Starswirl's last spell swapped the destinies of the bearers of the Elements of Harmony. Now, over a thousand years later, the spell is reversed by Twilight Sparkle.
Over a thousand years ago Starswirl the Bearded wrote his last spell, an incantation that by his own admission was "broken and unfinished". Centuries later Twilight Sparkle derived from it the spell that allowed her to ascend and become an alicorn. But while she was able to reverse the effects of the spell on her friends, they weren't the only ones affected.
Twilight sat in the library at a large table, humming quietly to herself, leafing through an old book, and occasionally looking away to take notes. It wasn’t just any old book, and while every book was special, this one stood above all others. It was the last journal of Starswirl the Bearded, containing the unfinished spell that had once helped her ascend to alicorn status, as well as various other experiments and spellcraft.
“A true, true friend… friend indeed… hmm mm mmh…”
Starlight walked in cradling two cups of coffee in her magical aura. “Morning Twilight. What was that you were humming? It’s really nice.” She set one of the cups down next to Twilight. “Three sugars, one cream, just like you like it, Teach.”
Twilight blushed faintly, levitating the cup and taking a slow sip. “You know you don’t have to call me that, right? But thank you.” She took another sip, then sighed and leaned back. “I didn’t miss our lesson, did I? I know I tend to lose track of time when I study.”
Starlight sat next to Twilight and smiled. “Nah, it’s still early. So, what’s with the old book? Oh! Is it part of my lesson today? You were singing about a true friend after all, Twilight.” She took a sip of her own coffee. “Wow, Spike makes a good cup of coffee.”
“This? Oh, uhm, no… I mean, you’re free to look over some of the magic theory in this book, but the last part is probably… I mean…” She fluffed her wings a bit, staring down at the page again before turning back to Starlight and smiling. “Actually, you know what? You might be exactly the second set of eyes I need for this. Did the girls ever tell you that story about my ascension?”
“Not really. I know you fixed a spell of Star Swirl’s and created new magic, but, uh...the girls were a bit…” Starlight tapped her forehoof on the table. “Hesitant to go into it. All Rarity would say was, ‘Checkerboard patterns! What was I thinking?’”
“Yes, I can see why they would be a bit embarrassed about the whole ordeal.” Twilight rubbed the back of her head with a hoof. “But, that other thing, about finishing the spell… this spell, by the way.” She held the book up for Starlight. “Don’t read it out loud, please. Anyway, looking over it again, I’m not entirely sure if I fixed it. Celestia said it herself, I made new magic… not fixing some old magic. I’m not even entirely sure if the spell was broken in the first place. It just didn’t have the effect Starswirl was hoping for, whatever that might have been.”
Starlight took the journal in her aura, read through the original spell, and frowned before nodding her head. “Well, it was definitely written by Starswirl. I should know, after all… but it’s odd. It’s a complete spell, of that I have no doubt. Why would it be his unfinished masterpiece if it was already finished? Twilight, you obviously read it out loud, right? What were the effects, if any?”
Twilight took the journal back as soon as Starlight was done with it, frowning. “Well...I think they called it unfinished because it never did what it was supposed to do. It’s an incantation that can swap the cutie marks… no, the very destiny of ponies. When I read it, my friends all thought that the cuties marks they had were their original marks.” She groaned. “Trust me, the only thing worse than Applejack trying to make dresses is watching Pinkie Pie trying to buck apples.”
“Why did it switch your friend’s destinies instead of the destinies of any other ponies? Why them in particular?” Starlight frowned as her eyebrows knitted. She felt there was something she was just missing. Something big.
“That’s what I’m not entirely sure of yet.” Twilight sighed. “What I do know is that it changed the cutie marks of my friends through their connection with the Elements of Harmony, which were in the same room with me at the time. But whether the spell simply focuses on the closest group of ponies with cutie marks and recognized the Elements as such, or if it actively targeted the Elements as a part of the spell. ” She shook her head. “It’s worrying to think about, but I’m too scared of what might happen if I try to cast it again. And I can’t even study the Elements anymore because they’re a part of the Tree of Harmony again.”
“Well, it might be a good idea to try and create a fail safe for this spell, just in case it’s not just targeting the element holders. Sadly, I could see one of the Crusaders reading this if they got their hooves on it.” Starlight shrugged “Besides, who better than you and me to fix the spell you fixed, Teach!”
Twilight smiled and rolled her eyes. “Oh, stop the flattery. You do have a point though… if we can make a reliable counterspell, we could study the spell without the dangers of irreversibly changing somepony’s destiny.”
“I’ll go ask Spike for some more coffee, and sandwiches too. You get the supplies we’ll need, Twilight. Should I tell Spike we’re in Defcon One research?” Starlight stood back up from the table, taking Twilight’s mostly empty cup.
“Oh Celestia, I hope it won’t come to that.” Twilight shuddered. “The last time that happened I literally disintegrated. The poor guy had nightmares for weeks.” She stood up as well and started pulling books from the shelves, looking them over. “Besides, we’re just making a counterspell. If we do it right, it won’t even do anything unless someone casts the original spell first.” She hummed and made a note. “Note to self… study the effect of incantations on and by non-ponies.”
“Good luck on getting a non-pony to volunteer for that one, Twilight. I’ll be back in a few minutes.” Starlight left the room to head back to the kitchen. “Hey Spike, we need some more coffee and some sandwiches. Twilight and I are going to be working on a reversal to the unfinished spell.”
Spike nodded, pouring two more cups of coffee, and pulling a plate of sandwiches out of the fridge. “Coffee… sandwiches…” He handed everything over to Starlight, then pulled a hardhat and a security vest from the pantry. “If you need me, I’ll be hiding out in the bunker....I mean, uh, the basement.”
“Yeah, that’s about what I thought. Thanks Spike.” Starlight put everything on a tray, but then hesitated. “Did Twilight really disintegrate herself?”
Spike shuddered, clutching the vest tighter to himself. “Please don’t remind me of that.”
