it concerns me greatly. But there is little to be gained from rashly judging based on limited knowledge. Did you yourself not encounter rash judgement when you visited Ponyville for Nightmare Night?”

Luna winced at that memory. True, Twilight Sparkle had eventually helped her overcome that misunderstanding, though she did hold a grudge against Pinkie Pie for some time after that. Still, she sighed and closed her eyes. “You are right, sister,” she said softly. “But, no. No buts. I shall try to be… less judgemental. If he is not in the dungeon, where are you holding him?”

“For now, the creature is being held in a secured room and under guard while we learn more, and I fully intend to question it and glean what I can from it of its objectives and intentions. But unless it proves otherwise, it shall be treated civilly.”

Luna joined her sister in gazing at the sun, then looked down to the gardens were the guards and research team was still busy working. “I believe I should play my part as well sister.”

“Of course, Luna,” Celestia nodded, having an inkling of what Luna planned. There were two flashes, one gold, the other deep blue, and the balcony was empty once more.

-----------------------

The world was made of pain. I tried my hardest not to move. To clear this up, let’s make something clear. I’m a normal guy. Home, school and work. Normal. I’ve never been big on sports, and aside from the odd game of football (the one where you actually kick the ball, not the American one), the most extreme or active thing I’ve done is jump off stairs onto the grassy slope below it and take a swing rope into a lake. I’ve never had broken bones, nor major sprains nor pulled muscles, not even a major cut. In fact, I’ve only even been bedridden about three times I can remember.

I have never felt pain like this before. And I sure as hell never want to again.

Everything hurt. Everything.

I remember getting a burn on my hand, a small one, from a kettle, and the sharp pain of stepping on a nail once. Those were somewhat like this. Just everywhere at once. I had made the mistake of shifting my hand, and between the shooting pain lancing from my limb to core and the screaming of nerves that apparently thought they were exposed, I almost blacked out and quickly decided that stillness was the new black that season. Call me a wimp if you want, but I did not like pain.

Stillness meant that the steady pain of everything was all I had to deal with. I couldn’t even think straight. The gaps between the pulses of far less than desirable sensations, in sync with my heartbeat, were hardly enough to let me focus. After my thoughts got stuck on the idea that I couldn’t think straight, I sort of gave up on thinking hard. And I’m not kidding. I told myself ‘I can’t think straight’ about ten times before I realized I was doing it. After I lost track of the count of my breaths, I gave up on thinking much at all, focusing more on wishing for the pain to end.

Against all odds, it did. Not totally, and certainly not right way, but it was noticeable. It started with something touching my forehead. From that point, blessed cool relief started to spread through my body, soothing the burning, easing the pain, relaxing the joints as well. I moaned with relief, but before I could truly enjoy it, I started sinking into darkness again. This time though, it was into natural sleep, one where I could truly rest, not just be tortured with pain.

God, I don’t know if you’re still here, but man, thanks for answering. If you need me, I’ll be sleeping…

-----------------------

“Dammit, Caleb! Give it here!” Julia cried out in frustration as I danced just outside her reach, darting backwards each time she lunged for the package in my hand. “Quit being a dick and give me my frigging mail!”

“Tsk, tsk; such language! How unbecoming of a young lady of your station!” I scolded my sister mockingly. Across the room, Richard was laughing his heart out, so I decided to bring him in on the action. “Have you ever heard such words coming from a delicate flower!”

“If you don’t give it to me, this delicate flower’s gonna kick your ass!” Julia raged.

So I tossed it over her head towards Richard, who deftly caught it. I didn’t doubt he would. Aside from being on the basket ball team, keep away was pretty much a daily activity between the three of us.

Richard picked up on the teasing quickly, making his own observation. “I’m not sure if it’s a delicate flower or a market girl.”

“Perhaps there is still hope for her reform,” I said with theatrical concern. Weird… it felt like someone was watching.

“That’s it! I’m going to beat the crap out of both-.”

“What’s going on this time?” my father’s voice interrupted, calling out from the front door as he and mom came in, their shopping trip finished.

“Hey, Dad, Hi Mom,” Richard and I chorused. It wasn’t like they left four hours ago to get eggs or anything.

“They took my mail and don’t want to give it back!” Julia complained. I crossed my fingers. It was a hit and miss chance with Dad. He might tell us to give it back, Command (yes, capital C command) us to return it, or join in on the fun. So miss, miss and hit.

“Boys, stop harassing your sister and give us a hand with the groceries,” he said with a smile.

“Fine, Dad,” we chorused again. So; miss. I looked around a bit. It was that feeling again. Richard bounced the box over to Julia, who caught it in a less than deft manner, scowling at us.

“You know your sister lives for the care packages she gets from her boyfriend,” Dad continued.

Julia’s flustered look set us all off as Richard and I jogged out to get the dozen and half or so bags needed to hold the ‘eggs and milk’ they went out to buy. It took us a few trips, and after the first one we split the run, Richard going from walkway to kitchen, I carrying the bags from the car to the walkway.

