Tales of Interest!

by Pascoite

Basking

The evening light waned. The sun down, another day finished. And none too soon.

Celestia collapsed into bed and broke into a coughing fit. Her forehead burned like a blacksmith’s forge, and aching muscles protested even the small movement of holding a hoof to her throbbing temples.

She considered ringing one of her staff for a glass of water and some aspirin, but the feeling might pass. She hated to bother them after working hours, if possible. At least she’d remembered to douse the candles, but that piercing light from outside—the moon.

Smiling in spite of herself, Celestia brought her magic to bear in spurts and managed to draw the drapes closed. Yes, the moon. Luna had raised it from… wherever she’d gone on her diplomatic mission. Celestia couldn’t remember where.

Still she lay there, the clock’s ticking her only company. She might have dozed on and off, but she couldn’t tell. It certainly felt like hours—she peeked at the clock. Nearly ten. But when had she lowered the sun? At eight… no, seven. Maybe. Should she call for a glass of water and some aspirin?

Dark. Lovely dark, and a cool breeze flowed through the open doorway from the balcony. The moon, gone. A new moon tonight? She could have sworn she saw it earlier. Nice and dark.

She nestled into her pillow, and her thoughts oozed like thick sap. She brushed sweat from her forehead. Dark and cool and soft. Aspirin? No. Just sleep. Somepony talking? No. Just sleep.

---

“I don’t know,” the doctor said. “She has a fever, but based on the dried sweat, it was higher, so it must have broken overnight.” He pried one eye open and shone a penlight into it. “I’ll check the files in my office. Maybe one of her previous physicians has seen this before.”

He strode out, leaving Twilight alone with Celestia, and a deathly silence settled.

“Twilight Sparkle,” Luna stated as she emerged from the balcony. It was less a greeting and more a statement of fact, though Luna did wear a curious grin.

“Is she okay? I can’t figure this out, but I’m worried, and we have to find some way of raising the sun—”

Luna raised a hoof. “All is well, Twilight. She only has a minor illness. Do not worry.”

“So you know why she won’t wake up?” Twilight pricked her ears.

“Yes. Come with me.” Luna returned to the balcony, and after a peek back at Celestia, Twilight followed.

“You can raise the sun for her?” Twilight asked.

“Yes, but not as easily as she raises the moon. I gather she has not shown you how yet?” Luna arched an eyebrow.

“No.” Twilight really could too?

“A mistake. But a potentially costly one. Here. Concentrate with me.”

Twilight fought down her questions and stilled her breathing. She closed her eyes.

“Feel the warmth. Feel it from the sun, but also from all of your subjects.”

Twilight nodded. Her thoughts wandered to her friends, and… warm. Throughout her chest, and a sliver of light—

“Feel their friendship for you, for each other. Focus on how you feel about them.”

A grin swept across Twilight’s face. Yes, her friends. She almost laughed. And the sliver of light grew. She could see the glow through her eyelids, and somehow, it didn’t surprise her.

“Look, Twilight Sparkle.”

She opened her eyes. And the sun blazed down on her. That… That was it? She wrinkled her brow, and Luna, sensing the question, nodded back. “What about…?”

“Good morning—er, afternoon.”

“Princess Celestia!” Twilight rushed to her side and hugged her, though Celestia did wobble a bit on unsteady hooves. “How?”

“She shares a symbiotic relationship with the sun,” Luna said. “She moves it, and it energizes her. If something keeps her from raising it, then…”

“The same with my sister and the moon,” Celestia said with a smile. “You can see how this could be dangerous knowledge.”

“So for a thousand years…”

“I simply couldn’t afford myself the luxury of sleeping in, if I was ill.”

“Thank you for trusting me with that,” Twilight said after a pause and bowed her head.

“And now you know what else eternal night implied,” Celestia added with a sympathetic nod toward Luna.

Without another word, Celestia spread her wings and soaked up the sunlight. Twilight did the same, and squeezed her eyes shut… warmth, far more than just the sun, like Luna had taught her. She grinned broadly—she could get used to this.

Comments

[Eruantalon]

Wow.

[Admiral Biscuit]

Imagine how hot Celestia's fever could get. I was expecting her to accidentally burn down Canterlot.

[Godslittleprincess]

The backstory doesn't really make sense ti me, but it's not a bad story.