The Black Sheep

by Irrespective

XI - Boxes are our Friends

“Well, what shall I do now?” Celestia asked herself. “I’ve tidied up the living room, the restroom is spotless, and the food has all been put away. I don’t suppose there’s much else for me to do.”

Celestia glanced around the room, but then her gaze settled on a bookcase that Sgt. Pokey had filled with some books from the Canterlot Public Library that she had requested.

“Ah!” she cheered. “I shall read Horses and Horseapples, I believe. I’ve been meaning to get to that one for the last two hundred years.”

Celestia moved to the bookcase, but then noticed three large boxes that were idly lollygagging in the nearby corner. They had been there the whole time she had been ‘captive’, tempting her to peek; but she had refrained from doing so until now. Curiosity got the better of her, and she moved over to take a quick look.

“What is in you, my little boxes?” she asked, as she pulled the first one down off the stack.

The first box held nothing but smaller boxes, folded flat and stacked tightly together. She frowned at this and then moved it aside.

“I hope you have something more interesting.” She told the second box.

She was not disappointed. The box held but one item: a plush toy version of herself.

“Or, at least you resemble me.” Celestia pulled the toy from the box. “You have my Cutie Mark, my regalia, and my mane, but you have a pink coat. Perhaps you’re a sunburned version of me?”

Celestia laughed a little at her own joke as she looked the stuffed toy over more closely. It was a soft toy, one any little filly would love to have. Indeed, this one did look like it had been loved, as some of the fur had been worn thin on one side, just before a wing, and the hairs of the mane looked like they had thinned a bit and were a bit tangled. Celestia nuzzled the toy; then placed it on her back.

“You shall stay with me, Little Celly, until I find out who you belong to.” She announced, as she grabbed the third box. “You should not be contained in a bo…oof!”

The third box was extremely heavy. Celestia huffed out a grunt of exertion as she pulled the box towards her.

“Goodness! What is in this? It feels like it is full of lead.”

She lifted the flaps of the box, but found no lead. Instead, she found…

“Papers and books?” she asked, as she pulled out the items and began laying them around her. Thick tomes regarding ancient mythology sat amongst what looked like research and exam papers, with several bundled together as if they had been submitted for peer reviews. She grabbed one bundle of papers that was tied together simply along the side.

“What is all this, Little Celly? They almost look like research papers. Was one of my captors a college student at one point? I would bet these are Sgt. Pokey’s. What do you think?”

Little Celly wasn’t sure either.

“Well, let’s see. This one is entitled Nightmare Moon. What do you think he wrote about my sister, hmm?”

Little Celly wasn’t sure, in all honesty. Since they were not in her box, she hadn’t had a chance to look them over.

“Well, we shall now. Let’s see.” Celestia flipped to a random page and began reading.

…when the truth shows that this is a merger and slight corruption of the Sombra Legend. Having been defeated over a hundred years ago, the memory of Sombra’s cruelty was still somewhat known to the elder population, but not to the younger. As oft happens in the retelling of a tale, the substitution of Sombra for Nightmare Moon was a natural change, especially given that Luna’s corruption had occurred so recently, and with the memory of the fight fresh in the collective consciousness, Nightmare Moon took over where Sombra had been forgotten.

Celestia flipped again, interested in what she’d read so far.

But out of respect and love, Nightmare Moon was emphasized while Luna was downplayed.

“What?” Celestia blinked, confused.

The Royal Archives do mention Luna’s fall to Nightmare Moon, but there is a clear and distinct break in the narrative. All sources emphasize that Nightmare Moon was responsible for the Lunar Eclipse, and the destruction of the Castle of the Two Sisters, but in reading the history one would come to the belief that Princess Luna had been destroyed by Nightmare Moon prior to her fall.

“She was.” Celestia replied to the notes. “The Nightmare had taken over her heart before it took her body.”

Thus, Princess Luna has all but been forgotten. In the public consciousness, Princess Celestia still reigns supreme, and none seem to remember that she has a Sister who will return on the longest night of the thousandth year. If any pony does remember Luna, it will be because of her ties to the Nightmare, and not because of her deeds before then.

Celestia flipped to the back of the papers. She didn’t want to read about her sister being forgotten. A small letter fluttered out as she opened the last page, and she picked it up in interest.

“’Final Grade: Fail.’ Fail?” Celestia questioned. “Why did he fail? Let’s see. ‘Stop wasting time in fairy tales and nonsense?’ What? ‘No pony is interested in little foal tales?’ My sister was never a mere foal tale!”

Little Celly bounded off of Celestia and into the box.

“You’re right, Little Celly. Perhaps one of these other papers was reviewed more favorably.”

The sudden thud of an iron bolt being slid out of the way interrupted her thoughts and sent her into a slight panic. Celestia hastily gathered up the books and notes, rammed them back into the box, and pushed it back into the corner as the door creaked open. The other two boxes were hastily thrown on top, but Little Celly was hidden by the Bookcase as Light Wing came down the stairs.

“Hello, Princess.” She cheerfully greeted. “Not trying to escape, right?”

“Oh, no!” Celestia tittered. “I was actually just reading a little bit.”

Comments

[Thatsnoreason]

Little Celly is oozing aura of potential drama and tragedy.
Why the random tag?

[Irrespective]

8340684
You will definitely see more of Little Celly in the future. As for the random tag, the story feels a bit random to me so there you go. I might change it later.

[StarzGecko]

Dude this is amazing chapter! I want to see more silly Celestia and Celly Adventures as its own story

[Irrespective]

8460961
Thanks!

"Say hello to my little friend."

"Uh...the stuffed doll?"

"Yes. She has ways of making you talk."

[dshadow14]

“Or, at least you resemble me.” Celestia pulled the toy from the box. “You have my Cutie Mark, my regalia, and my mane, but you have a pink coat. Perhaps you’re a sunburned version of me?”

To be fair, Celestia is ever-so-slightly-off-white pink.