Celestia and Luna have just 72 hours to reunite the Elements of Harmony and save the Ponyville orphanage from destruction. They'll never get caught. They're on a mission from god.
Celestia and Luna have just 72 hours to reunite the Elements of Harmony and save the Ponyville orphanage from destruction.
They'll never get caught. They're on a mission from god.
The sound of approaching hoof steps echoed down the hall, growing closer and closer with each step. She heard them coming, but chose to ignore them, keeping her head buried under her pillow, trying to sleep. Every day was the same, so she soon learnt to pretend to sleep when the guards came. It made the days less painful. However as the steps grew closer and closer, she felt a strange sense of unease, as though today was different.
Suddenly, the hoof steps stopped. Luna didn't lift her head, she simply lay on her bunk, listening.
“This the one?” a male voice asked.
“Yeah, they want her released early. Hey! Wake up in there, lets go, it's time!” a second voice said, before banging the cell doors with his hoof.
Luna lifted her head from her pillow and looked into the eyes of the two guards standing on the other side of the cell door, their faces expressionless.
“Time already? But is has barely been one hundred years,” Luna replied wearily.
“We got orders from higher up, they want you out of here early. Come on, let's go.”
The two guards opened the door and escorted Luna from her cell, taking position either side of her tall, blue frame, her elegance concealed by the light blue jumpsuit she had to wear. They marched her down the hallway, past the many cells of hollering, cheering inmates, ponies and unicorns alike. Luna never spoke a word, simply trotting along as ordered, ignoring the jeers. They had never been welcoming of her during her stay. Luna felt a sense of relief wash over her at the prospect of finally being rid of their company.
They soon exited the wing and began to make their way across the exercise yard, a large area of grass and rocks, sealed within a magical dome. Several ponies were walking in circles, exercising and being made to do manual labour. As they noticed the tall, blue alicorn crossing the yard, a silence fell across them. They looked on in awe as the princess of the night walked among them, a guard either side of her.
Luna simply kept her eyes forward, avoiding their gaze, trying to ignore their whispered conversations. They had all been the same since she arrived. Judgemental and unwelcoming, unreceptive of the princess among them. As they crossed the yard, they soon stopped outside a large metal door, the lead guard levitating a key into the lock.
He paused. “Well, this is it,” he said, before opening the door and entering, Luna quickly following suit.
The second guard followed her in before slamming the door shut and relocking it. Luna knew the routine by now. It wasn't her first time on the moon. She approached the yellow line painted upon the floor and stood behind it, her head held high. In front of her was a solid brick wall, the only opening covered with a wire mesh, a small slot in the bottom to pass objects though. Behind it stood an elderly, balding unicorn, a look of tired displeasure upon his face. He glanced down to his clipboard and began to fill in the details.
“Number?” he asked.
“7474505B” the guard read aloud.
“What wing?” the elderly unicorn replied.
“Medium wing, block 4.”
“Standard Release?”
“Early parole, good behaviour.”
The elderly pony filled out the last bit of detail on his clipboard, before putting it down on the table. He turned around and disappeared into the maze of racking and shelving, before returning a few moments later, levitating two boxes through the air, placing them onto the desk. He opened the first box and levitated out its contents.
“One hourglass watch, broken. One apple, rotten. One pair of boots, blue. One hooded robe, black. One crown, black. One pair of sunglasses, black. Sign here.”
He slid a clipboard across the desk to Luna. Luna stepped forward, levitated the pen into the air and signed the sheet with elegant cursive not normally seen among prisoners. She put the pen back down and levitated her belongs into the air.
The elderly pony stood up straight and smiled. “You are hearby granted early parole from the moon, Princess Luna.” He saluted, before turning away and disappearing from sight. Luna looked at her crown before her, took a deep breath, and placed it upon her head.
The moon hung high in the sky, shining brightly down upon the ground as an old Dodge Monaco drove through the Everfree forest, it's lights illuminating the shadowy corners of the foreboding forest. It slowly came to a stop outside the ruins of the old celestial castle. Princess Celestia turned the engine off and looked up at the moon, hanging in the night sky. She took a deep breath and watched as the four stars that surrounded it slowly moved behind the moon, disappearing from sight.
There was a sudden, bright flash as the stars vanished, and the moon shone brighter than before. Within the rays of light was a familiar silhouette, flying down towards the ground. Celestia smiled and got out of the car, moving towards Luna as she landed before her.
Luna lifted her head and looked upon her sister, standing motionless. They paused, took a deep breath, and then slowly advanced towards each other, embracing each other tightly.
“Luna, it is good to see you again.”
