Daybreaker

by Lets Do This

The New And Improved Celestia

They retargeted the spell on the Everfree Forest the following morning, then trotted quickly up the hill to the Castle. They saw the two Chariots parked outside the Royal Mews, so they knew the Princesses had returned. Yet when they managed to slip past the guards and into the main audience chamber, they found it full of irate waiting petitioners, but neither of the Princesses was in attendance.

After an increasingly frantic search they found the Princesses were still in their private wing, seated on an outer balcony of the Castle overlooking the river Aurum. Princess Celestia was sitting by the balcony railing, face upturned, basking in the warm sunlight, smiling to herself.

Princess Luna was seated a short distance away from her, stonily silent and watchful.

"... and I have always felt a special affinity with the Sun," Celestia was saying as Twilight and the others arrived. "I simply never realized that it ran this deep!"

"We have always felt the same about our Moon and the Night," Luna said cautiously. "Yet we have never taken on the form of either one in the expression of our powers. Star Swirl has been tutoring us in encouraging and harnessing our affinities with the Sun and Moon... I think he hopes that one day we may take over the management of them from the Unicorn Council."

"And finally obtain our marks? No longer the blank-flanked Princesses?"

"Perhaps so. It does appear to be our intended role. In any case, what you experienced... it may simply be the next step in our development as uplifted alicorns. You are the elder sister. You would encounter it first."
"Perhaps..." Celestia said. "But somehow it feels like more than that. Luna, I have been reminded of something vitally important: I am Princess of Equestria!"

"Co-Princess," Luna reminded her.

"Excuse me?"

"We rule together, as equals. Our decrees are by mutual consent."

"Whatever," Celestia rolled her eyes. "The point is, as Princess, I've been granted authority to make decisions on behalf of this land. And it's about time I started acting like it. My alicorn nature grants me capabilities beyond the ponies I lead and guide... and up to now I have been carefully reserved in their use. I'm thinking that needs to change!"

"Sister, we agreed our full powers should be held in reserve, in case a situation arose above and beyond the norm."

"Thus making us prey to every adventurer who thinks themselves our equal? And perhaps thereby catches us off guard, before we can truly act?" Celestia shook her head. "No, Sister, we have been far too reticent. You saw what happened with the dragon: a simple show of force, of our true powers, and the problem was solved."

"We recall thou saying we should talk first!" Luna pointed out, dryly.

"Because I didn't yet realize what I was truly capable of," Celestia replied. "And from now on I don't intend to hold anything in reserve. I am going to be the Princess I know that I am!" Abruptly, she turned and called through the door behind them.

"Sharp Quill!"

"Highness?" The clerk seemed to materialize out of nowhere.

"Inform the Chief Steward that the Princesses shall both attend Morning Court. We have an announcement to make."

"At once, Highness!"

"Sister..." Luna objected, but Celestia cut her off with a look.

"No more hesitation, Luna! No more restraint! From now on we show them what the Two Sisters truly are!"

Worried, Twilight followed the Princesses down to the audience chamber, with Starlight and Trixie close behind her.

Celestia and Luna ascended the dais and took their places on their respective thrones. The Chief Steward rapped his staff on the tiles for silence, then called in rolling tones for attention to the words of their Highnesses.

Celestia rose, looked left and right, and then called out:

"Good citizens of Equestria! A grave threat to our neighbors to the north, the Crystal Empire, has been averted by the swift action of thy Princesses. We were able to recover the Crystal Heart from the dragon who had taken it, and thus rescued the Empire from obliteration by the storms of the North. Once again we have demonstrated the principles of Friendship upon which this realm was founded, and the swift action that follows upon any threat to its inhabitants!"

"Ahh... excuse me, your Highness?" It was Lord Snaffleback. He trotted forward from the Unicorn section, made his non-bow, and went on. "Is this the 'announcement' we were warned to expect? Dear, dear, dear! Yet again, we are told of Equestria providing aid and comfort to other nations, while at the same time we keep ignoring the very real problems we have right here at home in our own Three Kingdoms! As I have always said..."

"If thou hast always said it," Celestia interrupted, in a forbidding tone, "then there is very little value in hearing it yet again!"

Snaffleback's eyes went wide. "Now just a minute, your Majesty...!"