“Right. Take care of yourself.” Starlight prepped her shield spell, just in case, and carried the tray into the library.
Starlight stared at the written counterspell, her mane stuck out in places and her coat a mess. “Teach...how did you create a fireball while trying to create a counterspell to a spell that has nothing to do with fire?”
Twilight blushed and waved off. “Oh, um, that happens more often than you’d think. Fire magic is my natural affinity, actually.” She looked away, mumbling. “...my mane literally into flames…”
“Well, that is a story I’ve got to hear. But later. For now, I think we got it. Would you do the honors, Princess?” Starlight summoned a brush from her room to tame her mane.
Twilight nodded, taking a step forward and lifting up the scroll, clearing her throat one more time for good measure. “From another to one, magic flows back. Wrong destiny, returned to the right track.” She tensed and looked around, then slowly relaxed again. “Well, that was about as anticlimactic as we’d hoped, wasn’t it?”
Starlight opened her mouth to answer when she heard a smash right outside of the locked door, which shuddered further as it was furiously pounded on from the outside.
“Twilight! Twilight are you in there? Are you okay? Answer me!”
Twilight gulped, taking a deep breath. “Okay, okay… no need to panic, I’m pretty sure neither of us died this time. Whatever it is can’t be too bad, right?” She walked over to the door, her magic already unlocking it. “We’re both fine! What’s wrong?!”
Rainbow Dash wrapped her forelegs around Twilight and held her tightly. “Oh, thank Celestia, Luna, I’ll even thank Cadance and Discord! I was so scared that something had happened to you that the Princesses were like bawling their eyes out or something!”
“The Princesses… what? Rainbow, calm down!” Twilight stumbled back, awkwardly trying to pry the pegasus off of herself and feeling just a tad bit uncomfortable at the attention. “We’re fine. Why would you think that something happened to me?”
There was a knock on the doorframe and Spike walked in, now wearing a miner’s hat with its lamp lit up. “Sooooo, Twi… do you want to tell us why all the lights suddenly went out outside?”
Starlight walked over to the window and lifted the black out curtain and stared in horror, her jaw dropping. “Teach, he’s right. It’s around two in the afternoon, and there’s no sun… or moon… or stars, even...it’s just...black.”
Twilight opened her mouth, then closed it again and ran over to the window, pushing Starlight aside. “What?! T-that wasn’t us! I mean, it makes absolutely no sense! The spell doesn’t have a single connection to the sky or the sun or… Spike, can you send a message to Celestia to make sure that she’s okay?”
Spike saluted before grabbing a piece of parchment and a quill as Starlight continued to stare out the window.“Wait! The moon!” Everyone turned to the window again to watch as the full moon shakily and far too quickly made its way into the sky.
A sudden gold light temporarily blinded everyone within the room. After a brief moment, the light faded, and Celestia and Luna, both wearing cloaks, became visible. Celestia swallowed hard, visibly distressed. “Twilight Sparkle, We… are in need of help…”
“Princess Celestia, Princess Luna!” Twilight’s ears perked up and she jumped forward, stopping short in front of them. “You’re both okay! What happened? Did Tirek get loose again and take your cutie marks? Did some other dark entity appear? Don’t worry, me and the others will have this fixed in no time… I hope. I mean, probably.”
“Nothing quite that simple i’m afraid my faithful stu— Twilight. Go on Luna, show her.” Celestia leaned down and softly nuzzled Luna’s cheek, encouraging her.
Luna nodded and tugged at the clasp with her mouth. Celestia smiled sadly “I’m afraid we are both a bit nervous to use our magic right now.”
After a few moments of tugging, the cloak finally unclasped and fell to the floor. “Can you help us Twilight? Please, Tia and I are not certain where else to go! Were it not for thee… you, we would be forced to beg help from Discord!”
“What do you… mean…” Twilight blinked when the cloak fell down, revealing a completely normal and healthy alicorn at first sight - until her eyes moved down towards Luna’s flank and she noticed a stylized and very familiar mark of a sun. “But that’s… you…” She turned to Celestia, looking at the other Princess’ still covered body, too afraid to ask.
Celestia nodded, unclasping her own cloak with her mouth, revealing the silver crescent moon cutie mark on her light pink fur. “We seem to have…” She shuddered. “I lost control of the sun.”
Twilight stared at them for a moment with wide eyes, whispering to herself. “It swapped your cutie marks… b-but that doesn’t make any sense! We triple-checked the spell, the only way it could have done that is if…” She blinked rapidly a few times, then started to giggle, several strands of her mane springing out as it turned into a full-blown fit of laughter.
“Um Twilight… you remember that one query we had before casting the spell?I think we just answered it…” Starlight stared in shock as she sat down hard, bringing a hoof to her head and began to laugh “It did work! Starswirl’s spell worked perfectly, and no pony ever even knew!”
Twilight took several deep breaths, nearly hyperventilating before she managed to calm down again. “Well, there is good news Princesses. We already know exactly what happened. And we fixed it. Kind of.” She gave them a slightly manic grin, face frozen as she slowly tipped over like a goat, everything going dark for her.
“Sister, I think she is finally waking. Twilight Sparkle, can you hear us?”
Twilight groaned and rolled over, waving a hoof at the voices. “Just five more minutes, Spike... “
“Twilight, it’s Celestia. I need you to wake up, my former student.”
Twilight gasped and jerked up, eyes wide open. “I’m here! I’m awake! I… wait, what?” She paused to look around. “Oh, right. I’m a princess now. No more surprise tests. Uhm… hello, Princess. Princesses. That weird dream I had wasn’t a dream, was it?”
Celestia smiled gently and sat next to Twilight. “If it involves Luna and our cutie marks, then I am afraid not, Twilight.”
Twilight sighed and let her head hang, ears folding back. “I’m really sorry, Princess. I never thought that the spell would even do anything, but… well, I still don’t think that we made a mistake. All signs point to those being your original cutie marks.”
Celestia blinked and hesitated, glancing at Luna. “I… how is this possible? In all my recollections, I have been the Sun Princess… Lulu?”
