Celestia XVII

by brokenimage321

Memory: The Day I Grew Up

“The Princess is dead!”

I sniffled. The mare lying in the box wasn’t Mommy. She looked like her, but she was weird and cold and dried-up, somehow.

I stood next to the box, trying not to shake. Everyone in the world was watching me. I just wanted to be back in my bed. I wanted to cry. But Princesses didn’t cry. Princesses had to be brave.

So, there I stood, watching not-Mommy lying in her box, and trying not to think about what was going to happen next.

A stallion, wearing a fancy robe, stepped up next to the box. He lit his horn, and pulled at the pin holding together Mommy’s collar—wide and flat and gold, and covered in jewels. I almost screamed at him—“That’s Mommy’s! Don’t touch that!”—but I knew he had to, so I said nothing.

The collar came free, and, with a sound like tinkling wind chimes or falling rain, Mommy’s wings fell apart. White feathers dropped like flower petals from her wings, which grew smaller and shrank back into her. Soon, all that was left were a couple pink scars where her wings had been, and Mommy was just a unicorn again.

Just like me.

The stallion in the suit turned to me. He smiled, then, with his magic, pushed the collar towards me.

I tried not to cry. They’d told me what would happen next. They’d made me eat eggs and drink milk for the past week. Said I’d need it. Said I’d be grateful.

I wanted to say “No! Don’t! I don’t want it! That’s Mommy’s, and Mommy’s going to get better, you’ll see!”

But I didn’t.

The cold metal closed around my neck, and snapped shut behind me. The gold pin slid into place. Instantly, I felt a burning, just over my shoulder blades. I gritted my teeth. I didn’t want this. I wanted to be home, with Mommy. I wanted to scream and rip the collar off.

Before I could move, my eyes widened, and I howled. My shoulders split open, the bones cracking and re-aligning. I bit my lip and trembled as my wings began to grow, the bones long and spindly, the skin just barely covering, the muscles swelling and hardening, the feathers growing in like jagged, broken glass. I bit my lip until my mouth tasted like pennies, and tears ran freely down my face.

“Long live the Princess!” the stallion in the robe called. “Long live Celestia the Seventeenth, Sixty-Third Princess of the Sun!”

And the audience began to cheer. I looked up and saw them, watching me, their new twelve-year-old Princess. They thought I was so great, so pretty there with my new wings, but they didn’t know. They didn’t know how much my wings hurt, and how my heart hurt even more. They didn’t know that I had no idea what to do. They didn’t know how all I wanted was to be left alone, and to be able to cry for Mommy. They just cheered, over and over, excited to see me, excited for all the things they wanted me to do—the things that I had no idea how to even begin.

So, I ran.

I turned and galloped off the stage, despite the cries of the stallion in the robe. I dodged the guards and ducked through an open doorway into a side-hall. I ran towards the one place I knew there was a friend who would help me—and there she was, in the little alcove just off the library.

I fell into her arms, and I sobbed.

“It’s okay, Cece,” Twilight Sparkle said. “It’s okay. It’s all going to be okay.”

Comments

[Comickook]

Very little I can say beyond, truly emotional stuff. (sniff) Yeah, I know what it's like to have to have a parent die . Anyway, great start on the story. I admit, the thought of a mortal Celestia being the same age as Twilight DOES intrigue me. After all, juggling the typical late-teens stuff with royal responsibilities is just the sort of stuff that makes for darn good story-telling potential. Anyway, very good job on the characterization and future chapter set-up. Now, on to the next chapter.

[Discordigan]

Congratulations, my friend. You've clearly enticed me into your new AU story. :)

[Kunama Windrider]

Sounds interesting...

[Skeeter The Lurker]

Well holy shit.

This... Is good. This is really good. Reads well and the concept is amazing! I'm sold.

~Skeeter The Lurker

[Titan Commander Sebaste]

I'm... At a loss for words right now...
HOW THE HELL DID I MISS THIS STORY?!
You, my good sir have gained my full attention!

[Luna Aeterna Solutae]

I sniffled. The mare lying in the box wasn’t Mommy. She looked like her, but she was wierd and cold and dried-up, somehow.

*weird.

[PresentPerfect]

Now that's how you start a fanfic! :O

[Punk]

Great opening!

[abronie]

First off, congrats on getting into RCL. I can't believe that I let this story slip past me; I'll definitely enjoy reading it.

[Sylica telca]

Interesting but sad