"In fact," Celestia continued, just loudly enough to steamroll his objection into silence, "we are not certain we have heard anything useful of late from the Unicorn Council."

Luna's gaze snapped round, and she stared at Celestia. But she remained silent, apparently not wanting the royals to be seen openly contradicting each other.

"Thou speakst of a need for action," Celestia thundered, "yet when has thy Council truly taken action against the so-called threats thou inveighs against at every opportunity? What hast thou done for Equestria lately?"

Lord Snaffleback drew himself up haughtily, flourishing his horn.

"We raise and lower the Sun and Moon each day, your Highness!"

Twilight cringed, worried Celestia had put her hoof in it. But Celestia merely smirked. Her voice became softly mocking.

"And why is it thy Council has to do that, Lord Snaffleback? Something about a Council member's daylight-saving spell having gone awry, wasn't it? Very interesting thou should bring up that example. We seem to recall thee speaking of incompetence. Sometimes it seems like the only real purpose of the Unicorn Council is to clean up after its own mistakes!"

"The purpose of the Council," Snaffleback growled, "is to render competent, mature guidance to the throne! And to serve as a check on its excesses, if need be! So if your Highness is unprepared to heed our well-considered advice, then..."

Celestia's horn sang with power, and Lord Snaffleback suddenly found himself hauled into the air and dangled upside down by his tail. His carefully coiffed hair flopped over his face, and he sputtered angrily.

"Thou wert saying something about excesses, we believe?" Celestia said. "Help us out here... does this qualify?"

"How dare you!" Lord Snaffleback struggled to right himself, then contorted angrily to glare at her. "You have no right to treat me -- I mean, a member of the Council! -- so disgracefully!"

"Really?" Celestia looked astonished. "How shocking! We had thought we had been granted absolute dispensation to render decisions on behalf of our subjects! Yet thou seems to differ with this opinion? Why is that?"

"We shall have you deposed!" Lord Snaffleback raged lividly. "We shall show you the limits of your so-called authority! We will..."

"Oh, we see now!" Celestia forcefully interrupted him again. "Thou art more than happy to make endless demands for strong leadership... just so long as it is thou who is in charge, eh?"

She brought him closer, eyeing him levelly.

"Yet what if it were not thee?" Her gaze became a cold threat. "What if it never was thee again?"

With a mere toss of her head, Lord Snaffleback was flung screaming the length of the hall and through the rear doors, which opened to allow him to pass, and then slammed shut with thunderous finality.

There was stunned silence in the hall for a long moment.

And then there was a pounding on the doors. And a muffled shouting from outside, in an increasingly strident and plaintive tone. "Celestia! Open these doors this instant! I am an official of the Council! I'll break you! Let me innnnnn! You cannot do this to me!"

Celestia snorted derisively, and smiled. "We rather think we just did."

She gazed around at the astonished petitioners. "As long as we are here, perhaps it is best to make a clean sweep of it. It is our decision... that henceforth the Thrones shall no longer be advised by the Unicorn Council! Instead, we shall seek out knowledgeable council of our own choice... when we feel it necessary!"

She glanced at Luna, who clearly did not think much of the decree. Yet again, she appeared not to want to present a spectacle of open disagreement. She merely nodded her head minutely.

Twilight nervously looked at the crowd, expecting the worst -- calls for Celestia's crown or her head, open revolt, even outright panic...

Yet there was at most a murmuring of approval from the assembled Lord and Lady ponies. Apparently Lord Snaffleback had managed to make himself extremely unpopular, even amongst those who so recently flocked around him. And his expulsion from the room -- though the general opinion was that it was rather extreme in its execution -- was viewed as a well-deserved comeuppance for his Lordship.

"Now," Celestia went on, pleasantly. "Are there any important issues that need to be brought before us?"

And the business of the Royal Court resumed, just as if nothing had happened. Yet Twilight could also sense a change in the atmosphere of the audience hall: the petitioners were quieter, more respectful, even timid in presenting their issues and concerns to the Two Sisters. And Celestia was much quicker to respond, more forceful in her decisions, and brooked no delays or perambulations in those addressing her.

And to Twilight it was all very familiar. Twilight was shocked to realize that this was the Celestia she knew so well from her own time: the calm but assertive demigoddess, the unquestioned ruler of Equestria, whom everyone tiptoed around in nervous concern about what she might think, say, or even worse do, if she were displeased.

