It's been many years since Clover the Clever brought peace to the pony tribes - though that doesn't mean everything is perfect. The Unicorns living high in the mountains still work day in and day out to manipulate the movement of the Sun and the Moon. The Pegasi still fight back severe weather to keep the warmth around as long as possible. The Earth ponies still grow most of the food shared amongst the three tribes.
Two little fillies - born for more than they know yet - have stories to share. And some time after, they will help two more young fillies discover their own paths.
Princess Celestia, ruler of Equestria, unofficial Goddess of the Sun, protector of pony-kind. She wasn't always known as a princess, or a goddess, or even a protector. At one point, she was somepony's younger sister, a daughter, and a student.
Born in a town long lost to time, little Celestial Dawn would spend her mornings studying up on how she would be one of the Solar Unicorns - tasked with raising and lowering the sun for many years - and spend her evenings racing around the town with her friends and siblings. Her wild nature often made her fidgety in her morning classes, but wouldn't dampen her intelligence in the slightest; Dawn was often ranked among the top students in her grade.
She also grew up with a lot of eyes on her, having been born not only at the peak of the Summer Solstice, but with a vibrant ray of sunshine beaming down on her through one of the open windows of her house. This caused a turmoil in the town, as a Solstice Unicorn hadn't been born for nearly 18 years. Dawn's birth would be regarded as a turning point in the history of Equestria, and no pony in that town, least of all Dawn, knew this until many years later.
***
"PAPA-A-A!"
The cry of a young colt rang loud over the clear, warm morning; birds rushed from trees surrounding a small cottage, and a startled unicorn dropped the broom he had been using moments before. He sighed, and gently propped up the broom before heading inside.
He followed the sounds of arguing, occasionally marked by a dull thump. As he opened the door to one of the few bedrooms in the cottage, he found his two youngest foals bickering. Books were scattered on one side of the room, and stacked neatly on the other. When the colt noticed his father, he cried out "Papa! Dawn was using magic in the house!"
At this revelation, the stallion's gaze swiveled to the filly in the room, who's violet magic stopped abruptly, punctuated by the same thump he'd heard earlier as a book hit the floor.
"N-No I wasn't!" the filly declared. Moments passed, and the longer the trio stood in silence, the deeper the filly blushed. Then, she broke. "Okay, yes I was! But it was because Catcher stole one of my school books!"
The stallion's quiet gaze then fell onto his son, who blushed deeply and averted his once triumphant gaze. He sighed gently and settled down gently in the middle of the room beckoning both of his children over. "Kids, let me tell you something really quick, alright? And please don't interrupt." Both foals nodded quietly, leaning into their father's embrace. "Dream Catcher, I'm glad you told me that Dawn was using her magic in the house." Dawn huffed as Catcher looked smugly between their father's legs. "And Dawn, I'm glad you told me Catcher took one of your books without asking." Catcher's smile melted away as quick as it had appeared.
"it's important to always tell the truth, even if we've done something bad, and to ask permission before borrowing someone else's things. It's also important to remember that tattling for the sake of getting someone in trouble isn't very nice. Do you both understand what I mean?" They nodded quietly, staring up at their father with wonder and a bit of worry. "Neither of you are in trouble right now, but I want you both to repeat what I told you. Catcher?"
Catcher mumbled inaudibly, and with a nudge began to quietly say, "I shouldn't tattle just to get Dawn and other ponies in trouble, and should ask before taking something that isn't mine..."
The stallion ruffled his son's hair gently, and said, "Good, I'm glad you understood. And Celestial Dawn?"
Dawn flinched slightly at her full name - her mother had only ever used it when she was in trouble - and said softly, "I shouldn't use magic in the house..."
"... And?" her father prompted.
"... And I shouldn't throw things at ponies, especially at Catcher."
Their father smiled, and hugged them both close. "Good. I'm really glad you both learned a bit today. It can be hard to learn sometimes, even when you're really good at it." A once gentle scent that filled the house before was now noticeably stronger, and all three ponies' stomachs grumbled in response. "C'mon, let's go get some breakfast."
The two foals scurried out of the room and into the nearby kitchen, Catcher hurrying to help set the table. The stallion approached the unicorn in front of the stove - his eldest foal - and gave her a hug. "Morning, Radiance. Thanks for helping with breakfast."
His daughter chuckled, gesturing to the mark on her flank. "Nothing to it, Papa. Gotta put my skills to good use somewhere!" She pulled a pan off the fire, it's sizzling pops slowing. Several items of food floated to the table, enveloped in a sparkly, baby blue glow. "The boys have already eaten and headed to work for the day, so dig in!"
They shared a hearty breakfast, chattering about the plans for the day and what cool things the foals had seen or read about recently. Before long, a bell rang across the town, and Dawn strolled to her room to retrieve the book her brother had taken. On her way out, her father hefted the weighty saddlebags onto Dawns back and walked her to the road.
"So, are we gonna study hard today?" he asked. Dawn nodded ferociously. "Are we gonna do our best to focus on our work, even if that means it wasn't as good as yesterday?" Again, she nodded. "And are we gonna be very helpful to everypony in the class, including the teacher?"
Dawn nodded once more, and hugged her father when he leaned down to meet her. "I love you Papa! I'll see you after school!" With that, she rushed off to the small group of foals gathering in the square. With a wave to the neighbors, Dawn's father retrieved the broom where he'd left it, and returned to his own morning chores.
Dawn approached the growing group of unicorns with only a single pony in mind - her best friend, Early Bird. They had hit it off quickly that first morning they started school, and were inseparable during school hours.
Well, unless they were in separate classes. Or had different lunch times. Or on different teams for their outdoor class.
When she finally found him, they bumped hooves and launched straight into conversation. "Oh my stars, Bird, I thought I was going to be in so much trouble this morning! Catcher stole one of my books and I used magic in the house to try and get it back, and Catcher yelled for Papa!"
Bird laughed, saying, "That was Catcher this morning? He should try out for Town Crier when he's old enough!" They laughed together, Dawn nearly brought to tears at the thought. The group headed off to the school shortly after, and the conversation shifted to the homework they'd been tasked with.
