Students of Heaven
11-?
 
 
Post 11
 
>I soften my gaze
>"Sister, I..."
>"Do not deny it! How strange that you would choose a male,"
>"but his name is so convenient, isn't it? 'Starswirl'."
>She spat it out like a rotten apple.
>Her eyes narrow.
>Then, she whispers so quietly no pony but myself would have been able to hear her:
>"It's to humiliate us, isn't it? That's why you chose a stallion."
>"Fields, bedroom, or replacing Luna... that's what they'll say."
>I lower my head and nuzzle her chin
>"Sister! I will never replace you."
>She looks at me, tears welling in her gorgeous eyes.
>"Look."
>I gesture with my snout
>"The land, the sky, everything in between."
>"Every rock, every plant, every creature, every pony."
>"I created this world to find you. You are my sister."
>"Immortal, powerful, and one day, when you have learned and grown enough,"
>"you will attain divinity every bit as splendid as my own."
>"If Starswirl ascends, he too will become immortal, and he will not be accepted right away."
>"But we can wait, dear sister."
>"We will hold the kingdom, the world itself together, as long as it takes to change."
>"Experience tells me, it will not be so long as you think."
>"But what will not change, is my love for you, or your place at my side."
>"You are my sister, forever and always, and I love you, forever and always."
>She looks away, and silently gazes at the horizon
>I lay my head on her shoulder
>"Is it time, sister?" she asks.
>I smile and nuzzle again
>"It's close enough if you're ready."
>I keep my head on her shoulder as she lowers the moon
>There's a soft dripping noise
>We linger
>Everything's going to be OK. I know it.
>At last I raise my head, and the sun.
>Now, in the light of dawn, I see Luna is crying.
>She looks over and smiles
>"We do love you, sister. We just wish they loved us too."
>"They do."
>A moment goes by, and she smiles sadly.
 
 
Post 12
 
>"We made something for you, Sister"
>"Oh?"
>"Yes, we have noticed something that all the ponies seem to love: an ornament for the day itself."
>"An ornament for the day?"
>Her smile is genuine now, despite her lingering tears.
>"mmm!" She enthusiastically nods.
>"Close your eyes, my sister."
>I smile back at her, and do as she asks.
>Her horn lightly touches my mane, and a brief tingle passes through me.
>"Open them, sister, and follow me to the pond."
>Among the rocks, shielded from the ripples of the waterfall it's clear and placid.
>In its surfce our faces look back at us;
>Luna's smile is as bright as the sun itself, and my own is awestruck.
>"My hair..." I whisper
>My pink tresses are transformed!
>A rainbow, dancing on a gentle wind that isn't there!
>Now it's my turn to smile.
>My sister, My dearest Luna! So thoughtful even now!
>"Thou can suppress it, when thy want to."
>"Why would I ever want to do that?"
>"Well..." Her tail swishes sheepishly
>"it takes a bit of magic to keep it going."
>"We gave thee a little of our own so thou could see how it looks,"
>"but If it's not kept charged the spell will falter."
>I shake my head
>"I don't want to suppress it! I don't want it to falter! I'll wear it with love for you, forever!"
>She giggles like a little filly and rubs her neck against mine.
>"We'll teach you the spell, but first..."
>"first?"
>"Come and play with us!"
>She leaps from the edge of the promontory at full gallop, then soars through the calm dawn sky.
>I am not far behind
 
 
Post 13
 
>Canterlot
>Present day
 
>I haven't heard from Sunset for a very long time.
>Twilight returned and told me what happened.
>My dear little Sunset actually used the crown.
>But of course, her seed failed to sprout, as I knew it would.
>Sunset may have been able to fight Unicorn Twilight,
>but, she was no match for an Alicorn.
>Twilight said she left Sunset in the hands of some humans.
>The very ones whom she had terrorized for so long.
>It seemed an odd thing to do, cruel, even.
>An indirect vengeance, unbecoming one of Twilight's station.
>Then she said those humans had also been that worlds bearers of The Elements.
>So I let her judgement stand.
>Honesty, Loyalty, Generosity, Laughter,
>and most of all, Kindness were just what Sunset needed now.
>I was surprised there had been no Element of Magic,
>But Sunset could do without that for now, at least.
>But where was she?
>Shortly after Twilight returned Sunset sent me a single letter.
>Two little words:
>"I'm sorry."
>Then, no matter what I said, or how I tried to engage, she refused me.
>Eventually, I stopped, thinking she would come to me when she was ready.
>Now, it seems she is.
>The book dances and glows atop my desk.
>I open it and begin to read.
>Oh no.
 