Luna sighed and rubbed her forehead with a hoof. “I know there is something… I am getting a headache, and not just from this conversation. There is strong magic at work here, and it may be years before it fully dissipates.” She looked up. “Twilight Sparkle, please tell us what exactly the spell you cast was.”
Twilight sat up a bit straighter as she summoned the old journal. “Starlight and I were discussing Starswirl’s last spell and the likeliness of some little pony finding it and reading it out loud. And with my three young students, it was far too likely than we wanted to consider.” She flipped to the last page. “So we devised a counter spell. It wasn’t supposed to do anything. We were only checking it’s magical signature compared to the original spell.”
Luna turned to her sister, raising an eyebrow. “Ah yes, the spell you sent your student without any further explanation. Did Starswirl really never tell you what it did?”
Celestia shrugged shaking her head. “All he told me was that it was broken and unfinished. It was the perfect test to gain her wings. Are you saying that he told you more?”
Luna frowned. “He was… rambling. Yelling about his greatest mistake, how it was all his fault, begging me to forgive him. He was in tears, sister. You know I can count on my forehooves the times I have seen him cry.”
Celestia closed her eyes, flicked her left ear back and forth a few times, and then finally let out a sigh. “There was a time…. I was up fairly late — roughly one in the morning, I believe — and on my way to get a snack, I heard him muttering in the library. Unable to resist, I snuck up on him as a prank, and he yelled at me. Let me think...it was… ‘Ah, A pox be unto thee Night ruler’. Then he slumped and shook his head, mumbling about misidentification.”
Twilight took a deep breath and stepped forward. “It seems that whoever casts the original spell is protected from its effects. Starswirl must have tested it and… well, it did the same thing it did when I read it. It swapped the destinies of the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony.”
Celestia nodded, wrapping a wing around Luna’s barrel. “And when Starswirl tested his spell… Luna and I…we were.”
Twilight nodded slowly. “Your cutie marks and your destinies were switched. And nopony except Starswirl ever knew it, not even you.”
“Oh no… that means...” Celestia turned to Luna, and her ears pinned back. “I’m so sorry, baby sister!”
Luna stepped back, her ears pinned back as well. “What do you mean, sister? Didn’t Twilight just say that neither of us can be faulted for what Starswirl’s spell did?”
“It made you turn to the Nightmare… you weren’t used to the quiet night. You had the ponies’ love, their admiration… I took it from you… oh Lulu, I’m so sorry…” Celestia closed her eyes, trying to stop the tears that were dripping down her cheeks.
Luna trembled and quickly moved in to wrap her wings around her sister...or, as well as she could, considering her size. “Cease that, Tia. I have forgiven you for that already. These new revelations do not change anything. If anything, we know now that it wasn’t just your fault. It was a tragedy, yes, but we are all stronger for it now.”
Celestia held Luna tight. nuzzling her. “Well, what do we do now? I have no more control over the sun then you did yesterday…”
Luna chuckled and nuzzled her sister back. “We will figure something out, as we always have. You have carried both our duties for centuries. Between the two of us, I doubt we won’t be able think of a solution.” She glanced over at Twilight and Starlight. “And you and your friends as well, if they would help us. We would greatly appreciate it.”
Twilight nodded. “Of course. Starlight, Spike and I will come with you back to Canterlot.” She paused. “Should I get the other girls? They have been through this spell, after all. I mean, they may be able to understand it better than me.”
Luna nodded. “Only if they don’t mind. While this is a serious situation, there is truly nothing to fix… only to cope with. We wouldn’t want to keep them from their own lives and duties.”
“Well, Rarity lives for Canterlot, so I know that she’ll come,” Twilight considered.
Rainbow Dash shook her head. “Princesses, all of us will be coming to help. I mean, we’re the elements of Harmony, and it sounds like a bunch of things are going to be changing, aren’t they?” She leaped into the air. “Just hang tight and I’ll get the others, if they aren’t already on their way here.”
Spike looked up at her. “You might want to stop at a few places in town anyway. You know, tell ponies that no new disaster is going to come. Try to calm down Roseluck, Lily and Daisy…” He glanced at the still-dark sky. Before looking over to Luna. “Speaking of… maybe you should try raising the sun?”
Celestia smiled over at Luna. “Go on, little sister. Raise the sun.”
Luna nodded and shot a wary look up at the sky, lighting her horn. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, then slowly searched her new connection to the sun, sweating a bit as she strained to pull the sun over the horizon.
Celestia watched with a small smile, placing a wing over Luna’s back. “Beautiful, Lulu. I think…I can remember standing just like this with you. When we were younger.”
Luna slowly opened her eyes, returning the smile with a slightly strained one. “I know what you mean, yes. It is heavier than the moon, yet not as exhausting than painting the whole night sky. Maybe that was why you, as the older one, had that duty originally.”
“It’s possible, but our foalhood was so long ago I doubt that either of us will ever remember it correctly.” Celestia yawned, covering her muzzle with a hoof. “Oh my, now I understand why you seem so drowsy under the afternoon sun. It’s like I’m being drained.”
Luna blushed. “You get used to it, really. I only need a few hours of sleep a day, just like you… but you should take them during the day, so you are well rested for your duties during the night.”
Celestia nodded. “I should yes…but I don’t think I will have the chance to do so today. Equestria is probably in a panic — not to mention the rest of our planet — and our coming announcement is unlikely to help things.” She turned towards Twilight, a sad smile on her lips. “My dear Twilight, might you have some coffee for your old teacher?”
Twilight chuckled. “I’m sorry, Princess. I might be the Element of Magic, but you know Spike is the one who does the magic in the kitchen.” She winked at her assistant.
“Very well then. Spike, my dear, might you be able to spare some coffee for an old mare?” Celestia smiled, poking her tongue out. She shook her head “Oh my, I apologize Spike, I lose a bit of my composure when I’m drowsy.”
Spike chuckled, turning to walk back into the kitchen. “You’re better than Twilight when she hasn’t had her coffee.”