“You too, my sister.”
“Come, I'll take us home,” Celestia said as she climbed back into the drivers seat of the car.
Luna followed suit and got into the passenger seat, rolling down the window as she did so. Celestia slammed her door, turned the key in the ignition and revved the engine, before quickly pulling away in a cloud of dust, the ruins of the castle rapidly fading in the distance.
They drove in silence, Celestia focusing on the road, while Luna looked at her reflection in the cracked rear view mirror. After a few minutes, Luna broke the silence.
“What is this?”
“What?” Celestia replied, puzzled.
“This mode of transport! Where's the royal chariot?”
“The what?”
Luna sighed and rolled her eyes, “The royal chariot we used to have? The royal chariot we rode around upon!”
“I Traded it.”
“You traded it for this?”
“No, I traded it for a new throne.”
“A throne?” Luna paused. “Okay, I can see that, but what on Equestria is this? I've never seen such a thing!”
“It's an old motor vehicle from the magic mirror realm. I picked it up on one of my trips to the alternate world last year.”
“Well, it's certainly different,” Luna added, “But I don't like it.”
Celestia slammed her hoof on the brake and disdainfully looked at her sister. “You don't like it?”
“No. I do not,” Luna said abruptly.
Celestia turned back to the forest and put her hoof back down hard on the accelerator. She drove aggressively between the trees, heading for a large gorge that separated the forest. She aimed for a small hill and flew straight off the edge. The car sailed through the air, wheels spinning freely, before it slammed back down on the other side with a sickening crash, wheels spinning in the mud. The car quickly regained traction and carried on it's way, none the worse for wear. Celestia's expression remained unchanged.
“It's got a powered motor, three hundred and seventy five horse power. It runs on fossilized trees, so it doesn't need to stop for hay breaks. It's got rubber tires so it’ll move over any terrain without breaking a horse shoe,” Celestia said. “What do you say, is it the new royal chariot?”
“It's got three hundred horses in it? But where?” Luna asked, furrowing her brow.
“The equivalent of three hundred horses. Trust me my sister, you'll love it.”
Luna looked out the window at the rapidly passing forest, the trees growing thinner and thinner as they neared the edge, growing closer to civilization. She turned back to the mirror and looked at her reflection, her mane blowing freely behind her as the wind rushed through the open window, her crown resting upon her head.
Luna looked at the moon hanging high in the night sky, nothing more than a faint white spot in the blackness of the night. It soon vanished from sight as they rounded a corner.
Luna smiled.
“Fix the mirror,” she said happily before turning back to her sister, an equally wide grin plastered across her face.
Luna looked up at the sky as the sun slowly rose, smiling as its warm glow illuminated the town of Ponyville.
“How are you doing that while driving?” Luna asked.
“Oh it's easy really, I don't even notice it any more. It's entirely subconscious to me.”
Luna looked back at the raising sun and smiled as it grew higher and higher, coming to rest near the moon. She had missed having control of the moon, missed having control of her entire life. She closed her eyes and furrowed her brow, when she felt a wave of pain shoot across her forehead, her horn aching profusely. She opened her eyes again and looked up at the moon forlornly.
“Are you not going to lower the moon, my sister?” Celestia asked.
Luna wistfully looked up at the sun and the moon, resting in the sky. “Not just yet,” she paused “I don't think I'm ready.”
Celestia pulled into the town of Ponyville as Luna regarded the town with bemusement. Its streets were emptier than she recalled, the shops and buildings showing their age more than she recallled. How long had she been gone?
Before she had a chance to ask, they came to a stop outside the school house. Luna looked out the window and grimaced.
“What are we doing here?” She asked, annoyed.
“You said you'd talk to the fillies and colts once you got out, to tell them how crime is wrong,” Celestia said, turning the engine off.
Luna turned to her sister, “Okay, so I lied. Can we get out of here now, I would very much like to sleep in my own bed at last!”
Celestia's jaw dropped. “My sister, you cannot lie to children! Come on, it won't take long. We had best not keep them waiting.”
“Then we can go home?”
Celestia paused. “Yes. Then we can go home.”
They both got out of the car and headed towards the school. Luna sighed, shook her head and reluctantly trotted after her sister, looking up at the bell tower. She had hoped never to talk about the events that landed her on the moon. They left a sour taste in her mouth, a lingering sense of guilt and disappointment. She longed for it to soon be over.
She turned to survey the rest of her surroundings, when she spotted a new part of the building she didn't recall. A dull yellow and brown building, almost the same size as the school itself.
“Celestia, what is that new part of the school? I do not remember it,” Luna asked, surveying the new extension that protruded from the side of the school.