 
Post 14
 
>My poor Sunset Shimmer.
>To say nothing of the natives of that world.
>The sirens have found them. It must be the sirens.
>Probably attracted to, or maybe even awoken by the introduction of magic from Equestria.
>If the portal were open, I could take care of this myself.
>I can reopen it...but to my regret, she asked for Twilight's help, not mine.
>Perhaps that's for the best?
>Equestria needs me,
>Twilight needs the experience,
>and Sunset needs a friend, not a mother-figure.
>With the portal closed, Twilight won't be in any danger,
>and if it comes to it, I can cross over, and stop the Beasts of Song once and for all.
>But only if I must.
>Twilight needs the experience,
>and Sunset needs a friend,
>not me.
>Time is of the essence, and a teleport is faster than even my best pegasus courier.
>I'll send a letter once it arrives, but
>Twilight will recognize the sirens as surely as I did,
>maybe even before the message arrives.
>She'll also have a way to talk Sunset through her new crucible.
>I close my eyes, and cast my sight to Ponyville.
>To Twilight's castle,
>through the wards and spells meant to keep out farsight and teleportation.
>My faithful student improves all the time; they are much better than before,
>but still trivial for me to bypass.
>There she is, among her books and letters.
>When she's focused like this, I could teleport it right in front of her and she wouldn't notice.
>She hasn't even sensed my presence.
>What to do?
>How fortuitous! My shipment of books is arriving!
>And they're going right to the throne room.
>They will catch her attention if anything will!
>Effortlessly, I begin the teleportation spell, and reactivate the books message-alert.
>A pop as it disappears from my chambers
>Now to find a messenger...
 
 
Post 15
 
>The Everfree Forest
>c1000 years ago
 
>Silence
>I watch the moon sink below the horizon.
>Luna is nowhere to be seen.
>Lately, that's not unusual.
>We raise and lower our celestial bodies dawn after dawn, and dusk after dusk,
>without ever laying eyes on each other.
>But even at dawn, there is some kind of noise: birds, guards, something to hear.
>Especially here in the forest.
>Silence
>I feel a chill up my spine and know Luna is watching me.
>She sometimes does, using farsight to spy without having to share my presence.
>No, not spy; she knows I know when she watches.
>Observe, would be a more appropriate term.
>I do not mind.
>Dutifully, I raise the Sun
>But it is so quiet.
>I turn and head back toward our castle.
>Last night, I did not want to sleep, and spent the night in the forest watching Luna's sky.
>She'd become more and more upset this last century.
>Nopony seemed to appreciate her efforts, and one night,
>she'd just stopped.
>She still raised the moon, but there was no more beauty.
>No more soul.
>I was expecting yet another dull night, with wan moon and faint, sickly stars, and it was.
>At first.
>Then, near midnight, I sensed her watching me.
>Shortly after, the sky had exploded in light and color.
>The moon shone like a beacon, and the stars flared, literally *flared* up,
>bursting across the sky in hues I had never seen before.
>Even a comet appeared!
>I stayed out and watched it all;
>after so much effort, I wanted her to know that I, at least appreciated her new-found spark.
>"Thank you sister, that was beautiful."
>Silence
 
 
Post 16
 
>I'm not even at the gate yet, and I know something is terribly wrong.
>None of the guards are at their posts.
>None of the daily delivery-wagons are awaiting inspection.
>None of the coopers, or bakers, or gardeners or any of the other staff are at their tasks.
>And that silence
>Not even an insect disturbs it.
>I rush through the gate, the sound of my hooves echoing from the walls
>Where is everypony?
>"Hello?"
>Silence
>Thunderous silence
>I can still feel the chill that tells me Luna is watching.
>Why doesn't she say something?
>"Luna, do you know what's happened?"
>No answer
>"Luna? Sister?"
>Why doesn't she answer?
>I spread my wings and fly to the servant's buildings.
>I open the door and gasp in disbelief.
>Sitting at the duty desk, is a guard, softly snoring with his head lolled back.
>How dare he sleep on duty!
>"Guard!" I say in my booming royal voice, "Wake up!"
>He doesn't budge
>I trot over and see his sleep is far from peaceful:
>his eyes are swollen and tears streak his fur.
>Sweat rolls down his body while muffled screams punctuate his whimpers.
>"Guard?" I shake him with my wings.
>Still he doesn't awaken.
>"Luna, what's going on?"
>This time she answers, but I almost wish she hadn't.
 
 
Post 17
 
>"Hm-hm-hm-hm" her soft laughter drifts through the air.
>"Oh he's having the most marvelous dreams sister."
>The way she hisses out that last word chills me to my core.
>"They all are. Sleeping and dreaming until my night cometh again."
>"What have you done?"
>"We sent the guards home and layed them to bed. In fact, everything on this planet that can sleep, is!"
>"Why? Let them go!"
>"Hahahahahaha! Oh sister, Thou used to love our jokes. How often did thee say thou adored our sense of humor?"
>I looked at the guard, shivering and weeping in his sleep.
>"This..." I gestured to him "this is funny to you?"
>"No, Celestia. This is the set-up. The punchline begins when thee cometh to us."
>Come to her? Has she forgotten who I am? *What* I am?
>"I will not play your game sister. Release them at once, then, I will speak to you."
>Suddenly the guard thrashes in his sleep.
>A high keening wail erupts from all around me.
>They're all screaming. Every pony, every animal, every insect.
>Mad, piercing shrieks shattering the dawn's quiet.
>Howls born from the deepest insanity and mind-breaking terror,
>on and on, echoing and reverberating,
>assaulting from all sides.
>Then, as quickly as it began, they fall silent.
>Luna's disembodied voice speaks again.
>"Thou will, of course, because thee wants us to stop, dost thou not, sister?"
>This couldn't be happening
>She couldn't mean this.
>My sister
>*My* sister
>My *sister*
>How could she do this?
>Tears fall freely from my face
>I don't care
>"Luna..." I manage to sob
>"Well, come and stop us. Thy surely knoweth where we are."
>"Luna, please..."
>"No, sister! Come to us. Now is not the time for fear. That comes later."
 