Like send me back to magic kindergarten, Twilight ruefully remembered her own freaked-out fear on one occasion. Or throw me in the dungeon in the place she banished me to, as Fluttershy had once feared.

And the assembled nobles, commoners, and even the guards, once they'd gotten over the initial shock, were all commenting among themselves about how they liked this new, strong Celestia. It boded well for the future, was their general reaction.

Twilight looked sadly at Starlight and Trixie. "Maybe I was wrong," she said, amazed to hear herself say it. "Maybe the battle with the dragon was just what Celestia needed, to shake her out of her funk and help her feel comfortable about taking charge."

Starlight bit her lip uncomfortably. "I don't know, Twilight... I think it's a little early to tell."

"Yeah, give it time, Twilight!" Trixie said. "Just wait 'til she runs into somepony she can't chuck out of the room so easily."

At that moment, the doors to the throne room crashed open, so forcibly that chips of plaster rained down from the walls behind them.

Star Swirl the Bearded calmly trotted through them.

A silence fell over the chamber as he made his way up the carpet on Luna's side of the chamber, and then crossed to stand in the center of the open space before the twin thrones.

He bowed respectfully. And when his head came back up, he eyed the Princesses sternly from beneath his belled wizard's hat. "Your Highnesses... I missed seeing you for lessons this morning! I came to inquire as to whether everything was all right."

"Perfectly, old friend!" Celestia said, before Luna could even open her mouth. "We were simply attending to some minor... ah... diplomatic matters. Nothing to trouble you with, I'm sure."

"Indeed." Star Swirl's gaze narrowed. "I also heard a rumor that your Highness was able to rout a dragon single-handedly! Most impressive, I must say!"

Celestia looked to her sister. "Did thee hear that, Sister? We did something Star Swirl finds impressive! Doesn't happen every day, does it?"

"Sister..."

"Hush now, Luna!" Celestia interrupted. "Thy learned tutor wishes to say something."

Luna gaped, and then snapped her mouth shut, annoyed.

"Celestia," Star Swirl said, sternly. "I think we should discuss this, privately."

"And we would be only too pleased to," she replied coolly. "After our Morning Court has concluded. After all, the needs of our subjects do come first, do they not?"

Star Swirl drew back, surprised. But then he simply bowed respectfully, trotted to the side of the throne, and settled down to wait.

And Celestia kept him waiting, for upwards of fourty-five minutes, while dealing with one petitioner after another, on matters that Twilight could tell were absolutely trivial, a complete waste of time. Just to drive the point home.

And when the Chief Steward finally announced the close of business for the morning, and the Princesses retired to their quarters with Star Swirl trotting along beside them, Twilight was amazed the wizard's belled hat wasn't already belching smoke like a chimney.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

There was a further delay while the servants set out a light lunch for three on the balcony table outside the Princesses' quarters, and then swiftly departed. But nopony made a move to touch it.

Celestia and Star Swirl faced each other near the balcony railing, with Luna seated nearby, looking on like an unwilling spectator at a prizefight.

"So, you persuaded this dragon to return the Crystal Heart willingly?" Star Swirl summarized.

"More than willingly!" Celestia nodded. "We persuaded him to depart without it... and in rather a big hurry!"

"Astonishing! If one might make so bold," Star Swirl went on, cautiously, "how did your Highness manage it?"

"We simply drew on our innate connection with the Sun... and discovered in so doing that we had all the power we needed. That we have always had that power! And then we showed that miserable lizard who he was dealing with!"

"That must have been quite the display, your Highness."

"Oh it was! Wasn't it, Luna?" Not waiting for an answer, she turned back Star Swirl.

"It looked much like this..."

Her eyes flared. And Star Swirl found himself encased in a blazing golden hemisphere of magic. Twilight flinched from the waves of heat that pulsed from it.

But Star Swirl merely looked moderately bored, and teleported out of it...

...or rather, tried to, and found to his surprise that he was still inside the gleaming prison. He tried again, with the same result. After a moment's consideration, he attempted a counterspell. Twilight could tell that on its own it would have stripped the marble from the railing beside him, molecular layer by molecular layer... and it uselessly fizzled out against the dome of energy.

His lips pursed thoughtfully as he stared out at Celestia.