“Is that right? Why, Twilight, perhaps I should have never introduced you to caffeine in your youth.” Celestia took the mug in her hooves once Spike returned, deeply breathing in the smell of coffee, her eyes closed. “Oh, blessed nectar of the Gods.” She paused. “Our friends have arrived and are now staring at me, aren’t they?”
Rarity daintily cleared her throat. “Yes, well, with all due respect, Your Highness…the surprise of seeing you act like this in private is wearing off, somewhat.”
Pinkie giggled and nodded. “Yeah. We all know that you and Lulu are just regular ponies, just like me and Dashie.”
Rarity frowned. “Not the examples I would have used for ‘regular ponies,’ but fair enough.”
Celestia smiled before taking a sip of her coffee. “Thank you, all of you my friends, for coming so quickly. I hope none of you were too startled by the sudden darkness?” She peered around Applejack to see Fluttershy. “I deeply apologize for any problems it caused your animals, dear Fluttershy.”
“Oh, uhm, that’s okay. They’ve kind of… gotten used to things like this.” Fluttershy blushed, shuffling her hooves and trying to hide behind Applejack.
“Did Rainbow Dash explain what is going on?” Luna asked while Celestia nursed her cup of coffee. She frowned for a moment, wondering what her and Celestia’s manes would look like once they allowed the magic to retake hold.
Everypony nodded, looking around at each other nervously. “It sounds a bit… strange, but I suppose we can see how that might have happened?” Rarity finally answered after a moment.
Luna sighed. “Tia and I barely remember back to before the spell was cast…” She frowned, pursing her lips. “In fact, I believe that even Mother and Father felt that Celestia would be of the sun and I the moon, what with our coloration. But destiny seems to make a foal of us all.”
Rainbow shrugged. “It’s not like every parent gets it right on the first try. That’s why you can change your name once you get your cutie mark. And sometimes, a pony just gets a really broad and generic name.”
Celestia grinned down at her. “Yes, I do seem to recall receiving a name change request from a young pegasus filly roughly ten years ago.” She hummed before returning to her coffee. “But, we should head back to Canterlot. I’m guessing that Kibitz has already contacted Cadance and a detachment of guards are likely on their way here to retrieve you Twilight.”
Twilight nodded. “Yes, of course. Uhm… I guess we’ll wait outside? Do you want to travel with us, or are you going to teleport back?”
Celestia looked over to Luna. “I leave the decision to you. The guards should arrive soon.”
Luna spread her wings. “I always enjoy a good flight. Just as long as we do not need to use the public transportation.”
“You’ve never enjoyed the train, have you, Lulu? Girls, will you stay long enough to let the guards know we are safe and on our way back Canterlot?”
Rainbow Dash grinned, before saluting. “You can count on us!”
“I enjoy the modern inventions very much, thank you.” Luna frowned and flapped her wings. “As long as we travel in the royal carriage. The common ones are too small and cramped for someone of my size, simple as that.”
Celestia nuzzled Luna’s cheek. “So, you’d like just the two of us to fly home together?”
Luna smiled, fluffing her wings. “I would like that very much.”
Celestia quickly gulped down the remains of her coffee. “My friends, we’ll see you all when you arrive in Canterlot. We’ll be waiting in the throne room. I have a feeling that Cadance is already there.” She set the cup down and walked out onto the balcony, allowing her magic to flow throughout her body once more, her mane dancing like the aurora. “That… is much better.”
Giggling as her own mane burst into a field of stars, Luna stepped out into the sunlight. “Just wait until you are under the moonlight. It fills you with a sense of calm and reflection just like the sun provides a sense of fire and power.” She closed her eyes, facing the sun. “I remember this feeling. Long ago, but it is not something you ever forget.”
Celestia smiled. “I can’t wait. I’m glad your memories are returning. Maybe it’s because you have a millenium less than myself, thanks to your long nap?” She spread her wings. “Ready?”
Luna smiled and patted her sister’s back with a wing. “I am sure your memories will return soon enough, as will mine.”
Celestia smiled. “Well, let’s go. If we hurry maybe we’ll be able to convince Cadance that we are not stupid changelings attempting to replace us.”
Luna groaned. “You have fun with that. I’ll be busy convincing everypony else that I’m not Nightmare Moon returned.”
Celestia winced. “We’re both going to be locked up until Twilight gets to Canterlot, aren’t we, little sister?”
“Let them try. I haven’t felt this invigorated during the day since Pinkie Pie introduced me to espresso.” Luna spread her wings, striking what could be considered an intimidating pose to lesser ponies.
Celestia laughed. “Well then, after you, dear Princess of the Day. I’ll let you protect me from the scary guards and the horrid Princess of Love.” She stuck her tongue out and leaped into the air. “Let’s go!”
Luna blew a raspberry, flying after her sister. “Careful now, Tia, or it won’t be the guards or Cadance who’ll be your first worry!”
“And, besides them, whom should I fear, Lulu?” Celestia grinned “You, little sister?”
“I have bested you in pranks and I shall do so again!” Luna yelled, flailing her hooves. “I may hold the sun, but I am still the night!”
Astra curled up to her husband and hummed into his mane. “This… this is how you know that I love you, Solaris. Did you know that?”
The large, golden alicorn stallion chuckled, running a hoof through his wife’s mane. “And how do you know that I love you, my star?”
“It is a beautiful night and I am here in this bed with you rather then enjoying it.” She grinned. “Do you think Luna will be ready to join me at night soon?”
“Any day now, dear. We just have to be patient. You know what happens when you try to rush a cutie mark.” Solaris chuckled, nuzzling into her neck.
“Yes, I know, I know. But admit it: you are just as excited for Celestia to join you.” Astra licked her husband’s nose.
Solaris scrunched up his nose and pouted. “For my little filly to grow up, spread her wings, and maybe find her destiny somewhere far away from here? I could wait for that.”