 
Post 18
 
>I'm crying
>I can't help it
>How could she do this?
>Oh my dear sister...
>I could end it now, release them myself, but that might drive Luna mad.
>It might even enrage her such that I'll have to...
>No, I won't let myself consider that.
>I'll have to talk to her.
>To make her understand there's only one way this can end.
>That hers is only to choose where she stands when it does.
>"Oh my dear sister..."
>She was right too, I do know where she is.
>The alcove behind our thrones.
>Where we used to meet before going out and changing the sky together.
>A quick teleport,
>and there she is: standing before me, wearing a cruel smile.
>"See, sister? We said thou would come."
>"Luna, what are... WHY are you doing this?"
>"Luna?" She smirks "Are we not *sisters*?"
>"Yes," I nod.
>"We are sisters, Luna, because I made you so."
>Her smirk changes to a snarl.
>"Have you forgotten what I am? I am a goddess! Creator of both sun and moon."
>"I made the world! I gave life to it! Who are you to defy me?"
>Her face is a mask of frustrated rage.
>Can't she understand how hopeless her position is?
>"We too, are a goddess! Thou said so thyself! That one day we would be thy equal!"
>"And you think that day has come?"
>"We are the night! We are the darkness! We are the bringer of dreams and the source of fear!"
>"Luna..."
>"They will love the night, if not for its beauty, then for its solace from the terrors of the day!"
>"They will cower in fear at the mere thought of the light!"
>Her horn glows, and they're screaming again.
>Every throat on the planet screeching itself raw.
>"They will love us! They will love ME!"
>Louder and louder, their mad voices penetrating even the thick stone walls.
>"They will worship the peace I allow them only when the darkness falls!"
>"Luna!"
>"Shut up, Celestia! Now is the time for fear! Stop me if you can!"
 
 
Post 19
 
>This isn't working
>And I can't let my ponies continue to suffer.
>Oh sister, please forgive me.
>I must save them from you, but I'm also saving you from yourself.
>One day, you'll understand.
>You must...
>I call on my power, only a very little bit more than I'm used to.
>Suddenly the screaming stops.
>Luna's face jerks towards me with a shocked expression.
>I force down my tears.
>"No more of this Luna. You can't hurt them anymore."
>Her horn glows, then blazes. Her face contorting with effort and rage.
>Easily countered.
>My sleeping subjects don't even stir from her renewed attack.
>"NO!"
>I calmly raise my snout.
>She glares at me with a hatred and malevolence I'd never believed possible,
>then all at once collapses to the floor, sobs gushing from her in an uncontrolled torrent.
>Her tears and moans wrack her frame from nose to tail.
>"Please, let this be the end of it, Luna, my dear sister."
>I turn and march from the alcove,
>between our thrones and down the stairs,
>across the Great Hall,
>almost to the Grand Door, when her voice rings out behind me.
>"Not another step!"
>Oh Sister, please no.
>I slowly turn to face her.
>"Did you really expect me to sit idly by while they all basked in your precious light?"
>please no
>"There can only be one princess in Equestria."
>please no
>"And that princess will be ME!"
>The stone dias crumbles beneath her powerful hooves.
>A fissure shoots up the wall behind her, and it too falls away.
>Through the hole, I see my sun, shining in the clear blue sky...
>eclipsed!
 
 
Post 20
 
>Canterlot
>Present Day
 
 
>My Dear Sunset Shimmer,
>Congratulations!
>Through the great strength true friendship provides, you defeated 3 ancient, powerful terrors!
>You are a brilliant, educated pony;
>you don't need me to tell you how this accomplishment shines!
>Even though a part of me indulges in the idea of you relishing my praise.
>What I wish to discuss, is your other accomplishment:
>reformation.
>We tell ourselves a myriad of stories about, and justifications for our actions.
>Our minds remember, forget, and reinterpret events in ways that make us appear laudible.
>This protects us, but also stunts us;
>we can't grow if we're blind to our own failings.
>Unfortunately, many are.
>Intellectually, we know "nobody's perfect",
>but when it comes to it, we lack the strength to see ourselves in the harsh light of reality.
>To drop our vanities, and see ourselves as we are,
>instead of as we imagine ourselves to be.
>They are never the same.
>This takes more fortitude than many possess,
>and even more to realize when one is wanting.
>It is difficult.
>It is painful.
>But you did it anyway. And more than that,
>YOU DID NOT TURN AWAY.
>You faced the pain, and let it drive you to become better.
>You are every bit the heroine, and so much greater than you realize.
>One day, you will be a princess.
>Because of this, there is one more thing I want to speak with you about.