As the group passed the town sign - "Welcome to Little Edenwood" was scored deep on both sides - Dawn and Bird completed their personal morning ritual; both foals would walk under the sign and try to tap it with their horn. Bird strained to reach the bottom of the sign and wasn't quite there, but for the first time ever, Dawn felt the tip of her horn catch on the wood without stretching.
"BIRD! I GOT TALLER!" Dawn cried, suddenly even more energetic. The two foals shared a few moments of pure unfiltered excitement, jumping for joy, until-
"Come on, you two!" the group leader called back. "We aren't going to wait for anyone!"
Dawn blushed and rushed to catch up with the group. She looked up at the group leader, a lanky gray unicorn stallion with white hair. She couldn't recall his name, but his mark looked distinctly Lunar. Dawn turned to Bird, asking in a hushed voice, "Hey, who's our group leader today? He doesn't look like a Solar."
Bird took a moment to scrutinize the stallion, his eyes widening when he looked at the mark. "Dawn!" he said, ducking his head low, "that's Star Swirl!"
Dawn's skin prickled with excitement, recalling what her father had said about Star Swirl. "The Winter Solstice unicorn?!"
"Yeah!"
Dawn's gaze returned to the unicorn, admiration coursing through her. Another Solstice unicorn! Her father had mentioned that Solstice unicorns were very rare, and that she herself was one; a Summer Solstice unicorn was rare enough, but born during the day like Dawn had been was even rarer. She wondered if Star Swirl had been a night-time Winter Solstice unicorn.
She trotted to the front of the group, Bird whisper-yelling after her asking where she was going. When she reached Star Swirl, she looked up and plainly asked, "Mr. Star Swirl, were you born at night?"
He flinched at the sudden conversation, having not noticed Dawn approach. Recognition bloomed behind his gaze, and he said, "Ms. Dawn, gracious. The teachers did happen to mention they should give you a bell."
"What does that mean?"
"Oh, uh... it just means you're quiet when you walk, and sometimes you scare ponies."
"Oh, okay. I think my Papa wants to give me a bell sometimes."
Star Swirl averted his gaze at this, trying not to laugh at Dawn's expense. He liked her father, wanted to stay on his good side; Moonstone Scepter was a kind stallion, and his daughter Radiance had long since caught Star Swirl's attention.
"But you didn't answer my question! Were you born at night?" Dawn repeated. Star Swirl glanced down at her, those strange violet and pink eyes filled with pure curiosity.
"... No, I was born during the day," he relented after a few moments. "Much like you, I suppose."
Dawn simply said, "Oh." Silence settled on the pair, and just when Dawn looked like she was about to ask another question, Star Swirl interrupted to announce they had reached the Solar schoolhouse.
Celestial Dawn felt a shiver crawl up her back. Today felt like it was going to be a really good day.
The day was flying by, both morning classes over and all lunches eaten in what felt like an hour. To Dawn, it just felt like something important was going to happen soon.
The chatter in the classroom quieted as Ms. Keen took her place at a small podium; rapping on it with her hoof, she began, "Class, today we've got quite a special guest for you! One of the Solar unicorns has come to talk to you all about something very important! May I introduce... Star Swirl!"
Ms. Keen stepped back from her podium as a small chorus of applause rippled through the classroom - alongside a flurry of chatter and questions.
Star Swirl entered the room, and as he took his place behind the podium, Dawn watched in wonder. This stallion had picked her up from her house! And now he was here to talk about... something. She could hardly wait to see what this "very important something" was, and had begun to tap her desk in anticipation.
"Good afternoon, young Solars. I hope you all have been studying hard today and will continue to do so, so that many of you may join the other Solars at the mountain top when you graduate." Star Swirl spoke clearly and eloquently, and it seemed that most students were clinging on to every word; Dawn hadn't even noticed she was sat stock still. "I'm here to discuss something that you've certainly spoken about with your friends and family - your special Marks."
With that, a few hooves shot up into the air, students clamoring to show off their Marks that they'd already received. Early Bird was among them, though much quieter than the others.
With a gesture, Star Swirl continued, "Settle now, I know many of you already have your marks. Your teacher, Ms. Keen, shared that with me during lunch. I'm glad many of you already know what you're here to do in your life." He scanned the crowd, lingering for a moment on Dawn before moving on. "Those of you who have your marks, how many of you have sun-related marks?"
Only 3 hooves went up then - Ruby Light, Lucky Star, and Phantasia - and Star Swirl motioned for them to come up. They approached slowly, and sat when directed. Star Swirl took up Ms. Keen's chalk and began to sketch the Marks up on the chalk board.
When he finished, he turned back to the three foals and said, "You can return to your desks now, thank you very much." After a moment, he continued, "These are all three very good examples of Solar marks, where you will be tasked with raising and lowering the sun. They all include a sun," -he circled Ruby's mark- "or a star," -and circled Lucky's mark.
A hoof shot up with a cry, "Mr. Star Swirl! I have a question!"
He turned with the chalk and pointed at the foal, "Ask away!"
"Well, most ponies with stars in their marks are Lunars, right? Why are there Solars with stars in their marks?"
"Very good question! Ms. Keen, have they reached that part of their science class?" Star Swirl said.
Ms. Keen thought for a moment, and said, "Actually, maybe not! I thought they had by now, but that's alright."
"Understood. Well, young colt, I'd like to let you know a little secret... The sun is actually a star!" An air of confusion rolled it's way across the classroom; Dawn wasn't shocked though, because she'd read about it in one of her school books. "Yes, we don't know much about the stars and the sun, but we do know that the sun is indeed a star. That's why Solars with stars in their marks can help with the Sun."
With a swift turn, Star Swirl faced the board again, and quickly sketched up a new mark. "This one-" he pointed to it, "includes a moon, which is what the Lunars help with. If you have a moon in your mark, you'll be a Lunar unicorn. Now, since all of you were born during the day, you SHOULD be Solars if you get a mark for the job. However, there is always a chance you could be destined to help with the Moon instead.
"Now, many of you don't have your marks yet, and that's perfectly normal. Some ponies don't get their marks until they're an adult, and some get them when they're very young. But no matter how long it takes somepony to get their mark, what is important is that they get it, and use it to it's full advantage."