Celestia looked up to watch the moon from where she was laying on the cloud, and Luna curled up to her. “And that’s Ursa Major, and below is her baby, Ursa Minor.”
Luna yawned and let a lazy shiver run down her spine and to her tail before curling tighter into her sister. “Mmm-hmm…”
“Luna, are you even listening, or just out here to snuggle up to me?” Celestia smiled, lifting her wing to peer down at her baby sister.
Big, innocent eyes looked back up at her. “Can’t it be both?”
Celestia laughed and nuzzled Luna’s cheek before covering her back up. “Of course. Now…oh dear… Mommy put the stars of Orion’s Belt too close together…” She glanced inside the window of Mommy and Daddy’s room to see the light was off and chewed her lip. “Luna, I need to get up and try to fix Mommy’s stars.”
Luna tilted her head. “Fix Mommy’s stars? Can you do that?”
“Well…I’m gonna try! They’re needed so ponies can find their way!” Celestia stood up and pointed her horn at Orion’s Belt, closing her eyes tight as she grunted and sweated, her horn sputtering and glowing, gold sparks falling off of the tip. Slowly, the three stars drifted a bit farther from one another.
Luna gasped and jumped up, flapping her wings and trying to climb onto her sister’s back in excitement. “You’re doing it, you’re doing it!”
“Uh huh!” Celestia snorted, planting her hooves and grunting some more. Her horn finally went out, and sweat ran down her face, pasting her mane down to her head. She looked up, a huge smile on her muzzle. “I-I did it!”
“You did it, you did it, you did it!” Luna was bouncing up and down on Celestia’s back by now. “You… oh, uhm, I hope Mommy won’t mind, though.”
Celestia wiped her eyes, shaking her head. “I don’t think she will… huh...that feels funny…”
Luna tilted her head, trying to lean over Celestia’s head to look her in the eyes. “What does? Funny-funny or weird-funny?”
“My flanks felt warm for a second. Maybe I used too much magic?” Celestia glanced up to look into Luna’s eyes.
Luna blinked a few times, then gasped and pulled back to scamper over to Celestia’s tail end, pushing the tail aside and pointing excitedly at her sister’s flank. “Tia, look!”
Celestia looked back to see a crescent moon glowing on her flank surrounded by some dark splotches. “A cutie mark? I got my cutie mark! Luna I got my cutie mark!”
“You got your cutie mar — oops!” Luna leaned back a bit too far in an attempt to throw her hooves up out of excitement, and she flailed for a few seconds before she falling off of her sister and rolling across the cloud.
“Luna? Are you okay?” Celestia turned to grab Luna with her magic, just in case she kept rolling.
Luna giggled, rubbing some cloud out of her mane. “I’m fine. Come on, we have to show Mommy and Daddy!”
“Get on my back then, Lulu, so we can fly back down.” Celestia laid down on her belly.
Luna flapped her wings again, clambering up onto her sister’s back and holding tight onto her mane.
Celestia flew down and ran inside the palace, passing the guards on either side of the door. “Mommy! Daddy!”
Solaris sat up quickly, giving his elder daughter a curious look. “Celestia? Weren’t you going to watch the night sky with your sister?”
“I was, and I saw that Mommy messed up the stars on Orion's Belt, so I fixed them! And look at this!” She turned to her side eagerly.
Solaris and Astra both gasped, immediately leaning closer with looks of wonder and confusion. “That’s… Tia, you got your cutie mark?”
“Yes! And look, it almost glows! It’s the moon!” Celestia prances a bit with Luna on her back. “It’s so pretty, like Mommy’s!”
Solaris and Astra both shared a glance before giving Celestia nervous smiles. “You’re right. It really is.”
Celestia shook her head and chuckled before catching up to Luna. “Day dreaming and flying, or, in this case, remembering and flying can be dangerous. Or, at least, it makes me slow down.”
Luna swerved to fly a loop-de-loop around her sister. “You are slacking off, sister. Perhaps in the future I should ask for Lady Dash, if I am to have a proper competition.”
“Well, excuse me, Luna, I was just remembering my cutie mark story!” Celestia stuck her tongue out.
Luna smirked and waved a hoof, talking with the same exaggerated affectation she had used as a filly when they were still playing princesses as a pretend game. “You are excused. Just don’t let it happen again.”
“You were there with me, Lulu. It was just you and me. I was showing you the night sky.” Celestia smiled sadly. “Mom and Dad sure were shocked by my cutie mark.”
Luna slowed down as well, her view shifting into the distance. “I remember that, I think… you had noticed some stars slightly out of alignment, hadn’t you?” She shook her head. “Hard to believe how little I cared for the stars back then.”
“Yeah, the stars in Orion’s Belt were too close together, not that you cared. You were just there for my warmth.” Celestia looked again “Get ready, guards are waiting on the balcony.”
“Intimidation tactics might be counterproductive.” Luna swooped up high over the balcony and spread her wings, magical lightning crackling behind her. “Doesn’t make it any less fun though.”
Celestia smiled “Lulu, we’re trying to avoid having them think that we’re evil, remember? Let’s just land normally, hmm?”
“Oh, fie, I think we have earned us some fun. But fine, you are the elder. The boring, no-fun princess.” Luna blew another raspberry, alighting between the terrified reasonably nervous guards.
Celestia landed beside her. “Hello Star Raver, Daffodil. How are you both this afternoon?”
Both of the guards stared up at the princesses with wide eyes, saluting with quiet squeaks.
“Is my niece here yet?” Celestia said with a patient smile.
“N-Not yet, Your Highness. They are on their way from the Crystal Empire, though.”
“Good to hear. Are you going to arrest us?” Celestia smiled, cocking her head slightly to the side.
Star Raver looked at both of them nervously. “Uhm… is that a trick question, Your Highness?”
“Not at all! After all,the planet did go dark right before we vanished. And now we have suddenly reappeared. Suspicious, is it not?” Celestia folded up her wings.
Luna rolled her eyes, stepping forward. “Stop teasing them, sister. Can’t you see that they’re already confused enough?”
