The Advent of Ouroboros

by PixelProse

Chapter 2: Metempsychosis

She awoke to darkness.

Panic gripped her. Having been Celestial Mistress for so long, she knew it was long past time for sunrise. Guiding Light could hear the hushed whispers in the hallway. Outside, she imagined the panic as ponies checked their clocks or magical hourglasses. Today was the Summer Sun Celebration, and yet, there was no sun.

Most ponies would have stayed up all night, only to gather around Stargazer's Hill and find nothing but darkness. Forever. Well, not quite darkness. The opalescent glow of the moon still lay over the land, but today, it offered no comfort or wisdom.

Hooves clattered up to the door and stopped, to knock.

"Yes?" she answered wearily. Her neck and back were killing her from sleeping awkwardly draped over the hospital bed. A light yellow filly with a pink streaked aqua mane poked her snout inside.

"Hi, Mrs. Spark," the filly said shyly. "Is it okay if I visit? Mom said I could."

"Meadowbrook," Guiding Light realized, scrubbing her face with her hooves. She must look terrible. "Sure. Come on in." The unicorn filly walked in and closed the door, then sidled up to the bed.

"Silvie's looking awful thin," the filly worried.

"The doctors are doing what they can for her, and I'm stretching her legs everyday." The filly nodded.

"I brought some books. Can I read to her?"

"Of course. Why don't you start while I go use the little filly's room?" She got up and offered the young unicorn her chair. She stopped before the door and paused for a moment, before recalling that she had no magic. She opened and closed the door gently with her hoof. When she turned around, a few unicorn nurses wee standing right before her.

"Mistress?" One of them asked timidly. "Why is it still dark out? Aren't the Seers and Guides out there for the Summer Sun Celebration?" Guiding Light ran through several possible answers before answering as honestly as she felt she could.

"I wanted to spend today with my daughter. Starswirl is arranging the Celestial Ceremony for today." The nurse nodded, but that wasn't enough.

"But," persisted another nurse, "they're late. And they're never late!" She could hear the panic rising in the pony's voice.

"I'm sure there's a perfectly good explanation. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to use the bathroom." She pushed past as casually as she could. On the way back, the nurses were back at their station, speaking in distressed whispers. She went back into the room quietly.

Meadowbrook was singing to her daughter, a faint glow surrounding her horn as she flipped the pages of the book.

"Hey Mrs. Spark," the filly greeted her politely. She set her book down atop a stack of others on the bed. "I noticed that you used your hooves to open and close the door."

"That's right," she answered the filly with a pang at the loss of her magic. "I'm in nadir. Do you know what that means?" To her surprise, Meadowbrook nodded.

"It's because you used up too much magic to raise and lower the sun and moon, and now you don't have any."

"How did you know that?" Guiding Light asked in shock.

"My mom told me." She supposed that she shouldn't have been surprised that Clover the Clever's filly would know, or that the mare had told her child. "How come you're here and not at Stargazer's Hill, Mrs. Spark?"

"They... they don't need me anymore." She didn't think it would hurt so much to say it. She trotted over to the window and stared up into the dark night sky.

"Oh." There was a pause. She could see ponies beginning to canter to the hill. Soon, they would know, and their shame would be complete. "You know, we argued about it."

"What?" Guiding Light was confused.

"Silvie and me. I told her that all Guides and Seers go into nadir, but she didn't seem to get that. She said that if that were true, you would've told her." The pain in her heart twisted tighter. Guiding Light tried to think. Perhaps it wasn't the best idea for Meadowbrook to be here. if ponies were crazed enough, they very well could lynch her for being the Mistress at the time the truth came out. "I said, if that ever happened to her, I'd make something to give her magic again. Mom says I'm pretty good at making magic things."

She leaned over, her hooves clutching the sill, as she tried to stifle her sobs.

"Mrs. Spark, are you alright?" came Meadowbrook's voice, thin with fright. She tried to master her grief, but the sobs only got louder.