"Oh, what's the matter, Teacher?" Celestia asked innocently. "Dear, dear! Such a simple spell cannot be beyond the abilities of an expert spellcaster such as Star Swirl the Bearded."

"Tia!" Luna called worriedly. But Celestia put up a hoof.

"You see, Sister? It is as we said. No restraint! All or nothing! If we hold anything back we simply give the opponent time to prepare a response."

"Celestia..." Star Swirl rumbled crossly.

"Oh, and do allow us --" Celestia interrupted him, "-- to demonstrate our 'homework' assignment, Teacher! That security spell you set us to study?"

A flash of light from her horn... and Star Swirl was surrounded by countless pairs of eyes... golden, blazing eyes, unblinking and unnervingly watchful. They swirled around him, never looking away, cold and unreadable.

"And here's a small addition of my own..." Celestia said.

A brilliant, shining sword of hot, blazing light materialized -- poised directly over Star Swirl's head, moving as he moved, inescapably.

Celestia smiled evenly. "Disquieting, is it not? Experiencing such spells thyself? Gives them a whole new meaning, doesn't it? Oh, but of course you were completely right, Teacher. It's far too soon in our lessons to consider the practical impact of such magic on our subjects." Her eyes narrowed, her voice lowering to a dangerous hiss. "Isn't it?"

Star Swirl coughed irritatedly. "You have a point to make, your Highness?"

Celestia shrugged, and waved her hoof, dismissing the spells.

"Only that we grow tired of being set lessons that ignore the real-world concerns we have to deal with, as ruler of Equestria. To our mind, the impact on our subjects should always come first! And given the power we have to draw upon, it is more than time that our opinion was taken into consideration. Hence, we intend to continue focusing on the practical aspects of our spells... for exactly as long as we deem it necessary!"

Star Swirl drew himself up haughtily. "Well! If thou hast so much power, Highness, and are so sure of thy skills... then thou hast no further need for me as tutor!"

"Star Swirl, wait!" Luna called anxiously.

Celestia glanced at her, smirking. "Oh, don't let me interfere with your studies, Luna," she said. "By all means, the two of you should continue your lessons together. I wouldn't want to deprive Star Swirl of his prize pupil. Maybe he'll give you another star or three for effort!"

Star Swirl harrumphed. Clearly he'd heard enough. "I shall return to my studies, your Highnesses, and trouble thee with my presence no further. But... if thou should ever have need of me again, you have but to ask. I shall be ever at thy service!" Once again he bowed respectfully to the Princesses.

"Don't hurry back!" Celestia sneered.

Star Swirl glared, tight-lipped. And with a thunderous clap of imploding air, he was gone.

Celestia sniffed, and looked moderately affronted. "So touchy, so easily goaded. I wonder why we never noticed that!" She turned away and settled herself at the table, bringing over the teapot to pour herself a cup.

Luna simply stared at her, openly astonished.

So did Twilight and her friends.

"Starlight, am I seeing things?" Trixie said nervously. "Did Celestia just hand Star Swirl his walking papers?"

"I think she did!" Starlight said, equally nervous.

Twilight was beside herself. "I can't believe it! Celestia never had anything but kind words for Star Swirl. How is this possible?"

"She doesn't have to remember every tiff, Twilight," Trixie said.

"Tiff? This goes way beyond a tiff!" Twilight paced anxiously, as Luna cautiously stepped over to the table and sat down. "This is catastrophic! This simply can't be! Starlight, are we certain the time-lens spell isn't affecting events here?"

"As certain as we can be." Starlight shrugged. "You double-checked the variances, so you should know."

"I triple-checked! You know me!"

"And I put back in all the safeguards I took out!" Starlight shook her head, not believing it herself. "What we're seeing is what happened."

Further conversation was interrupted by Luna, leaning closer to Celestia and reaching out a forehoof. "Sister," she said. "I think you may have been somewhat hasty... Star Swirl has been an excellent guide and mentor to us."

"To you, perhaps," Celestia objected, drawing her own hoof away. "To my mind he holds us back, keeps us from using our full potential --"

"He teaches us to exercise restraint," Luna corrected gently. "So that we are certain we make the best use of our potential."

"Restraint? Ha! Perhaps that is suitable enough for you, as Princess of the Moon."

Luna was taken aback. "And what does that mean?"