“I’m not teasing them, Luna. I’m simply curious if they will trust our word or follow protocol.” Celestia shook her head and smiled at the nervous guards. “Mind, gentleponies, that no trouble will be levied against you no matter what you do.” Celestia stood calmly with a small yawn. “Oh my, please excuse me.”
“Well, uhm…” The guards leaned towards each other to whisper amongst themselves, shooting glances at Celestia and Luna the whole time.
Celestia smiled at Luna. “So. are you enjoying your newfound strength?”
Luna blushed. “It’s not about that, you know that. But… yes, it’s nice to be this awake and energized during the day.”
Celestia smiled and nodded before turning back to her guards. “Gentlecolts?”
They turned back to the princesses, holding up their spears and trembling slightly. “Would you two… mind staying in the dungeons while we get everything sorted out?”
Celestia smiled in a motherly fashion, hoping to calm her guards. “Not at all. Right, Luna?”
Luna shook her head. “Of course not. I always thought the dungeons to be rather comfortable, considering their purpose.”
“We’ll follow after you both. There’s no need for the spears.” Celestia took a step towards the balcony door.
The guards nodded and moved ahead, glancing back at the two alicorns every few seconds.
“I think they believe that we are going to attack them or some such, Luna.” She turned back to the two guards. “Gentlecolts, you are in no danger from Luna and I. You are simply following procedure and we will not punish you for such.” Celestia shook her head with a sad smile as she kept pace.
Luna smiled. “I think they are more afraid that we won’t attack them, and that they’re incarcerating their rulers. It’s nice to see how much they have come to respect and adore you.”
“I know, Luna, and I deeply respect them, and I am very proud of them. But these policies were created for a reason.” Celestia followed them down the stairs to the holding area. “And that I am very proud of them.”
Luna stuck out her tongue. “Yes yes. But for some reason we seem to be the only ponies who ever end up in the dungeons.”
“Luna, you were only held here once, when you came back from Nightmare Night still dressed up, and I had you released as soon as I woke up.” Celestia smiled, smacking Luna with her tail. “You were groaning from all the candy that you ate!”
Luna huffed. “Oh yeah? And what about that time you didn’t feel like drinking tea, and asked the maid for a cup of coffee instead? They feared you were a changeling and kept you there for almost two days.”
Celestia rubbed her chin in thought. “Luna, I think you’re right. We’re the only ones to be placed in the dungeons, aren’t we?”
Luna scrunched. “Even Chrysalis trapped her enemies in those caves instead of using our dungeons.”
“Huh. We should look into this later.” Celestia walked into the now open cell.
Luna followed after her, turning around to watch the guards close the door and quickly walk away to inform their superiors. After a few moments she sighed, levitated A key over from the wall outside the cell and locked the door. “Maybe we should consider some remedial courses for our guards first.”
“They forgot to lock the cell, didn’t they?” Celestia laid down on a cot with a yawn.
Luna shrugged. “And to get the magic suppressors. I told you they don’t get much practice in restraining criminals.”
“Well…” Celestia lit up her horn and began to rifle through a desk across the room. “They should be in here somewhere. Let me see...ah, I found them!”
“Oh, please don’t.” Luna grimaced. “The last thing we need is a complete panic because they forgot us down here, and the sun suddenly doesn’t set anymore.”
Celestia tapped at her chin. “I suppose you're right…” Her ear perked up as she heard the musical sound of her niece’s voice. “Oh! We’re down here, Cadance!”
There was the echoing sound of hoofsteps coming down the hallway before the Princess of Love casually walked into the room, smiling and rolling her eyes. “Really, Aunt Celestia, Aunt Luna? I feel like the only ponies who ever end up down here are you two.”
Luna chuckled as she pushed the door open. “And thank Mother for that, my niece. They once more forgot the magical suppressors, as well as locking the door.” She shook her head and snorted. “Could you imagine them trying to lock, oh I don’t know, Discord down here?” She paused and face hoofed. “He’s in the cell right next to ours isn’t he?”
“Don’t be silly, Lulu.” Discord stretched out from where he was lying on a bunk bed on the ceiling of their shared cell, dressed in a black and white polka-dotted prison uniform. He brought a harmonica up to his snout, blowing a rather energetic electric guitar riff on it. “Sitting alone in a cell gives me the blues.”
“Hello, Discord,” Celestia pleasantly said, not looking up. “Have you been here long?”
“It would not surprise me if he had been following us since we arrived at Twilight Sparkle’s home.” Luna rolled her eyes before considering. “Wait a moment. Discord, were you aware that our destinies had been switched?”
Discord waved a hand. “Eh… Destiny, schmestiny, I’ve never been much involved in any of that. I noticed that you two were a bit off, but I figured that was just because of your little tantrum and losing your trinkets.” He pouted. “Really, do you think I wouldn’t have helped Fluttershy if I’d known what was wrong? Friendships aside, watching her try to be an entertainer was almost as painful as watching her pink friend buck apples.”
“That is fair.” Luna sighed. “Well, do you plan to stay in here or accompany us to attempt to explain what occurred?” Luna blinked as she heard a soft snore and swatted Celestia with her wing. “I am aware the daylight is draining Tia, but we need both of us to be conscious at this time.” She rolled her eyes. “Last thing I need is more accusations of the Nightmare having returned.”
“Well now, that should be no problem. Just let Dr. Discord fix your little narcolepsy problem.” He appeared down on the floor in a flash, prison uniform exchanged for a surgical mask and long rubber gloves he was dipping into a jar of strawberry jam. He shook off the jam, then pulled out a water pistol and held it right to the snoozing Celestia’s head, pulling the trigger.
“Hu-wha?” Celestia’s horn lit up as she jerked awake, a bolt of magic jumping off and blasting a large hole into the wall right next to the cell door. “What? I’m awake. What was that?”
“Espresso shot.” Discord tossed his gloves and the pistol into a convenient trash can. “Perfect for waking up sleeping alicorns and breaking out of prison, in no particular order.”