“That is the Ponyville orphanage. It was built shortly after you were banished to the moon. Many children had no parents, and the towns folk erected the structure themselves, to combat the growing problem of homeless and parentless children,” Celestia replied, a twinge of sadness in her voice. “It is strange, though. Usually there is a lot more... noise emanating from the building. Come, let's find Cheerilee.”
The two trotted into the building, and were equally dismayed by it's condition. The School house was in complete disarray. Odd sheets of paper and broken chairs were strewn across the floor, broken and crumpled. A smell of mould and damp was lingering in the air, from years of rain ingress upon the building. Neither said a word as they trotted down the hallway towards the classrooms.
“Hello? Cheerliee? We're here for the meeting?” Celestia called out, her voice echoing down the halls.
“It looks like no one is here, had we better not look elsewhere?”
“Hold on Luna, there must be someone around. This is all rather strange. Why would a school and orphanage be in such a condition?” Celestia checked every classroom, while Luna reluctantly stood in the hall, tapping her hoof impatiently.
“Well, when were you last in Ponyville? It all looks a bit deserted outside,” Luna said.
“Hmm, I noticed that too. I must admit, it has been a few years since I came to Ponyville.”
“A few years?” Luna exclaimed, “Why, what have you been doing all that time to neglect the townsfolk?”
Celestia scoffed “Luna, there is more to Equestria than just Ponyville! I have been busy elsewhere!” She paused, then whispered “Besides, I've been unable to travel as much, given recent Canterlot events...”
Luna raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean, recent Canterlot events?”
Celestia blushed and tried to avoid her gaze. “Nothing! I mean, it's all fine! Trust me!”
Luna scowled at her sister. Celestia relented and exhaled sharply.
“Fine. Since you got sent to the moon, things have gone poorly. Let's just say, we're not as revered as we used to be.”
“Well, what do you mean by-”
“Princess Luna? What are you doing here?” a familiar voice inquired. Luna turned around to see an orange pegasus pony standing in the doorway.
“Scootaloo, my dear friend! It is good to see you again!” Luna exclaimed, “I trust you have conquered your fears of the night?”
Scootaloo blushed and rubbed her hoof nervously upon the ground, avoiding Luna's gaze. “Heh, err yeah! Like I'd ever be scared of the night!”
“Scootaloo, where is everyone? Why is the school deserted?” Celestia interrupted, approaching the filly.
Scootaloo blinked upon seeing Princess Celestia. She bowed suddenly, awestruck at her presence, before nervously replying, “We've not seen you for so long Princess Celestia, we had thought you had left us!”
“It's quite all right my dear. Please, address me like you would any of your friends,” Celestia bent down, putting a hoof under Scootaloo's chin, lifting her head up so she could look her in the eye. “Now, what has happened to Ponyville in our absence?”
“You haven't heard? Well a few years ago, 'The great and powerful Trixie' came to town, demanding we demolish the Ponyville school and orphanage to make way for a highway between Canterlot and the rest of Equestria! Since then, she's been bullying the townsfolk into signing forms to allow her to demolish their homes, and eventually all of Ponyville!”
Celestia nodded, deep in thought. “Well, I'll have to talk to her myself. Do you know where she is?”
“She's currently at the town hall, trying to get the deeds from the rest of the townsfolk. You've got to help us!”
“Don't worry my beloved subjects, I'll do my best. Come on Luna, let's go.”
Luna and Scootaloo watched Celestia leave, before turning to face each other. Scootaloo paused, before leaping into the air and clutching Luna's neck.
“I'm so glad you're back Luna!”
“I'm glad to see you too Scootaloo, but now is not the time. We can talk later, I have..” She sighed, “royal duties to attend to.”
Luna tousled Scootaloo's mane and made her way back outside. She levitated her sunglasses out of the glove box and put them on. Celestia looked at her, raising a single eyebrow.
“What? I don't want people to recognize me just yet.”
“Well, I think the flowing magical mane and cutie mark might just give away your position, my sister.” Celestia smirked and levitated the sunglasses back off Luna's head.
Luna smirked, replaced the sunglasses and got back into the car. “Next stop, town hall I guess? But first things first, my sister, what was that you were saying about recent Canterlot events, and us not being as revered as we used to be?”
Celestia's smile vanished. She quickly started the car, revved the engine and sped off for town hall.
The car pulled to a stop outside the Town hall, the engine ticking over softly. Celestia watched the many townsfolk filtering into the building, rambling and moaning profusely. Luna lowered her sunglasses and regarded them with a look of confusion.