"Pale, quiet, subtle, retiring," Celestia said loftily. "Not at all like our Sun... bold and strong, confident, powerful!"

"Thou thinkst the Sun and the Day can compare at all with our Night?" Luna glared crossly. "Thou hast but one star to call thy own. We have the entire heavens, uncounted stars, endless and infinite -- hah!"

"A million weak, twinkling little stars," Celestia sneered. "And when was the last time you honestly stood up for yourself, Luna?" Celestia smirked at her. "When was the last time you had the nerve to stand forth on your own and face our subjects? Instead of sneaking around, lurking in our shadow, allowing us to do all the important work of managing the realm."

"Thou thinks we do nothing?" Luna was incensed. "We who walk the dreams of our subjects each Night, protecting them from their own worst fears. We who accept the petitions of the creatures of the Night that thee fears to contend with? We who have taken on the burden of the tax code and the Royal accounting -- when we are not too busy assisting thee with thy sums!" Luna snorted. "We have just as much to do, and just as great a responsibility. Do not speak of our Moon and Night being any less important than thy Day!"

"I can, and I do!" Celestia said. "The Sun is the far greater light in our heavens. As are we the superior voice in delivering our joint opinions."

"And that is another thing, Sister." Luna rapped the tabletop with her hoof. "We would appreciate being consulted before thou issues decrees that presume our consent! We do not wish to appear at odds with thee, yet neither should our opinion be ignored!"

"Come now, Sister," Celestia shook her head. "You and I both know that I speak for our throne because of my experience, as the Elder Sister. I know your opinion so well you should not need to voice it. And where we happen to differ, you should simply accept the wisdom of my decrees. You know I try always to set a good example for you."

Luna stared at her, open-mouthed. "Thou... try to set a good example...?" She lifted her head, hooting derisively. "And we thought thou had no sense of humor!" Then she glared angrily at Celestia. "If thou thinkst thou are the stronger of us, just try crossing us again! We shall set thee straight!"

"Are you challenging our authority, Sister?"

"Depends on what thou means by a challenge, now doesn't it?"

It was Celestia's turn to slam a hoof on the table, making the china rattle loudly. "Very well! We shall prove that our Day is infinitely superior to thy Night!"

Luna snorted. "Have a care thou dost not break it in the process!"

Celestia blinked. And suddenly smiled. "Sister, that is exactly what we shall do..."

Luna tilted her head to one side, and waved a hoof dismissively. "Impress us, then! In thy own time, Sister Mine!"

Celestia's gaze narrowed dangerously. Her eyes blazed hotly.

Across the table, Twilight gripped the table edge, not sure if she wanted to watch...

And then Celestia's eyes returned to normal, and she sat back, a broad smile spreading across her face.

"Done!" she said, simply.

Luna looked around, puzzled. "What dost thou mean, done? Done what?"

Celestia said nothing. She just smirked, her snout lofted airily.

And then Luna froze. Her eyes darted about, her expression becoming increasingly anxious.

"Oh no... Sister... our Moon... what have you..."

Celestia giggled. And then laughed -- long and loud. "Just as you suggested, Luna! I have broken the cycle of the Day and the Night!"

Luna gasped. "Thou hast stopped the Sun and the Moon! Sister, thou cannot do that!"

"I can, and I have!" Celestia shrieked. She jabbed a forehoof skyward. "I have brought my Sun to a halt! At its height! At its full solstice strength! And there it shall stay! From this moment forward...

The Day shall last Forever!

Twilight and the others gazed up at the sky, at the Sun blazing directly overhead. It was much hotter than they were used to, its light painfully bright. And the sky itself was gradually shifting in color -- becoming first pale blue, then yellow, and then ramping up to a color like molten iron. The ponies felt themselves sweating in the increasingly oppressive heat -- and the hot, dry wind that swept across them immediately stole the moisture away, leaving them feeling desiccated and sun-bleached.

And, as if nothing unusual had happened, Celestia got up from the table. "Come, Sister," she said. "Let us return to the Court. We have another important announcement to make!"

She swept away before Luna even had a chance to react. The Night Princess shook herself, then crossly leapt to her hooves to follow her...

... shadowed closely by three very frightened ponies.

Comments

[Weirdly Normal Human]

Oy...

[Jura18511861]

Oh, yes! How I like it!
The Day shall last Forever!