Star Swirl let the thought linger, some of the foals whispering to one another. Slowly, Dawn raised her hoof as a question formed in her mind.
"Ah, Ms. Dawn, you have a question?" Star Swirl pointed at her with the chalk.
"Y-yes. Uhm... If we don't have... our marks, uh... How will we know if... we are meant to be Sun Unicorns?" She rubbed her hooves together gently, surprisingly nervous to ask a question of somepony the town thought so highly of.
Star Swirl thought for a moment, and said, "Wonderful question, Ms. Dawn. Let me think..." Tapping the chalk on his chin, he stood quiet for several moments. Then, with a spin of the stick of chalk, he started, "Well, I believe that many of you won't know. It's nigh impossible to know what a pony's mark may be, what they will be best at. There are a few cases though where one could wager a guess and be nearly correct.
"You, for instance, Ms. Dawn. You were born not only on the Summer Solstice, but at the highest point of the day. I'd like to say we know what your talent will be, but even with those circumstances I could be wrong."
Heat crept up into her cheeks while a shiver trailed down her spine. She was both in awe of Star Swirl, and intimidated by him. His level of knowledge was... something else.
A bell began to gong above the classroom. "Any more questions before I go?" Star Swirl asked the class - one final hoof shot up. "Ms. Dawn, another one? Go right ahead."
"Is it hard to move the sun and the moon?"
Star Swirl chuckled. "It can be," he said, gathering his belongings, "but for some ponies it's easier. I have a feeling you won't struggle too much should you truly become a Solar. I wish you all the best of luck with your class work, work hard, and I hope to see many of you in the Solar classes in the future."
With a flourish, the most admired unicorn in town was gone for the day, off to begin preparations for lowering the sun.
Upon completing her coursework for the day, Dawn found herself staring out her window at the distant cliffside. A short way from the edge, tiny figures wander around preparing for the sunset. Something was making her antsy... Something made her want to move, to go to the cliff. Hopping down from her bed, she began to quietly make her way out of the house.
"Dawnie," her father called from the kitchen, "let me know where you're headed before you leave the house, okay?"
Dawn froze in her tracks, mind racing for a quick lie. "Oh, sorry! I was going to grab my cape first since it's chilly! I'm going to visit Bird before I forget! He had a, uh, question about our homework!"
Her father paused, and said, "Alright, well, be safe and stay warm. You've got a bit before dinner is ready but don't take too long."
Dawn sighed and grabbed her cape. Then, without a second thought, was racing through town towards that cliff. No ponies stopped her, luckily, and all of her family was at home. She was in the clear to reach the path.
When she got close, she saw a few of the late-arrival Solars making their way up; there was no way Dawn would be taking that path without being spotted. Luckily, the base of the mountainside was rife with foliage. Looking around, she noticed the little entrance she and Bird had made way back when to a secret hideout. Creeping inside, she watched the ponies traveling up the path from a distance to make sure she didn't get lost.
The incline proved steeper than Dawn had ever imagined, though she'd always thought she would one day relish her first climb as a Solar. This felt like torture to the skinny filly, especially when she started to lose sight of the Solars. As they got further and further away, she wandered closer to the path.
She began to make her way onto the path when she heard pounding hoofbeats behind her. Panic shot into her heart - any foal seen climbing to the Solar or Lunar cliffs are sent to the high council for punishment. In a split second decision, Dawn dove into the brush and held her breath; without realizing, she had lit her horn and activated a spell she'd only read about recently - invisibility.
The pounding hoofbeats came and went, and all went quiet. Counting out ten heartbeats, Dawn released her breath and gasped violently. She popped her head above the brush, looking around. The pony was gone, and Dawn realized how close she was to the top.
She completed the climb on the path, luckily not running into any more late arrivals. Even so, she decided being off the path to watch this process would be a better idea than standing directly on the path. She crouched low beneath a bush and watched with bated breath.
She didn't notice the silent flow of magic trailing up her horn.
The Solars gathered together, discussing the day and waiting for everyone to be prepared. One unicorn huffed a little ways away from the group, another with her hoof on his side. It appears that was the unicorn that had just raced up the mountain at top speed. His gray coat looked familiar.
The magic was growing brighter.
Star Swirl swiped the sweat from his face and kicked dirt over the sick near the bushes. He'd been so caught up in his plans that he'd nearly missed his first sundown. All Solars did their first move of the sun at sundown; putting something down is always easier than picking it up.
The magic was extending beyond the length of Dawn's horn.
Star Swirl approached the ring of Solars, addressing them all with a nod before starting his magic and bowing his head low. The tip of his horn passed gently through a long-gouged crevice in the dirt. Generations upon generations of ponies had stood in this exact spot, and done this exact ritual hundreds of thousands of times. When Star Swirl opened his eyes though, he was the only Solar still bowed. The others stared towards the path, mouths gaping.
Celestial Dawn, horn sparking with pure power and eyes alight, approached the ring of Solars. "DAWN?!" Star Swirl cried out, stunned that not only would she be up here, but display such an act of disobedience - interrupting a Rising or Setting ritual was a crime punishable by banishment!
Dawn didn't respond. The tall, scrawny filly barely moved when a different solar pushed her.
Star Swirl had always known something interesting would come from Dawn. Whether that have been a book written on all she knew about the world, or finding herself on the High Council, or even just becoming a builder constructing homes for new families in the town. But never something like this.
As though she had done it a thousand times herself, Dawn bowed deep in the center of the Solar's circle. Her horn didn't even touch the ground, yet a deep cut was carved by her magic. Lightning sparked suddenly around her, cracking the hard-packed dirt in a perfect circle - the Solars all jumped back in alarm, but Star Swirl didn't move. He stared, awestruck.
With a flourish, Dawn raised her head and stretched toward the sky. Her mane of thick pink locs floated off her shoulders, waving with an invisible wind. Star Swirl began to notice it changing - the color was changing!
