Reaching For The Sun

by Foals Errand

Chapter One

Twilight slowly combed out her wet mane. Spike had insisted she take a nice long shower after she had woken up like that once again. Twilight squeezed her eyes shut. She knew why Luna wouldn’t enter her nightmares, but that didn’t make them easier to deal with. A frown appeared on her muzzle as she looked down and bit her lip. I know she suffers her own nightmares of that night. I can’t blame her for not wanting any more. She set her comb back on the counter and gazed at herself in the mirror.

The last ten years had been kind to her. No longer did she look like a unicorn with wings. She had finally grown into her alicorn-hood, standing between Cadance and Luna in height. Her mane was still in the same no-nonsense style she’d worn her entire life, though strands would sparkle in the right light. She reached for her currying brush, but shook her head. She just wasn’t in the mood. Besides, her fur looked presentable as it was.

Spike looked up as Twilight came down into the dining room, “Hey, Twilight. You’re looking loads better! Starlight already finished breakfast and said to tell you she was going to get some coffee before grabbing Sunset.” He shrugged, setting Twilight’s breakfast down. “I think she might be addicted to the coffee over there, Twi.”

Twilight shrugged as she poured syrup over her waffles. “She only gets it once a week, Spike. I hardly think that is anything approaching an addiction. They remember I have my monthly meeting with Luna and Cadance today, right?”

“Yeah, no sweat. I even reminded Starlight before she left. She said they’ll be in the lab uh...then she started spouting science gobbly gook? So, yeah, they’ll be in the lab when you get back.” Spike dug into his own waffles. he licked his lips, but hesitated. “They, um, are having that remembrance thing today, right?”

Twilight gave a simple nod after a moment.

Spike tapped the table top with his claw. “I um...Are you going to be part of it this year?” He finally asked, after a few more bites were eaten.

“You know the answer to that Spike.” Twilight’s voice was crisp, and without the warmth it normally held when she was speaking to Spike or any of her other friends.

“Twilight it-it’s been ten years! There are foals in your school who grew up without even hearing her voice I just it… it’s not healthy!”

Twilight got up from the table and looked Spike directly in the eye. “I have told you this before, Spike, and I am telling you for the last time. Celestia is NOT dead! Cadance can still sense her heart, Luna call still feel her aura! Until both of them tell me that they no longer feel her I will never give up!”

“L-luna goes to the remembrance ceremonies.” Spike tried going at it another way, hoping to cool Twilight’s temper. He instead winced as Twilight grit her teeth.

“She is required as the ruling princess of Equestria. Notice Cadance refuses to attend for the same reason that I do. And each year Luna once again refuses to sign the papers to declare her sister…” Twilight snorted, tossing her mane. “I’ve eaten enough. I need to get to Canterlot.”

“C-can I come with you, Twilight?” Spike asked, cradling his tail and watching as his sister/mother seemed to be warring with herself. Finally, she gave a nod

“Alright, maybe you can think of something we have missed.” Twilight laid down on her belly. “Get on, Spike.”

---

Twilight embraced Luna, then Cadance, before taking a seat on a purple cushion besides Cadance. While it was true they saw each other at least every month Twilight, still felt giddy filly joy when she was in her sister-in-law’s presence. Spike also received a large hug from Cadance as Luna found another cushion for him to sit upon.

“A good day to you, Twilight.” Luna smiled before wincing as she recalled the black ribbons everywhere. “As much as today can be, at least. Do either of you have any news?”

Cadance sighed. “Nothing more to report than last month, Aunt Luna. Auntie’s heart remains beating and love has filled it. Though it’s not that of romance, but of familial in nature.” She shook her head. “Bits of extra joy now and then, but nothing I can fully explain.”

Luna rubbed her chin. “Familial love. That may come in handy… And you, Twilight Sparkle. How goes your own project?”

Twilight sighed. “Not much different than our last meeting. I’ve asked Sunset if she can come more than every weekend. However, she makes a fair point that though she and Sci-Twi-er, that is my human equivalent’s, nickname have their own lab. She is still expected to be there during normal working hours.” Twilight glanced down. “She does have her own life across the portal. But, as it is I believe she, Starlight, and myself have been making progress in understanding exactly how the portal works. If we knew exactly where Celestia had sent him and herself I’m certain we’d be ready to open a portal there within the next few days.”

