Once More, with Feeling

by Amaranthine Thought

Chapter 2: The first steps

Celestia woke with a gasp. A portion of power had been torn from her, leaving a slight ache in her. She got out of bed, greatly concerned, and went to find Luna.

The moment she opened her door, Luna nearly ran right into her.

“Tia! Something has happened!”

“I know. This way.”

Celestia led Luna to the balcony, and the pair looked out into a dark night. Everything was dark, but far, far in the distance, the darkness parted, and a beam of light shone down somewhere in the mountains.

And in that beam, a tiny flaming object. They just saw it before it disappeared from view, and after a moment, the light faded.

They both realized at the same time. The power over the stars had been taken from them, and the flaming object had taken it. They both rose into the air, and hurried to where it had fallen, determined to know what had happened.

---

“Twilight… Twilight, get up.”

Twilight groaned. There was earth under her, slightly hot. She could smell smoke nearby, but she could also feel a fair bit of pain. It faded quickly, but it was still there.

“Twilight!”

She opened an eye and spotted Lux near her. He seemed to shine with light.

“That’s better. Now get up, on your hooves.”

Twilight began to get up before hesitating. Her hooves were blue.

She shook it off and stood up, the last of the pain fading away. She noted that Lux was only slightly larger than she was, when before, he had towered over her.

“Well done!” he said, beaming. “Take a look at yourself.”

Twilight did so. Her fur was blue, and her mane and tail black with tiny white spots as if she had tiny lights in them. Two powerful wings rested on her back, her cutie mark was a field of stars, and she was far larger than she had been.

“I’m blue?” she asked, noticing that her voice had changed. It was softer, more mature.

“We need to do this quickly, so look up.”

She did so, looking up at the sky.

“You need to get used to controlling that, so first lessons! Try and grab them.”

She nodded and did so. She felt Lux use his own magic to help her own.

“Try moving them.”

She did so, and saw the stars shift just a tiny bit.

“Very good! Way too much power though, be gentle. But a great first try! You’re going to make a great granddaughter.”

“I have to cut this short, but don’t worry! I shall return!”

“Why can’t you stay?”

“Celestia and Luna are heading this way, and I don’t have anything for them!”

Twilight gaped. “The princesses?!”

“I just need to find a suitable present. Don’t worry so Twilight! I will be back in a lunar cycle and remember!”

“You are not Twilight Sparkle!”

Lux vanished and for a second Twilight calmed; he would be back to help. Then it struck her that Lux wasn’t going to return for over four weeks.

Her wings flared out on their own as she panicked, walking in tiny circles in what she noted was a crater. A few things were smoldering nearby, but she was entirely preoccupied with her thoughts.

What was she going to do!? What was she going to say!?

She stopped when she heard wing beats, and tried to stand still and tall. After a brief moment, Celestia and Luna landed nearby, eyes wide in surprise.

Then both calmed and approached in what Twilight recognized as a very diplomatic way. Slow, not threatening, making sure that she could see what they were.

Twilight tried to dispel the slight vertigo she was feeling. She was as large as Celestia, and she was not used to staring at her teacher head on.

“A new alicorn.” Celestia said, her voice perfectly neutral. “Where did you come from?”

Twilight tried and failed to find her voice. She found herself speechless as the twin alicorns watched her.

I was granted alicornhood by Lux. He dropped me here.

“I was granted alicornhood by Lux. He dropped me here.” Twilight repeated, feeling great relief that Death was helping her.

“Truly?” Luna asked.

“If you do not mind my asking, why?” Celestia added, both alicorns waiting for something.

“It’s… I…”

Because Lux does not think sometimes.

“Because Lux does not think sometimes.” she said, and instantly regretted it. Luna frowned and Celestia seemed to tense by a tiny margin. Twilight wasn’t moving in slight terror.

Then Luna couldn’t keep it up, and snorted, trying to not grin. Celestia relaxed, and gave her a tiny smile.

“You do seem to know him.” she said. “This is the kind of thing he would do on a whim.”

“What is your name, alicorn of the stars?”