But no - more than that. More and more was changing about her. The glow of magic soon began to travel down her back, planting itself firmly into her shoulders. It glowed even brighter, and was soon pulling in small flecks of magic from the air. Something was building from her back from scratch, bone by bone. Feather by feather.
Wings.
The sun glowed brighter, and was soon making its way toward the horizon. Several Solars gasped when they noticed the sun dipping in time with the moon rising. Not a single other Solar was using their magic.
Before long, Star Swirl noticed a slight tremble in Dawn's, well... entire body. Sweat dripped down her face, and her breaths came in shallow gasps. He quietly approached the edge of the circle, poised, watching the sun hide more and more behind the horizon.
As soon as the sun was completely gone, a beam of magic shot into the sky from Dawn's horn with a loud snap. Star Swirl shot his hooves out first, then his magic to catch the falling filly. Her whole body trembling, she retched on the ground. The other Solars were frozen from shock. His gaze searched frantically for the face of a pony prepared to deal with this situation.
"HEY!" Star Swirl shouted, "SHE NEEDS A DOCTOR, HELP ME HERE!" Several ponies snapped back and rushed in to help Star Swirl load the exhausted filly onto his back. Others began racing down the mountain path - whether to spread the news or alert the town doctor, no one could be sure at this moment.
All that mattered to Star Swirl was getting this filly to the doctor.
Leaves crunched underhoof as Dawn walked down a path. She wasn't sure where this path was, but the tree at the very end looked very familiar.
A breeze shook the trees, but no leaves fell and no chill nipped at the filly. Just the rustle of drying, dying leaves.
Dawn reached the cherry tree at the end of the path, and saw the small stone tucked away beneath it. Etched into the stone was three horseshoe icons; the filly recalled her mother's scratchy singing voice she always jokingly paired with her wonderful tap-dancing. Jitterbug had been a fun-loving mare who only wanted to dance till her horseshoes fell off.
The crunch of leaves approached behind Dawn, and she whirled around, heart full to bursting-
A tiny filly approached, short and stout with a puffy white mane and strange wings, and piercing golden eyes. When she opened her mouth to speak, Dawn saw sharp canines that made her jump.
"Where am I? Who are you?" the filly's soft voice asked. She was quiet, but there was - not anger, but ferocity - behind her words.
"Uh..." Dawn faltered, shuffling her- wait. What? Turning her head, Dawn noticed the new wings on her back. "OH MY STARS!" She leapt forward, nearly smashing the new pony in fear. "WHAT ARE THESE DOING ON MY BACK WHY ARE THEY MOVING WHEN I THINK ABOUT IT WHAT IS HAPPENING!"
Dawn stumbled over and over in her words, running in circles around the cherry tree as if to try and escape the wings. Of course, they followed her everywhere.
"HEY!!" the tiny filly shouted, her words ringing clear and loud across the small courtyard-like area. Dawn froze, startled by the volume she could reach. "Do you know where we are?" she asked again. Dawn shook her head slowly. "Can I know your name then?"
Dawn nodded, trying to find her words. "Ce-Celestial Dawn. Uh... All I know about this place," Dawn walked around to the front of the cherry tree, "is that this is the same cherry tree where my momma was buried, because she's right there. It's supposed to be outside my house."
The filly approached the stone, then gently brushed her hoof against the etching. "I'm... so sorry." The way she said it sounded too old for her apparent age. Too mature. However, something was changing. The filly was beginning to waver and fade like a cloud of smoke.
"Wait! Where are you going? What's your name?!" Dawn cried, reaching desperately for the strange filly. But she was already gone, replaced with a tall, dusty rose-colored pony. Her legs were slim and... familiar, donning beautiful silver shoes that would clack hard against a variety of floor types for a variety of strong sounds. Dawn's eyes trailed up to her face. That beautiful, upsettingly familiar face.
Jitterbug beckoned for Dawn, and with a sob, she leapt into her arms.
Radiance looked down on her little sister resting so peacefully on the cot. She gently ran a hoof through the multi-colored locs now trailing behind Dawn's head. They'd been such a pretty pink too, similar to Momma's coat. She looked at her eyes, twitching gently as though she were simply having a good dream.
The doctor made his way back into the room, small booklet held aloft. "Everything seems to be okay," he said, scanning the booklet to verify. "Her heartbeat is strong, her breathing is clear, and she isn't running a fever. The... wings... appear to be functional and showed no pain response when moved."
"Then why won't she wake up?" Moonstone, the always expressive, was stone-faced in this moment. Radiance simply continued her silent vigil over her sister.
"Our best guess," the doctor said gently, "is that her body is simply exhausted and needs rest. It takes a lot of magic even for the most skilled Solar and Lunar unicorns to move the sun and moon. But Dawn is just a filly - and to top it all off, from what I heard from the Solars' present at the setting ceremony, her... wings... were crafted from magic as well. We intend to continue monitoring her for the time being and will perform a full check-up when she wakes. Everything will be alright, Moonstone."
Her father glanced at the ground, his mask slipping slightly. "T-Thank you, Doctor."
The doctor dipped his head and stepped out to help other patients. Within seconds, Moonstone's mask had crumbled and he was shaking with silent sobs. Radiance quietly reached across the bed for her father, and waited until he noticed.
"I can't lose her too, Ray, I can't..."
Tears prickled her eyes, and she whispered, "You won't. I forbid it, and because I forbid it, it won't happen. She'll be here for years to come."
There was a quiet cough at the door, and Radiance turned to find Star Swirl in the doorway with her brothers in tow. Twister took one look at his father and quickly took a seat at his side, comforting him silently. Specter approached the bed quietly, while Dream Catcher sullenly climbed into the gap between Radiance's legs.
"I figured I would bring them here once they cleared Dawn for more visitors. I'm glad she seems to be doing okay. I'll, uh-" Star Swirl made to leave, but he stopped at a soft, "Wait!"
A tear-stained Moonstone quickly approached the young stallion, and wrapped him in a tight hug. "You have done so much for my family already, my boy... thank you for bringing Dawn here... I don't know what would've happened if- if you-" he took a deep breath, "if you hadn't been there..."
Star Swirl respectfully returned the hug, his heart pounding. He glanced at Radiance, who looked on with such appreciation that he felt he would catch fire. "I would do it all again, sir. Without a doubt."