“Well, had we best not go in and stop this Trixie, before she ruins Ponyville entirely?”
Celestia shook her head, “No, not yet. Let's wait until everyone is there, so we can watch unnoticed. Come, let's circle the block.”
They pulled away again, leaving a small cloud of dust and exhaust fumes behind them. Celestia began to drive casually through the town, seeming cold and distant. Luna felt urgent to break the silence.
“So, my sister. What has happened in your life since my absence? Anything exciting?” Luna asked, tentatively, hoping for a topic they could discuss, anything to break the awkward silence that enveloped them both.
Celestia simply shook her head in silence.
“Okay then,” she paused. “Nothing at all, really?”
“No. I am afraid not, Luna.”
Luna paused, waiting for her sister to elaborate. To elaborate on anything, whether winter had wrapped up okay, if the Crystal Empire was fine, but she remained silent. She knew it would be a bad idea to press her sister for any further discussion. Luna looked back at her reflection in the broken mirror and sighed heavily.
“Luna, my sweet sister. I'm-” Celestia paused, “I'm sorry about having to send you to the moon. It was an unforeseen event that occurred, and I acted irrationally.”
“No, my sister, it's fine really, I-”
Celestia interrupted her, “No, it is not fine, Luna. I banished my own sister to the moon, based on the accusations of simple pony folk. Pony folk who made demands of their princess. I should have taken the time to consider what to do, instead of acting impulsively as I did. I hope you can forgive me, my sweet sister,” she finished, her voice catching as she fought back tears.
Luna felt tears welling up in her eyes as she listened to her sister talk. She had never seen Celestia appear so repentant before now, never heard her sound so ashamed of things she had done. Things that needed doing, that were the right decision to make, regardless of how difficult they were.
Luna coughed, clearing her throat and tried to speak clearly, her voice wavering as she spoke.
“Celestia, it is fine, but I do not forgive you, as you did what you had to do. Had you not punished me so explicitly, you may well have lost the respect you have earnt over your lifetime as ruler of Equestria. I deserved the punishment you gave me, so you have nothing to be forgiven for.”
Celestia smiled weakly, tears running down her cheeks. “Thank you Luna, you still give me respect where many do not.”
Luna smiled in return, placing her hoof upon her sisters as she changed gear. Celestia looked down at her sisters hoof resting upon hers and smiled.
Luna had felt confused by her sisters comments, but knew not to press her for clarification, least not yet. She knew that when Celestia grew upset, she could never get a clear answer from her. No pony could. Luna was just happy knowing her sister still cared deeply for her.
The car rolled to a stop outside the Town Hall once again.
“It looks like everyone is here. Come, let's see what the big deal is about.” Celestia said, climbing out of the car.
“Wait Celestia, I think you need these!” Luna called, levitating a pair of sunglasses out of the cars glove box and onto her sisters face.
Celestia looked through them with confusion, before peering over the top of the glasses at her sister. “So they don't recognize me?” she joked.
Luna rolled her eyes and grinned, “That, and that they'll help cover up your eyes. They're a bit red and swollen.”
Celestia nodded and gave a forced smile. “Thank you Luna. Come, let's see what is happening.”
The hall was packed with the residents of Ponyville, all of them clamouring and shouting for their voices to be heard, angry expressions on their faces while many pegasus ponies were flying in the air, trying to get a better view of the stage. On the stage itself sat Trixe, surrounded by Royal Guards, watching the crowd tentatively, some of them forcibly repelling ponies who tried to climb on stage.
On the other side of the stage sat a familiar, pink pony, beaming widely.
“The Great and Powerful Trixie demands silence!” Trixie yelled, amid the clamouring cries of the Ponyville residents. Their voices grew silent as they scowled at Trixie. “That's more like it! Now, I'm here today because SOME PONY insists we debate this new situation. So, Miss Pie. Let's get this over with, shall we?”
Pinkie looked at Trixie disappointedly, before turning to the audience, her usual happy grin infectiously radiating into the crowd. In an instant the towns folk had a semblance of happiness and relief.
“Hello my fellow ponies! I'm here today to tell you that this is a foolish rule,as we all know! She can't force us to sell our houses if we stick together! We can beat her, so long as we keep our town spirit strong!” Pinkie cheered, rallying the crowd into a cacophony of cheers and celebrations.
Trixie simply sat smirking at the townsfolk happiness, before finally growing tired of their shouts. “Silence!” she shouted, before casting a spell creating a large flash of light, shocking the crowd into complying, “That's better. Now, you can do as miss Pinkie asks all you like, but one way or another, I'm building this freeway. I already have several key houses owned and ready to be demolished. So you can either sell me your houses now and go live somewhere else, or you can live underneath a freeway. Your call, Ponyville.”