“I… I’m…” Twilight tried to think of a name as fast as she could, desperate for anything. Then it came to her.

“I’m Rest.” she said. After all, that is what she was going to be doing. Helping souls find rest.

Celestia nodded, Luna still trying to stop giggling. “Welcome Rest. It is a true pleasure to meet you.”

“I am Celestia, alicorn of the sun.”

“Is Luna alright?” Twilight asked, slightly concerned that she hadn’t calmed yet.

She did at that comment and Twilight winced at the sudden interest on Celestia’s face. Luna looked far more suspicious.

“Thou knows our name?” Luna asked, eyeing her.

Twilight gaped for a second.

Lux told me of you.

“Lux told me of you.” she said, relaxing. Celestia and Luna nodded slowly.

“Well Rest, I would be more than happy to invite you to our castle. It would be our pleasure to get to know you.”

There wasn’t any way for Twilight to say no without looking very suspicious.

“I accept.”

“Then follow us.” Celestia said, Luna taking flight, followed by Celestia.

Twilight watched them, glanced at her own wings, and then gulped, closing her eyes and tensing. Then she flapped as hard as she could.

Luna dodged her as she screamed past the twin princesses, hitting a rocky cliff and landing at its base in a heap.

She got to her hooves, dusted herself off and readied herself again. She had to do this, or else the princesses would wonder if something was wrong.

“Rest, perhaps…” Celestia began, and then Twilight hurled past her again, constantly flapping that time.

Luna covered her eyes and Celestia winced when she slammed into a new cliff, and dropped most of it on top of herself.

It didn’t take very long for them to unearth a dazed Twilight. She was far from used to the new endurance and immortality, and was still trying to get used to the idea that a thousand pound boulder could land on her and that she would be fine.

“Perhaps this might be better should we use magic.” Celestia suggested. Twilight nodded, not truly thinking, and focused.

One burst of magic, and all three were in Ponyville library, surprising Spike who was up for some reason. He turned and opened his mouth before he froze like that.

Luna looked around in slight confusion and Celestia sighed.

“Forgive the intrusion Spike.” she said, perfectly calm. “Let me try this time Rest, and Spike?”

“Don’t tell anypony about this.”

Celestia transported them to her bedroom, reasoning that now was not the time to introduce ponies to a fourth alicorn. She yawned; she should be sleeping, not trying to handle a brand new power in Equestria.

“Luna, get Rest a place to stay. We shall talk more tomorrow. I am too tired to continue this now.”

“Of course sister. This way Rest.”

Luna led her through the castle to her own room, and Twilight hesitated as Luna opened the door for her.

“Thou may have this room.”

“But it’s your room.” Twilight objected.

“It matters not. We sleep during the day most often, and you may have it for the night.” Luna gently pushed her inside.

“Have a good night, and find some rest… Rest.” Luan chuckled as she shut the door, and left Twilight alone.

Twilight sighed. Everything was going… alright, but she was far from comfortable with this.

Pretending to be an alicorn, even if she was one, to Celestia, who she respected, and Luna, who she cared about. It was hard not to simply say who she was, but she knew that she couldn’t. She was bound not to.

She got into the bed, feeling uncomfortable at being in Luna’s room. She felt like she was intruding, but a good sleep would help her sort her thoughts.

She had just closed her eyes when Luna slammed the door open again, and bellowed, “How dids’t thou knowest that this was our room!?” at the top of her lungs. Twilight jumped out of the bed with a slight scream at the door slam and then stared up at the alicorn.

Luna looked… agitated, but more curious than mad.

Twilight stared for a moment, trying to think of something, and then she did.

“I like you.” she said. Luna hesitated.

“What?” she asked, shaking her head as if she hadn’t heard Twilight properly.

“I like, I mean admire you! I admire you! I spent a bit of time learning about you before… everything.” True; she did like Luna, and did admire the alicorn. She had also spent time learning about her.

That also applied to many other ponies, but it didn’t make it untrue.

Luna looked speechless, staring unblinkingly at Twilight.