Hours and hours passed with no response from Dawn - until, of course, the dawn itself. Radiance awoke to find her sister performing the sunrise ritual once more, as though she'd done it a thousand times. She showed little effort, her violet magic warming the room like a beautiful ray of sunlight.
And she knew, in that moment - Celestial Dawn really was something else.
The bat ponies had always been a unique group of ponies. Similar to the pegasi, but not enough to allow cloud walking and weather manipulation; terrestrial like the earth ponies but flighted and thus "other"; mountain-dwelling like the unicorns but nocturnal and anti-social.
Always set apart. Always "other".
But never like this. No other bat pony had ever had dreams like Selena Lunaris did. She dreamt of other ponies - earth, pegasus, unicorn, and bat alike - and occasionally the other sentient species, like griffons and kirins. And when a bat pony mentioned a dream that included Selena, she remembered it. She recognized the dream they spoke of, and how it had started strange or scary until she arrived.
And so, Selena Lunaris found herself an outsider among outsiders, finding herself with neither friends nor enemies. Unanimous indifference followed her everywhere.
Selena found herself with very few hobbies, and not a single one interested anyone but her grandmother. Knitting, reading, and watching the distant lights of a unicorn village blink out at dusk. On full moon nights, she often found herself spacing near a cliff edge, staring down into the distance as the moon climbs into the sky.
Full moons were often celebrated in Selena's colony, but one fateful night changed everything.
Selena woke early in the evening, as she often did. Another rough sleep, another dream shared with a member of the colony. She stretched her wings wide and shook her hair from her eyes - it stayed, as it always does. She couldn't rely on her grandmother's trims anymore, and bringing those scissors close to her own eyes? Yikes.
It was too early to eat, Selena decided, and turned to watch the village.
And it wasn't a moment later, something changed.
A lurch in her stomach and a pain in her forehead was all Selena remembered when she awoke on the packed dirt cushioned with dry leaves. Ahead of her on the path, another pony walked on, completely unaware she was there. The pony had a long tail with colorful locs on the end - a unicorn? But she could see feathered wings tucked against her sides...
Selena hoisted herself from the ground and took a few shaky steps before regaining her balance. A breeze rustled past, shaking the trees but leaving the two ponies below untouched. Selena attempted to approach quietly, but the leaves underhoof crunched far too loud. Suddenly, she was at the end of the path - a small circle of trees surrounded a single cherry blossom - where the other pony stood.
Without warning, the pony whipped around, smiling wide until she saw Selena. She saw the strange filly look her over, as though she was the strange one! A spindly white and gold unicorn with rainbow hair and wings? Who was she to judge? "Where am I? Who are you?" Selena's quiet voice made her feel even smaller than the height of this pony did. She was barely chest height.
"Uh..." the filly hesitated, clearly not sure where they were either. Her wings shuffled, and she turned- "OH MY STARS!" The filly practically leapt out of her fur towards Selena, who jumped back in response. "WHAT ARE THESE DOING ON MY BACK WHY ARE THEY MOVING WHEN I THINK ABOUT IT WHAT IS HAPPENING!" She rambled nearly incoherently, racing in circles to escape her own wings. What on earth is she talking about??
"HEY!!"
The filly froze in front of Selena, finally distracted enough to engage with her. "Do you know where we are?" The filly shook her head. "Can I know your name then?"
She froze, then nodded, and pawed at the ground. After a few moments, she said, "Ce-Celestial Dawn. Uh... all I know about this place," she took a moment to walk around to the front of the tree, "is that this is the same cherry tree where my momma was buried, because she's right there." Celestial Dawn pointed at the stone at the base of the tree. "It's supposed to be outside my house."
Selena approached the tree, and looked down at the stone. It's face showed an etching of three horse shoes - Celestial Dawn's mother's mark, without a doubt. Selena brushed her hoof over those etchings, feeling the small ridges. Tears welled in her eyes, wishing she could give Dawn a happier dream than what she was seeing now.
"I'm... so sorry."
Suddenly the environment was fading, warping-
Selena lurched up in bed, her grandmother calling her name. Her head and neck ached from the strange position she'd found herself in. Shaking her head again, she made her way downstairs and followed her usual nightly routine. Breakfast, grab lunch, head to the cliff, prepare to spend all night there. But something was still... nagging at her mind. Who was that unicorn? What on earth was she doing? WHY did she have WINGS?! She watched the village all night.
In the morning, the ponies that normally gathered on the eastern cliff didn't use any magic.
After several days passed, a huge celebration began in the Unicorn town that lasted all day and all night for a full week. Loud music and the smell of food disrupted Selena's sleep the whole time - that, and occasionally seeing that white and gold filly in her dreams again. It was always brief, and stopped when another song woke Selena, but she kept appearing. The two never interacted, but Selena saw more than once that Celestial Dawn noticed her as she left.
Then months passed before anything changed. At one point just after dawn, a group gathered at the far exit of the town, then dispersed. Selena never realized she would find out what it was about.
Well over a year passed before Selena saw that white and gold filly again. Except, she wasn't much of a filly anymore. She'd grown quite a bit taller, and her wings were much fuller. Her dreads were decorated with bands of gold and rings, and her horn was adorned with twin gold chains trailing to her ears.
Selena took in her appearance from the sky, distant enough that Celestial Dawn wouldn't notice or recognize her. That mare was nothing but trouble, and yet here she was, at the entrance of the bat pony village, greeting the leader.
With some expert maneuvering, Selena was able to avoid the mare the first night, but that couldn't last forever.
The next night was a full moon, and Selena felt that compulsion to the cliff as the moon rose. She settled, and lost herself to her thoughts.
She blinked gently, gazing up at the moon and noticing-
"AAH!" Selena leapt to the left, that bright white snout stark against the moon's bright light. Her violet eyes sparkled, as did her grin.
"Princess-" she began, bowing deeply to Selena.
"ARE YOU INSANE?! Why are you sneaking up on me like that! Stop bowing, you look like a fool!" That grin never faded. "What are you smiling about, Celestial, what do you want from me?"