They must have been heavier than I thought, because my limbs were burning as I got the last of the bags. I paused, looking around as the hairs on the back of my head stood on end. Bizarre. Anyway, got to get these…

… to the library. In the seamless transitions only a dream can pull off, I was lugging bags of costly manuscripts up to the library’s second floor. Everything was burning, but everything was freezing; a juxtaposition of sensations if there ever was one. Then the stairs fell away as the world erupted into churning light and I was falling, no, propelled downwards by a force that pressed against me from all sides, even the inside. Faster and faster, ever faster. Forcing my head around despite the intense pressure, I could see a light at the end rushing to meet me.

I screamed.

-----------------------

“Aaargh!” I yelled, bolting upright from the bed, covers falling aside; the air chill against my skin because of the transition from being tucked under warm bed sheets to being exposed to the open air. And my head was spinning.

“Ahhh…. Shagga…” I groaned. Right… I was dreaming. One of those rather strong ones were you don’t realize you were dreaming until you woke up. That was a dream about… yesterday, actually. Julia got mail from her boyfriend who was out of town for university.

I wanted to shake the cobwebs from my head, but I figured that would make the headache worse. Aches… right… I was in pain. The eclipse. What the hell happened? I screwed my eyes shut and tried to rebuild what I could recall. The eclipse started acting seriously bizarre, the books and manuscripts glowing, the floor warping, and then the falling.

“Gah!” This was so frustrating; I couldn't make sense of it all. I winced as I shifted my position. I was still hurting, but nowhere near as bad as I was before. “Man… this must be what clothes feel like after a tumble dry…”

That brought another thought to mind. I was too cold. And I could feel the sheets resting on my legs and under my rump. I finally started to look around. The room was a decent size; around fifteen feet by fifteen feet in total. The walls were alabaster, or at least what I thought was alabaster, pale at the highest point, darkening as it reached the floor, and the ceiling was about ten feet over my head. Wow.

There was a single window, set in the wall as far as my casual scan of the surroundings could tell, one door on the wall opposite it, framed with pillars that I would guess and say were greekish looking. Architecture was never my thing. The door was pale blue and solid looking. The bed I was on was a bit small, so I would call it a single mattress, and the sheets matched the door. Most concern to me, though, was the fact that I didn’t have a lick of clothes on my body.

I just sat in silence, staring down at the sheets, a dozen thoughts racing across my mind as the subconscious occupied itself with sorting through the images of the room for later review. The down side of a dozen racing thoughts was that it was hard to find a coherent one. All I could muster was a shaky, “What?”

A click and rustle drew my attention to the door, in time to see it swing open so I could see the deviants that were my captors. My mind was more than happy to come up with a half dozen variations, but I can tell you, none of them included a trio of animals in gold armour.

My mind stuttered, failing for a moment, but tried to make up for it by guessing at what they were. Let’s see… equines, but the sound their feet, hooves, made on the ground, combined with the solidness of said limbs (deer and goats were a bit more dainty, in my opinion). It added ponies(?), based on size. But aside from that, they were… odd. Large eyes, shorter and more defined muzzles than what I expected.

The first two in flanked the door. The one with blue fur, and grey tail and crest looked ‘normal’, the fur colour notwithstanding, but his opposite was a pure white with blue crest and tail, and wings… A pegasus… a legitimate, if tiny, pegasus. The next to walk in was just as astounding; grey with white tail and crest, and a horn on its forehead. A unicorn. A damn unicorn.

“Announcing; Princess Celestia!” the unicorn declared. Yeah… my brain hit the brakes there. It was one thing to see weird coloured ponies, and two creatures from out of legend, but I really didn’t expect them to talk, even if the accent was odd. My brain was still rebooting when a fourth figure entered.

Majestic was the word that my faltering brain managed. Pure white fur, wings and horn, bizarre three coloured hair and tail that floating in the air like it was a special effect. I even felt warm, both mentally and physically just being around her. Maybe that had something to do with the sun tattooed on her… rear. She had golden foot(hoof?)wear on her legs, a heavy gold necklace or collar thing around the base of her long neck, and a crown, I kid you know, a genuine crown (or perhaps tiara) on her head, both with a large purple gem in it. Then she spoke to me.

“Hello, Strange One.” Her voice was… lovely. It was gentle, soothing and warm. “Can you understand me?”

I did the one of the only two or three sensible things someone confronted with talking ponies and things from mythology, in a strange room and butt naked would do; gathered up the sheets to my chest and squeaked out one word. “What?”

Comments

[Anyne]

Interesting story so far, but thise stupid Lulu and Tia kinda ruin the mood

[Fenix250]

Well, I'm liking it so far. Lulu is an interesting pet/nickname, but I'll let it slide since they're sisters and them using such names in private or in concern would probably not be that uncommon. Glad to see you got that one glaring typo out of the way already. (Seriously, did Yellow even try to proof read this? )
Please continue, I must see how Caleb deals with talking ponies (and vice versa) ^^