Cadance stared at the hole before turning to Discord. She opened her mouth before pausing and looking to her aunts. “This is like what Twilight was saying about Pinkie Pie, isn’t it? I really don’t want to think about it.” She blew her mane out of her eyes before repairing the wall with a quick patch. “Alright. Well I think it’s time for you to face the, er, music as the saying goes, Aunties.” She hugged them both, beaming. “But don’t worry. I’ll be right here with you. Twilight and her friends are on their way as well!”
“I am glad to hear that.” Celestia smiled, hugging her back before pulling away again. “And yes, I suppose we should face…” She paused as Discord played another short riff, glaring at him until he put the harmonica away. “...our little ponies to explain ourselves and the situation.”
“No musical accompaniment is nor will be required I assure you.” Luna sighed as she started up the stairs, mumbling about ponies and why the hay they keep breaking into song at the drop of a hat.
Cadance grinned before quickly following after her Aunt Luna.
Celestia chuckled as well, moving ahead to address the small crowd of guards already waiting at the top of the stairs. “At ease, my little ponies. I commend your initiative in trying to keep the order in this confusing situation, but I do hope that seeing both myself and my niece calm and unharmed will convince you all that we are not under threat. This time.”
“O-of course Princess! Just doing our jobs!” one of the stallions stated as he puffed out his chest.
Luna walked around him and over to where Raven was standing. The poor unicorn looked politely puzzled. “Raven, would you please announce that my sister, Princess Cadenza, Princess Twilight Sparkle, and myself mean to call a press conference within the next twenty minutes to half hour.” She shook her head as she chuckled fondly. “It is my hope that this will both give the media time to gather, as well as allow dear Princess Twilight Sparkle to remember that she has wings and as thus is no longer bound to the train schedule.” She paused with a small sigh. “Have a chair prepared for Discord as well just in case.”
“No chair nor stool will ever be prepared for Ser Discord Dat Chord, Esq.!” Discord animatedly waved around a balloon sword for a moment before pausing as he noticed everyone staring at him. “What? I thought you would appreciate it if I get these all out before the press conference.”
Luna cocked her head. “Truthfully thou-er you mean to be serious during the press conference?” She paused “Tia I believe I must be severely ill, mayhaps dying even.”
Discord huffed. “Really now, it’s like everyone only ever focuses on the parties I crashed instead of the hundreds of events I didn’t.”
“He does have a point, Luna.” Celestia raised an eyebrow. “Considering he could theoretically interrupt anything at any time, Discord has shown some great restraint in letting us run our country mostly unimposed so far.”
“Yes, well…” Luna hummed. “How long do you think it will be until Twilight Sparkle recalls she has wings?” Luna asked as she desperately attempted to ignore what Celestia had just said. Equestria run by Discord? I think I’d rather be back on the moon.
“Oh, her wings remind her quite often about their existence, or so Spike told me. It’s rather the hot air balloon and the royal chariot that are both available to her, that I think she keeps forgetting about.” She looked up at the sky towards Ponyville. “I think there she is now, though.”
Luna stepped out of the way and watched as her best friend attempted to land. She winced before hurrying up to her and lifting her back to her hooves. “Are you unhurt, Twilight Sparkle?”
Twilight groaned as she brought her hoof to her head “Ooooh I’m alright… ugh, note to self request landing lessons from Fluttershy and stop trying to imitate Rainbow Dash.”
“If that was you trying to imitate me, I don’t want to see your own landing style.” The pegasus in question snickered as she touched down easily next to Twilight, before giving a short bow to Luna and Celestia. “Princesses.”
“At ease, Rainbow Dash.” Celestia smiled. “Seeing as we are in a similar situation here and you, in a way, have the seniority, I think we can forgo some formalities.”
“Er, right. Fluttershy should be here in a few and Glimmer was going to teleport the others.” Rainbow Dash paused as she rolled her eyes. “Once Rarity decided what to wear. You may want to send somepony to pull her away from her mirror.”
“I’m sure she will be fashionably late as usual.” Celestia nodded, before turning and waving a wing for them to follow. “Shall we, then? I’m sure the guards and reporters will be getting impatient by now.”
Luna gently wrapped a wing around Twilight watching as Fluttershy quickly landed. “Yes, let us attend the media.” She glanced down at Twilight, who was starting to breathe quickly “Calm, Twilight Sparkle. ‘Tis simply a part of being a Princess.”
“C-calm right, um...a-are you sure they aren’t going to try and lynch me for...for you know, destroying every ponies’ belief system of how you and Pr-Celestia operate?” Twilight glanced over at her former teacher, a touch hysterical.
Celestia quietly giggled. “I would hope not. Ponies have had quite a few beliefs about me over the years, and most of them were quite thoroughly destroyed, I hope.”
“If they think this is bad, they should see you eating cake.” Cadance smirked as she moved in from the side to join them.
“Oh they have, or a least a few have.” Luna chuckled as she gently urged Twilight forward “You do recall Gabby Gums, don’t you, Sister?”
Twilight groaned. “Don’t remind me. That whole thing was a disaster…” She fluffed her wings and straightened up again, just as there was a flash of magic down the hallway. Starlight Glimmer appeared with the rest of her friends in tow. “Starlight! Thank you so much for your help.”
Rarity huffed. “You could have at least let me try that hat on, darling!”
Starlight’s eye twitched as she turned to her teacher, “I brought your friends, Twilight.”
“Oh, so when Rarity goes on a fashion binge she’s my friend?” Twilight smirked at Starlight before giggling. “Thank you, again.”
“Indeed, Starlight Glimmer.” Celestia clopped a hoof on the floor. “That said, we really should be moving towards the courtyard. The sooner we can clear this up, the better.”
Luna nodded in agreement. “Shall we issue the statement and then take a few questions?”
Celestia nodded as well, before inclining her head. “Do you wish to begin with the main statement? Seeing how you are the princess of the day, now.”
Luna blinked a few times. “How do you think the country would feel about becoming nocturnal.” She grinned
Celestia snorted. “I think they would take some exception to that.”