And then the sun rose. She wasn't aware of the fact until the warmth on her face drew her out of her misery. She stared, uncomprehendingly as the moon descended into the West and the sun rose steadily in the east.

"How... what...?" Meadowbrook groaned in response.

"Aw! Well, I've got to go, Mrs. Spark. Mom said I had to go home when the sun came out." The filly gathered up her books from the bed and slipped them into her saddlebags. Guiding Light couldn't stop staring at the sun. Did Starswirl really have that much power in reserve? No. She knew his limit. Then how...? She closed her eyes and rubbed them as the sun seared them to tears. "Gee, Mrs. Spark, you should know better than to stare at the sun." The filly hopped to the ground. "Bye, Silvie. By Mrs. Spark." And with that, the filly departed.

The sunlight spilled into the room and pooled on the bed, then moved to the floor as the sun rose gloriously to it's scheduled apex. Guiding Light sat in a befuddled stupour. She felt as if the ground had opened beneath her hooves and she was falling into nothingness. She just couldn't, didn't understand what had just transpired, until a gentle knock on the door.

"Come in," she responded distractedly. And then a dark coated mare entered, with a shimmering, flowing mane.

She had never seen anypony so beautiful and mysterious before. It took her a moment to recognize Princess Luna, and she scrambled to make her curtsy.

"Celestial Mistress Guiding Light?"

"Y-y-y-your H-h-h-highness!" Was she here to imprison her for keeping such a calamity secret?

"Starswirl the Bearded has confessed everything. As Celestial Mistress, you will assist my sister and I in dealing with all the ponies involved." The unicorn mare froze in shock, then flung herself at the Princess's hooves.

"No, they didn't know! I'm to blame! They're good ponies. Please don't hurt them!" Guiding Light clutched at the dark blue hooves. After a long moment, a hoof slid under her chin and lifter her face. The gentle smile was like the soothing moonlight, calming her fears and easing her thoughts.

"Your concern for your ponies do you credit, Mistress, but is somewhat misplaced. My sister and I will require a tally of all Seers and Guides, in order that we might replenish their magic."

"Re-re-replenish...?" She gaped, her mind awhirl. Starswirl and Clover had both tried to find a way to do the same, but in vain.

"Of course. Your sacrifices are to be commended. Although the secrecy of it may have been quite unwise, it has also been according to prophecy, and to my and my sister's benefit. And to all of Equestria, I might add." The Alicorn mare turned her flank towards the confused unicorn. On the black mottled patch on her coat was a gleaming silver crescent. Guiding Light stared in shock as Princess Luna continued. "It appears that because of our affinity to the Sun and Moon, we not only do not require rejuvenation, but we are able to revivify those ponies who are in... nadir, was that the term?" Guiding Light nodded dumbly. "Excellent. Now, please hold still." She obeyed more out of confusion as the Princess lowered her glowing horn to hers. In a rush, magic spilled into her, filling her with joy and contentment. It was like the first day of true spring, like a cool running stream on a hot summer day. It washed over her and cleansed her, and when she felt full to the brim, the flow ebbed and slowed, eventually stopping.

She hadn't realized that she had closed her eyes, but she shook herself as she felt the Princess step back. She felt like a newborn filly, full of energy and eager to face any adventure the day brought forth.

Luna trotted up to the hospital bed.

"This is Silver Light?"

"Y-yes, your Highness."

"Clover has told us about her." With that, the Princess touched horns with the still filly. Her horn flashed brilliantly for several seconds, then the light dimmed. After a moment, Silver Light's eyes fluttered open. The golden eyes stared at the Princess's gentle smile then wandered over to Guiding Light, who stood with her hooves to her mouth, tears flowing again.

"Mama?" she said in a croak.

For Guiding Light this Summer Sun Celebration would be her most cherished memory.

Comments

[PixelProse]

6184480
Thanks! I keep rereading it and wanting to make changes, LOL.