"You're the missing piece! You're the final piece of the puzzle! YOU are the missing princess we've been searching for!" Celestial Dawn's voice carried far across the plains, attracting ponies from their homes. "Princess of the moon, I must know your name!"
"Wha- huh?! What are you talking about?!" Selena took another step back, horrified at this individual making huge claims like that. Selena wasn't anything! She was just strange!
Celestial Dawn began to pace near the cliff edge, rambling on and on about things that sounded like nothing to Selena. "My mentor, Star Swirl, and I have been searching for my lunar counterpart for the past year! We've been to every western unicorn community we could find and found not a single other pony that looked like me! So we came back home, and now we're here to gather supplies before we head east, and we don't even have to go anywhere! YOU'RE THE PONY WE'RE LOOKING FOR!"
A large crowd had gathered by then, and the gray unicorn that had accompanied Celestial Dawn approached the duo. "Dawn," he said, his voice rumbling through Selena's bones, "we're looking for a unicorn. How could this pony be the one we're looking for?"
Dawn whirled around to the stallion - with whom she was practically eye level - and said "She has a connection to the moon! We have to take her down to the village and see if she reacts to the moonset tonight!"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! I'm not going anywhere with you!"
"Uh, yeah you are!" Celestial Dawn grabbed Selena's entire body with her magic, hoisting her up and making a break for the exit of the village. "You're going to at least give this a try! If I'm wrong, we'll be on our way tomorrow morning! I'll even leave you with a gift as an apology!"
Selena struggled in the magical grip, unable to free herself. "PUT ME DOWN! GRANDMA!! HELP!! CELESTIAL DAWN, RELEASE ME THIS INSTANT!!" But the magic never relented. It took half the night to reach the village, and it was nearly sunrise by the time they reached the Lunar cliff in the unicorn village. During the trip, though, Selena noticed a handful of bat ponies following Celestial Dawn, and then the many, many unicorns poking their heads outside to see who was shouting at such a late hour. Some withdrew almost immediately and slammed their window shutters closed.
When they reached the clifftop, Dawn was exhausted and Selena was completely drained of fight. The two caught their breath next to one another.
Celestial stood, and through heaving breaths, said, "Just... trust me... on this! Now will you... PLEASE... tell me your name?"
Selena threw her head back and sighed. "Fine, Celestial Dawn. Sheesh... My name is Selena Lunaris, but you can call me Selena. There, happy now?"
Dawn grinned. "Yes, of course! I've been happy since I met you in my dream last year!" Selena blushed; no pony had ever been happy to know her. Frustrated, she averted her gaze. Dawn came up on her other side and said "Alright, so face this direction-" she gently nudged Selena towards the west, "and stand like this-" then tapped her hooves to direct them around, "and do this when I do." Dawn then performed the rising and setting ritual she'd done for well over a year.
"Fine, as long as you leave me alone when this doesn't work." She glanced at Dawn, who excitedly tip-tapped her hooves to her right. And the two waited.
Star Swirl looked on at Dawn's at best questionable belief that a bat pony could be the one they've been looking for. It should've been clear they were looking for a unicorn. Bat ponies, alongside pegasi and earth ponies, didn't control the sun or the moon. Sure, the bat ponies had an innate connection to the moon, but what did that have to do with controlling it?
Star Swirl thought back on all the novels he'd read about bat ponies. They'd been described as cannibalistic flesh- and blood-eating savages tearing into ponies at complete random. But the bat ponies that lived not even a day's walk away had never once visited the village when he'd been there. And in their own village? Their own food stores were exclusively fruit. He would absolutely have to speak with the council about their incorrect knowledge on bat ponies.
Before long, it became time for sunrise, and he watched the duo closely. Dawn lit her horn and began the ritual-
"Oh, my stars..."
Despite lacking a horn, the bat pony had a lengthy trail of magic extending from her forehead. Like Dawn's own transformation, her eyes were alight and her mane flowed wildly. She performed the ritual perfectly, and Star Swirl once again watched an entire body part craft itself from the air. Magic flecks crafted bone, then flesh, then a fine layer of crystal unlike the velvet that coated Dawn's horn. At the same time, the back of the pony's mane grew lengthy and became a strange, glowing void of sky and stars.
As the ritual ended, the bat pony nearly collapsed before Dawn caught her and hurried to the clinic. She was gone before Star Swirl or the rest of the crowd could react.
She was RIGHT?!
White light filtered gently through Selena's eyelashes as she gently opened her eyes. Despite the brightness, it wasn't painful. She glanced around the strange space - a void, was the best way to describe it - dotted with small bubbles that had distorted pictures inside.
A small tingle trailed up Selena's spine, and she turned to see Dawn slowly appearing into the space. As soon as she was fully visible, she asked, "How do you feel?"
"Uh... confused. Where are we, exactly?"
"This is what I'm calling the Dreamscape. These bubbles appear to be ponies dreams - I used them to keep an eye on my family while I was traveling."
"So... why are we here? How did we even get here- did you knock me out?!"
"No! No, no, absolutely not! The magic you used tired-"
"What?? What magic? I don't use magic, I'm not a unicorn!"
"Well... you are now."
Selena reached for her head in that moment, and felt her hooves clack hard against something crystalline. She felt the small ache of stretching skin and realized it was real. Real and really attached to her head. Dawn approached with a small, empty bubble and held it aloft for Selena. She saw her reflection, and the horn, and the void of stars dancing behind her head. When she turned, the void trailed behind, not fully gone but clearly attached as well.
"What happened to me?!" She felt a tightness in her chest.
"You're like me! We're the same-"
"WE ARE NOTHING ALIKE!! Ponies in your village LIKE you! I was already different enough from my village, now I've got THIS! And a HORN! How is any pony EVER going to take me seriously again?!" The tears poured out and her chest heaved as Selena collapsed to the ground. Dawn settled near her - too close for Selena. She shuffled away, too weak to fly but adamant on putting distance between herself and the pony that caused her downfall.