‘“It was only a suggestion.” Luna tossed her head as they finally reached the courtyard. She released the gentle wing hug from around Twilight and stepped up to the lectern. She cleared her throat. “Good afternoon, fillies and gentle colts. Thank you for coming on such short notice.” She paused for a moment to make sure she had everypony’s attention.
She absolutely did have their attention, although most of them seemed rather nervous. The other three princesses as well as the Element Bearers stepping up next to Luna helped, however.
“As you are well aware, at eleven AM both the sun and moon vanished from the sky, leaving the world in pure darkness. I am happy to report that this did not occur due to myself nor Celestia being injured in any way and was rather due to… shock? Surprise may be a better term.” Luna considered for a moment. “It is of no consequence. The reasoning for this was that a problem that Celestia and I were not even aware of had been corrected. All of you are aware of the matter which allowed Twilight Sparkle to ascend, are you not?”
There was a row of confused murmuring from the crowd. Celestia coughed into a hoof quietly, muttering, “I only told the news that Twilight discovered a new kind of magic. I thought the simpler explanation would lead to fewer complications in that case.”
Twilight scuffed her hoof on the floor as well. “I barely understood what had happened myself, so I didn’t exactly go into much detail explaining things to other ponies either.”
Luna mentally face hoofed. “Alright. The short answer is that Twilight Sparkle fixed and completed Star Swirl’s final spell. Today Celestia and I learned that it was used on us over a millennia ago. And it switched our destinies.” Luna paused “Though our parents were of the opinion that I would join my Mother in bringing the night and Celestia would join Father in bringing the day, they could not have been more wrong. What I mean to say is that ‘tis I who is the Princess of the day and Celestia who brings the night.”
Celestia stepped forward, nodding. “Indeed. This was before even the time of Nightmare Moon, so it was quite a long while ago. However, now that the spell has been reversed we do not wish to continue acting against our destinies. As such, we wish to trade the rest of our duties accordingly, with my sister taking the ruling of the day while I will keep guard over the night. After a small adjustment period, at least.”
“For the next few days we will be teaching each other our duties, so for that short time, we are naming Princess Twilight Sparkle as regent to the lunar court. And Princess Cadenza shall be named regent to the solar court. And we thank them for taking time from their own lives to assist us. Now I believe we have time for a few questions.” She points to a pegasus stallion “Yes you.”
“Quick Story from CloudsDaily. Princess, You say a spell caused you both to have switch destinies so long ago. Is there any reason for ponies like myself to worry about something similar happening to us? I just want to get this out now because sadly I can imagine some parents thinking their foals’ destiny is wrong for them, so to speak.”
Twilight stepped forward. “Not at all. The spell is intrinsically tied into the Elements of Harmony, which means only ponies connected to them can ever be affected by it. So no, unless those foals somehow become chosen bearers of Harmony they have nothing to be concerned about.”
The pegasus reporter quietly snorted. “I’m not sure that’s as reassuring to those parents as you think… “Thank you, Princess Twilight.”
A unicorn stepped forward next. “Inkblot from The Sun. Will ponies have to prepare for any changes to the cycle of sun and moon?”
Luna shook her head. “My sister and I are still quite capable of handling our charges. The only difference will be that Twilight Sparkle and Cadenza will be handling the day-to-day affairs while my sister and I teach each other. I don’t believe it will take longer than a few days.” She stretched her wings out before folding them back. “Any other questions?”
“Quick Wit from The Turnip.” Another pegasus mare raised her press badge with an innocent smile. “Can you confirm that the spell switches not only the targets’ destinies but also their genders?”
Twilight blinked slowly. “I, um… That is the first time I hear about that, but all the ponies involved were mares. So… wouldn’t the point be moot?”
“Taking that as a yes. Thank you, Princess.” The mare jotted down onto her notepad, humming cheerfully.
Luna attempted to put a hoof to Twilight’s mouth but sighed as she was too late. “What Princess Twilight Sparkle meant to say is that there is no evidence that a change of gender is possible with any type of magic. Including that of Star Swirl the Bearded.” She mentally rubbed her temples, feeling a headache building. “One final question?”
An earth pony raised his hoof. “Steel Reserve from The Sentinel. Thank you for taking my question. It is a well-known fact that you employ a Lunar guard as well as a Solar guard. Will you be asking them to continue in their normal posts or to switch from Solar to Lunar and Vise versa? Or will they be allowed to make that choice?”
Celestia glanced over at her sister before turning back to the earth pony. “We don’t expect anyone to change their shifts just to accommodate us. The Lunar Guard is to a large part made up of nocturnal thestrals for a reason. That said, we also recognize that some ponies joined the guard to serve a specific princess, so we will do our best to review and honor any requests for shift changes from those ponies.”
Luna nodded in agreement and smiled. “And that is our last question. Thank you all for attending, and remember for the next few days any problems or questions should be reported to the Solar court regented by Princess Cadenza or the Lunar court regented by Princess Twilight Sparkle. Once more thank you for being patient during this… confusing time. Hopefully, things will be basically back to normal very soon.” Luna backed away from the podium and when she had entered the palace again she gently paused Twilight in mid-step.
“Come with me, Twilight Sparkle. We are going to have a long talk about tabloids and why the truth isn’t the best policy with them.”
Celestia chuckled, walking along after them. “The Turnip is a gag paper, sister. I do agree to the sentiment, though. It easily could have been a tabloid asking a question like that. I suppose I’d hoped to keep Twilight safe from the press a little longer than this, still.”
Cadance held back her giggles as she walked beside her aunts, trying not to laugh at the pout on Twilight’s face as Luna levitated her. “Just make her about three feet smaller and I remember that scowl and pout oh so well!” She shook her head “Well, for a press conference that wasn’t so bad!”
Twilight looked over from where she had her forelegs crossed. “Wait! That wasn’t bad?”
“Oh, Twilight…” Cadance finally let out a small laugh “You have no idea, little sister!”
