My Little Priestess - Worship is Magic

by Georg

Lo, a Wild Apocrypha Appeareth

The Book of Harmony
Lo, a Wild Apocrypha Appeareth

---

And on the eve of the Day of Most Light, the Goddess of the Sun and Moon did descend into the worshipers remaining after the Late Service and chastise them greatly, saying unto them, "Do you not have families and jobs to go to? Begone! Out of my rose bushes!"

And the multitude did rise up and praise Her Holy Name before She departed unto her Tower of Light, leaving the Sacred Band of Stallions to guard her path lest any disturb her meditation upon the evening.

And the Night did last a great span of hours, far more than the prescribed schedule written in the Holy Book of Radiance (*)
(*) Current revision available at all worship institutions for 14.65b plus tax.
—

Great was the concern among the Faithful, for the Coming of Dawn was greatly regular as the beauty and wisdom of the Divine Radiance. Many were our concerns, for several began to weep and wail as their faith did begin to fail them, and the disorder did spread among the ponies until all were greatly disturbed.

Then the Faithful did gather within the Great Southern Garden and did lament our wickedness in great volume, upon which the Paragon of Love did come forth to the window and call out, "Forsooth, mine aunt hath departed to Ponyville for the Rising of the Sun. Hold thy weeping and wailing, for it is distasteful to mine ears, and doth drive the Commander of the Sacred Band most wroth. Instead, raise thy voices in praise for the wisdom of my aunt, the Divine Radiance, and find somepony with a tuning fork for thy voices art greatly out of tune."

And the ponies saw that the Paragon of Love was indeed disheveled, and certain sacred hairs of her mane were damp, as if they had recently been entreated by the Commander of the Sacred Band. Upon viewing her Blessed Visage, we were sore afraid, for the Commander’s wrath at having Sacred Congress with the Paragon of Love interrupted would be great indeed. So a peace settled upon the assembly, and we awaited the Rising with patience as She would have commanded, had She not been elsewhere.

Long did the silence last until there was a loud cry, a great shout of joy from within the castle which shook the ground and rattled the Window of Prophecy. Upon the sound, the Sun did rise and a great happiness swept across the crowd, for both the return of the Sun, and the knowledge that the Commander of the Sacred Band had 'gotten some' and his wrath would be likewise muted.

And lo, the Divine Radiance didst return to her Holy Sanctuary, borne on the wings of the Sacred Band within the Chariot of the Sun⁽¹⁾, descending from the sky to the eager cries of the Faithful and the welcoming wings of the Paragon of Love.
(1) Be aware that calling it the Mighty Hot Radiancemobile hath been ruled Heresy, and subject to the most severe penalties.
—

~ ~ ☥ ~ ~

“...so we really need to sit down right away and get our stories straight for the worshipers,” said Celestia quietly to her sister as the chariot touched down. “A revised edition of the Books of Radiance is a necessity, of course. The increased revenue will cover any expense at bringing you into the pantheon, and—”

“Hello, Auntie Celestia.” The perky pink Paragon of Love tilted her head to one side and regarded Luna. “I don’t remember you around the castle before. Are you new?”

“Cadence, this is my sister Luna, the Divine Radiance of the Moon and Stars,” said Celestia carefully, eyeing Shining Armor a few paces behind her. “She will be ruling with me.”

“That’s nice. I’m going to the garden for the afternoon. There are new butterflies there.”

Luna watched the Paragon of Love sweep gracefully down the corridor, followed closely by the handsome Commander of the Sacred Band, but before she could ask the obvious question, Celestia lowered her voice and whispered, “I made her in the lab, just in case I needed a spare to raise the sun or moon. I think I cooked her too long.”

“Do you think so?” Luna eyed the frisky tail as it vanished around a corner. “Too much pepper, I suppose. So what are you going to do with your Faithful Initiate?”

Celestia shrugged. “Leave her in Ponyville and direct all my problems to her. It will be nice to take a break, and it should not affect revenue from the worshipers. I was going to follow the same plan with Cadence, but I’d need to find someplace full of complete rockheads for her to reign over.”

Luna matched her sister’s amused snort. “True. I look forward to reacquainting myself with the world and your company. The world is far too large for one Radiance, but there is one thing that bothers me ever so slightly.”

“What?” Celestia lifted her head slightly and let the sun slide below the horizon while her long-lost sister gently raised the moon. “Everything seems fine.”

“Well, your student,” said Luna. “You plan on having all your problems directed to her. What if the increased worship she acquires causes her to become a Radiance also?”

Celestia laughed. “Oh, like that could ever happen.”

Comments

[Georg]

We are given to understand vile heretics have posted a fifth chapter, which casts the Divine Radiance in a poor light. These miscreants will be found and appropriately dealt with... in song.

[DarkSnowGaming]

Celestia shrugged. “Leave her in Ponyville and direct all my problems to her. It will be nice to take a break, and it should not affect revenue from the worshipers. I was going to follow the same plan with Cadence, but I’d need to find someplace full of complete rockheads for her to reign over.”

...

Celestia laughed. “Oh, like that could ever happen.”

... Little does she know.

Great story.

[FanOfMostEverything]

I was wondering how Cadence factored into this setting. Fascinating little exercise in tone and setting. Thank you for it.

[Totally Not A Pony]

Holy Radiance or not, Celestia’s gonna celest.

[Asolem2]

“Well, your student,” said Luna. “You plan on having all your problems directed to her. What if the increased worship she acquires causes her to become a Radiance also?”

Celestia laughed. “Oh, like that could ever happen.”

That's just silly

[Eroraf86]

This was way too short. And I mean that in the best way. Make this a series!

[Georg]

12048283 Yeah, me too. It takes a particularly whimsical frame of mind to write like this, and I don't get there often. (as you can tell because I mentioned this was in the pipeline for ten years. I mean it could have graduated from seminary and gotten its own congregation by now.)

[Diamondized]

Celestia laughed. “Oh, like that could ever happen.”

And lo, she would regret those words. The Divine Radiance of the Stars and Moon, in a moment of pure clarity, had had great precognition and told her sister of a most unfortunate future. Many nights didst the Divine Radiance of the Sun spend in deep despair as she came to realize the truth of her sister's words. The future she foresaw was slowly becoming a reality, and she began to dread the oncoming ascension of her Faithful Initiate.

[IceHawk]

You can under cook your alicorn as many times as you want.

But you can only overcook her once.