When Selena caught her breath, Dawn reached a hoof forward. "Do you remember how your village leader took Star Swirl and I in?" Selena nodded. "Do you know why they did that, despite our communities being so different and separate?" Selena shook her head. "They took us in because they took me seriously. Selena, we're not like the other ponies. We don't have to fight to move the sun and the moon. We don't lose our magic after moving them.
"Let's show the world who we are - the rulers of the sun and moon. Queens, princesses, goddesses, whatever you want to be called. They'll take us seriously. Whether or not they originally would have."
Dawn stood and offered a hoof to Selena. "Come. It's time to raise the moon."
The unicorns of that once distant village looked at Selena with strange, unkind looks. She couldn't place exactly what they were thinking, but she knew they didn't like her. And yet the celebration went on.
Dawn and Selena had woken to perform their ritual, and before long a celebration began with the Unicorns leading the charge. While the bat ponies were welcome, few arrived. Selena's grandmother arrived with the village leader and wouldn't stop boasting about her granddaughter, meanwhile Selena's own parents spent very little time around her - laughing nervously when another pony would ask questions about what she had been like as a foal.
Dawn, meanwhile, was heralded as a goddess, showered with gifts and food. New golden finery adorned her legs, tail, waist, and before long a crown was set atop her head. While Selena wasn't eager for them, gifts were given as well. Silver rings, chains, neck pieces, and a silver and obsidian crown swiftly adorned her.
The party went on for fourteen days and nights, and despite their exhaustion at times, the girls still performed their ritual to raucous applause and cheering.
When it was finally over, a carriage was brought before the duo, and a unicorn announced the proceeding construction of a castle for the "Princesses of the Skies." The title made Selena's skin crawl. In the beautiful forest below, a massive stone structure was partially built - just enough for the two to sleep in and a collection of cooks to feed them.
It was all too much for Selena, but she stayed silent. What else was there to do? She was already this thing now - an Alicorn, the unicorns had called her - so she might as well go along with what Dawn and the unicorns wanted.
"Dawn," Selena said one evening, "I don't think I knew what I wanted to do with my life, but I think if I had known it was this, I wouldn't have chosen it."
"What??" Dawn sat up from her bed and leaned over the edge. "You wouldn't have picked being royalty??" Selena shook her head, and Dawn leaned back. After a few minutes of silence, she said, "You know... I don't know if I would have either."
Selena stood and joined Dawn on her bed. "I'm shocked," she said as she got comfortable, "you seem so at home with all the attention and such, I'd figured you'd always wanted to be treated like royalty."
"Well, yeah, that's the dream of any filly trapped in a tiny town. When you're royalty, like Queen Platinum is to the unicorns, everything is easier. No more cooking and cleaning for yourself, no more carrying heavy books, and the like." Dawn paused. "But... I don't think I remember what I WANTED to do. I remember sneaking up to the top of a hill the night I became an alicorn. I think I was more curious about how the tradition worked, or maybe there was something... I don't know, pulling me there?"
"Pulling you there? Like a feeling? A tug in your chest, an itch in your hooves?"
"Yes! All of that!" Dawn laid fully back and spread her hooves against the ceiling. "Maybe we WERE meant to do this, but it would've been nice to be... warned? I guess? That it was possible the world had these plans for you?"
"Yeah..."
The two sat in silence for a while.
"Well," Selena said softly, "at least neither of us is alone?"
Dawn glanced over, then smiled. "You're right. Thank the stars for that."
A decade before anything changed. A decade of learning unicorn magic under Star Swirl and flight from Selena. A decade of the unthinkable.
Selena and Dawn spent the first few years traveling across the continent they lived on, introducing themselves to the ponies, griffons, dragons, and more. When they went north, they found the Crystal Empire, a community of crystalline ponies of all races. They met a dear friend and confidant, Empress Amore, who was quick to take the girls under her guidance for proper teachings of royal manners.
In that time frame, the three became close, and Selena found comfort in one of Amore's foals, a filly by the name of North Star. The two wrote regularly, and spent time together often.
One day, all letters from the Empire stopped.
News reached the princesses swiftly - Empress Amore had been killed in cold blood, and her children had fled across the continent to keep themselves safe.
Selena received one final letter from North, stating she was safe, alive, and wouldn't be able to write for a long, long time. She also mentioned she was pregnant, and couldn't wait to introduce the foal to their aunts Selena and Dawn.
The princesses vowed to return the empire to it's former glory, but when they arrived, there was little they could do. The Crystal pegasi and unicorns had been slaughtered, and only the earth ponies remained, unable to fight against their chains like the other two races could have.
A brief battle took place between the princesses and the one who called himself "King". Sombra was far weaker than they anticipated, and Selena's final blast of magic trapped his spirit in the ice surrounding the empire. However, because of the damage caused to it's citizens, the empire's own Crystal Heart cast the princesses out and locked the empire away. Somehow, the magic of the heart told the two that the empire would return at some point after 1,000 years had passed.
Neither thought this would affect them directly. They would simply pass the prophesy on to their own children and allow that event to come to pass on it's own. But not long after that, Star Swirl - now known to the world as Star Swirl the Bearded, a great mage teaching the princesses of the skies their magic - was lost to a battle with a villain known as The Pony of Shadows. He had informed the princesses this could happen, but neither had anticipated it.
And from then on, the world kept changing. Dawn became known as Princess Celestia, and Selena known as Princess Luna. The two fell in love and had children, then watched as their children grew older than them, then their grandchildren, and their great grandchildren, and so on. By Celestia's 147th birthday, both realized they'd stopped aging long ago. The two chose to avoid love as much as possible, though this put a toll on Luna.
Eventually, more villains rose and fell. Grogar, Discord, and several smaller threats. But one day, 280 years after the two became intrinsically intertwined, a long-taut thread snapped.
Luna looked on at the crowd cheering over her sister. Was it really so shameful that she should wish the same thing for herself? Was it really so bad that she wished for once, she could be the one in the spotlight? And was it truly so cruel to envision such vile things happening to her sister to have that come true?
Of course it was.
Celestia was a good pony. Luna was not.
But then, why had Celestia not checked on her sister in so long? Nearly 80 years had passed since the two spent any real time together. Surely she was just busy.
