Celestial Origins

by Dark Vessel

Chapter 4: Home

Celestia gave a smile, as they soon enough reached the cave which would serve as their home for the next 5 days, according to Faust. It was spacious and dry, though she did feel an odd distaste for the darkest areas within. Quickly, Luna grimaced and walked into one of the darkest corners within, before placing a hoof to the wall with a sigh "...This will be a long week..." the darker filly muttered, as Celestia glanced over to Faust, before she blinked and gasped with a grin "F-Faust! You got your cutie mark!" she exclaimed, as the red-maned filly smiled and nodded happily, stating "Noticed it on the way back! I think my talent is manipulating the future. Listen, I really want to try something, you two should test out your powers while I work on this!" before lifting a small rock with her magic, starting to scratch something into the wall.

Celestia blinked and nodded happily, stating "Great idea! I wonder how much I can levitate now...", as Luna grinned and stated "Levitate? What's a superhero without super strength! I'm so testing that out!", the darker filly moving to leave the cave as Celestia followed.

Celestia sighed, quickly moving to sit as she began to scoop dirt up from the ground in increasingly large chunks - her eyes widened in shock at the sheer volume, as she stated "So, Luna... Noticed some kind of... New influence on your mind? I really disliked the dark areas in there...", glancing over to the darker filly as Luna blinked and picked up a stone, stating "I did notice that they felt... Comforting in a way. Guess that explains a bit more of what my spirit said. We're halfway between spirit and alicorn... We like our element, but not to the insane extreme that a spirit would... Being desperate to blanket the world in eternal darkness or something...", before she tossed the stone at a tree firmly - the stone moving at a high speed, before effectively shattering against the surface of the wood, huge cracks spreading along the tree's surface as both sisters cried out in shock and jumped at that, a lapse in concentration causing the dirt-pile Celestia was lifting to fall to the ground as Luna stared at her hoof for a second in awe.

"...Wow..." Celestia stated in disbelief, pausing before gaining a grin and stating "Alright, let's see what we can really do!", walking over to the tree as Luna blinked in confusion, the smaller filly's eyes widening as Celestia bucked it hard - the base immediately splintering as it fell to the ground, the elder sister staring at it for a moment before stating "...Alright. Super-strength. Something like this could probably put a dent in stone, even...", before she walked over to a thick branch and tapped it a few times with her hoof, even squeezing it, before she nodded with a relieved sigh "But if we don't try to go overboard, we're like regular ponies. The best of both worlds."

Just then, Faust's voice called from the cave "Ok, you two! I have something to show you, and something to tell you! Come inside, please!" - Celestia responded with a nod, giving Luna a smile as the duo walked back into the cave, soon arriving in front of Faust as the filly smiled, stating "So! I want to tell you a few things, but while I do, stare at this, please.", her wing pointing to the wall she had been scratching at a small while ago.

Celestia raised an eyebrow as she stared at it '...What is this even meant to be?' she thought, gazing over the many lines as her mind drew a blank. It seemed to just be a senseless collection of squiggles and made-up symbols. Luna looked similarly confused, as Faust inhaled before stating "It turns out that I can shape the future by influencing your minds with my words, but the slightest change in pitch is important, and while I may know a lot, it's really hard to make what I want to happen, happen... With images like this, I can subliminally influence you, to fine-tune the effect I want. The time you've stared at it already has reduced the frequency with which i've seen us get dragged around as food by animals!" - Faust gave a light shiver as her ears dropped, the elder sister frowning and wrapping a wing around her sympathetically as Celestia sighed "...I can't imagine what it's like to see what you do... So much you want to see, but so much you don't, and no way to look away... You're definitely learning from it too, some of the words you used there were big..."

Faust wilted, giving a sigh before she stated "While there are... Some things I would rather not see... There are other wondrous things. Don't worry about me, sister..." She smiled, inhaling "I'm happy like this. Still, there is more I have to tell you... The time now is 5PM. At about 9, we're going to have a visit. From a hostile bear-scorpion hybrid..." - as her sisters tensed nervously, Faust continued "The area is going to become increasingly hostile over time. That explosion has riled up beasts of Grogar's creation, and... We weren't the only ones empowered by the spirits. That explosion... It has sent a wave of magic across the land. Everything from beasts to ponies will be affected. Some sapients will gain a boost, the bodies of some pegasi will adjust to fit Luna's magic in particular, and wild beasts... It will make them stronger. More dangerous..."

Celestia frowned, as she noticed Luna tense up in fear - quickly, the elder sister stepped forwards, exclaiming "We won't let them get the better of us! You saw how strong we are now, we can do this!" - Luna blinked, as Celestia smiled and concluded "It will only be five days, and Faust gives us perfect warning."

The younger sister paused, before she gave a smile and nodded "Very true! Alright. If we need to fight, then I will do everything I can to keep you two safe!" she exclaimed, to which Celestia sighed and smiled, giving a nod "Then I guess, we should start preparing for the fight..." she glanced to Faust with a smile, before stating "Do you have any suggestions?" - the red-maned Alicorn grinned, before she stated with barely-suppressed excitement "I was waiting for you to say that!"