Sky Tear

by BeefPie

Chapter 1, 2 and 3

Sky Tear

The day drew to it's end, as it had done for hundreds of years. The sun waving it's final goodbyes over the horizon before its counterpart claimed the throne of the sky. The stars emerged from their slumber into the dark sheet - sparkling in the darkness. A faint glimmer. One being brighter than the rest.

Chapter 1 : Secret

The grass shuffled in the cold night breeze, buffeted by the icy flakes. It was verging on Heart's Warming Eve again, and you could tell. Faint multicoloured lights lit up Canterlot on the mountainside, while Ponyville was sitting in the valley - glowing like a lone star. A lone pony was trodding through the snow, away from Ponyville. In between the capital and Ponyville, there was a small hill in the centre of the snow covered plain. Completely unilluminated, the pony ventured into the hill an disappeared. A faint light came on out of a small window.

"Oh, Celestia. I can't keep doing this!"
"I know, I know. I'm sorry. We just need a few more nights."
"Twilight, honestly. It's just a few stars!"
"Rarity, I understand completely. But it's not. If my calculations and studies are correct, over the next few evenings there will be a cosmic event."
"Any kind of event?"
"I... I don't know. But something big. I just want some company while I watch through the telescope."
"Why couldn't you watch from Ponyville?"
"Light pollution."
"Of course, what else? Well, element of generosity at your service. Again. For the 4th night. In a row."
Rarity hung her cloak up on the peg by the door and flopped onto the sofa. Twilight was watching intently out the larger back window - it was usually hidden behind a wooden sliding door.
"So. What makes you think this is so special anyway?"
"Well. It's the 1000th anniversary of the banishing of Discord and evil from Equestria. That's one. Another is that it's Heart Warming's Eve in two weeks. And it's clear right now."
"Ugh. Fine. Just let me know if you need anything." Rarity lay back and closed her eyes.

"Rarity!! Rarity! Wake up!" A rushed whisper awoke her. She rolled over to Twilight hopping about giddily like a filly.
"What?"
"It's started."

Chapter 2 : It

The night sky had lit up like a diamond, with all the colours of the known world fired at it - all bouncing off in different directions. Nebulae and thousands of brighter stars had all simultaneously turned night to dusk.
"Woah...."
"What just happened?" Rarity was awestruck - so shiny. So colourful. So-
"It's exactly as described!" Twilight didn't for a second break her gaze on the sky, making sure she didn't miss a second. "My books were right!"
"Sorry Twilight, but I'm not quite as amazed by this as much as I'm terrified and confused. What is it? How-"
"THE END IS NIGH!" Twilight ignored Rarity completely and ran past and out the door, grabbing some saddlebags on her way.
"Okay then. I'll just... Sit here." Rarity went over to the telescope. A silver bound book was sitting on the windowsill - completely nondescript. She flipped the cover over and looked at the first page. Celestia's seal, and a signature. A list of contents. And a note.
"Reader,
By now it will be much too late, but I urge you to read on anyway. This book will be given to my student at the time. You, student, are needed urgently. Watch the night sky for your message on the week before the 1000th Heart's Warming Eve. You'll know what to do.
Good luck, student. Have Faith."
Rarity glanced up and stumbled back slightly. The sky had a message alright, faintly outlined by debris of dead stars and galaxies.
I'm Back.

Twilight slammed the library door behind her and rushed up to her room, brushing past a confused and scared Spike.
"What does the message mean? Twilight!"
"We don't have long. Quick! Find me all you can on-"
*SMASH, RUMBLE*
"What the.... Calm, Twilight. It was probably just an earthquake."
"Just an earthquake she says." Spike curled up in the corner.
"Spike! I need everything on Heart's Warming Eve. And the Princesses. Get it to me as fast as possible."
"Can't I just send a letter to Celestia?"
"Oh, she knows alright. We can't involve her. She doesn't know that I know. I took the- book? WHERE'S THE BOOK?! Oh Celestia. Am I bucked..."
"What? The silver one?"
"Yes the silver one! I can't let anyone know I stole from the princesses. T-this is phase 1. I need the book! Equestria relies on mortals yet again to save her!"