But then, why would Celestia bother to make nightly appearances. If she was truly busy, if she was truly so exhausted after her daily work, why on earth would she take that time at night to do something Luna could just as easily do? Why on earth wouldn't Celestia just ask her?? WHY-
"Well..."
A shiver snaked up Luna's back, her fur fluffing up heavily.
"It looks like someone has it all, and someone else has nothing..."
"Who's there?!" Luna lit her horn, searching for the voice. Every syllable sent shockwaves up and down her spine.
"You are, dear. You're here. I'm you, and you're me."
"What does that even mean?!"
"We are one," it whispered in her ear. She turned once more, seeing no one. "You are shunned by the populace and your own sister. She basks in the sunlight while you are left to the shadows. Why must you watch from aside? Are you not also entitled to love?"
Slowly, the magic faded. The stress eased. A frigid calm settled over Luna.
"We can be more. YOU can be more. Your body and my power combined, and they will be forced to respect you. They will have to take you seriously, as your sister had claimed all those years ago. She lied to you, forced you to accept this position you were thrust into, claimed you would no longer be an outcast. And yet here you are, on the sidelines. Unappreciated. Unloved.
"Those of your kingdom dance and sing and play and love in the daylight, and sleep during the night, ignoring the beauty and care of your moonlight, your stars. They are ungrateful for your beautiful dreams, thinking them a figment of their own imaginations. Why do they toss you aside? You are just as powerful as your sister, just as lovely, just as generous, just as honest, just as loyal.
"Nay. You are MORE powerful. More generous, more honest, more loyal. You are better than her. Make her know that."
The voice faded.
Tears flowed freely, staining the wood below.
"Luna?! Are you okay? Why are you crying?" Celestia. Acting as though she cared. Luna turned and raced towards the stage, then leapt off into the night. Her tears fell over the crowd, and they complained.
They always complained. It was too cold at night, it was too dark to farm, it was boring.
She would show them all.
Nightly, this voice would return, whispering sweet nothings into Luna's ears about the love she should be receiving from her subjects and the love that would come from them if she accepted the offer of power. At first, Luna just listened. It entertained the darkest parts of her soul, but she'd never wanted to truly act upon those things.
Then, as time went on, she began to consider the offer. Why shouldn't she take was she was owed? She gave everything and received nothing in return. Where were her adoring crowds, where were her banquets, where were her swaths of suitors? Piles of jewelry and gemstones, personally sewn gifts, songs and dances?!
Then, one night... That void circling behind her head engulfed her.
"Little lamb... I thank you for taking my offer." A figure walked among the shadows, only her eyes visible on their own. Her form was only visible against the stars behind her, blending in to the darkness. "Tonight, we will show them all. The moon shall retain her place in the sky forever more."
The time came and went for sunrise. Ponies in the city below chattered loudly, confused, scared. Good, they should be scared.
"Luna, you must lower the moon!" Celestia stood, fiercely opposing Luna. "The natural order of the world must be kept!"
"WHY?!" Her shout echoed loudly across the room. "WHY MUST I KEEP GIVING! WHY MUST I GIVE UP MY HAPPINESS FOR YOU?!" Celestia looked like she'd been slapped. "I GAVE UP EVERYTHING FOR YOU!! ALL THAT I HAD!!"
"I had to give up everything too! Do you think I don't miss my home village, my family?! My own children?!"
"NO, I DON'T!! You show no shame in giving up everything! You stand in the spotlight while I stay behind, picking up scraps! I am not adored like you are, I am not showered with gifts and letters and lovers! My subjects now sleep when I am awake! My own species is GONE! Did you never notice?!" The horror dawned on Celestia's face. "Bat ponies disappeared after my own lineage died off! And unicorns thrive! I HAVE GIVEN EVERYTHING!! NOW, I WILL TAKE WHAT I DESERVE!!"
The void overtook Luna's body. Her limbs stretched. Her fur became void black, her wings immense.
The sun rose behind her, as Celestia showed her opposition to the foe. To her sister.
And the ponies of the town below saw an eclipse. The moon opposing and hiding the sun. Screams sounded below as enormous beams of gold and violet magic split the castle in two. Two enormous figures could be seen racing out of the castle and taking their battle to the sky. Stray beams of gold hit the streets of the village, cracking the roads in two and bisecting entire houses. Clattering hooves raced far from the castle, screams echoing behind.
None bore witness to the fall of Princess Celestia.
She crashed through the ceiling beams into the depths of the castle - into the room housing the elements of harmony. The gems fell from their stones and suspended around the princess. She stood on shaking legs, looking up at the villainess. With a roar, Nightmare Moon raced towards the princess, horn lit for a final blow.
The elements spin faster than the eye can see. A field appears around the princess. And with an indescribable sound - loud, quiet, explosive, implosive, who's to say - Nightmare Moon disappears.
Silence settles. Then, is broken, as stones and wood supports crash to the floor. The elements of harmony disappear with a flash. Tears split the dust darkening the coat of Equestria's beloved princess, thinning the blood trailing down her face. She doesn't notice. Nothing matters anymore.
She stares above, the face of the moon barely visible. Across it's surface, a mark that had never been there before. The silhouette of a mare painted its face.
Her sister.
Her sister.
HER SISTER.
She had done this.
She had done this...
It was her fault...
Talk of the death of Princess Luna spread far and wide, and a mass funeral was held by the citizens. But Princess Celestia spent well over a year in isolation. She refused anyone but a cook and kept to herself in the crumbling castle. At the top of a mountain, a new castle was built alongside a new city. Canterlot, they called it. Built atop two locations lost to time. Two villages crumbled and rotted away.
Celestia couldn't bear to see it as it was demolished. Couldn't bear to see that group of headstones recycled into castle walls. Couldn't bear to see the final resting place of the bat ponies buried under concrete.
Canterlot, they called it. She so wished she had at turned up to name it. But Little Edenwood and its sister village were gone. Time had buried them together. Just as Celestia wished it had done with her and Luna.
All she could do now was hope. Hope that it was true the elements would free her sister as Star Swirl had claimed all those years ago. Hope that when that came to pass, she would be able to save her. Hope she could fix everything that had gone wrong in her life.