“Like…” she whispered. Twilight hesitated; Luna was being quiet.

“I… like friends. Good friends.” she said, and Luna seemed to calm just a bit. “I’d like us to be closer though.” she added, and Luna tensed again.

Her mouth opened and shut a few times and then she looked away. “I… I need some time.” she said, and then shut the door again, rather quickly.

Twilight stared at the door, certain that she had messed something up. She just wasn’t sure what it was.

“…Master?”

Is something required Twilight?

“Did I mess up?”

… I am Death Twilight. The functions of life are not my domain. The only thing I can tell you is that Luna is not angry.

Twilight sighed, semi relieved.

Look out the window.

Twilight did so, and spotted a soul in the darkness. She knew what she had to do and nodded to herself.

She summoned her jar, and caught the soul, drawing it close to her. When she pulled it into the room, she found it to be a pegasus, but he looked foggy, undefined.

“Hello?” she asked, curious, hesitating before placing him in the jar.

He jumped, surprised, and looked at her.

“Wha… You see me?”

“Yes.”

“You hear me…” he murmured, a note of joy entering his voice. “Finally, somepony hears me!”

“I can, just… calm down.”

He nodded, his wings flapping.

“Tell me: who are you?”

“I… I am Clean Skies. Third division, Canterlot weather team. Please, you have to help me.”

“I was working on a thunderstorm when a lightning bolt… did something. And now nopony can hear me, or even see me. I don’t have to flap to fly, and I… I can’t feel anything anymore.”

“Clean… I have some bad news for you.” she said, trying to be consoling.

He sighed. “I… I think I can guess. I… That bolt killed me, didn’t it? I’m… dead, aren’t I?”

Twilight nodded and he sighed again. “If it helps, I am here to give you your rest.” she said.

“Might as well. Nothing left for me here. Where to princess?”

“I’m not a princess.” Twilight said, surprised.

“… Well, you’re mine. I thought death would be bony and uncaring. Nice to find her beautiful and kind instead. I’d pick you over anypony else, if that helps.”

He looked at the jar while Twilight turned as red as a tomato.

“I go here?” he tapped it.

“For now.” Twilight muttered, not looking at him.

“Well… I hope to see you later. Thanks princess.”

He was sucked into the jar on his own, Twilight still stunned and blushing.

“Master?”

… Most souls will react like he did Twilight. They are thankful for rest after finding themselves dead. You should be aware of something else.

Collected souls… communicate with others. After the first few, new ones might recognize you as you begin to gain mastery over my power. And you cannot be overcome by their words so easily; a few might try to manipulate you.

Twilight nodded, and took a deep breath, her blush fading.

For now, try to move the stars. I suspect that you are aware of their normal motion.

Twilight nodded, a little eager to try that on her own. She looked out the window again, and did her best to grab the sky with her magic. After a moment she thought she had it though it was hard to tell.

It wasn’t like she could actually ‘see’ her grip the same way with her normal spells. But she was fairly sure she had them.

Gently, Lux had said.

One star shot out of place as if shot by a cannon, and several others jerked. Twilight yelped, and tried to put them back, knocking a several other stars out of place and disrupting a constellation.

She stared in horror, and then did her best to fix the constellation. She did it after a bit, the stars making it up wandering around for a moment before she had them back in place. Mostly.

She sighed and got back into the bed. Best to just sleep and try to adjust over time. There was too much for her to get used to right now.

Her new form and power needed time and practice. And dealing with the twin princesses and other ponies was going to be difficult as well, particularly when her new form overlapped with that. Like it had.

She couldn’t fly. Had little to no control over her own power. She had already slipped up dealing with ponies she knew already, and it was Celestia and Luna! Two ponies who made her try and keep track of what she was doing and saying around them!

Who knew what might happen with ponies she felt comfortable around. She was thankful she had been too dazed to blurt something at Spike at the library.

She could work everything out tomorrow, and with any luck, Death might be able to help her deal with the worst of it.

Comments

[The Cynical One]

This is a great story. I can’t wait to keep reading! This truly deserves its own art...