"A week before Heart's Warming Eve? But it's not... It's about 12 days away yet. A week before would leave 5 days." Rarity skipped through more of the book, mumbling to herself. A scream from outside distracted her.
"Heeeeeeelp!"
"Who is it? What's wrong?"
"Evil sky!" Fluttershy came smashing in through the window, narrowly missing the telescope. She flew straight into the darkest corner and started shaking.
"Fluttershy? Darling. It's fine. Twilight has it all under control. it says so in this boo-"
"Stop! Don't touch anything else." Twilight stepped breathlessly into the doorway. "I need that book. Now."
"Sure, Twilight. You just had to ask." Rarity hovered the book into Twilight's bag.
"What? Really? Just like that? No questions?"
"Why should I? It's your book and you seem to know what you're doing."
"Oh. Well... About that." Twilight ran, leaving a faint musk of her shampoo.
"Fluttershy?" Rarity turned to face her. "It's okay to come out now."
"Bu-but the sky. Evil!"
"Come on. Let's go home." Rarity draped her cloak over Fluttershy and helped her up.

Chapter 3 : Evil
*knock knock*
"Oh for sugar's sake! If tonight couldn't get weirder. We have a visitor - at midnight!" Sweetie Belle opened the door. "Yes,-" Rarity barged through and put Fluttershy on the sofa.
"Rarity?! But you're-"
"Not upstairs. Well deducted." Rarity took her cloak off Fluttershy and replaced it with a blanket.
"Okay, okay. Care to explain what is actually happening tonight?"
"Sweetie. It's just a little prophecy fulfilling. That's all."
"Oh really?"
"Yes. Now get some sleep. We'll talk more in the morning."
"Ugh. Fine." Sweetie eyed them angrily all the way upstairs... Backwards.
"It's okay, Fluttershy. Honestly. Twilight has it under control."
"I-I don't know this time. She was... Scared. She's not normally scared."
"Let's hope so, okay? Get some sleep. We'll probably need it tomorrow."

The Cloudomium shuddered as the lightning continued to hit all around. Rainbow Dash had holed up in the corner, behind an overturned table. She was wrapped in her Daring Do duvet around her face.
"Who's there?!" She quickly glanced around. "I know you're there!"
"Rainbow?"
"Who is it! Name yourself!"
"It's Twilight! Don't attack! I need your help."
"Oh... Well. What is it?"
"I get that you're unnerved but I really need your help. The train isn't running and trees are scattered all along the road to Canterlot. I need-"
"To get to Canterlot. Fine. I'll do it - if you promise you can save us and stop this madness."
Twilight hesitated.
"If it's the last thing I do."

The wind was swirling around them, buffeting them with massive continuous gusts.
"I'm really only just surviving this! If I wasn't me, we'd be dead!"
"Just get us to Canterlot!" Twilight yelled back over the wind. She was holding on for dear life as the thick black cloud in front of them started to pass.
"Keep going! The cloud is thinning!" Twilight flipped open her book one last time. Student. It must be her, surely? The rain and wind suddenly stopped as they passed through a purple bubble. Canterlot. Her brother must have been drafted in from the Crystal Empire to maintain the shield again.
"Drop me off at the tower. I'll go from there." Another beam of light shot up from one of the buildings, strengthening the shield. Rainbow came to a halt on the north tower and shook herself dry.
"Ugh. How am I meant to get back?"
"You're right, sorry. I wasn't thinking about our friends... Just myself. Come with me."

Twilight stopped at the exit of the corridor, coming out into a courtyard. So many paths. Another beam of light. It came from the north east, so she'd go that way. Rainbow trailed behind. She needed to find her brother. Maybe they'd know where Celestia is, if she isn't in her throne room.

They entered a domed building which she was pretty sure wasn't there 3 months ago. The ceiling was very high and towered over most of Canterlot alone. In the centre of the dome was a small opening, for the light to escape. Beneath it... A crystal. Her brother, Cadence and Celestia were standing around it.
"...we need the book. Without it we've lost."
"But it's a book! What help could it possibly be?"
"It contains-"
"Instructions for the End Times." Twilight interrupted their conversation and approached the crystal.
"Twily!"
"Twilight Sparkle. What are you doing here?! With the book?!"
"Princess! I can explain! I... Took it. To study the stars. And there was the message in the front. It... Was a coincidence that I was there at that time."
"You don't understand! That wasn't my book! Nor are you the student mentioned!"
"But... Who's is it then?" Twilight dropped onto her hind legs and glanced around the 4 others.
"We don't know. But we know who's student it is." Cadence spoke up this time.
"The King."