Luna nodded. “And in my case, my findings remain the same. Tia is near a leyline, which is allowing her aura to continue to repair itself. If only I could get the nobility to understand the words, ‘my sister is not dead,’ my job would be far easier!” Luna frowned as she shook her head. “As it is, we may have to cut our meeting short. I have to prepare for the remembrance ceremony. Twilight Sparkle, Cadenza, can I not convince either of you to suffer this along side me?”

Twilight shook her head. “I’m sorry, Luna. You know my reasons.”

Cadance smiled sadly. “Which are the same as mine, Auntie. I get enough of it when I return home after every one of our meetings.”

Luna nodded in understanding, her shoulders slumping. “If only I had some proof to give the ponies aside from my word.” She glanced over at Spike, who was frowning.“What is it, young Spike? Doth...do you have anything to add? Any ideas are welcome, I assure you. As of right now we three continue to bash our heads into an unmoving wall.”

Spike glanced over to Twilight, who gave him an encouraging nod along with a small smile. He stood up and looked up at Luna. “Well, you said you can sense Princess Celestia’s aura. And, um, Cadance, you can feel her heart, right?”

Both mares nodded. “Yes, little one, that is true. However, it does not help us locate my sister’s location in another world.” Luna smiled gently. “But, I assume that there is something you have thought of that we have not?”

“Well, couldn’t you use Rarity’s gem-finding spell and kinda rework it to find either the Princess’s heart or aura or um both?” Spike finished, nervously wringing his claws as the three mares stared at him in shock before Luna threw her head back and laughed.

“Leave it to a child to see what three mares were too blind to see!” She got up and placed a hoof on Spike’s shoulder, before she turned and trotted to the hallway to order a carriage to retrieve Rarity poshaste.

Cadance beamed as she followed after Luna to let Shining Armor know she’d be staying in Canterlot for a few days, at least as Twilight came up behind Spike and wrapped him in a warm hug with both her forelegs and wings wrapped around him.

“Good job Spike… I’m so proud of you.”

Comments

[Edguy0009]

This is good.

[Starlight Nova]

What about Flurry Heart?

[Foals Errand]

9098330
Is twelve years old. Shes fine. Will show up later on.

[Auron Solaris]

Spike was about the age of 10-12 by the time twilight was in her teens, or twenties in the show and as spike was hatched when she got him in her early years he would be around 20-25 years of age now. Not much of a baby but still a good story. Its just something i noticed.

[Foals Errand]

9098632
He's still a juvenile dragon that's why he is being referred to as a child. And thank you!

[Lucky Rose]

Great story my friend. Looking forward to more

[Pluie]

Good so far, but it seems hard to believe that the princesses wouldn't have thought to use some kind of finding spell in the 10 years since Celestia's disappearance.

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

Spike, you clever son of a drake.

[DarkPinkie]

A decade seems like a long time to not have thought about using a tracking spell lulz.

[Foals Errand]

9109272
They used many tracking spells but none were able to track Celestia through the closed portal. It is only since they've learned all they could about the method used that this type of spell was even possible.

[DarkPinkie]

9109586
I still think there was a bit of leap in logic that was not properly played out or explained in the scene. So my personal take on it that they all carried the idiot ball for way too long.

[Kadigan]

9109586
9110141
In a sense, I agree... Still, they do say (at least in my native tongue) that it can be the darkest under a light. It's silly to look under a light if the thing you're looking for isn't there, simply because there's more light there to look... but people still actually do it. Sometimes you need an outside perspective - you may find you've missed something that is obvious to pretty much anyone else.

Although as to how Twilight never got this idea, or that Spike never mentioned it earlier, is worrying to say the least - and that's where the problem is, I'd wager. Cadance or Luna (or even Celestia, were she around) wouldn't necessarily have come up with this - they don't have the benefit of having both Spike and Rarity as their closest friends. But Twilight? You'd think she would've exhausted every option she could think of, and what would she do after? She'd exhaust every option her friends could think of.

I understand There Be Plot Ahoof, but that really does sound like some of the world's most careful idiot ball nuzzling I've heard of. Ten years?! Did it really take them that long to include basically anypony else?! I mean... that was frankly obvious... they could've done this ten years ago?! Ugh.

That reminds me of My Little Dashie, but with a sick twist. I'll be hardly suprised if Celestia won't want to leave, after all this time - especially if she's found something to love and care for there. And I'd wager she might be more than a little upset, when she learns that it took this long because of idiocy...