The crowd began to stir and murmur uncertainly.
“Don't listen to her! We can protest this, and she can't build over our own homes! That's not right!” Pinkie replied.
“Oh, but it is, and I will. Ever heard of a town called Appleloosa? Nothing more than the start of the freeway. My plan worked there, and it’ll work here. Trust me.”
There was a stunned silence, Pinkie looked at the crowd tentatively, hoping for them to rally around.
“How much will you give me for my house?” Lyra Heartstrings called out, fighting her way to the front row.
“Lyra! I can't believe you'd sell your house to this bully!” Another voice called out from further back in the crowd, as the pony fought their way to the front.
“I'm sorry Bon Bon, I've got to! I can't live with all this stress, and I can't play my music with the noise of a freeway!”
Bon Bon grimaced and then made her way up to the front. “I'd like to sell my house too,” she said, before turning to Lyra, “Where ever you go, I'll go Lyra. You know I'll support you.”
Trixie barely acknowledged their presence. “Eh, the same price as everyone else. One thousand bits. Take it or leave it.”
The two ponies looked at each other, sharing a brief smile. “Okay.” they said in unison.
Trixie magically levitated a contract in front of their faces, which the pair promptly signed. She then placed a bag of bits onto their backs, and reclined back into her chair. “Any pony else?” she smugly announced.
The crowd began to clamour louder and louder as several more ponies approached to sell their homes and businesses.
Pinkie grew dismayed, “Come on you ponies! We can't give in, we've got to stick together! I've seen the light at the end of the tunnel, we can win this! We need to stick together! Has anyone else seen it?” She cried out desperately, going unnoticed by the rapidly forming queue of ponies, willing to sell up all they once held dear, their homes and memories. Pinkie hung her head dejectedly, her familiar pink mane flopping into a straight style.
“Celestia, are we not going to do anything about this?” Luna asked her sister, only to see she was leaving. “Celestia! Where are you going?”
“Luna, it's over. The townsfolk have made their own decision, and that's up to them. I can't force them to change their minds, any more than Trixie can force them to sell.”
Luna looked around at the ponies leaving solemnly, bits jingling in their saddlebags, their spirits broken. She saw Pinkie start to weep as she left the stage. Luna quickly cast the best spell she could muster, a bright glow of blue light, radiating over the entire crowd. They all gasped, turning to see what was the source of such magic.
“I have seen the light, Pinkie Pie! I will stand by your side!” Luna shouted, in her best, Royal Canterlot voice, “I am not afraid to stand up to this Trixie!”
Pinkie Pie looked at the blue alicorn stood in the back, the crowd stepping backwards, awed by her presence, fearful of seeing her once again. Pinkie Pie beamed happily however, her mane springing back to life. She ran up to her and threw her hooves around her in an embrace.
“Thank you, Princess Luna!”
“You are welcome, Pinkie Pie. I will never let our subjects suffer without support and guidance.”
Trixie simply scoffed at the situation, “Well, if you've both seen the light, why don't you walk right into it! Now stop interfering with my business plans, or I'll have both of you escorted from the premises!”
Luna scowled back at Trixie. “You will not get away with this. Guards, arrest that pony, on account of conspiring against The Princess of the Night!” Luna shouted, extending her hoof towards Trixie. The guards shared a knowing look with each other, before laughing.
Trixie burst out laughing along with them. “Arrest me? Oh that's rich! Didn't you hear about what happened while you were gone? The Royal Guard are now owned by me. I'm in charge of them now, they do what I say!”
Luna turned to her sister, her face aghast. “Is this true Celestia? The Royal Guard are no longer led by you?”
Celestia hung her head and spoke, “It is true Luna. Trixie is now in charge of them, and they do her bidding.”
“But why! What possessed you to give her control over them!?”
“It was a complicated time my sister, I will explain in due time. Come, let's leave.”
“Celestia? Princess Celestia?” Trixie question, bemused, “Well, well well. I've not seen you in a long while. No pony has. Come to see how the world now runs without your leadership?” Trixie gloated.
Celestia turned around to face Trixie, only to be greeted by stunned, distrusting faces. Celestia quickly spun back around and rapidly left the building. Luna quickly ran after her.
“Sister, wait!”
“Hey, wait for me too!” Pinkie cried, pronking after the two princesses.
Trixie stood up angrily. “Guards, arrest those princesses for conspiring against The Great and Powerful Trixie!” The guards nodded and ran out after them, shoving the ponies out of their way.
